001Order this meeting, please. I'm going to ask you to keep the side chatter to a minimum as your voices will carry. Understand the microphone is for the studio audience watching on television. This is going to be a tape delayed meeting due to a um internet situation. So again, I will ask you to kind of keep the conversation to a minimum because if someone steps up front, they're facing this way. You're going to be behind them. I will ask you as adults to project your voice accordingly. But please, if you would join me for the pledge of allegiance, >> please take your hats off, ladies and gentlemen, if you would. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God,
002indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you very much. >> Okay, public comment. Let me please explain how this will work for all of you. And I ask you please to understand this. You can get up. You're going to get two minutes. We have roughly a 15-minute window for this. We'll have a little bit of leeway with that. Certainly, we are not here to comment, debate, or anything. You get up, you state your case. Thank you very much. We will take it under advisement. Okay? This is not a debate time. If we're going to put something on the agenda, it has to come in writing 10 days to the superintendent. We'll see about getting it on the agenda. I make no guarantees. I don't say either way. All right? Is that fair? Again,
003please be concise. And you have to be a Pemroke resident to speak at this meeting. If you're from out of town, please if you want to send us an email, you want to send us a note, you want to do any of the above, that's fantastic. But this meeting right now is for Pemroke residents. Is that clear? >> Okay. I'll ask everyone to be nice. I'll ask her to be uh very gracious and public comment. We're going to start with Chrissy Nelson. Please state your name and your address, please. >> Hello everyone. Chrissy Nelson, 86 Birch Street. Good evening. You have to speak up because they can't hear you. >> Okay. Respectfully, I just >> Can you hear me? I >> can't be able to hear you. So, >> is the speaker? >> No, that's
004for the TV. That's not for them. So, >> well, usually we have less in the room, don't we? >> Then we get that double. >> Thank you. I'm here again today to request that you address the important issue of males competing in the female divisions of sports. Discussions in our district in the past have included safety, but have not included the issues of fairness and equity in women's sports. The sex of a student athlete matters. This isn't about identity. It's in fact protecting females in their sports and spaces that will go farther in protecting kids in their identities because these things would no longer be at odds. The issue of identity is completely separate topic from this issue. Playing against male athletes endangers our girls physically and emotionally. Let us shift our focus onto women's
005equality and what is fair just like our mothers and our grandmothers have done for women's rights for many generations before us. The science is clear. There is no changing of biology no matter how an athlete identifies even when they have undergone testosterone suppression because it is a proven fact that the chromosomes XX for female and XY for male will not change. Allowing boys to compete with females on female teams causes emotional strain as girls report feeling that their efforts are futile against boys biological advantages. The rights of young women need to be prioritized in women's sports. It is a sacrifice to the emotional well-being of hundreds of girls to accommodate one boy. Instead of a male track and field athlete taking 135th place in the boys event, that same male will take first place in
006the girls event, which is happening to our Penrook girls. It's also happening to every other girl that's competing in our entire state. It's not fair nor it's equitable. As written in the NCAA policy that I've handed to you guys, only females can be recruited for NCAA girls teams. As I have said before, and in track and field, boys cannot compete at nationals in the girls division. Any recognition received by a male in high school female sports is inadmissible for college opportunities. But the recognition they received could have been rewarded to the female athletes that were displaced by the male participation. Therefore, male athletes competing as females are stealing the recognition deserved for female athletes, allowing our deserving female student athletes to be seen to be recognized, recruited beyond high school, and offered scholarships for their
007efforts to follow their dreams with the colleges of their choice. I understand is it a challenge to change the rules for sport girl sports in Massachusetts, but this committee does have an important voice that it can use to speak up for our perook girls and for girls across our state. I urge you tonight, use this voice to contact the MIAA and formally ask them to change their rules so that males cannot compete in female sports for our girls and set an example by changing our school's policies to prioritize sex over gender identity when it comes to girls space, sports, and spaces. I've handed you a Pennsylvania uh policy that you can look over on the second page there as well as a good a good example. Finally, I have brought a petition here tonight to
008share with everyone that would like to send a copy to their school committees and the MIA as well. The very same that I shared with you all and I sent also to the chairman, to the superintendent, and to principal Mark Talbot who's also in the MIA board. I'm collecting signatures and to anyone feel free to reach out to me at mcfa of mass [email protected] to sign or to receive a copy with the goal of protecting girls sports in Massachusetts. That way it makes it really easy for anyone to email and make it super cut and paste quick and easy. Let's all work together today for the future female athletes and please let's make competition fair again. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next up, uh Tracy, is it Mariani? >> I'm sorry. I just realized
009I couldn't speak. Oh, >> okay. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Uh Rick Bighgam, >> I'm also not from Pemrook, but I have information about >> Okay, sir. respectfully. Respectfully, no, you're not from this is a Penroke meetings. Sir, sir, do me a favor. Respect the meeting, please. If you do not respect the meeting, I will ask you to leave. Thank you very much. Next up, Adrian. Is it McDougall? >> I apologize for being late, but I just got a call that I have to go to the hospital. I'm honest and I I just want to share I'm from Penrook. >> Yep. >> Okay. Please. Yeah. Sorry. >> No, no, you didn't. >> Could you state your name for us, please? >> My name's Jean Comfort. Um I live in Pemroke. Um I'm very
010very This is so critically important to me. my 13-year-old granddaughter, at the time 12, in January of last year. She was hit by another girl playing basketball and tore her ACL and has been out of sports for a year. A huge detriment to her, all the hard work that she's put into it. Now she's rebuilding. Imagine if that was a 12year-old boy. It was not done with intent. It was just done. It's an accident. But the strength of a boy, the bone size of a boy is much greater than that of a woman. I grew up as a very big girl. My brothers played football, you know, they did a great job. But if I went out and played football with my younger brothers, I got pummeled, you know, and when you go into competition,
011they gave it everything they had. Okay. Four kids on Silver Lake High School football team went after my brother and tore his knee after at the Thanksgiving day game because they were tired of getting beat up by him. You know, that's competition. That's loss of opportunity. And by us allowing boys to play on girls teams, we're setting them up for failure for all the hard work that they put in. They go to school. They get great grades. They play in sports. They pay a tremendous amount of money and time doing travel activities to get injured because they're competing against a boy with a greater bone structure and the ability to build more. So, please consider that if it's your 12-year-old, do you want them to get pummeled by a boy by accident? It didn't happen
012with intent, but one girl tore caused the tear of an ACL. Thank you for your time. I appreciate it. And thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good luck with your mother. >> Um, yeah, she's not the bottom here. So, she's I'm sorry, Adrian. Is it McDougall? >> I'm sorry. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh, Claire Abernafy. Hello. Um, I'm I live in the area. I can't disclose my address. I'm a public figure, but um >> Are you from Pemro? That's okay. >> Um, thank you for allowing me to speak today. I'm here because a girl in this district placed ninth at a track meet. Only the top eight athletes advanced. One of those eight was a biological boy competing in the girls category. That means that the eighth fastest girl at the meet lost her chance
013to advance. Not because she wasn't good enough, not because she didn't train hard enough, but because the adults entrusted with protecting her failed. That lost opportunity matters. These competitions are not trivial. They shape a girl's confidence, college prospects, scholarship, and her belief that hard work will be rewarded fairly. That eighth girl will never get that moment back. I'm speaking to you not as a just as a concerned member of the public, but from personal experience. Throughout middle and early high school, I believed that I was transgender. In the eighth grade, I was placed on testosterone. I dransitioned three years later during my junior year of high school. One of the experiences that forced me to confront reality was competing in boys athletics. Despite years of testosterone and daily weight training, I could not come close
014to competing with my male peers. No amount of drugs, no level of medical intervention could overcome my female biology. That experience taught me something that you are being encouraged to ignore. Sex differences in athletics are real. They are measurable and they are not created by hormones alone. This matter this matters because male athletic advantage does not begin at puberty and it is not caused by testosterone. Measurable sex differences exist from birth. Newborn boys on average demonstrate greater grip strength than newborn girls. Puberty amplifies these differences, but it does not create them, and they cannot be erased with hormones. Pretending otherwise didn't help me. It harmed me. I was encouraged to deny reality instead of being supported in accepting it. And today, that same denial of reality is harming girls across this district and this state.
