Welcome everybody. Calling this meeting to order at 601 October 14. Roll call please. Miss Feliciano. Mayor Garcia here. Dr. Rivera Cologne here.
Mr. Sheen. Miss Lefave present. Miss Lebron Martinez here. Miss Tenzy Williams. A key. Mr. Isaza here. Mr. Wallahan here. Mr. Miss Wilson present. Please rise for the pledge of
allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice
for all. In March 29, 2025, Governor Mora Hilly signed into law bodies to amend an amend amended bodies entitled an active relative to extending certain CO 19 measures adopted during the state of emergency act of interest to all
governmental bo public bodies in Massachusetts. The act extends until June 2027 the authority for meetings of multiple member bodies to be held in an entirely remote or hybrid format. All public bodies may hold fully remote or hybrid meetings without the physical
presence of a quorum of the public body as long as adequate alternative means of public access is also provided. Pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 38 section 20, I'm hereby informing all attendees that a video and audio recording is being made of the meeting
and the meeting is being live stream and run live on the city's community TV channel. And I have the privilege to introduce to our student showcase opportunity academy. Please come up.
Yes. So, we have uh Principal Johnson here. Um we have a video um uh Irene, do you have a copy of that video? But um when I saw that, so many of you know part of our um part of our focus areas
for the year and and one of our action plans was that schools are supposed to be putting, you know, uh belonging plans together. And when I saw this video, you know, I I immediately thought this is definitely a product of, you know, uh,
opportunitymy's plans. Obviously, there's a lot of things happening on a day-to-day basis. Um, but we want our kids and our staff to feel like they belong, to feel like they're connected to staff, and and I saw this video and it just made me think
of um Mr. Johnson's like, you know, uh, execution of that of that focus area. And I thought it was a really cool project. We got some students here to, um, talk about it a little bit, but I figured we we'd start with sharing the video, unless Mr. Johnson, you you want
to say a few words first. Uh, no, I think we just start with the video and then we can I'll turn it over to them to answer some questions. So the humans of OA project is something that we have done for a couple years and we run it during the first week of school to kind of help students get an entry
point into academics, building community um and really the whole project is about who are you as a person? For me and I think for for staff and students it just creates uh from the start of the year a strong sense of belonging. students get to know each other, they get to know staff, and then
that sets the tone for the year of OA truly putting relationships first. So, for the project that I worked on in the beginning of the year, I interviewed one of the staff members, Jerry. And you know, Jerry is funny as always, like it's it's Jerry. But, um, he explained
to me like all the questions that I had asked him about like what does he want to do in the future and all that stuff. And he actually answered pretty pretty good. He was just like showing how like staff members in OA can really like show you love and care and like really be
there for you like a family and really just help out. I interviewed my my principal and honestly I didn't know that he was um from Indonesia and I got to ask him some questions about that and I found some some stuff that I didn't even know about him and I learned some stuff about the
plans he had um during his school year and how he likes working with teenagers and I think it was pretty interesting. It's a very good project cuz we get to learn about other people, get to interview people, learn about their lives. Person I had to interview childhood friend. He's really a a sneaker head. So, I took a picture of
his shoes cuz that that's like part of who he is. I liked it cuz we all get to understand each other, learn where we're coming from. When people were writing about other people, it would like it get a vision into their own life. And when I
did Jerry, it would it was his sneaker collection. And I like talking to him because sneakers is what I like. I And when him being a sneaker head, it like it's like his whole personality for him. It was actually pretty kind of nice. I
liked it. It was um very social. You get to know more about the person, getting to know more about others, learning about others, their past life, and what they used to do and what they'd like to do. Me and my brother Jaden Rodriguez, I'm
pretty sure you interviewed him. we're twins. Um, so it was pretty interesting to interview him like with what I thought people would like to know as opposed to like some of my teachers ideas or other students ideas of what they might like to know. As far as the importance of it,
I feel that it's like very like vital to getting people more connected. Not only because it's a lot of people's first times coming to the school, but a lot of people are here for some of the same reasons. So, it's really good to see a lot of different people's backgrounds or stories that they have to share.
It helps you learn more about somebody or people in the building in general. And it just helps you get like a connection with staff or students, just people in general. It's important cuz more like in the beginning of the year,
there's people that may be shy or this can that can help them boost their confidence, learn more about people. if they're not comfortable with staff, maybe they learn more about staff or they feel more comfortable in the building or in general. Honestly, the staff members here and the
principles here and the teachers and all of them and the students, honestly, they're amazing. All they do is like help you and encourage you to graduate and like have a better future for your life. It really really brings out the joy in the school.
Yeah. Yeah. So, it's a project that we've started at the beginning of So, it's a project that we uh have at the beginning of each year. Uh it's called the humans of OA. It definitely creates a sense of belonging for staff and students. Um but I'm not going to do
the talk and I want to hand it over to some of the stars of the movie uh of the film. So, come on up. Introduce yourself, share uh your name and your year and how long you've been at OA. So, just go in order. Uh
uh Jeremiah Mendes. Uh I as you see I wasn't in the video. I came in like a month ago uh from Holio High School. I just really like the relationship you can have with the staff at that school cuz like
in Hoyokai I was doing good but like I was going down like wrong path. I was skipping all the time and stuff and it just feels like in OA I have more motivation to go
to class, do my work and actually work towards graduating. And yeah, I think those um my name's Elijah Mendes. I've been in OA since April.
I came from Holio High School. Um, really what I like about OA so much is like it's like a family you could joke around. You don't got to worry about like in some places I feel like staff
take it too serious and it turns into a whole situation. And I feel like always a more comfortable and like it gives you motivation to want to graduate, to want to be able to do more stuff in the future.
I'm Jacob Rodriguez. I've been at um OA since the beginning of the year. I just think it's very different. It doesn't even really feel like school. It's a good opportunity. Like the hardest thing about this school is admentum and you
really like it's not even really uh uh mandatory that you do at momentum. It's just to accelerate you. So yeah, I just feel like it's a very good opportunity to get away from what feels like school. My name is um Jayen Rodriguez. Um I
started OA my junior year the first day. Um instantly coming into OA was like a sense of like a sense of um trust and like comfortability for me and it really helped me um perform better in school.
