001uh joint policy and teaching and learning subcommittee together for this evening and I would like to invite uh Bob Kabo and Dan Pacho to present the technology planning and training improvement plan. >> Good evening. Uh Dan Pacho and I are pleased to present the 2025 2026 Quincy Public Schools technology planning and training program improvement plan. This plan continues our commitment to providing students and staff with reliable, up-to-date technology. Our focus remains on using technology in a smarter, more effective way, improving our technical support, training, instructional quality, and home-to-school communications. All to ensure our students and educators are equipped with tools and skills they need to succeed. By collaborating with the superintendent's leadership team, program directors, and principles, we aim to deliver a strategic, unified approach to addressing our district's technology needs and supporting student achievement.
002On page five, we begin with with a reflection on the past year. With the dedicated support of Mayor Ko, the Quinsey School Committee, Superintendent Mulvy, and the superintendent's leadership team, we've made significant strides. The support allowed us to procure 25 new laptops for professional staff, 75 docking stations, 50 desktop computer replacements, 183 new Chromebooks, and eight interactive projectors. Our collaboration with Quinsey Access Television continues to highlight the positive educational aspects of our district. We also remain committed to improving our utilization of Aspen, providing critical training to staff, supporting our school scheduling teams, and enhancing our digital communications platforms. Now that we've highlighted some of the progress we've made, it's time to look ahead. Each goal in this plan builds and focuses on key areas of growth to continue improving our district's technology. To walk us
003through the first goal in more detail, I'd like to hand it over to Dan Pacho. Hello. Goal one located on page seven. It's a continuous goal focus focused on improving how we utilize and interact with Aspen student information system. Our priority is to continually enhance the usability of Aspen student information system for school staff members including teachers, counselors, deans, secretaries, and school administration. We are committed to offering training and support to ensure Aspen becomes an invaluable resource for all stakeholders. For school year 2526, we are supporting the successful implementation of the new high school letter grading system. We will continue our support to our high school staff by providing guidance and resources necessary for this transition. We are also very excited to implement the student online registration by February of 2026, which will help streamline
004the process for our new families registering in our district this coming spring. Goal two on page eight is also continuous goal focusing on enhancing the processes the scheduling processes on all grade levels. The scheduling processes is of key importance in school operations. We are dedicated to refining the process year after year in collaboration with our school administrators. We intend to evaluate current scheduling practices, uphold transparent scheduling timelines, and ensure punctual completion of schedules for all grade grade grade levels while adhering to federal, state, and local guidelines. Our third goal, page nine, is elevating our hometoschool communication. We will maintain consistent, transparent, and accessible digital channels, including district and school websites, district social media, s'more newsletter, and we'll use the feedback from families to enhance our digital communication strategies. I'll shift it over to Bob. >>
005Thank you, Dan. Uh goal four on page 11 is uh is our ongoing commitment to supporting computer-based online assessments. This is a collaborative effort. Our teams work closely with the curriculum team, principles, and city of Quinsey's IT team uh to ensure all technical and logistical aspects of state and district assessments like MCCAST, WEDA, MAP, and advanced placement exams run smoothly for students and staff. Goal five on page 12 focuses on providing technology planning and training opportunities. We'll continue to identify and offer training for staff on key applications like Aspen, Google Classroom, and other educational tools. A critical part of this goal is ensuring the timely and secure integration of student data from Aspen into many of our learning uh resources such as Lexia, Naviance, and other various math and reading programs. Finally, goal six on
006page 14 is a continuous goal to identify and increase funding opportunities. We will actively seek grants and partnerships and work with the superintendent's leadership team to prepare the 2026 2027 technology budget proposal uh to ensure these initiatives are sustainable. Our improvement plan and goals reflect the district's ongoing commitment to integrating technology that enriches both teaching and learning. We'll build on what we've accomplished. Keep pushing forward and embrace new opportunities to ensure steady progress for our students and staff. Thank you for your time and we welcome any questions or feedback that you may have. >> Any questions? >> Mr. goalie stage 8 um implement uh student online registration. Why are we getting away from people coming into the building that they're registering at? This will be running parallel to the the parents. So, it's going to
007actually create more avenues so you can have families that are coming into our building for registration. And then there's also going to be a pre-registration process for those that want to pre-register online. >> That's not my question. My question is why can't they come in in person? >> They can they can still do that in >> be doing that all the time. I want to eyeball these people that are coming in. >> Okay, >> that's my opinion respectfully. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else? This is Hubble. >> Thank you very much for the presentation. >> Um just one question. So I noticed you had under um working in collaboration with principles um sites to assist and support various technology integration initiatives during math nights, ELA nights and technology nights. Where would I see a technology
008night which >> typically that >> I would like to go to that >> I'd say that's that's integrated with such programs that are being offered for the like the applications with the curriculum theme. >> Okay. So that's not going to be like any specific places that you're that you you would >> this is the parentmies and such. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. I'll keep an eye out for it then. Thank you, >> M. Mrs. Proios. >> Thank you. Thank you both um for the information. I do have a couple questions. Um can you talk about the Chromebook situation as um I was looking on the pink sheet uh and just kind of it doesn't actually list the age of the Chromebooks and I suspect most of them are from the pandemic. That's sort of
009when they all entered our um system, but we have replaced some I think since then. Yes. >> Um but I suspect the bulk of them are still from 2020. Uh >> can you just talk about the condition of them? Do we have enough? Are they being rehabbed? Just sort of the overall Chromebook situation. >> Um so back in 2020 we purchased close about 9,000 Chromebooks. Um since then we've been slowly replacing um as many as we can each year. I know initially we started with about a 1500 uh Chromebook increase and then last this year in particular we placed an order for believe it was 470 total uh Chromebooks which then covered the need for replacements of uh broken ones that we've come across. >> Okay. So we're in good shape. We're not behind. We're
010not >> as of right now we are. Yes. >> And you can still get them pretty readily. I know at some point we couldn't, you know, when everyone was looking to get them, they were hard to come by, but now they're okay. All right. >> Um, that's great. Uh, are we, uh, and also referencing the pink sheet, uh, are we planning to replace uh, old desktops, the desktops that are getting older or is it at this point just kind of going by the wayside and we're having students use Chromebooks or are they is the plan to replace all the old? >> So, the desktops are mostly used by the teachers currently. Um, so we're slowly phasing the desktops out and replacing the desktops with laptops and docking stations for the teachers. Um, any desktop replacements
011are for the computer labs that we've been replacing. >> Okay. Um, couple other things I noted here. Um, your goal number six, finding uh continue finding grants and revenue streams. So incredibly important. Um, and I know that must take a lot of time to find them, to write them and go after them, but super important as I'm sure you've already seen. Um, do you think maybe would it be um beneficial to have a more um concrete goal? Like for instance, maybe to find a certain number of re new revenue streams in that goal to have it be a little more concrete or do you feel comfortable just sort of saying we're just going to go find what we can? >> I mean, we look at all avenues partnering with other uh teams such as through
012the superintendent's leadership team just getting creative with funding >> um to look for more funding to support technology for the classroom. >> Okay. I don't suspect that goal is going anywhere. So I I'd like next year to sort of see maybe not for this year, but to sort of see like a number that you'd like to identify a couple new x number of new re um ways of getting that funding just because it's not going down I don't think at this point. Um I wanted to float an idea of a So you had a lot in here about scheduling and I know that's not exactly what this is getting at but a district calendar. I feel like that comes up a lot of times just in different conversations that I have about, you know, when
013one school plans, you know, their uh their openhouse night and on another night where another school is playing their PTO meeting or, you know, there's a something happening at central when there's already another thing happening at point. um if we sort of had a district calendar where we could sort of keep all the activities for all the schools sort of in one place so that one principal might know what another principal has planned that night so if there's multiple children at different schools we're not overlapping different things. Um is that something we could sort of look into developing or sort of um even if it's an internal just for principles type thing but um I think it would help with conflicting things that parents end up needing to go to. Um, that would be fantastic
014if that's uh if that's something that could be, you know, looked into a little more. >> And I actually think S'more is great. The annual fee for that is seems like pennies to me for the the benefit we get out of that. So, that's fantastic. Um, and I actually think the online registration uh option is is a good one for families that can't get here, if they don't have transportation or if they if they don't have child care, if if they find it difficult to access. Um, I think that it's a good option. I think having both available is good for families that do want to come in uh and feel more comfortable doing it that way, but I think the online addition is great. So, I appreciate that. Thank you very much, >> Mr.
