This government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers regular session meeting of the East Hampton Public School Committee. We are going to roll call in. Mayor Salem Derby >> present.
>> Bonnie Atkins present. Eric Deette is a um a member who had a previous engagement that was very important. So he is not joining us tonight, but he is with us in spirit. >> Can you >> can you please all mute yourselves? Try
to hear. >> Who is it? >> Looks like it's starting. >> Got it. Okay. Uh Megan Harvey, >> I'm here online. >> Hello Megan. Sam Hunter >> here. >> Linda Marquee >> here. >> Okay. because one of our members is
joining us remotely. Per usual, we'll be roll calling for every vote. So, on that note, we're going to begin. Well, let me open by saying this. We have um an unprecedented crowd with us tonight, both in person and online. So, first of all, thank you all for joining um in your care for the Eastampton Public
Schools. We're interested to hear what you have to say. Um we're taking a bit of an unusual step this evening. We're going to do our public speak in just a few minutes and then later in the meeting, Superintendent Balsh is going to make a presentation that is going to outline more detail around the two
possible outcomes following the June 9th override vote. So, I've chosen to open a second public speak following the superintendent's presentation in case with that additional information that it has raised additional thoughts, comments, questions, or concerns from the public. Um, we're going to ask
people to keep to 3 minutes. However, we are here to extend grace. We understand that this is a difficult topic. So, we will take you take your time. Say what you need to say. There are tissues at the podium if necessary. We are not going to police. We just want to keep
things moving along. So, just take some care when you're speaking. Try to keep it as close to 3 minutes as you can. Okay. So, with that, we're going to begin with this agenda. Try to get to our public speak as quickly as we can. Um, we'll begin with this consent agenda. I will entertain a motion to approve the finance and other consent
agenda items as written on the agenda. >> I so move. >> Thank you, Linda. May I get a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Sam. Um, we are going to roll call. Mayor, >> yes. >> Bonnie Atkins, >> here. >> Megan Harvey,
>> yes. >> Sam Hunter, >> yes. >> Linda Marquee, >> yes. >> Laura Scott, yay. Okay, so the consent agenda passes. Moving on to announcements. Um, we have a preschool gift from a family. Uh, Jill Piscina Torquia is requesting the acceptance of
$500 from Jamie and Matthew Bellsford for the purpose of preschool program supplies. We appreciate their generosity. Please accept the Brzford's kind and thoughtful donation to our school. That's incredible. Thank you so much for sharing what you have with us, especially our youngest learners. That's
really thrilling and heartwarming. Um, so I would entertain a motion to accept the $500 donation from Jamie and Matthew Brillesford for the purchase of preschool program supplies. >> So moved. >> Thank you, Sam. May I get a second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you, Bonnie. We're going to roll call again. Mayor, >> yes. And thank you,
>> Bonnie. >> Yes. Thank you. They're incredible people. >> Megan, >> yes. Thank you, >> Sam. >> Yes. >> Linda, >> yes. And thank you. These are the things that really make our community special. That's right. Um and Chair Laura Scott,
I thank you very very much. Um I hope to have the pleasure of meeting you both of you soon. Um perhaps you're here tonight or online. Don't know. >> No showcase. >> Okay. Um we are going to bypass our high school student representative update
tonight. We have some more pressing issues as Walter Baker has alluded to. Any thoughts you want to share, Walter, briefly? >> Um no. just interested to hear what um is in the presentation. >> Okay. Thank you, Walter. Henry, would you like to share any of the hot
happenings over at Mountain View? >> Um the 24-hour track and field on Run for Rodriguez happened um 300 p.m. um May 24th to 25th. Uh and it raised uh
$10,55 for the Rogers. Um the middle school band concert which was Thursday, May 21st, um happened and it was really good. It was a good show. Um and then this week um the eighth
grade is having a New York trip Thursday to Friday. Um >> who who's going on that trip, Henry? >> Um lots of eighth graders. Um, >> do you know what you're doing yet? >> Um, we are going to Coney Island.
>> Um, >> and then the next day we're going to a 9/11 memorial and then a New York City food tour. >> Wow. You're hitting all the marks. >> That's incredible. Incredibles. >> Oh, if everybody just wants to mute themselves at home.
>> Okay. >> Um, on June 10th is 8th grade stepup day. Um and then >> they're stepping up. >> Yep. Um and um this week the civics's action
project is due and we're going to present it tomorrow on May 27th. Um June 15th and 16th is field day for um all grades. And on June 16th is the 8th grade semiformal.
Um June 18th is 8th grade um continuation and that is all. >> You've got a busy month. >> Mhm. >> Excellent. Well, congratulations on your pending eighth grade graduation. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. I just want to take a
second to send um our love and support to the Rodriguez family and just really commend this community that again and again and again shows up for one another. um are incredibly moved and um our thoughts go out to to their whole family. We are going to move on to round
one of public comment. So, we're going to begin with people who are here with us in the room. If you would maybe like to form a short line to the side, you'll come to the podium. You can just give your name. An address isn't required. You can give your name, share your
thoughts, try to keep it to three minutes if possible. Um once we've exhausted these folks who are in the room then we can move um to those folks who are joining us online. We are prepared to be here for a while. We want to hear from everyone. Okay.
>> No. Okay. Um good evening. My name is Kelly Rodrig and I'm the prek to 2 school psychologist at Mountain View School. At the most recent town council and school committee meetings, I spoke about the significant negative impacts our students and broader community would experience if the override does not
pass, resulting in nearly 3 million in cuts to the school budget. Tonight, I would like to highlight some of the approximately 40 non-renewed staff members as well as some other veteran educators who recently been laid off. Um, reduced staffing and programming will lead to larger class sizes, fewer support staff, fewer enrichment
opportunities, and increased disruptions to daily instruction. Schools are a cornerstone of any community. When educational quality declines, families often choose to seek education elsewhere or relocate to communities with stronger school systems. Over time, this can result in decreased enrollment, fewer
families moving into the area, more families leaving the area, and broader economic impacts, including declining property values, and reduced community vitality. In preparation for tonight, I asked educators who were impacted to voluntarily share their professional stories, including what has been the most meaningful about their work in our
district. And here are some of their stories. Kelly Meansen has been an educator for over 16 years. She previously worked in the district at Maple and left briefly in 2022 and returned to work in East Hampton in 2024. She was awarded the Ginsspoon Teaching Award during her time at Maple School. Kelly has been an East Hampton
homeowner for 20 years and has two students in the public schools. Kelly has worked and supported students during COVID and has tirelessly worked to pass for the funding of our new school. She has been an active coach for town wreck teams as well as school teams such as Girls on the Run, which I coached with her. Kelly stated, "What has always
motivate mo most is the connection with students and their families, and being part of a child's growth and educational journey is a privilege I will always cherish." Melissa Labar Rogers is completing her first year as a licensed special education teacher for the Bloom program at Mountain View School. Melissa
previously served as a pair professional in the district for over six years and is widely regarded as an exceptional leader and educator. Melissa is an extraordinary relationship builder who meets students, families, and staff exactly where they are. Every child and staff member within Bloom feels safe,
valid, validated because of her the environment she creates. Additionally, Melissa is an East Hampton resident and two of her daughters attend Mountain View School. Kate Pruner is a is completing her third year as a licensed teacher and student support interventionist at Mountain View School. She has been an educator in Eastampton
since 2018. Kate is a resident of East Hampton and her son currently attends East Hampton High School. She values both living and working in the community, noting that her role as a resident strengthens her ability to build meaningful connections with students across the district. Kate is especially committed to supporting
students with social emotional needs. And Kate is especially committed to supporting students. Oh, sorry, I just said that. One of the most rewarding aspects of her work is witnessing student growth and seeing students develop and thrive over time. Staff respect and value Kate because she always puts the students needs first and
works collaboratively with home and school members with ease. Morgan Jones is a 14year veteran teacher and is completing her first year back in the district and is currently teaching in the special education program aim at Mountain View School Middle School. Morgan previously worked as a special
education teacher at Maple and a reading teacher at Center Pepin for over nine years. Morgan takes immense pride in delivering high-quality reading, writing, and math instruction. She pushes both herself and her students to achieve their best while maintaining meaningful relationships and professionalism. When asked why East
Hampton, she responded, "For me, the most impactful thing about being an educator in East Hampton is if you're in the district as long as I have been, you're able to see the extraordinary growth and development of your students." She will share just one of those detailed responses about from a student later on. Marty Pucius has been
a school psychologist in this district for almost three years and 13 years total. Prior to that, she was a preschool educator for 13 years. She loved helping students with disabilities feel successful and to achieve independence. Colleagues described Marty as an incredibly kind, knowledgeable, approachable, and wonderful advocate and
support for families, teachers, and students. As a close colleague and friend, the weight of this override sits heavily on my own heart. Words do not do Marty justice for all she has done for our special ed team and as a collaborative collaborative evaluator for all the kids coming through special education. A couple more and then I'll switch.
Elizabeth Ryan is an East Hampton resident who has been a speech language pathologist at Mountain View School for nearly four years and has 11 years of professional experience. She values interdisciplinary child- centered and neuroirming early childhood education. She has shared that one of the most meaningful aspects of her work is
helping non-speaking students access communication through AAC systems and supporting families during their first experiences in public school because she's in the preschool. She is also a parent of two future Mel View school students. And Jess SQ Kenny SQ has been a board certified behavior analyst for
seven years and is finishing her first year in um EHS and Mountain View school. Prior to that, Jess was a speech therapist for 10 years. Three of Jess's children currently attend either Mountain View School or East Hampton School. Teachers have raved about Jess's professionalism, expertise, neuroirming
student approach, and always putting forth the best practice for students needs despite the inherent flaws and fractures that might be in our system. When asked about her impact and why she wants to work in East Hampton, Jess stated, "Throughout my experience here, both as a parent and as an educator, I have
witnessed educators and families embrace challenges with dedication and resilience. adapting practices and approaches to better support neurodeivergent learners is complex work and it requires self-awareness, flexibility, and a strong growth mindset. I have found that in our East
Hampton community um and they are deeply committed to continuous learning, reflection, and growth. Thank you very much. Hi, my name is Leita Barman. I live in Northampton. Um I work as a speech language pathologist at Mountain View School. And I'm going to pick up where
Kelly left off. Um, Carrie Get has been teaching at MBS for two years and has been an educator for over 21 years. As a lifelong resident of East Hampton, it has been a privilege to attend and work in the community that made her the educator she is today, she says. Additionally, she has been an educator
for over 21 years and has two children attending Mountain View School. Um, she attended East Hampton Public Schools and graduated from East Hampton High School in 2000. Um, currently her two kids attend Mountain View School. Brandon Goule is currently finishing his seventh
year as an educator in MVS with grades 5 to 8. After completing student teaching in East Hampton public schools in 2017, Brandon chose to join the district because of its strong music program, leaving another district to become part of the music team. Over the past seven years, they have served as a general music and coral director before
transitioning into the band's position. They value the district's commitment to music education and believe it plays an essential role in students emotional growth, sense of well sense of belonging, and overall middle school experience. When asked what is most impactful, Brandon stated, "To me, it is sharing
the passion of music and making connections with those students. Being able to see students grow musically makes me enjoy coming into work every day." Alex Rafo is an East Hampton resident and has been an occupational therapist in this district for almost three years. This is her sixth year as a
school-based occupational therapist. Alex loves working in this district. She believes the educators, pareducators, and specialists in the district provide the necessary support to meet all learners individual needs. Jesse Clark is an East Hampton resident and is currently in his third year of teaching at Mountain View School. He's a third
grade teacher and an asset on his team. Prior to that, he worked as a pareducator at Maple School. He said the most impactful part of working in this district is the ability to build strong relationships with other teachers and students. John Oliver, fondly called Olly, is currently finishing her second year as a
math interventionist for grades 5 to 8 at MBS. Ali and her family have lived in town for 20 years and intentionally built a life there because of its unique, vibrant, and welcoming community. She values the safe, walkable environment and the opportunities it provides for their child to grow up connected to parks and diverse
friendships. With 22 years of experience working in schools, they chose to leave another job to teach at NBS and became a more engaged member of the community they deeply care about preserving. Ali's impact extends beyond students. However, her greatest impact is helping to close achievement gaps. Megan Smith, a
firstear life skills teacher at East Hampton High School and an East Hampton resident, is recognized for her dedication to creating meaningful educational experiences for students with disabilities. Her colleague Dr. Dr. Pearlmutter shared she's passionate about her students learning and feeling included in their school community. She
holds students with disabilities accountable and ensures they have a meaningful high school experience. Committed to serving her own community, Megan left a tenure position in a district she valued to help develop a new life skills program at East Hampton High School. She had been a teacher for
15 years. Despite understanding the risks associated with leaving a position with professional status, she chose to invest in a program that would directly benefit local students and families, including her own daughter's future school community. Megan shared that the most rewarding aspect of her work is the
opportunity to create and implement programs that allow students to remain, learn, and thrive within their home district rather than being placed outside the community. Emily Manning is finishing her first year back in East Hampton schools as the special education teacher for Mountain
View School full-time preschool class. She has taught preschool for 11 years and had previously taught for two years at Maple School before the co layoffs. One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching in this district has been collaborating with students, families, and multiddisciplinary teams in a supportive environment. Working in preschool special education has allowed
me to build strong family relationships while helping students make meaningful academic, social, and emotional growth during a critical stage of development. Aaron Ferris is finishing her first year at Eastampton High School as a special education teacher. Since beginning their teaching career in 2010, primarily in
higher education, they served as a tenure professor in Tennessee before moving to Massachusetts in 2021. Their work at EHS has profoundly deepened their understanding of connection and student support, particularly through working with vulnerable students. They are known for creating a safe, welcoming environment where students feel supported both academically and
emotionally. Many students regularly seek out their classroom before school, during lunch, and throughout the day because it provides a sense of belonging, trust, and stability. Ann Thally is finishing her third year as a fifth to 8th grade health teacher at MBS. and is an East Hampton resident,
has two daughters in these schools, and knows many families in this community from time working for the health department and leadership in the PTO. Her care and passion for this community is deeprooted. When asked about what she loves about working here, she said, "Teaching our adolescence about healthy decision-making, mental, emotional, and
physical health, and how to take care of themselves to lead healthy, productive lives in the future." Jamie Flamati has been working almost two years as a speech therapist at MBS. She has over 32 years of speech therapy experience. Jaime loves supporting our most vulnerable students in developing
functional communication skills that help them express their knowledge, participate alongside peers, build relationships, and advocate for their needs, essential skills for lifelong independence and success. Jillian Keenan has served as a librarian educator in
the district for 5 years. She helped establish both the elementary and middle school libraries and is focused on fostering a love of reading, critical thinking, and cultural repres representation in literature. She has expressed concern about the potential reduction of librarian roles and will miss watching her students foster a love
of reading and learning. >> Hi, my name is Jessica Kenny Ascu. Uh I am a resident of Chabe and the BCBA for East Hampton Public Schools. Lindseay Hall is finishing her second year at MVS as a special education team leader and has been teaching in various districts for over 23 years. When asked about why
East Hampton and what she loves, she stated, "Cordating IEP meetings with families in this community has been deeply rewarding. The staff at MBS are welcoming, collaborative, and dedicated to student- centered problem solving. Their strong teamwork and commitment to including family perspective in every
IEP meeting has made this unlikely any experience in their teaching career. Christopher Weekes is finishing his third year at MBS and has been teaching for over 11 years. For Chris, the most impactful aspect of his work has been witnessing students growth and development over time. Chris has
supported some current students since serving as long-term substitute in third grade and has seen them progress from foundational skills such as struggling with basic multiplication and complete sentences to more advanced academics like dividing fractions and revising multi-paragraph essays. Chris is
constantly impressed by the dedication of both students and staff at MVS and considers it considers it an honor to observe and support this steady meaningful progress. Nina Foley is finishing her first year at MVS as a speech therapist, she has been an SLP for over 26 years and has spent the last
16 years working in schools. When asked why East Hampton was what and what is greatest impact on students, she responded, "I appreciate the vibrant community supporting supporting children's growth and communication skills as well as collaborating with amazing supportive staff and teachers."
