001All righty. The financing and law subcommittee shall come to order. Start with roll call. Mrs. Shav, >> present. >> Mr. Vieira, >> present. >> Chairman Dlo, present. First item on the agenda, we have the food services update. I see attached memo. Uh, Mrs. Monahan, please. >> Thank you, Dr. Dlo. Um Glenn M, our food services director, provided us our meal counts for October 2025. So in October for October, we had 22 days of lunches and breakfast. As you can see, the difference in the totals between 2024 and 2025. There was an average total of um lunches and breakfastes. And that is um a higher percentage of 3% more in breakfast. and just about the same thing compared to October. So, um the average we have about 43% for breakfast and 72% taking part in our
002lunches for October. And then we do have our year right below there you will see the year uh to date meal summaries for 44 days and again we are seeing um an increase in both breakfast and lunch. >> Excellent. Thank you. Wishes of the committee. Motion to receive and place on file. >> Seconded. >> On discussion, uh so Mrs. Monan, when we talk about participation rates, so 40% this year 43%. What happens to the 57%. Are those meals being thrown away or carried over to the next day? >> No, these are a number of students that are are having the lunches. So what they do is they do forecast it compared to what they did from last year and then they have a formula how how to prepare the meal counts for the day and
003that's how they do um make their breakfastes and lunches. So not there's minimal of food waste but there I can't say there isn't. >> So this is the entire district right? >> Correct. >> Okay. So um we are every school has free lunch. Correct. Free lunch. Okay. So we have 8,000 what? 300 8,300 students. Let's call it 8,300. >> So I'm I'm still perplexed. So 43% of 8,300 students participate in breakfast. >> Correct. The rest eat or they don't. >> Okay. But how and we're forecasting based on the prior year participation. >> Correct. That's what they do. And then of course looking at the prior month to see if there's an increase and then they go ahead and forecast a little bit more. So there's always some. And then of course if there's a need
004for extra food, they will make it if needed. Um but again there's a really good um software system that we use to forecast how much food to prepare. One of the other things they do, I know we see sorry. >> One of the other things that they do here is they have the sharing table. So students who don't choose breakfast or don't want certain items of their breakfast, it goes on the sharing table. Then other students can have those items and at the end of the day they can take those items home. Especially for students that are food insecure. >> Okay. I mean, I just brought that up because I remember there was a time that we were, you know, very on a lot of stress regarding federal uh uh how should I say reimbursements.
005So I was just trying to figure out you know you know what number we needed and now that I see this it's like wow this is this is eye opening let's put it that way. >> Yeah. Seven out of 10 kids. So seven out of 10 students think of it that way. Seven out of 10 students participate in our lunch program and four out of 10 kids participate in our breakfast program. >> Okay. Just don't want any food wasted. Yes, Mr. Vier. >> So so the the students who aren't participating, they're bringing their own lunch or they're eating before they go to school. I I know my two younger children. one insists on eating at home and the other insists on eating at school and participating in the classroom. So, I can certainly absolutely >>
006can certainly relate with that. >> I mean, as you see the kids coming into school, um they are offered breakfast right there as they come in by principal, by cafeteria staff. So, students are of course asked if they want breakfast and it's always good to have. And then we also have it at um in the in the offices if a student comes in late. So they are offered breakfast as well if a student does come in late. >> Thank you so much. >> Just to follow up with what Dr. Dillo said. I think that's important what you said that it is offered to the kids um that there is enough food there for any student that wants it and if if there wasn't enough you said they would go and make it for someone. So
007um I mean I I know at the high school we had many students that would go in and get breakfast but equally we had students that didn't want to. So, I mean, you do have to forecast because you're not going to make 100% of the meals. Absolutely not. So, um I I like the what John said about the sharing table because that came up in the debate last year with TCAM about um a lot of food being wasted. So, I like that um they've added the sharing tables in there. I think that's important because a lot of the food the students can grab as they're as they're leaving to go home. >> Exactly. >> Good. Okay. All in favor? >> I opposed. Eyes have it. Next up, we have disposal of surplus materials. First up
008to Hamilton Street, Mrs. Monahan >> there. So, I'll go through each item. The first item um are plastic chairs and we have 180. So, please know that what we did is we offered it to all of our principles and they asked of course their staff if they wanted any of these um items, these furniture items. So, whatever is here has been pretty much our staff does not want them. So, right here we have 180 of these chairs. Uh we believe they're they're fair. Um so we're thinking about $170 for the 180 um chairs. The next item are some very old um snowblowers. Um and they are an average for about $200 for both of them and that is from the high school. The next and sorry that is it. Sorry about that. >> That's it.
009Okay. So two Hamilton Street and Taon High snowblowers wishes of the committee. Motion to dispose of the surplus items in accordance with TPS policy and procedure. >> Seconded. >> All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. Thank you. Next up, we have coaching for change. See attached memo. >> Is that you, Mr. Ro? Superintendent. >> No, this is mostly just information to show. >> That's fine. Of course. Um, this is the mo the monthly item that we do ask uh coaching for change what they do each month. This is for the month of October for two schools. Um what they did do is they did work with three weeks at um at Bennett and three weeks at Freriedman. They provide 10 hours per week at each of the schools and they are just showing you
010right there what they have done. >> Okay, this is Shaz >> question. Is this the spreadsheet? Is this going to be the new spreadsheet that they're going to use? Okay, I like that. >> It's hard to read. I had to bring it up on my computer to see you. >> Print has to be a little bit larger. >> Put it on legal size paper >> or even just two sheets, you know. Absolutely. We'll do that. Thank you. >> Of course. >> Y that would help. Thank you. Wishes of the committee. >> Motion to receive and place on file. >> Seconded. >> All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. Thank you. And last item on the agenda, we have bills payable for FY26. The amount is $745,5592. >> Wishes of the committee. >> Motion to
011approve in the amount stated. >> Second on discussion, >> please. Mr. Okay, I have a few things on page six. Carasoft Technology Corporation technology maintenance for $4,94242. >> It is considered to be a software maintenance membership uh for the technology department. >> So, a membership. Okay. Um, page 10. This one's food, but I didn't know the company. F N A S I FF. >> NASF. NASA. NASIF is one of our vendors um that we did go out to bid a few years ago. And so they produce um or they provide us our fruits and vegetables. >> Okay. Okay. >> It's a very high quality company, I must say. >> Yes. Yeah. Okay. I had >> Yep. >> That jumped out at me. Page 17, Mechanical Air Controls, Inc. for equipment repairs, $2,780.89. These are food
012services equipment repairs, and one is at East Ta in the walk-in freezer, and the second one is at Martin Freezer. >> Martin >> mechanical air. Okay. >> On page 19, uh, it starts on page 18. Um, NSG Life Safety, Inc. for $2450. >> Yeah, it is the repairing of the Taton High School bell system. >> Oh god, they need repair. Um, I have two more. Page 23. Um, textbooks for Tiger Press, $7,168.25. This is investigating history for Freriedman. That is considered to be their books that they need. >> Investigating what is it? >> History. Okay. >> I didn't know if it was something at the high school because it said Tiger. So, I was like I didn't know what it was. And the last one I have is on page 24. So, USA. Supplies for
013the classroom. $2,125.82. >> These are um some supplies for special ed student. Um, it is considered to be it's called a touchscreen mic for one of our students. >> It's a touchscreen mic microphone. >> Okay. >> Touch. >> Again, as you can see, that's hit by um that's being charged to a grant. Yes, I knew that. So, thank you. Thank you, Dr. Dlo. That's it for me. >> Thank you, Mr. Vieier. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question. On page 14, the Home Depot pro card in the amount of $11,131.72. >> So these So you'll see the custodial supplies um and those are custodial supplies for trash liners um hand towels and um yeah and hand towels. So those are that for there and the other two are considered for miscellaneous expenses
014that is for food services that was charged to the food services department. >> So those supplies are not purchased in bulk. They're purchased. >> So what happens is we can only do like certain things we will only have so much at um at the warehouse and it's easier just to go ahead and purchase them and it's delivered automatically to the school. >> Gotcha. Understood. >> This is also state contract pricing, >> right? >> Okay. All right. That's all I have for questions. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. I just have two items if you don't mind. No. >> On the page 14, uh the Habib and Associates that 130875. Is that our architects for the softball field? What's that all about? >> This one is uh construction documents um for food services. >> Food
015services. Okay. So, food services a specific area >> um for the cons renovation at uh to Hamilton. >> Okay. All right. So, uh if if I may, I I know that this has been an item of discussion with a $3 million price tag for that kitchen and so forth. Can can we um possibly maybe going forward have an itemized list of the food services specifically for two Hamilton Streets and have a running total? I think that would be helpful because when I when I saw the name I I I immediately reacted and said I think this is a softball field. Is there the same folks? No. >> No. Anything in Austin? >> Okay. All right. Anyway, yeah, that would be helpful, you know, because I know that uh that was quite a bit reduced on
016the estimate that was initially provided. And the last item I have is page 22. Uh the project lead the way the 8635.80. Can you remind me what Project Lead the Way is? >> It is a um it is a a curriculum that is in um in the middle school and it is more of a STEM. Correct. >> It's a STEM. >> That's correct. It's a STEM class middle school and grade 8. >> Thank you. >> Is that fun? >> Yes, it is a grant funded as well. >> Right. >> Great. Okay. Uh it for me. So motion was made and seconded. All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. And last item on the agenda. That's it. A motion to adjurnn would be in order. >> A motion to adjurnn. >> Seconded. >> All in
017favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. We are adjourned. Thank you. >> Good evening. The second regular meeting of the school commission come to order. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance and the national anthem. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation with liberty and justice for all. Oh, say can you see by the dawn early light so proudly we held at the twilight last gleaming who brought stripes and bright stars through the perilous us fight or the ramparts we watched were so red. The bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star spangled then wave or the land of the free and the home of the brave. >> Please remain
018standing. Secretary Fagan. Lord, as we begin this session, let us acknowledge your goodness and mercy and ask your blessings on all our deliberations. We thank you for this opportunity to be of service to our community and to the youngest uh young people entrusted to our care. And if you could remain standing, uh sadly, we have lost another member of our Taton public school family. Uh, John Jack Trip, a beloved educator, coach, and lifelong supporter of Taton Ice High School, recently passed away. A member of the class of 1953, Jack went on to earn nine varsity letters at Bridgewater State College in soccer, basketball, and baseball, later captaining the basketball team in 1957 and 58. After graduating, he devoted more than a decade to the Canton school system, teaching and coaching football, basketball, and baseball. In
0191971, Jack returned to his hometown of Taton, where he served with distinction for 26 years as associate headmaster of Taton High School. Alongside his administrative leadership, he became one of the most influential coaches in the history of the school softball program. From 1984 to 80 to 99, Jack led Taton High School softball to 16 consecutive state tournament appearances, 14 Old Colony League titles, four divi divisions one south championships, and the 1997 division one state championship. His teams compiled an extraordinary 31257 record. and he was twice named Boston Coach of the Globe Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1999. Jack's impact on the Taton community is lasting and profound. His leadership, integrity, and commitment to students extended far beyond the playing field. In recognition of his contributions, the Taton High School softball complex proudly bears
020the name Jack Tripfield. I am humbled to have known him for over 40 years. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his three sons and their wives, his grandchildren, and his extended family. Ple please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. We offer our deepest gratitude for Jack's decade of decades of service. May his memory continue to inspire the students and staff of Taton High School for generations to come. Moment of silence, please. >> Thank you, Secretary Fagan. If you could also call the role. >> Mr. Enus, >> present. >> Mrs. Sh >> present. >> Mr. Palowski >> present. >> Mrs. Fagan is present. Miss Santos is absent. Mr. Vieira >> present. >> Mr. Laura >> present. >> Dr. Dlo >> present. Thank you. Uh first item we have the approval of minutes of November
0215th, 2025. >> So move second. >> All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. And next up we have student advisory committee report. With us tonight we have Isaiah Wendell. Welcome. >> Thank you. As Dr. Dr. Dlo said, "My name is Isaiah Wendle and I am part of the Taton High School student advisory committee. Um, I'd like to start with a few updates from Taton High School. Our homecoming dance will take place this Friday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Taton High School Fieldhouse. Students are excited and preparations are already underway. Additionally, this week and next week leading up to Thanksgiving, we are celebrating spirit week. This past Monday, class colors t this past Tuesday, anything but a backpack. That's an interesting day as always. Today being crazy hair/wig day. Tomorrow, dress is your
022type day along with house decorating. Friday being pajama day. Next Monday, character day. And next Tuesday, black and orange day. As we head into the break. In addition, tomorrow there will be an early dismissal for parent teacher conferences. Students will be dismissed at 12:00 p.m. and conferences will run from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sorry, 11:50 p.m. Students will be dismissed. With the colder months approaching, our morning entry process has changed. Instead of students without phones entering through the main entrance to sign off on the policy regarding electronics devices, all students now enter through the fieldhouse doors. Students with yonder pouches enter through one side and students without yonder pouches or without phones enter through a separate door. The process has been slower this week as expected with any new adjustment, but everyone is adapting
023quickly and mornings are moving more efficiently each day. Last but not least, members of the student advisory committee along with other leaders including myself recently met with Taton High School subcommittee. Those in in attendance were Mr. Cabraw, Mrs. Fagan, along with building administration, Dr. Harrison, Mrs. Bleno, and Mr. Torres. We discussed student perspectives and experiences throughout the building. You'll be hearing more about that later in detail, but it was a valuable opportunity for students to offer feedback and engage in open conversation. And that concludes my student advisory report. Thank you for your continued support, all of you. >> Thank you. Thank you for being here and sharing uh the report with us. Uh wishes of the committee. Motion to accept the report. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. Eyes have it. Next
024up, we have public input. Uh Mrs. Lasser, do we have any input tonight? >> No public input. Okay, great. And next up, we have the new website uh vendor presentation with us tonight. We have Cynthia Johnson, our communications coordinator. Superintendent. >> Yep. So as Cynthia makes her way to the podium, uh I just want to give a little background that this presentation is a culmination of work that was led by a subcommittee overseen by Mrs. Shabs, which is the special program subcommittee. So I think this work has been going on for a little over a year, year and a half where we've met several times. We've done our due diligence and Mrs. Miss Johnson, who's our communications coordinator, will walk you through the process and the work and ultimately how we came to the recommendation
025what we believe will be a superior product at a at a minimal addition to the school district. Anything you want to add, Mrs. Shavez, is this was your subcommittee? Um >> well it all came about because the the current website is very clunky and uh Cynthia's been trying to streamline things and it it's it's almost impossible to do and so there definitely is a need and there also has to be an accommodation. Wasn't there a special ed special ed accommodation that has to be made and we don't have it the capability on our website? So, we don't have the robust 80. >> The button is on. >> I'm just trying not to be as loud as I normally am. Trying to be sensitive for ear eard drums here. >> Um, there is a our current
026platform doesn't have the same type of robust ADA compliance tools that we would like or that we're going to need moving forward when the newest ADA legislation goes into effect in 2027. >> Yes. So, that was one of the reasons why we looked at this. Also, thank you. Okay. Well, it's lovely to kind of be in front of you all more formally. Also slightly intimidating, but you've got I've got so many familiar smiling faces. I'm sure I'll get through this, right? Um, so you all know who I am here to talk about website proposals and talk about the process that we went through to come to the recommendation for Parent Square smart sites. So, currently for a website, the district uses Edlio. Um, we've been using Edio since 2020 at an annual cost of $11,300.
