WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=lDQl_lX1s60

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: lDQl_lX1s60):
- 00:00:00: Call to Order, Pledge, and Meeting Logistics Overview
- 00:01:26: Approval of Minutes, Bills, and Amendment Discussions
- 00:03:20: BPA Presentation: Acknowledging Successes and Gratitude
- 00:06:48: Public Comment: Celebrating BPA's National Achievements
- 00:07:51: Public Comment: Expressing Pride and Support for BPA
- 00:09:38: Aviation Program Update: Exploring Future Possibilities
- 00:16:46: Student Representative Report: NHS, City Address, After-Prom
- 00:19:56: Public Comment: Acknowledging NHS and Student Efforts
- 00:20:14: Superintendent Shout Out & Artisan Report: Academies A & B
- 00:30:53: Communication, Weekly Updates, and COLA Adjustments
- 00:32:14: FY27 Budget Presentation: Assessments, Revenues and Expenses
- 00:41:06: Budget Discussion: Facilities, Finances, Staffing Considerations
- 00:45:48: Fund Transfer Approval, Food Service Coordinator Position
- 00:58:09: Discussion: Coordinator Role, and Menu Community Engagement
- 00:59:12: Active Minds Club, Out-of-State Travel Approvals Discussion
- 01:02:23: Equipment Surplus, Personnel Appointments and Calendar Items
- 01:03:48: Meeting Date Change and Concerns About Lottery Process
- 01:13:48: Public Comment: Debate on Lottery Fairness and Opportunity
- 01:27:31: Public Comment: Good Students Vs All, Attendance, Fairness
- 01:30:30: Teacher of the Month and Motion to Adjourn


Part: 1

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Please. I >> pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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here. >> Dr. Marlin, Mr. Shay, Mr. the mental. >> This is to notify you that a regular meeting of the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School District Committee will be held

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on Wednesday, April 15th, 2026 at 11:21 Ashley Boulevard, New Bedford, Massachusetts at 6:00 p. am in the student forum. Public comments. Comments are welcome

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during the public com um comment segment. Please forward comments to the recording secretary at maria.foret gnbvt.edu no later than 300 p.m. on Tuesday, April

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14th, 2026. Okay. Reading and acceptance of the minutes of the March 10th, 20126 meeting. Committee members have received a copy of the minutes of the March 10th, 2026

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meeting. Request for approval. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. Roll call vote. Uh we don't need all good. All right. All in favor? I >> I >> oppose abstensions.

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Request has been approved. Okay, we're now down to the reports. Approval of bills. Included in your backup material is a copy of warrant 26-08

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in the amount of 1,70,944. for your approval. Request for approval. >> U motion to approve and madam it's 76 cents at the end. Sorry, just to amend it. >> Okay. >> The the amount that needs to be the amount needed to be amended

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>> 944.76. >> Yeah, I rounded it off. And >> also, Madam Chair, just a question here. Techn 2609 here, but you just said 2608. >> So that's what we're voting on, but here

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it says nine. >> Eight. The agenda says eight. 09. >> Hey, we get that motion. >> Motion second. All those in favor? >> I oppose abstensions.

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>> Hearing none request is approved. The BPA presentation. Jennifer Gasper, Utha Panayako, and students will bring members up on the results of the BPA competition.

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>> Hello. >> Have to say I know. Um, so if you don't know, I'm Jen Gaspar. I am one of the adviserss for BPA along with Tai Panayle. Um, before I call up uh Michaela Staples, who is our chapter uh president, I just wanted to take this

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opportunity to thank the school committee and Mr. Watson for always supporting BPA year after year. So, thank you so much. I appreciate it. And, you know, it's because of you or their students are very fortunate to be able to compete at that state leadership

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conference. And then those that make it, they're able to travel to Nashville, Tennessee this year for the National Leadership Conference. But again, I just want to thank you because it's because of you that these students are able to compete in their areas of expertise. And

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I just want to say thank you for your support for our students and for our organization. Michaela. >> Good afternoon. My name is Michaela Staples and I am the president of Greater New Bedford Vex Business Professionals of America chapter. I

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would just like to take a second to acknowledge a few of the chapter members that are able to be here today, including Jordan Diaz, Olivia Young, Sydney Reposo, Ava Dubriel, and Sophia Fraga, and a few of the other chapter members. I would just like to start off by

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extending the chapter's gratitude towards the school for their generous funds and support that they have provided for our chapter of BPA that makes it possible for us to attend things such as the state leadership pro conference and the national leadership conference. This year at the state

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leadership conference twplace awards, 12 second place awards, 18 third place awards, four fourth place awards, and 10 fifth place awards. Ultimately resulting in a 87.2% success rate and

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nearly nine out of 10 students advancing to nationals. It is important to not undermine fourth and fifth placeers. However, and I would just like to note an example from last year's state conference when we had a student who placed fourth place in her

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competition at the state leadership conference and then advanced to the national conference and placed number one in the nation honoring M Voke Tech on the national stage. I would I'm not only speaking for myself

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as well as the entire chapter when I say that BPA presents students with amazing opportunities, networking experiences with students from all around the country and lifelong memories that are will always be remembered and just amazing times with the chapters and with

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everybody that we get to meet all around the country. So again, I would just like to extend our gratitude towards the school's generous commitments towards BPA. Thank you. Any questions? >> I just want to say welcome. Um, I've

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been here a long time and one of the things that I experienced was that in athletics sometimes you compete locally, compete statewide, but most schools don't have the opportunity to have students to go nationally. And I've been

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to the national skills. I've been to the PPA. And I I know what you're feeling. I know what you've done. and you should be very proud of yourself to to place in the state of Massachusetts is so hard and now you're going

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nationally and I know you're going to represent our school positively. you know, you greatl looking group and I just want to say thank you for coming to our school coming to compete in BPA and I know you have two

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outstanding adviserss who have been doing it for many years and I think you know when you're done thank them and thank yourself because it uh not many kids get that opportunity. So good luck and uh I I I know you're going to do

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well no matter what like and I appreciate the ink when you talked about fourth or fifth and was that even didding place just to compete at the state level is is is a win. So my thank you

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>> I'll just go ahead >> ditto >> took all the words away. Yeah, I'll just add uh madam chairperson, you know, the school's very proud of every one of you. Uh we're happy to support the work that you do. Um I did have the opportunity to go to national the national conference a

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few years ago in Chicago. So, uh it's a great experience. Um I know you're going to have an amazing time in Nashville. Nashville is a great city. U so I wish you all very best of luck and on behalf of the entire school community, we stand with you and we hope it's a great rewarding experience for each and every one of you.

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>> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. I just like to say good luck. Make us proud. The insane. >> Yeah. I mean, I like rips. Like rips. >> Yeah. I'm trying to figure out how I can make that national

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>> music. You like music? >> You got music even at breakfast. I'm good. I'm Thank you again. No, they're leaving. >> This is your chance if you want to

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>> stay with us for another hour. >> That's right. >> Thank you, Jen. Thank you. >> Thanks, guys. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> Good luck, everyone. >> Thank you, sir. >> Good luck, guys.

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>> Thank you. Good luck. >> That was good. Okay, now we have >> Now we have an update on the aviation program. Dr. Maron will bring members up to date on the aviation program and Wayne also.

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So, um, as you know, we've been, um, reviewing a lot of different programs throughout the country in regards to aviation mechanic, and as we can see in the news, is a huge shortage of people who know much about aviation these days.

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So, it would certainly be wonderful if we could um, have a program here in the future for aviation mechanic. Um on average aviation mechanics start in the range of $81,000.

