5/13/25 School Committee Meeting

001Yeah. All right. Thank you. Um, sorry for the delay. First of all, we all had to get the delicious snacks, but we also ran over from executive session, so I apologize. Um, I'll reopen the public meeting and we'll start with the pledge. The flag is down that way. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Uh Katrina can you start us with the mission and vision please? Public school mission. The thumb public schools creates world-class student learning experiences. Our clippers are empowered to pursue their goals with curiosity, integrity, and resiliency. The public schools vision. Clippers are creative, inquisitive, and engaged learners who participate in their community as socially responsible citizens. Clippers

002effectively communicate and solve problems that impact the world around them. Thank you. Um, is anyone going to be making an audio or video recording tonight? Um, if anyone is making an audio or video online, can you please raise your hand? Oops. Okay, great. Thank you. Um, so if there are no objections, we're going to allow our Felmouth High School highlight and CTE um item next in the agenda so that they can share with us all all about the food we just ate. Um, all right. So tonight's student showcase uh will capture a few of our excellent CTE programs. Um first we have a few students from Caitlyn Hackett's class and Karen Donahoo's class. Um so they'll be up here in just a second. And then I'm just going to go ahead and introduce um also

003tonight we have um our uh CTE department head Janet Roachcha. And then she's going to share um a little bit more and then she actually has the presentation that she'll follow. So, I think you have a few students and we'll just keep rolling with the the um introductions. So, oh, turn it over to you first. Yeah. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Thanks for having us. Um Caitlyn, this is Caitlyn Hacket, our culinary teacher, and Karen, special ed assist who assists with um the program with her students. Do you want to introduce your students? Um tonight, we have Marian Bulbert and Deon Glick from the restaurant Cafe. We have Justin. Thank you. Great. Thanks so much for joining us to uh sit here. Do you want you want to come on up? Got to follow

004Orion's right. So, um we wanted to start out first. Um, Caitlyn's willing to share a little bit about the culinary program and then we have a couple of the culinary students that are going to share a little bit about their experience. Thank you. So, this is our third year with the restaurant management course and running the Clipper Cafe. Um, and I don't know if you were able to stop and see some of the slides in the pictures behind the coffee shop set up tonight, but we started the program with two students in restaurant management and a 2x4 table covered with a little tablecloth and served some coffee with cream and sugar. And since then, our program has grown each semester. Um, we now have nine students enrolled in the course this semester and a daily

005menu that includes breakfast sandwiches, um, fruit and yogurt parfets, pastries that rotate, and smoothies that, um, meet the students food nutrition guidelines. Um, the faculty and staff are able to call or order and we our students deliver. Um, the students in the restaurant management are working on their math skills by selecting the menu items, those pastries that rotate. They price them out. They set the menu prices. They advertise. They're working with the students in the business marketing um program to also create brochures that we're going to have our buddies um pass out to faculty and staff to try and increase our sales. And we have we're continuing to dream to make it a little bit bigger next year, too. That's great. Thank you. Thank you. Miam and Debbie, you want to come on over? come

006on over and you're like I take my spot. Okay. So, you're join us and just tell us a little bit about the program. Thanks for coming. Hi. Um, my name is Devin and um, my experiences in Clipper Cafe is definitely learning a lot about um, customer service and it helps me with my job in the summertime where I do a lot with customers. I work up front doing register. Um, freshman year I took level one and I took the allergen serve safe. Finished that. And my favorite part of that class was definitely the pasta we made. And then sophomore year I did not take a serve safe, but the cake decorating contest was definitely the bed. Um, junior year I took the food handlers serve um, serve safe and um, we had a contest about

007flu around the world and I did end up winning that. So, congratulations. And then senior year um, I took the workplace um, serve safe where we learned um, biases and my my favorite part is definitely running paper cafe every morning and serving everyone. Awesome. That's great. Thank you. My name's Miam and I also took all the same classes as him. My freshman year, my favorite thing was learning how to make pizza and the doughs and like experimenting with that. Um, my junior year or sophomore year, um, I like learning how to make bread and actually like doing that. Junior year, I like making the smoothies and like pricing them out. And my senior year, I like Clipper Cafe. So, Thank you. So, you've now got additional responsibilities as more of a manager. Congratulations. Amazing. Um,

008so I have to ask what your what your recipe or what your dish was. So, that won the the culinary I know. Um, we made a I believe chickpea curry with naan. Wow. Um, any questions for our amazing students, Chris? So, do your families have you uh make dinner for them every night? Sometimes. Not really. You get to say, "No, I did that at school." Awesome. on um the budgeting aspect and this might be more towards you or you budget the price of the items and then what you sell it for and then you have a business model based on that. Can you explain how the the the pastries work because that's that's a great use of real world mathematics. Um um for our pastries, we um we basically like look at the recipe, search

009it up, how much it costs per ounce, then do all the math to make it into um like one portion. Yeah, one portion. And then we add them all together, add tax, and that's the base price for our menu. Okay. So, thank you so much. Yeah. Yeah. Do either of you have um interest in pursuing a career in the culinary arts? Not really. It's a lifelong fun thing though. Yeah. Or restaurant management or anything like that. Um I personally don't. But I would love to like keep going with making booze and stuff like that just for life. Yeah. Yeah. I mean you have to eat so Yeah. I had told me that you're going to Wentworth for design. Yeah. Do you know what you're doing next year? Yeah, I'm going to master. Congratulations. Congratulations to

010both of you. The the the qualities you're learning from this, even though they're not food related, can you see using them in other business ventures or all the stuff you're learning? It's not just food related, right? Yeah. I would say the math aspects of all the like weighing out and stuff like that definitely would use that. That's awesome. Well, thank you so much. Thank you. So, next uh we're going to have Victoria and Kayla share uh their experiences. They are currently gradu not graduating quite yet. In two of our other pathways. So, I'll just let them go ahead and take it away. Hi guys. Hi. Thanks for my name is Kayla Cali and I'm a junior here. I've taken several business classes starting with principles of business my freshman year and this year I've taken

011entrepreneurship, personal finance, and fundamentals of marketing leading me to complete the pathway. I originally thought I might go into the medical field, but the more classes I took, the more I realized this is where I feel motivated and inspired. I love the creativity, the planning, and the real world problem solving that comes with business. These classes taught me practical skills that I will utilize like budgeting, marketing, and how to create a business plan. I've even started take started thinking seriously about becoming an entrepreneur and opening my own medical spa someday, combining both of my interests in health and business. Choosing the business pathway gave me direction and helped me see what I'm capable of. It's made a big difference in how I think about my future, and I'm really grateful FHS offers these opportunities. One

012of my favorite classes this year has been fundamentals of marketing. It helped me understand how much thought goes into the way business presents themselves from branding to social media to how products are priced and promoted. I've learned how important it is to know your audience and how creative marketing can actually be. Made me realize there's a lot more to business than just numbers. It's also about connecting with people and telling a story that makes them care about your brand. Taking all these business classes has helped me figure out what I want to do after high school. I plan to major in business management in college and I'm especially interested in schools like Bentley or Babson because they focus so heavily on business and entrepreneurship. My goal is to eventually run my own business and these

013classes have given me the foundation, confidence and motivation to start working towards that future now. Thank you for letting me share. Thank you for sharing. I feel like we should have recorded that as marketing. It was recorded and we can um Good evening. My name is Victoria Falio and I'm currently a junior here at Fmouth High School. I'm incredibly grateful to be a part of the medical assistant pathway that launched here this year. This is a paid program offered to the public through the US Career Institute, but FHS has made it available for free to a select group of students, and I'm honored to be one of them. For as long as I can remember, I've been passionate about working in the medical field, specifically in pediatrics. I've always wanted to work with children in

014a healthcare setting, but until this year, I wasn't really sure how to get started. There weren't really any classes or programs at school that gave me a clear direction, but that changed with this pathway. The medical assistant pathway runs for about a year. It begins in the spring semester of junior um year and ends in the spring of senior year. The coursework is 100% online and self-paced, giving us flexibility to work at our own speed through the summer and into our senior fall semester. We're also given a free period during the school day to dedicate at least an hour into the program to help ensure that we make consistent progress. To complete the entire course, you need about 480 hours. And even though that may sound like a lot, the flexibility makes it really man

015manageable. The program prepares us for the certified clinical medical assistant exam through the national health career association. After passing it, we get placed in an extership with the community health center where we gain real world experience in a specific specialty which include phabbotomy, psychology, dentistry, general health, and even more. While these are focused more on adult care, it's still an incredible step forward in my journey. Because even though it's not pediatrics, it's still giving me direct experience in the medical field with an opening doors for the future. Throughout the course, we complete a series of practice quizzes and graded quizzes for each unit. These quizzes really help reinforce that we've learned and prepared us for the final certification exam. To stay in the program, we have to maintain a certain grade, at least an 85

016to 90% across our assignments and quizzes. It holds us accountable and ensures we're actually mastering the material before moving forward. The course itself covers a wide range of units from medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and pharmarmacology to front office procedures, patient communication, and first aid. We also learn about HIPPA compliance and infection control. To help us with hands-on practice, we're also provided with equipment like a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope for at home learning. We're guided by Miss Roachcha and our program coordinator who help us stay on pace with clear goals and support along the way even though it's self-paced. We're never on our own. I also want to recognize how well this connects with what I'm learning in school. I'm also currently taking anatomy and physiology as a science elective and Miss Garrett

017does a phenomenal job teaching it. When I reach the anatomy units in the program, I was able to breeze right through them because of the strong foundation I had already built in her class. This pathway has been more than just a class. It's been a launchpad. It's helped me realize how much I want to major in biology on a pre-med track and pursue a pediatric medical career. I'm especially interested in Northeastern University, which is known for helping students gain internships in real world experience during their undergrad years. With this background, including the national certification as a medical assistant, I'll be a competitive candidate ready to work in the field while also earning my degree. I'm incredibly thankful to FHS for offering this opportunity. It has truly given me the confidence, knowledge, and direction to take

018the first real steps toward a future in medicine. Thank you for your time. Thank you so much. And I appreciate you sharing all that, especially because it's a new program and so we've, you know, we've not heard about what it actually looks like um in real life. So, thank you so much for sharing that. I guarantee Melissa is going to have a question related to health careers. So, I'll kick it over to you first. Uh tell me how you landed here. Tell me what brought you to the medical careers part. Um, so I had had a meeting with my guidance counselor kind of telling her like, "Oh, this is what I want to do after high school, but I don't really know like I'm in anatomy now, but like what's the step after that? Like

019what should I what classes should I take?" And it was like a conversation that kind of got brought up to us last year, but it wasn't really like set in place. We didn't really know what was going on. And at the end, like towards the end of the school year, um, last year, Miss Roachcha kind of held a meeting, got everyone that was interested and we were like, "Okay, so this is what we're thinking about. We don't really know what it's going to look like or if it's actually going to happen, but if you're interested, like, let me know." And then we had another kind of meeting earlier this year too about it. And there was conversations between guidance counselors, with Miss Roachcha, emails, everyone was kind of like, "Oh, it's still up in the

020air." And then when it all like set into place, we had to write an essay, like kind of an essay. It was like a hundred words and kind of explain why you want to do it, what do you want to learn from it, and fill out an application. And out of those application, out of all the applications, only 10 of us got accepted into the program. And then once they gave us like the green light, we were all just into it. Everyone just started doing all their work and getting into the courses. So, it sounds like you're super excited and excited for you. Um, and I can't wait to see what your future holds. I thank you for all of this. That's great. I hope I roll into the community health center sometime and and

021I get to see our students great soon. Um, your excitement is really contagious and I'm just wondering um, do we have kids like this that now can give their experiences in the CTVE programs? speak to our seventh and eighth graders at some point. Yes. And so I'm looking at uh Janet for that because I think that's part of the plans and and maybe you'll speak to it in a little little bit about um Yes. because our offerings are so extensive now and growing all the time. Thank you. Any other questions or comments? I just add two quick. I I think what's really unique and I give a lot of credit to Miss Hackett and Miss Roachener is the way in which in the last two years we've evolved to meet the students where they are

022and and credit goes to US school committee and to Dr. Der because it's really hard to invest an idea that starts slowly and I think what we recognize and Victoria did a great job expressing it. It's hard to know what you want to do and it's really hard to know what you want to do when you're 14 and 15. But you meet with a counselor and the counselor says what about and I think what is being created that you see from our students is at Fmouth High which is different than a tech school or other places. you can decide in your junior year where you want to go and see how that connects to the classes you had in your sophomore year and your freshman year that when you had them didn't make a whole

023lot of sense. And that I think is what we're so excited about the future and the way that's happening. As she said in her piece, it's available at cost and they get it for free because you invest in it. And that same investment happened two years ago when Caitlyn had two kids. And when you come in as a principal and you see class sizes at two, you say to your master scheduler and why did we do this? And he says because they have an idea and I think it's going to grow and Dr. Der and everybody's investing in it. And then you see where it goes. And on Saturday there was this musical that happened. I don't know if you caught it, but it's, you know, best musical probably in New England. And it happened

024because we invested six or seven years ago in someone to run the theater program and also classes that struggled to gain ground and then look how it goes and how it grows. And I just I think that's the piece we would want you to know as school committee and are very grateful to Dr. do or in terms of investing in teachers and kids ideas for the future that in the moment might look like it's not working and if you stay with it it does and and they get all the credit but just really appreciate your investment in it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, sorry. I want to say two things. Number one, I've been on the student advisory committee and I have been so impressed with the students who come in and they're

025juniors and they say, "Well, we started this and we decided we didn't like it. we moved to this and they're in the junior year and they really sort of are figuring out what they want to do and it's so impressive. Number two, I didn't go to the play because of my operation, but my friends did and they have seen it elsewhere and they said your play past anything they had seen the best. The best what excellence looks like. So, we have anyone else? I don't know. I don't know who how many more people we have come to talk to us. Do you have anything Janet? I'm just talking. Yeah. Thank you so much. Well, that is a tough act to find. Kids always are. So, um I also want to thank you very much for

