When meeting the not meeting, that's um voting. >> Whatever. >> Okay. >> Um good evening. Um in accordance with open meeting law
regulation 940 CMR 29.10, 10. Please be advised that me school committee member sorry Natasha Rivera is attending this meeting remotely. In addition, because there are committee members attending
remotely, all votes taken at this meeting by roll call vote. Lastly, if any school committee members are not clearly audible to fellow members or to any members of the public, please notify the and we will do our best to remedy the problem and we'll inform the public
whether the meeting will continue. So, um I'm going to do roll call vote, a roll call just to start the meeting. Uh make sure everybody can hear us. Um Tasha, >> yes.
>> Yes. Alexis, yes. Mary, yes. And the um >> um >> just so everybody is aware, um our food service company, um Woodson's has um since they're doing their their uh
presentation tonight has nicely brought us some wonderful food. Um, I already ate mine. It's really good down. So, really good. Um, thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you very
>> Okay. Um, any urgent business? >> No business. >> Any uh public comments? >> Public comments? >> No. Thanks. >> All right. Um, do we have a student rep?
>> We have a report, but we don't have anybody. >> Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Correct. That's what it appears. >> Somebody be willing to um please um um highlights before February vacation. We had the hundth day of
school. It was also day and white in honor of Super Bowl. It was fun day with a duck hunt and lots of activities at lunch. Spanish and birth Spanish exchange took place over February vacation. Students had a great time.
February vacation was extended by snow which was fun for most people although others stuck without a flight back to Boston for a few days. Luckily, the instrument exchange to threat returned to me performance known. My theater
students put on a one act play called constellations. They performed here at UHS then the Massachusetts theater guild competition at high. They learned a lot and had an amazing
time. Last week our student council represents in Boston upcoming events. Students are looking forward to March our week of class competitions at the end of March. There are some interesting field trips
coming out including a visit to prison to extend the seventh grade spring next week and everyone is looking forward to the camp. Thank you.
Oh my gosh. >> Yes. I have to say our food service is incredibly people not most doesn't do cilantro and then mostly maybe
everybody else has that lovely flavor and they enjoy it just accommodating daily basis. So we have been fortunate to be working with Wson for several years now. They do a great job with breakfast lunch at all three buildings.
They do surveys. They do this, they do that. Um, we're very fortunate to have them. The food's fantastic. The options are, I wouldn't go as so far as to say unlimited, but if you can't find something in the follower cafeteria when you walk through, that's on you because they are there. The options are there,
the quality is there, uh, consistency is there. So, just a big shout out to Wixens across the board. They're phenomenal to work with and we always invite them annually to come and sort of give us the update of how things are going, what they're doing, new and exciting things. So
Sue, I don't know who's the main presenter tonight. >> You're ready for it. >> Thank you. I just came to say hello. I was in the area. These guys, I'll leave it to the experts. These I heard there was food, so I'm like, yeah, >> we have enough.
>> Yeah. No, doubt. Well, thank you very much for the kind you very much value here and thank you for having us back this evening. My name is Alyssa Charles. I'm the district manager with Witson and I work with several districts in
Massachusetts including to provide additional support for our general managers and our on-site team. And I'm here tonight with Sue. and Sue mention your general manager here. >> Yes.
>> And so Sue manages all the dayto-day uh everything menuing, ordering, managing the staff, working with the team to um push out tens of thousands of meals to the students over the course of school. Excellent.
>> I was looking at the blueberry. It looks great. >> Okay. So, um we'll start tonight talking about food uh three core principles. So, uh through the end of February, we
served over 87,000 lunches and almost 24,000 breakfasts in the school district. And I just like to put those numbers out there to just kind of try to get to understand just the sheer volume of that we go through with this district to feed students day in and day out.
It's a lot of hard work on the ground on site staff. And what that really means is it's about 55 to 60% of your students choosing to get lunch every day which is a very strong percentage of students
particularly for district size. So, uh, we're always trying to grow that number and get more and more participation. We've been, uh, stable this year. From last year, we haven't seen any tips. So, a lot of that goes to what Sue and her team are doing. So, I'm going to turn it over to Sue to talk about the promotions
and everything that they do on a daily basis. So, we hope we have the regular pick up each month. But in addition to that, to try and encourage the children, they do a lot of promotion. Um yet today
down at me we did a tray where the student certain students win they get and they get saying that chicken so they had a great time down there um
yesterday which is always very um and we also have to We both me. We have the student choice meal. So the students actually get to choose. We give the green meadow.
They get the choice of two meals. And what they'll do is they'll go on Monday and leave because they live. So they get the meal the next day. But for here they do it with people and it's always been very successful. I think it's the fact
that participate me. Um so yeah and then we also do um which is the Nashville chicken which is and our popup shop is a concept that we like to bring into the schools that sort
of mimics a popular trend. So the yard bird sandwich yes the yard bird sandwich is um like a Chick-fil-A style sandwich. So something that students are used to seeing outside of school and then they bring it in with lots of marketing materials and of course make it fit the
school lunch nutritious requirements. It's a much uh healthier version whole grain with lots of extra fiber that do lower sodium that of course. And tonight the one of our new concepts this year called
the golden chipotle which is like a Chipotle style burrito concept. You served this week right? We serve yesterday here at the school which is quite a good number >> on a regular day the specialist about 60 >> 60 yeah so and also it's a new concept
so yes there is the interest we got very good responses >> one of the new items was the plantains uh that you have tonight and the students respond really well it's excited different we're always trying to you know come up with new things to keep
the kids engaged Do you know how many of those lunches are uh second lunches that students are purchasing? Do you know the breakdown? >> Those are just the first lunches. >> Those are just the first lunches. >> Okay. Okay. >> Um we've been getting
second lunches, but that number is just the first. >> Okay. Interesting would be the number of second that just I'm not interested. They just come and check. They come we go to
check with parents. Okay. >> Okay. >> Is that like instead of buying like cookies and treats and stuff, they're buying lunches? >> Well, we don't do that. >> Oh, okay. Yeah. Okay. >> And they just like
>> Oh, yeah. They'll come back the same. But um in addition to that obviously you can see there some um but we also try and bring in some food bowls and st very very close
issues that um we did source some lemon sausages from line farms which we had at the high school and high school. >> That's like a build your own sausage with the peppers and onions and then brought in a variety of flavors. So,
this flavor if it's okay if I say Sue does a fantastic job with the local I was reviewing this today and just to see how many things that she's buying from in this area. We have, you know, we do the Choba, we do Harvard and I want them to start getting into that. Sue is
fantastic on what she's the local farm. So really excited about that. >> We have a local the allow us to purchase from several different farms all in one order. So they're delivering um and they can deliver us produce from several
different farms. And we are looking forward to the spring season now that it's getting warmer. We're going to see a lot more availability of different products from last that a number of students they were asked which is great they were
but they do know what we learned um so I see from that perspective we're actually educational and it's you know for students it's such a low stakes way to try a new fruit vegetable and for families because a lot of the times when you're at the supermarket you have to decide okay are
we going to buy plumps this week are we going to buy strawberries well I know my child likes strawberries I don't want to take the risk and buy the plumps and then they don't eat them and we have too many and they spoil But if they say, "Oh, no. I had that at school. I love plums." It's such a great way to get them in just with their lunch.