Carly Nolles is a secondyear nurse at MBS. Carly has been a nurse for 15 years, nine of those as a pediatric ICU nurse. She has been at MBS for two years. She has also coached for youth cheer program in town. School nurses play a vital role in supporting the health, safety, and well-being of
students, fostering a caring environment where every child can thrive academically and emotionally. Amanda Frogamemedi, sorry Amanda, if I screwed that up, is a first year first grade teacher at MBS. She is a resident of East Hampton with three children, two of which are currently attending MBS.
Amanda shared that the most impactful aspect of working at MBS has been the strong sense of community and teamwork. While she's already valued the school as a parent, joining the staff gave them a deeper appreciation for the supportive culture, collaboration among colleagues, and willingness of staff members to help one another despite the school's large
size. Amanda chose to become a teacher later in life in search of more meaningful work, and inspired by daily children's curiosity, enthusiasm, and eagerness to learn. Roxan Dory is finishing her second year at MBS as an ELLL teacher. Roxanne has described her teaching and reading specialist
experience. She expresses a strong commitment to MBS. Commuting 40 minutes each way to work with its students and staff. With a background as a certified reading specialist and ESL educator, Roxanne can demonstrate strong student outcomes. Second grade teacher Bethany Hodgejman stated, "This year, my ELELLL
students have made tremendous growth, and this directly attributes to Roxanne's competency as a high-skilled reading teacher and her confident approach in working with a wide wide range of diverse leaders." When asked what is most impactful for her, Roxanne noted, "Giving my students the opportunity to make accelerated progress
in speaking, reading, and writing, and helping to boost their self-confidence as learners and as people. I love working with the ELEL's, and having come from a family of immigrants, I can relate to the experience of being marginalized. My hope and dream for each child I work with is to shine bright in this world." Sarah Fergalak is a first
year educator at MVS and has over 20 years of educational experience. and Sarah shared that the most impactful aspect of working at MBS has been a strong sense of community, support, and collaboration among staff. She values the availability of the resources for both teachers and students and emphasizes that a supportive environment
for educators helps create a safe, encouraging space where students feel confident taking risks and learning new things. Teaching, especially at MVS, brings Sarah joy. These individuals matter. Their impact on students, staff, and broader community is hard to put into words. Many of these exceptional
educators are not only invested in the students as teacher, but also as East Hampton residents. We thank them for their vulnerability and sharing here, but more importantly, we thank them for their dedication to their practice, to their colleagues, and to the students and families of this town. We respectfully urge the members of the
committee and the East Hampton community to vote yes on the override. These educators matter. Their impact on our children matters. I also urge city leadership and its committee to work collaboratively in to persevere current levels of support and develop a sustainable long-term budget plan that
minimizes these cuts both now and in the years ahead. Thank you from many new and veteran educators working to serve your community. >> Thank you very much. >> Hi everybody. Um, my name is Jules Marciano. Um, I'm a firstear teacher at Mountain View School. I teach fifth
grade math and science. Um, last year I also had the privilege of being a PAR professional in the student support program under Kate Pruner supervision which was a really memorable and valuable experience for me. Um, this is my 10th year in education. Um, I've worked in every level from preschool to
12th grade. Um, it's been the honor of my lifetime and I had no idea when I landed at East Hampton Public Schools that I would have the experience that I had. Um, I actually uh just wanted to take the opportunity to say that I'm incredibly grateful to have welcomed Laura Scott into my classroom. It was a privilege to have you there. Thank you
for coming to read to my kids. >> Yeah. >> Um, I wanted to come up here and say thank you because I realize that by this time this summer, I uh I may not be returning. Um, which is uh it is the it is the greatest sadness I've experienced. I'm so grateful to all the
wonderful people that I've met in my two years here at EPSD. Um, and I hope and pray every day that I get to continue to do the work uh that I feel so lucky to be able to do. >> Thank you, Jules. I want to say to the audience that Jules was incredible. I was so I was in her room for about 20
minutes and I left that room and went immediately to her principal administration and the superintendent said, "Who is that woman? We keep her forever." Thank you, Jules. Thank you. Hi, my name is Rosalie Loyel and I'm a sixth grade student at Mountain View.
I'm in concert band and jazz band and I play the flute. I was duffy in the production of Annie. I also a cheerleader. In kindergarten, when CO hit, my teacher quit in second on the second day of online school. I have I have an unspecified reading disorder.
That means I have a difficulty reading. But I get help though. My dream is to be able to read at grade le grade grade level and I can read Lord of the Rings. I got bullied for my reading level, but now I'm doing much better. Enough about me. Let's get to the point. If you vote
against the override, you will crush kids dreams. Some kids want to do band, others want to get a certain teacher. The thing is if you vote yes, I can continue per participating in the extracurricular activities I enjoy.
You might have to pay a little bit more of taxes. For some of you, it's okay, but the others you might be hard. I know how you feel. So, please don't forget me. Don't forget our community. Our future lies in your hands. Good night.
Vote yes. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CAN I JUST SAY THAT WAS one of my kids at one of my students. Nice job, Rosie. Well done with your reading. Um, thank you. Uh, my name is Morgan Jones. Uh, I am currently in my 14th
year of teaching. Uh with the exception of two years spent in other districts, I've dedicated my career to the East Hampton Public Schools, including my year-long practicum experience here. I am one of the 40 educators who recently received a letter because I left the district for 11 months to pursue to
pursue a dream only to realize that what I was searching for was here all along. When I re returned, however, I did so without professional status. So therefore, I have my letter. East Hampton Public Schools is remarkable in so many ways. We are fortunate to work
alongside incredibly and talent talented educators who are deeply committed to their students and dedicated to their craft. Equally as important, we have built systems that truly support our learners, especially our most vulnerable students. During my time away from the
district in 2025, I found myself repeatedly speaking about East Hampton, about our extraordinary staff, the services we provide with Fidelity, and about the incredible programs available to the students in this district. I have always been proud
to call myself an educator in this district, even when I wasn't here. For me, the most meaningful part of being an educator in East Hampton has been the opportunity to develop strong lasting relationships with students and witness
their growth over time. One very sweet and timely memory resurfaced from the co teaching era and perfectly captures why this work is so important to me in particular in this district. At that time, a colleague shared this about my
work with a student named Brooke. quote, "I just have to give a quick shout out to one of my amazing colleagues for rocking this crisis teaching thing. She's developed a relationship with Brooke 100% on Zoom. They had never met before since they're in different buildings." When she texted to say she
was going to drop off a sticker chart, Brooke waited by the window so she could wave and then couldn't get shoes on fast enough to get to the mailbox, get the chart, and compare it to the week before. They're all in the fridge. Developing relationships with students takes time and work in person. The fact
that you've done this 100% on Zoom is amazing. So today, we thank you, Morgan Jones, for being a really awesome teacher." End quote. Brooke was in second grade in 2020. Today, she's one of my eighth graders. Returning to
Mountain View School in November and having the privilege to teacher again these past six months has been an incredibly meaningful reminder of the lasting impact relationships can have in education, particularly if you've been in a district this long. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Uh good evening. My name is Adam Serwick and I am the president of the Eastampton Education Association. I am also a former student of East Hampton public schools and although I no longer live in the city, East Hampton is still my home to me in many ways. I was born here. I
grew up here and I lived here until my 20s. My family is still here. These schools help shaped who I become. Years later, I made the choice to come back and work in this district because I believe in this community and the students here. I am proud to work in East Hampton Public Schools. That is why
this moment is so difficult. What we are talking about tonight is not just numbers on a spreadsheet or positions in a budget. We are talking about students. We are talking about classrooms. We are talking about the people who support children every single day. The possibility of losing more than 40 educators and parent educators is not
just concerning. It is devastating for a district our size. Two weeks ago, a former student of mine spoke during public comment and talked about how programs like band and theater saves kids lives. He was right. Those programs saved mine, too. As a student, I found
myself in those spaces. They gave me confidence, community, and a place where I felt comfortable in my own skin in a way academics alone could not. My older sister found that same sense of belonging through athletics. For many students, these programs are not extras. They are the reason students stay
connected to school, build relationships, discover who they are, and feel like they matter. These kind of opportunities are essential, especially for students who are struggling, searching for connection, or trying to find where they belong. This is not how I want to see students
go through school. This is not how I want to see my colleagues forced to work. This is not how city employees should feel, constantly worrying about whether the systems they dedicate their lives to will continue to function. Education cannot operate in survival mode forever. Schools are one of the foundations of a
healthy community. Strong schools create stronger communities, stronger local economies, and better futures for children. When schools are stretched to stretched too thin, everyone feels it eventually. I know budgets are complicated. I know difficult decisions have to be made. But I also know what
these schools gave to me growing up, and I know what our students deserve now. The city invested in me years ago through its public schools. That investment allowed me to become an educator and come back to serve this community myself. I want today's students to have those same opportunities because at the end of the
day, publication is not extra. It is essential. Thank you. >> I'm going to I'm going to pause for one second. We've had a bunch of people join us since I made this announcement. So, I want to announce again for those who've joined in the interim. We're holding a public speak right now. We are going to
let everyone who wishes to speak now have the opportunity to do so. Then Superintendent Balch is going to make a presentation that is going to offer some more detail about uh with more specificity about what the two scenarios would look like if the override passes or fails. Following that presentation,
we are going to open public speak back up again if there's anybody who would like to comment from further information. I just wanted the folks watching us at home and who've joined us um in person to be aware of that. I'm so sorry. Go right ahead. >> Quite all right. Good evening. My name is Michelle Connelly and I have been an East Hampton resident for almost 36
years. My husband and I moved here as renters, fell in love with East Hampton, and bought our home here. My three children attended East Hampton Public Schools from the EHS Tiny Tots program through high school graduation. I have been a teacher at the middle school for 20 years. I have seen the benefits of
strong academics, and extracurricular activities in the East Hampton schools. My children participated in sports, band, and theater. Those opportunities enhanced their time in school, helped them gain confidence, showed them how to work with others toward a shared goal, and brought joy to their lives. For one
of my children, non-essential classes and extracurriculars, extracurricular activities led to an amazing opportunity, a nearly full ride scholarship to form university. His experience in things like stage craft, interning with Miss Pace, and his years participating in the theater program on
stage and backstage helped him get the excellence in theater scholarship ahead of students from many prestigious private schools and performing artsmies. Our tiny little East Hampton High School offers so many opportunities for students. my grandchildren who are now
students at Mountain View School. Um, I want my grandchildren, my current students and upcoming students to have the same opportunities that my own children and previous students have had. The thought of losing so many amazing teachers, important programs, and extracurricular activities is
heartbreaking. Um, aside from the schools, my family has benefited from other Easter services. All three of my kids have taken a ride in the ambulance. One stopped breathing at 5 months old and I couldn't believe how quickly the police and ambulance were at my door. We adore
the Emily Williston Library, are so grateful for Anatuck Park and appreciate the difference in East Hampton Roads compared to other towns on snowy days. I will be voting for the override. I know it's a lot to ask for people. It will be a sacrifice for my family, too, but I
believe we need to make that sacrifice so that our students can have a quality education and the extra things that bring joy to their school days. If my fellow citizens have emergencies, I want them to experience the same quick response when they call 911. I want all of our library offerings to continue. I
want seniors to have access to full offerings at the senior center. And I hope that we can all come together for East Hampton and all of its residents. Thank you, Michelle. >> Hello and good evening. My name is Will Waggler. I am known to my students as Mr. Will. I am the current Mountain View
Middle School librarian. On Friday, May 15th, I received my notice of non-renewal. Without the override vote passing, it is all but guaranteed that that beautiful middle school library will be without a skilled professional librarian. A certified librarian with an MLIS, a master of library and
information science degree, is trained in literacy development, research instruction, media literacy, and helping students learn how to evaluate information critically. In a time of misinformation, AI generated content, and declining reading engagement. These skills are
essential. This is the world now, and this is what I do as a librarian. A critical part of my job is to find that right book at the right le read reading level, the right kind of book, whether it's print, audio, comics, and graphic novels, and get those into the hands of
students. Knowing how to read is foundational to learning, and enjoyment reading is one of the strongest predictors for a child's success in adult life. Studies consistently show that schools with full-time M's level librarians have higher student achievement and have performed
significantly better academically than those with no library librarian or where that role had been filled in by someone without a library degree. For many students, the school library is also a refuge, a calm space. The
librarian there as a trusted adult and a place where they feel seen. Childhood is hard. Middle school is hard. A room with books and no librarian offers little comfort. When push comes to shove for what programs stay and which ones go,
and a massive budget cut like this, it's always statemandated versus enrichment programs. For us, those enrichment programs fall under the umbrella term of specials. Art, band, health, music, PE, steam, and of course, my personal
favorite, library. What we do is special, but we are not a novelty or expendable. Our roles are vital for a rich, full education that every single one of East Hampton's students deserve. We are put in the unfortunate position
to ask our neighbors for more. More than is reasonable, especially in this economy. It should not be solely the burden of the citizens to be asked to give more. But here we are. East Hampton students are growing and moving forward from grade to grade. And we need
something now just to survive as a town that offers a decent education to our students, our future. Removing trained librarians is not a small operational adjustment. It is a reduction in literacy support, information education, and equitable access for your children.