015Allowing boys to compete in girls sports is not inclusion. It's the erasure of girls categories and girls opportunities. It replaces fairness with ideology and demands that girls bear the cost. You have a duty to protect the girls in your district, to protect their safety, their opportunities, and their right to fair competition. Please join me in reality and consider restoring fairness in girls sports. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Claire. >> All right, you got me on the next one. Is Simon or Simone? Simon. Thank you. >> Simon or Simone? >> Yep. Uh, I'm in the same boat as Claire. I'm also a public figure and can't disclose my address, but I am from the area. >> No, no, you're from Pembro. Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. Um, good afternoon, school
016committee members. Uh, my name is Simon Amaya Price, and I used to be trans. I'm here today to address the fact that there is a boy running in girls track who has curtailed the opportunities of at least five female as a athletes according to the Massachusetts Family Institute. While others already have and will focus on how this is deeply unfair to the girls, I would like to talk about the cruel lies this boy is being told, not the least of which that he is being told that he is truly a girl. When I came out as a transgender girl when I was 14, I was immediately affirmed by all of the medical professionals and other adults in my life, aside luckily from my parents. Anyone who spoke of their concern about my identity was immediately
017attacked and labeled as a transphobe and a Nazi. There was a lie that if you do not affirm the identity of transidentified youth that they will kill themselves. And it is likely for that reason that this boy was allowed to run in a girl's place. When I was transgender, despite my discomfort, I played in boys sports. And as you can see, I did not kill myself. As adults, especially as teachers and school administrators, you have a great responsibility to the children placed in your care. Parents expect you to tell the truth to their kids, to treat them fairly, to obey the law, and to follow basic principles of morality ingrained in our culture. The adults in my life sherked their responsibilities and I bear the psychological scars of believing their cruel lies and I'm angry
018that my opportunity at a normal high school experience was robbed from me. I refuse to stand by and watch this happen to more vulnerable boys. So I ask of you all tell the truth. Abide by the laws and morality of our land. There are two sexes, male and female. One cannot become the other. And to say anything else is nothing less than cruel. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. >> I'm going to take this out of order. The next person who wishes to speak wanted to speak on a different topic. So, I'm going to kind of move that person down if that's okay. So, next up would be Carrie O'Brien. your address, please, or your >> um Old Cart Path Lane in Pemroke. >> Okay, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good
019evening, Superintendent Obie and Committee members. I'm speaking tonight regarding Miss Nelson's request to appeal the MIAA policy and to use biological sex as the standard for Pemroke athletics rather than gender identity. I consider myself a reasonable person and I suspect most of my neighbors are too. Despite what headlines suggest, no one here is arguing that a student should be allowed to change their identity on a Monday just to snag a varsity jacket by Friday. The MIAA policy already handles this. It protects bonafide identity, which is a fancy way of saying this is who they actually are, not a competitive loophole. The argument for this change rests on the fear of an inherent physical dominance. But if we're going to base policy on fairness, we have to look at the actual science. According to research from
020Boston University Medical Center, gender affirming hormone therapy typically suppresses testosterone at or below the normal female physiological range. In fact, a 2024 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that transgender women actually faced physical disadvantages in several areas, performing worse than cisgender women in tests of lower body strength and lung function. But there is a glaring logical hole in Ms. Nelson's argument that we must address. Where are transgender males supposed to play? If we mandate that students play based on their biological sex, we would be requiring transgender boys who may be taking medically prescribed testosterone to compete on girls teams. By the very logic of those who fear biological advantages, aren't we creating the exact unfair advantage they claim to oppose? And I certainly hope no one in our community is suggesting
021these students simply shouldn't be allowed to play at all. This isn't a black and white issue. It's a complex human one that requires sensitivity, not rigid exclusions. Beyond the lab results, we are talking about human beings in our community. A CDC youth risk behavior study found that roughly 40% of transgender youth report being bullied at school and over 70% experience persistent sadness. High school sports are supposed to be the antidote to that isolation. They teach leadership and teamwork, things we should be inviting every student to experience, not rationing out based on genetics. I'll be blunt. I'm sorry Miss Nelson's daughter didn't place higher in her track meet. I know Miss Nelson and she's a lovely person, but the fact remains that seven cisgender girls also beat her daughter that day. And it's my understanding that
022the trans female wasn't even a Pemroke athlete. Sometimes we just don't run as fast as the person in the next lane. And that's a lesson sports are meant to teach without us having to blame a peer's identity for the result. The MIAA policy and Massachusetts general law are designed to ensure every student has a seat at the table or a spot on the field. I urge this committee to stand by the science, stand by the law, and most importantly, stand by all of our kids. Thank you all very much. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, that appears to be all the people that wanted to speak on that subject. >> Hold on. >> I didn't see the name around. >> Okay, >> sure. >> Just state your name and your address,
023please. >> My name is Jane Cornin. I live on Water Street in Pemroke. >> Thank you. I just want to mention to you guys that the Olympics are happening next week. There is a transidentified athlete. It is a girl who thinks she's a boy and she is skiing on the girls team. She is not excluded. She is is abiding by her biological sex to compete. So, nobody wants anybody left out. We want inclusion. But what we're doing right now is hurting girls. When we put boys in girls sports, we aren't creating exclusion. We are creating a new kind of inequality where girls are told that their boundaries don't matter. Their hard work don't matter. I have three sons. I grew up three boys and three girls. My brother was a year different from me. He
024could beat me at any sport, at any point in our lives. Giving birth to three sons, I knew before I had the baby that boy babies are bigger than girl babies. And until 10 years ago, everyone in this room knew that that boys are stronger than girls. I'm wor worried about girls safety. And I'm more importantly worried about the truth. obvious biological truths must not be treated like hate. That is not a lesson that we should treat girls. That when they feel uncomfortable, they ought to be quiet and and go along or else they'll be called names. That makes the rest of their lives dangerous. In a girl has an instinct when there is a problem. And we're teaching girls that they should avoid their instincts and go along even if they feel uncomfortable and
025there's a problem. It's not about bullying anyone. This is not about how someone feels inside. It is about the purpose of sports categories. The categories are to make competition fair and to protect the athletes. That's why the high school doesn't play against the middle school. There are age categories. There are sex categories. They've been around for hundreds of years. Dignity cannot require girls to lose their rights. So, I'm just asking the adults to protect the girls, to not stay silent, to speak up for Pembroke girls and pass a policy or pressure the MIA. I know you're on the MIA and we hope that we can petition our state leaders to protect girls. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> You should just ask to sign up. >> Anybody else want to sign up to Mr. Signups?
