WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=4ef6KsOweWs

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: 4ef6KsOweWs):
- 00:00:02: Meeting Opening, Pledge of Allegiance, Agenda Overview
- 00:01:23: Public Comment: Sports Counting as Gym Credits
- 00:05:45: Public Comment: Override, Town Issues, and Pantry
- 00:14:57: Public Comment: Town Meeting, Elections, School Funding
- 00:17:08: Chair's Report: Capital Plan and Eden's Presentation
- 00:19:22: Superintendent's Report: Student Highlights and Budget Update
- 00:25:52: Approval of Minutes: February 4th and 25th Sessions
- 00:26:40: Line Item Transfers, Warrants, and Parker Scholarship Update
- 00:27:47: Congressionally Directed Grant Funding Discussion and Motion
- 00:34:14: Monthly Spending Report Discussion and Motion
- 00:40:05: Spring Athletics Report Discussion and Motion
- 00:44:31: Food Exemption ATM Discussion and Motion
- 00:46:37: Bus Fee Decision Discussion and Motion
- 00:56:21: Lifelong Learning Program Decision Discussion and Motion
- 01:09:43: Draft Legislative Letter Discussion and Motion
- 01:18:56: Vote to Co-Sponsor Kids Kingdom Warrant Article
- 01:20:14: Facility and Grounds Report: Energy, Generator, Landscaping
- 01:32:38: Public Comment: Unified Sports Program Concerns
- 01:41:59: Committee Reports, Topics for Future and Adjournment


Part: 1

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All right. Uh, in accordance with the open uh, requirements of the open meeting law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunberg public access channel. There's a Zoom link and a link to the public access channel in the agenda. This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local cable

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access channel and on the public access Facebook page and will be found at the Lunberg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours of the meeting. The agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those that are reasonably anticipated by the chair. Votes may be taken as a result of these discussions.

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Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by open meeting law. So with that said, let's do the pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

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republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. So, um we have a relative I mean comparatively late agenda since last >> the last few weeks,

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>> last couple of weeks. So, let's see if we can get done. Uh so the first thing up is public comment for prior issues. Anybody here for public comment? Come on up. You may identify yourself and your address.

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>> Uh my name is Eden Fry and my name is Eden Fry and I live at 18 White Tail Crossing Lunberg. Um and I'm going to talk about uh advocating about school sports counting as gym credits for high school students.

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Um, I have multiple reasons behind why this would be beneficial for students and for the athletic department. The first supporting reason this would be beneficial is that it would increase the number of people involved in after school sports. If students could free their schedule of a gym class and instead play an afterchool sport, it would allow students to fulfill other

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credits while still being able to take classes they're interested in taking. An increase in the number of kids trying out for sports they would be interested in participating would be instrumental as the teams would be bigger. In the fall of 2025, the boys varsity and JV soccer teams barely had enough students

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even to field a game. They resorted to a large number of players swinging for both teams. With more students on the team, they would be able to have two full teams, which would fill the field positions and still leave substitutions. There have been multiple studies showcasing that students who participate in after school sports have overall

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better mental health. A study published in the journal of adolescent health found that students who play an afterchool sport um had less stress and better mental health as young adults. In a study, they surveyed 850 students from 10 different schools about their participation in school sports like

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basketball, soccer, field hockey, etc. 3 years after they graduated, the researchers met up with them again and found that the kids who were involved in the school sports had lower depression symptoms, lower stress, and better mental health than those who didn't play any sports. The study co-author Katherine Sabistston even made the

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statement. Team sports offer a heightened emphasis on group goals, social support, and sense of connection that provides more opportunity for learning adaptive coping strategies that can be essential for long-term mental health. She explains that students playing after school sports had a good increase in mental health even as they

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got older. Another reason supporting the idea of after school sports counting for credit is that more people joining sports teams would increase the school's income as students would pay athletic fees and more parents/guardians attending these games would add to the interest fee revenue. We won't have to worry about students not doing PE

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either. Those who don't do any sports would still apply for gym credits and those who like it will continue. I asked 53 people what they thought about the matter. A mixture of all grades and non- studentent athletes versus student athletes just to get a sense of what I was looking at student perspective perspective wise. I created an anonymous

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survey and the results showed that 100% of students said they supported the idea and would be more willing to join an afterchool sport if they didn't already if this were to pass. Though one was concerned when asked about it, she explained that she enjoyed taking PE even though she already does after school sports. I explained that she would still be able to take a PE class

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and she changed her answer to support the credit idea. My last point explaining why this would be beneficial is that students should be able to take classes they look forward to while taking other credit inducing classes. Kids could take two semesters of other credit gain classes while still being able to be in classes that they are interested in. This is why I think that

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income-wise, mental health-wise, participation wise, and schedule-wise, I think it would be beneficial if the school adopted the idea that after school sports could count as PE credits for high schoolers. >> Thank you. >> You did so good.

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>> Thank you. >> Thanks for coming. >> Amazing. Talk about the schools. >> Um, there's a couple schools. There's five different schools that reached out to us and talked about how they um have adopted this idea and how it's gone good for them. Like Littleton has adopted the

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idea along with Ash West, Pemrook, Franklin, and Taton. And some of them are close with some of them aren't. So, >> yeah. No, that's great to know. Good. >> Thank you for your >> I just love that you did your research and you came here with facts and also feeling like you can tell this is really important to you.

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>> Um but you had the facts to back it up and I think that's great. Mhm. >> Coming from a freshman, I just think that's >> excellent. Excellent job. >> Excellent. >> Thank you. >> Anyone want to follow that? >> Come on.

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>> Okay. >> Do you want me to bring the mic, too? >> Oh, no. >> It's hell to get old. Hello. >> Yeah. >> Please identify yourself and your address. >> Sure. And I'm going to do this the right way

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cuz I got in trouble once. Uh Dave Rogers, 82 Highland Street, Lunenburgg. Um a resident here for 50 years. Be a great time for you guys to say, "Gee, Dave, you're adorable." >> Yeah. Yeah. Oh, no.

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>> Uh, I have a few things I I I want to talk about and they'll be be quick as I possibly can. Uh, I'm concerned about a whole bunch of different things. Um, and much has been talked about the uh

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override. Uh, and if I could just capsulate, you know, uh, a few things. Um, I don't think that I've heard anybody say by doing uh an override we'll rid

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oursel of this problem. It it I hear just the opposite that it'll be, you know, something that'll take a few years to do. How long? Who knows? So, before I uh vote on something, I'd really like

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the the the uh uh the whole enchilada, as they say. you know what what's the best projection that we can do so that we have long range and short range range um ideas because today uh I don't have

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to tell you things are pretty tough so that's number one number two um we talk about a lot of things but not necessarily um the buildings and the programs that we need as we go on it's scattered here

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or there and and and that plays you know a big role uh in costs and that kind of things. So that's something that that that concerns me. Um, let's see. Uh, so a few things, uh, I've

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heard rumblings about, but no real discussions and and that centers around bleaches and and turf and and buildings and, you know, it all equates to to money. So that is in that that big pile.

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Okay. Um, we have been hit um by some some real uh situations that that need to be addressed. I speak of the uh

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the the um uh the Lions Club started this this uh u I'm having a senior moment here. >> Pantry. >> Thank you. You're welcome. >> My my wife is always yelling at me to

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stay out of the pantry. Um uh the the problem with the the Pacios building uh is obvious, right? Um and I was given this statistic uh and

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and I I took it uh because the people who were talking to me are honest people. We this this club uh the pantry so-called um takes care of a thousand people

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a month. A thousand. Now I'm going to tell you how smart I am. When I was called when at the infancy um you know to help out if I could I said I'd be happy to but I don't think that there's

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a a big demand for this. wrong. Unbelievable. And uh the Thanksgiving um get together that we have where we give out, you know, two big boxes of of uh food uh 125 plus, you

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know. So that's a testament to what the the point is. Things are not good. Um, I uh will tell you one last story because I I won't take up my three minutes. Um, I

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was in CVS one time and there was an elderly lady in front of me and she was talking to the pharmacist and the the pharmacist said, "Well, you you really have to take these pills uh as it says,

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you know, twice twice a day." And she said, 'Well, I ran out too quick. He said, 'Well, I understand. So, I was behind uh the lady and he said, ' Let me let me see what I can do. And

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so, he said, uh, just sit over here and let me see what I can do. So, um, he came back and he said, I've got good news for you. He said, "Uh, there is a a special on the prescription that you

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have to take." And, uh, but it's only going to be good if you take, uh, as prescribed. And she said, "Well, I'll I'll try." He said, "Well, I I think you'll be okay, and I'll tell you why. Um, I made a

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phone call and uh um you can take uh the two pills every single day for uh 90 days and we'll see what we can do after that. But you're all set. She said, "Oh, thank you. I hope I'll feel better." Can

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you imagine talking to your grandmother, your aunt? It happens. It happens right around here. So, uh, I went to the Rogers National Bank and put my, uh, hand in the in the, uh,

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pocket of the funds and, uh, I I took care of that and the lady was taken care of. And I'm not going to blow my cover, but uh, that's the kind of thing that happens in this town. >> Okay. We, for those of you that that don't know, we we had two tragedies in

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this town where uh young people uh had accidents and and uh um it was horrific. And uh we we pulled together, we built houses, we bought houses uh because one of the uh the youngsters uh was accepted

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at the the University of Florida on his doctorate and uh the other one uh needed some help. So we got it done. The point is we we made it happen. Okay. Uh and I have every confidence

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that we will continue to do that. But we have to keep uh our head on straight straight and and to help and to to collectively do what we can do. Uh so uh and I hope uh that this

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continues as it has in the past. Uh, and I know people get anxious. I believe me. I understand. But, um, it's a great town made up of great individuals. Uh, and um, I I think we will be

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successful if we if we keep our heads screwed on, right? Um, be kind, be cognizant of who we're talking to. Uh, it wouldn't hurt to say a prayer once in a while, too. Uh, so that that's in a

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nutshell what I have long-term. What's this look like? You know, how how are we going to do this? Um, and all the things I rattled on about last. Thank you for what you do. Thank you for what you do. Uh, that's the good news. You're a bit

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crazy, but that's okay, you know. Um, I've been there. I've done that. >> You you you did your time. >> Yeah. Uh, could you rephrase that? >> But young man, he said, "I I helped for a time.

