WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=UoJ9gSwyhTM

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: UoJ9gSwyhTM):
- 00:00:10: Meeting Called to Order; Pledge of Allegiance
- 00:00:44: Consent Agenda Approval: Minutes and Bills/Payroll
- 00:01:16: Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Presentation Introduction
- 00:02:04: FY27 Budget Presentation: Mission, Values, Process Overview
- 00:05:56: Budget Presentation: Initial Forecasts, Adjustments for Town Needs
- 00:09:11: Addressing Town Budget Issues with Revolving Funds
- 00:11:44: Net Budget Increase and Salary vs. Expense Breakdown
- 00:13:48: Cost Center Breakdown and Revolving Fund Expenditures
- 00:17:22: Total Budget and Appropriated/Revolving Funds Breakdown
- 00:18:29: School Committee Questions: Budget Process Clarification
- 00:24:51: School Choice Improvements and Revolving Fund Impact
- 00:25:55: Curriculum Materials Costs and Multi-Year Expenses
- 00:32:01: Tiger's Den Funding and Revolving Fund Accumulation
- 00:36:53: Budget Approval Motion and Next Steps: Concerns and Outlook
- 00:39:22: Upcoming Budget Concerns: Inflation, Contracts, School Choice
- 00:42:55: Capital Funding, Health Insurance Costs and Future Challenges
- 00:49:49: Superintendent Clenchy: Accomplishments and Strategic Plan
- 00:51:32: Strategic Plan Achievements: Elementary School Implementation
- 00:53:09: Professional Development, Culture, Climate and Wellness
- 00:55:50: Community and Communication at Shaker Lane School
- 00:57:28: Technology Implementation at the Elementary Level
- 00:58:32: Middle School: National Blue Ribbon Recognition, Interventions
- 01:00:02: Middle School: Consistency, Mental Health Screening and Wellbeing
- 01:01:44: Middle School: Building Community and Safety Protocols
- 01:04:41: High School: Recognition, Inclusive Practices, and Character
- 01:08:14: High School: Athletic Participation, Performances and Culture
- 01:10:08: High School: Reaccreditation, Student Ambassadors, and Technology
- 01:12:07: Superintendent Future Priorities and District Journey
- 01:16:28: Instructional Practices, Wellness and Integration
- 01:18:08: Multi-Tier System of Supports: Continued Development
- 01:20:10: Curriculum Review Cycles, Technology and Partnerships
- 01:25:41: Additional Thank You's and Questions
- 01:28:11: Superintendent Questions on District Progress
- 01:29:05: Public Comment - Rob Rounds - Budget Concerns
- 01:34:40: Closing of Public Comments and Second Order of Business
- 01:35:37: Review and Vote on Revised CASE Collaborative Capital Plan
- 01:41:04: CASE Capital Plan and Financial Commitment Clarification
- 01:43:50: Subcommittee Reports: PMDC and Budget Update
- 01:44:58: Policy Subcommittee Report
- 01:45:45: Shaker Lane Building Committee and Financial Update
- 01:50:01: Superintendent Search Update
- 01:51:06: Communications Subcommittee Report
- 01:54:15: Additional Reports from Dr. Small
- 01:55:01: Drilling Updates for New School Project Site
- 01:57:29: Upcoming Meeting Announcements and Co-Op Hockey Finals
- 02:00:58: Motion to Adjourn and Closing Remarks


Part: 1

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Good evening everyone. It's uh 7:01 and I'd like to call together the March 12, 2026 school committee meeting. This is our annual budget hearing. Um first order of business is a pledge of allegiance.

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

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>> All right. This evening we have our consent agenda votes which contain the minutes from our February 26, 2026 meeting as well as the oath of bills and payroll. Do everybody have a chance to look at the minutes? Yep. Okay. Any edits being proposed? Is there

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a motion to accept? So moved by Sean second. Seconded by Janine. All those in favor by saying I >> I passes unanimously. >> We have uh one piece of any new business uh this evening which

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is the fiscal year 27 budget presentation discussion and motion. Um I will make the presentation um in the podium. Kelly will join me as well for his piece and we uh we hope to to hear a motion this evening from the school

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committee to accept uh the proposed budget. We will um as stated on oh I'm sorry there's an opportunity for public comment and then we'll uh motion to close the uh budget hearing. We typically have a uh

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opportunity for public comments ahead of any presentations. I'll just I'll make that available. Seeing none, hearing none. Going off script tonight and I apologize, guys, but uh we will move right into our uh budget presentation hearing.

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Right, we'll try uh slide deck everybody this evening. Perfect. All right. >> All right. So, I just want to thank everyone for their efforts um in the process this evening. Tonight, we've got

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the administrative team listed as well as school committee members, but obviously there were a lot more uh folks involved in this. But um just want to thank everyone for their efforts. It was a team approach as always and um once again I believe we have a successful budget to share with everyone this

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evening. We always like to start by uh reading the district's mission statement. Um it's actually much longer on your slide than it is on mine, but I'll read it off the uh the prompter. Uh the mission of the Littleton Public Schools is to ensure that every student is supported reaching their highest

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potential through a commitment to continuous improvement. We achieved this by setting clear policies to provide strong governance and support equitable practices, preparing and managing a responsible school department budget that aligns resources with student needs, and providing thoughtful evaluation and guidance to the

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superintendent. Together with the community, we strive to prepare all students to be critical thinkers who are engaged citizens and lifelong learners. And annually we uh we reflect upon the district's values. respectful responsibility and integrity and

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accountability. Um this is bit of like an appendix um to just kick off the presentation. You'll see some of these uh items listed throughout the presentation. When we refer to regular education, it's all cost associated with regular ed programming. Special ed is uh all cost

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associated with special education with the exception of transportation cost. Uh those are kind of self-explanatory. Student and staff support includes guidance, nursing, technology, curriculum, professional development. Other instructions are uh inclusions of

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co-curricular and extracurricular cost centers or activities. System administration is going to be your superintendent's office, staff, school committee costs. We did receive some nice jackets this year. Janine's uh bond this evening. So school committee

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costs were up. Um, school administration, that's the principles and office staff at each building. Transportation and buses, that's regular ed and special education, transportation costs, facilities and maintenance or the operation, maintenance, utilities, custodial contracts, and contracted services.

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Now that we have that out of the way, um, we can talk about the process. Um, this is a process that starts back in October. Uh at that point in time the budget subcommittee Gan I want to thank you for your efforts uh particular we we

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start to meet with the superintendent's office um and the business manager Steve Mark to identify uh initial priorities. We then have a joint meeting that takes place with the select board and finance committee where we share uh sort of the

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preliminary budget information. Um, at that meeting this year, that was the meeting where, you know, they were forecasting, we had asked, you know, what's the number that you got a placeholder for us? And they said something like 3%. Oh, geez. I think we could probably work with that. That's

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good to know. Um, we review our preliminary budget in February. Here we are in March to for us to present the uh final budget to the school committee for your acceptance. And then this presentation will be included in the town report in May for the town to

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approve at the town meeting. Um tonight's budget presentation is more so on the process and how we accomplish the uh sort of pulling this all off again and um how we solved for a particular

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problem this year um as you'll see as we get through this. So we started the year um if we can reflect back on the appropriated budget for 2026 to the tune of 26,393,579. Our initial forecasted budget included

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an increase of $725,911 which comes in at an increase of 2.75. We felt really great about that coming from the 3% mark. Um and our initial ask was uh $27,119,490. Um

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the that request involves the following information on this slide. So, if we were to take a look at um what we believe our increases in salaries to be uh contractual cost of living adjustments across all staff, all

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contracts, it's to the tune of $874,000 and change. We typically offset those salaries um as we're showing here tonight with a $550,000 um offset. And those funds are from our

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school choice account, grant funds, prek tuition, and we arrive at a net salary increase projected for 2027 of $324,724. The next four items listed are operational increases. Busing should sound familiar to everyone. This is part

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of the phase in approach to uh shift start times later and go from a re rerun to a two run. I was want to make sure I get that right. Um to the tune of 134,000 the curriculum materials adjustment of 150,000. Um the school

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committee received a presentation this year as we typically do uh annually on our um curriculum review process. Um that process involves planning, researching, implementing, evaluating

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and supporting our curriculum. And we felt like that uh that that particular line item needed additional uh funds to support those operations over the next three to four um curriculum review periods. We had identified a need to

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increase our line item as it relates to substitute costs. substitutes have been hard to come by. Um, and the going wage for substitutes uh needed to be addressed to try to uh attract and retain substitutes. And then the uh the

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schools have put together a wish list to the tune of $42,000 for additional supplies. There was a request to go with color copers at all the buildings. Um, and that brought us right in at the 2.75 increase. And then we got some bad news. Um so

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then when we met with or the the finance committee and the select board um identified that there was a fiscal year 27 budget for the town. Uh they asked us to lend a hand and helping solve that issue. Our ask was uh to reduce our

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appropriated amount by $600,000. we got back together and um we put the following plan in place. I'll note that we don't have $600,000 of cuts proposed. What we have are $600,000 of um

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revolving fund usage, which I'm going to detail for you. Uh so the very first place that we're looking to um lessen the $600,000 appropriated ask was uh to the tune of 134,000 which was the bus increase.

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We're simply going to spend down some bus revolving funds. Um that takes care of that. the $150,000 curriculum materials charge still going to occur in 2027, but we're going to

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spend that down um by uh by cross referencing some Tiger's Den, excuse me, Tiger's Den facil uh implementing a Tiger's Den facility charge that historically had been in place and has not been in place uh since it sort of

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reopened postco. So, making up for some lost time there. Um, we're going to spend down uh $50,000 uh revolving fund for the prek program and apply that towards salaries. And

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then we took a look at possible retirement savings. Um we know that you know teachers teachers and staff have announced retirement. Um we will always look to hire the best candidate. Um but oftent times staff they stay they they love working here in Littleton. they

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stay um they leave Littleton at those top tier uh salary ranges. When we go to rehire someone, we're projecting, predicting, fingers crossed, that there might be about $100,000 in savings there. And then we re-evaluated uh what

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our ask would be for sped out of district tuition and we reduced that 165,000 and change to come up with the 600,000. So, that being said, um you have our 2026 appropriated budget, our initial

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ask of $725,000. Um meeting the town's needs of uh $600,000 reduction brings our net increase to $125,283, which comes in at a point48% increase. Our 2026,

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sorry, 2027 fiscal year budget request will be to the tune of 26,598,42. This provides a breakdown of salaries versus expenses. Um to keep it real simple, uh we've got

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our salaries appropriated for 26 and then our salaries appropriated for 27. These are all salaries. So it's special ed, regular ed, central office, uh building leadership, and you're seeing a difference there between fiscal year 26 and 27 of 1.3%, it's 274,000.

