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Good evening and welcome to the May 22nd, 2025 meeting of the Brookline School Committee. It's a very special evening here. We are um honoring I'm not going to say farewell. We're honoring and thanking um Helen Charlesky for her 33 years of service to this district. We
have um people at home maybe can't see this, but the room is packed and everybody's standing room only for Helen. So like this is this is really impressive. Um, we have a ton of folks who wanted to speak. We're going to get through everybody, but just when you're
speaking, keep in mind Helen loves all of you, but she has dinner reservations at 6:45 or their family off. Um, first up is Dr. Gillery. changed it on me. Just welcome. Good evening to our honore
Helen and assembled guests. Tonight we celebrate a remarkable woman whose dedication to education has shaped the very fabric of our school district. For 33 years, Helen Trupsky served on this
committee with deliberate commitment, unbounded energy, and a deep love and appreciation for our students, staff, and community. Helen championed the
foundation of it all, early education. She understood that a child's earliest experience in the classroom shapes a lifetime of learning and she worked relentlessly to ensure that our youngest
learners had every opportunity to thrive. This year we have full day experiences for our early childhood also known as beep students. Helen also brought a unique and
passionate focus to a less common but just as vital area, swimming. Whether it was advocating for swim lessons as a life skill, ensuring access to pool facilities, or simply celebrating our student athletes, she
made sure aquatics had a place in our educational conversation. her true desired state, swimming as a graduation requirement from BHS. We haven't made that one as of yet.
And when it came to capital improvements and building projects, Helen brought vision. She believed that the spaces where children learn should inspire them. And thanks to her insight, we have seen schools modernized, learning
environments transformed, and entire campuses re-imagined. I would encourage the the Brooklyn school committee to strongly consider permanently memorializing Helen's love for Brooklyn
schools by naming a venue in her honor. Tonight we do not just celebrate the years. It's the legacy that matters. Helen, your fingerprints are on every school. Practically practically and
maybe literally every classroom and every child whose path was made a little brighter because of your work. on behalf of the entire district. Thank you. We are better because of you. Next up is State Representative
Tommy Vatullo. I suppose I should speak into the mic because we're on television. Uh I am Tommy Hollo and I I moved to Brooklyn in 2003. I became involved in town politics 2006
2007. Uh was sworn in in the legislature in 2019 which is to say I can't say very much about Helen Charlesky because I'm new here. But I will I will say this. This is like a a a a teacher speaking to a classroom who's paying attention. Raise
your hand if the following two things are true. You're on the school committee and you have Helen Charlesk's cell phone number. Raise your hand. I fully expect each of you to call her at least once a month about
something because I guarantee you whatever that thing is that's new for you is not new for her. And I'm sure she will have some wisdom to impart. I hope that you will avail yourself of it. So, what I would like to do
now is uh read a citation that my colleagues and I put together. Uh, be it hereby known to all that the Massachusetts House of Representatives offers its sincerest congratulations to Helen Charlesky in
recognition of her 33 years of service and commitment to the town of Brooklyn and Brooklyn schools and finally having a few evenings free during the week. The entire membership extends its very best wishes and expresses the hope for
future good fortune and continued success in all endeavors. Given this 22nd day of May, 2025, merely an hour before a delicious [Applause]
dinner. Wait, six. [Applause] [Applause] So, Senator Cindy Cream really wanted to be here, but they are debating the budget in the Senate right now. Um, but Samantha O'Reilly from her office is
here. It's the biggest waltw of all time when I come up in place of Cindy Cream. Um, Senator Cream is currently on the rostroom presiding over the third day of Senate budget debates. She sends her deepest regrets, but I'm very honored to take her place. I asked to. I'm a
resident of Brooklyn and um, walking by the town hall every day. I finally thought I'd step inside and see what it's all about. Um, I'm here to present a few remarks Senator Cream had prepared um, ahead of this evening. I do not resemble her at all, but maybe if we
squint I can get away with it here. Um, she wrote, "It's an honor to recognize Helen and her remarkable 33 years of service to the Brooklyn community. I've had the privilege of knowing Helen for many years, and I've always admired her extraordinary work ethic, intelligence,
and thoughtful approach to public service. I've truly enjoyed working with her over the years and have tremendous respect for her dedication to students, families, and educators in our community. As she begins this next chapter, I want to thank her for all
she's contributed and wish her continued success in the meaningful endeavors that lie ahead. And similarly to the representative, I'd love to present an official citation from the Massachusetts State Senate. Be it known that the Massachusetts Senate hereby extends its
congratulations to Helen Charlipsky in recognition of your many contributions to the public schools of Brooklyn while serving 33 years on the Brooklyn School Committee. signed by the Senate President, the clerk of the Senate, and Majority Leader Cindy Cream. Congratulations.
Thank you very much. Okay, now we're going to enter into what is known as former school committee member Hunger Games. Um, so I'm just going to list folks out, and this is including but not limited to, and then you can all fight out who goes first. Uh, Rebecca Stone, Abby Cox,
Junior Myers, Kevin Lang, Nancy Heler, Susan Wolf Dickoff, David Pearlman, and anybody I missed. Oh, David Pollock, Barbara Scott, Jen Monopoly. Any anybody I didn't call, you can get up in line if you want to speak.
Did I not say Kevin? And hi everyone. Nancy, hello. Right. Yeah, I'm Susan Wolf Ditkov. I use she pronouns. This is my first time back in this room since I retired from the school committee and the first time I'm watching or attending a school committee
meeting since I retired. So, I um I just want you to get a sense of magnitude of how much of your life you will get back. Um uh when I was asked to speak, the first thing I did is try to think about Helen in terms of buckets, you know, and put
put her characteristics into buckets. Um but Helen's a gem. She defies all buckets. Um for the G, she is generous of spirit. She's a social worker at heart, not only by occupation, but by personality. She wants to know and she
does know everything about you. and she knows the names of the custodians parents who she once sat on a committee with 13 years ago and can tell you what room that that committee met in. But she just makes connections naturally. It's
just pours out of her um for anyone who's known her and that is why everyone raise your hand if you are not on the school committee and you have Helen's cell phone number. Yeah. So that's like everyone in this room, right? Including people who left, you know, Brooklyn 15 years ago. Uh for E, she is energetic.
Um I have bad news for current school committee members. Uh Helen probably did so many things um that you will never know about until they fall through the cracks. Uh because she was self- aacing about it and so energetic and the time
and the hours and the mornings and the evenings and the weekends that she put into this district is just extraordinary. Um, and finally, um, she has a for M for the gem, she has a mind like a steel trap. If you ask her the
price of the Turzo flooring on a particular floor in a building that she wasn't even on the building committee of 30 years ago, she will tell you. And then she will compare that to the lifetime costs of PVC, vinyl, something, I don't know, and she will do the math
for you all in her head. She we used to make fun of a former deputy superintendent who did budgeting on PowerPoint, but Helen does budgeting in her head and carries so much institutional memory that she has forgotten more than all of you with
respect know and may ever know. Um, and that does include you, Dr. Bob. I'm sorry. So, um, Helen, the schools are going to miss you and I'm just excited because I'm gonna get to spend some time with you. [Applause]
This is yours. I know that's yours. Hi everybody. I'm Rebecca Stone. Um this is not my first time back here since I retired from school committee, but it's coming close. Um anyway, um what a joy
to be here. I am a town meeting member. um and in the current environment, it is really nice to be here, especially with the school committee to thank and celebrate the work of a school committee member um over over so many years. So, um uh so first um because Helen deserves
all of the accolades you're going to get and because you have those 645 um dinner reservations, which will matter a lot more to Judy Myers than it does to you. Um uh so first personally so so Helen you were the first person who asked me to run for school committee um I don't know
whether you remember that and since we were coming off a really disastrous Lawrence school renovation you want to talk about a disaster start with the Lawrence renovation happy to tell that story anytime um and um somehow we became friends even though you were on the school committee and I was not and
we were not happy um but um uh but that was um that was really wonderful because it it began a wonderful part of my life. So, thank you for that. Um, thank you also for all of the Yiddish you've taught me over the years. Oh my goodness, I thought I knew some. I grew up in New York City. Um, and uh, but but
no, um, but Helen is the Helen is the source. So, you also the school committee, it's important for you to know Yiddish, so call her for that. Um, thank you, um, for teaching me so much about the political infrastructure of public schools and also the backstories
on almost everybody in Brooklyn. Um, you know, it's important to know those. I think Susan was sort of alluding to this. It's important to know the backstories on the person you're talking to in Brooklyn because they are without your knowing it either married
to or deeply involved with someone who you're not necessarily fond of and you don't want to be talking about them. So, call Helen about that and just ask her before you meet with somebody for the first time. Um, so even
more more than what you did for me, what you've what you um what you've brought um to all of us personally is what you've done for the schools. And everybody is going to have their thing um that you've done for the schools. But the first time you and I met for coffee after I was on the committee, I asked you what you were proudest of and you
said full day kindergarten. So, um I don't know whether any of raise your hand if you remember kindergarten that ended at noon. Right. So, my daughter Katie, who is now a public defender in Albuquerque,
New Mexico, was the first um kindergarten class in Brooklyn to have full day kindergarten. And we owe that largely to one Helen Sherupsky. The other thing I remember from being on school committee um after that happened is that um full day kindergarten was
funded through grants from the state um for the first many years that existed. And when when those grants ended, we had to figure out a way to put that money into our budget. And there was some question about whether or not we were going to be able to afford to continue
fullday kindergarten to which we had all become accustomed. And again, Helen Charlepsky was the reason we managed to do that. And she um she got the school committee together. She got the entire town in back of it. So, thank you for a full day kindergarten. And thank you for
all of the other things that you've done that have to do with early childhood education, which I will not go into because other people need to speak. Um but thank you. Thank you. Thank you for everything. [Applause]
have to hold. You do but I can't see. Okay. Anyway, um just coming back here tonight. I was thinking Oh, what do I have to do?
Okay. I can't see anymore. I have new eyes, so I can't see close. Anyway, how does one capture 33 years on the school committee in three minutes? If I even have three minutes or even just my 12 years on the school committee with
Helen. I can't do it. I You can't It's not working. Okay. Thank you. Not too Oh, I can't do it. So, I won't even try. So, when I think of Helen's time on the I like to move around. It's okay. All right. When I think of Helen's time on the school committee, two things come to
mind. Early childhood and capital projects. Yeah. Those capital projects like all nine schools. So early childhood that made sense to me as I thought back because um before the Brooklyn schools Helen
Helen was a talented social worker. It made sense. She was working with children's I think she was a children's hospital. So early childhood was that was a natural fit. and Helen's involvement in developing BEEP and her
advocacy, her passionate advocacy um for all the early childhood early childhood initiatives both in Brooklyn and statewide. They're legendary. But how did Helen, and this
is where I got stuck, how did Helen become the expert, the school committee expert on school renovations? So much so that at least in my 12 years none of us got had to focus on it and we
were free to focus on other things. And then it came to me, the Wrunk Library way back. Not the Wrunk Library you know today, but the Dumpy Wrl library from over three decades ago
before RNL was renovated that really needed a makeover. That's when I first got to know Helen. We were on the RunL library renovation committee together. I am to this day do not remember what I did on
the retal library committee why I was on it but I do remember Helen in retrospect it was a comparatively small project at least compared to entire school renovations but Helen was all over it
from the plans the layout the design the furniture and even down to the colors every detail. And what's more, I learned then that Helen does like bargains. So most of us want to get good
value, you know, for what we pay, but the time and energy that Helen puts in to get the absolute best p price on every aspect of the project is another legendary thing about her. Well, the
rest is history. Helen has had her hands on all nine buildings, or at least it will be once Pierce gets finished and they're not going to let you go. And wow, what a job she's done. So, finally, just on a personal note, I just want to
add that Helen was chair of the school committee when I joined in 2000. She was a most wonderful mentor and so generous with her time. She taught me what it was to be a good school committee member.
Learn from your colleagues. Really listen to what they have to say. Even when you disagree, you can benefit from understanding their point of view. Then vote your conscience. Most important, they are
your colleagues. So be colleial. So to Itai and Daniela and Ari, we all thank you so much for sharing your mom with us for all these
[Applause] years. So I'm Kevin Lang. Served for 13 years with Helen. Um, I think we just demonstrated what a cooperative school committee we we were.
Um, even holding the mic from for each other. Um, I've been told to limit myself to three minutes and I'm going to try to keep to that. Uh, but those of you who served with me know I won't succeed. Um but uh I my first memory of
cooperating and collaborating with Helen was uh Nancy Heler signed me to a committee to deal with replacement windows somewhere and I don't do windows. Um but
I I learned very quickly. I just sat next to Helen and said, "Do I raise my hand?" And if she said yes, it went up. And if she said no, it didn't go up. Um, and that was very much, you know, I think the way we worked was we we tried to learn each other's expertise. And I
learned a great deal about, you know, building projects, renovations, and all that from Helen. Also learned a great deal about early childhood education from her. And I'm I'm gonna I think end to keep within my
more or less three minutes u with with just one event which is you know Helen was was really terrific about getting the renovations and she announced to the school committee that we had actually on one occasion for one of the projects she'd been involved in that we had won
an architectural prize for the windows we had replaced. I was rather appalled that we'd won a prize for the ones that we replaced. She did assure me that I had misunderstood and it was the windows that she had brought uh to the school.
So u I could go on and on. You were you were one of the early chairs. Uh you tolerated some of my behavior. Um corrected some of it as well. Uh I learned a lot and I was so happy you were still there uh when I came off to
know that the school committee was in good hands. So thank you so much Helen. Hello everyone. David Pearlman, now on the select board. I was on school committee as recently as a year ago, and I'm someone who never uses up to three minutes, so you don't have to worry about
that. Now, for me, a special number with Helen is the number 18. So when I was an 18-year-old, I graduated from Brooklyn High School and it was Helen who handed me my diploma. Little did I know that 18 years
after that moment that I have my diploma signed by Helen, I would join her as a colleague. Now, when I first joined school committee, I was just 36 years old. It was my first foray into townwide politics. I didn't completely know what I was doing. Uh Barbara Scott was my
official mentor and really helped me out quite a bit and Helen did as well and Helen would uh privately take me aside and say David this is really how it's done but I appreciate that uh you're you're trying and those moments were very helpful and she never once would
publicly embarrass me. It was always done in private and I was very appreciative of that. Now, others have touched upon uh Helen's successes in building projects and with early education, but something that hasn't been brought up yet is that Helen is the
human LinkedIn. It's really incredible how many people she knows all over the place, how she's able to network. Uh whenever a vacancy would open up, I would maybe talk to Helen about it and she would say, you know, there's this assistant deputy superintendent in
Pittsfield who would be really perfect for this position. I'm going to reach out and see if they want to apply. And so I'm not sure we ever really needed professional head hunters. You seem to know everybody. Uh and I'm sure that we have not heard the last from you, nor
should we. So you will still be very much involved. 33 years is a very long time, but it's going to keep going. So, thank you for all that you've done. Hi, I'm Nancy Heler, former member of the school committee from 1989 to
2001. Um, I was on the school committee when Helen ran and we didn't really know each other very well, but it was in 1992, my second term, and her first. And since that time we've been dear friends and I want to thank her for uh becoming
my friend because she is a wonderful friend and she has got great insight into everything. It's amazing. Uh she also as other people have said she does have a mind like a steel trap. She remembers so much. So you can ask call her and ask her oh do you remember this
or that or the other thing and she always comes up with the answer. Um, but I I won't take too much time because I see that you're running into your dinner renovate reservations here. Um, but I just want to mention her extraordinary ability um on the capital projects. And
one of the things someone said how how did she know so much? And the reason she knew so much is that she applied herself. She went to all of the meetings even though she wasn't the chair or wasn't the on the project. She would go
to the meetings to to get informed and be informed. And I was the school committee uh uh liaison to the first BHS renovation which was in uh we had the over Yeah. Yeah. We had See what I mean?
