001the meeting of the Southern West County Regional Vocational School District School Committee to order. Routine matters. Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Fire department regulations, notice of proper exits. Sure. If you notice, we have two exits located over here. If those are blocked at all, we can go out this side over here and follow the exit signs. Thank you. Approval of minutes. Public hearing school choice May 5th, 2025. So move. Second. Have a motion, a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Get an extension, please. Okay. and thank you Mike. Approval of minutes regular meeting minutes May
0025th, 2025. So move second motion in a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Opposed and abstensions this time. I bet you KD. Thank you. Motion carries. Approval of warrants. Um they are going around the table. Please do your best to get those signed. Uh there are a lot of them in there. And I'm going to add one more that Jim Trip actually brought to my attention. This is a yearbook for Peggy Corsy who is retiring at the end of the school year. Please take a moment, put a nice personal message in there for Peggy. Um it'll be a perfect time to do it. So with that, I will call for the approval of the warrants. So move second. Motion in a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll
003call for the vote. All those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. E budget review. Um so through the chair attached is the expenditure report showing expenses and incumbrances through May 27th, 2025. The business office and the superintendent are proposing a series of transfers to balance account as a separate item. If you the school committee have any questions, um we'd be happy to answer enter them at this time. Okay. Any questions for Cindy on the budget? Okay, with that I will move on to correspondence oath of office. I have Alfred Eye Veland Webster, three-year term. Michael S. Pantos Rutland, three-year term. Jennifer A. Real Spencer, three-year term. Peter M. Sher Paxton, three-year term. And George A. Scobby Jr. Auburn three-year term. Not Bobsy Pops. Uh, welcome for those. Your alarm is like four minutes off. For
004those of you members who got reelected, congratulations and welcome back. Jen, welcome to the board. Again, we would love to have some, you know, good honest feedback and comments. Please feel free to bring those along. And Mike, welcome back to the board. I know a lot of you already came in, gave Mike a handshake and a hug. I mean, you did 13 years already. So again, welcome back. Not much. Nice to see everybody. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Student advisory committee tonight. We do not have one as Matt graduated the other night, so we will not have a new student rep until probably the October meeting would be my guess. old business. There is none tonight. Citizen participation. Yep. Phil, it's pretty good. You know my name then seen your face there once or twice. So,
005um, Phil Davis, Oxford, a couple things. Wonders kind of wondering where we stand with the football field. I did know that we did talk about it at at one point in time about possibly getting the name changes. kind of wondering why we stand there. Uh two, uh the athletic fields just in general, you know, just I know uh you know, we're always hoping for the solar panels to go up across the street. Um just kind of wondering, you know, where we're going with that, too. I know uh up here this year was really difficult with the with the wet uh fields were underwater. you know, uh, luckily we were we were able to use green ry and use some other fields, but um, uh, you know, at the end of the year, you know, the
006staff here did did do a really good job for us. The field was ready to go. Um, it looked presentable, which was nice, but I and I know everybody else is having the same difficult problems. Um, secondly, um, probably one of the biggest things is I know there's a lot of negativity that goes around, you know, up here at the school with with possible issues here, possible issues here. I'm actually coming the other way tonight and I'm just, you know, I wanted to thank the administration and all the teachers. Uh my boys just graduated and um it was a fantastic four years for them. It was great up here. Uh we had a lot of teachers with a lot of extra help. We had teachers staying after, you know, uh with the kids to get
007things done. The sports programs were just incredible. Like we had a great run. And to top it off, if anybody I did see some of the members here, but um the graduation was phenomenal. It was done absolutely perfect. Uh I love the new banner that the senior class uh did donate. So that was great, too. Um so like I said, I wanted to go the other way. I just want to thank all the administration, you know, all the teachers, you know, for all the work you did with especially probably Chase, but um uh we do appreciate it and and I have talked to a lot of parents. I I do have the voices of all the parents talking to me, you know, in and out through all the sports and everything else. And everybody was
008just raing and raving on how good everything has been this year. And I know there was a lot of non a lot of people weren't happy. The kids weren't happy about these yonder pouches and all that. Very tough decisions in my eyes. I think it was the best thing for my kids and to get the attention back in the classrooms for the kids. So tough choices. I'm glad you guys did them. I know they weren't popular, but thank you guys on all that. Thank you. Thank you. Not that I'll touch base on a lot. I know we'll get through some updates on policy later in terms of the naming of the field, etc. I believe that's still in the long list of policies they've got to get through. I can't answer exactly as that with
009the summaries because I mean Pete we um we've been meeting monthly uh the policy subcommittee meeting uh with the consultant going over all of the policies. Uh we have one meeting we hope to finish up um the end of this month. Um, we probably won't get to that until uh we address to I I'm guessing our meeting in August. Okay. Okay. So, we're just finishing up on all the policies with with a consultant to make sure they're updated and that that is one of them uh that is in the policy. So, uh we'll keep you updated. Okay. a little bit about the fields. We've been in talks with our engineer about getting an irrigation system up and running. So, there's some uh things we have to do to make sure that's happening, but it is
010still trying to happen this summer to get some plumbing and some irrigation potential for that. Yeah. Be great to get some drainage out there. Absolutely. Yep. So, that's good. And and thank you for your kind words. It's nice to hear from the uh from the public that things went well and congratulations on your kids graduating. Thank you. Yeah. All right. With that, we're going to move on to new business. Oh, yeah. You're right. New business. Yeah, actually, you're right. We'll get that recognition short. Yep. I'll bring it up with the superintendent. Go for it. New business 2024 2025 house project update. Through the chair. Um I have vocational director James Trip here and he has prepared an extensive update on it. Sure. Uh thank you superintendent for the chair. Um update is pretty extensive. It
011actually was on the two pages. It looks like the second page was uh was cut out. High level overview. Um we're as far as we can get for this year. Uh carpentry just has to go back at the beginning of next year with the decking on the decks behind the rear. Uh reason why the deaf wasn't put on originally was we were waiting for the septic installation and the national grid um electrical pole easement to go through. Those are two hang up. Septic is still not installed. However, um the pole is in place and the house wiring inspector has put the column into national bridge to turn the power off. Um electrical and plumbing essentially they're they've gone as far as they could without having the septic installed and the kitchen cabinets are not in
012place yet. We did make some um adjustments to traditional practice whereas like the recess lighting we put in without the painting being complete. Homeowner wants to do all the painting themselves and um hopefully get the cabinets in go back start next school year finish things up. We are on track to start next year's house red on. Excellent. Thank you. Any questions regarding the house build project? Okay, moving on to item B, budget transfers to balance accounts. Through the chair, superintendent, director, and the school business manager recommend that the school committee vote to authorize the proposed transfers to balance the accounts for the date ending May 27th, 2025. So moved. Second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. D.