026>> We're all good. Everybody spoke your piece on the topic. That's great. We have one more person that want to address the group. Uh Kate Nent. >> Hello. We are representing the union at our school district. Um unit D, unit E, and unit A. Um, and we just wanted to say after a very long process that many of you participated in, um, no blood, but definitely sweat and tears, um, we look forward to you signing off on our contracts tonight and, uh, we appreciate all the effort that you put in and that we c we're able to come to a an agreement that we can all be happy with. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you, folks. Appreciate it. Any other public comment? >> We're good. >> Okay, let's
027move on. Acknowledge and schedule visitors. Do we have any? Nope. We're good there. Adjustments to the agenda. >> No. Communications. >> Yes. So, um I'm handing you all just a one pager in regards to um communication dos and don'ts. So, a couple times in the past few weeks, I've heard from one or several of you in regards to postings or communication. So, what I did was I pulled the information from the charting the course manual that new school committee members are required to take as just a reminder um in regards to when we're posting on our social media pages and the difference between posting as an individual and posting as a school committee member. Um again, I'm not going to read it to you. You all know how to read. Um but I did also
028give you um just the information the MAC guidelines on social media posts. I think it's just a helpful reminder for us. Um and because of the timeliness of it, I also included just some information around school committee's responsibilities when it comes to an override vote in a community. So again, um you are obviously on your own time at your own expense able to participate in activities related to overrides, but you cannot use, you know, school district dollars or time or that that type of stuff. Um and just really focusing our information on being um factual in nature as opposed to opinions. And um just just some good reminders as we go into the spring because I think we're going to have some override conversations about vocational in two and a half. Um and there have
029been a couple of um social media posts in the past two weeks or so um that don't necessarily align with the um dos and don'ts of communication as set out by the MASC. So >> everyone's clear on that. Fantastic. >> Bill schedule is it out? I don't >> uh not yet. It'll be out tonight. >> Okay, it'll be out tonight. Um okay. I need consideration approval. School committee meeting minutes of January 13th. I will accept a motion. >> So moved. Second. >> Okay. A first and a second. Uh we just we have to do this by roll call. All those in favor? >> Opposed? Abstain. Okay. The eyes have it. Natalie is not here. So we'll have to send that to Natalie. >> Yep. She's she will do that. >> Okay. So that is there.
030So now we get into >> um so the next section of the agenda to uh Miss Nent's point is the conversation and potential vote for approval for our memorandum of agreement with the Penrook Teachers Association various units. Um so in your packets you have received copies of those MOAs. Just a reminder that the MOA is any changes from the existing collective bargain agreement. So you didn't receive the you know 86 page document, you just received a summary of the changes. Um, we've gone through these as a group before as we've worked through collective bargaining, so there's really no surprises in there. Um, you will take them one at a time and it is a a roll call vote because there are are some certain ones that others are not able to vote on. So, the
031first one is the memorandum of agreement for PTA unit A and B, which is our teachers and school nurses. >> Do we have to take that as a motion? Yep. >> Is okay. I need a motion on um memorandum A, please. >> So moved. Second. Okay. Uh, roll call. Katrina to my right. >> I. >> Allison. >> Yes. >> Sue. >> Yes. >> Katrina. >> Yes. >> David. Yes. Okay. So, we're 5 there. Could I get on the memorandum agreement on B? A motion. >> A and B are together. >> Oh, and together. I'm sorry. You're on unit C. >> I'm on C. I'm sorry. I apolog. >> Okay. Um, >> a motion on unit C, please. So moved. Second. >> Okay. Got a first and a second in order. Katrina to my right. >>
032Yes. >> Allison. >> Yes. >> Sue. >> Yes. >> Katrina. >> Yes. >> David. Yes. >> For 50. Could I get a motion on unit D, please? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay, we have the motion. Second. Could we get Katrina to my right? >> Yes. >> Allison? >> Yes. >> Sue? >> Yes. >> Katrina? >> Yes. >> Me? Yes. We go five zero there. Could I get a motion on unit E, please? >> So moved and second. >> Okay, we have a first and a second. Again, Katrina to my right. >> Yes. >> Allison, >> yes. >> Sue, >> yes. >> Katrina, >> yes. >> Me? Yes. >> Then there's one additional memorandum of agreement, and that is language that pertains to all bargaining units. So that's the last one. >> Okay. So,
033um, let's get a motion on the bargaining units. Could I get a motion, please? >> So moved. Second. >> I got a first and a second. By roll call vote, Katrina to my right. >> Yes. Allison, yes. >> Sue, >> yes. >> Katrina, >> yes. >> Myself, 50. >> Thank you very much, ladies. Appreciate that. >> Next up, what we've all been waiting for, our student representative report from Joseph Hoben. Joe, the floor is yours, sir. >> After talking with students and teachers throughout the school, discussing with the student advisory board, and putting in my own thoughts and input. So, first I have the areas of growth and student suggestions. Then it goes to what's going well and then some of the achievements and accomplishments we have gotten so far from the high school um
034from the start of this year. So, first up, I had the building temperature and students have noticed differences in classroom temperatures throughout the building. And temperatures can vary between sections of the school and throughout the building. And while some classrooms are uncomfortably cold, others are overly warm. And day-to-day changes have also been noticeable, which can make it harder for students to stay comfortable and focused. And I understand that when the Wi-Fi is down, it's harder to control the temperature, but even when the Wi-Fi is up, it seems to be a bit of an issue. Um, and then after that, I have graduation cords. Students care about the graduation recognition and have commit continued to bring it up and there is interest in exploring additional cords or pins that recognize community service, biiteracy, student leadership roles
035such as eboard, sashes or pins. And I understand that this conversation has taken place in the past by Ryan Miltunes, but I hope to continue it. Um, and then next up I have the future readiness support. Students, particularly seniors, shared interest in additional guidance as they prepare for post-secary plans. Some students suggested even a 21st century or future readiness class, which focuses on the common app career exploration and essay writing with application support. And we do have sort of a system with our guidance, but a lot of the students felt it didn't go as much in depth as they wanted. And then I have the senior walk. Students expressed interest in expanding the senior walk. Students hoped that the senior walk could be extended to the high school and middle school so they could connect
036with the teachers they had bonded with as well as greeting their underassman friends. Next, I have the final support event. Students proposed a Sunday slam and cram used to study before finals. It's similar to coco and cram but run by juniors. Since seniors will have graduated, it could be supported by NHS and the student council together since we don't have the seniors communication. And I know Miss Bender already um went over this, but just briefly, I talked about the announcements, making sure that they are played and having a set period. Um having better student and teacher communication about homework and assignments and um the power school updates. While appreciate it, it was very challenging to navigate. Now we're done with the bad stuff and we can go to what's going well. Um >> I love
