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Good evening. Welcome to the October 22nd, 2025 regular meeting of the school committee. First item on our agenda is a proposed executive session. I move to meet in executive session pursuant to Mass General Laws chapter 30A section 21A for the following purposes. Purpose
two, to conduct a strate strategy session in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel. superintendent if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares. And purpose three to discuss strategy with respect to anticipated litigation if an open
meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares. And purpose seven to review and approve executive session minutes from the October 8th, 2025 and October 9th, 2025 meetings. Is there a second? >> Suzanne second. Suzanne, how do you
vote? Yes. Sarah. >> Yes. Uh Caroline. >> Yes. >> Jesse. >> Yes. >> Bob. >> Yes. >> Uh and I vote yes as well. Uh we will be >> I would like to vote yes.
>> Okay. Donna, would you like to vote to move into executive session? >> Yes. Okay. Um we will be returning to open session. going to help. [Music]
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Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] to the October 22nd, 2025 regular
meeting of the Brookline School Committee. Moving on to item two, the consent agenda. Is there a motion on the consent agenda? >> So moved. >> Suzanne and Bob simultaneously moved. So, but Bob moves it. Suzanne seconds it. Um, Donna, how do you vote?
Yes, >> Suzanne. >> Yes, >> Sarah. >> Yes, Carolyn. >> Yes, >> Jesse. >> Yes, >> Bob. >> Yes, >> Andy. >> Yes. >> And I vote yes as well. Uh, up next we have our student report, Aditi.
>> Thank you. Hi everyone. I'm going to do the October update now from the high school. So, first of all, picture day happened on October 10th. So, that is for kids in grades 9 through 11 to get their yearbook photos. Seniors have separate
photos that they submit to their yearbook, which I also took this past weekend. So, a lot of seniors are also getting their pictures done simultaneously. And these pictures are also used for the school ID cards. Then IPRs came out in early October. These
are interim progress reports. And for anyone who doesn't know, these don't um show grades for students unless they're failing a class, but it's an opportunity for teachers to just give feedback midway through the quarter about how things are going and what they think
students should change. And according to in accordance with the school committee's um order, security cameras have started to go up around the school buildings which um um showcase the outsides of the
buildings if I'm correct. And honestly, I haven't heard that many students talk about this, so I'm not sure how aware they are about the fact that we now have security cameras, but there was recently an article in the Cyprus, so I'm guessing more students are going to find
out about it in that way. And then another thing that happened early this month is that um Mr. John Andrews, the social the um English department curriculum coordinator, announced that the English department is not going to be offering AP English for the 26 to
27th school year. And this isn't a big change because the high school has not previously ever offered AP English, but it is something to remark upon because um there were talks where the English department was considering to greenlight an AP language and composition course
for the junior year level and um internally decided not to do that. And not to self-promote, but if anyone's interested, you should check out my article in the Cyprus about this. um it covers a lot of the issues and um why they came to this decision. So if anyone
wants more information about um Mr. Andrews rationale or what different people and different stakeholders think that's a good option. Finally, um the phone ban has definitely been a subject that people have been talking about. So over the summer, the Senate passed a
bill banning phones in all public schools. The Massachusetts Senate passed a bill banning school in public banning phones in public schools from bell to bell. So I think students have been talking about this currently. Um
legislature is coming up with a committee to create a new phone policy for next year. And also, I know there was a protest earlier this month where teachers were protesting phones in schools and advocating for a phone ban,
which I think they're going to get. So, that's all I have for this month. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments on her report, Sarah, Bob, and Suzanne? >> This past week, we had the Whipple Writing Project um present their
writing, and DT was there. She was one of the fellows that um part participated in the program and as I hope you all know it's a program where um students get together and they write together over the summer and this time it was just really exciting as it always is. It
felt somehow even more exciting and Aditi already knows how I really empathized with what she had to write and really enjoyed it. So I just wanted to highlight that. >> Thank you Bob Suzanne. >> Yes. Hi Adi. >> Hi. I just want to remind you that not
remind you because you weren't there when I was the head of the high school. We did not allow cell phones to be seen. Just want you to know that. And the research that's been done recently on the bands on cell phones in elementary, middle schools, and high schools has been incredibly positive. And what
they've seen is a dramatic increase in positive interaction among the kids. And um so I'm excited about what's going on. Thank you. We have an updated policy actually. Jesse, do you want to speak about the phone policy and then we'll go to Suzanne? >> Yeah. I guess my question to D was we
did pass a cell phone policy after getting inputs from all the building leaders and um Anthony and Hal last year. Are you referring to and that one was not build a bill that was that cell phones couldn't be used in classroom?
I'm sorry. >> Often away. >> Yeah. Often off and away and only used during passing time. So, is there an update to that that you were referring to when you said >> there's >> the state >> I it was I was under the impression that there that we are changing our phone
policy to be more in line with what the state is suggesting because legislature is currently creating a new phone policy >> and DC is talking about the school legislature I believe >> you're talking school legislature. Okay. So at the attorney general's level for
the state of Massachusetts, there is a bill moving through the state legislature that would ban cell phones bill to bill across all the Massachusetts and then schools themselves most likely would not be able to create their own version of something that's prohibited. Right. So we that has
that's moving its way through the state house. It has not um proceeded to a final decision by the governor or anything yet. I believe pursuant to what um Bob was saying though, the research strongly supports across the United States and the world really that the
less time kids are spending on cell phones during the day, especially in school, the better the outcomes, social emotional wellness and and and a bevy of other things. And so I would recommend I guess that um if the school if the high
school legislature wants to learn a little bit more about where we are with this contact us or through Val at the policy subcommittee where we wrote the one last year and we're happy to you know stay in contact with you about it. >> Totally. Thank you Suzanne. >> I just had a quick question. Is Cypress
online? >> Yes, >> it is. Okay. So we can go online and find the articles. Thank you so much. Any other questions for DT? >> Okay. Um, oh, sorry, Bob. >> Sorry. Um, do we have a policy here
about cell phones during school committee meetings? >> We do not. >> Can I make a motion? >> Not right now. No. >> Um, >> okay. Someday. >> Someday. Uh, new business. Yeah. So, any other comments for DT questions? >> Yeah. I guess I guess I had another
question on the um on Mr. Andrew's decision or maybe not his own decision but the committee's decision. Um what grades does this affect? >> Well the class >> AP English I mean no no I'm saying but in ninth you know freshman through seniors and do freshman come in in the
ninth grade with currently an opportunity for AP English? I didn't think so. >> AP English has never been offered at the high school. Okay. And um it was they were considering bringing a course at the 11th grade level but that's not going to happen. And also students are
still completely free to take self-study for the exams and take them independently. Students have historically been doing that, right? >> And will probably continue to be doing that. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Thank you so much for your report as always. Um, next up we have public comment. Uh, just as a reminder, members
of the public are welcome to comment for up to three minutes. You have to sign up with Betsy before noon on the day of our our meeting. um speakers are called on in the order that they signed up and um I am going to call them out. Remember
that we are listening but we um typically don't respond to public comment just so that you're aware. It's not that we're ignoring you or indifferent. It's um just our policy not to respond in the moment. First up we have Hagar Delshad.
>> I'm just sort of testing it here. Okay, thank you. Hi everybody. My name is Hagar Dalshad. I'm a parent of a BHS now senior and a seventh grader at Baker. It's nice to see everybody today. Um I'm here to discuss the docketed
agenda item that discusses the school calendar for this year. Um but just before I get started on that, I just want to mention about AP English. Um there are actually after school help sessions that I just received by email today that are being offered by the high school as supplemental support for students who choose to take that test.
So um that's great because there's going to be kind of like a tutoring or support session for uh language and literature testing. So that's a great thing the high school provides even though they're not providing the >> excuse me the timer is not running I don't think sorry
>> so I want to address the issue about the calendar um last year the Brooklyn Muslim community um came to you and and uh for many many months discussed um and asked for the addition of Eidal Eid alra to be a holiday for the public schools of Brooklyn. There were many pro and con
arguments made and we had many many students, parents and graduates come and speak to you all and ultimately that vote was granted for the 26 2526 year. Um that caused you know our community to be extremely joyful and happy to be
recognized in this way. As it stands, our community is actually currently um in the process of putting together a community communitywide day of celebration for the school closure day on March 20th. That will be inclusive of everybody in Brookline and we hope that you will attend. Um today you may hear
discussion about whether or not to continue offering Eid as a holiday as well as possibly Lunar New Year. There are many arguments about um not continuing to offer these holidays and I just want to provide some other context because many things that you may hear
today or in the future in this room don't have any backup in actual data and we have done extensive research on this in the past. Um one is that providing these holidays as a nod to diversity somehow is it's a token and that can be
done in many other ways. It is already done in this way for many other communities and so why not our community could be included in this and also promoting equity does not in any way take away from the educational excellence that we've come to expect from Brookline schools. In fact, it
amplifies it because when our students are better global citizens, they'll be better citizens of the world. And celebrating holidays is one small way to do that. Students will continue to get 180 days of instruction no matter what. So whether the school day the school
year ends on June 18th or the 22nd, they will still get their 180 days of instruction and adding holidays will not take away from that. The decision to support category 1 holidays is supposed to be based in data and metrics. With
extensive research going back 50 years, there has never been anything entered into the school committee that shows where that data came from or any actual reporting on that data, including from 1972 and 1981. Um, this was granted
based on community asks and recognition of the needs of the community. Lastly, I want to say that last year during all of this multimonth process, this town council offered a legal opinion and that if we were continuing to offer category 1 holidays for
religious purposes, they need to be based on clearly defined criteria and they need to be non-discriminating. So if we are going to move forward with revis revisiting the category 1 holiday policies, we need to actually establish
clearly defined criteria which currently there are none because the low attendance policy actually is not based in any real data and we also need to make sure it's non-discriminating. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Um next we have Jod Waldis Bule.