013Approval to send Cobra card to CMAA auction in Oxford. So move through through the Did you skip on I did FY25 year end budget transfers. Wow. Jumping around today. uh through the chair, the superintendent director and the school business manager recommend that the school committee vote to authorize the business manager with the authority to make transfers during the months of June and July with a list of the transfers transfers to be included in the August 2025 agenda for ratification at the first meeting of the school committee for 2025 2026 school year. So move second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor. Opposed. Now D. Approval to send Cobra card to CMAA auction in Oxford. Excellent. Through the chair, the superintendent, director of
014the school business manager recommend that the school committee vote to allow the inclusion of the Cobra kit car that was built by automotive students and staff in the Central Mass Auto auction taking place on June 26, 2025. Move. Second. Have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Tim, what is our hopeful expectation in the idea? Um, so surprisingly to me at least, uh, we're looking at what what was it, Cindy? 20 25,000, but we're hopeful. There's a couple of people that are already interested in it. Uh, so it's going to be the premier event on the 26th. It's currently down there now. I know prior to being approved, but we were confident that we're going to get the approval. So, it's down there now. people looking at it who are calling what? So, I'm hoping
015at least 25, but hoping more. Yeah. Excellent. Wow. Jim, where do the proceeds for that sale go? They'll go into which account? What? What? The school gift account. School gift account. Any other questions? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. E. Acceptance of donations through the chair. The superintendent, director, and the school business manager recommend that the school committee vote to accept the following donations. A cash donation ship in the amount of $200 in honor Hannah Io in order to provide funds to a male and female electrical student in need. This is likely to become an annual donation with future amounts at $100. An initial also an initial donation of $1,000 from an anonymous donor to assist students who may experience hardships with items such as vocational
016work uniforms, safety gear, tool bags, and related equipment, backpacks, school supplies, and basic wardrobe essentials. This donor would like to replenish these funds as needed on an ongoing basis. So move second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? opposed. Motion carries. F. Electricity contract renewal to the school chair. The school business manager extended the electricity contract with Net Era Energy Service for 18 months at a fixed rate of 11801 per kilowatt hours. Rates are effective June 1st, 2025. So move second. Have a motion in a second. Any discussion? Yeah, transmission rates. That's just a flat rate on the user fee, right? Where they hitting you for transmission rates. That's where they whack you. Can you hear that, Cindy? The transmission rates, all
017the fees and all that, right? Is that just the rate itself and a kilowatt per hour, right? It's just the rate itself and a kilowatt per hour. Yeah. So, what's what are we paying on top of that? I have to get back to them. Okay. It's a little bit more than the um this year's price. Not a whole lot more, but um it's pretty competitive. So where's the total kilowatt per hour coming in at? It varies from month to month. Um but I can get back into August. I can give you kind of the year. Yeah, it's a rough idea. Okay, thanks. Any other discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. G surplus equipment dental assisting through the school chair. Uh the vocational director uh superintendent and
018the dental assisting leading instructor asked that the school committee vote to place the following items on the surplus equipment list. One 3D scanner serial number M17306006 it's working use um as a tradein. So move. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. H. Approval of outofstate field trip cabinet making. through the school chair, the vocational director, principal, and the superintendent asked that school committee vote to approve a request from cabinet making to allow junior students to attend an out of school out of state field trip to Bernat Bernahans, a custom wood shop in Woodstock, Connecticut on Tuesday, June 17th. So second motion and a second. Any discussion? Being done, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? opposed. Motion
019carries. I approval of bid for air compressor. Let's approve this business office, business manager and the superintendent asked the school committee vote to approve the bid for a two-stage heavyduty pressure duplex air compressor at the cost of from Air Energy Group at the cost of $74,500. So move. All right, I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? How many bids were there? Just a one. Just one bit. What department will use this? What department will be using this machine? It's a combination of departments. Everyone that has air tools, automotive, diesel, dieseltech. Yep. Right. Any other questions? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. J. Approval of non-contractual salary increases. Head cook, assistant cook, baker, cafeteria helper, monitor, sub cafeteria worker, sub secretary, subc custodian. The chair attached
020to this updated non-contractual salaries wage schedule. The school business manager is recommending a change in the hourly rate in the following positions to make the rate more competitive. Head cook goes from 2208 to 2296. Assistant cook 1977 to 2056. Baker 1929 to 2006. Cafeteria helper monitor 1858 to 1932. Sub cafeteria worker from 1665 to 18. Subsecary from 1691 to 18. Subcustodian from 1691 to 18. So move second. Have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Opposed. Motion carries. Okay. Approval of contracts and I believe the director of technology one was withdrawn by email earlier. Correct? It is. So it's pupil personnel director. The superintendent director recommends the school committee vote to approve the contract for the director of people services as presented. Question. Need
021a motion. Second. Motion. No question. I'll make a motion. Okay. Second. All right. I have a motion in a second. Any discussion, Dave? Um, forgive me for not doing the math real quick. What is the percentage of uh increase in the raise for um pupil personnel? It comes out to roughly 3%. Three each and Okay. So there's a base salary and then a stipen for grant coordination. That's part that's always been part it's just delineated in this contract to be clear about. Um so yes our base salary is made up of operating funds and a grant delegation. Any other discussion being done I'll call for the vote. All those in favor motion carries. Okay. Oh, I mean, excuse me. L, right? Nope. Okay. There were other uh individual contracts. Sorry. Oh, it's not listed on
022the way it was written. So, my apologies. So, there was a one-year contract or employment policy, I should say, for uh the financial aid administrator for the practical nursing on that. So, that's a salary of 18,000 from July 1, 2025 to June 30th, 2026. That's a flat salary of $18,590. No other changes to that contract. Okay. Motion. Make a motion. Second. Have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Opposed. Next one is the next one is an employment policy for the director of CTI program. This is a grant-f funed position. It states in the employment policy, this is a grant-f funed position. Salary is continued upon approval of the CTI grant. The grant specifies the hourly rate for this position. So from July 1,
0232025 to September 14, 2025, the hourly rate is $36 per hour. From September 15 to 2025 to September 14th, 2026, the hourly rate is $3744 per hour. And the hourly rate from September 15, 2026 to June 30th, 2027, the hourly rate is $3857 per hour. And again, round nine is set. That's the first year. Uh and the other two rates are are subject to round 10 being approved for year one and year two. Okay. Motion. Make a motion. Second. A motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor I opposed. Motion carries. Next one. And the last one is a U employment policy for the executive assistant to the PMP director. Uh this is a 2-year agreement July 1st, 2025 to June 30th, 2026 is a salary
024of $61,500. And the salary from July 1st, 2026 to June 30th, 2027 is $63,345. So second have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Being none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. That brings us to L2024 2025 superintendent evaluation. First thing I want to say is thank you for everyone who got those turned in. There was a little bit of a snafu, but once we've got that corrected, I think we had almost a 90% turnin rate. I mean, so, so I really do appreciate you guys taking the time to do one of the most important jobs we do have. Um, I'm going to give a basically a summary. Everyone should have a copy of the evaluation in their packet. I followed the system that was put together last year,
025the year prior when Lee and I got these all tabulated and put together. We took every comment, we added them two, and then on the first page or page two rather, you will see that we tallied up everybody's under each of these. As we go through the rest of the presentation, what we did was we used the average. So, you'll notice that there's four categories. When we get into those additional pages of unsatisfactory, needs improvement, proficient and exemplary, what we did was we counted zero unsatisfactories, one needs improvement, 12 proficients, two exemplaries. We use proficient as the the grade. So, there's no real easy way to do this other than sit down and just take it one page at a time. Um, so just going through it real quick. Step one, professional practice goals. There
