NMRSD School Committee 5/19/2025

001school comm school committee meeting on May 19th, 2025. Present we have Kenan, Carrie, Jill, Randy, Lisa Bloom, Gary Brad, Kim Craraven, Nancy Haynes, and Patrick McFillips. All right. First, and this is being recorded. All right. We have the consent agenda. Do I have a motion to approve or a motion to accept the minutes there? Anyone? Yes. So move. All right. That's Kim. And do I have a second? Is this not me? Just approval of minutes for the consent agenda. Yes, for the consent agenda. For the entire consent agenda. Okay, I will second for the entire consent. Entire consent agenda. Sorry, I'm reading from my phone to my computer here. All right. So, was that Kim and Randy? Kim and Randy for the entire consent agenda. That was not It was Carrie and Randy. Yeah. Hold

002on. Okay. I was gonna say Robin just sorry I apologize for the meeting. Um I had texted Alex. He says that it's telling him he needs to switch to a desktop for some reason. Does anybody know why? No. I mean I can see him like I can see everyone else and I promoted him so he may just want to call in. Okay. Not sure. Sorry. Didn't mean to. That's okay. Team work. It is teamwork here. All right. So, we have a motion on the floor. Keenan. This is for the consent agenda. Yes. Carrie, yes. Jill, yes. Randy, yes. Lisa Bloom, yes. Kim, yes. And Patrick, yes. All right, moving on. We do have um one person for public comment. Yes. And Mr. McY, correct? Yes. I'll see if he's All right. Mr. McY, could you

003raise your hand, please, so we can promote you to talk? I didn't see him in the not listed. Nope, I don't see him. All right. If he comes back, we will um bring him circle back. We'll circle back to public communications. All right. In my chairman's report, can I have the superintendent go first as I want to pull up a few things? Sure. Is that okay, Brad? That's fine. Yes. Um I just wanted to um thank Chuck Walovich again. He joined me last week for testifying at the Senate Ways and Means for increased funding from the state for North Middle Sex as well as other school districts across the Commonwealth. Also want to thank the Mass Teachers Association for using their influence to provide us with the opportunity. That has been very helpful. They've gotten

004us the opportunity to speak in front of the House and the Senate at this point, which is very much appreciated. In the meantime, I would ask all of our community members to continue to advocate in writing to your legislators whenever possible to maintain the momentum that we are gaining. The reconfiguration update and there there will be more information going out uh from my office this week about that. Um the proposed configuration plant that was sent out um did not go into great detail, but some of the questions that have come up have been centered around Squanakook Early Childhood Center. And the goal of that is to make sure that we have the backup power generator hooked up for the start of the school year as well as an operational kitchen if not by the end

005of the summer very early on in the fall. Witson's um and fresh picks have been out to the site along with Dave Amari and Jeremy Hammond and have looked at it and feel as though it is something that the district is going to be able to take care of. And as I had mentioned previously, even though Hawthorne Brookke will be able to service that area, it will be much more um it'll certainly be streamlined if we're able to have an operational kitchen at Squan Cookook. So, just wanted to pass that on. Finally, we are going to do um or make some changes to transportation this year. We are working with DBUS to do that. Uh we're looking to streamline our busing as much as possible to get all of our buses to school on time,

006which as you know continues to be an annual challenge in the district. Um it's it's something that we we have been dealing with all year. In June, we will be asking all families to opt in or opt out of busing. And it's extremely important for families to make sure that they choose one or the other because that is how bus stops will be created. During the year, bus stops will be eliminated if students are not present at a particular stop after two consecutive weeks. And again, we're doing this to get buses to school as quickly as we possibly can uh both on the morning routes and in the afternoon routes. If something changes and over the course of the school year a family um would like to change their status with busing, they can certainly

007register and we will work with D to have a route added or a stop added. Some of the issues that we deal with in the district districtwide are the lack of sidewalks and some very narrow roads. Some of our roads make it impossible even in the nice weather for a bus to pass down with an oncoming vehicle. U often times one has to pull over which does add time to the run. The registration will hopefully again streamline our runs and make our buses um more timely when it comes to getting to school. We're also going to ask families if they could possibly look into collaborating with their neighbors when sidewalks are available to consolidate some bus stops. In some cases, we have bus stops that are 25 yards apart. Um and again where the roads

008are busy we would ask that if families are able to help in all three communities that would be helpful because every time a bus stops as you know traffic stops we have to wait for the student to board the bus wait for the students to sit down and then the bus starts up again. So it does take time. So that is something again that we're hoping to streamline this process. I this is new to the district but it is something that I've checked with Desi on and it is something that we can do. Uh we're not denying anyone a seat on the bus, but we are asking families to register just so that um we can make sure that the large number of families that are still driving their children to school um it oftent

009times we're still counting counting on those students um to be a bus stops. So we're hoping this will help. That's all I have for now and we can certainly talk more about the reconfiguration later on in the meeting. All right. on to my report. We have some recognitions from the district that are important. First is our recognition of our music department. The coral and our band excel in the state competitions. And Kenan, since you are involved in this, would you tell the committee a little bit about it? I know this puts you on the spot, but you're in both of these and you know these things better than I do. Absolutely. So back in end of or first week of April, um the high school wind symphony, the band um the chamber choir and treble

010choir um went to Micah, the Massachusetts Instrumental Coral Conductors Association uh festival uh and we competed against uh schools across the state um for in front of judges uh who are professionals in their field um from all across the world. We had some Canadians, we had a uh a Japanese professor um somebody from China uh and we uh we were judged by them. Uh they gave us comments. Uh we went to a clinic with them after performing. Uh the wind symphony came out with a silver medal and the uh chamber choir uh came in with a gold and the treble choir also came in with a silver medal. And that's really all there is to that. Uh that that's wonderful to hear. I'm I always love to hear the uh music um and coral um

011doing well. Well, do we know how the middle schools have been doing um after co here because they usually have competitions as well? Yeah, so to my understanding the I'm only familiar with Hawthorne because that's where I I've been and I still I'm there every week uh for still I take private lessons with the band teacher over there on clarinet. Uh they haven't competed since co but uh it's my understanding that they do want to get back into it uh within the next 2 years. The band program has been recovering quite nicely. I believe in five their five through eight or I'm sorry 6 through eight band is somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 40 plus people nowadays. Uh and the fourth grade band levels are coming back up to similar levels pre-COVID. Uh so

012we have a lot of you know good talent coming up to the high school level. Um, and we've recovered nicely postco. Go ahead, Kim. Uh, thank you. Um, appreciate that, uh, Kenan for that information. Um, I should know the answer to this, but hopefully um I'll learn more as I go. But is there a spot where these types of recognitions get posted on walls and things um the same manner that we do for the sports teams that I can see displayed in the high school? Yeah. So, in the front lobby of the high school when you walk in right next to the uh entrance to the performing arts center in that there's a display case there where we have some of the most recent awards. Uh and then if you walk back towards the uh

013band room and choir room, uh we have all of the awards that we've ever received and then we have banners and whatnot inside those actual classrooms. But yeah, they're all on display. Um I just know when I walk into the high school, I can see the sports ones um very easily. So I' love maybe if there's a way we can get a little even just a a sign board with getting that. I think that would be nice for for folks to know where to find those. I certainly agree. Any other questions about the competition? All right, going back. We have the next recognition and that is Sorry, I'm trying to navigate two machines here. Um, Project Lead the Way, we got a national recognition for achievement. Is Gary, Dr. Reese, can you explain Project Lead

014the Way to everyone? Certainly. Um, so Project Lead the Way is a science program that we're using. We've uh started last year at our elementary school level using Project Lead the Way Launch. Um and at the middle school level it's used for our uh technology engineering program. And then at the high school we have a few different pathways that allow students to take clusters of courses and then get recognized for their participation in like biomed engineering um and topics like that. Um it's very hands-on and one of the um kind of staples of the project lead the way program is it's it's a projectbased approach. So students have to study a concept but really study it around trying to solve a real life problem. So it's it's been very wellreceived across the district and we're

015thrilled that our high school because of the pathways that we offer as well as the participation level have received this uh national recognition. Thank you Dr. Ree. All right, stay on because the next one is the civics's um statewide award that Miss Jackson received for heration. And I know that you did the banquet. Correct. I did. So, uh, Rebecca Jackson, our high school, uh, social studies teacher and department head, had received the Don Salvuchi award, uh, which recognizes excellence in social studies education, um, particularly around civic education, and she was recognized two weeks ago, I think, at a ceremony in Waltham at a beautiful uh, museum, and she was one of a group of educators across the state that was recognized ized for their dedication to civic education and social studies education in the Commonwealth.