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I just want to bring your attention back to one of those earlier slides mentally where we had um salaries going up to the tune of $827,000. That 274 that's shown on this slide is

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net of those adjustments that have been made. So salaries districtwide are going up much greater than $274. It's just the appropriated dollars that we're asking for that are going up 274. Likewise, expenses aren't actually likely going

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down fiscal year 27 versus 26. We um are paying that bus increase through revolving fund usage and some other miscellaneous expenses to the tune of about $14,000 um to show a a reduction there. So sal,

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you know, from an appropriated standpoint, salaries are going up slightly, expenses are going down. That's how we'll settle at the $125,000 increase or 48%. All right, so here are those cost centers that we referenced earlier. Um,

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it's it's the same story, but it's just a greater level of detail. So, we can look at regular ed um regular ed expenses 26 10,17,133. You know, if you didn't know, if you didn't understand the story or if you weren't paying attention, it wouldn't

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make any sense for us to be proposing um fiscal year 27 requested 9,949,186 with a net reduction of 67,000. That's after we've gone ahead and applied those school choice funds and the revolving fund usage and all that stuff. So, you

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can I don't I'm not going to go through every single one of these. I'll leave this up here for a minute um for you folks to glance at. We can certainly come back to the slide. You can ask questions, but this just goes ahead and details all of the various cost centers and what the um what the changes in

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dollars and percentages from fiscal year 26 to 27. But you have to keep in mind that this is after those reductions um that have taken place. Otherwise, people would say, "Hey, what about school administration? That

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doesn't make any sense." Um, it's just or students staff support services. It's it's just where we were able to get the dollars to work out. Okay, we can go on to the next slide. All right. So, this so what we've covered so far are the appropriated

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funds. That's basically taxpayer money. This is sort of the I don't want to say the other half, but it's the other $5 million of the um school budget. So, these are the forecasted expenditures out of the revolving funds.

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Um school's got a number, school department's got a number of revolving funds. The school choice account, the uh planned expenditures for fiscal year 27 are 850,000. We're showing that uh initial offset of 250,000.

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We're showing planned capital projects of 450,000 and then there's another 150,000 of miscellaneous of expenses that flow through the budget. Our uh circuit breaker funds, that's special ed tuition reimbursement from the state. Um that's

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an annual revolving account that the school department has. Uh we'll we'll be reimbursed for our special educ a portion of our special education spend and then we'll spend our circuit breaker money first and then we'll spend uh appropriated dollars after that.

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transportation cost um little bit larger than normal because of the uh additional usage there in the revolving funds where we're going to pay uh that that last phase in ourselves and not have not pass it on to the appropriated to the tune of

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300,000 prek tuition fees 200,000 other revolving fees um and then grant funds we're projecting 540,000. So there's another $5 million

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um of district expenses that'll flow through a revolving fund usage. Which brings us to this grand total of fiscal year 27. The total budget for the school department is 31,000.

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No, that would be nice. $ 31,1,244 with a breakdown of appropriated and other funds. the appropriated fiscal year 2726,519,42 and then as I just detailed the other fund usage and revolving fund usage 5,68,37

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for the grand total of 31,587,79 represents a total increase over the prior years of 1.9%. So, okay. >> FY20. >> Yeah, that should say 27. >> Yeah.

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>> Thank you, Dan. >> Good. Where? >> First one is 26, but the bottom one is >> first one is 26. Correct. >> Should be 27. >> Yes, it should. My >> mistake. Should total as 27. >> Yep. My mistake.

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Thank you. >> All the times we read it, I'd see it. But I'm sorry. >> Just confirming. I'm tracking. >> So, um, at this point in time, I'll open it up for school committee questions as it relates to the budget. Like I said, this was a bit more of a presentation on

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>> on the process and sort of that $600,000 problem and how we work to resolve that. the use of revolving funds. Um, if you've seen in the news or talked to other districts, it's pretty popular strategy. Um, everybody's in a bit of a

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budget grind. We're fortunate to have had these revolving funds. Um, as we've alluded to in previous meetings, this is not a sustainable strategy, but it is sustainable thankfully for fiscal year 27. Um, I would project that it could

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help us a great deal in in 28, but not much more than that. And I know the town's really working hard to hopefully solve the revenue side of the house because the expenses at this point are a bit what they are. Um, you've seen other

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school districts locally have to uh re-evaluate their spends and and look to shrink their districts. We hope to not be in that situation. Kelly will say, "Not my problem." >> No, I'm just kidding. Um >> I wouldn't I wouldn't wish that on anybody.

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>> No, no, we don't we don't want to be there. And that's why um you know, I do want to I do want to thank the talent for their continued support. It it's it is still a great deal of money. Um and yes, we were fortunate that the ask was only 600,000 and that we had the money

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and that we're able to, you know, run the show again. I like to say like every year, you know,und 180day show um with the enhy's going to go through uh in greater detail, but all of the wonderful

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presentations that we've heard and then make it even better for next year. Um Jenny, could we go back to slide 20, please? And I I know that we put solid work into this and this and and um

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>> which slide slide >> number uh uh the proposed budget cost center summary appropriated funds number 20 >> should >> Yes, that's the one. So, um, and you you

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touched on that this is that this FY27 change is not taking money out of budgets or putting it in like we're not we're not raising the school administration budget by 77,000 and

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taking 196,000 out away from special ed. But we it so can we just restate maybe um what these numbers mean in this requested and

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change columns just to make it very clear that we aren't doing that. >> Sure. So I think what you probably want to do is jump back to I'm wondering how you're referring to this as slide 20. Oh, I'm Well, because on my on my list,

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>> if you go to slide seven presentation, don't worry. >> Yeah. >> If you go see if you go to slide seven. There we go. >> This is 10,000 foot view. But I think this is what you're getting at. >> Yeah. >> Is >> Yes. >> Is we are going from 263 almost 264.

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We're implementing $725,000 worth of increases. or next year to the tune of 27 million bucks. The issue there is that you're not seeing all 725,000 get passed through the appropriated because the

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town asked us to spend some of our revolving money. So, so the slide that you're asking about is net of that revolving fund usage. So, we don't have a slide prepared on the cost centers as it would relate to

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the actual 27 the 27 million because that because that those aren't appropriated dollars. I'll try to say I'll try to say it a different way. Um, let's pick we'll just continue with regular.

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So, Our expense associated with regular ed is not going down. However, we're asking the town for $67,000 less than we asked them for last year. We're going to make up the difference with our

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revolving bud usage. Here's the key. >> So, there we go. So, it's year it's year-over-year request, not >> spend. >> Not spend. >> Correct. >> This isn't our our net school budget. This is the appropriate >> budget. This is the this is the request not not the final budget,

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>> right? So there's money coming in from our revolving funds to support those support those. Yes. >> Correct. And and like >> Gotcha. >> You know, if we were able to take the 600 grand and just equally weight it across, it probably would be like it would make more sense. But we're not

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able to do that because the revolving fund usages have to get spent certain places. >> Okay. So in some areas we're able to you know apply a large portion of revolving fund like in regular ed for example or um and we aren't as it relates to say

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system administration >> that could be good in the introduction. Well, this this is the presentation. So, >> if we have to if we have to do it again if we have to do it at town meeting. >> Yeah. Um if we're

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>> I >> notice. Yeah. I just I just feel like you know staying at town meeting. So, you know there are restrictions and and we working around those restrictions is some of the money is some of the numbers.

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>> Whatever the time stamp is on this conversation, be sure to pass that along. Yeah. Yeah. So, I'm not trying to be I'm I'm thinking in terms of what people are going to ask and what people are going to look at and what people are going to care about and and and you

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know, I mean, these are these are deep dives and I hugely hugely respect this work. Um, but I just want to be ahead of of questions and criticisms. >> Sure. Appreciate that, John. Uh so I

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know that said that uh to 514 um we're using 850,000 >> 850 from the school choice >> yearover year. How much do we need to improve in school choice? So what's the net impact for this year? Meaning 450 to 500,000.

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>> Okay. So the net impact >> to the actual total balance would be be less of that. Right. So >> correct. Yep. Yeah. Okay. >> And that was planned as part of the capital expenditures discussions with the town as well. >> And our school choice fund is was

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healthy. So we could have we could afford to take that loss, but we can't continue that year. Yeah. Still not good. >> I have a question about when you were talking about the curriculum materials, the 150,000. You mentioned that that was

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going to take us over a span of years. It wasn't like 150,000 this year and also next year and also the year after, right? >> So, it's a it's an additional 150,000 in the budget on top of you need to remember that it's it's an additional

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on top of the curriculum spend that's already in the budget. So, we have because we started with fiscal year 26, >> right? So, in fiscal year 26, of course, we had a curriculum spend and in evaluating

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um the the curriculum review process and what materials cost these days and where we're at with certain programming, we were we were projecting that we were going to be underfunding that particular line item over the next couple of years.

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So by adding $150,000 to that line item, we feel that we have sustainable funds to continue to implement our curriculum plan over the next three to four years. After that, you know, your guess is as good as mine. >> Um, >> oh, so this doesn't represent like

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buying Whiten Wisdom or something like that like a >> No, no, no, but it represents a multitude of things. Uh, witten wisdom and professional development. We're entering our third year of implementation. Uh the review scheduled for elementary

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next year is K5 science. The year after that is K5 social studies. So whenever you do a a K5 implementation, you're looking at depending depending on the subject area, but anywhere from $250 to $400,000

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for complete implementation. So this question is applies to more than just curriculum, but are we ever able to advertise over time some of the expenses that don't just apply to a one certain school year or is that not the way you do the accounting?

