School Committee - February 4th, 2026

001Great. Welcome everyone to the February 4th, 2026 meeting of school committee. If we could all rise to receive the pledge of allegiance flagship. Uh so we'll start with approval of agenda. Um I know you mentioned that you're going to postpone the capital planning committee report and then I believe we talked about moving up the uh program of studies discussion. >> Yeah, we would like the curricular advisory committee [clears throat] report to be in uh tandem with the um program. So principal kin you have a question changes approve the agenda we will begin shoot we'll begin with public comment in accordance with the school committee policy we welcome members of the community to share their perspective with us during public comment set aside up to 15 minutes for this part of the meeting and individuals may

002speak for up to three minutes each while the school committee does not respond directly to public comment there may be opportunities for members to address issues that are raised over the course of the meeting when relevant topics are on our agenda. We strive to engage in respectful discourse during our meetings and ask that public comment speakers keep that in mind. Speakers should introduce themselves for the record. Is there anybody in November? If you are interested in speaking and you're online, if you could raise your hand. >> Uh Beverly Rost is raising her hands. >> Welcome Beverly. Good evening. My name is Beverly Ross Denny. I live at 107 Coline Road. I'm here this evening to one apologize on behalf of the community for what happened to the members of the school committee that served during

003what felt like a a fiscal crisis. Having been on the school committee right before the challenge became quite apparent, I recognize how significant it was and how the public's reaction may now have impacts on some of the decisions you are making today. I personally work with budgets worked with budgets with the Boston public schools and in my current role and I greatly respect the need or the want to be fiscally responsible by trying to create a budget that reflects the revenue that you might anticipate. The reality is that is far more difficult than you might think. There is a structural deficit in Milton, but I don't believe the school committee has the capacity to solely solve it without cutting staff every year. I think by working in collaboration with the select board, which is something

004that I've shared with previous school committee members as well as uh Superintendent Philin has been the single most effective way that I had worked with um funding crisis. I hope that you have it in your hearts this year to reconsider the need to build a significant reserve in special education and in the circuit breakers for the purposes of a financial crisis. The financial crisis you all experienced outside of the need for the override was a very unique circumstance that should not taint your view of how budgets are made. Um Katie has been a very effective member of the staff at the school district. Unfortunately, she's moving she's moving on, but she has been able to demonstrate that with good fiscal management, you can create a sound budget that is balanced. I don't believe it's necessary

005to lay off people in order to prove a point that is we'll just have money in a reserve for to save the day. That's why the town has a stabilization fund and we've been very fortunate the past few years that we've had positive free cash. We've had free cash that could build up that reserve for them to offer the schools anything this year. But I do I just do want to emphasize the need that you don't need to solve this problem this year. I know you feel like you're kicking the can down the line, but the reality is every year there is some sort of budget gap and every single year we have worked it out. Last year was an anomaly. I don't know why it was that bad. But I do think that you

006should reconsider your position and value the quality of services we've finally been able to piece together to at least run very basic support services to to provide for special education to do things that we couldn't do before when we were running on a shoestring budget. And I think if you continue to work in collaboration with the select board each year something can be done without proactively laying people off. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, we have Louisa Penny Lines. >> Thank you, Lisa. Go ahead. >> Hi, I'm a parent in Glover and Pierce. I have two children. Um, and uh would like to just um highlight a lot of the things that Miss Broy just said. Um but also I've been following along with the conversation and the budgeting process and I know it's very

007difficult um very difficult decisions have to be made. I would love to ask for transparency um as the school committee the superintendent and you all develop the budget for the upcoming years for next year. Um my biggest concern as a parent who decided to keep their child in Milton public schools and also to be a homeowner paying extra taxes um with the override which passed by over 2,000 votes for a reason. Um is that we prevent cuts um as much as possible. If there are cuts um you know what would they be? Um how would they impact students? Um I've looked at numbers of how many staff members one should have in a district of our size. Um and we are at the right range. Um and so I would be interested to know. Um,

008but I think during such times of uncertainty, what we really want as stakeholders, taxpayers, parents, is for us and our children to have that quality of education, for staff members and the incredible MPS team. Um, to not be hit with something so destabilizing, especially during such a difficult year. Um, and I do think that, you know, there could be some compromise and some balancing. Um, and appreciate the slackboard members who are willing to move things around, but having money sitting in an account, especially at a larger number to then cut services, cut staff or whatnot, just does not seem like the values that, you know, we have in Milton um overall. So, um, more transparency around what exactly are you proposing, not moving so quickly, um, because any of these anxieties around cuts and cuts

009and cuts, um, it just kind of like adds more tension and more more stress, um, to the children, to the staff, to the families. Um, and so yeah, um, I know it's a hard one and I know that it's traumatizing to know that depending on the change of select board members that you never know, but it is a shared value was in a growing one for us as Milton. So I just wanted to share that and to share that, you know, I do think we're in the right size. have not heard from their superintendent what a better size would be, especially given the number of title one students that we have in Milton and understanding that not every student has the ability to have their parents pay for enrichment or extra support at home. So,

010so yeah, anyways, um I just wanted to thank you all for the hard work. I know it's really difficult and I hope that um you can just kind of like not rush the process and take time to just understand what are the different options um that we have. Thanks. Thank you. >> No one else with their hand raised. >> Anyone else interested in speaking that's online? If you are, could you raise your hand? >> Great. Thank you. We will move on to the sprinting. Sorry for badly. So sure apologize. >> We will move on to the superintendent's report. >> Thank you chief personio. Uh first we want to welcome uh Angela Tro who was one of our student representatives uh that meets with us monthly. Angela is an excited senior who is serving her first

011term as a student representative to the school committee. She loves to be involved at H MHS and is president of the youth and government club, the Asian Culture Club, the Red Cross Club, the MHS orchestra. Outside of school, she works parttime at Chili's. And that sounds like a pretty amazing resume. So, we're so thankful that you're here. It's great to see you on Friday mornings once a month. And uh please let us know what's going on at Build Dive. >> Thank you so much. I'm Angela. And although it's the beginning of the month, um it seems that we have plenty of exciting things coming up this February. Um this week is the beginning of term three. As we all know, reports cards came out today. And something exciting is that we have the sweetheart dance

012scheduled for the 12th. And it's a schoolwide event, which we haven't had in a very long time. So all four grades can come. And last week, us school committee members, we met and we talked about a variety of topics including budget, school calendar, and curriculum. Next, we have the Lunar New Year celebration at Cunningham School in the cafeteria on Sunday um the 1st of February. And excitingly, we have on the 11th, the MHS music department will be hosting their annual Valentine's Coffee House Cabaret featuring performances by several students, ensembles, and solos, which I'm also in. And there will be a raffle with lots of yummy treats for sale. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Cunningham Hall. and entry will be a suggested $5 donation. And that's all I have for you guys.

013Thank you so much. And yeah, >> thank you so much. What's your favorite thing about Milton High School? >> My favorite thing about Milton High School is community. We're all super supportive of each other and have school spirit and that is exactly what I look for in a school. >> That's awesome. Great. >> Thank you so much. Thank you so much. >> Have a great day. Um, other exciting things that we want to bring to the attention of our school community and community at large. Some of which will be uh repeated by me that Angela just shared as well. Uh, first of all, I would like to uh remind our families to check their school website for upcoming events. Uh, there are exciting things happening in every school over the course of uh this week

014and the month of February. Last Sunday, we held a Luna New Year celebration at Cunningham. Uh, the bow John Ren and Young and the team put together. Um, we are so thankful for that afternoon not being cancelled by snow. We were a little worried about that. Uh, yesterday at Pierce Middle School, the boys and girls basketball team played against Wayimoth. Uh, they did have a fire alarm in the middle of the game. Uh, that was not strategic. It's just how it worked. Um, Thursday on February 5th, the Colott Science Field will take place uh, which is tomorrow night uh, grades 3 through 5 from 6:30 7:30 at the cafeteria. And as uh Angela pointed out, there is a Valentine's Day coffee at Milton High School cafe and also the Sweetheart Dance uh in Milton High

015School on um February 12th. Uh Thursday uh February 12 science fair will be for the K2 students. Also in the cafeteria, some big announcements for things well done for our staff and students. Milton High School technology career teacher uh Anna Kagna in Milton High School principal Karen Kahill proudly announced that the Milton High School robotics team qualified for the Massachusetts Championships this past weekend at the robotics competition and they won first overall in both the qualifying matches. So huge deal for our reports. In fact, [applause] all grade five students uh who participate in the uh future problem solvers are working hard with their coach, Miss W. Green, throughout the week for a chance to participate in the qualifying round competition. If a team makes the qualifying round, they'll be moving up to the uh state

016super bowl of future problem solvers. that uh competition happen today for all four of our elementary schools. Um for sports and athletics, our winter teams are having good success. Both boys and girls hockey and basketball teams are looking to qualify. Our ski team is having one of the most successful seasons in years. That might be because they're actually snow for us to be able to celebrate that. Our great skiers. The dance team has had its first competition. It will happen on February 11. We're glad to see those folks up and participating. Many of our high school track athletes have qualified for state championships after their successful performances at the Bay State Conference Open throughout the season. Wrestling is doing great as a team and more importantly with some fantastic individual performances and also we look

017forward to exciting news as the season ends and our spring believe it or not our spring season will be starting in early March. Um, that's the update on activities and things at school. And I do have another update for families and staff. Um, for those keeping an eye in the news, the uh, uh, Governor Healey uh, put out a strong statement on behalf of uh, the support that we need to provide to our immigrant students and families. That was followed up by three documents that were given to all schools in order to be able to provide uh clarity on how our schools will respond in the case that we have to um step in and support our students and families and staff in the event that uh a situation arises at Milton. They've also provided

018support for us to send to families the rights of all immigrant students and how they can access those as families. and they also provided clear guidance on uh emergency planning fact sheet for when parents and guardians uncertain about their immigration status. All three of these documents are guiding documents that are very user friendly. We will be emailing them to every single uh family staff member. Uh we will also uh be working with the police chief, Chief King. uh when he returns, he's out of the town for about a week to provide support for our principles, assistant principles, and our administrative assistants who are in the front office that if something does happen, they are prepared uh you know, and create a relationship with the police in order to make sure that we have uh protocols

019in place to support our families and our staff in the event that anything is brought to Milton related to immigration and concerns for our staff and our students. Uh we will be reaching out to families. We're also very thankful that the order uh was um held in obeyance for our patient creole families that uh that has now been held up. Uh we are working hand in hand with some of our families who are concerned about that process as well. Uh we are working with those families that are an active basis. They've been identified. They've been reached out to and we will continue to do that. Uh it is very important now to make sure that we say very publicly that we are here to support all of our families, our immigration students who are immigrated

020here from other countries and that we will continue to do so and we're thankful for the state of Massachusetts support in that and the local support of the school committee uh the police department and the staff. Many of our staff have been asking about how we're going to go about this and we're very thankful for the timing of the governor's uh announcement and the guidance that she's laid out very clearly for our schools and we'll be continuing to work with the association school superintendents association of school committees to hone in on what we can do best to support our families. So [snorts] this please keep an eye out for these documents to be sent out to you over the next few days. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. That is my final update.

