WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=UAstXjHpFGg

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: UAstXjHpFGg):
- 00:00:17: Meeting Opening: Roll Call, Flag Salute, Consent Agenda
- 00:02:20: Mustang Moment: Science Fair Awardees Presentation Begins
- 00:05:42: Science Fair Awardees Present Projects, Part 1
- 00:08:12: Science Fair Awardees Present Projects, Part 2
- 00:11:50: Superintendent Congratulates Science Fair Participants
- 00:13:04: Update on Mass General Art Chapter 74 Admissions
- 00:16:46: Committee Questions on CTE Program Admissions Policy
- 00:22:32: Discussion on Weighted Lottery for CTE Admissions
- 00:31:44: CTE Admissions Questions Continue, Policy Approval Vote
- 00:34:09: Fiscal Year 2026-2027 School Calendar Review Begins
- 00:39:23: Discussion: Good Friday, Religious Holidays, Staffing Issues
- 00:48:24: Timeline for Calendar Changes, Community Input Sought
- 00:58:50: Medford Teachers Association: Good Friday Inclusivity
- 01:00:18: Table Item A, Review Medford School Committee Rules
- 01:02:32: Detailed Review of School Committee Rule Changes
- 01:10:14: Summer Meeting Discussion, Broadcast Memo Update
- 01:17:42: Committee Rules and Revisions Continue; Administration Confusion
- 01:22:55: Vice Chair Will Sign Contracts, Consolidating Rules Discussion
- 01:25:42: Move to Table Consolidation of Rule Changes, Adjournment


Part: 1

1
00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:37.520
Good evening. Evening everybody. This is the 8th regular meeting of the Medford School Committee. Today's Monday, April 13, 2026, and we have a 6 pm meeting in the Howard Alden Memorial Chambers and via remote participation. And this meeting is being

2
00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:54.480
recorded. The meeting can be viewed live on the Medford Community YouTube channel through Medford Community Media on your local cable channel, Comcast 9,8 or 22 and Verizon 43,45 or 47. You can call or log in and but through the Zoom link and

3
00:00:54.480 --> 00:01:12.320
then use meeting ID 921-56778144. Member Rouso, if you could call the role, please. >> Member Graham >> here. >> Member Master Bony here. >> Member Leady here. Member Parks >> here. >> Member Rinfeld >> here. >> Member Rouso present. Mayor Langok

4
00:01:12.320 --> 00:01:28.159
>> present. Seven present zero zero absent. Thank you to our student reps for joining. And if we all may rise to salute the flag, please. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation

5
00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:46.079
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We have our consent agenda. Approval of bills and payrolls. Approval of donations. Donation of $1,000 from PTO to class of 2028. Quarterly update North

6
00:01:46.079 --> 00:02:04.000
uh S collaborative newsletter. Approval of meeting minutes from our regular meeting on April 6, 2026. Is there a motion on the floor for approval of the consent agenda? >> By member Reinfeld, seconded by member Master Bony. All those in favor?

7
00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:20.160
>> All those opposed? Paper passes. We do not have any reports of subcommittees and we have three reports from our superintendent. So, I'll turn it over to Dr. Gusy for the Mustang moment. Thank you. I know I start every meeting this way, but it's just my favorite part

8
00:02:20.160 --> 00:02:36.640
of the meeting. So, this evening we have the privilege of having Medford High School's science fair awardees here with us. And so, I'm going to have director of science, Mr. Roco Sieri do just a little bit of framing for us before he

9
00:02:36.640 --> 00:02:52.959
welcomes the students up to talk about their project and teach all of us a little bit more about science this evening. >> Good evening uh madame mayor and uh school committee members. Uh it this is probably one of the most exciting

10
00:02:52.959 --> 00:03:09.200
meetings to be at uh in terms of what the students bring um to the Medford public schools. um their creativity and ingenuity in class is often um not not seen on the day-to-day but at the end of

11
00:03:09.200 --> 00:03:24.959
each year we've been doing a annual science fair for really a more years than can be imagined and they've been continuous in Medford since oh probably the 1960s or so. Um this year I'm

12
00:03:24.959 --> 00:03:42.879
excited to be able to bring um a few people forward uh to introduce them and let them speak about their projects. Um but in particular before I do that I want to thank um Tus University uh for coordinating a lot of judges. Uh that

13
00:03:42.879 --> 00:04:00.319
takes a lot of effort to bring in the graduate students um and allow them allow the kids to have somebody to speak to who's in the field. Uh Mr. Chris Mbott is here this evening. Um he uh also uh participates in the judging and

14
00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:16.239
coordinates judges from his firm and also sponsors the event for us. Um we also have um Wegman's who provided um breakfast and lunch for us this year um from from Medford. So we're very excited

15
00:04:16.239 --> 00:04:32.880
about that for the uh for the judges. And then um we have trying to think I feel like there's someone I'm missing and I don't want to miss the person but I think we've got everybody uh accounted for. Um quick background the teachers are the

16
00:04:32.880 --> 00:04:49.280
ones who ask the student who basically introduce the project um and allow them to pursue something that they're interested in. Some of the projects are based in in like classroom work and other times uh students get to they just choose what they want. Everybody has the

17
00:04:49.280 --> 00:05:05.199
option to choose but we want every student to be able to participate um in something. Um so we also provide classroom based projects for the kids. Um tonight I'm going to ask that some of the a sampling of the winners uh is is

18
00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:22.240
here tonight. Um, we give 15 honorable mentions. Um, and then a top prize, a second prize, and a third prize. Our three top winners are here, and as I said, a sampling of the honorable mentions are here. So, um, I'll just call them up one

19
00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:42.960
by one, and then I'll read what their project is, and then if they would if if they want to say something, I'll let them say something. Sound good? Awesome. Okay. Saffron Jacobs. You can just tell them the name of your project. Um,

20
00:05:42.960 --> 00:06:12.840
>> my project was on acoustic resonance. >> Thank you. >> Leah Hershkovitz. >> Um, my project was about uh stress levels in teens over a daily basis. I'm going to call up Kevin Aizi.

21
00:06:18.080 --> 00:06:34.880
And before um I introduce Kevin or allow him to speak, he actually was not at our local fair because he was at the state fair which they qualified for through the regional fair. So we coordinate with them to be able to get students to participate at uh higher level fairs. So

22
00:06:34.880 --> 00:06:51.520
uh Kevin's project who worked with uh Kang and um Travers who I think is at a baseball game tonight. Um he presented at the state fair on the same day. So go ahead. You can tell them what you guys did. Um, our project was on finding the

23
00:06:51.520 --> 00:07:22.240
perfect pitch in baseball and yeah, using different effects. And our third place winner was Lucy McSeffrey. Um my project was on um finding what kind of light has the most effect on

24
00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:48.240
watercolor over time. Thank you. >> Kang just arrived so I'm going to call him up. Kang, why don't you come up and you can let them know your project. So our project for the science fair was finding the perfect pitch via the Magnus

25
00:07:48.240 --> 00:08:12.319
and seamshifted wake effects. >> So he's member number two of uh the group. Um thank you very much. >> Um in in second place we had Griffin Lynch Wood. >> Thank you. Uh my project was about

26
00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:33.599
generating electricity from a sandstorm and using static electricity uh to harness power from uh natural energies which is really interesting to do. Thank you. >> And our winners this year were uh Sam Keith Jadenville

27
00:08:33.599 --> 00:08:58.880
and Maggie Carol. Sam and Jaden. I'm going to take a little bit of a moment to let them present their a little bit of what they did. Um, just to give you a sampling of what it sounds like. Imagine this times

28
00:08:58.880 --> 00:09:14.080
the 25 odd projects that we have um in, you know, in the science lecture hall. Go for it. Oh, >> thank you all for having us here. And if I were to give a rundown of our project,

29
00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:30.320
I would frame it like this. If you're trying to make a smoothie, you want to know the recipe behind it. The same thing goes with tone. If you want to create a certain tone on the violin, you need to know the ingredients behind it. And so what our project was about is finding those ingredients behind the sound and figuring out a way to

30
00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:47.279
objectively measure them. Because oftentimes tone words like scratchy or airy or clear are kind of stuck in this vague and like kind of psychonamic way of describing them. But it's left unclear for the musician how to actually apply that to their playing.