I do have my phone and it's because I have my own timer to make sure I stay on task for my three minutes. So, thank you Bob for reminding us all not to use these so much. Okay. Um, dear school committee members, um, interintendent
and the public, thank you for allowing me this opportunity to speak with you tonight. My name is Jodie Waldespiel and I am a Brooklyn resident, a parent of a high schooler at BHS and an EL teacher at Lincoln, formerly at Brooklyn High School. I'm here tonight to speak to the
considerations for the holidays in the upcoming 2627 calendar. Last year, I watched this committee debate the addition of Eid to the current calendar and was excited to see this holiday added to the 25 26year calendar. My understanding is that we will once again
be considering the inclusion of Eid in the upcoming academic years as well as the possible consideration of any category 1 holidays. Therefore, I would like to strongly express my desire to see Eid and the category 1 holidays continue in Brooklyn. From my own multicultural background and throughout
my teaching career, I have appreciated the inclusion of important cultural holidays, faith-based or otherwise. as an advocate for all my students to feel seen, honored, and supported in their cultures and practices. I myself grew up in Hong Kong and my diverse family both
in terms of ethnicity and faith continues to reside there more than 30 50 years later. I am the product of the British education system where all students were required to study a survey course in religious studies throughout middle school covering a multitude of practices and faiths. I have celebrated
or observed Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Tauist and Muslim holidays, immersed in those cultures through location and friendships. These experiences were core to the development of my identity. As a teacher, I am privileged to work every day to support the identity of my
students. I see the joy when a student realizes that a holiday that is meaningful to them is being observed and they are able to travel, worship, or be with family on that day. In particular this year, I know that my Muslim students are thrilled to be able to celebrate Eid without missing school. I
know that there have been arguments for not including Eid or other additional holidays such as Dvali. I won't elaborate on them here during my short time frame except to acknowledge that I have heard them many times, having been a regular viewer of these meetings. Primarily low attendance, of which there
has never been accurate data when prior holidays were added, and a shorter end to the school year. In actuality, two days that does not change time on learning for the required 180 days by Desessie. However, I will say that there are a number of reasons I support the addition
of Eid in the upcoming years and the continued celebration of Chinese New Year. Firstly, I believe that celebrating these holidays is at the core of our beliefs in Brooklyn that I and all our students should be celebrated and given the opportunity to observe important cultural holidays without missing school. Secondly,
without the continued inclusion of Chinese New Year and Eid, the practice of the observance of only Jewish and Christian holidays would create a dynamic of cultural inequity. Equity and acknowledgement of days of cultural observance seem now even more relevant given the events happening nationally.
Should Brooklyn not be able to support one of our core values by including these additional holidays, I propose that it would be more equitable to remove all category 1 holidays from the calendar and return them to category 2 status. To be clear, I would like to see all of the current category 1 holidays
be a part of the Brooklyn Public Schools for equity and a chance for all of us as a community to have the opportunity to acknowledge the many cultures that make us a town. I am proud to live and teach in therefore I respectfully urge you to keep both Chinese New Year and eat as category 1 holidays in addition to
Roshashana, Yamapour and Good Friday. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, next we have Carrie Goldberg, who I believe is online. >> Audio. All right, great. Can you hear me? >> We can hear you. So, um, begin and Betsy
will start the clock when you begin. >> Okay. Thank you. And thank you, Betsy. Thank you, Val. Uh, you might be happy to hear I'm not here to talk about public records requests. I hope never to talk about them again. Uh, I am here also to talk about the calendar. Uh, and
first of all, as always, I want to thank all of you for your service. Um, and I'd like to speak in favor of the district closing school only for state and federal holidays. I am so heartened lately by what I'm hearing about the direction that the new district
leadership and this committee are taking in terms of keeping laser focused on teaching and learning for all students as the true north of what the Brooklyn schools are all about. When it comes to holidays, then the primary question is
what's best for learning and clearly closing school is not ideal for learning, particularly on a disruptive sprinkling of days throughout the year. Also, clearly we can celebrate the beautiful diversity of this community
without closing school to do it. And given that diversity, it seems obvious to me that the most fair policy is to close school for no particular religious or cultural group rather than engage in the divisive exercise of deciding which
groups should get holidays off. Most particularly because the separation between church and state is a key element of our system of government. Meaning it seems to me that public schools should not be involved in religion period. One other note from the
family perspective, these holidays and professional development half days popping up through the year truly are burdens, especially for families led by single parents, but really for all parents. A decade ago, I published an essay at WBUR about the difficulties for
parents of coping with these schedules. And back then, I joked that there should be a movement called PFW, for parents friaking work. I've seen exactly zero progress since then on making the school schedule more familyfriendly and returning to a calendar with only
federal and state holidays off would be, I think, a great first step in that direction. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Goldberg. Um, next up we have Jean Way Lee. >> Thank you. Good evening. Uh my name is
Jin Way Lee and I'm here to as a Disco parent to talk about uh middle school math teams and um as as you may know um as a part of last year's or this year's budget reduction uh many uh extracurricular activities has been
cancelled including middle school math team and competitions and um and this decision of course was made with u a difficult goal of balancing the resources and need for essential programs. So I I really want to start by by acknowledging all of you who are who
have been involved. Um that said there's a good news that as I have learned recently um that um the curriculum staff has found a way um through their careful budgeting and creative reallocation of funds uh to to fully cover the cost of
math teams uh including both staffing costs and and also competition expenses. In other words, the funds are available, the the teachers are excited, and the students are are really ready and eager to to restart a math team. Um, but the
bad news is is that um because this particular line item was part of the uh reduction um this program unfortunately cannot move forward as far as I understand. So, so even though the re resources are there and um the other
priorities would not have been compromised, I think we we were still missing this great opportunity and I really think that math team is something we should all celebrate. Um it's a place where students can challenge themselves and uh collaborate and really take pride
of representing their schools and and importantly builds this persistence, creativity and problem solving skills that I I really think our our staff and teachers really lead by their examples to show our students that they can overcome this uh budgetary challenges.
Uh so so I hope that we can send the right message to our kids um that we're not really bound by we're more than the the uh more than uh bound more by the formality of Long Island items but by our share of values uh to to to create opportunities for our kids. So I urge
you to uh to help us move this program forward and and empower our educators uh to to make best use of their resources. Uh thank you for your time and and and thank you for what you do for our students. >> Thank you very much.
Uh that concludes public comment. Uh because we are running late, the superintendent will be giving her report next week. Um so we're going to hear about her travels to Spain at our next meeting on the 6th of of November. Um, so moving to 6A, it's the overview of
the 24 to 25 annual report for the policy against discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, and retaliation. Dr. Karen Schmuckler Good evening everyone. All right. So, I'm here to provide an overview. um
of the report uh regarding the policy against discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and retaliation. Um this is based on uh the report that was sent out in early summer. Uh it is
posted on our website uh which are the requirements um for it. Um, and I'm just going to go through um just give you a broad overview um and then hopefully just go through the data which I know folks have seen. We'll look at it again together and then just answer any
questions. Um so as you know this is a policy that is governed by federal and state law as well as the school committee's policy. Um the compliance coordinators in the district which is
myself, Matt Dubois um and our HR director are responsible to ensure that this policy is followed um throughout the district and these policies are um regarding both students um and families
and community members. So, the policy requires that the civil rights compliance coordinators prepare this annual report to the superintendent and school committee. Just a reminder, I was not here for most of last year. Um,
and so um I've worked with closely with Matt Dubois uh and with Alvin on uh assembling the data uh for this report. One of the things that's really important is that regardless of outcome
and whether things move forward into a formal investigation, all parties involved in incidents are always offered and provided supported measures regardless of whether it becomes formal and regardless of whether there is actually a formal
investigation. And just that folks know, so I as the interim deputy superintendent of student services, I'm the district title 9 and title six coordinator for students. Matt Dwis, who's senior director of clinical
services and social emotional learning. uh overseas he is the district 504 coordinator and then Alvin Kooper as director of human resources is district title 9 title 6 ADA for staff and adult
community members. Just a quick uh reminder on definitions. So section 504, this is section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities.
Um that from any organization which includes not just public schools, private schools as well that receive federal financial assistance from the US Department of Education. Title six, it was enacted as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and it
prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. And then title nine is of the education amendments act of 1972
and that prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities again that receive federal financial assistance. So this is our data on students from last year and as you can see we report on the
number of reported incidences, the number of formal investigations and the number of reported incidents and formal complaints that were substantiated. I'll just give you a minute to take a look at the data and ask any questions that
you might have. Yeah, >> thank you Karen. I just wanted to know what is the asterisk mean? What did the notations mean? >> Sure. So, at the time of the report, there were two investigations that were in process under title six and there was one
investigation that was in process under title 9 >> dating back to that. >> Correct. Correct. So in in late June, July, there were three investigations that were still ongoing. >> And what is
>> the asterisk um next to substantiated? >> Is there an asterisk there? >> It was it was it's a carrot. The single carrot on the zero. >> No. No. >> Or the in the top um in the header line. There shouldn't be a
>> Yeah, that's >> and of those >> there's a footnote on that in the report actually. >> Okay. >> Saying that uh please note that unsubstantiated complaints may still result in discipline under the code of conduct. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Um of the two title six reports that were ongoing, those have now been
closed. Neither of those were were substantiated. Of the title nine, the um complainant did not want to proceed with an investigation. Um so that was the outcome of those. I didn't change the um data so that there was no confusion.
This is the data that is on the website. Um but I just wanted to report on those three uh investigations that were ongoing at the time. >> Question. >> Yeah. But Karen, go ahead. Um under
reported incidents, can you just briefly describe what are all the different pathways through which incidents are reported to the district? >> Sure. So a report can come from from anywhere. It can come from students, they can come from parents, it can come
from community members, it can come from any staff. Um so there are multiple pathways to multiple people. Um, parents do not have to fill out a formal incident report form, although we direct
them to it. If parents are comfortable doing it, they can do that. Otherwise, staff will take the report and they will complete the incident report. So, so that means um every report to a
teacher, principal or staff member is ultimately entered into the system regardless of whether a parent or high school student, you know, goes to the website and fills out the form. >> So, let me walk you through the process.
So if somebody makes a report to a teacher might go to the principal for example and makes a report there is an initial factf finding preliminary investigation that happens right to see does this is this bias-based behavior and would it fall under our policy and
would it be bias-based behavior either under title six or title 9. If the data does not support that it does fall under bias-based behavior either under title nine, title six, any of the section five, section 504, um it wouldn't
necessarily go into the database. So every every email or every report um is not does not necessarily go into the database. >> So it so there's a basically then you're talking about a bifurcation between
parents who fill out a form. For example, parent fills out a form and it goes into the database even if it's not later substantiated or um parent says something to a teacher, teacher investigates with staffing and
whatever decide it's unsubstantiated and never gets entered. >> No. No. So every every report that comes in regardless through which mechanism gets investigated based on that preliminary investigation and factf finding there's a pathway as to what happens next.
