001And while it is six o'clock, we're gonna sit tight for a minute or two and uh wait for us to have quorum. Um this is obviously a busy month for many. H looks like Stephen has joined. So, uh, with the, uh, with it being six o'clock and we have a quorum of the committee, I'm going to get us started knowing that we likely have a couple extra committee members who should be joining us um, any minute. I And I have a hard time fully understanding who's on, but I do see four of us. Um, so I'm gonna I'm gonna get us started and call this meeting to order at six o'clock. As I said, um, this meeting is taking place virtually uh on Zoom, but uh, pursuant to the law signed by Governor Healey on
002March 20th, 2025. Um, it will be live streamed on Willlet and broadcast live on Spectrum Cable TV channel in Williamstown. It is also being uh recorded and will be available as video on demand within 24 hours after this meeting on our YouTube channel. So with that um I will do a roll call and I'll say start with me. I'll Bowen here. >> Conry here. >> Thank you. >> Green here. >> Miller here. Oh >> the phone. Sorry. >> Yeah. No, I didn't see your face or Miller here. Okay. And we heard Ursula as well. >> Yep. >> Excellent. Thank you. Um I we will start Ursula if we can with you reading our mission statement. >> You got it. I'm ready. All right. At Mel Greylock Regional School District, our mission is to create a
003community of learners working together in a safe and challenging learning environment that encourages restorative based processes, respect, inclusive diversity, courtesy, integrity, and responsibility through high expectations and cooperation resulting in lifelong learning and personal growth. >> Thank you so much. Um, we have a uh we'll move to the next item on the agenda which is a presentation from uh Joe Johnson and I think Paula Panales from St. Paul's. Um, and we have uh we're going to have them present. Then we're moving to public comment in case any public comment was about that presentation. Um, and then we will um go to vote on the uh request from them. Uh, but we wanted to make sure we could allow the make sure they knew when to be on the call rather than have to wait for an
004agenda that can vary tremendously. Um, so with that, I'm going to actually turn it over to Joe and Paula. >> Thank you, Julia. Um, I did email a um note about these three changes that we'd like to make. So I think rather than just read that uh I'll kind of give a a you know give the highlights of what we're requesting. We had the program that we started with the inter exchange between Mount Greylock School and St. Paul school has been a huge uh success so far in every way that it could be very popular among the students from St. Paul school and a lot of interest and great experiences with our kids going in that direction. Um and the as I said in the letter that the complication that we've come up against is
005that our school is a lot bigger than St. Paul's school. So if in future years we uh get anywhere near the level of interest that I think we could get from juniors and seniors, there will just be too many of them uh for St. Paul School to accommodate. So the solution could be to have it be a trip where our kids go there every year. Their kids come here every other and it would be seniors only. Um and I laid out the reasons for that in the in the email that I sent to you guys. But uh the the main sticking points is that they can accommodate about 30 students. And um if we are going to take that many, we just have too many eligible students between two grades of advanced Spanish students. So
006those those are the highlights. Pa is here if anybody has any questions specific to uh St. St. Paul School, but I'm I'm ready to take any questions you might have. >> Hello everybody. I just wanted to say hi. I'm really glad to see you. I see some familiar faces and I'm very happy to see you. Uh, please let me know. Can you hear me properly because I'm Is it okay? Is my signal okay? Good. Okay. Thank you. >> Joe, if you could also speak to the third request or the third piece that you included in your um change of details. >> Oh yes. Yes. The other one is that the uh our students would be allowed to stay with host families in Laumbre. Um we are the the the students from St. Paul's who came
007in our direction this past April stayed with host families on our end and I think everybody who was involved Julia could speak to this Steven could speak to this would agree that it was just a fantastic experience. We will there are some kinks to be worked out for the next time we do it. And hopefully among those are the schedule where we are not having them come during one of the breaks which was a real monkey wrench for a lot of families who couldn't couldn't be hosts because they were traveling um in future rounds. We have we hope to have them come in September so that everyone will will likely still be here. Um but it was just an amazing experience all around and as again Julia could speak to our students who have gone
008in that direction uh and have stayed with host families from what I understand have had a fantastic experience. Staying with a host family is just uh exponentially more meaningful and deeper as an experience in study abroad than staying at a hotel. And we had a great experience last time staying at a hotel in Lakumbre. But there just is no substitute for being with a host family. Not all the time, but a lot of the time and meeting everybody and all the meals together and their rhythms of the household. It would just be uh such a deeper experience for our students if they were allowed to do that. And the other big advantage is that they would it would almost undoubtedly be a whole lot economically more achievable for students from Mount Greylock because uh the
009cost of living is quite low in Argentina compared to here. So if you are just kicking in a collaboration for to offset you know your use of the hot water and the meals and the transportation um that is just a lot more affordable than staying in a hotel. Um so it would be it would make the program much more achievable for everybody. It would be much deeper experience and pa I don't know if you want to talk to this. Um I have a lot of confidence that our partners in Lakumbre would be great about keeping our um about selecting the right families and making sure that our students were well taken care of on that end. >> Yes, I totally agree with with you Joe. I mean living with a family changes the experience. Yes.