31
00:09:47.279 --> 00:10:04.080
In our experiment, we found two main ingredients. The harmonic frequencies which is caused by the vibration of the string and what most people don't realize the inharmonic frequencies which is just caused for instance we play the violin. how is caused by the friction between the bow and the string just

32
00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:20.000
making contact and that gives a little scratch a little like friction to the sound that can opens up a wide range of tone colors. And so in our experiment we had a few control sounds airy, scratchy and clear to like to have our perceived

33
00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:34.959
idea of what a harmonic and inharmonic frequencies would sound like if we were to create an airy, scratchy or solid tone. And then we applied our analysis of those to a varying of violin technique. For ours, it was sounding

34
00:10:34.959 --> 00:10:50.320
point. And so we would play with about the first sounding point, second, third, fourth, and fifth to then see if our ideas on how the inharmonic and harmonic frequencies influence the sound actually played out. What we found is that our prediction for

35
00:10:50.320 --> 00:11:07.200
the inharmonic frequencies worked pretty well with our data and was a good predictor of what the tone would be. But our harmonic frequency analysis of taking the ratio of the harmonic peaks didn't work as well. And so something we might look into further is how to better that analysis. And so a lot of with that inharmonic

36
00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:23.519
frequencies, we found that sounding point two was the best, which aligns with something that our violin teachers always told us as upand cominging violinists and how there's a place between the bridge and the fingerboard between sounding points one and five that has a really great tone. You don't need to do a lot for it. And we found

37
00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:50.079
our data showed that it was sounding point 2 because it had the least inharmonic frequencies. And so while describing tone is harder than it sounds, we hope we made it just a little bit easier with our project. >> Do you guys have any questions? >> I think we're just so impressed, you

38
00:11:50.079 --> 00:12:09.360
know. every question I've ever had. >> Yeah, I great job. Go ahead. >> I have to say I've I commented this to a couple of the caregivers and students that were here and Mr. Siri knows this because I say it every year, but the

39
00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:24.959
science fair I call the uh annual day of humbling for me because the the genius and brilliance of our high school students that is rep represented at the science fair each year just blows my mind. And

40
00:12:24.959 --> 00:12:41.440
it's a lot of what we talk about here around that level of belonging and the academic belonging of these scientists um is just very well demonstrated not just at the science fair all year long but in these chambers tonight. And so

41
00:12:41.440 --> 00:13:04.320
I'm very very proud of all of you. Um thank you very much and congratulations Yeah, we we'll we'll do a picture and thank you to Mappet Associates, I think, for volunteering and I'm sure donating. But yeah, come on up everybody that has

42
00:13:04.320 --> 00:15:05.560
top 15 and our top three. We'll take a quick photo. Thanks all. Next up, we have an update on the Mass General Art Chapter 74 CT program admissions policy. Mr. Chad Fallon, CTE executive director.

43
00:15:07.040 --> 00:15:22.320
Mr. Fallon is joining. He's going to be joining virtually. Um has had a little technical hiccup. So he will be joining momentarily. I think I can start to frame this for you. And then if you have specific questions, he will be joining

44
00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:40.320
and and able to answer your questions. You have in your packets the handout that he provided. It may not be a color copy, but you can see the parts that were highlighted. So, he came before this body last year for a policy per the

45
00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:57.519
DESIE requirement that all CTE programs in the Commonwealth need to have a lottery process for admission. We presented our draft lottery process. It was approved. This is the feedback from the Department of Education around some language changes that they would like to

46
00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:15.120
see represented in the policy. So you will see here most of it is just those added details to flag for families where they can find information um and what to do for student retainment pathways.

47
00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:29.759
Other than that, all the language was approved by the Department of Education. Just these pieces that are highlighted are just additional details um that the Department of Education would like to see reflected in our

48
00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:46.720
policy. I do see that Mr. Fallon has joined the Zoom and is here. If you have any questions for him or Mr. Fallon, if I if I missed anything in that overview, please feel free to elaborate. >> No, that was perfect. Thank you and I

49
00:16:46.720 --> 00:17:04.559
apologize for being late. Um, it's really just some simple revisions. A lot of the items were already there, but we provided it back to them so they could see um where it's highlighted in the document, but happy to answer any questions people have. >> Uh, Mr. Fallon, can you tell us how many

50
00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:19.919
students we have that are out of district that attend our vote? >> Right now, we have five students left. Four of them are graduating this year and one student will graduate next year.

51
00:17:19.919 --> 00:17:36.400
>> And then will we not accept out of district or >> We have not been able to accept any out of district because we're full with Medford residents. So if the time should come that we have seats available, then we could look at offering seats to students in neighboring communities. >> And when you say seats, is it overall

52
00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:53.600
capacity or is it per um um field? It would be if we have availability now that we're doing the lottery and we do it in grade nine. If we have seats available in programs, we could make a decision as a district to offer seats for specific programs to students that might be interested in

53
00:17:53.600 --> 00:18:09.520
grade 10. >> Oh, but you're okay. So, you're saying that all of our all of our seats are taken even if there's not a wait list for a certain field. >> Yeah, we're full right now because we placed a lot of students that were on weight lists into different programs while they were awaiting um a spot in

54
00:18:09.520 --> 00:18:28.880
their chosen program. So right now we're completely full with uh 20 students who didn't get any of their choices. So we we we're full with a wait list just on our own students. >> Remember Rinfeld, >> thank you. U most of these feedback this

55
00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:47.039
this feedback from Desi looks clarifying um and the student retainment I think is really important to check in and assume not assume everything's all set once they're done. My question is did we so this was run for the first time this January? Um what did we learn?

56
00:18:47.039 --> 00:19:02.160
Are there changes that we think we might be seeing in the future based on what was happening? So that's my first question. And then my second question is around the communication to students who decide not to pursue a CTE. Uh because I

57
00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:18.160
know that was a little bit unclear this year. So any changes from this year and how does this affect those who decide not to continue after their exploratory into the CTE program? >> So as of right now we don't have any plans to change the way we're doing it.

58
00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:33.679
We still plan on doing a straight lottery. We plan on doing it in grade nine after they've gone through exploratory. So we plan on doing that for next year. Um what we're going to tweak is that roughly usually every year it's anywhere between 60 to 80 students who choose not to continue. So this year

59
00:19:33.679 --> 00:19:49.679
we ran about 276 freshmen through our exploratory program. We only have seats for about 200. So those students uh it it worked so that you know 90% of our students got you know one of their one of their choices. Most students got their first choice. What we found was

60
00:19:49.679 --> 00:20:05.520
students in construction, health assisting, >> um I know them all. I say it every day. Health assisting, electrical, construction, and film and TV. Those four programs we needed to run the lottery. As you know, health assisting and electrical have the largest weight

61
00:20:05.520 --> 00:20:21.440
list right now. So, we don't plan on changing how we're doing it. What we're hoping for is that when we open the plumbing program, that will filter a lot of kids that were in the construction um focused areas to have another uh place to go for next year. In terms of what we're doing for students who opt out of

62
00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:38.080
CT after the half CT after the halfway point in the year, this year we ran an extended exploratory in three of our programs. Next year, we're looking at making them into a guided study or an enrichment class because a lot of students were saying that they were wishing that they had time to, you know, pick up, you know, a study or some some

63
00:20:38.080 --> 00:20:53.039
time to be working um in other coursework. And the good news is that most freshmen in this case don't have an academic enrichment class. So, it wouldn't be like they were doubling up. What we found is that the three programs that we offered based on the they were the only programs we could offer because

64
00:20:53.039 --> 00:21:09.360
we had teachers available, uh that wasn't necessarily the kids' choice. Some kids were fine with it, but um a lot of students, you know, reported that while it was okay, they might have rather have a study. So, until um you know, I've talked with the scheduling team. My hope would be that we have semester-based electives moving forward

65
00:21:09.360 --> 00:21:24.240
so that kids have a place to go after quarters 1 and two. We used to do that with the arts, but now with the seventh period added, there's more opportunities for students to pursue an elective. So, there was no room in the arts for any students that were um choosing not to

