School Committee - October 22nd, 2025

001[Music] Good evening. I'm calling to order the October 22nd meeting of the Milton School Committee. If we could all rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. To start, um, I would like to offer a moment of silence prior to the meeting for fallen firefighter, um, for fallen Milton firefighter Daniel Thomas, who passed away on October 12th after a courageous battle with occupational cancer. Firefighter Thomas was a 28-year veteran of the Milton Fire Department and a proud graduate of Milton High School, class of 1995. Our thoughts and prayers are with Danielle's family and friends at this time. So, if we could have a moment of

002silence. Thank you. Um, our first agenda item is to approve uh to approve the agenda. Uh, one change that we would like to make is, excuse me, um, moving up item number six to, um, to be number four right before the superintendent's report so that we can introduce our Milton High School student representative if everybody is. Great. The next item is um public comment. Um every meeting um in accordance with school committee policy, we welcome members of the community to share their perspectives with us during public comment. We will set aside up to 15 minutes for this part of the meeting and individuals may speak 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

003the course of the meeting when relevant topics are on our agenda. We strive to engage in respectful discourse during our meetings and ask that the public comment speakers keep that in mind. Speakers should introduce themselves for the record. Do we have anybody online who is interested in speaking? If so, if you could raise your hand. Okay. Doesn't look like it. Anybody in the So, great. Doesn't look like we have anybody here for public comment tonight. Um, the next agenda item is introducing our Milton High School representatives. >> Sure. Uh, good evening everyone. uh John Palin, superintendent of schools. I'm very proud to ask our student representative uh Spencer Chutrell to step up to the big table with the microphone. Spencer is one of our school committee representatives from Milton High School. Spencer is a freshman

004at Milton High. Uh he is on the freshman football team. And I have to say before uh Spencer gives a few words that he will uh announce tonight uh related to his uh role as a representative. When I toured the schools last June, uh principal Bill Fish made sure he introduced uh me to Spencer, uh and we had a great conversation in the hallway and he couldn't wait to get to to Milton High in order to be part of this group. So, I'm very happy you're here. I'm very proud of you for taking that big leap in in in being a representative of Milton High at the freshman level. Uh it's certainly a big responsibility and I think you're going to be great. So, welcome and uh to the school committee meeting and glad you're

005here and please give us your report, Spencer. Hi. Uh, my name is Spencer Futrell and I'm a freshman at Milton High School. I'm a member of student government and I'm one of seven school committee reps from all four grades. We meet monthly with superintendent Failen and school committee member Bao to discuss changes we could make and ways we can support school committee at the high school. We plan to have at least one representative at each school committee meeting this year to give a quick and updated and any field any questions school committee may have. We look forward to working with all all of you this year. Some of the current events at Milton High School are include freshman Olympics, fall sports, pep rally planning, fundraising, and student government. Recently held a homecoming dance for juniors

006and seniors a couple weeks ago. Other than that, we are working on future events and topics to discuss discuss at school committee. Thank you for your time. Do you guys have any questions? >> Spencer, can you give the school committee a little bit of uh insight into the conversation we had with Bao about two Fridays ago with the full committee some of the areas of interest that people were talking about that day? I think it might have been world language and phones. Uh we were we were discussing how the phone policy that the uh that they passed would affect us at Milton High and also if uh taking how many years it takes to graduate, how many years requires to take world language, >> right? We had a good discussion about the pros and cons

007of that and everybody had a good opinion of it. So, I appreciate you bringing those topics to uh the attention of B and I, and we really look forward to working with you and your classmates uh and working with you for the next four years. You'll be here for a long time, so I'm glad about that, too. >> Anyone else? >> Spencer, thanks for being a student representative. It's It's great that you're serving in that role. What prompted you to to want to to want to do that? >> Well, I originally went big. I think I went to I ran for class president >> but and then sadly I lost but then I they still had opportunities for you to for me to be a part of school committee and site council and I picked

008school committee because I think that we could I want to help make a change in the community as much as possible and I eventually want to be president of the United States of America. >> This is a good first step. >> Awesome. >> That's great. Thank you. Anyone else? >> All right. Well, thank you, Spencer. >> Thank you. >> Great meeting you. Look forward to seeing you. >> The next item on the agenda is the superintendent's report. >> Thank you very much. Um just a quick overview of some things that are happening in the Milton public school. Uh we uh have been doing our work related to learning walks and checking in with our educators and our students and our principles in every building. Uh we finished phase one of our learning walks last week

009at the Cunningham school or at the Glover School. >> Uh we have been in every school Kaoser and I walking with principles visiting classrooms making observations. We take our protocol sheet and check off the things that we see that we are very excited about like tier one instruction and supporting all learners using data to inform instruction. All the things that we prioritize at the beginning of the year are on our checklist to talk about and unpack with the building principal and the staff. Um I know Ka joins me in saying that every single building that we have gone to and every single classroom we have gone to has been a great uh experience of really great tier one teaching which is something that we really feel is our top priority and it's very very exciting

010to see such good work happening in the classrooms and also our students just amazingly engaged every day. um in our principles and our administrators really creating a great environment which is our fifth priority that we look for uh in each of the buildings in the classroom. So uh very thankful for the teachers who allow us in their in their rooms each week. Our second round will start off tomorrow morning at the high school and we begin our next round of learning walks. Um each run will have a bit more depth in and some of the learning walks in the future will include our UNIP members. So we can take a lens of maybe math or our early literacy program or special education. Um we want to make sure that we're looking at the district through

011all those lenses. And I should say that uh part of our learning walks I have visited every single subsparate classroom in the building of each building and in the district to ensure that our most vulnerable students are getting what they need in their classrooms as well. So this is all classrooms all the time. All educators, all students. Um wanted to let you know also know that the uh fall sports is up and going. We have a freshman football team that is one and six, but we have a varsity football team that is six and one. Uh every actually sport right now is deemed to be a playoff sport. So that's all sports in the fall um season are going to the tournament so far which is fantastic news. Uh we had swing for sports last

012week. The boosters did a nice job of having their golf tournament at Granite Links and I went up uh and thanked the golfers prior to them going out on the course. Um, I also want to let the community know uh that recently in our um outreach to families and parents and staff, I've set up uh dates for our staff to have coffee hours at every single building. I'll be at uh each school in the morning uh over the next three or four weeks. uh those that schedule went out to all staff via our staff email. And I'll also be hosting community uh coffee hours that will take place here at central office. The first one will be on November 14th from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. The second one will be November 21st from 12 to

0131. The third will be November 20th from 4:00 to 5:00 and the last will be on December 4th from 5 to 6. So we're choosing different times the day to give people access around their work schedules. Um, and I also will be going out to um, PTO meetings at every single building. I'm already booked at the Tucker and at Pierce, and we're awaiting the other four schools to find times for me to be out there as well. Uh, we tried to do as much outreach as we could uh, in June, and we spent a lot of time uh, doing some good work over the last few months, but now it's time to check in with our stakeholders at the school level and also at the community and the parent level. So, we'll be doing that

014over the next few months as well. Lastly, just a couple of big events happening. Friday, October 24th from 5:30 to 7:30, the Tucker Trunk Retreat uh will take place at the Pierce Middle School. Friday, October 24th from 6:30 from 5:00 to 6:30 is the Glover playground monster bash in Lantern Walk. Uh Sunday, October 26th is the MF's monster dash. uh really like to see great representation out there from our students and our staff to get out and run in costume. And lastly, on November 2nd, which is a Sunday, the Glover PTO pumpkin smash composting event will take place. So, just a few things that are happening throughout the uh six schools in Milton, and we look forward to folks being out in those areas at those events to enjoy the students and the families and

015the staff. So, thank you very much. Will the um the your the the copies or the the the opportunities for the community to come and meet with you, will that be >> will those dates be on the website? >> Those dates will be on the website. Uh Stephanie O'Keefe will post them on Facebook, which I do not know how to do because they don't have Facebook. Uh in other um media locations as well. So, we're trying to get the word out as best we can. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Go ahead, Mark. Can I I just want to say it wasn't part of your update, but y'all attended select board on Tuesday. Really appreciate y'all doing that and representing us well. And then also at the select board meeting again. They talked about

016the the fallen firefighter and that you are hosting the um celebration of life at Milton High School and just want to say thank you. That was great. I know they >> you know spoke highly of the school committee. I don't know if other members know, but that was I think not not deserved of us but certainly of you and the staff for taking that's fantastic. So thank you so much for that. >> Thank you. Glad to do it. Okay. So, the next item is the um field trip approval. >> Thank you. So, uh at our last meeting on uh October 8th, we had principal of the Pierce Middle School, Bill Fish, uh discuss and take questions on the three trips that are going out of the middle school this school year. Um at that time,

017there was some good discussion about uh how the trips would work, that the packets are in your folder. again. Uh he went over how the trips would be supervised, what the cost was, the safety issues, the detailed itinerary, um the dates and the times, which I think was a good conversation here. Uh Mr. Fish is working with one uh uh vendor to do the trips and uh hoping to kind of consolidate them to one kind of spot on the calendar, which is a suggestion of the school committee, which I think is a great one. Uh but at this point in time we have one trip um to Washington DC for all of our eighth graders. We have one trip for our seventh graders to go to Quebec and we have another trip for seventh graders

018uh for Spanish and Latin to go to New York. Uh the two companion trips of the trip to Quebec for our French immersion program and the New York trip for our Spanish and Latin students are an attempt to provide equity and balance with those two programs. And the eighth grade trip is something that Bill has been doing for a long time in a way that all eighth graders have access to the trip uh for that uh annual eighth grade trip uh on their last week or so of school before they go up to the high school. Um so if there's any additional questions that were not answered uh two weeks ago, uh we would like to take a vote um tonight on each one of those field trip proposals. Were there any questions? No. >>

019Has anything changed in the documents in the folder from last time? >> They have not. >> Okay. >> Uh, I'll make a motion to approve. Do I have to list all the field trips? >> Oh, man. All right. Sorry. I shouldn't have started the motion. I'll make a motion to approve the following field trips. The Pierce Middle School 7th grade Spanish and Latin trip to New York, May 7th through May 9th, 2026. Pierce Middle School 7th grade trip to Quebec City, May 13th through 16th, 2026. And the Pierce Middle School 8th grade trip to Washington DC, May 20th through 22nd, 2026. >> All in favor? >> Great. >> Perfect. >> Thanks, Mark. Thank you. >> Um the next item on the agenda is our early literacy initiative. Uh Kat D Ro uh our early literacy

020K to8 uh ELA director is with us tonight. Um wanted to kind of provide some context for tonight's presentation uh from uh from Cat. Uh one is we should all applaud. She got married last Friday. very excited for her uh and her husband. Um this is um a topic that has been uh discussed uh I think in the district for a few years. Um the work is uh happening and has been going on maybe for a good 6 months at least and CAD is here to give us a a timeline update for the request of the committee. Uh the purpose of this presentation is to give you a timeline of the work that has happened to date that will happen between now and February when she will return to this table to talk about the

021outcome of the work that she's doing with her committee. At that meeting in February, she'll give you an update on what the product is and the vehicle that we'll be using in order to support the ELA curriculum as it relates to literacy. And then she'll be talking about some of the outcomes that we expect uh related to professional development and how we implement that. So, as we met with um uh Amanda and Lizzie earlier in the year, we really wanted to talk about what the purpose was of each presentation that would then guide the school committee in order to uh what to expect. So, it wasn't just a dumping of information or as much as we can talk about early literacy, uh we have a very targeted presentation that Kat has worked very hard on.

