sorry did everyone hear me I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all
Can I get a roll call attendance Miss Hernandez present Mr Organ present Miss Enriquez present Miss Cabraw Mr Gomez
Pereira Miss Balderas present Dr Neville present Miss Kovas Caravayo just walked in and Miss Al Faro is absent today We have six members present and three absent
Okay thank you Um approval of the minutes of the regular school committee on March 5th 2025 and the public hearing on March 13 2025 Can I have a motion Motion
Second We will move now on to public comment Anyone wishing to speak um please go up to the podium I'm sorry First sign in your name Okay put in your name first and last
name and and your address and you can go you can speak at the podium please They'll be timed two minutes per person and anyone needing
translation please let us know and we will translate into Spanish Okay set is the interpreter with the um the interpreter is not Oh he's here now Oh okay Oh perfect The interpreter is
here Do they have the perfect Okay thank you Um anyone that's that wants to speak please um you can form a line and go up and speak Anyone
What happened I told them to put the names in their addresses Yeah No don't have to say it If they want to say it they can say it Um I stand before you today to advocate for the priorities the prioritization of
sex education in our school's budget It's becoming increasingly clear that the comprehensiveness well-funded sex education programs are no longer a luxury but an urgent necessity The rates of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases have been rising
And without proper education we are doing a disservice to our youth In recent years we have witnessed an alarming alarming trends that cannot be ignored Teen pregnancy rates have risen throughout the years and the spread of STDs among adolescence is a growing at a
concern is growing at a concerning pace The numbers speak for themselves But behind those numbers are youth oh my god living lives being impacted by the consequences of lack of education and preparedness Sex education is not simply
about teaching students the biological aspects of human sexuality It is about equipping them with the tools to make informed responsible decisions It's about fostering a culture of consent respect and understanding of personal boundaries It's about helping our teens
understand their bodies relationships and the importance of communication and protection We cannot afford to wait any longer Every day that goes by without sufficient sex education is another day where teens may unknowingly put themselves at risk By allocating more of the school's budget to robust and
comprehensive sex education programs we are not only preventing negative outcomes like teen pregnancies and STDs but also promoting a healthier more responsible adults Thank you for your time and consideration Let us stand together and prioritize the well-being of our youth through education
understanding and support We hope to hold this vote until a later date so that we can incorporate our the students concerns into the budget Thank you Okay And it's always best to speak close to
the microphone like this So does this sound good Okay Do I start now Good evening My name is Andrea Menddees and I'm a sophomore at Chelsea High School Last Friday March 21st 2025 we were promised a meeting with principal Oed Morales to discuss the student panel
that took the the took place the day before During that panel some students including myself approached him and Dr Abeda to express our concerns about school protocols which we don't feel that help us succeed We were direct and at times disrespectful and we were frustrated by the system's failure to
provide the education and support we need At the end of this meeting Oade had promised and had promised he and the other administrators would meet with us during the school day However when I arrived at school I inquired about the meeting I was told that Obed was absent He had called out that day This is
frustrating because he had he had said that Friday was all freed up for us to meet This lack of commitment makes us feel that feel as though we are not valued despite being told otherwise Later that day we h we planned a follow-up meeting in the library after school to gather more students perspectives on school safety
improvements But the library where we were planned to meet was closed after third period and has not reopened since This only deepens our sense that our voices are being taken ser aren't being taken serious ODE's absence despite his earlier promises and the closure of the library is very frustrating It shows a
clear disregard of for students concerns and further proves that the administration is not following through on commitments This lack of communication and respect is both disappointing and discouraging We need better communication channels between students staff and the administration Budget adjustments could allow for more
effective communication ensuring that promises are kept and students voices are truly heard We are asking for accountability for those in power as they as these repeated failures are damaging to trust we place in the system Thank you
[Applause] Good evening everybody My name is Michael Sinabria I'm a senior at CHS We believe that our school funding is being allocated to unnecessary areas such as ex excessive spending on the
cafeteria bathrooms and an increased number of security guards rather than prioritizing overall quality and effectiveness While safety is essential we feel that the administration's current priorities do not best serve student needs Instead of solely increasing the number of
security guards resources should be directed towards comprehensive staff training to ensure a safer and more supportive learning environment Additionally we have observed a concerning pattern in which funding prioritization had led to hiring more
security personnel at the expense of teacher salaries which by the way a new security guard was introduced to us today As a result we continue to lose qualified educators leading to a shortage of teachers and overcrowded classrooms and crucial courses In my
sophomore year um AP US History class there were 30 students In my junior year AP English class and composition class there were 32 students In my senior year AP art history class there are currently 30 students These are subjects that are
vital to our students academic success Furthermore frequent teachers absences leave students with unprepared substitutes for days at a time significantly impacting the quality of education True safety extends beyond security personnel and bag searches It
includes ensuring students have access to a stable and wellsupported learning environment with dedicated experienced educators We urge the administration to reconsider its budget allocations to better reflect the needs of the students and the quality of education at Chelsea