026were two significant progress, 11 meeting expectations, and two exceeding expectations. Student learning goals, one significant progress, 13 meeting expectations, one exceeded expectations. and district improvement goals. One of some progress, two of significant progress, 10 meeting progress, and two of exceeding progress. And again, for the public and you know, people in the audience, those are based on the goals that we approved for the superintendent earlier in the year and how we felt that he has done towards those goals. So where I come from, he's he's viewed to have either had significant progress or meeting those goals most of the time. Um moving to step two, assessing the performance on the standards, we have standard one of instructional leadership, zero unsatisfactories, two needs improvement, 12 proficient, one exemplary. Management and operations needs improve excuse me unsatisfactory of
027zero. A needing improvement of one 12 proficients two exemplary standard. It says four but it should be three because of the way the u the typo came across. professional culture zero unsatisfactory one needs improvement 12 proficient two exemplary and why I did say earlier that there was a 90% turnout there were some people who turned in the first evaluation with the typographicals and never resubmitted again we didn't do the the homework of doing it but we did not calculate those in these results okay um I am going to just go through the quick additional pages the comments are all listed I'm not going to take the time to read through those. Um, if anyone wants to see anyone's full evaluation, feel free to contact Leah or Kyle. Swing by the office. She can grab them
028out of the book and and again, you can go through them. So, uh, step three, rate overall summarative performance based on step one and step two ratings. And this is a proficient grade. Make sure that correct. comments again are listed. Superintendent's performance goals. Goal one, he uh averaged a met on that goal. Goal two, strategic initiative two also was a met. Goal three, student learning met. Goal four, district improvement met. Goal five, district improvement met. Goal six under standard again it says four but it should be standard three professional culture as there was no number three this year. Uh, goal six met. And then as you went through the superintendent's performance ratings for standard one, instructional leadership, 1A, curriculum proficient, 1B, instruction proficient, 1E data informed decisionmaking proficient, 2 A environment, proficient, 2B, human resources
029management and development proficient. 2 C scheduling and management information systems proficient. 2D law ethics and policies proficient. Page 10, overall rating for standard one proficient. And again, comments are listed below. All right. Superintendent page 12 superintendent's performance ratings for standard 2 management and operations 1E data informed decision-making proficient 2B human resource management and development proficient 2 D law ethics and policies proficient 2 E fiscal systems proficient 4 A commitment to high standards proficient 4 C communication proficient efficient overall rating for standard 2 proficient comments again are listed page 15 superintendent's performance rating for standard again I say four but it's standard three professional culture 4B cultural proficiency proficient 4 E shared vision proficient 4 F managing uh conflict proficient overall rating for standard again three proficient with the comments rated. I will again if there's
030any questions or comments I will entertain those again if anyone wants to see a copy of evaluations does have them in the main office in the book and they'll be available for anyone to swing by. Any questions or comments? Okay, being none. I mean, I don't believe we need to take an action on that. So, we will move on. M. Practical nursing handbook revisions through the chair. Attached to this memo, please find the recommended changes for the 2020 2025 2026 student handbook. These changes have been recommended by the Mass Board of Registration in Nursing or BORN. First, remove taking a course out of sequence on page 44 to add records maintenance and retirement policy as an appendix. The superintendent, director, and the practical nursing director recommend the school committee vote to approve the proposed practical
031nursing academy handbook changes as presented. So move. Second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussions? Seeing none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? I oppose. Motion carries. I have a walk-on item I'd like to um ask for a motion on. Earlier today, we got an email or I know I got an email I forwarded to Kyle from the vocational. What's the name of the organization? I don't. It was Yeah, it's a new acronym. It's a new acronym. Vocational Coalition of Technical Educ. There you go. The VCAT. Uh they basically sent out an email asking that school committees put this on their June agenda. Thankfully, it came in today cuz after today, it would not have been happening. So, I'd like to entertain a walk-on for item B4N. discussion regarding new
032bees admissions regulations and submitting letters of support to include the following two critical priorities in the reconciliation of the FY26 budget state budget and FY26 fair share supplemental budget. One, funding for lab modernization grants to expand student seats and reduce weight lists in high demand vocational technical programs. and two, creation of a vocational admissions task force to evaluate recent changes to admissions policies and ensure a fair effective system. So move second. I have a motion and a second to walk this item on. Any discussion on that? None. I'll call for the vote. All those in favor? Opposed. All right. So now item 4N as I previously mentioned which is discussion regarding a new bees admissions regulation and submitting letters of support to include the following two critical priorities and the reconciliation of the FY26 state
033budget and FY26 fair share supplemental budget. Again, one for funding lab modernization grants to expand student seats and reduce weight lists in high demand vocational technical programs and two creation of a vocational admissions task force to evaluate recent changes to admissions policies and ensure a fair effective system. So move second. I have a motion and a second. So now any discussion or Kyle, could you please touch base on this? uh um through the chair. I'm sure you're all aware of the recent vote by Bessie to change admissions policy to a lottery. Um they do talk about somewhat of a weighted lottery, but the weighted lottery, the only consideration you can have their discipline would be if an eighth grade student was charged with a felony, they wouldn't get the additional weight. Anybody who hasn't been
034charged with a felony would get the additional wave for discipline and attendance. Um we could look at uh not attend interest. Interest is any student that showed up to one of the openhouse events that we have. So that would be the only inclusion for participation. There would be no weight given to an interview or anything like that. So essentially it comes down to a lottery of any student that fills out an application and is going to progress into the eighth grade nth grade on that. So again to clarify this basically is if we support this as a board we would write a letter in support as a board. So so two parts are the the um a lot of lobbying was done by the mass association as well as you know uh the association of
035vocational technical education. Um we knew it was an uphill battle and what happened happened. Uh it's disappointing. It wasn't wholly expected that it would be overturned. The last stitch effort is through the budget and that's what this is advocating for school committees to write a letter of support that the legislators add the task force. This the legislators had no input on this legislation and what that's what reg regulations are. So they've attached it in the Senate, not the house that establish a committee made up of um legislators, board members as well as you know business, industry, students and this and that to study it comprehensively for a year before any decision of implementing the Bessie's recommendations go in. So it is a last stitch effort that you know hey let's study this um the data
036that the state used was never released to the schools and having been one of the schools that was targeted on this questions and a freedom of information request were made and no data was presented back to us. So it's highly in question what data is being used and what the motives were around this and the state and the the Senate recognizes the huge success that vocational schools have had across the state in that we have consistently been um mentioned as a gold standard for vocational technical education um and these efforts are are being pushed forward without any real data or studying. So, um, that's what the Senate is hoping to do is put in place that. And then the other side is whatever you do to vocational admissions, you're not creating this. These regulations don't
037create any additional seats. So, we're just changing the face of the student. We're reshuffling coveted seats and we're not addressing the added capacities. So through efforts to increase the lab monetization dollars that are put out there just like the one we received of over $700,000 to add diesel and in enrollment we're up to 330 students this year. It's a slight increase, but it's an increase. More Yep. more money. $100 million for this lab modernization will allow schools to target pre-engineered buildings on site, which is a cost reduction. And many's done one. Franklin County out west has done one. They're pre-engineered steel steel buildings that add 5,000 square feet. That's adequate for a vocational uh program to go in there. So these have been these have been great opportunities for schools to you know modernize labs,