For the last two years of my last two the last two years of my high school career, I only had 16 credits and I've already earned eight at the school and it's it's really helped it's really helped the new school. Yeah. Thank you so much. Questions from the school committee. Miss Wilson. Thank
you. Um I'd like to know how did you find out about OA? And that was like the first thing like how did you found find out about this opportunity? Um because it seems like it's a wonderful fit for your education from everything I've heard. I mean, all
the positive things that you've said, I'm just wondering, did did the someone from the school department call your family call you about this? did a teacher. Um the way I found out about OA was I've already known about it in the back of my
mind from other friends um telling me about it, recommending me cuz they like I have a friend that graduated last year going there. But what really made me switch was when when they emailed my mom noticing that I had not a lot of credits and I wasn't going to graduate. So, I
feel like they they um determine like who to invite based on like how good they're doing in holy guy. Okay, great. Miss Lefave, thank you. Thank you guys so much for being here
this evening. So, it looks to me like you all came from Holioai. Yeah. big school. Um, more students, more staff, more transitioning. That's understandable.
Um, a lot of you just recently started OA, right? And I hear I hear and I see that it's been a positive impact for you. Now, my question to you is during your time at Holioai and when you're going through that stuff and you're kind of figuring, do I even want
to continue going? Then you find this opportunity, you go. Has that changed your mind? And what is it that you want to do in the future? And how is OA helping you to achieve that? And did it help change your mind about schooling?
So, so pretty much OA I Holio Kai had me like I was thinking about just like quitting. I was already a year behind on my sophomore year. I didn't have no credits from last year.
So, I was I was thinking about just giving up to be honest, but I just feel OA is so so much more of like they're really talking to you. Like you get like your own personal experience at OA and
that really like made me made me rethink how I really thought of school. And it's really pushing me to hopefully go to college. Oh, great. Hopefully. So, yeah.
Thank you. Yes. Go ahead. Oh, sorry. So, I believe one of your questions was uh about like how did it affect how did you want to like look at your future? like how did it affect that? So, uh I
forgot to mention I'm a junior and I went to Holio Kai for the first two years. I didn't do too bad. My freshman year I was in all honors, but then my sophomore year just completely slipped. So, it was like really bad. Um, I just wanted to say like it's a lot easier to
look back on what you've done in OA. Like not only because there's so much people there to help you, but the site is like it's just easier for me and it's easier to track your credits, especially with Edenum, but
genuinely like it gives you a lot of more hope because I didn't really even know where I was going to end up going or like really anything. I was just feeling like just making it like just going a long way however my life was going to end out. But going to away like
it makes you realize like more of what you have in yourself than anything else because I thought I was really a horrible student but I usually be like well my bad for my grammar but I usually be one of the more um I don't want to
say smarter but more efficient work like workers in a way. So yeah, I just want to say that. Great. Thank you, Miss Dennis Williams. First of all, I love what I just heard. Um,
a sense of belonging. Uh, trust. You like your staff. You're very comfortable and you're relaxed. You're motivated. No pressure. Personal and you feel like you somebody and you are. You just really bless my heart right now. And I want to
cry because so many bad things are said about teenagers. Oh, they all on drugs. But that's not true. Um, if you if you want to be an example, then stop cutting them down. Help them. Show them what to do. And I'm here for you. Okay, Miss Tinsley Williams. Anytime you need me,
call me. And I'm a good cook, too. So, watch out. But we we love kids. And so, I'm very impressed by what I just heard. And anything I can do for you, I'm here. Okay. Thank you guys for coming. We love you,
Mr. Isasa. Well, I only cook for myself and my wife. Um, I'm an old man, so I don't know how you would say today, but you guys are really cool. Yeah.
Um, in 1970 I was a research assistant to one of my professors and she wanted to find out what was the connection, what was the relationship between motivation and education. And what she found out is it was that
there was a direct connection, a direct causal relationship between motivation and education. And that's what I heard from each one of you. you're motivated to get ahead and I couldn't applaud you more for it. Go for
it, man. Thank you, Miss Lero Martinez. Yeah. Congratulations to you all for considering another path back in the way days. I think it was called Pathways, right? That program used to be called Pathways or something like that in the past. but that you consider a path to um
you know seek your education and that is just just consider it not to stop there. Start seeking out what you want to do for the future so you can continue. College is not for everyone but you know there's vocational training there's other opportunities
the work I did for 18 years I still have the connections so if you think you need that kind of support let us know let me know but um a lot of what I also heard it was that people are listening to you and sometimes in bigger environment
but something you have I hope you have learned is you're becoming an adult right once you become 18 you're going to be an adult and the way that you took a step to to make a choice is the same. Now you're going to become independent.
What does that mean? You're not going to have anyone else guiding you, but as long as you have that mentoring that you can always come back and check in with your principles, your your counselors, and any positive individuals in your community, you'll make it through. So,
congratulations to you all. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Willahan, thank you. Thank you for coming down and sharing your stories. I really appreciate it. Um, we all uh attend your
graduation each year and there's always like a lot of stories that are that are very uh um warmfelt. Okay. So, um I just want to see you see you moving forward um at the
graduations and um and um I think you're very wise for your ages and I'm very very proud of what you're accomplished so far. So, thanks again. I just want to say one thing real quick in the Air Force, the Army, and the
Young Marines. So, if you need some recruiting, let me know. Okay. I just want to say thank you for being here because I know that there were a lot of other things that you could have been doing right now. So, I appreciate you being here, sharing your story,
making good decisions with a good team. And I have a quick question and not everybody has to answer, but whoever wants to. Um, what are some things that we should learn about what happens in OA that we should bring to the other
schools? I feel like some things that y'all should learn about OA to bring to other schools is the way staff handle some situations and also like also just the relationship between
students and staff because some schools doesn't have a good student and staff relationship where then it becomes into altercations and other stuff. So, I just feel like the relationship with staff and stuff needed to be brought to other schools.
