Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. Um, hi Bella. We're here in the school committee room. Can you hear us?
>> We can see you, but we can't hear you. Can you hear us, Bella? You're muted. I don't know if that's it. I'm testing. Yeah, >> it's the bottom. I can power them down. >> We're dead at the end. We're going to do
some time. She should be here. I don't think I'll be here. She also I haven't. Um, hi Bella. We're here in the school committee room. We haven't started yet, but just testing to see if you can hear us.
Um, hi Bella. Just testing to see if you can hear us um with your connection. I see you on bless you. Hi, Bella. Just testing here from the school committee room. Can you hear us? You're muted and your camera's on. I
don't know if you could change that. Can you hear me? >> Oh, great. We heard you. >> Thank you. >> I'm on camera. >> Um, sometimes if Wi-Fi is low or if it's spotty, it can help to turn the camera off. Just FYI. Um, I know we want to see
you, but if you're having trouble with connection, >> I can't hear me. Can you hear me? >> I can hear you. Can you hear us? Marilyn Bella, we can see you Now, I was going to say maybe check your laptop speakers. Be sure they're not muted.
Of course, if you're not hearing me, she can I did text her to say check her speaker. I'm not good. is Brian. >> Hello. >> We can hear you. Bella, can you hear us? >> I can I can I can hear you on the phone,
but I can't hear you on the screen. Um, I was going to say maybe check your laptop speakers if sometimes they might be muted. Um, but we can also hear you through the phone. If you're having trouble with
Wi-Fi, sometimes it can be stronger to turn the camera off. We want to see you, but I was just going to say it might help. Hi Mariah, can you hear us? >> Hi Bella. >> Oh, I can hear you. Yes, >> I don't think we can hear them in the
room yet, but I think they can probably maybe hear us. >> Okay, so Mariah, you're not hearing me. >> Can you hear Mariah? >> I'm just going to six more minutes to just Hi, >> Mariah. Can you hear us now?
>> Yes, >> I can. >> Okay. Sorry about that. >> Me? >> You can hear me? Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um, all right. We're not starting yet. Um, if we're ready, I'll do >> All right. I'm going to do the countdown with Big U Morgan. We're going to count down to the start here in the school
committee room in 5 4 3 2 1. Recording in progress. >> Good evening and welcome to the March 4th, 2026 meeting of the Brookline School Committee. First up on our agenda is our consent agenda 1A, accounts
payable report from February 27th, 2026. Is there a motion to approve? >> Suzanne moves. Is there a second? >> I second. >> Second. >> Uh, okay. Um, Donna, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> Andy,
>> yes. >> Carolyn, >> yes. >> Bob, >> yes. >> Mariah, >> yes. >> And I vote yes as well. Um, do you have a superintendent report, Bella, or do you just want to speak to the budget leader? >> I I was going to defer to the budget
later. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, next up is public comment. members of the public may provide public comment. Um we we read all of our emails. So if you send us an email, rest assured that we are um listening to that. Um Betsy Fitzpatrick is the person
to whom you can email if you want to ever speak at our public comment. It's limited to three minutes and Betsy will time that. We don't uh respond to public comment in the moment. Um so don't feel like we're not listening if we're not responding. It's just our policy not to
respond to public comment. First on our list is uh Lindseay Anderson, followed by Gwen Kerr. >> Thank you. >> And then as soon as Betsy gets back, we'll let you start and she'll put the timer on. >> Can you hear me? Yeah. >> All right. Thank you so much, members of
school committee and superintendent Wong. My name is Lindseay Anderson. I've been the librarian at Hayes for 5 years. I'm here in a position that I never imagined I'd have to be. I'm here to ask you to allow my son to return to his school next year. He entered um kindergarten as a materials fee student
at RUNL last fall with a 504 plan. Since then, additional diagnosis have led to an IEP. He has an exceptional teaching and support team and right now he needs a one-to-one aid to access his education. I've been told that if he still requires that one-to-one support
next year, he will not be allowed to return to Wrl because he's a materials fee student. He is 5 years old. The district has effectively placed a ticking clock over his head. Overcome challenging parts of your disabilities by first grade or you've got to go
because you cost us money. If he were not a materials fee student, this would not even be a conversation. While the materials fee agreement does allow the district to deny services involving additional personnel, specialized technology, or special programs, in the past, this policy has not been
consistently enforced. To strictly enforce it now ignores the harm caused by that inconsistency, and it raises serious questions. If this policy is enforced this year, what happens next year in another budget crisis? Will all materials fee students with IEPs and
504s have to leave? What happens when a child develops a disability after years in the district? Disabilities do not align with budget cycles. They emerge and evolve. Are we prepared to say that once a staff member's currently enrolled child is too complex or too expensive,
they have to go. If my son's forced to leave, I may need to resign from a job that in a school that I love because of lack of access to before and after school care in my home district. All because Brookline has now chosen to enforce a policy that it previously applied inconsistently.
From what we can determine, fewer than a handful of children will be affected by this policy. Removing these children will not solve our financial crisis, but it will send a message that Brookline is happy to accept our materials fee payments and educate our children as
long as they're not too special. Grandfathering in currently enrolled children is not being considered. Juniors and seniors at the high school will be allowed to stay, but that same consideration will not be given to younger students. For comparison, Newton Public Schools
allows staff children to attend at no cost with full access to special education services. Parenting a child with higher than typical needs is relentless and exhausting. But when our children need us, we rise to meet the occasion, and Brookline schools must do the same. There are very few of us
affected. The financial benefit of limiting access to essential supports is negligible. The moral impact is not. Special education children are not the burden systems that fail to support them are. What does it say about our district's values if we're willing to
leave behind the most vulnerable children of our own staff members? I understand that you face extraordinarily difficult financial decisions, and I do not envy the weight of your responsibility. But I'm not here to ask you a favor. I'm here to ask you to do
the right thing. Thank you. >> Next is Gwen Kerr. >> Hello, my name is Gwen Kerr. I'm a Brookline resident, parent to a Hayes Rise student and a fourth grade teacher at the Ruff and Ridley School on parental leave right now. I'm here to speak in support of materials fee
students with special needs. It is my understanding from Lindsay Anderson that a few materials fee families have been informed their current students will not be allowed to participate in specific special education programs, including the RISE program. This is despite their IEP team's decision that these programs
are necessary for them to access the general education curriculum. This concerns me deeply for many reasons, three of which I'd like to mention here. The first and foremost is equity. I would like to begin by quoting PSB's commitment to equity as part of its core
values. Quote, "We are committed to eliminating barriers to educational achievement in our schools. To this end, we create policies and practices so that every student, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual
orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status, experiences a safe and welcoming environment in our schools and receives the resources and support they need to take the fullest advantage of the opportunities a Brooklyn
education offers. It seems to me that if equity is truly a core value of PSB, then it should apply for every student who enrolls in the public school system, regardless of how they first gained enrollment.
My second concern regards the nature of changing student needs. How is a family to know in advance whether their students needs between kindergarten and graduation may rise to a level that is monetarily unsupported by Brookline's materials fe program. My own daughter
started in BEAP with an IEP at age three, transitioned into the BEP RISE program for one year, transitioned out again for her last year at BEAP, and has completed kindergarten and soon first grade back in the RISE program. With the
possibility of exiting again this spring, support needs change, and at the moment, a student needs a greater level of support. Does PSB truly want to cut them off from a school and district where they have felt at home, learned,
and been supported, forcing them to make major school changes when they are most in need of stability? Do we really want to be the district that tells students with disabilities that they are too expensive? My final concern is that barring these few students from special education
supports will not make or break the PSB budget. While I appreciate that small costs add up, I strongly believe that this is one cost that should be absorbed by PSB as it is in keeping with our core values, supports our caring and dedicated staff members, and contributes to the diverse community that we in
Brooklyn profess to cherish. Let's show our educators kids the caring and concern that they show ours daily. I hope the school committee and superintendent Wong agree and will work with the BEu to amend the materials fee agreement to equitably educate all
admitted students now and in the future. Thank you. Thank you. That concludes public comment. Uh we're moving on to presentations and discussions for a Brookline Recreation Department presentation on the transition of base.
Yes. >> Good evening everybody. Thank you so much for your time uh especially with such a busy agenda. Uh, my name is Tim Davis, recreation director for the town of Brookline, and I'm joined here online by my team members, Erin Freriedman, our assistant recreation director, as well as Meredith Force, our recreation
leader, rec programmer for the rec department. Um, I've asked to join tonight so that we can provide an update as it relates to the merger of Brooklyn Adult and Community Education, or BASE, as we all know it here, um, from the public schools of Brooklyn to the town of Brooklyn's rec department uh, this
past fiscal year. Um, what I plan on doing here tonight is to run through a brief history of how we got to this moment, but more importantly highlight the great successes that we are seeing with BASE and how the program has continued to rebuild uh and thrive in town. But before um I get into it, I'd
be remissed by first saying thank you. I think Aaron, Meredith, our entire department would agree um that we believe a great deal of trust was put in the recck department to take over this program um by this committee specifically um but also by our community um to ensure that this program
uh saw a way forward and that this legacy program continued. Um it's a been a responsibility that we have taken very seriously uh pouring all of our resources into making it successful. Um, it's been a great challenge. I can say that, but one that we're thrilled to
have, um, taken on. Work. It does work. All right. Um, so to begin, um, one thing I just want to point out is that adult ed and Brooklyn wreck have been lifelong partners. Um through many years and many iterations
of our department uh base and wreck have operated as great partners again handinhand with programming for our community while respecting each other's program focus. Um I believe I actually told the story before to this committee um but I I feel like I need to reiterate it again. Um over a decade ago when I
started my career in recreation, I first started with the town of Brooklyn as a programmer and during that time I was responsible for summer camps as well as other programs in town. Um and during that time my experience with Bass hasn't changed. Uh we were partners back then
as we are partners now. Aaron Freriedman on this call tonight was a programmer prior to when I was a programmer here many many years ago and he himself worked with bass through his programs working hand inand to complement each other uh with what we do at the recreation department. So um I point
that out um because again this merger and this um succession of base coming over to us just made sense um in the end. But just again to to run through um and really to I guess if anybody tuning in tonight has no idea why I'm standing
here and has no idea why we're why we're talking about this. Um due to budget reductions um last fiscal year uh base was unfortunately sunseted through the school department. Uh when we heard that, when Aaron and I heard that at our department, we quickly uh put up our hand in the form of an email to Mariah
uh to express our interest in speaking with you all and seeing how there is a a path forward for base to to continue. Um as we know, BAS was a legacy program from the 1800s and so the idea of seeing that go away uh was really hard for us.
Um so we know that we had an opportunity and a commitment here uh to preserve and strengthen base through the recreation department. Um, on a deeper deeper level, when we evaluated and researched bringing base into the recreation side of the house and our family of programs, it really
rounded out our goal that we always strive for of just full community enrichment. Brook Lane Recre is a home to an immense variety of programming opportunities that don't just span the traditional sports of a recreation department, but arts, education, and
yes, uh, further enrichment. Brookline Recreation begins its program cycle with toddlers and preschool age children through our education and child care opportunities at the SU early ed center. From there, programs extend through elementary out of schooltime activities,
teen and adult offerings, and of course, our senior population. The addition of base coming into um our offering really completes that life cycle of programming. Um, as we talk about it, the addition of base allows us to expand and celebrate our adult learners.
Something again in many years and decades past uh we've done in partnership with adult ed. Um, but we respected the space of adult ed to really thrive um in in that space while we we worked on ours. So again, bringing it in made sense and allowed us to to
continue what we became so familiar with. From a operational standpoint, the key to this success that I need to point out was theou with you all and with the schools andou of joint building use as
base was a school program for years and years. The success of the continuation of the program was in this agreement. So, I'll say it once, I'll say it a million times. Thank you again for the openness uh of this conversation and this agreement. We are still obviously navigating because we are only six to
seven months into this, still navigating the structure of these shared spaces and working closely with public school staff to resolve any issues as they come about. But the staff in general across the entire district has been welcoming and supportive as they understand uh what we're trying to do and the programs
that we're trying to continue. Um speaking of staff, um I think this is where our next biggest success can be seen. As mentioned, Meredith is on the call tonight. Uh Meredith was a school department employee and a past partner of the recck department. She was employed by the school department through Brooklyn Adult and Community
Education. Uh when the opportunity of base came up for our side of the house, we knew that we would need to bring on a new employee in house and Meredith was open and eager uh to see Bass continue with recreation due to her work that she had done for so long. Uh Meredith has
been really another key, if not the key to success of this transition, bringing her institutional knowledge and leadership to our department to see this succeed. Uh she's been tasked with taking a department that was once had four full-time employees and making it worth with just herself, just with one
full-timer. And in doing so, she's doing it flawlessly while supporting also supporting uh Brookline Recre in the bigger picture uh through other programs. But part of the staffing plan as well um that we want to point out and I think is again worth highlighting is that through this transition we've been
able to retain all the part-time instructional staff where programs have returned uh that were originally um employed by the school department. Instructors who have been with BAS for decades were able to retain their employment under our umbrella and continue with the programs and with their students that they've been working
for for for months for years and for some uh for decades. And then financially, base has integrated into the department's cost recovery model and is on a path very quickly to become self-supporting. Brooklyn's budget, for those who don't know, is in its
entirely, excuse me, in its entirety is currently 87% self-sufficient, and it's done so through raising um money through fees. These fees cover part-time and full-time staff with benefits, as well as all of our operational needs as it relates to programming. When we took on
base, we knew we were taking on uh you know, somewhat of an unfunded liability. Um but we took it on with a hope of recovery um through our practices within a three-year plan. Um but we're happy to report that we are now approaching this to become a reality by the end of year
two. Um so the success that we're seeing through what Meredith is doing and the buyin from the the community um is making this um move quicker than expected, but in the best way. Um but even more important that we like to point out is Bass has integrated into the department's financial aid policies
ensuring that finances are not a barrier to participation not only for the youth uh that we see across our core programs but now adults. So any adult who needs financial aid or financial assistant for any programs that they see they can come to us so we can ensure that they are met
uh uh excuse me met where they are to be successful. And then success really is in the numbers um as was the plan from the beginning. The reintroduction of base was intentional and methodical uh focusing on core offerings and historically popular programs. A slow
roll out again was intentional to ensure attention was given uh where needed. Since opening last fall, the base has produced 36 multi-week programs for the public. And this is in addition to the new partnership and continued partnership of the schools around the
music extension program. Music extension, as I think we all know, allows Brookline uh school students to partake in one-on-one music lessons would train musicians to improve their craft. A program that was traditionally run in partnership with bass at the schools, is now being run in partnership
with us at recreation. Um, and this past season, the season that we're actually currently in, uh we've exceeded our our registration expectations. We now have over 200 uh public school students taking advantage of this program across the town after hours uh through music
extension. And a huge thank you to Kenny Kosal uh for that. He's been an extraordinary partner, a friend of the department for years uh but really open to, you know, it's a hard change with a with a program like that that's been around for so long, but uh he's been just a great partner and a joy to work
with. Speaking of registrations, to date we've had over 560 registrations in base programs just in the fall of win and winter. Um this is not including spring and summer that are currently open uh where we're seeing the hundreds of registrations come in uh day by day.
They continue to grow as we approach out of school time over the summer. Um and lastly, with much thanks again to the work of Meredith, um the theater arts program that was run through bass uh will be seeing its 22nd year um as we've been able to bring it back in partnership again with school operations
and working with the the group who uh manages the buildings over the summers. Um, so for the 22nd year, we'll be able to offer our six-week theater program uh for children in Brooklyn, but also um this program will continue to serve as a program extension to the school
department's pro uh project discovery program. Uh so anybody who's in the school department program for project discovery can come to us in the afternoon uh for theater, but also much widely in the rec department as we've done for many years for summer camp and
childcare options for the um for the summer. Another thing that came across our desk um that we always like to, you know, mention, I guess, um or just a small mention of something that came across our desk this last few weeks. Um we we talk here tonight and I talk here
tonight about the successes that we've seen, but every now and then we're pleasantly surprised by recognation recognition outside of town and outside of our organization. Um and we were informed that uh this year the Massachusetts Recreation and Parks Association has identified what Brooklyn
Wreck um has been doing and its work preserving base and um Brookline Rec will be awarded the uh 2026 regional impact award. Um again a direct recognition of the work that uh Meredith is doing and the department is doing and what the department has done uh to make
this a reality. Um and this follow again follows last year's if if I can just brag because I always like to brag. Um follows last year's recognition where our department received the agency of the year award for that equity initiative for that financial aid program. Um that again has brought in
base into that that policy to ensure that um these programs and this programming that we're talking about um is as accessible as possible. And then just lastly, positioning in the future. Um, the work is far from done and
continues to evolve on a weekly basis. As we continue to grow, we will remain focused on, you know, centralizing our customer first framework, hearing from our customers, hearing from the residents on their needs and their wants, and working on their experiences as we continue to refine and invest uh
in our online presence, our marketing efforts, and the again the accessibility of our offerings across the town. Our next phase of cultural programs are set to roll out uh with mentions of such as theater arts, our walking tours in town, historical tours and historical classes
about Brooklyn and language arts um just to to name a few. And we also remain focused again on maintaining a sustainable model of self self-sufficiency uh for years to come to ensure that these programs continue in the future. And last but not least, saving the best for last, uh continued
collaboration with you all with the public schools of Brooklyn. um with the operations team, being handinhand with them on a weekly basis has been an incredible experience. Um we know what we're doing right now is not perfect. Um and we work with operations again weekly
to ensure that any issues that come up or any questions that arise either both sides of the house are taken care of. Um, but this continues to be a success through the open communication that the school department has offered us and the partnership that that your staff has ensured um to again make sure that
there's success on both sides. So, um, that's all I had presentation wise, but again, Aaron is here, Meredith is here, I am here, and I'd like to, I guess, move it to uh, to questions if anybody has any, but again, a sincere thank you for the support over the last many months and seeing this through. Um, and
hopefully this is the first of many visits we have to you all to talk about the great work we're doing. But if you have any questions, >> thank thanks Tim. It's it's fantastic to hear that Bass has found such a welcoming home and a sustainable home. Questions from the committee Sarah and
then Mariah. >> So, thank you for that. I I love the um opportunity to collaborate with you and I think that it was really a special especially sort of shown through your example of project discovery that there can be some academic um classes in the
morning and then the kids are in camp with you after that. And um the reason why it's so important to me that you highlight that collaboration is because we all know that kids can kind of shine in many different um situations. And so if a kid is with you and feels that
confidence and that success, that will absolutely help help them when they're with us in the classroom. So I just um I I really liked the examples that you gave and I just I'm excited for further collaboration. >> Thank you, Mariah, >> Tim, Aaron, Meredith, I just want to say
first off, I'm so sorry I'm not there in person. and we had car trouble at my house and I'm coming right now and I thought I would make it in time to see you in person at least to one of you um but I might not. So I just want to comment now how thrilled I am to get
this update of how well things are going and as you say like you know this is a this isn't done this is work that you're really working on but to me it's a tremendous example of as you've said collaboration um and preserving some of the things in
Brooklyn that we really want to make sure the community has access to. Um and I'm just thrilled to hear how well it's going so far. Um, and I'm also committed to making sure we can um, to the best of my ability get the last little bits of documentation together to make sure that
we're um, that everything is placed for your in in place for your continued success. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mary. >> Thank you. Thank you so much for being here. I appreciate it. >> Oh, sorry, Carolyn. >> Um, that was great. Thank you for the
update. I really appreciated that update because I've known that this happened and it happened kind of quickly and and we were getting updates on it here but all the leg work was being done not exactly in this room and then it was
like done and it's just really great to hear how su successful it's been. Congratulations. And by the same token, Mariah, are you still there? She's driving in. She's probably in the elevator. >> I know. I'm here. I'm leaving my
driveway. I'm like five minutes away. But yes, what about >> I I have to say adjunct to what I just said. This happened last year during budget season. It was crazy. Mariah deserves a ton of credit. And I
don't feel like I gave that to her at that time. Like you and I feel like it probably came partly from you. you grew up here. So, I I saw that you had a real understanding of the importance of this
program in Brooklyn and then you like swooped in and you got it done and that was great and then all this, you know, the budget and it was crazy. So, I just want to kind of go back and really acknowledge that you really took this
and you got this done and here we are not even a year later and it's working great. So, I'm just really impressed and grateful for that and admiring of that. >> Thank you. Um, Bella, >> thank you. >> Yeah, Bella, go ahead.