I'm funnel. I'm I'm chair and I was funneling for the day. Uh yeah, we had the override in 1995 and got going in 97 and finished in 99. Um but Helen came to those meetings and she uh always had good information. She always was
informed about stuff. Uh and again when I was the chair of the um BHS co-chair with Susan Wolf Dickoff on the BHS project the recent one um Helen was involved and she was involved in all
aspects and she that's how she knows so much. She's an encyclopedia of school committee and school department capital projects. So I hope you will remember that in the future. Uh and uh I think for that and and also her kindergarten
uh advocacy and that's how she knows so many people across the state because she went to the meetings at the state house. She went to the meetings at the department of ed. she went she was very very involved very very involved in a way that I think most of us can really
admire um so I want to thank her I want to also thank her I feel like she's going to be a lifelong friend and I'm very grateful for that thank you [Applause]
Helen next up we have oh sorry David Pollock I just want to fill in another blank and really talked to the school committee as well because um Nancy just sort of led into this, but what I didn't really hear
was um uh all of Helen's service for the schools in outreach. So, we used to be part of something called Edco and maybe that's in our future. I've heard rumors about an an educational collaborative. I can do that. And she was our
representative to Edco Beacon Hill. I can do that. Desi, everybody was like, don't look at me like, you know, like this. Who's going to who's going to be the liaison to Desessie? Ellen was like, I can do that. And all of those
governmental external relations really pay off and they're really important. And so, as Susan said, watch out for things falling through the cracks. Chair's going to have to figure out how to fill in those blanks. Next, we have chair of the
select board, Bernard Green. I wrote out my remarks. Jesse Pit said say a few words and I wrote a few words and then I realized I wrote too many words too many things to say. So I cut them cut them back including while sitting sitting
here in the auditorium. So I'm here to add to the thing take off time from work. Okay, good evening. I'm here to add to the many accolades being bestowed upon Helen Cherupski as she steps down from her long tenure as a member of the
Brooklyn School Committee. I'm Bernard Green, chair of the Brooklyn School uh select there. There's a reason why I made that mistake. You'll learn a little in a little while. uh chair of the uh Brooklyn select board and like Tommy I
came here in 2003 so I'm a youngster uh in terms of Brooklyn time. Helen has served on the school committee since May of 1992 as you know and during that time I know she cared about the schools, the
children and the town as well as staff and everyone else that had a connection to the schools. She has chaired or been a member of many of the school committee subcommittees and various school building committees including co-chairing with me and Janet Ferman the
Pierce school building committee and she's been a valuable member of that committee. That long period of service has given her knowledge as other people have indicated uh of the operations of the schools and the important issues that people with less experience may
miss. It also created a record that people can take pot shots at, unfortunately, or cast blame on her for the many, many things over that 33-year period that were outside her or
Brooklyn's control and all to her political disadvantage many times. Many years ago, I served on a school board in one of the eastern suburbs of Cleveland. Uh service on a governing body of a school district is no easy task and many
people get burned out after a few years. But Helen has persisted for 33 years. We should thank her for that long period of service. We should also reflect on that service and try to capture some of the things that
she knew and did which may help us going forward. Ellen has been an invaluable and irreplaceable font of knowledge about the education issues that go into the building of a school. She is also able,
and I think this is unusual and and very important, able to discuss school issues almost as a peer with our team of designers, construction contractors, and the owners project manager. That ability
has been crucial in anticipating and avoiding little problems become before they become big big issues and partially as a result of that work by Helen and this is the news we are anticipating
that the pier school will be completed on budget or under budget I'm sorry under budget yeah on time and under budget by a significant amount We will be losing a valuable member of the school committee, but we should all
thank Helen for persisting over those 33 long, difficult but impactful years. I anticipate and hope that she will continue working on behalf of Brooklyn and the schools and the children of the schools for 34 33 more
years. I don't mean to push put that on you, but that's what we want. Any rate, thank you Helen and and uh you know we really appreciate everything that you've [Applause]
done. I'm not sure if every all three of the next speakers are speaking, but we have Dr. Asus, Anthony Meyer, and Hal Mason on behalf of PSB school leaders. Well, it's a honor to be here tonight. Um but I'm a little underprepared. I was
told this was a roast and so I've come with some pretty creed jokes. Okay, no I'm joking. I will say that listening to all the other speeches I'm like gay. I'm not going to talk about building projects. Check. She was a usher,
captain, and a guide. Those were my three words I wrote usher, captain, and guide in those projects. Um touchstone and historian. Everybody's talking about how she is a touchstone and a historian. both so valuable, invaluable in our current climate and any climate frankly.
Helen, you've seen a long trajectory, the long arc of American education. Something that we all prize, we value, we're concerned about, we is precious to us and you've ushered us as a captain and as a guide through 33
years of tremendous change in America. And I am grateful for that. We all are. I speak on behalf of all the the B through K8 principles. we're all in support of you and and have cherished your partnership. Um I think the thing that when we were talking about what we
wanted to say kind of collectively tonight, the principles really wanted to say this. We really have loved how much you've believed in us and you've trusted us. You saw the goodness in children in schools and you worked tirelessly for
the good and what is inherent in our system and you trusted us the school principles with that task and for that we are deeply appreciative. In a time where there's so much messaging about what needs to be done in schools, Facebook discussions,
tweets, angry letters, joyful letters, so much messaging. You really were the person who could kind of cut through the fat, see the good, hold the line, make connections, stay curious, be in conversation, and lean into those long-standing relationships with us.
Even if they were a year old, they felt long-standing, and you trusted us, and that was really special and very appreciated and won't be forgotten. So, thank you, Helen, for everything. Thank you, Asa. My name is Anthony Meyer. Uh, it's my pleasure to be the
head of school and my greater pleasure to say a few very short words uh about Helen Charlepsky. Um, I've been in Brooklyn uh this is my 21st year. And so to imagine 33 years and all that I don't know, it's it's good for me uh and more
importantly good for this school community. Um I would just say um you have a fierce intellect. You have boundless empathy um and unwavering grace and how critical that is now more than ever. Um I can't say enough and I
really appreciate what Asa said uh on behalf of K to8 principles uh and on behalf of Margaret at beep. Um, I would just say the high school joins in those comments and we also oddly thought we needed a special moment with just Brookline High School, which I'm sure is
shocking. Um, but more importantly, just thank you for your visits to my office. If you know Helen, there are these incredible exchange of pleasantries and laughing and smiling and then she would say so. And then I would hear the two questions
or the two issues and it was always so respectful and colleial and I just we will miss the heck out of you and so thank you so much for your friendship and your incredible service to this district and for being the person you are. Um so thank
you. I've cut my remarks. The high school gets two moments actually. Two moments. I've cut my remark down to one sentence. It's a little bit long, but it's one sentence. Um, Dr. Oliver, I appreciate what you brought up, the idea that at some point we'll all get
together in another venue and celebrate and and put Helen's name somewhere in Brooklyn. And certainly, uh, that will be a joyous and wonderful day. But I don't think we need to. I don't think it's necessary. I think if you go to any of the schools around Brooklyn, if you
go to any of the rooms around Brooklyn, if you walk through the halls of Brooklyn High School or any of the K8s, you'll find Helen's heart is already there. And it's something that really makes the schools what they are. Thank you. Next, we have Dr. Karen Schmuckler
on behalf of the school staff. I'm sorry I missed Dr. [Applause] Lupini and this is the first time I've been back in this room in 15 or in 10 years. in 10 years. Um, I am honored to have served
Brooklyn as superintendent uh for 11 years. I worked with many really incredibly talented school committee members during that time and and and I'm sorry for mentioning people I I know I'll leave some names out but people
like Marshia heist like Kevin Lang, Henry Warren, Rebecca Stone, Alan Morris, Ruth Kaplan and many many other really amazing partners in the work that we did in this district and constant
during all that time from my hiring in 2004 through my departure in 2015 was Helen Charlepsky. Speakers have already noted Helen's many accomplishments and attributes, but I want to focus on three areas that I believe um she's made a
difference for Brookline and Massachusetts other than the amazing work with buildings. So, first, her advocacy in early education. I'm certain that Vicky Milstein would explain this much more eloquently than I
can, but the worlds of early childhood and elementary secondary don't always play well together in the sandbox. Helen was a significant driving force in making certain that we found a way and that young children and families
were always included in our vision of what an outstanding public school system could be, even in times of growth. We had this amazing idea when I first came here that we were going to make sure there was prek in every building, pre-K through eight, right? And then came the enrollment growth and we began moving
out and Helen was the driving force in working with with Peter Row and Vicky Milstein and others to make sure that we found locations and boy did we find some amazing locations during during that time to make sure we could continue to
offer quality programming. Second, her work in the legisl legislative regulation and policy matters were incredible. Whether the issue was funding, special education, MCCAST, or work with the MSBA, Helen was always
there, always wellinformed, and was always an active voice. Finally, her work on collaboratives, as David mentioned, and in particular EDCO was stellar. She was one of the two to three most active
board members at EDCO where she where she advocated for quality professional learning for educators and programming for students with IEPs and their needs beyond the public school district capacity. In addition, she became a trusted adviser to my very good friend
Cindy Tamour when Cindy was brought in to close EDCO. She has said to me many times and wanted to me make sure that I mentioned tonight what an asset you were Helen and what a great adviser to her during that very difficult time. Helen, you've served the students,
families, and educators of this district for many years. Sadly, I don't think that we will see many tenures like Helen's in the future given the current state of school committees and public education in the Commonwealth and nation. But on behalf of those who
worked with you for many years, thank you for your outstanding work, your dedication to the cause, and your advocacy on the part of public education. Thanks, [Applause]
Helen. Good evening and hi Helen. I am first going to read remarks from Vicki um who could not be here. So to Helen from Vicki I am so sorry. So Vicky Milstein as you may have heard
uh if you don't already know uh was the um principal and director of beep for many many years and worked very closely with Helen and you'll hear a little bit about their journey together. I'm so sorry not to be here in person. A bar and but mitzvah trip with
grandchildren is really the only thing that have could have kept me away. This is to you Helen, a masterful, professional, compassionate and stellar representative on the school committee for the public schools of Brooklyn. When I came to the school system to lead
beep, you were my mentor and guide in learning everything I needed to know to navigate the unique qualities of Brooklyn. No small task. You were my liazison to the school committee for all the years I worked here. You supported
the expansion of beep from 12 to 23 classrooms, always keeping your eye on available townwide spaces, also no small task. We sat together to write the transition to full date kindergarten grant and the implementation grant. You
supported our adapting to take all the Brooklyn children in Head Start when Head Start closed the Brooklyn program in August one year. You were part of our early childhood site council. In short, you were our champion. But you also went beyond early
childhood, making your mark on every building project, supporting families of the most vulnerable students and supporting the most innovative new programming to maximize the achievement of all students. You listened to families and teachers. You knew every
administrator and you worked hard to help every one of us achieve our goals. You kept the vision of Superintendent Bob Spurber alive through extended day options for families and of course early education. You have meant the world to
early education in Brooklyn and set the stage for our many visitors from around the globe. You have been my most heartfelt support. You have been a gift to Brooklyn and your legacy will surely shine on for years to come. I wish you only joyful new journeys going forward
forward. With love and respect, Vicki. [Applause] Thank you. Okay. Aren't they pretty? Okay.
All right. So, for over three decades, Helen, you have been a steady, compassionate force, leading not with ego or agenda, but with heart, humility,
and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of every student. Your work has touched every corner of our district, from early childhood education to every school building project. and your voice has been a powerful one at the state house where you have advocated
tirelessly on behalf of public education and the needs of our community. You brought to every conversation a combination of warmth, fairness, and fierce dedication. At this time of current turmoil, Helen, you singularly asked me
incisive questions. You asked for data. You wanted to get to the bottom of what happened, to the truth, to facts, not to score political points or for personal gain, but because you care so deeply about the public schools of Brooklyn and
its reputation. You wanted, as you have always, to make things right, to make things better for the system, for faculty, for families, for students. And that is what you've always done. put the well-being of the students of Brooklyn
first. Your work was often quiet and behind the scenes. Many people do not know or appreciate the breadth and depth of what you did. Your vast institutional knowledge and deep relationships that have benefited the school system in
significant and profound ways. You have always shown care and respect for principles and leadership, understanding and respecting the challenges and complexity of the day-to-day work and always working to
support it. The community and school district definitely needs change. Change in the direction of all the things you embody. Kindness, care, civility, grace, respect. qualities that unfortunately
are sorely lacking in our current discourse and qualities that we need infused across our systems. Helen, your legacy is everywhere. On behalf of the central office leadership, our educators, students, families, and the
many who have been fortunate to work alongside you. Thank you. Thank you for your vision, your steadfastness, steadfastness, your compassion, and your 33 years of extraordinary service.
[Applause] So on behalf of the this says in honor of Helen Shalpski with deep appreciation for your 33 years
with deep appreciation for your 33 years of tireless dedication and unwavering commitment to the public schools. of Brookline. [Applause]
Thank you. Would any current school committee member like to say a few words? Jesse. [Music] Hi. Good evening. I guess historically it'll be written that I was the last school committee
member perhaps officially that was a mentee of Helen. Helen was my mentor my first year last year on school committee. And the word that I want to associate with the feelings that I have about her right now is the word blessing which in Hebrew we know is braha. And
one of the meanings or essences of to be blessed is to receive something that places you in a state of well-being. And what Helen blessed me with this year was to help me navigate
becoming a new school committee member. And when we met, whether it was here or um other other locations, including her graciousness to invite me to her home to sit and talk, it helped me navigate my year, and
it blessed me. It put me in a place of of of more well-being. And so I want to return the blessing that as you continue on to impact your lovely family, your
friends, and all the people in the voluminous um list of people that you know everywhere that that you receive from them well-being and that you continue to bless them with well-being.
Congratulations on all of your years of service. We deeply appreciate it. [Applause] Suzanne, thank you. I I think I might cry. Um yeah. Uh so it's just it's been
nine years, Helen. I feel like I have a new friend. Um you've you've taught us so much. Uh you know which battles to pick, which ones not. uh uh how to be gracious if you want a losing side and how to keep fighting. Um and so we've
we've learned so much. Everybody has said wonderful things and and I agree with all of them. I also just want to say I really wish you it's it's kind of a retirement, right? And I wish you time with your family. I've been watching your family grow just as mine has been growing. I'm hoping we have time for
walks around the reser the reservoir. We keep talking about it. We've been so busy we haven't gotten there. and I hope we will. I hope you have time for your gardens. Your gardening is beautiful. I love the what you've done around your house. And so I just I wish
you blessings as you said, Jesse, and grace going forward knowing that we are right here and I know that you are right there and that we will have time to spend together. Uh, and also rest assured that your name is on every
building so that we just go look at the plaque and there's Helen's name. So, thank you for all your service, Helen, and thanks for being a friend. Ken, you're next. Um, yeah. So, hi Helen. Um, I'll just preface this by saying, you know, Helen, you've been serving on the school
committee longer than I've been alive. So, um, my comments might be more, you know, brief relative to everyone else, but, um, I will just talk about how you made me feel. Um, you know, being here for the last year, you know, whenever I delivered a report, um, you were always the first person to speak, to respond.
Um, you always had something to say. You always had a compliment to give. Um and you know coming from somebody who was you know very nervous to speak in front of a group of such illustrious adults um you know that really really did help me um gave me the confidence to speak. Um and I mean my my dad I can tell you he
watches every single meeting. Um he would always tell me he's like I think Helen knows more about being a VHS student than you do after four years. Um and you know a year in I can say that that is probably true. Um and so you know I do just want to thank you so
much. Um, I really do hope our paths cross again. Um, and I feel, you know, truly, like Jesse said, blessed um, and privileged to have, you know, spent a year with you on this school committee. Sarah, thank you. I want to go back to um, your training as a social worker. And I think that also couples with being
a parent. I think that there's two things that came together for you of a real understanding of children and developmental um levels of children. What's appropriate at different ages and that sort of love for the child, the student, the adolescent, that's what
comes through. That's what I always look for in a school leader and that's what really comes through with you is that you understand what it takes to have a true student experience that's going to put them in the situation for um prime for learning. So, thank you for that for our
schools. Mariah, Helen. So, everyone raised their hand when they all when we said, "Oh, who has Helen's cell phone?" And Suzanne just pointed out that Helen's name is already in every building, but I want to know if
anyone else can raise their hand. Who has Helen's picture hanging on their parents' dining room wall? just me because Helen handed me like David back in the day my diploma from Brooklyn
High School and after I joined school committee I was at my parents house having dinner and I squinted and looked at the wall and I said is that Helen but you know so Helen has marked my education and my time in Brooklyn from well before we knew each other personally and being on school committee
with Helen for the past six years has been an absolute joy and privilege working so closely with her on so many different things. Um, and you know, this past year has been very challenging for me and my family. I've had some health issues and I've gone through that. And
Helen has been this just tremendous supporter and and everyone said, and it's true, you know, we would call and talk about school committee business, but there would not be a call that didn't go by with her saying, "But how are you?" Right? That was it was never all about business. I tend to be very business. Helen is she's thinking about
the people and she is caring about how they are and that's just like you in a nutshell is you know people talk about the buildings but it's really the the things inside the buildings that Helen has been caring about. So thank you and I look forward to us spending a lot more time together.
[Applause] Um, I'm trying to remember as we're hearing from all these people the first time that I met Helen and I can't remember. I I know I I think the first
time I met you then I your name is on the plaque in the Baker School hallway and I think it says 2001. Maybe it was the library. Um, and I remember being like 2001, but that's like really long ago, so how is
she like on the school committee now? Um, and then I remember stuffing envelopes in your home for the school that was not. Um, and then I remember sitting outside
the my yoga studio crying and you were listening to me. I was I don't remember why, but I was afraid my daughter wasn't going to get into SWS. And I I I don't remember why. I must have done something obnoxious and thought that it was going
to jeopardize her chances. Um and then here we've been. So, um I I'm just thinking all those things. And then I ran into you at the reservoir last week with my daughter home from college. Um,
and it's just, you know, you you you are an inspiration and it's really inspiring, um, as a still new school committee member to hear from all of these people um, about your your work and your true heart and commitment and
legacy and um, just amazing. So, thank you [Applause] Um, Andy Lou online.
Hi Helen. Um, well, this is not goodbye for sure, but um, I just wanted to say Jesse talked about mentorship. You have been my mentor for all five years that I've been on the school committee. never officially, but you are the one whose cell phone I call when I need some advice, when I need some perspective, uh
when I need to rant, which is often over the past year. And you know, you always you always listen, you have wisdom, and you always calm me down. So, this is this is not the end. Congratulations on getting your life back. But, uh we'll keep working, Bob.
Yeah. Thank you. Hi, Helen. So, I'm actually convinced that you served for 36 years. Um, and the reason I'm convinced that you actually served for 36 years, even though that's probably not true, when I came to Brooklyn High in 1989, I remember working with you in
the cafeteria, trying to civilize the Brooklyn High School cafeteria, which certainly Anthony and Hal are continuing to do. But I remember that we were busy. We said, "Let's make the cafeteria." sort of elegant, right? I was on PTO.