010Uh drastically. I think that it enriches it dramatically. You Well, you're living in an Argentinian house. Yes. With their habits, customs, conversations, uh timetable. It's all different. Um we have many families, many many families who would be delighted. Yes. To host you. many of them. Um we would be very carefully yes with whom we select. We are we have been um working or selecting families already because we have received three no two students yes from uh Mount Greylock already. We had one student three weeks ago. He was in a what I think is a lovely family and they had a wonderful experience together. They are willing to host other people again. In fact, they are hosting um Will Will Aiggore. Am I correct? In September, I think he has Will I >> already graduated? He
011has already graduated and he's willing to travel all around. and he's looking forward to traveling all around Argentina and South America. I think that these are the wonderful things about these exchanges and living in someone else's family. uh my stu students are thinking of studying abroad or I mean applying for American or European universities and I think that is because of the chance of traveling and getting to see how living in a different countries and I think that your students are also willing yes to get to know our country our culture we have a student uh from last year's trip I think her name is Fidi She's studying in Chile and I mean every time she comes she travels and she visits yes the family she stays there. I think the bond we have created
012goes much beyond our project. Um we would be very careful yes with the families we choose. We have many people as kids uh are really really excited about it and they keep on asking me miss when are you going to know when they are coming and who I mean we will be hosting I want to host cabino I want to host this and that so well um I don't know if you have any questions regarding accommodation I mean it will be much cheaper uh because of the meals as well healthier as well because they would be eating homemade food. They will not be going to uh restaurants. Um I can only see as good points and positive advantages. That's just advantages. >> Caroline, you have a question. >> Uh thank you. So, um it all
013it sounds wonderful and I am aware of the uh positive experiences that students have had staying with host families and all of the advantages that go along with it. I'm also aware of um not good experiences that students have had not in this program but in other programs. Um, and I'm curious what the um criteria are for screening families. Um, not being not having a child at the high school right now, I would even be um interested in hearing how the families who are here who hosted students from Argentina might have been screened. um just what you're looking for and you know if you don't accept a family what is it about that family that would give you pause um because our job as school committee members is you know to kind of assess risk
014and that's why I asked the question thank you >> I can take that first pa to talk about the the screening on this end um on this And we did every family that said that they could take an Argentine student got one. Uh we the the number of families who stepped up to to serve as volunteers was was surprisingly low and some people took as many as four kids or three. Um so and we all of those families were known to you know us uh sort of informally through their children through their records of the schools uh at the schools. We you know honestly it was it was a bit of a beggars can't be choosers uh situation. There was we had no red flags that we were aware of as a school district for
015any of the families. Um, and just talking among them ourselves and the people who were helping to plan this, each of the families seemed uh, you know, PA was was along for the ride for all this. They seem to us to all be stable um, perfectly accommodating homes, but we did not have an especially formal rigorous there was no Corey checking that went on for example. It was it was all volunteer basis and I think in future rounds we might be able to be a little more selective. We did wind up moving a couple of students uh both just before the exchange happened and then during the exchange for reasons that you can imagine. Um nothing nothing you know truly bad happened. It's just that certain family rhythms uh didn't really fit with the expectations
016of I don't quite know how to put it, but your your more typical teenager expectations about when evenings will end, what time meals should be happening, things like that. It became clear early on that a couple families were a lot more conservative and restrictive than than would really work. So, we moved some kids because of that. Um and uh other kids were were housed by themselves with a host family. Uh which then just emotionally became a lot. They were quite confident that they would be able to handle being away from other kids that they know. Uh but then in the family, the family was perfectly nice. Everything was fine. But, you know, in the dark of night when you're in your room by yourself, uh, you know, the the the scary voices kind of can
017creep in and she just wanted to be with someone she knew. Well, okay, we moved them. Um, so things like that, wrinkles did arise, but I must say, yeah, we did not have a thorough background check kind of process um, on our end. And Paola, I don't I don't know if maybe you want to speak to what your relationship is like with the families that you know on that end and how you would go about choosing. >> Well, first of all, we're a very small school and a very small community. So, we know uh the families. We know the families because their children spend eight hours a day with us. uh plus the special activities and special events we have in especially the English department we have many onetoone meetings yes with parents because of
018their children progress and processes um because they are doing very well because they are not doing that well and we get to know families through these uh interviews for example one of the families I picked app uh for um welcoming one of the visitors will is a family whose uh youngest son is not that skillful. Yes. It's not that good at English. So we have had many meetings with them and I got to know the family. We also have an educational psychologist. Yes. who works with families with kids who have not just learning problems but also some issues. Yes. In life with families so we know which families not to pick. That's the first thing. Um the second one is that we will uh organize interviews. uh checking that families have the right space to
019welcome the children that they have a room that they have they are not 10 yes in the family uh standard families that they are willing to speak English to speak Spanish with them that they are willing yes to take them um back go to take them to school and back home to take them to different yes events. So they have to agree on different I would not say rules but policies and again if something happens we will move students the same way we did when uh St. Paul students were in Mount R. I don't know if I was clear enough. >> Yeah. I guess what I'm thinking is that there are um high schools and colleges that regularly set their students up with um whether they call them homeays or something else. and they must
020have some structure or method of u determining whether a family is an appropriate fit or is an appropriate and I wonder if it would be worth um finding out what other schools do in that regard um as you're setting up your processes for um maybe standardizing some of this um if we're going to be proceeding with homeays and learning from experiences that you know may not have been ideal. Um we can also learn from what works well at other institutions. >> Yeah, that's I mean completely open to that and open to suggestions on what people think the best uh list of of priorities would be. I know when we solicited host families here, we had a number of things. We had to you had to be willing to provide the transportation. you had to have
021uh be able to provide the incoming student with their own room uh with a closable door. Um lots of things. We preferred to have a host sibling. Um and in some cases the host sibling wound up being quite a bit younger which worked out wonderfully for a lot of students and in other cases that was exactly the same age and the the chemistry wasn't there. There are some of these things that we can't predict. Uh, >> sure. No, understood. >> You know, you try to roll with those punches, but but uh yeah, I think some some basic minimums and an interview process would be great. Um, and that sounds like what Pa is is planning >> and a home visit and Corey checks. I would support that. >> Well, I don't know. >> No, not
022not for our students going there, but for students coming to us, I would imagine. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> we can ask if there is a kind of protocol as which other I mean schools follow for interviews that would be great. >> So we can borrow ideas. >> Thank you. >> I I just want to add on a a couple of thoughts to to your question, Carrie. um and name uh the student that they have, one of the students, the two students that they referenced who traveled back to Argentina this um summer is actually mine, my child uh who did a homeay um with a family there for a week. Um and one of the reasons and it was phenomenal. Um and I have just picked him up and he is uh very different. He spent