>> So, how do you reach out or you reach out to them? >> Exactly. Yeah. They have they have partnerships. So they're they essentially are big and they partner with lots of local barns and then vendors and restaurants
uh school districts can can you know work with Boston Food Hub to bring in all those local produce. So that way they don't have to partner with just one farm might only sell apples or another farm with squash or this food hub and
then you see more restaurants different you know purchasers essentially are bringing your food because they'll set up somebody to get their food to us but some of these are
They only have limited product and Sue does do an excellent job of something that there's signage on the lunch that the apples today are not the apples we normally get. They are the local apples. Here we are staff
which is great which allows us to do more in November. We were down for about a couple weeks ago. >> And you can see there's photos here of the teach. So the top right is
then on the left. And so uh last year when we presented it with you all, we spoke a lot about the requirements of the school lunch practice program, what makes a reimburseable field. So, we put a little bit of that info in the memo that we sent out tonight, but we wanted to
instead of going through all that again, focus more on how the team decides each day, how many it's, you know, it's not an exact science. It's not quite a guessing game. It's a little bit of a balance. And I wanted to give Sue the opportunity to
talk to you about how she tries her best plan. I mean the main um but what we do at the other two schools even now we all team get together and they have an idea of roughly how
They know they have something to produce. So we want that student high school. So the next time they did the golden chipotle for the first time this week they had wrote down they did you know about nine meals to investigate the
exact numbers on everything. The next time they go to do that they'll use that as a reference. overproduce a little bit so that we don't run out maybe 100 on 10 portions and then know okay that was way more popular than we thought it would be. Let's cut back on the pizza and the other choices that day choices because
we don't want to have too much left over. It's that really delicate balance of having enough to offer the same choice to every student but also with we try very hard to balance you know everyone needs
and that's that's what we always try to and Sue also has some great pictures on here of some of the local produce that that she's put out and displayed this year lots of veggies So moving on to service. Um obviously we we get feedback from the students. It
can be personal through many many times to just they're eating at the end of the day and we even get down here and that's part of the feedback. They're actually
in addition to the direct feedback that uh student get from the students, we also surveyed the students at the uh community here. So staff and parents also have the opportunity to fill out our banual survey. And on our online
menu site, the FT meal planner site, every single item can be clicked on and then rated. And once you click how many stars you want to give it, a comment box pops up and then that feedback goes around it. And we get the most feedback on the
sandwich days. Um, and then we did talk a little bit about waste. One of the things that we spoke about last year is every student has to take a fruit and vegetable. If they don't want that fruit or vegetable, we give them a choice. So hopefully they
get something they like. But if they still don't want to eat it, they can put it in a share bin. And if other students don't choose to take those at the end of the day to donate those table. So um other things on the agenda for
this year >> obviously town um we have done that it was popular but I it's more of a plain tummy topping whereas they were expecting tarts. So
>> which we do have as a different >> So again they will tell us exactly what they do. >> Finger scanning at the high school has actually been completed over the last week. Um and obviously we produce projects and we encourage students
participate in breakfast and breakfast. We have done to play breakfast. We did national breakfast food last week which was successful more successful but we did do some other
things which are very popular which is your favorite um very popular muffins. here this year based breakfast sandwich on some mulberry Texas toast with a
fried egg on it and a yogurt parfait bar was a week which is basically and also unfortunately they will do that
at all. was lost with the high school was the last piece. So when you get that totally that'll be good and that's been working out well for you and anxiety or some I mean
they just some of the students have >> which is the goal of that program that does make it so much quicker to get students through the line. >> Right. There's no else. Thank you very much for your time
tonight. And as always, if anyone would ever like to see school lunch and what Sue's team is putting out every day, you're welcome to come. >> Yeah. embarrassed. >> I can >> That was the best part.
>> It is absolutely love it. Super nice. I started like that's either too much or too little control, right? >> Yeah. You learn quickly.
Yeah, really. It was brought up by women the other day um quite the meeting about there had been a dip in the breakfast at the green meadow because something about how the kids there was no way to get into the school or something and now they've been captured but but you're
saying that the meals are still situationally they have the opportunity to rather than coming to notificant >> and across the district. >> Thank you.
>> Natasha, >> uh, no, thank you very much. I'm sorry I'm missing the deliciousness that it sounds like everyone is um being so complimentary of. I know last time it was it was wonderful. Thank you. And um
the thank you for sharing this information as well. Um I wasn't sure what I heard earlier in a safety committee meeting a couple of months ago, but I just wanted to share because I thought it was important as well um that the staff for um Winston is also
being incorporated for like emergency situations and I think that was a new uh collaboration that was taking underway to make sure that there's like evacuations and stuff. So, I think that was really thoughtful and I'm glad the staff are being, you know, obviously incorporated into those um practices and
protocols at the high school, I think is where it was brought up or middle school, but um but again, I just wanted to overall thank thank you all for the work that you're doing. So much appreciated. >> Thank you. >> Um yeah, I think things have been great. I
you know it's been a couple of years I think since I was hearing from families that kids were running food was running out very much so I haven't heard that like two years that's awesome. Um, one thing I was wondering about is for like at Green Meadow, how much are staff able
to guide the kids with in terms of what they're getting to eat or what they're eating like um is it sort of like just up to them totally or is there um guidance or >> when they come through the lunch line? >> Yeah. What they choose? >> Yeah. So when they come through the
lunch, they've already made the choices. They don't speak to them but they have to make the choice but sometimes they see something on the other >> but as far as the fruits and veggies yeah they have to we do encourage them
to do that very when they walk through they see all vegetables available and then We actually have it set up a big long line. So as the students come the line thank you
have any questions? >> I ask I'm not hearing from my children anymore. So it's great. So that's always you know >> it's a win. That is a win because I get stuff from them and their friends and so they would just like more breakfast for lunch is as well I hear uh that the
chocolate chip pancakes were really really good. Um so I don't have any I don't have any other questions. This was great. I I I like the fact that you guys are um donating the food that's
not being used. That's great because I was talking recently with my kids um about, you know, what happens with the food and realize that. So that's really good. I enjoyed it. And last year's was
really good. It was the the >> Yeah, the that one. And so I started picking something that I just I did. So it was really good. >> Well, actually the cucumber salad you had, I tried to make it at home, but
people said it was easy and it was not the same. >> It's never the same when you try to make sure you know. >> We're flattered to hear that you try make things that you try here with us.
Thank you very much to the out of state. >> Oh yeah, we have a couple field. We have Jamie Sanji online and online as well I think. Um she might not.
There she is. I'll turn it over to them. They've done the memo, so you got the information in their hands. Jamie, go on. >> Thanks for letting us join. Tonight, we are proposing a couple of outofstate senior class trips after the seniors
wrap up their classes that we are hoping that you will approve for us. Um, the first is just up to Canoby Lake. In the past, we've done Six Flags. Um, but they haven't gotten to spend tons of time there, so they wanted to do somewhere a little bit closer.
And then the second trip is to High Meadow, which is in Connecticut, which is a big house with a pool and fields and all kinds of food all day long and different activities that they'll run for us.
>> Field games, things like that. >> Yeah. Um, Natasha, do you have any specific questions about either one of these? >> No, I do not. Just have fun. Be careful.
>> Thank you. Thank you. >> Um, I don't think so. Um, I like the the information that we got. My only question would normally be like are all the kids that have need special support getting the special support they need during the trip? >> You know, user considering we're the
advisors. Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Absolutely. We want them all to come. So, however we can make it accessible for them, we'll make sure we do. >> Yeah. >> Sounds like a lot of fun.
>> I think so, too. I have one quick question because I had never heard of this place before. So, High Meadow Events. I went on their website. I was curious. Didn't get that much. So, what kind of events are they? I saw the pool and it said all sorts of
other things that But it didn't say exactly what gets planned for them. >> They're going to plan different field games. There are basketball courts, I believe, like soccer fields, but there's hope. We're hoping that there's, and from what they've told us, there's a
little something for everyone. There's tie-dye. There's going to be karaoke. There's going to be um what else is there? I'm drawing a blank. >> So, it feels like a good oldfashioned field day. >> Yeah. Yeah. Just a lot of lawn games, things like that. >> A good way to wrap up for seniors and
just spend some time and have fun together. >> I'm just curious. It sounds like fun. I wish I could go on trips. >> Uh thank you very much. Sure. >> No, I'm great. I'm good. Thank you.