>> Okay. Thank you. Um, Tim, I'm sorry I'm not there personally to hear the report and thank you to all of your team. I'm just really impressed. I think it's a great report what you've been able to do um to turn around and make it self- sustaining because I think that's always
the hope um for programs like this and I um I don't know it's it's really great that you've been able to do it and so hopefully um we as a staff will be able to continue to support you in that endeavor to expand the program as you
described. Any congratulations? >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you so much, Tim, and and to everybody who's worked on this. Thanks. >> Thank you so much for your time. >> Um, next on our very full agenda, we have the Office of Town Council
presentation and discussion of campaign finance law requirements with respect to ballot questions. Jonathan online. >> Yes, I'm here. >> Hi, Jonathan. Floor is yours. >> Thank you. Um, if someone could please
put uh my slides up on the Uh, yep. Betsy is doing that for you right now. Yeah, we're just swapping out slide decks. John It's an old hand. >> Seems just to be stuck there.
>> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Are you able to see them? Um, >> we we have copies and I think it will be back up again. Yeah. >> Okay. Super. Um, so yes, so I'll just I'll just chat in. I know you have a full agenda tonight. Um so as as the chair said I'm uh this presentation is
intended to inform uh the school committee as well as um superintendent uh and her deputies and the you know principles everyone sort of in policym positions um about the campaign finance
laws specifically how they result uh uh how they affect or affect uh your need to affect your behavior uh in the event that there is an override on the upcoming ballot. Next slide, please. Okay, so um my name is Jonathan Simpson.
I'm the first assistant town council for the town of Brooklyn. I'm also proud to say I'm a I'm a PSB uh parent. I have a sophomore at the high school and twin sixth graders at Wrl. Um, and I uh I'm here because as we all well know the
work you've done, it makes it self-evident there will very likely be a uh a question on the ballot in early May uh related to an override. Um and because of that uh we uh need to take care uh how you all as public employees,
this includes elected officials as well as appointed officials and town employee, you know, town staff, uh PSP staff, uh how you speak publicly about the uh the potential override as well as what when and how you can utilize public
resources um uh to either analyze the override, speak about the override, inform the public about the override. Um because um and and the chair asked me to appear today uh to sort of give you guys a a
heads up. Even though, as you know, the override actually has not been put on any ballot yet. Much of what I'm saying today does still apply, particularly when it comes to the use of public resources. Even if the override is not on the ballot yet and you're utilizing public resources to um to influence
voters in an upcoming election, it can still be found to be a campaign finance violation. Okay. Next. Next. Excuse me. One sec. >> Sorry about that. Um okay. So, uh these are the the sort of the big three takeaways from today. I'm going to jump
jump right to the to the high points. Um, number one, uh, avoid mass emails. Uh, this goes for everybody listening. Um, committee members as well as principles, superintendent, superintendent staff, at a school, um, at BHS. Mass emails are generally not
going to be allowed because by the definition, they're unsolicited. you're utilizing the public resource of an email list that you've acquired uh because you have all the parent emails and you should not be using that to email to send out an email about the
election about the overall. Second big point um fundraising connected to the public schools is generally going to be prohibited. um this there there are a whole lot of regulations related to fundraising more generally and much of this may pertain to those of you who
might be up for reelection in May. Um that is outside the scope of this presentation. Suffice to say that anytime it's you're there's a question of whether you're allowed to use uh PSB resources for fundraising, the answer is generally going to be no. Um, there are
fundraising guidelines to make sure you're being ethical outside of that, but you should refrain from using anything uh like the town PSB staff, PSP buildings, um, PSP letterhead, anything like that uh, when you are fundraising.
And finally, I've touched on this a couple times already, public resources cannot be used to influence voters. Um, public resources is is well goes well beyond just public funds. Resources
includes staff time. Um, it also includes things like um uh like your like the email lists that I mentioned before, but it even includes things like the the the fact that you are the school committee that the that that office is
the weight of that office is a public resource which you are not supposed to use to influence voters. Next slide, please. Taking these kind of one at a time. As I said, mass emails, don't do them. Uh they should be avoided. It's just far
far far too easy to violate campaign finance law um when you send out a mass email related to the election. this. For those of you who don't know, in 2023, the last time we had an override on the ballot, the town was actually found to
have violated campaign finance laws because uh the superintendent at that time as well as the head of school at BHS and several of the principles had sent out mass emails. This was and this was not even for the most part not even out anything out of the normal course.
They would they put uh information about the ballot question in their sort of weekly uh news email newsletter that was found to be a a campaign finance violation even though by and large the information that was being disseminated
was uhformational. It was it was not uh the your classic you know vote yes on to sort of thing. Although some of it was, a lot of it was simply if the override does not pass, this is what will happen. But even thatformational email, because
it was an unsolicited mass email to all the parents or to all the parents of a particular school, that was found to be a a campaign finance violation. >> Jonathan, can I stop and ask a question? >> Sure. >> Yeah, sure. >> It's it's sort of on thisformational
piece. So to the extent we're asked by parent groups or other school communities to come and speak to them about the budget, a failed override. Are you are you saying that if that
occurs in a school building that that's also improper or what are the guardrail? What what are sort of the the guard rails around that? >> Sure. Um so in there's a a later slide about the use of public of sorry spaces.
Um but to just jump ahead uh to the you know if someone asked you to come and you know you can certainly discuss the override for example here you're in a town you're in town hall um and you're using public resources to do it that's fine. If for example the you know yes on
to committee asks you to come and speak to them you can do that as well. they're asking you to come to speak to them or asking you for for information, that's fine. If and if if they asked you to have an event for them in Lawrence
Lawrence School's cafeteria, that would potentially be an issue because you need to provide but but only would only if you didn't provide equal access to the other side. um that would not necessarily mean you you um required that they attend or or made them have an
event, but you have to at least extend them the opportunity to hold an hold event there as well. How uh by and large if if a I would definitely encourage any parent groups out there or any uh you know yes yes on to or no on to or whatever groups out
there of to avoid holding their events in town buildings because you do run the risk of of sort of crossing a line that that might otherwise be obscured. I would recommend just having them uh somewhere outside of a school facility. So you're there's no question that you're using a public resource there.
But to the to the additional question, yes, if someone is asking you for information, you absolutely should feel empowered to speak on these issues. And this is regardless of whether you are an elected official or an superintendent, principal, something like that. As long
as you have a policymaking role with respect to this, you can you can answer questions about it. You can you can do that even during uh to the extent you're an employee, you can even do that during your your working hours. um as long as it's within your purview. Um but yes,
but I will speak a little bit more on that a little bit later. But to to finish on this slide, this is just basically the you know, no mass emails. Let's let's we we've learned our lesson. We're not going to send any any mass emails. So, next slide, please. So, again, uh fundraising is not
allowed. This is one of the reasons why you want to avoid having, for example, a campaign event like a, you know, All of us on yes on two are going to go to the go to the school cafeteria and have the school committee chair talk to us. This is one of the big reasons why you want to avoid it because you don't want to be
implied that the fundraising that might well occur at that naturally occur at that meeting, you know, we need to get some money together to send out our mailing. You can't do that in in a school. That's that's prohibited. Um in addition, you cannot uh if you're a public employee, you cannot be uh fundraising politically during your
during your time at work. you can't be, if you're, you know, the superintendent, you can't be spending time during your workday um raising money to, you know, support the support the old. So, again, public fundraising, a lot of laws about that that are outside of this scope of
this u this presentation, but suffice to say, use of public resources, money, uh money, staff time, public spaces, uh you should avoid it when it comes to fundraising. Next slide, please. >> Has his hand up. And then, oh, someone
has their hand up. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. A couple questions. Are are we allowed to contribute to Yes. for Brooklyn as individuals? >> Oh, certainly. Yes. So, um that that's sort of my one of my later slides is you should feel perfectly empowered as to act in your private capacity, which can
include uh donating to whatever campaign you want to. So, yes. >> Second question, are we allowed to serve on Yes for Brookline committee? on the campaign committee. >> Uh so there's that this this is a there's a distinction here between you
um as a school committee member and someone like the superintendent or a public uh employee. Uh school committee members are allowed to serve on those types of committees. Um however when doing so you should not be representing
that you speak for the school committee. You can serve and you can serve in an an individual capacity and you can even serve as you know represent yourself as a school committee member but you can however you cannot um you cannot act as though the school committee is is
backing you 100% in your role >> okay thank you >> um so the >> sorry I have a question too >> is it okay to ask questions as you're going >> that's fine yes >> it's going to be easier because they're popping into my head.
Just going back to the political fundraising by public employees. That's what it says here. And then when you were talking, it sounded like maybe you were saying like during school hours. I'm thinking about
like teachers who are going to have an interest in political stuff that's going on. So, can you just maybe explain again what are the limitations? Like
if a teacher is involved in a campaign and they're doing stuff like not on school time, can they be saying using their their role, their title
and like what if parents >> Yeah. just talking about stuff in schools during school time. Just a little more on that if you don't mind. >> Yeah, sure. I um I uh you Dana Perry
actually asked as asked to get some time with me later in this week to get a little deeper into these issues that they're a little outside of what I'm speaking to here, but I will um try to address it really quickly. If you are a employee, if you're a teacher, um like you just gave the example of, you should
not you should absolutely not be engaging in any um you know uh fundraising or or speaking about the override during your workday. Um a teacher does not have any role in policymaking. So a teacher should not at
any point during their workday be talking about the election and then even in their off time to the extent they want to as a private citizen um engage you know engage in political activity donate money serve on a committee that
sort of thing they should not be using their office as a the weight of their office as a teacher to uh influence voters in any way. So as you it it makes it challenging but as you can imagine you know if if a teacher is uh for
example using the email addresses in in her outside of the workday but using the fact that she has you know emails of all the parents in her class to send out an email saying how passionate she is about uh the override passing that would represent a campaign
finance violation. Sorry, just a little more in depth on that in terms of teachers outside of school time. Like should teachers if they're fundraising or participating in political activities avoid saying like
I'm Carolyn Then. I'm a teacher at >> Yes. >> the Baker School. Don't say I'm a teacher at >> should not Yeah. Okay. The classic example is a police officer should not be wearing their uniform when they're doing political activity. Um, this I
believe that the same an easy comparison would be drawn to exactly like you said, Carolyn. Interesting. >> I'm a I'm a science teacher at at Pierce and I I really support this. >> So, I just want to follow up on that, Jonathan. So, I can door knock for whatever I want, yes or no, and campaign
and say, "Hi, I'm Valrius. I'm on the school committee. I'd like you to vote X or Y for Z reason and that's okay. But on a Saturday, a a teacher can't do that. >> Yes. Well, >> a teacher can't say, "Hi, I'm I'm Joe. I
teach science." This is why I think an override is important. >> That is that is a that is a distinction within the campaign finance laws. You all as elected officials are expected to take positions on these on these matters of public policy. So again, as long as
you're not saying, "I'm Val Frius and the school committee or the town of Brooklyn says X or Y, Valrius, chair of the school committee and I support this override as you're knocking on doors." That's fine. But uh a rank and file employee who has no policymaking
responsibilities should not be using the weight of their office uh when they're when they're knocking on doors. >> Jonathan, just to follow up, this is Mariah. So, um, but a teacher, going back to Val's example of Joe, he could say, "My name is Joe and I would encourage you to vote on this." He just
can't say, "I'm a I'm a science teacher," right? Like, because you're focusing on the weight of the office. >> Yes. And I I would even go as far as to say, you know, I'm a science. He shouldn't be saying, "I'm a science teacher at this Brookline school." If he's just saying, >> I'm >> Thank you for clarifying.
>> Okay. >> All right, Suzanne. Sorry, we have a couple. I'm I'm really confused. >> I'm here to help. >> Well, and and the reason I am is that, you know, in past years, like the yes or no campaigns, you know, on state initiatives,
um the teachers unions have been very involved and and so and so have people uh like on school committees and that kind of thing. And so, have we been doing it wrong all these years? I mean, I'm I'm confused about that. help.
>> Well, this is where I I have to beg to have a little bit more time. I know Dana was asking me some of these these questions partic and then mentioned union activity. I genuinely don't know. Campaign finance law is very complicated when it comes to what you can do, you know, electioneering that you that
you're doing generally fundraising that you're doing more generally that's not using public resources. And in terms of your example, Suzanne, I'm not exactly sure. I want to make sure I answer the actual like I want to give you a good answer. So I'm not I'm not positive what
union activity you're referencing and I so I would ask maybe I can maybe we can circle back in a later time and I can try to speak to that. >> Okay. Thank you. That would help me because I I am a little confused right now. So thanks. Okay. All right. We'll keep going. John, thanks. >> Okay. Thank you. So um as I said uh you
know you can't use public resources. We just were speaking about one of the maybe the less obvious public resources that you cannot use, which is the weight of your office. This this only applies again to um employees and appointed officials. Elected officials can use the
so-called weight of their office when they're u when they're talking about a ballot question. In addition, um uh public resources uh would include staff time, things like that. So, the fact that you know you
um can speak on uh you know speak on an issue doesn't mean you can then direct uh someone at on PSB staff to speak on it. That's a misuse of public resources. And then the big one that's that's pertinent to us because of what happened in 2023 is you need to be very careful
not to utilize things that you only have access to because PSP has has them which um a big one here being the email addresses of all of the parents. very easy way to cut to it stands to reason it's a very easy way you have a very easy way to contact a block of voters
who have a vested interest in the schools but you only have those email addresses because they're a public resource and you work for the public so you are not allowed >> am I remembering correctly on that example that if they had been directed to a newsletter or something that
website that it would have been okay >> that that was the distinction >> there there's some nuance there that I'm gonna that I'm going to get to but yes um there there were There are some there are some ways that information can be disseminated um that are that are relatively
straightforward but do not involve the use of public resources that violates the campaign finance laws. Um if you want to actually u go to the next slide I I will um the next slide talks a little bit about communications. Um so a
big a big you know thing you are allowed to do um is to communicate about the about the ballot questions as long as you do so in the appropriate forum where we are now absolutely an appropriate forum. You can talk about
the ballot questions in a school committee meeting. You can bring materials for distribution at a public meeting. Uh that's all fine. um you can the the production of those of those materials by say the superintendent um is within her responsibilities and is
perfect is a is a legitimate use of of um public resources. Similarly um you can utilize the town website to post materials and they consider it sort of like a modern-day bulletin board. You
can post materials on the website related to the overrideformational materials. You should not be using the the town website uh to influence voters. For example, saying vote yes on two, but you can certainly put up this is what
will happen if the override passes. This is what will happen if it doesn't pass. that sort of thing, which is often the the bulk of what we want what I believe was they wanted to share in 2023 was again in sort of what they believed wasformational, but it was nonetheless a
campaign finance violation. Um, this public resources can also include things like our our social media accounts. Um, so be very careful directing staff to put any to to push anything out uh on those that would be considered
influencing voters. Again, those are um uh it could be cons seen as a campaign finance violation because the town's accounts are again public resources. Okay, go to the next slide please. >> Sorry, can I ask a quick question? >> Sure. >> It's Carolyn.
Um, so this is coming back to me now and so it and from what you're saying too, so a lot hinges on the notion of like unsolicited where if somebody comes to a school committee, they're seeking out the information.
So totally makes sense. Website is fine. I'm going to guess though that that means the superintendent would want to refrain from I don't know. Can she say you can find information in her newsletter? Can
she refer people to a website or would that be sort of walking too close to the line? Does that make sense? Do you do you want people to leave it so if people want to seek it out? >> A simple link in the website that said
and in her newsletter they said for information about the override, please click here is fine. Again, you're not making someone click it. Of course, um they they have to essentially opt in to clicking it, but you should make sure that what that link takes you to is not
yes on to is not something that is in trying to influence the voter, but she can link to the town website because it'sformational. Um she could she could do that in her in her newsletter. Yes. >> Yeah. Going back to social media
presence, most of us have some presence on social media. In terms of interactions on social media, for example, I'm on a a variety of WhatsApp groups, whatever. Um, and someone asked a question or made a comment. Um, I'm free
to be myself on social media, right? I can obviously I'm I have a perspective. Um, and people know that I'm on the school committee, but yes, there's no restrictions on that, right? >> No. And especially because you're an elected official because you then you don't have to worry about time. You
don't have a workday that you're trying to steer clear of. So you don't have to worry about time. You don't have have to worry about subject matter because as elected officials you you are free to speak on any election issue. Um there is no sort of purview that you have to worry about. Um and you can say that you
know you can of course represent yourself as that you are a school committee member. Everybody knows that they elected you. Um, so yes, you can you you can feel free to um utilize your personal media accounts um as uh as as
you would to discuss the the ballot questions. Yes. >> Um and this actually leads nicely into the next slide which is >> before you go on can I just interrupt you one more time? So like because we had the focus on mass emails earlier,
but us as private um parties can use our private email addresses to communicate whatever we want to like whoever we feel like, right? I could send a mass email out from my personal email account, not to like some sort of email addresses that I've collected through my PSB role,
but just like friends and neighbors. I can talk to them. >> Yeah. You utilize your own contact list. Absolutely. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. That's that's that's there's no issue there. There's no public resource uh being utilized there. I I mean I don't I can't Ry you just
said that you weren't. I'm assuming that again like that email list your contacts aren't harvested from something you did as a school committee member. You just said it wouldn't. So I would tell you that was fine. >> Thank you. Um and as um Bob was just saying um as a private citizen you
should you can and should you know stay active but because those of you who are elected officials who are listening um don't even worry about that sort of in private citizen as elected officials you can engage with the public basically um as you normally would as long as you
don't use public resources to do it. Um, so but for those of you who are not elected officials that might be listening, uh, Superintendent Wong and and her deputies, the principles, um, you should make sure to engage in political activity during, uh, your off
your off hours. Um, you should always take care if you're, >> but to be clear, as school committee members, like sending from my private email address is fine. Sending from my PSBMA address is not fine, right? Like that's the distinction here for the school committee members.