015Gatro. Thank you, uh, Madam Chair. Um, so my time on the school committee is coming to a close at the end of uh at the end of December, but I I just wanted to give Bob and Dan a shout out for the work that they've done uh over the course of my eight years. I mean I I I feel like in the technology space has been pretty transformative uh in part due to co but in part due to your leadership. Um the um when I first came on board digital lit literacy was something that was important to me and the role that you all have played in working with the administration and the teachers around digital literacy is super important to me. uh the Chromebooks were a lesson you know that we've all learned and
016through co and you all have done Yman's work in terms of keeping up uh with the technology and the hardware as well as the software and finally on Aspen uh you know Aspen is something uh as a parent who has had children go through the system and relying on Aspen and and the work and the agreement that we got with the teachers union in terms of being having more clarity in the use of of Aspen I think is transformational in terms of parents and students understanding where they stand in any given moment. And with respect to Dan's comment and I don't know if this is uh something for you to answer Dan or Dr. Perkins or but uh we did have some a lot of discussion about the new grading as a body and um
017will Aspen be one of those vehicles that we use to communicate with the parents around uh you know specifically we talked about early and often uh if you're failing a class and letter grading and all of that to do the outreach. Is that one of many vehicles that are going to be used? Yes. So, we've been um working with the staff. I know Dan's done an amazing job putting resources online. So, um right now we are, you know, all of our staff are updating just about every two weeks, which is great. Um they either use a Google link which automatically transfers the data over to Aspen or they use the Aspen gradebook itself. So, yep. And we also send out letters, but we use Aspen to do that. So Dan Pasha is amazing and he
018runs lists for us all the time and we use that information to then send out letters most recently uh in terms of students who potentially are losing credit because of absences during term one. He runs lists and sends out letters about that. We actually uh he actually added it to the report card as well. >> Um so we've done a lot to really try to improve communication in that area. If you want to add anything Yeah. So to support, you know, the the change in grading. Um so um one of one of biggest one of my bigger focus this school year and this has kind of been leading out the last couple years is kind of getting teachers comfortable with using Aspen and and putting their grades in there more consistently. So, you know, in
019terms of giving them the resources and, you know, whether it's screenshots, um, setting up time with them, uh, via virtual meeting to go through each of their grade books if they have questions. Um, so that's been doing that. Um, because I think if we have content in Aspen, then it drives families more into Aspen to look at what's in there. And um you know we do have the you know Aspen Health Center Aspen Health Center under the Quinsey public schools website the public website that kind of goes through some of those. So how to download report cards. Um and as Dr. Perkins mentioned you know this school year with with the high school grading changes you know we have the generic report card that goes out with the grades and also now the um the
020attendance report card for those students that are potentially losing credits. So that kind of increases that communication there. >> I guess in in closing, I just want to say I appreciate your professionalism, your responsiveness, your leadership uh in really kind of a changing technological world and and how everything has really transformed in the eight years that I've been on this body and the city is lucky to have both of you. >> Thank you, Mr. Gro. I have to agree with him. Um I can't I I mean I've been around a long time as I'm also exiting but when there was Richie O'Brien and three techs running the whole district um and to see where we have come and we were using old equipment that other people were donating to us at the time. Um, I
021can remember the big scare around Y2K. Nothing was attached to the internet, so nothing was going to be damaged. So, we were all panicking for no reason. But, um, this has been a tremendous, tremendous chain. And I think certain co pushed it, but for the good, I believe we have 12,138 devices that you people are managing. That's incredible. And $830,000 worth of software. >> It's just incredible. It really is incredible the things that the teachers and the and the the staff and the kids have at their disposal. So I am so pleased by the work that you're doing. I have two quick questions. One is how difficult will it be or was it to change to the grade and the numerical grades are still there for GPA purposes? Correct. >> That's correct. Yep. So our
022GPA are it's it's it's hybrid calculating from the previous years and the what's moving forward. So >> Okay. Yes. I just wanted the public to understand that the GPA will still be there. Yes. Exactly. the grades and um as far as the student support the self-registration will that be in multiple languages? >> Yes. >> Okay. I'd like to turn this over to the superintendent to discuss that. >> Okay. Thank you everyone. And before I um discuss that issue, I do want to introduce to you probably for the first time publicly our digital communications web accessibility specialist Katie Delaney who's sitting in the back. So just a shout out to Katie. Thank you. And of course thank you to Bob and Dan for all of your work as Mr. Gro indicated your work over the last
023several years particularly through co all the way to the present has really been uh fantastic. So uh we really appreciate you and the assets that you bring to the Quinsey public schools. So thank you. Um I do u want to um just touch on the registration concern that Mr. Regali has and um and I'll actually um turn it over to Laura because she deals with the registration process day in and day out with central registration but just it isn't something that just happens online and we don't meet the parents. We actually do have in uh interpersonal interaction with the parents. It's just not all done online. And Laur would you like to describe that? >> Sure. So so since 2020 we've actually had um online initiation of registration. Okay. So, every parent fills out a
024Google form um with information about each student who's registering. I screen those forms and assign them either to a school or to central registration. Um and the system that Dan is working on, the parents are actually going to be inputting that information directly in a way that it can be uploaded into Aspen, which is going to actually save everybody more time, but parents are still going to have to come in person and present certain documents. Okay? But ultimately this system is going to because right now what we're doing essentially is like the double entry of the same information. The parents are filling it out. They're writing contact cards out by hand. The school secretaries have to type everything. Um so the parents are going to initiate this in a way that's going to hopefully help,
025you know, help all of us. >> Um and then they'll be uploading documents for people to review, but there's always going to be an in-person component. and the families that go through central registration, not all of them will have the computer skills, you know, to be able to do that even with the multiple language access. So, you know, we're expecting that still to be part of the process, too. >> Thank you for that clarification. >> Sure. >> Thank you. I've had to deal with Bob many, many times because um this thing gives me a problem and he's always responsive and always helpful. I mean, doesn't matter what time of day I go down, he's awesome. So, I want to thank you publicly. >> Thank you. Uh can I entertain a motion to accept this pro
026improvement plan? >> Mrs. Who is second by Mr. Bulli. All in favor? I >> thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. And now would like to invite Dan Gilbert from North Quincy High to come. It's in my nose. Hi. >> Hi. >> Good evening everyone. Um, thank you for the opportunity to speak about North Quincsey High School. Um it's the fourth time I've gotten to do it as principal and I think you know um that my passion is working in schools with kids uh and with families. this document that um is obviously a collaborative work among all of the teachers, department heads and and and different constituencies at North um is only a document. Um and it does not capture in any way some of the nuance of what it means to be an
027educator in the Quinsey public schools or be a principal uh in the Quinsey public schools. So, I'm going to start with um just a quick little story. We started uh and just completed our second season of unified basketball at North. Um and if you don't know what unified basketball it is, it is when we pair up um our students with significant disabilities with um students who are not and we play other schools uh in basketball. And it provides an incredible opportunity for our students that that would not be able to play basketball otherwise. Uh the opportunity to play in front of their f friends, families, to have posters made that have their names on them. Um and to listen to a crowd chant your name after you make a basket. And so it's not uncommon
028to see Julie Graham or Jill or Katie or um their elementary school teacher or their middle school principal at those games. Um and it's really easy to cheer like for your own kids at your own school because many of the students that are playing uh are friendly with and work alongside a lot of our seniors in the school store. I bring this up because each of the last um four home games that we've had, the coaches who have uh students and practice after school have taken it upon themselves to cancel practice so that they can be part of um the audience for students. And there are two teams over the last two years that have found and printed up the rosters from the visiting teams coming whether they're from Situit uh or they're from Hingham.
