2. Alrighty. Good evening everyone. Today is Tuesday, May 27th, 2025. The time is 7:31 and let call this meeting to order. We are at the school
committee meeting and I would like to remind everyone that we are taped live and streamed on WMCTV. Having said that, if I can have you all rise so we can have the pledge of allegiance. I aliance 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. Thank you. All righty. Moving on. Superintendent report.
Thank you, Mayor Christian. Um, I want to start by thanking the school committee members, especially um, Miss Bowden Hediger, Miss Tennessee, and Mr. Caruso, that were able to help us
celebrate our staff last week. We tried to visit every classroom in the district and as many staff members as we could find. Once again, I want to publicly thank all the Maro Public Schools employees.
um followed that up by um publicly announcing uh FY24 24 26 budget reduction way back machine. Um in April, the school committee approved the FY26 budget.
Since that time, the city council has completed their approval of the city budget and our FY26 budget has been decreased by 1,462,000414. In order to address this reduction, 13 positions will be eliminated from the
Marro public school system and five additional current open positions will not be filled in the fall. That is also in addition to a reduction of 25% of our busing to save
another o almost $700,000. I have also submitted my end of the year selfassessment to my report. I look forward to the feedback from the committee on my evaluation. Finally, um my um meeting
update on the Marorrow public schools walking zones. Each elementary school will hold a school specific meeting regarding school walking zones. These meetings will be held June 2nd at Richard School, June 4th at Goodnow
School, June 11th at Jarrick School, and June 12th at Kain School. I will be attending all these MI meetings to also answer any questions that we can on the district level. I know that Mr. Wells
has been working on a process for registration for bus passes and getting all of the walking areas um streets also posted. They are posted under the walking zone um information but
additionally in another way so that to make it easy for people. Mr. Wells. Yeah. Yeah. So we have actually been working on the transportation page of the website to try and get more information available and up and ready to go. We will be uh releasing uh opening up registration pretty soon uh
within I would say this week and hopefully getting families to start registering um with a kind of a a deadline of July 15th, but of course we're going to take registrations afterwards. We know it's a new new year, new process. Um we're not going to be sort of hard on that, but we're trying to update the website. We've got the
walking zones on there. We're adding general information, bus rules. We're trying to get more on the website that is um for for parents to be able and families to be able to go and look and be able to gather that information. Um so more on that um will be coming um as
we you know it's under construction right now. So if you go to the website it things will move around as we try to kind of settle this into how we want everything to flow. Um, finally, a new question that came up this week was if people are in a walking zone, could they walk to a bus stop that was in within
walking distance to get on the bus? But that is why there is a bus registration process um because bus seats will be limited and they need to be reserved for the people that are work walking in the areas that are designated for the bus
transportation. So that's it. Okay. My report. Any questions? No. Moving on. Director of finance and operations report. Thank you. Uh so food service is ramping up
for the summer feeding program. Uh we have six sites that uh operated last year. The same six sites will be operating this year. Um with the library being the uh one of the larger open ones. But um any of these sites, if anyone needs to come and and have a meal during the summertime, they can come to
any of these sites and get a meal. Uh we are having some discussions about how we could expand this even further for the not this summer, but for next summer. Uh but those are uh right now just uh conversations that um haven't uh moved forward into anything concrete yet. Uh
we do have our participation rates and all of our schools uh Kane Good now Jor Richard Middle School and the high school are all have lunch above 80% at this point for participation rates. Uh breakfast is still a wild card in some of our our locations uh with Kane is
doing real great. Uh they've got they've got kids grabbing breakfast and eating it. Um and ECC it's still pretty new for ECC about uh for for lunch and for breakfast. So we're still developing that program as it goes. Um, since we haven't talked enough about transportation, we can go a little bit further. We have provided the the
walking streets, uh, the no busing zones to NRT and they have started the rooting process, uh, to figure out how we're going to establish and set up all these routes for all the walking zones. Um, utilizing the information that we have available now and then as we get registrations, we'll be able to add that
in and determine, you know, how many seats we're actually filling within those buses. Um so more to come on that that um they received that uh a week or two ago and there's they're going through it. It does take time for them. It's almost like rebuilding the entire uh city rooting process all over again.
