--------- the town that comes up with that with that requirement. We are we review budgets once they are presented to us and it's not um it it is confusing. It's actually been reported differently in the paper
too. I just wanted to clarify that. Thank you. >> So yeah. So, and Pat, if I could, you know, generally speaking, >> hang on. Just you need to hang on one second as I cannot live stream this. So, I'm going >> I think it is live streaming, John. I
see the little YouTube like link at the top. And I did get a notice that it was being live streamed. >> Okay. >> But I think we're getting we're getting feedback, so I have to stop it. >> No, it's not. It's the >> It was Oh, okay. So, we Okay. Oh, all
right. So we're live streaming and we don't have feedback. That's a beautiful thing. Okay. You know Pat, thank you for the comment. Go ahead. >> Yeah. And last year and in the last couple years, we've set up a framework where, you know, available funds, available revenue is split 50/50 between the town and schools. And that was the
framework that led us to level funded um direction, if you will. And and I actually if I could just take a moment to recognize the leadership that the schools have shown this budget season and um you know at the state of the town
we heard the fiscal situation that the town is in right now and um the schools have already done a lot of the hard work the analysis thank you Mike to you know look through the cost structure look for efficiencies identified cost cuts these
are difficult decisions and on top of that, John, you have already started to articulate the impact of some of those difficult decisions at PTO meetings and you know at school advisory committees and I think that communication is going to be so critical in the months leading up to town meetings. So I just I just
wanted to say that >> thank you. I appreciate that. I think it's you know again from day one we try to be collaborative with the town and with all the departments and I think this is kind of some some of that and why we're why we're doing it. Um so >> I I abs this is Pat. I absolutely agree
with uh with Molly regarding the uh coordination and and communication with the school department. Thank you. >> Yes. No, I I appreciate that. I and I and I I appreciate everyone saying it kind of out loud and in public because it's it is important and it's important for the towns people to know that we're
we're talking, we're having conversations and we're starting, you know, where we need to start so we can get to where we need to get to, right? So um so going back to we were we were tasked from the town side to do a level funded budget. Um so we have done that.
Um and that's we'll we'll walk through the numbers. We'll walk about we'll walk through where we are and how we got here. Um today and Melissa I'd share this but um so we're not we don't have the full budget book today. We don't have the full like um slideshow yet but we do have all the meat and potatoes of
what will be in the budget book which you know be a little bit broken down a little bit more. the slideshow will, you know, add in a narrative and charts, but today's discussion is where's the money? How do we get down to the level funded? You what needs to happen to make that happen? And that's what we're going to
go through today. And I think it's going to give you everybody, you know, what we're looking for as far as um as far as is the numbers. So, I'm going to turn it over to Mike. He's just he's just shared um the we have it in pa in pages. We're going to do it. Um, we're going to meter
it out so we can have the discussion as we go along versus everyone trying to absorb it all at the same time. So, Mike, I'm going to turn it over to you and you can kind of walk through this first page. >> Superintendent. Um, so we we kind of gave you a little version of this last time and the feeling when I left that
meeting was that you wanted to see more of the funding sources, how we were funding things, what our total budget was, not just what the town's funding of it. So, that's what I tried to do here. And I'll try and highlight my screen. So those this this first column here, FY26,
well I guess I can't. FY26, this first column here, um our total budget for this current year, not including food service, is 52.5 million of which the town funded 49.1 million.
We are funding 1.56 million out of circuit breaker. We we took a negative off our budget for retirement savings. That's when when people retire and we rehire their replacements, there's a savings attributed to that. Um we had paid some
salaries out of our kindergarten and pre-K revolving account 595,000. Uh the idea grant offsets items in our budget 727,000. Uh we have a special education revolving account that is for students who tuition
into Marblehead or families I'm sorry other school districts that tuition their students into Marblehead because we have programs that they may not um we have a mechco program obviously we do have an educious program that's uh foreign for foreign exchange students
that come over here and they pay a small fee to attend our schools and then we have obviously our building rental so that's FY26 52.5 million So my can I ask a question? So starting at the bottom 17850 all the way up to the appropriation 49.1 equals 52 is that
>> 49 million to7,000 that whole set 52.5 didn't >> correct. So moving on to FY27 we built a level service budget to begin with. This is to do the same exact thing next year as we did this year. That was
our first round of budget budgeting. So, our entire budget went up $2.6 million, although we've been talking 1.7. And I'll tell you how how that difference came about. Um, we built it up to the the entire our entire spend for next
year would be $2.6 million if we did level service. I backed into the town appropriation number, so I'll let you know how that works. But circuit breaker, this is one of the big things. We got a bigger circuit breaker reimbursement this
current year. So we can only carry one year. So I have to spend that full amount. So that's a half a million of that of that almost million dollar delta that I said we we need 2.6. We we we are asking for 1.7 because we're going to make up a half a million in in circuit breaker. And before we started any of
our budget discussions, I already I had already planned and put into my spreadsheets to uh increase our our expenditures out of our kindergarten and prek revolving account to go from $595,000 to just over a million dollar. So that's making up another $450. So
between those two lines, that's the million-doll delta right there from the 2.6 to the 1.7. Then there's some other crumbs in there. Nothing incredibly um crazy. Um, retirement savings, I did lower that a little bit. Uh, we don't have any retirements as of start of the building
budget process on our radar. They'll come in, but we we just don't we don't have a great deal of them right now. So, I'm just a little cautious on that. And I did that because I know this was going to be such a tight year. That's one of those areas that if I over under budget a little bit, we usually okay. I feel
like we're putting together such a tight budget this year that there's no wiggle room if something goes ary one way or the other. um mechco mechco grant's going to go up by a little bit and uh our building rental is going to go up by a little bit. So this was this was my response to
our last meeting when when people said can you tell me how much we actually spend and not just the town appropriation amount. I'm hopeful that this is helpful to people to understand a little bit more that we don't just spend $49.1 million. We actually >> This is really helpful, Mike. Really, really helpful. Thank you.
>> Good. >> And this is a level services. >> This is level services. This is and we were here >> which is probably what should have been in last night's >> it should have been right with actually the two six >> yeah should have been maybe we'll communicate that with Alicia just as an after effect yeah
>> or fashion >> so you know we made up a million we made up about what three fifths I two fifths of of what we need if we still have to make up the other three fifths which is about 1.7 million so how did we do that the next page here
a slideshow so it's not advancing like I'd like it to. >> Do you have hard copy or we just >> I do. So, page two, hard copy. >> You still need it up here for >> Yeah, it's up there. The audience. >> It's up there right now. And we already talked about most of these page two cups already >> at the last meeting. There were no numbers associated, but yeah. >> Right. So, we didn't put any numbers to
it. Um, >> we've now added some numbers to them. And I'll I'll run through these briefly uh because we already have covered this. I I think I mentioned before we have in our in our IDEIDA grant this year, we had planned to hire or not hire contract
with a local university to bring in two fellows. How that works is they're like student teachers but on a different level. Um we pay the university, the university sends us the staff, they're their students, we don't pay the students in any way, shape or form. uh
we did not do that this year and um based on the budget for next year and in and what's going on, we decided that it's probably best not to bring in fellows next year either. So what that allows us to do is reallocate that $81,000 out of the IDA grant, put something else
in the IDEIDA grant. So that was originally in the IDA grant. We're going to remove that from the idea grant, the 240 grant, and move something else into there out of the local budget. So let's say they'll say the $1,000 uh cutting a summer staff position for it. Uh you know, they do a lot of work
in the summer, but you know, it's just one of those things that we're looking at all the promise we can get in in and trying to preserve the instructional core and our special education programs as much as we can. Uh we did have a vacancy in an HR in an HR position this whole year. Uh we'll
carry that vacancy into next year and not fund the position. Um in last year's budget, we had added a teacher in charge. I don't know if you know that Glover School is the only school that does not have an assistant principal. Um, last year we had funded a
teacher in charge and uh it has not been filled and uh Frank's doing a wonderful job over there. Uh, so we're just going to hold that for another year and not put that into the budget for next year. Uh, at Village School, there were two
full-time EL teachers there. um the need is actually about a quarter person based on the population of L students. So um that 1.75 is actually taken right now. So it's not a a let go. We we Julia had
redeployed the two two EL teachers. She reported redeployed one of them completely and the other one she kept as a quarter time EL teacher and three/4er time something else that was open. She she backed another position. I can't remember off the top of my head exactly
what it was. >> Okay. >> Um so that was at village at veterans. This year we had a intervention position, a math interventionist position. That's a that's a licensed teacher, but they they focus on math interventions. Uh that went unfilled this year and we're going to leave that
unfilled for next year. Also, um, at the high school, we had a staffing change and the new person who came in came in at 0.8 instead of a 1.0. So, that will save us. 2 of a teacher. It's it's a small amount, but again,
we're looking at the crumbs. Uh, so earlier I mentioned the educious program. That's when the foreign exchange students come over. I don't think they technically call foreign exchange, but they come here for their senior year. um they pay a fee and some of that fee is for them to get a diploma in the
United States or or whatnot. Um we have not funded as much out of that revenue that we should be. So I'm proposing that we move two teaching positions. These students are coming here. They're being educated by our teachers. Move two teaching
positions from uh from the local budget to now be funded out of that grant budget. Out of that revolment it's on a grant to revolving fund. Um Bristen Morel, our assistant business manager, does a ton of work um
collecting and invoicing and working with special education and Julia in teaching and learning um around kindergarten and prek invoices uh collections. um she has done a an amazing job and I will say that even if
she wasn't here uh in the room but my the proposal is to move uh what 10% of her salary from the uh LEA to the K prek revolving account that's in addition to what I had shown you on the first page about the salaries that I had increased
on the K to prek this is in addition to that um and also while we're on the same topic she is our lead person on all grants all things grants she does all the draw downs She does all the budgeting. She sets up all the accounts. She gives a monthly reports. She meets
with every grant manager monthly. So, also moving 10% of her salary from the LEA to grants. That'll that'll that'll move about $23,000 out of the town budget into the grant budget. >> And you're allowed to do that.
>> Yes. >> The grants the grants actually it's the first thing they ask you is how much administration. So, um, and then we have our assistant student services director. Um, I mentioned earlier also that we have a revolving external when when other
school districts want to uh send their children, their students to our school, special education students because we have a program that they don't. Uh, we have a little bit of money in that revolving account. So, uh, the proposal is to move half of our assistant student services director's salary
from the town budget to that revolving account >> which has like a h 100,000 in it. So, it's half million, >> right? It's it's got enough in well, we we are currently taking $100,000 every year out of out of it in salaries. >> Okay. >> And it's got about three in there. So, this will get us down this will bring us
down to one if we and right now we're not tushing any students in. So, this is a one-year buy. This is only buying. >> Okay. Yeah. Okay. That was my next question. How how is that how's that revenue been looking? >> So it's it's not yeah not this year. So no hopefully >> the intent the intent is to get back to
being a tuition and we're not there yet. So that that is that is one of those it's a little bit of a path. >> So it's a one and one and done. >> So I take um I take $25,000 over four salaries out of that account. Are we right? >> Okay. >> I think they're like OT and PT
occupational therapy, physical therapy. um because a lot of the students come need those services. So, you know, I could I could break it out further, but I think four four four salaries, $25,000 out of each salary comes out of that account. The remainder of those four salaries goes out of the town budget. So, this would be very similar. 50%
would come out of the the other that account. That's the one that makes me a little nervous, but we're gonna, you know, it's buying us another year. Uh like I said, we we scrubbed everything we could too much. Keep going. I just want to make sure somebody come
to the open meetings. >> Just want to make sure wasn't someone looking to come into our >> which is for the next um the next item uh our facilities administrative assistant is really responsible for scheduling all of
our building rentals. um scheduling the the staff to work that whether it's custodial staff or um AV staff or uh lighting staff or or any of that stuff. So the proposal to move half of that position salary from the LEA budget into
the building rental budget. >> Do we even have that much in the building rental budget? >> We do. Yes. >> Okay. So then >> we have about enough to do that for two to three years. Okay. >> So it's not it's not super heavy. I mean, so if it if if I'm proposing taking approximately $40,000, we might
have 120 right now. So, >> it's not super heavy, but um you know, what we really like to do is with that money is typically replace lights that are burned out like sound systems and speakers or whatnot, microphones that may have, you know, over time worn out.
>> Um we want we want we want the facilities to be rentable >> and we're charging people to come in and rent them. So, >> so on this earlier document you show for the planning you're showing a revenue of 18,386. >> No, that's that's expenditures. That's how much we've been spending out. >> Okay. Got it. >> Yeah.
>> And that's really custodial overtime. >> Got it. Got it. >> Oh, no. I'm sorry. No, that's not that's um that's the auditorium managers. >> Okay. >> They get a sip. So, the auditorium >> I'm sorry. That's what that is on that first page is the auditori um the custodial comes out of when we
bring money in. portion that goes to the custodial portionment stays in the account to replace equipment and whatnot. >> Okay. >> Um so that's that's kind of there. I think we announced at the last school committee meeting that we've we've um
entered into into a new lease uh for our copying equipment. And in addition to getting faster speeds and the ability to uh print to any device in the district without having the driver installed and uh everything else that comes with this wonderful new
equipment, we're also saving uh about $9,000 a year just in the lease cost. Then there'll be also savings on the supply side. But right now on the lease we're saving about $9,000. So that's the crumbs that's in there >> and and we're going to re realize just
in just regular usage of paper. I mean we're you will absolutely realize a bigger savings because you have to scan it badge. >> It it's it's a lot in such like oh hit 100 things in the printer get it whenever you have to queue it in. And so
it's going to really help the management and we can monitor it. Okay. It it'll be it'll be cost savings down the line in addition to this too. Go ahead. >> So all of the next lines, these are our supply lines. These are our contracted services lines. These are just basically what we say is
we're level fun. What I originally built the level service budget. I put 2% in for all supply and contract service lines. We're going to level fund. We're going to have to do the same thing next year. So, if the cost of paper goes up a little bit, we're going to have to find a way to reduce our paper, you know.
>> Uh, as I said, the copier contract with supplies is going to be cheaper. So, that's one of the things I felt comfortable doing. And we did we did um change our paper vendor this current year, and we're hoping the price folks next year, but we saved about 20% of what we were paying previously. So, no,
paper is a is a big commodity in the school district. will probably spend I if I venture to guess $20,000 a year on paper and you know if I you know we saved 20% of that last year that's that's a big number >> that's so >> we're also um we're looking at the
Poland Springs model we're going to go those into FEMO so we're going to save some money there just about that >> um so that's all of our contracted services and supplies and that goes on to the next page also um all of our all of our uh thanks last
year. The second to bottom line on P on the back side of that sheet of paper I've got on the screen here now. Um that's our instructional software that was um the view. Hold on.
