001looking for was Pioneer. So, I think I think they have Pioneers budget. That'd be the Abrams group. I haven't heard back. Uh Mark thought Matt had it and was working on it, but uh I just got back a day two days ago and I had worked most of the days when I was down with my grandchildren and I felt bad. So, I actually spent the last two days with him actually doing something. >> You're allowed. >> I'm too loud. >> You're allowed to. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. My daughter was a little That was the only way. I was kind of glad in a way because I I don't know if I could have got all this stuff done if I was just home. There was just too many things. So, I just set up
002there and played cards, went out to the water for a while, and came back. I I kept fitting it in. >> Okay. >> I called I even called David. >> We We're We're good with We're good with a quorum. >> We are >> super. >> Yes. >> Three, four, five, six, seven. Michelle just joined us. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. Give me one second. I had a box of uh pens, old pens. I went through six of them. None of them wrote, so I'll be throwing them away. All right, let's call the meeting to order at 6:35. And we do have a quorum. We have eight members here right now. And so I'll do a quick roll call vote. Greg Senator, Greg, >> yes. And Allan is here. Alan Genevies and Dinda Bellup
003>> here. >> And Karen O'Neal. >> Yes. Here. >> And Deb Pay >> here. >> Thanks, Deb. >> And Steve Richtor. >> I'm here. >> Hey, did you have a good trip? >> I did. It was beautiful. >> Good. R I C T E R. And then Michelle >> here. I'm in my car, just so you know, heading home. I'm leaving another meeting. So, >> Oh, thank you for joining us. It allows us to have a I don't know what's going to happen when you lose signal. You might lose signal for a bit, but we'll continue on and pick it up when you come back on. As long as no one challenges it. >> Um, all right. So, Greg, I was trying to look at the uh So, this meeting is being remote. We're recording
004it. Oh, are you recording it? Please tell me you were. >> It's being recorded. >> All right. So, the meeting is being recorded and we will um people have access to it. The uh the agenda was posted accordingly. And I don't see anyone on the public here right now. We don't have reporters either. That's interesting. Chris Larabe is no longer with the recording, I believe. Yeah. and he's going to be I think his replacement started and I think it's a female and she's just getting her feet wet. Um, >> uh, great. Were there minutes? I didn't see any. >> Uh, not not yet. Although the the AI is helping, so I should be able to uh get some of those uh done fairly quickly. >> All right. So, I just put July 15th. I thought
005Did we have July one? Because I wasn't sure. I thought we did. >> No, there's no minutes at this point. I would just >> But did you do July one? Did we do those last time? >> I can't remember. I don't think so. >> Okay. I thought we did them, but Okay. So they might be July 1, July 15th, and then this meeting. Um so let's go through the quick updates. So we had a meeting with Desessie um last week. It was Greg and I, Christine Lynch, U Michelle Griffin, and um Jay Barry. Greg, you want to do a quick review because I'm going to be doing a lot of talking here and I'm going to try to move along quickly. So just sort of an update on what that's about. Well, I they we
006went through the uh the regional agreement that they had questions which we answered and we clarified some sections. Uh I think that the main focus was on the school closing and you know how that would play out. they they had questions regarding the um how the the baseline would be calculated in terms of let's say they you know we gave it an example like if Gil it was voted by the the school committee to be closed then what would that look like in terms of establishing a baseline and what the what what's included in terms of the operating costs you know is it schedule three uh or section three or is it you know something else? Um we talked a little bit about transportation if that should or should not be in included that seemed
007like it was very complicated to include that as a part of the operating cost. So that was that was separated out. Um but things like uh you know instruction instructional cost was included. Um you know the added cost of of keeping your principal and administration. Um and even you know looking at insurance the added cost of uh the increases in insurance and and uh you know u retirement liabilities. So that's being updated. All right. So, let me just um recap that. So, schedule three, those of you that are aware or not aware, that basically is all employee uh costs, instructional costs, employee costs. Um then outside of that, there are additional costs like transportation uh which you might figure out on a uh a percentage or something like that. So where we left it is
008we are focusing on and and Jay is meeting with which he hasn't I talked to him today but he's arranging a meeting with Steve and Mac to pretty much go back and use schedule three. They had gotten away with it and tried a few other things but that's what we originally had there. So do schedule three and then look at um what additional costs may be added to that and then there'll be a meeting um to uh to resolve that. I asked Jay, I said, "We really need to be moving this along." And I asked him to uh see if he could join us uh be a part of our um August 26 meeting so that we can go through the whole RA on and look at any suggestions or anything that was in question
009by Desi or or that was flagged and we need to have a conversation about, we can make those amendments. I think that's going to be fairly quick and then go back and see how we're handling this um this uh uh school closure. Desi has moved I think a lot off this time. I I remember years ago it was like oh that's the school committee authority and that's the end of it. There they don't take that position at all. I think they understand uh the importance of uh school being in this community um and that um there needs to be a a thorough process and that uh so uh and even where a number of people from the community participate uh uh extensively in that process. So um so that that will probably be the juggernaut
010that we need to make our way through. The other things I think will go pretty quickly. Anything else on that? Um, Greg, >> no, I think that's that covered that covered it all. >> Okay. And then, um, let me just jump down for a minute to Jay. So, I have been tasked to do a long range plan. >> Hey, Alan Da has her hand up. >> Where is that? Oh, there she is. Hi. >> Yeah. So, you're saying we would have something potentially by by the 26th? Is that what they're saying? like I don't know what their turnaround is for edits and then um you know discussing those edits. I'm just sort of I think you know the towns are waiting so you know as long as we're communicating this to the select boards that
011are sort of waiting for us otherwise you know I don't want to show up in September and say hey because I think I think we're still lacking visibility um which is frustrating people. >> Yeah. So, I kind of, you know, pushed the envelope today and just said, "We need we we need to get all these out of the way on the 26th. If there's one outstanding piece, that's fine, but we want to get this out to folks and and we might even if we have to get it out to folks and working on this if we haven't resolved it." But I I kind of let them know um the clock is ticking and they need to they need to get back to us. This is the probably the single most important thing that we need
012to get out. The other thing we need to have the answers to that uh prior to town meeting we're doing forms and stuff but but this is the critical one and the assessments Mark and uh Matt know that's the other critical one we need sooner than later >> and Montigue wise you know we can't vote unless we have a quorum so we need you know as advanced notice as possible to set that date in November or else we just can't vote. Um uh so is there is there anyone that can look at a date in November and start looking at towns and see if like with the town manager uh I should know it's Welter would he be able to maybe talk to some folks and find out maybe two two dates that would be
013good and uh and then maybe talk to the other town coordinators to talk to their boards and see what they can they can come up with. That'd be really helpful to >> Yeah, if we're confirming that we are going to be ready for November then um or even have the rough timeline then yeah, I reach out to Walter. >> Yeah, let's let's see what you can come up with with Walter on a on a potential and then and then we can firm that up as we get information. Thank you. that's so helpful. And then just give me a call uh if there are different ideas bouncing around and and I can help out. Um Deb had Deb, I'm going to refer to you just for a second because this is this is um two issues
014she brought up. One of them was that she feels it was very and I'm putting words I hope I'm not putting words in your mouth. Um, if I understood her correctly, she felt it was probably uh pretty important to have some kind of child care for uh the town meeting so that you know people could attend. Did that come from you, Deb? Was that your or no? And then someone else said, "It really should be on a Saturday. Carve it out. Do it on a Saturday and get it done." >> Oh, yeah. That both both of those were suggestions with the parents. I met with three parents, four parents, um, three all together and then one separately and they all said be so great if we're on a Saturday and it'd be so great if
015there were child care. And the parents I met with have had little kids. So, um, for them, I think 7 o'clock is a terrible time. Only one parent of if they were a couple, only one could come for a town vote. And that's why Saturday would be better so that both parents could vote. But that was, you know, that's obviously it's a tiny slice of of citizenship in our four towns or I don't know how many towns we have left in the six town meeting, but planning board, but that's that's what they all said because that's because they have little children. But they were pretty passionate about wanting different a Saturday and andor child care. Um, so I guess if it were on a Saturday, they would definitely want child care. And if it's going
016to be on an evening night at 7, perhaps no child care, but only one could come because their kids would be heading to bed like by 8 and they wouldn't they would not come. >> All right. So that's something I'll make a note that we got to see if we get some folks in each town to provide child care and see if we can get someone to pick that ball up. Now the other question when I was at Mohawk um I had nine town meetings half of them were on Saturday so I would bounce around to them. I wasn't a fan of that but um I do they did have child care and uh some of the meetings went all day. It was ridiculous. But where this is a really focused it's it's about kids.
