call this meeting to order at 12:30. Um so um for those attending tonight's meeting should be aware that the meeting is being audio and video recorded by the air public access asd. Any audience members who wish to record any part of
the meeting must inform the chairperson who will announce the recording. This is to comply with the mass wire type wire tap statute. The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in
fact be discussed and other items may listed may not items not listed may be brought to up for discussion uh to the extent permitted by permitted by law. Per the air shirly regional school committee policy beed public comment is
not a discussion debate or dialogue between citizens in the school committee. It is a citizen's opportunity to express an opinion on issues of school committee business. Citizens will have three minutes to express their views. Any staff members addressing the committee are reminded of their
obligations under state and federal student record laws with respect to maintaining the confidentiality of student record information and refraining from disclosing any personally identifying information regarding students. Um, next I think we'll move to the
pledge of alleg pledge allegiance. [Applause] I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. Michelle, Mr. I'm here. Mrs. Bernard here. Mr. Quinty here, Mrs. Re. Mr. Rupress here. Um, okay. So, I'll open it up if there's any public comments.
Michelle, is there anybody? I don't think we have anything in the room. All right. Moving on. the consent agenda uh for June 11th, 2025 regular session minutes for release and warrants.
Um I only have the one so I don't know there were a whole lot of warrants. There's a whole lot of warrants. Um yeah. Do you want me to No, I think I'll just say as shown. Yeah. Yeah. I just I didn't have the full list. So got it. Um, so I will call
for a vote to approve all of the warrants as shown on our agenda and in the public folder. Mr. Chair, yes. Could I point out uh uh two small corrections? Uh on warrant AP warrant 1174
uh we had it listed as $890,9511. It's actually $830, uh, 95.111. And then the other correction is AP warrant 11.83 uh, which is listed as a bi-weekly AP warrant. And indeed, that is a, uh, the
credit cards fees that we charge uh, that we book right to our GL from the credit card statements. Okay. Just um, two things. I'm going to vote everything here is
fine. I just wanted to uh on our last uh meeting minutes we talked about um cell phone uh policy and we talked about ASUP impact grants and I just want to make a note that maybe in one of the next couple of meetings we could kind of
review that because the state has changed what they done. It may change it may or may not change our timing. I think we should talk about it and I'd like to find out what the ASF was able to uh do for us this year. But outside of that, I would like to um have a motion to have the consent agenda
approved as displayed in today's agenda uh minutes. I do have one clarifying it. It may just be me, Bill, but for the AP warrant 1174. I think that is the one you said needs to be a amended. Was it the amount that
needed to be amended? Cuz 830830. Okay. The amount was $60,000 over what we actually expended. Uh it was just a recording era. Okay. Got it. I just misheard. I thought it was the same amount. So I want to
make sure. So I'm sorry. Go ahead, Jim. Could you repeat? Yeah. So just um a motion to approve the amended consent agenda on tonight's meeting. I would second that motion. All those in favor? I.
Any against? It is unanimous. Thank you, Bill. Um, so we will move on to new business. Uh, introduction of our new district administrators, Dr. Renda. I'm going to have Mr. Christy start.
Hi everybody. Uh, I am thrilled to be able to introduce Lindsay Roco uh, as the new assistant principal at the high school. For those of you who don't know, uh Lindsay actually worked the job for a good portion of last year. Uh Dr. Miriam
Meyer had a medical leave um for the first part of the year and like a fish to water. Uh Miss Roco stepped in and was amazing. Um really earned the students trust. I think had it all along from her teaching days. Um we saw
discipline go down um and staff morale go up. And so when the job opened, it was a natural fit uh to be able to hire Miss Roco for nothing for this role. So I'm thrilled to be able to introduce Lindsy Roco. Hi everyone. Um I appreciate the opportunity um in this new role and I'm
looking to I'm looking forward to helping the sister continue to grow. Um and happy to be here for sure. Happy to answer any questions um if there are any. If not, I'll see you guys soon. I'm sure. I know we need a five minute background where you from, where you
went to school, what you majored in, what your favorite thing is about high school kids, and a few other things. Welcome, Joyce. Yeah, I made it. Sorry I'm late. Um, okay. So, what were the questions? Sorry. Just kidding. Okay, even better. Um, no,
I'm I'm very excited um to continue to work here um in this position and looking forward to Wednesday. Appreciate it. Thank you. There you go. Thank you. Congratulations. Welcome. So, we have two other administrators to introduce tonight. I have the pleasure
of introducing uh the new principal of Laura A. White Elementary School, Jenna uh Lauren. Uh Jenna is coming to us from Ashlin Public Schools where she was a principal and prior to that she was an assistant principal for quite a long time, nine years in Actton Boxboro. Um
it was, you know, we had actually a lot of applicants, a lot of qualified applicants, but we feel like we um uh made a great choice not only for the district, but for Laura White. Thank you. I'm very excited to be here, very excited for Wednesday to come. Mhm.
