001[Music] Rip it. Everybody, um, we will call our meeting to order. 7:05 p.m. This is the Milton School Committee for April 23rd, 2025. Um, so the first thing we'll do is approve our agenda for this evening. And I'm aware of a couple of changes. Um, Dr. Burroughs, I believe you said that we don't need the superintendent's report prior to the chair's report. Okay. So, we can um we can skip that. And then under the finance subcommittee report, we will be postponing the updated fees schedule. Um that is something that will come before the school committee, I believe, next week to the finance subcommittee first and to the full school committee after that. So, um those are the two changes that I'm aware of. Does anyone have any other changes? Anna, we have um policy and
002facilities reports on here. That's still accurate, right? Okay. So, other than that, um obviously the bulk of the um the bulk of what we'll be doing this evening involves the executive session that we'll have and then coming back into open session after that. Um but before we move forward, we will of course um do public comment first. Um and so public comment is the portion of our meeting where we set aside up to 15 minutes to hear perspectives from members of our community who would like to um share up to three minutes with us. We don't respond directly um to public comment, but we may in the course of the agenda um respond to points that have been raised. Um is anybody here in the audience um hoping to participate in public comment? And if
003so, can you please raise your hand with the Zoom? It's been a long time since we had a full Zoom school committee meeting, but here we are in vacation week. So, um, okay, I don't see any hands raised, but we'll just give people another few seconds. If you're in the audience and would like to participate in public comment, can you please raise your hand? Okay, I don't see any hands raised. So, um we will just move on from public comment um straight to the chair's report. And um what we're going to do um to begin the chair's report um is actually ajourn into an executive session uh where we will um I'll I'll use the language that we have here in just a moment um and then we will return. Um, so I would like
004to make a motion to I'm going to read out um the reason for our executive session. I would like to make a motion to adjourn to executive session pursuant to mass general law um 30A 213 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the MEA units A, B, and D. if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the committee as declared by the chair and pursuant to Mass General Law 30A section 21 A2 to discuss strategy in preparation for negotiations and contract negotiations with non-UN personnel, the superintendent and the interim superintendent. Is there a second? Second. Okay, this will be a roll call vote. Um, Mark, yes. Ba, yes. Anna, uh, yes. Selena, yes. And I am a yes. Um, so we will be adjourning to executive session.
005We will return to open session. So I the Zoom will stay open. Um you all should have received a Google Meet calendar invite that says executive session with a Google Meet link. If you open your calendar, does everybody have that? I can invite anyone who doesn't have it. Okay. So, um Tom, should we just stay in this Zoom and just sort of go off camera and mute and then go into the Yes, you can you can do that if you want to. Okay. All right. So um we we will do that and then see each other in the Google meet and then we can come back here. Thanks everybody. All right, great. Thank you. Um, thanks for your patience if you've been watching. Um, we are back having adjourned our executive session and rejoined our
006open session. Um, yes, Selena. Never mind. Amanda's now with us. Oh, okay. Thank Oh, sorry. Yes, thank you. Okay. Um, so we're back and um continuing under the chair's report, we are going to um take some votes on um the items that were just under discussion. um the first item is going to be the uh Milton Educators Association unit A uh memorandum of agreement between the Milton Educators Association unit A and the Milton School Committee. Um, this is a one-year agreement um that will begin September 1st um and last through August 31st of 2026. We will be engaging um in another round of negotiations next year um for a subsequent agreement. Um so I definitely appreciate the opportunity to participate in that process with MEA um with unit A and I would like to um
007make a motion to approve the memorandum of agreement with Milton Educators Association unit A. I'll second Mark. Thank you. Second. We're going to do a roll call vote. Mark, yes. Selena, yes. Anna, yes. Ba, yes. Amanda, yes. I'm a yes as well. So, great. Thank you all very much. Um the next motion um so this is going to be um a followup to the previous meeting. Um, at this time we have the opportunity to um approve the actual contract for John Failen as Milton's interim superintendent. Uh, that will be effective June 1st, 2025, a one-year um 13-month actually agreement through June 30th of 2026. um that is still pending the special waiver approval from DESIE which we will be seeking for the second half of next year. Um we are uh going to be applying
008for that special waiver in November. Um so any further discussion on this? Lizzie, just want to thank you for all your work in putting this together because I know it's been a lot of conversations and excited for John to start. Thanks. Yeah, it's been my pleasure. I'm als I'm really excited that we have this opportunity to have John Failen um return to Milton Public Schools. Um, and I think it will be tremendous for our district and um, definitely supports our goal of maintaining stability through this school year and into next year and beyond. So, really looking forward to working with him for sure. Um, and any other comments or questions? Okay. Um, so then, um, I'll formally make that motion to approve the contract for John Failen as interim superintendent effective June 1, 2025 through
009June 30, 2026, pending special waiver approval from Desi. Second. Thank you, Selena. This will be another roll call vote. Uh, Selena, yes. Anna, yes. Amanda, yes. Val, yes. Mark, yes. I'm a yes as well. Great. Thanks everybody. Um the next um so that was our interim superintendent contract approval. Um under superintendent we have an updated um addendum. Um, and this is where, um, Peter, I'd like to acknowledge you, um, we are updating the separation agreement, um, at at your request um, to have you actually moving up your departure from Milton Public Schools. Um, so Dr. B's last day um in Milton will actually be April 30th uh rather than June 30th which was the original um idea uh several weeks ago now. Um so uh this will allow Dr. Burroughs to um move on to
010his next role. Um and Milton public schools um will be preparing for doc um John Failen to join us obviously on June 1st. Um we're going to take a vote after this um to um appoint Dr. Watts as an acting superintendent in between. So you know everybody I think as this um meeting concludes we'll see the tapestry of great leadership that we have here which is allowing us to move through this transition with a lot of good support. Um but um Peter, I want to just thank you for everything you've um everything you've contributed here over these past couple of years. Um, and you know, you've you've done a lot and I I know that we'll continue to um sort of see your legacies in Milton. Um, and definitely wish you nothing but the best.