038recon convert space at a low cost rather than a brand new building uh on that. So that would address capacity and the other one would address real data to make an informed decision before we shake up the box and see what falls out from a a straight lottery on that. So this this recommendation would authorize the school committee and there's form letters that you can follow to write a letter of support for both of these these motions. Thank you. Any discussion? Mike um through the chair if I may. Have we contacted or um can we send a order to our state senators that represent our 10 districts um to make them aware of this uh so that they're on board and supporting this on our behalf? So through that part of this is that you
039would CC all of our representatives that cover 10 pounds. Prior to the Senate, right? Mhm. Yep. The Sen and the and the reps. We'll send the reps as well. Y um throughout this I've been forwarding letters asking the the state reps um as well as the state senators for their support. So a lot of lobbying has been going on and we've had supplies every year by and large. Yes. they've uh they've jumped on to the original House amendment that went on it and they're looking at the the Senate this Senate amendment on that. So, yep. They're uh comments of that. You bet. We're on board, you know, working on it now. So, thank you. Any any other comments, Bob? Yes. After the announcement of the vote for the lottery system, I I note that the
040Chamber of Commerce of Worcester was against it. I haven't heard from any other changers of commerce or have been in the news also business and industry to either support it or go against it. But I thank you know the chamber in Worcester and I hope the other chambers throughout the state get on board and make a decision. Thank you. Yeah. Any other comments, Tim? I've got se actually several uh areas. The uh my understanding is under the the new admission policy, there is only a black eye if the student has a felony. Essentially. Essentially. Yes. Uh I mean that seems to me extreme very very extreme. It is it's very extreme where we don't press charges against students. Um you know so yeah it would it would be a weapon or a physical assault but
041the school would be you know that's up to the individual to press those charges but it's it's extremely rare that these students charge with a felony especially in the eighth grade eth grade or less. Yeah. So that's why I said essentially every student will get full full credit. Okay. Also um attendance I think there were something like 26 days 27 27 27 days is that those 27 days uh excuse or unexcused absences? Unexcused absences. Unexcused. How that calculates is uh the state considers a student to be chronically absent if they miss 10%. So 27 is 10% of the full seventh grade and 10% of their eighth grade includes the seventh grade also. Okay. Um my last item is they want to eliminate the interview. The interview cannot carry any weight any any any numerical weight.
042So really it can't be used in any rating. So I don't know why you would say so there's no concentration on on questioning students you know why are you applying to a v school? The only if you're going to consider interest, their interest is shown by attending one of the two open houses that so this is going to require us to do a second open house or and and we're waiting for details on it because they haven't been written out to us. It could we're hoping that it could be you know maybe one of the virtual town halls or something like that but to include a second open house is you know it's that creates a burden because those have to be bargained for. How stringent is the present interview? I mean, I I can't
043believe that it's it's not super stringent. The student, you know, is sweating her his or her uh eyeballs out. They they get a list of the questions. Excuse me. They get a list of the questions, too. So, again, it's not something I understand. Yeah. you know, because I'm I'm sure the argument is, well, what if the kid doesn't take a good interview? Well, if they have the questions. Um, okay. Thanks. Thank you. So, with the open house, that's documented. They have to sign in. Yeah, we'd have to work out how that's documented that for attendance that they were here, but I don't have that before, right? So, it's just we don't have enough parking for it. So, I can't imagine. I don't first document people here. It'd be easier to document the eighth grade tour
044because they come on a bus and we could have the middle school have all the parental permission slips submitted to us. So yeah, it' be easier for that rather than open. What do you do with schools that don't allow great doors? I'm not sure. Then you can't I'm not they have to work that out with all our schools and we're still working. And I mean Ma is heavily involved in you know trying to figure this out and get you know that but on the side you know also lobbying to to get these these motions passed as well should count against the kid because superintendent won't allow Yep. So, um, we'll be moving forward to update our admissions policy in accordance over the summer and we'll have that in August hopefully to go forward because this
045takes effect immediately for next next year. So, yeah, we'll incorporate everything attendance and and interest and all that if we're going to consider any of that. Okay. Bob, given that we're a regional district of 10 towns and our agreement is a certain portion of students are accepted by town. That means we would hold 10 lotteryies. Mhm. Okay. 1000. Um, with the new online submission, it's that's not as daunting. It's a every student and we used it this year. Every student when they apply is assigned a unique fourdigit identifier. So that identifier comes into play, you know, with the lottery, right? You know, so it's just all ranked by the unique identifier and yep, that essentially turns into the lottery. Um, what is the total student population of the 10 towns that would be eligible to
046partake in the lottery? I I could get that info because we we know what their uh enroll uh their school age attending children population is. That's part of the formula for the budget. I don't have it off the top. It's easily on a slide which we could total out. I think 20,000 will be the same on the way to towns as it was before. Yeah, they got the attendance. None of that's going to change for us. The problem is it's just either more happy kids or more disappointed kids. All we're doing is changing the names and the faces of the kids who are going to be very happy come the announcement or very sad. And I mean it's going to change the dynamic of the students we now get to push through here, you know,
047and and learn the shocks. George. Yeah. Through the chair, just a couple of comments to piggy back and some others. It's said when Kyle mentioned um that felony piece and um possibly he didn't use these words, but there's going to be some sweeping under the rug of of some of these more violent offenses. it's just going to happen because they want these students to be out of that district. And then to follow up um what what Tim was saying about the interviews, what you're going to get, if there's no wait on those interviews, you're going to get students that actually sit across from the table from that guidance counselor in the interview. And they're going to say, "I don't even know why I'm here. I don't even like school. I don't want to go to
048Bath, but I don't like my other school, and that's why I'm here." Um I've interviewed students before who have said exactly that. So, you're just going to get anyone that they're trying to get rid of. And it's it's unfortunate and it's my sense that they're going to push this and they're going to push this through this year. I'm on board with writing this letter. They're going to push it through. They're going to give us no time to work out those details and at the 11th hour they're going to say, "Okay, now you have to figure out how you're going to do a lottery within those 10 hours." They might give us, you know, a week, but so far they haven't done anything above work. So, we're we're really up against it. Hopefully, um they come
049through with that extra lab space. That would be something. I mean, that would be a consolation prize, but we're really in a bad place, and I have no faith that they're going to do the right thing because they finally got this through. They've been fighting this for a long time. They finally got it done. They're not going to give us any more time to push back. So, that's the other important part to dot tail into that is they did not, as Kyle said, tell us what demographics we missed on. So there's a hypothetical situation that this lottery doesn't even solve that. I mean again a randomized lottery doesn't mean you're going to pick the demographics that they really are saying are disadvantaged and not being able to attend. So if those kids that are hadn't
050even applied to begin with and our numbers stay the same that they didn't even show us what they were, what did that solve? Nothing. you just disappointed a boatload of kids that now don't even have a chance to start their trades earlier. So, that is one of the most disheartening things of this and the swept under the rug thing. Absolutely. I mean, it's it's just it's madness. And just to finish up, it's going to be very taxing on um teachers and administration because we're going to have um so many disciplinary. Again, it's a lottery, so who knows, one year we could hit all the top students, but um that hasn't been the case in some other places who have sampled this. So, it's going to distract from the learning of the students who really want
