Okay, we're recording. Thank you. Uh, welcome to the July 17, 2025 meeting of the Brookline School Committee. We have a very short agenda. Uh, first item on first I'll I'll note that item 3B is not
going to be um voted tonight. We didn't get the additional material that um folks had requested. So, that's going to get deferred until um we're able to get the material that I think Mariah had asked for on um item 3B.
So, first uh 1A, the consent agenda. Somebody want to move the minutes from Monday. Andy moves them. Is there a second? I'll second it. Jesse seconds. Bob, how do you vote? I had just a question about the minutes. Are we going to discuss it or we just
voting? Uh, we can discuss. So, does you have a if if you had a question on the minutes, we probably should discuss it first before he votes. Yes. So, um, in the first section in the at the end
of the first paragraph, I mean, I just got to this a little later today, so I couldn't send it to, uh, Betsy in time. I apologize. Where it talks about the curriculum subcommittee was asked to schedule a time to review any curriculum created as part of the genocide
education grant. Um, in in the in the genocide education grant, if that's discussing the one that finance and we voted on like this week, last week, there is no curricular development really in there. It's really stipens for teachers and the cattle car exhibit. So,
I'm not I think what we meant was that besides the that grant, there are there is curricula that's going to be used. it may exist already and what we were asking to do was schedule time to review the existing curricula because I'm not
sure that they're going to be generating new curricula unless maybe facing history on ourselves through the consulting costs are going to be presenting the district with updated materials. So why don't I make those changes and then we can bring the minutes back at
another meeting. I'll make it clear. Thank you Betsy. We'll bring them back. Um, next on the agenda, we have the introduction of candidate for interim deputy superintendent of teaching and learning, Dr. Robin. Uh, I'm going to apologize if I pronounce it, Benoy. Um,
and Miss Wong is going to do the introduction for us. Thank you. So, I'm very excited to um introduce Dr. Robin Benoy to you. Um, she is my recommendation for the appointment. So, I am seeking your approval of this recommendation.
I there were some questions received from the members about the process and everything's a little different um as we transition from last year to to the next year. Um so this was posted as an interim deputy superintendent for
teaching and learning the it was posted um at in May through the start of June and then there was a second posting um Dr. Susan Given um is the one that worked with um getting the posting up and I and it was clear the interest was
to involve people that were part of the teaching and learning department before they departed. That being said um that the then deputy superintendent Jodie Fortuna was not involved. You're generally not involved in the search for
your own position. So she wasn't. And then Lionus um Gillery also wasn't involved. Um Karen um Karen Schminclair I'm sorry yes um whose interim and and actually would
have been welcome to participate but she wasn't available. So that left Susan Given as the central office person um to be involved in sort of overseeing the search. um she extended an invitation to the to the curriculum coordinators and
principles whoever would be interested and so all the people that ended up doing the screening interviews um were people who had volunteered so no one was turned away. Okay. So, we had the curriculum coordinator for ELA, the
curriculum coordinator for science, and the K through 12 curriculum coordinator for visual arts participated. Um, principal Vanessa Bello, I you feel free to correct me if I mispronounce her last name. Vanessa was
um involved and they had the opportunity to include both senior directors of TNL before they left. So they also participated. This screening committee um along with Susan Given reviewed the applications.
They invited some people to come in to interview and then out of the group that they selected for interview. They put them aside ready for my attention when I um started in the district July
1. So it was waiting for me July 1. And what they did is they screened the applicants for people who they felt were qualified, eligible to serve the role. And then um and so then I looked over that that um that set and decided to
invite one back for a finalist interview. And so you have Robin Benoy here. Um I reached out to the people who were on the screening committee and they so you this is now July. They very generously all came to participate except of course the prior um senior
directors of teaching and learning that were no longer on staff but everyone else came and then Anthony Meyer joined this time. He was invited in the in the screening portion but he just wasn't he it didn't fit in his schedule so he was able to join us. So we had Vanessa, we
had um Anthony Meyer, we had um Susan Given again and the three curriculum coordinators that participated before and this time I was able to join. Um we we I I'll finalist interview we we asked
a everything and so um so I thank Dr. Bonoy because I think she ended up staying with us almost 90 minutes in that interview. Um after Dr. Benoy left I we all talked as a team and um people
were unanimous in their consensus on um on bringing forth or forwarding Robin into the next step. So I personally called all the references. Typically I in the role of superintendent am the one that will call all the reference checks for a senior cabinet appointment. So I
went ahead and did that. Um, in this case, I knew two of the references really well, so that was helpful. And um, and I felt that I um, because I know them that that their recommendation was all the more trustworthy. Um, the thing
that really stuck out um, in Dr. Bernoid's application was the strength of the references. So, they um, really high on her ability to work with people, very high on her emotional intelligence. And what appealed to me about her
resume, which you have a copy of, it it's nice to have someone with a middle school core um in a in a K through2 position as as this. Also, she is also um certified to be a special ed
administrator. So, that is a that's kind of a nice thing for the deputy superintendent of teaching and learning to have that certification as well. Um it sort of supports collaboration between TNL and OSS ultimately. Um she