017It's about our education. Um and I'm hoping that all you know the seniors and the people without kids but grandkids or whatever I hope is so I'm I'm a minimal to Saturday. Uh and if that's something we're looking at then DNA should probably know that if the few people that are here want to give that a shot. Karen, do you have any thoughts as we move around? I'm gonna ask you, David. I'm gonna ask everybody to try to get a sense of >> about >> having a town meeting on Saturday. >> On a Saturday. I know that in Leiden we went to that for a while and then we went back. >> So, this will be a special focused on the school. >> David, you're usually not a fan of Saturdays, but maybe it's because
018it's a school. Maybe this is an exception as a special. Your thoughts, David? >> Well, it certainly wouldn't be traditional. It might get uh interpreted as trying to stack the deck. Um but it's a select board decision. >> All right. So, someone will be contacting to have that conversation. >> I I I just want to say I don't I don't understand the stacking of the deck. I think it would mean it would be an opportunity for people who actually have an invested interest in the schools for us to make that effort for them on a Saturday. I I see that as like being very thoughtful about who actually will be affected by this and that would be people with children in the schools. >> All right, Steve, thank you both. Yeah, I I mean I
019think Saturday Saturdays would be fine. We did have a few town meetings up in Leiden on Saturdays. Um I have to say special town meetings have the last few that I've been to, you know, there they end up with about 30 people there, you know. So, um I think uh doing it on a Saturday, opening it up so that uh more people can get there and not being late at night because I don't think it's going to be go well. There might be some controversy doing it. But I think um I think a Saturday would be would be an okay thing to do because I think it really is important to address um the needs of the young families in the area. you know, um, uh, our group has been kind of focused with people
020that are retired and kind of moving on, but I think we really need to have, um, younger people there, younger families, and to to have some, uh, child care there as well. I think it'd be great, you know. Okay, >> Michelle, last one, and then we'll go to the next one. Michelle, you still with us? If you are, we can't hear you. You're on mute. >> She's driving. She's driving. So, she's probably just listening right now. >> Yeah, she probably doesn't know she's on mute. >> Or she's driving through the dead zone in Leiden. >> Is that most of Leiden? >> You You mean Leiden, Karen, right? You mean Leiden itself is the dead zone. So, >> no, no, no, no, no, no. >> All right. So, uh that was A and B. I gave
021you an update on Desi. Hope I mean on Mars hopefully we we got to get them in here. We got to as uh Dinda pointed out we got to get this moving and get things in front of people. >> Alan, you need to move your mic or something. I can barely hear you. >> Put in front of your mouth. >> Is this a little better? >> I can hear it fine. >> Um is your volume up too, David? For me, >> I can hear everybody else better than you, Alan. Yeah, it is going in and out. >> Yeah, >> sometimes you're normal, sometimes quiet. >> Can you hear me now? >> Alan, can you hear me? >> I can hear. Yes, Michelle. >> Okay. Um, I think the Leiden Select Board would be okay with
022Saturday. Some of them still want to do Saturday, others don't. So, it's 5050. All right. Thank you, David. Is that any better? I don't know. My my daughter had to uh to play with my computer so I could have a conference call. I mean, a a meeting with Desi and I haven't been able to sort everything out. So, am I clear enough that you can just hear me? I'm just faint. >> If I talk talk louder and sound like I'm yelling at you, does that help? >> It's fine. It's fine. except just the microphone's not not very good. It gets a little garbled. >> The baseline was fine, but then sometimes you would fade away and I think that may have been not speaking directly into the mic. >> Thank you. All right, just give
023me a thumbs down if that happens again and I'll see if I can adjust. Um, all right. The Abraham Scoop, uh, as far as I understand in my conversation the beginning of last week, um, they have what they need and they're moving forward. I re reached out a couple times and I don't know, they may be on vacation. Um, so I'm going to ask them as well to uh maybe have our first week in September uh if we can do that for them to present their assessment so we can decide if it changes from what we had originally done. So that is another potential item. If we can get those two done, I would be pretty happy. Um, the Odyssey, I think I had mentioned, I did mention on camera, um, Odyssey is waiting for
024information from, um, Pioneer on all their methodology and what goes into the whole mix. that includes their determination of the liability and that includes uh Wick because that's all figured with Wick and Wick receives an assessment for that amount but it's all under that one umbrella. Um Jake is focusing other wine. Uh we had a meeting. It was a really good meeting. Uh it was a he need he was asking for feedback. He wanted to um share what his plan was on on rolling this or how to how to uh organize it um and what was important. We had uh Darrena, Bill, myself, Michelle, and Greg. I miss anyone. And Jake. And so it was more or less a conversation of of how it should be organized and what was important. And so, Greg, can
025you anything I'm missing on that? So, we're waiting for him to put it together. Go ahead. >> No, I wasn't there, Alan. >> Oh, >> I had to miss that one. All right, Danda, did I miss someone else that was I'm thinking I did. Oh, Deb Loomer. Yeah. And Deb Loomer joined us. Deb Pate, did you join us? >> The the meeting Jake. >> Yeah, you did, didn't you? >> Yeah, I was there. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay, there we go. We had a We had a It was It was a really good meeting. Lots of questions. And uh I think when it was done, he said he's got pretty good direction now of what to do. He's got a lot coming up in September. So he's focusing out now on uh doing this uh this
026uh media presentation. So we'll have him join us sooner than later to go over the whole thing with us, see what he needs to do, if anything, you know, to tighten it up that uh per your uh review and comments and then we'll get that out um ASAP. Yeah, Alan, we uh uh BJ Jacques did email him uh like within the last few hours with a number of suggestions that were were actually very good. So, um he did respond to her and uh said that, you know, he was he was very appreciative of the suggestions because I think she has a marketing background. She's she you know she was great in the meeting that we had uh with the three towns and uh so yeah the >> why so while you're on that Greg why
027don't you just cover I since you presented to the three towns >> oh yeah that went very well I um you know I I spent about an hour and a half with you know members of the select boards and fincoms from Leiden Bernard and Northfield field and uh basically explained where we were and and what the process was going to be in the next few months. Um and then kind of went back over the history of why we formed and and why we came to the conclusions that we did. Um and uh you know I it it it was a very good meeting. They asked a lot of really good questions. Um you know I I was very happy with the way it it uh ended. It seemed like everybody was very um uh appreciative
028and and feeling like they they had been informed. Um we even had uh you know an employee from the district who sort of corroborated some of the things that we you know we have found in declining enrollments and so it was it was all very good. I think everybody felt good about it. They're looking forward to a followup as soon as we have more information. >> Yeah, I had some um feedback from some people in that meeting. >> Um >> uh and uh yeah, very uh very positive Greg. Um people were very pleased and kind of excited about it. >> Good. >> And Bjac, very smart woman. >> Yes, she she recommended Great River. That was her suggestion. Nice. I also received positive feedback too, Greg. >> Good. That's great. >> I heard it was