>> Same here. Thank you very much. I'm sure the seniors will have a great time doing that. Thank you for um putting this all together. Oh, yes. I thanks
Uh, can I do them both at the same time? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um, make a motion to approve the High Meadow Event Senior Trip in Connecticut on June 4th, uh, 2026 and the Canabe Lake Park
senior trip in New Hampshire on June 1st, 2026. >> Second. All right. Okay. >> What's the issue? >> The High Meadow event is June 1st and
the Canopy Lake Park is June 4th. Oh, the dates for the specific one. >> Um, Natasha, >> oh, does anybody have questions first? >> No. Okay. Natasha, >> yes.
>> Um, Hillary, >> yes. >> Alexis, >> yes. >> Yes. And I'm a yes. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you so much for your approval and for your time. We're looking forward to it.
>> Now, the um senior opportunity act update. >> Yes, the student opportunity act. Hey, at least it's >> Well, that's true. >> All right. So, I'm here to do a very
quick uh student opportunity act plan um implementation update. So, uh we are on year two of our three-year student opportunity act plan. Um as a district, we've received about $35,000 a year in funding. So, we are not one of those
districts that receives a large sum of money. Um, with that said, we have to do plan. We do get some funding and it's required that the tech update about what's going on. So, here I am and we shall do that. Sound good? Um, all
right. So, what they want us to do is talk about evidence-based practice implementation that we're working on. So, our original plan asks us to or outlines us really focusing on math and attendance and we took it a little bit further this time
around. So, I'll talk about that a little bit more. Um, oh, next slide. Sorry, I'm like I'm switching it over here. Sorry. All right. So, we've adopted our map. we're in um you know, we're well
underway with that and the goal is to accelerate our achievement in the elementary and um middle grades, right? We're focused on our um English learners and our Hispanic Latino students in math in particular, those subgroups were identified as needing additional support. Uh and we are continuing to
partner with ACP to identify students needing attendance support. Uh we've continued the work of implementing individualized plans with attendance. We've contracted with an outside person, Dana Bandola, to really uh work on our
map work and we're bringing in someone to help start supporting our LA work as well. And our admin teams are looking at our heat maps, looking at that disparity. So, we've been doing a ton of data digging. Uh, next one, map intervention.
So, our early map intervention shows some encouraging momentum. Grade one students are performing at the 67th percentile for growth on the map score on the map test. Grade two 63rd to 67th percentile. Majority of grades are showing growth above the 50th percentile. We want to see that growth
metric above that 50th percentile. Um and that's when we'll start to see that achievement rise. Um and so results signal early shifts in teacher mindset. We've got lots of work still to do, but we're heading in the direction. All right, attendance. We've been working this one hard and it's starting
to show. We're from 94% to 94.4% between 2023 24 and 2042 25. Uh our vulnerable soft groups are showing promising attendance. Our black and African-American students saw the largest increase and our individualized outreach efforts are being we're seeing
some significant. So what we've learned from this is individualize it, do the outreach to to families and and you'll see the improvement. So we hope to report next year on a continued basis.
All right. So our MCAST app does the review. Uh so we know that we're seeing that stronger mathematics growth across all grade spans, but the achievement still needs the attention. We still need to be continuing to work on that. So yes, our students can grow. We're seeing
that happen, but we still need to be targeting that achievement. Um, our historically marginalized group do show improved attendance rates. So, that's going to help us with that. Uh, some group growth percentiles on MCAST suggest that we're narrowing the gaps. Like, we're hoping to see some bigger
narrowing, but we're starting to bring that trend to where we need to go. Um, so basically, our data showing some early and meaningful change across our district. Next one. But here's the thing. we couldn't just stick to math. We really
needed to add the ELA and piece. So this year we did um we are putting in our update that we are including ELA even though our S SOA plan was focused on math. We feel like this should to bring um so our strategic focus is no longer
just math but math at um reduced disparities are the priority and we need to bring that well beyond just mathematics. uh our data showed achievement concerns in both core subjects and we also know that we're still kind
of in that process of putting in place those high quality instructional materials. They're all at differentation. So we're really trying to align that everybody to so we are working hard at that. We've had a literacy consultant come in and
just have a general state of where um our literacy practices are so we can start to target and think about changes we in addition we have chapter one starting intervention but as we know you can't intervene your way out of one or tier
one challenges so we need to look at our tier one while we're also providing intervention to support an interest so expanding that focus we're deepening our focus with math ELA. We're strengthening district level systems. We are spending a lot of time at DT really
looking at instruction uh really talking about how we can support teachers. We're aligning our professional learning uh and our intervention structures across our content areas. Uh and we are starting to develop a district literacy leadership team, which is the really
exciting part. uh so that we can really work with our teachers, be there to support teachers so that we can see. So that's being pushed right now. Uh and we're continuing to continue to focus to our students with disabilities, our
English learners, and look at our socio. So the SOA update always asks us to talk about engagement careers. So uh I'm including there. So we continue to focus on strengthening family engagement partnerships. This is particularly
important especially at this with everything going on in the climate now with our L students. So we are really focusing on that. We are we are tapping into our leazison regularly. He's doing amazing work. Um we're doing this on lots of different fronts. So trying to
individualize making sure we're doing the outreach right. Uh we're trying to do some virtual lunchtime committee meetings to get safe and supportive schools work up and going so that we continue to work on that culture because as we know in order for students to be present and engaged they have to feel
safe and supported. So we need to make sure we have as much engagement there as possible. Uh we continue to share our climate survey information. So when the ECP surveys are all done, you know that data will be out again. Uh but I think that's really
important and we do talk about that in different committees across across different schools across safe exploring schools committee all those different places because people need to know what that data is but also what are we doing with it because data for the sake of
data isn't all that helpful. It's what are the action steps we're taking. So you really want to make sure that that's transparent in as many places as possible. uh CPAC and ELPAC did the uh the accessible multilingual event which was really helpful to kind of bring
people together and again as we're engaging caregivers for those that uh may have had the chance to go bingo for books that matter was last week it was really sweet uh and a lot of these efforts are super important to keep careers
here and talking because more than anything when we have positive conversations we And there's my last page just to guess. You're welcome to take any of those out. Happy to ask any questions. Uh Natasha, do you have anything first?