022uh the timelines are very clear, the content is very clear, and you should know that you'll also have a chance to ask further questions when your product is uh decided upon, and the next steps provided on uh are decided in February. So, we appreciate you being here tonight, Kat. Um, and we're going to pull up on the screen your uh presentation. And I also want to thank thank the team of folks that Kat has been working with and also just recently Kyle's involvement in supporting CAD in this work as well. Thank you, John, and thank you, Carla, for your ongoing support. Um, and thank you to the school committee for having me back. I know I've come to you over the years. Um, and your ongoing support has led us to action this year, which

023um, feels really good. And there was reason to be um, thoughtful, I'll say, over the last few years. But, um, that sense of urgency hasn't left us. And so, uh, it's resulted in tonight's uh, information share. So the first slide shows just an overview of um the six major steps that we're taking in this curriculum review. Um we did take this process directly from DESIE. They share guidance on how districts should examine curriculum um as well as how to adequately invest both time and funding into appropriate implementation. So um if you're at all familiar with that process um this will look very familiar and just before getting into it whenever I refer to materials it refers to the publisher materials that are identified as approved as high quality by Desi. Um so stages one through

024four is what has been happening up until this moment. Um, and then as Superintendent Failen referred, I will be returning back in February at some point to go over more specifically what will happen in the preparation and implementation stages. Um, so as you see, you know, I'll review a little bit about the committee. Um, but I I thought about this a little bit in the three buckets of why, how, and what. So, um, it's not just kind of getting a pile of materials and having teachers look at them and decide what they like. Uh, we really wanted to frontload the why. So, what are the practices, the evidence, and the pedigogy behind what we do? Why? Why do we do it? What do we know about kids and their learning? >> And then look at

025the how. So, how are we going to measure the materials based on the why? And then you get to the what. I joked with the committee um a couple days ago during a meeting that we don't want to get distracted by the shiny pictures and you know sort of glossy material. We want to make sure what what is selected is really the right thing for us and our students here in Milton. So the committee um the committee is made up of 15 staff members across the district representing all grades, schools, and disciplines. Um you'll see here listed um these staff members have been participating in meetings regularly since June of last year when this committee was formed. Um they're an outstanding and committed member of educators who are really um committed to representing their colleagues

026well and making sure that we are going to put the best materials in front of students. So, as I said, these 15 members represent um a large swath of classroom teachers, special educators, reading specialists, as well as administrators. Um we're meeting roughly monthly. So, we're trying to embed our meetings into already existing structures so that we're not um pulling always from before after school, trying to make sure the the time we spend is really well um is well spent uh digging into the the information we need to. Um members also solicit input from colleagues in between our meetings and deepen their understanding of what we're talking about between those meetings as well. So you likely noticed that the um director of um DEIB FA Shavers and Daniel Wetmore, our director of student services are consulting

027members. So they are in the loop on all of our communications and our information that we're reviewing to consult on our next steps. Um and we wanted to make sure of that so that we do have the big picture of programmatic and equitydriven initiatives in the district. We also have the director of science K to8 Christy Chapeta and our early childhood director Bernardet Butler on the committee actively um to make sure that across content our literacy development is embedded into all parts of a student's day and to make sure that our earliest learners have a clear on-ramp for a strong start and it works in tandem with our existing K to5 resources. Um the second phase will include our director of social studies, Barbara Wright, so that we can also make sure our content is

028supporting the literacy practices that we know to work best. So then I'll go into the why. Um the professional learning. So this um this was a really important first step to make sure we level set and calibrate our understandings about the components of literacy, what the evidence tells us and what our experience tells us about students and um learners in Milton. So there's a platform uh called Cox Campus and it is a free online learning platform that is asynchronous. So you do it independently but it's interactive. So, um I don't know, you might have done a training or two where if you go to a different tab, the module shuts off. So, you can't just play it in the background. You have to really engage with it. It asks questions, you click, and it's a

029it's a whole thing. Um so, all participants engaged with this module over the summer and collectively completed 200 hours of PD over the summer um in a variety of topics that I'll get into, but it was all centered around the science of reading and structured literacy. So not all members completed all modules but all modules were completed by multiple members. So we had a good overlay of who um engaged with which platforms and that really is helping us to have deep conversations about um next steps in our process. This next slide shows um I'm sorry about the clicking. I didn't mean to put these in a little swish order. It wasn't intentional. Um these were the topics of the workshops that were offered. So these topics listed, you know, datadriven instruction, vocabulary instruction, um systematic

030phonics, uh reading fluency, writing, all of these ranged from either one and a half hours up to four hours. And so um I think if you I know if you completed them all, you completed 28 hours of PD, which we had a few members do. Um, and so it's a pretty wide range, but also included all of the um components of a program we'd be looking at. So following um now between September and October, we've been really deeply in the work of how. So now that we know some of and if not lots of the why um how do we want to evaluate materials um using that why? So the identification of priorities, we used our current and previous professional learning expertise and experiences in grade level students and standards um to look at and

031surface our priorities of specific areas of improvement. So we had deep discussions um and reflection to surface these priorities and make sure we are capturing the areas that we know um we want to shore up that we want to make more consistent for students and the committee elevated a very consistent three standards alignment and rigor equity and cultural responsiveness and instructional design and usability. So those three priorities um helped to develop and and solidify the rubric that we've agreed to use um when we do look at materials. This is this then led to us developing a rubric that we started with a desi rubric. So they provide you with a rubric when you're doing this work, but we wanted to make sure we're reflecting the local um the local lens of Milton because every district

032is different and every student body has different needs. So um yeah, so the rubric itself on the next slide um looks at things like and this will look similar to the modules that we engaged with things like writing vocabulary foundational skills, text and text text and task complexity um assessment and feedback varied instructional uh strategies. So, these are all the things um that we want to make sure we get right or at least as close to right as we can um with a resource. And so, just as we have been with the whole process, we're following the lead of the state in making adjustments to reflect our local context here in Milton. So, then we move into the what um which is what we're starting to do now. Uh we're just starting to look at

033um the materials and um it's important to note that when we talk about highquality instructional materials, which is how Desi refers to these publishers, um we're referring to it as a primary curricular resource. So what we know is that some of these programs can be very scripted. Um we do not want teachers to get something and read from a script and do exactly as it says. But what we do know and what we know to be true is that teachers are most effective when we have a consistent resource to have students experience each grade level similarly and use their expertise to make adjustments for the students in front of them and what they're showing them. Um, and so this is clearly part of the process we're in now. So we're looking at the six publishing

034or publishers that have highly approved um materials. Those are the six we're starting with and then we're in the process currently right now of narrowing down those choices. We're using the parameters that establish we established as a committee that was talked about earlier to identify a subset of programs to deeply investigate. So we're not going to deeply investigate and go watch in real time these six. We're we're hopefully narrowing it down to four or three. Um, and we're using curate, which is curriculum ratings by teachers, which is a local Massachusetts rating system, as well as ed reports, which is national, to identify the broad options and really look at the strengths and opportunities um in each of them. Following that narrowing down, we will um do a deeper dive by going to districts that use

035these curricula, interviewing teachers and administrators, observing classes and students um to see what it looks like in real time. Um there's a network that I am a member of, the Southshore Literacy Leaders Network, and um all the ones that are listed on DESIE are implemented by people that I work with in this committee. And so there are relationships there that we can tap into and go and visit their schools which is a great opportunity. Also if you have other questions about curating ed reports this those are links so you can click on them if anybody wants to do that in your free time. Um okay then there are two other items just under this title. Um, as I said, we're going to investigate each um against our practices and rubric um as well as visiting

036and seeing it in real time. And then we'll recommend the highest rated resource by the committee um available with the understanding that nothing is perfect and we'll need to calibrate given our local context. So, um it's just what it says it is. We're not going to find the dream. If we did, we'd be billionaires. Um, but we're going to do our very best. So, the next steps for this and looking ahead in February, as we've said, I'll come back and follow up with you to present and share the results of this part. Um, with the support and approval of the superintendent and then we will have more detailed next steps to present to you how we're thinking about the supports needed and the professional development needed and more um concretely what what that might look

037like. And of course, the budgetary impact cannot be overlooked. The initial materials will be purchased in the spring with funds that were already budgeted in our FY26 um budget costs. An additional PD over the summer during the 26 27 school year will be outlined and planned between now and February for the district district-wide FY27 budget. Um, generally a small group of teachers will be checking in regularly with their colleagues on the pacing and needs and any adjustments that need to be made. Um, and these are the steps that we anticipate. So, we're going to follow it as closely as we can. Um, but we'll make adjustments as we experience the reality of the selection and the adoption process. Okay. So again, these are this is sort of the pie in the sky what we think

038is going to happen and then we're going to adjust once we have a more um clear vision of what this looks like. So the idea would be to procure the materials in the spring so that we can get teachers guides and online platform loginins to be distributed early enough to staff before the end of the year to give time to really get familiar with as much as possible and have time to to connect with the committee who will be more familiar with the materials. Um use some PD time in the spring to give teachers to collaborate and look at these materials and then set implementation goals and timelines. So, we'll have a general idea in February, but once we have the materials, we'll be able to more specifically make a plan um and see what's

039realistic for professional learning related to that. The curriculum committee will collaborate to identify what areas may in the curriculum may need to be bolstered or where we might need to tailor it depending on our specific um context here in Milton. And then this is likely ambitious, but having a pacing or scope and sequence to take place before teachers leave for the summer. That part might be an evolution of a big picture and then we refine it over the summer. But that that would be the hope um that we don't come back to that work needing to be done. So, the FY27 budget will provide resources, and this is something that central office has communicated um in collaboration with Katie Blake to provide resources for this specific PD um needed over the summer and throughout the

040school year. And again, we'll go into more detail in February um as we have an actual publisher to work with. So, something important to know that we have already responded to some of the identified gaps that teachers we did a survey two years ago um with a sort of a like a 1.0 I know curriculum team that surveyed teachers to think about what is it that you find you're needing to supplement the most or what do you think is a gap that you have right now and phonics and foundational skills was a big one and I remember coming to you all and presenting that that was a finding um and you very generously supported our um ability to implement UFly which is a very highly um thought thought of curricular resource for that and so