66
00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:40.400
continue in CTE. So next year we're going to utilize the teachers we have available, but we're going to basically run three um blocks of an enrichment or a study for students for the uh second half of the year. So what I've started doing now in communication with families um and we've done a lot of this at the

67
00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:56.159
middle school. I presented um kind of solo about CTE for the McGlin and Andrew students and we've had some parent presentations and just you know mentioning to families the importance that if you're thinking you want to do exploratory because it's fun and that it's something you want to just experience. We are all for that. We

68
00:21:56.159 --> 00:22:12.159
support that. but that we are still going to place our students who want to be in programs halfway through the year. So that if you're a student who's doing it just for the experience that you you're probably going to be looking at an elective that you're going to be taking for the second half of the year. And then next year we hope to have seme or in a year we hope to have more

69
00:22:12.159 --> 00:22:32.880
opportunities and some new electives that run on a semester um basis so that kids have an opportunity to go into those beginning in January quarter three. >> Thank you. Member Graham. >> Thank you. I have heard from um some

70
00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:48.320
folks about our decision to not wait the lottery at all and um got a couple of questions that I couldn't really answer about why we didn't at least

71
00:22:48.320 --> 00:23:04.559
ask kids to describe their interest or provide some sort of like meaningful input in some way. um versus like a blind lottery. So I guess my question is are there other schools who are doing

72
00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:22.159
something that um is helping students be able to articulate their desire to be in various programs um before the lottery is run. And I a and like I think the fear is right I don't know what I'm

73
00:23:22.159 --> 00:23:38.400
gonna do at the end so I'm just gonna like put my name in right for something because that's better than extended exploratory or study hall or whatever and then I am actually taking a spot from somebody who um really wanted to be in that shop but I just happened to like

74
00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:53.280
be the lucky one and that person's not and then I drop out before the year is over so or at the end of the year and don't continue. So I guess my question is are there other models that we should be considering that would provide some

75
00:23:53.280 --> 00:24:10.799
sort of like threshold of like work or interest in some way that um would be beneficial to explore in the future. >> Yeah. So the state offers some opportunities if you want to do a weighted lottery. Most of the schools I've talked to and a lot of the the colleagues I have in the area did not do

76
00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:25.919
a weighted lottery, but you can. And it's looking at attendance the year before. They want to see that students haven't missed anything more than 27 days. So if you're somebody who didn't miss 27 days or more, you would get, you know, essentially another ball in the lottery. If you're somebody who hasn't

77
00:24:25.919 --> 00:24:41.840
had any 37H or 37H and a half in fractions with discipline, then you would get a second ball in the lottery. And then if you attend an open house or you come to an a community event, you might get a third ball in the lottery. So when we talked about it as a district team, we didn't feel like that selective

78
00:24:41.840 --> 00:24:57.279
criteria was necessarily going to hurt or help any students because most of our students don't miss 30 plus days of school. So this was really the Department of Education's way of saying, "Okay, we understand you might want to use some some weights and how you do it, but we're going to prescribe how you do

79
00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:14.080
it." The other piece is like an interview. Um, so you know, this was year one. I am happy to bring it back to the team and bring people around the table and talk about what that may look like and if the district decides they want to do a weighted lottery then we can look at that too. >> Yeah. And I I guess I would say that

80
00:25:14.080 --> 00:25:31.039
like those three reason those three weights don't seem like they would actually be meaningful for us here or for our problem. I mean, I I understand what the state is trying to do when it comes to regional vocational schools and the admission, which is you're either in

81
00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:49.760
or you're not in at all. And that's a like a distinctly different challenge than we have. So, like those criteria don't really like compel me in any particular way. I I am more interested in making sure that there's there's the

82
00:25:49.760 --> 00:26:05.600
seats for the students who need there to be seats in our district, which doesn't happen in quite the same way that it happens in most of these regional vocational schools. And frankly, we weren't the reason why the state enacted this legislation in the first place. So

83
00:26:05.600 --> 00:26:20.880
my first preference would be the state says people like Medford don't have to participate in this process at all because our students are in Medford High School no matter whether they are in program A, program B or no program. That is not the case in the regional

84
00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:35.600
vocational schools and there's huge demand. So, I guess what I'm trying to do is figure out like are there other things that we could do that make sure that we are helping students take like

85
00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:51.279
understand what action they can take to express their preferences and desires other than just like feeling like it's really random whether you're going to get to do the thing that you wanted to do or not. >> No, I I really appreciate you saying that. And what I will say is that this

86
00:26:51.279 --> 00:27:07.360
year because we knew it was going to be um a change, we spent a week that was focused on career connected activities where students went through a preliminary selection. I then packaged all the responses home, sent them home to families and said, "Hey, over the um winter break, take a moment to talk

87
00:27:07.360 --> 00:27:22.480
about this with your son or daughter because this is an important decision." So, I can tell you that this year we have really flooded people's email and and talking points with like this is really important. We want to make sure people get placed in their their areas. And the good thing is when we look back, and by the way, there was probably about

88
00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:39.200
20% of students that changed their responses from the preliminary to the final pick, which was encouraging for me because it showed me that kids were thinking. Um, also for 90% of our students to be placed in their first choice, that was huge, or to be placed in one of their top two choices. So, you

89
00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:54.880
know, even though we do have, you know, a number of kids that didn't get electrical health assisting construction because they kind of chose, you know, within that um group, there were so many kids that did get their choices, which was like, okay, so we're headed in the right direction. But what you're saying

90
00:27:54.880 --> 00:28:11.360
is very true, Jenny, but also I want to call out that the other option we could do that I've been very much against since the beginning, but I'm willing to talk it out if need be. If we did a lottery in 8th grade, which we could do, some districts have done that just like the regionals. What worries me is all the work we've done for the past 10 11

91
00:28:11.360 --> 00:28:26.480
years about being one school and kind of coming together. I'm afraid that people will be like, "Oh, are you applying to the VO? Are you applying to Medford Vogue? I'm applying to the Vogue." And then if I take in 180 students in grade nine because I know that's how many I can seat in grade 10. I feel like we

92
00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:41.840
could be going backwards and then trying to backfill because we know 20 to 30% of the kids end up deciding it's not for me. So, I would hate to see us in a position, you know, this time in a in a freshman year looking to then pull kids in who didn't choose CTE Exploratory.

93
00:28:41.840 --> 00:28:57.679
So, I I you know, that's something that we can all we can definitely discuss more, but my personal opinion was especially for Medford, the eighth grade pick didn't feel right to me. It feels like it goes against everything we've been trying to do. But I I >> Please don't discuss that more.

94
00:28:57.679 --> 00:29:12.960
>> Got it. Yeah, that's like the that's exactly the opposite of what I think we're trying to do here. Like I when Laya was a freshman, all freshman went through an exploratory program. And I think there's

95
00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:29.600
immense value in that, especially if you're talking about eighth graders making these kinds of choices. My preference would be that we go back to that model. But that aside, like I am not interested in like sealing somebody's fate at the, you know, whatever age it is that you're in eighth grade. Like that seems like it's much

96
00:29:29.600 --> 00:29:47.039
too early. Much much too early. And I I'm not interested in that at all. I I'm just more interested in like how do we make sure that the kids who are in Medford High who have gone through the rotation program that that there you you

97
00:29:47.039 --> 00:30:02.640
don't have to be one of the 10% of kids that don't land where you wanted to. And if there's other shuffling that could like make way for those 10% of kids to find their home a little bit faster, I think it would be ideal. So, I'm I'm not sure what the answer is necessarily, but

98
00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:18.960
that's that's what I would want us to be focused on is like how do we get even closer than 90% um from a placement perspective and as importantly, how do we have pathways out for kids that um aren't interested in continuing so that

99
00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:36.880
they don't make decisions to to sort of stay in or delay that exit decision because I think that's not fun for them either. Um, so yeah, I I think, you know, there's probably a lot more discussion to have around what those options might be. I just I I do think

100
00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:53.200
it's, you know, it's easy to like pick three things on a form, right? It's another to express interest or like any sort of desire to be in a program. And I just wonder if there isn't a way for that to come through somehow in our

101
00:30:53.200 --> 00:31:09.520
process. But for sure, >> maybe there's not. >> No, we are. I'm You could This something I talk about every day. How can we make this better? I mean, obviously that the ultimate answer is hire more teachers, build more space, right? Because we know what programs they want. And this is the case in a lot of schools. But, you know,

102
00:31:09.520 --> 00:31:27.120
the worst part of my job every year is is program selection because we we always know the programs that fill. And it's it's it's it's not fun meeting with a student and telling them that they didn't get in or for whatever reason, especially if their families in the trade or it's it's a painful process, but um we are working to make it better.

