It being 6:00 on Monday, June 8th, 2026, I hereby call the regular meeting of the Garden School Committee to order. And I'd ask the clerk to please call the roll. >> Rachel Cormier, present. John LaFreniere, >> present. >> Robert Schwartz, >> present. >> Jennifer Paleyven, >> present. >> Ian Hurst, >> present. >> Paul Cormier,
>> present. >> Mary Nicholson, >> present. >> and Dr. Paula Greenough. >> Present. >> Thank you all. >> Those who are able, please rise and pledge allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> First item on our agenda is open time for the general public. Is there anyone here from the general public who wishes to be heard? Seeing none, we're going to skip item C for now and go on to item D, the consent
agenda. This is included in your packet. Is there a motion on the floor regarding the consent agenda? >> Uh so moved. >> Second. >> Motion made by Mr. LaFreniere, seconded by Mr. Schwartz, to approve as presented. Is there any discussion on that motion? Hearing none, all in favor, say aye. Opposed, nay. Motion carries. Item E,
subcommittee reports, beginning with the facilities subcommittee, Mr. Schwartz. >> Subcommittee met on Wednesday, June 3rd. And uh we're planning to do something a little different. We're going to talk about projects completed and projects yet to be done.
First, we'll do the high school. As you recall, there was an elevator problem. And the original discussion was it was going to be replaced. Well, we found another way to do that where
we did a a refresh. It basically what that means is uh all worn out parts were actually replaced and some damaged place play parts like
in the in the carriage were replaced. And that ended up to be a cost of $100,000 versus a million dollars, which was the original quote. The kitchen, again last year we talked about replacing the wood the kitchen now
this last And it was going to be done over summer vacation. Well, they didn't didn't get delivered to the contractor until school started in the fall. So now we're going to do it hopefully this summer. And it'll be replaced then.
Uh also in the kitchen there are two floor grease traps that needed to be replaced. And my question was oh, why do they need to be replaced? Well, they're made out of cast iron and they do corrode and rust.
And for that reason they're replaced being replaced at a cost of about $50,000. >> [clears throat] >> Equipment filter upgrades. Initially in the kitchen there was one filter for all the devices that used
city water. Now for some reason each device has to have its own filter system. And that has increased the cost of operating. And also last year we had a major
overhaul of Landry Landry auditorium that never was really completed. These upgrades to the audio and visual systems that have yet to be completed. We seem to have run out of money.
So, till we get some new money, that'll stay the way it is. The flood repairs, the second floor of the boys and girls bathrooms, that was $50,000. And the boiler room
needed $30,000 in repairs. I sent you pictures of the boiler room repairs, all the new shiny pipes. So, you can see those those pipes are not a $1.32
uh $1.32 a foot. With those 3 and 1/2 4-in pipes, they're a lot more than that. That's why it was up to 30,000. Bathrooms and the boiler room have been completed. Last year we talked about the renovation
of the boys and girls locker rooms. Funding for that project is pending. Superintendent Pellegrino announced that the Gault Gault School would be moved to the high school. The two rooms that the Gault are going
to occupy were previously occupied by Gardiner Educational Television, GET. What lacks is the funding to renovate the rooms. But we're going to move anyway. Middle School, MSBA
roof replacement, that's been approved. Contract's going to start on a June 23rd. We'll have to go up there on the 23rd just to see if they show up. The HVAC upgrades,
there's a little problem with that. Can't do what we really would like to do and maybe make sense, but Mr. Anderson and the team are going to do some value engineering to do a redesign and we hope
the necessary funding with that for that will be available. Another delayed project is the building generator at the middle school. If you remember the fuel was contaminated and the fuel tank in ground had to be
replaced. Nothing's been done with that. Question of money. And uh kitchen water filter systems like the high school have to be upgraded with each device that uses the water
with a filter system. Elm Street School move the central office to the first floor. So everybody can go in the main door. That'll be an estate thing to do. Elementary School miscellaneous painting
and the kitchen upgrade on the filtration systems. That's all I have to report. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Are there any questions now? >> I move to accept as read. I'm not at the bottom of those. >> You do have it. Thank you very much, Mr.
Schwartz. Appreciate that. Um caught me off guard for a second there at the end. Um any questions, comments, concerns from the members of the committee? Seeing none, moving on to our finance subcommittee, Mr. LaFramboise. Thank you, Mr. Schwartz. >> [clears throat] >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The uh finance
committee met on June 3rd and to be honest with you a lot of what he covered is exactly what's in my report. >> All right. >> All right. We went over the plumbing issues, boilers, uh um circulator pump,
uh so the bill was just over $30,000 and caused the Gardner High School plumbing line Yes, plumbing line to go negative. >> [clears throat] >> Um also Mr. noted the
out of district and collab lines were essentially the same as last month. Um and the report on the revolving accounts, those all accounts are healthy
performing as performing as they should. And believe Oh, and then we we accepted a donation voted to send it to the full committee by Peter Sauter in memory of his mother
who we all know the name Helen May Sauter and our building's named after and that's going to be later on in our agenda for vote for the full committee. That was it. >> Thank you. Is there any questions, comments, concerns from the members of the committee?
