Okay, thank you. Uh, in accordance with open meeting law regulation 940 CMR29.10, please be advised that school committee member Natasha Rivera is attending this
meeting remotely. In addition, because there are committee members attending remotely, all votes taken at this meeting will be by roll call vote. Lastly, if any school committee members are not clearly audible to fellow members or any members of the public, please notify the chair and our best to
remedy the problem and we'll inform the public whether that the meeting will continue. So, call the meeting to order at 7:02. Natasha, >> yes.
>> Alexis, yes. Mary, yes. And I am a yes. Okay. Oh, do we have to wait until 7:05 says probably do because it is a hearing. All right, 702. So, we'll just wait for three
minutes and then we'll start hearing. >> You do have to wait for your post for 7:05. >> Oh, for the school committee. Um I saved um minutes from the select board meeting
from November 21st, 2023 into our folder um that talks about the transfer. >> Thank you. They're going to start. Everybody else
I try to ask a lot of questions usually. I always say all sing. >> Yeah. Uh yeah, it did help. >> Go ahead.
>> School building >> on Monday. >> On Monday. >> Yes. Yeah, I'm gonna try. Thank you. I know that Mike is coming. I'm pretty sure Chris will be there. I'm going to try to make it. I haven't. Yeah. Thank you.
>> Greg, email us about that. >> That's okay. Okay. Um, I'll open the um public hearing on the proposed FY26 budget in accordance with MGL chapter 71 section 38N.
>> All right. I will do the shorter version of the budget presentation because we I've done it several times at school committee at finance committee. Uh it's been online. There's been a couple iterations of it.
The actual monetary amounts haven't changed. So if you saw it in December, we're really looking at the same thing. And I'm happy. So this from like the first year where I can say that the amount that the town allocated us early in like in fall that Greg was able to
get get everything from the state and get everything from all his department heads. I include myself as one of his department heads and he's like this is what I can allocate you. We kind of play this game of September, October, November, December. More often than not those numbers are kind of flexible and
they change. not always up, sometimes up, sometimes down, but they're shifting, which makes it hard. So, we don't really have a final till pretty late. This year, he has been rock solids, they haven't changed in the state. Um, the tax uh all those things
came steady and remained consistent. Big outliers that change budgets for towns and then schools would be like health insurance. So, last year we did a lot of work around health insurance. So this year um yes it was a big increase but it wasn't as big as it could have been or
it is some other places. So the long way of saying the number that we started where we're at. So we're going to walk through this presentation um and you have it as well as a hard copy slide when she's ready. There we go. So this is really uh the
first slide is a thanks to the town of Mayor to be honest. Um the town supported city supported the new green meadow supported those overrides last year which I have nothing but thanks and gratitude for. It allows us to get where we are and to slowly
make progress in a positive direction year after year after year. Um in no way, shape or form are we looking backwards. We are constantly looking forward. And that's really because you support us, right, Colleen? Thanks.
One of the things that people may or may not know is that schools are run there's a variety of funding sources which is interesting. One of the big sources of funding the biggest sources obviously it comes from the town right the town of gates x amount of dollars and that's the
majority our budget but that is certainly not enough for us to run a school system. One of the other big opportunities we have are grants. So there are competitive grants and entitlement grants. Not going to go down the rabbit hole of grants, but there's
just two different kinds. Some you're just you get year after year after year because of your population uh and your size and sometimes your need. Other grants you have to apply for. You write the application. Hopefully your criteria
fits what they need. And there's examples of grants that we've gotten. So we get several hundred,000 ahead of the grants. Um, we actually wrote one this year. We haven't heard yet for to support the WAVM program. It's called the CTE grant. It's a $4 million grant.