High School Thank you Uh good afternoon members of the school board and my community Uh my name is Max Castillion and I'm speaking today in supporting of a possible budget adjustment to implement voice uh violence prevention classes at Chelsea
High School As a student in a community member I believe we have a unique opportunity to improve the environment for both current and future students by prioritizing these programs Violence whether physical verbal or emotional creates a toxic environment that limits students ability to learn and engage By
introducing violence preventions educations we provide students with those tools to address conflicts constructively reducing bullying and promoting nonviolent solutions These programs teach essential life skills including emotional control communication and conflict resolution helping students navigate difficult
situations while fostering respect and belonging within the school For currents students the investment can have immediate and lasting effects recent events such as a tragic death of a teenager an intruder at the school and and increased bullying
incidents highlights the urgent need for these programs Violent prevention can help diffuse harmful situations and create a safer more supportive learning environment allowing students to succeed academically and socially Overall investing in violence prevention education is an investment in the future
of Chelsea High School It helps students develop the skills to be positive and responsible members of society and creates a long-lasting culture of safety and respect I urge you to approve the necessary budget adjustment to make this vital initiative a reality Thank you for your time and consideration That is all
Good evening My name is Evelyn Fibo Sanchez I'm a freshman at Chelsea High Uh I have come to you with I have come to you with the concern of of the rising issue of youth violence Though youth violence in Chelsea has reached a crisis point with
many with many teen with many teenagers falling victim to gain related violence that has taken too many young lives The city's lack of lack of sufficient support for its youth has created an environment where gangs are seen as an outlet for belonging leading to a cycle
of destruction and loss Chelsea High School and other local institutions are not providing enough opportunities for students to envision a life beyond violence leaving many with a few opportunities We need the city to prioritize funding for new security guards that will take their job very
seriously and not let students get away with things they should have consequences for also funding for programs uh that offer uh mentorships job readiness mental health support and safe spaces for young people By investing in youth development we can
provide the you the guidance and resources um necessary to help them escape this dangerous cycle and realize their full potential It's time to come together as a community to offer our youth a better future one free from the violence and despair that has uh defined
too many of their lives How many of How many more of us have to lose a life until you start to see the bigger picture Thank you [Applause] Are there any further comments Okay we thank you for your
comments and at that this point we'll move on to presentations I'll hand this over to Dr Alvea Um first I'd like to say thank you to everyone for being here Thank you to our youth for being here tonight and to our staff and other guests Um we are
grateful that you are here Um as you know that or may not know this month is Women's History Month And in the Chelsea public schools and in our community we have a lot of women who inspire and educate future
generations which is the theme for Women's History Month And so with so many women leading in the in the Chelsea public schools we would like to honor a few of the women and in our schools and
the and in our community that support us So for our first group I are our principles And so if our principles can come up we have Margot Debasio who is
the principal of the early learning [Applause] center and Blanca Restreo who is the principal at the Burkowitz Miss Kimberly Cwley who is the principal
of the Hooks Elementary [Applause] School Miss Lisa Linew Weaver who is the principal at the Kelly School and Miss Meg Mancini could not be
here tonight and she's the principal of our Chelsea Virtual Learning Academy So uh we have 11 schools and out of our 11 schools more than half of our schools in Chelsea public schools are being led by
women Uh we thank you for all that you do and inspiring our future generations So thank you Come up and we'll have you certificate and take some pictures Oh Katie I am so
sorry Katie Cook was like "You're looking right at me." She's our principal at the Brown Middle School too Go down Go down You go down I'll look for it Hold a I just want to see here Give her a picture
Okay All right And our next award is a person who does so much and you often don't know what she does but she oversees all of our crossing guards She
fills in the gaps whenever we need something And that is Miss Kim Jarsi So and [Applause] Kim and Kim Kim is the only woman in
buildings and grounds So we're we're so grateful for you Kim [Applause] Will you sign this one when I get back here Yeah Okay
Okay Our next group are two women who hold me accountable and who make sure that we are doing what's best for all of our
educators in the Chelsea public schools The first one goes to Vanessa Marcardo Mendoza She is our vice president of the Chelsea Teachers Union and our president Katherine Anderson Thank
you Thank you for your advocacy and just how you lead and make sure that we are doing what's best for our educators So
Let's look at [Applause] As you can see we have a lot of women leaders in our school system Our next group of leaders that I'd like to recognize is our cabinet the women on our cabinet team So this is for
those of you that don't know cabinet is is the superintendent's cabinet leadership team and I have an amazing strong group of women in and at the cabinet level So um Dr Tamar Blake
Kanty Miss Michelle Martineelo [Applause] um Christine Lee [Applause] and Billy Joe Turner
[Applause] a group of very strong women Tell me how you Three two one [Applause] Okay And we
have one woman who is with us who has been um our school committee chair and was has been on school committee for a long time and now is on city council that we'd like to honor and that is Miss Kelly Garcia
[Applause] We can take the Why don't we have her stand there and we'll sit here and you take a picture No that doesn't work Come on Anna I guess I'm getting up
Look at me I tried It wasn't Okay And where are my notes Okay And then Okay Okay Okay Okay Yes I don't