011Um, thank you for everything that you've done for us here over the past couple of years. Um, I'm not sure. Maybe we'll just um take our vote to approve um this piece and then I'll definitely open it up to anyone else who wants to say anything. Um, but the uh the motion that we're making is simply to approve the addendum to the separation agreement for Dr. Peter Burrough with that updated date. So second. Thanks, Amanda. Okay, so I I made that motion. Amanda seconded. We'll do another roll call. Um Amanda, yes. Sorry, Mark. Yes. Alina, yes. B. Yes. Anna, yes. And I'm a Yes. Um, so thank you. That's it's bittersweet for sure. Um, but anyone else want to say anything? Peter, is there anything you want to say? Yeah. I mean, I just want
012to thank thank you all for for two very rewarding years. Um, as you mentioned, I think I think we did a lot together. When I think about the work that we've done over the last two years, it's I I think of it collectively. I don't think of it as work that I did. I think it's work that we did. Um I think there's there's so much more uh that I'm really hopeful that you all continue to carry forward and and and there's been so much work that we've identified that is still kind of on the table and and and really needs to be taken up. uh I think to to get where I think we all collectively uh kind of came together and said this is where we want to be. Um so I want
013to thank you know each one of you. Um I've really appreciated everything and um kind of wish you all the very very best and look forward to returning in in 15 or 20 years and seeing seeing how things developed. Anna, go ahead. Um, Peter, I want to say thank you. Um, these last two years have been great. It was I I'm glad I was on the committee to be part of it. Um, we had we really you really helped us build a great working relationship. That was something that I don't think we really had or knew we needed. Um, so I really appreciate how you um kind of got us together as as a unified committee, you know, and working together. I thought that was really amazing. Um, and also I just really appreciate how
014I think probably for the first time like that I've seen anyway um to actually go out into the community and hear what people wanted and you know what they needed from the district and uh prioritizing those things. I think each of us um when we come on the committee we bring our you know things that we're passionate about and they were just kind of kind of floating in space I think and there wasn't any any structure to them and I think you really helped us kind of hone in and what our priorities needed to be and and just also listening having having all stakeholders and community members and students and faculty um involved in that process to kind of identify what our priority areas needed to be. And I think I think it was something
015that I was very proud of because I think we all you know found value and it you know I think it touched on all the things that were important to each the six of us as well. So, I just I just really appreciate how you uh brought all of us together around it and there was so much energy around it and uh I just I just appreciate that we finally have like a direction for the district and uh you know I think a lot was accomplished. I would say like just in the last two years I've noticed a change even as a mom you know my daughter's experience at you know at school like it's it's leaps and bounds. So, I appreciate everything that you have done. Um, you will be missed. Um, it has
016been great working with you and thank you for everything. Well said, Anna. Thanks, Mark. Yeah, I'll try not to just repeat uh all the nice things Anna just said, but I just want to say thank you, Peter, for especially just all the time uh that you've put into this community and to each of us and the collaboration. uh you know, I've seen you a whole lot, especially over the last year, but we've spent a lot of time together. I've se I've seen how hard, you know, you work uh and the the time you're putting into our our community, our families, our kids, our staff, and so just really appreciate it and wish you the the best of luck. Thanks, Selena. Yeah. No, same here. I will not you know repeat the the same things but
017I do um similarly want to thank you for your dedication your time. I don't think there was ever a doubt um that you kept you know the student experience students in the sort of at the center um and I appreciate that um greatly. I also appreciate the fact that uh you took the time to listen and to develop a framework that was holistic and that really helped us see beyond the dayto-day. I think you can get caught up in the day-to-day and lose sight of you know what transformation do you want to achieve and I think you did help us set that vision and um you know I I'm eager and and hopeful that you know the transition the leadership that comes next um doesn't sort of undo that and sort of takes it and
018owns it and continues continues to build on that vision. Um, and I wish you all the best in your next chapter and thank you for the time and dedication to the district and to our students and our teachers and and uh and just the district overall. So, thank you. [Music] Thanks. Go ahead, Ba. Uh, also I don't want to reset everything that everyone already said. I just want to thank you, Peter, for working with the student reps and um you set a great role model of uh what a great leadership looks like and and the listening and uh learnings year that when you spend the first year at Milton was amazing and the way how you collect information from the community and then use it to um to to bring in better system into the