041we've been doing that since the fall of 2024 and we've seen some good results in our dibbles data. Um and so this will dovetail well with whatever resource we find to be the best. Um lots of districts use that for that reason that it is very um effective and so we anticipate being able to continue the use of that resource that familiar resource for teachers um to make a comprehensive approach. So the ongoing training um that will be needed to make sure that the curriculum design and approach is on track with our goals and then of course we'll monitor student engagement and assessments for um impact and then adjust where needed. And that's sort of a three to five year that's more like you know ongoing what we do all the time um type of

042thing. And that's it. So thank you Ken very very much. Uh just a couple of clarifications before we take questions from the committee. Uh this was an important subject to the community. I think a lot of communities over the last few years. So we're very thankful that the committee uh put forward the funding through last year's budget moving into the FY26 budget in order for this work to take place. uh it provides us a huge jump start in getting this preparation work, planning work uh with the desi resources combined with the local view of our experts in the classrooms uh in Milton. Um and also very much thankful that uh Cat and her team are looking at the UFly phonics as part of this approach. No one publisher has all of the needed uh tools

043and platforms and techniques for any one subject. So whatever we buy for a platform or a publisher or um a curriculum will always need to be supplemented. And I think the phonics approach that's been happening in Milton over the last few years has left the teachers and students in very good hands. So I want families to know that what's going on in ELA right now and early literacy is really working and Kyler and I saw that firsthand at a couple of the elementary schools with the UFly phonics lesson happening. That was just amazing. it the ease at which all students in the room were available to access this in tier one instruction uh between the technology on the board and the use of the uh the strategies that the teacher was putting in place were

044incredibly impressive for someone who was just a secondyear teacher. The curriculum was that user friendly to students and to staff. So, thank you for looking at it this way to be complimentary in the work that you're doing this year. And um the way that we'll we're looking at our budgeting cycle is based on our philosophy of what we need, which is based on the priorities that we have as a district now, which this is one. And so, uh Katie has already established a professional development line in the budget that will be dedicated to not only text materials and supplies, but also PD for next year. So we'll need to be able to orchestrate that through our finance work to support not just this initiative but how the professional development will work in a cycle form

045that Ker is putting together with all of the leadership team that we'll be meeting with tomorrow. So uh this is very much the beginning of creating that healthy cycle of you know committees uh investigating learning using statewide rubrics to identify good materials. uh take a look at what the local need is and the local pieces of work that we already do well and then implement professional development, choose a um a publisher and then we'll have funding for summer, we'll have funding for the fall in order for those uh folks to meet, talk and develop the skills in the classroom with the new platform. So this will be a very organized approach to the work that I think the community the community has been waiting for for a while. So I think the last two years

046have been very healthy with the UFI and thankfully uh this work will then extend that to be a complete early literacy program for the town of Milton that is kind of under the umbrella of what Desi has already researched uh and what we think will be best for Milton locally. So thank you Kat for doing all the work and leading this work and to all the committee members which is a very big group by the way that represents all different grades all four elementary schools special education in our uh DEIB work as well. So, this is a comprehensive view that I think the town has been waiting for and we're really excited to deliver this year and be ready for September of 25 26. >> I'm just really happy about this. I'm so happy about

047this. I feel like >> a year ago this wasn't even on our like not like it was felt impossible >> and now to see September 2026 >> as you know. Yeah. It's like wow that's right around the corner. So, thank you so much for everything. >> Well, thank you for being with me. And, you know, we've I feel like we've been talking about this for a while. >> We have and I'm psyched. >> Teachers have also been like, "Oh, is it time in a good way?" Like, you know, we're doing the good work, but it's going to feel really good. >> Yeah. No. And I'm I'm glad to hear that you collected all that data last year and kind of finding out what the holes are and hopefully that'll kind of >> help this process

048along. So, I'm really excited. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I I also want to echo that I love your approach for this whole project. You start with the why because that is the most important thing because as you said there are a lot of curriculums out there and there's no one curriculum can fix all the problems regardless what subject we are teaching or what subject we're learning. and is great for the teacher to have access to multiple curriculums and be able to pull the useful material for the students to to use in the class or for homework. You know, meaningful homeworks is important. If homeworks is not meaningful, maybe we should not have homework, right? >> Yeah. So, I'm I'm glad that you're looking at the why perspective and then move on to the

049how and the what. >> Thank you so much for doing this work. Mark >> um again similarly very very excited appreciative u of all the work you're doing as I'm wondering within the rubric development like is there a particular ELA skill that you are like most hoping >> the new curriculum will support uh >> yeah it's a good question um I mean you know the answer is all of them but the the re the real we had a team we're participating in a consortium grant with um Curry, Stonehill, Randolph, Brainree, and Milton. This is our second year in the grant. And what the way we're using this grant is yesterday we were able to bring a team of eight um along with the administrators and it was about writing and science and using content writing

050to drive >> um the writing process and assess that. And that has been the area I think writing, most districts, if they're being honest, will tell you writing is the hardest. um I don't want to say the hardest subject to teach, but it is a real nebulous being because you to get your hands around the craft, the conventions, idea development. Um there's so many components. It's such a lift cognitively. Um, I think I'd say writing. Um, and you know, I think, um, it's the hardest to find to be linear, but my work with Christy Chapeta, the science director, we're doing a lot of thinking around how to make it easier for teachers to maximize minutes because there's never enough time. How do we not ignore the content standards, but use the writing content standards to

051work with the science investigations to move the writing process? So, we've got already sort of got some ideas on whichever resource surfaces as the the selection to make sure we're being thoughtful about how it works with our other resources as well. So, I >> short answer is writing. >> Does the district currently use or is the like plan to use kind of a standard um writing kind of brainstorming tool, planning tool that you know kids kind of build on? >> Yep. So it that's been a big conversation in the K to8 world. Um here in Milton right now people are using different things. You might hear um a racist approach like it's restate answer the question claim and then evidence you know um and then some people use the three C. So there are a

052lot of different things. Our hope is that we will have a common language so that students no matter especially when they go from elementary to Pierce that there's a similar language and vernacular that they don't have to relearn. Um the hope is that it will be the same. There's a balance then between you know teacher craft as well. Um so balancing balancing those two things but yes the hope would be that we have a a similar writing approach across the bands. >> Thank you. You're welcome. Um, Kad, thank you for this. I echo everything over there and also appreciate the rigor and kind of planfulness of the process. I have two quick things related to the rubric. One is I I assume when you purchase a curriculum like this, you're not just one day receiving

053a giant FedEx box on your on the front step. You're like establishing a business relationship with the publisher that includes >> some kind of wraparound support. Yeah. >> So, I I I think I would just um recommend that you include some kind of assessment of the quality of that relationship and whether it's in the rubric or something else >> as you're assessing that because even if you buy the best curriculum, but you have a frustrating >> Yes. >> business partnership with that publisher, >> that could just leave a bad taste in your mouth for sure and everyone else. >> Yes. um it will be part of my interview questions for the districts when we get to visit um to just ask about their experience with customer service because it is it can really thwart your

054attempts to have a strong implementation. >> So it's a good point to raise. >> Great. And then on on the rubric um you mentioned that you you all will develop a rubric with looking at these three areas and other things and that you will somehow account for the unique flavor of Milton. >> Can you just say another couple sentences about that like what that might look like or where you might be differentiating the rubric? >> Yeah, so the rubric itself won't reflect those differences. um the differences come from the conversation as a committee that we have. So it's this balance of qualitative and quantitative data collection around this process. The rubric obviously provides that quantitative you know we we do need the numerical ratings because you know we're kind of educators are very good at

055finding the good in everything. Um but we do need a delineation of well is it really good or is it just okay. Um the qualitative part of it comes from so if you have taught kindergarten for five or 15 years you've you've taught to the standards that are on the rubric but but in reality as it plays out as you've been in this space what are the nuances that aren't in the rubric and how does that influence our ability to use those ratings. So um it will be less so quantitative and more qualitative as we discuss because as Desi has noted those six curricula are high quality but it doesn't mean that they're going to be high quality um or easily implemented here. So the different demands of our schedule. So we have you know

056languages that are earlier on. So how does that go with our timeline? like some publishers recommend um 90 uh 90 to 120 minutes a day in a fifth grade or fourth grade classroom when they have you know future problem solving and um language and you know all these different things. So we need to consider the local parameters that are specific to Milton. So, I think that's more so what it would be. Um, and looking at data, you know, like what what are the students, you know, where is it that we need to focus in and what parts of the rubric would speak to that and sort of looking at that? And I would then do that with central office and say, you know, I'm looking at like accessibility to all learners. Do we see any

057differences in our performance in subgroup data? Things like that. >> Is that >> Yeah, that's really helpful. >> Okay. >> Can I ask one more thing just as part of that? What role in the I suppose in the more qualitative evaluation >> will the French immersion the the fact that we have a language immersion program in the district play in how you evaluate. >> Yeah. So in grades one and two um it doesn't because this is an English language arts and we know that French language arts is um complete immersion in one and two. um it won't play a a a big role in three, four and five as we once students get to three, four and five, we use the UFly in grade three only in the French immersion portion because we know that

058the foundational skills are really what is different it could be different about our students as they enter in. it takes a few months for those uh early literacy foundational skills to transfer from the language of French to English in a formal academic setting. Um beyond that, they've been experiencing the standards of reading and writing in a different language. And you know, we allow time for that, but it wouldn't necessarily impact our the materials we're using. Um it'll still be grade level standardsbased. We just allow for a longer on-ramp for those skills to be demonstrated in grade three. >> You anticipate keeping you fly as like the bridge >> there? Okay. Thank you. >> Based on right now on October 22nd >> questions. >> I'm so sorry I was late from a work event and I

059look forward to watching the presentation and thank you. >> Do you want to go ahead? No, after you please. >> Um, thank you. That was that was great. It was really helpful. I had a couple of questions. Um, >> within the rubric and this might apply to all curriculum, >> but is do you look at the ability for the curriculum to be modified? Yes. >> And like and so and where would that fall within the rubric >> in the rubric? Yeah, it would fall within the accessibility portion. So, we have um I think it's two maybe three items on the rubric that address um our ability to make whatever materials they are accessible to all students. Now, that would be students who are um English language learners, students who are on an IEP, students who

060may have already demonstrated mastery of a content or standard in a grade level. What does that look like? Um and so that that is a large consideration in our um in the second I think it's the second or it might even be the first the rigor and the um standardsbased nature like how do we provide scaffolds and and when do we remove those scaffolds and how does that work? >> So yes I was also very happy to hear you say about the writing. I think that's one of the things that I see a lot of that it's in in other, you know, in other districts, it's just when you're talking about the writing, there's never really necessarily a program that's mentioned or consistency around how it's taught. And I think to your to your point

