001Okay, good evening everybody. Welcome back. Welcome in. Um, this is our first meeting of this new academic year. Um, I don't know. Every year it feels like we were just here, but it also feels like I haven't seen you in years. Uh, but it's good to be back and it's good to welcome new faces. And my name is Lori Tosti. I'm chair of the school committee. I'm gonna have my colleagues introduce themselves to you so you know who we are and where we are. >> Good. Good evening. I'm Mark Terry. I'm the vice chair of the school. >> Paul Kendall, >> Tina Fatanities, Marcy Gold. >> Go ahead, Chris. Just in case. >> And this is Abashek. I just wanted you to know that you could introduce yourself. He's part of our team. >> Got
002a title to that. >> Yeah. Matthew, director of finance and operations. >> Yeah. >> Abishek student. >> We're so happy to have him and we're happy to have you. Welcome in. Uh we start each meeting by reading our vision statement. The Ashlin Public School strives to be a model district that celebrates a culture of inclusivity for our diverse students and staff who feel safe and supported, are empowered with the academic and social emotional skills to pursue their chosen path, and embrace their roles as positive contributors to local and global communities. This meeting is being recorded by WACA Cable TV. Our order of business this evening includes our call to order, opening procedures, agenda review and adoption, public participation. Um the reports and presentations include new staff introductions, warrant approvals, superintendence report, and the assistant superintendent
003report. And our action items, discussion, updates, and votes this evening include and appoint superintendent to the board of directors for the accept collaborative nutrition services proposed meal cost increase, safety committee appointments, appointment to working group subcommittees, MASC, MASS conference, November 12th through the 14th. School choice allocation for AHS auditorium. School choice allocation to buildings and departments. The consent agenda uh includes approval of gifts and donations, grant allocations, then we will have reports of school committee members and then we will adjourn. So, um I will ask everybody if you're okay with the order of business this evening and I see that you're all here. And is there any problem with the order of agenda items? You're good with that? >> All good. >> Awesome. Okay. So, I will start with um asking if there's anybody here
004from the public that wants to say a few words. than I happen to know that there is tonight. We're so happy when somebody says yes to that. I got to move this down. Okay, hold on. There we go. >> Good evening everybody. Um, so good to see you all. I hope you all had a good summer. I'm Brandy Kinsman. I'm a member of the select board. I'm here with Josh Wixer from Ashlin High School. And um, we just wanted to um, give you a little information. you might have heard. We're here tonight really to talk about Ashland Day, which is a really um it's it's been a bit of a whirlwind, but we wanted to kind of give you a little information of what we've been up to. Um especially since um Ashlin Public Schools
005have been just a huge part of this and which we are so grateful for. Um so just a little bit of background. Um I have never done Ashlin Day ever. Um but the Ashland Day committee who usually does Ashland Day um mid July we we heard that they didn't have the funds to do Ashlin Day. Um and so that they didn't plan Ashland Day which is a huge huge thing for our community. Um this is the 39th year of Ashland Day and um I know my kid has grown up with Ashland Day. I know a lot of people have grown up with Ashland Day. Um, so myself, Claudia Bennett from the select board, um Josh Wixer from the from um the high school and Chrissy Reynolds who owns Amory's Dance and is a member of
006the ABA, the Ashlin Business Association board. The four of us kind of came together and wanted to see if there was anything we could do. And um thankfully Josh had this framework from Pumpkinfest from three years ago and um we looked at the the framework that he had put together and we thought we can do this. So, um we started this literally um five weeks ago and um our goal was to raise $15,000 and um then do all the steps needed to put together a large scale event for 4,000 people. So, we are um we are all set with Ashlin Day this year. We are um it's going to be on Saturday, October 4th from 11 to 4 at Stone Park. And we have a rain date, which is new this year, on Sunday, October
0075th, same time, same place. Um, and what I think for me personally has been um amazing and part of this experience has just been how how the community support has really rallied behind this. So, in less than three weeks, um, we were able to raise over $15,000 and we have been off and running with a volunteer group of probably 20 25 people. Um, Tina's been a part of it. We've got some great people working on this. Um and I just wanted to um first of all let you all know also just um to say thank you because there have been um a lot of work on a lot of people's parts to help support this and make this happen. Um initially we had thought this was going to go through Ashlin High School. Um and
008so we had a GoFan page and things like that which we were taking electronic donations. Um, and in working with Chris Matthew and Christine Graham over at the high school and our staff here over at town hall, we moved that over under the Ashlin Select Board. Um, so now the funding is going into donations through the select board. And um, trying to think of other things that we So, but you know, we're we're in the middle of finalizing a lot of the preparations. We have about 60 booths already signed up. We have entertainment. Um, we have, I think, 14 or 15 food vendors. We are trying to expand the the universe of typical Ashlin Day and and try to be as inclusive as possible. So, we're doing things that Ashland Day has never had before.