029good. I wish I could have been there, but I was at a school committee meeting many >> priorities. Priorities. >> Yep. >> I did get a uh I got an email copied on one from Jane Dutcher and she was really appreciative. She felt she got a lot of feedback. It was a productive meeting. she felt really good about it and she was getting positive feedback was and I I think it it ended with something that um you know they're they're very sincere in their support of the work that we're doing. So, um, all right. So, there is that one. We're just burning right through these. The Murphy S. Tumi and Leen, that's Kevin Brazahan. Um, he was just looking for one more piece of information from Oh, wait a minute. Wrong one. He's doing the
030uh warrant article language and the legislative language and he had a couple of questions. I had a conference call with him last week as well and he had some suggestions of other things he may have to look into. So he asked uh Greg to send the two regional agreements that we have Pioneer and Gil Monagu did you sent those off right? And then he wanted uh ours as well. So he wanted to look at those as he is uh trying to pull that together. And um so if we can that we can make that a lighter load for for him. There may be a couple of other things we may have to ask him to do to get us prepared. Um the So that's that the Kasmascus or Travel Cuz Bus Company who is basically
031the bus company all the way up on the side of the bus. Uh we reached out to them and uh the new ownership was very interested in the works that we're doing. They were not aware of the transfinder reports. So, uh those they were um pointed to the direction they did find one and I they may have found the second one. So, they're they're revisiting that to see um how that would shake out. I I told them that the first one that we received really wasn't that useful and it was seemed to be inflated for both times and and uh expense. And then we had a second one done and that was that whole concept of when you're bringing middle schools over and high schools over um the that there was a transition bus and
032they could switch and and cut the rest of that ride down. And so they were u looking at their that other the second report where that would happen if that is still the same location. So that's I feel like there's so many balls in the air right now, but that's another one that's up and I expect to hear back from them. Karen, >> yeah. Has anybody looked at start times again or are we going to assume that uh the secondary school starts a little after 7 a.m.? >> Um I don't think it would be that late, but Karen, uh thank you >> that early. I mean early. Not early. >> Yeah. I I don't I'm glad you brought that up because there was in this conversation with them there, you know, I I brought up
033these bell schedules and what would that look like for elementary and secondary and so forth >> and then they brought something up that I said, "No, that's uh that's that's that's not a go as far as I was concerned." So, I guess I was talking as an educator. Their concept was, "Well, we could cut off time and do it this way." And this way was they would have a split schedule. And I said, "That's not acceptable." Meaning, one of the schools, it would be the high school, would start on time with a majority of kids and they so they would get the first period in and then the other kids that came in would be starting, you know, basically the second period. And um I said, "No, that's that kind of defeats the whole purpose
034or one of the major things we're trying to do. We want to keep those options equal and available for uh for all the kids and when they're looking at their schedules. And I I was I said I'm speaking on my solely as a you know not with the blessing of the planning board, but I think if I had a conversation with them, they would agree that they want all the high school kids in the building when school starts. So go on that premise and and let me see what that looks like. So that's as far as I got with them. They're looking at it. >> Hey Alan, Allan. Um I mean the big difference between the first study and the second study was that Cosmascus actually took charge of the second one. The first oneinder
035did it and it you know they had very little input I think from uh from Cosmascus. So um >> correct. >> So that that was the big difference. You're absolutely right and I pointed that out because you have a person that the good news is well there's three three pieces I thought was good were good. One of them is um and David knows this as our town coordinator that uh we had the all these bus routes were put out with a common bid through Furcog and they um so they basically negotiated uh like it was one big contract for all for the bus companies and then the districts sort of it was like a menu could pick and choose the pieces and so the good news is is that the parameters in term of let's
036say the escalation clause or the adjustment in in um uh the mileage all those things was put out in a broad contract. So in negotiating a new contract with a new district um the majority of those pieces are in place. The the um the other thing is Reed can't think of his first name but uh he happens to be in charge of all three of our districts. So, he's familiar with Woolwick, familiar with um Gil, Monagu, and Pioneer. So, I thought, well, that's really good. At least we have someone that's dealing with our three districts. So, I'm really interested in seeing what they come up with. And so, when we do, it'll be shared because that'll be a question people will have as well. Um, and David, I meant to ask you, and I'll talk
037to you later, that I I I don't know if we got as a select board if we got a copy of the this Furcog contract with this bus stuff, but we'll talk later because I I think I'd like to take a look at that to see how that might play out with what we're doing. >> I'm sure we got it. I I mean we felt fortunate that we got a legal opinion that the way that it was procured we as a new district could just jump in. I think the rationale was we were a member community of pioneer and so we're effectively included in the bid. So so we got that day same day rate that the other towns did without going back out. >> I forgot about that. Yeah. Thank you. um long range
038plan. So that was ah I got to tell you that was very um unusual. We gave it to Desi as a as a rough draft asking what I was looking for mainly that was last Thursday. they haven't had a chance really to view it, but I really wanted them to see it to get an idea of what's missing. What what is there anything in it that you want to see in it or um or that you want us to embellish or talk more about? When I told her about the process as a superintendent and and having a fire variety of people and working on it seven or eight months, um and I said, "You're asking it, you know, in a couple weeks." You know, she just said, "Allan, you're a superintendent. We got a new
039superintendent coming in. He's not not superintendent, commissioner. He uh is not familiar with Massachusetts." So, ask yourself, what would you want to know if you were the commissioner and you were reading this report to understand regional school districts and what this was about? So, I said, "Okay." Um, I it's not how I usually approach it, but I will do that. And um you'll notice when you read it that I don't think Greg you had an opportunity to put in all the links. So I added you know click here look here for more information with the hopes being that she wanted it you know how do you do a long range plan with 8 to 12 pages. So, um, to sort of get around that, uh, there were comments about a section of where we were
040and then the link is going to be attached to the end of that and if the commissioner or whoever wants to learn more about it, they can click on that and look at all the detail for um, you know, for what Mars did or Mary brought it and so I'm pretty sure I'm pretty sure I put in all the links already. So just >> yeah before I sent it off to Jesse. >> Okay. Because I added more on Thursday night. >> Well then then probably not because you sent you asked me to send it to him on Wednesday before the meeting. >> Right. Right. So I added more as I was reviewing it. So just look again. >> So is long range plan the same as educational plan? Um, that's a great question, David. I
041was trying to discern what it is. Uh, because you and I and all of us know what was itund something pages on our educational plan. >> Three or 400. >> Yeah. And, um, yeah, it was it was we had like 40 people working on it. >> We wouldn't go away. That was the bottom line. >> Yeah. Michelle and and uh the same people you met with were just back and forth and back and forth and we answered every objection they had at great length back and forth back and forth and then tied it all together. Um, at the other extreme, I we didn't have a lot of uh cases where I mean I I don't think there's but one where a community left the regional district. That was Worthington and their plan was three pages.