027I do want to point out that we don't currently have a website for Taton Public Virtual Academy on this platform because this platform predated the launch of TPVA. For our communications platform, we currently use Parent Square, which is our two-way mass notification and alerts platform. We've been using Parent Square since July of 2023, and that is an annual cost of $44,000. So, our annual total communications budget, if you will, for our mostused platforms is $55,300 currently. Why we're looking at our website vendor and our two-way comms platform kind of at the same time because parents kind of they utilize they don't really differentiate between the source of information and it's much easier. Are they experiencing them the the same way? When the platforms work and they sync and they're integrated, you have seamless messaging so
028that parents whether they're opening their parent square app, opening their email, or going to the district website or the school website will see the same information. So, it's important to have that integration kind of all together. Um, it strengthens our two-way communication. It reduces confusion and it ensures caregivers always know where they can go for accurate, timely information, which we all know is extremely important. So what we looked for when we were looking for a website vendor, the things that we really prioritized are here, but the big ones for us were ease of navigation for our caregivers and our families. We know that there are challenges right now in finding information on our website, in finding current and accurate, up-to-date information on the website with our diverse population of mind. We also wanted to make
029sure that we had robust accessibility um tools and multilingual capabilities. We also wanted to make sure that this was something that was cost-effective and we could sustain this program for multiple years in the district after last year. Data protection and privacy were also very important to us. And we wanted to make sure that we had backend functionality and ease of use for our staff as well because the easier it is for our staff to use, the easier it is for the website to get updated more efficiently and faster. So our process as superintendent said this was a monthsl long process that we went through that started meeting and identifying vendors and building relationships with them in May continuing into July and over the summer. Then we started having meetings and product demos once we identified
030our three vendors who I'll introduce you to in a moment. Uh Superintendent Copra, director of technology Jennifer Ashley and I had multiple meetings with multiple vendors over a four-month period. And then we had we asked all of our vendors to submit their final five-year proposals. We wanted to go with five years because we thought it would be fiscally responsible for the district especially when looking at incurring a repeat cost to make sure that we had we were positioned to absorb that repeat cost over five years. Uh we asked them to submit that by mid-occtober and after analyzing those proposals we presented to the special projects and program subcommittee on October 27th. So these are the leading vendors in the field API final site and parent square smart sites. All of them are established uh edtech
031K12 communication platforms. So little snapshot about APT. They're founded in 2013 and they're based in Arkansas. They also if you're at all familiar with the publication school CEO Aptigy also produces that. So they have both a content production side and then the platform side. Appe is again a single vendor solution. So they do website, app and communications management. Um they focus on branding and design. They do have good accessibility tools and they're broadly used and recognized across the country. Some considerations. It would require us transitioning away from our current two-way communications platform and parent square and they do have some slightly higher cost due to all-in-one licensing structure. This was apt to gig's quote for us. They would only give us the full suite quotes which I said refers to or includes removing parent square.
032So they gave us a setup cost of 19,000 which is a onetime implementation fee an annual cost of 59,000 that includes website an app and a communications platform. So again replacing parent square for a 5-year total of $3,114,000. Our next vendor we looked at was Final Site. This is the oldest company that we looked at. They're headquartered in New England in Glastonbury, Connecticut, but also do have an international footprint. Um, their key strengths, they are a long-standing leader in K12 website design and communications. They have really wonderful designs. Their websites all look beautiful. Uh, some considerations, however, uh, they do maintain some legacy systems. So they are an acquire and absorb company and unfortunately for par for them they did recently suffer a cyber incident um which did require them to shut off part of
033their platform. Their setup cost was about 15 was $15,000 with an annual cost of 58,500. So that is a website cost, an annual website cost of 14,500 plus the cost of maintaining our parent square for our two-way communications platform at 44,000. That gave us a 5-year total of 307,500. Next we have our parent square. So I'm sure many of you are familiar with parents square either from being a parent in the district or from being a educator in the district. Uh they're founded in 2011 based in Santa Barbara, California. They are very much geared towards two-way comms and started out as a two-way comms platform. Includes built-in translation in more than 100 languages, which is really important for us. We utilize that all the time. They have a stronger reputation in a K12 family communication
034engagement. Really great ADA compliance and accessibility guard rails. Um, wonderful support. We've had wonderful um, experiences with getting support from parent square or the technology staff. some considerations that we need to take into account. It's a the website CMS, so that's content management system. The website is a newer product and is evolving. Katie, how long have you had Smart Sites as a product? >> Three years. >> So they've had smart sites for three years. I think what you'll see when you look at some of their their product is that in three years they are very close to, if not completely on par with our longer standing apt and final site client or platforms. And because they are a really responsive uh company, they also listen to and value the input from their clients. So, as
035this product grows and develops, we know that they're going to listen to us and take our feedback and their other clients feedback into consideration when developing new features. So, parent squares cost a setup cost, which you can see is dramatically lower than the other costs that were provided to us at $3,400. That's our onetime implementation and training. A lot of that is due to the fact that we have existing connections and integrations. An annual cost of 56,560. So that is a website cost of $12,560 annually plus the communications at 44,000 for a 5-year total of $286,200. before all your eyes glass over and you're trying to add all that up. Here's the full table so that you can look just kind of all the way down the list and you don't have to keep flipping
036back and forth. As you can see, we are looking at a moderate increase of just less than $1,300 from Edo to Parent Square smart sites. That would give us kind of check off almost everything on our wish list in our platform. So, we would have a platform that's easy to use for both our staff and our parents. They can get the information they want quickly. It will employ Katie will talk about this a little bit more, the cope strategy, which is not as dire as it sounds. We're not hanging on by our fingernails here. It is uh create once post everywhere a theory of action so that parents, teachers, principles, whomever will be able to go into their platform, create their content and with a click of a button have it go to their website,
037go to their social media channels and it will go out to parent square so that that same message is being communicated at the same time to everyone. And then just another vendor evaluation summary. We did an little bit of an evaluation where we rated some of the vendors um looking at their financial stability, security and compliance, integration, functionality, user experience, multilingual and accessibility, customer support, responsiveness, platform buyin and familiarity. Um which we weighted the platform buyin and the integration and functionality. So that's why those numbers they have the uh little asterk there. And you can see the weighted total also in addition to being the least expensive, parent square had the highest score. So which is why we made the recommendation or the excuse me the special programs and project subcommittee made the recommendation to
038go with parent square. With that I would like to hand this over to Katie Fort who is the regional sales director for parent square and our parent square rep to walk you through the platform and answer more parent square specific questions that you may have. >> Thank you Cynthia. >> Well this is intimidating. Can you guys hear me all? Okay. Thank you so much for having me be here. Um, it's not often I get to come to a school committee meeting. So, this is pretty awesome. Um, as Cynthia said, I am Katie Ford and I am here from central Pennsylvania. Um, so very happy to be here tonight and celebrate a little bit more about Smart Sites and how that will integrate kind of into the district solution and be hopefully your new brand moving
039forward. Um, >> which one? That one. Okay. You wouldn't know I work for a technology company. Um, so a little bit about me. I have been with Parent Square just under a year and a half. Actually coming over with a long legacy in K12 education from a couple former website vendors prior. Um, I also worked I'm a newsy also. Um, come out of the news with a background in marketing and website design. So this is a little bit of my baby and I'm super happy to be here. Um, and I have my boss up there, Tom Maruri. couldn't be with us this evening, but I wanted to represent him there a little bit. Um, so I wanted to kind of start with an overall snapshot as to what Parent Square does. Um, the district currently
040is using the first three buckets today, which will layer into the website. Um, so a lot of the work that you're currently doing, a lot of the content that's currently being pushed from the district today, whether it be your staff directory, right, we're already incorporating that data. you're already pushing out great information and great news um through the district with the post which hopefully you guys all receive in your app. Um and if a snow day, hopefully that we have no snow soon, but it's coming um or an early dismissal type message has to be pushed as an urgent or smart alert that actually will become the pop-up alert also on the website creating that cope experience or the ability to create once publish everywhere. um really saving time, effort, and energy for the teams
041that are currently pushing out um information through the district today, which is super important. Um and our most of all for Cynthia and all the line level editors across the district. Um I like to say if you can drag and drop, if you can copy and paste, and if you can do basic word processing, anybody can edit and manage smart sites. We wanted to make it as easy as possible for the end user to be able to create a beautiful and engaging website but not have it be rocket science which is pretty cool. So we are meant to be that one unified platform saving time, effort and energy for content posting. So just wanted to give you a snapshot as kind of to what we do. Um as I mentioned the the interface moving forward
042is going to be very easy to use but also beautiful and engaging. Um, I know the wheels have been spinning with some different individuals on what the possibilities are with design. Um, we could do a a templated design or let the district do somewhat of a quasi custom, pulling from a ton of different elements. We also just launched two new beautiful elements today. Um, I gave Cynthia the little sneak peek earlier on how some of the the news can display on this site, which is pretty cool. Um and as you um empower some of your line level users in your buildings, we do have powerful user permissions. So the district will be able to have certain people edit certain places pieces of content and not others to keep that design and brand cohesive. Um and
043kind of as I'm showing here, your website is really meant to be the front porch to your district. It is your brand. It is the first place that your prospective families are looking at when coming into the district, but also the place where your current families are going for information. You know, a lot of your current families are living today within the Parent Square app, but for some of the deeper information, they're still going to that website as well as your prospective employees that may be coming into the district. So, we want it to be beautiful. We want it to be engaging and we'll be able to be to achieve all of that moving forward. Here's a little screenshot as to what that cope experience could look like on the site. Um, so I want
044to point to those bottom graphics. That snow day popup uh can live right as a popup. You can set the timing for that to come down so there's not accidentally an oopsie on the snow day the day after. Um, and that news that you're all getting today as an email as a push notification right to your app becomes the news on the website. So your outside um community can see some of the great things that you guys are doing in district which is so important. Here's a kind of a bigger view of that with that post feed. This can display a hundred different ways. Um but here's an example of one um integrated staff directory. We talked about this is so important for your outside community to be able to reach your internal staff members,
045but we're also hiding those emails if you notice that. So it's more of a form submission. If you need to get in touch with anyone, you can easily do that. It goes right to their taton email and they can reply within the email system. So everything is also tracked through the district, which is very important. District can choose to put photos up there, but they don't have to. I know that's very sensitive in certain districts. Um I live in a very small community. We do not have photos. Other districts do that surround us. So very easy to maintain that data. Um, here's the slide that everybody always wants to see. So, these are websites in the state that have launched within the last year. Um, if you want to take a picture of this, feel
046free. I know you also have it in your board packet today. Not to pick any favorites, but I think Actton Boxboro did an absolute great job with some of the new functionality that we have in the system and their district branding. if you want to take a look at an exemplar. Um Cynthia talked a little bit about accessibility in the platform is one of the main drivers as to why the district really chose parent square. Both in the mobile app and on the website, we have an endtoend philosophy around accessibility. We actually have a whole tiger team internally focused around accessibility and the compliance that's coming in 2027. So no matter if somebody's coming to the site with a screen reader support, need to use keyboard navigation, electronic browse support, or have some visual issues,
047they can easily get to the content that they're looking for in a format that makes the most sense to that end user, which is so important because we don't want to exclude anyone from the great information that you guys are putting out. Um, so whether it's voiceover capability or zoom capability to make that a little bit bigger, that's all natively built right into the platform as well as that keyboard navigation. So that heading structure and is is in order. We're one of the only vendors that do this, which is why I'm showing this. I don't want to bore you guys. But um, this means essentially that you can read that information left to right, top to bottom in the correct order if you are using keyboard navigation or screen reader support. Again, very important for
048accessibility. Um, we also want that end user to know what the content is on the site. So, we have alternative text guardrails built into place. So, we don't want to say click here anymore. We want to fully describe those images and those links going out on the site. And I wanted to throw some visual representation into here. The other really important piece is the calendar. Um, especially for those of you coming to the site on mobile, that graph or that grid view of a calendar is not always the easiest to read. We do have that list view. So, that helps with accessibility, but it also helps with the everyday engagement of information on your uh as you're on the site on your phones. Um, descriptive links. I talked about this a little bit, having that
049content in there. um being able to um have that link as the full hyperlink and not maybe that long URL because if you're on the site with the screen reader, it would be very arduous to to listen to that being read out loud to you. Um and we can talk a little bit about the implementation process. Um we from kickoff to discovery, my recommendations about six months, but I know the district will go through a full implementation plan and probably determine in the future what that will look like. um launch and all that fun stuff. So, we have a whole resource center. Um I don't know if we want to look at a little design tonight just to give you the art of the possible. If you click on that first design tab and design
050library. So, these are just some examples if we scroll down here of what the design could look like. And you could also take each of these, and this is a public link that's in your packet. You could also take elements of each of these to create an your own quasi custom design for the district. Um, so the world is your oyster when it comes to design, I like to say. Um, what and that's kind of the end of my presentation that I have tonight. Wanted to give you a very high level overview. Is there any questions that the group has this evening? >> Thank you so much for the presentation. Also, Cynthia, thank you. Uh, I'll start on this side of the room. Uh, Mrs. Chefs. >> Thank you, Dr. Dlo. Um, the question I
051had was, um, the mobile platform, is it an app or is it just that they're using their phone and going into the internet? >> So, parent square's philosophy is a little bit different from a lot of other companies out there. Your parents, let there be light. Your parents are already living in the parent square world within the app. So, your parents square app is really meant to be that place for your current parent. The website really morphs into the like I said that marketing engine for your prospective parent for your maybe prospective employees or if your current parents looking for that deeper information looking for the lunch menus looking for some of the content that's um and we'll work with the district on navigation as well to make those key items a lot easier to
052find. So the philosophy is a little bit different from the branded app strategy versus the where the parents living benefit of that is and I don't know if any of you are maybe have a parents or you're a parent in one district maybe you also have children here school committee here etc you have one app you know parent square you log into the same app for everything and all your information's in one place so it's one less place you have to go for information that's kind of our philosophy and our founders philosophy behind that >> that's The other thing that I'd like is is what um Cynthia said about um create once and post everywhere because that's one of the things that we've talked about in our committee meetings is trying to trying when when
053something got updated, she was trying to find it in multiple locations throughout the website and then she would say like every so often something would come in that had an old date and she was like where did this come from? Like I thought it updated everything. So, I think that that's really important to have a platform that once they post it once, it will be where it has to go. >> Another benefit when it comes to old info, and I don't even know if I went over this with you, if you have a document in eight places, you replace it one place, it's going to replace it everywhere. >> Everywhere. >> So, think about your handbooks and your different things that have a a yearly cadence update. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you,
054Mr. Shuffs. Mr. Powski, >> thank you, Dr. Dau. Uh, thanks for the presentation. And I'm very excited that you guys are changing the website. Um, >> so are we. >> I think Mrs. Shaz is being very gracious. The current one clunky. Um, I I think it's great. I really love the idea of the app and the website being connected. I mean, busy parents, you want to go to one place and get all your information. Um, are you guys going to have the ability or do you plan to try to standardize interfaces across the different schools? Um, like for instance, you show the example of like the staff directory. I think like for parents that may have children at multiple schools, you want to like see the same thing like, oh, I'm looking for the name
055of the guidance counselor, the principal. If I go to Bennett School or Parker Middle School or whatever, you kind of want to like see it the same way, not see a completely different interface at different schools. That makes sense. >> It absolutely does make sense. It is something that um is also important to me because we do have families where we have who have students at multiple grade levels in multiple different buildings. And while we know that each of our buildings has its own personality and we want to celebrate that personality, we also know there are they are still part of the one whole of Totten public schools. So that's why we want to when we design the sites and we go into that site mapping phase and one of those buckets at some point
056maybe in February whenever we get this work underway in earnest will be that site mapping and so everything will be built from the same foundation so that the same key pieces of information will be available in the same spots across the website. Then you have the opportunity to add on top of that and customize it and kind of give it a little bit more of your own individual school personality flavor. So, you know, we won't necessarily need to have some of the information at the high school for on the high school website that we'd have on an elementary school website and vice versa. So, we want to make sure those core things that are required by all schools are in the same place everywhere and displayed in the similar way, but then also give our
057district our schools the flexibility to customize to suit their needs specifically for their specific student population. >> Awesome. >> Thank you. Thank you. This side, Mr. VR. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you so much for your presentation. It was uh very thorough and um I think consistency, symmetry, functionality and uh the ability to uh for our multilingual parents and uh people to um be able to navigate the website is important. Meeting the ADA compliancy is also uh extremely important and being one of the most uh communicated to parents in the district. as uh Miss Johnson shared with me, I can certainly appreciate the work and the future of uh where we're going with this. So, thank you all for your work. >> Thank you, Mr. Vieira. Anyone else? Mr. F. >> Awesome. Thank you.