009Um, we've really opened it up to um partners in the community. We have like the MWRTA is going to be a part of it. Um the YMCA is going to have a huge presence. Um we have um music from uh a variety of both local local people in Ashland and then also um we have a very popular Indian band that's going to be there and some Indian dancing and we are just very proud of sort of the support that we've been doing. So um both from an individual we had done some sponsorships from a from a business standpoint um and individuals have also been extraordinarily generous. So um I just wanted to say thank you um especially to to to Chris and to the support of the Ashlin public schools. Um, Miss St. Core has
010been amazing and um, so we just wanted to come and and give you a little bit of an update and also um, just as an FYI, we are going to be having a town booth at at Ashland Day and anyone that would like to come and be a part of that um, school committee, other committees, too. We're opening it up for those um, as well. >> Really wants to be the python. >> I do. I'll be in Vermont though. We deliver. >> So the the So just to let you guys know, I had this idea that it would be fun to um to have all the the town committee people and um elected officials um have a booth that says, you know, throw a pie in a you know, ra to raise money for for
011Ashland. figuring that that would be a really great way to raise funds, which I think it would be, but it's been a very lukewarm I haven't really gotten a lot of like I'm I'm I'm all in on it because I think it would be fun, but um I I I don't know if that's So, >> Miss Kinsman, would you like to share with the audience what my response to you was on that? >> Yeah, I know. I know. I know Mark's Mark's not >> I thought about her. So, but anyway, and I just wanted to also just say um none of this would have been possible without without Josh. I mean, he is the most organized like I mean and this has been a rabbit hole of a project. So, when I tell you that
012we probably spend every every nonworking day moment working on this, we've been it's been a it's been a it's been a labor of love, but it's um it's amazing. And also it's just the community has really come out and said we're they're so happy that we're doing this and the support is is um totally worth it. So and just personally um it's a great distraction for a um a re very recent empty neester. So but Josh, do you want to add anything? >> Um it it's it's moving along. Um, we've been talking I've been talking with the student council kids and next Wednesday um they're going to be signing up to help with lots of the the different jobs at Ashlin Day. Both things they've done in the past but also just general helping to
013to make it run stuff and about that and it should be good and we're hoping for good weather. >> Yeah. >> And we also have a secret weapon um Ella >> Besides Josh's counterpart I should say. Um, Ella Fong, who is a Ashlin High School graduate and is a student at Northeastern, um, and wants to be an event planner, um, has been extremely helpful and she's running all the all the booth organizations and, um, so it's it's it's moving it's moving really fast and she's amazing. So, um, thank you to Ella and to Chrissy and Claudia and, um, it's kind of like the the the four of us are are a really good team. So, it's it's it's been good. >> This come out. >> Yeah. Come join us. >> Yeah. Well, it's amazing what
014you've been able to put together in such a short time and we appreciate you >> both very much and and other people on >> and and just as a as a thank you also, you know, we've been working with a lot of people here in town hall that have really kind of stepped up to help um Cindy Sinata and Stephanie Peton and finance Diane Mortonson and the select board's office um our DPW, our fire, our police, everyone is really um supporting this in a way that like I I think I think I said to Josh, I'm like I think I was naive when we first said, "Oh yeah, we could do this." And not really understanding the scale and and the scope. Um just thinking, "Oh yeah, we'll put we'll we'll do an event. That's
015great." And then you realize just how much it is. So um but anyway, thank you for your time tonight. >> Well, I was thinking as you're talking like I'm so glad you're here doing this because I think all of us who have lived in this town for decades or however like kind of take it for granted we're going to show up and it's going to be Ashland day. to hear you say everything that goes into it. Um, and I hope people are tuned in tonight especially to to hear that because that makes it all that much more special. So, thank you. >> Okay, new staff introductions. We had over 50 new faculty and staff hired throughout the summer and actually as recently as probably the last couple days. Uh we're still filling a number of
016positions. So, uh I want to first thank the folks who are here made some time tonight. Uh as you can tell, we don't have all 50 folks that we've hired. Um but we have quite a few um staff and and our principles and assistant principles and and directors who show up uh to support this and and run through the list if you will. Um so we we're going to start uh with nutrition services if you want. Yeah, you're up first, Regina. If anyone's here, great. If not, we won't go through all the names, but uh I'm just sharing the slideshow here. Uh if we do have folks, great. Um, >> our staff are present. >> Okay. >> Um, >> but you're here. Thank you. >> I am for for another another >> Yes, I we
017know. Yeah. >> But, uh, Danielle Hagglin, uh, Wendy Esta, Diane Butterman, and Patricia Dundan are all new staff members in nutrition services, and we're happy to have them. >> Thank you. >> Hit Amanda, as you know, um, >> I think we Did we officially introduce Amanda at the end of last year to to the community? No, we did not. >> I think some of us met her on the first day of >> So Amanda Curley is our new, as I said in the in the in the uh admin team meeting yesterday, executive director, but director of uh the Fitway School. So I've already been ribbed a few times this week. >> Uh so Amanda has ascended into that role where uh Sarah Davidson is now the special ed team coordinator, if you will, at Pitway.
018So >> Amanda, >> so I'm Amanda Curley. Nice to meet you all. I'm al also an Ashton resident. I have kids in the school system as well. Um but we have three new staff at Pitway in addition to myself. We have Lucy Mitson, Michelle Williams, and then Mary Joe Plutts who was actually at Mindas last year, but she's coming to join us at Pitway this year as an ESP. >> Thank you. >> Quite a few new hires. >> I can see that. Uh so we we do have in second grade we have Emma Bailey. Uh she was one of our student teachers last year that stayed with us in this role. New ABA ESP 2 and Tim Bopri and Maduri Kagaparthy. Uh new ESP Marie Aasu. New ABA ESP2 Parthy Oza. New first grade teacher
019Celia. New special education teacher in our RISE program Sable. new ELLL staff member that was sharing with the Mendes school, Britney Sako. Another ABA ESP2, Isabella Sher. Another second grade teacher, Erica Sananian. EL teacher with us, Erin Schwarz, who's also a parent and president of our town. And then finally, a new BCBA that we share with Pitway, Agnes Sishtick. Tough one to pronounce. I had to ask her. Uh, but no, we're really excited. Everyone's fitting in really well. They've uh they've really started the year in an outstanding fashion with all of our students. >> Great. >> Awesome. >> And we'll jump to the David Mendes School. Uh as you know, Kate Alman is in her first year as principal of the David Mendes School and congratulations under the superintendent report. we'll get into the opening
020day. But um >> welcome to >> I will say this while Kate is here publicly uh just outstanding work uh in terms of uh on that first day of of unexpectedness of I'll be accurate yellow jackets uh not just bees but uh to be clear to the you know those on boston.com who are complaining about my choice of words um but but Kate handled it with grace uh as I said uh so professional so uh caring and we're very fortunate to have her leading the men school. >> Thank you. First five minutes. My first very first day. Yep. >> Um so we have not as many new hires as Pete at Warren but we have Nancy Dunlap in our special education rise program and she is here with us today. Thank you Nancy for being
021here. >> Allison Drile is our new languagebased teacher. Pervabora is an ESP supporting Nancy and the Rise program. Brandy Core is filling in for a one-year long-term fifth grade leave. Serena Valentine is our new band teacher, full-time band teacher for fourth and fifth grade. Beth Jones, our new assistant principal, sitting right here. Very lucky to have her right from Shrewsbury. Britney Sako, as Pete said, we're sharing with Warren um as our new e teacher. Maria Wentworth is filling in as a long-term grade four sub um for Christine Clafy who should be returning in December. We have Herb Grace who is also filling in for another maternity leave we have in PE uh for Bethy Nicholson who will be returning in around middle of October um who is also the father of Caroline Grace at Warren.