Thank you, Mr. Sto. Yeah, I just first want to again thank you guys for coming up. It's not easy to come and speak in public and meet a bunch of strangers that you haven't met before. Um, but I wanted to talk about
Humans of OA specifically in that project. One of our focus areas for the year is doing everything that we can to make kids feel like they're valued, feel like they belong, and feel like they're connected to their school community. And I'm curious if this project, you know,
helped achieve that in some way or at least get you off to a good start and make you feel connected to the school, make you feel connected to each other and make you feel connected to um uh to staff there. Does anybody want to talk about that experience and like going
through that humans o of OA project and and whether or not that helped in any way? I believe it was obviously not only just a very good project to start off with because it was very different than
normal school. Like it just made everything seem a lot different. At first, I looked at the what we were supposed to do, how much words we were supposed to write, etc. Uh, I thought it was going to be a lot. Right off the bat, off thinking it was a lot, like I
just said something and right when I said it, the teacher already was on it like like you could do it. So, right from then, you already like you already get a sense of like it's interesting like you already start thinking in some type of way. So, as I did it, I
completed it in the week that it was done. It was it was pretty like it wasn't really it was it was kind of like a wake up as to if you push work off it like piles up. So, when I'm when I'm there every
day, the only thing I have in my head is if I get everything done this class, I don't have to worry about it. And it's not it's not that easy. in my other school, especially with um
how they um allow you to manage your classes, etc. Like it really could suit you. And I also just wanted to say something that I think is off topic. The admentum also ties in with like like work and and work study and job
applications. So, it also helped me like learn what I wanted to do when I was older, just doing the work. So, yeah, I just want to say that. Thank you. Thanks again, Mr. Fib. Thank you.
So, this is the last the last thing. Um, first off, there's many things that happen in life that may veer us into different directions. It's up to us to first believe in ourselves. Although others may believe in us, we have to
believe it first. And I believe that each one of you believes in yourself right now because you took that step forward into getting into OA. Mr. Phipe, you know that I admire OA and the job that it's doing because this is
a pathway that was not available to many of us. It wasn't available to me when I was growing up and it might have changed my life in the time being. But I am so interested cuz let me see
one month ago, April 2025. Okay. Two of you were there when it used to be on Maple Street and now you transition to what growing up, you know, everybody that went to prek you went to METAF. How
has that transition been? And what do you think of this new location? So, I think it's Elijah and Jacob started. Oh, okay. Just Elijah. Okay. I feel like
transitioning buildings and I feel like it's a change, but it was a it was a good change cuz the small building it was good, but I feel like it was just too small. I feel like transitioning into like a real like good building. You
can bring more kids in that are having more diffic difficulties, you could bring more kids in so they can change their life. I'm happy to hear that. You know, I had my thoughts on it both, Mr. Sodto.
Yeah, I had an opportunity to um tour the space with students in there last week and that was the exact question that I asked every student and every staff member. And the like there was not one person at all that said, "Oh, we
didn't like this move." Everybody talked about how much more space they have. Everybody talked about like it's really good that they have a gym now and you know before school or during lunch they have access to a basketball court. They
can shoot around. Um but overall just the space in general and the way that they're using it. Um everybody was excited. They they talked about being nervous at first and seeing it and like, "Oh my god, like we're going to come here, but they also mentioned um a lot
of the staff mentions me a lot of the staff members mentioned um from the time they initially toured to the day it opened, our facilities team did amazing job um really making that space what they needed for that program. Um, and I
heard that from every single staff member. And I did, you know, the students that I did talk to that had been there before. They just talked about it's it's so much more space and it's way better than where they were. Mr. Jensen, is there's anything that you
wish to share with us before you guys leave that we should know? No, I I think the the one part that, you know, if any of my staff members are watching, giving them some credit for the work that they put in uh with the students is incredibly important. Um they're able to meet with them, go through different
revisions um to make that this possible and all the work they put in these young men here. And we also have an invite. [Applause] Um Jill Yeah, Jill wanted
wanted Dr. Cologne to plant power exhibition on October 27th. Let's do it. Thank you for having us. Uh we appreciate all of uh your support uh at OA. So, thank you.
Thank you. Thank you so much, Miss Feliciano. Any public comment? Nope. And we don't have any student reports. Nobody online either. All right.
Superintendent's report. Yeah. So, um this is not supposed to be in the superintendent report. Um this is actually from um you know, this had gotten referred. It came to committee. um a couple meetings ago it got referred
to leadership and accountability and they did recommend a vote for approval but uh I think that the you know after discussing with Dr. Rivera Cologne and and Devin might want to table this and take it up at the next meeting.
May I have a motion to table this? The goals for the superintendent, Miss Tensley Williams, second by Miss Wilson. Discussion, Miss Lefave, why are we tableabling?
Uh, so because it's it it's not part of the superintendent report. It's actually should be in the um committee reports and we want to make sure that we the public is aware of the actual vote that's going to be taken and we didn't
the recommendation from the subcommittee. So it's a misplacement on the agenda. So, I'm sorry, but I've been asking for this, right? And I understand it shouldn't be under the superintendent report, but at the end of
the day, we've also had things under superintendent report where we still ask for an action for a recommendation. So, why can't this just it's it's on there. We could have just you could have just said what your goals are. We've
done it on the previous one if I go back to last year's and then make the recommendation to vote on it. So, we're going to table this with the hopes to bring it back in two weeks just so that it goes under a different
line item. So we need the actual recommendation from the subcommittee it went to so that then we can have the vote and have a discussion here. We don't have the actual recommendation from the subcommittee.
Mr. Sheen, I'm just going to make a point of order that a motion table is debated. That is correct. Thank you, Mr. Sheen. I'll need help. All those in favor? I I. Any oppose?
