001This meeting is being recorded. Welcome folks. We are at it is 23rd of October at 1:4 p.m. Hello. >> No talk, but >> that is okay. >> Are you guys set up? Okay, here. >> We are all set up as far as I can tell. >> Fabulous. >> Thank you. >> You're on any issues. Um I'm down the hall. We're close to where Becky sits. >> Yeah. >> So, you gave me >> Thank you. Thank you so much. Really appreciate you. hardworking GPS staff at it again. Um, >> so anyway, I'm going to call us to order. This is a sub ad hoc superintendent search screening subcommittee meeting. Um, I'm Stacy Ston. I'm chairing these meetings. I am here. Member Childs, are you here? >> I am here. >> Member disorder, are you here? >>
002I am. Yes. Thank you. >> Excellent. We are all here. We are roll called and called to order. Um, next item on our agenda is public comment, but I do not there are no members of the public present in person and I do not see any members of the public present on Zoom. Just open up. Yep, it's just us and Ann. Um, and so again, as per usual, if anyone shows up in the meantime, happy to hear from from them. Um but in the in the meantime, in the interest of moving along, I suggest we move to item agenda three. And I would also again entertain a motion to um to to wave Robert's rules for the time. >> I move to suspend Robert's rules. >> Second. Thank you. Great. All in favor? >> I
003unanimous. We are we have officially suspended Robert's rules so that we can just have some open discussion about these things. So, a lot of these items are really just updates and seeing where we're at on on on different um elements of this search process. First is probably maybe the most like time-sensitive and pressing is discussing the status of our community needs assessment planning and outreach. Um folks, I think you all had a chance to see the draft schedule that I sent out. Um, I will explain just for the benefit of folks hearing my rationale of having community focus groups on the same day as the election. One, it is my goal to drive more people to the polls if possible. And if we can have multiple things drive like pulling people toward the Greenfield High
004School, it is my hope that people who may not have made it out to vote otherwise will. Second, for those who were planning to come vote anyway, um what a better use of their time being out and about than to hear a little bit more from them, not about why they voted the way they voted. I don't really care about that, but about the issues that brought them out in the first place. These are the kinds of things that we would want a future leader to need. I have been um working with Roland um and the other admin support staff for the district to see what we can do about getting child care and also about food. I've inquired both about the cost for like a pizza sort of thing, but also inquired about the
005cost for our food truck, which our parents and families are already very familiar with and love and appreciate and kind of want to make it, you know, for that period of time. They're they're scheduled back toback. So it would be from a period of from like 4 to 4 to 7:30 or so um where there could be a little bit more of a come hang out atmosphere and also talk about the issues that matter. So I just wanted to explain a little bit more of that r that rationale um and hear from you folks about that. I will share that um the admin has started booking the spaces. That's you know for our purposes if we really need to change something we can still do that. I don't want to say that booking rooms is
006setting things in, you know, completely irrevocable stone. It's not the same as chiseling into marble. And like the more that we're able to get these pieces firmly in place and be okay with that and just say this is our plan and now the next step is to make sure as many people are as possible are in attendance, I think is is for me where I'm seeing the next bit of brain power that we should use. But I just want to I'm putting that out there. I'm explaining to you why I am putting forward that as a as a draft schedule. Would be happy to hear from folks. >> My biggest question is the uh high school library meeting space. Is it physically far enough away from uh the voting that we won't run a foul
007of electioneering if someone does happen to talk about the election? It is on a completely separate floor and wing of the high school. So, in order to enter the voting place, you you have to go around to the side and it's the auditorium entrance. To get to the library most effectively, you come from the other entrance that's got the, you know, the mural on the sidewalk and you have to pass by the school office. I think that that is like we obviously can't control where people enter a building into, but I think that there is sufficient distance that your conversation, especially with a the closed door of the library, should not interfere with people's deliberations. I don't think they should even hear us. >> Okay. >> Um, so I actually just wrote to you Oh,
008I'm sorry. Go ahead, Ian. You would you have further things to >> Nope. That was my big one. Um, so I actually just wrote before this. >> Yes. >> Um, I don't think that that's a good idea. >> Okay. >> Um, um, because it's election day. And I just wrote in a sentence, well, I'll explain that because I I didn't think I could type it into words why I thought it wasn't >> Yeah. >> the right thing. It's it's from it's from everything I was learning about elections. Like as you stated, it's my goal for this would be to drive people, you know, to to get more people to the polls. I think it's always a wonderful something to get more people to the polls, >> but it's kind of they're supposed to be it's
009things are supposed to be totally separate. Um, when you talk about electioneering that people will be discussing, you know darn well, I'm looking at Ian nodding her head. >> You know darn well that that will be happening in that space 150 ft um from whatever it is whether it's upstairs or downstairs. It doesn't feel right. It there's just something in it. I looked at it and I said, "It does not feel right inside." So, I'm a null. For all the things of of of everything about elections that I learned, I think we would be using one thing to get more people to be there. And it is always good to get more people to the polls. The more people that go for anything, it's great. You know, we'll be lucky to get 20% for this.