Please vote yes for the override. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. >> Good evening, everyone. My name is Nikki Sloinsky and for the last three years I have had the privilege of being the physical therapist for the East Hampton Public Schools. While I've only been in
this district for three years, I have been a physical therapist for nine, working with people of all ages and all abilities. On May 15th, I was one of the 40 staff members to receive a letter of non-renewal. And to say I was heartbroken would be an understatement.
While I'm not originally from East Hampton, after 7 years of living in this town, I can say without hesitation that this town is my home. This is where I have built my life, formed relationships, and invested my heart. East Hampton is not just the district
where I work. It is the community I choose to belong to. As a physical therapist in the school, my role is far more than helping children walk down the hallways or climb stairs safely. It's about access. It's about dignity. And it's about ensuring that every student,
regardless of ability, can fully participate in their education alongside their peers. When services are reduced, students lose more than just minutes on a schedule. They lose opportunities, confidence, and independence. And for some families,
school-based services are the only consistent support that they receive. I have supported children in classrooms, playgrounds, and buses. I have celebrated milestones that many people take for granted every day. Transferring independently for the first time,
joining classmates on the playground, or simply having the confidence to participate more fully in their school day. These moments matter. I also want to speak honestly about the reality that many school professionals face. Like many educators and service providers, I
work a PDM job at the hospital to help make financial ends meet so that I can continue to do the work I love here. I do it because I believe in the district. I believe in the students and I believe that public education should continue attracting and retaining passionate,
experienced professionals who dedicate their lives to their children. But dedication alone cannot sustain the programs indefinitely. If we continue cutting resources, we risk losing the very people who make inclusive education possible. We risk
staff burnout, reducing support for vulnerable students, and sending a message that their services are expendable even when we know that they're not. I ask you tonight to remember that behind every line item on a budget is a child. A child working hard to participate, belong, and
succeed. And behind every service is a team of professionals committed to helping them get there. Please protect the supports that allow students to access their education meaningfully and with dignity. These decisions made here will shape not only the budget but our futures. Thank you for your time. Thank
you. >> Good evening school committee members, Mayor Derby, and members of the community. My name is Carrie Guyette and I am a lifelong resident of East Hampton. My roots in East Hampton run deep. My grandparents, Horus and Marjgery Willby,
grew up here and graduated from Eastampton High School in 1942. My grandfather was deeply involved in this community and served on the Eastampton School Building Committee in the early 1960s, which eventually led to the construction of the former Eastampton High School building.
My grandparents spent most of their life here and were one of the first residents to move to the Ley community on Florence Road. My father Bruce grew up on Hoyok Street in East Hampton. He played varsity sports throughout high school and graduated in 1968.
He spent countless years coaching baseball teams, attending local events, and served on the Eastampton school committee. He donated to scholarships for Eastampton High School students and created a scholarship in memory of his brother Barry Wilby who was an educator for over 40 years at Eastampton High
School. My father loved this community and supported it greatly. I was born and raised here in Eastampton and graduated in the year 2000. I attended Maple School, Pepin School, Whitebrook and Eastampton High School. I
grew up riding my bike and the planes, visiting Nanto Park, and eating ice cream at Tasty Top. I loved growing up here and wanted the same for my own two children, which is why my husband and I chose to raise our children here in East Hampton. Both of our children have attended East Hampton School since
kindergarten, and we have been impressed with the wonderful education they have received in the East Hampton Public School District. Along with being a taxpayer in East Hampton and a parent of two students in East Hampton Public Schools, I am also a
staff member at Mountain View School. In 2024, I chose to accept a fourth grade teaching position at Mountain View School. I knew in my heart I wanted to educate the students of my community and contribute to the excellence of the ECM
public school district. On Friday, May 15th, I received a non-renewal letter indicating that my last day of work would be June 22nd. Although I have been a teacher for over 20 years, starting a new district meant that I
would no longer have seniority. In order to have professional status, it requires three consecutive years in the current district you're working in. I love my job and I'm thankful to work alongside talented, compassionate, and
kind educators and administrators. It is an honor and privilege to educate the students of East Hampton. I will be voting yes to the override on June 9th. As a lifelong East Hampton resident, a
taxpayer, a parent, and a teacher, I want the best experience possible for people in my community. The override supports our schools, police department, fire department, public works department, and various other community programs.
I'm proud of our city. I'm proud to be from East Hampton. I'm proud to be part of a caring, compassionate community that supports one another. Thank you for listening. Thank you, Carrie. Hi. Hello. I'm Amanda Forier Gagnen. Um,
I identify as a deeply rooted East Hampton resident. Uh, there is so much I could say about my love for East Hampton. I was the camp director at Camp Natuk for 8 years. My husband is a firefighter paramedic here and my babies will go to school here. Some of you may remember my dad, Jay Forier, East
Hampton High School teacher and basketball coach through the 90s and the 2000s and East Hampton Athletic Association Hall of Fame inductee in 2024. I was asked to be here tonight because my of my family's quote unquote legacy in East Hampton athletics to talk
about the importance of preserving sports in our community. The short explanation would be that historically East Hampton has held athletics in such high regard that the city has its own hall of fame, but I think that there's more that we could add to the conversation. I'm an adjustment counselor at Hampshire Regional High
School, so I'm not naive to the current budget crisis we're facing in our schools. I've spent the better part of 15 years working with teenagers, and I can say with confidence that we are in a very bad situation. Taking away access to extracurriculars, athletics in particular, would negatively impact
students in far more ways than just more time on screens and less exercise. We are currently facing an adolescent mental health crisis. Student need has skyrocketed while available community supports have dwindled. Teenagers are desperate for connection, support, and
areas where they can build their skills. When we don't have mental health resources available, we turn to athletics. A kid needs friends, play a sport. A kid needs confidence to get through the school day, play a sport. Kid has it rough at home and needs somewhere to go after school? Play a
sport. Coaches are invaluable resources for student athletes. A good coach can transform a student's life and help them reimagine their future. I know this because I grew up with the best coach there was. I continue to be in contact with many, many student athletes that
were coached by my dad. Coincidentally, Carrie Wilby, who spoke just before me, was one of my many babysitters as I grew up on the basketball court. Through my experience with teenagers, I can tell you that if we take away sports, we will continue to witness the rapid decline of
students who can think critically, who can face challenges without getting discouraged, who can make decisions confidently, and so on and so on. We are currently experiencing a resilience emergency. We need to be teaching our kids how to do these things with
confidence so that they can build skills for their future. As a parent of two young sons, I cannot explain how devastating it would be to my family to watch the legacy of East Hampton athletics I've been so lucky to be a part of disappear. I know things are bleak. I know that other services in the
community will suffer. I know that in some ways a huge budget cut was going to be inevitable and I urge the committee and the community to work creatively to find other ways to make ends meet. And I urge the residents of East Hampton to continue to put our kids first and vote
yes on the override. >> Thank you, ma'am. >> Hi, my name is Melissa Labar Rogers and I've been an East Hampton resident for 29 years. It's my chosen hometown. I moved here as a young adult and decided to stay here. I'm the parent of two
middle schoolers at Mountain View School and I'm also a special education teacher in the elementary school here and one of the 40 educators who received non-renewal notices on May 15th. As a first year teacher, I knew it was coming, but it did sting a bit as I am
at the end of my seventh school year in this district. as I worked as a parah in the same type of program while I worked towards my license. I love East Hampton public schools. My children have been so fortunate to have been taught by so many
incredible educators whose care for them has continued beyond their years in the classroom. The amazing educators and principal at Maple School are what drew me here and they are also the people that made me want to come back year after year to eventually teach alongside them. My
colleagues have become family and it's hard to watch what is happening to so many people I love working with right now. It's difficult to think of how even the best case scenario will affect the students in our district. A yes vote will leave us with a $900,000 deficit,
but a no vote puts us closer to $3 million. That means a staggering decrease in educators to support our students. It's not fear-mongering to say that a deficit this size will be catastrophic for our schools. My own children will face larger classrooms,
miss out on sports, and lose an amazing math interventionist, Jennifer Oliver, who has made it possible for them to enjoy extra support in math. In addition to helping them dramatically improve their grades, other children could lose much more. And
though losing things like clubs, sports, and specials may seem small to some, those are the things that get some of our students through the door and through each day because they can't wait for that part of their day. I recognize the sacrifices many families
will have to make to fund a yes vote, but I believe that there is no other choice if we want to do right by our students. I would love to be able to tell my students that I'll see them next year and I hope many of my co-workers will be able to say the same. Please
vote yes. Hi, my name is Patty Benson and I have lived in East Hampton for the last 23 years. Both my kids went through the East Hampton public school system and I have been very proud to be a teacher at the high school for the past four years. Although I am deeply concerned about the
cuts at the school and I do want to clarify that these cuts are actually happening. They're not fear-mongering or scare tactics, I actually want to speak first as a taxpayer and resident of the town. The fire department and police department have been specific and
transparent about the staffing cuts that will be triggered by a failed override. I'm worried about our town where the fire department and police department are understaffed. The ambulance and the fire trucks take a long time to arrive. Our home insurance goes up because of these problems and our houses property
values go down. We all use the town library. We like having the roads plowed. We know that services are available at the community center and the senior center. Each department has been specific and transparent about the cuts they are facing. And I don't understand those who call these scare tactics when the numbers have been
shared in black and white. For instance, circling back to my own role as a teacher, I can share that I teach child development and my high school stu students help run the Tiny Tots preschool program. This is a very lowcost, highquality preschool option that East Hampton High has been offering
the community for the past 45 plus years. If the override does not pass, the Tiny Tots program will be eliminated. It's not a scare tactic, it's a fact, as the superintendent will share with us shortly. And this is just one of many programs and positions that
will be eliminated at our schools. When parents and families realize that our class sizes are too big, our high school has no sports and very few electives, they will use the school choice option and send their children to another district. We, the taxpayers of East Hampton, still need to pay for each
child's education, and we will do so by sending thousands of dollars per student to the new town where these students will attend. So instead of paying for our teachers and our programs, instead of maintaining our school buildings, our money will follow these students to the
surrounding towns where we will be paying to support another town's teachers programs and buildings. Meanwhile, if our schools are not functional, our property values will continue to decrease. It's a sacrifice to pay higher taxes. But if we want a
safe, well-run town with proper fire, police, DPW, library, parks, and senior services, if we want a well-run, properly staffed, and properly equipped schools with students that are safe, healthy, and well educated, and we need
to encourage these students to stay in town and our tax dollars to stay in East Hampton, then we need to vote yes for this override. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Cynthia Cludier and I'm a lifelong resident and product
of East Hampton Schools having graduated in 1987. I speak today on two platforms. First as a parent. My children who are now in college have also gone through these schools having taken part in sports, band, chorus, and we the people. all
areas in danger of being cut. These parts of their education helped shape them into the people they are today. An example of this is my daughter Jessica who graduated college this month and is now taking a path of law school. She and my son took part in the we the people
class run by Kelly Brown. Their communication, public speaking, and debating skills grew profoundly as well as their understanding of the constitution. As a result, my daughter fell in love with learning about the Constitution and defending its laws. When she earns a
jurist doctor degree in three years and passes the bar, she plans to use her skills around government and policy. She plans to do her work around constitutional law. These programs, all of these programs are not extras. They are vital to our students. They can
change a student's life, especially those who are quite vulnerable. Now, I speak as a teacher. I've been teaching music for 34 years, the last 19 being in East Hampton. I've seen many students
come through the doors of East Hampton schools. >> Take your time, Cindy. Take your time. I see so many faces at Big Y, at Big E, Mount Tom Ice Green, and even standing here at this podium. And I remember the
great things they did in my classroom. Many of my students continue their musical journey into middle school and high school and beyond. They have come out of our schools as trumpet players, drummers, trombone players, actors,
singers, dancers, musicians. They've learned what it feels like to create something beautiful. They've learned about teamwork, innovation, culture, collaboration, community, confidence, and resilience.
These things are so important for a student to learn, especially those who don't find it through sports or academics. Music education is not a luxury. It's an investment in our children and a future of our vibrant community.
As someone who speaks on two platforms, and as a registered voter, I plan to vote yes for our students and for our community. I ask though that the leaders of our community find ways to close this gap. That does not include cutting the school budget
and does not place the burden solely on the taxpayers. Be creative problem solvers. Where there is a will, there is a way. Thank you. >> Good evening everybody. My name is Brandon Goule and I am currently the band director at Mountain View School.
Back in 2017, I did my student teaching at White Brook Middle School. While I was there, I was under great guidance, and there was something special that East Hampton had to offer within their music programs. After I finished student teaching, I was able to get a job in another district. Then, East Hampton had an opening as a coral and general music
teacher in 2019. I was very eager to apply for this position as I knew East Hampton had one of the greatest music programs that Western Mass had to offer. Fast forward to a couple years later, I felt privileged to have the opportunity to move over to the band position at Mount View School.