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>> You served I served wait served the town. >> You served the town and still do even in a different role. But >> that's fine. But thank you because it's uh it's a thankless task and job sometime, but uh we we'll get through

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sometime. How? I don't know. But we will." Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. >> All right, that's it. >> Um I I do want to We're not responding to comments, but I will notify the public that there was a three-year

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projection produced by the school department as part of the tri board meeting process. And so I think it's either session two or session three. Do you guys remember which one we did? >> It's early on. >> But I I know that we did in fact do the projections. Okay, good. >> So that they're there. >> Good.

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>> That was the >> Thank you. Yeah. >> All right. I'm rushing home because Cam, my wife of 61 years, says, "You know, it's your night for the dishes." >> Thank you again. >> Thank you, Mr.

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>> Can I do a quick public comment? >> Sure. >> Okay. Um May 2nd, Saturday, May 2nd is town meeting. You need to come and vote. Um, I feel like there's probably not new people looking at this, but I'm going to remind everyone to have a plan to come to town meeting on Saturday, May 2nd.

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And then Saturday, May 16th, is the election. And an override has to pass at both town meeting and at the ballot box. So, it's important to show up to both. >> Anybody else? Any committee want to make a public comment?

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>> Um, I just want I'm Amanda Gilman. I just wanted to say I took three seniors uh two seniors and a junior. Um >> students, not seniors. >> Students, yeah, students from Lunenburgg High School yesterday to testify at the state house in support of more school funding. Um and it was a really I had a

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really great day. Um and the students were wonderful. Uh Jade, uh Jason, and Cara, who's our colleague who sits up here on the dice with us sometimes. And they were thoughtful and interested, and I hope they enjoyed it. But I I had a great day and um and I do want people to

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know although depressing sitting in in the um the hall of the legislature listening to the schools that are all struggling as well. In some ways it gave me hope that again this is not a Lunenburgg problem.

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This is a statewide problem. Um, and I'm always going to be hopeful that and and I do believe Margaret Scarsdale, our state rep, is working incredibly hard to um push through changes to the Chapter 70 formula, which is really what

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we need. Um, and I'm hopeful, Mr. Rogers, that we get an override, we limp through for a few years. You know, it's not going to happen this year, the the Chapter 70 formula change. I know that. Um, but, you know, I'm hopeful in maybe the next two years.

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um the state will begin to kick in more of what they need to be kicking in. So um but yeah, thank you. Thank you to Mr. Stevenson who uh teaches at the high school who helped set that up for me. >> That was great. >> Is there are there any public comments

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online? >> All right. Uh then I'm going to move on to the chair's report. It will be very brief. Uh, I spoke with capital planning this morning and I can confirm that there are three things that capital plan proposed on our behalf that were

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approved by the town manager and they were the feasibility the two feasibility studies for the primary school. Um, the one for the playground and the playground >> and the drive and the playground. >> Okay. We also asked

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>> and and then the other thing that was approved was the camera systems for the entrances. There are other things that are in the works, but because of funding and TC Pacios, we're probably going to deal with them later on in the year, but

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for now, those are the three things that we have been approved for. And I I think that those were all among our our number one, two, three, or four in terms of rank. So, I am grateful for the work. Peter called me this morning at like

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8:15 and he was sick as a dog. So, it it is a testament to how much he cares about this town that he's willing to do that on our behalf. Um, and then I just wanted to say uh I I did not catch the student's name, but

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>> Eden. Eden. >> Eden. >> Eden. Yeah. She gave us a study on the benefits and had the data and that is the first time someone has done that despite me asking for three years. So >> she had the data and she did her own

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research. >> She did her own survey. Like it was incredible. That was just if somebody needs to see why our students deserve resources, just watch one of them talk because that was amazing. >> Yeah. Can I ask a silly question about

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that? So, where does that go now? Do we like she gave us >> Yeah, I think I think that we can put it on the agenda for >> Let's talk about it. Bring it to Mr. Sanders. >> Oh, yeah. Absolutely. >> All right. Uh, that was it. That's the end of chair's report.

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>> No student rep. >> No student rep. So, let's go. Do you have one? >> I do have one tonight. >> Let's do it. So before diving into the operational updates of the district, I I want to highlight our students, the why behind our work. I want to share two

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outstanding experiences I recently had interacting directly with our students. First, I had the opportunity to interview multiple students in Haley's class who were tasked with convincing me in their roles as FDR to hire them for a third term. As always, I found our

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students to be incredibly bright, articulate, and knowledgeable. Today I had the pleasure of conducting mock interviews with a prospective nurse, graphic designer, and police officer in Miss Callahans and Miss Walker's classroom. These students represented themselves remarkably well

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as they prepared to enter the careers of their choosing. I was particularly impressed by their maturity and how skillfully they were able to frame their weaknesses as areas for growth and strength. Our educators are doing a phenomenal job preparing these young adults for their futures.

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Last week was an incredibly busy and productive week for our district, featuring a school committee meeting, a tri board meeting, and a successful budget presentation to the finance committee. >> To ensure our community remains fully informed, we have officially launched

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the district's FY27 budget and FAQ web page. You can find it linked on our main page. Our primary focus for this page and our ongoing messaging is to clearly articulate what the FY27 budget means for the children of Lunberg. I encourage

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all community members to visit the site to understand the direct impact this budget has on our classrooms and student services. At our culminating tri board session regarding the fiscal year 2027 budget, I took a moment to reflect on the incredible journey our community has

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undertaken. I am deeply moved by the cultural shift we are beginning to witness in Lunberg. We are moving away from the historical tugofwar between the school district and the municipality and are fully embracing the spirit of one Lunberg. We fundamentally recognize that

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a thriving school district does not exist in a vacuum. Its success relies entirely on a strong, wellsupported town, including our vital fire, EMS, police facilities, and DPW services. Supporting these essential departments is not a competition for resources, but

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rather the very foundation that allows our students and educators to succeed safely and securely. I want to reiterate my profound gratitude to our town manager, Miss Warren, whose open door approach and inspiring partnership has set a tone of mutual respect throughout

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this entire budget season. I am thankful to our select board and finance committee. Their diligent probing questions didn't just help us balance a spreadsheet. They challenged us to look at the look in the mirror and pushed us to become a more reflective and efficient organization.

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To all of you, thank you for your unwavering courage in making exhausting difficult choices. You have perfectly balanced your fierce advocate advocacy for our students with a deep abiding respect for our community's resources.

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To further support this committee's work and uphold our commitment to transparency, we have also created, which is in your packet tonight, a detailed motion sheet for our action items. As we navigate these complex decision, this tool is designed to make it explicitly clear both for the

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committee members casting their votes and the viewing public exactly what is on the table and being voted upon at any given moment. As we look toward the upcoming override requests with the town meeting on May 2nd and the ballot vote on May 16th, we all know the gravity of

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the road ahead for all of our citizens, town services, and our schools. Together, we have scrutinized every single penny because we know exactly what is at stake for our children and the future of this community. It is an absolute honor to do this heavy lifting

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alongside such dedicated town leaders. I remain fully committed to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with all of you to clearly and honestly share our story with the voters in the weeks to come. And that's inspiring quote. >> I just want to say uh at having been at

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uh the budget meeting for in front of finance committee been on the committee for five years. I watched paid attention before then. I cannot think of a time in which the school did as well in terms of executing the plan, answering questions,

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having a consistent message, and really to to Simon's credit, the numbers were so consistent time and time again. Every time he talked, everybody listened. Every time he made a projection, people

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nodded their head. It was not something where it felt rushed or last minute or uncertain. And I can tell you watching them that they are not people who are light on questions. They will fire

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questions until the end of time if they think it's warranted. But having you and having Chris there with clear, consistent, and repeatable messages was wonderful. So, thank you a lot. It was really great. >> I second that. >> Yes. Thank you.

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>> As a parent watching for a few years before, being on the school committee, this I know I'm now on the other side, but it just feels so much different as a parent to be hearing such consistency and transparency and getting what we've asked for when we needed it. I just

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remember a lot of requests not being fulfilled and um numbers and spreadsheets not being available. Um and that was really frustrating as a parent. So now sitting on the other side, I can I can respect it on both ends,

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>> but it's just feels really different >> than before. This is my third budget season and um it this is still a really painful one, but it is painful for different reasons. Uh and it has been

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so much easier on the logistics side to know that what we're looking at is is solid uh and to have that confidence. So I I very much appreciate both of you and the whole team. So thank you

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>> and you did good. >> You guys did really good. >> Thank you. Um, let's The next item is uh review and approve minutes from the uh February 4th, 2026 and February 25th, 2026 session. Uh, do I have a motion to uh

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accept the minutes? >> I'll make a motion to accept the minutes. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I was absent for one. >> Okay. Which one you have for? >> I believe it was the 25th. So, with Emily's abstension for the 25th, uh, how

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do we vote? All in favor of accepting the minutes on the the 4th. >> I I >> And then noting Emily's abstension, h how do we vote on the 25th? >> I Okay. Uh, thank you. Mean minutes are approved. Uh, next item is to review and

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approve line item transfers, warrants, and donations. Um, other than the donation, is there anything else we need to go through? Okay. um who how do we want to do the donation? >> Um I'll discuss it with you. So you will

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recall you voted to accept the funds from the Betsy Parker scholarship fund. >> Yep. >> Unfortunately um with the transferring of the funds to the estate from the executor, the funds

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were not available to the students. So, this is informing the committee of that. Um, and letting you know that as soon as this situation is resolved, we will be bringing it back in front of you. >> Sounds good. This is basically just like a legal thing, right?