>> Uh the school committee members the the bigger the bigger issue is is where you're getting the email addresses from. I mean the the fact everyone you have a PSB email address because you're on the school committee. Everyone knows you're on the school committee. The fact that you're using that email address is
not I do not believe would represent it's a minimous dimminimous campaign. >> Thank you >> violation at all. Uh Jesse, I saw your hand up. >> Uh yeah, to follow up. Thank you. To follow up on that, um Jonathan, because people even on social media represent
themselves sort of as an individual, but actually everybody knows they're a public school elected official um in their can't I mean, let's assume they're not um sending out group emails from Facebook, let's say, for example, or in
WhatsApp groups. But does the fact that I I thought the distinction you were trying to draw was a little bit different and that excuse me and what I mean by that is that people know you're a member of the school committee. Being on a WhatsApp group as a school committee member doesn't disidentify you
from being a school committee member. So, the issue I thought you were talking about was if a school committee member who's utilizing their Facebook, Instagram, or social media through email, but using their private email
address, their personal one, were to in any way represent in any remark a sense they had of the whole school committee, a speaking on behalf of the school committee, even though they're in private or they're on Facebook or whatever. that would be something you'd said you said would not be appropriate
as this individual person speaking for yourself and always saying that like you know speaking for myself not as a member of the school committee I have the following observation to make for example >> yes um to the extent it makes sense you can speak even as in your website group
as you know Jess you have to school committee member I'm saying x what you can't do is is like you said you can't say I'm speaking on behalf of the entire school committee Okay, thank you for the clarification. >> And I also thought while you were talking about Jonathan were the the public schools of Brooklyn social media
accounts using those for advocacy, right? It it wasn't our private social media >> public that's a public resource if you have your own Instagram account if you're on your you know like >> and and I do and the slight tweak there is as brought up. I believe that to the extent you're using your PSBMA
uh email accounts I I that has been ruled not to be as long as that's all that it is that that's fine. and everyone knows your school committee members at all school. >> Thank you, Donna. >> Thank you so much, Jonathan. So, if we're using our private email address to
send out emails on behalf of the the override campaign, should we also make sure we're not sending it to psba.org addresses? Like, we should make sure that educators and staff are not part of that.
that I that's actually a really really good question and I think that that is probably something you should take care to do because while I did note that all of you have PSBMA email addresses that you like we know each others you email each other um the fact that you might
know a bunch of teachers PSBMA email accounts is likely only because you have access to it through um through the town that those those email addresses are likely themselves a public resource. Now, there could be exceptions to that. if you're
getting, you know, an email every couple days from a from someone someone's PSBMA account who's a teacher, you can respond to it. But I would, like you said, um, Donna, if you're if you know, if you're sending out a big email, even if it's from your private account and you look at that list of emails that you're
sending it to and there's all the teachers from Lincoln and all the teachers from, um, I would take I would take a step back and be like, how exactly am I did I get all these email addresses? That's that's quite a rolodex, you know. So, I would I would refrain from anything where you're
sending them to a whole bunch of PSVMA accounts, >> right? I mean, the other part was until we have more clarity on what educators or or staff can do during their I wasn't I didn't quite I'm not clear on whether
I mean what they can do even on their nonwork time if they receive an email from me just me privately from my Donna Perry well actually I'm not going to say my private email address big
but then um they might forward that to a group of people and say Donna's on the school committee and she like I Okay, doesn't matter. I I'll just take those out. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Uh Superintendent Wong >> I think her hand has been up from
earlier. I'm not >> No, I had Okay. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Um so I often write two different large bodies in what could be considered a mass.
um to all staff and then the other the other body of people would be our our families. Um I have always liked my communication to both bodies to be consistent um as a way of building trust that everyone's getting the same
information. So um we are crossing into a different territory where I always want to keep the staff informed if there are going to be communications made publicly that could impact their
potential livelihood just as a matter of um of just you know courtesy. So when we presented the proposed budget there were reductions in in the proposed budget. So that that will happen those reductions will happen. So, I always felt it was
important for staff to know, but also all staff to know that those kinds of things were going to be made public. Where I say we're crossing over into a different area is now there there's identified gaps and the conversation around alternate funding is
is um is very apparent. So, I have been sending um communications to the staff before we talk about the impacts so they're not surprised like they know those those things are being said. I
think it's okay from what you've described that I continue to keep the staff informed about what's happening. not not as a you know need to vote yay or nay. It's just more um objectively what what a gap means and if alternate
funding isn't found what that could mean for them. Um but I'm also understanding that for families and it's partly because we don't have a communications director um but we can be sure that we do it this way is um if I have the same
information that I provide staff that I would want to make available for families, I need to post it on the website and if I put it in a communication to families in a newsletter just if they want more information to send them to the link.
think is that do I have that right? >> Uh yes and I would definitely air in that later example of what you're telling families I would I would heir on the side of as being as >> uh as as little information as possible. You know you the communities have been
cited for saying something like >> go here for important election or news about an important upcoming election. >> Even yeah I would try to keep it in line with I my communications to staff and to families are the same but the way I
deliver it I will change it. It >> yeah I do have to jump in. That cannot be the case. You cannot communicate to parents the same way you communicate to staff. >> That's what I mean. Like I But can the message So what I message to staff? I
don't I'm uncomfortable with messaging being different to these two large bodies. Um staff I can email directly. But for families, I think I would just have to say if they want to avail themselves of that information, I can refer them to a link.
>> Yes. Yes, you can put that put that information on the website and then in your news say >> right. So I think yes and so I'm just trying to be clear that I intentionally don't want to send different messages to the different groups but I I will be
mindful of how I send it out. And I and I do think the campaign finance laws encompass the the soul of what you're trying to do because it is a legitimate use of public resources for you and your staff to develop all of that information to those those charts and those whatever
you know >> informationational documents you're doing. It's just we have to be careful how we push that information out. So certainly the same the it'll be it'll be the same message. It's just a question of how people are able to get. Okay, that's very helpful. Thank you.
>> No problem, >> Bob. Carolyn. >> Yeah, this is this is really a question for Bella and perhaps Val. Um there's nine of us here and we have the freedom to communicate uh through our social media through our you know personal
communications to people. So my question is how much responsibility do we have assuming we're going to have an override campaign? How much responsibility do we have to each other um to communicate
what what we think is helpful for the campaign? In other words, you know, what if um what if a message that say I send out on my social media um is is controversial or um sort of violates the
spirit of what we're trying to communicate. In other words, we have the freedom to communicate, but how much responsibility do we have as a team to sort of, you know, stay on the same page. >> So, I'll take this one, Bella, because I
I think you're actually prohibated from doing this. >> Yes, I think so. um you know to the extent we all sing the same song or similar song I think that's great but we can't be obligated to do
that I think that's what Jonathan saying to us whether we're yay or nay is is up to each of us um the shared information that I think we all have or will have um are the budget updates that we get from
staff and and um like we're going to look that shortly. The failed override scenarios. I think that for me, I'll speak for me. For me, I'm going to um message that out to to folks. Anybody who asked me and anybody who um is in my
personal rolodex, I'm going to email that out to because that is to me a Brookline that is unrecognizable. It's not I don't even know if we could operate a high school or get certified, right? So,
those are are going to be my personal messages, but I can't I can't obligate eight other people, one to support my position on a possible override at all, um, or to sing from the same song book,
but for those who I think end up on the on one side or the other, we will have a shared body of information. And I would um use that for me because I think I think it's power whatever how whichever
direct it's powerful information to have and to use that message and craft your message around the facts. That's me. Um sorry Carolyn and then Donna. Oh and Mariah. Um, going back to what Bella was talking
about her messages, and I don't mean to throw a wrench in things, but I just just saying some a probably decent number of staff
are are voters, are Brooklyn voters, you know that. But I just um So that's what I was thinking when that conversation was happening about sending information to staff.
Lots of them are are Brooklyn residents and then totally separate. So Jonathan, all of this we're talking about the override. I think you're also saying like in terms of
employees, teachers who are employees, this also would apply to townwide races like um town meeting, select board, etc. >> No, no. This applies to an to the
election only. uh ballot question specifically >> ballot question >> um that this is not you know this these these requirements do not apply for example if there was an article at town meeting um that that uh that the >> I'm talking about like
on the on May 5th we're going to vote probably on an override and also you know at town meeting select board school school committee >> oh town meeting members oh sorry I >> I'm talking about elections of I'm
talking about employees and political messaging about candidate races. >> Okay. Yes. Um that's actually I'm glad you brought that up because that is that is an area
where there is a um the chair asked me to talk not just to school committee members but like I said also to the superintendent, her deputies and principles etc. A lot of what we've talked to up to this point um all of those people can talk about. Uh but when it because the
appointed officials and employees had a policymaking role where the ballot question uh information about the ballot question fell within their purview. It is not within the purview of a principal a superintendent to speak on who should
be the next school committee member. that is outside of her respons her job responsibilities. >> But and what about but when we're saying employees I'm also thinking about like the thousand people who work in our schools teachers. So does that mean
teachers shouldn't be engaging in campaign activity for candidate races >> uh on their private time? Yeah, they can
as private citizens they can but they cannot be doing so during their during working during their >> work time >> or you what and what about using their identifier? >> No, they should not be using the weight of their office to okay to say vote vote
vote person X instead of person. >> Okay, thank you. >> I wanted to ask I I think Bob's question made me think of this. So, if we were at a Yes for Brookline campaign event and there was five of us, that would be
okay, right? >> No. Uh, no. That would be a >> as per private what? >> It would be an open meeting law violation. >> But Jonathan, we can be there. We just can't talk about school committee business. It's not like I have to run away from them if I see them in public places.
>> No. No. But I you have to admit these are five people who know a lot who are not afraid to speak their minds. I think you would be very in run a real risk of deliberating inadvertently if you all got together at a yes on two. But no, I mean absolutely not. No,
you're you're absolutely right. There is no there is no requirement that you never share the same share the same oxygen, you know. But um >> so so the answer is so we should be >> we shouldn't talk to each other. We
should talk to other people. Okay. >> I think got it right. Is that right Jonathan? We should talk to other people. >> Yeah. And you know, and don't and don't don't be cute with it. Like, you know, talk to, you know, have some intermediary that's having a whole conversation on your behalf or something. But yeah, so I think if you just attend and listen. Absolutely.
>> Okay. Thank you, Jonathan. When does a campaign begin? Like, do we have does do these rules kick in a minute after the select board votes? Are we technically are we in a campaign now? What is the formal beginning of a campaign? Um
>> the formal beginning is when they place the question on the ballot which has not happened yet. Okay. >> However, >> uh you can still be you can still violate campaign finance laws if you start using public resources in advance of that. So generally the for example
the I would I would I'm counseling everyone I speak to townside, school side to be conservative because we do you know we know that this is very likely. Um but there is but you are right to call out that that that's the that's the starting gun is when it
actually goes on the ballot that's when we really have >> Okay. Thank you. >> Anybody else or can we Okay, Donna and then >> Oh, actually I'll hold. Go. >> Okay. Go ahead. Sorry, Jonathan. Go next. >> Okay. Yeah, I can blaze through the last couple pretty quick because I've spoken
to most of them. If you can go to the next one, please. I think next slide. Well, I'll just I'll just keep talking. Um, uh, the uh the the next one is just about policymaking. Oh, thank you. Um, policymaking positions. Um, this
distinction doesn't actually apply to you school committee members. You don't have to worry about only speaking on things within within your purview. As elected officials, you are empowered to speak on anything, even if it's not a school matter. Um, however, for those of you listening that are not elected,
superintendent, deputy superintendent, principles, you uh while you you can speak uh you know, use use public resources to develop policy positions, uh speak publicly on certain issues, uh they have to be within your purpose.
So that and but I believe that the for the purpose if we're talking about the override, everyone I just listed has a policymaking role. I you know if I was the school principal I probably shouldn't be talking about cuts at Ridley but I think everyone can probably
stay in their lane that way and again the elected officials don't need to worry about that. Next slide please. Um it is you know it'll take it takes public resources to do a lot of the work that you guys are doing. That's fine.
you're all expected to uh spend public resources to talk about this in meetings for Bella and her team to be developing all of these, you know, potential reductions. What's it going to look like if the override fails? You absolutely can can prepare those. That's a
legitimate use of public resources. Again, as long as it falls within your purview, that's why a teacher couldn't do this. They don't have a responsibility to prepare budgets for the entire district, but you know, Bella, your deputy superintendent, they can all definitely do this. Principles
can certainly work on this during their during their time at work uh for with respect to their school. Um sharing these analysis uh is is also fine as long as it's a solicited sharing. If someone asks you for your materials, you
can give it to them. Similarly, if they make take pains to attend a meeting or go to the website, they can look at those materials. And I did want to call out something that um is used in many communities and has been um said it's and the OCPF Office of Campaign and
Political Finance has said is fine. A PTO, if it's not affiliated with the school, you know, not formally affiliated with the school, the members are not public employees, a PTO can ask the superintendent's office for her
override information, take that information, and then send it to their own lists. As long as those lists are not were not given to them by the schools, that those lists themselves aren't public uh resources. I will speak I can speak I have some personal
experience with this. I'm a room parent at run and we take great pains to I build my list of emails that the PTO which I'm helping use. I build that list myself. I talk to the other parents. I
ask them if they'll share their email addresses. I effectively have them opt in. I build that list myself. It's like using your own contact list like we've already discussed. Um, but it is it does I bring this up and with some specificity because it's a way it's a
very logical way to get information out to the community and and as Superintendent Wong was emphasizing she does want to make sure that these messages are consistent. The PTO's are a good way to do that. Um there was in
fact in 2023 head of school Meyers um sent uh his in the information put the same message in an email he sent out to the parents which was a campaign finance uh violation that he did in a that same
text appeared in a a email that the BHS PTO sent out in their weekly blast and that was fine. They had asked at a school meer for the information. He gave it to them and they sent it out to the parents. So that was fine. So I just want to bring that up as a good way to share information.
>> Sorry, I have a question. >> Sure. >> Are you done? I don't want to speak over you. >> Oh, I just I'll finish the the slide and then and then please go ahead. Uh again, all of this is the important distinction here is all of this is solicited distributions. What we really want to uh
avoid is unsolicited distribution. Go ahead. >> Um So the I just want to make sure I understand what you just described because the email thing is funny, right? Like we used to have directories.
So are you saying if the I understand what you're talking about having had to do it once directories ended sending around a sheet and asking people for their emails. So I have two questions. One is you're you feel confident that
even though it's like school associated room parent that that's not schoolbased and then my other question is just
some PTO's I think still get lists from the town from the optin in Aspen. Like I would be very surprised if the BHS PTO
email list is just because the presidents went around and got people's emails. Like those have to be like if they got them from the town. I'm wondering
>> Jonathan they get them from the town when we register and I think every year we essentially have to affirm that we want our email addresses shared with the PTO. >> So is is there an issue even if they come from PSB but there is an
affirmation that we want to have our email addresses given to the PTO like we've opted in. It is my understanding that that optin insulates the PTO from a charge that that that list is is is still um it would be impermissible to
utilize that list. But I do take Carolyn's point that um if if a PTO knows full well that it's just utilizing what Aspen spat out and and the principal gave them that that is that's
a public resource. So you I I I speak as you know I spoke from personal experience about >> about that. I think that you know >> the more the more removed that there is the more comfortable we can feel utilizing that um pathway for information dissemination that I just
described. I but I do apologize. I I think I may have been um assuming a little too much about how the PTO's are run. But the opt-in is critical for when it comes to DHS. But just to be clear because I just want to make sure that if there's PTO's
listening or anyone listening if if um if some of their if their list membership is generated from the optin um are they allowed to send to their lists or is this something you might want to come back and clarify afterwards
because you're not sure right now. >> Let let me let me circle back on this. I believe the answer is yes, but I do want a chance to to double check that. Okay. Because I just think this is something that the audience will want clarity on. So >> okay. >> Okay.
>> Um I'm just gonna So uh next slide please. As I mentioned before, you can allow private groups uh even private groups involved. You know, we're taking a position in the election to utilize public buildings, but you have to give equal access to both sides. It doesn't
necessarily mean extending an invo. It just means making sure that it's available upon request. Um, and so that's where you can get really tripped up is you need to make sure that if you let one group in, you have to let the opposing side in a similar in a similar
circumstance. Um, so that's and then the last slide, if you want to go to the next one. Um, I I've I've said this multiple times tonight. Please try to be conservative. uh when it comes to this kind of thing, I'm speaking particularly to the uh the
appointed officials and employees who might be listening uh as I school committee members uh have fewer restrictions um on what they on when and how they can express their opinions on these on these matters. But but even even to the elected officials, please be
cautious when it comes to public resources uh and the ballot question. The town administrator will be sending around a memo in the coming weeks um with more information about the campaign finance law and how it relates to the ballot questions. And um I really really
appreciate you guys having the patience to let me sort of go and research some of these. I am happy to continue to do that throughout uh between now and and May. Um, so please don't hesitate to reach out to our office um if if you ever have a compliance question and we
will do our best to get you get you a quick answer. >> Thank you, Jonathan. Donna, I think has one more question. >> Well, I just wanted to say say thank you again and also make sure that I understand. Are you going to circle back to us and on how our PSB educators and
staff if they want to use their private time um to campaign for the override whether they can do that? Is that how we left it? >> They can do that. Oh, I thought he said he wasn't sure and he was okay. >> They they can do that, but there are some there are some restrictions that I want to make sure I get very clear. For
example, um you can run a foul of the conflict of interest law. Um if you're a if you're for example getting paid to work on a committee, um while also working for the schools, um you also are not supposed to uh be acting as the
agent of the committee. if it's working in the town where you your job is. Um, but you can definitely serve on the committee. So, there's some there's some nuance here. That's what I wanted to kind of come back at. And Donna, if maybe you and I could plan to talk and you can give me your exact, you know, if there's questions, particular questions.
So, I just want to make sure I'm addressing I don't want to make sort of a broad sweeping statement here like yes or no. And then the devil's in the details. >> Yeah. So, the high level is it just can't happen during school time or using school resources. >> That's that's the hard and fast. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> And and if there is a further document,
Jonathan, that you can um circulate to Betsy, she can then share it out and and um Superintendent Wong can share it with staff if there's anything more specific for staff that they should know. >> Sure thing. Yes. >> Okay. >> Thank you so much for being here.
>> Thank you guys. Great to see you all. Good luck with everything. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Jonathan. I can't believe your kids are sophomores in high school. >> It's crazy. >> It's pretty crazy. Don't, you know, don't don't uh don't remind me that she's two years away from leaving the house entirely.
