School Committee Meeting 8/12/25

001Yeah, long time took a long time. Um, and basically we were given kind of the parameters of what we could do um and what the next steps were. So the the step after that meeting was to just kind of give them a sketch um of what we were thinking. Chelsea gave them much more than a sketch um and basically came up with a pretty solid plan here. Um I think we went through a couple different iterations of the PCR, right? >> Um yes, they gave us their requirements. Basically, the sites already under a variance and we can't put any more impervious area on site. Um and so we were very limited in our options of what we could do and we had talked about, you know, can we put um some sort of gravel lot

002on the site, but um then we got into some more technical conversations with DCR and a gravel lot is not actually meeting their requirements unless you put in um other things with it. And so we settled on the uh porous asphalt system that you're you see now um on the sketch which I've used um in several schools. There's an installation in uh the new Hopington Elementary School on their fire lane and um I think that's the closest one I've done to here. But um and this actually doesn't need any storm water management because it treats the water itself. So, it's kind of a passive system and it doesn't need any special plowing requirements. You can use a regular plow on it. You can't put sand on it, but you can salt it. So, that's the

003only caveat to that is, but it actually doesn't need as much snow treatment because of the way the heat comes out of the ground. So, the the snow doesn't accumulate as much as there. Um but the maintenance of it is um you're supposed to have it vacuum swept um like four times a year, which you can either buy or rent a vacuum sweeper. Um once you see how it's performing, it really depends on how much dirt is getting into the pavement is how much you actually need to vacuum sweep it. And the way this one is set up, there's not going to be a lot of dirt running onto it other than, you know, the cars driving onto it. So, I don't expect you're actually going to need to do it four times a year

004moving forward. We really just have to see how it goes. Um, one of the DCR requirements is to give them an operations and maintenance plan, which we did, but my company also worked on the new school when it was built. Um, so I have all those documents. Um, and what I was planning to do was update the plan that we already agreed to uh when the new school was built just to include the porest asphalt. So the starting piece of that is to include the vacuum sweeper four times a year and then after that you can scale it back when you see how much is actually needed. Um but we had the plan estimated um that you had someone >> Yeah. So we just wanted to get a ballpark figure um just so we kind

005of knew where we were. Before I get to that number though, I just want to I want to just remind kind of what the task of the group um that worked on this was. So, I also want to mention that Peter Caruso and uh Steve Marrow Highway superintendent were both very much a part of coming up with this. I want to make sure they they get recognized while they're out here tonight. Um but the task was to get to get through DCR, get the variance or permit or whatever they're calling it. Um and then kind of hand it off to you guys. You do what you want with it. So, um the the first quote we got was just over $600,000 for this. Um, in talking to Chelsea tonight, we do feel like there's some

006substantial rooms to improve that. Um, but it'll take it'll take a little more. I mean, some of it's as simple as just some less asphalt um, which will which will bring it down. So, that's something we can work on. Um, without digging too deep into the overall cost is I I also think that there's some room to go to the towns or to the town of Boilston for one since the town of Boilston uses the building for things like town meeting, things like that. And then I also think there's an argument to be had with the state um in a couple different angles. One is we didn't ask for the reservoir and you're making us pay extra money to protect the reservoir. So, need to help us out. The other is you're forcing us to

007build more houses, which is making our schools grow. We have to be able to um increase our infrastructure to accommodate that. So, we can go down that road when we have to, but there's some points that I think are are pretty bad there. Um, so I want to say where we end up 80 additional spots. >> Yes, they're about 80. Um, we did include one accessible space at the end by the fields. Um, if that was desired, we can modify this a little bit even after we go to the CR want to get their approval. Um, but there will be small changes along the way. We have to go to conservation. Um, I don't know if it's going to be, you know, um, like a a a RDA or a full notice of intent with

008conservation. We're right on the line of the 100 foot buffer zone into the stream across the street. Um, but there are a couple permits that we haven't quite sorted out yet. Um, but we're around 80 spaces. Um we had a bigger lot before but we were trying to keep the cost down of you know the cotton fell. Um there are some slopes over on that hill. Um there is that monument that needs to be relocated. Um and let's see there there are other things that might come out. I mean the planning board may have some comments on circulation um about how I have it laid out. Peter's um been a big help. I work with Peter Po a lot on schools like this and so that's why I brought him in to comment on my

009plans because he's good at that. >> Yes. >> And was on board. So >> So I think you know kind of why we're here tonight was to give you an update where we are where we were. We are at the point where um you know DCR asked for a few more um drawings that need to be done. Um Chelsea mentioned she has most of that already. >> Yeah, the drawing's pretty much set. It's the um operation maintenance plan that I mentioned, the application that Matt sent out, which I've already mostly filled out that it'll need to be signed. Um and uh I need to write a memo explaining how the how we're meeting their requirements for the infiltration rate that they mentioned in their email. um in the state's storm water standards. >> So that's

010actually even further along than I thought it were. I realiz Chelsea had done all that already. Um so the next step would be, you know, once those those few documents are finished up is to have you guys review those and the application. Um basically it's the chair that has to sign it, not the whole committee. Um and then submit it to DCR. And at that point, they'll give us an answer one way or another. and then you guys can take it in the direction that you want to take it from there. >> Cool. Uh Matt, thank you. I know there's a ton of work gone into it. I know you've been talking about that for a while. Um your your points about the state and the town kicking in some funding, maybe talks to be

011had. Um definitely good ideas. Uh, I was here for an event this spring and there's I couldn't get out of the parking lot because the cars were lined up along the grass on 70 and so someone in front of me almost got t-bone trying to get out. So, it is a safety thing as well. 80 spots that's going to fit more than a high school class probably. So, that would be good uh for kids that are getting their license and being able to drive to school events that we have here and all that. So, um I know it's been a ton of work. I really appreciate you guys doing I know the committee does but does anyone have any questions? >> What are the number of the current spots in the parking lot? >> So

012um you mean the whole all of or there's right now there's um there are 45 dedicated student spots in the students area and we usually are able to carve out between six and 10 from the staff parking lot. um depending on the the staff that are required and you know who's driving and the number of shared staff that we have to because shared staff require a spot even if they're not parked here every day. >> What's the total number Lisa of parking spots in the whole entire >> Would you know that or >> that I don't know off the top of I mean I I I can get it. I just I've focused on student parking spots. >> Sure. Um, I know that, you know, those are the ones that are usually in question are

013the the student ones and the additional student ones. So, it's 55 max for students. So, so we did look back all the way um from so this school year's seniors all the way to this this school year's kindergarten class to make sure that these numbers were going to you know as a standst obviously was going to accommodate that many students what happens in the next 18 years for those kindergarten >> won't be >> anybody else >> I'm curious like the old Hondao had enough parking for everyone to park so I'm curious is when the new school is built, they shrink it that much. I don't know. >> I think I'm not sure if it had to do with the variance from ECR about I think one day they tell us you you're allowed 10% by

014right and you have >> Yeah. So, I don't know if they just said, "All right, that's all we're going to do because we don't want to." >> And the new school was bigger, so we increased the impervious that way instead of having more parking. I know it was a struggle when I did that process. >> Yeah, we met with DCR and that remember when they came in and that was exactly what they said that they had already maxed out without like going for this extra variance and kind of thinking outside the box with this, you know, whatever it's called, asphalt. Um, >> is this is the extra parking going to trigger additional handicap spots required for the upfront area? We have more than we need already. Um we did a whole evaluation of that too

015to see um if we could just get extra spaces with what we have. Um so we have more accessible spaces than we need. We did um show one by the fields just because we thought that might be desired. >> Yeah. >> Um with the new lot, but it doesn't trigger extra. >> Anybody? I'm curious like you said the school's footprint is bigger with impervious services. Is there any way to modify the roof to counteract that? I don't know. I don't know if DCR would accept that as an actual per surface. Um I I I have worked with a lot of groups but they don't work quite the same as as you know a previous surface. It doesn't take all the water. It just takes the first half inch. >> Did you have something on that?

016>> Yes. As for parking spaces, we have 133 total. >> 133. >> Oh, yeah. >> 133 for a building that houses Al said today I think 700 people >> something like that. >> Yeah. Because there's like >> the students come back. >> Yeah. Right. There's like 500 um 600 students plus between five and 600 students plus the staff. >> And are there seniors waiting on parking that didn't get parking this year? There are people waiting. >> So there's 75 um seniors enrolled um for 55 but well 45 designated spots and and we're waiting for the additional spots to you know for staff. That's tough on them to wait their whole life to get their license and drive to school and then their senior year they don't get the spot. >> It's tough. >> As an

017example, sorry. So how the reservoir affects us? So well you told me the just regular asphalt is $70 a ton roughly. I >> just say it's about it's about it's doubles the cost >> it's the cost of asphalt itself that is so much higher I wrote down here it was actually $400 a ton for the porous >> as well >> which is why reducing that thickness will reduce the the cost significantly it makes it less of a um durable surface but it's still a lot better than just the gravel with you know the plastic crates or whatever other options are out there. >> So, we're basically at the point now where designs are done, couple more things to hand in to DCR to get their blessing on it, and then it's up to us and

018probably Aaron to figure out how to pay for this, and then most likely it's a multi-year thing anyway. >> Yeah. I mean, it's going to be up to the towns to fund it, right? Um, you know, we in truth, we have a lot of capital. We did our capital walks. Uh we have a lot of capital at Tanto already, but I mean it it's really a matter of the town's I think ponying up. Um yeah. >> Okay. >> So the state did um Representative Kilcoin and Senator Kenny did get $100,000 towards us already. Um did you get an email by any chance? I don't know where it would come from that massel thing. >> I'm honestly not sure. I was out last week so I'll send an email to April and yourself. So >> $100,000

019somewhere. >> Okay. >> Um it's an earark so it's really a reimburseable grant type situation but someone should have got an email saying here are the instructions on how to do it that's specific to the parking lot. >> So would that be you mentioned a ballpark 600 would that make that 500 or is it that down from 700? >> No it was not included in 600. So we knock it down. That being said, the problem is >> I believe that the marks need to be spent within the fiscal year. So I don't know if you know we have to get creative on see. So yeah, maybe you can buy some material >> stages. I don't know. But >> and just for clear that we I went attended that meeting with this the senate and the

020representative and all of them regarding um regarding the town of Wilston and they said that money was going to go directly to the towns and then the towns would have my back. I did check with April tonight and she hasn't got >> we'll start. >> I just want to make sure that we we it's an email. It just hasn't come to us. So, let's just go to towns and then they'll get that. >> We're not fair. >> Awesome. Uh, anyone have any final questions on this? >> So, no action to take on this one tonight, but just uh information to keep working on. All right. >> So, we'll just get you everything that's needed. You guys can review and when you're ready sign the application. Do we have to do we have to vote to

021sign or can we you know just authorize the chair to sign when it's done so that way if it's done in like a week and we don't meet for a month you can get it in. It just seems like we have this 100,000 you know. >> Do you want to do that right now? >> I think it's a good idea. I don't know if anyone else I mean it's just to get the application in. It's just for Mike's application. >> We're there's no I get the whole $600,000 expense but there's zero loss in getting in applying and getting >> All right. So let's do it. Can I have a motion then to approve the chair of the school committee to submit the application to DCR for the proposed parking lot? >> So moved. >> Second.

022>> Lori. Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone against it? >> All right. Cool. That passes. Good to go. >> Thank you. Thank you, Chelsea. >> Thank you, guys. Thank you. >> All right. Stick around for the fields. Yeah. >> Thank you. Yeah. Sorry. Go ahead. Sorry. My bad. Yeah. >> Okay. So, um >> I'm sorry. Introduce yourself. >> Um and Jess was uh involved in this very early on. So Jess and I were approached, oh, I don't know, a couple years ago probably by um a group of students and coaches asking for help with the soccer field. Um, so we met a lot and talked about fields a lot and different options and costs and looked at existing quotes. And um, we went through a significantly long exercise at one point

023of trying to raise funds to get to one of those original quotes, which was $268,000, which would have been to tear the entire field up, recreate it, um, saw it, all of that. Um, and it just wasn't feasible to be honest with you. At the time, there was very little appetite from anyone that I spoke with anyways to give any funds um to the field. So, we now I felt guilty at that point because these high school kids had come to us for help and we weren't really able to to help them out. So, um, we decided to take a different approach and bring in some local landscape. Dan came to that first meeting with us with, um, the Dividians and kind of look at other options of what we can do to the field

024to get it to a to a playable and usable, you know, long-term state. So, we came up with or these landscapers come up with another option here which came in at significantly less money um at about $125,000. Um at the same time um at that same meeting, the highway superintendent came and we kind of looked at drainage and plans um with Dan and there were some questions of whether there was supposed to be a pump somewhere or pump. We got that we got all those answered. Um and we found out that uh one of the issues was the detention bond just wasn't um in a state that was helpful anymore. Town of oil allocated some ARPA funds and took care of that detention bond. So that that piece was done pretty early on. Um so

025that took uh you know that number from 125 down to 105 I believe it was. Um, so we went back out and talked to some more people and the same people about raising more funds and that that 105 number seemed like it was more appetizing to people and we were able to raise um 65 of I'm sorry 60 of that uh through donations and then at town meeting in May this past year the community preservation act um article passed for $45,000. >> $49,000 >> 49, >> but some of that's contingency, right? So I think% >> Yeah. >> Um so I got us to that 105. >> Um so the scope of work I I believe I sent that out, right? Um that's the original scope of work. That is what the CPA funds were based

026on. Um and that is what all of the donations were based on. Um, we've checked and double checked and triple checked with these landscapers to ensure that they feel that this will work. Um, they're adamant that they feel it will as long as the drainage is maintained. Um, one of the one of the things that they all mentioned was that the the field is mowed, it needs to be bagged so the clippings don't get on the grates because the crates are the hardens up there and the water can't get in the grates and that never makes it to the detention pump. Um so basically they you know they're they're adamant that it will work. Um the only other the only other kind of issue is that which everyone here knows is that you can't use

027the field for three growing seasons. So that amounts to about 18 months, right? If you did it today, it would be this fall, next spring, and the following fall. um which obviously adds work to the school's community for scheduling a little more stress on the coaches and kids. Um I mean a long story short is is this is ready to go. Um there's a couple housekeeping items that would need to be done, assuming you approve, which is the CPA committee needs to get a grant agreement with the booster club. And then um I just need to let these donors know that we're moving forward and then we'll submit the money to the booster club. Um kind of same thing here as far as I'm concerned is after tonight um to hand this over to Jess

028and uh then move the club and um they're going to manage the project and the funds from there. So I guess what we're asking for tonight um after discussion is a vote on whether you'd like to move forward um with the booster club. Well, why don't you say this part since you're on the booster club? I want to speak for you. Oh, it was called gifting the project instead of school. >> So the I think all of you must know by now we're a separate 501c3. Um so the idea is that we would gift to the school the completed project. So the field at the end of the day completely done renovated ready for play is the intent that we will hold the funds. We will disperse the funds. We'll be custodian of the funds

029given our standing on 501c3. I will be out there laying sweat won't be me. All right. Um, does anyone have any questions? >> So, just to be clear, um, they're going to do half the field, but that is because this vendor believes that's all that needs to be done. >> Outside of the field, >> right? Okay. >> Have you all seen the field? >> Yeah. Okay. I just want to make sure the gravity of of why that part needs to be done. Does the $45,000 of CPA funds does that um trigger procurement state procurement laws? >> Just three quotes. >> H >> three quotes. >> Okay. Okay. Just making sure. Yep. >> Okay. >> So, who's signing the con? So, are the booster club would sign a contract with the landscaper >> and the school

030is not involved? >> Yeah. I I think the only thing I'd want to make sure is given it's school property um that when they take out insurance certificates that they provide a a certificate uh naming us as well um just in case anything happens if they, you know, get halfway done and leave the job, things like that. We just want to make sure that, you know, we'd be made whole on on their insurance. I think that it's usually a pretty easy process. I mean, I'm not I'm not asking for anything that's outrageous. I think >> I'm not going to speak for, but >> yeah, >> I it's pretty standard practice. So, um and so we were we were pretty picky about who we asked to help with this because we want to make sure that

031exactly that that we weren't picking someone that was going to just say I don't care and walked away. So, um this landscape, well, I can tell you what landscape is. It's LEI in town. So, they're not a small firm. Um >> they're in town. So there's accountability there, you know, just by >> and I, you know, I met here with the owner. He's seen the feel, he's he's been intimately involved, so he's not gonna walk away. >> Yeah. >> Overse this project. >> Thank you. >> Fantastic. >> Well, the entire district saw that I wasn't this, but we're happy to work with you. I mean, I'm not Yeah. Thank you. >> Who's got a question? >> Yeah. I'm curious. So, like with three different seasons being not having that feel, I mean, we're going to

032have to have all the way games, right, for two two of the same seasons and then one of >> Yeah. So, I guess busing would cost money for practices. >> I think the town was trying to I don't want to speak for anybody, but I think the town was trying to work with the school to allow use of the hillside fields. Sounds a bus would have to exactly or coordinate >> parent say that I'm just saying boys and girls agree that's a lot of >> I yeah but it wouldn't have to be all away they were try I know they were trying to coordinate and I that's way I don't need to get into that level of detail but it was an option I think to to use and I don't know I can't speak

033for Burlin wreck but I know Boilston wreck was open to that >> to paying for buses. >> Not paying for buses, but allowing use of the fields. >> Yeah. >> Um would we be able to afford that this year because we've already got this year set. >> Yeah. >> I mean, your field's going to be unusable. >> Yeah. Well, that that's somewhere anywhere. >> Well, actually to that point, how many games had to be moved because of the field condition? >> Well, your girls that went to the final four in soccer couldn't play there. So my daughter was on that team and I think the last five weeks of the season we spent um pressing and she was great. >> Yeah. >> Which is And how did you guys get there? >> Paris. >> So

034you all had to drive. Yeah. >> Um >> that would be a headache of coordination. But >> any questions? >> So I'm sorry. Yeah. Second, the other. So, I unfortunately I did not get out there in the fall to see it in its full glory. Um, but I walked it this weekend and it looks like it's all crab grass. So, I guess my question is is the the other half what what did the other half of the field look like that is not being touched? Is that in decent condition? >> That's decent condition. And yeah, >> in the maintenance plan that >> we worked with Dan and Aaron to put together, we'll have treatments and all that that will take care of that crab grass. The reason that that that side is crab grass, it

035all stems from drainage, right? So the water would stand killing the grass, create low spots, crab grass grows in and then it stays. But crab grass will die, right? It doesn't crabrass doesn't come back the next year unless it's allowed to. So um you know doing this work will take care of that correctly. >> Is just is this just for drainage or is this to level it out? So when I was out there it looked like I was on the ocean fix that. So that's the >> but if I remember correctly the south side is uh towards back towards the woods. Is that the side that we were talking about? >> The left side of the field if you're looking if you're at back to the baseball field >> looking left side. Okay. >> So

036it's closer to the retention basin. >> Yes. Closer to the street that side. Yeah. >> Oh, that's the bad part. >> No, no, no. >> Hold on. >> The bald spot is >> the bald spot in front of the That's >> the bad spot where all the water stands is south. >> Oh, I mean the whole thing looks awful. >> Yeah. Um, so athletic director is here. Do you have something to say? >> Sure. Yeah. Um, here. Okay. Um, I think the field is a diet of traits. I would agree with that. I I feeling this project is a little rushed. I'm going to be honest with you guys. Um, I I'm trying to wrap my head around doing half the field because the other half also to people's point there are points of that