>> Well, do you have this by the way? >> Yeah, he does. Oh, so back back on the on the top of the flip back over um the front side of the page, there's a line in there for 321,000 for level fund curriculum. If you remember last year, we actually funded curriculum for the first time in
probably ever that it wasn't an end of the year purchase of what was left over. We actually put money in the budget. Um spoke with Julia. She felt like uh that last year was a big year for with science last year. >> Yeah. >> That this year she should be able to do without an increase. you know, fun the
next fun the next curriculum cycle. >> I don't know what it is. >> Social studies maybe. Oh, >> like English. >> We just did Whitten wisdom unless we're doing the old degree. >> So, that was that was one area I wanted to point out. And the next area I wanted
to point out was the last line on the back side. Uh, so the last two lines, Stephen felt that um, you know, he his budget of $292,000 to replace and upgrade and repair his technology.
>> So, it's hardware and software >> and that's hardware. The the um the I'm sorry, the first line is software and the second line the second to last line is software. The last line is is hardware for the most part.
sometimes things blur the line, you know, you and I'll take for an example firewall. Firewall is actually software, but it's partly hard. It's a it's a device, so it's kind of blends that line. So, I don't know how Stephen breaks them out. >> Um, I will say the bottom line concern
for us is that our wireless access points No, don't room. >> Oh, there it is. I can't see it. uh our wireless access points. Um they come with a five-year plan and that means they're under
warranty for five years. We actually own them, but when the warranty runs out, so doesn't fe service. So if something goes wrong, uh we may be able to reprogram them. So we, you know, it just it's a concern. Stephen
said we can buy a year. He's not worried about that, but it is a concern. It is on our capital planning list for that we submitted to the town uh wireless access points. So Alicia I believe has that number as part of the capital I believe there's a capital potentially a capital
um override or something or maintenance or some type of override that she's been discussing. So that's in the capital side. Um, and if it doesn't get through capital and doesn't get through an override, it's a concern that we need to fund this and probably 28. Okay.
>> And I don't I don't have an exact number off the top of my head. It was in the uh was in the in the capital ass, but so that was level two cuts. You guys have already seen all this. >> I did think that this level >> 870, but I guess >> it's it's going to fluctuate. It's going to fluctuate. So you tightened it up.
>> It's going to change between now and next Thursday when we make a presentation. >> Okay. We're moving things in and out. We're we're finding money. We're losing money. Things happen. No, but we're we're identifying. >> Yeah. When we get and c certainly like if there's like, hey, we're looking at
this, you know, position or this whatever we, you know, base it on, you know, but it might end being like so it'll adjust a little bit, but it won't be right. >> So, that was basically where we were a couple weeks ago. >> Yes. Correct. >> Page three. >> Now, >> you ready?
>> Okay. Oh, the build up this the suspense. >> All right, moving on to page three. And I will I will advance this. >> Okay, >> these two is it two pages? >> Oh, Jen went right to the bottom of the page. It's just one page. Jen went right to the bottom of the page.
>> Um, so these are the these are the the cuts that are going to hurt. These are the the reductions or the changes or the funding that is going to affect in some ways our educational core, in some ways our special education programming, in
some ways our facilities and our maintenance and our custodial, our cleanliness of our buildings. Um, these are the ones that are going to hurt. So these are these are the the big the biggies. Not to get into specifics, but there is a you know the proposal is to cut
five teachers across five not teachers, five positions. We're hoping it's zero teachers because through attrition, through uh retirements and uh you know normal people resigning and changing careers or changing to a different
school district, we're hoping that those five positions are not layoffs, but there are five teaching positions that are identified. In addition, there is a point4 e teacher and that's just a restructure of that department. Um >> over and above the other above the yes
>> yes correct uh >> again based on that's based on need or is that >> need >> correct >> so that we can do that without affecting our ability >> those >> and the good thing is is um Jul mentioned how Julia kind of shifted some
of the people because of the numbers of e students before. So for instance, we if we make this adjustment and then more kids come in, we have we have we have the people that we can kind of look at again slide if we need to. So I I feel
we feel comfortable with this. This >> um the next one is a a general education instructional assistant at the elementary level. That's the only level we have those positions. They're at the three elementary schools. Uh these are gen ed these are not special ed but
they're instructional assistants typically math or ELA uh to assist with our teaching staff uh to remove one of the those one of those positions. Um as you know at the end of every year we have been prepaying tuition
and that this this budget proposal proposes that at the end of next year at the end of fiscal year 27 instead of prepaying a million we would only prepay $800,000. So that would leave us $200,000 that we don't need to set aside in next year's budget. So um you know do
that for a year or two. It's not a long-term solution to offset our budget with pre with spending down our our prepays. But uh you know >> again we feel we were given a number. >> Yeah. And we we feel pretty comfortable with that with the circle break. You know some other things we can shift
around if we were to get into a tricky situation. >> But that's just if you were to see an uptick in >> Sure. form of tuition because this meets our current need or our projected need. >> This is kind of an insurance policy that if something goes off, but we we've got we've got three insurance policies. We've got we've got pre-paying tuitions.
We've got a full year of circuit breaker reserve and we've got a special education reserve fund that we need to go back to town meeting to get approval to spend. But >> uh I think it's fin is is obviously we're in the midst of revamping and revitalizing rejuvenating our sped programming with the intent
that you know we start bringing kids back and not sending them out. >> Correct. So there's that. You know that's always a you know it you can't it's not quantifiable but it's just something that will help that number. >> Okay. >> Um there's a reduction of a 1.0 know speech
and language pathologist to a point 6. I believe this is actually uh just I don't know if it's a staff request or you know um last year we've taken all of them from 6es to 1.0's knows and um I think one of them may want to go back to a point 6 and it kind of helps
>> and and we can and we we can make it happen without any giant we'll just shift that >> and there's no um issue around the CBA if this was requested by the okay good >> yeah because last year we made them all 1.0 we had we had some that were 6.5
>> Right remember you did that 1.0 know so we can we have the flexibility >> that worked out fine. Um it's just a situation that this would this will work out fine too for the person >> mutually beneficial. Good. >> There you go. Mutually beneficial. Perfect. >> Um so there's an uh an ABA I'm sorry
there's a special education vacancy teaching vacancy at village school and uh in discussions with Lisa Marie it's one of the vacancies that so we don't count case loads. Yeah. >> Uh, and then there's an ABA coordinator
position that has actually been in the budget since we got here and it has not been filled. I believe it was added just before we got here. Um, >> is that a BCBA? I'm confused. >> So, this this would be like a supervis like quasi administrator position that oversees the the intent is to oversee
the BCBA so they can but they're being they're within the the >> team chairs >> team chairs lease marine. Um, so yeah, >> quite honestly that $76,000 is less than what any BCBA makes. So yeah, it never would have funded a coordinator to begin with. It would have funded a lot of it. But
>> how long has that been hanging out there? >> Been here. It was >> We came in. It was there. >> It was there when we got here >> and uh we left it in the budget last year because we was >> y wasn't sure >> feeling our way through. >> Yeah. >> Uh and then we got to this year's budget and
>> um you know and we also felt you know that's an administrative position because it's a supervisor position. and overseeing and we felt like if you know we have to look at all areas. We looked at administration, we looked at obviously teaching and learning, we looked at special education, we looked at custodial and maintenance, we looked
at administr um you know purple and um administrative professional Chris. Yeah. So >> so we we we didn't want to cut one part anyway. I mean these are all deep but one one area too deeply and leave other
areas fully intact. Uh the next thing is um we have a special ed contracted services line in the budget. A lot of that is funded with the IDEIDA. >> Um Lisa Marie has used a lot of that, not a lot, some of that money this year
to fund contracted workers for positions that we couldn't fill or had a quick need because a student moved into district or something. Um she felt like we're in a better place next year and she could reduce that line. Uh and that's about 10%. Does that include um legal fees or is that several
>> several is like if child with an IP and they need a CNA? >> Yeah, >> you have some sort of one services that we don't have >> or we have sometimes we just have openings and we need to cook. Yeah, we have several this year and some of it we
just haven't been able to fill but um yeah or a child needs a >> that's a $16,000 save. So >> yeah, so it's a little bit of a save. >> Yeah. >> You know, the next one hurts me. Uh it's a custodial I'm sorry maintenance position. Um we currently have four
maintenance people and a supervisor. Um you know this one hurts because I think we're we're we're doing a we're doing a a better job of maintaining our facilities from the inside. And I'm not talking roofs and windows and and the major
stuff. these guys are the ones who do the painting and they um you know >> broken door carpentry and a lot of that stuff and and I think they >> um got to the point where when things happen and granted this week's been crazy with with the cold weather and the
heat and the snow and everything else you can pile on top of it. Um this is one that you know it's going to impact our buildings to what level is is still unknown but it's it's going to impact our buildings >> and these are um positions that are roaming. They're not assigned to a building.
>> Yes, they are. They are right. They are roaming because they're not custodial. They're >> most, you know, we've got two electricians, one of them being the supervisor, one being an electrician. Uh we've got >> um we do not have a plumber. I think the
other two or three are just general maintenance. >> Maintenance. General. >> But the other ones, I mean, they did all the renovation. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. They do phenomenal. >> No, they do. made it definitely more cost effective than >> and outsourcing. Yeah, for sure. >> So then we get into the heating fuel. Um
I think at the last school committee meeting which I was not present for, there was a discussion about the heating fuel. Um we have signed a new contract. The the cost of our supply, not the delivery, there's two parts, delivery and supply. The cost of our supply is
coming down by about 50,000. Um however, it was never the account. I don't feel like the line was budgeted enough to begin with. There was some they're called hokey or weird way that they used to budget utilities here where they would budget X and then I think above X the town would pick up on it. Used to
have a reserve. Is that no longer the case? >> No, that the reserve wasn't passed to all the department. >> So I think when they brought the reserve into our accounts, it didn't come in enough and I didn't I didn't have any history last year when I got here. So, now that we've got some history, um, we
are going to save probably about $50,000 on the supply side, but there was just never enough. So, I've got it kind of projected right now that we're going to spend $490,000 on heating fuel next year, uh, which will save us about $19,000. >> And then where's the electricity reduction?
>> On the flip side, >> electricity was overbudget based on the past 18 months of history that I have. So, uh, it's not a lot of history. >> Have you spoken to the light department? I have no >> I just wonder if it's >> I'm talking about the pain.
>> No. Um they can send the shut off notices to the >> um so yeah you know utility the electrical that's that's a big number. It's a big reduction. It's it's that's about an eight or nine% reduction in our in our electric electricity and we'll
we'll watch that closely. um you know >> we don't heat with electricity right so we're not really >> for the most part we don't we have we have a handful but I mean for the big buildings it's not cold dependent like our bill isn't going to be fluctuating wildly basically >> no but I mean >> I mean one of the things that maybe was
over budget is maybe there wasn't enough history on Brown because Brown is one of the schools that is air conditioned fully air conditioned so maybe they elevated I'm just speaking out of yeah what I would have done if I were here when Brown came online >> now shut the lights off at night >> there you
No, he's working the other four schools. >> Oh, there's truth to that. >> Yeah. No, they were like we were neighbors. This >> neighbor who's very helpful. No, but all night round the lights are on. >> So that we we dealt superintendent dealt with that.
>> All right, Mike. Don't pass out. >> Don't pass out. >> Don't fall down. >> The last the last item on this list is actually an ad. When I built the budget, I put 6% on tuitions and transportation for special education. That was an
assumption that I did um >> increase >> increase on last year's budget, which which really >> when we built last year's budget with December, January, we were still identifying kids that were out of district that we weren't aware of. I know. So, I put 6% on just as a just as
a >> placeholder. Then when I I had an opportunity to actually dig into it with Lisa Murray in Victoria, um they felt like we needed another 80,000 which special education 80,000 you know there it's it's money. It's real money. It's a position.
>> You're rounding. It >> it is it's a position. It's a position. Yeah. You know um anywhere else in the budget. Um but >> it's one of those things that um >> she just felt really uncomfortable with with my 6% assumption. And it wasn't the 6% she was uncomfortable with. It was >> the number.
>> The number. Well, just knowing the increase in transportation and he also that also includes u making event and everything else. So >> transportation costs just skyrocketing. I just and I'll just say out loud since we're talking about transportation like we belong to Northium
and they started talking about like trying to uh come together and do shared transportation. Um there was a you had to buy into the program to get it started and I didn't do that because I wanted to see how I let them but that may be something I I buy into or get
into and and if it makes sense for us to have some cost savings that I'll do that. It didn't make sense last year. didn't have enough kids had to put >> when you say by like literally you >> literally to kick off they had them put kicked in like five grand five grand from each one of the towns
>> and then it >> made seed money from them to be able to get some hire someone to manage thing and >> it's not >> they're doing it in house >> yeah they well they're using uh I think it's next transportation and they so they don't have to next won the bid >> yeah so um I'm going to see how it's
working so far and Jerry's still out but that may be a area we can save some transportation and also in addition to that we're working more to say like outside of that NEC kind of thing like for instance hey swam who are you sending to this maybe we can partner
with you that that's something a lot of districts do I I did in my previous district and just by combining like a kid from swamp pick up a kid in Marblehead another kid at Peabody on the way to wherever yeah you know sometimes you don't know the kids so sometimes it's not the best thing to do but
>> typically you can say you know pay third instead of the whole thing. So those are things lost. >> I mean that's what kills me. We do have cases where we've got one kid in a >> van and you have to say you got >> so if we can look at big money years ago it wasn't big. It was not like I
remember 10 15 years ago it was now it's just >> it's per the per day costs were blowing like you you almost want to start a transportation company. >> We've all thought about it. >> We keep talking about that. >> I'll bet you they're not. I don't think they their costs must be it's their
insurance they got to pay. I mean >> so $86. >> So >> we still need to cut $86 um to get to level funded which >> stipens right? >> Yes. No, we don't get a stipen. >> Um that's
>> Can I ask a question or I guess you guys can provide some maybe a bit of color. So this is excellent. Obviously, it's a spreadsheet exercise that nets us to the number that we were looking to get to, but can you translate for us like these
positions, service changes, like what is it actually going to impact in terms of class sizes? Like I don't know, support actual support like and I it doesn't have to be perfect, but I'm just interested in your color and how you would anticipate some of these things playing out.
>> Yeah. So, I think so. Can I stop sharing? Um, >> or go back up to the other one. >> Put the 806 up there. By the way, we're leading with the 806. That should be your opening slide. >> Number% your opening slide.