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>> Yeah. >> Okay. >> You know, lawyers for me >> those lawyers. >> Yeah. Um, all right. And we did superintendence report. Uh, we are now on to agenda item number nine, new business. uh congressionally

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congressionally directed grant funding. Dr. Sari >> so Dr. as Dr. Sari comes up I really want to highlight for the committee her commitment to pursuing and the community her commitment to pursuing outside

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dollars for us beyond just our entitlement grants. She has written more grants and she I forget that she just started >> but she's already been here like 14 years. >> It's amazing. Um and she's great at

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making sure our grant balances are aligned. She and Chris meet constantly to make sure that funds are set up and things are aligned appropriately. >> Well, I have here she you write good grants like you write a good grant. It's

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amazing. >> Well, I I know what I wrote is very dense, so I just figured this kind of streamlines it. >> So So essentially, um what we're doing is seeking $300,000 in one-time federal funding through congressionally directed

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spending, essentially it's airmock funds, >> to address increasing student needs and a projected $130,000 reduction in Title One funding. The request is a proactive investment in strengthening core instruction to improve student outcomes

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and reduce long-term costs. Essentially, what we're trying to do is develop a district-wide instructional system to ensure consistent highquality tier one instruction in every classroom. And the key components include working on a district instructional framework that is

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aligned to mass standards, curriculum ro roll rollout and implementation protocols, having an internal trainer certification system. Um we're also looking to ha to develop fidelity monitoring tools and we're looking to develop a district implementation

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playbook. And then what we're really wanting to do is build capacity within our teachers and cultivate teacher leaders. That is really the the crux of this entire proposal. >> Is this a big swing?

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>> Like >> I've done it before. >> Yeah. >> Oh. Oh. To to secure the funds. I mean, it's a big ask, but I worked really hard on trying to um develop a proposal that was very persuasive. Um, and you know,

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the the folks who are driving this are Elizabeth Warren and also Ed Marky. And I mean, I'll be honest, I know sort of what their priorities are, so I made sure to kind of lean into that. >> But, um, I I'm not sure. I guess we'll

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see what happens. >> I'm going to be optimistic. >> It's worth the chance. And I feel like if anyone can write a grant that is going to get us there, you've done it. So, >> and we and we might not get the whole 300,000, but maybe we'll get something. I'm sorry, Mandy.

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>> Oh, it's fine. I was just going to ask you if it's something that would be helpful to have political support. Is it something we should be asking our state reps? I mean, not state reps, our Lori Tran and our senators to write letters of support. Is that something >> I think having the I think having the

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support could do nothing but benefit us for sure. Yeah. >> So, I would um ask the chair if it was if you're okay if I reach out to the offices and see if we can get >> What is the deadline to get support? >> Um >> like do you already submit it or when you >> I did not already submit it. I'm I'm

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going to submit it by Friday. >> Okay. Well, that might be too late. >> I know that might be a quick turnaround, but even sort of word of of mouth support would I think be helpful for sure. >> Absolutely. Because it's not like an actual earmark. money that has been earmarked and then the federal department of education is choosing the

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recipients. Is that what >> or is it earmarked in the actual law? >> I I I don't think that the department of education is actually choosing the recipients. >> Okay. >> Um so the if we do not get the entire 300,000

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would we need to make up the difference or we would take what we get and do what we can with it? >> Um we would do what we can with it. Yeah. We would not the district would not incur any any additional cost or any cost to make up whatever. >> And my question for every grant will this create any ongoing costs for the

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district or will we have to pick up? >> No. One time no cyclical cost. That's really important so that we don't have a temporary funding source and then we spend it on cyclical costs for sure. >> Best kind of grants. Okay. And the hope is at least to get the 130 right because of the reduction in the title one.

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>> Yeah. I mean that would be that would be wonderful. But again, we have to make sure that we invest in what we promise to invest in. >> But I I I thought I thought what you were asking when you asked if it was doable is like can we actually do this work? >> Oh, no. I know you. >> Yeah. Yeah, we can do this work.

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>> No, I meant is this >> what are the chances of this happening? But um >> I'm going to be very optimistic. I'll keep >> we'll keep searching. We'll keep looking for grants every single day. So essentially what I'd be looking for, it's on your

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>> Yeah, it's on your other side is I'm looking for a motion. >> Where did the motions? >> Oh, there's one on the back here. >> The back. The request. >> We even wrote out what the motion would say. >> Okay. I motion that the school committee authorize the superintendent to submit an FY27 congressionally directed spending proposal titled Lunberg

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districtwide instructional implementation system development initiative in the amount of $300,000 and to work with our legislative delegation to advance this request. Second, I was really hoping that would be a fun acronym. Sorry. >> All in favor? >> I thank you.

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>> Thank you guys. And also shout out to my roommate. He Chris is pretty amazing. I love that. He's really good. >> Dr. Fortuna, let's talk offline because maybe a request to even the state legislators might help >> um get us a contact in war or

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>> Marky's like a higher up. >> My understanding is that this is federal similar to our state earmarks and um Senator Marky's office is the one that reached out and notified us. >> Would this be something where parents emailing our state or our federal? Yeah,

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I mean I think that you know if let's let's do a little bit of research, but I think it's something we could definitely I think parents or also maybe if um Senator Cronin or Rep. Scarsdale or someone reached out as well that might you know because they might have the connection in the Senate office to really speak. So we can chat about it

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offline. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Y there is monthly spending report. Here's my other right hand. I don't need to give you >> Hello. Good evening.

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>> Hello. >> Um, so the report that I provided tonight shows for FY26 the year-to-ate budget as of 33126. And if you go to the bottom page, we are

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at 66.1% expended. >> Just one note about that. If it w if the month ended today, we'd be at 68.6% expended because of payroll posted today. Um, and last year we were only at 67%.

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So, we're at a good point right now spending wise. Um, we've spent compared to last year, uh, $492,379 more than at the same point as we had this year. >> Just so that >> you say we spent more.

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>> We spent more than than last year. >> Just so the people at home remember, we want to be spending more than we did last. >> Yes. >> Yes. Can I just ask you, Chris, when you scroll scroll down the bottom here, of course, um >> it looks like the collaborative tuition.

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>> It's just interesting to me. I think it's good for the public to know that that's a very difficult line item to budget for, right? >> So, and that and then we haven't um put the circuit breaker money back in there yet. So, that's one of the reasons for that. >> Okay, that's good to know, too. So that'll be some state money that'll fill that hole

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>> cuz uh for those it's not in front of you. It's a we are we have overspent that line because >> we haven't put the circuit paper money back in. Yeah, >> we're at 101% for electrical. >> Yes.

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>> Okay. And 92 for I feel like that says rubbish. >> Rubbish. Let me tell you >> the one right under electrical charges. I >> 92.6. Yeah. I didn't get to look at this super closely because um I was gonna say it posted later than three o'clock when

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I ran out of time. >> Yeah. So I think we met with all the principles and department heads and we talked about year end of year expenditures that they still have that are coming in. So I feel like we're still at a good point right now spending wise. Um

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>> is there a reason we're already at over our electrical? >> I think they underbudgeted last year. Also, the winter was >> and it was a very >> colder. It was a lot colder than it has been. >> Okay. Um, yeah, there's not I mean, we

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can't not turn on the lights. >> Yeah. >> I mean, my electrical is way over what it should be, too. So, >> I feel like that way over. >> Exactly. >> Okay. Did we Mr. Rogers? I think there's somebody waiting for you. >> You got to go do the dishes.

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>> Time to do the dishes. So, you have to go do the dishes. >> The young lady is here. >> We recently made a cook. >> He said he's going to go miss. I'm sorry.

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>> My wife 62 years the best. >> Hi, Karen. >> Hi, Garen. >> Hey, honey. I'm >> sure you didn't get that in bigger community. I love it. >> So, I love this town.

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>> It's so charming. >> Okay, good. So, you feel good about where we're at. Is there anything on here that surprises you or worried you? >> I mean, besides the electrical, I think that's the big one. >> Um, just because of the long winter that we have this year. Um,

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>> how are we on heating? >> I think we're okay on I actually Hold on. >> Although those bills come in uh less >> frequent >> frequently. So, >> so is that something? >> So, we have for gas we have about $67,000 left

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>> where Oh, was above it. Okay. Yeah, I see. >> So, since we over or under budgeted electrical last year, does that mean that this year's budget should be adjusted? >> No, we adjusted it for based on actuals from the previous couple of years >> for the next FY for FY27.

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>> Okay. Okay. >> Of course you did. Listen. Yeah. Was there anything else that >> um we need to keep an eye on? >> Who is it? Circuit breakers. >> I know the circuit breakers. >> We're good. We're good. >> Um

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>> PD expenses. >> I guess the only other thing where we're running hot is legal expenses. >> Um >> and we've adjusted the budget next year as a result of that. >> Yeah.