No. Is the f oppose? So moved. Next up, new business. Nurses recommended for official appointment. Yeah, we have a a couple of new hires um
uh for for our nursing department and um part of the school committee policy BBA is that um the school committee vote to appoint. So we included um a little narrative of them and looking for a vote
motion that the school committee vote to appoint school nurses as recommended. Do you guys want the names in it or before I move forward, do you want the names of the people or just say the school nurses as recommended by the superintendent per
updated policy BBA? Second. Seconded by Mr. Isasa. Discussion. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? So moved.
Delegate void. Oh, no. Miss Wilson, what's up? Can I speak to the delegate voting? Oh, wait. Let's Let's make that motion and then you can. Yes. Thank you. May I have a motion that the school committee authorize the delegate to vote as deem appropriate in accordance with the positions and preferences of the
Holio School Committee? So moved. By Miss Wilson, seconded by Miss Loro Martinez. Discussion. Miss Wilson. So, um, our last meeting, um, we had a very lengthy and cumbersome, um, discussion as a committee. Um, and I'm
going to be honest, it's because people did not do their due diligence reading through the proposals, um, prior to the meeting. Um, so, um, I know our delegate and I know I'll our alternate de
delegate, Whoa, that was a mouthful for me. Sorry. um uh you know um we'll have read through those and I believe they can vote with their conscience um as to how we vote. Miss Leave.
[Music] So we've done this over the years that when we elect uh a delegate and a alternate delegate that the hopes is that when they are making any amendments um on the delegate floor or they're
making any comments um for or against that it is in the best interest of students and um with the hopes that it's um not what the Holy Oak School Committee
deems as appropriate um or our positions and preferences because no one else here knows what those recommended resolutions are. So when we're saying here that in accordance with the positions and preferences of the Holio School
Committee, no one here has well some of us haven't looked at what those um resolutions are that are going to be given at the delegate assembly to then say for us to discuss here what
our position would be or our preference would be. Are you suggesting an amendment? I just like I said at the beginning, I mean when we elected the the delegate and the alternate, it's that they are
doing it in the best interest uh of the students and when they're going up there. So, we already give that position for them to do that. Um, I don't I don't think we should have even had a vote on this. I don't know.
That's that's just my because I don't know what you know, committee member Lebron Martinez if she reviewed those what's her preference. She didn't have a chance to discuss those things. So, Miss Wilson,
so the reason I put this on is that um you know, I think last year we were you know, I was you know, I I wanted to get people's input and so then I asked it to be added to the agenda. Unfortunately,
the vast majority of committee members were not prepared to give me insight and so I felt as though in preparation for the meeting cuz I believe the um contents have already been sent out from
my you know all the motions and um what the delegates are going to be voting on um so they can they have the opportunity to seek out guidance from us. So, I would make an amendment um that the school committee authorized the delegate to vote
um in support of student centered initiatives that meet Holio Public Schools vision. That was the motion on the floor. Do we have a second?
I'm going to give the second for discussion. Go ahead, Miss Nef. Then I'm recommending for this to be brought ne um to our next meeting and the resolutions be attached so that the other members of the school committee
can review them and then they can bring their because the delegate assembly the it's not until November. So by the next meeting, they could have reviewed it and then provided their feedback if that's what we're looking for
so that it'll help the the delegate. That's a motion to bring to the table. Sorry. Motion to table by Mr. Leave, seconded by Mr. Sheen. All those in favor I I.
Any opposed? Yes, Miss Wilson on the oppos. So moved. Out of state travel. Hold on. Mr. Sheen like to make a motion to approve the out of state travel for Timothy Lrant and
Michelle Cooper Cox. Second. Seconded by Miss Dave. Discussion. Seeing none. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? So moved. Moving
to orders. Order requested by me member Wilson. Fiscal crisis sign on letter. Miss Wilson. So I thank you. Um I came across this and I I thought um this might be something our district um might
want to sign in or sign on to. um talking about um you know C we're facing significant financial challenges um you know the flaws within the school funding um policies and we want to make sure um to
be able to you know have an equitable uh fair of finances for our for our city and our students. It's just something I saw. I have no significant passion behind it. I just wanted to bring it to the committee's
attention and discuss if that's something um the city school committee wanted to sign on to. So, do we have a motion? Make a motion that we as this uh city of Holio school committee sign on to the fiscal crisis
uh sign on letter. Second by Miss Stencley Williams. Discussion. Mr. Willahan. Thank you. Are there any local um towns or cities that have already signed up for this?
Miss Wilson. I do not know. Seeing no further discussion. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Abstensions. Abstensions. Oh, right. That was Mr. Sheen.
Motion passes. Next up, approval of meeting minutes. Can I just follow up with that? Um, Miss Wilson, may I follow up with you, Madame Vice Chair, to discuss how we sign on? Yes. Thank you very much. And with Irene,
thank you. Approval of meeting minutes. Oh, your your mic is off. Mley Williams, may I make a motion that um the meeting for May 28th and the one for June uh 3rd
be um combined as a package? Yes. Thank you. Second. Discussion. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? So moved.
Updates of committees. Oh, Miss Wilson. Point of order. We made a motion to take them as a package, but we didn't vote to accept them. Sorry. Thank you. Thank you. Motion to accept and approve the meeting minutes of May 28th and 63
for leadership accountability and measurement made by Mr. Fav seconded by Mr. Sheen. Discussion. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? So moved. Thank you, Miss Wilson. You're welcome. Updates of committees policy and governance subcommittee.
Um we had a rich conversation the other night about um the new uh policy changes um from the DESIE or Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with regards to dean admissions. Um you know
we voted to support the policy pending a couple pieces of information that uh Mr. Sodto is going to be getting back to the committee because the language is slightly vague and it's being interpreted differently um within the district. So, we want to get
clarification on that. And I do have a couple dates um coming up um and so uh we were not able to go over our full agenda, but we'll be moving the PE pieces not covered to that meeting coming up. And I'll share the date and time with individuals when we get it
firmed up. Thank you, Miss Wilson. Finance and Operations, Mr. Willing. Thank you. Um, finance committee is meeting tomorrow night at 5:30 at um,
Suffach Street. Thank you. Thank you. Join city council school committee. All right. Local control subcommittee, Miss Leave. No, nothing yet. Leadership accountability and measurement. Mr. Sheen,
nothing to report. Ongoing business, policy updates, removal or addition. Final reading. I'll make a motion that school committee vote to approve the final reading of the above listed policies effective October 14th, 2025.