026um for believing in the need for a CTE department. um we you know I was one of the team and we my colleagues and I spent I don't know seven or so years building our pathways and um and now it's it's kind of come to you know full circle. So what I love about it is it's providing the opportunity to support the team the the instructors and the students obviously and it's allowing us to expand programs. It's allowing us to make the programs that we have even better and also allowing us to build strong relationships with the community and businesses, which we've you've always done that all along, but now there's a real focus on it. So, I just want to thank you for that. Um, I'll just move quickly through because I know we're

027probably going over time. Um, but we have some things that are new this year. Um, the CTE group, we held two employer roundts. um one in February and one during the half day PDS and one just um in May and we did what was great about it is the the goal or intent of the round table was to learn what is it that the employers are looking for um in skills what's going on in the different industries what what are you seeing a need for while also promoting our programs and trying to trying to build um connections with new employers strengthen connections with existing contacts that we've had and um and also opened up doorway based learning opportunities. Um so both sessions were fantastic. Um and it it has opened some new doors. I have

028meetings lined up for um growing the internship pathways and some job shadowing. Uh also new this year you've already heard about the the pathway. I just wanted to tell that it's our first cohort. Um there were spot we ended up with seven schedules kind of shook around. We have seven students and 15 lined up um more than doubling it um after our launch which is awesome. Um and as you heard they're going to be nationally certified. They can go anywhere once they pass that exam um as medical assistance. We we also um to point about where a program when it starts and where it's going to go. I've been working on the aviation maintenance now program with the Cape Kai Community College. Um it's still it's still in progress. Uh there have been some changes

029with the FAA. I don't know all the details yet, but I have meetings set up to continue that. We're due to launch that next spring and I think we have seven seven or eight students right now that are interested in that pathway. So, those are the new those are the new um programs. With regards to some of the existing pathways, um our computer programming pathway, uh Mike Campbell has been teaching an AP computer science principles course, it's in its sixth year, but what's new about it is this year it was opened up to freshmen. And of the 35 students taking the AP exam this year, 15 of them are freshmen. So, we're really excited about that. It's about a 43% of the test takers will be freshmen. um the food justice program. We have a

030a a new green a second new greenhouse out back. I don't know if anyone's had the opportunity to see it. Um and what's cool about that is uh obviously it's providing um space for the food justice students, but our our uh carpentry students um built the ends of it. If you'd have to see it, but it's it's a greenhouse and the ends are wood. So, there's a lot of collaboration that's going on across programs. Um, so they pitched in to build that new greenhouse. Um, Dr. Harden just put an apple orchard. I don't know if you noticed little apple trees when we came in. Uh, so we have an apple orchard. There's I think 13 or 15 trees out there. So that's new. Um, carpentry kids also are going to be um dissembling the playhouse

031for the early childhood program. And then uh the kids are going to actually draw and design new playhouse in the fall. and then they're going to rebuild it next spring. And they also built the pergola for the food justice outdoor classroom. Uh so that happened between those two programs this year. You saw culinary. I don't really have a lot to add to that other than we're taking that to the next level. We um we've been working I know we worked with um Paul and some others out in um in the finance office and with and in town Stacy Stokes. Um we're implementing a Square point of sales system. So the students are going to have a real world experience with it's not going to be a cash only business. They'll be able to take debit

032cards from um staff and we hope to roll it out in the future to students. That's down the road a little. But um so that's some of the plans we have for expanding the Clipper Cafe. We're also looking to expand the space, but I don't want to talk a whole lot about that right now. Uh but we are looking to grow that program into a a real solid cafe. Um and then lastly, marketing. We have um a new um edtech platform that we're going to pilot. We're going to start it just testing it at the end of this year and then roll it out next year. And what's really cool about it is um it's it's an online platform that kind of bridges the gap between classrooms and careers. It offers students the ability to

033work on real um projects for real companies but in in a virtual space. Um so the break kind of companies classroom and they can uh nonprofits or uh career areas that they're interested work on these projects and solve real pro real life problems and then they can be eligible for um internships that they can virtual internships. So we're kind of exploring that space um in the marketing program. That's what I have. That's all wonderful. Thank you. any your last point with the marketing thing uh the marketing program I know that Pitchfork State if you're in the marketing department there you'd find like a local business and the groups would break up into teams and you'd pitch somebody and I've actually been on both ends of that when I had the college students market my own

034business is that something and then the virtual thing is great but is that something that that you would be you might look into be interested like local businesses well that's part that's what this this um company helps do is they help they have their they have their own businesses that you can start with and you can just do projects with them or you can even do virtual internships but they also help you with developing local relationships. Okay, good. We I mean we've been doing that also. So it's kind of a blend like we've been we have an internship program that we've been running for I think this is my 18th year doing it. So we do have that as an established base. Okay. Um, so this is kind of it would be kind of blending

035it. And they do they have they're out of California. They started in California. And that's what they did in the cal in their market in California was they they um brought local businesses to, you know, with the students, but they could do it in person, they could do it virtual. They had virtual meetings. So, it's kind of blended. It's just a really cool program because group of students who actually hypothetically gets the contract or and there's been cases that uh businesses have actually adopted some of the marketing tools that the students have. So that's awesome. Thank you. And we just to piggyback on that we we um our marketing teacher Jenny H uh has had she's made great connection with our our VIPs department and has had a lot of guest speakers coming in. And

036we recently had a a former graduate um can I say a name? Okay. Jeffrey Rose, he has Rose Landscaping. He took an entrepreneurship class when I was still a business teacher. Um and he built his business. He graduated. He's got a full-blown very um uh successful landscaping business. She had him in and had the students are building a marketing plan for him and they had to pitch it to him. So, we have that going on too. That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. I could sit here all night and tell you that going on. I don't want to overstay my welcome. No. It's amazing these not everybody goes to college, you know, out of high school. Um, and you've done a wonderful opening for other venues for kids. It's awesome. Thank you. Yeah, it's fun. Yeah. Agreed. Yeah.

037I just want to um sort of elaborate on Terry's last comment that um I think public school is kind of changing and I think that Dr. Dur has uh recognized that not every kid is going to go to college or not every kid is going to go uh right after high school kind of thing. So having these programs that get our students uh national certification so that they can start real world working with real salaries in real careers is amazing. I think Doc Harris Doc Harris said it best uh a time ago when he said for a public school we sure behave like a private school. In other words, we're offering so many amazing things to our students that the average high school outside of here doesn't offer. So, um, thank you for the update

038on it. It makes me very excited and very proud of our high school and our program. So, thank you for all the support. So, I couldn't do it without your support. So, thanks everyone. Thank you so much for coming back. Okay, now we're going to bump back um to public comments. So, members of the public are welcome to speak about items that are not on the agenda. Comments should be limited to two minutes in length. And due the open meeting law, we cannot act on public comment. Uh for items on the agenda, the chair can accept comments from the public after the committee's discussion. And you can always um send feedback or comments to um email address at school committeefelm.k12. ma us. Um, and if you're online and you have a comment, you're welcome to

039raise your hand. Do we have anyone here for public comment? I don't know who wants to start first. You're welcome. Good evening. As we last year, Can you just state your name for the Oh, no worries. Hi, everybody. Um, as we reflect on this past year, the challenges, the decisions in the attempts to repair broken communication between the committee, administration, and the community, I want to acknowledge the efforts that that's been made. But there's still a major voice missing from this conversation, our teachers. Teachers are the backbone of this district. They are not only the facilitators of education, but the caretakers of our children, often going above and beyond, even putting their own safety on the line to support students. and yet I haven't heard their voices enough in this process. I'm hoping to hear

040some teacher input in at least one of the items on the agenda this evening. In addition, I'd like to request more transparency around the exit interviews conducted for staff and teachers who have either resigned or will let go this year. Their feedback is essential to understanding what's working, what's not, and how we can do better. Let's not just talk about improving communication. Let's include every VO voice, especially the ones doing the work every day in our classrooms. Thank you. Hello. I'm Megan Zodie and I'm returning to present a survey on the dress code at Lawrence School. In the last 5 days, I've collected 133 people's responses. One, how familiar are you with the Lawrence School dress code uniform? 93% said very familiar, 6% somewhat, 0% not familiar. Two, overall, how do you feel about the

041dress code? 4% said positive, 70% negative, 24% neutral. Three, what do you like or dislike about the dress code? 14% said it's comfortable and they like it. 83% said the clothing is uncomfortable and they don't like it. Four, do you believe the dress code is a financial burden for families? 72% said yes. 10% said no. 16% not sure. Five. Does the dress code reduce stress or cause stress for students? 6% reduces stress. 60% said causes stress. 17% no impact. And 14% not sure. Six. Do you think the dress code is applied fairly and equally? 11% said yes, it's fair. 73% said no, it's not. And 14% are not sure. Seven. Have you observed any discrimination in the enforcement of the dress code? 64% said yes. 12% no. 22% not sure. Are you a Felmouth public

042school student or parent? 65% who answered the survey were Lawrence students. 14% were Lawrence parents. 5% morrespond students. 13% morrespond parents. And 3% found with elementary student or parents. Nine. Do you want the dress code to change? 89% said yes, I want it to change. 4% said no, I like it the way it is. 5% said I'm indifferent. And the last, do you think having this dress code improves you or your child's ability to learn? 3% said yes, it helps me and their ability to learn. 86% said no, it does not improve their ability to learn. And 9% said that they don't have an opinion. I would like again to request that this goes on the agenda urgently because you're in violation of state law. Thank you. Thank you. Any other public comments coming up?

043Diana Wilson, parent and family president. Here we go again. Another late Tuesday night sitting at school committee meeting with other moms and dads instead of being home with our children. Why do we keep showing up and missing time with our little ones? That's easy. We show up here because we're standing up for our children and the children of our community. We show up because even when we do, this committee and administration isn't hearing us. I want to be clear that some of you are listening to the stakeholders in this community and we have seen it in your actions and in your votes. We appreciate and support you and thank you for it. Unfortunately though, the majority of this committee may see us or even hear us, but you are not truly listening. Your actions and

044votes clearly show us that we are here because we are going to stand up for our children, even if you won't. And we will ensure that our children's futures are protected, even if you're not doing it. We will keep showing up here and at the polls to make sure that we get what's right for our children. This week, people are heading to the voting booths to elect or reelect three people to this committee. I urge the community to show up in record numbers and vote for the candidates who continue to show us that they will speak for the children in our schools and the teachers that guide them each day. This committee needs change and I urge Famouth to make that happen at the polls. Please vote for the candidates that have children in our

045schools and a vested interest. Vote for the candidates who are already in our schools regularly supporting the students and teachers. Vote for our future by voting for a change. visual for you. [Music] Hi, Raquel Russell, team ticket mom. Um, I'll wait till you all get a copy of this just so you can see what I'm talking about. Open it up. Okay. Okay. Um, so for page one is fiscal year 25. This year, the Fmouth Public Schools has made $79,236 worth of inkind donations to the coalition. In fiscal year 24, the Falmouth Public Schools donated 73 thou $73,215 of inind donations to the coalition. I say this because I'm here asking you if you could so kindly consider a donation contribution to East Bmouth Elementary School to replace some of these special ed materials that were

046lost um due to the mold situation that have still not been replaced. The staff was notified this week that the insurance um did not cover those materials. So that's why they have not been replaced. And page three is a is a like sample of some of those items. You'll see these are like items for like motor sensory things, occupational therapy, physical therapy. Um, and I'm asking for $750 um for the East Elementary School to cover those materials that were lost in the mold remedy. And $80,000 to one organization or one organization is a lot of money. And I understand that Foundup being the lead agency has to make an inkind contribution. That's part of the grant terms. Um, so on the last two pages I included two other districts on on what their contributions were

047and one school was about $3,000 and another one was $4,000 and here we are over $70,000 a year. The one organization that really does not benefit the entirety of our of all the kids in our district. And to me that's a lot of money. Um, so if you could please consider a donation to the East Falmouth Elementary kiddos to get them the materials that they need for their therapy. And I would just like to mention as well that fiscal year 26, East Felmouth Elementary is the only elementary school whose special education materials budget was cut in half. They're losing thousands of dollars for next year. Every other school is either the same or I think Lawrence lost like 250 of special education materials line item budget. So, if um we could get those kiddos what

048they need, that would be great. Thank you. Yeah, that was 15 second. We're doing 15 seconds. Would you like that? I can do whatever you want. Sure. Hold on. Please hold. Oh my god. Okay, go ahead. 15. Yep. A minute 45. Okay. Uh my name is Amanda McGonagal and I'm here as a parent, but more importantly as a supporter of our students, educators, staff, and families in our district. I understand that there are many impactful items on tonight's agenda. And while I know I cannot reference them specifically, I want to focus on a critical principle that underpins all the decisions that we make as a district. Ensuring that the voices of educators, those who are responsible for carrying out the objectives of this committee, are heard and valued in the decision-making processes. Your very own

049policy, policy BA, states clearly that you quote will allow the people responsible for carrying out the objectives in your district to have a role in setting them. It is critical to this committee's work. That policy is not just a guideline. It is a commitment. A commitment to transparency, collaboration, and respect for the expertise of our teachers and staff. And so my ask to you tonight is this. Before acting on anything, before approving anything tonight, ask yourselves, did you do this as your own policy dictates by ensuring that the input of teachers and educator educators was sought and incorporated? If the answer is no, I believe it's crucial to reflect on why that is. Why have the individuals most responsible for carrying out these objectives not been offered a seat at this table after repeated asks

050from staff and parents, many of whom are here tonight? How can we as a district expect successful implementation of policies or initiatives if those executing them are left out of the process? Students, teachers, staff, and families deserve to know that their perspectives are not just heard, but genuinely reflected in the decisions made here tonight. We can and should do better by the educators who are at the core of everything that we aim to achieve. Their involvement isn't just a courtesy, it is a necessity for success. Thank you very much. Okay. All right. Oh, wait. Thank you all. This is gonna be our last one because we got it moving. I figured I'm not going to be long. Hi, my name is Jen McCarthy. Um, I'd like to know if I could have access to the