103
00:31:27.120 --> 00:31:44.000
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. Um we have a uh Christine, come on up. If member Master Bony or member Graham, if you could share your Oh, unless that works. Um, if someone's like in the voke

104
00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:59.760
already and they, let's say they didn't get their first choice or they changed their mind after that freshman year here, are they, do they go through the same like lottery process again or is there like a separate process for that

105
00:31:59.760 --> 00:32:16.480
because they're already >> So, are you are you saying >> Go ahead. Are you saying >> Great question. Go ahead. Sorry. >> Oh, no. Are you saying if the student picks a program, gets a spot, let's say they get a spot in health assisting and then they decide maybe this time of the year that they're not happy and they

106
00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:32.240
want to change to another program, what the process is >> or if at the end of their freshman year, let's say they got their like third choice or they didn't get one of their top choices and they really want to change to something else they hear. >> Yes. So we're already what's already

107
00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:47.519
happening is like today for example I had that I know of one definitely and probably another one in health assisting that has decided it's not for them. So now those students will move out and maybe they'll go to another program. In one case one student wanted to go to biotech and there's no wait list right now for biotech. So that was a clean

108
00:32:47.519 --> 00:33:03.600
transfer. So we're going to make every opportunity if if somebody's going from health assisting to electrical obviously there's a long wait for electrical. What we do is we look at any if they if they want a specific program and there's room available, we either add them to the program or we add them to the weight list. We don't do another lottery. We

109
00:33:03.600 --> 00:33:20.720
did lottery for first and second choice. And once we did that first round, now at this point in the year, if people decide they want to be added to a wait list, they just reach out to me and their counselor and we add them to the weight list. There's not an additional lottery. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome.

110
00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:36.399
>> Thank you. Thank Thank you, Mr. Fallon. Welcome. >> Thank you, Principal Fallon, and thank you, Dr. Galooi, for the presentation. Um, is there a motion on the floor? >> That's what I figured. >> Yes.

111
00:33:36.399 --> 00:33:53.279
>> Yes, we do need uh a vote to update the policy with the Department of Education's suggested um suggestions and edits so that we can get that vote. Motion to approve by member master,

112
00:33:53.279 --> 00:34:09.839
seconded by member Lady. All those in favor? >> All those opposed. Motion passes. Um, next up we have our fiscal year 2627 calendar review. So, I'm going to turn over to Dr. Suzanne Gusi, our

113
00:34:09.839 --> 00:34:29.200
superintendent. Thank you. Okay. Um, thank you, Mr. Pipelli. can advance to the next slide. So this evening I just want I'm here um in a collaborative problem solving kind of

114
00:34:29.200 --> 00:34:44.480
stance and effort here to frame a little bit of next year's calendar based on um this year's calendar. So throughout the course of this year, I have received some feedback and information regarding

115
00:34:44.480 --> 00:35:01.119
school calendars as would be typical from caregivers um from staff. And so three things have kind of you know risen in terms of like impact to the calendar. One is uh our placement of professional development days and where they are.

116
00:35:01.119 --> 00:35:18.400
Some caregivers have mentioned that uh this year we put them all on a Tuesday and so for some people depending on their work structure or just uh available care for their children during the day um there were some kind of queries around do we always have to have

117
00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:33.760
them on Tuesday. The other one is just the acknowledgement of the impact that Good Friday had for a a large part of our community and that we have to take that into effect for next year. And then this year for the first time in a couple

118
00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:51.280
years, we did not have a mild winter and we needed four snow days. And so per the Department of Education, we have to build in five snow days. And so this year we used um four out of those five. So, next slide, please. I just want to

119
00:35:51.280 --> 00:36:08.079
frame a little bit about what the calendar looks like for next school year. All right. So, next school year, Labor Day is very late. Labor Day is September 7th. Typically, what we have done is

120
00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:25.200
we've gone back the week before Labor Day. But what that does next year is that teachers report on the 31st, that Monday, which we're already pretty much in September, and then students, their first day is Wednesday, September 2nd.

121
00:36:25.200 --> 00:36:42.400
So, we've kind of lost really like a whole week in August because of where Labor Day fell. Um, we also have currently the observance of Yam Kapor in the calendar. Christmas Eve and Eid

122
00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:58.160
Lfitter in the calendar. And then our three professional development days uh after September 2nd, our Tuesday, November 3rd, that date is pretty fixed because that is an election day and our schools as are used as polling places.

123
00:36:58.160 --> 00:37:15.119
So we typically and we have always had that day off and and really need to continue to have that day off. Tuesday, January 19th. Yes, it's a Tuesday, but it is the Tuesday that follows the Martin Luther King weekend. We felt like that was an intentional move for

124
00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:29.040
caregivers that gave them a little bit of an opportunity to have like a longer weekend. Um, and then Tuesday, March 2nd, it is another Tuesday. It's just a random day. There really is no rhyme or

125
00:37:29.040 --> 00:37:47.119
reason for that day. All of this with Desessie's requirement for us to build in five snow days, health days, emergency days, um brings us to June 30th. So, we don't have wiggle room because

126
00:37:47.119 --> 00:38:02.960
school needs to commence by June 30th. So, I'm here to just frame this for you. Uh I do not want to vote. I'm not here with an answer. Um, Mr. Pipicelli, if you could advance the last

127
00:38:02.960 --> 00:38:20.079
slide. I just want to talk a little bit about my next steps. Um, as the superintendent of schools, so I had a conversation with um, Mr. Gillian. We want to create a committee or have some discussions. Um,

128
00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:35.760
he's the president of the teachers union so that we can work collaboratively on the constraints of the calendar for next year. Um, I would like to elicit some community input on the school calendar, especially since I had some uh I

129
00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:50.960
received some feedback about about where professional development days land. So, I think it would be important to elicit some community input around where professional development days are scheduled um and also holidays. And then

130
00:38:50.960 --> 00:39:07.520
we are internally further reviewing our protocols and structures for the use of religious holidays by staff members um across the district and throughout the school year. And then all of this I would bring back to this body with a presentation

131
00:39:07.520 --> 00:39:23.680
for a proposal as to what is would be the best way for us to update school year 2627 calendar based on the commu the feedback I get from the community and the work with the teachers union.

132
00:39:23.680 --> 00:39:41.119
So again I'm not looking for um I'm not looking for problems to be solved. I just wanted to explain to you in a collaborative stance that this is the work that we're going to be engaging in and I will report back once we have a

133
00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:57.599
proposal as to what is the best way to proceed. >> Just one question from from the chair. Yes. >> And you'll be reooking at April. >> Yes. >> And potentially bringing school taken off on Good Friday just because of the

134
00:39:57.599 --> 00:40:12.640
staffing. Yes. Issues. >> Yes. So I think what we have to we that has to be an acknowledgement 100% based on our staff. I think the school committee policy represents our school and city community. It doesn't

135
00:40:12.640 --> 00:40:29.599
necessarily represent our staff. >> And so I think we have to uh absolutely account for that in next year's calendar. what that looks like I'm not quite sure of because we have to engage in those conversations um with the union

136
00:40:29.599 --> 00:40:46.079
but yes that would be the purpose of it and so right now I can't just say we'll add Good Friday back to the calendar because I don't have that wiggle room so that may not be the problem for the 2728 calendar or for the 2829 calendar but

137
00:40:46.079 --> 00:41:01.839
for next year for the 2627 calendar because Labor Day is so late that is is the problem. So there has to be a trade or there has to be we have to look at the existing calendar and really have some discussions collaboratively