022you may know. Amanda Smith um is also another long-term sub we have in grade five who will be supporting Mary Soderberg this year. Thank you. Hello everyone. Uh I have also have a long list and I think I might win for people in attendance. Yay. Um so joining us at the middle school >> Yeah. Tess Anatell, eighth grade ELA teacher. Um, ESP Punamaga, new art teacher, Cat Bernell. Um, new ESP who started Monday. Ron Dow, new ESP who started yesterday, Lissa Freighus. Um, alumni and new ESP, Jack Mackin, here tonight. Um, sixth grade writing teacher, Allison Chapeno, who's here tonight. Uh, another alumni and new wellness teacher, Jared Schwarz, who's here tonight. Carly White, special education teacher. Um, Deb Eisen, who um is our RISE teacher, who came to us from Mendes. Amy Westerland, ESP2,
023who came to us from Warren. Uh, Haley Patterson, um, psychologist who started with us in March, but I don't think we ever formally introduced her. um James Jones um new um custodian who started with us towards the end of last year and uh more districtwide but housed out of the middle school. Michaela Warner is the new administrative assistant for the special education department. So thank you. >> Um hi everybody. Um we are really excited to welcome Paula Koscet as our new nurse. Um Cam Gallagher, who is our new Bright academic coordinator. Um Jared Jones, who is our new business teacher, who is here with us this evening. Um Kelly Meyer is our new uh dean of students. Uh Sarah Riley, who's new to us but moved over from the middle school. Uh Kevin Shelby uh
024is with our special education department. Um Mark Quitadamo is new with our facilities custodial department. And I'm happy to welcome Pete Connory who is here with us tonight as our new athletic director. >> Thank you for coming. uh between June 12th, 2025 and September 10th, 2025. I Paul Kendall authorized by my signature payable amount talked about myself in third person there. uh the amount of 2,681,6871. This includes general fund expenses of 1,679, or $93, volume expenses of $884,688 grand expenses 117,77384. $160. >> So the only thing I wanted to start with that obviously is uh the year has begun. We're in year three or year three week three year seems like years feels like the end of the year already, right? Uh, no, but I I think, you know, we make light of at this
025point we can a little bit about uh Kate's start to the year. Uh, as you know, um, we we did have an incident within the first 20 minutes of school this year. Uh, where some students in our bus loop uh, stepped on to uh, I'd like to call it the grassy area, but hasn't grown in much grass, but um, a dirt area and there were some a ground nest of of of yellow jackets. Bless you. And we had a number of students ended up being about close to 57 58 students who eventually were uh identified as having been uh stung. Um thank goodness not one student was transported to the hospital. Uh no other uh reactions other than just a little bit of swelling where they got stung. Uh all their parents were notified. Kate,
026um, thank, you know, I want to thank the Ashlin PD, Ashlin Fire, EMTs, uh, our nursing staff, our our transportation staff who immediately um, we had we had one bus driver who also was stung. Um, that they they just handled everything with with great care and caution. Uh, and not one child went home. Uh, all the parents were called. Uh we had the opportunity had the parents wanted a student to be transported to the hospital. No one took up that offer uh which was great. Um and everything has has sort of um calmed down uh in that area as well and uh but Kate handled it beautifully and I think a lot of kudos to her and and uh the calmness and uh with which she approached things was great. Um yesterday I I attended
027the superintendent and chief of police and chief of fire uh breakfast in Lexington. Um you know it's uh always neat to hear what is happening across the commonwealth. Uh and really the focus it it's put on by the district attorney's office in Middle Sex. Uh and you know a lot of focus continues to be on uh phone usage, texting, texting, all those things. Um uh a very interesting statistic which is not one I'm you know happy to share but if you notice on on the Pike uh in the interstates this this summer you noticed about teen drivers and about accidents and fatalities and um there there have been uh 20 fatalities uh in this eight-month period um for under 21 year old drivers this year. Um it's the number is I think she said the
028max before was about eight uh through the same time period. Um so you know there's just a lot of talk about teen driving and and distractions and uh you know that's the reason why you see that stuff on the on the side of the road right now. So, as we talked to our kids, um, at the high school, you know, and listen, I lived through it with a accident with my own son, uh, this, you know, right two days before graduation. Uh, it's scary. It's it's teaching our kids to really focus on when you're in the car, uh, focusing on driving. Mike's got one coming up um, very soon. So, I think other than that, uh, we had our first admin team meeting yesterday. Um, you know, I'm really excited about the team we have.
