Good evening everyone. I would like to call the school committee meeting to order on Wednesday, December 17th, 2025 at 7 p.m. Welcome to our regular school committee meeting today on Wednesday, December 17th, 2025 at the Bridgewater Rain
Regional High School Lecture Hall. Please note, we are live streaming on our YouTube channel and the recording will be available on the YouTube channel afterwards. Please rise and join us for the pledge of allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it
stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. I would like to introduce our school committee members and admin in attendance this evening. On my left, I have Mr. Fitzgibbons, Mr. Guthro, Mr.
Selenus, Mrs. Conrad Labberto, Superintendent Powers. On my right, I have Miss King, Miss Hoy Thomas, Mr. Lo, the vice chair. I'm Rachel King, the school committee chair. We also have in attendance, assistant superintendent Barry, and Mrs. McDougall, our recording
secretary. Mrs. Davenport, um, school committee member, was unavailable due to a conflict this evening. Um, first we have correspondence and recognition. Um, we received um an email from a community member regarding a special education concern relative to a
PRS complaint. We received an email forwarded from a school committee member from a community member regarding a concern for parking during the playoff football game at the same time as the rainwater musical. This was forwarded to Mr. Powers for consideration with his facilities department for future event
conflicts. We received an email from a community member regarding school committee appointment process. I do respond to the community member that this was on our radar for consideration and review in the regional agreement if and when we do open that for revisions. We received a letter from TJ Squared
robotics team thanking them for their thanking the school committee for their support for the 2025 season and looking ahead to the next season starting next month in 2026. We received an email from a community member requesting information on our district civil rights
coordinator and Mr. Powers responded. Um, we received an email from a community member regarding policy BDA that was discussed in our November agenda. Um, I did respond to the community member with additional information and that is on this evening agenda as well. I spoke to a community
member at an event and was informed about faulty lighting in the high school parking lot. Mr. Powers and Mrs. Cha are addressing this issue uh which will also be addressed in tonight's agenda. We received an email from the school committee member regarding a concern
from a community member on the light on the flag pole at the high school was out as well. This was forwarded to Mr. Powers and Mr. Chaka to address. We received a an email from a community member regarding the PRS complaint um relative to a special education matter.
And that concludes correspondence and recognition. Um first on the agenda um we have the rainwater players. Um I I would like to introduce our own Greenwater players. In November, they presented their fall musical, High School Musical Junior. Everything from the acting, singing,
dancing, choreography, and set production was amazing. I highly encourage everyone in the community to see one of their shows. The spring musical will be Mean Girls. So, thank you so much to Kelly Baron and Lisa White, their volunteers, and our students who make up the cast and
creative crew. They will be gracing us with a few songs for from the musical this evening. Thank you. world. Living in my own world, didn't understand
that anything can happen when you take a chance. I never believed in what I couldn't see.
I never open my heart to all the possibilities. I know this year that something has changed. Never felt this way. I know it for real. This could be the start of
something new. It feels so right to be here with you. And now I finally realize I feel in my heart something new started something new
something new started something this feelings like no other. I want you to know I never had someone that knows me like you do. The way you do.
I've never had someone as good for me as you. No one like you. So lonely before. I finally found what I've been looking for. Doo
doo doo doo doo. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. to the top. Wipe away your inhibition up till we drop and start again. Straight to the top. Going for the
glory. We're all in this together. When we reach, we can fight inside. We can make it. We're all in this together. We see there's a chance that we have and
we take it together. Together everyone together. together. Sorry. There's our story that we reach
and we're trying. So we're breaking free to get to that place to be all that we can be. thousand times. So we're breaking free. You know the world can see us
in a way that's different from who we are. Now is the time to free us, to touch the sky, to reach for the highest. HEAT. HEAT.
Thank you so much. That's I fear the meeting the next two things are going to be great and then it's going to go downhill after this. So, thank you all so much for being here. I have seen um so many shows since my daughter's been in the high school and everyone amazes me. So, thank you so
much. We really appreciate for you being here this evening. Good evening. It is my great It is my great Can you hear me? It is my great honor this evening to recognize Liz Caleb for
her 30 years of service and mentorship as head coach and mentor for our robotics team TJ Squared FRC team88. You're supposed to do Oh yeah. >> Oh yeah. >> Um which was founded during 1995 during
1996 school year when Mrs. Kayn, a BR high school physics teacher, heard about our first robotics competition. With the support and partnership of Johnson and John Johnson and Johnson, hence the name TJ Squared, she gathered up a group of high school students and launched this
STEM focused club which has thrived for 30 years. With her support and leadership and the mentors that joined her, it became a place for students to find a safe space to learn about engineering, programming, coding, public relations, art, and strategy, as well as
learn independence and responsibility while they traveled to other schools and states and met new people from all over the world. This club that started 30 years ago has launched students into the world with confidence and tools to succeed in higher education. the
workforce or wherever their path leads them. Mrs. Caleb led them to victory here in our own high school, at district competitions, and to place at the World Championships. Mrs. Caleb also personally won the very first Woody Flowers Award in 1997 by first for
inspiring students in STEM with her dedication and mentorship. I would like to call up Mrs. Jin Jerome to say a few words as well. Our new coach that will be exceeding her. Can you come up? Good evening folks. It is my honor to
speak to you all about Mrs. Elizabeth Caiff and the extraordinary impact that she had on countless students and adults in the Bridgewater Reno community via TJ Squared Robotics. I first came to the district in August of 2008, a secondyear teacher who did
not yet know the favor the universe was going to grant me by putting me in the classroom next to one of the most influential educa educators that students of New England have had the good fortune to learn from. My very first morning in the district, Liz came to me with that booming smile and hearty
laugh. She told me about a robotics team she had that she invited me to join, that I should take all the time I wanted to think about it, but I could not say no. For those who have not had the pleasure, she is very good at making people offer offers they can't refuse. Thus began my
journey on this crazy tie-dye ride 18 years ago. The sheer magnitude of what Liz Caiff has built through the founding of TJ Squared and in her influence in the first robotics competition community at large is awe inspiring. I'm sure she herself had no idea what the next 30
years would bring when she first founded this team in 1996, but she had the vision and courage to pursue what she knew was possible. A former engineer with IBM herself, she knew the power that hands-on exposure to science and engineering could have in sparking students desire to pursue their own
potential. And she embraced the opportunity to partner engineers, programmers, machinists, graphic artists, and other professionals with students willing and eager to soak up that knowledge these fine mentors wanted to share. In the subsequent years, TJ Squared Robotics has brought hundreds of
students together with science, technology, math, and art experts. These students have gone on to elite colleges and universities and then embarked in their own chosen fields. There are actually a great many of them here tonight and they will all be quite happy to tell you of how their
time on TJ Squared has guided them down their chosen paths forward. The legacy that Liz has built via TJ Squared is extraordinary. She has championed gracious professionalism, one of the guiding principles of F FRC robotics. She has developed codes of ethics, mentored other teams in trying to get
off the ground, hosted competitions, and as the first school mentor recognized with the prestigious Woody Flowers Award, she made her mark on the leadership of FIRST Robotics Nationwide. There are two particular aspects of that 30-year legacy that Liz Caleiff has built that I would like to highlight
tonight. The first is all that she did to shepher and nurture this team from a group that once kept their tools in a supply closet, built things in hallways, made prototypes out of foam board, and now is in the annual conversation as among the most elite in New England. At
world championships every year, TJ Squared competes against teams that have built space at engineering universities, at high-tech manufacturers, at NASA's own jet propulsion labor laboratory, pardon me. and we hold our own from a classroom in D-wing of Bridgewater Rain.
That is really an impressive thing. Liz formed vital connections within the community to ensure that this team could thrive even through rocky years of financial outlooks or global pandemic even. The technology has changed tremendously since TJ Squared's first year, but the spirit and drive to work
together to find the limits of what we can all achieve shines as brightly now as it did in that very first season. The other aspect of Liz's legacy that I would like to highlight tonight is that TJ Squared is far more than just a team. It is a family. Our current cohort of
mentors are predominantly people who came into TJ Squared's orbit because they or their children were members of the team. They got swept up by Liz's enthusiasm and by the potential potential this team has for inspiring and developing new students. They started showing up to see what all the
fuss was about and then they find themselves quickly just not believing. We have parents who've been with the team for 18 and 20 years. We have alumni who have returned to share their expertise with the know uh the next cohorts. Some alumni have even brought second generation members on board to
the team. And this momentum has largely been booied by a desire to make our founder Liz Caleiff proud. So, on behalf of the multitude who have come to find home in the tie-dye, I would like to offer my deepest gratitude to Liz Kayla for all that she has done in her 30
years at the helm of TJ Squared to the great benefit of so many students and so many mentors and the community as a whole. Liz, we are all so very lucky to get to enjoy the legacy of all your effort, blood, sweat, and tears. And we all hope to make you proud in the seasons to come. So, thank you very,
very much. And I would be remiss if I did not mention nobody knows as well as you do. There is no actual leaving the tie-dye. Thank you. I know Mrs. Taylor really does not like the the spotlight on her, but could you
come down here for a minute, please? Thank you again for everything these past 30 years. Um, as Mrs. Shroom said, my husband was on the team, now our daughter was on the team. Um, your legacy continues on and on. So, on behalf of the Bridgewater Rainant
Regional School Committee, we would thank you so much and we present this to you. She has no fears. >> INSPIRATION >> FOR 30 YEARS. >> MRS. TAYLOR, she has no
inspiration for 30 years. Um, thank you. Thank you very much. Um, I consider it an honor to be able to work at PR in a place that allowed me to do this. Um, I'm not going to say it was
not a bumpy road. It was. Um, we kind of established a sport of the mind is what we call it. sport of the mind in a division one school and they allowed me to do it. Um I I got to be able to be a scientist and make stuff. I mean, how
cool is that? And I got to work with the top kids in the whole district. And I got them to be able to see that there's a whole bunch of very motivated high school kids all over the world that were likeminded and thought all of this stuff
was fun. When when you see the competition and they kiss their robot. I mean, the robot really isn't living, right? Kiss their robot and say, "Good luck. Get get going here." And all the alumni that have come back and all the coaches that have done this crazy trip with me,
uh, and Del Monte that founded the team with me, uh, said a long time ago, we should have written a book. It's in our minds. And, um, I just really appreciate this so much. Thank you. Thank you. Miss Caleb,
I I I was at uh I was at the um old high school in the library when you came in, I think in 98 or 999 to demonstrate the robot heads. I remember that and it was it was awesome then.
Um I just want to say I see a few redhaired kids out there on the team and this is this is a private moment between Miss Caleb and myself. So if people want to listen that's fine. There's a red head up there who's
looking down on us and loving this event. Thank you. Thank you so much. >> And thank you for everyone that came here to support the team tonight. We we appreciate it. I see so many alumni and mentors. So, thank you all for being
here to support her. >> Thank you. All right. Next on the agenda, um, public comment. The school committee welcomes information, concerns, and opinion of and opinions of those attending our meeting. In order to give those wishing an opportunity to speak,
ensure compliance with open meeting law and other legal obligations and avoid disruption of the meeting. The committee will not engage with a speaker or one another in deliberation on comments as they are presented during comment periods. At its discretion, the committee may schedule issu is issues raised by a speaker for deliberation at
a future meeting. To reiterate, this is a time for members of the public to voice comments and concerns regarding agenda items and the committee is not able to respond at that time. If you would like a personal response, please email the committee or superintendent Powers directly following the meeting.
The chair will now open up public comment for a period of 12 minutes per policy BEDH and would ask anyone that wishes to speak to please approach the podium, provide your name and address and please limit comments to 3 minutes. >> Seeing none, we will close public
comment at 7:23. And there is one at the end of the agenda as well. Um, next we have the consent agenda. I will entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented, which includes minutes stated November 19th,
2025. Approval of payroll warrants dated November 26, 2025 and December 11th, 2025. >> So moved. >> Sorry, give me one second. acceptance of uh gifts from Bridgewater Police Foundation to Bridging Wives for a donation of
$2,000. Personnel report and declaration of surplus for various kitchen items and weight equipment. Um that motion was made by Mr. Biscans and second by Mr. Lo. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Thank you.
>> Um next we have educational report, the student advisory report. Um could we start with Miss Kayla Tan Cay? Thank you. Good evening everyone. Tonight I will be reporting on two events run by VR's
National Honor Society. The breakfast with Santa event in partnership with the art club and the toys for drive. On the morning of December 6th, we held our annual breakfast with Santa event in the New York cafeteria from 8 to 11:00 a.m. Families enjoyed Christmas tunes, took
photos with Santa or others known as Mr. Chalini, completed over 20 crafts, and ate a delicious breakfast made our made by our amazing cafeteria staff. had a choice of how many crafts they wanted to participate in using a ticket
system as NHS and art club members sat at each table to help the kids with the crafts and spread holiday cheer. I wanted to acknowledge Mr. the NHS officer and Miss Glenn, the art club adviser, for their constant student support and hard work that helped make
this event a success. The BR NHS chapter also ran our toys for toss drive this year. Placing boxes were placed in either inside every math classroom in the building. We also collected toys from community members during our breakfast
with Santa. Last Thursday, we collected every box and my car was filled to the room with toys to donate to the right fire department drop off site for toys for tots. We are very grateful for every donation and hopes to put a smile on someone's face during this holiday
season. Thank you. And I welcome Good evening chair school committee to powers. This evening I'll be reporting on pep rally and the upcoming snowco. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving we held our school's annual pep rally which was organized and ran by the senior class. It was a huge success with all
classes going all out in their decorating their stands and students in the school color scholars. We held parade for all the fall sports to acknowledge and applaud them for their hard work and success and watched a wonderful performance. by our cheer team. We also played many games. Some such as inflatable relay races, box
stacking, six boxes four feet tall each, and the usual scavenger hunt game. The seniors won the most overall as usual. This Friday will be our school's snowco dance. Thank you, Mr. Powers, for the idea. >> Made some suggestions.