061earlier, there is like a higher order level of thinking that it requires. So you, you know, it's a lot of information synthesis and then, you know, then then ex then sharing what you know. Um, and that goes across all subjects. So I think that that's really helpful. Um so thank you for that. Of course >> I had one other thought and question and I know when you were you talked about who you reach like getting input from um people locally and talking about that piece of it. There's a lot you read about with states like Mississippi where they have really incredible, you know, they've seen a lot of growth with their reading scores. are the is the is there the opportunity or or do you reach out or see what some of the programs that

062uh the curriculum that they're using in those areas where they've seen such success or do we kind of keep it more local? >> Yeah, it's a good question. We are seeing a lot I was having this conversation last week with some colleagues um in Canton. You see a lot of growth in a lot of those states. Um there was a lot of growth to be had, right? So, you know, I'm not that's just sort of what it was. And you see um the Massachusetts legislation that has come down about you know the dyslexia screener as well as science of reading that was came later because it was I don't want to say less urgent because every child's experience is urgent but on the aggregate we weren't in Massachusetts doing as poorly so it wasn't as

063necessary to make it a law whereas these other states it became a mandatory law so you saw entire states like Tennessee, Mississippi adopting one curriculum. >> Um, which is interesting. And so we're sort of catching, it sounds funny to say, we're catching up in terms of the trend for this. >> Um, so it's it's it's a little different here. It's also a very different culture in Massachusetts as it is in some other southern states when it comes to um, you know, teachers craft of teaching and and choice based things like that. So we are talking locally about what the trends are and who's finding success with which programs and and why. And I would say on the whole um there isn't one that's like you know everybody is happy with and there isn't one that

064everybody says is terrible. So what that tells me is that um like most things it le it matters less about when you have a group of high quality things it matters less about what it is. It's what we're going to do with it. So, so that is to to Ba's point like why we start with the why. Um, and I know I'm getting off topic, but um that's something we're talking a lot about because you're right in states like Mississippi, they've seen much to their credit some incredible growth >> um in their early literacy. >> That's great. Thank you. >> Yeah, sure. >> Yeah, just a couple things. I think to that last point, I I agree. I mean, I think there multiple high quality things. I think my experience too, it's also not just

065what you do with it, but the buy in >> around the implementation that like people actually are going to take the material out, not just use the thing they've used for the last 10 years because they're familiar with it and feel comfortable with it, the sports feel comfortable with the new things. So, appreciate the thoughtfulness with the roll out and all that. >> Um, it's great work. Um, two last questions I had was this is again I like we're looking at K through five curriculum implementation. this is not middle school focused. Uh is there I mean I know some of these curriculums obviously roll up through grades seven or eight. >> Is there a thought of is that a consideration at all within the curriculum selection that this is something that you know could be

066in the future purchased for middle school or that's not a consideration within kind of the rubric or evaluation. >> So that is not a consideration in this case. I would say um I would be very hesitant to do that. I think um in my experience um and I'm not ar I'm not at all suggesting we do this but there are more similarities in grades four and five to six through eight than there are sometimes in K to one to four and five. So you know in some ways this is based on our structure of our schools and in sort of the physical structure of how we're we operate. Um but in thinking pedagogically I I don't I haven't seen a resource that would make sense for that. Um we are doing some analysis this year

067with the middle school teams in our departments to look at the efficacy and the um just again it's been five years now since we implemented Amplify. So, we're doing what we do best is look at data and look at impact and and student behavior and engagement and um it's just on a different scale because it's not the same um it's not the same like we're not doesn't have the same budgetary impact nor does it are we finding it warrants this kind of overhaul. Um so K to 5 is really where we're looking. >> Gotcha. Um last question I have was on just time within the school day. A lot of these curriculums are very clear about the minutes requirements and things and is that >> from your assessment thus far something that will be >>

068a barrier to certain adoptions uh because we just either don't have the time or we have kind of restrictions. >> No, it won't be a barrier. Um I mean we always could use more time but um I don't see that as a barrier. No, there's there's like one outline curriculum that says like teach for three hours and it's just that's nobody does that. That would be >> Thank you, >> Captain. We really look forward to your work and appreciate and value your work and the work of the committee from now uh until February. We really excited to come back uh in a few months and hear about what the the team has um discovered and what they're recommending. Um, we're excited also on the budget side of things to make sure that you have the

069resources that you need in order for the staff to uh choose a curriculum that fits the town of Milton and the Milton public school students and staff. And we're really excited about the roll out once we decide on the product. So, thank you for all your work. We very much appreciate it and have a great night. >> Thank you. Thank you all for your ongoing support. >> Have a good night. You too. >> All right. Next up is the chair's report. Um so the first item um the first and only real update that I have is um I shared with all of you that we did receive a response from the commissioner regarding our waiver request to um extend um Superintendent Balen's term for the 26 27th school year. Um and that was denied. um

070that was not um commissioner the commissioner did not um he recognized the challenges that we've had in leadership and the argument that we made. However, he um believes in upholding the policy in the process and that would be that we would be applying for that waiver for the 26 27th school year in March. Um that would then start in July. Um and I think as we've all said we uh we believe that we need the leadership stability for another year and um so we the other alternative path we have is to um explore alternative pathways with um John to um see if we can come to an agreement outside of the waiver process for an additional year. So, our next steps are uh working with Joe Emerson and with John over the next couple of

071weeks to see if we can come to an agreement. We would then hold um we have our next school committee meeting on um November 5th. So we would hold an executive session then during which we could talk about any agreement that we came to if and we would also have um this on the on the public on the agenda for the public meeting and during which time we could vote um if we came to an agreement and discuss that or we could if we did not move forward and weren't able to come to an agreement we could talk about the process for implementing or starting a search for a permanent superintendent. I think we all I I'm I know that I'm speaking for everyone that we hope that we can have the relationship continue for

072another school year. I think that it would be really beneficial to the community and to the school community. Um so that's the intent. So that's where we are. So we the the waiver was denied. We will regroup over the next couple weeks. We will have an executive session and an open session on the 115 meeting. So not the outcome we had hoped for. Um but also not completely unexpected knowing um that it's a very processoriented um department. Um any on that? No. All right. And then the only other update that I have is fall town meeting is next week. We will be there. Uh we don't have there is there isn't a warrant for us, but we will be there. The first meeting is the first night is Monday night, October 27th, and then they're

073holding the dates of the 28th and the 29th as well. >> That was it. Short and sweet. Um, we will then jump to the finance committee uh finance subcommittee report. >> Uh, finance subcommittee met uh this today. Uh, we also met last week. uh continue to do work around um the budget uh overall um and appreciate all the work that John and Katy Gar are doing on behalf um for the district managing those things. We obviously voted on the budget calendar previously. We've um as we discussed kind of at the last update here, we've been talking about kind of the budget priorities. That's a document that John uh shared and put in our school committee u materials today. Uh, and so I will kind of pass it over to him to talk a little bit

074further about that. >> Just if there's any any other framing you want to give around the budget priorities here, that the philosophy that we put in there. >> So, uh, thank you, Mark. We've had several uh finance meetings this year and uh there was a recommendation that we really start to think about uh before we start doing the calculations of a budget uh uh that we actually start to build our philosophy and our priorities for the budget this year that are based and rooted in the priorities and uh strategy that we have for the district related to teaching and learning. So just as we had met in this room uh early September about the school committee goals being connected to the superintendent's goals which are connected to the leadership goals uh that are driving instruction

075in our schools every day. Um we use those same priorities when we think about how we want to budget our resources to support those goals. So to to all of us it feels like a very good sequence of events and a very strategic look at how we want to organize the district and then uh that organization should be supported by the resources. So the uh the FY27 budget philosophy and priority statement uh literally is uh uh an outline uh of what we're looking to do in establishing the budget this year. um what initiatives that we would like to move forward with as it relates to our five priorities for the year. And um just a recap uh for the public at home and this document will be posted. Um and to paraphrase a bit, the

076first thing that we want to do is make sure that we set up a budgetary process in a financial strategy that um supports the good stewardship of our tax dollars towards our teaching and learning the classroom and the and the staff that we serve and the students that we serve. So we have to have a sustainable budget that supports all the things that we need for our students or most of the things that we need for our students. um and also um is aligned with uh the financial support and revenue that we have from the town. >> We can't plan for more because we have to plan for what we have. Uh and we've had a generous override uh just last spring. Uh the town has done their job. We thank them for that. And

077then now it's our job to make sure that we budget uh the the correct amount of funds and make sure our lines in our budget are aligned to support teaching and learning and also the other parts of the budget that we wanted to talk about. So uh the district resources from a teaching and learning perspective will focus on uh robust tier one instruction. We've heard this before. It'll focus on data informed instruction. It'll focus on increasing rigor and high expectations and high support uh in the classroom. It'll focus on taking strategic actions for all of our underperforming students uh that we that we see in our recent data uh with the MCCAST coming out last month and also the continued cultivation of culture and climate in our classrooms, in our schools and in the district.

078So, we feel that that in in really encapsulates what we want to do in the schools this year and the budget should follow. When we start to look at prioritizing the budget, uh the first thing we want to think about from a budget perspective, not necessarily teaching and learning perspective, is all of our budget lines need to be uh supported with revenue that fits what our expenditures over time have been. So this goes back to budget versus actuals. We want to make sure that we know exactly what each line of our budget needs. Um, and we learn about that by looking backwards 3 to four years so we can see what those expenses are. And we also want to make sure that as we do that that we support the lines in the budget that

079aren't as visible to folks. So, we had this conversation this morning in finance subcommittee. All of our revolving accounts really need to be supported um in the budget. Uh, this year our transportation line didn't have as much money as we thought, so we have to support that this year. So, we're really going through the budget and identifying areas of the budget that aren't as visible like salary, FTE count, text materials and supplies, but how much money do we have in our transportation revolving account? How much money do we have in our out of district uh um um out of district student tuition account? Is our transportation account revolving account funded in a way that supports all aspects of the district? So those are the behindthe-scene pieces that we really want to support as well because

080they have to be healthy in order for the complete budget uh to be supported throughout the school year. So that stewardship and that sustainability over time uh is something that we're paying attention to and I really want our community members to hear that loud and clear because that kind of sustainability over time will build predictability for the schools which allows for us to be more strategic and think long term. It's hard to think long term when you don't have the money to do what you need to do tomorrow. So, it's really hard to plan for next year when you don't know if you're going to get by tomorrow. So, we're really we're really thoughtful about this being uh a learning opportunity for the last three years of our financial planning, what we're doing this year

081and how we're looking at the next three years. So, this is not a one-year budget, it's the beginning of a three-year budget for us. Um the other priorities are that we have in our philosophy and our priority list is just matching our goals. We want strong tier one instruction. We want to make sure the teachers have what they need like an early literacy curriculum that actually has the ability for teachers to access materials for students to be able to be challenged uh across accessibility levels that they see in their classrooms. We also want to actively talk about how we can fund learning gaps that we see in our schools, especially to some of the students who have historically not made benchmark. That's not acceptable in the town of Milton. Every student should be a benchmark.