Okay our next award that I wanted to read her bio um because our state rep Judith Garcia is actually a graduate of Chelsea public schools So Judith is a role model for
many for many of our youth our women in Chelsea public schools because she went through you were at the Kelly and then where did you go to middle school Judith and the Williams and then you're a graduate of Chelsea High School And
so Judith is a a role model for many and she is now a state rep She serves on many committees I'm just going to I want to read her bio because I want our youth to be proud of where they come from to
be proud of being a graduate of Chelsea High School and to be proud of being in Chelsea So State Representative Judith Garcia a proud Chelsea native has dedicated her career to public service in Massachusetts legislature She serves
as a vice chair of joint committee on children families and persons with disabilities and has membership on the House and Joint Committee of Ways and Means Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing and Joint Committee on Education Before her legisl legislative
tenure she worked in healthc care at a Boston nonprofit and in the private sector focusing on cyber security In a historic achievement she became the first woman to represent the 11th Suffach District in the Massachusetts
House of Representatives after serving several terms on the Chelsea City Council Beyond her elected roles Garcia has contributed to US diplomatic efforts participating in missions to Brussels
Russia and Taiwan In 2022 she was appointed by the US National Security Council as an advisor on Honduran affairs and preparation for Vice President Camala Harris's visit to the country In her spare time Garcia is
dedicated to empowering political leaders across party lines In 2024 Garcia was selected by the National Association of Latino Elected Officials to lead a bipartisan training program
for newly elected state legislators nationwide Her dedication to public service drives her work at both the local and state levels Thank you Judith for your leadership We're we're so thankful and
thank This is where it all started [Applause] And our last group does not have to move unless they want to is our the women that sit on the
Chelsea school committee Yes And we we wanted to say thank you because it is this school committee that is such a role model for many being mo majority female and
Latina who have took a chance in me six years ago and hired a Latina superintendent I am maybe one of five Latino superintendents in the state of Massachusetts So I just want to say thank you to this
school committee who believes in me and who supports me and who comes alongside and helps me lead Chelsea public schools because I cannot do this without you And I'm so grateful for each and every one of you And I am
every day when I I talk about my school committee I say I am so blessed and so grateful So thank you So to our chair Miss Hernandez thank you Love
[Applause] you And to I'll just I'm where is Miss Lucia Thank you Uh Kati Carra thank you And she is a
graduate Chelsea High School Yes Clary Kovas Garavio Did Did she graduate from Chelsea High School Yes she did Yep Did Red Devil all the way Dr Sarah Neville whose children child
goes to Chelsea public school So thank you for believing Will but thank you for for believing in us and for Lucia our vice chair There's Thank you Lucia Did you graduate Did you go through college No Okay
And Miss Hern Oh I am not going to I'm going to save our last or last And then Mida did I give you yours No Okay Mida did you go to Chelsea public schools She did Ma went to Chelsea public school Awesome
Okay And to our student reps Vanessa Lopez Roselia Hernandez and Diana Garcia Um you guys have been amazing student reps and how you represent Chelsea High
School The way you come and you present and you do your research is is phenomenal And I hear that one of you just may have gotten a full ride scholarship somewhere
So are you going to tell us where you're going to the college Uh Amherst College Yay Okay Thank you El I just want to say something I I didn't graduate from the
Chelsea High School but um I graduated from the early learning center adult education I got my G there and I continue student from like once that I went to the early education uh for learning English then I went to Bunkah Hill Community College and then I
continue going for the more [Applause] and we have one more one more certificate and um Veronica is going to um give you that description because we
can leave this person out So the school committee would like to officially recognize and proudly present Dr Ali Gia Beta for her outstanding leadership dedication and unwavering commitment to empowering the next generation of female leaders Thank you
[Applause] All right Take a picture Oh you Oh okay You can go I don't want to Everybody [Music] Okay Okay
Yes I got two more presentations Name Okay Each school committee this year we have honored educators or staff that work in the Chelsea public schools with our name strength and story award
And the name strength and story award embodies educators staff in our Chelsea public schools who really get to know our students by name strength and story because it's important to know our
students and have relationships with our students And we want to honor educators who who stand out in this area or a lot of times people will write me a note and say "Hey you know this educator has done
an amazing job." And um and so I have two and the writing on one is really small So let me get my glasses Okay So this award is
for just make sure I say the for Amanda Morgan Grace And the person who wrote a little note about Amanda is Jennifer Knight And
so um I mean about Miss Morgan Yes Amanda Morgan Grace Do you go by Amanda or Morgan Morgan Okay Morgan would you will you stand up so everyone can know who we're talking about here
Okay So I'm gonna read a little bit so you can stand where you're comfortable because she wrote um she I just want to read what what Miss Knight wrote So I am writing to commend Miss Morgan
as a high school science instructional coach Over the past couple years I've had the privilege of working closely with Morgan and have witnessed firsthand the incredible impact Morgan has had on the science department and the broader school community at Chelsea High
School Morgan is strategic and thoughtful She has strengthened our department by fostering collaboration and supporting teachers in implementing highquality instructional practices During our most recent department
meeting Miss Knight observed you guiding the bi the biology and chemistry team and unpacking the transfer task for the upcoming open sed unit Morgan stayed to work through the task with the biology teachers while she worked with the chemistry teachers Not only did she