>> Because we push back the date on their homecoming, we had the idea of naming and decorating after winter ball. We will have a school color scheme of blue, silver, and white with lots of snowflakes and more to really tie together the theme with the festive decorations, a DJ, and friends having fun together. It should be a wonderful
night. Thank you. And I now welcome Sydney Sme to the stand. This past Thursday, December 11 was the first meeting. Students from all were able to join as long as they had a history or higher
average classes along with contin The deadline for donations from December 15th to Monday, December 22. Thank you for your time. Good evening everyone. Tonight I'll be recording the VR music department's recent and upcoming events. This past
Thursday, VR held their annual winter concert with performances from the chorus and the newly combined band. Highlights of the evening included the chorus's rendition as the bells and the band performance of Wicked and Slay. This past weekend, the music boosters also had their annual GS fundraiser
where students of the department traveling performing and delivering food to the community. It's always a great fundraiser to participate in and it's a festive way RMS had their holiday concert last night with performances of Christmas happy movies from the band and BMS has their
concert tomorrow which will feature all I want for Christmas to see you in the forest and from the band. Thank you again and welcome Jackson. >> Good evening. be reporting on the recent fifth grade administrative presentation held at the William Lives on December
4th. This presentation was the first four modules that we presented each with a topic. Module one primarily focused on brain development and how to keep your brain developing and healthy. This was also the first presentation this year that we broke up into groups and presented to each class. During the
presentation, we explained to the fifth graders how long it takes for the brain to develop, the effects that substance use can have on your brain development, ways to deal with in healthy ways along with other areas related to brain development. We will be back to the wilderness three more times throughout
the year to present court to present three more with the three remaining modules. Thank you. This concludes the student school board monthly reports. >> Thank you so much to Mr. White and the student advisory committee um for your
report this evening. >> Uh yes, Mrs. Can I ask a clarifying question just because I have kids looking for community service hours. Are the books new or used? Because actually, this is the first I've heard of the book drive for one hour and I know when we did the bottle caps, there's a lot of bottle
caps turned in for community hours and I just do you know >> they can be like slightly used nice good condition. >> Yeah. Yeah. Because I think you make it a lot of books if we publicize this a little bit more. Thank you. Uh, next we have the school improvement
plan with Mr. Metropolis for the Odon Middle School. Nice to see you. Thanks for having me. Um, just to point out a few highlights from our school improvement plan this year. As we look at our first category of safe and supportive schools um and that
action plan associated with the district's um points, one of the things that uh I'm really proud of that we spent some time doing last year and implemented this year is the creation and implementation of our core values and expectations for student learning.
Um they really are the core of what it is that we do um and a lot of the decisions that we make. We bounce back that list. Uh and those values are first we care for ourselves, each other and our school. We challenge ourselves to
grow academically, socially and emotionally. We kept we collaborate to create and achieve our goals and we celebrate all members of our school community. Um these values were developed uh by faculty with some input from students, input from uh parents and
families as well. And um we kind of refer them as the four C's even though it wasn't worked on for that particular purpose. It just kind of worked out that way. Um but those words care, challenge, collaborate, and celebrate um really to
represent who we are at the Edward JW Middle School. Um the other uh point for our safe and supportive schools action plan uh continue to work on our student support team and ensuring that um all students uh who have uh challenges in
the classroom are um looked at and ensure that they have additional strategies for their learning. Um we start at the uh CPT level that's small
group of team members. They share any students that they have concerns about and discuss different strategies that they implement in the classroom and beyond. And then from there also the admin brings it back to the student
support team which is made up of um our uh school adjustment counselor, our school psychologist, team chair slash specialed administrator, our nurses ad team. So we're ensuring all of our
students are being supported not only academically but socially emotionally as well. Um the Second category, sorry, second category of curriculum instruction and assessment, the action
plan to that we uh are focused on continuing to implement and use our high quality instructional materials that the district provides for us. Um we are regularly involved in professional feedback and professional development
feedback opportunities that are um involved here at the district level but also at the school level. We use our evaluation program as well to work with teachers to ensure that we're implementing those quality materials. Um
we have had the opportunity now this year to have an additional faculty meeting time per month which will be great. Uh we have um PLC's professional learning community teams at the grade
level for each subject area where able to review data as well as MCAST data and any other common assessment data that they may have to work on how they might make some changes to their instructional
design and or how they might implement different aspects of the curriculum. Terms of our operations action plan, we're always reviewing our safety protocols every year. We look at um through our crisis team and administration. We look at protocols
that we have in place. We take feedback from the professional organizations that support us. Bridgewater Fire Bridgewater Fire Department as well as Bridgewater Police Department. Um obviously our own school resource officer who works uh
with the district. Um, officer Castana, his feedback has been crucial and each classroom gets a new packet every year to ensure that everyone is up to date on what they need to do in case of
emergency. Um, we're always looking at our building as well. As you know, our building as a school is also part of a larger complex, I guess you could call it, with the central offices. We also have the therapeutic day school within
our um building and just trying to look for different ways that we can make sure that uh everything works the way it should. Um we're always looking to support classroom teachers so that they can find spaces to do the things that
they want to do beyond the walls of their own classroom. As you know, a lot of students per classroom. So, we want to make sure we want to give some opportunities to get around the different spaces uh so that kids can collaborate and discuss with one another
uh and learn from one another through their instructional designs teachers generate and then just lastly human capital um we're always working as I mentioned earlier um with the districting professional development on high quality
instructional materials that we use and also working through the Massachusetts educator evaluation system. So that's overview of the plan. Happy to take any questions if you have any.
>> Thank you. Do we have any questions or comments um for Mr. Charles? >> I'll go. So thank you very much for sharing the plan. Um I know middle school is a very hard um time of the middle school
adjustment counselor as well. I'm just kind of digging into things. Um, what is the PBIS that you guys use and like how would you say is like is it gaining a lot of traction? Like what do you guys think like works and what doesn't work? What are we tweaking? >> So that's great. It's a great question and um you know coincidentally it is
something we're implementing as we get back from this winter break. We just had a faculty meeting today where the uh other the assistant principal and I administrator uh introduced the PBS team that we have that are P teachers as well as art
teacher on the team and we're going to be implementing this structure where students can earn points for different behavioral uh goals meeting behavioral goals throughout the day. some in the classroom, some in the
hallways, some in bathrooms, and some in the cafeteria. So, we're starting with that. Um, we have the opportunity to kind of broadcast whether they're meeting those goals on a daily basis. Um, some of the television broadcasting that we have in
our cafeterias. We'll talk on the announcements every day about whe additional PE time or maybe some additional time in art room. Maybe there's a teamwide movie or some some other type of
incentive so that students can meet those goals. We like to look at it from that positive lens versus taking things away from this. >> Thank you. And I I do think one thing just to kind of add like I I know what the points it can be really hard, right,
to really make that a positive thing. So I just I hope that the teachers are really bought into and invested. Um because I really do believe like that's how the point systems can be really great or it can be really challenging. Um so it's really like getting those the
teachers to be really invested and loving it and owning it um is a huge aspect of that type of system work. So I hope it goes well. Um I have a lot of experience 25 years plus of social emotional work. So, if you ever want to talk about some of those things, I'd be
happy to. >> I'd be happy to take any advice, especially on incentives. Those are things that we're really working on. We'll be presenting to the kids on um Monday in an effort to make sure that they're aware of kind of the structure when everyone comes back after a break, but also looking to get some ideas for
incentives for them. Of course, food is not something we could ever use, but um and that's usually what kids think of first off the top of their heads, but we'll have plenty ofent ideas I'm sure coming in from the kids and then uh just in terms of the buy in we really tried
to create a uh minimal structure so that the numbers aren't too intense right kids can earn grades can earn 10 points a day that's it so three points for keeping that c
that cafeteria clean or it's two points the cafeteria three for bathrooms and we're really going to utilize all of our staff in an effort to meet data points. So, we want to bring our custo. >> No, thank you. Sounds really good. And I'd love to follow up. I have some other
ideas. We'll go off the topic. >> Thank you so much. Do we have any other questions or comments? >> So, just to clarify, this is a continuation from last year's action item. >> Yeah. So, the PBIS action item that I I guess I would say I inherited last year
as the new principle, um I didn't really know too much about and person who was really in charge of it um was out on a leave at that particular point. When she did come back in April, we were already way too far into u the school year in
order to try to implement something. We worked on taking the rubrics for behaviors in different parts of the building and structured them in a way that we thought was a little bit more manageable than what had been created originally. So, it is a continuation and
it always going to be as well. Thank you, >> Miss Thomas. >> Hi. Just wanted to ask um the school council members that you have listed here, are we looking to add a teacher or staff member to your school next year? >> A teacher, absolutely. Um we've had a
teacher on for um I believe it's three years. She kind of inherited it last year as I was coming in transitioning in. So, yes, we would absolutely teach. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? Thank you so much.
>> All right. Thank you. >> Next we have Mr. Clark for the Williams Intermediate School. >> Uh good evening everyone. Uh Abby Clark, the principal of the Williams School and I'm here to present the Williams School improvement plan. First, I'd like to just thank the uh committee um of
teachers and parents and community members that helped out on this. Um I know they gave their input uh but more importantly their their very valuable time. Um so the process of creating this plan actually began um last year during my presentation to school committee. I was presenting alongside Mr. Bray from
the Mitchell School. Uh and Mr. Lo made an excellent point in noting the differences between the two plans. Uh upon reflection, uh it made a lot of sense uh to me to um check in with another building to kind of note some similarities and some missing opportunities. Uh so that's that's what I did this year. Um and here are some
highlights from this year's plan. Uh we're currently in year three of our PBS initiative. Um our team has expanded our program. Uh we're currently doing whole school assemblies. We call them pack meetings. Uh we are we are the wolves, so play on the wolf theme. Um and
students um honor honored in front of the the whole school for their positive behaviors. We've instituted individual and whole class incentives and utilize our data to make positive phone calls home. Um our student council has now been expanded uh to both grades four and
five. Uh these students recently assisted in our current clothing drive and the annual food drive that supports the Bridgewater Food Man's lessons are being introduced to classrooms by our school adjustment counselor and new this year this fall under the
direction of Ashley Jud Ashley Doug pardon me assisted by the principal Williams were able to run a sensory friendly back to school orientation for our substantially separate community um prior to our our normal orientations under curriculum instruction and
assessment. Um we spent some significant time on strategic scheduling this year. Uh we had a special focus on grade five as we needed to create more math and ELA teaching time opportunities. Uh in order to do this, we had to make our teams smaller to get that flexibility. As a result, we're also able to create
common prep time within the teams. in all grades. Uh it was important at the beginning of the year to leave enrollment in our inclusion sections and our ELLL sections a little bit lighter um as we get a decent amount of new enrollies in September and October. The thinking was that u we wanted to make
sure that these inclusion in EL sections would be manageable if additions were needed to be added to those sections and using our data collection and analysis teams to utilize results from our programs like I Ready and Pear assessments to identify weak areas and
create small groups to target those missed skills. under operations and action plan. Uh we've created we've updated our crisis team rosters and protocols working with Bridgewater Fire and our school resource officer. Our atrisisk students have been identified by our health services
office. Uh we have planned future drills for this spring. Uh we have a brand new uh cameras at the Williams. Uh those have been updated and we're working to train ourselves on new software. They are significant upgrade what we had
prior They're also expecting two new boilers to be installed uh upcoming this vacation and we very hopeful for that project to uh to be completed a wellness committee that promotes positivity around the building. Some
activities uh have included various staff contests like scavenger hunt, ugly sweater contest, uh there's a staff shout out rainbow and there's a hidden turkey game as well. Um also really focused on improving our community
connections. Each year we look to improve our connections with such activities um as working with our high school bridging lives group. They're coming tomorrow. Our senior pen pal program. Um we're deeply connected with our Bridgewater State University writing
buddies and our November food drive. Um the Bridgewwater Bridgewater Fire Department took in over 4,400 items of food from the Williams School to the local Thank you. I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank Mr. Metropolis and Mr. Clark. Obviously, Mr. Metropolis,
Mr. Carol, a new team in year two. Uh really started to lay the groundwork on, you know, really future success. So, I just wanted to say thank you for that and the efforts that they put in. And I I do want to commend Mr. Clark. I know his effort this year to really reschedule the building uh to ensure that we did have uh more time on
learning uh smaller group opportunities. uh you can imagine trying to reschedule a building to schedule a building let alone is challenging and then to reschedule a building I know some staff members have moved to different content areas and taking on some new roles and Mr. Clark led those initiatives and
really get the staff on board uh embrace the opportunity to have some more instructional time and and I think we're you know hopefully going to see the the fruits of those labors so I just want to say thank you for doing that >> thank you um and thank you so much We did the walkthroughs for both of you
doing that. We really appreciate um having some of the town council members and I walk through. So, we appreciate that. Um and I love that you took Mr. Lo's feedback into your plan for this year. So, we appreciate when we give feedback and you look into that more. Um and also during that walkth through the
sense of community you've built in your school. I could tell when you walked through like the food drive, everyone participating like everyone was on board and had that sense of community. So, I appreciate that and that makes a positive feel within your school for the children. So,
>> well, thank you. Uh, that's actually, you know, let's I'll tell a quick story spin-off. On the first year, I did it. I didn't know they were coming. I had like two bags of food to give and I was very shamed. And so, this will never happen again. So, I know Bridgewater is a very
competitive uh community. So, I I made a little board and pitted teachers against teachers and look what happened. >> In a good way. >> In a good way, of course. U Mr. F Gibbons. >> Yeah, I don't know who I feel closer to, whether it's Mr. Metropolis at the
middle school or Mr. Clark at the Williams School because I first started out helping the school district as a community member on a school improvement council. So, please bring my thanks back to your councils for all the work. I
know they do. It's very important and uh you can't say thank you enough to these people. Thank you. Do we have other questions and comments? Mr. L. >> So, one, nice job on the plan dictating the feedback. Um, and this question might be more from superintendent. So,
as both Matt and Mr. Metropolis alluded, right, PBIS takes the momentum, right? Getting teachers, getting students on board, getting users. Is there any K through2 collaboration on kind of how are we working this and how are we doing it from level to level so there's some consistency for students
so there isn't any drop offs that that's a great point we do spend some time during our admin team meetings uh certainly you know not to take anything away from the principles a lot of this is often run by the assistant principles so I know that's always a topic that we try to bring up um share kind of best practices they they do look at the the
individual matrix matrix matrix that they've put together um to review to make sure that although the expectations may not be similar um but the structures are are the same so that they do know and this has been something I this is year 10 for me it's taken some time
we've really had some schools um you know jump on board right away and then others have have come along slowly but I I would say you know after after the roll out at MS um I think that really will be K to8 we have this rolled out and I even know we started to talk about it at the high school level and what
that would look like Miss Watson and some of our members attended a PBIS professional development opportunity a few years ago. So, it's it's something we really believe in, something I've had experience with as a building leader myself and just see the you know, the benefits of it. So, we're really trying to create those structures so that the
kids know when they hear, you know, you know, what are what are the common expectations? Uh, you know, what are your expectations expected behavior in the calf and the hallways? It's not something new to them. To your point, it's oh, I remember this. We had common expectations last year in the hallways and at my other schools. So really, yes,
I think we we'll get to that point where those structures are really nailed down once we finally kind of finalize that. >> Kendra Kendra too is a great through line for all the work that we do. So >> yes, Kendra Rose uh was one of our school psychologists who takes on the um
kind of seal department head role and helping the schools really roll PBIS out. So she is she is that bridge between all the buildings. >> No, and I mean that's good to hear because this is something they necessarily go through a preparation program. People really have to seek it out in order to become an expert in it. So, >> and you do have to your point, you
really have to have that that buy in. I know when um when I was going through this myself, they they really said you have to have about 80 80% of your staff have to be willing to do this uh in order for it to be successful. And really, we we've we've had that. We're getting there to get, you know, our goal
is to get 100% of our staff on board. And we're we're getting there. >> Ju just to add one Sorry, I like to just talk. >> So, um, you know, I I will say this, you know, from hearing Mr. Travis what you
were saying. Um, my brain's a clock. You know, I know my daughter talks about the wolf stuff, right? I don't have a child at your school anymore. And then I know my youngest talks about the stuff in the Mitchum, you know, and I think all three of you really have some great ideas. And as Mr.