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But we cut our school masks associated school. I thought you were glaring at him and >> No, no, no. Now I'm just mad that we're spending more on lawyers. >> That's a lot of money to spend on lawyers. >> No, it's not your mot. >> Um, >> okay. It's coming from a lawyer. That's

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>> uh All right. So, what's the motion you want? Can I just say motion to accept the >> month report? >> The monthly budget report. >> Second. >> All in favor? Hi. >> All right. Thank you. >> And then one other thing. So at the next

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meeting, I think it's the 15th, I'll have the um revolving funds for you guys as well. >> Oh, great. >> That's very exciting. >> You're welcome. >> Perfect. Perfect. >> And we'll also do the quarterly budget report then as well. Correct. >> All right. Uh the next thing is spring

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athletics report. >> So the spring athletics report is in your folder. Um what um Ms. Burns has done for you is showed you the participation for each year. Um

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the high school and the middle school. Um she's also showed us the number of middle school students that are participating at the varsity and JB levels as they are allowed to do. And as

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you can see, the enrollment in each sport um is um displayed for last year and this year. Ms. Burns is online if you have any questions for her. >> On the yellow section, the bright yellow

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section where it gives a percentage is that percentage of the student body. >> Miss Hi. Um yes, I can answer that. Hi everyone. Hi. Um yes that does um to answer your question yes that is the part that's basically the participation numbers based on student body for that

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um particular level so high school um as you can see there's a drop from last year to this year not significant but just a slight drop and same with the middle school while the numbers stay the same our middle school numbers are a little lower than they were last year >> and Miss Burns that's just for the spring semester right so that I mean the

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spring season right that's not total right because some kids don't They play other, you know, they play in other seasons. >> Yes. Correct. >> Thank you. >> Um, one of the things that, um, Shannina and I are sad to report to you is that

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we couldn't feel the unified track. I was just going to ask. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. We only had, I believe, um, Miss Burns, it was one student that was interested. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> What is the difference between unified track and the other track? Unified track

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is inclusive. >> Is there any other unified spring support that could be done >> or that there would be students interested in because I feel like we should have something. >> So there is no other um type of I mean

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there's unified bowling and there's a lot of other sports but they run them specific seasons. We, this district hasn't really run anything other than unified basketball and unified track. Um, obviously that would incorporate having, you know, user fees and, you

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know, getting coaches and everything and that's something that we're not in looking into at this point in time given the budget. Um, but there are other opportunities. Um we you know we've been in I've been talking with the um the coach who had stepped up to be the

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unified track coach this year and you know we are both saddened that this isn't happening but we are going to look into something to at least um you know celebrate all um doing something fun um and activity sometime in this late spring but as of right now um given the

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numbers we cannot run a unified track program. >> What were the numbers like for the unified basketball? you know, >> uh, they were s I that was in your winter quarterly report that you can pull it up. >> There were a little bit more um, you know, there were more students

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participating at that. Um, it's it really comes down to transportation. Um, it comes down to, you know, there's so many other things going on in the springtime. There's a lot of vacations going on. So, it's very hard to get a lot of people involved at that time.

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Miss Barnes, would it be fair to say that our spring sports are traditionally lowest enrolled season? >> Uh, typically, yes, we do bump up against a lot of um sports that don't technically fall happen in the fall. Um,

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for example, soccer is one of those. It's that's the thing that I grew up with. So, soccer usually runs not in the high school side um in the fall. It usually runs in the springtime. So unfortunately we start to lose numbers because there is other um sports going on opposite of seasons from the high school.

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>> Thank you. >> Is this an action item? >> Mhm. >> Okay. Motion to accept the spring athletics report. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. >> Thank you guys. Have a good night.

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>> Thank you. >> Thanks. Uh the next item is food exemption ATM. >> So this is something that the committee takes up every year. It is the food

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exemption for the annual town meeting. Um this is something that I had to learn about that. something that we do every year, but it's to allow covered beverages into the auditorium and the

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bagged lunches for the town boards and committees. >> I'm going to say what I said two years ago. Pass the override. It's conditional override. >> Well, I think if we want people to come, they should get to eat. Oh god. Yeah. No, we we can't say no to that.

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>> All right. We had snacks and like bags of candy. If we're going to be there for 8 hours, we need food. >> Oh god. >> We might be able to fund the budget if we have >> Mr. Murphy gets very grumpy. >> If he doesn't go well,

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>> I move to approve a waiver allowing food covered beverages covered beverages and bagged lunches for town committee and boards in the LM LHS auditorium during the annual town meeting. Uh just for the town committees and boards.

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>> That's generally what we've done. We don't >> the public. >> The public. >> I think it's for the public. >> In the past, the public is not supposed to be bringing food in. >> But I thought they bring coffee with Liz. >> But we do we do the back lunches. Last

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year they bought lunches though. >> Yeah, >> they did >> for the public. >> But they were supposed to be eating them outside the room, but >> Oh, I missed. >> Oh, wait. No, I'm in board. We need a new >> So, we're just going to eat in front of other people. That's even worse. >> Well, they'll be involved, but they just can't eat. Okay, I'm seconding it.

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>> Yep. >> What are they going to >> giant wing to the camera? I second. >> Yeah, >> you can't eat in the auditorium. >> And please bring your trash home. Don't leave the Dunkin cups. Don't leave the Duncan cups on the floor. >> Yes. Seconded.

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>> All in favor? >> I All right, that passes. Uh bus fee decision. All right. This is the time of year when we have to get the bus feet fees out, not the feet, the fees. Um, in

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2025, from the period of April 29th to June 30th, when the letters went out to the end of the fiscal year, we had raised $50,62844. And then from August 29th through March 4th, 2026, we have raised an additional

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$19,8250. So the bus fee was approved and voted um at a recent school at last year's school committee for the 2025 2026 school year. Below were the payment guides and fee structures. Um as you'll see, um the

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payment guidelines are K to six. Um Z students that live within 0 to 1.99 miles are charged. Um if it's two or more miles, there is no charge in grades 7 through 12 because we don't have a

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requirement to provide transportation for those grade levels. All the students are charged. The fee structure was $180 for families with one student, $50 for families with one student that qualify for a reduced fee through the red free

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reduced applications, which will be verified, $270 for families with two or more students, $75 for families with two or more students that qualify for a reduced fee, and transportation is free for families that have submitted a free

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reduced application and qualify, which will be verified. Any family that believes they may qualify for a free or reduced fee has to complete and submit the application and the sharing information found and we have links.

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This is from the letters families that do not submit the sharing form checking and the third box on the form for transportation fees will not be considered for free or reduced fee. And I think that we still have the waiver policy where if you don't feel like you

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fit into any one of these boxes, but for some reason should be entitled to a waiver of the fee, they can submit and writing a request for the waiver of the fee. Um, do we remember how many people asked and were denied that did not qualify some other way?

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>> There were um there were 70 people that submitted waiverss, but the majority of those people were ones that qualified through free and reduced applications. Okay? >> So, we didn't need to provide them with a waiver. So, there really were only a

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handful of people that we provided a waiver for. Okay. Or made payment plans with. >> Was there anybody that this is just so we could talk about this in light of the whole policy. Was there anybody who applied for a waiver that did not get one?

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>> No. >> Okay. I think that, you know, one of the concerns that Laura brought up and eventually convinced me but too late to take the vote was for the possibility that somehow someone could sort of slip between the cracks and this would be

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really ownorous. But if we're in the position where we could say that we've done it for a year and we've never denied a waiver, then I think that, you know, that concern has been ailarated. Um, >> so this is I mean it's $70,000 which >> I am as you know I was very against

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this. I think if we're going to legally mandate that children come to school we should provide them with transportation especially if we are concerned about sidewalk >> chronic absenteeism the student of our safety of our students. I think it's shameful that this town cannot transport

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its kids to school. Um, I know of people who had job issues because of this because they didn't want to pay the fee and decided they would drive their kids and that led to issues

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with getting to work because the lower the elementary and the primary start later. Um, I know of at least one kid who was absent to school because normally they're a drive to school and there was a car issue and

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the parents it was easier to keep the child home than to pay a bus fee for one day of busing. And so a child did not go to school because of this bus fee. And that is awful. Um,

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and I I think that's terrible. I think that we're sending the message that you got to pay if you want to go in. And I know there were ways around that, but I think that this is I don't love that we charge students to come to school if we're going to require them to come to school, if we want them

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to come to school. However, it's $70,000 and we are so desperate right now that I can't vote not to keep the bus fee because it's $70,000. That's a that that's a

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position maybe. It's just that's I can't not because things are that desperate. That's how bad things are right now. But I I'm really sad that we have to do this. >> I'm also sad that we have to do this. Uh

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since we passed this, I've been keeping track of things that the government obligates us to do that the government doesn't pay for. >> This is one of them. This is a massive one. >> Yeah. I I I think that it is, but like

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obviously, you know, the government can obligate you to pay taxes. The government can obligate you to pay for things like your ID or producing your ID. Uh the government can obligate you to pay for like environmental cleanup on

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your property. Um they can mandate that you give away your property through eminent domain. Um and so at the end of the day, we need the money. It's not a great way to get the money, but it is a lawful way to get the money. And I think that through

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careful management, we have been able to do so in a way that is equitable for everyone. So I would I would be in support of continuing the bus fee. The one question I would put before the board is would we contemplate so that we don't have to adjust it on a

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semi-regular basis tying it to the, you know, the government published rate of inflation. And I say that knowing that the rate of inflation having just looked it up for 2025 was 2.7%.

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>> So just basically say that uh you know maybe one more year at this rate but then from here on in it it'll be tied in increase with the rate of inflation published by the federal government department of uh labor statistics. I mean, I I'm okay with just bumping it

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up by $5 and not having a percentage drive derived number. Okay. >> $180 2% of that. Um, can I I'm just going to comment because I also don't want to vote for this, but I was

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one of the people who suggested it last year because I know how desperate we are for money. Um I would like to say that the when you talk about transportation money the chapter 70 formula which is the formula that determines what we get from the state does not include transportation in it at all. So that is

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>> none. So that is when you talk about the what percentage we get from the state. Transportation is not even an included expense which is >> mindboggling. Regional school districts get 75% of their transportation reimbured. Um and that number changes sometimes. Lunberg

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has over a million dollars in regular trans in I think it's a million or so um in uh typical student transportation. Um if we were getting reimbursed at the same rate that other communities were getting regional schools would we be getting an additional $750,000

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from the state to pay for teachers which would um fill the four four positions that we had to cut. Um, I know those aren't related to voting for the bus fee, but I just think it's really important to say that

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this sucks and but I mean I'm going to vote for it cuz it's $70,000 and I don't know that there's $70,000 anywhere. >> There's no >> that we could find this money. >> There isn't. That's how bad things are. >> Emily,

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>> you got anything to say? Um, >> I did not vote on this last year because I was not on the committee and I remember feeling very angry and frustrated by it. >> Um, >> I'm I'm honestly struggling either way.