010And it's really good to have a lot of people interested in the new superintendent search in and of itself. >> And I just looked at this and I'm like total full disclosure. I'm always behind the eightball being the mayor and I'm trying. >> But I did look at this just before and it struck me in my heart as not the right thing and and and >> and that's where I am. >> Okay. Um >> well the mayor does raise a good point about will we be get even getting clean feedback if it's election day or will emotions be heightened and will we be introducing a needlessly political element to it. So I think we can dig into this question. First I wanted to ask a clarifier. Is it the date that is troubling you or
011the location that is troubling you? More more if they both can be troubling to you, but I'm curious as they're >> Oh, at the high school on election day does not um and I'm just the way I am. Okay. It's this thing in my heart. It feels like >> when what you said for the driver and you know an intention is or whatever you said like I would love to get as many people to the polls. We we don't I would too. I would like to get as many people to the polls. The things should be separate. Elections shouldn't have anything to do with superintendent search. There will be discussions about this. One thing will overlap into the other. So yes, if that were at another location on 114, I wouldn't care. >> But it's
012specifically it being at the high school where the >> Absolutely. Okay. >> If you said on, you know, if you said um Oh, on 114 and I would say and if it were on a different place on 114, I'd say you'd be detracting from elections. So I do not think that election day is a good choice for this. And I I I I just want you guys to know I admire you both. Um and if this is, you know, two out of three, we both this way. I'm into voting. You know, I grew up in America. It's the, you know, the will of the the group. Um I feel that we should be choosing a different day. But but if the two of us decide, I mean, if two out of the three of you
013vote for election day, I would go like a different site. A different site indeed. Okay. Um, I can I can respect that point of view. Um, certainly the the desire for them not to interfere with one with each other necessarily. Um I am curious about this notion and that you raised of the idea of clean data and I think we I'm not sure that we would be able to get quote unquote clean data about this topic unless we postponed collecting any information at all. Um gosh, maybe even until after budget season is done. You know what I mean? Like until next June. >> We do not have that luxury. >> Yeah. That I guess it's not so much perfectly clean versus completely filthy data. Um so much as like I mean we all know that
014right before an election everyone gets really hyped up, really ramped up online. And you have a lot of explosive rhetoric, metaphorically explosive of course, and then immediately after the election, a good chunk of that just simmers down and away. And things that people cared so much about, they they just are chill on. And we're I don't know. it it because I'm not talking for like a sterile clean room free of contamination kind of thing, but >> but at the same time I I don't know. But I hear you sort of raising the question or >> worrying the fear about >> would the turnout of the loudest political voices in town push away other people and shout over them more on election day than they would on other days. Well, that we can't know in the
015absence of it having occurred like we are sort of arguing against a a >> hypothetical >> um my wondering is if we do our if we do the outreach correctly or to the best of our ability whether it's correct or not the best we can do is the best we can do but to make sure that there are more than one just the like most the people that we often will see at different um public comment gathering venues. I think that part of our due diligence is to get more than just those folks in the room. Um and if we can't do that, I think that it doesn't really matter which day that we are likely to hold it. we are likely to get the loudest political voices on any day being the ones who
016take the or are able to make and take the time to come participate. Um I am sort of I'm hearing and I'm wanting to respect the will of the group here that this is just not you all are really just not into having the parents and the community members or having any focus groups at all on the actual election day. Fine. Um given the constraints that we've noted in our earlier conversation last week talking about this um I am open to changing that date or changing the location. >> I really agree with what the mayor said about changing the location being a bad plan because it would pull away from the election. Um, like I'm not dead set against it. I just would need to be persuaded into the meeting at that day because I
017have some reservations meeting that day, that time, you know, location. Mhm. >> I don't know if it is worth the time to sit here and persuade you why I think it would be a good idea actually to do more of a one-stop shop rather than creating additional time burdens on our families um where they can like come and give their voice at the ballot box and also give their voice with sentences at a focus group. I don't think it's worth it me explaining that rather than us just nailing down a different day so that we can get the communication changed immediately. Um [clears throat] because that's like that's our biggest challenge right now. Um >> well okay. So how about we look and see what the alternative is and if there's a good alternative we're
018good. And if there's not a good alternative then revisit election day. >> Sure. Um, if you look in the focus group invite text, >> are you do you have access to find that document? Ma'am, >> I've got this proposed little table um of faculty focus groups Monday the 3. um these proposed which we may be moving an admin focus group and a student focused group on the 5th um with the late bus timing and then our superintendent search committee meeting on Thursday November 6th other dates that we had talked about in the so you've got um go on Monday how many out of the five do we have you've got faculty on the >> faculty so there's one here. Two on Wednesday the 5th and I was proposing two on Tuesday the 4th. So we'd
019have to find two different um times that that could work. Um also put them to put them on the fifth. >> See if we can put those people on the fifth. the parents and the community or the I think it would be >> okay that be I mean >> yes I'm I'm looking now at our GPS community needs assessment running notes document where I was also putting together a table given the constraints that Roland and crew had sent to me >> um Wednesday see that's the 22 Second, Wednesday the 5th, we can't do faculty, which we're not proposing anyway. There is that unified co-ed basketball from 3:30 to 5:30, which is why we weren't weren't sold on having parents there. We could probably do the general community group that time [clears throat] and see if