021>> Um so the next item is the 2627 school calendar. Um this would be a vote. So if we could ask um meori to uh put on the screen uh the calendar and uh would you like to provide some context? So, um, we traditionally start start school in the middle public schools the Monday before Labor Day for staff for two days and then the Wednesday before Labor Day for students because Labor Day falls at the latest date possible in the calendar year. uh we uh decided to have a discussion about starting school earlier but basically at the same time frame as folks would normally come back which is the last week of of uh August. We had several hurdles that we needed to uh to get over and conversations that we needed to have with

022our unions because there's some language in our contracts that uh have dates connected to them on our calendar. Uh this is why we're having this conversation later than we would like to. We know that our families want to know what the first day is, what the last scheduled day is so they can get their um appropriate uh coverage for their children around camps and daycare etc. So we have um done that work and we want to put the calendar on the screen and go through what that would look like next year for our families and for our staff. So as you can see the calendar is on the screen. We are starting uh school for teachers on the the Monday August 24th to Monday August 20 Tuesday August 25th. So those will be teacher only

023days. The first day of school for children grades 1 through 12 will be Wednesday the 26th and they will have school on 26, 27 and 28. The following week, which now becomes the week before Labor Day, our prek and kindergarten stos will start on that Monday, and we will have school on September 1, 2, and 3, and we will remain with a no school day on the Friday before late. That has been something that we have traditionally provided for our families and staff, and we will continue with that practice [clears throat] going to the end of the school year. We're doing this so we can end the school year and also provide the five mandated snow days that we have to build into our schedule. So with that um with those days of early start,

024we are now able to go down to June and see that our last day of school will be June 15th. And then we would add five snow days to that which would bring us to one to >> June 29th 23rd >> 23rd, excuse me, which is a much more reasonable uh way of organizing our school year. What we also have done while we have been talking with our educators, we have also streamlined our parent conference schedule. We will have an early release day in November for parent conferences as we always do. We will have an early release day in March for parent conferences and we will be adding a session in the afternoon after school as well as an early release time uh for teach students to go home early and for teachers to stay

025and do parent and teacher conferences. We are reducing the other two early release days to have full days of school. We feel uh um collectively that the early release days are more valuable if we had full days of instruction and we'll only have early release days in order to have parent teacher conferences. So we're gaining two full days of school with that change. We are also recognizing two holidays uh in the holiday rotation that was voted on by the school committee last year. We'll be recognizing Luna New Year uh which takes place on March I'm sorry >> February 5th which is a Friday and we will be celebrating Eid which takes place on March 10th. So those are the two holidays that we will be celebrating in the Milton public schools this year in an

026effort to recognize all religious groups that reside in the community as best we can. That means we also will not be celebrating with a day off Good Friday next year and we will not be celebrating any days off for other holidays uh from uh all other um religious groups. Uh we are choosing two a year. That's part of the policy that we voted last year. The uh vacations as you can see there will be no school on December 24, 25, 26 and through the week of January 1st and we'll return to school on January 4. And we will have our traditional February break from February 15 through 19 and April break 19 through 23. And as always, the first Saturday in June will be Mort High School graduation. Uh this calendar also has on the

027right hand side in the colored box only the holidays that will represent that are represented on the calendar. The back of this calendar will recognize all other holidays and all other religious groups and days of observance on the back. so we can respectfully have uh those dates noted in those groups uh affirmed and and seen on our calendar that will also be published on the website. We appreciate the partnership with our educators in order to get this done. Uh this happens to be a very good flow of work. We believe by reducing the two early release days and having to make full days of school. It also allows us to get school up and running a little earlier in order to end in a reasonable time before the fiscal year uh is over on July

0281st. So, gladly take any questions from the uh from the school committee. >> Just um two things. One, could we for the March 18th just the coloring, could we have that be the same color as the November 18th? I think both those are the same thing. early dismissive days for copes. >> Yep. >> Yes. That that's a small thing. The only other question I was on the graduation we obviously remember the issue last year with kind of the schedule of graduation with I don't know how well we can anticipate those athletic kind of conflicts. Um just wondering if that was discussed considered as as best we can knowing you know MIAA things uh in 2028. Yeah, we will we will advocate for you know no complexes no conflicts as best we can. There is a

029large part of that that is beyond the control of our athletic director school but uh we hope that they can acknowledge that. Sure. >> Yeah. I was just mostly hoping like if we traditionally don't have conflicts on that day and again maybe there's just conflicts of every day looking a bit uh the principal over there. Okay. Yeah. appreciate you looking at the pool >> and thank you to the MEA for all their collaborative work. Thank >> any other questions. >> Yeah. Um thank you for sure. Um just I know you mentioned this Mr. Failen, but just to sort of um confirm the approach on the holidays which will appear on the appendix or the back of the sheet. um that these would be uh days that would be considered excused absences for students, right? >>

030As well as attempts made to avoid conflicts with school events and like important academic exam deadlines and things of that nature that I know that's an ongoing process that will sort of be iterative. Um but just to reassure the community whether it's a community who's sees their um holidays reflected in the rotation but perhaps not for next year and also f uh people who may celebrate holidays that they do not see reflected in the rotation that there is not a day off. But um I think we can maybe keep owning that, you know, process together. Um but I I do appreciate that. You know, we need to move forward and vote to approve the dates and it's been really helpful the opportunity to negotiate that with the MEA and thank you for your leadership on

031that. Um, and once we have that full like appendix ready is when the calendar will kind of become fully official. And I agree uh member Carol, it's worth restating that anybody who is observing a religious holiday has the right to be out from school, inform their teachers or teacher that they will not be in that day and then the academic work, homework or quizzes can be uh accommodated for in order to be able to get their studies in here to whatever is expected. So uh if you have to miss uh volleyball practice, you can miss volleyball practice. If you have to miss school and you have a quiz, you can make up that quiz or maybe take it before the class does. If you have homework due that day, you can pass it when you

032get back. We fully um are in full agreement that we need to accommodate for folks of any recognized uh religion who want to celebrate their holiday accommodations for and that's what the list will help teachers understand and again we're still recognized. >> Thank you. >> Anything else? >> Yes. >> Anna, go ahead. Um thank you. Um, thank you so much, um, John, for the the work on the calendar. Um, I I think it looks great and I I love all the thoughtful changes that were made, including, you know, limiting the number of half days. I know it's always tough to kind of um on those days to kind of uh get maximize your time on learning. So, I appreciated kind of limiting those and going full days um to get as much time in the

033classroom for students. So, thank you. You're >> welcome. You're welcome. >> Anyone else? If not, I will take on the photo. No, >> right. [snorts] >> Let me do I I make a mo a motion to approve the M public schools 2026 2027 school year. Alenber second. >> I'll go take a roll call vote. Anna, yes. >> Nathan, >> yes. Lizzie, yes. B, yes. Mark, >> yes. >> And yes, great. >> Great. >> And next up, the to deliverate the program studies. >> Yes, we have um um our first curriculum advisory committee report out. Uh the curriculum uh advisory committee is this year. uh the committee met regarding this curriculum issue uh that happens annually which is the program of studies. Uh the two members of that committee from the school committee uh Bow and

034Anna uh they met with Karen and uh assistant superintendent Kakosa several weeks ago about some of the changes. The documents are in uh this the folder. It will be published on the website as well. And uh I want to thank Ba for uh leading the presentation tonight as a member of the committee. Uh because this is the first time we're at the table utilizing this new subcommittee. It'll be similar to how we do our finance subcommittee meetings where uh school committee members will uh put forward the expectation or what's been delivered at the subcommittee meeting and and let folks know what happened and then ask other folks if they have any questions. But this is our attempt to have all those questions asked in a smaller form. Uh sometimes it might be one meeting before

035it goes to school committee. Sometimes a curricul curriculum issue could take two meetings before it reaches the school committee. That really depends on the questions asked and the things that might need to be restricted and brought back to the group. So uh Biana, thank you for being the charting members of this uh advisory committee and Ker and Karen. Thank you for being here and also being the the first group to go through these processes. So we have Carrie Kahill, principal of the high school here to answer any questions and we thank Bob for presenting tonight. Okay, there's a slide deck to make everyone's lives easier. Everything's linked in that slide deck and I also want to thank the um the department has who will present at a meeting as well to answer our questions and

036provide the rationale behind all the changes and requests. Um so you can move on to even the next move on to the first we're going to talk about the world language request. Um number one is that for Latin uh we are going to keep Latin six on the program of study um but we are not running it because usually student don't even request to attend Latin six um and we are also Latin five we are also keeping in the program of study but because of the low enrollments and because we don't have the staff to run it so they are still in the program study but we are probably not going to run until we have further staff. And um for Latin four and five right now is a combined class and we are not

037going to run that as well for the future year. We are going to have Lat 4 as a standalone course. Um but the the Latin faculty members are going to add more units into this um course to make it more um align for and prepare the student to take AP L in the future uh in the next year and Lat 4 will be the PE requirement for student who wanted to take AP L and that's because of the new AP L curriculum that was um sent uh stop how do you say required last year started last year So all those changes will refle reflect all those uh new curriculum updates. The second update uh request is for Spanish one and two, Latin one and two. We are not going to level them unleveling these two

038classes. Um and also for French non-emersion one they all going to be unlevel classes to promote equity access of stronger learning by having the students at the various levels. while the French non-immer immersion two is going to remain levels because that class is a beginning class um at the high school and it follows a total different track uh different entry point than other languages. Any questions regarding the world language? >> Yes. So the decision to not offer Latin four and five is connected to the preparation for AP Latin. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Four and five have always been concurrently scheduled together. So just with the more increased curriculum that's required in the Latin or to prepare for at AP Latin we're separating the two courses. Okay. And so is that the goal there would

039be to just better support students to have the option of AP Latin >> whereas before they were taking advanced Latin classes not AP the end result is AP Latin and if after AP Latin if they wanted to it really doesn't afford itself the opportunity they could go into Latin five after that. I see. >> So projection is a Latin for AP Latin. >> Thank you. Yeah, because students the first time they can take Latin is in middle school, right? >> And then when they go to high school supposedly they will go to Latin 2 and so if ninth grade Latin 2, 10th grade L three, uh 11th grade Latin four and then they prepared in senior year they will be Lat. So they really don't have time to do five and six. Okay, thanks. >>

040Okay, so we're going to move on to the five ARS. So the five program will split the current halfyear drawing and painting course into two separate halfyear offering which name beginning drawing class which is open to freshman and no pre- requirement and intermediate painting for student who have more um uh artistic uh developments before they take this class. But the requirement for this intermediate painting class is the foundation of art and or drawing. So the student will be have more instructions at their level. >> Great. And then there will be no uh hold on. So drawing will focus on the foundational and creative drawing skills and serve as a prerequisite for the several advanced art classes. While painting will provide more in-depth study of color theory, lightning, uh color harmony as well as the use

041of media such as acrylic or watercolors and other painting medias. Um so additionally the graphic design and educa uh and digital photo photography class is going to go back to being the intermediate level course. Um this is to address better um class size and skill level challenges and request number three. Oh sorry I I reversed the order. The music studio technology class is been proposed to fulfill a technological a technology graduation requirements due to its strong emphasis on digital tools, software and media production skills. >> Yes. >> So to if I understand request two, it's this is a class that already works. It's just the change that this class that exists >> now counts as the technology pilot >> as one of a course that actually satisfies the technology. graduation along with probably 10 other

042courses bearing on. >> Yeah. >> Uh and then if I'm understanding quest three the graphic design to the dual photography those are intermediate level which means there's an intro class to them. What's the pro class? Does it vary between the two or >> I believe that would be foundation of art drawing. >> Foundations of art. Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. We like to expose the students to the found the preliminary foundations of art drawing the beginner and then that would be one of the ones they could take sophomore junior senior if they so choose. >> You take music studio do you simultaneously fulfill a tuck >> you do? >> So it's a free space for something else you >> it does it does [clears throat] great question. All right. Next, we're going to one point

043to your career tax. Um, so the career and technology department proposed to replace the low enrollment personal finance 2 course with a new one semester projectbased business elective called corporate America. And this will focus on career pathways, professional skills, and workforce readiness. giving students practical experience with résumés, interviewing, networking, professional profiles, uh career explorations and regular guest speakers. It sounds like very exciting course. And then in additional the department also proposed to adding a AP business with personal finance course. is going to be a year-long college college level offering that integrates core business concepts and personal finance through real world projects to better set prepare the student for college career and leadership opportunities and those called to changes are recommended based on the student feedbacks. Yes. >> Uh what's the prerequisite for the AP? >>

044Did I not right? Um that's a good question. I'll be honest, I don't know what some of them don't have prerequisites. So, that is a course that we're still learning more about also through the college board. Uh the teacher who had proposed teaching did anformational session for the students but is also attending webinar within the next two weeks that college board is offering. So, it's going to give us more information. >> I got the question I got. >> Personal finance one. >> Yes, personal finance one or marketing, sports and entertainment or introduction to business. So there are three courses they can take before they take the AP uh this corporate America course. >> Very prepared stuff. >> Yes, I am very prepared. >> It's fantastic that we're offering more AP courses. >> It's always great

045because she gets more opportunity to get college credit and reduce those tuition costs. >> The um want to thank uh Karen and the team of her administrators now in the spot where uh the business courses have been really taking off in popularity. uh you know having personal finance and then adding courses like this to the to expose our students to this this type of rigor in uh within the business field because uh the students are boarding with their feet and these are really student driven. Uh also for the community the the program of studies is just not this thin list of things that we have as you can see when we talk about prerequisites in in the business department there have to be at least nine offerings. Yes. >> So maybe 10, maybe eight, but

046uh we totally would love for folks to go on the program of studies to just look at the rich amount of course offerings that we have at Milton High. It's substantial. Uh it's student driven and um you know, just to make sure that folks understand, go on and look at the whole thing. It's online. There's a lot of great offerings at Milton High School for your child. >> Anna, um first of all, Bow, thank you so much for leading this presentation. Um I appreciate um all the work that went into it. Um I just wanted to just kind of echo that um here on the nerd team did a phenomenal job taking student feedback and kind of seeing where the overlaps were and just really streamlining this to give more students more offerings, more variety,

047as well as just making sure like being so thoughtful about budget constraints and so on and so forth. I know that's always a challenge, but the work that went into this is really, really appreciated and very thoughtfully done. >> Actually, I want to thank Anna for sending me high notes. [laughter] >> Me, too. All right. Um, okay. So, we're going to move on to math. So, the first one is that we're going to rename the algebra Latin numeral to honors and CP class. CP stand for college preparatory um to algebra number two Arabic number two. [laughter] Yeah. Um because that to reduce the refusion uh confusions with the integrated math Latin numeral two class. It's just a the the L change. And then we also wanted to create a new math specific self-paced independent study