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I get I get that we need that. Um, but I also think it's just not fair that we have to ask people to do that. >> I'm one of those people that have to >> get my son to high school

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>> on the bus. So, um, >> so I'll make a motion to accept the bus fee. >> Second. >> All in favor of the bus fee? >> I >> I >> I >> All right. Uh, next thing on the agenda

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is lifelong learning program decision. >> All right. So, this is something that I'd like the board to take a vote on. Um, philosophically, I agree with the

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lifelong learning program. I think it is a wonderful concept that aligns with our community values. However, a detailed review of our FY26 operations reveals that severe facility constraints, high

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administrative burdens, and an inefficient financial model make it unsustainable to continue the operating this as a district managed program. I'm recommending that we formally discontinue the lifelong learning program. I recognize that when voters

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approved the new high school, a core promise was that the building would serve as a community space. Discontinuing this specific program does not break that promise. Rather, it allows us to prioritize our primary educational mission while shifting adult programs to a more sustainable

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independent facility rental model. I'm not going to read. We offer two programs right now. We offer an adult men's basketball program which meets Monday evenings from 8 to 9:30 and had to be completely paused during the

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winter months just to accommodate our sports teams. there was no chin space for them um to be able to book. We've already seen programs age out or fail due to some logistical hurdles. For instance, the adult soccer program was discontinued a few years ago. Trying to

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wedge adult recreational programs into a schedule that cannot fully accommodate them creates frustration for the community and unnecessary friction for our athletic department. The current financial model of the lifelong learning program yields virtually no benefit to the district despite the administrative

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effort required to run it. We would have to replace or pay somebody to do the work that um Patty McCarthy Gillette is doing right now um as she's retiring. Adults men basketball generated only

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$700 in total revenue, $50 per player. Furthermore, it only functions because the two facilitators are generously volunteering their time without compensation. Relying on unpaid labor to sustain a sustain a district program is not a viable long-term strategy. The

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adult health and fitness acts entirely as a pass through for a private vendor. Over three seasons, fall, winter, spring, at $125 per person, the program has taken in $4,600 to date. 1,875

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in session one, 1475 in session two, and 1250 as week two of session three. All of these funds go directly to the facilitator who also makes additional outside funds from the arrangement. The district bears the operational cost of

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keeping the building open, providing lighting, heating, and managing the space, but retains zero financial benefit. These attempting to expand the program is hindered by the reality that outside vendor fees are exceptionally high, making it nearly impossible to offer

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affordable program without the district taking a loss. It's critical to address the concern that ending this program contradicts the messaging used during the campaign for the new high school. The new high school will absolutely remain a community space. First and foremost, the facility serves the

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community by providing a modern environment for the town's youth. Secondly, transitioning away from the lifelong learning program does not mean adults are barred from the building. Instead of the district acting as promoter, manager, and financial intermedi intermediary for these adult

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classes, we would simply act as a facility provider. Recommendations and next steps. I recommend that we sunset the official lifelong learning program at the conclusion of the current spring session ending June 1st. Moving forward, outside vendors, fitness instructors,

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and community groups like the Adult Basketball League who wish to use the high school can do so by applying through our standard facility use and rental policy. And this transition will ensure that student activities are unambiguously prioritized for the space. The district is compensated for the

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overhead cost of hosting private vendors. The building remains accessible to the community without burdening staff with the logistics of running a community college or vocational school style adult education catalog. So I am continuous I I am keep being

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surprised as um Patty McCarthy Gillette winds down into retirement. Um although knowing her winds up into retirement um how many things in the district fell into her basket? Um and

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this is another one it just kind of we keep finding more. Yes. Um, this is a painful thing to cut. Uh, cuz I think it it was serving the community and the people who did do it were passionate about it and very much

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enjoyed it and it brought it it enriched them and their lives and that's I want to acknowledge that. Um, however, we're in we can't be spending any money on things that are outside of

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the mission of educating children. Uh, this this did have cost some cost associated with that. So, it's another painful cut,

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but it So, my question was number one, um, we're going to finish up the current session, so we're not going to wind anything down early. Everyone who signed up is going to get to finish. >> Correct. >> Okay. And number two, is there a legal requirement for us to provide this to the community, or is this

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>> is this just a >> It's a nice to have. >> Okay. Yeah, we don't have room for nice to have some. >> And one of the things that the committee can do, um, a committee member asked me a great question. How much would this cost for somebody to rent out the gym?

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And I quoted her the cost. So, you know, it wasn't Tony. I quoted her. >> It was me. >> It was Mandy. >> I'll talk next because I >> I quoted her a very high cost. I think because this is benefiting Lunberg residents, we should go with our mid-tier and charge, not the highest

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that we would charge a typical outside vendor. >> That's that's what I was going to ask. So, my brother-in-law runs what we referringly we lovingly refer to as old man basketball. >> Um, that's literally what him and his wife say. I'm going to Old Man Basketball tonight. Um, and so he is one

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of the people that is taken over sort of running it because, you know, with Patty obviously, but like you know, he's the one who recruits people and everything. And so I did talk to him today, you know, he understands. Um, but I do think one thing I would like to see is, and maybe this is out there, but resort of

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establishing our rental like where to go for rentals and stuff. I know the PTO I've always just gone through, you know, Dr. Fortuna or previously do, you know, Kate. um that you know when we've used a space like just making sure that we are user friendly about like if a if a

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community member wanted to rent the basketball I think I think the basketball guys probably would still do it you know because they're doing most of the coordinating honestly at this point um you know and with whatever tier we I I do think it would be nice if we weren't charging >> community members as an outside vendor

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>> right um I mean the other thing is I know you know as we move forward And I know everyone is stretched thin because we don't have enough staff, but you know, we had talked about over the last few years before you got here, like, you know, we have a lot of facilities, particularly in the summer, that don't

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get used right here. And so maybe we should be doing something more to promote to vendors who may pay us higher rates, right, to run, you know, soccer clinics or basketball clinics or those kind of things. So, I just think making sure we're thinking about advertising

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that correctly and having like a full suite of how we do that. Um, and maybe some of that already exists. I'm not but just like for people like my brother-in-law if he wants to rent the place weekly. >> Um, you know, when he can cuz it is a nice community for them and he's been

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playing for like six or seven. I mean, he's been playing for a long time. Um, so, so I I mean I get it, but I just think we want to make sure we're not making unnecessary hurdles for people who want to use the facility.

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>> So, towns around here all used to offer things like this. Was it um was it ever a legal requirement or was it simply something that it's something that we do to welcome the community into our schools and it's

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>> one of the things that we've come to realize is if you look at the Monty Ignite um catalog, we just can't compete with that. And so our offerings have dwindled over the years to these two in

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particular. I mean I would also say I think Lunberg while lots of effort has been put into we don't have a traditionally robust recreation department as well. And so some of the what the recreation departments do in other towns might fill some of these.

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>> Right. >> And it'll get even worse next year with the budget. >> Right. Exactly. So, I do think maybe that's what I'm saying to you, Laura, like maybe communities east of us that have a more robust recreation department, maybe they're running the basketball program >> that's in the gym through an agreement,

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you know, with >> I know Brookline had an even more robust program, but it wasn't taking in the fees to be self sustainable anymore, and it was one of the budget cuts. I don't know if it's one that they're considering this year,

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>> but it was one that we considered last year. um making into the budget. Uh the town where I was superintendent prior to this um didn't have anything at night other than ESL classes for families.

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>> Um and that is probably Boston, of course, is Boston, but those are the three districts that I've been in. >> I I do think it's good outreach. I think it's good marketing for the schools. I think it's I think it's good to have

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adult citizens in the schools seeing what we have to offer, seeing the kids artwork on the walls and feeling like this belongs to them as well. Um I am a little concerned and I know we had talked about this before in that

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eventually in the next few years we're going to ask for money for Turkey Hill. Uh, and I think it re this programs like this engender a lot of goodwill, but I don't think that's outweighed by the fact that we just we do not have any

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extra capacity right now to be spending on things outside of our mission. So, would the idea be to re-evaluate if our financial situation ever changed? I think if our financial situation

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changed and we had the staff capacity in which to manage it or the money in which to compensate somebody for managing it. Um that would be what I would recommend. I wonder if we if we could maybe I would

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suggest that if the override the larger override passes and there's going to be a full-time rec director here in town maybe we as a committee make some suggestions and overtures to that person >> about because really

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>> if if that person is going to be coordinating events I don't I think maybe the school ever should be doing it but the use of the facilities here I think is important. That's that's a good marriage between the >> I I feel like we haven't cooperated as much with the recck department and I

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know they've down a rec director, but if we could cooperate with >> with the with the recck director and the recck programs um to be the facilities because like Mandy said >> I think they may have the staff capacity to do it and I know they run a lot of pickle ball right now really well. I mean I'm not sure we would have the

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space for it during the day and that kind of stuff. Yeah, the pickle ball is going to be a problem because if the TCP gym goes, there's no place for the pickle ball and that is not a program that people are going to be happy about going. >> So, I just think maybe we could we could work with them that

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>> yeah, I think that's a great idea. >> Okay, >> we will do that if that person is in place. >> So, I'll make a motion to accept the decision to shutter I don't know, shutter the right word. >> Sunset is a better word. the lifelong

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learning program at this point. I move to sens. Yeah, I move to census the lunberg lifelong learning program effective June 1st. >> I mean office positions suck not to be right. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I

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>> Okay. Uh next thing is draft leg letter for the legislature. >> Uh yeah. So we talked about this a few weeks and I'm hoping we can just vote on it. It's a letter I drafted to the Senate Ways and Means and House Ways and Means chairs and our legislators

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regarding the budget situation. I outlined some general areas where um I think they could help us. >> So my only >> Yep. >> one thing that made me go Uhhuh. is the Lunberg ranks in the bottom 7% statewide for per people spending.

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>> Yeah. I think that's not that bottom 7% is not so much I don't know. I think that's more our fault as a town unless that we're getting as penalized. I >> Okay.