051public record of the superintendent's evaluations. They are public record before you vote on them. So, I'm wondering if I could see those. I did put in a request. I think it was May 6. And that's how the process works. So, okay. So, I wait, right? So, those are are those Can I have access to those before they're voted on if it's within the 10 days? Correct. We're voting on them tonight. So, and you'll get them. You You'll get them whenever they go through Sharon. That's the process. Oh, so maybe I could get a copy tonight since I'm here. I'm not gonna we're not going to go back and forth. You know what the process is because you've made requests and Sharon's very clear with how the process works. Okay. All right. Um, next up we

052have presentation on the revised elementary report cards. Great. Yes. Come on up. I think there's a whole slew of you guys. So with attention to the uh current Massachusetts curriculum frameworks and our updated uh curricular materials, our teachers and instructional leaders have collaborated to revise our kindergarten through grade four report cards. This evening we will hear from Dr. Sonia Tyer, Dr. Eron Castadio, U Miss uh Mrs. uh Karen Carson, and Mr. Andrew Sullivan. Uh the team is also joined by our elementary principles and uh several of our elementary teachers. So I'll turn it over Dr. Ty. Thank you Dr. Door. So uh our team is going to take you through a high level overview and then we have some additional information that we're going to provide you when we get a little bit further into

053our presentation. Um so the slides are here behind you. uh I recognize um and then we'll give you copies as results. Um Dr. Drew has kindly introduced us and then we're also joined uh by a team of our elementary teachers and elementary principles. Several of our teachers also serve in the role of grade level leader which is a teacher leadership role and so they've had um multiple different teams that they participated in and brought the information back to their whole grade levels and their whole schools um as part of our process. So, we are excited to share. I'm not going to spend long on here so that we can move ahead. Um, but our work is anchored in the Massachusetts curriculum frameworks. And I think what's particularly important is that when we look back, um,

054and Karen's going to share a little bit more information about the timeline, but it's been a little over 10 years since the last time we updated the elementary report cards. And when you think about even the the top four subjects that we most commonly talk about and take up the greatest amount of time in students daily learning routines, um our science standards were updated in 2016. Our math and ELA standards were updated in 2017 and our socialized standards were updated in 2018. So just those four subjects alone, um the timing of our last report card update and then thinking about what we're reporting on, what we're doing in the classroom is not exactly aligned to the way that our report card is currently um made available. So emphasizing where everything begins with the standards and

055then the other part of this and it's going to come up a couple times in our presentation that our focus is on those standards and what students need to know and be able to do by the end of the year with those standards so that they're in fact ready to move on to the next grade. Um thank you Sonia. Um so in addition to um kind of keeping those standards at the at the at the heart of our approach, the other key belief guiding our work really is that grading at its core is about communication. Um grade should tell a story both to students and families about where a student's strong, where they need support, and how they can grow. Um, when teachers all use consistent scoring criteria and share clear expectations, we're not only

056raising the bar, we're building a culture of excellence and persistence. And the redesign of our report card aims to do just that. Thanks. Um, and as Sonia was just saying, um, why so the question really becomes like why now? and and she really the the biggest piece in all of it really is that the last time we revised the report cards was a decade ago and all of the stanzas have been updated. Um this new version of the report card reflects those changes. It additionally it aligns with current research on effective assessment. It focuses on what students are actually learning, supports personalized instruction and helps ensure vertical and horizontal alignment across the grades. Um and just as important, it strengthens communications between teachers, students, and families. So, it's been quite a process um quite a

057journey. Um we began with the idea phase kind of um back in the spring of 2022. Lots of ideas were being tossed around at that point, but the overall goal was to create a report card that not only reflected student progress accurely accurately, but also valued the voices of educators and families. Throughout the process, we brought together teachers, administrators, and family members for frequent and collaborative discussions. During the 2022 2023 school year, our focus was mainly on research, discovery, and learning. We gathered feedback, reviewed models from other districts. We worked with stakeholders, including teachers and families to begin to define what we wanted our reporting to communicate. Through professional development, we learned more about grading for proficiency. We took our first stab at identifying priority standards, began to develop proficiency scales, and deepened our own

058understanding of how to align reporting with what truly matters in classrooms. The next year 2023 2024, we shifted from planning to development. We met regularly to design, draft, and revise report card components. We prepared for a field test of the proficiency scale, finalized any changes in priority standards, and discussed ways to collect and organize information about student progress, collected feedback, and made improvements along the way. Here we are near the end of 2024 2025 and looking back over this year we've completed a two-phase field test using proficiency scales as a way of grading and reporting progress towards those yearend standards. We began the fun of the design and format of what it would look like now that we were clearer on what we wanted it to say. And over the past few months, we've continued

059to refine the report card with care and confidence while keeping our focus squarely on what matters most, our students learning. I'm proud of the work our teachers and our teams have done. I think Felmouth should be proud of the work they've done. Um, I'm really excited by the possibilities and the opportunities that these new report cards come. and as we look more deeply into them now, um I'm hoping you'll share that same excitement. So this next slide really um helps to I think bring to light how the this work was possible. Um so in addition to um you know the professional development sessions that we've had over the past um few years with teachers um I think it is really important for us to um highlight our monthly feedback cycle which here in Felmouth is

060really just how we do business. It's how we um you know get any new you know projects or you know anything off the ground. It's how we align practices and so forth. And so um our grade level leaders um many of whom are are here um this evening um we have um two and a half hours with our K to2 teachers um every every month that the three of us work um with them and we get to you know work on things like selecting priority standards and fine-tuning things or looking at um you know prototypes for you know like a report card and and getting feedback from them. Um and then later in the afternoon we have another two and a half hours with our our teachers in grades three and four. So we have

061a lot of um time to workshop and and um you know do these different things with teachers and to um create common understandings. Um and then what's really cool is that we um we set an agenda for um our school-based meetings. They're school-based grade level meetings that happen one Tuesday per month um where the grade level leaders bring back that information to their grade level team. So they're really disseminating the information that um you know that has been discussed during the grade level leader meetings and then typically what we ask for is some kind of um outcome from that meeting some feedback. So, it's just this constant this constant um loop which is which has been really important. And I do have to say that um this is the third public school district that I've

062worked in in my career and nowhere that I've been has there been that type of that type of a structure put in place that allows for that. So, um we should be very proud of that. but we really wanted to highlight um some of the the monthly feedback um that we're able to to gather from teachers in addition to the professional development sessions. So, um I think that this will be a really helpful visual for everyone. So, the the new report cards, what it is and what it's not. Um, you know, going back to that graphic that Karen um showed, we have been to a lot of places over the past few years and I have been someone who's been present on that journey from the very beginning and um we have ended up in

063a place that I think um we all feel really really positive about, our teachers included. And so I really just kind of want to make sure that everyone is on the same page about what it is and what it's not. So again it is standardsbased um current our current report card reflects pieces of standards like some skills and so forth that were sort of like lifted from the standard but this approach is really ensuring that we are measuring student proficiency toward the ultimate goal but that we're not picking and choosing which parts we see as more important. Um again it's a communication tool focused on what students know and can do. Um, it's certainly an indication of learning relative to end ofear expectations, meaning what that final goal is, not what is appropriate for maybe

064like, you know, um, halfway through the school year, but with the end in mind, where are they on that path? And so that's going to be a little bit of a shift. Um, just, you know, something that we have to make sure that everyone understands. Um, and it's really, I think this is so important. is designed to promote equity in grading utilizing proficiency scales. Right now, um we you know it's it's one of the things that we've unearthed in our conversations about this is how um different teachers in different grade levels have a different sort of approach and so and because of that it's a little bit more subjective. So sometimes what your student comes home with is teacher dependent if if that makes sense. And so we are I think that the the addition

065of the proficiency scales is just really such a tremendous tool um because everyone is being held um to the exact same criteria. So that is something we're really proud of. Um and you know in that same vein, it just makes it more objective and um you know because it's based on clear consistent criteria without all that room for for interpretation. Um so it's just as important I think to say what the new report card is not because we've been we've been on a journey you know like all over the place right we've been to many places and so um I know that there's some thought you know there's some feeling of a community like oh is this a sticker or a badge book we it is not it is not we made that we put

066that really clearly there have been many um ideas that have been tossed around in the past three years and um that may have been um that was there was a quite lofty idea that we tossed around and and we realized that that's not really what teachers were were looking for. That's not where they felt um we needed to put our time and attention and so that is that is not a thing. So we wanted to make sure that you um you all know that um we have shifted gears and it is a report card. Um in that same vein, it is not a student journal. Um um it is not based on an arbitrary timeline um with you know sort of like self-imposed benchmarks throughout the year. An example of that might be um I

067was a former kindergarten teacher and um you know we used to get together with um our our you know colleagues and say okay so their report cards in December if they know the first 13 letters we're going to give them a three because that's appropriate for now right we would decide that and score accordingly with this we're saying no it's the end in mind if the goal is to know all of the letters by the end of the year we're just going to report their progress us at this point in time. Um, understanding that it's okay if they're not all the way there. So, um, that's going to be a little shift. Um, that's it's going to be exciting to see that come to um, fruition. Um, again, and it's not grades based on points

068or percentages, but what what can they do? What can they do? Um, and so it is not subjective um, and based on personal interpretation. Um, which is is um, really exciting for us to be able to say. Um, and and I just want to reiterate um, just how hard our teachers have worked on this. And it is so nice to be at a place where we have had some tumultuous like moments with like you know disagreement on what it should look like and to be able to arrive to a place where where teachers are excited about it and ready to do it is just is um it's really cool. It's really cool to see it it all come together. Hi everyone. Next time I'm Andrew and you guys are going to get copyright And then

069there's also big ones hung up on the wall. So that will be an opportunity to see them as well. Yeah, different grades around. Yeah, we proud of those hanging up is grades two and three in the folders that you guys are getting. you'll have a copy of the old report or the current report cards and then also what we're proposing for new report cards so you can compare them and see all of the grade levels in there for K to 4. um I can be a talker and so I think they gave me like two slides that are very similar on purpose but um in a moment you're going to see the proposed report cards and there are four points that I want to bring everyone's attention to and one of them is that up

070on the top of this proposed report card you'll see that administrative um information that you're used to seeing who the students teacher is, the school year, what the attendance rates are, so on and so forth. Uh you'll see space for there to be comments right up on the top. We thought it was important that the comments are at the forefront and we over the last few meetings we've had um agree that we need to increase how how much space there is for teachers to give comments because it's an opportunity to paint a clearer picture than you can in just one little descriptive term or one piece of a grade. Um, we're also proposing that we move from having three reporting periods to two reporting periods. So, you'll see two columns on the report card for

071that. And then the piece that excites me the most honestly, um, this is where my special education background comes out is like what are skills that our students are working on besides academics that ultimately support academics is our clipper habits. So the Clipper habits uh we went through this collaborative and intentional process to identify what some core skills are that students need to have in order to make academic progress and develop appropriately uh socially as well. And so what we did was listed each of those skills. For example, um I am able to pay attention in class or I am able to persist, right? um specific skills that are measurable and a teacher can and can can see. Um those clipper habits originally were on the bottom right hand corner of the back page of

072the report card and a lot of teachers were like we think that these are really important skills not only for school but to be a lifelong um member, right? And so we move those up to the top left corner on the front page so that it's one of the first things that you see. And those are also being graded using the same descriptive terms that we're going to look at on the next page, but we at one point had two different rating scales and we were like, why are we rating them differently? Like academics are just as important as some of those um those other skills. So let's let's use the common language there. So let's talk a little bit more in depth about the per performance indicators. Um in traditional grading students get one

073overall grade per subject an A B I think our current elementaryaries threes fours. Um, and that one grade can include a lot of things like participation, um, work completion in addition to the the information that they've learned. In standardsbased reporting, the biggest shift is that students are assessed on how well they are doing on a specific skill or standard. um as um Erin was talking about earlier u in terms of that subjectivity piece, that's kind of where that that comes in where we're we're really clear about what it is students need to know and be able to do and we're not saying, well, but they also always do their work and they're all so kind to their friends. that doesn't factor into the grade in math about whether or not they can divide fractions, but

074it can in traditional grading. Um, so we're using um a four-point scale. Um, our I'm going to I'm going to kind of start at the bottom and work our way up for just to make it a little bit more of a progressive climb. Um that beginning at the bottom really is would be used when something is brand new. We really haven't started. It is what we're talking about. It is the student is just getting started. From there we move into developing. Um and here the student is starting to build an understanding but is still kind of working on the basics. Um they need some more time. They might need some help. um and this can be common when a topic is is new as well. So from there we move um into um progressing towards

075the standard. Um this was a stop along the way. Teachers felt really strongly about needing before we got to met um as so the progressing is the students making progress is on track but hasn't fully mastered the skill yet. So they may have made may have met all of the criteria for developing and a lot of the criter some of our standards are pretty like there's a lot to them. So they might be able to do some of those things but not all of them yet. And we wanted a place to kind of recognize that and so that's what that um progressing is for. So they can do the developing most of them met but they're not quite there yet. And then the ultimate goal is meeting the standard. It is um what the students

076need to know and be able to do by the end of the learning period. Um kind of like GPS, you put in you want to go home and you go home. Um and that's where our standard is. And so those will be the grades on the report card. We'll use the three letters. Um, we were, you'd be surprised at how many different ways you can say the same things kind of thing. Um, the semantics, but we also wanted to be really um, mindful of not using words that started with an A or a B like and just use one letters because we really are trying to make that shift towards that standardsbased. And you know we all went all went to school and had those traditional grades and so we tried to avoid that to

077assist in that shift. So um those will be the actual grades students would receive. All right. So now I thank you. Um, also included, so as Andrew said, um, there's the copy of the current report cards, the proposed report card. Welcome. It's like you knew that we were going to jump ahead and stop listening. This is like teachers. I know we don't hand out the stuff. So they do not our first and well provisioned. Another one of our great strategies. Um, there's also a copy of the slides for you in the folder when you get in and then the pockets were labeled. They start kindergarten and they go down to four on both sides. So, um, as you're as you're taking a look at them and again um, as Andrew said, we have grades two

078and three posted in the enlarged versions. Um, we are open to questions as you have them and then we're also going to involve others potentially in answering questions. uh that joined us tonight specifically um both to be part of our presentation and to answer questions for you. Um before so now that we have this and we can see the font can before we go too deep on individuals can you sort of give us the high points of like if we're looking at English language arts there's like some abbreviations in there. Can you just sort of give us the high points of what it is that we're looking at and why it's like is the standard. So are you look like so can we look at um grade one just for example where's the grade? So