029Um, and I think, you know, we have a couple of changes obviously at Mendes with Beth and with Kate. I I think Mike and I visited every day. Um, the tone and tenor of that building is outstanding. Um, you know, it's been great. Mike and I walk in and we're like, "Where's Beth?" Well, she's in reading to every classroom. he's already in meeting kids and with teachers and and it's um it's really a neat thing to see. Uh we've started our meetings with the A.E.A. uh and having conversations uh about you know making sure uh the year goes off uh smoothly and any concerns that they have that that we're connecting. >> Uh it's Kristen Scully. Yep. Still um and she and I meet every Friday morning. Uh and then the building principles have standing
030meetings with their reps the building uh which is great. We will be coming to the committee. Uh as you know when we worked on the contract uh we had a couple pieces that were outstanding. Uh one was stipens. Um and the other was evaluation. Um and we're in we're getting close with the stipen component of it to be able to bring back share with with the school committee for a vote. Uh but obviously first we're going to the AA has to clean some things up um over the summer. We didn't have an opportunity to meet with them. So uh that's forthcoming. And I think that's pretty much it. It's uh year 12 and it was one of the smoother years to be honest with you. Uh we're still working on transportation. Um yeah, you know
031what? Usually I'm usually sitting here saying, "Give it three weeks. Give it three weeks. Give it three weeks." Well, listen, we're down to one or two buses that are, you know, habitually late. And by late, it's 3 to 5 minutes, not 25 to 30 minutes. And I was concerned when we opened the year with 135 being under construction and the paving. Um, but kudos to to the town and DPW and ensuring that that was all done before the first buses rolled out. um you know Chris's office in Tamara who does the transportation um it's her third or fourth year doing this uh and it's it's much smoother than it was previously. So um that's um that's a good thing. You know Pete still has a couple buses at the Warren School that tend to be
032a little late in the afternoon. Um Kelly and and and Aaron have a couple um in the morning that as they cross town, right, might be a few minutes late. uh in and what we consider late is we want kids to have the opportunity to go have breakfast and we want the kids but it doesn't always work out that way with some of the buses. So I know teachers are pretty flexible uh and Kelly and and Aaron make sure that staff know but for the most part Mark it's been pretty good. Yeah. Yeah. That's it. I I'll echo what Jim has said about the a smooth opening. It's been fantastic. Um, I may have dozed off for a minute, but I wanted to make sure in case you'd missed it, is John Murray also stepped
033up quite a bit during that during that incident. Um, you know, our facilities department surely stepped up and know as did the board of health to make sure everything everybody worked together to to make that go smoothly. Uh, in terms of general curriculum updates, you know, it's the first three weeks of school. We're off and running, but folks are spending the proper amount of time to get to know our students, uh, develop relationships. It's the most important thing we can do here. Uh we feel so strongly about in our district and I as I walk around the school. I see all of those things happening. I want to commend the work that was done over the summer by our high school SEAL team put together a really fantastic event um for our high school students.
034Um and I think it was one of the more well-received events in a long time. I think the kids the kids that took part in it really seemed to enjoy it a lot and I think it was very well organized and um our new students got to know uh the school as well as get to meet some of their older peers which was excellent and as we walk around we are seeing folks do the right things in terms of establishing processes and procedures for the school year to go successful but we're also digging in too right because there is work to be done and I've seen some great work already happening uh in the first few weeks uh teachers and staff members members have reviewed our Alice protocols with our kids. Uh that's off and
035running already. And um as we go through the schools, we've seen a lot of grade level meetings, whole school meetings, all these things have already happening to make sure we're establishing a great year. In terms of our assessment, that's off and running as well. The I Ready assessment has already begun. That window has started. uh especially at at the middle school, they decided to incorporate something new this year and they dedicated um the the first couple hours of the day today for the entire school to participate in our ELA I Ready and that was was received very well by the students that we do to by the teachers. It's no longer taking, you know, three or four different periods away from math and ELA to complete that. rather it's one day dedicated to the ELA,
036they're done. Uh for the most part, I would say about 90% of our students are completed with the ELA ready. Next week, Aaron will dedicate that time to math. That data will be in our system and we'll be ready to roll. The elementary schools do it a little slower. Um but I think Aaron was a great test run and now we could even consider doing that uh maybe at the Mendes as well since the students can have that time. They're going to have to be doing it in the spring anyway. So, I think it's it's it's a good opportunity for them to build up some stamina in terms of assessment wise. Uh, at evaluation, we're off and running there, too. Unannounced observations have started slowly, uh, but they're going to pick up next week. Our
037our our principles and our assistant principles and our directors are going to be in classrooms getting those accomplished. Uh, we know that we have lots of work to do there. Uh, and also the educator evaluation committee will um join up together again this year to continue the work that we started last year. We have the hopes of accomplishing that goal to make sure everything is together and in place for the for the end of the year this year. We'll be meeting in October to start those meetings again. In terms of professional learning, our first year teacher orientation is always one of my favorite days of the year. We get a we have a fantastic group of first year teachers this year. Um we really focus on relationship building and we want folks to understand how
038we work here in Ashland. So we spend a lot of time doing that. Uh Jane Gy who is our mentor coordinator does a terrific job. She's my partner in crime for that day. And Christy Arnold and Jen Taylor also do some significant work with our folks um around getting them used to what Ashland, who Ashland is and who we are here and how we want our our our teachers to create lasting positive relationships with all of our students. Also want to thank publicly Colleen Brewer for all the work she does to prepare for that event. Um the other main focus this year for us is to work on our district-wide multi-tered systems of support. Um we feel like we've made some really nice strides in that area over the course of the last few years,
039specifically in the area of looking at data and having datadriven decisions be part of the process for us. And you know, we've talked many times about the Warren School being a model, but it's now time for us to make sure that we're employing those strategies throughout our entire district. our administrative team as a whole uh decided to read a book this year together. We read a book titled Demystifying MTSS, a school and district framework for meeting students academic and social emotional needs by Matt Navo and Amy Williams. And we took that book and and established a framework for how we are going to implement MTSS structures, processes, and procedures throughout our entire district. And we delivered that through the work some really great work by our administrative team to our teaching staff on day one.
