001Good evening everyone. I'm going to call the April 8th school board meeting to order at 6 p.m. If everyone could stand for the pledge of allegiance, please. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Roll call. Megan Arshambo. >> Carmen Barski. Suzanne Bower. >> Mark Cardisano. >> Elizabeth Day. >> Michelle Felisetti. Anastasia Ferguson >> here. >> Eric Garrison. >> Jod Lane I am here. Jennifer Mayo >> here. >> Amy Morrison >> here. >> Wes Finny >> here. >> Adam Tangway is excused. Thomas Vanhton. >> Judith Vasel >> present. >> D Vigliata >> here. >> Zoe Anthony. >> Walker Vivian >> here. >> We have a quorum tonight with 15
002directors present. Are there any adjustments to the agenda tonight? >> No. No adjustments to tonight's agenda. Um, can I have a motion to accept the consent agenda? >> Consent. >> Anastasia >> D. We have a motion and a second to accept the consent agenda. Is there any discussion? All in favor? That carries. Thank you. Public comment. Do we have any public comment this evening? Right. We'll move on to the board chair report. We're going to start off this evening with recognitions and celebrations. We're lucky enough to have some members of the eighth grade jazz band here tonight. So, let's uh let's have um principal sorry. Wow. Let's have principal grantham come up and tell us about the A3 Jazz Band. So, we are proud to recognize the Massac Middle School 8th grade jazz band this
003evening and I'm joined by four of our members and director Dan Lassiano. As previously shared with the board, our program is currently the only middle school music program that offers jazz band as a graded elective course during the school day. The time students dedicate to studying and playing jazz music is paying off. A success spearheaded by Mr. Lassiano. In midFebruary, the eighth grade jazz band attended the District 1 Main Music Educators Jazz Festival. We are proud to share that they received the highest rating, a one with an overall score of 91 out of 100 points. Furthermore, one ratings were awarded for all outstanding solos to all soloists. So, congratulations to our student representatives who were able to join us tonight. Lay Beml, >> congratulations. >> Rayan Barfield, sorry. >> Harrison Dutton Lane. >> All right.
004Great jazz band. Mr. Le, do you want to say something? I'll take up too much time. >> Okay. All right. All right. All right. >> Oh, >> from the bottom of my heart for having jazz band as a class. I went to middle school in North Carolina and I was one of three middle schools that had it during school and then in high school I had it every day and it makes a tremendous difference. Um, these kids are just going to continue to grow and shine and so I really appreciate this decision to allow us to do that. Thank you. >> Perfect. Thank you. Can we get a quick picture before you sit down? >> And I think we have a quick question before you sit down as well. >> Thank you, >> Mark. >>
005I just like to know from our young musicians what instrument you each play. I'm trying to guess just looking at you. >> Saxophone. >> Perfect. >> Guitar. >> Very good. >> That's awesome. Thank you all so much. >> To arrive and we told her we were going to have her play a solo. >> Oh, great. >> Okay, we're ready. >> Well, congratulations. That's fantastic. Thank you. That's all I have for the board chair report tonight. So, I'm going to turn things over to Dr. Marky for the superintendent report. >> Okay. and our our student reps. Um they have so much to cover, but they're going to actually do a a highlight, one highlight from each school because we have quite an aggressive schedule tonight. So, um they were probably going to already share that um
006adjustment as well. So, I apologize for doing that. So, um Walker and Zoe, >> that's all right. Uh good evening everyone. Um so, this report, it isn't as meaty as the last couple, but it still is on the longer side at four and a half pages. Uh so, as Dr. Marqueis shared we'll just be uh doing one highlight uh per school. Um as always and especially this evening there is more information in the report. Uh so we encourage you if you haven't already to uh read through it or at least skim it. Uh now without further ado we'll commence our uh brief highlight reel tonight. Uh so Alfred Elementary had a uh many exciting events on the 26th of March. A family STEM night evening bookf fair hours and a student art gallery. Uh they
007had a STEM activity building a pig pen out of provided materials which was related to the Charlotte's Web book that they're reading uh throughout the entire school. And the book fair opened at 4 p.m. and it was available for 2 and a half hours and student art was displayed alongside the portable shelves of books in the gym. And the book fair was also available uh during school hours. Lyman Elementary is focusing on be appreciative as their theme during April where they're focusing on gratitude. They have several appreciation stations slated for the month. Uh students will be carrying and sharing inspiring poems with staff and each other during poem in your pocket day. They'll be reading a theme related book and part participating in an appreciation scavenger hunt. And they'll be sending formal thank you notes
008to their local library, fire department, and town hall. Walderboro Elementary is spending April focusing on perseverance, which is their character trait. uh and they're encouraging families to reinforce this learning at home, especially through the use of yet language. Training students to say, "I can't do this yet, so I'll keep practicing uh is an important way to help them build these invaluable perseverance skills." Uh Lion Elementary is has a new way to help navigate their uh some behavioral problems in the cafeteria, which is called the golden spatula. uh reinforces children to abide by the schoolwide expectations by awarding them points when they're uh observed for good behavior in the cafeteria. And the class that accumulates the most points by the end of the week will earn a special VIP lunch setup for the following school day.
