001To 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. >> Fire department regulations, notice of proper exits. >> We've got two exits located over here in case of an emergency. Once you exit, just look for the uh red illuminated exit signs. If those are blocked, you can exit through here again into the hallway and follow the exit sign. Thank you. Approval of minutes, regular meeting minutes, December 1, 2025. >> Motion made second. >> Have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? >> Opposed? >> Three abstensions [laughter] carries. Thank you. Approval of warrants. They are going around. Please be sure to sign them so we can pay
002our bills and then I'll entertain a motion to accept. >> So move a motion a second. Any discussion? >> Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? >> Opposed? Carries. E. Budget review. E1 year-toate expenditure report through December 2025. So the chair attaches the expenditure report showing expenses and incumbrances through December 31st, 2025. If the school committee has any questions, I'd be happy to answer those or honor to the aid of our business manager, Miss Scoffield, at this time. Thank you. Any questions for either Kyle or Miss Scoffield? Okay. Thank you. Updates on school ERP, PRO, and health insurance gap. So through the chair, as noted at the December school committee meeting, the new accounting system went live on January 1st, 2026. Business office staff have been training since June 2025 and
003preparing for the transition. As expected, we have encountered a few initial hurdles. However, staff have been patient and responsive as we address and resolve them. We have successfully completed the first payroll run in the new system, and next week we will process the first accounts payable one. If any of the school committes have any questions, I'd be happy to answer those. And I would also like to add the tremendous job that our business office has done um heralding this through the many stages uh and the transparency >> right >> all along the way. I I'll echo that. You'll notice tonight when you do sign the warrants, the signature sheets are a little bit different than what we've been used to. So, if you don't see your name on the front, please flip to the second
004page. Um but it's it's a much nicer setup, easy to read. I'm sure when we get to the budget tonight, you'll see that it was a little bit easier to get your eyes to catch a couple of the lines if you did have the time to peruse through it. Any questions regarding that? Okay, with that, we'll jump over to the health insurance gap part of this. >> Yep. Through the chair, the business manager will be helping. Yep. >> Submitting transfers to reconcile the insurance adjustment based on the unexpected insurance increase of 20% October 1st, 2025 at the February 2nd, 2026 school committee meeting. As you know, this increase in insurance is $583,275 for active employees and $14,328 for retiree employees for a total of $687,63. If you or the school committee have any questions, we'd
005be happy to answer those at this time. >> Okay. So, again, we are going to have this on the agenda next month, but we wanted to get this out so everyone had these are the realities of where we're going to be with the health insurance increases. Again, mostly out of our control um because of the the group insurance plan that we're with. Any questions preemptively for that or Miss Scoffield, she's here and Kyle as well. Okay. So again, we will see that next month on the agenda through transfers. Moving on to FY27 preliminary budget draft. So the chair that attached is the FY27 draft budget. We're waiting for the governor's budget to be released mid January. Currently we're at about 5.4% increase over FY26 budget. If you and the school committee have any questions, we'd
006be happy to answer those at this time. Again, what we're going to do with this, I wanted to get this out tonight and try and get back to the the system that we used to employ here, which was get it out as a draft budget in January, have the budget subcommittee assemble and meet prior to the February meeting, not the night of so that way we could go through it line item by line item if that's how they choose. That way when we do present it formally at the February meeting, the budget subcommittee's already vetted it in in one instance because we have to be ready to accept it for the March meeting. So we'll reach out to the budget subcommittee and get some dates. We do have a two and a half week time,
0073 week time before the next meeting, >> right through the chair, the governor should come out about uh January 23rd. >> Yeah. >> Or that week for for a budget. Um, so we'll have a good idea of what the increase will be then and you know how we'll deal with that. Excellent. Okay. Thank you. Moving on. F correspondence. Hey Marie, we have a couple things. First, um, we received um holiday card wishing you a holiday season and a new year bringing with happiness, health, and exciting possibilities. Thank you for your continued trust, confidence throughout the year. Dear friends at Norris, Murray and Pel. And the second thing is a letter from the town of Auburn. I, Ginger Bhau, town clerk of the town of Auburn, Massachusetts, hereby certified that George A. Scoie Jr. resigned as
008a me member of the Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Committee, Auburn Rep on December 16th, 2025. We have informed our board of selecting that they will need to appoint someone to serve on the committee until the May 19th, 2026 election. That's signed by Ginger. >> Thank you. >> G Student Advisory Committee. Our student representative Dave Bentoner is here tonight. Dave, welcome. >> Yes. Thank you. >> All right. Uh good evening to all members and guests. Uh thank you all once again for your attendance, both members of the committee and members of the public. Uh it has been quite a long time since we last met and I would just like to wish everyone a late merry Christmas and a happy new year. And I'd also like to say that winter break um as well
009as the academic schedule ensured that I was out of this building for almost two and a half weeks. So I haven't been here for a very long time. Um, and because of this and our last meeting being held only a little week from then, I only had the chance to meet with both Mr. Brener and Mr. Packard once uh just last Friday, as well as other teachers and prominent student leaders. So, uh, regarding the Google form that I sent out just the last month, I can report that around 153 total responses have been received amongst the various grade levels. And the results have not entirely shifted in their overall tones that I went um forward the last meeting. Um they're mixed with the general love and pride for Bayath with concern and frustration for the
010current problems at hand for students alike. And I will hopefully be able to speak with administrators and faculty alike throughout this next several weeks on a variety of topics and be sharing my thoughts and opinions on new developments in the next committee meeting. And I'd also like to thank the administrators, staff, parents, and students in their continued renewal and progress towards solving the current challenges with teacher contracts. It is important to those directly involved in resolving the matter to continue to strive for understanding and mutual cooperation. As the year 2026 rolls in, I hope to double my own efforts and activities in support of the Bayath community and our students. Here's to making this another great year for Bay Path. Thank you, everybody. >> Thank you. Okay, thank you. All right, moving on. Old business.