042>> Yeah. >> Which is almost harder to do than 300. >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. Oh yeah. So David, I'm glad you brought that up. So here's how I approached it. What was basing my conversation on Michelle and and uh and uh Christine, here's what my takeaway was and this is how I wrote it. What's the vision for the district? You know, what what are you what are you trying to do? Well, we're trying to have um you know, the enrollment uh such that there's more opportunities for kids. Um what have you done to back up that? Well, that's all the people that we engaged in over the last five years to do that work and and to give us that information. And then what are the next steps going forward? So, that was those
043were the three major things that they were looking at. There's one other piece I don't have yet that I'm just starting to work on. Now, um one of them is I've got to come up with a budget. They were very interested because I was talking about this is going to require money and uh we need to support the state desi legislators to if we're you know if this is voted uh we we need to be able to take care of part-time superintendent might be a stipen on an existing one or someone coming in business administrator special ed administrator those three pieces possibly uh human resource we need money for negotiations we have a number of collective baring agreements that we have to do. Um, and so there's going to be substantial for, you know, for
044legal fee. So she, they were very interested said, you know, we don't we don't have that. And I I'm not sure Jake actually got to that point. I'm going to have another call to him. So I plan on putting together a pretty hefty list of all the things, including I said, uh, we need money for teachers. I said, 'If we're going to if we want this to really work, we need to bring all the teachers together to um to have conversations and to develop a curriculum that they that they uh all can, you know, buy into. That means we need to pay him a stipen. You know, they're not going to and they shouldn't be asked to be doing this, you know, on their own. So, um, so I made a list of of what
045the money, why we need money, and and I haven't nailed down how much each one of those cost. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. Alan, I just Allan, I just want to just interject that all the links are in. I just double checked the live document. Your last your last edit was on 12 o'clock on on Thursday, not in the evening. So, >> okay. >> Check the history of it. So, you're everything's in there. Thank you Jared. >> I I have a question about the section. Can I ask about the section that's programming curriculum and transition? >> Sure. >> Uh the bold part above the two missions. >> Yes. >> If you click on the links, those are not the missions as they are written on the links. Um, for instance, for Gil Monagu, there's
046only a ones sentence mission and that is the first thing that whoever wrote this put, but then they added some other things. And as far as Pioneer, you didn't mention heterogeneous grouping, which has been the heart of the curriculum for Pioneer for 30, 40 years. So, I think and and you've heard me harp on this before. It needs to be here. Okay. >> Hey, so would you mind Karen writing me a little blurb about that and I can insert it. What I did do is this. I went to the website. >> Yes. >> And I pulled off the website uh exactly what they had at the beginning for both districts. Then I had to read that and and and I think I tried to make it um obvious by going dot dot dot dot dot
047and sort of paraphrased. So you're right what what I thought the other piece was saying. I don't see heterogeneous in any of their documents. If you have it and you know it's on either in their mission or vision, please get me that. >> Get me that. >> It's it's right in the mission on the link that you have there. All right. Uh, should I cut it off or? >> Yes. >> Okay, I'll put the whole thing. >> You joined a couple of sentences and you left it out of that sentence. You joined. >> Greg, can you go on the website and do that for me? You disappeared. Is he gone? >> I think we scared him away. >> Oh, no. It says in a heterogeneous setting and it left out collaborating too. Two very important
048things. >> Great. Can you just grab that link after and put that in there? >> And then I'll copy and paste it. Yeah. >> Yeah. And then Karen, the hardest part now was trying to um take that because I want you know what's the vision of the district. >> Yeah. So I took my best stab at that and then made it very clear that in order to have buyin, you know, from the status part what I'm talking about for the collaboration and for paying people siteman sitements, they need to come up with one for this new district. I'm just doing one to fulfill Desi's >> ask. Give us something >> that that is a direction so they can see. So, um, that was my best guess at looking at both and and making something up
049that I thought, >> uh, represented a a little from each. >> Uh, what I find when comparing what you did in joining them is that some of the words are more generalized rather than specific. for instance um the issue of character I don't know but some some portions of what people would call character are in the pioneer mission like respect okay >> I thought respect was also in Gilman worded >> no no in the one you wrote Oh, put it together. >> It says respect to for diversity, but not instead of things like character, you can put respect for all like it says in the mission of pioneer. Universal respect is in their mission. >> Would you like to um I'm believe me I would like any help. Would you like to do some edits
050for me and get them over to Greg if he can insert them in? >> I I just find it very difficult to join those two now. And and earlier you had said this is going to be up to those other groups, >> right? I I know that you think that the commissioner or whoever reads this is going to want that, but they should well understand that that comes from the stakeholders, >> right? And so I made it clear. >> I thought I made it clear. You're asking for a vision. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> here here is here is some of the commonalities between the two districts and so here's a vision and of course this needs to be worked on by the staff. I thought that was pretty clear. So is it it's not final.