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Uh there are many opportunities. They prepared them for airframe and power certifications which is huge. Um and other uh uh opportunities economically for the for the area. We've been receiving a lot of

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feedback from our partners that there are many um national grants that we might be able to apply for that we should certainly look at and um we'd like to investigate some of that. We'd like to look into it um in a succession

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the way the superintendent has suggested not just kind of all over the place but possibly with one particular person who's an expert in the field. So, um, in the future, not tonight, um, would like the committee to think about, um,

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possibly hiring someone to look at this who has experience in the field of aviation mechanic. >> Yeah. So, I can jump in and just kind of help to piggyback. So last April when this was brought before the school committee, I was asked to put a

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six-month plan together which basically formed a regional subcommittee to look at aviation mechanic and its impact on the regional marketplace and whether we could bring a program here. Um we did that. We held three or four meetings over the summer into the fall. We planned two visits uh which both um Mr.

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Oliver and Dr. Maron attended uh with members of the school's administration uh at Westfield Tech and at Greater Lawrence which just opened a program. In previous experiences, we had also visitation had finished visited the program out at Franklin County Tech which just was received its a FAA

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certification this year in the last month. Um so we've looked at those programs. Uh over the winter we had a couple of follow-up meetings. U and I think Dr. Maron has laid out the next reasonable step for the committee. Uh and in the budget presentation that I will present shortly. U there are funds

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that have been earmarked specifically for this purpose. if the school committee decides to go down that path. Uh that's not a discuss discussion for today or a decision that needs to be made tonight. Uh but we are approving the FY27 budget this month. And so I

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wanted to make sure that the charge that the committee placed on me a year ago uh that we provided a thoughtful update and also a plan for the committee to continue to have options to consider this uh in the future. if so I'll just um just jump in uh

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because Dr. Maron and I have been working pretty close in this and I think um probably the point that we've come to is we're kind of at a crossroads where we have to make a decision if we're going to trudge forward. We realize there's a lot of um a lot of stuff we we need to look at space and you know and

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funding and and grants and there's there's a whole host of things but I think the idea is that we want to move forward. Um we we feel that this is a program that's um greatly needed in the area. It's a well-paying program uh once

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the students get out into the workplace. And as we try to keep things relevant to to the workforce, um you know, as we stated before, we're going to take a look at some of the other programs that maybe are are losing favor or just

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aren't relevant to the workforce. And you know, we have to make some tough decisions, but again, if we're going to do this, this is probably four years out we estimate. And if we don't commit at some point to looking seriously at what grants are available, where the funding

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is, where we're going to put the program in addition to everything that we already have um functioning here, um those decisions just need to be made sooner than later. Um so I that's why both Dr. Tamal and I agree along with Superintendent Watson that this is

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probably a prudent time to move forward with this and and try to earmark some money who for somebody who knows how to put the program together. They know what questions to ask, they know where to find the grant money, they can apply for the grant money. Um it's a it's a big

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venture, but at some point we have to put another step forward and and and just kind of leap into this and you know make that decision. And so I think that's again where we where we sort of stand right now is um do we move forward and if that's what the committee feels

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at a later time after some more discussion um that's what we see as the next prudent move. >> Anyone else? >> We you'll develop the scope right for the consulting services. >> Yeah. So we're not at that point yet and

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that's you know again tonight I'm going to make a some more comments about this during the budget presentation and remember tonight's just the comment presenting to you the hearing will come next at the next meeting. We are going to also add the exploratory presentation at our either April 29th or 30th meeting

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uh the one that's coming at the end of the month so that we can see the results of the exploratory process this year to Mr. Olivera's point about which programs are attracting great student interest which are placing students which are not. Um those conversations are ongoing with the personnel in the district now. Uh but it is a part of this conversation

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because I think as Mr. Olivera uh alluded to, this isn't just a funding issue. It's a space issue. There are lots of big pieces to this. And as I think I've expressed very clearly to both of them, this from what we've learned from every other school, this is

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not a a a project that I can just say to an existing person, take this on. like the the scope of work that's involved in this uh the hurdle of the FAA which is just going to have a whole another level of program certification before it even gets to DESIE uh is a big is a big is a

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big task and so we the the point in the budget was to earmark funds that should the commit uh committee decide to move forward with this that there those funds have been earmarked we don't want to run into that problem in the fall that hey where's the money going to come from in order to take the next step if we want

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to take the next step by the summer or fall. We want to have the resources that will support taking the next step. >> Okay. And on you have our student represent represent report.

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>> Okay. Hi. A few of you have seen quite a few times this month. We had three big events go on with student leadership and our first one is our national honor society induction. We had over 90 students from the class of 2027 were

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inducted into the honor society. It was a long ceremony and we want to thank our adviserss Miss Foron and Miss Madias for putting the event together as well as the officers who conducted the ceremony. Our officers are our vice presidents

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Angie Torres and Brooklyn Costa. our secretary, Adrianaqio Reese, our treasurer, Adelini Perez Rustand, and our president, me. >> We had a fun time just getting together after school, putting the event together, and then actually conducting

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it. Those of you who were there, I couldn't light the candle, but it's okay. >> It's all right. >> You did a good job. >> Also, this month, where you, the committee, saw most of us, is at the state of the city address. 10 students consisting of National Honor Society

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officers along with a few AP Euro and one sophomore in Miss Foron's US history class had the opportunity to go on a field trip to the newly renovated Ziterian. And we on the bus ride back here couldn't decide if we liked meeting Mayor Mitchell more than act the actual

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address. We got to talk to him and he asked about our school which was very interesting and we got to take a bunch of pictures with him that we all posted on Instagram. It was fun. It was fun. So, we want to thank Miss Foron for accompanying us on that. And my last

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thing we did this month was our afterp fundraising. We've had a tough time with afterp fundraising because we didn't have Mr. Vote this year. Mr. Voke usually pays for our raffle prizes and Miss Gaspar made aware to me and other

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officers the other day or at the beginning of the month I should say that we were down at least $5,000 of our raffle >> and spring fling brought in a big influx of money because our tickets were a little bit more expensive this year. So we made a little bit more we lessened

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that dividend a little bit but it wasn't enough. So, we had the idea to sell leftover concessions from spring fling. We had a lot leftover concessions. We decided to sell them at boys volleyball games >> and Mr. Methia and Mr. Rivera graciously allowed us to set up a table in the

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fieldhouse and we had our first table at the JV and the varsity game and we made almost $300 from that which was we did really good and we had a lot of fun. People would come up to us and be like what's this for? people had just started donating us, just giving us money, be

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like, I don't want anything just because it was for after prom. So, we just want to thank Mr. Rivera and Mr. Methia for allowing us to have a table to raise money. We're going to have it at the rest of the boys volleyball games from now until the week before after. And that's all I have for you.

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>> Thank you. Make it >> I >> They will make it. >> They'll make it. They will. >> They're going to make it. >> We hope so. We're confident. >> Okay. Stay confident. >> Thank you. you know. >> Yes. >> I just want to say you did a great job on National Society. The people that

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were there, you just presented well and it wasn't the longest one we've ever had. So, we appreciate >> you said it was like you did a great job. All the people did. So, >> thank you. >> Hats off to you.

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>> Yep. Was good. Okay, moving on. the superintendent shout out. >> So, uh, this this I have to shout out Tanya Duzer and in the admissions office and with Yolanda's help, they did a fantastic job today conducting the

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lottery for the class of 2030. Um, you know, top-of-the-line work in terms of organization. It's a it's a it's a big lift to make sure all the applications are verified and trust, you know, the information is accurate. Then it's setting up the room. It's making sure all the connectivity with with the goto

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CTE people uh Doren and Lou. I mean there's a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. A lot of phone calls, a lot of parent questions. Um so I just want to take a minute to kind of thank Yolanda. She's here but also to celebrate Tanya who's in her second year with us and I think did an amazing job uh today putting that event on.

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>> Thank you. >> Okay. Have the report. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Just queue up our screen here in just a second. >> Hey, so artisan report for April 2026.

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Very building very busy around here at Greater Buffet Vote Tech. Our students and staff both inside the building and outside. So our first slides will talk about and highlight the activities taking place in academy A. First we'll we'll take a look at the electrical

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shop. What is this? The electrical program. Right. So here we have Tim Martins and Pton Panera working on exhaust fan and uh commercial fire systems. We have our students working at the

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Whitfield Menaro project in Fair Haven. Uh you have Payton over there working on sailing occupancy sensors and then Marshall and Jaden demoing service equipment in the preparation for new equipment to be installed. So that's progressing well if you make your way uh to the Whitfield Manero project. It's

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been a few years but it's definitely starting to progress very well. So, moving on to the HVAC shop, we have our uh seniors and juniors who were at the Environmental Systems Incorporated uh on a tour where they were shown various design, drafting and operations departments throughout that facility.