ensure that all teachers had the necessary materials but she also facilitated a process that encouraged deep engagement critical thinking and alignment with best practices Morgan's commitment to backward planning was evident and her
ability to prepare teachers to confidently facilitate student learning directly contributes to the improved student process Beyond department meetings Morgan's leadership in PLC's has created a space where teachers feel
empowered to collaborate share insights and refine their instructional approaches Miss Knight has observed Morgan facilitate numerous PLC's each week providing teachers with choice on the spot support and opportunities for
continued professional growth Morgan's ability to transfer an environment where educators feel supported valued and confident in implementing rigorous highquality instructional materials with fidelity and efficacy is truly
commendable Morgan's impact extends beyond instructional coaching Her co-leership and the schoolwide initiative to improve staff culture demonstrates her dedication not only to science teachers but to the entire Chelsea High School faculty Morgan's
efforts to create a supportive and empowering environment have significantly contributed to a stronger sense of belonging within Chelsea High School Miss Knight thank you for for sharing this with us
[Applause] So Morgan we have a a certificate for you and a little cup that says Belief [Applause] [Applause]
All right our next awardy uh was actually uh Michael Sullivan's um is is wanting to honor Mr John I'm sorry Am I saying that right I am so
sorry John no I want to know how to say it Roger See I I'm I'm I apologize Rejurro Thank you I I think it's important to say your name correctly so I want to make sure I'm saying it
correctly So Mr Solomon says "Hi everyone Knowing that John Wajurro is is getting a name strength and story award on Thursday he actually came up when I was interviewing our student Sophia Vasquez at Chelsea High School yesterday
Sophia is a former student on his on his and of his and credited the ideas in the medicine program for influencing her interests in the medical field Here's a quote she had to share I had a teacher in the seventh grade His name was Mr
Roger and he was very cool and he always had a lot to say about higher education He is also very respectful towards people in that field So it is So it kind of I think passed on to me because now I
think that people in the medical field are people with higher education are very cool And so John I I do want to thank you You're you're you do anything and everything Um I appreciate how you
volunteer all the time whether it's AI whether whatever it is at the right at at the right school And I see your former principal just shaking her head over here Michelle would you like to say something Michelle can you use the mic so everyone
at home can hear you I have my school teacher voice though Um so I worked with John for a number of years as his principal but more importantly his colleague I can't tell you how many nights John stayed after school and the custodians would text me to make sure it
was okay because he was there doing MCCAST prep with our kids and serving them pizza and working on research projects He never fails to put up his best effort when it comes to kids And he pulled through multiple times not only
for me but for students teaching two classes at once at times um cycling through always being honest with me about what was going on in the building and what he was seeing And John I cannot thank you enough
[Applause] Yeah Why don't we move it up because it's almost 8:00 right Yes Can uh are we finished with the awards Yes we are That completes my
presentations for the night Um I'd like to make a motion to move um out of order to move our budget discussion up to be next We have a second Okay Second Okay We'll move the
budget item up next to new business Um thank you so much Um okay Consideration and action to accept and adopt the recommend the recommendation of the school superintendent and approve the
following line item amounts from the general fund to for the 2025 to 2026 school budget totaling 150,891,360 May I speak on it Excuse me May I speak
on it Yes Oh okay Um thank you so much Um I just have a couple comments and a couple questions Um I was really happy today that um you know that we got a lot of feedback about the budget from from the youth today Um although we can't
directly answer public comments during um this portion of our meeting Um and I was thinking about the fact that we have a budget process and a budget timeline with uh several hearings and several meetings that we've had over the past
two months or so where we have uh where the Alme and her team have presented the budget to us and the different proposals where we've heard feedback and where uh you know we've we've gotten to have that those discussions but um there weren't a
lot of there weren't I didn't hear um in the budget meetings that I went to I didn't get to hear as many voices from students as I have over the past week And so it's making me reflect over how I as a school committee member uh might do
better next year in communicating with different people to make sure that um all of our high school and middle school students um are aware about when these meetings are happening and so that we can uh make sure that you're included and that your voices will be heard Um so
I'm going to consider that I have some ideas about how I can do better next year and I just want to know that um student input into the budget is really really important to me Um now when it comes to tonight this is I I think it's
our our final meeting or it was we had we had uh it w it could have it could be our final meeting um if we vote to approve the budget tonight And that's I think what um some people were expecting to happen So I just want to I have a
couple questions about you know what exactly are we voting on tonight Um so my first question is um if Dr Aa can explain or maybe Billy Joe can explain we are approving you know a budget is is
not what we approve isn't like okay you have to spend exactly this many cents on every single thing that's in this document There's still some flexibility to move things around So tonight how much what what are we approving and what
is flexible to be moved around So what you're approving tonight is a budget that is $150 million and in those larger line items is where there's flexibility So I'll
give you an example One is on what I heard tonight uh safety So if there was something in regards to we need um extra security guards although that's not what I I I'm just using that as an example
then that could come out of a line item that we have under security where it says security and buildings and grounds Um at the so there that line item is actually a million dollars So within that million
dollars there's there is some flexibility for those things Another example is professional as uh professional development development We heard that uh that sex that students