040And now principles are going to be moving that forward in a different pace in each building depending upon where we are. But I'm really excited about the work that's going to be done there. It's also going to entail um some different committees that will be together, a district-wide MTSS committee that will begin meeting in October as well as some building building teams as well. Uh and finally, this year we had 31 summer curriculum projects uh that happened and they were all excellent, ranging from our brand new business teacher spending time working on a business curriculum to make sure it was fitting the needs of all of our students uh to folks working on AAC devices to make sure every student gets what they need when they need it. I mean, the the gamut of things
041that happened over the summer was incredible. Um so, it's it's really been an exciting start. I think it's been one of the more positive starts that I that I've experienced here in district and um I'm excited to see what this year brings us. >> Excellent. Thanks, Mike and Jim. Next up, um we just need to appoint Jim to the board of directors for the accept collaborative. We've done this before. Somebody have a motion. >> I move to appoint uh Superintendent Jim Adams to the board of directors for the accept collaborative. >> Second. >> All in favor? Hi, >> you're in. >> Thanks. >> Next up, nutrition services. >> Hello again. Um although this was discussed in June, um it's kind of like Groundhog Day. Um the um I'm I'm requesting that the adult um meal
042prices are increased. The Desi So we're in alignment with the DESIE guidelines um because we had increased the adult meals price in so long. I forgot to take uh in account that the USDA um meal guidelines, the the formula we use, they increased it in September. So, um I'll remember to wait till September to request for a meal price increase in the future. So, we are um requesting that it be increased to $5.30. >> That's for the adult meals. >> For the adult meal, yes. um you had agreed to it being 495 in June. Um but once again the formula had uh the numbers have changed. So that's the request. >> Anybody have any further questions about that? Who's got a motion? >> I I move to uh approve the adult meal as presented. >>
043All in favor? >> I I thanks. Thank you. resolution. [Laughter] >> You're just making the maths harder, >> right? >> Okay. >> Next up, we um safety committee appointments that that's one of the the statutory uh committees, safety committee. So, do we remind me if we have one person on there or two? >> Well, we had to we typically only have one. >> Okay. >> So, we had but then was the got you. >> Would you like to continue? >> Anybody else want to fight Paul for that jump? >> All you Paul, I will move to appoint Paul Kendall to serve on the 2526 safety sub. >> All in favor? >> I. Thank you, Paul. >> Um, working groups and >> so we we do have other members of the committee, right? I was I
044was asking. >> Oh, we have to appoint the other members separately or not. >> No. Well, right. But we have in the past appointed school members separately, but we also have the list that Michael Reed uh of of the folks who committ. >> It's all right. No worries. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's not in your packet. It should be. >> Paul deserves to be single. if Mike can read the name. >> So, so the following we'd like to have the following um individuals be members of that safety committee. Um, Amanda Curley, Peter Rean, Kate Alman, Aaron Lash Chappelle, Kelly Sur, John Murray, Britney Hawkins, Chris Matthew, Chief of Police Cara Rossi, uh, Dave Murray of the Ashlin Police Department, Deputy Chief Lyn Morgan of the Ashlin Fire Department, Paul Carpenter, Jennifer Taylor, Sergeant Kevin Pierce of
045the Ashlin Police Department. Um, and asking that Christina Molton could be um a non- voting member, but we want to have her be able to come to meetings um when necessary. >> Christina, what's her >> headur nurse? >> So, I would make a motion to uh approve the appointment of the safety committee members as >> listed. Y second. All in favor? >> I I >> Excellent. >> Thank you. >> Okay. The working subgroups, we usually do that um at the retreat. Um so that uh as a reminder, that's like site councils and any other Jim, you have the >> I have the list. I'll pull it up. >> Okay. >> Uh on the board here. >> Anybody who wants to keep doing what they're doing, that would be great. If you're looking to switch it
046out, let us know. So these are the committees that we have traditionally um had leadership roles from the um school committee. >> And Tina, are you good still doing ash pack? >> Yep. >> Do we do do we vote each time or >> and well and and have we done this have we done this since you've been on? >> We did. Yeah. Yeah. So, so, so you know the distinction of the sub, your voting member and the >> right. >> Want to make sure >> my only question generally is just are any point here that are a >> Yep. >> I don't know. >> Yep. Sorry. >> Um, so just looking at the in questioning whether or not you know their liaison are appropriate for all these groups. Um the ARA as much as I
047support their work they really didn't have one might correct me if I'm wrong this education subcommittee meet at all. Um and so I'm happy to to stay in that role if they do anything. Um, but I also think it's >> right just we don't we don't have to keep automatically appointing people to things one of those things that touch base with them at the end of the year and guys aren't meeting them eliminated. It's not that they wouldn't change. >> Yeah. For something like that we don't need it formal they already know to reach out to Mike or Jim and say hey we we we want to do something and if they I don't know that any of the others >> decisions is that I don't think we've appointed anyone to that in a while.
048You you were on it at one point, but but I haven't I haven't really been involved in >> I think we can put those two on hold and if we're asked to participate, we can certainly make that choice at any time, but we can take it off the list of automatic. >> I'm I'm well I was raising the question whether or not there's need for for all of them. Um I also find sort of at least for myself identifying as being that person. >> So, right, >> we can just keep fall there. >> I'm fine either way. It's been literally nothing >> for pretty much up. >> Yep. >> And we did skip policy up there, but I I mean, unless somebody else besides Paul and I want to do that, we're kind of in
049the middle of still you going through the manual. Unless Paul, you're looking for a break. I know you do a lot of the heavy lifting on that. >> No, that's fine. Yeah, >> Tim's done more of it recently. >> Um, >> wellness committee. >> I don't know who. >> That's another one that >> was on. >> I think it was Aaron. Honestly, >> I don't remember. I'd have to go back and look. >> Did we reappoint after >> we did it? >> It was Laura. Okay, there you go. >> It was me. >> It was LT. >> I was just gonna say I'm happy to do it, but Lori, it's all you if you want. >> No, if somebody else wants a a shot at it, I'm not, you know. Do you want to? I'm