Um I am honored actually to have been chosen from such a wide pool and I'm really excited to become a part of the community and to learn a lot about the history of Shirley and the values of the community and to implement them with the students at Laura Away. Um and I know I
have big big shoes to fill but um I'm excited and ready to go. So thank you very much. Thank you. And questions or how did you find your transition from acting to Ashland? Um I went from from Actton to Ashland.
Yeah, it was very different schools. So in Actton it was a K to6 school with about 400 students. So I knew everybody. Um and Ashlin was 700 kids. Um and only 3 to five. So it was very drastically different and I really missed having the
like the intimate relationships with kids and knowing everything about their families and having children for a span of time. Um, so it was fine, but it wasn't what I wasn't what my dream was. It was a great district, great community. Do you play the guitar?
I don't. That's that was best thing, but we we'll see what we can work on. No, I speak French. There you go. It's got to be worth something. Just curiosity question. What school were you in in Actton? I was at the Douglas school. And who was And you were the principal
assistant principal. Who was the principal there when you Chris Whitbeck? Yep. I kind of live in acting. You had a nine run. It was crazy. Only five days a week. So that's why I asked a puddle power lady, right? Thank you. Yeah. We'll take all the commercials.
Mhm. So we're fortunate to have you obviously. Um but I am interested too kind of what is it from the interview process or that um made you select Shirley Lurley White? That is that is I've given that a lot of thought actually because it's a big decision to
switch districts and for me it was the day that I toured the school and I walked around with Nicole actually for it was supposed to be a short visit. I was there almost all morning. Every single teacher that we went by stopped to introduce themselves and to talk about their love and their passion of
the school. and you could just tell that the staff was really very invested in what they do and um they just want to be successful and they want kids to be happy and also talking with Charlie and Adam was and Tara also um and
understanding that our philosophies were very similar were another big part of my decision- making. Welcome. Great. Great. Yeah, welcome. Thank you. Congratulations. So, you can stay right where we are and introduce Yes. the assistant principal. So Nicole
Barton um this is Nicole Barton. She started last year in about March and um she came to us from first the state of Maine and then the state of New Hampshire and we joke because we always consider it the state of Maine. Um where she was a math coach and also a
principal and an assistant principal. So she comes to us with a lot of varied experiences. We've been together for about 7 weeks now and I've been completely amazed at the way the staff speaks to Nicole, the way they respect her and the way they seek her out for her guidance and I'm forever grateful
for her as she's here through this transition as I come in. But she's a very talented individual and we're very lucky to have her. Thank you. Hi everyone. I'm extremely excited to be here. I had the very lucky opportunity to work and with work from and learn
from Beth Lewis. Um, and we're very excited to have Jenna joining us. Question. I I will add that hiring assistant principal in March is something that a principal and a superintendent never want to do. Uh, we feel like we got very
lucky and and scooped someone up um that has done a wonderful job uh since March. So, we're we're very happy that Nicole is part of this new team. Thank you, Dr. Andrew. I got a lot of ears in the building and um you made a
big impression in a very short amount of time. You're a very good morning person apparently. I have a lot of caffeine. Yeah, you it's all working for you. Thank you. But so um since you guys have worked this and then I'm just discussing this with
someone earlier um now that we are going into 2025 26 but we're still seeing evidence from the kids who went through COVID who didn't have kindergarten and maybe have some other things and um I
know I'm seeing it even in adults. I was wondering how much of influence are we seeing at our elementary level now? Well, I I'll take that because Jenna hasn't actually worked with the kids yet. Well, I just meant generally she's worked
Oh, yeah. Okay. But you can take Yeah, we'll we'll not uh I'll take it. Sure. And everybody can jump in. I I think so. So, I've been watching this as it's been progressing and I do believe if my math is right, it's this year's fourth grade. Y
um that was impacted at preschool and um I have seen particularly last year in Ashland, we all felt that school to school again that things were completely back to normal and that children were caught up in their learning because they were sort of double dosed with their
phonics earlier on and they were able to make a lot of gains. Um, so I think slowly over time, but then when I look at the trajectory, I do think that it's impacted children into their mid20s because those children missed the opportunity to get in the car and take off and not tell their parents where
they were going. So there's this that our young 20s are missing something too. So I do feel like from third grade on up there are impacts we won't be able to measure but I feel I feel feel like anecdotally it's getting better
and it's going to be case by case of course but it's still something that is there you know and very important because some of these I mean I've had people who in their 14 15 they can't communicate they can't say hello they can't tell you
what they need you know and that's just on a surface area which shouldn't be deep or anything. So I think it's I think we're not over it and um I would be happy to hear if we are but I I think not to get into when I look
about like the phone use I think that is as impactful as co. So I think there's a lot of societal things that are contributing to children not being able to communicate. Right. Right. It's bigger broader discussion but yeah good discussion definitely lots of good stuff out there
on the table. Thank you. Well, thank you. Thank you. Thank you for coming. Come back. We're very happy with the three admin additions over the summer.