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>> It's it's very difficult to do with curriculum implementation because we we don't want to implement wooden wisdom K2 and then a year later implement Whitten Wisdom 3 to five.

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So what what carries over time is the professional development that we we offer our staff uh any other resources that we identify that that need to enhance the curriculum or the resource that we've chosen. So there there is a

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bit of latitude. I mean when we're we're looking at online resources, supplemental resources, we usually sign three-year contracts. So in that case that some of this money would would be part of a threeyear span. >> So you would only count a third of it in

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this year and then another third in the second year and another third in the third year. >> Potentially >> potentially sometimes we get a better deal if we do it three year than if we do it each year. So we weigh the >> get a better deal if you pay it. >> Correct. Yes. >> Yeah. So it's there are variables.

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U just clarifying you said uh putting the show back on statin levels of or level year. >> Yes. >> Can you if you know this offh hand and if not that's totally fine. The $5 million in revolving fund versus what

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it's been last year and previous years you know >> uh versus appropriating. So, I'll say it's it's probably it's probably $600,000 greater because of the plan revolving you spend down. >> Okay. >> Um,

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but I think the other usages there are typical if you think about our circuit breaker is pretty steady. Transportation costs, you know, that that piece of it is pretty steady, but we've got the the extra 134 in there. Um, Tiger's Den Food

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Services, that's kind of had some changes over the past couple of years with the mass the mass free lunch program. Yeah. I mean, it's the revolving fund by definition, right? You take money in,

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you hold on to it for a little while, you you know, then it goes out the door. You don't really want it to go out the door and leave yourself with the balance is zero because the event that an expense pops up, you got to have you got to have something there. >> But the intent isn't um for the district

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to really be, you know, accumulating massive amounts of money in these revolving funds. They they have these specific purposes. >> Right. Right. And then this is is this all sort of revenue coming in next year or this is also

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>> So these are the these are the planned expenses. >> Okay. >> Okay. We um we'll have an idea like once the school choice seats get filled as to what that revenue will be. We'll have an idea when we close the books fiscal year 26 what

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our circuit breaker reimbursement will be for 27. >> Okay. Um, you know, Steve's already looking to collect bus registrations. So, you know, >> as we open, >> but but as he'll tell you, we won't know that final number until 2 days after school starts because people are going

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to register late. >> So, true. >> So, um, you know, based upon historical >> data, we've got a pretty good idea of what um the usage has been. And in theory, we try not to spend more than we take in because then it's not it's not

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sustainable, >> right? Um, this year we're definitely spending more than we're going to take in as it relates to revolving funds in total. Okay. Because of this extra $600,000 spend down. >> Okay. Right. And to the point of we could sort of weather it for one year, but not so.

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>> Correct. Right. For sure. >> Right. So some So you're right. Some of these are fees that we would collect next year. We we collect them and spend them in the same year. >> Yeah. >> And then some of them we'll spend down that balance that little bit of a balance that we have. >> Yep. Okay.

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And can you go into more detail about the story with the money coming in from Tiger Sten? >> Sure. >> Like there was a a delay and then we are collecting it for years. >> You want Yeah. You want me to talk about it?

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>> Sure. So um before co um we um Tigers was in a position where we were charging charging quote unquote Tigers the Tigers program um like a facility rental fee to help offset building cost custodial costs heat light power things like that

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when COVID hit that program took a huge hit in revenue enrollment things like that so we stopped that cross charge for a couple years >> now that program the target was different so We've now built that program back up again. The revenues are coming in where we can now sustain a a

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cross charge back into that program to help offset some of the school costs to run the Russell Street School. So that's what that is. >> That make sense? >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm just So how did they have the funds to go back in time for

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the or are you just picking up where you left off? We're not making up the lost time. >> No, we're not making up the lost time. We're not going back and and and charging them the years that we didn't charge them. We're just starting next year. We're reinstituting the charge and moving forward. And then um we believe

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their program has uh sufficient in in the foreseeable future to to sustain that crosscharge uh for a number of years. >> And a number of years ago, we were considering leasing a building or building something with Tiger's Dent. It

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would have more space uh so that we can take more students in, but that obviously never came to fruition. we have a little bit of extra money. I think it's important to to note that I mean as a as a as a leader of this

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district working with been working with Steve and the school committee everybody around us was cutting a lot for for the past five years and as a result of that we we became very

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conscious about every echo we spent. So if there wasn't a good need for it and it didn't affect program or affect the education our students were receiving or we created efficiencies for example going out to bid on a

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project that's a $300,000 project might be able to save $50,000 if you take your time. So we we've put everything we can away knowing this day was going to come. So it's not as if we we have money falling on trees. This was a conscious

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decision to make because there is no way we could escape the reality that looks down the road. The only thing we didn't know is how long could we not be there and this year happened a couple years sooner than we thought. So, it's allowed

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us to continue to do all the good work that we're doing. And uh you know my hope down the road is that that we work closely with the town and and figure out where we are early enough because we need to we need to have sufficient revenue from the town to continue doing

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what we're doing because these funds could can deplete very quickly. >> Steve, what was the annual historic cross charge to Tiger's debt? Uh before CO it was 125,000 a year and

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we 15,000 >> installation. Yeah. Custodial costs are up. Supplies materials cost are up. Yeah. >> I didn't I didn't think it was that high. That's why I said you know make up for a little bit of loss and and Tiger's Den had a you know has a revolving fund account for the purpose I described

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previously. And also that program is so successful that there was there I believe there was a thought a long time ago like maybe Tiger 10 would even have its own facility like maybe we could get Tiger 10 to the point where it was a self-sustaining operation that didn't

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even take place inside one of our buildings. Um and I think that that like we're pausing that dream right now and we're spending the Tigers 10 down to 150 and implementing that cross choke back. I mean a lot of it depends on the

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capacity the rest of the street school and know they still have space for it. So but I can imagine if enrollment goes up and then you need that space for classrooms that's going to open a position. >> Correct. Staffing is a big issue trying to get staff you have to certain ratios you have to maintain. So trying to get

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staff to work the odd tigers down hours is a challenge. >> It's before school and after school and it's you know it's hard it's very hard to get staff for that. I don't know if we still hold that distinction, but my family had the longest run at Tiger Stem, including

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somebody who ended up working there, who had gone to gone there. >> Well, let's talk out there and let's do some research and find out. >> Yeah. >> So, I don't know if any other family has beat our record, but highly invested in Tiger. >> It's a great program. >> It is. It's fantastic. It's life saving.

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>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Sounds like you should end now. Uh >> I know, right? Like I should >> make an aa made. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions from the school committee members on the budget? Just

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thank you all for a lot of work. >> Much appreciation. This is a brilliant Justin. This is a lot of work. Thank you, >> Steve. Wow. Well done. >> Yeah. I want to thank everyone's help. I also want to just acknowledge that there was a a really nice working relationship with the select board and the finance

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committee and the town administrator's office as well during the process. So, it's it's a real challenge for us to receive news that we're only likely going to be working with an appropriate increase of 48%. Um, that was a tough

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pill to swallow. Um, but everyone, you know, worked graciously together and we've got a nice plan here for 27 and we're already working on 28. Um, then we're optimistic that the situation will

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be a little bit rosier. Okay. Well, if there aren't any other questions, there's still more to the presentation, but the numbers are in front of you and see things um on this slide. Uh, and I would be looking for a motion to approve the 27 appropriated

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and the total spending authorization. >> Would you mind reading it for the reading it out for the minutes, please? >> Y reading off the total amount. We're going to >> uh, it's right there for you at the bottom of the Thank you.

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>> Been provided. Move to approve the FY2027 town appreciation request of 26,519,42 with a total school spend authorization of $31,587,79. >> Motion made by Sean. >> Second.

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>> Seconded by Elaine. All those in favor indicate by saying I. >> I. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you very much. >> Thank you everyone. >> All right. So, now that we've got the budget taken care of, we can talk about upcoming concerns. So, um, and you know,

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happy to have an ongoing conversation here as well. Um, but as we sort of close that chapter on the 27 budget, we've got to we've now got to try to live that budget next year. And obviously, um, inflation's a factor.

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Um, you know, everyone has experienced the cost increases associated with natural gas, food prices, electrical costs, salary increases, contractual costs. We're in the process of uh negotiating a couple contracts right now. Um, we've experienced uh a an

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impact as on our busing and then every year there's a cost of living adjustment um built into that as well. But what year are we on for the busing contract? three this year this in year three or five. >> Yeah, three or five. So, a little bit of

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breathing room there. Um but obviously year six would be a big concern. Um and then Steve works very diligently on the uh service contracts related to um the upkeep of the buildings. I alluded to it earlier that uh we've had a nice working

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relationship with the select board and the finance committee. Um but you know as Janine said earlier we got to go to town meeting weaning. Me and the town we the town supporting this budget. Um so we're you know a concern. It's not really a concern of mine. Um I believe

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that Littleton's a community that uh values education deeply but the uh the support for our appropriated funds. Uh future negotiations and obviously our ability to maintain those school choice seats associated revenue. Um, every year we take a look at the school choice

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seats, the school committee. I don't know that we technically vote those through, but we give the superintendent the nod. Those look good to us. Um, you know, we want to m, you know, we want to maintain uh to maint to be what am I

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trying to say here? We want to always be a district that attracts um outside residents to our school district because we're top performing. And then we have to have the seats in the classroom as well. Um, and people will say like, you know, well, with all the housing going

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on in town, you know, we're going to run out of seats. But the reality is every year, uh, you know, folks are graduating as well and their parents don't necessarily move out of town, right? They're squatting their houses because they got nowhere else to go. Um, so we actually we actually need houses to

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maintain level enrollment. So we've actually been doing quite well there. um other impacts on the classroom such as uh transportation cost. We talked about uh regular and special ed programs. The

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the district's done a really good job of evaluating our special ed programming and trying to bring a lot of students back in district when we could provide a solution for them. Um these are students obviously that live in town. They're among their peers. Um, you know, well,

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I'll be the first to say like if we can't meet a student's needs, we will certainly uh entertain an out of district spend and even recommend one where it seems appropriate. But if we can provide that in district, that's often best case scenario. Um, and there