011Um, item B3C from the 1212025 meeting, house project update. All right, so through the chair, you have two memos in your packet, one from last month, one from this month. In summary, the carpentry group has the this year's house project uh completely weathertight. Plumbing and electrical are working on various items. plumbing being working in the basement and the waste systems up to the first floor and electrical is working on the rough in the first floor. There's any questions? Any questions for Mr. Shorter? >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Item two of old business from last month's meeting, item B3D, review [clears throat] timeline of superintendent's goals for evaluation. If you've noticed in your packets before we get into it, it was added in there if you had uh removed it rather from last month.
012Leah went around to check tonight. So Kyle, >> so basically I'll Yeah, I'll start. So this was introduced to me through Mr. Montville and I talking about when we do the superintendent's uh evaluation, having a more formal timeline for it. So that way we have whether it be Kyle doing it or the or down the road we have a sort of policy or roadmap to getting it done in a timely manner. So Don I'd like to ask you to make a small presentation regarding your beautiful writing. >> Thank you. [laughter] Um, as we all know, um, the when the new guidelines came up, it did include superintendent evaluation and, um, we have, um, a couple times we've asked for one year review and last year got too late. So, I just thought having it down
013on paper um just like when the staff has to do their um mid mid evaluations, we'll get an evaluation from Mr. Brena as far as um where he stands as far as the goals he set for us. Um I also thought that we, you know, if we can go for a September date, we can get things started a little earlier. I think it might have been um I'm not sure exactly when we got them this year. maybe November November meeting maybe or or the October meeting. I just think if we had them earlier, it'll give Mr. Brener an opportunity to get them started earlier so we could see more results by February if we take a look at the uh mid midyear evaluation. So that was my thoughts behind it all and most of these
014as I said are taken right from the uh the DESIE guidelines. There's nothing new here. There's um there's a full report on the Desi website. I just kind of summarize this to what we should expect or what we could expect from evaluations of Mr. Brener. >> Thank you. You're welcome. Any questions regarding said timeline? Being none, Mr. Brener, do you have any thoughts? Because again, it ultimately is a timeline that you would have to follow. Does through your review, does that make sense to you or >> Sure. >> Okay. So, I'll entertain a motion to accept the timeline. So, move second. >> Motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? >> Opposed? Motion [clears throat] carries. Thank you. Last item of old business from last month's
015meeting, item B3G, surplus equipment cabinet making through the chair. Um, vocational director received a request from uh the cabinet meeting instructor, Mrs. Stainy, to place following items on the surplus equipment list. One, Craig pocket hole device model number DK027287. Condition value working $200. One Laguna lathe pinnacle CL needs to repair estimated value $500. One staple gun duo fast damage no value. one 1986 Delta Spindle Shaper 43780 model working estimated $500 value. The superintendent, director, the vocational director, and the school business manager recommend the school committee vote to place these items in working condition valued at 500 on the surplus equipment list. these items as identified above to be disposed of using the most appropriate method available according to the school committee surplus equipment policy. >> So move >> second >> motion and a second. Any
016discussion? >> Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? >> Opposed? >> Motion carries. Um okay, that's duplicate. Moving on. Citizen participation. >> Hello, school committee. This statement is brief. While the union [clears throat] and its community supporters were hopeful when the school committee decided to grant the science teachers a level three grievance hearing over Mr. Brener's violation of their contract. Apparently, the word hearing fell on deaf ears. The seven-page decision letter that was furnished to me on December 17th did nothing but repeat the demonstrably false narrative and misinformation that Mr. Brener has used to violate our contract for these three science teachers as well as the two vocational teachers who are in the midst of arbitration for their contractual pay for the coverages last year. I may be a history teacher,
017but even I know that if in an 80 period two week cycle, an academic teacher needs to have 65 class periods, 10 prep periods, and 10 administrative periods to be considered a full load, as our students would say, that math ain't math. But rather than listening to the teacher's testimony, reviewing the concrete evidence supplied by the union, and upholding the language of the contract, your decision letter doubled down on Mr. runner's violation while attempting to split the difference and pay the science teachers less than they were owed for these coverages. So, while we thought the school committee had turned a corner and would take your responsibility to uphold the contract seriously, the union has had to once again file arbitration. We pay our dues. So, with support of the MTA, we will defend our contract.