So, if that comes through, and I quite frankly, we made it through the first few hurdles. If that comes through, that gives us the ability to really expand that program without having to come. But that's okay. We don't have to go to the town saying we need more money for
lights or we need more money for cameras. It would come out of this grant. So just to recognize we have a new director of curriculum who's been working really hard to write grants that are appropriate for Mayor and support our programming without adding things to
teachers to do just to get grant. Uh so for there's a for example English learner supporter. it per it fits perfectly into what we do, why we do it, and that's a population that we have that continues to grow. So, there's a grant there that we got for $34,000 that
we don't have to then go to the application budget. Okay. We asked recommended to the school committee, you said we like this number as well. 25,575,000. It meets all of our contractual obligations and it also does three
things for us in addition to running the district. It reinstates a grade five teacher, reinstates a high school health PE teacher and as an athletic I will be the first to tell you I asked for an athletic trainer probably for the last four years. Unfortunately, budgets have
been tight across the Commonwealth. So, we're no exception. And I haven't been able to get it to the finish line just because we haven't had the funding to do it. This year, I'm feeling like we have the funding to do it. And we need to so many kids that play so many sports. Most of
our students play multiple sports and it's just a safe thing to do for our students. So, I'm not really advocating any more than just telling you that I'm so excited that we're at this point and it's it feels like it's in the budget. Usually by now I'm telling you I wanted it but we had to do so. The town
allocated 25,177500. Um which that number dropped a tiny bit but so close to the original I just call it the original. Right Colleen the grade five. We assuming the budget has passed and the
town then passes the over our budget. That position then becomes part of our operational budget. Reducing class size. Um it's a positive impact on grade five. It's a positive impact on follower and something that we had. We simply reduced student population um of students in
that particular grade. And we were in a year when we were significantly underfunded and actually needed override. So we made some very hard decisions. is calling the same thing for the math and PE sorry the math the high school health and PE
teacher um we need to be able to offer physical education for students of grades of level and 12 I mean the pro so this is a good thing I'm glad to have it back add health more help it's all good one of the difficulties you have in a small high school you just there's only
so many classes you can offer because you only have so many kids you don't want to be wearing glasses for class of three or four. Um so this the schedule of the high school was tricky. Um but this is absolutely the right move on a variety of fronts and it also supports
our new health professions pathway which hopefully more you know as it gets off the ground seems to grow more things will take advantage of that. And the athletic trainer we've talked about a little bit. It aligns with the
MIAA intercolastic um athletic association their recommendations. It aligns with our nurses recommendations. There's really nobody who's going to say I don't think there is anybody who would say this is a bad idea. Everybody would say this is a good idea. It's appropriate. It's
necessary to kids that play. Um there's more and more research that concussions have long-term effects. So, if we can help students either take their ankles, take their knees, get the protocols if they get a concussion or they think they do, um, right away from a trained
athletic trainer, we're supporting our kids as best we can. So, I'm super excited to hit. So, what does that mean for us to balance our budget rounding? We're $400,000 off. It's actually 3974 $44,000
between what the town allocated and what I'm asking for including those three positions we will so before we get to this slide which is a waste time just the overall budget where we're sort of in this situation this
year where we have several veteran teachers who have reached that point in their career who said you know what I think I want to retire I still got a lot of energy left. I'm healthy. I want to travel. I'm going to retire. What typically that means for a school system is those people tend to be at the top of the pay scale. So, if you
have one of them, okay, you're going to save a little bit, right? Somebody who gets paid a higher salary is going to retire and we're going to hire somebody at a lesser salary but they're newer to the profession. When you have multiple people in that position, which we do this year, it creates enough savings. It
creates about half of that savings of that 400 about $200,000. And we have revolving accounts. Now, we can't rely on revolving accounts year after year after year at the rate that we were several years ago. But we do have revolved accounts, multiple revolving
accounts with a little bit of money in them. They also fund things like if a hot water tank breaks. It's not like the one at your house or my house. Um it's much bigger. It's much more expensive. So, do we need revolving accounts? Absolutely. they fund things like that. Um, but we can use some of that in a
conservative strategic manner. And I would say this fits both categories, strategic um, and conservative. We use $400,000 of our revolving accounts to close that gap, which really does move us forward.
So, the side that's up there now is a different way of looking at the same amount of money. And this is actually how the school get votes on a budget. So it's the DOE function codes. So you see administration. Good. Turn it off. Administration,
instruction, pupil services, operations and maintenance, benefits, fixes, programs with other districts. Those are the categories. And you can see how they're divided up this year. and they total the amount that we started with back in December of 25575
and we will be taking baby steps forward and I wouldn't even say baby step I think they're big steps to be quite honest I mean the fact that we're reinstating two teaching roles and adding athletic trainer I think mayor should be proud of itself doing a really good job when you look around you don't
have to look far there are districts other districts close by not too far that this is not the situation we're in. So, I'm happy to be able to present to you with a lot of work. So, I don't want to stand up here and say, "Hey, Brian
did all this stuff because I did not." This is certainly a team effort from the entire administrative team, Wayne White, Colleen, school committee support. They ask questions, we respond. The select board, the FINCOM, it's been around.
