of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Hello everyone. August 4th. Uh we
have uh we don't have minutes. Oh yeah, we do. We did get minutes. Okay. So, um, I'll entertain a motion for the approval of the minutes of the July 28th meeting. And despite the fact that I said that, I actually read them. >> So, did you notice that um, it says
Aaron, A R O N, Souza? >> Yeah. >> And it needs to say Aaron. E R I N Suza. >> Okay. So, um, entertain a motion. I make a motion that we approve the minutes of the school committee meeting of July 28th, 20 26 with one correction um on
the first name of Aaron Susa. The spelling is E R I N. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I >> I catch. All right. And they're going to keep me honest and let me know when it has to be a roll call vote. All right.
Parker Middle. Well, no. Good news. Do we have any good news? >> I I don't have any new new good news, but I just found out from from Susan that tomorrow is the last day if you would like to visit the lemonade stand at 10
>> 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 >> to 11:15 in front of the high school. Get some lemonade >> or iced tea. I had the iced tea today. It was very good. >> That's wonderful. >> So, I will pick you up after the meeting. Oh, wait. That's my good news. >> This is great. It was a nice atmosphere,
too. There were, you know, a lot of students, a lot of support staff. Um, Officer Azie was there. It was a a really nice atmosphere there. >> He's a good boy. >> He's a good boy. >> Yeah, he is. He's a great guy. That Aussie >> getting older.
>> All right. Anybody else? Any other good news? Okay. So we get um we don't have public comment but I will just say that we are always livereamed through chumps for tele media for any members in our
community you want to watch and uh if you are an interested community member who would like to speak at our meetings then please email Dr. Lang by 12:00 p.m. on um the date of the meeting and we can
put you um as an approved speaker. All right, we are moving on to our standing agenda item, Parker Middle School building project status. Dennis, >> so Superintendent Lang um put a nice memo in everybody's packet that kind of
summarizes where we're at at this point. Um and there's a little presentation. Uh this is very similar to the presentation that we had at our last school building uh meeting. And one of the things that we'll talk about from this presentation is uh whether we would like to take a vote as a committee to um to kind of ask
the select board to consider um a January February um type schedule for town meeting and townwide vote. So I'll let Superintendent Lang take it from there. >> Thanks. Um, so yes, a very very similar presentation was shared with the Parker building committee meeting at their last
meeting. And then a very similar presentation is going to be shared with the select board next Monday, August 10th, as an update to the overall project. And as I was putting this together um for Dennis just kind of gave you a memo with a couple of highlights. But I think because we do get different audiences that watch say a school
committee meeting as opposed to a select board meeting or whatnot, it certainly wouldn't hurt to um just on a very high level kind of go over where we're at right now with the uh Parker project. But we're currently in what's called the schematic design phase and we entered that uh at the end of last uh May when
we received approval from the MSBA board of directors to move forward with our new middle school uh grade four five6 um school project at the existing uh Parker school location. So in schematic design there are a lot of different meetings that are taking place this uh summer. We
had a whole series of meetings at the end of the school year. We involved um staff at the different grade levels, some of the specialist staff who would be using the building to talk about what they would like to see in the building. Uh we had a call actually today that was a pretty detailed call about the um the type of say heating systems we would
have in the building, HVAC. We've got a call tomorrow to look at some of the different aesthetics on the exterior part of the building. So all of this is taking place this summer and uh in October we'll receive back formal cost estimates for the project um which is pretty significant as well as um kind of
a full more comprehensive schematic design of the property. Then between October and December um we'll be submitting a packet to the MSBA with that schematic design and cost estimates to get their approval. Um the final step would then be uh trying to get a town
meeting approval vote as well as a debt exclusion vote for the town to move forward into phase two which is design development and then ultimately construction of the project. Um so before you you kind of see this large uh time schedule and we'll talk a little
bit um closer about it in a few moments but um couple of things at a very high level uh that I'll just touch upon. These have been excuse me covered in the different parker building committee meetings, but this is the um kind of the rendering of the school in very broad terms of what it might look like on the
current parker site. It takes into consideration the existing wetlands, trying to utilize the natural resources of the plot as greatly as we possibly can. It looks at solar orientation of the building, um energy efficiency, possibly using geothermal, all those
different ways to um to provide for um a good uh ecological uh building at the Parker site. Um you're going to see that we do on the exterior of the building. Again, this is the same footprint. Uh there's going to be some um trying to tie in the natural terrain as much as
possible. You can see renderings where like guest parking would be, parent drop off, um accessible um lots and lanes for the buses to go to and from the school. A couple of different playing surfaces. Again, trying to really just make the best use of that possible um space at at
Parker School. Um inside uh with a grade four, five, six school right now, what we're showing is uh three different levels. The first level that you walk in would likely be um grade four and the building would go up. So grade five would be in the middle and then grade six would be on the top floor. That's
been the discussion we've had to date. The building is also being built, however, so that you could also go vertically. So you could actually have say fourth grade uh on one of the I call them fingers. It's kind of like three fingers sticking out of the the hand, but you could technically go up. So this
just allows for maximum flexibility in future years. Um but you can see classroom space integrated with different specialist space within the building. The first floor obviously would have a the entryway, the main office. Um you see student dining and the cafeteria and the stage area, the
gymnasium. A lot of those common areas. A lot of thought has actually gone into um after hours being able to uh lock off the academic wing from the u main part of the building that would have rentals and different groups actually utilizing the space. Um when you go up into the
second area of the building, obviously on the right you see some of the areas that are kind of whited out. um those are like two-tier or twostory buildings. So the main floor, the gym is a good example in the far right hand corner. Obviously the gym is two two floors, so you don't really have a second floor to
access, but there would just be some glass lights looking into the gym. But again, you'd have your um common academic spaces on the three different fingers. Uh and then you'd have some special education spaces as well up on that second floor uh overlooking the uh library and
uh cafeteria and performance space. uh slightly smaller configuration up on the third floor because several of those spaces on the first floor are only go up two stories. So, this actually blends much nicer into the uh the current landscape and um kind of height of uh
spaces that we have at Parker right now, but the building is showing grade six up on the third floor. So, all of your core academic spaces and specialist classes up on that third floor. So, it's a very nice kind of compact uh design. It allows for a lot of um you know light, natural light uh passing of of spaces
within the building. And this has been pretty consistent. This is obviously very high level in as they're going through schematic design. This will become more detailed. We'll actually have different renderings of what spaces might look like to share with the public come October. And between October and December again is when we're really
putting a big push on to educate the community on what this potential project might mean, what the costs are going to be, what the different factors at play are. Um, one of the things as we've gotten into this process, uh, that we're looking at obviously is, uh, maintaining
a good project schedule and also trying to do this in a timely and, um, as cost-effective way as we possibly can. So, when we look at this master schedule we've been using to track different actions that are taking place with the project, you'll see um, in October uh,
is when again we're going to have the different um, schematic design cost estimates back to us. Um, we then have some different meetings set up in November, December with the MSBA to get approval of the project, but we're anticipating receiving approval of the project at the December 9th MSBA board
meeting. After you receive um the the approval from the MSBA, we then need to take a series of votes with the town to approve and to fund the project or the town's portion of the project. Um what we're showing and what the the park and building committee is recommending to
the select board because ultimately the select board is the body that would have to um establish these dates is to hold a special town meeting in January on January 11th to update this will be a single item town election I mean town meeting at this point in time. um
thoroughly review the project with the time meeting reps um get their support uh for the project uh and then move to a town debt exclusion vote in February. And what we're showing right now is the Tuesday before February vacation. That's when we would actually have to have the
town vote to support and we'd need a majority of the town to support the bonding for this particular project. >> That's a ballot vote that >> it's a ballot vote. >> Yeah. So townwide ballot like a regular special election, but you would only be voting on that one item. there wouldn't be any other like election type things. But, uh, so that would be the
significant push. >> Um, some, you know, have kind of asked, well, what would happen if we actually just waited until the spring when we have the regular, um, election in April, if we had a town meeting, things along those lines. The project um, ends up slipping uh, timewise because our hope
is to get these votes done in the winter of 27, next January and February. You then need approximately a year to do all of your finalizing of your design documents, uh your bid documents, going out to bid. You'd like to be able to go out to bid in the uh spring, early
summer of 28 to actually be able to break ground, late summer, fall of 28. If we slide uh four months from a construction standpoint, you you potentially miss being able to break ground in the fall of 28 before the winter in holding off breaking ground
until the spring of 29. Um there's a obviously there's a cost uh factor in doing that. Um there's a delay in the building project in doing that. And what we asked um Lefield, who's our OPM to do, and this is is what's going to be presented to the uh select board um next
Monday, is take a look at exactly how this kind of shifts the um the potential opening of the school. Right now, if if things went well under the first course of action that I indicated, a January February vote, um if we're able to break ground in the spring summer of 28,
you're looking at a good two-year build. So it would be um done um summer or fall of 2030 for the 203031 school year. Now it's looking less and less likely that we may be able to fully open in September of 2030 just given um like all
the logistics of physically moving into a new space. The the uh schedule right now is looking more at like maybe a December move in to the space. You would take the fall to basically get all your new furniture and all your new equipment into the building. Um, and then one thing I wasn't thinking about at the
time, but actually might make a lot of sense is we would have on site at the Parker the then current five and six. We could move the five and six in over Christmas break and they could have the rest of that school year to themselves to kind of work out the kinks of the new
building. We wouldn't I would not recommend removing the fourth grade from the elementary schools for that half a year, but we'd actually just have the fifth and sixth graders because they're already on the same site, you know, logistically. Busing, transportation would be going to that site. We'd let them kind of, you know, get to use the
facility, get uh again to know it well, and then we would integrate that following fall for the 31 32 school year. We'd bring the the fourth grade into the space. Um if we miss that window of being able to open and bring the fifth and sixth grade in that December, um you know, it's just much
more difficult to think about doing it over like a February break, April break, you're probably looking at losing a whole year and then not occupying the building fully until 3132. Um so this is that factor. If we weren't able to um to do that scheduling wise,
the other thing that's going to come into uh play, and we kind of touched on this, but obviously this is a very expensive project. Mhm. >> There's going to be some discussion and there will be a cost associated with doing more so a special election as opposed to a special town meeting. There's not a significant monetary cost.