037field that are not level. So, if we take that whole soccer field and we beautify one half, there are going to be some questionable areas on the other half. And then if we're displacing this program for three seasons, what do we do with that other half? I would be curious about that. Um that's my first question. My second question would be um is it built into the quote what's going to happen to the track, the preservation of that track and the fencing um with those big trucks coming over it. Is that that's built into that? That's great. Um and the fence will have to be removed. That will have to be put back in. any irrigation heads that get damaged. >> That's all. >> So, I I see the irrigation heads on here. Yeah, it

038says flag them and adjust them after the work. the the bullet points that we have. I mean, for lack of a better word, there is more information that I would like and I I think everybody would like, but uh it doesn't mention anything about the track or the So, I just would want to make sure I'm sure it's under insurance or some other part of the contract. We would want to make sure that's in there, I'm sure. Uh, anybody else questions? >> I was just curious like I just want to thank you guys for doing this work. Like, it's amazing. Um, and I was just wondering how this plan is different from the more expensive one that we had gotten before. >> The more expensive one was to strip the field and saw >> and

039this is just like leveling it a little bit just like less. >> It's more than a little bit but yeah >> um so when when so 18 months I didn't realize um because I haven't been involved in any of the discussions. So, um I'm So, the 18 months I I assumed it was like a year. Um and that is also used as instructional space. So, have you guys um spoken to the PE teachers about how because they use that as instructional space? >> No, I mean frankly that's not necessarily my problem. >> I went and raised the money and came up with a plan. So, that's >> right. But it it would be like that is that's my problem. So, you know what I mean? So I need I need to understand you know the

040larger ramifications of you know how like how that is going to work as an instructional police and I know the kids they desperately want it and they've the students have this has been a civics civic action project for like three or four years you know this um so I think it really needs to be done um I just I don't you know um that is a question. Um, and in terms of the the day-to-day like overseeing of the project, so someone will be on like how how is that going to work? Will somebody be on site or be on call for the people there? >> We haven't determined those final arrangements, but most of us live in obviously Veron Boilston, so yes. >> Okay. >> Could I say? >> Yeah. So, um, we just spent

041some time, uh, what day was it? Just yesterday, two days ago. Yeah. We did a walk through, um, of Tanto and we kind of started looking at all the capital items here that all the stuff that needs to get done that keeps getting pushed. It keeps getting pushed and, um, respectfully, we don't have the money. I would love to rip the whole field out and redo it, but we need computers and we need uh new auditorium equipment and we need to upgrade our HVAC system so we're not coming into 100 degree classrooms. So, I just want to say thank you for going out getting these donations, doing all this hard work as volunteers who have older kids that may or may not be using fields. So, thank you. I think it's great. I'll take a

042free field. um that something we don't have to worry about. I agree there's definitely things the school district has to figure out such as where do we move the kids and um you know PE class, where is that going to be? But if we were going to rip it up and do it that way, we'd have to do all that anyway. Um and I think you know it's either the options on the table are we do nothing this year or we do this. there isn't another option to spend three, two, three, $400,000 this year to do this field because we just said we can't even afford to buy new chairs in this school. So, I mean, yeah, in a perfect world, it would be awesome if we had a couple hundred,000 to rip up a

043lot of those fields and redo them, but I just don't see where that money would come from. So, I know Julie wanted to respond. So, >> I just want to add one more thing. There is a quote that exists that will do this whole field for that money. I'm just putting out for the same >> you can't do it for that amount of money for $100. >> The same amount $48,000 the donations are tied to the scope. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, yeah. So, Julie, I sent that that's the file that I sent to everybody yesterday. Matt, you and I talked about a little bit this morning, but is there any way to work together to take that scope of work, which seems like it's actually you're saying 105, I think it might be

044even a little bit less, and bring them together since so we can get it all done in one shot. Um, I know you said the donations are tied to this scope of work, but if they knew, it sounds like from what you told us it's tied to this scope of work because this was the 125 then to 105 and they weren't interested at 125, they weren't interested at the 250. But if they were to understand that there is a possibility of doing the entire thing in one shot for the same money, would they be opposed to that? excited this war because this is what was presented to them that I presented to them and I'm not going to go back to them again. >> I mean this is I mean I know Julie said this

045was rushed but this is a year and a half to two years of rush on your part rushed and um I'm not going to go back to the people that I asked for a significant amount of money and say hey we're changing this. >> Do you still want to do it? >> We also voted on the presentation as is. So the the approval went through with that amount, that bid, all the regulations, everything they asked for. So we have to figure that out, too. >> So if we were to do this 18 months, if we were to somehow figure out how to do the other half, let's probably be I don't know what's 18 and 12. 30. >> It's a little late for math, but >> 36. Oh, another So 36. Yeah, sure. because it's

046going to be another year before we get to vote on a budget. But assuming we could vote on a budget that would include the money for the second half of the field that wouldn't get to start until July next year. So that adds another 18 months from that point. So that's basically another year on the top of it if we were to start this half tomorrow. So that's three years of not having access to the field um for gym class. Gym class would have to figure out somewhere to go. um three years of busing practices. What's that? >> And paying double >> and then paying Yeah. paying whatever it would cost. Yeah. >> But I thought that if they just did this project, even if it's only half the field, it's going to solve the

047problems. I think that's where the disconnect is. I thought if we do this, it should field. >> So you might not have to do all those. >> So the grates and stuff aren't filled up on the other half of the field or not clogged there. because that that was the part of a bag in the grass when it's mowed is so that it doesn't clog up the grates. I mean, when I walked it, it clearly wasn't bagged when it was mowed. It was mowed wet and it was mowed. >> And we're obviously looking at the wrong side because we all thought that side that was the >> other side looked awful. >> Yeah. >> Well, there's a dead spot over there, but >> right in front of the keeper, it looks like right there. >>

048Yeah. >> So, so my only point is like everyone say, thank you you guys that we appreciate the work you're doing. Um, the minute it be wouldn't be my it wouldn't be the superintendent if I didn't really say this part, right? The minute you bring it in front of school committee and scoopy owns the property of of of Tah, right? Town of Burland, town of Boston, but the scoopy. So, the minute that you're bringing in front of scoopy now, they have sort of ownership of this as well too. And I know you're you're doing it through booster club. My one my one request to superintendent, I think there needs to be sure that Lisa is kept informed so she can take care of that piece. I I know Matt, I appreciate you saying that's not

049we're concerned, but it's our concern as a as a school district. >> Biden, >> I know, but just I want to make sure like it's like we have to be concerned about that piece. Julie needs to be being kept involved because she needs to make sure that we're taking care of the practices and the games and the buses and all that. Our facilities director needs to be kept like all of us need to be kept informed because it it's like this is our house, right? And we're having a contractor come into our house and we need to make sure we're just kept informed of what's taking place and how it's done. So that's the only thing I'd ask you that we we we kept informed and if there's some way that we could set up

050you know that monthly or however we're going to be made sure that we're we're aware of the upkeep of what's taking place with this province. >> Thank you. Yeah, that on on the sheet that you guys submitted it says no management required by BBRSD. I think what Al is saying that I would put that under the management part at BBRSD. So we'd have to figure something out there. Any further questions? >> Can I just ask Julie? Julie, do you know in that quote that you got, they were going to put down saw it? Correct. >> Yes. And it was explained to me too. I was curious when you said planning seasons also because they saw you can play a lot earlier then um you don't wait as long >> because that's what I was wondering

051if we can cut if they could cut it shorter with sod and I know they don't want to go back and pass. just it becomes a whole like I think we're gonna end up having to to bus and so my concern is just cost like do we are we I know that the field isn't usable when it rains in certain times and during the playoffs I'm just curious I want to make sure that this is a great opportunity and I don't want to pass it by but at the same time I want to make sure that we're not blinded by the other pieces that are there like make sure that we have the answers to them blind sounds very word but like would we legally have to start busing students to other to their other

052practice fields or like how do we do that with football? >> Football's pre-arranged >> at the co-op. It doesn't >> it's pre-arranged. >> Also, the issue with the final four last year and if it rains you can't use the field. I would assume that's different than a premeditated plan to do a project that we knew ahead of time wouldn't be usable. Like a rainstorm, you can't predict when it rains. you can't predict when the field's going to flood. Um, so that parents pitching in to drive and everything. I don't think we could put that burden on them, ask them to do that, right? We would have to certainly provide something. I don't know what that would cost. >> Can half the field be used if only the other half is their work? I would I

053wouldn't say that. I guess technically yes, I would advise against it. >> You definitely can't play a game on it. >> Um, >> so the landscaper, do they are there any specifications that they have to build a field to that they've checked out for drainage, slope, plank surface? I give you called MIAA or any of the other. >> We took a scope that was approved. I gave us So, we had another landscaper that was going to do this. They're not willing to do it anymore. So, I took that same scope and brought it to LEI and that's what they agreed to. >> So, there are there specifications to have an athletic. >> Yeah. Okay. >> I think there are. Are there Julie? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Do you know them off the top? >> I

054don't know them, but they're printed. Yes. I know there are specifications as to the uh amount of slope. Uh I think it's a depends on the surface that you're using, but there different variations. Um would they know to build it within that or or fix it within that? >> They're going to grade it so it drains correctly. [Music] >> And this is starting this fall. If this goes through here, is this starting this fall? >> That's the plan. >> Okay. And Julie, are we good for this fall with busing and practices and games and everything over there? Are we ready to move on that? >> We definitely have a contingency plan set up. Um, we're going to make it work. It's not ideal. We're going to have to displace the entire middle school program. We

055are working with both from direct department as well. Um, we were trying to arrange so that we're not paying for additional busing so the kids could just take the bus over to Berlin that we don't have to ride and then get dropped off the Berlin um because the buses already go there. Challenge with the hillside would be we have to work with the bus company additional stop. They have to go up the hill. Um, so they can't have the kids dropped off at the bottom, right? >> Every team needs a warm up. >> Right. Right. Right. 1960. So that would be a challenge with Hillside. Um, the rec department did offer the 70 field there. Um, I would have to make sure that we did do that that in case there's a lightning, there's a

056shelter of some sort there that those kids could get to coaches. >> DBW. >> Yeah, I don't know if we have access. I don't know. That would just be another thing. Optimally, just moving everyone to Berlin is the best option for busing. And if there's a school already there, it would just be um optimal be there. All those little tiny details we have to just >> and parents would pick up from there. >> Parents would pick up from there. Correct. Yeah. Games would be there. It's going to impact for sure and this is a good impact race done. um is going to impact for sure that varsity and JV because we still have you know varsity boys, varsity girls, JD girls, JD boys. These are teachers at the school so they practice right after school.

057Once the season starts up, they alternate days here and days away. So, it's not so bad when the games are going. But we have a little bit sometimes where, you know, you have four teams out there just on it's now one field side of the right field. You know, that level of play, those athletes want to practice on the field. Even right now, we do half the field of varsity. The girls are on one half, the boys are on one half. So, they make it work space. Um, but to shrunk it even smaller is that's a big ask. I really have three seasons. I I would just implore the committee to make make sure this project is being done 100% correctly from the jump so you do not have to red. >> So look, it

058seems like you guys are skeptical and I don't want to push you into doing anything and I certainly don't want to continue this conversation if if this happens and insult the donors. So, if you guys are skeptical, you should say no. And I'll tell the donors that they don't need to make the donation. You guys can go along. >> I don't I don't think it's skeptical. I think it's just more we don't have a lot to go on because we don't have a lot presented in front of us. I know there's been a lot of back and forth. Donors have already pulled out once, they're back now, it seems. Um, I just I I don't think it was rushed, but I just wonder if saw it is how long to to play on beforehand. >>

059Um, you can you could play on it in depending on the saw at the end of October this year. >> So, call it a season. >> Yeah, >> just to be safe. >> So, if it's going to be an 18month timeline anyway, would it make sense? I know Berlin CPA projects have had to go back to second town meetings to change a plan or change a location of a building or something. Would it be at all possible? You're saying it's absolutely not possible. The donors aren't interested in changing the plan to the full field. >> I say I'm not going back to >> Yeah. Okay. Are part of the donations the the LOM and and like part of materials too or money >> in I'm sorry I'm catching up on the whole project but did

060you did Berlin deny CPA funds or did we try that route or is that not >> uh I don't know that >> I don't >> Were they even involved? >> No. Oh. Oh. >> Is that a possibility? >> So it boils then >> it is a possibility. My understanding was that Berlin CPA was not um interested but I don't know that could be inaccurate. I I don't know. >> Did they tell you that? >> I thought when this was like two years ago when Julie and I were working on it. I thought that Berlin CPA had said no. They had other projects on their docket. The difference is Boilston doesn't have other projects on their docket. So, this was kind of like they don't have other things. So, I have no idea. I don't think

061anyone filled out an application with Berlin CPA. So, that could be uh we figure something. >> Did somebody fill out an application with Berlin CPA? >> I don't know if you're asking me. I don't know why I'm supposed to talk. >> I'm looking at you. You can talk. >> So, the question is Berlin CPA application. I can't remember. I honest to God, I thought we talked about it. Yeah. Can she answer? Uh, so you're saying Berlin said you said Berlin said >> I'm asking her and I were both I'm asking Julie. Her and I both were talking about doing CPA applications. >> So was Berlin asked yes or no? >> No. >> Okay. I did an application for Boilston. So then no, Berlin was not. >> So answer your question. >> The answer will be

062no. >> Yeah. >> Would that be a good possible like >> maybe >> she's going to do a lot of projects. Maybe >> they did approve a lot of projects for the uh town fields, the youth fields. >> It depends on how many projects you have on Boilston was looking for a project. >> Yeah, we don't we don't know what >> we have no idea. Berlin wasn't asked then we don't know what the >> but that's that would be >> Julie when you and I spoke you said that Berlin CPA wasn't interested because of the it was when the budget the budget was going up the schools and there was a lot of animosity between the town and schools when you said that you were told not to ask at that time >> yeah go

063so Julie why don't you join us at the table sorry this way people can hear you on the mic as well too we can have guest Julie's pina calendar over there. >> Okay, great. So, I was on I was also a member of the community preservation committee. So, we had done three cycles on CPA. Um, our you guys I think were just in your first cycle for boil if I remember correctly. Um, so we had gone through the nuts and bolts of it, made a ton of errors along the way and then kind of locked in a really good process and part of that was the application process embedding applications. So from I remember this whole conversation actually and I had said, "Hey, I wonder if schools are eligible for CPA funds." And I went

064to a seminar with the commissioner from CPA and I asked that and he said they are. Um and then I sent an email. I think that's for you as well as >> and he explained it's not something that um CPA would want to really use CPA funds for because that should be refunded by the town. But if it does meet the goals of CPA, which failed to do, you could you could approach the towns for that. Um I don't I didn't say was not interested. We were past our application cycle because we had our applications earlier in November. So he moved through all our boards. Um I don't know when you guys applied to Bo approved in January. >> So our applications don't line up. We were past our cycle. I think that's a that's

065a miscommunication here is that we were >> but there was a conversation about parl CPA at one point. >> Oh, there definitely was, but it wasn't that we was not interested. Just to clarify your verbage there. I don't want that wasn't what folks said. It was that we were past our application deadline. >> So, Matt, it's not that we're skeptical of any of the project. I think we're just trying to figure out it's half a field. Some people believe the full field needs to be addressed. So, if we're doing half a field, there needs to be another plan for the other half of the field and uh we're going to be down for 18 months. If that's the case anyway, the question is, should we wait and maybe try to see if uh Berlin would

066match CPA funds? I don't know if they would. We could. You said November is a deadline. So, >> yeah, November. I know Berlin. I don't know if Boilston's the same way. Burland does not have sunset clause on their CPA funds. Boilston May. So they may have to have committed the work by a certain date. That would be something that would have to figure out. Berlin does not. So we would would be fine for >> Is that an issue with Boilson? >> CPA is not here. >> CPA. >> What's that? >> Uh the CPA Boilson CPA is not here. So uh >> No, I'm aware of that. But uh do you know? >> I do not know. >> Okay. Um anybody else have anything else? >> Yeah. So I'm curious. What's the time frame of the

067actual project from beginning to completion? Like not the growing but like the actual construction. >> The original last time was two or three weeks. >> So, so I'm curious like so we have the funding presented to us to do half the field the half field that is worse off and present and prevented playoffs from being done. If Berlin CPA can be approached to do the other half with SAD or you know whatever function I mean that's still within the 18 months and it the construction would be done on the worst half the field to allow time to apply for the funds and get the funds and start the project. So >> can you mix saw and natural turf with >> that surface? >> I don't I don't know. I think one thing to remember here

068is that this isn't a new problem, >> right? >> This has been going on for 5 years or more. >> And the only reason we're even here tonight is because someone finally took action on, right? Nothing has been done. This isn't coaches have been complaining, kids have been complaining, parents have been complaining, and nothing has happened. So that's why we're here tonight because someone finally did something. So I mean not even So you guys if you decide to say no tonight, what's why is there any reason for anyone to believe that something is going to happen then? Because >> just hold on a second. >> Just to hold on a second. I think the the something that didn't happen was budget talks with the towns. They weren't didn't really have an appetite for that and

069budget issues were needed elsewhere. So, I know for several years we've been talking, we talked with Jeff, we talked with Carol about putting this in the budget and I think through their talks with the towns, it was the town's pushing back on additional money for something like this. So, it's not that nobody was taking action. You have certainly succeeded in finding the money for this project. We're just trying to understand. It says right in here, no management required by BBRSD, but there's obviously several players at the schools that do need to be involved just for planning purposes. >> That's not a declaration that that there's no need. >> I I know that I know, but we've had conversations and Megan as well outside of here. So, my understanding is you want no involvement from the

070schools, but that's just not >> No, I want no involvement with people reaching out to my donors. That's what I don't want. >> That's fine. But so to me again, I don't think we're we're putting the donors now in a position where there's going to be chatter after the fact. Oh, this is like it's good enough and this and that and that's going to make them upset and >> it's shed a bad light on them. So >> I don't think I don't think it's anything about that. We certainly are appreciative to the donors. >> It's an incredibly gracious thing to do for the field. We're just looking at it, you know, after tonight, after the two or three week project is completed, we've still got half a field we've got to figure out what to

071do with. We've still got 18 months of practices and games to figure out how to do logistically. We've still got uh if anything happens to that field in that 18 months, it doesn't come in right, it doesn't grow right, rain washes out the loom that's spread over there. Anything that can happen in the fall, anyone who's tried to rebrass their own yard understands the downpours that happen around here. I mean, they're talking about a hurricane possibly coming next week. Who who knows? Lots of stuff happens after that 3-week project is done. It's not you guys that people are going to go and yell at and complain at. It's the people sitting at this table that are going to get >> which is why the CPA as well as all the developers require a maintenance plan

072to be put together which Dan and Aaron did. >> Yeah. >> I think four of us haven't heard anything about it yet too. So we're asking questions just to find out more information. So um I mean you did definitely did a herculean effort of raising the funds and then also through the town CPA fund. that is no small act um on your so I do appreciate that >> and and like to speak to that I just I I think it's wonderful I just people asked me if people come to the office and ask me about things because I'm the principal um and I would love to be able to answer questions or to provide some insight or to be kept you know justformationally I you know I don't I I think it's wonderful and the

073project to be managed, everything. It's just that I get questions and I just I would like to just be kept informed and, you know, to understand what's going on. So when people ask questions, I can speak to it with some type of knowledge. That's that's all cuz I there's so much here that I don't like I just don't even know because I was not involved in any of the conversations and I just want to know what's happening in my building or around my building from my students. >> So I think you're hearing everybody appreciates what you're doing and the work and the money that you've done. We we truly tr truly do. But we all just need to have that information so that we can we can make sure that we're prepared to make sure

