WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=IneVYIc1NMY

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: IneVYIc1NMY):
- 00:00:18: Meeting Called to Order; Approval of Prior Minutes
- 00:02:00: Visitor Comments and School Choice Update Discussion
- 00:05:32: School Budget Discussion, Town Allocation and Approval
- 00:09:30: Generator Procurement Bid and Superintendent's Report
- 00:14:04: Finance and Operations Report, Policy Development Project
- 00:19:13: Move to Executive Session for Bargaining Discussion


Part: 1

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Good evening everyone. Today is Tuesday, April 28th and the time is 6:32 p.m. and I'd like to call this meeting to order. First on our agenda is our consent agenda. Um there's meeting minutes from April 7th, 2026. Any questions or

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comments on the U minutes hearing? None. I'll take a motion. >> Make a motion to accept meeting minutes from April 6, 2026. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor? I

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>> Next is budget hearing meetings also from April. Wow. Budget hearing minutes also from April 7th. questions or comments hearing? None. I'll take a second or I'll take a motion. Wow, struggle. >> Make a motion to accept the budget

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hearing minutes from April 7th, 2026. >> Have a second. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> Next, uh, budget forum minutes from April 7th. >> Questions or comments? Hearing

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none, I'll take a motion. >> Motion to accept budget forum minutes April 7, 2026. >> I have a second >> and I'll second. >> All those in favor? >> Next is warrants 62 and 64 which have gone around for signature questions or

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comments hearing. None. I'll take the note. Motion. >> Motion to accept warrants 62 and 64. >> Second. All those in favor? Bye. Next is visitors comments. Any citizen wishing to speak before the committee must sign

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in with an administrative assistant prior to the opening of the regular session of the school committee. The visitor will identify themselves by name and address and shall speak for no longer than 3 minutes. For anyone unable to sign in ahead of time, we ask that we ask that you clearly state your name and address so that this information can be

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included in the record for the meeting. Don't have any visitors. Uh next, student representative. No, Bren. She's uh playing the crafts. >> Um, did she send anything? No. >> No.

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>> Okay. Next is new business, a discussion on a school choice update. I just wanted to give you an update of what's happening on school choice. Um, applications went out um, you know, about 3 weeks ago or so, and looks like we have 49 applicants right now. Um, of

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those applicants, 35 of them are from South Padlin, five are from chicken, six from Hoyo, one from Ammer, one from Palmer, and one from Springfield. We also have some information that says students who choice to South Pad now want to choice back to Grant. >> Let me ask that question.

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>> The numbers are looking good and uh we have 32 post spots and we have 49 applicants at this point. Are the students that have um from South Adley though are they committed or are they just interested? >> No, we won't know until uh till we start pulling in June. What ends up happening

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is often times is they're shopping. >> They're exactly >> but we do have a good number of people and I do feel confident that we should really fill all the spots honestly. >> Um especially some of the um barriers some of the other districts are having.

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So typically we get the vast majority of the couple slots but even all all the grades up to grade 12 have everybody. So it's great. >> How many for grade 12? >> Two. >> And they are they returning students? >> Oh no we have zero applicants in two proposed spots. Sorry. >> Okay. We have none.

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>> We have two spots. The only grade that we did have applicants for obviously was grade uh three and grade 12. Uh we didn't open any spots for grade three. >> Okay. >> All right. >> I had a question. >> Yes. Is this my more students than in past years that wanted to come to

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Grahamby? >> In the last year from last year there's more for sure. >> Oh, excellent. >> Yeah. And we're we still have another um couple of weeks. We usually do the right when school's out the first week of June, right Jeff? >> June 1st June and so we're still taking applications. >> Do you know how big of a growth it was

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from last year? >> I can guess. >> That's okay. I'm just having congratulations. >> We had 32 applications last year. >> Okay. And says Okay. sort of point, >> right? >> Yep. So, we're getting there. >> So, may I ask um and I know we talked

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about the last time I was here. Sorry, I missed the seventh. Well, >> we had to Sorry, it's here, but it was embarrassing. >> Um so, for instance, for grade one, if

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there's four applicants, we have one proposed slot. We proposed one because the number is currently existing and we wouldn't want to consider the four. Is there any place we'd want to consider the possibility of updating the number of slots we've already >> I'm going to talk to the principles about that. That that is a discussion I

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just had actually with um actually had that discussion with the high school principal today. So I said we're going to take a look especially at the high school numbers not so much at the elementary but high school definitely going to take a look and maybe you know maybe tweak a grade or two but for the most part I'm going to just take a look at the high school but I will take a look at the elementary.

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>> Thank you. >> Any further discussion? Okay. Next is to vote on our school department budgets. Um do we have any um updates or anything that you want to go over?