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Really great opportunity for those youngsters. And also at the Whitfield Monurro, we had our HVAC students who were performing performing preventative maintenance on the indoor wall evaporators of the duckless system installed um last year. So architectural

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drafting we have a project where students are um creating buildings of their own choice. Uh this is this is a cafe but they also worked on fire departments um libraries things that they chose and they had to we have the outside facade here but they had to work from the inside out. So really great

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projects for those youngsters. Moving on to the engineering and robotics department. the senior engineering students, Rio, Adrian, Oslanei, Caitlyn, and Eliza. They um reviewed a 3D printed hand uh they developed for the upcoming

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Skills USA competition at States, which is May 1st this year. If you can get up there, it'd be a great time. We have a lot of students that have that went gold for um for the districts that will be up there. Additionally, you'll see our youngsters there, Elani again and Caitlyn, who are

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working on the underwater rove. You see that uh illustration to the left? They're building that out. And so, they're learning to apply electrical and mechanical engineering problem solving skills while utilizing the shop's laser cutter and the 3D pointer. Great use of

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um their resources down in that shop. So, moving on to the plumbing program. So, they've been working at in the uh town of Matapoit on a uh sports facility where they're just finishing up the sinks, the toilets, and also the bubbler systems. I was able to go out there with

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Mr. Wildrick and visit that space, and the kids were able to articulately explain exactly what they were doing. Very proud moment for me to see that as a principal. Um, senior pro senior plumbing. This is a huge highlight. Um, although they're called outside construction because a lot of the work

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they do is outside, they also do a ton on the inside. And you'll see that the work that they do on the inside. You see there's two sinks here and then there's a bubbler. They repair a ton of things throughout the school uh plumbing related and they have saved our school $102,000 today. Almost $103,000.

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So really amazing work on their part. We have carpentry who for off-campus construction. and take a look at the nearly completed at least the framing of that F haven high school shed that they have for athletics

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really coming along and if we take a look at the punch list uh what's next is to complete the insulation of roof sheathing ice and water barrier which we which is pretty much complete um bracket scaffolding and the fall arrest system so it's progressing well and it does

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look like we may be doing the roof on that too so we'll Um the sophomores. So really great interdep departmental work here. You'll see that our sophomore carpentry students were working with our early childhood students on a birdhouse. Really cute

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there. Kids working together. That's really awesome. So moving on to academy B. We'll start with our business technology program. They were able to tour the Bay Coast Bank headquarters which I think is really awesome. in Swansea and there the CEO Nicholas

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Christ and President Marie Pelgro spoke to our students. Um Marie, she spoke about building genuine connections and relationships and um vice president Neil Jackson talked about establishing credit at a young age. So really a great opportunity for these

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youngsters, great experience for them. Culinary arts, take a look at that. They made a Portuguese malas. Yes, >> truck. >> I didn't make it down there. I would have tried to avoid it, but if I if it was in front of me, I wouldn't have been

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able to resist. And here we have youngsters um making garlic bread for our for the spaghetti dinner that benefits our theater company. So, great work at hand here. Moving on to our dental assisting program. Again, early

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childhood making their rounds. The little youngsters with our big kids. They were able to walk away with toothbrushes and floss because they were our dental students were teaching them great hygiene habits. So, it was really awesome that connection made. Moving on now to our early childhood kids who who

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get a lot of steps in in this building because they were visiting vocational shops, essentially exploring our vocational shops. And you'll see here they were at they were in automotive um they were in the EMT ambulance that we have there, the mock ambulance. So, they've been getting their steps in.

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Same thing with the legal and protective program. They were in legal and protective and they had a slideshow and they all also had a shortened version of an exploratory up there which is really awesome for them and our students. They're the little cubbies that will someday be the bears of the future. So,

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and with our EMT program, I see them throughout the building. They're practicing their skills, their extra extrication skills and how to properly um maneuver body mechanics when lifting them up and down stairs, etc. So, you'll see they have someone on a gurnie that's

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literally a live person on a gurnie traversing the stairs. I have to admit, I look away cuz I I I get nervous and I cringe, but they know what they're doing and they do a good job. But as a principal, sometimes I can't help myself but get nervous, but they do a good job. Um, finally, medical assisting.

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We have this youngster here who's on crutches, Namari Castile. She earned bronze in for the medical um districts. And Shirley here to the right or your left is going off to states. She earned u a gold medal. So, she'll be

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representing our school and states. And one thing I will say, I'm really excited about state competitions for Skills USA May 1st because we really do have some great contestants. I'm not going to name them because the list is vast, but this year something feels very strong about the talent that we have going up there.

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You did hear from BPA that's also a great group of kids going off to Nashville. So, so many points of pride throughout our school. So, with that said, I yield back and I'll take any questions. >> What is Mari?

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>> Yeah, the Whitfield Monero Museum. Essentially, it's a it's a museum that was created really that showcases Japanese history. And Wayne, you can you can lift me where I where I miss, but the the goal is to showcase the Japanese history. Okay. Of the man Whitfield

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Menerro, who spent time in the the town of Fair Haven. Um, and so he established roots coming from Japan over to Fair Haven. Established roots. Okay. >> And so he wanted to create a museum for people to learn about, you know, the roots of Japan into Fhaven. if you can have. >> Yeah. No. Well said. But uh Mr. Ch,

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we're gonna have to take you on a F haven field trip. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And there's a lot of great work going on in Fair Haven between the the shed that was contentious. >> No field. Yeah. So >> and and really great work that all of our program, not all, but plumbing, HVAC, and property can do. So it's great

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to see all crews on site for both of those projects. >> I believe that was the carriage shed that they were working on. The carriage shed in the back. >> That's right. Yeah. So the pergola will go up on the roof hopefully within the next couple of months. And then we have the bell that should be going in front of town hall soon enough. So a lot of great work going on in Fair Haven. >> I have one question though. >> Sure.

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>> Yeah. The bell. >> Is there enrollment like our regular enrollment here >> students? So >> enrollment the kids coming into child is there a big big >> Yeah, absolutely. So there's there's always a waiting list and and Mike feel

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free to carry me on this one, but there is always a waiting list and and they you know and that is how students are entered. So they they apply and >> it's I my understanding is that the waiting list is years long, >> you know. So there is very high demand for the childare program. >> We are really in demand here.

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>> We're in demand. We're so we're a safe school. We're a school that prides itself on rigorous instruction while supporting kids who struggle the most. So >> yeah, many points of pride here at New Before Vote Tech and the community sees that. So >> great job. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Presentation. Thank you.

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>> Thank you all. Okay, moving on. Parent communications. Uh, Superintendent Watson will bring the members up to date on the posum checks. >> Yep. Thank you, Madam Chair. So, again, included in your packet is the bi-weekly possip checks which we provide uh pretty

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much every month at the meetings. >> Yep. Okay, that was quick. Uh, superintendent weekly updates. >> I'm feeling straightforward. Every Monday morning I send a weekly update to the staff and those are the last six

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that are included in your packet. >> Okay. >> Great way to inform the staff the communication. This is good thing. Thank you. >> Appreciate it. >> All right. New business vote to approve a cost of living

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adjustment for non-union employees requesting that district committee vote to approve a 3.2 25% for all non-union employees. Move them. >> Yeah. My request and just to be

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consistent and make sure trans I'm transparent is that you know I'm requesting the school committee authorize the exact cost of living increase that we've provided to all labor unions within the district. >> Move approval. >> I hear a second. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I

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>> opposion hearing none question. >> Okay. First reading for the adoption of the FY 2027 annual budget. Included in your backup material is a copy of the

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PowerPoint presentation and a copy of the fiscal year 2027 budget. A recommendation district committee vote to adopt the fiscal year 2027 annual budget and this to be considered

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the first reading for adoption. >> Good evening again. I want to take just a few minutes to walk you through the slide presentation in your packets. You have both the slide presentation that's on the screen as well as the line by line budget analysis with the proposed increases and decreases on each line.