074it's successful. I think that's what everybody wants to have. Um, and so I mean, everyone would love to say if you're going to take something off my plate, I'd say all day long, feel free. I love that you guys got to do it, but I think there's still some people that really have some questions and just need to have that information so that we can make sure when the project's done, and along the way that we're making sure that it's good with the athletic, good with buses, good with that principal, good with our school committee as well, too. So, I think it's just that we we all I I'm accused of it all day long. They say I'm not good in communication, right? So, we all just need to get better at that communication piece

075as well so that everyone's aware of what's happening. If we were to, let's say we accept the project, the donation, would you guys before anything starts sit down with Lisa and Dan and Julie and Al just to make sure every eye is dotted, te is crossed, um assuming the project was accepted so that their questions are answered. stuff. I'm actually a BMP. So I I have a I have a certification of a certified project manager. So yes, we would not do anything without sitting down with the right people. We have a race team to understand who's responsible, who's accountable, who needs to be consulted, who need to be informed, what the timing is. We have a project plan. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Sorry, I thought that was just understood, but yeah. >> Do you

076have the project plan? >> I'm not doing it until we have it approved. Okay. >> Sorry. I work full-time, so I'm not going to go down that road until this is approved. It's just a hard circle. I'm also involved with project management myself and it's just a hard circle to say, "Hey, we're going to do this project. You have to accept it." And like, "Oh, great. What's the project?" Oh, well, I'm not going to tell you until you accept it. >> So, no, I'm not saying you have to accept it. In fact, I I have other places to be, so I'd love you to vote on it because ultimately it doesn't matter to me, >> right? I don't have a kid that plays on that field. I I did my part and more because I

077was asked to by the kids by the students in the school and the coaches. So, I'll sleep very well at night no matter which way you guys go tonight. I can tell you that much. >> I I don't know why you're taking a lot of offense. I'm just trying to say you're asking us to accept a lot on a big project with everyone has questions based on what was given to us beforehand to look at. There's just a lot of questions. Um, I'm not trying to insult you or anything like that. It's just you're asking us to accept a project when we don't have all the details about the project. And this is not a situation where it's a donation of 10 microscopes for the science lab that you just give 10 microscopes. They go

078in there and that's great. The teacher does the lessons. There's a lot of moving parts, a lot of unknowns, and something of this scale, there's a lot of issues that could h if it doesn't go right. So, I think everybody here is just trying to figure out what's going on and the best way to go. So, just speaking about hypothetical situations, if the committee individually voted and and and decided to go through it, we do have a meeting on the 9th and maybe that would be a good opportunity to learn more about the details of the project and and the players to get more information about I guess everything. But I don't know, just a throwing that. I'm also happy to, you know, I'm happy to meet with Jess or neighbors and whoever else, Julie,

079and kind of like serve as a liaison so that they don't have to come and spend an hour at a school committee meeting, an hour and 15 minutes going on. Um, so I'm happy to, you know, if we do a Zoom call or something like that, gather the information and then, you know, try to keep everyone up to date as the project's going on. um just try to take something off your plate, you know, because I've been Julie and I both have been along for the long haul on this field thing. So, I know all intentions are good and you know, my only hold up with you know, ripping up the whole field, it's like we've got this on a silver platter here all set to go. I know there's a lot of questions, but

080I'm just really concerned that we're not going to have the money from other sources from Berlin CPA from and I don't know, maybe it will, but I know we wanted a lot of things from Berlin and the funding is just it's not there. And same thing from Boilston. I don't, you know, like it's a, like you said, a small miracle that we had the 45,000 coming from the CPA. And I think like to your point, it's just because it's brand new and they have these funds and they don't have any other projects on the docket. So, I don't know. I just I'm really nervous about passing up an opportunity for a problem that's been year over year over year. Like to Matt's point, nobody not because nobody wanted to. Nobody has time or bandwidth to

081say, "All right, I'm going to own this and I'm going to work on this and I'm going to get these quotes and do this and do that and it's it's handed up to us." And yes, it's taking a leap of faith, but it's with people that know what they're doing and have proven over and over again in town that they've done good things. They've done run successful projects. They're not working with bad vendors. LEI literally is right on 140 in Boilston. They're a good vendor. if the field comes out like crap, it's not like they're we're not going to find them. You know, they probably know people that play on the fields. So, I guess, you know, I'm just I feel like I just don't want to pass up a good opportunity. Um, >> so

082I just can I just say one thing? So, first of all, I don't want you guys to be offended by our questions. Like, I read all of this. I walked the field. I didn't know it was going to take 18 months. And my first thought was when we had the Super Bowl, we were talking about possibly doing a bus. Then we learned, okay, if we do that, we have to have so many people go on the bus and you have to have paras with these kids. Things that we didn't think of. So that was my question to that was not like, oh my I just didn't know it. And I want to make sure that we're because you're so generously giving us this money. I don't want it to end up being expensive on another

083side that we didn't think about because ultimately we're the ones that and and the vendors are extremely generous and you've all been generous with your time and your planning. So, please don't take any offense. The questions are simply just we want to make sure that everything is is done. Not that you haven't thought of that, but we have things that we're responsible for that sometimes we don't even know. So, >> all right. Any other questions? anything suggestions for any >> I have one thought and don't hate me but I was just thinking Julie said she got a quote for around 100,000 >> the field itself to redo rip and install it's 100,000 and care is 48 which includes that riding lawnmower >> to your point about bagging them um which is 16,000 so that you

084could take off. So, it would be what's it 35? >> Well, I guess I'm just thinking I I just tried to look up the the sunset clause for the CPA and it seems like it might be like two years in >> Boilston. >> Yeah, I'm on the Boilston site. So, I'm just wondering if we got CP what's it called? CPA funding. If we got that through Berlin, you know, maybe around the same amount, it would almost cover the project and then we could do the full facade and the the time disruption would be a lot more. >> I don't know. It's just a thought. >> I guess the only difference between what you said and I said is that we would then want to delay the project to try to get Bur and CPA to

085do at the same time. >> It would delay the project for sure. Yeah. Well, Julie Julie's would do the whole thing, right? It's not just one side of the hill. >> Yes. The hope that I saw was the whole I just I >> But these funds are linked to this project and doing it this way. >> The donation so we would lose >> CPA money, >> right? I understand the donations are linked but I would think that the CPA >> CPA money >> it's like going to the field reputation. So >> but it was based on the plans that were upon this plan. I think the booster club would have to go back to CPA. >> The booster club, I did the original application on behalf of the school district. That was like a year

086ago. And then I think the booster club ended up because we talked to the students and the CATF fair project was that the students wanted to work it through the booster club, right? And um you know Matt graciously offered to help and then Jess was on the boosters club. So that was kind of how that fell into place. And didn't you go back to the booster or to CPA that the boosters club was now responsible for this project? I think the schools had to be like a co-licant because we own the land. But it's it's definitely the application was submitted by the boosters club. So my application >> co-licant then I would think that we must have some stake in being able to >> it was just kind of because we own the land but

087they did the application. So the way the funds were approved this year, it was the money's going to the boosters club, right? >> Yes. So when your application the sponsoring organization was BBRT, >> what's that again? Sorry. >> It was BBRSC on the community preservation act. >> Oh, it was voted on the town >> application. Well, the application that got vetted before went town meeting. That's the process, correct? >> I think it is. Yeah. I mean, I have the application in front of me. It says sponsoring organization, town, department, and PBRSD. >> Was that in my handwriting? Is that mine? >> I don't know your handwriting. submitted. >> Well, I signed at the bottom of my I don't know a signature either because it's I don't know. All right. I did one and I thought

088that one got thrown away. I thought that one got rejected and then Jess did another one. >> She's looking at his mine. >> Oh, it's yours. Okay. >> Yeah. So, they have me put BBRSD, but then all of the supporting documentation talks about it's own. >> It was one of those super complicated. >> So, it seems like I mean we we've been doing this for a long time, right? And it seems like people have still a lot of questions and I'm not sure I I can't speak for school credit, but I sort of like the idea um Megan had and like is there a way that we could have separate almost like a subcommittee meeting to have answers and questions I'm not sure who wants to be on or not and then be able to

089come back at but Jessica said that September 9th meeting and be able to vet it all out so we can give people a lot of information ahead of time so they have it and this way they can come and prepare for September meeting with Matt. Do you think they've the vendors I'm sure they would be like just delaying it two more weeks. They've delayed it for a while now. Could you give us two more weeks? >> You have to I don't know if you'll be too late to get the work done in the fall at that point. >> Yeah. And worst case scenario, Julie, if we if we didn't get any work done in the fall. Worst case scenario, we had a status. Could we play our fall sports on that field? >> Yeah. They've

090been running them on the field. It's not it's it's not it's not a good situation for those kids. >> Okay. So with two weeks would would that like >> why don't we meet on August 26th? We have an don't we have an as needed meeting on August 26th? >> That we're not meeting on that day because of the first day back for the staff and everything. You could do uh if you want to have like a subcommittee meeting about it or something you can do that. Yeah. >> I mean I get I'm okay with voting now. Um and then I meant to be a liazison after we voted. My impression was that if we decided not to go with this, then they were not going to do any more work on it >> and there

091would be no need for a subcommittee meeting. >> Okay. I just try to move it along. Let me try. Yeah. No, I I'm I'm happy to vote. I don't know if other people don't want to vote. I mean, I >> So, I certainly don't want you to vote if you're skeptical. I do not or or I shouldn't say I don't want you to feel obligated to say yes if you're skeptical again because I do not want to put the donors in that position. These are people that I lean on on a regular basis and I'm not going to put them in that position. >> Understood. >> Just know that. >> And then don't say that. Just know that. >> So >> that money's gone. It's not >> Yeah. >> It's not coming back. >> Understood.

092So what would we what would the vote be? Will we vote to accept this and and the motion say something about uh boosters club and the school representatives are going to hammer out the details before the work starts? What would we move? We could mention the liaison like so Lisa Squara and >> um trying to think of uh we didn't work out any verbiage beforehand for a vote. So, >> so we're voting to the vote would be to accept the donation by the boosters club for the field renovation project. And would we want to say something about um >> I don't think I don't think you're accepting the field yet. >> You're I think allowing them to start work on the field as opposed you're not accepting anything, right? They're going to do the work

093on the field and then they're going to donate that work. So, we're allowing the work to start. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> That would be my take. Sorry. Sure. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> Jen, you're ready to take us this down. Um, could I have a motion, please, to agree to allow the Tanto Boosters Club to begin work on the soccer field renovation and to uh require a meeting with school officials and the Boosters Club and the contractor to make sure all details are hammered out before work begins so that everyone can begins. Period. >> Begins. >> Sure. >> Perfect. So, I asked for that motion. Jen, do you have that down? >> Good enough. >> Joe, you got it recorded, right? >> Second. >> So, that was Megan and uh Jess. All right. Any

094final discussion, questions, >> thoughts from anyone? >> Can I understand? So, are we voting to move the project forward as is? >> The vote is to move the project forward with the requirement that officials from the school and the boosters club and the contractor meet to uh make sure everybody's on the same page regarding the details of the project, the work, the timing, >> logistics, and everything else that goes in it. Yeah. >> So, a yes vote would be to accept it. Yes. >> Okay. So if those people meet and there's disagreement, what happens? >> Well, that's a great >> question. It it work wouldn't start until all the details are handed out. That was in the motion. >> Okay. Anything else? You guys can look at that as well. It'll be me. >> Will

095it? >> Yes. Yeah. Is that okay? >> Well, it'll be Lisa. It'll be Julie. It'll be Dan. Uh perhaps Aaron if there's any financial issues involved. All right. Any other >> Jess? Yeah. I'd like to amend the motion to say Lisa, Dan, um, Aaron, and >> Julie, sorry. No, there was four. >> Just seems like there's a lot of people down. >> There's a lot of people. Yeah. So my my amendment would be semicolon to include Julie Lee, athletic director, Lisa Zera, principal, Dan as facilities, and Aaron as um >> All right, that's the motion. Is anybody seconded? >> Second, >> Lisa. Okay, any questions on the motion? >> All right, all in favor of the the amended motion, the amendment to the motion? I >> anyone to guess it? >> All right. So, that's

096been amended. Any final questions, thoughts on the actual accepting of this work to begin? >> All right. All in favor? >> I'm sorry. Before you >> Yeah. >> Can I just ask Well, never mind. >> Yes. >> I was just curious I guess she already answered I was going to say if Julie feels comfortable with this because it 18 months is a long time to coordinate and that's my biggest concern and I it's understandable and maybe that's how it has to be assad too. I'm just concerned about that. >> Thank you. It is a lot. We'll figure it out. I think at the end of the day everyone wants what's best here and the field done. I would love to see the whole field done. If we have a quote that can do that I

097would pursue that. That would be my recommendation. But um you know we we want the kids playing on a safe and playing field. So that's the priority and so thank you for >> So so it's three growing seasons, right? I know I said 18 months but three growing seasons is 18 months. It's a year. >> Um >> it's fall. >> I think what they mean by 18 months. >> Well, by the time you play on it's the next >> Yeah, I think. So you can play next you can play soccer next fall on it, right? >> Spring that's what's starting like today. That's like starting like today. >> What sport do you play on it in the spring? >> It would be lacrosse >> or track. No track as well. >> Track. >> But you

098can still use the track. >> Track and field because no one can be on the field as well. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Is that anything else? Going once. Final last call. >> All right. All in favor? >> I heard three. Anyone against? I'm sorry. I'm I know. I feel really badly. I just have a hard time with 18 months. >> So, you make me tie break. >> Is it two to three right now? >> It's two to three. >> If you declare abstension, you would change the majority. So, by abstaining, it would be a five committee vote. You vote present or nay? The committee that we've agreed to work on this will, I'm sure, get something done that is acceptable for everybody. And I think we've still got half a field project to

099figure out anyway. The time it would take to get that is at least another year. I'm going to vote in favor. So that would be a tie three uh sorry, a four to two. Motion passes. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Um couple of things. Uh up next, we had some meeting law violations. uh three of them in the past year were not violations but complaints. Uh all of those are now resolved with the attorney general's office from the state. So last spring there was a complaint about a agenda being amended incorrectly. Uh that one uh the committee investigated responded uh said that there was no violation. The complaintant decided to continue with that complaint. So the attorney general investigated, the attorney general investigated, decided that there was no meeting

100law violation. Uh so that was all set. Then this past year again another complaint about uh another agenda item. The agenda item wasn't posted correctly and the meeting uh was harassing and complaining about a particular person. Uh the committee met, investigated that, decided there was no open meeting law violation there. The complainant in that particular case did not choose to pursue it with the state's attorney general office. So they just responded in July 31st I believe is the date saying that that matter is closed. The third one came up last year during the budget situation. Someone made a complaint that we violated meeting law by not posting our minutes. Uh that particular one involved the minutes for the March meeting. The complaint was filed in early April. The way the minutes work is we don't

101necessarily approve them until our next regularly scheduled meeting. that meeting hadn't taken place yet. Uh so after we uh went through a lot of work with the attorney for the district for the school district to look into it, scheduled meetings, paid him for the several hours of work he did on that. The complainant rescended their complaint, informed the attorney general's office, so they wrote to us and said that that one's closed as well. So three complaints in the last year. Uh no findings, nothing was wrong. all found to not be actual violations of open meeting law. Uh a minute a quick minute about our minutes. Um I think the school committee minutes that are taken are probably some of the more detailed minutes of any committees in town. Um they're required to be approved by

102the committee. I believe the term is within a reasonable time frame. That's typically assumed to be the next regularly scheduled meeting, which is what we tend to do. It's what we did tonight for the June meetings and the July meeting. Uh and then we tend to post them on the website when we can get them up there. It might not be immediately, but there is no actual requirement under open meeting law to post minutes on a meeting uh website. They simply have to be made available when requested. We tend to post them on the website. I think a lot of other committees do as well. So that takes care of that. Uh next we have the committee handbook. Uh Lori, you had some adjustments to that and yeah, >> part of this conversation goes into

103some of the things that Al is going to talk about too as far as communication, but Lori, could you go ahead? >> Yep. So, the Berlin Boilston Regional School Committee handbook has been updated for 2526. It's not up for a vote. It's up for review. It's already created doc a created document. There are simply um clerical edits and if you notice any more, please let me know. Um review your own info and then um you should be reviewing this. We should all be reviewing this every single year at the start of the year just to refresh ourselves. Um, and specifically, I would like to point out pages five and six, which are the norms and standards of the school uh of the school committee. And there were a couple that I just wanted to call

104attention to. Um, and so number two, it says exercise leadership in vision, planning, policymaking, evaluation, and advocacy on behalf of the students and district, not in managing the day-to-day operations of the district. We had a situation last year where the school committee kind of had to be all hands- on deck and we were all hands- on deck and a lot of protocol fell to the side. Um so it's just a gentle reminder that um we need to step back as that wasn't our role to be that involved that we hired people that we believe are doing a great job and we need to let them do their job. Um so I know I've had to like reevaluate different things that I do. Sometimes I'll shoot an email off to Al or to Lisa and it

105needs to go through Mike. So just different things like that. But um and then >> go through me. It has to go through the chair. >> Has to go through the chair. All right. You're right. I meant that as the chair. Um and then number four, we acknowledge that the school committee meeting is a business meeting. I added in some language at the end. It's strictly from our agenda. It just means sometimes things might come up that are important. Um and then the last one that I wanted to call your attention to was um was number 14. understand and respect the chain of communication as it concerns roles and responsibilities and direct others to do the same. Al's going to talk about that tonight. We need to review protocols and follow them. I've been guilty

106of it as well. I'm not telling you anything that you know like just habits develop and you have we have nice relationships with each other so we can email each other but it really needs to follow the protocol to to keep it business. So um and then number 15 is the last one. It talks about how we revise um our standards and norms every year as needed. Um so um Jess and I are on the evaluation committee and it says the evaluation committee would do it. So we're going to add that onto our subcommittee meeting and then we'll bring it back to but if you could review pages five and six they were there were some reminders that even I was like oh right I find number three it's a school committee's responsibility to set

107the tone for the entire system and make every effort to promote a positive image for our school system or operate respectfully maintain confidentiality and respect the open meeting laws. And then number five, two, we shall work to build trust between and among school committee members, the superintendent, the administration by treating everyone with dignity and respect even in times of disagreement by maintaining an open environment where each member is empowered to freely express opinions, concerns, and ideas without being made to feel them. >> Any questions on any of that? >> And it did. Yeah. >> Can I? >> Yes. Lisa is so great at every format. I >> guess I can't look at it. >> Yeah, Jess. So, so the NASCA conferences that I've been to, they have operating protocols and that's what generally what other

108schools committees function under other than a handbook. And I don't, you know, there's different examples and so that's why I wanted to talk to Tracy Novage about that um because the operating protocols are discussed in full committee and then agreed upon and signed by the school committee and the superintendent. So I I didn't know is there a time that Tracy Novich will be able to come and talk to us about that and like the difference between our handbook and that or are we gonna treat it as operating protocols? >> Well, we talked about this in June, right? You and Megan were going to work over the summer to get a training together. I know you sent some emails to Tracy and >> we tried and then we can't speak for when the next meeting was