029Um and at our first home game last year uh our football players had made a poster for each of the opposing players with their name on it and their family's name on it. And during the introductions, they would stand and hold um the opposing players, of course, ours as well, um to celebrate them in in a in their own special way. The amount of positive feedback and thanks from other families uh whose whose students were playing in that game, um I don't think I could capture. Um, but my point is that that integrity and character and kindness and honesty matters. Um, and that doesn't always come out in a school improvement plan. Um, we certainly want to couple that with high expectations, academic achievement, academic growth, etc. Um, but there's so much happening um in
030the Quinsey public schools that takes students that are our most vulnerable and supports them in a way that makes them feel human, makes them feel cared about um and lets their families know that their kid matters um to so many different people. So, with that being said, um our MCAST scores, not unlike the rest of the state, took a dip this past year. Um when 10th graders know that it doesn't count, uh it has an impact on our performance. What I will say, and I'm most impressed with uh is that our percentage point in terms of accountability only dropped by one percentage point. We went from 72 to 71. So, we're still performing above 70% of the stu schools in the state of Massachusetts. Um, at the same time, um, some of our subgroups far
031out, uh, exceeded, uh, their counterparts. So um our uh lowincome subgroup um finished in the 89th percentile. So 88% uh better than 88% of other schools in Mass. Um our high need subgroup same. um our um our spe our e subgroup uh was 88% better than other subgroups or that other groups in in Massachusetts. Um and so what you see is that though there's a little bit of a dip, our kids, our students at North are outperforming their counterparts significantly um in each of their areas of MCCAST. Um, as a school, 62% of our students scored in the exceeding or meeting expectation uh category for ELA, 59% uh for math, and those are well above 10 percentage points above the state average. Uh, same same with same with science. Um, and if you look at
032our proficiency scores for language, they increased 24 percentage points, which is going to make it really hard to accomplish our goal this year because it's so high. Um but that's a significant increase over the course of one uh one school year. Student growth percentile we were above 50% in pretty much every uh category. And if you look at our lowest performing students um that that is the student group that got us achievement points uh and growth p uh growth percentage points above everybody else. Uh and that's the lowest 25% of students taking that. So that that bottom group uh grew more last year uh than any other group uh at North Quinsey High School. So uh very very encouraged um by that. Our vocal data continues to show that students feel like they belong at
033North, feel cared about at North. um feel like the message is we're never going to give up on you even if you give up on yourself uh kind of mentality and it it speaks to um or it comes out pretty clearly in in the vocal data. We'll continue uh our quest to to build the the best and greatest cultural fair. Um we're on our third year this year uh and looking forward to celebrating all of our uh cultures in April of this year. Um, we continue to offer so many incredible opportunities for students at North. We have well over 80 different groups. I feel every day like I'm getting an email about a new group. I need a new advisor. Can we have another bake sale? um our students are really driven to to make
034a difference in their community uh in a way that's both meaningful but also um in a in a way that you can you can quantify it and um it's really a a fun place um to work. Our chronic absenteeism numbers dropped by 3.1 percentage points, which that was before the new attendance policy. I would say on average the number of students that are absent per day is is 50% or less than it was last year. Um it's not uncommon for kids to say to me, "Mr. Gilbert, I've been here every day this week and I haven't gotten dismissed once." and I say, "Uh, yeah, that me too." Um, but at the same time, it's like it's a it's a shift in expectation. Our kids are really, I think, rising to it. I've never gotten so
035many doctor's notes in the in the 26 years I've been um in QPS. Um so, I welcome your feedback. I'm not going to go over each of the goals um unless there are questions about them. um in a high school as big as Northwini, there are a lot of a lot of moving parts and uh I'm just proud to work there um with Miss Holland uh the department heads and I I think just an incredible group of human beings first um and educators second. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much for the presentation. Um I love reading through your vocal survey. It was great. I love seeing that, you know, um teachers promote respect among students. It's very high mark. Um teachers are available to talk to when when we need them. That's great.
036That's high. And you know, students are open to having friends who come from different backgrounds. It's great to see that was a high number as well. Um only real question I had was um in your um class size section um any any feedback from teachers on the uh classes that you have that are 30 plus >> it well it's f it's interesting um the majority of those are in math. Um and like I can tell you that Mr. Caldwell will say I'll take 40 if it gets all 40 kids into an advanced classroom. Um so there's no there's there's never been any negative feedback. Um I think you know an an advanced group of students is a very different in terms of management uh a different level. >> Yeah. >> Um >> see that honor
037psychology advanced Mandarin too. So I figured that was probably the case but I just wanted to double check that our teachers hadn't expressed anything. >> No not at all. >> Great. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. This is >> good question. Um I did I did have a question on the the student growth like how do we um determine that? Is that based on their MCCAST scores or Okay. >> All right. >> Yeah. Student growth percentile is they >> so it's basically just the MCCAST that we only grow from last year to this year. And that's >> it's them compared to themselves. Okay. So, how much they grew like in a in a cohort from the last time they took the MCCAST, which in most cases would be eighth grade. >> Okay. So, it's
038just MCCAST. I wasn't sure if there was any other um predictors in there. Okay, that's great. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Thank you, Mr. Gilbert. Um just a question. Uh notwithstanding all the information in here with the goals um and not necessarily getting into the vaping issue, cigarette issues, or uh what have you. Uh, but is there anything that keeps you up at night? Um, part one. Part two would be where we're going educationally as a society with a AI and all have processing of that and see where we're going to be. >> Yeah. >> From the high school perspective. >> Sure. Sure. Uh, my wife when she snores that's of course keeps me up at night. >> Hope she's not watching. >> Mr. Boly, she's not. Um, that was that was a joke. Um,
039I think what keeps me up at night, um, are the individual concerns that we have and are are are dealing with, um, in school. There's not an overarching issue that I I'm uh, that's keeping me up. It's really it's really individual stories. Um, and it could be around mental health or it could be around um homelessness or it could be around uh students just making um and and participating in high-risk uh behavior. Uh you mentioned vaping. Is vaping an issue? Vaping is an issue of course. Um, but I think, you know, there's so many proactive things that are done um at school and and certainly when we have situations that that would keep me up at night. I've already talked to Aaron and I've already talked to Kevin and I've already talked to to Jill
040Coranis. Um there's such a team approach to trying to figure out um what can be incredibly complex situations and and um you know trying to help kids get around hurdles and um etc. So I I wouldn't say there's something that's overarching but definitely there are individual situations that that cause me to lose sleep. >> What about part two? I forgot what you said. >> So, education, you've been a principal at all three levels. Yeah. Obviously, >> y high school for a number of years now, but uh how do you see us going educationally >> with AI and and uh the changes that everybody's talking about, though nobody can articulate specifically what those changes are going to be. I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I don't know if you had any >>
