The cat is here. Oh, hey. Thank you, Cat. Great. Thank you. Good evening, everybody. We have our 9inth regular meeting of the Medford School Committee on May 19th, 2025, 6 PM. The meeting will be held at the
Howard Aldo Memorial Chambers, Medford City Hall, and via remote participation. This meeting is being recorded. it. The meeting can be viewed live on the Memphis public schools YouTube channel through Memphis Community Media, on your local cable channel, Comcast channel 9,8
or 22, and Verizon channel 43,45 or 47. Participants can log or call in by using the following Zoom link. The meeting ID is 959-5023990. Our uh agenda, member, if you could call a role, please. Member
Branley, she online. No, she's absent tonight. Thank you. Member Graham here. Member Antapa here. Member Olady here. Member Rinfeld present. Member so present. Mayor Lgo present. Six present, one absent. Um, do we have any student
representatives on the call tonight? Not yet. Okay, great. Um, if we can all rise to please salute the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We have our consent agenda. Approval of bill and payroll bills and payrolls. Approval of capital purchases. Approval of grants. Approval of field trips. We have our Medford Vocational
Technical High School day trip with automotive technology. New England Dragway in New Hampshire. We have our Andrews Middle School day trip to Cany Lake Park and our McGlin Middle School day trip to Canibby Lake
Park. We also have approval of meeting minutes from our regular meeting on May 5th, 2025. Is there a motion for approval by member Inappa? Seconded by Second
Member Olade. All those in favor. All those opposed? Paper passes. We do not have any reports of subcommittees. We have a number of reports of our superintendent. The first is enhancing the Medford Public Schools after school programming. So, I'm going to turn it
over to Dr. Suzanne Galooi, our interim superintendent. Thank you very much. Um, thank you. So this evening I'm going to be presenting on the district's approach to expanding our afterchool program on behalf of Metro Public Schools students and
families. And I do have to say that as part of my transition, I had listening sessions at all of the elementary schools. Well, at all of the schools, but at every listening session, um the plight of the afterchool programming was discussed um in detail. I heard a lot of
concerns and a lot of like suggestions um for how we can make improvements in this area. So, I just want to really acknowledge that we hear you and we totally understand. Um which is why tonight we're going to have a little
conversation about how we can kind of thoughtfully expand the afterchool programming um for men public schools. Um I'm going to I can't really I'll wait. Thank you Dr. Cushing. Okay. Thank you. Um so the
objectives in expanding Medford public schools after school programming um there are five areas in where we have objectives. The first one is our program management where we are going to be doing an ongoing evaluation of programming, curriculum, staffing
structures and our finances. The second is a look at our enrollment um to increase capacity districtwide uh particularly at two elementary schools um that have a large weight list. Uh look at staffing. And so in order to
increase capacity in our afterchool programming, we really need to hire some additional staff um dedicated staff to increase seats. Partnership. So collaboration is very important in all
work, but especially in this work. So, partnerships with current staff as well as new staff, partnerships with caregivers um and professional partnerships are all going to be needed in order to increase this capacity. And
then communication. So aligning communication methods and channels in a programmatic approach is definitely needed to help understand and update our schedules, timeline, timelines and our
efforts of expansion. So on the next slide, key players in some oversight of responsibilities would be myself um which will have a stake in the vision of expanding this program and what Medford
Public Schools after school program is um and communication with stakeholders. We also are going to be working with uh Andrew Munford in his basic program um which I will get into a little bit more
detail later on in the presentation. Um Megan Fidler is currently the um afterchool director. Um she will she is a integral part of the program um for day-to-day management
staff oversight and key partnership with basic and then communications. Our communications director Will Pipeelli will take the key role in communications for the afterchool program. He will work on developing a frequently asked
questions document. He will work on communication plans um and templates and then make sure that he's collaborating and working on a system for enrollment each year and communicating that out uh
in a timely manner. And then there's the creation and maintenance of the afterchool task force which was really a wonderful grassroots effort from very dedicated caregivers in Metro Public Schools. And so that representation of
caregivers at the table for ongoing um feedback and input and perspective and decision-m will be key for us. Um next slide talks a little bit about the consultancy.
So, beginning now and for next year, we're going to engage in a consultancy with Andrew and the basic team that consists of three phases. We feel that this consultancy is really
going to allow us uh some critical information to see how we can maintain some local control over the program. It's very important for us to maintain some of that local control and
build on the hiring that we have and the program that we have to serve our needs for Medford. And so in partnership with Andrew, this consultancy will consist of three phases. And the first phase is a
Yes, member Reinfeld. I'm not sure everyone who has um is listening in is familiar with this basic acronym and who Andrew is. So if you could go back a little bit. Okay. Yes. Thank you very much. And so I might need so Belmont After
School Education Collective. What is I'm I'm not sure if I know the entire acronym, but Andrew Munford um started an afterchool program in two districts. It began in Belmont. It has
expanded to Maynard. um it is independent of those two school districts. So it is an independent afterchool program that is housed within the facilities the school facilities um in those two communities. Uh and he has
been able to increase capacity in those two districts and decrease um the weight lists. He's oh education collaborative enrichment collaborative. Thank you so much for
that. Um and so in saying that to not completely remove and privatize without kind of diligent efforts to expand first within Metro Public Schools, but knowing
that we need some help and support and quite honestly just a fresh kind of way of looking at things. He's going to partner with us every step of the way starting now and through next year. So the first phase of his consultancy is a
program assessment. So we will be working handinhand with him giving him all of our data. He's going to be gathering data, doing interviews, um site visits, uh all the things that he needs to identify capacity needs and and
create a plan honestly. So phase two is that strategic development where he'll take all of that gathered data and he will create short-term goals that we could probably in implement right next year as well as long-term goals to grow
the program from from school year 27 and on. Um his plan will include what it would cost Medford public schools, what the implications are um and also partner with us in the creation of associated
schedules and curriculum. Those two things are the priorities for right now and for next year. Phase three, which we are all set to do, but comes after those first two phases are done, is that like
ongoing professional development and training that our staff um need, and we'll just enhance the program. We can partner with him in the PD that he does with his current two programs in Belmont and Maynard. It can also be tailored
specifically to Medford public schools. So some of those conversations will be had throughout the year. Member Graham. Thank you. Um I just also wanted to say um that we were introduced to Andrew and Basic through some of the
um folks who I hope will join us on the afterchool task force at some point in the near future because um they did a whole bunch of data collection and identified BASIC as an organization who's been able to do some things that we have long struggled to do here in
Medford including like essentially eliminating their weight list but also radically changing the the type of programming that has happened um or that is available to students um in his um in those districts. So um the Dr. Galooi
and I had a a preliminary conversation with him just to understand you know the sort of what really was happening in those other districts. Um, and that's sort of where this consultancy unfolded from because I think, you know, he would have been very happy to come here and do
the same thing that he has done successfully in other districts, which is to take this off our hands. Um, but that has some downsides here that, you know, in our conversations we identified as like maybe not in meth in Medford's collective best interest. But one of the
things that I appreciated about the conversation was not just an I he didn't just have ideas of like what of how we could do things differently and make a different impact, but instead he could cite specifically how he did it and he
seemed to have um and does have a really keen eye towards implementation which I think is something district-wide that we have always struggled with um not just in after school but across the board. So um you know in in the conversation with him we sort of um try you know tried to
just understand what that program was all about and then had some conversation about like how do we basically have the best of both worlds which is this program still belongs to us but also like it's expanded in the way that um Andrew has been successful in doing in
both um Belmont and Maynard and so this consultancy conversation came up um in that context. So, um, I just wanted to thank the folks in the room who are I maybe on Zoom or maybe here with us tonight that have that so graciously
introduced us to Andrew and this model um because it really sort of ch in my opinion changed the conversation that we're having about after school and finally has like provided some ability for us to break through what has been like just a complete log jam for a
really long time. Thank you, Member Graham. Well, thank you for that. Um, so the next slide are our goals for the basic consultancy which is expansion of the current elementary program. So increase
enrollment capacity and decrease the weight list um which will which will include expansion of space within all of the schools. And then the second is to review new and extended afterchool programming opportunities create. We are
looking to part of the work with Andrew is also going to be to look at what it is to expand in a middle school program. And so the first priority of course is the expansion of the elementary program to better serve the community. And the
other piece of this is to dabble into what it would look like to expand to middle school. and Andrew would be very excited to kind of spearhead and take on that program. So those are conversations that are going to be happening um throughout the year as
well. So the next slide talks about the afterchool task force and so the purpose of the afterchool task force is to provide community recommendations and oversight um to ensure equitable highquality and accessible afterchool
programs for Metro Public Schools. The participants on this would be as stated MPS caregivers, um afterchool program staff, school building staff, central administration and consulting partners. And I would say
consulting partners um would include Andrew and I would say that it also includes city year that is currently in the missuck and the miglin schools and will be returning for next year. um as well as maybe others, but at least to
start it would be those two consulting partners. And so some of the key responsibilities for this task force would be promoting community and family engagement and decision-making um helping to align after school programming and policies with student and community needs to participate in
the development of monitoring of program needs and metrics and advise on s resource distribution and communication. And so we're very excited to get that set and planned. Um, and further details will come as we
go. So our next slide brings us to Medford Public Schools commitment. Um, I do want to say that we are very dedicated to growing this in a thoughtful way um, and making sure that we meet the needs of Medford families.