109going to be. So >> Tracy said that she >> she came back with some options, right? >> She said that she wanted to meet with the whole committee. She didn't want to meet with just the two of us. Did she propose any dates? >> The 12th and then I said that's as needed and we have the 26th and that was in June and then the 26th. >> Who? >> She said she uh Tracy she said she was going to talk to you and >> about when she could come in. >> I talked to her last week but I know you sent the email in like June, right? And she went back some dates in the last >> 12 and then I said I don't know. I will have to defer to the chair who knows

110the dates of the calendar. We weren't able to to to vote on the calendar dates. I didn't I didn't hear from you. >> You were on that email. >> Yeah. So, in June, we just approved the minutes for it earlier tonight. >> You guys were going to set up a like a training like we've done in the past with uh Dorothy or uh I think Tony, >> she didn't want to just meet with us. She wanted to meet with the full committee and said the 12th. And I said, I don't know if we're meeting on the 12th. I have to defer to the chair. And you were on that email. And then we never responded. Megan recently >> said, "Can you still do the 12th?" And she said, "No." And then Megan said, "How about

111the 26th?" And she said, "I'm going to meet with you guys and discuss." So that's where the last communication lied with that. And then I heard back that was uh >> So you got back to her sometime in early August after she had emailed us and or >> I had no idea this meeting was going to happen. I don't think we knew if we were meeting on we I think our meeting was supposed to be on August 26th and then so she said I come >> regardless of when the school committee meetings were going to be this was supposed to be a separate training. >> So the >> correct no she said she had to come to the whole committee. >> Yeah for the whole a training for the whole committee not at a school

112committee meeting but a separate training. Right. >> Oh well the way I read her email was that she wanted to come to a committee. No, not not her email. What we talked about in June. Regardless, it didn't happen. Um I did talk to her. She said her her fall schedule's kind of filling up. We've got the superintendent search schedule kind of filling up. So, we'll see if we can find a day in there. Um back to the handbook. Uh Lori, are we voting on anything? Are we >> Nope. Just I need people to make sure that they've looked over Reddit. >> Um just to go along with that, a couple of policies about communication. Um maybe we should just do this during the communication protocol. Okay. Wait for that. >> Okay. >> Um next was

113uh superintendent search subcommittee. I spoke with Tracy about that as well. Uh we're going to rebalance that when when we put uh people on there. I this just escaped me. I didn't realize it's currently three people. It's Megan, Jess, and Lori. All three people happen to be from Boilston. uh we should rebalance that to get someone from Berlin in there. So the superintendent search subcommittee which is different from the search committee that Tracy's going to come in and talk to us about, but it's the search subcommittee for the school committee is going to be Lori and Beth going forward. Um the goals item that's on the agenda is what we just talked about with that meeting with Tracy. So we'll keep that going on. And then the regional agreement amendment, uh this is part was

114part of our policy discussion. Uh Aaron, we've talked about it. You mentioned it a bunch of times in the past during the budget uh discussions. There are two things that we want to think about possibly amending. Um I know you were going to put some examples together. I'm sure you don't have them yet. >> Yeah, I I I'm working on creating some some buckets. Um is that in terms of you know how we split things and what you know what what metrics to use to split them? >> Yeah. So essentially it's district-wide costs, right? Mhm. >> Essentially, it's the districtwide cost by 2550. >> So, there's there's there's some some there's a series of a litany of costs um that, you know, I'm just going to be clear are impossible to every single time we

115get an invoice for it go through every single item on and figure out is that of Berlin? So, health insurance is an example. I can't go through and figure out every single person on every single health insurance plan or life insurance plan and figure out if they're from Burlin or Boilston. We have to figure out just a reasonable way to split that. Um so and and then put that in a bucket and split it appropriately, right? So, you know, I would argue that some of those items that are employee costs should be split and and this is what we're doing now because this is what was past practice, it seems, but we should memorialize that is to split it by the number of employees in each building, right? So, the the number of people taking

116health insurance is typically going to be relatively proportionate to the number of employees in that building. um rather than you know picking every single employee um health insurance reconciliation I have something on that in here is a real tedious nightmare as well there it's there's a lot of errors in it from the insurance companies things like that it's just one example so I'm working on figuring out what those proper buckets are and then what the most appropriate way to split those once we have that it's real easy the real problem is in your regional agreement. You have metrics that are to split things that are almost impossible to come to and that are moving averages have multiple moving averages. I'm trying to remember I think it's your whether it's your Tanto Capital or or another

117that is um split by an average of two separate moving averages. It's just it's really wonky and some of those averages um take a lot of tedious work and you will never get to a completely accurate count. Um you know at the end of the day we have an October 1 report that is students per building right that's how many students from each town or in each building and that is what I would argue that your metric should be based on. It's transparent. We can show that to anyone and everyone. It's it's reported to Desi. Um, you know, the other the way it's reported now is a series of subsets of that that leads up to what's called foundation enrollment, which, you know, isn't really a true attestation of the cost of running the school

118in many ways. That's the best I can say. Yeah. >> That right. Yeah, you're working on that. I know you were going to talk to both moms about that. >> But if we want to do it for this year, we've got to get moving on. >> It'll be it'll be ready next month. >> Okay, cool. Because I think uh I don't know about Boilston, but I think Berlin, they're probably going to want to see that like November, December. >> And Kristen and April have both asked to to have these conversations with us as well, too. So, we need to start a career at school and then obviously invite Bland and Boston to join us with that. >> Thanks, Aaron. All right, Al. >> Okay, great. Um, so I know we got a lot on the

119agenda and I know we're already on quite some real important stuff that we're going to be doing. So I want to just take our time through this. Um, I first want to do I know you saw my welcome letter let out Sunday um to first school committee first and then out to the entire community as well too um with doing some introductions. So um a lot of you haven't had a chance. We've been busy this summer doing some great hires as well too. Uh first is Joe Barnes uh who is our new assistant principal at uh at Tanto. Um we're thrilled to have him here. um he's been doing um great work with us so far and he comes to us from Westwood Public Schools. Um so we welcome Joe. Um his background and curriculum

120um is is outstanding and we're really glad to have him join us. So welcome Joe. >> Thank you. [Applause] It's excited to work with some really passionate communities um and get to know everybody and things like that. You know, a lot of people are saying, "Oh, summer's coming to an end. I just can't wait for the kids to get in the building and everything to get rolling." You know, um just really excited. Joe was part of our um our admin retreat as well too and joined us for that. So it was great that we hired him in time for that. Um and then he he's like old old neighbor now Rob Pelzi, right? Um we've done multiple introductions to him as well too but I wouldn't want on our first full school committee meeting. Um

121Rob is joining us. He's our new um principal at Bul Elementary has done amazing work and already feel like he's been part of this team for a while. So welcome um Rob as well too. Absolutely. Welcome Rob. Um Renee is now in her new role as our curriculum director um for grades 6 through 12. Um has been doing yman's work already and and really looking at it. The focus this year in our district, we really need to look at curriculum. There is a piece of our district that's really missing um and having that alignment from our prek all the way up to grade 12. Um we have programs, we have we don't have a curriculum and that's really the work that Renee um is going to be doing and she'll talk to you a little

122bit more about that. So we welcome Renee into her new role. Um has doing outstanding work so far as well too. Um Julie Lee, she's not a stranger to any as as not only sitting at this table as committee but also as um working in pox and wreck in Berlin. Um we're thrilled to have her as our athletic director. She's been doing incredible work already working. Um and um we're really thrilled to have Julie joining us as part of the admit team as well too. So welcome Julie. Um, and last, Jen Fortune, for those who haven't had a chance to to meet, Jen is our new admin assistant. Um, she joined us in early July. Um, and she will be um, working with myself along with school committee. Um, so any emails and correspondents will

123go through Jen. Um, she's really um, picking up everything that we've done. It's a it's a a lot of work in that job working for um, both the superintendent, working for me, um, and also working for for for school committee. Um I'm the irony is I'm the only one in this district that doesn't really have a full-time secretary that we're sharing in both. So she's really doing work. Um and we're thrilled to have her join us as well too. So so welcome. Um thank you for all you guys as well too. Um so I I just want to pause for a second. I need you to look around at this group of people sitting around this table. They have worked incredible work this summer. I I can't thank them enough. Um talk about an incredible

124admin team. Um open five days a work, five days a week working extremely hard. Um we're we're ready. We're already in a spot that we we've hired everyone we need to hire. By the way, for the record, um we have no contracted paras are contracted employees working in our district. I know that was a concern that we brought in place last year. So we don't have any of those paras that are coming from outside working for us. Our nurses, they're all full-time employees working in our district. So all of that has um been settled as well. So thanks for that good work and the hours that people have been putting in during the summer as well too. Um, I want to talk to you a little bit about a portrait of our graduate for 2025.

125Um, this is important stuff. Our kids that graduated this past year, um, it's important for us to acknowledge that, um, it's a report that's given to me, um, in the, um, late spring. Um, regarding our graduates, um, we had a total of 61 students graduate this past year on June 1st on that great ceremony we had. Um, 94% of those graduates are off to college, um, which we are extremely proud of. Um 77 of those students are off to a four-year college. 17% are off to a two-year college. Um 3% are off to career education or technical training programs. 2% have joined the workforce. And one uh percent are off into the military. Um we're we're this is important information. I know it's been provided to you in your um your binders as well too.

126Uh but it's good information that we need to know what our kids are doing once they graduate from there because that's our job is making sure our kids are ready um to go off to colleges, universities, into our workforce and certainly into our military as well too. So I wanted to share that with you as well. Um the next thing on my agenda is is talking about the school calendar. Um the PBEA request to revisit the school opening day um calendar for the 2526 school year. Um, we presented this to you in early um, spring uh, and you voted on it in late late spring as well too. Um, I know that the the union has asked that you revisit this um, as well too. Um, there was concern about that Junth and us really

127backing up to that if we were to have two snow days and we move us into that next day. Um so um I have to say and tell you around this table all the administration we have looked at this calendar and we are supportive of the calendar that currently exists. Um but I know that was brought to school committee. So um I'm bringing it out here to you now. I've given you some data that goes along with that as well too. Um regarding um the day before I'm sorry um regarding two things um regarding the day before Thanksgiving because that that is now a full day off and I've given you some data that goes along with for staff attendance and student attendance and also for the Good Friday and I apologize that I called

128it Good Friday last year. It's really a non-school day. That day of Good Friday when we have that, I went back five years as well too and showed you the attendance for both our students and our staff as well too on those days as well. Um so I present the calendar to you again. Um we're in support of the calendar as it stands, but I know it's a it's an item that school committee has voted on already and we certainly um respecting the wishes of the union, we'll bring it to you guys again and I'll I'll stop there and let you guys have a conversation about that. >> Yeah. So how so originally they wanted to possibly change the first day of school. Is that right? >> That was a conversation as well too. Um

129we we we cannot right. We've hired some incredible professional learning people are coming in. Um we're we're going to be doing universal design for learning for this entire district. We'll be doing that professional learning that that Renee will talk to you about. Cody Katie Novak, the author of this book that's known across this country in terms of this. She's coming here in person to present. Right. We we've got her here. Um, she's going to have an opportunity to talk to our staff. Um, sign autographs as well, sign the books as well, too. Like, we have a a plan laid out for professional learning. We're not building a plane as we're flying it. We have all these dates accounted for already, and we're ready to go with our professional learning for the entire district, throughout the

130entire year. Um, so we put a lot of time into that. Um, so we we can't alter the days because we we were lucky to get her because when I was a curriculum director in March, you had to have your curriculum plan ready for the year before and that's what we're trying to get done and get in place and Renee will certainly have that for you for next year as well too in March. But we we can't change that first date because these people are all lined up to present to us as well. So that being the case, there's the request then when we find a day somewhere in the calendar so that if there's more than one snow day, y >> it saves from going to the following Monday. >> That rolls us into

131that Monday. Yes. >> So that if we find one day, then we can have two snow days and still finish before June 19th. >> We have my phone. Sorry. >> If we have three snow days though, it's a moot point anyway. It's going to go. So let's just go through the calendar. So, the first opportunity to get a day back will be November 26th or November 28th, which is the day before and after Thanksgiving. Is anyone interested in putting that back as a school day? That's both days are full business days in the country. Banks are open. Everything's open. Parents uh probably have to work unless they take personal time off. And and just so you know, we got emails from parents because this was on the agenda and conversation in the community like people

132have plans, right? people are going away for Thanksgiving breaks and they parents are planning this stuff. So I just want us to be cautious when we're thinking about changing those dates. >> If I can chime in uh day after Thanksgiving I believe as in custodial contract has a day off >> day after. So I I don't we won't have custodial in that day. >> Okay. >> Just as a >> So yeah, >> I'm sorry. looking at the tah have you looked at the has everyone looked at the tanto absences the day before Thanksgiving >> that like if our if our goal is to educate these kids the number of of it it's less staff and more students because I think people leave and >> there's still staff that aren't there but it's how these kids

133especially if we already have it on we currently have it on there as a day off >> that's great >> so I know like we we do our plans ahead ahead of time, too. So, I'm guessing we probably have a lot of parents that are probably already leaving Tuesday to go visit family or try to beat traffic. Um, this is these numbers are concerning >> based on this. We didn't just fly by the seat of our parents say, "Let's do the day before Thanksgiving up." We can't get subs, right? Trying to get a sub to work on on a half a day of school, right? The day before Thanksgiving, like, who's out there doing that, right? >> You're missing more than a fifth of the school. 120 kids absent, 78 kids, 86 kids, 98 kids.

134Like that's a big number. How can those even if the teachers are there, they're not like a big portion of the class isn't? >> I mean, the elementary schools are a lot less. So, it seems like the Danto students miss school more on that day. They're elementary school. >> I would argue they really need to be here because they're going off to college soon. >> Like I I would feel bad if it was even the elementary school kids. Like that's a lot to miss. I don't I think if we personally my view, we already have it on the calendar as a day off. People are probably already planning to take it as a day off and I don't see that as a as a viable option personally. >> The next option could possibly be December

13524th or January 2nd. Is there any appetite for those days? Those are I know it's tough around the winter break and all that, but if we got to find a day somewhere, these are days that are possible. >> I would wonder what January um would look like in that Friday coming back for that one day only of that week. I'm sure nobody I'm sure nobody would come back, but it would count as a day of school that wouldn't affect us on our snow days. >> I I would >> which is the request for avoiding having to go over a weekend into a Monday. Nobody likes to do that. >> And and I and I just got to say it's not about it's about instruction being delivered, right? It's not about getting we got to make

136sure like like what's happening on that if we were to bring kids back on that Friday of January, what would the instruction look like? Who would be there? And and that's a full day. we need to be looking at our our 990 making sure that we we are educating our kids and and the amount of time that we're delivering instruction to those kids. So, we just need to be careful of that. >> Um I mean, we're just looking at random dates on the calendar. What what happened to looking at the PD days to make it a half day versus a whole day? >> Not necessarily looking at random days, but just days that are already scheduled off that we could buy back. >> So, all those days just Jessica are all planned. like we have

137people coming in, we have professional learning all planned on those full days because we really know full days of what's so a half a day, right? So by the time the buses go and the teachers have lunch, it's it's an hour and a half, maybe two hours that we're getting of professional learning if we're lucky, right? So we're we're really trying to have meaningful professional learning that starts right when they come in the door and finishes up at the end of the day. So we're really and have that all planned out for the year. >> Are there any meetings that are planned like team meetings during those PD days? >> Absolutely. Absolutely. >> We're we're I'm sorry. >> We're really trying to um this year is and and you probably read it in the report,

138but we're really trying to do um a response to um that indicator 3 data, right? And and in and part of that is working in teams with elementary, middle, high together. And because our schedules are different, that's where we lose that time in the half a days when we, you know, by the time we come together after lunch because our lunch would be earlier here for our staff but later there. That's where we only end up really with an hour and a half, two hours and it's just it it ends up not being you know we found from last year right we had we tried to put in those other you know half a days we it just these planning out a full day PD that is also gives us the availability to get professionals

139to help us with that work in uh where it's where it's it's more complicated >> and our philosophy this year is we are not a district of schools we're a school district we are working together right we're not in isolation the collaboration that we're doing even on those first two days is absolutely incredible. And and the other thing I'd say teachers working together and having conversation that is professional learning, right? By by um those professional learning communities that's happening all day long. It doesn't always have to be someone coming in. It's just engaging in those conversations. >> Yeah, I know that next year's calendar is being developed now and and just looking back at the previous years. So in 2021 we started on a Monday. 22 we started on Monday. 23 we started a Wednesday

140and 24 we started on a Wednesday. So I mean that Monday that you're looking for is that Monday and obviously you've planned all this and this is a a moot point at this point in in the in the calendar. Um but I think it it should really be seriously looked at. Again it's really weird that we're starting on a Thursday. >> So just I I believe and I may maybe I'm wrong but I believe when we started on those Mondays it was a lot for the kids. >> I'm not suggesting Monday like Monday Tuesday. No, I think we got a lot of complaints which is why we >> It was miserable. Everyone was dead. Yeah. No, no, but >> So you're saying bump it out a little bit further. >> Pey day on Monday, Tuesday,

141and then start school Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. So kids can like start getting into a little bit of a pattern. I mean, one day for like a couple couple things. So I think half days are out based on feedback we got from parents last year and especially what Renee has said. >> Yeah. like whatever we do half days are not you can we can we can choose to do half day if you want but um people aren't going to be happy >> 10 was excessive right >> we didn't have that many before >> the idea that a half day of school counts as a full day on the calendar I think is what rubbed some people um the idea about starting earlier I mean we talked about this in April June 19th wasn't a surprise to

142anybody at that point and we knew where it fell um but if we want to consider getting a day back I I think some of these orange dates that aren't holidays I think are our best option. Um so we said no the November dates December 24th or January 2nd is another option. Does anyone have appetite for that? >> No. >> The last date would be the April 3rd date >> which is Good Friday >> if you celebrate that if one were to call it that. So when I look at those dates, we we still have large numbers of of people up. We of students out. We also have a lot of staff and >> I think there's more staff on that. >> Yeah, there's much more staff 17. We already struggled to find subs. >>

143Yeah, but you have to you have to look. So if you look to see when Patriots Day is the the year of 2024 25 that was before Patriots Day and then also 2122 was before Patriots Day. So honestly you have to cross out that data because that's before April vacation. >> Okay. So I think that's null and void the 120 and the 98 you know so 2425 and 2122 I don't think you can look at those accurately >> does anybody want to add that day back to the calendar? You know the solution here Al is to start school after Labor Day. >> We knew that was coming. >> You don't have because you're gonna have to blow by June 19th no matter what. >> So think about it this year, right? It's two days in

144August that we're going to school. Then we have Labor Day. So that's two days in June you got a fine. >> Y >> that's the Thursday and then the Monday. Chances are we have at least one if not two snow days. So now you're ending on a Wednesday anyways. No big deal. Problem solved >> for people. All camps are out by then. So that's really difficult for working people. >> And I wasn't wasn't a I was not a fan and they weren't a fan of me and him and Wilham when we we did away with April vacation, right? And we got everyone out so much earlier in June, right? and all of that where parents were looking for that able to stop later, but that's not >> that's an option, right? Like >> not for

145this year. >> April vacation doesn't happen until after the winter. So, we'll know the snow days now. So, we could do nothing now if we have two or more snow days and we could take days back from April vacation. >> Oh, I'm not suggesting that for this year by no means. >> No, we a solution. >> It's going to be hard. >> Didn't uh the some other schools took back April. >> A lot of a lot of districts have taken back Aprilification. Yeah. Those are just the ones that go to like the end of June. They're just trying. >> They start after the Labor Day and they want to get out earlier in June. A >> lot of camps going on. >> You have like a third snow day and automatically it kicks in that

146that's going to be remote learning. >> I mean, aren't we all set up for that? Are we all like paying for that? >> I mean, did you experience a remote learning snow day? It like sucked the life out of everyone. Like >> good luck. >> Oppose that to propose that to the unit. It's better than going after Junth. I think >> I think the issue is that people leave for vac if it's a Friday, which it is this year, the issue is that people leave for their vacation. To Jess's point, I think camps all start that week. It's everyone's ready to go. But unfortunately, I don't think we have a lot of wiggle room with this calendar. And I think this the solution is next year you start on that Wednesday instead of the Thursday.