051It's a work in progress. Uh this is uh this is I think it would be I don't think it's going to be I think it's going to be a pretty easy smooth transition and I think they're going to have good conversations because we heard from staff they felt that you could have both heterogeneous and you get homogeneous. So I recall that at a meeting. >> Greg Greg I'm not making that up or am I Greg? Did you hear that as well? I I'm still looking for Monu's full mission statement. It seems like it's cut short on the uh >> I mean, yeah, the PVRSD is fine. I already I copied and pasted that into it, but uh I'm looking for the uh the Manu one, the full >> Greg. Yeah, Greg just pulled up I
052mean, not Greg, David just pulled up, uh I didn't see it all because it went away, but he pulled up uh Pioneers. Yeah. >> Um and they're committed to learning a learning environment. >> Um I thought I had that in there, but So, Karen, what would you like? Would you like this section redone? And you you want to u >> I No, I I'm sorry. I can't take that on right now. I've got to plan for a memorial service and things like that. So, >> do you want me to put in there somewhere along the line that it's very important that heterogeneous um opportunities or or whatever is is something that the staff uh discusses or something? I don't know what you we're looking for. I I think if you're trying to combine the two
053missions that yes, that has to be discussed by the stakeholders, not us, >> right? And so that's was made clear in there that that's something >> it was in a different section though. It wasn't in that paragraph. >> I can add something to that at the end. repeat it twice, but this is something that's important. It comes from the staff. >> Um I having my daughter go there um many years ago and I was telling her about class and class sizes. She was she couldn't I don't know what to say. She she was sad that it had become so small and talked about some of the opportunities that she had. I don't know with the number of teachers that are that have left those that are there what their training is >> that that how
054how do I say this and how if their classes are really meeting everyone's needs by by saying or having um heterogeneous classes because of some of the feedback that I've gotten from parents and from kids. So, I try to stay away from that and let let the educators figure that out when the time comes. Um, I understand the criticism and usually the critics that I heard from were the parents um who who had high aspirations for their kids. Not that the others did not, but really I would call them um I don't know the the the thing I heard most often is those other kids are holding my children back. But I never saw any evidence of that at all. We didn't teach to the middle. We had high expectations for everyone and even in
055my some some years I had classes as little as small as eight students and I didn't see a difference. So, let me just say this, Karen. You were trained. You received when we were at derailing the track school with Ever Masterson and and Kevin Courtourtney, there were teachers that were highly steeped professional teachers trained in in this uh multid-disciplinary approach and how to address that. >> I'm sorry, I don't see that kind of expertise that you've developed when you were there. What I hear is is that I'm taking my kid out and I'm going to this school because they can I feel that they can challenge more in this school. I hear that I put my kid into a charter school or or a school choice. And and again, I everyone has their opinion. You've
056got people that really like Pioneer for what it offers. You have other people that that they don't think it's meeting their needs. I'm trying to stay out of that that debate and because I feel both school districts are doing a really good job given the circumstances they have and the professionals are working really hard to make it work for them. The sustainability and the burnout factor and the pressure on staff and kids when you do that are real and and I feel that the best I could do because I'm not going to criticize either. They're working hard. I think I think by pulling those resources together with these different perspectives is going to offer more to our kids and they're going to have more opportunities and they're going to gain from the expertise of the
057pioneer teachers and the Gilman teachers and more in this case in my opinion is better. So um I'll see what I can do. I I want to add as somebody who has seen her daughter recently 2021 graduate um and also working at at a high school with shrinking population Greenfield High School. It is absolutely not okay that AP classes are combined with regular classes and that is what's happened at Pioneer and happened throughout the years that my daughter was there. So, I am not at all a fan of combining AP. AP classes are supposed to be separate out. Absolutely. It's like two completely different curriculums and there is no way there's appropriate teaching happening when you have an AP class of three kids in in a gened um literature class or history class or science
058class that my daughter participated in. So if there are AP classes, they have to be separated out. >> Yeah. And I guess Karen, I'm going to come to bat for you for I agree with what she's saying. I also think and this is what I'm hearing from the staff that that we do not want to track school. We don't want a guidance counselor like, "Oh, you can't take that. That's too hard for you." Okay? >> You know, we do not want that. So I'm very clear what we don't want. A kid could excel. I don't want to track. A kid could excel in math and can be in that class. maybe struggles a little bit, needs more help in English, and so there's a there's a class that will be more tailored for their needs.
059That's what we want for a to take the kids where they are and and challenge them and move them forward. And I think we can do this with this combined staff. >> And I also want to say again, having been in the current school system there, I I don't even know any schools in Franklin County that have a when I went to Mahar I went to Mahar, I graduated 1985. There was a low division, there was a middle division, and there was a high division. And that's the way I think all the high schools were. That does not happen anymore. There's usually a a gen ed, and then there's AP. At Greenville High School, they sometimes have advanced classes, like for kids who are advanced and there's no AP. So that would happen at the
0609th or 10th grade level. And those kids are going to go on to AP classes typically. And there I again I had a daughter who graduated from Pioneer. I met working at Greenfield High School and I can't think of a guidance teacher out there worth their salt who would look at a kid and say you're only going to be in in this class. I think all guidance um counselors work very hard to look at the individual student. And because these schools are so small, there is absolutely no way they're not catering to each kid. Sometimes there's a a kid who's taking AP math and they're in a gened literature class. So I I think for the most part because these populations are so small, there's no kid getting lost in the system. I think we
061have to have faith in what the teachers and the counselors, the guidance counselors who are working in these schools, I don't think are tracking kids below their capacity. I think they're always working really hard to elevate them. And I can tell you at Greenfield High School, they don't want kids to drop down or drop out of an AP class. They work incredibly hard to keep them there, okay? Because it looks bad for one thing. And they make sure they make every effort to support that student for success. So, I can't have this conversation because it pisses me off. >> I'm sorry if I pissed you off. I got no special training in what you would call heterogeneous grouping. I just saw it everywhere I was. And so I learned how to do it. And it,