There's a time cost, but not a monetary cost with a a special town meeting, but there will be some cost um which is being quantified for a special town election. Again, they happen, but there is some cost to it. But I think the greater cost is if we don't go forward
and do this in January, February. When we look at what a potential fourmonth delay in project cost, as Lefield uh outlined, and again, they'll be the ones making this presentation more eloquently than I can. Um, you know, there's any way on a conservative end, you know,
$2.8 million towards a potential $4.1 million extra cost being added to the uh project if we slip and don't do the votes until April and and May. Um, so I think yes, there's certainly going to be a little cost to doing a special election, but um, for the financial um,
ramifications of, you know, millions of dollars and not doing so and also the just pure construction scheduling of being able to break ground before the winter of 28, I think is is huge from a uh from a a building standpoint. >> Um, so again, they they put this uh
little presentation together with us. They walked us uh through this at the parker building committee meeting. Um the parker building committee unanimously agreed with this recommendation to seek the select board's um approval of these two special votes in January and um February. Again,
keeping in mind the the two two uh factors. One is the timing of the project and secondly, you know, potential significant uh costs in not doing so in having that cost ultimately be borne on the project. Um and again potentially, you know, hurting uh approval of the project. the higher your
project cost goes um you know the more people are going to potentially challenge things. So um that is the um you the discussion that's going to take place at the select board meeting next uh Monday. Um left field and AI3 the design team will lead the presentation
to the select board. Um I will be there. Uh school committee members are welcome to uh be there and um just kind of show our support for this project. Again, the building committee me uh the building committee uh unanimously is recommending this action to the select board. So, um Pat
Maloney, other members of the the park and building committee may be there to support this as well. And ultimately, it is up to the select board to uh vote to set that special town meeting and special um uh special ballot initiative for uh February. But I think I think our
logic is is grounded. I think again from a scheduling construction standpoint as well as a financial standpoint, it makes a lot of sense to do this. Um, in speaking with Dennis, you know, we put a draft motion together which could just be after we talk about this and have any questions. If the school committee also
supports this action, I think it would be valuable to have the school committee vote to endorse this action as well so that the select board knows that certainly the building committee is on board with this, but this is something this uh school committee also sees um as being a prudent next step in the process. So that's kind of high level.
>> Okay, Danielle, think of how to put this appropriately. Um, is there data existing on whether municipalities that push this through as a special vote versus a regularly scheduled vote are whether one of those
options is more likely to result in approval by the town. >> I don't >> I don't know if that's been discussed at all, whether you know there are precedents set or data on rate of success or approval. I don't know that there's any hard data on that. Um I know
like left field and AI3 when we're speaking just in general terms at the building committee meeting they obviously have a lot of history with projects that they've done in their own. Um there certainly is I have to imagine some science to exactly when the votes happen. what has been explained to us is
the most compelling um arguments or or I guess um kind of campaigns for new school building projects are really grounded in you know advanced notification to the community about the project educating the community on the project making sure that you can um show that like no stone has gone unturned
taking a look at this seeing the um you know the designs of the project you know actually showing people the old facility that would be coming down the new facility going in I think it's really the education the outreach piece that's going to be um most important in this. Um neither neither group has really
shared and I certainly don't have any like statistical data on you know ballot votes and things like that and what is um going to present a better outcome than not because community dynamics are just so different also with regard to like what's at play in different communities. But we certainly can ask
that um specifically if they have any data even again on their specific projects um that they could maybe bring forward to the building committee meeting and that I could share with the committee. Yeah, I mean I think I think it would be if they have that data, it would be a a data point that would be
useful for the select board to know. Um, for example, you know, I I do imagine that turnout is very different in a special election versus a regular town meeting. So, or not town meeting, town election. So >> yeah, I think their their general
opinion and I agree at this point in time is that um regardless of kind of the timing because the timing just doesn't work out, you know, perfectly. If we were maybe um kind of 6 months ahead of the game and we had been doing, you know, had received schematic design early and had been educating say all
summer and early fall, um ideally maybe we would have lined up with like the the November election. um that just wasn't in the cards with the track we were put on approval wise with the MSBA. Um I think left field's um and AI3's opinion at this point in time I don't want to
speak for them but this is what was presented was that you know between an extra2 to4 million a project cost is what could potentially be a significant factor and if we can show that actually by by doing these actions now we're um saving that cost or not incurring that
cost that that would be more advantageous than just the timing of the actual uh vote itself. But whatever I can get for info, I'll gladly share. >> Okay. >> I I do. >> Sorry. >> Thank you. >> Oh, >> it would be putting it off more than 4
months if we did that though because we're talking about having a debt exclusion vote in February or possibly May. Neither which are normal town election dates. It would push that debt exclusion vote all the way out to November if we were to wait for it to be
a normal election day. That's a long wait to push it out. >> Yeah, I think we'd have a >> there is no other >> meeting before and then do the April vote, I think, would be the other other >> Yeah, I think so. We would never want to wait until the following November for like a national
>> but we'd have to do it really quickly to have it all done for >> Yeah. I think the only thing that might come up for discussion >> Oh, okay. Instead of January and then April, >> instead of doing a Yeah. Well, instead of doing the the February special
election, if that happened in April at the regular town election, just because there's already a town election, again, I think there's going to be even less data about that though >> as opposed to like voter turnout for say like a national election in November. We
we can't wait till November. uh MSBA actually gives you like a 90-day window to take all of your local actions. So, um like this has to happen between the winter and the spring. So, there's no way for us to wait until November, but that cost would be astronomically higher as you go. Um and I think for whatever
the cost is to run a special election in February as opposed to just waiting until April, that cost is going to be dwarfed by, you know, what the potential um construction cost escalators are on the other side. John, you had something. >> I did. Uh, this is kind of an irreverent
question because that's what I do. Uh, does that little brook have a name? The brook that the little stream that runs through that we're restoring. >> I had a lot of questions. I actually just I just to give you some background, I went to Democratic town committee meeting this week and I spoke with Donna Nukem and there was a bunch of other
people there and that stream restoration came up. So, it doesn't have it. >> It's Crooked Spring. >> Crooked Spring. Crooked Spring. >> That is Crooked Spring. >> Cricket Spring. Okay. I just I didn't know and people were like, "What's the name of the stream?" And I was like, "I have no idea." That's >> telling us it's Cork Spring. Cork Spring
it is. Okay. Um any concern? I mean, I don't think there will be, but so you'll have plenty of time if we get through all this. And I know we talked about the vote, but like for busing and all that stuff for the the >> Yeah, I'm not concerned about like the legitimate like these next six months are going to be critical to us and really it's only 6 months, which is
crazy in the scheme of things. Like we've been at this for a long time. >> Long time. Yeah, >> but when we secure hopefully those votes in January and February and we move into that next phase of the project, we really have a good three-year window to be working through all the again the site logistics. And again, the more we
kind of get into this, um, >> I was thinking it would just be cleaner to say open for the 3031 school year, but this is a very large project on a very small site. And I could see the pro you don't want to rush it, right? You don't want to move in before you truly hit your substantial completion and all
of your punch list stuff is pretty much done. You don't want to have construction taking place while you know kids are still in the building. Even the closeout stuff, it just never quite gets done to the level you you'd like it to get done. So, if we did do that little bit of a staggered delay and have the kids come in grades five and six and
over the the Christmas break, I think that actually might make a lot of sense. then you'd have, you know, twothirds of the student population kind of working through the the building logistics and schedule. Again, those kids would have already been being busted to that site. It's just going to be a different driveway. So, it's not going to be that
difficult. >> And then that also gives us the spring to let them kind of figure out, are there any little quirks to the building or the setup that we have to think about before we integrate another 400, you know, fourth grade students for the following year coming up. Um, and then everyone could come in naturally for
that 30 31 32 school year. So, it is kind of lining up, I think, nicely, but these next six months are going to be critical to advancing this. And once hopefully we have those successful votes, I'm not concerned about not having enough time to work through the logistics. We'll have plenty of time for that. >> And one one more question.