has never been at this level um at the cabinet level for for teaching and learning but she's had experience in a lot of different the components that fall under this. And also we were very interested in someone who had experience with implementing a new curriculum
because that's a that's a major focus of TNL this year the implementation of the literacy program and she also has prior experience in doing that. Um the and as I said she has these different
pieces. Um there are obvious you probably well aware of this um but we have Kristen Gray who's very strong and very up to speed on the implementation of of the literacy. So the other part I kind of liked is that she comes from a
background of of math science and STEM. So it's a balance to to the work that a lot of people invested time with and then she also has that background. Um, so I think so I I should just say she
was she's been a middle school principal in in Menon, director of instructional design. Um, also associate principal at the Harvard public schools and um in Nova Regional School District. She served several um roles prek12 STEM
coordinator, middle school standardsbased reporting system development coordinator and she also worked on development of the advisory pilot. So you can see that all those components that she had leadership roles are all relevant to the to this to the broader scope of the deputy
superintendent of teaching and learning. So I'm excited she's here. she's here and um I'm excited for you to to to um answer questions as you may and um and also to remind you this is an interim a
posting for an interimm position. Thank you very much. Any questions or comments from the committee? Mariah, thank you. Hello, Dr. Bonite. Welcome. Um, I'm just wondering if you could talk
a little bit about um sort of your in plans as interim for the role, what you've been thinking about or any other sort of context you want to um give to us um at this point in time. Well, I think that I'm really excited to hit the ground running. I think it'll be
a lot of listening and learning to start um getting particularly where we are in July and understanding that although the summer seems long sometimes um it's really short and so there's a lot of work that needs to be done probably before the school year begins I would I
would gather um and particularly given what's going on with the department of teaching and learning. So my first steps will be connecting with all of the coordinators and the principles and understanding from their perspective like you know what's out there, what do we need and kind of creating a map of of
all of the initiatives that are going on and what we might need to do as next steps and um what I need to get myself up to speed with and what we need to put in motion. So I think it for me my first step is just that hit the ground running. I am really excited about the
opportunity to lead in a transition year and support Superintendent Wong um as she goes through the year and um and understanding that this is a pivotal year for the Brookline public schools. So Suzanne,
yeah, thank you Val. Thank you Dr. Benort for joining us on a summer evening. Um I'm wondering I think I read that you did some work on a strategic plan and yes I was part of as um Harvard
one of your districts I don't know you're freezing a little bit I did work on the strategic plan Harvard public schools um I was part of that team that developed their current strategic plan um so was part of that year year-long work with members of the
community and other members of the the public schools in envisioning what our strategic plan was going to look like moving forward. I think they're now in year three of implementation. So, yeah, I apologize. I'm up in New
Hampshire. My uh internet's not great at the lake. Um I'm just wondering if you've had a chance to look at our strategic plan and if you have any thoughts about that. Um I have. I don't have it in front of me um at the moment. Um but certainly I
have a strong belief in that strategic plan really should be guiding the work that we're doing and we're constantly checking in on it. Um and I I think that you know certainly as we move through the year that's something that um I'll be working to see where we are and where we need to go um with that strategic
plan. Yeah. Thank Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Sarah. And then Bob. Hi Dr. Ben. It's great to meet you and I was wondering if you could walk us through a little bit of a roll out of a curriculum like other than the purchase of the curriculum, what are the other
pieces that you see that we'll be gearing up for? Well, as I said, I think one of the thing just from my past experience as you're rolling out any new curriculum, there's the learning that has to happen and the support for teachers because the purchase is one thing and then people have things in
their hands. they probably I'm going to assume as they were piloting there's some familiar familiarity um for people but really in that first year of any new curriculum that resources that you're working with you know there are growing pains with it
you're trying things for the first time there's typically so much um that teachers have at their fingertip and understanding how to use that how to use things with integrity um so it's really a year of learning alongside so I really envision working with the ELA
coordinator and the principles to really think about what teachers need and that might be slightly different at different grade levels or different schools um to ensure they have what they need along the road of that first year of implementation. The other piece of that is communication with the community. Um
because again, you know, depending on where students are in their journey, if they've gotten if parents and f students are used to seeing things look a certain way within their ELA curriculum or their resources or just even the things that are coming home, there's also that piece
of bringing the community along with any new resources that you're using so that they understand and then they they understand what their child is bringing home to them. Um so I think you know just in my experience in the past those are really critical import pieces of thinking about particularly that first
year um of the implement implementation of any new curriculum. Thank you Bob. Yeah thank you. Hi Robin. Hi I'm Bob Wrub. Um I have two questions. Okay. Okay. So you're looking at at becoming a a
pretty powerful and important leader in our school community. Um can you talk a little bit about the components of leadership that you think are essential uh to being successful as a leader? What are the what are the elements of leadership that you value?