018The district, however, will once again waste taxpayer money to pay a team of lawyers $240 an hour each to try to defend the violation of it. For transparency's sake, how much has the district's lawyers made so far off of this latest violation? How much did it cost the school to have your legal team admonish one of the science teachers for calling Mr. Brener by his own name in a closed door session? just asking on behalf of the taxpayers, the students, and the educators of Apath who that money was meant for. Regardless, unit A negotiations begin this Wednesday. The BPTA bargaining team has worked hard. Our proposal package is set, and we will be in this room ready to do the important work of negotiating a contract so clear, we won't need hearings, arbitration, and wasting
019taxpayer money to enforce it. We will see you all on Wednesday. Okay, moving on in business recognitions. Make sure to school chair just uh a few recognition. First, I want to recognize you all have in your packet a uh flyer on the pay path continuing that year in review. I just want to recognize the hard work that Miss Brightland who tomorrow celebrates her first year anniversary. So in that time frame, she is taking and elevated our night school program to new heights. So just a quick update for this year review, 75 instructors, 1,250 students, 150 classes, top five towns are highlighted. So Charlton, Suffford, Spencer, Auburn, and Webster are utilizing all these amazing courses and enrichment classes that are happening. The top classes classes based on enrollment are plumbers continuing ed. So this is a
020combination of both trade skills as well as you know enrichment courses. Electrical journeyman five boat America country line dancing. I can speak from personal not me personally but family members my wife and daughter absolutely love the country line dancing. Electrical journeyman uh [clears throat] seven on those top new classes are cribage corner shakurerie feast of the harvest acrylic painting bow bun making and ma jang on those hours earned towards lensure 10,675 hours towards electrical and 4,300 hours in plumbing. Flipping that over uh it just shows the total receipts, the average tuition, total expenses. We're still working on that and public relations increased by over 100%. So, social media posts, newsletters, newspaper articles are all go going out and the overall class rating for the one year total classes are 4.6 stars out of five. So,
021I just want to call out the work that Sher Dreland has been doing on that. She really hit the ground running and uh it's it's going well on that. Another thing I want to call out is the outside work uh work done inhouse for our towns. So in Southbridge for the sovereign grace chapel we did print and assembled binders from our bean program town of Charlton selecting plaques cabinet making Tedley Charlton school district strles and sauce from culinary arts Charlton Library food platters from culinary arts St. Michael's Church in Southbridge 100th anniversary book by graphics and the next several are graphics thin blue line organization. It was a benefit uh thin blue line takes care of uh law enforcement and first responders who are going through uh health and troubles on that. So they did
022tickets for benefit graphic communications Oxford Little League banners graphic communications Charlton police two separate forms that they wanted updated. So, graphic communications did that. Senior citizen center in Paxton, they did a booklet. Uh, Ann Maria College, they did their gala booklet. And Oxford Preschool, they did a banner for. So, graphics has been knocking it out of the park. And Charlton Fire Department fire truck parts for metal fabrication. And while we're on um graphics, I just want to call out three students uh in the whole department for the work they did for the Charlton Cultural Council. The Charlton Cultural Council came to them with a logo design project. The students took their needs and their wants and what they had to work with, submitted 37 outstanding logo designs from scratch. Uh they came in and they
023recognized the students with a slideshow talking about all the work. Uh it was completely anonymous voting from the Charlton Council. Third prize went to Lizzie Schwaner. She received a $25 Amazon gift card. Second prize went to Emily Cassalt $50 Amazon gift card and the grand prize $100 Amazon gift card uh and the logo that they chose will go uh was designed by Tristan DeFazio and graphics. So I want to call out the tremendous work that all the students did who participated in this design contest as well as the outstanding work under uh department Don Wilson on that. So really good job there. Thank you. All right, moving on. Communications. B1 competency determination requirement updates. And please note, we will have to have action on this at the end. >> We will. So, I'd like to
024introduce our illustrious director of curriculum, Dr. Sam. >> Frequent visits lately. Um, so you might remember last year when MCCAST was voted out as a graduation requirement, we had to determine how students would still be able to earn their competency determination in those same subjects that were tied to MCAST and we got that work done. This year, um, they've added an additional CD requirement for US history. Okay. So, um, there's no test tied to that at this time. We Can you scroll down, Mr. Packard? Thank you. So, um, there are seven key in, uh, historical practices for US history. And to show mastery, we're saying that students must be able to show mastery out of four out of the seven key historical practices, which um include things like reading primary source documents, creating inquiry questions,
025conducting research with reliable sources, um thinking from multiple perspectives, etc. Um and that their grade through the coursework as well as their scores on common assessments will determine if they can um earn their CD. There is no test tied to this at this time, though I suspect there will be one coming. Um, and the other thing that we have to certify with the state and post on our website is the appeal processes. So, there's a few different ones. Um, I think last year when I talked about the CD requirement, I did speak to the fact that previous students from the years 2003 to 2024, um, should be able to come back and appeal for their diploma if they did not earn a diploma due to MCCAST in those years. Um, and we just didn't post
026on our website yet. That's a new requirement. So now if a student in between 2003 2024 did not earn their seed requirement, they may appeal to the principal, Mr. Packard um in writing and then the administrative team will review the appeal and see if that person um actually did meet all the criteria based on the TEDA's criteria. That's what it's measured against. And if they did not, what pathway might they be able to take to earn their diploma? Um, so they can go and take a course, show that they have the skills since MCCAST is now um out. There has to be a process for transfer students. So students come to us um while students mostly come to us as you know freshman and sophomores. Um, and it's not generally a major problem. We can
027review their transcript. If they have already met equivalent CD requirements that they're sending schools, that would be quite easy to pass. We'll just do a transcript review and look at their data um in the Edwin Court portal from the state. Um, if a student comes to us and they did not come from a public school, they did not have those CD requirements, then we can look at what might be the equivalent there or they can still have the opportunity to meet our CD requirements as well and we will notify them. Finally, uh there needs to be an appeal process for students who are currently enrolled. So if students we have right now um come the fall we know who did not meet their CD requirement um we will notify them through the mail. We will
028send them a letter and they will by September 1st and then they will have uh till September 30th to appeal if they believe that they actually do meet the CV requirement. uh panel will review that and um we will go from there whether it's a recommendation that they have to complete a skill plan which is already in our policy or something else. Um but it just basically puts a timeline so that people will hear back from us within a month's um time and that's it for the language. All that has to be posted on our website as well as what we approved last year for English, math, and biology. The state is requiring that we submit a link to the website where this all is spelled out for the public. Um, and that's about it.