058>> I I just have a couple questions or comments and this could be to either one of you. I'm not sure. So, um I'm hearing a lot >> questions to her. >> I'm hearing a lot about um you know, being dedicated to each different school, right? So who is who's making these changes? Is the principal who who's updating this? >> That is a phenomenal question. Um so currently it is kind of a a mismatch of people. I have access to all of their all websites and some principles will reach out to me and ask me to make updates for them. Um some principles or buildings have guidance staff that's comfortable making updates and they'll make updates. Some in some schools it's building secretaries. I know at the high school I'm going to point out Dr.
059Harrison because he's here. Um Dr. Harrison is very great, very uh adept at updating the website for his school, but it is it's not the same across the district. There's not one point person >> um who's charged with it currently the way it is. This also get presents us an opportunity where it'll be a clean break where we can kind of establish those roles and make them a bit more clear moving forward. And also because this will be a cope um situation that they will have the opportunity so it won't it's not as ownorous to say okay well you're sending this information here you have to make sure it gets to these other places and these other weird formats with these other login. It'll be again all done cohesively through one set of credentials or
060login. So it will be much easier for people to make edits at the building level instead of funneling everything up to me for me to make all of these changes. So I'm hearing we're going to define a specific point person or two within a building to make these constant updates and changes as necessary. Correct. >> That's the plan. That is the goal. That is >> because I'm hearing also six months to implement this whole thing. So are we thinking about January uh to start so that we're fully ready for August for example? >> Our our ideal timeline is to start work uh you know to sign and be ready to start work January 1st. So or January 2nd actually. Um, but then to be able to launch July 1, >> right? You know, and I
061love all the bells and whistles, but you know, it's one of those things before we put out the beautiful sign that we spent I don't know how many thousands of dollars on before there were no changes that were able to be made because someone had to manually go out there, make the changes. So, we invested heavily in a brand new sign that's now basically at your what laptop or whatever can make changes. So, I think it's important to define who's going to be making those changes because if we don't have the changes, then what good is it, right? That's number one. Uh number two, uh who's vetting the information? So, uh principal A is thinks that you know disseminating this pieces of information is more important than principal B in another building. Uh so who
062who's vetting this before it hits the website? take that one. >> So Katie can talk a little bit more about the um what's currently or the the functionality and the permissions that are enabled within parents square because we we do have the option to lock down some stuff and I believe you have the option to >> have sign off is that >> so within smart sites and hopefully I'm loud enough I usually am within smart sites you actually have the ability to do to do authoring permissions within the system. So if there is say a CNI director and they want to put out information on the site, but you want to have approval on that first that there's a flow of permissions that can come through for final approval before the public would ever see
063that information. >> Okay. >> Across the site. >> Okay. And again, I think that goes with defining the roles and then having a point person in in central office that maybe has to approve this because again, you know, what one building may think is important may be contradictory to the rest of the district. I'm just putting it out there because now everybody has access, right? Or specific people have access. And how does AI work into this? Do we have AI? Um AI is one of those unknowns. So does AI have anything to do with this going forward? Does your company have explored anything with AI and going forward? Keep going. >> That's for you, Katie. >> So, we have an entire AI initiative. Um, we actually I'm coming out of our company offsite about two
064weeks ago and our entire focus was on AI. It is we are living it. We are breathing it. We are diving into it heavy. Um, some of what I showed tonight, like when we looked at the alt text for those images, that's actually being developed by AI, but you have the ability to go in and change that description if it's not quite up to par as to what you want it to be. Um, we're doing a lot of around development with AI. We are also currently investigating an AI chatbot that can possibly live on the U website down the road. Uh, what we want to do, the one thing you'll learn about parent square is we never rush development and publish something off the bat. We want to test it in, out, front, and back
065to make sure there's nothing funky with it and it's working the way it should be and as intended. Um, just to hit on the chatbot, early development, uh, with some chat bots that we have explored, a lot of them hallucinate, if you've ever heard that term, spit out some erroneous information. We want to make sure, especially in a K12 environment, that we're not using a solution, creating a solution, or partnering with a solution that does that. Um, so at this point we have that project I won't say is on hold. It's being um investigated more than ever, but we're not going to put anything to market quite yet until we find that proven solution. Okay. >> Around chat specifically, but there's a ton of AI built within the product district's using it today uh with
066different things within the engage side of the house which is the communications and a lot of that also lives within the website. Great question. And the last question is as you're implementing this and discovering is it going to cost us any more money once it gets developed this chat box or whatever you I mean is it part of our contract or is there a supplement that comes along with this is what we're paying is that the price >> TBD I honestly have no idea. Um but we would work with the district at that point to determine what that looks like and I'm sure everyone here would be involved as part of that conversation. I mean I I can't answer that. We could be three months out. We could be six months out. Every day I
067ping the product team and where are we? >> So >> great. >> I wouldn't anticipate it being if if it were to be a an additional fee for the chat, but I wouldn't I wouldn't anticipate it being anything drastically more expensive. It would be I would consider it to be affordable. I know it's not my money, so it's hard to say what affordable is, but it's not my money. Um I'm sure Brenda would agree with that. Um, >> well, >> but I think it would be in line also with what you'd be paying other vendors. So, other vendors do have chatbot solutions. They're not perfect and I think whatever parent square would offer would be in line with what that is. So, >> right. >> Well, I mean, we don't have the other vendors here,
068so we can't ask them to ask them that same question, right? Will it cost us more money? We're assuming it would, maybe it wouldn't, but again, I like to, you know, ask the questions. I think it's reasonable to anticipate it would be a moderate add-on, but I don't again I don't have I don't want to promise pricing that we don't have because we don't have the product ready to roll yet either or they don't have the product ready to roll. >> Great. Thank you both. Mrs. Um just regarding this um project here um the subcommittee um um approved from the subcommittee we recommended um parent square with the smart sites but we wanted to bring it in front of the entire committee before we um gave a final approval but I think it's important that
069we make a decision tonight so that they can move forward with um doing the website and um being on par with the timeline of having it up and running for next year. >> Yeah. And we truly appreciate the work of the subcommittee and that's what subcommittees are for. But there are some questions that sometimes we have to ask and I think uh a financial question is our responsibility to ask. So um we don't have an answer. So I guess we just uh make a take a vote. So what are the wishes of any other questions comments? >> Mr. Superintendent. >> Yep. So, uh, also to keep in mind, um, and I'm the I was one of the leading voices regarding the, uh, the bot or the AI bot based on comments that Mr. Powski has
070raised since he's been on the committee. It's very difficult on our website to drill down and identify uh, or find the information you're looking for. And one of the things that and I agree there will be a cost, but the amount of time that my central office staff spends answering phones that a bot could help a parent find right away, the lunch menu, uh who's a superintendent of schools, what street does my kid live on, what school will they be going to? Now, we would have to hire an additional person. I think of it that way. The bar actually replaces um a person. So, we know what a salary costs. So, if it's 5,000 annually, 6,000 annually, I think that's a huge a huge cost saving to the district. Uh, we're coming in $1,300 higher,
071and we're checking off a bunch of boxes. We haven't added to this budget in five years, so there hasn't been a market adjustment. So, to come in higher with a better product, I think uh we're being fiscally responsible and obviously we wouldn't make any uh financial uh decision without bringing it to the full board. And obviously everything's subject to negotiation and I think getting in early and being somewhat a a district that could be partnering with the developing this only as we've learned with school brains only provides us with opportunities to come in at a much lower cost. >> Sure. I appreciate that. I I'm just I'm just bringing out there because growing up as a kid, we always bought the car with the rollup windows, not the automatic windows, right? So if you want
072to upgrade to the automatic windows, it was so much more and so much more difficult. So, I'm trying to just get the full picture before we make a decision. And I understand that uh there could be a financial cost, right? Could not be a financial cost, too. Is that possible? >> It's definitely a possibility. >> Yeah. Good. Good. Okay. What are the wishes of the committee? >> I would move forward with recommendation to subcommittee to put on Parent Square smart sites. >> Second. >> All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. Thank you so much. Have a good evening. All righty. Next up, we have a CTE program presentation. With us tonight, we have Darla Hartung, co-director of CTE Taon High School, and Mr. Mike Raposa, co-director of CTE Taton High School. Welcome. >> So,
073as Dollar and Mike are waking making their way to the podium, this is one of my favorite presentations because not only do we get we get to hear some great information about the work on another high school, they also feed us with some pretty tasty treats from the culinary art department. So, uh, Dollar and Mike, super excited to hear what you have to share with the school board this evening. Looking forward to seeing the work that's ongoing, looking to see the work that has happened in the past, and always looking forward to seeing what you have planned for the future. So, the floor is yours. >> Thank you. Is this Can you hear me? >> Very well. >> Thank you, Superintendent, and thank you, school committee members, for having us here tonight. Um, we're always
074excited to be here to share our fabulous news and updates. Um, Brenda gets a little nervous when I present, she said, because sometimes there's dollar signs. But we're super excited to present an update. Um, and last year when we were here, we had just begun the process of um, starting the application for early education and care chapter 74 program. I'm not going to read all of this, but it's for your information. And um we were so successful in getting that pro program approved because we had everything lined up. We had all the bells and whistles. We were forward thinking. We had everything that we needed in place. And um we couldn't do that without your support. So that is one reason that you know when we found out in July that we were approved um
075it was probably I think Mike would agree the easiest application that we've been through so far. Um so I want to just like highlight one new thing um that we're doing this year which we're piloting a new industry recognized credential early childhood education C um CDA through the council for professional recognition. So that's something new that we're piloting this year. And uh basically the components of that would require 120 hours of formal education for the high schoolers, 480 hours of supervised field experience, professional portfolio development, family questionnaires, and observation by the CDA professional development specialists for the final assessment. So this is really um a fabulous opportunity for us. There is a cost. Um, we're not going to get into that tonight because we're piloting it and we have money to pay for the pilot,
076but I think what it's really important to recognize that this will really put our kids ahead of the game. This will put them in a place where they could actually be a lead teacher at a preschool. It's like an associates degree, not like a real associates degree, but in a preschool setting it is. So, we're really excited about piloting that. And just to recap on what we did last year, when we came here, we explained, you know, we were able to renovate a room and have two classrooms, a prek and a preschool classroom. We're able to um acquire a new teacher to do the related. We were able to get the playground. Thank you, Brenda, for the play because without the playground, we would never get approved. And um what we did which was a
077lot of work to organize and Desi was extremely impressed by us that we um there was a time and you might not remember but when I presented last year I I recognized the fact that the sophomores didn't even see the preschool until junior senior year. And this model has allowed us to organize the structure, put the EEC1, which is 10th graders, 11th graders, and 12th graders together as a mixed cohort. So they're learning from each other and they they're filtering through each level. So the preschool, the prek, and then the related um which is unbelievable. And we are growing leaps and bounds. It's a super popular program. It's one of our largest programs. It's one of the ones that a lot of students choose and I am so proud of how we've managed to make
078this happen. Um, and we have a workroom and I kid you not, you would be blown away blown away by the lesson plans that these high schoolers develop. They have to develop, they're going to be a lead teacher for a week. They develop a lesson plan. They have to do all the things that go along with that, the activities. they have to make all the activities because they have centers for math and English and uh sensory and I am like astonished by what I see. I couldn't be more proud. They come together on Fridays when the littles aren't there and it's led by the lead teacher, the high schooler lead teacher that week and they talk they sit in a circle and they have their big tablet and they talk about the glows and grows
079of the week and what they can do better to improve and it's it's quite phenomenal. Um the benefits of our new format, it's the consistency of both the for the high schoolers and the preschool students. its career aligned experience that strengthen their employability and especially with that new industry recognized credential. Progressive leadership model that mirrors professional early education and care settings. Increased engagement and accountability through the structured rotations and we the collaborative learning environment across the program levels and they have uniforms. They had different colored t-shirts for each level. So when you go in a room, you know the seniors, juniors, sophomores, and you have your seniors mentoring the sophomores, and it's fabulous. It's exactly what we want to do to move our um our programs forward. Just a few pictures to show you the
080existing playground. Um I've been meeting with the new curriculum supervisor for art, Jackie Francisco, and her AP students are helping her with a mural. And I took a It's different from your packet because I took a picture today because they had added some colors. Um, it's been very cold as you know, so it hasn't been conducive to painting outside, but it's going to be amazing. And the picture in the lower left hand side are the sensory panels that will be somehow incorporated into the mural. And then the picture in the middle is a canopy that we received a grant for $10,000. We were able to acquire that. It was delivered last week. It mirror is this. It's the same canopy that we have here at Pole School. And I think we picked it's a little
