--------- She's on Zoom. >> I'm sorry. I didn't realize this was a I thought this was a Zoom meeting. >> No, that's okay. >> She's on Zoom. >> Okay. >> All right. I'm going to call us to order at 11:02.
>> Jen, I'm going to turn my computer and hopefully that way you'll be able to >> Okay, >> hear us. >> John, you don't want to try to do it on the screen? >> Um, >> it doesn't matter. >> Yeah, it's fine. I just >> Um, let's do a quick roll call. Uh, just Well, actually, once we live stream, are
you live streamed? >> It is live streaming. Yes. >> Can we just do a quick roll call so it's recorded? Sure. Um >> I'll just call a roll call. Kate Mcper >> present. >> Jen Shaner present.
>> Okay. >> We also have um Superintendent John Rabido >> and Julia will be here momentarily. She's coming down the hallway. >> Okay. Well, we'll call her when she gets here. Okay. Great. >> Yes. >> Hi, Julia. How are you?
>> Good. So, assistant superintendent Julia Pereira's on the screen. If you sit here, she'll be able to >> Hi, I can hear you guys. It's fine. >> All right. I'm just going to like slide my computer down this way. Okay. Um,
first on our agenda is a discussion of policy I KF, the competency determination. Um, and Jen, I think John sent or is in the process of sending you >> I can send you without all. Hold on. Can you
>> It is ready to go with >> it is I'm just trying to So when I pulled that go >> No, just go up a little bit more and click on Geesh. Where is it? This one. >> B. Perfect. Sorry, I scrolled right over
it. Sorry, Jen. I had a hard copy, so hold on a second. >> Um, okay. >> Do you want to just share? Do you have it on? Do you have a laptop? Do you want to share your screen? >> Yeah, I'm send it to you right now.
>> Well, we probably still should. join the Zoom. >> If you want to join the Zoom, >> we'll do that right now. >> And then I can >> enable you to share that >> or I can once I get it. >> Great.
>> Very direct. >> Very dramatic. The >> sound effect would indicate that it's on its way to you, Jen. probably gonna take a couple seconds. >> Yeah. >> So, while while you're waiting, it's just it's basically the draft is uh so just by way of um background, you know.
>> Hang on. Do you want me to share the screen so it's on the record, Kate? >> Yeah, that's fine. >> Uh just give me a second here. >> Should be able to, but let me know with you. Uh >> I just sent a request. >> Okay. I approved it, so you should be able. >> Oh, wait. I got a million things up
here. Hang on. Well, let's see. Is that up there? >> It is. >> It is. >> Excellent. All right. So, the draft is uh file I KFE competency determination. Um so, this is a one of the requirements of
graduation in mass is the determination of competency in the subject area. So, obviously used to be MCCAST and now it's no longer MCCAST. So, we had to come up with a each district had to come up with a um a policy that outlined what the competency determination would be. And we've talked about this previously, but
this is kind of um what we what the holdup was. We're waiting to see what um Desi was coming up with and what other districts kind of where they landed so we can kind of uh see what's going on. So, most districts that we've talked to um and done outreach to is very similar to what we we're presenting here as a
draft and it's in line with what Desi's looking for. So realistically it's it's following um the the mastery would be to uh um so basically it says to to show mastery a student must successfully complete in accordance with Marblehead public schools grading policy or by any
other appropriate methodology as may be determined by district administration a final assessment for a course or capstone portfolio project or an equivalent measure identified in the district's CD policy. So each each um area there's English, math, science and history. Um, so you would a student have
to receive a passing grade and credit for both English nine and English 10 courses. So that would be in English and that's to satisfy this course. The English language course must be paid taken from grades 9 9 through 12. Um, and then math is same thing receiving a passing grade in credit for both algebra
1 and geometry. And then um for science receive a passing grade in credit for biology and an additional lab science which would be either chemistry, physics or engineering. Then US history beginning with the graduating class of 2027 would receive passing grade and
credit for United States history. And then we go on to say you know the courses are aligned um in Marblehead. Uh the summer school program would be play be in place provided for students who fail a course requiring a passing grade for competency determination. Students
who do not pass a course as outlined will be placed on a proficiency plan which a student will demonstrate evidence of meeting the learning standards of the course from student work such as classroom assignments, projects and assessments. The applicable courses for proficiency plan would be in categories as outlined in ELA math
science US history. Um and the proficiencies assessed by the principal. So that's kind of like a portfolio of of of work to kind of um look at whether they meet the competency. Um and then we talk about students with disabilities. Um you talk a little bit this language is pretty much from DESIE around the
free appropriate public education. Um and they have to we have to make sure that they also determine that the student has met competency and local graduation requirements prior to graduating. Students that this is important to notice that uh students who have been in out of district placements
they must meet the requirements competency determination of the placing school um district. So um they're in out of district placement. you have to make sure that you know their their coursework is is what it needs to be. But it's it's basically when you put a kid in out of district, you you're also
fighting off on what they're um providing as education. Um and obviously that has to be part of that IEP plan. And then um you'll just have to look at things the the differences as kids with you know students with significant cognitive disabilities may be um
appropriate for alternative portfolio assessment which is you know still still an option for some of the more needy kids. Um so that's outlined in the thing as well. And then we talk a little bit about ELLL students English language learners. Um, Marblehead public schools shall on a case by case determine
appropriate courses necessary for language learners to achieve language proficiency and meet competency determination requirements. Um, and we needed to recognize that when students come into our district like late in the game like say as a junior senior um we would have to look at things a little
bit differently. So, how we have it outlined here, students who enroll in Marblehead after the ninth grade school year may be um may be granted aer determination of competency by Marblehead public schools by transcript review of the school principal. So, again, if they're coming in from another district, we need to look at those, see
if they've met requirements there. Um, and this is the one area where we can look at the qualifying MCCAST score of at least meeting or exceeding um expectation achievement levels at the relevant high school MCCAST assessment. So I know that seems contrary to like
why do it for ELLL but not for but it's really only for the students who coming to us late so that we haven't had the opportunity to provide the uh language instru >> um so it has to be that kind of similar to like you know students with disabilities there's an option for potential um you know portfolio
assessment similar um for the ELL and then there is an appeals process where the um where we outline how the current students may appeal a determination of competency in accordance with the following district's procedures and that has to be in writing to the high school principal and then it goes to me
afterwards. So that that that the uh we should probably put in writing said it. So we yeah that was my apologies. >> So then so that's that's basically the overarching thing and uh you know we we looked at um like I said we looked at similar schools um and our thought at
this point is to um you know this is basically what we have in place now. what we think if we codify it in a policy knowing that there's still discussions at the state level with Desi and we're a lot of the superintendents assistant superintendent having these
conversations um with Desi is the feeling is Desi is going to come up with something that they're going to put out there. So we don't want to go too far down a rabbit hole and then change it again and again and again. So kind of um thought this would be a good way to move forward. uh Desi
may or may come up with something that makes sense >> and then we kind of would have to adopt that is is kind of the thinking. So I think it's gonna be a mandate at some point. It's not gonna be MCCAST but it may be something that they tell us we have to do. >> So um I think that's what most districts are doing right now is is is kind of
holding steady waiting for DESI guidance you know the new commissioner and stuff and move forward that way rather than changing changing changing. >> So so that's that's where we are. Did I miss anything? >> Um, just in terms of the formatting and template, this was recommended by MASC.
I think it's important to note that the actual template formatting, all of that, we did look to MASC for guidance. >> Yeah. And they had they had highlighted areas where they said this is what you should include, too. So, it's it's really Yeah, it's a template um policy. So,
>> filled it with our specific. >> Um, Jen, did you have any questions or comments? >> Yeah, a lot. So, first of all, we're not I'm not in a position to go forward with this today because I just saw it. So, in terms of this being like a first
reading, but we can we can discuss that. So, a couple questions. So, this is competency determination, not graduation requirement, >> correct? >> Okay. So, it you because you have to take four years of language, English language arts, four years of math, I think three years of science.
>> Yeah. So, that Yeah. So, the compensate determination obviously dubtales with that. So, you know, even with the MCCAST, you have to take all the graduation requirements, but then just pass the 10th grade M, you know, ninth grade for science, 10th grade MCCAST for the other um courses. So, this is what we have in place instead of that.
>> So, is there any reason why we aren't setting a higher bar >> meaning >> meaning you have to pass a passing grade for English 11 and 12 too. Um the guid the guidance from the state was to um replicate what was done in the
um in the in the 10th grade >> by the 10th grade. >> By the 10th grade. >> I understand that. But is there any reason why we wouldn't want to set a higher bar? >> Yeah, there's definitely some reasons for that. One is if a student does not successfully pass, let's just say we add English 12 as a competency
determination, it's already a graduation requirement, but we there would be the length of having to, you know, what we've put into place of taking a summer school class or an alternate assessment, the alternate assessment that would >> put them at a disadvantage,
>> a huge disadvantage. No other district that we've come across has done anything beyond 10th grade except >> Oh, you could do 11th grade. >> No other district we've um come across have done anything beyond 10th grade except for if US history falls in that
10th or 11th grade um area. So everybody else is is sticking with the >> Okay. Well, okay. But I'm talking about Marblehead. >> So I'm just trying to understand why we wouldn't want to set a higher bar. We've talked about rigor, right? We've talked
about this. Um, 11th grade would still give you time if you needed to. Like, in other words, if you don't pass 11th or 12th grade English, you don't graduate. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> So, why is that different? >> I don't understand how that makes it a
higher bar because they have they still have to pass the course anyway to to graduate. >> Well, then why is it even passing it then? Well, for that matter, then you know >> Well, yeah, that that's that's the overall question, right? I mean, I don't think anyone really agrees with that that we even have to put this into place
for that reason, but we're being told by the state that we have to. So, >> well, what's a And then the other question is, what's a passing grade? >> We could set We could also set a specific I don't know. Well, what's a passing grade? >> A 60.
>> Uh 60. >> So, is that a bar we want? >> Well, that that was a lot of the discussion. Um and again in in having conversations um no no one is really going down that road and we didn't think that that was a
good way for us to go either because again I think it's one of those things where Desi is going to come up with something that they're going to want to see. And I think once we get to that point, we can have those more in-depth conversations about what does that look like and and what is that, you know, if
it's if they say, well, you have to have X, you know, grade or X type of assessment, then at that point, we can adjust and and make the adjustments. I think to to change stuff now and then change it again a year from now and change it again potentially, you know,
it just it it's >> Well, we're going to be changing it again likely. I mean, unless this is what Desi is going to set, which is not a particularly high bar, um, I think we could I don't see why we can't at least discuss defining a passing grade as something higher than 60.
>> So, we to shed light on the work that happened. There was a lot of behind the scenes work. And I think one of the things I want to bring up with you and and Jen is that we spent a tremendous amount of time, we actually dove into the data and spent hours. Um, and a shout out to our high school team for
supporting with this work. Um, we looked at grade distribution. We looked at how our students were doing in terms of of grades. Our students are performing very well. And when they're not performing well is most
sorry, there's a noise here. >> Okay. So, sorry, Jen, there was just a noise. I got distracted by it. My apologies. I want to finish my thought here. um when they're not there's there is in many cases um a disability or something that we know about with the student that has um that is impacting
their learning. So we we spent a deep dive in terms of the data which is very important to us. And so one of the things that we looked at was we want to make sure that we are um we're very proud of our rigorous courses and what we're offering and that work is
happening and our when we looked at the deep dive into the grades we felt that it did really reflect that our students are performing well and if not we've identified the need and they're either in um you know um specialized classes or our RTI class. And then the other
important point to make is that if we set a number, it's really um something to be thoughtful about because when our kids come to us um from other schools, we don't have numbers. We have letter grades. And so if we get really
specific, I do want to just caution that it could be um more detrimental to a to a student um as they transfer into Marblehead High School. So, I don't want to set up a system where we're making it harder for our students who have already gone through a transition to from one
>> Well, neither am I, and I don't think anybody is, but I think that we are letting the exception become the rule for something like that, right? Because it's a minority of students that show up um later in grades for for us. So, first of all, I'd like to see this data. That would be helpful.
>> Okay. Well, and again, that's fine. You know, we're talking about the policy here right now. So, the policy, >> right, >> but your your recommendation on this policy is based on what Julia just said, which is data that all this data that you looked at. So, it would be helpful to see that or to see a presentation of it.
>> Well, Jen, the data is something that we do, as you know, I've talked about several times. This is we make data informed decisions, right? We look at data all the time. I I don't want this to be, you know, any kind of gotcha moment or anything like that. We we have data. We can share data publicly. I want
to consider that. Um >> all the data is public record, Julia. So it's not like I don't understand. >> So student data is absolutely not public. >> I'm not asking for individual student data. I'm okay. So then you either did it in an aggregate or you looked at individual students.
>> Yeah, it's student based data. So we'd have to think about what you're looking for and we can work on that. But we do >> I am telling you I think that this bar is low. That's what I'm telling you. That's all. >> Can we maybe take a little step back and
beyond satisfying Desi's requirement that we find our students competent to graduate? What is the like what does this matter? So for an individual student, what does it matter that they met the requirement or not? And for the district, what like
what is the great question, you know, as opposed to being able to meet our graduation requirements? >> Yeah. And I think I think it's a benchmark towards graduation, right? So the state says we have to say, hey, this student is confident in these areas and
competency again from all the districts we talked about is passing the grade and in the rigor that is set in in the schools and how we get there >> um and in passing the grades in these areas at that time in addition to as as
part of our graduation requirements. So it's part and parcel. It's not one or the other, it's both. Right. Right. So, I think the both part and I don't necessarily disagree with what some of what you're saying, Jen, is you know, is our rigor high enough? I think there's always room for a conversation around rigor. What does rigor mean? It's not
like, oh, if I get a B+ I've I've I've demonstrated that I I understand rigorous material. It's we have to provide the material in a way that's rigorous so that when they get a certain grade we we're comfortable that that's that's been provided in a in a manner of
um you know not not that it's watered down enough that it's you know less than um so you know I don't want to get hung up on number grades either and I think that's the reason why most people haven't gone down that road because the other thing that happens is you say B is a passing instead of a a C minus or
whatever um that just it just it just creates creates a scenario where you know >> I'm actually trying to say you're saying 60, right? So or I guess you're converting it to a letter. I don't know what you know whatever.
I'm not voting for this right now. I don't think this is not I don't know. It just doesn't it just it just looks like a low bar. >> What would be your suggestion? My suggestion would be to consider one more level um of the core courses for a year
to 11th grade. Also to consider what the definition of a passing grade is. The passing grade could be 70 or 65. Okay. that that has I mean that's that's yeah I appreciate the input and we can you know we can obviously have that as
part of the conversation that changes not just this policy though that changes the trajectory of a lot of things so that's that's has bigger ramifications >> well it wouldn't it doesn't affect graduation requirement does that um because that doesn't
that doesn't have a passing grade you have to take the course right >> no you have to pass you have to pass it okay >> y Okay. Well, okay. I mean, I I don't know. It's a low bar. That's all I'm
going to say. >> Okay. >> The US history also is just so for history, you're only taking one course for competency. They may not be there may be more for graduation, but to be competent, you have to pass US history.
>> Yep. >> Yes. That's what that's what the states tell us. Yep. >> And no other course. Not for the competency piece, no. But for our graduation requirements, yes. >> So would we consider adding that to the competency? >> Like I'm just trying to think like you
graduate from Marvel High School and you are, you know, this is what you're demonstrating. You got a 60 in algebra, one in geometry, a 60 in bio, and another lab science, a 60 in US history, and a 60 in English 9th and 10th grade.
>> Yep. Do is there a scenario though in which a student you know attends Marblehead doesn't meet our graduation requirements therefore doesn't receive a diploma but it would matter that they're able to
show that they met the competency determination or is that a >> totally unlikely they could meet the compet determination not meet the graduation because it could say hey I passed I passed all these courses and I'm going to skate the rest of the time and then fail the rest of the courses and oops, I'm not going to
get my diploma and come back for summer school and do another semester, which I mean, I don't know how often it happens in Marblehead, but I've seen that happen in the past and that's that's not a a place you want to put any kid into. Um, but >> how many of that do we do c can you give
us that data? How many students don't graduate in four years? It's it would be I think revealing and I >> Yeah, I don't we can't have that information. >> Well, I don't have that information off top of my head. I mean, it's very low here. I'm just saying there is a
scenario that that could happen and I've seen it happen in the past. I have I haven't seen that here, but I haven't really looked at that that specific piece to be honest with you. >> So, I think yeah, I mean that's why when we have these conversations, it's it's hard because what is the bar, right? Okay. What's the bar? What's what's an
acceptable bar? And and I it's not that I disagree with you, Jen. I think it's just it it it's a bigger discussion from the state side, too, because I think we, you know, we want to look at, you know, I I guess I get I get to a point where like when we when we're looking at some
things, we want to compare to other districts and when we're looking at other things, the other districts don't matter. And I'm trying to be consistent there. And this is one of those things where when we, you know, we do bargaining, we look at other contracts. When we do when we look at MCAT scores, we we want to look at all the dark districts and the comparable districts. when we look at dropout rates and
attendance, we do all that and then, you know, all of a sudden we're not going to we don't care when we're doing a policy like this. And I think that that's where we get into that dichotomy of not being consistent. So, um, not that not that it's right or wrong, it's just I'm just
stating stating a perception. So, >> I mean, the way I've been looking at this is that the competency determination is really a state requirement. They want every district to attest that the students are have achieved some level of
competency. Whereas >> is that how you would define Kate a graduate of high school by these level? >> I think that they're two different things. That's what I'm saying. So, you know, we could say in Marblehead, you know, we hold students to a higher standard for them to earn a diploma. We
do >> which those are our graduation requirements which I see as different from you know the state has said that you know across all of the commonwealth if you have graduated from high school you know you've achieved this
>> but they haven't said that >> baseline level of competency they >> but I mean that is sort of what MCCAST >> Yeah. But it's not that's why we're that's why we're doing this this little project here. >> I understand that. I'm just in my mind
as we're having this discussion. I think that competency and graduation requirements are two separate things that were conflating. >> If you think of the word competent, it means you're like you are able to demonstrate, right, >> that you understand that concept. It's not >> Yeah, but I I disagree. I think if
you're competent, you are you should be able to display competency in what a high school graduate should be able to do, which is not 10th grade work. >> But that's that's what we that's that was our task by the state. That's what that's what we're tasked with is doing
10th grade. We have to have a benchmark. >> Well, no, they said you need to develop competency. So, how about we can we can use MCCAST as a competency determination. It's not suggested, right? >> It's highly highly >> unless super special.