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and we can create some efficiencies there where it actually helps the budget. Um, capital funding concerns, we've taken a look at those this school committee year. Uh there are some uh lower ticket items which we're addressing in the near term, but there

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are some bigger ticket items uh such as roofing um the roof projects at the high school, middle school, and Russell Street, boiler replacements, and then as we uh talked about earlier this year, and really where this $600,000 need

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arose from um was uh related to the to the town's uh health insurance costs and other employee benefits. That's um obligations. So >> So Justin, are you um do you think we're

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going to have another hit like this next year or was that 600,000 that we were asked to cut more of? You're hoping that's a one-off situation? >> You want my You want my personal crystal ball? >> Yeah. >> I think I believe that next year will be similar to this year because I don't

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think a lot's going to change in 12 months. Um, I think there's a greater likelihood that the situation gets better in 24 months. So, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a similar type of presentation made next year um where we

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had some revolving sp uh revolving spend uh usage and perhaps we might need to even get, you know, more creative with the budget or tighten the belt somewhere. Um hopefully nowhere near staff. Um,

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and I'm optimistic that by the time fiscal year, I guess it's 29, I'm talking about 27. Um, 29 rolls around that there'll be a little bit more revenue on the down side. And every department's going to want it and every department's in theory going to need it

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because everyone's operating at sort of level services and have been. And by the time that revenue comes on on board, you know, people are going to be like, we're just barely been getting by these past couple years. That's that's going to be this the talk from everybody. Um but

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yes, to answer your question, I I don't think the situation drastically different 12 months ago. >> And then um with gas prices suddenly going up, we've got a bus contract, but so does that mean that the busing company has to eat those increases with

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the gas or is that going to come back to us? >> It would come back to us. There is a fuel clause adjustment in there if it goes up by a certain percentage based off of benchmark industry. Um, but it's it's kind of like a spot market. So, they look at it once a year. So, maybe by the time they look at it,

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it's back back down. So, it could come back and hit us. We have been hit with fuel charges in the past. They haven't been significant 10 or $15,000 or something like that, which is isn't really significant over a million million for contract, but yes, it's

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possible. Steve, would you be able to send me the 10-year capital plan that you're doing? >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Y >> crazy to think that like fuels is probably not a big component of the $1.4 million bus contract, right? The vehicles, the drivers, the insurance,

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the overhead, >> all that stuff. Um, yeah, gas prices are up. We'll see. Oh, I'm I'm hopeful that that's not a long-term problem, but see. So, yeah, there are legitimate concerns, but there to be honest with you, if you

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look back over our presentation year year-over-year, you know, there aren't really any new concerns. Um, but these are just things that we we keep an eye on and we have to plan for and with good proper planning, we can try to mitigate some of these

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risks. And we're also hoping to get MSBA funds for some of these like the Ruth project. >> Correct. So, uh, the plan is in FY27, January, February time frame for FY27. We will reapply to MSBA for the high

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school roof project and try to get matching MSBA funds. They do that every two years now and not every every year. So, if we can get some matching funds from MSBA for the high school roof, that might mitigate some of that cost as well. Right.

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>> I think we're good at that. >> Yeah. I mean, that'll be absolutely that's a godsend if we can get into those programs because it's a big bill without them. It's a big bill either way. Uh I'm fresh out of a a meeting with some select board and finance committee members and talking about some

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of these projects and the MSBA program. The town's setting aside their portion um with the assumption that we do get into the roof project. So, as we get approved, you know, if we were to get approved, the MSBA picks up 40%. And the

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town's going to have the 60% set aside for us. So, proper proper planning makes it a much easier pill to swallow, >> right? And we and we've talked I mentioned this a couple of times. We've talked about the high school boiler. It's 25 years old. It's huge. It's cast

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iron. Uh we had a couple of sections crack over the the years. We've managed to find replacements. We were told a year or two ago we couldn't find replacements. And then this year when we had a crack, there were replacements available. And we we suspect what happened is some other some other

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districts or buildings um upgraded their boilers and so those used sections kind of came on the market. And so we still need to look at it. We still need to plan to replace the boilers in the high school, but it's not like a critical situation at this point

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in time. is expectation that MSBA funding will take two years to get through and then you'll be 29 like how does that oh this seems to be >> uh typically I think with MSBA with the accelerated repair program you apply in

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January February it gets reviewed you get notification like in the October November time frame okay uh and then I believe you have a year to do the to do those projects so >> yeah Yeah, that's great. Thank you.

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>> Yeah, my my gut tells me on 27 that we won't get accepted or you know when they look at the age of the roofs of all the applicants in that program, you know, they be like, "Littleton, your roof's fine." Um, is my guess. >> Yeah,

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I'm optimist. >> Do they wait till you're using the waste baskets to collect the drinking water? still >> well I think the issue is that you know there's 40 applicants everybody's got buckets going at that point in time and they're going to

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>> so um we'll see I mean having a plan is great and then being able to execute a plan like such as the Shaker Lane school is uh is wonderful so I think that wraps up the budget concerns yes sir and also wraps up my

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portion of the presentation so I want to thank you very much I get to turn it over to superintendent and Kelly Clenchie who has the honor and privilege of uh talking about our accomplishments and as how it relates to the budget.

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Awesome. Thank you very much. >> Podium is yours. >> Appreciate it. >> I have to thank Jason Everheart for that applause. >> It's all you just change the whole vibe. You know, it's strange not having to

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think three years ahead. It's a little bit surreal, but I'm thinking to myself, why am I not thinking three years ahead? Right. Budget. >> That's all right. So, I'm happy to to report to you that the budget that was

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presented this evening allows us to continue to actualize our mission and actualize our strategic plan and allows us to continue to move our district forward. So, uh from from my point of view as the educational leader, this

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budget does not hinder what we're doing next year. So, >> as Justin pointed out, I strongly recommend that you keep that communication going with the town because we will start you more correctly start budgeting for FY28 in October. So,

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it's not too far off. Uh the accomplishments of the schools are are arranged around five standards of our strategic plan. I'm uh going to be brief tonight and just highlight two under under each section for for each school.

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although the elementary schools are combined in this presentation. So, so uh to start uh I mean we've all heard about Whit and Wisdom K5 implementation with scaffolded UDL supports. We're finishing

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our second year of this implementation entering year three. There's still a lot of work to do. This is a real huge change in the way we deliver uh English language arts education in our district. But I'm very pleased in terms of the progress that we've made to date and and

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I'm really excited about the curriculum. What's really really nice to hear students when you're you're in those classrooms talking about things that they're interested in learning about science, learning about history, and it's incorporated into the into the

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program. So very pleased that we uh chose this resource and the continued implement implementation of the portrait of a learner prek of 12. Uh I'm thrilled that all of you were excited with our presentation. We still have some work to

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to do. But when this process is completed, I truly believe that you will no longer need a strategic plan because the portrait of the learner will become your strategic plan, which makes sense and we should all be striving school to school

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to to develop those skill sets that are that are um indicated in the major uh areas of the portion of plan. And I'm going to stick to my promise two per section professional development

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continued focus on universal design for learning. Uh we've been on this venture for four years now. Uh as you all are aware from our presentation, this is a multi-year implementation process. We're we're

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seeing good progress this year, but we're certainly not going to be done at the end of the year. I would anticipate two or three more years of focus before the district fills in that we can uh let our foot off the gas pedal. It'll be it'll be uh

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in the culture of our schools will be part of practice. The uh other area I'd like to highlight is is continued practice uh learning and discussions on culture responsive instruction. That's so important to to any school district. We've embraced that

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for years and and this is something that that uh we're committed to continuing to to embrace climate and culture. I'm so thrilled that we're continuing on with the annual cultural fair and extended to Russell Street school

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families. That's a huge success and and you just learn so much by being part of those evenings and it's just an indication that that as a community we we embrace diversity at all levels and it's really nice to learn about different cultures. Uh as we all know

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our cafeteria also embeds uh different meals from cultures into the menu and it's really nice to expose our students and staff to different different foods from from different cultures. uh heart and stripe. I'm going to break our rule just for a second here. I mean

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those those programs social emotional programs are are are staples of social and emotional learning and it's it's a rarity that at graduation I do not hear one of our students talk about the heart program. It's still making a huge difference and it's been in place for

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for many many years. Uh this year for the first time we hosted a wellness university day at Russell Street School. It was a boarding brought people in. Uh our students were actively involved in learning about all aspects of wellness and as we all know that starts early. So thrilled that we

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we were able to formalize something rather than just incorporate into what we're doing every day. Students had a great time. Staff had a good time and uh I'm hoping that this will become an annual offering at Russell Street School. community and communication.

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Shaker Lane offered to be grades one and two uh new buddy program when you move to a community uh and you're just getting to know your neighbors and and and other other members of the community and you have students that are attending

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school. It's it's a little daunting at times. I know and I've done that in my career as I moved around and my children have had to adjust to a new community, new schools and and it's nice to have a support network and and feel welcome and and you know get to know what the

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community is all about. So that is a that is a tremendous program and I'm I'm confident that it's taken off a lot of stress from new families that moving towards that. Uh we continue to partner with the uh Littleton High School students to have

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internships and mentors at Shaker Lane and Russ Street. There's nothing more special than watching our students uh from high schools give back and work with our our youngest younger learners more correctly in all aspects of their schooling. could be social emotional

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learning, could be math, could be ELA, Pazette. And uh it's just really nice that that uh we have students that want to do that. And I really truly believe that's one of the reasons why we have so many students come back to our schools to some after they're finished their the

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year at college. So I really believe that this is a line that that allows us to develop that confidence and that desire to come back and also give back to to public schools technology.