It's gets it gets cashed out in a variety of ways to really make best decisions we can for all of our students. So that's that's my questions or if you do something
different at the hearing. I know you've heard this story over and over, but it's a kind of a fun story this year. Um I think we're according to this we're should be going
to the public comments. Okay. Um um Natasha, you have a question? >> Um it was just um more of a clarification um about the athletic trade. Just wanted to add because it did come up in one of our um subcommittee meetings about um litigation and
potential exposure for not having athletic trainer that at some point um there are school districts that who do not have them are um are now being pursued for injuries um for lawsuits. So, aside from the general overall um health and well-being of our students,
um it is um at some point potentially considered u wful negligent when we know the risk and we don't act on it. Um so, I just wanted to highlight that, Brian, because that was something that came up in our joint I think it was the joint budget review or something, right, Mary? Um >> and um it was a yeah, it was a big thing
to consider as well. So, um, and then the other question, uh, this is more for maybe later. Um, the the budget breakdown with the the DOE codes. Can, um, is there a sheet that says how much of that like which one is going to be
funded from the different revolver accounts? And I didn't the presentation. So, you have the 25 um, the total amount, right? But that what we're >> Yeah. We have the larger amount but that that difference which is not coming from
the town that's coming from the revolvers. Right. >> Right. >> Um in the budget presentation do we have how much are coming from diff which account they're coming from >> that that to make up that difference that that 397.
Well, what you have in here says it's coming from preschool. >> Yeah, but it's So, I guess the no was it's not in that chart on the last page of >> we know where >> Yeah. So, I think when we when we um
when we approve it um like it would be helpful to to know like which accounts they're coming from and the balances. I know we have the balances there, but I'd like to have that larger picture for before next week if we could just to see how much they are to be funding from each of those
accounts that you're looking to draw down to make up the difference. I think it's is it all preschool you said? >> Yep. >> That three that three. So the three No, it's not all preschool. >> Not the total amount is not >> right. That's what I'm saying. So, I'd
like to see if we can get um that nexus that we're we're supplementing the the allocation from the town, what accounts we're drawing from and by what amount to make that up
for next week. >> Can you guys hear me? Am I speaking Chinese or what's going on? >> We're just um Colleen says that we have not done that before. So, Yeah, we have >> the uh the motion proposed is motion
pulled right from minutes from past years. We have >> I'm not talking about the motion. I wanted to see the information is what I'm asking. >> Okay. Yes. All right. >> Yeah. we allocate it to the desi, but we always we always see like the whole like the detailed listing of all the different accounts how where it goes
like the projected and I don't um that's what I'm looking for is like that larger detail listing of what we're doing line by line and then the funding sources that are coming from that are outside of what the town is allocating to us. >> All right, I understand now. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Do you have anything else? >> Nope, that was it. Uh and then after I think after uh public comments I'll I'll have some questions. >> Okay. >> Um so we have we have a couple of um public
comments that came in through email. Um and one of them was um Cheryl Lucas and I just wanted to ask Cheryl if she wanted to actually read hers or if like me to just read it.
Yeah, maybe. Okay. >> Hi, how are you? >> Good. How are you? >> I apologize. My um my uh sound wasn't working there for the moment. Um thank you so much for all of
the work that um the school committee does on behalf of Mayor Public Schools. We really appreciate everything that you guys do. And I will just go ahead and read.
Um, so the Maynard High School Music Program, in particular, the MHS course program is in is in need of solid funding in order to attract and maintain an experienced and talented teacher. There have been changes in the roles
within the music program last year which resulted in only a very small stipen for the MHS chorus teacher. This has caused many challenges in recruitment and retention of a teacher at the high school level. Many students have left
chorus and the viability of the chorus program is concerning. As part of the budget process, we hope you will consider the funding structure of the music program as a whole and specifically at the high school level for uh this this year coming. Thank you
very much for your time. >> Thank you, Cheryl. >> Um do we have Pam Sweeny? >> I am here. Would you like to read yours or would
you rather write I to it? >> Sure. Um I want to just piggy back. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh piggyback on what Cheryl's saying. Thank you everyone. I I I feel badly bringing those forward after all
this work's been done. So thank you for everything that you've already done. Um I and I also want to just say what Cheryl and I are talking about is a very small amount compared to all the things that you're talking about um today. But if I
read what I wrote um expressing urgent concern cons regarding the programmatic funding and stability of the Maynard High School coral program. Historically, the Fowler music teacher and chorus director um had a split role at the high school. Um that is uh the Fowler
position is now full-time and the MHS coral director position has been left with a without a dedicated funding stream or a clear long-term plan. Um this lack of structure had a a devastating impact last fall. That's what Cheryl was talking about. um
relying on inadequate stipens led to a mid-year resignation and the loss of over half the chorus students. Um while the program is credit bearing and produces all state level talent, its survival was in limbo until an interim director um was hired using a
combination of stipens and one-time Maynard Music Association funds. Under Mr. Murphy um his leadership, the program is rebuilding rapidly. It's very exciting to see it. Um, he has restored student morale and collaborated
effectively with the band director. However, there's no viable job opening for next year and this uncertainty has made it really hard for future programming um, and all the planning such as upcoming trips. Um, and it places an unfair burden I believe on Mr.