082We have to make sure that we take care of that work and we have to be strategic and thoughtful about how we do different things for different students in order to scaffold them to where they need to be at grade level. And that's something that we'll be targeting our budget towards as well. Um, learning gaps is is something that we have been looking at in the data and are wanting to address uh this year and next year and over the next few years. And lastly, we want to make sure our budget includes things that make sure that families feel valued, welcomed in schools. Uh something that would come under the the district classroom culture and climate would be, you know, we had a real struggle this year with transportation. Families weren't happy with the school

083proper because they couldn't get their children to school on time or safely. So, under that bucket, an example would be, well, we need to prioritize a bus. Something very simple like that. Um something an example for tier one instruction would be providing the funds for professional development for the summer for early lit early literacy program and also funding for PD throughout the year to ensure that there's a continuity of support for those teachers as they implement it as the first year goes through. Uh funding learning gaps could be providing more math intervention specialists at the elementary schools. We have one per school and the Tucker has one and a half. So we should really be thoughtful and look at our scores and find out is there any room for us to shift our schedule, review

084our FTE allocations and how can we support students in the area of math and the early grades in the in the in early literacy etc. Um so trying to give some examples that there'll be concrete examples that we will bring to you in the budget process that say we're prioritizing these four or five or six or seven things but remember the budget's only so big. So it might mean that something may not be funded because we need to align the funding with our priorities. So I think that we've collectively agreed that our areas of focus this year have been very solid. Our staff is buying into it. We're hearing from the principles that the the educators are very happy with the direction that we're going and feel that they're being supported in their work each

085day in the classroom. So now it's our turn to support that financially and target our resources to the classroom and to the teachers that we uh depend on. uh in order to get the student outcomes that we need. So, this is just a two-page document that we'll post on the website for folks to read. And when folks say, "Well, how are you going about determining what's good for the district around how you budget?" This is the beginning of that process. >> Yeah. Just want to again thank John, thank Katie as always. Really appreciate um John just carrying the water of kind of putting this together and as he said, aligning this with kind of other priorities that we've obviously already talked about here. Um, and the goal that, you know, I think we all saw

086obviously with the experience last year, but John has been I I think like from a finance side laser focus on from day one of that long-term budget sustainability and how how important that is and how we need to have a clear path forward. That's also something we'll be talking about in next finance committee of like starting to talk through ideas around policies uh related to rollover budgets um um you know the circuit breaker uh accounts things like that to make sure that we have good checks and balances in place for those things. So I appreciate all all of that work. Any questions um folks have around the budget priority? >> Just had a comment. Um I think as it relates to the conversation that we just had about the urban literacy understanding the why. So

087when I think that that's really important for everything that we're doing. So even even the way that we come to meetings and have a presentation why are we doing this? We're doing it to inform. We're doing it to discuss. But I think with respect to the budget I think it's really helpful to your point when people um ask why something is or is not being funded. This is the why. does it fit within this? And I think it helps I think it helps um streamline and and you know manage that conversation more easily so people understand what get you know what does get funded and what doesn't. So thank you for that. >> You're welcome. >> Uh great. Uh another thing that we talked about today uh Katie put together the quarter one uh budget

088reports. Uh that was also in the materials. Uh we were able to review that this morning. um ask Katie some questions. She always very very well prepared. The summary page of that is always very helpful to kind of give you context of where we currently stand. Uh I think like from broad strokes perspective um feel good about where things stand. the work that Katie and the team is doing around kind of getting more information into the financial system with regard to incumbrances so we can anticipate um expenditures throughout the year better than we were last year uh and can improve those financial um systems. And then obviously the that document also reflects some of the reallocation work that this committee um has been made aware of previously around not backfilling certain roles in order to

089strengthen certain line items. And I think you can see really clearly within the quarter one report how helpful uh that work and the the work that Katie and John did in within that was to kind of strengthen certain line items where clearly we ended last year above uh the the budget amount. And so uh the budget amount for this year and so we are in a much better place now than we were back on July 1st and certainly a much better place than we've been in the last few years. So again really appreciate Bill's efforts on that. Anything else you want to share on the quarter of one report? >> No, the only thing that I would add is that the report, so we do have the budget website that is a part of the

090district's website. So the quarter 1 report will be posted to the website. So, if there's anyone that is watching the meeting tonight that wanted to be able to review um the quarter 1 report, there will be a copy of it there as well as a copy of the budget philosophies. We try to just structure the report in a way that there is a memo that provides some context. There's also a financial exhibit that has expenditures organized by cost center. Um there is a revolving fund report which the revolving funds are separate from the operating budget. Um and then the last piece of the report is just a definition for some of the terms that are used within the report. So, just for um folks that might not be familiar with some of the terms that

091we're using because they are somewhat specific to school finance, there's u somewhat of a glossery of terms contained within the report. So, I'm happy to answer any specific questions that you might have about the financial report or any of the context within the report, but I just wanted to add that just in case anyone was um wanted to take a look at the report or review that. >> I also just want to compliment uh Assistant Superintendent Blake. the the report out by cost center is an incredibly detailed document that shows what was budgeted uh how that budget number was updated by line by cost center what's been encumbered and what's already been expended so far this year and then what the balance is for the rest of year so these are the types of questions

092that I think folks were asking last year where and when can we get on how can we see what you've spent to date uh this isn't this isn't just a larger uh yeah where we spent about you know 20% of our our budget this so far this year. This is based on about 15 cost centers. And within each cost center, there's another six or seven lines of the budget for a cost center in all those categories of what's encumbered, what's been spent, uh what's already budgeted, uh what's the percentage of those dollars that have been expended this year. So, I do encourage those folks who want to find out more about how we work uh financially and where we sit with our reporting and being very explicit about what we're doing with the budget this

093year to visit the budget page and to see Katie's work. And please read the narrative because a narrative really brings the story of the the data and the reports together in a way that actually is the essence of why a Q1, Q2, Q3 process is better than just giving folks the lines of the budget because there's a story behind every cost center. There's a story behind every line and uh we want to make sure that people have the complete picture. So Katie, thank you very much for an extremely comprehensive document. >> Oops. >> Thank you, Katie. Just two other things I'll say that uh the recording of our uh finance discussion this morning is already up on MATV. Uh so that continues those things continue to be posted and so folks want more detail they

094can do that and then we will also be sharing the quarter one report with the budget coordination committee uh now that is hit your desk. Um so after tonight we'll kind of forward that over and that will be something that will also be reviewed in that context as well. Any questions about quarter? Uh last thing just update on finance. I mentioned kind of our next meeting we're working on some of the the rollover accounts policies things. Another thing to note is on Feb, sorry, November 3rd at 7 PM, we'll be going in front of the warrant committee for uh kind of a budget school finance 101 presentation similar to what we did last year. This is obviously not any information on our FY27 budget request or anything because we don't have any of that yet,

095but just a kind of intro of how the school finance work. Katie put together a draft uh agenda previously um that kind of the finance committee looked at. We shared it with more committee. They gave a thumbs up. So, we're preparing to do that on the 3. Uh sent an email to Charlene and believe it will be cross-osted if any other school committee members want to come. Everybody obviously can attend since it'll be crossosted. Um but that will be on the third at 10 o'clock. Anything else I miss from finance show? Are we meant to vote on the report? >> I'll vote. >> It says vote >> vote on the goals. >> Oh, no. We do have the >> the Q1 report. >> The Q1. >> Do we vote on Q1 reports? >> Says to

096approve the FY26 first quarter report motion. >> I don't remember us. >> I don't think we did that. I don't believe we've done that previously. >> Yeah, I don't think it it is something that requires approval. It's more just a report from the department to the school committee to keep us informed. And so there's no >> right legal reason we need to vote for >> unlike a budget or something. >> Um so there were two other items under the finance. So the capital requests. >> Yeah. So we we did not have the chance to and uh we did not put the capital request for the technology department on the agenda. So we can put that at next Wednesday's finance committee agenda. In your packet though, you can see the preview from director of technology Bob

097Patterson uh with his u uh capital uh plan for technology uh that is a revolving uh five-year plan with a narrative of uh what has already happened and what he plans to do uh in each category that's attached to that. And we're also working with um down below I think Tom McCathy provided the capital plan to the facilities committee and they can report out then but we will um >> okay >> bring the capital request for technology to the finance subcommittee next week and bring it to the next meeting. >> Great. >> And I haven't reviewed the warrant yet. >> Okay. All right. >> Um policy subcommittee. >> Okay. Um so policy met last Tuesday. Um, and uh, one of the things that we talked about is the new uh, policy JF, which is the

098middle school pathway exploration policy. It's in your packet for tonight uh, with more detail, but it's basically to ensure that all middle school students and their families are informed about the high school options um, for career and technical education as well as vocational programs. Um and this is so that we're in alignment with state and desi guidelines. Um and so this policy basically outlines the process that we have been following basically but it's in policy format. Um and as you might know our district partners with um local and regional and architectural agricultural public high schools like Blue Hills Regional and Norfol County Agricultural High School uh to provide access for these programs. So, we're actually really lucky to have these partnerships so that um you know that so our kids have more options out there

099and um this is something that starts in 9th grade and uh we cover the cost of these for our students to attend there. So um and so um again these partnerships have been u have been great and we've been kind of maintaining them for several years now. Right. So um and then what we did in policy was to we made a motion to approve the draft policy and um for an expedited and first and final reading for tonight. So that's um a motion that we have in for tonight. Um we also discussed our student assignment uh process policy um and the enrollment procedure that we've um we've basically been using. But we there's no change to the policy. Uh but we have kind of updated the timeline so that there's only two um um basically

100lotteryies. Um so there's that first initial one that includes all students that currently um attend MPS and then the second one by pushing our date to towards the end of June allows for families that reside in Milton but don't currently attend Milton public school. So just kind of streamlining the process and some of the things that we discussed was basically clearer communication and uh just more advanced notice of the timelines and so that um it's more equitable. And so I think John you mentioned you were going to present on this. >> Yes, I will. at our next meeting. >> Yeah, at our next meeting, I will have what that um that updated timeline looks like uh for assignment not only for grade one, >> which is maybe the driver of this conversation, but also for

101all families coming new to Milton and how do they register? How do we communicate with them and how do they make uh make sure that they're plugged into school in Milton as they enter as a new family at all grades, but the driver is the grade one uh discussion that was uh I believe connected to the spring. So, we want to make sure we clarify that for the community. So, we'll put that on the agenda for uh November 5 meeting. >> Great. And so, we do have a couple of motions. Um I can we also have motions and uh second readings of policy IKF and IKFE which are the graduation requirements and competency determination also. Um and then of course the policy JF which is the middle school pathway exploration policy. So, um I don't