I think I have I lead from a foundation of relationships and listening and I think those are critical components of who I am as have been as a leader in any position that I've had including you know thinking about teacher leadership roles. So across my 30-year career, um
20 of which were spent in the in the classroom and in teacher leader roles, just that really that foundational piece of relationships and really understanding what people need um is an important piece. I think another piece of you know just for me as I think about
you know beyond the relational piece there's that kind of strategic thinking that ability to communicate strongly um and clearly um and that ability to engage in dialogue I think is really important. So that communication piece
um and I also think that in terms of that leadership piece particularly in a role such as this it's kind of taking all the components and really thinking about um how they work together to make sure that you're you know that the
system is working right so that you're bringing everybody along along with and so I I think while for me this is a position I have I have not held this position before and it is moving to scale. I've worked in um smaller districts in the past, but I think one
of the things that that has helped me as a leader understand is that I've worn a lot of hats. So when you work in a really small place, you have a few people wearing a lot of hats and you know I think that and I've held a lot of different positions in that. it kind of helps me understand the parts. And so I
think that is a critical piece is being able to put on different lenses and understand different perspectives and understand the needs of others to bring it together to have a vision that moves forward. Okay. Thank you. My other question has to do with um as you think over your
personal professional life, who have who have been your inspirations? Who have been your intellectual mentors? who have been people who really made a difference in your life um both personally and professionally.
Um so first and foremost I think of Ted Cizer as a young teacher. I had the opportunity to work at the Francis W Park Parker Charter Essential School in its first years through its first graduating class. Ted was actually Ted and Nancy were my my principles. And so,
you know, I don't even think I really understood at the time how um powerful that was for me, but that became the core of who I was as an educator and it has influenced who I am as a leader and how I interact within school communities. So, because community is
such a strong component of that work and that understanding that every child is known well and every child should have the opportunity to use their mind well. So, are at the core um there. So te so Ted and and Nancy were really um
important mentors for me within my career and um pivotal at a very you know in my early 20s as I was first learning learning to be a teacher. Um so that was really important. Um certainly along the way there have been very various leaders
that have taken the time to invest in me. Um, and I think that's really important and I've used that in terms of thinking about myself as a leader and how I invest in others. Um, and ensuring
that um, I'm really looking at my whole school community, right? So, you know, great thoughts can come from everywhere and that's a, you know, an important um, piece. So, a number of different leaders in different capacities I feel have mentored and nurtured me. Um certainly
um as I went through um my doctoral program my adviser um has been really important was really important for me and maintains you know I consider him a mentor still um you know beyond my
doctoral program um and um I is somebody that I'm in contact with regularly um and so when I think about you know those are thought partners and then along the way I feel like I've I've built a very nice network of colleagues
that again those relationships are important to me and so that I have a lot of thought thought thought partners in the work that I do that um I feel like I can connect with and call on um when I need to problem solve or I need a sounding board. So um I really
appreciate that and so that understanding of the importance of community thought partners for me. Thank you Jesse. Oh I think you're on mute. Jesse thanks for saving me Mariah. Hi Robin
Jesse here. So this year we're going through contract negotiations and I wondered if you could speak a little bit in the context of what you talked about in terms of collaboration with um staff and also being the guide the guiding um leader for teaching community within the
schools. uh what experience you have in the past in dealing through this kind of a you know sort of a complex year different than others where teachers are going to have their mind on teaching and they're also their mind on a potential maybe even a work stoppage or something
along those lines and how you might you know um I'm sure you'll put their shoulder to the burden but h how would you like um approach that kind of a complex relationship have you done it before and would that work well for us in terms of managing what could be very
turbulent year on the teaching side. Um I think you know for me as a building leader um I've always had a strong relationship with my union members but that doesn't mean we've always agreed and so I think you start there
particularly in negotiations that can you know they can become contentious. Um, I've been part of the negotiating team as an administrator, an administrator at the table. And that can be hard sometimes because, you know, you're both coming at at an issue. You're trying to settle a contract
that's that's fair for the community and fair for for those at whichever contract that you're negotiating. Um, and I think the important piece there is coming with calm and and listening and really being
able to hear and, you know, kind of meeting together on that. Um, I think helps when it's contentious. It doesn't mean that it's always easy um or it's always pretty. Um certainly I've been through some not pretty um negotiations as a as a teacher and as a leader, but
you know I think I you know most recently um was a member of the negotiating team for my district um as an administrator and and that's one of the things that I think helped us get to an agreed upon um contract was just that
willingness to come together, willingness to listen, willingness to kind of consider consider um both sides. Thank you. Can you speak about your experience working with educators on tier 1 and tier 2 interventions? Yes. Um so that's a place where at the
building level we've been working for the last couple of years in my current district and with with teachers and really helping them strengthen, you know, what tier one looks like. And for some that that's really kind of reconsidering some practices. So I I
think that it's it's not a quick fix. It doesn't happen overnight. But I think again you have to, you know, think, you know, think clearly about part of it is knowing what instruction currently looks like across classrooms. Where are places where people need support? I think you also need to be willing to hear from
teachers where they need um more professional learning in an area. Um particularly as you're trying to shift practices at that tier one and tier two and think about them flexibly, right? that I think that that's one of the the mind shifts for people, right? Because
they think about like, you know, a student needs help. It's not always going someplace. It's like thinking about all of the flexible options that we can have to support a student and that, you know, moving between, you know, those tier one needs and those tier 2 needs. It's not a place
necessarily and it's not a permanent place necessarily even. It's like, okay, I need help with this right now. what can we do to help Robin um as a student and then you know alongside everybody else. So I think that's thinking about how they work together on it and I you
know so for me that's a place where I've been um supporting teachers at the building level for the last couple of years. Thank you. Anyone else? Um I'm trying to figure how to raise my hand but I if I could speak.
