Okay. Good evening. Uh, I call to order the meeting of the Hamilton Regional School Committee on Thursday, May 21st, 2026 at 7 PM and like to remind everyone that this meeting is being recorded and livereamed
on HWC. Um, first order of business is an opportunity for citizens comments. Um, we'll have an opportunity both um in person and on Zoom. Uh Eric, do we have
anybody that's on Zoom? >> We do not. >> Not yet. >> Nobody yet. >> Um so citizens comments are an opportunity for um any citizen who wishes to speak before the committee to um come and offer their thoughts. Um if
you do want to offer a comment, I ask you to please um identify yourself and please spell your last name so that we can get it correct for the minutes. Um I ask uh speakers to um keep your comments to three minutes. We will um have a
timer. Amy, are you willing to be the timer? Um and Amy will let you know when you have about 30 seconds left so that you can wrap up your comments by 3 minutes. Um please know that the opportunities to citizens comments is an opportunity for us, the committee, um to
listen. Um it's your opportunity to be heard and for our for us to listen. It's not a back and forth conversation. It's um your chance to be heard. Okay. That being said, if there's anyone in the room who'd like to offer a citizen comment, I'd ask you to please approach
the podium. >> Okay. Is there anyone on Zoom? >> No. >> Okay. >> Seeing none, we will close the Zoom and close citizens comments. Um, next up we have a review of our a
portion of our protocols. I think is that Julia? Do you have some of that? >> As elected members of the Hamilton WM Regional School Committee, we including the superintendent accept the high honor and trust that has been placed in us to ensure that the students of the district
receive the best education possible. To that end, we hereby commit to the following in the conduct of our business. A school committee meeting is a business meeting that is held in public, not a public meeting. The committee will make every effort to
ensure meetings are effective and efficient. >> Thank you. >> All right, I'm going to just do this because I think I put this over here. Oh, sure. Okay. >> Um, I wouldn't have remembered which one it was otherwise. Um, and now a portion
of the school committee mission statement. Kristen, >> the Hamilton Regional School District School Committee's mission is to ensure our schools create graduates with a passion for lifelong learning together with the critical skills needed to maximize their potential. The Hamilton
Winnham Regional School Committee will lead and inspire a district that supports and guides the superintendent to execute and achieve the approved 2025 2026 district goals. >> Thank you.
Um okay, next is to Eric for our superintendence report. >> Great. Thank you. Uh a lot going on as usual. This is uh the final week for seniors really. They're taking their final exams and wrapping up any overdue
coursework uh things like that. Uh tonight they are probably right now at the cruiseport for their prom. >> Uh they got a great night for it. Great night for pictures and things. So that's that's nice. Uh last night was our scholarship night. Um, another great
event where our community really comes out for the kids, gives uh lots of scholarships and varying amounts for various things. Some of them are uh specific to families and others are are for uh school specific schools that kids go to. So, it's a it's a good
opportunity um to connect the the kids with the community. And then next week it is uh Tuesday is one of the more fun days I think where seniors helping seniors, our seniors uh who are graduating all head out into the community to help our senior citizens
for the day. And there are all kinds of things like raking and mulching and weeding and one point last year I think somebody was putting an air conditioner in for somebody. Um so lots of lots of good connections there. And then later on in the week, our annual uh
candlelight which is on Thursday evening and always a great event. If you get a chance to come, please come. Uh the candle light ceremony is probably one of the more impressive uh things that happens through the year and it's a really nice culminating event where there are a number of speech speeches by
uh class officers and the candlelight speaker who gets chosen uh based on a submission earlier in the year and then there's a a faculty candlelight speaker as well. Uh so that'll be fun and then Saturday we kick it off on the field with graduation at 10:00 a.m. Um I saw
the field setup. It's going to be it's going to be fun. First time on the new fields for graduation. We're praying for 70 and sunny and keep it uh that let's keep it that easy. So, lots going on. This is a this is a big couple of weeks uh for seniors and their families and
our staff. So, we're looking forward to uh after that we got a few days countdown. >> Thank you. People have questions for the superintendent. Great. Thank you. Um, next up, uh, we
have our student representative, Anderson Craft, um, to give us some updates on things going on in the district. >> Uh, uh, thank you. So, um, over the last month, many students across the high school have spent time taking the AP and MCCAST exams. These exams have been spread out across the month and have
shown the improvements in learning that students have made. Uh the seniors wrapped up their last full day of school on May 13th where they had a class cookout followed by the annual class walk around the middle and high school. And then after a long month of exams, the seniors and juniors were able to relax tonight with the prom at the crew
in Gloucester. Uh spring sports wrapped up at the beginning of the week with playoff brackets coming out in the next few days. And then finally, re-elections for the student council will begin in early June for next year's members. And then in the middle school, so far this week, eighth graders have been on the yearly class trip to DC. In DC, they
will be able to see some of the topics that they've learned in civics class in person. Uh, Tuesday, May 12th, was the MRMS concert for band and chorus taking place in the high school auditorium. And then along with the high schoolers that have been taking MCCAST, both the middle and elementary school students have been working hard to complete their MCAST
over the past month. And then in for the elementary school during the past week both the Winthrop and Cutler third graders third grade students have taken their field trips to the Winter Museum on Monday and Friday respective respectively. And then last month last Monday night the Winthrop band and chorus members had their
concert in the winup cafeteria. And then finally next Friday the Cutler fifth graders will have their yearly talent show. Thank you. >> Excellent. Thank you. All right. Does anyone have any questions for Anderson? >> Thank you.
Nope. >> Um, >> thank you. >> Thank you so much um for doing the work to compile that and let us know not just about the high school but also give us a little glimpse into the other schools. It's really helpful to hear it from a student perspective and thank you for doing that.
>> Um, we appreciate it. Um, >> yeah, I was gonna say you are welcome to stay, but we also know you probably have other things to do and and >> and Dave's worried about your computer.
>> All right. >> Thank you for having me. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Much appreciate it. >> Okay. Um, next up we have the consent agenda. Um, this is typically composed of items
that we anticipate will be um, non-controversial. Um, does anyone have any items that they'd like to hold from the consent agenda? I do. Just to be difficult, I'm holding the minutes from May 7th.
Um, all right. So, um, Tom, >> can you can we can you offer a motion on the consent agenda? Um, without that without the minutes from May 7th. >> Yes. I motion to approve the warrants
listed on the consent agenda to be approved and the minutes to be held off. >> Second. >> Okay. All right. We We got a motion in a second. There's actually more to the consent agenda, but we will
>> That's okay. It's a learning experience. We'll do >> Oh, doublesided today. Ah, okay. No worries. Usually usually just say I move to accept the consent agenda as presented >> minus the minutes. >> With the exception the minute. You >> want to review that motion? >> Easier. >> Yeah. Okay. >> I resend my second.
>> Yeah. There you go. It takes >> some This is why like it's trial by fire. >> The double-sided threw me off. >> It throws you off. Yeah. All right. So, give it a shot. So, I just I move that to that we accept the consent agenda. Go ahead. >> I move that we accept the consent agenda as outlined minus the minutes.
>> Second. >> Second by Amy Kunberger. Um, all right. So, there's no discussion. All those in favor? That is unanimous of the six members present and the motion passes. Um, I held the minutes from May 7th. Um,
because I would like people's recollection, but if you, um, look at the minutes, it um, sorry, I'm pulling it up on the part where we got the presentation about the trip.
Where is that? >> Bottom of page two, top of page three. >> Yes. Um Regina Regina O'Neal was here, but she did not actually give the presentation. It was um Stacy Pawson gave >> the presentation.
>> Great pickup. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, Regina was here. She was >> Yep. Just not presenting. So, um >> her name's there twice, but >> um All right. So, is there any other discussion about that? All right.
Anybody willing to make a motion? >> I can do it. >> I I move that we amend the minutes from May 7th, 2026 to state the proper person has presented >> Stacy Pawson
>> that Stacy Pawson gave the presentation. >> Second. >> Second by Amy Kberger. Um, is there any further discussion? All those in favor? That is unanimous of the six members present. And the motion passes.