019into our community is is a great role model for the upcoming leaders whether the interim superintendent or the next superintendent that we are going to hire permanently. So I want to thank you for showing us what wonderful leadership might look like and good luck with everything. Okay, thanks everybody and thank you Peter again. Oh, Amanda, go ahead. Yeah, sorry. My hand I was like, um, the same. I, as everybody else said, thank you. I, you know, I only got to work with you for a year, but, um, I really appreciated it. And I think, as others have said, I think, um, you bringing a voice to um, the community. I think really being able to go out and capture what was important to families um and students and have them represented um goes a long
020way. I think people like to be obviously people like to be heard and seen and have their concerns and the things that they're proud of recognized and I think you did a really nice job of that. So I appreciate you bringing that voice um forward for everyone and I just thank you for the time that that you committed to Milton. Thank you all. Really really appreciate it. Well, thank you again and um you're you're here for another week. Um so um hopefully there'll be opportunities to still say goodbye to you in person or you know um definitely appreciate you. Um and um you know the final piece of our sort of um transition plan here um is uh to appoint Dr. Regina Watts as our acting superintendent. As I mentioned a few moments ago, um
021Regina has graciously agreed to step in um and serve in that role for the time in between when Dr. Burroughs departs and when um John Failen arrives full-time. Um, and as we've said, um, John will be, you know, he will be in contact, he will be around, um, he will be showing up, um, at least once a week to kind of be learning and transitioning in um, and providing support as well. Um, but Regina, just really appreciate your willingness to step up and um, take on this important role for us. um as you're sort of moving toward concluding your time as um interim assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. So um thank you so much and definitely look forward to continuing to work with you in this role and as we've mentioned you have this
022very strong team with Katie. um need to definitely shout out Charlene Roach and Lorie Dunn have been really instrumental in coordinating the various aspects of this transition plan. Um appreciate them a great deal. Um especially Lori and working with Desi around the special waiver application and everything for um for John. Um but it's it's all going to be great and thank you so much. Uh we really appreciate you and we will um take this vote. So I'll make a motion to appoint Dr. Regina Watts as acting superintendent for the month of May ending contract negotiations which will take place um quickly over the next few days. Um is there a second? Second. Okay. Second. Any other any dis further discussion of this piece? Okay. I would go ahead, Regina. Sure. I I just want to
023say thank you. Um and I'm really, as I said, humbled and honored for this opportunity. I I really look forward to working collaboratively with John and Katie and to offer stability and hopefully to build morale and, you know, build a working relationship with the MEA. And I really wish Peter um good luck in his next position. And I I feel lucky in that, you know, I've assuming these responsibilities at the really the celebratory time of the school year. Um so I'm hopefully it will all go smoothly and um I'm sure that John and I will be able to um uh see the school year through here. Thank you, Regina. Um, oh, there's Okay, Mark is back. Um, I know he he's having he's in transit now. So, we will um we will take this vote.
024So, the motion's been made and seconded. Um, Amanda, yes. Selena, yes. Anna, yes. Yes. Mark, yes. And I'm a yes as well. Okay, great. So, thank you all very much. That concludes our series of um votes under the chair's report. Um there are just a couple of other um quick things that I wanted to mention. So, um, since we've focused a little bit on saying some goodbyes, um, I would like to acknowledge that, um, one of our members, Dr. Selena Miranda, our vice chair, is retiring from her time on school committee, um, having chosen not to run for reelection and and your term is ending and this is your last meeting. Um, and so I would like to just thank you for everything you have contributed over these past three years. It has been a
025very um full, eventful, exciting, and challenging time to be on the school committee in Milton. And as we all know who serve, it requires great sacrifice. um that actually no one really understands until they've um served on school committee. And I just am so thankful for everything you've contributed. I would just like to personally thank you having had the privilege of partnering with you as vice chair while I have served as chair. Um you're you are so thoughtful, so smart. Um you look at things from so many angles. you stay calm um even when things are difficult um and you're just really perceptive. I have relied on your wisdom through so many um decisions and um situations that we have found ourselves in. And I will really miss you on school committee. Um, and I'm
026also glad for you to get a break and spend time with your family, with Maya, who's so lucky to have you as her mom. Um, and so, thank you so much. Thank you. Um, you know, if I if I may, I just want to extend my sincere gratitude um to the opportunity to serve on school committee over the past 3 years. I can't believe it's been 3 years already. Um, it really has been an honor to serve alongside each and every one of you. I also would be remiss if I didn't mention past committee members Adah Rosemary and Betty White and Beverly Ross Denny who I had the pleasure to serve with as well. Um and I definitely want to thank you uh Lizzie as our chair for your leadership over the past two years.