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And again, tonight is really aboutformational uh presentation from us to make sure that you're aware of the work district's administration and the school committee subcommittee have been taking part in over the last several uh weeks. So again, these are the folks that have

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had uh you know influential roles in the district's administration as well as uh folks that were on the school committee who've been part of this process. Um, as you know, every December, January, uh, Miss Stewart send out the procedures to all of our staff members, uh, vetting process that goes underway through the

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each of our directors, our principal, uh, and members of the school's leadership team in the formulation of the budget. Here's a quick timeline. This process begins in January and brings us to tonight. The administrators meet to discuss their upcoming budgetary needs.

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uh we have and host many members of the committee have attended from time to time uh with our general advisory uh chapter 74 uh committee chairpeople. They're here to discuss the different trends and needs in the specific industries. The budget subcommittee has held two sessions uh in March and early

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April. And that brings us to the budget that we're presenting tonight. Again, a quick reminder that the community assessments are based on enrollment here according to our regional agreement. On the far left of your chart, you will see these are the

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October one enrollments for this school year. Uh that provides the basis and the foundation funding formula for the next school year. So at the time of this we had 2,176 students that were enrolled at greater new befford vote and they were broken down according to the prior uh to the

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numbers that are listed above. 284 students for Dartmouth, 174 students for Fair Haven, 1,718 students from New Bedford. I will let you know that based upon last year's information, that is a slight uptick in New Bedford students and a slight decrease in the number of

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Dartmouth students. The Fair Haven number is pretty constant in the 8% range and it's pretty consistent with what we've had. There might be a slight movement, but it's very slight there. U so the operational ratio is is broken down that way. You'll see that nearly 79% of the students that were here as of

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October 1 were from New Bedford, 13% from Dartmouth, and roughly 8% uh from New Bedford. the minimum contributions, those are defined by the state's funding formula. And that is largely it's a subject of of ongoing pretty heated conversation around the state right now of whether

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there should be some adjustments to the chapter 70 funding formula, especially in suburban or rural communities which have felt they've been a little bit more hard hit by it. Whether that happens or not will be in time. But those numbers are directly from the funding formula from chapter 70 and the committees the

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community's ability to pay. The transportation fixed assets and debts are total numbers are listed there and those are aortioned based upon the operational ratios that are described on the left. And then the final FY27 assessment numbers are on the far right.

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Those are the the community's contributions to the overall budget at Greater New Beford Vote Tech which this year totals just under $16 million. We did provide at the subcommittee's request a look back over the last three

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years from 2024 25 26 26 27 as well as to kind of illustrate the change from the previous year. So in the town of Dartmouth there is a decrease of $360,000 in their assessment. Both of the other two communities are seeing slight increases. The chapter 70 state aid to

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Greater New Tech is increasing by just over 30 million. There is a small decrease of 73,000 in the regional transportation line, but the overall total revenues for the district for our FY27 budget are just over $3.4 million

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more than what we've received this past year. I want to walk you through uh the breakdown of that um to give you kind of an overview of what you'll see within the budget lines. So, first is the contractual salary obligations. The district has budgeted just over $1.2 million to fully fund a

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3.25 25% cost of living adjustment for all staff members which includes all steps lanes for GNBEU GNBAU teamsters and all non-union personnel. Um so that's the number that would that that will be devoted to salaries. There is a

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projected 5% increase in health insurance premium costs at just under $400,000. That is probably the best news of the budget season. We had been forecasting 10 to 12% increases in December when those numbers came in significantly lower. That did give us

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additional breathing room that we'll describe where some of that money went in the next uh next few slides. Uh this budget includes full funding to add teaching and support positions in response to projected demographic shifts particularly in our EL and IEP student populations as well as the planned

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expansion of career technical programs including our construction craft labor program. It also includes allocation uh allocations for the expected reduction in title one funding uh which we do use. I you may remember that in previous meetings I had mentioned to you that the

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department was as asking us to reduce title one by 15%. Um that number is a little bit lower than that which is also good news between 7 and 10%. Uh but it will be there will be a reduction in title one funds that this budget will have to absorb that in order for us to make sure we maintain all math and

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English teachers. There are fixed costs of just over $236,000 in required district costs from workers compensation to unemployment, debt service, the debate city retirement and student liability insurance. There are anticipated rises in utilities

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maintenance and essential operational services. That $ 1.383 million number also includes $1.2 $2 million in funding for the construction craft labor expansion project. Um, as well as about $150 to $170,000 in

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increased maintenance costs and operational issues. There is also a $124,000 increase in software licenses for educational programs and additional hardware replacements in our technology space. We have included funding of over

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$131,000 in this budget to include expanded teaching supplies, translation services, and student credentiing to support hands-on learning and workforce readiness. As you know, all of our programs are focused on their IRC's, their industry recognized credentials, and the district over the last several

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years has absorbed the cost of making sure that all those assessments are paid for with district funds. There's a slight increase in that this year. There is also a recommended increase to fully fund all textbook requests from all departments across the school in both the academic and CTE spaces. That number

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is just over $438,000 for textbooks that we will purchase for all 27 career technical areas and selected academic areas. Overall, you'll know you'll note that in the beginning there's $3.4 million of anticipated revenue increases. The

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expenses total just over 3.9 million. So, as you'll note, there's a structural uh structural difference there of 538,000. We have adjusted some of the salary and benefit lines within the district's appropriation that we now believe we can scale backwards from what we had put in place a couple of years

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ago. As you know, uh the the lottery for admissions is creating some issues in terms of funding and making sure that we have the appropriate staffing levels in place. uh both the EL and special education populations here increased last year. So, the district has been hedging additional funds into those in

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case the lottery, which was run tonight, creates additional IEP student needs or EL service needs. And so, we have enough money that's budgeted in here. We've left in that line around $600,000, which includes funding for two EL and two special education teachers, regional

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transportation buses that go beyond that if the demographics of students that live in Dartmouth or Fhaven require that. And there's also the 7560 to $75,000 that I mentioned uh pertaining to the aviation expansion project um earmarked within that budget line if

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it's needed. >> Yes. >> I just wanted to mention there's a lot about facilities management here and present these meetings. >> Yeah. Yeah. Say say it again. >> He's not listed in the front, I don't

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think. >> Oh yes. He his name should be on the list too. Yes. He was uh we we brought Yes, thank you Dr. Marlin. So Zeb is also included in that budget review process with the school committee given the operational costs that are being earmarked in the facility space not only for the construction project but also

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for the increases that are being requested related to um operational costs like fuel etc. >> Up or down? >> Yes. When the numbers were released at the end of June, January, when the governor released her preliminary

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budget, I gave them all an estimate of pretty much that SA snapshot that was on the screen, the assessments, right? >> I gave them that just letting them know that that was the estimate because obviously the final budget wasn't passed out as soon as I got the information.

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time. >> You need to know what date I sent it. >> Yeah, we uh we did attend the Dartmouth Finance Committee meeting as well at their request uh to kind of present our FY27 budget as as we were going through that process. And as I say, every year,

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we're happy to do so in the town of Faven or the city of New Bedford uh if requested. But at minimum net school spending or pretty much at minimum net school spending, there's there's often not a request from the towns for us to be there. Yeah. Also in your packet includes a line by

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line analysis of this. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Uh and I look forward to uh passage of the budget at the next meeting. >> Let you know it was sent on January 29th to all of the business administrators of the three Sunday communities.