The East Hampton music program has been a special place in my heart. It is rewarding to watch students begin on their instruments in fifth grade and then move on to the high school. I feel that music program is a special asset that Eastampton has to offer. I have felt a lot of support within the ECM community from students and parents and
I'm honored to be a special part of this amazing district. With all that said, I do have some concerns with our music programs in the near future. As of last Friday, I was called in and given a reduction in force letter stating that all music will be cut in the middle school level for next year if the override does not pass. I fear we will
no longer have music offered in schools, taking away experiences that are essential to our students. Music education has a lot of reasons why it's important. When I was in school, music education was a big part of my life. It was more than just playing an instrument. It gave me an overall sense
of purpose. Music got me through school and it was something I look forward to. It helped me build friendships and made me feel like I was belonged. If it weren't for music, I would not be who I am today as a music educator. I want the same for my music students in
East Hampton to have the same opportunities when I was in school. I'm hoping that we can somehow make music education sustainable within our district. It can be heartbreaking to see that students will no longer have the opportunity to learn their instrument if the override does not pass. It is going to be sad to no longer have concerts or see our current fifth graders continue
on to the music program after the first year of learning their instrument. I'm hoping we can have these music opportunities for our students. Thank you. >> Thank you, BRANDON. >> SO, I placed myself well behind both of the music. two of our music teachers and I am speaking on behalf of the East
Hampton Music Boosters. So, good evening members of the school committee, administrators, educators, and community members. My name is Shelby Hivven. I live in East Hampton and I am the parent of two East Hampton High School students who have participated in the band
program since fifth grade. Um, I will note that both of my children are also part uh current or upcoming members of the Amazing We the People program. Uh my son uh is soon joining the tiny tots program which my older child really
loved. Uh both of my children uh my younger child participates in several sports at the high school and the other works uh at the downtown public library and participated in drama club. So all of these things are at risk right now. Uh but I'm speaking tonight on behalf of
the East Hampton Music Boosters and many families connected to our district's music programs. First, I want to acknowledge the incredibly difficult financial situation facing East Hampton Public Schools and the city of East Hampton. I recognize that the decisions before you are painful and complex, and
I appreciate the care and effort that district leaders and educators continue to bring to this process. Tonight, I am asking that as these difficult decisions are made, music education continues to be recognized as an essential part of student learning and well-being.
Over the past several months, the East Hampton Music Boosters conducted a district music program survey of middle and high school students and caregivers. The responses were remarkably consistent. Students and families describe music programs as places of belonging, confidence, friendship,
creativity, perseverance, and emotional support. Many students shared that these programs are where they feel most connected to their school community. Caregivers repeatedly describe music as one of the reasons their children feel engaged and motivated in school. Families are now deeply concerned about
the possibility of losing several music educators if the override does not pass and what this could mean for the future of these programs. Elementary music program sewed the seeds for future musicians and the middle school music program is not separate from the high school program. It is the
foundation of it. Band and chorus are developmental pathways that begin in fifth grade and grow year after year into the advanced ensemble students experience at East Hampton High School. Significant reductions at the middle school level would have lasting effects across the district for years to come.
Music education is also about far more than performance. These programs teach collaboration, discipline, leadership, resilience, and responsibility. For many students, they are where students feel most confident, supported, and seen. One message came through clearly in our
survey responses. These programs matter deeply to East Hampton students and families. And I will note the responses and I've shared the survey forward were from all the grades, all the ensembles, all the instruments. Um quite a few participants. Regardless of the outcome of the
override vote, I respectfully ask that the district and city continue exploring every possible pathway to preserve and strengthen music education opportunities for East Hampton students. Thank you for your time, your service, and your continued support of the students, educators, and programs that make our school stronger. Thank you.
>> Thank you, SHELBY. Good evening. Hello. Good evening. My name is Jason Rodriguez. I am a par educator at East Hampton High School and uh I am also the political action leader
for the district. So being the political action leader for the district, that's how I'm going to be speaking to you tonight. But before I do, Mayor Derby, Dr. Balch school
committee and fellow staff and citizens. Thank you for this opportunity to speak tonight at a very important time in this city's history. The last time that I was up here, which
was a few weeks ago, I made a call for all of us to say yes to the override. And I'm asking again for us to say yes to the override. But there is an extra detail that I want
to present to you all tonight. And that is not only to say yes to the override, but to say yes to justice for East Hampton. Yes for justice
in East Hampton. You see, for the last few weeks, I have heard the concerns and the anxieties of many people where I work. Many tears have been shed.
Many people don't know what's going to happen next. For some people, what's about to happen, if it does happen, if there is no override, could potentially ruin their lives.
And I don't think we fully understand the weight of that. You see, I'm going to dare say those who are at the very very top who don't need to work a 9 to5, they're
not going to be affected by what's going on. It's all of us who are sitting in this room that are affected by this situation. Which is why I'm calling for justice. I'm calling for justice because as I
have said before, I'm going to say again, I love this city and I want to see it thrive. And I pray for the welfare of this city because if the city prospers, then we will also prosper. And I believe that all of us here who
have been fighting for this override, however way we can, we have been put into this position for such a time as this. And this is indeed a historic time.
History is going to remember the decisions we make today and tomorrow. And so what I'm about to say is not I'm not talking about anybody that is in this room right now. I want to make that very clear.
I don't know who needs to be spoken to. I don't know who needs to be called. I don't know what needs to happen. But I am proposing that there be an investigation opened as to how the heck we got into this
position in the first place because this deficit didn't just pop out of nowhere. It happened somehow. Somewhere along the line, somebody messed up in how things were managed
when it came to funds. And so that's what I'm proposing for such a time as this. We the people are rising up. We the people are speaking. We the people are moving forward. Thank you. >> Thank you, Jason.
Good evening. My name is Margaret Betts and I am the EA's vice president. I also teach at Mountain View and have taught there for the last um well, four years, but then in East Hampton for 19. I want to be very pragmatic tonight and
address one of the major driving forces of the override which is the rising cost of healthcare. So speaking from pragmatics I want to say that we understand that
healthc care costs are placing pressure on municipal finances. This is happening in East Hampton and all over the state and the nation. We understand that these costs matter to taxpayers and city leaders and they matter to us too. We
also take very seriously the requests that we are making of citizens to support this override. We know that we are asking taxpayers for additional support and we believe we have a responsibility to steward those dollars
carefully and responsibly. We do not want to see more and more public money diverted into the profits of large healthcare corporations while working families and communities struggle to keep up. Keeping dollars local, supporting our schools, our
services, our employees, and our community is in all of our interests. We want sustainable, affordable, and decent health care for employees and the city. We believe that reducing health care costs is in everybody's interests. We
ask that this is not to be a fight between workers and the community when the real issue is a national health care system that is increasingly unaffordable for everyone. Health insurance will be part of our next negotiations.
We are proud public public servants. We care deeply about this community and we are committed to working collaboratively to address these rising costs while protecting the health and dignity of the people who serve this city. Please vote
yes. Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Susan Wilson. I live in Hoyok, Mass and I work at the high school. Um, school committee me members, thank you for providing for tonight's um, public speak opportunity. For the past 11 years, I've been honored
to be the assistant principal at East Hampton High to over,200 graduates. In 1999, I started at Whitebrook Middle School as a seventh and eighth grade teacher. From the very first day in East Hampton, I witnessed the joy and
commitment to students and to their education that has remained for the past 26 years. Tonight, I'm here full of gratitude to the people of East Hampton. You have invested in the youth of the city and provided for beautiful schools,
full of talented, incredible staff. Students have meaningful experiences in in and out of the classroom. They grow, they learn, some take flight. We are the Eagles. Um, to make their mark elsewhere, but some have stayed and live and work
in East Hampton, including many EHS staff members. Wherever they land, they make their mark because of the foundation they've received in East Hampton. Students, staff, and the people of East Hampton have been sharing their voices
and experiencing experiences during this time. Participatory government is amazing and scratchy and creative and empowering and valued and hard and it makes us proud to see our students
involved. These are trying times for sure. This is not lost on me or any of us. My request is to continue funding the highquality education and experiences for the current and future students of East Hampton and to provide for the
highquality vital city services. This is a difficult request. Our students matter, our community matters, and our future matters. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. And when Sue arrived this evening, she and I exchanged uh notes and then we
realized that we wrote the exact same remarks in separate rooms. Um but it only leaves me a little grand. It makes me more proud than anything else. And speaking of pride, I'd like to give a shout out to the students that are here tonight. Can we hear it for them?
Good evening and thank you for the opportunity to address the committee and our larger community. My name is Bill Evans and our for the past seven years, it has been my privilege to serve as the principal of East Hampton High School. Tonight, in the midst of the challenging choices that the members of this community are facing, I would like to
offer my appreciation. In my seven years at EHS, this community has always supported our vision for what a robust and meaningful educational experience should be. From the mayor's office, the city council, the school committee, and all of the citizens, we have always been given what we need to create a thriving
and vital space for students to grow. It has been abundantly clear that East Hampton prioritizes its young people and recognizes the importance of supporting all the work that the schools do. Because of the commitment of this community, we have beautiful buildings to work from. We have a thriving arts
program, which many have spoken so eloquently eloquently about tonight. We almost half of our students play a sport. We have class sizes that are ideal for developing relationships and providing individual attention. We have interesting and innovative elective programs that engage students beyond
traditional academics who create lifelong memories and truly meaningful education for the young people of this community. We have been able to do these things because this town understands the importance of providing a rich experience to students. It understands that the alternatives are unacceptable
to the continued growth and communal prosperity of this city. Thank you to all of you that for that incredible support over the years. Your care, concern, and commitment is part of the DNA of East Hampton and it is evident every day when we see these amazing
people come through our doors at 7:30 every morning. They are clearly the products of a profoundly caring community. It is not lost on us that the additional ask that is being made and the
objectively awful timing of it but we but ask we must with humility and with deep gratitude. Thank you for your time and your commit continued commitment to our mission and to our young people. >> THANK YOU, BILL.
MY NAME IS NATHAN MARQUEE. For transparency sake, I am also a city councelor at large in the city. I come before you, not in that role, but in my capacity as the chair of the East Hampton Democratic Committee. Um, I'm just going to read you our press statement.