>> Yeah, it's highly dissu dissuaded from doing that. They said that right out of the gate, >> but you can. >> I We'd have to look into We actually got a a legal brief. >> No, I just looked it up. You can. >> I mean, we could get a legal Yeah, we I mean, I'm just I'm not saying I'm just
saying that's, you know, that's an idea. Um, as you know, I guess as a possibility. Um it would you know it it would not um it would not it would be different than what you've you've presented here obviously because
>> yeah I I I quite frankly I wouldn't I wouldn't present MCCAST as a as a as a composite determination in this pol I wouldn't >> well if you did you would you would probably get a lot you know you'd have a better um you what was presented to us was this issue that now that it's not a
requirement for graduation that students aren't taking this test seriously. That was what was presented to us >> 100%. >> And that we don't I'm not sure if the actual count was but that we have you know less students taking the test. >> It's both. >> And so if you had it as a competency
determination, you might address those issues. >> I'm not prepared to put that in the policy at the moment to be honest with you. >> Okay. Kate, what do you think about that? I mean, I would be curious. Julia has
said that they got a legal brief about it. So, you know, if that's something that the committee is going to encourage the district to do, I would want to better understand what the legal guidance has been around it. We can look at that. >> It's been a while since
>> um but you know I come back to the idea that every district in the Commonwealth is dealing with this right now. And if the policy that we're looking at is on par with what other districts are doing,
I think that that's a reasonable approach while we await further guidance from Desi on what the, you know, the requirement really is going to be rather than having our administrators spend a lot of time developing a different
policy for Marblehead. Well, my understanding is, and maybe I'm wrong, that prior to MCCAST, MCCAST was the graduation requirement, but it wasn't the competency determination previously.
>> Yes. >> No, it was >> that's why we have to do this because it was the >> it was so it was both the competency and the graduation requirement. >> Graduation requirement. No, MCCAST was you had to demonstrate competency by taking and passing the MCAST at a certain grade in order to again roll
into what your graduation you know to be able to graduate. So if you if you didn't take if you didn't get a certain thing you could still you could get a certificate of completion instead of a diploma. So this so getting on an MCCAST just this this is just a way to say okay what are we going to look at
>> I I didn't understand it that way but okay um okay the other question I had is um there was a mention below about students that are out of district um hang on
>> it's under additional considerations students >> yeah um um out of district must meet the competency determination of the placing school district. And I think John you said something about um like determining that schools
the out of districts play those schools that we place students out of district that they are we review that or we are ensured that we are ensuring that their curriculum is >> Yeah. So, so typically what happens is if a student's not a district placement, like say it's a collaborative, um we
basically part of us placing them in contract with them is to say that what what you're providing for your for your um coursework in all those areas is we will will meet the standards. So then we we basically have to you know assume that
they're meeting that those that are providing the standards in those in those uh through specially designed instruction. So, I'm going to look at I'm going to just look at that language again just because um now that I'm reading it again, it basically looks like it says they have to come back and meet what we are placing and I think
that's that's something I got to look at. Um thank you for pointing that out because after I read it, I said I think that's opposite where my understanding is. So, >> so I so the question I had about that so I know this has come up um in our district but also in other districts. So
there are schools that are I guess 766 schools that are approve I guess I don't know if approved but maybe that's the word by the state for student you know to for for uh their out of district placement options but if we were to if because and I believe we have placed
students that were not 766 schools is that like is that something to consider like we won't place students in unapproved schools >> um so let me take that in two parts let me let me just rewind for a second so I I think I think the problem I'm have maybe in the problem you're having that
I'm having with this language is when it says the placing school. So what I was trying to say is if we place a kid in a district placement we have to assume that what they're providing for education is meets the standards right but they get the deploy. So if they're in an out of district placement for all four years of high school, um they they go through all that stuff. They go
through IP meetings and stuff like that, but they if they meet all the com all the stuff that that school says they've met, we have we issue a Marblehead school diploma, right? >> That's what the placing school means. So we might need to just tweak that language a little bit. as far as a 766, not seven. I mean, so if it's a if it's
an unapproved school, um, it would, yeah, we'd have to look at that differently because that we could we could potentially place a kid in say New Hampshire in a school in New Hampshire out of district. Um, which probably wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility since our proximity is so
close. Um I think my my experience with that is that when that happens we have to do a very specific records review of their transcripts and stuff for um issuing of diplomas. So we would be the our our guidance department would work
closely with that school whether it was a 766 school or not to look at the the transcript to see make sure everything match. When you say transcript, I mean I would think it would be before we would place them that we would review not what they've taken, but what they're going to take >> because we wouldn't want to be sending a
student to a school that they will be unable to determine their competency based on, >> right? Yeah. It's it's both. I mean, obviously, but you know, on the back end when it's the most important is to make sure that like, oh yeah, we we've done our due diligence um on that. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I mean, it's possible that they
don't, you know, I don't know, they don't have lab sciences. I don't know, you know, who knows? >> So, I guess I guess the um so for instance, say it was a kiddo that was in an out of district placement in New Hampshire, but the parents then moved to Marblehead, so then we own them. >> We may not have had that opportunity at
the beginning of their stint there to say, "Hey, is this going to meet all the requirements?" That's that would be a situation where we'd have to do a really deep dive into the, you know, once we got them to make sure um that they would match up. So, yeah. >> Okay. So what what is what was the expectation
today? uh we wanted to present this draft for for your edification and I um you know I I don't know where we go from here in terms of uh your input and and Kate's input um in terms of changing anything
here but um so my understanding is that there's a end of December deadline from Desi to have >> correct and would this If this is put in place by the end of
December, will our this year's seniors be expected to meet it or is this later? >> We're on track for everything because of what we already previously approved last year. We've been working off of that which which is >> connected. The only I guess difference
here would be kind of the formatting and what was recommended by MASC plus the US history which would go in effect. Um, so we're going to start working on that one um for students because um that is a junior year class. So we will um be looking at that at the end of this year
>> to make sure that they are >> ready to go um going forward. So >> um December 31st is the deadline um for submission to DESIE. Um, we want to feel confident that what we are submitting to DES to meet that
deadline is something that we obviously have approve approval of. So, I think, you know, I mean, I my thought would be that there's two ways to go here. One would be that we
could vote to put it on the school committee agenda on the 4th for a second reading and a full school committee discussion of these issues with a plan that it could then come back to the policy subcommittee if there's further work needed after that.
And Jen, we might have to schedule a, you know, sort of offcycle meeting if we're going to really try to get this back before the school committee on the 18th. Um, or else, you know, we'd have to have a conversation about what it means to not have something approved by
>> December 31st. >> I just, you know, how I've made my thoughts clear. >> Thank you. And you know, Julie and I will will absolutely bring those that input and thoughts back to the team that that had worked on this too and see if there's, you know, if they if they feel
that there's anything that needs to, >> you know, look different than this this draft, we can bring that to the four. >> Okay. >> That's the best way to go at this point. >> Right. So, I'll make a motion to have our administration
take today's feedback, look at a second draft of the policy, and bring it to the full school committee for review on December 4th. I'm not going to second that. This needs to come out of the policy
subcommittee, Kate. We need to res we need to make a recommendation that we agreed on and I'm not prepared to do that. I just have too many concerns and questions about it and that's the
purpose of the subcommittee. That's what we are tasked with doing. Otherwise, the entire committee could be doing this. I >> mean, I would actually argue that the entire committee should be weighing in. It's a important policy and
>> well you can make that motion at school committee meeting then I >> mean if you would like to schedule another policy subcommittee meeting for you know either early next week or early the weekend
>> that meeting next week. >> Okay. So, could we look to do something that first Monday after Thanksgiving so that we could potentially be bringing this to the full school committee on >> just going? Yeah,
>> that day is kind of like a little peak for us. >> I again have stated I don't feel that this December 31st I mean there's nothing there's no like you know policy jail. Um, and it looks to me like the US history is going to affect the
not affect this year's seniors. >> Yeah. So, what'll happen is um if it's not if it's not agreed to um if the policy is not set not agreed to we'll submit to the state what we currently have in place for now because we have to submit something. So, we have something in place right now. >> That's fine.
>> We'll upload that and as if if this isn't resolved that's fine. I mean, I agree with There's no policy jail, but we want to we want to get it right. So, um, but that's that's because we're tasked. I'm not I'm not going to get my hand slapped for not having it >> posted. So, we we'll we'll do we'll
upload what we have because that's what is in place currently and then we'll then we'll just change we can just change it amend it afterwards. >> Okay. I mean, if you have something that you can submit. >> I mean, we have basically >> Well, is there no date on our existing policy, right? Like it was just set. We
didn't have it like expired. I didn't have like a sunset provision for this year, did I? Let me check. >> Um, I don't Oh, the one the one we the one we have currently have in place, the process. >> Yeah. >> So, I don't remember though off the top of my head. >> Hang on. Let me just see.
>> Hey, I think we just I don't think we had a date on it, but >> we did approve it, right? It's still IK FA. Let me just see. Hang on. The only thing was uh we do have something there that says for the graduating class of 2025. So that's that's that's this year.
>> Well, that's behind us, right? IKF. Well, um it's not posted. So, um I don't know. We have IK Oh, wait. Maybe we do. Hang on. No, we have IKF. We don't have IKF.
would have to go back and find the minutes from when it was approved. >> We have a finance subcommittee already on that Monday. >> Okay, >> so that would be the week of December 1st. >> I'm just looking on that. We already we
have a finance subcommittee on the first on Monday >> and I have a facility subcommittee on the second. >> Okay. >> I don't care. It does. I mean >> district on the third. I'm not available. Fourth I could do. I don't know what you're looking you have.
>> I I'll make time for I I really this is important for >> So Jen, would you be amendable if we can schedule a meeting of the policy subcommittee on the 4th? We could have Al put this policy on the agenda for
that evening, but if the policy subcommittee does not agree to move it forward at that meeting, then >> yeah, we just table it. >> You table it. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> I have something at 10:30 on the 4th. So, if we could do earlier, that would
be >> That's fine. >> So, a does a 9:00 a.m. work? Yeah. >> So, I mean, let's be realistic here. Are you What do you think realistically? Are you going to be coming back with the same recommendation? >> I I don't know yet. We'll talk to the
team. >> Who's the team? >> Um, the high school team. >> Okay. >> Um, >> I don't know who that is. So, the must be the principal, the lead teachers, like who? >> Yeah. uh guidance principal Julia myself
>> so I think so just so and this I'm it's only me I'm only one person but I am just asking to consider you know either a passing grade you know through grade 11 or to and and and or or and I should say not or and to define what a passing grade is
>> at a higher level than a 60. >> Okay. No, like I said, I'll we'll bring that back. I mean that's that's >> or anything else that you might you like it doesn't have to be just it could be any you might come back something totally out of the literal box. >> Yeah. And I just just just let you know
I mean this has been many many conversations so it wasn't just like hey let's just throw something on the page. >> Oh I I I don't doubt that. >> Okay. Great. Okay. >> So I will post a meeting for the fourth. >> Sounds good. Great. Welcome.
>> Okay. Are you all set with that? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, next on the agenda, Jen, you had requested policy 5K, academic achievement. >> Um, yes. So, this let me just stop. Hang on one sec.
I'm no longer sharing, right? Am I still sharing? No. >> No. No. Um, so this was the closest one I could find as a as a policy around the issue which I brought up had a discussion with John on is the um
returning of the school of the tests and the work to the students. So, I'm not sure that it's necessarily the right policy, but it was the closest one I could find to what my concern is, which is this the um it's in
the handbook about returning work to students and how that's defined and then what's actually happening in practice. So I have concerns, you know, I have concerns that work is not, you know, that that about these the test not being
returned to students in a timely manner and then students not being able to keep it like they can look at it but they can't actually you know keep the work or go you know have an extended period of time to review it. So if this is
something John you think that a is a not a problem that's one thing or not a not a concern. Um secondly is this something that can be done through the operations you know then and that can be addressed and you want to you know maybe come back and talk about that
or is that something that and if not then I then I could consider proposing something for this. >> Okay. Um so I have I have at least three thoughts on this. Um, one, um, can we can we table this academic achievement policy in totality for now? Um, cuz I
have a lot of problem a lot of issues with this thing. So, I and I don't I think we should just kind of put it to the side for now. As far as the um the test returning and all that stuff, I mean, you're not wrong that the kids don't get to keep the test and there's reasons for that. They get the test back to review and to look at and to
understand what they got wrong, etc., etc. Um, I think that's I I honestly think that's operational. I don't think that that's a pol I don't think that that's something that should be in a policy. Um, so what I've already started having the conversations about what and
how we can, you know, address some of those concerns. I mean, it's it's my understanding it's it's um um it's it's uh not a huge concern, but there's some concern about it, right? So I think part of it is like when we look at the handbook there's a part in it that says
the integrity of testing instruments teachers and departments have spent a great deal of time to create and that's why they don't let them keep it because you know otherwise we have to continue like it's >> oh yeah >> yeah right so I'm okay um
so we so teachers and administrators and everybody develop test assessments based upon you know the work that the students do based upon the curriculum them. And if we give them back to students and they get to keep them, that means that every single time the test is given,
they have to recreate the test in a different way so that the test questions, everything aren't out there for people to just pass around. That's why we don't >> well or you could have, you know, four years worth basically, right? So that it's, you know, >> we don't need to if we don't if we have them, we give them back to the kids. The
teachers walk through them with the kids and go over it. So I think honestly I think the issue is is that happening in a way that helps the kids understand what they did wrong on the test. I think that's what I need to dig into a little bit deeper. >> This is what I'm hearing. You know what I've heard from parents have come to me.
>> Yeah. No. And I want to and I and I and that is a definite I haven't no one's brought that well one person brought that to my attention but like it's not >> this goes back years. This is not new. >> Okay. Well that's fine. So, I mean, I no one there hasn't been a parent that's reached out to me specifically about this, which is, you know, I I addressed
it through the person that wanted to my attention who's not a parent, but >> yeah, >> I did address it initially. Um, but what I what I will commit to is is having the in-depth conversation with the folks at the high school because I think what the bigger issue is if the teachers are
giving the test back and say, "Hey, Johnny, you got a D on this. Look at look it over and see whether you what you got wrong and ask me if any questions." That's one piece, but how about let's walk it through and say maybe we need to pull this apart and have different levels of conversation and maybe that's not what's happening or not happening consistently because I
think if that's happening consistently, it's not about giving the test back and then keep them. It's about the kids truly understanding the feedback and the and what they did improperly so that they can understand the material better. So I think operationally that's something that we need to look at and
and start um really picking apart and is it at is it in English is it in math is it in all the subjects is it some teachers is it all teachers it's it's just it's a it's a larger discussion for sure but I will have those conversations with uh >> the other um thing that I'd ask for as well I'm trying to find this in the
handbook and I can't find it right now but the the description of this is that the may be using this wrong. The summitative assessments are the ones that are not return that are returned
back to the teacher. The sort of the ongoing formative ones are handed back to the students and they keep those. >> So it's that's my understanding. >> Um that's likely true. The summitive ones are the you know obviously the ones that are you know a lot more involved and in depth. Um,
>> so what I also would like to ask because this is also what I'm hearing from parents is that those routine smaller, you know, whether they're formative, whatever they are are that's not that's not happening either on a like on a consistent basis. So it's it's I'm hearing multiple multiple things that I
just would like to have you take a look at because that is operational is that what you know what's being defined in the handbook is actually happening. >> Yep. No, I'm looking at right here. So there's a second >> What page is it on? Do you know? Yep. It's on page 11. >> Yeah.