048course which uh the name to be decided later for student who have reached AP calculus BC which basic stand them for I believe is both first and second semester of college the AP BC yeah it satisfies um depending on the score that they receive it can satisfy a math requirement at the college level whether it's the AB calc or the BC So because of all those letters, so I have to do a little research about that. So make sure everyone knows what it is because I don't I don't really know what they are. Um so this one is so so in case student already reach AP calculus BC class before the 12th grade and if they're interested in continue their learning in advanced mathematic topics such as multi- variable calculus that sent so far to

049it and in that case they can take this semester course which is a level and is for passing fail but the requirement is they have to be uh they have to take the AP spec more opportunities. Yes, >> it's less a question more just a a statement. Again, I appreciate all this. I I think >> I continue to just uh ask the district to continue to look at ways that we can keep providing clear access to more students to this high level map because of exactly what you talked about at their ability to kind of get college credit. There are lots of college programs where unless you take Cal in high school, you don't have access, right? Or you waste an entire extra year when that's a tuition that a lot of uh students can't

050afford. And it's not that all of our kids will take AP cal or should a take AP calc, but just like the creating the pathway for the opportunity for those students because if you start algebra 1 and freshman year, geometry, algebra 2, precalc, that's your senior year. like you're not getting to AP. Uh you're not getting that opportunity to AP unless somehow you're you know accomplishing multiple of those. You're getting outside tutoring that allows you to place out of it like because we're not doing algebra in eth grade. There's lots of those things which again create like access equity access issues with the families who can afford to send their kid to outside math versus families that can't and just rely on schools. And so I just think that's a huge piece. I I'd encourage

051us to continue look at is just how how do we get as many kids as possible kind of to that to that opportunity and then if they all want to take AP count they can all take AP count. I didn't I wasn't good enough at math. Uh but um yeah that's >> actually if you're interested about the the course sequences for each subject area that >> it's in there. >> Yes, it's in there in the [laughter] back. Um so we don't off we don't the the math classes offer in ninth grade it's called integrated math one >> and in 10th grade is called math integrated math 2. >> Yeah it's an integrated version of the algebra sandwich kind of traditional more traditional algebra sandwich which again has interle and is >> again >> some research

052that it's a better process but >> Mark I'm assuming your comment is less about the high school program study and more about what's happening in math and middle school. I mean, they got the sequence starting back then. >> They connect. Yeah. It's like, how are we building that ramp? Um, for starting in ninth grade, that the ability to get those kids through AP and senior year is really tough. >> One of the things I'll mention that generically, not necessarily for math, is that >> when we start doing things like counting music technology as a technology class and start allowing cross credit availability to folks, it frees up the child schedule. up. My notes are for what we've done so far. This is going to be my summary statement right now. We're increasing rigor for students.

053We're increasing accountability, I mean accessibility to these courses because we're freeing up courses uh by having joint uh credit recovery. We have a lot of student voice in in this program of studies. uh we're increasing the student offerings from the student voice and we're we're creating flexibility in their schedule all without doing anything and adding to our budget, you know, and I agree that there for those students who want to excel at math um the the ability to free up your schedule. We do have students that take two maths in [clears throat] a year. They are those goget math students who do want to get into an AP math or make sure they get through BC cal etc. So there is a pathway for that to do in your public school and for those students

054who want to you know free up their schedule and can do that during any given year. Uh those students are you know advocated for the schedule works out we do have some students like that that that access that high level. Any other question regarding math? Next subject we talk about is social studies. Um and the social study department proposed to change America today for from an enable course to CP and honors option as they are going to taught in the same class hybrid model which is not uncommon. Um especially in language classes and classes that have usually have low enrollments and combine them. And this will allow student to choose the level that best fit their academic needs and uh GPA goals. This course will continue to fulfill the US uh United States history graduation

055requirement and require completion of the USI as a a prerequisite and reflect positive student feedback while promoting equity all with low budget or staffing impacts. >> Sure about that. So, if you're taught in a hybrid level, does the is it the homework or the the are there more requirements at the different levels? So, yeah, the teachers will will go over whatever the whatever course it is, whether it's this one or or language or whatnot, the requirements as college prep, honors, and it affords students who are thinking they want the college prep to go to the honors if they so choose and vice versa. So, there's that opportunity again for whichever direction. >> Yep. Great. All right. So, the next one which is have the most request science. So, but they're all exciting things. So, the

056science department proposed several course changes to improve access clarity and academic rigor. So, the college prep and honor astronomy class will be offered together. So similar to what we had talked about in the last uh s history social studies. Yeah. Um and biotechnology class will be splitting into two semester courses called microbiology and DNA analysis and genetic engineering and protein diagnostics. But the biology class is the prerequisite for both. And these classes is going to run based on enrollment and we prioritizing prioritize juniors and seniors to give them the opportunity to take first. And next one is the CP updating the pre requirement for the CPA an anatomy class um to biology plus one additional years of science because they tend to have uh one lab. >> Yes. So they need to have the skills

057to do that. And they also would like to expand the honor climate crisis class um to offer to all students from 9 to 12. And next one would be the changing the environmental science A and B into a 4-year course called environmental science. That sounds better streamlining the language. And uh they're merging the two distributions together to increase the credit to five. So currently it's four to five credits. The pre- requirement is also biology. So the sixth request is to add the language of uh which is not an update at all to uh AP science class to require at least one years of science at the honor level. which is to help further enhance the labs use prior to enrollment in an advanced placement science course. >> So advanced placement science courses are available to

058sophomores and >> um usually it's juniors and seniors. It's AP AP Chem, AP bio, AP physics one and two. Um, and usually a lot of students do the biology freshman year, and I'm saying non-AP and chemistry sophomore year. And that's a good segue into junior year, the biochem physics one and two. >> And it really just helps to have that lab experience prior to going into those AP courses. >> Is the biotech class currently a semester class or is it currently a year? >> It's currently semester classes, but they're just finding as time goes on, there's just so much more to cover. So, they're making this proposal to see how it's going to go. The enrollment can be the same for both classes. >> Is there a prerec for astronomy? >> No. And astronomy is

059an elective also. And you know when I was reading all of these the student the student feedback in astronomy and social studies classes that the students really want to take these classes, but they are so driven. They really like to have the opportunity to have these classes impact their GPA and how they're doing. So that's why we're looking at um putting the classes together with honors and the college prep together. Right. Last one is English. So the English department is looking to allow the drama class to countour the fight and apply art and and is considering offer a um unify drama option class because right now we have unified music class music and art and art. So MP Oh wow. So this is will be a great addition to to this unified courses. Um there

060are also a range of CP and honor non-AP senior elective to provide the student with diverse and engaging literatures and social studies. So such as sports and society, world literature, literature to film, dystopian literature, African-American literature for honors and sports and society. Oh, that's it. Okay. So there's a a range of honors classes and CP classes offer to students of all levels. So the world literature pass um there's honors level one and there's a CP level one. >> Hold on a minute. Yes. >> I just want to thank um the Melton High School administration Karen Ghold and the students. I think our our speaker tonight uh Angela mentioned that she just loves the students that she goes to school with. The students are driving the unified classes. >> Yes. >> And they you know we

061have uh unified art, we have unified athletics, we have unified PE. Now we have unified drama. This this is building culture in the school. Students are you know asking for and including uh this is inclusivity. This is community at at its best when you know that the students who uh are working with the next to a student who may have a substantial disability and they're asking for them to be in that class to take part that they should be involved and they should be seen in those uh arenas, those classrooms at that sporting event. It's it's just the uh it's it's amazing to watch and it's an amazing place to go to school and work. um when that kind of uh environment is uh engaged at such a high level not just by the educators

062but more importantly the students this is exactly what it's supposed to do this is exactly what that's supposed to look like it's is wonderful to watch every day >> I think all of this is amazing I will say that the idea of the unified drama is great I mean I know that we've there's a lot like with unified sports but I think this can sometimes be um historically more of a hurdle maybe and so that but the fact that you said that this is student driven really you know is incredible that that if it's how that came about so I think it's wonderful to add this to the to the curriculum >> thank you pop I just have a quick question um this is it's really great to see the timeline for the process That's

063as a new middle school parent, I'm like, "Oh, wow. This is a lot going my way." [laughter] >> But the only thing that you need to know as a incoming ninth grade parent is that February 26, 28, 28 or 26 studies. Saturday night, [laughter] that's the only day that you need to remember. >> No reminders, tips. Yeah. >> And you don't have to be an eighth grade parent to know that. go to learn. >> Well, that's a great reminder for sure. Um, my quick question is regarding um I know we've been sort of discussing the running theme of um excitement for accessibility to high level courses and wanting more opportunity for AP courses for our students. I'm curious and and I see here noted which is helpful um that teacher recommendations obviously will be shared

064that then there is um a an override recommendation override form set to families which means families are ultimately in charge of the decisions where the students end up. I assume that goes both ways. >> Yes. for students to be able to opt into higher level or or lower level than they're being recommended to take. I guess maybe a parking lot for the curriculum and instruction advisory committee or just a future um conversation when we're looking at our data, which I know is something we're [snorts] we do periodically. I'm kind of curious if we have any data around those overrides and the extent to which families decisions to override the recommendation like what results from that um and what success do students find or what challenges do they find when they choose to override the recommendation.

065I'm sort of finding myself curious to know like is this a common thing that students families choose to override the recommendation? It's interesting if so or if not but it's also interesting like do most of the students that choose to override ultimately succeed in the course they choose or um do they face the challenges that seem to be anticipated in the form. So anyway, if we could just maybe think about that um at whatever point it's naturally fits in. >> So put you on the spot. >> No, no. I I'm happy to speak to all of that, you know, before the teacher teachers even make the recommendations whether it's at the PS or at the high school. Teachers are having a one-on-one conversation with the students, you know. So I'm in the I'm the math

066teacher because that's what I did. Um I'm the math teacher, eighth grade math teacher. Here are all the courses that you can take at the high school, right? So, I'm going to sit down with each and tell you what I think is best for you. The override form actually part of that is not just parents and student signing off on it. It's also that student and parent having the conversation with the teacher on the why. So, I recommended you for this, but why do you want that? And it's just it's great conversation. Um, I can tell you, we've looked at those numbers before and probably, and this is rough, this is off. Um, no more than usually 30 students per grade at filling out that override form. Um, I think students transition in pretty well

067regardless of the grade. You know what we make clear to the students and it's just the honest truth of you know in middle school you think of I'm on a team. So if I have a schedule change well there's no level when when PICE had that leveling it was you were still within the team and at the high school level if you're making that schedule change you just want to be mindful of what it's going to look like because your teachers all might switch you know so >> effect. >> Yeah exactly that domino effect. So, we talk about that with the students, but we definitely, you know, do our best to collect that information and um include the department heads, the family, the guidance counselor, current teacher, new teacher. There's a lot of steps in

068order to have that happen. But principal K, can you talk a little bit about that that similar process related to how you're getting uh students into uh small seminars during the day about what APB courses look like so they can make good choices before the time period is up. So we're reaching out farther to students and educating them on what it looks like etc. >> Absolutely. So, at the Pierce Middle School, we are doing the we used to go into the classrooms. We're doing general assemblies now. And at the high school, because AP is usually you can do an AP stats or an AP micro um sophomore year, we this is our second year doing informational sessions, not required. If you're interested in AP was January, we yeah, January, we were doing informational meetings during

069advisory. So, kids didn't have to wait, miss their bus, you know, miss athletics. um and offering those AP information and againformational sessions for anybody wanted to go. So to help them make that educated decision um it was during advisory they didn't miss any classwork they could go to the library the auditorium depending on what they wanted so this is our second year it's been really good feedback so I go to theformational session now I select the course at the end of the year I go to that mandatory meeting now that tells me what do I have to do over the summer possibly to do work to prepare for the fall. So really trying to let students know what again what you were saying earlier all of their options that are afforded to them um [clears

070throat] regardless of the level. >> Thank you. >> Trying to break down barriers of I don't know what that means so I probably won't take an AP course but now you can just walk in during advisory and find out what it means. Look at the course load. Uh think a lot about talking at home at home or parent maybe talk to your teacher. I'm thinking of taking an AP Cal next year. Talk to your teacher. I know that's idea where you raise the pike just generates good conversation uh with students uh trying to scaffold some folks to higher level course >> and just to to complement that we have uh AP ambassadors which are high school students who have taken the courses so they're at theseformational sessions as well as someone who did take the

071course to provide that student perspective feedback for any student who has those questions and I believe I'm hoping they'll be at the program of studies night as well. Okay, great. again appreciate the the information. I think I echo your sentiments of information on I just think as much as we can provide access to more rigorous instruction kits so much more often raise the level of the rigor we put in front of them versus wilt. And so whatever we can do to give our students access to the honors curriculum to get uh opportunities to push them into AP they might not think again I'm a big believer in AP for all research around that and what that means in terms of student outcomes and access to college success and persistence through college and all that. So