009I'll turn it over to Zoe for the second half of our highlights tonight. Thank you. >> All right, I'll finish up our recap with Shabley Elementary. The K the K and first grade students participated in some STEM challenges during the month of March. They explored Irish heritage and traditions around St. Patrick's Day. They did this through literacy and math activities as well as making leprechaun traps. U Mass Middle School's drama club will be putting on Adams Family the musical at 700 p.m. on Friday, April 10th, Saturday, April 11th, and then 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 12th. The show should go on for about two hours. Um MHS students uh that go to SRTC went to the Skills USA competition. MHS students brought home two gold, two bronze, and two silver medals. Um MHS students, one
010of one MHS student came out at the top for a um branding design contest and they'll represent Massabisc at the Main Skills USA competition in Bangor. Um there's, as Walker said, there's much more information in there, but that's going to finish our rec our recap for tonight. >> Great job, guys. Um I would encourage uh anyone viewing from home, uh as well as members of the board to review the comprehensive student representative report at your leisure. Um want to draw special attention. Some of you might have heard uh some first responder vehicles on Monday night. Our high school concert band participated up in Portland at the Merill Auditorium in the main uh band directors association um concert band festival. Our band uh received a gold medal based on their technical facilities, musical expression, music selections,
011and their ability to play a piece that they had never uh heard of or or had before them. um prior to playing it that night. So, wonderful job uh by the entire concert band as well as um under the leadership or direction of Mr. Drew Halpin Dearis. um want to share that um in April on April 23rd we are going to be hosting at the middle school uh Asher training and that is safety training um in partnership with York County EMA and we'll have folks from all over southern Maine participating in that. the school will be off limits to um to anyone during that training, but uh really it's something that many law enforcement uh personnel from throughout southern Maine will be participating in. I want to share that um the collective efforts of many
012is making some nice progress related to 2226 which is the legislation related to um the um subsidy formula for the state of Maine and that's looking very very favorable. And there's also a byproduct of that with um we're anticipating some additional funding um as a bridge funding for students that are economically disadvantaged as a criteria. So we'll even though 2226 will supplement when passed FY28 budget development, there will be um a positive impact now with some of the movement um for some bridge funding for FY27. Um so that's good. We I don't have um it hasn't been quite finalized yet, so I'm I'm not prepared to tell the amount, though I think I know it. Um, >> okay. Um, I want to share something. I didn't want to put it into the board agenda for
013I didn't know what the weather might be like, but I would like to um provide um a recommendation to the board with respect to the final student day of the school year. Um, as things currently stand, we have a 176 day student calendar with the inclement weather that we had. Currently, our last student day is slated for June 22nd, Monday, and it's slated for a half day early release. We do not have school on Friday because of um acknowledgement of Junth. um as a holiday. So we'd go to school on Thursday the 18th and then we'd have kids come back um 4 days later for half day on the 22nd. what um and on the calendar it is a still a full day for staff um in any case but what I would like to
014recommend is the final student day be on the 18th Thursday the 18th and also follow that early release schedule and then rather than having a an assembly at say a school to send off those folks that are departing our district and also retiring from our district. Um that once students leave um staff would celebrate those individuals that are going to be departing or if there are special milestones or births of babies in the summer, all those sorts of things. And once they finish whatever responsibilities they have within their school buildings, all of our students are home safely. We have those sendoffs. um they'd be released um when all that is concluded. It likely would be slightly before their regular standard day um on the last day. I'd like to make that as a recommendation so
015that um it doesn't make a lot of sense I in my opinion to have our students come back for a half day on the 22nd. If we had had a couple extra days, I wouldn't be asking for this, but since it's that half effective, >> I'd like to ask for board action on that. Um, >> I move I move that we adjust the calendar as per Dr. Mary's um recommendation. >> I think I think that Jen seconded. D, did you have a question? Yeah, I just was wondering if you guys knew the start date of Massipix wreck department camp for just >> just for in the sense of like parents were expecting the 22nd and then if it's not on the 22nd just >> um I am not aware of that. Um I think that
016um the recck departments might be interested in starting a day earlier because it it benefits them as well, >> right? >> Um but uh I'm not necessarily overseeing the wreck program, but I do think that um many families likely wouldn't have their kids coming to school on that Monday as well. So, um, >> so when we put this out, I think the recck departments would be aware. We can contact them as well to let them know, but we don't have any authority over adjusting their schedule. Um, but I imagine they would want to adjust it, but I don't want to put any pressure on them. Just suggesting that that they might be interested. >> Okay. >> Um, any other discussion on that? We do have a motion and a second to make that adjustment to