>> Return of student work. So, what I'll do is I'll take that I'll take that language and I'll I'll bring it back to the high school and we're going to talk about it and say like is this actually in place or not? And if not, why not? And how can we make sure it's um we're doing the right thing by kids because
use the corrective feedback provided to improve that understanding question material is huge. And yes, having the test back and looking at it and walk through that with the teachers is is important. >> Yeah. So what it says is all testing and assessment materials will be returned to students so they may use the corrective feedback provided to improve their
understanding of course material. Tests and assessments that meet any of the conditions listed below are exempt from this rule. any summitive test or assessment that covers four or more weeks of material as long as the students had formative assessments, tests, quizzes, projects or other work designed to monitor student learning
that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning during that time which were returned and which collectively covered the material. So yeah, it's all that's yes. So that's what I'm hear from a few people. though. Um, >> yeah. So if if if if it's if in fact
that's true that kids aren't getting the test back or they're getting it back and they're not getting any feedback on it that is a problem and we will definitely dive into that cuz >> because that's what this tells me correct me if I'm wrong is that these ongoing formative assessments again test quizzids projects or other work designed
to monitor students learning is being returned to them so that they would get it they would get the feedback so that when you get to a summit of assessment >> yeah you've had these formative assessments that you've you can go back to and say well okay what did you know what did I wrong and that >> so that you won't need the summitive
necessarily to be floating out there you know in in for everyone if that's been happening so I think that's I think there's some connectivity there >> yeah so I think no and you're right so I think you know if it's a you know I mean I don't know they they don't do this anymore but say it's a spelling test that they give on Friday like yeah and
they get it back on Monday they get to keep that right but if it's a literature you know you know long whatever then they don't get to keep that because it's It's skills building upon skills and then the summitive is assessing the whole totality. >> Well, that's not what it said. That's not how I read this. Like I how I read
it is that if you have a project which could be a paper quiz, tests that you're getting on a regular basis that is returned and it's the summitive that's um that's covering materials for a longer period of time, four or more
weeks, is not permanently returned. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that's what I was saying. >> Okay. All right. that great. So that again that's why now going back to your original opening line not to bury the lead but you said you have some concerns with IK. >> So is that something we should be
talking about at some other point? Um, yeah. I mean, I don't know what we need to talk about today, but I think there's I I was reading through this in in preparation for this meeting, and I I just there's Yeah, if if we're g two things. One, um, personally, I would recommend deletion of the policy, but if
we're going to keep it, there's some there's just more like language stuff in there that we would need to change. That's all. Like it says he, she instead of they. There's there's a couple questions on, you know, a couple of the bullets that don't really make sense to me, but like I said, it's not it's it's it this policy really doesn't
it doesn't really hold the water that is, you know, I don't know, just >> Well, I'm looking at See, this is one of the other issues, Kate, that we had I brought up before. So, I'm looking at MASC. They don't have an academic achievement. >> Well, that's that's what I was looking at says Marble Head, and it's not written in the same format. So, someone
>> someone created this for some specific reason at some point. So that's why I wasn't trying to be sassy, but I think like I read through this and I'm like I don't even know what this means or what it's not really written like a policy would be written to begin with. And two, it I mean it hasn't been looked at since
2018. One and I don't I just I don't think it's a policy that we need to have, but that's you know we got you guys can have that conversation and then I can give you if you're going to keep it or whatever I have some recommendations just how we can change some of the language, but it >> I think it needs to be deleted or
totally rebanned. Yep. Okay. So, why don't we just that'll be out there. We'll take, you know, table it for now. Um, but that that's something we can, you know, in your all your spare time, you can take a look at, but that was the closest one I could
find to this. So, that there actually I wasn't asking to review this policy per se, although you are suggesting that we do that. I just thought it was the closest thing to this issue and you're going to handle this operational issue. >> Yes. And I think I think when we get to the eyes or whatever, when you get we can look at it then. It's that's not a it's not a policy like we got to change
it right this second but like when we get there and it makes sense get to that list we can look talk about it yeah I'll look at the other stuff in operationally okay >> okay >> sounds good all right do you need Julie and I anymore for the rest of the com this is >> um >> the next >> well um
>> the naming policy >> the naming policy I would appreciate your thoughts on that but you don't have to and the only other question um uh actually before you go I had I think Kate there was one where am I?
We have something called I don't know if John this affects John or not. EFB when I was reviewing these. I'm sorry, EBC. Excuse me. EBC. We have a
there's actually uh No, that's fine. It's No, it's fine. I that I can cover with Kate. No problem. So, unless you if you'd like to stay, John, I just to talk about the facilities naming. I I appreciate your input, but you don't have to.
>> Is that what's next on? >> Yeah, that's next on the agenda. >> I can do that and then like >> Okay, >> just I'd like to hear that part because we have a couple things coming up. >> Thank you so much. >> I'm gonna send Julia on our way though. >> Thank you. Bye, Jen. I'll see you later. See you. Bye, Julia.
>> Thank you. Bye. >> Thanks, Julia. >> So, I brought I think I brought this forward, Kate, for today's agenda. I think >> um and the reason why so um we had a a submitt recently um requesting a naming
of um one of our spaces >> um we also had um earlier in um this calendar year but last school year we did a naming of the athletic the um fieldhouse >> right >> so I just like and it's I think it's
been I can't remember the last other than the Brown school um you know this coming up on any kind of frequent basis and now we've had sort of two in the space of less than a year. >> Um so I just thought it was worth taking
a look at um and maybe really trying to work through this a little bit um as we're making some of these decisions. Um because it the policy to me I mean it's called naming new facilities and spaces but it actually talks about
existing ones too. So, it's a little bit unclear >> and I just am wondering if we can if we want to look at this and really see if this is what makes sense for us. >> So, I agree with those concerns. I had
voiced that at the last school committee meeting. Um, I think the policy is a little clunky. >> Yeah. >> And could certainly be I did look and it's the MASC model policy. >> Yeah. But it certainly could either be
modified or you know if we if the decision is to continue with the option of naming things you know it may be worthwhile to put some parameters around you know what can be named and and how
someone qualifies to have something named after them and whatnot. My concern is my preference would be that we look at the policy when we do not have a pending request to name something because I think we're just seeing decision points
a little bit there. So that would be my thought that we put this on our to-do list, you know, for January and we, you know, work on the policy. >> Okay. I mean, I just Okay. I I don't I
mean, I thought actually it would might be the time to try to do that. Well, we have a request. I mean that shouldn't necessarily isn't going to um necessarily affect that but it it
you know it might help us um sort of clarify what it is that we want around this name because just you know you this this could start accelerating and we're getting you know we're naming every classroom and every laboratory and every
you know I and I it it eventually gets sort of watered down. I I just I just I don't know. >> Yeah. And I think and I and I would agree, Jen. I think, you know, I dealt with this in my last district, too. And I think we have to create a policy that makes the most sense and is very clear
what the parameters are. And I but I also with case thought process, it's kind of hard when you have one on the table already and then say, "Hey, we're going to consider you, but oh, by the way, now we're going to change the policy midstream." That and that feels a little icky to me. But I think at the end of the day, if just say for
instance, we go through this naming and everyone says yes or no or whatever for the naming and then we say, "Okay, we're going to work on a policy." And we get another request, we could say, "Listen, we're in the middle of redoing this policy. We need to table this request. We're not even going to consider it until the policyy's back in place." I think if the timing was like like
literally a week earlier, we would have been fine because we could have said the same thing. >> That's but that's my only thing. I just I don't know what that looks like to the g you know the general public when we all of a sudden it's got to seem like all of a sudden we're changing the policy when someone's on the docket for
getting name something after I don't know that's just I I don't really have an opinion on that other than yes that I think we're all in agreement that the policy needs to be have better parameters similar to the the memorial policy too because we do have a >> pending um
>> that's also confusing. >> Yes. So, we have a pending memorial that's being requested that I push the person back to writing it a little bit more formally before it comes before you all. Um, but there's there's another memorial thing coming your way. So, that that one should also be looked at at
some point, but again, you know, it's hard to do when we have pending things going on. >> Well, that's not pending if it hasn't been submitted yet. >> Well, it was it was submitted, but it was submitted in a way that I push back on the process formalized. So, yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's not it's not Yeah.
hasn't come before the committee yet. Yeah. >> So, I'm looking at the Swansea Public Schools FF policy which was drafted in 2021. Um, which is which is in, you know, which is
interesting. It does it actually um it has a certain number of period of time that the name lasts for. Did you help write this, John? You're laughing. You're smiling. >> Well, cuz the same thing was happening. Everyone said, "Hey, let's name the auditorium. Let's name the building. Let's name this that." And they were
like, "Time out. Stop." And they they basically it was like you can't name more than like two buildings within like 50 year period. You couldn't We had a court named after someone that's whatever. So they started putting parameters like you can only name like indoor things, outdoor things. I don't remember the whole >> Well, I've got it in front of me. It says it lists. So you've got
auditoriums, gymnasiums, floors, administrative offices, cafeterias, libraries, athletic fields, and grounds. And there's a set period of time either five years or nine years for the naming. So that's sort of interesting that because what it says is that um like the committee is mindful that school
facilities say serve generations of students and assigning names should be done sparingly over a long period of years. So naming opportunities are available for future generations. >> So that must be why there's a set period of time. And it also says that nominees should meet at least six of the following standards and evidence of such
attributes should include but not limited to criteria below. It's superior levels of performance and strengthening the schools, effective citizenship, community service, character, length of service to the school. Like there's a whole bunch of stuff. So >> yeah, that's kind of subjective. >> That's good. I mean that that's pretty thorough in terms of what you know.
>> Yeah, give some good parameters. I'm I'm thinking between me being assistant super and super, we named uh two two gymnasiums, a gymnasium floor, uh auditorium, my office suite for the superintendent had passed away. Um you know, things like that. I mean, there
was like six or seven things out auditorium and then the stage in the auditorium, then the seats in it was just crazy. It was getting nuts. So, yeah. Um but yeah, I mean, I don't know if it was the best policy written, but it definitely had parameters um that we needed to look at. So, so you can maybe
look at that when we get there to say something you can replicate. >> Uh I I'm actually um I'm going to go back and do a little work on I may submit this for the committee at that meeting on the 4th.
>> Okay. >> Consider >> submit what? a an an an updated policy >> without it going before the policy subcommittee first. >> No, to this committee. >> To this committee. Okay. I thought you were talking about the full
>> No, to this committee. The subcommittee. All right. I will take that. I don't I think we need I don't want to Sorry, put this off. I think we should be I think we should be doing this now. So, I will do that.
>> Okay. Next meeting. >> All right. You good with me now? >> Good. >> Yeah. I may I may call you about that out like just have a conversation with you offline on that. Is that >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's fine. Yep. I just got I have another meeting I gota jump on. So, >> thank you.
>> Thanks. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Put this back on me. Okay. Um, so that brings us to
five new policies that MASC has recommended that are on the agenda for first. >> These are the E, right? >> Yes. >> And they're the ones most of them were attachments to the email I sent you with media. So,
uh, it's access to buildings and grounds. Has John I forgot to ask. Has John seen these? >> Seen all of them? And he recommends adoption of all of them. >> Oh, okay. So, the new policies are ECAB, which is access to buildings and grounds.
EF BA, >> yes. Which is modifications of school meals. Yeah. Um that we did not have. Right. >> Yeah. >> Right. That one was just recommended in August of
>> CF, which is civil rights complaint for childrition programs. >> Yes. >> A second. Why do I have these printed everything out? Hang on. They're just all out of order. Oh, here we go.
Bear with me a second here. Um, okay. And then district security relating to technology, that's also new. >> That was MASC recommended that um a couple years ago, but yes, that would be a new policy.
>> Okay. And then um EHB data and records retention. >> Yes. >> Which we also didn't have. Okay. Um, okay. So, that's is that five? Yeah. >> So, I didn't have any, you know,
thoughts or comments on any of them. I would be prepared to move those to the full school committee for a second reading. >> Um, did you um So, I All right. So, that's we probably should have had John stay for a second. I apologize for that.
But for the district security relating to technology and data and records retention, I'm assuming that Stephen is confident that he can meet this policy. >> Yes. Um I think John discussed it with him. >> Okay. >> And it's a pretty I don't know if you looked at it, but it's a pretty high
level like >> yeah, >> we're going to have adequate data security in place kind of, you know, it's it's not particularly specific as to how we are going about doing going about doing that. So, um, John told me that the policies
reflect our current practices. Um, okay. Okay. All right. Do you want me to make a motion to approve approve? I'm going to make a motion to approve
new policies for the first reading. Policy ECAB, access to buildings and grounds. Policy EFBA, school food and nutrition meal modifications. Policy policy EFA, civil rights complaint policy for child nutrition programs. Policy EHA, district security relating
to technology and policy EHB, data and records retention. >> Your motion is to send. >> My motion is to approve those five policies for this for today as a first reading. >> I'll second that. All right, let's do a roll call vote.
Jen >> in favor. >> Eight in favor. Motion passes two to zero. So those will go to the full committee um for a second reading. >> Um yeah, I mean technically we could do a
second reading on the morning of the 4th and then a third reading and then approve it, but I mean doesn't I guess it's not a big deal. So, we'll do two school committee readings. So, this will be the 18 then the 18th. Probably >> it would be the 18th that they would >> Okay. >> be voted on. >> I mean, I don't think there's anything like
>> I don't think there's anything super >> controversial that would Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. Um, so that brings us to the MASC revision recommendations. >> Yeah. >> Um, the first one is EB the safety
program. >> Yep. Um, and those are pretty minor sort of cleaning up the language revisions. >> No problem with that. >> Okay. Do you want to We'll go through all of them and then
>> and then vote them all together. I think makes sense. >> Would you be okay with this one as a consent agenda item? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. So, next is EBB, which is first aid. And I think this is my
>> the only question I had about this um and it's not a huge deal but um they had us delete school physician so that the in the case of illness that may include infectious disease the board of health shall be notified in accordance with the law. They deleted school physician.
>> Um the only thing is that I've it's not a huge deal but it's been made clear to me just listening to some board of health meetings that the board of health is not the health department. Right? the board of health oversees the health department. Um,
so that's I just wasn't sure whether it should really be the health department because we wouldn't be reporting this to the board. We'd be reporting it to our health director, Andrew Penny. >> So I think it's probably fine because effectively that would, you know, reporting it to the board of health
would be one of the three members of the board. They would presumably pass it on to the health. >> Yeah. Um, I'm happy to take a look at what the statutes actually say we're supposed >> look it up.
>> Yeah, >> I just know there's been like there've been several times when the board of health has made clear there's a delineation between them and the health department. >> Yeah, it makes sense. >> 55A
So, interestingly, I'm on the um on the the MGL. Do >> you want me to share? It says a child showing signs of ill health or being infect disease um to the public health uh will be sent home and
shall be referred to a school physician. So, okay. >> All right. And then further on in that first paragraph, it then says, >> oh, the board of health
>> as the board of health to be notified >> with low, not low, lower case. Um, so you know, I maybe they they're when they say wrote that board of health, they meant the health department. It's fine. We can just leave it at that. Um,
>> I think really what matters is that our what our procedures are. >> Yeah. And I don't think that we are referring to the school physician. I don't think that's a practice like at all.
>> Right. That's a good question to ask. But okay, >> so why don't we put it on for approval? >> Mhm. >> And we can just have John because also the other question in terms of um operationalizing this is I would assume
it would be the um school nurse would be involved in this somehow. >> I would think so. Yeah, I think that's who makes those calls. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um consent agenda for this one or would you want it >> for the safe? Wait, where are we? >> The first aid.
>> I'm sorry. Yes. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, next would be EBC which is emergency plans. >> So, this is a new policy to us I believe
or not. >> We had it existing in our >> so EBC. Oh, yeah. We do. Yes, we do have it. Um, and it's just a couple of changes, right? >> It's really changing the availability of
defibrillators. >> That's right. >> From being a theoretical possibility to, you know, sort of an assumption that we have them. >> Yeah. >> So, that's the only >> which I'm pretty sure we do. I mean, I'm sure John looked at this. So, >> yeah, he did.
>> Okay. So, that probably can be a consent agenda. Oh, I thought you were Julia. >> Oh, >> sorry. I was mistaken identity here. Okay. Um, so then the next one is ECAF,
which is security cameras in schools. >> So, this I do have a problem with. >> Okay. >> Um, I don't support this >> and I will tell you why, and this is my concern. There's no um MassGL quoted here or referenced here.
>> I think we should get a reading on this and John may also want to weigh in. But if you look at the last paragraph, it says all uh all the halfway through all video recordings will be stored in their original format and secured to avoid
tampering and ensure confidentiality. Access to video recordings from security cameras shall be limited to school administrators. >> Law enforcement emergency response officials shall be granted access to video recordings or the security system as the situation requires.
>> So I do not agree with that. >> Okay. Um my first question is I do not know that this is a valid policy because I can tell you that um in the past two years we have had at least one incident where there were cameras
involved and parent demanded no actually there were two situations where the parent demanded to see the video and we were advised that they had the right to see that. >> Okay. I mean, these are public records.
So, I question whether this is valid. And then that second that last sentence about law enforcement having access as the situation requires, I have no idea what the hell that means. Like either they have access to it or they don't.
Um, and again, it doesn't say who makes that decision. Presumably, it's the, you know, it's the administration, but >> right, >> I'm not sure what that means. >> Okay. Um, well, we can hold this one
back and, you know, have further discussions with John about it and get some legal advice. >> Yeah. because maybe these these um incidents that have taken place over the
last couple years um were not supposed to be then done that way, but they were and definitely contradicts this the way this policy is written. >> Okay. >> So, we can let John know about that. >> Yeah. Okay.
>> Um student transportation services. Yeah, that was that's I think just a couple of like >> it's really you know changing district to >> Yeah. And then it's something about a 7D contract. It must be some sort of um license or something that
>> Yeah. >> bus drivers have to have. >> Drivers. Yep. All right. So that can go on the consent >> consent. Yep. >> Okay. Um so then the next one is E AA which we currently call
transportation of regular education students. >> Um MASC recommends changing the title to walkers and writers. >> Okay. Um, and then the change
really is sort of refining the language a little bit around transportation for students where their IEPs require that. >> Let me just pull this up. I didn't print this one off. EA Wait, what is it?