Seconded by Mr. Isasa. Discussion. Miss Wilson. My understanding on these there were no public comments concerning this to just want to confirm that. Thank you. All right. Any discussion?
All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Abstensions. So moved. Now moving on to removing policies. CHB, CCA, CHC, CL.
Do I have a motion? Like to make a motion to take as a package. Motion to take as a package. Seconded by Miss Tensley Williams. All those in favor? I I. Any opposed?
So moved. Do we have a motion for removal? Yes. like to make the motion that we uh remove the policies um per the uh agenda of today. CHP, CCA, CHC, and CL.
That was the motion. Do we have a second? Seconded by Mr. Isasa. All those in favor? Sorry. Discussion. I should have asked. Seeing none, all those in favor? I. Any opposed?
So moved. final fiscal budget of 2026. Yes. So, um this is something um that was discussed in at length in the finance and operations subcommittee. Um
we included the memo, but essentially every year this is how um this is how it works with the final budget. We developed the budget either based on the House Ways and Means budget numbers or the Senate Ways and Means budget numbers
depending on of on the timing of when those come out and how it aligns to our budget calendar. Um and then at the end of the year once, you know, once it moves to conference committee and actually gets adopted by the governor, there's usually some changes. This year
we had some changes to um between what we built into the budget. Um we saw a slight decrease in our charter tuition reimbursement, a decrease to our charter transportation assessment, and um a decrease to our
charter tuition assessment, but an increase in our school choice assessment. Um it you know we usually go off based on the governor's cherry sheet for all of those numbers um and whether or not they change through the House and the Senate um and then um you know uh we
we basically got to come back to the committee and update our appropriation to reflect the final numbers. Um, in the memo, we've included, you know, um, how these changes are going to affect the overall appropriation
and the overall budget that was voted on by the school committee. So, we're hoping that, you know, uh, tonight we get a vote to approve the changes to align to the final state budget. Mr. Willahan,
thank you. Yeah, just um um follow up on point one of order. There's no motion. No discussion without a motion. So, but I didn't want I thought you were making the motion. So, I thought so, too. Um should I make a motion for discussion
or make a motion to um make a motion that the school committee approve the governor's final budget proposal? I thought that was done. So, moved. All right. Do we have a second? Second seconded by Miss Wilson discussion, Mr. Willahan.
Thank you. Um yeah, just to follow up on um what Mr. Sto said, we met in um u finance committee. Mr. Mano walked us through the process. Again, just to follow up, it's really um reconciling
the um the governor's budget with um with the Senate Ways and Me's I I believe. So the proposed budget was 123,881471 and the final budget was um 123 518
322. So it's just a um a decrease of decrease of 363 149. Mr. I just I have a little bit of hesitation about the word approve in this motion. I
I don't know what kind of jurisdiction we have to approve the governor's budget. So I would like to um offer an amendment that uh we say that the uh school committee adopt for our financial
purposes the governor's financial budget on the amendment. Do we have a second? What was the wording again? adopt for our financial purposes. Could I put an amendment? We need We need a second.
Oh, second by Miss Tley Williams. Discussion. Mr. Leave. I mean, if we're looking so much just for just put down that the school committee vote to receive the governor's final budget proposal,
if we have to do that, Mr. Sheen, we're not doing any of that though. Like in the memo, we're making the adjustments in the memo because extra revenue came in. So, or revenue was decreased. So, really what the motion should be, well, actually, I'd like to
hear what the recommendation Is this the voted on recommendation from the subcommittee, the one that's listed? Yes. I mean, it really should have been to make the adjustments outlined in the memo. It's not to receive the funds. We appropriate the funds. So, the recommended motion should have been a motion to the cost centers that were
impacted with the increases and decreases. So, we would need that because we're not the money's here and it's sitting here and can't be spent or used until we approve where it's being placed. So that it should be aligned to what the document was that was here.
Mr. Sodto. Yeah, I I agree with Mr. Sheien. Um and I just want to provide a little bit of clarity. Um what we're looking to do is update the school department's budget and um compared to what was voted on
initially back in June, right? um to what now is recommended in the memo which will allow us to update our budget to reflect some changes and assessments that the governor made. So I
think uh what what Mr. Sheen suggested is is exactly right um uh in in the the vote language. We're not approving the governor's budget. It has nothing really to do with the governor's budget as a whole for the state, but because there were changes in the assessments provided
by the governor's budget, that has an impact on the school department's FY26 budget, and we're looking to update the school department's FY26 budget to affect affect to reflect the changes and assessments that um that were were a
result of the final um budget. And I don't I know that was very wordy. I don't want to confuse anybody. I think that the motion or the recommendation that Mr. Sheen had is exactly right as outlined in this memo. Mr. Willian, thank you. Yeah, just as in um you know,
the school side is the same as the city side. You're working with with a with a proposed budget that was established months ago. And so there's going to be changes in effect going forward. So again, there is pluses and minuses to
this budget, you know, from from Beacon Hill. So the motion that was made and adopted at the finance committee meeting in September September 11th, we had a lengthy meeting that night. Um, so the
motion was made to approve the governor's final budget proposal, which I stated 123 518 322. So that was a motion that was made, seconded, and approved. So again, we're just What date was that?
September 11th. That's when we met. Um so that was the motion and um um that was made. Miss Wilson. So my understanding is we are working on discussion point of an amended
amendment. Okay. So, I would like to clarify and and make an I I don't think we can vote on that amendment. We have to vote on that amendment before I make a recommendation that's clean that just speaks to the language I think Mr. Sheen
shared with us. But while we're in the meat and potatoes of this, the maker of the motion could withdraw the amendment. And who was the maker of the amendment? Mr. Isasa. I thought it was appropriate, but I will withdraw it.