Loach said it would be amazing, right, to like streamline some things, you know, in terms of like, hey, we're talking points here and tickets here, right? And I'm not sure at the Mitchell what they're doing, but like all three of you are doing and your assistant principal and staff are doing a great
job. And like if there is, as Mitchell Lo said like an opportunity for a little bit more streamlining it, it would be amazing for the district, right, for that kid to enter first grade. Okay, cool. I get this ticket for doing this good thing. then I go to, you know, the
intermediate school and then I go to the middle school and it's a similar thing. And I think it can really help, you know, targeting those behaviors, right? That you want to see starting in elementary going up to the high school and being able to really like work targetly to those students that are having a hard time with some of those
things and really pump that with enthusiasm to help, you know, it be a cohesive thing. So, you know, I think you guys are all off to like a great start and doing great things. So, I appreciate I'm happy to, you know, be an open air to listen to talk about some stuff because it's definitely something
that you guys are doing great and would love to talk more about. So, >> Miss Conra, >> um, Mrs. King, I I would just again for the conversation, I'm not an educator, but I've actually done some work in this area nationally. Um, and you can see, no
offense, you can see some of the sophistication playing through again, Mr. Mr. Metro just more started this this year. Mr. Clark, you can see the sophistication. It sounds like it's been going on longer. One of the things nationally you see with PBIS is it's all around the
implementation science and you saw that Odon is the person left and it fell off. >> Um Minnesota is the national leader on PBS implementation. Just did a little work with them around this. Um but I would just say I think it's something for us to think about when we think
about I know we have budget issues and staffing issues but imple science and people really going into this and is how you make it continue um and get consistency across the schools and it will continue god forbid you know we have the staff retire and so I would
just how we can think about that within schools and continue um the implementation science around PBIS >> thank you do we have any other questions or comments thank you so much for your presentation Uh, next we have the special education
report with Dr. Angelo. >> So, thank you for having me tonight, members of the committee, Superintendent Powers. Um, Jenuel, director of student support services. um giving a quick update tonight on a couple of agenda items, but I first wanted to introduce um our special education administrators.
Um so, if you guys would just stand when I call your name. Um our first administrator is Megan Tumi and she oversees high school and Williams. Our second is Dantuca and he's overseeing the MS and RMS, the middle schools, and he just joined us uh two
weeks ago. Um and our veteran administrator, Christa who's in her second, third, second, oh, second, second full year. Um, and she oversees Mitchell, Merrell, and >> sorry, what was what was the last name?
Dr. D'Angelo, what was her name again? >> Christa Sylvia. >> Sane. >> Sane. Thank you. >> Um, and so I just wanted to bring them in and introduce them. I know we talk a lot about special education and leadership and building those relationships. So, these three um will
be working among the buildings with and our families um in partnering with us um to employ our practices and ensure that those communications and partnerships are are built. >> So, thank you. >> I just wanted you to be able to put a face with a name um and you can say, but
you do not have to. So, I appreciate it. Um so, our first update is we are currently doing our integrated monitoring um with Desi. They come out every three years to do our evaluation and look at um different elements of our special education and civil rights. This
year we have a heavy focus on civil rights. Um we're part B if that means anything. Um and they come in, they look at our records. There's several data points that they look at. They look at uploaded records, um requested documents, they do a site visit, and then they conduct interviews. Um so this
week was kind of the end all of that. Um Tuesday they were here for site visits. So they visited all seven buildings on Tuesday. they went through. Um, and I wanted to send a special shout out to the principles, assistant principles, and the staff members who welcome Adessie with open arms. Um, we tried to
be least disruptive as possible. Um, but obviously when you have a bunch of adults coming through the classes, it is very distracting to our students. Um, so we tried to minimize that, but I have to say a huge thank you to all of them because they were great. Um, and Jesse was able to come through and look at our programs and look at our classrooms, our
EL spaces, um, and do an over fac. So that was helpful. The rest of this week, Wednesday through Friday, they're going to be conducting um remote interviews. Um so we've selected about a dozen um staff members, service providers and administrators who are going to be
conducting online interviews with our DESI monitor um through different elements. So each group or each individual was picked to address one area that they're looking at. Um so those interviews are happening. The next step in the process is that we will
receive a pre-finding report and what that is is any areas that they've identified that we need to take a a better look at. Um it'll also give us outline steps and dates that we can submit additional evidence if we feel that we've met that area. Um and that will be coming out um probably beginning
of February. I think she said between February and sometime in February. So once we get that preliminary finding report, we'll be able to address anything that may be on that that we have additional document to substantiate and then that will be submitted and then a final report will be issued in the
spring. Um any questions on the monitoring visit? >> Do we have any questions on that? >> Thank you. >> Great. >> Um another piece that we're looking at. So when I did my first update beginning of the year, we talked a little bit
about some of the things that we were looking to implement this year. Um, I did go back, there was a a couple, we're doing a program review this year, but we do program reviews every year to look at different elements of special education. Um, so I did go back and look at the previous um, program evaluations for the
last couple of years and looked at the recommendations that came out of those reports. So, this the updates that I'm going to give you tonight actually tie back into that report. Um, I didn't know it ahead of time, but there was some nice correlation to the work that we're doing with the recommendations from that report. So, I thought it would be
helpful for me to kind of bridge that for for the committee. Um, so one of the things that was recommended in that report when it came out was um additional training on the new IEP. Um, so those of you who are not familiar, there was a new IEP model that was um launched. Um, and that was uh after oh
probably 12 years of DESIE working on that project, they finally launched it live. Um, that was very exciting. Um, so one of the recommendations in that report and one of the things that I heard when I came in was additional training would be beneficial for our staff members as we look to continue
that implementation process. Um so um you may have remember that I spoke about um Alan Bloom coming in and working with us and doing some webinar trainings. Um so those have been happening. He has he did one today actually. This was session four and we have two additional sessions remaining um that will take place in
January. After that we're going to reassess um where we are. We'll do a little bit of a survey, get some feedback from staff members um and where we need to put additional PD opportunities and training opportunities in place for our staff. Um but that was one of the recommendations that came out
of um the program review in previous years and then I wanted to give you that update of where we were in the training. Secondly, one of the recommendations was to explore the team chair position. I know I spoke a little bit about this at my first update as well, looking at that middle role to help facilitate our
meetings at the building level. Um, we did actually just hire our first team chair, so that's super exciting. Um, that Laura is a teacher at the high school who will be joining us, joined us. What is today? Wednesday? Today, actually, it was our first day. Um, she'll be working at MS and Mel in the
team chair role. So, that's exciting. And then we were also able to offer um slots in the team chair institute which is a training institute that meets um frequently virtually and a couple of in person um for staff members um mostly school psychologists who were interested
in learning and kind of expanding on their role as a team chairperson. So we had six slots available. I had six volunteers um which was great. So we were able to put all of those um interested parties into the institute and they're participating in that throughout this year. So that's actually
funded. So that was good too. Um and then the third one um there was a talk question um talk about increasing our training around behavior. So one of the things in the report talked about how do we um provide staff uh the skills to
manage behavior and dysregulation in our classes. Um so one of the things that I talked about previously as well is that we are moving towards safety care training. Um we have been at CPI district for a while. Um we did some reviews um with um Kendra Rose who was
our director of and um the psychologist and felt that moving towards safety care had a higher focus on deescalation strategies because half of that training is really focused on deescalation. Um so we are in the process of moving towards safety care. It aligns with the recommendations from that report to
really focus on preventative tier one tier 2 deescalation strategies to support our students in the classroom. Um so at this stage we are actually training the trainers. So, they will go to a three-day train the trainer institute where they'll learn the skills and then they'll be certified to train
our staff. Um, so just kind of building that internal capacity to keep our staff current um in those training skills and then we'll start the the broader training um once those trainers have been trained. Any questions on any of those three topics?
>> Any questions? Um so CPAC update. Um so we've been working diligently with our CPAC to get um get kind of some new things out there and get the ball rolling. Um we had our first meeting on 10:27. I'd like to thank Mr. Ro for joining us and supporting that. It was very helpful to
have him there and talk about the work that we'll be doing. Um so thank you for that. Um I did have an ability to have a follow-up meeting with our co-presidents which was helpful. Um, so in the weeks following that first general meeting, we were able to sit down with our co-presidents and talk about what it's looked like and what it's looking like
moving forward, we were able to identify a couple of upcoming dates for general meetings. Um, because one of the things that I heard that families want to be involved, but they don't always know when the meetings are. So, we were able to identify a January and a March date for upcoming meetings so that families who do want to participate have set
dates that they were able to kind of block off on their calendar and make themselves available. Um, we also a mass pack. So, we um we subscribe to a mass pack membership. Those of you who are not familiar, the federation um for children with special needs is an organization statewide that supports our
local packs. Um so, the membership is called Mass Pack and there's a ton of resources and trainings and support that happen along with that. They also offer ongoing training through a virtual platform for our families. Um, so that is something that families can go in and
sign up for one, two, three, however many webinars they want to talk about different areas of development and the IP process. Um, so that was um sent out. The other thing to just talk about and I probably should have said this a little bit earlier is we have been utilizing
the um all call messaging system through powers school. So that has been really helpful in sending out information to families. I know uh superintendent power sends out the buzz. We do in the buzz. But another way for us to access our families has been utilizing the powers school platform for messaging for
families. Um so anyone listed in with a student um on 504 or an IEP or in the referral process is getting information through that portal. Um so that's been helpful as well, sending out information about trainings and meetings and opportunities for families to partake in
community events. Um so that's helpful. The next general meeting for everyone is January 27th. Um so that will be our next general meeting. Um we do have a presentation scheduled on January 13th um with our representative who works for the BSEA and he's going to come out and
talk about um PRS facilitated meetings and mediation um so that families are um familiar with those due process steps and can engage with any questions that they may have. And then we also have been updating the website. Um, so that's
been fun. So the website is in the process. It's a work in progress, but we have been able to update some of the information, contact information. Some of the families I spoke with said that it wasn't friendly for them to be able to understand who to go to for what and how to access. So, we've been in the
process of updating that website. We've also updated the CPAC page in hopes that providing some consistent information to families will increase participation and attendance in some of our events. Um, so I encourage you to check that out. There's information about the board, how to contact the board, copy of the the
bylaws that were approved, um, and different ways for people to get involved. Any questions? And Last one is I wanted to provide a little um clarification under problem uh problem resolution system which is PRS.