I will skip item F for now go to item G, item number 3788 second reading of policies for a vote this evening. Mrs. Hurst. >> We have four policies tonight for second read and two for adoption. So the four for second read is GBEC
drug-free workplace, GBJ personnel records, GCRD tutoring for pay, ID is school day. Then the two for adoptions is JKAA
physical restraint policy and procedure, KBG parent advisory councils. Policy subcommittee recommends acceptance of these policies. >> Thank you very much, Mrs. Hurst. Is there a second for the motion? >> I second. >> Motion made by Mrs. Hurst, seconded by Mrs. Cormier to accept the policies as
presented for second reading and adoption. Is there any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all in favor say aye. >> Aye. >> Opposed, nay. Motion carries. Item number 3789, donation by the Soter family. Uh Mr. Uffreduzio mentioned this briefly
in his update. Is there a motion on the floor? >> Make a motion to accept the donation from the Soter family. >> Second. >> Motion made by Mr. Uffreduzio, seconded by Mr. Schwartz, to accept the donation from the Soter family in the amount of $2,000 to the Department of Public Schools. Is there a second? Uh excuse me, is there any discussion on that
motion? Thank you to the Soter family. Uh hearing none, all in favor say aye. >> Aye. >> Opposed, nay. Motion carries. Item number 3790, Superintendent evaluation. Attorney Blaylock. >> Um So, everyone on the committee has the, I
guess, cumulative, um evaluation. And as you'll note, um in terms of the goals, overall, um it was either met or you'll see in the student learning goals and district improvement goals, both the significant progress and
met are checked off because um that's sort of the average of what the um committee um said in regards to that goal. And then district improvement goals is the same, um based on how um the committee um
graded, for lack of a better word, um the superintendent on the goals. And then you'll see overall in terms of the different standards one through four, it was proficient with an overall rating um of proficient based off of um all of the committee's responses. Um so,
I make a motion that we accept the um summative evaluation of the full committee. >> Second. >> Motion made by Attorney Blaylock, seconded by Mr. Uffreduzio, to accept the cumulative uh evaluation of the Superintendent as presented this evening. Is there any discussion on that motion?
Hearing none, all in favor say aye. >> Aye. >> Opposed, nay. Motion carries. Thank you for the good job you did. Uh moving on to item number 3791, curriculum curriculum coordinator update. This was included in your packet this evening for information. Are there any questions, comments, or concerns from the members >> I just dropped in your packet for one
moment. I'm sorry. I didn't chime in fast enough. I'd like to make the motion that the superintendent receive his raise based on his contract and also in consideration to the school staff percentage increase. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Motion made by Mrs. Cormier, seconded by Mr. Cormier to uh grant the
superintendent his contractual raise uh by the parameters listed. Is there any discussion on that motion? >> Well deserved. >> Mhm. >> Hearing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed, nay. Motion carries. Thank you for catching
that, Mrs. Cormier. Sorry. Moving now on to item 3791, the curriculum coordinator's update. This was included in your packet this evening for information. Are there any questions, comments, or concerns from the members of the committee? Moving on to item number 3792, grant administrator update. This was included in your packet this evening for
information. Is there any questions, comments, or concerns from the members of the committee? Item number 3793, special education update. This was included in your packet this evening as information. Are there any questions, comments, or concerns from the members of the committee? Thank you to all of our directors.
Uh I'm going to move back to item C, even though they are not here with us this evening. Uh the recognitions of our student uh student advisors to the school committee who were unable to be here this evening, Mr. Aiden Las Penado and Miss Natalie Ruiz. Uh as a thank you to the work that
they've done with us, wish them best of luck there. And now our recent graduates of Gardner High School as of a couple weeks ago, and we wish them luck on their next endeavors and look forward to welcoming our new uh student advisory board members uh in the new school year. Uh Massachusetts is one of the few states in the country that requires
having a student representative on the committee by law uh in a non-voting capacity, so it's great to be able to get our students' perspective on things that are going on. So, thank you very much to Aiden and Natalie for their work throughout the school year. We do have some gifts for that we will be uh getting to them at a later date. And with that, moving on to item H,
communications by the superintendent. >> Um I just wanted to say it's been an absolutely fabulous year. I want to thank my staff um for their hard work and diligence in working with our students and families. Um I'd like to thank thank our students and families for being wonderful
um and coming to school and getting and actually coming to school a lot more. Our chronic absenteeism went down drastically, so um I'm very proud of um all the work that we're doing, but also I'm proud of the district. Um finally, I'd also like to thank you all for your support this year. It's been a It's been a great year and I look forward to
another wonderful year upcoming. And I do have to say the graduations that we had at um for Gardner Academy, I thought that was a very special um graduation at Great Wolf Lodge, um the graduation recently at Gardner High School, and the graduation at Wachusett. All of those graduations are always wonderful to see.