072I really glad we're adding another AP course. you've got a lot of offerings, great things for kids and I just continue to push the department on just how are we trying to get any free access increase uh participation in those things um because every serve kind of that opportunity to see themselves succeed see what that looks like so they can have options they might not still choose to go to college but they have options uh and I think that's what we want for all of our kids is the most options available aggressively thank Okay, call it we have a large free people in the audience. I want to say all these nice changes and these adaptations to our program studies are cost neutral. So we just want to let let uh folks know that this

073is happening create thoughtful uh strategic way uh to know uh the cost of adding uh increasing abilities to uh access in uh offerings flexibility budgets behind it. I I did have one question you mentioned earlier when you were talking about um sort of what's accomplished and one of the things that came about was the student voice. So how did that come about? So where is the feedback from the students coming from the recommendations survey? Is it just ongoing vacations? This is something you guys are doing. How did that a few different things? I actually have a principal advisory council. I've had it since I started to be principal and one of the drama as a fine and applied arts credit. They actually came to me like, "Principal Kale, how come that doesn't count?" I'm like,

074"That's an amazing question. I've been doing this job how many years and I never thought about it." You're absolutely right. Um, in the English department, it's been years in progress, you know, reflecting on the books that we're reading, the courses that we've offered, and just the cleaning up that we're talking about really is because of the student demand and what the students are interested in. Um, and um, so it's just very different ways. have done some surveys, but it really is um walk in. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Which my door is always open and they'll just walk in and say, "Hey, by the way," and they do that with the teachers as well. I really do feel we have that type of an environment where students um can come in and know that they can

075have voice. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you, Paul. Thank you. >> Thank you. I appreciate everyone. I'll see you at Studies Night. Everybody's excited. [snorts] >> Thank you. >> We would like to thank you. We would like to introduce as the next um Mrs. Usall schools. Uh Martha is going to provide an update. Uh as we talked about at the beginning of the year with what presentations mean they hear both. Uh Martha will be with us again in March to talk about the business side of Judy schools. She will be at our early March finance meeting to talk about schools and how increase tuition like building up her budget to provide the wonderful services she does before and after school. This presentation is only uh a celebration of some of the highlights to give

076you one update of what uh community schools does and offer students and the great things are happening. Uh after Martha does this and we can have some questions the real the other important meeting we'll have in March is to talk the discussion about finances. Uh so um I just wanted to frame the meeting. I think it was when Lizzie and Amanda and I were meeting at the beginning here. We always want to frame the purpose of the presenter and and make sure that we're answering the questions that we want. This is a good news story highlight uh of the community schools and we'll have a business discussion of uni schools in March. So, thank you both for being here. We appreciate you presenting tonight. >> Um thank you for having Google. Good evening everybody and

077uh thank you Sprinton. Um that's right. I'm here to u provide you with an update of all the good things happening in community schools and uh I'll be focusing on how we deliver on our 2025 24 um expansion commitments uh and what we're seeing across enrollment quality staffing uh and how we're planning to uh sustain safety quality and access for families. So, welcome to the next slide. Um, >> yes. So, that's just a quick overview of what I'll be covering tonight. uh with the expansion commitment uh moving through enrollment trends lottery and enrollment trends um waiting uh weightlessness card status um program curriculum staffing systems um site highlights and finally your uh current priorities and what's ahead >> and this is going back to um spring 2024 when we committed to expand the program um

078there were many changes that um they had to happen in order to do that um in obviously responsibly and and safely and the secret increasing uh flexibility through partial attendance options. So versus having just a five-day option now we have two and three days for for before and after school. Uh and that has allowed us to accommodate for our families overall. Uh we also restructured our staffing and improved uh recruiting and training systems which I'm going to cover in a little bit. And in the last two years we um have successfully expanded inclusion supports and we have shifted um towards interest based programming and we obviously continue to bron participate challenges. Uh and then these are the lottery trends. I wanted to provide you with um just a comparison from when we started um instituted

079the lottery um process in 2024 25 uh and the increase that we've seen across um from this year. uh we shifted as you know from the first conference system to a lottery system for the before and after school programs and this was trying to align it with the district's prek and French immersion programs. Um so you can see the enrollment growth um by site in an overall participation of these are the number of participants who submitted a lottery um in the spring of 24 and spring of 25. So went from 623 students to 746 students. We saw a significant increase in grades 1 to five applicants and a decreasing income in kindergarten applic um school. Um all of them had a decrease in kindergarten except for Tucker. Actually Tucker was the opposite. They had a

08053% increase uh of becoming kindergarten student. So that um we were able to accommodate all the incoming um kindergarten um submitted an application through um during the lottery time. Then the next slide um these tables reflect the uh current status at the time of the lottery. So weight lists were highest with um Glover with 44 followed by Connie Kolkata with 28 and um no weight list at Tucker. Basically we had we didn't have a weight list the previous year. We still don't have a wait list for Tucker. We were able to accommodate all students there. Um and then after accounting for assignments, any cancellations, offering alternative attendance um options, uh the original uh weight list have been reduced to 11 at Colligot, three at Cunningham, and 12 at Glober. Obviously, that is since the lottery

081continue with Medina and active weight list. So, we we're back to um adding more students after that. So, that brings the numbers up again to colleg um this is our current weight list. colleague got 18, Cunningham uh 15, Glover 19, no wayless at Tucker. Um I didn't mention it and and I apologize for not adding that that information here, but there's uh we don't have weight lists at uh the early school program. We didn't have them last year. We don't have them this year. And in fact, the the trends that colleague got in Cunningham, the numbers are actually going down every year due to the breakfast program now being free. Um so we currently have 14 students at Kolkat 27 students at Cunningham and the Glover and Tucker still maintain higher numbers obviously starts a

082little bit later there's more families need um the program so we have Glover we have 60 and we have 68 at Tucker and I can include that information um in the slides then go to the next please. Thank you. So um since January 2024 we have partnered with the National Institute of Out of School Time known as NIOS and they're out of the Welsley College. We're working with a dedicated coach um who supports continuous quality pro sorry quality improvement across all the ACE uh programs and as well as the summer uh camp. So the this work really focuses on three primary areas. Um one is through program observations. Um the second one is through training and coaching and number three is around students feedback. Um um in regards to program observations, um we use um

083a tool that that was developed by Desi in collaboration with the NAS called the uh assessment program practices. And this the the observer comes in and she assessed each program from um transitioning from school students transitioning from school into the program um attendance, recess, snack time, all transitions in um including also activities and clubs um till the end of the program. Um the second area around um training and coaching. So the mainly that the coaching is with our leadership team. So our site supervisors and um and the training is for all of the staff in that uh here are some examples like a staff engagement and facilitation of activities and clubs uh community building addressing challenging behaviors. And then the third um area that we've been working with is the um feedback. Um so it

084this is the third year that we're going to be um assessing students through a survey and we we use third, fourth and fifth graders. They complete a survey online. Um and this is just to find out more about what their experiences in after school uh their goals, what they've learned, what they want to uh see in after school, if they feel supported, if they feel um also a challenge. Um so that is another uh way how we can how we obtain feedback from from our students. Um so that that is really important work that we continue doing. Um and just a side note I became really involved with this work that I actually became a certified observer myself and I've been I had the pleasure of um obser some programs last year in the Boston

085area. So it's it's a very interesting work and um we truly believe that it's really uh helping us uh identify strengths but also like digital recommendations can act actually doable and um we can immediately start and then in the next uh slide thank you. We've done tons of work around inclusion um and how we went from planning to actually uh practicing inclusion. Uh we implemented clear protocols um working on proactive strategies, consistent site support in increased collaboration with um all schools. Um the inclusion team under the leadership are our new inclusion coordinator, Miss uh Becca Barney. She is in charge of the team who will assist the students who will need any support during programming. Um promoting equitable access to enrichment and social opportunities and meaningful participation in all sites. Um and some of these

086supports just examples of them. So like it's regulation breaks, visual tools, communication supports. uh we um she has built a uh what we call a calm card at each site and has all the like tool many tools for students to use as their calm space because it's very challenging to find a space in after school where students can go when it's quiet and they can just take a break. So she has managed to um put together these cards who which have have been really um uh helpful for students. Um we also have she um she's in charge of hiring what we call inclusion aids or inclusion aid support um their supports at each site and they go through a very um um a lot sorry they go through um through a six module training before

087they can they can even start. And uh another improvement was that we really increased collaboration with all schools and including the student um services department. Um we appreciate your support and um all of our staff has access to ongoing support um on a on a weekly basis. There's rotations where she um Becca goes to every site and provides that ongoing support not only to the inclusion needs but also to um all of our staff. And um just want to share quickly um a story that recently happened during separate camp. We were contacted by um the adjustment coun counselor at one of the sites and um they were asking about and a student who can interested in attending our December vacation camp but there was very worried um because might need a lot of support and

088when a week um we took the initiative to to meet the student talk to the parent the kid came to camp and had a blast and he made a lot of friends and he's coming to February again, but we're hoping to see to see him in our summer camp program and like this we have many success stories about students and receiving this type of support um which really strengthen our programs. Obviously there's some challenges like everything and um there's been we see continue increase our students needs um individualized attention also with large number and it's it's it's hard um and then that requires more staff. Um ideally we like to have two inclusion aids at each site and right now we're still looking for more um candidates. So what we've been looking into is utilizing

089ABA Paras um to become inclusion in in the after school program. The other challenge is that they have limited hours. So we're we're trying to piece um schedule so our students continue having that support in in our programs. And then the next slide please. Um this year we proudly expanded our ACE Club programs. Um we now place greater responsibility in the hands of our group leaders and counselors and well it we're reducing reliance or third party vendors. We we have we used to have probably about eight vendors and now we're down to three. So we still offer karate, we offer coding and um what's the other one? Chess chess wizards. Um so now we're really uh placing a lot of our focus on group leaders and even our high school um kids um facilitating these

090these enrichment classes. So our under the leadership of Miss Cory Norzai who is was our administrative assistant now curriculum coordinator. So she does both um she provides that on-site support. uh we she developed this lesson plan which um was part of a recommendation from the observation from the NAS uh organization. Um and then the these last events are intentionally structured to reflect uh all the recommendations including uh where we score lower um during these observations and uh it also gives opportunity to collect and respond to students feedback. Got [snorts] it. This is just a um a quick example of uh Miss Miss Norzai took the task on pulling students um in the fall and the winter to try to find out more what the interests of the students are. Um the first table reflex is

091an example of the Tucker after school program um and what kids were voting for. What's in blue is the pro the clubs are actually now in place. Um there's some clubs we're still trying to work on like Taylor Swift. I don't know what that looks like, but I think you love Taylor Swift. Um and um our kindergarten uh students also took um were full and arch was our obviously a big winner and they had really fun ideas like going on a bear hunt and I don't know what it looks like what it means but [laughter] we'll give it a try. Um again um like everything whole challenges um it's been a little bit hard to um implement the um this type of curriculum to staff trying to buying in to this or why do we

092have to write lesson plans? This is so boring. Can we just go to the gym? Um it's in reality it's something that they have been doing all along but now it's actually documenting it yet being more intentional about it. Um so it's also like facilitating activities activities versus um and then appropriate spaces to run clubs you know sometimes there's a parent teacher conference so we have to pivot right and then weather all right we have to pivot and we have to look for other spaces and like there's also um staff absences which can disrupt uh the consistency of oper um the there's been a huge impact and expanded this these interests based activities and collaboration with our inclusion coordinator. Um it has led to increased student engagement, reduce behavioral incidents and and definitely establish a

093stronger and more inclusive after school community. Uh this is about our um strengthening our staffing systems um to support program expansion. Uh Miss Kate Connelly, who is our assistant director, has been instrumental in building consistent um sustainable staffing systems across community schools. Um under the leadership, we structure hiring on boarding and evaluation practices to create greater consistency, clarity, and equity. To improve candidate and fit, we structure phone screenings and joint um on-site interviews, helping set clear expectations and improve match quality. Um we also worked uh did a lot of work on staff readiness um through consistent onboarding practices including sitebased orientation shadowing dedicated time to review policies procedures and uh we also develop a new employee handbook. This year we also launched a bi-weekly staff newsletter which is modeled after our family newsletter um to

094improve communication and connection with our staff. The news letter highlights um announcements, events, inclusion practices, activities, safety updates, self-care resources, and any employment opportunities within uh mil schools. Um we also implemented ongoing staff support around inclusion, curriculum, and day-to-day operations to promote staff effectiveness and retention. um to support their professional growth. We also redesigned the performance evaluation process that now includes an employee self-reflection and and in addition to their normal evaluation and finally uh we expanded staff training in safety curriculum inclusion PBIS in school specific responsibilities to ensure teams are well equipped for increased enrollment diversity needs and overall program quality. I want to say that this is one of our biggest challenges with staffing. Um there's a significant turnover of staff. I was talking to um super sprint last week and so we have

095about 130 people on our payroll. Oh, that's great. Yes, but not all of them work Monday through Friday. So we have to always piece together schedules. Um parents who can only do one day a week or two days a week and they can't have that commitment to Monday through Friday. Um so we are trying to be very creative with it. So we recently established a substitute system for using the the parents or food services workers who can only work certain amount of hours as substitutes. So if there's two three people out of a program which is almost every day uh we immediately call them, text them, hey you work after school today? Yes. All right. I'm I'm there. Um we are also planning to develop um a strong um senior what we call senior counseloring