027Your dedication and wisdom have guided us uh guided our collective work and especially during those you know tough times. I know that you've worked endless hours and I thank you for that. And like you said, you know, this job demands so much of us, but I do believe strongly that all of us come to the table because we share a fundamental commitment to our schools, our students, our teachers, administrative staff, and the entire town. And that is what makes me so proud to have served alongside each and every single one of you. And I know that, you know, there's been challenges along the way, but also things there's been great um opportunity to advance the work. I'm thinking of the school building committee work that I've been I've had the privilege to do to serve
028on for 3 years. And to see that project move forward, it's been one of uh my moments of just great um great pride. um you know that as a town we're recognizing the overcrowded that our schools are overcrowded and we needed to do something about it and I know the project is um still a long ways from being completed but it's on its way. Um I you know and I was reflecting on this a lot and you know I'm partying today um as I finish my term just really um with one wish and that is that on April 29th I hope that our residents our our entire community uh shows up and uh does what's right. And I think that um we need to stand up for our children by supporting the override to keep
029our school strong and financially sustainable for years to come. And I hope that that's that's what happens. And I know that while challenges inevitably remain, um I'm leaving with confidence that in your hands, your this committee will continue to address uh things uh carefully and collaboratively, making sure that Milton Public Schools continues to move in the right direction. But I do want to end with just thanking you for your partnership, your passion, and your dedication to education in our community. It's been a pleasure to serve with you. Thank you. Thank you, Selena. Mark, I just wanted to I guess I'm so sad that our meeting last week got cancelled and that we're not able to do this in person, Selena. Um certainly hope I'll be able to bump into you at uh at at kickup
030at Cuttingham after school um soon, but uh just so so grateful to have the opportunity to serve with you. As Lizzie discussed, I think you're one of the most thoughtful individuals I serve with. You're just the comments you bring are always really measured and uh again just provide a level of insight that's I I wish I had. Um, but certainly I'm so glad to have learned so much from you and served with you over these last uh couple years and thank you for all your time. I I know my will be very grateful to have uh so much of her mom back. But uh again, thank thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And uh looking forward to to seeing you in person to to say it in person at some point soon. Go ahead, Anna.
031Um Selena, we ran the same same year together and here we are. Um I I'm happy for you that you decided not to continue. I um sometimes I wish I hadn't either. Um but um I'm I'm so happy to have served with you. Um I learned a lot from you actually. It's um you know you you like just your perspective on having that student voice I think in every every conversation that we had was so important and it was really nice to get that perspective because it it helped me make a lot of decisions that I made and just being able to see see that perspective was really really helpful and I I appreciate the passion that you brought and you did ask some very very thoughtful questions which I also really appreciated. um I
032learned, you know, and it really has been a pleasure and I know we live down the street from each other, so I hope we get to hang after um at some point. Um but anyway, I am um yeah, I'm so glad to have served with you. Thank you. Thanks, Anna. Go ahead, Amanda. You're on mute. You Thank you. Sorry, this whole car thing is annoying. Um, I I echo what Anna and Mark said. You know, I'm I'm so disappointed I didn't get to work with you longer. I really um I really just appreciate the thoughtfulness that you come to every conversation with and every um discussion. And as Anna said, you really bring that student voice forward. And I think that you provide um a perspective. I also appreciate how thoughtful you are. I'm somebody
033who sometimes speaks and then thinks and I appreciate how you think and then speak. Um and I've learned a lot from that. So um like I said, I'm I'm I'm so happy for you, but so disappointed that I didn't get to work with you longer. And I just I just really appreciate the time that we had that I had working with you. So thank you. Thanks, Amanda. Wow. I I I'm not going to repeat every single thing that everyone have said. Um but Lissy has said it right. No one knows how much work it is until you're actually in the board and doing all the works and all those meetings and hours of spend on reading documents before meetings and debrief and all those stuff. So I want to thank all the hours that you
034have spent in the past three years. Thank you so much. Thank you to all of you. Thank you for your kind words. Can I just also say my first year Selena volunteered for like every single committee and I was like I was like wow that's amazing. It was it was really impressive and you weren't like oh no what did I sign up for? You did show up to every single one of them. So I appreciate and gave very detailed reports of all of them. So thank you so so much. I mean, if it wasn't for you, we would have had plenty of other committees to be on, but you took that on and I really, really appreciate that. Thanks. Thank you, Anna. I did learn. It took a year, but I learned. Thank you. And
035Anna, I'd just like to also acknowledge everything you've put in over this past three years. And your term is, you know, coming to an end, too. And thank you for everything that you've done. And as Selena mentioned, we have our election coming up next week. So, wishing you the best with that and the override. Wishing wishing the best for the override, too. I know we all are. Um, and um, yeah, we we're careful, of course, not to advocate here in our roles. And it is really important that anyone listening here goes out and votes on next Tuesday, the 29th. Um, and yeah, really hoping that we'll be able to move forward with our FY26 override budget. Um, the only other plug I was going to put in was for after whatever happens next Tuesday, next