I did not plan on speaking tonight either. I had another meeting in the back room and uh so this is my prepared remark. Um the East Hampton Democrats endorsed the Prop 2 and a half tax override. Um on
Tuesday, May 19th, 2026, the membership of the East Hampton Democratic City Committee voted unanimously to formally endorse the Prop 2 and a half property tax override and vote for yes for East Hampton. The vote followed a highly
informative presentation by Sam Hunter representing the vote yes for East Hampton. A group of community members supporting the property tax override. The presentation outlined how we need the override was created and significant
impact on East Hampton Civity Services if it fails to pass. The impacts include severe cuts to local education fund, local education funding, reduction in vital police and fire services, and the ongoing financial instability for East
Hampton moving forward. After a question and answer session and active discussion, EDC Chair Nathan Marquee made a motion to formally endorse the Prop 2 and a half property tax override and the efforts of the vote yes for East
Hampton. The vote was passed unanimously by the East Taman Democratic members present. Chair Marquee commented, quote, "I understand the voting on the Prop 2 and a half override is a tough choice facing a lot of folks
in the increasing tax burden when when the people of East Hampton have already faced inflation rising across costs across the board. I get it. However, without the override, the required bud the override the required budget cuts will have a lasting impact on education,
safety, and even costs like homeowners insurance. The override is not a isn't a long-term fix. It helps preserve the critical services and stability. Right now, these Hampton Democratic Committee Oh, works like Democrats in town um
stuff. Backter Chandler, which is the secretary of the committee. Thank you. >> Thank you, Nathan. Thank you. >> Sorry for the last closing, opening my book, debating. I had remarks, so I'm not going to go off of remarks. I'm just going to go
quickly. My name is Madison Rodriguez. Um, and I grew up as a student. I grew up in the East Hampton public school system. A lot of the teachers here tonight are actually teachers that I had. um and my three of my history teachers um Miss Brown, Miss Dadman, and
Mr. Or are all here tonight. When I was a high school student, uh I struggled in school. I hid behind my friends because I was scared to get help from other teachers. Um it wasn't until I was in the We the People program as a high schooler where I found my voice and I
figured out um that I wanted to help other people and help my community. I moved on to thinking I wanted to be a lawyer. I thought I wanted to be an immigration lawyer. Um, similar to a lot of we the people alum, we go on and we have big dreams. Um, I majored in
political science at Western New England. Um, and I I graduated with my bachelor of polit of arts with political science um and minors in international relations and uh public administration. Uh, I also apologize if my voice is shaky tonight. I'm going to try to just
get through this without um any tears. Uh during my time uh during my first year seminar uh as a political science student, I was asked what job I wanted to do. That was my final for the semester. Um I wanted again I thought I was going to be a lawyer, but I ended up
making my entire presentation on becoming a history teacher. Um the photos in my presentation included my unit 5 group when we participated in nationals among Miss Dadman, who was a student teacher at the time and is now a third-year educator at the district or
in East Hampton. Um, and then I I was able to work with my friends and um I was able to well I was able to work with my friends but also um I was able to decide I wanted to be a teacher. I came back to the high school. I helped with the we the people program which many alum do because it is such an important
program. Um and some students here tonight who are also in the program I'm sure would be able to say the same. I did not expect to come back to East Hampton High School. Um in fact I thought that I was going to be working um in more in government. um in I
graduated and in my summer in July I actually came back I was asked to work as the uh activities director and then a aid in a math class um in the summer school. I hated math in high school. I failed geometry. Um I went to summer
school. Dr. Czecha ended up giving me a 99. Um and I earned it. I did because I didn't have my friends to hide behind. Um, I also realized in those classes looking back I did not my math teachers were my only support and none of my math classes that I remember do I remember
having an aid. Um, when I became a a math aid in the classroom working summer school, I figured out my love of learning. Um, and why I love helping others learn. Uh, looking at a math problem when I was younger, I used to want to throw up at it. I used to want
to walk out of the room. I used to ask to go to the bathroom when my my teacher would ask basically to go over a assignment with me. I had similar reactions to students when I asked to help them when I became a parah in the math room or worked in the summer school program. Um most of the
students that I worked with have now graduated, but the final six that I worked with who were nth graders at the time going into their 10th grade year, they will be graduating this June. And I'm so excited to watch them walk. Um I was a first year uh I was a first year as a parah. I worked in the math rooms
primarily and then I actually was asked to come and apply to be a health teacher because we were losing one of the um one of the people in our department, Miss Ansley Murdoch who is incredible. Um I was unsure at first because of what was being asked of me. Um I wasn't
technically a a certified teacher. I didn't go the teaching route. I chose to not have an educator's program at Western New England University because I decided at first that I I was going to go back from teaching. Um I was offered the opportunity at the high school uh with the exception that I
would take my MTEL and I would go through the process of getting my proper certification and I did. So I'd never thought that I would be a health teacher. Um I definitely never thought I would be helping in a math room, but I am so glad that I do. I get to work with my students and talk about healthy
decision-making every day. I also, unfortunately, with the nth graders, I'm only allowed to have them for like half of a semester. So, I have to get through 21 chapters and like half of a semester. It's crazy. Technically, there's 28. That is why Ann Thally, who is in this room is so important and beneficial to
making sure that those middle schoolers, elementary um students that they get the opportunities that they deserve and they learn so much in their health career after. Because after 9th grade health, I see the students for maybe one or two more times and and that's it. They'll either go on to life 101 tiny tots or um
my college and career readiness class, which is technically a health credit. Um they learn important skills, but they technically um it is still a health credit. Um during my college and career readiness course, I teach juniors. Um one of my junior one of now my seniors, he um was accepted into Northeastern
univers or yeah, Northeastern University. He told me within his first week of school that because of my class, he was able to get done everything in his common app. And it took him, it was like a week or two weeks um before he submitted everything to schools. Um I
speak because I understand I'm a member of the community. Um I my brother I grew up uh doing my brother grew up in football. I grew up doing East Hampton cheer. I then moved on to softball. My brother stayed through the um East Hampton sports program and played East Hampton football. Uh my brother found a
sense of community and friendship within the football players um within the school and at East Hampton High School. Uh I participated in chorus when I was in middle school. I participated in in drama in middle school as well. Um in the high school again I spent my time
during the we the people program as a teacher. Um I am the health teacher. However, I also taught US2 this past um semester this past fall. and that I was supposed to be teaching two US2 classes or two US1 classes next year. I am one
of 40. My last day as of right now and if the override does not pass is June 22nd, technically the 23rd. With my time here as a teacher, I have also spent my favorite time has been spent outside of class and that has been watching students do activities that they love. It's going to sports games, which I
rarely participated to in going when I was in high school, but it's to sports games to watch my students play sports because they're more than just the grade that they get in the classroom. Um, I love to go to the plays, um, the musicals. I love helping, volunteering. I chaperoned the, um, the Annie, the the
musical Annie, where Rosalie, one of the students who spoke earlier today, was actually one of the middle schoolers. Programs like drama are so important because they give students a space to speak. um and to be themselves and a sense of community within a school. Sports are so important. While I did
played sports in middle school, almost all of my friends continued to play sports through high school. And they were able to create amazing friendships and networking opportunities that have lasted them into their lives today. I don't know where I will be here next year. I hope it's here. I hope I get to
see the juniors um or the the graduating seniors next year who I worked with as nth graders. I do hope I get to see them graduate. Regardless, I will be there. Um, I do know today that if the override does not pass, half of my department in health will be dissolved. Um, Miss Patty
Benson and I will no longer be teaching at the high school, leaving just Brian Miller um, and Andrew Lawrence. Patty Benson is incredible um, and deserves to be recognized in all that she does for the Tiny Top program. when Miss Mason or Sue Mason left the Tiny
Top program, which I participated in, but wasn't a um a Tiny Tot and when when Miss Mason left, nobody was sure if the Tiny Top program would survive. Patty Benson has made it survived and flourished. And I really hope after 40 plus years of the program that it continues today. Some of the past three
years that I've been here, because I have been here three years, next year would technically be my fourth, my third in my health position. Um, I have seen many teachers come into this district who I've been able to work collaboratively with. Off the top of my head, I will just list a few. Um, Dr.
Aaron Ferris, uh, Mr. Chad Warren, um, Miss Dina Lashway, who is the ELLL teacher, who allowed me with her collaboration and support. I was able to teach a student who spoke um and read primarily just Spanish, barely spoke English um or was able to read English,
I was able to teach her health and she was able to get a 90% with the help of Miss Lashway every day and myself. Um Miss Lashway continued to help me in US 2 when I did not have a parrot when I was supposed to and she volunteered her time when it wasn't even it was her prep time. She came to my class and she helped and supported my students every
day in helping with uh with programs. some of the best teachers that I have met, also Sarah Mixster, who is amazing, Dr. Sarah Mixster, and also Miss Katie Rowan at the high school who works in the Bright program. They're incredible working with students. Because of them, I was able to connect with students on more of a one-on-one basis and also
understand them better. I understand and I know that because of my experience at the high school and because I went and grew up in the East Hampton system that regardless next year if the override does or does not pass, the educators will do their best um to support the students and the school. However, the
programs that make East Hampton that make it a great place to learn and grow um are sports, it is drama, it is the clubs, it is the activities, it's electives like we the people. Um and I do hope that I'm going to ask and again I have I grew up in East Hampton. My mom
grew up she graduated from East Hampton as well. My grandma moved to East Hampton in 1984. Um I'm going to ask that you vote yes on June 9th. um not for myself or the 39 other educators being cut but for the opportunities that
the students are given. Um thank you again. Okay. Um shortly before the meeting I received an email from a community member who couldn't make it tonight but asked that I read this statement on her behalf. So, I'm going to read this and then we're going to move to see if anyone who's joining us remotely, if
y'all want to start figuring out how to raise your virtual hand now and then we'll call on you in the order that we can see you on the screen. Okay, this is from Kristen Peicard. Good morning all. I am the mother of two MBS students, a fourth grader and a kindergartener, both new to East Hampton Public Schools this
school year. I am also a 19-year veteran public school educator. Excuse me. Please know that my family and I have been thrilled with our transition to this school district with the staff we've been supported by and with our overall experience as East Hampton homeowners. Additionally, my son
received special education services and the transition of services has been seamless and the expertise and compassion of Ms. Lively and her staff is evident in every encounter we have had. Last Thursday, my husband and I were notified that our son, fourth grader, had been assaulted during his PE
class, resulting in a pretty intense black eye. There had been a brief verbal conflict between him and a peer and frustrated the peer struck our son. The paraprofessional assigned to their class saw this and my son immediately went to her for support. He was then seen by the
nurse and principal. We were contacted by both the nurse and principal as well as by my son's classroom teacher. In speaking with the principal, we listened to the situation, learned our son was okay, but shook up, and that the other peer would have a consequence that would separate him from my son until a repair
could be worked out. Although we are not aware of the details regarding who supported the other child, we are aware that he was well supported. By the end of the day, staff was able to bring both children together and an apology was made and accepted. The principal again followed up with my husband the
following day and we assured her that our son was doing well and that handling it the way that it was that and that handling it the way it was really benefited him and apparently both children. I share this story not out of anger or indignation but out of pure
appreciation that both my son and his peer had the staff and resources to be supported in a time of need. that the school was staffed with enough adults that the children could be given the space they needed and families could be communicated with in a timely manner. I also share this story with fear. Fear
that even in a well-resourced building, a child could be assaulted. Imagine when that building has 30% less staff. Who is caring for my son? Who is caring for the other peer and helping both children process? Who is communicating to the families and when? who will follow up
the next day or week to ensure that things are continuing in a positive fashion. Personally, I have not worked in a fully staffed building since 2018. 30% less would result in total chaos for all involved. In closing, thank you all for the
commitment to our schools, our services, and our community. If it's helpful, feel free to share any and all parts of this as I am unable to attend the school committee meeting tonight. Hoping the community comes together to ensure individuals continue to have access to the resources they need. Vote yes on
June the 9th. Kristen Peicard. Okay. Erin Aaron Ferris. >> Yes. You're open it up to >> Yeah. Go right whenever you're ready, Erin. >> Excellent. Uh so I was asked to prepare
something and I did not um because I have not been able to. Um I've sat down to write and I haven't been able to. I've tried sitting at my desk at work looking at my students as they're doing
biology or geometry and I have not been able to. So, I will do what I always do and just talk to you from my heart. Um, it is the place that I teach from and it's the place that I come to school every day.
It's kind of the only place I know how to exist. Um, I haven't been able to do things because I watch these students, the most vulnerable students
in the school community who are so close to being full-g grown adults but are so far away and they just need someone to believe in them. And I have students who come to me at 7:15 in the morning before the bell
rings to eat breakfast. I don't know where their students will go. They'll find someone else. I'm sure. But right now, they know where they can go. They know that I'm there.
Some days I have to literally shoe my students out of my classroom so that I can go heat my lunch up and they want to be assured that I'm coming right back.
Other days I just eat my lunch cold so that they don't have to get up and exit the room. And some days when they don't come to my room, I go seek them out because I know that they need a trusted adult in that
building. I am proud to be that person. It's been very hard for them to know that I might not be back. It's been even harder for me to show up every day the same way that I've showed up since August.
But I do it. I smile. I do the same things. Another thing that I did this year, despite being a first year teacher, despite being the first time special ed teacher, I was the adviser for GSA.
>> Uh this is something that's not negotiable for me. Because as a queer kid growing up in the South, I had nobody. Queer kids growing up have a three times more likelihood of
committing suicide. When they have a trusted adult and they can see someone that looks like them, acts like them, and has the same experiences them, they're less likely to commit suicide. People who look like me
and have the experiences that I have had are necessary to be in the building. We might only have five kids that show up for GSA, but those are five kids that have somebody that they know who is
an adult and who has made it. So, I highly encourage this community that I have chosen, this community that I love to please vote yes. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you, AARIN. >> Is there anyone else joining us remotely that wants to speak now? And I will remind everyone one more time, the next thing on the agenda after this portion of public speak will be a presentation from our superintendent. After that, we'll reopen public speak. So, you may
choose to speak then. Any other raised hands? >> Sorry, Sha. Yes, of course. >> The raising hand function isn't working. I don't know if it's just totally fine. Go right ahead, Sha. >> Um, thank you so much. Hi, everybody. My
name is Shasha Worth. I am a nine-year at this point East Hampton resident. My daughter is a fifth grade student at Mountain View School. Um, and I just want to echo what so many people have said, but really advocating specifically for music education in our public
schools. I had sent out an email with some data that supports the value of student retention and student scores and student satisfactions um, and how they correlate to participation in in the music and the arts. And thank you to so
many of you members who replied very thoughtfully and and and with really heartfelt messages um kind of echoing the the value and the need. And my my daughter has been playing the violin since she was 4 years old. She has an
immense amount of self-confidence and ability to to understand the value of hard work and how that correlates into everything that she does. Um, and I attribute so much of of her her effort
and her ability to participate and and be a kind and supportive member in the classroom to the work that that she puts in and and she sees in in music. And she has a parent in her house who knows and values and understands music education
and the means to be able to to support her outside of school. So many kids don't have this. So many kids, the first time they get exposed to the arts or to music is through public education. And it is such an an important point of of
equity for the children in our community that we support not just the bare minimum, but things that allow students to to thrive future versions of themselves. Um, so I just want to thank the members of this community for all of
the the hard work and thoughtfulness and attention and and thank you to the the members of our our council. And I just I hope that our community supports everybody who lives here and and are thinking globally about what we want
this communities to to stand for when we come to this vote. So thank you. >> Thank you Shashana. Um, okay. Seeing no other hands raised, we're going to take a five minute recess. Then we are going to reopen and we'll begin with Dr. Walsh's
presentation with some specificity about the two override scenarios. Okay. Be back in 5 minutes everyone. Well, I think we're going to reconvene and call back to order. >> Thank you, East Hampton Media.
>> I'm not using >> Good evening, East Hampton Community Public School Committee. I'm Superintendent Michelle Balch with an update. Um, just our timelines and recommendations. Um, I wanted to thank everyone here in this room tonight and
thank you for your support. Um, for the dedicated educators and students who are here speaking um, with heart and and emotion and with gratitude. Um, I also share the same gratitude as the superintendent of East Hampton Public
Schools. I'm incredibly proud to be here. I'm incredibly proud to stand in front of you, stand beside you um and to talk about the the um the decisions that we have to make. And thank you to the committee for your support and for
everybody online. Thank you so much. It means a lot to all of us that you're here showing your support. And just to remind us of our core values, I keep going back to these because I think it really speaks to who we are. And we heard so much about this
in everybody's speech speeches this evening. Who we are as a community, what we stand for, what we believe in, learning, belonging, equity, and shared responsibility. Our our new mantra for East Hampton Public Schools is a commitment to learning and a community
of belonging. And I truly believe that is exactly who we are and what we are about in East Hampton Public Schools. Um and just to recap sort of some of the um the responsibilities of the school committee and my role as the superintendent. So the school committee
um they review and approve the budget. They work to ensure that the funds are appropriated. My role as the superintendent is to develop that timeline to create the budget um and to oversee the implementation of that budget. And I framed um our session last time
and I'll do it again this evening. I heard um my fellow educators talk about um how behind every budget, behind every number is their educators who have dedicated their lives, their careers. They've given so much of themselves um
as educators to the schools, to the community. And we know that behind these line items and behind these these programs that we're going to be talking about um is is true impact. And this is an unprecedented time for our community.