PTO. Oh, that was on your PTO. And we put white tablecloths on all and we and we put we had a little flower vase on each table and we put fresh flowers on. Do you remember that, man? You weren't there. That was gone. No, that it was
not that old. No, it was not. Right. So anyway, um and that failed um because we forgot that the inhabitants of the cafeteria were teenagers and uncivilized. Anyway, that's why I
thought it was 36 years. So, I want to say a couple quick things because um we've known each other a long time. Um again, when I came to Brooklyn High School, the entrance was on the left side of the old building and it was two skinny doors. you know, so if you had
luggage or something, you couldn't you could barely get in. And and I was upset because I said people would come through these doors, that was the entrance, and they'd go, "This is Brooklyn High School." It was the Roberts. Yeah, the Roberts House entrance. And they would say that. And so, thank you. Thank you.
Thank you, Nancy. I have to mention you as well, um, for the renovation in 1997, whatever it was. Um because I was so proud to have that atrium entrance and people would come in to the high school and say Brooklyn High School. And I
said, "Okay, that's what we wanted." Uh so thank you for that. And then of course you and you can fill us in, but I know you and Nancy found these Elder marbles at the Lincoln School. Who found those marbles? They were it's they were I mean impressive because they those are
like one of they're one of three copies of the of the original Elgen marbles which are which were stolen and they they're in the British Museum right now. But um you guys found somebody to clean those Elgen marbles up and we had this
perfect frame on the top of the atrium and now the Elgen marbles grace the atrium of Brooklyn High School. And so that to me is one of your, you know, outstanding contributions to the architecture um of our school system. Um
you're an amazing woman, Helen. I love you. Thank you for all of your work. And uh we'll see each other for sure because I'm going to be calling you regularly as you as you well know. Thank you. Oh no, it's not you yet, Helen. Sorry. First, I had to laugh at at what Suzanne
said about retirement because a week ago, Helen, eight days ago, Val, you're late for the solar meeting. Get on the solar meeting. So, Helen's not going away. She's not going away from Brooklyn. She's not going from building projects
and certainly not from um any of our lives. Um Helen, I I'm going to read something, but I I um I want to thank you for the friendship most of all and the mentorship. Okay. Whereas Helen Trilopsky was first elected to the Brookline School Committee in May 1992
and served the public schools of Brooklyn for 11 consecutive terms for a total of 33 years. And whereas Miss Charlesky's three children graduated from school who are here in Brookline High School, providing her with a firsthand perspective on the achievements, strengths, and needs of
our school community. And whereas Helen faithfully served on the capital improvements curriculum government relations subcommittees, served as chair and vice chair of the school committee, and led five major successful school renovation projects. And whereas Helen was instrumental in bringing full day
kindergarten to Brooklyn, served as a member of the early childhood advisory council of the Massachusetts Department of Education for a decade, and was a stalwart supporter of early childhood education throughout her tenure. Whereas Helen used her education and training as a social worker to create a lasting
partnership between the school district and the Brooklyn Community Mental Health Center. And whereas Helen was a founding member of the Brooklyn High School Innovation Fund, was a mass Massachusetts Association of School Committees representative to the Department of Early Education and Care
since its inception in 2005 and was the chair of EDCO, the Education Collaborative. Now therefore, on behalf of the staff, parents, and students, past and present and future of the public schools of Brooklyn, the school committee and the superintendent of schools gratefully acknowledge Helen's
incalculable contributions to the public schools of Brooklyn and extend their deep gratitude to her 33 years of exemplary public service. I bring you the woman, the myth, the legend, Helen Charpski.
[Applause] Wow, I feel like my life just passed in front of This has been amazing uh with everybody who's here who's meant so much to me. Um
I I can't thank you all enough. Um thank you to Betsy um who's and the school committee and everybody who's been involved in organizing this event. Uh it
I I'm going to cry pretty soon. I don't want to. I want to thank my children it Daniela oh there you are and and Ari for their support throughout all these years. I also want to thank my late
husband Joseph Peterman who was always there for me throughout the 30 three years on the committee. I'm sure he's smiling watching this program. Um I I had spoken to Senator Cream earlier and she had said she wasn't
going to be able to come and um she's a good friend and will continue to be and I thank Tommy Vatollo for his uh this state house um uh proclamation. Um it has been my honor
to serve on this Brooklyn school committee for 33 years. I began in 1992 a rookie who didn't say a word for almost the first year. I listened closely and learned. There was a lot to
learn. One, how to read and understand a budget. Two, how to build a building that prioritizes function over form. Three, what curriculum scope and sequence means and how important it is
to in educating children. Robert's rules of order, an important piece to learn as school committee members, how to identify highquality early education in a classroom and understand its importance
to overall educational outcomes and many more lessons. I learned from my great school committee colleagues over the years, many of whom who are here tonight and spoke earlier. I also learned from great administrators like Jim Walsh, who's
right here, Peter Row, Claire Jackson, and Jennifer Fischer Mueller, and many others who are also here tonight. And I I'm trying to keep this short, guys. Um, the work of the school committee has become immensely harder over the last 15
years. In the past, constituents had to pick up a phone and call you. With the advent of the internet and platforms like Facebook, online spaces have often turned into echo chambers lacking genuine
dialogue. Here are some lessons that I've learned over the years. One, you can disagree, but don't be disagreeable. Two, try and come to consensus. It's important in moving
systems forward. Three, patience is important. Education moves at a snail's pace. People are not widgets and need to be brought along. Real enduring change takes time and
patience. Four, in the end, all the hard work is worth it because you've been able to affect students, staff, and families lives for the better. I've received many texts, emails, phone calls, and handwritten cards thanking me
for my years of service and how much they appreciated my work. The messages have all moved me deeply. It's wonderful to hear how people feel about you when you're still alive. It's true. You
know, I decided to read one email tonight because it reminded me that you never know how you affect people. This is from a former student representative to the school committee. Hi Helen, I was the student representative to the Brooklyn school
committee back in 2006 to 8. He was there for two years and had the incredible pleasure of working with you for those two years. You are a shining example of how to navigate complex and differing opinions to get to
consensus. One of the things that really stood out to me was how many school committee decisions were unanimous barring abstensions due to conflict of interest. I started paying attention to how those decisions happened and noticed there were few key people of which we
were one pushing in the right ways to get to agreement. The lessons of my time on the school committee have been hugely valuable to me throughout my career. After college, I co-founded a software consulting company that I've run for almost 12 years. The company now employs
30 people and those techniques of building consensus behind decisions are an essential piece of how we do it. The management culture of my company is very much about finding that decision that everyone can get behind.
I want to thank you all for coming out on this awful rainy night. Your presence here has truly meant means a lot to me and I know our relationships will all continue for a long time. Thank you to
everybody. Thank you for the gifts, the flowers, and the words of kindness. It's it's been amazing. Thank you.
[Applause] [Laughter] Enjoy dinner. We'll pause for a minute and then get
back to business. [Music] Sure. No one else is going to dinner right now. We'll be seeing each other next week. [Music] Yeah, I don't know.
How many times have we had that conversation? [Music] to hear about you. Nice to see you. for lunch. were land. How do
and I agree with you. I think it's except that there is she asserts she asserts [Music]
Anyway, calling me call. So they had a actually. All right, we're going to get started in just a minute. So, a couple of announcements as we get started. Um, we have eight school committee
members in the room and Andy Lou uh on Zoom. Um, on administrative business, we are going to move 2A1 um to the June 12th meeting. Uh, Mariah, do you want to take us through the approval of gifts
starting with the the PSB policy on um gifts and grants? Sure, I'd be happy to. Um, Betsy, do you mind pulling up the slides that I presented yesterday? So, and you all have these in your packet. Um, but for anyone who wasn't at finance yesterday,
um, because we've had a lot of questions and conversation about, um, some of the gifts and grants ahead of us, I thought it would be helpful if we did a review. Um, and so if you were at finance yesterday, you already heard this discussion, but we'll just do it quickly for people who weren't there and for
those online. So um there's a section of the PSB policy um fiscal management and part of that deals with gifts and grants and I've extracted some of the key bits of that um policy for our shared review. So the first section that is
particularly relevant is section D5 which is on pages 5 through six of section D. Um do you mind making it just a smidge um I mean I have it I guess so it'll be okay. People in online can see that too. Yeah, there we go. Thank you Betsy. So, just to um read this, the
school committee encourages grant funding proposals and applications for any projects that supplement school programs in useful and beneficial ways. To this end, one, the administration shall make appropriate surveys in order to be eligible for state and federal monies, meaning I presume they shall
look for opportunities. And then two, prior to filing applications, the administration shall inform the school committee members via a memorandum explaining the purpose of the proposal and its relationship to existing or comp contemplated school programs which um Susan this year has enacted now where we have prior approval which is wonderful
to achieve that second item that had um not been um part of practice before or at least not recent practice. Then going to the next um slide um use of revenues from non-ax sources. So individual donations, grants, um, private and PTO
fundraising. So public education is primarily the responsibility of the public and therefore the operating and capital budgets for PSB should reflect the will of the public to finance the schools through public revenues i.e. tax sources. The school committee welcomes additional revenues from non-ax sources
um as gifts to the PSB to advance the priorities and educational goals established by the school committee provided such gifts are in accordance with state and federal law existing local bylaws and this policy and provided the gift and/or its effects reflect the PSB core value of
educational equity and then as another subsection of D7 which is on the next page there there's a specific section on grant guides and gifts from private sources. And um I'm just going to go through this because the four Roman numerals you see there are essentially a
rubric by which you can evaluate um the acceptance of these gifts. So in order to allocate supplemental funds equitably and in in response to changing needs, the school committee prefers G grants and gifts from private sources to be unrestricted. In the event that a private source
um should say wishes, this throws me off, wishes to restrict the use of funds, the school committee's approval of the restricted use must be secured prior to a vote to accept the gift and such approval shall be subject to a determination by the committee in consultation with the superintendent that the following conditions are met.
Uh, one, the gift is directed or restricted to a use consistent with an established priority of the school committee as expressed in, for example, the strategic plan, recommendations from a program review, the annual budget, and/or the capital improvements plan. Two, the gift supplements the use of public funds already committed to the
intended program or project or for which public funds are not yet sufficient or available. Three, the purpose and effect of the gift will not ab encumber substantial future public school funds for ongoing costs, including but not limited to support or maintenance unless
such spending is already planned for in the operating budget or anticipated in future budget years. Four, the effect of the gift will not create a permanent condition at or for an individual elementary school or its facility that creates a substantially
substantially inequitable overall experience for students at that school relative to those at other PSB elementary schools. So, I I appreciate um Value taking the time just to let us go through that so everyone's operating from the same basis of understanding on the policy. Um, thank you for doing
that, Mariah. Sure. I listened to the recording yesterday. I appreciate you going through it um today. Yes, Jesse. Um I um I was somewhat surprised to see the first item in the um approval of gifts
like um quickly disappear from our discussions tonight. I just want to say that um I'm not sure when we knew that this was not going to be in and when we were notified not to consider it for this evening, but I just want to make
the statement that the agenda is publicized a day or two before our meeting and there is a can be a lot of work that is done by any individual school committee members to prepare to
discuss us to meet with people to discuss with con you know constituents around around the town etc. And um that work that gets put in uh to be sort of quickly dispensed with and to
be moved out without any warning other than the time we come to the meeting seems a little surprising um for any item in there. I'm not picking on this item. Uh, I'm just raising the issue that it's not really um seems um
appropriate for us to come to the meeting with an agenda and then have items disappear all of a sudden to be talked about at a different time even and if so perhaps maybe at least a reason could be given for why so that we
understand the movement. Sure, I can tell you why. I asked Anthony. Sorry, I don't know what we're talking about here. 2A1 is deferred until June 12th. Where is that? It's the first gift. I know, but how do
I know it's deferred? I I I'm announced it 10 minutes ago. Um the head of school of Brooklyn High School is going to be here on June 12th so that he can answer our questions about this. Um, this was was my decision, Jesse, because we seem to have
a lot of questions coming in and so I wanted us to discuss this at a date when uh the head of school is available to answer questions on this gift. We also discussed it yesterday at finance, which was another opportunity for the head of school or anybody who is
or isn't a part of the finance committee. Finance was at 2 p.m. yesterday. This is a regular school committee that's being um broadcast and we'll we'll consider it on June 12th. Also, he couldn't be there yesterday either. So, no, my my question is not
that we've moved it. It already happened. My my point is only that once we knew it would have been appropriate to inform the members of the school committee once we knew it so that it's not dropping dropped on us at the actual
meeting. I talked to Anthony about it a half hour ago at Hel or an hour ago at Helen's event. So apologies for um not sooner but I discussed this with with Anthony when he was here in the room. Thank you. So he's available on the 12th to come and um meet with us. Um, so 2
A2. Um, so sorry I I'm I I have to follow up because the point of this Caroline was so that we would move on and get back to it with time on June 12th. It isn't to debate it tonight. I'm just asking for
clarity about the reason. Sorry I because I missed the announcement. There seem to be a lot of questions in the community and among members and I would like our head of school um where the the uh gift would be going to be able to answer questions about um how that money
would be used. Got it. So 22 is um a BCF gift for $2,500 the Lauren Dunn Ashley fund for beep financial assistance. Um do you want to go through all of them? I'll
just say that at finance yesterday the school the finance subcommittee recommended unanimously 2 A2 2 A4 2 A5 and 2 A6. So maybe we could take those in a block and then come back and I will move that. I'll second
that. Any discussion on that? Everything except this one. So everything except 2 A3. Yeah. Any discussion? Okay, Jesse, how do you vote? Yes. Suzanne, yes. Sarah, yes. Mariah,
yes. Donna, yes. Carolyn, yes. Bob, yes. Andy, yes. And I vote yes as well. Okay. Next is um 23. Uh on this one I would like to ask
that we go around um if everybody wants to speak on this that we go around once with um with a threeminut cap and then um we can come back to people if they have further comments or questions. Rya, do you want to introduce this one? Sure.
Are you going to take um any the request for conflicts? Oh, I'm my apologies. Um, are there any uh folks who want to disclose conflicts or appearance of conflict on this item? Mariah? Um, I and
Sarah, I will disclose that I donated to the um fundraiser for this. Um we previously consulted with town council and um according to their guidance have filed um an appropriate perceived
conflict of interest with our appointing authority or I have done that with my appointing authority who's um Ben Calfman. And further, I just want to clarify um per the latest guidance from town council that um even if the gift is not um used for this purpose, I would
direct um it to be um used for other purposes and that allows me to vote on this tonight. Thank you, Suzanne. I'm ditto that except in this case it was my spouse, but both our names are on the check. So, in case there's any
concern of conflict, um I filled out the form uh with Ben this afternoon and I too uh uh my husband and I will donate the money. We will not accept return of that if this were to be defeated. Thank you, Suzanne. Sarah, I'm in the
same situation. I filled out the form to um Ben Kaufman and should this grant not be accepted, I am not intending to take the money back. Thank you, Sarah. Is there a motion on this item? Sorry. Can I just ask a clarifying question? These
are donations to the Brooklyn Community Foundation. No, no, that you're all like I don't know. Can you just explain what just happened? Sorry. Yeah. So, I'll take that. So, the Brooklyn Communication Community Fund when they saw that we had
eliminated from the budget the office of educational equity, they started um to gather money so that this could continue. And now they're going to give it to us as a gift. When they were asking for donations, I donated. Okay, got it. Thank you.
So, do you want me to get Sure. Okay. So, finance considered um this as well tomorrow and um there was discussion and the um I will not try to recap it nor will I claim that we discussed it to the exhaustion of all
members because we were on a relatively tight time frame but the final vote was um two in favor and one against to recommend um adoption by the or acceptance by the full school committee. Thank you. Is there um a motion on this?
I'll move it if you want or do you want to? No, I'm happy to second your motion. Okay. Suzanne moves and Mariah seconds. Um, and you're moving acceptance of the finance recommendation. Any discussion? Jesse, the grant placed before us this
evening challenges us, I think, in two primary ways. First, given the recent audit results, the school committee, all of us here, needs to focus on sending the clearest message that can be sent to the school
district and larger community that we have our eyes laser focused on managing the existing budget. As we proceed, as we enter a challenging year of teacher union negotiations, we know budget pressures will undoubtedly appear.
We realize that changes in funding at the federal and state levels, ranging from school food programs to education grants, create financial uncertainty. Thus, the proposed grant from the Brookline Community Foundation, a grant-making organization, specifically
supporting various staff positions and limited to a single school year, cannot be really understood as a onceanddone action. The contributors expect that the district will budget these staff positions going forward. Thus, any
school committee member voting to accept the gift acknowledges that we should expect to see the funding in this gift entering the school budget for fiscal year 27. This approach immediately contributes to our structural deficit and is both fiscally imprudent and
financially unsound. And it sends the wrong message to the greater Brooklyn community. Second, the expenditures and revenue study committee has begun its work by analyzing the existing relationship between the finances of the town and the
schools. We are currently investigating whether there are better ways to model the town school relationship to be more costefficient while maximizing the effectiveness of every dollar. And of course, we are looking at other avenues to increase revenue.