Superintendent Wong. Yes. Thank you. Um I just I just thought it might be appropriate to say more at this juncture where we are um mind coming in and inviting a new interim into the cabinet level um to join the
other cabinet leaders. Um former deputy superintendent Jody Fortuna left um a very like a very comprehensive transition plan. So we do have that to guide us and each of the senior directors also left behind transition
plans. Um we do have new job descriptions and we have the job description for um the former one for the deputy super former deputy superintendent. My thinking is as we bring if we hopefully we're able to
bring Dr. Bonoi on. We have posted for a replacement senior director and depending on the strengths that might we might draw in that posting, we may rebalance the job description to the
strengths of the two new people that we have. So, we're we're really staying flexible and just um trying to best utilize what's in front of us and the and the capabilities that might present themselves. Um but I do want to assure you that transition plans were were
left. Um we have a good we have a very good idea of all the things that need to be done and we are in the process making sure that all those parts are being covered. Um I also want to say that um I consider it such a p privilege to mentor
someone in their first year. So I look forward to that opportunity. Um it's just uh it's a really it's it's just a great chance to work with someone and lay the groundwork um for their future career at at that level
and uh and honestly people are just most receptive in the beginning. So it's a lot of fun anyway. So thank you. Thank you Donna and then Carolyn and then I think we're going to vote. Thanks so much. Um,
Superintendent Wong, I also want to take take a moment just to thank you for hitting the ground running. I know it probably wasn't easy, but we appreciate um the really rapid turnaround on this. Um, and I've appreciated hearing Hagger
thinking about the position um, and what your process was. Um, I do have just a quick question for you. Was this was this posted as a year-long interim position or we it it was just posted as a interim position? Yes. So, it doesn't doesn't
necessarily sunset, but I would expect you're likely to sunset and then and then post for a permanent position. Okay. Thank you. Dr. Benoy, I have a question if I could. Um I'm so thrilled to hear that you had um have experience
with implementing curriculum. Um, I think my question applies to other subject areas beyond literacy, but given where we are, I'll focus my question on literacy. Um, in a recent presentation, I think it was at the probably at one of
our final meetings um of the school year, uh, we heard from the office of teaching and learning that curriculum coordinators may not have the bandwidth to fully support implementation. Um there was a discussion about or my question to them was around professional
learning. Um and my feeling that professional learning is only as effective as its ongoing follow-through and it should be sustained by um coaching and ongoing observation and continuous training. So, I'm wondering if you can speak um to how you think
about who is who is accountable for ensuring fidelity um of implementation and how you think about fidelity of implementation, what indicators or processes you look for to ensure that what's happening in the classroom aligns with the instructional
goals. So, when I think about I'm try to get all the components of your of your question. So thinking about that ongoing support for teachers certainly laying the groundwork for it and then that also means involving your
principles um and so you know is they're the ones that are closest to the classrooms in their individual schools working with the coordinators myself being in classrooms and um being at schools and understanding what that looks like. So certainly as I've gone
through a first year in the past, it really is taking those temperature checks and being the the being in the classroom is important in understanding where people are having difficulty and also having time to hear from teachers. And a lot of that may happen at the
school level um to find out where they're struggling and then target your support throughout that first year to help with that. um kind of maintaining and I always think about it in terms of integrity versus fidelity um because I think fidelity sometimes teachers get
this like everything has to be exact but integrity is thinking about particularly when you're talking about resources that have many parts to them right and it's almost you know as teachers are constructing lessons you want to ensure that they are maintaining integrity in
terms of the flow of the lessons that they're using the resources appropriately and they know how to use the resources appropriately So you're looking at all of those parts. And so that's why I think about it in terms of integrity versus fidelity of just like we're going to adhere. So we want our
resources to be flexible for teachers, but we want to ensure that they know how to use them appropriately and then they that follow through that they are using them um in the way manner in which they were intended um and following that scope and sequence. So I think for me, you know, from this the lens of this
position, it's actually it's kind of a web of support that kind of makes sure that that's happening. Um because one person can't be everywhere all the time. So it's that constant communication with all of those other um people that are all working
toward the same thing. But at the at the end of the day, it also it means being um hearing from teachers and being in classrooms to ensure that you have what you need. And so what would you what indicators would you use or have you used to um
to determine how the integrity of the implementation is? So I think that it's kind of you know what I and I don't know if I have your question exactly right but thinking about having shared understanding of what are what are we looking for when we go into classrooms
what are some of the out you know what are um so sometimes that's a an observation checklist or a guide that helps you kind of look fors that you're looking for so that regardless of who's going in you're looking for the same thing sometimes you're doing those walkthroughs together so those are those
indicators that yes we're seeing what we should see or no, we're not seeing what we should see. Kind of tells you where to to um and then you're also looking at um I was looking at student outcomes in the past, right? So, we're looking at how are kids actually doing on some of
those benchmark um pieces that go alongside it um that you're taking to dipstick. So, you're looking at student work that would also let indicate, you know, what's being done along the way. So those are just offhand a couple of the things that I would be looking for
or looking to support people with. Thanks Dr. Benoy Carolyn and then I'll entertain a motion. Thanks um and thank you Dr. Benoy for being here um taking the time and I'll also um second what Donna just said.
