--------- Okay, good evening. It is Monday, June 1st, 2026. Um, welcome to the Greenfield Public Schools subcommittee meeting for community engagement. This meeting is being recorded for the Greenfield Public Schools. If any other person or bot is
recording this meeting, please notify the chair at this time. I don't see any anyone. That's major. At this time, we're open for public comment. I don't see any public.
I apologize for him. He'll stop maybe. Um, we need to because we are virtual, we need to take a roll call. >> So, um, member Dykeman >> here. >> Member Disorder, >> I'm here.
>> And member Goodwin, I'm here. >> So, our agenda tonight has um really discussions of our goals. So, I seek a motion to um suspend Robert's rules of order so we
can have a discussion about our goals. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Do I have to do a roll call? >> Uh you're supposed to. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, member Dyman?
>> Uh yes. >> Member Disorder. >> Yes. >> Member Goodwin. Yes. So, we were asked by the chair to look at our goals and the these were made um last year and
there was sort of a different I think a separate vision for community engagement. It really had um the goal seemed to be collaboration with our city council and so I think we can look at it and you've had it for a while so I look
for input for our goals. I want to make sure I'm looking at the most current version. I'm looking in Greenfield School Committee subcommittee descriptions 2026. Is that the file? >> I sent to you was the one that Stacy
sent to me. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> so the duties include developing and overseeing strategies to promote public awareness of district initiatives, priorities, and decisions. That's the wording in yours. >> I'm looking.
>> Yeah. Well, let's just go with what you have. >> Yeah. I I assume that this it says 2026. I just uh I'm new to this, so I'm trying to make sure. >> Yeah. No. So, what the first one was the read it again because there's a part of
it I didn't. >> Mhm. >> Sounds good. >> Okay. The the text says, "The subcommittee's duties include developing and overseeing strategies to promote public awareness of district initiatives, priorities, and decisions.
>> Okay. Do you want me to read them all?" Um, >> no. I I think let's take one at a time. Are we all okay with that one? >> I'm okay with that. >> Yes. >> Yep. So, let's leave that one alone
unless we want to come back to it. >> All right, go ahead and read the second one. >> Facilitating opportunities for family and community members to engage in school affairs in a meaningful and accessible manner. >> Sounds good to me. >> Yes.
>> And we've had issues there. So, >> well, it's it's sort of in sort of a collaboration like with PTO and >> Mhm. >> Um Okay, good with that.
It's hard with these because things come up >> that don't quite fit. >> But maybe we need an other category. >> Yeah. So what this one makes me think of is the recent issue with volunteers and
volunteers finding it difficult to for it to be accessible for them. >> Um the this uh you know this would put this in the purview of of school committee at least I mean of of this subcommittee at least
in some way. Um >> okay but then it goes back to policy. >> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And um I can report on that um from policy uh in this committee uh if you like, but we should stick to what we're doing now.
But yeah, that would be an example I think of the kinds of things >> that they agree. That's what I was thinking about and I have a little input on that as well when I said there's an issue there. That's exactly what I was thinking of. >> Agree. Go ahead. Oh, >> she's so cute. Thanks,
>> sweetie. >> Beautiful. Beautiful. >> There's Florence. >> Hi, Florence. >> Nice to see you. >> Florence goes to Four Corners. >> Hi.
>> Hi. >> This is the mayor of our city and the other person is Melody. Good. >> Hi. >> You got to go to bed now. >> I don't want to go to bed. >> Okay. Well, you you can sit over there. >> I want to be with you. >> You can sit over there.
>> No, I want to be right Well, let us focus. Okay, next one. Um, let's move on. Cultivating and strengthening partnerships with local organizations and community stakeholders in support of the district's educational mission. >> Okay. Um, >> that's good.
>> That was good. >> Moving on. >> Uh, next one. Advising the full school committee on matters relating to community relations and public communications. That seems quite important. Okay. >> And lastly, encouraging and facilitating
members attendance and participation in district and school events. So, yeah, letting people know. Um, I suppose letting it doesn't when it says members, I assume that means all school committee members, but it could just mean the three of us. That's
>> unclear. Last year we made a chart >> and with all the different things that were going on in the district and then people just kind of signed up so that we sort of tried to cover as many different activities that were happening >> so that somebody was there and we
weren't always successful because life happens. Um but we worked hard on that and I think we because we had the dates and I don't mind doing that talking to Becky about getting a calendar with all of the things that are happening. I
think now things are winding down, but I think in the fall >> Yeah. >> or even in August, um, with the new superintendent and the open houses and the kindergarten registration and all of that, we could have tables
do different things. >> Yeah, I like spending time in public. Uh, I like talking to the public. Um, so, uh, yeah, when there's opportunities for, uh, public direct public engagement at events, um, I I would love to do that.
>> Um, >> um, first day of summer eats is coming up. >> What is that? >> I don't Wait a minute. I have to go to the other calendar. I hope that that's on my other calendar. >> I was really proud today. I went to meet the new principal at Newton and that had
just been out like 24 hours on Facebook and I bet there was 10 or 12 people there and I thought that was good. >> Mhm. >> Bunch of kids. >> They had cookies.
