001Thank you for joining us at today's uh school committee meeting, Thursday, May 21st, 2026. Um the first item on the agenda is representative student representative update from Emily. >> Um so the seniors are gone. Well, sort of. Um, what happened? >> They had their last day of classes last Friday and then this week was senior finals, but I think that just wrapped up as well. So, now they're just looking forward to their fun senior week next week. That's like senior carnival, senior awards, senior night, and other stuff. And then senior prom is actually tomorrow night. >> Um, and then graduation is on the 29th. So, everything is happening very quickly. But for the rest of us, we still have a few more weeks. Um, the spring sports season is coming to a close, so I
002asked Mr. Dvito to share a couple highlights from the year. So, first of all, we have a new Instagram page for the athletics department. Um, it's run by Mr. Dvito and then Danny Dilva, who is graduating, but he's interning for like doing graphic design. Um, and they post the game schedule every morning, which I think is so helpful. And then they also post the scores at the end of the night. Um, as for spring sports, the boys lacrosse team won its first league title in program history with senior Jason Stokes um, setting a new school record for points. And then just a quick shout out to one of our senior wrestlers who finished an amazing career here. Derek Marolini had 182 wins in wrestling, which is the third most in our school history. Um, he
003is a two-time state champion and a four-time finalist. He is an all state champion and he is the only MHS wrestler to win four sectional champions. So, lots of great things coming from the sports department. Um, next, the music department. The trip to Hershey Park was a huge success. So, each of our ensembles placed second and received an excellent rating. Um, and then since then, we've had our spring awards concert at the end of April and then we had our pops concert just this past Tuesday. And now we are planning something very special for the end of the year. Um, our music director Naen Pomeray is retiring. And so in her honor, we are having a concert on June 13th in her honor. >> And the performers will be current students, alumni, and staff. >>
004Um, and that's really all I have tonight. >> Any questions, comments? >> I just have one. I'm like, you happen to know the handle for the new sports page, so we can take a look at it. Thanks. >> Yeah, it's um mhs_scarlet_hawks. >> Awesome. Thank you. We'll check it out. >> Love that they're publishing. >> Sorry, I missed that. What was it again? >> mhs. Okay_carlet_hawks. >> Awesome. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions or comments? >> Do you have any classes left or you've all AP examined out? I have Spanish, but other than that, I'm pretty much done. So, I took my finals this week with the seniors. >> Um, so yeah, big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. >> Good. >> Anything else? >> Thank you, Emily. >> Thank you so much.
005>> All right, we're going to move on to invitation to speak. We have nobody. Uh, announcements, correspondence, and distributions. Craig, >> Emily and I will be meeting um not this week, next week or the week after. >> Give you a heads up before she leaves to talk about um AI and >> Oh, nice >> um Chromebooks versus um MacBooks and that sort of thing. So, >> looking forward to that. >> I am too. >> Am I good now? >> Oh, sorry. Also, um today's school day games was awesome. Um >> see all the kids out there um was just phenomenal and the the support we get from the fire department and the police department. Um there were also a number of Marines uh out there. So, um it's just a it's one of my favorite
006events of the year where everybody in the community kind of comes together and supports all of our um Special Olympic athletes. So, it's a great day in uh Milford public schools when we are able to hold our school day games, which was postponed twice already. So, I'm glad we were able to pull it off. It didn't looked a little sketchy this morning when it started to rain, but we were able to pull it off. So, it was good. Uh thank you to Loren Blanchard for her leadership and uh all the other uh folks that helped contribute to that. So, good day. >> I think you're good, Emily. Oh yeah, >> I do have one correspondence and I think it does line with the future agenda item as well, so I apologize. Um, last week when
007I was volunteering at the Milford Center golf tournament, I met with Allison Delano uh who works with the Hockey Mock YMCA and she coordinates the summer meal program and she was telling me about some issues that they had last year with distribution of meals. So, she was hoping to come in front of the board to um discuss with us some of those issues and maybe how we can help support her. It may not be the best addressed to us, but at least wanted to comment on the conversation in the email followup. Thank you, Brandon. Anyone else? Okay, great. Approval of minutes. Uh, are there any edits to the minutes for the May 7th, 2026 budget hearing or the May 7th, 2026 regular meeting? Any edits, changes? All right. Minutes are approved by consent. Thank you.