147I mean >> and and just for the staff date, we we were looking in contract negotiations, we're looking to get three professional learning days, right? So that's why we we purposely did the calendar looking that way when we were looking at that because again it >> we need to get better at our trade and the best way for our teachers to get better at the trade is is more professional learning and more conversations with teachers. So I think that's why we start a little later as well. I mean the other thing >> I know so >> well the other thing you could do for next year I know nobody loves half days but you could just split one PE day. So you could have a half day in September and a half day in October

148>> 26 27. Yeah. >> I'm not talking any I I I don't know that I'm an advocate to change anything on this calendar because I think some people book their vacations a year out. >> All right. So does anyone want to suggest any day but this year only? We'll we'll talk about next year when the time comes. I had emailed about the concern about the football playoffs. So, West Boilston has a half day again on December 3rd and it was the same thing last year. They had a plan. >> Don't Don't jinx our football team, please. >> Asynchronous. They're jinxing it. It's on their calendar. They do it over two days. It could be Thursday or it could be Friday, right? >> We don't even know the date yet, right? They haven't even the same

149day. They must have >> I'm I'm going to I'm going to shut down all conversation about jinxing our football team. >> Done. Are there any other options? >> Announcing a half day two days before is not ideal for working parents either. So that's why I'm bringing it up. If they've anticipated that playoff game and maybe we have an asynchronous PD day on that day, if not this year, then maybe next year. >> Yeah, I agree. Just having it in the back of the head. My feeling is if the administr if if this is I mean this calendar god it was to the point where we were trying to figure out different dates. Oh it was actually the school committee calendar but this calendar was on our we I think we we had it three times

150on our agenda and things are always going to slip through but now we know what we can do for next year where the administration has said they feel that this is the right calendar for them. I think we need to respect that and I I and and look to the fixes next year and um and and they're good suggestions. >> Yep. All right. Uh going three times, any motions to change the calendar? >> All right, I'll continue. >> I'll definitely take all the suggestions for when we're looking at next year's calendar into into account as well, too. So the next thing what you have uh in front of you is is a communication plan or our or point of of contact. I know you all have seen this. Um this has been vetted through all

151administration as long as this has been has also been vetted through the unions both the teachers in Paris. Um I met with Jen and uh Bill yesterday and they um are looking at this and feel that this is strong as well too. Um we are in strong support this document. Uh it hopefully will become a document we can post everywhere and we can reference it. Um, I present this to you because I know that sometimes, and we've talked about that, you are called by a parent, which then prompts a call to me or prompts a call to a principal. Um, with this document you have here in front of you, it's a reference point to share with families. Um, what I ask is that you you use this point of contact um in point of

152contact sheet in communication and moving forward. In on this um point of contact, all information is provided. Names, telephone numbers, email addresses, everything that you really need is on here. We also reference on this the policy um K which is a school committee policy that says if you've exhausted all these um then you can reach out to the superintendent into into the school as well too. But when parents come and ask questions about and we've really broken this down from athletics to academics to behavior to everything involving the cafeteria. We thought of it. We hopefully thought of it all. And so if a parent comes to you with a concern or a question or anyone in the community, you now have a reference sheet. Have you contacted the teacher? Have you contacted the building administration,

153the director of curriculum or the superintendent? So this way then it's not you having to engage in that and we're trying to stop that, right? What should be happening is we we have a a chain of communication and a point of contact and we really feel like this is the best way for all of us to be operating in our district, right? And we're keeping people in our lanes and we're doing we're addressing people's needs and concerns. Um so we're we're asking for of you to look at this and approve this. Uh and then this way then we can post it everywhere. Uh our our principles will have this on their on their websites. We'll put it on the district website and when someone calls you and says, "Hey, I want to talk to you

154about this." It it's an easy for you, right? Have you done the the the points of contact? Have you addressed the first contact, second contact, third? And this way you can point to something instead of saying, you know, Al, I hate to bring this to your attention, but this one this person I brought great, but hasn't been vetted through the process that it needs to go through. So, um I ask you to take a look at this. I ask you to to uh to have this as a document that we will uh be a living document that we'll be able to post everywhere and reference that and we're going to send this out to our parents as well too. You have a question, you have a concern, let's be very honest. If you have a

155complaint right here, here here's a point of reference for you guys. Questions on that at all? >> Is that going to be put on our website as well? >> I'm waiting for you guys to say yes to this or have answer any questions and we're going to post it anywhere and everywhere. I think it's going to be helpful for all of us, right? who who's having these conversations with it. So instead of we're having these oneoff conversations and we talk about that commun communication, right? So here's the chain of command. A chain of command. Here's who you should be having these conversations. >> Any questions? >> Um the beginning of last year and into last year um we received information to the school committee um and per our norms and standards number 12, all members

156will receive the same information on all topics from the administration in a timely manner. So, I really did miss those emails most recently. Um, so I would really love to have those emails again. So, we don't feel the need to reach out to know I heard this is going on. Um, so that would be great. >> Absolutely. >> Any other questions, comments? >> So, I during Lord's handbook conversation, I mentioned I was going to talk about a couple things. This point of contact here is what we need to be redirecting parents to. If parents come to us as individuals to complain, really make sure they go through that first. As far as us going to um individual staff members, administration in our role as individual committee members, we can't be doing that. We have several

157policies that talk about this. I'm guilty of it as well, so I'm going to do better to to follow this. But BHC I think is one. Yeah, BHC talks about staff communication to the school committee and school committee communication to staff. And it really all does need to go through the superintendent. I think Ally, you and I have talked about really what the protocols are, what the handbook Lori talked about protocol on this committee before my time, before Megan's time, before Lor's time, when it was Jim, when it was Susan. The protocol was always through the chair to the superintendent. Al is busy. Do you have a lot of time to organize 20 different emails? Right. So, we need to do a better job with that following our own policies uh and following our own

158and if we have a parent complaint point to this. If we have a complaint as parents in the district as well. Um just because we're school committee members doesn't mean that we shouldn't be following this as well. So, if a school committee member comes and follows this uh point of contact for an issue that you're having with your own kids in the school, you really do need to follow it. And then stick to that topic when you're talking to the person. Like if you need to yell at Lisa for something that happened in history class, stick to yelling at Lisa for something that happened in history class. >> Don't then talk about, well, I'm going to do this or I'm going to do that. Don't whatever the school committee business part of that would be.

159really has to be left alone and gone through as superintendent. We I'm guilty of yelling at John about things as well. So, he's not here tonight to laugh at me, but I have to do better at that myself, too. So, I'm asking everybody to follow that. And I'm asking the administration, too. I think the school committee would support if you find yourself in a situation that someone is not following this or or bringing up information that shouldn't be brought up or is not the right place to be brought up, you need to politely redirect us to if we're slipping up. It really puts our administration in an awkward position, right? And so they feel like they need to respond, but then they're just responding to one person. And to your point, Jessica, not responding to

160the six of them, right? So if someone's asking a particular question of either Rob or Lisa, like technically entraceful teachers on that, everyone should be having that information. So it puts them in a in a in a tough spot. Um and and then they want to vet it through me and I want to make sure that everyone's having it. So we really all want to stick to this communication plan. This is something we all believe in as administrations, all our principles and directors. Like this is what we really want to operate on for all of us. Um, and this way then we can and to your point, Jessica, I need to get better and I'm my goal this year is sending out a weekly communication of what's happening, what's taking place so you're all well

161aware of it as well too. >> Yeah. And I know in the past there's been an email out saying, "Oh, we're looking at we're looking at the agenda for this meeting, you know, what things need to go on." And I think that was a nice avenue to kind of channel these concerns that maybe have been gotten subcommittees. Um, so that email, you know, a week, a week or more before the meeting would be really great to to gather those concerns. Um, >> yeah. >> So, I'm really asking you, I hope you had a chance to look at this, but we're really hoping that this is the plan that we're going to put in place. This is the point of contacts for all of our our our families, for school committee, for our admin, for our

162students, for everyone in our community and even even our community, right? If they have questions or concerns, there there's a point of them going to this as well, too. Um, and again, all numbers are listed. I did not list individual um school committee members telephone numbers. The numbers that you see on there is is Jen's number, right? And her direct line. So, this way if she gets complaint or concern um except Mike, I put your personal cell phone other than everybody else's. My phone number is 3865000. Do you know what 386 spells? >> No. >> Fun. >> Old school phone. Yeah. >> Fun 5,000. Give me a call. How old are you? >> On the flip phone. Yes, you're right. Um, so, so this is all the information and then Jed's responsibility will be making

163sure if parent has a concern or complaint that they reach out to the whole entire school and that's what we're developing as well too. Questions on this at all? So I I hate to do this to you as a school. I'd like you to vote on this and say this is what we're going to follow as our as our point of contact and communication plan. And this way that this become a moralized and then next year and then superintendent comes up superintendent comes on board. This will be something that's in place for that. >> And then you said the admin and the union both vetted it and said they support it. >> Bill saw it yesterday and Jen Kelly saw it yesterday as well too and said long time in coming. >> Excellent. >> All

164right. Uh, could I have a motion please to accept the communication protocol? >> So moved. >> Lori, >> second. >> Beth, uh, Lisa, you have a question or comment? >> Oh, maybe in a minute. >> Sure. >> Just as a perfectionist. >> No, this is really beautifully done. It's really nice. >> That's Jack. >> Well done. I would just put the Tahanto Regional Middle High School um heading on the next page. >> Where are you? Um it's the bottom of the >> I see we are I see we are amend the motion for that just for >> cool. Thank you. >> Uh so there's a motion on the floor. Any questions about this comments concern? Jess >> yeah I have a lot of concern. Um >> so the chair definitely has a perview to set

165the subcommittees which has been exercised to the fullest extent and certainly >> about the communication program. >> Yeah, it is. Yep. And so the agenda is also under the purview of the chair. Um although the chair is a servant of the assembly. And so my concern is is that yes the chair funnels information to Al in order to not have him bombarded by information. But my concern is that there's not going to be a flow of information to Al if Yeah. >> Okay. I don't >> Is there not going to be a flow of information from me to Al if you have an issue? Is that what you're saying? >> Yeah, I mean I brought many different topics up for agendas and concerns and they have not been added to the agenda which I understand

166certain meetings have certain you know flow and things on the agenda. Um but but I am concerned they're worthy of an acknowledgement of that. So she knows that the information made its way all the way through and that there was a decision, an active decision made. >> There's a specific item I think you're referring to for this agenda, >> you know, and no, I I Yes. I mean the the cell phone Yeah. And and I think yes, we can talk about cell phone policies at subcommittee until we get blew in the face, but I think >> it needs to be discussed at a committee level. So, >> so we hold on. We we did discuss that, but I don't really think that has anything to do with the current motion for this particular point of

167contact plan. >> Yes, we you you brought up an idea for an agenda item. We talked about it. >> Yeah, it's repeated. This was just the most recent example. So I I fully support this plan and I love that administration agrees with it and I fully support the policy of K that's mentioned at the bottom of it. But it only functions if we all agree to our norms and standards which an open flow >> we're getting a little off topic. I I don't mean to cut you off. I'm sorry but that might be a separate conversation outside of this motion. We discussed you you got the feedback when you sent the request in for the agenda items. It's not like >> it's a pattern. It's not just a single one >> go anywhere. It's not

168It's not that didn't go any >> Wait, so it didn't go on? She asked to put something on the agenda and didn't go on the agenda. >> The day after the state senate approved their legislation for the cell phone bans in schools. She wanted to have a committee discussion about it. And I felt that the size of the agenda that we have already with all the unknowns of the house saying that they didn't even know if they were going to take it up. The superintendent group conversation that they had about it. I talked with Al about it. We decided it wasn't right for this particular agenda. I told you Jess if you want to talk about in subcommittee have a report about it feel free to do that. >> Yeah. But then in June I

169also requested several different >> We have a motion on the table right now. I'm just saying it only functions as this if we follow the norms and standards. So that is my concern about voting for this particular document. >> Not any other questions about this particular document. >> Uh I have two. So number one, this was not on the agenda as a vote. >> Right. Okay. Yeah. >> So I don't I just don't want to break any protocol. >> Fair enough. That was >> this was not on I just double checked. And the second thing is usually we um at the beginning of every year can't remember what policy I know we have a policy. We revote chair, vice chair, district clerk, um, assistant treasurer, and we do that in November. >> Yeah. So, I

170didn't know when we were planning on doing that. >> November. >> Okay. We, Megan, we moved it a couple years ago because of the elections. >> We had a discussion at a meeting where we talked about what if we did it in September like we normally do and then the people didn't make it in, >> right? So, we'll do it in November, but then you'll redo this docu. I guess maybe >> yes, we'll have to amend the documents. We're not voting on it. So, I just wanted to run it by you as a review at the beginning of the year with some notations that I thought needed to be >> You're talking to your friend to the handbook and to this document. No. >> Well, even anything like we've got people's names on here and

171this is good, but then whenever anybody, if this is on the website, whenever anything changes, somebody's going to have to go back and redo the point of contacts. >> Yes. Yes. So >> I think for this type of a document, it's the exception where you do want the specifics probably and keep updating as opposed to the policies where we took all the specifics out. This might be the exception where you do want the specifics. >> I agree. I like having everybody's contact. I just want to know is somebody going to own this doc? >> Yeah. Is it Jen? Jen and I >> so that you'll update it every time. >> We'll keep this updated. I like the titles in the first part. >> Yep. >> And I think it's a really useful document, especially for

172parents when they have a question like, >> "Hey, I don't know who to talk to about my kids medication." And it's like, "Oh, well, I start with the nurse." >> Um, >> I'm dating myself, but you know, we used to superintendent used to refer to like the Ghostbusters like, "Who you going to call, right? Like, who who you calling? And here's all the information and here's all the telephone numbers." And to the point you guys are saying, it should be a living document. We should be updating it all the time and making sure we're keeping it accurate as well, too. >> All right, let's table that then. We won't vote on it. It wasn't on business items for vote. Uh, is anyone uncomfortable with Al circulating that to people so they know who to call?

173>> I think that falls under your I really don't need a vote on it, but I just wanted to sort of present that to you. Um, and I'll certainly put it on the next agenda for that as well. Okay, everyone's good with that. So, we're going to stop putting that out tomorrow and we'll have that on the stop putting that on our websites as well, too. Um, next, and we I know we got a lot going on. Sorry about that. Um, Apple TV, just a little bit of update with that. Um, as you might be aware, um, they're filming a movie in Berlin called Flashlight. That's what they're telling us, like the name of it is. Um, it's it's happening even as we speak tonight, right? They're filming tonight. Um, they've been using our school,

174Berlin Memorial School, um, for extras, right? It was really an unbelievable. They're using them for makeup, feeding them, costumes, parking. Um, they did it for three days in in July. Um, we received a check for $6,000. Um, they're using it today as well, too. Or they used it last night, today until 4 in the morning, and then they'll grab their stuff tomorrow, so August 11, 12th, and 13th for another total of $6,000. So, I'll be getting a check from them as well, too. So, a total of $12,000 from the rental fees. Um, that was um underneath the purview of me to be able to negotiate um contracts, right? It normally is like $150 for NY's dance studio, right? So, um, but I was dealing with Apple TV. Um, so I I just reached a little

175bit larger. Wish they reached a little bit larger, but it was all it was all good conversation with them. And so, $12,000 that we already are depositing and putting into Veron's account as well too. Um, >> chance I can leave the AC unit. >> Certainly for and I I don't know if this made it in there, but I have copies of the check and they've already been submitted as well too. Um, two other things, Moses Reed Tyler Scholarship. Um, I just want you to know we received two notes, one from Jamie McNamera and from Gretchen Masters. Um, they were addressed to us. So, I'll circulate these among my as part of your communication just thanking them for the scholarship. And I know um um Beth, you've been sort of managing that as well too, but

176I wanted to make sure that we received um that as well too. Okay. At this point, uh um I'm going to turn it over our reports to the admin and directors for the state of the schools. Um, a good leader is always working themselves out of a job and certainly that is what I'm doing now by looking at these people in this room. Um, they have done absolutely amazing work. Um, this admin team is continuously learning and growing and they have done incredible work this summer. Um, very very proud of them and we are ready to open up our school day. So, I thank them um, all of them as well too. Um, I'm looking one second before I go. Did I introduce Joe as being our new tech director now as well? I I

177don't know if I did that when I did those too. I am sorry about that. I just realized that by the way dedication he's in Koopan with his kids drove back tonight to film this and after this tonight he's driving back to Koopa. So I can't think that's the dedication that we're that this team is working on throughout not maybe that much dedication but they've all been working on incredible. So I'll turn it over if I could at this point to to Hanto principal. Um read the reports they did. They're they're powerful. They're meaningful. They give a lot of information. They're going to just give a brief summary. Lisa, please. >> Absolutely. Thank you for the opportunity um to share this evening. Um we're very grateful um for your support. So, first new staff. Um

178we have introduced um Joe and Julie, which we're thrilled. Um we are also really excited um to welcome a special education teacher Thomas Olirri um which was part of a very strategic and well planned consolidation of three parap positions um that we were able to look at um and excited to have because that's important. Um we also um welcoming back our special education coordinator Kelly Boswick. This year we did hire an um a paraprofessional who is specialized with skills for um our increasing population in our bridges program. We also um hire we it's not a new BCBA but replaced um because we had a um a move and where um she started at um the summer program. So that was we have some really great people to start the year. So, we're really excited. You

179might be familiar with um our motto at Tahanto, better together. Um that was always kind of in the background. Um we are shifting this year to together we can um because there are no limits um to what we can do together. We really want to really, you know, um, focus on that and that motto helps to focus our upcoming work with the vertical alignment. Um, our work on the formative assessments that we are going to be doing through UDL. Um, and also weaving that in with our schoolwide goals. And finally, really trying to empower our students to take risks. um and allowing us to focus on shared possibilities and shared successes. Um I think we all are um at the particularly at the middle school um we have new chairs at the middle school. So

180that is we demonstrated um the the size of the chairs last year. So through the capital funding um we replace all the middle school chairs um for all core classrooms as well as through um an additional donation um that I believe Aaron will talk about. We were able to um have new chairs in the special education classroom. So we're really thrilled about that. Um our enrollment for this year is 560. We have um had um quite a number of students enroll. our greatest number of enrollments are in grade seven with six new people that have moved into the district. So that's um exciting. Um and so we're deeply grateful for the hard work um our custodial staff and our office staff has done to prepare for um this school year. Um and um it was

181um you know we're really there everybody's been working really hard. The buildings are beautiful. Um, and so I just kind of wanted to roll in to kind of wrap up the summer. We did host the ESY or the extended school year program at Tahanto this year. Um, we hosted 45 um I littles um which is a ball to have in at the school and um it was it really is a wonderful opportunity to it makes we all know we're excited to have the kids back. We'd love to have the kids in the school because it makes it feel alive. Um, and as some of you may have received, we do have some preschool openings and I sent out a notification um with that information to try to advertise that. Um, additionally at Tanto, we've hosted

182um or will be hosting two safety care training for our staff um districtwide. Um, and at this point, um, I would just like to, um, allow for a moment for Julie to say, um, um, just something as part of my report, just the athletic, um, piece of that because I know she's been working hard at getting up and, um, ready for her role. >> Thank you. I'll be a minute and a half. All right. Um, it's been a busy six weeks here um, as I'm transitioning in. So, for the athletic update, um, registration officially closed tonight uh, at midnight. much later than years past because I was transitioning into the role so I let go a little bit later. Um the Hano will be rostering 13 teams this fall including football which we call westston.