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>> But the problem is that so the the law requires the town to donate us or to give the schools a certain amount >> and we are above that. >> We have never been below that. And so if there's a funding shortfall and it's because of the town, it would

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show up in that metric and it doesn't. So I think that it's fair to say that the bottom 7% is a reflection of the fact that we do not qualify for any of the special funding programs for

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education school districts in Massachusetts, right? Like we're not a gateway city. We're not an inner city. We're not a regional school district. We're not a rural school district. We're like the in between everything school district. And so we sort of fallen through the cracks in the funding. Which

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is why I think that among other reforms, Chapter 7 needs to have a safety net, lower am lowest amount that changes with inflation. Uh that provides a guarantee for each school district regardless of

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their status. Because unless you fit into one of those very narrowly defined buckets, you basically end up where we are, which is what Mandy's pointing out. We're in the bottom 7% because, you know, in addition to being a small town, we just don't fit any of the other criteria.

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>> Yeah. And I I mean, maybe it doesn't say that, but I've been using that statistic just to say we are not bougie. I don't know. Like we're not fancy. Do you know what I mean? Like we're not asking for like fancy money. I want to rank the >> I don't know is that like the that's the wrong word but that's the point I'm

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trying to get across like we're not asking for money to offer like >> I don't know >> anything fancy anything >> yeah I just so I don't if that statistic doesn't give that impression I'm totally it was just it's like

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>> so it is interesting I have a rep scarcil has a friend who's very good with this chapter 70 formula and I sent some information to him and I'm hoping because we are at 128% of foundation. So we are spending a decent amount over what the state requires.

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>> Our fun our required >> Yes. our required net school spending is weirdly low. >> Yes. And so that's one of the things that I want to understand better is why we're so low per pupils funding and

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we're still spending 128% of foundation. And >> I think this is emblematic of the fact that chapter 70 is broken. Oh, it's it's I mean nobody is spending 100%. >> If other towns are spending >> way more. >> Yeah. When I go home tonight, I'm

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actually I want to look at what the net what the required school spending is per pupil amount per town and see where we fall there. >> So, it's not I don't think there is a per pupil per town number. >> No, you'd have to do that by taking the number of pupils and dividing it by

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>> Desi has a really good like has a great chart. That's what I'm thinking. >> FY24, but I was looking at it on the per pupil spending and the percentage over um >> foundation and looking at some of these stats, which is >> it was it was it was enlightening

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really. Um so this data gentleman, I just think maybe he can help me think a little bit more about why we're in that bucket. I heard from someone I graduated from with who lives in Grafton now, and she was saying they're in that bucket. So they might be a good comp as well, like Grafton, Clinton. I know I have a

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list of those people >> moving forward to think about why um >> what I mean it will be interesting as our ELLL numbers go up we we will get more funding for that eventually that will make it into the formula right

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>> um because the the two big bumps they did 5 years ago when they redid the formula were ELLL >> and poverty >> I think so >> I think poverty was the other number so the percentage of your students who live in poverty. Um,

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>> yeah, it's just that cuz I'm curious. I really want to go home and play with the data because I am curious. I know mo most towns like like us most towns like us um

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spend over the required because the required school spend the so is so low. It's >> ridiculous. I mean, we could not function if we were that low. So, and I think that formula has not

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been updated and does not reflect the reality of what it costs to educate students. Um, the the percentage of kids on special ed. >> Yeah. It's not based on a real number. it's based on percentage of >> even though like that's that's something

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that they could easily put in there but they choose not to and we're above that and that's there's a cost associated with that. >> Uh one speaker yesterday was very eloquent and said the state >> underestimates how much it costs to educate students >> and overestimates how much your town can

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afford >> and that that is really the crux of the problem of the formula. state's also overestimating how good Massachusetts schools are because I'm >> Did you say I said that? Yeah, I said that yesterday. >> Oh, I I I don't I don't I don't >> I'm so frustrated with legislators saying we have the best schools in the

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country. >> I I think that people >> educated people >> who have been to places like the Midwest or the South, they would be blown away. I mean, it's >> Mississippi's reading scores are approaching Massachusetts.

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>> Yeah. But I think it's >> we're going to have more kids in classrooms than the Alabama state average. >> Yeah, it's it's orders of magnitude different. I think that like >> but that's but versus Connecticut, New Jersey, New York.

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>> Oh, sure. Sure. >> We don't anymore. >> They've all been those those places are sort of clumped at the top. But like I mean like I had a lawyer friend who practiced in Alaska and there were places where kids were being educated in

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a you know 100 you could travel 100 miles to school. You could stay there during the weekend during the weekend and their schools didn't have regular power. I mean like >> Yeah. but our students don't know how to fight it there. So >> yeah straight up. >> But what I'm saying is like I think it it is going to be hard to make a case

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that Massachusetts doesn't have good schools compared to >> I'm not saying good. I'm saying the whole best thing they they need to stop touting that. Um unless they want to put some money behind it. Um >> this is really Thank you for writing this and outlining it and I absolutely

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love the extremely specific ass. >> Um it's what I like to do. Can't let those people off the hook. >> I mean, we asked last year, too. I don't It still didn't happen. We're going to keep asking, Laura. That's what I'm telling you. We're going to ask

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the only way you get what you want is the squeaky wheel gets the grease. >> You guys are very squeaky yesterday. So, thank you. >> And how? So, that was a general budget hearing, right? That was the general That wasn't the school funding hearing. >> No, that was uh

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>> And what percentage of people there were there to talk about schools? >> 85 90%. >> Mhm. >> Um >> Yeah. And I think it lasted I should have I should have texted Rep. Scario, but she was there for the whole thing. I'm sure she always says and last year was eight hours.

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>> Um I think there were a few less people there this year, but there were a few other things. >> So um it's not just us. It's a statewide issue. So thank you for this. Do we motion to Was there motion for this one? Do you

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>> And then can Liz, can you help me get this out? Should we get the select board to sign it too or we can ask the select board? >> I think Can we ask the select board to sign it as well or >> Sure. >> I make the motion to approve the letter and then have uh Mandy coordinate with

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Liz to determine who else can sign it and when it should be sent. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> thank you for writing. >> All right. The next thing we have is a vote to co-sponsor the warrant article

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for Kids Kingdom with the select board. >> Uh this is something that we have already already done. >> Yes. >> Why are we doing it again? >> I think that in order to make sure that it goes on the town meeting agenda item, the town meeting agenda and it appears to be

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>> so it'll say under it school committee approved. >> Yes. >> All right. We've already voted on this. Would you I would look to uh to have a motion to vote on it again. I'll make a motion to accept the fact that we want to co-sponsor the warrant article for Kids Kingdom with the select board at

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the upcoming annual town meeting. >> Do you have the wording on that? >> I don't and I don't care. >> Well, it's the same as it was. >> Okay. The one that still said when they move the playground or or rebuild, it would be with the input of the school. Yes. Input and approval of the school. >> Yes. They haven't changed the war.

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>> Okay. Just wanted to make sure that I know what I'm voting on. >> I want this done. We don't want anything because if there's a cost, I just want offer. >> So moved. >> All right. Uh all in favor? >> I >> I All right. All right. >> I seconded it. Second. >> All in favor?

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>> I >> I >> All right. Sounds good. Uh number 10. >> I will note >> that we are coming to 8:30 and we are on the last non >> I'm going to make it home. >> So let's do this. Uh facility and

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grounds report. Chris Stevens is here to present the facilities and grounds report. As you may remember, you just had one last month. >> Yeah. So, this is going to be a brief update to that one. >> All right. Um get started. We are uh in

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a phase one of a massive project. Uh we've entered this project in partnership with UNATIL and green communities. Uh this initiative focuses on the control systems at LMHS to ensure the RTUs and thermostats operate efficiently together for maximum energy

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performance. This program may cover up to 100% of the project cost including repairs and replacements for faulty sensors, actuators, thermostats, and related components which is our goal is for the 100%. Um, but basically we have

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find a lot of rooms that are 100° and rooms that are 60°. And the reason why is the thermostat's not working right or the actuator that opens up the valve to bring the hot water into the room isn't operating. Um, so what this study does is they go in kind of probably test

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around everything, figure out what's working, what's not, and then build a plan up of what needs to be replaced, what doesn't, and hopefully come back at us with a 100% they pay the whole bill. >> Was this a grant? >> What's that? >> Was this a grant?

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>> No, this is um through like a Massave. It's a ECBX program. >> Yeah, I know. I'm just I didn't know we were doing >> So, it's like a existing building commissioning program through Massave. So they approached me and I was like I will take whatever you will give me. So

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>> So if this if it says the program may cover up to 100% of the project cost, what happens if it does not? >> This is what we will that'll be another discussion. Um but this is this is just a basically they get the study done and figure out

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when saves comes to your house and tells you >> and then they tell you what you could do. >> Exactly. That's exactly what this is. >> Inside your house without insulation. Yeah. >> So, that's that. Um, like I said, as as time goes, I'll have more info as the studies are gone through. They haven't

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gotten here yet. We're just getting the uh putting the um paperwork in basically to get going. >> Have you been working with the green communities task force on this? >> Uh, yes. >> Okay. Do you go to their meet their meetings or

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>> um sometimes I I go on Zoom meetings with with Dave and um there's a a gentleman met Keith from Unatil that we talk to a lot and uh then whoever else is in on it. But >> Dave is a fantastic Yeah, I've been working with him since I started. So

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>> I just wanted to make sure cuz um >> he's basically you know the front man for a lot of this but uh when programs come up they I think Matt O'Keeffe was the one that's got me onto this one. Okay. >> He got a hold of me. I'm like, "That sounds good." He got a hold of Dave and kind of just gets everybody on board.

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>> Away we go >> because there was a several facil there was a time when we weren't working with them and taking advantage of the >> Yeah. It's been working out fantastic as far as I can tell. So, I'm not rocking the boat by any means.