>> Um, don't knock it. >> Thanks, Jonathan. >> So, uh, we're moving into really heavy subjects, uh, the FY27 proposed budget and the failed override budget scenarios. I know that everybody on the
committee received slides this afternoon that are, um, stark to say the least. um they are austere, they are um programmatic, they are staff reductions
that um I think nobody uh here would want to see. Um, so I just want to take take a second to um say that for any community members, staff members um who
are are watching to know that we take this very seriously and we know that um it's a classroom, it's your students experience, it's your livelihood. Um so I I just want to say that as we embark on items 4C and and 4 D this evening and
I will turn it over to Superintendent Wong. Thank you. Thank you for that. I um I also want to apologize that I'm not with you in person. Um many of you know um prior to accepting the position in Brooklyn, I had made plans for to be
away um for these two weeks. And so I'm thank goodness through the internet able to present uh on behalf of the district on this topic as the chair has described. Um Betsy is gonna pull the slides for me and while she's doing that
um I was just going to do a little review preface. Um in mid in mid November the um the ad school administration put forth a projected budget for FY27. Um at that time we were looking at an
increase of 12.8 million. Um, as of February 26th, the last school committee meeting, we were able to revise that projected increase um to the budget to 7.1 million. So, a reduction
of over $5.5 million. And and how did we do that? Um, we we looked through the lines. We corrected for enrollment in both general ed and special ed. we reorganized um our teams to reclaim critical
functions andor reduce further. So both and came out of that reorganization. Um initially we were hoping to project a budget that we said was absolutely level service. I think the projected budget
still is um very strong level service but with something but somewhat less than than a true level service. Um we've not been able to restore um a second senior director in OTL. We
really think that that department um needs that. we have not been able to restore a communications function and um and clearly there's been a lot of discussion about the decision to reduce um our ETS staff in the K through8s from
8 to 4. We've also eliminated an administrator at the high school and some of our plus one assignments at the high school which um compromises some of our MTSS work um
supporting students who might be struggling to meet meet benchmark that aren't necessarily on a IEP or don't otherwise qualify for specialized service. The other thing I wanted to say or note is that we often talk about cost
drivers to a budget things that um are co you know driving the cost and for us some of it is some of the expenses related to special education, tuition, transportation as a cost driver. And then obviously um the salaries of our
staff which is the heart of the budget and um and you've heard some about shared services that undermines the town's capacity to support some of the increases that we're looking at. I just wanted to be clear. So what's a key driver to building a budget? So we talk
about cost drivers, but what's the key driver to building a budget? It it's about the students. It's about building a budget that will support um all our students to thrive um to be to be yes the best they can be
all of that um but support them all along the way. So when we look at reductions um we keep that in mind. So a guiding principle has always been to approach reductions and growth for the purpose of satisfying our fiduciary responsibility
to the town. And that fiduciary responsibility to the town is making sure that we are developing and sustaining an excellent educational program to support all our students. But it also means maintaining practices of
account, fiscally efficient. We want to be sure that every dollar spent is spent as intended and well spent. >> Do you mind Bella? Can you hear us? Do you mind turning off your video so
because your audio is a little choppy? That might help it come through better. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um, should I just go from where I was? >> Yeah. >> Yes. Sorry to interrupt. >> Should I just Yeah. Okay. Nope. That's
okay. It's all good. Um, just so people know, I am I am I am coming to you from Argentina. So, it's great that you can even hear me as you as you can. Um, >> you just might want to turn your video on and then off. The face that got stuck
when you turn your There you go. Thank you. That looks better. >> Okay. Good. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. It caught your caught your facial expression in between. So this is much more respectful the way it looks now. Yeah. Thank you. >> Okay. Great. So at this juncture, right,
so with the reduction of expenses that we've been working, as I said, we we were able to change our initial projection by over five and a half million. The money needed for the next years to cover increases in costs. So I
just want to be clear that that the allocations have that tenant has been able to give us is maintained. It's really about the increases to um to the budget so that the money needed for the next year for increases and
match in dollars to cost in previous years. Um, but I want to highlight that in the in the years we're looking at FY27 28 29 the town's capacity to allocate funding to cover the
increase has diminished tremendously. In the last override for um FY 24,25 and 86, at that time the town was projecting um possible allocations of $4 million
within the levy within the levy. And so what we're looking at is much different in the out years where the town's capacity um for next year is 1.7 million. it's um essentially zero for the year after and then a negative
500,000 um in the year. So this is we are all we are all um working with departments and expenses coming from the same pie and so a major driver is the shared services
that we offer and um and a major part of that shared service is um the health insurance benefit to our employees. And so we are the single single largest department in the town. And so we do our best to be mindful of how we're spending
our our um our dollars, but we in reality need to happen from year to year and we moment. So I want to commence.
Sorry. I want to go back first slide Betsy. the first uh the first that one. Thank you. So just commencing with the slide um where we are in the proposed budget um taking into account the allocation
from the town of 1.7 million. So we have a projected increase of sorry We uh just got disconnected from the superintendent. We're trying to raise her again. So I was with you the whole time. So I am here and it looks like Betsy is going
to restart the screen share. >> The screen is is shared. >> I think I'll reshare. >> Okay, great. So I think I was with you all the way to this part where we have 7.1 million projection for increase for FY27. The town is able to allocate 1.7.
So we're at um a 5.27 gap. And so you've seen this slide before. I I wanted to be more explicit about how we approach the reductions. So every time we are looking at reductions a new we always start with the district level and see if there's
anything else that we can reduce and then whatever is left we divide between the prek8 and the high school 6040 right 60% 40%. So the gap is 5.27 27 we
look to the district level to see what else we can do to reduce and then the remaining gap is distributed 60% 40% between the prek8 and the high school and the reason is because we are doing it where the students are so it
represents the ratio of enrollment of students um between the prek8 and the high school um and so I don't know that we were that explicit before. I also want to note too and you've heard this I think is that generally the budget is
usually 15% to non-salaried expenses and 85% for salary expenses. And that makes sense because the heart of of um what we do is direct service between educator and student. At this time, we've done so
much to reduce our expenses that for the FY27 budget as proposed, we are at 12.5% non salary expenses. So, our ratio is shifted and that is because of all the
efficiencies we've been trying to identify to be able to make sure that as much as possible allocated toward the classroom. All right. So these are the reductions that are already embedded in the FY27
proposed budget. It's a net reduction of 22.1 FTEES. And then I am going to move into talking about what would happen if we don't have alternate funding for the 5.27 gap. So
you can go to the next slide. Thank you Betsy. Um so what you're seeing is a projection for FY27, FY28, FY29 and the possible town allocations for those three years. And as I said, the
capacity of the town to cover the increases has diminished um dramatically from the last time we went through this to 1.7 million, 5,000 which we are calling zero, and then negative 500,000.
Um and then you can see the funding gaps below. The number of the funding gaps even if um you add the allocation of 1.7 generally it's about 6 million across the board for each year and that is the same as it would been um the prior three
years. So this is represents across a gap of 18.5 million. If you go to the next slide. Thank you. So if alternate funding isn't identified or successful in the identification of
the 5.27 gap, we have to go through and and and let you know what that would mean. So again, we started with district and these are we would restructure again. we would eliminate another position at OAF, but uh but we we um
continue a commitment to keep a data uh director of data and um in information systems, we would reduce another position in OTL. Um and then the remainder of the gap if you go to the next slide Betsy the
remainder of the gap is is again 6040 60% with the K8s um we would need to reduce gay one and this is in collaboration with the principles and and the focus was to protect the classroom sections please note that
we've already corrected to guidance for the classroom sections so any reduction in any sections in the in the K through 8 would bring those sections um over guidance, right? And just a illustration
of of what could happen if you have three sections at 17. If you were to eliminate a section, you would then have two sections, one at 25 and one at 26. So that that's what happens when you elim um elimination of sections bring you
over guidance and we've already corrected for that. Um so protecting class size we would look at reducing the non-mandatory summer programming which is um the project discovery that you heard Tim talk about earlier. Eliminate
conservatory which would mean no music for grades six, seven and eight and that the music in four and five would go to once a week instead of twice a week. um eliminate world language 6 through eight, which would mean students would not be exposed to a new world language
until they became nth graders and eliminate one paraprofessional um which is not is a paraprofessional not already assigned to an individual student. >> So that's an in >> Yes. Sorry. >> No, no, go ahead. I was I was raising my
hand over towards Val. Sorry. >> Sure. Um, so that's a 36 additional FTE reduction and that's in the preK through 8. If you go to the next slide, Betsy, can I ask up my quick question at this point? >> Is any of this different than what we
saw last week? >> Okay. >> Just like the comprehensive >> it it's it should be the same as 226. This is um the high school reductions. if there is an alternate funding um found to cover the 5.2 um 7 gap. So the
so we do increase class sizes in the core subjects listed at the top reduce an assistant athletic director which was just added recently. Um the the um enrollment athletics is robust and and so it really helps to have that other
administrator. The sec, this would be the third one to be able to monitor and supervise and be able to respond to things as they might happen after school. Reducing doubling up of courses by students means students would um not have the option to double up in a in a
subject area which they do now. And um and it's it's actually um really popular part of the program. Reduce an additional 6.6 6 FTEES out of the four plus one assignments. So there's four
assignments for every full FTE. So that's 24 that's um 27 spots that you would reduce. And these these plus one assignments are um ones that are are assigned to support MTSS. So math labs,
world language labs, um the tutorial, those are what those plus one assignments are. Reduce other low enrollment areas. We do run some courses um at low numbers and and so it's always been a balance of being able to provide that opportunity or not. And so this
would have a disproportionate impact on courses that are offered through the drama program. Reduce an additional special education pair professional that is assigned to one of our specialized programs. Reduce one of our five security parrofessionals
to four. and reduce an additional administrative position. There's already one reduction embedded in the proposed budget. So, this would be a second one. And so, this is an additional um so net reduction of 80.3 FTEES in the
in the FY27 budget. 22.1 already in the proposed budget and this would be an additional 58.2. If you go to the next slide, Betsy. >> Yeah. Before you before you go to the next slide, Bill, can you um >> Sure. >> explain the last one, an additional
administrative position. It's the same wording as last week. All the other ones like have a have some kind of adjective. Is this like a secretarial position? Is this a Is this a curriculum coordinator? Is it like a dean? What what is >> Yes. >> So there is it's an administrator. So
there's administrator. Okay. Thank you. >> Yes, there is an administrator already on the budget. This would be a second one. >> A second. I see. I was comparing to thank you for the clarification. >> Sure. So, one of So, what's different in this
one um that hasn't been presented before is even if you reduce all of the positions as described in FY27, if alternate funding wasn't identified,
the budget continues to grow. it continues to grow. And so in FY28, the projected growth, and this is based on a FY27 reduced, all right, reduced,
is still projected to increase by almost 5.5 million. So, if there's no override or alternate funding to cover the outy years, there would be another 5.5 million shortfall. The town has said in
um with no alternate funding identified, the allocation would be $5,270. >> So, I just want to reiterate, Bella, that's with with um recalculating the base and then projecting FY28. Okay? I just want to make that clear for anybody
listening. >> Right. So this is new information. Um next slide please Betsy. Similarly um after all the reductions you would have to take in FY28
the budget would continue to grow and so that's the projected increase for FY29. Please note that the increase is exacerbated by the negative amount that town would have for the
allocation. So in FY29, it wouldn't be a even allocation as they've been able to maint. So the the funding graph actually it it goes up. So the net funding gap for the
outy years FY28 and FY29 alto together are 12,785,753. >> Can I just ask a a follow up on this, Bella? >> Yes. >> So I just want to clarify. I think I think this is right um from ERSC and and
from you um because there may or may not be savings in um the GIC plan and also in terms of um perhaps fewer fewer staff taking benefits because they've lost
their jobs. We uh were were told by the town not to adjust that as a savings because there would be uh a large potential for in increased claims and unemployment. Is that right? >> Yes. So, thank you for um for for
stating that. Um we there was some thought there could be a lowering of the premiums for through gick that is the the state managed insurance fund that that we participate in. Um there was there was um some thought about
renegotiating or plan redesign that would bring that premium down. All elements of plan redesign are no are no longer being considered. Only a couple of things are being considered. So the thought is that the reduction in premium if any would be
not as significant as what might have thought that could have happened. We were looking for an update on that number and so while a decision might have been made at the state, it takes a while for them to um come down to the raw number. So we just don't have that.
But in any case, um the town administration has advised because with all these reductions, the potential for unemployment, paying out unemployment um it could possibly exceed um any
savings to benefits, but um it it definitely undercuts any savings there would be to the to um premium reduction in the benefits. So, we're not going to count it as um possible savings. It actually
might be more costly than what will be saved. >> Jesse has his hand up. Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off, Bill. >> It's okay. I can't I can't see you, so it's all fine. >> Okay, Jesse, I think has his hand up. >> Yeah, thank thank you. Um, Bill, um, the
second line on this one, I have a question about maybe just a clarification for you, Bill, or maybe Mariah. This PSB town revenue allocation, is it related at all to the town school partnership split or not? Yes. >> And if it is, then is part of the
possibility for rectification of this gap to allow the town school partnership um committee to investigate to what extent they could modify how the overall $440 million or so is actually um
flowing by a formula to provide us more of what we need to close our gap for any of these three years. So that obviously means a deeper cut to the town side. However, um you know that is obviously
something we've been thinking about in expenditures and revenues for quite some time to the extent that we might be able to shift necessary funds um into this you know even without an override. Obviously we're going to need some money. question is whether the appetite
across the town will be you know your 12.785 that you're showing here is a significant reduction over um with even the failed override a lot of money um if we bump that up a bit maybe you'll be showing that later I think in some of the slides and are able to increase the
allocation from the town um that might help us to get you know grow our to fulfill more of our needs um in a you know still in a fair manner um but while um closing the gap somewhat. So I
believe there are discussions about TSB looking at that. Uh I don't have any updates at this moment about when they're meeting and what kind of decision might get made. >> So I I'll respond to that Bella if that's okay. >> Okay. Sure. >> Thank you. Go ahead. >> Sure. So town school partnership hasn't
met for a long time. Um but this has been a topic of conversation at ERSC expenditures and revenues. Um the conversation at ERSC is not about and there was just a this was just voted I
think yesterday at the meeting or the day before. The topic is not about revising it at this point of time but appointing a committee to look at it for the future. Um, >> okay. >> The the other thing I will say is obvious obviously if we were if the if
the powers that be were to decide to shift money away from PSB towards the town or vice versa, it would just for wherever you add $1 on one side, it just makes the gap that much greater on the other side. So the overall
um deficit across the town and schools because both town and schools are in a deficit situation would essentially remain the same. The other the last thing I would say is that if you all recall earlier in the budget season we got an initial allocation. This the
second line you point out it's the revised allocation as of February 11th. We had an initial allocation that was um much lower than this. And there have been obviously revenue adjustments and policy changes. And so this number, you know, it evolves over time. Bella was
alluding to the GIC um rate increases which haven't been finalized, which will also change it. Um so I think that town staff is working um you know to provide the most accurate numbers within the current town school partnership formula.
Um but again even if they are to take a dollar from us and give it to the town or vice versa the overall net deficit across the entire town school um budget remains the same >> remains the same and and and thank you Mariah for that clarification and I would just add I believe correct as well
that even with this we'll turn around for FY30 um exactly where we are now. In other words, this is not solving a recurring deficit or gap in our budget. This is basically allowing us to a life jack,
you know, life ring to make it until the cliff of FY29, FY30. This does not bring in additional revenues of any real means. This we know expenses are going to rise for many economic reasons globally and nationally. And yeah, and we know enrollment will, you know, sort
of stay where it is, not going to go way down or go way up in the next two or three years. So the fixes that we're all trying to work towards as a team to uh address these issues are only for these next three years and then we're going to be facing the same issue again. >> I think I would I think I would respond
to frame this a little bit differently if you if you would. I think that the there are structural elements to the expenses which um are not being solved at this point. I think that there are
aspects to revenues that do change and are and are much more variable and I think that >> we should so I don't want to say well like we're just going to end up in the same place because I don't think like certainly where we are right now is an
unusual place to be in sort of this level of um reduced allocation year and even a negative allocation. I can't remember actually >> ever seeing yeah ever seeing a negative allocation. So, I don't think that we should say, "Well, this is where we're going to be." I don't think that that's actually historically or even like
looking towards the future um possible. Um but I do think that there's absolutely things we can do to um that we should all be thinking about and that ERSC is thinking about about how to bring the arc of expenses and the arc of revenues closer together.
>> Exactly. Thank you. Yes. >> Hi. Um thank you both. So while the TSP formally hasn't met, I just wanted to be clear that town administration and PSP administration, we meet quite regularly and all the time and we talk about these
shared dilemmas that we have that are affecting our departments across the town, including that of the schools. And so I think we I think we've done what we can do to shave to get us through um the next year. and that we need some time to
work together more um structural changes that could benefit. Um but at this time it's just this is to highlight even if we make all the reductions in FY27, you make all these reductions in FY28,
the budget continues to grow and without alternate funding identified um you it continues to fall behind. And just a note that that um to retrieve the things that you've lost um usually it's a it's
a bigger it's a bigger step that you have to take. Um the district has been reducing programs since the last override and what we are looking at projecting for the next three years are not new programs. We are looking to
sustain the high quality programs that we currently have and the high quality experience for our students, but we are not looking um we're we're looking to be conservative financially and also the sustain our programs along with um the
town department. And for people that don't know, the allocation right now is 59% schools, 41% the town. So we appreciate we appreciate that. um that that allocation and how everyone is
working all together to um to support the schools but also support all the departments. Um next slide please Betsy. So this is this is um this is a tough outline to create. Um so thank you to
the principles SLT and also um other members in the community that helped um ask the questions and analyze this so that we can give you the most authentic pro response at this time. Um but to do
to close the gap and again FY27 if we if that weren't to be fully funded would be 80.3 FTE reduction altogether and then there to to cover the additional almost 13 million and FY28 and 29
um there would be another total reduction of two 2110.3 FTEES so 210.3 FTEES divided 6040. All right, 6040 again between the preK8
and the high school. Um, as much as we can tell because it's so dramatic, all K after school sports clubs, band, orchestra, drama, homework clubs would be eliminated or become feebased. Um, and that's problematic because it it
um it it's it makes it um it fosters an inequitable environment on who can can pay that or not. Athletic program would be reduced, fees would rise. South Brooklyn bus service which was added I think we would have to eliminate um and
there there would be roughly 130 um 40 FTEES 46 at BHS and 84 at the preK through 8. Betsy, could you give me the next slide? Um, so the the prek8 impacts are more
clear, easier to discern. Just note, you know, if you have students students move from class to class, they're still in a home home room based model. So, it's easier to see. With the high school, as I described at the last meeting, there's
different layers of scaffolding. There's class size that you try to protect. There is um the the MTS supports that you try to protect. There's lots of layers of scaffolding, different counseling supports, different specialized programs that are offered to
support students. And the administration is also part of that to enhance the capacity of teachers to work with students um and also for the headmaster to lead um curriculum leaders and um the associate and academic deans in terms of
managing student behavior and supporting the nonacademic um things that students need to to progress um day-to-day, week to week, year to year. Um we're projecting in FY in FY in the
FY 28 to 9 years 6 15.6 FTEES in 27 and then 46 FTE in the remaining fiscal years 23% reduction in non-eing staff 6%
reduction in special ed staff and 29% reduction in staff for classroom programs. and you can see the chart. Um, and I would refer that to um, people going to the website and looking at the chart after.
If you could give me the next slide, um, continuing um, failed to override BHS impacts and FY2829, the large class sizes. So the thing with the high school, these are the average classes, but every high school when you schedule them out um and this is
identified as a plus minus five range of class sizes. So in English they think it would be an average of 32.2 and a range of 27 to 37 um by 29. I just let you look at that.