037that was the good stuff. Thanks so much. >> Um, so students continue to speak very positively about our support dogs Sasha and Bower and the impact they have on the entire school climate. Um, the school spirit and fan support. Penroke shows strong student attendance and organization at games creating an energetic and supportive atmosphere. The extracurricular opportunities we have at Penroke are amazing. their strong participation across sports, clubs, activities, offering students many ways to get involved outside of school. Um, students frequently expressed appreciation for the lunch staff who consistently helped to brighten up the school day and the traffic flow improvements. Afternoon dismissal has become much smoother with Mr. Talbt traffic particularly for the senior lot. Morning bus traffic has also improved with much shorter lines and easier entry. And for the achievements, I just listed
038a few span across music. So for music, I have the senior district's music festival. There were six instrumentals accepted, three with all state recommendations, and nine singers accepted, three with all state recommendations who all made it in. And that is very, very competitive. It's within our district. And then if you score within the top 50%, you get to compete in all state. >> That's amazing. >> And coming up, we have our Sims auditions this Saturday. So >> yeah. Woohoo. And for fall sports, the cross country, the boys placed fourth in division 2B and the girls placed divi seventh in division 2B. Volleyball, they were the Fisher division Patriot League champions, top eight in the state. Soccer, they were also the Fisher Division Patriot League champions. For the winter sports, boys and girls winter track were
039both Fisher division Patriot League champions. And Nate Palary broke the two-mile indoor school record. >> Wow. Hockey. The boys are currently ranked fourth in division three and the girls are currently ranked fourth in division 2. And the girls basketball, they are currently ranked third in division 3. And Alyssa Marcel scored her thousand career points. >> Wow, that's amazing. >> Wow. >> Deca 114 students participated at districts and 22 students qualified for states. >> Oh wow. >> The exchange trip, which is coming up on February 11th, is continuing um Penrook's commitment to global learning. and theater. We had a successful fall s uh musical which was the sous school and we are currently in tech week for a play a night under the stars. >> Excellent. A lot going on. >> All right. >> Nice job,
040Joe. Thank you very much, sir. >> Yeah. And I have to say like um meeting with the board and you know talking about all of these issues. I mean these kids are amazing coming up with these incredible ideas for the future of the school. like there was only one junior and the rest are seniors and they're not going to benefit from these suggestions. They're just saying this is what we can do to, you know, create improvements in our school and I thought, you know, that's pretty amazing for a group of kids to do. So, I thought they were all really great suggestions. You did a great job with your report. >> May I ask which one of the suggestions is most important to you? >> Um, to me, graduation chords because that's the one that
041affects me the most. But um yeah, I feel like graduation cords and also the senior walk, like those are definitely important, but people were very passionate about the future readiness support because as a senior like there's just so much to do and having that option to take a class or something after school will be so helpful um to all of us. >> Yeah, it's a great idea. >> Yeah. >> Mark, does the senior walk go to the middle school now? Doesn't it? It does. It does. >> Yeah. >> Do you want a copy of this? Mary Beth and I were looking over it earlier and we really were excited about Sunday and Slam. We're big ice cream fanatics. I think that's >> It took us a while to come up with a good name. >>
042A good one. >> I thought it was held on Sunday. >> Ice cream Sundays. David ice cream. Who doesn't love ice cream? >> School for a little bit. >> Oh yeah. And when you read it, I thought of the day too. >> Ice cream Sunday. >> Yeah. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. Great. Great job. >> Great job. >> Thank you. >> All right, everyone. we jump on to you superintendent report. >> Yes. So under my report um traditionally before we start our department and building based budget presentations. We like to give you a recap of some of the things that we've been doing this year. Um to that end we did have Melissa Holivot present the last time in regards to some of the curriculum initiatives. Jess is going to talk a little bit tonight about
043some of the student services pieces that have been happening and then you'll see um a little bit of foreshadowing into some of the budget requests that you'll see when when they come up in a couple weeks. So turn over to Jess. Okay, let's see if this works for me. Um, so just a little bit of overview, just refreshing our multi-tiered uh system of support. Going over that again, um, something you've seen before, but um, we have been able to kind of implement all of those levels of tiers this year, which is great. Um, overall staffing and student needs, talk a little bit about our social emotional program in the making. um a curricular highlight and then the professional development that has been going on for staff this year focusing um on social emotional learning as
044well as behavioral strategies and supports for teachers. So our tiered system of support might not sorry um I've talked about this before but just a little refresher um our tiered system of support um starts with tier one. So tier one supports happen in the general education setting. Um oftent times those are accommodations and strategies that the general education teacher is implementing. Um oftentimes those come from our decap. So our district accommodation plan is a plan um that has a wealth of kind of strategies and good teaching practices uh carved out by kind of area of need both for academic social emotional learning behavior etc. Um, in addition, we have our social emotional learning programs. Those vary based on level, but at the elementary level, you've heard us talk about SecondStep. Um, our social thinking curriculum
045at the middle and high school, they they have uh 21st century skills. Um, and then some of the programs they've been in implementing at the secondary level at the high school as well. um when students are um not able to kind of reach those what we call general benchmarks um and expectations in the general ed setting oftentimes they're referred for what we call a tier 2 intervention. So through our instructional support teams at each of the buildings, a teacher may bring a concern. Sometimes it's academic, but in this realm about social emotional, whether that's um students engagement and attention, that could be dysregulation, students social skills. Um and that team comes up with strategies or supports what we call tier 2. So, it's more than what the general education teacher can do alone in the
046classroom, but we often bring in our mental health staff, so our social workers and our school psychologists, as well as our support therapeutic resource rooms such as Compass, um, and our Titan labs at the elementary level. Um, this can look like a variety of things. Sometimes it's just a check-in and checkout for students, so they quickly go to one of our Titan Compass rooms for a check-in. Sometimes it's somebody pushing in to check in on them in the classroom, whether it's the beginning of the day or the end of the day. Um, other times it's small group and individualized counseling all through kind of that intervention model. Um, we hope that that level two um is enough to support students and have whatever behavior we've identified um that needs improvement to be able uh to
047go in a positive direction. There are times where we need to bring in the next level of support. So a tier three support in this area often looks like our behavioral consultation. So we work um with we've heard me talk about LAVA and BCBAS but a behaviorist that we contract with. We will bring that person into that instructional support level to talk about um what can we do as far as a behavior plan. Sometimes we propose functional behavioral assessments really looking trying to figure out that function of a beh of a behavior for a student. um kind of that next level. Um sometimes that behaviorist is con uh consulting with teaching staff directly in our programs or with a general education teacher about how to implement a strategy or a plan um and providing kind