079it'll say grade one at the top. Let's look at grade one and under English language arts. So first column on the left. Okay. Right. There's a little subheading for reading and it'll say so for example on this one it says retell stories including key key details and demonstrate understanding of the central message or lesson that is the standard from the Massachusetts state frameworks. Okay. We did we did work to put it in um it can be really jargony the framework so we did try to make the language a little bit friendlier. Um what you see in parentheses that RL.1.2 to is the code that matches the full standard in the frameworks. So if somebody wanted to reference the the standards, they would know exactly which one we were talking about and that follows that same

080pattern follows through all of the content areas. Um so you have the standard followed by the code that comes from the frameworks. Okay. There are a few places where some of the more jargony type language did stay because it was specific to a subject. Um, but as a team of four, we've spent quite a bit of time trying to make it more familyfriendly. Okay. Thanks. I just wanted to walk through. Um, we'll just I think everybody's got questions, so we'll just start on the end and Mike, start us off and then we'll just follow her hand up first though. I felt badly. Go on. Okay. Um, I was a person that had to get the effort part of teaching beat out of me. Well, the clipper habits did it. And um, I went to the

081explanation they gave in one of the forums and um, that really if you look at those things that you think of the effort covers are enumerated very well by that. Um, I just have one little technical question. What happens if kids don't end the year meeting? Do they have a certain number of standards they have to meet to pass on to the next grade? Um, I don't think so. No. Um, so even now students don't all have reason fors before they go on to the next grade. Part of it is the information too for where next year's teacher can begin and where small group instruction may happen and things of that nature. Um, but we haven't set it up that you have to have a certain number. Okay. Yeah. Um, I'm gonna try and go

082in order so I don't lose track. Did you have any questions? Not right. No. Um, just off of what to you just answered, Terry, are there is there a number which would indicate they cannot progress to the next grade or does that not happen? No, we don't numbers like that. When I went to the uh the presentation at Ticket, um, I had asked and I just wanted to ask again. so that you could answer it for everyone else. Um, is there I I was wondering if there was an indicator above met like exceeds expectations which is sometimes in evaluations like this and I'll let you answer that. Um, so we felt strongly as a as a group that the teachers specifically that really if we're doing true standardsbased reporting, it is the standard. The standard

083is what it is you're trying to meet. Um, we recognize that there are students who go above and beyond. Um, and there are other places where that can be indicated. Whether it's through a parent conference, whether it's in the comment section, um, teachers will continue to offer challenges and enrichment, that doesn't all go away. But in a standardsbased report card, the standard is the gold standard. Um, so does that that does. Yeah. No, I got answered at the Y. I just wanted to ask it so everyone appreciate that. Um, can I ask one last part? So, um, I love that uh, I'm sorry, I forget your name. Erin. Erin. Erin. I love that description of the cycle of feedback because I had never heard that before and that was wonderful. Um, I was wondering if

084there was ever any um, what I didn't get at that presentation was how whether there were some teachers who were not in favor. It seemed like from what I talked to people in that room that it was, but um were staff I mean in that feedback cycle everyone was included but in this process it was grade leaders. So was there ever a survey or anything like that that would indicate overall everybody is excited about moving forward? I think that we know as as teachers that we have to have a new report card because we're really not reporting on the standards right now. And I think that we've been so part of the process every step. I mean any changes that we we thought should be made. Um we bring back as grade level leaders. So

085we meet with our grade level um and we bring back suggestions or things that are you know important and we we have tweaked it so many times. So I don't think that now there's anyone who's saying they don't want this. Wonderful. we're ready to like just go and start, you know, rating this way. Great. Can I add to that? That doesn't mean that every teacher is in favor of every single thing. There may be a standard on the report card that some teacher didn't think was a priority or a priority was left off or some of us still think effort grades should be included. It doesn't mean that every single thing is agreed by agreed to by every single teacher. That would be impossible. But in general, everything we as grade level leaders brought back

086and we give a lot of feedback this year. So I would say almost all most teachers are on board with having this new book. Bring that for sure. Coming from a teacher, I'm not a grade level leader and I still feel like my voice was still heard and I was still part of the process. Um, even going through my grade level leader, but it the process, my voice was heard. Nice. I had a quick question. It might be for Sonia. I keep hearing that this has to get done. Is the state desine making us do this? We have to report on student learning. Our our learning has to be aligned with the state standards. So in order for them to do their job of reporting, we have to update to make it as as Desi

087said. So as Desi said, you need to change the report code is my question. In those terms, no. I mean, that's part of our responsibility in ter if we're going to report on what students are learning, right? That our report card has to be aligned to what they're learning. All right. Follow-up question. Well, this new report card, if I'm looking at it, and I've done rubrics now for 15, 16 years with my students, takes a lot more time. This new grading system, this new report card has more lines than the old report card. Correct? So then teachers will have to do more work breaking these down and are we concerned about we're happy to talk about that. Yeah. Um so I yes this is more but the these are much more specific skills and that

088we worked very this is what the students need to learn. Okay. And it might be a little more wordy, but with the report cards that we have now, and again, like Andrew, I can be talking, so I'll try to I'll try to I'll try to curve myself. But one thing I do want to talk about quickly is the subjective nature of a two, which means right now currently meeting with support. So you I'm just concerned about the extra work. So you get a two, right? And you're like, okay, what part? It's very unclear. So these are very specific in order to kind of combat that. So that all of the teachers in terms of work we have to we as teachers collect work anyways um to justify any grade that we would give a student

089on any report card. So in the beginning yes when they were talking about pieces of evidence and again at the first clunky initiation of this that was a big concern of teachers that is no longer a concern for the teachers at my school. The great Most of the teachers that we've talked to, this has been clarified to us. We already collect evidence. This is not going to be anything different. It's and it's kind of aligned to what we teach in the curriculum anyway. So, it's not like we're creating new work. This is what this this is what the Massachusetts standards are based on and our math program that we have and the new ELA program that we're going to have next year are geared towards helping us kind of organically meet come up with evidence

090for these and because of the rubric or the performance indicators it's actually I think will make it easier to because it's so specific this is what they need to get this you know on their report card. So where before, like we said, it was, you know, a little subjective and it wasn't as clear. So I think parents are going to appreciate how clear it is. I think teachers appreciate having those reports and being able to, you know, breathe accordingly. Instead of three trimesters too or reporting periods, this one will only be two and it will give parents more specific information than what our current report card gives us. Yeah, this one's more specific and may look like it's more, but we're already reporting three times versus with this new one, it will only be two.

091So, in the grand scheme of things, it's not any more work. Thank you. So, I was more I'm more concerned with the the procedure of how this went about. This might be the best thing ever. I do think that rubrics do take more time in this aspect, but we had this discussion last year with the sticker books and it was supposed to be dead. So, and then we were told that it wasn't happening. And then for everyone at home and here that knows in September, October, I asked about this. I said it was dead. The committee has to vote on this. And I think it would be best to have a full survey of the full feature body so we know everyone's ideas about this because I have received complaints over this process of it

092not being transparent and extra work and all that stuff. Um, I do have an issue with the process and how it's coming up. We have to vote on it in June where we might have three new members of the committee in order to have it out next year. Um, yeah, I I don't I don't think that this process was done well and I would like to hear from all of the teachers in an anonymous survey and I know that's probably not going to happen, but still that's what I'm asking for. um because a lot of teachers over the last few years have been very vocal about this whole process and the extra work etc. Can we like elaborate what the extra what are they saying the extra work is? Well, I mean they've done like

093what what was what do they say is going I just want to ask a clarifying question that goes with that because it seems like that's two separate things. the process that led us to this is very different than what we've done this year and what we've ended up with. So I think if you if you ask teachers and you put out a survey like that I want you to make it clear that those are separate things. They are separate. So the the majority of the complaints were last year the last years and in in the fall and I asked the the chairperson what's the status of this? We'll get you an update. We'll give you an update. We got an update a month ago. So, this might be great. I I don't know and I'm

094sure it is great. I'm not sure. But I would like to hear from the all the teachers because teachers have come to me over and said this we don't like this. We don't like this. And I vocalize it. September October I asked several times what's happening with this? Nothing's happening. Nothing's happening. So the majority of the committee had no idea any of this is happening. So I would love to hear and if what you're saying is correct that's great but I would love to hear from you know all the teachers to get as much feedback as possible because we weren't involved in those small meetings if that makes sense. So as a teacher thank you for having our back. Thank you for being there because that's the last I heard of it. I just the

095one thing I do want to say is this cycle of it is not just like five people sit in a room and make decisions. it is. We go back to our team. Our team's like, "I don't like this. Ask this question." Blah, blah, blah. And we go back and we all have those conversations. And so it's not I don't want you to think that it's because again appreciate that you're looking out for the teachers so much but this I I feel like the teachers I don't blame you for not wanting to hear that but like this process and we've been so involved and I two years ago if I sat at this meeting I would have been like I don't want to do this like when they first rolled that out a year and a

096half ago I was still like I'm not sure about this now I can stand here I can sit here tonight asking I'm sure about this. I want this I I I want this starting in June like or starting in September. It's a, you know, it's going to be a turnaround. It's going to be a change, but it's necessary and it's it's going to be so much better communication with families. I just feel like it's a positive thing. So, again, I just want to let you know appreciate so much that you guys are concerned about us. And yes, this was a clunky roll out. I don't think anybody would say otherwise. And it at first teachers were like, "No, no, no." But if Recently it's and it's mostly been end of last year and mostly this

097year it has completely shifted to please let this go through because we've worked so hard on it. We feel positive about it. So that's I just I just we're going to keep going because I want to make sure everybody gets a chance. Um I'm going to go in order so I don't lose track. Do you have anything? Yes. Okay. Um hi. Hi. Thank you for putting comments on the first page and thank you for making more room for comments because inevitably every time we would get our report cards and they'd come in the envelope like this, I always immediately flipped it over to read the comments because I never felt like the story was told in the the lines of um so thank you for putting that the again the comments like that really that's

098where the teachers can be specific with the students and as a parent that's what you want to hear. I know they can read that's great. I'm grateful to know that they need help with X Y and Z. Um, and I think that your very intentional, thoughtful process here with the uh necessary uh update to stay in line with the state standard is great. Um, I too was concerned that it was going to be more lines and perhaps more work. And I'm grateful to have some um panel of folks up here that I trust implicitly. If they tell me that um it was a clunky roll out, honest answer, maybe you didn't um agree with everything, but you felt like your ver your voice was heard um and that not everybody agrees, but everybody is is

099happy with this or can live with this now. Um so I I appreciate this. I appreciate uh the panel's um update with the slides. I wish I could read them, but um I appreciate the panel slides as far as how we got here. Um the each year what you did um I'm excited for this. I I'm too I feel bad that the process I feel like the process is overshadowing Yes. the work that the teachers have done and where we are. I mean when we finally at one of our last grade level meetings like I said to him like I have goosebumps over this pro like when we finally said okay here it is this is what's going to school committee. Yeah. And we we really had that moment where like it was emotional. I

100mean it has been a clunky process maybe but that can't overshadow the hard work and the need and the need to move forward. Sure. I think Dr. to tell you said it best, but um we needed to update. We needed to be in alignment with the state. We you know, this is how we report things out. Um I again I'm excited. It wasn't a uh it was if you asked me two, three years ago, you know, back in 2022, I would have had a different story. But I think you know having it sounds like you've had multiple discussions adnauseium and that we're in a place where you're ready. There's a lot of give and take. Sure. Sure. Sure. Right. A lot of back and forth. We can do this, we can't do that. Like this

101has to be okay. We can do that. We can honor that. Like and that's the way the process should work. And I love that your um slide that what it is and what it isn't. I think that there was a lot of uh heavy weight on we definitely don't want to stick our book you know we are not interested so many lives that this started right that we wanted to just you know to put that out there and weeded to different options to know in the end what we wanted the product to be so also two years from now we're not coming back to you with right hey we've got this other idea right like and that that's been part of it it's making meeting. We reacted to things to get to. That's great. I

102get I mean that's all I got, but thank you very much. Very helpful. One thing that I feel like um I I just want to say like I think that kind of um has helped us like cross the finish line like or get closer to that finish line is um I think we've come to the conclusion I don't want to speak for for the teachers but I think the teachers like are seeing that we do play for the same team because sometimes there's that feeling of like these administrators who are imposing things on us and versus us who you know are in the trenches and um we play different positions right but I I don't think that that um the teachers feel like um I think they think it I think they understand that we

103are trying to to support them and make sure that you know there's a product that um is going to support their practice and and I don't know that that's always you know like been the feeling but I feel like this year in particular um we we just we feel it and we're getting to that place and that that is what makes the work possible that is what allows us to to make progress. So, Kelly, I just have one more quick quick thing. Um, when you spoke when you did your presentations at the schools, what was the feedback from the parents? So, that's sort of interesting. We didn't have I think it was only Ticket that had um So, I'm going to have to turn I'll turn that over to these two ladies because we did

104not have a panel of ticket parents. Thank you. Um, so Karen and I presented at Ticket. Um we did have a few um parents come in and we did some similar slides and then we had all five of them so kindergarten through four just up on the walls and we spent some time you know Terry referenced um talking about the clipper habits and you know we had a few conversations about that and some people just brought up their own children's sort of scenarios and we talked about what that could look like all the way from open house right that's the first touch point in August um we flipped meet your teacher night to studentled experiences. So the students are showcasing what they do where this is my cubby, this is my desk, this is what

105learning looks like um to the conferences and then there was appreciation that the conference in December isn't on a Tuesday where the first report card comes on Friday but there's an opportunity to take that conference conversation and have some more learning that could still change what that feedback might look like when they get to the report card. Um and then uh it it was a funny reaction um between hey we get to expand the comment and the parents like yes and one of the teachers was like how big you know so so that was the the tool and like that's where some of the conversation could shift to and then just one thing when Terry brought up the habits that we haven't shared but but we probably should have uh the clipper habits come from