020maybe we can move the parent focus group um >> to Monday >> and just do a split co basketball. That's going to be a lot of our special education parents. We really want to make sure they got >> Oh, yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. Um >> um and that's 3:35. Okay. >> So, >> forget the phone. >> It's you're you're a busy woman, Matt. You know, we know you've got other things. >> Yeah. I'm worried about Ian and I. We're worrying about the same thing here. You and I have made the same calls on the food stamps. Good call. Uh, yeah. Snap is apart from most in my mind. So, there you go. Yep. That's >> Mhm. We're going to have to >> onward with this. We'll get to the others after. >> Um, so, so
021yes. Oh, I'm I'm approach to to our watching audience. The mayor is going to go over and turn the lights on with a quick wave. >> Yes, >> Chair Stacy. Stacy's. >> So, what I'm hearing then is moving parents to >> be light. >> Let there be light to like a 3:30 that'll probably last till 4:30. from like a a 5 to a 6:30 then >> um on Monday the 3rd and then moving community to Wednesday, November 5th um probably then again at like a 5 to 6:30 >> I would want to push back a little bit later just to make time for commutes. That's good. >> Okay. So, like a 5:30 to 7:30 or 6:00 to 7:30. >> Um, just NB. Could I just at least six for That's what I have heard. >>
022Okay. >> I'm not a I'm not a no longer a young working parent. That but that is what I have heard. Well, you don't want to have people drive home, not have any time to eat, then show up hangry, >> right? Well, and the idea I'm I'm still interested in seeing what we can do about providing some food. It probably won't be the same as a full meal that they might want, but at least some pizza to snack on. Um, so given [sighs and gasps] this, I don't know, one, I don't know how successful we're going to be about recruiting our young people to do some child care for us for free to begin with. I'm really [clears throat] uncertain about whether we will get those children for two different days to support us. And
023so I'm I would rather have the child care definitely available for the parents and maybe available to the general community. >> Yes. >> Um >> Okay. >> But I you know I will continue to do what I can do to see if we can get some semblance of child care and food available for both of these on separate days. >> Oh, excuse me. No pardon me. >> Who are we going to have has to help us with the child care? We are asking the National Honor Society Key Club as student council. >> That's true. >> Yes. Because these are organizations, these are student student service clubs that get certain hours and we can count as part of their hours. Um the big the big trick about it is just which of these people which which
024of these youth are already available and which don't have like a club that they need to rush off to or an after school job. So they don't have that. But um there's just availability. So I will make those adjustments ASAP to our schedule. Now I just want to I'm going to write it out here so that we're very very clear. Thank you for following work. You're doing this, Stacy. >> Of course. Yes. >> And Ian, um I said this to Stacy as well. I want to do my part here. If you're not hearing back from me on anything that you really need, give me a buzz and shoot me a text. I am trying my best to be responsive to everybody. >> Well, and we know you've got a big workload, so we can all
025give each other grace. >> Okay. So just looking then at the this schedule on Monday, November 3rd, we will have faculty focus groups after school. Uh likely one group for middle school and high school and another group for the elementary educators just to account for their staggered end times. And then in the evening, a parent focused group from 6:00 to 7:30 trying to have food and child care. On the 4th, we'll all go and we'll do our due diligence at the polls. On Wednesday the 5th, the administrative staff will be handling the scheduling of their own focus group sometime during the day. We will be aiming to get the students after school and later on in the evening wanting um a community focused group from 6:00 to 7:30. Um I will Does this look okay
026to folks? Because I >> okay to me. >> Great. >> It does. Now is that gonna the way >> No. >> Is that going to look like mine right now? Because this is all shared. It's like little shared Google things. Yes, this is a shared Google document. >> Exactly the same on my Jonathan. >> It should. >> That's great. >> I love this. >> So, which brings us, now that we've got that set, great. I will update all of the dates and times in our invite text that we've got, >> our next task then is our outreach blitz to get the word out about this as soon as humanly possible. >> Um, I would love for us to each basically take on the outreach for one or more of these focus groups. So if you
027say I volunteer to do all the to do the outreach for the parent focus groups. Um that is like if you know you've got connections to the PTOs, the school councils, the uh any any group, the CPACs, the ELPACs that you are the one you're going to do that outreach and get us a list of like did did you get them the information? Did anyone reply back to you? like can we get some some preliminary numbers of of how many people we're expecting? Similarly, if you're doing the general community focus group outreach, which is honestly where I'm seeing you sh you you being a shining star. >> I think that that you know >> good because I was thinking none of those first ones sounded familiar. >> Yeah. Okay. >> But I'm seeing like for
028instance making sure that all of our boards, commissions, and councils get a get a version of this invitation. >> Okay. the Greenfield Business Association, the Chamber of Commerce, um any of these kind of places where we know folks who are involved in some element of our community but may or may not be involved in schools per se. >> Absolutely. where we can reach them and that's where I see I think the office of the mayor has a lot of connections >> to leverage that >> and also to do you know the general press release stuff that you were mentioning last last >> and and we'll we'll put we will be sure to do this and anything else you ask of me I'll be sure to do other than other than typing something back right away
029>> in but we'll put out when when they all are we can put out we'll notify you know we'll put on the web page when they when they all are if you'd like Me too because I would think that would be a good thing to do, wouldn't it? >> It Yes, it definitely is a good thing to do. We'll want to format it slightly differently because this is this is like us on our chicken scratch notes and we'll get something that's a little clearer to read. Okay. >> For for the community. >> Would you like to coordinate with Would you want to talk to Jonathan? >> I would be happy to talk to Jonathan about doing that. >> You you guys know about formatting and all that, which the mayor does not. >> That's great.