Awesome. Um, okay. Uh, new business article B, approval to dispose of surplus textbooks and materials. So each year I when we implement new uh curricular materials, we have some other things that we try to clear out of
closets. Um so over the past couple of years, we've managed to to do a lot of that. Um and some of our newer staff have been finding things in closets and they ask me if I can dispose of them to which I say I need to get approval from school committee first. And so you have
a list in front of you with approximate quantities of some high school texts that were found and are just taking up a lot of space in closets and are not really being used nor have they been used um in the past. And so that's what's reflected there in terms of physical science and some bioeththics
information. A lot of that a lot of these pieces are available open source now and teachers have been sourcing them much more easily to give access. Uh in addition since we adopted uh the structured literacy component for phonics instruction with inter reading
we had been using Wilson's foundations program. So there are pieces of that that we no longer need. There are other pieces that we continue to keep but the ones that we no longer need we are looking to dispose of as well. So that's reflected in this memo. So looking for you I think I may have given you the
wording. I didn't give you the wording. Just a motion to approve the disposal of the texts that are listed there. And we have recycle bins in they don't actually get disposed, they get recycled, just so you know. Uh we have recycle bins in each of the school buildings and that's
where those materials go after you all approve of the surplus. Okay. Any questions, comments? So this just goes straight to recycling. They don't get go into any reuse. Excuse me. No, I mean program. They may. They they could. I mean, the company
that uses them will offer them up to folks. So, you offer them to a company that you don't and they take care of them. But it's a book bin. Yeah. Yeah. It's a book designated for for It's a bin designated for books that the company will go through and and reuse what they can and dispose of what they can.
We will also reach out to we have a lot of networks so we reach out to other folks and say hey if anybody's using the stuff we'll be happy to recycle it to you. I just think that some of the things it doesn't matter 2010 microbiology probably hasn't changed very much and I'm sure there's
schools that would or kids that would like to have that you know good reference book right okay I would support that motion mad sir chairman that he said second
okay all those in favor I I uh any opposed? Okay. Uh moving on to article C, approval of the 2526 student handbook. So the student handbook, um each year I
provide you with a kind of a succinct summary of the changes that go into the handbook to at least minimize the amount of time that you have to spend reviewing the entire thing since it's been approved in the past. So we go through and make annual changes which are identified in the yearly changes section which includes a lot of the basic school
year references, staff names, extensions, the calendar, meal pricing, signature pages and so on. Um those are updated each year to reflect new staff and we change a little bit of the table of contents but we don't change anything significant out of that. We also update
the content based on law changes, Supreme Court decisions, information from legal advisements, changes that come from school committee policy such as cell phones and so on. And those are reflected in here. Um, we had been working on this over the past several years to upgrade our uh wording
terminology for parents or parent guardian to replace that with caregivers since there's many different options now for folks who are taking care of children. Um, we updated our non-discrimination policy to be in accordance with changes in the federal law and the local law. Uh, the MCCAST
requirement, which we've talked about here before, um, we wanted to clarify with no uncertain terms in the handbook that there is no such thing as an opt out um, from the MCCAST, which we've talked about at school committee in the past. So, we wanted to reflect that in the handbook. Uh, tuition fee that was
all approved at school committee. Those have been updated in the handbook for preschool for extended day and also for the athletics piece. Um coming here during the year last year was the GPA process that took place at the high school. So that has been reflected in the handbook. The competency
determination which we discussed has also been reflected in the handbook. There was tardy language to change in the high school to reflect the start time of the day to define when a tardy would be considered a tardy. the age of majority language needed to be updated to reflect what the permissions are for
the uh students who are becoming 18 years old. The personal electronics policy which is the otherwise known as I put in quotes the cell phone policy has been updated for both the middle school and the high school to reflect the school committee policy. And the responsible use policy of the technology
has been updated as well to comply with the Google uh expectations that we've been recommended from legal. We also added a uh statement in there about generative uh artificial intelligence about just trying to comply a little bit with what the recommendations have been