051to be here. Um there are going to be those safety issues because, as Kyle mentioned, I don't think he put a number on it, but you could effectively have six to 10 um um upside suspensions at your middle school and still get in here based on that because there was no felony. There was no 10day Yeah. So yeah, we're in a bad place in that. So with all that, what about their grades? Does that even come into account? No. No. As long as they progress to the next grade. So just throw everything out. The way everything's done. That's terrible. So that's why I think it's important that we do support this letter or letters and get them with our names on them and then CC. So I mean it's it's the one last push we
052got. It's the Hail Mary. It is with the clock running down. But I think we we get on board and do that. Our negative vote of all the school committees of the folk schools. Then what would the state do if a majority of the folks whose school committees voted against it accepted some regulations? Funding. Yeah. I mean I mean but one thing that matters the money. Through this process they've made a not so veiled threat that schools in compliance will be eligible for the capital skills grants. Um and those weren't. So it wasn't veiled because they stated preference will be given to those that are in compliance um throughout it. And now we all they voted the exit. So now we have to be in compliance. So I think that's a good point. uh the
053the tool would be they don't have a desi jail but they do have control they do have control over the the funding sources and I think that would eliminate any chance at a lab modernization type of gra okay is there any grounds for this going ma instituted a an attorney um and uh the attorney was Tim Norris uh did he did an excellent job it just seems to have fallen on on you know deaf ears on it and um yeah because Desi had their attorney counter a lot but it still got pushed through and like George said I think they had the solution before they identified the problem um and the solution was a lottery from the get-go and they made the numbers fit but they didn't do a great job because they wouldn't release
054it and show us I mean our our data for certain populations was statistically insignificant which means you can't make any decision on it but even then when we asked when it was seven students who are they so that we can look directly at the applications at fur you can't know and there's no interest in knowing who these kids or their families are it was simply that if we're being held accountable for seven students if you identify who those seven students are we can look specifically at the application and see If all seven didn't get in because of attendance, then we're like, "Oh crap, attendance is what's pro prohibiting a protected class from getting in." Or if it was discipline, they say, "Oh, you know, um but we couldn't and they refused to give us the
055data on it um time and again and they refused on a on a public records request. Any other discussion?" session. No, but that lottery system uh once all the students are placed for that year and then let's say a month or so after some students drop out, how is that replacement is it from another lottery or is it predetermined step by step? So through the chair um it all depends the timing of it. So, um, if that happens within, you know, before October 1st, we backfill off the weight list of the lottery cuz that stays in place. If it happens at the end of the year, uh, the freshman year, we can accept students for their sophomore year, beginning of the sophomore year. If it happens after, and that would come off the weight list
056as well for those that are interested in the particular trades that have capacity, right? um after the sophomore year. No, if a student goes back to the sen district due to or gets expelled, those seats go unfilled. So, it is when we talk about filling the pipeline for highskilled laborers, we're actually going to reduce it. And that's Bayath accepts sophomore year. Some don't accept beyond the freshman year. So, when those students go back to their sending school or drop out or expelled, those seats will go unfilled. So we're not adding capacity and we've used this argument. We're actually reducing capacity because if a student is unsafe, we can't put them in that program. And if a student's coming in high every day, we can't have we can't put them in a trade if they're on
057a you know illegal substance. So for us, we have the benefit of the next year to backfill those seats for sophomore year, but beyond that, we don't backfill because they're going to miss too much of the frameworks to get a certificate. And that's the goal of vocational education is certificate of proficiency in their trade. Um so it will if we get a prepoundonderance of students with poor attendance, they're just absent 45 days a year and they can't get their cosmetology license or their electrical license due to you know the reduced hours on learning. You know how effective was that that program for the student? You know it's not very effective to fill the pipeline for you know licensed you know applicants. Any other discussion? Being none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor?
058Opposed? Motion carries. Okay, moving on to C information and proposals report from the superintendent, director, and recognitions. All right, thank you. I submitted a written report. If you have any questions, I'm prepared to answer that. Uh key things are we have a budget. Over seven towns have approved their budget. So that's good. Several pinnings went on uh which were great events, dental pinning, Vette, health tech. Um that was awesome. We had a great teacher appreciation week and we had a taco truck to culminate that and little gifts with puns throughout the week. Um National Honor Society induction was a great night. Senior prom at Wuset was wonderful. This past Friday we had uh junior prom at Pleasant Valley and that was a wonderful evening for everybody. The golf tournament went off and we made as
059much money as we have in years past. So I thank everybody who supported the golf tournament. Uh Memorial Day ceremony, phenomenal job, very moving this year and uh that was that was a really nice tribute to uh one of our own. So thank you Mr. for your attention to that and thank you to uh everybody who supported it. So that was great. Um recognitions, I do want to recognize the hard work that went into the evaluation and I do review the comments and the reports. So I will work on areas that need improvement uh and can use some dressing up on that. So thank you all for that. Uh I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of condolences and support and the passing of my mom. Uh it was truly heartwarming the cards and
060the prayer cards and the donation uh the flowers and just off words of support. Thank you for that. um recognition, end of the year party, retirement party for three of our um esteemed staff members, Barbara Cody, Kathy Moore, and um Peggy Corsy. Uh Barbara Cody, 30 years. Kathy Moore, two years here, but a long career in education, wonderful school nursing, our beloved. Uh they're all beloved. Uh Peggy Corsy um on that. So, the party is Thursday, June 12th, 4 to 8:00 p.m. at Pine Ridge Country Club. Uh, it's a $35 ticket, so if anybody wants to attend and show their support, that's awesome. Um, other recognitions, uh, graduation, uh, Mr. Davis, um, you know, attested to it. It was a wonderful night and it was really, uh, a pleasant night to wish all of our
061graduates well. And afterwards, um, you know, Mr. Packaging and I stood at the the exit and to a tea everybody, parents, grandparents, the graduates were thankful for everything that we did. Um, and that was a wonderful event. So, thank you for everybody who put into that. Last week was a busy week. We had the council of education come for a reaffirmation visit for our practical nursing. Uh it was really touching to hear uh how well they respected the school and the programs that are in place, how clean the school is um and all the programs and systems we have in place. Few findings, Grelin's right on top of that with their team and uh you know we're fully expecting reaffirmation from the council council of occupational education on that. We also had two important meetings
062for our new diesel tech program. One was the program advisory night. Uh several administrators were on that. They muted us because they weren't there to talk to us. They were there to talk to I would have to say one of the best advisory committees I've seen in a long time. Very well represented. And I said at the end when they did unmute us, we couldn't have scripted it better. And we didn't script it. All their questions were spoton with everything we want that program to be from industry from higher ed mass bay from several a local diesel shop uh a statewide diesel program and these are over the road trucking as well as heavy equipment as well as agricultural diesel shops and a parent and a student were there um every question was answered there
063was you know it was a phenomenal meeting on that so uh Jim great job to Brian and yourself for pulling together that committee. Excellent. And then the next day was followed up, I think it was the next day, right? The very next day was followed up with an on-site visit that um brought in Marty Jane and um Dave Edmonds. And I'll just set the table. I have never been on a visit where Dave Edmonds hasn't given us a list of things. And it's not just the shop that he's looking at. It's on the way to the shop. He's looking around. He's like, "Uh, you got to fix this. You have to do this." We had two findings and they were both signages to update the signs, not that they were missing. Um, so 17 years,