081deeper blue. Um, again, just, you know, without that playground, we wouldn't have an approved program, which is really important for our students and and the additional resources financially that it brings into the district to help us support these programs. As I mentioned um when I was here last year, the vestibule is critical and, uh, it it is on the long range planning. Um we I think Mark Freighus and I well we have spoken um several times about it. He is looking into getting quotes for it. Um there it is. It's that sad little door that's sitting there. And uh right now we're having the littles enter through the the right side of that um door because the wind that h when you open that door into the preschool um just the elements is and it's
082just not a good setup. So, we could choose to do a modular system, which is, you know, more affordable or make it black, make it modern. Um, we could add a little more element like the one on the top. Um, has a little more architectural detail. Um, we could do something where we mirror the brick peers and we make it, um, a little more elaborate. Um, or we could do what we did at Manet and do really a beautiful job with that facade which would really help finish it off because we have that beautiful patio in the Tiger Cafe and just to have that entrance which would be safer for our littles um to be dropped off and picked up would be fabulous. So, I can't stress enough that that is a priority. It's been
083a priority and um it continues to be a priority for us. CCL, Construction Craft Labor Program. This is our third year, so this is the second newest program for us at Taton. Again, um doing fabulous work. We are given the opportunity to apply for a grant, which Mike and I submitted on October 30th for $1.5 million. And I did receive an email yesterday that apparently they received 150 applications. I'm sorry, I get that backwards. 39 applications um for $150 million and excuse me, the governor um plans on funding 60 million of that. Um I hope that we're part of that. I hope that we get good news. I believe we will because part of this grant opportunity is it's really designed to expand opportunities for our students. If you have a strong chapter 74 program,
084it's aligned with industry, um, which the construction field, you know what what it's like. There's going to be shortages. There are shortages. So, it meets the workforce needs. And, uh, what it will do for us if we're able to get this money is we will be able to expand the seats. we will be able to offer it to more high school students because it is extremely popular and uh not every student got their f first choice but they got their second choice. So most of the students, you know, did get it, but more want it. And um if we're able to get this funding, it will allow us to purchase a large space metal building um with heat, sprinkler systems, plumbing, um restrooms, which we could be creative and actually have restrooms on the outside
085of that building for the baseball field. Um so again it will serve the Taton High School students but we also have to meet another criteria which is well you're given special um I guess treatment maybe if you're able to offer a night program. We will be applying for a not night program. And what that night program will do is it will allow us to train young adults, middle-aged adults, older adults in the community that want to want to learn a new skill set and we will be a training facility in Ta and it would be unbelievable and that would be you know the end of my career would be really cool to do. Um, so when I was here last two years ago, I guess, I had two proposed locations. So when Desi came out,
086I said, "Well, we can we're probably going to put it here, but we might put it here." And uh, I assured them that we would have an excavation area. It wasn't important until now because we're in our third year. We have our seniors. There's new standards to meet. The new standards are trenching, piping, digging right below the ground. So, it's important that we establish where this site will be. And I'm going to be honest with you, it did start with a shed type thing with a big fenced in area to do the trenching and the digging, but now we've turned into having aspire to do something much bigger and much better. having a very large space metal building again that started smaller that was 40 by 60 now it's 60 by 80 I'm not sure
087what it will be but go big or go home maybe but we want to make sure that we design what we need for the future and what will be the most usable space so when the New England Labor's union came down from Hawking Washington. They are the main trainers in construction craft labor. Um they have the Luna curriculum which we follow and we have a local 876 local union supporting us as well. Told us that you need to go bigger. You need to have an area inside the building for excavation. So if you have a night program, you're able to do it at night and in inclement weather, the high schools are able to work. Now, the students need to know that you have to work in the cold and the rain and the snow
088to be in construction and be a construction craft labor because that's you. You're in the ele elements and you're working hard. So, we do go outside and work in the cold and such, but we have to be um you know aware of the fact that we want to make the most um use of this building as we can. That's why we're thinking if we had a couple of restrooms inside, we could have the bathrooms for the baseball field on that on the outside, which would be great if we could use the money to do so. Um, the heavy equipment that we're proposing in the grant would be a passage of van. Another recommendation by the labors union because you need to transport the kids to the site. Not all of our kids have vehicles. Skid
089steer loader, backhole loader, trailer, dump truck, and a tea handler. If you want to get goosebumps and you want to feel really good about what you do, come and talk to these students. Come outside and work and just watch them work and you will feel so good about what you do. I kid you not. They are amazing. and that we're doing the best we can with the you know the grounds that we have outside of Sea House. There they are. They're learning how to create a circular form so they can mix concrete, pour the concrete, level the concrete, and demo the concrete. They're building a shed for the garden club um and doing some amazing things. Another picture they learn about scaffolding and such. And um you know we had 30 students I believe I'll
090have to refer to my chart that got the OSHA 30 hot works scaffolding and um the industry recognized credentials that these students are earning is phenomenal. We provide all of the uniforms. We buy all of the things that they're wearing and we supply them so every student has the PPE personal protection equipment that they need to work. And uh we should be receiving a bunch of uh boots that'll be donated so students can have their own boots and um you know so that's another thing that we've been trying to do because we want to support the kids just like we do in culinary with our uniforms and uh we want to make sure that kids have what they need. Graphics updates. Um, we have a graphics internship class that is led by Matt Bourke and
091students are hard at work and that's pretty amazing too what they're doing and they're so into it and it's just so refreshing to go in there and see them like working and and producing all the t-shirts and sweatshirts that they do. We were able to get a garment printer for the apparel and accessories and the embroidery machine for jackets, hats, and sweatshirts. students have had the opportunity to design installation work, banners and murals and such. And here's some pictures. The picture on the right is the embroidery machine. And it's quite fascinating to watch this thing. Um, but you can see there they designed these installations and uh they and they stand there very proud of what they're doing and Mr. Borg's amazing with them. And it's not all graphic students by the way. Some students
092like they want to do an internship and they come and they learn how to do work the machines um to do the sweatshirts and t-shirts. >> And I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Opposa now. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Oh jeez. Thanks. Um, did everyone hear me? Okay. So, uh, we had a little transition this year, um, in in culinary and Chef Johnson moved on and what we did, we decided to utilize some of our existing staff and and you can look at some of the numbers up there. They're just doing an absolutely outstanding job. Um, from last year, the first first month or so, first couple of months, we're showing a 300% increase. We've always um going through the restaurant over the last couple of years, we would always say
093to ourselves, you know, I want to walk in this restaurant one day and I want to see it full because what happens is generally it's the staff. The staff comes down, they order. We have a great online system now. They're doing their ordering, students are delivering it, but I'm like, you know, I'd love to be able to come in here and see it full. We're seeing that now. I'm walking into this restaurant um and the tables are all full and people are coming from the community and staff members are there. So, it's very very um refreshing and nice to see that it's the word is getting out there. And the reason why it's busy and successful is because the food from what I'm hearing and tasting is delicious. And you can see that uh our
094students are doing an absolutely amazing job. We've um we've implemented breakfast at a little higher level this year. We have a lot of staff coming down for some egg sandwiches. The specialty coffees are amazing and with good food and good beverages, you are going to increase sales and that's basically what's happened down there. So, um I know I've seen many of you down there which is is which is really encouraging and it's great to see and we hope that continues. Um couple of things. We're always busy in the restaurant and catering is seem to be taking go taking off a little too. We're getting a lot of requests which is great because when the kids aren't doing something for the restaurant, they're doing catering for the community and they're doing a lot of work for
095Taton public schools. Um so we're very excited about that. They're getting a lot of valuable experience and if you remember going back a couple years ago we had that wonderful event called the Super Bowl. We didn't do it last year so that is coming back. I spoke with Miss Gibson and Chef Melo and we're planning on doing the Super Bowl on January 29th, which has always been a great event. So, we're looking forward to that. If you're driving around the city of Taton Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, um downtown, you probably saw our food truck also doing a really, really wonderful job. Um right now, we have a schedule. Um on Wednesdays, we're at the courthouse, Thursday, city hall. Uh lately we've been coming here on Fridays and the plan moving forward is we're going to try
096to uh go to some of the other schools, come up with a schedule. I've been working with Mrs. Mingan on that and it'd be nice to have a TPS Friday where we could just go to a variety of different schools and have our students prepare some wonderful lunches for our staff. And you can find us on Facebook and Instagram. Uh Chef Collins has been doing a lot more with that because we're getting a lot of questions. You know, where's the food truck? Where are you guys hanging out? Where where are you? So, we're trying to do a much better job so the community is aware of exactly where that truck is located. Um, a lot of these next couple of slides coming up, it's just about our clubs and organizations. Uh, our students have been
097doing an outstanding job. We're in here all the time talking about CTE. Everyone's aware that this is our robotics club. We've had robotics last year at school committee. Um, just the numbers in that robotics club. Uh, Mr. Dangel is doing an outstanding job. Students uh dying to get into the program. Um we've actually added robotics to our exploratory program. So if everyone's aware from exploratory, that's when the students rotate every 10 days. So now they're actually um probably five over 500 students are going through robotics. So we anticipate that robotics program to even uh increase even more. But it it's just really cool. We've we had a couple of visits from some local schools and they were down there. Dr. Harrison set that up and they just to watch those students and the robots and
098the it's not just building there's a lot of programming that goes into that also. So they're using the software they're building and the students are have just doing a great job and and that's a very very popular successful program. Skills USA, another program we've talked a lot about. Um, you know, Miss Gibson does a great job. Logan Rebello, he's been here. He was here this past summer. National officer also doing a great job. Um, between DECA and Skills USA, um, I would probably say at least two to 300 students in our building are involved in either DECA or Skills USA. Two amazing organizations run by Mr. McFale and Miss Gibson. And those are just some of the finalists that we did for uh 2025 uh listed there on the left. Again, we just couldn't have
099this slide presentation without without having Logan up there. He just he's he's the face of CTE. Um he's the face of Skills USA. He's down in culinary for the first three periods per day. He's on the food truck. He's just a great great kid. He's he's doing an outstanding job um with with his national officer and he's uh we're so proud to have him in our building representing Tyan High School in CTE. There's Ro. Uh there's Logan with his his cake, his pro stock cake decorating. He did an outstanding job. He's he's just again great kid. Um I'm not sure what if I don't know if that was a first place or second place finish, but he did um he did really put a lot of effort into that and he did a great job
100with uh and it's funny because a lot a lot of those other students competing also. He's Logan. It seems like he's just been doing it for such a long time. He's just like seems like to be have one step ahead of everyone else. Again, just a great job. >> He made the cookies that I brought tonight. Oh, >> um, more awards and competitions. We have, uh, our friend, Mr. Jake, behind, uh, the wall down back there. He's he's aware of all these competitions. Broadcast again, another really strong program. Just all the programs are listed there. All the awards, 2025, first place, um, first place PSA, second place your bro, don't touch the tape, bro. It's just, it's ongoing. Again, another strong program that we're so fortunate to have these programs in CT where students are
101they're working together in projects, working collaborative with students, developing products. They're not in there looking at curriculum, taking exams, and moving on to the next chapter. These students are building, they're learning uh real world experience. They're going out on internships. It it's just it's really amazing what they're doing down there. Um, this this slide is always something that we're very proud of. So, just to put this into perspective, you know, I probably say this every year, but going back 2011, 2012, Tottenham public schools had one chapter 74 program for about maybe 30 kids, 30, 40 students. It was a marketing program. So here we are 13 years later and we have nine programs and that's really really amazing because of the situation that we're in as a comprehensive high school with local vocational schools around
102here and it's just it's really really amazing what we've done here and the programs the teachers um all the work that's got all the support from from school committee and the superintendent's office. So this year we were able to code 950 students. So again think about that you know 30 students going back 10 15 uh 13 years ago where we are today. So that's really really impressive. Um one program I want to make note of and Miss Harong already talked about was that early education and care. So that's a new program this year that we just coded 90 students and that brought us to that 950 student um enrollment number. Uh last year we had 918. We always have a goal to increase. So we were able to achieve that. We have um non74 programs,
103a variety of different vocational programs. We have innovation pathways. And you know, you think about it, we have almost 3,000 students in that building and almost 1500 students are somehow involved in some aspect of CT, which is really tremendous. >> And absolutely. And um just to um reference that some of the numbers declined in CAD and web um and CAD used to be like one of the biggest programs but you have to take into consideration that we have innovation pathways now. So we have the healthcare that's another one that we had on the slides last year we didn't bring up this year but highly popular. a lot of students want that program that didn't get in. So, you're going to see a fluctuation um with the chapter 74 numbers. >> What um another aspect of
104this is, you know, we talk about the projects, the pro the programs with projects. We're realists. You know, we talk about this when we have our meetings with our exploratory teachers. We say, "You guys are salesmen. What you're doing is you're selling your program to all our students. Well, let's be honest. These kids really enjoy being outside building and in the commercial kitchen cooking and working in graphics, you know, designing and radio and uh broadcasting, developing videos and so forth. So, we know there are programs that just aren't as popular. Um, so we're doing everything we can. We've already established some visits to some vocational schools, see what they're doing that possibly that we can try to improve on. But we understand there as you go through these different programs, you'll have some with higher