Um, and we are we are committed to continuing to provide that safe and supportive educational experience for all of our students. And there are no easy options here. Um, we have a lot of um we have decisions that we have to make in both options, the override and
uh the successful override and an unsuccessful override. Um, just to kind of walk us through where we've been. So we um we were we developed a level service budget. It was approved. Um we had um uh we reconvened sort of
understanding the current crisis in the city's budget. Um then the city council had a special meeting to appropriate for the vote for the override. Um and then Mayor Derby presented his budget on May 6th. We conducted staff meetings on May
12th and 13th. um we presented um some information to school committee and then on the 14th and the 15th we had notification um for our non-renewal educators um depending on the budget override May 22nd
we had additional notifications for reduction in force and then we're here tonight to talk about um the budget scenarios one with a successful override and one with an unsuccessful override and we've heard a lot of talk about, you know, Proposition 2 and a half and the
impact and it matters because in how does this impact us? Because, you know, we have rising costs, we have staffing, special special education, transportation, utilities, health. We know that these have gone up and we have this which creates this gap, right? This gap between revenue growth and the
actual cost increases for our community. So, we are asked to provide two budget scenarios and we talked about these at our last meeting and scenario one um is still painful, right? An o a successful override, we still have to look for
$922,63 from our proposed school committee budget. In scenario two, um, if the override is unsuccessful, we are require we are we've been asked to reduce our budget by $2,771,418. Um, here it is sort of mapped out
scenario one and scenario two. So we have the original ask from 2027 and then what we have to cut from both scenarios. So, just what this looks like sort of taking a step back, right? We had our
school committee budget was approved um on March 24th. Our our last year's budget was 22,794,54. Um and then we, you know, we went through our budget. We said, what do we need? A level service budget means what
do we need to provide the same level of service? um and not adding any positions or you know not adding anything extra, same level of service as we had the last year. Um our budget came in at $24,969,268.16.
So this was an increase of of over $2 million. Um and the increase from 26 so from the year prior was 9.54%. And now we have two scenarios in front of us. Scenario one is if the override
passes, it's a decrease from our initial budget ask of 3.69%. And then scenario two, if the override fails, we are decreasing our initial level
service ask for 2027 by 11.10%. And this is a sort of a graphic and you'll look at it and but I think you know we're looking at again sort of the percentages. If you look at our budget
68% of our budget is personnel. So almost 70% of our entire budget are people. They're the people that run our schools. They're the people that are directly supporting students. Personnel, our
personnel is 70%. So, when we're asked to make cuts to our budget, we have we have to it's going to touch staff because it's such a significant portion. Um, and we don't have a lot of flexibilities. If we look at tuition and
utilities and transportation, those are pretty much fixed costs. We don't have a lot of wiggle room in those numbers. So if we look at FY27 and we look at just the personnel line item for 27 we are um just over 17 million. Scenario one if
the override passes our personnel line item um goes to 16,365,36460. But if we look at scenario two for a failed override, the personnel budget line item is 14,559,6410. So the impact between um the override
and an unsuccessful override is hitting the personnel line item by about $2 million. So we're going to walk through sort of the next steps is if we're going to give the situation we're going to talk about a successful override in the impact on
our staffing program and activities and district programs and services and then we're going to do the same thing as if if there's a failed override. We'll talk about staffing programs and activities and district programs and services. So, we're going to first talk about
successful override, what that looks like, and then the failed. All right. So, the successful override, what does this look like for our schools? So, a successful override allows Eastampton Public Schools to preserve a majority of current student
programming, staffing, athletics, clubs, and supports. At Mountain View, a successful override still requires us to make cuts. we have to come up with $922,000 in cuts. Um, it would eliminate a CLA an
elementary classroom position, a special education teacher and a registered nurse. And you'll see an asterisk there. So, an asterisk is a position conversion. So we
would take somebody who is l a licensed educator um and then we would convert that position into a paraprof professional or somebody who is not a fully licensed educator who could do you know some of
the same responsibilities. So that's what it would look like at Mountain View at East Hampton High School. A successful override would um eliminate or reduce a world language position.5 an English teacher 1.5 and a special
education teacher position by one a successful override programs and activities. So we would be able to fund all middle school and high school athletics. Um and we we heard from somebody who talked about a at least half of our students participate in
sports. So 180 students participated in fall athletics this year. 91 participated in winter athletics and 156 students participated in spring athletics. So when we talk about athletics, right, there are, you know,
sort of two numbers to look at. It cost the district about $160,000 to run sports. The entire sports program cost about $365 $360,000
and some of that revenue is so the 200,000 are gate receipts and fees that students pay to participate. So it does generate some revenue. it generates about 200,000, but it cost the district
in stipens um and athletic administration, field youth officials, etc. It cost us about $160,000. So, just to give some context for that number, um we'd still be able to preserve that with a successful override. Um we would have
to make some reductions. Um we would eliminate Yes. I just want and Julia might have to weigh in on in this or actually I think Jesse Linder might be able to help us too. I'm wondering there's been some questions that are coming about in in the worst case scenario where we have to cut these high
school athletics. I know that there are guidelines and regulations around MIA. Is this something that could be replaced by the community or what are the requirements to try to preserve participation in MIA athletics? So from there's a lot of things to
consider in you know preserving sports like we it would be have to be an all ornone position for us because there's title n regulations there are fees that we pay the athletic you know athletic um trainer stipen which is I'm sorry the
athletic director stipen which is contractually obligated in our EA contract. We also have in it would so we're very bound by a lot of sort of parameters for that and to create a school system that is equitable it would
have to be the entire sports program that would have to be um we need to generate $160,000 in order to do it equitably. >> The follow-up point is it's it's intricately complicated and nearly impossible for a community to try to
crowdsource. One might say that your crowdsource revenue could be like taxation for example to try to replace the taxation and create a separate crowd sourcing is going to hit a lot of difficulties because of federal law, state law, MIA
regulations, etc. We have looked into this. We are trying to be creative. We are looking at all options. I'm sorry, Dr. B. Go ahead. >> Um, so we we can preserve athletics. Um, we'd have to make some small we'd have to make some changes. So, we have team leader stipens. These are teachers who
are running professional development. They're leading their department. We'd have to eliminate those positions. Um, we'd have to eliminate one or two clubs and we would do that based on participation, student participation. So, the clubs that have, you know, sort
of lowest signups we would look at first. And we'd we're reducing supply line items. We're reducing professional development. We'd reduce summer school options. not great because you know that's where you know that's for supporting students to get through if
they need it. Um at Mountain View we had reduced the following items. Again those team leader stipens those are teachers who are meeting after school. They are um giving professional development. They are you know basically disseminating information and helping to coach um
other educators as department leads. And again we'd have to eliminate clubs. Um we'd reduce supplies, professional development, the the garden stipen and we'd reduce book and curriculum purchases. every decision that we made, you know, we tried to look at what is
going to have the sort of the smallest impact that we could possibly get and also to try to look, you know, if look at alternative funding, right? We could maybe apply for additional grants to come up with some of that. But
we have applied for every grant. We we are actively going after every single grant opportunity. That is one thing we do really well in this district is to get grants and not for positions. We get grant funding for curriculum purchases
for things like the garden to help supplant that money in those in those budget line items. But we're trying to reduce the impact as much as we can on the classroom. So from the um the district level,
right, we're taking a look at um our we've we've talked about transforming the middle school experience. A successful override allows us to continue that. It allows us for world language, the band chorus, a schedule classes. It helps us preserve that steam
teacher one at the elementary and the existing middle school teacher. we can continue with those compass core classes that digital literacy, financial literacy, and civics and media literacy. Those things can continue with a successful override. What we would do
from the district level is we're we have to eliminate the late bus. Um we'd eliminate u the NISP coaching. That's the three-year um coaching program that I'm in for professional development. >> Pause there, Dr. Balch. When we negotiated a contract with Dr. Balch, that is written into her contract. She
has gone above and beyond and has volunteered to remove that additional training and support as a way. Everybody's pitching in. Everybody's making cuts. Continue. Dr. B. >> Um so eliminate staff laptops for um we are at the end of some life cycles with some laptops, but we're just going to
keep um plugging away. We have an incredible tech team that is um cobbling laptops together for everybody. Um we would eliminate our policy project. uh we're reducing software any software that you know we we take a we took a
look right is it a want is it a need if it it didn't fall into the need category we had to eliminate it um we have these wireless access points that allow us to connect to the Wi-Fi they're at the end of the life we are going to um hold off
on doing some of those wireless access points um eliminate our membership to the CES um we are reducing textbooks, curriculum purchases, reducing contract services. That is our partnership with the collaborative. We'd have to reduce that. They do um great work with our
equity team. Um reduce professional development. We'd reduce some tutoring. We'd reduce supplies and we'd defer network maintenance for as long as we possibly could. >> Would you describe this as maybe tightening our belts?
It's Yes, I think our level service budget did tighten our belts, but we are going to further tighten our belts. >> I've seen a lot of chatter on that online. I keep saying that maybe we're not doing that. I think we maybe are. I think we maybe are. >> We are looking at everything and we we
did that for our FY27 level service budget. Um a failed override. So, we're going to talk about a failed override now. um what what this looks like for staffing, programs, activities, um and district programs and services.
So, a failed override, we're looking at staffing now, a failed override at Mountain View, full day prek, three positions. The these are all um elimination or reducing these positions. Full day prek,
three positions. Classroom sections in kindergarten, grade 2, grade three, grade 5 for a total of six positions. Special education teachers, two positions. Interventionists, two positions. Adjustment counseling, one
school psychologist, one position. Registered nurses, two positions. Librarians, two positions. Speech and language pathologists, three positions. band one position, music one position.
Mountain View would lose a total of 24 positions. At East Hampton High School, a failed override would eliminate or reduce the following positions: ELA 1.5, math, one position. Health one position
technology and engineering one position world language.5 early childhood one position special education two positions librarian one position bright programming two positions um if you see and I'll the same caveat
if you see that asterisk there it would be converting licensed educators um into paraprofessional or assistant type roles goals. This is asking um
so for a failed override programs and activities, we'd no longer be able to fund middle or high school athletics. In addition, the district would no longer be able to fund stipens for the advisors for extracurricular activities
and clubs, including programs like drama, banded chorus, national honors society, ski club, yearbook, student council, we the people, and there are other additional clubs and activities we didn't list.
A failed override for the district. We can continue to do some of those plans with a middle school experience. We would not be able to do world language, steam, band or music. At the district level, we would reduce or eliminate the
late bus nissip coaching. The same things that we would do um for a successful override. Um we'd probably dig a little bit deeper here um with some of those. the MASC conference professional development. Um, we would
reduce transportation from Mckin Vento and foster care. >> Can you explain to the public what Mckin Vento? >> Um, it's it's for students that are unhoused. Um, so it's our most vulnerable students. Um and we'd have we
just have to look at every line item and um students with foster care placements um need additional transportation sometimes and um >> so when you uh talk about the stakes of the override I mean people might be out on the streets. Some of us already are.
>> Yeah. >> Some of us already are. Okay. Any members of the committee? I have questions for Dr. B. >> I guess what does it mean for half a position? Everyone says get ready. >> Great question.
>> That's a good question. So, we have um somebody who is doing some teaching some world language. So some French um that person would no longer be able to teach. >> Okay. >> That and then have to be converted to a
area within their lensure. >> Anyone else questions? >> Is that a question? >> Well, it's a question for you. Is it like you It's up to you.
>> Okay. Um I'm just wondering, excuse me. Um so let's say that the override fails, right? Um the way that this budget is proposed, is this like final? Like these are the cuts and this is the place in which the cuts are going to be made like
final like that's it or is there going to be any kind of like revision um made to that? It would be up to the school committee, right? This is our proposed um >> so the superintendent drafts it, proposes it to us, we would have to approve it one way or the other. After
June 9th, we are going to have to approve a budget that is different than the one we approved earlier in the spring. >> Okay. >> Yes, Sam. Um, I was just wondering, so when when we're looking at the non-override budget, we're looking at um eliminating some sections of
kindergarten, first and second grade. And I was just wondering if you knew off the top of your head what those class sizes would be. >> They would go from uh they would be about 23 to 26. >> Okay. >> Kids, >> which right now they're currently >> 20 21. >> Yeah.
>> And you know, in our youngest grades, >> um that's >> Yeah. >> really challenging. >> Yeah. Okay. So, I want to cl one qu I just want to clarify for the public. We're asking for questions from the committee. We are going to reopen public speak just
a couple of minutes as soon as the committee has exhausted its questions just because I see someone's hand raised online and we are going to get to that public speak again in just a little while. I'm so sorry. Go ahead. >> That's fine. Um, I think my question is simply, are these
slides going to be prominently on our website? Where where can the public see this information? Yeah, we will finish the meeting notes and they will be up on our
school committee website um very soon >> because I think I think that this is real and I think until people see
real there are members of our community who are very caring ing, but they don't fully understand the impact to our community. And that's all I have to say at this
point. It is not a question. I just feel that it is my duty and our duty to make sure that everyone who goes to vote on June
9th know exactly what their vote means. And so I I just want to just reiterate how important it is that each one of us come out with clarity and that we understand
exactly the impact on all of our city. And that's why I asked my question. And I'd also like to say as a former kindergarten teacher, I cannot even imagine Anyone else?
>> Yes, Henry. >> When you vote yes, you're saving lives. >> Anyone else? >> This is not a question. >> Take us to church, Bonnie. >> This is devastating. This is apocalyptic
in terms of our school district. This extraordinary community and the personnel, the people that make every single day
a learning environment that truly does save lives every day. like this is it's you had mentioned Michelle that it's catastrophic. I mean I'm going to go it's apocalyptic
in East Hampton because I don't know what would happen to the students. Um I don't know where they'll go. I don't know how their needs will be met. And I do know
the extraordinary educators who would still be present would do everything in their capacity to fulfill roles that they're not even necessarily equipped to fill.
Um and they you many of you are here would be trying. Um, it's devastating. This is really hard information and I really appreciate the the clarity,
Michelle. Like, this is what we need to hear. We need to know what we're talking about when we're asking for an override vote to be yes. And it is to preserve really our city. And we're talking
specifically about schools. It is the largest cut and it would sever our school district. I mean I think some at some point when we were in communication about this someone said it
would literally gut our school district >> and it is absolutely true. these beautiful buildings, these these commitments that we've made to the future would be um really gutted.