Nevertheless, it is likely that we will recommend, meaning the expenditures and revenue study committee, will recommend that an override question be placed on the May 2026 ballot. Our school committee needs to think very carefully
about the narrative we that we are writing this evening. If we accept a nearly $200,000 grant to fund a specific program, the taxpayers, when faced with an override question, can and will
probably say, quote, "Why should I vote to give the school budget the money they are asking for when community members who want specific programs can simply raise their own funds privately? This is not a stretch. If we
vote to accept this grant, we are telling the community that if you want a program that doesn't exist, just raise the funds on your own and grant the dollars to the district. This is a very dangerous precedent to set. Each of us
needs to ask ourselves some basic questions. Am I voting for my town or for myself? Am I voting for a special interest group or for the entire school community? Am I voting to tell our broader community that private funding
for public school educational programs is our new model? Let's show the community that together as a unified school committee, we are committed to making financial decisions with firm and
foundational footings. Thank you. Anybody else? Mariah and then Bob. Thank you. So, um I think that I don't want to get too much into what you just said, Jesse, because everyone has their own opinions
and that's wonderful. The only thing I just want to comment on is this idea of you said something like contributors expect that this will be added. And as a contributor, I don't know how you would know what was in my mind or in any of the other contributors minds. I just want to be clear that like there's assumptions made in that comment in
those comments that are not necessarily accurate or fair. I think that um one of the things that I have struggled with of many about our vote several months ago is the idea that there is not even the opportunity to
figure out how to do something better. We got this great story earlier about the end of the grant for early childhood education and how that possibly could have been the end for full day kindergarten here in Brooklyn and how Helen stewarded this plan to think about
how we could make this work and how we could make it fit and how that got there right and and part of what that needed was some time. Now, people might disagree with the concept of the office, and that's a different question. But when we voted earlier this year, it was the question of the budget. What I would
like to do is to give the office or at least one of the staff members in the office. That office might no longer might may no longer exist, but give us the runway. I think that was the word that was used yesterday and I think it's the right one, the runway to see what we
have space for, what changes we might make, how to ensure that some of the things that were started that we find most valuable continue. How to ensure that we aren't just cutting educational equity, which yes, I agree exists in many different programs, but this was the strategic district-wide vision for
it. How we get that to continue? So from my my my perspective, there are four elements in the policy that were noticed earlier and I think the one that opponents of it right now are latching on to is this idea that it's somehow going into the budget long term. It may,
it may not, but we really cannot be cutting off this program, especially as I mentioned during our vote two months ago or whenever that was. Um, at this time in our country when we're seeing active efforts to dismantle
equity and dismantle this idea of value in these programs, I don't think that that's that's not the kind of district I want to be a part of. And I'm quite committed to seeing how we can do this better. Now, does this give us one year to figure that out? That'd be great. That's all this is, is one year. I agree
with you. We have a lot of there's so much road in front of us relating to finances and what we can afford. And honestly, this OEE money is probably like is the rounding error on what we actually have to consider here. This is not a lot of money in the overall thing. There's bigger changes in OEE is not the
the the issue here. But is equity important? Do we need to figure out how to make equity, how to make special education, all of this programming fit within our means? We do. And I see this grant is giving us some more time to think about that, staff to think about that, and to continue some of this work.
So, I am voting favorably. Um, and that's all I'm going to say about it for now. Thank you, Bob. Thank you very much. Here's a story. In 2003, Ramon Gonzalez took over one of the most dangerous and low achieving schools in New York City
and founded a new school is Intermediate School 223, the laboratory school of finance and technology. It's located in the South Bronx in the most impoverished congressional district in the nation. Over the next 22 years, Rammon working with his faculty and community
transformed this school into one of the highest performing schools in the city. This is how he did it. extended days with academic tutoring, counseling, and recreation. Accelerated learning in the summer with time for the arts and recreation. Three, moving from an
intermediate school, grades 6 through 8 to a grade 6 through 12 school because he didn't want to lose his middle school students after they made tremendous academic progress. Four, creating a robust academic culture in the school where every student was required to take
at least one AP course to graduate. And five, engaging local colleges and social justice organizations to serve as tutors, social workers, and coaches. This is what Ramon said. For us, providing these essential extra services is a way to accelerate their preparation
for high school and college. I just left the school to head to a meeting. It's 5:10 in the afternoon and the school is full of kids and the school day ended at 2:30 p.m. This is about equity in our schools. Here are the data. 100% of
intermediate school high school 223 students attend post-secary education, most with full scholarships. ISHS223 established what I call a powerful academic center of gravity. Brookline's calculus project, founded by
Dr. Adrien Mims in 2009, is a cousin to Ramon's work at ISHS223. One, accelerated learning in the summer. Two, enrollment in high-powered math courses at the high school. Three, afterchool tutoring throughout the academic year. Four, a
pride curriculum connecting students with engineers, scientists, and mathematics of mathematicians of color. And five, regular celebrations of academic success with students and parents. Like ISH2, like ISSH223, it's about a laser focus on the
program's academic center of gravity. I'll never forget the reunion we had at Brookline High School in June 218 with the first cohort of the calculus project. All 21 students graduated from college in four years about half and STEM disciplines. That is stunning. The
graduates spoke about being in high-powered math classes with their peers. They spoke about the support they received from their teachers. They spoke about how their teachers love them. The eternal problem we're talking about is the historical gap between the academic performance of white and Asian students
and black and brown students. The OEE staff most certainly wants the same results that all of us want, but their model has not and will not produce those results. The two examples that I gave and I described continue to produce the
results that we all want. A school is about the academic success of every student. A student's job is learning. Success at their job translates into social and emotional well-being. Student success is facilitated by a laser focus on a school's academic center of
gravity. If I had 200,000 bucks, I would begin the calculus project in fourth grade and I would consider a power literacy program modeled after the calculus project. Thank you very much for listening, Sarah. We have work that we've started in
Brooklyn. um we haven't let it uh continue along to to get the results from it. And that work has been it's all through our strategic plan. It's it's work that we've that we've set up with these goals in mind for our historically underserved population. And I think that
to not continue for this next year would be throwing away our return on investment for what we've done already. We've gotten together and we've talked about what we all value and we value equity in Brooklyn and keeping this program or keeping one assistant
director from this program to further the work with the equity leads I think is what we should keep on doing. Anyone else? Okay. Okay. The motion on the floor is to um support the recommendation vote of yes at the
finance committee. Jesse, how do you vote? With a full commitment to providing equitable access to educational opportunities for all students in the district. I will vote no. Suzanne, yes. Sarah, yes. Mariah, yes. Donna, no.
Carolyn, no. Bob, no. Andy, uh, I vote no, which goes against my personal feelings about the valuable work that the office has been doing. Uh, but I don't feel able to vote yes, consistent with our own policy. And I also vote no. Approval of grants.
Yes, please. Finance subcommittee also um considered these yesterday and recommended unanimously uh acceptance by the full school committee. Um I move that we accept 2B1 and 2B2. Mariah seconds. Any discussion on
this? Okay, I'll start at that end. Bob, your vote. Yes. Carolyn, yes. Donna, yes. Excuse me. Sorry. Donna, yes. Mariah, yes. Sarah, yes. Suzanne, yes. Jesse, yes. Andy, yes. And I vote yes as well.
Um, next up we have the superintendent report. Good evening. Uh, superintendent's update for tonight. Um, the PSB food service pledge anniversary. This month marks one year since PSB signed the Forward Food
Pledge, a pledge to make 50% of all menu items served in the National School Lunch Program plant-based by 2027. In one year, the PSB has achieved 86% towards this target goal. On Tuesday,
May 20th, PSB Food Services held a community event at BHS at the Tapen Cafeteria where um we celebrated our progress and discussed how PSB is on the path to creating one of the most sustainable school lunch programs.
community members had the opportunity to sample some of the amazing plant-based recipes that are served to students daily. And earlier in the year, I had the opportunity to go over to one of their featured um days and tried their kelp meatballs or kelp balls is what
they were called. Um so that was a new adventure for me and pretty tasty as well, I must say. I I'll put that plug out. So, here's a photo shared um of the tasting uh event with the uh food service staff as well as uh several of
our school committee members attended as well. Orientientering at PSB. PSV has been working with the navigation uh games, a nonprofit focused on outdoor education to incorporate orientering into our physical education curriculum.
Over the past year, we have introduced orientering at each of our K8 schools. Orientiing is an outdoor activity where participants navigate a course using a map and a compass. Besides physical f fitness and agility, it also helps develop critical thinking and problem
solving skills. And here are a few uh images uh of students engaging in that process. Uh reading a map is uh becoming one of those dying arts. So, I'm pleased to see that our students are engaging in
this. Did they and the photographer get home? I believe so. I hadn't had any missing student reports. Looking for them. Cardio drumming at FRR. Students at the F FRR school took part in a cardio drumming session earlier this
week. Cardio drumming is a full body workout that encompasses uh that combines rhythmic drumming and uh with aerobic movements. It helps boost our cardiovascular health, coordination, and gross motor skills among children. And here are a few uh here's
an image of that at the Ur FRR school. And then last but not least, Driscoll Art Equinox. Art Equinox. I want to shout out to Olivia Rayalt and Anne Reid um for their work together. Um this is
the year of the turtle at Driscoll. And so these are clay um uh models of turtles that both uh staff and students participated in making. Bless you. And so this um display is still uh this is still on
display for probably another two weeks or so. And so you can get the image here of a a mother uh sea turtle um with uh all the little ones following behind her uh on the great passage there.
So and with that um one other the big turtle David Uclulus. Is that the idea? I'm not going that far. Um he was here. He was here. Mariah we didn't see this the other night. We didn't know that this was there. I would have wanted to see it upstairs. I guess it might have been upstairs. Yeah, on the second
floor. And the last um speaking of celebrating Helen um and I know several other district employees participated in the Pierce Prince um which is um a book club where students uh pick and choose a
book to read and then discuss it. So I had the opportunity to join um in that uh event this year and Helen was there as well and several other district employees. So with that, that concludes our superintendent's report for tonight. Um, thank you very much. Uh, that brings
us to public comment. We have Oh, I'm sorry. Of course, Maria, I just want to give a tremendous shout out to the food services team. The food at that event was spectacular. And the kelp balls, which I say suffer from a
marketing problem, the name just does not do justice to their deliciousness because they were actually very good. They were like falafel is the way I was describing them, right? Kind of like a falafel. Um anyway, and in the presentation, they
made nacho cheese out of carrots and potatoes. Yes. Unbelievable. It was so good. Yeah. Anyway, so huge tremendous shout out for the second week in a row to our amazing um food services team. Um and just
congratulations. Anybody else? Okay, so that brings us to public comment which um today we have two segments of uh we have the first segment that will be uh at this portion of the meeting and then the second se second segment is at the conclusion uh of our
regular business. So members of the public may provide public comment. either in person or remotely. If you'd like to provide public comment, you can always email school committee by 12 pm on the Thursday um of our meeting. Uh we're going to call folks up in the
order that they were signed up. All speakers are limited to 3 minutes a person. Uh the public comment period, as I said, the first segment is 15 minutes and then uh if we require more than that, which we will today, um we'll have uh that at the end of our meeting. Um,
first up we have Linda Monach and Faith. Oh, together. So, are you both speaking or are you using six minutes? Okay, great. Do you want to hold the microphone? No, I think you're okay. I
think Okay, we're going to cover a lot in six minutes. I'm going to send it to you afterwards because there's a lot of detail here that goes directly toward the audit report. So Faith and I are here tonight as members of the Special Education Parents Advisory Council or
CPAC. We appreciate the work of Clifton Larson Allen LLP and we're encouraged to see that while there are budget challenges, none of them involve missing or misused money. The findings confirmed that the budget process has been fraught with tension, error, confusion, lack of collaboration, and misunderstandings.
What we find frustrating about the report is a lack of answers as to why things happened and a general lack of consideration for student impacts. First, we want to point to a highlight a key point in section 3. In section 3A, it states that PSB can expect an 8%
salary increase on general fund. Our property tax base, the primary source of these funds, is limited to a maximum of 2.5% increase each year. quote, "Without a decrease in the FTE count or lessening the operating funds burden to pay for the salaries, the salary contract
increases and increases increased special education costs are not sustainable short-term or long-term unless additional funding sources are identified." End quote. Based on Susan Given presentation to school committee on March 5th, the salary structural
deficit, say that 10 times fast, will be $2.1 million 25 versus 26. This cannot be solved without either reducing FTEEs, negotiating drastically new contract terms, or finding new and sustainable sources of funding. We start behind by 2
million for salaries alone. This will happen every year and it will grow every year. Now to our why questions. Section two states that there was no evidence that OSS provided detailed budget estimates. Why was their input not requested or was the deputy
superintendent of OSS excluded from the process? Section four states that revolving funds haven't been appropriately tapped to fund the budget. Why was this a choice by Lionus and Susan or do they not understand how revolving funds work? And is school
committee policy the answer or is this an issue of training and expertise? Section five and six talk about contracts not signed by OAF and important forms like Corey forms not being in place for vendors and staff. Why? Why didn't OAF sign the contracts?
Why weren't Corey forms in place? The auditors in their solution want better processes and consequences if work starts without forms and contracts in place but failed to discuss consequences if personnel delay the paperwork beyond the without delay in the law. If OAF
doesn't sign contracts until November, which happened this year, should all students be denied all contracted IEP services until November? How many laws suits will that involve? And what will be the effect for our students who don't
receive services during that time? In section seven, this is less about why than concern that the auditors were not familiar enough with special education law. The auditors quote federal law that quote services need to be implemented as soon as possible after the IEP. End
quote. Mass law states that services need to be implement implemented quote without delay. It is a higher standard. In a quick search this morning on the Desi database, Faith found six cases that reinforce the state's commitment to getting services to students without
delay. quoting one representative summary, quote, "The case emphasizes the necessity for districts to act without delay upon parental acceptance of the IEP." Putting that aside, slowing down services to students seems out of step with the vision for public schools of
Brooklyn. What we need is a way to address the procedural challenges addressed in section 7 while providing services without delay to students. Section 8 discusses OOD placements and settlements in a frankly confusing way
that blurs the line between the two. They are different and in fact not all settlements include out of district placements. Settlements happen when IEP teams can't come to agreement on places placement and/or services. In section
8A, the auditors state, quote, "Due to the additional costs associated with providing OOD services to students, the IEP team carefully considers all other options available before approving such services. However, parents often do not
agree with the determinations of the IEP team and will demand that certain services be provided beyond what is recommended by the IEP team." End quote. This statement demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the IEP process and laws. It reads as if the IEP team is
comprised only of PSB staff. The IEP team by law includes parents. IEP teams always look at in district programs first because districts are mandated to try to keep students in the least restrictive environment, not because of
price. OOD services can sometimes be less expensive than creating entirely new specialized programs for a small number of students. The idea that parents often disagree is not grounded in any actual analysis of data relating to legal action that we can
identify. Many settlements involve parents sharing the cost of services or placement for their child. Districts use settlements to avoid the high costs of litigation and to share costs of services. decision-making during settlement discussions is a balance of the needs of the student, ability of PSB
to meet those needs, chances of PSB winning adhering and opportunity to get parents to share in the cost. We aren't saying that PSB should jump to settlements. However, the portrayal of settlement settlements as an unnecessary expense and the advocacy of prolonging
conflict between parents and PSB must be carefully considered by people with more real world experience than is demonstrated by the auditors. As we talk about process improvements and holding people accountable, please note we don't make widgets here. We
educate children. These processes need to ensure students get services they need and that people are held accountable when they don't. We're running out of time, but section 9 again doesn't answer why or which interpretation of IDA grants grant rules
was correct. It does make clear that when OSS gave detailed input, OAF and the superintendent did not use it to build the budget. Perhaps that's the answer to the why in number two. More importantly, this report fails to highlight the gap in leadership that
brought us to this point point. This report lays bear a completely dysfunctional central office. This report speaks of controls and consequences but utterly fails to point out the astounding lack of leadership that allowed this culture of distrust to usurp processes and for this complete
communication breakdown to occur occur. Moving forward, we must ensure that our central office is run by leaders who insist on collaboration and a shared vision of putting all PSB students first. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Miss Monach and Miss Dantitz. Um,
next up we have Kevin Walton followed by Avulus. Good evening. My name is Kevin Walton and I'm the proud parent of two boys at Florida Ruff and Ridley. My oldest will be entering second grade next year and I'm here because I'm deeply concerned by the proposal to reduce the number of
second grade classes at FRR from 5 to 4. Like many families, we moved to Brooklyn for the public schools. But it seems like in the last couple of years, it's been in a freef fall. There's a real question I want to put to you tonight. Where is your oversight? Where's the leadership from the school committee?
This proposed cut from five to four classes is being made by two people who won't even be here next year. An interim principal who did not get the permanent role at FRR and a superintendent who resigned following major financial mismanagement. That's not just bad optics. It's reckless governance.
This decision should be made by the incoming principal and superintendent, not by those exiting their posts. The damage is already visible at FRR. My son's first grade teacher, a 10-year veteran of FRR, took a leave of absence this January, citing burnout as
the reason. in her own words and I quote, "I often feel as though I am unable to truly be present due to the ever growing list of demands and responsibilities, a revolving door of leadership, regular budget crisises, and an unsustain unsustainable level of
burnout. So, let me ask you, if that's the reality for teachers today, will reducing the number of classes and increasing class size help reduce burnout? Will removing support and consolidating classrooms improve student
outcomes or will it further erode trust in the Brooklyn public schools and drive more good educators out? FRR is the largest K to8 school in the district. It serves a wide range of communities and learners and includes a
significant population of ELLs. The impact of this decision could be devastating on these students and the broader school community. This decision should be taken with great care and proper debate. Yet, this process has had no transparency, no public discussion,
and no data shared. And I ask, where is your oversight? I urge you to pause this decision. Let the next principal and superintendent evaluate it properly with full data, community input, and a clear understanding of the educational impact.