023ended up spending a lot more time in Argentina than just that week. that um it really was a powerful experience. Um but one of the reasons why I also um I I appreciate all your points, Carrie, and I want to note that um when we talk about this being just for seniors, these are also more mature students. And so I feel like we should do all the safeguards that you described and learn from other schools. And then these are students who are soon to be launched into the world and have to navigate, you know, situations as well. So I feel like this I feel very much better about that than if we're working with two grades at once. I feel more confident when we're talking about seniors. Um so but I appreciate you raising the
024points that you've raised, Carrie, because I think that we should be learning from other um programs and schools who've done this. I also wonder if it makes sense to offer students uh the option of staying in a hotel if that is more comfortable for them. I know that's what um you know my daughter did a semester abroad in college and they had the option of staying in a homeay or in a dormatory. So some students chose homeays as she did and others just really didn't want that. And I don't know if students might be discouraged from going on a program where they had to stay with a family. I'm I don't know. I don't know if that would be an issue. So, just putting it out there. >> A quick comment about Car's comment. Would
025that increase the logistics a lot if you had some students at a hotel and other students with families or since the families are spread out, would it not be that much of a additional burden? I feel like I mean my feeling is that it would complicate things a lot particularly if it becomes you know something that everyone would have to have that option and then if we were taking 20 kids and 10 chose to stay in a hotel. Um now it's now it's almost two trips that we're having to to organize. Um, and then the expenses of the hotel, do we share those out evenly among the students who are not staying in a hotel? There's transportation that would then be an issue as well. When we went down there this time, we had three
026vans. Uh, most of the time two vans. We all fit into two with drivers uh who were taking us around town. that cost uh and if you're not staying with a home family and we have to have transportation for you um then there's an additional cost uh that gets I does that all go on to those students who chose not to be in a host family I yeah I mean I'm kind of just thinking out loud here I had not thought of this as a possibility but it seems that it you know no uh trip can be all things to all people and uh it it does feel to me like a real wrench to throw into the works. It's it's I do not expect that any trip that we would organize would necessarily appeal
027to all students who might be on some level interested in travel. Uh no matter which decision you make, it's gonna it's gonna, you know, you're going to tug that blanket in one direction and a bunch of people are going to be uncovered and you tug it back in the other. and these are are uncovered. >> Um, thank you. I I see that Jackie raised your hand. I want this is an um public meeting, but if you want to hold your question to public comment, which is going to happen right after this, that would be great. Um, I want to ask if there are any other questions or thoughts from our school committee members. I had one other question that's not relevant for this year but might be relevant in the future. If we're in the
028situation where we have, you know, more people who want to go on the trip than we have spaces available, it's good to think ahead of time as to how would we prioritize. I don't think that's going to be a problem this upcoming year, but just something for future years. >> Great. Thank you. >> Yeah, I I agree that is something we should think about. And I I uh we talked about this with Paola when we were down there just what if because at the school at the time we were thinking juniors and seniors if we make everybody eligible then uh something fundamental would probably have to shift in the school. Maybe we would have to or in the program. Maybe we would have to involve another school. uh if it got to the point where
029there are 50 60 uh seniors who are all in advanced Spanish and all want to go well then maybe we would have to kind of reinvent this. Um but as it stands we have for example last year I had 18 um in my AP class and this coming year I believe it may be exactly 18 again. Uh there is, as I said in my email, there's a natural kind of winnowing that happens between junior and senior year. And that's, you know, that happened last year, too. A lot of people were say, well, I had to choose between AP Spanish and, you know, AP whatever something else. Uh, and I chose the other one, but I still want to go on the trip. And I just said, "Well, no, you this is for people who have
030made the decision to continue on in Spanish all the way through their end of eligibility." And for some people, that was when they ran out of Spanish. And if you run out of Spanish because you speak it at home and you started started earlier and you to be at a level that was useful for you, you finished out your AP arc as a junior. Uh well, then the next year, well, I mean, they've done everything they could do. Yes, that that person I think would have a legitimate case or a person who is a senior uh and says, "Well, I want to learn the trip, so I'm going to sign up for Spanish one." No, this is not for anybody who happens to currently be enrolled in any level of Spanish and a senior. This
031is for seniors who have seen it all the way through, etc. So with all of these um levels of qualification, it it will I think for a number of years to come be that number will remain somewhere south of 30. But it's true if we got to that uh level where we've gotten more than that, then yeah, we'll have some some real real decisions to make. >> Thank you. I I want to be um cognizant of our time um and your time uh Paul and and Joe, thank you for being here. Um what I will suggest if there are no other questions for Joe and Paula is that we continue on with our agenda and our agenda again is going to move to public comment um for all public comment but especially any public comment
032about this. Um and then we are going to come back to this topic and we will vote as a committee on the proposed changes. Um, so I want one last chance for school committee members. If you have any questions, um, specific questions of Paula and Joe, >> I just want to say I'm really glad this has been so successful. It's really, it's great to hear and thank you both for your work. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Thank you on many work. >> Um, okay. Now, let's move. You're welcome to stay on. Um, you are we're just going to move right through this. Um, but I also know you're busy and it's, you know, other things are happening and we can be in touch with you if you if you pop off. Um, but I want
033to move us to public comment. Um, and uh, at least Jack, I know you had raised your hand. Um, so Jack, if you want >> I just want to say goodbye. >> Yeah. >> Sorry. I just want to say goodbye. I'm leaving. >> Thanks Paula. >> Byebye. >> Thank you Paula. All right. Bye bye Jack. >> Sure. Thank you. Do I have to like state my name for the record or do I just go ahead? >> Um, you can just speak with the So, it's a three minute limit on public comment. >> Yeah. No, no, I won't I won't come close to that, I don't think. Um, but thank you. Uh, I did not come with the intention of giving comment, but I just there were I guess there were two things that I would
034maybe highlight or um have further questions about. I unfortunately did have to make that difficult decision about taking another class or Spanish. Um, so heartbroken that I won't be able to be taking AP Spanish this year. Um, although uh I I just know a lot of people that are very excited about this trip and so hearing two things you said, I guess I just wanted to follow up about them. Um, one of them the idea of seeing it all the way through. I would be curious if there was a senior who arrived perhaps from a different school but started in ninth grade here and didn't have access to taking Spanish perhaps in their middle school whether or not because I think for a lot of students who have been taking Spanish this has become kind
035of like an expectation or something that they really look forward to in their senior year. um if perhaps that would be an exception that could be made for those students who have seen it all the way through like to the extent possible for them. Um and then to follow up I think I have agreement uh with the idea just having been on a school trip before um the idea of some students staying in a hotel and some staying with host families. I could see that just becoming sort of an equity issue perhaps between the experiences that students might have and perhaps even to the benefit of kids staying with host families. I would imagine for an experience that's designed to be so immersive. But I could just see if there was a group a large
036proportion of students who were all staying together in a hotel and then other students who were kind of broken up. I could see kind of some social divisions there that might not be the most conducive to a trip like that. Um, and so that was just also something I wanted to raise. But other than that, I think all the proposed ideas sound really great. Um, and I'm excited to to watch people leave. >> Thank you, Jack. >> Julia, could we have Jack identify himself? You may know him, but the audience may >> Sure. >> Oh, yeah. My name is uh Jack. I'm a senior at Mount Greylock and I also uh cover the meetings for civicsc corner.org which if people have not signed up for go to civicsc corner.org and sign up for their emails.