096training with their high school um students. Currently they are not counted in a ratio. Um next year we we really want to develop a program where they go through extensive training um practice and develop the skills they need. So then that we can count them and rate ratio. Uh we have very very strong high school students who are now in our program and some of them started last year, some of them just started small or even winter and they have the skills to definitely uh help us as as a group program. Um, another initiative is that we do have um a partnership with Perry College and u we have a couple of interns uh and we're looking to expand that opportunity as well as a potential apprenticeship program um that is in collaboration with NAS

097and Desi. So I I will tell you more about it. I'm really hoping that comes to fruition. So uh and then um I asked the supervisors to provide me with just some highlights. um of of their program. They are in charge with the before and and the after school as well as the vacation programs and summer camps. Um this is their call. I'm not going to go through all of it. Um but colleague got Mr. Owen O'Brien. He's a new supervisor this year. He um has been a pair for uh an AVA power for three years at the Collut School and he loves what he does. He's very popular with the students and with the families. Um I'm going to read this part just because it this is coming from them and not me. Um

098so at Collica we had seen strong gains in staff communication and inclusion. Students demonstrate leadership and kindness. Engagement is high and families consistent share positive feedback about the program. Um Kolica's current goal is ensuring consistent planning and club facilitation facilitation. So that is collard and then Cunningham we have with over 16 years of experience at community schools Miss Bordalardi known as Miss B. Um Miss B says at Cunningham new roles significantly strengthen safety and supervision strong relationship especially with high high school counselors in trainings supporting positive behavioral confidence and leadership with meaningful full circle experience former students. So former student students who come back as workers in our program um Cunningham's uh current goal is enhancing student engagement um staff taking initiative to build strong relationships with more students. Then we have a glob who

099has been in community schools for five years and she brings 15 years of experience at the YMCA's programs as well. Um this kitty says, "Glover highlights um strong social emotional growth, inclusive practices, family engagement, and staffled enrichment. These elements work together to support both student success and staff retention. Glover's current goal is supporting staff and strengthening skills in managing challenging behaviors. Have Tucker. This is Miss Jesse um Colin with over 10 years in community schools. Uh Miss Jesse calling brings her dedication and expertise especially in family engagement. She's been an instrumental to program success. Um Tucker continues to thrive as joyful high engagement program. Students identify a as a highlight of their day. Stafflet clubs promote ownership. Junior CIT opportunities nurture leadership confidence and respon responsibility. Uh Tucker's current goal is increasing team collaboration and

100strengthen transition procedures. Those transitions can be chaotics. Um and then uh we have our summer invocation camps highlight. Um we actually we just opened enrollment for our summer programs on Monday and happy to report that it went very smoothly and um we are are are work we have been working really hard and listening to feedback and and taking into account. So we open enrollment early this year. Uh we used to do it in mid-Marchch also started um early February. Uh we have now more flexibility offering weekly uh sessions versus bi-weekly sessions. Um zooming tests are now going to be conducted weekly. Uh and there's no need to pay for membership at Cunningham Park. It is also already included in our tuition. Um we successfully uh launched Cam Tucker last year and we continue uh we

101want to again uh offer Cam Talker. Uh obviously Kim Kam is very popular. The pool is right there. But Cam Tucker is great. We had a kids had a a blast last year. Uh we had Miss uh Van Hill Van Hill as the um STEM curriculum coordinator and facilitator. Um they also had um water play every day. So I understand the need of just wanted to go to the pool. But um families also can com combine camps can pick some weeks here and some weeks at um at Tucker. Um last year we served uh total of 2989 students um 87 at Cam Tucker, 219 at Cam Cunningham. Um 17 participants did both camps and we were expecting an increase in attendance this year. Um our vacation camps um continue. We just run our December camp

102with um at Cunningham with 48 uh students. last year February we run it both at Collie cut and Tucker um with 80 and 61 uh April 72 and 40 and uh we're currently offering again February camp at uh Cunningham and at Tucker and so far we have 64 participants at Cunningham and 46 at Tucker [clears throat] then I'm almost done [laughter] um just want This is just a summary as we look ahead. Um building direct directly on the progress we shared tonight. Um as enrollment demand continues to grow. Our focus remains on managing um that growth responsibly while maintaining safety, quality and access for students and families. Uh we will continue to work with with Sprintton and Failen and the school committee to uh refine a fair and equitable enrollment process to ensure transparency as

103families navigate access to our program. We continue to survey school-based programs and would like to present our uh findings at a later time for discussion. Um inclusion remains a core priority which uh with inclusive practices embedded across all programs not only just the after school program which is uh in the summer camp which is where we are right now. Um quality remains central in safety remain central to our work. We will continue sustaining high quality interest based programming that reflects student voice and promotes engagement. At the same time, we are deepening partnerships with families in school to strengthen communication, alignment, and share support for for students. Safety and staffing stability continue to be foundational. We will maintain safe staffing coverage and supervision while strengthening staff retention and pipeline development support program. Finally, to ensure long-term

104sustainability, we are examining fee structures as superintendent Phil um mentioned earlier to better align with surrounding towns and program costs uh taking into account staffing, safety and quality needs allowing us allowing to sustain the program responsibly over time. uh and we will be ready to present it to you at the sub finance uh finance subcommittee on March. So we we'll be ready. Um so I want to thank you for your time and um try to answer any questions you might have. >> I just want to say how grateful I am for community school as a working family. If there's no community school that is impossible for for of us to be working outside house for that long hour. So thank you so much for providing quality service here and uh and the children and also

105we're excited to hear that the the swimming pool fee is covered by the camp [laughter] because that was such a big hassle. >> Yes. >> Yeah. So it it's very awesome to hear all those changes and all the recruitment efforts that you put in with um the high school and the career college program and and the personal professional development that you did on your own as well and it just feels I I feel very positive for all the changes that you're bringing in. So thank you so much for our leadership. >> Yeah, totally agree. the um your ability like the solution you all put together to sort of create differentiated environment. Sure it's still complicated from a staffing perspective but um you know my kids have been in after school one or both of them

106for seven years and we wouldn't be able to do it without it and I know a lot of working families in Milton feel [snorts] the same way. Um I had a question for you. So there's there's 15 or 20 um depending on the school 15 to 20 I don't know if there are kids or families on the weight list still >> students on the weight list. Okay. Just could you characterize for us like what are the what are the limiting factors that prevent you from clearing the weight list? >> Um definitely staffing is one of them. Uh we uh we try to operate on a ratio of 1 to13, one to uh for grades 1 to five and 1 to 10 for kindergarten. Um and we have never been to ratio like where we need

107to be. Um >> you too high. >> No, because we're we don't have enough staff, >> right? So um so number one is staffing and it's the the constant call outs the constant um we [clears throat] actually I don't think I mentioned this but our we lost since the beginning of 2025 12 staff to Melton public schools full-time um jobs. So it's possible to compete with that [clears throat] with no benefits and and a three hours in the middle of the day. So it is it is a not a new challenge as in always even precoid that's for most after school programs it's a big challenge that's one of them um the other one is is space um and people tell me all the time well if you have 600 and plus students at Cunningham

108why can you just accommodate them after school does not take place in classrooms that is it's not realistic it's not what kids want to do in um so our our main spaces that we use are the cafeteria the gym outside uh art rooms which they keep changing and we keep losing music rooms and computer labs and whatn not library colleague at Cunningham was a huge loss this year so that's what limits our capacity and obviously safety um if we were a licensed program there was no way that we would be operating these numbers um I'm going to bring to you um at the sub finance committee and and later on a comparison so you can see what other programs I'm sorry are doing numbers in terms of numbers and fees and and I'm part of

109um group just called the uh extended date directors and there's about 80 sorry not 32 districts and they're all school-based programs and we have very similar challenges. So it's not only and also Melton um is a unique situation because there's no other alternatives in the town. Um look the responsibility falls responsibility falls on us. So we we're always looking to for example partner with the cast classes where they glee and Richmond at Tucker um to see how we can you know if families who might not need the care until 6:00 they only need one hour they have that option right to attend those programs. Um but again they're also in the building so they're also utilizing space or we're sharing space with them. Um so those are the biggest factors and um that not we're

110not able to accommodate everybody and every year keeps growing the way as I show we try to prepare for what's coming and um but there's always more and more >> I um just a thought I had on this it's it's going to be you're not going to like it but I'll just [laughter] throw it out there just to because I I I get it like you're there's so many constraints. You should talk to the guy in charge of public schools about stealing your staff. [laughter] >> Um, >> no, but you know, we've all been on airplanes where they strategically overenrolled their planes. I'm counting on people not showing up. Um, and I'm sure you have an absenteeism rate of student abs staff absent absence as well, but I wonder if there's something to look at

111with if you if you count on a certain level of student absenteeism and maybe you can strategically over enroll your program count some kids no showing. I maybe already do that. I don't know. Okay. But you know, for those 15 kids, >> right? And I want to say that um we started this last year where we were keeping um a very close eye on attendance and and we send out in our newsletters please if you're not utilizing the programs you're going to get a warning and then you might be a removal and we follow through with that >> and uh and have tons of data on that spreadsheets with exact numbers every day. How many kids get picked up at 3:30? How many kids get picked up at 4? because we're watching those trends. Like

112if you and not sad to say this, but some families it's easy to enroll because they don't want to wait carine, right? And they're picking up their kids at 3:45. So is is it a need? Is it And it's not we're not in the business of deciding who needs it more than others, right? But um I definitely have that information. and I'm collecting that information and and we follow the coupon. So you're not utilizing the program. Sorry, we have a weight list. >> Thank you for the program that I continue doing and the improvements I've been really excited to see. Um, and also the pipeline like the high school students are awesome and it's really cool um to find amazing babysitters and so just watch my kids find role models um at the high school

113that make them really excited for their own futures including the opportunity to come back and be teachers at the after school program. Um, and yeah, just love our experience. So, thanks. >> Um, just I'm sorry if I miss it. Enrollment numbers this year versus because obviously the goal here as you shared was two years ago huge demand right last year and provided a lot of opportunities this year as well. Do you have those or not >> capac capacity >> just yeah what you're currently serving how much that change obviously we see the lottery trends like the demand as you said it's going way up your serving >> the numbers are on the weight list um status slide the current numbers how many students are enrolled per site our um daily capacity at Ka Cunningham and

114Glover is 150 um Tucker is also 150 oh and we have available spots there. Uh what's what's different in the last couple years, the uh two years ago, our capacity was set at 120 per day. Um but we always started the school year with let's say 100 because we were still recruiting even though we recruited the entire year. Um last year we also did the same but we started at 100. We started at 1:30 and then we got to 150 when school started. Um so we were at at capacity when school started and this year this past year we just started at 150 and that we were trying to remain very confident that we're going to get enough staff to get started here. >> Yeah. I mean, I think the the growth in the program,

115the amount it gets served, like the kind of feedback we heard from the community, your ability to implement that is phenomenal. I look at this list like the things you have worked to accomplish as you're growing your program by 20% and establishing an entire HR improvement process from hiring and management and performance reviews and professional development and creating entire teaching and learning uh curriculum around all these things and the student engagement process and improvement with inclusion. That was another thing that came up previously like number of kids who just couldn't come because have the right staff to support them and how much that has changed. I mean, all of that is absolutely phenomenal and I'm just really uh in awe of how much you change. You added an entire summer camp uh in two years

116and so that it's just a lot of work, Martha. >> And so I I really impressed by that and I just echoed the sentiments the other like my my wife and I both work we could not do this without community schools. I I I think there were amazing things about Milton public schools, amazing people. But my day starts and a day ends with your program, with your staff at Cunningham, and I can't tell you how much they make the experience amazing. Like my kids feel so cared for and loved every day. They are just the my experience the best part because I see them just the most. They're always so kind and caring uh and hold high expectations and u communicate beautifully and just it's a fantastic program. I'm so so thankful >> and um

117no Miss Be doesn't [laughter] Oh, thank you. >> She knows she knows how I feel about her. >> We love you, Miss B. >> Um and we have a phenomenal team. I couldn't do it without them. Um it's not only my work. All of our our new supports employees, every single one of them is really passionate about what we do. really invested. Um, and we're seeing the the progress, right, and the improvement. There's still a lot of work to do, right? But that never ends. Uh, I just couldn't be prouder. So, thank you for your support. Just wanted to follow up on something that, um, Bark talked about and I appreciate all of the work around inclusion and I'm wondering if you have any, and it's not for now obviously, any information, data around sort

118of how I don't know really how you track it but but the degree to which more kids have joined who maybe need support than than previously did. I mean my kids are 18 and I know when when they were younger there wasn't really the ability for one of my kids to do it because there just wasn't that inclusion support like there wasn't the the staff or the training. Um, and so I think it's amazing that this has become more accessible to a lot of families who don't necessarily have that resource, especially especially before school, but also after school. So if you like it's I don't know. I know you track sort of everything, but if there's any ability kind of really measure the impact to that community, I think that that would be really helpful

119to see how that's that's growth and become more of a resource for for an underserved community within this kind environment. >> Yes. Um yes, absolutely. We're actually funny that you mentioned that. Um today speaking to our Jean uh coordinator uh Miss Becca Becca Vney um one way we started measuring data or obtaining data was by the number of incidents last year versus this year um also um any breaks that we have to issue for students uh with you know something happened. So versus last previous years to now. Um and then how many students we are now accommodated with that need that kind of that level of support. Uh so she's working on it. Uh I don't have the data right now, but I'll be happy to share it next time for sure because I think

120it's a great story to be able to share. Um and I think it's sort of success success, right? So the more families realize there is a resource or an opportunity for them for their kids to be included, the more you know the fourth joint for sign up or help in the lottery. So yeah it's great but thank you appreciate you. >> So so I want to end with uh Martha has professionalized this uh organization at a very high level. When I left 12 years ago it did not look like this. Uh this is a seventh uh school. This is the seventh uh district uh principal uh who has budgeting responsibilities, professional development responsibilities, HR responsibilities, everything that Mark Bark ticked off uh on his list uh bringing in third parties to evaluate, assess, and then

121responding to that. And I picked up very clearly that when we went through each school uh month, I was able to name the school program goal or goals for the year, very specific. And I can't tell you how wonderful it was last year when I walked in after being away for 12 years and seeing Lordi. Uh you have been a amazing just an amazing uh person who I hadn't seen for years who's been serving the children of Milton forever. Uh it um the longevity of the the program and then the innovation of the program combined is just wonderful for the top. So thank you for your leadership. You do a wonderful job and we're really thankful for you. Yeah. To be here tonight. So, thank you very much, Bob. >> Thank you for your support.