064Peggy said she's never seen a visit here like that. Um, you know, in all the years I've been a director and the programs I've opened, I've never seen an on-site visit that resulted in put up these, you know, more prominent signs. So, phenomenal job job with putting the equipment. the number of pieces of equipment. They're like that is topnotch. When you have a program, that's what you want. So, uh, great job in working with Brian and the adviserss to give us the list of all that. So, um, and Dave Edmonds on the walk down unsolicited said, you can tell a lot about the school by the hallways. Um, these are quiet, these are, you know, clean. They're it's just and, you know, it wasn't just done. Um, and Chad Fet was there. So, you know,
065big thumbs up to his crew on that. So, that was wonderful. Um, I think that's it. Oh, no. I want to talk about all the great work that's being done, not only in the CTI, but if you haven't checked out the new catalog for our nightlife, uh, Sher Dreon's been doing a phenomenal job. She's worked with uh Nicholls College which two the students they assigned are former graduates of Bayath to come up with new logos, new social media marketing um and a lot of lot of great things there um to give a detailed report uh for the spring of 25. Uh relatively equal enrollment registered students 820 verse 852 last year ran 75 classes of 105 available. 30 were cancelled due to low enrollment. Uh added additional courses during the the term that resulted in
066over 3,000 in revenue. Uh I talked about engaged in Nickels as well as our own business and marketing students. Increased social media presence by 100% using ideas from Nickels and our own team's thoughts. Add an Instagram account. Running contests to gain more followers across social channels. creating more interactive content videos with actual photos for our classes. Created a monthly newsletter that goes out to 9,000 subscribers. Uh involved day students with the evening school web programming and dev develop um development programming web development. Mr. Chris Ecman, senior Vincent Vanam instrumental in redesigning the registration website and that'll launch in the fall term in July. the newspaper club. She's working with Miss Kelly Sheay and her club to draft articles on the instructors and their courses for publishing and village newspapers and the district towns. Um, so
067yeah, a lot of great work, a lot of, you know, phenomenal things happening there. All set. Yep. Thank you very u subcommittee reports. Audit subcommittee nothing to report right now. Budget subcommittee. Tim Yeah, as Mr. Brener mentioned, we do have a majority of towns that approved budgets, so we're good to go for next year. Yeah, pending any state changes. Um, building and ground subcommittee has not met this year. Negotiation subcommittee, Dave, uh, we're still waiting to hear uh from the pair of professionals uh, in regards to coming back to the table. Um so that is still in the works. Um that's the only thing we have going on right now is with them. Thank you. Pete policy uh the policy subcommittee met on May 27th. Um, according to what we project to finish everything up
068after a long process, our last meeting will probably is is scheduled for June 17th. Okay. Uh, after we go over the subcommittee goes over everything uh and approves it, then it will be pres presented to the whole school board. Okay. Uh but it's like uh Mr. Davis had requested uh an update on a couple items. Uh that still has to be passed um by the subcommittee as well as the school committee, but um it's been a long process. Want to thank Helen um being on the committee for her input and thank you. We wish you the best of luck. Thanks. Thank you. Uh warrants subcommittee. Uh warrants are available for signature by all the school committee members at tonight's meeting and every month and during the day at school. So if you know you're not
069going to be in attendance at the meeting, feel free to swing in and get the warrants as long as you call before to make sure someone is here. Um future business, we have a meeting, an organizational meeting and regular school committee meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, August 4th in this room. As always, topics for that future agenda, reach out to Leah, Kyle, or myself, and we will do our best to get them on the agenda. Remarks from the superintendent director. I should skip that after that long list, but anything you can think of you may have missed. Uh, welcome to our new members and congratulations. Look forward to working with you. And I want to say, uh, deep appreciation for Helen. It's been a pleasure working with you, but I wish you all the best.
070Me, too. I really enjoyed it. I can't believe 21 years went by so fast. really really fast and was so patient when I said things like, "I think the dishes in the culinary course are too heavy." Checking their motion. We were just going to go buy new ones. If I win the lottery, I'll buy them. There you go. Yeah. They'll be Carell or something like that. And um you're all such good um people for doing this cuz you care about children all over the the country that they get a good education so they can go out and face the world and that's very very important. So I'm going to miss all of you super people. [Applause] I guess I guess that worked out perfectly around here. Yes, we are 21 years and almost and now
071Don's here. So we have a full city board to see you off. I mean that first time this year. So that's that's great. Thank you for everyone. Very very fine people. I never had anyone on this board that I didn't like or didn't like their opinions except maybe for Ben once in a while. That's cuz for 21 years when I wasn't here, I was sitting next to her. So of course, you're the only person I've opened water bottles for here. I know. I know. I don't know what I'm going to do when I end up back over there, but uh I I really don't get any ideas. School is fantastic. It's and I'm really going to miss it, but uh continue doing all the good work. Kids need a good school. Please visit. Oh, definitely.
072We actually jumped a little bit ahead cuz I was waiting to do that at the end, but that worked. Thank you for that. Beautiful. Wow. Oh, and there's there's something in here, too. I say you can keep your name plate, but I think you took it last meeting cuz I don't You can't find it. Uhoh. Uhoh. No, that's not it, is it? I can't find my name plate. How fast you forget me. Never. Not at all. Um Oh, how beautiful. It's a um Oh, that's beautiful. Very nice. says, "Helen I Lenty, thank you for 21 years of service to the Southern Wister County Regional Vocational School District School Committee 2004 to 2025." Wow. Wow. You know, the name of this school, the the um the proper name was so big that the first time I
073I had to run an election, I couldn't fit it in the space of the ballot. And I said, "Well, if I shorten it, maybe that's illegal or something." So, I had to call Boston election division and ask them. And um they said that I could take out some of it, but not not the the big bath part. Thank you. This is so beautiful. It's a wooden pen. Very nice. Thank you. Thanks a lot, everybody. I am going to call you some more comments in a minute. So say pop up. Uh with that I'll do comments from committee and I'll go this way. Congratulations again Helen. Thank you. Thank you for the new members and to Mike an old member. Welcome back. Nice to have you all. We'll do every day. Thank you. I won't call
074you an old member. Welcome back. Welcome Jennifer. look forward to working with everyone. Best of best best wishes. Thank you, Don. Uh, first want to apologize for being late. I had to attend the first of many graduations for my granddaughter as she graduated from preschool with Jack and Jill. That's first of all, um, congratulations, Helen. Big supporter of Bay Path. I worked with you a lot before this as a middleman for all the times you came up with vape path and support vape path from bake sales to everything else you did bringing people in. Congratulations for your time and of course welcome back to Bob Bob and Jack. Um um I'm sorry Mike and Jen. Sorry that's okay. I answer to a lot of things. No, I apologize. No worries. I should know by now,
075especially if you sit right across far away. Thank you. I was going to say uh congratulations to the administration and students and teachers for a great year. Thank you all very much and uh welcome new and rehash members from the great town of Rutland. Um and Helen, congratulations on a great run here. Thanks for allowing me to be vice chair. I found it not very taxing. Thanks for thanks. Best of luck, Helen. Thanks, Mike. Jennifer, welcome. Uh, and I'd like to uh wish the class of 2025 the best of luck and congratulations to them. Thank you, Al. Can I go before you? I'm learning this time. You get to wait. Jim, uh, welcome to the new members. Uh, Mike, you know, insanity is is reoccurring, so you know, we understand. Comes with age. Comes with
076age. I did it, too. So, you know, I know. Uh, Helen, I'm I just I'm I'm at a loss for words. Uh, you've been just such a wonderful mentor and and person to work with and and you know, you have a heart as big as the state and I'm just going to miss you. All there is to it. Thank you. Thank you. Good luck. Thanks. George, Alan, you will be missed. I think we've been friends or at least pretty friendly for the last 21 years and um know your house is always in the right place and I'm sure we'll continue to be that way and in your future endeavors, but definitely won't be sadly missed. And stop up anytime. I know. Thank you. Um Mike, welcome back. Not sure what you were thinking. I wasn't.