Kosik who's just been amazingly wonderful and sort of taking all these extra roles on so to sort of and I know that people are working on it but I just wanted to make sure that you know we sort of brought it to the table um that
we're advocating for um permanent funding for a dedicated high school coral director is a class um transparency regarding how the district intends to remain in compliance with its master plan and desi requirements um and
a long-term solution that moves beyond insufficient stipens to ensure the longevity and continuity of the program. And again, I recognize budget challenges, but we can't repeat the failures um that happened this past fall. We have exceptional interim
director currently and securing a permanent path that keeps him in this role would be a significant win for the mayor community. Um, so there you go. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you.
>> I I wanted Thank you. >> I just want to say a few things words to advocate about the >> Oh, and staff um about the trainer. But am I being redundant if I like does that look like a done deal or is it helpful to hear a
little bit? >> Oh, okay. I'll try to make this quick. I know we're short on time. So, I have three kids in the district. One graduated three years ago. I have a senior and a sophomore. I've been in the district. We had our kids in the schools. This is for 16 years. Um, seven
years I've been in high school. And for the last four, I think I've come to Brian and Mike and said, "Can we please get a trainer?" It is a liability. And to what Natasha said, it's a liability. I don't know if you guys heard about the Switch lacrosse kid, there was no
trainer there. My kids have also been injured at games. Katie um was a senior. She was playing field hockey this fall and a ball hit her in the head. She went down, you know, a field hockey ball, hard to the rock. And there happened to
be a JB football game going on and there happened to be a trainer because at football it's mandatory to have a trainer. There's only like four sports and I got Mike, we got him down, he got to see Katie. But what you know what if
that hadn't been happening? Um, basketball first game of the season a couple years ago, star senior tore his ACL. He hurt his knee. He was like, I can go back in. I can go back in. He went back in. heard it more. If a trainer had been there, that wouldn't have happened. I mean, I have like lists
of examples, but it's Katie was telling me during basketball season, she said, "Mom, I can't tell you how many times a coach from the opposing team before a game," because Katie was captain would come up and say, "Oh, can you give me the trainer? I need to take I need a girl tape ankle." And she was like, "We
don't have one." She was like, it was embarrassing because every single coach would be like, "I do not have a trainer." When Katie was a sophomore, she tore her or she sprained her ankle in the summer. She had field hockey because of field hockey um shing guards
and cleats. A brace doesn't fit. I came to this school at 2:30 every day for the entire season to tape her ankle. I'm not a medical professional. I learned how to tape ankles into basketball. I came every day. I taped multiple girls. I should not be taping. I'm a parent. I
have a flexible job so I could do it. But if Katie Katie would not have been able to play field because of her ankle, because we don't have a trainer. So we have this beautiful training room where I have to take tons of ankles, you know, with the benches and the everything that when we built the high school and it
goes unused. It's crazy. So I think at the bottom line, you know, I was a big advocate about a big vocal about the bleachers going. That's a nice to have. This is our children's health. This is our children's safety and the safety of
other teams. We are so liable. So the cost of a trainer compared to what the liability could be is, you know, it's not even comparable. 60% of the kids at Mayor High School play at least one sport. Most kids play multiple. 11% of
the middle schoolers play on a high school sport. That's, you know, 77% of these kids are playing sports. Um, you know, there's a lot that's that's nice to have that I've seen over the years. This is our kids' help. Maynard is a
huge sports school. Um, and I think we owe it for their safety. You know, on the sidelines, parents are just like up in arms that we, you know, when someone gets hurt. My son played football. I mean, it's it's really it's a liability and it's a safe issue for our children.