036Saturday, May 3rd. I know the MF is still eager to welcome members of the community to the celebration for education which is happening on Saturday, May 3rd. Um so I know I'm looking forward to being there and we'll be honoring our teachers of the year, our educators of the year throughout the district which is really exciting and um look forward to um maybe going into some more detail around that. um at one of our coming meetings. Um but I believe that was everything that I have under the chair's report. So, um I will just hand it over. Mark, are you in a are you I'm sorry that we're over our time for you. Are you able to um do finance? Yes, I can. Um, we have a couple things on finance. Uh, I'm going to
037skip over the first item because that's, uh, pass it off to Katie to kind of give view. But, uh, second item on the agenda is we talked about at the beginning we're pushing towards next week. That's the on the fee schedule. We were supposed to discuss it say last Wednesday at finance and that's about having uh sort of the cancellations and so we discussing it next Wednesday to vote on it next Wednesday night. So that that is where that [Music] stands gender just go through motions to approve the vendors 39. I will make a motion to approve. Mark, you're a little you're just a little bit hard to hear. I might suggest that someone else makes the motions just so that um on the audio they're totally clear. Is that okay? I I can do
038it. Um, was I the only was I the only person hearing that? No, that was the same. Okay. Sorry, folks. That's okay. Um, all right. I'll make a motion to approve vendor warrant 39 in the amount of $571,784 and47 cents payable on April 10th, 2025 and to approve vendor warrant 40 in the amount of $911,0006 $911,06747 payable on April 17, 2025. Second. All in favor? Amanda? Yes. Mark? Yes. Selena? Yes. Anna? Yes. And I'm a yes. Okay. So, those are approved. Okay. Mark, I'll hand it back over to you. I don't think you called my name yet. Oh, bow. I'm so sorry. Bow. Yes. Sorry about that. Yes. Okay. Those are vendor warrants 39 and 40 are approved. So Mark, you can go ahead. Sorry. Sorry. So I'll just quickly just hand this over to
039Katie with briefly budget update just to share. We have not had the chance to really review the um quarter three budget update in detail again given the cancellation of finance, but wanted to share share kind of highlight where we stand. discussion. Can you share just kind of high high level takeaway of where we at right now based on your Q3 and where we were previously in comparison? Sure. Sure. So um the Q3 report was shared with that committee. Um so there's a copy of that in the folder. In the report um we broke down the current expenditures and then also the projected expenditures um by salary category and general expense category. Um the projections are similar to the projections that we have been reporting um since the Q2 report. And so we are still projecting
040um that we will end the year with a deficit. Um, according to the numbers, as of March 31st, um, the deficit balance is 1,259,298. um that does not take into account the additional circuit breaker funding um that we could potentially receive from the fiscal year 25 state supplemental budget. Um there is um there has been a few updates on that and that is still um currently being discussed at the state level. So we don't have um certainty on if that money is in fact going to be distributed to us for this fiscal year. Um, but if it is, that is would be an additional estimated $488,000 that we could use um to cover expenses for this fiscal year. And so if that funding is distributed for use in fiscal year 25, that would reduce the
041projected negative balance to $770,000. And um we are continuing to monitor revenue um that is received into the revolving accounts. So our building use account, the Medicaid reimbursement that we receive and also also um some of the tuitionbased account. So our preschool tuition account um to see if there is potential to increase um the offset utilization for fiscal year 25 so that we can bring the overall projected deficit below 700,000. Um we do the numbers were not final numbers were not incorporated in the March 31st financial report. There was just a projection for some stipen payments, but we are receiving in um the information for those payments and those payments will be made in the either the upcoming payroll or the second payroll in May. And so we'll have a better sense of um the
042ending balance in some of those accounts. So that will as we progress through April and May, we'll be able to continue to fine-tune um the end of year balance projections. Um and so I can continue to provide updates kind of on a monthly basis moving forward um as we kind of close out these last few months. you Katie. Sure. Um I know we're aiming to touch upon the um large group sub coverage topic as sort of a specific item under the um where we stand with Q3. Um does anyone have any other questions on other topics or comments? thanks for your ongoing work, you know, to help us really closely track this, monitor it, pay attention, and of course, we're all still on that um goal, right, of coming in under 700,000 since that's the
043amount that um has been allocated or uh for us to be able to request um to to help us close the deficit. So, um, yeah, Mark. Oh, no. I think you you just hit on make sure still projecting accounts, things like that. It's a little Sorry, it's a little hard to hear you Mark. Um but I mean I think one takeaway is that um as you had mentioned that this will be able to be discussed in further detail at Wednesday morning's finance subcommittee meeting right um and so that we can sort of do a followup at the next school committee meeting with additional detail. Um so thank you for that. Um, so is it okay to move to the large group sub coverage question? Um, because I this has been obviously something that we've looked