>> Um, so what I can tell you is the plan here is to make the least impact on classroom sizes, right? So for instance, like if we were to say cut, you know, a second grade elementary teacher, right? that's going to increase the numbers in
in that classroom whether it's a Glover or Brown >> in that grade >> by a decent amount in that grade. So we're looking not to do that. Um they learn to be absolutely happy. Right. >> But you are cutting it. So >> but that so elementary teacher does not necessarily mean classroom teacher. >> Okay. So
>> got it. Okay. I don't want to get into the specifics of that yet. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Not identifying yet. >> Has the union leadership seen this? >> They have not. >> Okay. >> They have not. We haven't discussed it with >> but your broadly your approach is like we here's where we would cut with the
least amount of impact to educ and and we feel as good as we can. I mean I don't want to cut anybody because you know it's people's livelihoods but >> uh given the dictim of a level funded budget we have we have to make cuts and this is this was this round to adjustment was that's this is why it
took us so long. we've had had so many conversations and what what is impactful >> where can we make the least amount of uh you know um impact the classroom >> um things so what I've said like when I went to the PTO's and SAC's I'll just use I'm sorry I'll just use that example
so like see three um high school teachers right yeah so this is the example I use I said say we have and I just made up numbers so don't quote this on the numbers um if we have like 10 English teachers at the high school and we were to cut one and make it nine English teachers Right? Say that's one of the cuts. How impactful is that to
classroom size at the high school? If you go from 21 kids to 23 kids, not that big a deal. It's a much bigger deal at the elementary level. So, that's the kind of thing we're looking at there. And I can't tell you which which teachers those are, but that would be an example of what we looked at to say, you know, obviously if it's if it's a if
it's a high school program of, you know, four teachers and they all teach similar things and you were to cut from four to three and now you can't service certain, you know, levels of a of a classroom or you're creating classrooms to go up to, you know, banking on 30, we're not going to do that. So we looked at that as
impact, you know, the way we're impacting the learning and try to um reduce that as much as possible. So all those cuts there that you see are ones that, you know, will make the least impact that we could when we're doing this exercise. Now, I think we're good
for this, you know, and not that we want to get ahead of ourselves, but for next year, if we're in the same exact boat next year, this this round two adjusts, it's going to be a lot longer and are going to make much much bigger impacts. Yeah. Sure. >> So when you, by the way, just to
clarify, so veterans is veterans, high school high school, but when we say elementary, that's really three buildings, right? Because it's that's prek through sixth grade, >> correct? >> Yeah. You know, that >> like on a prorated Yeah. in terms of what your
>> your um census is. >> Correct. It's >> and that was that's intentional. It's absolutely intentional. Um I I I >> based on your analysis >> being and being an educator and you know when you have conversations about K1 you know grace K12 especially that's formative years you know you want to
make the least amount of impact in those areas because kids just need those extra supports so that would be like if if you were to grade you know do a gradation of where you do that that would be like on the very tail end of everything in my opinion one person's
so does that answer your question Melissa Mosen >> it does yep that's helpful thank you >> and like I said at the beginning I don't know if you heard at the beginning because I know you said you were having trouble hear me but like so this is what we for today's meeting for next Thursday we'll have you know we'll have the narrative and the pie charts and
everything in the in the uh thing in the budget book that you know basically breaks this down a little bit more um and um you know it'll look it'll look different than last year's budget book just so you know just because we didn't we don't have um we were looking for the budget book last year we have all the
principal requests and principal they don't get any questions here so that we were able to kind of take all that >> do have a line on a budget though. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's all the same. It's just there's stuff in there that doesn't need to be in there because we didn't >> ask the parental. >> But I think it's important to note like
we do produce a line item budget. Yes. We do the school side every year. So you can see basically where every dollar's going. >> Yeah. >> And you know, again, hate the word transparent these days, but we're being as transparent as we possibly can. And
you know, obviously the discussions as we move forward when we get to the point of the school year where we have to say Jane Doe and John Doe, the you're the one that's getting the pink slip. Um if if things don't change in the town side, you know, then then that that's when we
have those those specific conversations. Uh then the generator tells someone, you know, people are going to be nervous about this. They're gonna say, "Is that me? Is that me? Is that me?" For sure. >> Um >> which is not, you know, >> there's nothing else about them. certainly don't want that but >> because you know I think I like I said
last night at the time say of the town I think you know we've done we've done a the majority of our work already for you know proposed budget and I feel I think we feel as good as we're going to feel about it um moving forward but you know seeing seeing the work that the the the
town departments have to do I feel like we're in a really good place and I feel good about it so >> yeah kudos to you guys like you've done all the heavy lifting and gone through all the details and have a really good handle bill on all of these line items. So, thank you for that.
>> Do you think that I mean is this I mean I know Alex's not here or whatever, but like is this sufficient in terms of detailed information? >> It is for me. >> Yeah. Okay. >> I mean I mean the process that we've had leading up to this is also >> Yeah. So depth. >> Yeah.
>> You know, it's not just this outcome, it's everything. You know, I feel like you have provided us. The only thing the only thing that we would really love to see is sort of that on the revolving funds and I would thank you for you've done a huge shift into the revolving
funds. We'd love to see like once the systems are in place sort of the balances beginning ending balances the flow in and out as well. So that's kind of the one thing but but I recognize I know that's not you had that's not been something you have been able to do yet.
Yeah, I think I think a big part of that the town even right now is not even putting revenues into MUN. Revenues are still in soft right. So it's >> it's still true systems. >> We can certainly do that. We can't do that yet in a way that's gonna make sense. >> Um and
>> what what is the ETA on a complete >> so so the mun conversion was general ledger accounts payable uh was July one this year and that went off. Uh it was relatively smooth. It wasn't the smoothest transition that could have
been but it was relatively smooth. We we bills got paid maybe a little later than we would liked. Uh people had to learn. It was it was a learning sentence. um learning curve. Um January one was payroll and payroll was a beast. I can
tell you that Kristen, uh Kathy, and Amanda um probably deserve like a two week paid vacation in the budget. um they the hours that they put in, the effort, the checking,
double-checking, triple checking, and um I can tell you that there there was not a single full-time permanent employee who did not get paid their correct wages. Uh there were a couple of problems with federal taxes. Uh there's a little problem with state taxes. Uh
state taxes wasn't a problem. It was just I'm sorry, state taxes was a problem. There's a there's something in the state of Mass where on January one um there's a $2,000 reduction on your Medicare tax. So you don't pay taxes on the first 2,000. Happens every year, but because it was a new system, people got
a little freaked out that their pay tax was less than what it had been in the past. Don't worry. And depending on how much money you made, >> it's bi-weekly comparative to last year. It didn't compare to last year. and and and and when you when you come February, you're going to be asking why your state tax is now higher than what it was
because you've now used up that $2,000 exemption. >> The federal tax I had an issue with federal tax last year. There were many employees who had federal tax problems last year. >> My my my educated but unsubstantiated
theory is that Softright was not using the correct tax table. is not taxing people right at the federal level which it all works out in the end because when you file your taxes you're going to pay what you didn't pay during the year. >> So we got to my accountant called me last year when she was filing my taxes
in Marbo and said you didn't hold enough >> no they said my head is not withholding enough federal tax from you. She said fortunately you've only been there because you were only there for six months. Your former district held withheld enough that normally you get a refund. you're you're pretty much
washed. So, you need to have additional taken out. So, I had additional taken out of the for the entire last year and now my federal tax has gone up even more because I think they're using the right table. So, I should get a huge refund next year. It all washes out at the end.
But people who live um with >> check to check >> I don't want to say check to check but people who >> yeah they they do a budget and they spend based on their budget and and if your federal tax came out more than what you are used to uh it means you need to rebudget and uh so that was a a
situation but I can tell you myself had to adjust my taxes last year my federal I just told payroll take an extra x amount of dollars out of my paycheck towards federal taxes. Um, I probably had eight people in the school department who came to me and said that there were others who probably just ignored it. But I can tell you that
Steve Quiet told me that when he first got here, he had that problem. And Alicia Benjamin, the town CFO, also had underpaid or had her withholdings were not enough to cover her her federal taxes. So, um, it was my strong theory.
Um, we checked with Softright multiple times. They swore up and down that they were using the right tax tables and everything and as soon as we got to Munice everything changed and I feel comfortable that we have the right the right tax table but that doesn't put people's minds at ease. >> Uh you know then a couple of situations
where you know we had a substitute teacher who maybe it's a whole new time card system they have to do electronic time cards. If our full-time staff don't do it we we know that >> they didn't do their time card because they're full-time staff. When you have a day-to-day sub, if somebody doesn't fill
out a time card, we don't know that they worked. So, we we missed a couple of people and we've been quick to make it up. What's great is that the town is still on weekly. >> Yeah. >> So, when we miss somebody, >> they don't have to wait two weeks. We can throw them on the town next the next paycheck for the town. So, um people
have been really understanding. Uh I think there was a lot of concern about the federal taxes, but people have been really, you know, understanding. So, that that was January one this year was payroll. Um from what I understand July one is revenues are going to come over to Munas and also personnel. So
personnel is uh onboarding um >> personal actions anything that's a personal >> time time off request which we we've we started to migrate some of that already or >> leave FMLA PFMLA >> absence and substitute >> substitutes. Yeah. So >> right now our our our staff that
requires a substitute when they're absent are still using our old system of frontline. uh anybody who doesn't require a staff is now reporting their absences in Munice. Come July one, everybody will be in Munice because we will have the reason we're staying with the people who require a sub is front line assigns a substitute if it's
available automatically or through an algorithm or whatever. Um we'll do that also when we get there, but we just can't payroll was just such a >> well for the payroll too the January one date was really important because that's when tax tables change, that's when medical insurance changes. Well, the
decision don't have to don't have to issue 10 two two 10 uh two W2s at the end of next year. >> So now it's it the January one date was specifically selected because of the pay payroll as an entity of its own and every it works because now everything will transition a little bite at a time.
So the the clerks at the buildings have been doing, you know, a lot of work with this. So they're able to learn each piece of it and they're doing a great job. I have to say as far as my monthly reports that I give the school committee um one of the things that we've been
it's been a a a workaround probably not but workaround is that I was taking the salaries out of softbrite because we were running them and and taking all the other expenditures out of Munis and matching them up in spreadsheets every month and giving you one number. Yeah. Um, the town looks
like, nobody told me, but I I went to to Munus today. Looks like all the salaries from Softride have now been loaded over into Mun, which is great. Uh, the other thing is Munice. And we It was funny. We're on a call two weeks ago with with with Munice. And I said, "Hey, look, um, I'm noticing this the remaining salaries
aren't encumbered." They said, "Oh, you want to do that?" I'm like, "Yes, I mean, school committee wants to know what our what our liability is for the rest of the year." Uh so Kristen and and and uh Carlen had a had a meeting with them for a couple of hours. They learned they got all the salaries encumbered for the
remainder of the year. >> Some of them are not perfect. So we're going to go through and describe the data. There's some data problems. Um for example, Kristen's getting paid out of my line and she shouldn't be. So um we'll we'll we're going to fix those and and get them right. So, um, the January
reports bottom line should be correct at the end of January, but I think line by line we sell some cleaning up to do. So, the bottom line will be good. It's just where people are getting paid out of. If it's going to record their pay, it's just maybe not in the right line right now. So, we're we're the majority of people are correct. We've been fixing
them all year from before. Anyway, >> oh, there was people in the wrong places in the old system. >> Yeah. So um >> just having that knowing that number is there it's like a sense of ease because it's automatically popul you know reducing itself. So >> yeah, just just say your your salary is
$26,000 a year >> and you get paid over 26 pay periods. When you get your $1,000 check this week, >> it it reduces your the the liability to 25,000. Every paycheck pay comes down by it automatically adjustes the incumbrance where in software I had to open up
>> POS every month >> and and guess not guess but um use formulas to calculate how much each person was going to get paid and I had to know if they were on 22 pays or 26 pays or whatever else. The system all knows all that information. They know how many pays are left in the year >> for each person. So we can change it if
they leave or whatever. >> Somebody gets hired, you put in the new the number of pays they have at the ending of the year. It all it all comes out of us which is great. Great. >> I'm excited for July because then everything will be >> in one spot. >> Clean in one Yeah. No will be gone. Exactly.
>> Snow will be >> I'll be gone. >> Um anyway, so great. So that's kind of our financial updates for this. >> Um, >> so that is >> Did that make you Did that make you happy, Melissa? You you good with that, Jason? >> It did. Yeah. I'm I'm again just like
impressed with the level of detail and what you guys have done here. So, thank you for this. >> Yeah. I I know I know this is your first go around with school school budgeting and I just I know there's a lot of you had a lot of questions initially so I'm hoping we got time to you we're looking forward to >> so that gets us to level funded
>> budget >> $86 $86 >> that's sparring any other you know additional I don't know what that you know right >> I mean I think last night the town is planning on giving us some additional above level funded.
>> I don't know. I I'm not I'm not trusting that number to be honest with you. I don't mean to be I just don't >> Well, I mean, last night showed >> $870,000 increase, right? Not this, right? >> But it also dropped down to a $8 million
deficit. So, it's not, you know, that's not going to our 49 million is not 50 5050 split either. accessible, you know what I mean? >> Well, that was unclear, which I think that was unclear to me. Um, did I I
think I left the document at home, but because it does show $112 million in revenue. >> That was the de that excludes stuff, right? So, >> right. So, if you back it out, it's like 101. >> So, >> yeah, I think that >> that's what was unclear. It's
>> my impression wasn't that they they split the budgets equally, it's the new revenue gets split equally, right? No, it's the the total available funds. >> Yeah. >> So, but you would pull out the pull pull out the um we pull out they included I
believe >> I spoke to Alec there was some sort of state appropriation that he says gets offset >> that that they did not include the offset. >> Correct. Yeah. >> But I don't know what that means. >> Yeah. So these are what they're like.
>> Yeah, this one in my basement. >> This is my ref. >> So this does not include there's an offset and it's usually about 2 million that I think they did not include. Is that what you talked about? >> So that would be like at 99 million. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So then that would make sense.
>> So >> but we're in level where we did the level 20 because that's what we're told to do. That's what we're proposing. That's where we're going. And then >> and I think those are you know yeah conversations that would be forward >> and then and then realistically if if things move forward and just say
there was funding more funding coming our way you know >> that no just I'm just saying it in loud like to go back to Melissa's point like if we had more if we had funding coming back those first five spots up there would be where we would we would address
first you know >> that I was going to ask you Those would be first on the re let's keep them in the budget and then we look at everything else have played because that because the first adjustments whether we're getting more money or not are going to still be adjusted that first round of adjustment just say for y
>> because we've been asked to right size we've been asked to like let's get our budget where we're going >> so that was page two >> yeah two up front and back. Yeah. >> Yeah. So that that you know I mean clearly at some point we can't we can't do level funded supplies and everything
forever but for now it's not it's not really affecting uh class you know student facing stuff like specific. >> So this would all probably pretty much stay there the second round if we were if there was some more money from that where we were address those top five
>> for another source of revenue if there ended up being an override or whatever. >> Yes. Okay. I will say I'm not celebrating because FY28 is a totally different story. It is a if if something
doesn't give we are looking at substantial work to make our budget work. >> Okay. So another if FY28 were to be level funded >> because
disastrous to the core the core and facilities and transportation and technology and you know you name it every department will will suffer drastically.