016So, she was um she was nominated by uh Mrs. Smith, the principal at the high school. Congratulations, Miss Jackson. I know that the students appreciate her and several of the staff as well. A well-received award. Then we are on to our by literacy is it two students got the biiteracy state seal that is Gabriella Roberto and she's a senior correct I believe she's a senior this year and she English Portuguese and Spanish proficiency in all three and then we have junior Connor Tassini he received it in English and Spanish do you want to explain some other absolutely Yeah, this is really exciting that we've added this to um the offerings at North Middle Sex. Uh basically what it is, it recognizes students that demonstrate proficiency both in English as well as one other language. And

017they can demonstrate that through their background and experience of knowing a second language. So having learned that growing up or having come from another country or from their experience in their education. Um so Gabriella had two languages. One is her heritage language. So it's a language that she has learned growing up and the second was learned through her instruction at North Middle Sex. Um in order to demonstrate proficiency in terms of English, it's based on passing the MCCAST. And then to demonstrate proficiency in the other language, students opt to take a test um that's administered annually and they have to pass that test. It tests reading, writing, speaking, listening skills within that language area. So, it's a rather challenging test and we're thrilled to have two students to be the first this this time around

018to get nominated or to receive it. And what the goal moving forward is to really elevate the importance of this and highlight it even starting at the elementary level so students know about this opportunity when they get to the high school. Students that receive this recognition have a special seal that is placed on their diploma. It also is acknowledged on their transcripts. So when they go on to college or for work or something like that, they're they're now recognized as being biiterate or in Gabrielle's uh example, triliterate. So it's great accomplishment. We're really proud of these students. Congratulations to both of them and welldeserved recognitions. The next one is the calendar for the rest of May and June that is busy throughout all of our schools in the district. Um there are many events that

019I know that the school committee is invited to and there's several events that are listed that you can attend as well. So please do and congratulations to all the performers and everything for their work in the sports and in the choir and bands. Um, let's next on the agenda is we're moving on to the discussion on the dedication of um the North Middle Sex Performing Arts Center in memory of Susan Robbins. This will be an uh memorial service dedication that will be handled that will be done June 12th and it's um several school committee members may attend but we need to know if there will be a quorum. So if I have to post the meeting please tell me if you're in attendance. There'll be Robin will work to send out a more formal invitation

020to everyone. Randy, did you want to touch on Susan and why we're dedicating the performing arts center? Certainly. Um, you know, Susan Robbins was a very uh passionate and dedicated school committee member. Uh, she served on this uh committee I want to say was 17 years. I have to get I'm not sure exact numbers, but it's at least 17 years that she was on the committee. Um, very dedicated. um just very passionate about the students uh trying to get the best education for them. Uh fought very hard for a lot of different things. Um she unfortunately had passed about um about a year and a half ago now. Um it was a sad time. Uh but we had all decided um because of her commitment to the district that we were naming the performing arts

021center after her. Um, and we are going to be having a small dedication um, for that plaque that's already been uh, put up in place. And her family will be in attendance, too. This is the date that her family could attend. Okay. So, all right. On to the next agenda item is school assignments. And I'm going to hand it over to Superintendent Morgan. Sure. So this is in um this is in the packet and this is um it's in the document that I had sent out a little over a week ago now at this point and this is something where school assignment is a school committee policy. It is something that the school committee would would have to approve. Um and in addition to that because there are some um minor adjustments to start time

022we would also have to have discussions with um with the union as well. There is a 5m minute um delay in start time at Squan Cook and um Spalding. So they're getting rather than starting school at 9:00 a.m. they're starting at 9:05 and rather than dismissing at 3:05 they're dismissing at 3:10. Um, but as far as the grade spans go and the school assignment, Squanakook Early Childhood Center would be prek districtwide in kindergarten through grade 1 for Ashb and Thompson with principal um being Ann Cromwell Gap. And the student arrival time would be 8:45 to 9:00 a.m. which it is right now um in the district. But the start time, there is going to be a 5minute window again to allow for um for busing um at 9:05 a.m. and then a end time of

0233:10 p.m. And then at Spalding Memorial School, the grade span would be grades 2 through 4 Ashb and Townsend. The principal is going to be Kate Gaja. Again, the student arrival time is 8:45 to 9:00 a.m. That arrival time again provides families who are driving or being busted. um that 15-minute window, but also the opportunity to have breakfast as well with a start time at 9:05 a.m. and an end time at 3:10 p.m. Um obviously this is a change um with um the temporary closure of Ashby Elementary for the one year until the district gets a more um you know and definitive direction and in looking at FY26 but also preparing for FY27 and certainly take questions. Um, Kim, thanks. That that was a leftover from the open meeting on the dedication, which we can

024address after this. Um, but I will comment briefly on this process. Um, Superintendent Morgan, I really appreciate all the work that you're doing to try to mitigate um, disruption. I know that you are in an um, unenable position right now that no one else wants to be in your shoes. So, um I know it's really hard um navigating all these pieces and that you are um attempting to try to figure out all the smallest um tweaks that you can make to have it be the least disruptive. Um you know, you mentioned earlier about trying to consolidate some of the bus stops um all of those pieces. So, you know, thank you for that. I know I'm I'm not affected so it's a little easier for me to say um but I can see um you

025know meeting to meeting and you know every time I I run into you that you are really trying to figure out every um solution that can possibly be put into this situation that you you did not create. Um you know it's a it's a budget building situation. So, I do appreciate what you are, you know, trying to do for our community members and making it um, you know, the the best of the worst situation that we could possibly be facing for our community. So, thank you. Thank you. Uh, Carrie, just also to piggyback off of what Kim just said, thank you so much, Brad. I did have one question. Um, are we ensuring that Ashb students and towns students will be equally represented in each class? I only bring that up because these kids are

026so small and to make the transition a little bit smoother for them. I just wanted to make sure, you know, for example, there isn't just two Ashb kids with, you know, a bunch of towns and kids or vice versa, two towns and kids in with a bunch of Ashb students. I, you know, just want to make sure that they're equally represented so that way it just makes that transition a little bit easier. I know that is an issue at Hawthorne Brook, but those kids are a little bit older. So, sure. Uh certainly, and appreciate you bringing that up that that is something that that both building principles will be working on with regard to the schedule just to make sure. Again, this is a change obviously. It's it's a significant change for the Ashby students.

027Um and then we also have um some towns students who are moving from who had spent the year potentially at Spalding moving over to Squan Cookook. So certainly lots of changes but we do want to make sure that um that students have um friends and peers really um in looking at the schedule trying to do whatever we can to make that possible so that there is a balance of Ashby and Townson kids in the classrooms. Thank you very much. I really appreciate that um just a question. Uh so I see here that obviously the start time or I'm sorry the end times and start times uh for both elementary schools get will get pushed back. Um but there's no change to the middle school. Would that do you guys anticipate having any effect on bus

028arrival times at the middle schools as it stand um with this with this new uh delayed start? I only ask because it's my understanding that um some of the Ashby buses at Hawthorne um do tend to end up uh showing up a little bit late. Um so I'm just wondering if that has been looked into at all. Yes. So, uh, as as far as Hawthorne Brook goes, there is the potential that it could swing by five minutes there, too. That is still being looked at. Um, but honestly, I I think as far as the busing goes, it it it it's complex and and we are trying so from the high school, that's when they go to the middle school after they drop off at the high school. And something that we are working very hard

029on next year is to make sure that the Ashb buses are getting to the high school, but they're also leaving the high school almost immediately. And and honestly, it it it's something that that we continue to work with D on. Uh the buses for any of the three communities this year can arrive at quarter of 7 and they can draw and so they're arriving at quarter 7 and the buses can let the students off. For some reason um the the Ashby buses aren't always getting there um in a timely manner. In some cases they're arriving at five of um so they've missed that 10-minute window that they could have had. that should not be happening because that's the first run of the day. Um, so once that happens, it kind of sets everything off in

030motion. So right now I would say that we're in a really good spot with working with D for for next year to try to streamline this process with arrival in buildings, but then also the dismissal at buildings. For instance, something that that we've noticed is that when the high school gets dismissed, the Ashby buses are up front, but it could be 2 3 4 minutes until the police officer walks out and stops traffic. That needs to be immediate at least for the Ashby buses to get the Ashby buses rolling because they do have a significant they have a significant amount of land to cover. So, that's something that again I'm working with. um debus Tammy Bombard has been fantastic in working with us. She is looking at all the routes again. Um there's some of

031the some of the Ashb and Townson routes may be streamlined simply because we'll be able to combine West Townson and Ashb on some of the runs because of their proximity um in some of the more difficult places to reach. So being able to combine those will help. Um, but busing is busing is a challenge every year as everyone knows and I I I do think that we're in a place now in collaboration with D. Um, and the person that is at the helm with regard to the routes is super responsive, working really hard with us to try to find the best possible way to get the buses to and from school on time. But long answer to the question, it is something that may need to be addressed at Hawthorne and Brook as well, but

032it wouldn't be anything more than 5 minutes. And as with anything, any type of time change like that would have to be uh would have to be discussed with the teachers association as well. Right. Thank you, Carrie. I will say as a parent to a middle school child, sixth grade, it has gotten better. It has not been her bus has not been as late. So, that is really cool. Um, also just to kind of step back to something you had said earlier, Brad, about the kitchen at Squan Cookook and by fall having something worked out either with fresh picks or um having the kitchen set up. Are is there a possibility that we will be taking kitchen equipment from Ashb Elementary and putting it in the Swan Cook kitchen? So, uh, that that is certainly

033a possibility that we will be taking some of some of the equipment. Some of it is not something um that's my understanding that actually can be moved. Um but to just to be and again uh something that Senator Cronin is working on right now for us is a capital grant for um for the district that could only be used for capital items. Um, so this would be the opportunity to potentially um get some new kitchen equipment and even hooking a generator up is is a um significant amount of money, but having the preschool at at at Squan Cookook is something that we've been doing without for a number of years. So when there has been an outage, it is literally been using a portable generator to get a section of the building running. That's not

034something that we're going to be able to do moving forward. We have to make sure that all of our buildings have an operating um generator hooked up as a full backup. Thank you so much. I appreciate that. You're welcome, Kim. Thanks. Um I appreciate you bringing up on this topic, Carrie. So, I've seen some of the the comments and questions going around and I do think that we um as a as a committee um should be supporting the discussion somehow that um families should be rest assured that there will be food service no matter what and that it's not going to be a unique situation to have a school without a kitchen. There's many school systems um especially in the larger cities that work on like a hub and spoke kind of system and the

035fact that we have Hawthon right there um that can service Guanuk um you know we we might just have to be a little bit enthusiastic and let the kids know like hey we're getting delivery today just like we would at home and make it a little bit of an adventure if we have to have a substitute plan. um because if it's too much capital or too much of a change um you know I think we can just be a little bit um adventurous and pivot um you know we we won't be the only school um in in the Commonwealth that has had to have that experience of bringing food from one facility to another if that's what it comes down to. Any more questions? All right. Would someone want to make a motion on the