>> Nice job, Eagle Eyes. >> Thank you. I've I I've certainly missed plenty of things, including one time someone noticed that my my name was spelled wrong and I didn't notice it. So, you know. Um, okay. Um,
I think next next up we have an opportunity um for a presentation from the Doh's um bus Dohy's garage, excuse me, bus transportation. >> Welcome. >> Thank you. >> Even everyone. Mike Calendarer,
president, general manager of Doh's Garage. We also have Ann Jackman here, a Hamilton resident and bus driver for bus 4. >> Um, I'm just going to make sure everyone can hear you. >> Sure. Let me uh adjust the microphone. >> Yes. Yeah, there's there's two factors like whether we can hear you in the room
and then whether the recording can hear you. So, >> perfect. Thank you. >> Uh I think uh we've got a bit of a presentation there. You can see uh it was quite a winter. The electric buses did just fine, but there's a picture during one of the the storms. Um we've got a brief agenda here. Just a broad
update. Just kind of want to share how things are going and then uh Q&A for any questions you may have on your mind at the end. Um just jumping in to kind of at a glance, you know, thank you for the opportunity. It was just about a year ago this committee voted to award us um
a contract uh based on electrification on an 8 plus 2-year term. It was quite ambitious. I know there was a lot of risks. Um we had about 60 days to execute, but with the partnership with the school, the incredible folks um that came over to Dohys and the uh the team we've built, we've we've been quite
successful, we think. Um so an overview 12 elementary routes 14 uh high school and middle routes two uh in district special education routes uh two late runs every day except for Monday and Friday and to date we've completed about
240 charter trips mostly athletics but also field trips. So very busy busy district here. a couple metrics. We were able to get 15 of the 17 electric buses deployed uh this year, which was way ahead of schedule. We'll get into a
little bit to that later. Uh with those electric buses, we've driven over 100,000 miles so far, and displaced uh over 500,000 pounds of CO2, which is just cool. And also have not missed any charters or roots this year. We uh hope
to continue doing so with that performance. We'll jump uh to the next slide. The electric bus performance. We've deployed all of the big buses, the large buses. Uh this was through some creative procurement through our providers, the Vivo Bus Sales,
International Bus, as well as Highland Electric. It's a Beverly based um organization. Basically found stranded units that were Massachusetts spec from another school district and were able to get them here before school start 14 and the 15. The other one came in a couple months later.
So, we're fully staffed. Big bus plus bus plus bus plus bus plus bus plus bus plus bus plus bus plus bus plus bus plus buses there. Uh the two electric mini buses for the ind district special ed are something of a special order. They'll have wheelchair tie downs, air conditioning. Uh so we're expecting those mid next week. That's
still a little bit fluid. >> I'm going to just interrupt you for one second. You got some some uh excuse me, we got a lot of static going. >> All right. Uh, can we trade out for this mic here? >> Can we do that?
>> Jen's mic. >> Yeah. Let's see if we can do that. >> I don't know if you're gonna be able to pull it that far. >> I don't know if that will pull. You don't think that will go that far? >> Tapes down. >> Oh, yeah. No. >> You got it. >> I thought it was going to >> I don't think it's Yeah. I was
misunderstanding the cord there and thought we would be able to extension. This one is connected to so >> still. >> Will it reach? >> Let's figure it out. >> Yeah, you got you got plenty here. >> Oh, yeah. >> There we go. >> We'll get it.
>> Okay. >> Sorry. >> Thank you. >> Testing. No static. >> Excellent. >> All right. Thank you. Uh just a couple points of feedback and lessons learned from our first uh year with the electric buses. The performance and reliability
has been amazing honestly. Uh we over procure diesel buses expecting a lot more issues and we honestly had more issues with the new generation of diesel buses this year which was extremely counter counterintuitive and um unexpected. Uh we are using them mostly
for routes but a fair amount of charters. Basically anything in Capean League, we feel comfortable at this point putting electric buses on those charters regularly going up to Newbury Port, Amesbury and back with um with no performance issues. Um Bill Walsh, the bus 12 uh driver, did want to uh put his
claim to fame on here. He did 106 miles on a single charge the other day with AM PM and a midday between and he still had 33% fuel remaining. I I will say during the uh the winter that that range does decrease substantially due to the the onboard heat. Um so we were pretty
diligent about charging those between routes, making sure um we always had more than enough power to to get those um the students back and forth. Um pretty good in the snow and ice. Honestly, they're a little bit heavier. The weight distribution is very low and
the torque on the the EVs is is pretty good. Ann's got some stories for you if uh if you're interested. Um with that, we can jump to the next slide on what we think is making this uh successful operation. Really a strong partnership coupled with an amazing uh team. We've
assembled the dispatch manager. Mike Powers works in the operations office next door and Christine Breeze is the uh the terminal manager down at the depot. working very well together to keep everyone online and u communication going back and forth with the district.
Um but the strong partnership from the district's been been incredible. Um you know early on I say the first couple weeks we were really getting our feet under us with the transfer routes, adjusting the routes and making some pretty significant tweaks that I think
are making the system a lot better. Stuff as easy as shifting which buses are going to which transfer schools has really streamlined it. We still have some hiccups here and there, but by and large the uh the afternoon um elementary transfers are going quite well. We've also implemented some unique uh
solutions like a dedicated shuttle for the wreck department on early release days cuz those those days they swap the tiers. So, um, elementary goes first and, you know, it's always a little chaotic and any way we can find to alleviate and create capacity in that
system, um, we've been happy to do. Uh, I want to highlight the responsiveness from the the principles and the admin. I can't understate how important it is for the drivers and the safety of the students for when there are student behavioral issues to have them taken seriously and addressed. And the team at
Hamilton went incredible. Um, it really improves our reputation in the bus industry and it makes it easy to attract and retain drivers because they feel heard and they understand that the school is is really working with everybody to create the best possible environment. Uh, shout out to the athletic
department. It's a very busy schedule, also very competitive teams with the generals are, uh, we have been working with them to find creative solutions to meet overlapping very complex trips. sometimes doing five trips at 2:30 and 3 pm when routts are going. So, it's been
a very collaborative effort there to make sure our student athletes are getting where they need to be. Uh, two more shout outs. The police departments have been incredible. We had a pretty serious trend of stop arm violations early on in the year and the Hamilton and the WM PDs
put details behind our buses for weeks at a time, got the word out and those have really decreased. Um, and and really appreciate their their support in making this safe. Um, and also the DPW during the crazy winter, they were out there moving snow banks so that the uh
the bus stops could be clear and safe and visibility um for the for the students and the drivers as well. Uh last slide, just a couple key initiatives we're working on with uh Jen and Curtis over um the spring season and summer going into next year. We are
implementing helping implement bus registrations. This will give us better insight when routing this summer of who actually wants to take the bus. In the past, we've kind of just assumed everyone's going to take the bus and then you figure it out over the first couple weeks and trim those numbers down. We think this will be a lot more
efficient and I know Jen's doing a great job communicating with the community and of course we'll be working uh collaboratively to make sure we're not accidentally cutting off service to folks. Um and and everyone's still getting a ride. Uh we are also working on a parent app now that the power
schools integration is I believe complete. Um our routing software can create a uh system where parents can get notifications of when the bus is and then we can also send communications. Hey, a bus is late or even, you know, emergency type of uh communications at
that point. Um, last piece is we are running a stop arm camera pilot. We have three buses with them now. Uh, and we're starting to collect that data to see what needs to happen and if it can justify a more a broader investment for
the fleet. U, but we're we're pretty optimistic that these will help deter by keeping the violators accountable. That's the end of uh presentation. We'd love to take any questions and you know take it wherever you guys want.
>> Thank you very much. I appreciate coming. Thank you. People have questions. >> I don't think we've ever had a presentation. >> I I don't know if you remember, but when we when we voted um on this, we I think
we as a committee asked um to have some followup. And so I really appreciate you coming and giving that followup so that we could understand how it went. It was like you said it was a new um venture for us and so it was really good to have
that followup and to hear how things was. I appreciate that. Can I and I remember that actually don't remember whether it was you but people were here from Doherties on that evening. Um when we were voting on that, you know, um so
it was a good discussion at that time and good that you're willing to come back. Um anybody else? Yeah. And yeah, >> I just want to publicly thank Mike and his team. Um, super responsive anytime, any place. Text, email, whatever. We
reach out, boom, we get a response. Um, the opportunities to improve just consistently keep coming. He's always looking for ways. The team's always looking for ways. How can we improve? How can we make it better? Asking questions. uh he has he
been working with us even on emergency evacuation trying to figure out in this community the best way for us all to communicate uh consistently without walking over any you know police fire EMS or anything like that. So we've been going back and forth on systems for that
how to you know transition kids where to transitions to uh kids to during an emergency how those things work. So, it it has been uh I will tell you I had heart palpitations back when we put this on the line because it was uh a gamble
in this area. Not not a lot of exposure for electric buses. Um never mind the fact trying to get everything ramped up. So, Dohert's pulled it off. Uh I congratulate you for that, but also thank you for helping my heart palpitations. Um but it's been great.