Bella, I really appreciate um that sort of context and and catching us up with what the process has been. Um that was information that at least I didn't have. So, it's it's just really helpful um to understand how we got here and also
great appreciation for you um getting us to this point so so quickly with a strong candidate. Um thank you. Thank you. I have a question that's really sort of a curiosity question. I don't have a right or wrong answer in my mind. Just wondering, and it may be more
for you, Bella, whether with an interim position, I'm hearing the obvious there's going to be emphasis on the ELA roll out. Is there anything that sort of um that that sort of there's less of or
more of um within as you're thinking about this position? Sure. Um, and to be clear, it it was designated I came into the district with it already designated to be interim. So,
so, um, I can't speak to the decision of that necessarily. Um, but in this role, this is where, um, Dr. But no, it's coming in and we posted the other senior director position and we'll see because other than the literacy implementation,
there's there's like supervision evaluation, there's mentor and coaching and there will be professional development how that rolls out and to Suzanne's question about how we are forwarding elements of the strategic plan. So the and then the other
important um area is the data. How we rolling the data and how we how how when everything's been restructured. Um actually we're in process of restructuring. So like how we who's going to be responsible for for rolling
out the data and for any analysis of it. um that is not an exclusive list of everything that falls under the umbrella of the deputy superintendent for teaching and learning, but those are the big things that are non-negotiable items that we
need to make sure we have someone in charge and a plan to to um oversee and implement. Awesome. Thank you so much, Bella. What's the date that we are u making this appointment effective? Is it Monday? Is it tomorrow? Oh, we were hoping she could start tomorrow.
Okay. But but if you're not comfortable with that, then we'll just out. But she's scheduled for meetings tomorrow. And I know she was answering questions, but we she hasn't really seen a lot of the material yet.
Okay. So, I'll I'll make a motion that we um accept Dr. Sorry, um Superintendent Wong's uh recommendation of appointing Dr. Robin Benoy, interim uh super interim deputy superintendent
for teaching and learning for the public schools of Brooklyn. Who seconded? Sorry, Carolyn. Second. Okay. Bob, how do you vote? Yes. Andy, yes. Jesse, yes. Mariah, yes. Carolyn, yes.
Sarah, yes. Donna, yes. Suzanne, yes. and I vote yes as well. Thank you, Dr. Benoy. And uh we'll get your contract executed and get you going tomorrow. Welcome. Welcome.
Welcome. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you guys. Thank you both. Um and next on our agenda is the draft memorandum of agreement with Brooklyn Recreation for
the transition of base Brooklyn Adult and Community Ed. Uh it's discussion and possible vote. And I want to thank Mariah for working really hard um with our counterparts uh in wreck um to get this agreement where it is. It's in
looks in amazing shape to me and um love Mariah for you to just go over the highlights for folks. Sure. Betsy, do you mind pulling it up on the screen? And while we do that, I just want to note that um Tim Davis who's the director of Wreck is has also joined us. He's waving and I think Kenny is here.
Yep, there's Kenny as well. Um, specifically if there's any questions that come up related to music extension program. Um so just to give a quick overview um in the spring when we were talking about this many of us discussed you know we we wanted to have base
continue and wouldn't it be great if we could um partner with wreck and at that time I reached out um and um we had multiple meetings particularly with Tim and with his is this is Aaron the assistant director Tim yeah assistant director I just want to make
his his get your his title right um with Michelle Mcloone who is the um PSB Bbased director um and just to see what the possibilities were and and um how it might work since then. Um
Tim had those saw some of the data from um base um as it exists now and has talked to that team and um uh wreck is very excited to be able to um bring some of the programming or the programming
from base over um into their portfolio. Um, and so it was a very collaborative process to sort of create this document. I will say that this document is actually the second in our collaborative creative process. The first document
which is not quite done yet, but we're we're also working on PSB staff um led by Susan in particular working with building principles and other key staff are working on the facilities document which is referenced in this document. So
um for quite some time there was uh memos basically talking about the collaboration between um wreck and PSB because PSB has provided access to its gyms for example in exchange for wreck providing access to its playing fields
and so there has been a long-term collaboration and sharing of facilities but that document um is quite out of date and so the work was started a couple of years ago but then trailed off to get that refreshed and now we are at it like full speed ahead trying to get
that document nailed down. Um and then this is complimentary to that. So this is really focusing on the base activities in the middle of all of our conversations. Um Tim saw one of our meetings when we were talking about music extension as well and the transition of music extension and said
um hey I think that um wreck could also help um support that program in the way that bass had. Um he and Kennedy met along with Aaron as well and talked through those details. Um, right now we've set that up um as a one-year I
can't remember is the whole document a one-year pilot or just that section. Just that section, right? Sorry, I can't remember. I believe it's it's relative to just that one section. Okay, that's what I thought. Thank you. Um, and so the idea being that that we'll set that up as a pilot, but it would be great to um have that
collaboration work as well. So I guess I will just say that um a lot of this is really just saying that we are handing over base that um wreck is really responsible for the financial for the decisions relating to that right they're going to steward the program maintain
the base um legacy within the town and provide that um not necessarily the exactness of programming but the types of programming that have been offered. um and they will really be this the caretakers of this going forwards. Um
Tim, is there anything else I missed that you want to mention? Uh no, I I I will just say I want to say thank you just off the bat for allowing us this opportunity um to take on and as Mariah pointed out, you know, continue um the legacy of BAS and the programming that's so important to the community
that has gone through adult ed and community. Um, for many years, recreation and and base have collaborated and I think have uh respected each other's, you know, sidewalks um to make sure that base does everything and and gets everything that they need while recreation focuses on
the priorities that we have. Um, and really what this agreement is is just that that opportunity to continue, but also to allow recreation to continually expand our services to the community. um and doing so uh with a program base that is well established that we can um again
continue for the community. Um this was a extremely collaborative effort. It was you know the amount of individuals I've been able to meet through the school department has been tremendous. The teachers, the instructors, the staff. Um this didn't happen in a vacuum. Um this happened as Mariah said over a couple
months u meeting with various parties. So we're very confident in what we have here. Our department's very confident in bringing this on and seeing this continue and hopefully flourish. Um, and just, you know, here tonight to answer any questions, any concerns, and uh, look for the support so we can get
rolling. Penny, do you want to add anything? Um, I just first of all, it I agree with everything that Tim said um, about the collaborative nature and Mariah as well. Um, we really talked through this a lot.