Um and hopefully we can find a few shortcuts that can help us trim that down a little bit so we can really start talking about those roots. Um, and the plan is uh for us, for myself and for to be visiting with NRT to go to their site so that as we're talking about these routes, we want to be able to sit down
and actually look at them live and if we have any concerns as we're talking through it, we can make adjustments live on the fly um within their conference rooms. Uh we did provide a copy of the financial packet uh year to date and it is uh within the packet. Um can I just jump in because of the transportation
one thing that we forgot to mention that Mr. Wells and I um were part of a meeting that we had with the DPW. We went over all of the streets um and we looked at the sidewalks that would need to be plowed um if there was
a snow event. Um all of the designated walking zones that are city um sidewalks are have already on the list of sidewalks that are plowed. So, we didn't add anything to that. Um, so that is
just something it would just be a matter of timelines and um it how many of those sidewalks get done be early in the morning or a delay or what the schedule's going to be, but they're aware of each of those sidewalks and um
this morning we confirmed a meeting with Chief Georgie for next week. So, thank you. I have a sure question um regarding the food service the in the summer program
at the library. Yes. Who's eligible to come and get a lunch there? Any student is eligible for lunch. So the way that the the food regardless of whether they're in a summer program regardless whether they're a summer program, regardless of if they're a Marvel public school student. Um that's the way the food
programs work within the state of Massachusetts is that those feeding sites are open. They are we have to submit what our what our feeding sites are to the board of health and to DESIE and then DESIE publishes those. So students that are hungry get they go and get the food and it's reimburseable. So
you know it doesn't right now the reimbursement is not costing the city of Malber anything. It's it's a reimbursement that that covers the cost of the food. So the way Desi is is putting these up here saying hey look these towns are doing and these cities are doing it. So if you live in North, South Row, Shoes and you and you're hungry and they don't have a food
program within your your town, you can come to Malo and you can utilize that. So it is a it's a it's a reimburseable and we can we submit it as a reimburseable for the meals. So these are open sites and DESIE does actually advertise these out. So uh families can go to Desi and they can see those all those feeding sites. Thank you. Thank
you. Anyone else? No, seeing that. Okay, let's move on. Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Report. Dr. Scott. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The Wickcom Youth Leadership Program will be the topic of my report
tonight. And as you can see, we have guest presenters who have joined us. During the 2023 2024 school year, we were fortunate to be selected to participate in the playbook initiative. As a refresher, playbook focuses on youth leadership in Massachusetts
schools is an extension of project 351 and has a partnership with the Boston Celtics. Last school year, our two playbook student leaders, Yianiro Urebe Rosa and Nicholas Andrad, conducted two training sessions with 30 WCOM influencers.
The focal message to participants was making Whitcom the most inclusive community it can be as we provide students with the potential to lead when others choose to follow. I had a chance to be part of those two workshops. They were exceptional and I was very proud of
Yianiraa and Nicholas for all they accomplished. Unfortunately, we were not selected to participate in playbook again this 2024 2025 school year due to an increased level of volume with districts participating. However, personal sentiment was shared to us by
the program leader. She stated in an email to me, "I want to reiterate how grateful we are for all that Marorrow Public Schools has done to uplift Yianiraa and students like her and want to really encourage Marorrow Public Schools to apply next year. We also want to let you know that we recognize
Yianiraa's passion, courage, and potential as a leader. We thank you for helping build her confidence in her voice. In fact, Yanira's passion and courage is what we will celebrate tonight and what led to the creation of our very own youth leadership program at
Wickcom. We will hear that passion shine through in her voice tonight. After learning that we were not selected for playbook, Yianiraa took initiative to progress our youth leadership movement through the creation of her own material and priorities. In conjunction with Mr.
Dr. Dave Soha, Wickcom science teacher and adviser. Yianiraa has established a system of youth me mentorship and leadership that will exist at Wickcom for years to come. Yianiraa and Mr. Soha as well as Principal House are here tonight to speak to the specifics of the program and a special thank you to
Principal House and Andy White for helping us with the program logistics. So I'm going to ask Mr. Soha Yianir I'm potentially Mrs. house to come up to just speak to some of the details. They might have question.
If you see green, you're good. Is it green? It's green. There you go. Can you hear me? All right. Hi. Um, good evening. Dave Soha. I'm actually an eighth grade science teacher. Yianiraa was probably the first uh student that I met three years ago when I joined
Wickham. Um she absolutely was the first who made a lasting impression um on me as she left. I still have it today. I'm just cleaning out a drawer, but left a note uh just expressing her excitement for uh 8th grade um science class, 8th
grade in general. Um I knew then that she was um something special. Uh, I am in no way surprised. Um, this is this isn't surprising to me that we're here tonight because of her. But, um, I
actually wrote something down because, as you can tell, I would just keep on going. Um, so I appreciate the opportunity to share with you tonight and am excited for the opportunities that Ya's charismatic initiative has created for our eighth grade students. There are others behind the scenes
without whom this program would not have functioned. uh Dr. Scaza who entrusted us to begin this program, our lunch staff who were able to get our kids lunch a few minutes early um without asking why um so that we could maximize our time.