077I got my arm twisted a ride. And um just want to follow up on on what Mr. Davis said um about the the last few years. Um I'm going to choke up. It was fantastic experience. I knew it would be um but the camaraderie that my my son felt here, the support from from teachers um phenomenal. So um it was just a a fantastic um experience for him. He's leaving here with a skill set that's unbelievable. I've already I've already watched him do some work on various people's houses and I can only imagine what he's doing on the job site. So, just fantastic. All in all, great experience. Again, the sports teams were were so much fun to watch. Um, but staff was always there and um I think I think all of us, you
078know, all of us um do some uh thanks for that. I think everyone from from the top down um puts their best foot forward. Um, back onto the subject of of um, Desessie pushing this lottery system on us. Kyle, before I have anything negative to say, I want to compliment you on on your handling of that. It's been fantastic. I made reference to that in in the evaluation. Um, it's been a good fight and uh, we'll see how that all turns out. Um, I hate to leave things on a negative note, but once in a while I have to do that. um that recent report about the sto the school being trashed. Can I stop you there for a minute? I got an item I'm going to walk on afterwards. I'd rather hold that comment
079till then if you don't mind. Hold that till the end. Yeah, if you don't mind. We're going to go into an executive session. I need to walk on. So, I I'd prefer we do it that way. I'm I'm fine with that. All right. All right. Then we're going to leave the open session with all positive. I like that. I like that even better. Thank you, Katie. Uh, welcome people. Mrs. Lenty, it was a pleasure to work with you. When you were born, I like before I was born. I wasn't even typical when my father died. That's right. So, um, it was a pleasure to work with you over the past year. I hope to see you more at the senior center now that you've got a little more free time. Come hang out with me.
080Um, I just want to say thank you to all of you. This was a very um, educational first year for me here. This was completely out of, you know, another arm twisted thing. Like walked into the town clerk's office. Hey, I got an idea for you. Okay. So, um, it's been very educational. It's also very I'm very happy to be back in the walls. I spent nine years working here at Bay and I absolutely I love the community here when it comes to the staff, the students, everything. Like it Kyle will tell you I was in tears when I said I was burnt out. I was tired. It was just time for something new for me. But leaving everything behind was it was very very hard for me. So it's nice to be back and
081still to be part of the community. Um it's been very great. It was awesome to see. I I mean the athletic teams this year just blew it out the water. Like that was so awesome to see constantly like I may not be getting with his Facebook post. I'm seeing everything that's going on. So it's like you're almost seeing it live half the time. So um that's always great to see. But it's um I'm very happy to be here. here. I look forward to many more years here. Who knows? I'll go for 24. Mrs. Lundy, don't do it. I'm with Ling for punishment. It's awful. I'm so tired. All right. Uh, thank you. Hope you all have a wonderful summer. Thank you. I'm going to start with my back, Mr. Davis. Thank you very much for
082your comments. um you've been right on and a tremendous supporter for Bay Path over the years. Your heart is already always in the in the right place and I'm sure we'll have some resolve to uh some of the concerns. And Mr. Trip, thank you very much for your continued updates on the house project and hope that continues next year. Uh Helen, you heard that I seconded your concerns with the plates. That's right. They are heavy. They are heavy. Yeah, they are. Uh welcome to our new members and uh um and those that were reelected. Congratulations. Thank you, Emry. I would just like to commend um the administration, the staff, the teachers for a just a great graduation ceremony. I know um the students having their um shops in their on their um robes um was
083a new addition um last year or recently. Um I love that and I also love that they went through the graduation ceremony. and no it was probably not easy to do but in by their shops um which I thought that was a great great addition. So a great job um to everybody for getting them all through and um thank you. I and I'll pass everything else as it's been said many times. You're not going to say thanks to Mike for coming back? My idea was a lot. She's fine right there. Um, just welcome back the returning members. Congratulations, Helen, for uh your years of service. Thank you. You know, always appreciated your input. Very forthright. Welcome to the new members. Um, I'm not normally a negative type of person. But one of the things that
084I was somewhat taken back by, I mean, we have 20 members here at a meeting. Now the graduation is the culmination of our efforts, the teachers efforts, the administration's efforts and the students efforts and this committee was very poorly represented at graduation. Very poorly. Uh I mean it's it's not you know I I was just quite disappointed in the few members at the at the graduation ceremony. Okay. Thank you Mary. Yeah, I just want to say welcome to the new members and Helen, best of luck. Thank you. Um, I also want to say how wonderful graduation was. Um, my my oldest son graduated, my my first born. Um, and Bayath made my both of my boys love school again. And I just want to thank the teachers and staff here. And he graduated Friday, started
085his full-time job on Monday. And it was really phenomenal to see him get up at 5 and just go. Um it it has been great. So I appreciate all of you that congratulations. Y um so it's really refreshing to be called the new person here um after spending 20 wonderful years um in these walls. I'm excited to begin this new journey and have this new perspective as a school committee member. I thank you all for being so welcoming to me. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mike. Well, first and foremost, uh Helen, we've been known each other for 20 some years now, I think. Uh and uh it was always great to uh work with you. Um and uh I know your heart's always been with the school. So I wish you all the best
086in your future endeavors because I know uh it'll be something around the corner. you're not going to be uh sitting still. So, if it's either at senior center or at the voting booth, we'll see you somewhere. Yeah, you will. Um and um wish you all the best. Uh thank you very much. And uh to the rest of the members, uh great to see a lot of familiar faces. Nice to see some new faces as well on this uh at this table on this uh and get a chance to work with you. And yes, I did have my hand twisted. It wasn't by my wife. Uh, our town clerk was notorious for that, but uh, uh, Joe said he, uh, did his six and, uh, I thought I would come back and visit. Uh, and, uh,
087we'll be here with you for the next three years and who knows after that. But uh great to see everybody and uh again everything that I'm seeing online thanks to uh the principal posting all the uh keep on Facebook and seeing all the news and uh hearing about all the great things that have been happening. Um we're going in the great direction. Unfortunately Jesse doesn't know any better. So what are you going to do? Got to try to show him the light somehow. Thank you Helen for the last time I didn't call the last official act sort of uh again thank you everyone for the nice presence and I really enjoy working with all all of you um very much and um I I just wanted to say Al Al Bean that Memorial Day service
088is always so beautiful and um it had to inside. But but that's okay. It was just beautiful and perfectly done. No mistakes, no how do you do that? And it's wonderful to see the old veterans, too, cuz they're few and far between. Thank you. And welcome to all the new members, including Dave. Um, I'd like to start by um thanking the teachers uh and the vocational academic teachers and the administration. Uh, this time of year from prom time on is full speed ahead and it's very taxing and it's the hottest time of the I think of the school year in my experience. Um, so I want to thank the teachers, please pass on to them and vocational side, Jim. Uh, outstanding job. And, um, I'm sorry I wasn't able to. And to your point, uh,