So you have, you know, through all of the analysis, hard work, you have sort of rightsized the budget, if you will, but that opportunity is gone. A lot of the shift to revolving funds, there's not more. >> Yeah, we're down to the base there already. But I do think that as you know
the school committee is thinking about the you know an override or it that that that longer term view that I personally think you know having done these long-term presentations now for the town two years in a row that a longer term approach should be taken as you think
about an override. And this might be an opportunity um to to really dig into those numbers and to be able to, you know, if you choose to have an override, be able to add an amount and then commit to a long-term approach where you will
not need to come back for an override. So we've seen that in a lot of other towns who've said a memory a member memo of understanding with all the different departments that we will be asking for whatever it is this for the next five years we will not come back to you. This
will fight us over we will commit to a growth rate of X and this will get us to that point. So I think it's something that >> well I mean if if I mean again I'm a novice here to some degree but >> you are not a novice stop. >> But if you want to really look at this if you want to look at
If you want to look at FY29 or like you're going at current staffing levels or even level funded staffing levels, you're still looking at >> like there's a we'll be in negotiations in FY28, but >> you're still going to assume a safe number is 4%.
>> That and that's that's >> that's >> not even conservative. No, because I mean it obviously we're not we're not in negotiations for 29 yet because that'll be a new contract for all of our units. 28 I can I can I can cost out 28 because I've got >> settled contracts everywhere. 29 I can
but safe anybody who gets 4% feels like they can make it. A lot of districts commit at five five and a half percent but 4% is usually increase 4% increase is usually something that's sustainable not
>> no no I'm not saying a 4% colar talking about a total budget increase includes everything >> in the revenue you know framework of this town the structure of this town is not going to improve so% is above what
the town will likely be able to generate consistent basis. Yeah. >> What I don't understand is like it I mean let's just say we there's an override that's we go for an override there's a permanent general override that's passed. Does that solve
the free cash issue? That's what I that's what I don't well I guess it depends on what the amount is. >> Right. I mean, the idea is to to to wean off of using free cash to >> and we have been up until last year, you know, and we knew last year, you know, they the town increased free cash. So,
we knew this year this was we I said at that town meeting in fact when couldn't be there. So, that that will be a part of the process. That will be a long-term process. That's not going to be something that we can do right away. So, but if we can continue a little bit at a
time, I think that ultimately we need to get there, but that will, to your point, reduce the funds available for departments over, you know, several years. >> So, the other thing based on what I heard last night is I didn't see a level funded budget last night on the town
side, right? So, there was that was a level services, right? So, >> that was that was no. Uh yes, I guess it would have been level services because it was everything flat except for contractual obligations. Yes, that's a different exercise, >> right, >> than what you all did. >> So that may come back as a different
deficit. >> It should if they go through the same process that we went through. >> Well, it will have to it will >> I mean, we'll have to present a level I mean a budget that balances a town meeting and
so it will have to. So I I'm I mean I made the assumption when we first started this that everyone was doing the same was going everyone's going through the same exercise that we were >> that was that was my assumption that we started. >> That was also my >> So when I was there last night and I didn't see that I was like what's every
I'm not throwing stones here but I'm like what what has everyone else been doing? We've been working our butts off trying to get here and I'm like I felt like everyone's posting looking at each other. Well, my experience in the past is that we start our pro process in the fall. >> They sort of start their kickoff is
state of the town. >> Okay. >> And then >> it just it just seems so much later. So maybe that was just me being like, "Wow, what's going on?" And and it makes sense. We have we have a large >> but that wasn't you know that wasn't communicated. So the communication was that this is our deficit. I you know I think >> we're in our lane. We did what was asked
of us. I I can't speak for the committee because Melissa, we're you know this will be presented to the full committee for for their input and then we have to have a budget hearing and then we have to vote it. So >> um >> and and you again within that framework of the 5050 split that's what you were
working towards and the town will also be working okay >> toward that as well but they do tend to start a little bit >> which is fine. It's just again it's I I just I think I was expecting a totally different conversation last night so a little bit. >> Okay, >> it's all good.
>> So, any other >> comments, Melissa? Anything? Okay, so this is somewhat of what we're going to be seeing for next week. >> This is this is this is the meat and potatoes of it. You'll see it in, you know, your normal slideshow presentation
with all the stuff woven in, pie charts, everything, and then the budget book will have all this information. you have a line. You all have a line on budget and budget. >> No. >> Okay, great. I I think I'm not um the one setting the agenda, but I am hoping um that the chair and the vice chair
will this will be the main hopefully the main I mean this could take >> yeah a good chunk of time. >> When I when I met with them do this week's agenda said next week we should really plan only the budget unless there's absolutely something that absolutely absolutely can >> it needs to be voted. That's why we end up program of studies on tonight. The
DECA and the calendar, which could have waited, but I was like, let's squeeze them in now. So, we're doing it. >> That's also why things were a little bit late in the box. But, uh, right now, >> just the budget from assuming I have them from my end >> and then we're looking at the budget
hearing for February 26th. >> Yes. That needs to get posted. >> Is that Oh, that's our next >> 10 days in advance or something. Yeah, because we have we have so February 5th is the this presentation to school committee. February 26th is our initial budget hearing.
>> So the 12th February 12th, two weeks in advance, you said >> um >> yeah, for posting it and then I I I I don't have the dates in front of me, Mike, but I'm assuming we're going to vote the budget at the next meeting after the budget hearing, which would be the first meeting in March.
>> Budget calendar. Here we go. Last time we looked at this was the fifth last time we met. >> Yeah. >> Um so I can share this. >> Don't put your like football pool up
there. Okay. >> Or now we're on to the uh March Madness. >> Okay. It's up there. >> Yeah, it's up there, but it's not shared with the public. >> Oh, >> don't that screen. Oh, and I I will say I'm not sure, you know, the school the
I'm sorry, the the town presented what was a level was on was a >> level services budget. Doesn't mean they're not working on >> different >> budgets, right? So that's just and so really what would have been nice to see is their level service budget with your
level service budget >> and what that delta >> and then what that delta >> that would have been like a 101 million. So it that is but I'm assuming and I'm I'm sure I know Alicia and she's very on top of things that she will they are working on
>> how I just it wasn't communicating like >> I also felt I felt like it wasn't showing the like in other words wasn't showing what we actually do need >> it looked like we only need $870,000 >> 27 over 26 and that's >> for level services
>> all the work that you have done leading to this so >> whatever >> we can communicate that in our >> meeting and our budget hearing and all that. Now, keep in mind >> the way this process will work, the budget hearing, we will hear from people in the community and it may be the will
of the committee to make some other changes. So, you know, Melissa, we need to be prep be prepared for that. >> You don't know that soon as you talk about >> Yeah. >> not only improving systems and but when you talk about cutting >> Yeah.
>> any motions there are, >> right? Yeah. You're we're gonna >> I have been to budget hearings where nobody says a peep because everything is kind of like level service. You know, we're doing level service. You know, we're new here. We're we're learning we're learning the system. We're learning the town
>> this year. There's going to be reductions. I don't want to call home cuts, but reductions and there may be vacancies. It may be it may not be human bodies, but >> Well, we've already got some communications already. So, coming into us, >> but it's teed up. I I always when I my first district they
talked about cutting some art programs and it was probably the longest budget hearing I ever went through for for the art program. Arts were a big part of that community. So uh it was near and dear to their heart. Um so anyway so uh recommended budget next Thursday, February 5th. Uh on February 6th we will
have the recommended budget posted online >> or on February 5th we'll have it posted online but Okay. >> Yes. Uh so then three weeks after that we'll have a public public hearing >> and by the way the reason for that is that because of school vacation week we normally meet every two weeks we lose a
week. So that's our that is our next scheduled meeting >> and and the fact that actually be presented and that's a a time between the presentation of the hearing so people can digest the the budget and have question that you know you can't present the budget and have a hearing
next I think there's seven or 10 day waiting period uh for that um we'll have some meetings with fin after the public hearing to kind of you know finance subcommittee just to hey these are the things that the community asked for, how can we make this happen, you know, what
what other shifts can we make? Uh then March 5th, we'll go back to the full committee possibly with a new version of the budget based on the hearing and the feedback from the school committee on the first presentation and then um what if it's voted if it's voted then it'll
go to the town hall select selectman's office. We'll just send our budgets to them and um we will give a presentation on March 23rd or 30th to thing in uh I believe tomorrow is the warrant article to do. Leave already sent them
to Alicia but I'll double check. They were voted at our school committee meeting last >> last school committee meeting >> and and we're on a town meeting. >> Oh well, we also have Vincome votes our budget. >> We'll vote it. Yeah. uh they vote
favorable action or not >> favorable. Yeah. >> March 23rd 30th budget, right? >> And then the warrant hearing >> patients you guys that's when we would >> Yes. And then to the extent you have at the warrant hearing if you have any
other like further >> we had a bunch of warrants that went before the last school committee after I submitted them to the school committee. I I understand that revolving accounts do not no longer need to be on the time war. >> Okay. So the first nine warrants that we that
we approved were that's what I thought were revolving accounts. >> Okay. >> Uh and then that's nice. >> And then there are four warrant articles. One is for an override. >> Yeah. >> General override. One is for a and no dollar amounts in them. One was for
capital, one was for technology >> capital questions. So, one was capital for facilities, one was capital for school district. >> Okay. >> Or school department, which I didn't necessarily know what the difference was, but >> copy and paste.
>> So, the Yeah. So, the budget will just income will just vote in March, but then the on those other ones, we'll vote we'll vote a recommendation in April. >> So, you'll have you'll have to >> at the warrant hearing. Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean the warrant hearing I
believe as I've been told we don't need a dollar amount in the warrant. It just need to be there so we could put a dollar amount on the floor but obviously we wouldn't blindside any harm. >> Yeah. Well yeah we may have recommend we may have it by then. >> Why not? Yeah. >> There may in other words we may work
with the town. We may have mounts that we going to put on there. I think there's been great coordination between the school committee and the administration with the town and the select board and I think >> best it's ever been >> I for it's been fantastic and so I hope
that continues you know these next few weeks so that I mean that would because that would be wonderful that would be ideal and the earlier we can you know have a strategy and then communicate what that means to the town and let it gives the town a chance to vote you know what they want their services to look like. So, it's the best it's ever been.
>> The best it's ever been. >> What's What's the one denominator that's changed the most to treat? >> The the administration and the school committee, some school communities. Um, >> it's been a long time. We're punchy.
We're punchy. But I do think if if the decision is made together as a committee as well as with the select board to go forward with any version of these overrides, if we can the sooner we have those numbers, the better off we can the the it won't be us, but there will be
people that will be um looking for that information if they're going to be supporting this public politically. Yeah, we should be Mike Mike and I should be looking at like what the number would be if we if we need to like take care of next year, the year after possibly 30 what that big what the totality would
look like, >> right? >> Yeah. And those conversations may be with the the town side. We you know, if we're going to do it, we got to do an open meeting. So, >> you know, that may have we have ideas on this. >> I've got 28 kind of done, but what I I
I've got the budget done for eight. What I don't have is all these changes we're going through today plugged in. >> Yeah. >> Because you know I think the questions are are these one-year cuts are we going to reinstate those positions the year after? Are they >> you know obviously the first set is
efficiencies. Those are things that we we can do without long term that second set are those just one year reductions and are they going to be reinstated the following year? Some of them all then >> well that would be a decision you know like or there is there more you know focus on
special education needs to be able to be attracting students back and preventing like investing investing in being able to tuition more students in >> investing in our 18 to22 program >> I just Victoria and this morning talk about where they are with like the programs and okay
>> they're doing a lot of work with the the staff and stuff on just really bolstering and creating program descriptions and criterion. So yeah, I feel really good about where to go and it's just >> okay and the more detail like this level of detail is fabulous. So the more
detail you can provide on whatever numbers that you are is is the you know and I do think that that would be something in our last FINCOM meeting something we could even >> we'll start working on that after after the budget presentation next week. I think that's something we need to Yeah,
you got to get there next week. for me to get all the documents ready. >> Okay. Do you need anything else from us? >> Okay. We had What about you? >> I'm good. >> Sorry, I'm I just unmuted. Um, no. This
was this was very useful. Thank you. >> I've still got a couple questions, but it's I have to think about it a little more. >> Okay. >> Had a friend. >> Thanks, Melissa. Thanks, Pat. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, >> as always. Yep. Thank you. Yes. >> Um,
>> fabulous leader. >> Uh, we'll just um keep you in the loop um on, >> you know, if you want, we can reconvene if you want. Let's get through next week. Let's see what happens. Let's get towards our budget hearing. We'll share with you what's going to be presented at the budget hearing because there may be some the number the 806 may not unless
it goes to zero >> um may not change, but what it's perhaps some of those things will change that are actually going to be affected and we can let you know that. >> Just >> we're going to get to zero. Okay. >> All right. >> We told do we're gonna get all the way.
>> Um, we still have a couple of items, but you nice to see. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very. >> So, Melissa, anything else from you on this before I move on in the agenda? >> No, >> thank you. I'm signing off. >> Thanks, Pat. Um so I had put in FY26
stipens review um which might not get a robust discussion today but the purpose for that the reason for that is you know I did see in Mr. Dow's um deep analysis and uh reporting on um pay right and
compensation um we have a lot of folks that are paid salaries and then they have other you know other income. Don't believe everything you read in the paper. >> Okay. >> Well, I So I guess my question so I know we have approved stipens. Stipens actually the
the approved stipens stipens that I'm aware of are the ones that are in our CBA, >> right? So there are set stipens that um the amounts are um there and contractually I think we included in the CBA the increase every year that are part of the contract. Um
>> there are there are a few not many there are a few very small stipens that are not in the CBA and I'm talking about maybe some clerical stipens for student activity account bookkeeping there's some very small ones that are grant the CBA okay transportation coordinator we give a small stipen so they're on the
phone they're available by phone at 5 a.m. and at 8 p.m. So I don't have to be um >> okay >> you know there there are a couple of small step but the majority are >> what's not included in our CBAs but our employees may get >> is if they work summer programs for the
recck department. >> Okay. >> If they work an afterchool basketball camp or a summer vac or April vacation basketball or hockey or or some type of camp for wreck still shows up as a stipen. Yes. You think they're an employee of the school, but for that purpose, they are an employee of the
>> But it all is reported in their income. >> Correct. And and their and their status is under the school department. >> So that can be >> Well, it's trackable wherever it is. >> No, but how not on house not in a spreadsheet how it annual when it's annual wage, it'll get
lump sum, but when you look at it has a breakdown. >> I'm sure it does >> it break down, but it just so salary stipens. >> I didn't realize that what we were talking about. >> Yes. salary. Well, it doesn't even say siphons, just says other income. >> Other, >> right? So, it's salary, other >> and overtime. >> Everything from the school side other
than those couple stiphens is is absolutely incredible. >> I'm wondering if at some point e maybe in the budget book, we have a maybe you're including a section that includes here's our here are the approved stipens. It's like it's an I think it
was an I think it was a it was an MOU and it got included. Okay. >> Maybe we just include that should be included in the budget book. And whether you highlight it during the presentation or not, >> I can put all the salary schedules from all the contracts in there. That's probably not a bad thing. It's probably not a bad appendix.