And so we are dedicated to expanding the afterchool program um with steady progress in the next for the next year and the next three years. Um we are committed to collaborating with the consultancy and
with caregivers and with everyone involved um to make this a sustainable afterchool program. and we are committed to protecting our the um and leveraging the revenue that we do bring in to the
afterchool program to enhance what we're offering. Um we do feel that it's beneficial to the community of Medford. Um and we really want to make a valiant effort at trying this before we would
have a conversation about outsourcing. And then we do recognize the critical importance of maintaining that local control um both on targeting the specific needs of our community within the program but also to maintain
some of that you know local hiring. So the next few slides kind of break down those objectives. I'm just going to talk broadly about them, but we will make sure that this slides presentation uh is on the Metro Public
Schools website and easily accessible to you um tonight or tomorrow morning. So, just briefly, the first slide on program management just talks about how we are going to evaluate the programming, the staffing, the curriculum, the finances,
and the space needs um in collaboration with school leaders. and Andrew through his consultancy so that we are building capacity not just for school year 26 uh for next year 2526 but also for future
years and that also includes creating a financial model looking at the pilot for middle school academic support and implementing the strategies and the suggestions that come through the consultancy so that we are sustaining
growth um past fiscal year 27. The next slide talks about a staffing our staffing overview. And so we are going to assess how we're using city year in
at the McGlin and at the Misatuck and we will partner with Basic in order to guide our staffing increases in all four elementary schools. But I just actually had a meeting this morning with the city year folks in looking at what that might
look like for next year. And I don't have like specific details, but they're also broadening um their support and really going allin on some additional positions for
afterchool programming at the Missatuck and the McGuin. So I'm very excited about that. Once I kind of know what the specifics are, I will relay those. Um, but really leveraging that support from them and really looking at our staffing
structures globally, but really at the Brooks and the Roberts to see what's needed that that we can increase capacity at all four schools. Um, and we will be using the guidance that we also get from Andrew in terms of what that staffing looks like.
But we do know we will start that staffing this summer so that we are set to increase for next year. The next slide for enrollment. Um we have a valiant effort to do all we can to increase some of
this effort by June 15th so that we can communicate that to caregivers um at all four buildings. Additionally, we are going to work on implementing in an automated enrollment system. That is something that we are
working with collaboratively so that we can have a better system developed and that will meet the needs of the lottery um because we know that that needs some enhancing and some communication behind it. Um and also the guidance that we're
getting from the audit. And then the next slide talks about our partnership. So I have spoken a little bit about this in terms of our partnerships with with basic and Andrew, our partnership with caregivers and the task force. But I
also want to highlight the part the current partnerships that need to be ongoing and extended through part of this work. And that is our current afterchool staff, that is our current school leaders. And so Megan Fidlerary
who is on the call um via Zoom, we have already had one plur uh meeting with school leaders about increasing space at all of the schools because that's going to need to happen in order to increase capacity. So those conversations on the
school level are already starting to happen. Um so that we can identify spaces that are sacred and spaces that are flexible so that we can kind of grow um for immediate next year. The next slide uh talks about
overall the communication plan. So with our director Will Pipeelli. So following this meeting, one of the things that we do want to do is send out a survey to current families that are
both enrolled in Medford public schools actively and on the wait list. And so this survey would ask for your interest, not for you to sign up, but your interest
in offering another track to afterchool programming. So we would like to just get people's input, kind of dabble a little bit and see what the interest would be if we were to offer two or three pickup
tracks. Um, Megan has been looking at some data with her staff from school to school around pickup times from this past school year and to see what the interest would be if there are people that just need one hour of coverage
after school. So, as you know, our school times are changing and dismissal is going from 2:35 to 245. And so we we are between street data that the site coordinators and Megan Filicary gather
from caregivers as well as the pickup times. We do know that there are some families that just need care for maybe that one hour from picking up other students or getting out of their own jobs. Some families may need just 90 minutes. And if that's the case, that is
also another way that we can increase seats and capacity for the families that need until 6 pm. So that survey is going to go out tomorrow um as another way that we can gather some data to see what is possible for
implementation in um for next school year. So um and in addition just I think having a more aligned system for communication and
true partnership with Will Pipeelli, Megan Fidilicary and myself um that alignment you will see in communication moving forward and then I would just say in summary um we have a series of next
steps. So that first and foremost is the support and collaboration with the task force and getting getting meeting number one um on the books because the support is appreciated and we do feel that it
will help to keep momentum in progress. Um, and it will also bring some collaboration to this ongoing conversation and and be able to identify people that really want to kind of roll
their hand their sleeves up and kind of dig into the work in those ongoing conversations and decision- making and then review and analyze the basic audit results. So, that's going to be critical to informing our work moving forward.
And so looking at what the current staffing structures are, what the new staffing structures are that we need to make an impact and really looking at the data that Andrew through the basic consultancy is giving us, which I think we're he's very excited for. Andrew
um has not done a consultancy before, but he was really excited to partner with Medford in any capacity. So part of he he has to work with his board of directors as to what exactly that will look like, but he's really excited to be
partnering with us. So um I think that's great for us. And then that survey that I spoke about is an immediate next step that will happen. Um and then the updated communication. So, we will update the
community on this uh presentation, make it available on our Medford Public Schools website, and then carefully monitor all throughout next year as well so that we're really looking at any shifts that are happening
in enrollment so that we can keep clearing the weight list as much as we possibly can. And then I do think it's important to note that we just finished a bid process. We were up for our Eastern Bus um contract and so we just
finished that bid process. We'll have a little bit more information about what that looks like. But I do know that uh it's important to note as part of that bid process um that myself and other members of the
committee did receive um messages over the weekend or even today um from community members expressing their concerns about some of the current maybe miscommunication around transportation. um and specifically the transport from
students to RSK Steam Lab um for next school year. So, first and foremost, thank you for your emails um because that's that allows me and my team to know exactly
kind of what maybe communication you're receiving and so that we can appropriately respond. Um, so I do want to say that, but even though we haven't completely finalized the bus contract for next year, it's critical for people
to know that we're not giving up any of the buses we currently have. So, right now, I just want people to be aware that we're making a commitment to maintain the current buses that we
currently have. Um, and then when we finalize that bus contract, we will have a communication sent out that clearly identifies that bus contract and what the process is going to be to sign up
for the buses. Um, but at that I would be happy to take any questions or any clarifications that may be needed. Member Russo Thank you. I know this is early. Um, so
I I do have some questions. Um, I'm trying to understand how the early pickup helps with capacity. Um, if you could just explain that. Yeah, that's a great question. So, if there are families that just need an hour to maybe an hour and a half of
coverage, that could be handled in a separate staffing configuration, which means we could remove, and I don't want to say remove, but we could shift those seats and open up those seats to families that need
care until 6 PM. And that way, not only are we hoping to increase capacity by adding additional staffing and maybe leveraging city year differently, but if we're also able to use our staffing to handle just an
hour to 90 minutes, then those those seats become open that we can also pull from the wait list to fill those seats for the 6 p.m. Okay, I'll wait till I hear more because none of that no offense that what you
said made sense except that from a like in my mind mathematically none of that made sense. So I will wait for more information on that. We have current we do have some current staff. Yeah. PAR professionals. We do have some high school students. You know, we've also
received other kind of anecdotal street data from people that would love to, let's say, work in the after school program but can't commit until 6 p.m. That's the answer I was looking for. Thank you. Um my next question, um how
many people presently work in after school? Oh, you would have to ballpark. Megan's on the call and I would have to probably tap her for that one. Okay. Oh, she came on. Hi. Sorry, it's a little bit dark on my
end. Um, so I have a a staff list that's that's 80 people, but as we've talked about before, it's not 80 positions. Um, these are people we've kind of puzzled together. Some people work one to two
days a week. Some people only work till 4:30. Um, so there are 80 different staff members, but um, we try to keep a ratio of 1 to 10 adults, not high school students. The high school students are invaluable, but we don't keep them as part of our ratio. So if there's a
1:10 ratio of staff to students, um, depending on the number of students in the program, that's how many staff we make sure to have. Thank you. Um, just two more questions hopefully. Um, I'm very much looking
forward to the consultancy. Um, how much are we paying him or have we figured that out yet? We're still in the process of working that out. Okay. Um, I guess I did have another question, too. Um, you know, my understanding is the magic bullet is that like I think I've been saying since I was elected that we pay
them full-time wages, they get benefits, they get retirement. Um, and there will be lots of people to come out of the woodwork to do this work if we do that. Um, so I I'm looking forward to Andrew's very detailed analysis of our
situation. But, um, you know, the uh once we get that report, unless he's unless there's going to be a suggestion to do something different here than we've done than they did in the other two districts, which was to pay people, frankly, reasonable full-time wages.