029Miss, can you scroll up? I just also want to mention that you probably heard through news outlets and whatnot that um this is ever evolving, right? So in June of this year, we should be hearing and getting more detail on all of this, but we are expecting that actually um the department of education is going to implement end of course exams now to replace MCCAST altogether. so that it would be tied to the course. So for instance, in math um the MCCAST currently assesses um algebra 1 and geometry. I would expect that algebra would have an exam, geometry would have an exam. The difference between these exams and MCCAST is that these exams cannot determine if somebody can graduate. No one test can make it so that somebody can't graduate. It's not technically a graduation
030requirement. I imagine it'll still be used for accountability purposes to rate us as a school to give us data, see how our students doing, etc. Um, the timelines for that, when that's going to roll out, whether it be next year or the year after, will be in June this year. We'll get that final report. We got a midyear report in December. We will be adding financial literacy as a graduation requirement, the state is saying, and there's a portfolio requirement that all schools have to meet. We already have a portfolio requirement for our graduates um a career portfolio. So that's not really going to be new for us, but the financial literacy course and the exams will be. So I will keep you um in the know once we have information on that and anything that
031needs to get approved next time around. >> Any questions? >> Excellent. Yes. >> Dr. did an outstanding job of breaking this down. A very simple format. What's important to know from the committee standpoint that the MCCAST accountability still follows us and we have to ensure that our students are doing their very best on this test because we will get our rating and our accountability and it's hard because it's a delicate balance between the two worlds. We are moving towards the subject matter test um in the state hasn't figured it all out yet. So we sit chasing our tail to try to have this all done ahead of time but we really don't know what it looks like yet. So, we're trying to like chase the rabbit here and do this right. But it's important to
032note that our students have to really be focused in on that test because we will give an accountability grade based on any other school out there. >> Okay. >> And in anticipation of maybe some of the questions I'm going to hold it the question came up. It is very much a you know dynamic situation that we're in. You know, working in a financial literacy course is easy when you have electives. Every course a student takes here is a graduation requirement. We can't fit that in unless there's we can implement the the work that uh we've done on a new schedule that would allow us to offer an elective or in this case an additional mandatory graduation requirement on that. Just this uh morning, late morning at 11:00 after we left our admin meeting, I sat
033on a panel of five superintendents um in on a panel of five superintendents talking about these requirements and the lack of information yet the requirement to post this. These are all due December 31st. We have I sought an extension from the associate commissioner because of the date of our our meeting. So we're well within our rights not posting it. We will post it as soon as action is taken here uh tomorrow on it. But we talked about end of course exams and that you know many of our careers take national standardized test. Why create a new test you know cosmetology license the you know uh national veterary assistant exam. Those exams are in place. Those are nationally certified. Why we create the wheel? our career portfolio is a portfolio. So from the vocational superintendent, he
034talked to that like why are we recreating that as a resume that talks to English language arts that has cover letters um and all the work that they've done there. Uh so it is alive. we're trying to address the the point of this panel was to just preface all the questions from the regional from uh comprehensive district as well as a vocational district that questions that we have and then we're all charged all the uh superintendents who were were present to take a survey and put our feedback there and let them know what do they want to put forward to the graduation requirement commission that published the midterm. So, we do all this work and it's a moving target. So, um there's a lot to come in place and I do I want to commend
035the efforts and the level of calmness and not letting the frustration boil over from Dr. Muan and and the other administrations and teachers who worked on this. So, uh this is a requirement that we we post this. Excellent job of boiling it down and questions. >> Dave, I saw you had a question. >> Yes. And I don't know if this question is going to make any sense at all, but you had mentioned kids in the fall who can apply for review. >> Mhm. Uh is there any mechanism in place right now and guidance that we know how many of those how how many students may be falling into that trap >> at this time >> and I know it's really >> um so the process has been you know we've been working on it this