>> Already >> because I got some question. >> I'd love to put one for you today, but I don't believe we've got a contract for 25 to 28, right? >> We do not have a contract through 28. >> No, I think I think >> I would imagine they'll wait. Sorry, I
couldn't resist. >> There's no reason for us not to at this point. I'm not sure why. >> That's my only >> Yeah. >> So, for the record, we we are still waiting for the union to ratify the three-year contract. The school committee's ratif. >> Should we not be paying the new wages at this point? >> Um, no, we are paying the new wages. We
ratified it. Um, and we are waiting for um the union to ratify it. And it's been, you know, 18 months. So, um, but I still still think we can share it. I mean, it's a draft. It's online. I mean, it's, you know, so we just share it in. >> Did you put those in? We'll put the
appendixes from all the contracts. I wrote it down. >> I think that makes sense. So, just so folks can see it because >> for all contracts >> in the cycle because it it's a it's a lot. I mean, it is a lot. I mean, we have a lot of coaches. We have a lot of advisors and the and and the so each
individual person's not making >> tons of money on being a you know, adviser to a club, but when you add it all up, it's it you know, you can see it. Yeah, you could be a teacher leader, you could be a mentor, you can be a coach coach, you can be an an extracurricular
or um inter mural coach and then in the summer you might go work for the park and rec department. You can >> you can certainly supplement your income very well if you're willing to I mean yeah it's a big time no question and we need and we it's best for our kids. I mean >> this is all of those all of those
stipens >> are in addition to the right >> they direct I mean other than like the mentor stipens they don't directly touch the kids >> they're a lead teacher but >> a lead teacher right but anything that coaches a after school before school summer wreck yeah >> um vacation programs those directly
touch our students >> and I think Melissa I think it's important to note because it's going to kind of morph into my next subject my next um item on the agenda that you know if we really start getting into a very serious situation in FY28 without a override. What does this mean?
You know, those are some things that are probably going to have to be looked at because all of those are we like to euphemistically call co-curricular, but they're extracurricular and >> all the coaches stip me stipens are currently paid by. >> Yep. Yep. >> It's the teacher leader is mentor is
paid by um a grant. The mentor is paid by a grant. So as long as we continue that's mandated have to have mentor >> but what in terms of co-curriculars while the stipens may be paid out of the user fees are al the other transportation costs uniform cost I mean what's in our operating budget
>> the only thing that has operating budget is our high school athletic program >> has some operational right but no but like the middle school and the elementary school their after school programs okay those are not subsidized by the local >> but the high school athletic program >> to some extent yes the majority of pay
through user fees that there is >> very important. So it's just something I'm throwing out there Melissa that you know if we really are starting to you know have to you know cut you know teaching staff you this is a we would not be doing our job if we weren't looking at extracurriculars and the
costs associated with that >> makes sense. >> So um okay so that was that for siphon. Then I did also have the user fees and I wanted to put that on there because Melissa, we had a you know conversation in open meeting the last time but >> and we don't have to um go take a deep
dive here. I do suggest that maybe because it's a little clunky here, you know, you and I can't sit down and well, we could do it in an open meeting, but you know, you could maybe have a conversation with Mike and or John and just sort of, you know, kind of understand this whole idea of user fees because, you know, my sense is in at the
meeting that you were you had cons concerns about the fact that we have user fees and the amount of them, >> right, for or you know, for for our for our families and our students. And I 100% agree with you. Um, but the reality we're under.
>> Oh, yeah. That's not lost on me. >> Okay. Okay. I just wanted to I wanted >> I understand the situation we're in and kind of how we got here. Just like principally, I'm like I I don't agree with this in principle, but I understand the facts of >> Okay. >> the situation and why we are where we
are. >> That we charge for sports. Y >> that we charge for anything that's not >> from 7 a.m. Well, kindergarten is from 7 or 8 a.m. >> Yep. Well, and the thing that's, you know, which we haven't talked, well, we did talk about a little bit and in the
past we've had superintendents who've actually gone through and measured this. I'm not saying you need to take this on, but when we look at the unbelievable support we get from this community in terms of donations, through our boosters for athletics, our boosters for arts, performing arts, um, this town is
unbelievably generous. In fact, it's been, you know, it's it's I feel like it's a double-edged sword. on the on the one hand, you know, this community has been unbelievably supportive of of co-curriculars and and athletics and look at what we have fields and tracks
and, you know, and there's something to be said about, you know, if that's important, then then that's, you know, that's where people, you know, make their make their contributions. Um, but on the other hand, we would, you know, we would not be able to function without
without these donations. We really wouldn't. We wouldn't have fields. we wouldn't have like we and and kids would be in danger like you know getting hurt. Um so I I'm right there with you. It's >> and all the you know meeting with all the PTO that you know meetings when I
can and even before the budget season and just how much they contribute to you know enrichments and stuff. >> Yes. >> Um and it's funny because you know you start when you start talking about budget like what more can we do? I'm like >> like I I sit here I listen to how much money they all have. Um yeah, we have to
be very careful what they actually fund like you know um but you're right without that I mean it's that much more stuff we have to figure out. So you know >> and not even forgetting going back to you know I don't want to exclude anybody um friends of the Marvel public school but that's not co-create well that's
that's curricular basically or that's and that's huge what they've what they've done for us. So I, you know, we have scholarship programs in town that help. It was just, you know, >> someone was even asking, ask me straight out like what would happen if someone like like made a donation to the t to
the schools to help balance the pledge. Never had that that happen. >> Oh, well, who do you know that's willing to open up their checkbook for us? >> You know, if they put a million dollars in an endowment, >> hundred million in an endowment, we could probably make that last >> Yeah. a while.
>> Yeah. a while >> figure out how to get it in there. >> But no, I mean it's really it's important. In fact, at some point >> when you have extra time, it's not a bad idea to >> kind of go through and just amass if we don't like all of these different groups because there's boosters for every
sport. There's overall sports boosters, performing arts, arts, I don't know, just a way if we could ever send a thank you, I don't know, do something the including PTO's, PCOS. It's it's the never ending list. So, Anyway, so that I just wanted to put
that on there, um, Melissa. So, um, anything else on that? I'm g to move on. All right. So, I the la next item is uh to approve the meeting minutes from our January 5th policy subcommittee meeting. Did you get a chance to see those? >> I did. Yeah, I had to I'm good to to
make a motion to approve them with two small edits. One >> can correct the start time. It says 8 a.m. I think the meeting was at 11 a.m. >> My copy says 11. So, let me go back and double check that. >> Oh, okay. Maybe you changed it after you sent it to me. >> January 5th. >> Yeah, January 5th. Yeah, it was 11.
Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, and then the other one was just in the um basically the first bullet under FY27 like the first section it says FY level service budget approximately 1.7 million over current appropriation.
I just can we clarify that that was net of offsets such as kindergarten and prek revolving funds because >> the true increase is higher than that and I just want to make sure we get credit for that. >> Okay. So was it was really more like 2.6 wasn't it? >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> What's that or the 1.7? Yeah. It's the full the full level service increase would be 2.6. >> I'll just change it to 2.6. >> Okay. Okay. >> It wasn't accurate because that's what we told you last time was 1.6. >> Yep. Okay. >> So, with Yeah, with those I I can make a
motion to approve the minutes from the January 5th meeting with those two changes. >> You already made the change. >> No, I Well, I did a hard copy, but I'll do it before I send it to So, I will second it and I will call for a vote. Melissa Lucas >> in favor >> and Jen Shaner in favor. Two to zero. We
approve that. Um, our next meeting I basically we I think we need to get through Let's get through next week. I think we need to get to the hearing >> and then at a minimum next week and if there's any comments from the from the committee we may need to regroup. >> Let's do that Melissa. So this will be presented to our full school committee
next week. If there's something that seems to be, you know, >> pull back together, we will we'll just we'll just carve out some time. Um yeah, if there's anything major that, you know, I mean, obviously if it's minor stuff, whatever, but if it's like something like I don't know, whatever, we we'll definitely >> I guess it wouldn't hurt to meet before
the budget. Why don't let's get through next week and see what happens. >> Yeah. Let's see. might not be a bad idea to do a quick meeting before the budget hearing. Um, it's the other thing too is I will have a conversation with Al or maybe you can or maybe you and I can
just so that he's set for the budget hearing because it's a very specific thing. The budget hearing is a is a separate meeting within the meeting. We have to open the hearing. We have to close the hearing. I don't want any issues around any potential open meeting violations in the process of doing the
hearing because it's got its own unique set of rules and we just don't want to get you know >> it's got to be posted separately >> wrapped around Yeah. It has to be posted posted separately posted in advance. So um I can work with you offline on that. >> Yes. Because we're going to need to know the time so we can post it in the newspaper.
>> Yes. Yes, it has to be a time within the That's why I'm going to suggest to Al that it be the first after accommodations and public com it be the first. >> Yeah, usually it's like the budget hearing is open, you know, >> from six o'clock >> to 7 and then school committee goes from 7 to whatever, right?
>> Which is fine. And you can put in like open at 6 uh school committee >> immediately follow >> immediately f you have something so you have a little wiggle room. So if case you don't say seven you're not like last night's meeting they posted six and next one that seven means that mean posting
at 8. So >> but that was okay. It's just they couldn't start it before seven >> right that's what I mean you have just have to have that language in there no earlier than seven then we're fine >> right >> so yeah we'll >> and hopefully we don't have executive session that night but because it could be you know >> there's one item that might be on there
but I'm going to try to brush it off >> okay whatever we do it before or whatever. Um, okay. So, I'll just work with you on that because that's really important. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Yeah. We'll pull up last year's and make sure if if last year's looks what it's supposed to, we can just make sure it's
the same thing with times and dates. I I don't remember last year. >> Last year we did a regular meeting the year before, which was a bit of a different situation. We ended up doing it the pack because we had anticipated a large turnout, which we did have a pretty big
turnout. So let's see. It's >> I think we'll get a good idea because everyone know like I've been saying it >> this will be out >> and this is out and we had the state of town last night where I mentioned it's on the 5th. I talked when I talked to BTOs and SACE I presenting on the so
it's out there for when we're presenting and and I'll mention it tonight again you know in my updates. So we we should have a good gauge of like how many there seems to be a lot of people. >> Okay. Do you feel the need for either one of us or both of us at any point to
speak to any of the PTO's or anything? >> I was just I was it was more me kind of just sharing my own my thought and real realistically I shared what we had been talking about like I didn't expound on I didn't tell him any of this details. I said we're in conversations. I said it was the 1.7 over you know not the total
you know I didn't get into the real nitty-gritty. is more just like want you to be aware we've been asked to do a level of funded. Here's what the level funded budget is. Here's what it means for us. Here's what it could mean down the line. You know, we're going to make these and we're going to have to look at
>> figure out how to get to that number next year. It's going to be a much different conversation. So, I just kind of just set the stage for that. >> Okay. Well, based on today's documents, um, if you do get a lot of communication and you feel like it would be helpful, I think I don't want to speak for most,
but I think one or two or both of us, we'd have to post it. >> Um, would be happy to, um, go and speak and just be able to answer questions. >> And if it seems like if it seems like there's a lot of rumblings, too, I also said that, you know, I can like do like a town town hall meeting. >> Not everybody can necessarily get to the
budget hearing. So, we want to make sure folks have the ability. >> I'm willing to do that and I I can do that. pack whatever we need to if if it seems like there's that I I think the bigger thing right now is I mean we're level funded because we're told to the cuts are the cuts but I think people will understand that's what's going to
have to happen they're going to be upset if it's like it's teacher I understand yes >> but at the end of the day the conversation is from the town side are they going to look to do an override and what does that look like and what's >> or are we going to look I mean it's our warrant too >> so >> yeah okay >> great well listen I want to thank you
all this has been the smoothest >> done know seems like it's >> I think we're in a good place. >> Are these documents uh if you could forward them to me Mike or I'm going to get them to Lisa so they go out on today's >> Yes. materials.
>> Absolutely. >> Like so we >> as a followup to this meeting. Oh yeah. >> Yeah. Do we have the agenda? We'll I'll put the draft I'll put the minutes up and then we should have this. >> That's right. Um Oh, before you send it, can you do one thing? Can you do one thing though on um that it was the
revolving accounting not a grant? It's a >> little grant. >> Just just anybody have anything else before I adjourn us? >> No. >> All right. Can I I'm looking for a motion to adjurnn. >> I will make a motion to adjurnn.
>> Thank you. And I will second it. I'm going to call for a vote. Melissa >> in favor >> and Jen Shaner in favor. Two to zero. I am adjourning us at 20:08 p.m. Thank you, Melissa. >> Thank you. See you tonight. >> See you tonight. Okay. >> Bye. >> What's going on tonight? >> Tonight's a school committee meeting,
but there's also >> steam fair. >> Steam fair. Part: 2
Okay. Um, I'm going to call the January 29, 2026 meeting of the Marvel Head School Committee to order at 7:01. This meeting is being recorded and livereamed. Um, will everyone please join us in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Um, do we have any commendations?
>> I would like to um amend and thank all of our convenience facility staff on a good piece of Manny um for their valued effort and cleaning 20 plus inches of snow in a very short amount of time. I can say that um with the equipment that
we actually have for the schools in a handful of uh F-150 pickup trucks and a couple um tractors. They did her effort, herculean snow, and realistically our parking lots and and walkways, I think,
were cleaned pretty well pretty quickly. Um, and they continue to be maintained. Um, you know, we continue to climb through the town, trying to get some of the other areas cleared up, but I just wanted to take a moment to really thank them. They worked really hard, 14 hours plowing during the storm, after the
storm. Um, it just it's no mean, especially with the equipment they have. So, I just want to thank anyone else. >> Do we have anyone sign up? >> It's my turn.