017the 2526 school year calendar. All those in favor? >> That is unanimous. >> And that concludes my report. Also in my report, I apologize I didn't flip it. And um I did contain um Miss Twitchell's report in my report in the agenda. So she's going to give a brief update on um assessment data requested. >> Sorry about that, Mrs. Twitchell. Good evening. I think Shane, if I'm all set, I need to share my screen. Hold on. All set. Thanks. Um, so I know you have a full agenda. I'll try to keep it brief while also giving you some context. Um, so this presentation will provide some updates on where we are with our student data journey this year. Um, I'll be touching a little bit on our process, um, achievement percentile and trends, as well
018as next steps and what we're in the midst of. So I have a few points about data or as I call them data points. Um first of all there are many types of data that we consider when we're looking at students buildings. Um tonight I'm going to be talking about district level data. Um there are also many ways to look at data. Um some of those are easy to pull, easy to manage. Some of those are a little bit messier. Um I'm again going to be providing some district level data specific to the NWA NWA and the main throughear assessment. There are many different reasons for data. Um a lot of times we're using this data to help provide information to our educators um so that they can make instructional decisions and determine services such
019as interventions through our MTSS system. And we still contend that that spring-to-pring growth through the main through three-year assessment, which is grades three through eight and 10th grade, really does remain our most consistent indicator of district to academic health. Again, you're comparing apples to apples. And it also allows us to see where we are in terms of um state averages, which we don't get um with typical NWA data, which is mostly percentiles. So, just a few points about the NWA and main through three-year assessment for those of you who may not have heard this information before. Um, the NWA map growth is what we're using in K through2. We assess students fall, winter, and spring. And from that data, we get a RIT score, which is a measurement. And we have percentiles based on national
020norms. Third through 8th grade and 10th grade take the main throughear assessment. And there are three different administrations. In the fall and spring, they're both required. We get a RIT score and a percentile score based on national norms. In the winter, it's an optional time for us to give that assessment. And again, it's a RIT score, percentiles based on national norms. And then in the spring, not only is it required and we have the RIT score and percentile that we get, there is also a proficiency rating that the state gives us based on where those students stack up with the main learning results. So, I just wanted to kind of put that in context. I'm going to be talking about NWA MAP growth um and with the fall and winter of the main throughear assessment
021that percentile based on the national norms. So, like I said, there's lots of different ways to slice data, and so I'm trying to provide something that is sort of the clearest example of where we are at the moment. So, a little bit about our process. In the fall, we took the data and we had the admin come together and we did a data dig where we established some common procedures and practices to look at um not only the district level data, school level data all the way down to individual students in reading and math. The really great result of that is that um we actually had some of our tech people working on a synergy analytics page where we were able to look at data in a way that NWA doesn't provide us. And so
022I just want to give a shout out to Kevin Harvey, Yanslight, and Josh Davis who did amazing work super fast to get us information that we can see really clearly longitudinally in a way that just doesn't exist on the platform. So we took that analytics with us as we moved forward into the winter assessment. So in the fall and the spring all kids K through eight and 10 are given fall are given reading reading and math. But in the winter, we're really sort of strategic in who we give those assessments to, realizing that we're trying to get the best data for the students, for the purposes, um, for the information that we need. So K through five took reading and math. 6 through 8, all math for all students. And then six through eight, we
023have reading for tier three students who are most um most heavily serviced uh interventions for reading. So you'll notice that not all students have all of the data that would happen in the fall and the spring. Um so what I'm bringing to you is just the best data that we have to demonstrate um where we are in the process. So our winter um we took a look at that new synergy analytics page which we introduced to administrators and then that data was used to inform service placement. So tier 2, tier three, and our multi-tiered systems of support for students who need additional intervention and support in math and reading. And it also informed instruction and progress towards growth goals for those students. So that's how we were using that winter assessment. Now, this is also
024in your backup. I'm not going to go into this in too much detail um and you can look at it at a later time but what I did here um is this is the reading achievement and percentiles um which we're considering above the 40th percentile. So what percentage of our students are above 40th percentile and if you remember one of the earlier slides um we get the RIT score and the percentile. So, these are based on again national norms, not necessarily main learning results standards. Um, kindergarten um you can see in the light is the fall, dark in the winter, and you can follow that all the way across. So, um I'll talk about trends and patterns in a minute, but here is what our data looked like for K through five because that's the