So um if you were listening at the beginning I know chair King has mentioned um some emails about PRS complaints and numbers. So I thought it would be helpful if I provided some information directly from PRS on our numbers and our percentages so that
people have accurate information. Um I know everyone intends to give accurate information but sometimes it's not always accurate. So, I went right to the source. Um, Superintendent Powers actually went right to the source and helped me kind of get some of this information. Um, so I just want to talk
a little bit about it so people have a better understanding of what it is and what they do and where we kind of are with the process. So, the function of PRS is to handle complaints that allege a school or a district is not meeting legal requirements. Um, so that is a big piece of it. It has to be legally bound.
It has to be a compliance issue. Um, it's not for things that that are not that you don't like I guess is the best way to say it. There has to be some legal bias to. So through Desi um they encourage individuals with concerns to reach out
to the school district directly. That is not been a practice that we've had. So that's something that we're encouraging families to reach out to us directly. Um it's a quicker solution. If you reach out to us, we can hear your concerns and we can address them in a way that's meaningful for you and your child. Um so that is something that we're continually
working on. Hence the We have our presenter coming in in January to talk about those due process rights. Um so just to give you a current data um in from 2017 to present we've had 117 filings
over the past two years 46% of those filings have come from the same five parties. So we're looking at numbers but then we're also looking at the frequency in which those numbers are coming. And there are 46% of them are coming from the same five parties.
62% of those were not investigated or found compliant. So that means there there was nothing in the complaint that warranted PRS to open any kind of investigation. 26% letter were letters of finding with a corrective action. So there was a step
that the district had to take to remedy something that they found that was not compliant, whether it was a memo or a training or something along those lines. 11% of them are pending status, which means they're currently being reviewed from PRS. So, they haven't been screened in yet. Um, and there has not been a
request for since July of 2025. There have been three hearing requests. So, that's when I came in. Um, there were three hearing requests. Two we were able to resolve. One went through litigation and the district prevailed. And that hearing is
available on the Desi website if anyone would like to read that. If you cannot find it, will point you in the right direction of that um hearing decision. That's it. >> Thank you, Dr. Dangelo. To the other
questions, this is Conrad. Um one, I would just like to thank and commend Mrs. Dr. D'Angelo for all the work that she has done in the short period of time because I know we've had concerns. It is no secret. Um and we
have had concerns. I I know I've had conversations with her, but I appreciate the website and being updated and public information about meetings um and just what is going on with special education. Um and it may be happening. I know you
said um the telephone calls are going out. You answer all my questions. Um I just am curious >> because sometimes people listen to phone calls and I I I don't get the emails anymore because my
Kid is no longer, but is there a special like >> email newsletter that also goes out? >> So, yes. So, that's a great point. So, in the Buzz there's a student services page. >> So, we put information in the buzz and then the messaging that goes out is not a voicemail. It's actually an email.
>> Oh, it's an email >> and it goes to it's it's it's set up in the system. So, it's a distribution list based on the parameters that I put in. And then what happens is if there's any duplicates, it won't but it sends it to the both the contacts. So, you have more one person listed, it'll send it to both.
>> So like like I know there's been questions about CPU, which I can see now they're on the website, which is phenomenal. >> We're trying. >> Um yes. Um which is great. So um I do, like I said, I appreciate all the work um that you are doing in the short in
the few months that you have been here. And I will just say I appreciate the data and the numbers you rolled out because there's been a lot of talk about Ps and the number of complaints um I should say when you put it in a whole um yes the findings are concerning when
we have findings but when you put it in the whole um I think it gives you a bigger picture and a bigger context again we have work to do and not arguing that um but I thank you for your time Mr.
>> just to uh follow up on Miss Conrad Labrento's point about uh the emails um as a parent of a student who's receiving services team and student going in the implementation of safety care. Those three really are the gold standard in
terms of special ed training right now. Um besides the deescalation piece of safety care combined with the fact that they really individualize for disability area and with the ABA methodologies integrated into it. Um it really is more comprehensive program for the district as a whole and supporting students. So
that's great to hear. Um and also just the fact that you know it really looks like we're trying to build the bridge with CPAC to increase membership to increase parent participation. Um I think is critical. So those outreaches definitely really appreciate. >> I appreciate that. >> Any Mr. Selenus?
>> Thank you Dr. D'Angelo. So thank you very much for what you've done. I've as well I've trained in the wound method and yes absolutely we have some great trainings with them. Um so just a quick question just being new on school committee being new to special ed department here um when someone does ask
about that best process to kind of reach out to >> who what's the best email what's the best way to reach out about questions regarding their child's >> yeah so there's they all families have a liaison so that's a teacher or a related service provider who works directly with
their student so I always say they are the ones who know your students best those are where we encourage you to reach if they can't answer the question, they have a plethora of resources that they can use. Secondly is the special education administrators. Um, and then happy to take any calls, questions,
emails. All of our contact information is on the updated web page. Um, so they don't, you know, if calling is not their thing and they want to email or vice versa. Um, you know, I do have some families that will send an email and say, "Can we set up a time to chat?" That's great, too. Um, but all of our
contact information is out there. >> Thank you very much. The one other question I just had um is in terms of service minutes >> um what does the district use to track um how they are kind of serviced in
terms of like OT or SAP services or >> so some are scheduled >> so it depends on the grade and the and the level so some are scheduled you'll see them on their schedule right some of the services are push in so they so the service providers would go into class.
Um, and then some are put pulled out and the service providers would keep track of that. >> Yeah. >> Is it do you guys use like a common system for that just like there's not a system for tracking the providers and the teachers use kind of whatever they're using. >> Yeah. Most of them have set schedules
though I'm going to say just because we don't want to disrupt instruction. So they're looking at when the good time is for them to access those services and those supports. And again depending on what it looks like the profile. Sometimes it's a push in into the
classroom um mostly in our separate classrooms. Sometimes it's pull out at the high school. We look at electives so that we're trying to you know provide services during elective blocks or study blocks. Um if they have a study or a double study um we try to use those times. >> Thank you.
>> Yeah, >> Mrs. I just say one of the things now I'm looking at a little bit the website um and I would just say this is a thousand times better I know it's something I pushed for five years ago four years ago
before school committee and I just what is here how it's laid out for families for people is a heck of a lot easier than it has and there's way more information there and I really appreciate what is on the website now at this point I know there's more
But um it is a thousand% better than it was. >> Yeah. And if there's any suggestions, if you see if you, you know, have time to take a look, we're always welcome to suggestions or feedback. There may be things that you're looking for that we don't think of. Um so just, you know, shoot me an email and give me a call. We're happy to put that on there.
>> Thank you. Any other? >> Thank you so much for >> Next, we have the report of the superintendent. That's it. While that's loading and Mr. Sean gets that set up, I I do want to just uh provide a couple quick updates and then
we'll jump into the uh presentation. Um as I shared with school committee prior, I just wanted to take a moment and just give a quick update and acknowledgement of one of our staff members as you know and we've shared this with the Odon community. One of our staff members, Mr.
Brian Paris who's an Odon teacher suffered a kind of unexpected freak accident at home where he was injured. He's now in Spalding rehab hospital um receiving intensive therapy. Uh his spirits are amazingly high and I just
wanted to pass along thanks to the school community. I know many of you have asked about him uh to the Odon Middle School for the support that they've shown and the greater community. We've had a lot of outreach. I know he's had a lot of outreach and I know how much appreciates it and how much his family appreciates it. So, just wanted
to take a moment to to acknowledge that and certainly keep Mr. Fris's family and and your thoughts as we uh enter the holiday season. I also wanted to give a a few quick updates on, you know, the status of the district and some of the happenings over the last month or so. Um, as you know, we're certainly
entering into budget season. So, what we've been doing over the last month or so is, you know, starting our advocacy for um the budget, our proposed FY27 budget, and we've been meeting with town officials, uh the team here, Miss
Babalola, Miss Barry, and I have met with both the town manager and town administrator and their finance teams just to uh review the upcoming budget cycle. Obviously, as you know, we're all in different cycles. Ours begin much sooner than theirs. Uh so just to review
that and also just to make sure we're on the same page around capital uh requests for capital and capital expenses and so you know we have had great meetings uh in terms of what we may be advocating for come January. Uh we're all hopeful that additional funding will be coming
in from the state uh because I'm not quite sure there'll be additional uh revenue generated locally but that's something that I know both town man town manager and town administrator are hopeful that they can have a plan in place. Um, so I did want to just share we continue to have those meetings. Um, in addition to that, you know, we really
feel it's important. I know I've shared the school committee and certainly sent information out in the buzz around class size information, the impacts of the failed override, but we really wanted to try to bring that to uh light and bring that really to the forefront. So, one of the steps uh that we've taken, we did
send out an invitation to our elected officials from both towns, so the town council and the select board uh to invite them in to tour our schools. And we set up uh different dates, one to four the Bridgewwater Elementary and Middle School as well as the high school and then a different date to tour the
Rainand schools and again set up a second tour from the high school if they weren't able to attend on that first day. Um we we did hear not from all members uh but we did hear from some members that they were interested so we were able to schedule that. I did want to just take a moment to uh you know
extend a thanks to uh from the Bridgewater Town Council, Miss Hunt, Miss Ellenburgger, Mr. Murphy, Mr. and Mr. Lindy who were able to join Mrs. King and the administrative team, Mrs. Barry and the building principles as we tore the Bridgewater schools in the high school. Um, we're hopeful that uh if if
need be, we can schedule future dates for some of our Ringham officials or even other Bridgewater officials that we uh even had conflicts or weren't able to attend. Um, I think any of those officials that left our buildings those days, they left with eyes wide open and
certainly um, you know, have a better understanding of the challenges that our staff and students are facing, especially at the middle school. Um, I think that's really where the greatest impact has been. In terms of space, our our rooms are not set up for 35 36 students and so they are cramped.
Obviously, at the high school, our rooms are slightly larger, but even housing 35 to 40 students in a classroom and some of those locations are just not sustainable. And so, we will continue to advocate and share and highlight, bring
to light. I have reached out to a reporter from the Gazette and to from the Gazette Enterprise to invite him in as well. Uh because I think obviously the more we can get this information out there, the better. And as much as we're sharing it, I think you know, a picture or a visual of what these rooms actually
look like will certainly be helpful. So, waiting to hear back. Hopefully, we can get that set up certainly in, you know, right after the new year. Um, as you know, one of my goals was one of my superintendent's goals was to really get feedback from our stakeholders. And so, we've been working on that all
throughout the fall. And uh you know really we looked at uh meeting with our middle school and high school students uh meeting with our staff getting some verbal feedback and then some written feedback from our staff and also from our parent groups. And so this is certainly just uh you know in the
infancy stages but we've all collected initial feedback that I wanted to share with you this evening. So I did put together summary of results. Uh I also want to thank um you know BREA for their partnership. Um, as you know, we obviously have met as a joint committee
on class size. So, some of this information is included in there and BREA developed a survey that we sent out to uh to teachers as well and we got that feedback and that's included. Uh, you know, this presentation is somewhat lengthy. I'm not going to obviously go
into great detail on every slide. I do want to give some context and setup. But I think as you go through this, you'll be able to see that the slides are set up very similar. Uh there's a lot of uh words to read here. So I understand that, you know, it could take some time to go through. So I'm again not going to
read every word that's in this presentation. I will be sending this out to families and also to our town officials because there is a lot of important impactful information in here. Direct quotes from our students, direct quotes from our faculty and staff, and direct quotes from our parents as well.
Again, this is just the background that I just spoke about the groups that we met and obviously the joint the joint committee on class size just to provide a little again background information on our on our
students. We did meet with approximately 50 students over our two middle schools in high school. Uh shared the dates. Uh the first thing we did was to ask our students how they rated their school year overall. And you can see uh the ratings were very positive. I think for the most part our students were were
positive about their experience thus far. Um you know, school to them is obviously so important. Um I I know sometimes they uh you know rumble about having to go. I was just actually just asked last night about the potential of a snow day to start vacation early. Uh not even by my own but by another high
schooler. Um and so but when they're here, they're with their friends. Um you know that they are engaged. Obviously, you can see from our TJ Squar team and our Rainwater players, there's so many opportunities. However, when we ask them to kind of expand about their school year, this is really where they provided
some powerful feedback. And again, not going to read everything up here because, you know, when you have the time, it's important that uh you know, you read through this. We really tried to highlight some key phrases that our students, our staff, and our parents provided. And you can see it's hard to pay
attention filled with a lot of people. Harder to concentrate. We lose class time. This is real. This is real for our students when they you really can articulate this. It's chaotic, hard to focus. They realize that it's hard on teachers. Our
students were so positive when they were giving feedback about our staff. They acknowledge the challenges that our staff are having, how hard they're working, but they also realize that when there's 35 to 40 of them in a classroom, they're just not getting the attention that they are really craving.