036year uh furiously because the kids the juniors we have right now and the seniors we have right now are they have to meet their CD requirement it was just thrown at us Mr. kind um our new assistant principal. He has been putting together some nice tracking systems. Um he so we created the skills plans. We whittleled it down by comparing the frameworks that are measured by MCCAST versus what we can offer in the skill plan to be an alternative and all the students were notified met with and they have been working on the skills plan. Mr. kind since he's come in has done a really nice job of meeting with the students to see where they're at. He has some nice tracking systems where he now has um templates where he can tell them you're
037this much percent done um completing your skill plan if you didn't meet the other CD requirement. Um and so this is our first class with this in the So they'll know all along this year how far they've gone, how much they have left. Um, and by the fall or over the summer, by the time they come back, we'll have a list of students who didn't finish yet and we'll be notifying them. So, they are being met with. They were first met with um by guidance and um special ed team chairs and since Mr. kinds come in. He's taken on a lot of that organization um and tracking and um I think it's going quite well. But now with somebody really paying attention to all the that and meeting with students regularly, I think it'll help
038a lot. Um >> that's good. >> So it's really conjunction uh you know with Mr. K, the team chairs with Mr. K. >> Gotcha. Thank you. >> It's a good question. >> Any other questions? >> I just have one comment. I I love seeing financial literacy up there. I think that is >> paramount for this generation, even generations before it >> And US history. Absolutely. I mean, so we don't repeat it. >> Uh but I wish they'd put a life skills requirement in there, too, because I mean, >> it's just be swinging back, you know, that way. >> Absolutely. When we did our uh strategic planning committees a couple years ago, um this was something that my committee, you know, everybody, the students, the parents, everybody agreed that financial literacy should be offered to everyone,
039both our students that are graduating as well as offering um some sessions to even the public. And so this has been on our radar and we absolutely are excited to implement this. >> Absolutely. Any other questions for Dr. McWan with excellent presentation. Thank you. >> All right. I will entertain a motion to accept this. I have a motion. >> Second. >> A motion and a second. Any [clears throat] discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carries. >> C. Approval of surplus equipment, masonry, and tile setting. >> Through this chair, uh, vocation director. I received from the vocation of director a request from the masonary and tile setting meeting instructor Mr. Champo to place the following items on surplus equipment. One Husqabana masonry saw condition working value $400.
040One Huskabana 20-in wet saw older model $200 value. One MK wet tile saw well used estimated value $100. One MK wet tile saw, well used, $100 value. Two 14inch dustless masonry saws, working condition, estimated value, $400 each. One Milwaukee circular saw, not operable, zero value. Milwaukee circular saw, not operable, zero value. One Bosch circular saw, not operable, zero value. One skill saw, worm circular saw, operable, $50 value. scale corded jigsaw unsafe $20 value should have no value if it's unsafe >> that should not go on surplus [clears throat] to be disposed of it should be kitachi half inch hammer drill is not operable $0 and half inch hammer drills were not operable superintendent director vocational director and school business manager recommend the school committee vote to place the above items of varying conditions and values
041ranging from 0 to 400 on a surplus equipment list to be disposed of using the most appropriate method available according to the school committee policy circle make a move motion in a second any discussion [clears throat] >> done and then I'll one second >> the uh the skill corded jigsaw we recognize that as unsafe we should just throw that out so that will be disposed of in accordance with right so disposed of So, right. >> So, this will take the Z the $20 value off. Good. Good. >> With some of this equipment, does it ever cost us anything to dispose of it? >> Um, it's the stuff that's operable will go up on the um auction, Miss Scoffield, the gov auction, gov.com auction. People will bid for it. So, we will get reimbursed for it.
042the stuff we have to dispose of. No more waste disposal fees on those. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries. >> C2 cabinet making. Sure. >> Mr. Trip, uh, receive the request from Kirsten Cabinet. You've instructed to place the following items on the surplus. one Craig 4x8 FA face frame clamp operable $100 value and one AXYZ CNC router trade. Uh the superintendent director, vocational director and school business manager recommend school committee both to place the these items on the surplus equipment list to be disposed of using the most appropriate method available according to the school community policy. A motion >> motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none. I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? >> Opposed?