037>> Thank you. Thank you. Um so we are going to move into uh the next item on our Thank you Jack and I should say is there any other public comment? I'm not sure who else >> about this to Jack. Um so this is all a different way of running our meetings. Um if we if I could ask you to we're just going to accept public comment which is how we normally operate. We just accept it and um take it into account when we deliberate. Um I and this is also public comment broader than just this topic. So if there's anybody else on the call for any other public comment um I just want to leave the space for that as well. hearing none. Um so now we will move to the next item on
038our agenda which is the um appro the vote on whether or not the school committee will approve the exchange trip modifications. Um, and I see that I think I just saw that Stephen left the meeting, but we still have four of us. >> Okay. >> I'll move to approve um as presented. >> Thank you, Carrie. Do we have a second? >> I will second. >> Great. >> I I did have a question about the form itself, which is in the packet. It it doesn't actually state where students are staying. that might have been part of the larger but the authorization form that you signed Julia on behalf of the committee doesn't have any information about where students are staying. >> I noticed that too. Yeah. >> Yeah. The and I think that's something where in
039the future trying to figure out all of the different documentation that should be a part of that form because the the presentations themselves create expectations around what we're going to do, how we're going to do it. Um, oftentimes that has not been a part of the forum. Um, but I also noticed it as something where I think it's really well, one, it's the right thing to do and it's the honorable thing to do to have Joe come forward and say, well, we're we're thinking about something different from what we had previously presented and and talked about within the community. And so, we would like for the school committee to to um to vote to >> No, I agree. I'm more suggesting that it should be on the form. Yeah, >> like we ask where students
040are staying on an overnight trip, we should be asking where they're staying on an international one as well. >> Y, >> it's a good point. >> So, we have a motion from Carrie and a second from Christina. Any other comments from the school committee hearing? None. Um, let's go to a roll call vote. Uh, Joe, were you gonna say something? I I just wanted to make sure that this is a vote in favor of the the home stays um limiting to only seniors for the trip to Argentina and for it um being considered as an annual occurrence so that every senior would potentially have a chance. Just wanted to make sure there's no kind of >> confusion about that later. That's all. >> Thank you. Okay. >> Do we have a date? Sorry. Is there
041a date for the for the trip? It's on the It's on the Oh, never mind. >> I think it's on the original form. >> It's on the form. Yeah. Okay. >> Um, so Carrie and Christina, I just want to confirm that your motion and your second are aligned with what Joe just said about those changes. >> Okay, great. Um, then let's move to a roll call vote. And I'll start with me and I'll say Bowen I. >> Connor I. >> Green I. Mallaloy I >> I am not sure if Stephen is still here. Um but we have four. So I will say that that's a that passes. Thank you. >> Thank you very Thank you Joe. >> Thanks Joe. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Great to see you all. >> Um >>
042as well. All right. We are moving then to the approval of our minutes from July 10th, 2025. Can I have a motion to approve those minutes? >> So moved. I'll second. >> Thank you, Carrie. Thank you, Christina. Any discussion about those minutes? >> I had a question. Um, I'm trying to find the page. So, this is Oh, I'm sorry. The pages aren't numbered, but it is the first, it's number five, uh, policy and governance, IKF, graduation requirements. Um, the second bullet point, it says about halfway through the paragraph, and the need for oversight while ensuring flexibility for students in edge classes such as accelerated math. Is that an actual term, an edge class, or was it something else that we talked about? >> I think that actually says edge case. >> Oh, edge cases. Okay.
043Yeah. But I was that the term that was used? >> I I believe I used it. >> You did. Okay. Okay. Very good. >> Can you hear me now? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I was trying to vote I in the last one. This is why I've been switching devices. The audio has been having issues. I could hear you, but >> Okay. >> The only comment I had on the minutes was to just make it clear that my motion was defeated and the original motion was passed. >> I think I'm just printing that. >> Oh, so that would be in that same one. >> Right. So, I'm just pulling up the package. Right. There was a motion to amend. >> Right. And the motion to amend failed and then we voted on the original
044motion. >> Okay. And so looking at >> so the policy >> Miller proposed a friendly amendment >> and then there was some discussion about that and then after continued discussion around Miller's desire to change the language the policy was put to a vote. It's not clear that >> is that the policy with my friendly amendment is it the one with was it then something by because then Joe proposed a friendly amendment to change guidance office to counseling office. So I think it should basically just be rephrased to saying after continued discussion around Miller's desire to change the language uh his motion to change the language failed. The policy was put to a vote with Joe's ch change and passed. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that works. >> That works. Does that work as a friendly amendment
045to the minutes, Carrie and Christina? >> Yeah. You know, I think all amendments are friendly. Um I don't think we need to say friendly amendment. >> Okay. Okay. >> But yes, that works. I also had a question on number nine, the FY25 closeout. It says that I asked about federal and state funding for FY2. I think I was like FY25 and 26. Um, and the response was that FY26 is in good shape, but I think that's supposed to be FY25 is in good shape. And as far as FY26 and then the rest of it, is that right, Joe? That is that how you remember it as well? >> Sorry, I was trying to read it well muted. So the the response FY federal state funding for for for FY26. So Carrie Green asked about federal/state
046funding for FY26, right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> And the response was FY26 is in good shape. And >> I think I asked about FY25 and 26. And I thought you said FY25 is in good shape because there were some things that were changing and things that were potentially being withheld at the end of the last year. Um, or am I just wrong about that? That we were only talking about FY26. >> As of the July meeting, I believe it was only the FY 2, our FY26, which is the federal government's FY25. >> Oh, that's maybe where we got >> was the one that was being withheld >> by the federal government pending their internal decisions. Okay. So, let's just switch under the question. Let's switch that to FY26. >> Okay. >> And
047that'll clarify things. >> Any other comments about the minutes? So, we have a motion and a second. We have some uh minor amendments uh to be included. If we can move to a roll call vote, please. Christina, I'm gonna start with you. >> Conry I. >> Green. I. >> Malloy abstain. >> Miller I. >> And Bowen I. Excellent. Um, next on our agenda is the welcoming of new staff and staffing updates. And Joe, I'm going to turn it to you. >> Yes. And you all have a lengthy document that is in your packet um with the names, positions, and brief backgrounds of of every um staff member who is who is joining us uh shortly here in August. um as well as those who have transferred between between positions, grade levels, uh buildings in some
048cases. Um I will not in the interest of time I will not read through each individual right now, but as the principles come forward for their beginning of school updates in September and October, um I will ask them to for the staff members in their building um just just give them a a quick shout out as well. So, um, I did want to get that in there so that everybody could start to get to know the the new faces and and people that we'll we'll have coming in. Um, but I'll leave it at that for tonight. >> Thank you. >> Next on our agenda is the superintendent search process uh update and I um I can provide that. So, at our last school committee meeting, the ad hoc superintendent search subcommittee um brought the idea
049of um not either not doing a search and um just appointing our interim superintendent to be the superintendent or doing a very modified search. And this was just in the minutes as well, a um search that we do on our own. And consensus was that we would um we were interested in appointing our interim superintendent Joe to be our um permanent superintendent. Um and that we would come back at we'd give people time to think about that and come back to this meeting for a vote. um given that it is the summer and we know that so few people are fully tuned in to the uh what's happening in the community and our and and you know certainly our desire and I think I speak for all of us to have a transparent and open
050process even if it's a different process than what we had originally imagined but a transparent process and the opportunity for input both from those on the committee and those out in the community um but it's the summer um so people may not have been paying attention we want I would like us to delay delay any vote until um September and just to give community members an opportunity to come back to school and be aware of this um you know plan or hope of the school committee. Um, and I know that I personally have received any number of um, emails or texts. I actually quite in support of this of this plan, but I know that there may be people who would would like to still send their thoughts um, and haven't yet had a chance
051to do so or to even know to do so. So, we're going to delay this until September. And I just want to pause and take any questions or comments. Carrie? Yeah, I just wanna sorry I I need to silence that but I just want to also mention that um Julia and I had reached out to Willette and uh Deb Dayne had suggested doing a kind of a conversation with uh two school committee members and you know ideally that would be done prior to a vote so that we could again you know get more um more community input. So that wasn't able to happen due to people's travel schedules um before this meeting, but with any luck it can happen and then it can go online uh for viewing um in both towns prior to the
052next meeting. So that's one way we are thinking about at least getting the word out to a broader audience. If folks have thoughts on other ways to do that, if you could um let Julia know, that'd be great. Thanks. Thank you, Carrie. My um just back from vacation fuzzy memory forgot that important piece. Um we did get uh great coverage from I Berkshire and that uh was fantastic and um hopefully there'll be more um and a willing um conversation just to make sure the community understands what we're what we're thinking about. Any other questions or comments? Hearing none. Um, I will move us to our next item on the agenda, which is our annual agenda items overview, which is in your packet. >> Would you like for me to to jump in? >> Yes. >>
053Would you mind? So what this represents pretty consistent with with prior years is um all of the items that are either major and annual um or items where we already know that they are scheduled to happen at some point in the typically near future in that case. So items that we already know are planned for say September. Um there are uh two things that I think are especially important to do with this document. One is this does have the list of all um regularly scheduled dates and times so that people can go on ahead and start to make plans for that whether you're reviewing the packet later or um or here tonight. two, it does have two meeting dates where we know from working with the staff at Mount Greylock that there are unfortunately conflicts.