102know if there's any discussion on those first two. I know Mark you had sent a note um if we wanted to talk about it. So I can I can go ahead and make a motion for the policy JF first and then Okay. So using the expedited approval process um actually is there any discussion on that policy before I make the motion? >> I think just for context I think you might have hit but Desi came out with this in September and required it to be approved in November. So it's a very >> quick turnaround. >> Yeah. >> From not because the department did not get on top of things with because Jesse >> kind of forced their hand very quickly. >> Yeah. This is this is uh in response to the larger conversation about vocational

103and technical education uh across the state and the state really wants to make sure that uh every school district has the ability to communicate with their families in order to show them a pathway to vocational school so they're uh well informed and making those decisions about what high school they want to go to if they want to go to vocational school. Uh and also that uh for towns lucky enough to be part of a vocational partnership like we are with with Blue Hills Regional in Northfor Aggie uh that there's that there's a a policy in place to make sure that we're following that. Thankfully, the middle school has always been doing all the things that were asked uh and we're just codifying that in the MASC policy format that was provided. So this is a

104new policy. Uh MASC provided the document. we put in our process that was aligned with the DESIE expectation. Um, and that's why there's no redline version. This is the first policy of its kind in our in our policy manual. >> Okay, questions. Okay, great. Then using the expedited approval process, motion is uh made to approve policy JF, middle school pathway exploration policy. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. All in favor? Unanimous. Thank you. Okay. So then I guess we can go back to um the um just a discussion of the competency determination as well as graduation requirements. If we want to just >> talk. Yeah, we had a really good conversation about this uh at our second meeting uh for this topic. Uh there was a suggestion by uh uh member

105luring about do we want to keep MCCAST and keep the graduation requirements as they are in the common in the competency determination policy and the discussion in the reminder that I want to give everybody the context. This is a section of the program of studies. This is not an addition to it's not a separate document. It's embedded into our program of studies. So what does it take to graduate from Milton High? It used to take all the coursework that is named and MCCAST. Now MCCAST by state um law given the vote that was taken by the public no longer is a requirement. So we're just now making sure and reiterating that the competency determination to graduate from Milton High which is also embedded into the course of studies which this body has voted every year

106as part of your uh due diligence is to be able to pass uh the uh demonstrate competency in the coursework provided. We did discuss having the pathway of MCCAST or passing those subjects uh and I will let the members speak to their thoughts on that. We felt it was maybe uh confusing number one uh not necessarily because it was a moot point. If you're going to pass the classes to graduate, you don't necessarily have to take MCCAST and it's no longer uh a needed uh avenue for folks to go down because it wouldn't be in place of >> you'd still have to take the courses to graduate. So, it became a move point for lack of a better term. Um so, I just wanted to remind the context. I I think that this feels like

107something that's new and different because we're actually creating a policy around it that we never had to have before. Uh but this is basically an extension of what we've already done every year by voting the program of studies in what students need to know and be able to do by the time they graduate. um to this this company's competency determination uh which I believe will be a short-lived policy because the state will come up with what the next generation of uh expectations are for formal graduation across the state uh in each high school will probably come out in the next one or two years. Um and so I think we talked a little bit about that at the last meeting, but I hope that generally represents the discussion that we had at the policy meeting

108last week. So, um, if there are no other questions, I can go ahead and make a motion to approve the second reading of policy IKF graduation requirements. I have a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? Unanimous. And then I will make a motion to approve the second reading for policy IKF, competition determination. Do I have a second? Sorry, I thought we just voted compensation. >> Oh, sorry. Graduation request. >> We just voted graduate. Oh, sorry. >> Um, have a second. Second. Okay. All in favor. Do you need Okay, >> I Yeah, I would love to go back to graduating. I apologize because I thought we just talked about competency determination, not graduation requirement, but that's fine. I didn't >> I I can actually can I provide some context? I think it's important to uh

109to to hear some of the concerns related to this or just clarify >> the graduation policy when we were asked by MASC and the state to go through and hold or establish a brand new policy which is called competency determination which we just voted when we read the literature to prepare for that work it said oh and by the way this should build on and be embedded or part of your graduation requirement policy. So then we thumb through our policy book and realized that Milton never had a graduation policy. It always had a graduation requirement that was voted by the se uh by the school uh committee through its vote in the program of study. So it's always been there, but it was never represented by a policy. So we thought we should get our

110wagon in order and make sure that that actually is part of our policy booklet. the the vote that we're taking tonight or just took tonight uh to incorporate IKF, the graduation requirement policy, only represents what we're doing right now. It was only intended to represent what the last vote of the um program of studies was probably last January and the current one that we're working under. We do know uh that there is um uh work that would like to be uh done or initiatives taken on in order to expand uh increase the rigor uh change some of those graduation requirements as exampled by the conversation we had about a potential 2-year minimum for world language that we talked about. So this this this vote only codifies um the requirements that we're currently existing under that

111you voted last January and that any new requirements that we cultivate over time like the world language one as one example would then have to be embedded into this policy when that becomes complete and we present that that initiative to the committee moving forward or any other initiative for that matter. So can you clarify then because my assumption was if we were crafting a policy it'd be a time to discuss changes to the pol whatever that is what is in from your perspective the appropriate time to have this discussion is that in January within the course of study review when Karen comes and presents and that at that point we would expect that y'all would have some type of presentation data on any proposed changes that the department would would like to make or not

112make to graduation requirements at that date, but that this just you want more time to do that. Is that >> So I think it's a it might be um I haven't been here for the program of studies presentations but my experience in uh my work as a superintendent has been >> by the time the principal brings it to the school committee. It's already been vetted by the leadership team that they surround themselves with in order to move some of the work they are doing in the department that they expect to but could be a course change. It could be adding something uh in one of the departments. Um it could be early language around um world language changes that would not be ready by this January obviously. Uh but that's what it would include. If

113in fact the school committee would like to have us explore things in preparation for that January, I think we should start talking about that now. Not necessarily like now tonight related to the policy but in anticipation of the annual discussion in vote of the uh program of studies if there's anything that the school committee would like to us to explore either to be discussed in part of the upcoming code of uh program of studies or something to explore over time to be included eventually in the program of studies. I think that's an open conversation mark. I think that for example I think we had a dialogue last week about financial literacy and the potential for different languages. Those are all rich conversations to have but those conversations would need to then morph into uh the

114request by the committee for the superintendent to direct the leadership team to learn about review reflect find out about and then make a proposal about whether they thought it was a good idea or not and what it would look like. So, similar to how early literacy just worked, the the funnel of the work would be we need to change our early literacy curriculum. We're hearing a lot of feedback that it's not accessible to all learners. How do we want to go about it? Luckily for the majority of the state, Desi took that work on invent the research for the entire state which allows Milton and other communities to plug into their best practices, their six publishable uh highquality material um uh curriculums and then we begin our work from there. So, uh, I think that

115if if the committee would like to, uh, put ideas or thoughts, uh, for potential program of study topics on the agenda to to debate, talk about, put on the table for us to then go back and meet with the group on, >> we can gladly begin that process when when the committee feels they would like to do that because what I don't want to happen, Mark, is to say, "Yeah, yeah, we'll talk about it then." And they come with something that's already cooked, >> right? >> Yeah. >> So, I happens every year. Yeah, that's that's why I'm trying to provide that uh that right now if we want something to be considered, I would only say that whatever's considered I would imagine wouldn't be into the the the program of studies for the following year.

116Yeah. I just don't think there's enough time between now and then >> to do enough research, cultivate the the understanding, budget, and do all those things. For example, a simple world language two-year minimum will take us three years to study, implement, pilot, budget for, and implement in FY 28 because that's how that should work. I think that that's the dil the due diligence around making sure we're doing it correctly and asking all the people the right questions and investigating it and doing it in a way that we pilot and then we move into it. So the the the world language example would not be on your program of studies docket until actually it could be a year from a year from now >> January January of next school year. >> Yeah. >> Which you mean?

117So we're talking about it now. We're doing the work now and then we put it on the docket then. >> And the and the purpose of this graduation requirements policy to pass tonight. The simplest way I'm I have thought about it is we're codifying what's in place for class of 2026. So >> correct. >> Therefore, you wouldn't use this opportunity to introduce a new requirement that cannot apply to students who are here operating under the courses that have been available to them and required of them. Um, and it should evolve, you know, over these near term like conversations that we're planning to have. So, I agree. It would be great to kind of have this ball start rolling. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> the frustration I think that Mark is expressing is so if we

118if we comment on it when it's all cooked, then I can't help you cook the meal the next time. So, I want to be involved in the kitchen. >> Yeah. Can I >> Yeah, cuz we had Karen here. I asked her last year about this, right? when can we start having this conversation this before you were here right and so like totally totally understand that but the conversation was like I would like to have this conversation was told last year we couldn't course study is kind of closed like what what was put in front of us it's closed some of the points you're making right not no not trying to um say Karen did anything wrong there but like we were having the conversation too late so I said when should we start having this

119conversation statement was we should start having it now really like at the end of the year obviously other things took priority uh at the end of the year and we were not able to have it. But like that's why I brought this up when we talked about goals this summer of like one of the goals I think of ours should be graduation discussion of graduation requirements. How do we push that forward? How do we raise that rigor bar? Right? We have embedded that within one of our committee goals for this year. I don't think us passing this kind of policy that just stamps what we've been doing for five years. >> It accomplishes that goal. for my again I'm one member but I'm saying from my perspective that doesn't >> that that is a procedural

120thing of like we need to have this policy and that's fine like we need to do that >> but I don't think that pushes the work forward or the learning opportunities forward for kids by us just kind of saying this is what we've done for five years this is it and maybe again committee members as a whole and the department as a whole will disagree with any opinions I have on the graduation requirement changes >> but I I would like to have the conversation and I I thought We were having that conversation a bit whatever last meeting when we when this we had the first reading and I was sharing some of these things. So I thought this reading was kind of a continuation of this. We don't technically need the >> um the other

121polic competency determination till the end of the calendar year. So I was thinking we had a little bit more time where we could talk through these things. But if there's a separate process that we want to talk through I'm open to that. I am gunshy about the fact that I feel like multiple times I've and again this predates you John to be very clear but like have brought this up and it consistently comes up as like it's too late. Like this kind of is what it is. >> If we're saying we need to start having the conversation now in order to enact this for FY28, then great. Like I understand that. I'm not trying to like rush something through without it being fully thought through and have buy in to the point we talked about

122the curricul. Mhm. >> Um in order to move any of this forward. And so like totally I just want that path to be clear and then I as a member would like to push other committee members say like I think this >> is one of the things we list as a goal and should be something we should spend time on discussing and figuring out what as a committee we think are appropriate changes if any >> to the graduation experience for our students that best sets them up for success when they leave Milton High School uh for any opportunity they want. Um so I think that that's just the lens at which I'm trying to come >> yeah come at this a bit. >> So so I I I think that we can create a vehicle