So, I just really implore finally so I don't have to keep going. Right. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Ann. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else um online have any comments?
>> Raise your hand. That would be great. Natalie Robert, does an athletic trainer attend every single game for every single sport? >> Question. So realistically, they can't be at every single sport, right? Many of them are at the same time. But if they're at home, we in the past several
years have been able to get a Gator four-wheel drive. I don't part, but it's a little more robust. So they're able to get from say alumni field to follow field or to the baseball field out back behind the high school relatively quickly.
>> Just a quick follow up. Uh for the sports that require an athletic trainer by law, whatever it is currently, is that just like a contractor? >> Yep. It's like EMS. >> Okay. Or EM. >> Thank you.
>> Yeah. Um, do you have just grateful I'm always grateful for the support that we have of the town school going in fortunate to get the override last here just help us out in
support of the souls very grateful for us feel like we're doing a really fiscally responsible jobful for that I'm grateful that this year and so many school district >> I don't I think We've gone through so
much over the last few months with the budget that I don't have any other questions or concerns or issues. I think this is a very solid budget and very challenging time. So further >> Sasha
>> um just a couple questions but I just wanted to thank I know budget subcommittee I know that it's and Brian and the whole you know administration for um these are not like getting to this place is not something that happens overnight. So, um, you know, much appreciation, Colleen, all the people
behind the scenes, Wayne, that you know, bring this forward and answer the many questions that the public have, the school committee have, all the other boards have. Um, just thank you for that. Uh, I want that to really be the takeaway that I know it's a very thoughtful um, you know, presentation
for for what the school needs. Um the um just to add to like the the athletic trainer, there is something that was in the news just a couple days ago about um because of the IPS case that that there is a push for MIA to
revisit the uh the rules around athletic trainer and requiring it versus it just being recommended. So that might be something that would be forced on us anyway had this not happened. Um, and also just for context for other people, I think it I I think I heard someone,
but um, so right now we do fund they have EMS that covers for football, but we would that it would not be an add new total expense, right? So we would not be needing the EMS services. Is that correct? I just wanted to clarify,
Brian. Right. So, we would have a little bit of savings there that and once we hire I mean not a lot but I just want to make sure it's not that's where right now that requisite is for football. Um since we don't have a >> Yeah,
>> it's not like a 15% reduction, >> right? We would see a we would see um a reduction like so that would no longer be needed. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. That's what I just wanted to clarify. So that it it's we're adding a salary, but then we're also, you know,
it isn't the full salary that we're adding. We are also um losing some expenses and um I wholeheartedly agree with the public about this is very long overdue. So I'm very appreciative for the support that this has gotten. Um the
question that I have about um the music um and I know Brian something just for our next meeting or a followup. Um from what I understood it was from what hearing is that last year it was like an
8020 split for that position and that was what um a staff person had for a couple of years been doing. So it was 80% at Fowler, 20% at the high school and then there was um a personnel change
and then 100% of that that that position at some point looked like it went 100% to Fowler. So that that really increased it. So now what we're talking about from um is something that went from an 8020 one FTE. We're saying we need more than
potentially more than one FTE for that program in a long term sustainability. I think that's what I'm hearing from um if if Fowler does keep that one FTE there, then we still have whatever the needs are at the high school to make up for in in some regard. Um, so I guess I would
want to I'd follow up just have you confirm like with the you know with the leadership team if that's a correct understanding of the needs and um when was that change um determined where Fowler needed
like I guess if it was able to be done for a couple of years 80% at Fowler why was that not something that we could continue on um instead of increasing the FT if that's what we're looking to do in the future. So those would be my
questions for you for a followup. >> Followup actually. >> Yeah. Yeah. And then I think also to confirm like what is Yeah. I think as a like whatever whatever the the idea is for tomorrow um for next year as well because I think that was the the takeaway is um in the past we've had
clunkiness in some of the programs where we've offered them at Fowler and then they people students would metriculate to the high school and they weren't offered and then it would offer then another year and so we've gotten away from that because you know alignment it just doesn't make sense where you have
all these students who are excited about a program they go through all the effort and then they get to the high school and there's not. So, I really want to make sure we're not stepping backwards in um in pulling back from that opportunity for for students in any way, whatever subject it is. I know we we've revisited