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We continue to offer family STEM night activities uh which we've been doing for about five years a very high participation in those activities. And the other one I'd like to highlight is the implementation of our school

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status communication platform. Uh this is two and a half years now that we've we've begun that venture. I think it it it's doing well and I'm looking forward to seeing it expanded throughout time as

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we uh entertain uh hooking up to Instagram and Facebook to reach our broader community. But it's really nice to be able to find things at one place. The only other thing I'd like to see done and I don't have enough time to do it is uh start looking at the teacher

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websites that they create and and if we could standardize those at each school would maybe be on. I think uh there'd be a lot of happy students and parents out there. Right now it's still still seems a little clunky to me. That's not an easy task. It's really hard to find a program that's um meets the needs of

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each school. But I believe something can be done. Hoping the new superintendent takes a look at that during their first several year. Middle school of course the one of the huge accomplishments of being recognized as a national blue ribbon school and

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that's as a result of the hard work of our students, teachers, uh parents and community. takes everybody to to create an effective district. You know, we need everybody working together towards a common direction. So, this doesn't happen in districts very often. If I

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mentioned before, been lucky. Both superintendents don't ever see one in their careers. Uh this is the second one that I've had. I know for some reason they've both been middle schools. Always wanted an elementary school or high school, but not too shabby settling for another middle school. The graduation

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started one on that accomplishment. And the middle school has been working really hard on enhancing intervention programming to uh bring the interventionist into the classroom. Our philosophical belief is that we want our students in front of the best teachers, the most qualified teachers and unless

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it's absolutely necessary, we want them included in classrooms with their peers. That's not possible all the time, but even if there are pullouts, they should be minimized and only only students should only be pulled out of class in absolute system.

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Professional development continued to develop classroom structures to prevent and address concerning behaviors. They brought in a gentleman by the name of Dr. Alex Hersburg. And uh they this individual worked with staff on on

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bringing consistency and norms and routines to the classrooms and doesn't matter what age you are as a student. It's nice to know what the expectations are and and also worked on on areas of of using different strategies for different

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learners in your classrooms. And I think that's an important point to emphasize that when our students walk into our doors, they're all individuals. They're a collective group, but they have individual learning needs and that certainly needs to be take taken into account as we we uh deliver education and engage them actively in educational

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opportunities. cultured climate, continued focus on building connections with students, help them regulate when needed and get them back to class and ready to learn, which is kind of a strange statement, but uh the middle school experience is the first time that they have that

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opportunity to go to different classes and uh sometimes there's a tendency to take advantage of that time and not be in class as much as as you should be. uh having been a middle school principal for a while uh saw that a lot and it's something that really does need

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attention and I'm glad that uh they are aware of it and I see some positive differences in terms of their efforts in past and implementation of universal mental health screening for seventh and eighth grade SOS for sixth grade. It's really

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important that our clinical staff get to know our students prior to them wanting to see them or having to see them. And by doing these surveys, it gives us an opportunity to screen students and and perhaps discover things that we would never never discover unless we have

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these screens. And I really believe it's it's it's a major tool in in prevention. So, I'm really glad that we're continuing to put our energies into to doing these these schools because they they're very valuable at the very end of the book.

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Community and communication uh the annual uh cookout before the beginning of the year that u brings uh parents and students together also brings a little bit of controversy in our district because everybody wants every school wants to do one and we're still having

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conversations as to how can we make that happen. Maybe we just need to offer it to all schools at once, which would be a huge undertaking. But, uh, it is such a nice nice opportunity for grade six students and families to take a look at the middle school, get to know each

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other and, uh, you know, great thing to get, you know, to do get together hamburgers and hot dogs and just have a conversation. So, hopefully that we're doing this year. we put an increased focus

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into our re reunification plans. Uh sure you all know what those are. If we ever have a situation where we have to evacuate our schools and relocate, it's important that we have a system in place and and

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uh make sure that everybody knows what needs to happen. So with the addition of another resource officer this year, we've been able to spend more time on that. And I feel really good about where we're at. One area of safety in every district I've been in, you always need

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to remember that if there is an evacuation for some reason, you need a solid plan in place because I'm telling you, it was chaos. I actually unfortunately have been there twice of my career. Thank goodness it wasn't a harsh tragedy, so to speak, but it uh

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it was uh an interesting thing to go through and everything was okay in the end. But uh I learned a lot through those two experiences in terms of jam phone lines uh uh making sure that that we've been able to isolate the area in

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the police department and other police departments coming in. I mean that the whole operation has to be so well thought out because when you're in those moments you're you have to react. You won't have a lot of time to think. Has to be almost ingrained in what you're

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going to do. So technology redesigned the school library into a tech forward multi-use space. We've already purchased some furniture. We hired a new uh librarian aid and they're excited about moving forward with that

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venture. And Julie Lord who met in terms of my technology integration specialist has been working um with the administration and staff all year to get ready to to move forward in a different way with technology in the school. We're also hiring a new technology teacher

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this year which will give us an opportunity to look for for those qualities that that align with what they're trying to prove. They use something called a pass program to track students break and duration. High school has implemented it this year for the first time as well and also used

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to schedule appointments with counselors office visits etc. It just gives you an idea of where the students are during the day. Obviously classroom teachers have access to this program, administration, clinical staff. So it's just a nice way to to keep track of our

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sleep. We have over 400 students in the school and we just want to make sure that we uh are able to keep everybody safe and know where they are. High school another uh celebrate celebratory moment. Uh

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the high school was recognized as 2025 school of recognition which is quite an honor as well. Uh we were one of two districts to be recognized for blue ribbon school and a school of recognition uh at the state this year. So really cool uh interesting story. The

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only other school district was with a superintendent that I worked with in Maine. She was a director of curriculum at the time and I might as well disclose that she's a superintendent of Lex Lexington public schools now. So it was kind of nice for for us to get together

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for a bit to talk about our past etc. But those are the only two schools that have both those new works. Continuing uh incorporating UDL practices and inclusive teaching practices. We've uh again have spent a lot of time

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on that with with uh classroom walkthroughs. Our uh high school uh curriculum coordinators are also involved and I'm seeing a great I'm seeing a a pronounced movement this year of things finally clicking into place. was very similar to implementing SEAL

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into the classroom. Uh, a lot of people thought it was a separate curriculum and it really is. It's part of what we do. It's part of the it's part of the what you do as a teacher and and really if I was to to depict a a visual of it, uh, SEAL is the plate and everything else

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goes on the plate. It needs to be there. It needs to be prevalent for for our students to be successful. uh with the upcoming reacredititation this year within two months uh that should be over. Our students in grades 9, 10, 11 created digital portfolios,

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presentations that demonstrate uh various skill sets of the portrait of the learner. This is going to be super helpful for the other schools to see what what's being done because that's closer to the uh culminating activities of of the portrait of a learner. So, it's nice to have one school ahead of

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the other schools that we can learn from as as the other schools keep moving forward. our third year of character strong program in high school. I've talked about this a number of times with you. Year one was a little bit of a rocky start. Year two when we uh embrace

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student voice and and more inclusion of staff and design of activities was a much better experience and we were able to tweak it again this year and it's working really really well. So very pleased that that that's moving in the right direction because that was a

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tougher implementation at a high school level and culture continued uh universal mental health screening as well at the high school which uh really has paid off. and our athletic uh participation. 300 out

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of 476 students played at least one sport last year. That's 63% of their population. And I would imagine the almost all of the others were involved in drama or music and some in both. So our students are very engaged in in a

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variety of activities at our high school which is so important. you know, this is their these are the things that they really truly remember after they graduate. I was as an educator for over 45 years. That's hard for me to say, but I'm a realist. And those special trips that they take, the bonding that

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happens, that's what they really remember. They remember us as well. But those activities uh certainly come up first. actually learned that experience when I first became an assistant principal and I was integrating in the community and I was pretty young at the time and uh going out uh you know

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playing certain sports and going to events and every time I would sit down with them I very seldom ever heard about a math teacher English teacher but I definitely heard about the trips they took together in this class it's interesting how those things never leave

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them it's part of part of who they became here was you know getting together, understanding the the importance of teams and and and building positive relationships. And of course, uh our music concerts and drama productions are incredible. Every

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year they become better and really proud of our fine arts program in this district. We have excellent staff and students that are anxious to take part in these these uh shows and musicals. Uh and and we that this all takes support

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from our parents and our community as a whole because they cost significant money to put on especially the the professional production to go to community and communication. I've already talked about the reacreditition in May of 2026. There's a

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lot of work that goes into that. This is a I don't know how many I've been on. I actually used to be on reacredit reacredititation teams years ago. And uh it was nice being on the other end of it. The the preparation in order for for the team to come out and evaluate the school is huge. I mean it's

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not just a twoe preparation. It's a two-year preparation. So I'm excited to have the team come to the high school and get to know them and also have them give us feedback how well we're doing as a high school.

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the uh our LHS student ambassadors help facilitate a workshop for younger students as part of the playbook initiative Boston Celtics. I am so thrilled that we're still part of that initiative. It's usually a one and done and this is our third year of being part of that initiative. So it's pretty

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special that we have a group of students that are so committed to being part of technology. Uh, you know, one thing that continues to impress me is our our student led Tiger Tech team that, uh, works together. They're growing in

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numbers and they fix computers in our district. Uh, they help seniors with computer issues as well. And, uh, we have over 30 students this year, the Tiger Tech program. And then we also develop the sisters and tech team as well, which is really cool. It's really

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thriving as well. priorities for 2627. You know, strange talking about them, but um it's essential direction needs to be set and and uh for the new leader and then the new leader can come in and you know, assess what we're doing and work

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with the leadership team and the school committee to uh decide what uh perhaps needs to be done next. And you know, part of my journey, I haven't moved around that often in my career, as you can tell, since I've been here for 15 years. But when I've always

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moved to a new district during my entry plan, I've always taken the time to look at where the district has been the last 10 or 15 years, where it currently is and where it is headed. That is so important because you need to understand that culture before you come in and

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start building relationships and working with uh working with your leadership team, your staff, your community, and your school. I mean, you always have to remember when you come into a district, people have given their heart to that district and it's imperative that that one office degree of respect and

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deserves. It's uh certainly helped me in my career as I loop around a little bit. The ongoing assessment of district programming that really we're talking about port of a learner in that statement. And what I think is important that we

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all realize is we're preparing students for jobs that don't exist. And I and I think that's one of the many reasons why that portrait of the learner is so powerful because what we're doing is we're instilling skill sets that are going to hold them in good speed no

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matter what they do. And and in this day and age, they're going to have a number of jobs and and perhaps change careers. And in order to do that, you need to be resilient. You need to value lifelong learning and uh need to be, you know,

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you need to be somewhat of an entrepreneur. And I'm not concerned even though I was a generation that didn't have to do that. Uh I I think I see our students with some skill sets that I certainly didn't have when I was in prison. And it

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was it was very different back then. But now, I mean, you you have to you have to be open to new ideas and you have to be open to to new opportunities. So, it's kind of an interesting time. Probably a little daunting for our students, but you know, they're they are resilient,

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but I think that's a key word that we need to continue to to use to make sure that our students are are ready for for the future. We we need to continue to emphasize student and staff wellness and enhance

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uh social emotional learning. That is that is a key strategy to our success. We can't let our we can't let go of that. I don't think there's ever a time where we could sit down and say, "Oh, we're done. We're good." Because as we know

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issues change all the time and issues, you know, some issues create stress and everybody experiences stress and to develop those skills to know how to deal with them. Develop those skills that that allow us

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to to rebuild, move forward, and believe in ourselves is so important. I read an article the other day about DIIB, specifically the belonging because that that was an addition to DIIB.