123for that. So technically uh if I could speak technically for a minute and I don't mean to that the school committee should direct the the superintendent after you have a discussion either tonight or at any meeting forward coming that this is important to the committee that we would then have the committee vote to have a committee to have a the superintendent create a committee of folks that would do that that would be inclusive of a school committee member. So we could formally take that committee and move it through work that would begin uh in November that could inform to some degree what we proposed in January and continue that committee to see if there's anything that anything that would want to be considered for other program studies moving forward. So, uh I think that that

124that would be to me the pathway for this committee to have influence over or at least discussions in um in in uh research and understandings about how they can influence and have discussions about programing study. So, I offer that genuinely that I think that if we want to do that, we should actually commit to that. And I think that if we talk as committee and that I think um some people might have we could just have a subcommittee or we could have our committee at the superintendent lens with with one school comm. We could do it formally or we could do it informally. We could just start meeting about it. Get the people around the table, invite the school community to be part of the conversations. Uh get ideas that are floating at this table

125that want uh that may want to be embedded into those conversations. So we are open to that collaboration for sure and and I'm just trying to think of the vehicle to make it work so the frustration >> that you had last January and the January before that isn't felt this January. >> I appreciate the >> I really appreciate that and I think it's like a both and thing because at the same time if we when in this case we discover we're missing a policy that we should have like we should move quickly to get that policy in in place. you know, and then we go from there. >> So, I I I feel like you're leading us through >> a kind of a both and >> way to approach it, and I think that's the

126right thing to do. So, um, are you suggesting would this be like a sort of a formality to vote, which we couldn't do tonight? Um, that this committee supports a direction of asking for this to be a priority leading up to the program study. That that would be a vote we could take next meeting. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> why don't we put it on the agenda for next meeting and that way Amanda and I can talk or we can talk about what that sounds like and what that looks like and we might ask people to weigh in on what that pathway or that vehicle could look like that would make sense for people to be involved. How formal, how informal, how do we want to organize it and then we'll put it in place with

127a vote next week or that the next meeting and then we'll begin the work. >> Was that? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So it would be a vote for a support of a program study >> in essence a program of studies committee. >> Correct. We'll write we'll write up that define it and vote on it next next week. >> Sorry. >> Um I I think it would be next when we talk about this next time. I think it would just be good to I I feel like I'm coming into a conversation that's like already happening. So, um I think it would be good to like talk about what we're talking about a little bit. Just spend some time next time talking about a little bit more and um whether it's the folks in the room who

128have opinions about where this should go. But like I I think it would be good for this group and for the public to just talk about what potentially what this kind of work could achieve over a couple of years or some of the >> some of the potential potential outcomes that this work >> could this this type of work could take us. >> So kind of like a program of studies 101 to set context and then come up with a vehicle to to begin the work. >> It it could be and I'm also happy to do you know pre-ereads on this as well. Um, and I don't want to, it sounds like Karen comes in in a couple of months and does her own thing. >> Um, but just so we're all we have a

129common set common understanding as to the problem we're trying to solve here. >> And and and my suggestion would also be that the program of studies that you vote each year is currently on the website. you you should take a look at it and uh and really take a look at some of you might have elementary children and middle school children but you the the high school is your flagship uh it's what we all build towards uh the requirements and the expectations here are rigorous we have students uh that that that do very well coming out of Milton High every year uh and the program of studies is the fundamental document that creates the pathway for that uh achievement and those outcomes for our students And uh that document I think you should all be

130familiar with. >> So I I would recommend between now and then taking a look at it, getting familiar with how it's how it's worded, how it works, what it means. Think of it through the lens of a school committee member. Think of it through the lens of a parent. Um and uh and that way you can say, "Wow, like I didn't know we offered uh economics. I didn't know we offered uh these courses." and how many you know there's a lot of good stuff in there that you should be aware of as a baseline of uh adding to it or wanting to extend some of the offerings that we have and how do how do we want to uh you know grow the program of studies in a way that's good for kids but knowing

131what it is first would be very helpful to your point Nathan I agree with you >> thank you >> any other discussion >> do We have a vote we need to take. >> Yeah, it was. >> Yeah, you already floor and second it. >> Yes, we seconded it, I think, and then we didn't vote, >> right? >> But I just want to say I appreciate Mark raising this, you know, and I think even the discussion that we had with Karen about the two-year >> language requirement was because of, >> you know, um, of what you raised. So I I I appreciate that we're starting those discussions as you mentioned it's going to take three years but that we're kind of having those conversations already. So which is great. So I think the more um you

132know like more conversations around that prior to January I think will be helpful to just kind of >> be thinking in that mindset. Yeah. So, so the committee knows that uh Kyler and I and and Katie and her work as well. We are committed to fulfilling action steps related to the concerns and the suggestions of the school committee. That's our work. Uh we take action on every single item that you ask us to think about and and move forward on. Uh you might not always like what we have to say about it, but I can guarantee you that we will take action on it. We listen. We're hearing you. We're trying to move the work forward. uh creating agendas, creating an agenda for each school community meeting that that acts on and fulfills the goals

133that you all have set for the year that are consistent with our goals. So we are all rowing in the same direction. We all want rigor in the classroom. This is rigor in the district. This is rigor at the high school. So uh so uh we're glad to do the work and partner in the work. >> Thank you. >> Um all right. I guess um I know the motion has been made and seconded. So, um, all in favor of the competency determination motion. Thank you. >> All right. >> Okay. So, then I have >> Yes. >> Can I just go into the next one? Sorry. Okay. So, um All right. So, facilities met last week. Um, we were at the newly renovated space at the Cunningham Collicott third floor, which used to previously be their

134library. Um, unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures because I know a lot of the classrooms were closed and there were it was after hours, so we didn't have a lot of access, but we kind of took a little peek. Um, the space looks beautiful. I can't imagine it was the library a few months ago. Um, lots of windows. It was nice to kind of see offices with lots of windows. I mean, that was incredible. Um, I think when the facilities uh advisory committee toured the schools, I think it was September 2023, right? Um, it was, you know, there was a lot of tiny closets that were converted to offices. So, it was amazing to see lots of windows and light and uh and some new staff members working late because they have the space, too.

135That was incredible, too. So, uh and just really passionate about the work that they're doing. So, um I was really moved by that. Uh I know the committee was very happy um to see how much progress they were able to make. I think sometimes when you serve on committees and you don't see change happening, you're like, "Wait, I don't know if I really contributed." So, um, they were just really excited to be there and, uh, um, so it was beautiful. Tom said that the, um, the team that they worked with did a phenomenal job. The contractors, everybody was stayed on schedule. They did everything to stay on schedule with very minimal interruptions um, and within budget. So, that was awesome. Um, we also went upstairs to the fourth floor um of Cunningham Collicott, which is

136still there's a lot of storage stuff there, but uh we were in a makeshift space for our meeting. Um, and he said that the the goal is to try to clean out that space over the next few months, especially over like December, February, and April break to like start some of the work. So, clean out the space before then. So, that's going to be the next big big task for that. and then just so that they can be ready to go for the end of August. So, um again, I'm just really appreciate how diligently they're kind of thinking through this and making sure that there's the least amount of interruptions for our students. Um, so it was it's really excited about that space and I I think like I I think even for the committee

137when we first saw the space and we're like, well, I don't know like the library is beautiful the way it is, but now there's this like new hope for, wow, this library could even be better than what we had. So that was really exciting to kind of see that shift um in thinking. So um that was great. Um, I know there was some concerns Tom mentioned about um, pest management. They wanted to basically um, go electronic about what's reported so they can track it better. >> Um, so he's he's on top of that and uh, he mentioned that the um, the staff the custodians did a great job getting the schools ready in time even with the renovation and everything is all ready to go. They had a really smooth opening for the schools. Um,

138in terms of I know there's some capital requests, um, in the folder. Um, we went over it briefly. Um, so, um, he said that, you know, we've basically the schools have gotten um, a good deal of funds the last few years. So, he's trying to see what we want to push forward. Uh, he mentioned like the exterior doors need some attention and support uh, in our buildings. Um he also wanted to put most of the um requests as districtwide so if something unexpected comes up that they can kind of shift the priority there but also trying at the same time trying to be equitable across all the schools so that they're getting um the same support. Um and then he said he's meeting with contractors and consultants um to kind of review our systems um

139so that make they can make recommendations going forward just like the mechanicals and all that stuff. So um also in terms of the fourth floor all the mechanicals are in I know initially we talked about like lead time on getting some of that. So all of that is ready to go. So it's it's amazing that in terms of schedule that they're able to stay >> stay on schedule. So, we appreciate all the work that Tom is doing. Um, coordinating everything. Um, and then in terms of outdoor spaces at our schools are currently not equitable. That's something that um the we want to kind of create a comprehensive approach for this to kind of and develop a policy so that when things are put in place, they're kind of done thoughtfully and so that all all

140of our schools have kind of similar support. um and funding. So um so and I think the next he also mentioned that Tucker needs a generator um that he believes we have funding for. So that is >> like the the big thing that they want to focus on next. So, um, anyway, that was I mean it was not a very long meeting, but it was just it was just, um, so, um, I think his requests are in I think it's more of a fiveyear plan that's in our folders. You want to look through it. Um, he has some broken out by schools just based on like like things that need to get done sooner. Um, but then as you can see, there are also um districtwide. >> It's very concerning to see FY31 my kids

141would have graduated by this. >> So, we're not voting on this yet. We just get the initial >> feedback committee. Is that >> So, we didn't I mean, I know there's a vote on here. Is that >> No, I don't think No. >> No. >> Oh, it's a motion. Okay. >> I think eventually we vote it. So that you can take it capital that will be important but I don't think >> and I mean sometime usually I think we've had the opportunity for Tom to come >> yes and present it >> surprise >> and take some questions if if there are any from the committee. So maybe we could work to arrange that with him just at some point >> before we need to bring this to capital which is not >> um anytime too

142soon I don't believe. >> No. >> Yeah. So then we don't need to uh worry about the motion that's under facilities. Okay. >> So we'll we'll start to look at uh November 5 and it will start to get busy. But this is timely I think because >> the town I think would like to see both Tom's facilities capital and uh Bob Patterson's technology one. So I can send these over to them in draft form. >> Okay. >> So they can see what's generally coming for both of those. I'll tell uh let Nick know that they are not voted. But this is the the the documents that we're going to uh review and then when we review them and if we want Tom to come on the 5th or whatever date works for him and you