this in a couple of different ways, um computer science, all those things in the past. And I just want to make sure that there continues to be alignment for whatever students are taking and getting energized about at Fowler that you know they can have those opportunities at the
high school as well. Um and I just appreciate all the work that people have tried to the conversations behind the scenes um and trying to fix an approach for this year. Um whatever proposition I guess that is shared with the school
committee. And also just want to make sure that we're understanding the funding sources for for those as well for whatever that happens to be for next year or whatever the plan is. Um so that would be that that would be my uh
request for that particular piece. Um and then um I think that's that's it for this. >> Thank you Natasha. Um, I want to thank everybody
that you've been doing and your relationship with Greg has really helped us over the years with getting to where we are now. That's really >> Maro, can I can I just say one more thing? Sorry. Um,
>> yeah. >> Um, so I know I said this at one of our prior meetings, but I do um I I am very concerned that we would be taking out uh almost $400,000 from revolving accounts
to um to clarify. >> I'm sorry. >> Can I interrupt and clarify just because I think I may >> Yeah, I think it's a combination of attrition. This is where I wanted to see the information just so I can understand a little bit more of what's coming, you
know, from there and what we're absorbing if it's attrition. Um, >> so $400,000. $200,000 is from attrition and $200,000 is from revolving accounts. >> Okay. I just I just didn't want you to worry
about it all the way till our next meeting. >> Yes. No, thank you. Because I was that's why I wanted to see like how that I know that makeup was from what what I'm hearing is that we were you know I don't know if I had heard a solid number about what we were going to be saving for
attrition. Um so that's helpful to put it in that context and I missed I'm sorry if I missed that part. Um because the looking at what we're you know again the revolving accounts I think 200 annually
is probably a safe you know fiscally responsible um approach and considering a lot of uncertainties ahead. Um and so I'm I'm glad that that is what we're planning on. So then for next week I guess I would want to see like where that 200
what accounts that's you know planning on coming from then. Um, so thank you. >> Not 750. So what can we just end or how does this work?
>> I think they need to wait. So we have items like the student student report and they may be waiting until 7:50 to join. Okay. >> We can close the hearing, right? We can um we can but we cannot go into
the business meeting until 7:50. >> Oh, is it posted for is Oh, the meeting is posted for 750. >> Says approximately 750. >> True, it does. >> Yeah, you could I would say you can go right into it. >> Yeah, >> that's the loophole. fully get into the
even before. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um then I make a motion to close the public hearing and return to the regular business meeting. Uh >> second.
>> So Natasha, >> yes. >> Alexis, yes. Mary, yes. And I'm Yes. And that is We're not actually voting right.
>> Okay. So, uh, do we have any urgent business, Brian? >> Don't have any new public. No, no comments for the public for the business meeting. No, they are not. >> Hello.
>> Hi. So >> analise. >> Oh, can you please repeat that? >> You can go ahead Annaise. Welcome. >> Thank you. So the highlights of what's been happening in the school recently is
we have had a very successful March Madness pep rally to finish off March Madness with lots of fun competitions. That same evening, world language students prepared our international dinner which was very well attended as well as fun and delicious. The leaders
of change hosted a successful Easter egg hunt fundraiser. They are hosting 80 students from oh for a starts with hello training in the MHS gym next week. This week the Maynard Music Association hosted the first meeting for next year's
Disney trip. All members of band and chorus are eligible to participate and they were all invited along with their families to learn about the trip. Our chapter 74 communications classes have purchased new cameras, new
computers, new tripods, etc. Students are very much enjoying having brand new equipment for filming and editing their projects. Peer-led microaggression training for the current freshmen have been completed. Almost all of the ninth
graders reported that they learned from their training. The students who led the trainings also learned and they will continue to grow as peer leaders by doing this important work. Yesterday, the entire freshman class traveled to Fenway Park for a STEM fair with
exhibits, experiments, and activities followed by an afternoon Red Sox game. We are very grateful for the Maynard Education Foundation for supporting this excellent trip which everyone enjoyed. Um upcoming term three ends tomorrow
with three4s of the way through the school year. Everyone is looking forward to April vacation which is one week away and that is all. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Anelise might have some questions so if you just hold on. Um Natasha.
>> No I just um um I know a lot of people looking forward to April vacation. So um nothing nothing really. just I think AP tests are coming up sooner from what I understand. So, good luck with those.
>> I don't have any questions about welcome Anelise um to the school committee. We look forward to seeing you again. >> Oh, just welcome and thanks for stepping up to do this important role and we appreciate it. >> Thank you, Annaise.