um which will be um I'm I'm not going to decide ahead of time we can't do it but um that is a staggeringly bigger dollar figure than we currently pay. Um not just the hourly
rate but insurance I mean there we have some staff I'm sure who literally work here because they get benefits for their family. Um, so we'll cross that bridge when we get there. But I mean, I feel like I've been saying if we pay people $100 an hour, we would have no trouble finding after
school staff. And I've like been saying it over and over and over and over and over. Um, and um, well, so, yay, if that's what we're going to do. Um, because, um, I do think that if that's the solution, which has seemed obvious for so many years, um, then I'm all for
it. Um, just in response to that, that's that is definitely part of his formula. So, he does hire full-time fullyear staff um because his programs do take on the vacation
weeks. Um, they offer programming during school vacation weeks. They offer programming in the summer. So, part of that piece you're talking about, he does he does respond to that by hiring year-long staff. So that is one of the
things that we are looking at. Um you know the quantity of how many we can handle doing that for next school year is part of that financial puzzle. Um but that would be you know hiring a range
um I don't know of two to four full-time people is part of the discussion that we're having now. Well thank you. I'm very excited. Uh, I'm just happy to see that we're talking about doing something that has been solvable but has not been
solvable for free. And thank you. Thank you, member Rouso, member Graham. Thank you. Um, I just wanted to also add as I was listening to your question, I think one of the things that um, Andrew described like I think really aptly when
I spoke to him for the first time is there's just a huge spectrum of what after school means. based on the particular program that you're talking about. And he, you know, he sort of said it goes from like warehouse to like highly curated focused curriculum. And I
think we're somewhere in the middle of all of that right now. But I think part of um what intrigued me about this full-time staff is he's not just he's not simply saying, "I'm just going to pay you like you work full-time even though you work part-time." like that is not his model but instead his model is I
have people who are creating curriculum and who are curating the experience that improves the like the quality of the program for part of the day and then the other part of the day their feet on the ground and with kids doing the work. So
it's a there's like sort of a two hat role in there that we don't have today in that same way that I'm excited about. The thing that excites me is like once we can get past this hump of, you know, our intractable weight list, we actually
have an opportunity to start to say, how do we plug the needs of our students into this model in some meaningful way? So, if we have kids who need specific help with homework, how can we create that? we have kids who need executive
function support. How can we create structures within this program to deal with that? Not just for the kids who are like quote lucky enough to get a spot, but that there's enough spots that if you need that kind of support, you can have it too. And so I think it sort of
to me it opens the door of possibility beyond just like do we have enough spaces for kids who need it to how do we extend the day in a different way um in those particular ways that are meaningful based on what specific kids
need which we don't do right now. We can't um and thinking about that as a possibility in the next like handful of years is like a really like to me a really big deal. Um, and I also really appreciated Andrew's
willingness to talk about this like consultancy model because that is financially not as advantageous for him um, and his organization as just taking our program. Um, but losing $2 million a year in revenue was just not something
that any of us felt like was in the district's best interest. So I I do think there's a financial model where all of this levels out and um we can invest right and so I think creating this this mechanism to be able to invest
um in increasing the quality of the programming is really exciting to me. Um and I would love nothing more than to be able to tell parents who are emailing me about after school that we have solved it after all these years. So I'm excited about that too. Um, but mostly like just
being able to really think beyond what we have done here, I think is really important. Um, and I'm really grateful that we're pulling the communication piece into this in a more formal way and saying to our communications director like we want you to be doing this
communication piece because it is it's really high stakes for families and it's really an an add-on to what we do as a district or what we're what our mission is, right? Um, but it's critical. So, it I feel like it just has never gotten the
the attention it needs and deserves, the communication around this particular program, and we can fix that. So, I'm excited about that, too. Um, and um, I'm happy to make a motion to approve this recommendation so that the district can
proceed. I think time is wasting. So, um, I will defer to my colleagues if they have other questions and certainly folks in the audience um, who I believe may have come to speak. But um I would like to put a motion on the table to um approve this um plan to move forward. Thank you. Member Graham, member, did
you have your hand up? Yes. Thank you. So I had a couple cool questions. I know we're at the very early stages, so you may not be able to have an answer to that. Does Basic let us know about how often they're going to report their findings? I know obviously this is a three-year expansion process. I know that they have a certain set of
criteria or, you know, metrics they use to determine how we are growing in that success pool. Have they informed us of what they usually do? I know it's kind of the first time they're doing this consulting. Is that anywhere yet? Um, no. Okay. Not to that
like granular piece. The la in my last conversation with Andrew, we kind of talked about what those three phases of his work will be. And we're just in the process of sending him I mean, we had to present here, but we're just in the process of gathering the data he's
requested and sending it to him. And I think we're first starting out with a a one-year consultancy and then I think we will have some decisions to make. I think the monitoring piece he could assist with, but I the next steps would
really be around training and maintenance um of our growing efforts. So I can kind of get to that like granular piece and and ask what he's using. That'd be great. Thank you. Member Graham.
Thank you. Um I did just have a question and it's gone now. Um I will I will let you know when it comes back. Okay. And I just want to say from the chair. Um I just want to thank you Dr. Lucy and the team that's working on this. This has been a long time coming.
We've asked for this for um several years. I know on the city side we um are working to rehab the Hegner Center through a federal grant, but obviously that takes a couple years um to even go through design and architect work. So, we are um at I'm just very
happy we're at this point and I appreciate the hard work that's going behind this for something that's so greatly needed. So, on the motion by member Graham, seconded by anyone online, Dr. Cushing, is there anybody with a hand up? Okay, great. Seconded by member Antapa. Can I just ask my
question? Sure. Member Graham. Thank you. Um my my question is um whether before the end of this school year we will see um staff rate uh staff um increases for their pay um as we
normally do. I know uh last year we just had like a weird snafu and I think that got left behind. So I just want to make sure we're not leaving that behind again. No, we're not. That's slotted for one of the next. Yeah. Along with non-unit. Perfect. Thank you. Yep.
Reinfeld. Yes. So I am strongly supportive of this. I have also met with Andrew and was very impressed by the work and seeing what's coming out of the community um and really appreciative that this was able to move forward so
quickly after after the listening sessions. Um, my question is when we will see that proposal, that quote from Andrew and confirm that that's coming out of the revolving fund for after school or I
really want this to move forward and I think member Russo may have already seconded. I would if not, but as the school committee, we do need to know what that financial impact is and make sure that it's not affecting families. We have our tuition rates. Um, so I just want to be financially responsible in
authorizing this. Thank you. We already did the rate card for tuition, so it will not impact families for next school year. Um, and I would assume that is where it's coming out of. Um, but I will I have a note here to to check in about
the um, member Alipat's question. I will double check with him in terms of where he stands with his his board. um he's developing the contract in partnership with his board of directors as this is something that's new for them and so I
will just I I have a a schedule to check in with him later on this week. I'll find out. Yep. Thank you. Um I think we're good from from the um body. So please name and address for the
record. Um so Ada Gunning 40 munav um I just wanted to thank you so much Dr. Lucy and the school committee for taking this issue on. It's an issue that as I think you know disproportionately affects women who are typically the ones that give up their working hours to be
home with kids. It also stratifies our community. People with money will put their kids in private school for the hours. These are things that we don't even see happening but we know are happening in our community. We don't even track them. Um, this spring I had an opportunity with a few other
concerned parents to do a deeper dive on why other towns seem to be able to provide more robust afterchool programming than Medford. And my single biggest takeaway was the culture and the investment and you know to to member
Russo's point you know like pay people well and you will be able to fully staff your program. And that's why I was really heartened to see that Dr. Lucy, you know, you came into this position and you like really took this issue on right off the bat and you really listened in those listening sessions.
Your plan incorporates a lot of our ideas. Um, and more importantly to the culture shift. You immediately started meeting with the school, school staff, admin, and we're just really grateful that you were able to do that. Um, obviously the plan isn't perfect, but
your leadership is going a long way already. Um, and I also want to thank members Graham and Rinfeld who've been there every step of the way really working on this with us. Um, we'll con we the parents who have been involved will continue to stay engaged. We're really excited about the afterchool task
force and like the direct channel of communication on this issue and just wanted to note that I also am looking forward to increased financial transparency around the afterchool program. I think that's an area where there's been um just like a lack of information to parents that want to
understand better where the money is going. So, thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. Name and address of the record, please. Hi, Michelle Barkson, 23 Diane Road. Um so, I just wanted to say thank you so much
uh for taking this seriously and putting in all this effort. Um, I'm a teacher in another district and I just also wanted to confirm that that extra hour or 90 minutes that you referenced would be life like life-saving for for me and I was texting with two other moms while
you were saying it that it uh could possibly happen and just that hour even one the one hour would be enough that it would um help out many of you know many people. Um, I think even particularly for people that maybe need the full six 6 o'clock, but if it was between, you
know, 4:15 care and then a little bit of TV versus nothing, um, they're going to take that 415. Um, I also just wanted to highlight, I think I I know you know this, I know you all have been getting emails and things, but this is such an emotional, difficult issue. Um, it is already kept my daughter is three. She
isn't entering the schools until fall of 26, and I'm already up at night worrying about her getting after school. My son is who's seven has been lucky enough to be in one of the private programs but that has been a roller coaster too. Um I know many families that have sent that are sending their kids to private
schools because they need the hours. Um and I know people who are considering moving because of how bad the situation is. So I just really want to thank you for making this a priority. Um and member Graham I appreciated the way you were talking about how you know being
treated with the urgency um in the high stakes that that is needed. Um so in that end I also want to thank you that it seems like the communication piece might be um a focus for next year um as well as the transparency around the lottery. That is something that I would
really like to ask that we're able to see the um have the lottery be public obviously protecting student identity maybe with student ID numbers or something like that. Um but they were able to see it because it's so high stakes and we haven't had really solid communication some of us on the wait
lists and things like that and it's felt as though um it's an afterthought or something and it's like a life-changing thing for for people for working parents as you know more and more we have two working parents um in in our community. So um
it's really uh important. So anyway, thank you so much for um your energy um member Graham and me member Rinfield. I know you've been helping us with this all along. We really appreciate it and just thank you so much. It's um seems like we're going in the right direction. Thank you. Thank you, Michelle.
Uh Jessica Parks, 38 Corey Street, and I just want to reiterate what they've said and thank you for uh coming in and, you know, immediately jumping in in your first few months on the job and taking this on with the urgency that it needs. But also um one of the things I learned
looking at other districts is needing to look at it creatively and um thinking that um outside of the box to figure out how to get more children into our schools in afterare. So I appreciate how you've kind of strategically looked at
it and I just want to thank you and I also want to reiterate the need for kind of clear communication as we move forward on a maybe more regular basis. um just so uh families know what to expect and when to expect um is what I
want to say. But I really do want to say thank you because I think that um it was um as as you've heard um it's a really big concern in this community and I just really appreciate it. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all for being here um to listen to Dr. Lucy's
presentation and thanks again to the team working on this. So there's a motion on the floor by member Graham, seconded by member Antapa Me. Yeah. Member Russo. Member Russo.
Okay. Um all those in favor? Oh, member Rinfeld. Thank you. Yeah. So again, so I want to thank the task force people who just spoke, Jessica, and others. Um the the deep dive into other districts I think was really powerful
partly because we were looking at that as inspiration and what was what could be possible versus all the things that other people are doing that we're not. It was it was really collaborative and open-minded. And on the communication piece, I just wanted to put in a plug for our family engagement and
communication subcommittee meeting on June 11th after school lottery is one of the one of the topics on the agenda along with some of the other family-f facing communications. So that subcommittee will be meeting in June. Hate to give people more meetings at the end of the school year, but it's important and we wanted it to happen
now. Thank you, member Reinfeld. Um, does anybody want to call for the role or is this just a motion for approval? All those in favor? All those opposed? Motion passes. Thank
you. Um, we have number two, increased flexibility. Yes, we have a long agenda, so I'm glad we took that first. Okay. increased flexibility for students, health and physical education requirements. Again, turn it over to Dr. Suzanne Galooi, interim superintendent.