036um assignment of schools? There's a recommended one on the agenda. So, I I have a question on this particular topic. Um, you know, in looking at some of our our responsibilities on on policy pieces and budget pieces, um, should this be something that as a committee we are accepting as a recommendation and then it's not a a vote that we're just um, affirming a recommendation? Um, because, you know, we have a superintendent that gives us the recommendation. I almost see like a, you know, it's sort of a a piece that comes in in in front of us as information that we can talk about, we can have input into. Um, but I don't know that we would necessarily be making uh motions to change it. We might ask the superintendent if we were so inclined

037to go back and do different research. Um but is it something that under a policy piece that that we are actually voting on a policy? This is a practice. This this to me falls under day-to-day operations which would fall under the administrative authority of the superintendent. I am going to have uh Ro uh Randy as it's in our policy. I think that the school committee has a vote on this one. Yeah. And I'm questioning that quite honestly. Um right now currently Kim uh we have policy JCA which is assignment of students to schools. This policy will need to be updated but in the meantime we can vote uh basically to supersede uh this policy. The policy I have it up in front of me. I apologize. I was trying to go through this and I

038I missed having this policy placed in the packet for everybody to reference. Um, so I'm still trying to get used to looking at matching policies up to what we're doing. Um, so it is JCA assignment of students to schools if anyone's looking to bring it up. Um, it calls out for elementary schools that Ashb attend Ashby Elementary. Towns and uh for elementary goes to Spalding Memorial. Pepper goes to Varnbrook. Ashby for middle school is Hawthon Brook. Townsen is Hawthon Brook. Peril is Nissitet. Um, so that is specifically called out in our policy and that is why we need to have a vote right now to basically supersede the policy while we're getting it updated. Okay. So understood. We've got a vote on it now. Um, I appreciate that input, but it's definitely something that I

039would like to discuss because I think we are overstepping our responsibility of overall policy setting and day-to-day operations of what should fall under the um superintendent. We can definitely look at this certainly will be coming before the policy subcommittee um and before the full committee as well. Okay. All right. Any other questions? I I just have one. Um the suggested motion on the agenda um is calling to approve the elementary school assignments um but not the start times. I don't know if that needs to be included in the motion. I know we said that needed to be a discussion with uh the teachers union um because that might impact their contractual obligations. So, I just want to make sure we know what we're doing here. Well, in the motion, if you read all the way

040down, Kenan, it says student arrival for each school. And so, I think that and start and end time. So, I need the whole entire motion written read. Okay. Brad has his hand up and Randy does too. I so I did just want to add it. Um so with regard to the start times, it does have to be negotiated with the teachers association, but it is also going to be a modification to the school calendar. Um which the school committee will have to approve that. They don't have to you don't have to approve that tonight, but um we will have to adjust the school calendar because that incorporates the start times, the holidays um and everything else. So um If the committee approves this tonight, I'll have the discussion with the teachers association and then at

041the next meeting I would bring a modification to the school calendar which would include the start times and end times. Right. Does that answer your question, Kina? Before I move on to Randy. Yes. Yes. Thank you. All right, Randy. Along those same lines, um being that uh start times is in the contracts, the school committee has a say on the start times by approving um the modifications to the contracts if that needs to be. As well as uh the calendar, the handbooks also need to be updated for the start times because the start times are in the handbooks and the school committee approves the handbooks. So, we have a couple different places for the start times um that we will be approving. Um, I think the motion as it is right now, um, is fine.

042Um, it does include it as presented here, um, but it doesn't necessarily need to. I would agree. Okay. Any other questions before I take a motion? All right. I don't see anyone's hands. I I will move to approve uh the elementary school assignments for Ashban Towns and students for the FY uh for the 2025 2026 school year as recommended by district administration as follows. Uh Squanakook Elementary Childhood Center uh grades grades span prek districtwide and kindergarten through grade 1 Ashby and Townsend. Um uh principal and crumbl gap arrival time 8:45 to 9 start time 9:05 end time 3:10 in Spalding Memorial School grades span grades 2 to 4 for Ashby and towns with the principal K Jacob uh student arrival 8:45 to 9:00 start time 9:05 and time that was Randy with Lisa Bloom with

043the second. All right. Now, it's to vote Keenan. Oh, hang on. I I would like now that we have the motion on the floor. Um, can we have some discussion on the motion? Yes, go ahead. Do you want um I do want to discuss it. Um, so given that a lot of this is timely and I'd like to be able to see if we might be able to discuss a a friendly amendment to the motion, I don't want to tie the hands of the superintendent if he um has discussion with with the bus company um with the union um and finds that the solution is and I'm going to make this up um a start time of 9:07. That's outside the window of what we are voting on. [Music] Um so I'm trying to think

044um of of alternative language that can keep with the spirit of what is on the agenda. Um but gives a little bit of latitude. I don't want to box in the superintendent if there's a really good solution that is discussed with the union and the bus company um to necessitate a meeting with us that keeps parents uh waiting for any information that he might need to share to build here. you know, if you don't think that that's gonna impact you at all, um I just want to make sure that you have the all the tools that you might need as you um navigate this process. Brad, would you be okay with a buffer built in? I I I would be fine with a buffer um just because again, I have not had discussions with the

045association at this point. I've just they they're certainly aware of it. Um but we have not had any real formal discussions around it. Um and something could come up. I I would suppose that that that could change things. It could be a recommendation from the association. It could be a recommendation from from the bus company. Maybe maybe a not to exceed I don't think we'll get to that, but maybe a not to exceed a 10-minute change in start and end times. So it gives a little bit of leeway. Um, again, I I I don't believe it's going to go in that direction, but the association may um certainly may have a recommendation. I know that start times have been a discussion above and beyond busing. Um, as a side note, um, so that would certainly

046give us at least a little more time, a little bit of a buffer. So, superintendent, would it be reasonable to say uh you know a 15 minute deviation from what your typical was? Um does that give you that 10-minute buffer now? Yes. Yes. Okay. [Music] Um would our group be okay with restating that motion? I'm okay with Do we want to restate it? Well, I'll give I'll give first option to the person that restated it. If not, um, we would have to vote on the first motion and I will make a substitute motion. I just want to if you can re summarize that. I I wasn't exactly sure how you wanted to to restate that. I apologize. And yeah, just that that rather than giving the exact time um that we would give uh leeway

047to the superintendent for 15 minutes from the typical arrival and departure times for discussion with the union. I can certainly restate my motion. Um, so I will move to approve the elementary, sorry, elementary school assignments for Ashby and towns and students for the 2025 2026 school year as recommended by district administration as follows. Uh, Squanakook early childhood center grades span prek districtwide and kindergarten through grade one for Ashb and Townsend with the principal an Cromwell Gap. Uh the student arrival time, start time and end time will be within 15 minutes of the standard time that we have in place. Now for Spalding Memorial School, it would span uh grade span would be grade 2 to four for Ashban Townsen principal Kate Kaja with student arrival time, start time, and end time within 15 minutes of

048the standard uh for this year. Right. Do I have a second? Lisa Bloom seconds. So that is Randy and Lisa. Are there any questions on the on the motion? Is everybody ready to vote? All right. Keenan, yes. Carrie, yes. Jill, yes. Randy, yes. Lisa Bloom, yes. Alexander, yes. Kim, yes. Patrick, yes. And myself, yes. All right, moving on. Thank you, Randy, for that consideration. Absolutely. All right, moving on. We are going to take the protocols, the norms, and the goals in our next discussion. These are things set by the school committee every year. Um there are samples of what our previous school committee has set. Um have people been able to review. We'll start with the operating protocols. I'm not asking for a vote tonight on these. We'll come back in the fall and vote

049or if people feel that they are fine with them, obviously we can vote as well tonight. Any questions or concerns? So, okay, Kim. Yes. So, um I think I think just a general um concern as I uh navigate all of the multiple documents that I have open. Um I'd love to just have a chat in general um perhaps under new business of how to organize the packet so that we can ensure that we're following along. Um I'd love to understand a little bit of the historical perspective of how these are coming about. um rather than just Robert's rules or general um policies and practices. Randy, when we did these, cuz you and I are the veterans here. when we did these this was back right after co did we did norms and you might it

050it was definitely in I was going to say when did um Craig is the one that helped put these together and put them in place when he was chair I want to say like his second year maybe in Robin Robin you helped them too second here. Oops, you're on mute, Robin. Yeah, I think Rant is correct. I think it was the second year. I mean, I can go back and and look, he owns some of these documents. So um so they they were put in place and and as far as I understand um the purpose was trying to just get um some meeting norms protocols down on paper that we all agree to um on how to conduct ourselves and just kind of get formalize uh some of this down on paper and agree to

051it each year. I I think this happened the year that I was off the committee some of these. Okay. So, yep. Go ahead, Kim. Well, I appreciate that. Um I just noticed in looking over some of them like you know confidentiality of executive sessions um you know that's restating something that is established in um you know operating principles of meetings. So, I just didn't know if it was just like a reinforcement tool or what the the general intent. And I think that would help us just all look at it and reflect upon it um to see what might be the best you kind of practical application of ancillary documents. Um and always making sure too that they align exactly with anything that's pre-existing that um you know, we would be using um based on general

052um meeting principles. But I there's nothing, you know, there's nothing that I'm opposed to. Just wanting to know the history of it. Um yeah, I think I was just trying to get a document that we all agree to. Um kind of summarizing some of the stuff that uh is in our policies. There is most of this or a lot of this is in one way or another. Um in the policies uh things like RSVP to all meeting invitations to ensure a quorum. Uh that was just kind of again trying to get the committee to agree upon uh certain you know things that we need to do as a committee to be able to operate um because we were having problems um with people not RSVPing. We didn't know whether we'd have a quorum or not.