Everybody I talk to is like this is great. You know, it's it's amazing. Athletics has never had no issues with buses in the entire time I've been here. Knock on wood. But it's it's um it's the responsiveness and the opportunity to
always have we have Mike Powers with us every day, all day. He communicates directly with both Curtis and Jen, so there's there's a good uh connection. So, keeping keeping communication channels wide open and um really doing the best we can to find improvements. I I I appreciate that and I want to thank
you and your company for that. Um it's made a big difference and it's a huge difference from last year. So thank you. >> Oh, thank you all. You took a calculated risk on electric buses and us and um we appreciate I just want to thank uh all the Doh's team, especially the bus
drivers like Ann here who are here every uh every school day and snow days honestly to make this all work. So thank you all. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Um Oh, >> actually, can we uh >> Absolutely. Step right up.
>> I'm an Jackman and I drove a school bus for Lamson when my daughter was small 43 years ago. Um, and I can't say enough about Dohys. They're just like Lamson's. They're right on the ball. If you have
an issue, it's addressed immediately. I drove for Salter for four years before Dherty took over and I was in shock about how we were treated, the the way that the um
the maintenance of the vehicles were. It was really atrocious. I really felt that it at some points it was not safe. So, I really applaud you for taking on this
with um my tax money and um I do really really like working for Dies. Of course, it's in my town and I wasn't intending on working after
retiring, but this is a lot of fun and I like it. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. Um, >> I just have to also say I haven't heard Lamson's bus line so long. That was the bus that I took when I was a kid. So, >> I thought the same thing. I was like,
>> "Wow, that's been a while." >> Remember it was one bus that we got the special bus and had headphones on it. It was like the coolest thing ever. >> Very cool. >> So funny. >> Um, thank you all. Um, so I actually I do just want to say just sort of to the
committee I um I this is a good example of something that it was it was not a unanimous vote. I myself was um very concerned about the level of risk that Eric just talked about and I've talked
that this is what you want when you when the committee as a whole makes the decision. Even if you're the one that's skeptical about it, this is what you want. you want everyone to come together and you want it to be a success and this is um so it was a risk. I'm glad that my
committee members took that risk and we joined and it worked out. So thank you and thank you for coming back because that really was important. I know when we made that decision it was important to hear the followup. So thank you. Um and we appreciate the personal touch. >> Thank you for great. >> Thank you for driving the kids. I don't
think I could do it. >> Well some days I think maybe I should Okay. All right. Anybody else have anything or we're >> good? >> All right. Thank you. >> Um All right. Next up, we have um I'm
hoping that all of you will open your calendars and look at this list and we can um >> write all these dates in your calendar. >> All these dates. So, my hope is that people already had a chance to look through this. Um, but even if you
didn't, I'm going to just highlight a couple of things for you. So, first, let's just start. Did anyone have Actually, I think we should probably start with a motion under a motion. Um, Tom,
>> you want a motion to approve? >> Yeah. >> The the meeting scheduled for 2627. Correct. >> Yes. Uh, I move to approve the school committee meeting schedule for 2026 2027 year. >> Second.
>> Second by Kristen Nune. Um, so does anyone have anything right off the bat, any date that they felt just was a conflict or a problem that they knew about already? And then we'll talk about a few things that are on here.
My only question was, is the Tuesday January 5th date meant to be a Tuesday? It is. So, so no. Okay. So, no. Great. So, that is that's the first thing that I'm going to Well, first thing we talked last meeting about the August 10th workshop. So, everyone should probably
already have that on your calendars. Um, and then absolutely any other date that you want to shout out. I'm going to shout out a couple of things here for you to notice, but anything else we can talk about. So, Tuesday, January 5th is
a Tuesday. Um, >> it's not a typo. >> It's not a typo. It is a Tuesday and that is because of the timing for the budget vote. I'm sure when how many days out we need to be from town meeting
which we have estimated to be we're assuming on this that town meeting is going to be on April 3rd. That is not >> set in stone. Correct. So I don't know if you want to say more about that. >> It's not set in stone. It's usually the first Saturday.
>> Typically that's when it is. We have to have a little flexibility in the schedule in case >> it gets wound back like when say does it on the Thursday before we need to still meet the uh regional agreement >> right so that's why that is a Tuesday
um and then the second or the next thing I wanted to highlight is that the February 4th meeting and Vinnie tell me if I'm make sure that I'm getting this right but the February 4th meeting. The hope is that
that meeting is when we would vote the budget and then as people who've been on the committee be before know, we've often had an extra meeting date that is labeled like if needed or in case. But in this case, we actually just have our
regular meeting is the next week. So if for some reason the budget didn't pass this committee and needed something else to occur, it would occur on February 11th. >> That's correct. That's the final possible date that we could vote on a budget. >> We usually do an off week vote.
>> We usually just >> right the way there's two weekend two in a row u two in a row there um and then we have school vacation. >> Um >> the question >> yep >> do we also anticipate that we will have
more of those like quintuple board meetings like woven into this? >> Okay. >> Yes. And I don't think we have dates for those yet. having cuz if you remember last year we talked about changing it uh by a week or so. So I want to confirm with the towns. >> Yeah. >> Um but we typically have two of those.
One would be in the fall and then one would be in between that January 5th date and the February 4th date. >> Correct. >> Okay. Um so um then the next thing is
uh oh I guess just I have just a note that in April if you see the April I don't know that this is really anything. It's just something I just keeping in mind that this is all if you're looking at your calendar we're anticipating that town
meeting would be on April 3rd. So we have a meeting on the 1st, then Tom means any on the 3rd. Elections would be on the 8th and then the next meeting would be the 15th would have new members on the 15th. >> Any of that matters. It just something I
was just and that's all dependent upon the town's telling us exactly when town meeting is. So some of that could be get changed I guess if but hopefully that will be. >> Yeah, we have no ver we tried. They have not verified the town meetings yet. I I
the one thing I would say is the most potential is that hypothetically if WHOM I think they did attend meeting on Thursday evening. So that would conflict with our April 1 meeting. We would need to adjust um >> if that were to occur. Um all right.
Anybody else have any other questions? We really looked at it in terms of I don't think it hit any holidays. >> Um great. >> All right. I think it looks good. >> Look like we're ready to vote. Okay. Um
so the motion is uh on the table is to keep these dates as presented. >> All right. All those in favor is unanimous of the six members present and the motion passes. All right. Thank you for all that Vinnie and Eric
for >> fighting with all that. Um all right. Um, next up, uh, oh, the facilities study to you, Eric.