008General chairperson update. I do not have an update. Is upset. All right. Rolling into the MSBA project update. Chris. >> Yeah. uh the small uh committee met Wednesday morning and again with that that's just working with the architect and just kind of giving a they give a a prelim presentation before presenting to the full committee and that's just kind of to to hash out and give them the opportunity to kind of give a a dry run through it. So we went through that on Wednesday just kind of pointed towards a few things that we felt like the committee would uh want to talk about in further detail. So uh that is starts next Wednesday next Wednesday I believe is the full presentation and still driving towards the those June decisions of getting into the preliminary
009design phases. So so it's all moving ahead very fast. >> Any questions for Chris? >> Right. >> Actually Michael I have one. >> Yeah. >> When the presentations are done are they posted somewhere? >> They are. >> Yes. So obviously >> town website. Um, no. They're on budget sense. We can share them. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Just curious. >> And if not, I can make sure that the committee gets >> perfect. Okay. Thank you. >> Not a problem. >> Report of the superintendent of schools. >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, so every year we we have a vote um as to whether or not we're going to participate in school choice. Uh however, in reading the um the Mass General law on um on this uh I just want to bring this to
010your attention because maybe we do it differently after this year. Uh so under the school choice law, all school districts in Massachusetts are presumed to participate in and to admit non-resident students through school choice. All right. So really um you you can uh withdraw from school choice only if we hold a public meeting about it or public hearing about it and then we vote to withdraw from school choice program prior to June 1st. So I think in the past we've been voting to participate in but really the vote is um that you won't participate in. So technically we don't have to vote. Uh I it's maybe good practice to say um yeah, we're going to participate just so everyone's on the same page that we are participating in school choice. And we certainly always even
011when we do participate in school choice, we do have the ability to um turn off uh certain grade levels if the grade level is too um gets too high. However, the enrollment that grade level gets too high. But um currently we we are accepting school choice. So do I have a motion to accept? Motion by Meg, second by Chris. All in favor? Motion passes. All right. Um anything else, Craig? >> No. Right. Report of the school business administrator. Um, hi everyone. Um, the the report u is now linked to the agenda. It's a little late. Sorry. I was sick yesterday. I had to go home and today I was driving my parents around to see their doctors. So um but I was able to finish it. Uh it's linked in um the agenda and um
012I'm reporting the third quarter report with the uh detail report uh attached as well. Um so overall uh our budget is in a um good positive position and um our like like I um reported before um the our tuition programs has a uh surplus because of um this year we we didn't have um as many placement as we expected. Um, so if you look at the Oh, um, I should go in order. Sorry. Um, so ad administration, uh, balance, we have a positive balance of, um, 70,000 and, um, throughout the rest of the year, we still have to pay the legal uh, invoices and other contract services. Uh, we plan to, um, buy some technology um, uh, equipments. So um after that I think we still have some u balance we can transfer out to
013other lines. Um instruction we have a balance right now at 509 um K. Um, so for the the rest of the school year, we still have to pay um time sheets like retirement, separation costs, um, substitute cost. Um, but um, we know that we saved some this year by um, like carefully hiring back people when there's a vacant. um Craig and Carrie would assess the situation and decide what's the the most effective way to uh staff the position. So um by doing that we did have some savings in salaries and of course uh we have some uh attrition savings too. Um so other school services um transportation continue to have um deficit. Um but if you if we combined um the tuition and transportation together uh we we understand our budget operation and uh maintenance.
014So um this year um we discussed before the heating cost is going high um because we we have more heaters um units operating again now. So it's a good thing. It's posit positive >> um and um and we know that we have some um deferred maintenance project we have to do. So um so our plan for the rest of the year is to uh identify the project we can do to improve our building conditions and the the safety of the the schools. Um uh fixed cost uh we have some savings there not much um tuition again sorry um go back to tuition uh we have um students um move out of town or they stayed in um in district program. Um so overall we have a saving of about 47,000 um tuition and transportation combined
015to like fulfill our obligation for out of district placement and other transportation needs. Um, so yeah, I have the transfer motion like in the bottom of the the two pager >> and um I can take any questions. >> Any questions? >> No questions. Chris, >> sure. >> No real questions. Just thank you very much as always for putting this together. Certainly reading through and maybe have some questions after the fact. Uh but no, it's it's appreciative to to understand, you know, from a general standpoint of of what's going on and what you're seeing. So just appreciate uh this level of summary and and we'll read through it. >> Okay. Yeah. Let me know if you have any questions afterwards. >> Matt, >> um I'll just make a motion to execute um the budget transfers as