138
00:41:01.839 --> 00:41:17.920
about what is the best way to proceed. So some give and take. Okay, that makes sense. Thank you. Um I'm going to turn it over to member Graham. >> Thank you. Um, I just wanted to share I've been collecting some input about

139
00:41:17.920 --> 00:41:34.560
this question and um, I am thinking back to how we crafted the policy around the calendar creation originally and we were indeed trying to reflect um, a more inclusive community and a place of belonging even though we weren't using

140
00:41:34.560 --> 00:41:51.200
the word belong at that time, right? I think that was part of the goal and and I think we knew that there would be times in the you know decades right where this kind of calendar would become a problem and and we brought it forward

141
00:41:51.200 --> 00:42:06.480
just like I we would have expected or anticipated when we wrote that policy. Um I think what is unique about next year is that in order to fulfill our policy we like fully which would in

142
00:42:06.480 --> 00:42:23.440
include observance of good Friday and eidal aa um Rashashana falls on a weekend. So we would need two additional days. So, one day certainly is important operationally um to address Good Friday

143
00:42:23.440 --> 00:42:40.160
and the staff absences that came with that day because as you mentioned like our staff the makeup of our staff is not exactly the same as sort of the the broader community. Um but if we if we could find two more days, we could carry

144
00:42:40.160 --> 00:42:54.560
out our full um objective of our calendar under our policy. Um as far as I can tell, um the only the only inlect the only day that the school committee

145
00:42:54.560 --> 00:43:11.839
could act on alone would be to um not observe Junth on the 18th, which is not Junth, that's the 19th. um when in the in the state of Massachusetts when a holiday falls on a Saturday um it

146
00:43:11.839 --> 00:43:27.200
is not required to be observed on a Friday. In fact, under um the Secretary of State when a holiday falls on a Saturday um organizations are to remain open both Friday and Monday and sort of split time. So we could possibly do

147
00:43:27.200 --> 00:43:41.839
something there, although I don't think that necessarily promotes belonging either. Um, so that to me is the only thing that I can see that this body could do without some sort of broader collaboration.

148
00:43:41.839 --> 00:44:01.200
Um, and I think, you know, I don't I guess and that's sort of a conversation for this group, but I don't think we're saying we want to abandon the practices that we have set up. I think what we're saying is we have to work together somehow, some way to get through this

149
00:44:01.200 --> 00:44:17.359
particular year of the calendar because of the way all of these holidays um fall and Labor Day starts late and you know and on and on and on. I think there are other options that were suggested to me by various members of the of the community that would be appealing to

150
00:44:17.359 --> 00:44:33.040
them. All of which would require like collaboration from um from our teachers union in particular because their contract has specific stipulations in it um about school about how the school calendar falls in some cases. And those

151
00:44:33.040 --> 00:44:49.280
days um that people have suggested to me and I just want to make sure that like publicly we are talking about them is the Friday before Labor Day um becoming a school day. And so that um Good Friday could be a full day off. Albeit that does not solve the two calendar day

152
00:44:49.280 --> 00:45:05.359
problem if we are trying to be as inclusive as our policy sets forward. Um the other suggestions that I have heard is um swap an early release day on the 23rd of December um with a with Good

153
00:45:05.359 --> 00:45:19.680
Friday so that students would be in school for a full day on the 23rd which is not a holy day. It is not even the day before a holy day. The holy day is two days later um for Good Friday, although operationally I think there's still a question about whether that

154
00:45:19.680 --> 00:45:37.040
would um be workable or not. Um and then the other suggestion that lots of parents have this year in particular because of the late start of school was simply to start school earlier. Um and they're particularly our youngest students are having the parents of our

155
00:45:37.040 --> 00:45:54.480
youngest students have lots and lots of child care issues at the end of August this year because of the way the calendar is falling so late. Other districts have made decisions to go back sooner than their contract allows. So those are the things that sort of people have brought forward to me. Um, I did

156
00:45:54.480 --> 00:46:10.800
want to make sure to mention though that um, I got a really lovely comment from a member of our Jewish community saying that, you know, she really appreciates that she and her children feel seen by our observance of that day. So, I think

157
00:46:10.800 --> 00:46:28.400
we have to we have to balance the operational aspects of there being enough people in the building to have school, but also um I don't want to see us sort of move away from those observances um for the folks in our

158
00:46:28.400 --> 00:46:45.520
community who are used to not being seen and not feeling seen. So, I I just thought that was a really powerful comment and I wanted to like pass it along because back to like this idea of belonging. Um, we if we if we don't feel

159
00:46:45.520 --> 00:47:00.880
seen, we cannot belong. Um, and I know that our teachers work really hard to make students feel seen every single day. And I think this is like a district-wide sort of statement about feeling seen >> um that we have to be like really

160
00:47:00.880 --> 00:47:18.400
mindful of. Um, and then I think my last comment would be I would love to see there be some sort of collaborative working group, like really collaborative out in the open in public for people to participate in where we talk more broadly about the problems of the

161
00:47:18.400 --> 00:47:36.160
calendar because I think um there are lots of problems of the calendar depending on who you talk to and there's the way that these things have always been or that they have been for a long time and then there's the practice ical realities of caregiving that continue to evolve and become more stressful for

162
00:47:36.160 --> 00:47:52.079
families. So, I would like to see some sort of collaborative conversation happen at some point about the calendar. And I mean, you could throw start times, you could throw all kinds of things in there, all of which, by the way, are sort of tied up in various contracts that we hold with our bargaining

163
00:47:52.079 --> 00:48:09.599
partners. But for for us to come here and even if this room was full of people advocating in one particular direction or another, then we would go back behind closed doors and we would talk to the unions and then we would come back and then we would say what we're going to do and then people would be unhappy with that. But I think really when when

164
00:48:09.599 --> 00:48:24.880
caregivers and teachers collaborate together, there's really really powerful outcomes for students and I think we should consider doing something like that um as we talk about the broader calendar implications um for our community going forward. Thank you.

165
00:48:24.880 --> 00:48:43.040
>> Thank you, member Parks. >> Thank you. Um I just want to everything that member Graham said are things that I have heard. Um and I really appreciate hearing. Um I think one of the things that also should be focused on are kind

166
00:48:43.040 --> 00:48:58.400
of those protocols. Um because another thing I heard is about the kind of the sudden decisions that were happening um in real time. But my main question is um in an effort to kind of you know um

167
00:48:58.400 --> 00:49:14.880
leave the because member Graham talked a lot about um things that were raised leave the kind of troubleshooting to moving forward is what is our timeline that we're talking about and also um how do you want to receive feedback? Do you want emails? Are you going to send out a

168
00:49:14.880 --> 00:49:30.960
survey? How are we collecting? Are you going to have forums? How are we going to do this? I hate this monitor because I can never see you, M. Member Parks. Um, I think those are those are part of the conversations that I want to be

169
00:49:30.960 --> 00:49:46.400
having internally. I think because time is of the essence and we did approve a calendar and I know so many families need this for planning purposes for next year, especially around care and where professional development days fall,

170
00:49:46.400 --> 00:50:03.680
where holidays fall. I know we want to do this as quickly as possible. So, I think um listening to member Graham's suggestion and hearing yours, I would say some of this might have to be like tiered approaches to elicit feedback and do some of this work. And I think a

171
00:50:03.680 --> 00:50:19.040
survey would an initial survey would get us some really great data to begin some of these conversations and then um maybe also elicit some committee uh input,

172
00:50:19.040 --> 00:50:38.319
you know, a little down the road as we're working on really kind of informing how our calendar is. Does that make sense? Member Rinfeld.

173
00:50:38.319 --> 00:50:55.040
>> So my first question was a little bit similar to what member Parks was saying. I was going to ask, are there any asurances? You said we we we cannot promise that there will be changes to Good Friday, but it's something we're looking at. Are there any asurances to be had to your point of I know I pushed

174
00:50:55.040 --> 00:51:10.960
to have us approve this calendar as early as possible because we we knew that people needed to make plans. Um, and I just heard, are we looking at changes to the start of school? And I know people have booked travel. I know there are also scrambling to find child

175
00:51:10.960 --> 00:51:27.359
care. So, are there any I mean, I think June 30th, we know school won't go beyond that. Um, but what is there anything we can tell people in terms of what to expect as we wait for a timeline?