Thank you very much. So, in response to the school committee um resolution, this report outlines the preliminary um approach to Medford public schools health and physical education graduation requirements to increase flexibility and
better support diverse student needs while also aligning with state and national standards. So the report that you have in front of you just speaks about the current requirements right now are four years of wellness. So that's
physical education as well as health. We are here tonight to recommend um four years so four years of physical education. So what would be happening
let's say for next school year is that the freshman would take physical education one day per week um as part of their CTE rotation if or their their arts
um technology rotation. Sophomore year they would take PE two times a week as part of their regular schedule. I do want to pause for this moment just to say as this body and maybe many people listening are aware we did um through
the bargaining with the teachers have changed the high school schedule. So we finally have a merged schedule that will blend the comprehensive and the career technical education side.
That schedule not only increases the day by 15 minutes, but it adds an additional period. One of the things that we're kind of working um right now on and it's and it's an ongoing process is that we are seeing
that in order to work the schedule for students this year and what many families are used to is that physical education and health requirements are half the year. So they
do, let's say students experience physical education, um if they're a freshman, quarters one and two, and then they switch and quarters three and four, they are in health education. For next year, we're not
switching. Now, I things may change as we kind of work this schedule and see how it's going for future school years, but this would have year-long courses without flipping. They're not halfyear courses. They're they're year-long courses. So, as it
stands right now, that's why it says once a week for physical education or twice a week as a sophomore. Juniors and seniors, they're electives. So part of this flexibility would be some students may want to take
an elective for physical education as a junior or a senior, but other students if they are um well I guess I'll get into the specifics in a minute. One of the other options would be to offer a wellness
independent study and I'll talk about what that will look like in further detail in a minute. Um and then to justify the three years of health right now. Um what we do have and you would probably notice first and foremost is
that health is not listed for freshman year. So there was a very robust ongoing conversation around what health would look like freshman year specifically for students engaged
in the CTE rotations. because we would have to that is a a critical year for health one and in order to get everything into the student schedule, we would have to modify that
curriculum and that is not what the educators and um people that work so hard on that want to to do. So in order to maintain the rigor and the the level of instruction for health one,
the recommendation would be to put health one in sophomore year and junior year health two which would mean that the electives are for health which currently do not exist and would be created uh would be in senior
year or students could also opt for an independent study. Now, what the independent studies would look like for the physical education independent study, the qualifying aspects of this would be students that
are currently participating in let's say two seasons of of a sport um that are that meet the Massachusetts Interscolastic Athletic Association sanctioned sport. Um it would be for students that participate in clubs,
physical activities like um rugby or crew or ultimate frisbee. Um and it also would include students that are enrolled outside of Medford F public schools in like an instructionally based activity which is a dance program or a martial
arts program. So students that can demonstrate that that's criteria number one. Criteria two would be that they have passed their physical education classes previously. And then criteria
three is that they are completing a weekly log of their um minutes of physical activity in these pieces and then at the end of the year uh creating a reflection. This would be monitored by
current staff as well as approval through the director of physical education and health, Rachel Perry. Um and then similarly to have a health education independent study would really be that the students are spending the
year engaged in doing research um to a health related topic that they would be completing a capstone um project for by the end of the year. And so some of those examples could be
um for a capstone project are organizing, you know, some community events or launching awareness campaigns or designing like peer tutoring programs, something that they have learned in health one, health two that
they'd like to learn a little bit more about or an area of health that they would like to explore more. dig into some research and focus a capstone project on that. The criteria for that is that they have passed health one and health two and that also would be
monitored by existing staff and approval through Rachel Perry the director of physical education and health. So if you have any questions I am I put that forward for a discussion to the members. Thank you. Thank you,
Dr. Buly. Um, member Rouso, thank you. Um, having been part of the HECAT effort, um, I guess I'm very concerned about delaying health one, if I thought that in sixth, seventh, and 8th we were
providing a truly robust sex part of the health education curriculum, I might be convinced. I might be convinced. Not even sure I would. Um, but I'm not sure if we could say that today. I don't know if you could say that today. I I don't remember
the details exactly, but there was an enormous amount we're not covering in our current curriculums. Um, so I'm just concerned about the impact on students. Um, you know, we already
hear and heard during the Hecat efforts that by the time we're learning about this stuff, we probably already all done it, which is not all students, but an awful lot of them. Um, the point of education is to teach people isn't to teach people stuff they already know.
Um, so I I guess I'm concerned that about this not I mean why not take away one of the physical education requirements instead? Um, but also yeah I I'm just very very concerned
about the delay here and I'd like to hear more thoughts on that. Sure. And I do want to note that director Perry is not here because she's at awards night where she could probably answer and and Dr. Kushing is here and I know he was involved in that committee
so he probably has much more enlightenment than I do. But the conversations that I was involved with um with director Perry, with Principal Cabraw, with um Principal Fallon, the the biggest conversation was
around in order for freshmen to do the rotations there's which is why you see for PE it's just once a week. So the concern was taking health one and being able to do it do justice
to health one by only meeting once a week was the the biggest area of concern. Um, which is why they move, which is why they they landed on really in order to
maintain the diligence and like the rigor that is in health one. Um, that's why Miss Perry felt like putting it in sophomore year twice a week for the whole year is going to be
better for the program the way it has been written. Um, yes, member Russo and then member in top member Graham. Thank you. Um, can you I mean we just went through this with the scheduling, but can you refresh my memory on the rotation? Like is that
like the first four blocks of each day or how does that work again because my kids took it before it was the current format? Right. I can tell you what it is right now, but next so it does take up two periods. So in order to get through all of the students that elect to be
part of the rotation right now, it's currently periods two and periods three. Next year, I don't know exactly what periods they're slotted for. We're still kind of building the the schedule, but it's still going to need two periods
a day in order to get through the CTE rotations. So within that is going to be the physical education component. So let's just say you know students if they're on a fiveday for their fiveday schedule
they're going to be rotating through the CTE shops four days and then one day they're going to go to to physical education class. Um okay I understand that now. Thank you. Um so right now we are planning and
have been the students get to experience all of the CTE programs. Yes. Um which is a noble thing to try to do. You know when we add if we add a bunch of additional CTE programs with a new high school or before then um we are going to
run into like we we can't have students just spend their whole freshman year doing CTE rotations. um there's only going to be so much so many classes and periods to do this. Um so I just feel like at the moment we've
been able to expand it so they can take all of the rotations which frankly is probably a lot easier scheduling wise than the old way where you had to pick and choose and then it was like first, second, and third choices. It it sounds like a nightmare. Um, but once we've added more programs and there are not
it's not going to be we're not going to take away English and math and and and other core subjects so that kids can rotate through more CTE programs. So it seems to me like the the idea would be
well we're going to face that soon. So, let's face that now and pretend that the additional health class is we're going to put that in and have to require kids to pick one or two of the CTE programs they don't rotate through. Um, I
just we're having them rotate through all the programs and I just I just I have a strong sense that students don't actually imagine that they're interested in all of the programs. Now, I do know from hearing from I think I think member
Graham's kid, like having gone through one of the rotations that would not have been chosen as a rotation, like it was incredibly interesting. And I think that's part of what education's for. But um but health education just can't be something we like, well, we want them to
be able to try all of the programs in the CTE programs. So, we're going to delay what I think of as absolutely critical health education for for postpubescent students who are
discovering themselves. And um I just I just don't know that I think it's okay for us to it sounds like the the other folks that have been consulted were saying scheduling wise and I think that's obviously very important but scheduling wise is not the whole story here. Not
that I think they thought that but uh I'm just very uncomfortable with this this idea right now. Okay. Thank you. Um, so I can maybe like give you my take on some of that. So the I think just to
clarify, students are in the CTE rotation for one period a day. So there's two period like it takes two periods to get all of the students through, but they go once out of se like out of seven. So what what they do now
is so it's different because it's a six day schedule instead of five. So they have two blocks and they go four blocks to a CTE rotation and then two to fizzed or health and they swap. So it when you look
forward they're only going to do that once. So I do understand like the reduction of that causing some trouble with um getting through the the health curriculum. So when I um but when I was thinking about this, I was um hoping we could find flexibility in a bunch of
ways. So one is in scheduling. Um the other is in some of these independent study options which I think create options for kids. I think that's great. But I was also I also think we need to think about flexibility in our graduation requirements. So this doesn't
fundamentally change that we are expecting four years of PE and and four years of or three years of health. That's great, but it is well in excess of what the state requires us to do. And so I think one of the things that I would like to see us consider is
to require um perhaps something like three years of PE and two years of health and one additional year of PE or health, your choice. So, if we're talking about electives, I think that's great because it can give students an opportunity to go deeper into something
they're interested in. But if if you're taking an elective, you should get to take an elective of the thing that you want, not an elective within this like particular bucket because it's a graduation requirement. So, as I was like reading this and digesting this, there's some pieces of this I really
like. there are some pieces of it that I think we could uh go further in terms of creating flexibility. Um and I think the other thing that we could consider is that the two years the two periods of PE
which would be health one let's just call it health one for the sake of simplicity. There's no reason that could not happen freshman year. We now have seven periods. So, you can take four core subjects, you can take a language, you can take a rotation, and all the eighth graders are like, "What do I do
with this seventh period?" And they're just like sort of picking electives. There's no reason why that slot can't be used for health. So, I don't think it has to necessarily delay health in order to move to some more flexibility. I but