105numbers and some with lower numbers. And um and that's fine and we're we're okay with that. We're just we're really proud of that 52% number. The industry recognized credentials. Again, we're talking about these programs. These students aren't just taking exams, right? They're not just going through and learning a couple of concepts. These students are leaving our schools with credentials that are recognized by the industry. You know, uh we have OSHA 10. Not to to go through the entire list, but you can see the different programs from construction to culinary arts, early education, care, healthcare. Um, these are all the credentials that our students are obtaining before they leave that building high school, before they go into their career path, which is very, very impressive. That last one, exploratory, we have almost 700 students that have
106a credential, OSHA 10. They've all been through that OSHA 10 uh program. And that's that's really good because those students are all ninth graders. So, that's something that's very impressive to for them. >> And that number that number that's up there in the star is the total, but it's up like 350 credentials from last year. I think we were at 677, so that's increased, too. And that's a result of the OSHA 30 hot work scaffolding. Um, and now this year, we're going to do something different with OSHA 10. What happens is if you miss a day in a rotation through exploratory, right, if you you don't make up that day, you can't get an OSHA card. So, we're going to do an online platform so every single student will be able to get a OSHA
10710 card even if they're absent because they'll be able to use that portal when they're at home or after school. So, we hope that that goes up as well. >> That was part of the decision. We removed OSHA from our exploratory. We added robotics as I mentioned earlier. So, now every student will be able to do this online which is would be actually more beneficial to the students. And this is, I believe, my last slide. Again, um I talked about this a little bit. So important to vocational education, real world experience. Mrs. Reposa does an outstanding job. Um I always think back to um Dr. Dlo, you mentioned when we first started talking about internships probably two to three years ago, I remember you said they're not valid unless they're getting paid. That was the
108goal. So, um I met with Rebecca this year and between writing grants for additional funding, uh businesses offering our students scholarships and getting paid, she's uh probably close to 95% of our seniors will be getting some type of financial compensation when they leave the program, which is very, very important because these students are going out and they're working hard and they should be compensated. So, that's that's something we're also very proud of. and the list of students are right there per program and some of the different businesses that they'll be working at. Um we have transportation. We provide our students all transportation to these sites if they need it. Um we have them going to variety of different restaurants, you know, within the city. Um so they they're really doing some good work. They really
109really are. Oh, and I was going to turn it back over to dollar as we wrap up. So, I end with our why and why we do what we do. And there's nothing more humbling and wonderful than seeing your why in action. So, it wasn't part of your packet because I just found out two days ago that Emily Robinson, who is a senior at Johnson and Wales, won um an award for her um plate that she actually did this plating of squid when she was a senior in our protot. So she is doing amazing things and I felt like I'm going to end with this but this is just one student and thousands of students that um have gone through our programs and when you think about our why this is why we do what
110we do and um I thought it was a great way to end the presentation. So thank you. >> Excellent. >> Thank you so much Miss Hartung and Mr. Rapo. So just before I open it up to the committee, I just want to start with uh recquoting you that Desi is impressed by us, but let me say the school committee is very impressed by all of you. So that's more important than Desi, I think. Thank you so much. >> I'll open it up to the committee. Let's start on this side of the room. Mr. are >> well great presentation tremendous opportunities for our students which I think is worth about you know your vision your your aptitude in seeing what is needed uh you know in a competition with other vocational schools where only limited students
111are able to attend we now offer those equal opportunities in in various aspects so so I think what you as educators are doing is allowing all our students to to excel, to do well, and to have great opportunities in their future vocations. So, thank you very very much. >> Thank you, Mr. Laura, Mr. Vieier. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for your presentation. Thank you for all you do for Tom Public Schools. So, recently, um, DESIE changed their requirements and went to a lottery process for vocational schools. Is that going to have any effect on us here with our chapter 74 programs in Taton currently as they stand? And if so, what would that look like? >> It will not affect us at all. Um, initially the new admissions policy was brought up
112because of the weight list and it's really about getting the eighth graders into the vocational school as a ninth grader. We have all of the eighth graders. Could it potentially impact us moving on with placement in a program? Maybe. But you should feel really great about the fact that I would say 95% of our students get their first choice and everybody gets their second or third choice. Um, so will it have an impact? Maybe. But it's not like the vocational schools like the weight list and that that's why they put in place the lottery. So our kids will have opportunities in the lottery once we like say you know CCL is over subscribed like there's a lot of kids that want it. Yes. So potentially we might have to have a lottery um for that
113but I don't see and Mike agrees that we don't see it really having an impact on us. The other thing that's very unique to Taton High School is that if you ended up or one of your sons ended up in CCL and they didn't like it, they can fill out a waiver and they can go into another program or another elective. So unlike the vocational schools, once you're in, you're in whether you, you know, and maybe I'm misspeaking and maybe that's not the case anymore, but a lot of students come back to us from Bristol Plymouth because of that reason. Um, so I don't think it's going to have an impact. And if we if we are impacted, we will do it fairly and equitably and and do it the right way. Um, so I
114don't really see it having a huge impact on us. Okay. >> Um although we don't anticipate that happening now, we did have to redo our admissions policy which is the state approved policy through Desi and in that policy we do have specifics on an admissions policy as far as the lottery goes. So it's there in case we need it. Um it's something that they require. It could be something that eventually that we end up using, but as of right now it's really all about getting into the schools. >> Thank you so much for that answer. I I I greatly appreciate and I'm sure all the people watching at home uh appreciate as well. So my my last and final question there um has been so much growth and there's so many students who are benefiting
115from these programs which is great. How would you feel about the school board this committee um creating a subcommittee to work with you more specifically to make sure that we're uh meeting all the needs uh of the district? How would you feel about that? That would be great. >> That's awesome. We would love it. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Vier. Mr. Window. >> Thank you, Dr. Dlo. >> So, I just want to start off by saying wonderful presentation. Um, when Miss Johnson sends me the packets in the in my email, I saw you your presentation was on tonight and I said I had to be there for it. Um, don't tell the other curriculum supervisors, but you guys are definitely one of my favorites. >> That's
116cuz we brought you cookies. Um, one of the things you guys mentioned tonight is like I just have to commend the work you guys do. I was here last um last year when you guys presented and just the ideas you guys bring in front of the committee um in front of all these elected officials, these wonderful people. It's just amazing the work that you guys do for our students and how hard you guys work. Um, especially with like I I was reading about the new the new graphic design upgrades. Um, I love seeing the different things around the building. The um I realized the college and career center just got like a wrapping for both entrances. >> Try to different defeat >> different >> yes from the library. Um, which is pretty cool. >> Um,
117the embroidery machine. >> I say we put that to use. maybe put me get something on here for me. >> There you go. >> Um >> I know somebody. >> But overall, um I just love your love the program. I wish that that's one of my regrets is I wish that I got involved in that program when I was back in ninth grade. But you live and you learn. And um any student, any ninth grader or anybody who's looking to join that program, I definitely encourage them to do that because you guys um care so very much for it. So thank you. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to our students. >> Thank you, Mr. Windle. Go to this side of the room, Mrs. Shaves. >> Thank you, Dr. Dlo. >> I
118want it was an outstanding presentation and I happened to have been there when they started the um CTE program. And I just want to make sure that people understand that these two still run a department. So, this is above and beyond running a regular department like all the other curriculum supervisors do. So, I I know how much extra work you guys have to go in to put in these programs. Um, I want to share two little small little stories. Last night, I was at DECA and um a parent came up to me and um was singing the praises of the CTE program. Um she came from an area high school. The son came from an area high school. Um the class sizes were too large. There were lots of cuts at this particular school. So,
119they decided to school do school choice. They could not believe what Totten High had to offer in particular specifically in the CTE program and um the chapter 74 programs. They were like h how does a high school have all of this stuff? They were so pleased that they had made the decision to come over. So that was the first story. The second story is I happen to have a little grandson in Tiger Tots. So every day that he comes home, he is singing the praises of all of the wonderful things he's doing in Tiger Tots. So, the students that are working with them are are incredible because he comes home with stories of the the curriculum he's doing, how wonderful the people are in there, and um his little brother can't wait to go next
120year. So, and the last thing I want to say is um um Superintendent Cabraw and I have had some extensive conversations about the Tiger Tot Festival. And so, if there's something that we can do to try to move this along, I really think it is a safety issue. And um I shared with Dr. uh with um um Superintendent Cabraw that my daughter had come in late one day um um with my grandson and a student opened the door for her as she was trying to get her fab out. And I was like he was just trying to be nice. But because there wasn't a vestable, that became a safety issue with opening up that door. And so I had brought it to Superintendent Kudall's attention that this is really important because I mean there are
121parents that are going to drop off their kids at different times and we need to keep our students safe in the high school and the toddlers safe that are coming in. So if there's something that we can do to try to push this along, let us know because I really think this is important. Outstanding job. You two. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Chefs, Mr. Folski. >> Thank you, Dr. Miller. Uh, Darla and Mike, thank you so much for the great presentation and all the hard work you do. I really appreciate how you guys ended the presentation. Um, seeing the update from Emily at Johnson and Wells. We do all this work, all these different programs preparing kids for their postsecary pursuits. It's really great to get feedback and see somebody out and see what
122the outcome was of the education they got through Tom Public School. So, that was really great. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Bolski. >> So, I have just a couple of comments. Uh, thank you again for the excellent presentation. I'm celebrating my eighth year, and every year it gets bigger and better, so I love it. Uh, I'm going to stop backwards because Mrs. Sha took the thunder away from me. Uh first and foremost, the 90 chapter 74 seniors and 15 healthc care students being paid in companies such as the city of Taton, such as the TMLP, such as uh Manet Community Health Center, goes on and on and on. Wonderful. So, I think I believe that we're going to answer Mrs. Shaza's request through our long range planning, Mr. Vieiraa. I think we're
123going to find about $100,000 to take care of this vestibules. Hopefully, if you understand what I'm leaning to, because we have an vendor that we work with that uh does internships and so forth and uh nowhere does it compare to what you folks have presented tonight. So, I think the vestibule is something I heard it more than once. We all heard it more than once. It's a priority. It's a priority priority. So, I think that's the first thing on the list when we reconvene under Mr. Vieira's leadership as the chairman of long range planning and school properties. Is that okay with you, Mr. Vieier? >> Yeah, absolutely. I'm I'm glad to hear that you've heard about it multiple times. We had a meeting on the six with eight items on the agenda and it's the
124first time I'm hearing about it tonight. So, >> well, we will make it a priority. Thank you so much. And before I conclude, I just want to share uh the committee already has a copy on the table of an article that was published recently in the Ojournal. So it's a Portuguese uh newspaper that's also read in English that appears in the Herald News in Fall River Standard Times in New Bedford and the Taon Daily Gazette. And the title says uh states trip to southeastern Massachusetts eye-opening experience for Portuguese students where they went. I'm not going to read the five-page article, but I'm just going to highlight it for you. Students blown away by Taton High School's unique labs. Although they were impressed by several locations, the students said they were taken aback by what they
125saw in the robotics and healthcare science labs at Taton High School, where the school district has invested heavily. They said they were amazed with the school's advanced software and equipment and the ambulance simulator and other items used to provide students with real life experiences and hands-on practice to solidify their skills. I fi I found it quite shocking quite different from Portugal. Bizaro said that's one of the students. They have the latest technology and facilities that would be we would like to have in Portugal. There were many things that really blew us away. Now that was written by Lurch C the Silva the editor and these students visited institutions such as Bridgewater with an excellent cyber security lab and photonix lab MIT and this was the highlight ton high school. So I'm sure Superintendent Cabral will
126share that with all of you. >> I commend you. Thank you so much for the great work. Keep it up and I look forward to next year. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> I'll just I'll just close with some quick comments. So um we have Stevie Jakes back there. here. So, I think Steve deserves a round of applause for all his awards. >> We know how hard Steve works and how much he sacrifices for this district. So, Steve, it's greatly appreciated. Dollar and Mike, I can't speak enough or highly enough about you and how you're able to carry this CTV CTE vision for the Ton Public Schools and for the community, but also for for our region. And you guys know I'm I'm huge on access and opportunity. And what we're doing is providing half
127the high school with access and opportunity to high quality um high quality CTE programs. And if you did the math, we have double the number of students attending CTE programs at Taton High School than the neighbor the neighboring vocational school has taught kids. That's outstanding. I recently had the pleasure of having lunch in a giving a quick tour to a former superintendent in Bristol County who also used to be a superintendent in a neighboring vocational school. His his comments were, "Your school committee must be ecstatic with the chapter 74 programs and and the work that's taken place in the high school." He could not believe that a comprehensive high school in an urban community has what we have. So that's a that's a testament to this board who over the years has never said no.