043Motion carries. D. Approval of out of state field trip cabinet making Rhode Island Convention Center. Sure. >> Superintendent Director and the Vocational Director recommend the school committee vote to allow 30 students and three instructor chaperons to attend the JLC live at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island. The event is a premier educational opportunity for students to gain firsthand exposure to the residential construction industry. There is no fee. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion and second. Any discussion? >> What's the uh date on that? >> Good question. >> Any request, right? >> Yeah. March 27th, 2026. It's in the actual written portion. >> So So we did meet the 30-day. >> Any other questions? Being a call for the vote. All those in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carries. E. Approval of outside
044projects. One, town of Paxton community meeting space through the chair. Mr. Trip, the vocational director received a request from the town of Paxton for our carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and building property maintenance students to renovate and repair an area of less than 1,000 square feet to create a community meeting space. Instructors from the aforementioned programs have visited the site and believe this will be an appropriate and beneficial project for our students. The town of Paxton has confirmed they will cover all material costs associated with the project. [clears throat] The superintendent director, vocational director recommend the school committee vote to approve the outside project for the town of Paxton as submitted. >> Make a motion. So move. >> Motion second. Any discussion? >> Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? >> Opposed? Motion
045carries. Two, [clears throat] Town of Rutland Fire Department. >> Sure. >> Mr. Trip, the vocational director received a request from the town of Rutland for our carpentry, electrical, and plumbing students to renovate an existing attic space into sleeping quarters, restrooms, and common areas for the Rutland Fire Department. Instructors from the aforementioned programs have visited the site and believe this will be an appropriate and beneficial project for our students. The town of Rutland has confirmed they will cover all material costs associated with the project. In addition, the building the Bay Path drafting department designed plans for the space with the Rutland Fire Department last year, making this project come full circle from design to implementation. If approved, the superintendent director vocational director recommended school committee vote to approve the outside project for the town of Rutland
046Fire Department as submitted. Motion >> a motion and a second. Any discussion? >> Okay, one second, Mary. I saw you. >> I just have a question only because I'm noon. Are these projects done during school time? >> Yes. >> And they get transported there. >> Yeah. >> Is there any extra insurance available if they get hurt while they're out on the streets? >> Under It's covered under our lady insurance. Their insurance company knows. [clears throat] Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Mary, I mean, I'm telling I saw you. Uh, >> just a question. Um and distributed. We're not biting off more than we can chew, are we? >> No. Uh so through the chair, the Paxton project, um let's go back. The Paxton project we're looking at is a reasonably simple project [clears throat] done
047by the end of this year as long as all the materials are on site. Uh the Rland project we're looking at a multi-year, possibly two to three. Um, and it's a pretty large space, but it's considered complimentary to project. Okay. >> Thank you. >> One second, Mr. Mont. >> Um, does the plumbing board still give you a hard time doing these projects? And, um, if so, do they have they approved these projects already? >> So, I'm going to >> say it again. >> The plumbing plumbing board you still have trouble with. >> We through the chair, we've been fortunate. They they've changed the process now. It's actually quicker. We submit an application online now. Um, knock on wood, but we have not applied for these projects yet until we went to school. >> Okay. >>
048Do they still limit the number of students that can vote on the job ratio? >> Thank you, Mr. Dear. >> How big is the project, the fire department project? >> Uh, to the chair. I don't have the actual square footage for that, but I can get it. And our drafting department is drawing the plant. >> They did. Who's stamping it and taking the liability of design? >> I can circle back on that. >> Yeah. We shouldn't we shouldn't be taking liability on design or anything like that. Building inspector. >> Well, a building inspector will have to prove it. But >> yeah, >> usually any design that's a that's a liability issue. Any other questions? >> So, with that said, should this one should this project be put on hold because it's not going to stop
049this year. Correct, Mr. Trip? It wasn't planned for this year. >> Could possibly start this year depending on how the path of the project. >> Okay. So, a question. a stamp in terms of structural >> well design architectural design meet and code and structural and the whole thing falls under the designer and it's a commercial project it's not like it's a residential house a little bit different >> but we've been working with the probably the the uh uh building inspector >> it's been involved >> we've been working with the building inspector for Rland >> um he's probably under the threshold of falls >> yeah it's probably under the cubic uh square footage. Yep. So, I'm sure that this will pass muster because and this started last year when they were doing the drafting. >> So,
050through the chair, this started last year where uh Mr. Vort was working directly with uh deputy chief Quinn in Wellland. Uh they drew out the plans and anytime any of our students go out and work on a project like what we do, the design of the house project, it always has to have a stamp uh by an outside entity. >> Yeah. >> So, it's not something that we're taking on ourselves. >> Okay. Any other questions? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carries. All right. Information and proposals report from the superintendent director. Short through the chair. Submitted a written report, albe it short because of a short time frame from December to January in the holiday break. If there's any questions, I can answer those. I do want
051to point out that the omission of the February 2nd school committee meeting at 7 p.m. So yes, we will have a >> You still have to be here. >> February 2nd. >> All right. Subcommittee reports audit subcommittee hasn't met yet. Budget subcommittee. I know last year was Tim Shore. We'll get together with the members on that committee and propose some dates to achieve meeting prior to next month's meeting for the school budget. Building and ground subcommittee. Don Montville hasn't met at this point. Negotiation subcommittee. Dave, >> uh, we have two meetings this week. Uh, for those on the subcommittee who can make it, uh, Wednesday and Thursday night, uh, we have PBTA on Wednesday, >> right? Par on Thursday, both at 4:30 in this room. >> Thank you. >> Policy subcommittee Pete. Uh, nothing to