062you know, you had the kid who just sat in the back and never participated in anything. And then you would see him at the 10-year reunion and he would say, "I was listening. I knew you cared and I have my own genetics research company now in Germany. You don't know what a kid is going through. And you know, it turned out that things at home were really, really bad when he was in that class. So, I don't know. So I think where I'm coming from and I tried to make this in the report is it we're going to leave it up to the professionals. >> Yes, I agree with that. But I I think to skip the fact that Pioneer has heterogeneous grouping in their mission and some of the teachers there I know practice
063it. uh they were my colleagues, but the new ones may have no idea. Just as you alluded to, >> teaching is a lifelong learning >> profession for sure. >> And Pioneer and Pioneer has that in they say that. So we'll go back and capture more we'll capture more of that. Okay, Karen, in that I'm fine with that. I I don't want to I'm trying not to mislead. I'm just trying to be inclusive as I could. All right. I mean I do have I do have a question though. Was Pioneer Wasn't Pioneer looking to go down the route of uh international balorate? >> No, not >> I thought they >> not since I was there or maybe I've only been off the school committee for what a year or so and I don't think so. Right,
064Michelle? >> Um no comment. >> No comment. >> Yeah. Well, I can only say this. I was at a meeting where we were doing with Julie Burke was there. We were doing a presentation. It was empty. >> Yeah. way back when Julie Burke was here as the as the uh chair >> and I was doing we were doing a presentation in the Pioneer Auditorium >> and the superintendent stood up and talked about um having this looking into a baloria program and what this was about which was interesting because Greg is intimately familiar with that has taught that and um >> well I've taught I've taught both international balorate and AP >> I'm very familiar and have been trained in both So, >> um, >> I was there at that meeting and that's exactly what the
065superintendent said. >> I I will just, you know, I my my only comment is that there's there's no sort of either or. >> No, >> there just really isn't. I mean you can you can say it was heterogeneous but you know when when you're teaching a class and you have you know for instance like in international balora you have a standard level and high level and they can be in the same class >> and it makes it challenging in some some respects because you have to basically be teaching two two different curriculums in the same classroom which is what I had to do. Um >> it you know it's and to your point Karen it can be it can be nice because it's inclusive and it brings in more voices. When you have low especially
066low enrolled classes you're sort of forced almost into those situations because you just don't have >> right >> sources to be able to teach. So um I I just don't think it's as much of an issue once you expand it out. I think teachers are going to gravitate to what they know and what they've been trained to do and they will often uh challenge students in a classroom uh where they're confined to all of them being in the classroom >> to giving them a a somewhat more challenging curriculum. And I mean, you know, it's it's just it's not cut and dry. So, that's just my comments. Um you know, I think we try to try to make sure that we're challenging all students. to Deb's point. >> Yeah. >> And that may be by offering
067different classes because that can that can be the a very good approach to doing it in some circumstances and in other circumstances it's you know the way IB is set up. They're very different curriculums. >> Yeah, they are. >> AP is very much very narrow focused and very deep whereas IB is very broad and very narrow. Well, I would hope with the with if the schools the district combines, I would really hope that they would be able to separate AP classes out from a non-AP class because yeah, >> it is impossible to do it well. It's just I it's not possible to do it well. Um, if you have >> larger enrolled schools can offer both. I mean, you look at uh >> you look at Stur Sturgis out on the Cape and they they
068offer both IB and and AP because they're big enough to be able to do it. And so it it you got students that gravitate to different sort of approaches to learning and that's fine. You can do it within a high school of, you know, over 300, right? I mean, you can you can set up your classes that way and you can have those different approaches. It doesn't have to be one or the other. >> So anyways, that's it. >> All right. But my point is a regular ed and AP or IB, whatever. But they I just I I can't even think about the possibility. If we combine this district and then we just put everyone in the one class, I would be out. >> No. When they get to a certain level, they get to
069choose their classes. And certain ones have reputations for what is involved because they know people who have taken the classes already and they know what they're signing up for. By the time you get to 10th, 11th, 12th grade, you can you can choose a lot your own. Another um critique I've heard of the smaller school is that you can't take two courses that are electives because they meet at the same time. I want to tell you that my brother, who went to a high school of 2,000 students, had to make a choice in his senior year between continuing with band and taking the fourth year of a foreign language. There are always going to be scheduling conflicts and by nature, kids want to take everything, >> right? >> I love that. I love that. >>
070So, let's have a system that minimizes that if that you know I think I think being being larger can do that. >> Yeah. >> So, let me let me say this because >> I would like to not have this I mean I gave you the overview of the purpose of why I was writing this. >> Yeah. Me being their perspective it's in flux. Um I would like to have even if it's by consensus uh vote so it's it's not oh this is what Alan Gene did. I want it clear that I had it you guys had it you reviewed it. You made comment so that I can I can say the planning board reviewed it and uh and and understands that that there will be changes to it but this is this is our our
071uh long range plan. I would have called it a vision but but that's that's what they're putting on it. So, >> yeah. >> Um, could I would it be okay to just take a quick vote on that so I could take this check this off that >> it wasn't >> Can I send you a couple of um >> please >> like um what am I going to say here? Uh there's some typo not typos but >> uh repeated words one after the other and that kind of thing. >> I would very much appreciate that. So, I'll make the edits. we'll we'll capture more of the the the mission that has heterogeneous in it so they see that that was a part of one of the districts and then we'll I'll just say um I'm going
072to add the new section of how much it will cost and then I'll wait for their input and see if there's anything else they want. Okay. >> I'll make a motion to accept the long range plan with those uh revisions and edits and whatnot. As long as there's >> I'll second that. >> No major major changes. >> Right. Big seconded by Karen. >> Uh, roll call. Any other discussion? >> Uh, Darrena, >> yes. >> Alan, yes. Karen, >> yes. >> David, >> yes. >> Steve, >> yes. >> Deborah, >> yes. >> Thank you. Uh, Michelle, >> yes. >> And Greg, >> yes. >> Okay. There was the We only have two other links in that get a calendar. Um, so Deb, you I know you had a gathering and and got some input from people
073and if you could share that. Did Did anyone else um have an opportunity yet? I have two names and two folks that I can do gatherings with. So that's where I'm at. Anyone else? So, the gathering was we're trying to get small groups together to hear basically to have a conversation about what we're what this is about and then listen to people and what they what their questions are, what their concerns are. >> I'm I'm getting together with a a few families from both Montyu and Gil. So, I've already set that up. Okay. But I also want to point out at the uh at the the three town meeting last week, they really strongly encouraged that we have uh town by town meetings. So informational sessions so we can we can sort of plan that.