128And we've always prepaid because remember when we ach when we hire staffing when we expand programs we we don't see the benefit until the following year in chapter 70. So that's an investment that comes back um you know multiple times. At the MASS conference I presented how we are reimagining T high school to add these programs because a lot of school systems when they look at a old high school built in the 70s they can't imagine these type of programs there. So, I think that's what's led to three or four tours from other neighboring towns to see how we re reimagining this space. Uh, Dr. Harrison, I want to apologize. I don't think we told you when we hired you that you were going to be a vocational school principal. So, you not only have
129the comprehensive side of the house, you also have the vocational side of the house. And this work cannot be done without a supportive principal. And also, this work cannot be done without a scheduling genius. So to schedule 1,450 high school vocational students, 450 early college students and then all the rest and that takes a lot of hours and commitments. So Carolyn, don't think that your hard work doesn't go unnoticed. >> That that concludes my comments. Great work everyone. >> Thank you so much. Have a great evening. Next up, we have the superintendent's reflection self-evaluation for 2024 2025 school year. >> Superintendent. >> Yep. So, I'm going to do things a little differently. Uh, I'm not going to go to the podium. Uh, you received, you should have received a bound copy of my self-reflection self-evaluation
130yesterday. Uh, thank you for the additional time. So, I'm just going to go real quick and just kind of highlight or lift uh the work that I'm proud of in my evaluation this year. So I just want to start off by saying that instead of going through every slide, I'm just going to highlight the core takeaways from this year's evaluation. This has been a year of increased coherence, stronger systems, deeper family engagement, and measurable pro measurable progress in student learning. The district, I believe, is stable. Uh we've have alignment stronger and in key places more than I can than I can imagine in my 27 years in the Taton public schools. And I do believe the top public schools with your support under my leadership and the support of the leadership team I do believe
131the top public schools is moving in the right direction. So for standard one instructional leadership >> thank you move that quick. [Applause] So, sorry. Under instructional leadership, I pro I I rated myself overall uh with a with a mark of proficient. Uh the areas that I want to lift is I believe that under my leadership we've strengthened curriculum coherence across all schools. Uh units are aligned to the standards. I believe standards are important. I also believe measurable outcomes are very important. I'm super proud of the fact that we launched a five-year professional development plan. I embedded the link. So if you receive the document electronically if you click on the hyperlink you will see the actual document. It's a living breathing document. It's going to evolve. Things are going to be added. Things are going
132to be omitted. And they're going to be sections that are still being built. So, I'm very proud of that five-year professional development plan. And I'll have to give credit to the late Carol Doy. This was something that she always asked former superintendent Dr. Hackett for. And it only took me about three or only took me six years uh to put one together with the the leadership of Mr. Barata, but we have it. Um, I'm also super proud of our professional development council, which utilizes the voice of our educators, and we're going to continue to see more and more of our educators leading professional development. And I'm again, I'm very proud of our tier one instructional vision. Uh, we we guided our principles through a three-year MCCAST analysis protocol, helping them to identify trends, subgroups, gaps,
133and instructional priorities. And I'm super proud of the work that we're doing to close the achievement gap. One of our elementary schools will be recognized by DESIE on December 3rd for finally getting back to the MCCAST levels that we had back in 2019. That's outstanding work. We also deepened our instructional quality through coaching, walkthroughs, and high expectations, especially for our multilingual learners and students with disabilities. when you look through the MCCAST data, again, I'm disappointed with the 10th grade 10th grade MCCAST data, but I think we spoke uh enough about why I believe our 10th grade MCCAST data based on the question two, but you look at all the other grades and you look at our subgroups, the achievement, the the achievement is something we need to be proud of. So again, I'm really proud
134of our multilingual and our students with disabilities. We expanded real-time assessment systems through I Ready Open Architects which is leading uh our administrators and our teachers to intervene early and provide those targeted interventions that we need that we our students need which is also resulting in higher student growth and I believe across all our middle schools we saw an average 50% student growth at all our middle schools. We also demonstrated measurable gains in achievement and also u we saw some movement across the MCCAST bands and I'm really proud of the fact that we no longer have any of our schools in the bottom 10% of the state. I didn't put it in the packet but I'll share a document with you. Of the 30 urban school systems only I believe it's eight urban school systems
135can claim that they have zero schools in the bottom 10%. So that that's outstanding work. Uh so regarding management and operations I provided myself with a rate gave myself a proficient rating. Uh I believe this is an area of strength due to my eight years of experience as the assistant superintendent of finance and operations. So we strengthened district safety protocols and systems which included upgra upgraded crisis protocols. We revamped our red book crisis management booklets which are on display in every classroom throughout the district. Uh we have we have a really really really strong relationship with fire and police which leads to improved coordination. We successfully implemented the evolve weapon detection systems at Taton High School and the Taton Alternative School. We added reset spaces in all of our schools. We have a great relationship
136with Manet Health and we also utilize Bright Foundation to increase mental health and wellness supports for our students. really proud of the 99% hiring rate for all unit A members and we also have a nearly a 90% retention rate which is the highest in Bristol County. We improved our HR systems with a new director of human uh resources. We have stronger recruitment pipelines and we also were awarded a competitive teacher diversification grant. We enhanced our data systems to streamline workflows and reduce disruptions for principles and teachers. I can state that everyone in the human resource department they've been crossrained. So if some person is out, work does not get slowed. So we cannot slow down in the human resource department and systems and structures, you know, is very very important to me and something that
137I pride myself in and that's something we're seeing across all our departments. Uh thanks to the support of the city that we've maintained net school spending minimum requirement 100% going back to fiscal 2000 fiscal 14. Uh we have a very disciplined and a very transparent uh fiscal management process. So I'm very proud of our work there. We've expanded Chapter 74 revenue, which we just saw a great presentation, where we've grown our prek program. I'm going to provide you with another opportunity to increase chapter $70 if the committee so desires. So again, we've done all this while supporting instructional priorities and maintaining stable class sizes. Uh I'm very proud of our work to diversify our workforce. As I've shared with you before, I didn't have my first Portuguese-peaking teacher tours in fourth grade, and that was
138the only parent teacher conference that my parents attended. So, it's very important for me to have qualified staff who reflect our student population. So, when I started as superintendent in 2019, our black African-American teaching population was 11.5%. Today, it's 31.5. We've almost tripled the African-American black teaching population in our city. When I started in 2019, 14% of our staff was Hispanic. We've almost doubled. We're at 27.5. So again, very proud of the work to diversify our staff were highly qualified educators that reflect our students. For standard three for family and community engagement, rated myself proficient. Uh super proud of our expanded early college opportunities. Uh for first generation college students, uh we're offering creditbearing classes. We have over 400 students in our early college program. I have a meeting with Commissioner Pedro Martinez on December
1395th to look at middle school students taking high school credit courses so that we can continue to build that pipeline and free up their schedule when they get to high school so they can take early college courses. Again, I mentioned Brightite, very, very proud of the work we're doing with Bright and the new counseling partnerships we have in Taton. Uh we're doing great work with our two-way communication program, especially with Parents Square, which Cynthia Johnson oversees to reduce barriers with our multilingual families. Uh I think you guys I think you all can attest to the work we've done do with the forums last year where we had translators in in in the audience when we did all our two Hamilton Street. So we're really trying to be cognizant and aware that we need to meet
140our parents where they're at. Uh my staff works tirelessly uh as you heard today from one of our principles making phone calls 6:30 at night. That also extends to central office where we try to address family concerns consistently, equitably, and transparently with the support of student services, special education, and the welcome center teams. And unfortunately, sometimes we need to involve legal counsel depending on the matter that we're dealing with. In standard four for professional culture, I've rated myself proficient. I believe we've stren we've strengthened the district-wide culture for high expectations, which is reflected in the rising proficiency and MCCAST achievement points. We've led professional development on a sense of belonging and I really try to utilize the coursework that I'm taking as part of my EDDD program and try to embed that in everything we
141do here in the Taton public schools. uh under my lead under my leadership I think we've demonstrated an improved written and verbal communication which is again has included parent square which is able to translate languages into the diff up to I believe in Taton we have 18 different languages spoken in our school system and parent square is provides a robust platform for our parents to get that information in a language they can access Mr. Verda has led some excellent outstanding and continuous walkthrough cycles, data analysis, and real-time assessments in our schools. Super proud of the work to launch a five-year strategic plan that will focus on rigorous instruction, student culture, talent development, and stakeholder engagement. We have seven collective bargaining units. I can proudly state that not one grievance made it beyond level two. So
142that demonstrates that we are proactive and we have excellent working relationships with our unions. Uh I believe my leadership style with our unions in the human resource department is it thrives because we are transparent. We hold consistent standing meetings and we are consistent in the application of our contracts and our evaluation process. So th this year reflects I believe reflects a continued continued stability in the top public schools. A datadriven approach that is focused on systems and structures that can be sustained no matter who sits in this seat. And we are also very student centered as a district when it comes to improving on every major indicator. Instruction is stronger, our systems are tighter and communication is more inclusive and our partnerships are deeper. our strategic plan positions taught in public schools to build on
143this momentum and to continue improving outcomes for every student over the next five-year period. And that's just a synopsis or summary of the bound packet that I provided you uh yesterday. >> Thank you so much, Superintendent. I I did not have a chance to read through the packet because of course, like you said, you needed some extra time to develop the excellent document. So, thank you for sharing the highlights. I'll open up to the committee. Um Mr. chefs. >> Thank you, Dr. Dlo. Just one thing, I don't know if anybody else is missing, but I am missing page 30 and 31, which has to do with um standard three engagement. >> No, I have 31. >> Oh, I'm not missing 30. >> 30. >> Yeah, 30. I'm missing 30. >> I'll make sure I get
144that copy. >> Yeah, just that one page. 30. >> Yeah. >> Going to say it's profession. >> Okay, that's okay. But I just like to read it. >> Thank you. Yeah, we all don't have it, Mrs. Uh, anybody else? Any comments? Okay, so I'll just uh start by saying uh once again, thank you for providing that synopsis uh in your packet since we're talking about the superintendent's uh self-reflection, self-evaluation. There's a memo that was uh uh included uh along with a rubric for the evaluation of the superintendent. The date of December 3rd will not be possible. There will be two members absent. Uh, so we'd like to do that on December 17th if that's okay with the committee. I hear >> I I will not be available, but that's I'll submit my >> Okay, great.
145So, uh, because I already know of two members not being on December 3rd. They've asked me to postpone it till December 17th. Okay. So, disregard the December 3rd and we'll do it December 17th. All right. Moving on. We have the administrative business uh, staffing report. Superintendent. Uh so you have the traditional uh staffing report which provides you with all the different moving parts in the district and then I also provided you with the staffing update. We are 98% staffed as a district. We have five positions that are pending and four that are remaining and I provided you with the summary of those positions on the uh on the next page. One at EOL special educator, one at Martin School special educator and Ton High School special educator and world language Portuguese. So you covered both
146uh staffing report and Tom public schools staffing update. Yes. >> Okay. Wish committee and uh place on fire. >> Second. >> All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. Next up, we have proposal to offer free full day prek. Superintendent. >> Yep. So again, this is just to put this on your radar screen. If you wish to take action tonight, you're more than welcome to take action tonight. If you want to bring this back before the committee, I'd be more than happy uh to bring it back to the full committee so you can have time to digest this and potentially ask some additional questions if if you will, if you if you'd like. But I'll just kind of summarize what's what what's in the packet is so I'm recommending that we eliminate right now our
147tuitionbased prek program for the 2026 to begin 2026 2027 because we're currently in the middle of a fiscal year. So we currently operate a districtwide preschool program that serves about 147 students including 30 students with disabilities. So we receive chapter 70 funding for the 30 students with disabilities. The 147 students we re we charge them tuition on a sliding scale. The tuition on a sliding scale could be zero depending on the income level of the of the family or it could be uh shoot I should have put the scale in there. It could result in an annual fee of $4,125. Okay, so that's the most a parent will pay, zero to $4,125 for TW last fiscal year 2425. This is what we collected from our four sites that offer the full day four-year-old program for
148students who are not special needs. We collected un just over 50,000 at Chamberlain, around 61,000 at East Taton, 144,000 at MOK, and almost 36,000 at EOL. So we generated just over 290,000 in tuition from our four-year-old students who attend full day. So using the FY26 chapter 70 foundation budget, if we had offered free prek to our four-year-olds by last year's or this year's model under on the tuition rate under chapter 70, we would have received $5,000 per student. So the most we'll collect on tuition is 4,100. But if we offer free, we're going to get and this doesn't include inflation factor or the adjustment to chapter 70. We're going to get at least $5,66 per student and that would be in 2728. So again, paying forward paying forward because you have to adopt now and