030That's okay. >> But he's a wiz at that. >> That's say mayors don't have to be experts in everything. They just have to hire people who are. >> I'd say all the time, I'm not Albert. I'm not Albert. >> There's so many people that know so much. >> Okay. So, um I also think that in terms of doing outreach to admin, faculty and staff and students like that is really kind of on the district to do. I think we can organically reach out to the union, but we don't have a lot of direct connection with students per se. Um, and so that is kind of incumbent on Roland and them to >> what we might want to do is design a flyer for the high school to put up at all of the places where
031they put up their little posters advertising clubs and events. >> Absolutely. Would is are you volunteering for that? >> I can do it. >> Yay. Thank you. Give me the direct information you want on it and I can generate some designs. >> Great. In general, date, time, location, and a little blurb about what it is, which >> the little blurbs should be in the invite text document that we have. Yeah, >> I had it on your students. >> And if after you make up that flyer, if you need a hand putting them places, I'll share the places with you getting them around. Okay. >> Okay. >> Places they need to go up. Is that >> Yeah. And we're going to have to have different versions of the ones that [clears throat] we go up. And
032you could be designing a flyer design for the high school students, >> right? But we're also going to need a different one that has >> for the senior like we'll put things at the senior center and >> Yeah. And that can be the community outach. >> Okay. >> Yeah, we can we can worry about those. But >> okay. When do you want the flyers by? >> Immediately. >> Yeah. >> Immediately >> by yesterday. Okay. >> So So we'll kind of do our thing then on the city side and I'll Is that okay? and I'll hand hand them out to like cities things like is that what you >> I think that we can be like the sooner that you can get us this draft of a flyer as a template then we can just ch
033change in and out the date and time and community versus student versus parent versus whatever and we can generate options and then we can yes you're welcome to get that out but I think they should look a little standard >> so and we'll put oh very good we that's what they all say in um people that are doing like advertising John's brand. >> A brand. Branding. That's what they call it. It's so funny. There's so much to know. Branding is very important. But we'd put it out. I'll put it out the library. The city would put out the library, the senior center. >> Yeah. Yeah. Any any sort of like city, >> municipal, municipal? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. So, Ian, so Ian, you're not doing too much, you know. >> Well, I figure what
034I can do is the basic information can be, you know, I don't need to go into the specs of how I'm making it. I'll make it in such a way that there are text boxes where like the time, date, place, and uh people it's for, you know, it's editable. >> Perfect. And I think obviously we're if you're using color at all, green field green is >> is the the gist of it. >> Um, great. >> Good job. You can do those flyers and I would be happy to actually take on the emailing of the CPAC, the LPAC, the PTO's and like reaching out to those connections that that feels like a relatively equal distribution of labor. >> Um, >> is that is that workable for you? I know that I was being a little glib
035when I said as soon as humanly possible or yesterday, but >> no, I when do you think you can actually when is reasonable for you to be able to >> looking at other deadlines? If not tonight, then tomorrow night. >> Okay. >> Um, the last thing I'd say that I really think we should put on the flyer is I think we should have a shortened link to whatever the link for because there's the mention of filling out feedback online so that people >> survey monkey. >> I mean, there's always the QR code thing, but >> I don't know. That's becoming one of those things where you wouldn't let friends scan a random QR code, would you? >> Yeah. So, >> plugging in a random USB. >> So, I would highly recommend instead of using the
036Survey Monkey link that we do a link shortener so that it's a little bit less typoable than 8 ZF7Z FF. >> So, get a get a bitly somewhere. >> Yeah, a bit.ly basically. And this is why I'm glad that there are two of you and and one of me. I think we all bring something different to the table. I absolutely trust you guys. >> Yeah. This team was selected for a reason. I know. We're not just random up in here. >> No, we're not just >> Well, I'm random, but >> you're a little random, but >> in a in a great way. >> It's so funny. I thought all you had no knowledge of any of that. So, thank you both. Great. >> Yeah. It's it's how we can get something cool like, you know,
037you have your link back slash you know, Greenfield Community Survey 2025 instead of the 8x7 20 PQ. Anyway, >> so yeah, we do have the seven and the Z's, which can be messy with handwriting if someone is writing it quickly. >> Yes, it can. >> All right, great. Um the other the other important bits of information which is kind of like I feel like we're playing a little bit of a chicken game between being able to advertise that there might be child care or food and not really having it firmed yet. So >> what I say is we don't put that on the flyer. What we do instead is tell the PTO's and the uh school and parent Facebook groups once it is confirmed. Okay. >> Oh, that's a good idea. >> That is a
038good idea. So, we can at least get a save the date out. >> That's perfect. Um, great. So, Ann's on the flyers, Stacy will do, parents, mayor, and your office will be doing all like city and community >> and municipal outreach. >> And I think that that is what we can do. and we'll just >> the outcomes of that will be the outcomes of that and >> we'll have to live with it. >> The next set of items >> I'm just going over to this folder. Yeah. Make sure >> um all right. Do we feel complete with the community needs assessment planning and outreach? I think the survey is going to be part of that. So I don't know if we need to talk about it separately. Um, I will just say that I I
039floated an email to Roland and and folks asking about how, if at all, we are able to accommodate the members of our community for whom English is not their working language. Just make sure if we could get translations available. Um, but frankly, I don't know what capacity exists on on the NESD side for even working with languages other than English. So this is this is my my wondering and my question to you all. How do we how do we ensure that this is an equitable process and at the same time not not generate information that we don't have the capacity to do something with because that's just frustrating for everybody. Um we have a good size mold population. Yeah, I would say the from my understanding and this obviously shifts a lot, but we've got