048of that what we call behavior modification techniques trying to shape that behavior um in a more positive direction. At times um that also isn't enough. Um, and we have been lucky enough through grant funding to have what's called an RBT for the last couple years. And we've used that person, a registered behavior technician as an intervention. So that person would work directly with a student onetoone for a time period. oftentimes through our instructional support teams, we identify these tiers and say, "Okay, for the next four weeks, we're going to try this and then we're going to come back together and see kind of that impact of whatever we've implemented for a tiered support." That RBT is really that onetoone support. They're working directly with a student for a period of time, implementing a behavior plan,
049often coaching the staff that are in that classroom, whether it's other pair of professionals or teachers, sometimes special educators, um, in a substantially separate room, um, to really target that behavior and behavior plan, um, in hopes that we can, um, shape that behavior into a more positive kind of direction. Just an overview of our mental health staff, like I said, in that in that tier 2 model. Um, our social workers, you've been we've been very lucky to be able to maintain um those social workers in all of our buildings. We have two at the high school and one in each of the other buildings. We also have school psychologists. We have four in the district. Um, all of our mental health staff, um, both social workers and school psychologists work directly with students. They're triaging.
050Our social workers tend to be that family kind of liaison oftentimes with DCF um and other agencies outside counseling wraparound services. And then our school psychologists also do our special education testing in the area of cognitive um and behavior at times. In addition, our Titan and Compass rooms, those are those therapeutic um classrooms staffed by general education teachers at the elementary and middle school. it's a pair professional and at the high school we're lucky enough um to have a teacher and a pair professional. Counseling and social skills needs across the district have um maintained pretty stable around these numbers over the last couple years give or take. Uh we have about 188 students pre-K to six that are serviced whether that's in a small group um or individual um for a variety of counseling reasons
051andor social skills groups. At the middle school we have 37 students and at the high school there's 102 students um on our two social workers case loads. those Compass and Titan Labs, as I mentioned, um to date, the number of students that have accessed um at the high school, they work on a tiered um system similar kind of what I talked about at the beginning as far as levels. They're tier two, and Mark, correct me if I'm wrong, um is more that checkin and checkout. Students may need to start their day there, check in, um speak to a teacher about something, maybe process an incident that happened, and then they they're back to class. Sometimes they use that for their lunch block. Um Titan time to go in and have a moment to kind of
052regroup, check in with um our mental health staff in those rooms. Um at tier 2, those are students that are assigned for a block of time. So it could be instead of a directed study or um a different an elective, they may go to um the compass room for that time. So that's more of a tier 2 at the high school. And then tier three are for students that are returning um from an extended absence. Oftentimes a hospitalization um or a suspension period where they're going there to spend their whole day there for a certain amount of time. So it could be a two week, could be a four-week. Um sometimes there's online learning that they can be supported in that classroom. The goal is to help them kind of catch up um without going
053right back into that general education setting. Miss anything? Okay. Um the middle school and the elementary um run their their labs a little bit. Um they're similar. Um so again, there are tiers check-in, checkout. Um students go there sometimes at the middle school for testing accommodations um for breaks throughout their day. At the elementary level, our pair professionals also push into the classroom. So they may be assigned um to two or three students that they support in the classroom. So instead of have students having to take a break out, they're going in and checking in with the students so they're not being removed from that general education pathway causing those transitional needs at the elementary level. Um so you can see the numbers to date of students that have accessed those resource rooms. As I
054mentioned, our behaviorist um we currently contract with Pilgrim Area Collaborative. That has been our model for a number of years. Um we have maintained 17 hours a week with that behaviorist. Uh she works in special education on a consultation model. Right now at this time to date she has 46 students um that she provides consultation to. So those sometimes they're directly observing students providing feedback. Other times it's working um directly with a teacher um in a consultation say an office space on collecting data going over that tweaking behavior plans. Um she also con uh consults to our programs that ISP process um and she and other behaviors through Pilgrim Area Collaborative as she's not able to always do all of our FBAs. Um she does some of those as well. just seeing kind of numbers
055and the increase. We still um you know really require and um benefit from all of these supports. You'll see to date um 46 students right now at this time last year we had 33 students on her case load and then FBAS to date right now we've had 13 um those are in school FBAs and last year at this time we had eight. So, you'll see kind of that that continued um increase in needs. That registered behavior technician, as I mentioned, right now it's grant funded um which has been great the last couple years. Um we've had that um health grant to be able to support that registered behavior technician. To date, she has service six students. And while that doesn't seem like a lot as we look across the district, she's done great work with
056those students to be able to um regulate them and keep them in that kind of classroom setting. Whether that's in the general education setting, that could be in a special education substantially separate program, but has kept those students in what we call the least restrictive environment. Um there's been a lot of benefits as far as increasing those students independence, following school rules and expectations and really just reducing those challenging behaviors. Um she's done great work with us um and a lot of success. She has um service students in three of our five buildings to date. And then the social emotional program, as you know, um we did have that hiring freeze um at the beginning of the year. So that was um put on hold. Um we were uh happy to see that um lifted
057um and we did post. We have not been fully successful in staffing that program. Um but we are currently interviewing for several of the position two of the positions. Um we have hired another RBT. So that RBT started this week. she is currently at Hoba working with a few of the students that we hope to transition into that program um when we are able to fully staff that. So I would still support the need for that program at the elementary level. We were very excited to have that. Um we still are. So like I said, I am interviewing over the next couple weeks um for that teaching position and a BCBA um to fully get that program off the ground. Um, we really do believe that the goal of that program really will help a
058lot um, a handful of students with that regulation being able to be more independent and transition back into least restrictive without having to go out of district. Um, just a little uh, curricular highlight. While SecondStep is not new, um the anti-bullying unit um is a unit that comes with the grade six SecondStep program, um it is not one that comes with K to 5. It's an addition. Um and while we did have that unit to kind of share across the district, we did see um a need for that program really to be used at each grade level consistently across the district. So um each of the buildings purchased additional bullying and prevention kits. Um in January we did more of a refresher training for teachers at faculty meeting and then follow up at common planning