025only data set that we have for all students is that in reading. The next slide um are the math because we had all kindergarten through 8th grade students take the math NWA this um winter because we were interested um specifically in some areas around math at the middle school. And so again fall in the lighter color um winter in the darker color. And some of the trends and patterns when you look at look at those various um graphs is that in reading we have a few dips in early elementary grades but overall positive trends. In math the results are a little bit more mixed um but most consistent gains were in um in K through two. So are we improving? Yes. But we're not done yet. In terms of next steps, um once we have
026this data and we look at it, we really drill down from the district level to the school level, teacher level, all the way down to the student level so that we can identify what are the areas that we need to focus on between now and spring. And we've already done that as an administrative group. Um we're going to continue to maintain and build growth for all of the students regardless if they've even had a bump. We're going to keep keep going and try to prepare students and teachers for a successful spring testing season which is coming up in a few short weeks. Sorry kids out there um in May. Um, but we're going to work as a team to, you know, what are the messages that we want to be giving um, families and students
027as we really help them prepare to do their very best on the spring assessment for um, the main throughear assessment and as as well as the NWA MAP growth. So, I know that I threw a lot of information at you. Um, it's a lot to digest and so again, I know you have a pretty packed agenda. I'm happy to take some questions that I can come back at a later time, but um I know it was requested to show sort of where are we at in the in the winter in terms of our scores and hopefully I was able to provide some of that information to you this evening. >> Thank you, Mrs. Streel. >> Yeah, thank you so much. Um maybe it would have been better to have this not such a packed board
028meeting. Um but I one or two quick questions. What specifically are you doing to drill down? >> So we have different um views within either our synergy analytics or within our NWA platform. And so for example, if I'm a building administrator, I'm going to look at okay, so let's say um you know uh we had a little bit of a dip in third grade in math. Um, as a building administrator across the district, as a building administrator, I'm going to look at my school level data and see where I'm at. If my scores are going up, I'm still going to drill down further. How are my teachers doing? And I'll drill down even further. How are the students in those rooms doing? And are there specific skills, standards, um, interventions that we need to put
029in place to to rectify that? >> So, that would be my question. what shifts or changes or >> it it could be it's through our multi-tered systems of support. So that might be more services, interventions, it could be more check-ins by the teacher. Um there's a whole host of different things that we could do. It really is responsive to the student need. >> Okay. Including um principal intervention, um more observations, more uh guided >> guidance classroom teachers. All of those things could be on the table again on a on a needsbased. Yep. >> Okay. And finally, um when will we see the spring-to-pring data? >> Um excellent question. Usually, uh we will have some of those RIT scores and percentiles by the end of sometime in June. But in terms of that um the growth
030and all of that, once the data is collected, they have to kind of clean it up and make sure everything is fine. We may not have that data fully until maybe July. from the state. >> Okay. I would I would hope for a more extensive presentation with that spring-to-preening data. >> Absolutely. >> Um because we really I mean that's that's the key here is >> Yep. >> the growth and and that it's been rocky >> um bumpy, whatever term you want to use. >> Anxious to see. >> So are we. We're excited to see the kind of growth that we're able to get with students this year. All right. Thank you so much, >> Suzanne. >> Um, my question is just out of curiosity. Um, do we have uh any data or understanding of the
031effects of COVID on our for our elementary school kids who were younger at the time and if they're still dealing with the after effects of that? And if so, is there any extra funding for intervention to assist them to catch up to where they need to be? I was just curious. I was looking at the graph and I'm like, huh? >> I mean, I I guess the short answer is no. um because we don't have um some of our data sources aren't 100% before COVID and after COVID um because our state assessment actually changed and so of course you know there goes the longitudinal data >> yeah exactly I mean again lots of different ways to slice data we can find things but in terms of correlation and did that cause it there's and in
032terms of extra funding that's just part of our multi-tered systems of support wherever students students are at. We're going to try to address those needs as best we can. >> Um, looking at the graph, I was wondering the same thing about CO because my son started school co, he was the first class to go in, so he's fifth grade and one thing I was noticing when when I got his scores back. Um, >> it's kind of spot on. He usually excelled like quite a few points. He's a smart cookie. Not but he flatlined in math. >> Yeah. Now I have no idea why. So maybe looking at the kids that usually jump 12 points or jump so many see because there's no reason he understood math more this year than he did last year but
033he flatlined and it made no sense to us at home and they say could be how they tested but it's actually making sense what I'm seeing on your graph too. >> What's interesting is one of the analytics and the synergy were actually able to follow cohorts over time to see the shifts and how they're doing. >> Um which again isn't easy to do. So, a shout out to to Shane and his crew helping us look at that data that way. >> I definitely would side with Suzanne on the kids that started because those are the two classes that are kind of really low. >> Thank you. >> Great work, too. I love it. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Mrs. Switchell. I appreciate it. >> And if any other questions, >> one last one. Sorry, Judith.