Our kids deserve better. Our educators deserve better and Brooklyn deserves better. You need to do better. Thank you. Thank you. Um, next we're going to Miss Paradise. Okay. Uh, next we have Mr. Joshua Paradise
followed by Arthur Conquest. Sorry. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Okay. Thank you. Um to the to the school committee, thank you so much for the tremendous work that you put in. The the schools are extremely important and I really appreciate it and I think our community really appreciates
it. Um I I don't know if you've ever seen a picture of yourself and thought, I I don't look like that. But the camera doesn't lie. The way I felt the last few years watching the administration of the Brooklyn schools, it's like I don't look like that. When I read the auditor's
report, I feel like that's not us. The Brooklyn schools are great. We want to believe that the schools are great and well-run. But the camera doesn't lie and the auditor's report didn't lie. I assume all of you have read it in full.
I won't rehash individual points. The report paints a picture of a school district with severe management problems, behavior that borders on criminal and at a minimum incompetent. I'm here tonight to ask the school committee for three things. One, take
data seriously. Please hire an interim superintendent and a superintendent who understands the importance of data datadriven decisionmaking and is able to instill a culture and practice of making decisions that are grounded in data. If
you don't receive the data you need to make informed decisions, you must exercise your authority and demand the data. Two, be transparent. As a result of the recent performance, there is a serious lack of trust. It will take time
and effort to rebuild trust. Transparency is an important first step. And three, support academic excellence. There is an adage, you can't manage what you don't measure. We measure how many students are falling
behind. We don't, as far as I have seen, even attempt to measure how students are excelling. We don't provide opportunities to challenge our academically strong students. Please start measuring academic excellence. And
I'll close with one example. If our students were running track, a sport I think many people can relate to, it's as if we asked all of them to be able to run a seven-minute mile. Some would struggle. the best that it' already be
there. But when we push our students, they can do more. In the past month, 10 boys on our Brooklyn High School track team ran the mile under 5 minutes. Several ran under 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I mean, that's really fast.
That's excellent. Let's bring that winning spirit to academics. Thank you for your attention and your service. Thank you, Mr. Paradise. Next up is Arthur Conquest. Okay. Not not back on.
Okay. Um so we're moving on then to number five which is presentations and discussions of current issues. Um first is an update on the process to identify an interim superintendent. Mr. Winrob, can you give us an update, please?
I'll be with you in a second. wrong classes. Okay. So, I uh wrote a memo to you um defining the process that we will take um undertake uh to find an interim
superintendent in a timely manner. Um and the search committee um has been selected although um I've been in conversation and others have been in con conversation with the union president and so there are some questions that um
remain in terms of the finalization of the um search committee. I proposed that we would have four school committee members on the search committee. Myself, Val Frius, Andy Louu and Suzanne Fedspill. I propose that there were two
school committee stu two school administrators on the committee. The long-term and respected Lincoln school principal Brian Denitio and the recent Bob Spurber award winner SWS dean Dan Breman four teachers and I selected four
recent Cavalry award winners so that the committee is represented by some really powerful and amazing teachers. two elementary teachers, Olivia Ryelt and Amanda Cretchmer, and two Brooklyn High School teachers, Kira Flynn Carson, and Elizabeth Crra Typton. four parents.
METCO parent Keith Lzama, who's a METCO parent, he was formerly the head of METCO, uh CPAC representative Linda Monach, um Hagar Delshad from the Baker School, and Dan Saltzman from the Pier School, and two BHS students, Adithi Dashankar
and Karan Batia. I propose that the search committee once it's finalized will meet to review applications and decide whom to interview. This should happen hopefully next week. Interviews are scheduled. The committee meets to create interview
questions for each candidate and that should happen by June 2nd. And then the interviews are completed and the search committee recommends finalists to the full school committee. It's preferable, I wrote, to have at least two finalists and this should be done by June 9th. And
then the school committee interviews the finalists and selects the interim superintendent, preferably by a unanimous vote. This should be done by June 13th. And then the contract for the interim superintendent is finalized and the interim superintendent is announced to the community on June 16th. And that
person begins work on July 1st. That's the process that I defined. And again, um there are some questions that have been raised. Uh and Mr. Cooper in in human resources is going to work uh with the union and with us on um finalizing
the committee and then uh making sure that any uh appropriate confidentiality agreements are um undertaken and that the uh documents regarding applications are um provided to that committee so that we can then schedule and move
forward. Sarah, so I'd like to start with just clarifying questions. And this is at not at all edits. I'm not looking to change what you have here. It looks excellent to me. I'm looking to learn more because I haven't been through one of these before. So, could you just walk me through my three questions are as
follows. Because we're trying to do this quickly, what happens when not everybody can show up? Is there a way to meet without having the full list of people? How does that work? So the the committee the search committee will be 15 16
people strong and I've communicated with them because sometimes it's impossible to get everybody together at the same time that if one or two people miss a particular meeting maybe we can zoom in or if that's not possible we just move on with the number of people who are on
the committee at that at that point in the search. That's great. I was also wondering why do some people advocate for um a professional search or search from an outside party? And if you're going to, you know, toot your own horn,
what are we saving by not doing that? We'll save about 75,000 bucks. Um I have a lot of experience doing searches and I've never used a search firm and I you know my experience I have participated in searches with search
firms and my experience with search firms they come into a community and they want to know the existential essence of the community. What are your values? To me that's totally unnecessary. We know who we are. We know what we're looking for. We're looking I mean in this particular case we're looking for a superintendent with
experience. Uh we're looking for a superintendent who's got a reasonable sense of humor. Um someone who listens carefully, who's an excellent communicator. We know I mean and the committee will will determine the criteria for what we're looking for. And uh again, to me, it seems like a waste
of not a waste of money, but money not well spent necessarily. Um and a process that we can define more readily because we're here, we know the school system, and we know what we need. um we all have
had experience with a variety of leaders and um I think we'll have I think we'll be very successful in determining finalists and determining the person that we choose. That's really helpful. Um my third question and final question is just um when you do an interim search
compared to a a permanent search um how do they tend to differ? like just not in like I understand how they would different in candidates and like you know and contracts and all that but um is it a a shorter list of people that are involved is there any difference in
terms of what's before us? No. Um there's a comprehensive group of people who will be who are on the search committee. The process is basically the same. Um you look at resumeums, you decide who you want to interview, you make questions up and uh interview
people and make recommendations. One of the most important things for me um because I've been a part of the system for a long time in a variety of ways um at a certain point the search committees lost um lost uh power to recommend um
and they only could make comments on the on the uh candidates before them. To me, if you want the community to support the final um individual who gets the job, you want to feel like you were part of that on the search committee. And so it's hugely important to me to give
voice to the search committee so that they can they feel when they leave their portion of the process that they've made a contribution and that their voices were heard. And what happens is when you have a a credible search with a search committee, um, and they choose somebody
or they recommend a few choices to the full school committee, um, they tend to support that person strongly. And if they feel alienated from the process, there's a, you know, there's a a chance that because of the alienation that they felt that they didn't have a um a big
voice in the decision, they're less likely to support the person who's chosen. And I think that, you know, what we've designed and what we will design hopefully for the the permanent position will allow this community um consisting of students and school committee members
of course and teachers and administrators in the system and parents um I think the comm community should look at that process uh these processes and say well done. Um you included our voices, our voices were meaningful and we appreciate that. So I can just um say
a little bit more Sarah. So for the the permanent, we're going to move obviously a bit more slowly. Um we're going to look to identify so categories, parents, educators, things like that and then put out a call for people who are interested
to um be in touch. So there'll be a bit more of of process around that. And for example, Kieran will be off at college by by that that time. So there'll be just a um a bit more of um the community. will have some more time uh
to um uh offer the their their time um to that process in one way or another. Well, if I could say that um we I moved quickly on this because of the timeline. Um and I and I received lots of um letters of application.
People wanted to serve on the committee, lots and and the way I ch well I picked a parent that was easy and I picked a CPAC parent because that was recommended. So I had two open parent uh seats on the committee and I just picked um the two two letters that I felt were
most compelling. I mean there were you know many many very qualified credible people who wanted to be on the search committee but you know there's a lot of people in this community. We just I needed to pick just two. So that's the way it worked. Thank you. Anybody Mariah?
Um thank you for this. I think it it's I'm really impressed you pulled this together. I think it's really strong and the timeline um is obviously incredibly tight, but that's what you've got to work with. And I appreciate that you're trying to wrap it up by June 16th because not only is like if all goes well, you have two weeks and if anything
slips, you still have a little bit of time. So, which realistically it will. I wonder about the presence. I don't see any central office role and I'm just wondering if that might be someone on the Alvin Cooper will be on it. It's not on that memo. Alvin will be on the committee. I see. Thank you. I'm sorry.
As a voting member. No, he's exeicio. Yes. So, so exeicio voting or exeicio non voting? Non voting. I see what non voting. Okay. Carolyn and then Donna, I think I saw your hand. just super quick
conversationally responding to what Bob just said about sort of the process and um I happen to know well I know Dan well I know Kira well um and I know Hagar and Dan Saltzman well and those are awesome
parents I've worked really closely with Hagar she's a neighbor um super super smart um really compassionate person and Dan has a ton of exper experience um working with principles, with
superintendent in schools, being a Brooklyn parent. Um so, looks great. It sounds like your daughter did get into SWS. She did and and graduated and got into college thanks to Kira uh and Dan. Um
Kira wrote her a fabulous recommendation letter. So, Kira Kira is amazing. I think we all know that. Hagar and and Dan Sultzman are just excellent parents. So that's exciting. Thank you, Donna.
Um I want to say thank you, Bob. This is amazing and I'm super excited that you're chairing the search. Um I had two questions. One is about um compensation. I think we got an email from a uh a Brooklyn parent um with some thoughts on compensation. Is that a is that
something that falls under the purview of the committee at all or do you feel comfortable with the compensation that we're offering? Um I'm not sure what you're talking about for the for this position. Is it competitive? Oh, the salary. Yeah. No, that's not up to me. Okay. So, so
it's not post negoti it's you know the salary will be commensal with your experience. Okay. Wonderful. So the second question is I know it says here that you're it's a preference to have two finalists, but have you given any thought to what a scenario would look like or what what we
would do if we end up with one finalist? We'll cross that bridge. Got it. By law, we're required to interview two finalists. Um any other Kieran? Um yes. Uh could I just ask um whether this is for Dr. for Bob or whether it's
for Suzanne. Um, does the number or did the number of applicants from last week change for the this position or is it I think we have about 12. I think it's more than that. It's I think it's 16 or 17. Oh, great. That's what I'm thinking. Yeah,
I Alvin's going to put in a folder or something for Yes, he's going to set up a folder for um once we uh approve this. I I would like us to think about adding someone from um central office as a voting member. I think that it's probably a
good idea to have someone who um would be working closely to be on that committee. So I just a thought I see Mariah nodding sort of curious what others think about that.
Okay. Can you say more about that, Val? Like why you're thinking that or why you're recommending it? Um, and how it aligns with past practice? It aligns um evenly with past practice. And um I I I think just in terms of the working
relationships, it's um important for someone who has that direction of communication as well to be um in involved. That's my personal opinion. Betsy, you're uh just one quick clarification that it is a uh working subcommittee of the school committee.
So, we'll need to meet post these meetings and meet open meeting law requirements of 48 hours in advance. So, just something we have to plan as we move ahead. Thank you. Um I think that as you alluded to Bob earlier, there's this whole idea of the
committee having buyin and ownership in the process. And so having a representative from central office who's a voting member also sort of ties to that I'll say vertical line of people who are engaged in the process who have the opportunity to speak to colleagues in their connections and be and feel
invested in the process and included in the process. So I would I also agree with that point. All right. I'll I'll speak with Val about that. Any other Jesse? I was just going to um piggyback on Mariah's comment and uh
support one of the deputy directors to potentially be a member of that. Um, given our current situation, I would point over to the corner there to Dr. who's very busy doing other Yes, she she's staring at her screen. Yeah.
There you go. Thank you. Right. No, we were just going to maybe appoint you. Okay. Recommend the appointment. Thank you. I think it would be very valuable. Andy's hand Andy. Yeah. Thanks. I wanted to pick up on what Betsy said about the open meeting
law. So, I kind of want to get clear on what um what this committee can do in executive session and what needs to be done in open session. Um so, my reading of the guidance from the attorney general's office is that interviews and sort of deliberation or consideration of
candidates can happen in executive session. what we need to do in open session is to formulate the interview questions. Is that um how val you understand this? So yeah, sort of um the preliminary interviews can happen in executive
session and the the finalist interviews need to happen in open session. Mhm. But otherwise, yes. Okay. So our open session meeting would be to formulate the questions that we would then ask in executive. We'd actually also need to meet in just like any other executive session, we need to meet in open session
and then move to go into executive session. The same way that we do for any other um item on our executive session list. Anybody else? This is not actually related to this search, so I'm slipping it in. Is um but
we can also cover it under new business later. I'm just wondering if there's an update for the OTL deputy search. Um, let's do that in new business. Okay. Thank you. Too late. I beat you to the punch. Okay. Anybody Suzanne? Well, so I'm still a
little confused about what we can do in open session and what we had can do in executive session. So, our first meeting, we'll gather and that'll be an open session. Yes. And we will come up with the questions and the criteria.
Well, okay. My my guidance would be that we will and I've talked to Alvin about this. Um we will distribute all the applicants and their resumes and application letters to all the members of the committee and I'll ask them to review them before we meet. Okay. So
what I said in this memo is that I'd like them to choose their five top candidates and then we'll sort of and send them to me and I'll analyze the voting um in terms of who people want to interview and you know you'll get a consensus that way. Um and so then the
then the the first meeting will be open and we'll be deciding on um we'll be signing we'll finalize we be we'll be finalizing who we're going to interview and then we'll be also developing the questions for the interviews and I know that um was it Betsy or Val sent me the
um some recommended questions that were part of that was Betsy that would definitely have been Betsy. Yeah. Yeah. You know but so but what about confidentiality? I was going to say we we don't actually discuss in open session um until the finalists who the the candidates are for confidentiality
purposes for anybody who has a current job. Okay, great. So, so just again that first session you anticipate open and we're going to talk about the questions. Yes. And then we from there we could go into an executive session and talk about
the five type Exactly. five candidates we each came up with. Exactly. Yes. Okay. So that would be an executive session and then we would have another meeting where we start interviewing those candidates and that would be an executive session. Yeah, the interviews the initial interviews executive
session. Yes. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Anything else on this before we move on to budget? Just to follow up on Mariah's question. Did you say OTL or OSS? I wanted to make sure I heard you right. OTL. I said OTL. Yes. May I add OSS? Of
course. I'll consider it a friendly amendment. Friendly amendment. Thank you, Carolyn. Um Bob, would you anticipate that the school and Val that the school committee would get updates along the way or does
this all happen so quickly or would we have like an executive session just out of our own curiosity? Um given our meeting schedule and Bob's schedule, we we it might be one and the same. Um, fine. If we slip, we could we could
look to do an executive session um update. Anything else? Okay. So, moving on to 5B, budget updates. Um, Mariah, Dr. Gillery, who's doing So, Val, excuse me. I'm sorry. Sorry. Do we have to vote on accepting
this process or just just move on? We don't have to, but I may It's perhaps a a good idea. I vote to accept Bob's process as outlined. You move it. I moved it. I That's what I meant to say. I move it. A second. I wasn't going to announce it like that. As amended. As amended. As amended and with the
inclusion of a central office administrator explicitly. Okay. Jesse seconds. Okay. Jesse, how do you vote? Yes. Suzanne? Yes. Sarah? Yes. Mariah? Yes. Donna, sorry, I have a little OCD. So, you added with the with the addition of a
central office administrator to the roster of um meet voting members on the committee. Okay. And you but you both are going to discuss that or that's decided? That's in Mariah's motion. It's in their motion. Oh, not not the who.