You can see some of the feedback on, you know, the costs of extracurriculars, athletic fees, and obviously our activity fees. And then around scheduling, none of the classes I picked were there anymore. We heard this from a senior. Um I think of
his six classes he he was only able to take two of the six that he wanted. The other four he was placed into different classes that unfortunately he really doesn't have any interest in taking. Thankfully he's a good student uh somewhat self motivated but you can
imagine sitting in you know four classes that really are not classes that you want to be in and the detriment there. Again you see some of this feedback 43 students in one of my classes. She can only help us so much. Again, the teacher's doing an amazing job, but she
can only help us so much. This isn't pushing or challenging us. Students vastly outnumber the teacher. Significant increase in students staying after school. We heard that not we heard that from our students and our staff. They just both groups feel like they're
just not getting to each other during school day. This was interesting. The students talked about being able to move levels, uh, either going up or going down. Um, and they're not able to do that because either the class they want to move up to or the class they want to move down to
is already at, you know, 36 to 40. And Miss Watson, the guidance staff really tried to maintain uh, you know, those high class sizes from getting any higher. And so there's just not opportunities for them to move. I thought this is a great last quote. It's time for teachers to help the kids with
learning because we all learn differently. Again, this is from a student now and teachers don't have the time to help all the different ways uh kids need help learning. So again, I just that you know the the perspective of our students, it was so eye opening. Uh as much as you think maybe they're
not in tune to what's happening, they really were. uh as you know we we did meet uh collectively members of the school committee, members of the administration and members of the uh union uh in October to review class size. This information you've seen so you know
again going to kind of go through this quickly uh but it is important to note that you know those class size targets that we agreed upon within the collective bargaining agreement as you can imagine are not being met. This is information you've seen uh but
this is the information that we reviewed and obviously continue to share out class size averages. Again these are taking the total number of students at a grade level dividing by the number of home rooms. We obviously they're averages so we understand some of these classes are higher some of
these classes are lower and even depending on the level uh it could be you know by period not just by um you know grade level. So, for example, some of our middle school teachers may have a first period class that's at 33, but their, you know, third or fourth period class is at 36, 37. So, you can see
where those averages come from. The other thing we really tried to dive a little bit deeper into is at the high school and really show the difference. Obviously, you know that they've taken a significant hit. They're down 20 plus positions. So showing the average class
size last year to this year and what the percentage increase and obviously you know we're talking smaller numbers I understand the percentage increase could be um more impactful but we wanted to show that you know when you see an average class size of you know 30 okay you know some may say well that's
doable that might have been what it was like when I was in school but when you go from 17 to 32 that's a significant increase and obviously instruction changes learning changes and So there are negative impacts that are happening at high school.
Again, this is math. See the changes there language. Some of our Spanish classes. Our French teacher is actually teaching more than just French. She's teaching multiple subjects outside of our certification area because of need
some of the science classes. And here's some of the staff feedback that we received during we met with them uh on multiple occasions now in person. Um and again we've asked them to elaborate on their experiences just not you know kind of give us a rating but tell us what is your year like and I'm
literally crawling over desks and sitting on heat registers. Uh again, when our town officials went through our middle school, uh the middle school, this is what they saw. There is no room to move around these classrooms. Uh so they literally are crawling over desks over rows. Um in some cases, you know,
the rows go from the front of the room to the back of the room and there's there's really, you know, no room to move. So hard to connect with every kid. This was something else that came to the forefront from the students and from the staff. Sure, it's about teaching and learning, but both groups really feel as
though they've lost the connection to the students and the students to the teachers. 18 kids in a class when I started. Now I have 27 and 28. Lot of case loads. Seniors are not happy. A lot of them do not take the class that they want.
This is interesting. You know, one staff member talked about, you know, as as staff members, we're always encouraging students, especially those preparing to go to college, make sure you're involved in activities, play multiple sports, do multiple extracurriculars. So, it's very hard to do that and push our kids into
those uh groups because we know there's obviously that extra cost, level of exhaustion impacting their health, burnt out. Those are, you know, terms that we saw throughout. So there's also a survey sent out um
through BA uh to their members. Uh and again we had uh about 25% of the teaching staff respond. This is obviously an overview. Each what you'll see over the next few slides is obviously there was some type of question that was asked. You have the
responses here and then teachers also had the opportunity to provide feedback to each one of these questions. So what we did very similar to the first group of inperson meetings where we took their feedback. We did it again here.
Students are not able to receive the personalized instruction they need and deserve directly impacting teaching and learning in my classroom. I wor that many friends. It's what teachers really really worry about. They're worried about the
students. I feel like I'm doing these kids a disservice. Teachers are overwhelmed. Here it is. I feel there's a disconnect between myself and students. I have less time to interact with them, which is the best part of the job, the part that
keeps me going. It's difficult to see students who want to be part of the music program, but they have to step away because of money. We all know that our we're trying to grow our music program as much as possible over the last couple years. Uh and you know, we've seen a drop.
So again, survey results and the corresponding we may do with limited copies. I use my own money to purchase day-to-day supplies. It's unlikely we'll be able to get access to new resources that accommodate all students
have to use money again supplement lab material my own funds books are now shared between two and three students professionals are frequently pulled due to staffing shortages small groups small groups just aren anymore. The teachers are still meeting
with students in group, but they're just not small. Not every student gets a voice in the classroom anymore. So again, something that was happening at one time now just not possible. The students are getting less attention. Last year was 21 kids. This year it's
28. Possible to provide individual attention or conduct small groups of 30 third graders. Last year I had 18 and 16 respectively classes. This year 32. Hard to get to know them on a onetoone basis.
I can see the difference this year between last year significantly. Small group instruction should have six small group instruction as 6 to 8 should be no more than four. The co-op classes those numbers 18 20 24
25 now 30 34 34 35 again to service to our students with disabilities. No matter how hard I try, no matter how much I care, I cannot give the personal attention that each one deserves. Both teachers and students are being set
up for failure or at least set up for feel I'm unable to do what I know it takes to be a good teacher. You started to hear this. I find myself looking for other career choices. If I were a younger teacher, I would probably leave. Will this change?
Fortunately, I don't feel the town's value education enough. It's more stressful. Feel like I'm failing the children. Not really what a lot of those stems around. Teachers don't feel as though they're having the impact that they know they can have.
Teacher who's clearly obviously a parent of the district. Without an override of the near future, my child will go to private school. Words I never thought would cross my mind. And this one's telling too, you know, how how likely are you to continue teaching? Five being very likely, one
being not at all. You know, it's we have a good number of staff right there in the middle who obviously are considering one way or the other. That concerns me. That concerns me because, you know, we've had great success in retaining our teaching staff.
Now I stop to wonder if that's going to happen. Again, we we met with our our first parent group. We had our PTO booster uh the club leadership meeting at the library the beginning of this month. I'm sorry, not the library. Um yes, it was it was
the library. Thank you. U here the high school all school PTOs were represented uh as were several other districtwide groups. Uh Fware was there was friends friends of VR athletics. Our music boosters were there. Both both the high school music boosters and the junior
junior music boosters and rainwater steam was there. This again just some some of their feedback. As a parent, they're noticing the quality of work is not there. Students are not challenged, but the parent was was very quick to go
on and say, "But the teachers don't have the bandwidth or capacity to do this." They realized that with so many kids in their class, it's nearly impossible to grade multiple page essays. So now the assignments are being short uh short.
They feel like there's a loss of academic rigor. But parents went on to talk about how we've lost so many good teachers, teachers that connected directly with their own kids that they the parents that were providing answers. They know that that negatively impacts the relationships not just with their
own kids but also other students. Parents are worried we're going to continue to lose good teachers, which we will. High class size continues. They're getting burnt out. And obviously, we know those fees are significantly impacting students.
Happy to take any questions. Um, again, I I know I went over that quickly, so you probably want more time to to look through that, but any initial thoughts or any initial questions, I'm happy to provide any answers to Thank you, Mr. Powers. I did say the
meeting was going to go downhill from the beginning. >> Yes, you did predict it. >> Do we have questions for Mr. Powers from members? Mr. Fitzgib, >> not not so much a question, but >> comments. Sorry. >> Question.
>> Yeah. Suggest a suggestion around the reporters from the um the newspapers, that's cool, too. But if you could get cameras from um Rainham Bridgewater cable TV and and show how
these interactions are happening and get them to put it up there. Um that could be very powerful and we could share it on our own website as well obviously but I think both would be amendable to coming down and showing it.
>> Good suggestion. Thank you. >> Thank you. Other questions or comments, Mr. Lo? >> I I think just more of a comment. I remember someone was saying earlier we're such competitive towns, but this seems the only place that they're not
competitive. We have one of the lowest funding numbers for student pupil expenditures in the state. We're seeing numbers, we're seeing feedback from teachers and students how their experience has been significantly altered. They're not learning. not getting the level of attention they
need. And if anything, we know of what is the bedrock of of solid towns and what help support other organizations are at the towns is our schools. And I I would agree with a lot of the comments that were said in those that feedback, especially from teachers.
Those numbers are completely unacceptable. And I I I feel for them. And I I saw the last comment. I'm in the same boat. I have a child who numbers don't go down. I have to look I never thought I would say that as a
public educator. I don't have to public this town to realize priorities. This is the area to prioritize. >> Thank you. This is >> King I'll just make a comment similar to Mr. Lucious. I think everything that's
here or in the presentation is you know black and white and I think it's everything or many of what I've heard from other parents, what I've heard from teachers, what I've heard from my children. So, I think it puts it in black and white. It's incredibly disheartening
um and upsetting and what is happening in our schools, to our kids, to our staff and and I'm very concerned um again making it through this school year for our teachers and our kids. I'm also very concerned what happens in the
fall and our ability to build positions. We not continue like this. Um, and I will just very come out and say already I will not support a budget that is anywhere like we've had to go through this year because it is we've made cut
after cut after cut and now we cannot continue like this at all. Um, you know, I'm hearing from staff that are having, again, I think we read it up there, the rigor, especially in the high school, the rigor of the classes is changing because there's no way staff can be able
to get through all the work and the assignments and their case loads that they have to do. Um, and it's hurting our kids. And I think we'll see. We saw MCCAST numbers for last year. I can't imagine where our MCAST numbers, I know it's a point in time, but I cannot
imagine what our numbers are going to look like. It is not moving us in the right direction. It is moving us backward with all of the cuts that we've had to go through. >> Mr. J, just to put a point on Miss Conrad
Alberto's comments, if we cut anymore, we're not cutting. We're dissecting. >> Thank you, Mr. Guner. Have we provided a copy of this superintendent powers to the towns yet or have they been given a presentation? >> Uh will they be given a presentation? >> They will be though. They're going to
receive this. I wanted obviously you to see it first. Uh we'll be sending this out in the buzz this Friday to the community and then I'll also be sending it to the towns as well. >> It's very powerful information and it's it's very upsetting to see. Um I can't help but think, you know, we've all seen
the photos circulating on Facebook of the brown water and Bridgewater. This is the brown water of the district. This is the visualization of the reality that that people have to our educators have to come to, our students have to come to. Um, you know, we hear about the work
that our principles, administrators, Dr. Gangel are doing, working so hard with what they have to try to put on a brave face and and do right by the families in this district. um you know and it's you know and it but it's also a struggle and we know it's a struggle and you know we
know seen those AP class um sizes you know MCAT scores we know will go down AP test scores right you know those those those mean something for you know aspiring you know college students and you know there's there's college credits there and you know it's you know we're
the the the towns with the budget levels that are provided are it's failingbody everybody everybody at all levels. It's it's not just special needs groups. It's not just the high achievers. It is students up and down. And I I really hope and that our elected officials take
a look at that feedback and understand the live reality of what's going on in these buildings. And I commend everybody that puts a brave face on and they're trying so hard. Every teacher I talk to, they are relentlessly positive. They are relentlessly positive despite what they
have to come to work and do. Uh it's really a credit. It is a credit to them. It's a credit to the principles, the administrators, yourself. Um, but that's the brown water, you know, and and I hope that people are sharing this around on, you know, Facebook once it gets published online as much as that
people are sharing those those photos around recently. And um because something something has to change and and like Mr. Conrad said, the the budget cannot sustain. It's a level budget is not appropriate. They the towns need to figure out what can be done to start to
rebuild what lost the last couple of years. >> Thank you. And I mean, Mr. Pros and I have been with some of the town counselors and we've toured some of the Bridgewater schools and high school and I've I'm always in the Rainingham
schools. Um, and it is affecting every class side, every class, every grade level from academic rigor all the way through APs. If you've gone into Mr. AP stats. They're jam-packed in there trying to learn AP statistics, which is
unreal. And then at the other end of the spectrum, an academic level class is still packed and those kids that need the extra support and help are not getting it. We went through classes where it it wasn't a joke. They were so packed in in the middle school, you
couldn't walk through the aisles. I feel like there needs to be a way our community of school parents and children They know what's happening in the schools. We need to get that out to the other community members, the seniors, the people without children. They need
to read this and they need to see what that effect effect is because until they actually see that, it's not their concern. So, I think Mr. Fitski has had a good point to try and get cameras in there, have this, you know, posted, send it to the town council, send it to the
like. We need the community to know that the field override, it wasn't just vaguely larger class sizes. That was a ripple effect to every grade level, every class in the district in a different way from kindergarten all
through AP US history, which is, you know, all of those kids need extra support and they are they are not getting it right now, which is unfortunate and that's our job. I would say is not that I want what women happy Hansen has gone through, but
watching that and they have like a 1.45 million shortfall. I was like, if only we had a $1.45 million shortfall. Um, you know, ours is way higher than that. And nowhere did we get the coverage and outrage that has happened there. And we
should be just as outraged here as what is happening in that town, those towns. Thank you, Mr. >> Next, we have long range planning subcommittee report by Mr. Lo. Longrange planning subcommittee met on
December 8th in superintendent conference room at 5:30 p.m. Committee members in attendance were Mr. Guthro of Mr. Bridgewwater and myself. Also intended for the district was the superintendent, director of facilities, director of technology and director of business services recording the meeting.