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>> Thank you very much. question >> getting uh me for DLL or else the student so you know the keys may come over it overl so we know what the specific needs are

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so you have the pose for staff >> yeah so the transition meetings and things will start taking place in May. It'll go through May and June. As as you know, today 625 students were notified of their acceptance. Uh tonight they have two weeks to confirm uh or reject that acceptance. We do anticipate

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generally the numbers are between 10 and 15% will not uh say yes. So there'll be a second round likely uh based upon those that come. Uh at that point that'll take us another two weeks into the middle of May. Erin and the team will begin to start to reach out to the districts. They've been great. last

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year. We we've trying to take big strides with the districts in terms of moving a lot of that information over much quicker. Um so I would say, you know, by by late May or early June, we should have a pretty good handle on on the number of kids that are coming over um that have language service u

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educational needs uh or I or u students with disabilities um so that we're able to make sure that the staffing levels that we have are able to provide the proper education for those kids. >> Kind of drawing a blank. I can't think of what the student information system is. Aspen.

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>> So all the sending districts to do all the sending at least the town's doing. >> Yeah. >> Aspen, right? >> Everyone does >> expediting that like with student file like if the waiting for the file, the hard file of mamen

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actually transfer the file to you. >> We get sent those. When we find out who has an IEP, we reach out to the middle schools and they will immediately send them to us. >> That that was a process several years ago that we had started. you probably remember that. And so that is now the process that all those files move over electronically from the schools and

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they've been great partners. It's a testament to some of the days that we do with the the communities, right, to talk about the needs for us to work seamlessly together. Um that has been an important step. I appreciate you bringing that up because it's been an important step in those relationships kind of strengthening over the last few years. Certainly helps us once we have

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that with scheduling and things that oftentimes took us into July and August are now being done in June. We're pre-claiming kids now in a much faster way. So, I mean, we're still working through some of the early kinks of that, but we're definitely in the right moving in the right direction. >> Okay.

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>> Superintendent ask us to receive it, right? >> Yeah. We don't need a vote on the budget tonight. Okay. All right. Vote to approve transfer of funds. We're going to get backup material is a copy of the explanation of request to

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transfer funds from the general fund for student activity to involve an account travel club. Thank you. So this mentioned this to some folks earlier. This is the the trip trip from educational the educational

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holiday trip. So this student trip that is going is scheduled for June 18 26 did not meet minimum student enrollment fully cover the cost of 2G and be shadow. You may remember last month when they brought the Italy before you for

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FY27 I asked for specific authority before said that I have to sign off on that directly. Superintendent direct has to sign off on that directly. um that this case as I said last month. So there is a shortfall of $3,274

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that the request tonight is for you folks to transfer that from the general fund to student activity line so that way we can pay for the second chaperone to attend. We're splitting the cost of second chapron with the EF Foundation.

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>> I just say I think first of all they need two chapons. I mean, yeah, I think uh we've had we're very fortunate everybody I talked to have gone on. It's well worth it and I give credit to the

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capital do this. So I personally like to pay with it. I proving it myself personally that 3274 is a cheap money to get a person to have kids. So I just

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want to say I support it. behav. >> Thank you. I was just going to say that I think um there's definitely a need and I have no problem with that. >> Just have a question on the action actually. M you might be able to is it a transfer

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or is it just an expenditure from the regular appropriation for that amount under the student activities like a 3510 line >> to the actual revolving fund of student activities into the trust fund to the travel and then the payment will be made to from the travel club >> and you're going to mark it as an I

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guess as an expenditure out of 3510 like a journal entry. >> Yes. Yeah. >> All right. All right. I just wanted because it doesn't really matter. You can expend it out. >> And student activity. So, I wanted it to be paid out of the student activity fund and the the

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reboling fund line number for the travel club doesn't have enough. >> I know. >> Yeah. >> I understand. >> I understand. I just don't want you know Yeah, you could extend it on regular probe and then >> Yeah. So, we did have an internal

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conversation about that. >> No, I trust Pam. I I trust Pam. I'm fine. >> Yeah. No, but it's it's one or the other and I think they both they both were >> right. I just wanted it to be being out of the student activity line instead of out of the general fund since this is truly a student activity >> y

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>> function. The other thing and I discussed several times about this is we wanted to make sure as we made an issue out of the last month making sure that we have enough students. I wanted this to be very public. We did have a conversation about the student support lines embedded within different parts of the district budget which I agree with you. We could have off authorized this

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internally without coming but I wanted to make sure that it was very clear and transparent with the school committee given the fact that you approve it to national travel and this was the solution we came up with but I agree with you Mr. Kard it could have been done >> okay appreciate that trans >> No. Yeah. >> Anyone else?

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>> I'd like to make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I >> oppose. Extensions do. >> Yeah. >> Okay.

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Next. Vote to improve the food service coordinator position description. Including your backup material is a copy of the food service coordinator position description and salary scale for your approval.

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>> Hey, Mr. I need to get on the table for the discussion. >> Yes. >> I make a a motion to approve. Nothing. >> Any discussion? >> Second. They can discuss at least. >> Any discussion? >> The only thing I I I want to say that

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the very detailed description, which is nice, the last page when it has the salary range. Um it goes up considerably from 64 to the first step of 89. That's a big jump. I just would like to have

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the committee be aware that um I brought this to superintendent Watson discussion earlier before the meeting and I'd like to leave that wide area up to the superintendent to find out if they get someone that is

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worth the what step they go to. I don't think we're approving any factual cost but just a scale. >> Yes. >> And that would do you feel you comfortable with that recommendation? >> Right. So we did talk at the meeting ahead of time with the chair and vice chair about the salary scale and uh

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obviously there's for for us I'm hoping to get this posted um as soon as we can because the individual is leaving in June. Uh but I did mention to the chair and vice chair that I'm happy to review the uh proposed salary chart a little closer u and would entertain that if the

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committee would give me the ability uh to adjust that scale as needed that I would be able to do that in time for the posting. Uh this is a job description. You do have uh control over what the uh salary range for that position would be. Um you do have the ability to delegate

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that responsibility to me for the posting should you choose. We could certainly discuss any parameters uh that you wish. I mean I I I floated the idea of looking at it giving me more flexibility within the 80 to $100,000 range to build out a sixstep scale. Um

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obviously we are trying to increase this this position from the manager's position to more of a coordinator's level. We are hoping to attract an individual that has um deep experience in this space for our kids and being able to improve our offerings inside of the lunch uh area. Uh not that our folks

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haven't done an amazing job. They have um but we want to see what we can attract at a higher salary point. Uh but I did speak to the chair and vice chair and understand the concern around that and would be happy to look at some alternatives if the committee gave me that authorization.

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>> Okay. >> Comfortable with that. >> Looks big jump. >> First asking for a salary range. We we I would adjust the s I can adjust the salary range. We could talk about it right now. I think that that's probably

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appropriate for us to do. Um if members have a a concern with it, >> why is it uh let's see um EN was 200 days. >> It does not have to have surf safe.

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>> So Jesse has recommended when they came in to do our review on March 30th. Yeah. and they reviewed everything literally from the floor all the way to the ceiling, every piece of paper in the office. They did a very comprehensive re review this year and one of the

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suggestions at the end of it was that we were to change the position from a manager to an actual food service director. We're recommending using the word coordinator versus director. Um but that with that title there is more of responsibility and there's more

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education that needs to be on the person than just a manager level that we had. >> So would the two I just kind of >> moving Yeah. 20 moving them to the same administration timeline as the G&B AU of

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202 days. >> It's 200 202 their vacation time is basically their school vacation >> vacation. Yeah. There's no additional It's just they work 202 days, right? There's three personal days, whatever the sick time is. No, no vacation time basically. >> Just like the G&BAU.