053Um so it just kind of evolved from things that we needed and thought that needed to be uh emphasized um and agreed upon. Okay, that's that's helpful. Thank you. And I think the other thing was we put something in place after I came back on the committee to make sure that we were getting documents into Robin on time and everything for the packets and you know and respecting the administrative time that everyone puts into because they're attending the meetings and so I think that was okay. Yeah. If I may sort of like a briefer sheet. Yes, exactly. Refer sheet. Robin, uh, last week Gary and I were talking about um about some of these very things about getting the documentation for um the various meetings with enough time to prepare um and also that we're

054meeting um we're ADA compliant. Um, and Gary, you may want to speak a bit more um to this because he was been dealing with um a community member who specifically requested to have the information um so that they can uh review it and we want to just make sure that we're meeting um our needs of our community, our constituents. So, in order to do that, there just needs to be the documentation probably needs to come along with um when somebody proposes something to be added to the agenda that um and Gary and I were were kind of throwing out looking at a calendar and seeing how long. So, maybe two weeks prior to the meeting, they reach out to the chair and say, "We would like I would like this on the agenda." Um then

055you can decide whether or not it goes on the agenda and work with that the committee member. Um and then once you say yes, we think that that's appropriate for it to be on the next meeting. Uh we need all of the items um associated with that agenda item to Robin um a week before the meeting because then what happens is for me to create the agenda and embed the links which is easiest for our constituents. I I need time to do that. So, and it's not hard. It's just um it's tedious and time consuming. Sure. And and no problem. It's really helpful. And every other board, you know, conservation, planning, zoning, they all have protocols that if you want to be on the next meeting, you have to have it in a certain time.

056So, I really appreciate the back. Thank you. Um Gary, did you want to address some of the ADA compliance with some of our meetings that we have to follow? You know, I think it's just um Robin brought it up in terms of the documentation. We did have a request and and to in maintaining compliance with ADA. Uh so for individuals that just require accommodations, we do need to make sure that we're getting the documentation uploaded and available and accessible prior enough time prior to the meeting. So, you know, Robin talking about the importance of just being able to make sure that she has time to get everything accurately into the agenda, get all the links so that they're live, they're working to make sure that we're being respectful and supportive of our community members to

057be able to participate meaningfully. All right. And we'll work to be better at getting the documentation to everyone. Any more questions about protocols? Lisa, if I may. So, I know, you know, we have some new members on the committee and, you know, I always feel like um constructive criticism helps us grow and become better. So, if there's something that um you think that we could be doing better or differently, um please reach out. You know, I know Kim, I know you're on several different committees and so would love um you know, if you think we could do something more efficiently or um better. Uh I'm open to to try anything. So, let let me know. I always want to be better. We work as a team, so everyone's a team. We're going to make it.

058All right. Anyone else have any questions? Anyone want to change anything on the operating protocols or do we want to wait and review it at a different date and have a final approval at the next meeting? Randy, I see that Randy say in light of what Kim was saying, would we want to maybe just kind of come up with an agreement on what should be in the protocols and kind of give people time to think about it um and submit um new or changes uh to what we have? Yeah, I'd love to just and then have it be upon each of us to do some track changes um in Word and then you do a combination of the documents. Well, I'm going to date myself. everyone else is going to do it on Google Docs

059and then I'll get on Google Docs and do it. Um but sure, something like that. Um so that we can all compare and kind of come up with a document um together. Okay. Yeah, I think it would be hard for me to to do content tonight, but I think topics might be easy to to have a discussion about topics. Do you have a particular topic that you'd like to discuss, Kim? Um, well, certainly hearing from Robin, I think that it's important for us to figure out a good schedule. um because I know how tedious it can be to make sure that everything is together for a packet. Um and and I would say, you know, thinking about that realistic timeline, um how things should be submitted for um meeting agendas. I think we need to

060be thoughtful about that process to make it easy um for for Robin to compile a packet that there's consistency. So I I think we need to be thinking that through. Um and maybe you know when I was hearing um both you and Randy talk about the intent of the document um almost like a reference points for some of the things that are being called out on higher level documents sort of hey this this is in the bigger of why we're reaping this here. Anyone else? I see no more. Any another topic? Anyone have any other topic that they believe should be covered in this in the protocols document at least? Randy, um, just looking between the norms and the operating pro protocol, there are a couple things that cross over. we may want to kind

061of separate them and use protocols just simply more about um the way we do things and then leave the norms for how we conduct the actual meeting uh such as um avoid bias and instead uh consider research best practice public input that might be a norm. Um it was uh you know um sorry there was another one here that I was looking at uh but again we may want to take a look um and just compare them the norms and the protocols and make sure that they're addressing the two different things instead of overlapping. Yeah. And and I do know for me um madam chair is that as I get more um educated on the school committee and all the workings um and do more reading is where I'm questioning like I did a little

062bit earlier about maybe there's a little bit too much crossover between day-to-day operation in the policy setting. So I'd really like the opportunity over the next few months. I know for me personally to really look at that a bit more. Um again just you know coming in new a few months ago and just reading a lot and trying to look um you know globally um a bit to what Randy said is you know best practices what are other folks doing kind of browsing around on my own um just to make sure that we are are being really policy driven um governance driven and not um bleeding over too much into the day-to-day that we're there we're there for a sounding board for information but um you know we we hired professionals for the dayto-day. That

063sounds great. Kim, you may want to be part of a subcommittee that's coming up down the list that Randy put a description in. Or I don't want to be on any more subcommittees, but sure. Did I say that out loud? Yes, you did say that out loud and everyone heard you. All right. Um, anyone else have anything on the protocols? And we will bring these back and like you suggested, we'll put a document out and everyone can make suggestions and we'll take it from there and then we'll compile a document and bring it back to the board. The same with the norms and the goals. We'll do the same kind of things where people can have their feedback put in and then we'll bring it back so that everyone Randy um you lump the goals

064into the protocols and the um operating operating protocols and the norms and I'm wondering how we'll just do how goals is going to work with that because there were no suggestions for it and we haven't really had many in the past. It's not an established um process that we have going forward. Yeah, I didn't mean to lump the goals in. My eyesight is grabbing down an agenda item. So, we'll do norms and protocols together, not the goals because goals we have to set for this comm the nine of us have to set those. All right. Anything else with the norms and the protocols? Only those two items. I think we have an action plan established on those two. Now, on to the goals. If everyone's ready to move to the goals for the school committee,

065these are things that we set for ourselves to accomplish. There are two policies that drive our goals. And how many goals have we come up with before, Randy? How many is that three to five or We've come up with two to three sporadically over the years. Uh we haven't really followed through with the whole process of the full evaluation. Uh we haven't done an evaluation of the school committee. This really is in its infancy on how to tie it into the strategic plan, how we can affect it, and what we need to go for. This really needs a lot of development. So, this isn't something we will accomplish tonight. Um, this will come with some of our training as well that we're looking forward to doing. Are there any questions? Randy, your hands up to

066you don't question. Okay, that's okay. It was up. Yeah, that's okay. So, we will bring this one back as well. Um, and we'll be looking to set these in the fall. All right, let's go to the meeting schedule for the 20th. I just I I just want to make sure. So on on the goals, you're going to set aside a separate time to talk about those specifically. And then with the operational procedures, we'll have time to weigh in on those ones that are already listed and talk about the actual process for going through them or how we're meeting them or not meeting them as the case may be. I'm just a little unclear. Again, this is at its infancy, Kim. So, that's okay. We haven't like in all of my years and I think Ry's

067we've never like fully seen this process all the way through. We've developed goals and great intentions and then life has complicated our committee and so okay but we need this is something we should establish. Okay. Um and and I agree. I think one of the things that I'm having a little hard time with the crossover um is our evaluation piece. Um how do I state this? So on on the evaluation on point.1 the communication with the public on the school committee side um I think there's something that I'm not as comfortable waiting for us to evaluate in the fall before we address. So, is that something we could do under new business? Addressing the community or the community in our communications like with our emails and things. Is that correct? Is that what you're thinking?

068Yes. Um, so this there's two things like operationally is our packet and then operationally the communication with with the public that I wouldn't want to just wait and linger on. We can discuss it here. It is on the agenda as communication with the public in our goals um area. This is like because we used to have a communications committee and that or even last year we had June, right Randy? She would be the liaison out to the community and give that first initial email saying this is being a value. Yeah, June was we had a communications uh subcommittee um with the intent of putting out maybe a quarterly or trying to figure out whether we should put out a quarterly newsletter or how to communicate with the with the uh with the public and the

069in the communities. Um what June was doing last year is uh was we had uh created at that point a um a correspondent secretary position uh with one person who wasn't the chair to try and take away some of the work from the chair of responding to all of the emails that came in with that first we have received your email. We are working on this so that you know every email gets something back um you know that's official from the committee. Yes. So that was the point um that I wanted to make sure that we covered is that we know when a community member writes us that you know we are not in we are intentionally not writing back because we don't want to violate um an open meeting law by giving an opinion

070or giving any information globally to other members and starting a conversation. But I would like us to figure out a way to ensure that every single community member takes the time to write the school community um receives an email back in return and that we all know that somehow. Um so the you know whatever the best mechanism is um you know if there's nine of us and we have to take turns um doing it by a month or by a week or however we figure that out um because I don't want it to just be a return email because they sent it. I want that community member to know that we read the email and that it has gone to the appropriate person um to to be looked into. And these are the ones that