We have some great kids. There was a lot of money um handed out at the awards night, and I'm just very proud of being a part of this district. So, thank you all again for your support and I will pass the baton. >> And we'll move on to item I, final comments of the School Committee, Mrs. Hurst. >> Um
yeah. I went to uh both of the graduations uh that we had at high school and uh Gardner Academy. They're both were very inspiring. Um I have to say though that the Gardner
Academy has always been kind of near and dear to me in the fact that I could have been like one of those students. I just never seemed to fit in in high school and it was only because of the recognition of
one particular teacher that I had that you know, really showed me my worth and what I could do. And um if it wasn't for her, I I probably would not graduated. Um and it [clears throat] just is so
inspiring to me to see those kids. Um, to have the teachers giving them the diplomas and talking about who they are, how far they've come, what they'll miss about them now that they're going to be moving on. And, um, but it's just
it was, um, very heartwarming. Not that, you know, no, all graduations are, but they just, like I said, it's very near and dear to me. So, that's all I got. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Hurst. Ms. Blake.
>> Um, I'd also like to congratulate all the graduates. Um, it was a very interesting graduation day this year. When I walked out of the building, it was snowing. >> [laughter] >> And, um, but I think having, um, you know, having the graduation indoors, I think that everybody just rolled with
it, and it actually was, um, it it turned out to work out very well. It's always inspiring to hear the kids' speeches, and um, just to see how excited they are each year, and, um, you know, the and especially on the I forget what you call the hats that they wear, but the different things that
they put on it. >> [laughter] >> All the inspiring, um, quotes they have, and other things. It's always I feel every year that's the best part is to see what they can come up with, um, and what they put on their hats. Um, but yeah, congratulations to all the graduates. >> Mr. Cormier.
>> Uh, I would like to personally thank Dr. Pellegrino and his entire staff for the wonderful job that you do here in Gardner. I've been through all My son was in seven schools by the time he was in eighth grade, so I dealt with a lot of school districts, and I'm really impressed by the city of Gardner, and I'm glad that we're going to raise him
and educate him here. But, uh, thank you very much. I know this year was particularly difficult, um, as a result of the, uh, impending cuts, but I want to thank you for, uh, putting those to the grinding stone, and coming up with a very reasonable, uh, solution to that
problem. Thank you again. And thank you all the school committee and uh and the mayor. >> Mr. Swartz. >> Attended the Baccalaureate. I thought it was fantastic and I think Mrs. Landry and the select mayor added a
lot to that celebration. Attended the awards night. Imagine $500,000 given to the students that are graduating. And a lot of that had to do with former
Gardner High School graduates that thought enough of their high school that they continue providing funds and awards to graduating students. I think that's fantastic. From what I understand, there isn't
another community uh around Gardner that comes close to the amount of money that awarded to the high school students in Gardner. Fantastic. It's another great thing that former citizens of Gardner
think of their high school enough to continue giving us money like Peter Soder, the son of Dr. Soder, who we all know quite well. Well, most of us do that have gray hair and remember Doc Soder.
Great to be thought of and remembered. That's all I have. >> Thank you, Mr. Swartz. Mr. LaPointe. >> Yeah, just want to congratulate the uh graduates and uh good luck in the future. Um and thank you, Mr. Pellegrino and Dr.
Pellegrino and your staff. Once again, um our school district's in really good hands and uh tough times come, but I I truly believe we'll we'll still come out doing really well
uh with you at the helm especially and your staff. Um and just everyone have a great summer. Thank you. >> Thank you. Mr. Palmer. >> Um just to echo what everyone else said, I congratulate all the graduates. We had a nice large graduating class at GHS this year, about 150. Um on a personal note, after three
children and 20-something years in the district, I no longer have a child in Gardner Public Schools, but I can't thank you all enough that work with the kids for preparing my own children for going out in the world. They My older two had did wonderful in college thanks to the preparation they had at Gardner High, and I expect the same of the
third. Um so it'll be very strange for me moving forward and when school starts in the fall that I don't have a kid in the school, but I'm still very passionate about helping and being here for those kids. So thank you for all you do. >> Thank you very much. I'll just close on saying congratulations to all of our graduates, congratulations to everyone
who performed at the baccalaureate, at the recent concerts, congratulations to the elementary school band who got gold at the Great East over the weekend. Um and thank you to GETV for filming all of the different school events, too, for the people who weren't able to make it so that we can get some later viewing on that either on the city's website, the video on demand, or on Channel 8, too,
for people who are homebound and but still like it. We get a lot of feedback on that. Um but uh with that, there are no executive sessions uh this evening. Our next meeting of the School Committee is uh excuse me, Monday, September 14th here in the City Council Chambers at 6:00 p.m. And with that, the School
Committee is officially out for summer. Is there a motion to adjourn? >> So moved. >> Seconded. Motion may be seconded. Uh Mr. Freniere, Mr. Schwartz, all those in favor say aye. Opposed, nay. Motion carries. Thank you all very much. Have a great summer.