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>> Yep. All right. >> Anyone else? >> No, no. I I I agree with I think we should follow the recommendation of Desi as far as the director's position or coordinator, however they're talking

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about, because that is a that is a big change. And I think the salary um I'd like to leave it to you um to change it, but I if you go to this to this person with a degree and the person that really

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needs to do this, that that salary range isn't that big of a jump. Not for what they're asked to do at this point, I don't think. Because if you just take somebody that doesn't have a degree in it, we're looking for they're looking for somebody with a degree and expertise

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in that, you know what I mean? And I think um I'd like to give you the flexibility of looking at that because that that is a lot different than what we've had in the past. >> I I'm sorry you finished. No. >> Yeah. I would like to go forward and you

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know really bring this position up know and so our students also will go up. I think it's, you know, good looking out for the future of the school. >> So, we have a salary scale on there. I did hear from members that we might want

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to tweak that a little bit more, >> right? >> Or not trying to listen for where we want to go with that. I I've got a couple of different options in front of me already. We can certainly talk about as long as I could post a range on Friday. I could bring you a revised scale uh and we will not have the person

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hired by April 29th. But if you were comfortable with me posting this job description in a salary range, let's just be really broad here of, you know, 75 to 100,000, I can give you a more detailed proposal at our next meeting for for final passage if that's

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satisfactory to everybody. >> That's for me. >> Recommendation. >> Yeah. >> I don't know if you're looking at I just don't want to get too close to the 100,000. No, I agree. I agree. I mean, if you want to >> Well, that has to be like Chef Emerald. >> Yeah, I agree.

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>> And that's take your your middle one, right? Your middle range. >> 82 to 97. >> That says it says 82 to 97, right? >> But if you make that a 202 rather than a 260 because that's a 260 job. >> Yeah. >> Right. Step one, right? Step eight. >> Yeah.

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>> So, you go from 84 to 95 086. that that works for me. If that works for the committee, that's pretty much where I was. >> Could you have some 85 to 95? >> That it really is outstanding. And you go not first. You could put it up

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higher. >> I think that will work. >> I think >> that if that can be part of the motion, I think we're good to go. >> Motion from Mr. Kitchen, please. >> Sure. Motion. >> Second. All those in favor? I >> I

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>> opposed abstensions there. >> The request is about looking at you. >> I wasn't looking at I was looking at that way looking >> can I just ask a question? >> Sure.

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>> Um Mr. Watson, um so why is it a coordinator versus a director? Is that based on days or what's that criteria? We were trying to come up with a title that fit more in line with where the recommended pay scale was going to be. >> Okay.

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>> And just trying to be thoughtful about where we could go, right? So, I want to be mindful of the fact that we have several director positions in the district already that have differing pay grades. Uh, and I want to be really careful about how we term positions. U,

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so that was the conversation that that we had. um you know we went back and forth on the existing title of manager and what Desi had recommended um and settled on coordinator. It's a title change essentially something that we can always bring back for further

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consideration but um it's it was really decided to be mindful of how that would fit into the the structure of the organization. >> That's the uh the one thing on the uh community engagement.

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>> Yep. Oh, I guess culinary arts and the wellness and such, but this individual will feel the menu questions from the parents, right? >> They will. Yes. >> I want to >> they they are very much >> I know that I know that they usually end up that way. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.

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>> Uh they have to have the expectation. That's right. They have to that's their community base right there. >> Yep. All right. >> Okay. >> Nice. >> Okay. Moving on. Um, vote to create a uh student activity line for the active

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minds club. Put in your backup material is a copy of the request to create a student activity line for the active minds club. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion?

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>> I don't know what it is, but >> back up there backup. It's right there. >> All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Extensions.

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Hearing none. Is approved. >> Okay. Vote to approve out of state travel for students. I will go down the list and we can vote on all of them. Is that okay with everyone? >> Okay. World War II Museum in Rhode

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Island on April 30th, 2026. Guggenheimman Museum in New York on May 14th, 2026. Marble House in Rhode Island on May 18th, 2026.

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DB testing for dental assisting. date and location to be determined to explore options for a 2027 senior prom venue in Rhode Island.

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>> Move to approve >> second. What's ahead on that one if you want? >> No, I don't want to explain. Am I looking at this right 20 senior prom venue in Rhode Island >> in another in another year? They want the ability to be able to look at

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different venues for the prom. >> It's probably premature to be on here until we have some, but they have to they have to secure a place, right? So if they were to secure a place in Rhode Island, we want to make sure that we're not sending kids across state lines without the approval of the state. Okay. >> That's why it's important. >> Okay.

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>> I think closing close for big schools that have a lot of kids. >> There's not many venues. >> Yeah. >> That you can go to because they can't hold that many. >> So I think that's one reason. I know other schools are also >> will be due in May or June like you know

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because people are going to start booking these things. So, >> we wanted to have authorization that you're okay with us having a senior prom in Rhode Island and kids are going across the state lines before we do that. >> Well, this going to be a >> Okay, we have >> and a second. >> No. >> All those in favor?

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>> I >> I abstension. >> He's saying his kid is not going to >> question approved. >> Kid's not going to rule out it. Okay. Uh, vote to designate equipment on

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surplus. Included in your backup material >> is a copy of the list of equipment to be designated as service. >> Move approval. >> All those in favor? >> I >> I >> opposed abstensions.

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Mike there are none. Person is approved. Okay. report on personal appointments, retirements or resignations to be received and placed on file.

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A early notification of retirement Peter Kaine from his position as custodian effective March 28th, 2027. Notification of resignation. Delena McN McNichols from her position as part-time

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cafeteria worker effective March 17, 2026. Sean Morton from his position as facilities electrician effective April 3rd, 2026.

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>> Um, receive and place on file. >> Okay. second. >> We don't go on this one. >> Okay. Informational. We have the CT CTE spring 2026 visit

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exit interviews April 1st, 2026. GMBBVT fiscal year 2026 summary donation from Kevin Das Nevs March 13 2026

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senior awards night May 26 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Graduation May 29th 2026 at 6 p.m. receive and place on file.

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>> Okay. >> All right. Do we have any committee discussion? >> Well, the only just to April 28th is the next meeting, correct? >> Uh, yes. >> April 28th for the second reading of the budget. >> There will be a couple of other items.

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>> 28th. >> April 28th. >> Can I um >> April 28th? Can I I can I ask that we do the 29th instead of the 28th? >> Fine with me. >> What's that? >> The 29th of April instead of the 28th of

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April. >> What day? Wait, what day? >> Wednesday. >> It's a Wednesday night. >> I have a SMEK board meeting that night. I don't know if I can. I'll see if I can get out of it because the numbers are down low. and C that's at 5:30 and that

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if Captain Cooper is leaving SMMEC though so that's a big loss for them so you know they are have hired somebody but I'm not sure what is so it's up to committee I can follow through if others want to change it >> other nights that work we we have plenty

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>> 29th or 30th I can 29th or 30th >> 30th or Thursday >> Thursday is worse for me >> okay >> yeah Thursday's not good for Techn said Saturday. >> Mike said thick bacon.

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>> Well, you two can't make it Thursday. >> No. >> The other option >> stay with Oh, you have >> 29th. No, I have with me. I I can I can

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if we vote that in I I can I have enough time I can call G make sure they have it. >> That's their budget. Is that >> 29th? >> Yeah, that's their budget approval, too. >> 29th for you guys till Wednesday night. >> I'd have to move some stuff around, but

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I can do it. >> It's okay with >> want to do it if you want to move it up too. I mean, I know Karen won't be able to make it before 6, right? Because she's >> right >> got a commitment. Uh, but this is >> on the Wednesday.