044at that was on the list of cost-saving um cost-saving sort of strategies that um has, you know, it been of concern. Um, and we've received input from the community. I know Anna has been particularly concerned about it. Um, as I think we all have, but it's an opportunity to now that we have a clearer picture of where we are in regard to the um budget at this point in the year. Um, Peter or Katie or Regina. Um, I'm not sure who Peter maybe share like an update on where we're at with that. Um, sure. Yeah. So the um the high school kind of after we worked through all the logistics and figured out, you know, exactly what this would look like and and worked with the MEA on on specifics, um I think the high
045school got moving fairly quickly. There were some issues with um at pierce with technology and and figuring out um I think kind of like structurally how it was going to work. So that um has taken a little bit more time. Um we are kind of like right upon May right now. So we have a month and a half left. I guess um as I I think Lizzie as you articulated u in hearing from the community and hearing from from staff. I guess my question to Katie would be um given how much time we have left, what is the what is the dollar amount um of I guess it's what six weeks essentially um remaining and what the what the cost savings is from here to the end of the year because I I guess I
046I wonder given given where we stand at quarter three whether that I I think it's a very small number. um whether it makes sense to to continue that or um just as I said just given given kind of the the numbers that are coming in now with quarter three obviously we're not to to zero um we we still are running a deficit but I think um you know if if that number is let's say $10,000 or something thereabouts in terms of impact on students and um and all the other implications of it. Whether it makes sense to just you know essentially like go back to our our standard sub coverage to the end of the year. So in the financial report um for March, the projections that we had put or that I had put
047in the budget for the remainder of the year are more reflective of the model that we had been using for the first um three quarters of the school year. Um and so we had initially talked about um changing the model of substitutes just in an effort if we had instituted it back kind of further back um in January when the deficit was initially projected that um kind of operating in a in that model would enable us to realize some cost savings. things. But I think given that there was some work that we had to do with the union um and the logistics of kind of rolling that model out um I believe that that that has just that model was just put into place um the past couple of weeks. And so, um, to your
048point, Peter, it it really would only be, um, 6 weeks or so that we would be kind of operating in that way. I know that when we talked about the substitute model, you know, I think the general term that we refer to it is warehousing, but we certainly when we talked about it with um principal fish and other with principal Cahill, we talked about making sure that we were operating or providing the sub coverage in a way that was best for the students. And so if there was an opportunity for us to kind of combine classes in a way that made sense um that we could certainly do that and going through having those conversations with the union truly enabled us to do that. Um but in other instances when it comes to having combining
049you know classes together that um if the students are in the library for an extended period of time with no access to the computer then of course then that would have an impact to their learning. So, um I think at this point financially it there wouldn't be a significant cost savings if we were to go back to the original model. Um or I'm sorry, there wouldn't be a significant cost savings if we said we were going to continue to group the students together. Um, but I do think that in certain instances there's ways that we can do that that would actually make sense. Um, so that it could potentially be, you know, in some sort of hybrid model. Um, that that could that could work moving forward. But, um, again, it's not going to be
050a significant cost savings for us given the fact that it's only would only be operational for six weeks. Thanks. That makes sense. Does anybody have any questions or comments on that? Oh, sorry. Um, so just to kind of clarify, so are we going to say that we're not going to go that route unless it was a specific scenario where it made sense, right? like if they had access to devices and access to internet access and so on and so forth that they could do their work and still continue learning and there's no interruptions and then if that's not the case then we wouldn't do that. Is that what I'm kind of hearing? Um I think what we're talking about is not specifically um internet of access or the the construct of the large sub coverage
051which we could talk about. I think what we're talking about is given where we stand at quarter three um with much greater clarity to the end of the year and looking at the potential cost savings of continuing this model for the next six weeks. Um I think my my as I mentioned my recommendation is that um I don't think the the cost savings the cost benefit to me is not there. So that that's that's what I'm sharing. But in terms of in terms of the construct of of um students having internet access that is something that we went into this with um with that as part of the model that students would have internet access and there is a certain number that can continue to have access at peers in the auditorium. It's not that