wanted sex education So if that's the case within our mental health and wellness budget we have line items in the mental health and wellness budget those line items could go towards
uh training or seminars or even we can shift things around to create another health sex education class at the high school So it's those types of flexibilities So there are flexibilities within the current schedule that we that
that are built in for those reasons Are you all done Sarah Thank you That um that helps a lot So there's still some flexibility to I mean this the budget doesn't um it doesn't set in stone every single thing that's going to happen in the schools over the
next year There's still a lot of avenues to share feedback and you know have have things change at the school level it sounds like So that's really helpful to know Um and the other question that I have is um I heard over the past week some students asking about um the
cafeteria and some students asking like well we spent money to renovate the cafeteria Um you know could that money have been spent in other ways Can you tell us a little bit about the history of that and how that came So the money for the cafeteria was earmarked several
years ago with money through this that we received through the city through COVID stimulus dollars There were only certain things that those dollars could be spent on and so a new functioning
cafeteria fit that the requirement of the monies that we received So we often times receive funding that is restricted and is for certain things only And so with
those restricted funds we have to spend money in those certain areas or we lose it or we lose it or we have to return it Thanks That makes sense So the COVID money went to the cafeteria and it started a couple years ago right At
least Yeah Like probably I want to say three three years ago but we that funding actually came from the former city manager It was earmarked while they were um during during coh
um yeah I think that's that's my only comment Um I'm going to be voting to approve the budget tonight I feel comfortable that you know it's a it's a budget that uh is going to serve our our community well over the next year And I
just encourage um young people this isn't this isn't the end of the conversation I want to you know keep have I would love to see people continue to advocate and continue to talk about what you want to see change in the schools And it doesn't just because we're voting to approve a budget doesn't
mean that the conversation's over So thank you And if if I may add each school has a budget So you're each like Chelsea High School has its own budget and within that budget school communities can make decisions about
what they want to spend their finances on So every school has a school site council that people can give input during the budget season on And so again just to to
reiterate at the school level there is that's another way for our our youth and our students to really have a voice And at this level too because we we do offer several input sessions We've had three of those meetings and one of them was
virtual We also had five other school committee meetings dedicated was it five other school committee meetings dedicated to the budget this year All set Cloudy Thank you for coming everyone Um I just
want to say that as it was mentioned we did have multiple sessions as far as communication is concerned I um I urge everyone here if we don't have because with uh the comm with the conversations that we've had one thing that has become
increasingly um evident is that maybe the streamlining communication um there's there seems to be a disconnect right so um either we need to help parents um some some people um express
the need for parents to have access to the same information So we either need to help parents get on board with parent square um so that they can also access the same information via you know text emails um as well um because that's the
the best way Most of the schools also have um their uh set uh social media accounts I know perhaps most of you guys also have social media accounts where you can also follow each of the schools and see what's going on and also keep in
touch with um the happenings of each um school As far as the budget is concerned as we mentioned there's a little bit of wiggle room if you want to know or or hear a little bit more about said topics In certain cases in order for one thing
to be able to spend we then also have to have a separate meeting to have a conversation to have the proper policies in place So as we mentioned in um another meeting that's why in certain instances it seems like it's taking a
while but we do collect um community input because the topics at hand might change depending on uh the the climate right of of what's happening So this is important and I will also be voting in
favor as we have extensive um uh data to support uh the budget and I also want to thank um Dr Abeda and everybody that also went above and beyond to ensure that we got not only the allocated budget but the additional funding um
because we did go to the city manager and to city council and requested additional funds So um that's something that we should also consider So thank you Okay Thank you Okay So with that being said can we
move on to a roll call vote please Miss Hernandez yes Mr Organ yes Miss Enriquez yes Miss Cabraw yes Miss Balderas yes Dr Mr Neville Yes Miss
Kovajo Yes That's seven in the affirmative and two absent Seven in the affirmative and two absent Motion passes We will And I have a motion to go back into order Yes I make a motion I second Thank
you We'll go back into order We will go back to the report of the superintendence of schools um you're more than um hap we're more than happy if you stay but we moved the budget up so that you guys if you didn't want to
listen to the rest of our boring stuff you could leave but um it's getting late but you can you can listen to the rest of our meeting and enjoy Um I hope that the explanation that that Sarah and Glatty gave and Dr Our beta helped
clarify a little bit more about the budget and how um the money why the certain money gets spent on certain items that may not m make total sense to you Which of course if you if no one
explains this to you you wouldn't understand why the money was used for the cafeteria if no one explains why it was used for the cafeteria But um I want to thank you for the comments that you guys made tonight Um they were very good
um suggestions I I fully agree with them and I please continue to give us this input because we need to hear stuff like this This is really good stuff what we heard tonight Okay Thank you Thank you