050happy to, but yeah. >> Great. >> Uh, the leazison committee, I think we That was Lori. I think it was chair. >> Yeah, I think it's chair and vice chair. >> Uh, Ashlin say councel. >> That's been you, Mark. >> Yes. And I'm happy to continue. I I'd like to unless somebody feels wrong. >> Well, I think Marcy, are you on any of those? >> I'm on the middle school. >> Oh, okay. Is that something you want to I only I'm only asking because I didn't know if you got to pick anything last year. >> Yeah. No, I'm on the middle school and I'm a voting parent, too. So, >> get tired of the high school. >> At least one more year. >> Yeah. >> Mendes. >> I I can Okay. Warren Pitterway was >>
051Lori. Okay. >> Um >> I was the bilingual parent advisor council. They haven't really gotten going yet, but I'm still happy. >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I know that Christiey's always trying that. And this was Mike comprehensive planning. >> So, uh, so the things we need to appoint, um, I don't think we've set terms on the subcommittee. So, I think we're the only ones be the wellness committee, >> right? >> Appoint Tina instead of >> right. Yep. >> The other ones are staying status quo. >> Yep. Everything's status quo, >> right? So I would move to appoint uh Tina our representative on the >> All in favor >> and Tina that's like it's not even once a month right Mike it's like once a we didn't have too many meetings last year >> we met quarterly
052I believe >> quarterly yeah it's and it's on by Zoom >> it's required by law >> Jen Taylor is >> yes yeah yeah so awesome thank you um next up MASS conference. >> Were there any changes in the bottom half? >> No, everything's the same. Yep. >> So, all we're trying to do is uh get a gauge so um so Gretchen can ensure that people are uh registered, hotel, etc. for the conference. Uh it it does not conflict this year with uh the um give the kids a world trip. Um so, uh it's the 12th through the 14th. I know Mike and I have already signed up. >> Give the kids a world leaves them afternoon of the 14th. >> Yeah, but so it doesn't conflict with >> Okay. >> Right. >> Like we're not
053I'm not usually there till >> that's a Friday, correct? >> Yeah. So we usually leave >> last year conflicted with the whole week. >> Yeah, that's what all I meant. >> So we just need to know um so she can book things. >> Um >> you there this year, Mark? Are you there anyway? >> Yeah. So I can say I've already had my office booked my hotel. Okay, great. >> I'm good. I will be there 12th and 13th. >> Okay. >> Probably leaving um >> my guess is the afternoon and I celebrate. >> Great. >> So, I won't like if we're doing a dinner kind of thing out of it. >> I probably would not be there late on the 13th, but I'll >> Wednesday. >> Probably would do the >> Yes. >> Usually Wednesday.
054Yep. >> I honestly would probably leave Thursday if I'm >> leaving on Friday for maybe >> I have to rely on others to >> I just want to make sure I get numbers in terms of she can just register folks. >> My timing is the same though. So I'll only be there for one night for the >> The Wednesday night and then I'll be leaving late afternoon Thursday. >> Perfect. >> Marcy's not a good time. >> It's we told Gretchen a while ago. >> I I we just Just more double checking. So, okay. So, we will plan on Wednesday night for everybody. >> Yep. >> The four of you for sure. >> And you already have your hotel marks. >> Yeah. Good. >> So, I'll just share a point of information for people because I've
055been talking with um >> Cooer who's as you know, executive director for the they've changed a lot of this um so there's no more Saturdays or they got rid of that. >> Anybody ever stayed? >> Yeah. Kids and Um, and then there I looked at the agenda because I think we all probably got in the mail recently. The Friday looked a lot lighter than it did before. I don't know if that's the final agenda. Um, but I looked at that as Dave, but I'm able to kind of just be free and clear as a school committee member as opposed to the work stuff. It wasn't a whole lot there. Um, for whatever that's worth, my understand is this is last year is that that facility is being sold and turned into something different. >> So,
056don't know that I have an understanding where I think it's going to be in the future, but I think it's going to look different. >> Okay, cool. So, that's was just an >> Yeah, there's just more so I can do some planning with Gretchen >> school choice allocation for AHS auditorium. >> Yeah. So, as I wrote and I'll have Kelly if you have questions about it. Um, as I wrote in the memo to you all that we've had struggles with the auditorium in sound as well as the projector for a number of years. Um, and more exasperation occurred on opening day. uh at least for me uh Kelly from a safety perspective in the uh cafeteria as well as in the uh gymnasium the microphone systems don't work. Uh and when they do it's sporadic.
057We no longer have the the ability to actually purchase microphones andor parts for these um systems that were put into the school in 2004 and five. Uh so it was an these are the original parts and original systems. Um so we looked into this last year. Um what I'm asking is that um partly because we've increased our number of school choice students. Uh we've we've got a little flexibility uh with our school choice funding that's coming in. Uh this is to me a safety concern. It's also something Kelly uses the auditorium on a regular basis. We rent it out as well where folks are using the the projector and um and the microphones. It's approximately $130,000. Uh the quote that we received um and Chris and I feel comfortable at this point uh using school
058choice funds for this um you know fix. I will say at town meeting we are we do anticipate another $140,000 on our operating budget as well uh from our chapter 70 funding that came in um much higher than expected a couple hundred,000 higher than expected when we set the budget. So, we know our policy. I I have had that conversation with Michael Herbert. Uh, and that 140,000 will be coming. So, it could offset it could be an operating cost, if you will. So, so we don't have to utilize the the school choice funds, but we want to get this started. And that's the approach I want to take until >> and also, right, this is one of the things. So, >> we are supposed to be as part of town meeting back to $250,000. what
059the mechanism is and where the whether it goes to the capital or whatever that case >> we'll leave that to you Michael >> well that's what we're trying to >> and and figure figure out but the hope is that neither of the 140 or this 130 from there >> correct >> it would be paid for from the re that's right so we have we have a a couple of things that we need to get done this is one of them the other is a student management software system IPASS has to go away um and and Mike and I met today uh with Gretchen um and uh another company to to start really having conversation. It's not on the agenda, so we won't go there, but this is just for safety purposes for sure. Kelly, you
060can if you want to chime in on that end. Um you're the one who deals with it daily. So, >> yeah, I mean, you commented already. We've we have, you know, traditionally had two to three microphones that we can use in different spaces. We're down to the point of having one um microphone that does not work. We've we've spent every day in the cafeteria um since we started um just kind of having to yell and dismiss kids or it's usually a place we're providing information to students um and you know using the microphone to move them in and out of of the space and we haven't had the ability to do that um this year which is concerning to me if there was a legitimate emergency. >> Sure. >> That's right. I just gonna say