071are a group email. Correct. And not like individual emails that you get from the community, people should be responsible to, you know, correct. And if and if we're BCCD and we're all responding, we don't know that. But these ones that are group email that I have no idea if the person is ever getting a response back. Yeah, Kina. Yeah, just to jump on the like kind of community uh communication part of it, this isn't this kind of goes back to the setup of the agenda. Um and I think this is probably more of a Robin thing, but um you know, looking at this agenda and to my understanding, look at looking at other school committees agendas, we are doing pretty good for ourselves. Um, but like looking at the way that it's laid out, um,

072from a I guess pretty much an outsider perspective, um, because I've only been here for one meeting, um, I don't know what exactly is looking at the agenda when I see school committee operating protocols, what does that mean? Are we discussing it? Are we approving it? While some things do have um like you know short descriptions like discussing the dedication of NMR chess performing arts center that you don't need anything more to that but when I look at these you know sub bullet points um and I just see school committing operating pro protocols I have no idea what that means um and like I have the paper copy in front of me so I'm just trying to follow along with everything going on and I can't imagine that a community member who is trying to

073see what's happening during these meetings, you know, reading it who has no background and doesn't have, you know, free access to our packet. Um, I can imagine that it'd be hard to follow for them, even harder for them to follow. Mhm. So more description on the like if I said discussion of protocols would discussion of protocols or discussing ch like we could be discussing are we changing the protocols? Are we voting on the protocols? Um, I know when we vote, we typically put the motion in there, but just a little bit more description of what we're doing on the agenda. Um, and you know, we talked about or you just talked about we used to have a corresponding secretary role or we used to have a a communications subcommittee role. I think that would be

074something that would fall under that as opposed to Robin. Um when we set up the agenda when so we can establish as a subcommittee what is going to happen, how that is going to get communicated to the public and then that can be we can put our own language in there and update it and then go through the channels to do so if that makes sense. you know, to follow up that I think that um looks like, you know, we're thinking along the same lines of making sure that the community has what they need, too. Um, thinking back at the last meeting, there was something that was put on the agenda that we might talk about and it concerned a lot of people, but it was just on the agenda and we didn't actually have

075information on it. So I think we just need to put a little bit of thought on to those agenda items. Um you know that there's like a discussion only no action will be taken at this meeting or input from the community you know will be had at this meeting. Um, and I know there's a lot going on, um, you meeting to meeting that it will be, you know, hard, a little bit of work. Um, but I think that we could do that. And even on some of these from from my perspective when I was reading the agenda, I wasn't necessarily 100% sure of the expectations of me um, in my preparation for what I was to do. Like, okay, read or comment or just you know, wait for the meeting and see what I'm told

076to to do or contribute. So, I think that would be, you know, you know, internal planning for potential updating or for discussion to update. So, if someone's bringing something to you as the chair that they would give you like, you know, um if if it was me, I I'm bringing something up to you for future input. um that this is just an FYI right now and we'll put it on the agenda for August. People will get comments, you know, collected to Robin by July 15th, something of that nature so that we just know kind of what we're doing. Um because at first I wanted to like take one of them and start typing. I'm like, "Wait a minute, what am I doing? I don't even know what I don't even know what this is for

077yet. I'm just going to set it aside." Yeah, understood. Um, the only thing we have to be careful with, and we can add descriptive words and put a description in there. We have to be careful when we do bring items in that we are not swaying other members of the board. And so that's where sometimes it's just useful just to list the few words. And I've looked at some other agendas around like I I looked at Grant and Dunstables and Lunenburggs and ours have a lot of more description in them than there's where it's a you know one word you know and we don't know what it is and but I totally understand putting more information in. Yeah. and and and I agree we don't want it to be influential but like um you know

078if I were to bring it forward and it was on budget um this is being brought forward forformational purposes we will talk about it you know at X meeting or this is being brought forward and we're going to discuss you know Excel rows 53 to 71 just something because that's not giving an opinion it's giving someone something to look All right, Randy. Um, I wanted to I had two things. I'm trying to keep them in my head. The first one is just kind of go back to the emails that come into the school committee. Uh, even if they are a group email um at this point in time because we haven't appointed anybody else, it is the chair's responsibility to get back to anybody that um emails the entire uh committee. Um, each individual does

079have the ability to respond individually. Um, I would probably recommend that you let them know that you are responding as an individual and not on behalf of the school committee that we, you know, unless you're just going to u repeat something that we've already voted on and agreed upon because obviously um we have to vote on anything that um that so that you can represent that the school committee can only be what we voted on. Um, so you are welcome to respond as an individual. Do not reply all. Um, but as far as replying to all of them at this point in time. It is Lisa's job and then we can try and figure out how to make sure that everybody knows when she has responded so nothing falls through the cracks. Um, going to

080touch on that. When you do respond, make sure that you're not doing a serial response. And I think Kim can explain what a serial response is. Kim, will you? Yes. Um, so a serial response is if one of us um talks to to Robin or to the superintendent or to Gary um or to one another and it gets relayed to the next person and the next person and the next person. That is a serial response and it's considered deliberation. even if we're not talking directly to one another. So while we don't constitute a quorum by talking to one another and we certainly don't constitute a quorum um from talking to anyone in the administration if everybody talks to everybody that does become a serial response. Um and so we just you know we want to

081be careful of those types of of situations. Um, and the other thing about the individual responses too is um, while I was a community member, I know that someone seen what I've written, um, I don't need everyone to respond. I'm just looking to make sure that the that someone has received my inquiry or, you know, my suggestion. All right, Randy, did you disappear? I can't think of the second thing. It's fine. Well, if it comes back and and I'm going to remember why I had my hand up for a while early on. Um I um this has to do with the dedication. Um which I think is wonderful in honor of Sue. Um but posting of a meeting is not required for something like that. So posting of a meeting is only when we would

082be talking to the public about something that is deliberative or action like if we were to discuss the budget as a group or transportation as a group. Um so Randy because you're you're on my screen right now. Um so if Randy and I were to start talking to a community member and then what do we need for a quorum? three others joined us and we became a quorum and we all started to talk about transportation, then that would have required a posting. But if we are just there to celebrate her and her contributions, we actually don't need to post because if you'd post, you'd actually have to have an agenda item. Right. Does that make sense to everyone? Robin, yes, you're all right. I'm great. Thank you. It saves you from posting a meeting if

083we Oops, you were on mute, Robin. Yes, one more posting. Um, and if I could just add one other thing about the agenda that we're talking about. Um in in in speaking with um my list serve uh it it's been brought up a few times over the last several weeks to make sure that um committees are not listing items just having standing items on their agenda. Um that it really needs to be items that you were action items. Either they're going to be discussed or there's going to be action on. So, uh, this here you'll see I went in and removed, um, any subcommittees that that we, you know, like policy. There were no policies that were being discussed specifically under the subcommittees, so I took that off. Um, so I hope that that alleviates

084any confusion for the public as well. Yeah. So, what I'm going to ask of all subcommittees, if you do have information that you need discussed or if you had a meeting update, please let me know and we'll get it added in or Robin and I know and we'll get it added to the permanent agenda for the overall. All right, any more questions? So, for now, I will respond to all of the incoming emails with we have received your email and I will direct it to the appropriate people. All right. But I will be looking for a vote for somebody to help me possibly in the future. All right. Any other Sorry, there you are, Randy. Um for the agenda, I know we have links to some of the stuff. Um there used to just be

085a straight link to the documents. We used to have a packet um way back early in the days when we were just getting online uh under uh Joan. Um it would be one PDF that she kind of put all of the documents for the public uh that they could see. No, obviously no executive session documents available to the public to be able to see what we see. Um, and I like I said, I know we're doing some links right now. Are we doing links for all of the um documents and and packet that we get? If not, is there any way just to, you know, maybe link the packet uh for public uh consumption and then they can go through it themselves instead of uh the links um if that's causing problems. we switched to

086the links because what was happening when I would put the packet together inevitably just because of scanning the pack some things would be inadvertently wouldn't get through the scan and I wouldn't know it until later. Um and so some of the packets can be several pages long. Um and so we have found that the links really work well especially if things are um are changing. So, um I just want to make sure that that they're actually having access to all of the documents. They should um they they Yeah, the links are in here. I mean, um that's one of the reasons we really like to have all of the documentation at the time that the um agenda is posted so that it's the most upto-date and I have the documents to link the um add

087the embed the link uh for the the agenda. And what's nice about it is is that it's there. Um they're not searching for a separate packet. They just see the agenda and they can they can click on the link and look at the corresponding documents that go along with that agenda item. Perfect. Thank you, Kim. Yes, thank you. So, I love your explanation of that, Robin. Um but I'm going to be problematic here. So, so I actually before the meeting have to go in and download every single document. Yeah. So, I'm in the little hole of West Townsen that does not have cable. So, not surprised with that. Yes. So, so I switch between T-Mobile and Verizon constantly throughout the day to try to get the best um jetpack Wi-Fi. Um, and so if I

088try to navigate a Zoom meeting and be on the internet at the same time and keep up. It's just not possible. That's not your problem. Um, but it it becomes a problem. And it definitely becomes a problem if I'm somewhere where I have to run the meeting off my phone and I can't have live on my computer. I am definitely used to packets where the agenda is sort of like the table of contents and the rest of the packet um is in PDF but it's usually put together with the the PDF um software and never like a physical scan. So Yep. So I've done it Yep. And we have that. So we've done it that way as well. um and we have run into problems where for whatever reason an item will not convert um

089in in the PDF. So um if I'm not sure if you're asking the committee no longer wants to do the the links and you want to have a separate section for the the packet and create a a PDF. The only and we certainly can do that. But I mean obviously whatever the committee decides. Um you know I can tell you from this agenda here I was you know constantly getting updated documents or something new sent my way or something wasn't available in the beginning. So um I I think it's doable but it just we have to be really strict and have all the documentation to me with enough time for for me to create the packet. um before we're actually posting the agenda. Um and ideally I I I don't like to wait till the