176
00:51:27.359 --> 00:51:44.640
>> Sure. I I could say two things. one when we did put forward the calendar for next year I was very clear that we haven't lived through Good Friday yet >> and I didn't know how that was going to go fully and I did make that known during that meeting and here we are

177
00:51:44.640 --> 00:52:00.480
>> and so I do know that based on the population of our staff it would be in my opinion irresponsible to proceed next year into next year's calendar without acknowledgement of Good Friday.

178
00:52:00.480 --> 00:52:15.760
So, the work that I need to do to elicit feedback from the community and with the teachers union is how can we get to a point where we can operationalize schools and acknowledge Good Friday as a

179
00:52:15.760 --> 00:52:31.359
holiday knowing the constraints of next year's calendar. And I do apologize. We're going to try to do this as quickly as possible um so that we we we can get this information to families. But I I can't

180
00:52:31.359 --> 00:52:46.640
give a clear time stamp. I would say, you know, with all best efforts, we would hope um by the end of May. >> Okay. Um and I think that I think the community conversation there is really important and understanding what

181
00:52:46.640 --> 00:53:01.680
observing these things mean. I know I've seen the suggestion that maybe religious holidays can all be half days and then we're hearing but some observance is really in the morning, some is more in the afternoon. So I don't know what flexibility is there and that's the conversation. I don't need to get into

182
00:53:01.680 --> 00:53:17.359
it now. Um there's also looking at other districts of course what they're doing but also what their community composition is because it's easy to say this community does this but their staff composition may be >> correct >> entirely different. But I do think it's

183
00:53:17.359 --> 00:53:33.599
really helpful to hear that to to put these different policies side by side particularly actually for staff who live in other districts and they're and they have child care needs as well. Um, and then as a second step to be looking to

184
00:53:33.599 --> 00:53:49.520
the future, I remember on actually what two on April 14th when we approved this year's calendar, I remember >> January >> Janu Oh, no. When we approved the calendar that we're living through now in back in 2024, I think it was. I mean,

185
00:53:49.520 --> 00:54:05.760
I actually remember Russo said, "I can't imagine we're going to have snow days." And >> I don't know what I'm saying. >> Yeah. Um, so being able to project forward because I know we approved last the calendar that we're in now, the 2526 calendar with the assumption that it

186
00:54:05.760 --> 00:54:24.000
would be a one-time experience and I think and I know it became the constraints changed when we negotiated a new contract. Um, but being able to try to anticipate and project forward would be very helpful. Um the other piece of

187
00:54:24.000 --> 00:54:40.800
this I think is as we look at how we recognize religions, how we how we incorporate this aspect of belonging into our calendars. Um I know that I said this when we approved the calendar. We still have education to do around

188
00:54:40.800 --> 00:54:57.119
what these holidays mean for students, for our communities, and particularly holidays that aren't days off. Um, and making sure that our staff understands what this means for students and that their students aren't getting grilled

189
00:54:57.119 --> 00:55:12.880
about why they're not in school or being um the assignments really >> doing that internal education around what it means to have a day with no assignments and why. I know we've heard from community members that they they

190
00:55:12.880 --> 00:55:30.720
wish their children's teachers saw them and even things like saying happy Kaneka, happy um Mubarak, all of the all of those um abilities. And I would also urge the

191
00:55:30.720 --> 00:55:46.720
conversation to also include guidance on extracurriculars. I have spoken to both um director Olirri and director fee about scheduling of sports and arts events and I know there are many other things that we do but looking at how

192
00:55:46.720 --> 00:56:04.319
those intersect as well. Um because I think we spend a lot of time in these meetings talking about what happens during the school day. Um, and those activities are just as much a part of students education and families balancing of schedules and teachers um,

193
00:56:04.319 --> 00:56:20.720
wanting to be there for their their students. So, I think that's my list of things to put into the the mix and the conversation. Thank you for being transparent about what's happening and having the conversation. I do agree with member Graham that having some of this

194
00:56:20.720 --> 00:56:36.400
in public and letting people really understand um >> is essential. And I do want to thank everybody who wrote um to express their feelings, particularly those that were really grounded in respect and seeing multiple sides and sharing their

195
00:56:36.400 --> 00:56:55.200
perspective with the awareness that one perspective isn't always everyone's perspective. Thank you, Member Einel, member Graham. Thank you. Um, just a few other quick things on the back of our calendar. Um, I know that we have received feedback

196
00:56:55.200 --> 00:57:12.640
that Christmas is labeled a a national holiday and not a Christian holiday. So, I would ask that we fix that. Um, as I've answered as I've fielded that question, what I've described is that Christmas is so much ingrained in our

197
00:57:12.640 --> 00:57:29.280
government that it is the only religious holiday that rises to the level also of a national holiday. But I think for our Christian neighbors, it's important to them that um we describe that as um a a Christian holiday. I accordingly don't

198
00:57:29.280 --> 00:57:45.359
believe that Christmas Eve should be listed as an observance. it is not a religious day. Um, and so it's certainly a day off of school. I'm not suggesting we don't we go to school on Christmas Eve. I'm definitely not suggesting that. But for the like sort of the tidiness of

199
00:57:45.359 --> 00:58:02.079
the observance language, I will also be putting forward um a resolution um to uh make orthodox Good Friday a an excused absence day um because it is not currently and that was pointed out

200
00:58:02.079 --> 00:58:19.200
to me. So I will take care of that in a separate um in a separate motion. But the other thing I wanted to make sure that changed was on your first slide you talked about observances being Christmas Eve. >> Um it should also say Christmas Day. We are also observing Christmas Day. Um and

201
00:58:19.200 --> 00:58:35.359
I don't want our Christian neighbors to feel like we are not um or that we are trying to cancel Christmas because I don't think that's what anybody is trying to do. Quite the contrary. >> N thank you. >> Thank you everybody. Thank you Dr.

202
00:58:35.359 --> 00:58:50.799
Galooi. We'll look forward to hopefully a new calendar soon. Um, we do not have any presentations of the public. We do have continued business. Be it resolved with the member school committee before we go. >> Sure. >> I think we have

203
00:58:50.799 --> 00:59:11.440
>> Oh, yeah. Sure. >> Welcome. >> I'm just going to touch the little guy. The little guy. Yep. There you go. Oh, >> there you There we are. Thank you. Hi. Uh Anthony Gan, uh president of the Medford Teachers Association. Uh thank

204
00:59:11.440 --> 00:59:30.079
you. Um yeah, I want to first say that the teachers association is very open to having these discussions with Dr. She contacted me today about them. So we'll be setting up those meetings soon. And I just wanted to um press again as we did in our statement. Um the uh membership

205
00:59:30.079 --> 00:59:45.599
uh the number of people who took off uh Good Friday did so with you know no guidance, no sort of directive to do so. So this is very clearly the personal faith of our membership um showing through. So I think a solution does have

206
00:59:45.599 --> 01:00:01.119
to include Good Friday just to take off the um strain of wondering next year and sort of the animosity that brought out and that idea that like you know we want to foster belonging amongst our uh you know our staff and our students and our

207
01:00:01.119 --> 01:00:18.480
community members and you know um when they have this uncertainty and anxiety raises that doesn't help us foster belonging. So, I look forward to working with Dutch Gluci and everyone else on this and that would be our statement. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate you being here.