>> Yeah. So my only suggestion and from what I see here would be to clarify on that last point that it means encouraging and facilitating school committee members attendance and participation >> so that there's no ambiguity of what
kind of members we're talking about. >> Okay. >> So that's the only wording we really think should be changed. >> Yeah. Um I I would say that and you know when I think about the purview of this subcommittee and um some of the other
goals that we have for this year especially thinking about the uh hopefully having an ad hoc literacy committee. Um, I think that there really needs to be a public face, a public side to that. And so, um, you know, this
committee, this subcommittee, um, could have some input in defining the scope of what the ad hoc subcommittee should do in its public facing element, you know, especially in terms of, you know, in some sort of literacy program. Um, I
mean, like a literacy awareness program. And I know that these things happen from time to time um but uh you know there's no there never seems to be enough um >> no there is >> literacy campaigns right and so that
seems like an angle that we would want to work on um and considering that I think that developing and overseeing strategies to promote public awareness of district initiatives priorities and decisions you know that gives us that purview. Um, so
it's there. There's no changes that need to be made in order for us to like launch a literacy campaign, for example. >> Correct. I'm with you. Yeah. I knew we were going to hear the word purview, so that's okay.
>> It is. >> That was your first >> thousand word. >> You just learn to ignore it. That's all that's all I'm saying. >> Um, you just keep going. Yeah. and it's an opportunity to work with um the literacy project, the library, um a lot of people in town who are doing some
good literacy work and bringing them forward as well with us. >> So, I think that's a big piece of connecting with the community. And the other group would be the Greenfield Educational Foundation >> because they're kind of >> I don't know them. What do they do? >> So, the Greenfield Educational
Foundation was started when Susan Hollands was superintendent. um she and Robbie Conn from Cone Realy and they raise about $80,000 a year for the school district and so teachers in the district can write a project and
they submit it and they fund specific projects um for the school district. >> Wonderful. >> Yep. And >> and it's still active. That's that's great. >> Um still active. Um, Robbie has um, you
know, gone to Florida and he's kind of semi-retired, but um, the woman who's in charge of it, I went to go meet with them last year and I was told it was not my purview. So, um, I think this year it'll be my purview um, to go meet with them. I have
some Kathy Blanchard is on it. There's some really good people. She's a retired teacher from Greenfield. Um, and they can always use help raising funds, but those funds can also help us move forward with different things that we may want to do. Um, they may be more
than happy to have a um an issue to get behind. >> So, >> wonderful, >> you know. So, um I'll find out when they're meeting. I think they meet once a month.
Um and okay so I think we're moving right along and the other um topic we were asked to talk about was social media
or to address and I know that member um god why am I just web I'm liking her first member web has like done massive amounts of um investigation into our social
media and according to her I'm the only person on Facebook who likes our um posts. She says I'm the only person who ever responds to them and I'm the only one following them. Um so she is
concerned about the cost the $3,000. >> So I guess I you know how do we want to handle this? I know that um from the subcommittee for budget and finance, we're concerned about the money invested in something we don't seem to feel like
we're getting our money's worth out of. >> But what would we like to see happen from a community engagement perspective? And who do we feel should be responsible for that? Um is the other question. >> Okay.
Yeah, that's a tricky question because uh it it can be very difficult to gain traction as uh I any kind of public entity if if you don't have exciting posts that I mean and by exciting I mean
controversial you know it's it's so easy for stuff that is you know perfectly interesting and perfectly valid announcements to just get completely ignored on social media. Uh I see this with the publishers that I work with all the time. Very good
publishers announcing things about good books and just getting no attention. So it clearly uh the person who's doing the social media um is not giving us bang for our buck. I don't know if anyone
would be able to. I mean >> if you look at other districts, you know, you would probably see similar numbers for a lot of those things. Um, which makes me think, you know, uh, that's probably not a great use of money.
>> I don't know. Mayor, you have a pretty good social media footprint. You got any advice? >> We do. And they look at >> It's not something that I do though. I know >> Jonathan does it and they do all of the
things and the numbers and I would say he has a little gift for making things interesting. >> Okay. >> Um I don't know exactly. He'll take like pictures from things and be like a little animated something or other. Um but
>> recycling interesting. >> Oh, he did. I'm telling you I >> we all stopped to watch >> like Jonathan I said you're like the star of stage and screen and I think that was interesting because it was a different um methodology of showing
something that was happening in Greenfield and I actually had comments from people I had a private message from somebody you know like wow so um but I don't look at the school ones much I I
ask somebody to tell me when there's important things that I should be at like a school card or something. >> Our PTO's have a really great footprint. So, I've liked all the PTO sites >> and they seem to have more
I guess the word is pizzazz or >> you know, you want to read it because you want to know what's going on. Um, and I think U member web is just feeling that the people we're paying just are taking stuff straight from the PTO sites and reposting it.
>> Um, >> I guess in my head I think it's kind of a waste of an opportunity. I would love to see like book talks and kids books or you know kids authors or something
promoting something like literacy. You know Newton school read so many books today. Join us in reading this or a principal reading a book. You know there was a principal um who read every night. She got in her pajamas and read every
night to her school and all the kids got on Facebook to watch. it was their principle, >> you know, something >> that promotes like literacy. >> Um >> maybe a change instead of just copying
what the PTO's are doing. >> Yeah. I mean, part one of the issues that I I would think would come up there is uh that the really young kids don't really use Facebook anymore,
>> right? um they they they're on other stuff and so I think that you know >> YouTube >> the main people we're going to be reaching with a Facebook profile is going to be parents. >> Um >> but
that's not to say that ideas like that couldn't work. I just don't know what platforms kids in our schools are actually using these days. I don't think it's >> because I want to know. >> Yeah, exactly. I think it's a lot of Tik Tok and and Snapchat and a few others that we
don't even know about. There's Discord. I >> don't know that much. >> It's all bad. And especially these days, we don't really want kids online. Um >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't let my kids go online really at all. Um my daughter's
seven and I'm not going to let her for a few more years. >> No. >> Yeah. It's just too >> more than two hours is really detrimental to their health. Um, so
do we just do away with it and let the PTO's do their thing or do we maintain it? I mean, it's $3,000 a month. I guess that's the question. >> Is this um being done by an outside service provider? >> It's part of Andy Pquette's company, TMS.