>> Okie do. >> Thank you. Um, as you all probably remember, we have been trying to move forward from the community conversations into some development of action plan. We've taken the feedback from the
community conversations, taken any feedback from um outside groups uh that that came. There was over 100 people between the two. Uh sat down with Vinnie, myself, and Curtis who's here
tonight. um to talk about uh the the development of the RFP that would be used to uh develop a study create you know request a study of all six buildings. Um and the way we've we've
drafted it out in five different levels. Um, so basically the RFP would say we're looking for an architect designer who can go into each of our buildings and give us uh broadspectctrum pricing based
on five different levels which gives us uh 30 options for the six buildings. I'm talking about central office as well. So these levels will be used to uh develop
some type of plan moving forward with the community to say okay where's the pressure point where what what is okay with the community financially how will this work so for example I'll use the Buer next door as an example and we're going to get five different pricing
options for the Buer school. First one would be just general repairs and safety. What would that cost? The second one would be ADA compliance. What would that cost? Um, and then that would include level one. So now level one and two get combined. Level three system
upgrades and replacement. This is HVAC, plumbing, electrical, all the bigger systems. Uh level four would be what what does renovation addition look like if that's a needed entity. And then level five full replacement. So we would do that for each of the buildings and
then ultimately take that information and bring that forward to the communities to help determine where um the acceptable level is for for moving forward with any whatever type of project we're we're leaning into. if it's, you know, okay, we're going to
start with just doing general repairs, safety, and I'll suggest ADA compliance for all the buildings. And that's where, you know, if in these conversations and uh surveys we'll do when we get this information, we'll we'll put surveys out and just try to get a feel for where people are so that we can bring
something forward to town meeting to have people give us the vote right at town meeting on the floor and we know which way to go, which way to go forward. Um, also in the RFP process, we want to have a 15 to 20 year master of planning document that will help
coordinate that these the all these 30 different price points across uh a 20-year span. It's it's something really outside of the scope of what Curtis does on day-to-day basis. He's he's doing the more uh kind of in-your-face short
scale. This would allow us to uh have a plan, integrate it with the towns, help them uh to see all of what we have on the table coming forward. And essentially the the the worksp spec here
is a draft worksp spec that um Curtis and Vinnie have been working on to uh include in the RFP and I wanted to just put it in front of all of you and get any feedback uh thoughts about this direction moving forward. And again, um
I would probably do the same thing in the communities. Just put it out in the communities like here's what we're thinking. Are we in the right direction? And then uh get something ready for uh either town meeting in the in well I know there's one in the fall. I don't know about the second or we wait till
April. So we we'll have to just determine what what the you know what the next timeline would be to put something uh on a town meeting. That request at town meeting would be for to pay for the study and those studies range depending on what you ask for.
We're asking for fairly sizable um look at our schools and in-depth look at the schools. So they run between 200 and $500,000. We have a number of u studies from local schools that are within that range, a couple hundred
thousand to you can limit it. You can there's all kinds of things you can do. Um, but I just want to make sure that we get as much information as possible so that we can continue to share it with the with the public. So, this document attached to the memo is really the the base draft for the work specification.
The work specification is what tells the designer or architect what we're looking for. When they create their uh proposal, they use the workspec to develop their proposal and then uh submit the proposal. We look at all the proposals,
determine who met the specs, but also who met the there are other requirements that are standard in many of our contracts, and then uh go forward with someone and develop a timeline for getting all this information complete. So, I just wanted to put that out there
to say here's kind of the direction we figured out from the feedback that we've gotten from the community, from the public, from meetings here. And then um and certainly you don't have to review it all tonight, but uh we are looking for feedback from the committee to be
able to say, "Okay, yeah, this looks like a good direction or have you thought about or maybe think about this." So just just wanted to put it out there, put it out in public so people can at least get a little taste of it. Um we haven't moved forward, we're not moving forward with anything yet. This is really all draft documentation and um
you know we we continue to review it and tweak it a little bit as we learn a little bit more about different things. Um as as Curtis is experiencing right now, everything you think was going to make it to the end of the year may not. So there's a lot of uh a lot of things
crashing earlier than we thought. So >> um All right. Do people have questions or comments? >> I just have one question. and just want to make sure I understand that the sort of the timing of when major funds would be spent on this would
not be until arguably after a fall town meeting when people vote to appropriate funds for the study. So, we're just getting estimates for the study at this point. >> So, we we are going to put out uh a request for proposals. That request for
proposal generally people put a limit on it, you know, not to exceed x number of dollars. Not always, but I think that's a it's a kind of a wise thing to do. >> Um, >> that request for a proposal would not go out until we were able to appropriate
funding at a town meeting. So, we'd go to town meeting, say, "This is what we want to do. Here's the proposal. This is how much it's going to cost." They would approve it. Now, that's one option. The second option is we would lean into our capital stabilization funds and just pay
for it. >> Doesn't have to go to town meeting. it would get voted here at a public meeting and just I'll just use a number 300,000. You have that money in the in the account. You could say yes, let's get this RFP going uh using the monies that
we have available. The beauty of that is it speeds up the process um dramatically >> because I think I think in this case we we may have to sit on this until April town meeting. >> Mhm. um just given the fact that we just went to town meeting and asked for an
override and a debt exclusion and I think that's a a prudent move in in the big scheme of things. But I think this answers the all the questions that came up during the process of the community conversations >> and Winnham does not always have a fall town meeting. I mean Hamilton more often
does. So >> you know that doesn't help >> speed things up. So >> I have a comment and a question. >> Yep. >> Yep. >> Or just something to think about. Uh my comment is I feel like the tiers make
sense in order given what I know about facilities improvements now. Um just as far as our concerns about kind of that domino effect of you know triggering upgrades due to spend. So I think this is really smart plan. Um, and then my
kind of thing to talk about or thing to keep in mind is when we choose a consultant, how do we ensure like neutrality and trust just given all the conversations we've had about this topic? That's maybe rhetorical, but just something to think about.
>> No, that's an important question. I think the the neutrality and trust piece comes from the the group itself coming >> forward and and really connecting with the community. Part of the RFP is you need to connect with the community. You need to be out there. You need to talk
to to the community. >> You're going to need to present to the community. >> Okay. >> Um I think that's that's a key piece to it. Some sometimes >> school districts will just do a study. They'll just have a group come in, do a study, here's the answers. Um this would be something more of these are the
things we we've outlined and we started talking about that. we what we wanted to have them present publicly >> um present at a school committee meeting present at an outside event. So open up the doors that way I think is helpful. Good.
>> Um and then it's a it is a reputation thing. I mean that a lot of the the bigger companies have a pretty strong reputation. The the companies that would probably bid on this type of a a project have pretty strong reputations. So, and it's a it's the bid process.
>> We're not selecting anybody >> based on what we want. We're based on this document is really how the selection comes about. Do they meet all of the expectations of the document um fully or not?
>> Is their bid the lowest? Yep, their bids the lowest. it. So, it's we don't really get to select. >> Um, but we do put enough criteria in there to be able to say these are the things we need you to commit to >> to to pull this off and then there's an evaluation process once the RFP comes in
and it's part of this package is an evaluation process that Vinnie would go through on opening day. They open, you know, they'd be due on a certain day by two o'clock. >> They'd be read publicly. Literally people come from these companies and sit and watch the public opening and then
verify how each of the the propos proposals would meet the expectations of the RFP. >> Great. >> So it's a it's a lengthy process in itself. It takes months. Um and there's a lot of triggers that the the each of the buildings has a different trigger
level based on value, >> right? So when you're looking at some of these just general repairs and health and safety requirements might sneak under that that compliance trigger, but as soon as you you do that, you got to go to tier two. So that's something
that's why we kind of kept those two tight tightly together. >> That's smart. >> I have a um this is sort of piggyback on what Amy was saying about that that trust level. Excuse me. Well, the district has never done anything um sort
of whole scale like this before. Everything is sort of in one place. Um a lot of this information has been available >> throughout, you know, and and and it's something that we have been trying to sort of go through uh in this process
that we we've been here. So, you know, while it's really great to think about actually having all this place to to as a starting point moving forward, you know, um this is the process of bidding for this
is going to take the better part of a year. If you know, then at that point, you're going to have to go through this whole thing, which is probably another year down the line to then just get the answers to about where we need to go from there, right? So, we keep pushing the the maintenance that actually needs to happen, you know, and now we're
looking five, 10, you know, most likely 10 years plus down the line. Um, you know, which is something that we' sort of tried to to to really emphasize last year. So, in in in in 10 years time,
there's a very good chance I'm not going to be living in this town anymore, right? And everyone at this table is going to be different and whomever was voting in the public is going to say, "I wasn't part of that study. I didn't know what was going on." And in and in and
the everything gets sort of gets kicked down the Ken uh the you know, Ken gets kicked down the road even even further, right? So So that's my fear of what's going on here. I think you guys are attacking this in the right way by getting the feedback that you that
that you got from from the the loud voices that that were coming at you. Um, but I still have that fear, right? Because this information, we have a lot of this information, right? We know we do and we've been trying to be very clear that we have
this information and and as you said while we've been trying to deal with it things are falling apart you know around us um and in and I say even though I wasn't here from um September till April right April
wasn't a surprise it really wasn't right our budget wasn't a surprise we we saw this coming last year right and we tried sort of saying that. So, so now we're looking at it's funny because before you even mentioned your number, I was thinking this is going about 600,000,
right? Just thinking I'm like, all right, well, you have 30 reports, right? 30 full reports. $20,000 a report isn't too, you know, outrageous to think about. So, if you can get it for under that, I'd be very surprised. It is not an invaluable
document, right? It's a It's a great thing to do, but lot of money, a lot of time, right? And in the meantime, we're we're literally trying to keep the lights on, >> right? Um, but like, you know, so so I I mean, I just think I would be remiss not
to just at least say the silent part out loud there, right? That that that I understand why you're doing this and I think it's a great solution for answering those sort of squeaky wheels. And again, it's valuable information.