>> Um, and so on once this is built through the construction company, and I just don't know, I've never built a school. Uh, is there some kind of warranty period? I don't know if that's the right term, but some kind of warranty on like, okay, the you know, the school's been built, we found a problem like after the fact for a certain amount of time. Yeah, there's there's different um elements of
of the project. So, when you do an MSBA project, one of the things that they require you to do is actually have a commissioning agent. So, aside from all the different folks that we'll have involved, the MSBA will have a commissioning agent that actually comes in and basically goes through this. It's the system stuff. They go through all
the different, you know, HVAC, mechanical, electrical, all the life safety stuff. They'll go through that as like a third party almost and make sure that things have been installed properly and you know functioning properly. They'll work with the GC to make sure everything is is kind of up to par. Once
they pass off on it, u all the different systems that get installed in the building have like varying warranties. So like your roof might have a 20-year warranty. Um an HVAC system for certain components might have, you know, 10 years, other components might have five. It's going to depend on like preventive maintenance, things like that. But yes,
there are all kinds of different systems, but that is there's a formal kind of turning over of the new building when it comes online to the district and to DPW because they're going to have to maintain the space. Um, so yes, it's it's it's quite a thorough and we're going to get into that, but it's it's
it's quite a lot of work. >> Okay. >> It's it's detailed. >> Can I go ahead? >> Um, if you wouldn't mind going back one slide. So just so people at home um know um in terms of getting information um an
advocacy group is currently in the process of being uh organized. Um if anybody's interested in being a part of that please reach out to any of us or superintendent Lang. Um but their their role is going to really to be to answer questions like you know what is the name of the spring underneath and and any
kind of questions that might be there. Um hopefully by late October we'll have some numbers that we can supply to people what the product's going to cost what kind of impacts that would have. So you know even though we're talking about you know town meeting in January probably there'll be those months of of
really getting information out to people if people have questions um you know there'll be resources to get those answers. So just so so people at home know that. Tom, >> I just really want to invite people to please get in touch to help out with
that um outreach part. At the conference we all went to, the school committee conference in November, I went to a workshop. It was about two and a half overrides and we're not looking at that. We're looking at a debt exclusion. It's very different. Yet, it does still require educating the public about what
that means. and towns that have been successful at it have been successful because of the great community members who have helped to educate everyone else and get the word out. So, we really do need that from people who are um
interested in this project and want to help us move it forward. >> And we do have some some people that have stepped forward and you know ready to go and the more people that could do that I think the better we'll be. So, >> excellent. >> Yep. And I wanted to just um I see that
you're you're focusing on the cost, the bottom line, and the essence of what it would cost more if we are to delay this in any way. >> I think even more so is the cost to the
families and the f the young the children who are going to come into that fourth grade. Because as I'm looking at the numbers that we're going to get presented with tonight and the enrollment that's happening in our
system, I was thinking in my mind, okay, how is Harrington going to fit all of these kids in there and really educate them the way that we as a town want our children educated. So although I think that that cost is a very important one
to point out, I think the greater cost is that if we don't have access to a building that allows us to have a greater number of students so that we free up our elementarymentaries so that they can continue to be the start points
of excellence in education for our community. That is a greater cost to all of us for these kids. Mhm. >> So that that's my my >> I'll just add as an educator looking at the plans now that we are really have
made a decision about what the the way we want these spaces used. I find it really exciting to look at these plans and see the tangible pictures that show what everyone meant when they talked about these small group breakout rooms and the proximity of the special education um classrooms to the general
education classrooms and how the flow of all of that will go. as an educator, I think that this looks fabulous and I can really see how it is going to bring our whole system forward and how well we're able to deliver y >> a good education. So, that part is I I
I'm really excited to see the way these plans are looking. >> I agree with you. I think sometimes um the building or the space where something is for education is the last thought on somebody's mind. uh the importance of providing really excellent
education. But going through this process, seeing this, having been here all these years where we've been talking about a potential new school, it really has brought to to light how important that
space actually is going to be for the town as a whole because this is where the future citizens of the town are. Um and we hope they stay. So that's that's my thought on that. And um anybody else any other
>> What's a sale room? Can you remind me? >> Sale is like our autism program. >> Got it. Oh, that's right. Yeah, now it clicked. Okay. Thank you. >> All right. And that's just another thoughtful piece of this to make sure that there's appropriate space for >> that was an amazing presentation that we
uh received here on how some students don't want to go to gym because they have to do this that or the other thing in the space >> um and having this much better space. >> Um it it's just amazing. So um anybody
else? We're good. All right. So, I make a motion to endorse the Parker Middle School building committee's request of the select board at their August 10th, 20 26 meeting to hold the special town meeting in January 2027 and a debt
exclusion election in February 2027 as outlined in the presentation. >> Could I have a second? >> Second, Diana. Okay, we're taking a roll call vote on this one. Susan, >> I I Diana. >> Okay, John Fatic. I >> I
>> I >> thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you for the presentation. Thank you for going and for um putting all this time into this which is really great. All right, we are on to the budget and Dr. Lang.
>> Yes, I'm actually going to um ask Joanna to share with us um the next two items. >> Oh, it's the financial audit report. I skipped. Sorry. >> No, no, no. That's fine. Uh we have yeah we have the audit report from two of the uh middle school Parker and McCarthy's student activity funds and then we have
the close out uh fiscal year 26 final budget report. So Joan will walk us through those. >> Thank you. Um we have the external auditors come and audit our student activity accounts every year. We do the high school one year and the middle
schools the following year. Um this past audit was for the middle schools. So Parker and McCarthy and uh the superintendent outlined a nice memo and then attached to that is the auditor's report and it's um very prescribed things that they look for and
this is based on the DESIE guidelines and so you can kind of look through those couple pages of all the things they audit and pull samples and um there were no findings and I just want to thank the principles of the middle schools and their secretaries
and the adviserss for uh following all the guidelines and um that's why we have a audit um a great audit such as this one. >> That's terrific. >> Easy.
Good. >> All right. And now on to the budget. We don't need a motion on that, right? Um >> you should just ask you because it's a financial report. You should just take a motion. I mean, make a motion to accept the report as presented. >> This one? >> Yeah. The final. >> If you would like one for the student
activity. Susan, would you? >> Okay. I make a motion that we accept the financial audit report of the Parker and McCarthy school student activity funds as presented. >> Second. >> Okay. All in. No, it's financial. Susan >> I. >> Diana.
>> I. >> John. >> Hi. >> I. >> And I. >> Okay. >> All right. Unanimous. Sweet. Thank you. >> I'm on to the big one. >> Yep. >> Uh the next set of reports are the fiscal year 26
uh quarterly financial reports and these are the final the timing of the meeting worked out where these are the final numbers. So not a these aren't preliminary. These are final where in years past I presented like a prelim preliminary at the end of July and then the final in August. So, um, there's
three reports. There's the the cover memo, there's the year-to- date budget report, which you've seen every quarter, and then there's the grant and revolving fund summary, and then the student activity account balances for the high school and the two middle schools.
We had in fiscal 26 a budget of $75,650,000. We spent and encumbered the full amount. We've spent 75 million261471.90 and we have open incumbrances of
388,52810. Most of those open incumbrances were some of the one-time purchases that uh the committee approved in late fiscal 2026. the um you know the we talked about the variances uh throughout the year with um
labor and um other items. And in the uh end um I want to just point out two things. I want to point out where we landed with special ed tuitions because that's such a significant part of our budget. And then I want to talk about the um three
journal entries we made at the end of the year to fully expend this uh 75 million to build reserves in three of the revolving funds. So the circuit breaker um number we did
do an entry of 3,872,891. Um we that was the number we had to take because we are at the maximum amount of our circuit breaker reserve. You have to take one year's worth of revenue.
Um we also approved uh prepaying tuitions. Um we've been doing this for several years now and that's part of the reason why we were favorable in that category. So you had approved up to 1.87 87 million and in the end the actual
number was just a tad smaller. It was 1.855 million. um the three entries uh that we made at the end of the year and we had kind of talked about this at the June 16th meeting where we did fund part of the
one to one commu uh computer initiative cost from the local budget um instead of it fully coming from the school choice revolving fund >> and that amount was $394,978. The other thing we funded from the local
budget was a portion of the coaching stipens um rather than from the athletic revolving fund and that was $233,821. And the third one was a portion of the student transportation uh rather than funding that from the transportation
revolving fund, we funded it pardon the local budget in the amount of 264,600. So, those are the three main differences um or details that we know the exact amounts now uh that I didn't know at the
June 16th meeting. So, after those entries, that's why we landed uh where we did with being fully expended and encumbered of the budget allocation. >> Thank you, Javan. >> Any questions on the local budget?