So now you can make your amendment. So I have two things. I'd like to speak to my point after I make the motion. So my first is I'd like to make a motion that we accept the fiscal year 2026 budget based on the change state changes in the state allotments.
I think I'm not sure allotments is the correct word. What's the correct word? Adjustments. Adjustments described in the memo. Yep. So that uh so again um that we're voting to accept the fiscal year 2026
budget based on uh changes in the state budget in the attached memo motion made by Miss Wilson seconded by Mr. Wellingham discussion Miss Ter Williams I have a question from
for Mr. Sodto. Uh you said the governor gave us more about how much more did uh they put in the budget? Yeah, it's it's outlined in the memo. Um so we we got less charter reimbursement, but we were also charged less for
charter transportation and less for charter tuition. But um there was an increase from what was initially reported on the cherry sheet for school choice tuition. Um so there was an increase there but there there were
decreases in other areas. Thank you sir. Miss Wilson. Under uh one of the next steps in number one it says in the third line down um the district may need to request funding if cost increases dur cost increase
during the year. Where would we request this funding from? Because it doesn't say that. So, I'd like to understand before I vote on anything. Yeah. Um, so we we're not in a position where we need to do that. But if for
whatever reason, you know, the the particularly the transportation piece, um if the transportation piece because it's outside of net school spending, um if if for whatever reason those costs were to go up, it's typical that we
would have to go back to the city council and ask for additional funding um to update the the school department appropriation to reflect that. Um that has happened maybe once in you know in
my time here in um you know in my 10 years here in Holio or nine nine and a half uh we've had to go to the council to request additional funding for um an overage in in transportation. So as a follow-up question to that if I
may may because it's still about that point. Um so under strategy and transportation, what other costs might um rise within that cost center or that area where the district may need to request funding as it reads.
Yeah. So included in that is transportation, right? Communications and uh you know communications and strategy and then the enrollment office. So all of the staff that fall in the enrollment office
um fall under that cost center. So then that was in the budget document. We we included all the org charts. Oh, I understand that. But I'm just because so then because we're covering under strategy and transportation. If there was additional expenses in
communication strategies or the enrollment office, where would that funding come from? We would have to request uh a budget transfer from another cost center. we would have to come to this body and request that. So, anytime we're moving money from one cost center to another,
it's our policy that we come to the school committee and request a budget transfer. So, I'm I was just clarifying because it wasn't really clear within the document. Thank you, Mr. Sheen. No, Mr. Willian. Yeah. Yeah. Just to follow up on Mr. Innesota, I know about had to be 20 years ago or
so. I know the um the school department had to go to the city council and request a million dollars million dollars at the city had a had a vote to um to fully fund the school system. I know my father was on the city
council and he turned around and he voted and under quote protest. See no further discussion on the amendment. All those in favor? I. Any opposed?
Extensions. So moved. Now on the motion. All those in favor? I. As amended. Any opposed? So moved. Final fiscal budget approved. Moving on to student activity accounts
and procedures. Do we have a motion that the school committee authorize the district's current procedures involving student activity accounts and approve the current list of activity student activities clubs and programs? Mr. Sheen, can I recommendation?
In the document, I view it as three separate motions. But did the subcommittee make one motion to like So that one motion that the subcommittee made includes the accepting MGL chapter 71 section 63 the
attached operating procedures and the changes that are all in this closeout because I don't even see the the changes in in this spreadsheet that we got listed as even one of the recommendations. I'll make a motion, but I just need to know what.
Yeah, Mr. Sto. Yeah. So, um this what this sheet that you have in front of you um was worked on in the finance and operations subcommittee. Um it was supposed to be
included in the packet and didn't make it to the packet. So the the memo that you have in front of you is the memo that initially came to this body and and was then referred to the subcommittee. it. We heard from several school
committee members that, you know, we wanted to make sure we cleaned this up and um what happened was uh our our finance um exe the executive director of finance worked with the high school to make and and look worked with the
finance team to look at some of these accounts that may have not had activity and some of the accounts that you know may need to be updated. So an example of that I think in the memo you have something there that says Spanish club
but the after talking to the principal really the it's it's the world language club. So the the list that you have in front of you which admittedly it's not included in the packet is the updated list that we're hoping um the the school
committee would vote to accept. like these we we're trying to establish a baseline for where we're at with student activity clubs. Um so that anytime we get a a new activity we have to come back to this committee and create a new activity. So, we're um we haven't had to
do this in in many many years. And auditors do come out and audit the student activity accounts. And one of the things that we don't have record of is the school committee ever approving the the MGL relative to um the the the
student activities. So, we're looking for You're right, uh Mr. Sheen, we're looking for um uh the school committee to vote to uh and it's in that memo to Let me just open it up real quick for the school committee.
I'll make a motion to accept Mass General Law Chapter 71 and section 47. Perfect. Second by Miss Tensler Williams. Discussion. Miss Lefave. Would that need to then be added into
the the policy? What policy do you have? Student account. I'm not even policy. We're not even there yet. That policy. This is just the district accepting. This this would be for essentially when the auditors come out,
they say, "Has your school committee voted to adopt uh to uh accept MGL71 section 47?" We can take these minutes from tonight's meeting and say, "Here you go, auditors. They did vote on that.