Um, when Mariah mentioned the idea to me initially of collaborating with Rick, I was both excited and entered the meeting with, as I said to Mariah, a healthy dose of skepticism just to make sure we were doing the right thing. Um, and really Tim and Aaron, as I also said to
Mariah, won me over with how thorough they were and how committed to students they were. And that has always been, you know, my kind of north star is um advocating for students, advocating for um students who otherwise couldn't afford lessons, which doesn't only
include our low-income students, which which it does. We do serve a uh a large number of low-income students, but it also includes many of the families who are kind of in that middle income class where private lessons for instruments are still very expensive. And we've worked really hard to keep um lesson
price down for everyone. in addition to offering financial assistance to those who need it. And Tim and Aaron demonstrated that they were totally committed to that, totally students first, um we did talk about doing this as a one-year pilot, kind of reassessing because um you know, we want to make
sure things are going well. And I think just one thing that I want to highlight um for the school committee and also Bella and Robin is that um music extension which is a program that we offer after school private instrument lessons is part of our is part of our
performing arts curriculum in the public schools of Brooklyn. So it's it's a curricular program. It's an extension of our of our curriculum of our uh band and orchestra programs which are very robust and it is a way of um while it's not required for every student, many
students take these lessons and um it is a way of not only um enhancing the learning of those students who are in the lessons but it really brings up the level of everyone in the group just have more students who are taking lessons in our very robust orchestras and um and
bands and We even when Bass took this on which which is after when I started in this position it was fully run in the performing arts department. Um and at a certain point we had Bass take over some of the managerial aspects of it. But in the performing arts department we always
kept um kind of our lens on all the dactic elements of the program that run from um hiring teachers that I do all the hiring. I do all of the um talk with uh the teachers about curriculum. I don't evaluate teachers in the same way
I do with school day teachers. But if there are ever issues about the curriculum that come up um but first initially just discussing the curriculum with with teachers um that we hire and then ongoing things throughout the year and if there's ever also behavioral
issues teachers will come to me and that that stuff I see and yet it there's a huge managerial piece just to give you um a sense we had um 207 private lessons this year private lessons so 207
students in in private lessons at all of our elementary schools. So, it's it's a lot to manage and um Wreck again just really demonstrated how well they could do that while also being committed to the essence of the program. So that is a
long way of getting to that this is a collaboration that it's a curricular program of the uh public schools of Brooklyn that is going to be in collaboration with wreck as it was a curricular program that was in collaboration with bass and um so I
think that makes it unique in theou or or um the MOA sorry uh that you know we are it I think it's the only program that is like that in the MOA so we really spent a lot of time hashing all that out and I think where we landed is, you know, something that we all feel
good about. Val, I'm sorry to interrupt. My computer is about to die. I'm not near a charger. I vote yes on this and I probably won't be able to get back in the meeting. I'm sorry. Thanks, Bob. I'm sorry. Take care everybody.
Um just so you just so everyone knows part of the reason that we are bringing this agreement in advance even or not alongside the facilities agreement is that because of the planning that's required for the fall um we need to get the especially for the music extension
program in particular um the rec team and um the uh and Kenny need to start coordinating um these activities um and letting letting families know or letting the adults of children know how the um
registration will be going and so forth and they'd like to get that going obviously in the relatively near future in the in let's say two to three weeks um oh go ahead is that not just add assuming this passes today Tim Aaron and I have a meeting at 9:00 a.m.