040good Russian and Muldovven, French or Haitian, Creole, and Spanish. Maybe our top three languages other than English. >> There could be, I don't know, Arabic or >> RC or some some other that's probably up there as well. Um, I know that, you know, the the S'more parent newsletter mechanism does automatic translation for their newsletter items. I don't know if it's sophisticated enough for a survey. I don't know that Survey Monkey has those kinds of tools. And again, I don't know who we have who would read through that information and make sense of it enough. So, I'm just like putting that on the table of [laughter] >> as part of our our long-term desires to get feedback and information from our community. What do what can that look like when we want to really make sure
041that everybody is included in that process in a meaningful way? We might not have the answer us. I don't know that, >> but it is something that I think we should we should talk about as a community of just, you know, moving forward. Doesn't have to be right now, but I'm putting it out into the ether so that it can be part of how we think about uh community participation moving forward. Um, okay. Any more on the community needs assessment, planning, or outreach? >> Well, who will we ask about that? I asked Roland because because the district has a responsibility to get langu information out in languages that are accessible to the parents. Um I have not heard back yet, so I don't know if he's running into a wall there. I I know that
042we likely don't have the resources available to do a fully bilingual or even like fully um like a focus group in a language other than English. like I just don't think we've got the resources for that. Either the human resources or the money resources it would take to pay that person. Um so I don't know kind of leaves us in a in a weird in a weird spot. Um but that being said, you know, at the very least I will say with all these big windows when the lights go off, it's not a huge difference. >> That's true. I'm going back over to wave at the lights again. >> Yes. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, it feels like we found the sweet spot of where the sensor is. >> Stacy, >> great. >> Okay. All right.
043So, can we are we ready to move on to discussing the status of the screening committee? >> Yeah. Yes. Because we can't answer number three. So, let's go on to number four. >> Perfect. Screening committee. Um, now that we've got the composition of the screening committee voted on, now we need to start our outreach. Essentially, the process that we have in place says that we will blanket the community with the um opportunity and get letters of interest back. I have started a Google form that people can use to submit their letter of interest and also say a little bit about like what is their relationship to the Greenfield public schools. That way we'll know if someone's a parent or if they're like do they have business interests and they're curious about business education or whatever
044their actual like relationship is that will help us in screening the applicants for them. We the three of us will be responsible for reviewing all of those letters of interest and narrowing it down to the people that we think we want to fill in these roles. We will then put that forward as nominations to the full school committee and at the November 12th meeting that's when those folks will be appointed. So does anyone have questions about how that process will go? >> Yeah. Great. >> Okay. So So we've got to get that information out. >> Yes. >> Soon. >> Yes. >> I saw the Yeah. Yes. And we have some >> how you can go between recruitment consuction screening committee invitation and yes you I have many documents started. So I have a whole letter
045of invitation about [clears throat] the screening committee. It says screening committee invitation text invitation to participate says a little bit about what the role is. Talks about the composition that we're looking for and what seats are available. Talks about the selection process I'm laying out. Can >> you go back up just a smidge? Yep. >> About the parents. >> Oh yeah, we got to change parents to caregivers. >> Yes. Where's Done? >> I must have missed that one when I was changing them in the other letters. Sorry about that. >> You're all good. No, that's why it takes a village to do all this stuff, right? >> Three, six, 11. >> Yes. I want to change that to fifth. Um, >> did we can I ask you something cuz I wasn't there? Sure. >> Um,
046with the caregivers, [clears throat] and I guess we'll make that later. Did we did a discussion ensue about making sure that we would have our a representative from uh children with special needs. >> We did want we did discuss making sure that we wanted these three caregivers to be representative across the types of struggles that we have. So, that's going to be one of the things that the three of us when we're reviewing all of these letters of interest that we'll get hopefully >> um the very many um we'll be looking for balancing. All right. Yes, there are three parents, but this parents a parent of a child with special needs. This is a parent of a student of color. This is a parent, you know, whose kids are on the varsity athletic team. You
047know, whatever whatever it is. um it's kind of it's going to be up to us to make sure that we have a fairly balanced and representative crew based on the letters of interest that we do receive. >> So when we discuss those letters um that is not going to be an open to the public thing that would be like executive session to protect the privacy of the people who submitted. Right. >> That is correct. >> Just wanted to get that out there on the record now. >> Yes. Thank you very much. Yeah. anytime that we're discussing people or personnel, even if they're not employees, even if it's just appointments, that will be happening in executive session. >> Um, thank you. >> And lastly, [clears throat] for the So, to get this letter, I think this
048is great. Looks perfect. Great >> to get the letter out. >> Yep. >> Um, the letter will go out obviously, it's going to go out in schoolwide. [clears throat] >> This is another thing that we can blanket the community with, >> right? um and whether you want to do it all at once. This is this I guess would be a conversation with Jonathan about what his >> suggested practices are if they go out all together, the focus group, the screening committee, the you know everything all together or if they come out separately that's [snorts] sort of your goal. >> Um but it'll basically be the same channels that we used to outreach for the focus group that >> what was this in again? I know I read this. What was this in again? so that