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>> No, in general, >> she gets done at >> I guess I mean Kim may have something fall. I I was saying right now that I think we should send out a message to the other two also and all of us so we be on the same thread. >> We can't do that tomorrow. >> Yeah. Because

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>> we have plenty of time to post. >> That's fine. the 20 for the 29th >> um >> 28 29 30 >> yeah so we'll send out notification on possible things that you guys >> keep the 28 but can can people do the 29th if you get people on the 29th okay

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>> then I think we should go there but if >> wonder why are we in in April the 2 >> because we have to do a budget meeting before the end of the month >> before May 1st >> we have to do it before the end of the month that's why >> it's for the second yeah I'll keep it keep it the way it is but If we request

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if everybody can do the next day, then we can do it. But >> okay, >> let's find out. >> Send that out tomorrow. >> Thank you, >> Madam Chair. I just have a couple of issues. >> Yes, >> I do too. >> Um, so one I probably could have brought

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up a little sooner to our um student rep as you um as you kind of wind down your season. Um I imagine next month May meeting will be like a final report for you. >> Yes. So what I would ask you and maybe on myself and maybe on behalf of the

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committee is that um any challenges or things that you see that are problematic in your in your view as a student representative. You've gone through a whole year. Um you know if I asked you at the beginning of the year you'd

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probably give me some different answers. at the end of the year after all of the things that you've seen, you've gone through, I just like you to maybe in kind of a final report if you would, you know, you do a lot of great things. You report on a lot of great things, but I'm sure there's some other issues that

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maybe bother you or concern you or >> you know, change, you know, >> yes, add that to my >> Yeah. in a >> Yeah. I I think, you know, maybe as a wrap-up, we'd like to hear from you to to see if there's things as a school

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committee that we should be focusing on that maybe we haven't been or things we may be laxed on or things that need our attention that aren't getting our attention. Um, and put those on the radar for your your predecessor, >> your successor. Yes. Um, we'll have one

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in May and he or she, whoever we decide on or whoever gets voted on, will be here in May as well. >> Excellent. Okay, good. Good. Thank you. So, as your homework, so >> um, >> be honest with us. >> Yeah. Yeah. Please just be honest. Honestly, >> bad whatever you, you know, think could

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be improved or can be included, you know, as a student trustee. >> Yeah. >> Um, yeah, thank you for that. And then just on another note, um I address you tonight as a disappointed grandfather

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who found out that um the grandson is not getting in the lottery or was not chosen for the lottery. Um he would have been a fourth generation folk student. um he applied as a straight A student

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with perfect attendance who had to compete against other students who probably had up to 27 absences and maybe short of a felony. And I don't think that's fair that those students

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have to compete with fellow students who have just not tried hard. And I think the lottery as it stands right now is disappointing. It's despicable and it's unfair to the good students who

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have done everything that you've told them to do throughout the course of their education. Um, I just think it's incredibly unfair that we've tried to solve one problem and in doing that, we've basically

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made it difficult for another group of students. And anybody who's listening to this tonight, I urge you to reach out to Desi. Make noise. Make noise to your state representative.

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Make noise to your senator. Make noise to anybody you can because this lottery as it stands is not fair. It's not fair to the good students. And I just I urge you to make noise because unless you

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make noise, this is going to continue and it will probably even get worse. And the good students will be rolled over and it's just not fair. And it's not because it's a relative because I've already had a few messages from other

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concerned parents. I walk through the the supermarket and I get pulled over by people and I have not had one person tell me, "I love the lottery. That's such a great idea." Not one person. But

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I have had people pull me aside and ask what we're doing up there. Why is the lottery so unfair to the good students? And those are the kids that are really getting hurt by this. You can say whatever you want that every student deserves equal education, but the good

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students deserve a little bit more support than what they're getting from this. I just don't think it's fair that a good student is put up against another student who has disciplinary issues but has just made it by the skin of their teeth or doesn't show up to school. How

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are you going to work in the workplace when you can't even show up to school? And I don't think we've asked these students to do anything except cooperate. Come to school, behave. We're not looking at your marks.

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We're not asking you to be a a scholar. We'll work with you on that, but at least behave and come to school. and those kids are in the same category as a good students who are perfect attendants and you know do whatever they're told and it's not fair to them and I just

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felt that I would be remiss if I didn't bring that up again. um you know especially where it affects me personally and it's going to affect a lot of the people that we know and I'm sure the lottery just happened today starting tomorrow you're probably all going to get phone calls and the school

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is going to get calls and there'll be emails and I think those those emails are justified read the emails pay attention to them and let's try to make this somewhat fairer than it than it is right now because as it is right now

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it's just not a fair and equitable way to do business. Thank you. >> Great. Very good. I think it's true. >> It's first. Okay. >> No, >> I told you. Go ahead. >> You know, I sympathize with my colleague

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about his grandson not being able to get into the school. But I really take issue with the good kids versus who who when we're talking about the kids. All kids are good kids as far as I'm concerned.

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It hurts me when I hear the good kids. An A student or a C student to me is the same. >> They deserve the same opportunity. Not every kid has the ability. In fact, I'll go one step further. That A student that comes to school every day, they can

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thrive anywhere in this community. they can thrive in any school, but what about the kid that can't thrive in any school? So, that's where I I'm I I kind of get upset when I hear the good all kids are

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good. All kids don't have the same the same opportunities and the same connections that um your grandson might have. I was one of the people that was totally against the lottery. And a after I listened to that looked at

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the data went through what what kids are being left out. I give the every kid needs that opportunity and I feel bad that your grandson didn't get in. Don't and I and I understand your frustration but at the same time I'm happy for the

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kid that had a C does come to school. They're not all felons that got in here. We don't have kids that are felons coming into the school. So, I want to take that off the table. >> They came close. >> They're not felons, >> but have come close in order to get

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>> Come close. Come Excuse me. Come close. >> Come close. >> No, I think we're fair as far as that goes. I'm not going to get into discussion about it. I I understand what you're saying, but at the same time, all kids need that opportunity. Some kids unlike like I'm telling you again a A

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student or a C student coming into the school is going to do the same work going to get the same opportunities and the A student can thrive anywhere else where a C student might not be able to thrive so we have this discussion you and I have been on this the opposite

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>> disagree I think I don't think you caught my >> I don't think you're understanding where I'm coming from but we'll agree to disagree Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. >> One size does not fit all. >> Thank you. >> I I I support

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what you're saying because I have had those phone calls >> and that they're going to increase. You know, one of my things that I supported this move forward was that we have 600 students that were taken in. Why do we

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all have to all 600 have to be in with a point grade? Why do all 600 have to be lottery? I thought it was a very fair pres presentation. We first talked about it was I think it was well say it was 500

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at the time 250 in and they have a lottery you get give people an opportunity. But I I do think that when you take out grade, your C or A, it doesn't matter to me, >> right? But but I think when you're out

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38 days of a school year, if you're out 38 days at a high school, they can educate you in the subject, whether it's being home or catch up. They can't give you electrical knowledge if you're not here or automotive

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knowledge if you're not here. I think the school depending on your location, Metro B, no up in Boston area, Springfield, New Bedford different. I think we have to look at it and say that, you know, we need to have a time

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to look at some of those kids that didn't get in and if they've done everything right, then we should be able to bring them in. I don't think a 100% lottery is the answer. I don't think 100% point value is the answer because I think you need a mix. We've been doing

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this job now for many years. I've been here associate of OK Tech for over 40 years. You're a graduate. So what we did back then doesn't fit. I agree. But what we're going here, I don't

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agree. And it's too bad that the state Mr. watch more doesn't look at you as how do you treat kids? Do I treat everybody the same? No, you can't. Some people need more help. Some kids need some, you know, oneonone. You treat

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people differently because I I I have three children. Do I treat them all the same? No. Some of them are different. So, you have to treat them differently. That's not a sin to treat. So I think what we should do is be able to have a a

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window that we can find maybe 50 to 75 kids that have perfect attendance that we should say we could bring in. So don't take how many the numbers now 650 >> we took 625. >> Okay. So instead of 620, let's take 550

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in our law, but it should give this school the opportunity to work with the Haven, Dartmouth, and Deford on their staff and us to say, "Hey, Johnny Jones, hey student, he's here, you know, he's

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in school every day. His father graduated here, his mother graduated here, and they own a business." Well, guess what? Your kid didn't get in. So, I don't know how you move forward, Sister Watson, with the this situation,

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but now we've done it for two years. I I hear you and I think they should have the opportunity. But should they take every slot? >> I don't think it's fair. >> But they're not taking every slot. >> They are not taking every slot. It's a lottery. So, you're not taking every slot.

