All right. Good evening everyone. It is 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2025. I am Brian Leon, the chair of the school committee. I am calling this special school committee meeting to order. In accordance with the requirements of open meeting law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later
date over the Lynburg public access channel. Uh, this meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the public access Facebook page and will be found on Loomberg access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those
reasonably anticipated by the chair. Votes may be taken as a result of these discussions. 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. The next item on the agenda is public comment. Uh I do have a
public comment uh we're going to be sharing with the community um uh a welcome letter uh to the of the new superintendent. So I just want to read that. Dear Lunberg family, staff and community members, we are excited to share that Lunberg School Committee has voted to appoint Dr. Jodie Fortuna as
the next superintendent of Lunberg Public Schools beginning July 1, 2025. Dr. Fortuna comes to us with over 20 years of experience in educational leadership and a deep commitment to student achievement, inclusive practices, and a strong school and strong school communities. She currently
serves as the deputy superintendent of teaching and learning in the Brookline public schools where she has led important district-wide instructional initiatives and worked closely with educators, families, and community partners. Her professional background also includes numerous leadership roles including assistant superintendent in Boston public schools, principal,
assistant superintendent and superintendent of Hudson public schools, principal naranset regional school district, flack collaborative and assistant principal at Northridge public schools. She be she began her career as a special education teacher in the Dudley Charleton Regional School
District as and has continued to center her work around supporting all learners and empowering staff. Dr. Fortuna holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Boston College and she brings a collaborative out outcomes driven approach to school leadership. Throughout the search
process, Dr. Fortuna impressed us with her thoughtful vision, her understanding of district systems, and her ability to bring people together. She is dedicated to listening, learning, and working in partnership with students, educators, families, and the entire Lunberg community. This appointment follows a rigorous and inclusive search process
that included public finalist interviews as well as a screening subcommittee made up of school staff, union representatives, town officials, parents, and community members. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed time, insights, and feedback throughout the process. We look forward
to welcoming Dr. Fortuna to Lindberg and beginning a new chapter together. She will be working closely with the school committee and current leadership to ensure a smooth transition in the months ahead. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our schools. Any other public comment?
That was nice. Uh, next item in the agenda is executive session to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-UN personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-union personnel. And we will come back after the
executive session. Motion. Motion to enter executive session. Second. All right, Mr. Bazilski, yes. Mr. Beardmore, yes. Miss Auction, yes. And a yes for myself. Thank you. We will be back shortly. 6:43 p.m. from the executive
session. Next item in the agenda is new business action item, the superintendent's contracts. Mr. Preski. Uh, so Tony and I met with the incoming superintendent with Dr. Fortuna on Tuesday and we have
agreed to a salary of $174,000 a year. Uh it is generally is almost the same exact contract as Dr. Bernham's contract. Dr. Fortuna did ask that we add in a conference reimbursement uh not
conference a reimbursement for her membership in the American Association of Superintendent. Yeah, school superintendent. Uh, which I believe was $485 a year. So, we agreed to that and
so we have a contract if we can vote on it. How many years? Oh, it's a three-year contract with a 2 and a half% raise each year. So, in line with the town manager contract. Questions from the committee members. Comments. I appreciate that the committee was able
to meet with Dr. Fortuna and get this settled very quickly. So, thank you. Yeah. I also extend my thanks to Laura and Anthony. Thank you. So, I will make a motion to approve the contract as outlined by Mrs. Brzowski
for Dr. Fortuna. Second. Any discussion? All right. This will be a roll call vote, too. Mr. Brazilowski? Yes. Mr. Beardmore? Yes. Minimbo? Yes. And a yes for myself. Thank you. Next item in the agenda is old business
action item first read of policy 3601.1 bus fee [Music] policy. So the policy has been updated to reflect the language that Mr. Leighton uh suggested at the last
meeting. Um but because the language has now been edited, it's back for first read. Um we can obviously have some discussion but um we have tentatively uh we've submitted an an agenda for posting uh for Tuesday next week so that we can do
a second read of the policy assuming that it passes first read this evening so that we can do a third read of the policy at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the school committee next Wednesday night. so that policy will be
set and concerns that um Mr. Bemore had raised about fees being paid without a policy in place will be resolved. Great. Questions or comments from the committee? Uh can I highlight just the the changes are um the most important