054They are related to concerts. Those concerts um and I know that this is a a constant give and take um in in many ways. There are concerts that are timed very specific relative to testing schedules and requirements around games and transitions between different periods of time. Um so the the school is unable to move those two um at this point and we are redoubling our efforts to try to see whether or not there's any way to avoid it for subsequent years. Um but uh they are to where if committee members would like we could go on ahead and start planning their October and importantly the public hearing in the budget public hearing in March um that that have those conflicts. So we could either shift them to the day prior if that's something that the
055committee was amendable to um consider shifting by a week or trying to move them up earlier in the evening to avoid as much of a conflict. Um but that one especially with the bud budget public hearing is probably not a a good bet um given the length or the unpredictability of the length of that meeting in some situations. So with that I'll leave it to the committee. So maybe we start with any questions about the content of the meetings and then we'll move to the specific dates if we want to talk now about changing those dates. Any questions about the content? Obviously there will be other things that get added to the agenda or things might switch months but in general this is the plan. Okay. >> Um, >> yeah. My sorry, I was um
056my only um issue is that we should be able to take the MASC delegate thing off at least one of the months. It's it's now it's on to Joe and I talked about this I think and there there kind of was a rationale around it but I think putting it in se putting it on in August and then again in October is fine and we can kind of take it out of September. >> Okay. Um the reason for having it in August is to give people a chance to think about signing up for the conference, right? So maybe that's the thing to do is to put um MASC conference in August and then um in October which is enough time maybe September or October like depending on what people want to do um have the
057delegate um >> and the resolution review at the same time. I think that would make sense maybe. So keep it in October both of them. >> Great. Any other questions about content? And I'm going to use that as the transition to also name that our November meeting is during the delegate uh is during the conference. So that may be another date with a conflict for at least the person who is serving as the delegate um to the conference. >> Oh wow. Yeah. you know, they push it later because um people have issues with their elections and having it close, you know, having the conference on the day of the November elections um has been a problem for members, >> right, >> who are running, you know, for reelection. But yeah, >> so that may be
058another one we just want to look at or assume that somebody's calling in from the as the conference, but then that's obviously a missed opportunity at the conference to be um connecting with other folks at conference. >> Um so how do we want to um use our time here to identify different meeting times? Is it we only have I guess we do have five of us um but we don't have um everyone. Perhaps we can do some doodle polls offline to identify adjusting any meeting times to manage those conflicts. >> I would strongly support that given that we have two members not here. >> Yeah. Or we could say, let's move them to the Wednesday prior and check with our two missing members to see if either of them has an issue with it. >>
059That's the simplest thing to do, I think. >> Sure. Sure. >> Does does Yeah. Wednesday, October does Wednesday, October 8th work for those school members who are here? >> Yes, >> I think so. >> Sounds okay to me. >> I I know that one works for me. Um, so we can follow up and ask them. Um, and then Wednesday, March 11th, let's go to that one that was already identified. Does that work for folks if we move a week ahead? >> Yes, >> I think so. >> Yes. >> Okay, great. Um, and no, the November meeting, it won't make sense to go to the Wednesday before because that is also the conference. Um, so I think on that one we might want to look at the following Thursday. >> Well, I mean, if it's only
060one member, I'm not sure you need to move it for the whole committee. >> Okay, >> that's just my two cents. The other thing is could the person zoom in? >> Yeah, but it's probably going to be during the keynote dinner. >> Okay. >> So, >> yeah. Okay. I mean, I'm I'm comfortable with that, too. And maybe we can just make a different we can look at it again down the line in case that doesn't seem right. Okay. So, let's check. Um Joe, let you and I can check with the other two committee members about those change in dates and if that doesn't work, we will be back for uh some other version of rescheduling. So for right now if there's a motion to approve. So far what I have noted is um first off
061I amended the MASC delegate and resolution review so that it so that well so that there's MASC conference discussion in August MASC delegate and resolution review with a vote on October 8th and then I adjusted the dates for the October and March meetings to October 8th which is a Wednesday and March 11th which is a Wednesday. >> Saying that for the transcription and for the minutes eventually just as much as >> Thank you all of us. >> Thank you. And and so to that point, do we have a motion to approve the uh annual meeting agendas? >> Well, do we want to wait and see what the other two folks say rather than voting and then revoting or do we want to vote and revote? I mean, we would have to revote anyway if they
062say they can't make the Wednesdays. We wouldn't have to. >> I I think it's I mean, we have to vote anyway. So, we're here right now. We might as well just quickly say yes. >> So, I'll also move. >> Thank you, Stephen. >> Second. >> Thank you, Ursula. >> Um, all right. Any other discussion? So, Stephen, I note that your hand is up. Um, and I'm I want to be respectful and responsive. >> No, Stephen Dravis. And I know I our typical format is to >> Do you have a question about the timing of the meetings, I guess, or is there a question about the meeting schedule? Yeah, my only question was the March meeting, moving it to a Wednesday, does that not potentially conflict with the schedule of the Williamstown Finance Committee that you'll
063be dealing with at that time of year, which meets on Wednesdays. >> Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Joe, do you want to >> I think that's something that we'll have to manage separately. like we might need to go earlier with the Williamstown Finance Committee or I I can reach out to the chair soon and say, "Hey, this is this is when the public hearing is. Let's work on a date for you that can work around that or work in collaboration with that, not not around that. >> Thank you for naming that potential conflict." >> Um, all right. So, we have a motion from Stephen Miller, a second from Ursula. Um, let us do a roll call vote. Carrie, I am starting with you. Green eye, >> Mallaloy I, >> Miller I, >> Bowen I, >>
064Conry I. >> Excellent. Thank you everybody. Um, moving on to the annual superintendent evaluation and goals discussion. Um, Joe, I sorry, I'm trying to get back to my agenda. Um Joe and I talked about this um as a way to just introduce how this process will work in our next year. Um and Joe uh I don't know if you want to talk a little bit about the kind of what you want to make sure we get out of this discussion today. >> Yes. Uh included in the packet are two documents from actually three documents from the state um describing the general evaluation process which includes goal setting. It includes the the rubric that the state recommends, school committees use for um superintendent evaluations and then also example evidence that the state views as being model
065evidence um that a superintendent might eventually use to provide evidence of having achieved or not achieved the goals that were set. Um, and then along with that, I included uh a local document, which is our district priorities for FY26 that are the the priorities that in collaboration with the district office and and the principles, um, I've made sure to note all of the different things that we already know we're going to be doing. Uh, which means it will be good to set goals in line with those things that we know that we need to accomplish. Um, we do not need to, you know, this is not intended as being a presentation of all of the different priorities. Um but it is I think it sets the stage for what what will happen next month um
066which is uh proposed goals that are in line with these priorities. I welcome conversations with school committee members um around this as as they are considered and my plan was to then work with the chair um on the goals that would be be brought forward in September so that um when they are voted there uh there will be as few surprises or question marks at that point as possible. Um, we also felt I I think in future years potentially might try to move this process up a month so that these goals are actually being set here in August. But it also feels given the the contract question and some of the ways that goals might be multi-year goals with um milestones that uh that would be there for the first year so that they're evaluatable.