041I think a AI has been an issue. We've dealt with issues related to AI or academic integrity. We have a team at North, the academic integrity team that takes on, you know, there's a group of of department heads and teachers that take on um kind of investigating when we think there there could be potential use of AI or or cheating. I know there are a lot of teachers that have gone back to paper pencil um in class for that reason because you can you can kind of guarantee um in some you know as best you can that kids are producing work that's their own. Um, there are a number of different softwares out there that detect AI. Uh, and what percentage of AI, let's say it's an essay, you can cut and paste into um
042um uh web programs like detectable um that'll actually give you and tell you what percentage they they've evaluated that is comes specifically from chat GBT or from Gemini etc. We use a program called Turn It In which does the same thing. Um AI as great as it is, it's pretty easy to identify. Um if you're a teacher, they tend to tell things in threes, you know, innovative, take your pick. Um, and I I I do think that the system has has done a really good job in being proactive in creating a team specifically around the idea of AI because I I don't know where it's going. Um, but I do think it's it's something that teachers are um very I wouldn't say interested in, but very um aware of and making sure that the things
043that the assignments they give and the questions they ask um can be answered in a way that wouldn't I can't say preclude the use of AI, but there are some strategies that they've employed to to minimize that wasn't the direction I was headed. I I appreciate that. I'm I'm more on the on the the cutting edge side. How can we use it on the school side, on the teaching side going forward? And I don't something to think about. I don't necessarily need an answer right now. I understand you're going to balance the other side. I get that, believe me. Uh, but I'm just uh I'm I'm guessing at some point as a committee we're going to have to uh dig down a little bit and uh figure out where we're going to be going with
044schools all across >> Comwalth probably in the country for that matter. >> I I didn't mean to put you on the spot, Dan, but I I appreciate the the comments. >> Of course, >> Mr. Pios, >> can I can I just say something on the AI front? >> We've we've talked as a committee. Um we asked Mr. Morani and Dr. Perkins to draft um a policy on how to use AI in our classroom for the teachers and the students. And I know that they're involved in at the state level and with Desi um a a team of people that are working on how AI can be used across districts in in the state. So at some point we're going to have a presentation on where you are and with all of that. So, do you
045want to say something about that? >> Uh, no. I think that that's right. And I just I think the mayor is correct. I think it is a it it's here. It's coming. So, whether or not, you know, um I think Mr. Gilbert's also right that students need to learn skills and they need to be able to write and they need to be able to read and they need to be able to do math, >> but we also need them to leave us able to be functioning digital citizens in the world that they're going to be entering upon. And so that does mean teaching in some respects how to respectfully and responsibly use tools such as AI because there's a lot of misinformation that can come up on AI. um there's a lot of false stories
046and um that kind of thing. So we really need to teach kids like how do you identify what is a you know a reliable source and what is not you know when you're looking at things like that because AI doesn't just impact it's chat GBT yes but it's also stories on the internet right can be written by AI and be very misleading so and you know kids can take that and think that that's a primary source that's not a primary source you know so how do you how do you navigate this world that we now live in so that they can become, you know, and the Gail Cavalo and I have talked about this quite extensively that we need our kids to leave us as critical thinkers >> and so there are tools that are
047out there that are there to help them, but our kids have to be able to think for themselves. And I I so I think that that's where we're our direction for our our policy is where we'll be navigating. It's not to ignore it, but it's how do we teach it? How do we use it responsibly? How do we have controls on it to protect our kids' privacy? and um our teachers privacy and and those kinds of things. >> And and I think one of the other things is um we we need to create policy so that we're all using it the same way in our district. So you're not using it in a different way at North and and Quinsey High is using it in a different way so that if we have students in
048both schools, they're going to have the same input whereas, you know, you might be grading someone differently because of their use of AI and someone else isn't, you know. So I think across the board it's it's important for us to have that in place and and having a a state um committee together to kind of figure out the right way to use it. So So they are going in that direction just um you know >> whether we like it or not. We are >> Yeah. Exactly. >> Well, and I think it's like the internet, right? You can't be on the internet and just taking anything from that there as a credible source as well. You still have to know what you're looking at. I just to that point, I think we decided early on not
049to make a policy because it was changing so quickly and we couldn't get a handle on what the policy should be. That'll get better as we go on. But it is an incredible tool for teachers. I have used it to write curriculum maps, um, lesson plans. I submitted a lesson plan to it and said, "Now do chapter two for me >> in this special book, an edition of a book, and out came in some almost exactly what I would have done, but the lesson plan was done in like 30 seconds." It was pretty cool >> and you can change it. It is pretty cool. I mean, I know. I was just thinking about >> I gave them a sample of my lesson plan. Yeah, it's just really it's >> 30 seconds. >> So, you have
050to make sure the kids know >> we can do it, you can't is going to be kind of a weird policy, you know. >> But I think but anyway, I'm sorry, Mrs. Burios. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. Um, I know we could probably talk for an hour on AI and I'm excited for that conversation, but I want to just kind of circle back to to North K. I just want to first say how grateful I am that we all are to have you in our district. I mean the every time you speak, you share a story or something that just shows not only the caliber of the students at the school and the staff at the school, but your connection to them, the fact that you see them and how deeply you see them and
051just it's amazing and I just always appreciate hearing about North Quinsey through your eyes because that tells so much more than this document can. Um that being said, the uh the MCCAST scores I think uh we're all kind of acknowledging that with it not um impacting graduation, we may see that dip. I'm, you know, of course I'd love 100% of our students to be exceeding our meeting expectations, but because we are above the state average um at North, I think we're in a safe area. Um and as you say, you're not going to let up anyway. But just um kind of keeping that in perspective with uh we're going to need to figure out how to make those more impactful if we're still going to use those as a measure. >> Um just a quick
052question on because um you did do better than the average and in some areas you actually did really well. So um for instance, I'm going to kind of lump them together. So for your math goal last year, you were um 14% higher than the state. And why for this year's math goal for instance, why did you go with just 12% as opposed to just something even more um aggressive? Was it because you had such um decent turnout is in that goal was just comparing you to the state? Um >> I I always say more um sometimes, you know, in the interest of building um a collaborative document where we have shared goals. Um I may have lost out this year on that one. Um 12 is still very um ambitious. Um and I think you
053know in many respects we have five new teachers um teaching some of the content that's going to be tested on. Um and that's not an it's not an excuse. It's just the reality of of where we are right now in our math. >> Okay. I was just trying to understand the same thing for science too. So, I was just wondering why the goals weren't a little even more aggressive because you were actually doing pretty well. Um, the goals were actually less than the increase that you had seen in actuality. That was my question. >> I think people are also concerned that there was a drop. Um, and we don't know, last year was the first year and now we have another year. If that's going to continue to be the case, uh, we're not sure.