Meeting agenda consisted of review of capital improvement plan, updates on the superintendent's progress during evaluation goals and the approval of prior subcommittee meeting minutes. Uh before the review of the committee improvement plan, superintendent powers noted that he had met with both towns that there was a request to limit
capital spending to $1 million total. This year's capital spending is in the range of 1.6 million and next year's projected is in the projected spending is in the range of 1.9 million. Superintendent and his team had noted that he already made several cuts and adjustments to try to reduce spending.
Uh but it really was only looking at keeping our technology and facilities at the utmost necessities to keep them open and functioning at current levels. Um despite this uh this challenge um and also with recommendations by local
police to add uh department to add reflective shatterproof films in the class and all of our entryways uh this is something that really will not be able to be afforded in the budget. is crucial for the security and wellbeing of our students. Super um
for our facilities, the superintendent director of facilities noted uh several crucial projects that have to be completed in FY727 in order to keep our buildings open. A few examples of this are HVAC and lighting operation systems at several schools in order to be able to heat and
cool and control the lights and the replacement of boilers at MS. It was agreed by all committee members that the million dollar limit asked by each not allow for the district to provide fully functional and safe facilities for students. The committee asked the superintendent uh to review the item
prioritized for FY27 and discuss funding for capital improvements with both towns. Again, as for the superintendent's progress towards his valuation goals, superintendent powers noted he provided full committee with a full update in February as the prior year. Overall, the superintendent noted
he's made significant progress on all three of the four three of his four goals. He's been able to meet with both students, st parents regarding the impact of that override. There have been several events and ongoing communication uh regarding state. Superintendent has also met with both time several times
regarding planning for the FY27 budget. Superintendent Prior noted that uh progress on the student learning goal to increase achievement of students with disabilities has been limited. The director of special education is new and still in the district. The timeline for this goal, however, is for two years. Lastly, the minutes from the
subcommittee meetings of July 23rd and October 20th are unanimously. >> Thank you, Mr. Lo. Do we have any questions or comments on long range planning? >> Do you have one, >> Mr. U M? I do think it's important to point
out to uh the the communities um you know the tremendous irony that we had our long range planning meeting inside the central office uh inside of MS on the same night that I believe was the Bridgewater Police Department was conducting SWAT training while we were
forced to have a conversation between do we replace boilers in buildings or do we put shatterproof glass enhancements on the front of schools. The irony is astounding. And unfortunately,
we had to pick heating because the kids can't go to school if there's no heat, but they can go to school if there's not shatterproof glass on the windows. I think that's important to call out um as we enter the next budget cycle and and as we put a little bit of context into
some of these discussions that are that are taking place. Thank you. >> So, they pretty much just want you to cut the capital but still maintain the buildings. >> Yes. And and really something we point
out that that number is not I mean between the HVAC and lighting systems that have to happen really at multiple schools we are well above and beyond a million dollars and that's solely to keep buildings open and functional. Um and you know we're
meeting basic needs. We're not even going past that point a million dollars. I I don't Do we have any other questions or comments? >> King. Yes. And and just, you know, in speaking with both towns, obviously, um
I I know for our new new counterpart in Bridgewwater, Mr. Davis, uh he's really trying to put a model in place where there is unfortunately less free cash uh available for capital projects, not just for school, but also for police fire DBW
townwide. Um and and thus what that allows him to do is actually put some additional funds back into everyone's operating budget. Um and so there is some benefit at least from Mr. Capital Davis, you know, making that request. uh
we are going to struggle to try to to to meet that number. But I I just want to give some rationale you know behind that. I know I shared that with the subcommittee but obviously for the full committee. Um you know the thought being that if if he can increase our operating budget which you know is built upon year
after year for not just for us but all those departments that would be beneficial and certainly it would be as we talk about needing additional funds. Um it will be a challenge to you know maintain our buildings but at least we still may see a benefit on the other end in our operating budget. Um as you know
you know the town of Ranham um you know they've been funding our capital requests but they obviously are trying to use as much available free cash as possible to go towards their public safety building um while still funding you know the requests from DPW police
fire and the schools. So working with them as well to try to, you know, come in at a reasonable number as free cash may just not be available in that time either. >> Mr. Selenus, >> I I being the new guy, I just have a
burning question because I've been at two meetings now about hearing about another capital operating thing uh that just seems needs more attention. Um in this building, the in the gym. So, is that something like we look at something that's a challenge right now? I'm trying
to read different things and knowing that I've been in there and seen water coming down and knowing that then it becomes a multi-million dollar um challenge and I just kind of asking the question as to, you know, where that is
on the priority and how we are. I know there's the 27FY um roof improvement plans and that type of thing, but what is being done to really prioritize that so it doesn't cause so many more
challenges in the infrastructure of this building? Question >> spoiler is on >> I know uh happy to provide a preview of that. Uh yes, so obviously uh Mr. Cher and his team uh from facilities uh you know they
they do have a a maintenance plan in place for the roofs. Uh you know in terms of repairs um obviously as you mentioned repairing a a roof the size of of this high school is is costly. When I say costly we're talking millions and millions of dollars. Um Mr. Selenus did
you know allude to the MSBA accelerated program where you're able to uh you know put in for reimbursement for windows and doors and roofs. uh that does not open until January of 2027. So if we were to try to take an undertake a big roof
replacement project or even just replace a significant section, I I think it would be, you know, in our best interest and the town's best interest to wait until then. However, we do know that there are areas that need to be addressed. Now, I have, you know, communicated that to both towns that,
you know, don't be surprised if we're asking for multiple requests to repair sections of the roof, but it really is a stop gap until we get to a point where we can try to get some reimbursement for a larger roof project if necessary. You know, the high schools, uh, Mr.
Fitzgibbons, I think you asked this question the other night. you know, the age of the high school is coming up on 20 years and all of that's somewhat premature for a roof replacement. Um, you know, we do have some concerns with the roof itself and and the membrane and the way it uh has held up over time. So,
we we are a little bit soon in looking to have to replace a roof, but you know, even you know, in your roofs at home, they're about 25 30 years. Um, you know, obviously newer construction and better technology could get longer. Um, but you know, looking at the the roof
construction here, you know, it doesn't surprise me that, you know, we're coming up on that 20 year mark and needing replacements. >> I hope I answered your question. Okay, >> Mr. Fitzk. >> Um, to Mr. Selenus, if you stick around
long enough, you'll find out the town of Bridgewater is really good at building stuff and really bad taking care of things and has been a history forever. And when I used to work at the old Williams school before it got knocked
down, I was going in in the 1980s and into the '9s into the boilers that were in there in the 1950s when they built it as the Bridgewater High School. some 50 year old boilers.
It's just the way to end unfortunately and we should kind of get out of that practice is my idea. >> Yeah. So to to clarify, so to add on, it is on the radar. Mr. Powers has been in talks with the town so they're aware,
but it's also they're moving money from operational from freak back and forth. It's the same we want it on one end or the other, but we also need to maintain our buildings because if the roof fails, that's going to be even larger of an expense,
>> right? And that's why I bring up just because knowing hearing from facilities being in these buildings. I know you guys do an amazing job and I've been in every building after hours and activities and all this and it's just knowing what that can do, right? like we're
talking it could ruin you don't have gym space for the rest of the year and I know it's a flat roof. So when you get into all those other complexities it's a real hard thing to say hey we're going to put up for two years and again that's why I say you know I know bringing it to the towns and talking about making
fiscal decisions to help maintain buildings. So >> Mr. L. So, thank you for the background. You know, part of the town's request and what they're trying to do superintendent. However, I mean, this is just a prime example that we don't have enough money to actually run this town
and that action has to be taken and it needs to be across the board because literally we're in this situation. We're just we're robbing Peter to pay off. >> They're telling us again we have to cut because we don't have the we want to put this money back in here, but it's the same pot of money. We just we won't be
able to run buildings. We'll have to shut buildings down. Buildings will have to close for days. Students will be stuck at home because these are the realities of what happens when you don't do crucial improvements to buildings is that they have to close until those things are remedied and then we're going to be in an emergency situation versus
being proactive and trying to address issues before in the long term, which I I'll be honest in the comprehensive plan is what we're trying to achieve. But if you tell us we can only spend this much money because we want to put it back in operations, it's like there's
no difference. >> It's not increasing revenue. It's just moving it from one pot to the other. >> I appreciate his his willingness to look at things differently, but there's no difference. >> Thank you, Mr. L.
Is that all for long? >> Thank you. Uh, next is budget subcommittee report. On December 15th, the budget subcommittee met at 5:30 in the superintendent conference room. In attendance were Mr. Fitzgiven, Mr. Lo,
Miss Davenport, Superintendent Powers, Assistant Superintendent Barry, Miss Balola, Miss Roacho, Mr. Shaka, Mrs. McDougall, our reporting secretary, and Miss Bell. Um, first on the agenda, we discussed
the uh fiscal year 2026 budget update. Miss Balola gave an update on the budget for the month of November. At that time, we have currently spent 6% of the budget, including operational debt and capital. As the capital vote was delayed, we have not yet started any
capital projects for the year. We reviewed all major cost drivers such as salaries which are 93% encumbered right now sublines which are still stable but we have not gotten until the time of year where many teachers are out sick or many maternity leaves currently. We also
reviewed the transportation line. We are expecting chapter 71 funds to that line in December and June or July. Utilities are also stable as we are just going into the mid winter months right now. out of district tuitions were reviewed and we have circuit breaker funds to
apply there and those will be reclassed after December closes. Miss Beal will present the second quarter midyear report at the January minimum. She will also present historical trends via a graph to show um if we're on track with prior years.
We have questions on fiscal year 26. uh fiscal year 27 which Mr. Powers went into this evening as well. Um Mr. Powers gave an update regarding his meetings with the town to update them on the status of next year's budget and begin preliminary talks with him um with them
regarding the town's budget and revenue expectations. They also discussed capital which we just reviewed um via the long range plan and subcommittee report. Um, we also had a discussion regarding Mr. P's discussions with the town and what the facility's maintenance
plan was for the the high school roof. Um, which would be further repairs, a full roof replacement and or putting in for an MSBA project for the fiscal year 27 when that opens up. Um, so this will be an ongoing thing that we will
continue to update on um at school committee reports and in budgets to keep an eye on that. status and plan will be. Um, also PEC had a meeting regarding the cost driver of health insurance and Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Powers gave an update on
that and that is also on tonight's agenda. Um, regarding sports fees, we also evaluated and reviewed the sports fees. Um, regarding winter sports, we currently have 229 students participating in winter sports. We had
280 last year. So the number of athletes is also decreased for the winter season. Um it is the same actually although at the middle school for winter basketball as last season. Mr. Fitzgiven did ask the budget itself to have the fall sports report at the next meeting um
showing revenue versus expenses to see how much we are short for the fall season with the increased sports fee. Um due to the increase in fees per athlete per sport, we have brought in more revenue than estimated um for this fiscal year. Although those estimates
were forecasted in the budget before the price was increased and this will be continued to monitor. Do we have any questions on Mr. P did give an operational um review regarding an update on the status of that. Um it was approved by both towns
for the appropriation of money. Um Mr. Powers and the business office put that out to 12 vendors that were on the approved state list and received one bid from CLA. Um Mr. Powers had a productive conversation with them regarding the project and timeline and the business
office has provided them various documentation that was requested. Um that information as well. Um and they will CLA did say that they will try and work to keep a February timeline and keep us updated on that. Um and can you give just an update
on how the final project what they your discussion was? >> We we did ask not just only in the uh request that we sent out to the the vendors but also in our follow-up conversation that we really needed uh you know it to be presented in multiple
ways. So yes, they're going to provide us a technical report of their uh recommendations and findings, but uh I believe it was Miss Conra Leendo that suggested uh we also have a plain language report. Um and so we we did put that in as part of our request and also ask them to make themselves available to
be able to present their findings uh whether it be to school committee or to you know various town groups as well. So definitely expecting all those to happen that uh seem to be reasonable for for them to have that request and questions on that.
>> Um there was also a discussion regarding the regional agreement with respect to capital and how the towns are appropriating and funding capital requests pursuant to the state and desi guidelines um as well as what is in our regional agreement. Um after budget
season, the subcommittee agreed that we should discuss with the towns regarding opening up the regional agreement. So that is um updated as to how both towns are appropriating money for capital going forward. Um I know there's other
things that we've noted in the past as well to revise in the regional agreement. Most recently, how we go about appointing a new school committee member upon vacancy. Um the regional agreement was very basic in how stated and it only discussed going to the
selectment of those towns which is outdated. Town council is now the current government. Um and then I know when I came on the school committee there were multiple things that we wanted to update um which got very voluminous with desi once we presented that. So I think maybe after budget
season we will look into opening that up um because we do need to figure out the capital issue so we are not um constantly re-evaluating and amending our budget due to the capital so that will be an ongoing conversation as well.