Uh yeah, and great to hear about the the district leadership literacy um committee and um I was a couple of things I um I think I know I've been part of the discussions and um but I
really would like to see also added to information is about the um supports that we are providing for also the Spanish immersion students. um in the discussions for those I know there's we
have staffing issues with how you know how to staff a position but we still need to make that population um part of our conversation if until we get um adequate support for those in um so what
are we doing in the interimm for people who we don't have an interventionist um and they're they're learning Spanish like for particularly for K through three when they are not yet um learning in English. So that would be something I'd want to also make sure that we're
just keeping at the front of the discussions and monitoring how what our approaches are with that in mind. Um then the other part too would be um um the I you mentioned about the um
attendance. I was wondering if there's also um about the gradu um what was it the um even graduation we can get some of those because I know like the the state of I mean the city of Boston recently shared and I don't know this is a statewide
trend that they're seeing also more um not more attendance but also more students who are staying in school to graduate and so it really would be great to see if there's a correlation overall like that theme of um you know not only are they coming to school but they're
also staying and completing um throughout as well. So that would be helpful to just think about that data element um and monitor of Maynard is also seeing that same trend for those v because those vulnerable populations were ones that we're not seeing that you
know that despair like graduation piece um and so I'd like to make sure that we keep that in the front of our conversations. Um, and then you mentioned about the literacy. Um, there was something I may have misunder misheard you, but about um you adding in
that literacy as a priority with the the math um um curriculum and you said something about needing like everyone and I might I'm going to paraphrase. I I heard I don't think I heard you correctly, but every grade was at maybe a different level or something with the
roll out. So, it's still relatively new. Can you repeat that because I have I think I have a question about that. >> So we are at different years of implementation with amplify. So for instance eight have been using amplify longer
>> than like grades three, four, five. And grade two just started using it. So they're at a different point than even grades three, four, and five. So typically you would start at younger grades and push upward. We kind of did it the other way. So, it's going to take
a little bit longer to see significant growth, but also as we're thinking about that, that's part of why we really need to be focusing on the literacy piece because we didn't necessarily start at the youngest grades and work our way up. We kind of did it together way. So, now we need to really think about how do we support that implementation? How do we
support teachers in this work? because that >> that benefit of, >> you know, if I'm a third grade teacher, I'm getting students in that have had amplified VR, they're not going to see that next year. >> Yeah, that actually brought me to the other. So, um, thank you for for
explaining that. Um, so I know when we went with amplify there was a lot of discussion about the commitment to PD that needs to accompany that the new the roll out and um I know the upper grades had a lot more time and you know to do
that um in our commitment to literacy um I would really like to understand what type of annual PD we're doing with literacy for um either what has been done like with second grade or any as we're rolling it out more. Um but also
considering that we're going to have um you know staff turnover, right? We had the luxury of having professional consultants, you know, whether that be Landmark or um the company themselves to come out and work with us on that, but we don't any longer. We don't have a
literacy coach yet. Um, and I would like to make sure that we are um, how are we accounting for when we get new staff in those younger grades or that come that are coming through in any grade really. Is there like a PD in the beginning of a
year that relates to literacy and um, how does that work? >> Absolutely. So, we will be offering a PD at the beginning of the year. That's that's the only right thing to do when you're onboarding new staff. So, we will spend the time to do that work. Um, what I do appreciate about Amplify is they do
have a lot of training modules that are asynchronous. So, like if I'm in the process of teaching it and I'm two weeks in and I don't I still don't really understand the way that they lay out the lesson necessarily and I'm like, why is this whole room but why is this set up that way? They do have some really nice
as but that does not substitute for having real professional development with a real life human being. you can have discourse with. So we will provide that as well. Um on top of that the district uh our district team is doing some literacy PD as well so that we are
prepared to support our teachers and we are prepared to keep that coaching piece going >> that shared knowledge. >> Yep. We've committed as a team to uh the literacy launch institute that the state is putting on which is 4day uh event. I had the privilege to go the last two
weeks. Uh it was really wellrun and the rest of the team is going to be doing so over the summer so that we are prepared to support our teachers in this work. >> What about um uh I know common planning time is also a critical piece of some of that preparation where there's alignment
amongst the grade and the you know the teachers within a grade so everyone's on the same page and you share your tips and tricks. Um but since sec second grade as you mentioned is completely new to that is there vertical alignment uh for the second grade to you know have
some common planning time maybe with third grade or whatever that might be with or an upper grade that has used it more. I know like me Sullivan in the middle school like she was really part of that you know kind of that team that we had the the push in that the data team that was helping with a lot of
that. So I'm wondering if there's an opportunity there to help internally um do that but I know they have they all have regular jobs as well. >> That is very true. Um so we are intentionally leveraging that at the given common planning time right now at
grade level and really focusing on the grade level work and internalizing the lessons, the scope and sequence and really working there. long term, yes, we do want to get to where we're vertically aligning, but like for instance, in a team that's still still getting their feet under them and doing great work and
doing hard work to do this. We want to give them the time that feels the most respectful to them right now, which is still kind of getting their feet under them with the curriculum that they're using. we will move towards much more vertical alignment so that we have an understanding of like when I send my students from this grade to the next
grade what are the things that are like the highest leverage pieces they really need to to have mastered um we will get there but right now we're still trying to shore up that hey what how does this curriculum really work and what are the even within the lessons and within the
units there's tons of activities every program like this is overplanned so it's understanding which is the highest leverage activity, which is the highest leverage thing that we're doing within that. And that takes a lot of work for teachers to sort through and say, okay, this is really important,
this is somewhat important, and this might be the thing that needs to give if we're short on time. So, they're still kind of working that piece out at grade level right now. But to answer your question, long term, yes, it is a priority to get to the vertical alignment piece. >> Okay. And my last question, um, is the
writing aspect. um of just um literacy. Um I know that MAPS does not um assess for written comprehension. Um and it is part of the MCCAST. Um not several
questions, but there are a few. And I think last I heard there was no we did not have any assessment for written um writing I guess comprehension or whatever that might be. Um, so how are
we how are we teaching or confirming or validating that given that kids nowadays once they get that laptop or that device, they lean into electronics doing it more for their themselves and the opportunity is fewer to really assess
written um skills. >> Absolutely. So this is a great time to shout out our our principles. Uh, Principal Lingquist did a wonderful job administering a schoolwide writing prompt and having teachers actually look at and compare student work so that we
have a baseline understanding of what writing looks like across the school. Um, Principal Kenny has been working very hard um with our title one specialist at that at his level to implement additional writing strategies and actually infusing that into the specialists block so that there's some
additional very specific and intentional targeted writing instruction. Um, on top of that, you're correct that map does not necessarily assess uh, writing. And I think one of the hardest things about assessing writing is there are not that many strong tools that are nationally.
Very often it needs to be much more local because we need to be looking at it. You need a group of people actually looking at the writing. >> Right. Exactly. Is is difficult. >> Electronic thing and and it's all going to work out. Um, so we really do need to rely more on the prompts that are within
our program. So the nice thing about Amplify is it has lots of different types of writing. It's got your writing to learn and that's where people are jotting down their thoughts and it's not necessarily that they're constructing your three paragraph or five paragraph essay, but it's more I'm writing to process and that supports the literacy
piece, but it also encourages good writing habits. But then there's the explicit learning to write. So if you take for instance the grade six unit um about that the roll uh biography boy it
really digs into narrative and explicitly talks about how to construct it like what is the overarching idea and the students get into it. It's a lot of fun. Um it's an interesting book and worth digging into. So they get the chance to do that work. So if you think about it from those types of prompts
where they're constructing three and five paragraph essays within there and that's explicit learning to write that's what we should be doing and using student work protocols to really get a sense about where students are start thinking about the scoring and where are the challenges and >> I would um yeah add to that um because I
I think data you know a lot of that is subjective I because it's people like looking at stuff um I would strongly suggest also if possible um the MCCAST looking at the specific questions that are relating to writing and pull them
out as a separate analysis of how we did for writing specifically because when you look at it across the grade under ELA it gets lost. A student can be very good at reading expression and you know it will show above but then when you
look at specifically those four, five, whatever they are questions they might score low and it gets lost. So, I think that from a data perspective, I would really like to see, you know, use the tools we have because I think you guys get access to how those questions are responded and what they're scored for
students. So, I I I would think that that might be a helpful way to kind of get a systematic look at how the state is assessing at least for what those are and follow the trends there if possible. But, um, >> we did actually do that analysis this
year. Um, and we took Yep. We've se we've looked at every single student writing sample at grade level. Um this year is really interesting because this is the first year they used AI grading too. >> So there's like another complicated layer of this. I'm super curious to have
two years worth of data um >> just for the writing. >> So that's yeah it's it's a tricky. So we have done that. We actually principal kitty, principal lingus and I have all deep dived into the the writing.
>> Okay. So then we can see like next year like a historical like just specific like the subgroup of how that writing might be improving or you know not for the growth that okay that's helpful. Thank you so much.