>> Okay. TMS is doing it. Okay. >> I forget what the guy's name is, but that's what he does. He's their communication person. Uh, >> we met him. He was at one school committee meeting, >> you know. Um, we could also before going
straight to dropping it, we could communicate with them and ask him to try to come up with new ideas for how to make it more engaging. Uh, troubleshoot it a little bit. Uh, because $3,000, you know, for a year if
we were getting a lot of engagement, that really would be worth it. But >> it's a month. 3,000. >> Oh, it's a month. Oh, that's an awful lot of money. >> That's $36,000. >> Oh, no. It's $3,000 a month. That's That's like >> 36,000 >> employee. Yeah. 36,000
>> Yeah. Oh, dear. I I didn't realize it was that much. Oh, no. No. Yeah. We should not be spending that much on that. >> No. I talked with um Jonathan about this and he's like, "No, you could get somebody that was, you know, a younger
person that was interested in like interning or something, but you you do have to have somebody watching that." >> Yeah, >> we had >> So, it's not my area of expertise, but they also should be >> they can tell you the numbers of like
their engagement. There's ways that you can do that. You you two probably know about that. they can see whether it's increasing or not >> and and Jonathan and Matt be prior to Jonathan both watched that and I would you know Jonathan really has his hands
full doing just the city things or or I would say you know hi to offer >> I would think we should be able to ask schools what's his name Ian the tech guy >> he seems very together
>> ask So, >> um, he may have some ideas that we, if I don't know if anybody's ever asked him, is there a better way? I mean, that's his job. He's the director of technology for the school district.
>> I mean, he may have some ideas for that kind of money. He might be willing to say, I can hire somebody cheaper and keep an eye on them, you know. Yeah, you know, hiring a recent graduate
who is currently attending GCC. >> Yes, like that. >> That seems perfect to me uh for for this kind of a position. A young person who um understands what is going to drive engagement
um but who can also spell. That would be good. Um >> yes. Yes, it is. >> You can find both. Yeah, we're not doing well with spelling, >> Jeff. I like that. >> Reading, writing, those things. Okay. All right. So, maybe the first thing is
to ask Ian what he thinks. >> I can do that and then and Roland maybe can get involved with that. >> Yeah, such a part-time position could fall under the IT department and >> uh seems like it could work.
>> Uh could definitely save money there. I would think so because that's a lot of money. >> That's a lot. That's a lot. This is something somebody should be able to do in 10 hours a month max. >> Yeah. Social media guy cut the grass at the high school or the same. H weird.
>> Yeah. It's all 3,000 seems to be a magic number. >> All right. So, I will talk to Ian and talk to Roland.
All right. So, dates. So, we're going to stick to Mondays at 8. Does that work for everybody? This worked. And once Zoom was taken care of, it was >> Yes. >> good. >> Um, >> Mondays at 8 are are generally good for
me. Um, and then I just have to make sure that it doesn't conflict with um policy because we're also meeting on Mondays, but we've got that a week from today. and I can be the one who make sure that that doesn't conflict because I'm the one who's serving on both. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> If you know the dates, we'll make sure
that we don't bump into them because that that was a Zoom glitch, we believe. >> Okay. And I'll try to find out when the Greenfield Educational Foundation is their next meeting. And if we can go, I
don't know. Can we all go or is that a a problem? because >> um you well I think you can be at the same thing but you're not to be discussing anything that has to do with your subcommittee. >> Okay. >> Um depending that would be depending on who you would be talking with.
>> Um but if you're not talking anything about it, I don't see a reason why you couldn't be the same thing. We all could have been at graduation. We all could have been at a concert. So, and the just as an FYI, the Summer Eats opening has not been announced yet. Okay.
>> It's usually last year it was like June 22nd. >> I think they do a good job advertising that. >> Yeah. It's just an opportunity to to to sort of be present, I would say, when there's a lot of parents that are there. >> Was down at Green River last year with a
food truck, right? >> Yep. And um because we have a new food person. So, >> you know, that individual may not know >> exactly what >> I said that out loud today for the first time to a new principal
and I realized a new facilities person, a new superintendent, a new foods person. I said to her, "If an alarm goes off at Newton, here's my cell number because I'm probably the only person who knows how to shut it off." >> Right.
Well, it it is we had the same thing in city hall. It is very hard when you have all >> we had like a brand new accounting department, >> right? >> I didn't mean to scare her. I was actually offering her help. You know, it was like there's a lot of buttons,
there's a lot of alarms, and there's a lot of codes and um they don't change them. And you know, if you get stuck, you know, and the police are standing there going, you're in charge and you don't know what to do. Dial >> dial a friend.