>> Any questions? >> Just on the one. So the 394 978 that doesn't cover the whole amount of the oneonone or >> uh that happened to be uh I'll have to I'm pretty sure that was the exact
amount of the leases for >> okay >> fiscal 26. So we didn't have to take anything from the school choice then >> correct that balance you'll see on the next page that >> so they just carried >> through you have the flexibility in that fund where you don't have >> yeah no I just didn't know if we still
had to tap into that as well as Okay >> successful year >> any other questions >> I just I have a question about um some of the grants just because I just really want to know how they work better >> um some of the federal grants there's still quite a bit of remaining revenue
expected in particular particular this special ed entitlement allocation. >> Yep. >> Why is there still over a million dollars remaining to be received? Are we going to get that? >> Oh, yes. So, um >> was it a fiscal year amount or is it
over a time? >> So, you have 27 months to spend your federal grant. It's a multi-year grant. And so, in the example you're giving, so it's kind of the second little block down. The full entitlement was 1.4 million. Um, I pulled this as of June
30th. So, as of June 30th, um, the the revenue payment for the June spend did not come in from DESIE by June 30th. It came in July 2nd, so I can't put it on this report, but um, so if that money
would have come in, the 228, we would have had about a million dollars left of the 1.4. So, um, we have another year and several months to spend the remaining portion of the special eda
grant and, uh, that'll go towards, uh, we put several pair of professionals on the grant, we put the neck program on the grant, we put some contracted services on the grant, and then Amy will, um, you know, put together a plan to make sure that we spend the full
amount within the overall 27-month period. And then she'll also have next quarter you'll see we'll have the 2027 grant and then that one will also have 27 months to spend that money.
>> Okay. And and is it a similar instance for some of the others here like title one and some others that also have remaining revenues that they're also ex there's extended time. >> It's a similar reason. It's not just that the fiscal year ended and we didn't get the money. It's part of the the
grant process for those for those particular grants. >> Yes, the federal grants are multi-year. The state grants are typically not. Most of the state grants end June 30th. They have typically less than 12 months to spend them by the time you write them and get them approved. You really only
have 9 or 10 months to um accomplish what you set out to do. >> Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure we were going to be able to take advantage of all of the money that they were willing to give us. So, we understand. Yeah, know we we do utilize all the funding like and something to look at would be the first block of grants. You see how those are similar
grants, but they're the 25 grants. So, they've kind of run their two-year cycle. So, you can see that they were all fully expended. >> So, now we're kind of jumping down to the second block of grants because we we're basically done year one of a two-year spend. >> So, you're going to see those kind of float to the top now, but you can see from that first block, everything to the
penny gets spent. >> Okay, good. >> And that's You're right. That's just the federal entitlement grant. >> Yeah. Thank you. While we're while we're on this page, I guess it'll go more uh super um they they have we have an -ate grant there. >> Um about 83 84,000. I just saw something
from MASC about some danger of that going away. >> Um is that what you hearing on that? And um we're not hearing anything locally. So this is a federal thing. Um we're going to obviously start to monitoring it like the money that we've received
already that's been committed to us. we're going to receive. >> Um, but they are talking about making changes um to the -ray program with regard to like what would be reimburseable, what wouldn't be reimburseable. I don't know what's going to shake out, you know, federally. It's not going to affect any of the funds we already have. It would just be like
future years. And what we'd have to take into consideration is like we receive that rate money. oftentimes we use it to help pay or defay the costs of doing like a network upgrade at some of the schools. Some of our um internet service I believe our phone service also is a
portion of it can be um reimburseable. So yes, it could have implications for us in future years. Okay. >> I haven't from the superintendent group seen anything like recently come out about that. Just it's been more talk at the federal level. Have you seen anything from ASMO? >> No. >> Yeah. Just MC put out a notice about it
too. So that's >> Was it recent? Yeah, recent like within the last week. Okay. Um calling you legislators and all that. >> I can say too that the fiscal 27 money and you're always you're way in a rears with um but we just received like
151,000 >> this week or last week. So when I do this for next quarter, you'll see that number. >> Great. Okay. Thank you. >> I think it's it's maybe a couple years down the line, but um no, it's a it's a concern. Okay. A lot of the question I usually get is
what is circuit breaker? Is would you be willing to just quickly go over what that is so that folks are aware? >> It has a lot of money in it. >> Either way, >> who would you like my my explanation or Jo? >> This is a special ed night. >> All right. So, let me I'll give you the
the overall and then Jo I can give you the nitty-gritty. But um circuit breaker basically um came along years ago to originally help defay some of the costs for extraordinary expenses related to special education. Originally it was out
of district tuition >> uh because districts would have to pay um out of district tuition um obviously more than a per pupil amount would be that you're receiving as a district. It was a way to help kind of defay some of that cost. Over the years, it's um evolved to be not only out of district
placements, but if you can quantify in district students that have um very high costs associated with educating them, whether it's, you know, the special ed teachers or PTs and OT's and all these different things, you can um request reimbursement for some of those costs. I
want to say maybe two three years ago transportation got added to it because there was a big coming out of COVID there was a lot of dialogue about just the cost of transportation and the cost of sending kids out of district schools. So you could also then be reimbursed for certain transportation costs. Um
districts are required to spend um a a set dollar amount. It's four times your foundation u budget money. So I is it low 60s this year? I Yes. >> All right. So, ballpark. If we say 60 $60,000, right, a district has to spend
upfront for every child. >> You can then submit a claim at the end of the year. So, everything is is kind of going backwards. Um, so Amy just submitted all of our claims for last year that we'll get a check next year for paying say 60,000 upfront. And if a
replacement is $100,000, then we can get up to 75% because the statute caps it at 75% of that $40,000 extra that we paid >> of the difference >> of the difference. Um, and you can also
get now transportation. So if we, you know, paid for another $50,000 worth of transportation, you can get, you know, 75% if if it's funded for that. Um, recently the state's been funding the tuition reimbursement or the
instructional reimbursement at 75%. That's a statutory cap. There's been dialogue about trying to increase that to 80, 85, 90, but right now it's set in statute by 75. Where they haven't really been holding up to their own is on the transportation reimbursement, and that's only been kind
of like an add-on. So, they've been allocating funding, but they these last couple years haven't quite hit the 75% reimbursement on transportation. There were some supplemental budgets this year. They got close uh but they didn't quite hit it. It does look like based on
but again we have to see what the claims of all the districts are. There may be money in fiscal 27 to actually pay for the 75% of transportation. That's kind of a little bit of a moving number because you don't know until you actually file your claims. But um >> in layman's terms it it's a way to
offset some of the costs for some of the very high special education placements. I don't know if Joanna has anything more more specific or >> less. >> It encompasses a lot. And then we have an additional little fund that's
designated by statute that we can have. >> Yes. So you reminded me though for circuit breaker. So as like a savings fund, right? >> There are some districts that, you know, if you're going to get a million dollars worth of circuit breaker, they're in a situation where they actually anticipate that million coming in, they put it into
their budget and they expend it. We've been building up that reserve over over the years. So you're able to build up a full year's allocation or full year's funding of circuit breaker. So that's why we have over $4 million in reserve to help in the event of you know a
tuition that might come in, a student that might come in you didn't anticipate. So we have that reserve built up. You can you can do that um legally. Y >> beyond that reserve we have there was also I want to say right around the time of co so it would have been around 20 there was some new legislation that came
out that allowed districts and we had to go to town meeting to get the approval of this allowed districts to actually have like a special reserve fund specifically for special education uh town meeting approved it we have I'm going to say about $900,000
>> 847 >> I was close I was close uh >> 76 >> 847,000 is like an extra reserve. >> So that now that one if we ever wanted to utilize it because the school committee voted to put the money in, we would have to get an affirmative vote of
the school committee to move the money out. You would also have to get a vote of the select board to allow us to move the money out more so to just make sure everyone is in the no because if you ever actually had to access that fund, that means your costs have gone up pretty substantially in a particular year and that's going to have an effect
on the following year's budget. So they want to make sure everyone is in the know of he utilizing that money >> and that is also reserved for special education type of expenses. That's it has to be that is important for people. >> It can only go towards special ed costs. It could do tuition. It could do
transportation but you couldn't take that money and use it for technology. So, in many ways, this I think was a way for the legislature to or to make sure that there's funding to have equity in
the system for all students. Um, you know, both special ed cuz it costs a lot more sometimes for the education of one student. Um, so this is very important and it's crucial to have this amount of money in there and the way that it's
been done and that the questions I get, I always try to explain that that places us in a much better position to be able to uh continue forward with good budgeting. >> It does. >> Yep. So, thank you. Anybody else? Any
other thoughts? Okay. The last page on the grant and revolving fund is you can see the balances of all the revolving funds. So none are in deficit and um they're building um some reserves uh should we need them uh but
we did not um did not need them this year. And then the last reports are the student activity balances for the high school and McCarthy and Parker by club or team. So the high school's at 177,000, McCarthy 52,000 approximately,
and Parker 81,000. >> So that is the final financial reports for fiscal 26. >> Just think by 2030 you'll have the fourth grade. >> Yeah, we're going to have to figure out