034>> Um, yes. Um, if we have any questions that arise, can we contact you? >> Absolutely. If there are questions, um, I'm happy to come back. >> And my question to the board is, should I put my questions to let the board know what I'm asking or should I just personally contact um, Miss Twitchel? You can send them to me and I'll get them to her and then I can bring them back to the board. The information back to the board. That way everyone gets the information. >> Right. That's what I was wondering. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sounds good. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Standing committee's policy Beth. >> Uh we met last week. Uh we finished up the remainder of the E policies and then we continued
035um we were kind of in the middle of G policies. Um and so we continued with those and finished those up. G policies are employee and staff policies. So we finished those. There'll be a a few like four uh coming up at the next meeting. We did not bring them to this meeting for all of you. You're welcome. Um so starting in May, we're going to begin the eye policies. Those are for instructional policies if people don't know. Um this is the third largest group. So we will be working through I policies into and including November. So very long time for eye policies. Um and that is it. Our next meeting is May something first week of May. I don't know what >> sixth. >> May 6th. >> Any questions for Beth? Next up, Finance
036Wes. >> Thank you, Jody. I'll I'll try to skip through this quickly. Finance Committee met uh last evening and our next meeting will be uh April 28th at 6 p.m. in this room. Um we started off reviewing what our calendar looks like. The two most important dates are May 5th, the public district budget meeting at Massabesic Middle School, and that's 7 PM, right? Got it. And then, uh June 9th, of course, is the district vote, and those are the two key uh uh meeting dates. Um let's see. Uh we know that this budget season we felt like we had some of the best communications ever with the public um with municipalities and uh I I just think we should note that that was generated with a lot of support from administration. Um the Anthem insurance
037rate came in came in at 8.87% which was great. Uh we reviewed financial reports, general fund revenue summary. Um uh the budget for FY26 is uh in target in all areas. Uh we reviewed the uh general fund expenditure summary. Things are in line and everything's looking like it's in great shape. Um transportation is doing great. There's a lot of field trips as you can tell from the agenda and there's a lot of uh scheduling that goes into that and and uh director Newton's doing a great job. Um we reviewed the summer projects priority list. Um we uh also reviewed capital planning and update and reviewed in detailed tier one and two lists and uh members of the committee had input and submitted information to director Walsh. Um the audit for the district finances are done
038and we will be looking forward to a meeting with them hopefully on April 28th and if not uh then we'll meet with them in May as a finance committee. Um, and then there are going to be a couple of motions tonight presented by uh by the finance committee. Jen Mayo will probably handle that for us. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any questions for Wes? >> Jen, >> it's not necessarily I mean I was just looking at the district budget meeting. It says the middle school gym is normally in the cafeteria. Is that is it changed or It will be in the cafeteria. >> Thanks, Jen. Good catch. >> Next up, HR. Any other questions about finance? HR Anastasia. >> We have not met in couple months, but we are meeting next Wednesday the 15th at
0396 p.m. Any questions for Anastasia? I will need the HR committee to come see me after we're done. Just I have some stuff for you. >> Mark, >> not a question for Anastasia. It would just pardon me because I've just been a long day. It going back to the data review. Um is it possible that I think I've asked before, but could we get those that packet prior to the board meeting so we have a chance to look at it without getting it moment, you know, >> in real time there. It it just would be so helpful to have a few days to to kind of dig into what I'm assuming the spring to spring one is going to be very important for us. I'd like to see it prior to sitting down here. >>
040All right. Thank you so much. >> All right. Next up, old business. So, we're going to um we are a public board, so we conduct our evaluation in public as a public board will do. I'm going to quickly go through um what you know kind of do a comparison with last year and then I'm going to turn it over to you for some discussion um so that hopefully my voice last night. So um very good response on this year's schoolboard evaluation. um almost everyone I think maybe one person didn't get to it quite in time but um so the first two pages of the evaluation that's in the order of the questions asked and that order is determined by our policy on schoolboard evaluations. Literally the the board evaluation um policy lists the things that