>> Right. But I I thought I heard you say that um there are situations under which staff may or may not enter the fill out the report. >> So families we we direct everybody to fill out the form. Families do not have
to. If a if a family member goes to a staff person and does not want to fill out the form, the staff member will fill out the form. But all of those forms based on the preliminary investigation do not necessarily go into the um the accounts
>> for reported incidents. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Correct. >> And one of the things that I'm going to talk about this later, we have looked at in terms of I know there were a lot of concerns about under reporting and underounting. Um, last spring we did a lot of work calibrating with the
principles both in the spring and over the summer with council to really look at making sure that our system is accurate and that we are reporting accurately and the accounts are accurate um in terms of that and similar there's a similar process with um bullying data
as well uh in terms of that. So it's definitely something that we are working on with the principles. We've changed our reporting process in terms of sort of a calibrated system which I can share with you um from certainly under title
nine and title six um when a principal receives a report those are immediately reported to both myself and the superintendent um and then and council and so then principal or designate will
initiate that preliminary investigation and then they proceed from there. Um and so hopefully the work will tighten up um both the reporting mechanisms as well as the consistency of practice across the
district. >> So I guess just not to blavorver too much. So you're saying in the entire year there were two um there were two of a set or total of two in the whole database for reported title six incidents. I mean it says two
and two went to a complaint as well. I mean in your staff on the staff side. >> Are you looking at staff? >> Yeah, even on the staff side. Yeah. >> So that's that's the total for the year. Everything reported. Correct. Okay. >> And nine the other way. Thank you, >> Donna.
Thank you. So Karen, would you spend a minute or two talking um about how families or students would how that feedback loop is closed with families or students if they and I
understand some of this data sort of predates your your tenure, but um if somebody had filled out a form or alternatively just sent an email to the school and reported what they believed to be a bias incident
um how how would that loop have been closed with the family? How would they know if it proceeded into that >> second column of reported incidents and and what what that looks like? >> I can't speak to what happened last year, but I can speak to the process for this year. Um and certainly the process
that uh in my experience most people have followed administratively is there's always a letter regardless of what the outcome is that goes back to the family or there should always be a letter to say I received the complaint. I've done my investigation. Here's what
I found. Based on the data, it has been determined that it is biased behavior. It is not biased behavior. It falls under our policy. here is the supportive and responsive and proactive measures that we've taken. So that should there should always be on any report around
concern around you know any of these uh any issue of that falls under you know any bias-based behavior any harassment bullying anything there should be a loop that gets closed with a letter to the family that there's been an investigation preliminary in the
beginning here's what we found here's why we found it and here's what we're still doing and I think I can't emphasize enough that regardless of the outcomes in terms of that that there should always be a supportive responsive approach um to making sure that kids
feel sta sa safe and that they feel like they're learning in a bias-free environment. >> Thank you. I think um that's incredibly helpful to also um to sort of set expectations for people to understand what you know um
to understand what next steps are this is I'm getting a little bit in the weeds but I know that there are timelines for like bullying investigations. Do those same timelines apply to if you determine that you're going to investigate something as a title five or a title six?
>> They they don't. So the bullying investigation of 10 days does not apply does not apply to the title investigation. C >> can we let her proceed or do you have a question on a current slide? >> Uh yeah, current slide. >> Okay. Um when you mentioned that the
letter goes back to the parent um who makes the ultimate decision since these are federal laws for example would a building leader be responding saying in my educational professional capacity we are we have determined or will the
letter tell a parent um council has you know been able to ascertain and confirm that there was no claim for example >> so it depend ends. Um, in many situations, your building administration will be consulting with myself, with Matt, with the superintendent and
council. Um, and so to make sure that again that we're making factual decisions based on the data and that are in compliance with the law. >> Okay, go ahead. I promise this is it. Is it possible and would you consider um
possibly going forward or whether there's any utility to um keeping track of which of the in reported incidents are coming through the pathway of like a teacher or an administrator in the
building versus which is coming externally. >> Yeah, we do keep track. Yeah, that is in terms of who report is already kept track of. Um yeah, >> I think we can move. Okay, now thank you Karen. >> Sure.
And then again, Title N and other sexual harassment. Again, just in terms of the report, there's additional information um in terms of allegations that fall under Title 9 uh in terms of of the students reports of sexual harassment, including formal complaints
um of or reports by students against another students. And then if any complaint is of staff against another staff member um as well as um whether law enforcement is involved in any of
those and so that is additional reporting that is required under title 9 in terms of responsive measures and this really applies as I said to all incidences that are reported um
individualized supportive measures for all students involved are always offered. Um, educational activities, so depending on what the incident occurred, we're in the business of teaching and learning. And so really looking at what
what kind of focused targeted educational activities may be warranted either on an individual basis or on a group basis or on a grade basis or on a whole school basis depending on what's occurred. um safety plans for all students involved as indicated. These
include no contact plans. These can include walk plans. Again, these are all based on the data and what's occurred in terms of the incidents. A review of behavior expectations and then individual corrective action for the alleged respond respondent which can
also if it is warranted include disciplinary measures. And then these are just some of the you know this is certainly ongoing work um that we are doing in the district both at the leadership administrative level and
calibration making sure that we are consistent and that our we are operating from a best practice perspective but also as we look at our social emotional learning curriculum um as we look at the work that's coming out from the AGO's office um and that's coming out from
DESIE um this is really an ongoing goinging ongoing work in progress. So as I said we in the spring we did a number of leadership um meetings with the principles and all the deans and all the APS we did it internally just really looking at what's our process and
procedure what's happening um and also what are the expectations at the senior leadership level in terms of reporting um and so that's again we establish sort of a pretty stepby-step calibrated process around immediate reporting to
both the myself and the superintendent of anything that might be bias-based behavior under either title six or title nine so that we were already know that there was something happening and could really support the principal and leadership um at the outset. We did in
in the summer we did our leadership team training and we brought in um outside council and we did a calibration session again with council present um looking at case studies and again just really making sure that we had a consistency of
best practice. Summer is when the annual title n civil rights training is done for all employees. Um many folk attended the attorney general's office webinar on combating hate uh which was held in September and then a lot of work has
come out of the special commission on combating anti-semitism that um we are also following and paying close attention to. Um, again, this is ongoing work, so we're always needing to look at our systems and our structures to make sure that we're fostering bias-free
learning environments for all students. And when data and incidences occur, to look really at not just that incident, but also what's happened systemically, what's happening again at it's an individual level or a grade level or a system level that incidences are
occurring. Um and then we are looking at our data collection methods making sure that we are collecting the data accurately um making sure that the accounting is accurately and that we're also reporting the incidences. So that is where we are with that.
>> Thank you Karen. Um Jesse >> um well actually more a comment. Um, in my first week as a school committee member last year, I actually began asking questions about the civil rights policy and reporting and data and in my inter interviews with like some of the
deputy directors, I asked questions on these things as well. and and then I was on policy last year as well as I am this year and we looked at civil rights policy last year and when we looked through the U PSB policy we noticed that the annual report was a requirement and so I tried digging into that a little
bit over last year as well to try to see if we could get that to happen and um in the first year and the one from the prior year never never appeared. Um, I just want to publicly thank you for all the effort that is very evident in following this up, in putting a
structure around it, in having the team in place, you know, you and Matt, Alvin, and Bella to um to really bring this out, to have the report available, to have it out on the website. Um, it's a huge accomplishment, and I just wanted as, you know, an elected official to
thank you for doing this part of the work. Thanks. >> Thank you, Karen. Any other questions, comments? Thank you so much, Karen, for all of this. >> My hand up. >> Oh, I'm so sorry, Mariah. I didn't see the black box. Got it. >> Thank you. Um, thanks Karen for the
presentation. I have a question about the data collection methods. >> Um, are you still using the same forms that were set up before or do you how does data collection happen now? So we're using the same well the forms
have actually had some modifications but it's a very similar form to what has been used in the past. We've stream we've streamlined the forms probably wouldn't be noticed at the public facing. We streamlined what was happening internally. Principles were
having to enter data into multiple um into multiple forms. So we we've streamlined our process internally but the public facing form is very similar to what it was. Um, have the old forms all been removed from the websites, the various PSP websites? I'm just wondering
like as a as a member of the public, if I were to Google PSB harassment complaint, would the right links be made available to me on the website? >> Um, I would hope so. Um, and when I go sit down, I'm going to go and check.
>> Okay. I think it would be good because I did it googling just myself now and and I see old websites and other things. So I think it would be good to make sure that anything that's out of date is removed just to make and double check that no one has reported on a form you
weren't necessarily using actively. Um how this is my own ignorance. Do we have a parallel report to this for bullying? >> We do not. Not I mean we report to the we report to DESIE um but not in terms
of this format to the it's not a it hasn't been a required school committee report to my knowledge. >> Thank you. Um and thanks for taking the feedback on making sure not just internally but externally people can report as needed. >> Yep. Sure. Thanks. Thank you very much
Karen. a breath before we take up 6B. Uh, first reading and discussion of the draft 26 to 27 school district calendar. Superintendent Wong. >> Thank you. Um, so what you have as a draft to consider, and sorry Betsy, I
didn't ask you before if you're pulling it up. Yeah. um is actually based on the current year calendar for next year. My understanding is that the the committee um discussed the calendar for this year
and did add um did add Eid as a holiday for the coming year um and anticipated that they would that you would um discuss it for this year, which is why the agenda item is described as it is.
Right. So, what you're seeing is a proposal for next year based on what you have this year. >> Right. And I think that um just for a little more context, I believe that we asked uh superintendent, then
superintendent Gillery to do some work around um data collection, I believe from educators um and um that didn't happen, which is why we're starting with with the a roll forward of of where we
are. >> Well, sorry. I'll I'll just >> Caroline, go ahead. Sorry. Um, and I'm not actually meaninging this to be sort of like substantive discussion yet, but I'll just add to because it's in the packet. I thought I'll just
>> What's in the packet? >> I asked I did a couple of mockups based on sort of continuing I know. Well, because it's better maybe to do it visually than to if if we were to start engaging in conversations about moving
things around. So, continuing conversations from last year. So, I I I think what we had asked was for the superintendent to do some research with educators. We haven't done that yet. Um
I I guess I' I'd like to is there we can't move for anything. So this is again just a first reading just for some feedback. Um hold on everybody put their hands up. Um I'm going to go around once and people can give their initial comments. Um
we'll go from Donna's side around and then online folks and then me and then we'll go back around again with other >> Sorry. But sorry, can I just finish what I was saying because I wasn't meaning it. Yeah, but I think it just is going to I think it would be better if you
walked us through that when we got >> Okay. I really just wanted to explain sort of like this is from me and that's why it's there. >> Okay. >> And not looking at all to discuss it at the um Thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, so Betsy I just saw this. Betsy put a little sticky that says from you. So Betsy is, you know,
amazing. So um >> Okay. >> I'm seeing that with arrows now and we can >> and I don't want to say more now. >> Okay. Donna, >> I I just wanted to confirm that I understood sort of some of the background and the framing which um what
I heard Bella say was that um she rolled forward um the calendar from last year based I mean from LA yes thank you and Val what I think I heard you say is there was some work that was to be done that
should have been done last year to gather educator feedback or >> I believe when we voted Betsy can confirm what it actually what exactly said, but I my recollection was when we voted there was discussion about the superintendent doing some work on um
just looking at options for to present us with for um this year and the next year. We generally had had been doing or trying to do two years at a time. >> Um and so Dr. Gillery was going to look at um other districts and again this is
from memory but was going to look at other districts and and come back to us um with either the same calendar slightly tweaked calendar something to for us to react to uh after some feedback and some research and um
obviously there's been a transition and so um Superintendent Wong is is presenting us with a roll forward um of what we have so that We we're just starting at essentially zero and and having a conversation. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> So, any comments on it? Initial comments or should we move to Suzanne? >> Yes. Can I hold my comments until the end? >> Okay. >> Or if I have any. >> Okay. Suzanne. >> Yes. Thank you. Um I'm supporting Superintendent Wong's proposed calendar for next year. I think that we have not
uh at this point had the deep dive discussion that we talked about that we would have for any number of reasons. I think the calendar worked is working well this year and it would uh make in my mind it makes a lot of sense to go forward with Superintendent Wong's uh
proposed calendar for next year. we would have it done early which would really help our families with their planning and then at sometime later in the winter and the spring we want to do a deeper dive we can. >> Thank you Suzanne Sarah.