149then we implement next year because we're not going to start waving fees this year because there's no there's no benefit this year. It's for next year. So, if we were to make it free based on these old figures for this fiscal year, it'll generate almost $600,000 in chapter 70 funding. So, if you subtract the 600,000 from the 300,000 that we collected, that's an increase of $300,000 by making it free. We had a very successful lottery system that was equitable. Everybody was in the lottery. Once they got their paperwork done on time, then the lottery ran. So there's no favoritism or no benefit to getting your paperwork done early. So we have a system that addresses stu parents to get their students in and I believe right now Mrs. Hoy told me we have three slots
150available in the district with disabilities. >> Students with disabilities. Thank you. So my recommendation would be uh and again we can talk about it later if you want to chew on this for a little bit and have some questions that we can address. But my recommendation would be for fiscal 20 >> 6 27 >> 27 >> that we uh make prek free for all our students in the four-year-old program. The four-year-old program that's that's full day >> based based on these recommendations. >> Mrs. F. We can't vote on that tonight though anyway, right? >> You could. >> Well, you don't have a thing there to vote on. So, >> it's on the agenda to to discuss this. >> Okay. So, let's not get ahead of ourselves. So, first first and foremost, uh I don't want
151to open up to the committee for some questions. Okay. Uh I'll start with you, Mr. Shav. >> Just a quick question about this year. Were there any students that didn't get um into the preschool? >> Do we have a wait list, Mr. Hoy? >> How long how big is the weight list? It's not for student with disabilities there's no weight. >> Right. Right. >> Um for students general ed students there's a small weight. I can get you that number. I just wasn't prepared for that. >> I mean is it is it a small number like less than 20 or is it >> it's probably about 10. >> Okay. So a low number. So almost everybody that was applying got in. >> Now do they stay on the list and if a if a position becomes
152available you offer it to them? >> Yes. >> So Each list is getting monitored by their school by the school and as it opens up we have opportunity >> they reach out to a parent. Okay. Thank you. >> Great. All set. Mr. Sh. Thank you Mr. Laura. >> Thank you Mr. Chairman. So under this chapter 70 funding and is it based upon future revenue or is it always within the budget of of Desi? >> It's always within the budget of Desi. >> So so this money is of course almost double as you indicated. >> Yeah. This would be accounted for in our October one report. So when we submit our October one report, we'll be able to claim all our four-year-olds on the October one report. Therefore, again, for fiscal 26, the tuition rate that
153Desi used in the foundation budget was that $5,000 figure of $5,66.15. That rate is going to increase by the inflation factor and it's also going to increase because of student opportunity act. That's why I think it' be advantageous to act now to get the max to get the maximum rate. >> I agree. back. Anybody else? Before I go back to Mr. Sh. Mr. Shaves, >> just a question because I know the October one report gives the numbers for the funding for the following year. So would they base that numbers on our October one report this year or we have to wait till >> So we'd have to give a year of free that we would have to pay for but then the following year going forward we would Okay. >> That's why it would be
1542027. Correct. Okay. So, I just have a question. So, if I understand this correctly, our family is going to save $300,000 and we're going to get back 600. >> Yes. >> Why didn't we do this this past year? >> Uh, one, we didn't have a lottery system. Now, we have a lottery system. and and two uh it was we've we've maxed out our program because we had to address equity the inequity of parents getting in first and making sure that all our families have equal footing when it comes to access to this program. So now that we have a lottery system that has worked and was very effective, I believe it makes sense now that we can offer universal or free four-year-old prek and the lottery system is public. It's part of our handbook for
155prek so families understand it and it'll be one year from next October one where we receive the impact of chapter 70. >> So for this academic year that started in September, the families are paying. Correct. Okay. So over the summer, so academic year of 26 going into 27, >> the families still have to pay. >> No, they will not pay. >> They will not pay. Okay. All right. >> We won't get reimbured. >> You won't get just You won't get reimbured until 28. >> Yeah. >> Can I ask one more question? >> Okay. So, let me just put down some dates. So nine of 26 no cost to the families >> and we get when do we get our money >> the following >> October one of 20 >> 27 >> October of 27 okay
156>> and then 28 we get the money >> which is the FY2 >> so then another year okay so it's really okay so two years is 300,000 >> and the only other thing I'll mention too is that uh right now in that revolving account because of the tuition that we've accumulated we're s we We do have a a very comfortable 1.1 $1.2 million in the preschool revolving account. So, we can't sustain we can't sustain the program without collecting the tuition for at least a year and a half. >> Mr. Enus, >> um I think it's a great idea. Um I personally have no problem on voting for it tonight, so I think it's a no-brainer. Motion to approve the requested proposal for free full day for >> 27 for grade >> foury old >> for
157foury old prek >> second >> motion made on a roll call vote Mrs. Fagan >> yep >> yes >> Mr. >> yes >> Mr. Powski >> yes >> Mrs. votes. Yes. I'm sorry. >> Mr. Vieiraa. >> Yes. >> Mr. Laura. >> Yes. >> Dr. Dlo. >> Yes. >> Thank you so much. Moving on to item four, adjusted delivery date for December 3rd meeting. >> I just want to make you aware that the because of the holiday and Thanksgiving break, you're going to be receiving the packet on December 1st for the December 3rd meeting. I think that's okay. Everybody right? Everybody needs to cook their turkey and have a nice dinner with their family because we're all closed on Friday, right? On the day after Thanksgiving. >> Yeah, absolutely. Okay, thank you for that for the
158heads up. I know Mr. Lura runs to the mailbox to pick up the agenda. Next up, subcommittee reports. Long range planning subcommittee uh of uh November 6. Chairman Vieiraa. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On Thursday, November 6th, the long-range plan and public property subcommittee met at Epole School in the Superintendent Office at 3 p.m. In attendance was superintendent John Cabraw, director of facilities Mark Freighus, superintendent of finance and operations Brenda Moyahan, uh myself as subcommittee chair, Mr. Enus, and Dr. Dlo. The meeting was called to order at three. So, the items that were discussed, I'm going to go over those first. That way you hear them multiple times. Uh Summer Street, uh Carol Dy professional learning center. We received an update on Hamilton Street, border health reports, uh transportation contracting consultant hiring, uh Taton High
159School softball restrooms. So getting back to item A, Carol Dy professional learning center. uh because of the change of use uh we had to have a discussion about the building and uh building code review in accordance with the international building code and Americans with disability act that was needed and required per the building inspector. Cost of the code review is estimated at approximately $5,500. A motion was made by Mr. Enus, seconded by Dr. dlo and uh to authorize payment for the code review. The motion passed unanimously. Second item on the agenda, Hamilton Street update. Director of facilities Mark Freigh has provided a timeline and scope of work for Hamilton Street project. So, anybody familiar with construction or new construction process, a pretty extensive chart and timeline when they're going to do things, delineating uh start
160dates and completion dates. As we all know in construction, it's it's those things are subject to t change based on circumstances. So, current work includes uh sprinklers being brought up to code. They're renovating the cafeteria, restrooms, locker rooms, updating the food service area. A motion was made by Mr. Enus, seconded by Dr. Dlo, authorized the administration to cover the kitchen applian costs up to 555,000. The motion uh passed unanimously. I also want to note that um itemized list was presented to the subcommittee, so we were well aware of what we were voting on. Uh, Superintendent Cabraw also noted that Hamilton Street timeline may need to be extended um based on when the Massachusetts School Building Authority, the MSBA, can begin the doors and uh windows replacement project. Again, all subject to uh deliveries, availability of
161product, so on and so forth. So, October 9th, board of health reports, we had a extremely clean bill of health. I think it was it was very minimal. Um so that was wonderful news for Taton public schools. Motion was made to accept the report by Mr. Enus, seconded by Dr. Dlo and it passed unanimously. Next item discussed was a transportation contract uh consultant subcommittee discussed Taton Public Schools transportation contract which ends on June 30th. After a lengthy discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Enus, seconded by Dr. Dlo, to authorize the administration to contract with transportation consultant Rachel Lee for no more than 10,000 to support the administration with the construction and management of the transportation bid. This was also passed uh unanimously. The final item discussed uh we were presented with some renderings of
162uh restroom facilities for the Taton High softball field. A motion was made by Mr. Enus, seconded by Mr. Dlo to authorize the administration to proceed with exploring the restroom design based on preferred examples discussed at the meeting which included water utilities outlet. The administration will bring uh cost estimate back to the subcommittee. Uh the motion passed unanimously and we adjourned at 3:43. That concludes my report. >> Thank you. Chairman Vieiraa wishes the committee. >> Motion to accept the report. >> Second. >> All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. Next up, we have rules committee chairman. >> Uh we met on November 10th, 10:00 a.m. at the EPO library. Members present were myself, Mr. Laura, Mr. Powski. Also in attendance was Dr. Harrison, Carolyn Belau, Dala Hotong, Mike Proposa, Greg Gay, Brad Sidwell, John Cabral,
163and Amy Moingham. And I want to give special recognition to Mrs. Moham because she took great notes. So the first item on the agenda was the Taton High School program studies. Dr. Harrison presented a propos proposed revisions to the Taton High School program of studies. The updated specifically addressed the school wellness requirement in response to a re recent department of elementary and secondary education review that identified compliance issue. Approximately 2 to 2900 students are currently meeting the requirement. Dark directed Dr. Is it should be our meeting or it was a meeting? I thought that was the issue. >> I'm not meeting. >> Yeah, this is going to be >> only 2,000 students. >> Okay. Dr. Harrison directed attendees to page 28 of the program studies document highlighting two key paragraphs and three bullets clarifying how
164students can fulfill the wellness requirement. His revised requirement. All students are required to participate in wellness every year as a condition of graduation. In grade nine, students must complete one semester of a wellness course. In grades 10 through 12, students may fulfill this requirement through one of three options. Enrolling in the scheduled wellness course, participating in a approved Taton High School athletic team, or three, completing a verified approved outside fitness program. This revision ensures greater flexibility while aligning with state expectations and graduation standards. A motion was made by Mr. Lara and Mr. Palowski. Seconded to move the proposed program studies to forward to the full school committee with a recommendation of approval. The motion was included recommended and it was voted unanimously. And we are waving also the three ruling three the three reading three
165reading rule was part of the motion and it was uh approved unanimously. The second one was on um career technical education kind of ironic that the presentation was tonight. Um uh co-directors Mrs. Hotang, Mr. proposal along with the assistant principal Carolyn Blano Bleno provided an overview of updates to the CTE admissions policies for both middle and high school students. These updates were in direct response to new desert requirements including the imple implementation of admission policies at the middle and high school levels. Uh the highlighted areas where all middle school students in grade SE 5 to 7 would develop a myap plan to support the career exploration. Second, Taton High School chapter 74 CTE program exceeded the DESIE requirements. Uh bullet point three, students can request program changes or waiverss based on interest and or availability.
166Next bullet point was the most students received first or second program of their choice which was stated earlier today. Um and transfer students may enter the CTE program provided if there is space. The admissions uh lottery process allows up to three additional entries based on the students engagement as outlined in pages six and seven of the document shared with the subcommittee. uh subcommittee member Mr. Palowski suggested integrating mentorship opportunities and involving recent CTE graduates informational panels for middle and high school students. Mrs. Miss Hotong noted that the pathway exploration strategies at the middle school level are still under development with the support of assistant superintendent Barata. The administration agreed to incorporate subcommittee recommendations into the policy and provide a copy of the relevant DESI law at the next meeting. A motion was made by Mr.
167Ler and seconded by Mr. Palowski to move the admissions policies forward to the full school committee for a first reading with a subcommittee's feedback incorporated and it was voted unanimously approved. The third one and final was uh job descriptions. Um director special education Amy Mo Amy Moahham presented several job descriptions to review. First was the applied behavioral analyst therapist registered behavioral technician. Um the certified occupational therapist assistant. These roles were developed in collaboration with the Taton Therapy Assistance Group Association following recent negotiations. While the interviews are already serving in these positions, there are no formal job descriptions created for them. Um the third one was the board certified behavioral analysts. Only a minor revision was made correcting the supervisor listed from the athletic director to the director of special ed or director of special ed
168designate. So that was just a more of a typo type thing. Uh the fourth one was high school guidance department. Previously titled director of high school guidance. The title was changed through negotiations with the Taton administrators association to accurately reflect the role scope and align with the existing administrative structure. The administration addressed all subcommittee questions. A motion was made by Mr. Lara, second by Mr. Palowski to approve the presented job descriptions and move them forward to the full committee for first reading and it was unanimously approved. Uh we adjourned at 11:03. It was made by Mr. Lara and seconded by Mr. Palowski at 11:03. >> Thank you chairman. What are the wishes of the committee? Mr. Vieira, >> I just I I had a question and uh it's certainly not to be adversarial and it's
169with uh best intentions. Um, and probably the public at home would want to know what why are we waving the three readings? Um, I just the rationale I'm certain there's good reason, but there's a the point of having three readings is there. So, is this is it timesensitive? Is that why we're waving it? If so, what makes it timeensitive? >> I'll just I'll just preface that you'll notice that this is the only item from the rule subcommittee that we're asking that the three readings be waved because obviously that's something that the committee has voiced as a concern in the past. And the reason why we're asking for this item to be waved is it's timesensitive because it impacts the graduating class of 2026 and the program of studies is due to Desi as part of
170a program coordinated review that we have to respond to. It has to be approved by the school committee before uh December 12th. So that's why it's time sensitive. >> Okay. All right. Thank you, Superintendent. >> Wishes of the committee. Motion to approve uh as uh presented >> and adopt the recommendations. >> Move forward as he presented it. >> Part of the motion. Would you include that? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Second. >> Adopting recommendations >> to include the recommendations. >> Motion to approve and adopt the recommendations of the rule subcommittee. >> Second by Mrs. Shaz. All in favor? >> I oppose. Do we need a roll call because we're waving the rules? Just do a roll call of Secretary Fagan, please. >> Mr. Reus. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Sh. >> Yes. >> Mr. Palowski. >> Yes.