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>> But but I I am not going to sit here and let people say good versus these kids. >> I'm not saying good kid, bad kids. Well, not everybody can get reached. Not everybody. I'm sorry. I I'm not gonna sit here and and let that happen. I'm

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speaking kids. I I'm going to All right. And I I agree to No, I you I want you to have your say. >> What I'm saying is >> I'm ready. >> I'm I take offense to the good kids versus this kid. You know, we just came

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from a conference that I just came from that I sat in a room and listened to how every kid needs an opportunity and have and making a connection. If a kid doesn't make a connection, I don't you can give all the content you want. If I don't have a connection with you and you

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give me that content, I'm not getting anything out of it. All right? We're not getting anything. >> In my speech, I never said good or bad. No, >> you said >> no. I didn't say you didn't. >> But you said I I said attendance. All right. And behavior,

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>> right? And let I I get them same phone calls. I'll give you an example. We have a kid, three kids in the same family come to the school. One one sibling got accepted this year. Last year, the other sibling didn't get accepted and had to

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go somewhere else. So we have families in this city or in the towns who have one kid at one school and one kid at another because of the lottery. Do I agree with that? No. I think if one sibling comes here, the other sibling should be here. I as a parent, I

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wouldn't want my kids at two different three different schools. So I understand that thing, but what I'm saying is we need to make it fair somewhere down the line. >> So >> and I >> I just want to frame this for you and I know other members might want I'm sorry. I'll defer.

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>> Well, only because I want this to be a productive conversation. Right. I think Wayne had something in the beginning of this. Right. This is promulgated by the board of elementary and secondary education. It's >> not. >> I'll be honest with you. I don't have any authorization to change this and neither do you. So, we can talk about it

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till 11:00 tonight. There's nobody in this room with the ability to make any changes. It is it is a regulatory uh by the board of elementary secondary education. Now, Wayne did allude, Mr. Stalver did allude to the fact that if you want change, >> you should contact your state

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representative. You should contact your state senator because if there was legislative action, one way or the other, because there's a compelling argument on both sides of this, >> there was legislative action that would override >> any regulatory guidance that comes from the board of elementary and secondary

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education. But local school committees, local superintendent at this point in time today, >> we have zero authorization over vocational technical school admissions. And that is what we will tell parents tomorrow and we will do exactly what Mr.

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Olivivera suggested. Uh if you have issues, this these are the vehicles that are available to you pro or against uh to be able to articulate your viewpoint. No, I I just think we all, you know, we listened last year when we voted that to

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accept the lottery. Uh I wasn't really exposed to it as much. U my kids were here or in Fair Haven. >> Uh but if I had the opportunity to do it again, I wouldn't I wouldn't support it. Um

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I mean, Wayne gave you an example, but I can give you it's not for this school. U the one of my neighbors the daughter who was a 4 girl she's a fantastic kid when she was in middle school at Hastings she was getting letters of recommendation as

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a sixth and seventh grader to go to Bristol Aggie she went to the Birkshars last year for a twoe outwardbound kind of thing and she didn't get picked they take 161 kids there and she I think she was almost 300

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>> it's it's absurd because that child loves animals and that's where she belongs and unfortunately she's not going to go there. So, I mean, it's it's almost like if you look at someone's passion and how

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well they're going to be and how successful they're going to be, that is the perfect example of why we need a qualified lottery or qualified application process because that child is going to do great things. And I really think she'll do great things

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regardless, but she would have been >> she would have thrived >> outstanding. you do have the option, just so I'm clear, uh to add the interest component to the piece. I would only give a fourth chance

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>> in that lottery. And I'm I'm not suggesting you should or shouldn't. I just want to make sure that I give you all of your options >> that are available to you. And I will say that there was a community, and we talked about this, that >> I don't want to call it threatened to vote no on the lottery, but you you I

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would have to advise you that there are ramifications, right? If we don't pass an admissions policy, uh, we can't accept kids, right? And and that comes with a another deeper conversation for another night. But, uh, Mr. Oliver in his, uh, articulation of his point, I

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think, gave folks who are listening the best vehicle if they're in opposition to the lottery, which is to pursue a legislative track in Massachusetts. I think that is the >> the option. If that's your feeling. >> Yeah. No, no. And I don't I know your feeling, but I'm saying to members at home, if that's your feeling, that is

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your option. Your option really isn't viable in a lot of other areas. That's just my opinion, I guess. But the only other point just real quick to for clarity, when you take a child and you give them three balls in the lottery, right? One for filling out the application, one for their uh their uh

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attendance, but you're putting that child up with perfect attendance or 27 absences. That's a huge dis that's a huge area there. How do you do that? Maybe we should have looked and said, "Okay, up to 10 absences and then from

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there you get a fourth ball." You don't just have big parameters like that. You're either perfect attendance or you're 27 absences or you're a good kid who's never gotten in trouble or you've been in court, you just didn't get a felony. That's just that's again that's

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huge. You're talking kids who don't get in trouble and kids who are always in trouble but are just riding the line and they got the same three balls in that in that cage for the lottery. It's just not fair. >> That's that's the point I'm trying to

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make. >> Call them good kids. Don't call them good kids. If you want to put a label on it, that's fine. Don't put a label on it. Whatever you want to call them. I'm talking about fair and that's not fair. And that's all I'll say with it tonight.

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I know we agreed to tell we're not we're gonna we're not we're beating a dead horse here. >> Bottom line, but all I'm going to tell you is >> the kid with 27 absences, maybe you don't know why they have 27 absences, maybe they can't come to school in the morning on >> there should be another vehicle to

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explore that. Not just give every kid who's had 27 in the same >> school because there's all kind of reasons. >> Then explore that. Maybe it needs to be looked at deeper. But a kid who has missed school 27 times does not deserve to be in the same category. >> Maybe they have a sick parent. Maybe

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they don't have anybody to bring kids. >> Probably a good reason for it. I don't >> maybe they're not as lucky as some of our kids. Maybe they don't have those opportunities. >> You know, I'm not going to fight the, you know, the that kind of fight because that's that's for a different day. But again, you're missing my point. >> Thank you.

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>> My turn. >> Now, excuse me. I have a few problems here, but the students that have straight A's and perfect attendance. Now, these kids, again, I don't want to be redundant,

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they have the opportunity to go to any school they want to. >> Plus, they're going to go on to college. Okay? Lots of the complaints I've heard, the same thing. Oh, my kid, straight A student, doesn't get in trouble and all

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this. The only reason why they want them to come here, maybe not in your case, is because they don't want them to go to New Bedford High. So that's a lot of what I hear. I don't want my kid to go to New Bedford High School. So a lot of these straight A students, you know, as

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I'm saying, they're going to go on to college. Some of them that they're taking the space for our kids that want to be uh auto mechanics, electricians, plumbers, which we are short of. Everybody knows that, you know. So, but

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these kids with the straight A, they they're going to go on to college and do what they wanted. So, um, uh, who, you know, who, you know, how many of these kids straight A students with no absenteeisms go into the trades? And

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that's what I keep asking. I like to see the statistics of that of these kids that are in the schools. Um, but we need to respect our students. I you know I have a real hard time me getting into getting on this committee. I sat in the city council with one of the councils

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told me we do not want our school to go down. And I said because our students are going to go come to this school. We're going to bring the reputation down. That didn't feel very good. We need to respect our students and give everybody a chance. This in my heart and

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soul, this is the best and fairest way that we can do it. Some of our kids that, you know, want to get in, they're not getting in either. It's not everybody that's going to be happy. We have to start somewhere. >> I'm done.

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>> Georgia. >> Uh, yes. Do we have any other >> business, please? I just want to um comment a comment off the subject. Um, I we have a a teacher in the building who got teacher of the month, Mr. Android

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and I thought that was awesome. >> Um I heard it today by the way and I just think that >> it's my shout out next meeting. >> Okay. But I put it out there today because I was so >> That's okay. We can shout them out. >> I was so excited because >> awesome >> and like I said I just came from a

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conference that talked about connection connection teacher and and student connection. And that just hit me the minute I got back. I saw that and I was so excited. Really just want to say that's all. Thank you. Okay. Motion to adjurnn. Yes.

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>> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I >> oppose abstensions. None. Have a good night.