>> EA, right? Um, so did John review this? >> He did. >> So the grade one through three students
living more than a mile from school. >> I'm looking at I'm looking online at MAC. Hang on a second because I didn't print this out from your email. For some reason, I missed it. Where's Kate? Give me one second here. Sorry. I can put the link to the document.
>> Okay. So, interesting. EA when I go to MASC's online >> Mhm. >> unless I'm reading the wrong one, but let's see. They have an This is theirs. E E A A Walkers and Writers
>> is different than what they sent us. What's the >> Oh, like what's up there on their >> Yeah, let me just show you real quick. I'm losing my mind here. This is what's on line. Grade 1, two, three. One to three
students more than a mile from school, mile and a half, two miles. So, we don't do that. So, I don't know what this is 2022. And then, let me just see. There's Kate again.
And then this there's no date. So you got this. Uh did this come from It must have come from a newsletter or where did this come with the strike and everything? >> It came >> I did that to our existing policy and I
did it based on the changes that were recommended in their March 2023. They have not updated their >> Let's just see here. Hang on one second. >> The newsletter has like a
there's usually a link to a word document. >> Let's see here. All right. So, this is just give me a second here. This is March 2023. >> Oh, actually, Jen, you know what? If you look the first
paragraph of ours is the same and >> our existing one >> our existing matches with the edit would match the first paragraph of the MASC model. >> Yeah. And then MASC has this
additionally the committee will provide paragraph that we do not have >> and that's based on the newsletter. Let me just pull this up. Hang on one second. March because that's not what they have posted. That's why I just I'm curious.
Okay. I can't Eric March 24. No, 23. Oh, what my name is MC Bulletins public policy updates. Sorry. No,
>> if you search on the MASC website, if you search policy newsletter weird, they don't have any um Oh, no. It's under the policed policies. Here we go. All right. March
23. are the E. E A walkers and riders. So, okay. So, all right. Let me just again. So, this was the link I just linked to from that bulletin. And it does have
that mile, mile and a half, two miles. >> So if you look at ours, >> Yep. >> the first paragraph matches. >> Yep. >> And the last paragraph matches. It's that that middle part,
the additionally we're saying will provide transportation if you live two or more miles from the school and you >> So we're going to keep that. So we're not actually adopting theirs, >> right? We are not adopting >> All right. I just want to Okay. So we're not doing their actual adoption, >> right?
>> Okay. >> Changing the title and then changing that sentence in the first paragraph. So >> Okay. >> So that it matches theirs. >> Okay. All right. Okay. >> So that would be just give me a second
here. So that would be a consent. >> I think that can go consent. Yeah. >> Should we Okay. I always wonder if we should if we don't do it as a consent, should we explain? We are deviating a little bit from
>> Sure. >> their recommended policy is. >> Yeah, we can do that. >> So, let's pull that back as a like a regular vote. >> Yep. >> Because when you do consent, we're going to list them all and then just do one vote, right? We do one vote and >> well actually we could include it as
long as we maybe just let them before we go for the vote we just explain that >> either it doesn't I don't feel strongly either way. Yeah, we can keep it as a consent, but before we call for the vote, we can just explain um we differ a bit from
I mean MSC is basically I guess suggesting that we should be transporting >> doing more bus >> more of our of our students. >> Yeah. >> But we're not and >> assume that's a budget issue. Okay. >> All right. Um
so then the school bus safety program which is E AE >> Yep. >> Um most of the changes are pretty minor. I mean it's >> Yeah, I think that's fine.
>> Paragraphs five and six in our policy is >> do not exist in the MASC policy. >> So I just wanted to flag those. Yep. >> You know, I think it's reasonable to continue to include them. >> The only Yeah. Okay. So, we're going to
keep them. >> I That would be my recommendation that we keep. >> The seat belt thing was an issue when this doesn't have the date on when we um does it have the date when we voted it? I don't know. But, um I don't have
>> the only record that was out there was the like initial October of 2018. >> Yeah. But I think that that was >> some of them I think have been revisited since then and there's just no record of when it happened. >> Yeah. Um because the seat belt thing is
that was an issue because we didn't always have seat belts >> right >> before this. So >> Okay. >> So same thing we will let the committee know. >> Sure. Explain that we differ >> but that we then put it under the
consent agenda. >> Yeah. That's fine with me. >> Okay. >> Okay. And then the next one is E A, which is student transportation in private vehicles. >> Mhm. >> And it's adding a requirement that the
driver and any other adults in the vehicle have a corey. So here's my question >> about this. um you know h you know is this actually operationalized
don't know >> same with um parents transporting students um and we'll sign a statement to this effect I just I don't know how you know this is you know I mean like if they're driving kids to you know
practice or games I mean you know or students are driving students. >> I would assume that would be obviously a discussion to have about how it's being operationalized. >> So that would be my only question. Is is John comfortable operationalizing this?
>> I mean this is an existing >> I know >> policy. >> I know that. >> Okay. But >> right do we want to move it forward? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. I think just make sure John's comfortable with >> Y
>> that. Okay. EFC. All right. This is where I was getting a little concerned. So EFC is um also a new policy, right?
>> So we have an existing EFC. >> Yeah. I did not mark it up because the amount of change being proposed by MSC was like essentially rewriting the policy. So I didn't redline our existing
policy. I just sent you the new MASC version if that makes >> of EFC >> of EFC. It's this whole series now that we're going to go through of policies that the changes are flowing from the move
towards free meals. So yeah, so I think that could be a consent. I mean it's a wholesale change, right? But it is the same policy and we have it. So So you're comfortable with that just being a consent?
I actually think these food ones we should do as individual votes. I mean, they're just >> yeah, >> pretty significant changes even though they reflect the policies that are, you know, are currently in place in the district. I think we should talk about
them a little bit as opposed to just so we can put in theory we can do EFC, EFD, >> it's EFBA maybe all together. That's a new one. And then these these two. >> Yeah. Sort of do all the food policies.
>> Discuss them. I mean, we could discuss them. Well, one's new, so we vote that we have to do three meetings. >> The other two we could we could do them as their we can do. Yeah. Each its own separate. >> Yeah. But we could hold
EFC and EFD until the 18th. So we do all the meal policies together at one meeting rather than having like that discussion essentially two times. Well, why are we holding
Well, we have to do three readings for the new >> wait. So we hold this till 12:18. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> With EF EFB, >> EFC and EFD. >> Yeah. But and with EFBA, which is the
new one. Yes. >> Okay. All right, that makes sense. >> Okay. >> And John is wasn't it was the charge policy or something that he's fine with this, I take it. >> Yeah, he's looked at them all. He said they're they're all good to go. >> Okay, great.
>> Okay. Right. So, that's all the >> MSC revisions. >> I got those minutes to you late. I got them right before the meeting. So, do you want to hold off on um till next? I like to hold off on those till the >> and I'll get today's hopefully I'll have it soon and I can just get those to you.
So we'll hold off on 10:23 to 124. 124, right? >> Yeah, we can do that on 124. >> Okay. And 11:20. Okay, great. >> Perfect.
>> All right. >> Um I don't know. out. I'm going to try and get that FF by the 4th, but um well, actually, you have to post. >> We have another meeting on the It's like the e want to say the 18th.
>> Yeah. >> Um >> we could do that. Maybe do the policy FF on the 18th. >> 18th. I can include it on that agenda. Um and then give you a little more time since it's
Thanksgiving and whatnot. Yeah, exactly. Okay, great. >> Okay, so we'll do FF on the 18th and then um I'll work on the next >> I think we're >> the next batch of revisions.
>> Okay, great. I will make a motion to adjurnn. >> Um second. >> All right. Um do a roll call. Jen >> in favor. >> Eight in favor. So we're at 1231. Part: 2
I bet. I bet the giant tickets aren't going to be >> Giants were up there too many like >> I'm sure >> with the temple. >> Oh, those would be good. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> They were horrible seats with Sydney. >> I know. We're trying getting tickets to uh I told you Giants Vikings >> and halfway dec. Frank, are you ready?
>> Some games. >> Yeah. >> I mean, it's an experience. >> Yeah. >> All right, Frank, is everything ready to go? Oh, it's echoey. Okay, I'm going to call this to order
>> at 601. Let's start with the pledge of 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 tonight? >> All right, seeing none, we will move to public comment. Is there anyone signed up for public comment?
>> No more composing. >> Well, maybe well I'm here to say thank you to S committee for working so well together. We didn't have kayos that I have to be here at every meeting. But I've been
getting in Texas and writing into people saying, "Wow, it's boring." I'm like, "For okay, so I want to call out to all the teachers in town. They're amazing." And what we got from last year this
year, it's just tremendous. I had the privilege of knowing teachers and principles in Brown village and now middle school and I miss village because I got the
volunteers. So um those are the good things and I think we need to appreciate our teachers really a lot and thank you for coming in and picking up the mask with dignity and respect. >> Thank you. And
the only thing that I noticed when I was coming in today, last night I was at Collins Middle School for a flag practice and we were sitting in the cafeteria and I looked around there was a flag that every country in the world
there. Then there were murals and because of my eyesight I believe it was Martin Luther King and then they had um a Latino princess and then they had uh white dots flying all over the world and I'm saying that's the only thing that is
really missing in this town and later on I took some pictures last night and um I'll send them to you and see how beautiful that cafeteria in welcoming and I even found the Irish.
My husband found the squash. So, I want to thank everybody. So far so good this year. And she got a great >> All right. Uh if anyone online would like to make public comment, please
raise your hand. >> All right. Seeing none, we'll close public comment and we will move to our student representative. >> There's an echo coming from somewhere on that laptop. >> Yeah, it's still a little bit echo.
>> It's pretty faint, so if Will wants to start while he fles with it. >> Okay. Um, hello everyone. There's been a lot going on this week and last. Um we have a short Thanksgiving week next week, but uh yeah, Proud Puff is Saturday at 10 um at Small Scott Field.
Uh let's support the girls as they take on Small Scott in the annual classic game. Um the halls this week have been filled with color from their spirit days as they all dressed up. Um and it's been really fun to see. Everyone's very into it and good luck to them. They're actually outside practicing right now,
so you may have seen those. Um wrapping up uh fall sports. Fortunately, football was eliminated in the round of uh eight um last this week. Uh last week, girls soccer also lost in the round of uh eight. Um and cross country placed uh boys cross country
placed eighth in division 2. Um and the girls after getting second in D2A concluded MHS fall sports placing seventh in division 2. So great work from all of our athletes. Many successful seasons all around. Senior brunch is this Sunday. Uh hopefully after Powder Puff win, it will be in the
cafeteria from 9:00 to 11:00. Um the sign signup genius has been sent out and there's a lot of food. It looks really awesome. So please stop by. Seniors, um registration for winter athletics is out now, too. So please go online um get
signed up. Make sure physicals are um recent. Uh sing free. The fall MHS ac capella concert is next Tuesday at 7 PM. We'll feature all three MHS uh school ac capella groups, Luminescence, Jewel Tones, and Grizzlies. We'd love to see you there. Uh similarly, today in just
under an hour at 7 um in the uh auditorium here is the MHS Cabaret Showcase. Um you may have seen some flowers on your way in. Uh but it'll feature many of our school's vocalists, so it's exciting. And that's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thanks, Paul. Okay. So, that
brings us to our superintendent update. >> Thank you. >> Explain why you're general or what's going on while >> um Al is out of town and he is going to be joining the meeting at some point, but he was not able to be here in person. Um and it's going to be delayed
in logging in from being away. >> Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. Um good evening. We continue power forward through the fall and a lot of exciting things are happening across the district. some of what Phil just mentioned. Uh please make sure to follow our principal newsletters for school and grade specific events and happenings.
Also remember to peruse our digital backpack that contains all sorts of great community information. Want to share some information has been collected and discussed with Gina Hart, Julia Ferrer, Lisa Maria Pledo, Christine Shaowski, Michelle Carlson, Matt Leangi, and myself in regard to
substance abuse education. Uh thank you to Gina and Julia who collaborated on the narrative um that I'm going to share now. Uh I think this is this is kind of a followup to some of the earlier conversations we have and what we will report out with you know uh some further information but just kind of wanted to share some of the information at this
point. So Marblehead public schools makes every effort to listen to students and understand the most effective ways to engage them in conversations about decision-m and substance use. All of our substance use education is designed to match students developmental readiness and grade level. And we remain committed
to providing trauma-informed student- centered learning experiences. Over the years, we have thoughtfully integrated programming that includes featured speakers, focus groups, curricular lessons in grades 4 through 12, data collection, and the diversion programming counselor meetings. high
school students have expressed a preference for learning and sorry and discussing substance use in small groups within their regular within their regular classes rather than in large assemblies to allow for more comfortable meaningful discussions. Um and I think that's important to point out because I
know there's a lot of conversations when we say hey let's bring speakers in let's get the kids in the auditorium or or whatever and there's been a lot of feedback that says the students really would rather not have that kind of presentation it's more of an intim intimate setting. So, I just want to make sure we share that and highlighted
that we're using student feedback and recent data to expand our current programming that is already in place and we will regularly update the school committee about our progress. Um, so we'll continue to have those conversations moving forward. Um, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting with a group of 16 high school students
yesterday along with her MECO director Kia Johnson. It was absolutely the best part of my week. We had a very candid discussion about how we can shift our school culture and ensure all students have a sense of belonging. The students share their angst as well as some great initial ideas. So I look forward to
continuing the discussion and how these discussions can dovetail with our anti-discrimination committee dialogue and with the magic coalition that students have established so that there's actionable solutions fostered by student input and feedback. We clearly have work to do and elevating student
voice as I have indicated since walking into Marblehead is the most important way to affect positive culture shifts. Um so I wanted to share that cuz it was really cool. Uh very very open and honest conversations and really great great kickoff to some some more in-depth
conversations are going to happen. Um as promised from last uh here's some shout outs I've received from our admin team. I'm trying to do this regularly from Scott Williams, principal of village school. Sorry. I would like to recognize our incredible counselors at Village, Kate Dulac, Kevin Marrian, and Jeff Nuome. They are amazing with all of our
Village students. Problem solving, meaningful lunch groups, practicing teamwork and collaboration skills. They go above and beyond every day at village from arrival to lunch to recess to dismissal and everything in between. They are child- centered in their approach to student engagement, always putting child first when navigating a
decision. They support our every they support everyone at village students staff me staff members teachers our nursing staff and the village leadership team. They run grade level community meetings our awesome peer leaders program at village and many of our village clubs. They are an important
integral members of our child study team. They welcome new students and families to village providing tours of our school and acclimating new members of our community to village. We would be lost without Kate, Kevin, and Jeff at Village. They are to be commended and celebrated for all that they do for
everyone every day. Thank you, Jeff, Evan, and Kate. Uh from Mary Maxville, principal at Brown Elementary School, she wants to shout out to second grade Brown School teacher Beth Johnson. For 15 plus years, Beth has coordinated a fall food drive. This year, understand the potential for increased increase in
need. She has expanded the drive to collect over three weeks and is working with community folks to make sure families get what they need. Beth helps her second graders understand how everyone can do something to support our community and understand the greater good. So, shout out to Beth. Uh from Matt Levante, our principal at Veterans
Middle School, he says he would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of his whole English department. Um and the teachers, especially Dr. Ryan Judkins, Jim Shaet, Rajie KS, and Caroline Todd, who thoughtfully guided students through reading, discussing, and preparing insightful questions from
the young adult novel When We Flew Away for the Alice Hoffman assembly that MVMS participated in on Tuesday. This assembly was in partnership with the Jewish Community Center, which we wholeheartedly appreciate their collaborative new partnership. Um, he also goes on to say Marilyn Willard,
Raphael Santana Tava Tavvarz, Lauren Rodriguez Batista, and the entire custodial staff at MBMS have shown remarkable hard work and attention to detail. Their dedication helps keep Veterans Middle School clean. Welcoming environment for students, families to enjoy their efforts make a meaningful
difference every day. Uh, I have a few more, so bear with me. From Frank Kowalsski, principal at Glover Elementary School, he shouts out to nurse Jessica Chu. Jess joined my team at Glover last year. She literally hit the ground running and was a huge asset to the team. Jessica is an extremely
talented and knowledgeable nurse. Uh she is amazing with our families. She's empathetic, caring, and genuine. She loves all of our students and treats them with extreme kindness. Jess supports the schools opening each day and is always around to help with dismissal and buses. She goes above and beyond, always asking how she can help.