Just Okay. Okay. Yes. And sorry, I'm I'm going to be Does administrator imply a certain level or does it can it be staff person? I don't know. Do you really mean not to be super picky, but I'm just curious. Um should
it say like I'm not going to specify. Fine. Yes, we know what you mean. Generally, or we'll figure it out. Yes, Bob. I vote yes. And I recommend that we rent out Fenway Park for the full full
committee meetings. Andy, yes. Uh, and I vote yes as well. Okay. So, now budget updates. Is it Mariah or Dr. Giller? It's It's me, I think. Correct, Lennus? Okay. So, I'm going to get us back on. I'm going to get us ahead of time as is
my if you all cooperate we are going to be way ahead of schedule. I'm putting that on you now. This isn't a me problem. This is a you problem if we're not. So, um, for our Q3 update, um, we actually had a Q3 update, if you recall, at our last meeting, and we were
going to get an update last last yesterday afternoon, um, with the question of given the revised Q3 estimates of how the FY25 budget will close compared to the revised Q2 uh, estimates of how the budget will close,
what is the difference? This is like a complicated word problem for math. what how are we now going to close it using revolving funds? However, there was a miscommunication. That question didn't get answered yesterday. We will get it from um Dr. Given in the next week or so
um to our email just so we have it. Um so that is the update under 5B1. Um any questions on that before we proceed? No. Okay. Um, and also on that note, we will have a meeting in June to
review how that's coming together even more. So, more to come on the FY25 close. Then other FY25 and 26 budget updates. Um, we discussed um the current situation of Bas's summer
programming. You have slides in your packet. If you look at slide, sorry, it's the starting after the OSS. um information. So, I think it's slide four or five. So, you can see that there's an income statement um on the first one
showing the um expected year-end close for base. Um and it looks like they will end the year with a revolving fund balance just under $4,000. Um and then the summer programming, if you look at the top of the next slide, currently they have
enrollment ofund they're they have 107 students currently enrolled. They're projecting another 50 or so, but that would be a total enrollment of around 150 or 160 compared to 270 last year
when we all had taken the vote earlier this year to continue BASE over um the summer. That was contingent. Well, I won't say it was contingent, but that was with the understanding that Bass would have um strong summer programming. Um it looks like and they will have strong summer revenues that would offset
the ability to keep the um staff program in place. Um with that said, because of the changes that are here um it's not clear that we would end up revenue neutral for the summer programming. So um
the there's questions about for example um are there summer programs that we could consolidate? Obviously, we our our primary goal is to ensure that students and their adults who care for them have continuity of summer programming and are hopefully in a program that they like. We want to make sure we don't want to
leave anybody in the lurch for summer programming, whether it's child care or just enrichment. Um, and so we're going to I'm going to meet with Michelle Mcloone, the director of base tomorrow morning to look at some of the more detailed numbers. She sent me some
more detailed numbers earlier today which I got the chance to skim but we're going to meet tomorrow um just to have greater clarity. Um and the questions that I had asked her um since our meeting yesterday um were um to show how
the enrollment for base has typically gone in the weeks beforehand because she had said to us um that this is a pretty typical point in time for them and they get a lot of enrollment still to come and it would just be helpful I think from our perspective to have that to see that data so we can feel confident that
there's quite a bit more still coming in um and then also to look at some of the programs And for example, where there's very low registration, can we um consolidate children into um other programs with stronger um registration and also consider partnering with Wreck who also
run summer programming. So that for example, if a student is in theater and doesn't want to do basketball, just to give two examples of of base programs that there might be another program in Wreck that they might be able to slide into and Wreck has very graciously agreed to try and work with us if that it becomes a need, but they also need
some information. So much more to come. There was a sense in the community and I just want to put this out there in case anyone didn't hear that they thought we were voting to close base tonight and there was no vote in the agenda and that was never going to happen. And I'm not sure where the miscommunication or misunderstanding came from, but I just
want to make that very public that um that is not where we are at right now. And we want to make sure that we have a smooth transition. So much so that if you actually look on that slide, there's a lot of sunset tests. I mean, there's a lot of work that's going into making sure that this um transition and
progression is done really carefully and well so that nobody there's no sudden changes. And we're working hard and and still talking with Wreck as well. So that's the update on basin. Again, yesterday we didn't have a lot of time that I think came in like the last five minutes of the meeting or so. So I don't
know if there's other questions or comments now. I think Michelle was going to join us, but I don't see her on Linus' screen online. Is she online? No. Okay. Andy had his hand up. Did you do you have a question or not anymore unless um Mariah you had
anything more to say about Yeah. I was just looking at that last line on the sunset task about transition to Iraq. of like where things stand there right now. You just said that you're in discussions. So, um Re has been um speaking with Michelle and they've she has been providing them with
information. Um and they are still working through the data that she's been providing them. So, no, they have not affirmed or denied where they're at. They're still doing their analysis that they had said that they would do. Um and they had told us originally it would take about 6 to8 weeks and I think it's
been about four so far. So, everything is still progressing. Um, and again, I'm gonna meet with Michelle tomorrow and get a little bit more information on the summer. Okay. Thank you, Suzanne. Suzanne, and then Bob. Yeah, thanks. I just had two questions. I I'm just wondering about
this vacation sick day payout of 32,000. That's just seems high if the salaries were only 57,000. So, I'm kind of curious what that's about. Um, so that'd be that's contractual as far as I know. But it's not just for the summer. No, it's it's accumulated. Okay. So that's
so that's not a summer cost, but that's the carrying it forward. No, I believe that's probably a full year cost and and if people were to take vacation, obviously that would or or sick time, right, during the summer, that would also that makes more sense. That that liability would reduce. Yes, that makes more sense. And then um it says
potential revenue in August. Those are they're they're not currently enrolled, but they might be. What? I don't know. Okay. Just curious. Yeah. I don't know. Okay. Yeah. Thanks, Bob. Yeah. I just um
I'm asking for some clarity, which everybody probably understands, but I don't understand. So, there's a lot of noise in the community about base and about the cut about 56,000 bucks or something like that. Um where do we stand on that? I The school committee voted to pause base after the summer.
There's the 56,000 which is the immediate number, but the larger number is several hundreds of thousands of dollars which is not currently accounted for in our budget because base is projected to lose money again next year that we would have to again we would have to find a way to absorb in addition
to the 56,000 which is the benefits cost of some of the staff. And so we're going into the new year, the new fiscal year with a cut in with a school committee cut for base. Bass would be paused at the end of the
summer, right? Um and we have been in talks with wreck to see if there is a way to transition the base um academically oriented programs for adults and children into the recreation department offerings as well, which are more recreational offerings. So that
might solve the people's questions. That would I mean I think that that is the the goal is to have the program continue and be able to make those offerings but as part of Wreck and delivered in collaboration and through the Wreck model. Yes. Because that was a big campaign issue. A lot of people said, "Well, you are you supporting base? You
I said absolutely 110%." I didn't know what that meant. Um you're not supposed to say that part out loud in terms of spending money. I mean I have a long relationship with the Brooklyn adult community. Um, I think everyone on the committee when we took
that vote unanimously expressed the concern and the sadness that it framed for them and just but you know like many other votes we took during that process, it was a really tough vote. Um, yeah. Okay. Thank you, Maria. Yeah, but Rex so far just to say has been like really fabulous in terms of thinking through
this. You know, they're really taking it seriously and excited about the possibility of being able to carry that base mantle forward. Thank you, Carolyn. Um Maria I'm just curious so given that unfortunately we
are pausing um base alto together for next year but it we have some potential concerns about the summer um and we've been talking about the the BCF has presented itself a couple of times to us recently.
Do you know whether base has gone to the BCF at all for any kind of emergency assistance to just at least get through the summer? I don't know. I can ask Michelle tomorrow. And somebody I don't know. I I wish
there was the data. Somebody um told me that they that um the summer programs do serve um have a a a lot of students of color. I don't know if that's true. So, could
be the um I mean I would assume that they have based on a strong scholarship program dedicated to BHA students and has also um and used ARPA funds multiple years to pay for that. So, but unfortunately those funds are again no
longer available. Um so, just wondering if they I would assume they're aware, but just curious, Jesse. Yeah, quick comment. One, I wanted to thank Mariah publicly for the extra work you're putting in to help base navigate a very
rough sea and everyone appreciates it in the community and certainly school committee. Second thing I was going to say is that when this hit um when these letters started coming in and questions came in, I sort of broke my normal rule of not responding to town meeting listerve things, but I felt it was important to get ahead of it. And so um
I answered the question in a very brief way just to clarify sort of as you did now and then found in the PSP side of my email your response as well and they actually matched pretty well. So I just basically clarified for people that were not voting and uh and that uh and
exactly what the process was going to be and I then started getting comments back from people saying thanks for clarifying you know we didn't want it to blow up on the town meeting side either so with town meeting next week. So thanks for all your efforts here. Sure. And um if we're done with base, there's one minor
last thing we need. Oh, okay. Donna, I'm sorry. I have a really quick question. So, is that 20 26,000 um is that related to the discrepancy in the projected enrollment for the summer? No, that's if the current if the current
revenue I think the potential revenue refers to the 43 more students now that I'm doing this math. Um, and I'm presuming they're posting it in August because it would come in during July and August. But anyways, so if their total revenue for the three months is 63,000
and as you see below the 89,000, then right now the projection is a loss of $26,500 for the summer, which originally if you recall, we had we had been anticipating a essentially at break even. But again, Michelle and I will meet
tomorrow about that and we'll see what No, it is a break. I mean they they're actually making money but they're t you're putting on this vacation sick day which is from the pre so the summer program itself she's right is not only going to break even it's going to make some money. Oh the other thing that
right that I'm glad you mentioned that Lionus is the 89,000 doesn't actually if you look the lines where it says wages for instructors are blank. So this is not even including the costs of the staff to run the summer programs. This is just the central office staff. So that net I thought that was the stuff is
no there's additional costs on top of that. So again okay I appreciate what Michelle sent me earlier today in looking at it very quickly they've done a greater analysis of net revenues as opposed to gross revenues. So that'll be helpful to understand and um more soon. But again, the important thing is that
we wanted to keep this program open through the summer to be able to support um students and families and and they're a partner with Project Discovery, which is really important to be able to find full day um child care for people. So, we want to make sure that we're not leaving people in the lurch and that's
the critical thing here as we move ahead. Um okay, we're done with base. I have one last item. Are we done with base? I want to make sure we're done with B. Yes. Okay. So, uh, the last, um, item of finance last night, um, is a housekeeping item around changing the
school allocation vote. We had voted a couple of, I guess, a month ago, April 17th, for the 142,000. This is on the last slide here. Thank you, Betsy, for pulling it up. Um, we had taken some of the things that you see here as um,
debits against our gap, but actually they're supposed to be credits against our revenue. If that doesn't make sense to you, don't worry about it. Move on. The new vote is we have to just trust me. The new um amount for the schools is
the um bottom line there. Finance recommended this to the full school committee. Select board has already voted this. Advisory committee has already voted this. So now full school committee is the last leg of the three-legged stool to vote this before it goes to town meeting next week. So, I'm going to make a motion for school
committee to recommend um a PSB budget for FY26 of 142,792,591. I'll second that. Thank you. Any discussion? Okay, Bob, how do you vote? I vote yes.
Carolyn, yes. Donna, yes. Mariah, yes. Sarah, yes. Suzanne, yes. Jesse, yes. Andy, yes. and I vote yes as well. Thank you, Mariah. Um, next we have a discussion of the U deficit review report conducted by
Clifton Larson Allen. Uh, when we got the report, I reached out to CLA. They're not able to come and speak to us until June, but I thought it wise to docket it for discussion. Um, so if anyone has thoughts they want to discuss
about their initial reactions to the report, now's the time. Mariah, earlier today at Town School Partnership, um I read into the record a long document that I'm not going to read into the record today, but I will share
with you all by um email later on and Betsy, maybe you can post it um on the meeting materials if if that's okay um about my thoughts about it. But I think um I'm glad I'm glad um that you
actually I want to say a couple things more about it. At that point I noted a couple things. One was Chaz Kerry highlighted the value of the letter that came from the CPAC co-chairs earlier today and the importance of
um the context that the letter provided to a report that doesn't necessarily know all of the ins and outs of um Massachusetts special education. I was really appreciative of his focus on that. And I also want to highlight that at Town School Partnership earlier
today, Susan Given, our deputy for admin and finance could not attend and it was very intentional and she's not here tonight and it was very intentional that we would not get too far ahead of that conversation because she is an integral partner to that conversation. So I agree with both of those statements and among many other things I said we really need
to be able to talk to them because there was some questions that persist from this report. There was some great recommendations I thought some questions that persist um and some factual errors that that really it's too bad that the report got put out with some of these
because as we all know the first impression is the one that really lasts and it doesn't matter how much you correct things later on. It's out there. Um so I'm glad they're going to come talk to us. I think that's really important and um looking forward to
collaborating on on future work around this. Thank you, Mariah. Jesse, um I guess one question I had is um maybe I just missed it somewhere. How is it that the report came to the town on last Friday and it
was published in Brookline.news and we got the email with the document sort of the same day it went out. sort of would seem that on the journalist side, they had access to our town school report before we did potentially. Uh the town side may have had it, but now again, I
mean to Mariah's I mean observations which are crystal clear to me. uh if there are u misperceptions um obfiscations alterations and all any others you want to add to the report
they've now been placed into the public by Brooklyn news um before I don't know personally I had even a chance to read it and digest it like you know 10 times to read through and underline sort of every other sentence with questions so I'm just
wondering from the school side of school committee side what the you know was there a was there some kind of issue in the process that you know if the town authorized the CLA uh audit and it was to provide back to the school I mean this is not there's nothing really
nothing in this report that talks about the town it's all about things that happen within the school in terms of the relationship on on the upper management side and decisions that were made and delays and mistakes and you know Excel formulas it's all related to the school how was it that it got into the media
before we really had a chance to review to meet with CLA and all even if we had pushed it back like I mean even if Chz had to say it was the end of June like after Memorial Day or after a town meeting even what would the you know this this this sort of leaves so many
questions and perhaps even mistakes out there that have now been publicized um I don't have full answers to that but my understanding is uh that the town side who did commission um the report
wanted it um out before town meeting. Um and we we did get the final report at the same time that it was released to the public or near to um and I believe that Dr. Gillery was given the report
over the weekend, but certainly not with any um sort of business day time to um to reflect on it. Um, I don't know the the full rationale for why, but I I I do know that there was a
um a concern that holding on to it um as opposed to to putting it out in the public um was not the preferred method of release. I don't know any more than that. Sorry, Jesse Carolyn.
Um, yeah, I read the I read all of this the other day when it came out, and I I think it did say in Chaz's memo, as Val just said, Jesse, there was a desire to make sure um that this was digested before town
meeting. So, I don't think there was ever a desire to wait um longer. So, maybe I'm missing something. I'm not super following like what the um my my question was not about
it necessarily pushing past town meeting because perhaps our budgetary implications that might put town meeting into a difficult situation. My question is more basic. We got a report from the auditors that came to the town last
Friday and within you know the Saturday and Sunday by Monday it was already in the newspaper and it's sort of we we need wouldn't we have needed some time the town and the school together to look at the report analyze it just a bit and if it waited two more days and we we
identified issues before they were publicized would that may have been a better strategy but you can't I mean the media is the media people send something to the media then I mean I'm I'm not sure what your your your your concern is
that it was at the media the media had it before Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean for it to come out so quickly when we were just getting it uh means that they must have had time to and again this is not a criticism of the media. They were provided the report very quickly and
perhaps even before we had a chance to really read and digest it. Mariah Dr. Gillery, when staff were PSP staff were provided with the report over the weekend, um were there were there corrections that you requested be made
and how was if so, how was that request taken? So Susan, myself and Karen um reviewed the the report um and communicated. I think it was Susan that sent um a series
of questions and clarifications to CHAZ um to the town administrator noting that um I think similar to what you're saying Jesse that a report of this sorry to interrupt I I I think uh the
mic has gone off so we can't hear anything that's going on. I thought I saw the red light there. So, let me start over. Um, so because I don't know how much you got or you didn't. Um, so Karen, Susan, and
I um I think it came late Friday night or over the I can't late Sunday. So, it was it was late when we got it. um we all read it and had our u dialogue amongst ourselves about some
questions or clarifications and then I think Tuesday is when the report actually went live um out I think is if I'm remembering correctly um but the there wasn't an opportunity so Susan
then sent yeah Susan sent in um clarifications questions or concerns that we had as a district administration about the timing and um we weren't given the latitude or the opportunity to give that feedback prior to the final report
going out um as well. So um what else did I say there? She sent them to Chad. She Yes, she sent them to the town administrator, Sarah, and then Suzanne. So when are we going to discuss this further? I know that we'll read what
Mariah has sent to us. Um, and will there be a time when we might that that our um senior leadership might point out some errors and we might discuss some of the findings. Um, I haven't Susan's out.
Um, I've asked CLA to come in. I got an out of office from the person um but understood that they could come in in uh June. Suzanne. Yeah, I was just gonna say on my on the copy I had it was confidential
draft. So I don't know when it went from a confidential draft to the Is is it the same report that we have here? And I didn't get confidential draft. Oh, I only got Yeah. Yeah. You didn't get a confidential draft? No. Oh,
yes. The plot thickens. We got sort of what looks like I did too, but I had confidential draft all over. I've got it here somewhere. Okay. Well, I just wondered when it went from that to handing it out.
Any other Donna? Sorry. For clarification then, um Dr. Gillery, you just made reference to um some communication that went to um to the firm with clarifications. Oh, to the administrator. So, will that be part of
the discussion in June? Do we have in other words should we have seen that or or will we have access to those? I don't I think that was a conversation or an email from you all. Right. Yes. From Susan to the administrator, but she'll
be willing to share uh her perspective uh as well as our collective perspective on it as well. Okay. That that would uh yeah, I think we can. that would be helpful for me just particularly we were just at Driscoll the other night and not not that we need to discuss every aspect of it but it would just be helpful
context for me when I'm talking to community members anyone else on this round Mariah sorry I just want to say that I think you said that the town commissioned the report but I don't believe that's strictly accurate I believe the town school partnership commissioned the report in partnership with the school committee
and I and I just want to pick up a little bit on what Jesse said is that um it does feel a little bit like that process was not necessarily the the rolling out was not necessarily reflective of that.