Uh Andy White who prioritized getting year from the high school to the uh middle school on our timeline, not his, which I assume was annoying. Uh um and I think it speaks to the willingness of our community to do
little things that are necessary for opportunities uh like this to take root um and be given time to grow. But certainly without Yianira's driven altruism, we might not be here sharing about a program that I expect to grow
and become a cornerstone of the community uh building that Miss House is spearheading at the middle school. Um as you may know or or not, community community meetings uh were implemented this year at the sixth, seventh, and
eighth grade levels. They are a chance for the whole grade to come together, celebrate accomplishments, participate in some schoolspirited competition and fun. And I certainly hope that they become an
event that everyone, students and teachers come to look forward to. Uh this year uh Yanira's youth leadership program has focused on effective communication and leadership. In the
coming weeks, oh few more, right? Um we're hoping to those workshops um on effective communication and public speaking um into practice at our final grade level community meetings. We have
members of the leadership program who have volunteered to take the opportunity to practice their public speaking by highlighting two to three staff at each grade level. Something we hope to do at every meeting next year. Uh we have a
few of uh Yinier's um leadership folks who are going to introduce the program to our current seventh graders, rising eighth graders uh tomorrow actually. um and several who will be giving a a pseudo graduation speech um at our final
eighth grade uh meeting. Uh but my favorite part is that we are going to be leveraging our kids bilingual talents by having everyone um who's everyone who speaks um or speak the message first in
English, Portuguese, and uh Spanish. Um and and without a doubt, they wouldn't have the confidence. they wouldn't um really understand and grasp the importance if it weren't for's uh leadership and expression of of duty
to community. So uh with that uh this you're the person that people want to listen to. Thank you. Thank you. Just pull it down. There you go. Hey, can you hear me?
Um, so first I'd like to say thank you to Mr. Soha and Dr. Scaza for making this happen and Miss House. Um, and like Dr. So Dr. Scaza mentioned, it started because we didn't have the opportunity
to do playbook and I was very passionate about continuing something with the middle school since I had the opportunity to work with them in the first place. And when I was in middle school, I was very interested in leadership and I knew other people who
didn't get into playbook um into project 351. And through project 351, I learned all my leadership qualities and learned how service is so important and what it means to be a leader. And so I just wanted to give an opportunity to eighth
graders to have someone close to their age who can speak on the lessons I've learned and how it is important to talk about communication and public speaking and give them those qualities um and
someone they can later see in the future at um when they go into high school and they can reach out to and have someone have a friendly face, you know. Yeah. Do you have any questions? Any questions from school members? I
have a few. Yeah. Um um how are the students that are involved in your leadership group chosen? Do they volunteer? Do teachers volunteer them? Like how do they Okay, so this year was our first year doing it. So we decided
to have an announcement um which Mr. So put out there and there was an application process which they had to write an essay on the reasons why they would wanted to do it and a teacher recommendation. So that's the way they
were chosen this year. However, in the following years, I think it will be an essay but also uh an interview process with either me and Mr. Soha, me and Dr. Scaza or all three of us just so
then number one they can have experience being interviewed and also so then I can get to know them on a deeper level and so then I see their intentions not just through their words but like how they
speak and their actions. Great. And how many students were involved in it this year? 25. Yeah. This year there was 25. 25. That's a lot. Yeah. Yeah. We had a lot of applicants so we had to
compromise and so we had 25. Great. Okay. And and um so do you like how often do you meet? Uh this year we met three times um and we did two workshop. The first one was just a meet
and greet and then we did a workshop on communication and a workshop on public speaking. But me, Mr. Soha, Miss House and Dr. Scaza are going to get together and create a curriculum over the summer
hopefully. Uh so then when I leave and the next person takes over, they have a foundation that and a set timeline on when to do things. And when one more question, when are your meetings? They're they're doing the school day. Yeah, they're during school.
This year they were during lunch for eighth graders. So, it wasn't too much time, but I still got to give all my message out to them and then they were able to learn and so they didn't waste time, class time either because it was during lunch.
Great. Okay, I lied. One more question. Okay, no worries. So, you are finishing 10th grade now? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Awesome. It's great. Amazing. Any other question? No, I hogged all the question time. I'll just say thank you. Oh, thank you, Mrs.
House. I didn't prepare anything unlike Mr. Soha. So, I just want to say thank you to Niera and Mr. Soha and Dr. Scaza. Um Dave and I have the opportunity to meet much more frequently um than being able to come down from school. Thank you to Dr. Riley for allowing her to come down to us during our tight um timeline.