183We have 210 student athletes expected to play a fall sport this season which is an increase of 30 um athletes from last fall season. We are rostering middle school teams, a girls and boys soccer team and a co- golf team. Um, we're also rostering high school teams, girls and boys, JB varsity soccer, varsity golf, co-ed, varsity and girls cross country, varsity boys cross country, and JB and varsity field hockey. Our coaches are near completion of all state MIA requirements, including CPR, AE, and concussion training certifications. Any athlete who has an expired physical has been notified via email today. They have to have an updated physical on file to try out. Um, that's always a source of contention because of the final the uploads come. Nurse Lisa quite literally has to comb through 210 physicals. It's

184an immense amount of work. Um, she has risen to the occasion to, so I do want to recognize her and say thank you. Um, everybody has been notified if they do have an expired physical, so no athletes will be on the field with an expired physical. Triyouts for soccer and JV varsity begin Monday morning at 6 am. Um triyouts for field hockey also begin Monday on the afternoon August 18th. There are no triyouts for golf for cross country and there are also no trials for football. They just start officially on Friday. Game schedules already posted on popular for parents or family members that want to see that. Please note that those will could change throughout the season and that updates will come through our room. And the last thing is we are holding a preseason

185athletic meeting for athletes and families this Sunday August 17th at 5:30 here at the Hunter in the auditorium. We will have a general assembly meeting. So I will give general information about athletics and then that will be followed by a coach le sports specific meeting. >> She's done incredible work since she stood on board. Right. Great article will be appearing in the paper shortly about her as well too from the Clinton Times. Right. We're going to really push that this year to make sure all of our athletes are recognized in that newspaper as well too. >> And just one last thing, all areas around us have hired all female athletic directors. All five are hired female. And like I said to the reporter, we didn't hire Julie because she was a female. We hired because

186she was the best, right? And we're really glad to have her joining our team as well, too. Has done incredible work for us so far. So, >> thank you. >> Thanks, Julie. >> Wait to see your office. By the way, just walk by that office. It looks better than my office. >> Oh, I literally I was giving someone a tour and I'm like I rouches like everything for her and her husband painting and like it's been incredible. >> Um, thanks Lisa. Thanks Julie. Um, >> yeah. So I think Joe's word was excitement. I'm not sure if middle and high school has the same as soon as the door the the the the wax dries and the custodians put out the word the room is ready the the doors open and the teachers start coming back

187in. So, it's just been so exciting and I and I I usually don't see that until August. Um this was mid to late July. We were getting a lot of traffic. So, that just how much energy we have going. Um the building looks amazing. The guys have been crushing it. Uh they they're they're they were up against it. They're probably ahead of schedule now if I had to guess. And um it's just it looks phenomenal. It's going to stay that way during the year. We're going to work really hard to keep building cleanliness as a priority. Um I got to join the planting crop club, the garden club the other night. We did some weeding. Uh I gave about an hour. These guys were still I come back and the place looks amazing. So inside

188and outside look terrific. It's just been awesome. So um did a lot of heavy lifting this summer with the you know the academic sides. Um, I was the first one to have all my hires done. So, I really proud of myself. >> A little bit of competition. >> I thought I just thought that's what you did. I I took everybody. Poor Lisa was left with you. Yeah. So, yeah. Um, we're really excited. One of our biggest changes before I talk about the staff. We're really excited to add our second Bridges classroom to to our school and it's going to make for such a nice transition for these kiddos. Um, we're having an open house on August 20th, which at 3:00 just for our Bridges crew. Then at five o'clock it'll be followed by the whole

189open house for the you know all the families. This is gonna be a real exciting time. I can't wait. Um the only part I'm so jealous of Lisa because she had the kids over here all summer. I just it it's just br such a different level. So I snuck over a few times and got to meet some of them. So um it's just been really exciting. Um and I think I speak a little bit because I know Janelle would cover the bridges part but it's just it's so we're just really happy to have them here and and and it's going to make for a great year. Um, I just really want to quickly go over my staffing. We do have a few changes. Um, obviously the biggest change, the real head of the school is

190Lynn Gross now. She's the school secretary. So, she's kind of and together we're just looking at each other a lot, confused, but we're getting through it. I don't know who do we ask. And then we call Judy from, you know, or Darlene. We're getting I know all the names. So, >> he's good. >> Yeah. So, yeah, we've been calling a lot. Um so in one of my teachers is moving to the Bridg's class for a grade four classroom. So we had an empty space. We hired a Lauren Deno um was Lemonster doing the coaching role as an elementary coach. Uh really excited about her. Um I filled my library pair position with Elizabeth Cox who is actually a certified teacher. So she's going to get her um you know her energy behind her and really

191get some experience doing repair role as the librarian and the recess aid. Um so she'll be right there. She knows how to support the students for what their needs are. I heard some cracker jackack pared educators Mallerie Carusos coming to us um from a lot of experience as a kindergarten parah in Shrewsbury I think. And then I hired two very specialized uh bridges paras that have a strong background and a strong want. they want to learn how to work with these students and so that to us was ex exceptional. So um that was Reese Kesovichi from you and Kaden Mullen and um Kaden Cadence Mullen um and she was working at my building already so she knows the lay of the land. So just to quickly I have um class sizes I don't know if

192you want the the grand total is 332. We're going to be opening our doors for 332 kids. um class sizes. The average in kindergart I rounded them up it's 18 in kindergarten first grade average class size is 17. Grade two a little larger at 22 average class sizes. Grade three is 19. Grade four is 22. Again a little bit large but a little bit easier as they get a little bit bigger. And then grade five we have 21 as the average class size. So that's you know sums it up. So those are nice class sizes you know especially um especially at those earlier levels. So I'm excited. Um, and just again I can't the the key word is excitement. I I I'm I'm ready. I I mean there's still a few little dots to cross

193and and tease to cross and eyes to, but we're almost there. We're we're just about We will be there. So, >> anyone have any questions for Rob or Lisa? So, John Campbell's not here today. His report is in your file. He wanted to do a video, but I spared you guys from all that. Okay. He's dropping off his kid back to college for his sen year. Um Janelle has um family medical emergency. Um so we're hoping things are good with her, but she's given her report and she'll provide that to you later on and maybe in September's meeting as well too. Um Renee, director of curriculum for um in grants grades 6 through 12. >> Yes. So thank you. Um and and and thank you. You know, this transition to the position has been um

194exciting, but the summertime is always different, right? you can't always get a hold, especially in my role, you can't always get a hold of people on the other end, um, to kind of fill in the gaps. So, um, it's been great to have people with history in the district to kind of to help with that. Um, so we had a great admin retreat. I thought this year we put together, um, a really nice few days together. We used a lot of different buildings. Traditionally, we had just been in one location. This year, we kind of moved around a bit. Um, used Tanto. We also were able to use 19 Carter in Berlin, which was a great venue. So, we thanked them from their hospitality. Um, which then was exciting because we got to use the

195Berlin General Store for food. Um, which was great. Yeah, it was really fun. So, we really enjoyed that opportunity. Um, and over those three days, we did a lot of work on our professional learning plan, our strategic plan alignment, but we also met with our emergency um, you know, municipal officers and really made sure our safety plans were great. and Rich helped to lead that which was really really important that that work every year that we do with them. Um and you know they like the coffee and donuts right the camaraderie the community that's a fun time with them. It really is. Um and um I yeah it was it was was a nice time. Um so for for professional learning there's a lot there in the report right it kind of detailed out what

196those days will look like as of now right that planning. We are really fortunate that um Al has connected us with Dr. Susan O'Neal. She's really um she has a lot of experience um with our our center of universal design for learning and she's really going to help support and guide our work. Um and um she is bringing in some some speakers that we're able to um fund with some grant funding. Um and Al had spoken about Katie Novak coming in as our spearhead. Um, we're going to be doing a book study that, um, you know, Katie Novak has amazing energy. I think she's going to bring a ton to the table. If you have a chance to check out her website, I can send it to you guys. It's really, there's a lot there.

197She's she's a really powerful speaker, so that'll be a great kickoff day. Um, and Nancy Nancy Frey, it does a lot of work. Um, she also is still in the field at a high school, so we're going to be able to bring her in. We're actually able to get her free of charge because Dr. Susan O'Neal has such wonderful connections. Um, so we're really very fortunate. I feel very very fortunate that we have um this plan laid out and it will be something that, you know, Lisa spoke a little bit. We're going to really be focusing on formative assessment to drive our instruction. So um, you know, teachers will have to come prepared, right? So they're going to be prepared to then learn. Um, so we we are each session is going to build off

198the next for the for for the whole year. And um, and we're really excited about that plan. Again, it's it's more detailed in the report, but um I feel like our admin team's on board. Um you know, and we will continue to learn and grow as as do, you know, the educators as well. Um the strategic plan process is now underway and I, you know, just can't say, you know, we're very grateful for the school committee for accepting this. This is really a need. Um, and you know, I I met with Pam Gould um last week to just set those dates in place and we need to start hitting the ground running. So, the the goal is by September 1st that we have our committee members locked in, right? And that's weeks away because she

199wants to start those meeting dates and focus groups in October. So, we really need people to commit to the dates. So, she gave me the dates, you know, here are the dates. Um, they're in your report. take a look at them. There's some important ones um for focus groups um that you that school committee would need to be aware of um including that October 14th date. So, we can talk about that more in detail. Um but from here, what what ends up happening is that we would after this meeting, right? We're waiting for this meeting to kind of just let school committee know where we're at and then we will, you know, make those phone calls. I think Al is committed to making those phone calls to both Berlin and Boilston um to the FINCOM

200to the select boards to ask for representatives from both towns. Um we have um our principles that hopefully will get some recommendations um from parent representatives from both towns based on their school advisory councils that they already have in place. um students. Um it is advised that it's just high school students, a representative from both both towns. Um so we'll ask for Lisa's guidance there. Um the nice thing about the way that um you know, Pam and Zeph are going to do this plan for us is you have committee members that are going to go to your big, you know, two and a half, three hour meetings each month, but then they're going to have all of October where they're going to meet with all stakeholders. So there's going to be an opportunity advertised in

201October for you know school committee and representatives to come and they're going to spend an hour of time um in that focus group you know meeting and and um and I forget the specifics of talked about you don't have to go to executive sessions but you can go offline I forget the language there but that that can it wouldn't be you know that would be an offline so people can feel free to to speak at at will there um and there'll be an hour for each stakeholder group um including students here at Tahanto parents. Um, and all those dates are lined out. I just need to make sure Al is good with them, school committee is good with them. We can, you know, I laid those out for you in the in the report. I

202can I share that again with you on a checklist just so it's right in front of you. Um, but we need to move we need to move quickly so that that's ready to go for the new superintendent and that we really have because that's then going to drive right our whole planning for for you know for the next few years. Um, so I'm excited about that. >> Just if you're going to sign up for the strategic plan, you got to commit to all those dates. So you can't just come in for one and say I'll come for this meeting. You got to commit to that. So just want to make sure publicly people know that as well, >> right? And so that's why we wanted to come forward in the report with those dates that

203that um, you know, Pam and Ze had set for us. The time that they felt most appropriate would be late afternoon to early evening. That way if there's other family commitments. So, the dates that are outlined um would be from a 3:30 to a 6:00 pm um time frame. Um so, again, we will we'll we're committed to getting representatives from all those those groups from both towns. Um the last thing is just title and grant funding. Um as you know, you probably heard the news, things are kind of a bit on pause. Um but we have um great representatives actually at Dusty that are working with us every week. They're filling us in where we're at. Um, I was able to connect with our personal representative for our district last week and had a really

204good call and she actually just sent me a working group session for um, on Monday if I want to come in and, you know, start to to to work in person with her as well. So, um, I'm really excited about having those connections, but we're still waiting um, on the the the actual allocations. Title one looks like that is all good to go, but the title um 2A, which which you know, we we just don't know where that's at. And the title four, we won't know where that is at quite yet. Um just another piece that wasn't in my report is that we do have new teacher um it's really teacher in Paris, but all new staff are invited to kind of an orientation next Tuesday here at Tahanto. Um and we'll align our teachers

205um with mentors um so that they will have that opportunity to meet them and start that process as well. Um and then just one clarifying you know comment thought I know Mike had reported out on the superintendent search just kind of a clarifying piece on if um you know Tracy was still wanting to come. Um that was part of our PD plans for that first day. So, you don't have to answer me now, but just kind of a clarifying thought of if Tracy Novak is actually planning to come to speak to our staff, kind of like she would to the school committee. Um, >> but we we have I'm working with Tracy just because she's going to talk on those first two open days to the entire district at a time and we have everyone

206together just to talk to teachers in Paris and custodians and cafeteria workers about the process. That's all. >> Yeah. So, um you know, we're just we're we're looking forward to there's a lot in store for right for all of us this year. Um, and we're just grateful for the the school committee's support of it. >> Only thing you didn't mention was about the escape room. >> Yeah, we end up winning in that escape room. We're all So, we didn't escape all of us. We went >> Well, we could send you the picture and we won't tell you who came home with the key. >> That in their pocket to one of the valuable doors of the escape. >> We ruined the place for three days. >> Shut down cuz John Campbell had the the key

207piece in his pocket. It was a lot of fun. It was really It was a great community building, you know, time for us. It was really, it was a lot of fun. >> I think John, myself, and Rob, who who was with me? John, who else was me? Joe would still be in there if they didn't like them to save our lives. But it was a lot of great team building. What? What? Really well done. Thanks, Renee. Any questions for Renee? >> Okay. Um, Joe. >> Yes. >> Director of technology. No longer in front of that title. >> Thank you. Um, so quick updates from the technology department. Uh, we've hired Lean Farmer who comes to us after moving back up north from New Jersey. Um, I reached out to her former school and they

208were extremely sad to have her leave, but very excited for us to have the opportunity to to bring her on to our team. So, she's been great since she started. Um, as she's around, I'll introduce everyone to her. Um, but she's been a a great asset to our team as we continue to get ready for the start of the school year. And she's replacing Kyle. She's replacing Kyle. >> She replaced Kyle as well. Yes. >> So Kyle Kyle moved on and Leanne filled his position. Um so the district is uh state reporting for the district with Jessie is due on uh 8:15, which is this Friday. We are in line and we're just finalizing a few errors and we'll be submitted on time with them. Uh no need to file for an extension or anything

209like that. Everything looks good to go there. We just said a few things. Um, as things transitioned over from power school to the state, there was just some discrepancies that we're working through. So, everything's minor there. Um, student devices with capital funding. We bought new devices for our fifth grade students at Bees and BMS, both uh, Boilston and Berlin. So, our fifth grade students will get new Chromebooks and then their Chromebooks will get cycled down um to the younger grades and we'll continue on with that year after year hopefully um moving forward. So, the plan is to replace fifth graders and then cycle them down and then by the time they reach kindergarten and first grade they'll be out of warranty and then um they'll be replaced. um going about the bridges room at Boilston

210Elementary. Um we are in the process of installing interactive display panels for those two classrooms. Uh learning about the open house on the 20th. I have one that has to be installed before then, but the other classroom is good to go. I'll be working um with the teachers of those two classrooms to provide the professional development they need. So they will have all the training that they have. So come day one they feel comfortable with it. These new interactive display boards are 65 in multiple points of touch Google integrated. Um you can um aircast to them. You can connect devices to them. Um you can load individual Google apps onto them. So I think they're going to be a tremendous resource for those two those two classrooms in that program. And it's also going to

211allow us a hands-on opportunity to pilot them to hopefully see if this is the direction that we want to go with the rest of our classrooms districtwide. Um the cost of them is roughly the same cost as replacing one of the short throws short throw projectors that you see in the classrooms now. So as those break and they have to be replaced, I want to have a plan in place on what we're replacing them with moving forward. And like I said, they're about the same cost as that. So that's good. And it's it's going to be fun for these programs to have that. Um, we've installed and we're in the process of completely rolling out paper cut mobility to track and monitor printing throughout the district. It also is going to allow our administrative team

212as well as our teachers that float from building to building the ability to print something. Say we have our music teacher that has to go from Boilston Elementary to Berlin. she can hit print or they can hit print in Boilston and print it in Berlin seamlessly. So, um that application works uh off their ID badge or their key badge. So, as long as they have this and you can use the touch screen and punch in your username and code, but it'll work off of these badges as well. So, as new people are come in, it's tied to their Google email address, so it automatically integrates over. So as they get their email address, they get access to print and that follows them districtwide. So and that's anybody in the district that has it um including

213school committee members as well. So you have the ability to to access that following printing or paper cut as well. Um the big change that we've had or the big change that we've made um and those of you who have students at home may have already seen it. Uh we are in the process of rolling out and implementing securely monitoring. Um you can see in my notes we we've we're in the process of installing four levels of their their program and application. One of them is filter for monitoring the websites that they go on and and content filtering. Um, included in that is a AI feature that will monitor and restrict what they can get back from AI. Meaning, so if a high school student said, "I need a three paragraph essay on the Civil

214War." They're not going to get a three paragraph essay back. They're going to get, "Here are some key topics on the Civil War. Here are some suggestions on how to write your paper." um so they're not going to get the answer that they're looking for, they're going to get steps on how to create the work on their own. Um we've we've also installed aware and respond. So as students are typing out projects or sending emails or using the chat feature, if anything that is monitor, everything that's monitored is going through the aware filter. So bullying, um there's a long list, but it protected one of the the categories that we could check off was um neglect. So if a kid sends an email out and and aware feels like it's neglectful, it'll flag it. Um

215and then that will create a ticket and it'll get sent to a school adjustment counselor or to a principal and then they will have the opportunity to either review it, clear it or follow up on it with the student and and complete the ticket and in that aspect. So that's aware and respond. Um and then the last feature that is is being rolled out is classroom. Um I know in my my subcommittee we've talked about this immensely. Um, one of the features that we wanted to kind of implement throughout the district is giving our teachers in grades three through 12 the ability to monitor what their students are on. Um, so as long as they're logged into their school email, uh, their school Google account, and they're on Chrome, it's going to monitor the websites

216they're on, the tabs that they have open, and it's also going to give the teacher the ability to close a tab, restrict websites, lock browser down in response. Um, there's some professional development that has to go out with that to support the teachers and and explain to them how they they can utilize this. Um, so the classroom feature in itself, I don't anticipate to be completely rolled out until probably the end of quarter 1 when I have the ability and the time to meet with everyone and make sure that they're comfortable with the platform and how to use it. And I just want to make sure that with a program like this that they have the training that they need to find it as a resource rather than a nuisance. Um, that's that's important to

217me when when I provide new technology is is to give the the staff the the professional development they need and how to utilize it. Um, moving on, the camera projects at both Boilston and Berlin is underway. Um, we've had the contractor in the last week and a half. He's been wiring the two buildings. The the um devices have not arrived yet. So, in the efforts to get all of the in the building processes done, we we brought them in. So, everything's going to be wired. Everything will be ready to go. So, as soon as the inventory of the stock comes in, it'll be plug-and-play. They'll be able to mount the cameras on the outside of the buildings. They'll have the server and the integration for the server rooms, and that will be installed. and then