067um it just felt appropriate to kind of keep those in line so that then um it does not look as though we're putting any carts before horses or vice versa. Um so that's what you have and if there are questions I can certainly respond to them but uh I think we can keep it as efficient as possible otherwise. >> Thank you. Thank you. Is that I hope that's clear for folks and I want to open it up for any questions or thoughts on what Joe shared. >> It all looks good. Lots of stuff to work on. >> Yes. But all very worthwhile. So it actually felt it felt both rewarding and daunting in good ways. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Excellent. Thank you. Um, moving on, uh, let's move to the, uh, Joe, your
068update on the work regarding student behavior and incident response work. You are on mute. >> Yes, thank you. And again, this is something where uh I'm trying to make sure to not get out ahead of our staff members who are going to be returning in uh right around two weeks who will really start to digest a lot of this right now. Um very happily, the vast majority of our staff are away on on doing whatever does they do when they're outside of their their contract time with us. Um so I don't want to present too many details where people might say well what you know what we haven't been able to digest this yet. So um I'm keeping it at a high level tonight but trust me uh the ways that the leadership team um
069within each building as well as at the district level have been working on this um we're we're really excited to bring a whole lot of detail to bear. So what I'm going to do briefly is uh take a quick walk through um the presentation that's there in your packet. I don't think for timing purposes I need to put it up on the screen, but if you'd like, I certainly can. Um, it is both in the public packet and in the and in, you know, the school committee received it directly. Um, but I'm tying this back to our mission. Um, a a a key sentence or phrase within our mission is that well, one that we want to work together in a safe environment. That's point number one. and two that we encourage restorative based processes,
070respect, inclusive diversity, courtesy, integrity, and responsibility. All of this work that we're talking about um trying to address behavior that can be um disruptive or harmful within our district um the ways that we respond to that as well as uh the the ways that we go through um managing investigations and and responses to incidents. Um, so, uh, with that in mind, our district is making, and I'm just going to read it because I actually I I wrote this sentence and I and I think it really does speak to the heart of of all of what we've committed ourselves to over the last year ourselves to um, over the last year as well as as well as what is ahead of us. Our district is making a deliberate investment in our approach to behavior because we
071firmly believe that a student's ability to navigate their social and emotional world is critical to their success. similar to their mastery of literacy, math, history, science, world languages, and all of the other academic subjects that we teach. uh and and so putting behavior on par with those academic subjects is a very intentional um shift I think in in how we are doing our work uh with within the district level and and how we are doing professional learning and learning within our within uh groups with our students and with our families. Um, so just as we methodically teach academic subjects, we need to figure out how to more explicitly help students develop the skills that underpin productive behavior. And by doing so, we will improve academic outcomes. Um, because in order to be productive in a
072classroom, we need to have classrooms that can function um, where both staff members and students feel as though they can be productive and and can get through the things that they need to get through. Um, but this is also very much tied to in order for people to succeed in life, they need to figure out how to um have productive relationships um that are fruitful um and that do not uh lead to harm and and discontent and conflict um when when that is not not a productive thing to do. Um so switching to the next slide here, relationships and communication are central to positive interactions. Yep. Um, I may be missing something in Google, but I don't see your slides. Do others see the slides? >> Can you would you like me to put it
073up on on the screen? >> Uh, sorry. If you are moving through slides that we want the public to see, then yes. >> I'm I'm actually mostly >> You're not missing anything if you don't see the slides. Okay. But but its file name is 11 update regarding re behavior and incident response work >> and Joe emailed it. >> Yes. Yeah. I Yes, I have that. Um if when he says switching to the next slide, I thought that meant >> no sorry. So relationships and communication are central to positive interactions. understanding another person's behavior and your impact on another person through your behavior and having something to restore when conflict does arise. the these are the important um correlations with with all of what we're thinking through. Behavior is a form of communication and positive interactions
074are the result of not just chance or not not nature but you're you're learning and you're practicing how to have positive interactions. Um and mistakes and I think this is an important thing that we will emphasize with with staff and with students. Um mistakes are a part of both. Um, so you need to have those interactions and you need to be willing to to bump into challenges so that you can then learn and you can heal and you can and you can be better the next round. Um, so our approaches to responding to harmful behavior needs to be grounded in understanding root causes so that we can try to address those causes in order to help the symptoms which are the behaviors. Um and and this is something that that we with our advisory committee
075um we have spent significant time working through with the equity imperative uh over the last year on uh what the what the state-of-the-art is in terms of how people are are thinking about how you respond to behavior that harms. Um and and and I think it's it's it's been really eyeopening for us. Um, not because we didn't know restorative practices existed, not because we didn't we didn't know that um trying to educate and and trying to to elevate and trying to heal um as a as a next step is is a good thing to do in place of purely issuing consequences that that might not lead to growth or education. Uh but I think that seeing all of this in detail, seeing it in practice to the extent possible within within some other school districts
076around the country um and within school leaders around the country has has been a really valuable valuable process. So, we're really excited to bring a lot of that work um to a broader audience within our community, which means our work this year that we're rolling out are we have revamped reporting facilities with a unified incident reporting form. So whether you're talking about a bias-based incident, bullying, title n, it is no longer going to be uh within the realm of expectation for for a family member or for a student to know what type of thing they are reporting. We we've worked with our legal counsel, with the state's bullying guidance, um with with Title 9 regulations to make sure that we can have a single intake form that acts as a funnel so that then people
077don't need to know the details or the technicalities. they submit and then the district team as well as the relevant school leadership team will receive that report and we'll be able to then triage that and then we'll and and immediately a response will go to the um to the reporter letting them know that we've received the report and the kind of timeline and the expectations that they can have around communications back from us subsequently. Um, and the internal team will then go through a process of figuring out exactly what type of report this is, what type of investigation, um, because Title 9 investigations are are a very different type of legal process from from others. um what type of investigation needs to happen and then uh all of those communications from there on out to
078the extent possible and practical and and productive are are then templated and um coming out in ways that that can be predictable, consistent, accountable um and and so on. Um so that's just talking about how families, students can report things when things do go wrong. um when required the investigations into incidents now we're going to have very consistent flows across all three schools through flowcharts through uh checklists making sure that that everything can happen in a way that's repeatable that's equitable um all of those all of those things that really it takes a whole lot of pulling together three um historically fairly different schools and processes into a single into a single um look and then trying to pull all the different best practices that we can find. So, we we weren't able to copy