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And what I found intriguing when I read this article is that belonging is essential, but belonging by itself can be very ineffective. Because does belonging mean sacrificing your own belief systems or doing things

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to fit in rather than being an individual and being proud of who you are and what you have to offer. So I think one thing we need to talk about as we move forward is conflict resolution. There there are ways that you can disagree with each other and disagree

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with the issue and still be fine with each other. And during my tenure in education and educational leadership, in my observation, that's the hardest thing for people to to truly master. So I don't think that's something that

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we can let go of. Emphasis on instructional practices again that integrate SEAL and wellness support inclusion equity and diversity cultivate belonging advance growth mindset strategies in students and staff. That's so important. And uh we

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need to continue to reflect on our sheltered English immersion uh best practices. our community is changing and our number of students that require SE SEI services uh are increasing and I think that's an area that that we're actually just being reviewed on it by the way by the state. So this will be a

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good opportunity for us to reflect what we're currently doing and what we're going to need to do in the future because those numbers of students aren't going to decrease they're going to increase. So this is an area that we're we're just beginning we're at the beginning stages of we've had

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programming for many years but we we didn't have a lot of students. So now that our students are increasing we really need to make sure that we have a a program that's aligned for junior 12. So that's an area an area of growth for us

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and uh you know our professional learning culture. We talked about the kinds of professional development. There's individual professional development, school professional development, district professional development. All three of those are really important. Uh I've said to you

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many times how I'm very pleased with the opportunity to partner with Harvard public schools and their Shirley public regional school district more correctly every year. Um it's an opportunity it's teacher driven. So we offer

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professional development, professional development that that resonates with all of the people that are there. And by bringing more people together, you have colleagues that that u begin to to develop friendships, rely rely on each

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other for expertise. You can talk about what they're going through in their various subject areas. So I really believe in this uh in terms of a key professional development component. I'm biased because I I created this program in 2002

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in a regional school district and we had over 3,000 teachers come to the event and uh it's still going to this day. So that probably should be a testament but uh of its value if if it's still in place that many years later.

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the continued uh development of uh MTSS multi system tiers of two supports u we're doing well in that area tier one tier three supports tier two I think every district still needs to work on tier 2 supports are shared between the

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classroom and and pullouts depending on on the intervention that's needed but if I were to summarize where where we really need to spend some time and energy and be watchful is that tier 2 support. Those are where students can

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slip through cracks and go unnoticed years. So, you know, all three are important, but tier 2 is key to making sure that we don't have students that actually do maths. Oh, we already t I already talked about

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culture response practices and curriculum review cycles. When I first came, we didn't have money for curriculum reviews. That's the first time I've ever seen that in my career. And I get it. And the money was tight. But in order to become a high performing

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district, you have to have effective resources. And I I you know forever grateful to the town for recognizing the need school committees that I've had in the past and present school committee for uh securing the necessary funds to have a six-year curriculum review cycle

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really important that uh that happens in every district. Curriculum mapping is also important that consistency we we've gone through exercises in curriculum mapping. I think it's a third round and part of what happens is the programs that we're using don't like

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stick and we have to retool and it's kind of a good thing because then we can rethink how we're designing curriculum maps for the subject area facilities maintenance and repair plan. We've done a really good job of that. U again another concern we all have around

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the table is that you have to continue maintaining your schools. If you don't, the cost at the end is far greater. And it's hard to remember that at times, but you have an experience that's worked. And I would ask you to keep that at the

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forefront of your planning process because if you let things go, boss rise. So, sometimes it's hard to balance all the demands when budgeting for school district. strengthening partnerships with our

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community families is something that that we always need to do, something that that's paramount and having our community understand where we are, where we're headed, and that we embrace partnerships in education. And we also need to highlight civic

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education. It's always been important, but I think it's more important than ever. and we have already dipped our toe in the water with uh the explor exploration of AI and the choose some education. So I'm really proud of our our staff for

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embracing AI cautiously and and not just saying that this is bad. They've been they've been really good about about you know using using uh time and and and strategies and having high level conversations about how can this help

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them in their profession have a little more efficient automation and how can it help our students in terms of the learning process and there there is a place for it but like anything else I think it needs to be balanced. You read some articles there out there

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now on AI. You just have to I guess the only word I can come up with is you have to be a realist. I don't anticipate anytime soon that somebody will be cooking my suckers for me. So, you know, it's automation what

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has to take with a grain of salt. And you're we're always going to need people to do things. And I I'm a firm believer that automation has value to a certain point, but it does not replace the talents humans. I think that's something

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that I hope as a society we remember uh because we're so foiled with AI technology initiatives. Uh we continue with our best based technology plans. Infrastructure is really important as we we uh become more advanced with our use

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of computers. bandwidth, for example. I don't know about you, but every now and again at home I you feel like I'm waiting five minutes for something to load and it drives me crazy and I keep paying more money every time that happens and it only works for a couple months and back to the spot again. So,

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you have to be really careful with with uh the infrastructure. years ago I I hooked up a rather rather large system to a one in one program and the first day we did this they connected their own fiber optic cables and it was

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a disaster and I'll never forget that because it was one it was a moment I thought we we've invested millions of dollars in this and it's not working and it was just hooking the wrong cables up so thank god it was over uh you know the support of our students

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with one-on-one technology program. I still want to really emphasize the importance of only using technology when necessary. There there is that teachable moment that can only happen with the teacher and the student and we shouldn't be overrelying on technology, but it is a

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good tool to use in our classrooms when it it helps enhance instructional opportunities for our students. And you know, as a lot of us are thinking, I know we've developed some policies in our district on technology used during the school day. We really need to think

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about what is what what do we don't what do we want as an end product and I'd ask that you all think about that because if you don't give our students an opportunity how to learn to use technology responsibly how are they going to do it when they

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leave our school system and all of a sudden they have everything at their fingertips so I think there needs to be somewhat of a balance as we we continue to move forward K12 digital citizenship is paramount

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in the district certainly important part of our district and the vertical alignment of STEM opportunities for all students and we're hoping to have a greater focus on on in that area in grades 6 to 12 next year reorganization

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making for I exit and that's it I think was brief, could have been twice as long. And there are some thank yous. Uh, as always, we have a number of groups that are listed on this page. We would not be where we

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are without their help. And so, it's important to uh to not only realize that, but celebrate the the good fortune that we have that all these organizations are truly invested Littleton Public Schools.

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With that, I'm open to any questions that you may have. >> May I have to say thank you very much for the presentation. Well done. Thank you for everybody. >> Well, I I just want to say I really appreciate your continued focus on the

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portrait of a learner. Like remember how excited we all were at that presentation with the last meeting. But I I appreciate your planning forward even though you won't be with us to see it through. But that's a a very important initiative for this district. So So

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thank you for highlighting that and also UDL and I mean it takes many many years to really have that traction and it requires sustained leadership to make that happen. You know, there's a a lot of districts I work with are trying to

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implement UDL, and I think they're all seeing the same thing that it, you know, just takes a while for the theory to uh trickle down into practice. So, but it takes that again the sustained leadership. So, thank you for uh making that a focus and thank you for

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articulating it into the future. You know, hopefully our our next superintendent will pick it up as well and carry that ball forward. >> I'm confident that you will all make a great decision. So, Well, I I know it must be hard to start, you know, to plan for the year that you all be here. So, I'm sure it was a

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little bittersweet putting this part together. Kind >> it is, but you know, I I'm in a great spot. I love being a superintendent. I love I love being in education and, you know, now it's time to refocus and spend time with my family and and figure out,

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you know, what my hobbies are going to be. I know what they used to be. I've dropped off most of them and I need to get back into that. But I'm really I'm just really excited to to figure out what's next. I don't have a clue and I I feel good about that, which is strange for me. >> Not excited about it.

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>> Life is >> enjoy. >> Yeah. Well, you'll see me uh driving a snow plow in the winter time. You'll know I'm ready for you hear Steve suggestion. besides thrive school bus.

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>> Oh, we always need bus. >> Yeah, they substitute. Um, all right. That wraps up the uh budget hearing, although officially won't close it until we pause for our opportunity for public comment. If there's anybody with us this evening

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or on Zoom that would like to speak before the school committee, this is your last chance. We have one in the room. name and address for the record, please. >> Okay. Rob rounds 25 Juniper Road. I love welcome to these meetings. Wish could

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attend them all. They're great. Thank you. Congrats. Um pertaining to the public hearing. I would love So, I'm a finance guy. I It's a big focus. I hope

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you're right about after fiscal year 28. I suspect you're dead right fiscal year 28. I'm very much concerned with regard to the outy years. I attend a lot of meetings. One of them was the

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July 14th select board meeting in which they entertained a couple of memos pertaining to King Street comment project with an 8-year roll out of that project looking to add six to 10 police officers or six to 10 firemen, three to

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four policemen, uh possibly a new firehouse. I mean, it was just it blew me away. So, I don't have a crystal ball. I could use your words. I don't know what it's going to be, but where I think I'd like to just

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talk with you about your fiscal year 27 budget is thank you for what you did, the 600K. I will hope and I'll be agitating others, not you. You did. You came through.