016outlined in the document. >> Have a second. Second by me. All in favor? Unanimous motion passes. >> Thank you. And um personnel update for your reference. >> Thank you, W. Right. Next item, professional development. Any discussion before we take a vote? Yes, Craig. Chris is where we at. Hold on one second. Just getting my stuff together here. Just want to hold this up. So, yeah. Um, basically come to my attention that staff are requesting reimbursement of, you know, up to 10 three credit hour college level courses. um you know kind of some key points as I'm as I'm looking through this is you know taking 10 three credit hour courses at college level typically in a typical college level course meets two to three times per week right we know that uh for a total
017of three hours and that's usually typically over a 12 to 16 week semester. So three hours per week, say over 14 weeks, we'll split the difference between 12 and 16 is 42 hours worth of time. 10 classes at 42 hours is 420 hours of just classroom time, right? So So typically a full-time college student takes only four classes per semester. Okay. Um so that's 12 hours of class work and then plus assigned work too, right? So, and and the the typical college student doesn't have a full-time job either. So, if 10 classes were split, five per semester, then then the five classes at three credit hours each is 15 hours of class time per week plus any assignments, right? And we think that a graduate level course is typically a rigorous study and and a
018if you look through at different college how they describe it, rigorous studies is five to six hours of independent study credit, excuse me, five to six hours of independent study per credit hour. So that on top of that classroom time per week, it's another 15 to 18 hours of independent study time. Right? So we've we've got classroom time of, you know, 15 hours plus another 15 hours. So we're at 30 hours dedicated to a to this type of class, you know, rigorousness. So to me ultimately just gives me pause, right? As an an educator that is working full-time for the district can't reasonably take 10 grad graduate level courses while working. This makes me question the quality and the caliber of the coursework that they're taking, right? Um you know it just it's suspicious to
019me and I think that we need to look at this further. I again I take pause on on lots of aspects of this and I want us to have a conversation and to see what other people think too because again this is something that we provide the course reimbursement as as a from a professional level because we want our teachers to be able to increase their knowledge that goes back to the students. But again, we want to make sure that it is within the rigors of a well thought through and a high caliber education. So, thank you. Anybody else? Anyone else? >> Okay. Well, I'm going to come back to it and then I'm just going to make a motion that we engage in conversation with the union uh on this Um, so the motion
020is >> basically the motion is to engage with the union >> and let's have a conversation of how the current contract states and and as it leads into our new contract and I want to have the union understand the financial impacts of this coursework and any of the uh and any future impacts. Do >> we have a second? Second my back. Any discussion? You ready? Um >> Chris, do you want to do you want it as a um future agenda item? Do you want to do it in a separate meeting? >> I think we should do it in a separate meeting. I think this is a a level of conversation that it's obviously going to be facilitated by the superintendent, but I see it as a conversation between this board, this board, and the union
021>> itself. Could you do you envision that conversation happening in the labor management subcommittee or something else? >> Um, no. I think in something else. I think it's going to be best that we have as much representation from this board and the representation from the uh the union and in their uh their elected board. >> So, you're envisioning a posted meeting if you have a majority. Otherwise, you could do a subcommittee, I guess, and be able to meet with their Eboard. >> Yeah, it'll probably be a subcommittee meeting with the Eboard then if the chairman so chooses to put together a subcommittee like that. >> As we're talking, think about just an ad hoc committee after this. I think that's a good idea um to um Matt. Um, if I could, I like the idea
022of having discussion. Um, but we did, five of the seven of us did spend multiple nights on this topic. Um, >> all the way to the point of coming up with a solution for the shared issue around >> exactly what Chris has stated, which is that these courses um very clearly, in my opinion, put a black mark on the professionalism of a lot of educators. Um and and that was something that we worked hard to address. I think that the best way to handle this would be with a smaller subset of the committee, preferably people who've already spent hours and hours having this conversation, doing the digging to sit down with a small group of the MTA and kind of revisit the discussions we already had across March and April and see if there's a
023solution to help us because um I do understand Chris's frustration um and as these things snowball and as more time opens up for staff over the this could have a serious impact on our budget next year. So, uh I think it's good to make them aware of the concerns that we're already seeing and this is just from one packet. So, >> I I would say if you could a small subset of a few of us, >> I mean the only thing I'd say just to piggyback off of what Matt just said, you know, another action item for us potentially would be to engage with Desi on on how they certify. I know that the accreditation is coming from somewhere else from other boards but do we just accept the accreditation or does desi just accept
024the accreditation as is or do they do any investigation into the quality of education that these universities are are giving? So I think that's another avenue for us to explore as well for the future. >> Yeah. I think the only thing with that is you know we we know at the speed of what government works even sometimes with this board right we we just have to go through that process >> I worry extensively sir >> that >> and I I don't disagree with you that it is would be in our best interest to engage with desi I just worry about the speed of which which change would be promoted right >> for sure >> and they by the time they make a change it may already be obsolete there be a something out there. Yeah.