>> Bella, I just want to say that this chart like Yes. >> Blows my mind if you think about like what is an English class that has 37 students in it? What is a science class that's you know plus or like 30 I mean over and over again. Social studies
these numbers are unbelievable. Sorry I just had to comment because it's like so shocking. >> So um actually it reminds me of another another note that I wanted to make. So I I think we all know that there are some
classes we try to um keep the class sizes smaller and then there are some classes we allow them to get bigger. So that difference would only be exacerbated in this situation. Um so
students in the larger classes might also have other classes that are also large. So I have done this analysis before in other districts where you think about okay if you're trying to protect classes
for some students of a certain profile they're more likely to go from one class to another that is more similar to that and the classes that you allow to get bigger those students will be going from class to class to class. There's just so
if you imagine what it would be like this isn't that a student might have oh one big class in English but a small class in math it would be likely that their experience would be all big classes across the board.
Um next slide please Betsy. Um so so this is just a a summary of the impacts. Um so that we there is a there's a concern that we wouldn't be able to meet um the time on
learning task and also just the pro there's a problem with having that many students in class. So science labs are built for 24. So I I think we're not even sure how this would work um
especially by FY29. It would take a deeper analysis, but it we so I think we're not sure how 990 would be met and again the safety um in some of the classes that we offer.
>> So Bella, what happens if we have this material compliance concern? Does Desessie come in like what what happens to >> I I think we we lose um we lose like accreditation
and um and that can impact students particularly if they are applying for scholarships through some of the programs um through the state schools the publicly funded schools. Um, I don't know. I've never been in
I've never been in a situation where we weren't able to meet 990. Yeah. >> Bella, can I just ask a followup to that? This is Mariah. Um, >> yeah. >> And I I think this is something important to understand because if Brookline becomes non-compliant, then
essentially I would imagine there will be some sort of mechanism for the state to force us into compliance, which means that money would need to come from somewhere anyway. So to the extent that like people say oh well you know like there might be an impact on the town
budget I guess is my point if the if the municipality as a whole is required to ensure the high school has enough staffing to run. So I guess it I think it would be helpful to understand this because this to me is like fundamentally
a tremendous concern. Um, and we should just be able to be very clear with people about what would actually need to happen if we were needing to rectify it. >> Thanks. Um, Bob, >> so I think >> sorry B, there are a couple questions. >> I think the only the only body maybe um
maybe Desi can provide a response and so we can make outreach to them for that. And so I'm sorry I interrupted you. Val, >> I was just saying Bob had a question as well. I actually have a comment uh building on what you know Mariah's astonishment at those potential class
sizes at the high school. So I just want to bring it down to the classroom level for the whole world to understand that if you're an English teacher like I was um and you have a class size average of around 30 which was part of that
projection um it means you teach four classes and you have 120 students. Okay. If a teacher, an English teacher, um, spends 15 minutes a week, 15 minutes a week on
one student's paper, 15 minutes, it's an additional 30 hours of work. 120 times 15 minutes a week is an additional, not only are you teaching and consulting and, you know, talking with kids and parents, blah blah blah,
it's an additional 30 hours. Actually, Bob, can I just clarifying to actually amplify your point? Bella, at this point, we would have the plus ones reduced. So, this would be a five. There would be five. They'd be teaching five classes. >> No, English will teach four. >> Yeah.
>> No, they will not. >> English has never taught five. >> Welcome to austerity budgeting. >> Is that is that part of the projection that English is going to teach five classes? Oh, I'll revise my math. So if you have 150 students and you and you
spend 15 minutes, it's 150 times one quarter which is um another 37 and a half hours a week of work which talk about demoralization. You know talk about you know the real the impossibility of being a highquality
educational institution under those circumstances. It's frightening. It's outrageous. And by the way it's been going on and on and on. When when was there ever a year when the public schools had an increase in their budget?
>> We haven't. >> We have not. And so I'm, you know, I'm just panicked by this scenario. Um it's an impossible it's impossible to maintain anywhere near the quality of
teaching and learning um under the under these projections and the community needs to understand that and I know that you know people you know there's people who don't want to pay more taxes you know I would you know actually I I like to play pay more taxes because I believe
what Oliver Wendell Holmes said that taxes Tax are the price we pay for civilization and taxes are the price we pay for an excellent educational system. And I think that you know you can you have to make decisions moral
decisions when something like an override shows up and it's so easy um to say ah the school system doesn't know what they're doing. You know they've had financial problems in the past bunch of years. Blah blah blah. It's easy, easy,
easy to say those simple things, but those simple things are not true. And the communication to this community has to be we need a robust budget. Robust, not a minimal override budget, but a robust budget to make
things sane because otherwise it's not sane. It's not possible. And so obviously having been in that world for many many years, knowing what the impact is on instruction and on morale,
um we're in a crisis. Um obviously there's different ways to try to figure things out, but none of those are none of those are good. >> That's just the high school. We haven't even started looking at class sizes at the K8. >> Well, wait, we haven't finished this one yet. So, um Bella, do you want to go to
the next slide? I see Jesse's hand up on my screen. >> Oh, Jesse's hand. Go ahead, Jesse. >> Thank you. Excuse me. Just need to take a drink of water for a second.
Um, okay. Thank you. Uh, I can put the video back on now for a moment. Um, so my question, Bella, has to do with the following. Um, this is obviously a very complex and very difficult looking budget and my and I don't see really at
least in my way of thinking any chance that the thing will fail. Question is what's that thing? In other words, if we're talking 12 million, if we're talking 18 million, if we're talking the largest in state history, 23 million, all all to cover the next three years.
So my question is this is a very you know drastic and a very threatening to the very fabric of our schooling educational system in Brooklyn to look at a failed override. My question therefore is, you know, you're not I I understand we asked you to present this,
but is there a sort of a a less impactful middle I don't say middle like 50%. Okay. Is there some point where without asking for everything but we
were able to reduce it somewhat? Yes, there'll be some painful decisions to be made, but not something as overly like destructive as as what this is showing. And I'm just sort of asking for some point along the line where things tip,
you know, where something happens that we say, "Oh, that's just a little too painful. We'll accept some because this is like the everything goes away kind of scenario." And we saw, you know, just the we need everything one too, which is up and around the 19 million. So is
there are are there certain like um elements within the last six or seven slides where you'd be able to like to put in a you know, if I had if I had a choice, I' I I might have to eliminate this, but I I could keep this in other words. and that increases the amount of
the override, but at least it it it would signal to the voters that we're willing to take some pain if that's what's going to be required, just like the town is going to be. But we're not going to go that we we're, you know, we're not assuming this is going to happen. We we really need to, you know,
um project a successful override as we did the last couple of times every three years, but at a level that we feel can be successful. Jesse, can do you mind if we hold that until after the presentation? But I do want to frame that. Sure.
>> For the last three years, we have cut budgets. So, we cut in FY, right? We cut for FY25, we cut for FY26. >> And Bella and her team have >> worked really, really hard um to get to
I think what she called not quite a level service budget. Um that that is truly bare bones when you when you look at it with those reductions already. Double double digit FTE reduction this year, millions and millions last year,
millions and millions the year before. Um we have been chipping away at this for the last three um fiscal years and >> cycles. Yeah. >> And you know >> I agree. >> So >> agree anyway. So let's let's keep yeah know let's keep going through this and then we can sort of ask those global
questions toward the end. >> So as I was listening to Jess speak um in the way that he asked the question I actually have a response and I'm afraid if I don't say it now I'll forget.
>> Okay. >> Um please feel free. Yeah, it was just the way I I you know and Jesse said you just ask a question away like you're looking for an honest response and I
you know what we are at 12.5% non salary expenses. I have never seen it such an extreme ratio cuz we have been we've been stripping and stripping and stripping and um this is not at all
about feeling you know feel sorry for us the district offices we're kind of struggling. >> Yeah, >> we're kind of struggling and we're trying not to res there are things that need to be restored that we haven't dared ask for. Um, clearly, you know, we
really could use more support in communications and an OTL really could use more support. We're trying our darnest to protect the um the director of data and information systems because we think that's really important about
how we can hold our systems accountable um for progress and change and all of that. So, in fact, it really I think because we don't we put the students first. We I we don't say more about well actually the district offices like we
we're pretty lean. We're super lean >> and uh and people say, "Can you cut more administrators?" And I look at the K8s and I look at the high school and there's just a lot going on that the adults without teaching assignments play
critical roles and just being responsive to um things that just you know that go ary and you respond to it quickly and you put it away and it gets resolved and everybody goes back to the classroom hopefully. Um,
we've we've lost programs. We've lost we've lost world language. >> And as we look at reductions and there's there's only more cuts. I don't think I can say there's more that's okay to cut.
um if there isn't funding then we do cut but it I can't say that this isn't cutting into the fabric of um what people expect PSB to deliver
>> um and I I you know for us to get from 12.8 8 to to 7.1. We've we've trimmed and as I've tried to point out, the dollars that we're looking for for increases over the next three years are on average the same as
the last three years. And that it's the town's capacity to be able to support our increases, which we have brought down, I think, as reasonably as we can, that are the issue. And as um Mariah said, we
more time to work on some of the structural issues that are contributing to that. But at this point, I can't I can't say looking at it, you know, there's been a history of reductions to the point where we're at. Um,
your district offices are very lean, >> right? I I guess I guess >> everything we've been doing our best to save program for for the students. >> No, 100%. And actually even during those years I mean this is sort of like a structural problem you inherited and coming you know coming here 9 months ago
or something but my and and and don't take please don't take this like a criticism I know you guys >> I don't think so working very hard and >> and and and coming back to us every week with with changes and there's a lot of you know intentionality and thought and purpose and what you're thinking. My my
concern a little bit to your to your answer is that at the same time as these cuts have happening as as Val pointed correctly correctly pointed out over quite a number of years at the same time we also have to I think agree that you
know BHS students get into good colleges uh their scores are great they um um you know we're rated as a very high performing high school in in Massachusetts so on one side people are saying and I think we need to say this out loud which is why I am that as these
cuts have happened our our the quality of our students coming out of our system and I think Bob's talked to this over the last month or two as well sometimes continues to like be ridiculously amazing and so when people hear well what can we do uh you know we're ask for
more money because we're short and it's obvious we will be if this doesn't pass and I'm certainly praying that we get it right and get something to pass the the the efforts that people have been putting in and the quality of kids in our district is at some unbelievable
level that you know given the cuts and given the pressures kids graduate and go go on to do amazing things. So part of the um sort of I'll stop with this part of the the philosophy or strategy that we have to craft is that those were done
under extremely you know difficult conditions. If we cut more there may be there may come a point where the quality of our instruction as you pointed out correctly and the product which are you know smart engaged critical thinking datadriven students that can go into all
kinds of careers will be uh will be um uh uh you know potent potentially seriously impacted. That's another part of it because we've had such success stories also as a lot of these things have happened. >> Thanks. Thank you, Jesse. And I I just
thought we were having an honest exchange. I didn't feel >> Yeah. Yeah. Sure. Of course. I just wanted to car. Yeah, of course. Thank you. >> So, um I do think we're at a at a critical juncture where where I'm not sure we Anyway, so let's go on to that next.
>> We'll finish up. I think there are two more slides. So, next one. This one. All right. So, this is so the 4 plus one. The 4 plus one that is our MTSS support. um that most of the teachers are assigned to tutorial but then there's
also teachers assigned to math lab, world language lab um and other writing labs. So this this um actually most high schools don't have this MTSS structure that BHS has. This
is actually unique and and um really important I think for supporting students that don't get identified for specialized services whether on a 504 or on a IEP. So this this would be um
this would be a huge loss. Um next slide please. >> Bella before you go on you you didn't talk about the first bullet on that slide. And I know we talked about it a little earlier, but just the thing that Bob talked about it going from essentially a 90 student teaching load
to, you know, 150 plus. I think it's important that people understand the scale of what that means for their students experience as well, the teaching experience and the student experience. So this goes to um this is actually a layer of scaffolding u maintaining our
class sizes and as I said on 226 at the other meeting when um you adolescents need a different kind of supervision and monitoring of all staff um with students because they at any on a given day you're you're going to see a student
maybe 50 minutes and if they are one of 90 versus one 150 changes your capacity to just um take in any changes in that student or or reasons that you might um want to
check in or take good care. Not something that staff do regularly right now and families appreciate that that is happening. Um but you lose the capacity to personalize um the supports and um whether it's emotional, social or
academic. Thank you, Mariah. Um, next slide, please, Betsy. These are the just >> Sorry, Betsy. I'm sorry, Bob had one more thing. I know you can't see the hands. You'll wait. Okay. Okay. Go ahead. >> Bob's going to wait.
>> He's gonna wait. >> Okay. So in the K8 class size, as I said, it's a little easier to determine in the K8s than it is in the high school, but the average class size would go up to 30.3 students.
And it that's an increase of 56% from the current year. Bella, could you talk a little bit about what a school looks like where over a third of the classrooms are closed? And
um I presume you and uh K8 leadership have talked about um whether or not I'm sure you've talked about whether or not to close schools at this rate at this at this scale of reduction. Could you talk about just what a school looks like or whether or
not you're closing schools and then assuming that you've you're not what that what a school looks like in this experience >> if if in the in the hypothetical if we were to close a school. Is that what you're asking me? >> Right. Well, first off, did did you talk
about whether or not to close schools? >> We did. We did. Um and so we looked at a lot of things and so obviously it was not what an idea we brought forth. Mathematically we could close a school mathematically just barely. Um but
there's not a place where you can move a whole whole large cohort of students. It would be sort of a trickle impact. It would have a domino impact across all the schools. If you close one school, you would move students from that school to
the next proximal schools and then students from those schools to the next proximal. So you have a domino effect acrossing affecting all schools across the town. There's also many of the schools have specialized programs. So then there was also the dilemma of where
um a specialized program would go. Currently, the specialized programs are intentionally placed geographically across the town to minimize the impact of incurring transportation expenses.
So, that's the other thought is when you close a school, you want to spread things over in um to the neighboring schools so that you're not incurring transportation costs if you were to move students um across for a third. >> Very quick question. in the savings. Oh,
sorry. If in I had a question about what you just said, but if you want to go on, that's >> okay. Um, and then the savings you would get would be, you know, the singleton positions. You wouldn't, you know, you could eliminate a principal, the nurse,
a librarian, the singletons that you need for every school, but essentially you would need to keep the teachers and the classes essentially intact and to be mindful that doing something like this would be so disruptive that you would
want to try to maintain some supports to um sort of stabilize that transition for students that were experiencing it. So, we didn't bring it forth because we thought it would be so chaotic costing and that the the amount of savings
wouldn't justify doing that. Um, and in in the face of reductions like this that we're we'reing to add the chaos of closing a school is not something I think would be helpful. um you would save some money but not
really it wouldn't really impact the dramatic reductions that would need to take place. Carolyn and then Sarah. >> Oh, sorry. Mariah's second question then Carolyn. >> If Caroline, if there was a followup on that. Okay. Whatever you want. >> No,
I don't think it matters. >> Okay. My other question was Bella, just if you could describe to the extent you you know can can describe it sort of the experience of what it's like in a school in which you know 30 or more than a third almost 40% of the classrooms are
no longer um open. >> Well, I was just thinking this was a mathematic exercise. I'm not really sure how 30 kids are even going to fit into the classrooms. So there there's that.
Um, I'm sure we'd be violating some of the classroom guidance rules that exist. And um, and yeah, and then the idea of empty classrooms, I don't it's just >> depressing.
>> I I can't imagine how it can be like demoralizing to to have that and to be squished into the classrooms that you are filling. I don't know, Mariah, if you were looking for a different
>> No, that's helpful. That's That's I appreciate that you brought up things I hadn't even thought of, >> Sarah. And then Suzanne, >> I thought if people are following along at home and can't really read the font size that I might read out that this report shows that Hayes would have a
class of 42 kids in the fifth grade and 49 in the seventh grade. Lawrence would have a fourth grade class, two fourth grade classes of 41. Lincoln would have an eighth grade class of 41. And Wrl would have a fifth grade class of 51.
>> Even bigger than the range. >> It's even more than the range. Yeah. Yeah, >> just to be clear too, like this is a model so people shouldn't assume that this is exactly how it's going to go and this is the current year enrollment and like things will change but exactly those are the types of numbers that it
that it um right I mean even at the average or a little bit above the average 32 33 kids I don't know where we put them in a >> and I at four six and seventh grade >> I think why it becomes so dramatic is as I pointed out that there are
there there are sort of necess necessary. We have to have necessary allowances for increases from year to year to year and we've um we've we've um cut so much that that these increases
reflect sort of the bear the baroness of what needs to happen from year to year. So if if I'm saying we went from 12.8 8 to 7.1 and you're looking at the dollar amounts for the next three years versus the dollar amounts for increases of the
last three years when you don't fund that base and everything continues to grow. Um Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Bella. Okay, let me see if I can get her again.
Um, the superintendent is logging back in. >> Um, Betsy, did we know that BIG is having scheduled maintenance tonight? Because someone told me that they were watching this and then it cut out and now they can't get back on again because
it says BIG has scheduled maintenance. You didn't know? Okay. I figured it was a surprise. >> It was up here earlier. >> I don't know. >> Yeah. Okay. Just too bad people are watching. She's not here yet.
We're almost to the end of the slides. So, um, >> go ahead, Suzanne. Make your comment. >> Are we live? >> We're live, I think. Well, as live as we are. >> Good enough. So, I just wanted to comment a little bit. There's a wide
range and has nothing to do with our guidelines. So, I don't know if we need new guidelines of what we would need to do, but it's so wide. And to have 49 children in the class would just be unsustainable in my mind. I don't know how you could do it. And I'm thinking in
particular of all the hard work we've done in the last couple of years around sense of belonging and how that has really helped us in in our work. The MTSS that we're still getting off the ground, but that would just be blowing in the wind. We wouldn't do that. we
would have more uh referrals for special services because the the children couldn't get the what they need in a tier one setting that is so large. So it's it's more than just se uh students in a seat. Yeah. >> It's all the other things that go with
it and um it would just it would just be unsustainable. >> Okay. Mariah and then I think we have the superintendent back. >> I was just gonna >> Yes. Sorry. Yeah. >> Sorry, Bella. I was just gonna respond to Suzanne. Another thing that I think that there's a lot of like conversation in the community, oh well, when I went
to school, you know, there was 40 students or 35 students in a classroom and it's important for people to understand that education today has a very different um and and the inclusive classrooms that we operate and the programs that we operate is very very
different and and the um teachers have a very different sort of experience and the students do. So we need to make sure like 32 students in a classroom today is nothing like 32 students that it was in, you know, 1970 or whenever people were
in school. So um these numbers are just awful. One thing I do appreciate, Bella, is that at least from what I can tell on the on the all section, it looks like there was efforts to um keep the K2
classes as small as possible, even if it meant some of the older like so you might have a very small like I see in Hayes kindergarten and first grade. Again, they're smaller numbers. None of this this is all projections but it's just helpful to think that like you know people are trying to show that we would
um be as responsive as we can to like our youngest learners and how to protect their their sort of formative experiences. Um >> there's such inequities for instance Baker would be 30 in a kindergarten class and you know Hayes could do 19
in equities. It's tremendous and I presume that there would be some sort of balancing effort at some point to whatever extent I don't know because it it is inequitable but I'm what I'm looking at is the overall averages of K through2 are on the lower I mean they're still at 25 plus I think but they're at
the they're not in the 30s like they are in the upper grades. So anyway, just so you know where we are, we move to your uh summary, your last slide. >> Yes, it's all good. Um I received a FaceTime call from my son and it bopped
it. Um lost my hot spot my personal so I had to redo that. Um so this is this is the summary. Um it would be total staff reduction of 210 FTE. And so in the FY27 we did our best to
avoid the classroom sections by looking at program but after that in year two and three it goes directly to the class sizes um for a K8 and for the high school. I also want to note like if if um
say you don't fund FY27 and you somehow think you'll fund FY28, 29 and 30, these the growth that you will need or the increases will still be there, but you but you won't be able to
recapture what you lost um if FY27 isn't funded. So I feel the just the scale of it trying to recapture. So part of these year-to-year increases and fully funding them yeartoyear is an investment in
gradual growth on that base. So once you lose a year and all the reductions that go with it, you it's really it it's almost impossible to imagine imagine financially how you re retrieve that.