Mr. Willahan, thank you. Yeah, again, the uh September 11th meeting was a long meeting. Okay, I'm gonna say a few more times before tonight's over. Um I want to thank Miss um um
Glattus Martinez for for helping out that night. Um yeah, so the the subcommittee, we had a long discussion on this um law. It's a daunting law. Um I outlined it um
um with uh bullet points um on the side here. Um so yeah, so the the finance committee adopted this um law and um we we re made a recommendation to send to the full full committee for discussion
andor approval. Miss Wilson I have so many thoughts. I'm just really and truly um so I agree. I think it should be broken into three different sections because I can't vote on something I got today at 3:00
um in the afternoon. I I'm just not going to. So um I will vote no if it's not broken down into three different sections. So the motion is to just
adopt. So then MGL 71 section because I'm just kind of like I would think we'd have a policy around this and in that policy it would reference the law. I'm just trying to
underwrap my head around the fact why we are adopting a law that we have to abide by which our policies are written under. So I'm having a really hard time trying to understand why we need to
formally adopt a policy that we have to follow that's in our it's going to be in our updated policies. Mr. understand. So theoretically, if you didn't want to adopt the law, you wouldn't take the time to write the policy. Adopting the
law opens up the door to be able to craft a policy which is attached here to comply with the law. So I mean, if we voted no, then you wouldn't take the work in adopting you could write a policy that isn't even applicable because we didn't adopt the law. And there's lots of I mean, we have to adopt
different things that are like these I can't think of the ter it's not optional, but like we adopt different things. the city council has to adopt certain things that it says in MGL that communities can either adopt this or not. School communities can either adopt this or not. So, it's an option. If we don't adopt it, then we don't have student activity accounts.
If we do adopt it, then then we go to the next step. Then like the policyy's attached and then the accounts are attached. That's why I did that first because there's no point in having any more conversation if we don't adopt it. Mr. Sheen, Mr. Willian,
thank you. Um, yeah, just to follow up on Mr. Sheen, I agree with him on that. Um, again, I'm going to say it one more time. It's a daunting law when you look at it. It's there's a lot of in there, a lot of lot of data. Some of it refers to cities, some of it refers to towns. Um,
you know, just I'm not going to read the whole thing to you. Just the bullet points that I that I laid out. You know, I'm just going to read the first sentence on these paragraphs. The school committee may Okay. the school committee may the school committee shall the city
treasurer shall. So within this law there's a lot of parameters there's a lot of wiggle room on how we want to develop the policy. So yeah my my first thoughts from reading this is um adopt the law as Mr. Mr. Sheen said
and then I think this should be forwarded to the policy to get a grip on what the school system should be doing because you have the school committee the school the school committee authority you're going to have the
treasurer involved we don't even have a treasurer well we're not going to have a treasure moving forward it talks about the principles having authority talks about you know the uh checks and balances between the schools and the
city within the accountant principles. So, there's a lot of um information here, not just the policy, but how to administer that policy between the city and the schools. Thank you.
Policy, Mr. Leave. So, we already have a policy that talks about Mass General Law 71 section 47 and it's JJF student accounts
and was this one recently updated like this law like recent where something changed that Mr. machine. The issue is we can have the policy, but when any of the auditors come in or mass
do comes in, they say when between 1900 and 2025, did the school committee adopt this? And if we can't pull out the minutes and have them certified and hand them the minutes and say it was adopted here, they say adopt it. Just like when we
have to adopt MSBA stuff, they say give us the and they won't even take the minutes until you have to attach the minutes that we approve too, like at another meeting and give them everything they see. So all it is is so if an auditor comes in and says, "Where is this?" that Irene can pull it out of a a drawer and
say, "Here you go." And it could be one of the spot things that they ask for in 26 and they may not ever ask until 2030, but it just has to be available. So then that makes it quite clear when you're fully saying why we're doing this. It's not that we haven't had this
already addressed in a policy. When did you say that? You didn't say that it was addressed in a policy. Or maybe it's because I'm trying to figure out why I can't connect to all your attachments from here and I have to be searching it here in order to see what
exactly you're talking about. But okay then. So, it's only for compliance purpose that we're doing it. Apparently, they can't find the minutes. So, can we go to the vote? Hold on, Mr. Mangano.
Yeah, I I won't repeat everything that was just said. That was sort of what I was going to say. This is just for housekeeping. Um, auditors have like a preset list of things we have to provide. This is one of those things that we have to provide. And so having an updated uh vote with minutes, we'll just, you know, we'll put it put in our
files and we'll have it going forward. Thank you. Seeing no further discussion. All those in favor? I I. Any opposed? So moved. So that was on the Mass General Law 71
section 47. You guys said three three mot three separate motions. So that was number one. Do we still have two more? Vote to approve the attached operating procedures. I guess our operating
procedures for what I well you know Mr. Sheen and I would love to find and pull it I read it from yours
to approve the updated student activities account procedures seconded by Mr. Isasa discussion Mr. I have a question from what the chair of the committee said before. So
just clarity, did the finance committee approve these or is the recommendation that these go to the policy committee? Because I thought the finance committee approved these, but I also thought you said that it should go to the policy committee. So I'm unclear on that.