Yes, I think it would be good maybe around the regional agreement I can't remember who it was find out is um at the chapter 7 hearing that was a couple weeks ago there was a regional district who had just gone
through updating their region um they had just finished the process and gone through a lengthy process of updating the regal agreement and of changed actually in the funding and they were actually says one year of what the
number three now >> um so I can't remember who it was I'm sure they can find out >> I think it was Rochester >> was it Rochester yeah it may be good to get a copy of their >> okay thank
Um we also approved minutes dated November 20th, 2025. Um and then we did have two other items um that we discussed um multiple the high school flag pole and lights. Um as I stated in correspondence, we did get
notification that the high school flag pole light and lights in the high school parking lot have been out. Um so facilities did and replace those lighting. Um, but it was determined that those um it was not the bulbs actually, it was the wiring that needed to replace
as well as parts. So, excuse me. Regarding the lights in the parking lot, Mr. Shaka is um rewiring and putting new lights on those um and that is um in the process. And as to the flag pole um in the interim that is corroded. So, in the
interim they are removing the flag each night, taking that down and forward. They are going to install a light on the corner of the building to illuminate the flag um since they could not rewire due to corrosion. Um so they are taking care of that. So I will say to anyone here or
watching at home. If you see things like that that you know need to be addressed, please let us know. So thank you to Mrs. Barry um that noted that and then Mr. Stevens also letting us know. Um, we
also were notified of an Hback project um that was due that due to a bid issue was paused. Um, pursuant to Desi rules, any projects from a previous fiscal year must be completed or closed by December of the next fiscal year. Um, so Mr. Pros
is currently awaiting Desi's approval to either keep this open with Desi's approval or it will need to be closed and reopened with fiscal year. So, um, more to come on that project, what should we hear back from Desi on that as well, but no action was taken at that
time until we get um to know from Desi one way or the other. That concludes my budget report. Does anyone have questions or comments? >> Oh, yes. Mrs. Conrad, >> when is our next meeting with the towns? Because again, everything that we're
hearing and budget and planning I know it's in January. >> I did have Y. So I did have an announcement at the end. I should have put it under budget as well. So our budget is January that date the 12th or the 14th.
>> Monday, January 12th is our next budget sub meeting which Mr. Powers will present to budget subliminary budget. We're meeting with the towns for a joint meeting with both towns, both Finn calls, town manager, town administrator,
um, finance directors, and the school committee on Wednesday, January 21st at 6:30. The location was to be determined. We were trying to find a space here in the accommodate and have sound and
audio. Um, potentially the library. We're just trying to see if we can set that up in space and sound. So, at that meeting, we want to get the budget presented to the town so they are all aware and we don't have any of this. I wasn't aware of what was going on. Um,
we want them all to hear what the budget is and get feedback from the towns at that time. Um, and then Mr. Powers will present his budget on at the January 28th school meeting. >> Thank you. I should have put that. Um,
any other questions? >> Thank you. That concludes my budget. Um, music on update with it kind of follows the trend of all the things we've been discussing today, but despite the budget crisis, the successes
of some of the kids we saw perform here today, the music program concert was amazing. um you know they are able to do great things and that will come but it's after it's the second section of my report so hang tight. Um VR music boosters has several concerns with the
overall progress of our music program. Student participation has dropped significantly from last year. Marching band is half the size. Festival participation is a third of what it usually is and the number of students participating in band has decreased and has been for the past two years. A huge
contribution to the decline is the lack of musicians coming up from the middle schools. The middle school program is struggling and requires further attention for students to be successful. Students are being given less time for lessons and playing together as a band, which is fundamental to early success and continued participation. Our most
successful student musicians began lessons in fourth grade and started ensembles in fifth grade. We are moving in the opposite direction. Sharing one band and chorus director across the middle schools has proved problematic as music is a feeder program. If the middle school program is not successful, it
directly affects the high school as the numbers show. Our high school musicians are some of the most successful and well-rounded students. Statistics show music is a factor in their success and therefore our school's success. Music parents have proven a track record of stepping up to task and the music
boosters board is making an appeal for collaboration with school district leaders, school committee, the superintendent to find solutions. As music is historically underfunded, they show major concern for the music program and its future as we head into budget season. Families and directors feeling
that the program is in jeopardy. Um, we did get an update in the student report about some of the events that they had. Um, as I mentioned, the winter concert already and they the cookie gram deliveries over the past few weeks, some
of the other events they had throughout the year that were successful. Um, the third home marching band competition in the fall, and they thank Mr. Powers and Miss Watson for attending and presenting the awards to the schools who participated. Um, the marching band participated in four competitions this
year as well as the home football game and the Thanksgiving game. They marched in the Tritown Veterans Parade, performed at Autumnfest and Rainham Community Day, and marched in the Tottenham Christmas Parade. Thanks to the marching band parents and the Rainwater crew members for their time and dedication designing and building
the show props. The Tri Music Honor Society held their annual trunk or treat event, which was a huge success. And the members are actively volunteering in the community at music and non-m music events. Just proves they're overall wellrounded good kids. Five students auditioned for
the senior district festival and all five were accepted. The high school music department had the winter concert. We've already covered those. Um so yeah, despite their budget concerns, we do want to um congratulate the kids who are participating and are able to afford to
participate. Um, I do think it is a problem and will be continued discussion on our participation numbers dropping if we if we continue with the local budget. >> Thank you, Miss
Quest. >> You can go first. >> I'll just comment. Um, I think the music program, they've been vocal advocates for the program. Obviously, for multiple years, >> for multiple years, our kids do great and our what they have. I think for
folks that were at the Thanksgiving Day games, you saw a music program that was incredibly I don't know about funded, but funded well. And I heard multiple parents in the stands commenting on Brockton's music program and the
presentation that they did was not ours was phenomenal. But when you look as a program that is so big as Brockton's and what they presented compared to ours, it is night and day. And you can see what a good program does and what it looks like or wellunded
program I should say a wellunded program can look like and how engaged those kids were and just even the stance. >> Yeah. No, I agree. And I mean the parents for band and chorus here and the music parents, they are there, they
support, they participate, they help, but we're not funding them and they have limited staff. They can only do so much. and I've been on committee since 2018 and they are always coming to our meetings and um vocalizing what they
need and speaking up for their students and with music program and we've just continued to cut it because lack of funding. So I thank them for always doing their best with what they
need to do. one additional RMS camp. >> I was able to attend the RMS concert uh just last night. Uh and all the the children did phenomenal but the again the glaring absence and and we have to remember that these things build and through education of all types. You start with a foundation and you build
and build. There was no fifth grade band. So when we talk about the viability of arts and of music throughout education throughout our school community at least in Ringham there's no fifth grade band. So those those fifth graders, you know, the odds of them picking up an instrument next
year probably isn't as large as they might move on to other things or they might have other activities. Um, you talk about the strength and the long-term uh viability of a program there, that's a whole grade that will sort of be skipped and hopefully we can bring that back in the future. But um, you know, as great of a night as it was
and as great as the students and uh, Miss Federos and Miss Gray and and everybody did, it was a glaring absence and just very disappointing. Um, you know, despite the best efforts of of everybody involved, it's just one of those unavoidable consequences of having um,
you know, not not being properly funded by the towns. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next is policy subcommittee with Mrs. Policy subcommittee met was myself
Thomas and Miss McDougall. Um the first policy that was reviewed um was UTA school organizational meeting and again we um reviewed this at our last meeting and had the first reading. Um we did the
subcommittee reviewed feedback on the policy and discussion about um what the language should look like moving forward. We received feedback both from the committee and from other committee members. Um it was stated again that um you know when there was research done by
myself and Mrs. King that BR is the only um BR only one other um school district actually have um language that requires the rotation of the chairs from the towns. Um the subcommittee felt the language requiring rotation was limiting
to the committee um and in a compromise um what we had originally proposed into what you'll see what you see moving forward. The compromise was this subcommittee added language that the chair would be um able to be in place
for three consecutive one-year terms. So again, the chair would need to be voted on each year, but they could serve up to three consecutive terms, three consecutive one-year terms before it would need to rotate again required to
Um and for the purposes of discussion at this point I will entertain a motion um to wave the reading of BDA motion. >> Um thank you miss Conrad Lter has made a motion to wave the second reading and a
second by Mr. Do you have more discussion and questions on this one? >> This is just a way I'm full way. Okay. Any other questions on the way? All those in favor? >> Any opposed?
>> Uh at this point, Mrs. King, I will make a motion again for discussion. I'll make a motion to adopt as presented. Um policy PDA school committee organizational meeting. >> Motion made by Mrs. Conrad Loto. Do we have a second?
>> Second. >> Second by Mr. Guth. questions and comments on this. Mr. Vitzki, >> Miss Conradto, um the policy requires the school committee
to do that. >> Well, can we wave can we wave can we wave a policy? >> You can't you can't bind a future school committee to a current school committee's policy, can you? >> Well, future school companies need to
follow the policies. If they don't like the policies, they can review them and update them or again in interim or again in that moment they could leave the policy. >> Right? So it's not a real requirement. It's more a suggestion. Anyway, that
said, um I I I I have a problem generally with a chair being in the same place for multiple years.
We've had eight believe eight chairs. Um since we fully regionalized um one from Bridgewater when we started and I believe he lasted about four or five
years and then um um then um a rain chair took over for five years. Then it kind of flipped back and forth for a while, two years, three years. Um, and then we had a chair for
nine years, uh, seven years, sorry, and then two more years from a re chair. And a chairperson has no more inherent power or any other
privilege than to set an agenda for a meeting and run the meeting. In fact, we as school committee members don't have a separate privilege to go tell the superintendent what to do. The only way a school committee, a board of
selectman, well a little bit different, but a town council, um, can actually interact with the executive authority, is to do it as a body to say, "Go do this, please." And so
I understand I understand this is this is a response to the fact that it's only Ms. King, yourself, myself who have been on for any uh extended period of time. Everyone else I believe is in their
first term still here on the committee. And I I would much prefer to and I I guess I'll make it in the form of of a amendment uh to say um
while the school committee uh is no longer requiring whatever that word means um that that uh we flip chairs.
it's generally encouraged or strongly encouraged to do so taking into account factors such as experience, time on the committee, etc. And the last point I'd bring up is
our year, Miss Kings, Mr. Loses, your yourself and myself, there are four committee seats open, right? You could have a turnover of half the school committee and let's For whatever reason, the school committee
that the parents of the town are up in arms against the school committee, fire the bones from those four seats. Not saying we're bones, I'm just saying in general. Um, you know, but but fire fire them. And there's already one person
here on the on the committee who's like, "Yeah, yeah." But the other three members are like, "No, that that's perfectly good." Then what you're what you're saying is they that group of five who now represents what would clearly have been the majority will of the
voters of the two towns can elect their own chair for whatever specific reason that you can't do it. And I think that's stifling um the the the will of the people and democratic process of the people. Just
my thoughts. I'm I'm going to be against it if you But I I just wanted to put it on the record. >> Can I clarify one thing? >> Yes. >> Um, so the language, the way it reads, would allow a chair to hold the chair
position for three consecutive one-year terms, but every one-year term, the chair would need to be voted on. So, it does not bind the committee to the chair for any period of time other than the one-year term. It allows the chair to be
reelected, but there would need to be a vote every single year on the chair. >> Yes. And part of this was I was on policy sum in 2021 when this was revised. And to Mr. Fitzgib's point, we had um Mrs. Riley, Dr. Primandowski,
>> I didn't want your >> No, they were on they were on school committee for a very long time. They had historical knowledge. They served and volunteered for a very long time, but they were also Rainham um volunteers, school committee members.
So they served Rainham for a long time and I understand when at that time we want we felt it would be fair to rotate chairs. So not one town was holding the responsibility for longer than the other. However, we're now at the other end where we're constantly having new
members join, which is great. there's fresh ideas, fresh opinions, but also at the same time, I'm the longest serving and that's only eight years. I do not have the historical knowledge. Neither do all of you. And it takes time to build with the uh superintendent. And it
is a little bit more than running meetings. You do speak with the superintendent. You do field um emails, issues that come up dayto day throughout the month until the next meeting. Um So you do need to build a rapport with the
superintendent for that and your committee members and your subcommittee members. Just being limiting to three or four people per year does a disservice to the committee. I feel rather than saying I want to have seven other people that I
can think who will be the best chair for next year. Rather than just three people or four people who might be new, who might not be willing, who might be new, who might not have the knowledge, we're having a very heavily focused budget the next couple of years and last year. So,
we kind of need someone with expertise in that. I'm not saying I have expertise, but I do have a couple several years serving on budget. So, those were what went into this. It is as to um Mrs. Conto's point
every year. We're leaving that first paragraph in where it says all of whom will hold respective office for a term of one year or until a successor is elected. So that's not >> No, I I understand that. >> So every year you still are subject to if you did a bad job or someone else
wants to be chair or maybe I don't even want to be chair. It gives the committee options which was what we want. >> I hope you don't feel like I'm making a vote of chair. I'm making about process. >> No, I'm just it gives it doesn't limit
the committee which is what the majority of what we were thinking >> right and so I just go back and say again we cannot limit a future committee's decision to wave a policy the policy
can't limit the decision of the committee the committee runs the policy the policy doesn't run the committee >> I just >> and and so and so therefore we we can always wave it right? We can always wave it and elect uh the same
chair year over year. And this policy says three years, but it can't be enforced. If if if a majority of the school committee says we're going to elect a person for a fourth year, what's the recourse when there is none? So I I
don't know why we're we're bothering with this, right? I' I'd rather I'd rather indicate that it's it's our preference and it's certainly my preference to I I I would I I'm a strong advocate for flipping chairs every year
because it then builds up bench strength and it builds up uh an ability to to do better. Um but that's just my opinion. So I'll leave it at that. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. I personally do not like the precedent that waving policies would
set, but that's I feel like I'd rather have a policy stating what our policy is and in good faith we follow policies. If we just randomly start waving policies, I don't think that sets a good precedent either. That is my do. We have other
thoughts and comments on this policy. Mr. You know, one of the reasons that I chose to get involved in this endeavor was I wanted to know is the school district following best practices. It's also the number one question I've received when talking to community
members now that I'm part of the committee. Dan, what do you see? Are we following best practices? We're going through and the towns can call it what they want. We're being audited by the towns to see if we're following best practices.