025>> Any other discussion? I have an opinion I I want to share. Um I I did a great idea. I think engaging the union is is a good idea. I think um we need to make sure that if we're reimbursing people and doing lane changes based off of educational rigor, it matches, you know, the proper and I think having discussion just I think the fiduciary responsibility of all of us, you know, we need to to have a discussion to see where it goes. Um, >> yeah. >> Sorry, Michael. Just to follow up on what Matt was saying, I think, and I like the, you know, potential Jesse pursuing longer term, Brendan, but I think we have a short-term problem because we're entering a really tough budget cycle. And so, I think the engagement with the
026union who is very supportive of helping us solve it contractually going forward is important because we need to understand between now and September 1st what's going to be the fiscal impact to the extent there's action that we need to be thinking about. And so I think that's the conversation that we want to have them help us figure out sooner rather than later. For sure. So, >> okay. Any other discussion? >> I guess we quickly looking back and I know I I dropped some emails to administration for tonight on this topic. I'm not sure if you were able to to bring together those answers to that. I forgot I should have >> just point Brendan did great. He shared with the whole committee as well too. >> Okay. So, I haven't seen those through, but um
027>> I hope it wasn't the right Chris Wilson. >> What's that? >> It wasn't the right >> I got I just didn't I have not read it through. >> Got it. Sorry. >> Hadn't had the opportunity to review them. So, I appreciate that. Um I think you know again, Michael, you just you mentioned and Megan, you mentioned the financial impacts, right? So, part of what >> and I'm just going to go through them quickly. Sure. just so it and it's just you know the definition of of blame changes right and what the impact is and you know and the impact it's a for those listening it's a financial impact where someone jumps over and and they they increase their salary right and that's a longstanding long-term effect on budget. So when you have multiple people
028that are jumping a lane and then what we also heard is some people are jumping two lanes through course work. So again the the the impact magnifies. So again I just feel like we we need to understand how many people are changing lanes, how many people are changing multiple lanes and and just looking back over the last few years are we seeing a trend where you know hypothetically only five people change lanes but then the following year it was 15 people change lanes and then the following year was 20 people. like so is there some type of trend that's going on that we need to look at with this and again we just saw we just went through our budget cycle and you know we we have a workforce reduction going on here right so
029I want to be very careful as we look to the future um and the impacts of that these lane changes are having and our overall budget it's important >> Matt >> um I just want to clarify kind of off of what Chris just said for anybody watching. It's not necessarily a problem with the fact that people are changing lanes. Thank you for that. >> The the the concern on the table is not the person who's taking, you know, a master's of education course that cost them $2,000 and they're spending an entire summer working on it. The concern is these online reertification classes that are also qualifying for lane changes that take far less effort and bring far less value to the classroom. So, it's not necessarily a lane change problem. It's just the ones that
030are changing lanes, leveraging courses that aren't exactly bettering much of anything. So, >> I think Chris, you you you spoke about it in your um opening statement, I guess, is about the rigor of the courses, right? And so when you when you ask about trends, the trend the trend is the um availability of asynchronous and synchronous courses online, >> right? Um I I think this language was great uh for the contract when all the the courses were really online. I I'm sorry, in person in person, >> right? Um there was um learning was very different uh five 10 years ago um when it came to grad level courses. Uh I think as soon as co hit and and more people got used to the idea of asynchronous classes meaning you know you're just reading about
031you're reading a bunch of things and then answering questions and you're not meeting with anybody online or doing any of that work. Um, I think that's where these the courses that you're talking about are are coming from. Um, so I agree the the it's to Matt's point, it's it's not about the lane change, it's about the rigor of the course um that we're paying for. And if if folks want to take rigorous graduate level courses, awesome, because it's only going to help all of our kids, it's going to help them be better educators. Um, but there are courses that in my opinion aren't rigorous at all and don't deserve to um be graduate level courses. Simple as that. >> Any other Yeah, I guess you know Brendon, thank you for for sending this email out.
032Like I said, I just didn't get a chance to to read it, but it Yeah, I mean it's some pretty glaring numbers here, right, of >> FY25 to FY26. You're saying, if I'm looking at this correctly, there it's a $325,000 increase. >> The budget budgetary increase due to lane changes >> just Yeah. Only due to lane changes 325. >> Yeah. >> Is that just for this year or is it a cumulative that's compound? >> It's a last year to this year. >> Okay. So, right. Yeah. >> So, and if you and again, if you look at this information, right, from over a four-year period, it it doubles, right? So, we're seeing we're seeing a twice as much cost just from lane changes whatsoever. So again, just as Craig said, goes back and I I know
033we've we've engaged in a new contract and and we're in good faith with the union, but again, I think it goes back to as as we approached the inception of that new contract that we still work together in good faith in in in a professional level, right? We heard that throughout the union talks of of how everybody wanted to work as a professional level. So let's I'll say this out loud. Let's continue that on a professional level. >> Um thank you. Any other discussion? >> The only thing I'll add is I'm happy to participate in a group if you need volunteers. Okay. Um, I I just did some research myself on this the past couple days and u there's more than a handful of districts across the country that are outright banning these potentially I