208
01:00:18.480 --> 01:00:35.920
Continued business. We have um two things. First up, >> motion to table item A. >> Motion to table item A, which was be resolved that the me school committee will review the summary of objectives for the term as discussed in its January retreat. Um by member Graham, seconded

209
01:00:35.920 --> 01:00:55.520
by Member Olare. All those in favor. All those opposed. Papers tabled. Um B. Review of Medford School Committee rules and revisions. I'll turn it over to member Russo. >> Thank you. Of course, I thought I had

210
01:00:55.520 --> 01:01:11.520
more time to eat this piece of candy in my mouth. Um All right. Let me switch over to that. That's why I asked for it to be printed because under pressure I can't find the

211
01:01:11.520 --> 01:01:27.359
right thing. So, um, in March of 2022, the school committee adopted a set of rules. Um, and we haven't updated them since, even though we did include a rule saying we would do it last year or the year

212
01:01:27.359 --> 01:01:44.960
before. Um so um there is a uh we've all received a a comparison document and um I'm trying to think about the best way so that the people online can actually see what we're doing. I could probably first I'm going to get

213
01:01:44.960 --> 01:02:04.960
rid of this candy. Excuse me. Because when you chew a candy into a microphone it's really loud. Um, I'm thinking if I share um the actual comparison document as we go through it, it'll make a lot more sense. Uh, let me

214
01:02:04.960 --> 01:02:32.319
open this up. And will do I have share I'm sure I have sharing permissions. No, >> thank you. Okay. And now I've got to be able to see everything through all the little share windows that are in the way. >> It's 13 pages, but it won't take as long

215
01:02:32.319 --> 01:02:48.240
as that sounds. It will be nothing like when we first adopted them, which was a long meeting. Um, so this is a comparison. Um, the rules that are not changed are not listed here. Um, and on the left we have the original

216
01:02:48.240 --> 01:03:04.640
language. Um, member Reinfeld, member, member Graham has submitted changes. I appreciate that not everybody had an opinion on making changes because this would have been a much longer meeting. Um, and so, um, some of the changes here, well, I'll just go through them

217
01:03:04.640 --> 01:03:27.359
one at a time. So, on the first one, I suggested a change and, um, now I'm realizing it would be nice if they had been highlights of what changed. Um, Oh, this is just a wording change to make it sound better. The original

218
01:03:27.359 --> 01:03:41.760
rules, we we had adopted 80 something of them all at once. So, we didn't get too into the weeds on um how things sounded. Uh so there's no functional change in the first one. Um it's just makes it

219
01:03:41.760 --> 01:03:57.280
more readable. Um, rule two, um, is about that the superintendent is responsible for the operation of our schools. Um, and it says communication to students and families is facilitated and managed by the superintendent. Um,

220
01:03:57.280 --> 01:04:13.039
this one I I changed to um or I changed that for the daily implementation of our policies and changed that to simply to implementing our policies. Um, I think it would make sense if if

221
01:04:13.039 --> 01:04:32.480
anybody disagrees, maybe you could speak up and then we I don't have to like we don't have to vote on each item. Um, does that sound okay? A lot of heads shaking. Good. Um, rule four. Um, again, that's just a boy, that doesn't

222
01:04:32.480 --> 01:04:48.880
look any different. Sometimes AI is not perfect. Oh, thank you. Um, right. We agreed to discuss the issues on the agenda versus we agreed to discuss the agenda items. Um, five.

223
01:04:48.880 --> 01:05:08.720
Are you reading ahead for me? Um, oh, got rid of in a fashion. Um, let's see. Rule six. That's essentially the same thing as well. Rule seven.

224
01:05:08.720 --> 01:05:25.359
>> Oh, thank you. Again, this is an educational institution. We should at least have the apostrophes in the right place. Thank you. Rule seven is a hyphen. >> Okay. Rule eight, um,

225
01:05:25.359 --> 01:05:46.200
another hyphen. Okay. I should have done a better clean up on this. uh rule nine. Um okay, this is uh in rule nine. So when we first adopted these rules, we had said we would meet September through June. Um

226
01:05:46.720 --> 01:06:12.160
is there any change on that? No. All right. Rule 10. I did go >> Oh, mess change. Um >> okay. >> Um rule 10.

227
01:06:12.160 --> 01:06:26.400
This was a this is a substantial change. Um when we first adopted, we said no meetings in July and August. Um we were not in all in agreement in that. Um, and I'm going to push this one again because I thought we needed to at least meet

228
01:06:26.400 --> 01:06:44.640
once um in July and August. Um, so if anybody have any problems with that can be on Zoom, you can be at the beach or wherever you are in the summer. probably at work like the rest of us. But

229
01:06:44.640 --> 01:07:02.880
>> member Oh, sorry. >> Member Rinfeld. >> Yeah. I I don't have a problem with this. I think it is worth scheduling these in advance. And if they need cancelling, so be it. And my motion would be that if if no meeting is scheduled, then the superintendent would

230
01:07:02.880 --> 01:07:20.559
still send out that broadcast memo memo. That would that would be my change. Yes, let's plan to meet once a month over the summer and if that meeting gets cancelled, we should get a broadcast memo on what's been happening. >> Could Could I suggest that we schedule a

231
01:07:20.559 --> 01:07:35.760
meeting if needed? >> I would rather have it on the calendar for building in summer plans and then cancel it rather than trying to scramble around during the summer when people are away from messages.

232
01:07:35.760 --> 01:07:52.720
trying to fi find a time that is already going to be hard to find. That's my preference. >> And and um neither of those issues were why I think we should pres-schedu them. The reason we would have one in the summer un without having it prescheduled is because something bad is happening

233
01:07:52.720 --> 01:08:08.559
frankly. Um and that's the worst time to have to like gather everybody. Um, and so if it's just on the schedule, you know, it's one thing to wait a week or two to discuss something really important that has to

234
01:08:08.559 --> 01:08:24.159
be deliberated on. It's another thing to be like, we'll talk in September. Um, so >> I think if there truly is an emergency, then we do have to scramble to find something. But for the majority, I I mean, knock on wood, we just found out

235
01:08:24.159 --> 01:08:39.880
what happened when we said these things won't happen. >> Um, >> let's not say that aloud. it we can evaluate is this something that can wait until our already scheduled meeting. >> Yeah.

236
01:08:40.080 --> 01:08:56.319
Um 11 is the send out a broadcast memo to all members each week. And then I think we should add language to that that says um >> well I I don't the superintendent didn't

237
01:08:56.319 --> 01:09:12.400
provide feedback on this one but is each week actually >> oh no not each week seems in the summer but also you all work in full tilt in the summer. So I don't know if that's better to have a weekly email or a monstrous monthly email or I don't know

238
01:09:12.400 --> 01:09:32.480
what the superintendent thinks. I think it's fair maybe to say every other week. >> Okay. >> I think I I think this past August I provided two >> two what? >> Two updates to this committee about work that was ongoing. Um hiring scheduling

239
01:09:32.480 --> 01:09:51.480
just updates like summer updates. Uh I think in I think that's fair to say that every other week in August you will be informed of summer work. >> Okay. I will update that. Um,

240
01:09:51.520 --> 01:10:12.760
rule 12. This is just re saying the same thing. Um, if this as our meeting is scheduled for a Monday and it's a a holiday, which here we are again, um, we'll move it. Rule 13.

241
01:10:14.880 --> 01:10:32.800
That is the same language also made a little nicer. Rule 14. Um this is simply changing mayor to chair um >> in acknowledgement of the new charter. Right now it's the same person but >> right then we don't have to redo these

242
01:10:32.800 --> 01:10:58.719
again. >> Yeah. >> Rule 15. Let's see. That's essentially the same made nicer >> notification to notifying. >> Oh, thank you. Yes, I'm feeling really bad about how many of these are just words smithing, but we have to do it

243
01:10:58.719 --> 01:11:21.000
sometime, right? Um, event is also the same. It's just more um succinct. Rule 18 is the same cleanup.

244
01:11:22.560 --> 01:11:46.719
Rule 21. What page are we on? Three. Similar cleanup. All right. Rule 22. We're going to get to some substitum changes. I promise this is a interesting chair versus mayor.

245
01:11:46.719 --> 01:12:13.120
Um nothing substantial changing in 23 22 23 24 doesn't look like it actually changed. Oh, the reumbering. So, there's a big

246
01:12:13.120 --> 01:12:30.120
reorganization of these things, so they actually make sense. Um, and I think that is causing a bunch of these um differences to show up. So, that's what's at number 25. Number 26, I think, is also a reumbering.