tomorrow. Okay. So, there is there is Yeah, they're they're ready. Hopefully, we don't have to cancel that meeting. Champing at the bit um to make sure that they're all squared away with all of the planning that needs to happen and any modifications that need to happen to the
wreck registration system to be able to handle, you know, all the all the the different processes that need to happen. Um so, that's why we're bringing this ahead of the other document, but hopefully the other document will be following, I would say, in the next six weeks would be an ideal outcome. Thanks
Mariah Andy. Yeah. Um so thanks very much Mariah and Kenny and Tim for your work on this. Um but my question is for Tim. Are you able at this point to give us a sense of um like at what level will the adult ed piece of base be be operating in the
coming year? Like is there going to need to be a period of like reassessment or rebuilding or are you expecting to actually sort of have registration and run courses as usual? Yeah. So our intention right now and kind of our uh game plan and map where it is. So this is going to involve
bringing on more staff on our end as you would imagine being such a a big portfolio of programs. Um so once this is, you know, hopefully executed tonight, we're going to start that process of bringing on the necessary staff that we need to get this going. Our intention outside of music
extension, as as um Kenny said, you know, we're probably going to start that tomorrow hopefully, um is we're going to we're going to focus on in the fall. There's going to be programming right off the bat in the fall. It's going to align with the rest of our rep programming, but we're going to focus um
on a gradual buildout and a build up. So, we will focus on the the more uh popular for for lack of better words, the most um requested program. So continuing the photography, ceramics, woodworking, kind of arts and crafts, um you programming that happens at the UAB,
things that are that we have, you know, teachers that we've talked to kind of waiting in the wings and ready to jump in. So programs that we're confident that we can kind of hit the ground running with. And then with that in the fall, taking the fall, uh we'll probably be looking at a like a larger build out
in the winter, gradually in the spring until we feel like we're at a level um that is appropriate for the staff that we have and um to make, you know, the the program work for our department. So, it's not going to be apples to apples when we look at the the offerings. Uh but we're going to, you know, take our time. We're going to be strategic. We're
going to be intentional on the things that we're putting out. Um so, we're not, you know, putting the cart before the horse and and we're doing it appropriately. Thank you, Jesse. Before we go to Jesse, can I just say that just to highlight that the programs that Tim mentioned that are the most
popular um as he said use the UA building and that is not a building that's currently in the facilities agreement between PSB and wreck. And so that's why really as one of many reasons we need to get that other document also in place. Sorry, that's just my one
addition. Thanks, Jesse. Thank you. Um so in reading through the document uh it's just amazing. Thank you Mariah for helping to move this through. This is uh very collaborative looking covers like sort of everything. I did have a question in um um related to the
financials. So there's some section that talks about data and and and sharing or something either it's the beginning of four or five and it sort of leaves it open as to what will happen in I think it's the lower down. Um keep going. Yeah.
So I think one of the things that happened this past year was that we sort of sort of got surprised at some point as we began to hear that bass was running out of funds. And so my question and and there's also another comment in here about if if it doesn't work out, BSB is going to take um a music
extension back immediately kind of thing. So there's like costs associated with of course not that that should happen but there costs associated with bringing it back. Um and you know I'm not has you know spare resources financially to do that. The other thing
is is that um in general what's the plan? I guess I asked Mariah this on the financial side for the school committee being apprised on some regular basis as to how financially this is working. I mean I just heard Tim say about bringing on more staff. I'm assuming that's on the rec side. Was that budgeted or is
that going to be paid out of base revenue? So the the Let me So Wreck is taking over. Betsy, do you mind going to section two because this is um Yep. Sorry if you can go up. So, wreck is taking over. Uh there we go. Um all of
the funds are being managed by recreation. So, PSB has no role in um managing that. And there's a couple of reasons for that, but one I'll I'll note is Wreck is funded through a revolving fund. And those funds are taken in through a revolving fund. is people I
believe know revolving funds need to be expended for the for the purpose for which those revenues were um like right were taken and so um it would be very challenging for um those revenues to then come back to for
example to PSB. So we tried to set this up in a way that did not co-mingle funds because that would be really really complicated. Um, and so as you see the bullets there, um, uh, basically say recreation is managing all of it. If there's a profit, they manage it. If
there's a loss, they manage it. They are going to handle all of that. Now, the one exception, and I want Betsy, do you mind scrolling down now to 4.5, I think it is, or so? Oh, no, it's 4.2, I think. Um, yeah, the second bullet. So if so
music extension is not designed to make money necessarily. We all talked a couple of weeks ago if you recall at finance subcommittee when we discussed the um the revised um um non-aligned
compensation and program fees that we were adjusting. And really how all of us have the goal to offer a program that meets the area of um lowest possible cost for um the students who are participating while also being sure
ensuring that we can maintain um highquality uh teaching staff in the program. And so the goal would be that it's not necessarily it's not going to be a money maker, but hopefully it's not going to lose money either, right? And so um any revenue though that's retained
would stay in the recreation department revolving fund um and it could be reinvested into MEP. One of the things that Kenny mentioned well Kenny do you want to talk about your idea? I don't want to take your story away from your idea that you had just as like if there is some small profits what could happen
with it. Yeah, we I mean originally when we met um when Tim and Aaron and I met uh we talked about ways of you know ideally the program grows and and I think one of the things you know our program has run between at two I'd say
150 students in a year at a low point to about 300 students a year at a high point. That's majority fifth through 8th graders although there's some younger and some older students in it. And um we talked about ways to enhance the program such as one of the things that many of
our music extension teachers would love to do is have recital with their students and we've never done that. So it there was you know just as one idea could be if there is some extra money there would be um funding to pay those music extension teachers you know just
pay them their hourly rate for a few hours to run a recital with their students at the end of which is Yeah. And that that often happens in private music studios and it's just not something that we've had the bandwidth to do. So that's an example of something that with uh you know what we we're looking at as will be
an enhancement working with wreck are things that we might have the bandwidth to do. Yeah. Mariah on the other the other piece um had to do with agreement coming up on the use of the facilities. So is that is that basically like I sort of say like a barter system bartering in
that we give them space they give us Yes. Yes. That's basically it. No dollars. No dollars really. No dollars exchanged. And if we ever got into that, oh my god, it would be I think like when you see this other document and you see the level of complexity that it goes into it
that's being mapped out. Um because as you can imagine um and the other thing I should say is that not only is it um barter, but each each party gets right of first refusal for spaces for the others. So um so you
can just imagine though the complexity and given the fact that teachers may be using spaces during the day and wreck is using them at night. There's just a lot just like there is for other users of the space to just make sure in terms of making sure everyone's on the same page if what if something breaks you know what am I allowed to use in the space
how should it be left custodial costs. So that's a very complicated um document. This one is much more straightforward. And does this um dovetail in with things like afterchool enrichment programs and other people using the facilities or is this specifically for wreck?