Um go ahead Dr W So the next part Thank you Next part is our actual our student representatives Good evening Madame Chairwoman Hernandez and Dr Ala and to the rest of the school committee members I want to start off the updates by talking about the
athletics at Chelsea High School Track just started on March 17th and practices have been going pretty well Um students seem to be really excited and enthusiastic about the new season and especially with the new weather and
everything like it's more summery and stuff So everybody's really happy and excited I know Good evening Madam Chairwoman Ernandez Dr Aveda and the rest of the school committee members Um I I would like to move on to stracurriculars
uh starting with the Cind with our spring musical Cinderella which opens up next week Also for the first time since 2018 uh drama club will be performing a Saturday matineese show at 1 pm Uh there will be a show on April
4th uh at 7:00 p.m Uh and April 5th at 1:00 p.m and uh 700 p.m Pre-order tickets will be $5 while at the door or aka entrance it will be $8 Um please make sure to support the CHS drama club
and we'll be waiting for you there Regarding the yearbook club they just held opportunities for seniors to take their senior portraits Um they were able to make appointments or show up to the main office to see if there was any free openings I took mine It was really nice
Um it was very professional and the teacher was nice So there might be another opportunity but that's still in debate We'll see how many pictures we actually ended up getting I guess they can take it tomorrow too Sorry Um and then to move on to
events for the self-care fair Um I feel like I can speak for all the TAP members that this was the best self-care fair event we've had Thank you We requested that she stop speaking so that the um children could
uh clear out Um I'll just start over for the selfcare prayer event Um I feel like I can speak for all the TAP members that this was probably our best one yet I think with an Oh sorry Um
I I feel like I can speak I don't think you need to Is anyone using interpretation Is somebody using interpretation I don't think so Everything Yeah the ladies down there Um yeah it was really fun Um everybody
was able to see all the cute we had like baby animals and stuff and it was really nice all the activities So I'm really glad it went well Another event we had was Bell of the Ball I mean we were participated in right Uh Bell of the Ball Bell of the
Ball was a special event organized to support high school students uh high school stu uh juniors and seniors in need of a prom dress Students went to on a field trip to the Hines Convention Center uh where they were able to choose from a wide selection of beautiful
dresses donated by generous contributors Um this event is a wonderful opportunity for students in need in financial need to get uh prom dresses or dresses in general right for
for no cost at all Uh parent teacher conferences will be held next Thursday on April 3rd This is a perfect opportunity for parents to meet um their child's teacher especially
now with the new quarter Some kids um might have new teachers or new classes so they're able to meet with them If not if they're not able to attend they can reach out to them on Parent Square or by email Um now moving on to academics MCCAST
Sophomores for the last two days Wednesday and Thursday have been taking the um the ELA MCCAST test The MCCAST Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System for sophomores is an important standardized test that evaluates students knowledge and skills in key
subject areas And tomorrow the quarter the third quarter will be ending for high schoolers and I think all schools But um for seniors regarding seniors um by this point many of them have actually found the status of the schools that they
apply to and are looking at financial aid packages Um they're looking through a lot of numbers I've been looking through a lot of numbers So um I recommend maybe creating like a Google sheet That's what I did or most importantly talking to your guidance counselor because this is the time where
you're going to need them the most like figuring out all that stuff So and then lastly to move it on to Julie Okay Lastly AP Moxam exams have started and um the mock exams and the AP exams take
up to four hours Um the AP exams are a wonderful way for students to gain college credit before going to college if they get a three or above And um good luck
Thank you so much Once again I forgot to turn my mic on Um we'll move on to the student um the committee reports Um I commend to move
the committee reports to to the record Can I get a motion Second Thank you And we have no old business We'll
move on to new business consideration and action to forgo school choice for the 2025 2026 school year Can I get a roll call Miss Hernandez
This is where we vote yes I have to say no right No you have to say yes No I have to say yes Yes Yes To for this always confuses So we vote yes to say no to it Yes Sorry Every year I hate to I go through this
15 years I've been doing this So is that a yes Miss Hernand Yes That's a yes Mr Organ Yes Miss Enriquez Yes Miss Cabraw Yes Miss Balderas Yes Dr Neville Yes Miss Kovas Caravayo Yes That's seven in the
affirmative and two absent Seven Seven in the affirmative two absent Motion carries Next item is Chair Hernandez moves to accept the Chelsea Public Schools calendar for school year 2025 to
2026 Can I get a roll call Miss Hernandez Yes Mr Organ Yes Miss Enriquez Yes Miss Cabraw Yes Miss Valdez Yes Dr Neville Yes Miss Kovaya Yes At seven in the affirmative and two absent Seven in
the affirmative two absent Motion carries Next item is consideration and action to accept and approve the revised operating protocols for the Chelsea School Committee Roll call please Miss
Hernandez yes Mr Orian yes Miss Enriquez yes Miss Cabraw yes Miss Balderas yes Dr Neville yes Yes Miss Kovayo Um sorry I was going to say before we voted on it I just wanted to um clarify
that I saw that there was a timeline within the um operating protocols and I wanted to discuss that Um so I wanted to have a discussion first because we
have been moving this over so that there's um members I know that we have discussed it in um subcommittees Yeah it's an enclosure D Yes it's an
enclosure D and it's just the part where it says that we're going to try to ensure that our meetings are about two and a half hours And I just want to point out that sometimes our retreat first of all I just want to be respectful to the if
we're going to be presenting or anything along those lines or if we're going to be um doing not only the presentations but also giving out awards We have one meeting a month and I think
it's important that when we have a topic of conversation we are able to thoroughly discuss it Obviously we don't have to um have an extended conversation but especially during budget season and