>> To have everything right there is is super valuable information. However, >> we're not going to learn much new. We're going to cost a lot of time and money to do it. For people who might not even be here, right? And then there's going to be other people who are still not going
to buy into it when it's there. So, I'm so I'm I'm fully support while I'm supportive, I am very hesitant at the same time because of that. >> If it's Oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> If we have the data available, right, because we've been through this before,
right? I wasn't here, but been in the community for the whole the whole trip. Are we looking at a consultant to come in, consolidate the data we already have, present it back to the community, leverage those funds we would spend on this to solve some of these emerging issues we have today to keep the lights
on, and then propose the plan at a sooner timeline, right? If we have the data, why can't we bring a consultant? >> Because the community, they didn't like the data. Well, so to well, and I'm going to let Eric answer, but we do have significant amount of data, but not
necessarily on every single school. So, we have a lot of data about Cutler. We have We have a tremendous amount of data about Cutler, some decent data about Winthrop, less so about some of the other. So, like, yes, I I mean, I agree with both David and Tom. I would hope
that the information we already have is going to be used. >> We're not going to ask them to reinvent the wheel. >> No. and but they're going to want to do their own thing. I'm a consultant. I'm going to come in and say >> I'm going to reinvent the wheel because I'm going to use my own people. I'm going to do my own evaluation. It's
literally reinventing the wheel >> 100%. >> But part of it will be the advant part of the advantage will be uh the Cutler School as I think Dana just said has the most in-depth study work done. I mean they have sight studies done, they have adhesions, they spend a ton of money and
ton of time on that. Yeah, they have a crazy level of of uh information already. Not so much with the other schools. So, the the good part is we get information on all of our facilities, all of our buildings. Um, you know, we're we're starting to
uh build some some trust back a little bit. I mean, I had those community meetings uh were run purposefully to just invite people in, open the doors, let and let people say what they need to say. And it I I loved it. I thought it was great.
And I think a lot of people, even people who were on the no side, said, "Okay, thank you for doing this because now I feel like, okay, I got involved." It spilled over into the strategic planning process because some of those people jumped on the strategic planning committee to say, "All right, I want to be part of that, too." So it it's um
it's opened some doors for us and made some some newer connections which you know and I I think the the the reality is everybody has the the understanding that things need to be done. Um the reality of our two communities is there
is not this unlimited funding source. the the unfortunate nature of chapter 70 funding of uh unrestricted government aid and the the resourcing available even at the state level when you start looking at um you know how many schools
get funded annually they don't and look at the roof you know you're in this you're in this longstanding cycle of oh your roof's not old enough you got to wait so um you know looking at all of those uh things has been on the table at the state house we've done a ton of work
at the state House. Um, we believe we'll see some reform for Chapter 70. We believe we'll see some reform for uh on the MSBA side. Um, there is already some push to increase uh unrestricted government aid now. Uh, the using
supplemental funds if if I'm reading all the documents right from coming out of the um the various budget meetings that are that are happening now, there's a commitment there. I can tell you our legislators that represent these two communities are on board and and in the
battle. So that's helpful. And I don't think anybody is saying don't do anything. I I think there just the level of tolerance. We still are trying to meet the needs of the community, not just the school community. And that's I think where I've
learned in this process to be just a little more delicate and and and get gathered in meeting all these different people got some interesting uh understanding and perspective like you know the person who has lived here for 52 years and lives in the same house they brought their kids up with it
happens to be a four-bedroom h home. Um their spouse passed away. They're living on social security and that that as we know social security does not go skyrocketing up every year. Um, so it's a it's a fixed income situation and then all of a sudden you see a six or eight%
increase in on the tax size. That hurts. >> And you know, I think that's where for me taking an an account and trying to use this to gauge what makes sense. There'll always be someone who says no, and that's okay because if you got you
you may have to. Um, but I think that through the processes we've taken since the failed vote, I think we've gained a little bit more of an understanding of, okay, we're we're opening things wide up and we're trying to uh find some uh
opportunities within these five levels to get something done. And it's not fast. Dave, like Dave said, this stuff takes takes uh time. The reality is we can speed it up by by taking option two and using um monies out of our own the funds we already have. You could you
could say, "All right, I'm going to put an RFP out in 30 days, put it out for another 45, 45 days, get the bids in and get it going within a six-month window." Um, but we, you know, we want to commit to
that. And I also want to be able to have the stable ground of having everybody in the community have a say. And that's it that sounds sounds kind of grandiose, but that's what they're asking for. And I think that's what what I owe them anyway. And just saying, "Okay, yeah, you came and
met me halfway. I'm willing to to put this stuff out and get this information out there." So, we'll send this out after, you know, this meeting. Send it out to to kind of general public and say, "Hey, give us some feedback. What do you think? What do you think about this process and then you know we'll move forward.
>> I have a question. I thank you. Um I think we have to do this and I think the data I don't want to say it's like secondary but I think the biggest reason to do this in my mind is to reaffirm to the community as you're saying that we have heard them.
>> Yeah. >> That this is more purchasing an element of community trust and engagement. I do also think that this um RFP should be run through another community
conversation because I think unless >> and arguably folks could come to this meeting or read it off our agenda or what have you, but I I don't think that people really do that. But I think we need to either specifically invite back the people that came to the first ones if we know who they are or open it up to the second one to say, "Okay, when we
last left the scene, we did this. We wrote this report. the school committee discussed it. We decided to do this and go through this because I think I think if we don't do that, I think we run the risk of things like, well, these are the wrong tiers. Who picked these tiers? How
did we decide that this that these were the buckets? And maybe these are like the standard facilities management tiers. But I think there has to be an element of community conversation and education about that. And I also think the question about the capitaliz using
the capital stabilization fund money should potentially be brought up in a community conversation because some people and even myself I'm still learning the many flavors of municipal and school district money that exists. Well, why are my taxes going up if you have $300,000 like sitting in the bank?
Like I don't necessarily know that people understand how these monies are allocated and how they can appropriately be used. So, I think we've got to put this out there. I don't know about, you know, paying for it, um, which road to
take, but I think it needs to have a community conversation. And I also know that there's monies that we often get at the 11th hour of the school year that fall to END. Can those somehow be snatched to pay for this so it doesn't
fall to END? >> Yeah. So the the anything in ENDA that you you would want to put into your stabilization fund has to be voted by the people. >> So it has to go to a town meeting to so so if you remember the 316,000 we just put in Yeah.