>> Hey, everybody. >> Good evening. My name is Reese Albert and I live on Filbert Road. I am a co-president of the Veterans Middle School PCO and I wanted to come here this evening to highlight the students and staff at Veterans Middle School. Prior to winter break, we were asked to meet with students from the MV MBMS
leadership group cornerstones. The students presented a proposal to the PCO asking for support in their planning of a schoolwide dance. Last Friday evening, MBMS students held the winter themed dance which included a DJ, lawn games, popcorn, cotton candy machine,
um, pizza, and the event was free to all students. There was a requested or suggested donation of $5. I'm incredibly proud to report that the students collected over $1,800 to donate to Boston Children's Hospital. I want to thank principal Matt Levani, Miss Abel,
Miss Vtor, Miss Dartley Roco, and the entire MBMS staff who helped coordinate chap the evening's festivities. As a parent and as a PCO leader, I want to say how grateful I am to the entire MBMS community for putting together such a fun evening and raising money for a great cause.
>> Thanks. >> Thank you, R. If anyone um online would like to make public comments, please just raise your hand. >> All right, not seeing anyone, we will close your comment. And that brings us to our student representative as well.
>> All right. Uh hello all. Glad to be back. Today was the first day of the third quarter here at MHS. So, congrats to everyone for concluding the first half of the year and good luck moving forward. Um Monday obviously was a big snow day. Um, and I can tell you that Marvel students spent all day out
playing in the snow. Uh, I was around with friends shoveling driveways, sledding, snowball fights, the works, and um, thank you that uh, thank you for that. It was really fun. Um, but the music department took a field trip to New York City over MLK weekend. Trip
went very well. Um, and members from our performing ensembles were able to enjoy the city. um get behind the scenes tours at performances and watch a Broadway rendition of the Greek Asper convenient timing because many of the students last year read that book um in their English
class. So that's good. Um and today Real Capital um the National Social Studies Honor Society um here at the high school hosted Don Doll the town historian um town uh yes it was very interesting um we learned a lot about some unique parts
of history including much of life here postrevolution and through the 1800s um which you heard about before um and also how the integration removal of uh rails here in town changed the culture and the way town functions so >> that was really interesting
>> and very unique opportunity. Um, the MHS junior option has begun this year. They're currently collecting donations from friends and family around town. Please consider contributing to them as class president. Last year, I hope to see this initiative and I can say it's a
huge job. Um, it'll go over or go on for the next two or so months and um, they'll go on to raise a large sum of money that will contribute greatly to um, financing the next few years of high school for them, many of our needs. So, um, please contribute. Um, yeah, and as
always, winter sports are going on right now. So, here are the records for our teams. Boys basketball is 8 and four. Girls basketball is 7 and five. Boys indoor track is 5 and1. Um, girls indoor track is 4 uh 1 and one. Boys hockey 38
and one, winning each of their last three games. So, heating up. Very exciting. Um, girls hockey also 38 and one. Gymnastics 2 and two, swimming is 5-0 on pace for their 26th consecutive N championship. Very impressive. And
wrestling is three and seven. So, congrats to all student athletes. Good luck. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next, we have our superintendent. Thank you so much. Um, thanks for
join. Oh. Got it. >> Yep. >> So, good evening. Uh, the first thing I need to discuss today is snow. And what better way to talk about snow than something lines from our students from Elena Connleyy's preschool classroom
from Poland. Snow. Snow is water. Snow is frozen rain. Snow is cold. Snow is going skiing. Snow is yummy. Snow is soft. Snow is snowflakes. Snow is plain. Snow
is snowman. Snow is snow. Snow is nice. Snow is good. Snow is ignorant. Also from Brown School News. Many of us just came from the steam fair which was just incredible. It was well attended. all the kids doing really innovative and
exciting um you know projects and just really really excited about showing everyone what they're doing and how they you know how they came about creating all their their projects which is really cool. I I love I love seeing that success work and support from their
parents and obviously the teachers and and everyone at Brown School. So that's just great to see. Thanks. Thanks. Great job to all. Uh January 27th was in fact the Holocaust remebrance day um which commemorates the victims of the Holocaust and honor survivors making marking the anniversary of the
immigration of Oxbridge concentration camp in 1945 as a community event tomorrow and have a call at June and also Holocaust. Um I want to update the committee on some changes to the S6 tech admissions
process that discussed our last meeting. So our last meeting if you remember we then had a proposal on 10 set our minimum uh seat like allocation um was 10 um that was the first proposal we had a big meeting uh some larger district like we should
really share the wealth and figure out a different way to um do the emissions process where it would be fair and equitable. So they went back to the committee committee actually decided to do it the second way they proposed which was to kind of look at um percentage by enrollment by school district. So, our
10 are 10 seats to 39 seats for I did get everything for freshman incoming freshman 39 seats and um in a followup with Dr. Superintendent there, she indicated it's a one-year um situation that they're looking at. They're going
to revisit actually to see if this this um process is is is what what it should be. So I was I was heartened to hear that again it's 39 and there's 39 each year. I mean currently we have an enrollment of 35 students in total. So I
don't like math but you know the math is there where it be a significant increase if we're 39 for um so again it just it's difficult when they're sending districts are so dispar. So you know we we all had the
same conversation. How is it fair and equitable? um you know this this percentage the way it was proposed was ineable for larger districts that much larger is better for our smaller districts this way is a little bit more ineable for us but there's really no
simple way to do it so I just wanted to share that with the committee share the committee that is still ongoing discussions I've had several discussions who's the school chair there superintendent action and I we all had conversations together had separate
conversations So everyone kind of knows where I stand on it. But what I did say in all the conversations was whatever it is decided obviously what we're going to follow. I just always feel compelled to share what thoughts are with them. So let's do a dialogue. Um so that that's where it stands right now. So I will
continue to keep that posted to see you know on how many seats actually get filled. So what happens is they go through the process we have 39 slots fill it slots reallocated by the district. So they didn't really increase their they increased their own capacity
by like I think 50 students or >> Can I ask a question? >> Have you made any effort to get information on historically how many of our students apply? So we know that 10 or so are getting seats a year but do have a sense
of how >> much interestal 2017 this year. Yeah. So, we'll see. You know, is it closed down? So, it's closed down, but um it's also
Yeah. So, there's 27 in that it's one that So, you know, it's historically it's been roughly around sales that around that catchment area and the total total loans in the 30s. So, you know, it is good. I mean this opportunity for
kids require that level of you know it would have some loss right um um just share this great news my my updates short my shout out wait till
next time but I do want to share this great news from the visual arts department and Charlie White students in the MHS Yes, thanks again to homie deserving accolation from the regional sebastic arts award. The jury the jury for these awards look forward um for work
demonstrates originality technical skills and emergence of personal grace or vision. The following PDF the work of art future. Please join me inating and celebrating talented artist Noah Jackson Maretta.
Um that's my thanks to respond school submission. So um that's generally my update on the budget. our conversations today presented that next um school committee um hypothesis is going as well as being
we last night um so we can see about it sure rewatch that and see what's going on there same there and we'll be presenting our overall proposed 11 budget
get into details that is some detail that's too Thank you. >> That's all I have. Thank >> you. >> Okay. So, that brings us to our consent agenda items. >> Um I am looking for a motion to approve the identified schedule of bills
totaling 1,479,152.17. The draft meeting minutes from January 15, 2026. the revisions to policies GB GF, GCBC, GCE,
GCG, GCI A, GCK and GDB and the recision of policies GCQD, GCQ, GDQC and GDQ. Second second by Melissa. Um any
discussion? Seeing none. We'll go to a vote. All in favor? Great. Motion. Any opposed? Motion carries four to zero. Can I just make my motion? Can I just ask that?
>> Yes. I'm sorry. Um so next on the agenda is the proposed 2026 2027 school calendar it to John for that. >> Thank you. Um so done a lot of work on the school calendar. I just want to thank um Julia
first of all for her, you know, her working and collaborating with our with our team members and our staff and then also uh union um they you know we had different iterations of the calendar and I think I mentioned this last time where um contractually if we're going to start
earlier than the Monday before um it needs to be an approval from the unit to be able to do that and I want to say um it's a good collaborative effort um we had different iterations going we met with um Sally Jonathan um Jonathan actually had had some really good ideas about how we could move forward and make
make the start of the school year work. And and I think and that's that's what's before you now is the iteration really kind of helps to create start from the school year for the students. It's not as some of the otherations were. So I just want to share that with folks. So,
um, with Labor Day being so late, you know, we can't start any earlier than the Monday before unless it's approved by the by the um by the union. And I guess, you know, through that um through that collaboration, what will happen is the 20 this proposed on the 26th will be
our staff orientation day. Thursday 27th Friday 28th staff have PD day first day for students be the 31st which is the one day before Labor Day which mean by contract Friday and August Labor Day officer two 4 day meets and then
continuing some of the other iterations were two day for the three day with the student time. So I think this really kind of sets the tone a little bit more consistently for the beginning of the school year. Um and then the rest of the time there was pretty much the same
other than you know obviously staration state schools. So um you know we we talked a little bit about this last time the PD set vacation days are great. uh Junth is celebrated on the on
Saturdays, but that's all in there. Hopefully hopefully we won't have sur in reach, but if we do that on Fridays of service day. Um so that's really it. The only the only thing the calendar is if if you know what happens if this is
approved I'd like to see if it spending us adding states and also we like to have like school decides on their calendar for the year. I'd like to add that school calendar. So it won't change anything other than just demark on the calendar but if we could do that as part
of this as well tonight we do that motion that would be great. That was probably yet I missed something. >> Right. Anyone have questions? >> I just had one question about
conferences. It seemed like maybe it was a shift at least daytime to conferences and you just so like things we you know very best we sometimes explore with new ideas and
options um reflect on those to see how well it went or if we need to make changes in conferences this year we did try something new we tried the half days evening conference instead of the full day um and we heard from our stakeholders that that was not as well received. Um and so listening to that
feedback, we're going the proposal before you tonight is to go back to more the traditional um day of conferences with the evening conferences the following week. um had some really great uh conversations with our teachers um with the administrators that we feel that
even though um the teachers would not be engaging in professional development on that day, we do have um in our K to especially our K to6 we do have a little bit different of a ongoing PLC and PD structure that we feel that we will be accomplish that we hope throughout the
year in terms of our PD our professional development. Um so we don't see that as a loss in any way. Um we tried something and we figured better to go back for parents and rules just mention the
parent like have the dates that we allocate for that or we can also always have parents can always reach out to the teacher ask for a conference or a confirmation or meeting time at any given time. I mean and our teachers will know that
I think sometimes I have to wait for you know you know you should be you should have an idea what's going on with your child anyway but you know so most of the time so I just want to share that proposal
>> thank you um if there's no further discussion Um, I'm looking for a motion to approve the 2026 2027 school calendar as presented by the administration pending the addition of openhouse dates and school committee meeting dates.
>> A motion from Henry second. Seconded by Melissa. Any further discussion committee? Okay, we can go to a vote. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Four to zero. I appreciate that.
I appreciate that. >> Okay. So, next on our agenda tonight is the high school grant of studies. >> Thank you. Um Dr. Cross is here, chair of the proposed program of studies for the school year.
I think we've already at the same here again. >> So, um, we have every year we look at our program studies. We look at the courses we're offering, we look at what hasn't run in past years and any new
additions that, um, we'd like to add and make recommendations. Um so just to go over what those are. Um there was a memo that was I think put in the box. Um the first part of this has to do with our graduation up um requirement update. Um
so we wanted to add some language in here and some additional classes that will um meet the financial literacy graduation requirement. two of the new um two of the new courses that we're recommending on here I'm going to talk about in a minute because they're new
courses that we're looking to put in that would be um in AP business with personal finance fun it would be um accounting which is existing but there is um there is units on personal finance within that and there is a new course
we're composing of financial literacy as well um we also wanted to add a chart just to make it easier for people to see exactly what courses will meet this requirement. Um and then we um need to add the competency determination within our
program of studies and the u new school committee policy around that. Um so we're going to add that into the program of studies, remove language around the graduation requirement of MCCAST because that's no longer valid. Um Marblehead Academy we had in here for years. This
was something that started up around COVID and it was um funded with the CO money. We have not run this in years. So, we're we're proposing to remove that language. Um and also our summer school programming, we need to change the wording to align with the school
committee policy on the competency determinations. So, that's kind of the beginning part of this. As for the courses that we're recommending to add um out of the business department, there is a new course being offered AP business with personal finance. Next
year is the first year that College Board is um going to be offering that as an AP course. So, we would like to add that in. Um that expands our AP course offerings. We've we've added AP courses year after year. Um and they're very wellreceived at the high school. um and
it it provides an upper level elective off option for students um and it will also count towards the financial literacy requirement as well. We have a lot of um graduating seniors that go to college for business and achievement. This will be really helpful for them. Um
out of the English department, unfortunately, African-American literature and best-selling fiction are courses that have been in our program of studies and have not run for years. So looking at that, we're recommending to remove those. Um we we have a student
driven schedule. So students sign up for what they want and then we build the schedule around that. Um and we just haven't had the students that have the interest enrolling in that to be able to to run those courses. Um the math department, algebra 3 CP2, we're um
eliminating this course. This is uh it's been a four-year um roll out of the elimination of general ed CPT classes. This is the last one that was remaining. Uh English was finished with that two years ago.
Science finished up last year and now um math will be finished with that as well. Um and math will be adding in financial literacy which will be um satisfying um the requirements for financial literacy.
Um in world language um we have been phasing out Latin because it is no longer offered in the elementary and the middle school. Uh so um Latin one through four unfortunately has run its course. There are no more students going into that. Next year we will have the
last of them going into the AP uh Latin. Um so we'll be eliminating one through four leaving the AP in the program of studies um for those students that want to take that next year. Um social studies has proposed adding two new courses
as electives. Um so modern America since 1980 which is fascinating to me because I grew up in the 80s so I remember this vividly. um and the history of philosophy. Uh these are semester courses and it would help satisfy the
elective requirement of history. Um we're also adding language in the science department um course descriptions for honors anatomy and physiology because we do have a dual enrollment agreement with um Snoo
Southern New Hampshire University. So adding that information in. So it's in the program of studies. Um in the art department just adding in the name of the AP exam 3D art and design. Um AP
photography qualifies those students to choose to either take the AP 2D or the AP 3D test. Um so that they can choose um I'm just putting that in the program studies. And then um advanced woodworking
looking to take that out and um change that into um advanced manufacturing. Um the proposal is to run two semesters rather than the full year so that students if it fits into their schedule for only one
semester and oftentimes it does it runs opposite the gym health. Um they can take that and if they can fit the full year and interested in it it still offers that opportunity as well. Um this supports and aligns with our hooks
program. Um and then overall update just putting more language in about the dual enrollment um adding the sale to the dual enrollment section. >> So okay questions any questions committee
so the rule that I thought was switched it to that we established this year this year very excited about it. It's been a huge >> we were able to so we have a teacher and
per course undergraduate course work meets the exact qualification situation where we have this highly qualified educator who was also able to um to teach this through at the college
level through the work of Dr. Carlson and school counseling department. Uh we made this partnership. It is a trial. We've had a great success. That's why we're bringing it today. We want to continue that. Did go really well this year um in the in the first year that
we've had. So it's a very special can only run pretty much right now except for the teacher and her credentials. >> So it's not each year. >> Yes. It's an existing Marblehead High School course and the teacher's undergrad degree and graduate degree
aligns with what they deem um that their professor like an adjunct professor working there would have those same qualifications. So they she had to submit her information. They certified her. So she is our instructor but they also recognize her. So
>> it's like a twofer. >> It's a twofer. So the community >> we have five seats available. >> Okay. >> So students can opt into the dual enrollment by taking this class or if they're not interested in that they can still take the class and they don't need
to opt into the dual enrollment. >> Okay. >> But it's the same course either way. >> Okay. >> It's honors anatomy uh infectious >> infectious disease. Anatomy and physiology. Anatomy and physiology. Sorry. >> Um in regards to the Latin um did you
was there any survey done? So we had we used to have it in the um at least in the middle school. >> So that would sort of students that are in Latin now must have taken it in middle school.