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I really hope they don't do a statement to you of go ahead increase 2.5% or 3%. That's not reality for fiscal year 28. Don't even let them tell you that because you're going to get get whiplash

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with regard to find it more. So rather what I am here to offer up and I've done this consistently with a couple other groups is really start to go into work on those out years the forecasted years those deficits we always find a way and

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I'm grateful big supporter of education and all the work that you do full stop but sharpening and preparing for I'll say even communicating to the public one thing I learned to the Shaker

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Lane initiative. When you ask the public to come, they don't necessarily come. They did at town meeting. They all of your efforts topnotch. But because what I fear is coming in

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those out years, I just want to encourage a couple of tactics and then I'll then I'll be done. And that is I saw it on your on your priorities. Uh those community strengthen those partnerships. I'm a big strong believer with regard to

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the growth estimates with regard to the senior population. I'm one of them you're going to join and that sort of thing. But you've got right now I think if you could pull it off get in front of

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people before town meeting those seniors host a lunchon for the seniors and tell them what you just did to make that budget happen. because without you it it's a big problem and then you can come

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back a year from now or six you know 6 months after that and reinforce we're here to do it again but then flip your message to be but we can't as you said I'm just playing back what I've heard you say it's not sustainable so start to dig in

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with all of your numbers with regard to where you can't be and start to solidify I this is our line. This is where we go. We're not going to go back, you know, with regard to retrenching of all the initiatives that Dr. Cleni just

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presented to you. And so I I really want to, you know, I could hit off you're about to hit off a phenomenal hockey team. You've already got tremendous scholars. You know, my opinion like that grade two music presentation.

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Seniors love that sort of thing. If you can any of those breakfast sharpen that get out make all those relationships not for 6 months but for two to three years from now when you then need to reinforce that and you'll have already identified

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hopefully a whole bunch of people who aren't here right now that you can rely on and say could you speak you know could you you know gather around that sort of thing. Um, last one for you. Liz Triak is the Alder and human service director. Uh, she's at the center on

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Shag Street with her staff. She just kicked off the council on aging and still happening. But she announced two meetings ago their council on aging meeting that she's going to kick off a four to five year strategic plan because she recognized they just built the center on Chadic Street. That's been

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their focus for the last 5 years. Turn the page. just added a staff member in order to they're up phenomenal percentage increase with participation and now she's saying now we have to plot the future I'd love you to be part of that because I think seniors benefit

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I've been to tech Julie's phenomenal kids again you've got so many things just pick which ones you want to highlight it'll be like Dr. Glad she's priorities, you know, accomplishments. You could go on the net. You're going to have to sharpen it to attention spans

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for people my age, but >> thank you very much. >> There's nobody online. >> What's that? >> There's nobody online. >> Okay. >> You're like the perfect liaison for us. if you want to assume that role of, you

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know, school committee to the uh senior population, we'd be happy to have you. Um, all right. So, no other citizens this evening, no one online. I'll close public comment. Then our next order of business is I'd

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like to accept a motion to close fiscal year 27 uh budget public hearing. I move that we close fiscal 27 budget meeting. >> Motion made

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seconded by first. All those in favor can by saying I. >> I. Carried unanimously. So that's all closed out. We have um I misspoke earlier. We have one other piece of new business which is the case capital plan notice. Um information's included in our

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packet. Uh this is a review and vote on the revised case collaborative capital plan with a potential uh motion. Uh I think folks have had an opportunity to review this. I can essentially reiterate what the letter says, but

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wanted maybe you're involved here. >> Yes, I am. So, if you want to just maybe provide some context as to what the letter is about and um if we take as the letter states, if we take no action, we're essentially for it. So, um if we

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wish to uh publicly before, we can cast a vote uh for or against it. But take it away, Kelly. >> Sure. Uh the case collaborative has around 14 districts that uh belong to it. were one of them been a long

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longtime member. Uh just as our system has changed in terms of developing programs for special education students when we have a critical mass, their programs have had to retool as well. The needs of their

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students are increasing as a result of that. So we created a school back in 2019, Colbrook School was originally the high school and we moved some uh younger

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students in different sections of that school to provide programming for them as the needs increase with the collaborative. We what we did back then is we we didn't want to borrow $60,000 or whatever it would cost for new school. So we we

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found a a building and a an owner that was excited about renovating it. So we lease part of the building and down the road there may be an opportunity that uh case should probably buy that building

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but they need to start saving for that to happen because it's the the owner of the building has been great and but at some point in time if you know that this is going to have great longevity then you might as well own your own building rather than continue to lease it. I

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think we're finally at that point where there's that awareness. It takes a while to get there because with with programming changing as a result of changing needs, you uh you get a little cautious because you're just not sure where the the programs are going. So,

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what this does is it just opens it up for them to put money aside for instructional programs and transportation programs. uh we're this in no way is a is a indication that the case can borrow

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significant money without coming back to the member member towns and having a vote for those projects. So it's just giving them not different than our own revolving funds an opportunity when they they see efficiencies they can put them in revolving funds in this case it's a

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capital revolving funds to take care of their needs we have a huge trans transportation system in case we have over 100 vans and we could have a lot more vans but we're trying to trying to not become too big because you know we

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want to be able to control what we have and and Sometimes when you become bigger it becomes more expensive and you have to remember we have to have a driver for every one of those vans and finding bus drivers is really difficult during this time. So on the yearly average we

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replaced 8 to 10 vans they're close to $80,000 each and we've been fortunate because we've created efficiencies over the years to to help with some of that. But I think we need to become more methodical as we move forward so that we're building those funds and and

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becoming not our own bank but having some cash to use uh when we need to use it for for the various capital items that this entity needs. So I'm I'm in support of this uh I've been at case for 15 years been chairman of the board for

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a number of years and I was on the uh board as chairman when we built Colbert Colbert schools. So, it was a great experience, but they uh they're a great entity and they they do save us a tremendous amount of money by being part of the collab. Part of that is a result

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of of us offering classrooms within our district for their students, but we're finding that's harder and harder to do as as school enrollments are starting to increase. Uh sometimes the programs that are required are very hard to integrate into the school system as well. So, we

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have those variables that that the board of directors is dealing with and and you know, this is this is the right timing for this. We hired a new business manager who uh I've known for a number of years. He was a superintendent at one point in time. Business manager was his

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first career and uh he went out for a few years and worked in a business with a friend of his and then we were fortunate enough to hire him to to be a business manager for the case. has a lot of experience and I have all the confidence in the world in this gentleman. I mean, he's tried

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and true. So, I have no reservations about supporting this this venture. I'd be happy to answer any questions if you you have them. Uh, Kelly, is this coming from money we've already given Case Collaborative or how does that work?

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>> The money that we we give the case collaborative is through tuition. Well, if we send students uh to case, that's how we we pay for for belonging to case and that will cover these costs that they're asking for. Yes. Okay. Yeah, we have

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even our transportation costs. Uh we bus a number of students, but we pay a fee for for that. So, this a fee based entity. >> Thank you. So, um, you were saying that they were thinking of purchasing the

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building that they're currently leasing. >> Perhaps that's down the road. >> One of the >> Yeah, >> because on this proposal they talk about land acquisition, improvement, and construction, which makes it sound like a new build. Do you know that's >> might be a bit of a pipe dream point in time. >> It's a little bit of an eye popping

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number. I mean, we we are storing 100 vans off site, but we don't have the rule to store them in in an area that we hold at least that area. And so, I guess if there was an opportunity, if the deal was right, they they may consider that at some point in time. I mean, I'm I'm

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confident if they wanted to, they could double the number of bands they have. Just be more of a logistical challenge than perhaps the board of directors would like to take at this point. So, So all they're really looking for is

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just our approval of their revision of their capital plan. No financial commitment. >> No financial commitment at all. >> Correct. As the letter indicates if I understand it correctly, they don't have the ability to have a capital plan right now. Like

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they had a capital project. They had a plan that projects complete. Therefore, the capital um plan is u closed out. So they're look they're essentially have identified some opportunities similar to how we operate,

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right? We've got revolving fund usage and some some savings set aside for some needs. Just looking for our blessing to go ahead and establish this total capital reserve with a limit of up to $4.365 million. Doesn't indicate they're coming

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to ask us for any money. Doesn't indicate that um that this is going to affect their uh their annual ask of us. It's just they've identified um these annual spends and and wanted to have the ability to set the money aside so they can be efficient with their

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dollars. I'm in support of this because Kelly is seems like Kelly has a very firm understanding of this and it seems like a prudent approved financially for them and then in turn for us questions or comments. I think that was well est.

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>> Great. I'd like to make a motion then. >> We move that we uh go to approve their capital plan revisioned. Motion made by Elaine, seconded by Sean. All those in favor saying I. >> I passes unanimously. We'll roll through

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our subcommittee reports. PMDC right now. or budget subcommittee. Uh we'll rest on this evening's presentation. Um however, I I we did have a financial policies

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working group um session this afternoon that's comprised of a couple select board members, finance committee, town administrator's office, uh treasur's office, and we've got a school committee seat on that. So, I was I was there in attendance. So, we were just

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going through that financial policies working group uh document which we've all um voted on in the past. A couple revisions possibly coming our way. That group plans to meet uh next week as well to wrap those up. And if there's any applicable changes, they'll be brought

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forward for us to review and vote on. Um nothing nothing material out of today's meeting as it relates to the school department policy subcommittee >> thing to report. >> I think we're going door to

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>> I I yeah we >> you identified a couple a couple that you wish to revisit >> if you want to revisit those. >> Yes, which we have not met about yet. >> That's okay. You literally have >> there are three policies that you identified like three. Yeah, we plan to

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get it done before election though. >> We were emailing about scheduling this morning, so I think that's that's the plan. Yeah. >> Great. Uh Shaker Lane building committee update. Yeah. So, one one note is that uh we got seven bids for the bomb

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participation noteed at 2 uh 288 for the uh the final net cost and interest cost. Uh and so that's basically a long-term I understand first seven million. >> Yeah.