049I find it when I have to go back and tell Jonathan. >> Yes, this should be >> this is in this is in this little folder >> I have. Yes. So, we have the superintendent search >> folder >> big folder and then underneath of it I've got screening committee selection another folder >> in the folder. Great. >> So, I can show him that. >> Perfect. And this is the invitation to participate text. And I think that I just need to put um like we have the time commitment and I want to lay that out like this is I just want to make sure that this is in here that people know you have to be available these days. Like it's just kind of non-negotiable. We are not we can't like really mess with that. We
050do that um in the interview process at city hall. If somebody is interviewing for a whatever it is >> you can't have somebody interview for one and not for others. It's not fair to the interviewe. >> Exactly. And that's the whole reason why if you're >> This is going back to this though. I I am I am struggling with the 15th or the 18th for the final week. [clears throat] >> I think I I I don't care. I'm fine with it personally. I'm I'm just going to say one more time. I think I wonder about the applicants and I'm worried about all the people that we get for the last week. I'd love to have that be the first week of January, but that's I'm just going to say that one more time. I'm worried
051that we'll get 11 people and and that we're going to have people on Christmas week that either we're going to lose an applicant or we're going to lose the you know a couple of the 11 because something's going to come up and I'm just saying it one more time >> for my with my practical hat on. Yeah, >> I know I'm like sometimes I'm the person that you don't want to hear from but I have to say that I'm looking at it I'm going like whoops there was something else that was coming up. There's we have city council. Isn't city council that week as well? I mean, whatever it is, I'm there. I You have my word. >> But um >> yeah, if we do have a lot of candidates, we could end up in
052a sticky situation because people are committing to that week. They're not committing to Christmas week. And also, um the screening committees, are they going to be hybrid or in person? They will be hybrid as will likely all of the first round interviews. >> Okay, we should probably be clear that you know while it's hybrid, this is the day and time that is required. If you can't commit to that, you can't commit to this, >> right? And you know, again, I know that sounds really harsh. I get it. It doesn't sound very welcoming or participatory. And it's actually, I think, easier for us if you just say, "Okay, these are the dates and times that allows people to assess, can I do this or can't I do this?" >> Right. I'm agree with that. >> Um,
053and fair. >> Yeah. And I think, you know, one of the reasons why why we wanted to have at least up to the portion of se of doing the first round interviews and selecting the finalists prior to Christmas is one that's kind of a weight off of those candidates. If they know that they're not being moved forward or if they know that they are being moved forward, happy Christmas to them. They can go and have that peace of mind and so can we. The other thing about the timeline is let's say we have, you know, our goal is to have someone hired and appointed by February, our February regular meeting, >> right? >> I know that sounds aggressive, but if we think about the fact that when we hire someone, it is very likely they
054will already be working in a different district. They will then need to give notice and that school committee will have four months to get their own process up and together. >> Well taken. Well taken. I'm not. So, but I >> I just I I kept looking at it and I'm like, "Oh, boy. >> I with my practical hat on, I've seen things." >> Yeah. >> At the end, I I know what happens at work. I had a whole um and I have somebody leaving the 19th and um I said, "We have to do something for so and so who's, you know, retiring." >> Yeah. >> And um Erin said, "The 11th?" I said, "He's leaving the 19th." I said um and I said that's going to be whatever it is that we're doing for the
055holiday season, we should do it then because I remember we bought food >> and um and then I said people weren't coming. They weren't coming to work. I mean they were taking a personal day. They were certainly entitled to take that day. >> It just changes that last week. >> It was it was a lot different than I anticipated at city hall. So I just wanted to say it. So, and now I'll be silent. >> I appreciate Thank you for sharing. Um, but the other part is that's an important thing too that when that does happen, if they're leaving a different spot, >> you know that other I I understood. >> So, the to-do there is getting this invitation to participate out. And that is again I'm hoping we can utilize some of our same
056outreach channels that we were just talking about all the municipal boards, the library, the you know business associated like all of those folks because um these are the folks that that may be inclined to >> participate in something like this. Um and then really like once we actually do that >> there's a lull right there actually I mean I don't >> yeah there is actually maybe a week or two where >> it's a little I I looked at this and I'm like >> a little lull be between now and then and which is fine there'll be many other things that trust me there will not really be a l something else will ugly edge in the city but >> but yeah but once we get these you invite letters and then the actual just dates
057and times of things >> set not changing never going to move. That's it. That's that's what they are. Then then it's just a matter of talking to everybody we can and saying, "Did you know? Have you heard? Can you come? Are you bring a friend?" Um and just getting as much participation as we >> Okay. So I I think that looks good. >> Great. >> Now, um so let's go. So you're so good at that. Um Oh, let me just try. Let me see if I can pull this up. >> I bet you can find it. in faded committee section >> um >> yes you want the invite to participate text the third thing okay so we're all hoping because because I we do appointments and ordinances in my you know all things all things
058are they look easier than they are >> and um so So, we do appointments at ordinances where you're trying to get all the things in and then there's deadlines like I have to have it to the clerk's office, you know, for putting somebody on the opioid um abatement or the opioid uh committee. It has to be for the November meeting. It has to be to the clerk by this coming Tuesday, which means that I have to get somebody to put something in email by 5:00 on that Tuesday. But in this particular case because there are specific requirements for that um it I also have to have the chair of the opioid uh committee approve that person because there are little parameters. So it looks easy to say I'm going to get that one in on