122Appreciate you. >> So, we have three good news stories in a road tonight and [laughter] we uh appreciate uh our director of student services uh Daniel Web who's going to come and present um uh for the midyear um update. a lot of her work in services throughout all six of our schools. And uh Danielle, thank you for being here tonight and thank you for your patience to go in uh near the end of the rotation. Uh we're very excited to be able to offer this update similar to the one for Martha's Community Schools. This is just an update. There'll be no followup unless we have things that we'd like to discuss moving forward throughout the year. Um and we're really happy to be able to have you here to represent all the work you do

123with our uh students. uh in our schools relate to inclusion and access. Uh in uh as you can see from the two presentations that already went forward, that theme is actually throughout all three of these presentations. And it's really nice to see the special education updates that are happening within the programs that we're talking about already without any this being coordinated. This is just being embedded in our schools. uh access, inclusion, respect, value, and um truly valuing our members of our school community uh with it all. So, uh Danielle, thank you for leading the group and leading that culture work and leading that organization. So, thank you for being here. >> Yeah, I mean that was going to be one of the first things I said was uh I'm so fortunate to work with um

124people like Mrs. Cahill and Missin of all because um their sense of community and belonging for all of our students has been really easy for me to um participate and meet with them and talk about how we can increase the diverse needs of students and increase opportunity for them. Um Martha and I um did a lot of work my initial year to figure out how to find creative ways to support students um in that environment in the after school environment to give um families that opportunity to have the before and after school care. And um Karen didn't give herself enough credit. I think we had 53 students um um want to be included in our uh unified track last year. 53 general education students were super excited. it was packed in the gym the first

125couple of weeks that we were in there. Um, so it just just this sense of community and belonging for all of our students is is just such a um heartwarming and and exciting thing for me to do uh every single day. So anyway, um I thought it was important to start with that. Um so thank you for having me tonight. Um I look forward to sharing all of our progress in the special education department um this year and um over the course of the past two and a half years that I've been here. Um, so, uh, next slide, please. I thought I'd ground my presentation in, um, the special education program review that was, um, done in the spring of 2023. Um, I think it really brought value and, um, tangible goals for us, um,

126as I entered Milton Community. Um, and it also helped us um, like I said, ground ourselves in in what the needs of the of the special education department were. Um, and so I'm going to, um, start talking about the three areas of focus that we found um, in systems development, communication, and professional development. Next slide, please. So during this uh 2023 24 school year uh we received the uh the special education program review. So we conducted a task force uh with a multi-disiplinary team. Anna was part of it. Um and we did a thorough analysis of the program review and determined our our an approach for our highest level needs within that task force. At the end of the year, um we it was evident that we really needed some vertical alignment of programming, uh

127which also included clarity, common language, and a consistent understanding of what our students needs and what is least restrictive for all of our students. Um and what our students need to qualify for programs. sort of that entry and exit criteria um to ensure that they're an appropriate match for the program, that they're getting the supports that they need, but also that teachers aren't stretched with differentiating for students with such a wide variety of needs that they didn't u meet the the program support. Additionally, um clear communication across disciplines was evident. a lot of feedback around um the family school communication but also with administrators and special ed teachers um related service providers and general educators. So there was just a common lack of clarity um across the district. So that was a highlight for us.

128And then finally a continuum of professional development which was also noted um that included meaningful PE specifically for special educators, related service providers, instructional assistance. A lot of feedback we got were um our educational assistants um weren't afforded opportunities um that were organized and um and for our related service providers and special educators um just having meaningful uh professional development for them. They were included um but different there's a difference between inclusion and meaningful inclusion. So we wanted to make sure that we were providing them and affording them the opportunity for meaningful inclusion um instruction. And then finally, and I think it's an ongoing um ongoing conversation is our improvement in our um tiered systems of support or MTSS. So that is a lot of the work we're doing and really ensuring that students are

129uh receiving uh intentional support in in their general education classrooms um and making sure that we're not overservicing our students uh and providing that rigorous instruction. So those are our sort of highlights for the program review and what we drove what we've been driving our work um over the past two and a half years. So the three like I said the three focus areas was were really in systems development, communication and professional development. So I will talk about each of those these areas some of our successes thus far as well as um some of our continued areas um of growth and that our sort of goals over the net envision over the next couple of years. So our first area which I think um if I speak to any of the related service providers, special

130educators or anyone in our department um this development of systems um was a highlight everywhere um just in terms of organization that sort of dropped it was the driver of a lot of other areas including communication and PD sorry [laughter] live um [clears throat] okay So um so the special education team has done a lot of work um through um systems development. Um historically I think one of the major pieces um that was missing within the special education department was a vertical alignment of programming. Um every school had a program with a different name. And so you weren't sure if you were at the elementary social emotional program that had a different name than the middle school which had a different name than the high school. And the entry and exit criteria was different across

131the board for each program. So there really was no alignment or understanding to even be able to think about how we're using curriculum to drive some of that instruction. So um we aligned um all of the program names um and created a common understanding of um student profiles within those programs. Um it was a long process that was vetted through all stakeholders including um special educators, related service providers, our CPAC, um our administrators, our curriculum uh coordinators and directors um and really just getting a common understanding of the programming. Um that program guide was released at the end of last school year. It is on our website um and also part of our monthly newsletter which I'll talk about too. Um, we've also successfully rolled over our IEP platform to special programs. Our our student

132information system is uh oh, sorry, let me back up really quick. Sorry. Um, some of our improvement in programming has allowed for a decrease in our out of district um students. we've been able to bring back a handful of students um and it has prevented us from um historically students that we've sent out um for therapeutic environment or for a language based programming um we've been able to um keep in the district with creative programming um using our um program guide. So that has been really um a wonderful opportunity. I actually was in a classroom the other day with a student who returned and he just looked so happy. He was getting rigorous um curriculum. Um he's a super smart kid. So it was really nice to be able to see him um be able

133to prioritize his learning. Um in addition to that, Justin added um we created a multi-disiplinary team um this year to really make sure that we were um continuing to make sure that that vertical and horizontal horizontal alignment for all programs was maintained um through a process of um of being able to train and support those who are curious about our programs and whether or not students might be a good match for some of those programs. So just really thinking about how we approach um our programming across the district. Um we've also like I said successfully rolled over our IEP platform to special programs which is a power school program. Um it was a multi-year task. Um it what it has done for us has been really really valuable for our families and for our staff.

134Um, we are able to digit digitalize our special education files, so easier access for TE members who work with students. Um, we have a digital signature process now, so that instead of having to email home with parents permission, we're able to digitally send that. Um, we're getting consents back at a much higher rate than we had historically. So, we're able to really adjust our work with students and sort of meet their child plan needs um at a much quicker pace than historically. Um, we've also, um, and then I think the other piece that I think is really valuable that was in our newsletter a couple of months ago is that we've opened the parent portal option so that parents can receive, um, progress reports, their IEPs, they have more easy easier access to it than

135um, reaching out to our department and saying, "Can I have a copy of the IEP?" It's actually accessible right through our portal, which is um, a wonderful option. Um, finally, one of the uh really cool things that we've done and have had and has been a budget cost um support um has been um enhancing our ability to um have a variety of evaluation materials through our dolls plus library which is a Pearson support. Um it's cost-effective and it allows for evaluators in academic uh psychological adaptive speech, occupational therapy and physical therapy um to have many more options to evaluate students using a v variety of tools. Um it also helps um with culturally appropriate evaluation. So we have more um options to be able to evaluate students um from different backgrounds and cultures and different

136needs um in many different ways. So it really helps us sort of streamline what our students needs are and give them the supports that they need. Next slide. Um so our vision moving forward um is um our team chairs and our school psychologists right now are um working together on a district-wide understanding of our federal and state special education disability categories. Um, we have some really, you know, in the state, um, some of our categories can be confusing, um, to both parents, but also teams when they're making a decision on a student and what their needs are. So, we're doing a district-wide alignment of what those disability categories are, how they look like, what test scores look like, and just doing um an overarching with a goal of having a training after and just really

137thinking about how we um identify our students and then be able to drive some of their service delivery needs um through that approach. Um that also will help with um not overservicing our students. One of the things that we have found um is that you know without the data or without clear concrete guidance or guidelines um you know it's sort of teachers are like well you know this student would be a pair would be really helpful for this student but there's no sort of data or or um reasoning behind it. It's just this feeling of making sure that kid feels supported and so we all feel supported with extra help and sometimes it creates an environment of want helplessness. Um so we really want to align these things across the district. So that also that

138parents experiences and team meetings are equitable across the board and kids are getting what they need um across the board. Same uh using the same approach. Um, additionally, we're looking to expand our program guide by having an alignment and common understanding of special education language. Things such as co-eing, inclusion, least restrictive environment, common terms that, you know, I could slow out all day and it's really hard um to understand um from a general education teacher what a least restrictive environment is versus what is overcing. are just making sure that we all have common language and a common understanding about language. Um again I sort of mentioned this before but um really ensuring our approach to individualized services is aligned based on student need. Um so that is some of the work that is driving um

139some of that district-wide understanding of our uh educational disability categories. Um alongside that having a common understanding of accommodations and modifications some of this work um and I think it's with you know Carla's department as well in terms of what is tiered intervention versus what is higher level individualized education program accommodations and modification versus what can be done in the classroom differently or more creatively or using a tiered intervention approach. So really starting to assess and align a lot of that which again is a multi-year sort of multi-step process. um that is a district-wide goal of ours. And then finally, um as I mentioned, um aligning the utilization of educational assistance to ensure that we are building independence and not learned helplessness. Um some of the work that we had started doing last year that

140sort of got halted with staffing changes. Um was a task force in um in educational assistance. So picking that back up again when um hopefully we add um an assistant director here. So to be able to pick that work up again and really hone in on what is the value of an educational assistance, what is their purpose? Um how do we look at an educational assistant versus um a co-taught class versus a pull out session. So just really thinking about student and driving our decision- making on student. So that's sort of the word for assistance development. Um our second area is in communication um and building a structure and system for um clear communication stakeholders. So uh when I started at Milton there were a lack of consistent meetings across the board with the special

141education department. So we created a system to meet monthly with special educ special educators in each building. Um so I meet with all six buildings once a month. I also meet with related service providers once a month to you know work specifically with their discipline. Um I meet with building administrators once a month um as well as um our CPAC monthly as well. I also meet with um our team chairs weekly. So our team chairs is a more um and I'll talk a little bit about them in a second. Um, but we meet weekly really to focus on some of the goals around system development, but also they're the face of our special education, right? They're the first people that parents see when they're entering into the child process and the special ed process. So,

142really working with them to make sure that we are committed to providing our students with the supports that they need. Um again I meet monthly with our CPAC leadership um and also attend a part portion of their monthly CPAC meetings to really give updates and sort and open the open the door to questions or comments that parents have to really get an understanding of what their needs are and make sure that we're driving a lot of our work um and and making sure that they're included in that work. Um, this year I rolled out a monthly special education newsletter that goes out to everyone. Um, and I think I we've gotten some pretty good feedback. It it um includes important dates. So, we had ESY rolled out um in the December newsletter. Um, it has