218Dave and I will work with the vendor to get everybody to get the proper people access and to make sure that everything's up and running. Um, one of the the biggest growths is the elementary schools will now have visible access on the um back sides of their building. Um, so the security will cover the back sides of the building where the kids play. So that will be monitored um and the system will be ready to go. So as we build on it, we can add more cameras to eventually give us 360 degree views of security around the exterior of the buildings. Um right now we'll probably have close to 270 degrees. There'll still be some areas that we won't have visibility to, but the plan is to get that up for next year or if

219funds become available to add to it this year. Um, and we'll it will also allow us to So, I'll work with Rich. Um, and for the security feature, we'll be able to access this remotely. So, if something was to happen and they reach out to Rich and it's in Berlin, Rich can log right in from his computer where he is. If he was at a professional development offsite, he could log in there. So he will have um 100% access all the time um to this system to provide assistance as well as the administration and the administrators in all the buildings. Um and we'll be able to lock it down. So for instance, Lisa wouldn't have access to Berlin's cameras because she wouldn't need that. So she'll just have access to the cameras here. John will

220have access to his cameras. Rob will have access to the cameras at Boston. Um so that's happening there. At Berlin, we are replacing all of the access points throughout the building um just to strengthen the Wi-Fi. Um it was something that was purchased prior to me that we were just able to get done over the summer. Um this was purchased through funding on last year's budget. We just haven't had the opportunity to um install it yet. So, they're being installed now. And finally, the Berlin website, which has been rebuilt, is going to be in the process of being rolled out. So, I over the next day or so, I'll be providing um the school committee and administration the ability to go and look at the draft website and see if there's anything that needs to

221be added to it, changed, manipulated, um if something was missing, what was on the old website that we want to see on the new website. So th this will be going out during the next couple days. So hopefully by the first day of school I'll have the site live for families to see. And that's the technology report. >> Yeah. Jess. >> Um so back in July a parent emailed and I forwarded to the chair. Um she was concerned that um I guess Seesaw had a lawsuit about tracking data. And so I just wanted to continue that question to you if if you feel okay with that about in terms of the use of AI that that you know they're not tracking data. >> So securely works with Google and Google has restrictions on it to

222not allow tracking. So I can get a certificate of compliance if if that would um suffice for for the board. Uh I trust we have the ability within Google to turn off that with third-party applications. So, um, anything that's integrated with all of the applications we use should not have tracking on, especially especially for the younger grades because that's um, they're protected by law in that aspect as well. So, >> where do we stand with the parent student emailing for middle school? So last that was brought up at our subcommittee meeting. It was there was never any final decision made. Um >> there are options and it's available. I've reached out to several other of my um district friends and their schools don't allow it. Um as of right now it's still turned off. I

223was waiting for guidance from school committee on what you wanted me to do. Um, as of right now, our emails are district only expect for our students. So, they can only email within the domain. So, they can email other students and they can email faculty and staff, but that's it. And they cannot receive emails from anybody outside of the domain. Um, that was done in efforts to improve security, privacy, and protection for our students. I think at the subcommittee we had discussed that in some parents are trying not to have cell phones and so that was a selling point that you could email your kid and they could check it before the end of the day or send an email like I need a ride now or you know for sports. Um so I think

224that was frustrating for a lot of parents that were trying to avoid the cell phones. Um, we discussed that it's not a very hugely manual labor intensive process that it's a report that you can run. I believe you, you know, off of power school or something along those lines >> to get like a contact like >> correct. I mean, I I could I could pull a contact list for each individual student um under their guardians and then go through it and make sure that that those have been embedded as the parent or guardian emails and then I could build a white list and and put that into the Google admin console as a white list. Um that is a possibility. >> Is that like a ton of work though? >> I mean nothing nothing is

225not a ton of work. Like that sounds like you'd have to do that for every student. >> I would I would um >> high school students don't have that problem. >> High school is open. The high schools can't >> as of right now it opens up at 9th grade. Um the reason why we did that is because kids work. >> They they created Navian accounts. They've created other accounts that may and they may have used their school email address. theories. We were having some troubles with the kids, right? >> I recall the reason why we did it. I recall. >> So, we shut that down for middle school kids. >> What about elementary kids? >> It's off. It's off. >> Okay. >> It's off up through grade eight. I mean, there was some thought like

226elementary kids should be going to the school nurse and going through those proper channels and it was being abused in terms of I'm sick, come pick me up. And so that has to be very clear that that's not >> allowed like you can't just appear at the front desk and say my mom's coming to pick me up. But I think in terms of their school sports and activities um and so that was a concern from a lot of different parents. >> And just to to to piggy back off that the only reason um with your seventh and eighth in sixth grade too sixth grade participate. So now we're talking about sixth, seventh and eighth who can participate in high school sports, right? So that's where that might they may get a a change in schedule

227at 1:45 and say I got to get in touch with my parents and it's changed, right? So a quick email on that aspect. Yes, those are the ones that are completely and 100% understandable unless there's other options or the kids could go make a phone call at the office or or I mean there are other options and alternatives to using the email system >> for things other than school related. Well, I mean, technically athletics is a school related function. So, it it's a it's a it's a big canister, right, to >> Yeah. >> to dig through. >> Now, if you turn them back on, if you turn the access back on so they can email outside of the district in sixth, seventh, and eth, >> will it open up that other problem that we had

228before? >> Yeah. So that like if there's a group chat or group message then the student can go in and read it. >> No, that's been turned off. That's some that was something completely different. >> That was something different. But to go back to what you were talking about that student had emailed from a school email to other non-school emails. >> That's why the so a report can be run for power school to get the emails. They would just have to be double checked. um which could be perhaps you know be sent out through those email I don't know you know to we don't want to be a labor intensive process but I think that >> is there something that your uh the subcommittee would work on and like present to the full committee for

229something around this >> we were hoping to go into the school year we really wanted to go into the school year with the kids and the parents being able to make >> after school arrangements quickly and efficiently. It's it's a it's a huge complaint. It's a huge driver for parents giving their kids cell phones. I would love to go into the school year with at least the kids and parents from at least their contact guardian addresses. >> I would we can do I'm not going to say everything that you want to do. I can do my best to accommodate everything that you trying to do. I just need guidance from you on what you want me to do and then I will do that. So we have a situation that this was turned off to

230prevent any situations like that happening to protect our kids. >> It was shut down. >> But the concern is parent communication with the kids. >> You guys talked about this in the subcommittee. >> Yes. >> Did you have anything to propose to the full committee? >> Yes. I requested to put it on in the end of June for the >> I don't recall that. >> Yeah. Um >> I I remember you asking me to have Joe speak to the security protocols that were put in. >> Yep. And the email. So, >> did you send a proposal to put on there, Jessica? Because I'm not trying to I'm not trying to be difficult with you. >> No. So, I had a list of action items and you included the email. So, I apologize. There was many

231action items there that needed to be discussed at the full committee. So, >> I'll go back through it. My emails I I don't recall getting this email. I'm sorry. >> That's okay. Um, so, you know, it's not a decision that we can decide. I thought the way that we left it at the last committee meeting was that you you had made the suggestion what you could do through powers school and then you said you would prefer to have the full committee's support. So I guess maybe I misunderstood and I was supposed to make a present. I guess I misunderstood. I was really hoping to go into the school. A realistic timeline anyway is the end of September to do something like this because the schools send out their profile sheets to get any corrections to

232the power of school profiles. So that that would help alleviate some of the vetting process. So we have time. So if we said okay by the end of September this could be done I can do that because the profile sheets the profiles should be updated by then >> and all our new students coming into the middle school all of that information right email addresses change for parents during the summer so we need to validate all that stuff as well too >> do you want something on the next meeting >> in September so the first so they let's say there's a sixth grader who's playing I know a perfect example a sixth grader who's going to play JB soccer maybe might play JB soccer and practice changes and it's the first week of September. How does

233that child get in touch with mom and dad during the day if the child does not have cell phone? >> So, Arbiter kids that walk to the office and say, "Can I call my mom and dad?" >> No. Arbiter is the is the um there is a system that notifies, >> but the parent can't tell the kid like, "Please go home on the bus." The kid might still be sitting here thinking the parent's going to come pick them up. So the parent piece that's missing the parent >> but the kid will be like now what do I do? Do I >> they give announcements they'll know that it's canceled but they're not at that point they're going to say do I get on the bus do I wait here >> and so it'll be for

234that whole month that the kid is going to say a new sixth grader is going to be like well no what do I do >> and they're not going to make the choice >> and if they don't they're going to make the wrong choice every time. >> Yeah. No I get that. Um, >> what why don't why don't why don't we do this put something together for Joe or for us to consider discuss at the next meeting. We'll put that on put it put it on the agenda right now. Communication plan for email. I don't know what to call it, but we can do that. And what what you guys thought you were going to >> I mean >> I would just turn it on for the month of September. I don't know. >> So

235we still go old school, right? And that's what we want people to do. So Susie gets that notification or gets the announcements from Lisa and Susie can go to the office and say, "Can I call my parents?" And that's what we set up right now. That that's the most efficient. >> Parents call the office and tell my kid. >> Vice versa. >> Yeah, I guess. Yeah, I guess. Yeah, you just have to like maybe Julie can communicate that in her message like if your child doesn't have a pickup plan, please call the office so that their teachers can notify >> because the part you're missing and that's really what should be happening because that communication that parent and child they have it these guys don't know. So all of a sudden now Susie says I'm

236going home on the bus or I'm walking home and we say wait a minute you're supposed to go on the bus >> track at the little high school. I I don't know that Miss Angelo is gonna love the entire like middle school soccer team show, >> but she does. >> She I'm sorry to interrupt, but she she is on her email constantly answering that phone when we have had pick up ar you know the things that change for buses. I mean she unfortunately the teachers don't like it the amount of time she might have to interrupt those classes. That's a common complaint from teachers >> because we're interrupting based upon parent, you know. So, I mean, she she really is so devoted to that loving, >> right? >> I mean, the easy solution that Julie

237would love is just give your kid a cell phone. >> You could say another solution. >> You should say make a plan with your p with your child ahead of time. If practice is canceled, this like if it were me, I would say, "All right, if practice is canceled, I'll be here at this time to pick you up. If it's on, you go to practice." >> So, how about this? Uh Lisa and Joe, >> they want we want a plan to allow for this communication. You know what they want. So work something out for the start of school and then if you guys want to put something together in subcommittee and see if it's possible with Joe. If the committee needs to vote on it that way, bring it to the next meeting, we can

238vote on it, then we'll put on the agenda. But in the meantime, whatever your plan is, just communicate it out. >> Yeah. So your communication has been amazing but I guess we need to make sure the powers like your emails are correct and arbiter please subscribe to arbiter for pra p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p practice going out through that as well. >> Yep. Y and I'll explain all that and I'll send another email everyone that explains that because it's not clear but because I am having a preseason meeting, this is a really good time to tell people about this. >> Yeah.

239>> So if I can leave tonight with >> something tell them um If practice is canceled, the parents will get notified. Sure, because we're going to do that also through the an app with the coaches, but the kid doesn't know what to do. >> Eighth graders are going to know what to do. Seventh graders, but sixth graders will not. So, definitely >> as a committee, we can't take action on it tonight because it's not on the agenda. So, >> you guys have to work something out between now and then. we can put something on the agenda on the 9th to vote to instruct Joe to do whatever it is we're going to decide to do. >> Does that work? >> Yeah. Parents have to have a contingency plan with their kid and practice is canceled

240that you have to push that down. I think just notifying the parent, they'll figure it out. I didn't realize >> and and don't we want to know as a as a school like how our kids are getting home? Like god forbid like a kid doesn't make it home like did he get on the bus? walk home. That's Didn't my aunt pick him up because I can't make it today. We should be knowing that, right? >> at the elementary school, it's well documented, but at the middle high school, >> um it's >> it's not. >> Okay. >> It's our It's our biggest concern every day of >> every school dismissal manager at elementary level. I don't think you have an app like that in time. You don't. Yes. You have no idea who's >> I don't

241know why every school doesn't have it. It's amazing. I guess. >> Okay. Are we good with that? >> Okay. >> Thanks. >> Okay. Great. Thank you. Um Aaron. >> All right. So, uh first and foremost, I want to apologize. There's a capitalization error in the first sentence. Um and a pluralization error. >> Who caught it? something. Yeah, something was quirky there. Uh, so I'm just going to go through through the items on my report very quickly, just summary um item by item. Um, interestingly, I have four separate fiscal years to report on at this point, which is a whole ball of fund. Uh, fiscal 24, I'm just, um, I don't know if how much we shared of that, but um, you know, we were finally able to close the books right around May 1st. Uh

242we fulfilled everything with our auditor. Um you know worth noting as I mentioned I mean we were still paying fiscal 24 bills in January of 2025. So you know at that point then we have to bring the auditor in go through the process. Um so we did um uh certify our END not usable this year as we talked about before but we will have that balance of funds available as we move into this next year and we reertify END. Um it's nice knowing that that's sitting there regardless. Um getting into fiscal 25. Um I'm hoping to close the books um by the end of August for the most part. Um uh so 10 months ahead of when we did it this past year, which is I think a pretty good move. Um once we do

243that, I'll begin rolling balances. Uh I've talked to principles about if individuals need me to roll one account balance earlier. Uh I'm happy to do that and then I'll retract it later and reroll everything. Um I think last year there was a lot of confusion. They rolled all the balances very early and it caused a lot of confusion especially since with all those bills right that changes the numbers drastically. So um things weren't where they should be. Um, my intent is in the September meeting to give you a closing report of some sort that sort of says where we ended up. Um, that also, as you'll recall, in December, um, you guys approved sort of a basic budget. Um, what our auditor is going to want to see is sort of a detailed budget like

244how much we going to spend in choice, how much are we going to spend, and I think Jesse might want to see that as well. So, I'll kind of give you the breakdown of how that's going to come about. um minimizing how much we spend in choice um because that's sort of our savings account uh to the best degree possible. Uh we are off to a good start on fiscal 26. Everything is up to date. I don't have a lot to report. Um you'll know and I think this would would have been in Janelle's report as well. Um Aset Valley Collaborative um cancelled their contract with Vanpool to provide um special education transportation. Um that is somewhat contentious um uh to say the least. Um uh they have rebid that contract um uh and selected

245cabs for kids. Um that is going to change the cost structure a little bit. Um two things I point out though is that we received $78,000 in additional circuit breaker. just going to help a couple different things um in the budget and then once we do our fiscal 26 circuit breaker I know that's down the road but that additional cost will largely be covered through circuit breaker because um transportation is now covered by circuit breaker um most most of circuit breaker and this would have been Janelle's report is staying at 75% so that's a good number um it's been solid uh fiscal 27 planning has already begun. Uh, a few school committee members have been on capital walks. That's part of the fiscal 27 planning process. Uh, in September, I will begin working on staffing

246worksheets for the principles. I'll share those out. Um, they'll take a look, verify staffing, uh, work with me with any, uh, you know, discrepancies, things like that. Then we'll roll that up to kind of a full budget that'll come out in October that they'll get some input in. We'll have conversations about asks and wants and hopes and dreams, things like that. Uh and then we'll sort of go into the whole budget process. I know um we have uh capital due to Berlin uh at the end of October. I know the towns are going to want some sort of initial budget passed by December. So, that's sort of the target goal there. Um, uh, uh, district treasurer, um, you may recall we hired Bob PKI. Uh, he has been fantastic. Um, he and I are are

247he's hit the ground, not just running, but sprinting. Um he and I have been sitting down on a weekly basis going through reconciliations uh figuring out how to how to make the process cleaner um more correct um and accurate which is huge. Um and he's he's picking up on a lot of things um that are going on and and sort of how to make those more efficient. Uh the next item relates a little bit to department staffing. Um, as as many of you know, we had an intern in this summer. Um, you can read a little bit about a lot of the really effective projects that we were able to to have him do. Um, you know, with that said, um, I've been very hesitant. Um, there's a vacant position in the department. I've been

248hesitant to sort of push to to fill it partly because we've been bringing we brought in a lot of consultants earlier, the TMS and all of that. Um it's sort of my intent to work towards filling that position now. Um which will allow us to keep on top of many of these things in a better fashion. You'll also see there's some other efficiencies in the long term that I think we'll be able to um to gain. So that's um it's there. So I'm not necessarily asking for a vote or anything. Um I just want to you know kind of affirm that with you all um in in this uh finally uh when we talk about fields and property management we've had a lot of conversation about that uh Julie and I um Al was there

249who else was there? Dan was there uh we had an opportunity to do a demonstration of something called a turf tank and basically it is a GPS field lighting system. So it has in its uh sort of database every possible sort of soccer field, field hockey, football field, baseball diamond um in its sort of banks and you set it up. You you you give it sort of a a base point to start at and it has a receiver. Uh it works through GPS and it lines a field that would normally take an hour or more in about 20 minutes. Um >> it's incredible. beautiful work. Um they have tons and tons of of positive um uh sort of com comments and things like that. Uh they're about the only player in the game. Um uh

250from a from just a savings standpoint in terms of staff going out there and spending all of that time lining fields. Um we can make a lot better use of that time. Um they work on sort of a rental process rather than sort of an outright purchase. to be about $14,000 a year. Um, we are talking to other organizations. I think we did started talking to someone from Berlin, but they've just decided to buy to to get it themselves. Did someone mention that? >> I don't. >> Where was that? That came up today in one of our meetings. Um, but we'll talk about it. We'll definitely um so this feels like one of those no-brainers. Um, you know, it's a not >> straight lines too, by the way. Straight >> lines. So big university UMass

251uses this right as well too. >> The Patriots, didn't they say the Patriots the Revolution was used? >> Great product. >> What about up there? >> There won't be. >> You really going there, Joe? You really >> We're going to level that all up, Joe. We're gonna level that all up. >> So with that said, also we've started looking knowing that this was coming. We've started looking at they are making commercialrade lawn maintenance systems. So mowers and things like that, I'd encourage you, this isn't necessarily what we go with, but one of the sort of more interesting ones is this modular system. It's a Yarbo. It comes with a a primary unit that's just sort of the computer and the drive. And then you can put on attachments. So you put on a mower attachment,

252you put a snowblower attachment, you put an edger attachment, blower, all sorts of things. So, I don't know if we'd go that crazy, you know, sort of wild and crazy, but a commercial mower is something again, we could have it running all night, right? So, we'd have no need to have staff mowing all of the fields. Um, and it runs on GPS. It goes just like your Roomba. It goes right back to its docking station when it's done and starts charging. So, >> the the lining of the field was absolutely incredible. And by the way, just for a record, it started to quiet. We we all ran in. Aaron and myself, were you there too, Dan? We all ran in. Julie was the only one out there with the machine still still lying the field.