Can I answer Mr. Those are my thoughts the um the policy. So, we're on student activities, right? So, again, we had a long meeting on uh September 11th. This was part of it. Um
so, I'm going to read I'm going to read the um the minutes of our meeting that were that have you have not received yet. So, um the committee reviewed the district's student activity account procedures including various forms
within the within that. It's a long document, okay, for fundraising requests. The committee commented that the policy procedures were very detailed. Mr. Mangano stated that there are financial procedures already in place that support the district's
student activities. Mrs. Levon Martinez asked about the fundraising controls within different accounts. Discussion of PTO involvement, that's in here, too. student activities, fundraising, including financial controls, discussion
about the role of the city treasurer. I'm going to go back to that. We could have a city treasurer in um a year and the mun accounting system. Okay, we're talking about bringing on a CFO that Right. That's just off the cuff. Um so,
and the the again the city and the schools are on the same page here in terms of keeping track of all funds. It's unsure whether policy and government's committee should act upon these procedures at some point. Okay, so those are part of the minutes. Um the
motion made was to authorize a district's current procedures involving student activity accounts. Um so the motion was made by myself. This is um Brah Martinez seconded. The motion pass 2 nothing 20 without further discussion
and the recommendation will be forwarded to the full committee for discussion andor approval and I'll just keep going. I know. Um, so this this document was was um in place at our meeting. It was,
you know, we we were sort of laughable some of the stuff that was that was in here. You know, active accounts with $3, $5 in them, you know, the 1995 yearbook club, you know. So, some of
these things should be um should be cleaned out. I know there were some some dos and don'ts that Mr. Anano um recommended. Um we also I think there was also going forward a proposal where
we can get a student involved and um somebody's accounts are dormant because they had money left over. You know the class of you know 2000 had $1,000 left over. So moving forward, there might be
a policy that we want to adopt where um the students can make a vote with the administration to give that outstanding balance to a future class. So it's so um you know
they can use it going forward. So again, I think the policy um even though we have a policy, I think it needs to be fine-tuned and um that's where we stand. Mr. Sheen. Okay. So,
I have a Okay. So, I think that it in my opinion, we have a policy that and I don't I not even pulling it up, but there's a policy in our policy book that I don't know if it's been approved yet. I I I don't know where it stands in the process and that doesn't matter. Um, but I think that these are not procedures or
these what we have here are not policies. They're procedures. Just like we deal with we're dealing with the graduation procedures now in in the in the committee that I chair that we follow I have to go back to all the district policies to see what's there. But I think that if the comm if the
finance committee's recommendation is that these procedures should pass then I am taking the faith in the finance committee that they've done their due diligence. So if so if the procedures that are written out still need another review, then I would send it back to
finance and say finish reviewing it. Um but if it's all set and the finance committee voted that these are ready for prime time and they're ready to be approved by this body, then I am taking the complete faith of the members of the finance committee that they've done their due diligence and they've ensured
that everything in the procedures is aligned with HPS established district policies. If it's not, then it needs to be referred back. Miss Lefab, I might have heard five different motions in there. So, right now, what
was the specific one for the procedures, Mr. Willian? Just that one. Uh the finance committee the recommendation we made was to authorize a district the district's current procedures involving student
activity accounts. Okay. Second. Oh. Oh my bad. So that that was made and seconded. Yes. And that passed uh to nothing. Um my ad
living is just you know um moving forward there's going to be changes in the you know the city's financing moving forward and we may have to address some of those changes due to the city's
changes in their financial structure. Mr. Wilson, I'm just wondering if anyone um looked at JJF policy and the recommendations that um that was made because JJF, which
is the policy um regarding this um has already we've already reviewed it and we've made recommendations as a subcommittee. I'm going to be honest. I'm not sure if it's come to the full committee, but if it hasn't, then um I just want to make sure that this aligns with the language that was already
discussed and approved in subcommittee, which I believe that Mr. Mangano should have access to. Um and I know uh so I'm just wondering if that happened. Mr. Mangano. Yeah. So um just for context, so these
are the procedures um that we've had in place for a while. This also is sort of housekeeping and that the main change to these procedures was that we removed all the references to receiver. Um and there were some things that said the receiver could approve things that now are really the school committee needs to approve
them like the creation of new accounts. Um the elimination of accounts, the um if we trans if there's ever needs to be transfers between student activity accounts. So those were the primary changes to the document that's been that's been in place for a while and then also with exiting receiverhip we thought that the school committee should
read these. They may again may have been adopted once in the past but we wanted to kind of have a fresh start. Um I believe they aligned with that policy. I I have looked at that policy as part of the policy review. Um nothing jumps out to me as being contradictory between the policy and the procedures. Um and I'll
just second what what Mr. Sheen said which is these really are procedures. they're they're sort of in the weeds. How do we handle like daily business with student activities? Um they're not it's not a policy level document. Thank you, Miss Fave.
Miss Wilson, we are on only section C of the policy. So I Jay will be here in a couple months from now hopefully and then we can review it. But um yeah, and I mean there's been updates and I'm sure you
guys have already addressed them to section G, section K, E um but right now we're working on the old policy, right? Uh for the time being, so Mr. machine.
Since it's come up a couple times, I just want to just note that we we've mentioned that the city financial structure is in flux and that is in flux and that we as a the largest
budget in the city are also in flux because I don't think there's been any actual changes to structure made and the problems that that causes with city government that you have your largest functioning department in the city that
really has to then go through all of our policies again in a very short or procedures in a short amount of time to change terminology and that there's other people dragging their feet that this isn't getting done. And I think that it's a slowdown in city government that is only going to negatively impact
this committee and other city departments. Right. I don't see any further discussion. Uh, Miss Wilson, can I I didn't understand what what you were referencing, Mr. Sheen. I'm very sorry, but if it's something like it flew over my head, so we can meet after
December. No, I'll say that we the city voted to eliminate the position of the treasure and Mr. Wellahan mentioned many times that there's reference to the treasure here. I mean, we come February, we don't have a solid financial structure, correct? Um, thank you. Because the city
council hasn't acted. on the motion student activity account procedures. Seeing no further discussion all those in favor? I I any opposed abstensions? So moved and we still have one more motion. Mr.
machine. I I'm making this motion just for the purposes of discussion or something else, but I'll make a motion to approve and accept the um updates and transfers
on the spreadsheet here. Make a motion. Miss Sler Williams second. Discussion. Miss Wilson. I want to make a motion to table this item. Uh based on the fact that we did not get this in our packet and according to our our guidelines, um
we should be having any item that we're voting on um enough time to review. And I don't know about anyone else, but I did not. Do we have a second on the table? I'll second it. Seconded by Mr. Sheen. All those in favor?
I. Any opposed? So moved. And that is the yep announcements are at the end of the agenda. Now, may I have a motion to move into executive session
not open to the public because of an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body for the purpose of the Holio public schools therapist contract. Second. So, I was going to say so moved. So moved by Mr. Mrs. Wilson,
seconded by Mr. Sheen. We're not going to meet in u regular session, right? And we're not coming back to regular session. That's correct. Thank you. Roll call vote. Mr. Sheen, yes.
Miss Lefave, yes. Miss Lebron Martinez, yes. Miss Tensey Williams. Mr. Isaza, yes. Mr. Willahan, yes. Miss Wilson, yes. Mayor Garcia, yes. And Dr. Rick, yes.