079exactly anything from anywhere because unfortunately it doesn't exist. We'd actually love to to try to get to the point where we feel as though we've got a great um template for others to follow. Uh but um that's where we are right now is we have those checklists, those those ways of thinking about we need to make sure that we have at least these steps and here are the different communications that we want to have. Um, and that's part of what we'll be working on with staff so that staff can know um, exactly what will be happening too. It's it's mutual accountability and it's it's good process so that we make sure that we will be consistent and equitable. Um, and then our behavior and response matrices and protocols um, that have been in student handbooks
080in varying forums over the years. Um we have unified those and we have um worked with the equity imperative to um bring them into a place where we have taring of behaviors, nuanced handling of both repetitive and more severe types of um behaviors that are harmful. We have consistent data collection and this is an area that we're going to be working uh with staff on a lot over the next few weeks um to try to make sure that across all three schools and in all different forums we have consistent data to take in to be able to look at to make sure that we have uh equitable fair responses that we are aware early and often when there are challenges in in any given classroom or class or across classrooms with with a given student
081and so on. So both the data collection and the data analysis very intentional very consistent across all three schools. We have concentric approaches to responses. Uh so that so that at first we're really trying to keep that response as local to the behavior that harmed as as possible. Um which is which means that um keeping students within their classroom environments and and trying to have that response happen. um very present, very in the moment. Um that's an area that is definitely going to be a work in progress because not everybody is going to enter uh a cafeteria or a recess environment or a classroom and feel equally comfortable at addressing um various forms of conflict. But it's an area where we're going to be investing um serious time, effort, and uh and a whole lot
082of patience too, I think, is really important to note. And I'm going to end with that as well in terms of trying to make sure that this shift is happening across all staff members with all students. Um we and I've repeated it in a number of different ways, but I think it's worth saying again restorative approaches are central to responses. So those preferred initial responses are not um what are called complianceoriented responses like they are not detentions, they are not suspensions when possible. There are certainly situations in life where the school's response needs to be to separate a student from an environment in order to ensure the safety of others and in order to give people the chance to to figure out what to do next. Um but in every situation possible, we have been
083picking up various forms of of behavior that can be be challenging, harmful. Um and trying to make sure that that we are first attempting um that more localized, restorative, stay present response. Um and this is year one of implementation of a whole lot of work that is in many ways um it's going to be very familiar to many people but in terms of the precise structure and in terms of the um things that we are asking to have be very consistent across across every every environment uh it it is going to be new and so there are definitely going to be situations where um I am imperfect and where everybody else is going to be imperfect as And uh that is expected. We are going to make mistakes. We're going to learn. I am going
084to be as transparent as I can be about how how it's progressing. Um I'm sure we will hear from comm community members as well. Um, and so I'm I'm excited to to take these steps. And I view it as probably a a three, fouryear process before we feel as though we have done a lot of what we want to do in terms of education, in terms of bumping into challenges, in terms of refinement of what we know to be a behavior or a response, a preferred response. Um, as well as as well as all of the the communications and the documentation. Um, so it's a it's a big leap forward. I think in so many ways. Um, but it's but it's also not going to be perfect out of the gate. So, I I want
085to keep on repeating that because I know that many people within our community will either have expectations of, well, this is it or this is what you're doing. I don't I don't see as much as I would like to see. And then I think there will be other people who will be saying, "How can we possibly do all of these things?" Um, and so I I want to make sure that we uh that we manage expectations, but also that that we push that that we do all of the things that we can um to be the best community and and do the best for our students that we possibly can. So that's that's the mini update. I don't know if there are questions on that, but um I am feeling good about it. >> Have
086any questions or comments from committee members? I have a question about how you're defining some of your terms like safety and harm like those are sometimes very subjective >> and I so harm is something that physical mental it is subjective. And I and I think that that is that is at its core something that that it's healthy to acknowledge. Um and aligned with that is the fact that responses to when somebody either objectively has been harmed by a definition of the word or the perception is one where they have been harmed. It's important to know that the responses that we are that we are outlining that we are putting in place are ones that are meant to be restorative. So that this is not jumping to um so and so feels harm therefore there are
087consequences that are that are historically considered as punishments or as uh disciplinary. um the first steps in any situation that's at all subjective there really do involve conversations trying to understand perspectives and understand how we can try to how we can try to have more productive behavior and relationships if possible. Um, so I fully accept that that I think the the word behavior um, it is used throughout documents. It's it's used throughout all of this all of this work. Um, and at the same time it is it is in many situations subjective, culturally um, varying. Um, but the but getting at the word harm, it it's really some situations it's it's objective, but in other situations it it is a perception. Um and and we need to be able to to manage that in ways
088that um are not always going to be uh yes or no. Um but at every step of the way the the goal is to try to create a more productive healthy set of relationships coming out of any situation um possible. And and safety is closely tied to a sense of belonging. Um it is in an environment where you feel a sense of belonging, where you feel as though you can be um your best self, your most productive self. Um enjoying life, learning um and having having positive relationships. Um that is one where you feel safe. Uh and but again, I understand how that to a large extent can be considered a a subjective thing as well, whether or not we are creating a safe environment. Um, I also welcome, and this is a little bit
089of a it's related to district priorities. Um, I do think that looking at our mission, looking at our at our values, um, I think it'll be really helpful to try to take a detailed look and have conversations just like this with families within our community. Um, and with ourselves as we try to figure out, are there better ways to define our mission, our values? And that can extend very quickly into how we describe the work that that I've presented here tonight and that we'll be doing. >> I have another question, but I want to wait till other people >> other folks on the committee want to chime in in any way. Thank you, Carrie. Yes. share again please. >> Okay. Okay. So, um as I was reading through your slides, I was wondering about this
090question of like invisible disabilities, right? If students have emotional or um developmental challenges or you know any number of neurological or you know however you want to define a a learning disability or a social disability. Um those are not things that are generally talked about very much. Um, and our teachers have not historically been educated very well to detect when certain behaviors might indicate that there maybe is something going on. So, you talk about getting to the root of a problem, but sometimes those roots are kind of protected, right? whether it's by you know by law or by not to really talk about issues that the child might be experiencing. So, like how do we how do we know when we might be crossing a line or going someplace where really we shouldn't be going
091or maybe encouraging people to share more when that is the right thing to do like we're just not experts in knowing those things. whe when we are specifically talking about whether or not behavior is the manifestation of a disability know there are very formal processes that that we have had and we will continue to have in place um that are that are outlined and defined by the state in terms of how a manifestation determination meeting and then outcomes happen. So within the world of disabilities in particular, um that has very specific uh terminology, procedures, the the team that's involved, um the expertise that's required to be there. Um that's once once you've gotten to to a a fairly indepth point. Um and >> right, >> but that's >> there are different ways of determining disability.