>> Well that makes my commentary a little bit shorter because I'm going to say the same thing. I'd like to support the superintendent's um calendar that she's rolled forward um for this year. And I liked that we were sharing a little bit about the history because um when we when we put uh the Lunar New Year onto
our calendar, which actually doesn't appear in this draft because this year it falls on a weekend, um it was something that was really spoken to from the heart by a lot of um students and it was um it it really meant something to
the community that we had Lunar New Year on our calendar. Likewise with Eid, we had the same sort of um outpouring of how important the holiday and seeing the holiday on the calendar was. And so I'm glad that we're including the history of
how we got here as we discuss this. >> Thank you, Sarah. Carolyn, >> um I'll make a few initial comments, but I'll probably want um a second bite after hearing others, too. Um,
so just responding to Suzanne and that that we talked last year about doing a deeper dive. So I think that's the opportunity. This is the first reading and I think we have to have a second reading. Um, so we did talk about having further
conversation last year as a school committee and that didn't happen. So now we are. Um and I would respectfully disagree um that the calendar is working optimally
um as it is. Um we did hear some feedback last year via Dr. Gillery um from building leaders um all of whom expressed concerns about continuing to add days of closure um some of whom
suggested having um only federal and state closure. Um we've heard from working parents. We've heard about the sort of confusion and disruption of noon
dismissals um and and many days off that that interrupt continuity. Um, and I see the calendar
as an operational document. Um, it's a work plan for our schools. Um, we heard very specifically last year from from one uh veteran principal um who was really articulate about her
frustrations with the calendar and with with adding additional days. Um, she talked about the desire to use what she called our precious 180 days to
optimize teaching and learning. Um, so that's how I see the calendar. Um, and we're a wonderful town. We are naturally extremely diverse. That's one
of the great things about living here. Um, we have, um, many ways as a school district that we can recognize and celebrate our diversity. Um, but being closed
for school doesn't need to be one of those. So, I'm interested in in um in pursuing ideas for more flexibility that is responsive to um centering teaching and learning, optimizing
opportunities for teaching and learning and professional development um with a less disrupted calendar. So th those are my initial thoughts and and interested in continuing to hear from others. >> Thank you Carolyn Jesse.
>> Thank you. Um I guess um my first pass comment is that um instruction and teaching as we heard in public comment should be our number one priority and that um the other second comment I'll make is
that um of three is that um there are many opportunities within the curriculum and school events and school newsletters ers to and and all
the other ways that communication takes place in the schools to honor, dignify and respect various religious and cultural observances as they take place. And the third comment I'll make is that um historically
days of low absence meant in my understanding days in which so few teachers came to work because they were taking off for religious observance that there was no way to get enough substitutes to just practically speaking to run the the engine that is the
schools. And of course if you don't have enough teachers um the students who do come will end up in an assembly or end up in the auditorium or gym something along those lines. In the case of you know Rashan Yam Kipper specifically having had the schools for decades
closed on those days doesn't afford the opportunity to do a low attendance statistic. And so, um, you know, um, statements that have been made about low attendance don't mean anything to me because, um, we it never was done because it was closed for decades. And
so if it were to change to a federal and state only holiday closing for the schools to keep the schools running optimally meaning as much instruction and teaching and learning as we can possibly get in then um on those not next year because of the way the
calendar turns out but in the year after for example 2728 um there would be um as there was for example um for doors this past year an attendance report was requested and did show a change uh you know large enough
perturbation to be a a true change that day of doors in January um in terms of whether or not there was a significant absence or not and then we would know in other words um if teachers let's say and and um district staff are put into a situation in which their religious
obligations and the school calendar conflict um I would assume that many would um use a day off or uh a vacation day or whatever it might be in order to accommodate their religious observance. And so they wouldn't be they would be
telling you us in advance that we're or telling the district we're not going to be there that day and the district would have to respond. And if it turned out to be unworkable in terms of the volume, then we would have more data than we have today. But I would agree with everyone that um today we don't really
know because um that situation hasn't occurred yet. >> Thank you, Jesse. Bob. Yeah, thank you. Like like almost everything this is complicated and these are my these are my initial reflections on the calendar.
We are a school system and our foundational driving principle is the optimization of teaching and learning. The school system calendar can contribute to that or not. I have two initial proposals. First, in the 2026
2027 school year, Labor Day is on September 7th. Traditionally, our schools would open on September 9th. That is almost three months after schools will close in mid to late June. That is a really long break from daily
instruction. By the end of August, camps and most summer activities most summer activities are over. Athletics at the high school are underway. And during late August and into early September, working parents have to scramble.
>> It was on due not to >> cell phones. >> During late August and early September, working parents have to scramble for child care. Um, I propose that for 2026 2027, especially because of the very
late Labor Day, we should begin school on Monday, August 20, August 31st. School staff begin their preschool preparation on Wednesday and Thursday, August 28th, August 26th, and excuse me, August 27th. Um, obviously impact
bargaining with the Brooklyn Educators Union will be necessary for this to happen, but I hope we can get this done. It benefits everyone. Starting school nine days earlier than we usually do offers major teaching and learning
benefits. There is plenty of research that says teaching and learning in mid to late June is far less effective than teaching and learning at the beginning of the school year. The engagement of students in early September is dramatically stronger than in late June.
Not to mention that families and kids begin to leave town in late June. An early start will offer a much earlier end of school in June and an overall more productive educational school year. This is about the kids. >> I'm hearing that you are signed up now
for the negotiation subcommittee. >> Well, impact bargaining is not the >> I don't know that it's impact bargaining, but go ahead. >> The second The second proposal is is more complicated and politically fraught. So the traditional reasons for closing the
public schools are one, state and federal holidays including religious holidays, Christmas and Good Friday. Two, early release days for professional development and parent teacher conferences. Three, low attendance days for some religious holidays, Roshana
Yomipur. and four honoring the religious and cultures the religions and cultures of members of our beautiful diverse community first Luna New Year and more recently eyed continuity of instruction improves student engagement and outcomes. Are there other ways to honor
religions and cultures other than closing school? Yes, teaching in school to some extent we do that already. There are certainly celebrations of Luna Year, New Year, and other holidays in almost all of our
schools. Learning about our diversity in school to me is way more effective than closing school with some kids involved in religious services and events and most kids just hanging out. Closing schools is symbolic of our core value,
understanding, and respect for human differences. It is not substantive. Teaching about our diversity in school is substantive. Some will view closing schools for religious holidays as a as a litmus test
for a commitment to honoring diversity. I think teaching about I think teaching about our diversity in school and not closing our schools is a litmus test for our respect for families and the education of our kids. My proposal only close schools for state and federal
holidays. Thank you. Thank you, Bob. Mariah, >> thanks. Um, two questions. The first one is, can you clarify, I was trying to find it in the contract and I couldn't, what the language is around start date.
>> Yes, Betsy pulled that up for you. Uh, in part it reads, >> I have it as well if people want to. >> Betsy pulled it up, Andy. >> She got it. Okay, great. >> Yeah. Uh, so in part it reads, "The work year for returning teachers shall not begin before the Wednesday before Labor Day or September 1st, whichever is
earlier, and shall not end after June 30th." >> And so is there a reason we couldn't start on >> which one? >> The first even >> that's teachers, right? >> No, I understand that. So, I guess
you're saying because it's all we wouldn't want to have the classes start on Friday and then go into a long weekend. >> No, the first is a Tuesday, >> right? >> The first next year is a Tuesday. >> Okay. Well, I guess I'm just thinking
that could we have the teachers be there on the 1st and 2nd and then have school start on the third? >> Sorry, Betsy. Can you read the language again? Yeah, sorry. Thank you.
>> The work year for returning teachers shall not begin >> before the Wednesday before Labor Day or September 1st, whichever is earlier. >> Okay. And educate me, please. The work year for teachers begins two days before
the first day of classes >> on this. >> I mean, I I don't know. >> Two days before, but not directly. is usually a Friday. >> I guess what I'm asking is where our calendar
shows with a circle first day of school. >> So for next >> that that teachers need to report two days before that and that can't be
currently before September 1st. But why can't >> That's right. >> Or could we have teachers and parents report on the first and second and start school on the third? >> Yeah. >> Instead of the 8th. >> The way I understood the language is
they can't start work before the Wednesday before the Wednesday before Labor Day. And so the calendar currently has them coming for work on that Wednesday before Labor Day. It's the Wednesday or September
>> September 1st, whichever is earlier. >> So they come out on the first earlier. >> Okay. >> I think this was developed um typically we've not started till after Labor Day, but maybe that's something to reconsider. The teachers have asked in
the past not to come in for instance on the 3rd and the fourth if they could have the Friday off. It nicer for their families. But again, if we were coming in on the 1 and 2 for teachers, third and fourth for families, that's an option. My statement is that I do not like the
idea of the last day of school being the 23rd with the snow days going past that. I think it's too late in the year. I'm still not decided on how I feel about the removal of the religious holidays or
not. I am leaning towards removal of all of the non-mandatory holidays. um particularly if we do end up starting on the 8th. Um but I have not made that decision yet, but definitely ending on
the 23rd feels very late to me and I would be interested to see how shifting that to before Labor Day could help us. >> Thank you, Mariah. Andy, >> um yeah, I'm I'm also attracted by the idea of at least as an experiment
removing uh all the holidays that we're not required to have. I do think though that there are two sides to this question of um like what is the effect on teaching and learning of having uh these holidays sprinkled throughout the year. I think on the one hand yes it can be very disruptive to you know to have a
holiday like just plop down in the middle of a month. On the other hand um you know an uninterrupted succession of 5day weeks uh is also it leaves staff and students quite burned out. So like just the way you don't have a lot of good teaching and learning going on in
late June. I mean in my experience you don't have a lot of it going on in late March either after you know people have been in school for weeks on end with no break. So at least my experience from being in a school is that you people act a lot of people will benefit from having sort of occasional um breaks and
teaching and learning is actually better as a result. But I also see the other side that yes like on that day you don't have school it's obviously a disruption. Okay, we'll go back around for seconds. Donna, >> um I wanted to say I appreciated hearing
for from everyone. Um that's helpful for me. Um I am I am leaning towards federal and state holidays only. Um for many of the reasons that um some of you have talked
about. Um, I'll also say as a as a single parent, as somebody who has worked um an hourly wage, having days off um like singular days off during the week is really difficult when you're
trying to make ends meet and you have to take a day off and you just don't get paid for it. Um and as somebody um who I have to adjust what I'm saying to respect my children. So I'll say for
some children who have executive function um struggles and other disabilities I think actually um having singular days off makes it extremely difficult to fall into a school routine. Um so that's something I'm also thinking
about. And certainly Mariah, what you said about um school going so late into June resonates for me. Um for people going uh for people scheduling camps and whatnot, I think that's incredibly difficult. Um so for all of those
reasons, I would lean towards state and federal holidays only and give us the opportunity to collect the data we need to make a more informed decision. >> Suzanne, any seconds for you? Um, I will say I do expect a a fairly large outcry from the community if we
have the students coming to school before Labor Day. Just because we've already heard from some people, doesn't mean that why we should not go before Labor Day. But I do think I think in New England we typically think of of the fall and school starting after Labor
Day. We had one email, it's only one, but they were upset that we were starting on the 8th, which is after Labor Day. So anyway, so that that's one thought. I also agree with Andy having been in the classroom for many many many years. Uh sometimes a break feels good.