Specifically for wreck, but I think that the nice thing about it is that it lays out a set of ground rules which will be applicable to other users of the space who perhaps also have not gotten clear guidance on expectations. Yeah, that
aligns well with what we're talk we've been talking about in policy, for example, on building access and usage. So, yes, it does feel nicely with that. Thank you. Yes. Yes. I'd like to move approval of uh the MOA transitioning base to the rec department. I will second.
Okay. Any further discussion? Andy, how do you vote? I vote yes. Jesse, yes. Uh Mariah, yes. Donna, I vote yes. And Bella has her hand up. It's just to speak after you vote.
Carolyn, yes. Sarah, yes. Suzanne, yes. And I vote yes. Thank you all very much. Yeah. Don't go yet. Don't go yet. I'm not gonna um if I might.
Of course. Okay. I I'm just so fascinated by this conversation. As you know, I still play my clarinet, but it started out um it through the Brooklyn which was the Brooklyn Music School and clearly that was subsumed and it sounds like the the
faculty at um the schools took it over and then No, it still exists. Music is it still exists? Oh, it still does. Okay. So I I just so as a student of Wrall I remember walking to Driscoll and then I had to go and then I walked and then I took the tea to
devote um sorry F now Favr and then um and at some point I walked to the high school. I think we must have been pluckier then when we were little. But um but anyway, I just wanted to appreciate the work that Ken and Tim
have done along with you, Mariah, that those those co-curricular things that happen after school really are important and part of lifelong study. So I just support everything that you did and just what a wonderful manifestation
of um community town and and schools. um such a positive light coming out of the discussions that were you know in the late spring. So just wow. And thank you. Yeah, Bella. Thank you. I just want to say um
and I look forward to meeting with you in person tomorrow. But uh um I also took lessons at the Brooklyn Music School when I was a student at RUNL and they also started at RNL and then eventually made their way to what is now FRR. And I think that I would not, you
know, have stuck with music if it weren't for the private teachers I had in addition to being in chorus and band at at the schools. Um, and then many years later, my daughter started in the in the program as it kind of more as it
is now. Yeah. Can you believe we did all that walking on our own? Yeah. I think I got chillered once in a while, but uh but yeah, definitely did a lot more walking. Yeah. Anyway, thank you. Can Tim, when is your board meeting? When is the commission meeting?
Uh the commission does not meet until uh the second week of August. Um but they are very aware of this conversation and they have been looped in on the background. Okay. I guess we probably I think it's important just for school committee to understand that obviously we want to make sure the community is well aware of
this and we've talked about um working with the town's PR to um put out an announcement about this but I think we probably need to wait until it's official. Is that I'm presuming right Tim? Yeah let me um let me speak to to Clara.
Obviously we want to get the word out so people are comfortable so they know coming up. Um, so let me just speak to my commissioner, see what she wants to do. I know it's just her signature that we need. As mentioned, our entire commission is in receipt of this draft. Um, so if there's any, you know, feedback, we would have heard it by now.
Um, I know we've made some adjustments based on some some previous feedback. Um, so I will I will keep you posted on timeline, but my my hope is very very soon. That'd be great. So you Yeah, just let us know. And Val, you're signing it too along with Bella and then we'll
get it over to you to Wreck for signature and that'll be great. Great. Thanks. Yeah, Val, I had a quick question um um on this. Yeah, just a clarification. Yeah, if possible. Yeah.
Um Tim, can you speak to the the team that we met from BAS at school committee meetings like like in April or something like that? What's the status of that group? like the the team that was running base, are they being absorbed in recreation or is there some other change? There's no mention about it in the in the MLA,
right? I don't want to speak to specifics on individuals that we're looking um to bring in to wreck. Those are conversations we're having right now. Okay. But but there'll be some involvement at some level from the professionals that have been with us to help with the transition.
Yeah. Thanks. Appreciate that. Okay. Thank you. Um, our next item we have no further information on, so we'll defer it for another meeting. Thank you, Tim, and thank you, Kenny. Is there any new business? No new business. Bye, Kenny. Um, I
entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved. Seconded. All right. Andy, yes. Jesse, yes. Donna, yes. Mariah, Carolyn, yes. Sarah, yes.
Eight motions to adjourn. And I vote yes as well. Um, thank you very much and have a good evening everybody. Thank you. Bye. Bye.