052report. All right, warrant subcommittee. Again, warrants are available for signatures by all school committee members at tonight's meeting and every month. And then also during the day at school, if you are going to come up during that time frame, just call the business office, make sure someone's in there so you can gain access to do that. Future business meeting date, as Kyle alluded to, there is a meeting in here 700 p.m. Monday, February 2nd. Uh, please reach out to Kyle, myself, or Leah with any topics you'd like to get on the agenda. With that, we'll move on to remarks from the superintendent director uh through the chair. I just want to wish everybody a happy new year. We're looking forward to uh a lot of great things in this coming calendar year and the fourthcoming
053uh academic school year as well. Uh I do want to address uh public comment tonight. uh you all part of the decision. They received everything that they asked for. Not one person was short changed. They received full compensation for that. Um and there was no false information in the seven page report that went out. So that part I hope is shared out. Um that we value our teachers. that goes to the budget where over 80% of our $31 million budget goes to teacher salaries and benefits. >> Thank you. Thank you. Comments from the committee. I'll start this way. Tonight, Mr. Tberry, >> how come we didn't have a meeting last Monday? >> What was the reason that fell on the first Monday? >> Because we were coming back from a two and a half week
054school vacation and adjusted it for tonight. >> Oh, okay. >> To the standard practice. >> Standard practice. Okay. Okay. >> So, I show it off [laughter] and [laughter] send you just across that island before [laughter] >> that helps bring and the people up front didn't know. They were looking at the we don't know. [laughter] >> Oh, I wish they sent you something more fun. Dave, >> um, first condolences to, uh, to Mike on on the loss of his dad recently. And also, uh, Kyle, I'm glad you brought that up because I was I was keeping notes. And when they were mentioning that, uh, the monies uh, were subpar to what they were expecting, I was kind of taken aback on that. and thinking, am I the only one? >> You know, because we all voted
055to >> meeting um through the chair, a meeting was held with the business manager and the HR specialist to itemize exactly the payments for each individual each individual. Uh and a special pay was done to ensure that the pays were issued and received prior to the school vacation with the last payroll prior to the school vacation. So >> well be careful. >> Yeah. I know. I know. I know. >> Caution. >> Don't pass. >> All right. >> Kristen, >> I'm not happy. >> Okay. >> I'd like to thank any and all who were involved in the advisory committee meeting on January 7th. Uh there's an amazing number of things that are going on here and uh I just wish that the world is large could be made aware. >> Excellent. Mary, >> my lips are
056sealed. >> Okay, Mary squared. >> Um it's happy new year. Good negotiations coming up and smooth. I hope >> Mr. Jo all set. Thank you. All right, Mr. Santos. >> All set. >> Mr. Sher, >> welcome. >> All right, Katie, come on. >> Okay. Uh, welcome back everybody. Um, meeting the other night was great. It was great to have everything that's going on. Um, I just wanted to throw out that I had the uh health tech students came. They came twice last month to the senior center. They come once a month for blood pressure screenings and they said, "We have to go back for one full day. Can we come and do something here instead?" So with um their instructor Jason Gur whatever I asked them if they could put together a um a presentation
057about the signs of a stroke. So they came and they did that at the senior center and everybody absolutely loved it. The kids did a great job you know and they missed out you know Jay was there to help them with anything but they did a great job. Then they stuck around to do blood pressure screenings for the rest of the day. like it was really cool to have them do something a little more outside of what they normally do and they were really excited to put together their little they made a little chart and stuff just like this one. They were all excited too. So I was really happy to see that. It was really great to have them out there doing that. Um happy new year. >> All righty, Mr. Bean. >> I
058just pray for everybody's safety for this coming year. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Sher. Condolences to you and your family. >> He's a good guy. Real good guy. Learn a lot from him. >> Um, other than that, happy new year to everyone. >> Thank you. >> Just want to wish everyone a happy new year and thanks for your uh support of the project in Paxton. And I uh leave you with this. I actually would like to see the superintendent do country line dancing [laughter] available anywhere. I'll be happy to watch. >> We can we can amend Dawn's timeline. [laughter] >> Let me make sure. Is that a m >> I'd like to echo the sentiments that have been expressed by about the advisory dinner. Um well well presented I like the power [clears throat]
059Mr. Trip path that his staff follow because it's uh it was concise and to the point it's great hearing about all the conger that exists between the shops and you hear that almost every one of the shops I got and spoke they thank this department and this department. It's great to hear that. Um, one thing I did and I know we've talked a little bit about it was the um, drivers that can can I get a little bit more information about that? They they're hoping that's obviously going to help students get licenses for co-op purposes. Is that open to just BCOT students? Is it open to the community? What's what's the plan on that? >> Great question. It's open to members of the 10 towns, 10 pound towns. We currently have 24 registered students with
060a maximum of 30 for the first class. Um the class is going to be offered right here in our classrooms upstairs by the gymnasium. Um it's a great opportunity where the kids can stay after school uh 3:30 to 6:00. It's a perfect complement to what parents are seeking and um for our kids to be able to partner and they got a reduced rate as well. We negotiated that down at least a couple hundred less than everybody else. >> It's an expensive class. It's >> going to be overseen by anybody. You know, it said 3:30 to 6. They're in the building. They're not all our students, >> right? >> Oh, they would be all of our students. >> Okay. So, be students. >> Oh, they're Bay students. Okay. >> They wouldn't be able to get the