054I'll say, you know, we we gave out 137 Adams scholarships on Friday uh to our seniors. Um and I made it a point in the announcements that morning that you can't get this scholarship unless you perform on the MCCAST regardless. Um so I do I do think there's going to be a few years where kids really kind of figure it out. Um, and if you want to go to college, why wouldn't you want to take advantage of uh of something like that, >> right? Okay. Thank you. I appreciate your your thoughts on that. Um, and a couple small kind of comments here. Um, first of all, I love your extracurriculars. You were mentioning how many there are and the Marvel Club. So, MJ's one of the student reps and was looking over your uh the
055school improvement plan at home, too, and said, "Oh my gosh, mom, they have a Marvel club. I might have to switch from Quinsey High to North because there's the Marvel Club." Well, you can tell. >> I don't think he was fully serious, but still, I think that was a pretty >> pretty impressive. >> My brother, who is an actor, lives in Los Angeles, does a lot of voice work. He just got a part. Oh, I pro I'm not supposed to say this. Sorry. It hasn't gone in production yet. I'll tell you on the side. >> All right. All right. I'll look forward to that. Um, and I did notice you also have a world language club. Is there ever has there been any talk, and maybe this is a Dr. Perkins question. Um, is there
056any way of getting world language to ever be part of the curriculum as an option for foreign language if we have teachers who are um acting as a moderator for a club for so I'm sorry um not world language um sign language I'm sorry sign language sorry I said world I wrote WL and I meant SL um adding sign language you have a sign language club you have a moderator for that is is there is there anyone that we could get to facilitate a sign language class as part of like a foreign language curriculum. >> I mean, I I think it's something we could look at and maybe, you know, um survey the students or something like that to see if that would be something that would be interested. It's very hard to find a
057sign language person to teach uh you know, and I don't I don't know honestly how much interest there would be, but certainly something we could look into. I know we've talked back and forth um with the two principles about different like as as other languages kind of like lose interest you know what is the new languages that you know should take its place I think like a language that is very popular is Mandarin um is probably like if I was to look right now if you ask me I would say that would be the one that we probably need more of um but it's definitely something we could take a look at. >> Gotcha. I definitely want to keep sign language on the radar as far as >> Yeah, I think it's great. But um
058so yeah, >> great. Um so just going through these real super quick. Um the art goal, >> was the participation is your is the participation low? Is that what precipitated that goal of trying to like bolster participation in the art program? Is are you seeing a drop in it? Is that why or >> a little bit in certain areas? I think the kids that at the high schools um that take art and produce art is so incredibly they're so incredibly talented. >> Um that part of this goal was to get uh their work out there um and put give them opportunities to go beyond where where they are in class. Uh Mike Hansen is is lives and breathes uh art and he really wants people um to be able to access the work that that
059the students at at North and Quinci have um produced. Um so I think that's part of it. Um and of course you're you're selling your own subject also. >> Right. Right. No, I that's a great answer. I love getting the work out there even more. Um and uh two last points. One was um just to a point that Mrs. Hubley brought up about um the 30 plus or the higher number um kiddos in the class being honors advanced classes. Just kind of from the perspective of a parent that has kiddos in that level, those level classes, >> that still matters. having 30 or 40 pe not 40 but having 30 29 30 kids in a class it it absolutely does impact their learning. Um >> so I still want to make sure that even though
060we're saying well they're honors kids there they might need a little they're maybe easier to teach having that you know smaller cohort I think is important too. So um I think we just probably need another Mr. Caldwell if we're having you know those So that kind of leads to my last question on staffing. Do you feel that um this is probably a loaded question, but do you feel that you have the staff that you need? Do you feel like there's any areas that you could use more support? I know you list the staff here, but there wasn't a area to sort of ask you if you felt okay with that. >> Um I I I don't think we need more staff. Um, and I I'm apologize if it came off my answer came off like
061honors kids or advanced kids are easier to teach. >> No, I think that is the I think that's the normal thing that people go to. So, I just wanted to make sure that >> Yeah, which is not how I view it. Um, uh, but I, you know, managing can be different. >> Um, I think in an ideal world, would we like to have, you know, class sizes of 20 across the board? Yeah. Um, but we have a growing high school that has grown every year since I've been there. Um, and I think this the school system, um, and the superintendent, assistant superintendent have done an incredible job of meeting the needs of of obviously the whole system, but in particular North. Uh, we hired um, seven new teachers two years ago um, as additions to
062departments uh, because of the increase. um we've kind of held steady from last year to this year. Um although it it really depends. We tend to get a lot of enrollment in the spring. Um and then it backs off a little bit from there. But um there's never been a time where I've called and said, "Hey, you know, we're bursting at the seams here. What do we do?" It's always, "Well, let's try this. We can, you know, do some things creatively uh to create new sections or create new opportunities." >> Great. That's excellent. And uh it's that Marvel club. It's just bringing things in, man. >> I know. >> Thank you very much. Thank you for all the answers and thank you for the time. My pleasure. Mrs. Curtios, I have a couple of questions
063and comments. Uh mainly comments. Um the world language, the new frameworks for world language and the linguistic cultural part. I'm I'm not going to be here, but I think that would be something that the school committee should learn about. >> Absolutely. >> Some future change in the frameworks. They should know that >> the CVTE goal of the digital creative I'm assuming that's my cap. >> Yeah. >> So, um, and I will speak to Mr. Sagal about this later tonight, but my cap is a is a heavy lift for a CTE teacher to do alone. >> It's you're going to have C CBTs doing my cap and guidance counselors doing Naviance and it's the same tool. The same it's the same output, similar output, very similar. And I think we need to find some way to
064get guidance involved in this part of it because these teachers have, especially at North, they have such little access to those kids in your schedule. And to expect them to do all this guidance work inside the schedule is going to be a heavy lift. Sure. >> Having worked with schools who have done it both ways, it's a very heavy lift. And you know, in some of the vocational schools, they have kids >> a whole day. So they have time to do that kind of stuff after they do their skill building. But asking our teachers at both high schools to squeeze all that in in their time is, I think, a little disservice. And also it could be a duplication of efforts if guidance is doing Navvian. >> Sure. >> And we're paying for Navian. So
065I assume they're still doing it. >> We do. >> A great vocal data. I love the acronym for the um history the HIPPA for the We should use that for a for the AI. Had the kids use HIPPA. Hippo. Hippo for AI. I think I really love that. A couple of other questions I have. Well, we're going to move the facilities into the facility subcommittee. And this is one that just concerned me because I was someplace the other day, but your PTO, you were anticipating $8,000. >> I was at an elementary school last week that had a fund run that raised $24,700 and you have more than four times the number of kids they have. >> Yep. Uh we're significantly underestimated I think what we're going to get from our package. >> I think you
066did too. Maybe you shouldn't do that again. I think you significantly underestimated but I'm going to entertain a >> you want to say Mr. Super Bowl. >> Yeah. Um, two or three years ago, we implemented a cell phone policy. >> Mhm. >> Um, and the state's still struggling to put one in place. How is ours working at North? >> Um, honestly, it depends on the classroom. Um, everybody knows the policy. Um, the reality of sometimes how connected our students are to their cell phone. Um, it's sometimes about managing how we intervene when students are using cell phones and how students are going to react um to those kinds of things. Um, you walk into some classrooms and there's pockets on the door, everything's away, everything's off. Uh, whereas others is not necessarily always the case.
067um students know that they can use it in passing time. Um if it were up to me, I you know, I think if we were to revisit maybe passing time is not the time that kids should be using it. Study hall is not the time kids should be using it. um because it it it it quickly snowballs and and spills over into other classrooms and and we don't want our teachers having to just manage >> kids in their in their cell Right. Right. Right. We want kids uh and teachers to have positive relationships. Um there are certainly kids at our school that that have to turn their cell phones in every day uh to their dean or to me depending on the situation. But um most of our students if you say to them, "Put
068your cell phone away, put your earbuds away," they do. Um but they're kids and when the teacher turns their back to help somebody, do they take Yeah, it happens. >> All right. Um chronic absenteeism. Um are you happy with the uh percentage >> that we were last year? >> Yeah. >> Yes, >> you are. Okay. Um, >> do I think it'll be better this year? Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Um, graduation weight rate went down. >> Yeah. 0.1. >> Do you have a reason? >> It's stag that's staggered data. >> Okay. >> Um, all right. And then just a couple of things on the vocal survey. Um, if I can get to it. um consequences for same inappropriate behavior are the same no matter who the student is. And 24% said that that wasn't the case.