074>> Oh, okay. Not by like one in the the district the three. >> No, by like opening it up to the town for towns people and ask questions. >> Leiden is Leiden is planning that. >> Great. >> Okay. And what we've tried to do is what we do for one, we try to do for everyone. And and we did that right through the thing. If we could get information from one district and not another, we a lot of times we just didn't do either, you know, just so that we always tried to have a pledge. Well, I I think I think at this point, Alan, we can just kind of kind of run them run the forum similar to what we did for the for the tritown leaders, which is just, you know, basically bring
075bring our uh short presentation, then really open it up for questions. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. So we'll um we'll coordinate that as well once we get the dates uh dire you know on a Saturday what what you think's possible then we can try to back into that to make sure that we have these in the in all the towns these uh town presentations. So Deb, did you want to share what you got for feedback? I don't know if you did with this. >> Well I I gotta go. So >> okay if if okay you wanted me to talk about the mailings. Yeah, go ahead. Let's do that and then we'll hit this other one later. >> Yeah, I did meet with people. I did share out I talked about it with um during
076that meeting with Jake. Um I don't know what else to say except that everyone should be making an effort. I if I the introvert can make an effort and seriously I met with Linda. She was great. I uh was I managed to meet with um three three parents of people I know I don't know these people at all. I sat down with them in the library. So, other people should step up. It can't just be Allan and Greg and me. >> So, I I challenge all of you to find at least one person who's got a child in the school and sit down and have a conversation with them. >> If I can write an article, I challenge everyone here to do something that puts us out there because I know I had a thousand
077people who read mine and >> su and I know I saw Greg's and Montigue recorder. We all have to do the work. All of us. So there's I'm sorry, but there's really kind of no excuse at this point. We have to just take a deep breath and do a little more work to >> Has anyone seen the the second article come out yet in the reporter? >> No, but I Okay, good. Thanks. >> Yeah, great. And it it does it does get people talking. Um, so I want to just say I called three of the >> five towns and thank you Michelle because you covered me for Leiden and Bernston which I'm grateful for sort of by accident because of your mailing. >> Everyone I spoke to um they were all very they all knew
078about it. They were interested in helping. Some of them can print labels. Um Adams does seem the best place to go. Um, everyone, all three towns people that I spoke to, um, at Gil and Northfield and Montigue, they gave me the numbers, um, the number of registered voters. They have the list. They can they can let us know who's on this list pretty easily. We just have to give them enough notice. it's gonna it will cost total thousands of dollars to do this. But they all of them agreed it was the best way to do it um to get to to to hit everybody and they recommended um I think one of them recommended doing it. I think it was Gil with their >> um the town newsletter um that the letter that we create
079could go out with the town newsletter and that would save some money. Yes. Um, and that's going again September. So, if we're able to write a one-page synopsis, which I think we can do from Allen's letter that he wrote, maybe just pair it down a little bit. Um, I thought that was good. And then also put some dates um or a date for Gil of where a meeting can be that someone's willing to go to to give a a talk or presentation. Um, uh, Northfield it probably cost they said about $1,200. Um, and again from Adams there 1,800 registered voters in Northfield. They're um 7,200 in Montigue. Um, they said they'd be willing to to they they usually stuff things themselves, but they could again give us the list and again they would be able
080to do labels for us, which was nice. Um, yeah, they they everyone was very supportive of those three towns. So, I mean, I can write it up what what I what I got from each one of them, but um I'm I'm happy to I don't want to say I want to spearhead this, but I think people from these respective towns, I mean, obviously I'll willing to do Northfield to land on a date. Uh, I don't want to do it by myself. So, if anyone wants to do it with me, you have to be enthusiastic about this this and just say I don't know when you don't know. But people are willing to to listen and um >> let me know let me know De you know what the date is >> for for Gil >>
081uh for Northfield even I mean >> oh yeah because that yeah that would be that would be great. Um, I do think Northfield Burns could be um could be a crowd of people who would be good not to be there alone. >> All right. Thanks, Debb. I appreciate so much. You're a you're a go-getter. You get stuff done. >> Well, much appreciated. >> I I just want to say I don't Well, the thing I worry the most is people standing up and going to a meeting or going to town saying, "I don't know anything about this >> and I don't want that to happen." Um there's no reason that they should not know about this, but it can't be because of us. It just can't be. We have to keep you even writing a letter
082to the editor. I I was hoping one of you would write a letter about my article just to put it out there just say totally agree with Deb Hot. I've been on this committee or I have a student. But nobody did. >> Not yet. >> It's just like well >> it's coming. >> The window is is closing. Like people are gonna be like what was that article? >> Yeah. I've been on I've been doing it on Facebook under the recorder uh Facebook page. I went back and forth with Mike Nton I don't know how many times and I you know I think I pretty much won that hit that debate with him. So >> you got at the end he was acknowledging that you know he agreed with me on everything and I was like
083okay well there there you go. So, >> well, you have to just all you have to do is just keep the feedback loop going, you know, in positive, constructive ways, not combative ways. >> Yeah. >> But people just need to know, especially if you're I can say I'm speaking to parents of children who are three and four and in the elementary school. Those are the people we have to keep focusing on, right? >> Not the alums, not the people who have strong feelings about we like it small and cozy. You have to focus on the future and you have to be able to say I've had conversations with with at least one person who feels this way, you know. >> Yeah. >> I'll have to try. >> I have had conversations with let's say it's
084a resistance group that I belong to. These are mostly older folks and that's what we have in Leiden. A lot of older folks. So, they have to hear what's going on, too. And I've just told them what I know and what I don't know at this point. But they didn't know anything about it. They just heard that it was going on. >> Well, then Karen and you need to spearhead a meeting at right in town hall and say, "I'm going to be here, you know, on these days. anyone who wants to come and hear about it. I I do think these intimate conversations, they are a springboard for other conversations. >> Yeah. >> And people could not have been more interested, you know, just didn't know anything about it. >> I know. But if you
085have to get the vote at a town meeting, you have to reach all demographics, too. >> Oh, I I don't disagree. But I guess my point is if you had a conversation with with a parent of of a future student, then you have more weight when you talk to somebody who's not of that demographic. Do you know what I mean? Like if I can say, "Oh, I've talked to three parents and they have these strong feelings about what they're what they would like in a high school." I can say that to um anyone who who I who is sort of challenged by change. That's my point. Do you understand? Like >> I understand being challenged by change. I think a lot of schools are stuck in the 1930s. >> Well, but my point is if
086you actually just have a conversation with somebody at the town hall, the library >> Yeah. who does have children. Then you take that conversation and you share it with your your older friend community and say, "Wow, I've been talking to this because that that's powerful." I mean, I talked to those parents. I said, "If you were if only you would come to a town hall meeting and just stand up and say, "My son, daughter, child is going to be coming here in in eight years, and I definitely want them to be able to participate in soccer. I definitely don't want them to be in a class of five. Those three, those four parents I spoke to, one of them is sending their kids to tech. The other three were horrified at the size of the
087school. One of them said, "I would love to be able to how about having an a college track at the tech. Why don't we try to work towards that?" I was like, >> "That then what happens to the the the public schools?" >> Yes. Right. Please don't please don't think that way, but I understand why you're thinking that way because you want to go to a thriving school. I understand that. Yeah. >> Let's make these schools thriving. >> These schools that take everybody. We need them. We can't just turn the focus and have like a satellite school that's part of tech. It doesn't make sense. But I understand why she said that. Do you do you know what I mean? I'm just like, oh, >> okay. So, so I I just want you guys to