I myself and say the town paid for the the select board. I thought it was the town administrators fund paid for it but anyways yes they paid for it but it was the town school partnership that commissioned it. Jesse. Yeah. Um, in section 8 a there's
a a sentence I just want to understand what what it means. It says when sort of down towards the bottom of that first paragraph it states that current OSS staff were instructed by the previous deputy superintendent for student services to not include settlement numbers and reports prepared for school committee. Um, I mean I I guess I'd want
to know like how did that happen? This is um five lines down from the bottom of that long paragraph of 8A under observation finding. It starts at at least in my in my print out it starts five lines from the bottom of that paragraph where it says current OSS staff.
Um so I just I'm concerned I mean it's just put in there and there you know we know that there there's not much in in the uh recommendation as much as I'm concerned that is this was a policy violation was this a um was this a um
communication issue? Um, this is when it says were instructed by, it sounds to me like they the auditors investigated and were told that this is what they were told. And so it's like a sort of, you know, he said, she said kind of thing.
But this is a pretty strong statement to make. And I'm just wondering if CLA will be able to provide some more context. You have our deputy here. Uh, so yes, I'm not sure if they will or they won't. We'll we'll have to ask when they're here. They might I I don't know
what sort of confidentiality they offered people that they interviewed or or not. I I don't know that the methodology um in terms of their interview process or procedure. I'd like to highlight in what you're saying right now that that is a
disappointment in this um in this report because you know if if they're just going to give us kind of um a narrative of what was said in interviews, it doesn't really feel like an analysis. You know, there aren't dates of like this is what happened and then this happened, you know. Um, so I I would say
that, you know, Jesse's asking a question, but I'd like to add to that question that the the the report feels a little bit um flimsy to me or a little bit um not uh in-depth enough for the example that Jesse gave and for other examples where they didn't really seem
to um show us the data of where they got their conclusion. Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you. Um, this is not about any of the specifics in the report, um, but more
about this conversation and and I'm really interested in hearing everybody's um, analysis and and we all bring different um, lens and expertise to this. Um this was
undertaken because of big issues that showed themselves um over the last couple of years that you know have apparently and obviously been long long brewing
structural issues challenges that we're going to continue to have to face and and address um with our partners on the town side, the select board, the town administrator, the town school through the town school partnership, the
advisory committee, um, and town meeting. I'm a town meeting member. I've been an advisory committee member. Um so um just gen and I I I believe that this
was undertaken uh as an initiative and and with the the the hope from our partners on the town side um for us to all row in the same direction and be unified uh moving
forward as we are now on the uh override study committee. So just generally I'm I'm looking at this with um a really open mind in terms of what
the um intention was and what we can do with this to move to forward together as a as a town towards healthy structures um and healthy systems. and we we have challenges on
both sides, but I think it's going to be really important to um to move less away from being sort of siloed. I don't even like saying like town side, school side. Um so that's my my sort of
overall look at this. Bob Yeah. So, I looked, you know, I read the report several times. Um, there's a lot of crypticness in the report. Um, and there's a tremendous amount of noise in
the community about the report, sort of damning um criticism of the school system, school leadership, etc. And I so I would just I'm anxious to have a conversation here that's open and that responds to
the um information misinformation uh that's within that report so that the school committee can be clear with the community about what this means and what we will do. Um because again I I mean so
much of it was difficult to understand in terms of who what where when you know um and I don't know how you know I don't know how damning the whole thing is but it certainly feels like it and I I
certainly feel like the community um is viewing it like that and and we have to respond and we have to reassure the community that We understand what's been going on and and we have to move forward taking action and making things better.
Thank you, Donna. And then Suzanne. Thanks. Um I I want to I want to um echo what Bob just said. Um, I read the report and felt um, a little bit muddled about how we're going to be moving forward, what
recommendations we're going to be taking up, what the timetable might look like, and sort of like I I let me say it differently. I think it's really important that we're managing expectations and communicating clearly with the community about what comes next. Um, and then just a little bit
more um, in the vein of of what Jesse pointed out, I there were some I I really was confused about some of the recommendations um, specifically about having a third party the independent education evaluations to come in and assess disagreements. Um, typically with
special education settlements, you're working with uh, outside counsel. Dr. Giller, you'll correct me if I'm I'm wrong, Dr. Schmuckler. outside council that is supporting the whoever is negotiating the settlement. So I'm assuming there's some advising going on
there. So that was confusing to me and also some of the um let me say this differently. I would be interested in understanding or contextualizing the increase in the number of settlements. When I read this and I looked at the increase in the
number of settlements that made me wonder what we are doing at the schoolhouse that we end up with an increased number of settlements. So I would like to have like I would like to explore the conversation in that vein.
It was Suzanne and then Yep. I just I do remember that when this came up originally that um it was said we did not have much money to spend. town was saying and that it would be cryptic because we wanted it very quickly. So it
it's not as indepth as they wanted to do and it was not as they were not going to answer all of our questions. That's not to excuse it. I'm just recalling that conversation we had and so by its very nature there's going to be things in here that are not in the depth that we
would like at this point. But that that's the report they came up with and we can ask him for more clarification. But just again, we wanted the report very quickly. It was a very quick turnaround and um they told us they wouldn't be able to give us everything
that we probably would want. Mariah, Dr. Schmuckler, could I ask you a couple of questions? I know I don't want to put you on the spot. So, if you're not ready to give the answers on these, like don't worry about putting it up. Okay, perfect. So
my question is actually just regarding the um recommendation to hire an independent independent educational evaluation contractor just your your thoughts your reaction to that and then my second one is um regarding the settlements or the overall settlement
situation the growth in settlements um if you're comfortable you know expressing whether that is what might be the reason for the growth in settlements. Um, so I think on thees I think I shared with both um my email, one of my
communications with Susan and I also went upstairs and had a conversation with town council um just because it seemed like that recommendation had really been um held on to again talk about the process and the procedures within special education. And while that
might be of use in certain circumstances that it wasn't ne it, you know, when you're in litigation and you're in that fork in the road, you're either litigating or you're settling. Um, and so, you know, sort of the notion that we were going to mandate a solution that
was not going to be effective or efficient nor help, you know, it's not necessarily an effective strategy to deal with the issue. Um so that was that was my response and I think sort of similarly to you know I think with CPAC
is you know decontextualized right um in terms of that and so I was particularly that was the one thing I just wanted people to sort of clarify because it did seem like there was something that um on the town side felt like that might be
something people wanted to mandate or impose. Um, and so I wanted to make sure that people understood what happens with settlements. Um, you know, it's it's complicated and complex before imposing a solution on the school district. If
that was the direction that it seemed like, you know, people wanted to do that really was not going to be effective. I'm sort of similar to I think, you know, um, what Carolyn said. you know, I think we need to be open um to it and as I said, there's certainly circumstances
where um that might be helpful, right? Um often when you get to a settlement, families have already had their own IE, right, which supports um where a family feels like they their child needs to be. There may be circumstances where the school might want to do that. Um but
it's not a it's not a solution to the actual problem. So I think that was one of the things that I certainly reacted to um strongly just because it felt like it was a solution that had really been kind of you know um felt heavily and
then you know similarly again and you know I think as um Suzanne said you know there wasn't a lot of context and I also understand the you know the level of the report it wasn't a forensic audit it wasn't an in-depth audit it wasn't a management audit you know I think the
auditors were really clear about what they were and were not doing. Um but I think it's hard to get things where it's not contextualized right and so we have to provide the context. Um I similarly you know and I think well I won't go on because I you
don't need my editorial I I'll just answer your question and then no I I felt I I don't stop keep going. I mean I and you know again as as you know I think because we you know again I read it Sunday night and so Jody was was
Jod's last day so myself and Susan and Jody um and Dr. Gary all you know read it and said you know in terms of you know because we had said it was initially going out on Monday and sort of similarly to say and again I've had audits to say you know you you get an
audit you review it and there always mistakes and and there's a little bit of back and forth with you know this is actually an error and then auditors might say well we disagree and then that's fine right there's a process and there just was no process here and no procedure um and then I felt similarly
when you know the Brooklyn news I think we were actually in a meeting and I was like how did that happen so quickly it's just been released so I had the same reaction um and I also think the article did a disservice to what was in the audit I think it did a disservice to the
school district um I've actually communicated that in terms of you know it did actually give some clarity to the things and the noise in the system but people are not going to read the audit they're going to mostly read a headline.
Um, and so similarly, I think, you know, and it is out there, right? Um so I think you know I think giving context and I think you know talking openly about it and answering openly about it um is important because it is going to
town meeting and I know there was a rush but for inaccurate or deconontextualized information to be used as part of decision making obviously is not helpful for any of us as a school and and a town. I think we need to move forward and we need to move forward as a true
partnership and with true collaboration with true understanding. You know, I think shame, blame, and punitive um hasn't got the district anywhere and it's certainly not um going to be helpful in terms of us moving forward. Um and you know, I think there's deep
systemic work that needs to be done um at all levels with the town. and starts at the town school part partnership right that at the top. Um, so, you know, I think but I think we need to have, you know, as a district the, you know, the
auditors found what they found. Um, right. And I think we can contextualize it for people. Um, but it's really about what do we know, what have we learned, what's already been addressed and and and remedied, which a lot of it, some of it has, and then what's the work, you
know, what's the structural and systemic work that we need to do as a district and that we need to do as a town school partnership. Thank you. Thank you. Can I just make Can I Okay, sure. So, the settlements are deep analysis. You know, I don't have an offthe cuff um piece. I think
settlements are complicated. Um I think settlements can can be and need to be tightly managed. Um in terms of looking at what's the cause, you know, I always think about and I think you know this is some of the things I think CPAC is as well. Um are we missing programming in
district? So you always think about are there trends in the settlements or are we missing process and procedural pieces in the district? Are we not being proactive enough with parents when there concerns and complaints because parents don't get to that point quickly. Parents
get to that point over many many months of frustration and feeling concerned about their children. Right? There lots of points of intervention when um things are not going well for kids in schools. Right? So, it sort of needs it's all of those, you know, it's not a there's not a one answer. So, I think we need to
look at all of that. What's our process and procedure? What are ETF processes and procedures? Um, how do we deal with parent complaints? How do we think about wraparound, right, which is a proactive, not a reactive approach to parent concerns? Um, we have, and I know I've
said this and I know people look at me sometimes, we have robust resources in this district. Are we using them effectively and efficiently? are we using them quickly enough? So, I think it's a really broad systemic to answer that question around, you know, and it's
probably a bit of all of the above. I I asked you that just because I think there was a statement about, you know, what's happening in the schoolhouse and I just want to be like it's not necessarily that someone's doing something wrong, right? Like it's just like you're saying it's really complicated and and it's helpful. It's not like we got the answer, but you
know, it's a complicated answer and just, you know, I think it's easy for the community also to perhaps think, oh, there's an easy answer to settlements and it's like this is really complicated stuff. So, and I think, you know, I think the other point which they did,
you know, did look at is um, you know, they're a process and they also need to be managed every step of the process when you're in settlement as well, right? The district always needs to be providing FAPE, right? And so as a district when you put FAPE on the table
um that is that is what we need to be doing. Um and so it's also making sure that that process is always in place because it's easy. It's you know not easy. Um but I think they alluded to you know settlements rolling over and so we need to look at that why why is that
happening and what are the processes that that that that happen because that's that's something we can take action on. Um, so it's both at how do you prevent unnecessary placements, how do you prevent getting to a place where you're settling, but also, you know, when you do have settlements, how are
you managing them moving forward again? And that's just sort of process and procedure and operational pieces and how do we work as a system and a structure. So I want to just step back and thank you Dr. Schmukler and and thank um Dr. Given for all the work that you did on
this. I um and all the work that you've done to um ensure that FY26 is better than FY25 was. I think we've we were we went sort of all at the um maybe issues that we saw, but we um I I just want to make sure that we also highlight that
the um audit made mention of how much good work has been done and has been corrected for this FY26 um budget. So, I want to thank you and Dr. Gibbons specifically um on that. And um the FY25 and the FY25 close. Um and and to to
just really think about this work. Um it's going to come in stages. It's going to come It's deep work. It's not something that we're going to, you know, that some of these issues don't get fixed overnight. There's there's culture. There's history. There's um there's time to that it's going to take
to um analyze, let alone correct a lot of what we're talking about. Um, some of it may involve uh outside HR. So, I mean, there are lots of things that are raised in this report, town council, that we're going to really need to process through as a district and as a
team. And I want to make sure that as we move out of this, that we look at moving forward. Um, we need to look back to move forward, but that we are are looking forward as the um ultimate goal for uh for this. So, um, thank you
again, Dr. Schmuckler and, uh, Carolyn. They're all dead. They're all dying. Um, my hand up if I could speak eventually. Oh, sorry. Um, yeah. I mean, similar to what Val was just saying or along similar lines, I think um for me the two of the big
takeaways, maybe the two biggest from this report are number one that the major driver of our budget problems is um a salary budget that's increasing 7 to 8% yearon-year um due to a combination of steps, lanes, and cola. And you know, it seems unrealistic to
expect that to be much different. uh even if we miraculously negotiated like a zero cola contract, we would still be out running probably two and a half. Um so that's number one and and number two is that many of the problems identified
have been or are being um resolved and that really wasn't emphasized enough I thought in some of the press coverage and subsequent discussion. Carolyn and then Mariah. I really was going to say even before you said it and even before you said it, Andy, to um
acknowledge um Dr. Schmuckler and Dr. Given who I've had more contact with and more observation of the last couple of years and comparing um just the the the level of commitment
to structure and getting us cleaned up. um to be able to move forward um in in a healthy way. I I I also really want to make sure that's acknowledged because it's very very clear. Thank you, Carolyn.
Mariah at this point. Oh, wait. Okay, here comes um I just wanted to say that I think the report was a little bit confusing just as a one factual question mark I have is it reports 8% but that was based on the
original FY26 budget in which we had increased by 30 something I think staff and then we're now down by five staff if my math is right. So I think that um we had gone up 31 staff and down five now we're down by five staff. So, I just like I I think
that 8% might be actually different from approved budget to approved budget as opposed to approved budget to initial budget request. Just to put that out there as something that um and they noted that the 8% was compared to the original to the initial budget
request. Everybody's doing batteries. So, anybody does anyone have a working else on this? I I I actually think we're we're good on that. sign. The microphones are too. All right, Jesse. Maybe this is in the
weeds, but I don't think so. Um, the end of the report, the last paragraph, lack of protection of sensitive information. Um, I'm almost sure in looking I mean, this is not a necessarily an OSS thing, Dr. Schmuckler, but I'm almost sure in reading through the policy manual that we already have a policy for protecting
sensitive information. I mean, probably. Yeah. So, I I I'm just the way that they describe it. Oh, so this is very loud. fresh battery. The way that they Yeah, sorry. I didn't tell the way that they describe it in here.
Um, like we recommended a formal policy be adopted is just a miss. I mean, it's really that it's a termination. There is no teeth for the policy, which is what I alluded to. I can't Oh, you could use the mic too. Let me from
over there. That mic. This one. Well, this one works right now. So, I feel like I was giving cheers. So I think when I looked at the policy, we have a policy that requires that because there's a there's a whole series of training you have to go through, right? Well, not just that, but but the policy
has no there's no um there's no failure to do so. There's no consequences in the policy. That's a policy subcommittee thing, but right, I think that is the um issue. And then I also think we have mandatory ser cyber security training except it's not mandatory because if you
don't do it, nothing happens. Um, so we did, I think, as one point mandate COVID vaccinations as proof of con or for for required for continued employment, but I don't know that there's other aspects in there and that might be the the consequences bit that's missing.
Thank you. Mine is dead, too. Yes, this is on right now. This is on. Great. Donna, I think we have one. I I just want to make sure that we're also um reading this report and not reacting
defensively because I think it's important to also read it with an open mind and um consider, you know, consider the information that's in there without reacting to it in a way that's
um no that seem that might seem defensive. I'm not saying anyone here is being defensive. I'm just saying I think it's important that we're also reading it with an open mind. Thank you. Anyone else? I think we have maybe down to two working mics. Okay.
Um so moving on, we have uh school committee actions. We have threeus for um voting with ASKME. the ASKME school building employees, the ASME food service employees, and the
ASME Brookline Educational Secretaries Association employees. These are contracts that run from July 1st, 24 to June 3025. So, we have a whopping six weeks remaining on um these contracts.