that. So um any questions? All right. We have >> We have a motion. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, >> we should make a motion. >> Okay. What is this? >> Um, let me find a >> motion for the FI budget financial
report. >> I'm just looking at the title so I get it worded right. >> Fourth quarter. >> Okay. I make a motion that we um accept the fiscal year 2026 budget financial report um for the the which is the final
fourth quarter report. >> Okay. Second. >> All right. Okay. All um I Susan says I >> Diana >> I >> John >> I >> I in favor
>> I Okay. We are now at a point of another budget item. >> You're going to get to hear from me again. So, uh, after at the end of the last meeting, I believe, um, you had just asked because we talked a little bit about supplemental budgets and what might be coming to the district with
regard to like additional funds. >> So, I was able to get a little bit of information about um, chapter 70 and then some >> I did too. >> What's that? >> Well, I'm sorry. um chapter 70 supplemental, a little bit of circuit breaker, and then um in July,
the governor did propose an additional supplemental budget. However, that hasn't gone anywhere uh yet. So, I did not put that in here because Yeah, it just it hasn't gone anywhere. >> Has it been two requests? I thought it was >> Yes. So, there's been two requests. So, what I'm going to touch on here is the request that actually was approved and
became law in May. >> All right. And then the July one was recommended by the governor, but it hasn't left the House or the Senate. Okay. >> So, that one we're not going to really talk about because we don't have any hard numbers. We don't know where it's going. Uh, but what we do know is what's in front of you. So, overall, what I
wanted to do is just kind of touch base on Chapter 70. So, Chapter 70 is obviously a big uh funding source uh to help the town defray some of the costs of educating uh students. At the time when we worked with uh town manager Cohen on the budget itself, you can see
that our I just put a little table together, but our fiscal 26 actual, so this is what last year ended on was uh $15.4 million in chapter 70. And then when the governor's budget came out and the House and the Senate when the different versions were happening, um there was a preliminary uh number of
$15.8. So it was only going up about $400,000. When the final state budget came out and was approved, um the chapter 70 jumped to 16.278 million or an $828,000 increase over the prior year. And that
was really predicated on the per pupil um uh chapter 70 figure going up by $160. Originally, there was talk about it going up $40, you know, was it going to go to 80 over 100? And it ended up at 160, which is the highest it had been
recently. Um, I made a little note for you that there were only 15% of districts in the state that actually received uh more money than the $160 per head. Um, as far as Tommy and Jako was concerned, we had a feeling at the time that it wasn't going to be the 40, that
it was going to be much closer to the prior year's number. So, we included 16.226 million in the town manager's recommended budget, >> which was an increase of 776,000. So when the final number from the state came in at 828, it actually is going to
be an extra 51,750 that's coming to the town by way of chapter 70. So it's not a windfall, but I mean certainly the actual number came in higher than what was budgeted and um so that money will be available to the um to the town.
>> We historically have not gone back to ask for like additional funding to come to the uh school department. We if there's a need, we'll go with a need. But um what that will do is actually help us when we're doing fiscal 28 budgeting because we'll anticipate off that base whatever the fiscal 28
increase is. But um these are hard numbers now. These are final numbers. So I just wanted to u to present that to you. >> This is great. >> The other number that actually did benefit us. We were talking a little bit about circuit breaker in that first supplemental budget that u was approved.
There was a supplemental appropriation increasing last year's circuit breaker transportation number was 61.36%. They were trying to get to the 75% they just fell short of that. It increased to just under 68%. So when that increased
at the end of the year the actual extra money coming to Jumpsford was just shy of 75,000. So it was 74,492 um that we have in circuit breaker reimbursement. So that money is already residing with the school committee. it's available for appropriation. That's in our in our kind of special eds um
savings account. And what I mentioned earlier when we were doing a little bit of a talk, um there is general consensus that the um through the the um the supplemental appropriation and the regular budget appropriation. It looks at this point like the state will be able to reimburse at the 75% level both
the tuition and the transportation. We just have to wait until the final claims are processed and Desi then sends out the numbers. But, um, those are the two numbers that, you know, kind of, um, came our way a little bit through the supplemental funding that was approved. Um, I'll continue to monitor the
governor's, you know, July request for supplemental funding. If anything comes of that, I'll let you know, but nothing has materialized as of yet. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Super. It's always good to get more. >> Is
>> um Okay. And now we don't need over on this one. >> No, that was just more for information for you. >> What are our enrollment update? >> Sure. So, with regard to enrollment, I mentioned also at the end of the last meeting, I would try to give you a quick
update on elementary enrollment in the district and um kind of where we're at. All in all, there there are three charts. I just printed out from you yesterday the the district enrollment slide from um X2 which is our uh student database system that just to shows the total number of students in the district
and then you're used to seeing the third attachment which kind of is the blue and white uh form. It just basically takes the student headcounts from that report brings it into the school and then shows you based on the number of sections that we're anticipating what the class sizes would be. Um the only two as I mentioned
in the cover memo uh for elementary that are really kind of jumping out to me after our spring registration because we do the winter and the spring is the um bless you um excuse me the kindergarten numbers at Harrington um really uh boomed between the end of the school
year and over the summer. So they're at um as of as of yesterday but today as well um 108 uh students registered for kindergarten which is going to necessitate a fifth section. So we usually start with four sections across the board and if we have to add a bubble
section because again and people do ask this as well you know why don't we just shift like students from one school to another. So at the elementary school level we really enroll by geography. So different streets are associated with different schools and the way that we manage the um the enrollment because you
will in some years have more students in a particular grade level at a school than others is through adding an extra section. So going from four to five we've never gone more than five. We call them bubble sections. So what'll typically happen is like this 108 students in kindergarten where I'm recommending we add an extra section.
When those 108 kids move up to first grade, that teacher or the class kind of moves with them. So there are uh times where you might have, you know, five sections of say fourth grade, but if you only had four sections of third grade, like we'll rotate that extra spot out
and we'll be able to realign that position somewhere else in the district. But um it it this is going to necessitate five sections of K at um Harrington to just keep the numbers within our class size uh guidelines. The other one that um I flagged was the uh
current or going to be first grade at Harrington. I believe it's around uh 93 or 94 for most of last year. It also has popped up to 98, which is very close to um to 100 students. I'm recommending we proactively add a fifth section to uh to
that one because I do think Harrington just traditionally between now and the end of the school year will enroll another you know potential few kids. Um and I would much rather be planning now to be able to hire and get um things set up for September to add the fifth
section at um at first grade >> across the board. When you look at the other um sections that we have, I think um the bubbles that exist, you know, typically when we get to the 100 kids, we would look to add a fifth section. Um I would like to try to keep the, you
know, the K and ones, our class size guidelines say about 22. Um for grades, uh 2 through 4, our class side guidelines say 25. So that's when we hit the 100, we typically would look to add a section. But you also do have to take a look at the composition of the
students that are in front of you in different um uh scenarios. So like for example, I'm anticipating a question because if we're adding a section for K and one, you know, why wouldn't we add one for second grade um with 99 students? This
particular cohort of students starting out in kindergarten right through now has actually had an extraordinarily high number of students with IEPs. So we did actually in kindergarten last year and then this year we have an extra special education teacher uh that actually is working with that grade level and
students to help kind of cut down on service delivery for the kids. So there is extra support there. It's not extra support in the um identity of just like an extra class and dividing all of the kids by an extra teacher but it's actually targeted um extra special ed support to be working with the kids and
the teachers um at that particular grade level. Um, and that number hasn't fluctuated. So, that number was consistent year-over-year. Um, and that's already, you know, incorporated into the the budget scenario. South Row, just by way of um, experience typically,
uh, has not had a problem. The four sections of South Row have been uh, fine. Um, center similarly and Harrington are the two schools that really kind of fluctuate a little bit. Um, and we look annually to kind of see where those uh, where those numbers are. But I mentioned
also between now and the end of the school year, this is something we look at um like Jane registers daily. So if we see people in here registering, we can go look and see what grades they're in. But uh Friday mornings, we always take a look and just see who actually has enrolled. What do these numbers look like? And if we ever had a grade level that did trip the 100 between now and
the end of the school year, I mean now and the end of the summer, we certainly would act and um and do something if we needed to to keep those class sizes within guidelines and reasonable. M um but as far as tonight's plannings uh planning is concerned in conversations with the principal over at Harrington um
I am going to have him go forward and add a um fifth section of K in one. >> Can I ask a quick Yeah. >> Well, maybe not a quick question. >> Um so this obviously is a pretty sharp growth. I know Harrington experiences quite a
fluctuation over the summer, >> but um is there an indication of this is seems like a much higher rise than prior years. >> Um is there any concentration of where these students are? Is this related to a
development that I know the one that we had been monitoring for a while was fully off online as of quite a while ago. Is there any sort of obvious explanation for it? >> No, that's the hot part. I really I truly wish there was. This isn't a factor of the I forget the name of the
West Campus property. Um the Harrington is a a challenging um school when it comes to enrollment just because of all the neighborhoods we do see um um I think depending on geography like there's more rental uh families. There's a lot of leasing that happens just