034would even call it like suspicious, fraudulent, whatever sketchy courses. So this is a trend that's national to to to to clamp down on this and so I'm glad that we're talking about this now and whatnot. So >> just to be clear they're allowed by Desi. So like I want to be sensitive to like we should just just to be clear that they're currently within the parameters. I think we should have the discussion, Michael, but just >> next to my list is actually to to talk about that a little bit. >> There are some districts that are pushing on Desi to say, "Hey, we need to get rid of these >> these these classes for approved because they're approved." >> Yeah. >> You know, you can do two years worth of work in, you know, less
035than two hours. It's weird. >> Um, >> any other discussion? >> Just going back on the motion that Chris made for the >> Any other discussion? >> Yeah. Just want to make sure. >> Okay. Okay. So, all in favor of the motion, it's unanimous. Motion passes. >> Motion number two, uh, I' I'd like to motion that we pause on payment on this professional development as presented tonight. Do >> you have a second? I'll second it. Discussion. >> So, again, I think that we just need to pause. We need to look at, you know, what is sta what are staff taking? you know, we went through what the repercussions are. So, again, I just feel like let's pause this for a moment. Let's look at it. Let's have discussions. Let's, you know, I know that we're
036not going to solve it right here. And the reason for the pause is is again to to look a little a little bit more indepth at this. Um, do I feel like it will probably we could free it up after? 100%. But again, I think it's just to let's pause. Let's look through what we have here because there's some pretty significant concerns that I have with what I see here tonight. And again, that's why I want that's why I motion to pause this. >> Just one point. I believe in our in the current contract that's active now. Um, we have 30 days to reimburse. Is that accurate? I >> think it's part like D or E. >> Lane changes are not lane change. teacher must file a written request for such payment within 30 days
037of eligibility for payment. >> Got it. So we we are not obligated to pay on this in a certain amount of time. >> So Chris, are you asking to what are you asking to pause specifically reimbursements or or or lynching and the process? >> I'm going to say pause on >> the only thing we're voting on is the reimbursement just to be clear. >> Yeah. So I'm going to pause on the reimbursement. Correct. Thank you >> for everybody. >> Correct. because I'm not going to try I'm not going to try to pull all line items on this. I feel like let's just do it collectively so that way everything can be looked over and then we can come back at our next meeting and revisit this. >> Matt has >> Yeah, my concern with pausing
038um is that two weeks ago we approved some of these courses. We've been approving these courses all year. Um and again over the course of the the negotiations back in the in the winter, we addressed this situation. >> Um with the resolution and I think pausing it now is is probably doing nothing more than just waiting to pay it in a couple weeks because we've already been paying for these forces and we don't have the details nor do I think this discussion is going to happen in the next couple weeks to begin with. I'm not sure um pausing in my opinion is is the right next step right now. >> I'm absolutely supportive of the discussion. I'm not comfortable pausing it. I think you have people that have expended their own money and are expecting
039reimbursement. And so I think we should move forward with that and continue the discussion and the impact on our fiscal budget and other actions that we need to follow up as a result of that. >> Again, no. Yeah, I can go back if you want, Mr. Chair. Yeah, I just don't see how someone that's taken 10 three credit hour courses for reertification it again it it borders on fraudulent. I don't quite understand how I personally want more information on this and I can't see how I personally could approve paying somebody that has this level of suspicious, you know, sort of coursework. Any other discussion thoughts? Um I I think um my concern my my personal opinion um is that um the lane changes are what bothers me the most, right? And um I think the
040part that's missing for me is that if they self reimburse and they submit for a lane change, there's there's lack of visibility of that. It just kind of happens, right? And so, um, I I think, um, I mean, I'm supportive of any pause to look at a process to make sure that we're doing the things right. Um, to to Matt's point, just because we've done something in the past that might not be correct, do do we continue forward? I don't know. Um, so, uh, I don't know. I, me personally, I I I'm more concerned about the lane changes. Yeah. and if that's correct and you know how it's approved and and whatnot because that's the big spend you know so um >> well just to I guess put it in perspective >> the the top
041one on this sheet is going from mast's either mast's to mast's 30 or mast's 30 to masters 60 that's what this means Y >> they they jump two lanes. >> They jump two lanes. >> Oh >> yeah, >> that's >> But there's nothing in our in our process or their contract though that prevents jumping multiple lanes. >> No, >> today. >> Yeah. So I Yeah. Okay. So >> go ahead. Go ahead. >> No, I was going to ask. So would just be specific. Would the the pause go into effect um after the approvals tonight or would it be pausing what's presented tonight? >> I would say pause what's I my motion was to pause what's just >> I just I I agree with the frustration. I really do. um like I've gone through two M's
042programs and it's taken a lot of work and it's insulting to look at it from this perspective. Um but we have a contract to honor and I think we don't have any choice but to approve these expenses at this point just lastly. I think we we we need we can't just hide behind that. I think that we we need to prove a point. We need to make sure that people understand that this is a problem, right? And it's and again back to the what is the definition of professionalism with this, right? Because if there if we're seeing a double seeing the increase that's doubling our budget on on those there there's something that needs to be addressed. And I understand, yes, this past winter time there was discussions on this, but I just feel like,