You're welcome to stay for the rest of our meeting if you'd like. report now reading challenge recently. Uh they also had the house wizards come and play staff. That was her last school committee meeting.
A student taking the EC metal furniture samples for the new Green Meadow have been located at Green Meadow so that staff could look at the appraisal comments
meeting today about that feedback. uh night information kindergarten library is on April 17 information night was already uh fer school let's see
we had 15 students eth graders attend the youth leadership conference hopefully seeing in the newsletter is kicking off this project 351 project about collecting new and gently used
clothes for toddlers. Um earlier this week we had the National Junior Honor Society. We had 14 students inducted into that presentation. It was a lot of fun and that represent the school committee.
Very exciting. Uh going back another week or so, the middle school did a successful musical production of Tonomia, which funny enough that was a very popular play around the state this season. It was in
lots of schools. Yes. So we were right on on target there. MCAST is happening all over us. Uh and I'll follow and bring me a little bit. Um at the high school, the brand new future
OSA Health Professional Club attended its first competition at Worcester. Uh sophomore class taking Elmcast. There's a spring musical Camelot practices and whatnot are underway. Performances are
May 22nd, May 23rd. You'll start to see uh posters with QR codes so you can buy tickets. Uh, spring sports have opened. Talk about the athletic trainer again. We don't have to have done that a few times, but it would be good to have one
there. Uh, our leaders of change at the high school on April 13th will be hosting the regional San Die Pro youth leadership training at our high school. uh two of our seniors, little Dustin
truck, uh they were honored at superintendent scholars lunchon at Holy Cross a couple weeks back um which is where top student or students from all of Worster County high schools attend a
great event. um college acceptances are starting to roll in. Um so we'll get an update on that in the month or so. Uh you can see the pictures in the report regarding the green metal building project which is certainly taking shape and I know that
many of the school committee some of the select board will be attending the walkthrough on Monday afternoon. So if you can make it, it was certainly exciting to actually see inside of the building. Uh just did the presentation.
Uh April 14th is the Mayor Foundation reception at M High School and April 20th to the 24th is our vacation for >> Alexis. Any questions? Yasha, do you have any questions?
>> Nope. >> Um, I don't have any questions either. FYI 27 school budget approval allocation discussion. that you have anything more to
say? >> I do. Just to add >> uh Can you hear me? Okay. >> Um >> I know that there was um next week there's a a joint budget meeting and so I'm sure we'll hear um some more about
um the budget happenings with the town uh at the town level. But I'm just curious on um part of the conversation I think was about um the uh special education revolving
account and there was discussions on that recently. So, I would want to just hear a followup on that happening on, you know, the monies that were in there and um because that was discussed with the select board and they did vote on it
um two and a half years ago, $213,000 to transfer to the school. So, I just want to make sure that we're um you know, just not being redundant in any of the steps. And um if it's a matter of like where that money was supposed to go, I think it couldn't go into certain
accounts, but um that full amount was approved by the select board already um as a transfer at their November 21st, 2023 meeting um and is in their minutes. So
um anyway, so I just wanted to make sure that you know how that factors into the larger budget conversation. Um, I just want to be curious how that's, you know, if that's going to inc if that is that going to change I guess I'd want to know is that going to increase the the
special education budget line um, you know, once that money comes in because it can't go to, you know, circuit breakers. So, that would be the follow-up that I'd want to have a better understanding once that comes in. Or is there another account that's going to get created that it gets expensed to?
I I don't that's I'm not sure. I can >> I can answer that. >> Okay. >> Um >> I think Yeah, I don't know if I didn't want to put again on spot right now because I think there's there's like some things that were just kind of like
unfolding right before the meeting. So, >> um maybe we could like budget folks can regroup. I I I prefer to to wait until our next meeting so that everybody can so Brian and Wayne can kind of pull all
the information that they can about what what happened and the timeline um and that way we can have all the information together at once. And and just for um what I also did find I I I didn't have a lot of time to look for the school's
actions, but what I did know is the funding for that account um came through a warrant that the school put forward to fund that account that was created like years ago. Um and the money that we got that was regarding the circuit breaker
that went to free cash that got back to the school, that's where it went into that account um originally. So, it went back to the school. It went back into that account. Um, and so that's that's that's how that account got funded is
what I'm um meaning to say. >> Okay. >> And I can I I can share the warrant um from that as well. But yeah, this is all like right before the meeting out.