061two two points and I'm fully supportive of this. One is it's a onetime cost. So that makes it more helpable in my mind using school choice funds. And the other is you're building out your pricing for renting the auditorium. Maybe we can talk about how we use the depreciation value to build like replacement into your pricing. >> Sure. I was I was saying the same thing RCDR is sort of if there's one thing to use the space but if you're using the equipment is there a supplemental charge I don't know if we do this already charge for the use of the equipment that kind of can build in >> we can talk offline no we have a policy that we started working on last year um there's going to be a lot more to this
062in terms of rental policy uh that will come before the board this year it has to get done uh partly because of of the fields as well as um internal. Uh so, but again, that's not on on the agenda for tonight. So, it's just this is how we're gonna >> and I assume you probably already did this, but I want to just say it anyway that I hope we're not looking at this as just like, okay, we need to replace this. Let's get a quote for this, but also take a step back, work with Paul Carpenter or whoever, and say, well, we're going to be doing this. What else should it be able to do? What are the what if we were just doing it today? What would we do? And if it goes from
063130 to 140, then that's a better investment than just saying, "Hey, we've replaced it, right?" And then, >> right, >> uh, oh, yeah, we need this and now that's 20 or $30,000 when it would have been >> Yeah. No, we have, we have exhausted this. We've had numerous, >> you know, you're dealing with >> quotes. Um, you know, numerous. We had three initially and then, um, Paul has gone back out this year. He's been integral in in these conversations. Um, again, we're not replacing, we're not dealing with all the soundboard of the lighting and that's not part of this package. It's really about the the sound system, the AV piece. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I'm not talking about whether you have the the the cost. It's more like functionality. >> Correct. And we are >>
064ensuring that, >> right? >> A year down the line or two years down the line, somebody's like, "Man, I wish you did this. Yeah, we could have done that." Well, we've had these conversations about having the potential of of of the AV equipment being Bluetooth, talking about sort of like Mendes, how we have it, wireless mics, meaning, you know, not handhelds, things of that nature. Those are all parts of conversations and quote that Paul's getting. >> I'll just Bluetooth, but you want to do that Wi-Fi thing. >> Yeah, >> we've had some issues, >> right? >> We've learned from that one a little bit. I'll move um the >> move uh to allocate $130,000 from school choice revenue for the purposes of investing in translating here. Yeah. >> Safe, reliable, modern communication system period. >>
065Yeah. Second. >> All in favor? I >> I >> say vote. >> I did quietly. >> Make sure for the record. >> I mean, I read your mind. I I knew that you said yes, but I just wanted >> And our last agenda item uh is our traditional um >> Wait a minute. >> We have school choice allocation to buildings and departments. What's that? >> Uh every year we we have school choice funds that that we budget that we give a different amount to each building department. It's nothing new. It's the exact same amount. um that we've allocated in previous years. Now, it's a it'd be a great question to say, "Hey, Jim, why don't we, you know, costs have gone up. Why don't we allocate more uh as we're getting more students in school
066choice?" We most likely will do that next year, but this was the amount that I had counted on as part of the budget for the cycle >> and we typically do things in a rears because we know we have >> That's right. So, we're So, this is these are the numbers. Uh it's $153,000 total out of school choice. uh and all the numbers are the same from previous year. >> Just any any brief explanation, Jim, as to the variation among schools? >> Yeah, we we've had this conversation for I know for 12 years. um >> for the new people. >> No. So, so for the most part, >> viewing audience, >> what we might say is Warren has three grades, the high school has four grades, the middle school has three grades, and traditionally the
067numbers have based on the grade level, more money has been allocated to those and more kids who typically would be at the high school for choice kids. Um the money, for a lack of a better phrase, following the kids. um that's not necessarily going to be the case in the future because we opened up a lot of seats uh at the elementary levels this year. Uh so those numbers are going to change um >> significantly. So we have not filled them all. Uh it's a great question and I brought this up um earlier on my sheet. So we currently have Tina um from school choice 66 students um on in school choice. Uh that's an increase of about 20 students uh from last year. Um it's significant in terms of um what will be a
068dollar value um for >> we have any idea because we typically open and not all the seats are are you know are filled and so it seems like you know we we had an increase but >> yep >> we know why is it is it where we opened up more seats? >> It's where we opened up for sure. Right. kindergarten. We opened up 10 seats. Um, we are at I can't I shouldn't do that. Sorry. Names are up there. Um, why I keep sharing it. Um, we filled just about all of those seats, right? And, um, for the most part, we still have a couple open. Freshman are all used up. Maybe have one or two open left in the senior class of the five. Um but you know I I can get that information
069for the next meeting. Uh we don't have part of our policy. We have to change our policy or create a policy that puts a finite end date on choice uh in terms of acceptance >> and and we we can we can do that. >> We can do that right. We just have never done that. So and it makes it it is a challenge right people are still calling but there are some seats that are closed because we don't have any open >> right. Well, because because also it's is it is it I can't recall the the the process that we're supposed to follow. Um but I know was it first come first serve or was it >> No, it it all depends. >> Isn't it supposed to be if you get more then it's a
070lottery? >> Correct. >> So, but if we don't have a line, how do you know when >> you have to have a line otherwise >> right? Because you're you're follow right. So if you got to fill seats by July 15th, you're not waiting till August 15th to figure out whether you have more than >> Well, we have a line in terms of when they can initially apply. Yes. >> But Paul's point to go to a lot from a technical perspective. You really waiting to find out how many you hadn't told you. You kind of have to wait till the year's over, right, before you decide. So the question is sort of like when do you make that decision of whether a lottery is necessary or not? >> Yeah, I don't know if we have that.