>> Great. >> Um my only question is about the attendance. Was it nine? >> What was we were 94% in 23 24 we were 94.4 in 2425 and we won't get this
year's until >> Okay. Okay. Sorry that that sort of negates my question. I was wondering about um I know the high school had really great changes so far this year >> and I was just wondering if there was any thing that was learned from there
that was helping the other schools or >> the individualization. So realistically the having that kind of individualized approach the high school was doing it very strongly and then others modeled after it. >> Is that starting to show in the data at all or >> I actually brave enough to jump out and
say that spring is not quite sprung yet. Okay. >> We are certainly hoping that's the case. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I did have a question back on. Um, so on the site for math
intervention momentum, yeah. >> Uh, you talked specifically about grades one and grades two because they that's where the interventions been, >> but you stated the majority of grades are showing growth above the 50th. You're being everybody from first grade
all the way up 12th grade. >> All the way up through 10. Yeah, that's fantastic. >> Okay. So, we're consistently seeing >> that growth being high. So I guess my question for you since
probably questions go uh since usually growth correlates to achievement uh but there does not appear to be at the moment the correlation between growth and achievement. The achievement
seems to be lacking a bit growth. Uh and so do we have any idea what might be happening as to why the achievement is not hitting the targets that we would expected to with the amount of growth
that is happening for the students. So realistically a 50% growth is one year worth of growth. So we want to see one year worth in a year. So if we're seeing 55% you're going to see a little bit of inching up and it's going to take a few years for that growth to Yeah. Do we
want to see even higher growth? Absolutely. That's the goal. But right now, we're trending in the right direction and we need to build that momentum because that's critical. But I it's going to be a little while till we see that growth that or that achievement number rise. And we do expect that. But we continue to push forward with the
growth piece. We bring in um expert consultants to help support teachers in the classroom in in a coaching model in order to move things along right now. not waiting until next year, but instead how can we do in the moment support to make sure that we're continuing to push
instruction. So come I think um is when they do their final the spring collection of records called uh so you're going to have those scores before the end of the school year
because they come pretty they come pretty quick especially for >> pretty close to the end of school year. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, uh, because we've talked about this before, the waiting and the not looking at everything until August,
September, and then we start to plan in October, November, and we're behind. >> Yes, >> we're consistently behind the April when it comes to this. So, >> we're planning now. >> Okay. >> We're not we're not waiting till summer and next year. We're planning now. And that's part of the bringing in a
consultant to to both support the growth but also she's informing us as the instructional leaders where do we need to be pushing where levels okay so we are doing the work now we're not waiting until summer we're not waiting till next school year okay
>> and she'll be able to see what that change between fall winter and spring for students and able to provide recommendations in June that she's providing now >> yes absolutely Absolutely. However, there's going to be additional data that
she's going to be able to have access to to be able to prepare for next year and changes that need to be made or things that need to be fledged out uh for next year to sort of continue the the goal. >> Okay. >> We're going to keep it moving.
>> Okay. >> Um just um one question about developing the district literacy leadership. How did that box come about? Huh? That's great. It's really, you know, it's a really great step forward. >> I think it's a wonderful step, Lauren. And as we've started to really dig into
instructional practices as the district leadership team, it became evident we needed to really have like a literacy focus with that work. So that's when we brought in additional support to say, okay, we know this is a heavy lift between math and ELA. Let's say that I
can juggle all of them at the same time. principles definitely, you know, can do that too, right? They they don't have anything else going on. So, they have a ton going on. We knew we needed extra help. So, we brought in extra help, someone that can do that action planning with us, can take a look and support us
to really build things up as we all also get trained here. So, she's helping us to kind of action plan behind the scenes and figure out what are the big steps to take here starting. And so this is going to be an ongoing
soft right and then down the road we're gonna have fun for math have fun science. >> Next one be wonder but no this is a really really good step forward. So um thank you for that.
I'll give you nothing. >> Um, I didn't have a question, but I did have a kind of a kudos to um all the different ways that the EL the LPAC is reaching out to people been getting
texts, emails, um, like last text and then individual texts and stuff like that. So really we are gonna get >> a lot of it was like oh I'm surprised I'm getting this.
>> That is wonderful. It's amazing. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Hey I have a followup question. Um this might actually be for Brian. I I don't know uh if that's okay. Maro. >> Okay. Um so I know and Mary I know this
just you asking about um the consultant got me thinking about it. So when we had the COVID money and we had the positions for those data you know we knew at some point there was a lot of work that needed like those people were doing and
um and then we knew we couldn't fund them after we ran out of the the money that we had the federal funding. um was it the ARPA uh funding or whatever it was? So I'm wondering Brian is this what
we're seeing some of the implications of not having that position? So if we're consulting, we clearly and they're doing some of that what those teams I think were doing looking at the data coming up, you know, doing pushins with staff. Um I'm just wondering if this is what
we're seeing not having that position or those type of roles on staff that we need need to think about um how do we incorporate how much are we spending for consultants versus how much would it be to hire someone in that role um to have
on staff. So just a a food for thought, you know, as because I know that that was part of the job um that that those teams were doing um working with teachers. Am I am I right? Looking at the data, coming up with plans looking at data, they weren't necessar
literacy, they have 30 years experience for one, you know, in literacy in working and same thing for math. So they're really the expert within that area. Our people are experts within teaching within their area and they happen to be
really competent in looking at data and working with students. So they weren't exactly apples to apples, but it's a great question. We'll certainly look at that. Yeah, I would certainly like because I'm thinking about the town for instance, they do a lot of and just as an example, they have done historically
a lot of consulting when it comes to engineering, you know, because um and we've paid consulting for engineering for because there's a lot of different specialties, but recently Greg is hiring and that's one of the positions that they are adding um because there's been
so much need for it that the cost to have someone permanently on staff is coming out less than having you know what we're paying into consultant. So I think it's just a a data point that where do we find at what point do we
find the rub you know the consulting cost even though I agree that you know this it isn't exactly apples to apples but um potentially I think there's some benefit there of having someone on you know on staff entirely. you get access to them, you know, as a full-time
employee where a consultant, you don't get access to them, you know, eight hours or whatever however many hours a day it is every day of the week. So, I think there is a benefit um to do that, but I would like to maybe have that understanding more, you know, how much
we're spending versus how many hours we're getting access to the consultants for what they do. So again, just a thought there as we find the need and which I think we all know the need was there to to do, but I think we're starting to feel what hap what it means
when we don't have that team available now support. So anyway, thank you very much. I just wanted to throw that out there. >> Comment too about the writing piece. Um this goes back to ancient history again but we did um
years ago um writing across the board. So and that that helped with the MCAST in general not just to um you know define it literacy but also across the board really need that it's really too
bad that fell by the wayside. providing what goes around comes around. >> Thank you so much >> hopefully a chance to read that read the whole thing to you. uh some of it has much of it has already been referenced
the books um huge success uh our learning walks that we've been doing which I think have been mentioned several times already um those continue to be successful we've had the opportunity as a leadership team to do our learning walks and go into each of
the buildings three several times with specific look for and we're starting and we just finished that actually late last week. So now we're starting to look at the trends that we can identify three different places. So that's exciting. Um
I mentioned that we talked a lot about the consultant, one of the consultants I just gave you some information about her in terms of literacy. So in terms of that's referencing like this person has a lot of experience in literacy. So having them work with us and identify
trends and assessments and make recommendations that's beneficial to us. Uh student achievements I mean our girls basketball team had a great season especially seniors Rachel Grace Curer and Jake Stacks. So
congratulations to them and the whole team. Uh again, this was referenced earlier, but the the one act play constellations and all of our students who also participated following the presentation game, but at the
competition, so that was new for us and exciting. Uh staff recognition. So, everybody works hard. I know it goes without saying, but even we've had a tough intern. Um, I felt like it was appropriate to recognize Tony and the custodian, Tony Sabar, for overseeing
the custodians and their efforts of really keeping us open and safe um throughout multiple storms this year that we haven't really seen in the past few years. So, it's been a lot of work. Um, Wayne Dwayne for his continued efforts in maintaining our finances
throughout year and all of our teachers who really continue to provide a high quality education to all of our students. And we see that when we go on our walkthroughs both as an administrative team and also when we just walk through which not everybody at the central office I'm going to say um
but like Heather Newman who's online Deanna who just thought of myself um we're in the building so we had the opportunity to see that and you know you recognize that um Deiana for all her work she's doing and just overall feeling like we have a
really we got a lot of change on our administrative team if you think about principles, assistant principles. Um, and the harder the conversations get, the more obvious what a team it is and if they support one another. Um, so I'm looking forward to, you know, the next
iterations of what we're doing in terms of change. I feel like there's both focus on that and everybody's on board. Uh, so it's really exciting there's that there. Um, alumni field. Just an update.