it's understood right that we're going to have some meetings that are going to run a little bit longer I think um we should leave that out and just be mindful of the amount of time that we're um having If we have a couple of items
on the agenda that are a little bit more lengthy then do the subcommittee so that we're extending them But I don't want to I don't think it's appropriate nor um especially with the deed or the
request for transparency that seems to be reoccurring in conversations um to keep having um a time limit So that's just my uh I think that's um that's a really good point
Sorry is it okay I think that's a that's a good point um that you know sometimes transparency requires that we we go long and maybe even longer than two and a half hours and if a presentation is more than 20 minutes especially because
there's a lot of discussion around it in Q&A that's appropriate Um I don't necessarily think that we need to change the language of the operating protocols because they're not this isn't like a a formal rule It's it's more guidelines
for planning So it seems that the way that it's written to to plan meetings that do not extend beyond two and a half hours and to expect that presentations will be 20 minutes or less is more about guidelines um that the chair could should consider when setting the agenda
and when the superintendent is arranging um presentations by staff So I think that Claudia is right but I also am not sure that we really need to make a a a formal change to the language of the operating protocols Um I don't know what people think Yeah I'm sorry I'm just
gonna um say that I do feel like I do want to remove that piece of that um language only because in the same document we're saying that no one school committee member actually holds more autonomy over
the next So um when we were just you know requesting additional field training the field trainer requested that we block off at least a three-hour session And I understand that that's a special meeting but still I think if
someone's taken the time to make a presentation I don't want anybody to feel that they can't ask questions or that something seems similar because again we've already discussed that not everybody learns the same way Um some people you
know don't listen to the same members a certain way versus the other members I I think different members have other ways to um explain themselves So I I make a motion to amend that part And if we
could just remove the time the the just the two bullets where it's specifically requiring time frame for our meeting so that we can discuss and have our our meetings so that the topics at hands could be discussed properly and you know
fairly and obviously we're going to be mindful um then I would be happy with that So I make a motion to make those minor adjustments And is everyone comfortable with making those removing those items Should we have a roll call
Yeah Let's make let's have a roll call um for removing the two items and then we'll do a roll call for the protocol Okay Thank you Ver consideration uh to amend the uh operating protocols removing those two
bullet items referring to the time Miss Hernandez yes Mr Organ yes Miss Enriquez yes Miss Corbal yes Miss Balderas yes Dr Neville yes Miss Kasabayo yes That's seven in the
affirmative Motion carries Seven in the affirmative Two sorry two absent Two absent Motion um passes We'll remove those two items Thank you Um and then we'll do a roll call for the pro for the protocols Do you want me to read the
protocol item again I can I would just say we would um consider aation and action to accept the and approve the revised operating protocols and this with that amendment um for the Chelsea school committee Okay So Miss Hernandez yes Mr Orian
yes Miss Enriquez yes Miss Cabraw yes Miss Valdz yes Dr Neville yes Miss Kascaro yes That's seven in the affirmative and two absent Seven in the affirmative two apps A motion passes Next item is consideration and
action to accept the recommendation of superintendent to approve the following two out ofstate field trips and one instate overnight field trip April 9th 2025 to April 10th
overnight trip to Blue Hills Reservation for 10 COA students and three chaperones for outdoor experience course April 17th trip to Newport Mansions Newport Rhode Island for 178
Chelsea High School students and 20 chaperons for Gilded Age historical research June 9th 2025 out ofstate trip to Canoby Lake Park Salem New Hampshire for 153
Clock A students and 15 chaperons for end of year school engagement experience for eighth graders Can I get a roll call Miss Hernandez Yes Mr Orian Yes Miss Enriquez Yes Miss Cabraw Yes
Miss Balderas Yes Dr Neville Yes Miss Kovayo Yes That's seven in the affirmative and two absent Seven in the affirmative two absent Motion passes With this item we end our new business section and we move
on Um I'd like to take a moment um I guess to to make a comment We've had um a very interesting last week I guess
um we have had a lot of input from our from our teenagers our young our youth and it has been both eyeopening and saddening in some ways
Um but I think for the most part it's given us information that it that will help us um improve how we're doing business how we are serving them because this is truly
we are serving them We are helping them get their education to start their lives and probably the biggest job that exists out there outside of parenting Um I do want to say that this is a team
effort It is home along with the schools along with the school committee along with the community and we all need to really work together We need to work handinand the community programs along with the adults even if you don't have
children Um we need to work together to help get these kids because these and as cliche as it may sound this is our future And this is who is going to provide for themselves for their
children for the world and for what the future holds Um and I know we have lots lots of talent and we have lots of wonderful children because we really do have them Um I have a lot of faith in in our kids
I have a lot of faith in our city And I know that there's a lot of stuff happening that I all of us would prefer not to be happening And sad as it may be we're still doing better than a lot of other towns are And that's doesn't say
much because we still have way too much violence because one incident that hurts one child is way too many Um and it saddens because the first thing you think of when you hear that a child has been in an incident in my sake the first
thing I think of is his mom And I say "Oh Lord his mother." That's the first thing that comes to my mind So I just want to say that we will continue to work as hard as we possibly can to get
these kids what they need to be able to find their ways and find their true path on where they need to go We just need to work all together We can't we cannot work against each other We have to work together And with that said um