043you know, we're being taken advantage of. Plain simple, right? We are being taken advantage of, >> Matt. So that's why the pause. Sorry. >> Um there's no debating that last statement. This is the these these courses are absolutely taking advantage of an opening that has been created by AI and and the ease of taking courses. I probably should ask this question earlier though. What additional information are you looking for on this? Are you looking for transcripts or notes or something from these individuals on every one of these courses? >> Um I I think those are all great points. I I hadn't really gone down that road and that's why I feel like let's pause it. Let's do some investigating. Let's find out what sort of information does the administration team need to pull together that
044and that the um from these courses. So I think you just made some good points with that. So again that's why let's let's pause let's try to do some investigating what sort of information right we get this a few days before and we review so you take notice and then with this these sort of discussions right we start to collectively come up with with ideas and thoughts of what we should do so with that again I think that's that would be why I would pause is to again collect more information and get an idea of what exactly did this course work entail to create a double lane change. Um, >> I would just comment that I think the list has over 10 people on it and I think there's two groups that are concerning and
045so I am also sensitive to impacting everyone when I think the concern is limited. >> I think to that then there's nothing that says that this list cannot be modified for the next meeting. >> Fair enough. Um and and and we we can tease out again pause tease out what we feel are legit. Do more investigation work on things that we feel need more investigation. We come back in two weeks a regularly scheduled meeting with a new professional development that we can that we feel comfortable approving and move from there. >> Now for a suggestion. >> Yeah, please. I mean there there's some on here that are already approved. >> Yeah. >> Programs like mast's programs. >> Um >> I mean so those have already been approved and then there are um there's a couple
046of project lead the way courses here which >> um we've asked the folks to take. Yeah. >> Um so they're taking the course and then looking for the reimbursement. Yep. So, I I don't I feel like those should We've already approved the the Mast's programs. >> Yeah. >> And we've already approved um the project leadway courses, >> the reertification courses. I think those are the ones you're talking about, >> correct? I I think if you were going to maybe hold them in two different buckets, that's the way I would do it. >> That actually may have sounded like three different buckets. There's the bucket of courses we ask people to take. There's the >> um approved programs and then there's the research path to um those courses. I have something to say. I I um
047I don't know. I What I'm hearing is the pause is just literally a pause to review to make sure we're doing the right thing. >> It's not saying no. It's just let's just >> because the financial impact is huge. It's big. >> Um and we're seeing a spike in these activities. So I I don't which is driving a behavior which is triggering us financially saying hey wait a minute we we need to really pay attention to this. I'm in favor of a pause personally to to make sure we're doing the right thing. I think there's a lot of questions on the contract, right? Like, you know, because in the contract that there's something about no more than three courses. There's, you know, there's some ambiguity. So, I I would like more information to from somebody
048to make sure that we're following what the the spirit of the contract is, which might be, you know, we've been doing it and next meeting we come back and, you know, we unpause it or we might find out that we need to just tweak something or have a talk with union. Um, but I agree like this, um, multiple lane changes and this is going to continue expand. So, I >> guess I'm a little concerned about the pause and the Is it just going to be the two weeks? Like we have a time frame on this. >> Our next meeting is in two weeks. So we can, you know, >> I can't guarantee that, but I would at least hope that within two weeks we can make some headway um on the questions and answers. >>
049I mean, this ad hoc committee meets and gathers information, reports back to committee saying, "Hey, you know what? Let's resume it." Or, "Hey, you know what? Resume it with these little tweaks." Or, "Hey, you know what? Uh, something else. Any other discussion? >> I guess just quickly then Craig going back to your concerns with it. Um were you hopeful then that certain certain individuals and certain classwork or that? Yeah. Certain individuals could be pulled to the side with this. Um, and we approve them and then and I can we can put a pause on the ones that we feel need further investigation. Is that what I heard from you? >> Does that recclass path two? So would the motion just be applied? >> I don't think so. >> I think we have to be more
050specific. >> No, I'm >> It can be. >> Didn't you say more than 15 credits? >> Hold anybody that's more than 15 credits. >> I think so. >> I think that's more than Yeah, that sounds like God. I think it's even more than >> I think 15 gets you there. >> Or do you just want to hold on one certain university? >> More than nine. >> Oh, yeah. Well, I think that achieves the same thing. >> I would rather not >> I'd rather just do it by the >> credits. I think the credits make sense because there's other universities out there besides there's a handful of them that do >> similar things. Yeah. >> Um >> that Yeah. >> So, I think >> 15 or more, I think. >> Yeah. I think is it 15
051or is that even nine? I would >> 10 or more I should say because I see I see a nine I see nine on here. >> Sure. >> So the motion on the table is to pause >> pause all together. So >> yeah. >> So which is >> we will we can change the motion. >> Yeah. >> As long as we all approve it. >> Yep. So I can >> to 10 to 10 or more credits. >> Yeah. I'm going to revise my motion then to uh pause all course reimbursement for anyone listed here with 10 or more credit hours of re of requested reimbursement. >> I would not be specific saying listed here. I would say from here forward I don't know say I guess if next meeting >> from okay well next meeting