Um I would like to move Yeah, it's a it's a one-year cola. Um, I would like to move uh a a favorable vote on 6 A, B, and C. Second. Okay, Bob seconds. Any
discussion? Go ahead, Dr. G. Yes, money is in the budget and these are uh for the term of um this fiscal year um July 1 24 through June 30th of
25. And as Val said, these are cost of living increases for our building service employees, our VISA, our Brookline Educational Secretaries Association, and our school food service
employees, each of those. And the union local 1358 did vote to ratify um this agreement on uh May 15th. Thank you. And it's a a 2% um
cola. So, I moved um a favorable favorable action. Is there was there a second? I'm sorry, somebody. Bob seconded. Um Jesse, how do you vote? Michelle. Suzanne. Yes. Sarah, yes. Mariah. Donna,
yes. Carolyn, yes. Bob, yes. Andy, yes. and I vote yes as well. Um, this brings us to the exterior camera policy which um had a first reading at uh the policy
subcommittee on May 1st. Um it is here before us for a second reading and possible vote. The one thing I want to say about um this policy is that we did send it to uh town council um and there
was a comment made back today that um the footage would be uh considered a public record. Um so I would like to send it back to the policy subcommittee just to have some clarifying language
um and discussion around that issue. But BHS has asked that um if we are so inclined if we would have a contingent vote on this policy um pending that discussion that microphone we have one
here. Oh yeah that's it is that one. Thank you. Um number one is I thought that at the last meeting here we agreed that we needed to make one um small change and then it was ready to go. Uh
and town council there were a couple of changes that um were recommended. They were all minor. You're correct. But the other um uh action that need to be taken was that need to be reviewed by town council. And town council has um reviewed that in
conjunction with uh the bylaw that we have on facial recognition. And um as I mentioned, the one thing that came back today was um uh a concern or a a wanting to let us know that um the footage like the the body cam footage for uh the
police department would be subject to the public records law. and he wanted to make sure that that was known and that um if he wanted to have further discussion on that uh in terms of both how it would apply, how public records
um uh would apply and um any policy that we wanted to draft around that specific issue to add that he he'd be willing to come to the uh policy subcommittee meeting. Okay. And then the just to follow up um the the sentence that we did that I do remember that we talked about which was the second one under
storage and access still to me seems a little odd. Video recordings will be stored for 90 days unless needed for investigations. I mean the simple explanation to me is that video recordings will be stored for 90 days. I mean if something's needed for investigations how would we know if it's
if it's a year later? I mean if we're only storing it for 90 days it won't be available. So obviously if it's within the 90 days and someone needs it for investigations, we'll provide it. I think that's what I think it means that maybe it's worth clarifying if there's a question about it, but I think my
reading of it is that um we would get rid of them after 90 days unless it was needed for furtherance of uh an active investigation that Right. But yeah, but that I mean it goes without saying. I think it's in the language here. It's a little unclear because if we if we provide video
to a legal firm or the police department um for an event that happened on day 45 of our storing it, they're going to have the copy. They're going to have the data they need. We're not going to take it away from them if it takes them six months to investigate. Whereas the
normal clock, as I understood it um from our discussion last time was that in general we'll just be rolling it through a 90-day window and it would have to you know the request would have to be made for information that's within the 90
days for it to be available. So this one this unless needed by to me needs some re some words smithing. We can uh town council didn't have an issue with that but we can run it by him again. Mariah, I would like to understand, going back
to town council, how this idea of the video being available through a records request intersects with FERPA and intersects with parents/caregiver um right to um have their children opt out of um being photographed or videoed
and having that released publicly because when we sign up for PSB, we specifically opt in or out to any sort of photographs or videos of our children being used publicly. And for those adults who have not allowed that,
the idea that there could be a public records request that would could include your child might be quite disturbing to people that could be filed. So I would just would like to understand for example would a public records request then I don't know of saying oh the video outside the school from whatever
whatever hour to whatever hour would there be the opportunity to then exclude the children who don't have that um and how furpa intersects with that. So that's just a a bigger question that town council's point is bringing up for me and why I wouldn't feel comfortable right now agreeing to vote it contingently because I would want to
have a lot of clarity on that. Okay. Anyone else? Okay. So, um I would recommend then that we send this to policy for further discussion of that issue. Any
disagreement? Okay. This will go to the soon to be reorganized policy subcommittee. Um we are back to public comment. I believe that we are back to public comment. Yes. Um, we're finishing up public comment now.
So, we have Betsy, tell me if anybody has um remove themselves from this. We have Arit Moore, I believe, is the next person on our list. Okay. And then Summer Thirstston is after Are you uh online?
Oh, I'm sorry. Can you hear me? We can hear you. Yes. Okay. Now, let's try with the camera on. Uh, okay. Can you see me now? We can. Go ahead. Okay. Great. Thank you so much. Um, okay. So, good evening everyone and thank you for the
opportunity to speak here in this uh forum. Uh, my name is Irit Moore and I'm a proud parent of a first grader at Ridley. I'm here to talk about the proposed reduction of the second grade classes at the school and why preserving it all five sections is so important in
so important for our kids and our community. When we moved to Brookline, it was because we believed in the value this town places on education. We chose Ridley not just for its reputation but for its warmth for the community we hope to be become become a part of and that
hope was fulfilled. Tonight I'm here to speak from the heart not about numbers or projections and certainly not about calculations that don't fully reflect the students who will walk through the doors this fall. Many of these concerns have already been laid out clearly in
the thoughtful letters and emails you've received from our incredible community. Instead, I want to speak to what a small class sizes make possible. They make it possible for a child to be truly seen. To have a teacher notice when they're
struggling, to find the courage to speak up, ask a question, or share an idea. My daughter is in the EL program. She started last year unsure of her of her English, unsure of herself, to be
honest. But because her classroom wasn't too big and because her teachers had the time and space to see her, she found her voice. And it's not just the children who benefit. Teachers in small classrooms can teach, connect, support.
They can build relationship with every student and tailor their instruction to the needs in the room. We have wonderful educators in second grade today and great teachers are not easy to find. When we have them, we should do everything we can to hold on to them and
give them the conditions they need to succeed. I know the district is facing hard decisions, but I truly believe this is the wrong place to make a cut. Second grade is a pivotal year. Our children are growing as readers, thinkers, and
compassionate individuals. They need calm, not chaos. Support, not strain. This is not just staffing choice. It's a statement about what kind of classrooms we want for our children. Please choose to protect the learning environment that
help kids thrive. And please keep five second grade classes at Ridley. Thank you. Thank you. Next we have Summer Thirstston followed by Abigail Braa. Summer, if you're there, you can turn your camera on and speak when you're
ready. Hi, thank you. Um, start my timer for my three minutes. I know it's been a long night. Um, I'm also here to speak like I was and like Kevin was earlier about the five sections at FRR. Unfortunately, my son last year as a
kindergartener um lost his teacher, a 14-year tenure teacher, which um the class actually never even had a chance to say goodbye. And I see from May 23rd last year was the night that I was sending an email to uh Superintendent
Gilloy and our entire class regarding the fact that we lost our kindergarten teacher and then had a pair professional for the remainder of the year. That was last year. This year the same thing happened as Mr. Walton spoke about. Miss Jud, who had
been a 10-year tenur uh teacher also was was left um she left in January and we now have a paraprofessional for the balance of the year. So that by the time my son and other students are in second grade, they will have had a quote, you
know, whatever we see on on the website, a K to2 teacher for nine months out of 18 months and a paraprofessional for nine months. And I had gone to the website last year to look at the requirements, two of the bullet points on a paraprofessional, and they are
wonderful. I am so thankful that we've had them. It says previous experience working with children is preferred but not required. And the second bullet point was a college degree is preferred but is not required. So I as a parent
know that my son who has now been here for two years has really only had a teacher and I know we have high standards on our teachers for one year. And if he's moving into the same type of environment in second grade where we
also have higher numbers and we have more burnout and we're going to end up with a pair professional again, that's just um I I think that any parent would would not want that to happen and would be concerned that their child is falling behind and that they're not getting this
high quality of education that Brookline is known for and that can provide. So again, it was May 23rd last year. We were dealing with this. May 22nd this year, and I'm just hoping that next year things stabilize a bit. I know it's
tough in in a lot of classrooms and a lot of the schools, and the parents are here to support and to help, but we also need that support as well. So please reconsider reducing from five sections to four. Um, there are children that
have, as I mentioned, my child and others, they haven't even had a teacher for 50% of their of their experience thus far at public schools in Brooklyn. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we have Abigail followed by Elise
Coutour. Abigail, if you're on Okay. with. Okay. And then do we have Shane? Oh, Ben is here for Shaina. Are you Ben, sir? You're not Ben. Okay.
Okay. um decline to enter and we don't have Ben. Okay. Um that concludes public comment for the evening. Uh moving on to new business. Is there any new business? Mariah,
can you It's a few hours ago. Can you remind me of the new Was it the updates on deputy on the two deputy searches slashfilling? Um okay. I don't have one but sure. Yes. So the the question was the update on
the interim um deputy for OTL. That position has been posted. Um and I understand that there are a few applicants there. I don't have that number uh in front of me now, but I do know that they're last Friday. Okay. I was going to say I looked last week.
Yeah, last Friday. It's up now. Um Dr. Bob and I actually talked about it a little earlier today. So I went to the website and saw it for myself. So, it's there. Um, and I believe the closing I think it was open for two or three weeks. Uh, but I don't remember the
specific closing on it. So, the posting for the OTL, the interim deputy superintendent of the office of teaching and learning. So, you don't need just for Yeah.
Um, I don't um Dr. Schmuckler is still here. We have a few more weeks, I think. So, um, we'll we'll see about posting that. I don't believe it's posted at the moment. Is that right, Dr. Gillery?
I guess I guess my question. Oh, thank you. I guess my question my I guess my question is um there's probably some uncertainty out there in the community about where OSS is going to be in five weeks. So I mean
is so there so I mean I know four or five weeks Dr. Schmuckler is here but there's maybe some uncertainty about what's going to happen after June 30th. Yes. which is why I've been asking um on behalf of CPAC and others, what is our
current recruitment if um if Dr. Schmuckler were to finish out her her contract with us and then and not be here and how would we ever transfer everything that you know the golden information that Dr. Schmunkler
has collected in three three months and a half or so to that other person if we run to the you know to the finish line and we don't have something happened yet. We haven't heard anything and so that was my question. Um if that horrible event were to occur,
which I'm hoping it doesn't, um we would uh post that and then perhaps um ask Dr. Schmuckler to come on a consulting basis to provide that information to a new person. is my best guess. Um, we have three interims that
we're working on right now. So, and Dr. Schmuckler, are you This is it. Karen, this is no um I I had agreed just to your question um and it's a problem I have but lucky
for you um to stay at least through the end of the summer because I do want to you know I had hoped to put a lot of the more kind of process and procedures in place by the end of June and that's certainly not hasn't been possible. Um, so I have committed to stay until the
end of the summer so that I can do that work at least um and so that anyone moving in will have you know just a complete drive and we'll at least have everything documented and um and certainly would do a passover. Um thank you for that Dr. if that's the outcome.
So you know it's still short time um um it it is short time but I would also be concerned just in terms of June. Yeah, June's around the corner. So, okay. Thank you. Any other new business? Caroline, where's the There we'll work. Thank you,
Betsy. Got this. Um, Donna and then you. So, I think I just want to put out a sort of generalized request and it's not fully formed in my mind, but I I guess I'll say what I'm feeling. So, we're hearing from FRR parents. Um, we heard
from Driscoll parents. We've had this conversation before about class sizes. We know things are in flux. Um, we heard last week from Driscoll parents about um, a VP decision that I think a lot of us
didn't know about. So, um I guess I just want to sort of put out there as this new cycle of school committee starts, um like a request for some kind of um structured
more communication flow, information flow to to school committee. Even if it is, we're not sure yet. Like we're hearing concerns about FR. This is what it looks like. um having really updated enrollment
um at some point that nice table that was created should be updated and some corrections made. So um it just it feels to me when I when I hear these concerns um and
hear um sort of highle staff decisions that are made that the community knows about and we don't even know about. um not only because it's difficult then to respond but um I really want to know and I guess I
really want to know whether that's something I want to be elevating through whatever channels I might be able to to elevate it through us through staff. So I don't even know. Yeah. So I I I just want to keep sort of saying that I would
like one of the great things Susan has done is the position control report. So something along those lines that's a sort of status update. Here's how we're looking at this school, this school, this school. um because it it just
doesn't it I feel as sort of um uh desperately uninformed um I think sometimes as as many of the parents that we hear from and I think that they're valid things that I I think we should
know about. So that's just kind of putting that out there to chew on. Just to refresh my memory, is the OSS deputy position posted? It's not. Okay. So, should it be posted? Val is working on Wait, Val's working on
the deputy OSS position. I I guess I'll I'll pick that up um in this interim period. I'll I'll probably pick that up and work with Alvin on getting it posted. Reposted. Reposted. Thank you. We have now a little bit of time. Not a lot of time, but a little bit of time. Well, I guess not a lot of
time. Yeah. Okay, Donna. And then Bob, thanks. I think this is somewhat related to what Caroline was asking. Um please um restructure my question using your veteran school committee
minds. Um, is it possible to docket a discussion of how some decisions the decision was made around the Driscoll VP and around
the the second grade um uh sectioning? Yes, we can ask um Dr. Given to update that with her next budget update. Thank you. We are we done? It was Bob and then
Jesse just make sure we don't veer into deliberation folks. Just new business. All right, it's working. Um, so I clearly remember back in the day uh when we analyzed the schedule and
enrollments in July, early August and if we needed an additional section, I would go to Peter Row and advocate for another section. Um, so my question is, do we have that kind of flexibility, that kind of fund um to
deal with um unanticipated uh growth? U Mariah might know the number, but it's three. We we started off the budget season with eight, I think. I think it started at eight, then it was down to five, and now we're down to It started at 8.5 FTEES that were well, the
equivalent of the dollar equivalent of 8.5 FTEES that were held in reserve. Then it chipped away by one. Then it chipped away by another two and a half I believe. So we were down to five. I think tentatively we
uh there was two or three that you all were holding. No, but that was two and a half, but we had an earlier one of one. So it was one and then two and a half. Yeah. So okay. So it was one and then two and a half. So it went down to five. Um but there was a couple we had
discussed a couple weeks ago and I can't remember where they were and um anyway it is an interest it would be helpful I think to get an update on it looks like Dr. Schmuckler has an update too. And I think there was also some PAR placements that also have um but those aren't the
FTEEs were counted as unit A FTEES. I don't know where the mic is right now. Oh, Val has it. And then so it's really the dollar amount that then gets eaten away by either Perez or other positions. I I just wanted to give you an update just because I know Susan's been working
on it and has asked principles for enrollment and registration. So I know it's one of the priorities when she gets back next week to really look at sections and we do to your as you heard there are reserve sections to really look at where numbers are at all the kind of pressure points. Um so that's
work including the par the parap pieces is work that um Susan has a series of meetings scheduled all of next week from Tuesday on with principles and um directors to really look at on to try really get at this ready question. Do we need to move reserve sections? What are
our numbers looking like? I think people are projecting a real drop in international enrollment um this summer and so that often pushes as you all know you know we get these real waves of enrollment in the summer which drives our number up and people are not
expecting that given just what's going on um politically. Um so trying to kind of gauge all of that but that work is happening next week. So can I ask can I follow up? So thank you. Um to follow up on um some
of the questions we had about the VP thing. I would like to just suggest if possible that that our school committee made decisions about changes that would happen in the district and yet as the changes are
being implemented we're sometimes the last to find out about it. It's an avalanche of emails that comes in from angry parents. I wonder if we might consider changing our process just a a little bit so that when um decisions are
made, the school committee gets an email quickly to say, "Hey, we're just letting you know that we've uh identified a section change or we want to let you know just internally, keep it, you know, within the school committee at least, that the um that a vice principal that you know, you you you voted to do
something and this is what's happening." I think if we were if school committee was ahead of some of these like you know critical changes that impact the community it would be an improvement in u in transparency and and and it also puts us in this I don't want to say we don't trust
the school committee but there are a lot of comments out there about people looking at sort of what's happened and say it's the school committee didn't know the school committee knew and didn't do and stuff like that. I think if we had information a little sooner, we could get ahead of some of the publicity and it certainly would put us
in a um a more trusted um position than we are now, which is to sort of be at the end of the communication chain. Any other topics? Have Mr. Rosenble is now online for um our last public comment before
adjournment. Whenever you're ready. Okay. Mr. Rosenbley, you you can speak when um you're ready and turn your camera on if you'd like. No problem. Are you able to hear me? We are. Thank you. Excellent. So, thank you.
Um, I'm here as a parent of a first grade student at FRR who has special learning needs. Um, I respectfully urge you guys to po reject the proposal to eliminate the second grade classroom um
or the elimination of the second grade classroom for next year. This decision would have far-reaching negative consequences beyond just Abby and his classmates, uh, particularly those with disabilities, learning differences, and sensory impairments by increasing class sizes beyond what is
developmentally and neurologically appropriate. The projected class size in 22 students exceeds that of other classrooms across Brooklyn. um estimate doesn't account for enrollment enrollment increases throughout the year which we know looking historically have always come through. Our son was placed
at F FRR by the district rather than at our neighborhood school uh because he is hearing impaired and his condition impacts speech differentiation, sound localization and causes auditory fatigue challenges that again would be exacerbated by increased classroom size.
Um so more noise, fewer opportunities for personalized support. uh the research is unequivocal. Um smaller class sizes lead to better academic outcomes especially for younger students and for those with special educational needs. Um so more than happy to provide
studies like the star project, Beth and Hordesby from 2014 uh and Blanchford from 2003. Looking at students like Aby who rely on environmental supports and teacher attention to succeed, increased class size can cause setbacks. Clearly,
the research has shown that a cognitive load and fatigue in noisy settings impure the ability for people to retain and process information. So, it's not a matter of convenience. It's really a question of equitable learning for Avi and for his classmates. Um, this shows
that as class size increases, the likelihood of disruptive behavior is also going to increase, particularly among students with attention or sensory processing disorders. This triggers a need for para educators or extended IEP services offsetting the financial benefit that the district is going to
hope to gain from consolidating the classroom. Um so it's not equitable for the district to recommend FRR for students with learning and sensory differences and then take steps that will make it harder for them to learn once placed there. Uh Avi and his classmates deserve to learn in an
environment that supports and not compromises their growth and success. and the research is clear and so is a moral imperative. So please vote against the classroom reduction and stand up in support of small craft classroom sizes and allow all students including Avi to
thrive. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Rosenble. Um that is the last item our on our agenda. Is there a motion to adjurnn? Second. All right. All those in favor? I All right. Have a great evening everybody. You didn't you didn't allow
us to say no because we're having so much fun.