But um this will serve as like a jump so to speak for future leadership programs within Wickham. So embedding the curriculum that you near discussed, but also with our ability to be able to pull students on a more regular basis during lunchtimes and give them an active role in our community on a much more regular
basis is really important to us. Um, so I'm excited to see them announced at community meeting um, tomorrow and the weeks after that because I think the more students see students in action in leadership roles. Um, student council is something that we've been working on trying to revitalize, but this really
fills the need of leadership quality as students and giving them that opportunity and venue to be a leader in a building. So, thank you um for for trying something new this year and for being persistent and on top of it um and giving ideas and learning and asking for
feedback. I think that's huge. Um and thank you to Dr. Scaza and Mr. Soha um for making it happen every day. So, I'm excited to see what next year brings. Yeah, that's great. And and and this program gives them the skills. Some kids might think, "Oh, student council might
be fun, but I don't know what to do." Yeah, I think the skills piece is what is lacking out of student council, so to speak, when you talk about that aspect. So, that's amazing. They do public speaking tomorrow. They're a little nervous, but I told them understandably,
right? Maybe a tool can give them some uh tips. Not a problem. Um, Dr. Scaza, so where where does it stand with the playbook program? As of right now, we just need to wait till the application process comes back around.
However, I'm I'm feeling pretty good with what we have what Yianiraa has created for Marorrow um Wakecom specifically and Marorrow students specifically because it's quite remarkable and playbook or no playbook, we're in a good position. Something
there. Is the playbook program only middle school? It is intended for middle school students. Yes. Okay, great. Anything else? Appreciate you all being here. Nice job. Thank you all. Thank you for coming. Keep up the great
work. All righty. We'll move on to the acceptance of minutes. So, it's the revised minutes of the May 2nd, 2022 school committee special meeting.
making your motions. Motion to approve the minutes of May 2nd of 2022. Motion on the table and seconded. Questions, comments, concerns regarding May 2nd, 2022, 2022.
Seeing none, all in favor? Motion carries. Minutes of the January 9th, 2025 school committee special meeting. Need a motion. Motion to approve the minutes of January 9th, 2025. Motion on the table and seconded for January 9th,
2025 school committee special meeting. Questions, comments, concerns? Seeing none, all in favor? Motion carries. Minutes of the March 3rd, 2025 school committee special meeting. Uh motion to approve the minutes of
March 3rd, 2025. Motion's on the table and seconded for the minutes of the March 3rd, 2025 school committee special meeting. Questions, comments, concerns? Seeing none, all in favor? Motion carries. Thank you.
Minutes of the April 29th, 2025 school committee meeting. Motion to approve the minutes of April 29th, 2025. Motion's on the table and seconded for minutes of the April 29th, 2025 school committee meeting. Questions, comments, concerns?
Seeing none, all in favor? Motion carries. Minutes of the May 13, 2025 school committee meeting. Uh motion to approve the minutes of May 13, 2025. Motion's on the table and seconded for the minutes of the May 13th
school committee meeting. Questions, comments, concerns? Seeing none, all in favor? Motion carries. Thank you everyone. All righty. Public comment. Are there any public comment? Seeing none public comment. Any public comment
going twice. Seeing none. Public comment. Any public comment going for the third time. Seeing none, we move on from public comment. Action items and reports. Approval of the fiscal year 20
fiscal year 26 school operating budget. So that is the school committee vote to approve the final fiscal year 26 school operating budget of 82,761,984, a 9.22
increase over fiscal year 25. Move to approve. Move to approve is on the table and seconded. Is there any questions, comments, concerns regarding the fisc year 26 budget? Seeing none, all in favor. Excellent. Motion carries.
Thank you. Signing of employee agreement addendum A, assistant superintendent of student services and equity. So this addendum of the contract, the superintendent of student services and equality needs to be signed
by a school committee member once we vote on it. So this is an amendment to the assistant superintendent student regarding her contract. Move to approve. Move to approve is on the table and second. Any questions,
comments, or concerns regarding the contract addendum? Seeing none, all in favor? Motion carries. Policies for approval. So, we have policy IDA, health and wellness. Is there a motion on the table
for that? I know Katherine's not here. Is there anyone else in the committee would like to Yeah. Motion to approve? Motion to approve policy IDA health and wellness is seconded. Questions, comments, concerns? I just had a question on this one. I don't know if someone on the policy could clarify this
one. Um on under number seven, the fundraising activities and in B it says the school day is defined as from midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the school
day. Huh? I don't I guess I can you I asked that same question during the policy. That is the language exactly as is quoted from the regs. So it's just pulled over. It was a note from Desessie
that it had to be included that way from like 1201 like the new day. The new day I guess. So you don't sell muffins before school or ever. Whatever. Yeah.