143student voices every month, which is my favorite part. Um, is hearing what kids like about winter and and snow. Um, we also have information about our CPAC, contact information, and then we also include helpful information around homeschool communication, tips, tips for supporting students at home, resources for families, and then just learning opportunities around, for example, special education language or acronym definitions, things like that for to really help again drive that overarching um understanding of special education for all stakeholders. Um the other piece that we are um continuing to align and I think have had a lot of success in um over the course of uh past couple of years is the is the grade level transition between schools. Um for example, preschool to kindergarten. I actually met with preschool today to talk about um kindergarten

144transition and what that looks like for our students in a least restrictive way. our fifth to sixth grade. Our team chairs in sixth grade are absolutely wonderful and making sure that our fifth grade teams know um what to expect in sixth grade for special education and our eighth to 9th grade. Some of the growth in this air in this area really has been around school visits. So, our fifth grade teachers going up to sixth grade to see what's going on there. Our sixth grade teachers going down to fifth grade to see what's happening there. Um preschool to kindergarten um formalized meetings to talk about students. Um, and the same for the eighth to 9th grade as well. Um, as I mentioned, team chairs play that critical role in homeschool collaboration and communication. Um, they're typically

145the first point of contact for our families when a student enters special ed process. Um, so we meet with weekly to to work on district alignment of systems and communication processes, making sure that every parent has the same experience no matter what school that they go to. and that they're receiving and afforded the same opportunity to provide their students with a least restrictive approach to their um to their education, ensuring that our programming is rigorous for them despite their level of need. Um so a lot of that work is done during these weekly meetings um and and making sure that our parents have that universal experience and our students do as well. Um some of the work that we are continuing to do is um updating our gu our handbooks and our guides. So we

146have a 504 handbook that needs updating um a um an IEP guide that we're looking to create as well as a procedural manual um within special education. Um again um providing that training and support to ensure common understanding of special education language across the school community for all stakeholders. Um I've talked to the CPAC a lot about how I can engage um the community is it through recordings of you know common understandings of definition. So we we've really been sort of playing with the idea of how do we um provide our general educators but also our special educators and our families with that consistent language so that we can provide those opportunities. Um and then again that continuous work with building and district leadership to provide that rigorous experience and least restricted environment for students

147that ongoing work with them. And then our final area um is in um professional development. And as I mentioned at the beginning, um Carlo and I have worked together throughout the course of the year to create and provide meaningful opportunities for um our educators um collaboratively just building a community of adult learners um who learn from each other with their own individualized expertise um creating opportunities um to for tiered strategies and supports for our teachers um to be able to drive some of that work in the classroom. Um we also um have increased our opportunities for related service providers to receive relevant training. Um so uh in January our occupational therapists and speech and language pathologists were able to use some of their time in the afternoon um to go to their own um training

148that aligns with our pri district priorities but also it helps them by giving them the opportunity to you know get lensure type um credits for them as well. So it was sort of a double dose for us. Uh we've also aligned our safety care training for faculty and staff. So historically um staff were pulling were pulled out this month for this or that month for that and it was really disrupting our students learning um especially our students with higher needs who have onetoone support. So alongside our BCBAS we've worked over the course past the course of the past year to really align that and make sure that we have those monthly trainings set aside that everyone is being notified. it's actually here in this room usually. So it's kind of fun here. Um so uh

149really just ensuring that alignment um and that our we're uh minimizing disruption of our students as much as possible. Um we're also this year um our educational assistance professional development opportunities um felt more organized than I think it has since I started. Um we had um training in data collection, executive functioning. they got the full or part um first part of behavior desk deescalation techniques of safety care. Um they actually have an inclusion strategies um or executive functioning training next week. So we've been able to really give um concrete training for our educational assistants that are in the classroom with our students all day. And then finally, one of the things I was most excited about was last summer we were offered able to offer district opportunities to receive Horton Gillingham training for special educators.

150Um it was a pilot last summer. I wanted to see um how it rolled out. We had some interest. Um teachers are now interested. We've asked like what's easiest right after the school year or um in August. definitely, you know, we can't do it during the school year just because it's a three-day training, but um really thinking about and if you want to change the slides on the next slide, uh really thinking about a yearly a year-long or a multi-year plan of switching off between Orton Gillingham and Linda Bell just because they both address different types of learners. So, we want to make sure that our teachers have access to both of those opportunities. So, um, my, you know, I think what the the consensus is is having some sort of June rules-based reading training,

151um, for our special educators, if there's room, our, um, literacy specialists and and our jazz teachers, if we have room to expand that over time, but it has been really valuable. Our teachers are super pumped about it. They want that experience. They want that accessibility. So really um being able to give that vet and afford the that um is really a goal of ours. Um again continuing to um align the structure of safety care as well as our educational assistant opportunities and then our focus on improvement in multi-tered systems of support which I've mentioned um a few times today. So those are some of our goals um for the upcoming >> um the our vision um in terms of our work in progress questions. >> Uh do you have any um numbers beyond a district

152placement stuff? Obviously that's been a budget driver we talked about in the past. Also just a cultural improvement of like wanting kids to be educated in town art kits things like that for access. Do you have um any numbers on you know how those out of district placements have decreased how many were still serving out of district? >> Yes. So we have about 49 that were still serving out of district. When I started we were at 65. Um there have been obviously some students who have graduated um and not needed you know postgraduated or have graduated at 22 years old. Um we've brought back um a handful of students or moved them to a least restrictive envir environment. So when you think about the budget aspect of it um really being thoughtful about how we

153support our students um both in district and out of district in a way that's least restrictive. So, our audit of district coordinators and I have done a ton of work around um asking the right questions in those meetings to make sure that kids are still receiving the support that they need in that environment. Um in and out of district environment, none of them are ideal. Um there are strengths to all of them to help students with their needs, but when you think about putting a lot of kids with social emotional needs in the same environment, you're getting good and you're getting challenged. So, we want to make sure that we're always asking the question of what else does the student need? what data do we need to bring them back to district or to a

154lesser restricted environment. So that work is being done there while we're enhancing our programming here. Thank you. I just want to add to that point um some strategic um staffing uh that happened last year adding an adjustment counselor to some of our programming so we could actually enhance the depth of the program at the middle school the high school um the training for our Gillingham rules based reading over the summer in order to provide that service at a higher level and a higher quality so students don't leave because that might be one of the reasons that's why they're not getting what they need. We can provide that more expertise. Um I think it's really helped those those numbers and how we support students and um it's really great to see the strategic thinking around that

155and it might mean from a budgetary perspective putting some some resource up ahead of it in order to make sure we can go out and say we have this. So the that the added resource might not impact as many students in the first year but will build over time and the reputation program builds over time and that will create a a space for parents to feel like that child that program. So, uh, that that all that works way through the district which we think is great specific to that point, but I have a few other things to do I want to >> and with just to add on to that too with the expansion. Um, we have a program that we piloted at our high school this year, our rise program. Um, and then we

156also have a program called foundations. Without getting into too much detail, we have four students right now. And and I think one of the other things I love about the Milton community is that parents are always asking, "What opportunities can my child have to be back in their community school?" Um they're really um advocates for their children. So um being able to afford them this opportunity is great for us, but also um it's really nice to have students um and families back feeling part of their community. So um developing this rise program foundations program we have three students who are itching to get back at the high school level and one middle school. So it's really um so we're working on that actively right now. heard. So, I would say that um the increase in

157PD, the training for our unity folks, the the the feedback that we're getting from our staff [cough] that Danielle gets from the uh service providers and unity and that Kyler gets because we're asking teachers and unity members where they want uh PD for our unity staff, enhancing their skill set in the classroom, utilizing them at a higher level is one of them that we've been getting at all sides of our PD requests. So, I want to thank Ker and you know for hearing that and responding to it not just around safety uh with the training that we're doing systematically now but also around other skills that it that are especially our service providers who sit in a math PD and say why am I an OT and sitting in a math PD you know so

158differentiation of the PD offered especially on our full days which is actually driven by what staff are asking for and then offering things that they can go to so they can get their PD connected to their work every day with students and families. Um, and I also just just from a good news story, if you ever want to come to Milton High School at 7:20, it's see every single year to December and every single teacher from our programming that supports the students that are in our, you know, uh, programs and and just watch how school starts every day. It's the best part of coming to school at 7:20 because you can see all the adults there 15 minutes earlier to make sure that they're watching the kids and the young students get off the van

159uh or come out of with out of their parents' car and be greeted every single day with the warmer smile, the warmest uh welcome, good morning. And um it's [clears throat] every day, every day. And when Mark came in the other day, you saw me hold the door for some of the students. It's my favorite part of the day. It's my old lunch duty when I was a principal. that was the best part of my day. So, uh the the inclusion culture that we are developing and has been developed over time at all of our schools. I just happen to work at the high school is just amazing and I'm very thankful for that um culture in the building public schools. Daniel, thank you for being a big part of that as well. plan moving

160forward. Uh there is work to be done and we're scoping it out and we're making it work and uh I really like the effectiveness of the team chair meetings that happen on a weekly basis. The consistency of those meetings and how we interact with our families, what we offer them and how we use the data to determine what those placements could be and should be. And this whole discussion about overservicing and underervicing and making sure that we're getting that just right. um because overervicing is not good for kids either and neither is under servicing. So really having that hard conversation um with ourselves as a staff and as our team chairs and then then being responsible to have those hard conversations with families because that's really hard to have especially at the early grades when

161we're really introducing this process to to new families. So thank you for your work. I appreciate it. Um, and this is this is a a very a very good news story uh in a work in progress like all of our workers. So, thank you very much. Appreciate it. >> Thank you for having me. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Sorry. Okay. I do not have anything under the chair's report tonight. Um we will move to the finance subcommittee report >> here. Uh first item business is a vote on the FY26 second quarter report. Talked about that the last school committee meeting meeting finance committee voted on it uh our last visual meeting which was last Wednesday. So supposed to just accept the the report and the um financial transfers uh that are outlined in post. So

162I make a motion. Any questions on that? I will make a motion to approve the Milton public schools 2020. Nope, that's the wrong motion. I will make a motion to approve the FY26 second quarter report. >> Second. >> Great. Uh We'll do roll call. Anna, >> Yes. Lizzy, >> yes. >> Very much. >> Okay. Um uh budget discussion. We had a uh meeting with the select board finance committee. The town administrator chair of the Warren Committee was a nice opportunity as well. had that just before the school committee meeting essentially. Um so really big thanks to uh department staff John and Katie as well as my other committee members Nath and Amanda. Um been >> [snorts] >> uh kind of on on the work here for quite a while since 430. So really appreciate them.

163Uh the update is positive news. The numbers continue to develop. the select board and the town administrative continued to work um diligently uh trying to update revenue forecasts, expense forecasts, which we greatly appreciate. We shared our last committee meeting that the number had transitioned from kind of 2.1 million down to about 1.5 million. Um the newest update is due to I think primarily some um uh fees. Sorry, I love writing. >> Excise tax. >> Yeah. um primarily because of that uh the number is moved even further. The uh gap for the t revenue gap is a million dollars. Um and so our uh the school's FY27 uh allocation as compared to our level service request is about a million short, which is obviously u much improved from the the 2.1. So again, greatly appreciate the

164select board, town administrator, uh director of finance of the town, Amy Dexter, all the folks involved, u Joanna McCarthy, uh for for working on that. Um there's next week is our um finance committee on on Wednesday. We will get an updated kind of budget draft uh from the school department where we'll talk through that remaining $1 million. the town in which she was pretty clear in the conversation that doesn't expect the revenue forecasts really to to change much at this point. So it's kind of where it is. Uh select board expressed um still openness kind of have continued conversations but this is um something we'll kind of take that number and have that drive our discussion next week. uh talk that through and that obviously bring bring those discussions back to the board so that

165we can have a conversation board. Uh in addition to the million um or the the decrease in kind of the the gap, the select board and town administrator also offered uh the idea which I might have shared at the last meeting, the $500,000 of free cash and allocation to the school department uh to support the building back of the reserves. That's something that obviously you talk about here as a budget priority is building that kind of sustainability within the budget. Uh they heard that and offered that as a potential avenue uh that would help support that and also might allow us to uh reduce allocations or um increase kind of our usage of um some other funds from the state uh in order to further offset that million dollar. So that was some discussion uh

166some ideas suggested by the um committee chair and the members of select board and so that's a point of discussion that obviously will be something we'll talk about at finance right back to school committee and keep talking through as it relates to our plans for FY27. Um I think just to to name for the kind of public comment piece and and the concerns that have been brought up. Um, you know, there's two things I I think we talked a lot about like this work is hard. It's not the town doesn't have just a bunch of revenue. They're not giving to the schools. It's hard work that's like where town master does really appreciate what they do in any budget process. What we've talked about internally is this balance of the one year versus the long

167term and not wanting to jeopardize either for the sake of the other and like that. There's just natural tension within limited resources of how you balance those things. And so I know those conversations are difficult. We know that the the communications that we send out around kind of the financial gaps can be concerning for families. They obviously want stability. They want to maintain high quality or improved um product from the Milton public schools and they deserve that. They deserve the best possible schools. Um I think that's another tension too of like we we want to be transparent and upfront which is why we share this information with families. We don't want them finding this out secondhand. we won't be finding it [snorts] out for us, but we're not trying to cause panic. We're just trying