106um cutting the course to graduation these habits s come from our prek to age 22 vision of what we want a graduate to know and be able to do. And um Jenner Richard didn't mention it tonight, but when we've talked about the skills, in some areas they're referred to as soft skills, but in the uh career workforce, they're being referred to as durable skills. And we're really excited that, you know, we're calling out these durable skills. And that's the one thing on all five grades that you have in front of you is consistent. it's the same skills on all five. And we're talking about what students are able to demonstrate as they build that out. Um, and that's been that's been really important, too. And it's actually um the one linking piece that's just it

107keeps coming up in conversation that when we move beyond effort and talked about those skills, seeing when they play out and then the students who demonstrated them tonight. Yeah. And off of that too, uh you might notice on it that um kindergarten has a little bit more under the clipper habits section with a subtitle of readiness. And that came out of the feedback from the kindergarten teachers that there are some um habits that are really focused on over their year that they wanted reflected on this report card. So that readiness skills section that you see in kindergarten does not carry into grade one two onwards and so forth. Thank you. Glenda, do you have anything on Margaret? Um I I just wanted to say I'm so impressed with this thoughtful collaborative team approach to developing

108this. Um and that the we heard earlier the plea to listen to teachers which is always you know we always need to do but this is a teacherdriven um effort and you know the teachers are the experts in communicating with with parents and um about their students and so I want to thank you for your hard work. I also want to say that, you know, I'm an educator myself and 10 years, it's been 10 years since the last revision to report cards. Education has changed so dramatically and the jargon and the the expectations. And I think this is excellent because I mean, even for kindergarten, it gives parents a sense of the complexity of what is expected of students these days. and um and also for the ELA component, it really aligns with the science

109of reading. So um so this is this is just really excellent work. So I just thank you on behalf of of schools Margaret Ditto to everything I hopefully I will go quick. I think messy pro processes often end in good results and so I'm glad you had a messy process result. Number two, I I'm very very um impressed with the month monthly feedback cycle. I think that that was so important for us to really see and how that happens. Number three, I I also like what it is and what it is not. And you know, an underscore that is not often said by teachers. I've been a teacher almost all my life. Um is grading is so subjective. And this takes it out of and I've never really heard that said publicly and I'm so

110glad it was said tonight because it takes it out of the subjective and and the other thing and my end of my career was teaching college students and I said this before and I'll say it again. You know, you give a student a B and that doesn't mean anything. What do they know and what do they not know? And that you start this very early in their elementary school. as they move through school, they can begin to understand that there are certain things they have to learn and certain and they have to reach certain standards and it is so impressive. Thank you all for your hard work. Thank all the teachers. We're really grateful for you. Thank you. Chris, did you want to add anything? Uh, yeah. I feel bad being these here. Oh, you're

111not. I still feel like I need to quick not be able to get to say everything I want, but but thank you for for all the hard work. And I think at the end of the day, we all just care that the teachers, you know, that we do have the teachers back and that that it was a collaborative process. And I think it's just comforting to know that, yeah, I mean, it's a new for any new process, you know, there's going to be bumps in the road, things to figure out. And so, you know, for us, just knowing that the teachers are involved in the process and that they have a voice, you know, that's what we care about and that's what we want to know. And so I can appreciate the amount of work

112and effort that goes into this and kind of mimicking what Margaret was just saying about, you know, taking the ambiguity out of it. um just makes it able to be applied, you know, we have four different elementary schools, so being able to be consistent um you know, kind of from an equity standpoint um and being measurable, more measurable in terms of measuring the progress um and and across you know, all the grades and across the different schools. Um so, you know, I I appreciate all the hard work that went into this. Um, a couple questions I had was, so it's it's twice a year that they do the evaluation. So, if a student kind of halfway through, um, let's say they're not they're more towards like, um, developing or, you know, progressing. Is that kind

113of a cue where the teacher might know what to focus on to try and bring them up to that level? Is that that kind of how they would say, "Okay, we might need to focus a little bit more in certain areas." probably probably as they do I guess current structure. Yeah. So the proficiency skills that um we're we're literally developing one for every single one of the standards that you see on the report card. And so um I think that you really get some guidance in in looking at that like okay in order for the student to progress to to be in the progress sorry he's progressed twice to get to progressing these are the things that are missing. So it really does kind of like break down the standard into like parts that are

114a little more accessible instead of right just looking at like the whole thing down like the way they're written makes it it's it's sort of it's a visual for them. Um so I do think that that will help um teachers to to target more specific skills with students and then so as so let's say like fourth graders who are then going on to Morris Pond is there a way where so let's say they might be more towards developing or progressing towards is there a way where that kind of gets translated up to the next level so that the teachers that they're that are getting them can kind of say okay well here's where they're a little bit weaker and we can kind of work on that just I guess up through the whole system. Yes.

115So, if you think of the report card kind of like a summary um in between the beginning of the year and the first report card, we're doing our benchmark assessments in literacy and in numeracy, right? So, there's additional information we can use that for grouping. It allows us to monitor where students are. Um we do that again in March, so it's halfway between that that first report card and the end of the year. So, we have that additional information and then we do it again at the end of the year about the same time as the report card. So that's additional information right that we're taking in and data where we can see how the students are progressing over time not only individually but compared to their class and their grade level and then it

116can you know we can keep zooming out to to make that look and then comparing that information what they're doing on assignments in their classroom and then using the scale. So we have all of that information that we're able to take together and the report summary but there's a lot of conversation a lot of a lot of support that happens in that time in between um I think I had another sorry no fine you want me to I have one so yeah go ahead and you can keep thinking um so I echo all of this um you know I just I think it's I think it's wonderful um so I'm already thinking like moving forward This is a lot of words. Um, and I'm thinking about needing to translate this. Um, because our families that

117English is not their first language are going to need to be able to access it. Um, or even literacy level. So, I just want to like throw that out there for, you know, down the road. Um, that we want to make sure that people can understand what it says if they're reading it in English. One of the biggest things for us is is shifting it to family-friendly language and having uh conversations that we have regularly seen at uh Nicholson, our ELD department and ELD teachers about like what matches up to if we're using an electronic translator tool, right? Like the simplicity of the language they don't always because the report card goes in students records and it's maintained, we send it out to professional translation service. Um, and so then the other thing that we're

118working on too is um, like the way that our report cards are currently translated, all of the translations are in P school, right? So it's like a little bit of a printing and you have the English and the translation. So we're we're working to see what we can do um, in one of the more um, current updates to P school to see if we can get it to generate the translation in through that. Awesome. I just I'm already like a step ahead. Yes. Um, did you think of it? Yeah, actually it was that was one of them. Great. And then is there an option just I don't know how many that might be blind or anything if there is an option or something. Just thinking about kind of all the immunities all the different I

119don't know if there's any assume that we had that need we would be able to have that. We haven't been asked for that but I'm sure that's a part of our service would be able to provide us. I was thinking and then is there um will the will that kind of like that feedback group will that kind of still be in effect as this is kind of getting rolled out? We that's kind of like it's not it's not a report card project specific. It's it's how we do business like with rolling out you name it you name it. Anything that needs to be um done we we have the potential accomplish a lot of it through that through that framework. Great. Sounds great. Thank Thank you so much. This was a lot of information but

120really really helpful. Um and we appreciate the work you guys put into it of course and that you all came to share it with us. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Next up we have presentation discussion and acting on the superintendent evaluation. I need it works. Okay. A lot of this is going to look exactly the same because Glenda just did something very similar when she walked you guys through this um the last time, but this is just the um the summary of the summitive evaluation process. Um I guess circles are the theme. So much like the circle that um that we just heard about with feedback, uh the summit of evaluation is the last step before the cycle starts all over again with self assessment, goal setting and implementation and it just keeps

121going round and round. So the summitive evaluation um each member completes the end of cycle summitive report. It's based on the gold, the standards, and then an overall um performance rank ranking. And then each year there's a design that compiles all the individual ones. This year it was me into um one document that takes each committee member's evaluation um combines them using the prepundonderance of evidence and um creates rankings for all the different um pieces of the document. And then the formula for com computing all of that is based on the summitive document that we created last year um and then updated this year. Okay. So I can't see one second. Okay. So this is the summitive um standards. So the standards are um instructional leadership, management and operations, family and community engagement and professional

122culture. And in all four categories, Dr. Door received a ranking of proficient. The one thing we used to always have in the um in the presentation was that proficient is the the commonly accepted performance of the job. Um exemplary only applies when it would be a model for another district. So it's a little bit more unusual to receive. There we go. Um the goals um are set at the start of the year in a process with the evaluation subcommittee and are based on activities that we want to work on through the year. This year the student learning goal was related to the equity audit. Um the professional practice goal was related to building capacity to implement environmental stewardship and the district improvement goal was implementing a communication strategy focused on community engagement. And in all

123three of the goals, the superintendent um received a ranking of met the goal. Same category applies that exceeded would be a model um for another district. And when you combine all of those into the overall evaluation, um the superintendent received a score of proficient, same thing applies, which is um performing the job. Um exemplary would only be an exceptional ranking. Uh that's it. It's really short. Um but we usually take an opportunity if anyone wants to share a comment about the the superintendent's evaluation. Um knowing that we are already at I don't even know what time but late. So, please do not one hour. Go an hour over already. Terry, you're you're ready to go. Okay. You told us to be succinct, so I wrote it down. I know you always do that. I appreciate

124it. I rated the standards and row comments, but I did not give an overall rating on this this year's Jesse evaluation document. A vote was taken at the beginning of the process to use eight out of 20 indicators that were aligned to the superintendent's goals. Two indicators that were not included are section 2E fiscal systems and section 3D family concerns. Including them would have been helpful for me to determine an overall rating. going forward more guidance from DESIE on using indicators in conjunction with focus indicators would be beneficial. Um so the fiscal systems I would have commented on the budget the great work that um Mr. Dart and Dr. Dora have done to get us um an increase from last year and then partway through the year the um family concerns arose to a a

125big extent. So would you mind if I add that to evaluation subcommittee because we're going to do an evaluation of our process. Is that okay? Because I don't want to lose it. Absolutely. Thank you. because part of the evaluation subcommittee's process is to then evaluate how the process went before we start it all over again next year. So, thank you very much. Did you just say that you wanted to add Terry's comment to your I want to keep it for evaluation subcommittee to that's a great idea. Yeah. I'm not on evaluation, but um as someone who's been on there before, I think that's I think Terry brings up some good points and I think that's a great idea and I don't want them to get lost. So, great. Yeah. Thanks. Anyone else want to make

126a comment? Mike. I Michael Healing did not evaluate the superintendent that way. Thank you. You know what else? Um I just want to reiterate what Terry said. I think it was limiting for especially my first time doing an evaluation to not be able to evaluate the superintendent on a broader range of the things that have um impacted the district that's here, good and bad and all that. Yeah. Anyone else? I'd just like to um say what I had uh as a comment um and that was the district budgetary processes and operations have been exceptional as has a relationship with the town that allows for funding all the programs that support safety, health and social emotional needs of students. Dr. Dur and Mr. Dot should be commended for leading this process and developing a strong working

127relationship with town leadership that has kept our finances stable and not experiencing a deficit which is so common in many communities in Massachusetts including our neighboring town of Barable. Thank you. Can I make specific comments on my evaluation that weren't added like that? You can go after everybody else. That's great. Thank you. Um, I just would like to say that I um commended Dr. Dor on her commitment to and leadership on the issues of equity and meeting the needs of all students. Um, and I wanted specifically to commend her on um her leadership in the current climate u regarding our immigrant students. um she has been very steadfast and committed to um protecting the both the privacy and the educational rights of our students. And um I think that that's um I I think we're

128very fortunate to have a leader who is so committed to um to that issue right now. Thank you. Margaret, do you have anything you want to add? Um well in terms of what cheriff said I think that we really were evaluating the superintendent on the goals and and that could have been limiting. I I think reviewing that as a subcommittee in terms of the process is important but I think in terms of the goals which is what we had to um evaluate on um it seems like it was a reasonable evaluation and I thank you for your Melissa. Did you say anything? I didn't you commented on this? Yeah. Sorry. But I I um would like to say that um every year we try to make it better. We do. Um in my time sitting

129here it it is leaps and bounds better than what it was in the beginning. Well, in my beginning. Um so that being said, was it perfect? No. Could it be better? Yes. But that's why we continue to go through the process. I think goals were limited. Um I think eliminating uh the family portion and the financial or budget portion uh bit us bit us. Um so that being said looking ahead using this as a learning tool I hope to look forward to next year and see what uh how the process goes and the goals. Um the one piece I wanted to add that was um not reflected in the in the summitive that I had um commented on in mine was that I actually thought that the professional practice goal on the green initiatives should

130have been um exemplary. I think we are a model for other districts on how um to set an example for environmental stewardship and what that looks like. But you know from composting to buses to the lights and turning the heat down and you know all those things and you know they the kids um you know kids do what you do not what you tell them to do as we know. Um, so and I think that the the Green Ribbon Award and the presentation at MASC demonstrated that we are the model for what other districts should be doing and I, you know, I applaud you for for leading us to that spot. Um, so that was one piece that was different than the overall evaluation. Um, and I want to borrow a phrase that I think

131might have been from Glenda's, um, uh, evaluation that said, you know, recognizing that you took on sort of the third rail. I think that was your phrase. That's it. Yeah. And, um, the long overdue conversation about addressing the Lawrence school's need for renovation, um, our declining enrollment and what that's going to look like. and we knew it was not going to be a popular conversation, but it was a necessary one to start. And I appreciate that you were willing to do that and touch the third rail, if you know, if I can borrow the phrase. And um, you know, I think that we will we will be in the long term, we will benefit from as a district and as a community from finally taking on that conversation. So, I look forward to next year.