>> Right. Um, >> can I just say one thing about the fingerprinting thing? Um >> right after that came up um Anna at the library was approached by somebody um
about the fingerprinting program. Um it actually is quite uh time consuming. I guess when it was being done here before they were over a hundred a month. >> Oh wow. >> And um >> at Staples
>> I guess that's where it was being done. >> Yeah. that wasn't stapled. >> The place that's doing it, you know, whoever's doing it gets $4 per person and it takes about 45 minutes. So Anna did not feel that it was
something that was worthwhile or I mean I left her with all the staff that she had because they have so much that actually has gone on there this year including some said great things but they've also had a few you know um
incidents. So I've left them with all that they had but she didn't feel that she could dedicate somebody to that. So, I'm going to reach out as well to um Hope McCary um >> to see
>> maybe there they've made some reductions in force as well. So, I'm not sure about that, but we do have we frequently have a lineup of people for senior tax work off. So that was a >> well I just look at you know you're paying somebody to do fingerprinting
what $4 a person and we're paying $3,000 for somebody to a month for somebody to do social media. I'm just >> maybe he could do social media and fingerprinting. >> I'm just >> I feel like maybe they have a calling in
fingerprinting that they don't know about. >> Who knows? >> I know. I mean, it seems to be um quite a spread there. >> Yeah. >> Um Okay. $4 a person.
>> But I I just want to go back to that because >> I um think as a parent that's a really tough issue here. We have a load of folks who are economically challenged that can't be driving to Westfield. And when we
talk about community engagement, to me that seems like something that it would be very important for for us to solve. So >> So how hard is it to be trained to do it? >> Well, I don't know. I don't know. And um
you know, Erin just briefly talked with uh Anna about it. I did not. And I heard it was just not like all that economically feasible. But I thought we have to figure this out >> because we've got 17,000 people that live here and if you want to volunteer
in a school, that's what I did when my kids were little many, many, many moons ago. >> Um, you know, then you're a part of that school and that's making it too hard for people to have to go all the way to Westfield. >> So,
>> well, it can't just be us. It must be, you know, Charlemont Mohawk, >> right? >> This is a It's almost like there should be a fingerprinting bookmobile that drives around, >> right? Um
>> they used to be at the hotel two days a week when they first started. >> Yes. If they could do something, that's what I was thinking. If they could be dedicated a couple of days a week, then people people can be, you know, they can learn that those are the days that we do that here
>> and, you know, and move on. Yeah, that would be a really useful public service if there could be a public service that would do it and if they could find a way to do it uh that
is you know yeah cost effective I guess you because it would the thing about about Staples is it worked sort of I it seemed like I I got my fingerprints done there and the reason it seemed like it's something that um could kind of work in
that environment is because the employee who's doing it can do other things at the same time. You know, they >> the fingerprints, they put them into the system and then they go and do their other job, you know. So, it's the kind of job that can be seems like folded into another position somehow. somebody
like a librarian, you know, who's sitting there not doing well or librarians do things, but they have lots of different kinds of things to do and they have potential downtime and public service, public facing, right? Is I even at our library, I wonder if our library
could would be a place where people could do that. >> Well, she didn't like Anna, she's the library director. She did not feel that they could handle that. >> Okay. The library said they couldn't. >> I'm sorry. You said that earlier. um >> they see an enormous number of folks and
she said >> knowing that it's 150 a month which is actually say three a day 45 minutes that's half of somebody's salary. >> Yeah. >> You know what I'm saying? >> So I was my next thought was going to
senior tax work off and as I'm sitting here I'm thinking I think we'd have to just give specific hours like there's going to be somebody that does this on Mondays and Wednesdays or Mhm. >> I would volunteer to do it if somebody trained me. But don't you have to have the machine? >> You do have to have the machine.
>> One would have to buy the machine. >> Pretty sure. Or rent it. >> I wonder if we, you know, if we became the hub of it, other districts maybe would kick in some money to help us buy the machine. >> Yeah. >> You know.
>> Yeah. Because you're right that other districts must be struggling with this. >> Yeah. Mohawk, Shelburn. I mean, that's even further for them, unless their police departments are doing it. Um, I mean, that's another question.
>> I don't I mean, I've been fingerprinted, I mean, for a long time. I mean, I get it. If they don't show up, you spritz them with water. I always have to be spritzed. So, um, yeah, the woman at the police station,
she's really good. I wonder did she have the ability to train other people? >> I don't know. >> I mean, she does the fingerprinting at the police station. >> I wonder if does she have the ability to
train others would be my question. with the machine. It's pretty straightforward. >> It's like an overhead projector almost. >> Yeah. I I I I don't see how it should be too terribly difficult for somebody to do it with fairly minimal training.
>> That's how you roll the finger. And >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And if it's a good print or a bad print, that must come with time. >> Mhm. >> Okay.
So I mean it's a big deal. Um our teachers as well because we have to do it so many years. >> Oh you do. You have to repeat it. >> Do you have just the Corey? I don't know
about fingerprinting. I thought they changed fingerprinting to every seven years. M >> I'm going to find out because it was we were only going to be that's what they told us but that you know we were also licensed for life in Massachusetts
change is the real they told us when we all had to be get fingerprinted it was only once but then somebody said that changed and now it's every seven years so I don't and I think it was somebody
who think it was a superintendent. So, I'm going to find out >> because we get cried every 3 years. >> H cuz you can commit a crime,
but it's the same thing. I mean, in my head, it's every seven years for find out because that would be >> I was trying to remember what year we all got fingerprinted. >> Mhm. >> They actually sent somebody when all the
teachers um that's something, excuse me, this department of edge should be paying for. Um, >> oh, I know. I was going to bring it up with our the next time that we have a meeting with our delegation. I was going
to bring it up to them because >> um I think it's >> a safety issue >> outrageous as a county, you know, Franklin County that there is not one here for, you know, we're >> or within 30 minutes um county in
Massachusetts. And I'm like, are you kidding me? We know the number of people >> don't have vehicles. >> I wonder what Turners is doing. >> They probably send it if if there was anybody that they had there. I think we'd know about it.