069Um that concerns me. um things that I'm learning in school are relevant or important to me. 40% almost 40% said no. The level of pressure I feel at school to perform well is unhealthy. I'm not sure where that's coming from, but there's 55%. >> Exactly. >> Um and then students at school try to stop bullying when they see it happening. Uh 43% uh responded positively for that. And I've stayed home at school because I did not feel safe. 86%. Now that's that's a big number. Um and students are sexually harassed at my school. U 82%. So those those popped out at me. >> That one is so on the one the stay at home because they feel safe. So it's most that's the 86 is mostly untrue. So it's mostly untrue never. >> I just
070read that. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. So you have to some of the way like the way it depends on how they like like the scale is confusing. >> So sometimes it's good to say mostly true and sometimes it's bad to say mostly true. In that one it's an example of how it's bad which I think is for the people that have given the vocal survey would say that's one of the complicated things is that the scale does change. So to say that one, I have stayed at home or avoided school because I did not feel safe at my school. You want kids to say that's never me, right? But the question before that, you would want them to say that's always me, you know? Um so so I think you have to pay attention to
071the the scale because it does change >> which is confusing for us and for kids. I mean, just quickly, uh, Dan, I hear nothing but positive things about what's going on at North High School, and that's your credit and your staff. So, I'm I'm more than happy with what's going on there, and uh, and I know it'll continue. Thank you, your leadership. Thank you. Thanks. Appreciate it, >> Mrs. Mrs. Kahill. Um, I just wanted to mention as well and and and for um the benefit of maybe any parents or teachers that are listening, um, talking to different parents and teachers in the district, there were concerns about cell phone um, use in the classroom. I mean, when we initially did the policy, I think that it seemed like things were getting better. And um, I
072think they are better, but they're not perfect. and and one of the things that we were concerned about is is teachers being um you know having to police kids and not be wor not be teaching and having to worry about cell phones. So we did ask and I don't know if everybody remember but we did ask the um um Dr. Perkins to um bring a an amended policy or to review the policy and bring us some amendments that we could be thinking about so that we were being stronger in our um policy about cell phone use. So to take away that um that responsibility from the teachers. So, that's something that we had asked to put in policy um just about a month ago so that they could bring it back and we can look
073at amending it so that >> your staff doesn't have to be the ones to to make sure that the kids aren't do using their phones. >> So, I just wanted to make that make that clear. >> And I think that if we surveyed the staff, they would say it's not good. They would say it's not good. The middle school staff hates it. Yeah. >> They would say it's not good. And the state may be implementing a bell-to-bell ban anyway. And if they don't, I won't be here, but I think you guys should. And we will >> I'll entertain a motion to accept. I'm sorry, Mr. Gut. >> All right, >> Dan. At uh at the beginning, like you always do, you tell an amazing story that really speaks to the culture of North Quincsey High
074School. And as a North Quincsey grad and as a member of the school committee, I was moved by by what you said. I mean, I wish I was in the room for some of those um because that that's exactly the kind of culture that you want to create and gives me enormous pride, you know, not just in in your team but in in the school district and you mentioned the words integrity, character, honesty, kindness starts at the top. that's you and the educators and and um I think the story is evidence of the students emulating what they've witnessed and it's tribute to your four years at North Quinzy and and uh super proud of it you know and as for comments on the plan you know I I think on the whole the local survey
075was great you know I I mean I've been concerned about the chronic absenteeism it's nice to see a little tick up and hopefully we'll see it continue uh because I think that's a big issue. Um the last question I want to ask and and this will be obviously for the next school committee is the issue with the security upfront in in the entrance. Is there a timetable for that? Um >> I don't know. >> Okay. Yeah, that I I I mean I feel like we've been talking about that for a period of time and I'm sure it's expensive to do, but um those are the kinds of things that matter and uh I hope that that uh over the course of the next year comes to fruition. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Ger.
076I'm going to entertain a motion to accept by Mrs. Hubly, seconded by Miss Regali. All in favor? I I >> Thank you very much. >> Great job. I'm going to invite Mr. Sagaler up to present the career vocational technical education plan. >> Thank you Mr. Leo and good evening everyone. pleasure tonight to share and highlight public schools and technical education 2526 programming. >> It was on >> here. >> Which one? Just tap. >> There you go. >> Thank you, Miss Lebo. And good evening, everyone. >> Good evening. It's a pleasure tonight to share and highlight Quinnsey Public Schools Career and Technical Education's 2526 program improvement plan. Our career and technical education program provides practical instruction and valuable intellectual content alongside academics. North Quinsey and Quinsey High foster a stimulating environment where traditional programs exist side
077by side with cutting edge 21st century competencybased career pathways. 18 pathways to be exact, including automotive, business, carpentry, criminal justice and public safety, culinary arts, design and visual communication, early education and care, electrical engineering, film and television production, healthc care, information support, networking services, metal fabrication and joining technologies, as well as plumbing. Approximately 1,470 students students are currently in Quinsey CT programs, including 369 students participating in freshman seminar, our exploratory program hosted at Quinsey High School. Our vocational programs are industry certified, have strong business partners, and a variety of post-secary initiatives including articulation agreements, dual enrollment, and early college high school. And I'm pleased to share that 92 vocational students are currently enrolled in Quinsey's early college pathway. We encourage our students to take an active role in their own education. It is our hope
078to send our students to the world of work, armed forces, or post-secary education with the necessary skills and knowledge for long-term success. Staff and students have the opportunity to explore current industry trends in collaborations with our community business partners and CTE program advisory teams. Through this collaboration, our competencies and vocational teaching areas are guaranteed to be industry industry specific and meet industry standards. Quinsey CT staff members are trained, experienced, and state certified in the career field they teach. Our educators deliver instructions in safety and health, technical, embedded academics related to their subject matter, employability, career readiness, management, entrepreneurship, as well as technology skills required for workplace success. Our vocational programs offer multiple educational resources for all students, including school-based and work-based opportunities, including job shadowing, co-ops, internships, clinical placements, live work and technical areas, community
079service learning, as well as employment experiences. At this time, I'd like to begin with a reflection of our 2425 team goals highlighted on page six. I'm pleased to report that each of these goals have successfully completed. They include the realignment of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's new CTE frameworks for each of our CT programs here in Quinsey. CT staff members have reviewed and realigned pacing guides, program course descriptions, as well as syllabis. The increase of non-traditional pathway opportunities for high school students. Our CT support liaison, Richard Aguser and Brennan Cunningham, continue to do a stellar job with the promotion and awareness of non-traditional careers via classroom presentations, activities and field trips, military Mondays, women in the trade summit, labor unions, collaborative career fairs, and so much much more. We continue to provide
080students with a variety of educa additional curriculum enhancements and educational opportunities including Skills USA DECA innovative engineer night and numerous culinary arts catering initiatives. Our program advisory team goals were also met as well including our annual required program advisory team report. And finally, um, specific members of our program advisory team members presented a series of relevant and innovative lessons or housed a site visitation to the workplace or post-secary institution for our vocational students. We are certainly grateful for the 115 members of our program advisory team. Next, the 202526 CTE team goals. Goal one is a new goal. Quincy CT team will plan, prepare, and submit an application to the Massachusetts Department of Secondary and Educa Secondary Education for the designation of a new chapter 74 program, which North Quincsey High School's engineering technology program by
081June of 2026. This process is well underway, including a letter of intent submitted in June, application A submission, which was submitted last was submitted last Friday. Um currently team members are preparing application B which is due March 6th followed by a classroom and shop safety inspection in April and a visitation from the department in May um who will conduct interviews of uh the administration our teachers staff students as well as our program advisory team for engineering technology at North on page nine. Goal two is also a new goal. Quinsey CT team is in collaboration with Quinsey's curriculum management, student support services, and early college high school pathway teams will plan and prepare the DEZ's my cap initiative, my career and academic plan for implementation during the 26 27 school year for all grade nine students.
082My CAP is a student-driven multi-year process that intentionally guides students in the development of a post-secary plan for success after high school. Through the process, each student with guidance and support from their professional staff and with input from parents and other mentors gains the knowledge and skills and experiences in the personal and social career development and academic achievement domains necessary for post-secondary success. As an instrument, the MYAP tool captures the documents, their experience and learning at each grade. And this will certainly be um implemented at some point grades 6 through 12. grades six through 12 with the domain. On page 11, you'll see goal three. It's a continuous goal. We'll continue to increase non-traditional pathway opportunities for high school students to ensure success beyond graduation. Goal four on page 12 is also a continuous goal.
083During the 2526 school year, team members will continue to provide uh students a variety of additional curriculum enhancements and educational opportunities. These curricular enhancements certainly complement our CTE programs. Our program advisory team goals are also continuous as well. They include once again the design development of a program program advisory team annual report which is presented to the school committee in the spring each year. Uh goal two for the program advisory team was on page 17. continue to enlist general advisory and program advisory team members um so they can present a relevant lesson or visitation to the workplace or post-secary institution for students in the career tech ed program by May of 2026. In regards to professional development, you'll notice on page 19 through 20, Quincy public schools uh professional day of learning which was held
084on Tuesday, November 4th, provided CT staff the opportunity to enhance and support career support their craft and enroll in a variety of quality professional development trainings throughout the day. A terrific day indeed. was optional professional development and training opportunities were available to vocational educators including educator evaluation, cyber security, shop safety, creating with Canva, and building a culture of student leadership. You'll find the detailed training descriptions in the appendices which is yellow yellow handout that you have before you. And finally, the the appendices be um beginning on page 21, you will find a variety of CT documents which include program listings of student certifications and credentials. That's the pink handout. Core indicators review of populations. You will not see the core indicators this year. The data is not available um through the department. You'll also notice
085uh 2526 program advisory board uh or team documents which include um the invitation, the membership imit uh the agenda for the for the October 17th meeting which is a green handout. And lastly, once again, you'll see the Quinsey Professional Day Learning, which is yellow. So, at this time, I' certainly entertain comments or questions. Thank you. I And I love the um professional day of learning um opportunities. They they're great. Actually, I'd probably like to take a couple of them. Maybe the Canva one. That looks good. Um so, do we I I don't know if this is something new, but did did we or are we having an information session for the middle school um kids who are coming up to nth grade in the CBTE programs? Did we already do that or we're doing that?