And Mariah, maybe you're better explaining what I just described. Um, >> I mean, I think you captured it really well, but the point is, for example, if we don't if we end grades 6 through 8 world language, it's not coming back magically um, in the following year.
>> And, you know, just to point out, we've already had to end K through five. So, like world language is done at that point. There isn't some, as you say, these these budgets, they're mutually supportive. They grow on each other. And similarly when a cut goes the cut percolates through the entire through
the entire um multi-year budget. So if you lose if you lose the um say the the what you would have done in FY27 to fully fund it and you try to cover the increases in FY28 29 and 30 you're yes
you're not going to retrieve the base you lost the investment in that base. Um, so that that's the last slide. >> Thank you, Donna. We have some questions still, I think, in the room. Donna, >> thank you so much, Bella, and thank you
for doing this while you're abroad. Um, I wanted to ask a question for for people who are thinking that these that shifting to a middle school model would alleviate some of what we
just saw on the slides. Is it accurate to say that that shift would also take time and so it wouldn't necessarily dig us out of what we're looking at what what what we should be expecting for the next couple of years if an override does
not pass. >> I think I think absolutely it's a model we should look at. It's hard for it's hard to say how much it would save or not save until we actually do the modeling. So, it's possible, but I it's um I
couldn't I couldn't tell you yay or nay until we actually go into it. >> I guess what my question is my question is more that >> shifting to a middle school model would take some time anyhow. So, it's it's not like we could press a button and be in
that model for >> uh FY28. Is that accurate or >> Right. >> Yeah. So, I will say just as just as um we looked at what closing a school would look like, I thought maybe we could see
if there were some quick fixes on um middle school just to to promote equity there. And I guess I got far enough to understand that it wasn't a quick fix that I >> Right. I Yeah, I would second that ballot. you know in um in discussing
this with Saddafa and the future subcommittee over the last couple of months to Donna's question Donna this is like a 5 to 10 year possible thing if it ever happens so this would require a ton of work and and would not provide us any benefit in the next three years really
this business talking about the >> just to be clear it might it might not give us benefit ever right like it might not >> I understand that yeah yeah what yeah abs sorry absolutely val what I meant to answer Donna's question though is that the um the the amount of work it would
take to prepare say laboratory space as Bella pointed out to you know go from 24 to 36 or something and the amount of wall movings and everything would be an incredibly expensive thing may not even ever be approved by town. So it's an idea that could potentially save us
something a long time from now if it's ever approved. And so that's the middle school model is not a solution in the short term as well as you know solar panel generation on school on school and town buildings is not a FY2728 savings kind of thing. It's just not
going to happen quickly enough to address the kind of issues that we're talking about here. >> And again I'll just reiterate that these, you know, some of the comments I'm hearing are are um not at all what I think is going to happen. In other words, that's why I asked my question
before of like intermediate kind of projections somewhere between everything we get and nothing we get. The nothing we get I really don't think is going to happen. People are sort of used to going through overrides every 3 years. And the question really be how
persuasive, direct, and transparent can we be in explaining why we're going to need the money we're asking for? If it's everything, yeah, that could be um as we've discussed extensively in ERSC, that could be something where a lot of voters are going to say no. No one's
going to say, you know, so that's why maybe when Chaz talks with this will give us some idea about how the structure of it could look in terms of it being potentially even multi-choice. uh so that people understand John Vancoak mentioned it today as well that there are potential potentials for the
select board to um to present the override as some other features I'm not going to say menu and sort of um waterfall like but that there are a couple of approaches that we're all trying to think about that would address the issues request
a substantial portion of the money we need and do it in a way that we can persuade you know persuade and bring voters along with us. We understand that this is not at all what anybody wants uh for what we're seeing in this presentation tonight. Thank you. >> Thanks, Bob.
>> Yeah, thank you, Val. Um, as we embark on this very challenging process and pretty dark issues that we face, I want to I want to place it in a larger context. I shared with the school committee and others back in about a month or two ago a report that was
published in October by the Mass Massachusetts Municipal Association. I have it in front of me. It's called a perfect a perfect storm. Cities and towns face historic fiscal pressures. And the report goes on to describe the
devastating cuts that are being made and have been made and will be made under the present fiscal circumstances that we that we face in the state of Massachusetts and in local cities and towns. Um, I encourage, you know, Brookline is like the second
smartest community in the in the world, right? That's what >> after >> after after um Bethesda Bethesda, Maryland. We usually come out two, maybe one. Anyway, we're it's a very we got a smart community here and I encourage
people who are watching out there in the peanut gallery um to take a look at this report. The Mass Municipal Association is incredibly credible organization and this report is a really comprehensive look at the fiscal pressures that cities
and towns in Massachusetts face. They also have some recommendations. So, I encourage people to take a look at this because what it what it says is that Brooklyn is not alone. And I think we have to unfortunately say we're not alone. Everybody's in this kind of a
situation. And instead of blaming, you know, different things for the mess that we the mess that we are in and face, um, it's just, you know, the word structural deficit has been used over and over and over again. It's true. And and over the
next few years, the state of Massachusetts is going to have to be much more creative than we have been now um, up until this point. So, I just want to I want to place it in a context that, you know, this is not a time to blame Brookline for whatever
um issues people perceive having to do with the the operation of the school. Today, Bella Wong is our superintendent of schools. There is no superintendent in Massachusetts better equipped to deal with fiscal pressures than Bella Wong. and and in in a very short amount of time, we've watched how she's marshaled
her team and did this incredible analysis and made recommendations that are as competent as you will find. And I just want Brook Lang to know that that um we are fortunate to have Bella and her team and we are not alone in facing
this crisis. You know, you know Suzanne Sarah talking about these crazy class sizes. It's it's um outrageous and it's devastating just like the report says. So, we have a context. Let's pay
attention to the context and maybe there's some hope over the next few years that we will respond as a state as well as a local community to address these very crit critical issues. Thank you. >> Thanks, Bob. Did we lose Bella again? >> No, she's there.
>> I'm here. >> I'm here. >> Okay. Um, >> but can I can I say thanks to the team then since Bob mentioned them? Of course. I just Yeah. Oh my gosh. Um, I have an incredible team. Um, but Susan Given really really dug deep um and
provided so much of the analysis for us along with um Mariah's support, your support, other support of other members helping us along the way. But I just want to thank the senior leadership team, the principles. Um Hal did a lot of work too for the high school and
Anthony um but all of our K principles have been really great in providing narratives and impact and um but Susan by far um the work that she's had to do just very much appreciate it. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. Um so we're moving on to item >> I have a question. Yep. Um, just kind of going back to
so update on the FY27 proposed budget. I guess that was built into this. This was long. So now I've a little bit lost track and there was >> Yeah. >> Okay. We have the the slides are failed override, but we had So nothing has
changed on the FY27 proposed budget. Um not since last not since six days ago >> we we didn't we didn't improve on the bottom line. Yeah. >> If Yes. Um and so what we did was just a further analysis that that um the
impacts for FY28 and 29. That's what's new. >> Okay. Thank you. And so I guess I just have a question um about kind of process from here. Um, I'm just going to try and kind of put
aside the the no override scenario for a second and bring us back to here. We are with the budget going through the budget process or con considering um leading up to a vote on approving that budget. So
like a few weeks ago, Mariah had made a motion about restoring something that like I guess implicitly included would have been a tradeoff unless it was increasing what the budget was.
So what's the process going forward? And then we're continuing to kind of get answers to questions that we asked and maybe new questions come up. Um, is there a process for discussing
what's on the table in terms of the cuts? I mean, I think that this has been the several meetings to do that, but I I think that the superintendent >> I think the superintendent has um
>> indicated that she and in previous meetings and Bella, tell me if I'm wrong or if I'm misinterpreting you, that um given the magnitude of the cuts for FY27 and certainly the outy years, but sticking with FY27, Yeah. that you would
um want us to to trust in the judgment of you and your senior leadership team and the and the the reductions that you have embedded in the FY27 budget. So yes and it tried to our focus has
been to protect the class sizes um and working that so everything reflects the work of the of the building principles all the way but every time we approach the reductions we look first at district level to see what we could do um there
and then again we distributed at 6040 across the prek8s and the high school and it's based on the student enrollment where the students are. And in case it's not clear, I'm not really looking to
um propose something else. Um but I do there are still questions about sort of some of what is in the budget just in terms of like where the money goes and
how it goes. So, and then tonight was a long presentation that was mostly about the no override scenario. So, are we going to just continue to get like an FAQ document? So, I think the FAQ
document will be updated as staff are able. Um, and Mariah, correct me if I'm wrong, the 19th we need to vote a budget, correct? I don't believe we need to. I believe it's in the calendar as the first
possible vote. Is that something? Am I remembering that right, Betsy? Yes. Um, >> so we don't need to >> vote it at that point. >> What's the latest? >> I mean, the day before >> town meeting. >> Town meeting, right? Yes. Yeah. >> Um,
>> there are things that I still need to understand. Susan Given is raising her hand. So maybe Susan, do you want to Susan? You're really not supposed to be here, but go ahead. >> Thank you. Yes. Uh, we are going to need to take some action because we do have
to go through the process of sending out non-renewals. >> I believe we have an April one deadline. >> Okay. So, I guess I just have to say again, I'm it's it's not that I'm looking to make some other suggestions
um or even necessarily tradeoffs which I guess came up before. Um, but I still have questions about
sort of how many money flows and um, well, I've been communicating the question, so it's a little sort of stunted when it's like an email and then an FAQ and I'm always looking for the opportunity to have just discussion
because I think we kind of get answers better that way. Um, and put a little time on the 19. We can put some time on the 19th for that when Susan's back with us. >> Okay. And then just >> I just put I hope we can put more than a little bit of time on, especially if it's the night we're voting and it's like the like
>> maybe we're voting or maybe we're >> I know. But if we're theoretically voting, everyone have should have the chance to have their questions aired in >> we might also vote on the 26th. >> And last year we had also had a session that was exclusively dedicated to budget and I don't think we did that this >> Yes, we did. That's the 19th. >> Oh, good. Okay. So then that's So but
then that's a little bit of time. That's the entire >> Yeah. Okay. Perfect. >> And sorry. Sorry, Donna. Just >> sorry. I just want to point out I don't know if you know that Chaz is online. >> Yeah, he's next up, but we're we're just finishing up on this budget piece. And
>> generally speaking, my response um part of my response to the to the presentation we just had is I just feel obligated to say I feel a responsibility to say we really have to
be at the same time that we're contemplating these big impacts. I I think we do ourselves and the public a disservice if we are not at the same time really
taking seriously potential non-programmatic structural types of changes some of which have been you know alluded to and not sort of I'm hearing a lot of like that wouldn't make a
difference that couldn't happen that couldn't happen, something is going to have to happen. Um, >> so otherwise we are otherwise we are >> counting on overrides
forever and running the risk of these kinds of impacts in the event that an override fails. So I just want to kind of put that out there again and I think I've said it before. So, um, >> you have and and you sit on
>> at some point, um, you know, we can keep doing what we're doing and nibbling around the edges forever and have death by a thousand cuts or we can seriously contemplate other things. So, um, I hope
that'll happen, too. And I know that you, uh, attend most of the ERSC meetings and, uh, Mariah's on schools, Jesse's on towns, I was on futures. Um there's going to be a document that lists many things to to look at and
study. So and that have been worked on for the last nine plus um >> almost a year. >> Yeah, almost a year. Um, so I I think there's going to be a road map for both town and schools for
>> um structural changes, revenue, uh, avenues to look at. >> Okay. >> Um, things within the buildings, our buildings, other buildings, >> um, model changes, uh, benefits, you know, all those sorts of things, solar,
and whether that is going to bring some savings to our energy costs. All of these things are um I think going to be in a a roadmap document that comes out of ER ERSC that um will guide us as a town. You know, really probably >> that's helpful to hear you describe it
as a road map. Um so that that's interesting. Thanks, Val. >> Can I ask >> Donna? Yeah. >> Um I just have I think sort of a just a process question, so hopefully it's quick. So when we vote on either the
19th or the 26th, we're voting on a an an a successful override budget and a failed override budget. Is that right? I think we only do my recollection of what we did for the last override was that we just did one budget. We did what our
request was. We did our budget request and we did not do a failed override budget. So because >> right >> because one we don't know if it'll be zero or it'll be something else. I mean there's there are just so many pieces of that. So I I the last time there was an
override we did one budget um it was the one that we had agreed on with some sort of similar um cuts. Um but we did not do two budgets. So, I'm asking because that
will shift. I I like I think it sounds like like Carolyn has some outstanding questions and I understand everyone is working super hard. So, I'm happy to be patient. Um but so I will limit my outstanding questions to successful
override scenario. Right. That's all I need to understand in order to take the vote. >> Yes. >> Got it. Thank you. Mhm. >> Betsy, will you confirm? Do you mind confirming with us like what it looked like last time? Because I I don't remember. I'm not saying you're wrong. I
just don't remember. And I would love to. >> Yeah. The the vote, right? What vote that we took for >> Yeah. Just a refresh of the memory of what we did last time. That presumably was the right thing. >> Thank you. Um, so moving on to number 4E, we have
town administrator Chaz Kerry here to talk about structures of uh possible overrides. And uh, of course, Superintendent Wong is still with us as well. >> Thank you, chair, and to the committee. Um, thank you very much for having me. Um, good to see you all. Uh, I apologize
for not being in person. I just, uh, was down at the Baker School, actually talking about, uh, budget 101 on the, uh, town side. Um and it was a great discussion. Um so thank you. Um I've been asked to come around to talk
about the potential structures of an override and what you could do and what would be the potential uh choices that the select board ultimately faces in putting a question on the ballot. Um,
broadly, um, the select board has wide latitude to put ballot questions to the voters. Their deadline is March 31st, um, at 11:59 p.m. Um, they are meeting that night for the record. Um, so it
could well come down that night. Um, and historically in Massachusetts, overrides have been structured in um, one of two ways. Either there is a um sorry, one of three ways. Um there's a cafeteria override where um a number of small
questions are put on the ballot for specific programs, specific purposes. Do you want to spend money for X? Do you want to spend money for Y? Do you want to spend money for Z? Um that has not historically been Brookline's practice. Um and that has not been the subject of any significant discussion at
expenditures and revenues. um the sort of cafeteria override item by item has not been um discussed. Similarly, even a sort of higher level version of that where there's one vote for the schools and one
vote for the town has been brought up but it hasn't been seriously discussed. Um right now the discussion at expenditures and revenues has been on a unitary ballot question for both town and schools and the question has been
how do we then um have that impact reflected on the voters. Uh and so um in some communities there have been what's called a tiered override where they ask question for example 1 A 1 B and 1 C and
they say question 1A says do you want your taxes to go up by $5 million. Question 1B says do you want your taxes to go up by $10 million? Question 1 C says do you want your taxes to go up by $15 million? And at the bottom of this it says whatever the highest uh number
is that commands a majority is what the tax is is the amount by which your taxes will go up. Um and so if for example 1 A gets 60% support 1 B gets 55% support
and 1 C gets 48% support 1B passes and the tax levy increases by $10 million. Um that has been the subject of discussion at expenditures and revenues in fact and at the select board as well. The select board has been talking about
needing to see options options on the table. Um ENRC has been similar. They've been talking about tiers and this tiered override model um as an option. Um the other um sort of variable to consider
here um which is unique to Brookline is that um historically Brookline has laid out overrides as a three-year promise. And what they've said is we will increase the tax levy. The total amount that can be taxed by a certain amount.
Say for sake of argument it's $15 million. In year one the t actual taxes taken will only go up by $5 million. same in year two, same in year three. And the result of that will be that it phases in over time and there's less of
an impact or less of a shock to the taxpayer um when the tax bill comes in year-over-year. Um and that's a commitment that's made, but it's not reflected in the ballot question. The ballot question still says, "Do you want to approve a $15 million override?" And
then in the explanation, there has to be the discussion of, you know, the town has promised that we're only going to see it go up by $5 million, an additional $5 million year-over-year. Um, what's on the table and is being discussed at expenditures and revenues
is a slightly different model. Um, a model in which a larger amount is uh taken in year one. that is you put an override on the table for $15 million. Um you tax you actually take that money
in year one. You tax to the maximum of the levy. You collect that $15 million but you don't spend it all. You save some of that money. For example, here going back to the previous example, you only spend $5 million of it and you put $10 million of it in a stabilization
fund. And the purpose of that stabilization fund is to avoid cuts and to fund operations in the following years of the override. If, for example, you know, there's going to be a broader deficit, this is a way to control for
that cost. Now, the obvious downside to that structure is if things don't change by the time the override cycle expires, you're left with a larger structural deficit than you were before. Um, again, to use that example, um, say you know
that your actual deficit is $20 million, but you're only taxing the 15. Well, you're just papering over that $5 million hole. Um, you're using the reserve fund to cover that deficit. Um, and then when the time comes to deal
with it, um, you'll still have to deal with it unless something has changed structurally in how your community does business. So, I want to pause there. Are there questions, comments, concerns about
anything that I've just said there? >> I don't think so. You have a lot of ERSC watchers at the table here. >> I know. I just want to make sure like the basics are covered. Um so with that said um uh yesterday at ENRSC I
presented in response to the committee's request preliminary draft of what a tiered override structure would look like. And then today in response to the uh feedback that I received both yesterday and today
at ENRSC um I made some revisions. So those are being displayed for the first time tonight. Um you were the first audience to see them. Um reflecting the concern that in a at the lowest number
um the town's number was unchanged. Um and so uh is it okay if I share my screen? >> Yes, she's gonna give you a screen share. So, at ENRSC, three options were presented yesterday um in response to
the select board's feedback and ENRSC's feedback. Um, and I said when these were originally presented that if I had, you know, if I were, you know, able to, you know, make this sort of overarching
decision, I would really only present two of these. Um, which is tier three and tier two. Um, so tier three here is a uh proposal for a $24 million levy
increase that is phased in over time. This has not changed from what ENRSC is uh saw um yesterday. So the school side because of and pause and say these numbers on the school side are not the
most uh uh not the most current numbers. Um they are not what was presented but they're close. Um and so we will update this with the school's most current numbers but these are from last week. >> Um >> so >> those are right Chaz. >> Are they? Yeah.
>> Okay. I thought that you had mentioned that there was some change there, but okay. Um, so those are good. Um, and so you can see here that this is structured like a more traditional Brookline override. Um, the total amount on the
ballot would be 23,96,137, but it would be phased in over time. And so there would only be a certain amount of additional tax uh put on the voters year-over-year. Um and this would
satisfy um the obligations of the schools um through FY29. Um it leaves FY30 an open question. Um so this would get us through FY29. The town is again structuring it in the way
that we talked about this alternative way where that money is taken all at once and then used to fund a reserve. So the town's number doesn't go up in FY28 and 29, but in order to defay the um the you know sticker shock on the voters um
the school's number is broken up. Um and so ultimately this results in taxes going up. Um, the delta between the current fiscal year and the end of FY29 is 18.5%.