>> Thank you, Natasha. uh on to the the chair's report if nobody else has anything else. Um I have see I last week I went to the uh
Spanish immersion information night. Um there weren't as many people as in previous years, but it was still um a a good a good amount of people that did show up. um and got some some good
information from the teachers and they had a couple of students which was great to hear from. Um and that was that was great to see all the they had a bunch of artwork and things on the the walls as
usual which was great to see. Um as for outreach um this coming Tuesday um a number of uh this committee will be going to all three schools. Um a couple
of us are doing walkthroughs. Um and then for um each of the the two people that will be there will also be um talking to the teachers during their staff meeting just to get kind of some feedback from them.
Um that's all I have for that. Um subcommittee reports. Natasha, do you have anything? >> Um no. I think the last one we had was the personnel and I that was um afterwards that was discussed um the
school committee. So um nope. And then as I just mentioned um next Wednesday I think is the town um budget the next town budget meeting. So, um you know,
maybe tomorrow I think um or Mary since are you are you going to that one, Mary? Because I know there's is that one you said you you are. Okay. I um I just want to maybe connect with you to make sure I'm understanding in case they bring up like um like the warrant and stuff. I'm
just curious about like what they're going to be asking the town for for for money on behalf of like school bills. Uh, I just want to make sure that um we're clear if we actually need all of that or not. >> We're scheduled for 6:30 on Wednesday
the 15 texting. >> Yeah. Yeah, exactly. So, like again kind of ties to that that 213 is what I'm meaning. >> Okay. Anything else? >> No, that's it. >> Okay. No benefit.
>> Yeah. No. Just a question though about um did the teachers have any sense of why Spanish margin was not as well. So >> I assume that that might have been part
of it. Um and I don't know what else was going on this week. So, um I think that they had already rescheduled a number of times and so it was one of those we have to do it unfortunate but
so Maro I have a question about policy um >> the the um I don't remember when we when it was we had thought about it, but the the handbooks, the athletic trainer book or
the athletic book, I I thought it was um like they were going to come at some point and provide that to the you guys through the policy. And then were we looking to were that does that need to be approved before like before the summer or like I
I I wasn't sure about that timeline again. So I just want to make sure that because that's where we keep getting messed up a little bit. Um so Right. We have it on the agenda for May 14th. Is it is it going to policy first
or that's when it's coming here? >> Because it's supposed to go to policy first, right? Right. Um because it is that's what I want to make sure that we're following that that plan that we talked about last year. Um because we're hitting, you know, April and those months and things get only get busier.
So that would be just kind of like a a reminder is that I think the leadership teams were going to be providing them to the policy subcommittee and um and then the policy subcommittee would you know do their review or feedback and then it would come to the school committee. um
that was my thought process of how we were going to do that as opposed to like going each one, you know, over and over, but I don't know if that's what their plan was. So, I just wanted to highlight that um so we can make sure we're aligned on the timeline for everybody.
front to the consent agenda. I'll ask without objection to accept minutes uh from November 6, 2025 and March 26, 2026 with edits. No objections. The minutes are accepted.
And then without objection, um I'd like to accept the warrants 2660, 061, and 062. There are no objections. So warrants are accepted. So when we vote on the budget will be April
30th, right? Yes. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Um I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Second, >> she um Harper,
>> were you were you here for for the student? >> Yes, we thought that we were doing the report at 7:50. >> Okay. Um Anelise was was we were told Anelise was doing it.
>> Philippo. Yes, we we are. Yeah, we were not. >> And she was she was on already. >> Okay. >> Good to see you guys. >> All right. Awesome.
Well, >> you guys have a great evening. >> Okay. You you as well. >> Take care. >> Enjoy your vacation next week. >> Thank you so much. >> Yeah. I don't know if tomorrow I don't know if you guys have anything to add. I
don't know if we missed anything. That >> Liz, >> hold on. Liz, >> the plan was that the girls were going to introduce Annaise >> and they were all going to do the report
together. >> So, I'm very grateful that they came on. 50 kind of got they sound similar. So maybe there was a confusion there. >> Well 7:50 is what it said on the agenda. So >> right we started we our meeting the
business meeting was a little bit shorter and we started about 10 minutes early. Um so and because Anelise was here we just took her. >> She did a great job. She did a great job.
>> So thanks very much. Okay. Um, so I'm going to do a roll call for adjournment. Um, excuse me. Natasha, >> yes. >> Alexis, yes. Mary, >> yes. And I'm a yes. Good night.
>> You enjoy the nice weather.