one basic one was from going to a geodessic 2 miles to portal to portal meaning bus stop to where they get off to get into school. That's what portal to portal is. Um, and that's in line with state. It's not state law. It's
their definition, but it's not is it bus stop or is it home? It says portal and that's bus really. Oh, yeah. That's how the state I've been interpreting that wrong for 35 years. Yeah. I guess it depends too. If the
student doesn't have a bus stop, then it would be their home. Well, that's true. Yeah. And our bus stops do stop at most people's homes, but if you live on a dead end street, it's going to pick you up at the end of the street. Uh so that might shorten the distance, and we'll see if there are issues that arise from
that. But this is the state guidelines on what bus stop definitions are. Portal to portal over a commonly traveled route. So not as the crow flies, not through the lake. Yeah. Any other questions or comments? I
had one. I didn't know if this was sent to the um the community, the the parents. Um let me see. Liz usually posts these documents for meetings. I was going to say if it hasn't been, can we make sure that this sent out before uh Tuesday? That way we can get any
feedback from the parents and that they're aware of the the changes. Were the transportation forms due May 1st? transportation forms are still due May 1st, but we had talked about um our initial uh communication out with
families was that the payment wouldn't be due until June 1st because we couldn't get the Revit track set up to receive payments in time for the registration the form deadline. Um, but given given all of this, I think as long
as we have payment by June 30th, it's important because we need to get the list to the bus company. Um, so how are we on transportation forms? Um, they're deadline is closed. So,
we have what we have. Um, maybe it's a reminder and a policy. Yeah. Are we hunting down people who didn't fill them out like we have in the past? we can. We're going to have to get some information anyway. Um, I think it'll be
helpful to have this policy in place with additional communications and reminders about the forms. Um, we'll see. I mean, there there may be a lot of folks that just say, "I'm not paying the fee, so I'm not we're not
doing the bus, but we're a pick up in the afternoon, drop off in the afternoon, and go from there." But yeah, we it was a little bit slower in coming on the forms this year, but I think it was because people were trying to figure
out whether or not they they were willing to pay the fee. So, any other discussion All right. Then I'll look for either someone to read or someone to make a motion. I move that we wave or first
reading. Is there a second? I don't like when we You can read it. I'll read. I I prefer when we read it. I will draw my motion. All right. I'll read it. We are reading it. It sounds good. I'll read it if you want. I just I feel like Mr. First read we should read
uh fiscal management and non-instructional operations uh 3000 transportation 3600 transportation bus fee f policy 3601.1 as an austerity measure the Lunberg school committee imposes a
temporary fee on busing. This fee shall be reviewed by the school committee no less than once every year as part of the annual budget process. Oh my gosh. just went to sleep on me. I'm sorry. It's okay.
As part of the annual budget process to ensure that it is still necessary, this policy shall be interpreted and administered in accordance with all applicable provisions of Massachusetts general laws and department of elementary and secondary education regulations and guidance. Students using
district contracted buses shall pay a fee of $180 per year per student. Individuals with reduced lunch status shall pay $50 per year per student. Individuals with free lunch status shall not pay the transportation fee. Families with more than one child using district
contracted buses shall pay $270 while reduced lunch status families shall pay $75. Pursuant to Mass General Law, chapter 71, Section 68, students in sixth grade or lower who reside more than two miles from the school they are
entitled to attend, as measured portal to portal over a commonly traveled route, sidewalks, or public ways, shall be entitled to district provided transportation at no charge as defined by state statute and regulation. Individuals may seek a waiver of the fee. The waiver must be in
writing. Waivers shall be reviewed by the superintendent or their designate. that individual shall have sole discretion in granting such a waiver. If a waiver is denied, the party seeking the waiver shall have the right to appeal the determination to the full school committee. Applications for
appeals shall be in writing. Determinations of appeals shall be in writing and issued without the need for a hearing. In order to prevail on an appeal, the party seeking a waiver must prove that there was a material error in the determination by the superintendent or their designate. Determinations of
the school committee shall be final. Payment shall be due upon registration for busing. Failure to pay the fee in advance will result in children being denied transport to school. The list bus drivers are given at the start of the year shall reflect payment.
Thank you. It does say action unlock. We have to accept the first read. Yeah. Motion to accept the first read. Just read it as the action. Well, usually we take action to wave first. Yes. The action was reading too. All right. Moving on. Uh, next on the agenda is
public comment. Any public comment from the public or from the committee? Happy last meeting. Thank you. Well, thank you. Maybe. I know the other one was the last meeting, but happy second last meeting. Special out of cycle last meeting. All
right. And everyone should go vote on Saturday at TCP from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All right. All right, I'll look for a motion to adjurnn at 6:52 p.m. Motion to adjurnn. Second. All those in favor say I.