I know it's harder for the families, but I some it's okay to have a day off every once in a while. It just especially if it's a meaningful day that uh makes sense to do. I do think um we need to have lots of input from the community.
We already have had some, but not a lot this term. We did more last spring. And so again, I would go with Superintendent Long's suggested calendar for this year and have those deep dive conversations for the following years. Sarah, any
additional? >> I'm willing to amend what I said before. Um I think that I I feel that we need to have the additional holidays of Eid and Lunar New Year. um if
we are going to have um religious and cultural holidays off, I want those to be included, but because so many in the on the community on the committee are willing to go with um state and federal holidays only, um I I could be
convinced. >> Okay, Carolyn. >> Thanks, Val. Um would this be a good time to and on the I guess I okay I will say that I think this is a good time. I
did prepare because I expected based on our conversations before and and the bit of feedback that we had from building leaders last year. Um, I mocked something up and probably at this point in the discussion I'd suggest if we
could look at the second one and I'm just doing this because then I I know that it's easier. Yes, it's >> you can't move holidays around. Like I mean like you can't move Indigenous People's Day around that it is when it is. >> I didn't do that.
>> It looks like there's an arrow going from Indigenous People's Day to another day. >> All right, go ahead. Um, it may be. I certainly know that. Um, you know what? I think I must have thought that was
um one of the Jewish holidays which perhaps falls on it. So, so that one can't happen. Thank you. I must have without reading the bottom because it's just such a mess. Um, I mean, not a mess, but there's a lot of information
and I was just trying to sort of like bang out a visual to guide a conversation. So, thank you. Um, >> what I'm trying to show here is what I think we're some of us are talking about and and maybe Bob was kind of speaking specifically about or Mariah was
um that if we are only closed on the mandatory federal holidays, it gives us flexibility. We regain flexibility. And I think and I I think
that some of that flexibility could be used in the service of addressing um some or many of the concerns that we've heard about. Um >> can sorry, can I just ask for clarification while you're um Yes. >> while you're talking? What are the green
and the blue arrows? >> Okay. So the blue is sort of if we took out the um religious and cultural holidays I'll just say. Okay. So quickly
September 21st is Yom Kapor. If we were open on that day we could be closed on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving which is a sort of nightmare day. Nobody likes a noon dismissal. We've we have the data that
actually that is a perennial low attendance day. It's like a throwaway day. Um, one of the things that we heard about, um, or or I heard about in conversation, I should say, but I believe I shared it
and it's it wasn't private, is that specifically the day before Thanksgiving, families get to opt to travel early if they want and staff don't. And that's not good for staff morale because
they're showing up. They're teaching not teaching to half empty classrooms. Um so it's a sort of like everybody wants that to be a closed day. Noon dismissals are kind of um not a positive thing. So
for example, and these are just um the arrows are just example, but if we were open on Yam Kapor, we gain a day that we could use to close on the day before Thanksgiving. If we are open on
March 10th, which is Eid alfitter, we could be closed on June 21st. If we are open on Good Friday, we could be closed on June 22nd.
You're right. So, the Indigenous People's Day was my mistake. You'd have to find So, I actually >> What do the Greens mean? >> The Greens, thank you. >> Were if we also wanted to at the same time open earlier, which I think many
community members would like, and do something that we also heard about which is to to create depending on the calendar year address um the actual high
absence rates that happen in the days preceding the beginning of winter break. Um so >> so is this the same sorry I'm gonna ask a lot of questions. Is this the same net? >> How many net? >> Well, it should be the same net. I
didn't count because really I was just trying to use this to sort of illustrate the kind of flexibility that we could gain if we took the days that were closed and used them in a different way. Um but it should be net except for the
mistake. So, so and the green. So, I guess the blue was sort of my first pass which was to address June and then my second was to to address what for example next year
we can anticipate that many students will be absent the 21st and more likely the 22nd and 23rd. And we have the data that shows that those days days leading up to winter break are
days of low attendance. So you could again this is not a sort of definitive but ra you could open earlier and you could close sooner in December and eliminate those actual days of low
attendance and support educators who are showing up to half empty classrooms and that's a bit demoralizing. So, and it's just an illustration of of that flexibility that you gain. Um,
>> so again, Caroline, for clarification, the last day in yours would be the 21st. >> Is that correct? >> No, it would be the 18th. >> But, but you have this day that we still have to take. >> Yes, that's right. So, putting that day.
>> So, again, this was like a this was a >> I understand. I figured rather than us having sort of an abstract, it would be really really hard to have this con conversation in the abstract. I just kind of mocked something up. >> So my So I'm
>> You could take one of these. What about this one? >> Thanksgiving. So, and I'm not I didn't intend this to be um necessarily prescriptive and I didn't have a plan to move this specifically.
Again, I just wanted to sort of illustrate that if we did um you know remove the currently depending on how they how they fall,
religious and cultural closures. It would allow us the flexibility to address some of the actual days of low attendance and potentially create a schedule that might have more flow. Oh, and I did want to say one thing in
response to what Andy said before. Um, yes, we have those eight weeks including March with no days off. Um, I mean, absent sort of creating a day
just to be a break day, we we could move the sort of dreaded November PD day where November is such a disrupted month to begin with um to the middle of March >> that
>> which doesn't help educators. I know. I know. I I recognize that completely, but it's a way of that that November day is rough. So, again, just sort of like you could do
that and and and really, I'm just trying to sort of think about the calendar as an optimal work plan for our schools. Um, okay. Sorry, there's a bug. So,
>> are you is that it for now? Okay. Yeah, Jesse. >> All right. So, um, in looking at first of all, um, the idea about starting school before Labor Day, I'd be 100% in support of that, um, to get our days in because I do truly I I know from talking
to the community and I know myself that the last days of June, there are days when students who are signed up for programs that start next year on the Monday the 21st will be gone or they'll be gone on the 18th already. and they're not they and their parents are not worried about missing three days at the
end of the year because very little is happening. They're wa you know they could be just watching movies whatever. Um helping clean the classrooms up. Um November to me is um you know sort of a serious month in terms of lack of consistent teaching and learning because
the way it looks right now one-third of the days in the month are are broken. In other words, there's the um the full professional day. there three early dismissals and two days of closure. So that's six out of 18 days which to me is and I saw it last year as well. There
was really nothing we could do as a school committee last year about that either. I it has to be done sort of sometime in the year. Maybe something needs to be moved into October so that we don't have these breaks. And speaking again from um feedback from the community um these are terribly
disruptive to both single parents and working couple parents. I mean the kids are just you know early dismissals and breaks are um are the worst. I mean um and so uh you know and early dismissal Fridays I mean you know 1:30 or 1:40 or whatever it is on it's listed here can
be um you know that's consistent but still um a fairly short day and if you're working as as you know in if you're working a job from you know 8 to 4:30 or 8 to 5 um Fridays are obviously a a huge challenge. So the November
thing um is uh to me very concerning. Um I don't I don't support um the idea of of another day off in November. Even if we could gain it in order so that people can leave on their vacations, it's like the end of the it's like the end of June. They're just going to leave. And those who I don't think it's an equity
issue because people who can afford vacations to go away or just to drive to see family um they'll leave when they want they'll leave when they set themselves up to leave whether the school is open or not. Same thing in June. Um I think I agree that the that there is a long you know the eight weeks
from February to April. Um, I would sort of challenge us as a school committee to maybe present or support the superintendent and others in the district about other ways of making those eight weeks um more fun. Um, you know, the winter's almost over. uh maybe
we do some other activities to um support our educators um in ways that are meaningful so that we um we don't close school but we embellish you know the middle of March or something like that in a way that shows we care we
recognize and we respect the fact that it is an 8week slo and there's no no way around that but from the from for the from the teaching and learning side it's huge I mean we don't want I I I wouldn't say we want to give up any of those days from the teaching and learning side. So that's u you know that I think yeah the
November thing not not not extending further into June and starting early would be my uh you know three next takeaways here. >> Okay, Bob, any >> thank you. Y >> I just want to remind everybody that the school calendar in New England and and
throughout the country was based on an agrarian model of our economy economic system where people people wanted the young people in the family to help out harvesting and plowing and planting etc. I have a garden myself but I'm
absolutely ready to go back to school in late August. Um, so to me it's to me it's kind of a no-brainer to think hard about beginning school in late August, early September. Now the contract currently says teachers
can come back on um September 1st >> Wednesday, >> right? Okay. So I mean I think there will be some negotiation with BEu but think about this that if even if we started um teachers coming on if we can
negotiate teachers coming on the 31st of August and the 1st of September to begin the school year. Then students come back on the second, third, and fourth of that week. Three days and then Labor Day shows up on Monday. And then we have two more days that we save five. We save
five days of instruction. And these are solid, exciting days in the fall that will dramatically change the end of the year. I mean, June 23rd, forget about it. We got to this is ridiculous. You know, we have to we we have the power to change the schedule that will dramatically change the educational
program for the kids. You know, I totally totally know late June education in schools. It's not good. I mean, it's sometimes it's fun, but it's the end of the year. People are not ready to be intense and education is about intellectual intensity. Sorry. And that
doesn't happen in late June. So I would think really really hard about getting us starting starting early. It's great for families. It happens to be great for the education of kids. So that's my speech. >> Mariah Andy. Mariah.