041we evaluate ourselves on and this is the order that they are in in this in that policy. So from March 2025 to March 2026, our scores, our average scores went up on every single question except I'll give you a second if you want to mark them. >> They both say >> yes. >> The first two pages are in order by question. >> Yeah. >> And the second two pages are in order by score. >> Okay. All right. I'm sorry. I was thinking it was last year. >> No, that's okay. Um, so everything went up except for 6, 8, 14, 16, 22, and 29. And those ones went down very slightly. Um, so not really a huge decrease. Having them in order, I think, is nice because it lets you go through um the policy. But
042the next two pages where it lists our sc how we scored everything from the lowest average rating to the highest I think is where um I tend to focus on more. A lot of these are similar to previous years. So there's always the boardsmanship one is always in the bottom five. Um, I think that that has, you know, maybe something to do with the fact that we all define boardsmanship differently and opportunities for boardsmanship differently. Um, so, you know, I've been saying for a couple years that if we could if we could drill down on what defines um activities that further develop boardsmanship skills, then we could potentially get that rating up. Um, so ratings on that ranged anywhere from, you know, threes and fours. There was one or two that answered never, that we
043never participate in activities. There was a couple ones. So, it definitely is kind of all over the place with that. Um, and I think part of that may be just the definition of what um, develop the boardsmanship skills. So, some of the other ones that had the lower scores, the using data and reports, that tends to be um one of the lower ones. I think that we're getting definitely an improvement on that. Over the past couple of years, we've really put an emphasis on wanting more data as a board. Um the lowest score, this one, constructive relations with the media. That one um maybe should go to the HR committee to talk about as as far as what we um would consider relations with the media. Is that social media? Is that you know what
044are we defining by that? Um and then a structure and a process for performing the effective oversight of curriculum instruction and assessment. Part of the lower score on that may be that curriculum has now come to the full board. So there's not that monthly meeting about curriculum. I don't I don't remember seeing that as a lower scored um item in recent years. I'd have to go back. But so that's kind of where those lays in our highest ones. Now my pages are all mixed up. So, our highest ones um supporting the role of the superintendent um acts in accordance with ethical conduct um respecting confidentiality. So, and then I took all of the comments that were made and just did a bulletointed list of those as far as areas for improvement um where we have
045been effective and some additional comments. So, um effectiveness in student recognition, um uh open communication, effective budget planning, uh increased community outreach, policy review, and then areas for improvement, um understanding and monitoring of academic progress, some community engagement, enhanced communication, transparency, and feedback collection, uh review decision- making around leadership, and then some additional comments. Strong leadership, diversity, and collaboration with administration. Positive overall sentiment and pride in the board. A need to increase revenue to support the budget. Uh continued progress in student outcomes. Um recommendation to strengthen financial expertise. That came from a comment about who serves on the finance committee and what their background or um knowledge might be. So that might be something to consider. So, and a recognition of budget complexity and challenges. So, I'm happy to open it up for discussion if
046anyone has any comments or wants to expand on um anything that they had on the evaluation. Jen, >> I just have a question about the second set of pages of numbers. >> Yes, they're out of order. I wonder how that happened. >> Okay, because I was going to say I'm very sorry. >> 29 are repeated and there's no eight. So, where did eight fall? If you I don't know if you have >> eight. >> Oh, was fixing that while I was talking. I noticed that as I was going. I apologize. I literally quadruple checked this and obviously my Excel spreadsheet did me wrong. >> So, I'll fix it and send out an updated copy. >> Okay. and have an updated copy um put with the minutes. So, I apologize. Anything else? Does anyone want to
047comment on anything? Have anything to add? Have any suggestions for how to increase some of the areas that are lower scoring and have been lower scoring in previous years? Um I know the definition of boardsmanship and the kind of lower rating of um our boardsmanship skills. has as a board has there been a consideration just having one of the committees like HR or policy um just create a very defi defined definition of boardsmanship >> with key points like we have to meet these points to show boardsmanship so then we can hold ourselves accountable to know like this is what we need to every year to be to have good boardsmanship. So, it's not really kind of loosey goosey. >> Yep. Um it has I don't believe that it's been kind of an official request but