>> Correct. So, but it is possible if we're not doing a teaching. It's hard to find staff to do that. We had such a school and we made this decision. We had such
low enrollment. Um we made some um decisions um everything the school committee at the time. We made some staffing adjustments as well. Um and that's what we're going to be doing as well with this program. some staffing adjustments um so that we're using the
expertise of the instructor but also the position as well. >> So is there is there is it surveying them students are not interested if we're not doing it dropping it because
we don't have a middle school we can still start it in high school. >> Yes and that options has been there the last few years and we've had sign up for Latin one or Latin 2. So >> yeah, >> it's funny because I mean I I find it
kind of surprising we don't have people Spanish has helped. Middle school. >> Okay. Any further questions? >> Great. So then I'm looking for a motion to approve program of studies as consisted
by Melissa any discussion call in favor of opposition because I'm not so
sure I 3 to one. >> Thank you. >> Next on our agenda is that trip there materials on this package. >> Yes. So our teacher is going to come up and and tell us a little bit about the Texas state career development
conferencing competition. Um, so I don't want to downfield. We have to before the school committee because it's no related. >> Good evening. Nice to see you again. >> The trip you approved in the spring to Florida was great success.
Um, I am respectfully requesting the school committee's approval for Marblehead High School's participation, excuse me, in the uh, Deca State Career Development Conference, which is March 12th through the 14th at the Seapport
Convention Center in Boston. This experience provides students with a rigorous real world application of business, marketing, finance, and leadership skills that directly extends classroom
learning. Students compete in judged events, collaborate with peers, network with students from other uh districts across the state while they engage with business professionals in authentic
professional settings and situations. DECA has a long well-established history at Marblehead High School with strong support from uh students, families, parents, local businesses, and the broader community. And uh many of the participating students are returning
members who have previously attended these conferences. And uh this trip represents a a high value educational opportunity that reinforces career readiness, professionalism, and applied learning. And I appreciate this
committee's consideration. >> Any questions from committee? So, um I just had a question. I'm going back again accommodation. So, you're doing triples and quads, right? And it says, um there are two Austin Prep
students that are participating. >> Yes. So, again, so these Austin prep students will be boarding with Marvel High School students. They may not be familiar with >> uh Yes. I mean, >> so, uh, there's a there's a precedent
for this and several other, uh, schools, uh, in the state, um, are are combining to fulfill the the requirements. Uh, when we did this, uh, last year, um, the students, first of all,
>> approved it. So, you know, I went to the students like, listen, they're going to help us out. We're going to help them out to meet is it okay? And um and so they they author, you know, and and approved it. And what had happened last
year was they connected on social media and um and it was a a situation almost exactly the same uh in Florida with two boys from another school that needed support. Again, I just feel like since we're
growing, I feel that when you're asleep, you're right at your most vulnerable and it's just this idea that you are in someone that you attention before. You know, I I don't know. I'm just I
don't never I've always expressed my my discomfort obviously administration doesn't change that um anything further from the committee right so I am looking for a motion to
approve the tech state career development conference competition from Thursday May 12th to Saturday, Thursday, March 12th through Saturday, March 14th, 2026.
>> Motion by Henry Melissa. Any further discussion? Right. We'll call a vote. All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries four to zero.
Thank you. Good luck. So, next on our agenda tonight, we have a series of policy updates um that were more involved than the ones that we did present with agenda. So do those through individual results. And
so I'm going to look for a motion and so first I'm looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy IH ai- school pathway explorational policy. >> Motion by Henry seconded by Melissa.
John, could you explain why this is back? >> Sure. So, the we brought this before the before the committee. You ordered on it um you know, and then we had to submit it to the state to the state and it's strange because this normally doesn't happen, but
some things this is very red because what state basically requires and the biggest change was I'm going to go on record saying I don't
necessarily agree with this. However, um the biggest change is that allowing students to go visit tech or whatever and they go and to visit during the school day has to be
doesn't come against them. Um I have a false that I think it's a it's a personal choice. they may go in the asset bank or someplace else and it shouldn't be on our time. I understand what has to be done a school day. Um so
I I just I just share my dissatisfaction at least I get excuse kids having day to go visit another program school. So um I would do that private schools
box kind of a bigger it's bigger than me but that's that's main discussion >> one question I did have is I know they made changes with the weal in the initial process so so
letters of recommendation ago but transcripts down the letter >> no so they can be they do but that's not >> until So basically so they can't say they want that child once they're
just like transition all the same. >> Um any further questions or comments from >> um so we have a motion on the table by Henry um to approve the updates to policy by HIA. It's been Melissa call
for vote. All in favored motion zero. Um so next >> we already did three readings as a new policy and so there's any number
that we'll see. So next, um I'm looking for a motion to approval for revision school district wellness program. >> Motion by seconded by Melissa.
Um there's a requirement that the wellness advisory committee, which is superintendent advisory committee, um review the wellness policy every three years. I've been sitting on the committee as the school committee rep and that's what work is going on for the
last couple of months. So the revisions in front of us tonight committee um John can chime in but I would say that it the revisions really focused on streamlining and better organizing the policy um and on removing
extra information that was required. >> Yeah. I mean the treaties were the same word I was going to use it. It's also there's some there was some language in there that um it's captured in other policies. I was kind of redundant to and what I will say is that um my
head nurse had she and I had severalations things. So it's really like you said streamlining each other you know for providing screens the lowest requirements and it so I'm really really thankful I want to
thank for hard work it was great to me work I think really incredibly well so I'm really pleased with fin but the work done is great That means >> any questions or comments from the committee? And so we have a motion on
the table to approve the revisions to policy ADF school district program. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries four to zero. >> Next, I'm looking for a motion to resend
policy GA personnel policy goals. So >> second. >> Um so this policy MASC has recommended that districts send this as a foreign policy. Um and their rationale is that goal should be moved to district needs
and should evolve as the district's needs and priorities falls policy subcommittee discussed this one and voted to move it forward to be resident committee. just get a couple test. So,
>> thank you. >> Any further questions or comments? >> So, we have a motion on the table to resend policy GA personnel policy goals. All will vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries four to zero.
Next, I'm looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy GBA, equal employment opportunity. >> So, motion by Henry, second. Um so this one the edit which is reflected in the documents that were in
the file for everyone um it is updating the list of protected categories for employees. Any questions or discussion? We have a motion on the table to revise
policy GVA employment opportunity vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries the board to zero. All right. Next, I'm looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy GVEA, staff ethics/conlicted
interest. >> So, motion by Henry, a second, seconded by Melissa. Um, this one, the change is in a sentence talking about our staff not being able to use information they have
in their us in our capacities. and exchanging the word work to outside employment. Any questions or discussion? Right. We have a motion on the table to approve provisions to policy Ga
Staff conflict of interest. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries forward to zero. Right. Next, I'm looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy GB staff conduct.
>> That is very long. I was doing a little bit of research um on this after I think that there are other school districts that have more robust discussion about so
I asked agenda. So this tonight I will come out of our agenda but we may I'm going to be presenting um a different version of this. So just saying it's possible this one
>> um see kind of what the will of the committee do they want to move that approving the revision or the ruled off leave the existing policy in place and let the policy something come back at a later time?
>> Yeah, that's It's com it's been full discussed. >> Okay. So next I will be looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy GBC gifts to and solit solicitations by steps. So >> motion by
>> second. >> Um so these additions it's adding restrictions on using raffles and tables of chance for fundraising purposes and then there's language added to the policy specifying that gifts must be accept gifts to the district must be
accepted by the school committee. So the one thing about that I think or in our call when we met about this um this had come up in a breakout session it was kind of an issue discussion but and I know Mike I think Mike is online
but basically what this policy says it is the law is that every single thing that's donated to the school needs to be by the school committee. So I'm not sure that that's necessarily um the case. So I just, you know,
>> so yeah, >> uh I did I I did read the policy and I thought I thought that was a little odd because I mean clearly anxiety. >> No, it's anything donated to the school, right? So I think the issue is or to the school district. So the discussion is
interesting that was presented to us in this session was under like a general finance thing but it was from the finance um assistant superintendent of finance in Worcester schools and um you know like various school commanders like well wait a minute like every time a PCO
or PTO done he's like yep yep yep like everything has to be voted by the school. So that's I just want to it is the law and it is the existing policy. So we know we'll approve it but I think we just need to make sure >> we are operationalizing that in the form
of the approvals and maybe we do a quarterly blanket approval or something like that especially with our very robust vibrant PQ >> and boosters and everything that I mean we'll spend reports that doing that. So
yes, I think yes. So let's let's we can have that could be a consent agenda item where we get a copy of it. It's just basically we approve everything because yes, we get a lot again. I'm just thinking just off the top of my head like oh the allocation for magic hats. Okay, >> that makes sense, right? I don't know
about it makes sense to some things that >> I mean PTO's and PCOS routinely every month are don are donating. So not like this. So if the magic hat donated it to our province so and then the
>> true magic hat wouldn't be the issue but it would be but but then the PTO's and the BCOS's donate to the building as do >> other >> yeah parent yeah all sorts of stuff. So I just I'm I'm just putting that out
there so that we're just thoughtful of how we're going to operationalize that. Like I said, maybe Mike and the principles and you can work on this and again maybe it's a monthly or >> Yeah. Let's look at that. Yeah. Because you know Yeah. >> say thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah. that especially but yeah I
mean it's clear when someone says hey we want to donate a bench we want to donate black girl you know they bring it with like every like I go to me so that you meet I know like what going on okay
>> sorry no any further discussion from the um so we have a motion on the table to approve the revisions to policy GBBC DC gifts to and solicit solicitations by staff. All a vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Adjour.
>> Right. Next, I'm looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy GBGB, staff, personal security, and safety. >> So moved. >> Motion by Henry. Second. Seconded by Melissa. This changes the elimination of
pre-employment physicals for certain staff positions. questions. I think I should explain there's no physical jelly. >> Okay. >> It did go through
>> I'll have to check it. I mean, I know my previous death did for >> Yeah, we got we got to double check. >> Any further discussion? didn't like it as a >> not approving.
>> I guess I >> you should be able to I'm It's a little difficult to hear everybody tonight. I heard my name a couple of times. I heard something on the donations, but uh I know you've moved on from that. Was there something else? No. Can you hear us?
>> Oh, yeah. Just It's just It sounds like you're far away. >> Everybody or just me? >> Everybody. >> Oh, okay. >> I have my speaker all the way up and I'm struggling to hear. >> Okay. Um well the discussion on the previous policy was on the on the
donations and what I what I what I had said is that um I had attended an MASC breakout session a couple years ago and the presenter was who was assistant superintendent of finance had said you know the law is and the policies are for the school
districts that every single thing that's donated to the school district must be approved by the school board. >> Yeah. And I think that's there's two reasons behind that. The first one is this. You don't, you may necessarily not want to accept a donation from a organization that doesn't hold the, you
know, the values. And I'll just give you an example. Annheiser Bush wants to donate a scoreboard with their name on it. Um, you know, the athletic director might think that's a great idea and just goes ahead and tells them to go do it. It really should be approved by the school committee. The other thing is I ran into a situation in a previous
district where a an educator had uh gotten a donation for like 10 iPads for their prek classroom and when her ter when her employment terminated by her choice um she felt that she had written the grant and she had gotten the donation and they were hers to take with
her. um we quickly, you know, >> spelled. >> Yeah. Uh changed that opinion and uh obviously the the the material stayed with the district. So it's important for the school district to or the school committee to approve donations. Um you
know, again, there's some common sense. If somebody wants to donate, you know, uh 50 balloons for the water for the for the field day, I'm not sure that we need to, you know, um necessarily burden the school committee with something like that. But you know there there are certainly things that we want to make
sure that um the donator is has the right intentions uh and also that the equipment or whatever the donation is stays within the district. >> So I just wanted to make sure that that would be operationalized by you and and
the administration because we typically haven't voted a lot on it. So we may just need to add that as an item. >> Yeah, I think I I mean I I know we did a couple recently. Um, and I know when when the when the um Piper Field was getting returfed and the new lights going in, those were certainly donated
and and documented and accepted by school committee. Uh, Kristen and I did have this discussion recently about donations and uh it's probably something that we need to review with the principles to make sure that they understand that donations need to go through the business office and then to school committee for approval.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> That was it on that. >> Great. Thank you. That's fine. >> Okay. So, we have a pending motion to approve the revisions to policy GBGB, staff, personal security, and safety.
Any further discussion from the committee? Right. All vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries 4 to zero. Next, I'm looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy GBI, staff participation in political
activities. So, >> we did that in the consent. Yeah. >> Right. Motion by Henry, seconded by Melissa. Um, so the addition the changes to this
policy um is adding ballot initiatives to the list of political activities. um changing school system to school district and then including language um reflecting the state law restriction on public employee soliciting campaign
contributions. Any questions or discussion from the committee? All right. Um so we have a pending motion to approve the revisions to policy GBI staff participation in political activities. Going to call a vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion
carries four to zero. Next, I'm looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy GCA, professional staff positions. >> So moved. >> Motion by Henry. Second. Seconded by Melissa.
Um so these revisions again changing school system to school district but then it is expanding the requirements um that need to come in front of the school committee to include um the modification of existing
positions. >> The other thing too because you weren't at the meeting um is that it does say that superintendent will maintain a comprehensive set of job descriptions. I'm not sure that that's in existence. if I >> so I just
>> we're doing good now that we have uh we're we're targeting our HR department so that is definitely part of the posting positions we're trying to make sure that JavaScript should so >> that is part of this policy you know
shall >> yeah so currently I can tell you that is there I can say is there JavaScript for position available will be yes or no We'll continue to build that. >> Any further questions? Do you have a first?