Um, I was just going to say regarding March that if people want to have March be broken up, we should do it intentionally and not essentially using someone's holiday as an excuse. That's not reliable. And to
me, that's not respectful of the intent of the holiday. And I'm sure no one meant to be disrespectful, but saying, "Hooray, so and so's holiday is going to be there so I can take a break isn't what we should be doing." However, if we think that we should be intentional in that, let's actually build that in as
something we do. >> Andy, any additional comments? >> Okay. So I think next steps I hear loud and clear that there's um interest in looking at a
federal and state uh holiday calendar only. We have for anybody who's watching us we have lots of prescriptive rules about um any calendar that we're discussing being posted for consecutive meetings. Um so
last year I forget how many ridiculous we had a large number of calendars that we circulated. Um so we can I think keep the original we can add one with um state and federal only and then
I think any amendments either Allah this or some other configuration can be discussed >> start date >> that can be discussed off of those two um and perhaps a third actually with a
start date of September on or four, >> right? Because >> hold on. Four. Four actually. So, um, >> sorry. So, original >> um, state and federal only and then original with a September one start
date. State and federal only with a September one start date. >> You just said that twice. >> I think original with a September one and then state and federal only with a September one. Oh, but so necessarily if
we remove our current cultural and religious and it's a state and federal then I think Bella would need direction like then we have more than 180 days available. So necessarily it's going to
shift one way or the other but I'm happy to leave it to Bella. It can't shift beyond earlier than September 1st without bargaining. So it would just move earlier I think. Right. >> Right. >> I mean >> extra end earlier. >> Just end earlier.
>> Right. >> End earlier. >> Yeah. >> End on Junth. Junth. >> I think it would end earlier than that actually. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's I'm just saying like it's going to it would go one way or the other and I'm happy to look at it either way.
>> So we'll have four drafts >> to look at um when we come back to this. >> Okay. Any closing comments on this before? >> I have a question. >> Yeah. >> Um, and I hope you don't mind me asking. >> Um, what do >> you're asking for my opinion? I don't
have one yet. I'm listening. >> Okay. >> Um, you were the person who got me first think when you suggested state and federal only way back in like one of my first meetings. I was like, "Oh, we could do that. That's an
interesting idea." Um, but I'll look forward to hearing your involved view. >> I want to see the four and we'll continue this conversation. Um, so thank you. We are at 10 of nine. So we're >> Well, Val, can I just say one thing?
>> Yeah. I want to say I know I've said this before to um my colleagues, but I really do appreciate the conversation and hearing each of your perspectives and and learning from you and the ability to work together. Um, I also want to say to the community that
I know that it's um an an a conversation that's deeply important to all of you and so I hope um we're able to learn and hear one another as well and I appreciate you all being here. >> Thank you. Um so next I I am probably
going to jinx us by saying we're only 10 minutes behind. Um, we're at the moment we're only 10 minutes behind and we are on to number 7A, the FY27 to FY31 budget guidelines discussion and possible vote. There's a version in our packet that's
dated October 9th that says third draft. Mariah, is this I I want to clarify this is what was edited at last school committee or this is a version from finance. >> So at finance, we only discussed this briefly. So, I presented the version
that was from our last school committee meeting. We took some input um but we really only had a short amount of time to discuss it. Um and I think there was I know there was a goal to perhaps rework some of the front
wording. People seem relatively at least at the subcommittee relatively comfortable with the sections below, but I honestly ran out of time between finance and now to do anything with it. So, we can talk about it here.
>> Okay. >> So, do you want me to lead the discussion? >> Sure. >> Okay. Um, so I guess my first question would be if there are other I want to go back to the numbered sections. If there are other
things that people um have questions on or comments or want to change in the numbered section or are they mostly okay with it? >> Mariah, I think that you just explained this. I'm sorry to ask it again. This draft before us is the same as the draft
that we saw at finance or it has some ed edits in it. >> It's the same draft we saw at finance. >> Great. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Um and I should say two things actually that I forgot to mention that happened at finance. Several members um
proposed making these a single year version of the guidelines for two reasons. one, we're in a override year. Um, but I think more pressingly all of the recommendations are for FY27. There's no outyear recommendations.
Um, so they proposed making it just FY27. And the second thing is that um Susan, who's not here tonight, correct? >> Correct. >> Um, Susan expressed some reservations about the budget table at the end. Um, I
responded that the budget table was basically just what you had provided to us originally, Bella. She was concerned that staff won't be able to generate that. So, I think, and again, I meant to go back to both of you between finance and now, and I just didn't have the time.
But that was a concern that I think we need to reconcile before we vote a final version of this. I we will have to reconcile it among us. Yes. >> Okay. >> And Yeah. >> Okay. So, when Susan's back in town,
Ryan, maybe you and and Bella can and and and Susan can talk about that. >> Sure. So, I think what would be helpful tonight if people are mostly comfortable with the numbers, I think we can just focus on that front piece. If people have really pressing needs to
edit it, we can edit it. Otherwise, I feel pretty good about where we're at and hope we're relatively close to the end of this process. >> Someone >> uh sorry, I'm not sure what what you were saying about how to proceed with the with the table at the end. Uh >> so
yeah, it's not going to be a committee activity. We need to go back to staff. table was came from staff and there seems to be some questions so we need to go back to it. >> Okay. >> So I guess I'm wondering if people have big edits to this otherwise perhaps we
kick it over to our next meeting when when the table uh has been >> specifically I really want to hear if people have burning needs to edit the front two paragraphs. >> Okay, Donna has her hand up. So when you say the front two paragraphs,
>> first two paragraphs. >> Yeah, I meant >> the first two. >> Yeah, three. Sorry. >> The text. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, not the numbers. >> I mean, if you want to make changes to the numbers, we can talk about that, too. >> Um, I thought we had gotten to a
relatively good place given the changes we made last time, but feel free to bring up the numbers as well. >> Okay. Can I start with the Can I I did want to I'm not going to make Oh. Bob is locked out. Um, maybe we should keep him out.
Um, so the table I did have some some suggestions, but I can park those for when Susan's back. Um, so for number four C,
Betsy, do you mind scrolling down? I wanted to say that for me is not a priority. Um, so I would like to see that I would I would be happy to not have 4C as a
budget priority. what >> um I think that we have a lot of competing priorities and the strategic plan is drawing to a close in FY27. I think that if we um
want to focus administrative effort or or staff bandwidth on something, to me, the strategic strategic plan dashboard wouldn't necessarily be where I would want any additional
bandwidth prioritized um for uh a num, you know, for a number of reasons, but it it just to me it it's just not a priority. But can you say why on the strategic plan? >> Why why a dashboard for the strategic
>> strategic plan is not a priority. I guess >> build the way that I understood this 4C it's that a dashboard should be developed to track the strategic plan's progress except that it's the very last year of the strategic plan. So, I don't
in in a year where we are struggling financially, that isn't a priority for me. Nor does it nor is it necessarily an an effective use of time when we're at the tail end of the plan and the plan is going to be revisioned the following year. >> Well, it was only contingent on override
funding, so it wouldn't get done if there was no >> Well, I I think that that's a leftover. >> Um I see Andy's hand is up. Why don't you go ahead, Andy? And then >> uh yeah, I I I think what Don is saying makes a lot of sense to me, especially
because uh the the we abolished the position that would probably be um >> Right. >> We paused the position. We didn't abolish. >> We paused the position. We didn't abolish. >> At any rate, we you know, we we let we let the the person go and there are no plans to hire somebody into that
position now, as far as I know. So, it's not even clear who would be able to carry out that work unless we somehow got money to restore it. Suzanne. >> Uh first of all, the strategic plan will continue in some form, a new form or um
it will be extended. It's not going to just stop, I would hope, on the 27 in 2027. And we are frequently asking for the progress for plans. And if we are requesting that information because that helps us make decisions around the
strategic plan. It seems to me we need to provide the tools that we are >> to our um to the people who are going to provide that information to us so that they can do that. So I I mean it's maybe it's not top priority right today but I would leave it in there because I think
it's important to our understanding of what we want to gain from the strategic plan and how we'll go forward with it. I agree. In in fact, I think for the last two years, it's been mentioned over and over from the district side about the importance of having data analytical
views that provide ready means of determining progress. And so it's frustrating not to have a way to to do that unless someone has to do a deep dive each time and spend a lot of time analyzing spreadsheets or whatever in order to answer a question. The dashboard idea was to be sort of more
global within the district and really provide results one of strate strategic plan benchmarks but also in general other activities that the district's involved in. >> I I personally think we could detach it
from the strategic plan but that we have key metrics >> that those may be in this current strategic plan but I think that we have key metrics that we would like to keep our eye on. So, I very much think that we should have dashboards and as Jesse just said, we have been flying blind and
asking for this for quite some time. I'm quite gratified that we've seen that um there are some internal dashboards that staff are using, for example, with some of the data that Matt presented to us last week and we've seen some other data um and I think that there is a contract
with open architects that's doing that work. I just think this is very important um for our own understanding of year-to-year how things are going. >> I I agree with the importance of financial dashboards. I just I I one
tied specifically to the strategic plan in its final year when we sort of put a pause on that position con concerns me that we're possibly setting up staff to underdel or not deliver. Superintendent Wong, >> I I just want to be clear this is not
possible with the current staffing. So it would depend on restoration. >> Sarah, >> so the Oh, sorry >> Sarah then Carolyn. I'd really like to keep 4C linked to the strategic plan and I think it's the strategic plan that keeps us as a system
making sure that from top to bottom we are all in the same place and um we need to make sure that we honor the work that was done when the strategic plan was written that we don't you know decide at some point that it's not important to us
and change course. I think it's very important to have that as a part of 4C. Okay, Carolyn, thanks. Um, and thanks Sarah. Um, so I think Donna suggested that she
um I think Donna was suggesting striking 4C and then we're also now talking about whether 4C is tied to the strategic plan if I'm following it properly. Can someone just throw out
um other than MCCAST scores particularly with respect to our achievement gap that in the strategic plan being articulated as a measure of the achievement gap? What are and forgive me for not knowing
what would be other items being tracked by a dashboard or dashboards in terms of our progress >> current language? >> No. Mariah, do you
>> No, in in the in the according to the strategic plan. I mean I can give a couple of examples like >> attendance >> and that may be being tracked internally but I given that Matt's presenting but I don't know we don't have any ability to
see it. >> Okay. And that's in the strategic plan. >> Okay. >> Um but what I just heard was that that Superintendent Wong said that we don't have staff to do any of this. So I'm I guess I'm >> wonder
>> it's for next year. And it does say contingent upon override funding. >> All right. That's what we said earlier. >> And and Val, I'm not arguing one way or the other or advocating one way or the other for for C to be in or out. I literally just wanted to a refresher on
sort of what some of the U benchmarks >> are. Well, if I could just add to dashboards, Carolyn, things like Dibbles and um that's the early literacy things like um NAPE, which is a national test
that we participate in things like um what STAR is that the >> star Yeah. middle those are all articulated in the strategic plan. Okay, thank you. >> Any other superintendent Wong? It it's the part that um obviously staff are
tracking data but um we don't really have the capacity to integrate it on a whole board and the way this is stated is RT to be developed that will allow all stakeholders or allow stakeholders to track the plan's progress which
suggests it's sitting on a website and so we we are trying to we're trying to maintain that the information on the website is correct, but we're really we don't have the capacity to really modify what we have the frame
that we have currently to be able to to maintain this dashboard. That's that's where we're we're not able to do. >> So, we change stakeholders to committee. Would that
>> say that I >> So if it weren't to stakeholders, if it were a dashboard that we received as a committee, would that be manageable with override funding >> as opposed to maintaining the website? >> I would say with with override funding,
Val, we go fully with a the whole system that we need >> if that's priority. in the override I guess is the >> I mean you're you're getting presentations this year which to me is different than a dashboard >> correct. So, so definitely staff are
monitoring the parts that they're responsible and tracking progress on the goals that they're working on, but a dashboard to me suggests something different, >> right? I guess contingent on override funding to me I you know I don't I'm not
>> mean >> I'm not sure that that's a I understand what it it means literally but I don't know that if we are if we have a certain amount of money if that is we're going to implement um the reading program with fidelity through the middle school grades
or you know or that that this is going to come out of that I I guess not knowing what funding is available and what priorities are and what a no override situ situation looks like. >> This isn't in a no override situation.