086um >> we we haven't had it yet, but we certainly will need to do that through a new policy that the state, >> right? Okay. So, that's something that is a new um introduction to the kids in middle school and eighth graders that are going to be coming up and we'll be doing it probably in the spring or something. >> Yeah, it's required of the new um policy. James, >> that's what I thought. I saw that and I wasn't sure if that was >> and we'll be sharing that new policy very soon with the policy subcommittee. Okay. Things that are coming up. Okay, great. Thank you. That's good. Thank you very much, Mr. Scola. Um, I have a couple questions on my cap, but I I I think that uh Miss Levo is going to
087ask about that, so I'm probably going to um siphon that question off to her uh just to learn a little bit more about it. Um, are there other and I don't know enough about Chapter 74 programs outside of Quinsey. Are there more programs that we could bring into our schools that we haven't yet? And are we thinking about adding any to either of our high schools or do we kind of have them all or >> I believe there's 56 >> okay >> if not more programs through throughout the state right so um to offer a 74 program you go through through a process >> right >> um and we would also need to survey students in the middle school and grade nine for interest uh first and foremost and certainly a budgetary situation then follow
088the chapter 74 >> yeah I was just curious how we would know like for instance that I'm sort of using the fashion program as like an example that um so we had it interest kind of died down in it um so we're not even including it in any in our stuff anymore is that accurate >> no well it's a three-year process so we still have two more years of of fashion technology >> right but no new kids can come into it is that correct that's correct okay so how would we know if that resurges if we're not asking any of the kiddos coming up if they have any interest in either fashion or any of those other programs that we don't currently offer. >> So, currently it's uh in the program of studies. It's not
089in the program studies for grade nine or grade 10 for the first first pathway. Certainly for grade 11 and 12 until we close it out of a three-year process, >> right? I'm just wondering should that should there be a survey? Should there be some kind of interest to let kiddos know because maybe the fashion would have been a resurgence of it if we put it out there, but once it kind of dies and goes away, then we don't we wouldn't know if that would come back because we we don't have it. So, we're not >> telling our kiddos about it. Does that make sense? Am I asking that in the right >> can I just say something? So, it wouldn't come back because the state has determined that it's there's no jobs in it >>
090and that's the most important thing for us. We have to make sure we have places for our kids to go. So if there's is if there's a huge demand like there was a huge demand in biotech it's kind of fading. Yeah. But we had thought about going to a biotech major but that's fading. So we have to make sure it's it's the demand in our area our workforce area has to be there not just the student interest. And then the other point is you know if you you want to put an automotive program in it's going to cost you a bootload of money. Fashion's not. So if you you're going to try to not program, you're going to have to find a budget for it, which is prohibitive for a big program, for something with
091big machinery. We have co most of those covered anyway >> except HVAC, but we have most of them covered. We do, >> but I I think it' be very hard to duplicate that. So just so you know, it's not just interest. >> Um it is definitely demi the demand, the industry demand. Yeah. And that changes. So >> that was actually my my kind of my point was are we looking at any others? Are there any that you're looking at? Any that you think that we would bring or we would ask kiddos about if they were if they were interested in if we were already thinking about that sort of >> we're looking at North Quincsey High School with there's currently three chapter 94 programs hopefully four by the end of May. Um business technology legal
092and protective services programs that we already have. I think we just start there and continue to grow programs at North with the 15 at 14 at North at Quincy High. I think we for equity purposes and more programs we'd like to offer more programs CT programs at North Quinsey. >> Okay. And my last can I just say one thing? >> So if it's a CTE it's a for chapter 74 program you're going to have to have an exploratory. That is correct. >> And that is a very prohibitive because then you go to the eighth period day and then you need all sorts of teachers. So I mean it was a huge change for Quincy High to do that. Once you put the exploratory in every ninth grader has to go through the exploratory. add a
093period to the day and that means that we need a whole lot more teachers >> to teach the kids. Okay. >> But certainly we could start with a non74 Miss Lebo. Yes. >> And then build if and discuss plan >> and I think that you could even have a mini exploratory on your own >> of course >> to show those nonchapter 74 and chapter 74. But I'm just want to caution you that there's financial ramifications for just saying let's put this program in or whatever. I'm thrilled that engineering is going into North. I'm sorry. >> No, no, no, no. For sure. No, I really appreciate the context because I didn't know enough about how they come about and how, you know, when one program that we've seen now has gone away, parents we hear have
094been upset by that. So, I just wanted to be a little more clear about how we bring a program on, how we find out about that, that type of stuff. So, thank you for the context. That's actually super helpful. Um, and my last question is we have classes in stage tech theater. Is that >> that's not a chapter 74 program or anything on that list of ones we don't have. Correct. Right. >> Okay. Where does that fall in? Is that just under the arts? >> It's under the arts >> for Quincy High or or North or whatever. Okay, >> it's under the arts. >> Okay. Thank you. Appreciate that. >> Mr. Regoli, >> correct me if I'm wrong. My understanding was if you added more programs at North then things would have to change. Um
095>> schedule. >> Yeah, >> we want fresh exploratory program to be implanted. >> Okay. >> But we could we could we could actually add non74 programs which not abide to change the schedule. >> Okay. Can you give some examples of that? >> Sorry. >> Can you give some examples of that, please? >> New programs, business technology, which is not a very big expense. >> I thought we had one already. >> You do. You do at Quinsey. >> We don't have one at North. >> No, you have electives. Business electives. >> Okay. >> Legal objective services could be another one. That's a a very popular program. Vocational program. >> Yeah. >> Not at North Quincy High. >> Okay. But if there's interest, you could add it. >> Absolutely. >> Is that correct? >> Y. >> Okay.