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>> Short-term borrowings on the first seven million. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Certainly a good number. I just >> I think that's probably somewhere around what what the new expected I would think

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because we hadn't heard oh gez this represents like a million dollar savings, right? I mean, the number seems exceptionally low um given where interest rates are, but the fact that it's shortterm and it's municipal, then >> yeah, we got $88,000. >> Yeah. Yeah. Something we're going to

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need to figure out if that project can be built uh by the summer of FY28 rather than the summer of FY29. What does that do to the bond structure? What does that do to the cash flow? And I think we need to have that

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conversation sooner than later because they're just uh you see them at risk and OPM are having conversations. I had the summer of 28 voted to me four months ago and I think we need to have a financial

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conversation to see what implications that has if any I brought it up to where deciding on the list of proposal company

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so we need ahead of that Right. >> I mean, is there any negative? Because it it seems like well, it seems like every I mean, every project like this, you're thinking of supply of the supplies of materials and materials are

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not coming down like year over year for the next five years. As far as >> I think that all has to be taken into consideration. It's just that when you're laying out a project of this magnitude, you're you're pushing the dollars out as far as you

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can to alleviate the impact to the taxpayer. >> Yeah. >> Push it ahead of you. What does that do? I think that's a unanswered question crystal ball that Jesse may not have a

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life and a badge. >> Yeah. No, I I agree. if you wouldn't mind having that conversation, flushing that topic out. You know, it's wonderful that they think they could deliver the building the year early. Um, like the rule of he who has the money

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makes the rules. Like, you know, we're the client, right, district. So, we might determine that we don't want the building a year early because we won't have the finances in order to pay for the building a year earlier. If they come back to us and say, "Take the building a year earlier. you're gonna

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save X, Y, and Z dollars to offset that. That's something that's an exercise that needs to be had. Y >> um and we need to be sure about our decision. So, I think my initial repeat is that I'm I'm not sure yet because I know there's probably what one more year

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of civilization performance that we can pay into which I'm cost and then also building is going to be there for 50 60 years. Do we want to like let's do this correctly and make sure that everything's done. If we believe in the alternative plan, great. But I just want to make sure uh and I

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think also moving plan matters. So if we finish the building in August, how does that play out? Right? Got to have students come into the building time for teachers to switch over. Um you know, if it's midway through the year, how does that play out? So there's just some other factors to

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want the building turned over to us when the spring rain. Exactly. not the right plan right now about August, >> right? So, we got to figure that out. Um, yeah. Okay. Um,

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superintendent search empty. Yeah. So, we Sorry. >> Oh, I was just going to say we're uh so we're in the middle of interview so we don't have much to report. Um, >> yeah. Um, we do have the the special school committee meeting scheduled. It's

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virtual for March 23rd where we will be giving you the slate of candidates and Alicia Min is planning to join us that night to advise us on next steps um as a whole school committee. So, >> if you want to add

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>> Yeah. So, we have two more uh dates of interviews next week, including the 19th uh where we will come up with the recommended slate, but as you're talking about, we're going to vote on the 23rd. Uh I'd also mention, I know I've mentioned before, but we have a new superintendent search website. So, folks want to go there and check that out as

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part of the school website. Uh and Elaine and Alicia Maller are joining me on my podcast on the 19th. So, hopefully people can find out more about when they can get involved. Uh and for those listening, mark the week of March 30th as their calendar actually. We will start holding final uh

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um I know it's not listed but I just want to say real quick for the communications committee I appreciate Justin and Kelly and Julie rolling everyone was involved in getting uh the Facebook and Instagram pages off the ground. Uh and additionally um I'm also going to have Adam Takas and two

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students come on uh on March 20th podcast to talk about. So uh looking forward to that discussion. >> All right. um communications sub report there as well. >> Exactly. >> Um could we can as it relates to the

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superintendent search committee, could we just get calendar invites out to the school committee members? >> Yeah. >> And I you know the agenda is the agenda. Can we just post those meetings at at your convenience just so they're posted? >> Yeah, they're um we've asked for them to

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be posted. I think they have been posted. I just got to double check. >> Yeah. >> All right. time and place is on the town. >> So the 23rd is going to be virtual 7:00. >> Okay. >> Open to Monday. >> Okay. >> And then the 30th through the uh first

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is going to be at center shaded in the register room. >> Then uh planning board has a meeting that Thursday. So meeting here fourth candidate. We only have three candidates in the police station. But on the second one here then additionally on the 9th we do a final vote without the senator shag

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as well. Are >> we Yeah, that's a good idea. A calendar invite so everybody gets it because >> gets it where they need it. >> We're going to be at the center on the 9th. >> We will. >> Oh, okay. >> Since we're going to be discussing and meeting

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>> Oh. Oh, yeah. It's just I thought that was a school committee meeting. >> It is. So, right now we're debating moving what would have been on the agenda for Nfield 16 that session. >> Sure. Um, so are are you planning for

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almost every meeting to be 7 p.m.? >> Yes, exactly. Yep. This isn't >> I don't write things down for places. >> I just I look around and go like >> calendar advice. I'll do it tonight. >> 60

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just accept. >> Sean, is the the night still going as planned? >> Yes. >> Okay. Everything's on missed something there for a second. >> No, no, you're good. I was saying the ninth meeting is going to be a discussion in the vote for uh superintendent then what was supposed to

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be on the agenda the 9th we would like to move >> oh I get okay that's yeah that's the first of the curriculum >> exactly we wanted to give it time >> what April 16th >> yes >> you're talking about the presentation calendar

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>> oh there's a usually April the 16th >> so we're at >> we're at the a meeting on April 16. >> Yes, >> I'll have to attend. >> Okay. >> Got those notes. >> All right, that wraps up the list of

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subcommittee reports. If anybody have anything else to add, Dr. Small, >> I just have a quick update. They have um a virtual basic rights workshop coming up uh hosted by the Federation for Children with Special Needs. That's on

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March 25th at um 6:30 p.m. they u information has been sent out through school now. And then um a little side pitch is that on April 9th they are coming 6 pm they could feel free to go to the high school because PALS is doing the talent show. So they could catch a

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little bit of the talent show and then head over to the meeting and check. Nice. Thank you. >> I do have one thing. I attended a meeting today with the OPM uh architect and saving the risk and they talked

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about uh drilling doing some test holes, etc. But during the April break, they're going to be on that lower field drilling some holes. And then there's a a series of other tests that need to be done. So, I had an opportunity. I don't think I'm

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going to go to this meeting. image happening. For some reason, I need to I want to see what's going on. And what I've asked them to do is is come up with a plan in terms of how many holes are you drilling, where are you drilling, and are building because

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if we we kind of would love to use that lower field, if possible, and if we can't, we can, but we need some lead time to parking wreck to figure this out. So part of the challenges in that area, well imagine you start bringing in heavy equipment, what are you going to

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do to the grounds? So they they mapped out for me during the meeting, they're going to stay outside the perimeter of the baseball field, but then they're still going to have to bring somebody in to level out that field again because I would expect, I hope I'm wrong, but I would expect at least foot and a half to

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two foot depressions from the machinery that ground. So, I've got grounds. It's not really dry. So, >> so just because I'm curious, >> someone in the room might also be curious. >> Um, the baseball diamond that exists

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right now, where are they going to be? >> They're going to be outside the perimeter. I asked them, I said, "Can you get can you get your work down to if without disturbing the baseball field?" >> Yeah. >> And they they all nodded and said they could. But even when they do that, they're going to have to they're going

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to have to come in and clean up the mess they make when they create those testes homes because the machinery they move in is really heavy. So the lower field being the field where the school is going to be built. So the back the back fields.

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>> Yes. Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. To clarify this is for geothermal or something geothermal. Let me see. Okay. Okay. Great. Um, yeah, I think there ought to be

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communication between the Shaker Lane building committee and park and rack >> as information becomes available to us. And also maybe like a message back to um owner's project manager or whoever

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that you know like assumptions can't be made that they just have you know free use of this of this site because we've signed a contract with them like we have some programming that's going to be taking place there uh this spring there. I made it very clear to them that, you know,

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our intention is to to use that field unless we, >> you know, there's a compelling reason as to why we can't. So, okay. So, I think we're going to be okay. I just thought I need I I needed to mention it tonight because I'm glad I

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attended, right? Okay. All right. Any reports? Very good. Um, so our next school committee meeting says March 26th, but really

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>> the 23rd. What's that? >> Be the 23rd. >> Yeah. So, that's not actually correct. Um, >> there will not be. >> Yeah. Well, there's still next. >> Yeah. Just so what's on the agenda >> as posted is not really applicable.

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>> Yeah. >> Matters. But we typically we announced our next school committee meeting is for the public but it'll be on say Monday virtual and then the follow >> three days later >> we will still meet our meeting

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>> because the one on the 23rd is short just accept the slate. It's not a full meeting. >> Yeah, I understand. I just don't want to announce that that's our next meeting when we're formally going to meet the >> 23rd. Um >> is the 26th a public meeting? the 26

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regard. It's a regular school. Okay. Nothing to do with super. >> Okay. So many days. >> No, I know. There's a lot going on. >> Well, that's the 23rd or public. >> Yes. >> Yeah. They're all public. They're all public meetings. >> Yeah. >> The next time this How about this? The

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next time the school committee gets together is going to be the 23rd virtually for the purposes of uh accepting the final slate of candidates. Then we will meet on March 26, regular business, regular time and place. The

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following week, we'll have a slew of meetings for interviews and we'll just take you from there. And one last thing is the I promise this is the last one. This is exciting. our hockey team, our co-op hockey team with

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Harvard for the first time ever are in the state finals this Sunday at uh tea gardens at 7:30. I doubt whether they'll be playing at 7:30 because with that caliber of hockey in the state finals, I would imagine

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that they're going to be some overtime periods during the day. So, it will be sometime uh that evening. I think you'll have a lot of uh sleepy students Monday morning. I think you might have quite a few tardies most likely.

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>> And you're up to a second fan bus ever. >> Yes. >> Wow. >> It's so exciting. >> It's very exciting. >> What a what a great place to play hockey, too. >> Absolutely. >> Great experience. >> They made it to the last game. They're like they're unbelievable. They're playing lights out.

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>> Super strong. >> School committee wishes them uh best of luck. Yeah, >> we'll be we'll be cheering for you. >> All right. Um, is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Motion made by Sean. >> Second. >> Seconded by V. All those in favor by saying I.

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>> I. I. >> You have a journ. Thank you very much.