coming from legal on that to stay somewhat on pace. Uh but we have to look at that in more detail and I'm sure we'll discuss generative AI at some other point in the future. But all of those have been updated in the handbook. The page numbers were there. So if there were any questions
I'm happy to answer them. Chris, I think the um link in the cover page is last year's handbook. Let's see. It may be if it is. Ah, it is. I will
give you the new one. I apologize. Eight points. Get points for that one. I like that. One second. Any other questions? Did you want to be able to review the I don't need to review. I was just there
were many things I was curious about and I had I had embarrassingly gone too far through the handbook before and being like wait I don't actually see with anyone else. It was once I saw a parent for like the eighth time I was like I think this is the wrong version.
Um I didn't I'm going to share it with you as a viewer individually if that's okay. Yeah, that is fine. Yeah, I'm not going to be able to add the link to the PDF version right now.
Yeah, that is fine. Um, I had no other questions and I'm happy school committee group to approve the handbook with the changes that were outlined um at least as described. I was going to ask for a refresh on the MCCAST requirements. No opting out. Yep.
I remember the M Yeah. Yeah. If you could give the overview on that. Sure. So, it by state law we need to administer the test. Um, there's different websites and the MTA, for instance, put things online that lead parents to believe that they have an opt
out. There's no such thing. Kids can refuse to take the test. We're not going to force kids to take the test, but opting out isn't a thing. So, when we have a conversation with a parent, they're very confused because they're hearing information that you can opt out of the test. And then we are telling
them you can't, your child can refuse to take the test, but there is no there is no opt out. we legally have to try to administer the test. So what will happen is if a parent doesn't want their child to take the test, they will be in the room with everyone who is taking the
test. We will open the test. They will be in front of the test for 15 minutes. If they don't work on that test for 15 minutes, we will log out of the test and they will sit and and and read a book while the test is being administered. uh some of the issues that we had because
parents believe that there was an opt- out that we would have an alternate um educational experience at that time. Uh Desi recommends that we do not do that. Uh they feel that um providing alternatives will just um increase the
number of people um choosing to refuse to take the test. uh it gives us extremely valuable information that we use to improve everything and we are legally at this point legally required to to administer that test. The the
issue is really because it's no longer a graduation requirement. Uh many parents were under the impression that it just wasn't a requirement at all and that that isn't the case. We still have an obligation to administer that test yearly.
Yep. Chuck, are are we rated are we classed graded on the number of people who do we do? Yes. We have to sit take the test. We are we have to have uh a
participation rate of 95% or above or or it it does affect um our school rating. So do you memory is what that was last year? We're over 95%. Yeah. At every at every building. Yeah. Yeah. So, um then, um would there be
knowing the state, would there be anything like Okay, so all what grade are we doing this in? Junior, sophomore, I don't remember. Grades three through 10. Yeah, 3 through 10. So, 10th graders. And they all go, we're not going to do this. We're just going to sit and I'm
not going to be on my phone, but um and then what would h the state come down? Well, well, you only had 10% or 15%. that would affect us. I mean, there would be to the point where if that happened enough over the course of of more than one
year, it would drop it would it would drop our well, I mean, even having happened once would drop our rating significantly. But if it was to happen um on a consistent basis, we would eventually fall in our rating to the
lowest 20 or 10% and then there is a whole slew of state interventions, right? uh which we would be we would have to participate in, right? Um which we we we don't want to participate in those. It it um it it wouldn't be it
wouldn't be beneficial to where we are as a district. So um would be beneficial for the education of this district. Yeah, it you know it's um I can understand why some parents may not want to have their their children participate, but it it's not going that does not affect their graduation at this
point. and it does give us very valuable data which we use to improve instruction for for students. So, um you know, we we supported and and we had the same opinion as the school committee that it shouldn't be a graduation requirement,
but I believe we you and I talked um publicly about how we we do believe in the administr u having the test administered and getting and getting those results. post-graduate schools and educational um people looking at their incast. They're not, but there there are
scholarships that you can if you if you receive the a um the Abigail Adams uh scholarship for for um performing very well on the MCCAST test, you have free tuition at any state institution. So
there's there's reasons to take it. So the kids are impressed upon with this. They are. In fact, I think last year I think we had 15 students who received that. Yeah, it's usually Yeah, we we have a Yeah, we have a fairly high number of students who were in that.