>> I know. But what are they doing for the people that they because they have a lot of people in and out of their schools if are they just sending people to Springfield? It's a good job for a tech kid is what I'm saying >> to learn to fingerprint.
>> Yeah. Okay. Well, I'm I'll sending an email about that and we'll see if we have anything new by the time we meet again >> that >> so that we can get people in there um to help, >> you know. Because
you know, we used to have room parents, but I'm sure it's all different. >> Well, even once they do it, don't they go to the police? It goes straight to the police department. >> I don't I have no idea. >> Yeah, because just not anybody it because it's hooked up to the
to make sure you haven't committed a crime. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. All right. >> Alrighty. Um, >> do we have any other topics? >> Let's see.
>> We don't want to have anything on the next agenda. >> Um, >> we can't discuss it, but we can make sure it gets on the next agenda. >> So, I think we should put that back on till that's solved. >> Fingerprint
>> and um, >> social media. >> That's great. Very good. >> Anything else? >> Um, and I will text you when I hear what that other date is for the summer eats in case anybody wants to be at that.
I'll text Mel and she can because we're not all supposed to talk to each other. I'll tell her and then she can tell you. >> I'll try to get dates from Becky for a calendar. >> Okay. >> Um, and like meetings like for the Greenfield Educational
Foundation and then we can decide who does what. Um, anything else? >> Not that I can think of right now. >> And if you think of something, send it to me. >> And do we want to look at dates now if
you already know what your next policy meeting is? >> Uh, my next one is a week from today. So, I don't know what the next one will be in >> in July. Uh, but we can set ours first
and work that one around it. >> Um, >> okay. Wait a minute. >> July. >> Yeah, >> not feel like June. I'm sorry. >> It's It really is June. Rabbit. Rabbit. Um,
>> I I did that, too. I'm >> I'm away for the first week of July. I'm gonna be in New York until the 4th or the 5th. And then I'm available on Monday the 6th of July.
>> Okay. >> Or the 13th. Yeah. Um, wait a minute. I'm just >> 13th would also work. >> Save the date. No, I can't do the 13th. Okay. Wait a minute. So, let me go back to the sixth. Sixth. I'm just
um I'm okay on the 6th. I I could do the sixth. >> Okay. >> Okay. The 6 8 o'clock. >> Sounds good. >> Okay. >> Okay. Very good. Thank you.
>> Thank you for your time. >> Well, we were very dedicated. We came We came a couple of times. there was logging in issues. I used to I've never been the IT wizard and when I had to do this during COVID, >> it was so stressed.
>> So I >> I'm the one who taught what's frustrating is I'm the one who taught the other principles how to do the Google Meets. So I'm like but I think Ian figured it out. Um because Stacy sat here with me and she's like Mel, you did
everything right. And I'm like but I it wouldn't let me in. And Ian thinks because another meeting was taking place, we were locked out. So >> he said they were only the codes were only designed
for one meeting at a time. >> So the code we all use is the same. >> So >> all right, I'm sending an email now on this other thing and and um yeah, we'll see what happens. All right. We need to have a motion to go back into Robert's
rules of order. >> Okay. All right. I move that we go back into Robert's rules of order. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> And a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved.
>> Second. >> All in favor. >> I >> have a good night. >> Good night and thank you very much. See if I can stop the recording. Part: 2
All right. Good morning, folks. It is June 1st, 2026, 10:04 a.m. This is the uh Greenfield Public Schools long-term facilities use
uh subcommittee. Um and we are meeting to talk about our recruitment strategy. Um this meeting is being recorded. If other persons present are also recording, you must notify me at this time.
Seeing none, um, think we can call ourselves to order at 10:05. Doing a roll call. I'm Chair Ston. I am here. Member Deniv >> here. >> Member Webb >> here. >> And we are also joined today by Jean
Wall, um, who I believe did some of this work back in the day. Um, so we've got time for some public comment. Uh, members of the public will be given
3 minutes um to speak your piece. Do we have any members? Jean, would you like to give some public comment? I just wanted to uh say that
there's nothing I support more than having a new elementary school for the for the kids of Greenfield, but I'm concerned about having to pay for the uh tech school cuz we always thought
that when the high school got paid off, we would then have some extra money around maybe to to do something for the school system, but we don't have I mean, the last number I heard was $2 million a year from the city of Greenfield, and I
see no way to ever get anything while we're paying that much money for the tech school. Uh, so I was wondering if maybe meeting with the staffs of each of the schools and finding out what
uh improvements could be made to the elementary schools that they're using currently that would make it better, you know, and to and and I'm I'm suggesting that maybe we put a new elementary school on a 15-year plan
instead of a 10year plan or even a 20-year plan. That's that's what uh the planning and construction committee, which I'm the chair of, had thought is that we would do a 20-year plan and put
the elementary school on the end of it because, of course, the city also needs a police station and a new city hall. So, the I just wanted to voice my concerns and see if there's some flexibility in
the 10-year plan that you were working on. Thank you. Great. Thank you for that. Um, and as chair of planning and construction, I think you're someone that we're planning to be in conversation with uh throughout this process. So, thank you for joining
us today. Appreciate that. Um, okay. I I So, I might have to admit a bit of a Maya. I do not see a posted agenda for
this actual meeting. Like, we've gone through the thing. Um, did members receive that? cuz I I looked Can someone reforward that to me because for some reason it is not showing up in my my school committee email but I think
that it's there somewhere. >> I have to send it to you and I did receive it but whether it was posted on city sites or >> right >> school site I site I am not sure but I will send that to you right now >> please and thank you.