This is only with >> I understand that Mariah, but in an override situation like we we may just be treading water, right? Like depending upon what the number is. >> That's what I mean. In an override situation, we may just be treading water with sort of level service. Look, we
have multiple levels of budgets that we've asked for in section six. This is something that I feel is very important. If it's something that we can add on in one of the levels, I think that would make sense. It might be a restoration. We've asked for this for multiple years.
We had this position. This is something that is very important to us to multiple members and to me that like the ability to do data and to have clear understanding of this was something always within this position. and we didn't get it. We really need it.
>> Okay. Is there a motion on any changes to 4C? >> So, can I try to clarify for myself? Like leaving 4C in there basically commits the school committee to um saying that like if we get an override, we will use some of that money to
restore that position that seems to be necessary in order to create this dashboard. We're directing staff to create a budget that either in two or three or four wherever they see it go and not two but three or four the restoration or if they think it would be a recommendation
beyond restoration to include this. So, it would be a line item of something to fund >> because I'm not ready. I'm personally not ready to go to the voters and say, "Oh, we want we want more of your money in order to restore this particular position so that we can have a
dashboard." Others may feel differently, but that's where I would be on this. >> So, I ask again, is there a motion to keep this or to remove it on the floor by anybody? Mariah, are you moving to maintain 4C as is?
>> I am gonna move to maintain it. >> Okay. >> Second. >> Jesse seconds. >> Okay. Dr. Wong, you were going to comment on that. >> Yes. Thank you. Um, it's a it it feels a little preliminary for me or to to state
what it is that we might put in the list for restoration, but I can say that we really do need someone to to help us with analyzing the data. And it may be that in when we get there that this will
be covered. Um but I I don't know if you would just allow us to try to work with it in in what's already here in the guidance. Um cuz I do believe it's kind of what Andy said like if if I
don't know if it's as compelling if that were that it's part of creating a dashboard. It would probably be more embedded in someone who would help us with data and then that that could be part of their job description.
>> There was a meeting that the Brooklyn Parents Organization held last winter um in which a superintendent who lives in Brooklyn and is a superintendent in another community came to present and talked about the dashboards that she had
created for her community and the amount of interest and buzz and positive feedback to the types of dashboards that she had created which allowed for visibility into budget and other program goals was remarkable to me. how many
people talked about it after the fact. And I do think that there is a significant interest in the community in being able to understand what our goals are and whether or not we're achieving them in a accessible
semi-real time I'll say way. >> Okay. Mariah's made a motion. Jesse seconded. Donna and then Carolyn. >> Thank you. Um, I actually moderated that discussion, Mariah, and it was like it was incredibly interesting. And I think that hearkens back to what I said
earlier, which is I don't have an issue with a financial dashboard and specifically the ba the dashboards that were discussed at that at that um at that um virtual event at um that were presented and that were discussed and
were more um budget dashboards that gave real time data about where we were, where that specific district was spending money. Um, so I think for me personally speaking that has more um
value than a strategic plan dashboard. Um, and I think that if we're if if the motion on the floor is to maintain the current the language that's in 4C at the moment, I would vote against keeping it.
>> Okay. Uh, Carolyn, >> I'm good. >> Okay. Um, we're going to take a vote on Mariah's motion. Uh, Donna, how do you vote? >> Can you just clarify? The motion is to keep the existing language. >> So, so if I don't want to keep it, I'm
voting no, right? >> Correct. >> Okay. So, no. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. Carolyn, >> no. >> Jesse, >> yes. >> Bob, >> yes. >> Uh, Andy, >> no. >> Mariah, >> yes. >> Yes. >> And I vote yes as well.
Um and so we will work on this section six. Um >> can I go back to the original purpose that I was asking people about because we weren't going to get into the numbers
was um if there was anything particularly in these first three paragraphs that people have big issues with. Uh, Donna, >> God, does anyone else have anything to say? I feel like I've talked a lot. >> Carolyn,
>> I do, but not in response to Mariah's question. >> Okay. So, I I just want to suggest or ask folks to consider whether we need to add in um a few sentences about fiscal assumptions and guidance, which when I did the due diligence looking at other
districts, they had um they had some language in there. I I I'm mostly thinking about that um because I want to leverage this document in terms of its um um the comm's uh uh comm's impact that's
externally facing so that when people refer to it they have an understanding of of what assumptions and what guidance was included. Are there particular sentences that you're advancing now then?
>> Um, so the the language that was in some of the other documents, do you want me to just read it? Is that helpful or what? I don't know who's >> Can I respond to this, which is I personally would prefer that in our our staff in developing the budget provide
fiscal assumptions as opposed to us doing that. That makes sense to me. >> Yeah, that makes sense. Um, right. I mean, they have the Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Um, Carolyn,
thank you. And this is going to be one of those naive questions, but bear with me. Still only my second year. Mariah just before I think said that keeping in
for C that we just voted to keep amounts is effectively us instructing staff to have this be a line item in the budget they present to us.
Is that the purpose of this? And I'm sort of thinking back to last year's budget process where there was a lot of back and forth and I my recollection is like some guidance that it's not our
job to instruct staff or the superintendent. So on a line item basis. So I guess I'm asking a sort of global question again about the purpose of of the this document. >> So I'll tell you how I heard this
document or the C I I understood C. Um >> and what I heard Superintendent Wong say was that it would get uh incorporated into >> a broader item on a data person that um
seems to be needed. And I I think that's a correct characterization of what you'd said. >> Um I would add to this that in prior years staff have actually built the guidelines in and responded to us what
they've done to um respond to our priorities. So >> sorry my my question might not have been clear. Sorry Mariah if you want to finish what you were Go ahead. Could the superintendent just speak to her piece first and then >> I think most importantly is is someone
to help us with the um to support the data analysis and I understand the dashboards. I guess for me it's the lead is actually someone looking at the data >> and so maybe I'm just reacting to um
>> dashboard >> the that yeah the focus is on the dashboard. That's but um >> and and my question might it sounds like I didn't ask my question well because
I'm not really asking about 4C specifically. I'm asking about um Mariah's statement that this is meant to instruct staff about what to present including on a
line item level. And so my question is just going back to sort of globally the purpose of the guidelines is it in so >> where do you see the line idol line item
reference? Is it in the charter? I believe that was what Mariah said >> that the that by keeping in our discussion of 4C I believe Mariah stated that keeping it in would be effectively
a directing staff to have a line item thus in the >> be exactly those words Caroline but the idea is they wouldn't have to say you know item 4 C100 $100,000 or whoever it is. It's basically like how they think
it's going to happen. It makes sense that Bella is saying it's going to be a staff line that we're restoring or it's going to be some other way. >> Like what's written on the page is written and they'll tell us how they've responded to it. >> Okay,
that makes sense. Thank you. just in terms of sort of my up until now understanding of the purpose of the guidelines being a guide. And so I just got a little confused with the with the notion of like directing staff on line
items in the context of the budget discussion last year where I think we were sort of told that's not what we do. So um I just wanted to kind of check my my understanding. Okay. But I think my understanding is is is where it was and
is probably right. Thank you. >> Thank you. I think we're going to have to come back to this at the next meeting after there's some is would it be helpful to vote for the everything up until six? >> I I think we're just have to vote the whole we're we're we're not I think
we're going to agree that we're not changing anything else except the >> six at this point, right? Everybody's now >> let's just why don't we vote on it and then it's okay conversation is >> well I mean I guess there wasn't there wasn't a significant um u input from
anyone in terms of a motion on the first three paragraphs that Mariah originally asked for at the beginning of the conversation so we're assuming that's good and everything through 4C we're straightened out on as well so and governance there's nothing so is the only thing val left to discuss section six >> section six okay so I will move that we
uh adopt the guidelines as amended did this evening from the preface through and including number five. >> Sorry, there there was something that Mariah talked about in the beginning which is >> taking out references to the multi-year.
>> Yeah. >> So that was a that that would be a change. >> She said that somebody had mentioned it finance. I didn't hear any motion for anybody to change that. >> Oh, okay. So I think this is not an maybe this version didn't see the edit that was made. I think I provided >> we didn't make the edit. You presented
it and we talked about it. >> Okay, I'll make a motion. >> So, I'll make Yeah, we can we can move that FY27 to 31 at the beginning of the second paragraph should just be switched to FY27 alone >> and also in the in the re line in the >> in the
in the where >> in the top of the regard >> and as well I guess in the uh footnote uh the footer. >> Mhm. >> That printed out with it also has that in it. has moved for that amendment and Donna has seconded. Um, Donna, how do you
vote? >> Yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. Sarah, >> yes. >> Carolyn, >> yes. >> Jesse, >> yes. >> Bob, >> yes. >> Andy, >> yes. >> Mariah, >> no. >> Okay. And I abstain. And the superintendent is mentioning that we
also then would need to uh amend the multi-year guidelines. >> I was just going to say that We have that in two places. That's at the end of the second line. >> Okay. So, Betsy is phenomenal with this. So, I would uh Betsy will eliminate anything that says multi-year or
>> any reference to FY27 >> or the multi-year in the I guess second >> third paragraph. Yeah. >> That doesn't need to be modified. It's not referencing the multi-year budget guidelines. >> Correct. >> So, Val, you have a motion on the floor. Did you want to amend that to?