>> to the stabilization fund in the last budget process that goes before the people for vote. >> So yeah, you could say we want to take everything we have in our our END and push it into the stabilization fund. Um it just has to be voted at town. 12
months out. Yeah. >> And then once it's voted in, after July 1st, the school committee can then vote to determine how to use it. And then we report out when we do our annual report in we report out at town meeting as well. This is how we're using it. This is what the balance is. So
>> y >> it's a it's a pretty tight process, >> right? But I think people don't know it, you know what I mean? So they or they have to be reminded of it, you know? So, >> I like that idea because something about this that I'm concerned about is some feedback that we got last time was we
had real numbers about the option that we chose and brought in front of town meeting with, you know, design and engineering and costs and all that. And then the feedback was that the other the estimates weren't specific enough to make a decision. And I feel like this
won't get us those specific numbers either. And I I have qualms about pricing out the very specifics of doing all of these things because that would cost a ton of money. Um so I just I I think it might be valuable to get direct feedback from people like is this going
to be enough to help you make a decision. And I also just want to throw out that I totally get what you're saying with pushing a timeline and feeling like this is going to take a long time. But just want to make it clear that this doesn't if we go forward with this plan it doesn't mean that we aren't going to do anything until you
know like maintenance will still happen things will projects will still happen. So I just want to make that clear that like we won't just sit here and wait and let things fall apart >> right and that's I mean go back to the FY27 budget the $600,000 and just repairs >> I know
>> stuff that we need to fix that was added into that budget that's never existed. >> It's always been the first thing cut. This year we worked to preserve that. >> Right. So Curtis is happy, but it's hard to keep up when when you know all of the sudden the water man broke at the cutler for the second time and you got to
replace the whole thing >> and a $30,000 job goes to 350,000 or 400,000 really quickly, >> right? But in in in but I mean again so I I to be perfectly clear I know this has to happen >> but I also want to put out there that as
you have that time right you're now putting all this money into a new water man in Cutler >> of a building that should have been replaced you know >> what do you see as an alternative >> what's up >> what do you see as an alternative >> I don't at this point you it's really
it's sort of a necessary evil at this point but you know And but but I don't think I I I love the idea of sort of throwing it out there in the community. So at least we have some community support moving forward because no matter what and how rock solid you make this,
there's going to be an argument against it at some point down further down the line. Um you know, and so the more support you can get and for for for you know when it does sort of come to fruition down the line of of of bringing on another project and what that project
look like, you know. um to to make sure there's still people here that support it that remember today right when this happened or remembers the vote from September not happening to be able to you know clearly push this forward because again I don't think it's going to be anyone that's sitting here maybe
Vinnie >> um so no but I just want to jump in and say I I actually share that fear and at the same time I do want to counter with saying that >> that I actually think something like
this document much like a strategic planning document if this were created this you know were fulfilled this plan I think it actually I maybe see it a little bit differently
which is that I think that's a positive when the players change because you have something to lean on and say this is the plan these are the things we've planned and the people before us did this and that's the reason you do strategic
planning or one of the reasons you do strategic planning so that you have something to lean on. I think you know if it's done well this could be similarly useful that it could be you know something to say that that this is what the public can anticipate these are
the different things. So I also fear about the timeline, but I actually am more optimistic that it wouldn't be as long as long as you're talk still long and not what I dreamed of, but I don't think it would be necess doesn't
have to be as long as what I think you're saying in my >> I have no problem being the board cynic. We have we also have to think about people on the other side of the equation that are going to see this and be like we already did this. We why are we
spending all this money doing this again? >> But but again >> just to appease >> again >> a certain group of people. You have to talk to those those people, too. And I'm a taxpayer and I would be very frustrated spending $600,000 on a study
that we've really probably already did >> and people just didn't like what we found, right? So, there's that group as well that we do need to appease. >> But to be clear, it is there are I mean, in other words, this is looking at all six buildings,
>> right? But for these people, which is my me. >> Yeah, I know. I hear Things are things are not going fast enough, right? Things are really going slowly. Um yeah, Cutler, the water man, the parking lot, like I mean things like that. I just
think there's a group of people that are really anxious to see some reforms and repairs and I know you talk to them all the time, Eric. Um so we do have multiple groups that we need >> we need to talk to. I think you do have the answer with what you just said. um
like we owe it to the community as a whole to do this and I think that's the messaging but I think some people will be frustrated with with this. >> Yeah. I I think >> y >> no matter what direction you go in you're going to have >> the person who's frustrated or say no
it's up to us to execute a plan that we can find that balance in. And part of the the you know in my this is my my fifth year here and one of the things I've always said is I walked into my office and had all these studies on my shelf that have never been executed
maybe not opened by other people other than some of us. >> Um which is terrible and that's that's a you know that's something I'm trying to kind of write that wrong by saying if we're going to do this I'm going to make sure we execute something and get the ball moving forward. Um, and you know,
we we hit some roadblocks and that's okay. That's part of the learning process and the growth process for the community. And I think even though it didn't go the way we wanted to, a lot of people got involved a lot more. I don't know if we set records at town meetings,
but people are aware. >> People understand and people really dug into it. There were some passionate people on both sides that dug in deep. And I think that's up to us to leverage that and um move something forward so that we can we can start to see that
change that we're all wishing and hoping for on behalf of our kids and our staff and their buildings. >> Okay. Um can I just add one thing that's kind of more minutia in the in the actual document which is and I Eric and I
talked about this a little bit already was that that tier one and tier two there And I I think you alluded to it already that like it's going to be diff that you if you do tier one,
we don't know because we but we know we do know on some levels you're going to trigger tier two. There's not you know that this is presented kind of as tier one, tier two. So that's just it's just something that like I think this is the way it should be. I really do. And like
I'm just worried that people are going to think, well that's what I want, general repairs. Let's do that. Realizing that rightly so, like in my opinion, like making things ADA compliant.
>> Yeah. You would almost think that should be tier one >> is appropriate. Like that's I understand why it's written this way, but I just >> I don't I don't I don't know if there's anything to say. I just want to sort of say that like that is the reality is
that our while we don't while we haven't evaluated every single building the reality is that in many cases >> the repairs are going to trigger you into tier two you know the way you just
sort of put that I I think probably just sold me a little bit more about why this needs to happen right because there there's a lot of information that we hold on this side of the table like that like oh okay well if you do this and it's going to trigger this ADA like yes
it should be ADA compliant already however it's not and that you know there is money involved yada yada yada yada and and and and there's all these moving parts right there's all these moving parts that that >> again we have this knowledge of um and and we
can try and communicate it out but if if you know it's sort of more on a personal basis where this is going to really do a good job of laying it out for everybody and having it available to everybody. Um, and yeah, it's again time, it's
money, not to mention the time and money we've already, you know, sort of wasted at this point. Um, but if that's what some people need to move forward, I mean, we need to move forward, right? And and right now without doing this, we're just going to run into the same
roadblock we we ran into last year. Um, not that this is going to clear the wave at all, but maybe it's enough of a ramp to get over it the next time, you know, but I do think there is all that sort of little stuff like the the triggering aspect that people just don't understand, you know, and and and then
just like and I I hate saying this out loud, but just how uncompliant some of these buildings are is is is embarrassing, you know. Um, excuse me. But again, it triggers this large large dollar amount to to get it
all, you know, up to code. And then for what? For a building that we're only going to have online for another few years, too, right? Like it gets really really difficult to start thinking that way. >> Like I can actually hear when I say some of this stuff Vinnie breathing heavier
and heavier because he knows. So, >> but I I think that that's the education piece that we've all heard about, right? Everybody got hung up around words like consolidation, right? Let's throw it out there. Everything I've heard from the community on my side was we don't want
to consolidate. >> But when they look at if we continue doing the repairs we're doing, are we putting band-aids on something we're only going to be able to keep online for a few more years, right? Do we have to go building by building? What what's the best case? And I think these tiers make
sense. You are without question. You go through tier one, you're going to trigger tier two. You're absolutely at that point going to trigger tier three, right? We've all been in construction in one way or another in our lives, whether it's our home or something of that nature where the moment you open a wall, now you're replacing plumbing, now you're replacing electrical because you didn't realize what's behind there. So,
you know, kitchens are a great example. Turns into an $80,000 project very quickly the moment you try to replace a sink. I think the education piece and the communication piece is critical, but I also want to make sure we air on the side of time. Yeah. >> Because we're going to start doing, you
know, water mane repairs and all these other things. People are going to say, "Well, if we're spending money on that, why aren't we doing this?" There needs to be more education to the community about the why. We need this now versus we can't wait or we can wait for this. So, I would air on the side of time if we're going to these tiers are correct.
100% agreed. We're going to trigger a lot of them once we looked at one, two, and three, and we bring it to the community. We need to educate them on the why. But then I would love to see us spend a lot of time walking them through, showing them the exact why. When you walk through Cutler for the first time and you take all of that in,
you immediately know why. You know what we're dealing with maintenance- wise, age-wise. So, it is going to trigger a lot of emotions again. But I would also air on the side of time because we all know like gas is going up by the hour. Fuel like fuel trucks just to ship
material is going to go up. So I would caution that if we're going to put the RFP together, we just are cautious on how quickly we do that because that will greatly affect the cost of the project no matter what. >> Okay. Um does anybody else have anything else?