I mean, that would be good publicity. That's a good thought. We we should advertise that a little bit more and we did. Yeah, in the past that they have something that it's a good point. We could we can absolutely do that. Think about that. Is there any concern that I
I should go to the worst place, but yeah. Is there any concern on your part that you know once you know the case is like oh this doesn't matter at all I will take this test in record time and choose B that you get bad data which is like the worst of all
situations is that enter is that just a dark moment for me um no that uh we have those same dark moments uh and there are probably students right now who do that but I think there there there are kids even that weren't in 10th grade. Yeah.
Uh in the past that probably did that, but um there there's multiple ways to look at the data. So you have to look at it as an individual student. And we know our kids. We have internal data. So for for a student who is doing very well
academically on um in their classes and in our internal assessments and then all of a sudden it bombs MCCAST and we can see how long they took, right? will tell us they they finished this test that should take 90 minutes in, you know, 15. We'll have an idea that they they breeze
through that and then that's a really a conversation with with the student and depending bringing the parent in on that conversation too to to try to get them to take that seriously. But our teachers do a really good job of talking to the students about this test and why it's important and the type of information
that's going to give. The other thing is there's always going to be a percentage of kids who take that at our school and every other school. And part of the the part of the rankings and the data that we receive is how we kind of match up um between against other schools in Massachusetts. So thinking that all of
the schools are going to have a certain number of kids who are going to do that, it still kind of validates where we fall within that ranking, which sometimes is. It's not always um the indicator that we look at, but to to me it's sometimes the
most accurate because the test changes so drastically from year to year that sometimes it's not really a good indication their their overall score. Their scaled score doesn't necessar but if we our scaled scores can go down but our state ranking can go up,
right? So that tells us that everyone in the state kind of performed poorly this year on certain parts of the test. So we have to look at all of it. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Because I don't have kids in the school, I don't I have silly questions. Um the uh we used to have something like a
special pancake breakfast or something on the morning of MCCAST tests for those kids who were taking it like come to school and we're going to do this, this, and this before you have to sit down for three hours or do we still do that? We we don't. Um I I
just puts importance. I would love to to look at the results of of what happened those years and if they did really well, we'd bring it back. As a former principal, I would I would uh that's that makes me very nervous to do something out of the ordinary the day that they were taking a test. But we do
we send home letters. We say make sure you get a good night's sleep. Make sure you eat a big breakfast at home. Um you know th those types of things. But that's uh I would recommend doing an incentive that you can earn a ticket to do something very fun if you don't
finish the test in 20 minutes. Uh we have done that things like that. What you mean? So you don't slip. Yeah. You actually need a question or two. Yeah. Uh you know not not we don't wait to see what they got to have fun. But if you put forth, you know, if we can incentivize some effort to to earn
something fun, we we can absolutely done that. And the schools have done that. the schools have had have had a ways to win to win raffle tickets. Laura White did that effort and reward, right? Yeah. So, uh the the two elementary schools uh have done that in the past. I'm not sure about the middle and high
school if they have incentivized it at all, but we we could certainly think about it doing that. But the the pan the out of the ordinary pancake breakfast and the kids being really excited about that would make me make me nervous. thought if you can get me the years that that happened, I'll go back and look at
the historical data to see how we did. And if it was great, then we will have a pancake breakfast in every school before. All the kids fell asleep by the time they got there. Not with that much sugar can. Yeah, but you don't get it till noon, so it's okay.
Um Okay, there are no other questions. I do see Charlie did put some language in here um for a motion. Yes. I think we just don't need to talk. By all means, I'll entertain a motion.
I'd make a motion to approve the um 2025 2026 district prek through 12 student guardian handbook as presented during tonight's school committee meeting. Second.
Okay. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Okay. Thank you. So Charlie, when so if we read online, then this is actually the final thing that's going to go out. So we have to when when does it have to go out?