132Thank you. Um, Mike, yeah, I just wanted to say that in my evaluation, I went to the teachers union form that they have at the wreck and I put much of what the teacher said in my evaluation. The majority of teachers do not feel heard. They feel like they're getting information after it's decided and that happens year after year and that was in their surveys that I put in there. Many teachers do not feel necessarily safe in our schools from the survey. I put that in there. Um the communication, the teachers don't feel there's communication. I've heard parents say there's no communication. We spent $40,000 last year on a consultant to send out emails. So my evaluation was not great, but um not many of my comments uh made it. And I do want the

133teachers and parents to know that everything you tell me I included in my evaluation. So that's it. Thanks. Okay, I think that's everybody. Thanks. Yeah. Are the individual evaluations available for the public? No, the summit is just No, the individual ones are definitely available. Yes, they are for the we we had this conver so we'll follow up with Mary. The it used to be that the individual ones were always part of it, but the new guidance that we got from council is that they are no longer. Um, so but I will double check for sure. That can't make any sense. That I'm just telling you what the new guidance says. It's public. It's public record. I'm just telling you what the new guidance says. We're not going to fight about it in a meeting. We

134can we will look into it and we'll find out. I mean, that's what we have lawyers for. The only reason I was asking is because I cut my comment very short tonight because I was excessively long Yeah. in my um evaluation and it took me a long time to do the evaluation. I put a lot of thought and effort into it and I don't want to like not trying to be recognized for that. I just would love for it to be something that more than I mean I wrote it for Lori but I would love for it to be something all of ours to be something people could see. So that's why I asked. Okay. Um we have to act on it. Um is there a motion to accept the summitive evaluation? So move. Thank

135you. Is there a second? All in favor say I. I any opposed? No. Any abstensions? All right, it passes. Thank you very much. And thanks to the evaluation subcommittee for all the work on it. Uh update on the budget. All right. Thank you. Um so, uh Paul has um his monthly um report which is in and then he has I believe one uh highlight. He's going to speak tonight. So um just 30,000 foot uh this is end of April. So at this time of the year uh we start to prepare for year end. So slightly there's going to be adjustments to these numbers uh especially since and I'll get into this that Tom uh approved the draw down the standardization fund and also we have an update uh from uh uh circuit breaker addition uh

136that came in. So if you look at just at the bottom line there, the light gray area, uh the the budget 58,222 421. Sorry, now having to use glasses. You know how we feel now. It's a CBS CBS special. So, um, so we have about $400 million full $15 million of of remaining in the budget. And you'll see the line right above that uh for non- salary items is a negative and over budget $90,000. Well, the the story behind that is that our out of district tuitions up until the stabilization approval and then now the circuit breaker were carried on the budget and now coming into May, we'll be transferring those into the stabilization fund. Uh those charges will go into the stabilization fund and into uh the circuit breaker which will reimburse the budget.

137So it's this is a temporary measure. You can't for example you you know we have to pay these tuitions ahead of time. Uh so quarterly or the beginning of a month. So uh we have to charge them to the budget until the uh funds become available from the stabilization fund and now you do a journal entry and transfer them over. It's just it's just a simple process. it the numbers look worse than uh what the reality is and and so let me just talk about that in the second sheet for a moment. So we've been talking about this a lot of Wait, do we have a second sheet? Sorry. Uh this one was passed out. Can I stop? Oh, hold on. They got held up. Hold on. Sorry. Okay, here they come. They're coming around.

138Thank you. Okay. So, this is the um uh you've seen this similarly uh if the uh from prior budget presentations. So the out of district tuition for fiscal year 25 um we're projecting to be for the full year 3,486. All right. So that's the expense side of it. Then the question is how do we pay for it? So the first uh first line that you see now this circuit breaker is $830,630. All right. up in in prior presentations this number was roughly 653,000. So it's increased on by 177,000 and that's because our circuit breaker not I'm sorry our out of district tuitions rose so high this year uh in comparison to last year that we qualified from for emergency relief from the state. So, we received $177,000 in additional funds this year uh for to

139cover this dramatic increase in in district tuition for this year. All right. Um Paul, can I ask a quick question? Sure. I don't want it. So, but you said we an additional, but is it it's not additional, right? Doesn't it just take it out of next year's? No, actually, it doesn't. Oh. Oh, it is additional. Oh, great. Thank you. I'm glad I asked. Yeah. Yeah. So uh and it it is definitely not taken on the next next year. So it it is a big benefit. Um now so that's the 830. Uh it the payroll expense is 128,000 for the circuit breaker. So the net available for tuition is the 710,000 you see there. All right. So that's the one source. The second uh source is our tuition budget account which is a million247 and our

140third source is a fiscal year 252 240 grant that's for 932,000. So and and you may remember last year we switched salaries out of the 240 grant. We put all the tuition money in. It's no net uh change here, but uh it's just that more of that fund is now available to fund out of district tuition. So the total available funding is 2,882. All right. So out of this these numbers, we would need $63,000 in additional money to cover that 3,486. We drew down we had uh we started the year with 636,000 from uh the draw that we did in last year from the stabilization fund. We added to it the $275 from April that draw. So, we have $911,000 uh in the stabilization fund that we can use to this residual piece of 603,000.

141So, that leaves us with 308,000. I don't want to get anybody too excited about that because our our transportation our out of district transportation is significantly over budget. So that means we have to move more tuition payments into this fund to help uh cover that cost. Some of this will be carried into next year but not all of it. I won't have a final figure until uh the end of June. Um so but some of this will be carried to help. The other news is you know again when we started this and we do this frequently with the uh department of student services. We review these numbers u on a monthly basis and more frequently if they start to shift. But we started the year with an you know a good estimate of 2.8 million

142and then the number significantly increased. This is a large increase. The uh to give you a sense the emergency relief fund that the state set up to help with this. There were so many districts facing this very same challenge that they had to cut in half the reimbursement level that they had to reply. Uh so we qualified for over $400,000 in relief. We only got $177,000. That's because all of the other districts are facing the same challenges. and uh and from our from what we can uh see from the budget discussions and it's the state that is really going to try to address this from the coming year. So, so we're in a we're in a decent position right now. Um, you know, from a budgetary these numbers going to change. As I said, uh,

143we go into May. Now, the all the the only other point I want to add is at May 1st, we've shut down purchasing except for emergencies and things like graduations and so on. You know, we've long been planning on that cycle. gives us two months to make adjustments uh to get into the year end period. Uh so uh you know we're in a we're in a good position next year. You know we get some work to do but um you know we have a little bit of pushing here to bring this over to next year. All right. Thank you. That's the budget questions for Yeah, I have a question. When uh on the supplemental page, yeah, the first line fiscal year 25 total out of district tuition the 3,486 101. Um is it appropriate to

144ask how many students that covers? And um just to highlight that these are all these are specialized programs that Falmouth is unable to educate our um some of our students as well as uh say school choice. Is that correct? Uh it's correct. There are there are programs that we cannot provide here in Did you mention school choice though? Yes. So in this three million, does that include the specialized program as well as school choice out of district? No, this is just the specialized program. Yeah. And I want to be clear on that point because that often comes up. So if a school choice start the student comes from Barnstone, pick a town. Sure. And they school choice into Falma and then three months later it's determined they need out of district tuition. But they need

145an out of district placement for for a specialized program. For a specialized program that's on principal's time. It's not on fence time. Correct. Okay. So I think that um maybe I asked inappropriately. So our school choice the average student that wants to school choice to Barnstable is not that number is not included in this 3 million. Yes. School choice is an absolutely separate topic. This has nothing to do with this is only special. Okay. And I also just want to highlight another um highlight from Falmouth is people move here who h who have had high needs students because they know that we will make sure that they are educated properly. and that I know that that's not like a popular or what have you, but I'm personally pretty proud of that that um people feel

146comfortable and they, you know, they've sought shelter, if you will, for their specialized child who requires more than what uh perhaps their hometown, whatever. They came here because they know that we will educate them in whatever that is. So yes, that three million is a high number, but I'm I'm okay. Can I um something that you brought up like the number, right? And so whether you know the numbers 33 or 42 um and it changes and shifts even through the year, right? Sure. And when you say 33 or 42, you mean students students that would be out of district? Sure. I think the key the key is that um every one of those tuitions can be different. Sure. Sure. and we tal remember we talked so that's what I just want to we've talked in

147the presentations before you know we may have an out of um district tuition that might be 68,000 and we may have one that's 250,000 sure depending on the needs of the students where they are and then the additional cost um could be medical um we may need you know a teaching assistant a nurse um additional OTP you know so all of those others is in addition to u tuition And then um and then transportation's on top of that too. And that transportation changes wherever the placement is. So it's it's very difficult to say you have x amount of students and this is what it would cost us, right? Um because those placements are so specific. Very good. Yeah. I didn't have that. Okay. No, thank you. I'm sorry, Paul, you want to add? No, I

148I I think to Melissa's point about uh you know people moving into the district uh because of the uh the special needs um I I think that's really reflective of the job that's done by the teachers within the school system uh today and the staff uh that works alongside this TAS and the oneto ones can't be very proud of uh the work for special needs students. Um, which is slightly different than these numbers here for students that are out of district. Um, but the in district component is exceptional as well. That's good. Sue, um, if I recall correctly, and I may be wrong, but I thought in the past that the state had some say in regards to what these out of district facilities could charge. And is there any indication, am I right? Okay.

149Is there any indication of where the state stands with that right now in regards to where are they anticipating boosting it even further? Uh the state the state the office of ser office of services division OSD sets the rate um u for private school tuition. Um not the collaboratives but the private schools. Um, so if you go to a residential school or uh another school off KPU, u those are typically done by the OSD. Um, and so it's fixed by them, right? U the flation rate, I believe it's uh that they used the increase was around 3.7, but don't quote me on that. Um, I believe it was under four. And that's been different every every year for for decades it was always two two% increase or less then remember we had that 14% increase

150followed by I think a 4.6 you know and then um so that I mean if it's if it's going to be a three for next year if it's 3 point something that's definitely you know much more reasonable than our last couple years. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. And I can give you an exact figure give you. Okay. Um I'm sure we've covered this before, but just to um to refresh my memory, um when it comes to the boost, the increase that we've had in the past year, is that still responding to that 14% that you just referenced that the state changed the tuition. Are we still in a crisis because of that or I think this is the mix of students and the mix of need u residential for private and as as Dr. Dor mentioned

151there are a number of variables um that go into the overall tuition and and so it's it's it really does it is really student specific. U so you know if you thought that if your number goes from 40 to 39 your district tuition could still go up right it's just the so part two of that question then is I guess can we reasonably assume that next year there might be a similar in increased sort of crisis we are project we based on what we know today our district tuition is going to go from 3.486 486 to over 3.7 million next year. It is going to go continue to go up. Thank you. I had a hard time understanding how these things could get so high until um this is what I like being on the

152um Cape Cod collaborative board. You learn a lot about things um throughout the the Cape. So you we took a trip where you went to different um really specialized students and one student can can add an incredible amount of money and you just don't know like a student who who has to lie down but has to have a special personnel and sit up to look at something for example that kind of care all day long without getting too much into medical things but so it's hard to I it's really hard to foresee what's going to happen with those things. Um, and we we just can't do what one individual student needs sometimes to blow the the cost out of the water. So, anyway, I don't know if that can I just um commend Dr. Door

153and Mr. art on the um out of district tuition aside which is is difficult to control. Um but the overall but you know for the district to control the overall budget we are in such better shape than so many other municipalities and other districts. And so, um, I, you know, I I think you should be commended for that because, um, other districts are looking at cuts, freezes, and, um, this budget is in really good shape considering the climate that we're in. So, um, so, thank you for that. Thank you. Well, did what said, but I also think that we need to thank the town. Yeah. Your collaboration with the town has been outstanding and we nearly owe a debt of gratitude to the town and families for their support of our schools. Thank you. Absolutely.

154Collaboration we want to add to the town. Great. Okay. Thanks, Paul. Uh, next up is the update on Billy Means Task Force. Are the things or going right to S? update. I Okay. Um I base my comments on the building needs task force meeting of April 29th and the meeting was attended by nine out of the 12 members of the task force. The minutes from the previous five meetings were approved unanimously and the NESD report was summarized and during discussion it was stressed that we do not have a timeline for decisions to be made. as well. The school administration is requesting additional information from the town regarding new housing that is presently in the permitting process. Discussions regarding the early learning center included review of previous discussions reiterating duplication and challenges of services provided if

155preschool were to be placed at each elementary school as well as the advantages of a separate preschool. While covering this topic, advantages for keeping kindergarten in elementary schools were discussed. Considerable and productive discussion in my opinion was held regarding the possible grade configurations for 5 through 7 and 6 through8 as well as the possibility of 8 through 12 at FHS. Peter Clark, former superintendent of schools from 96 to 2005, wrote a letter to the school building task force entitled best steps to serve the town and the children of Felma. Dr. Clark also served as assistant superintendent of Felma schools for nine years and was principal of the high school from 72 to 87. I believe each of you received a copy of his suggestions through our school committee email. And if you don't have that,

156I'll make sure you know just let me know. It is my belief that the building needs task force is fast approaching the time when a report to the school committee will be finalized. Meetings are scheduled for May 19th and May 28th. Thank you. You're welcome. Questions for on Billy needs. Did you want to add on you? No, it's like you stole my notes and like summed them up great. Great. No, I think that uh that really captured what we talked about. Um yeah, I'm looking forward to the meeting on the 19th and uh making a uh presentation to the school committee. Thanks. Well, thank you guys for for the work and the update and thanks of course to Building Needs. I also can I just say one thing about that. There's so much work that

157goes into building needs and people continue to show up that we've had these meetings and um it's not just, you know, a a handful of people. It's, you know, educators, it's parents, it's school committee members, and it's it's really a thoughtful group. And I think that there are thoughtful conversations that come from it. I, you know, um, as I kind of look around the room and I look at people that have been at these meetings as both, um, meeting members as well as um, people that from the community have that have watched these meetings. I think that there's been really great conversation and excellent questions and great points that have been made. So, um I I appreciate the building needs task force. I appreciate the um the role of it and I I guess that's

158all. And the people that keep showing up like obviously the people can ask one procedural question. I I went to the last meeting and I came away with some questions and I don't know who to direct those questions to because I we can't speak during the building needs meetings and then the feedback form that's currently on navigating the future only is responsive to the NZDC report. So I'm wondering how comments, ideas, questions from myself or anyone can reach the building needs task force at this time. Is there not something at the bottom of that? Leave a little comment, I guess, with your answers. The survey is all eight of the proposed ideas from the NASDAQ report and then there's a little space for comments. So, is that would those little comments in that box go