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>> Dave does a lot of work for us. >> So, thank you. Okay. Yeah. So furong um I've discussed with the town facilities as Pacios uh may be closing down. We we have the option of taking the generator. I know it was on

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our capital fiscal year 27 plan to put a new generator at primary school. >> Okay. >> There's a generator there with a basically brand new uh >> uh disconnect switch. all the basically all the electricals over there that we would need to operate it are brand new

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and we would be able to harvest all of that out of there and bring to primary and get that thing hooked up. So, I just met with a gentleman yesterday on what that would entail. And so, I'm waiting to get some numbers back on what it would cost to pick that thing up and

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move it up the street or pad. >> How big is it? Just out of curiosity. >> It's not very big. It's uh >> like back of the truck or like >> it's >> I can put it in the back of my truck. I don't know if I put it in the back of your >> I don't really I think they come with like a

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ramp truck and get it up that way or whatnot, but um and they just pour like a like a 9x5 slab and uh put it on there and >> it's like Casio's building is the >> money. We just see what what kind of savings we can take there. you know,

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it's worth every >> everything we can get. So, that's in the works. Um, like I said, as soon as I know more, you guys will know more. >> Um, on top of this, let's see. We got um the solar uh array repairs. They are ongoing. They've gotten the upper

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there's a section a high up section that they've gotten that's been inspected. Me and Baron have been up there um talking with them and inspecting what they've done. And we've got one section up and running. And so now they know what we're looking for and they're going to

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continue going through and we go right behind them and inspect it and then let them give them the okay to turn that section on and until this whole thing is done and everything's back up and running again. >> Is that why electricity's been so high? It >> very well could be on this on the roofer

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out. me and Chris Ruth at the town. We were trying to figure out exactly how all the solar because there's >> Can you let me know when you find out? >> Yes, because we're like we don't know. We weren't neither of us were around when this happened. So, there's different ways of how they sell it to us

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or do we just rent the uh space to them or whatnot, you know, on the roof and take that money or do we get it back in credits or whatnot? So, we're trying to figure this all out. Um, but right now it's there it's a lot going on. >> I'm wondering if that's So, we didn't

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have solar arrays. We didn't have any solar on the roof for most of the year. >> Yeah. Since the first day of school, it's been off. >> Yeah. Since day one, >> I wonder why. Now, now I'm >> So, we've made them go through and

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they're they're going over everything and so that this does not happen again. This will be an interesting way to see how much money what's on the roof saves us. >> Yeah, the two Chris's um Chris Ruth and

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um Chris Stevens are like you said working closely together because nobody quite understands how the agreement is working. >> Exactly. he trying to decipher what's going on and is you know we get things from it's solar is being taken from West

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Hounds and on a on an array over there that comes to us. It's it's just it's mindboggling how it works. >> I I asked Michael Cassidy my first month on the school committee how that flows and >> yeah there was I think he said it's too

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complicated to explain. Yeah. >> Um, okay. And thank you also to Chris Ruth for the generator located. He's fantastic. >> Excellent. >> Working great. >> Town school partnership there for >> 100%. >> Can I ask a really dumb question about the generator?

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>> Sure. >> It's outside, right? >> And we're only going to take the outside parts. We have the outside but the the all the inside stuff that that hooks into the whole electrical panel so that when the power goes out this automatically kicks in and this is what turns on the the vitals that we need in

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the building. >> Do we need to worry about mold? >> Oh, no. This stuff I just wanted to make sure that it's not anything that's in that. >> Nope. It's in a dry area >> in the swamp >> off the boiler room. No, it's in a dry It's probably one of the only places in

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that building that's dry. Okay. That's Yeah. I wanted to make sure we were >> So, when it goes to the primary school, does it go outside or inside? >> Outside. >> Okay. >> Yep. It's a diesel. It's a big diesel engine with a >> Okay. I just wanted to make sure that we weren't bringing anything contaminated

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from over there cuz I'm >> Nope. >> Okay. >> Um so, okay. M and also uh we are collaborating with Unatillaa National Grid and Green Communities as well on a CBA study of all the schools. Um

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basically they just they go look at all of our big systems and see if there's anything that fits us into any um uh programs that are going on that we could benefit from. So that's another

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thing. Um they aim to identify errors for improving energy efficiency and reducing annual operating costs. Um it's in its early stages and the additional data and findings will be presented as they become available. So like I said, it's all just kind of begun. We're just in the very beginning stages of it. Um

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I've walked them around through all the schools. So they they're just getting their reports all together and then we'll find out what what comes of it. Um, far as our landscaping and field maintenance,

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the current contract with Jacob's Landscaping for maintenance of the district's three athletic fields has expired and we will be going out to bid. I'm hoping this week maybe >> probably >> probably we're just trying to get the bid all together so we can get it out there. Um,

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>> that was one of our >> more escalating costs. So, um I'm hoping there's a more reasonable bid because that was one that seemed to be getting wildly expensive over the

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years as you graft it. >> Um the grounds team, they've been uh performing spring cleanups, plow damage repairs from winter. Um they're supporting athletics by setting up equipment and lining fields for the upcoming spring sports seasons.

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Um we had one resignation. Duma Braa has submitted her resignation following the news regarding potential outsourcing of custodial services. Uh Duma exemplified the values and work ethic that Bloomberg school strives for and staff and will be greatly missed. Um her position will be

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removed through attrition due to ongoing budget cuts as of now. >> Um we have no new hires and uh and I guess no open positions at this point. We're not going to know you have a full-time evening at primary.

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>> Oh, that that just that happened last yesterday. Yes. Um so that's right. We do. Um I just got news last night as a resignation and he's done Friday. So the full-time position at Lunberg Evening is just got posted.

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>> Oh, wait. We lost someone. >> He was there for like two weeks. >> Yeah, I was going to say, wasn't that open for a while? >> Yeah, he got an open he got an offer somewhere else. >> That sucks. That's one week sometime. So hard time. Sure. I mean that's fine. I just remember a few weeks ago when I was at the primary school talking about

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this. So it just Yeah. >> Um and that's about that for now. >> Um would you mind just giving us an update on the um Turkey Hill uh bathrooms? Well, because we talked about that the last time you were here. I know that we've been talking about

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>> Yeah, we're still um set to go for that. I think the guys have even started. I'm like, just start dismantling um some of the partitions and all that stuff and get ready to go for the summertime. Um I believe we've got >> probably 95% of what we need over there, if not 100%. I'm just

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>> I'm just leaving that out there in case a panel doesn't work out here and now to buy a couple of things here, but for the most part, it's all there and it's in great shape. >> That's great. You're also working on repurposing an earmark possibly for the for the um for the >> sinks and stuff, right? Okay.

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>> Yep. >> I thought so. I just >> that was about the only major cost was about the sinks just having those installed and other than that um I think we can do pretty much everything in house. >> It's amazing. Thank you. Chris, you're going to have some drawings for us for that, right? Thank you.

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>> Y >> All right. Uh motion to accept the facilities department report. >> I'll second. All in favor? >> I >> I thank you, Chris. >> Thank you. All right. Uh, public comment

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for issues discussed tonight. >> Any public comments? >> No. >> Sweet. >> I can I do? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I just feel like if I don't say this, it's going to bother me. Um, I'm just struggling a little bit with the unified arts. Um, I mean the unified >> sports sports.

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>> Um, and it um I'd like it to be a bigger conversation at some time. >> Sure. just to see if we can. It just feels like it's getting swept under the rug and just because there isn't any currently, I feel like it needs to be a little bit more of a push. Um, and maybe

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I'm not saying we need to spend money, but just looking at it again to see what we can do for kids with disabilities. I myself will have one one day at the high school and I know of other kids that would probably like to join. Maybe track isn't the one. Um,

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>> and nothing against I just I feel like kids with disabilities are already kind of left behind. So, I don't want to just say that we're not going to do unified sports. >> I don't think that that's what she was saying. I think what she was saying is

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in line with what the committee has talked about before and that we're not adding any new sports without the committee knowing about it. >> I'm not saying I'm not I agree with that. I just it just feels not right to have a bigger conversation about what we can do in the future for that.

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>> Um, >> can we have Shenina come in? I didn't want to ask her on the spot why we didn't have as many kids signed up, but if she can come in and talk to us about >> I can answer that for you right now. They tried to recruit just students and

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there just wasn't the interest in it. >> Like what? So with middle schools, >> there's also just nothing local. Like there's no like my son's been playing Lysa since he was in kindergarten. There's no we don't have anything in town for kids with disabilities. And there are Special Olympics, but that's not a town thing. That's a state thing.

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>> Yeah. >> Um there's just nothing for kids with disabilities to be included in as far as sports goes. I mean, they can try out for >> teams, but >> what are places that are successful at doing this doing that we are not? Um,

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they probably have a bigger population of kids with disabilities maybe, but um, I did just look it up a minute ago. >> I was also gonna ask maybe for next season or whatever. Just thinking about um, partnerships with other towns if there were >> like co-ops. >> Like co-ops. We do do co-op sports

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sometimes like what does North Sex do? >> So Fitchburg has Fitchburg High School has unified basketball and spring track. Yeah. >> Um, Auburn High School, Shrewsbury High School, Northbridge High School. So, we could switch the spring track to basketball, which seems to be more popular.

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>> Well, basketball is a coach, though. That's the problem. >> And basketball is a winter sport. And >> Oh, I thought Okay. I thought that was a spring thing. Basketball winter. >> There's also there is um grants and money that you can apply for for things

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like that, too. >> So, what if we did this? What if we put it on as an agenda item? >> Mhm. >> And we'll we'll invite Shannina to come and then we can I mean I'd really like to know what places that do this s like really successfully.