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Let Todd handle this. He did a nice job. I was on vacation last week, so he put it all together. He did. >> Um, so working with the town, um, they have uh committed to uh increase our

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um additional allocation. Um in we met with the finance committee chair um another member of the finance committee, our chair, superintendent, administrator. Um and

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so they had they were looking to they definitely were it was a positive meeting to close our gap. not there was a lot of things that they can't do everything uh but they did commit to that and one of the things that we brought to the table was trying to have a partnership with South Padley that would save on our out of district

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transportation um we're going forward with that plan and the town um town leadership agreed to take the savings that we would have had to use with our current vendor and

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apply those um for our regular operating. So it'll be reducing um our ask for our transportation article but increasing our regular operations article. So we have we it is a level service budget.

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>> So the town the town came through and um closed the gap for us. So we are at level service from last year and I think it's what >> 1.29% increase over FY25. So still a very small increase.

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It's fortunate we have, you know, looks like we're going to be able to maintain all our staff and maintain the services we have. So, I'm really happy that the town really helped us out here. They did a nice job. We appreciate their support for sure. >> That's wonderful, Liz. >> Mhm. I appreciate everything that they uh they did for us. That's great. So, I

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have the motion language. So, we can do it one of two ways. I can hand it down or I can read it and someone can say so. Moved and seconded. There's preferences. I don't >> Oh, it's in that folder, too. So, >> I'll read it. >> Okay, great. >> Did you have a question? >> I can wait till the motions made. It's

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not It's not really a question. I just really want to um thank everybody who worked really hard on this to make it happen. Um really on behalf of the students, the staff, and the community at large. It's it's a it's

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encouraging. It feels good. >> Yeah. >> So, thank you. Go >> ahead. Okay. All right. Um, first we're going to do the motion for the town allocation. I make the motion to approve the proposed

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FY27 Grandby public school operating budget of 10,559,633 to submit to the town of Graanby in preparation for the annual town meeting. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> Any further discussion

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hearing? No. Um, all those in favor? >> I. >> Excellent. Next. >> Uh, the next motion will be in relation to the total operating budget for FY27. I make the motion to approve the proposed FY27 Grandby Public Schools

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total operating budget of 12,638,956. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> Any further discussion? hearing none. All those in favor? >> I I fabulous. Okay. >> Good work again.

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>> Really? >> Yeah. I mean, >> it it didn't come it seemed. >> It's tireless and thankless, but we appreciate everything you guys did and the town helping us out, too. >> Oh, absolutely. >> All right. Next is the generator procurement bid. Anything that you want

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to add, Todd? >> Uh, so we received three bids. Uh we had our uh public opening on the 16th. Um I've been in contact with um the low bidder to start the process contingent on school's approval.

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>> Any questions or comments? >> All right, I'll take the motion. I move to authorize a conditional award of the Graanby Junior Senior High School standby generator removal and replacement and campus surge protection

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project to Universal Electric Company Incorporated of West Springfield on successful contract negotiations. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor? Uh, it's fine. >> Excellent.

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>> All right. Standing reports, superintendent report. >> I just wanted to, as we get closer to graduation, I just wanted to acknowledge the seniors and some of their remarkable achievements. Um, I attached a list of college acceptances for members of the class of 2026. For your review, um,

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you'll notice that although we only have 43 graduates, this year, our students have been accepted at a 100 or more colleges. It's over 100 colleges. Um you'll also notice that the students who have not chosen college as a pathway, they've chosen lucrative careers in carpentry and electric. So we have

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students who have um made some decisions. So that that's great. On Friday, December 1st is decision day. So I will actually update you on the actual colleges that our students are attending at the next meeting if if I have that information in time. Also again, I want to congratulate the students once again

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um for their hard work and dedication. I've also included a list of our seniors who received the John and Abigail Adams scholarship um for 2026. Um students who qualify for the scholarship will get um three specific categories. At UMass, they'll get a credit for $1,575

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for uh each year towards student charges. At state universities, they'll get about $1,000. And then for students that attend community colleges will get about $740 a year. So that is a list of our students who that is also attached as well. Um and then I just want to

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mention that on Friday we have 20 student 22 students who are attending our special Olympics um at South Hav High School and it's a great opportunity for our students and staff to meet with other uh peers and and compete um to show their um athletic abilities and get

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some medals. I do want to go back to um I'm going to have Jenny post the Abigail Adams scholarship one on our Facebook page and on our website. So I did want to mention that as well. So for folks who take a look at they see those students and it's a lot of work and um and it's a good reward.