071>> We do. It's in the um it's in the application initial application. >> So we do that May 30th and then June >> June 1st. >> Okay. So but we don't we just don't tell them we just don't have an end date for hey you've been offered and you have to tell us >> right. So so we have never so init it's the initial school choice is open through May 30th then we select June 1st. >> But we've traditionally over the course of time if those seats were never filled we have just left it open. So if somebody wanted to come in and apply a family moves in the summer and there's a choice open, we've allowed it to occur. >> Okay. And does the does the statuto stuff allow us to do that because
072>> to close it or to keep it open? >> Well, to keep it keep it open and then let them in because I mean >> yes, >> because the purpose of it is >> so so the that so that we let them in, we let the next that person in then we don't have somebody calls. We didn't do the original thing of it be now that that part becomes a first come first serve. >> Well, because there's no there's no way that you don't have to do a lottery for those seats that are still open, right? >> So, it's like you take each grade. Let's say there's five seats for kindergarten and you get seven applications. That's exactly >> you have to do a lottery for kindergart. But then if those are all filled, >>
073right, >> you're not a good question and that's why I we have we have all it's a great question and I think that's where Gretchen and I have had these conversations about policy and ensuring that we are We clearly and explicitly state on this date school choice is closed period >> because as we're doing it right now my question is exactly what you're saying >> does statutory does it allow us because essentially we move to a first come first serve for the remaining things but >> right >> but if you had three and then fourth you filled them and the fourth one they didn't get that lottery system so I want to make sure that >> we're doing it because if If the rules don't allow us to do that, then we need to we
074need to set that and say it's done. Right. >> Agreed. >> So, my recollection, um, Paul, is that the only sort of statutory deadline is the May 1st deadline by which we have to establish the number of seats and which grades they're in. I don't think it speaks to the rest of that. Um, I can't tell you that I've ever had reason to look and see if there any regulations on that or not. the regulation I'm talking about is more I understand process of like hey you have to do the lottery but >> after we do that initial one then we're doing we're switching to a first come first serve >> right >> I don't know we're allowed to do that >> right nor do I >> but we do >> and that's why Gretchian
075and I have said we need to actually write policy >> policy would be helpful I mean I would truly relate as long as that that as long as there are still seats open >> correct and that's how and that is how we've always viewed you could closed argu saying, "Hey, what the heck? I should >> Well, right. Right. >> Because it then becomes >> um you know, again, and we do have a policy for seniors who leave at a certain time, they they're allowed to stay. >> We need a motion, please. Uh I move to approve the school choice fund allocations to the different uh schools and departments as presented. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> Okay, we have a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Move. >> Second. >> All
076in favor? >> I >> We're done. We're to the end. So, um reports of committee members. We probably haven't done much school related stuff, but if you want to fill us in on how your summer was, we'd love to hear it. >> Yeah. So, um it's been a great start of the school year uh at Ashlin High School and the rest of the district schools. Um at the high school, we just had a an amazing convocation where um we started the day with the scavenger hunt, uh a new revitalized format. A lot of the kids I talked to, they really loved it. And as always, we got uh kids running around, bumping into each other, but it's a great time. Uh, everyone's trying to to win the prize. >> Who won? >> Uh, I think
077it was Miss Wolf's class. >> Yes. Um, so shout out to Miss Wolf. Um, >> and then seniors had convocation where we climbed up on the this the town's brand new fire truck. Uh, and so that was a great experience. We all took pictures and had a barbecue and then we got to go home early. >> Um so that was great. >> Sounds like the perfect day. >> Oh yeah. Uh and uh our class president Aaron Wolf received the key to the school >> uh in the senior class meeting. So other class meetings have also been going on consistently. Seniors started first and then freshman, sophomore, juniors. Um we also have kicked off our senior leaders or our senior college planning uh seminars and I don't know if did juniors start yet? All right. So
078uh freshman and seniors have started their college planning seminars led by the counseling department. So that's great. Um what else? Academics have been going great. We dove right into it and other than that, that's pretty much all it is for the high school. >> Awesome. How was your summer? What did you do? >> Uh, it was great. Uh, vacationed a lot. Uh, was in the weeds for college admissions, but other than that, it was it was good. >> Awesome. >> Running around like a chicken with my head. I will say, Mike, um, both my boys came home from ELA testing this morning and they, too, liked the one stint of testing. So, there's two more. >> Excellent. >> Yeah, I don't have much of an update, but I was able to go to opening day,
079which was uh for the the beginning of it, which is always nice to see the energy and the excitement of um the faculty and staff all coming back together. And so it was nice to uh be able to be there to see that kickoff. >> Yeah, I uh joined on opening day as well. Uh that all smooth and definitely some great energy there. Uh one update. Uh so I I will echo by the way the kudos to to really everybody involved in the opening day stuff. I had the opportunity I'll explain in a minute to be at a select board meeting and expressed the the gratitude for the essentially the community collaboration on opening day that I think a lot of the news agencies came wanting some really juicy bad story and really what they
080walked away was was you know just about the community we have here how professional everybody was and collaborative and so kudos to everybody involved involved. Um but to the reason I was at that uh at that meeting so uh the select board uh at my request reconstituted the uh building committee to be a smaller group. Um and so we're keeping two of the community members. The other ones uh issued the resignation. Um and uh I just want to express again my gratitude to them. Um we're at a point in the in the process where you know It's it's not a lot of things that require a lot of people's time. They have a lot better things they can do. Um so so that that also occurred. So that that's happening. And uh as I mentioned
081before, so the $250,000 should be able to be clawed back via the reimbursement that we got from the IRA funding. So hopefully that'll be on make it to the warrant and be able to fund those two. And Paul, what was the award that Mindes like one of the architects or somebody got an award? >> Yeah, there was a a citation award and the what is it? University school I can't remember that um it seems so long ago that I know that I said that. >> Um but yeah, I didn't even know that uh that they had submitted. So the architect uh you know submitted and we got a a citation award >> and uh I don't know if did I show that there I have a link to the the whole publication as well, not
082just the uh the one article. So, you can kind of see the the other other programs and and uh it's interesting to see all of them and and where we fit in and and really it just celebrate that celebrated our shared spa our common spaces and and the vision we had there. >> So, congratulations. >> Awesome. Great. >> Other than um attending opening day have anything to share? I also attended opening day and I echo what's been said. Ready for a great year. >> Ajourn. >> So moved. >> I'll have it. I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I >> All right. Good night everybody. >> My bad. >> That's her job. >> Have a good night.