>> We do. Um Henry made the motion and Melissa seconded it. >> Okay. So, we have a pending motion to approve revisions to policy GCA professional staff positions. All both. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion
carries four to zero. Next, I'm looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy GCBA, professional staff salary schedules. >> So moved. >> Motion by Henry, seconded by Melissa.
Um, so this change it takes there was a section in the policy addressing administrators and a section addressing principles and it combines them together. Um, it deletes language permitting merit increases. Um, and then deletes language um about a
survey of other districts for comparator administrator K. Any questions or comments? All right. Um, so we have a pending motion to approve the revisions to policy GCBB, no GCBA, professional staff
salary schedules. Call a vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. 4 to zero. Right, we're almost there. I'm looking for a motion to approve the revisions to policy GCBB, employment of principles.
>> So, second by Melissa. Um, these are fairly minor changes. It's changing certification to lensure um and using gender neutral pronouns. >> Any questions?
The only thing I wanted to mention on this, this has come up in the past in the late I read this policy is that school committee is has to approve contract in each principal which I'm not
sure has necessarily been the practice. Um I'll open I I've always again will committee but I've always um gone by the way that the school committee approves the budget the operating budget is is the salaries for for um positions
principles the hire of the superintendent um in that I think um if wants to do it differently that's fine I just that's that's always always been the way I've been the last several years since I've
been scary principles and you know you know you know part of the question is how do you figure out the salary scale you look at you know you look it's tough because there's no cookie cutter like you know we have when you have a union you know you know what the steps are right for
principles it's look at the size of the school you look at is what level is it look at towns look at there's a bunch of different things there's not you kind of says this is this is like the you know clearcut brand So we also look
at you know their experience. We look at you know all those things and and try to match it up as best you can. So it's it's not a Boston system but I've had this conversation with this comes up on the list serve a lot like hey does it have a principal salary scale that we
can and that's that's the private looks different in different communities for these regions and it's just a lot of scale. Well, no, because it would be the range would be inroved in a budget. But what this policy says and has said is
principles shall be employed by the school district under individual contracts employment. Said contract shall be submitted to the school committee for approval of all terms concerning compensation benefits prior to the presentation of a contract employment.
So I'm just that's what the policy says. I just want to make sure you're, you know, aware that >> we or we could approve the remissions because they don't touch that language. There are um >> legal citations in this policy so we can
look at what the statute is requiring relative to this and then we could have further conversations. >> I think this is the statute. I think it is my sense and we can have a conversation I see that this is you know this is the case in all school districts.
It's not, you know, it's not necessarily in practice and that's why I'm just >> Yeah, I think it's definitely worth the conversation. I just want to make sure that >> Yeah. >> I I think >> so. It's not saying that the school committee is firing the principal, right? I think what it's saying, how I read it is that
>> there's a range, right, which is said by this committee. Um, in terms of compensation, it is the prerogative of the superintendent to make the, you know, the hiring decision. And as long as it's within that range, then you know that's the the decision of the
superintendent. But it does require the approval of the school committee prior to issuing the contract. That's what it says. >> Well, I don't I just it just it just seems like >> that's not a change. >> No, no, no. No. And I get that. I think
um when I looked at that, my initial thought was yeah, if it's statute, that's what I have to follow. I think it in practice mean I don't think that's you mean tomorrow maybe it goes back to the school please again my >> it used to years ago and then it stopped >> well because I think you know again I
think it's one of those things where the interpretation well it's not the interpretation of the superintendent hires principal but is it if it has to go before the school committee and the school committee then could have veto power over that I mean that that seems it's crossing that's where I'm getting a little money right I mean I have no
problem saying hey we're hiring this person this the SAR range because we have to put the SAR range on the on the postings though. So postings there and s range is there. This is where we hire the person. >> Yeah. And don't forget that >> director of student services and loom nurse I think are all also the most and
in terms of practice I don't know that it's necessarily happened but >> I'm not seeing anything in this section that is explicit as it was in in the MP >> you're looking at the statute >> and just briefly I'm not obviously not digging into it but I think I think it
does make sense to compare these two again. >> Yeah. So I think we can if if it's the will of the committee, we can approve these the proposed revisions tonight because they're in an entirely different policy >> and then can do some further assessment
of this particular issue and you know that merits >> revision to the policy or change to how it's operationalized. >> Yeah. I just I just want to make sure that whatever we land on is not
putting the school committee in a situation where they you know they not you know what I mean I know it's not but I can see where you know what I mean so I want to make sure we're protecting that's >> I think that's why it's important to adjust this.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So >> yeah and and I applaud like I said when I when I read that they mean back in December whatever I was like let me send the statue I saw the statute so I didn't >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Any further questions or comments from the committee? Okay. So we
have a motion on the table to approve the revisions to policy GCBB employment of principles and call a vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries 4 to zero. And our last policy for tonight, I'm looking for a motion to approve the
revisions to policy GCF, professional staff hiring. >> So moved. >> Second. Motion from Henry, second from Melissa. Um, so the changes here, it's deleting some language about preferred candidates
in the selection process and cleaning up the language in the ways we've seen in other policies, changing it to district certification, etc. and then updating the list of protected categories. Um, and it's the same updated list that we saw in the first policy that we looked
at this evening. So, any questions or from any Okay, so we have a motion on the table to approve the revisions to policy GCF, professional staff hiring a vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries four to zero.
Um, next on the agenda tonight are subcommittee and these on updates. You have anything? >> Well, do you want to do? >> Um, the policy committee met I guess it was last week um and did what we all
just walked through. Um so we'll meet again in February and we'll do you know whatever manageable um sections you know come next in the manual and we'll just kind of keep Marching or
um the budget subcommittee met this morning which we're going to get to in just a moment or did we already >> Oh I I just said my updates that we were present budget but you can share Sheriff.
>> So, um well, no, it was it was a great meeting. Um it Mike was there. Um John, we also had um it wasn't a it wasn't a joint meeting, but we did have the um some some of the leaison there from the finance committee, Molly, Keith, Pat,
Franklin, and um uh no, El was Yeah, just the two of them. Um, so this was basically our I guess second iteration or I guess second iteration um of what we were tasked with doing from the town side which was to
present a level funded budget um for consideration in this case this morning to the subcommittee next week will be presented to the full school committee. Um I don't know if anyone attended the state I know Melissa did I was there in person in the state of town last night.
um I don't know if we had a chance to watch >> attend that. Okay, good. So that was a also telling you know sort of situation in regards to the town of finances. Um but we were tasked with a level funded budget which is what we were what was
presented to us today. Um and uh so I want just want to thank you know superintendent and the assistant superintendent Mike for doing really really really thorough job. Um this I've been this is you know my seventh actual budget I've been involved in probably 27
budgets um as a spectator. Um and this is has to be the mo you know the smoothest uh you know the the story isn't necessarily great but the process was was excellent. um and the transparency in terms of what's being and you'll see this what's being um
proposed um to be able to meet these you know these funding levels for next year or proposed funding levels for next year. Um again it's not a great story because our revenue members are um are down actually moving here which is um
which is definitely a difficult situation. Um the town side has also you know some work to do. One of the things I wanted to mention for the record um is you know I think um kudos to our administration for the you know and the
subcommittee for doing this work starting last fall. Um but what presented last night in front of in terms of the town was um it looked like we we were had that we were doing a level service budget that only had like a $900,000 increase. And I think for the
record, I just want to say and I've spoken to some of the folks in the press that you know we are we started out with a level services budget last fall with a 2.6 or 2.7 million need for increase and we have been working that down and
you'll see next week to basically a a level funed budget. The town side that I was reported last night was their level services budget and they little >> Yeah. So, I just wanted to make make sure that that that was clear. Um, and I'm not begrudging. It was just, you
know, where we are in the process and where they are and how those numbers represented um state of the town. So, that's it. So, next week we will see that. Um, I'm hoping that when you put the agenda together, that should probably be sort of the main >> the plan is that there would not be
anything else on the agenda unless there's other things that can't wait until the end of the month. So, it should be entirely budget. will talk about two weeks and we definitely make I think J and I talked a little about
the way to be hosted not actually but the following public hearing we need to make sure we'll do that very specific you have to for two weeks before there's some steps so maybe at next month next week's committee meeting we can just kind of
talk that out and make sure we all it's all so we don't miss anything timeline's tight So budget proposal next week 26 is the public hearing that we go to ANF maybe a meeting in between if we need to
>> then we're right right up against the meeting. So >> but we are >> way ahead where we've been the past. >> I felt Can I just so thank you so much for the kudos and and in in the nice comments um from today and again
tonight. Um, you know, thank you to to Mike and the whole team, Julia and Lisa Marie and and all the principles. Like, we've been working collaboratively and the collaboration with the town finance board when they came and mailed this in the fall. I have to admit, I've said this publicly. I was a little like,
what's happening here? Um, and I knew why it was happening, but I'm glad it worked out and things worked themselves out. We got in a place where they seem very happy um with how we we done it. I'm very happy with the way things have come together. The subcommittee, you
know, kind of tasked us with um a few items. I think what we presented today met their met their needs and their and their wants. Um so I'm really pleased with the way um things panned out. Mike and his and Kristen and their office and their collaboration with the town has
just been been really great. Um you know, it'll be interesting to see how things continue to un unfold with the town and what they're looking to do. um the state of the town last night was you know interesting and I think you know hopefully there'll be some conversations
about other you know other other funding sources but I'm proud of the fact that not that I wanted to do this but I'm proud of the fact that we were able to we will be able to present a lot of fun we're you know everything is this far off the market we will get there by next
week >> well and I think the important thing to note too is that you know it's very clear there's a lot of clarity in the room what that level of funding budget means in terms of how that's affecting specific line items, how it's affecting our students, how it's affecting staff. And therefore, at this point, you know,
it's still January that we're doing this. There is time for us to talk as, you know, as a committee and and to hear from the public because that's the point of the budget hearing. everyone remember this like we're going to have this budget presented to us um as a full committee next week on the 5th and then
there's time so that's time for the public to sort of hear about that press um through our you know our website digest it attend the public hearing hear it again and there may be some changes I mean committee members may have some suggestions and there may be some tweaks the budget hearing is the time for the
public to hear the actual presentation of the budget and to give officially get feedback. I mean the the hearing unlike public comment is actually a dialogue and so this opportunity for us to answer questions for people to to dialogue with us. I hate dialogue as a bird, but to
you know to to to speak with us and then um at a future meeting likely the next meeting budget and therefore then there's time to talk about um in a meaningful way additional revenue sources, what that looks like, what that
looks like at town meeting and being prepared if if that does go forward um to to provide information to the public to be able to make a decision of balance. Oh, any other hasn't met? >> Well, we have the February month
schedule. >> Oh, >> I'll send it up. I have I have the list. I think >> Sunday. Yeah. >> No, February. Not February one. February meeting. Yeah. >> Okay.
>> I can send that. >> Okay. That's all the goals committee wellness is with John and and we've met several times like >> we met at the beginning of January. Um the goals subcommittee we haven't met
yet traveling. So hopefully when we take two it's February break is something to look at. like uh safety I mean it's superintendent committee but we do the safety committee so I run two different safety committees one's with the
administration and the union members we met a couple times there stuff safety committee I meet with principles and the town >> who was on that >> tower school committee >> oh okay
>> so we we met we uh that met twice I think being first we that in place we we're doing that quarterly just we have been doing it monthly it just it seemed very redundant less you know we couldn't pull together so that those two
>> I think if I'm not mistaken based on theou from last year if the the staff safety committee wants to present to the school committee I think there needs to be a communication for 15
>> yeah yes >> so just giving you a little heads up have >> I don't know whether they want you may not >> they may or may not I what I can tell you is that the conversations that we're having is is really about um how we track certain things in our systems and what does that look like so we'll we'll
talk about it next meeting see if there's something that like really lies the level of having to come before the committee but um we can certainly just do a quick update and say you know this is what we talked about this is what we have done or changed or Um it's probably
>> um we have no further updates. Um I don't think we had any >> I just have one more thing. I'm sorry. Um could we before we close make sure I didn't forget. So the SW committee found calendar dates. Can we put me try to talk about that? I know we have this
budget but that >> I can put together >> all those be. >> Yeah. just because I want to make I want to try to I don't want to get too far down the road before like well you guys approved the calendar tonight so thank you but I want you to try to do the next steps that
change >> if other committee members are in agreement we could just have a document like we did in the summer post meeting dates and we don't necessarily even need to have discussion about it if you know >> yeah I mean know I know it's generally
that first and third >> first and third but there's cover. >> Yeah, there's always >> All right. Yeah, if we can >> Well, I think I mean again, I won't be part of this, but I think that it's um really important to it is our policy to have it >> and I think you know for you know in spirit of transparency and good
governance um we should be trying to stick to that as much as possible. So sometimes we have to um um shift due to um to vacation week holiday weeks um particularly December and February and people but you know strongly encourage
adhering to that because that's what the public is used to. >> Yeah. No I'm not going to change that. I just want to just there's always that couple like oh we can't you know we're going to double them up or they're going to be back to back. Is that okay? and you know so yeah if we can work on that and just do a little >> absolutely I think we had a lot this
year of Thursday holidays that fell along the regularly scheduled meetings which made it >> more cookooky than usual so hopefully next year will be much more straightforward >> thank you >> actually one last thing before we go you might have said this if I missed in your
update but we did um on the district approval plan a week is that going to be coming up >> uh closes with uh went up to staff that poses tomorrow and then I'm going to just I'm going to go through that and then I'll I'll send it out probably the
budget hearing I will send that out to you guys should have done it through the all staff one but I'll send it out specifically to parents and to you guys again just one more time with the with whatever changes that I make for the snap input so it's going to go out to parents caregivers and school me again
>> just to review not for a survey >> yeah no review you can you can add your comments and survey to you want for the week because what I'm going to do is integrate the feedback now, send it back out, get more feedback, integrate it
with or without feedback that way or and then I'm going to bring it then school committee anyway and then you know if you know if you want to do it by the survey I'll wait and say my feedback and then I'll revise it or whatever whatever
you have seen it before I bring it to that question. >> Okay. Um, we do not have any correspondence as far as I'm aware for this evening. Um, so I am looking for a motion to meet in executive session
pursuant to chapter 30A section 21E3 purpose 3 to discuss strategy with respect to potential litigation J. Bucky as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigation litigating position of the school committee and the chair so declares without intent to return to open
session. >> So motion from Jen >> second from Henry to a roll call vote. Jen favor Melissa in favor. Henry >> in favor >> eight in favor. Motion carries four to
zero. We will now enter into executive session pursuant to chapter 30A section 21 N3 purpose 3 to discuss strategy with respect to potential litigation. Jay Bucky is an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of school and the chair so
declares without intent to return to session. This.