059and PLC time. Um really looking at those materials again in those modules for training and then that everyone is going to fully implement this month and next month that bullying unit um from K to 5. Six is again already in place. um that unit really focuses on recognizing bullying and reporting, refusing. Those are the three kind of terms. And then there's work on kind of that bystander power, being able to speak up um if you see, you know, say it if you see it kind of thing. Um to be able to speak to if they are witnessing bullying. And then professional development. Just so um kind of I believe we talked about this at the beginning of the year. Some of our PD that happened on that first day of school. We did require all
060our teachers to participate um in what we call kind of behavioral emotional training um deescalation of behavior. So, uh, Deb Booth, who works at Pilgrim Area Collaborative and trains us on our prevention of physical restraint, um, she did a PD for us as well as Chris Wong, who has done some previous PD in our district on anxiety and depression. So, teachers were able to choose from one of those first, uh, first aid PDs. And then we have year-long opportunities going on both with Poly Bath and Alexis Reed. Poly Bath is focusing on our preK to six teachers. Um she's done great work with us um in person and online. Um she really focuses in on um instead of the managing of behavior, how we intervene. So what we do to set students up for success
061and intervene versus just managing um and I laugh at her consequence not working not without just giving consequences. So that's she's done some great work with some of our teachers that have participated in that. And at the secondary level, Alexis Reid has joined us. She's working on a lot of executive functioning coaching um and some of that social emotional learning design um with flexibility and accessible learning for students. >> Question. Question, ladies. Krina, >> are you done? >> Nope, not right now. Alison, >> thank you. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> Just a question about the anti-bullying which obviously is needed. Um, do you have like measurable goal? Like how do you know that the what we're purchasing is working? >> Sure. Um, so as far as anecdotal data, I would have to look to the
062principles to say about referrals for bullying. Um we obviously work with student and it's more about um office referrals looking at how many students are referred by teachers to the office for bullying type behavior. So we could certainly look at that. Um as far as impact um we look to to observe students obviously using kind of those that language understanding it being able to implement it um if there's a social situation. So this is just one of the toolkits that we use. Like I said, we use social thinking and calm classroom, a responsive classroom as we interweave different kind of strategies and supports. >> And so what would be like a successful like I mean I guess you're always going to have people who will bully, right? Um so I guess the idea is you
063know just how you manage it. >> Yeah. And it's really about teaching students to be able to speak up for themselves and others. Um, so how to recognize what bullying is, how to speak up, where you go. Um, just like that bystander. Um, so it's recognizing what it looks like, being able to report it. Um, and being able to successfully move on and support others. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Sure, >> Katrina. >> I'm good, thank you. >> Okay. >> Um, I do you have something? >> No, but I defer >> something to add. I don't have any accommodations, but um one time like I was out for a test and my anatomy class was doing a lab, so I had to go in the compass room and it's like amazing. The teachers are like the
064sweetest. Like like this program is like definitely worth it because like you go in there, it's like everything. Like there are so many accommodations for like everyone. Like the room is like perfect and like I'm friends with the teachers now just because they're like so nice and like it's it's awesome. >> So would you say it felt very supportive being in there? Yeah, like that was like I probably did like the best on that TEST LIKE be on like a bouncy chair like that's great. Good to hear. >> Well, thank you for sharing. >> So, next year's budget add bouncy chairs >> for everybody. >> Perfect. Jess, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Um Eron, if I could for one second, I forgot to say this at the beginning. If anyone uh will
065have a question, scfrok12.org. I know we're on a tape delay, but maybe someone will send a question later. >> sorry. >> Y um next up in your packet is the um PHS 2627 program of studies information. So, we'll start this year um with the new course proposals and then we'll go through a summary of the changes and in your packet you have the full redline version of the program of studies. So, I'm going to hand it over to Mary Beth. So, you have the full um redline version, but I did and I provided you also with a very extensive summary sheet. So, I thought I would summarize that a little bit because some of it's very pure editing um work, but I didn't want you to think that we were making changes and then not
066reporting back to you. So, um the first thing as Erin mentioned is that we are we are hopeful that you would approve three new courses for next year. One of them is AP digital photography which would fit with our digital arts pathway but also be an extremely popular course I think across um across the high school. And again, it's another way of supporting that we are out now asking kids to take a course at least um in the arts. And this is something that if somebody took the um entry level photography class, this would be a nice way for them to continue in that um in that realm. So, we're excited about that. And um other schools that have this have seen a huge surge in interest in in this course. So, that I think
067would be a great asset for our students. The second one is the project lead the way capstone course. This is the fourth course in the sequence of courses that is recommended for the engineering and biomedical pathways courses. We are hopeful that after this year we could even expand it to any one of the pathways so that any student in the district could um could take advantage of that class. This class is really a course where you identify a problem and you design a solution. So, it's a very open-ended kind of questioning class, very um high level cognitive demand and project lead the way assists us in setting up the students with practitioners in the field to advise on the project and to get feedback as they go through the work. So, um, kind of reminds
068me sort of like a genius, you know, like the genius bar kind of thing, like where kids are working on independent independent projects, but they can also collaborate with other students who you I could totally see a biomedical student and an engineering student coming together to try to develop a product that um might be of of use to um the broader population. And the last one, excuse me, is um a recommendation from our um a teacher at the high school um who would like us to teach a course called connecting place and page, which is an awesome idea in terms of reading the reading that you're doing and then being immersed in the place and going to see the place and becoming sort of familiar with what were the factors that were occurring in that
069time and place and how did that translate into the literature or the autobiography or the memoir, whatever it has to be. So, those are the three recommendations for new courses next year. All of those courses only run if there is an enrollment. So, it's not that we would um we wouldn't just run them to to run them. There has to be a number of students that um would select them as they are really all sort of elective based courses. >> We have people currently that can teach these in house. >> Yes, we do. >> Um we we do for all three courses. Yeah. They they'll be getting some training through our grant training for project lead the way and um our AP teacher will attend the AP institute as well. So, but yes, we do.