090last minute to, you know, the 48th hour because something always comes up. Um you know, whatever it may be, you know, I I could be sick or, you know, have no internet or something. So I like to do it I try to do it three days out. Um so you know we can certainly go back to doing it u with the packet if the if it's yeah in in your intent of getting it early um is perfect and it should be incumbent upon all of us to get you everything. it should be the exception that you're getting things um you know there will be times when there's something that the chair cannot anticipate you know 48 hours prior to the meeting but in general operating times that should not be happening. Um, so we need

091to be at our own peril if we start setting these policies just like the other committees. Like if if I go to conservation and I'm, you know, 30 minutes late for their deadline and it's not stamped, well, it's too bad I don't get it in, they're not going to put it in. We have to be that self-regulated that if we can't get you our material in time, so be it. Yeah. And and I you have you have the time clock and I would love that because I I feel as though we put our best foot forward when we're proactive and working reactively um allows for us to make mistakes. Um yeah, and that's that's not a fair position for a committee to put you in. So, um you know, I'll advocate for us not to

092do that for you. Okay. Um, so you know, yeah, if you want to try the the PDF, I mean, like I said, whatever, you know, I feel like it's important that we grow and just because we've done something one way doesn't mean we should always do it that way. Um, you know, so Robin, I can work with you and we can figure out a good solution for all of this that all of us Yeah. live with that you can live with for um posting all of this information. We'll figure way. I do know just going back historically it's been really time consuming to go, you know, clicking through all of them and not being able to just like download four or five PDFs and just be able to read them offline like if I'm traveling

093or doing something. It's um so yeah there may be some software or something that we can we'll have Jeremy look for us too and I know Jeremy doesn't have a lot of time right now but no I mean we we have the software so we we can make um we can make the packet that's that's not an issue just Robin's being kind Lisa it's a human in the loop it's us I'll call us out she we will be better forward. We will be better. All right. Any more questions? So, we are on the goals. No, I thought we were on meeting schedule. Oh, we are on the meeting schedule. Sorry. Um, right. We are on the meeting schedule. Did everyone look at the schedules? This is a Monday's schedule and a Tuesday's One of the

094issues that we're running into Mondays is um Mondays are not kind to everyone just getting off the weekend and coming back in. And I know that the administrative team is very busy on Mondays because everyone is um ready to go and wants their answers on Monday morning. Uh would the committee consider Tuesdays if that worked for everyone? L, I just want to note that the Monday schedule, I believe, I'm not looking at it. The Monday schedule um is Mondays at 7 and Tuesdays is at 6:00 p.m. And the 7:00 is a hard time for everyone as well because it puts us really late when we have these late meetings. Anyway, those are my two cents. What is everyone else thinking? Patrick had his two Tuesdays would work fine for me and they would be at

095six o'clock. All right. Uh Kenan or Randy, which one had your That's okay. Um just so everybody knows, and we've had this issue in past before, but I believe Townsen's board of selectman meets on Tuesdays. So if we ever need to have uh members go to the towns and board of selectmen, there's a chance uh that these meetings might conflict. I don't think that happens very often and I don't think when we had I think Pepper used to have their border set on Mondays when we had the Monday meetings. So I I I don't think it happened often but just so that everybody is aware. Um I don't have a problem with Tuesdays but that that could be an issue. All right. Well Kenan actually sent an email to Valerie, one of the select persons

096and chatted with her. So I'm going to let him talk about Tuesday. Yeah. So, um, Tuesdays I checked with, um, what they're doing going forward. Um, the towns and board of selectmen since they're all new and I wanted to know if they were planning on changing it up. Um, they got back and said they will continue the 2025 2026 year or I should say the FY26 year um, with the first and third Tuesday of every month which I quickly I didn't have a time before this meeting to go through but whilst we were on that previous topic I was just checking Um I think only one of these meetings conflicts with the first and third t Tuesday. Um I think it's the December 16th one. Um but other than that I don't I don't think

097there should be any issue with conflicting with the towns and board of selectmen. Um, since these fall on the second Tuesday, most second or fourth Tuesday mostly, but I I have to be annoying and I have to bring it up for discussion. um how we only have two in-person meetings on this agenda and obviously we're at the will of the whole body but I think it's pertinent for either additional meetings to be added or the conversion of some of these meetings to be hybrid or in person just because certain topics um such as this meeting me personally I think this is a much better suited discussion for in person um considering the business that we're discussing right now um when it comes budget time and we are talking about you know substantial changes um it's

098a lot more essential to have meetings online to make sure that accessibility is, you know, held by everybody. Um especially given this year with how much uh community feedback we've had. Um a lot of those people definitely would not have been able to make those meetings in person. But certain meeting topics and agendas like we have right now I think are definitely better suited for in-person options. All right. Keenhan. Uh Randy. Um the other thing also is I think when we discussed this at the uh organizational meeting um I at least personally and I could have gotten the wrong information but I thought I came away from that that we were going to have some workshops that were going to be in person to kind of make up for our inability to have a hybrid

099meeting uh for the accessibility for uh the communities to access our actual business meetings. Um, but there's a number of different things and workshops that we um can have um that we're not making any uh votes for um especially around budget time just as communications um working together being in person I think is going to be helpful. Um I don't know if we want to especially around um budget time. I think we need to have two per month. Um at least have them on the books so that we're not like last year trying to last minute try and find that one day in the 3 week span that everybody can make it to. Uh if we have them on the calendar now we can always cancel them. Um, I think at the very least, uh,

100probably December, January, and February, we should have two per month, if not um, especially and I think during the summer right now for some of the trainings that I'm trying to get together, if we have them on the books, I can do the trainings on those days in the workshops. Anyone else have any feedback? I can also add that um given the direction that this meeting has gone so far already, we know that we've we're already going to be bringing back a lot of these subjects for future meetings. Um and given how you know after attending the last you know several meetings before being a committee member um that tends to be how this goes at least in my opinion that once what's on the agenda for one meeting will a lot of it you

101know action is taken and then we take it to the next meeting. if we have those opportunities um with say an in-person meeting and a virtual meeting or um you know like Randy was saying if we had two a month around budget time um that allows us to alleviate a lot of the stress um that comes up when we have you know non-budget discussion and budget discussion to happen where we could consolidate budget discussion into one meeting and operational into another meeting to another meeting in person when we can have those discussions a lot more and still have community community members be able to attend. But you know, let's face it, most people are in it for the budget talks and what's happening for the budget and that needs to remain accessible no matter what.

102Anyone else? So, do we want to decide on Monday or Tuesday first? I think that's one of the questions we can decide at this time. Is everyone okay with Tuesdays as a meeting time? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. So, Tuesday, Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. will meet. I will work with the administrative team and figure out how to have these meetings, right? Virtual or in person. And Randy, you have some dates that we want to work in some workshops. I know that the summer is Yeah, I I had thrown out dates for June. Uh but we certainly can go into July and August. um that was just trying to get something um going, but it seems a lot of people have uh plans in June. And Alicia was pretty open, especially um for during the week.

103Um so I will double check with her uh as far as July and August for some trainings. Um but it should be pretty wide open, I believe. Okay. Because I know that like June is pretty much out for a lot of people and doing vacations and things. And I also think that Saturdays are perhaps out for a lot of people because Saturdays are family times and Sunday, you know, and those things. So, I can break it up. I was just hoping to have one longer one in person, but if not, then we can do a, you know, a shorter one or two uh in person uh for the same thing. Yeah. And they may not and they're probably not ones that will require administrative teams to come to, right? just be on school committee once

104where we could work on the goals, the protocols and the norms in the over this summer. All right. So, we will work on some dates. Randy and I'll work on some dates for the workshops and we will rework this schedule again for Tuesdays. And what I'm hearing is some people would like some in-person meetings built in and maybe moreformational meetings around the budget season in personal as well. Yes, please. All right, everyone shaking their heads. All right, I will take that. We'll move that to another meeting there. I don't know this is an I don't think scheduling is an OML problem but is that something that we can get those dates or an updated schedule dates we can get somewhere like say by next month in our emails. I don't know how long these things

105take um just so we can plan accordingly ahead of time. I know um Kim over here has 18 different boards and seven jobs that she's attending to. All right. Yes, we can work on that, Kenan. We will work on getting a better up-to-date school and get it out to the committee quickly. And to your point, Kenan, we can do all of the scheduling and discussion of agenda topics back and forth. As long as we don't give our opinions on the agenda topics, we can give our opinions on the dates for the meetings um with no um viation as long as it's on a Tuesday. at 6 PM. All right, moving on. Are we good? Everybody's good with the calendar and we're bringing that back for school committee meeting. All right, let me find the agenda.