She is someone I rely heavily on and who never disappoints. He also shouts out to Jim Raky. um who is our c his custodian custodian Raky has become a huge asset to his team. Jim comes to work each day and has really worked hard to ensure that Glover is clean and that all
teachers have clean workspaces. Jim is a huge help during lunch monitoring the students and cleaning when needed. Jim is a a short lunchtime turnaround, but he handles it himself and does not complain. I'm really thrilled at the effort he puts in each day um to ensure Glover is a safe place and a clean place
for everyone. uh from Lisa Maria Pito our assistant superintendent student services I would like to shout out to our BCBA's Kate Trackamawitz probably messed that up she affectionally is known by KT and I can see why Kate Hersam and Mary Duke Duk um sorry for
presenting deescalation strategies to the entire district of professionals during our PD day yesterday these strategies support staff and safety care deescalation strategies using a three option approach with common language and I just want to share the language because this is important we've talked about schools safety and ways that we
addressa safety over the last couple years. Um so the common language help, prompt and wait. Help involves active listening and empathy while prompt offers clear simple instructions. Wait is used when the person needs space and time to deescalate often by removing external factors. These key general
principles across these and other safety focused deescalation models include staying calm, respecting personal space, using non-threatening body language, focusing on the feelings behind the behavior. Victoria and I would like to recognize our BCBAS not only for the work with staff and around this
common language and strategies but for the work they do uh to support our staff and students every day. From Julia Ferrer, our assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, the office of teaching and learning would like to extend a not note of gratitude to our amazing students. We just completed quarter one at middle and high school
levels and elementary trimester concludes in early December for every day. Every day our students show up ready to work hard, learn new things, and push themselves to grow. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and grateful for the positivity and determination they bring to our school. I would like to
specifically thank Gilberto Hernandez and also Todd and Bloodgood and Lisa Manning for their assistance with my flat tire on Tuesday. They all jumped into action to help me get back on the road knowing that my two plus hour drive home on my spare was not a very safe choice. So, I just want to say thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And lastly,
in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to thank our Marblehead community for providing me the opportunity to serve as superintendent for Marblehead Public Schools and for the ongoing support as we navigate operations and governance of the district together. I also want to wish our community a happy, healthy Thanksgiving. Please travel safely and
as my wife has always told our children, remember who you are and make good choices. Thank you. That's my dates. >> Thank you, John. >> All right. Um, next is our consent action and agenda items. And I am looking for a motion to approve the
identified schedules of bills totaling $835,535.81. Um, and the meeting minutes from November 6th, 2025. >> So move. >> Motion by Henry.
Second. Second by Melissa. Any discussion >> in the minutes? Um, uh, just so you know, um, He might want to take a look under the subcommittee, please. They're referencing the Bell School process. So, I don't know, um,
which is school. So, >> we might want to just >> Okay. I will I will take a look at that. I'm not sure about that. Um, any other discussion? Okay. Um, the motion by Henry, seconded
by Melissa to approve the identified schedule of bills and the meeting minutes. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. The motion carries four to zero. Okay. So, next we have a number of school committee communication and
discussion items tonight. The first two um are field trips that we need to approve and I think John is gonna >> Yeah. So um we had we had two um the first one is the Met halfway programs trip to Maine. Um here
Conor here sorry up to the thing just in case we have questions. We want to make sure. So I can't see that far. Con I just said earlier I got to wear my other glasses. So I apologize. Um so um you have the you have the the proposal in your packet um to go to landing
school and Aaron Delme maybe you want to just kind of share a little bit with the committee about you know how we get to this um field trip and >> uh I haven't met a few years. Hi I'm Conor Ry English teacher of high school. I'm also the program director of our uh ICT and innovation career pathways and we run a manufacturing engineering and
technology uh pathway in the high school. Part of our aim is uh post-graduate opportunities. Uh to that end, we have a number of seniors who are interested in the marine industry. The landing school is a one-of-a-kind school in Rundle, Maine.
They do a degree in marine systems and diesel technologies um wooden boat building, composite boat building and they are the only school country that offers a degree in yacht design injunction with York University in uh
they have an open house on the date the 3rd I believe. Um I reached out representative came down and talked to us. Uh it seemed like a really cool opportunity. They also have gap year studies and they have um small
scale workshops that might work as potential internships over the summer that sort of thing. Uh so I reached out to our members uh they were keen to attend. I procured the silver bullet part is ready to go. So they're seeking to
appro there questions or comments from members. I'm jealous. Sounds >> It sounds awesome. >> Um and I worked college. I'm very very excited to see.
>> So I just I just want to say, you know, Connor is this is first year as program director. He's doing a great job. So I think thank you. And I um I'm always about experiential learning and getting having the kids see things and touch things and and do things hands-on. And and I think it's a great opportunity. So
I I would generally support any of these kind of uh field trips from my perspective because I think they're educational. They're meaningful. It's not something that is a typical field trip, which is really cool and it's a way way for students to experience something that they may, you know, find internships with or employment later. So
I appreciate the effort on this. >> So is there a motion to approve this field trip? I'll make a motion to approve the the pathway program trip to Maine. >> I'll second. So, we have a motion to
approve the field trip by Henry and a second by Melissa. Any further discussion? Great. All in favor? Any opposed? Right. Motion carries four to zero. >> Thank you all. Have a great time.
I'll uh I'll get in touch with Will have report back. >> Yeah. Be great. >> Thanks. Then the ne the next um the next field trip is a speech and debate club event. Michelle, you want to come on up? >> Yes, absolutely. >> Um I'll let Michelle introduce, but um
this is a little atypical um field trip request, but I thought it was really cool. Um and it's you know Michelle and um we'll explain kind of what they're looking to do and and seeking the school. So I'll just turn it over to you and you guys can share. >> Yeah. So um this is a brand new student
to Makan High School who just transferred from >> Alabama way off. Um she is nationally ranked in speech and debate and her high school there had a speech and debate club which we did not have. She found two staff members who were willing to
volunteer their time and serve as adviserss for this to try to get the club off the ground and running. And we have several students that are interested. None of the new students would be competing this year, but they're learning all about it. But um
she is going to uh ask to go to a competition out of state um and submitted a proposed trip for that. and one of the advisors is going to accompany her to that. Do you want to tell them a little bit about this because they know much more than I do?
>> Okay. So, hi, my name is um I'm a sophomore at Bottle Head and um like you guys here. Um I'm requesting to attend the tournament in a Georgia University called Barkley Forum, which is a national circuit tournament, which just
means that um states from all over the country will send kids to this tournament to attend. And um it's for speech debate which is it's a public speaking at the crimper which um I think I've been doing it since seventh grade and it was really shaped on the person
that I am and I think public speaking is something that everybody should know how to do. Um it's a really important tournament to me because it was my first national circuit tournament so it holds sentimental value and last year I became the first freshman and the first student
from my school to break class prelims. Um, so I really do want the opportunity to attend because I think that um, you know, it's it's an important tournament. It's more an opportunity, but also because I want to be able to explain this club. So hope that next year um, I
won't be the only student from Marvel attending. Um, yeah, I just think, you know, thank you so much for coming explaining to the committee. It's it's really uh, neat. You said I talked to Dr. Carlson about it for saying that you guys sat and chatted. So, um, I appreciate you coming before practicing your public speaking,
right? That's great. And I think as a way to kind of spearhead developing and and growing this program, I I can't think of really a better way to do it. And um, you know, you should be very proud of yourself being so young and so far along in the in the speech and debate arena, I guess. Um, so I
appreciate uh you bringing that to the committee and hopefully they'll agree with me that it would be great opportunity for you, but also to showcase Marblehead and and how awesome we are. Any questions? >> Yeah. So, thank you again for doing this. This is great. Um, so I'm trying
to understand. So, it's the student and one and the chaper. So, two people, no other students, just two people. Okay. So, then there's a cost per student here. So, that's I guess your cost. So, where is the cost for the chaperone? Is that we coming? It's coming out of a high school budget.
>> It's going to be um supporting that. Okay. >> Okay. That's great. That's very generous. Great. Um, no vet. Any other questions? So, do we have a motion to approve
speech and debate club trip to Emory? >> So, moved. >> Right. So, we have a motion by Henry to approve the trip and a second by Melissa. Any further discussion? All in favor? Right. Motion carries four
to zero. Thank you. Good luck. Yeah. Thank you so much. >> All right. So, next on our agenda tonight is the MHS roof contract. Um, and I believe we have some people
who are going to present >> and then we will move to some discussion amongst the committee. Um, let me hand it off to you. >> Yeah. I'm happy to uh introduce we got Ryan Saraphene here. You can come up. Uh and
we have Mark Leeman online. Um I I also note we have a couple other members uh here online as well. I see uh G Raven being along and uh Ralph Wallace is here as well. Although we did select
uh Mark and Brian to present, but if anybody on the who's who's on the call has anything has popped up here. So um if anybody has any I'll start by sh unless you want to share. >> What do you want? What do you want?
>> Oh, I think I I have it up. Do you want the presentation? >> Have the presentation. Send it to >> I'm ready to go if you want. Oh, really? Thanks. I Every program does a little bit. Okay, thanks Michael. Um, this is a
presentation that um, Leah was who's on this call put together and this was what we reviewed at our meeting on Tuesday the 18th. Um, and we've been meeting for several months now, looking at sort of
the specs of the project and um, the creating the bid documents and posting the bid documents and and working off of the timeline um, which is here. Thank you, Mike. Um
the where we are right now is sort of I don't actually it's not quite what's going on here but we have met and we have approved a bid. Um we the biggest
um decision that we had to make was whether we were going to go for the restore versus recover options and that was more of a traditional roof versus a liquid applied roof. Um we had some guests to the committee Mike Belgi who brought us this idea. He joined um our
most recent call and the call before that to discuss the pros and cons of the liquid applied roof and um we had several meetings and and communications where we were updating the bid documents. Um but
now you know the bids are in and we have uh sort of approved a contract. So these are the six bids that we got from general contracting. >> Just for clarification, I think you would have >> this is a recommendation to us for us to >> Yes. So we have approved in the
subcommittee >> to bring to this committee for approval which will then go to the select. So yes, thank you. That's that's where we are in the process right now. So the we have approved in the subcommittee the
bid from Homer contracting um which is uh 8,970,000 that includes the subcontractor bids for roofing, electrical, plumbing and um
HA citiz um it that bid came under budget $2,120,000. And then the the third column or the the the column all the way on the right there, which is the alternative number
one pricing, that is additional cost to do the liquid applied roof. So, um, and you can see sort of a breakdown here. We've got the budget for the for the GC was 11,90,000.
The low bidder not including the alternate which not including the liquid applied roof for homework contracting was 8 million 970,000 which was under budget 2,120,000
and just a little bit less than 20% under budget. Um these are sort of the breakdowns with the with the prequels here with the mandatory requirements. Um you can see the filed sub bids which is the fourth
column from the right. These are all they're all using the same subcontractor. So it's gateway roofing uh for the roofing. The plumbing is Robert Irving. HBAC is Amanti and the and the electrical is systems.
And so all those prices were fixed across all the GC bids. Um and so there's there's really just the variation there was their low bit amount and then whether we wanted to use the liquid applied roofing. Um the
subcommittee voted unanimously not to use liquid applied roofing. We didn't really see justification in the additional cost. There were there were some benefits, but um but we decided as a group that there
weren't over $2 million in benefits. And so that left us with uh we are required to accept the low bid which was from Homer um Homer contracting. And so that was the bid that we voted to
bring to this committee for approval. >> Um yes. >> Yes. Check out the one was just there with the Yeah. Oh, one more. Yeah, I have a bunch of questions. I don't know what >> Oh, please. Yeah.
>> Yes, you can go. We can we have we can open this up to questions. And again, >> so if all those subs are the same price, then the difference is the to the proposed that you see. So that's $2 million to the lowest bidder and upwards from there. Um that's what I was just doing the math. So the subs are all like
6.9 million and then the difference is what the GC is marking up for charge. >> Correct. I mean the GC does have some material. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So it's not all >> but it's labor materials and >> um so is there any explanation? So I
believe if I'm not mistaken this goes genesis of this particular exercise goes back to town meeting when there was disc or before discussion around this liquid applied roof was supposed to be a cost save
um of $2 million. So we kind of had a swing of 4 million between a cost well up to numbers were being thrown around between a million and two million. I know David Sandon had talked about that in school cleaning meeting over the summer. Um, so
is there any explanation on what this pretty significant swing? We paid $250,000 for >> We asked the same question subcommittee as the response from left field and RDA is that they can't legally reach out to the biders at this time to find out why they bid certain ways until after the
bid is awarded. I believe they're online, but I believe that's what I heard. I may be paraphrasing it differently, but they couldn't reach out to the biders and say, "Why was the liquid applied so much more?" We had estimated that it would come in less than the rubber roof or the uh PVC membrane. Um
>> yes. So that's correct. We we can't reach out to them and say hey could you explain your >> can our cost estimator or our designer or our OPM >> offer an explanation a lot of money. What the explanation was is that
apparently the contractors saw the liquid applied roof as an additional complication, not as a material savings. So they they priced it based on,
you know, they would ra I think it appears that they would rather use the PVC. >> And so so the liquid could apply charge. >> Okay. >> I I've got some I've got some thoughts on this. If if that helps anybody, >> I'd love to hear what you think. That'd
be great. Um, so I think you know, uh, square foot pricing for a liquid applied restoration is traditionally less expensive than a new roof. Um, my guess is the reason why that didn't reveal itself in this proposal is because this
roof has already already suffers so many material damages, you know, in various locations and they're pretty extensive. So I think the amount of work that would be required to um remove the old roof, repair insulation and roof decking and
all the stuff that needs to be done uh then re-roof it with PVC in those areas and then apply a liquid uh is just further complication. Whereas if you take a roof that is in in uh good condition but at the end of its lifespan
and apply liquid to it before it fails in a significant way, it's a tremendous savings. But here we just didn't see that. That that's and again nobody that's not coming from these subs. That's just my understanding of it uh having a construction background.
>> Thank you. >> Um is there anyone else on the on the call with Lucen the subcommittee who would want to chime in and provide some more information on Okay. But Ralph has raised some. >> All right. And we'll allow to talk.
She'd want to break. So, >> well, you should be able to talk now. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can hear you. >> Thank you. Uh, good evening. So, yes, I I would just uh concur that assessment, that description, I think, was very much
on point. Um because I think that these liquid applied roofing products work best when you have a an older roof as they described nearing the end of its useful life, but the roof is in generally good condition. Uh this roof has some problem areas and so that makes
the um uh the attractiveness of the liquid applied roofing system uh uh significantly reduced. I'd also observe that we got three bids uh from uh qualified uh roofing contractors uh all
of whom do extensive amounts of uh roofing installations on public school projects. Uh and the bids for the alternates uh uh varied widely. uh Capeway, which was the lowest bidder for
the um uh PVC membrane, basically bid uh $2 million extra, uh more than d about double its bid, uh I'm sorry, $1.8 million extra, almost double its bid for the liquid applied uh roof. Um the uh
the next bidder was Greenwood uh and they bid uh the alternate their their base bid was $2.9 million and their ad for the alternate was $983,000 or less than half of the alternate markup that Capeway had proposed. And
lastly, Gibson Roofing uh actually um uh proposed a uh a credit of $157,000 uh for uh the liquid applied roof. So the uh the range in values was uh was very broad and it's pretty clear that
the uh the market was fairly um uh divided in terms of their um comfort with proceeding with a liquid applied product in this particular installation. And in any event, uh, Capeway's, uh, bid for the base contract was lower than any
of the, uh, other alternates. I mean, if he'd accepted the liquid applied roofing with $157,000 credit from Capeway, uh, their bid would have still been, uh, $3.3 million. >> Thank you, R. >> And we can't see those. That wasn't
shared. >> Okay. because the numbers Ralph was just talking about are must be embedded in these GC numbers. >> Well, definitely >> there. Yeah. Yes. >> Those those are the the base bids. So, as as you point out, you got the math right. It's about $6.9 million for the
uh the GC bids. And I would point out the one thing it's we're we're talking about the roof, but let's understand that about 70% of the value of this uh of this contract is for the HVAC equipment and 30% roughly speaking, a third is for the roof. Um, and I just I I I don't mean to bore
you. I'm sure you got other things to do than listen to me, but I'd observe that we got good uh bid participation. I I think that left field and RDA did an excellent job in going out and uh um uh uh you know, entertain. We have to
pre-qualify contractors for this work. It's a requirement because it's worth over $10 million, but we got um uh eight uh general contractors pre-qualified. We received bids from six. We got six roofing subcontractors pre-qualified. We got bids from three. We got nine
plumbing contractors pre-qualified. We got bids from six for a very small scope. Uh we got uh six um nine HVAC subcontractors pre-qualified. We got bids from six. uh and they were very tight and we're very fortunate in this
instance uh that the um low bidder Eiamonte and Suns which is based in beautiful Highland Avenue in Salem is an exceptionally good HVAC contractor and then lastly we got seven pre-qualified electrical subcontractors and three of them gave us bids again also uh highly
qualified firms that do a lot of uh school work and uh well below budget. So from a procurement standpoint uh given there was some concern but the market I think fortunately is turning in the favor of owners. So this was a good time to take bids. Um I'm particularly
pleased with the HVAC results but the roofing bids are also quite good. So in my way of thinking this is a this is a very good outcome a very you know positive uh success for the for the um for the town. And I think that's why the the the subcommittee uh recommended the
award of the contract for the base contract scope. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions from the committee? >> So um there was some discussion about a couple. So one question is about the you
know the continuation of this subcommittee. Um I'm a little unfamiliar with a committee in this nature because I've never worked with them before, but I've worked with many multiple building committees. Typically building committee Ralph was brown the committee and these
are some MSBA regulations would continue through until in fact the brown smoke committee I think still exists um until um completion of construction. So is is the plan for this committee to continue? Um I know we have a couple folks who are
subject matter experts who also have generously offered their time to help um the oversight of this which I think would be clearly this process shows how valuable it is to have our community members here and I would feel um I could sleep better at night knowing that we've
got folks who've got eyes on this. Um, so I I guess my question is to committee is is this committee going to go on or would it just be sort of an ad hoc members um continuing to you know keep eyes on the project and either report
back to obviously work and John or back to us or something some way of knowing because we've done half the job which is to get the second half as we getting into. >> Thank you J. So I I I am going to keep the committee at this. I mean I think
when I asked if anybody would be interested in continuing to participate after we approve this bid, everybody was interested in continuing. So I think it would be a mistake to to sort of turn down that community expertise. And so
yes, to answer your question, yes, we're going to continue his job. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think I just want to say two things. one, I appreciate the the subject matter experts from the community. It was defin I mean, I know I only jumped in a little bit here and there and I did that purposefully, but I was very impressed with conversations
from Ralph, Mark, everybody else. So, I'm really happy about that. I don't want to speak for Mark, but I know in in the meeting the other day, he he offered his services that he kind of boots on the ground and ongoing way along with OPM just to make sure that there's sets of eyes there.