070>> Cool. >> Um in the list of edits, a couple of a couple of the things I just wanted to highlight and then I'd be happy to answer any questions that you have or you can stop me as I'm going. Um the first uh new addition there is the competency determination which you have seen I think now many times but that is going into the program of studies. Um there is a revision in the program of studies um just updating what the guidance department is currently offering just some of it is is relatively minor in terms of our changing platforms from Navvian to score and sort of how that um how that is laid out. The pathways maps were just adjusted to reflect what's new in terms of elective offerings. Um the scope and sequence
071updates in math and science were just recreated to be a little bit more user friendly. it was getting a little bit cumbersome. There were so many things packed in there and we wanted to pull out some of the things that were bogging it down. So, it still has the same information but hopefully in a more visually appealing manner. Um the there are a lot of course description updates particularly in the arts and that again has to do with changing in curriculum and changing different platforms that students are working in those classes and just making those accurate for the the students who are reading that so that they know exactly what they're walking into. Um, there also were some changes in terms of which grades could take the courses because we want to make it as
072inclusive as possible for students to take a class in the visual and performing arts. As you know, adding that extra requirement is something that we want to make sure that students don't feel like there are any barriers that are in place with our current offerings. Um, we're going to archive some of the MCCAST enrichment courses as they are no longer a graduation requirement. doesn't really feel very productive um to be hammering some of that skill um some of the skills in those MCAST courses where we can do that in classrooms. Uh we were going to archive you probably saw some courses that were recommended to be archived. Those are classes that students aren't selecting. So we don't want to put them in there and have one student selected and then be have to say to
073the to the student, you know, we don't have enough kids. So just being realistic about what students are are choosing. Another course that we are recommending that we archive is the honors anatomy and physiology. Um because the curriculum in honors anatom anatomy and physiology is um a mirror of the human body systems which project lead the way offers. So we're offering two courses with the same course content but packaged very differently. uh the human body systems course which runs also at a college prep level is really uh reflective of the direction that we're going in terms of applied learning. So problem solving how how does how are these skills used? How is this knowledge used? What are real world examples of this? But it follows the same content curriculum as anatomy and physiology. >> Are
074they both honors level? So in project lead the way the human body system is offered as an honors course and as a college prep course. Okay. >> Anatomy and physiology was always offered only as an honors class. >> So uh I had a question. So I take honors in anatomy and physiology right now because I'm not in a pathway and I could either take physics or anatomy and physiology. >> So would students be able to take the other courses if they weren't in a >> pathway? And Joe, you raised a really important um point. We also have to do a better job at letting students know that anybody can take the project lead the way courses. Those are not you don't have to like, you know, sign up at birth. You you can do that
075as you progress through um through the curriculum. And human body systems in particular is one that all you would have to have taken um previously is biology. >> Yeah. So you don't there there's no barriers, but we're going to do better at making sure that students know that. So if you're a senior and you want to take the entry level engineering course, you can do that. >> Yeah, I mean that's great. >> Yeah, I think somehow that got a little bit lost in translation. Um we also added that some of the project lead the way courses particularly in engineering and biomed can serve as um a third year of science. We have a requirement obviously a graduation requirement for three years of science. those courses absolutely um fit the standards and they actually are very
076rigorous courses and um amazing opportunities. And then the last um requirement or the last um note of you know that is a a relatively significant switch is just the advisement which really was the practice and somehow this practice got a little bit lost but students who complete two years of a language at the middle school should that's the equivalent of the first year at the high school. So those students should really be moving to French to college prep or French to honors, Spanish to college prep or Spanish to honors. And that's just been a little bit confusing to families and students. In the p just the past couple years, we've noticed sort of an uptick there. We want to make sure that we're not putting students in their very first year of a language sitting
077next to a student who's been taking it for two years. That's very um unfair and very difficult to to navigate for everybody. So, those are the highlights that I um that I thought you would be most interested in, but I'm happy to answer any of your questions. >> Are we going back to the physics class that we had to change this year? >> We're going to offer them both. >> We're going to offer both and see how that goes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> And then >> I had to add it in here, Alison, because you guys approved it in August and so I couldn't wasn't in the program. >> I just wanted to make sure. Um and then Okay. So there's like minor typos. Um >> secretary so sweet clerk >> clerk and then
078somewhere on page something. Um >> page numbers are assigned at the end. You'd have a problem with that. >> I know for two two years of world language it has eight credits and then three asterisks but then down bottom it has four asterisk. >> The legend doesn't match but I I've noted that on my copy. >> Thank you. >> She watch me highlight stuff. Um, and then for four years of math, and I know I ask this every single year, do math electives count as a fourth year of math? >> We recommend that students take four years of grade level math, not necessarily electives? I think it's in there. I remember adding it at one point, but it might be in the section around math, but I'll double check it out >> because Well, because
079I'm just curious because AP stats is in here as an elective. >> Mhm. because >> so that I don't know that just kind of >> a I think there's a decent amount of kids who take that as their fourth year and if it's considered an elective but computer robotics or AP whatever isn't it's could be confusing. >> Yeah, I'll take a look at that. >> That's as far as I've gotten so far. Katrina, anything? >> Uh, no. I was on the committee looking at it before. So, >> yeah. Sue, >> no questions. Katrina, >> no. Thank you. >> I think we're good. We have to take this as a vote. >> You take them as two separate votes. One to approve the new course proposals and the second is to approve the updated study. >>
080Sorry. >> All right. So, will you do consideration for approval? >> Can I ask one more question? Sure. >> Absolutely. Is the intent still to hire a Latin teacher? >> It is still part of our budget. >> That's a different answer than the question. >> It's in our budget. >> We intend to hire all the positions that are in our budget. whether or not we find qualified applicants and whether or not that represents what student selection looks like. And how how are we doing with >> with the amount of students in some of these classes like the the world language cuz I know some of them are big kind of likeing not >> yeah we did some class we did class size back in October um we shared those numbers with you I think there's
081a healthy number of students taking French at the middle school now for the first time in several years so I think there's a healthy feeder there. Um we are not currently offering Latin um at the high school. Um and some of our Spanish numbers are quite high. So part of the conversation may be to shift some of those resources towards lowering some of the Spanish class sizes or adding additional resources in the world language. >> Okay. So Arabic one is one of the languages that is stick sticking with the students and we'll >> so we don't have any students. So we'll eventually archive that. Okay. So, is there any >> Right now, there's only two languages being offered at the high school. Spanish and French. >> Okay. >> Well, we're offered three. We're only running