171>> Mrs. Fagan votes yes. Mr. Vieiraa. >> Yes. >> Mr. Laura. >> Yes. >> Dr. Dell. >> Yes. Thank you all. >> Thank you, Chairman. Next up, we have the M&A collective bargaining chairman Laura. Uh the M&A subcommittee met on uh this past Monday. And after three respectful and productive sessions with our nurses bargaining committee, we have reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract. Each session included an exchange of a constructive dialogue amongst both sides. Under the direction and guidance of our attorney, Tom Delmare, Superintendent Cabral, and his team, the committee, Mrs. Fagan, Mr. Venus, and myself reached an attentive agreement. That concludes my report. >> Thank you so much, Chairman Laura. And actions by >> motion to accept the report. >> Second. >> All in favor? Opposed? eyes have it. Next up, we
172have the Tessa Collective Bargaining Chairman Sha. >> Thank you, Dr. Dlo. Um, Tessa Collective Bargaining Subcommittee met on Tuesday, November 18th, 2025 at 3:15 p.m. This was our fifth meeting. Mrs. Fagan, Miss Santos, and I were present along with representatives from administration and the bargaining team. Negotiations are still in progress. The meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m. The next meeting is Thursday, November 20th, 2025. And this concludes my report. >> Motion. >> Thank you, Chairman. All in favor? >> Opposed? Eyes have it. Next up, we have the Taton High School Advisory Subcommittee, Chairman Paulski. >> Uh, thank you, Dr. Melo. Um, we had a meeting today of the high school subcommittee. Um, and we will report the minutes out at a later date. >> Thank you, Chairman Paulski. Motion to accept the report. >> All in
173favor? >> Is there a second? I'm sorry. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? Eyes have it. Next up, we have the elementary subcommittee chairman Laura. >> Uh the elementary Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The elementary subcommittee met this afternoon, members present with myself, Mr. Palowski, and also yourself, Mr. Chairman, DLO present, uh with Superintendent Cabal, and Mr. Barata. Presentation made by principal Kathy Dakota. Uh the meeting was called to order at 4:45. Principal Dakota began a presentation of the school improvement plan MLK for 24 2024 2026 stating that the school serves approximately 880 students across 45 classrooms from P preK through 4th grade. Well, Khe learning community includes a diverse population of learners supported by more than 150 dedicated staff members including teachers, assistants, specialists, support staff, and members of the cafeteria and custodial
174team. The school is grounded on in both purpose and possibility. Their work is anchored in the belief that academic excellence and emotional well-being go hand in hand. Principal Dakota states, "When students feel safe, connected, and known, they engage more deeply in their learning. And when instructional is intentional and responsive, they grow. Teachers strive daily to create classrooms where students are active participants in their learning and where belonging is not just a theme, but a lived experience. The plan focuses on five major improvements. One, strengthen literacy and writing achievement. Two, accelerating mathematics growth. Three, strengthening tier one social emotional learning. And four, improving school transitions and family engagement. Five, increasing attendance and reducing chronic absenteeism. The the instructional focus for students in grades K to 4 centers on strong foundational teaching in literacy and mathematics. They
175utilize high quality research-based programs including foundations, wonders, rewards, Wilson and Hagerty to deliver explicit systematic instruction in phonics, phonics awareness, awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. In mathematics, they utilize illustrative mathematics to help students build deep conceptual understanding and confidence as problem solvers. at Mohei. They also understand that learning goes beyond academics. Supporting students social emotional growth remains a schoolwide priority. Each school uses the MindUp curriculum to help students de develop self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy. The leadership approach is grounded in collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility. Everyone plays an active role in decision making. Families and community partners are integral to their success. Their belief is that learning is strongest when there is alignment between home and school. Through regular communication, family engagement events, and strong partnerships with local organizations, Malke Elementary will continue to strengthen the
176home school connection that supports every child's academic and social studies. Their motto mustangs are kind, safe, responsible, and respectful. Principal Dakota presented the SIP with much enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment to her position, detailing the plan, utilize a multitude of resources and techniques to ensure that her goals utilizing a multi uh that her goals are and objectives are fully implemented. This according to her has created a more effective learning environment which offers greater results to the students. She ends her remarks by adding a famous quote by a Dr. Brad Johnson. Few things have a greater impact on student success than a teacher who believes in them. This concludes my report. Meeting ended at 5:36 p.m. >> Thank you, Chairman Laura. >> Motion to accept the report. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. Eyes
177have it. >> Next up, we have finance and law. That's chaired by myself. Um, first and foremost, the uh uh first item on the agenda was the food services update. In your packet, you have the uh memo provided by Glenn Mada, director of food services. Assistant Superintendent Monahan uh went over the two uh charts. The first one was the October meal summary, which there were 22 service days. Uh over 204,000 meals served. Uh participation rate 24 compared to 2025. It increased from 40% to 43% for breakfast and for lunch increased well stayed the same 72% from 24 to 25. In total year-to- date meal summary 44 service days with over 388,000 meals served. Uh participation rate increased in 24 to 25 from 38 to 39% and lunch remained constant at 70%. The concern that was
178brought up was um basically uh extra meals or not enough meals uh asked by Mrs. Shaw and myself. The uh excess meals if necessary are readily available. Should we have an influx of students on a particular day and the excess meals are also offered on a graband-go type of situation uh so that children or students can take it home with them uh the extra food so it doesn't go to waste. Uh next item that was uh received and placed on file unanimously by the three subcommittee members which are myself, Mr. Vieiraa and Mrs. Shs. Uh next disposal of surplus material. Uh both items related to two Hamilton Street. Well, one item related to two Hamilton Street and the item the other item were two high Ton High snowblowers. Uh bunch of chairs, 180 chairs that
179are not necessary throughout the district. Of course, we always inquire internally. Uh the estimated value $170. Uh that was um along with the two snowblowers. Snowblowers year of purchase 2013. They're in poor condition. Uh value of $200,000. And the motion was made and seconded to vote unanimously to put that into the surplus goods or um how do we phrase it? Uh >> I'm sorry. >> Yes. Uh per T public schools. Uh uh Boy, I'm losing my thought today. Uh taught public schools um policy and that was voted unanimously. The next item was coaching for change. Uh a memo was included along with supporting documents regarding uh the warrant and it explains uh the 2025 invoice and services provided. Uh there was one comment made by Mrs. Shaz regarding the new system, the new graph that's
180in your packets which uh very difficult to read. So, a suggestion was made to put it into a 11 and a half by four, eight and a half by 14 spreadsheet and make the uh the items and numbers a little bit larger for our older folks like me to be able to read. Uh that was voted unanimously to accept the report. And the last item uh was bills payable in the amount of 700 for FY26 $745,592. Uh multiple questions asked by Mrs. Shaves, Mr. Vier and myself. Uh, Assistant Superintendent Monahan of course had the answers for us. Uh, and it's just a matter of checks and balances. I think that's our dual responsibility to make sure everything's uh, okay, and it certainly is. So, that was voted in uh, unanimously by the subcommittee to approve
181and pay the bills payable for FY26 in the amount of $745,592. And that concludes my report. Motion to accept the report and adopt the recommendations of the finance and law subcommittee. >> Second. >> All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. Moving on to new business. First item is the positive impact of Yonder Pouch's term one update. Mr. Wendell, do you want to take that one? >> No. Okay. I won't put you on the spot. Uh, Superintendent Cabraw. >> Uh, so Dr. Harrison, when we when the school committee voted to approve the use of yonder pouches at Town High School, Dr. Harrison mentioned that he would provide data so that we can monitor the the progress. So I'm just going to refer to the bullets. Uh you'll notice that based on the data Dr. Harrison
182presented based on term one compared to term one last year, you saw an increase from 67% to 76% of all students passing their classes. On students receiving A's and B's, you saw an increase from 58% to 65%. Student attendance is up 2% for term one. Uh student st I'm sorry staff staff attendance has improved from 92% to 94%. Student attendance is up from 919 to 923. Student tardies has dropped by 4%. Uh the number of disorderly conduct and insubordination has dropped by 3%. Physical altercations has been been reduced by half. Harassment, vandalism and threats has decreased by almost 60% and out of school suspensions is down by 9%. So I just wanted to commend the committee. um commend the committee and can also commend Dr. Harris and his staff. It was not an easy decision
183and it was not one made in haste, but I I do believe that we're starting to see um the fruits of that tough decision. So, thank you all for your support. >> Thank you. Uh next up, we have uh celebrating outstanding I'm sorry, a motion to accept >> motion to accept the report. >> All in favor? Hi. >> On discussion, can I just I have friends of mine that live in other districts and their children and I was discussing how we um put the yonder pouches forward and their response was I wish we had them in our school for their either high school kids or whatever. He said that would she couldn't believe we actually passed it, number one. And number two, she just wished her school district would do the same thing. Just a
184thought. >> Great. Mr. Vier. >> Yeah. To Minus's point, all of the students I talked to said that it's improved uh classroom uh engagement with the teacher and more importantly uh social skills with one another. So, I it's been great. >> Thank you. Thank you both for the feedback. Uh moving on, we have celebrating outstanding student achievements uh on the spring 2025 MCCAST. Superintendent. So on Friday, I'll uh I'm going to try to beat my step record of visiting all the schools of 16,000 steps. So Miss Johnson and I are going to visit all our schools to present uh 13 students who achieved perfect MCCAST. I provided you with their names. Uh we will invite them to a school committee recognition in the future. So you'll get to meet them in person, get to hear
185the names in public as you meet the faces. We're also going to present Mr. Barado and I uh signed off on over 500 certificates recognizing uh 500 students who achieved 90% growth on their MCCAST exams. So again, achievement is something we need to recognize and something that we need to celebrate in the Tom public schools. So I'll be very busy on Friday uh visiting all these amazing students. >> So they will come before us and we'll have an opportunity to read their names and celebrate with them. >> Correct. So, out of out our school committee recognition, we'll invite them and provide present them with the certificates of recognition. >> Great. Thank you so much. Um, I'm just hesitating because I I I want to read their names right now. That's what I want to do.
186Why don't you do that, Superintendent? >> I'd be happy to. >> So, we want to we want to congratulate David Matus, grade seven John Paka Middle School for getting a re achieving a perfect MCCAST score in English language arts. Uh, Caitlyn Palato, a sixth grade student at the Benjamin A. Freeman Middle School for achieving a perfect score on the ELA MCCAST exam. Mia De Mateo, grade seven at the Benjamin A. Freeman Middle School, also achieved a perfect score on the ELA MCCAST exam. Andrew Devo, a seventh grade student at the Benjamin A. Freeman Middle School, also achieved a perfect score on the English language arts exam. Em Amelia Levit, an 11th grade student at Taton High School, achieved an perfect score on the ELA MCCAST exam. Timothy O'Brien, a fourth grader at the Joseph C.
187Chamberlain Elementary School, received a perfect score on the math MCCAST exam. Amelia Copchek, a grade four student at Easttown Elementary School, achieved a perfect score on the math MCCAST exam. Ka Ka Kaden Camilars, a fifth grade student at the Joseph H. Martin School achieved a perfect score on the math MCCAST exam. Isaac Clearary, a fifth grade student at the Joseph H. Martin Middle School, achieved a perfect score on the math mccast exam. Cameron Cotton, a fifth grade student at John F. Parker Middle School, also achieved a perfect score on the math MCCAST exam. Tibberius Loftrand, a nth grade student at Totten High School, also achieved a perfect score on the math MCCAST exam. And lastly, but not least, David Reposo, an 11th grade student at Ton High School, achieved a perfect score on the math
188MCCAST exam. Their families and their community should be very, very, very proud of them. This is not an easy achievement. >> Excellent. Thank you so much, Superintendent. Uh before we moved on, move on to unfinished business. >> I'm sorry, Mr. V. I just wanted to uh let the committee know and the public at um home know that we'll be holding a long range planning and public property subcommittee meeting next week to discuss the sad little door and the vestibule um at the early childhood uh development center at Ton High School. >> Excellent. Do we have a date and time yet or we have to have to discuss that with the superintendent? Probably Monday to Tuesday and next week. >> Okay. We need to What's today? Today's Wednesday. We need to put that out by Friday.
189>> Y >> for Okay, great. Okay, >> thank you. Um before we move on, uh something for everyone to think about. I think it's time, we heard it tonight, uh developing a couple of new subcommittees. I think it's important. Our district is is grown by leaps and bounds. We heard it loud and clear about chapter 74, uh creating a subcommittee just for that particular uh part of uh our our system. Um I still think a space committee and not space going to the moon or to Mars or anything like that. Uh is is critical to the growth. Uh we have a major project that uh you know has been moving quite a bit uh which is to Hamilton Street. Uh so we need to address that and also a community outreach I think is also
190critical to the success of the district. So I I I'd like the committee members to think about it. I' I'd like to take this up on December 17th. Uh is it 17th superintendent? Uh what's the two meetings out? >> Third and 17th. >> 17th of December. So we can uh memorialize this and if there's any other suggestions uh please reach out to me or the superintendent so that we can put it on the December 17th agenda. Thank you. Next up we have unfinished business uh action item update letter to city council on the impact of housing development. >> Now we just want to provide you with a copy of the letter that was sent to the superintendent, sorry, sent to the mayor. Uh I believe the motion was made by Mrs. Santos. So I just
191wanted to provide you with a copy of the letter that I sent to the city. >> Excellent. Thank you, >> Mr. De. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I could through you, uh action item list, um refer capital improvement plan, long range planning. I believe we have fulfilled our obligation and that item can be removed. So, I would make a motion to remove the item dated uh January 4th, 2023 from the action item list. >> So, um remove it because we have already met on that and yes, >> did we present it before the full committee? >> Yes, >> we did. Okay. >> All right. Uh second push to the committee. All in favor? I >> opposed. eyes have it. Anything else on action items? Uh, two Hamilton Street use vote discussion. >> So, just
192something that I just want to share with the committee and if this is an item that we wish to vote on in the near future with Mr. Enus only having two meetings with us left. I know that if that's something that we want to have a meeting with Mr. Enis, if we want to have a meeting with Mr. is present or if this is an item we want to vote on with the new full committee uh sometime in January. >> Uh no disrespect to Mr. Enus. Uh I I think we heard tonight that we have um some ongoing continuing how should I say moving pieces uh regarding to Hamilton Street. So I don't know how we can make a sound judgment yet. I don't know uh everybody feels but uh we need to find out
193a little bit more on the financials I think but Mr. us. No offense taken. >> No, this vote would just be for the use the usage. So, we know the financials is a different aspect, but regarding is it going to be uh the two without the two final options, a fourth middle school or a moving an existing middle school. The financials, I believe, is a separate matter because we're going to have to adjust the financials moving forward with the uh building. This is for the the use that we that we put the vote that we put off on. That's all. It's something you want to >> That was the same presentation that most of us sat through or saw at multiple times throughout the city this summer. Correct. As far as the financial impact, the
194use >> financial impacts on the city side. >> Yeah. >> Yes. That's what I'm I'm talking about. uses the usage to finally determine the preferred usage for the school. >> We have to consider all factors though in making the decision though. Correct, superintendent? Okay. I just want to make sure. All right. Thank you. >> So, so if I may, the last time we met on the long range planning subcommittee, we had to delay the actual possible delay of the actual academic year because MSBA doesn't know when it's going to take up the windows and the doors. We heard that tonight. Correct. And we heard that as a subcommittee, Mr. Enus and Mr. Vieira. So I'm I'm still I'm still What's the rush here? I'm just still confused. What's the rush? >> So if there's no
195rush, maybe we identify a date so that the committee is prepared to make a vote. >> Mr. Re, are you here on December 17th? >> Wonderful. Well, can we do it on December 17th? Everybody going to be here? >> I'd like to. So m maybe the 17th that way we can anybody needs any additional information it can be provided to them on the 17th question plan on being here >> I think Mr. >> I I may be able to zoom in >> okay sir >> that's fine I mean I I again Mr. Enus you're leaving so I want to respect Mr. Mr. Enus because he's been very involved in this process. So I think I'd like to include Mr. Enus on this and >> and we don't have a member tonight also. So we don't
196have Mrs. San Mr. Santos here also. So >> So if you It makes no difference to me if you want to push it to January. I'm fine with that. It makes no difference to me. >> The 17th of December is good. Mr. Ver, >> would a motion be appropriate to have it as an agenda item on December 17th >> if that's what the consensus of the the group is? I I think there would be >> I I I like I said, I'm not going to be here. So, I'm I'm more concerned that you're not going to be on the 17th. No, no, I'm talking the 17th, right? I'm not going to be here regardless. So, if you push it to January that we have a full commission, >> but but Mr. Enus, you have been
197involved from day number one and I think it's I appreciate that. I don't take offense to any of that. >> No, it's not a matter of taking offense. It's part of the committee. Yes, Mr. Powski. >> I think we should vote sooner rather than later. I want to make sure we give uh the administration and the various schools time to plan for what they're going to do. So I'd advocate for voting on the 17th >> on the 17th. >> I support that also. >> Okay. So we will put it on the agenda for December 17th. We'll make it in the form of a full motion. We'll have two options on the table clearly identified, right? Instead of just a discussion in parenthesis. I think that would be easier for all of us. Superintendent sounds good.
198>> 12 17 both options. Got it. >> All right. So moved. >> Second. >> Would you like to back up again? >> All in favor? >> I Does anybody need backup? >> Okay. Anybody needs backup? Reach out to superintendent. And uh we already talked about action item update, Mr. Vieira, that's the only item you have. Anybody else on the action items? >> Thanks. >> And press. Hey, >> you jumped it. >> Press time. >> No press tonight. >> No questions from the press. Okay, great. Uh >> motion to adjurnn. Second. >> Oh, unless you have something else. >> Well, I the superintendent is whispering in my ear. I think it's appropriate. Happy Thanksgiving to the fellow committee, to all our staff, to our families, our students, a safe and happy Thanksgiving. All in favor? I
199>> opposed. Eyes have it. We are adjourned. Good night. Thank you.