Um, I mean, I can tell you that the intent of the meeting, as described when we were planning it, um, was to just give an update about recruitment for this subcommittee. >> That's all that's on here. It says public comment approval of May 18th
draft. Okay. >> Update advisory committee recruitment and adjournment. >> Great. Then it is right. I don't know why I couldn't find it in my um Oh, and there it is. Never mind. Never mind friends. I found it and we
are all is well. Um, okay. Well, then we should motion to approve the May 18th, 2026 draft committee minutes as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Great. Thank you. Any discussion?
>> I'm thankful for these minutes because they contain so much information um laid out succinctly by Mr. Budro and so if there was a way to pin these minutes um that I mean there isn't but those
minutes I wish to pin so that I can return to them because I think we will have to return to this list many times >> uh to keep uh a breast of what we know so far and what we have to plan for in the future like it contains all of the
gerine information for the state of the schools as they are. Is there a way I mean I know I'm new to this. Is there a way to make like a Google Drive for us? >> Oh yeah. >> And have those minutes in there? >> Well, I was also wondering because I can you all see um pinned in this chat for
the Zoom the link to the web page for this sub for this advisory committee. >> Um I'm on my phone so I don't see much. Be very clear. >> Um let me see. >> Okay, that's fair. >> No, I cannot. >> Okay. Well, I'll paste it again. Uh, but we do have a web page and so my
wondering was can we just post them to that web page? That way they're also accessible to the public. Um, >> well that's what I would assume whatever Google Drive we had would be a available to the public and to the um >> the adviserss that come into our
subcommittee and having it on the web page would be wonderful because that's what we did with the redistricting information. and we had that on the web page at the bottom. Um, and it's I can't find that information anymore. So, I would love to sort of gather everything
together and put it in one place. So, I don't see why we can't. There's definitely precedence for doing that. >> Great. >> And also having it translated. >> Yes. was something I'm I'm now remembering from the past.
>> Mhm. >> And I think we had like what we had was a timeline so that people could follow what we start where we started and where we ended. Mhm. >> Um, and I found that to be really helpful because not everybody can come
to all of the meetings and people jump in and are like, "Wait, what about this idea and that idea?" And these are all great ideas that they're having, but they don't know that we already did it and dismissed it or whatever or, you know, discussed it. And so, >> I don't want anybody to feel like they
can't be fully participatory. So some sort of ongoing cliff notes I feel like would be really helpful to people so that they can be full participants in the process. >> I think that that makes a lot of sense and I think that that also
it encourages or maybe sort of force it. It it wants us to make a plan that has a bit of a structure that can accommodate things that we didn't anticipate if they come up. but is pretty well laid out until our May it's helpful to have our
May 2027 deadline and work backwards a little bit and plan out when we're going to have different guest speakers speaking on specific topics etc. >> So point well taken plan out agendas and
I think that like we can have a a we can like put a visual about that on the web page as well. Yeah, especially since we're trying to be so incredibly we're trying to be fully transparent and incredibly selfacc accountable.
>> Okay. Did you now see the the link in the chat? Did that come through? >> Yes. >> Excellent. Thank you. Um, so we kind of just need to set an actual like recruitment schedule and divvy up
who's going to do where. Um, that way we can share some of this labor of the outreach. I know that the two of you had connections to a lot of the social media outlets and ways to communicate and wondering if y'all wanted to like take specific ones. Um,
And then I feel like I'm happy to take on some more of the like formal channels. Um, honestly, the ones that might be the the least generative in terms of getting leads, but important to have um out there. So, I'll work with
like >> I'd be happy to reach out to like all the PTO groups. >> Thank you. >> I know a lot of them have their last meeting probably this week. I can do the social media groups. That's
not a problem. And I feel like the chair of the school committee should do the formal ones anyways. >> Whether you're the chair of the this committee, subcommittee or not, like that's your role. So >> agreed >> being the public face like if you're going to do if there's going to be a
radio spot or something like that or you know a recorder >> article, it should you should be the the voice of that. And like the radio station is always interested in hearing the positive things we have going on in the schools
too. >> You could do a talk the talk with um what's his face down at WHMP in um >> Northampton. He'd probably love to do a spot with you about the difficulties of managing, you know, older facilities and
what do you do and how do you make these kinds of um community actions happen, >> you know? >> Absolutely. Yeah, there's a fewations. There's also our local Bill Newman. Is that said?