I think it could be a choice. Like if students know they have to take two years and there's something else pressing or urgent that they want to do that's fine. Um but I think part of creating flexibility should also be us revisiting what we are requiring for
graduation. If we want to create access and interest like maybe you want to you know be a nutritionist or a public health professional and so you want to take five electives in health that's awesome but if you have no desire to do any of those things maybe your elective
time would be better spent doing something musical or doing something technology oriented. So I think this continues like to preserve this idea that we must have all of this stuff in health and PE and I think the truth is we don't. So, I would like to see us
amend this further so that um we are creating real flexibility in a bunch of different ways um for students because I think that's what's best for students and I know that that's probably not what's best for the schedule right now um because I can appreciate like the
amount of work being done um but there is no reason why you couldn't use that seventh block which by the way the eighth graders have no idea what to do with anyway. way um for the most part to cover a health elective if they want to
do it on that seventh block. Um you know, everybody's got a different interest. Some kids are not interested in CTE, then they definitely could take health, right? They're not interested in that kind of a rotation, then they definitely could take health. Um so I think there are some other ways for us
to look at this. Um, I would be happy to amend this recommendation if that's what we want to do tonight or if we feel like we're not ready for that, that's fine. But my amendment would be that we are amending the graduation requirements to require three years of PE, two years of
health, and one additional year at your choice, PE or health, which could include all of these independent study options, which I think are wonderful. Um, so I'm happy to make that amendment officially, and if we're not ready for that, I'm fine with that, too. Okay. I know member Tup is next, so why
don't you um go ahead and we'll make the motion after. Sure. Thank you, mayor. Um my first question uh right off the bat, so what I probably should know this, but what sort of defines a club team? Is it
just anything not within [Music] MIAA for a club sport? because seeing it's more of like the fact seeing crew labeled as club is what throws me off a little bit. Um because we have like an official crew team. It has an organization that it belongs to. It's
not MIA, but it's it's more of a confusion thing. Not like it's not it, but um I don't know if I could answer that right now. I would have to do a little bit of research to get you your exact answer. I don't know if Dr. Cushing knows that answer. You know that
answer question. what defines a club sport? Because like I know that we don't have like an official rugby team. We don't have an official Tolman Frisbee team, but like we do have an official crew team. So I know that might confuse I mean it confused me, but it might confuse some members of the public of like what that is defined as because I
know like I'm not I'm not sure if rowing is the only one that's not under the MIA umbrella. I know that they're under MPSR, not under MIA. So, I'm not sure if that's what the qualifier is, but I mean obviously it still counts. That that's the big thing is it still counts under
this because it's sanctioned by the school and you know runs into that, but I think it was just more of like a point of information question. I think I think it would be um there's been considerable talk uh across the state around two sports in particular uh that are going through MIAA approvals and have come up
for votes. Uh I serve on one of the committees for the MIAA. Uh those are girls flag football which is a spring sport uh and ultimate frisbee or ultimate disc depending on how you So I think those are two um that all many
high schools I don't say all many high schools are considering right and that would be next in line for a club. I would also consider um I would also consider having worked in athletics with Medford for the last six years to for crew to be considered more than just a
club sport because of its escalation. Right. Yeah. That's where my that's where kind of my question was because I know that you know when we were under I was on the rowing team you know it wasn't MIA it wasn't part of that but there's still a sort of a state competition. there's and it's
technically two different sports in the fall and the spring. Um, but that was sort of what defines a club sport and also what what does that mean for students who want to pursue the because I love the independent study option. I think that that's phenomenal. Um, and
I'll get into that in a second, but that that makes sense. So, thank you for that. Um, thank you. So I I sort of you know I echo the thoughts I think of my colleague member Graham in terms of giving people more of that flexibility and choice. You know,
we talk a lot about purpose-driven leadership when it comes to the Center for Citizenship and Social Responsibility and students sort of picking that charting their course, if you will, um, in how they navigate, you know, high school and then, you know, if
they pursue higher ed, you know, there's all these options of what you specifically study and all that fun stuff. And I know that we do it. I've seen the benefit to the art school version of a rotation where you have students come in that want to be, you know, two-dimensional, but then they end up becoming a glass
major. Um, and, you know, we've had discussions with our, um, graphic design, you know, department and graphics department about students not realizing the full potential because maybe they're not done through that. maybe like this is what they're interested in, but they don't realize the benefit of like working corporate
graphic design or working public in terms of the way that they're doing what they're doing. Um, so I think giving them the more flexibility there. I would I would agree to a lot of that. um those choices in terms of you know we encourage you know we still offer health or we still offer PE you know you know
for four years but you know giving yourself that flexibility where you know maybe if you could use that time to focus on the arts or focus on some other things within the CTE program like that might um benefit you know I know that I think the way we used to do it was it
was two quotas health two quotas fitness or um so I'm wondering if you know when we're looking at scheduling if we decided that you know because I still think a health program in the first year is essential you know there's a lot of things that are going on especially we've gotten talks about we've gotten
emails from students about mental health concerns and you know all of a sudden you're in high school and that's a whole different ballgame and how do you navigate that how do you know how to sort of cope with that and so even if it's as simple or I shouldn't say simple um but even if it's as you know all
right half the students as first years you go fitness, half go to health, and then switch because I think that's what we did when I was in high school. It's what's currently happening. What's currently happening? Yes. Um so even if it's one per week for that, you know,
like or if people can choose to go on the track of I mean that might be even more of a scheduling nightmare of you know they opt into staying for for the whole academic year to be in P or they want to do the switch or they want to you know just again giving them that flexibility. And I know we don't want to
create too too many options. I know that that becomes then a logistics nightmare and you know for we don't want to put a a strain on our staff. But you know if there are students who you know are like I think that I'm going to go to college and I'm going to play football and I want to you know play PE and I want to stay active and I want to do that
because that's the course I want to go or even if they don't go through higher ed whatever you know then they do that or you know someone's like hey I got a lot of things going on and I want to know more about that. Then they have that option to do that. Um, so I sort of echo the comments um, of both member
Rouso and Graham of giving people that flexibility. Um, and if you already have the expectation that they're both running for the academic year, you know, it's just a matter of spacing in terms of classes, you know, like their health is always going to be running and PE is always going to be running. So then, or
maybe I'm thinking about it too broad. I'm not going to pretend like I understand what I'm saying. um you know then they can either stay concurrent with those two you know I'm staying in health first two first half second half or I'm switching so then that still benefits the the plan that we're doing.
I'm just trying to think more I don't think holistic is the word but trying to think more broad of again we're getting close we need to get the schedule down what is the most creative fix that we can maybe pilot and see like does this work if it becomes a scheduling logistics we know we got to come back
this time next year and go all right maybe we need to fix fix that um but I think I think we do need to stress because it could be miscommunicated that Say we take up member Graham's
amendment three years P two years health that doesn't mean that health isn't only offered those two years that that is just the requirement and you have to complete it like I think for arts what is it one year I did it for four years I did orchestra first period every year except for when they made it second
period and Mr. Ziggnney got really mad about it um rightfully so. So they like just making sure the public is aware that that is the case that it is still being offered. We're not taking gym away for a year. We're not taking health away for two years. That that No, that is and
director Perry, there's already electives for physical education, but she is working on expanding some of those offerings and she is currently involved in creating electives for health, which is great, did not previously exist. Well, I think that's great because, you know, I think yes,
they don't exist. And, you know, um, we just had food allergy awareness week. You know, like, do we have a whole curriculum of health about how to deal with Narcan and epinephrine and all these other life-saving drugs that we don't talk about? Is there is there a health elective that is just life-saving
medication, how to administer it, how to help someone in need, how to or how to help yourself? Um, is there stuff on sex head? Is there stuff on mental health? you know, like it kind of gives it that for people to for students to make that choice where they can have
the option, but also to be comfortable with that option and to maybe, you know, I want to, you know, high school might be the place to learn of like, hey, do I want to become a psychologist? Do I want to become a psychiatrist? Do I want to go into this? Maybe let me or sports training. Maybe let me take that health class on mental health. Let me take that
health class on um life-saving medication. Well, I didn't really enjoy that class. Maybe that's not for me. That helps limit my horizon. Thank you. Of course. Thank you. Um, there's no further comment. Um, do
do you want to make an amendment, Member Graham? Or did Dr. Do you want to talk about that amendment? No, I didn't. No, go ahead. So, um, great. Member is going to read it for us.
The motion is to amend the graduation requirements to requ three years for PE, two years of health, and one additional year of either PE or health. Thank you, member Russo. Um, so and um,
mayor, member Grim, I think, um, what I would ideally like to see is there's like maybe some tightening up of the language that could be beneficial. Um, so maybe we see what this would look like both in the graduation requirements
policy, um, as well as like what what this offering would be and look like for students, um, be, you know, like at the next meeting or something so that there's because we just did a lot of changes and I want to make sure there's something cohesive that we all agree is
the spirit of what we're saying um, when we say we're going to amend this recommendation. Sure. Okay. So motion to to amend but to not fully vote for approval tonight. Um we'll postpone till next to the next meeting which is in about two weeks with a y
time to digest and any further way you want to clarify it for us. Okay. On that motion to amend by member Graham seconded by member Rinfeld. All those in favor on the amendment and they uh I I All those opposed. Okay.
The amendment passes and then motion to continue this for till our next regularly scheduled meeting um to re to review and digest. Member inappa if I may. So I I might have missed it. Was the um that part of the amendment was
there the talk of looking at health being offered in the first year? I think that would allow flexibility. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Then I don't I was wondering if I needed to add another amendment or motion to amend, but if it's in that motion, if it is technically great in that, thank you.
Okay. Motion to to continue the discussion and um hopefully move approval on the plan at the next regular meeting by member Graham, seconded by member. All those in favor? All those opposed, the paper
passes to be continued. Next up, we have operations planning and posting. Again, Dr. Suzanne Galooi, our interim superintendent, I'll turn it over to you. Thank you. Lots of papers tonight. Okay.