096So could we do a survey of >> We certainly could do survey survey of grade eight students, grade nine students >> because they know what it entails. What what what the actual outcome would be for them uh going forward in terms of jobs. >> Certainly we could promote the trends in the industry and and certainly promote that way. Absolutely. >> Yeah. I think it's important for kids to understand that, >> you know, some of the things they're pursuing may not come to fruition in terms of getting a job uh uh that's going to pay the bills. >> Of course. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Gro. >> Thank you. Good to see you, Keith. >> Thank you. Um um and I'm testing my memory and I can't remember exactly what it is, but I think it
097was last spring there was a firestorm of push back from career and tech schools against the state proposed rule. >> Correct. >> Can you just refresh my memory on what that rule is and where that stands? >> CT admissions. >> Yeah. >> Into a school. So most most regional vocational schools have that CT admissions problem. But here in Quinsey, all school all students are accepted. So we don't have a CT admissions problem. It's admissions into a school, not a program. >> So where does it stand now? What happened? >> It passed >> passed >> it. They now a regulation which is why we have to redo our policy >> and that's why we have to add middle school. Um so we're we're working on that right now. >> So and and we sent a letter
098concerned with that. >> We you did? >> Yeah. Okay. Y >> understood. And I passed. So I can I add something to that? So one of the one of our concerns was when you have to have admission to programs, which we do have to do, it has to be by a straight lottery. So you could have a student in front of you for an exploratory program who you know absolutely cannot do the job or won't do the job and they still get in by lottery. Yeah, that's so that was what our push back was. >> I remember now it's all coming. >> They get passed anyway. So we have to do the lottery. >> One one good thing we can do is guide students over it. >> We have great guidance counselors. Yeah. >> So,
099we'll come before the policy subcommittee shortly with a with our plan. >> Gotcha. Understood. Um, you know, eight years ago when I when I got on here, uh, Mrs. Lebo spoke to how unique and well positioned we were in the city of Quincy around career and teched. And I've learned an enormous amount. And that's thanks to your leadership and and the work around, you know, the relationships that you have with businesses and the trades, the the work on early college high school, the dual enrollment work. Um, it's just super impressive, you know, all that you do. So, I've come to really understand it through a different lens and value it even more so than, you know, when I was a student and even when I was on the city council. And, um, like I said
100to to Bob and Dan, you know, just grateful to have you. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> I have a few questions. Um, I agree with M. No, no, really only a few. I agree with Mr. Gutro. Uh, we are in a terrific position in our CTE programs and our kids have so many opportunities across the board in the arts and everything, but it's just like one of the best school systems in the world as far as I'm concerned. The core indicator data is terrific. The enhancements uh to the career programs are incredible. The certifications are wonderful and the advisory teams are really strong. So I'm really really really proud. I'm great great about the engineering. I am concerned about my cap. I don't want those teachers to be saddled with the whole thing
101and have guidance counselors doing Naviance and them not finding a way. So I would hope that at some point in time we can get student support. Student support >> that is our plan. That's our plan. This is such a beast. >> It is a beast. It is a beast. And now the my cap is required right. >> It is required. required for Perkins Early College High School and other grants. >> Uh Kim Connley just wrote a grant for my cap. It's a $14,000 grant for this implementation for planning purposes for grade for this year only. >> It is going to be a huge a huge thing. I just don't want anybody to think that if you're a teacher, a single teacher teaching plumbing, you're the only plumbing teacher, you also have to do all this
102guidance work. >> It's too much to ask teachers. It really is. Um, I have one question that maybe we should do offline because I'm very concerned about the CNA training specialists. I understand how difficult it is to find health assistant teachers across the state >> and I think we ought to maybe have some movement to let um two-year associate degree nurses become teachers like we do in every other area because I know it's a problem, but I really do have some things I'd like to talk to you offline about that. >> Yep. Um, I'll entertain a motion now. >> All in favor? >> I >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> And the last item on our agenda, the superintendent's goals. >> So, good evening everyone before you as we have presented in great detail. The
103last >> Sorry, who are you? >> There we go. Thank you. Good evening everyone. At the last school committee meeting, we presented to you the superintendent's goals for 2025, 2026. And obviously, we wanted the um goals to um be reviewed by the committee um for any potential modifications, questions, etc. So, they are here for any questions that you may have and between myself and Dr. Perkins and other members of the SLT, hopefully we'll be able to answer those for you. Anybody have any questions for this? I have one. >> Uh, I have a comment. I'm not I have a comment or a question. I love the professional practice goal. We talked about that at the meeting. I absolutely love that. I think it's it's just it's great to actually have it writing. I think it
104happens anyway, but it's in writing. My one concern, and it's not really a concern, I'm just a question of why you didn't include uh excessive absenteeism when the district's doing such a major push on that. Um, and we certainly can add that because at what area? Within which goal? >> I don't know. >> Okay, we will. Um, I thought we already had it in there. Honestly, I can find it. >> Yeah, >> it's um it's four. It's district goal four. >> What page is it on? >> It's on page 16. >> Maybe I didn't get read that part. >> It's such a >> big initiative. We would have to include it. Yeah. >> Oh, okay. Never mind. I entertain a motion to accept this. Oh, I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Sorry. >> I just also
105wanted to uh say that I like um the professional practice goal a lot. Um I think it went a lot deeper than last year's goal. I think it was it's just perfect. Um I think that's great. Um I had a couple questions on the rest. Um I'm glad to see on the uh this was the reading. No, this is the math sorry student learning goal. The math goal. Um, I'm glad to see that the target increased because we did hit that goal last time. I'm glad to see that it's increased even more this year. Um, do you feel that we should because of the grade eight uh, grade 10 impacts we're seeing, do you feel like there should be any part of that math goal that also has some kind of a target goal for
106grade 10? >> We could certainly add it. Um, I mean, I know that it's more going to be about influencing the culture of making them care about it again, but um, you know, it's I I know it's something you're going to work on anyway. So, would it make sense to codify it in there? >> Um, something actually that we have been discussing with both of the high school principles that you know might be an appropriate thing to consider adding is we have been talking about implementing the map in 9th grade. >> Yes, we have the licenses. Um what? And so I think we're going to implement, you're going to hear it in the Quinsey High uh improvement plan. They're going to talk about it. So we could add something to both. I think that might
107be a better goal. We'd love to do 9th and 10th grade eventually. We're going to start with ninth. It won't it won't actually the kids are and ninth grade is not a heavy testing year for most most kids. You know, some kids take biology, but that's really it. Um and so I think that's a great and the kids are used to it. They've had it forever, right? So it's not going to be a big deal for them. um and teachers we can train teachers on the tool. So I we what we could do is add a component that talks about the implementation of the map in ninth grade because I do think that the MCCAST I think we have to wait a couple of years for 10 to see how it levels out a little
108bit um and see what the new baseline is. Hopefully we get back to where we were. Uh, but I do think it's, you know, I mean, we certainly can add a benchmark about um working on cultural shifts for the MCCAST for grade 10, too. I mean, that that's totally fine. >> Yeah. Whether you guys think it needs to be a goal or but I know it's something you're working on anyway. But I just wanted to ask about that because we have the other >> I think the map goal is great because it's actionable. The MCAT. >> So, if we can put a map goal, if you can pilot a map goal, pilot it this year. Maybe just add piloting a map goal in this year. >> We can do we're doing it in all three
109areas. Science. That's great. Um, so much better and math. And again, the goal would be that next year we will add grade 10 to it. >> That's great. No, that's excellent. Um, just a couple last odd questions. Um, why is the math goal a student goal, but the ELA goal is a district goal. Does that >> uh because it's part of the plan, the superintendent needs a student learning goal, but then also there's different labels. >> It does. There's no difference really. It's just too >> it it's just a label of the goal. But I think when we looked at it, honestly, we felt like ELA was they're both, you know, areas that we need to work on. But we felt like the writing was such a huge component of the ELA goal, too, you
110know, and things that So, it really was we could have gone either way, honestly. >> I was just curious if there was a difference in like importance or just they're really just kind of equal. It's just the heading, right? Is that kind of Yeah. Okay. Um, under the hometoschool connections, I love that we expanded it from just the 10mmies to also include the newsletters, which is what we're already doing anyway, but I love that it's more comprehensive than just sort of doing the tent. So, I just wanted to say I love the home to school one. Um, and my last comment was um, so for the chronic absenteeism, I'm still um, so we have from a base of um, 10.4 four for grades K to 8 and a base of 21.2 for grades 9 to
11112. So what was it? Um so last year from for grades K to 8 it was 9.9. So we actually went up >> went up a little bit. >> Okay. What was it precoid like? >> So precoid at the high school level was like 19ish 18 19 >> and what was it at the K to 8? >> Uh I think it was like seven. >> Okay. So we're not really far off of what it was. >> That's our goal. we want to get pre level. >> Well, that's kind of what I mean. I just don't know if um I mean I'd like to see that goal. I'd like to see us say we've achieved it. We've done, you know, we're there and I think that we're so close that we're doing such a big push
112on the new attendance policy that I think we'll be there anyway. But I'm just um I'm hopeful that we can either just maybe focus on just the high school and just sort of say we're kind of good with the elementary, but I'm looking forward to this goal saying you've done so much work on it. The schools have made so much progress. Um, I think we're really really close and I'm excited to see that goal kind of go away too >> and I'd love to see us look a little more on other other um initiatives. So, thank you. >> I'd like to accept accepted notion to accept the plan by adding the map piece. >> Seconded by Mrs. Everybody. So, moved and all in favor I >> thanks everybody. >> Thank you.