143all uh we can do it whenever you choose. >> Just a couple things on this. I think my initial thought is the 3.1 is not not going to get funded. There's just no chance. I think last year we got 1 million not counting the Cunningham projects. the total capital expense last year was 5.8. >> So, I just think that's >> yeah, >> that's gonna be too high. Um, as much as I love the schools to to get that funding, um, that's I think even higher than we've like started at the last couple years. >> Yeah. >> I think we did one tried to get 1.5 and didn't even get that last year. >> Um, so that that's one uh piece of feedback I have for the committee just like curio cut down. One thing that

144confused me was it lists in row 41 high school gym floor replacement, but then in line 48 I think it's um main basketball court sand and line. And so I didn't >> I think that's the outdoor one. Is it >> Well, it says a Copeland Fieldhouse and then the gym floor placement at the high school which is the fieldhouse. >> Yeah. >> So I just didn't know those things. >> I can follow up with Tom on those. Thank you. Uh I would I I know Tom has mentioned previously those uh LED light conversions at the field. I know that is a utility suck as well and so for my perspective I think that would be a great investments. I don't know boosters help with things like that but I think that would >> help both

145in the immediate term because those lights are not >> great um not very consistent. They have issues and it would save us some dollars >> utility wise. No, that's good feedback. >> Ju just for clarity, uh Mark, to your point, the high school gym floor replacement is the rubber floor >> and the high school basketball court sand in line is the actual wooden floor that they sand in line every year. Gotcha. I just would like to sort of state for the record I really appreciate the conversation about um the playgrounds facilities across schools and how to approach that >> in an equitable manner as the Tucker representative on this committee. I mean, we currently have play structures that are sort of wrapped in caution tape so that kids cannot >> go on them. Um, and

146>> that's really unfortunate. Um, so I know the PTO is working really hard to sort of activate um, what they're able to be doing there and I I appreciate the opportunity to approach that >> as a district >> um, as well as in you know collaboration with MF and other um, sort of the master plan for open space and whatnot that we have with parks and wreck and whatever else. So, thank you to everybody who's pushing on that to work that forward. Can I give you an update on that? I I've met with the Tucker Playground Committee twice uh already as recently as last week. Uh >> they've actually told me how much they Yeah. Appreciated listening on that. >> They have a great plan. I will be writing them a letter of support. Uh

147they went before the CPC last week. Uh they got initial good news. They'll go back and hope for the final funding. They're in design phase now. They're looking to be in construction phase by summer of 26. um they'll be asking in for a letter of recommendation not only from myself but from the committee so when they go out to fund raise for money that they need beyond the CPC funds that they whoever they're asking knows that they're being supported by the school committee and by the school department. Um, and I did recommend that the stage of the work after they begin the fundraising and get their design in order be to go to the the facilities committee and go through the facilities committee to Anna's point to make sure that we're we begin this process

148of vetting everything through the facilities committee that goes to the schools and supporting each project in an equable way instead of having oneoffs done. So yeah, Tucker will be the first one to go through that process in a very thoughtful way >> and we support we're supporting them in any way we can and they were a great group. So that's up and running and uh I will be presenting those audits to you to sign at the next meeting. >> Uh and if we would like that committee to come in front of the group at any point during the year they'd love to come and advertise their work and >> begin the fundraising kick. So I'll let them know whenever they're ready for that. they're welcome to come to the school pre meeting and let us

149know where they are, how we can help. >> Thank you. You're welcome. If I can add, I think one of the other things that was noted and and it relates to that is um I think not only necessarily from an equity standpoint, but going to the facilities committee becau or going um going through a process so that the they're sure that that whomever they're hiring, how whatever process they're going through that it's consistent that that there's there's quality control that there are questions that somebody who is very familiar with, you know, the playground or the land might know better. So if there's a drainage issue or something issue that that they're going through that process. So I think having him involved we were talking about that but having that consistency not only from >> just

150so that so that process-wise um that they're helping that um potential GCS or whomever is working through this project. And I think that that would be important. I think also like I know when it comes to like obviously with budgets like they're limited, right? So we want to make sure that the amount of money we have is we're making sure that we use it >> so that um you know whatever project has longevity, right? like so it's like >> um we have systems in place so that they last longer and uh so I think that's >> something um that the facilities committee really wants to be involved in and just and then it's great a great group of >> experts in their fields um on that committee. So we're very lucky um and that was

151very helpful too like to get the third and fourth floor you know um kind of where it is. So, we're hoping to help with the outdoor learning spaces >> and playgrounds um at all of our schools. >> And I I I one more I want to uh recognize Katie met with the group as well to talk about how they can uh navigate the financial pieces of that, the bidding pieces, the financial pieces. So, I think it's really important for the facilities committee and the school department to act as consults for this. Mhm. >> This is a group of parents who are working really hard to do something that they >> they're waiting into waters that are a little bit new for them. >> Uh so they uh any support we can give them to make

152it work because it benefits the students >> at Tucker but as well as the community in the neighborhood. >> So uh so we'll we'll continue to work with them in that in that way. >> Thank you. >> All right. uh negotiation comm uh subcommittee. >> So um the quick update on this is that um our subcommittee met on last week October 16th and we'll meet again next week on October 28th in our um pre-negotiation strategy meetings. So, we've been reviewing um input and um are beginning to formulate proposals that we will be able to bring um to the bargaining table when we begin negotiations um as I mentioned last time, we are planning to meet for the first time with the MEA on November 4th to establish ground rules and sort of begin the process

153And um I I would anticipate that we might be ready to have an executive session um to update the full committee perhaps not yet on November 5th um but after the first um session at which we exchange proposals um which you know would not be probably for a couple weeks after that but we'll keep you all posted as that moves forward. Did I miss anything? >> Great. >> The budget coordination committee. >> So, I'll give an update on the last meeting and then we can move to talk about the the nominee. So, the I think the budget coordination committee meeting was last week, right? Um, so we spent most of the time with the town administrator, Nick Milano, was there to walk through the revenue forecast, which I think this committee already discussed as part

154of the finance subcommittee report last time. So that was most of the meeting to make sure the entire budget coordination committee was just had an understanding of um projections for town finances. Um and then we spent a little bit of time previewing. So the committee has spent its time essentially getting aligned around the annual budgeting process, the timing, the inputs from different parts of town. It seems like we're now pivoting to focusing on long-term financial planning. Um and to one of the points, one of the places where we're going to start is establishing either I I believe it is establishing I don't I believe these policies are new uh policies around capital planning, debt management and financial reserves. Um so we essentially just talked about the process for that which will be that the town

155administrator has drafted some policies. uh he's looking for input from members of the budget coordinating committee. Um and I assume that there will be some debate about that in these meetings and then eventually these will be put up to the select board for review and approval. John, anything to add? >> And then any other questions from the group about that? >> Okay. Should we move to the other item on this? Sorry. So in the folder we have so in the budget coordinating committee we have two members from school committee on that committee Mark and I and then we school committee has the ability to uh appoint a an additional representative and we do have an application for that um which is in your folder. I'm just pulling up the materials myself. We reviewed that last

156time. So, this is the second time we've seen the >> Okay, so everyone has seen this. Sorry. No, no, that's okay. That we I think it was two meetings ago or the last meeting that we shared it, but since everyone had just gotten it, it wasn't nobody not everybody had a chance to review it. >> Had the opportunity, >> so it didn't make sense to vote on it then. >> Got it. Um, any discussion or questions about that appointment? >> Just appreciate somebody raising their hand and willing to help us out. So, >> yes. Yep. >> Yeah. >> Um I I I know this uh this applicant a little bit and I you know I would um I'm going to make a motion that that we appoint him. But I think he brings first of

157all an understanding of what happens uh in our district. He's a member of CPAC, has been a town meeting member, works in state government, and is really has a deep understanding of um government finance and policy. So, I think he would be um both represent school committee well in that group and bring a lot of valuable knowledge and expertise uh to that group. So, uh, I'll make a motion to approve the appointment of Mr. Robert A. Milt to the budget coordination committee. >> Second. All in favor. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Milt, for putting yourself up. >> Welcome. >> Very patient to sit through the I know >> whole meeting. >> That also makes you qualified for this. Yeah, exactly. >> All right. Sorry, I just got out of that one. Okay. And I

158think the final item is voting on Make sure that I didn't jump ahead. Approval of the minutes um that were actually put in the folder for our last meeting. So, I think they were for the >> October 8th meeting. Yeah. >> There any changes or comments on it? Has everybody had a chance to review it? So then I'll make a motion to approve the minutes for the October 8th school committee meeting. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Great. Passed. And then the last item is um looking at the draft agenda items for the next school committee meeting. So we have the upcoming we have the subcommittee reports. Um whenever we wanted to add the MF we won't have a correct you want to do your update. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Next next next next

159meeting. Y be very short. >> Yes. That's okay. Um facilities we won't have met will policy have met will >> no policy uh finance will obviously >> and we will have another student representative internal meeting for sure. >> Great. Um do you have any >> school building committee may meet but right now they're scheduled that for the same night as warrant committee >> presentation. So >> okay. >> Um anything else or anything like that? >> Are you on? >> Um yes and they were actually supposed to meet yesterday but they did not and need to find another date that works for members to meet. So great. Oh, okay. >> All right. Have any anything else? >> Oh, and then we What about budget coordination committee? >> That's next Friday. >> Yeah. >> So, I'll put

160you that down. >> All right. And then we have the initial MCCAST presentation. >> Um, an enrollment update review of the policy JGA JGA program assignment. Um we are talking about having exe uh discussion around the um I'm just call it superintendent update um and then a possible uh executive session >> before the super >> probably not for negotiation update for negotiation um >> yeah superintendent that would be like a contract >> contract yeah And and then and then do we want to add something about the um program studies >> program studies >> for next week? >> Is there anything else? >> Well, we talked about um the possibility of capital being back on the agenda with maybe Tom being able to come if he's available. I first start talking about that in January, right?

161Like at capital committee talking about departmental requests. >> So yeah. Um wondering if like sometime I think um it the capital committee might meet in December to kind of get off the ground typically and then it would be January that um department heads would tend to attend a meeting and present. Um, but you're al it sounds like the town is also hoping to begin collecting the requests ahead of when the meetings might begin. So, we have not heard anything yet as far as when the meetings will start, but um >> I think it was more just a statement of the 11th the third or the 5th I should say. sounding full uh pretty busy with a lot of things and so I don't know if that one in terms of time coming presenting on capital

162is necessary for the 5th versus the 12th. Obviously I will make the agenda determination but >> just I I I can check with Tom about his availability but I agree. I think it is a busy night. So I I can let Nick know that we have I can let town administrator Milano know that we have two draft >> uh capital request for one for IT team one facilities >> and then he can he can have that and then we can actually vote it and have Tom come in the the second meeting in November which I think might be >> makes sense a little bit more more room to talk and have good questions asked. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> Great. Anything else? All right. I will take a motion to adjurnn. Second motion second. >>

163Thank you. Thank you everyone. [Music]