within that general community. Um and we just have a lot of fluctuation um you know year-over-year. It isn't tied to a particular even number of streets or addresses because we can query the system for that. It's not like a particular housing development. Um it it is just kind of happen stance which
makes it very difficult to um to kind of plan for. When we looked at the again the winter and even the spring enrollments, I did not think that they were going to be jumping to over 100 and that significantly over 100 between uh then and the end of July. But um there will be a steady stream of uh families
that come in you know to register counter. We also have families that move. So there are a lot of families in um um you know Chelsea and other communities that plan if they are going to leave Chelts to go to another community to do it over the summer months so it's less disruptive to kids
and families. So we will have some uh families also that maybe just haven't fully told us. Maybe they're still going through the enrollment in their new district and they haven't requested the records be sent yet. So they could still be baked into these uh numbers, but to be at 108 I we're not going to lose, you
know, that many um through that that um yeah, and kindergarten is a is a tough uh tough age. I want to set them up for >> size classes for kindergarten >> for success. But I wish I could tell you that it's a certain geography, but it's just not. >> Yeah. I I do look at this though and
year over year, you know, Harrington has tended to be on the high side and South Row has tended to be on the small side, particularly the last couple of years. I don't know if the folks who do the
forecasting for us um forecast that that will continue and or if they get to that minute of detail. But if so, I I am not suggesting redistricting. But I am wondering if
there would come a point where some small amount of redistricting would be indicated by just the disproportionality of where the students are. You threw the R word right out there. >> That's a real danger. >> I'm not advocating for it any listening
from teasing. Curiosity. >> Yeah. So, when we do the NASDAQ, we work with them every year to up update the uh the enrollment projections. They don't get to the granular level of like street addresses, they're only looking at um birth rates and um you know, our actual
enrollments and kind of where it's happening by grade level, not by school. So, I don't think they'd be able to get to that level. What we have looked at is um very like strategically and specifically around like say a new development that's going to come on board. There was a few
years back where like like again center has always been a little bit of a concern too because they're probably the second largest you know kind of swing school but there was a development that was opening up and I just again I can't remember the name of this one but it was on um Turnpike and technically it was zoned or would have been zoned to center
elementary school but there was no one living there yet and the buses drive down turnpike to go to South Row anyway so we said you know what let's actually just zone that development to South Row because we knew South Row was going to have capacity so like that was an example of how and to this day that's what happens if you happen to live in
that um development. >> Yeah. >> Is that what it is? Then you end up going to um to South Row. That's worked out well I think to do um because the numbers just fluctuate so much year over year to do like an actual redistricting. We might be trying to correct one problem and it could create something
else. Um I can talk I mean when we usually wait until the October when numbers come in and that's when we talk to NASDAQ. I can see if they ever do like another full-blown study for us, if there's any way of looking at geography. I don't know if there'd be a way for them to ever like tie into the the
town's GIS system to kind of see where like uh new new developments are or even like through the permitting system. I don't know like how granular they can get to see if like um if there are specific homes that have like added um additions or would have extra capacity. Um, I can ask them what what level of
detail they could get to, but um, I do worry a little bit about just kind of like chasing a tail a little bit if if things move um, just so freely. >> Yeah. So, I'm to be clear, I'm not suggesting this is something we look at for like the next year or two, but I'm
thinking two things. One is that we have a unique opportunity when we are removing the fourth grade from the elementary schools presuming all move forward with the Parker and just reconsidering like the physical plant we have in Chumsford and what our
elementary schools have in them. And I think that maybe between now and then would be the time to think critically about making sure we're maximizing our spaces and potentially doing a really measured look at um you know are there
any areas where we can be a little sharper with our zoning. Maybe not for existing properties but maybe for anticipated ones that are coming online or you know have recently come online. So, just something to think about. >> That could be something that we even think about when we're doing the
strategic plan work because like some kind of a little uh emphasis on that on like the facility side of the house wouldn't necessarily be bad. >> Um and that could be like some initiatives or action items um around that. >> Yeah, >> that that could be really worthwhile
because there may come a time where redistricting um looks like the right thing to do. And I know my kids lived through it happening twice and people get very scared by it. The parents get very scared by it both times. It was done
really well. The kids handled it really well. People get a real allegiance to their homeschool. But the next year things smooth over you get used to a new home school. So it wouldn't be the end of the world if we if it came to that. >> I did want to Are you Are you all set? I
did want to just ask that we take keep looking closely at the first grade at center. We're not at 100 yet. So I am perfectly comfortable with the four sections, but I do know there were a lot of concerns about this group as kindergarteners.
>> I heard a lot from teachers who are concerned about the large class size. so that we just look at that enrollment and if by any chance that number bumps up before the school year starts I would support another section because I know they found it very challenging with that
group as kindergarteners. >> Mhm. And the other thing I wanted to mention, this kind of lines up with what we were talking about the last meeting when we were talking about um the I Ready scores and looking at trends from year to year, but also looking at trends
across cohorts um at grade levels. And this very specific instance here with this one class at one school that had a much larger number than typical of special education students is just the kind of example I was talking about. a
variable that we have to look at when we compare like you know what did they do wrong with those kids for that year. Well, maybe we didn't. Maybe it was the makeup of that class from the very beginning. And this right here is data
that shows there are some classes that simply have a higher than typical number of special ed students in them. And sometimes that's the reason why the data looks off. >> So I and we just talked about it last meeting and here it is. Yeah, >> just wanted to point that out.
>> I think the other thing about elementary level is you've got five years there and the way we have it set up now, you you stay, you know, if the the class starts out as a large class, you're
going to have five years >> usually and sometimes it increases in number um as you go along over those five years. And it's not like a transition from middle school to high school where some students will go to private education or whatever. We have
those numbers consistently. So um and it happens at four different buildings. Mhm. >> Um so I think that um even having the new building again will help us as they transition in an earlier grade
level to um already, you know, always have more consistency at that grade level and not have to decide, oh, we're going to eliminate one section or we're going to add one section. M >> and I can't even think if we have to add
a six section where that's going to go. >> Seriously, because we we have schools where we wouldn't be able to add five sections across the across the board just because there's physically no space. >> There'd be no way to add a six section a sixth section. And I do think that the
schools where we're going to have a greater numbers very likely have more fluidity in the um or turnover in occup occupancies. So you might have uh condo units that are investments and so you're
going to have them leased um and there's more turnover uh in terms of the the folks who come and go. Um, so it's potentially you could see that those numbers would change, >> but you know what else will be
interesting? Um, ADUs. I know a couple of people in town who are building ADUs on their property so that they can move into the ADU and their children who now have children can move into the main house. >> Yes, absolutely. That is happening more
in the town. So again, more changes that are happening in our town. just just an associated question. So now we have to hire two new teachers. >> Uh how difficult at this point in the year? Do we have a good pool from earlier interviews? What's what's the process going to be like?
>> I have to say just even like not to answer your question directly, but just in general, the um pool of applicants for our general teaching positions has gone back to pre- pandemic levels. So, if we're posting for elementary positions, regular classroom positions, we're receiving 50 plus applicants um
for the opening. So, um no, and we're still a month out from school starting. Um we're going to have plenty of availability to um um to look at this. So, um again, some of the specialty positions, some special ed positions, um you know, we haven't hit too many, but
like at the high school level, like world language position, things like that, no, we're not getting 50 applicants. we're lucky to be getting, you know, a half a dozen to maybe 10. But, um, for a general, um, elementary type position, even our general like middle school positions like five, six, seven, um, we're getting 50 plus
applicants. So, no, the applicant pool is still strong and we'll be able to, um, I'll work with the principles to make any tweaks we need to um, to make sure that we have, uh, good folks coming on board, >> but some of that is, I think, because some districts um, have eliminated
positions. Well, twofold. There were certainly there are districts that are eliminating positions. We haven't had to, but there are like some um experienced teachers or even like newer teachers who have been released. At the same time, other districts are not adding new teachers.
So, if anything, they they're just retaining their current staff. They haven't been turnurning over. Whenever there's been a retirement, they've been not filling it. So, they haven't been opening up a spot for a new person to come to. So, you know, whether that's long-standing or not, at least in the short term, that's going to benefit us.
>> That's good. >> Okay. Well, thank you for doing that. >> If anything changes wildly by the second meeting in August, I'll give you another quick update and then certainly I'll give you a final one uh at the meeting, first meeting in September, just to let you know how we actually shook out. >> Thank you.
And I believe we are now at that section of the meeting, Amy, where we're going to discuss the policy um for physical restraints of students. Um and welcome. You're going to >> We are so a couple quick things on this.