088get fired up. >> I'm a little fired up. >> I've been talking to parents. >> You're fire. You are fired up for sure. Dad, >> you you have the passion. You have the passion, Dad. You keep that going. >> Have to see it through. We only have a few months left. You'll have to hang in there. >> Yeah, I'm right there with you, Deb. I mean, I I got very fired up at the at at the meeting with the Tritown leaders, >> you know? I mean, in a good way. I didn't I didn't throw anyone under the bus. Um, you know, because there were some questions about Pioneer School Committee and I said, "Look, if I were on the Pioneer School Committee, I would be trying to champion the school that we have and the
089district that we have because that's your that's basically your job. You know, you want you're trying to attract students." So, um, but I just said, look, there's just there's real challenges here when you, you know, when you have a high school that was at 343 students in Pioneer in in 2012 and now you're at 112 students this past year. I mean, and you had 165 students three years ago and now you're down to 112. I said, "Don't." I said, "You have to look at the percentage drop is is enormous and what the impact is on your your programs when that happens." And then it made a huge difference to have somebody there who was in the district that could say this is true. >> Yeah. >> As much as, you know, as much as I
090love Pioneer, this is true. We've watched entire, you know, departments get gutted. We've watched programs disappear. We've watched teams disappear. And there's nothing wrong with being small. There's nothing wrong with u it's not to say that the teachers there aren't giving excellent instruction. That's true, right? That's not the point. The point is you're losing students. If if these, you know, if your districts are so great, you would think you would be growing with students and it's just not. I said, it's not it's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault. structural declines in population, uh, demographic changes. You know, your population is getting older, um, and there's more, you know, there's obviously more choices out there, but ultimately, you know, you can't blame it on tech. You can't blame it on choice. When you look at
091a district that's gone from 1,200 and almost 50 down to 5, you know, 80 students, you just, you know, that that's just structural declines. I mean, you >> right. >> Yeah. >> People leave for more possibility. They don't leave for fewer options or fewer possibilities. I mean, that does wouldn't make any sense at all. >> Yeah. >> I mean, I can tell you a very brief story. We had a student at Greenfield High School who left from Pioneer to go. We made every effort. We have one school of choice seat. We made every effort for this kid to go to to play track and get his AP classes and we let him in. We made oh my gosh, every effort. that student is now going to Frontier because he got to Greenfield, he looked around
092and he said, >> "Not enough stuff for me. I need to go someplace with even more stuff." >> Yeah. It's >> happening everywhere. >> I mean, my my daughter is a prime example. I mean, she went to she went to a private school that was very low and declining enrollment. She left in her senior year. She could have re she could have stayed. She left because the enrollment was so small and she wanted to make sure that she could play soccer in her senior year and she wound up going to Greenfield because Greenfield she knew that it was going to have a soccer team and she had played with a lot of those players uh on the on her club team in the summer. So, you know, I mean, it's it's it just it's so
093challenging for small schools to make it work because, you know, if you don't have a football team, no one's going to your school that wants to be on a football team. >> No one. >> Yeah. >> I mean, and then so yeah, that those are the kind of messages that really ring true. And it's and again, you have to get back to it's not their fault. It's not it's not these districts fault. It's just structural declines. >> Right. Okay. So, couple things. One, when we got to wrap this up. I'd like to an hour and a half be done. One of them is if you look at the discover letter, the last one, some of the things. I'm wondering if like Michelle, you could clean some of the stuff out, particularly maybe even this last
094one, and put it in one of the newsletters. You know, if each town, there's a lot of information that we've got. So, if if if we could get that stuff in the newsletter that every town has, um that would be helpful. At least give them an update. Even even this last Thanks, Steph. Even this last one, uh you know, that you know, we're looking at OPED. We're looking at uh you know, curriculum. We're looking at so that people go, "Oh, there's a there's a lot of things going on. There's a lot of information we'll be looking for." Um so, I'll just I'll just put that out there for thought. we have a meeting. Um, so I'm gonna go down to >> I just wanted to tell you, um, I I have been speaking to parents
095and, um, Leiden is planning its own school forum. The select board decided this back in May, but they didn't want to do it in the summer, and they want to hear from the parents about education. So, Leiden's doing it on their own, but they're going to incorporate uh the six town planning meeting. So, I just wanted to get that word out there. And we have a newsletter that I can surely put things in. Um, >> you have a date. Do you have a date for that, Michelle? >> I I think uh we were talking September 25th and 26. So I don't I I can email it to you. >> Yeah, get it to us. I want >> the calendar because I was just at our our regional advisory committee meeting and we just had a
096public forum. So we're having another we're doing a survey and another. So I'm getting very mixed up on the dates. >> Yeah. um because they're not in front of me. >> So, >> but we are moving forward and to talk to parents. >> So, upcoming things, just so you know, um I'm going to start working on a letter to the representatives, the senator and our two representatives to um to give them an update on where we are, what we're what we're planning because we need they need to know upfront that if this were to pass, they need to be championing funding for this. So, we got to pull them back in now and say, "Here's where we are." And so, Greg, um, write something up. I'll get it to you. We can look at it.
097But anformational thing to them is going to be important, particularly if Desi is going to be bringing something to the commissioner to take a look at. >> All right. >> Okay. >> Um, and then for our meeting, we have August 26, I'm hoping to have two things happen at that meeting. and then September 9th. Maybe the others can be done by email. You know, if we get or by uh you know, just a notice in terms of here's a document from uh Odyssey. >> Well, yeah. >> And we just have >> I would say why don't we just why don't we call this meeting, you know, wrap it up. >> Yeah, >> we can send out we've already covered all the documents that are coming. We'll send them out as soon as we get them
098and we feel that they're ready to be reviewed by the board so that when we go into August 26, we can actually vote on some of these things and hopefully we'll we'll have a lot of those things because you know right now it's the dog days of summer. You know, it wouldn't matter if we set up a public meeting right now. Nobody'd probably come anyways because it's right. >> No, not that. >> You know, once school is up and running again, you know, it's going to be off to the races. So, >> can we add these dates? Can we do September 9, 16, and 30 and put those down as tentative? Those are all Tuesdays. >> Yeah, let's just let's just record those. Why don't we check to see we I'll send we can send
099out an email and double check on those dates because we're going to need to probably >> We're going to need three in September to get this done. So, we have October, all of October, uh, some of September and all of October and half of November to get this done. >> All right. Send them out as placeholders. >> Okay. and and uh Darrena, the latter part of November is probably better. Maybe just before the Saturday before Thanksgiving or something, but talk to your folks about that. >> Yeah, I was going to try to think about if there's any special events in November. Usually that's like I don't know, the tech school craft fair is that day in this one before Thanksgiving, but I couldn't think of anything else. >> There's the football games. There's the football
100games, right? They have their Thanksgiving turkey day football games on Saturday. >> Yeah, you could do the You could do a town meeting in the afternoon, though. I mean, well, you know, as opposed to in the evening. >> Oh, no. We do it in the morning. >> Morning. I was going to say morning. >> Yeah, we wouldn't do it later in the day. >> no, I agree. >> Morning is a good idea, actually. >> Well, that's often does. Yeah, we've done We've done Saturday mornings before. >> Yeah. >> At 9. Yep. >> All right. Check that out, Dinda. >> Okay. All right. So, um, any other business? >> Motion. >> I thank you for participating. It was good. More information. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >>
101Right. Excellent. >> Let the record show it was unanimous by vote call vote and everyone said I. >> All right. >> 57. Thank you everyone. Thanks, David. Bye.