[Music] Um, so I do want to begin this presentation by um first expressing uh my sincere gratitude to Dr. Cushing um our outgoing assistant
superintendent for innovation enrichment and operations and Beverly Public Schools next superintendent. Um very very excited for him. Um but we do thank him for his dedication to Medford public schools and his leadership especially
um around the operational needs uh for Medford public schools. And so not enough can be said for that because in his leaving that is going to create um a hole that really we need to look at
in terms of making sure we're still providing some oversight and some supervision and some planning uh around the operational needs of Medford public schools. So, we have been having conversations internally to thoughtfully
look at what that approach could be um and how to better align the supervision and the oversight of the district's ever evolving operational needs. So, what I have um if Dr. Cushing
doesn't mind. Um, first and foremost, what I do want to kind of frame a little bit is a restructuring of um, our organizational chart. And I'll just give one minute of course. Hm. Oh, it's
there. Thank you. It's hard for me to see over here. So, what you can see in front of you is just what would be displayed. So there's lots of changes happening in Medford public school and so right now um Miss Bowen and I are actively
involved in the hiring process um with member Rinfeld of finding the next assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. And what this shift would be would be the creation of a
chief operations officer position to fill Dr. Cushing's um roles that he he oversees right now around operations. So this role would directly um supervise and oversee and
help to facilitate all needs under buildings and grounds, all needs under our instructional technology in the IT department and the needs of the security uh and safety for Medford public
schools. Of course, this role would have a lot of crossf functional support um for other departments within the the school district. Um but the main priorities would be around facilities, IT and
security. Um, I do have here um a job description that I just propose um in order to post for what I would
like to do, which is create the the chief operations officer position. Um, I would pause maybe for a minute if you have any questions around that proposal before we talk about the job description. Thank you, Dr. Galooi. Um,
we all have the job description um in our packets. Okay. And I'm sure most of us have read it. Any if there are no questions, is there a motion for approval? Member Rinfeld. Sorry. You wanted questions about the
organizational structure and then about the job description? I just wanted to know if you had any questions around like my thought process or the needs for the position. um before we kind of engaged in the job description. That's all. Just offering
you the opportunity. No, I think I think my only question was around exactly how much is on the superintendent plate in terms of the finance, communications, and human resources. Um and I think that has previously reported to the
superintendent. Correct. Yes. And I think it's I think that that part is okay for right now. Okay. Because I know for example food services was not a direct report to the superintendent. No. So that is a shift. So food service
did fall under Dr. Cushing. Yeah. So that would be one shift where um I'm I'm putting food service under the finance department. So there's I'm sure you're aware like great overlay in
a lot of that. So I would also be in communication with director um Smith um maybe around programming and communication where you know will also takes an active role but in terms of the
oversight I have her that department under finance I think it's an understatement to also just we don't know where we're headed um right now our breakfast and our lunch
is provided by funding that we just don't know if it's going to be there. And I think there's going to be a lot of conversations that director Smith is going to have directly um with director. Thank you. Yes. So, one of my
questions was going to be, can I see the org chart? So, I'm really glad that this was provided and I've been trying to to read through it while we've been well right before the meeting and this and so I'm also thinking about all the things that our new assistant superintendent of curriculum instruction is going to do.
But having seen candidates, I'm sure they will be up for this. Agreed. So that those I mean in full transparency for people at home that may not see the org chart. Those are the other two pieces. Um Dr. Cushing had
oversight of Rachel Perry for physical education and health as well as Molly Leaden for instructional technology. Um which would shift to the assistant superintendent for academics and instruction. Although as I recall um
Miss Leaden's position covered some of the networking as well. So there was some splitting. Yes. So the Yes. So the instructional component um that weighs more predominantly for students will be the director, the assistant superintendent for academics
and instruction. Um but any pieces that kind of go into the technology um aspects of like devices and things would be part of this COO position. Better a vision makes sense to me.
Thank you. U member Graham. Thank you. Um I just had two suggestions on this job description. Yes. Um, one is under instructional technology leadership. Um, at the very last bullet,
instead of saying directly supervised the network administrator, um, I would just recommend that we say the district's senior IT leader because right now that is a network administrator, but that is likely not to be the senior person in the future. So I
just want it to be clear that like it's all yours whoever this person is um and that the the senior leadership of IT as that department evolves um will report into this person. Um and then my other
suggestion um is under operational infrastructure and cross functional support. Mhm. Um I would like to see this um person be responsible for full implementation and optimization of our operations hero platform which has been
rolled out um and needs attention to really um start to produce the kinds of benefits that we want to see from a facilities maintenance security um perspective across the district. Um and moving from that like trying to get
out of the backlog of being reactionary and into a proactive maintenance space. Um so just to very specifically talk about um that that full imple implementation and optimization. Thank
you member um let's see who's next. Member Russo then member Rinfeld. Thank you. Um, I just uh slightly off topic I guess, but um if we do run into a situation where the funding is not going to come for free meals, this body
did vote on December 19th, 2022 that they'll be free in Memphis public schools regardless. So, um, while I'm really hopeful this does not come to pass, if it does, it's not a conversation for the food services director and the director of finance and the superintendent.
it this body has has to make that decision. Um and so until we change that it's free regardless of whether the funds come. Um obviously if that happens we would need to understand what the impact is and make a decision but um
just a clarification on that. Thank you. I'm aware. Thank you. Okay. Member Rinfeld. So I also have two suggestions. One is under qualities MPS is looking for. I would like the the last bullet point I
would like the innovative leader to identify and implement both projects and processes. I think it's not just about coming up with great ideas for projects. It's looking at existing resources and synthesizing them into a system and also
being able to execute. I know that's covered a little bit in execute sufficiently but I think the new projects both the ideas and the implementation and that it's also about the processes we're looking and then to the to the point of the org chart I think it would be helpful to have a
section around actually I think it's certainly the way I have seen job descriptions is supervision received and supervising I forget the exact phrasing I can find it and get it to you but the list of everything that will be supervised because in reading this my first thought is oh it's the facilities
person and that's it but I think just calling out these are the areas it's it's in the but in terms of actually supervising people because I think that people management and that delegation is a really key part of this
job description and knowing how big the team is or at least how many departments are under this supervision is important for someone applying for it and doing the job of course. Yes. No,
thank you. Because I did note it is it is listed there in the last bullet for the IT um member Graham made a recommendation to change some of that language, but I am noticing that we need some tightening up under the safety and security. Yeah. And I think just
synthesizing it into Y direct reports in and that bulleted list is really helpful in seeing the job descriptions. I think we did that in the assistant facilities director of saying this person is responsible for custodians and I forget the whole list. I looked at it right
before this and it has gone out of my head. But no question no confusion that way. Thank you. Member inappa. Thank you. Um, sorry I stepped out for a second, but did we talk about what the
salary range was going to be? We did not. Okay. Because I do know I or I shouldn't say I know, but I'm pretty sure there's a new state law that we have to put the salary range on all job postings. So, I don't think competitive salary commission with experience will
cut it. I think they need hard fast numbers. So, I just want to make sure we're in compliance with that. um which I should have cut that I think for some other ones we've looked at, but I just am now hiring students for my day job. So I know that I've had to put you know
very specifically this amount this range of hours um in order to be compliant with Mass State law. So just making sure that when we do I know like you have here like bracket insert meford public schools application portal. I think that um we just need to make sure that we
have that salary range however big it may be you know like you said commensurate with experience. I think in order to just be compliant, we need to just have like actual numbers and we could be like we shouldn't do, you know, like I don't know like 80 to 160K, but
like that is technically compliance as far as I'm concerned, but I think like making sure we're as close as possible to what realistically is that and then that I think has to come in front of us. I'm pretty sure. Um so you're asking do do we have that answer? I would Yes. I mean right now in the conversations that
we've had um internally that range would be about 100 to 150. Okay. Okay. Okay. Good. Good question. Thank you member and member Russo. Um where does transportation go in all
of this? Transportation right now. Um I know everybody wants transportation. Transportation is still a very um uh we are still having internal conversations around transportation. All right. Uh transportation right now
um lives with Megan Fidlerary. It has had oversight by Dr. Cushing. Um and so that is still an ongoing conversation I think. Sorry. No, that's okay. And where does Megan Fidary fit into this?
Megan Fiddlerary right now reports to me at the superintendent. Um, but I would say that part of her role right now Megan Fidler has reported
to myself, Dr. Cushing, um, previously, you know, Dr. Edward Vincent, um, because she wears so many hats. So, I think part of the the ongoing conversations we're having around transportation is um kind of what makes
the most sense because Megan Fidler is the administrator that is over transportation. She clearly needs support in that role, but I also don't want to pile so much on
the COO position because I think with the ongoing projects that Dr. Cushing has been very instrumental in starting and initiating and overseeing, those are still going to keep going on as well as we're in the middle of the MSBA process.
And so I'm hesitant to put too much in that position where facilities and it honestly security are very critical. If I may make it a suggestion from the chair, I don't know if I can make an
amendment, but maybe one of you could um propose it that you do have something in here, whether it's in the position overview or a second section because I I we see where your main focus will be for the COO, but
something that just says and any other job duties, tasks, projects requested of the COO. motion by um okay so that would be an amendment by member and top are included with the amendments by member Rinfeld
and member Graham if all are in favor just somewhere in there that so everybody gets overwhelmed everybody needs to take another project or another task that the COO isn't going to refer back to the job description and say sorry not in my job
description member in Tapa I think to simplify the amendment just I think the simple line of and other duty as assigned by the superintendent. So that way it is clear of where that instruction is coming from. But you know that is I think my job description even says like other duties as assigned um
which is pretty vague but I think including them at by the superintendent of schools or interim superintendent of schools will be there's there's some basic language that's used on the city and school side. So you don't have to use mine or word by word but you get superintendent gets the gist and I think
that's the basic language statewide. So I think yeah that's what we said. Yep. All right. So there's a is there a motion on the floor for approval as amended by uh three members so far? Motion to approve as
thank you member Graham. Is there a second by member? All those in favor? I. All those opposed the COO job description has been approved as amended. Thank you. You got those amendments because I didn't. Now, let's get the
personnel on board. I need any of recommendation to approve RICO 5-year contract. Dr. Peter Cushing, assistant superintendent. Good evening, Madame Mayor and members of the school committee. Um recently, uh in reviewing our contracts with the
procurement office, uh it came to our attention that our RICO contract, which is a three-year, was coming up for expiration. Uh interestingly enough, we actually have three uh separate contracts, for lack of a better term,
with RICO. We have 55 uh devices on the current three-year and then we have uh the office copier for the main for the superintendent's office that's a color copier on a one-year and then a random nurse's um copier on a one-year. So that's 57
total devices. We also have a device in kids corner that is um for just uh a separate contract that was entered into. So, what we're going to do is move to 58 devices in meeting
with uh I recently had a meeting with um the RICO reps uh Molly Leaden, Anthony Toro on our networking side uh and a few other members of the district leadership team just to uh really review
this. And to me, $185,000 uh was a little steep uh in working with our vendors. have always tried to extract value. If you remember last year with our phones, saving about $35,000 a year, uh looking at uh various
other pieces with the security systems that we'll be deploying, saving significant money there instead of just sticking with the state contract, getting 28% value plus lots of free items. Um, one of the things that we've been looking for with our photocopers is
device management. So we can completely move away from having individual printers, paying for individual toner, maintaining those devices, purchasing those devices. And one of our problems is printing confidential items. We'll be adding a solution called paper cut.