Okay. I just sounded funny. So, I didn't know if it was like a typo or something. Okay. Thank you. So, there's a motion on the table and seconded. Is there any other questions, comments, or concerns regarding IDA Health and Wellness? Seeing none, all in favor? Motion
carries. Policy KB, school visitors, volunteers. Motion to approve. Motion to approve is on the table and seconded. Is there any questions, comments, or concerns regarding policy KB school visitors and volunteers? Seeing none, all in favor?
Motion carries. Thank you. Policy KBA, volunteer chaperones for schools to approve. Motion to approve is on the table and seconded. Is there any questions or questions, comments, or concerns regarding KBA volunteer chapons
for the schools? Seeing none, all in favor? Motion carries. Approved. Next page. Policy KBB, observations of special education
programs. Motion to approve. Motion to approve is on the table and seconded. Is there any questions? Call questions, comments, and concerns regarding policy KBB. Seeing none, all in favor? All approved. Thank
you. Item D, Secretary to the School Committee. I have a letter here that I will read. Dear Chair Dumis, please accept this letter of resignation for my position as secretary to the MRO School Committee. I will continue to serve as a
committee member. I am grateful to have served in this additional responsibility for the committee, but due to personal reasons, I feel I cannot provide the level of service that is required at this time. Thank you again, Miss Heidi Matthews. So, having said that, I want to thank Heidi for all her work
regarding the minutes over the years. Um, so I'm glad that she's still on the committee, but um, thank you for the service. Having said that, so now that we have a vacant position, we need a motion to fill the role. We'll make a motion
to pick Mrs. Denise Ryan as the new secretary of the school. There is a motion on the table and seconded. Is there any questions, comments, or concerns or further motions? Seeing none, all in favor of Miss Ryan being
the new secretary. Everyone's hands jumped pretty quickly. So, all in favor has been approved. Congratulations as the new secretary, Miss Ryan. Secretary has a nice ring to it. So, thank you. All righty. Secretary Ryan approved.
Reports of school committee subcommittees. Anyone seeing none? No. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Good. Do you don't have any meeting scheduled? We're working on a meeting, but we have already got it scheduled.
All right. Excellent. So, no reports members forum. Oh, so do we know if Heidi did the warrant? There's there is a warrant there, but ah did she review it?
Do we know if she reviewed it? You didn't hear from her. Okay. Okay. Um Okay. We will have someone look at it. We will do that. Okay. Anything else for members forum?
So, um, for the superintendent's evaluation, I'm going to implore all of you. I will send you the form and um, I want it back by June 13th. Friday,
June 13th. Friday the 13th. Should we do that? Um, we will we'll report out on June 24th, which is the last meeting. Um, try for the 13th. I guess if spooks
get in, you know, things get in the way, then maybe that weekend we'll have some leeway, but okay. I'm hoping for it by the 13th. Yes. Anything else for me forum? like to say that I had the
opportunity to attend um the Jazz Fest on Thursday night which was amazing. [Music] Um and uh Sarah Hanahan, famous class of 2015
um saxophone player, worldrenown, came back and played with all the performance groups, the middle school and the high school groups, which was really special, was amazing. Um and also that day, um uh well, I know other people were at
that event as well. Um, we also were at the Jar Memorial Day program. So, we kind of saw the littles and the olders all in one day. It was amazing. Or no, that was the next day. That's right. Yeah. Um, yeah, that's it. It was great.
Okay. Nice. Nice to participate in all the end of the year activities. Well, speaking of end of the year, we also have graduation coming up on this Sunday. So, Sunday, congratulations to all those graduating seniors. Yes. Sunday, June 1st at 11:00.
Yes. Yes. Yes. And you must have a ticket to attend. Must have a ticket. Yes, I have. I have my ticket right here. Yes. Hopefully they'll let me in. Yeah. Hopefully. Hopefully they'll let me in. Aul would like to speak. I was also going to say it is senior week this
week. So, congratulations to all the seniors. And this Friday is prom and then um this Sunday is graduation. So yeah. Yeah. Excellent. Prom and the allnighter. All night. Okay. Very exciting. Anything else from
members forum? Seeing none. Okay. Move to adjourn. Move to adjourn is on the table and seconded. Questions, comments, concerns regarding adjourning. Seeing none, we are journed at all in favor. Actually, let's vote.
Yeah. Motion carries adjourned at 8:06. Good night.