Um, >> I know one of our parents at Newton does a little talk show through one of the radio stations locally here, too. >> Yeah, there's the one that's on Main Street, which is actually pretty fun. >> Yeah, he does that. >> He does that one. They were at the
cardboard challenge, but I can't remember the names not coming to me. I know the kid's name, but not the adult. >> That's funny. Um, cool. You could even put out a YouTube segment if you wanted. Like you could do a you could do a
thingy with GCTV and do like a like a campfire chat or something where you um discuss these things and so that it lives, you know, in perpetuity on YouTube and people can reference just some people like to watch things and
some people like to read things. >> Cool. Are there any So there's like that sort of stuff. Are there any other outreach mechanisms that y'all can think of that we haven't discussed at this time that you think would be like a good outreach strategy?
>> Flyers home. >> Flyers home. Flyers home. >> School newsletter. Uh, superintendent blast. >> Yeah, I was thinking that those were sort of included in the like formal and using the administrative mechanism
bundle. Um, >> for the reach out, what are we going to do? Just send them Are we going to have like a pre-drafted letter to send out >> or just send this link or >> I mean, we have the actual text of like an invitation to participate that I
think we can print out >> and it includes the link to the form, which is the other link. And we could we could in we could modify it to include the link to the web page itself which includes all the other links in case they lose the form or in case they want
to recycle the form or use the backside as a coloring page. I don't know. >> I just know that a lot of the principal's newsletters went home yesterday >> like via email um for the first of the month. >> Yeah.
So it might not be included in a newsletter. It would probably be like a separate thing. >> And then there's a summer eats kickoff, too. >> That today. >> What? >> That's the 24th. Yeah.
>> Great. Okay. Um, all right. So, I think flyers home for sure. And maybe maybe having it as a separate thing will be nice. I don't know. Kenzie, is it usually more attention
grabbing if it doesn't come with the newsletter or is it annoying or >> So Newton has not been doing a monthly newsletter which I absolutely love. Sometimes I feel like we get bombarded with a lot of stuff in the newsletter
and then I forget half of it. M >> um so I kind of do like things sub separately or um Newton's been doing like bullet points for the month which has been super helpful like this is happening on this day, this is happening on this day, you know, very like directly.
>> Um >> but I think a separate email is like perfectly fine. I would have it sent out through the superintendent's office personally and not use each of our admin assistants as they're kind of at the end.
>> Mhm. you know, I mean, they're at the end and then it would come from the superintendent's office, which we don't get a lot of emails from the superintendent's office. >> Okay. >> I think I've gotten maybe
two, maybe three this entire year from the superintendent's office, if that. So, I think if it comes from there, it's going to be more of an attention grabber. >> Okay. And it would also take the pressure off
each individual building. >> That makes sense. >> Format it with some cute artwork from the students. That's what Pioneer Valley Regional said that if you want to have a community engagement and get parents attention,
every single thing that we send out should have cute artwork from the students. >> I'm not kidding you. The superintendent a whole folder. She goes around and gets like she scans artwork from the teachers and then when she has to send out an email or like get parents attention,
it's on all of her slides and all of her missives. >> Honestly, we should give this as a pro tip to Carol when she gets here. I'm sure she >> the community engagement skyrocketed. So >> amazing. Okay. >> I mean, I know that the art teacher that
does Federal Street in Newton, she's like super helpful for a lot of stuff we do at Newton. So, and I'm sure the middle school I'm sure all the art teachers would love to have art featured. >> Yeah. All their wonderful art of
buildings, castles, and playgrounds. >> Yeah, we could ask them to draw their school. That would be really cool. >> Absolutely. >> That's how you get parents involved. >> All right. We're like 10 like eight 10 12 days away from the end of this. though.
>> Well, like it can be we have like a whole year to do some stuff and like I don't want to say that that's plent like I think that it is still a packed schedule and it makes every meeting important between now and then. It's less than a full year, but I do think
it's doable. Um, but it does mean that we have time to develop ideas like these and I think actually accomplish them. So, that's fun. I just wanted to be like I hope we're not expecting this by June 17th. Okay. >> Absolutely not.
>> But it is a good idea. Um >> it's a long-term dream for all of our communications. >> I think it's I don't think it's not realistic to be honest with you. >> Oh yeah. like it. >> I mean, I think we have amazing art teachers in all of our buildings and I
think many of them would feel honored if we or the superintendent asked them to upload artwork, you know. >> Yeah. I think it's just a matter of creating the like system of shared Google Drives where okay, take the picture, upload the picture. Now I have the picture, I can put it in the thing.
Um, and that kind of >> I mean, I'm happy to go around my house and take pictures for you if needed cuz my kids artwork remains up. Okay. MJ has a reset from like third grade. That's amazing. >> Beautiful. We love to see it.
Um, okay. Any other So, we've got now flyers home. We've added any other mechanisms that we're not thinking about. And are there ones that we'd prioritize? Like I think flyers prioritize. How do we think we can best connect with
students that we would want because we saved two spots for them? >> Probably through student council, but also that's coming to an end. Like >> I mean, what do we have? Student
council. We have NHS. I think we have some like Spanish and French clubs. Like there's a bunch of >> There's like the sustainability club. >> Yeah. I think the same concept. send out that giant email and send home flyers with everyone. It's gonna go everywhere.