>> Mr. there for his offering as well in the >> absolutely so that's great and I think why wouldn't we why wouldn't we um you know take folks up on that offer I said you know it's it's one thing you might see that someone else doesn't see or one thing Mark sees someone it's it's always good to say hey we're we're on track you
know not to micromanage the process but to kind of help oversee it so I that's a great idea I think the committee staying together and having some of these folks willing to kind of ground >> so what how many on the committee
Well, we have uh five community members >> total. How many are on the >> um we have so five community members. There's >> me and Mike are the voting members and then Todd and we've got Jean and Lena
and Brian um and Mal. >> So, how many voting members? >> Seven. Seven voting. >> Seven voting members. So, four is four. So, I just didn't want I don't want what I don't want to see happen is if it's Brian and Mark and I'm not sure what I don't want is to be getting
bogged down with forum issues if you know two of you are up on the roof with Todd or the contractor the GC to be getting into any issues around open meet the designer none of them are voting
members so you'd be fine with them so as long as there aren't four committee members >> as long as you don't have four up there >> in that way, you know, whatever is discussed doesn't come back is kind of more of like I want to get up
there and do my thing. So, and not to really drag along the whole peanut sort of essentially one by terms of both. >> I think we'd all have different specialties, too. I mean, I I'm an HVAC. Um that's I own a commercial HVAC
company so we do projects like this all the time. So that would be my focus. I'm not necessarily roofing expert but um >> I would be to find everything I can access it for sure. >> Yeah. I'm just concerned about the idea of a quorum because if there were a quorum of folks up there and you're all talking about here
>> yeah you're going to be eventually you know either presenting to us. >> So it doesn't sound like that's an issue. I don't think you >> it's not an issue but thank you know I I would I will keep the the committee sort of aware of that and and remind people
that we I gave them all an introduction to open law when we before we met for the first time. So, >> so one thing that might be helpful and I'm not looking to give the committee more work but wasn't necessarily has we haven't really made clear is sort of like what is the you know there's no
definition of this committee there's no deliverable so and again I'm looking for more work but you know maybe at some point >> just kind of give us updates or whatever because it you know we've gone from initial task of tonight recommendation
to us and then basically get this there if it's done. >> We can do that obviously any updates too. I mean it's but I think that that's we have that on every agenda. So I think want to go updates from there we just build that. So sorry I don't mean to jump. >> Yeah. No
>> and I think the timeline would be helpful reporting back so we know because it sounds like there's a pretty like there's like a 90-day window of construction. I think sounds like it's June to September whenever it's going to be when the kids are out. >> Yes. The goal is to have this project
completely done by the time the students are in the building for the 26 27 school year. >> Might be it won't be fully done. I think October is the >> October. Yeah. >> Right. >> The brains will be gone. The you know it'll be bottoming up hopefully. >> And and what's really driving that
timeline is the HVAC. >> Yeah. >> All right. Well, I think that's great. I appreciate all the help. This is this is why you know we have such great community folks who will love to step up. >> Yes. Thank you. >> I would I would love to call out um Mark
Leman and Brian um Brian Sarapin. >> Um we have Ralph Wallace who spoke earlier but we also had Kareem Maloney and Sam Altro who were the community members on this committee. >> Uh Mike Mike Belgi I'd like to thank as
well for joining. He wasn't technically on the committee, but he did join two of our meetings and his invalid. He answered a ton of questions. So, um I will submit for official commendation. I just wanted to be sure
that this was all but before we started celebrating, but I think having us come in over $2 million under budget is is worth celebrating. >> Great. >> Hey, hey guys. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have to head into a planning board meeting in a couple minutes here. Do you
mind if I jump in for a second? >> Um, so I just I just want to continue on the idea of um having some oversight on the project from the subject matter experts, especially uh Brian with the HVAC and and I'm happy to jump in on the
roofing because that is uh an area of of expertise. Um, I think that that from the roofing perspective, um, depending on what phase of the project they're at, it might even be a few times a week getting up there because a lot of the failures that occur
on these types of projects, um, are both in the material themselves and more common in the application. Now, the material itself, you can't tell typically at the time of of application if there's a defect, and it takes years for that to uh to show it to show
itself. But you can very quickly detect if there's any quality issues with the application or any deviation from from uh you know standard best practice for installation. So I I'd be willing to do that and give as much time as required to make sure that the the taxpayers get
what they um are expecting to get. Uh, additionally, I think that after the project is completed, I will volunteer my time if it is something that you will allow me to do to work with whatever department it is within the the school
department that that is responsible for maintenance. Um, one of the reasons I think this is important is because a lot of the photographs that we were shown in this subcommittee, which basically justified the need for replacing the
HVAC so prematurely, really were excellent documentation of lack of general maintenance that is almost free, something that town employees could do without contracting out. uh for example, changing filters and there are pictures
showing, oh, the filter's sucked into the unit. We need to replace the unit. When in reality, uh that should never be happening. So, I would like to have a quarterly meeting with whoever's responsible for maintenance and see what's been done, see what's on the horizon, and potentially do an
inspection if there's any reason to believe that uh that some more oversight is required from a, you know, roofing or HVAC expert rather than just a general maintenance person who is employed by the town of Marblehead. And like I said, that's something I'd be willing to do
and happy to do because we should be pro protecting our investments instead of uh you know seeking override money prematurely to replace them without any maintenance in between. >> Yep. They >> I agree. Um and I'm going to take that a
step further. That really ought to be something we ought to take up in the facilities subcommittee. I I was never a citizen >> and and Mark I talked about that offline but I think you know contrary to what we've discussed earlier this year this committee voted me in terms of having expert you know community members and
experts on the facility subcommittee this is why we have traditionally had community members with subject matter expertise on our facility subcommittee. So, um I think we should, you know, take Mark up on his again generous offer um to help protect our taxpayers um and
consider how we can formalize or operationalize this new facilities. >> Awesome. Well, any anything I can do to be helpful and you all know how to reach me. I'm going to hop off right now, but I uh thank you to Henry for all the hard work and uh if there's anything else I can do to be of service, please uh let
me know. >> Thanks, Markers. >> Thank you. Have a nice evening everyone. >> Good evening. >> All right. Any other questions from the committee? >> Um, so then we need to vote this. So I'm looking for a motion to award the
contract as presented for the general contractor the Marblehead High School roof HVAC project to Homer Contracting Inc. of Arlington, Massachusetts in the amount of $8,970,000. Absolutely. Second
and moved general second. Any further discussion? The only question that I have um that's come up from a community member is um and I don't know whether you can get this mic or I can follow up with the town side, but you know, has this full amount been
borrowed, bonded, and how does that work when it comes? I mean, we may have to wait until the project closes out, but if it's already been bonded, what happens to that remain or is it is it drawn down as as the project progresses and just won't draw draw down that 2 million?
>> I I did have a discussion with Alicia yesterday. Um, Alicia Benjamin from uh I don't fully understand her role in bonding and borrowing. You know, you bond it, but she may not borrow it right away. I believe the entire project may
have been bonded but not borrowed. I don't believe we can borrow until we at least need it. Um or at least it's under contract. So I don't believe it's been borrowed. Um we just bounced a couple ideas of what that $2 million how how that gets back to the town, how that gets messaged back to the community,
things like that. So um stay tuned, I guess. >> Yeah, I think we you know I've brought it up. I think we need to get that answer and we need to get that out to the community. U because I've had a couple people ask me and it's it's a legitimate question. >> So legally by telling law the money
can't be used for anything else. So that 2 million is going to have to go come off the tax that the day that exclusion. So if if the if >> well in the past it has been so there've been past cases where you know it's a fairly loosely written ballot question.
So you know we have other rules we have other like there's other ways right? So I just think we don't know the answer tonight and I can also follow up with Alicia but to to understand how this flow works so that >> I think part I think part of us waiting for tonight to make sure that moves
forward and stuff that we can actually do the due diligence of but yeah it's definitely a question we need to have the answer to as we move forward. >> Nice. Other discussion from the committee? Right. So, we will move on to vote. The motion to award the contract
made by Henry, seconded by Jen. All in favor? Any opposed? Right. The motion carries. Four to zero. Thank you everyone, especially to the members of the subcommittee for all of the work that went into this. >> Thanks for coming. Thank you. >> Thanks.
>> Thanks, Ralph. Where else is on? >> All right. So that brings us to FY27 capital requests which I believe Mike is going to cover for us. >> Yeah, if it's okay with the chair, I will again share my screen just to let the community see what what's going on
here. Um so annually we are asked by the town to submit our capital requests. Last year being my first year and not knowing um we submit a list of capital requests to the town and never went to the school committee. So this year we're
gonna do things right and we're going to put it to the school committee. Um make sure I select the right file. Yep. Is this my memo? November 18th. Okay. So, um, in our finance subcommittee the other
day, we did present this as a list of our capital items that we would like to request from the town. Um, this is we we know that not all of this will be funded, especially next year with the financial situation of the town, but I believe it's still important to list what our needs are so people can see
that there are needs even though they can't be funded. Uh the administration ranked these um by priority and um I would ask that you provide your feedback and vote on this submission uh
regarding priorities especially if you think something needs to be moved up or down the priority list. Uh, and if you want to put a 1A, 1B, 1 C or something like that, I certainly that would help also because I am going to get in a meeting probably within the next two to three weeks and I'll be asked you're only you're going to get only going to
get one thing. What is it that you want? And and I'd like to have a 1A versus me sitting there saying, I have six ones. Which one do I move forward? So, I'd like this this school committee to kind of guide me. >> Sure. Okay. Is that is that a little better?
So, um these are in no particular order. I think they're actually alphabetical by priority. So, um some of the things that we're looking for bus cameras. We have a bus camera system in our buses right now. It is a hard drive camera system that needs to be pulled every time we need to pull a c a tape. We would like
to upgrade that. uh the K hard drives are failing on a regular basis and it's just not an efficient or uh state-of-the-art way to do things. The second thing on our list is the Glover playground. Uh we did a lot of work there this year. Thank you to the to the town for allocating some money for the
new surface over there and also to the PTO of Glover for donating a new piece of equipment which has been a wild success for the students over there. It's a climbing rope climbing piece of equipment. One of the things superintendent and I noticed when we were over there is there's there are a
lot of jagged blocks um boulders that were not removed when the building was built. This is goes back to original construction. Just don't really feel like it's the most safe environment for our youngest students. So we feel like we really need to get some of these bigger walks moved out of there. Uh you
know they're not the nice smooth rocks. They're a little little shy. So we feel in the ports of safety that will probably be a high priority for us. Um then the next three are all pertain to the the fieldhouse at the high school.
This this request primarily from um Mr. Wheeler. Um it's time to repaint and refresh our fieldhouse uh in including um the paint on the walls, the padding on the on the walls. So the the safety
cushions padding uh and then also do some work on the flooring. He also wanted to get into the banner replacement, things like that. I said, Kent, you know, I think really that's something you need to look at your PCO, PTO on or your boosters groups to refresh the banners. Um, and and there I
don't I don't disagree. There's all different shapes and sizes and colors of banners depending on the sport or the year it was awarded. So, we'd like to get it all uniform, which would be great. I've seen that in other districts. And uh I just think that that's something that we shouldn't ask the town for capital money for banners for for what. So, it's also kind of cool
to have the what they were back not like >> the Celtics have >> updated. >> They're retro. >> There you go. Okay. >> Wait, can I just ask a question? We figured. >> Sure. >> So, on the fieldhouse note, part of the conversation was the uh
boards, the soundboards, too. Is that >> Yeah, I think this >> I think that's part of the um the painting and the I believe it is. But yeah, the um there is acoustic paneling on the walls and um we've had issues with some of them not
staying secured to the walls. So we'd like to address that. Also, it doesn't seem like a widespread issue, but it's something that we would >> there's also leaking in there, is there? So that that roof is is the roof cover the fields new roof. The new roof will be done on
field new air handlers on the roof. I believe there's two primary air handlers up there. Large container size air handles up there that will be replaced. Correct. >> Mike, can I just ask a question? There's three fieldhouse items.
>> Yeah. >> Similar descriptions. Are they >> Yeah, they're they're on the other spreadsheet. I didn't bring out >> one's paint, one's padding, one's blowing. Yes, the split. >> And I would do the padding is a 28,000. The paint is a 300,000 and the flooring is 200. >> Thank you.
>> Sorry, I should have caught that. >> Nope. >> Uh, moving on, we now have two more priority ones that we've listed. One is the veteran middle school clock and bell system. Um, in our schools, the clock, the bell, and the PA system are all one system. They work tandem together. Um,
that's certainly in need of a new one. It's it's to be honest, it's useful life. And our last one is uh at the village school around the Hopkins field. The fence there has taken quite a beating
over the years. A lot of it's chain link, a lot of dents, a lot of um maybe uh the top rail piping has come concaveed >> disconnected. Uh it needs some love. So,
uh, that that kind of rounds out our our top one, tier one priorities, and then I'll jump into tier two. At our Brown School, uh, the playground is beautiful, great, beautiful playground. There is not a lick of shade in the on that playground. Um, and it really in the in
the late spring, early fall. It'd be a nice outdoor classroom space uh for for teachers to bring their classroom for an hour or so just to have a a different learning environment. It's just not possible when the sun's hitting. Yeah. who sucks his gaming on that. So, that's
been a request. Um, in the Veterans Middle School, there were expansion joints throughout the school, especially on the first floor in the cafeteria. That's a big area we notice it more. Those expansion joints were tiled over with lenolium
type tile or decent teeth of tile. Um, and when those expansion joints move like they're supposed to to provide, you know, cracking, the floor cracks. So, we have large large separating cracks for very long spans of of area. And maybe
this is somewhere where our subject matter experts can can maybe advise us a little bit more. Then on the second floor, when they renovated the building, there are a couple of areas where they put down some plywood flooring. And when you walk on it, you know you're on plywood and you know you're on it. it.
It's not unsafe, but you can hear it echoing below you. So, um, no, just it's, you know, be like walking on a hardwood floor in your house. You might hear something down below a little bit. Um, but those tiles are also starting to crack and split. So, we need to kind of address it. We'll see in the near
future. Um, moving along, uh, the veterans, um, gymnasium. So, that's a large gym and a small gym to refresh the floor. I will say that every summer we do refresh the floors with a a new coat of um polish.
Not polish, but um finish finish. Um I think they actually want to take it down. We do all lines, sand it all down, put a new a new fresh coat of everything on top, not actually touch the hardwood other than to sand it down with flush. Um but that's that that would be like
and that's the large gym and small gym respectively. And then you'll see um you'll see this for both veterans and I believe the village later on. The gymnasium lighting is uh a little older. It's not efficient by any means and it's
not bright by most means. So they would like to re reamp may be the right phrase. Relamp those those two gymnasiums. So this one here is for veterans and then the other one later on you'll see is for village. Um
there is um at the veteran school there's coming off of the D-wing I believe there's a set of stairs that goes down and heading towards Pleasant Street goes halfway down the hill and stops. It's a concrete set of stairs.
It's the stairs to nowhere other than the students like to use those stairs to get to and from school if they're coming from I guess this side of town where we are here. Um, we need to be careful. I'm not sure what we can do. Todd gave us an
estimate of 75,000 to extend the stairs down. We don't know if that will trigger ADA because if it does, I'm going to have to put a ramp in and that will farts at 75,000. So, we want to be careful what we do. We want obviously want to be cautious that we're not providing a route that uh somebody without
disabilities can navigate where somebody with disabilities cannot. So, we have to we have to talk with some industry experts about what we can do and what what would be allowed and what what a rent and I'm not opposed to doing it. I just donate $75,000.
Um and then at the performing arts center last year, we um had to scramble a little bit in June, but we were able to paint the entire performing arts center and reupholster all of the seats in the performing arts center, which it's been it's a beautiful
move. uh through fresh area. The two things that we couldn't do is we couldn't reduce some of the lighting on the walls uh wall sconces and they're quite large and we could not uh replace the carpeting and the carpeting is not the entire it's it's the rows in between
the rows. So uh we've got an estimate to do that also. We only have a couple more things here. Uh one more thing on on item number two priority number two is the village gymnasium lighting. has mentioned that rate lampamping that similar to veterans. Um, sounding
priority number three, uh, Seaside Park. This came from Kent. Also, this is where our baseball team plays and maybe a couple of other sports is primarily um maintained by the wreck and park department, I believe. But there is some
drainage issues there and Parker has identified some funds I believe to do some work on the drainage over there and they've asked us for some matching funds. Um they you know Kent was looking for money out of the operating budget but told it was that probably wasn't going to happen
but we put it on the capital list. >> Can it happen in the revolving fund? >> Uh I don't believe the revolving fund could support that right now. Talk about the athletics revolving fund. Yeah. I mean that's that was >> or next year. >> Well, I I think well part of that's going to depend on what we do with user
fees because the cost of that that fund primarily funds coaches salaries and official salaries and what officials and whatnot mostly coaches we do have some money in the local budget for officials. Um, as you know, in the in the unit contract, the coach's salary is going to
go up by 3% next year. And if we don't raise do anything if we keep the user fees at status quo, I'm not sure how you can pay people more and use the same amount of revenue. I mean, >> have you spoken to the dugout club? >> I have not spoken to any spoken to Ken.