We're going to try to get it out as soon as possible. But after the draft, we have to go through the process of after you all approve it because if there are any changes, I have to reflect those and then we have to translate them. So I have to translate all the changes and then we'll update it all and we'll put it out on the website and get it out to folks. We're going to try to have I
think tomorrow is a ice cream social for the sixth graders at the middle school. And so part of this timing um was also to get the technology responsible use policy finalized so that we can distribute some Chromebooks to folks so
parents can sign off on the responsible use policy. So all of these things are connected. So we're trying to move as quickly as possible to get this out to families before the start of the school year. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Um the superintendent reports, Dr.
Renda. Thank you. We will be welcoming back staff this Monday, August 25th. We will welcome back grade uh students in grades 1 through 12, Wednesday, August 27th. Our kindergarten friends will be joining us on Tuesday, September 2nd, and
preschool will start on September 8th. new teacher orientation what was held this morning in the middle school uh led by Mr. Clearary, we welcomed only 15 new teachers. So, that is that is down. It's typically around 20 to 25. Um, that's a
that's a good sign. So, there's some retention happening. Um, we are happy to see that. Um, they all seemed happy. Uh, and I'm sure that was filled with um some wonderful learning today. We had some fun. Yeah, looks like a good group. Yep. On this past Monday, the 18th, the
high school welcomed 50 new students and 15 uh returning student mentors and student council members who led the new students through a fun-filled morning of information about the high school, gave tours, and answered any burning questions the freshman may have. And actually, any new students, not just
freshmen. We had our leadership retreat last week on the 12th and 13th. Um our our theme or goal for this year was refinement. We've had a lot of changes these past four years and we're looking to really work on making these changes
kind of stick and refine what we're doing. So, um some major changes in our tier one, uh positive changes. Uh so, instead of wholesale changes, we're looking to refine that work as we're moving forward and try not to um burn out our staff that has dealt with a lot
of change. The focus is going to be on the students who tier one isn't working for. So, um, how we're identifying those students, how we're identifying what they need, and then how do we know that's actually what's happening. So, if we have a student who needs a phonics
intervention, how do we we need to make sure that we have those systems so they're getting a phonics intervention and a comprehension intervention? That's a very over overly simplified um version of what we're going to be working on throughout this year with our leaders, but it's a it's a really good place to
be that we can focused on our our high need students, our neediest students, while refining uh and actually and some of our gifted students while we're just refining our tier one rather than changing to the science of reading program. Um hiring a a a new um
consultant for our Eureka math and middle school math programs. changing to amplify in our middle school kind of revamping our math program at the high school. So that work has already been done um or the majority of that work has been done. Um so we're
looking we're looking at refinement and it seems well received uh by the administrators. There are obviously other changes that are happening. There's some major science work that is still happening. It has been started but a lot of that work with project lead the way uh led by by Mr. Clearary and the
building principles um will be underway, but we're in we're in a good place as far as trying to get a handle on what we're doing and providing teachers the time that they need to do it. I went off script there. Excuse me. I want to thank our custodial staff before
I list out some of the major changes that have happened all over the uh the the district this summer. Um as always, they were working incredibly hard all summer. Um, most of the schools look really good already. There's a few areas
that they they still have to do because we don't get out of their way in time for them to get it done earlier, but they've done an incredible job. So, big thank you to Bob and all of the custodians throughout the district. And I want to list some of the safety and security uh that that has happened
throughout all of the facilities this summer. Um, all of the schools have key card access now. Uh there is absolutely no reason a door should be propped or unlocked anywhere as of Monday. Every
door should be locked. Please, if you ever go to a school and you encounter an unlocked door, please call uh Charlie, Bill, or I uh immediately. Um everyone has it's like a it's like a card for a hotel room. We can deactivate
it. We can set it for a certain amount of time. If if someone doesn't return it, that's fine. We can make sure that it doesn't work. We can for for people who are using the gyms, um we can give them a card that will work from um
Saturday at 9:00 to 11:00 and and that's it. So, and we do. Yeah. I mean, this is this is really a game changer for our elementary schools. We didn't have that. So, um there's been upgrades at Laura White, uh and the doorbells and intercon systems where
they buzz people in card access. Um there's I believe three doors that have card access now at Laura White or is it five? Uh it's three at Laura White. At least three and Laura White also has two code doors where it's a combination. Um so
absolutely no reason to uh have anything unlocked. Um exterior cameras have been installed uh in the same locations as um those door unlocks. Uh page hilltop, same thing. Uh doors and intercoms uh card access control at