We went for a waiver for our PL for plumbing which is only have access to the bathrooms in building. We knew it was a long shot. Our the town inspector plumbing inspector uh supported us doing it but also gave us
fair warning. It's not likely. So there were a list of about a dozen waivers on that board meeting and only two of them got us. Both of them were like idea but no overly shocked maybe a little disappointed. Um so we're working with
the town on next steps given that we're not going to go there. The next step would be working with the town administrator to make sure that we have funding for demolition of those pictures uh and also some pavement from the 117 side of alumni field to the walkway so
that it's 88 from 17 to the not the track but the walkway on >> so we're in the process of getting the course for that and then the town administrator already knows that I talked to city about it on board with
Luckily, just to give a budget update, this is the first year that the number that the town has allocated has remained consisted and we have the funding to close the delta. So, we're still
anticipating our welcome language budget the same as our initial presentation um which does get reinstates our grade five teacher, our health teacher at the high school and our athletics. So, we're we're feeling confident about that. Um,
I put some information in that I shared with our team as well about the title one will likely be a little bit lower. Um, and that's not anything Mayor did or anything we could do differently. That's based on consensus. Um, and federal
guidelines for low income. It just is what it is. The state is looking at losing about 10% which is in this particular land it's around $30 million to the state. Our portion luckily is relatively small. It's like 24,000
which for us is still a big deal but that would be the 85% mold harmless number. So if anything it may be less than 24 but it would be the commissioner had was pretty solid that he didn't think it would be anywhere lower or
higher I should say. Um so and if you look at around the state that number varies just district by district by so we're aware of it is aware of it Wayne's aware of it we're comfortable moving forward with our plans. Um other stuff updates, the youth risk
behavior survey that we've done year after year after year, which is good because it gives us long data. We're doing that next week. Uh we have our safe and supported schools meeting next week at the lunch meeting and we had
kindergarten information night recently which was wonderful and successful as well. I think I included the link to so you can see the presentation if we wanted to see it. It's always fun to see what kindergarten is all about. Even if our
kids got to be a little bit older than that, it's still fun to see. Um upcoming events, the Green Meadow PTO has brought the Wizards basketball team back. Um fortunately, it overlap with our school committee time. Um but they'll still get a good crowd. That's a fun event.
Spanish immersion information night is April 1st. Um just a couple of follow-ups included in the memo had to do with uh prek K enrollment really. And so you could see the back from the 21 22 all the way to
25 26. It's been pretty consistent around 90 95. It went up in 24 to 110 then back to 100. But it's been in that 90 to 100 range for about five years. And
graduation. Sorry, I'm trying to read that last thing. Graduation, we are set based on student what they really desired was to have graduation outside. So, it is tenatively set for June 5th at 6:30 weather per day.
Update you on that. >> Yeah, just one comment. So the budget subcommittee last night budget subcommiring unfortunately everybody's disappointed about that but everybody was excited um you know what's old is new again Michelle that Michelle wasn't coming
back to you know everybody felt a good thing no I don't have any question um when is the next day someone Um Wednesday. >> Oh, the Sunday school. >> Yeah, like six days.
>> Oh, okay. >> Um and what happened with the PD that was cancelled for the half the day that was snow day? >> They we met about that actually earlier today and they're incorporating that into upcoming.
>> Okay. >> They like fitted. >> Yeah. Actually, I mean, it's a little bit of a kurfuffle. >> Yeah. Just because you know, you said you're so organized and so there's the domino effect of just juggling things
with all the principles for being just >> Okay, that's not what you think. >> Nope. >> Okay. Well, >> thank you, Natasha. >> Uh, yeah. So, just um a couple of questions about the information relating
to um alumni field and budget. So, um, so one of the things and I I I'm guessing Mary may have talked to you about was the free cash, but I just wanted to share with everyone else. So, uh, Greg had proposed an updated free
cash allocation. Um, and one of the things that he's doing is he's taken older uh, accounts that were approved at prior meetings and he's seeking to release those funds so that they can be reallocated to new ones. And one of
those funds is relating to the alumni uh field, bleacher, whatever, all that stuff. That's money in there. um that it sounds like um now that we're going to be going into potentially demolition or whatever um would have you talked to him
about that particular what he's looking to respend that money for and would it be in the best interest because it's already been approved at town meeting for specific things why we can't use that to expense like um like
the rental of the fence that you know that I think think it's an annual thing that we've had to that goes around. Um it might be like $10,000. I don't think it's a lot, but um that goes around the empty bleachers that's been there. Um
and then um I don't know. You said you met with him today, right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> He had I think there are there's more than one account within free cash. >> Yeah, there's there's a couple of them he wants to Yeah. close out. One of them was a 300,000 one when they got rid of
the high school. Um I mean not the high school, the fire station that we didn't do abatement for. So they're using a lot of that to try to get funds for. But I'm specifically asking about the alumni field one. Um which included like updates to alumni
field. Part of that was the ADA compliance and the um the designs. So, one of those accounts has to do with feasibility, which we're not doing because we're not moving forward. Another of the accounts has to do with
demolition, which would remain because that's what would fund the demolition. And there's enough because the ADA compliant payment is a minimal amount. We're getting now, but he can fund that as well. Cash.
>> Okay. So, he's not going to, just what I'm understanding, he said that he's not going to recommend to the select board releasing the one that's specific to the demolition. >> Um, >> I want to make sure there's alignment there because if they release that and
then we lose a funding source um for expenses, I think there's several funds he's looking to do. I just want to make sure that if there's a fund approved for that that we are able to do what we need to do. >> I'll double check from my conversation
with him. He was clear that there was funding for the demolition and tenatively the paving for the ADA compliant connection between the sidewalk and the walkway around. >> Okay. >> Yeah. He he didn't talk really about the
ADA. Yeah. the ADA compliant the um the the estimate for the demolition for the bleachers. I know we had gotten one last year was 90,000 and then it sounded like he got one that was like or you got one was 45 that was different but he's only
penciling in like 50,000 for that. um if he does a full reac allocation. I just want to make sure um that it it wouldn't be short um if it comes back more than 50. He's not
accounting for that. >> I will confirm. I mean, in our last estimate was I believe 45. >> Yeah. Okay. Um >> yeah, I think it was just if we can confirm because he's going to be bringing that to the select board and then um
the budget. Um thank you for for those updates. Um and it stinks um about the the exemption. Uh I know that that was talked about with Huntress when we were doing those planning um meetings and they brought up Littleton. I think it was specifically that they did get an exemption, but it was because they were
only like 300 ft from the school. Um and and yeah, we that's where it wasn't likely that we would get it, which kind of stinks. Um for the FY27 budget, uh it looks like so as the numbers stay static
that we would be from a operational allocation, we would be a little bit under like 400,000. So 398,000 short um from our requests, right? I just want to make sure I'm understanding. And the
um plan is that we would supplement that um let's say supplement but we would close that gap with attrition and then revolving accounts. Right. >> Okay. Yes. So I know in a previous school committee meeting we talked about how much our reliance on our revolving
accounts uh we would be doing and I think we talked about not feeling comfortable more than 200,000 as a basis. So, I just want to make sure um that from your back of the napkin projections or whatever that um what
you're saying is that we're not leaning in to do more than 200,000 from revolving accounts. That you're thinking >> that's correct. >> Okay. So, it would be up to 200,000. So when we go to approve the budget allocation, we would only be approving
no more than 200,000 from the revolving accounts to use as a funding source and um the rest would be made up you're anticipating will be made up from attrition. >> Well, you don't Yes, I believe that is an accurate representation, but you
typically don't vote on you. >> Yes, we do. We we vote on No, we do. We vote on allocating all the funds to the cost center. Part of that includes the amount the town approves and then anything else you have to fund the if you're relying on those how much you're
relying on uh revolving accounts. Yeah, we need to allocate how much you're using from those accounts generally to fit the operational expenses. So every year we have had a thing and it says on there how much you're taking out of the revolving accounts. I want to make sure
that we are because I don't want to end all that work that went into override. My point is we're starting to create a reliance on revolvers. And so this year, one year after an override, we're already tapping in a need for 200,000. Next year, it's going to be maybe we