052we could >> we're pausing any reimbursements for 10 or more period starting immediately. But what if they do three next meeting after that? >> Okay. Right. Yeah, that's >> this for this one. I can I I have no problem. Next meeting if I see something that Okay. >> needs an an additional pause on that one. I'm good with that. So So you're good on that motion? Yeah, I think it's so Yeah. So, the motion on the table would be to pause um the any professional development from an an individual who's submitting more than 10 10 or more credits. Correct. Everybody's fine with that change of motion. >> Yeah. >> Right. I consent. It's good. All right. Any other discussion? All in favor? Uh four in favor, two opposed. Motion passes. Um I I have a
053in in that discussion I I came up with an idea. Um thought about just looking at some districts pushing back in Desi and I don't know how how you guys want to approach it. Uh, one, we could make a motion to authorize myself and Craig to write a letter to Desessie saying, "Hey, please stop approving these types of courses or we can bring it back to the committee for review." But I I think we we should as a committee write a letter to Desi expressing our um concern with these types of courses. >> To your point about good government, let's not >> We trust you that you can I would say that parallel. Yeah. Just I would trust you and Craig to >> Yeah. >> Can I um before we do that, can I just
054get some more information maybe from um area superintendents who may have >> Yes. >> knowledge maybe? >> Yeah, we'll we'll do a vote and then it'll authorize me and you to go write a letter and you can do all the research you want. >> Okay, >> make sense? >> Yep. >> Yeah, >> sounds good. >> Is that a motion? So I motion. >> So I was gonna say, do we want to stay on this because we still have to approve the other ones because we did not do that yet. >> Oh yeah, you're right. >> And then we can go to that next. >> Sorry. I just wanted my mind was already >> Yep. >> Um so uh do I have a motion to approve >> the remaining? >> Yeah. Um we want to word
055that. >> Um yeah. So do I have a motion to approve um anybody who submitted credits this meeting for nine or less credits? Mot uh motion by Matt, second by Meg. All in favor? Motion passes. Thanks, Grant. My mind was already to the letter. I So that this the >> Chris, you want to make a motion to the letter? >> I was supposed to. >> Yeah. So, I I would make a motion that the chair and the superintendent develop a letter on behalf of the school committee to send to Desessie uh in regards to um in regards to the the coursework and and and universities. >> Yeah. >> That are providing such coursework. Do >> you have a second? Brendan. Um, all in favor? It's unanimous. Motion passes. All right. Any other discussion? We're good.
056All right. We'll move on. >> Well, I I do. >> Okay. >> What are the next steps? >> So, um I think Oh, so there's actually two next steps here. One, the letter will we'll take offline. >> I have the letter. Yeah. >> The next step I I'll appoint an ad hoc committee. Um should we do three or two? Anybody care? >> Three. >> I think the smaller the better with this one. Just my personal >> feeling based on who else will be involved in the discussion. >> I'm going to be away. So three or two. >> Did you just book your trip? >> Three. Mine. >> No reference. >> I don't >> um I will defer to >> uh who's interested. Matt. >> Chris. >> So that's two. So Matt and Chris, you are
057the ad hoc committee. There we go. >> All right. And the purpose of the ad hoc committee is to do some investigating or meet with the >> I think it's to engage the union in conversation around >> is that is that the criteria we're using to potentially unpause or is there something else that has to be done? >> I think >> for the unpausing for the the folks that took this. I think the intent of the committee is to do research on the process um bring back to the committee in two weeks what they found and that would include or could include starting starting some discussions with um the union right >> or no >> can I just clarify I think one one of those things that you're talking about one of those pieces is
058engaging like with our lawyer about how the contract reads and >> I think I think that's like an action item Dr. Sigley, >> thank you. >> Um, so I think we have to understand what the contract actually means and how it can apply >> and then we can make the engagement with the the union >> with the union. Yeah, >> I think that's good. >> Is that >> Yes, exactly. I' I'd rather engage with the union as soon as possible. Obviously I I think your step of of >> talking with council first is a good very good first step and a required and needed first step and then from there we could proceed to talking with the union. >> I think it's important to come back in two weeks regardless important. Yes. >> My only
059asking be I think the piece of the conversation with the union would be what are the opportunities for us to gain visibility to how much of this we should expect potentially between now and September so that we can figure out other steps. Okay. >> The budget impact. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> You You got that correct? >> I got it. Yeah. Thank you. >> All right. We ready to move on? Thank you. >> Um, so out of state field trip and conference request, the first one is an out of state travel conference request for um, Principal McGovern in July. >> Yes. Unfortunately, he had come to us um earlier in the spring for um, a conference that he wanted to go to. I can't remember when it was. It might have been in May or
060it might have been in April. And unfortunately something had happened to where he had to cancel the trip. Um but he now has um this conference that he would like to uh attend in July. Um he is looking for let me find the email. Hold on. I'm sorry. He's looking for reimbursement I believe but not um he's looking for reimbursement of the conference I believe. Let me look. >> Here it is. >> National leaders. is um he's looking for uh the conference in the lodge uh for a total of$1850 which is within his um contract right now. So, he's looking for a total reimbursement of $1,850 and is looking to be um in I think it's in Florida, right? It's in Florida from >> Sunday the 12th and return on Wednesday the 15th of July.