Amy Reide, director of student services is here. You're welcome to come up to the table, Amy. Um so following the school committee um process because you do have your own guidelines on this. um wherever we're doing uh adoption, changing a policy, the first meeting, it actually goes on the agenda as a a
placement and discussion purposes and then it will actually appear on the next agenda for action. So, you're not being asked to take any action tonight, but um Amy had worked with um attorney Michael Joyce uh from our special ed law office to um update our policy, which is
required under new regulations with the state. uh it's recommended that it's a wholesale change and update. So our existing policy JKA physical restraint of students comes out and this new policy goes in in its place. Um so I what I did for you is um just I attached
a copy of the current policy. I just noted it was current and then uh I attached a copy of the new policy and noted as new. It was too difficult to kind of go through the policy and do like a red line type version. So, this is a complete um old policy removed, new
policy going in. And um yes, Amy is here tonight to answer any um questions people may have. Um again, there's no action being sought. It's more just to share the um the update that the regulation did change. We need to update our policy to be in compliance with it and um the attorney has drafted this
policy and obviously recommends its um adoption. >> Okay. All right. So do you want to um give us a little background on it and why uh we would have a complete change versus you
know just reduction of certain things or whatever minor changes what's happened. >> So basically last fallish I think it was Desi had adopted these a new regulation. So because they put out new like a new
law, new regulations on, you know, it's it's more on the seclusion piece than the physical restraint. Um, so therefore, districts had to work to adopt to meet those new regulations. They go into effect August 17th, so before the school year. So basically for next school year,
>> um, not a lot has changed with the restraint um, regulations. were still required to do the same notifications, the same follow the same procedures for that, but basically the deescalation spaces as we've called them in the
district. Um you they're looking at that um timeout versus seclusion piece. So that's really the biggest change in this um updated regulation. So for that um that's kind of when there's a they have updated their definitions. So that was one of the major changes.
>> Um revised that their seclusion definition is kind of now aligned with the federal um regulations of OCR. >> Um so that's kind of like lines up. >> Um they looked at um the use of the seclusion and using it only in an
emergency situation. However, it also has a host of criteria that has to be in place in order to do that. So basically um you know looking at very small number of students in any district or at a district placement that may have um
significant challenges that that um in an emergency situation kind of like the same guidelines as when physical restraint can be utilized. um danger to self and others and no no ability to kind of have verbal redirection or any other type of redirection or other
strategies that could be utilized in the moment. Um so that was um a component of it. Um there's also now something where um there's like a a a document for a sign up from the parent, a mental health
provider, and the child's physician. So, kind of like even though they're saying it can only be used in an emergency situation, you also have to have all these things in place ahead of time. So, um basically my recommendation
um for the district is not to utilize seclusion at all. Um and um Desessie has asking that within 3 years um from the adoption of August 17th, 2026, so um by
2029 that all districts eliminate it anyway in their in their districts. Um so it doesn't eliminate the use of timeout. So they have really updated and given examples. There's a lot of guidance on the DESIE website as well
under this topic. Uh there's a a frequently asked questions document. There's other documents that families, educators can go and kind of look at that really kind of tries to break it down um it can be a little bit confusing. So, you know, anyone has
questions or specific questions, they can reach out as well um from from that perspective. But basically the deescalation spaces we've had in a number of our schools which have been primarily in some of our specialized
programs. Those families had been kind of aware and knowing that that was um something that was utilized. We we're going to remain the spaces in the programs. However, we're removing the doors on those spaces. So it'll be like a cubby almost, so to speak, still
keeping the mats that are in there. So therefore there is no way that like a door could be shut. Even though we had windows, students were were viewed and always monitored. Um they will not be in that type of a a seclusion type space.
Timeout is different. So like for example, somebody's, you know, disregulated in a classroom, needs a little break or asks for a break to go sit in a calming corner in a classroom. Technically that me that meets the criter the definition of time out. um
because you're removing a student from the instruction of learning for a period of time. Um that that is still um allow you know allowable and could occur um from there. Um so they really kind of teased out that definition
>> as well. >> I thought I was following you but I I do have a question so maybe you can clarify for me. So I was I was comparing the old policy and and the proposed new one and I had noticed that the shift the old
policy or the current policy >> says straightforward the use of mechanical constraint restraint medical restraint and seclusion is prohibited. You're recommending that our district, it sounds like, prohibit seclusion,
>> but the new policy lays out conditions as for seclusion as an emergency procedure of last resort. If your your recommendation is that we not have seclusion, the state is saying we should
not have seclusion within 3 years and our current policy says we cannot have seclusion. Why does the new policy lay out conditions for seclusion? >> Because DESIE and the regulations had added conditions where where they could
be utilized. So some districts may have students where they go through those eight I know the 7 8 10 conditions that would have to happen. Like I mentioned, one thing that does not exist now is um a sign off form from the parent ahead of time. Um their physician having to sign
off on the use of it. Um a mental health professional. Those are three of the big changes that were put into the new criteria in the new policy that was there that um really wasn't outlined before. >> Mhm. >> That Yeah, I don't know if that answers your question.
>> I guess I'm I'm just wondering why our new policy wouldn't just continue to say that the district is not permitted to utilize seclusion since that's what the old one said and that's what the
recommendation is now. The old one didn't say we're not allowed to. You just outline it. >> No, it it the old one literally says prohibited. Seclusion is prohibited. >> They they also changed the definition of seclusion a bit. >> Oh, okay. >> Um with the new updated regulations as
well and aligned it as I said mentioned aligned it with the federal um OCR piece of it. um from that I mean technically you know prior my experience has been like you know seclusions where the big key is that they can't another big key
is they cannot be in a location where they cannot leave >> right so if you had you know that's why I'm taking the doors are coming off even though the doors were never locked there were never locks on those doors the kids could open the doors and come out however um a big part of that the new
regulation talks about the fact that um in a in a separate space more confined even though there's glass perimeters where they're always in view um to de deescalate. That was another um shift big shift. Okay. So, previously where
our current policy said the use of timeout procedures during which a staff member remains accessible to the student shall not be considered seclusion restraint. You're saying under the new state definitions that would be considered seclusion.
>> Timeout, there's separate definitions for timeout versus their definition of seclusion. So we where we kind of had followed the old policy. We had those deescalation spaces in some of our specialized programs and having that in a separate space where the child isn't
in direct proximity to an adult like there was an adult viewing and there and and always in view of the child. However, the door was shut and the child was in the space by themselves if that makes sense. >> It does, but based on my interpretation of our current policy, that would have
been prohibited under our current policy. Again, the definition of seclusion was was different. >> Okay. >> And a lot of those definitions will lie behind in the procedures. Correct. >> They're they're outlined. Yeah. >> Right. So So this is our policy, but behind the policy are procedures and
definitions >> and that type of stuff. >> Right. Right. >> So the seclusion as it may have been used in the past, not necessarily in Chelmsburg, but anywhere. A lot of times some schools
had seclusion where kids were actually locked in rooms. >> Well, I don't know if they were locked, but they were prevented to leave and in some spaces weren't view they weren't in view of an adult. So, and that is I think if I take that as as what
seclusion could have included would have been what Chelford had prohibited >> whereas I know I have seen our deescalation rooms they don't have locks they have windows and a staff member has their little section right outside but
because it has a door it would still be considered a seclusion area. Is that what you're interpreting >> under the new definitions and regulations? That is my concern. because it has the door. So, if we still have a space that's safe and removed and there's not a door,
>> correct? >> Is it still considered seclusion or is it then really a timeout? A monitored time out. >> It would be a monitored time. >> Okay. >> And timeouts can occur not in that those spaces either too. They could be like in a chair separate from instruction. the spaces that exist now that are the
deescalation that have the doors. Some of them do have the padding because kids can hurt themselves. We can still take kids to those spaces when it is necessary, but they cannot be closed in those rooms anymore. That's what
>> that's the basic change, the basic basic shift. Yes. However, our those spaces were often utilized for proactive things with certain kids in certain programs like they take a break, they go in, they'd be beaming bags in there, they'd be padded in there, they take their
little sensory break and then come out on a proactive basis. Not but this is more talking about in a disregulated when a student has no is is totally disregulated in that situation. Yeah. >> Right. So, and no matter how that room is used, there will not be doors going
forward. >> The doors are are being removed this summer. >> May be in there because they need to deescalate. They may just be there because they really want a calming environment. >> Correct. A timeout could be taking a break from the classroom and taking a walk in the hallway with a staff member, you know, for a minute and then coming
back to the to the space. >> So, they're really they're really looking at those different definitions. So, so this all sounds like good moves and responsive ways of making a shift. I still don't understand why our new policy then wouldn't specifically say
that seclusion would not be permitted because it sounds like we're taking every step to make sure that all the things that we do wouldn't meet the definition of seclusion. I'm I'm going to guess it's because when the attorneys draft the
policy, they're drafting the policy to be in compliance with Desi regulations and Desi um definitions of the different spaces and unless DESIE has outright um you know said something is prohibited then that wouldn't be in the policy. If
Desi says something can be used under certain reasons, the attorneys would write the policy to say okay only under these reasons would you use something. In practice we may do something different. That's where more like procedures would come into place. >> You don't want to have a policy that's um
differing from the regulation. >> Yeah. And it says in it in in the new policy exclusive per except in a limited section expressly permitted under 603 blah blah blah actually reference the the regulation. >> Right. I wouldn't want to take that away because it talks about an emergency
seclusion of the student. I wouldn't want our policy to take away the ability to use it under illegal >> um instances that are in an emergency. I understand that your recommendation is not to, but I wouldn't want our policy
to limit us that if the situation really required it and we're following the law that our policy still allows our staff to do it. >> You want the policy to align with the regulations, >> right? Okay. and be more general. Then we'll have procedures and practices that
are kind of put in place, you know, for the district. >> I've got it. Okay. So, there will be some directives under that would fall as guidelines or or procedures that would lay out the district's um
guideline that we not use exclusion. >> Yeah. So, the attorney has prepared the policy for like the school committee um enactment and then behind that there's an actual whole procedure document that he's laid out for the staff to use and then a whole series of forms to use out that align to the procedures that align
to the policy for all the staff to use so that everyone's on the same page. And Amy and the attorneys actually did a um training I think it was right before we left for the summer. It was like towards the end of June. >> It was end of June. >> Yeah. uh just to kind of give the overview that this is coming so they can be kind of thinking about this and then
when we get back for our summer retreat um you know that's when all the information will be shared with them about how to uh implement these new procedures and policies going forward. >> The regulations have been out for a while and DESI is giving us until August like I think it was last fall to kind of like digest and kind of work with this.