Paper cut will allow our staff to scan directly into Google Drive. We don't have that option right now. It's a scan to your email and then or scan to a USB. So we'll sync up with Google Drive. We will also uh be adding eaxing. We're
going through demonstrations on that. So, we'll be able to sunset some of the hard lines that we're paying Verizon for into the building. And then finally, uh along with this um is, and I just had a brain fart. I apologize. It's probably
not what I want to say on camera, but it's been a long day. Um it's also um oh to make sure as we talk about a new security system the the basically the devices will be set up for secure
print. So everyone's ID badge will connect through paper cut and we expect to see uh some school districts are seeing a 30% reduction on better average is about 20% uh reduction in paper toner
all these other things that if I'm correct are industry standards basically for anywhere outside of schools and schools are finally catching on. Um, so the other thing too when I was sitting with them was that 185,000 was a lot for a district. I like to see our money go
towards academic endeavors and so I leaned heavily into our partners uh to come up with a better option. So uh at baseline moving to 58 machines, all right, our annual expense reduction will be
$36,260. It's $216. So adding a machine and reducing our annual expenses by $36,216 or uh more than 50% of a teacher salary. Also uh estimating uh other
savings with paper cut up to $45,816. I understand sometimes people are challenged with a 5-year contract. I think it makes fiscal responsibil it's a fiscally responsible decision to move in this direction uh and recommend this to the committee
from from the chair if I may with paper cut I'm I'm assuming you need to make sure that we have good Wi-Fi and networking so is that come up at all with they are wired hold on they are wired but it is also
something we're working a comprehensive uh look at our network solutions. So, but Madame Mayor, you are 100% right. They are but they are wired. Um, and we want to make sure that our network is extraordinarily robust and
we're saving with paper cuts. So if like the network goes down in one school and you can't use paper cut for a while, it's not a it's not a loss or it it would be because I I don't see a breakdown for how much paper cut is versus the fact that I guess which is
really good that we'd be saving 36,000 a year. Yeah, paper cuts woven into the cost of this proposal. Y member inappa. Thank you. Um, so I'm excited. Yeah, I'm excited to see the the fart, uh, decrease in cost. Um, so
on the state side, um, at the state institution I work at, we actually use paper cut as a printing platform. And there are a lot of positives. There few drawbacks like you said, if the the, um, internet goes down, what's good is that, um, the way paper cut works is it sends
to all the printers. So realistically, it's because it's tied to your ID badge. you go to print in the nurse's office or on the third floor of CE building or even in the Brooks like it still goes through and you're able to print from wherever. Um this is in no means an endorsement of paper cut conflict of
interest law. Um but because we don't use we use it but it's not an endorsement. Um but what's also good is that we can set up specialized accounts so we know where the money's coming from. So there's way people can if people hold multiple hats or hold multiple roles you can actually assign different departments. when you go in
and you go to print it says like from a drop down like from a shared department. So you know at my place of work you know I can say oh this is coming from student government or this is coming from student engagement or this is coming from housing and residents life you know wherever it will be. Um so the only I
think pain point we have for users is getting used to loading money on. So, I'm not sure how that logistical will work, but um I do think that this is the um from personal experience of using the paper cut platform, I do think this is a
good print management solution. So, um I can put the motion on the floor to approve the recommendations. If I could address pain point, the biggest pain point that we see um is going to be managing active directory and just those types of I mean as you may see keeping
directories up to date on the website, things along those lines. That is just one of the things though that is going to have to be sorry for the emphasis but as we move to a security system that is based on credentials it's just going to
have to be part of the the operations of the district. Okay. There's a motion for approval second by member Rousel. All those in favor roll call has been requested. Just one other thing, this is also a motion to send to the city council so I can once
again visit them. Member Graham, sorry, was there a question? Member Runfeld, you mentioned you mentioned sending this to city council. How is this how does this fit into the budget proposal that we have?
We we budgeted for $185,000, so we're going to have some room. Okay. Thank you. Roll call, please. Member Graham, yes. Member Intapa, yes. Member Oliv, yes. Member Rinfeld, yes. Member,
yes. Mayor Langok, yes. Seven in the six in the affirmative, one absent. Um, motion passes. Thank you, Dr. recommendation to approve budget transfers. Um, Mr. Noel Vez, director of finance is coming on
up. Good evening everyone. Um in front of you all today you have a request for um 10 budget transfers totaling [Music] 132,78946. Anybody has any questions they'll be more than glad
to assist. Is there a motion to approve all the transfers? Sorry, I missed that. Okay, one second, please. Yes, member Graham. Thank you. Um, on transfer number two, yes. Um, the comment says, "This budget transfer will
cover the taxes and the number of employees given unemployment, which was larger than the budgeted amount of FY25." Yes. Um, can you clarify which part is larger, the taxes or the number of employees given unemployment or both? Both. They kind of go hand in hand. So,
the more employees you have on unemployment, the higher your tax charges are. And um I guess I just wasn't thinking that there was a huge number of unemployed folks. Is it is it more that
there's a bigger number of employees that are contributing to our taxes? I I just want to make sure I'm clear about the narrative of like higher than expected unemployed staff. It's a two-parter. One part is um we did have a few more who applied over the previous
year than did two years ago. And also um we the state of Massachusetts has what's called a four-year look back. Yeah. So if an employee worked here two or three years ago and for whatever reason did not apply for unemployment and then chose to apply for unemployment within that threeear span, we would still be
held responsible for them. So that is kind of um that kind of bumps up the numbers a little bit. I mean, we I feel that our um the the business office, we try we try our hardest to look over the accounts every month and we work with Lisa over in the HR department to make sure that if there's any fraud, um even
if there is fraud, just so everybody knows, you still have to pay it up front. What happens is you hope that you win your appeal, which takes about four to six months, and then you will see that on the back end. So, there's a good chance that some of this was fraud. We put an appeal in and hopefully we'll see that we'll see that money anywhere
between October to January of u of next fiscal year sadly. But it won't it won't assist us this fiscal year as we just want to make sure that we're paying our bills on time because if you don't pay your bills, we then charge a penalty and more taxes which could raise the cost of any district even higher. Sure. Thank
you. Um that helps. Thanks. Very well. I'm all set. Thank you. Um there's a motion on the floor for approval by member Rouso, seconded by member Rinfelds. Um all those in favor? All those opposed. Transfers are
approved. Thank you. Thank you very much. We have number six rate card for MPS summer programming. I'm going to turn over to Dr. Suzanne Galooi, our superintendent. Okay. Thank you. So in response
to feedback from families in our four districtr run after school programs as well as caregivers involved in the Memphis public schools literacy acceleration programming that we've been able to offer each summer.
Um I which I have kind of in my previous role had oversight and facilitation of the literacy program and we've kept ongoing survey data. We have tried
different formats for that program. We've offered half-day offerings. We've done full day offerings. And so in all of the feedback that we gather from families, the need for a full day
program to allow for their work is critical. And I think in where we're situated this year, we have there has not been any grants offered right now through the Department of Education to
ha to help offset the costs of what a full day program is. And so in that data that I have collected in my previous role and in the data that Megan Fidlerary is gathering continuously from
the afterchool families um Medford after school and Megan has designed a summer experience that will balance the needs of both families that are reflected in
these survey results. and to create a meaningful academic enrichment for the summer. So, what we have here for you this evening is a proposal for what we would like to do for an afterchool
program to kind of fit all of these needs. So, what MAPS would offer is both a full day option for families that are in Medford and a half-day option for
families that are enrolled in the literacy program that is just being finalized right now. um to help make sure that not only are we creating ways to kind of be fiscally responsible but
also be able to provide families with extended care if they so need. So part of what is being developed is this program would be um would prevent summer slide because
students would be engaged in weekly uh thematic activities and projects that would enhance academics and exploration. So this program is being developed. Megan is having some ongoing conversations with district
administration um specifically curriculum directors and she is also in collaboration with Medford Public Library. Um so that this program would offer especially in the morning
opportunity for students um that are not part of the literacy program to be engaged in summer reading activities um to be engaged in math director Fisa Khan's math calendar activities as well as some extended
academic um opportunities and this program would be so due to a lot of the work that is happening um HVAC related at the McGlin and the Andrews, this camp would be
housed at the Brooks. Uh in the previous years, the literacy program has been housed at the McGlin, but we would need to shift everything over to the Brooks because they have space um for both of those programs. These sessions would
this the maps program would want would run for the month of July from July 7th to August 1st and the literacy program will run from July 7th to July 18th. Um lunch of course is provided and
breakfast for families if they so choose. And then we have here the breakdown of what that would look like. So the full day program would be from 9 to 3 with the option of extended time. So families could drop off at 8 and
families could stay till 4. Um, of course, financial assistance is available. The literacy program is free and if families choose to extend the day for their children and want them to participate in the enrichment
project-based uh activities in the afternoon, then there's a separate scale for what that would look like from 12 to three and what the extended hours would look like if families are opting for that.