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>> Try remember to do math in public. Don't you don't feel you have to correct me. >> 25 26% of our students qualified for the average for the John and Abigail Adams scholarship. And I think that's great for

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>> the top top 25 each graduating class. >> Yeah. Very nice. >> And as you see, you can see by the, you know, hundred or more clubs. I got tired of counting, so I said over hundred. So that's quite a bit. And some very good schools in there. Very good schools in there. >> I couldn't get access. I don't know if

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anybody else did, but I trust you. >> Yeah. But you couldn't get it. >> I specifically >> That's all right. We'll get to it, right? Because you're going to update us anyway on where they chose. >> Still, I'm going to put it out here. It says Grand Public Schools. Okay. Anyone with the link? There you go. You guys

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can see it. >> Oh, I do. >> Okay. >> That's phenomenal performance. Usually, you're seeing something closer to 8 10 12% um and not 25% of a a graduating class. >> Do well.

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>> All right. Um any additional questions? Has there been any um news on that letter that was sent regarding Pathfinder? >> I've not heard anything talking. All right. Uh if there's nothing else,

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Todd, finance and operations report. >> Um so the main thing I have is a monthly update. Um it's in your folder. Um, if there are any areas you like me to, again, I know that it's a lot in a short

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amount of time. Um, I do I did try to have that in there early if anyone's looking for some help with insomnia last week. Um, but um the none of the areas right now are presenting any uh concern. The one thing

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that I'm starting to watch, we got we have a few changes uh happening around. So, I'm going to be keeping an eye on the subbing line. We're still uh my update. It's not in this because it's I have to wait for the full month to post, but the most recent uh payroll warrant

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making my own personal updates. We're still in good shape. Um but it is an area that we might need to make a transfer uh as we get to into the last month or so. So, just want to put that on your radar. Excellent. >> I imagine it's about that time you start

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to think about balancing the the accounts, right? >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> So, that's the only thing I have with the budget ready to move forward to the town. Um, and the capital project uh

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approved and the bid came in within our original amount from last year. So, I will reach out to uh town leadership whether it's already the warrant is already printed for the 11th meeting which includes the supplemental funds

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for the generator. I was very concerned with the the bid being delayed that uh bids would come back more than our original um article amount for last year. So, that might be something that is just withdrawn. Um I want to see what

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that before I you know in form of any decision I want to get what the town recommends is the best approach. Um I suppose there's one scenario in case of cost overruns if it was approved and then funds that weren't used would be

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returned to the town. That's also one scenario. So I'm going to explore that with the town. >> Those are the only things that I have. >> Any questions or comments for T? All right, Liz, I see yes.

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>> Well, there has not been another meeting since I last spoke here. Um, but the new development is that um we will be starting a policy development project. It appears as though CES um the board

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never actually created policies. And while there are some ad hoc policies related to employees and student handbooks, the handbooks seem to be in good shape. Um, yeah, the board never approved any of those. So, it's a pretty pretty large uh

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undertaking and I'm really hopeful to have it done by the fall. All right. And I say that because I got volunttoled like you do. >> Yeah. You have to had sort of head that look up.

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>> So fun being vol and told. >> Well, it's I was like sitting at the meeting saying, "You want me to walk?" Sure, I'll do that. It's what I'm retiring for. >> Um All right. Anything that we want to make sure is on the agenda for next

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time? I would like us um to stay on top of the um school choice. just there's a lot of flux around us. So, I just want to see if we need to revisit opening spots if we can um after your discussions. I just want to make sure that we're on top of that. I will keep that in mind, too.

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>> And it would be interesting um just in terms of numbers to see where the South Hadley numbers are falling because, you know, they're not all coming, right? I mean, it would be nice if they're >> Oh, no. I'm just saying like for the students that we have that extending to South Adley that are coming back, I

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think that that's great. Um, and then I just I'm just curious because if people are interested and we've we've already closed those, we you know, we tend to be a little bit um conservative when we're opening our school choice numbers because we don't want to have to open

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another classroom or anything like that, but if we if we're being inundated and we have the ability to be able to open, I want to be able to accommodate some of those things. So, it's just >> it's we do this year every year. we just, you know, it starts popping up on

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the um agenda every time we meet. Make sure if because if we need to make a vote to adjust seating or anything, I want to make sure that we're on top of that. >> Makes sense >> because people are all starting to look for their homes, you know. So, >> and as I said, I talked to Miss Jordan,

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she's um interested, you know, moving up the high school. So, I I don't know what the elementary school or take a look at that. >> Excellent. Because I was concerned with the schedule, but she said, "No, they can make it work." I had that discussion with today. >> Excellent. Um if there's nothing else um

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for discussion, we can um vote to go into executive session. >> Okay. Will not be coming out. >> Oh, we won't be coming out. So, um executive session. The school committee will now enter into executive session under Massachusetts General Law Chapter

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38 section 21 part A to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation in an open meeting. may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body. If the chair so declares we will be discussing negotiations for unit A. The school committee will not return for

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open session. Can you do a roll call vote, please? >> Yep. >> Mr. Argus, >> I'm Miss Leand. >> Yes. >> Mr. Dur. >> Yes. >> And Miss Bartos. >> Yes. All right. Thanks everybody.

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>> Go Celtics. Yeah.