have the teacher contract coming up. You know, are we going to have to be more 400,000? So, I just want us to be very cognizant because as one school committee member, I will not be in support of anything that relies more than 200,000 annually on revolving
accounts for operational needs because they are very very unreliable in how much we're getting back. Especially like school choice, which is our, you know, the one that's the most flexible. Um, and some of those are federal funding as
well, like preschool. You know, they require that's an uncertainty. You know, how much we're getting for preschool, how much we're getting for IDA. Um, I know those aren't competitive, but I just want to make sure um that we adhere and respect the work that put into the
override and that we don't put ourselves in a precarious situation in another five, you know, three years because we and Jeff, the select board also mentioned that at the um joint budget review. So, uh, I just wanted to put that feedback out there um, as well. And
if there's anything I'm misunderstanding, please let me know. The only thing I would say is we have been revolving on we have been relying on revolving accounts since beginning of time. We have moved to revolving on them
significantly less so this year than we have any of the prior years. >> So I and what you said is accurate. We're looking at $200,000, but I wouldn't necessarily want to say I could commit to that annually for 5 years
because >> I'm not asking for five years. I'm just saying we're talking about a one-year budget that we're doing because there are going to be extenduating circumstances that we may have to go into that more. I don't want it to become an issue that we're starting one
year after an override that got us out of the hole that we're already putting up and going into it 200,000 to start off with and then is it another 200,000 the next year and then it's another 200 the following year. So what we were
doing was not a best practice and I think that's what we learned. You know, we got up to $800,000 using revol looking at revolving accounts before we could not fund that. And that is not a best practice. That also doesn't account for the PEG program. We get money for PEG, those
positions. What happens if we don't lose PEG? How are you going to fund those positions? They're not in our operating budget. So, like that's what we need to be thinking about. Like it's it's we need to be able to account for keeping those positions on. Is there a plan to make sure that those are not those are
funded after there's both of the funding sources run at the same time now the same contract same year that's $300,000 so I just want to make sure that we're not what you said just now scared me we've been doing it for a long time that is not the mindset that I would expect
we should be doing responsible and minimizing how much we're relying on those funds because we're not getting the same funding every year anymore and there's not going to be an override that's going to be ah you know successful for raising more. They talked about 47% taxes for water um as an
option. I think people they're not going to do it but it's just yeah they're not going to do it but they're raising you know a lot of other taxes around the town. So I just wanted to make sure that we you know are responsible for that and um and we don't fall into old habits. So anyway, thank you. I don't think we are.
I think we've made a lot of progress in the right direction. >> And if you look at our budget this year, you Greg, this the town was able to allocate 3.3%. And I think if you remember a couple years ago when we did the analysis, and the town can't do what I'm about to say, and I understand that,
but if they could allocate 4.4 or four or 5% in that upper four range, we'd have no delta in 10 years because we'd even it out. They can't afford that and we know that. So we but nonetheless we are moving in the direction that you're talking about which is relying less on
our revolvers >> right I just want to make sure that conversation stays consistent that way >> position >> yeah every year I want to make sure because I want to highlight like hey let's select war let them know hey we're relying on our revolvers 200,000 because I don't want it to be a surprise in four
years we're at 800,000 again and they're like we need you know we need a >> surprise I think we keep it at the front of the conversation Yes. Yes. >> Thank you. >> I feel like we're we're making a it's not an irresponsible decision. It's not irresponsible decision making. Like we
chose the amount that we asked for last year in order to make sure it passes and we're choosing right now knowing that we really feel strongly about this fifth grade teacher and the athletic trainer graduation. Like I I think it's just a balance. I don't think it's
irresponsible. I don't think it's irresponsible that what we're doing for the the needs of the school. I'm talking about monitoring the funding source to support the needs of the school and making sure that we're thinking about not just one year. You know, we're
thinking about looking at how like how those funding sources what is the trend of how those are replenishing. You know, we talked about the facility account rentals. that's, you know, there's like a lot of ups and es and flows. So, we should be better tracking those accounts
historically to say that, yeah, we're comfortable tapping in more, you know, than we are, but some of those are not being funded the same way. And that's what I want to make sure we're not burning the the wick at both ends um with funding. I I totally think the things we're we're doing are fantastic
and and over, you know, um you know, totally necessary and it is a risk. I just want to make sure that we're not just, you know, we're just keeping it important so we don't end up in the same place, you know, very fast um because of
that without a little push back. >> My first >> understood will continue. >> Thank you. But again, the the bigger point was confirming that the source wanting to know that was 200,000 is what
is anticipated for FY27. That's what I wanted to get clarification on um for our school committee this year this purpose. >> Yep. >> Understood. >> Okay. >> Um we move on to the case we got the
plan revision notice. >> So this is kind of interesting. This is not a funding request. >> Sorry. Um I got to go. I just looked at the time. Sorry. So I'm signing off. Thank you very much for everything. >> Bye >> bye. >> So they're not asking for
>> So they have a we have a capital plan case as a group and it was for one specific purpose which was finished. So now if they want to do anything with capital they don't have an option. So this simply broadened what they could do with extra money. >> Um
>> why are they having this extra money? >> Yeah. Right. This is a lot of extra money >> because they just expanded really positively by adding a whole professional development component to what they offer. >> So they can do stuff. >> So then can't we pay less? But
>> it it doesn't really work. >> I know. >> And truth be told, our fee to be a member of them is really minimal. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And we're >> I just feel like launched >> and it's not soft launch. I mean, if you
take a look, >> we have to >> you don't have to vote. >> No, you have to vote. >> Well, you have more power than I am. So, my job is to bring this to you and they set it up. It's according to national law. If you don't do anything,
>> it moves to so you so it doesn't require >> just the 10 different school committees to type a vote. It does, but I want you to be informed because if you're like a hard no, which I wouldn't think you would be because it does allow them to expand transportation which could
benefit us. It does allow them to have competent, you know, have technology >> and the land acquisition and buildings. Yeah, >> that's what they need for program because right now they rent a room here. They rent a room there.
benefits us by them earning from us because it allows us to have our students here. I mean that was always a plus to have some of the case classes being in different because then kids are coming to us you need are you know it's deferring some of our cost and that so they take they're going to take that
away from us so that they can do everything in your house correct >> I mean in the future they would love to have the building wouldn't you because then they're not dependent on me when I call school and they don't want >> but but that's not a big enough deal for
this I think that they will be because they're you know, transporting all those kids from all over. >> Yeah. >> To their to their facility. It'll be just like um at the back who cancel school more often. >> More often.
>> Truth be told, they don't have any idea of oh, there's a building or there's even a land that we're interested in. They just want I mean, >> sure. >> Yeah. >> Very >> because they have a very specific amount of fire. They've got it just I just feel
like it's going to cost us more money again because we're you know all of our students will have to go you know we're going have to transport transport maybe more students to um so we have >> I think there's still a safeguard in that all the superintendents are the
board so if all of a sudden it looks like it is not financially in the benefit for all the districts that are sitting around the table we would say no don't do that okay >> or change the rates so that non-members get paid pay more which would have to pay more which they already do um than
members but I do think it's in their long-term viability it's a good move >> but what is what is the long term like what are we looking at like 5 years 10 years like >> I'm 20 years like to keep that as an
entity and being successful >> a long time yeah >> and this is a nextation It just doesn't. >> Yeah, it's an oddly specific number for this acquisition. >> I think they know more than it.
>> I mean, they're not like $3 million. They're like3 million $60,900. >> I still don't see anything happening immediately. I think they want the options as they don't actually have. So, here's the thing. There is some specific numbers in there, but there's no money
that they have. They don't have $3 million. >> Maybe that's as much as they can. >> Correct. So the thought here is that that 43659 that's the limit. But right now they're at like zero because we had it built.