And just in lie of any co possible questions that you may have on the top of your brain, um we are in the process right now and we'll be getting out communication around the literacy program to invited
families this week. Thank you, Dr. Gusy. Member Reinfeld. Thank you. So, you answered one of my questions about um the cost for the literacy program. Um so, two questions. Are you looking is there talk of
developing a math specific program which is another area of summer slide I know last year we had the grants specifically for literacy and so that's where our focus was you mentioned the morning activities but what does this look like for STEM or math in particular right so
I would probably so the difference is the the Medford public schools literacy is to just it's what it has been for the past several years, right? It's to we it's in it's invite only because we are
using district data in order to target the students that need that continual um emphasis on literacy development. And so we're looking at Dibbles data, we're looking at MAP data in
order to um craft the invitation list. if I would much I would really love to be able to be developing a math camp, a STEM camp. Um, right now there are not a
lot of grants out there. True. To offset any of this and I think these are things that we have to have conversations about building. And I do think um that was Megan's earnest attempt here in a lot of conversations that she had with
afterchool families and in the ongoing conversations she's had with her staff. She very much wanted to create a program that could not only target some of those areas in an academic way, but in an in
in an exploration enrichment way, but also to assist families and maybe take that piece off their plate so that if they are working all day, they don't have to fight with their children about doing their summer reading and doing,
you know, working on um some of the math calendars that that director puts out while also creating a theme for each week and having some kind of like project based opportunities for students
to engage in um and maybe some like walking field trips um to continue that exploration. So it's in my if I had a curious about big picture long long term. So that actually splits my second question into
two questions. So just to confirm, so this is for elementary families. Yes. And the the MAPS program is anyone any elementary family in Medford or Yes. Yes. to rising grade six. Okay. Um and
then the thing when I when I saw this, I went, how does this stack up? We have we approved a summer fund program which is significantly cheaper than than this for families. I hear that this is academically and enrichment focused and
so I'm hoping you can explain a little bit about how this fits into the broader summer offerings. Um and then with an eye towards the future, we talked when we approved summer fun about rolling out all of our summer programs at the same time. So, I would like to see that in the future and I think you know that but
I wanted it on record. But could you put this in the context of the other summer opportunities in Medford because the the price difference is significant and I understand the staffing is different and the curriculum development is different. But it would be really helpful to hear
what makes this an important part of our summer portfolio. Sure. When we have summer fun as well. Yep. So, first I would say that some of the delay is is on me completely
um because I'm always so far in order to provide the literacy programs in the summer. I have we have been using and relying on some
DESIE grant funding to offset that and they're typically around this time of year that they're offering them. And so I I have to get better at like moving up that timeline even despite. So this year I was hoping that that would still be
the case. It's not. And so I think we have to just make a better effort to be uh more time efficient with with rolling these out. But knowing that that the grants weren't a possibility and having conversations
ongoing with Megan um this seemed to be an opportunity to a not overt tax summer fund. There's a lot happening at the Msatuck. Um so summer fun is housed there, the e program is housed there,
there is some esy housed there and much how our e students and our students with disabilities are able to have their services but also have some social time in summer fun without overt taxing that
program. this was a way to maybe infuse some more academic focused uh explorations in a camp. Um but also
be able to provide families that are attending the reading the literacy camp with child care opportunities. And so it kind of evolved from both need and um
the desire to maybe help with like the reduction of summer slide. So the difference in price is $100 more. So summer fund is $ 250 a week. This is 350 a week. Um there is an increase in
that and that is really to just account for staffing needs. I cannot maybe sit here and go through all of the staffing needs of summer fund um verse this MAPS program, but a lot of the staffing
that Megan Fidler Carey is using to support this initiative is her existing staff. Um and uh I think that accounts for for for
some of the increase as well as the supplies because of the because of the thematic nature and the academic component um in order to do some of the STEM related activities. Um, the
materials are I don't want to say pricey, but they're just probably they cost a certain amount of money that we have to make sure that we are accounting for. And then are there accommodations for special education services and that
the same one support when needed? I'm sorry. Oh, no. And one-on-one support that's needed aids to facilitate. Absolutely. Yep. And the sliding scale that's used for the afterchool program would be in place for this. Thank you,
member Graham. Thank you. Um I two I guess two two comments or questions. One is um when we communicate about this, can we tighten up the communication that previously
went out about this topic because it that communication generated more questions than um answers. Y and I think this is like sort of late in the game. So I think addressing questions like what if I already registered for summer fund camp and I want to do this instead?
Is that allowed? I think we just need to like contextualize that this is this is an academic offering that we um are providing sort of based on the availability of this grant and that is part of why this is happening at
this point in the year. Um so if we could just make sure that communication is really tight and clear um so we don't create confusion or an idea that this is a better camp than summer fun. I think they are different and they're intended
to be so but I think we need to articulate that um when we communicate about it. So that would be one request and the other request I have is that as we start working on flushing out um the work that we're going to do with basic around after
school is that we get a cohesive out of school time program put together where we can think about things like could both of these things have happened in the same place. Um, I know right this year that's not possible for all the reasons, which is fine because
of the HVAC project, but are there, you know, what what should a portfolio of summer programs look like that would maybe support uh some of the costs around the academic again the academic enrichment or academ additional academic
support like can these programs start to fund that for us so we are less reliant on grants and more reliant on like a self-funding program that and do that. So that's like a next year thing. But as we talk about after school and what's possible, I would also like some of
these programs to be a little bit less like haphazard around the district and a little bit more cohesive. That I agree. Thank you. Very fair. Thank you. Um and motion to approve. There's a motion for approval on the
floor, seconded by member. All those in favor? All those opposed paper passes. We do not have any presentations of the public or continued business, but we do have new business. We have the first
reading of policy JJIF concussion policy 2025-18. The purpose of the policy, member Reinfeld, reading of some of these details. It's a very long policy. I don't know if I'm
allowed to do that if we have to. Okay. Um I think the purpose is useful and motion to wave the the reading by member Rinfeld. Motion to wave. Seconded by member Russo. All those in favor. All those
opposed. Motion to wave the reading because it is about 10 pages has been approved. And this is a um concussion policy pre-participation requ. It outlines pre-participation requirements and training. Um, caregiver
requirements, exclusion from play. Um, it outlines when one can return to play, athletic director responsibilities, athletic trainer responsibilities, um, coach responsibilities, nurse school
nurse responsibilities, record maintenance. Um, and I'm sure it's posted on um, both the city and the school calendars in the attached agenda link if anybody wants to review it. I recently got to go through this
this with my daughter, so it's um, good that they have we have a protocol. Remember Graham? Um, thank you. I was just curious, is this a replace I I'm not sure where this came from or who suggested it. where is it a replacement?
What's changed? If that would be helpful. Great questions. Um, Dr. Cushing, did you want to answer? Did you want Oh, member Russo. Yes, I put this forward. I I noticed actually just now that it doesn't say
who put it forward, but um and um Dr. Cushing will probably remember better than me why I did that. Sorry, it was a lot of work, but I suddenly forget why. Not because I have a concussion. I don't have a concussion. I promise. So, as
I've always been about transparency, um, this is one of several policies that appears that during a period of maybe 2016 to 2022ish, that policies may not have been
forwarded to MASC to be in our online repository. So recently I've been doing a lot of work with um uh director of health services Jen Silva on our field trip policy as an example. And while we were sitting together at my table, I
forget how even concussion came up. And I said, "Hey, let me actually go in and look that up in the online policy manual." And as it turns out, what is listed under there is a paragraph from pre um concussions becoming as known as
they are. Got it. which kind of raised an eyebrow for myself and she said no no no Tony Ray previous health service a previous health service director has done work on this and this was put forward so we went through forward an member Russo he did a really great job
of looking through it asking some really critical questions about it and moving forward I will say uh you'll get another one coming up soon the field trip policy that largely the school district has been living by but is not techn technically uploaded into the policy
handbook. So, I just want to make that clear that as I'm as I'm moving forward through these things, uh, you'll get them and that policy review will have to be picked up, but just so everyone's aware. Thank you. Thank you, Dr.
Cushing. Member Intapa, thank you, Mayor. Um, and thank you for the context. That's really good to know. Um like we've done protocol if I remember the rowing team there was protocol and someone got a concussion. Um my question is so looking through
looks like the um sort of the pre-agreement that students have the pre-art I'm sorry the specific language is the MIA pre-participation sports candidate medical questionnaire. Um is are we just using that as a because this
I have a feeling this question might come up. Are we just using that as the standard or is it only for MIAA sanctioned sports or is that going is that what page form it is the uh so it's on the
second page it's under purpose it's under I'm sorry pre-preparticipation requirement training page four it's like the big body paragraph the first big body paragraph right there where it mentions how the students Oh it just says
extracurricular athletic activities Okay. So, it's just anyone who's participating extracurricular athletic activities. It's not just specific to MIAA. It's club sports, rugby, whatever have you. Mhm. Correct. Okay. Thank you. That was just I didn't see that first sentence, I guess. Thank you. That's my
only question. Thank you. Member Rouso. Oh, motion to approve. Seconded by Oh gosh, that was a member Graham. All those in favor? I. All those
opposed. Motion passes. Thank you, Member Russo. We're going to flip to page nine. We do not have any reports requested, nor condolences, but we do
want to notify the public of a meeting tomorrow, May 20th. That's the strategic and capital planning subcommittee. It's going to be by Zoom at 6 PM. The reg next regular scheduled meeting also falls on the same night as
um the junior honor society at the McGllin which I believe some of us have a conflict with. So we can pull the members and see if we have a quorum uh or if we're going to move that. So the next meeting is tentative June 2nd. Um Dr. Yes. I would uh request that I
can get back to this body because I do think that um I did reach out to principal Tucci who may be working to change that date. Oh, Mr. Tucci is going to change the date. Okay. So, keep us posted. We'll let the public know. Okay. Is there a motion to adjurnn by member?
Seconded by second. Member Graham. All those in favor. All those opposed.