>> I just want to say I thought this was going to be a light meeting. I think you know >> no one's cried yet. >> Not yet. >> Um Eric, do you feel like you need other
things for us? Any other question? >> The only thing I I would ask is to review it and send you Vinnie or Curtis the feedback. Um because we're still refining it as well. We're trying to just make sure we're hitting all the the
right things, if you will. Curtis has been digging in behind the scenes trying to figure out the the best approach and kind of what fits into which tier. So, it's uh it is a difficult dynamic to nail down given the variability within the buildings, too. So, if you can give
us any feedback in the next week or so, we would appreciate it. >> Yeah, I do definitely want to reiterate to a non-citical note that this is actually really well done. you know, uh, trying to come up with a solution to this problem was I didn't know how
you're going to do it and and I mean, there's no perfect solution, but this is pretty damn good. So, kudos to the three of you guys really. >> And I I mean, I think from having been at those community conversations, it was pretty
like clear that's some version of this is what people were looking for. Um so um all right, next up um is district goals, past and future. I think we're talking about
>> Yep. And this is really not a long conversation. I I just wanted to bring it back around to remind the committee. >> That was for you. >> We can't sit next to each other. the uh wanted to bring it back around because this is the point in time when we look
back at our goals that we set back in last June. If we if you go all the way back to when we first looked at the draft list, it was the last meeting in June of last year. We went forward in the summer leadership team worked on honing in on uh some tighter goals. Then
it came to the process of the workshop with the school committee in August and now we're here at the end of another school year uh with our documents. So the process that's happening right now just so people are aware um we're working on putting together the
narratives for the current goals which is why this one is on here just a reminder of these are our current goals. Um so we're doing narratives through the leadership team and digging into that information. uh looking at kind of our end of year tests and timing it out. So
we'll get that document at on the last meeting of June which is the 18th I believe. Um and at the same time we're planning the goals now for um excuse me I I'm incorrect. We'll get that document on the 4th
>> for the end of year goals. On the 18th, we're planning that kind of list of okay, what are the things that we all want to see in the goals. Um, I pushed it to the 18th purposefully because the fourth you're also going to see the draft strategic plan and a lot of the
goals for the next school year will come from that plan plus other things that that we talk about that may come up. So, I just wanted to give people kind of an idea of progression of what's going to happen over the next couple of meetings. So the the district goals report will
hit um that that report will hit on the 4th and then on the 18th you'll see uh the planned goals for the following year the 2627 school year that uh will align with the strategic plan.
>> So >> okay >> so I'm sorry. So on the 18th, >> y >> um we'll see I mean because at some point the school committee is going to submit goals that they and that'll happen in
>> No, it's going to that's where I'm going next. >> Okay. Sorry. >> Go ahead. >> Okay. So, as we did last year, I reached out outside of the meetings and asked committee members to give me ideas of goals like what do you see as a
committee member are goals that we should make sure that we absolutely put out there publicly with the caveat being that there are all kinds of other goals that never make this list that we're working on throughout the year. though, you know, some of them uh as you know, I think I think we had a dozen 12 or 14
last year that we started with in June and it we worked down to what we have here. Uh some of those other goals that didn't make the high priority list still got done because they had to. Um but it's just that I just wanted people to see the process. So what will happen is
leadership team is is both digging into the narrative writing right now and thinking about how to connect the strategic plan to the 26 27 goals. I will send every committee member an individual document. Um it just says okay what do it's a form it'll who you
are some thoughts and then uh some ideas for goals and hit submit. It'll come to me. We'll compile that and on the 18th we'll have a compiled list from the leadership team and uh people from the the current committee that will align
with the strategic plan. >> Okay. And then on August 10, do we we refine those or we just priorities? >> Yeah, we'll refine them during the summer uh a little bit. We'll bring the draft to the committee. >> Yeah.
>> Um get feedback then. Uh the beauty of this year's being on the 10th, the 11th and 12th, the leadership team has their retreat. So we'll take it from there, give it a final push, clean up to make sure we have it for the 20th 20th, I
think, which is the first meeting of the 26th 27th school year. >> I don't know if this is what you're asking, but it does feel like I think in the I think maybe this is what you're getting. I think in the past we did I don't know that I feel like we submitted information but I don't know that we
sort of hashed it all out at the final meeting of the year. I think we maybe did that at the retreat before we did a carousel >> at the retreat. Remember we went out the hallway do some things a little bit earlier. So we'll still we'll still do >> some type of of activity to figure out
where everybody wants to be. Yeah, but we're going to have done a little bit more beforehand because we have this >> prepared as to what we had submitted >> and what you had heard from us and then we put our stickers on and determined
what the priorities were. >> Yeah. >> So, we'll still do some of that work. It may be you maybe at a >> but it'll be more depth. >> Yeah. >> And we'll have the strategic plan to inform. >> Yeah. That's the That's the reason why >> I think we really need that before August 10 because I would think that >> well the strategic plan is going to
>> the strategic plan will drive more because it's it's literally a compilation of >> the committee looked at all of the current strategic plan uh initiatives dug out what really didn't get completed shifted those in. So there's there's
been a lot of work to try to maintain uh connections to the previous strategic plan. Um, and I'll talk about that more at the next meeting, but we're just going to try to connect the dots for you so it it's a clear process all the way from now through August 20th. >> Sounds good.
>> All right. Thank you. Um, all right. Everybody ready to move on from that? >> Yep. >> Okay. Um, Vinnie, do you have anything? >> Uh, thankfully, no, I don't. >> I'm happy for you.
>> Thank you. Well, thank you. That's wonderful. Um, all right. Let's do a quick rundown of committee reports. Um, capital Finance. >> Benny is still trying to look for a date. I think I got back to you. >> We're close. >> Um, so we're looking for a date for our next meeting in June.
>> Um, all right. Excellent. Uh, policy. >> Oh, yes. I need to schedule a meeting. >> Okay. >> Members, uh, and that's it. >> Okay. >> I will do that today. I will send an email. >> Okay. Great. Um, negotiations. We are continuing to negotiate with the
ESP union and our next meeting is Somebody help me. Is it not till the 9th? >> Yeah, I think so. >> Let me go back. Hang on. >> Is that Oh, >> it's next week. >> Yeah, Tuesday. Tuesday. >> Oh, I'm sorry. It's just hidden. You're
right. Y >> Yeah, >> just hidden. I have it. Don't worry. >> 26th. >> Yep. Okay. 26th. It's a Tuesday. Um just too many things on that day. was hidden. Um, okay. So, yes, we're continuing to negotiate and we'll meeting next week.
Um, so I don't think we probably don't have a secretary report. Um, I did, um, put out to Tom, our new secretary, and Julia, that, um, I'm hoping they're
going to gather all executive session minutes, um, so that the next executive session meeting, which will be before the end of the year, we can approve executive session minutes. Um, hoping that >> yes, I'll get them to >> you guys will be able to do that. >> Um,
>> I don't know how many were missing. >> Well, and I don't know. Well, I have You'll need to go back and look because I think it's going to be several. I think it'll be And they might not be missing. They might be with Janelle and just needing to be approved. Okay. So, we need to know how many haven't been
approved. >> How many haven't been approved? >> Um, even though Janelle might have them, but they haven't been approved. >> Um, so yeah. >> Um, thank you for that. Um, and then if you could also um look at
the various subcommittees and just just on the website and just see who's which ones are missing. >> Okay. >> You're not responsible for fixing the problem that they're missing, but if you could let us know. >> No problem. >> That'd be great. >> Yeah. So, if you do that and then I'll work with Janelle on the executive
session minutes. >> Perfect. >> Um, okay. Uh Amy, do you have anything from in our inboxes? >> In our in our inboxes has been quiet, but I was wondering if we could change this agenda item to a work um communications working group update.