>> So this is a plan for slowly moving forward and if there's a year when they have extra, it can go in there. >> Okay. So devil's advocate. What's to prevent them from raising all of the fees for our kids to create this? so
that we're helping fund it and then they hold on to it. >> I mean, truth be told, they're not collaborative ground and they are in the business of keeping the member districts satisfied. They want to meet the needs of our students. So, I I don't think this is a a play or
a plan to raise rates on member districts to then create that amount of money. We don't have that many kids that go there to raise that. Nobody No one district does. >> They definitely serve a purpose. There's no question. >> So, I would say specifically reasonable So you don't have to do anything. I just
want you to know >> we're almost done. >> Chair's report. Um, I have an with the super eval um, guru guy. Um, when? Tuesday, Wednesday, I can't
remember now. Um, it's on my calendar. I won't forget. Um, just to to kind of so I can figure out what what needs to be done. And then I'll talk to him about like dates that we can all do that. Um, and I'll have
then once I have that information, I'll have Colleen put out a doodle. Okay. Um, let's see. I sent out an email earlier about the schools walkthrough and staff
meetings on our um, our outreach thing. I had a question about that. Okay. Are you looking for because they're they're all the same dates. Um >> I know. >> So
that piece of it, right? >> Are you looking for us to go like some of us to go to one, some of us to go to another >> possible or all of us to go to one? >> All of us. I've done before. Two of us have gone to each one, which is a really
good way to do it. Yeah. >> So, the only one that the only one that we that I would like to make sure that you know whoever is going is is the April 14th one at Fowler because that's
he's the one that's the one that he would pre prefer just because of the scheduling of what's happening that day. >> Um, >> how long are the meetings? >> Um, honestly, um, we only spent like 10 minutes. Oh, so it's not long. It the
the issue is like >> getting there a little earlier than that to do the walk through if you are planning on doing that. But the actual meeting itself 10 or 15 minutes where you know you, you know, are basically asking the staff they have specific
questions, anything that they want to bring up. >> Um that type of stuff just so that they know. The point is to let them know that we are accessible and if they need to to talk to us that they can. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um I can do that.
>> So >> I can do one too. >> Um I don't need to do any detours. I don't want to bother them. >> Okay. That's fine. >> Needs to go. Take the time. >> I don't need a tour. I've been in
hereenty. >> Uh the She just said if we wanted a tour that we would have to come before 2:40. >> Um and that from 2:40 to 3 we would have
to just wait around because that's their dismissal and because of the way dismissal is it's too much of a mess. >> So um otherwise we can just be there at three for the staff meeting. So, if
anybody wanted to um just put in, you know, their name and and then I will let um I'll let them know. >> Um who wants to do what? >> I can do
>> all three of them. So, whoever >> I can do the Fowler one on the 14th. I'm home that day. >> I can do then. You want to do that together? >> Sure. >> What time was that one? week after that's well the if we're doing a tour I'm not really sure I'd have to ask
again but before 2:30 so I don't know two >> just reminder only two of you can go not yeah so but what time would the meeting >> the meeting starts at 2:30 >> oh all right 2:30 yes >> you want a tour married
>> no tour okay I do >> all right so 215 to be here. >> I can do one of the other schools that feel or I'm not going by myself. >> No, that would be fine.
>> Um, do you have a preference? Um, I did the Green Meadow one last year, so Okay. So, I don't Um, >> maybe somebody um and so maybe we could do the the high school.
>> Okay. Um, and I don't know how you feel about the the walk through. >> I don't care. >> You don't care. I kind of want to do the walk through. >> Okay. I'm happy to do it. >> All right. All right. And I'll let her know >> me only April 14th. There isn't another
>> Right. Um, yeah, she didn't she didn't give me another option. So, um, I don't know. I will I'll ask I can ask Natasha. Maybe she wants to do that one. Um, so And technically
technically I could do that. Um >> go from go from the high school to to >> um so 2:15 and then >> I mean the good thing for me is all of these staff meetings are on Tuesdays and I work at home on Tuesdays. So I just
have to have enough advanced notice I do great whatever. Yeah, I could do a green with you, too. I will play school and meadow. Okay. But that's um works to do high school. Yeah.
>> The same people. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, um just just Okay, great. Um I didn't have anything else. So, Mary, do you have anything?
Okay. Um Alexis, we are trying to schedule a subcommittee meeting for personnel. >> Um we mentioned things. >> Yes, it did. >> What do we do if
only one of us can attend a school committee? Okay. Sub committee. >> Okay. for a couple days together and send them >> dead. >> Oh, what's
he want of us to step >> I don't we might getting mailing down Natasha. >> Oh, okay. Uh, >> I can resend any notes. >> Resend any notes or say so
>> for which for which subcommittee? >> Okay. All right. >> Um, >> because we're trying for Tuesdays because we can both do Tuesdays. >> So, >> um, let me know if if that doesn't work. I can probably fit it in. >> Yeah. >> Okay.
even just to step in right for her. She can't because I know that she her work is totally crazy. Um okay, you have anything else? Um, Hillary,
>> um, I need to talk about scheduling subcommittee meetings, but then I went to the sustainability committee meeting and they're writing, um, climate action plan for all areas of the town and how to handle things and um, they want uh,
feedback from us on that plan and we're asking about how to go about that. Um, >> I heard from Zana. >> Okay. Um, and I put her in touch with Rebecca. >> So, she's talking about that and she said they really want like Rebecca's involved in writing it already. Like
she's part of who's writing it, but then they're supposed to get feedback from different stakeholders and stuff. >> Okay. >> Um, I said, you know, even for myself, like I've listened to them work on writing it and it's like my head. >> Oh, yes. >> Um, and so I suggested if they did want
to talk to us like have >> structure. Yeah. Thanks. >> Becca can do that. She can take what they're writing and she can put a presentation together of slides for this committee. So, she'll do that for us. >> Okay. >> Um
timing >> for that. >> Uh I think they're working on it over like the next like several months >> because I'm just trying to figure out like looking forward to the meetings that we have like where where would we put it that's going to >> I um I think they have they have some
time. I I saw them write a couple sections, but there's definitely a lot more. Um I was when I was saying I it felt like it was over my head. One of the things that they mentioned was like um writing like one of their suggestions was
telling the town to keep certain walkways and bike paths um cleared of snow if those are routes kids might walk to school that could help aid with like buses being not having that busing. if there's a way to coordinate with the town so that they as part of their
climate action plan prioritize keeping like certain pathways clear and if there's like coordination there that would help um which was an example to like help me understand how we would have feedback but um does feel like it's a little >> what >> I think Justin does that
>> I think they're talking about like even in a more ideal world like if there was like a goal like >> you know right now we're down to one of those sidewalk things that came up last example areas where we have a lot of students who >> might need busing but aren't getting it
like could we could they coordinate and prioritize certain streets like if we said there's a lot of kids walk from the street they could tell the town make sure you do the street like stuff like that >> well I mean there are there are sections of Thompson that isn't done and I I know
a lot of kids walk up on ours and we actually have a >> there's a parent who lives on summit which is >> and he he brings his his um snow and does street. >> Oh my god.
>> It's very impressive. Yeah. >> I think a lot of their plan is not based on the current resources the town has now. It's like >> hoping. Yeah. >> It's a dream. >> Yeah. >> It's like my Well, isn't that isn't that
basically what like the master plan is? >> It's basically a master plan. Yes, >> it's the master plan for environment. >> Okay. >> Um Okay. Can we anything else? We move on to Okay.
>> All right. Um we don't have any minutes. Um uh without objection, I'd like to accept the warrants 2653, 054, 055, and 056.
No objections. Objections. The warrants are accepted. Um I'll entertain a motion to dismiss. >> Motion to judge. >> Second. Okay. Um Oh, we're all here. We're all
here.