092Right? That's what I'm saying. It's like not everything rises to the degree of disability. So, I mean, this is a much longer conversation, but I just want to be aware that there are some things that we don't always have all the information >> and so are there ways at getting at the information that would be helpful to the school without prying without like crossing a line of privacy or you know something like that. the the role of counselors, social workers, guidance counselors within their confidential relationships with with students that they absol they absolutely get at those those topics. Um and and right at the right at the top I'm reading some of the training materials that we're working on. um and the common priorities within every response. Um two of the well, yeah, two of
093the key items here. One, try to identify root causes, cultural differences, and trauma and respond with those in mind. Um and and there are I I agree that you can't maybe just walk up to somebody on the street and and talk about their trauma, but at the same time, there are staff members within our buildings for whom that is that is central to their work. uh and and they are both expert at it and and it's they're formally their role and then two inspect whether or not the behavior is a manifestation of a disability. Um this can lead to a formal manifestation determination in certain cases. Um so those those two things are really primary to before we talk about any responses um let's try to make sure that that we are um keeping those
094possibilities in mind because I I think that having those central and you know top of mind >> always will lead to responses to conflict that hopefully try to understand why that behavior is happening as opposed to just saying you did this and here's Um, and that's the intent of of a lot of this work is to try to make sure that um we are having responses that hopefully one educate and improve as opposed to just separating or punishing. Um, and and that that's something that that we have done and right now within all of this material we are making sure is is is first and foremost uh in people's minds as they as they work with students. and each other, other adults as well. >> Great. Thanks, >> Carrie. you've you've um kind of dug
095in with some specific ways that I respond to what my overarching feeling is is that there's like the technical side of this work and then there's a lot of um I don't want to say subjective judgment but it just ch like there is learning about the human side of this work that is not necessarily going to be able to be documented in you know the 10-step program or whatever it is. Um and and I Joe when you say that this um you know you're this is year one and we're learning and we want to have patience for you know hopefully everyone understands I I hope people understand that like you are working on this is this is incredibly challenging work to make sure you're meeting the the technical side of what needs to happen but
096also the emotional and um complicated um reasons behind why things happen as as they do. So, thank you um for naming those specific ways, Carrie, and and I'm sure there's a myriad of other ways um that it is complicated, more complicated than the technical steps of what what should happen. >> All right. Um let's move to the business office update. >> Yes. Uh this one can also be quite quick. Uh FY25 closeout progressing. Um we we uh we should be able to make sure that in the September meeting um a a vote to know exactly exactly where we finish the year um happens and that will be in advance of the end of September when we will file our end ofear report and then um in October and November when we will have our excess
097and deficiency um hopefully certified. So that's quick update there. FY26, the the wonderful news about grants is that uh the thankfully the the title funding um the entitlement funding that that is there um has been released. So there is no longer the question mark that had been raised back in July around whether or not we would receive our title 2A and title 4 funding. Um so that is that is good news. Everything else around FY26, it's it's still very early. Um, so it's uh it's too early to tell, but but we're we're very mindful and um hopeful about how we will be able to navigate this year. Any questions or comments for Joe? It's the fastest 10 minutes. Um let's move to the next item on the agenda. Back and find that. Um the MASC
098conference and delegate delegate selection discussion. This I think might be Carrie. >> No. >> Sure. I mean the conference is is on November 12th to the 14th this fall. It's the last year it will be in Hyannas. So with any luck after this year um those from Western Mass won't have to travel as far although it may just migrate to the Northshore. So you know uh it's still not as far. Um it's your last opportunity to spend three wonderful days in the city of Hyannis or the town of Hy the village of Hyannis um without all the tourists. Um, but more to the point, it is uh a great professional development opportunity and we used to have a number of folks from the school district, especially folks from Williamsboro who would attend annually. I I
099don't know if Joe can make it, but it is a joint conference with the Mass Association of Superintendent. Um, and there's just lots and there is also a separate registration for administrators, right? School administration folks. So, you know, I think it's really uh the highlight of what MASC and MASS do together. Um I don't know for sure whether they'll be able to continue to do it together because of venue issues, but that is the hope is that the two organizations will continue to work together. Um and there are any number of sessions that I have found extremely uh useful and helpful um in my work as a school committee member. So I really would encourage folks to think about attending if not for the whole time than for you know a day or two. Um
100so that's my pitch. the delegates need to be present and um as we've done this in the past we um give the delegate information uh or feedback I should say on the resolutions that are put forth and um I think we have also said it's essentially up to the delegate to take any feedback that comes to the floor of the delegate assembly um into consideration. ation when voting. So, we don't prescribe the delegate in terms of how they vote. Um, but they do know the uh thoughts and input of the committee. I do plan to attend. Um, if there are others who plan to attend, then it would be great. I Julia, I think, went last year. Is that right? Um, and you were the delegate. Um, I wasn't able to go last year, but
101I do plan to attend this year. So, that's my plug. And to confirm, Joe, there's uh this is within the school budget that pays for the um conference fee and the hotel. >> Yes, that that is what we have done. If all seven people wanted to go, maybe there would be some kind of a discussion, but but it's always been something covered by >> by the district. Yep. >> And mine is covered by MASC because I'm on the board. So, yeah, we might have to pay for the hotel, but my conference fee is covered up. >> Great. So, think about what what we're asking here is think about being able to go. It's November 12th through 14th. Um, I believe we should have all received information about it. I know I have via email from
102the MASC. And when we come back in October, for those of us who are able to go um among us, we will select a delegate um and then look at the resolutions and make sure we have the right feedback to bring to the assembly. Okay. Anything else on that? Any other questions? Okay. So then I think we have a division six update. Carrie from you. >> I don't have an update. Oh, also a super fast budget or agenda item. Um, okay. So, we have uh moving to our upcoming meetings. Our next school committee meeting is September 11th at six o'clock, also remote. I know that Joe is working on some subcommittee meetings uh for um finance and for policy and governance. Um we will also um want to be in touch with those on the
103outcomes committee so that we can meet the goals of really getting that outcomes committee set. So we'll there will be some subcommittee meetings that will get posted and um we'll be able to report on those at least by September. >> Um any other items for discussion? Not reasonably anticipated. I I have no other items. And Joe, do you have any other items that you weren't able to anticipate before 48 hours before? No, >> not a one. Nope. >> Okay. Um, I'll take agenda requests. Hearing none, I will take a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Thank you, Carrie. Is there >> I will I will second. Thank you, Christina. And let's move to a roll call vote starting with Ursula. >> Mallaloy I. >> Miller I. >> Bowen I. >> Conry I. >> Green
104eye. >> All right. Thank you everybody. Enjoy the waning days of summer and we'll see you in September. >> Bye everyone. >> Goodbye.