159to the building needs? I you know, I'm not on the building needs, but I would Yeah, that's what I would do, but I don't know. There's a section under um the NASDAQ report that you can ask questions on on the same page. There's two there's there's two surveys. There's one that that just ask questions. So you can put questions in and then there's a second one that you can give feedback on the NASDAQ report and yes oh I missed the first one Kelly I think I must have sent you the wrong link then well I couldn't find it I was navigating all around and then Kelly sent me the link and I okay so there is a place that people can submit questions and ideas great okay all right thank you next up uh discuss

160and act on rescending navigating the future proposal proposed plan one and two. Is that how you want it to read, Mike? That's how it's written. So, that's fine. Okay. I mean, there's not much I can do about it now. You know, open meeting law and all. So, I have my motion. So, that's what I mean. Is that the motion that you want exactly as I said, the edited one? I'm just going to say I would like to file a motion and the motion would be to resend and revise our previous vote and substitute proposals three through five of Navigating the Future as the new alternative text. Meaning to all of you here and in the audience that Navigating the Future now starts with proposal three through five and one and two are totally deleted. And

161I can say it again. No, I Well, we're the ones that have to vote on it and we have the It's the same language that Katrina sent, right? Yep. So, we're fine. Is there a second? Okay. Um, discussion. Okay. Sorry. Um, so I was at the building needs task force and I re uh reiterate they do a lot of work, a lot of research and we should be appreciative of them. Um uh somebody there said that we should really be starting at the top and looking down. Um the warrant school is the biggie. So we should really be thinking about the fifth graders and the prek kids those two ends. So if you take off that middle one and two thing, it is such a clear slate and I think it's going to take a

162lot a lot a lot of thinking about where do you want the fifth graders to go, you know, and what happens if the Lawrence school can't be renovated, which is a possibility. We still going to have to shift. And I think we really need to look, maybe I'm saying too much, but I'm trying to get rid of this thing of one and two hanging over us. Um, we really need to think about our fifth graders going to be are they really elementary kids or not? You know, I think Desi says you do. Anyway, there's a lot a lot of research next year and all these things that we need to do. So, just having a nice clear slate to go from I think would be great. S I move to table the motion based on

163my report. Um, I believe that it's uh we are in need of a report from the building needs task force and before we can um start to remove things ourselves. Okay. Um the motion to table takes precedent. Is there a second for that? I'd like to second that only because by eliminating options that the building needs is working on it totally like undermines all the work that building needs has done. Okay. Um so a motion to table as we learned the other day when I asked the same question is not debatable. So we have to vote on that and then if it fails then we can keep discussing the other. You'll speak to it. No you're not. It's not debatable. A motion of table is not debatable. Disappointing. There was no discussion before you made

164your Yeah. And another way you guys screw me over. So, I mean, those are that's Robert P. I don't know what to tell you. Um, okay. So, um, there's a motion and a second. Um, all in favor of tableabling it for another later point say I. Is this a roll call or hand or voice? Just like we normally do. We don't have Well, I didn't know for tableabling a motion. Do we have Oh, no. It's the same. Yep. Good question. Um, all in favor of tableabling the motion, say I. And you're going to have to do your hand up so I can see. One, two, three. I have, four, five. The motion carries. Um, as opposed Okay. Okay. So, we'll bring it back another time. Um, it's very dis Can I just make one comment?

165Um, no, we're not. We just got to keep moving. I understand your disappointment. You've already vocalized it. We're moving on. Act on FPF project grants. Okay. So, um, as you know, um, two times during the year, we're now we switch shifted our pro, um, process. So, in the fall, the $350 grants for teachers, we did a blanket and just let teachers, you know, since it's a quick process, um, submit this. These are the bigger projects and this happens in the spring. And so, last week, excuse me, last week um the FEF board uh voted uh to fund the the projects that are in your packet. um if you had a chance to look through them um you'll see that there are um some pretty amazing projects that are coming from um our our staff and

166there are new projects which are exciting and then there's the continuing and I think both are really important that um FEF recognizes so uh when a um teacher submits something that is continuing many of these are happening year after year after year and then there are some new ideas and I think that's a nice mix and you can see them from a different school. So, we're just asking for a blanket vote um on um what the FEF has already the board has already read um in depth and these are the ones that they're they're pushing forward and so I'm asking um for a positive um vote to accept these um so that our teachers will be able to implement um these projects next year. Okay. I'll make a motion um on all one of them

167in class. Yeah. Right. Correct. Great. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Any discussion? Yeah. Again, I just have a quick question about this. Um the the question is uh what do we know what the two that were not approved were? There were 33 total requests. We do not. They were not given to us. So my my second part of that question is why were there no two ticket grants this year? Every other school got three or four or more um FF grants and two ticket has no mention in here. They may not have submitted for anything. Okay. Is that normal that some schools don't? Absolutely. and and in my memory teachers that have had success getting them ask for them again. So it's sort of a oh many of them were continuing. I just

168wondered if there was you know what the two that were not included might Okay. Um, my other comment about it was, you know, it would be I I would hope that FF does a press release or we do a press release. Like these projects are unbelievable. And, you know, I just I wanted I wanted to be I want to be a student that gets to do half of these things. Like, it's it's really remarkable. Um, and I know they do their wonderful event where they highlight the showcase. Um, but I I feel like it needs to be bigger than that. So that you know, and I don't know how we do that, but I I I'll work with them. I know they always have them all up on the website. I don't know if they

169do a lot of times they do a booklet, but I'll just if we we can also do a press release, but let me work with Yeah. I just think it would be nice to have a press release that maybe gets to the website or something so that because not everybody is going to just go look for the FF page to find out all these amazing things. I think people need to be pushed there. Yeah, that's great. So that so that they can see because just each one was better than the previous. It's just amazing. Um any other comments about Yeah. Yeah. I wanted to add to that because it's so wonderful because our budget can't do all this and that uh they do this and that our students benefit from it. I've often spoke about

170how that really is an asset. I I added that if you look at the Cape Cod news, you'll see that this this is one of the real strength of our school system. It's just we're lucky to have and we can't be thankful enough to them for all that they do for us. So next year when they have a gayla, make sure you show up. They deserve to have us there. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. Sorry then. I think that I can't find it now, but I think that I saw that some of the funding was used for transportation for projects. Sometimes they do that. Yeah. And I and that's wonderful because a lot of grants restrict transportation. And so the fact that and you can't take a field trip unless you so um so this students

171are so lucky that they're able to go on some of these excursions those of us that go into that and it also supports our our belief in equity. Yeah. Absolutely. That's so important. Any last thoughts on FTF? Um all in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay. Uh surplus piano. So in your packet um Dr. Tier has sent a memo um that is a very old piano. Uh and really it's just it's not functional um for for our music class. So um we're getting a new piano and we're just asking you to surplus this one. So moved. Thank you. Any comments on a piano? Yeah. When people have old pianos like this, they turn it into an art project and they like put it in a public place for a while. It probably

172won't sound great, but you let the students in some class paint it and then you put it outside even. Well, thank you for that idea. Or like hanging I've seen them where you hang the insides of the piano. I've seen and then you can like bang on it. It makes all kinds of cool sounds. The art students go crazy on Yes. Okay. If possible. Well, thank you. We will talk to the art department. You never know. They might have some wonderful idea. Um all in favor of surplusing the piano say I. Any opposed? Abstensions. It's unanimous again. Um policies acting on the bullying prevention and the bullying intervention plan. All right. So um it is as we had um reported at the last meeting. Um so the plan um you know is is in here

173as well, but I don't know if you have any questions. We did discuss it last time. Any last questions on it? No, thank you. They added the thing I was concerned about. Sorry. Yes, I saw it. Thank you. Thank you for doing that. Yeah, I'm sorry. I might be gone now, but didn't he have something? I cannot remember and I didn't write it down. He had something about this and I don't whatever went forward to the um policy subcommittee um was included. I uh um sorry, was there a motion? There's a motion to make a motion. Thank you. And could you have got a second? Um, any last comments on that approval? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay, great. Moving right along. Next up is the first read on um policies,

174subcommittees, permanent committees, responsible use, and school district web page. Okay. So um um BDE subcommittees of the uh school committee we just were cleaning this up. Um it had it had been written differently in different places. Uh so and and our practice um is that not the subcommittees do not have chairs. So uh we just made this align with our practice and where it's stated in other um policies. And then in uh BDER, it's just um you know, we don't say chairman anymore. We were just cleaned it up. Cleaned it up. You noticed that. Yeah. Um and I'm going to turn over to Dr. Tier to talk about um responsible use um policy and um there there were a lot of changes in there and I'm not sure you want us to go through all

175them. Hopefully um you you read them. And then the J and DC school and district web um pages which very few very few things. Dr. Thank you. So JJ and DDB responsible use um one of the key things is just making sure that we've updated the guidance around student data privacy. So that's that first piece and making sure that we have the references in compliance with um children's internet protection act so sea and then children's online privacy protection act. So those references are there. Um there are just a couple of uh updated references around code of conduct and making connections that um there are procedures in our handbooks relative to students who may be irresponsible to follow the name of the um just uh recognizing the need for digital devices. There's a couple places where

176we made updates uh to training and instruction rather than naming a certain program. Just talking more globally about our work so that if we change um resources, we're able to do that. Um there is a reference as you get a little bit further in it says plagiarism. It now says slashacademic dishonesty and makes again references back to student handbook updating permissions around photographing and or reporting students. So that that was one of the bigger pieces. And then some of the other parts that are in here are just updating because Google has changed name making sure that all of that sort of housekeeping piece is updated in there. Um they change their name relative to their education products I should say. Um Google I'm sorry. Yeah, they used to be Google uh apps for education. Now

177it's just Google Workspace. So we made sure we made that update updated package that we use in the district. Okay. not that's why I clarified. Sorry. Sorry. Um and then annual notification is attitude and then um both for J anddB and J andDC uh in particular the clarified or updated cross references just to make sure that everything was current. So those are all outlined in yellow the red text. All right. Um I had I had two questions. one. No, the removal of the Oxford comma makes me crazy, but I'm willing to let it go. I cannot. Oh my gosh. Oh, it's I will still double on the school district. It's the addition. It's the addition. Oh, I thought I was highlighting. I'm pretty sure Sonia would not do that. No, thank you. We were adding

178them in. She's over there shaking. I suck at that. I approve. Okay. Yay. Thank you. double space aftert totally double space after that be a rebellion from the policy committee if you make another statement like that. No, I I said I would live with it. I trust you guys. Um but I just wanted to ask about so the photographing and I'm on um responsible use which I have to say I like much better than acceptable like raising the bar. Um I like more but the section on photographing and reporting staff is that that's new that language. Yeah. So there was a a piece that was in the handbook but we wanted to clarify it and then pull it in because it's relative to the actual devices. That was my question. That's the language from the

179handbook. Yeah. It's been added to a bit and then put in here because it's about this whole policy is about the devices that we provide. So making sure that we also have that piece. Okay. In there. That was my only That was my only question. I was just wasn't sure about that part. Um any I totally went first. Any other questions on policies? It's a first read, so you always have the opportunity to follow up with policy folks before it comes back for a vote. Okay, thank you. Uh next up, update by the superintendent. All right. So, my first update, I mean, everyone, I just wanted the opportunity to announce again that we have um the principal TEK Elementary, um Stea Kafulka. He is a clever um we've had a meet and greet. Um he's

180actually joined the first um professional development day with the TT ticket teachers um for our new um ELA curriculum. Uh he's gone to a staff meeting. He's got some social things that the school's doing that he's already, you know, planning on attending. He'll be at the next staff meeting. Um, so he's already I know he doesn't officially start till July one, but he's very excited and he's been um very engaged. So very excited about that. Uh I'm going to jump to one of my other um and it did not get uh on here today because it was just finalized um this afternoon. And I am very pleased to say that um Principal Rose Moran will be the principal of East Felmouth Elementary School. Well, well, so it was um back to East. I know. And

181she's going home, right? Well, she knew I was going to do it, so but um and she and she asked for it. And I think that's the the mo that's the really special piece um is that she loves both schools so much. And um so she didn't want to leave, but now that she's been back at East, she was like, I can't leave here. And that was a she asked to be the principal there. And she said, I just can't leave. Please don't make me go. I need to be there. And it went over so well with the staff today. Um when she did it, she just got I mean a complete room of applause. And so uh anyway, so everyone was seemed to be very happy and so excited about it and now we

182will post for the principal at Mullen Hall. So can I just say we are so fortunate to have her in whatever school she is. She is just an outstanding principal and she does remarkable work and we should be very thankful to her for all she does for all of our students. Yes. And she set Mullen up. You know, Mullen is in a great space. We'll find somebody awesome. Yes, we will. And we have a great admin team there, right? I mean, and our AP and our SIBA that's there. Um, you know, both um, you know, Jill Mazerv and and Jesse are both they're really strong and there's a strong culture there and we will find somebody. Were you going to say something? I heard you. Yeah, I was going to say um, it it it

183more than great that she's there. It's wicked great. It's It's going to help soothe over so many a lot of things. I won't go into specifics, but it's doubly great. I think that there's a um an understanding that with uh her own history there you previously before she went to Mullen and understanding and um knowing the staff, knowing the students, the families, the demographic um as an East alumni and with my own children there, I saw her in action. almost every day that I volunteered that I was there and I could not support this anymore. I cannot be more excited about this. I'm so excited that she's going back to East Palmouth and I'm thrilled to hear that the staff is thrilled and I'm so excited to hear that they asked for it. She asked

184for it and that they asked for it, you know, that whatever. I'm I'm sorry, too. I just I think that Mullen though um they as you said, they're in a good good place, but they're supporting her completely. Oh, I love Right. So, I mean, and they they they know, right, that that's, you know, that and people make changes and and make moves and and it happens. They they are they're being very supportive. So, you know, I think we have wonderful principles at all of our schools and we are very fortunate to have them our students are very fortunate. Absolutely. Thank you, Margaret. I appreciate that. Um, so, uh, the next one is the Fmouth um, high school um, student government. So, you know, they meet four times a year. I try to um pop into