061>> Have a motion. Motion by Meg, second by Brendan. Any discussion? >> No. >> Sounds fine. Uh all in favor? Motion passes. >> Enjoy Florida in July. >> Uh the second is out of state out of state international field trip request. MHS to France. >> Uh you have a summary. Um >> I do >> trip in front of you. >> I'm a little upset school committee is not invited. >> I'm supposed to say how do we get invited? >> Matt question. >> I do have one question. Michael >> D. Do they take eighth grade uh Stacy students also or is it just for high school? >> Just high school students. >> How do they raise the money? >> I think they pay for it. I I don't know that they they may do some um
062fundraising for it, but uh generally I think when when these trips go off the kids are or the families are paying for it. I believe they do get some sort of there are opportunities for fundraising with majority kids families are paying. >> Okay. >> I guess the same like Washington and each classroom and all sorts of things any questions have a motion to approve as presented. Motion by that second by Chris. Any discussion? None. All in favor? >> Whackable. >> Sorry. Motion passes. I'm trying to get the back of the hat. I was saying discussion. >> Sorry about that. >> It's all right. >> Um, we're going to move into the consent agenda. The approval of a warrant of 1,466,94412. Um, approval of grants and the acceptance of gifts. I'll read the the grants and
063gifts off after the motion. Does anybody want to approve anything from the consent agenda or do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? Motion by >> to approve. >> Second by Brendan. All in favor. It's unanimous. Motion passes. So I want to thank for grants. Pull it up. U. We got a grant from Metro West Health Foundation uh for 20 $24,910. So thank you. Um, sorry. Sorry. And then we have some gifts. Um, we have a gift from the Milford Family and Community Network for $450. Thank you. We have gift from Community Initiatives 18 for $12,000. Thank you. And that's it for gifts. Good gift there. Um, moving on, we have NHS statistic surplus. We need a vote for this. Do I have a motion as presented? We can discuss motion. >> So
064move. >> Moved by Chris, second by Matt. Any discussion? No. >> Well, not with those published dates. No, >> this is just how much stats change out of service. Okay. Do I have any more discussion? All in favor? Unanimous. Motion passes. Uh subcommittee updates. Budget. >> Sure. So, budget met this week and really went in detail through what took us through tonight. So, just an opportunity to kind of understand better where all of our balances fell at the end of the year, how we were planning to use any excess funding, any areas we went over, kind of explaining the why. So great summary from when. So also >> great uh labor management. >> We deferred the meeting because we had just met. So there'll be another one coming up. >> Any other subcommittees? No. >>
065Um a motion. I'm just kidding. Chris future agenda items. >> Just I think we already caught it, but again the just um fundraising policy. So to the policy subcommittee just again to remind that and then the whether or not we want to um approve the statements. It's the other one right. So basically we just we we want to list much like we see you know what we see for professional development just to get a better idea and and physically go through and motion to approve those. It's not a it's not a policy right now and it's just a discussion of whether we feel we want that policy. So >> I think it's a good idea. I think where this comes from a few years ago we a few of us discussed I remember with with
066our former business administrator how how like uh the stipens work and what we found is after town meeting votes they the positions were released right away without any um conversation saying hey you know what do we need all of these stipens or all all these positions. I I think the intent is to have some kind of gap in there that say, "Hey, before we just go blanket, release everything, you know, do do we have anybody signed up for softball? Do we need to release that job position, etc." I think that's right, Chris. >> Yeah, thanks for summarizing that. Yeah, I didn't want to go too far down the discussion road, but again, yeah, just to have a little bit more. >> So, you're asking before we post any of the statements to bring them here
067first >> or or at least let's review them, right? So we we have a good understanding. I think in the past Rick said we've we've dealt with we've posted positions and we for say let's just say a freshman coach >> and they didn't have enough uh freshman to fill a team. >> So just to have a good understanding of that. I know in the contract we we have different language on how that's going to be approached, but again it's just in this budgetary climate and just how we can figure out ways of controlling costs. >> Like the virtual high school is a good example >> we we approved that for like three years of there's very low if any enrollment and that was just money being out the door. So I think >> I think
068it's an excellent point right there. Yeah, >> I think I heard the concern before that if we don't post the position in early stage then the the person will go somewhere else and it's hard hard to hire a coach. >> Again, it's not a it's not a policy now. This is a policy developed for the future. So, it's not going to affect anything in the current form. I think what Chris is saying we should have a discussion on is there a way for us is there a way for the district to do something before everything's posted to make sure that they're needed to be posted. >> Okay. >> Did I summarize that Chris? >> You summarized it perfectly. I appreciate you getting into my head. >> I just I remember this >> the non-engineering words.
069>> So it's a general discussion not every before every posting we have to bring it to >> policy. Sounds like it's a policy subcommittee. >> Yep. >> Correct. I'm just >> a topic for this >> topic topic again. It's just a topic. >> Don't Yeah. Don't dig dig into the details here. >> He's not asking to bring stipens down saying go talk about it. >> Let's talk about it. Figure figure out if we need to. >> Anything else, Chris? >> No. >> Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion by Matt, second by Brendan. All in favor? No. Motion unanimously passes.