I'm I'm I'm both I feel I feel encouraged because I feel like I finally heard from kids and heard from their mouths what's concerning them And I think it's very
different from when you hear in the streets or you hear somebody says somebody said to them versus when you hear them say it to you And so I feel empowered and I feel that we will we will conquer this beast And I thank you
all for all your hard work And I thank the parents that are there working along with us to get their children on the right path because it's a hard job and we'll work with you every step of the way And and does anyone else have any
comments they'd like to make Anything they would like to um say I know it's been a long evening Um I just want to say that um we know that I mean issues been happening for a long time Um and I know
some um students are kind of like um afraid to speak up and I think they should not be afraid because um when you afraid nobody's going to help you to move on and you need to really speak up
So So it's very important for you guys to speak up So we know what's going on inside the schools Uh we know that I mean there are things that we don't know and if you don't say it we cannot change it So thank you so much for helping us
to see and realize that we need to do more and we need to um the safety for you is is the priority and uh we going to continue to do our effort to make
those changes Thank you so much I would like to say I don't like to continue repeating what the other other members are already mentioning Uh what I mentioned last night I've been in the school committee for a while and this is
the first time when I was last night at that meeting It's like it really opened my my my mind or in a way that I what's going on here What's going on here It really affect me when I went home to
think about so many things going on in the schools inside the schools and for us just to have this kind of meeting that happened last night It made me think it what's what
happened I don't I don't want to sound judgmental but this is something that I should have happened a while ago had these meetings not only with us but the schools the administrator the principal what's going on with the principal that
are knowing that there are this problems in the school doesn't address this issues with the staff why he doesn't really talk about a structure What is going on with this with the with the security guards I hear outside in the in
the community Some comments that are really bad about security themselves seeing students going to the bathroom and not doing anything That really bothers me so much
last night that it made me think what am I doing here What we are doing here I don't really like to talk to just to make people happy We need to talk and do
action We have to be asking accountability to the people that are we have in the school for the security of our children for the safety of our children for the educ the best education
that we can provide in each school But this is something last night it was an awaken call for me and I know I know that we we try to communicate with the with the community and this is an effort
only from some organizations that there are an example that the meeting that happened last the week before We need to be accountable of what's
going on in the community with the parents and with the students If we we don't know what's going on then we are here for nothing And that's really what I'm calling here the the community the organizations parents students and
everybody to come together and make a difference But not just to take a picture Hi I'm here for you No let's do something that is very responsible from us to help our students and make some responsibility from the school to our
staff The staff that is in the school is responsible for the education of our children and we had a responsibility called them accountable of that So this is something that really since I've been a while at the school committee and I'm
and I always mention I'm a quiet person because I hear a lot of comments and I don't want to be like a a copycat just talking Um but it is time It is really time that
what we say that we going to be do for our students we do it Don't be here only because you want to be here to take a picture and to be for yourself You are not here for yourself You are here to serve them the community the people that
are that are really put us here So make that difference Okay And thank you I I want to appreciate you that I saw you You parents that I saw you Um uh you and you
every whoever was there I really appreciate that Yeah I I'm sorry that I don't know your name but I know that you work for the chamber um chamber covers and I appreciate that you came that you are here because by you being here is
telling more telling us more that you are asking us to do more of what happened last night So thank you and it won't be a promise just because we are talking but it's a promise that we have to make people
accountable Okay So thank you so much Go She doesn't talk often but when she does Thank you very much Um oh and we couldn't finish this meeting without Clotty talking No And speaking of accountability I'm going to
piggyback because you know I'm not gonna repeat but as I mentioned yesterday when we go ahead and we hold accountability I want to remind everyone that we sit here before you the Chelsea school committee
city council but we are representatives of one school district right One school body And our creed is we welcome and we educate all That is not the only system
of education in the city of Chelsea And if we're going to also address youth violence and all of the incidents that have happened as we mentioned we have to have a deeper conversation with all of the proper stakeholders and yes hold every single
member accountable And I think to point out what my colleague was saying part of the reason why most of the comments were so jarring is because it's a different story if you've already heard certain
comments multiple times But when you're hearing them first for the first time at a public setting especially sometimes from colleagues or members that you see within the community be it because they just don't feel comfortable um or they don't know how to go about it that says
a lot So I'm I'm happy that we're having the conversation Hopefully we can learn to have more of a fluid conversations um down the road so that things can get done properly Um but yeah other than that I'm so
grateful that we were able to um celebrate so many wonderful people today because they really do wonderful jobs during the course of the of the school days They they make our district you know work you know run very
very well So thank you Thank you Clatty And we all done Yeah Okay I'd like to make a ask for a motion to adjurnn Motion
I second the motion Meeting has adjourned