Um and so if you're feeling that feeling, you are absolutely right. You're feeling it and you're carrying this weight every day. And as a city, we will be carrying this decision into the future for decades to
come if we don't vote yes. I'm going to be very clear in terms of what happens in the school district. Um, that's all I have to say now. But I want to also, well, there's one other thing I
want to say. You have all been so eloquent and passionate. I every day you're waking up with this, you know, and I want you to know that every day we're waking up with this.
This is our community. Um, you are the people that we entrust to care for our children and our future. That's a very powerful thing. and having someone who's a 10th grader in the high
school with many dreams. Those dreams have been fostered because of the extraordinary gifts of East Hampton School District. Truly, this is a really hard
hard place that we've come to and we need every single voice to get out there and let people know what it really means. A lot of people are not taking us seriously. I mean, I sit on the finance committee
and we had an incredible budget. the work that went into that budget. Even though it was level services, we knew that we could get through and have a future.
These cuts, even with the override passing, are devastating. I think Sam mentioned like, wow, we're talking like almost a million now. >> That was not what we were thinking even a couple weeks ago.
We were thinking 500,000 and that was devastating. >> Yeah. >> So we are really in a time um and as a community I am very hopeful.
I truly believe we can come together. I truly believe that I tend to be, you know, a little bit of a optimist around certain things because I believe in the best of people always and and we need
every voice to be out there. Thank you so much, Michelle, for these num these like this is really your first year in our district. Yes, Linda.
>> Um I I just I didn't know whether this was the time, but Bonnie, you led me there, so I'm just going to say it. I ran um when I first ran for a school committee. This is my second term. I ran because I believe that we're a community. I believe in community. It's
probably my my I'm a comm. I'm a community. I'm a big fan of people. people working together, people loving each other, people caring for each other. I believe we all work in this community. Everybody in this community that lives here is a part of that
community. There are members out there that are actively hoping that this fails. I want them to fully understand what that will mean to their community. I came here tonight
and it it's heavy and I was uplifted by each one of you. And I said what I quickly dashed in to eat the Taco Bell that my colleague
brought for me because we are really caring group of people here. And I said, I don't think I've ever been prouder to sit in a room in my life. And I I mean that
I don't know what's going to happen on June 9th. I wish we all did. But I know that I truly believe that if it is not East Hampton, if it is
not this beautiful community that I call home after coming from the Midwest and living in other areas of New England and coming here for home about six or seven years ago, I could speak as a grandparent
whose granddaughter is sitting out here who entered sports de mink friends. I think many of you in this room know that person. She's now running at Mount Holio
at a great school doing this because the educators in this room who I can look right in the eyes believed in her and this community believed in her. and I am going to
believe in this community because that's the only choice that I'm given. >> Mhm. >> Who else? Megan, do you Oh, mayor. Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Thank you. >> So, if you had told me a year ago that I would be sitting here doing this right
now, I would uh not believe you at all. Um, as you know, someone who's been an educator my entire career, uh, and is a third generation educator, this is, uh, weighs pretty heavy. Uh, especially with my kids, you know, all of them went to
East Hampton schools and, you know, they had amazing successes and challenges and experiences. And, you know, I think for me, I just want to say a couple things. I I appreciate everybody speaking and and
being so forthright with your experience and it makes me really proud and happy to be a part of this community, to be a part of the school committee. Um, you know, I just want to address a couple of the things I think are important. You know, some people mentioned in their
remarks about fearong fear-mongering, and that is what the opposition is going to say that we're doing with this. And this is not fear-mongering. This is reality and these are real people, real
positions, real impact on our community. And I just want to encourage everybody to keep letting people know this is not fear-mongering. Um, number one, and number two, you know, I think it's it's hard to, you know, municipal finance is
this kind of beast that is not super easy to understand. Um, you know, when we look at long-term projections for the city, $8.5 million is really kind of what we need to get us on a super stable track. Um, and we had to make the decision that that ask was probably too
much for East Hampton. And so that's why we asked for 6.9. And that's why you're seeing if the override passes there still has to be sacrifice and you know and it's not just the schools. Um the schools are the big the biggest part of
the municipal budget. It's 52% when you take into everything into account. Um and so that's a big part. So when you see the impact on schools being what it is, you have to understand the 52% when you have to hit a certain number needs
to be, you know, taken. And if I could wave a wand and preserve the school's services and not ask for an override and find other areas of waste in the city, I
would do that. It's impossible. You know, it doesn't I mean, you could be a magician and the most creative person in the world. You can't find $2.7 million um just floating around, especially when you look at the the size of other
departments in the city, but like two people like, you know, um and there a lot of things that you just can't cut because they're critical for the operation of the city. And so, you know, I have this really unique perspective
um looking at all of the departments and having this very intimate connection to what's happening right now and it's really heavy. It's really heavy because you know the the cuts are going to go
beyond the schools as well. Um and it's it's difficult. Um, and so if people have ideas on how we can not um, cut from the schools without doing an override, I am so open to hearing
those ideas. Um, but I don't think that they exist. Uh, because we've been working really hard to try to be as creative as possible, you know. So that's why I think I appreciate this presentation because people have been saying, why don't you say what is going
to be cut? Um, and we need to have the the real hard numbers from the departments that are going to have to make these really critical decisions. I can't just make something up. And so now those numbers are out there. Now we have that and now we can take that and show
people what the impact is going to be. And I think that's going to be all of us needing to show everybody in our community what this means because it's catastrophic. >> Yeah. Thank you, mayor. Yeah. >> Megan, would you like to say anything? I
don't want to put you on the spot. >> Yeah. No, thank you. I just um I don't have anything profound to say. Um I just really am grateful to the members of the committee who have worked really hard on preparing um this these two versions of the
budget. And thank you to Dr. Balch. Um, it has been you just a devastating month to experience this great joy having a baby and bringing a baby home that will
eventually go through our school system. At the same time that all of our hard work that we have put in over the past 6, 8, nine months on our budget um just fell apart underneath us. Um, and I just
want the folks who are in the room and who have showed up to this meeting and other meetings um, talking about the impacts is going to have on your classroom and on your students and on your jobs and your lives. Um, just as my colleagues have said, we just take it so
so seriously. We're devastated. Um, I feel bad even saying that. It's not about me and my devastation with what's going on here. Um, but we're just um I'm grateful to those who when you are in this position, you're still
showing up and teaching our kids every day and and doing the amazing work that you do. Um, yeah, I I think I just want to like rewatch what Bonnie and my colleagues have said. Uh I just
yeah I'm sorry to as the chair of the finance committee um not in a we have any like you know this this came about for anything that any one particular person has done or any one situation just sorry in general that this is happening.
>> Thank you Megan. Um, yeah. I uh I was I was actually just thinking um Megan, we talked a lot this school year about our budget baby uh which was due at around the same time as
your actual baby and um all of the potential uh worst case scenarios that could happen and none of them were this. And um I I really appreciate Dr. Balch and uh your whole team the amount of work. I don't know that people in the
public really realize like when you put together a school district budget, it's lots and lots and lots of moving parts and you kind of knock one thing over and you have to pick up a whole bunch of other things. And it takes a long time to put these budgets together and so it's not nothing to turn around and say, "All right, take this much money out of
it." Um, so I appreciate the time that you've put and how specific the plans that we have are because I think um the public has been asking and and they have a right to know kind of what does this really look like? We want people to make an informed choice. Um, from my perspective, this is what it looks like
when we decide that we're no longer going to have a public school district. To be honest, it's just an un we're going to move to a model where we tuition out all of our students and that is the direction we're going if we don't uh pass this override. Um, and I don't think that that's fear-mongering. You
can catch me on tape saying that exact same thing for the last three years about various uh options that we've had. I really do feel like this is the beginning like could be the beginning of the end of public education in general right now in the historical moment we're living in but we have a chance to save
it and every time we've had that opportunity uh in the past we've done it and um so I think we can do it again. Um, I I um I just I I want to thank everybody for coming tonight and for speaking. And um I I I have one child um
who's a fourth grader and I think I think I was counting I think like all but one member of his IEP team are being laid off. And um that's like this my I don't want to talk too much about him
because it's you know I I want to respect his privacy but he has a lot of complex needs and I don't really know what he does during the day. Um and he can't really tell me and never has and
maybe won't. Um I I know what I know because of the people who have helped him become who he is. Um, and I can't imagine him coming back next year and not having not having that team, not
having any of those people who really get him. >> Yeah. >> So, um, I'm I'm sorry. I really Everything that you've done has been the difference that you've made has been real. >> Yeah. >> And we're very lucky to have you all and
I'm so sorry. >> Anyone else? Walter. So I just want to say that it is like silent right now and I think that you know it's because people are talking and sharing and I have just so many thoughts that I could say but I
also think that everybody here and watching at home and if you're not watching and you read this later should be at a loss for words and I think it's just absurd. Like I think it's absolutely absurd and ridiculous and you know and I think we all do but I just
want to address that since between um I don't know when the last meeting was I think it was May 12th so 2 weeks ago um there has just been this ongoing rhetoric online everywhere people are talking and you
know that people here are corrupt and nefarious and It has to stop because you know what? Over 50 municipalities across the Commonwealth are facing the same exact situation. 57 municipalities. So if all of them are corrupt,
>> I don't know. I mean, just shut it shut the whole thing down truly. But what I'm you know really like I'm just trying to say now like that this is you know and if they want to talk about whatever you have seen all of these people I think we spent what an
hour and a half listening to people come up here and pour their hearts out at the p podium and the tears were flowing everybody you know because it's very upsetting. It is. It's very upsetting. And so if anybody still thinks that, you
know, there's like shady business or whatever going on, it's it's just absolutely ridiculous. And now the information is out. And I think that everybody should read it. Everybody should read it because they're always talking about, oh, like nowadays the kids in school can't do this and the
kids the kids can't do this. Well, you know what? the kids aren't like just like looking at some of the stuff that's coming from the failed override um scenario. Just from like the high school standpoint, I can't speak too much from the middle school. I think all of the
reimagining the middle school experience is exceptional and I think that all of the work that's been done is fantastic. But just thinking about your basic, excuse me, your basic high school experience. You know, school spirit is a
big one, right? And we want people to be going to schools that they're proud to be in. And one of, you know, some of those things that we we talk about a lot, right? Like the reason I'm here is because it's to give updates um to the school committee and the community and
just everybody about you know what we're up to and all of like the positive things that we're doing. That's all going to disappear should the override fail. And I think that the needs to be very clear because it's through all of these extracurriculars and things that people it is very true that it is the
only reason people come to school for in some cases. And as I said at the last meeting, if you knew me in middle school, it was a freaking disaster. And you know what? And I'm sitting here right now and I truly, you know, I think that I'm very like blessed to have this opportunity to be here. It would be
really nice if we can continue this work because we have a very um bright path. ahead. But I also think that understanding the weight of this decision is so crucial because I didn't see anything about AP classes getting cut or maybe the writing was too small.
But in AP US history at the end of the course, your final exam is local history. So in 10 years, what's their local history project going to be on? How they had $8 million in debt to the city and like all of this gets shut down and we just have cuz you know what? All of the taxpayers, y'all, in the city,
the residents are going to pay for it in one way or another. That's true. >> Uh-huh. You're going to pay for it in one way or another because you know what? When people are school of choice and out and leaving the district, you know, the difference in tuition, yada yada yada choice, they talked about that
all at the last meeting. Um, I suggest that everybody also go and watch that as well. But additionally to that, like outside of the school concerns, it's already been talked about, but I don't think that you can repeat it enough. The fire department, everybody's homeowners
insurance is about to go up. Okay? Like it's just I think that we all need to um you know, channel our inner Miss Brown and do something that our future selves will thank us for and um support the override. Thank you.
Wow. So, exhibit A on the type of critical thinking that East Hampton Public Schools can create. >> Thanks, Walter. Thank you, Walter. >> Um, thank you all. Um, I know this is a very difficult presentation. It was the
hardest presentation I have ever had to put together. Um, and I thank you all so much. I'm so proud to be here. I'm so proud to work alongside each and every one of you and it's been an incredible
year. Um I I'm so grateful to be here. I'm so grateful to continue this work and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for um all of the support you give our
students every day. and you keep showing up every single day. And I know it's been hard, but thank you all so much. Thank you. Woof. Okay. Um, I just want to point out to the public that of all the folks that
spoke earlier today, um, I didn't hear anger, I didn't hear rage, I didn't hear blame. I heard a series of people who work in public education come to that microphone and nearly to a person open with the
words, "I'm grateful. I'm honored. I'm privileged to be here, to work here, to support your children." These people are not your enemies. They're your neighbors. They need your support.
So, watch your mouths when you're talking online about my teachers and my staff and my administrators. I want to go all the way back to prek to Patty Brusso, to Michelle George, to Jane Point St. George, who saved my
children, and I will owe them forever. and I and my colleagues will fight with the last ounce of breath we have to protect and defend the students in this district and the people who support them. Override. No override. We will
work and we will be here. Okay. Let's hope it's an override. Let's hope it's an override. Anyone else Anyone else have thoughts they want to share? And because we're going to wrap this bad boy up. Yeah. I mean, go to the podium. Yes, absolutely. Hi, Jessica Ascu. I'm the BCBA for the
district. Um, I'm the only BCBA for the district. Um, so my case load goes from preschool all the way through to the high school. And I love my job. I absolutely love my job. I love who I work with. Um, Dr. First of all, could you help the public understand what
special ed like we just heard 21 kids in a class to 26 kids in a class when we reduce if the override does not pass by four special ed students. How many of those students then are left like what does the case loads become?
>> Consent of the chair, you can answer that. Go ahead. >> Sorry. >> No, you're totally fine. Stay right where you are. Go ahead. So it would depend on the classroom but I think you know we're with less support in our classrooms we in higher student enrollments there will be less attention
and support on our students. We know that um we have about 400 um special education students that need support in this district and we we saw reductions across the board. So less special
special education educators, larger classrooms, less support for those students, um more um different um different needs. So we group students, you know, based on needs in classrooms and we may not be able to do that as well with those higher numbers.