I think um I I mentioned it depends that there were some very generous donors when it came to the piper field and maybe there might be some other or same or other who might be willing to do something with this. I can reach you. >> It sound It sounds to me that the
drainage stuff from mostly me doing the infield of >> Yeah, that's why >> I sent my son from Rand to play at seaside six years ago for his team and I was actually so impressed when I hold up look at the grand stand and that's amazing.
>> I I love that book. So, um Todd also well we can't spell I can't spell I guess. um has asked for a new piece of uh snow removal equipment. It is a uh it is not a plow truck. It is more a almost
like a snow blower, snow mover, snow track system where it's it's it's a it's an impressive piece of machinery. It will help us do our jobs a lot easier. It'll get um kind of look at this area front of the high school where you might not be able to get a plow truck in between all the trees and everything. It
can clear some areas like that. uh does a lot of sidewalks, a lot of um pushing back or or clearing. When the plow's push into a pile, we may be able to move that pile even further back. So, he's asked for something. We did look at something last year at the end of the school year, the end of the fiscal year when we had a little bit of surplus
funds and we just um couldn't get it delivered by June 30th. So, we had to scrap it. So I told Todd maybe get us a quote in in April and I'll bring it to the committee and see if we can buy it in April when we know what our fiscal finance is and and maybe at that time he
may have some money left in his uh maintenance side. Um so village field structure. Oh the last request was um this was also from Todd when we were talking about the fence at village. There's a uh up fieldhouse
there's a um this the stands and the press box and underneath there's some restrooms and some of the equipment rooms uh over at village they could use a refresh um probably mostly the bathrooms the restrooms and uh whatnot. I will say that those spaces are
primarily not used by the public school or they are primarily used by our youth organization. So it may be something that we need to work with them to raise funds together to, you know, spruce up those areas that primarily um technology. I put this on here. We we
need to replace our wireless access points at some point. We they're on a fiveyear w from what I understand uh program. After five years, we still own the wireless access points, but the licensing that allows us to do a lot of the controlling of them is then falls
off the contract or fall the contract is terminated and therefore we lose some control. Doesn't mean that our wireless access will stop working. It just means that we will not have control of maybe blocking some things or redirecting some things or whatnot. There's I'm not an
expert on all things technology. So uh I do understand that we will lose support control of these access points but it doesn't mean that we will lose our wings. So we could theoretically move on. The other thing that they talked about last year's budget preparation was
in this when we were building the FY27 budget which is we're doing right now talked about putting in um some money in a technology line and adding to that for three years in a row so we could sustain three-year leases and keep rolling those leases. after 3 years, we would be
self-sufficient on that, not have to add any more money to the budget. Uh I think that part of the plan was to do that with this budget. And we also identified that we may not have funds in FY27, the level funded budget that we've been asked to put together to actually add
anything to the budget. So that's a concern. And um you know as Stephen has said we could probably get away with it for a little while you know but we rely so much on our wireless technology with our students and our devices our smartboards and everything we have in
our our chance too much with. Uh and then rolling stock we we have two buses uh 2013 which is uh what 12 years old now almost 13 years old that's a 14 passenger bus and a 2015 I think those
numbers might been flipped I think priority on those might be flipped 13 probably should be priority one and the 15 should be priority two but um both of them are um nearing the end of their life their useful life and and 10 years old going
on 13 and 11 um is is a good life for school bus. We might be able to get another year or two out of them, but we also plan for the season on things you can go to a lot and pick up especially in Marvel Cup. We require all of our yellow buses to have ramps in them, handicap ramps, so all of our students
can go on any bus at any time and be fully inclusive on field trips or athletic trips or whatever else. So, um that is usually a custom thing. It takes a little bit of planning and ordering cost to get the lift in sold. Um, so
just the total our our priority one totals was $935,000. Our priority two totals were $629,000 and our priority three totals were about $93,000. It will say there were probably four or five items that were on the list that I asked Todd to pull off the list.
They were mostly under $20,000 and I felt that we could support those within our local operating budget if we just, you know, tighten our belts a little bit. Even this year, we can do it this year within our local operating budget. Um example is there um the lover school
was built without a it was wired and there's a button to open handicap door handicap accessible door inside the festival once you get inside the building but it was the the mechanism was never put in in the the button was actually never installed. So things like that $7,000 is total we need to find the
money just to do that this and if it's that important life safety we should not be waiting for time to get approval on capital. So, couple of items like that. Um, Julie had a few items that she asked for uh to be considered and that would be as strong finding business budget.
So, I would take any recommendations if you think priorities are off anywhere and need to be uh adjusted up down or um especially in priority one might be an A, B or C. Um, >> can I just chime in before? Uh so bus
camera systems uh the rocks and whatnot at Glover the bell clock veterans and in my opinion the the technology we're all um one but also one uh due to safety concerns. So
that I just asked the um committee uh to think about that as they're as they're kind of looking over. Those are all safety issues that I think are are very pressing. Thank you. Does anyone have any questions, comments? No,
>> I mean the only thing is we discussed this in the budget subcommittee. Um, we always do have the option to go forward with the dead exclusion over wanted to fund this >> completely in one year um beyond what town meeting may be recommended. Um, it
won't certainly won't be all of them. Um, I'm going to suggest I'll make a motion in a minute that we approve this priority list. And then Mike, when you're when you communicate this, if you're given some kind of an idea of what the amount may be that would be recommended by the finance director,
maybe come back to us then with a recommendation because for us to we have no idea whether it's, you know, 50,000 or 500,000. So for us to prioritize 1 A, 1 B is hard to do. But >> my conversation would be she that they
comfortable with how much money is going to go into that hole at this point. >> Right. So, I think we can I'm going to suggest we approve we take a vote to approve this as it is and then if we have to you know I'm sure pick you know which one it would priority it would be
based on a recommendation from you in a future >> or superintendent. All right. Okay, I'll make a motion to approve the priority list of capital FY27 capital request. >> Second. Motion to approve from Jen and a second
from Melissa. Any further discussion? >> Great. So to a vote. All in favor. All right. Motion carries four to zero. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Mike. >> Thanks, Mike. Okay. Next on the agenda is um a
donation from the Marblehead Female Humane Society. So, I'm looking for a motion to accept a donation of $2,500 from the Marblehead Female Humane Society to the Marblehead Metco Donation Fund. So,
second motion from Jen from Enry. Any discussion? Right, we can move to a vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries four to zero.
>> Okay. Um Jen, I think you were up next with an update. >> Yeah. So, um I just wanted to give I mean since this isn't sort of an official subcommittee, um I didn't put it under sub, you know, subcommittee updates, but I just wanted to give an update. So when we had met uh one of our
meetings, I think it was a September 5th meeting um that took place um shortly after a tragic um incident um and a loss of a student this summer. Um I had come forward to the to the committee um and
had indicated that I had reached out to um some of the leaders on some of our other elective boards in town that I thought had uh sort of con you know connections in to either students or children um andor the health of our community. So that was the board of
health reckon park department and us. So um we we agreed that I would do that. So, I've had actually a couple of opportunities to meet with some of the folks. So, it's it's not a again, it's not a um forum of a border, anything. It's just um some conversation and you
know, we've shared some thoughts um and concerns particularly what each of and and folks that we I've met with. I met with Chris Kennedy from American Park, Tom McMahon who's here tonight from Order Health. Um met with Aaron um Newman from the Select Board and then also then Alexa Singer. think Alexa may
be the one who continue to work um with us going forward and um she met with us last night. So, we just have really spoken about, you know, what are some thing, you know, what are we hearing actually from folks in the community because I've been hearing from folks in the community and I think some of the other leaders have or I know they have
um that are concerned um about our our young people in our town and focused on their health and their safety and their welfare whether it's you know use and abuse of of substances um as well as you know impaired driving in etc. So, and it
kind of encompasses, you know, all of us in our areas, in our lanes, if you will. Um, so we've had conversations around, um, you know, what the laws are in town, both state laws and bylaws. Um, I think we have sort of a clear picture, but
there's some kind of um, you know, I don't know about confusion, but some unertainty around exactly what those bylaws are. And I've I've gotten some of those that have been shared with me. um the enforcement of those bylaws um how that's worked. Um we've talked a lot
about education which superintendent Rabbitu and I have talked about and we talked about tonight. So what role can the schools have? Um and then the you know the health department through the board of health um is certainly committed to um you know wanting to you know address this and also you know
Thomas has talked about um you know steps that um might be able to take around um counseling um and having resources available um you know for for students that way or for I shouldn't say students young people in our community because
this affects all young people whether they're are students or not. Um, so that's that's really it. So, a couple things that we've uh since our last meeting, um, one is we actually got some information. I did that Tom actually was did share what the bylaws are. We actually do have bylaws in the town
around um, serving minors alcohol, um, minors, you know, having alcohol, um, and certainly driving well-haired. Um, there actually are fines, believe it or not, they are like $25 fines, but interestingly, for serving a minor, I don't think they've been updated. And what's interesting to note from our um
town clerk is that um there have there were citations the numbers she was giving us were back from 2009 to 2016. There were five citations given out for um house parties or um you know um a
location of a of a house or a bow that had underage serving of minors. Um and there've been no citations since 2017. Interesting. Um so that's just information um that has been shared. Um so I know um Alexa was going to have
some conversations around like what exactly is you know what what you know what are the bylaws. Um we've talked with the superintendent on the education part. So I I think that there are just some you know sort of ongoing. Um we're also I've reached out we had a conversation I've reached out to the
district attorney's office and have made a connection there in terms of resources because they actually have resources too. Um, one of the things we tal has been talked about and I haven't talked to John about this is up until I think COVID, um, we used to have an annual,
um, kind of spring kickoff. No, not kickoff, but spring meeting for parents of seniors going into like the spring and you know, events or whatever. Um, and it would be all about just what the events were and all that. But there would also be a section usually from
um either the chief of police or even the DA's office has this as a resource where they talk about some of these issues around keeping students safe. Um, you know, what we you know what what what the laws are, what the bylaws are um and more just a you know reminder
around being you know trying to be vigilant and keep students safe. So that's something we can, you know, talk about side. So that's really sort of it. You know, we've got a few things, you know, we're working on. Um I, you know, I don't have anything that we're voting for or anything like that. I just wanted
to give a brief update. Um I think this is a long range, you know, sort of issue. Um I I feel um very appreciative and there's a strong commitment from the other folks on these committees in their particular areas um as to what we can
do. Um and I you know they don't speak to their boards. I certainly won't speak to their boards but I feel like you know there's there's a commitment there. Um so anyway I just I don't know if anyone has any thoughts or concerns or questions or >> No Jen I think it's great. You know,
I've also talked to a number of community members and people on other boards, including Tom Bazaro from the board of health. Um, I talked to I believe they actually talked to Mike Elen who uh has he's in the uh believe
Rotary Club of Marblehead Harbor. >> Okay. >> He told me he talked to me, but he has experience with >> Oh my Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Elen. Yes. Yes. Yes. uh has a lot of experience with addiction and substance abuse counseling and he has resources that
we might be interested in in seeing if the schools and council would be interested in learning some of these techniques. He's a trainer >> these techniques. So, >> um I I'm I'm proud of the work that you've been doing. I'm proud of the work
that everyone's been doing in town. Um I think we've all come together around this issue. I hope to see some real change. >> John, do you have anything? >> Yeah. So I think um you know we've had some conversation about I think you know it's kind of waiting to see how things kind of panned out conversations you've
had and you know I've had some connectivity with you know board health survey and some other some other conversations. So I think it's good to for the collaboration. I think it's good to have the conversations and see where we can um you know kind of elevate the
con the discussions right um I alluded to some of the things in my in my update we're going to we're going to come back and kind of really share some more of the things that we have in place around substance abuse around healthy you know um students etc um and some of the things we're planning so we we'll share
that information in kind of a more succinct and uh specific way which I think will lend to some more discussion I think there's a lot of good things happening in the school. So, we're trying identifying areas so we can enhance. So, in the infancy discussions of it, there's been a lot of discussions
already. So, I think that that's good. I think um you know, the more we can talk about, the more we can get parents um to really think about how they can keep their their children safe um is just going to help the community. Uh I think you know going into
holiday season into you know spring you know there's always the different seasons that kind of elevate the conversation. Um but I think the biggest thing is we talked about earlier is we just we need to have the conversations so we're proactive not reactive. Um so I'm glad we're keeping the conversations open because you know it's really easy
to say oh we had a very horrible tragedy. Everyone gets elevated and passionate and then it kind of goes away and something else bad happens and it's not not unique to Mal. happens in every community. So, I'm glad, Jen, for the conversations you're having and and folks that are stepping up because uh we
we need to keep the conversation alive so we can keep our kids alive. Period. >> Well, and I think too that you know, this isn't this certainly did come about from the um tragedy from this summer. But, you know, I'm I'm old and I've been here for a long time and there's been
multiples of this in the 45 to 50 plus years I've lived here in town. So, you know, you can speak to each generation and, you know, there has been a tragedy. So, it's not um, you know, it isn't just about what happened the summer ago. It
is um, but this is a long range, you know, commitment that I think that we need to make. uh not that we need to make um and the leaders of this town, you know, need to need to do that and to work with our administrators in each of our areas to help where we
>> and I think uh to interrupt, but you know, some of the I'm just reflect on some of the conversations have community me, you know, I've met with ministerial association service, there's the pastors and rabbis and the priests and um that want to be want to have a voice in lending resources and help and support
too. And I, you know, I think we need to look at um areas such as that as as another way to because they have they have um different levels of conversation with students and families, right? Our you know my counseling, you know, they they have a lot out to happen. So, I
think the more we tap into those different areas, um, just to keep that conversation going and making sure, you know, it may not necessarily like we're going to do this on this day and this on this day, but to have the dialogue and to keep dialogue open is is the biggest
first step and stuff that has to be in. So I I I love the work that's getting >> the other thing I will say later this is that that has come up too which I've heard from you know this group as well as parents is this concern around you know are we you know are we also enforcing those characteristic and are
we enforcing the MIA rules and we have some you know really strict rules around that and I've talked to John and John's you know confident in his discussions with the athletic director that that's you know that's you know we're obligated to do that and that part of the reality
this as well. >> And again, you know, when and just speaking to MIA, you know, a lot of times that that we have those proactive conversations, the coaches are supposed to have a conversation with the students, a has them with the coaches. And clearly when students make bad choices and things happen, we have that there's consequences, right? And the
good thing about MIA is it's very specific, right? And as long as we're following Ma says we're supposed to do and it's in alignment with our handbook, parents get upset, kids get upset, but there's there's consequences to poor decisions. Um, how can we auto conversation generally? How can we
replicate that in different areas too? So if kids are in drama or music or whatever, whatever whatever are we holding them to the same standard that's conversations that we have to have more >> that might be a policy >> it could be. Yeah. And I think so those are, you know, those are conversations
and discussions that are starting to happen. I I can't speak that historically how they have or haven't had happened, but um I'm passionate about it. I've seen too many students get killed. Um generic failings. So
>> Tom, did I miss anything? >> No, I think you got it all in. >> Thank you. >> I mean, I think that's the best place. >> Yeah. Jen said what I've always said that when they first and all that stuff but then the park gets sold then that's
oyster the next the next generation that's going so keeping those keeping it alive. >> Thank you. Well, I think we have an opportunity to invite people like particularly community members to come and present to us here in this meeting.
Um or included in in some of the communications we have from the communication sub, >> you know. >> Um I think it it it would help to have to use our platform a little bit to make a sort of more of a public announcement
about I know a lot of people are interested in working on this as well. Thank you. Thanks for doing that. Thanks a lot, Phil. Thanks, Chris. Thanks, Eric. >> Okay.