061rate if they were not. >> Okay, great. And um finally, I'd like to um extend a thank you to Mr. Scobby for the five years that he put in to the committee. I know that um you know he's very uh dedicated to the students and staff and um for whatever reason he gave it up in the middle of the year. Um it's I'm sure it's known to him. I want to thank him on behalf of myself uh for working on the sort of working on the school committee. Thank you, George. >> Mr. [laughter] appreciate the update on the graduation requirements and I guess the key word there is evolving as we will evolve through this process. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Just wish everybody happy new year. Is it possible just to get a
062quick >> uh I'm getting a lot of questions from people regarding the water, >> you know, and how that works because they're questioning their their as far as getting into the school. >> Is there anything can be done by >> You want to make thatation next month? >> I can uh yeah through the chair. I'm open to any suggestions. Uh our um policy is online. It is available. Um you know, we can point people to that, but I'm happy to do a presentation for next month on admissions. Uh in the meantime, it's uh we have six just over 670 applications. Um it is 100% lottery. So completed application is submitted. Um the categories again are if they have less than 10% you know uh 27 absences in the 270 days from the date prior to
063the date that they submit the application they get an additional ticket. Submitting a completed application gets one ticket having less than 27 unexcused absences in 270 days from the date of submitting. they get another ticket and then every student um I can go into it. If um you know you've committed a felony on and been adjudicated of the felony on school grounds, you will not get a third ticket. Um but you know so essentially 100% of students um because even if it was adjudicated felony on school grounds, juvenile cases are sealed and we would have no way of knowing that. Okay. Um, everybody will get a >> So, they have to they can up their chances by >> throwing their name in the in the lottery twice. Is that basically [laughter] so it's one per
064student? >> Yeah. >> And you get additional tickets for attendance and discipline. >> When you say tickets, is that another >> It's It's electronic. So, they're you're in there twice. >> Yes. >> Spinning. >> It's like buying three 50/50 raffle tickets. So you get three numbers. Those are three numbers. >> So what I was actually thinking and Dean does have a comment, but it may be wise rather than a presentation here. Dean, do you mind maybe doing one of your really upbeat videos and >> already out there October 31st? I put out a complete uh newsletter about the lottery. If you have that individual reach out to me, I will forward them. [clears throat] >> All right. Thanks, Steve. >> Pete, was that all you're going to mention? >> Yeah, I just want know it's
065out there that I can send it out to whomever. Dave, >> would it help because this presentation today was so concise and and easy to understand. >> Can you just to take what Bob's talking about for us to have a handout that we could look at >> real simple three columns or boom boom boom that would I think be a big help. >> Yeah. Right. So I have tickets gets in, >> he still has to he shadows the shops that he's picked and he's still waited out after he's done the first half of the year. Correct. >> Still follows that same >> it hasn't changed. >> That still hasn't changed. They still got to do good through the shops in order to get even considered for the first or second. >> Yep. >> Right now.
066>> Oh, right now. That could change. We yeah I won't talk hypotheticals but yes every explore >> is still the same. >> Okay >> at this point this gets you through the door >> is why >> um and we so the >> the drawing is electronic. So I'll be meeting next month with go to CTE who is the online admissions software provider and whereas everybody submits their application online which is great because it is available in 32 different languages um they submit it online >> they're the online system randomly generates a unique number for each applicant and for each additional no weight they're given and it's run electronically. So, and some had a a real lottery. This is electronic and it's all verified and has been vetted by the state and other schools. So, it'll
067be a electronic lottery and the date of that lottery has not been determined yet. >> Is that a lottery through through I mean is that a lottery that will be done building in the building or is that done at DC and then you get a list? >> Nope. They can come here and do it. Some schools have elected to to televise the lottery. It's going to be recorded. >> I'll be honest with you. I do that too. It >> has to be like, "How do we know this is legit or whatever?" >> Yeah. Recorded it and and posted it or or you know, >> so that's where we're going to meet with Goto CTE and talk about the details and logistics of how that's run. But a lot have elected that because that takes out
068the you know, oh yeah, you did it in the back room. >> Yeah. do that line. [laughter] >> So this is the lottery is going to happen per town. >> Yes, we have 10 towns with allocations. So we have to do 10 individual lotteryies. I say that if you know a town doesn't say a town is allocated 48 seats and they have 34, right? >> No lottery. 100% of those students get admitted, >> right? So if they have more >> subscribers and seats available, we do we do that. So we would verify that as well probably through that live broadcast like town of you know Acme Hall students pardon who >> say someone wins the lottery and they opt not to come. >> Is there that the next in order next in line is indicated?
069>> Yes. is randomly. Yep. >> The weight list is gonna be >> so we and that's that's >> yeah so um the weight list will be generated on that. So we'll go back and we do another random. >> So those are the details that go to can we generate the order of which they're selected or each time is a random lottery and I think it's I think it's each time is a random lottery. So we go back and all those students who who didn't get it are you know randomly generated two or three more because it does happen some say you know they cover their bases I applied to you know parochial school I applied to the charter school and I applied to my you know um regional vocational school and then when they get
070their acceptances like a thanks but no thanks I got you know in here. All right. So, right up until the start, any selection is randomly generated. >> All right. Any other all set with lottery? Dave, any followup? >> Happy New Year and merry Christmas. Um, I'm very glad to see the driver's ed program implemented. I know the cost through Alert was around maybe $1,000 for myself and for other people taking that. So, I'm very glad to see that. That's definitely another incentive for people who want to come to Bay Path. I know that's we're very big on that. Um, you know, uh, keep pay as great as it always is. Uh, and yeah, that's all from me. >> Thank you. I have nothing tonight. So, with that, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. So, move
071>> second. Any discussion? Being none. All right. Everyone say yes. >> All right.