089Don, I I agree with you. I wasn't there and I apologize for that. But um, I'll try to get there next year. And uh also I'm so glad you became chairperson because it gave me a chance to sit here and uh for the last couple years I've been able to uh sit and chat pick her brain and and and uh it's it's been a real pleasure and an honor to be able to uh to sit with you and I say that wholeheartedly. You brought a lot of class to this to this group. Uh but you always have and that's and that's uh such a great thing. So thank you and I wish you the best of luck and and health and happiness also which is important at IR. Yes it is. Thanks for those nice
090comments. Well, you're welcome. And also Chen and Bob, congratulations. Welcome. I know, Mike. I know. I hope I know. Dave and I go back to Way too easy, Don. Way too easy. Mike and I go way. Yeah. Way back to ' 89 as Yeah. But um but thank you. All right, that's Mike. Jennifer, welcome. Mike, welcome back. Nice to see you. Reelected members, welcome back. Um, Ellen, we'll miss you. We'll miss you, too. More time with Alberto. No. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That that's good, I guess. Just wanted to say thank you to the whole uh the whole team, teacher, all the teachers, faculty, all the support, management, everything. Uh it was a good year. It's obviously proofs in the pudding, right? So, continue and do the hard work. So, it's much much appreciated. Thanks. Thank
091you. Okay, Al. I didn't forget. Well, first I want to thank Helen for all of the warmth and kindness and it goes way back when Ed Stallic got me on this board and he made one remark to me I'll never forget. He said, "There's an anchor on the board and her name is Helen and she's the anchor of the ship of Bayath." Oh my goodness. It's been wonderful knowing you sharing all the different times we've had. Yes, we have. Pleasure. Thank you. The other thing is I want to welcome Jennifer and my old friend Michael. Coming back is really great. It puts the team and for my reelecting for three more years to be able to serve with all of you. It's been a real pleasure. And the other thing is I'm really thankful that
092the athletic concern is strong because it's such a development for so many of these students here to play in the athletics as my sons did also when they were here. Uh keeping up with all of the concerns. Um the main thing is I'm looking forward to the skills down in Georgia. I'm going to be a judge to skill some of the students from all over the United States and it's going to be another pleasure that I've always enjoyed and the skilled situation is only because of what the skill of our teachers can institute all of the learning that these students can go up to the bronze silver and gold and they're thankful for the rest of their life because it's such uh delight for them to be able to learn how to win and also
093learn how to lose. So with that, I find it such a pleasure to be with this board again and trip keeps me well informed and clean and Kyle. So the pleasure is all mine to be part of this board. Thank you. So, I get to go last. I finally found a way to get past Al because usually it's hard to go p go last. Um, I don't usually follow every thank you on the board with another thank you. But Helen, if I don't do this, I would regret not thanking you for I felt like the thorn between two roses between you and Al. All right. I was the one that ruined that little party over there. Uh, between the alisms I would listen to and the can you open this water for me or what
094did he say? And I don't mind sitting here. I really do miss sitting there. Okay. And Dave's absolutely correct in that. Um I do have a regret and it's it's one quick story. After I got married, Helen says, "I heard you got married." She goes, "I wanted to be the JP for you." And I didn't even put the two and two together. I felt so bad afterwards. So I do have a regret of being on this board as long and not asking you to do that. But that's the wife's fault, not mine. through your mouth. That's why I get crazy with this stuff. Next thing you know, next thing you know, she's going to want your seat and then I still No, but Helen, again, enjoy retirement, I guess, is the best way of putting
095that from this. Um, that one Monday a month will now be open for you than the 18 Wednesdays a month with policy lately. But again, good luck. mid mid August uh we're taking the entire family to Italy to the homeland. So that'll either be very chaotic and crazy thing to do or very fun. So if they write you in, will you be back in time for the September meeting or have fun with enjoy that. Have a great trip. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. And um just to touch base on a couple of the other things, graduation was a a great success. Great turnout. It was nice to see Mary in the front row, George in the front row. I mean, that is what you are helping here to do. I mean, not just for the
096two of your own, but for the other 20, what was it? 88 additional students that walked that stage the other night. I mean, Phil, yours, it was just nice to see. Um, the kids as we were shaking their hands and congratulating, they're just good kids. I mean, Dean was giving every one of them a good message. They were given a good message back or a fist bump or a handshake. And I mean it was it was nice to see, you know, couple kids were so nervous you could tell, but they were all genuine. They were happy. No real hiccups. I mean, one kid did a flip who landed it. I was going to put a 10 up, but Kyle yelled at me and said I could. So, but again, it was nice to see that
097banner is beautiful. uh they are going to make a change to it and make sure for the parents of the graduates. It will say class of 2025 is a gift on it like the sign at the bottom of the hill. Um so that's one addition that's going to go to it. But with that being said, I mean it was a great school year. We've made a lot of headway in a lot of different areas. I think still got a long way to go. I mean there's there's no doubt about it, but the only way to get that change going is to continually hammer it down and keep moving forward. So thank you for everyone. Helen, I am convinced that's why we have a full board tonight is because you're you know they all want to
098see you off. So congratulations on everything you've done. Thank you again. Oh, by the way, um, according to the current policy, after 20 years, Helen gets her name on the rock for a bet. Any any individual who serves on the school board for 20 years or more have their name on a rock? On a rock. That's interesting. On a rock. Now, do they define where the rock is? And I'm just know where yours is. Well, that's good. So, we'll be working on that when that policy gets approved. What a rock. That's very interesting. Well, I'm sure it'll be in that garden we have, right? Memorial. Please feel morbids that item should be. Uh, with that, I know it says no executive session tonight, but I would like to walk on an executive session. Um, as
099I quickly alluded when George was going to speak, for the school committee to move into executive session for the purpose of MGL chapter 3A section 21A1 to discuss personnel matters involving an employee complaint and to reconvene an open session only for adjournment. So move, Mr. Okay. I motion and a second to walk this on. All those in favor roll call to walk on. Oh, we're not opening anything. All right. I'm one of you. Wow. I got one on you. That's looking at Jim. Slipping up. Wow. So, all those in favor of walking this on. Opposed. Okay. Okay. Now, with that, I will entertain a motion to move into executive session for the purpose of MGL chapter 30A section 21A1 to discuss personal matters involving an employee complaint and to reconvene an open session only for
100uh adjournment. So, declared. Yeah. And I have a motion and a second. This will be a roll call vote. So, Katie, yes means yes, right? Yes means. Al Bean, yes. Jim Caldwell, yes. Don Jat, yes. Dave Grineer, yes. Mary Johnson, yes. Myself is a yes. Helen Lenty, yes. Don Montville, yes. An Marie, yes. Michael, yes. Al is Bacon, so that is absent. Jen Reel, yes. Peter Sher, yes. Timothy Sher, yes. George Sco, yes. Mike Terry, yes. Bob Trembley, yes. Jeff Wel, yes. Bob Zakowski, yes. Okay, with that we are going to go into executive session and I said we will meet