All right. So, next um we are on to our superintendent goals. Um so, as a recap of where things stand on this, John presented um these goals to the committee at a workshop on November 3rd. Um he took our comments and feedback,
revised the goals, and presented them again to the committee at our November 6th meeting. Um and he has now made some additional edits to the goals based on that discussion. Um and they're back before us again tonight for further discussion and vote. >> Yeah. So I think you know we we talked
about this last time. I made I made what I thought were the uh the improvements and edits that the committee was looking for. I highlighted them. I put them in the drop box. You've had an opportunity. I don't think it's really necessary for me to go through the goals, but I'm happy to if there's still some further
tweaks that folks want or I'll, you know, or discussions we need to have, I'm open to that. Um, hopefully we can move forward. I I will say that the goals as written, I think, are pretty robust. I think that I'm going to be doing updates in in an ongoing way with
all of them. And as those updates kind of unfold, you will see where I am with my goals, where I'm not with my goals, where I'm falling short, where I'm exceeding, where and I think that that's that's important. We can just because the goals are written doesn't mean that we can't say, "Oh, you know, we we overshot on that, we undersshot on that." We can always kind of just
massage it in just for the edification of the community. I I treat other goals as 18 months goals. So you kind of get around be a set schedule going forward. So some of them will be done before the 18 months. But yet is there discussion from the committee
about false goods. I'll >> second who made it. Melissa second. Okay. Any further discussion before we get
all in favor? Motion carries for vote. >> Thanks, John. Um, I will look to hopefully tomorrow to take the watermarks off and send them to Lisa Manning so she can work with Stephen to get them posted in the proper spot for
great place. That'll be done tomorrow. >> Great. Update on Thanksgiving. Okay. Um, so we have one more goal um component of our agenda. I'm going to pass papers around. Um, when we voted
our committee goals last week, there's an extra John and Julia. Um, the committee at our last meeting, the committee included and voted on this goal to ed elevate educator voices. um
which had been the initial draft of it was presented um at our first discussion about about goals, but it hadn't really been refined further. And so I took a stab at doing that um ahead of tonight's meeting um and was hoping the committee could
revoke this goal so that it's more in keeping with the substance that we have around the other goals. Um, so it really just sort of fleshes out the idea of working with the superintendent to make sure that if we holding sessions with
our educators that are productive um and forwardlooking and then um to have as we're doing with the strategic planning piece of things, have a member or an ad hoc subcommittee appointed um to really look at how other
school committees are increasing particip ipation at their meetings and to come back to the committee at the end of this school year um with a report or an update on you know what that showed what the pros and cons are so the committee can have further discussion
around whether this is something that would serve in our district well >> any questions comments this wasn't in the Right. Who's got this? Yeah. So, I'm not going to be in a position to
have a chance to read it, but that's okay. >> You guys also want to interrupt. Um, my question on this, I don't I might have stepped out when we had this conversation last hour. I might have blanked out. I'm not sure. Um, the second part was explore adding additional non- voting representatives
to school committee. Um, can just kind of explain what that looks like. I I totally missed that part of conversation. So there had been um some discussion earlier in the year I think in our workshop with Alicia Melon around you know whether it would be an option
to for example have an educator sit as a non- voting member of the school committee participate in discussions um and she shared that other districts have like things like a CPAP representative representative um do that same
same type of activity and then you know there's obviously an option to increase the role that our student representative plays in in a meeting. And so that's really the thing that >> and I I love the idea just have more
perspective. I just I just I don't know farther conversation. I think um school committees it's my understanding school commies that have kind of looked to have you know like say educators sitting it's generally not yeah >> um union leadership sitting on there for
for a lot of reasons and I don't that's not disparaging to Jonathan or salary or any of the other members it's just generally not that just so that um it can't be seen as someone pushing an element. So I just I just want to share that because after that's what I thought you were going to and I looked into it
and I was like how does that usually work? It's usually educator or someone that's willing to and it might be it might be you know an elementary educator or something that's coming for you know discussions that we are having as a committee or a secondary or or whatever. It may not be the same person all the time. Um so I just I just I just want to
>> those are the kind of questions that my hope would be we explore okay you know through this is places that do it what does it look like >> and how this could end up making so that we come to an informed decision. >> Yeah if I'm reading this correctly you're basically like you want to do the
work and the research to figure out what are the options versus moving forward definitively with this. >> Yeah that was my question as well. Sounds like the the goal is to focus on
asking questions and coming up with some ideas or proposals to bring back to the committee to for further discussion. >> Exactly. >> Not necessarily to do, you know, we may end up coming back and saying >> this would be the right thing for our
district or, you know, another district does something in a different way that achieves this goal and we think that would better serve us. Um so then slide. So it sounds like if we were to the action that we would take
to meet this goal is appoint a member or create a sub >> and and then after that it's sort of a new right like to incorporate those changes that >> yes yes
>> a new session the only thing I would say is I'm not sure our school committ make you have an add-on sub thought that was more of superintendent. >> Yeah, I I don't know. I I I my understanding was right something that came out of conversation with Alicia. I don't know if she was the one that kind
of suggest that or not. But yeah, that's something we should talk. you can look at it um you know bad habial just means it wouldn't continue beyond you know it's formed for the purpose of this specific but then >> you know does not continue to exist once
this is done so I know Jen wasn't prepared to vote on this or others interested in voting it tonight and we want to >> I'm prepared to vote I think the outcome of this goal is more information and Yeah,
>> I'm happy >> want to make a motion. >> I'll make a motion to accept the schooling goal for elevating educator voices. >> Second. So, we have a motion from Henry, seconded by Melissa. Any further
discussion? Okay. Vote. All in favor? Please opposed. one obstension motion carries 380 with one obstension >> is and is this written differently than
the one that was ordered before or is this the same? >> This is different than the one. So I'll send it to you place to send it to you then >> uh no you can send it actually if you send it from Manning. >> Yes. I'll try to run everything through
so it doesn't those things need to go on. Thank you. Okay. Um so next we have our subcommittee and leaison updates and I know that within that maybe we'll
start with there's a request to approve some more basic plan that I think is coming from Henry and Melissa. Maybe start. >> Yes. I couldn't tell what >> it like >> it looks like >> weird on top
>> under this sounds hard to >> I think under subcommittee and leazison updates there's been a sub that cuts off in approved PDFs for some more basic plan >> yeah I didn't know what that was
>> so I'm happy I mean if you want me to just jump right in okay so s'more is the newsletter tool that the Facebook uses. That's correct, right? >> So, that's the tool that they use for their newsletters. And um
I'm hoping that you know we've talked before about developing our own email list so that we can reach people who maybe aren't included in updates that the district sends out or that PTO's might send out to mostly people who
don't have kids in the schools who I think are very invested in schools. In order to do that, we need to have a vendor table and we can't manually manage this like so. So this more I
looked into because of Julia's recommendation and this will allow us this will allow us to send out newsletters basically sort of >> Yeah. Do you mind if I jump into one
thing before we get into this? I'm going to say like I 100% do not think that we should be running our own lister or our own database. This school elected board member should not have access to a database people. It should
only be through >> yes school district I can address that. >> Okay. And so >> yes so the the Samore um basic plan approval we actually need to be able to send out any of the community newsletters. There's a maximum of three that you can do before you even have to
pay anything for the accounts. Like we sent out our first community newsletter update last Friday. Thank you very much for your help getting that out. >> Can I just ask you a question? What were we doing last year >> when we were sending newsletters out for support? >> It was I think Stephen set up Brian with
this account. >> Yeah, >> I think so. But I don't I need to double check on that. >> Yes. So maybe we could do that because I created a s'more account with my um school committee email. >> So if I can like loop into the school account, maybe we don't have to pay for it. But we >> we didn't last year. I don't think that
maybe we could maybe we could solve it. >> Yeah, I think that's a fair uh point. I was thinking that in in the process of setting up this account that it would be so we only really have one one email
account that's that represents the whole that is continuous through whatever school committee is appointed. It's not a personal account, right? I don't think it's really appropriate to send out um newsletters from the communication
subcommittee on that email address just because I think that's representative of the entire school committee and it just seemed like maybe we we would want to set up >> I disagree. >> Okay. Well, I I I was thinking that maybe we would want to set up a new
email account for this. >> The newsletter should be from the school. >> Okay. I think I think may maybe maybe this is this is a way to get to it. Right. So I think what you're saying is that you having the s'mores attached to the
school school committee at Marblehead and schools isn't what the communication subcommittee is looking for potentially this an idea you guys been bantering about when we do set up school committee at Marblehead do s'mores
SC you know we create a a a specific um email address that speaks to the school committee s'mores and we can attach it to that. I think that's doable. It's still can run by Steven. Um, so then it's separate from the school committee email that you guys have that have
access to and it would be specific to that and it can be utilized, you know, whoever's on the committee for can use that same thing or to change it. >> It's fine. Like semantically that's fine, but the subcommittee isn't speaking for the school like I think
there's a some confusion. No, no, no. We're not speaking. We're not speaking for the school committee, but we are sharing out information that the committee has discussed. And I did talk to Alicia at MASC. She said, "Your purview as this communication subcommittee, which we agreed on in one of our September meetings, is to share
out that information." So, we're not I wouldn't say that we're speaking on behalf of the school committee. It's more of aggregating information based on the meetings that we've had and just sharing that. >> But I think you can do we have a source account. We were doing it last year. just if it's just setting up a different
>> Yeah, I think maybe we just need to connect the dots there on that front. But I but we do like we after sending out the newsletter last Friday had a lot of really positive feedback from folks and positive feedback from folks that were not actually in school community who got the message forwarded to them from people that were in school
community that said how do I subscribe to that I want to kind of know what's going >> we should be able to do I mean I think through you can so exactly you can through some more so like I we don't want to manage the school list or anything but we do want to be able to build for people in the community that
want to get those updates it's somehow like you can create different lists. You can say you want to send it to the school through them and then the community who has subscribed. >> So I think that >> if the subcommittee is going to take that on I guess if you're willing to do that that's great. So if people can opt
in or they can sign up for >> Exactly. I guess right so that a school school it would be the communication subcommittee list but what really is very important is that individual members don't like in other words don't >> correct and we're not sharing opinions
and we're not >> right and that when you leave or I leave or someone else leaves whoever's the future subcommittee is what has who has access >> they get access through the yeah not through us like we don't have any >> that's Henry's biggest concern like laying the foundation for future members
to just get what's been done and not have to reate >> and not I mean because you know it's a potential database that could be abused. So I mean that's why it's got to be >> I I completely agree it's the district handles it. I just think it's a different >> it's a slightly different audience. I
don't want to come in and money their newsletter list with you know >> I understand because if we have our own account like say it's the sub communication subcommittee it's going to all the current partly in the district that gets and then whoever may opt in in
the community that's who would go to >> I think I think we would have to ask the district to include a link to sign up for that link in their own newsletter. >> Yes.
>> I don't think that we can automatically add everyone to to this newsletter. >> That newsletter should be going to everyone in the district. >> Well, we can do it as well. I just think I want to be sure. >> Would it be mean that wouldn't that be the first person first? >> Yeah, I think that's the first group.
>> We have the means to be able to like we can export their list. You can upload it into some more. We can make sure we have a full >> You should have means to do that. have a smart. This is what we did last year, right? School committee email. So now it's a subcommittee email. >> It's just I guess linking between link meaning we had an account with
s'mores. We've set it up and we sent the newsletter. So I'm not sure why. >> But it's what email was that from like whose account was it attached to? Because >> it was a no reply. It was Frank. Uh, one thing that you guys think about
is if you guys have a separate database, let's say somebody come into the district one that we already the mechanism of
updating your database. We have to talk about all those things just >> and I want to use your database as simple as possible. So if folks have a better suggestion for how to do it, please >> can I suggest that you maybe need me with a blood attack to go through what the options are?
>> That would be the best do that. Um >> yeah, we don't want to have duplicate any suggestion. >> It was really easy to assist. I'm happy to assist any time. Um sorry for a little technical difficulty,
but we can work through that. Um, if is it possible to have two set like we send for everybody in the school district and the subcommittee then sends for anybody else that wants to opt in and then you we just you do that on your own and we'll take care of we're happy to help if you guys want us to. No, no problem.
>> That's sort of how I envisioned it is is that yeah, we counted our kind of two. Uh but I I am trying to come up with a solution for reaching people who do contact us and say how do I get this going in?
>> Well, we could always have a like a link on our um on our web page that if you want to sign up for communications from school committee or the communication subcommittee. >> Yeah. And I think >> I mean because the other thing to keep in mind is right now you're pushing out
newsletters, but there could be other things that people I mean it opens up a whole it's been a bone of contention I've had. I mean I don't have students in the district and I can't get anything from the district and it's very frustrating. >> You can subscribe to our newsletter.
>> Yes. But then there might be other things that go like the superintendent might submit something out to the community that that the subcommittee thinks should go to the greater community that could be around the budget or I mean there's lots of stuff that could go out. >> Um I'm just very concerned that nobody
on this committee is managing a database or context. >> I yeah I appreciate your concern that I agree with it. I don't think that it would be appropriate for someone on this committee or any future committee to to be doing that. It's got to go through
sort of the district account and something that Yeah. Again, you just don't want to close it. So, I couldn't agree more. Um >> I would suggest that maybe you the subcommittee meet with Stephen the meeting and find out because he's >> Yeah,
>> five minutes can explain. >> We have a meeting scheduled for the Beth. Maybe we invite him to see if he can join that meeting. So, um, I'll I'll one sort of complication I wanted to
mention, although it doesn't sound like we're voting on this today. So, um, the translation Julia that you suggested, one of the advantages, the translation services are not available.
>> So, the basic plan is $99 a year. The pro plan, which is the lowest plan that includes translations, is $179 million. >> So, >> okay. I >> Yeah, I just wanted to
explore the school districts. >> Yeah, I think let's look into that and I will bring or we will bring this we'll discuss this on the second and then bring this back to the next. >> You might just be able to say this is it and it makes it so much easier. I mean
my other thing is that separate database outside of our database to be maintained. I don't know that that's really students appropriate to manage a non non district database. I I want to be mindful of that but obviously our database of students and parents and
stuff is is part of our purpose. But >> I I'm going to disagree with that because it can't be okay. >> I understand that. What I'm saying what I'm saying is okay just say for instance we create this database of 300 people >> and 3,000 >> okay it could be 3,000 people then
you're asking our director of technology to then determine who was staying I don't think that's who is >> that's a fair point I'm hoping that that's one of the advantages of signing up or is that
>> they have the opt in they have the opt out yeah >> um and it would not be a process that hopefully he would have to participate in. >> Right. Just so just like right now I mean it goes to our operating system. So like if you're a parent student and you have your email there it pulls it. If
you're not it doesn't it kind of clear clears itself out in that way in our reporting. So um >> I mean the town does it somehow and I like >> I think this would be more of a traditional email list that is based on opt in and
opt out. I I wouldn't add people automatically to this or ask that that happen. Uh so we'll talk to him. Well, I I haven't I think you're right. We don't The whole point is not to make a bunch of additional work, but I do want to
develop the tool to reach out to the I think this this is the best tool we have right now. Um any other subcommittee updates? Um the budget subcommittee met last week
on this week and um yeah we met on Monday. We are meeting with um so we had initial discussion not actually we have the second round of discussion around u uh analysis of our
existing um budget our existing um uh staffing in individual buildings um broken down to different categories. Right. You did a great job on that. Um now I guess the next step is you know Mike and John will be talking building
administrators. Um we come back to a joint finance committee subcommittee meeting our sub on December 1st. Um and we'll be getting some input from terms of what they're looking for there. So we also have a calendar which I didn't share. Maybe we need to we can get that
out for the next meeting. >> Um that Mike and John presented to us which shows a series of presentations um culminating in votes um spring went very early spring.
>> Great communication something we share >> figure out here at least. Yeah, we talked about in our meeting kind of taking the key points out of the calendar that we that Mike put together and that we walk through in our meeting. Just sharing them more broadly so the community understands holistically like
how do we work backwards from town meeting to all kind of the key milestones that have have to happen between all of that. So, but Mike Yeah, Mike did a great job putting together kind of first pass the data. Um, we had a policy subcommittee meeting
this morning. Um, John and Julia presented us the first draft of the competency determination policy. Um, we're going to have a second draft of that presented to us after Thanksgiving.
And then we work on the naming policy and taking a look at that. and we approved a number of policy revisions and new policies that will start coming before the committee um in our December
meetings. Had our second wellness committee meeting today. Uh first one was just introduction. Uh the wellness policy needs to be re revised every three years. We started the left last time, get back today, get the input from every
everybody, and we missed a couple members. Um, so the plan is to kind of for me to take all the information, kind of revise the block and bring it back to the um our next meeting and then bring to the subcommittee just to kind of look through um and hopefully back to the
screen to bless. It's it's something needs to be revised. It's not really due to being revised. So >> we have some time but it's a decent amount of work but um I want to thank all my for good and I have anti-discrimination
committee meeting coming up I hope next I'll start from December and then um our safety committee with the union the administrators in the union that we need to have uh we still have a date for that I want to say that's December 11th um we
present back to community after getting in the spring. So, we're going to meet a couple times and bring back and then our other safety committee that's like with the town, we're doing that quarterly now. So, after Stephen ran the last meeting, told me to work to see when that next meeting when we decide that next meeting will be, but should be very
soon probably January time frame and that's the meeting. That's everything for subcommittee updates. Um, I need a motion to meet in executive session pursuant to chapter 30
section 22A3 purpose 3 to discuss litigation Marblehead School Committee and Marblehead Teachers Association MUP-25-11555 as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the school committee and the
chair so declares without intent to return to open session and to meet in executive session Pursuant to chapter 3A section 2183 purpose 3 to discuss litigation boy Perry vers Marblehead public schools at all docket number 1
24- CB-0-106 06-IT District of Massachusetts 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 session.
Moved by Henry, second by Jen. Any discussion? All right, we need a roll call vote on this one. Jen >> in favor. >> Melissa in favor. Henry >> in favor. >> Eight in favor. Motion carries. 4 to
zero. We will now be meeting in executive session pursuant to chapter 30 section 21A3 purpose 3 to discuss litigation Marblehead school committee and marblehead teachers association MUP-25-115555 is an open meeting may have a
detrimental effect on the litigating position of the school committee and the chair so declares without intent to return to open session and meeting in executive session pursuant to chapter 30A section 2183 purpose 3 to discuss Litigation Boyd Perry versus Levelhead
Public Schools at all docket number 124-C 10606-IT District of Massachusetts as an open meeting may have a detrimental mental effect on the meeting position school committee and the chair so declares without intent to return to open
session.