059time to clerk Scott for the November meeting. You know why couldn't I get this person's name in? You know, they all looked at me and I explained to them at the last meeting, this looks simple and it's 35 days. We're actually not dragging our feet here in the mayor's office. We've calling people like, could you please just write a little email? I'm interested. I just need you to say two sentences. then we can get a little bit more information about you to get that in um on time so that we can get and I'm blabbering the point a little bit but because we're talking about 11 people well we already have three of us so we're talking about eight more >> I'm not assuming that we're going to have difficulty with the teachers >> I'm
060hoping not >> I don't think that we will um I'm thinking about the parents and the community members so okay So three, six. So five. Um my again my thing with this is we want to get good folks and we want to get we don't want to get five. So we have five um >> we have five slots that we have to have. I don't want to have seven names. I probably I guess I bet you guys don't either. Um, I would like to have a good, you know, selection of folks. Absolutely. For that, that we have a >> that I feel like we have a mix of of people and personalities and and you know, schools of thought, you know, whatever. >> And so that means a few things. Um, so we'll get the
061letters right out and then um asking people to do that and and what's what do we think is reasonable for for like your numbers? What are you hoping for numbers of parents? How many how many do you want to get in? When do you want those numbers in? Because we have to make a we have to make a recommendation. We're going to look at them first and then make a recommendation to the our members for what what's the date of the meeting? >> The our full committee meeting is November 12th. Our we will have a steering committee meeting on the 6th and I have made application like letters of interest to do and again it really is just like give us a few sentences about why you're wanting this position and what your relationship is
062to the schools. That's it and their contact information. um get us that by you know November 5th and then we'll use our sixth meeting to go through and discuss make a recommendation and then we'll bring that to the full committee on the 12th who could say yes to our slate they could ask about other candidates you know and I think we should come maybe prepared with some alternates in case the people we recommend >> are not appointed I would I would hope that the full committee would trust our judgment on the makeup of that screening committee but in case they don't it could happen. >> Generally that happens because it's too difficult I for a >> you know when I appoint people u actually they you'd have to have nine people that would say oh
063that person is you know not >> not it for >> there's only been one time in the history of appointments. >> Fascinating. Um yeah and that was somebody for conservation commission who oh you you went away Ian can you still hear >> oh the screen turned off that is a second here audio comes through this screen >> um so we can't hear you I'm going to go tap on the board >> okay >> oh that's amazing that she knows that you guys are amazing Well, Stacy's pretty smart >> sometimes. >> Um, >> so uh so anyways, I imagine that our um hopefully our group will be listening to us. It's very hard to hire to discuss personalities in live time with microphones in front of you. So odds are that's the way that will go.
064But more so with the three of us, what are you anticipating? Do we have a number of like let's let's talk a little bit about that. If we could even get two people per open seat, I'd be I'd be thrilled, honestly. Well, >> based on what we have seen when people put in a letter of interest for uh say a spot that opens on school committee, I would expect more in the ballpark of three to five letters per seat. >> Okay. Yeah, I know. >> But two per seat is solid though. >> Two per seat would be that's sort of Yeah, that would be like my minimum that I'm looking for. >> Okay, good. >> So, right. So we we're all in agreement that if we get five letters that wouldn't be enough. So we'd
065have to have minimum >> we need to fill every seat in minimum. >> Right. Okay. >> And to to feel like I'm really able to choose put together. >> And I would say on the parental side [clears throat] >> if it wasn't representative of of different >> Yeah. um of the sex sexs that are within our school. The um >> yeah, >> then we do reach out then you do an ask >> at that point. Yes. And so, yes, also when I'm when I'm saying outreach, I mean, we've got these like big blanket emails that we'll send, but if you have someone, you know, don't pressure them, but just say, "Oh, I knew of this opportunity, thought of you. If you're interested, here's the information." >> I definitely think it's within our purview. We know
066a lot of people in our community. We think we have a good sense of folks who we think would be good for the role. >> Um, [clears throat] it's just a matter of whether they've got the time. So, >> how much of a time commitment is this in? So, let's Can we talk about that, too, so that we're telling people the truth? >> Yes, absolutely. I definitely want to make sure that they I would >> I don't even know that myself. I just said I'd do this and then I told my, you know, Yeah. So, I would say that if someone is planning to submit a letter of interest, I would love to also see their face either online or at the meeting on November 12th. If they're going to want to be appointed, I
067would say that that's first be present. If you can't be, that's I understand. Um, but I would like to see folks at the meeting where reappoint them if possible. Um, that being said, the bulk of the work will be happening from December 3rd through December 18th. So, yes, it is a two-week period that will feel fairly intense. I don't know the full number of hours per person that will be put in um because it might vary by person depending on how fast you read uh or [clears throat] what other commitments you might have going on. But you can there will be a bare minimum of at least I think at least three days per week where we will have three-hour meetings per day. So we're talking like it is a pretty significant commitment during the
068first two and a half weeks or so two to three weeks of December to get trained one and then to actually go through the process of reviewing superintendent applicant files. We will be responsible as a group. the 11 of us coming up with the how we are judging those based on the community needs assessment information as well as what we ourselves think and believe about what makes a good leader and and their bonafides and all that. So we'll be coming up with the rubric and then having to use the rubric. We will be conducting first round interviews and then also forwarding forwarding a recommendation to the full school committee for the finalists. So, I mean that's like a big chunk of work. It will all hap like I promise it it it is going to