253Um, but it was absolutely incredible to see talk about the accuracy of it as well, too. So, >> we learned a lot about field hockey, field, >> exactly sizes and making sure that everything's adequate as well. >> So, I'm happy to field questions. >> Thank you, Erin. Any questions >> or No, that's great. >> Last one. Danny, last but certainly not least, give an update of the of the schools and presentation. Thanks, Aaron. >> Yeah. >> First, I just want to thank the custodial staff for all the hard work they've done, creating the district. Um, builders are looking great, in great shape. Just, you know, the final ends and here and there and and we'll be all set. Moving some classrooms around in Berlin. Um, all of the per maintenance on the life safety stuff

254has been done through fire equipment incorporated. It all passes. It all passed. We had a couple deficiencies on the smoke detector that we had to replace and also some gauges over at Bland on the fire pump system. But it all passed. Um was just still waiting on the uh the the walk through with the fire department for both towns. Uh we did the uh lettered copper samples over at Berlin. Everything passed. Flying colors. We're good to go. They did the samples of five different areas of the school. uh we just have to post that on our website uh just to be in compliance and also post it in in the school itself and I mean >> again filters filters >> filters rooftop units all been changed I mean I'm still working on a couple of

255barreling Boston just we're just waiting to get some more filters in but yeah we do our filters change twice a year we do it now in August and then we do it again in in February >> excellent >> what was the copper >> was it what was the copper in the Also in Berlin we have a well system. So we monthly monthly we do the bacteria sample and once a year we do the big letting hopper sample. So we all pass. >> Okay. >> Questions with you. >> Any questions for me? >> I'm here. >> So because you're already cuz you're already I know >> I'm here trying to stay awake. Um so scoopy chair scoopy I present to you I present you the state of the schools. Um we should be extremely proud of

256this group right here and we certainly look forward to working with you guys this year. They've done amazing work and and we couldn't be more proud of so state of the Thank you very much. Thanks everybody. Thank you. [Applause] >> All right. Thanks Al. Thanks everybody. Uh subcommittee updates. Jess student success and technology. Do you have one? >> Yeah. So, we have a few action items to talk about next meeting, but we'll have um the subcommittee between then and now. Um the biggest one being the parent emails. Um and then Joe had already talked about the securely feature. Um and again like that is it wasn't securely, it was another one. Oh, classroom, right? where the classroom allows teachers to be able to freeze kids out of certain windows and lock them into one screen.

257Um, and that's a tool to be used not to add burden to staff. So, you know, if they're trying to have kids write an essay, they can lock them into Google what well I'm dating myself, but um so hopefully that can be utilized once you're able to give training on that. So, that's exciting tool for them. Um and then the Senate bill um about cell phone bans was passed in the Senate and went to the House. Um Governor Healey also on July 9th um gave her support for a mill cell phone. So we're just waiting for the summer August location whatever to end and the House to go back and look at that. And Jessica, if I can just add, MASS and MASC is working on something universal across. So, everyone's not going to be

258on an island like CO and creating their own plans. So, they're going to come up with something. Um, we should be within the next one. So, Tracy probably update us after she comes. >> There's probably going to be something at the conference about that, too. So, >> was that Megan budgets the facility? >> So, we actually met today. Um, had a great meeting. Um, we worked on I think Lauri requested for the handbook that's the first read. She requested like a blurb on what each subcommittee does. So, Lisa, thank you so much. We like talked about that. She's going to compile it and then we'll have that for uh September 9th. Um, we talked about the walkthroughs that are going on and capital planning and the goal of our next meeting, which will be on

259September 3rd, is that Aaron's going to present the capital plan to us. Um, another thing we talked about that we'll do at that meeting is talk about like a schedule for um I'm going to propose a schedule for the year of meetings monthly and you know hopefully trying to get some of the um fincom and the um you know select or whoever's interested from the towns to come in and you know just kind of jump start that. We didn't have that advantage last year because Aaron wasn't here and we were you know trying to play catchup until you know like he said the winter time. Um, so that was one thing we talked about, you know, trying to do some of that in October or November. Um, the last thing we discussed was, you know,

260having a set solid schedule that we're going to hopefully agree on. I think we agreed we want to try to meet once a month on Wednesdays around 100 p.m. Um, and I think that was it the week before the meeting. Yeah, we're going to try obviously we'll try to meet before the school committee meeting so that we'll have an update and just you know the purpose of the committee is we're going to try to work with Aaron to you know if there's any I call it in the weeds stuff that we can do to kind of like discussions and stuff we can do to kind of shorten these discussions. Um that's going to be kind of our goal. So, you know, if we get guidance the meeting before or ahead of time, then we can

261incorporate that into our agenda, work on that, and then have hopefully have like a briefer presentation um you know, at the actual meeting. And of course, the subcommittee meetings we talked about are recorded and you know, there's minutes, so there's it's not like we're trying to sherk it. Just try to maybe shorten these five hour meetings a little bit. >> That's it. >> Cool. Thanks. Uh, Lori, superintendent search. >> Yep. Really quickly, um, I had you guys look at a a very quick document that's in there. It's basically how many people are in the school, what are the positions that are there. It's going to turn into something like this. This was 2017. It was a brochure that they gave to all the superintendent candidates. I still happen to have mine. They don't send out

262brochures anymore, but this is basically what it's going to turn into. Um, Megan wrote up a good because we had to rewrite our community profile and she went and used this but then added the extras that we really needed. We're not voting on this. I just want your eyes on it. So, if you have any suggestions because once we pass it off to MASC, they're going to make their document, bring it back to us and then we'll vote on it and um Tracy will talk more to that um when she comes. And then the only other thing was the the calendar of potential dates for um superintendent candidates and Tracy will speak more to that in our next meeting whether we all need to be present or um if it's just going to be the

263subcommittee or how it's going to work. So just want to put those two things on your radar. >> Thanks Lori. Um for policy update uh it's just the policies that are on the business item. So we can get to that right now. Lori, since you brought up the superintendent search dates, the next item on business items is actually a vote on our future calendar dates. So, um, you should have them in the drive there. Uh, if you all had a chance to look at it, does anybody have any comments about dates? I I tried to put up not just the regular school committee dates on there, but also the dates that Tracy has said that uh are already committed to that for the search. There's also a couple other things on there about some of

264them are like uh spreads like weekl long spreads or several day spreads because we don't know who the candidates are yet. So we don't know what the final schedules will be but they intend to be that week or or so. So that's on there too. Those could get well likely will get firmed up later on as we get further through the process, but they're on there for informationational purposes just to try to keep your calendars free or uh updated as much as possible. But these are the same dates that Tracy shared with us back in uh was it June that she was here or May, whatever it was. >> Question about December 2nd. Is that a 5:00 pm meeting for the superintendent finals interviews or is that like a who knows what time? Uh yeah,

265that quite possibly could be. Who knows what time? Yeah, >> I think that's based on the candidates, right? And the travel. >> I just because I want to know what days to try to block and all that fun. >> That's one of the So those dates, anything related to the superintendent search that's on here. Tracy did request that we don't change them because her calendar's booked up. >> So is this the October 15th then? Is that a five? that's the training for whoever is going to be on the search committee. So that again would have to be, you know, whoever those people are. And it's not necessarily the school committee subcommittee. That's whatever we decide. Um we'll likely decide that at the 23rd meeting with Tracy. >> But then but the dates for the November

2667. So okay. So TBD but I guess so what are the full dates though cuz isn't November 3rd through 7th is that full committee or is that just the >> that would be so the semi finalist Lori correct me if I'm wrong or Al we talked about this with Tracy the other day the semifinalist candidate interviews is that the full committee or is that the search committee? I feel like that's >> there was definitely something where she said full committee. So I just I want >> Yeah. Um and again it could be >> she it was when went around Veterans Day, right? That's I think that >> as the finalist announced I thought she said we got to be there for all the interview things. >> Yeah. We were like, we >> should you should

267keep your schedule as free as much as possible. >> Yeah. I just want to make sure I don't miss anything. So, November 3rd through 7th for sure and then obviously November 10th and then November 7th through 25th. >> That will be like the the walkthroughs where they come and visit the school, we go to visit their school. >> Yeah. >> And then December 2nd, a whole day block for now. >> And they're so subjective though, right? on all like there might be, you know, we're talking about the holidays, right? So, there might be a holiday show going on in that district and they don't want you to go into, you know, there's a lot going on there. >> I feel like it's loose. >> Very loose. Y >> Yeah. I mean, it's >> No, I

268know. I just for my personal schedule, if I can log everything and so I don't have to move people around, it's better. >> And and I think Tracy's feeling the same way, right? She's like, I'm trying to like and there's such an unknown here that it's so hard to even lock some stuff down. >> I thought she said for the district visits like we don't all have to go to every district, right? Like >> Right. Yeah. >> So like Jess, if there's a day that you're like, I can't do that, then you go to the day you have to go to and I'll, you know, first refusal to get to the one that >> Well, I mean, for now it's all blocked, but >> Okay. Yeah, that that's exactly what she said. >> Yeah. Uh

269then the other thing here outside of the superintendent search is around the budget votes in the spring. So I I I'm just trying this out here to see what you think. So I normally well in the past we have wanted to do the budget hearing and vote by the end of February. That's what Berlin had always asked for in the past, right? But the last two years we haven't been able to push that into March. Last year we um we got their blessing and pushed into March and they said it actually worked better for them. Um hoping that's the same case this year. But what I've done is I put uh that February 24th meeting on there. I specifically called that for a budget meeting. You notice it's not a budget hearing. >> Um just

270in case, you know, there's uh anything going on and we want to have another meeting like we had the big meeting in March, right, with all the parents that came in. And the reason why we're set up this way now and not the other way, right? Um >> good. Thank you. So I I I put that on there and then we would have the budget hearing in March and I put the 24th as as needed because that's like three or four weeks in a row of of meetings right there. So we can always change that later but um >> so I think this is good but Boilston last year didn't meet till March 17th to even like give the schools a shot to talk about the budget. So boils in town like a whole month

271later than Berlin. Yeah. >> Which was the tricky thing because it was hard to vote when we, you know, I I know that we could probably like in a subcommittee meeting or get with them like ahead of time, but they didn't have the rest of their budget figured out to figure out like, oh, we have this extra money. Hence the reason why I think we met April 17th and voted on an additional $50,000 from So >> I just feel like it's tricky. um I think this is fine the way it is and then like I would plan you know in one of the subcommittee meetings like I I would love we talk about having them in or like different and just communicate like here's our calendar now is this going to work for you if

272not what can we do to change it so like instead of changing it in February we can change it in >> yeah so I I think talking to Alan Aaron if we confirm these dates tonight you guys are already talking to the towns about things >> we can work with it um you know the challenge with the the boil date. So, you know, the both both ends are challenging. Um, you know, too early can be challenging, but like I think that that Boilston March 17th then puts us up against the 45day window. >> Yeah. >> Right. Because they do their their town meetings in early May. So, you know, unfortunately, Boilston is subverting that 45 days in a way. I mean, not intentionally. I don't think, you know, it's just the way it works. Um,

273so it may be we may have to vote a budget and then if something changes, we we follow up and we do an April meeting. We adjust the budget. That's that's okay. >> But we have to have a budget voted regardless by that point before town meeting. >> Okay. >> Yeah. We just say to them or maybe they do the schools before they do some of the other things. Yeah. You know, >> I've also got a date on here in May, just anformational possible as needed meeting the day of the town meetings just in case so we're not scrambling to get anything out. >> Uh just in case. >> All right. Uh any other questions or comments about this one? >> Could I please have a motion to approve the Vera Regional School Committee meeting

274schedule for academic year 2025 2026? So moved. >> Second. >> Lori Jess. Okay. Any final comments? All in favor? >> All right. Anyone against? >> Okay. Thank you. That is approved. Um uh Lisa, we have a Cape Trips. >> Yes, that is our annual Cape Trip. Um that is hosted by Peter Dhy, Steve Pacho, and myself. Um it is we take students from AP lit and nature of being to um the Cape Cod National Seashore and uh there is a beautiful invitation letter that is given to the students and this is I want to say this is my 13th or 14th year doing it. It's um it's wonderful. it's probably the highlight of um their school experience, the students that do go. And so if anybody has any questions, I don't want to belabor it.

275It's it is a wonderful trip. I um I intend on going again. Um we've we've hosted the trip um as the three of us, we've done um I continue to do the science behind it. So that is um a package. >> It's got to go in front of school committee because it's an overnight. So that's why it's looking for your approval. >> So normally we don't have school have to approve, >> right? So a Saturday, October 18th. Um and we return we leave early in the morning and then we return Monday before sports. >> Could I please have a motion to approve the annual Cape Cod field trip? So move. >> Jess. >> Second. >> Lori, any questions for Lisa? I'd love to hear about it after. >> Yes. Yes. >> I just had one

276question. Like this is amazing. Like my I remember Rachel Lang. She just loved it so much. >> But I was wondering in terms of us approving it, are we supposed to have the Corey stuff and the >> You'll get that next. You'll get all that. They'll fill out the paper and then that goes in front of the chair and they sign that final. The principal signs it, superintendent signs it, the chair signs it. So all legit, but we didn't want to go forward and booking it unless approves it first. Then you'll be followed up on paper. >> Is Chris gonna drive the bus? >> That is our hope. >> We've got a whole system. >> Uh all right. Any uh all those in favor, please? >> I >> Anyone against? >> All right, that motion

277passes. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um so next up we have our policies. So the first one, policy DJ and DJ1 uh have to do with procurement. Aaron, could you give us a little bit about this? >> Sure. Yeah, th those are basically the same policy. One is for municipal districts and one is for regional school districts. So, we should delete the one that's for municipals and just keep the regional one as our DJ. Fine as is. No problem. So, the um the motion here would be kind of twofold. I please have a motion to delete policy DJ, replace that with the policy currently named DJ-1 and rename DJ-1 to DJ. >> So second, >> Lori. Yes. >> All right. Any questions? All right. All in favor of that? >> I. >> Anyone against?

278All right. That motion passes. Thank you. Uh the next one, policy BH and these two kind of go together. BH and BEDA. Uh I was just looking through policies and notice these um are communication policies. But the part that I'm interested in here is at the end it speaks to where our agendas will be communicated and we changed that last year to only having to post them on the website. So we've gone through all the steps to correctly do that. Uh told the state, told both town clerks, just these didn't get updated. So the document that you have there on the drive gives you the current last line and the proposed last line of the policies. They're also linked in there if you want to look at the policies online, but just proposing to remove

279from policy BH. It currently says all printed agendas for meetings will be posted in two town halls and on the official bulletin board of the committee. And we want to change that to all agendas for meetings will be posted on the BBSD website under the school committee main menu. All agendas. and it gives the link there to that directly. Same thing for BEDA. It currently says notification of a change in a regular meeting time place or agenda notification including agenda of a special meeting will be filed with the town clerk at least 48 hours in advance. That's required by law. That's no longer required as our process. We want to change that to notification with change in regular meeting time place or agenda. Notification including agenda or special meeting will be posted on the BBRC

280website under the school committee main menu. all agendas with the link given there directly at least 48 hours advances wide by law. Uh so those are those two policies. So could I please have a uh motion to amend policy BH as stated there? >> So moved. >> Lori second. >> Jess. >> All right. Any questions on BH? I um I was just spoken in the open meeting law and so they said that you know you can use your websites but then something needs to be filed at >> the old place of how to access those last year. >> We literally printed out paper and pinned it on because that's Berlin. >> I have emails from both town clerks and >> had a different posting method so we did it there would >> y >> I

281think you would have heard by now. Double checking. That was like a year ago. June. That was like >> That was related to one of our meeting walking plans. >> Yeah, that wasn't this past June. That was like a year ago. >> Okay. Yeah. At the special town meeting here. Yeah. Um All right. Uh all in favor? >> I. >> Anyone against? >> Okay, that motion passes. Can I please have a motion to amend policy BEDA as stated? >> So move our second. >> Lori and Megan, any questions on this one? All right. All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone against? Okay. Uh, that takes care of the votes. The next two are first reads. And the committee handbook is on here also as a first read. We've already gone on to that. So, two

282new policy proposals uh for first reads. So, we'll read them. Uh, if you have questions, feel free to ask now. We'll put them on for vote next time. But the first one, district professional dress code. This is uh I already talked to Bill about this is simply copied word for word for what we agreed with the teachers union other than the language that speaks to a union has just been changed to employees. The other one is the uh school committee former members and graduating family members. Uh this is something Al mentioned to me and it sounds like a decent idea. uh anyone who serves on the school committee uh whether you're currently serving or you previously served if you have a family member is what it's written in here who's graduating from the school uh

283from Tahanto and you want to participate in the graduation by handing them the diploma this policy would sort of set that in stone as your right to do so >> it's just a really nice gesture right we've done it in all the other districts that I I've worked in just an opportunity I mean you're not getting paid for voluntary the hall as you guys do all day long but when a family member walks across the stage at graduation, you as a school committee member, either sitting or pass get to go up to the stage and hand the diploma off to them. It's it's just a nice it's just a nice gesture and I'd like to sort of put that in place for you guys as well too. >> Anybody have any questions about the first

284reads? The verbiage seemed interesting. So it will not be denied but there's opportunity for the admin or current school committee. >> Where you at? >> Uh for the second one BL. Sorry. So within that policy it says um sorry I only quoted what I was >> yeah it's the last paragraph there. It says any current or former Berlin Bo regional school committee member should contact principal and superintendent in the graduating year to inform them of their desire to participate. Committee members will not be denied this opportunity by the administration or current school committee. It goes on to say only matters of legal consequence may be considered such as family or court related issues and deciding to alter this opportunity. Um that's just in case there's anything going on in the school. We also had that

285vetted sorry like we had that vetted through our attorney in previous districts because >> high school principal changes right and all of a sudden there's what for whatever reasons why no one can deny it because for for for whatever right unless there's something legal going on there it just makes it so that it's memorialized and whether there's a relationship there or not that you're still going to be able to have and it could be five years from now right if you have a kindergarten you're serving on school committee and eight years later or 12 years later um you join the math really quick that you want to be able to get hand off that diploma. It's it's >> what what you liking about that. >> It just feels tast tasteful. I don't know. It feels

286heavy-handed, but if you I don't know, vetted through a lawyer, whatever. I don't know. >> One pot, Jess, I'm sorry. >> I just will not be denied this by the ad current school committee. It just I I don't know. I just I don't know. I just feel distasteful. >> Like you would have preferred it to be worded in a more positive way. >> Yeah. I don't know. just like stripping the power from the current administration and school committee. I don't know. >> Aaron and I have experienced it in different districts where sometimes principles don't feel necessarily that they want that to take place, right? Um they they have a set protocol in the way they do graduation and and might not like that activity. Certainly Lisa, you know, has no objection to this, but we

287always talk about what happens when different people are here, right? >> And just having, you know, recently watched the graduation, like none of the scholarship people are involved and so it's just like bam bam bam bam. So it just it feels I don't know out of place to that process. Whatever. >> I don't follow. What do you mean? >> Whatever. That's fine. Well, it that's why we do first reads so that if you do have some suggestions on it, you can let us know. You know, >> it just seems aggressively worded, but if it was vetted by a lawyer or whatever, you know, I'm not a lawyer. >> Okay. I can revet that through him if you'd like and make it a little softer, but >> not worth the money. >> Okay, good. >> No,

288Frank. Um, I just in terms of like people that are reading, I know some staff were concerned about the dress code that it's not excessive. So, it just says staff will be neat, clean, free of rips, professional, and appropriate for the duties of employees, special events, and weather. >> Yeah. >> So, >> that was um that's word for word what it was negotiated with teachers. So, the thinking was and the conversations then were >> if we're asking them to do it, we should ask everybody to do it. Y >> fairly reasonable. >> Cool. Uh that's that's my part. Uh okay, that takes care of business items. Please, we're going to now enter into executive session. We will not return to open session. May I please have a motion to enter executive session pursuant to mass

289general laws chapter 38 section 21A purpose 3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining custodial staff teams local 170 if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of public audience chair so declares >> Megan >> Jess I heard uh okay Megan >> I >> Jess >> hi as well thank you that uh we'll now executive session. Thanks everybody. >> Thanks everybody. You guys very much fun.