048um it certainly I think that that would be something good for the HR committee to start working on is really defining boardsmanship and um coming up with a little bit of a structure to um so that we have a checklist and something to to go by. Michelle, um I agree with D about figuring out the boardsmanship definition for all and then also with the media going to HR, both of those. And then another one I was thinking of is the uh number 27, the board is aware of and provides information is necessary to state legislators to support public education in the local school community. Maybe that could go to HR as well because having, you know, access for people to who our legislators are and how to write a letter and what our things are
049that could help our school by contacting them. Maybe that's something HR could address and and get more in the forefront out into the community. >> Sportsmanship media legislature >> 227 and 27. Perfect. Thank you. Any other comments on that? I apologize for the mistake on the second part. Michelle, >> I do have one more. Number four, um, the board uses data and reports to evaluate progress towards goals and identify areas of concern. That was a hard one because really, what are areas of concern? Are we talking behavior? Are we talking education? Are we talking budget? There's so many different levels to that one for me. Okay. >> that was kind of a everyone has a different thing I think depending where you have kids in school or you're retired and on you know what I
050mean. So that was a hard one for me to answer. >> Yep. >> And maybe something that the HR committee because I I wouldn't necessarily want to change the questions because we've been using this evaluation for several years so it's really easy to compare. But maybe um next fall the HR committee could consider kind of just looking at each point to um fine-tune it a little bit and and add some additional information so that we're all basing our responses kind of from the same perspective. >> I think 29 goes the same way because when you asked us, you know, effective oversight of curriculum, instruction, assessment, how much control does a board really have when you have, you know, governing state law? Mhm. >> So that again becomes a very difficult question to answer like what
051control do we really have? We don't we have control but not we have things we have to follow. >> Right. Thank you. >> No thank you. I appreciate that. Anything else? I will get an updated corrected copy to you. >> All right. Next up new business. Massive masses middle school grading proposal. Principal Kelly Grantham. So I'm also here this evening to make a proposal that Massic Middle School adopt the 0 to 100 A throughF reporting scale for the upcoming school year to align with Massabesc High School. Our high school implemented the same scale in advance of this current school year. So 2526. And the middle school has historically used the same reporting system as MHS. So this update would maintain that consistency. Implementation would require one policy update, specifically JJIC, academic eligibility. Communication to students
052and families will occur through the summer and fall. Family newsletters, welcome letters, openhouse documents, and the family handbook. Assistant principal Triano and I have already discussed the necessary scoring and reporting updates with the leadership team and the full middle school staff. The MMS staff is prepared to update documents, curriculum materials this spring to ensure readiness for fall implementation should the proposal be accepted. >> All right. Do we have a motion to approve that um recommendation? >> Judith and Anastasia, is there any is there any discussion? Yeah. >> Um I love this idea. I loved it last year for the high school. Um seeing as there's not like a GPA that we have to stress out about with middle school, this should be a better or not better. It was fine. Uh it it should be
053an easier transition, right, for the middle school grading system. >> Yes. And I because there's not weighted grades for courses, which specifically I think is what you're referring to. And I was prepared to answer questions regarding implementation at MHS, not realizing Mr. Thorough is here but he's giving me the thumbs up. Um yes we don't have course waiting so that is correct. >> Any other questions? Any other discussion? All right. All those in favor that is unanimous. Thank you so much. All right. Next up we have a field trip request from the high school for a senior class trip. Looks like they are headed to Summerssworth to Hilltop Fund Center on May 29th. Um, so because it's an outofstate trip, it does need schoolboard approval. Do we have a motion to approve that? >> Oh,
054Anastasia. Who was it? D. Any discussion on the uh senior class trip? All those in favor? That carries. Additionally, we have a field trip request from the high school to head up to the Allstate Music Festival um at Uain Orino. Um this is an overnight trip which requires schoolboard approval. If I can get a motion to approve. Jen, was that you? Anastasia and Jen. Any discussion? Beth. Um, it says that they're leaving the Wells train station, but no buses are requested. How are they getting there? >> Oh, sorry. Okay, I missed it. Sorry, just kidding. Any other discussion? All in favor? That one is good. Next up, we have a field trip request from the high school who are headed to the Boston Museum of Science um on May 20th. So, because it's out of