052there's no Wi-Fi there there are drops right in there. The issue is that they can't handle you know 400 students at once. So you have to you have to know what the limit is. So I I you know Bob was working Bob Patterson was working with Del Finish to figure that out and determine what the capacity was. I think the other issue that has come up through this has been that people are having a flashback to co and and so I think that's another challenge of this model is they're they're thinking it's it's going back to that exact same experience that students had. So I I just think that's that's part of that's in the mix here too. Yeah. And I would agree with that. And I also think if the if there isn't significant
053cost savings that we're getting, you know, looking at the next six weeks, I think if there's a way around it, I wouldn't recommend going that route, especially with with next week and so on and so forth. They want to make sure that, you know, people are supportive of the decisions that we're recommending. So, I just want to make sure um if something that we can do without that would be great. I agree with Anna. Yeah, me too. Same here. So, we're not like formally voting on this as a change, per se, because Peter, you know, this is something that you, Katie, and Regina, you're sort of in a position of implementing um the plan that had previously been approved. And so, but it's it's helpful to be able to um have this um adjustment to
054it for sure. Thank you for for making that possible. Okay. Any other thoughts on the Q3 budget? We'll continue with that. Sorry, Amanda, are you raising your hand? Okay. No, I was trying to tap a light so it was brighter. Sorry. All right. I think I was coming close or this has been really fun having you in your car for this meeting. I'm sorry. I was trying to figure I was like I was stuck between so I was like I couldn't get home in time and well I apologize. My laptop's next to me if that matters but we're all not driving. Not driving. We're doing our best. We were not supposed to be meeting this week. Um so sorry. Thank you everybody for Yeah. No, thank you all for um being flexible to let us
055go through with this meeting after last week had to be cancelled. Uh Mark, is that everything on finance or is there anything else? That's it. Okay. Thank you, Anna. I'll hand it over to you for updates from policy. All right. Sorry, I'm gonna toggle back and forth. Um, so for policy, we met last week on Monday, April 14th. Uh, we had um Mark joined our meeting and so did Regina and um Katie joined as well. And we also had um um Zena Hamada who is the director of world languages join our meeting as well. And on the agenda, we had the um French immersion policy and there was some wording changes that we started to discuss. Um you know, just came out of, you know, I think I think a lot of times when families
056write into us with concerns, um it really helps kind of, you know, just have us address it at our at our subcommittee meetings and obviously at our meetings just like with this large large group sub coverage issue. Um and um you know we um we looked at we didn't actually it was just basically an initial discussion. It was really helpful um to look at um policy JG- A um for um our next meeting uh which is for the program assignment to have um students that are currently out of district in private prek not be able to participate in the French lottery, French immersion lottery uh currently. So just changing wording on that which we will look at the at the May meeting. Um it was also really helpful to have um just kind of a
057background on the French immersion program. Um and just you know helpful that it had been around for so many years and um just kind of understanding what uh French immersion means and learning and thinking in French which was uh very very helpful for me. Um my my own kids had gone through it and uh but it was really nice to get kind of a nice um background into the program. you know, obviously there are caps due to demand and students are placed in the lottery and so on and so forth. Um, and I think also, um, we they, um, the director talked a little bit about, um, Desi requiring early literacy screeners a few years ago, and because our students start French in first grade as opposed to kindergarten, uh, like the other district, Hollison,
058that offers French, uh, we're able to use the Dibble screeners for grades one and two because of the instruction in kindergarten for for English. Um, as we've all known, there are issues with students on waiting list this this year. So, there was a strong advocacy for an extra classroom, which, you know, was also very helpful. Um, so although at our next meeting we will be looking at the language change, you know, this is possibly something that we could look at holistically, look at the policy more holistic holistically and try to accommodate some of the feedback that we received. So, as I mentioned at our next meeting, we will be looking at the redline version of that policy to accommodate that language change. But hopefully in the future, and I I think also would be really
059great, I don't think the school committee has seen a presentation on French immersion. I think it would be really helpful, I think, for all of us um to kind of get insight into this program that we that we offer as a district. So, um I thought that was great. And then we had a series of uh meeting minutes to approve um which um we were also able to do. So I think for the next meeting we're going to get to the calendar policy which we also need to look at and same thing at the uh updated French immersion policy. And uh I will send you the minutes of this meeting um later this week just in case. So um but yeah that was the update for our policy and then oh I have facilities um
060facilities uh had a great meeting. Um I just want to personally thank Linda Lee Sheridan for doing the minutes every meeting. She does a phenomenal job. It's it's such a huge help and I appreciate her always volunteering to do them and sending them out very quickly after our meetings. Um, so we did get an uh we also met the same day, April 14th, um, right after the policy meeting. Um, we had um, we had some Actually, I'm so sorry. I should ask, did anyone have any questions on the on the policy meeting? No. Okay. Oh, Amanda, thanks. So did you say that excuse me because I didn't see it in the folder. Did you say that the the information around the policy or the updated policy around French will be in it will be actually