082two, >> right? No one signed off. >> Got it. >> Okay. >> We good. >> Yep. >> All right. I'll take a motion to uh approve the new course proposals. >> So, moved. Second. >> Okay. By roll call or just by uh >> Nope. Just >> All those in favor? I >> opposed >> abstained 5-0 and the program of studies same thing. >> Yep. >> Can I get a motion on the program of studies approval, please? >> So moved. Second. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Abstained. 5-0. Ladies and gentlemen, if >> you're pouring over it and you find any other edits, please just let me know. Page number >> page numbers come at the end. >> Subcommittee updates. Um, so I put the U budget subcommittee up there just to
083remind me to talk to you all. Budget subcommittee has not met. Um, I did send a note to Sue and Allison to see if we could schedule something in the next week or so. Um, I had a nice conversation with our town manager, Bill Shernard, in regards to the budget presentation that he'll be giving to the select board. Um, since we hadn't heard any update whatsoever um, from Bill, it was nice to catch up with him yesterday afternoon and to hear that the number that he has included in his fiscal year 27 budget presentation for us is our maintenance of effort number. Um, and so that it's been a long time since that's been the exact number that's been included. Um, so that is a good sign. Um, but we all need together as a
084subcommittee and take a look at that main sub effort budget. Now that you've ratified a contract, I want to go through that and make sure that that is still reflective of where we are with our needs. um as we're still really early in the process. So, >> sounds good. >> All right. And the governor's budgets come out also, right? >> Yes. So, the governor's budget came out last week. Um Pemrick received the minimal aid, which is an increase of $75 per student, which is the same as $178,975 of an increase in chapter 70. Um that piece coupled with an additional $645,000 from the town gets us to our maintenance of effort budget. So, a maintenance of effort um on Bill's budget includes that increase to chapter 70. Similar to this year, if that chapter 70
085number were to land at a number that's higher than the $75 a student at fall town meeting like this year, we would be um going back for those additional funds. >> Okay. Anyone questions? >> Okay. Future meeting dates and topics. >> So, you all are meeting on the 24th and we are going to start our budget presentations that night. So, that night you'll get um the building based budgets, elementary, secondary. Um, I'm gonna be the the person to just put it out there. So, we heard Ryan Miltune bring it up. We've heard Joe bring it up. Um, is there interest in kicking the graduation cord conversation back to policy subcommittee? >> I I think it's a great idea. I think we should at least discuss it. >> I just feel like if we're going to
086do it, now is the time so that if there is a change, it will be in place for the class of 2026 as opposed to I think when we had the conversation with Ryan last year, it was >> too late early May. >> Yeah. Yeah, I think it would be great especially like even if and we haven't really discussed sashes too much. So I think >> there's like a couple of unrecognized groups. So >> um yeah, sounds good. That's >> I'm happy to. >> In addition to that, I think it's really important that we have a discussion about uh potentially writing an MIA letter. Um we should at least talk about it and potentially vote. you know, you know, I know we have all differing opinions on it and I think that um you know,
087given um the community's concern that we should talk about that and even possibly revisit the discussion on policy, whether or not we want to talk about either in our athletic manual or the policy, tweak the change to potentially be, you know, maybe there's some sort of a compromise type of Yeah, I'd like to get legal opinion as well because I don't want to violate mass general law. >> Absolutely. Agreed. >> Yeah. So, if we could >> I'm I'm sorry because I know I'm new, so I just want to make sure I'm not getting confused with the This is a policy that we just finalized though, right? >> Which which policy >> that you were just talking about? Um, >> no, we haven't we haven't we haven't um >> so we didn't make any changes to
088our policy JJIB which is entitled >> we reviewed it and didn't make any changes but I think we were really focused on >> I just wanted >> specifically safety at the time um and I think there's some added layers that I think the community brought up so that we should at least discuss. >> I just want to make sure because I get them. Thank you. >> Yeah, absolutely. and then um definitely discuss the MIA letter, but I know we have a lot going on with budget season, so I don't know when we'll have time to talk about it, but you know, at some point we should. >> Yeah. >> I So those are two separate discussions, right? What I hear you saying is that you'd like the full committee to discuss the potential of sending
089a letter to the MIA and then you would like the committee to talk about whether or not kicking >> JJIB back to policy stuff makes sense. >> Yes. Yeah. We can look at that for future meetings. >> Yep. >> Um, so we have 224, 33, and 317 for future dates. Everybody still good with those? >> Yep. >> 24th, >> uh, 24th of February. >> And then March 3rd and March 17th. >> So, no wild St. Patrick's Day, young man. Okay. >> And I know you reaching out to the, um, state reps to >> Did we finalize the meeting? Um, >> yeah. Which one? They might be able to >> Okay, let >> Yeah, we should at least get them on the >> give them maybe >> two March dates. I don't know. >> That's probably
090far enough. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Notice >> I'm happy to handle that. So, that's uh Squeezy, Linatra, and Fernandez. Erin, is any day better or worse or >> Okay, >> you can move the presentations around whatever works. >> Yeah, it is. >> Okay. I'm sure it'll end up being a calmer meeting than last year. >> You never know. >> Always makes it fun. All right. Is there anything else or um >> uh one other piece? Just the MASC is having their advocacy day uh advocacy day on March 30th. So, um I got an email about that today and sent a notice that I would like to go, but just wanted to let the rest of the committee know if you hadn't yet seen the email. >> 3:30 26. I don't think I've seen it.
091And >> say if I wanted to like bring up one of these issues again like the future readiness support for the senior walk, could I just like at the end of one of these meetings be like, "Oh, could we have this on the agenda for next week?" Like talk about establishing a 21st century class and then we talk about it next week. Is that how like >> So not quite. Um a 21st century class would be part of like a program of studies discussion. So, um, that would happen in the fall of next year going into the spring of next year. But, um, Mary Beth, Mark and I are happy to sit down with you and the full student group to hear their ideas so that we can kind of craft that as a proposal
092going into the next next school year. Um, the senior walk I think is is that I would just say that's done. We can absolutely have them walk around the high school through that's we don't need to come back to that one. But >> yeah, they're the bus picks them up there. >> Yeah. That's But I'm telling you, it's an easy one. So, I'll say that. >> Under promise and overd deliver. We'll talk about it, Joe. >> Well, good luck with that, Joe. >> Holy heavens. >> Perfect. >> I just want you to appreciate, Joe, that my dad was my high school principal. So, if you could picture me sitting next to my dad at a meeting. There was I went to the prom with my mother and father. Think of that one. So, sorry I
093had to throw that sidebar out there, folks, just for a laugh. My dad too. >> Yeah, >> that was me too. >> Yep. See, that's after fun that um any other things I mean. All right, we are going to go into an executive session, folks. So, executive uh session pursuant to chapter 30A section 21A 2 and 3 to discuss personal service contract and strategy related to collective bargaining as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the legal position of the school committee as declared by the chair. So, by roll call vote, Katrina I said So, so moved. Second. >> Second. And I'm sorry. Thank you very much. I jumped the gun. Uh Katrina to my right. >> Yes. >> Allison. >> Yes. >> Sue. >> Yes. >> Katrina. >> Yes. >> And me.
094Yes. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. >> Thank you. Thank you. That was a very good exchange of ideas.