Um, now what I've put here for reference is if there's no override, taxes will still go up an estimated 11.3%. These two numbers are estimates. These 3.1 numbers are estimates. Um, but they're based on past practice. Why is
that 5.1 so high? This year, a large amount of excluded debt is coming online. Debt that voters agreed in the past to take on um for, for example, fire stations, the Pierce School, the
Driscoll School um etc. So this year, even if there's no override, taxes are going up by a significant amount. Um and that's just something that the NRSC has asked us to keep in the background um as we develop these options.
So, this is a traditionally structured Brookline override. Um, but the number, the ultimate bottom line number is a large number. Um, I'll pause here. Are there questions on this? >> Chaz, I have a
>> sorry, an arcane question. Are we still bonding for Driscoll in 27? I would have thought that the entire Driscoll bonding would have occurred already. My >> understanding is we have one more round of Driscoll. >> Oh, okay. I have a question, Chaz.
Um, and sorry if you said this and I missed it. So, the total the total levy increase from FY26 override or no override.
No override is 11.3 >> and then over 18. >> And you're saying that that is inclusive of the debt service. Okay. >> Bella, sorry, I have one more question.
>> I just um so Chaz is I just went Chaz was right the the numbers need to be adjusted slightly. Um, and I I just I just wanted to make sure everyone knew that. >> Okay.
>> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. I'm just trying to understand sort of how the like I've seen the chart in the town's financial plan that shows the debt service. I don't know if
there's one in there that shows the debt service as a proportion of of our tax or or a proportion of
revenue from real estate taxes. Um, yeah, I'm not sure if I formulated my question yet. >> Okay, we can come back to it. Chaz, do you want to move on to the next tier? >> Um,
or the next one? >> Just have >> Sorry, Bob. Bob might have a question. >> Just quick. Uh, Chaz, what's the what's the number that would allow us to end the third year not in a deficit? >> This one, >> the number that allows you to end the
third year not in a deficit. This is it. >> Um, now, >> sorry. The problem is what happens in FY30. Um, in this case, this gets you to FY30, but it doesn't get you through FY30. Um, so that's an open question,
right? This is what I mentioned, Bob, about an hour ago when we were discussing what happens after FY29. This is that answer that Chaz just shared. >> Thank you. >> That it only gets us as far as 29. And then I asked I referenced do we hit a cliff sort of at that point because we've been we're not coasting. We're
working very hard to provide basic funding and support for everything. But even if we fully fund the override, this is and Chaz, correct me if I'm wrong. I mean the year the 102 tutored me on this that we'll be probably sitting at an abyss in 29 talking about what to do for
30 31 32. Yes, I think the situation in 31 and 32 is going to be different. Um because that is what we are when we are targeted to fulfill our pension obligations. It's when the overall burden for debt services a portion of the levy starts to
go down. >> So there will be some structural changes that will grant some relief really beginning in 31. Again, knock on wood assuming that you know bottom doesn't fall out of the market which is very much a possibility. Um, you know, we we
do think that there are changes of foot in the first years of the next decade that are going to bring some relief into the budget. Um, the question is how much relief? How are we going to satisfy our outlying obligations? There
are a lot of long-term structural issues that we need to think about here as we are going into this potential override cycle. Um, so I don't want to go out there and say in FY31 our problems are solved. We just have to get there. I want us to be re realistic about the
fact that in FY31 our situation changes for the better and we need to have hard conversations about how to capitalize on that without losing financial stability in the future. >> Okay. Can we go to tier two chess?
>> Yeah. >> So sorry Susan's hand is up. Susan, >> I just wanted to clarify that none of these tiers addresses FY20 uh FY30. >> Yeah. >> And back to
>> right. >> I'll I'll I'll this one sort of does. Correct. Um this this is the tier that tries to put us on firmer financial footing in in FY30. So this tier
um asks for less money overall, but it requires the town and the schools to take the total amount upfront. So it would be a significant increase in people's taxes in FY27.
Um, and it would result in a total levy increase in one year of 11% not including the CPA which is an additional 1% search charge. So you're talking about 12% increase in people's taxes.
Um, that will then have less impact in the outy years. So only a total of 17.9%. Contrast that with 18.51% doesn't seem like much but when you put that in real dollar terms it is you know significant
a significant amount of money. Um and what this does is it supposes that the schools operate a similar model to what the town is proposing. Tax to the maximum. Take the money you don't need and put it in a stabilization fund. Um
get whatever return on the investment that you can. put it in a money market account. This assumes 2% growth conservatively. You know, again, it's it's not going to add up to say, you know, interest is not going to save us here. Um, but at least it will contribute somewhat. Um, and then, you
know, bank that revenue, build up a reserve fund, and then stabilize yourself going into FY30. This gives the schools $6 million of reserve funding going into FY30.
And given that in a in the other scenario, the potential gap the schools are facing in FY30 if nothing changes is between 12 and 13 million. This gives meaningful relief to the schools on that front and buys the time
necessary for the town and the schools to work on the things structurally that we've been talking about and that ENRSC has been talking about. The health care split, utility costs, shared services, all of those things that can result in benefits to both town and schools and
savings to town and schools that we have to then build out over this three-year period. um you know it will basically turn FY30 into a bridge year, a year in which we have to say how are we going to get through this to a period of greater
stability in FY31 and beyond. Um but it makes it feasible. Um it transforms it from a gap that pretty much calls for another override into something that gives the schools in the town functionality. So, this is the model
that gets you to that point where you're not automatically saying to the voters, we're going we're going to be coming back to you in 30. >> Okay, I hear quiet. So, I think tier one chaz. >> Okay, so the select board, members of the
select, excuse me, members of the select board I've talked to have asked for three tiers and the rationale for that vary. Um, and I will say again, right, in in ideal worlds, I would just put tier two and tier three up there. I would not put tier one. Um, but I also
think it's important to the point of that several ENRC members have made and the point that um, several of you have made. Um it's important to set a baseline uh and say this is this is the
bare minimum that we can do but it doesn't leave us in a good place. Uh and that's what tier one is. Um it assumes again that we are in the same place where we are banking our money town and schools. It assumes a 10% reduction in the town ask. That's a little over 10%
actually. It drops from 5.31 4.77. Um that gives additional uh headway to the schools. Um and it allows them to under the current situation wind up
roughly the same place as the town is which would be needing to make an additional $500,000 a little over $500,000 in reductions to get us through FY29. Um now as I said to ENRSC the reason why
this number is 16.2 two is because it puts the total levy increase at 9.97, just under 10%. Which was a target that some members of the NRSC asked us to try and meet. Figure out a way to get taxes, total taxes to go up by no more than 10%. Now, I will be clear, this leaves
out the CPA. The CPA is a separate assessment. Um, it's not something that we track when we talk about the levy because it's an automatic increase. So, this does wind up putting the average tax bill up more than 10%. Um, but again, psychologically, we're talking
about this barrier um of, you know, being able to say that we're not going up by more than 10%. Um, this gets you there. Um, with this 16.2 million, um, and with the town reducing its ask by 10%, it leaves more um, options for the
schools. Um, I do think that we are going to see at least some changes in our health care bills and in what the state provides us in FY27 in terms of local aid. I don't think those numbers are going to be seismic. Um, so I want
to set expectations. I don't think we are going to see significant reduction in healthcare costs based on what the GIC is thinking about right now. The only thing they've committed to is cutting coverage for GLP1s. and they have said that they are cutting coverage for GLP1s because they want to bring the
drug companies to the negotiating table in order to restore them in future years. Um so we will see whether or not this cut is even a permanent cut versus a negotiating tactic. Um but the other things that would have given significant
relief to the budget but also put a significant burden on our employees were things like raising co-pays, raising maximums, raising hospital bill, um you know, emergency room charges, etc. And the governor asked the GIC to put those
on pause and the GIC has. So I don't think we're going to see much relief beyond that um from the GIC. I don't think we're going to see much relief beyond what we currently have now from the state from the state house in terms of the House Ways and Means budget, but
historically the House Ways and Means budget has tended to net us a couple hundred,000. So the actual break even number here when the town asked was still 5.31 was around 17 million. >> Um >> what what is it now Chaz? So if it's
with a reduced 4.77, what is that break even number? I haven't had the chance to run that number. Um, I will do that for you. Um, but I haven't had the chance to do it. >> It's lower than 17 million. Um, >> 16. >> I would estimate it's around 165.
>> That's what Mariah >> You and Maria Chaz, I was just doing I was mumbling to Val. It's about 165 and then you said it. So, we're on the same wavelength. There you go. So 165 would get us without either the
town or schools having a gap, but the difference would be there would be like 10.2% of a total levy increase as opposed to below the psychological 10. Is that what >> Oh, that won't do.
>> That pencil >> is that Mariah doing that? >> No, that's Chaz doing that. Um That that to me looks like a better number, but I know it's 10.06. >> It looks like a better number to me, too. What I'm saying is
>> we're we're going to have more information about this when House Ways and Means comes out, which is imminent, and when the GIC votes, which is also which should be within, you know, tomorrow, Friday. So, we'll have more information about whether 162 is
sustainable um and puts us in a situation more like this one. >> Thank you. Any questions for Chaz on this one? Okay. >> Sorry, we're having >> any questions for Chaz. >> Jesse.
>> Chess. >> Thank you. Uh sorry, let me just turn the video on. Yeah, Chaz, I just wanted to um say thank you with deep affection for what you're prevent what you are sharing with us tonight. Thanks. >> Okay, Mariah,
>> we know you we know what's gone in to make this happen and this is uh astounding. So, thank you. >> Um Chaz, I also >> did it disappear. Sorry. I want to say thank you as well and and I think that um I have I have concerns obviously
particularly about this tier for where it leaves us in FY30 um and um and how it sort of how it will leave us in FY30. I think we had an earlier conversation that you weren't here about and it was
about structural sort of structural changes and structural drivers of revenues and expenses and this one I think um does the I know does the least to structurally support the revenues in the long term while it does solve the immediate um the immediate needs. So
that's my concern about it and I appreciate that you said you know it's not it's not something you would like to it's not the one you would choose to bring. Um, but I do appreciate all the work that you've done to um present the different options and to give um all of
the committees considering this the the information that they need to be informed. Thank you very much, Chaz, for presenting this um again and and uh thank you for um looking at that slight reduction on the town ask so that we can
perhaps make this work for everybody um without a deficit at least in FY29. So, I appreciate you looking so um closely and sharpening pencils on on this. >> Did did I hear Chaz say earlier that he favored three and two?
>> Yes. >> Okay. You did. Would you like the last word, Bella, on this? >> No, I just I um I appreciate that the number was changed
um in tier one, but I um I just I I know that that um the town is I I'm sorry. I just know the town really tried hard to get to that other number and been holding it. So I don't know what
this means. >> Bella, I agree with you. I I find it like I'm concerned too. I mean the T like Chaz like you are taking a lot of cuts to offset your ask already. And it's not that I don't think that um like I was concerned about the schools being
in the hole, but I'm also concerned about what this represents in terms of quality of of services for town residents. as we think about all the cuts you were already making to achieve your 5.3 number. So, um, >> so I I just wasn't comfortable letting
the moment go without saying that. >> I I 100% agree. Um, but that's >> Is this is this shared yet, Chaz, or is this going to come to us later? This this >> this will come to the NRSC um later. This is Thursday. >> Um, yeah, this is the most recent version.
>> Can you just pop Can you pop tier two back for a second because I'm I'm looking at that 477. What is it in tier two? Does that increase? No. Yeah. Yeah. >> In tier two is actually >> Okay. So, that's about 300k more. I see. Okay. I didn't I I didn't catch that before. I must have I might had something covering that column. Okay.
Thank you very much. Now I see it. Okay. >> And in this instance, the town number actually goes up slightly. Um because we're talking about the same thing. We're talking about floating FY30, ensuring that we have the funds that we need um to move through this. This also
solves your problem. and and um uh John Dogget's problem, Jesse, about how to how to put some more money into roadways. >> Well, yeah, it's small, but and this and this >> sustainability maybe is this also including sustainability and >> this protect this protects
sustainability and tree bylaw. Um you know, the other the other one, you know, makes some cuts. Um >> yeah, I I get that. Sure. Okay. No, I just didn't see the thing. >> This one's better for all of us in FY29, right? Oh, sure. >> This is a this is a huge improvement. I
mean, I think, you know, poundforpound, right? >> So, tier three is the let's ask for everything. Um, let's put it all out there. This is really this is really what the gap is. We're going to provide the services that you want us to
provide. And it's a huge number. Um, but the feedback we keep getting even from committee members who are supportive very much of the schools and what they do is give us a number with a one. This feels like tier two feels like the best of both worlds to me because it solves, you know, or at least mitigates
the issues that we are going to face in FY30 when the bill comes due. Um, and it allows it it gives it gives us runway and it lets us put question with a one in front of it to the voters. Feedback
that I get though is yes, what does an austerity budget look like? What is it? what what does the bad outcome look like that's not zero? You know, I keep getting that question. How you know, if you if you had to go down to X, what would you do? What would you do? And what I've said in response to
that is I don't want to engage in that exercise without one, the town and the school is doing it together. And two, an understanding that it is just that, an exercise. Um because what I worry about is the same thing that Bella worries
about, which is once you start putting a menu of options out there, it becomes sort of a political knife fight. It's what you experienced last year on the school committee. Um where you wound up in an untenable position. Um and I I don't mean that in a in a I don't I I I
don't mean that in a derogatory way. I mean that in a sympathetic way. Your position was really untenable. you found yourself staring at that $2 point something million dollar gap and being faced with a menu of options and every night you got yelled at by a variety of constituents who told you not to cut
anything else and you had to come to the select board and the select board had to make decisions on that foot. Um and it wasn't fair to you, it wasn't fair to the people involved and it wasn't fair it just it wasn't fair. Um you were left
in a really tough situation. Um and so when I think about you know that that exercise um and being asked well assume that you have to do this um what would you cut um I can do that exercise have
done that exercise internally I am ready for that conversation but I don't think it's a healthy way to do business I think it's healthier to do things the way that Bella is doing which is to say at a certain point you've got to trust staff is doing everything they can to
get to the number that is the bare minimum necessary to keep the lights on and provide the level of services you want to provide. Um, so if I'm asked, will I do it? Yes. Do I think it's the right way to do things? No. >> Thank you, Chaz.
>> I actually think we've been cutting. Yeah, thank you, Chaz. But I I I believe we've been cutting. >> Yep. Yeah, that's what that's what I that's what I meant is that you've presented. Yes. So,
>> okay. Anything else on this item? >> All right. Thank you, Chaz, for your time and for being here with us so late. >> Thank you all for your work. Um, please reach out to me if there are any questions that I can answer or if there's anything our team can do for you. >> Thank you so much. >> Good night.
>> Um, next 5A. Robin, are you doing 5A for us? This is the course catalog changes for 26 to 27. >> Yeah. Review, discussion, and possible vote. 5 A1 uh or 5A little I astrophysics honors
and then the English learner transition English bridging to mainstream English. >> I move to approve. >> Are you seconded? >> Okay. >> Seconded. >> Bob moves to approve and Jesse seconds. Are there questions?
>> I just have a question. >> Okay. You may not know the answer, Robin. Um, but I read the blurb with intrigue. >> Okay. >> Um, the last line says they will contribute to citizen science projects. And I'm curious. I don't think of citizen science projects as typically
being astrophysics related. I think of them being like water testing in your local pond and stuff like that. So, I'm just curious. Do you know what kind of citizen science projects astrophysicists and budding astrophysicists would engage in? Because I'm I'm really curious. >> No, but I trust them.
>> Is this on? Oh, yeah. It's okay. Um I I can't give you a specific example. I think one of the things to note about this particular course um is this is a course that is being sponsored by the innovation fund. So it's in development.
Um so we have a course description here. It's the aspiration of what it will be um as it's developed and then um executed with students for the first time. Um it's really exciting because of the idea that this is another science elective that students could choose. So
it's a semester course that would um they would take either in addition to another fullyear science course. So there'd you know be something else or um particularly as they get to be seniors where they might have two semester
courses counting as their as year-long science for them. So um it's a course that's anticipated to have some great interest. Um and I know we have a lot of sounds behind it. >> Yeah. If I had to guess, there are things like hunting for supernovas or hunting for comets that correct. Yes.
involve lots and lots of citizen scientists with low powered telescopes searching the sky. >> I was going to also add Mariah that there are radio astronomies, there are um copying, you know, tapping into worldwide databases and generating
experiments on black hole development. There are tons and tons of things that s citizen citizen scientists do with um in the astrophysics community and um there's so many resources available for high schools especially as Robin mentioned in junior and seniors. So
they're really just asking for the public's help to do research, right? And so it's patterns, it's computer processing, it involves learning what they we learned about from the school uh from the high school about what three weeks ago on advances in computer science and algorithm development for
students that will position them better for this kind of thing. So this is just huge for them. There are lots and lots of things that they can do to help out. >> Okay. Um there's a motion on the floor. Second. Donna, how do you vote?
Yes, Suzanne. >> Yes, >> Sarah. >> Yes, >> Mariah. >> Yes, >> Andy. >> Yes, >> Carolyn. >> Yes, >> Bob. >> Yes, >> Jesse. >> Love it. Yes. Thank you. >> And I vote yes as well. Um, next is the English learner transition. >> Bob moves it. >> I move that.
>> Is there a second? >> Suzanne seconds. Any discussion? >> Okay. >> I trust Meny Paulo. >> Is this a Is this a mandated change? >> Yes. Um, so there have been some change some mandated changes by Desi. So that's the revision of the course and that's why it's substantial enough that it's
coming forward for for vote. Thank you. >> Bob, how do you vote? >> I vote yes. >> Carolyn, >> yes. Andy, >> yes. >> Mariah, >> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Donna, >> yes. >> Jesse, >> I want to second Bob's endorsement of Mindy and yes.
>> And I vote yes as well. Um, next we have a first reading of the PSB physical restraint policy, E2B. Um, any questions on the policy that was in your packets?
>> And Karen's online for any questions that we have. Okay, Mariah. Karen, thank you for making the edits. We talked about I was wondering whether you had the chance to run both this one and the next one by CPAC and whether there was any feedback or not yet. Um I sent it to
CBAC. I haven't had any feedback yet, but I will follow up with them. >> Thank you. >> Oh, okay. Any other? >> No. Okay. Um so moving on to our uh first reading of the administration of medications in schools and delegation of
administration of prescription medications policy E2D first reading. Any questions for Karen on this policy? >> And actually Trisha is joining us. >> Oh, Trisha's here too. Late night for you, Trisha. I'm so sorry, too. >> That's okay.