I mean, we're not just sending flyers home to prek through seven. I would just I would >> hope we would be sending home prek to 12. >> Yeah, absolutely. And we could put on there, you know, like Elizabeth was saying, um, wanted, you know, looking for students,
looking for parents, looking for community members. You know, >> maybe your grandparent is invested and interested. You know, >> eventually when we have our policy jib fully implemented with student representation,
>> the pathway to these kinds of things will be really easy because they'll be um sketched out and part of our handbook and in our policy. So, we'll be able to do this kind of outreach uh more easily. So any ideas that we have about how to do it, I feel like
sort of should also >> um come to policy as we develop uh JIB more fully. >> Yeah, because I Yeah, we can talk about it more when it's uh when it's time to talk
about that. But that's a good a good point. >> Just keeping all of our ideas in, you know, individual baskets so we don't lose them. Are we um one thing we do for which works really well is we do like a Canva flyer
>> and then we all have access to it like the three of us would have access to it and then we all would go in and kind of make sure we didn't miss anything and then it looked good and there was a QR code on it. Is that the route we were going for a flyer home?
I think it's a route that we can go for a flyer home. >> Okay. >> I think that it might be if we if we went through like Becky or our communications team, it might be a minute before we got it back or we can
try to mock one up like todayish. And if we have the completed file, then I might be able to even go home like this week. Does that make sense? >> If I could get my computer to turn on, I would totally
volunteer to start one up. Um, I can like draft one up if you guys want me to. I know that if I did it, it would be inefficient. If some if there is someone who is used to doing them well uh often, I would
encourage them to start it. But if your computer is not working, >> I I can totally start it on my phone, but I would I always love to have multiple eyes on things because >> you know, we all see things a little differently and like I'm just thinking like, oh, I said students, but then I
forgot to say staff, you know, like >> um and always a reminder usually things go home in uh the gray shade. >> So then it's always making it look good to go home in gray, >> but it's manageable. I mean, would you want it on half sheets or whole sheets?
>> It would probably just based on the amount of information need to be a whole sheet. >> Yep. >> And spaced. >> Is there any graphics that either of you were thinking you would want on it besides buildings and kid artwork? >> I'm just so thankful that you're willing to give it a shot. I'm about to jump
into end of the year, ninth grade, everything. So, I have like no time to do to do this. >> Yeah, I really appreciate it. >> I'm >> I mean, my child's walking right now over to the high school today in the sprinkling weather, so I I feel you on the end of the year stuff, but >> yeah.
>> Um, a lot of the stuff for PTO is wrapping up thankfully. And this uh making a flyer is really not a heavy lift. And if I share it with you guys, I just want you to look it over and make sure everything looks good. And um I might have to share it with Becky to get
it translated into Spanish. So one side would be English, one side would be Spanish. >> That sounds great. >> Much I will look at the website list, your website, and try to pull info off of that.
>> Absolutely. Thank you. Um, all right. Well, that's much appreciated. Um, and yeah, if you share it if you share it with me, I can definitely like take a look at it quickly and help find
what what is either missing or needed or like help give it an eye over. Um, but thank you for getting us started. All right. Any other topics that folks would like to discuss? or a raise for next time.
>> No, but could you go over the timeline again? So, letters are going out. When have they when are we doing the vote? We're still on track for July with the >> We're still on track for July because >> um and thank you for bringing it up because you're reminding me that in our
last meeting it was a little confusing where our dates ended up. So, just to be clear, we are going to send out these uh flyers as soon as we have them ready to go. Um, ideally sometime this week. Oh, no, Kenzie is gone. Um,
>> hopefully we'll be back soon. But those people will have until the 22nd to complete the interest form. So, that gives like 3 weeks. Think about it. Look at your calendar. Imagine your future. Imagine yourself dedicating hours of
your month and of your brain. Um you know you people out there. Uh so um do the interest form by the 22nd and then we will meet again on the 29th because this is one of those double duty
long months and that's when we will review the people who completed the interest form. we will uh sort of pick pick down to the numbers that we had set for ourselves about the size of the committee uh make
sure we have the sort of representation to the different bodies that we would like uh present there um etc etc and then we will confirm with those people over the course of the next week after that and then ready by
believe July 8th is the committee meeting that we're aiming to have these folks sworn in Okay, >> sounds good. >> Yeah, so that is the timeline. Um, welcome back.
>> Sorry. >> All good. Um, long story short, interest forms due the 22nd. We meet and decide on the 29th. Uh, that will be the birthday. And then
um we will call people, confirm, make sure that they are still interested and available at that time and then forward those nominations to the full school committee for a vote on the 8th of July. So that's the timeline and the cliff's
notes. Uh thank you for asking for that. Um, Elizabeth, are there any other items that people would like to raise for next time or other things that you think would be like helpful information?
>> I can't think of any. >> Great. Seeing none, I'm going to move to adjurnn. Do I have a second? >> So moved. Second. second. >> Thank you. Uh, >> you moved it. >> Yeah, I'm going to try experimenting
with doing that. I think it'll shave even a few seconds left. >> Any seconds we can gain. >> All right. Uh, so it's been motioned by myself. It has been seconded by member Deniv. Um, all in favor or member Den? >> Yes.
>> I'm a yes. Member Webb. >> Yes. >> Great. We are adjourned at 10:32. Thank you all for this meeting. I think that we kept it short and sweet. >> I >> Stacey, how many days do I have left to send in motions for the full committee?
>> Tomorrow. >> I Yes. End of the day tomorrow. >> Okay. >> Is that cool? Is that going to give you enough time? >> No. Yeah, that's fine. I just couldn't remember if it was today or if I had until tomorrow. >> Nope. Yep. Wednesday. >> Okay. >> Um All right. Thank you. >> All right. Thanks. Bye. I'm going to
stop the recording.