061at the next policy meeting and then it will come to school committee. Gotcha. Okay. Thank you. No, but that was helpful. Appreciate it. Okay. So sorry. Um getting back to facilities. Um, we had an update from Tom McCarthy, our facilities, consolidated facilities director. He just talked about, you know, odds and ends that they've been doing at uh like u fixing around the um our buildings. Uh two light poles were recently replaced outside of Pierce Middle School. Um the headend room had the AC unit replaced. Um the temperature control issue temperature control issues at Pierce Middle School, they've they've been looking at that. Um you know, there have been concerns about some of the rooms being too hot. Um there will be I know there was an email sent out to staff about appliances there. You
062know, and they're kind of just going through all the all the classrooms and just kind of figuring out ways to kind of um save costs uh on utilities. Um so um just figuring out ways on hey how can we bring some of those costs down I think just as I think an overall effort for us to uh you know um be better and more efficient with our costs. Um and I think um typically they turn off the heat in all the buildings by April 15th but since it was so cold hopefully it stays warm. Um they're waiting to kind of they're waiting to see how it goes. So hopefully uh that'll be soon. Um in terms of the Cunningham Collicott third and fourth floor project, uh Tom shared a calendar with us in terms of
063the phase one renovations uh that the owner's project manager provided. We still need a plan for clearing out the library and what to do with the books there. Um we might have look at maybe having a company come in and remove all the books and and shelving and all of those things and store it. and then once the renovations are done, bring them back. Uh so they're kind of looking at quotes for those. Um and then in terms of the update on the outdoor learning and open space improvement plans, uh Matt Morang, who one of our committee members, um has been kind of heading up that effort. They toured um along with Pete Jackson and CPC and Tom McCarthy. last week they uh the previous week they had toured Glover and um you know and
064so I know some of the schools have already uh presented proposals to the CPC and haven't gotten grants to make some updates but what we would really like to do is um kind of join efforts and kind of have an overall vision for each of those spaces so that uh we're maximizing the space and you know there's everything all schools are you know have an overall vision v vision for um uh the space improvements that we're looking at. So there is a shared vision. Um so we're looking at also having equal access for kids. Um and just kind of making the efforts more coordinated versus kind of you know each school kind of doing its own. But just you know whether it comes in front of the uh school committee or the superintendent for approval
065before it gets to um gets in front of uh the CPC kind of. So just make sure that we're are you know making sure that whatever whatever the schools um decide to do we're like hey you know like just kind of making sure that like u there is an overall vision to all of it. So just kind of kind of involving in that process. So I think u Matt's going to continue to kind lead up that charge um and just kind of you know help out with that so that um we can you know get more support on it and so on so forth. And that was that. Anna, thank you for your leadership on uh policy, both policy and facilities this year. You've done a lot in both of those areas, and it's a
066lot of work to chair those subcommittees and advisory committees. So, thank you. Well, I'm just very grateful for all of you guys. um and for um you know Lizzy and Bao and Peter and um regularly been on the policy subcommittee and it's it's been a pleasure kind of been able to go through all of those policies um and kind of streamlining all of our existing policies and then now you know taking ones that come up and really just doing a deep dive into all of them is has really been great. Uh in terms of facilities, Mark has been just awesome to work with and uh just I really enjoy our the the community members that are also part of that board. Um they just have a lot of energy and I'm just just grateful that
067you know I was telling them it's like after the we got approval for the third and fourth floor it's like now anything's possible. So now we're just like okay what can we do next? So there's just so much energy there and enthusiasm there. I think I think people are just really excited that like we can, you know, we have this sense of we can make anything happen right now. So, uh I'm just really grateful to be a part of that community uh that committee and just having some wonderful members on there and just hope that they continue to stay on and I you know um yeah, it's been great. Does anyone have any other questions regarding facilities? Okay, terrific. Well, uh we do not have meeting minutes to approve tonight. So, uh, next meeting agenda
068items, next Wednesday, um, April 30th is the reorganization meeting for the school committee. um that will be our next meeting and I believe we will as we've said further discuss um finance at that time with Q3 um and I don't uh I know that Regina we will work with you to find the appropriate time to um bring forward the two reports that were unable to happen tonight with vacation. Um those may happen next week or we'll just we'll work that out um under the superintendent's report. Um so that just brings us to a motion to adjurnn unless does anyone have any final thoughts before we do that? Okay. Thank you all again for interrupting your vacation week to um spend this time together and um I will make a motion to adjourn. Okay, I heard
069Amanda second. Um so roll call vote. Amanda, yes. Ba, yes. Anna, I saw you say yes, but I didn't hear you. Oh, yes. Yes, you said yes. Mark, I don't Yes. Thank you for still being there, Selena. Yes. And yes. Okay. Thank you all. Thank you all so much. Bye. Bye. Bye. Thank you. Bye. Bye. Heat. [Music] Heat. Rip it.