>> Any questions for Trisha or Karen? >> I just want to thank you, Trisha, for putting this together. It um is fantastic and um appreciate your work on this and appreciate you being here tonight and clearly have done a fabulous job because nobody in this very verbose
committee has any questions and we usually have comments on everything. So um I I think that's it. >> I'll just add there then Val I'll just add that um in policy we read through it and you know it was thoroughly thoroughly enjoyable in the sense of
well put together well organized and covered all the you know the a toz that we needed to. So on policy we were quite uh you know quite impressed and happy with the with the result. That's why it came up here so quickly. So thank you Trisha. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you and have a good evening Trisha. You can
>> say goodbye to us. Thanks. Um, moving on to 5D, request for grant acceptance, $5,735.90 from New England Dairy for the Food Service Department. Is there a motion to approve? >> Is there Can we move can we move all five of these um at once?
>> All grants. >> I don't think we can actually because some are grant acceptance and some are applications. >> Okay. Oh, sorry. Okay. >> And some are contracts which we're going to skip over anyway. Um, so Mariah moves to accept. Is there a second? Suzanne second. Yeah. >> Uh, Jesse, how do you vote?
>> Yes. >> Donna, >> yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> Mariah, >> yes. >> Andy, >> yes. >> Carolyn, >> yes. >> Bob, >> yes. >> And I vote yes as well. Uh, on 5e, the bus contract uh extension, that's expected to go to finance on 318 and
then back to school committee on the 19th. So, um that will be um something to look forward to at finance in two weeks. Uh number five E state earmark award in the amount of $122,000 review
and discussion. Is there any >> I just want to say what great news. >> What great news. Yeah, this was this was uh done a while back, but yes, it's great news. >> Okay. Um we don't need a vote on that, but I'm glad that everybody saw it and
it's posted online, right? so that our our viewers our viewers at home. Um, next up is 5G request to approve grant submitt 16,700 application to the Brookline Community Foundation from BEP.
Any questions on >> I would say >> I know normally this is how you would do it, but we haven't had finance. >> Yeah, exactly. Normally these would go to finance first, but um because of how everything's going, we just moved these to the full committee.
So there's no um finance recommendation. >> So is there um anybody moving to approve the grant submitt? >> I will move to um approve. >> And Bob second. >> Second. >> Bob, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Carolyn, >> yes. >> Andy, Mariah,
>> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Donna, >> yes. Jesse, >> can I make one? We didn't have any time for discussion. I just wanted to make a comment before I vote. >> Okay, >> if that if that's okay, though. >> Sure.
>> Yeah. I just wanted to comment as I read through everything, you know, during the day. Um the last one in here um from the Boston Foundation. >> We're not there yet, Jesse. >> Oh, we're not? >> No, we're at the beach. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We're on the one before that. Yes.
>> You vote yes. >> Sorry. Yes. Okay. >> And I vote yes as well. >> Um, do we have another dairy? Okay. >> Oh, this is submitt. Okay. This is a submitt. So, request for the grant submitt for $3,800 application to the New England Dairy from the Food Service
Department. Is there a motion? >> I'll move it. I'll just clarify. One was a bulk milk. The application was for >> first one was bulk milk. >> Bulk Oh, the first one was bulk milk and this one is for pin. >> This is for the panini machines. >> So, they're different. Completely different programs. the opposite.
>> That's what I thought. It was the opposite. I was going >> the opposite, Jesse. >> It's the opposite. >> Was the one that we approved? >> Yeah. >> The 573, >> but they're different. Mariah moved it. Bob seconded it. Bob, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Uh Carolyn, >> yes. >> Andy, >> yes. >> Mariah,
>> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Donna, >> yes. >> Jesse, >> yes. >> And I vote yes as well. Um, next we have a request to approve a grant submitt for $10,000 to the Boston Foundation from the Brooklyn High School Career Student Program. I'll move it.
>> Mariah moves it. I second. Any discussion? >> I just Yeah. One one just comment that I wanted to bring out from Sorry, I jumped. >> Donna had her hand up and then you, Jesse. So, >> bye. I >> Okay, go ahead, Donna. >> Sorry, Jesse. I just want to say very
clearly that um I do support this program and the students that it serves. um LGBTQ plus students and every student in Brooklyn uh and beyond Brooklyn deserves safety and belonging and strong support. Um I
had brought some questions forward about um the fiscal clarity in this um grant proposal. Um, given our dire financial landscape, I asked several questions to understand how
staffing for this work would be structured. And I was told that information wasn't available for this discussion. So, it's hard for me to understand how those pieces fit together or what the longer term staffing expectations might be. And for me, um,
I would need a clear line of sight into both the programmatic benefits and the staffing implications of any initiatives that we approve. It's part of my sense of responsible governance. So, I want to be upfront and say because I don't have that clarity, I'm going to be voting no
on this request. >> So, I I just want to clarify that uh the program director uh did inform us that this involved no stipens and no salaries. This is just for um materials, food, field trips, things of that
nature. Um it there there are no staff implications in this grant application. >> Response that you need to ask Helen Anthony about the implications for the plus ones. That was >> plus one is not implicated in the grant. >> She was she I think she was responding to your questions about like because you
had brought her staffing questions and she said you need to ask them about the staffing questions. she was able to she was this this application does not have any staffing implications in it. The application that they had to submit to the Boston Foundation, they're required to describe the program more broadly.
And so that's why a lot of the materials we were provided talk about like the staff and how it works and blah blah blah, but the actual funding that they're requesting is not for those things. The funding it wasn't itemized, Betsy wasn't itemized. It's there for >> on the back two pages, Mariah. It has
the old You can see those things in there, >> right? But there are staffing implications to those programs, aren't there? Because they I mean in their description, what wouldn't happen if this if this grant is not funded is that um they
wouldn't have field trips and they wouldn't have food and they wouldn't have money to pay for a speaker series essentially. And then there's I think a workshop um that's done as well. >> But I still want to understand what the staffing implications are. So for me it's not clear >> but there aren't staffing implications
from this application. We are this is a grant application that we are reviewing that has no additional staff implicers that had been funded by the PTO as extras as nicities for their programming and they are now looking for a different
funding source to rotate out of the PTO's um funding cycle. Carolyn, >> I think what's confusing because I was also confused by some of the descriptions and I'm already a
little confused because Okay, so we know that there's one plus one for QSP currently at the high school. Then this application talks
about course releases. So I do I I don't understand to begin with like the the staffing aspect. I think that means that somebody >> teaches this for you. >> I can I think I can answer it. Okay. Hopefully I can bring some clarity. >> Maybe I can finish maybe I can my
question first. Thanks. So my I understand that to mean that somebody teaches three classes, has a plus one and has a course release. And the way that this is written, it
says we're seeking in partnership. This would allow us to bridge to secure a permanent line item position within the district's long-term operating budget. So, I guess I just
would have that always concerned about whether we're looking at something that's one-time funds for ongoing expenses. Um, and again, like the way it's written, it says the the current support is the
public schools of Brooklyn provides course releases. And I understand that that's not part of this, but I'm trying to understand whether this is one-time funds that for something that
then next year comes back and and we're under >> one time funds for the pizza that will be eaten and the um the >> well line item position in that is not what
the grant application is for they are describing a program more broadly and I I think Robin can >> Yeah, I think that they part of the application is like as Val says they have to describe the program more broadly and what some of their challenges are as a program
>> there the request is really for the things that are at the end the $10,000 >> the way that it's staffed right now so there are two individuals one has I think for next year is C I think currently they're both under the innovation ation fund. Next year, one
position is under the innovation fund. So that's a course release under innovation fund and one will be a plus one. One was absorbed into the plus one schedule. So that they still >> we were told that one is a plus one currently. >> Okay. So that's not wasn't totally my
understanding. So right now I believe there's a course release for two people um being funded by innovation fund. So that means that they teach three courses in their subject area. I'd have to look at I just know that
that one that they're doing this work is funded through the innovation hunt >> and I'm trying to understand what course release means because I don't I'm just want to make sure I understand the nomenclature >> right so that course release is always under innovation fund is again my understanding is I'm kind understanding
the landscape of it and currently those two this current year two positions are under being covered by the innovation fund next year one of those position positions will be covered by the innovation fund and one will be a plus one in their schedule. So,
so right now two people teach three classes >> under their under their specific schedule because >> okay I guess that but the implication of a course release is that you teach one fewer course >> right >> right
>> under your contract. >> Well, could it be that it's one fewer course in your core area? Because my understanding is that there are a couple of that there's a wellness right that there's a wellness class that is taught that is a a queer student program wellness class >> that could be but those aren't those
aren't the two people that are the leaders of this program. So, I don't know all of the the parts of it, but I do know like as they're doing this, they're describing just their overall challenges. >> And so, in next year's budget is what I'm saying is one is a plus one. One is
covered by the the innovation fund. And what they're asking for in their grant application is really some of the things that they have been currently getting from places like PTO funding and things like that to cover opportunities for kids participating like like we said
cover cost of field trips, bring in a speaker or um pizza for and then so what does it mean here where it says the number of staff and the amount of course release funding is continu contingent on
the town override vote this spring. If the course releases funded by the innovation fund, then what does the override have to do? The plus one because one of them next year their work in this program is covered through plus one, not through the innovation fund.
So, are you saying, and this is one of my questions that's ongoing, are you saying then that the currently proposed FY27 adjustments to plus one that we know that one of them is in this program?
>> I believe so, >> because we haven't had that itemized. >> So, I don't know like if the adjustment is, but I just know that's how it was being covered in the original as we put out. >> Okay. That which I That doesn't answer my question. >> I don't know exactly which plus ones are being taken away, but I think for the
purpose of this, what we're what this group >> that serves our students at the high school is asking for is they're applying for a grant for funding that's not in our budget to cover. >> I understand what the grant is for. I read the document. Thank you. What I'm
asking is what it means where it says that the course release funding is contingent on the override >> and it sounds like you don't know the answer. >> Well, it's not the course. It's the plus one and maybe it's written in a confusing way. So, I don't know if you're asking change.
>> The reason that these come to school committee is we can ask questions. It sounds like there's you would like to have a little bit of wording clarified and so we can share that we would like to just make sure the wording is clarified >> here when they have two more days to submit this is due Friday so certainly that feedback can be
>> okay and then going back to the looking to secure a position within the long-term operating budget. I just want to sort of you know where there's currently course releases and plus ones and that means you know that somebody
who's contracted for a certain amount of teaching is not doing that academic teaching and if the thinking is for that to be permanent I think that's just helpful to know
because that costs us money every course lease and plus one costs money. >> I think that's >> Can I make a com we when we have had and I I completely agree with you Carolyn and this is something that we've talked about with the innovation fund of the question of having courses that are
innovative because then like the astrophysics course you have courses that replace other courses then you have programming changes which have implications. However, I would argue that the right place to have that conversation is the innovation fund grant acceptance and even earlier than
that to make sure that Robin and I don't think you even know this maybe unless someone has told you there's been a lot of conversations about the innovation fund and um and bef programming and making sure that everyone understands the budgetary implications of those. that is that is not necessarily relevant
to here but it is relevant to sort of overall your liaison um in your role in OTL or your staff sort of how we how we ensure that the budget is sustainable in the long run while also being able to do really great things with our educational partners but that's maybe a conversation
I think that that thing comes out in May y >> and it's probably peak season right now for innovation fund discussions so something for us to >> but I will also say like there there were questions last year about what gets stipened.
Some of the information that we got last year that said this is what we spent on these stipens are things that are now reported as being plus one. So again, separate from this grant there I've been
asking questions and they're important questions. We are the stewards of the budget and we need to understand where the money is going and are we what are we how are the contracted hours that we're
spending 85% of our budget on being utilized. So, >> and I think we've also had that conversation with Robin about stipens and greater clarity and sort of this being a multi-year effort. We went through a lot of them this year because I think I think there's a huge agreement with you on getting clarity. It's just that like it takes a little bit of time.
But I would argue that the conversation we're having right now does not actually fall within the topic noticed on the agenda and so we should probably return to the actual grant approval. >> Bob, >> yeah, as the person who invented what is >> I thought you
>> No, no. As as the person who invented what is now called plus one, I just want to make it really really clear what that whole concept is all about. And I'll just go back to the first plus one, okay? And just I just want to be really clear about it. So Margaret Mezer,
English teacher, Gail Davis, math teacher, came to me and said, um, we think with a lot of retirements happening, um, we need to have a an orientation program and >> no, I just want to explain what plus
one. >> So the quickly, come on, Mariah. No. What? So, so Margaret and Gail got one release. So, Margaret taught three classes plus she did the um teachers mentoring teachers. Gail who taught five classes taught four classes and did
teachers mentoring teachers. That was it. That was the concept of someone gets a different kind of assignment that is a substantial assignment and they get a release from a class. That's, you know, I think there's confusion about, you
know, plus one, but that's that's the bottom line and that's the basic understanding, >> Donna. And then we're going to vote. >> Great. So, I just want to make sure so that I I can vote. I want to make sure I understood your answer. So, none of the none of the programming here is related to anything that was said was said
earlier in the grant request around the plus ones and has no implications for any decision making on plus ones. No, not for this. This is about supplies and things for kids. >> Thank you. That's helpful to understand. >> Okay, Jesse, how do you vote?
>> Uh, yes. And I also wanted to >> second what Mariah and you said about this is all activities based and we'll get more clarity around the staffing. Thank you. Yes. >> Y Donna, >> is this a vote? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> Mariah, >> yes. >> Andy,
>> yes. >> Carolyn, >> yes. >> Bob, >> yes. >> And I vote yes as well. Um, in the six days that have passed, are there any burning? Okay, Mariah is burning. >> I burned to tell you about um the
advisory committee yesterday. >> Oh, >> and um >> it was exciting. >> For those of you who might not have seen my email I forwarded to you last night, advisory voted 12 to 6 to 9. >> Yes. >> Um that was from memory. So 12 to 6 to9
in favor of a um a reserve fund transfer to um fund Clifton Larson Allen CLA to come back and do um to do a review of the progress since their initial report
last May. Um and this was a request from ERSC to Chaz who took it to the select board who supported it and submitted it. So, it's not a school committee action um per se, but it's certainly school committee relevant. Um and based on the
conversation yesterday, it's you know, my understanding that this will be happening in the very near future um ideally um to conclude before the end of the month so that the select board has this information to be able to make their final decisions um around the any
potential override. >> Thank you. Any other liaison reports? Okay. Um, new business. I think Jesse has new business. Yep, I have your slide. >> I did have >> No, I had liaison report before that goes. >> Okay. >> I just couldn't hit the audio turn
unmute before you jumped. So, um yeah, so on on liaison's um we had a very successful CPAC meeting this past Friday coming on the heels of last Thursday night's very late um um um school committee meeting. um Karen and um and
one of her um school representatives gave a uh very comprehensive um report to the parents. There are probably 30 30 parents on most on Zoom, but anyway on literacy initiatives uh especially as they relate to students with disabilities. There was a lot of
information back and forth and then I had an opportunity to present what we had learned then last Thursday night about the budget and the one of the key questions that came up was the sped services for materials fee students and just so people know there was a pretty comprehensive document that was put
together and voted by the ERNC school subcommittee a couple uh well a week or two ago and updated for yesterday on this topic. So if people need uh need need to find it, you can look for the 3326 ERC report on unreimbured special
ed costs for non-resident students. And it brings up a lot of very interesting points, their statistics, tables. And so it was a very um collaborative kind of discussion. I think the parents had a a better feeling after the meeting about the efforts that Karen and her team are putting in to understand this um
critical materials fee issue for special ed services. And so it was a very uh yeah it was a good meeting and a good back and forth. >> Thank you. Uh any new business? >> Uh yeah I have new business as well. I
sent one slide to Bessie this afternoon. >> Yep. >> Happy to talk through. >> Um just can you list the items? >> Yes I can. >> Great. >> The and they're not for discussion really just more of a um headline for
possibly new business. One is on the cell phone policy, one is on attendance reports, and one is on next year's category holiday calendar, but that's not the one. This is the rest of the other one. Yeah, there you go. So, um, this is not put
out there for to generate a long discussion or anything, but I just sort of heads up the people. So, we've been, uh, Ste Dr. Stephen Arberg and I worked very hard last year on policy to come up with a a cell phone policy which would have been bellfor. In the end, there was a compromise made
to uh do that at the K to8 level with varying kinds of enforcement as we looked at this year, which is okay. It takes time. And at the high school level, uh we decided that passing time, lunchtime would be uh uh something we would allow at least until we revisited it. It hasn't be revisited yet.
Meanwhile, the state bill uh in the Senate Senate bill for banning bell-to-bell K to2 did pass in July of 2025 and it has still it has been stalled on the house and uh Tommy Flo tells me, you know, it could be there for a while. Meanwhile, of the 300 odd
350 districts in Massachusetts, I think 80 have already gone bill to bill for very, you know, very straightforward reasons. things like maximizing academic focus, improving mental health, and fostering real genuine social interaction for our kids. So the So I've been working with
Bella to try to find out, you know, under all the pressures of everything else we're doing, of course, how the high school might be able to implement this um for the the next coming year 26 27. Uh it has stalled a little bit. So I'm bringing it up here as new business so it gets reinvigorated a little bit.
uh gets a protein shake and we can have some conversation about potentially I think doing the right thing which is to again enforcement is a different issue but to make a statement about how this social emotional learning and bullying and all kinds of other things for our students in 9 to 12 would be improved if
we were to take the step that about 50 or 60 other districts have already begun to take. That's the first one. Um the second one is um in light of our discussion last week as well about WISP and data. I've been in contact with Jen about it. You know, we're we're talking
and a lot of good stuff going on. It got me thinking about the fact that attendance is something else that's come up. Um you know, my colleagues on the school committee have brought up at various times questions about how is attendance before vacations, how are attendance because of um before PD days,
whatever. There all kinds. walkouts for ice, all kinds of things that are going on. Special programs like doors last year where there was a doubling the attendance for one the missing kids missing for one day. So this right now I feel it's like it have to be a full school committee discussion because
there's no subcommittee that really deals with this kind of data kinds of things. But my proposal in new business for us to dock it at another time would be a monthly report to the school committee just like Susan Given is giving an OAF quarterly financial report. These data are collected from
the principles. They're fed into a computer, you know, a panorama or something every day and if if possible available to us similar to the warrant AP expense detail report that Mariah now and I put into the consent agenda every single week after we do it and you know breakouts by grade, school day,
subtotals. This would elimmit this would provide a lot more transparency to the school committee and to the public and and it's available. It's just it's not like someone has to go writing it up by hand. It's all in computers already. And the last one was we I want to get ahead as I did last year with Kathleen and
Lionus to get the 2728 category 123 holiday calendar done in advance so that people can begin parents their scheduling for next year. Again, we don't really have a calendar subcommittee. Um uh and it's not really communication so much. is actually setting the policy for all our days.
Making sure they're they're correct and that we've got the um you know the Catholic, the Jewish and the Muslim Islam holidays nailed down exactly when they start which days took us a lot of rotations and cycles last year to get it straight and the result was a lot of happy parents that we had everything
exactly correct. So my request I've already made a request to the superintendent's office to collaborate on doing that and I put the PDF down there if someone wants to look at what we were able to accomplish for this year. So, how to get that done is high priority for me because I think it's
going to be, you know, it's March now, we're going to turn around April and then we're like, it's going to go fast. So, people need this information earlier and I hope that in collaboration with Bella's office and Kathleen, we can make this happen quickly. >> Thank you, Jesse. Any other new business?
>> Seeing none, uh we are not going to go into executive session tonight. So, uh we are adjourned. Have a good evening everybody and we will see you on the 19th. >> Good job.