um three of the doors, exterior cameras and combination locks installed in door 8. Uh the middle school had an upgrade in their key card entry system. They also have new doorbells and intercoms. Uh exterior cameras and a new paging system was being installed today. Do you
know if they finished that? I think they'll be finishing it tomorrow. Okay. We had the paging system, the intercom system at the middle school, stopped working in either late May or early June. Uh couldn't be repaired. Uh we an intercom system is necessary. We
were able to secure one for um a lot less than we thought it was going to be. And American Alarm, is it American Alarms putting it in? Valley. Valley. Valley Communications is putting that in and they were able to um change some things around and really accommodate us to get that in before
school starts. So, we're we're very pleased with them. Lots have been happening on the grounds here. Uh two fertil applications were completed on the baseball and softball field. The crab grass um should be pretty much gone at this point. There was some sod removal and edging on the baseball field
along the back stop and infield mix was added. Uh the lawn irrigation was completed. Um additional uh work for fertilizer application and um composting of the infield grass and irerration and overseating. There was some equipment
that was purchased. There was a new zeroturn mower. Um a new all-terrain vehicle. And our custodians also um refinished the gym floors at the middle school in LW. The high school gym
was refinished and relined uh with the help of Steve Kendall. It was they were able to add an additional volleyball court and they did add infield mix was added between the track and field complex walkway and um mulch was added to the beds. So, one of the things that
the facilities uh crew, Steve Kendall, and and really Bill and I have been doing has been looking at the fields project and some of the aspects of it that looked really nice to begin with, but are really difficult to maintain. Um
there was a what that was what was a nice planting bed with some seaggrass. Um really became a standing area for parents whether there were plants there or not. they were trampling over the the plants and it was really difficult to weed just which the way the plantings
were. It was beautiful but it wasn't practical. So we had made the decision to pull those plants out and and make it a standing area which people were making it a standing area anyway. So there's there's stone dust in there is compacted. It looks nice still, but it it creates another spectator place for
uh for parents. So there were other things in the baseball field, some things that didn't make sense. um the grass went right to the back stop. Uh makes it really difficult. There's a there's a lot of line trimming. Takes up a lot of time. So, we're looking to like you would in your yard, uh reduce the number of line
trimming, really uh be able to cut it with the machine. Um and we're going to continue to make those changes over the next several years so that it um there's there's less maintenance uh tedious maintenance to do on that on that field. So if we ever had to do it again, I think we would have some pretty good
input on Absolutely. on some of those things. But think of live and learn. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I think we added Did we add like battered circle? Yeah. On deck circles. Yeah. So where kids were were warming up for
the grass was torn up, right? So you know, you make the decision to to I don't think we cut the grass out. I think we actually purchased the batting circle, right? They they sell like vinyl batting circles. Well, they do have the the ones you lay down, but we didn't get those. We just have this the stone dust in in the circle.
So, as those come up, we will continue to make those changes so that the the money that the taxpayers spent, it will be the fields will be maintained and will look beautiful for years to come. So, little bit of a learning curve for us. It it's looking good. And we we did have
grab grass. We did work with a a landscaper that specializes or works on baseball fields. What's the name of that? Um done a great job. Jacobs. Jacobs. Jacob's landscaping. They do uh Lunenburgg. Yeah. Yeah. And um
if you if you walk the field, it's it's looking much it's looking much better. So, we have a a maintenance plan for the the grass fields moving forward. So, we we expect it to to stay in the shape that it's in. And that is all for the superintendent report.
Joyce, I congratulate you on buying the mower and the all-terrain vehicle now. Do not put off anything cuz prices are going to be out of reach. So, yeah, plan on repairing everything that you have. So, that was good to fill in a couple of
pieces of equipment when you need it. Thank you. Okay. Um, looks like there's no ongoing business. Um, there are also no chairperson's notes. Um, are there any other topics for discussion that were not reasonably anticipated 48 hours in
advance? I just wanted I got a a Mike TBO's email on our move from Power School to Aspen and um I just want to say between you and Charlie that was that was a good meeting. It's a hard
thing to do cuz you get tied into something. But sooner or later as you try to fight something, you're like, I'm chasing a bad dog down the wrong path. And it's hard to look at each other at some point going like if I catch it, it's not going to be any better and I can't train those things. So that was a
difficult decision because anytime you make a change, people don't like change. Yeah. Right. Even if it's even if it sucks, whatever you're picking is probably going to be Yeah. I know you have to face all that. So, I give you guys a lot of credit for making that call and we'll move forward with Aspen. The hardest thing to do.