069probably be a little overwhelming for that period of time. Um, but it's it is a defined period. It does have an end date. >> Um, I like I said, I can't give you a it's a 50hour commitment or a 20. >> No, I just I think it's >> it's probably closer to 50 than 20 or 40 minutes. Well, just if somebody asked me, I'd like to be able to say if a community, which would be somebody that might ask me, um, if a community member asked me how much time that I would I would be able to say like it could it it could be about this much time, you know, in this time period. And then after that, is their job over a after we forward our selected finalists? Yes. >> And how many
070selected finalists are we hoping to have? That depends on how many applicants we get >> and the amount of applicants will influence how many hours we'll spend interviewing between December 15th through 18th, >> right? Because if we think about it, like we're going to get I'll just throw out a random number. Let's say we get 15 applicants. Of those 15, we might only want to interview 10 of them. Of those 10, we might think that five are really great and deserve the second round interview. So it like kind of but if let's say we only get seven applicants and we say we really only want to interview five of them and then we only put forward three you know finalists. It kind of it really is like volume dependent and that will impact the amount
071of time. Um but yes after after the time that we put forward the finalists the screening committee is done. Their part is is finished. they can go home and have happy Christmas knowing they job well done. Um, and then we still get the fun part of doing more interviews and actually selecting. >> Oh yeah. So, can you tell me what the time frame is after that? I know that. >> Yes. >> Let us >> I know the packet. >> It is in the packet and that is okay. Happy to revisit the packet at any point in time. I think that this one's it. Yeah, there we go. Orientation has the full thing. So, this is the time that the screening committee is done after the gray. And this pink I'm in our I'm in our
072orientation packet now, just for the record. Um, the pink is all what comes next. We will we will announce the finalists right before Christmas and then it will be after that that we do the finalist interviews. Um, so that'll be, you know, kind of first midweek. Maybe not this. I think we'll have to see when our meeting is happening and >> you know we'll also have to be dealing with like setting up our organizational meeting but then I think our first regular January meeting we'll be doing an orientation to what it looks like to do finalist interviews. We'll be probably crafting the interview questions that we plan to ask and then the actual interviews um will be happening this this week of January 12th through the 15th. We did not really make a choice about
073whether we would go to their district to do a visit. From what I understand, that is not common practice anymore because it tends to be mostly a dog and pony show and you're not actually seeing someone like what they really like their yeah their real dayto-day. It's heavily scripted. So, um and then we actually would do the vote to select somebody by our February 11th meeting. And I I think it is also for me it was I'm glad that ideally we will have this process wrapped up before budget so we can give our full attention to the budget as we go in um as [clears throat] we move along. >> Just worried about the bread lines. That's where I am right now. >> I will absolutely be worried about you. >> We're about to be
074up a creek without a power. >> I'm worried about the I am worrying about feeding the people in Greenfield. I'm up like up at night. >> Yeah. [sighs] >> I thought, well, we'll put our shoulders to the wheel and we'll figure it out cuz they're not going to fill the gap. >> Yeah, I know. I've read many of those same news [clears throat] articles about the lack of action on the part of our state. Um, and we know, we know in Franklin County that hits hard and it just hits hard. >> I My eyes have watered like three times today. >> Yeah. But I thought, you know what? We've got Merryill at Just Roots and we've got all the churches. >> Just Roots. We've got Stone Soup. We've got all the churches. And I went,
075we're good. I also Oh, I'll wait till we're done. I want to tell you another thing, but let's we'll we'll be finishing this and then I will >> Perfect. Um, is there any any other additional information about the screening committee in portion of what we need? Okay, we're good on that. I had had a uh something in here about status of applicant outreach. just if we could get a report back from Judy, but Judy was not able to be with us during this meeting time. Um, so we'll just postpone that till later. I was just mostly not anything about the people, but just how many people in general have even opened our um, you know, opened our position. Um, reviewing of the timeline and upcoming decision points. So, I think you were right on it,
076mayor, having us get back to this orientation packet over. Luckily for us, we are we are here. We've like checked off so many so many things. >> Good for you. >> Not just us. >> Well, I mean, good. I mean, we're keeping right. I didn't >> Yeah, we're actually >> part of this. I was like, is this humanly possible? But it seems like it is. >> It actually is humanly possible. >> I don't know if it's humanly comfortable, but it is possible. >> We can do almost anything if you keep trying. Have you some good folks you work with? >> Yeah. We didn't volunteer to do this to be comfortable. [laughter] >> That is also incredibly true. Um, >> right. >> Perfect. And yeah, so we are actually right on the timeline. Like I said,
077the next things that need to get done are I will let um the front office know about these changes to the parents and community focus groups to make sure that those uh like room reservations and stuff get get adjusted. I will keep on about the >> room reservations. Just making sure we >> Oh, I was thinking I'm thinking not for >> I'm like hotel was you're already thinking about that. >> No, we are not getting not yet. >> We will think about it eventually. >> All right. [clears throat] >> Yes. So, that's getting those getting rooms, making sure seeing continuing on about food and child care and seeing what that's about. Um that is kind of our most pressing and upcoming. And then getting the invite text out for the screening committee. Those are the
078pre most like immediate pressing things that are on our agenda, but it seems like we have a plan and an understanding >> of what's going to happen next. All right, that was the review of the timeline and upcoming decisions that we need to make. Going back to our agenda, are there any qu any additional questions about that? Anything else that people would like to look at elsewise? I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved. seconded. >> All in favor? >> I >> Okay, that is unanimous. Technically, I think I'm supposed to do a roll call for that. >> Okay. >> Um, great. Thanks all. I'm going to stop the recording now. Thanks to you intrepid listeners.