>> I was actually wondering I think you guys are going to be on the agenda next time and I actually thought about that that it seemed like this would wrap right into that. So yeah. Um, so we'll just put it as a >> we will
>> um so next time you'll be on the agenda and we can discuss. >> Great. >> Um, >> yep. >> Yep. >> This did not come to my school committee email address, but to my personal email address. Mhm. >> Um, a board member of the Hamilton
Wenham Rotary reached out to me to share that the Hamilton Rotary will be honoring certain middle school students who will be receiving awards um the morning of June 5th at 7:15 at um Gordon
College in Chester's Tavern and folks are invited to come. >> That's nice. >> Very nice. And they're middle school students, correct? They're middle school students that are that are being recognized across like the five Rotary avenues of service. So that's cool. >> Lovely. Thank you for letting us know. >> Yeah, >> that's great. And you said and on the
6th I mean on the 5th. >> The fifth at 7:15. Yep. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Um Okay. Does anybody else have anything? Um I just have a couple >> one thing. Sorry. >> Sure. Go ahead. >> I I left it off mine and need to make
sure it's out there. Friday, we uh annually have uh Bill Martin, who's retired Navy, I believe. He uh sets up a group of veterans from the Legion, local veterans that takes the entire day to visit each of
our schools and talk about um Memorial Day, what Memorial Day means, talks about uh that at at the various grade levels. Um starting at the high school and then working down through the the middle. Then uh they visit each of the
elementary schools. So they there's usually eight or 10 um members from different military branches who come, they volunteer just to be there to interact with the kids, answer questions. So um if any of you get a chance to come, it it's really um a quick ceremony, but I I think it's
important for our kids to to learn and understand about Memorial Day and and I applaud Bill for reaching out every year to say, "Okay, we're going to do it again this year." Right. So um we are doing it Friday during throughout the day. Sorry. >> Thank you for bringing that up. It's
it's it's it is great and it's a big commitment to go to all the schools. Um it's great. >> Um okay. Um I just had a couple of things on the chair report. Um I just wanted to you probably most of you
probably saw it in your inboxes from the MASC. They did put out a position paper on the statewide um the interim graduation um frameworks. I thought it was
something I have not dug dug into all of the minutiae but something to read just you know I know Eric's been involved in some of that >> so I don't know if you've read their position paper yet >> the which one the MASC >> MASC
>> yeah MASC and MASS have taken a similar position uh rel related to the graduation requirements that are coming out from the state um the superintendents have struggled to get their voice heard and it it's continued
to just plow forward. I am on a subcommittee for the graduation uh requirements council just to try to get some information and the the sticking point is really the reality of what it's going to cost us. So, another government
mandate that comes down. We're concerned that it, you know, there'll be um realities that we have to fund um that won't be covered by anything from the state other than we expect everybody to align with these graduation requirements. We expect everybody to use
my cap for college planning and they're talking about pushing it all the way down into elementary school, which is um if you've read the position papers, uh but not something we we would agree with. We agree with standards. We agree with keeping high standards in the state of Massachusetts. It's just a matter of
um making sure that we can do it and do it while we're all dealing with the same struggles of trying to pay the bills um that we currently have in front of us. So, the position papers are pretty good. I can send out the MASS one so you can all read it. And um you'll you'll
probably see it a lot more in the next few weeks because it's due to be print out the >> final report. final reports come out June, third week in June, I think. >> Yeah, I just wrote down June. >> So, >> um, thank you for that. Um,
>> I'd like to do that. >> Um, the only other thing I wanted to discuss is my understanding I heard we have, um, so June 4th, we have a meeting on June 4th, which is got a lot of things on it, and I understand we're going to have a couple of members that aren't going to be here. So, I just wanted to bring it to the committee to
sort of figure out some of the logistics. Um so there's a lot of things on that meeting but the one that I think we need to really discuss is that that meeting we had >> huh the compilation
>> is the compilation. So that meeting is the meeting we had >> we have scheduled for the superintendent evaluation. The original plan was that the compilation which is being created by Julia and I'm pleased to say Julia received everyone's evaluation in a
reasonably timely manner which is great. Um so there's a couple things. One um Megan um who finished her term at the election um did write an evaluation. So we will need to invite her um if she
chooses to come. She's to can participate in the conversation. um she um would not be able to vote, but she would be able to participate um in the conversation. So, I just want to make that's part of the reason I want to make sure I know when we're discussing the um
because we'll need to invite her. Um so the original plan was to have the compilation be presented on June 4th with a discussion. Um and potentially a vote if there was you
know literally if there was no notes like just but the idea being that you know feedback provided if anything if the committee felt it needed editing and then bring it back on the 18th which is our final meeting of the year. Um, but I understand that Julia, who's
the compiler, is not going to be present on the 4th. >> Um, and I understand that Christ is also not going to be here. Um, so first I guess we need to establish that we're going to have a quorum on the 4th because that is a big meeting with a lot of things on it. So I don't know,
>> speak now if other people feel like they're not going to be here on the fourth. Um, so I guess I'm just going to I have thoughts, but let's put it out to the committee about what you want to do about the the one item that I'm talking about, which is the evaluation. >> Well, I think I mean I still have it to
you by June 1st. Was the plan? >> Yeah. >> Um, >> are you comfortable? I mean, in other words, >> comfortable with you all having a discussion without me completely. I can watch the recording of course um and I can >> read the minutes or if you would rather people send individually their thoughts
to me then if if we need to change it if you vote and you say it's great and that's great but if it needs to be changed I'm happy to do that and bring it back to the what the 18th >> the 18th. >> So I'm I'm happy to to do that either way. So if you're going to be I mean in
other words if you're I mean one thing that could happen I mean if I don't know what people think about that that would mean we'd still have the discussion. We wouldn't have the person who compiled it. Um >> they can maybe talk more frankly >> but you right but right but we'd have
the but we'd have the document you know um so that's certainly a possibility. Um I >> I don't anticipate it being very controversial. >> Right. I mean, you've seen the individual evaluations, so I don't know how much opportunity you've already had
to review that. >> I I don't anticipate there being a lot of um I controversy. >> Um so I mean I guess you know what you're saying is basically move forward like >> if that's what we need to do. I don't want to keep Eric waiting on that, you
know. >> Yeah. Well, I mean it's our responsibility to get this done and we have to submit it, you know, in a timely manner. I don't I actually don't >> you saying maybe hold it to the 18th? That's our last >> We could vote on it on the 18th, but I wouldn't want the first time everyone
sees it to be on the 18th. That's a concern for me like that because if for some if people say, >> you know, no, this isn't what I want at all. I don't want us to be on the 18th. That it's the first time everybody's ever seen it. >> That's my concern.
Um, >> do we need to have an additional meeting or a special meeting for one agenda item? I don't know if that's permitted, but I just if that addresses some of the concern, I'm I'm not necessarily looking for all of us to have one more meeting, but I
>> I mean, that's up to the committee. I mean, I like I it's up to you like what you think. >> We can still submit feedback to the compiler outside of the meeting, like individual feedback. So, I think everybody, even if you're aren't here, you'll have the opportunity to give feedback as long as you're okay with not >> doing it,
>> discussing it. Yeah. >> Right. >> Yep. And >> I mean, it will be >> and you can all just vote yes on that. >> Or you can give feedback, whichever you >> And I mean, and and there's also some in between, right? In other words, like a
couple of things. It'll be out. It'll be on the agenda out publicly with a big draft watermark on it and everyone >> we can read it >> you can read it in advance. You could like in other words, let's just say
hypothetically Kristen knows she's not going to be here and she's going to say, "Hey Julia, just feedback like this was right except on page three there's a >> yeah, >> you know, a quote that's actually from me and that wasn't exactly right like
you know like whatever." So that would be feedback. You'd have like concrete feedback. Um I I mean I guess >> I don't know. I get it >> because I get back on the 5th. So that's so like there's no issue with time to
like I can revise it >> before the 18th if >> before the 18th. >> Well, so maybe I mean I'm just going to say maybe does it make sense to keep it the way it is with the anticipation that if there's anything that comes up and needs to be discussed then we would vote on the 18th. If everyone just says this is
>> Yeah, >> I think that makes sense, >> right? And it would allow Megan to come on the 4th. I can invite her. I mean, she anticipates coming on the 4th, I think, but we and she can't vote anyway, so you know, she can discuss. >> Should everyone submit to you their
evaluation? >> No, I think they've already submitted it to you. >> Yeah, but isn't isn't it all public? Where does it go? >> Not Not yet. >> Right. It will be. >> It will be until not until it's >> right. That's why only one Like that's why you're the only one that's seen them all.
>> Exactly. >> Um Right. Everybody else has only seen their own. >> Okay. >> Um so um okay. Do we feel like we got that done? We'll just leave it as is with the understanding that um
people in including uh Megan can send you information if she has questions or com comments I guess. >> Okay. And I will make sure that she knows that she's invited. Um,
okay. Thank you. Um, all right. Does anyone have topics for future meetings or qu Oh, questions first for me. No, topics for future meetings. We got a lot on the next couple of meetings. >> A lot coming. >> So,
>> be ready. >> Um, oh, anything? All right. >> Not right now. >> All right. Unless anybody's got anything else, I would entertain a motion. >> I move to adjurnn
>> at 8:30. Yeah. Second. >> All right. Second by Julia Campbell. Uh all those in favor, we are adjourned at 8:34.