185the student government at the high school, you know, whenever I can. And so, uh last week um they had one of their meetings and one of the things that they have been working on is um around the whole clipper and you know, we have talked about it's part of your goal uh as well. Uh and when we get back to the admin building, uh we have a little surprise for you. Uh, but to to help you along with your goal and and using the Clipper language, um, I'd like to I know we're late, but I'd really like to take um comments and I know some or or make some comments that the students made and I know that you like to hear from students. So, if we could take a few minutes to hear. So,

186under Creative, we just picked one comment out of each one. There were lots of them and and I'll I'll we're going to put something together so you're going to see more. But um so under creative uh one student said something here at Bmouth High School that shows my creativity is the work that my teachers give me. Teachers will uh give different options for projects that can show my work through creative ways. And I also think that they can they help to show kids how they can try new things. For example, in some of my classes, we can do a visual piece instead of a writing prompt or different new things that teach the teachers have thought of for us to become better learners. I think that we could all be a little more creative. But

187here at Fmouth High School, they do a good job helping us express creativity. under learner um the L and Clipper the learner uh a student said with so many different classes on such a wide range of topics these I can statements do fit us as students we're constantly being challenged to apply the things that we have learned before in each new class that we take which leaves us with the knowledge students here are dedicated to understanding what they are being taught and that it is shown in every classroom it's so exciting Okay, so the I inquisitive. A different student says, "I believe that these statements accurately align with my experience at school. For example, in some of my classes, Socratic seminars allow me to engage in friendly debate with other students. As my opinions are

188questioned by others, I can find new ways to look at things and an increased sense of curiosity. The science fair gives students the opportunity to dive deeper into a topic they are curious about. Teachers at this school are very supportive of students as they are inquisitive about scientific topics. The P which is the first um P in Clipper is participant. There are many ways to participate within our school and community including being in student government itself and being a part of teams or clubs. There are also many opportunities to get involved during the school day, like following a career pathway that is aligned with your interest or working further with subjects you're passionate about with teachers in Clipper time. The second P in Clipper is partner. I think that being a partner is a very

189influential part of my experience as a Fmouth High School Clipper. Almost every year, my English class has established class norms that become expectations for people to carry themselves and their actions through. When I have been involved in discussions and collaborative projects, people are always respectful and I think that across the board, teachers encourage their students to be compassionate partners with both their peers and teachers alike. E for effective communicator. I am encouraged to communicate both publicly and privately with other peers or teachers about my any issues in school along with having safe spaces in teams and clubs to express how I am feeling where I may need support and they are resilient. Um mistakes are not discouraged here and it's a safe place to learn. Teachers are always there to seek knowledge from always. Also,

190we are given the tools to thrive after and in Falmouth High School. So, I thank you for letting me have the time to say we'll send a lot more and we have something planned for you. But these are just direct comments to our students and and they're they're still commenting on the clipper the work that we've been doing for many years. So, thank you to Dr. Tier. Um Dr. Harris, did you say where they were commenting? I missed that. So in student government the the so the students that are elected by their peers to be a part of student government they are actually working on the I can statements that that we have shared with um the the committee and so they're they're commenting on how it is in reality how does it play out

191for them and that's what they were sharing on what does it look like and I know that you know you have appreciated hearing from students before and so I just wanted to to share Um uh the uh just uh one last oh two last updates sorry um the Cape Island superintendent meeting. Um so we meet monthly and the last few months we have been talking about a need for a demographic uh and enrollment um study for the entire Cape. And so I know that we have ours specifically for Falmouth, but I also think um having the broader input uh and study on the entire Kate uh as so many um you know districts are experiencing you know great um decline in their enrollments as well and really leading to so many changes that's going to

192need to happen. uh a few years ago uh we also met with the town managers of every town and u so we are planning that again we think that you know I mean there's issues that are just bigger than the schools to be able to tackle and some of that is housing you know things that we've talked about but it really requires you know the town input as well and we need to do this collaboratively we had really rich discussions a few years ago and we felt like it was time that we need to come back to those same discussions um and and look forward to uh Cape and Islands uh report as well. So something that we're moving forward on. Can I ask a question? Um when you say the superintendent, does that include

193the collaborative? Yes. Yes. I mean it's not really I don't it's not called a superintendent. Uh director director, but they're there. They're there. Okay. Great. Because that seems like something they would particularly interested in. Yep. They're part of it. So, Kelly, um I've been recent reading recently in regards to the efforts by the housing assistance corporation um in regards to trying to uh garner support within the individual towns and this group you speak of may benefit from collaboration with them as well. Yeah, I I just read something that what they were doing. Okay. Yeah. So, I um Yeah, I will reach out to them and and I'll talk to the superintendents about including Yep. No, that's great. Thank you, Sue. All right. And then my last is um block party. So uh uh Susie Hoffman

194um uh everyone knows from uh anyway this is uh the flyer that's out in Portuguese and Yeah, I know. So I just wanted to point it out that you're you're um the last um event that they put on was fantastic. And um so they're periodically trying to do some this is on Friday uh June 13th from 4:30 to uh 7 at um the rec center and so um just wanted to put it out there because um we had a we had a we had a great party last time last the last one so I encourage you to come. Thank you. Thanks. And that's it. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Uh routine business. We have two sets of minutes. Um, is there a motion to approve the minutes from the 7th of April? Thank you,

195Katrina. Second. I'll second it. Thanks. Any last edits or comments on those ones? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Absention. Person. Thank you. And then the next one is the minutes from the April 15th uh retreat. Is there a motion for those? Uh Melissa, I'll make that second. Okay, I figured you keep it easy. Glenn, are you good? I don't see I don't see any edited the April. Oh, we don't have Oh, there were no changes to the April 15th one from the packet. Edit a correction in the Yeah, that's the only reason we only had one. Sorry. Yeah. Yeah, no worries. Um any edits or corrections on the 15th? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? All right, those are unanimous. Thank you very much. Next up is committee

196reports where heard building needs. Any other committee reports? Um, so I attended the end of year celebration for the ELPAC um which is the committee that supports um English language learner parents and um families. and it was the seniors from uh Felmouth High School and it was amazing and um congratulations to the students but also to the um staff who put in so much hard work for those um those wonderful graduates. So it was great to attend. Thank you. Thanks. Yeah, I have a list here. um the Cape Cod collaborative um it's happy to report that the new articles that you signed the articles uh for the collaborative have been approved um from VIPS the student of the month for May is Sorell Tibo. I hope I said that right. Just um came out today.

197Um the financial literacy series at FHS. Um, and I think we heard something about that during the CTE reports. Um, concluding that they um, eight speakers came in during Clipper Time to talk to kids. So that's again the community loving our school as they do. Um, do you remember a couple years ago you had little cars with peppermint wheels on them? Do anybody remember that? Okay. That's part of a thing that's called crossage science teaching. It's eighth graders from Warren School um go down and they have gone to all the third grade classes this year and they help them do science projects and um they have to convince them not to eat the wheels. Um just kidding. That's kind of a joke. Don't eat the wheels. But that's 255 third grade students. And the beauty

198of this program though is the eighth graders going down and the third graders meeting with them. It's just such a wonderful program. Um anyway, it's it's called CAST, but it's crossage science teaching. Um I want to say thank you to the Kate Birdian Club for giving us port uh Creole lessons from um Kate Birdie and nice food too we got that night. Um Sonia and Lori should be asked to say something to Creole. Lori was taking notes. Do you remember? Oh boy. No, no quizzer. No, Sonia is our expert on that one. She can actually Can you do it on the spot? Oh, my name is Sonia. It's nice to meet you. I just don't know if I said nice to meet you plural. Nice to meet you. I'm working on that part. Just enough

199to enter. Awesome. Way to be great. Yeah, but I mean I tried before we went to find some place to learn it and just you can't. But they're they're very good to us. Um and the last thing is the memorial garden service, which you hear me talk about every year, has changed. It used to be at Memorial Day, but it's going to be next week is the 22nd. Next week um at 10:00 in the morning, too. It's going to have a little bit of things. Just to the people who don't know, if you've ever looked at that garden outside the school and see the names on the papers around it, um it's something I very very very few schools have such a a thing. So anyway, would you tell what's the date of that year?

200It's next Thursday the 22nd at 10 o'clock. I'll send an email out reminding everybody. Okay. Thank you. That'd be great. It's not like later in the day. It's always during the day. Yeah. But yeah. Anyway, um any other We did the um student advisory, Margaret and I with Lori on the 9th. I can't believe we have not had a meeting since before that. That seems crazy. Um and some of the highlights of that conversation, I think that was our last one for the year. Um we they talked about um MCCAST. They did say that they noticed some kids were finishing way faster this year, which they were like. Um, and then some of them mentioned that the 10th grade civics project this year, they were all sophomores that were in the room with us this

201time. Um, and they said some kids did navigating the future as their civics project, which I thought was kind of cool. Um, when we asked if like what would be the thing if they wanted to pick something to change um, you know, to tell us to think about changing as a school committee, they kind of all felt like a 7:25 start time in the morning was really difficult. There was one girl who commutes from um Bourne, I think, and she wakes up at 5:30 and has after school stuff as well. Um school choice duty. Chooses to be here. He did not complain, but they all felt kind of like the first two periods of the day were a little bit hazy. Yeah, because it's hard to get that early. Um and then then I was

202asking them about the navigating the future since they had mentioned that and they um we had an interesting conversation about how they would feel looking back if they were a fifth grader staying in elementary versus being an eighth grader moving up to the high school. And they all interestingly said they were ready to move on by fifth grade. But they also said that they would feel scared going to the high school as an eighth grader. But then they said as 10th graders looking back they can see now that the big kids were not actually scary but they still would feel scared. And then they also simultaneously said they would prefer to stay in fifth grade in the elementary school. So it was kind of all over the map but it was a really great conversation

203and good to hear from some students about that. Thank you. Any other ones? This is in the committee, but last year I volunteered for decorating Augustus Kanty for after the prom. Uh I did write to her because I said I'm limited to what I could do. I volunteered to go from 5 to 8. She never responded to me because I can't drive there. But if anybody's going, I really encourage you to think about it. Number one, going to Gus Kanty and seeing what they transformed that place into is remarkable. And if any of you have a couple of hours to either help them decorate or to help them with food, they really apparently have shown on volunteers this year. And I really would encourage you if you're going, you can pick me up and I'll

204go with you. Thanks for the luck. I appreciate it. Yeah, it's awesome. Um I have two quick things. one. Um I I spoke with our MS MASC rep about starting to work on a date for um a retreat. Um and the second thing is that um the senior breakfast that is sponsored by the school committee is happening again this year. Um I don't have the date um but I did confirm with them that we are going to be hosting senior breakfast again. um and they welcomed us. So, we we host the breakfast, but then we also share information about um civic responsibility and getting kids either registered to vote, which is what it used to be, but now it's confirming that you're registered to vote and sharing information on how to get an absentee ballot

205if you're not going to be in Falmouth um next year if you're um joining the military or going to college. Yeah. Um so, we'll be sharing that. So, if anyone is interested, let me know and you can join me. I love going. Um, if I'm still here, I will happily join you again. Um, and the kids last year really appreciated the absentee ballot thing. I'm super curious whether I don't know if we can get data on whether or not any of them actually used it, but they liked that because they're all already registered from voter motor voter. I have to say that like over the years their engagement has been it went from like a table in the fieldhouse after rehearsal to morphing into so much more like a purposeful conversation great questions from the

206students just questions on being an adult kind of thing that I don't know I I like it I I love that it's kind of morphed into what it is today. Yeah, I agree. Were you gonna say something? Sorry. Um yeah. Is there any ways to get an official type information sheet from Michael Palmer that you can have just to pass to the kids? Oh, I Yes, I have all of it and I passed it all out last year business. Yeah, it's all QR codes because they're teenagers. Oh. So, they're like scanning everything with their phone. Yeah. Is this an opportunity for our goal to have a table and be in our shirt? That that kind of thing. It sounds like you're describing that kind of in the morning though. It's in the morning. Well, should

207we be I mean if we are volunteering at this? Yes, we should wear our shirts. Sounds like I love that idea. You should give us a date. Yeah. No, I don't have it with me. I started looking for it in my email, but then I felt like I was being rude. So, apparently it's the Wednesday before by then. Right before graduation changed. Um, but I'll send it out. Thank you. For sure. Uh, any requests for followup? Uh, Chris, sorry, I almost missed you. I was just wondering would we have an opportunity to kind of um talk about just based on kind of the feedback from the evaluation to talk about kind of the goal setting process whether I don't know if that's something that would be just handled by the subcommittee first but if we

208have a chance to talk about it as a as a body first before subcommittee or however but just kind of to have a discuss I think that's a great idea. Yeah. Thank you. Can I do you mean our committee goals or the superintendent's goals? Both. Okay. I thought you meant superend. Yeah. And kind of like the whole evaluation process because we do all do that, don't we? When the superintendent sensor goes out, we all evaluate, don't we? Yes. But I think what let me clarify. I thought what I was hearing is can we have a discussion about the process before we start the process for next year? Yeah. Yeah. Essentially. Um and then the other one was also kind of related to that is um in terms of like committees um like would be I

209my understanding is that in the past we've had like an outreach committee that kind of listens to teachers like regular meetings between school committee members um that could listen to teachers and kind of just get input more of like a listening session and I'm not sure if that's something we could kind of reimplement or but to have a discussion about that essentially. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Oh yes sir. Uh we you had mentioned the things that were not able to fit on this agenda and I'm wondering about next meeting May 27th is it? Um will get on there? Yes. Will we be talking about dress for success and HR and I forget? I haven't gotten that far but yes we definitely going to we need to get you know the items that were

210still waiting. I just I anticipated I mean it's already 9:30 and it went faster than I thought it was going to go but yeah they're still on there. Can you just remind me the elections on the 20th so is that May 27th potentially having new members? Is that that first? Yes. May 27th. Okay. Yep. Yep. Okay. Motion to adjurnn. I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Second. Second. All in favor? I. Thank you.