106The next topic is the evaluation process. This is with the superintendent. We um evaluate the superintendent. Now this is our policy on evaluation of the superintendent. There is also um I had talked to MASC about the possibility that we can move the superintendent to a 2-year rotation with his evaluation since he is a um How many years have you been with us? You have to be over six years Brad and I think it's been seven. This is seven. So he's been here seven years. So we could move him to a 2-year rotation. Um what that would do is we would we'd evaluate his last year's goals and then this pre this next year he'd have more goals again that we would evaluate. Now for the evaluation the new members have to remain be on the

107board for four months. Is that correct Randy? It's four months before they can evaluate. So the new members that would be Kim, Alexander, Kenan, and Carrie could not do evaluation of his goals from last year, but going forward for next year, he could do evaluations of those goals. Is this something moving him to a two-year schedule, is this something that the committee would be interested in or would they want to do the year evaluation? That's the question on the table. All right. discussion or thoughts, Alexander. Yeah, I think uh I think moving to a two-year is, you know, I'd be all for that. I don't know. I don't have any more thoughts. All right. Thank you, Alexander. Randy, where's uh on the surface of it? Um, I I don't have a problem with the two-year

108review um, as long as we do have a um, discussion halfway through um, on whether the goals were achieved for the one year and then we get new goals for the second year. Um the problem I have with doing that right now and extending this is last year when the goals were created and approved the agreement long-standing because it's what it's in our policy as well as the uh understanding between the superintendent between all the school committee members between the community is that it was a one-year evaluation that we were going to evaluate come this uh May June time frame like we always have we didn't create uh the expectation uh to do a two-year evaluation then. So I am not in favor of of extending this to two years but we can certainly vote

109on two years from now and have this next year and then um it would go into another year after that. I just don't think uh that the understanding was there uh to do this last minute to to change that. All right, Patrick, mute. Oh, okay. I'm not um just my only question, I guess, would be how does um just Brad's input on it, is he comfortable with that as well, or does he take a lot from these from these sessions with the input? Just have we discussed with him ahead of time how he feels about that? Go ahead, Brad. So, it was something that that was mentioned to me. I I would be fine with honestly um whatever the committee decides. Any other questions or concerns? Just to clarify, um I I'm I'm unfamiliar. We're

110on a one-year rotation now. That's Is that correct? Yeah, it's a one-year rotation and I I don't know, it's not mentioned necessarily in the policy that it's on a year rotation. Um, and this is something that we have to vote to change to a two-year or something that we can just generally accept as a going forward. Well, you have to like it might be a standard um not a standard but a a rule within MA or the state that because newly superintendent need to have an evaluation process. That's something that's established by the state. Randy can probably answer that. uh what it is not specifically one year in our um policy but in our policy it does say the agreement made between um which is why I was saying last year when the goals that

111we're going to be evaluating him on were accepted by the school committee the agreement at that point in time was for one year at the end of the year we would evaluate him on the goals that we um approved uh the community um was expecting one year all the school committee members were uh expecting one year. The superintendent was expecting one year based on when we approve those goals. Um I think it's just an understanding we need to have. So basically, it would probably be part of the vote when we accept the goals uh of the superintendent that we would be on a two-year cycle for the evaluation. Um it's nothing that needs to be changed. I don't think there's anything in um MGL or um anything with the state that we need to go

112by other than if he was uh new. So just to make sure I'm understanding you correctly once the evaluation is complete and you know we complete it at the end of this year or whenever that process takes place then we set new goals and at that same time we set new goals we set the understanding that we are now going to be on a two-year rotation going forward. That yeah that's what I would suggest. Jess that that makes sense. That's fine. Patrick, Patrick, your hand is up. Do you mean it not to be up? All right. He is. Sorry about that. Yeah, that was from earlier. I never lowered it. Okay. Thank you. All right. So, what I'm understanding and moving forward, so we will have the superintendent um finish his goals for this year

113and then next year we'll move possibly to a two-year rotation. Is that correct? Am I getting nods from everyone in the All right, so we'll bring this back. We're bringing a lot of things back, but that's okay. Um Brad, I will work with you to get things out to the committee and update the evaluation process. And this will be something that we will push to probably a fall meeting to discuss when we have our meetings, but I'll get the evaluation put out and give you some time to finish your goals for this year. Okay. All right. Uh Lisa, we um I believe it is and I had to go verify again, but we need to complete the um evaluation now. Yes. Okay. Yes. So, I have to put the evaluation together. Okay. Put it out

114to him. Put it out to the committee members and then he has to put in his input and then we'll do the review at the next meeting. Okay. I'm sorry. When I heard you say the fall, I wasn't sure if you Oh, no, no, no. Would do his in the fall, but we'll put it out to the committee. They'll have time to answer or and committee members. That's understood. Yes, because he we need to give him some time to answer back how he has done his goals and things as well. And the form is a little more complicated. It comes with a rubric, all of that. and new members, you will see it and I'll go over some of it and explain parts of it as well. All right. Now, we are moving on to

115school committee operations subcommittee proposal. Randy, yes. This is something I had mentioned in the operations meeting. I would like to formally request that the school committee uh create a uh a new subcommittee for school committee operations. Um the purpose of it, and this should be in the packet, so hopefully you had a chance to read this and there weren't too many questions, but I'll read it out loud, is the purpose is to strengthen the board governance and effect effectiveness of the school committee to ensure we are complying with MGL and providing the best leadership we can for the district. Um the subcommittee would be charged with finding best practices for school committee operational procedures through reaching out to other school committees, professional organizations or other resources and reviewing MGL when appropriate. The scope shall be

116any policy in section B which is a school board governance and operations and other related policies related to board governance procedures. Um the duration of the subcommittee be one year. uh and I would say the recommendations come throughout the year but have a final report at the end of the year of all recommendations for changes uh to policies and procedures. And this is going to what you know Kim was kind of trying to say is how do we strengthen this board? How do we uh get just that operations? How do we work better to get the business together um and do all of that? Any questions? Um the school committee um is charged with you know we have to vote on creating any new subcommittees. Um so I will formally um put a vote uh

117a move. So, I will move that the school committee vote to create uh the school committee operations subcommittee uh with the said proposal uh for the scope that I read. Second. Who was that that seconded? That was Patrick. Oh, Patrick. My voice broke. Okay. Um Okay. We have a motion by Randy and a second by Patrick. Any discussion? All right, I will take a vote. Keenan, you're on mute. Kenan, yes. Alexander, yes. Kim, yes. Randy, yes. Lisa, yes. Carrie, yes. Jill, yes. Patrick, yes. And myself, yes. All right, we have a new subcommittee. Um, and I think it is the role of the chair to appoint the subcommittee. Is that correct, Randy? For volunteers. I would love to be on this. Anyone want to volunteer, Patrick? Yeah. I I feel like I've left some of

118these meetings saying, "What what did we even accomplish tonight?" So, I think we could kind of hack away at some of this and move these meetings along. Okay. Carrie, Randy, Patrick, anyone else? So, Madam Chair, I don't necessarily want to be on the committee for a year. Um, I'll be a cog in the wheel for trying to navigate an additional meeting. But um if it is um the will of the body, I would certainly give my input um at one of the first meetings and let you either, you know, rip it up or incorporate it in. I just know that with my schedule, I I just wouldn't be able to commit. Um actually, I was going to ask if we can consult, we only have three right now. Um we're allowed four. So at any

119point in time, if we can consult and bring you in on a as needed basis and to get your opinion, um that would be great. Yeah, I'm happy to do that. I just don't want to hold up progress. And I think I'm going to ask that um administration necessarily does not have to be involved in the subcommittee. Is that That's right. be school committee members. Yep. I would say that if anything comes up with the administration, we consult again and ask how does this affect you? Um as needed. Okay. And then another question I'm gonna have is do you want Robin to be take notes in this or is this something that someone in here can handle? I think we can take our own notes. Robin, are you good with that? All right, then I

120won't put you on the committee. All right. So, it will be Randy, Kim, Carrie, and Patrick. All right. But the information, like any subcommittee, does need to get to Robin in a timely manner that she can post and get the meeting minutes returned back to her as well. That all of that can be posted. All right, moving on to the Oh, we voted for it. And oh, we need to vote for everyone on the committee. So, can I get a motion to uh appoint everyone to the committee? I move uh that the school committee appoint myself uh Carrie Mahoney Battersby and Patrick McFillips to the subcommittee. I second the motion. Right. That was Randy and Alexander. All right. Any discussion? All right. Kenan. Yes. Go for it. No. Do you need me out of here?

121Alexander. Sorry. Yes. Yes. Kim? Yes. Randy? Yes. Lisa? Yes. Carrie? Yes. Jill? Yes. Patrick? Yes. And myself? Yes. All right. Moving on to the school choice program. Yes. Um so the school choice program uh why I asked for this to be on the um on the agenda is I'd like to ask the school committee to um direct the superintendent to uh give a report on how the school choice program has worked for the district in the past. Uh what the school choice program is is we used to um participate and take in students. Uh a lot of the students that we took in were in Ashb um and then they would go through all the other schools. We get $5,000 uh per student. And there's always been a question about whether um that 5,000 per

122student actually helps the district or um does it draw down on some of our uh resources. in the last few years, we haven't had a lot of room and so we've kind of opted out of that. But before the knowledge is gone, um I'd like to have a report from the administration on how much money did we bring in. Uh anything that's reasonable to get. I don't want to spend too much time on it, but anything that is reasonable to uh accumulate as far as the cost uh of the students moving through the district. um and any other information on the pros and the cons and what it's done for the district or um has um hampered us or or in any way to have that information. So, if we go forward and we have

123more room and we want to think about going back into the school choice program that we have that information um at our fingertips. Um, and now is the time, um, especially with, uh, Nancy who's been in the district for a long term and, um, has seen us with, uh, the school choice program, has seen us without the school, uh, choice program. I think this is, uh, the right time to get that information. All right, Kim, I'd like to learn more about um, the pros and cons as well. Um, and just Randy, what you ended with, now is the right time. Um, might we say that maybe July is the right time? Um, if if we could let the administration know that we're not asking them to start on it right now. Um, because they sort

124of have their hands full. Sorry. Uh, yes, now is is the time is in this coming fiscal year. Perfect. Thank you. Yes. And we can bring this like all of most of the topics we've talked about tonight. this will come up on another meeting to be discussed and give them time to prepare it. I don't think it takes a formal vote to ask because it's not related to the budget. Um just telling um Superintendent Morgan that we would like a report for this to come back to us is I think suffice. Is that correct everyone's understanding? Yes. All right. Any more discussions about school choice? I'll work with Brad and his team to bring this back and when he has his information as in multiple times that I'm sure when Brad finishes the report too,