We agonized over it. We did um two things that pop up when you said that. One, I met with the new teachers today to the district and we actually we did a tech our first presentation is a technology presentation because everything in the
district runs off of technology. And one of the things that we had said was we transitioned to powers school and over the past three years their while their customer service has gone like this their costs have gone like this and we just kind of said this isn't working for
us. Um and what added to the like reinforced the decision that we made was the training that happened today. So there was a training seminar for all the administrators and all the counselors in the district like their first
orientation to it and some of us in the district have used Aspen in the past in places that we've been and so it didn't seem very new but it was just so well done orchestrated clear and people kind of walked out of there saying this is going to be great
and we didn't get that reaction the first time and so um I'm very optimistic Good be good for everyone. I may have seen it, but are there there
are some trainings and so forth for parents as well? There will there'll be opportunities for that for sure. A lot of I mean a lot of their pieces are they have video access and the um the interface of the tool is
really user friendly like everything is front and center for a parent to be able to see it. I remember Dr. Renda had said last year when we talked about this is that coordinating some of these opportunities at open houses for parents to kind of see what it looks like. So, because the portal for the parents isn't
up yet, it won't be up for a little bit um because we're trying to make sure the system is in place in the schools first and then we'll add that um as we go. So, then yes, for sure. I haven't heard Dana cursing the system this time around, but she was a power. So, that's a good sign too. It's a step in the right direction.
Yep. I use the parent portal as a parent. It's it it couldn't it's simple. Um, and we will include uh besides the open houses and other inerson opportunities, we'll I'll include those links in my weekly um emails. Uh we'll make sure
that the principles do the same. Um but it it's much more intuitive uh than than P school was. And there's the there's not as many add-on as far as cost. Every time we wanted to power school to do something that it
just doesn't automatically do easily, it was an additional price and Aspen is a program where you can build it to make it to it yourself. Um, so we we I you me we we
we we made the wrong call. We made the wrong choice the first time. It's fine. Happens. Um, we're going to rectify it as quickly as possible. Any other topic? I'll um if I could ask please. Um so we have
15 new teachers. Can we have a list of those and where they are? So if we get a chance we can congratulate congratulate them. Absolutely. Who are you? I can have that to you. I can make some t-shirts that say new teacher.
That'd be great. Um I don't know offhand unless you have it. the we have have a sign-in roster for the new teacher orientation. It has their buildings and roles on it. So I can have Jess Rakeup make that available Michelle and she can put it in the folder and share it out with the
for sure. You have many kids from grade school. I was very happy that there was only 15. It's a good sign. Okay. Um communications I believe that is now miss. So, do I have a volunteer?
I would love to. Thank you. All right. Wednesday, August 27th is the first day of school for grades 1 through 12. Thursday, August 28th, is kindergarten orientation. Friday, August 29th, no school. Monday, September 1st,
no school for Labor Day. Tuesday, September 2nd, will be the first day of school for kindergarten. Friday, September 5th, preschool orientation. Monday, September 8th, first day of school for preschool. Thursday, September 11th, is the middle school open house. Tuesday, September 16th,
will be a school committee meeting moved from the 17th. 6:30 p.m. here at the high school media center. Wednesday, September 17th, is the Laura A. White open house. Wednesday, September 24th, is the Paige Hilltop open house. And then Thursday, September 25th will be
the high school open. Okay. Um, thank you. Uh, there is no executive session today. Um, with that, I'll take an even motion to adjurnn. I'd make a motion that we adjourn at 7:20.
All those in favor? I I second. Oh, I'm sorry. Second. Yep. I Okay, I heard second. So, all those in favor? I I just I just had a question on um we
moved the the meeting. It was on here. It was at the middle school library. Now we're going to be here. I just want to make sure I go to the right place. Okay. It says middle school. On the future meeting dates on the agenda says our next meeting is Wednesday, September 17th. That's moved
to the 16th. But are we going to be in the media center? Are we going to be in the middle meeting? We're going to be here. Got it. How would I Did everyone get that the location is correct? It's been moved to the high school.
Okay. Yes. With that, I will take a motion now to adjurnn. No, we already adjourned. It was unanimous at 7:20.