>> Thank you. We all already knew we just needed the public to really understand that we show up for these special ed babies every day and these teachers collaborate every day and when there are less of us, there will be less time to do that because when they need us, they need us and that's where we're going to
have to dedicate our time. So, thank you for your transparency. >> Was that rock paper scissors? >> Yeah. That's how you solve problems, right? Um, hi, I'm Carrie Goldenberg and I'm one of the district occupational
therapists and I support preschool, middle school, and high school students and a little sprinkle of elementary, too across the district. And I'm one of nine related service providers. We are the occupational therapists, the physical therapists, and the speech therapists who support students receiving special
ed. And also, we support tiered interventions to reduce students needing special ed. Within the past two weeks, five of nine of our team members have had their jobs non-renewed or impacted by the reduction in force. This is a devastating cut to a team of highly
experienced and collaborative related service providers and the services that we provide to students and on behalf of students. It's also extremely difficult to imagine any reduction in special education that doesn't impact the right to learn of all students. So, I have two questions given your proposal here or
your two scenarios. Can you expand on the details of your plans to transition professionals on the unit A contract to pair professionals or teachers? >> Um can is that something you can divulge at? Have we >> those little asterisks and what the what
that actually referring to? I don't know if we have the fine detail yet. Can you speak to that yet? >> So for some of those positions, it would be a conversion from a registered nurse to an LPN. It would be a conversion from a speech and language pathologist to uh
a speech and language pathology assistant. Um it would be from a special education teacher to a para educator position. Okay. And then can you expand on the details the explicit details of what your reorganization of special ed
delivery at Mountain View School Andy Stampton High School actually is? >> Um I can't go into detail. I don't have the, you know, the orchart in front of me, but it, >> yeah, >> I think parents have a right to know how their program is going to be impacted.
>> I agree and um we will get as much information out to families as we can um and we still don't have finalized program numbers um which we hope to have by the end of the year. >> And I really appreciate your your warmth
and and all the passion from all of you. Thank you. Thank you, Carrie. Thanks, Carrie. >> Hi, I'm uh Dave Borgard. I'm the high school um special education coordinator. Um I've been in the district for about 10 years and I've been teaching and
working in education for approximately 20 years. Um, so I'm still I had a prepared statement, but um I'm still trying to get my head around the um the full scope of of the
cuts that were listed here tonight. Um, just from my own experience working at the high school, um, seeing two special education teachers cut and knowing the workload that they have currently, um,
with the numbers that we have in the department and trying to understand how we will be able to continue to service these students um, and meet the legal obligation of providing a free
appropriate public education to them. I really worry that cutting special education staff will mean that we won't be able to effectively educate them here in East Hampton. >> That um we will have to pay more to send
them out of district. Students that want to be here that um because we don't have the staff, we're going to pay maybe $100,000 per kid to send them somewhere else >> upwards. Um absolutely. So um it's
really disheartening to see what may what may come to pass um because it's a struggle to provide to get creative at the high school now to effectively educate students um that have a wide variety of needs. Um so I I'm hopeful
for the override, but um um I really worry about what's going to happen to our students. Thank you, >> Mr. Be. Hi, good evening. Uh, my name is Jeff Celander. I'm a lifelong resident of East Hampton, went through the East
Hampton Schools and um, spent my career as an educator working uh, for the East Hampton School Department. uh my my my my my what I'm asking you to do I guess is the
best way to do this is to please um one of the things that I heard tonight and I had heard it just in passing in the community over the past week or so that the one of the decisions should the override
uh not pass is that in terms of athletics it was going to be an all or nothing decision. Um, I'm encouraging you to not uh dig your heels in too deeply on that one, to not carve that in stone anywhere. I
think that um I think that should we face the worst case scenario um there are ways that we can look at things. Um obviously the athletic uh the intercolastic athletic um uh teams would not be what we hope they would be, but I
I don't think it has to be an all or nothing. And I and I do believe that there is enough support in this community. Uh the madame chairperson made reference to some creative thinking uh along the way. And I would ask I
would ask that you um leave that decision at least open to discussion depending on the outcome um of the override and not and not have it be an all or nothing. Uh I don't I don't hopefully it it would never get to that point. Thank you,
>> Jeeoff. You can say I'm going to respond to that at the consent of the chair. I think we're we're put in a impossible position. We're hearing from all these groups, support, drama, music, arts, special educators, as you should, athletics, you should. >> We don't I don't want to cut a single
sport. I don't want to cut a single teacher. I don't want to cut a single music program. I want the public to understand that yes, this there are portions of this community that are incredibly generous. There are portions of this community that raised $10,000 for a family that lost their father.
Also, if this override doesn't pass, we are not going to have enough fingers to stick in the dam. People are going to have to come up with $3 million to donate to us to preserve everything that we saw here tonight. And uh and I think
we can raise some of that, but we can't raise all of it. And so, like, I'm I'm with you. Nothing is set in stone, but I don't want the public to get the wrong idea. I might be able to say my favorite thing. >> Well, and the other I think I think other things that we want to make sure um that the public understands is that
you mentioned that the um that the the school department budget for intercolastic athletics is $160,000. and talking to some people from uh that that work for the school department. I just asked over the past week what the
average cost of an outof district uh student um a school choice student would be. And the number that was was thrown around a little bit was roughly $20,000. Well, at 160,000, that's eight kids. And
if we were to eliminate if we were to eliminate all sports, um I would bet $3 million that we'll lose more than eight kids. I >> I agree. I think it's an avalanche. >> So So again, when it's and I I I I'm not here to question anybody's decision
other than to say, um please um leave keep an open mind about how creative this community can be, not only for athletics, but for for all of our extracurriculars. And we want to we want to balance that with equity, too, right? We don't just want the most popular things. We've got to try.
>> I I heard I heard um the superintendent mention Title N. And I mean, obviously, Title N's a concern. Uh but Title N's been a concern every time we've added sports, too. Um to try to maintain that balance. So, I think as as we as we keep
an eye on that when we're adding sports, um, if we have to look at eliminating sports, we obviously would have to keep a to keep a a close watch on that. But, so, thank you just for your >> Thank you so much for coming out of your way. Thank you,
>> Jeeoff. It's like old home day when I first started in 2013. Were you still athletic director? >> Yeah. >> Anyone else? Um, interested in sharing thoughts, Miss Libby? >> Yes. >> Just do it, G.
>> Okay. Yeah. >> Um, I'm Gene Libby. I'm the family engagement coordinator for the school district. I'm also the parent of a middle schooler. Um, but what I actually want to talk about is I have a a future East Hampton Public School student. Um,
my youngest daughter is 2 and a half years old. And in thinking about preschool cuts um along with everything I am extremely I am angry
>> Laura or Madam Chair when you said earlier >> I think it's midnight >> everybody came up here with such such grace and thank you so much everybody for sharing what you have to say but I am really really pissed off >> I'm so angry that we're in this
situation. to nobody's fault. I'm angry that we have to stand here for 3 hours to hear the worst news of our lives and and to have people in our community that are out there saying that we're trying to pull some fast one on them. The fast
one is on us. I am I've been working here for 5 years and I've seen this district through COVID. My older daughter was a kindergartener when they shut down school. And what an amazing, it was horrible, but it was an amazing thing to see our teachers, our
principles, our superintendent come together and like we made it happen. It was incredible at a time when our community couldn't have been more torn apart. >> It was a horrible time and we came through it. we've we've built since then
and we have a new superintendent with awesome ideas, an incredible way of like revitalizing and amplifying all the stuff that is already going well and making it even better. And you know, we've been able to get families to participate in their kids' education and understand what the stakes
are here. So, I'm I'm talking to our committee, but also to all of the families in East Hampton who take our school district for granted, but don't forget that we got ourselves through COVID. We've been through a lot of change with our superintendent. Uh, but
we're at the precipice. I'm pissed off because we were just about to blow this the lid off of this place. We were so close to making this place absolutely incredible. It will stay incredible. But in order to like really make this place
wonderful for the future kids of East Hampton, my two and a half-year-old is going to have a different experience than her older sister depending on how this override goes. >> And I I don't know yet if she needs special education services and supports.
I don't know yet if that little toddler wants to play the trumpet or play on be a cheerleader or go play on softball team. I don't know. And those opportunities are going to be taken away from her if we don't pass this override. So, I'm pissed and I'm going to fight
all the way to the end of June 9th to make this happen. It has to pass. Otherwise, East Hampton is not the East Hampton that we're all so proud of right now. Is there Mary Frank? Go right ahead. And then I Mary Frankie, I see you've raised your hand. Give us just a second. We
have one person in mind. Go ahead. >> So, I spoke in the beginning about Kelly Rodri. Sorry. >> No, no, no. I was trying to make sure I remembered your name correctly. >> Yeah, it's I'm one of the members team. I started at Maple and I was the school psych and counselor. We did it all. And um I've learned so much being in this
district under Judy and you know going through my 20s and my 30s and now I have my own kids and one's neurodyiverse and it's made me a better evaluator and a better collaborator and just a better part of the team to be there for the parents and the students and teachers and I just think teachers have always
done more with less because there were always cuts. But this cut is so drastic and I I think the public the rhetoric online is so upsetting because teachers are have master's degrees some of them have doctorates. I'm sitting I sit in an office with two people with doctorates and some of the rhetoric is so
insulting. So insulting. Um I have the I have an advanced degree and a master's degree and I I choose to come to because I love the kids. I love the staff and I love living here and I still love working here and those numbers are heartbreaking because I think I'm literally going to be a test junkie. I won't be at first grade lunch every day
checking in on kids. Like you go to first grade, you have a kid in first grade, you say, "Who's Miss R?" Oh, she's at lunch talking every table. There's so many teachers that do that and make the connection and especially our nerdiverse learners. Like it matters so much more for kids who can't express themselves in the appropriate ways. Um
and so that those numbers are heartbreaking and I really hope this public can see that that is we're going backwards if we don't pass that override. And I don't know how many veteran staff and mental health workers like me can watch kids suffer cuz ultimately like a lot of us adults we'll
find a job but the kids are going to suffer and I don't want to do that to them. Um I love this community. I love the school and that's the hard part is your kids and are suffering. So yeah I hope uh the town we can vote yes on the override. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Mary, do you want to go ahead and unmute yourself? >> Mary, maybe. Did you accidentally raise a hand? >> No, she wants to talk. >> Yeah. >> Mary, can you hear me? Oh, that feels weird.
>> Any caller? >> We're all pranking. Anyone else want to buy Mary a minute at the podium? >> She said her computer is not working well. >> Okay. I also see two MBS that I see another one here. It just
says MBS teacher if you want to go ahead and speak. >> That's me. >> Hi. >> Go ahead. Um, so my name is Jessica Falconee and I just wanted to say um I am a Mountain View school teacher. I
teach special education, but I also have a current preschooler and I have a fourth grader. Um, and I just wanted to say that I am very thankful to everyone who has spoken tonight. Um, I'm not from East Hampton originally. I'm from New
York. I'm from the Bronx. And when I chose to move so far away from my family cuz I don't have anyone here. Um this community was amazing. Um my oldest
daughter is a student who suffered a lot of anxiety and these beautiful people who I work with have helped her in so many ways um when I could not be there.
And I have to say that the reason why I was okay leaving my parents and my sister and everyone behind um and staying here with both of my kids was because I knew that when I moved to East Hampton, I had found a home. And I trust
every single one of the educators in this building um with my girls. It makes me very sad um to see the numbers that we would lose at MVS and at the
high school. Um as someone who has a child currently in the preschool program, um she's learning so much and they are beautiful individuals. Um, and they work so hard with such little
people and with so little resources. Um, and I know it's that way all the way through the high school. Um, working really hard with to get people to um, rally and to vote yes on this
override. I've met so many people all the way through into the high school building and I have to say that this community is beautiful and I appreciate um how much everyone is doing and I just wanted to echo that everyone is very
right when they say we will do the best that we can um to be there for these kids. Um, but it is very scary to see what could happen if Neil Barber doesn't pass. And I'm very grateful to you too,
Dr. Bulch, because this is your first year with us. And what a storm to weather with us. >> So, um, I also appreciate you for being the person who's weathering this with us. >> Well said. Thank you. >> Well said.
Mary, are you there? >> She said her computer is not working and she apologize. >> Okay. >> Well, Mary, we write me an email and I'll read it out. I don't know whatever we can do. I want to hear from Mary. Anyone else? I will tell you that once
we're closing public speak, we're going to close the meeting. Okay. All right. So, seeing no further interest, we are going to close public speak. Um, we are not going to do a policy, finance
or CES update. I mean, uh, our next meeting is June 11th. It was supposed to be June 9th and we postponed it to be busy that day. >> I I just could I just make one quick statement. >> Go right ahead, Linda. >> When I arrived here um, a little bit
early, there were quite a few people standing outside of 50 Pac with vote no signs. I just wanted it noted that not one of those people walked in >> tonight to make any statement about why they
were voting. No, >> I just want that noted that I saw I would say approximately 20 people. I did not count, but not one of them walked in tonight to hear this presentation
and to get the information that I feel is necessary in order to make an informed decision. I just >> or to make a counterargument >> or to make a counterargument. And I just
felt that it's important for me to sit here as a school committee member to make that noted on record tonight. >> Thank you, Linda. I will entertain a motion to adjourn. >> Uh, so moved.
>> Thank you, Sam. We're going to roll call out Megan. >> She doesn't want to talk. >> I tried to do one. Good night. >> Good night, Gemma. >> Good night, Sha. Budget baby. >> Bonnie, good night. I'm going to skip
over you, sir, because you don't vote. Linda >> yet. >> Good night. And thank you, >> Sam. >> Good night, >> mayor. >> Good night. >> Thank you all so much for being so vulnerable and so articulate. And thank you for everything that you do and will continue to do. Good night, East
Hampton.