M Miss Conra, how many regional school districts are in Massachusetts? 70 80 90 is a lot, right? >> I don't know. >> There's more than two. >> That's a lot. >> There's more than two. >> And and I think it's important
that we think about what is the best practice, what is the common practice. Everything that the voters are asking us is are you following best practices? Are you ask following best practices with how you budget, with how you spend our money, with how you request our money? Best practices, best practices, best practices. We're in the midst of an
unprecedented budget crisis. Period. Full stop. That has created an unprecedented staffing crisis. Period. Full stop. Just earlier today, we heard that Mr. uh Casanova Davis would like to change the way operational and capital
budgets or whatnot money flows in because they're trying to follow what they perceive as a best practice. I think it's incumbent on us to follow the established industry best practice and that is unfortunately not flipping to a new school committee chair every
single year and instead and while my support of this is is not an endorsement of Miss King um again not personal take the person out of it is that we need the opportunity when faced with challenges that might
take several years to resolve to look around corners to have stable leadership to not have to start from scratch um with a new person uh you know every every single year. So um you know I think we've heard some good discussion
about why you don't support it. I feel it's important to clarify perhaps why I do support this um and it's still incumbent on the chair to do a good job. It's still incumbent on the chair to be reelected by their other committee members each year and it's still comm
incumbent on the chair to to to serve longer than that to uh be reelected by their own community. So I think it's important that we continue to follow best practices and in a time where all I've been asked is are we following best practices? Are we following best practices? I think we need to follow
what is a best practice and what we are doing right now is not a best practice and we can't be selective in the best practices that we do need to follow. >> So Mr. Goth if I may >> Mr. Mr. >> If I may um why is three years the best practice?
>> Uh I my initial support would be no cap. However, I feel as though transition we I I feel as though that So, you're agreeing to non- best practice even though you want to follow best practice. Is that what I hear?
>> No, I think I'm I'm agreeing to a compromise because I think there's difficult optics and I think that we're going to see one half of the district turn on maybe potentially another half of the district. So, I feel as though maybe having some guard rails as we go through a transition, see how it goes. And then just as anything, the committee
can revisit in several years whoever sits on it. Uh they can either continue each year to continue abide by the same policy or they can do as we're doing now and they can decide if they want to revisit a policy and adopt a policy and change a policy because something may or
may not be working. >> Thank you, Mr. Humber. Do we have any other questions or comments? >> Seeing none, we'll go back to our motion to approve um that is on the floor right now. Um all those in favor.
>> Any opposed? >> No. No, >> no, that's fine. I was just counting. >> Motion passes. >> What was the >> Oh, I didn't hear the other
I'm okay with losing six to one. >> Um, Mrs. The next policy that was reviewed um was EFBA school food and nutrition meal modifications. As I have previously mentioned, um there was
um updates that came from MASC which prompted us to update this um or look at it two months ago and then in the internal we heard from Desi around additional um requirements. So we held
to incorporate both the des and the MSC um recommendations around um food around food meal modifications. Um I will say one of the things that we took in consideration um MAC has suggested the
meal modifications as a separate policy since we have a very robust school nutrition policy. We um policy that it would be best to one so we weren't having kind of siloed policies that were
not connected. So we reviewed the policy determined the changes added um and we made the changes to the policy um again some of the new changes is around modifications um also language around physical
education curriculum and so at this point um I would make a motion to w the first reading motion by Mrs. Conra, second by Mr. Le. >> Um, discussion on waving the policy
>> waving the first reading of the policy, sorry to clarify. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? Thank you. So, there are significant changes in that policy. Not really significant, but it's kind of blending and then updating with Mrs. Barry and Mrs. Conto.
So, the second reading will be meeting. So if you have any questions or comments, let Mrs. Con >> and you should see in your drive the red version. So you can review that if you question
that is next update with Mrs. Carto and Mr. Mr. Did you? >> Well, I I'll I'll defer to Miss Conrad Labberto other than to say um the GIC is
a long time frame to get into and um we'd have had to have put in a request. I believe by >> December 1st, January 1st, somewhere in there, we didn't have we didn't have nearly enough data or enough meetings
with the PC, frankly, to you know, decide whether that was something even wanted to consider. So I think it should still be on our radar, but we we that's not going to be on the radar for this year. I'll defer to Miss Conra whatever
else she'd like to update on. No, I would just say I think this changed a little bit in budget is the um the PC um which consists of union representatives, retirees, school communities administration has been meeting monthly
since September and human resources um has been meeting monthly since September um to review our options around healthcare around healthcare coverage includes dental and eye for both retirees and for active employees. Um
>> just so people at home know the health insurance is not part of the contract as far as negotiating the rates etc. So that is separate from the contract >> right it's part of the PC goes yeah the rates are different but the plan if you will is part of the PC um I will say um
there are lots of options it's a complicated process if you know anything about health insurance and how you select a plan and how you don't select a plan and the cost um we do have an insurance broker that Gallagher that is helping us
through the process to understand all of our options. Um there are many many options and there are time frames associated with all of the options. Um is some of it is very technical. Um and I think some and so we're in that
process now and reviewing what is our options. I will say um from Gallagher some of what's been pres presented to us um Mrs. Healey is just trends and themes around healthare um and I think if anyone if you looked at your own
healthare cost personally the trend and themes is it's not a good outlook healthare costs are on the rise actually told us 17% our increase was >> 15 last year >> 15 last year that we actually got a really good dealum
most that they're seeing they're seeing in the state was higher than that um was 17 not saying we got a good deal but we were below the average trend um so we are considering options the group is still meeting we will meet in January to consider our options
potentially with the procurement um around um if we join some other kind of regional collaborative cooperative I don't know my words right that is similar to GI but a regional kind of with some of the
towns are part of some of the county affiliations for our health insurance. So, um we are considering our options but um it is is a lengthy process and a very technical. >> Sure. Yeah, absolutely. >> Yeah. So, we as they both have shared we
have been meeting monthly rarely at this point. We feel our best option is to either u you know join a municipal purchasing group health collaborative uh both the towns of Bridgewater Mania belong to those they're separate but uh they each belong to one so we are
exploring that as an option and also exploring um you know going out to bid for um better health providers currently we have children but that doesn't mean obviously as you know they're not the only health insurance provider across the commonwealth so that could also be
an option Um I believe that is Ari may have found out Miss Healey from Gallagher they were going to execute that for us. So hopefully we'll have some more information in January. Um and you know we may have a different health insurance provider come forward or we may even look to change the plan structure of Hybrid Pilgrim but some of
those changes again have to be negotiated. Uh it's not something that as a school committee or as a superintendent we can just arbitrarily do. Um, so it is a process. As much as we'd like to say we're going to do A, B, and C to to reduce costs, we do have to have our, uh, unions agree to it, uh,
retirey representation to agree to it and obviously collectively school committee to agree to it as well. So, we're exploring all options. Um, I I think it is important to know, you know, just hearing that yes, 15% was a shot to us, uh, it does not seem to be a shot
across the Commonwealth. Um, and so I think what we're hearing is that, you know, other cities and towns that may have had a less increase will now start to creep up into those double digit increases going into this year, which is unfortunate for for all of us, but happy
to answer any questions. >> Thank you. Do we are we hopeful that any of these options will I mean, health insurance was our by far our biggest cost driver last year. Are we hopeful that any of these options might reduce it slightly? >> Well, so I I I think it's twofold. You
know, obviously the biggest driver for us uh were our high claims costs. Um so just looking at those currently those we do anticipate those to be down just based on the you know health and wellness of our faculty and staff and and their families. Um so that was
driving some of that increase. So yes you know we may see some savings because those high claims costs will be reduced. However, industrywide there's now seeing uh plan increases across the board. So, I I I just I can't confidently say that
any savings we would see because of high claims cost being down will be there. I do feel like they may be um you know absorbed or eaten up by what we're just seeing as industry increases. But we do feel as though that you know our options in front of us joining municipal
purchasing group although their rates may increase it still may be a savings for us. that we want to explore and we're hopeful that you know by going out and and you know soliciting other health insurance providers that that does make the process more competitive versus just
continuing to you know renew with one and kind of being at that mercy. So cautiously optimistic that we will see some savings but I think it's too early to tell. We'll hopefully know more in January. I think the other thing that we're considering is just even the what is the
coverage in the plans that are offered to our employees and so again some of us where we work there are multiple plans that are offered. So um one thing is being considered is you know is there a high deductible plan that people would
choose to pick along with a say normal regular other plan that maybe you pay for high deductible plan but it's less cost and so that again, potentially save employees money, potentially save the district money, but looking at all of our options and
offering potentially multiple plans that would meet the needs of our the district employees. >> And that's that's where we'd have to really rely on Gallagher and whoever if we ever went down that road of high deductive plan of putting a lot of
education to our employees to be able to for them to understand because it's a totally different it's a totally different experience than when you have co-pays or co- insuranceances, you know, high deductibles and you got
to you got to save money and so it it would be a huge educational lift when we do that if we do it. >> Thank you both and thank you Mr. Powers. I know that was talked about by both towns and community members about the
health insurance and doing these steps to try and address it will make a big difference I think and hopefully reduce costs. So thank you. Um next we have approval of general ledger warrants. I will enterate a motion to approve general ledger warrants dated 26
2025 and December 11th 2025. >> So moved >> made by Mr. Giddiven second by Mrs. Conrad Larento. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? I have one extension. Um other I do not have any other. Does
anyone else um public comment? Do we have any members of the community that would like to come up for public comment? >> Oh, sure. Please state your name and address. Dave Patrick, vice president.
>> I know where you are. >> I'd just like to reiterate uh some of the points that Mr. P made in this presentation. Um when the surveys were coming in, I I got to say I I was I was floored when I saw the number of
comments from teachers um stating how uh there's been an increase in their level of fatigue and uh basically physical mental exhaustion. Um now look I'm proud
of how how our teachers and ESPs are holding this thing together. Um but we got to understand that that you know that fact is not sustainable. And the second point that I really took notice of is um how a lot of teachers are just
so um dishar disheartened by the fact that they feel like students um that that could be that teach.
So yeah what we saw in Israel my experience at every day, not not so much myself, but talking to teachers. All right. So, if we could uh end this
on a positive note, um look, I've dealt with a lot of special ed directors in the district and Dr. D'Angelo is definitely a brother. Okay, I see it too.
So, with that said, I heard talking about heat now. I was in her office the other day. >> Um, and >> she still can we start with her her office, please. Now, look, I taught in that same room 25 years ago, and I and
at that time I had to kick the pipes to get the heat to work. So, please engage with the community. >> Thank you, Mr. Patrick. >> Do we have any other people in the Senate? Hey everyone, Michelle 320 Cherry Street
Bridge. So, this is Thomas. First of all, thank you very much for giving the update. I just wanted to first thank you and also I'm so sorry to even be talking about it because it feels like everything is in a state of emergency and I know this is
just one more I just um I feel like the music department is always in a state of emergency whether times are good or bad or what have you and I just wanted to encourage as my last student and musician leaves this year that the
leazison whomever it is that the administration and the school committee stay very close to what is going on with the music department and get their information right from the directors. I've been doing this 11 years. I've been doing the PTA for 15 music for 11 and I
am very sad to say that I feel like it's not any better and right now in particular it feels like it's moving backwards. Um the success of the program can't rely on the extra directors want to do or the parents coming to you guys
and that's what it is. Um I'm just going to give you a quick example. My son's class, class of 2024, he would they had one of the most successful music years. 15 seniors graduated, five of them went on to get to music in college. They were
everywhere and within the district, whether it be National Honor Society, where have you started their lessons in fourth grade and that we fought and fought to get band and chorus during the day as a class. They and the class before them
got the best of it. And had to stop was because band was not a class. It was they missed an academic class to go to band and Mr. K had to give up his prep time to teach that band class. That's not putting music first or even putting
it in the realm. The schedule is made and then music is said now what can you do? They're not incorporated into the actual schedule making. And a lot of that from what I've heard over 11 years seems to be the team concept. And I'm
not saying you have to get rid of all that or what have you, but I think that some thought has to be given. Very creative thought, thinking outside of the box. Um because we just bought beautiful uniforms and it's not going to make anyone wear them. And directors haven't changed. They've stayed. It's
not just the funding because we have the same directors we had before the cuts. um the talent of our kids and their work ethic has not changed. So what has changed? And I think that's the question that I would beg all of you to ask and to try to kind of figure out and we as
parents are always Thank you. >> Thank you. Do we have any other people from the public? >> Thank you. I will close public comment at 9:5.
Announcements. Uh, policy subcommittee is Monday, January 12th at 5:00 pm in the superintendent conference room. Budget subcommittee, Monday, January 12th at 5:30 in the superintendent conference room. The joint town and school committee meeting will be
Wednesday, January 21st at 6:30 at the high school. And the next regular school committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 28th at 7 p.m. here in the high school lecture hall. time we will present the preliminary budget. Do other members have any announcements?
Mr. >> I was just going to suggest you wish everyone happy. >> That's at the end. >> Okay. No announcements. >> I can't I can't go out of order. Um this concludes our regular school committee meeting. I will entertain a
motion to adjourn our December 17th school committee meeting at 9:52. >> Second. All those in favor? Any opposed? >> Happy holidays to everyone. Have a great break.