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>> I think we can do it too. >> I I would love to know like what are they doing that we are >> I'm guessing Fitchburg has a much bigger population than us. They're going to have much more kids that have a disability. >> So >> that's where unified sports comes in, >> right? That's probably why Pittsburgh can keep

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it going. They also get way more money from the state. >> Yeah. And that also like so like put it into like three buckets. Have Shina come and talk to us. have some discussion and research about what successful programs like perennially successful programs do

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and then try to figure out if there is some appetite for different offerings cuz like I I would imagine that if you came to somebody and said I know you I I know you want to do sports we have

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basketball and track and they're like I don't do that. >> Yeah. That would be really hard to like convince somebody and basically say we don't have a lot of options. These are the two options like >> kids with for athletes without disabilities. There's several two

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>> correct six or seven choices throughout the year. We're talking one choice per season for >> one choice per season for two or three seasons. Like that's a really >> Yeah, >> a really small offering. Um >> but again, if there's not a huge call for it, I understand. I just I don't

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think I want the conversation to just end there. >> Yeah. >> I'd just like to know a little more. Maybe I could help. I don't know. >> You know, >> it's important to me in many ways as a teacher to students with disabilities and I have a daughter with a physical disability. Someday she will be at the high school

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>> and there's not much else going on >> for her in town as far as sports goes. So, >> yeah. No, I agree. I I want to be clear though to the community as a special educator that we weren't sweeping it under the rug. Sweeping it under the rug

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would have been leaving it off the sports report because we're not failing a team this year. >> Um we wanted to make it public. We wanted people to know that we tried to recruit, but I agree that the discussion about other spring options is the right

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one to have because we should be serving all of our students. Is there something that we're missing about the offerings? I guess that's a question for like the community. >> Well, that's what I'm wondering. Like I wonder if could I send out a survey or could the high school send out a survey? sports

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>> so probably >> or yeah maybe >> what do can anyone sign up for unified sports or is it only for kids with disabilities and what's >> I don't know the answer to that >> because can we roll it in with our track

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team and make it a component of the track team >> I guess that's why I want to have a a further discussion about it to see what kind of options there could be I'm not ask I don't want to add to the budget I don't want to add more. >> There were other

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kids who did it last year who didn't sign up this year and I'm wondering why not and I do not want to go seek them out and ask because that would be inappropriate. But I am wondering >> what the barrier was this year that we only had one kid like was it a scheduling issue? Was it a they decided

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to do track with you know their friends at the >> Well, I think Miss Barnes also brought up a good point on transportation. So, some kids are going to need specialized transportation for sports outside of here, maybe. >> Um, I also don't know

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>> if our unified sports who they compete against. Is it just within our community? Is it considered um school to school? Um, >> basketball is school to school. >> So, transportation, we're not offering transportation

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currently was involved. >> I think we have to offer that. most of our track stars from last year graduated. Um, which is what happened essentially. >> We did, one of the things that I'm really proud of because I've been in

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districts where this hasn't been the case is we really reached out to our out of district students and the one student who wanted to do track was an out of district student. Um, I think as we have this discussion, we need to do our research and what our neighboring towns

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are offering the spring so that our athletes have somebody to compete. >> Oh, that makes it worse actually that it was an out of district student who was going to get into >> practice. No, that Yep. That makes it way worse. This >> that it was an out of district student who wanted to participate and then we

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had to say no. And that because the out of district placements, >> they get to participate. >> They remove the student from the from the community which is not ideal. And so the unified sports allow them to participate within the community and oh that hurts that hurts worse.

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>> It is interesting what you said about other um leagues. My husband is very involved in the baseball softball league and um I know I've been in other I actually one weekend I was in another community where there was unified sports baseball team. I don't know that they

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were playing against another town but I think it might be worthwhile for I I will mention it to him on the board because may maybe there's other options for younger kids too, right? Um >> because it is something that we should all of our organizations should be thinking about. Um, so I I will >> Can we put that?

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>> I know that's not the answer for this, but it's a good point. >> I didn't expect an answer. I just wanted it to be a conversation, just something ongoing that we can kind of maybe >> Yeah. No, I think it's a great point. >> I don't have an answer either. I just if I didn't say something, I would have been thinking about it for two more weeks. And >> hey, that's why you're >> I don't need to do that. I have enough

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going on in my head. >> Nobody needs to do that. Thanks, Emily. Thank you. >> Can I Oh, let me get to because that was topics for next for future discussion. Was there any more public comment?

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>> No. >> Okay. >> All right. Uh, does anybody want to give a committee report? >> Look at that. >> There's a bunch cuz we Oh my god, we have time. >> Not much time. Okay. >> Not much time, please. I know.

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>> Be home by 8:30 for bedtime. Uh the um the school advisory committee for the middle school met um we talked about the grade 8 world language and the override um and middle school sports being in the

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restoration budget. Um and uh Eden's dad gave me a names of some books to read about cell phones. Um, and oh yeah, the project three. I think Liz, you probably has the dates for it, but the uh one of our students

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is doing the project 351, the cradles, >> and she's doing a cradles to crayons clothing drive. >> Correct. >> Oh, yes. >> Do you have the >> We've been publicizing it. Been all over this. >> Yeah. So, I just wanted to shout that out that we're doing a clothing drive for Gently. >> Julia Melvin, I think. >> It's Julia. Yeah, it's Julia Melvin.

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>> Um, and she is representing Lunenburgg. and then she will get to go to Gillette and meet all the other ambassadors. Um, but she's doing the clothing drive. Is it going on right now? Is it >> I marked it to look at it and now I can't. So, um, >> I believe it started recently.

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>> Yep. But the info was in the newsletter and it's on our Facebook page. Uh, and she's looking for gently used clothing. Nothing soiled or but gently used nice clothing. Um, I think that's everything.

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>> I just have one from uh, it's actually not a report, it's a plug. Um, tomorrow, Thursday, April 2nd. Tomorrow's April 2nd. Yes. Tomorrow, Thursday, April 2nd. Paxel will be meeting here, not in this room, but at the at the middle high

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school at 6 p.m. And they'll be doing a planting project. So, if you'd like to join with your children or by yourself because it's less stressful, um, feel free. >> Who's kids? >> That sounds fun. >> Um, the PTO, uh, we raised over $15,000 at the special summon dance. So, I want

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to thank everyone. How much? Over $15,000. >> Whoa. Nice. >> I'm so grateful for all the people who contributed so much work to that event. Um, we had our Great Wolf Lodge Lodge fundraiser that went really well. There's a movie night. There's a movie

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on Saturday. If you haven't seen this, the Super Mario Brothers movies coming out >> this Saturday. >> We're doing at 10 a.m. Saturday. >> Came out today. >> Oh, I didn't have a countdown for you. >> Um sick. >> And yeah, I think that's it. So,

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>> and I also went to the primary school uh advisory council. Is that what it's called? >> Yeah. Yeah, advisor. >> So, it was good. We just talked about what was going on. Change in schedule for those kids when um MCCAST is happening at Turkey Hill. things like that.

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>> So, the high school advisory is meeting and I'm trying desperately to find when I missed the last one and I don't want to miss this one. I know it's on Thursday. I hope it's not this Thursday. Um, other than that, I do think we

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probably need to do a one policy subcommittee before the end of the year and then that would be it. Um I have two things actually that should have been well one that should have been in my report and one I should have said um

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earlier. Um we have to start thinking about my evaluation. I know you all love that but the end of the year is coming up really quickly and so we're we're going to start discussing that at our next meeting. Um, and then

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I have an announcement that the Turkey next Turkey Hill principal, I'm sure you all probably know, is going to be Mr. Rob McGrath, who the community knows from being here at the middle school. We're very excited to have him on board.

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And so you'll see two postings um for assistant principles because Dr. U Beth Anne Cormier has announced her retirement. So, we will have an entirely new administrative team at Turkey Hill

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and we will have a new assistant principal here at the high school. >> The ter I I'm very excited about Mr. McGrath coming to Turkey Hill. Uh the turnover at Turkey Hill has been and I mean Mrs. Squire went to the primary school where where she was needed and is

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flourishing. Um, but Turkey Hill, um, my daughter likes to joke that she didn't get the same principal any of her years there. Uh, because it's it's been a lot of since Mrs. Champagne left, it's been a lot of turnover. So, I'm excited to

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have Mr. McGrath in there. Um, and he's very lucky that he gets to work with the Turkey Hill team because they're a lot of fun. Uh, they're very good at their jobs. So, congratulations to him. And um >> and Mr. Ivon is retiring. I had two

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people text me when that happened and they were like, "Where's Mr. Ivonne going?" And I'm like, "Mr. Ivonne re told us months ago he was retiring." I think they missed that and they were like, "What?" >> And we're going to miss Mr. He was he stepped in. He kind of >> he stepped in at a very needed time and

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he did provide a lot of the steady hand there. Um which was fantastic. And good luck to Mrs. Cormier on her Dr. Cormier on her retirement. I'm done. >> Can I Can we do topics for future?

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>> Sure. >> Because I keep forgetting what it's um so we need to enter into contract. We need to accept that and we need to discuss that next time. Have we gotten the second? >> We have gotten the second. >> Okay. So, we need to do that next time. We need to talk about who's going to do

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that. Um >> because um half 50% of us are brand new at this. So, We were hoping to split up and tag team and get you guys um used to doing it too.

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>> It's fun. >> It actually is fun. >> Yes, it is. >> Like the It can be stressful. >> No, it is. It's >> But like you get you get some experience. >> Is it It's as fun as this is. >> No, it's more fun. >> I'm just kidding. No, I mean it's That was a joke. I love doing the pairs, but

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that's just because the pairs are like really great people. So, I haven't done this part yet. So, um so and we need to enter into contract negotiations. We need to start that process next week. Um and also, can we do an HR report? Is

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that >> Oh, yes. I keep meaning to bring that to you and then there's been huge agendas. Yeah. I didn't ask this week because last week I don't think you went home before a reasonable time at all

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>> uh with the amount of meetings we had. So um I didn't ask for this. I'll get it for you. >> But can Yeah. Can we do an HR report which I think is going to be the whole year? >> Absolutely. >> Um and those were my two things. >> Oh, and when do we need to start talking

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about the Turkey or the Turkey Hill application to the state? I know it was due April of this year. Not saying for this year. >> We can probably wait until our next committee member is seated to start talking about that um to give us a

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little bit of a summer runway. >> Okay, >> sounds good. >> Anyone else? >> Anybody else? If not, I'll look for a motion to adjourn at 8:50. Let's go. >> Motion to adjourn before 900 p.m. I'll second. >> All in favor? All right. All right.

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Let's go.