So over the last school year when I've met on my um cohort group meetings with like the BCBAS, we've a lot of our time in those meetings have been working on this and and talking about this and and looking at the new regulations to be ready, you know, to to implement.
>> Got it. Okay. >> If we were if I was to go read 603 CMR46, the definitions for all of these things are right within the law. >> Yeah. and and Desi has links like as I said you can find them easier than going to the actual you know yeah you know 603
you know regulation but even in some of the documents they do kind of list out the definitions >> so the wording in this is also ties back with not our interpretation of what seclusion is but what the regul document has said it is correct no matter what in our head we may have imagined it to be
>> I think that's an important distinction >> I do have a question and I'm not questioning the policy about it all, but it's just about procedures. I I do know that we have never been allowed, well, not never, but certainly within since there's been a policy
not allowed to use seclusion or physical restraint when a student is destroying property or causing disruption of school order. And I get that. I've experienced kids who are destroying property or causing disruption of school order. And I know we have procedures in place
removing the other students from the situation, all of those things. But it it there are instances where students who are big enough and strong enough to destroy a lot of school property.
What does happen when that's going on? Do we call the police? I mean, is that what does happen if a student was big enough and strong enough to do substantial damage to physical property? I just curious what
>> you're you're correct in the sense that that doesn't meet the definition for physical restraint or seclusion. You know, >> typically that's not usually out of the blue. I mean, if a student has a behavior support plan, there may be strategies and components in there that
are working on some proactive ones and ones when situations do occur. Sometimes in the moment we've had to remove class, you know, classes. Um, >> and it also is like if it's a, you know, if there's a pattern or someone's really
exhibiting some challenges like the school-based teams meet, they talk about supports if they're not already a student in special ed, do we need to do a referral or if they are, does the team need to reconvene? Um, and look at things, you know, along those lines. I
would imagine though there certainly can be potential for a student where it was totally unexpected to have an episode where something >> it has it has occurred but it's not frequent. >> Oh, I understand that. >> Yeah. >> Well, particularly I would imagine it would not be frequent that it would be
significant property destruction without it being a danger to the self or >> others in the room. Yeah. Then it comes into the other >> component of what the result will be from throwing a big piece of furniture
or whatever. Is it going to hurt others? Is it going to hurt the students? >> Removing the other students from the classroom versus you know if you really need to you do that. That way you take the harm factor from other students out of the equation. >> Yeah. I mean, but I you can talk also um
probably better than I, but there are circumstances also depending on the situation where like you have to involve like medical personnel. We've had to call for >> um what's the name of the unit? >> Oh, crisis. >> Yeah, like crisis intervention type groups. >> We've got procedures for that.
>> Because I I do know the law and I would never suggest we don't follow it that we can't um restrain >> and if that's the situation if everyone else is safe. >> Yeah. >> Just because they're just 12. So in terms of the team that gets trained is
so I'm going more into procedure versus just the general but it requires um at some point that you have trained teams and so on within the building. Um how do you what do you use as guidelines for
creating those teams and um how often people need to be trained and so on is that designate >> question. Um, so part of the regulations do stipulate the training component of it. So each building in principal kind of identifies um a crisis type team so
to speak for their building that's like a general team that gets trained. We also in the district train um staff and um in in that are part teachers pair professionals that are part of some of our specialized programs as well. Um so
in Chelford we use um CPI um so th those teams are trained through CPI. We have um sign offs as well at the beginning of the school year that have to happen at the beginning of the school year for all staff to just kind of have some general knowledge and basic understanding um as
well. Um but those those like crisis teams that are identified by the principles in their buildings are have more in-depth training. I would say 9 85 to 90% of that CPI training is on deescalation um techniques. So how when a student is
escalating how how you can kind of deescalate and bring the student you know prevent them from getting to that space part where they may need a physical restraint or be a danger to self and others say >> um but there is components to that so that they have that training as well if
um you know uh an escort or out of a room or say a restraint did need to occur. Um, anybody other questions, input? So, for the next meeting is when
we would be uh voting on on this policy. Um, Amy, just overall thoughts. I mean, you've been dealing with um one policy moving into another. Do you see big shifts? >> I think the biggest shifts have been in
the regulations that Jesse has put forth. So I think that this general policy aligns with those new regulations. Um whereas the the current policy that's in place doesn't address the new regulations that are going into effect. So a change in policy needs to
occur >> is required. >> Yeah. >> To address the requirements >> correct >> set forth in the CMR >> 28 >> a code. >> You got it. >> That's great. All right. Anybody else? And I just want to really thank you for
taking the time coming over and explaining things to us. >> We appreciate you questions during the before next meeting. You can email, reach out, call me. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Stop. It's not only legal emotional. >> Yeah.
>> I mean, the winds have been kind of blowing the way towards getting >> making it really difficult to do. But now I mean for us not >> there's a real emotional component and and certainly for staff members involved in the moment with students where you have to make these decisions. It's >> very tough
>> important that we have very clear policy and procedure to support that because >> you can really get caught up in the emotions of those situations. >> Yes. >> And you need to know exactly what you can and can't do and should do. It's
true. >> The impact is never in my experience from having been through a couple of situations. Um it's never and not not my own children that were being restrained
but held um or put into timeout but it was more uh other students and they are also the others are also impacted. Everybody is impacted. Sir, >> and just to remind folks though, it's not like a these aren't huge numbers that are occurring in our schools on a
regular basis. Like I certify the data for the entire district. So from all of our eight schools and you know this is the spread because it's logged in because Desi requires that to happen and you know for the a district of our size etc. It's it's not a huge
>> okay >> you know number. Well, my experience is because I was a special ed teacher, so I was exposed to it more than um some might have, which is where I just know the emotional impact of it is um strong. >> You sobering. It honestly is, but it's
very necessary. >> So, that's what we're dealing with. Thank you so much, Amy. Thank you. >> Thanks, Amy. >> All right. So, no motion on this one and we are at the end of our agenda. Um any
liaison reports? >> Not a week. >> Yeah, we're still in August. >> Yeah. >> Right. And um any new items that folks are thinking about? Um, I I think it's already on the list,
which is at some point talking about the impact of the legislation that did go through and where we are in our district versus uh what's being required when Desi comes out with what they're going to require. Um, but the legislation
already has a lot of stuff in it for K through for the literacy component. >> Literacy. >> All right. Because that did go through. Then the thing that's pending still on solution is uh the technology um one. Okay. >> And it made it through because they
passed a special rule. >> Which technology one? >> Um so the student technology and call phone restrictions. >> Oh, cell phones. >> Yeah, the cell phone stuff. >> Yeah. Um it it didn't um get approved yet. I think it just got referred to >> it's in it's in that committee where
they basically >> reconciliate. Yeah. differences, >> right? And this year they decided to allow any legislation that had passed Senate and passed House and is in that reconciliation. >> So, this was very different because on
July 31st, if something hadn't actually been approved, it would die and then you'd have to reintroduce it in the next legislative session in January. It was a like a rule change I guess that basically said as long as it was referred to a not a study committee
reconciliation really made it to that >> if it made it to a committee by July 31st then it would um it would survive until December 31st. >> So I would think over the next 5 months if we're going to see something we'll see it. Yeah, I'm a little surprised at the timing just with the start of school coming that if this was really going to
get some traction that we wouldn't have seen something like last winter or spring to give districts an opportunity to change things where it's actually now just being referred to the committee and the report doesn't have to really come out or they don't have to reach any agreement until December. I'm wondering if whatever the recommendation may be if
it wouldn't be enacted until the say 30 no 27 28 school year. Um I don't see them implementing things mid year but we'll have to wait and see but we are monitoring that and we'll have we'll have some updates for you on on literacy. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you to
everyone and if no further discussion we'll entertain a motion >> to adjurnn. >> I um move to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.