125he will send it out for everybody to look at and if anybody has questions or wants more information added. All right. Now we are on to retirement of facilities. Uh so the retirement of facilities uh closing study is again something that I asked to be on the agenda last year. Um with the way that the budget unfolded um with the speed of which we needed to try and fix that budget. We did violate our own policy of FCB which is the retirement of facilities. We did not vote to suspend it. Um, being that we have um from the MSBA a one-year pause so that we can work out the details that we couldn't last year, I'd like to um recommend that we have the um superintendent follow uh the retirement of facilities and do a

126closing study um for the district to get us the information um that we need to make those decisions and um has some substantiation uh for what we're planning to do. Now, with the study, Randy, are you thinking a complete study, like an architectural study like of the It's not an architectural study. Uh, let me bring the policy up. One second. It's FCB. Yep. I have it up. And so, I'm just because people have different definitions of study. And so, that's where I want to make sure. So it says a closing study will include direct involvement by those uh towns considered in the study and will be concerned uh with all or some of the following factors. Age and current physical condition of the facilities, its operating systems and program facilities. We have all of that

127information. I just looking for some of this just to be put in one place. Um adequacy of the site, location, access, surrounding development, traffic patterns, and other environmental conditions. Again, doesn't have to have all of these. um uh reassignment of the children including alternative plans according to committee policy uh transportation factors including numbers of children's bus uh distance and safety alternative uses of the of the building and then the cost and savings for personnel plant operations transportation capital investment alternative use and continuity of instruction and community programs a lot of the stuff was already talked about um but it's here there nothing's in one place I'd like to an actual study document. Um the the policy also talks about um getting feedback from the towns and the communities. Uh Brad has his hand. Brad, thank

128you. Um and and this is something that we've already started um started to um put together into a single document. I I do I I do want to let the committee know that um you know obviously um you know policies are important to be followed. Um I I can't say that at any point um that we felt we were in violation of a policy um because this policy along with at least two others will either have to be suspended or addressed because of um essentially the consolidation of the schools. Uh tonight we talked about school assignment. Um knowing that that policy would be in violation, our class size policy is absolutely going to have to be looked at in the fall. Um the retirement of the facilities. Um I'm I'm not convinced that it's a

129retirement at this point where we have a one-year stay from the MSBA. Um but there may be other policies that we have to look at as well as as far as what the actual um fallout is going to be from the consolidation. Um so I do want to put that out there that these are all things that we are going to have to address in in the coming um weeks and months. Um but it wasn't anything that we felt as though that we were purposely violating. It was the finances of the situation that forced us into the situation that we're in now. Any questions? And again, I don't think this one takes a formal vote. Um, it's something that Superintendent Morgan has said they are working on and will again put out information and if

130and when he gets the information built if there's more that the committee is looking for, of course, it can be added. Is that correct? Yes. I mean, this is something that we're going to have to share with the committee. We're also going to have to share it eventually with the MSBA when we um make decisions around the direction for FY27. Yes. Um Madam Chair, I think, you know, as one committee member, I think that we would be um limiting the imagination of both the administration and the communities if we um were too rigid at this point. I think that um everyone has done a really good job of taking um a very tense situation and taking a breath and giving some flexibility to um pause and unoccupy for a bit to try to find a

131long-term solution. So um hopefully the that hopefully there'll be a solution, right? Let's stay optimistic um that a report on a closure isn't it, you know, long term isn't going to happen. let's stay that positive. Um and and let the administration um you know turn over every rock that they possibly can to try to see what might be possible in the future. Um I'd rather have the time you know all the elements of what's in that policy are happening. It's the only way that good solutions can be reached and that the innovation that is needed to work through the situation can be had. I don't want to distract them from creating a really big formal report right now. Um maybe that's something that they can keep in the back of their minds and know that

132maybe January, February time frame of next year, you know, that if we have pieces coming together. Um I just think it's so dynamic of a situation that we could be asking them to put a lot of time into something that they don't need right now. Um, and I hope that everyone can just kind of bear with um the administration as they are trying to do what they can. Yes. All right, Randy. Yeah, Kim, I probably should have learned from the last uh report that I asked for. I wasn't trying to ask for the report right now. Um, my personal view of this policy is it's a precursor. Um, so a lot of the things that it's asking to be done in here is supposed to aid in the decision uh for what this um the

133superintendent is looking to do and to aid him to find those solutions and then have a report to bring to the school committee so that we have a full understanding of the situation of why decisions got made and we have it documented. Yeah. No, and I and I agree with you wholeheartedly. Um, I just wouldn't want anyone to read minutes and say, "Oh, they decided this um in May and hey, where's that report in June?" I don't want I don't want your good thoughts and intentions for planning purposes to be like, I will try this. I will try and keep that in mind and have some uh time frames. Um, but what I would say is the report at the at the time that we have to make a final decision um would be a

134time that that report would be um indicated to be presented to us. I agree with you 100% on that because there is a lot of moving parts that are happening in the district. So we need to allow administration and ourselves some grace as well. We are humans and yes, we have I also know there's 20 other people um that are watching now and others might watch it and just hear that little snippet and I don't want anyone's expectation to be like, "Oh, we're going to get this right now." There's a lot of moving pieces um and and everyone is trying really hard um to find a long-term solution. Yes. All right. So Brad, you will work on the report and yes, give us updates when you can give us updates and yes for us to

135know. All right, moving on. Me get back the agenda. Yes. Uh oh, you're next, Randy. So borrowing Sorry, I was on mute and I tried talking. That's okay. Um, borrowing in anticipation of revenue. This is something that I had meant uh for uh Nancy to answer. Um, in the past we have always at the organizational meeting had a vote uh just uh to vote in with specific language on borrowing in anticipation of revenue. This is not something that we have needed to use in a number of years. last year um we had voted in I think the second meeting because it wasn't on the organizational meeting and we decided just in case that we would vote it in um I have spoken with Nancy a little bit um and again she doesn't see this being

136something that we need this the way that the money comes in these days of the timing of it. Um, so we kind of left it with Nancy and Nancy, correct me if I'm wrong, that we can always vote this in if we see something coming down the the road that we're going to need to have it. Yeah, I was trying to simplify and um it it it wouldn't hurt to vote it, but it also is fine to vote it once we need it. We used to get uh payments quarterly from the state and now we re we really get them monthly, so it's the cash flow is much less of an issue. No, I'm fine with taking no action on this right now. All right. So, we are not taking action on borrowing in anticipation

137of revenue. All right. Now, old business. Now, we are on to subcommittee reports. And I know that I put Kim you on this one um for finance, but I think that was we were hoping that the state may have some answers for us and they do not yet. They're still debating and I think this week the Senate is moving to vote on it and then goes through its process with the governor and the other subcommittees before it gets signed by the governor. And I mean I would say this is not um a formal report as it is a formal plea related to the report is that all of us as school committee members, everyone that is on the call tonight, we need to continue to reach out. Um um no vote means there's still time

138for us to continue to put this pressure on. um you know, people have short memories and while there's been a lot of um advocacy, we don't want someone else to be advocating for someone else in the next few days and have us sort of lose that momentum. So, just because things were going well, we just want to keep on it. Um continue to spread the word and get those calls out and call the senators that you don't know rather than the ones that are in our district. All right. Thank you, Kim. Warrant, Alexander, you signed the warrants? Yeah. Yep. And you're good with that? All right. I'm good with it. I looked him over. Didn't see I mean, it's my first time. Didn't see anything weird. So, yeah. All right. That's all that report. I

139signed them. Okay. Thank you. Um, for Ashby, we're on to our outreach and liaison. Carrie, anything from that? No. Um, no. I did meet with Dave Na um two weeks ago. Sorry, it's been kind of a just kept getting my bearings from last week. It was a little crazy. Um, and we just just kind of got to know each other, me, Dave, and Mary Dy. So, it was just like an informational kind of get to know each other kind of thing. But we are in close contact so we do have a relationship where we can go back and forth and talk about things. So Okay, that's good. Thank you. Uh Pil, uh I have not I think we when did we last meet? I have talked with some of the selectmen. I mean, I've talked

140with Chuck and how he Chuck Wakovich and how he advocated and testified in front of the Senate along with um Superintendent Morgan. They testified last week in front of the Senate um for the proposal for FY26. And that's all the update I have from Pepper at this time. Anyone from Townsen have an update? Uh the only thing that I have is um as we mentioned earlier, I um briefly spoke with Valerie um from the Towns and Select Board about the meetings um just to know where we stand with that. Um I also had a brief conversation with Laura Shiffren um about just uh trying to learn about what uh the town of Townsen is looking uh like next year. Um, and just got some information about that, but nothing uh necessarily to report yet. Thank

141you, Kenan. All right. And thank you, Carrie, as well. All right. I think I can take a motion for the executive session. And we'll move to an executive session. I move that the school committee uh meet in executive uh session pursuant to MGL chapter 30A section 21A for the following purpose. Purpose two, to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-UN personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-UN personnel, assistant superintendent, principles, assistant principles, and purpose three to discuss strategy with respect to and in preparation for collective bargaining with the North Mil Sex Regional School District Teachers Association because an open discussion may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the committee. I second that. It was Randy making the motion and Lisa seconding. Um, Keenan, yes. Kim,

142yes. Lisa Bloom, yes. Carrie, yes. Alexander, yes. Randy, yes. Dill Twig, yes. Patrick M. Yes. And myself is Yes. All right. Anyone Did you read both? You read both of them, right, Randy? Yeah. The two the purpose two and purpose three. Yes. All right. But you do need to mention that we will not read will not be Yep. That's where I was moving to next. The committee will not be reconvening in open session. All right, we I will see you guys on the other side. All right.