168to keep people uh informed. So, we will continue to do that. Uh and again, I appreciate all the diligent effort of the the subcommittee members, the department, and uh everybody else involved. That is the update. So I only want to add that uh we have made a commitment to provide what the budget could look like in terms of its uh what kind of reductions if they need to happen what would they be um and we will be fulfilling that obligation at the uh finance meeting on uh February 11th which is a week from today in the morning session. Uh we would then expect to have more dialogue about it at finance committee on the Wednesday morning after February break which is February 25th and then present that fully to the school committee the same night

169on Wednesday the 25th. Uh there is going to have to be discussion uh related to the conversation we had tonight about um the reduction list and what that looks like in connection to the additional 500,000 and how that can weigh into this or not and how that may or may not go into uh the uh revolving funds to increase the capacity of our financial balance sheet which again competing interest both good uses of funds but how do we balance that? Um, but I also want to remind this group in in advance of next Wednesday that when we started the school year, we talked about being good stewards of the dollar. We talked about wanting to make sure that we were creating systems. So, we had a tight budgeting process uh that uh was uh highly

170moderated during the year uh which we have accomplished thanks to Katie and a lot of the systems you put in place. We also talked about revolving accounts and trying to make sure that we could build back uh those accounts as a goal and and also um when we thought the budget was going to be at 5.2 or in that early fall time still looking at trying to see what can we realign our resources for in order to have better impact on our students in our classrooms in our school buildings with our educators. So, we'll be presenting not only any potential reductions as a result of this gap in funding, we will also be presenting some of the creative realignment of resources that we feel are important in order to impact programming the next year. So,

171I'm saying that out loud because this won't just be a here's the amount of money we have to reduce, here's a discussion about how many folks are going to reduce. There's going to be another list that says, you know, we did not fill the technology director position this year. We learned a lot about what works about that and what doesn't work about that. that position may go back next year. It's already in the budget. We want to make sure we have that full conversation with the public so they could see what we didn't fill this year and what we're what we've learned and why we're going to add it back. What we didn't fill this year, what we learned and why we're not bringing it back. Um what we may need to focus more on

172uh in order to have uh our uh project lead the way work in science more enhanced at the elementary level. uh how we might want to look at case loads around our team uh team cheer role and maybe put that position back that we didn't fill last year because we're seeing case loads in the 100s, not the 50s uh for folks. Uh you know, so we're going to provide a parallel list of things that we think that we need to reduce in order to make our budget target number uh for uh the FY uh 27 allocations. But we're also going to continue the work because we already started it. We think it's important important for the community to know that we we're not always looking to add. We're looking to realign, look at what's working,

173look at what we can improve and how we want to redistribute our resources toward to what we would consider to be make more improvement uh in our schools. That's not an ad to the budget. That that's reallocating what we have and moving it forward. Then when we got to the point where we needed to know that we needed found out there that would be a reduction, we have to then have that conversation as well. So just preparing the school committee for that kind of um dual conversation because it can be complicated. How are you laying off x amount of educators but still adding something that that's where we're going to have to strategically have that conversation to make sure that we do it with clarity and transparency uh and also obviously meet the bottom line

174number that we're provided for FY27. So, uh, we will be sending that information out to the school committee over the weekend in advance of next Wednesday's meeting. Um, and given the news that we received late last night into today, we have created uh a list of reductions and realignments that we will we're already meeting with people who are potentially on the list of reductions. That might change given the news that we got today where uh instead of being 1.4 um in need of uh reductions, we're now down to 1 million. So there'll be further iterations that we'll do between now and next Wednesday. Uh but we are communicating with staff. The reason why we have kept this process uh internal right now is because every discussion about a role or an FTE is someone's job

175and we really want to keep it tight and keep it confidential and that prepare a a professional and respectful roll out of that discussion with each employee before we have that conversation uh in person and on TV and finance next Wednesday. So, um, that's why it's been, uh, not disclosed fully to the community because you want to have those discussions first. So, we will let the full group of folks know who were in the 1.4 level of reduction. That doesn't mean that they'll end up on the list because we actually have a better number to to uh to meet. And um, and I echo the work that uh that Nick [clears throat] and Amy have done and the work that they've done collaboratively with uh, Katie and I. And obviously all the work that the

176select board and the school committee are doing in order to have these conversations and these are hard conversations. They happen every year uh especially when it comes to how do we impact reserves in a positive way to be sustainable moving forward and the needs that we have right now. These are annual discussions that we will always be having. Um and also wanting to know the public to know that we have two budgets to rightsize uh and maintain a fiscal have fiscal clarity. So when we go out for a new superintendent, we can say that we have a balance sheet that makes sense, that we have clarity on our our budget work framework moving forward with the town and that that is a selling point that that's reset and ready to go along with the systems

177that Katie has put in place and the in the um the the way in which we have handled the budget this year. Again, this year has been done very well. We have uh the money needed. We've spent it effectively. covert expenses and salaries all the way through June. This is a very tight process and this is how it should continue. This is the work. This is how it should look. This is how will look forward and that hopefully can be a good story for every becoming. That's the next year and a half. So, thank you all for all the work you've been doing on this. um for next week's finance for the the next two finance subcommittee meetings leading into the next full school committee meeting on the 20 that um I think you said

178this will I think you said this will be a part of the conversation but at finance today there was sort of the um discussion of various options for where to try to put that 500,000 towards reserves strategy for that. Um, and I I kind of heard the I heard you, Superintendent Hailing, articulate sort of um a rationale for one option and then [clears throat] um there were still options left on the table though. So I I heard them sort of expecting that that we would respond with that. That will be part of your discussion, I'm guessing. And then also it will just be I think you've you named both of you the tension. So if there will be any shifts to the recommendations given this 500,000 that will be part of the discussion that we'll

179have at the 25th or so you're going to bring us your recommendation and it it it may or may not include an adjustment to the strategy of like how much in the reserves and why I just think that We do need to have that full conversation at this meeting to help the community understand the strategy even having named that it's inherently difficult um no matter what we're going to do. Yeah, I I think that we we need to have the discussion next point today about uh to your point, what is the best mechanism in our opinion for how that $500,000 relates to the school's budget or the town uh special education um stabilization account which is currently not populated money the group would would populate that money there or with us or in in the

180other options. Ky and I should work with make sure that technically we understand how that would happen recommendation. The second discussion is if in fact we going to use any of that $5,000 to mitigate the $1 million reductions or not or to what degree would think we should and I think part of that would be putting everything that we have right now on the table is probably in excess of the one point what that is tallies up to 1.4 before and then bringing back and having a discussion finding out if that money should be uh used partially or reducing FTE or fully put into that um revolving account. Uh that would suit the town. Well, both uses of those funds are are helpful, right? >> But we just have to make decision on how we

181want to land on that for not only FY27 but to the discussion today and and also in recognition of how we want to prepare ourselves for FY28 and 29, right? that we have uh continued revenue struggles and expense struggles that we have to navigate along with the town. [snorts] Um and then uh after that is done but we want to then talk let just let people know. So we also have to as a secondary conversation uh Katie and I want to talk about balances for revolving accounts in general the [clears throat] general amounts that we think would be appropriate over to the guidelines went together a quick summary of what that could look like and also we have to talk about fees remember now we're making reductions non- salary part of our budget and part

182of that will be up with fees potentially so uh we are going to recommend fees for transportation that will help us set the bus that we would like to be looking for requests uh for fees for increases in rental that we do per hour for our um facilities and schools for athletics and also for clubs and activities. We heard I heard very much uh at the 3 PTO meetings I had been at at the last three weeks. We're willing to pay more for that if we can just make sure that we can continue that kind of service delivery. So I don't I'm not a big fan of fees. I think public schools should be public. I don't think they should be accessed with the public tax dollar but they just part of the world that

183we have right now. So we will uh come with a recommendation over the next two finance fees for that because that kind of broadens or fills in the picture of what what might have to be reduced and what might be maintained. Uh so there's a lot of work in the next two to three weeks that we want to do and there'll there'll be a lot of hard conversations to have uh but we'll work through it and I'm glad we had hard conversations tonight or this afternoon with the select board and the town administrator and that group uh because those are the kind of conversations that have to build understanding. I think Nathan said that there was a couple of comments that Nick made that really provided clarity and context around certain parts of the process

184that that was helpful for for us to understand and some of the continued conversations will help and the partnership is appreciated with the select board at the top administrator and uh and the treasurer. Okay, sir. Um I'm going to look at you on the vendor warrants. I believe we already voted looked at the motions last we already voted 20 not voted but announced them don't think I have signed but >> okay so there's no gender war announcements show up so next >> uh MF update >> um so MF said this past Monday. Um to talk there are two parts of the meeting. The first part is uh approving the grant proposals. Uh we have received 40 grants and um and we approved it all of it except three of them. And there was uh one

185regarding um headphones classroom that we managed to ask the teacher for um the reason why the rational behest about um the peers middle school welcome sent the the entrance buying a bench for for the entrance and principal Kill was there um and she suggested maybe the uh the workshop um the student who are doing the workshop uh course at high school can build that um bench for them and more one minute as the committee put as well and then there [clears throat] was another one that I couldn't remember >> there was one that was um that may be curriculum based that we were going to talk to the principles about as that should be funed by the school from MV um want to thank Bob for being we all by around the probably spent time

186with the group before that meeting to review every single grant and then check in with some other teachers. Uh over $50,000 worth of grants funded uh incredibly um excited uh to uh be a part of the empathy group that's so excited to give money away. It's the nicest place to be and they actually provided supper for all of us. And so um I also want to thank the teachers that came to help evaluate, >> you know, I mean they they sat there as well. >> Yeah. Um it's really it was a really it's a fun night to go through the grads >> and applications come from all six schools and the educators who were there um they were able to tell us the the behind the scenes stories of supporting why this kind of request

187is necessary and why we should be approving them you know so there's a lot a range of different applications including like um preschool classroom rugs to uh Spanish uh reading books and French uh reading books as well and this just a lot of different kind of varieties. So I want to thank the educators who presented at the meeting and providing um their sign um the point of view for us to make that sound decisions. >> So this is the 30th year celebration of the foundation for education. They are an amazing group. They've done incredible work for 30 years. the the amount of money raised and put right back into your children's classrooms, whether they donate money several years ago or Chromebooks or or iPads or monitors on the wall that we use in classrooms every

188day, curriculum materials. You can't walk into a classroom and build public schools without pointing to something that was purchased by the MF over the last 30 years. Um, we are thankful for people like Wendy New who dedicate so much time and her whole staff. When I say staff, I mean staff of volunteers that do tremendous amount of work. I will be with them next Monday when they uh introduce the uh new members. I think they're introducing five. So, they'll be after we have negotiations, I'll head over to Blue Hills and uh go to that reception to welcome those folks and and um set the tone for uh greeting them with a big smile and a lot of gratitude for taking part uh in the work of the MP. So, um, thankful and news continuing to

189be updated, uh, for what the celebration will look like in May. >> I think there's seven members. >> Say that again. >> I think there's seven >> seven new members. >> Yes. >> You think it was seven? >> Yeah. And they would make the total number of the MF members to 20. Um >> yeah they they did a whole runs of recommendations received from current members and community members who sent them um interviews coffee meetings with those candidates and discussions about that at the MFD meeting on Monday and approving the for applicants. >> So honor you better [laughter] committees >> I'm not going I don't think I can go. You can see my face. [laughter] [clears throat] >> Okay. Um, next up we have the approval approval of the minutes from Carl last questions or

190if not then I will minutes second all the uh We will do a roll call vote. Anna, >> yes. >> Nathan, >> yes. >> Lizzy, yes. >> Yes. >> Uh, next, looking at the meeting agenda, the agenda, uh, draft agenda for this again. Looking at the agenda items for the next meeting, we have the program of studies vote. Um, Sarah's presentation. I believe that is >> that's Scott right there. >> I think we have the Oh, yeah. Actually, >> they're both at the same. Yeah. Sorry. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Next week will be next week will be at the week. Um it will be um the program of studies board hopefully will be uh relatively short. We're giving the presentation tonight. the uh second appearance of uh Kat Young, not Kat D Ro, Kat Young

191got married uh for the early literacy and their choices about um high quality materials that we'll be purchasing for literacy and the district data that we waited to take place uh next week so that the mid year data can come forward. Um and then subcommittee reports uh we postponed a couple of other items because that that's going to be a thick night. will have budget as well. And uh and tonight was a thick night. So we we're in the meeting where we're having some uh some content that we want to put in front of the community school. So we appreciate everybody being ready for an informative date. We get back. >> This should be a short um summary about the school high school rep meeting. >> Correct. >> Yeah. and policies meeting policy and facilities

192made on record >> at whatever policy facilities capital you'll have >> budget coordination. [clears throat] What did you say? So when you just said high school, high school rap second. Great. Anna, >> yes. David, >> yes. >> Lizzy, yes. Yes. Mark, yes. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Hey. Hey.