>> So that was then that separate vote. So now I will move again for uh the preface through and including uh number five as twice amended um this evening.
>> I will second that. >> Suzanne seconds it. Donna, how do you vote? >> Oh god. >> Yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. Carolyn, >> yes. >> Jesse, >> yes. >> Bob, >> yes. >> Andy, >> yes. >> Mariah, >> yes.
>> And I vote yes. >> Um, okay. So, we'll look back at number six. Uh, >> I just want to say thank you to everyone. I think this was a lot a big year for budget and I appreciate the process we've gone through to talk
through these things >> and I want to thank you for all your work on this and the the finance committee as well um with your leadership. Uh so we are moving on to 7B. This would be Suzanne on our warrant articles.
So uh government relations uh met that's Carolyn, Bob and me. And we uh took a look at the Warren articles that's coming up uh in November. And uh we look we found three that we thought might
impact us. However, um num warrant article 11 is actually being referred uh by the select board. Is that who said >> which one? >> The select I believe the select board last night voted to refer
>> to refer. So we are not going >> so that will be their recommendation. >> That's their recommendation but we we are not going to bring that up at this time because people are still doing work behind the scenes on that. So, >> were the was the select board the the petitioner on that one? >> Were they the ones who brought it
forward to begin with? >> I believe so. >> Oh, yes. So, if they're referring it, then it probably isn't going to >> it would probably be dead. Yeah. >> Right. >> Okay. >> Yeah, they submitted it. >> So, we're not going to comment on it tonight, but we do have two that we would like to comment on. One is um
article 10 and that is to u vote to name the baseball diamond located at the northwest corner of Brooklyn's Warren Field to Compa Diamond. And Bob's going to give us a very brief reason why we voted yes on that one.
>> Vote yes. >> Thank you Suzanne. Uh Joe Compana. Um he was a long long time Brooklyn guy. He's a longtime baseball coach at Brooklyn High School, assistant athletic director at Brookline High
School. He's kind of a legendary figure. I was actually at many, many baseball games watching him coach. He's one tough guy, but he's also one sweet guy. Um he's an ex-military man. Um totally Brooklyn. Loves Brooklyn. Okay. some of
the things that he accomplished. Um, he was inducted into the Mass Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was uh 1996 Division One Coach of the Year in baseball. >> Every time he starts talking,
>> he was he's in the Brookline High School Athletics Hall of Fame. Um, he's a Bay State Conference Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. He led Brookline High School to over 250 victories and 14 tournament appearances.
I mean, it's an extraordinarily extraordinarily long and um powerful accomplishment, but I'm saving the best for last. Joe Compana coached Sam Kennedy and Theo Epstein.
So, I'm sure now Sam Kennedy, if if anybody does not know who Sam is, he's the president of the Boston Red Sox, class of 1991 at Brooklyn High School. And Theo Webstein is an absolute legend
um in professional baseball, Major League Baseball. Um he led the br the Boston Red Sox to the 2004 2007 World Series championships. Um, and then he went over to the Chicago Cubs and he led the Chicago Cubs, who
had never won the World Series ever, to the World Championship in his first or second year. Anyway, Joe Companion did that. I I give Joe Companion complete credit for Sam Kennedy's accomplishments and Theo Epstein's accomplishments. And I just love Joe um worked very closely
with him. And I just loved watching the guy coach because he would just reprimand the baseball players and then go over and give him a hug. >> Bob, you want to make a motion that >> Second? >> No, I I have about 18 more minutes in my little presentation here. I make a
motion that we accept that Warren article enthusiastically to name the baseball field um the Warren It's the Warren field, right? >> Warren field. >> Yeah, that's his neighborhood. >> Name name the Warren Field um the Campa Diamond. I love it. >> I'll second that. >> Okay.
>> Okay. Uh, Donna, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> Carolyn, >> yes. And I I will add, I do want to say this. This particular diamond is a place where Joe for many years also ran a wonderful baseball camp. So, it's quite
appropriate. >> Jesse, >> yes. >> Bob, >> absolutely. Yes. >> Uh, Andy, >> yes. >> Is Mariah still with us? >> I am. Yes. >> Mariah, >> yes. And um I also vote yes. And so we need to appoint someone to write the summary. So Bob, I think you have
volunteered to write the summary. Um Betsy has examples of how we've done these. They're very short and to the point few sentences that um we put into the combined reports and things like that. Okay. Second up. >> Yep. Second one is article 18. It's
submitted by Heather Hamilton. It essentially says uh it's about uh the recordings that we make uh of our meetings and um they want to make them available to the public by way of the civic clerk or the town's current website within four business days of the
meeting date. >> And I want to say that Betsy does this within about three minutes of the meeting. >> I was just gonna say that it should be renamed the everybody should be like Betsy article. >> That's right. So we do it already. So, I think we're suggesting that we would
support this and that other committee meetings should do this as well. >> I I move that we accept this article. >> Seconded. >> Okay. Uh D uh sorry, yeah, Donna, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Suzanne, >> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> Carolyn, >> yes. >> Jesse, >> yes. >> Bob, >> yes.
>> Andy, >> yes. >> Mariah, >> yes. >> And I also vote yes. >> I think in cases like this, our write up for the combined reports usually mentions that it's something that we already do. Right. >> Okay. I will I'll write this one up. Um,
sure. Um, let's see. Moving on to subcommittee and less on reports >> curriculum. Yes, we met we met uh when did we meet? That's Tuesday. >> Monday. We met Monday. We heard five school improvement plans. We're meeting
tomorrow at 4 uh for additional five school uh improvement plans. So, you're welcome to join us if you wish. Um, and then the other thing I will say because I don't know who else is going to say this except maybe Bob, uh, is that we were cited, uh, the school district as
number one in the state and I announced that at the curriculum meeting just because I did and uh, it's very exciting. It's with Anishh Nic uh an organization that looks at many different uh criteria and metrics and uh
we public schools of Brooklyn are number one in the state of Massachusetts. So congratulations to us. >> Wonderful. Um DIJ >> we have canceled our meeting so unfortunately there's no
>> Okay. Um, finance Mariah, anything beyond what we discussed tonight? >> We had an extensive presentation of many things last week. [Laughter] Um, principally among them was we had
the update on the capital work that was done last summer and the budget. And then we also had an update on the FY25 close which I think is going to be presented to this committee at our next meeting. >> Great. Thank you. Government relations. >> Just one I wanted to add one more thing to that.
>> Um Charlie Simmons came to the meeting and presented some um spreadsheet data which was very helpful. Um one followup that we had asked him is if we could get the breakdown of the R&M expenditures by schools and it came today I think in the morning. So, I haven't had a chance to go through all of it, but we'll report
it out to finance and capital at our next meeting and then >> Great. >> potentially report it up to full school committee. >> Thank you, Jesse. Um, sorry, I was on government relations, >> right? That was our meeting >> was on the Warren articles. Wonderful. Um, policy, Andy. >> Uh, yeah. So, we had a meeting uh this
past Tuesday. Uh, we discussed three policies, two of which are going to come up to the school committee soon for first reading. Uh so one policy was um uh building use and access. That's going to need more work before coming here. Uh but something you will see soon is um an
update to the pledge of allegiance policy and one on uh class size and sectioning that will be uh up for discussion by the full committee um before too long. Um we also talked about things that we need to get done uh in
the near future. So the memorandum of agreement with the um the town side that we looked at at our previous meeting includes a requirement that we um document any changes by March 1st uh to our fiscal policy. So uh we're going to
be working on that um in the coming um meetings and there'll probably be a joint uh finance and policy meeting in December uh to go over changes to that um that's spearheaded by Mariah. Um and at our next meeting uh we're going to take up three topics. So part of the
meeting will be joined with curriculum um on competency determinations or graduation requirements. That's something that the school committee needs to pass uh by December 31st. Uh we'll also be discussing the civil rights policy and instructional materials. That's our November meeting.
>> Thank you. Uh Ian R. Mariah and Jesse. Um, we actually have divided into sub subcommittees and I'm on the schools one and we met earlier this evening and discussed some of the topics that the committee is interested in and we'll be
meeting going forward weekly. Um, however, the date is or the day of the week um was originally Monday but may be rescheduled due to Bella's availability. >> Okay, Jesse, anything on the town? I'm on the town subcommittee section. We met
um earlier this week and or was last Friday and I think we're meeting tomorrow morning again. Um I should know because I wrote the minutes so and sent them off. So um uh we um are awaiting reports from Chaz and his team. Um there
were some analyses that they did and um they haven't really been fully presented to us so we can then uh discuss them. >> Great. and I'm on the future subcommittee and we have not met yet. Um, any other liazison reports or updates?
Okay. Uh, any new business? Oh, sorry. Is this a liaison report? >> Okay. New business. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Um, thank you. >> I wrote this down during public comment. Um, the public comment from the the last
gentleman, the disco dad, um, I think Mr. Lee who talked about um math teams reminded me um and I don't know what form this would take and I don't want to create any kind of sort of major piece
of work for staff. Um and I I sent an email I think to sort of just everybody during the week about this. Also I'm I'm curious about our middle school programming. So, I'm curious about
homework clubs, other extracurriculars, what Mr. Lee was saying about math teams. Um, I'm just interest I I feel like I don't know sort of what um what is the funding, what's the funding
mechanism, how does the planning or programming work at each individual school or is it centralized? and then sort of how those things work operationally. Um, and again, not looking to create
work for Robin or Superintendent Wong or anybody, but but I am curious about that and I feel like it's sort of important for us to understand kind of just like especially with respect to middle school like what do we do
and how does it work? So, kind of just putting that out there if it could bubble up at some point in some way. And I would like um as maybe a tag on as as followup. I I don't remember during our um budget discussion
in the spring a vote to eliminate this math program. So I I maybe it is in some bigger pi piece of pie that we cut, but I would if if Susan could just clarify which item that or if you know.
>> I don't know. I think it was stipens when you eliminated stipens. And then to Carolyn, do you mean you mean middle school programming after school? You don't mean >> Yes, I do. Sorry. Yes, I do. I mean after school or extracurricular.
Any other new business? Okay, seeing none, I move I move that we adjourn. Is there a second? Yes. >> All in favor? I. Okay. Have a great night, everybody. >> Thank you.