055state, it needs school board approval. Do I have a motion to approve? >> Suzanne, >> who is the second? Eric, Suzanne, and Eric. Any discussion? All in favor? That carries. Thank you all so much. Next up, approval of the 2627 school district budget. Mr. Walsh. >> I'm just going to hand out things so that we can keep it going in the agenda. So, thank you. Um, at the last board meeting, I did a presentation, gave handouts. If you don't have a handout, I have a hard copy. Just let me know. And it's also attached. It's also attached to the minutes. Um, does anyone else want a hard copy? So, for tonight, um, we're at that point. I'm happy to answer any questions. I don't have more to add since last board meeting. Um, but you've
056had a chance to review it as a board and happy to answer any questions. And if not, we'd be looking for the board to make a motion approval to adopt the 2627 budget for both the general fund and the adult education fund. >> No, this is just the budget first. Yep. This is just adoption of the general fund budget. So it' be a motion to adopt the budget that's been presented. >> So moved. >> Who was the second? >> Me. >> Judith. >> All right. So we have a motion and a second for approval of the budget. Is there any discussion? Any questions? All in favor? That is unanimous. Thank you. >> The next, now that you've adopted a budget, are two different legal documents. The first that's on the agenda is approval of the
057school revolving renovation to adopt a warrant and notice of election and then to set a budget hearing for the school revolving renovation. And that's one of the handouts I gave you this evening. It's the one that says, "Vote to be adopted by the school board at a meeting on April 8th." >> So, it's this one. >> The shorter one. >> I thought it was a longer one. >> Oh, it is the shorter one. >> Oh, set the motion. >> So, no. voted that the warrant and notice of election of regional school unit number 57 presented to the meeting be approved and that a referendum election for the RSU be called for June 9th, 2026 for the purpose of approving the issuance of bonds or notes of the RSU for minor capital project purposes as described
058therein. >> Is there a second? >> Oh, I think Anastasia guy. So, Anastasia and Jen, any discussion, comments, questions? All in favor? Yes, everyone. That motion carries. >> The next is you're doing three things in this next motion. You're making a vote to call and approve the warrants for the budget meeting to establish a budget validation referendum on June 9th and to authorize the superintendent to fill out the amounts that were adopted at the budget meeting after the budget meeting occurs. So within this, you are the next three paragraphs that are part of the motion are specifically what you are voting on. So you're doing one motion for three different tasks within this. But it's just the motion, right? >> It's just the motion. Okay. >> So, I move that the vote entitled to vote
059to call and approve the warrants for the budget meeting in the budget validation referendum and to authorize the notice of amounts adopted be approved in form presented to this meeting and that a copy of said vote be included with the minutes of this meeting. >> Den and D. Any discussion on that motion? All in favor? That carries. It is unanimous. >> Thank you very much. And I will see you after the meeting for all of the legal documents to be signed to. >> Oh, I thought you were going to forget about that. All right. Um, so I'm going to just swap the order of the executive sessions around. We're going to move the first one to the third one just um but still do all of them. So at this time I would make a
060motion to enter into executive session to discuss a student matter pursuant to one MRSA 4056B. >> And that is Anastasia. All in favor? That motion carries. We are in executive session at 6:56 him. What is the direction of the board? We live. >> I make a motion we expel student A indefinitely with a road map for return. >> Anastasia Carmen. Any discussion? All those in favor? Opposed? That motion carries. Administration will get with you on where we go from here. All right. At this time, I'd like to make a motion to enter into executive session to discuss a student matter pursuant to 1 MRSA 4056B. >> Second. >> Oh, Anastasia. All those in favor? We are in executive session at 7:26 am. All right. What is the direction of the board? >> I make a
061motion we expel student B indefinitely with a road map for return. So we have a motion and a second. Uh any discussion? All those in favor? Motion carries. Administration will speak with you about next steps. Okay. At this time, I'd like to make a motion to go into executive session to discuss negotiations pursuant to one MRSA 4056D. >> Uh, we have a motion and a second. All those in favor? We are in executive session at 7:53 What is the direction of the board? >> I make a motion we accept the administration CBA >> Wes. So Anastasia and Wes. So we have a motion uh to approve the administrator CBA. Is there any discussion? All those in favor? Opposed? That motion carries. Uh calendar announcements are at the bottom of your agenda. Next full school board
062meeting is on April 29th. Don't forget the budget meeting on May 5th. We are adjourned. 8:16 p.m.