247
01:12:32.080 --> 01:12:50.880
Number 27 is a reumbering. Number 28. Member Rinfeld, you want to say something on this? >> Yes. Which Sorry, this is >> 28. >> 28. >> Yeah. I This was me um saying that our subcommittees because they are focused

248
01:12:50.880 --> 01:13:06.480
on particular topics provide an opportunity for um for public input. I'm thinking of, for example, when we were talking about the transitions between schools on our strategic planning subcommittee. I think that can be an invitation to the public to come and

249
01:13:06.480 --> 01:13:23.120
discuss the topic. Even if it doesn't lead to a policy change, I think it's an opportunity to engage the community in these discussions that maybe aren't appropriate for the full group, but that a subcommittee could make recommendations um as a result.

250
01:13:23.120 --> 01:13:39.440
>> I'm fine with that. Okay. 29 32 those are just renumberings. 33 is a reumbering. 34 member Reinfeld again. >> Yeah. I think this was just

251
01:13:39.440 --> 01:13:54.080
acknowledging the addition of presentations of the student representatives into the agenda which we've already incorporated. But you told me I couldn't put in the rules until it was time to update the rules. >> You want to do this more than once? Just kidding.

252
01:13:54.080 --> 01:14:09.920
You could have um >> No, I made the motion and then I withdrew it. >> Oh, did you? >> I did. >> I'm sorry. >> Anyway, >> um >> all right, this so this and then this next one, rule 35, the AI did not gather

253
01:14:09.920 --> 01:14:26.719
that did not do this correctly. Basically, the rules as written say that we will get packets by 5:00 p.m. on we will get the meeting material by Friday at 5:00 p.m. and we will also provide feedback by Friday afternoon and that >> that totally

254
01:14:26.719 --> 01:14:43.920
>> that yeah that can't that's what that's what the current rules say. Um, and so we either need to get the packet, we need either need to get our presentations when the agenda is posted on Thursday evening and we can provide feedback by Friday or before the

255
01:14:43.920 --> 01:15:00.080
meeting, but aiming for Friday or if we're getting these materials on Friday, we need until Monday to be able to provide feedback. And I am looking to the superintendent and the team who makes the presentations about what is a reasonable delivery date and feedback

256
01:15:00.080 --> 01:15:15.199
because I know it's really helpful when you get our feedback in advance and you can anticipate some of the questions that are coming up and pull the data that those of us saying hey about this this slide what can we do? So I'm open to either model I just wanted to not yet

257
01:15:15.199 --> 01:15:31.040
get and give feedback at the same time. >> I agree. I would always love feedback. Um, I know that depending on the meeting, some of that 5:00 p.m. deadline is difficult. I think the bigger challenge comes when we have

258
01:15:31.040 --> 01:15:46.880
back-to-back meetings depending on maybe where school vacation falls. I think typically where we have meetings every other week. I think for us to to get our work for Thursday so that you have that time to look it over and provide

259
01:15:46.880 --> 01:16:04.000
feedback to us on Friday. That is a great place that we can work towards for next year. I think the difficulty maybe would be around backtoback meetings that might pose a little bit of difficulty. >> Well, the language does say we'll make every effort to provide feedback and ask

260
01:16:04.000 --> 01:16:20.640
questions. Um, so it's not a >> if we have if a question occurs to us on Monday morning. I mean, I'm not going to not send it, >> but I recognize that you may not see it in the same way. If I'm getting a presentation on Monday afternoon, I might not see it.

261
01:16:20.640 --> 01:16:38.080
Um, and that's the that's the second part which actually did come over properly. Um, so I can wait until we resolve the Thursday, Friday, Monday sequence. Okay. >> Um, >> and I I will be bringing back a actual

262
01:16:38.080 --> 01:16:55.280
document at the next meeting so we can look at the final language and make any final >> makes sense to me. >> Um, because I think approving this without seeing it >> integrated would be kind of >> I would appreciate that and then I can have a discussion with my team. >> Thank you.

263
01:16:55.280 --> 01:17:12.400
>> Um, so we have the th materials on Thursday, feedback on Friday is preferred. Um and then I the other piece that I added to this was the request that if the materials are not ready on Thursday to know this is coming at this

264
01:17:12.400 --> 01:17:26.400
date. So just so we can anticipate and hopefully build some time into the schedule to review it and do that. >> Yeah. I think the the for me at least, you know, the presentations that we

265
01:17:26.400 --> 01:17:42.320
receive at three or four o'clock. Um >> I often see them for for the first time at 6 p.m. Yes. I'll just say that. >> Exactly. So um rule 36. Um

266
01:17:42.320 --> 01:17:59.120
this is again just reumbering. Uh, member Graham has a comment about changing what the format is, which I think is actually that's in the policy, the BD beb policy. So, I think we can do that, but not as

267
01:17:59.120 --> 01:18:32.560
part of this if that's okay. Mogram. Thank you. >> Sorry. >> That's okay. Um, >> 37 member, right? >> Yes. So, this I just added a sentence to the end of this. So, this was based on feedback from former school committee

268
01:18:32.560 --> 01:18:49.040
members that there has in the past been some confusion about um administration not sure whether they were supposed to act on things discussed during good of the order. Um, I think it was a previous administration, but I just wanted to clarify that as per Robert's rules, this

269
01:18:49.040 --> 01:19:04.640
is about committee function and operation, not about policies and action. I'm not super attached to this sentence, but I thought it was worth clarifying since I'd gotten some feedback that that had been confusing in the past. I think

270
01:19:04.640 --> 01:19:24.000
it's fine. Um 39, 41, 42 are all just modifications to actually 42. I don't think there's anything different there.

271
01:19:24.000 --> 01:19:42.560
Uh 43 44. These are just clean clean, you know, making the language more concise. This is a reumbering reumbering um renumbering. I don't know if you're all looking at the screen and I'm

272
01:19:42.560 --> 01:20:01.679
scrolling away as if you are. Sorry. Uh rule 51. So when we first did this uh set of rules, um we had discussed that I would include a bunch of metadata into them such as links to the policies, etc. And

273
01:20:01.679 --> 01:20:17.120
not all of those had been done the first time around. So that's why there's some more stuff in here. Uh, but this is a reumbering as well. Um, let's get down here. These are all reings. I'm disappointed that I didn't realize that

274
01:20:17.120 --> 01:20:55.520
sooner. Um, let's see. Well, at least we're scrolling fast. These are all reumbering. 71 is actually not changed. 75 that's member >> Reinfeld.

275
01:20:55.520 --> 01:21:17.560
>> Yes, we are move cruising along. >> I'm not I just added >> Yeah, I just added upon approval saying that we need to specify when it goes into account into effect when we approve. >> Yeah, that's a great one.

276
01:21:18.000 --> 01:21:51.320
>> Um 76. This is the 79 81 82. >> This looks like I just added a period. >> Oh, all right. You did, didn't you? Um, >> fight me.

277
01:21:53.120 --> 01:22:11.880
>> Um, let's see. How about 83? You had it more than >> um Yeah, I'm not sure what happened. It should be chair rather than mayor, >> I think. Right. I think this is a this is a chair to mayor to chair >> which 83

278
01:22:13.440 --> 01:22:31.840
>> just >> Oh, and then I added onto the Medford Public Schools website rather than our website. >> Oh, yeah. That's good. >> Let's see. 87. Well, whatever >> that has to reflect whatever your new

279
01:22:31.840 --> 01:22:47.840
numbers are, >> right? Um, >> can I ask about rule 85 here that the vice chair will sign contracts versus the superintendent? >> Sure. That's the way it is. >> Is that is that what we do when we're just putting it? >> Yes.

280
01:22:47.840 --> 01:23:10.480
>> Okay. All right, we do have new rules and we'll ignore the numbering conversation here. Uh, so rule my rule 11 I think is what we already discussed about prescheduling summer meetings. So I don't have

281
01:23:10.480 --> 01:23:26.960
anything to add that I haven't already said. Um, and then just clarifying responsibilities in subcommittee that I have found that the subcommittee chair usually is the one to run the agenda and take the notes and I figured it was worth documenting

282
01:23:26.960 --> 01:23:42.600
>> definitely. >> Um, and then this other was the motion that we approved around uh student advisory council and designating members to attend if invited by our student members.

283
01:23:43.040 --> 01:24:03.440
Great. All right. Number 80 or whatever the numbers will end up being. Um, majority of members present will suffice to pass any motion or resolution except as otherwise defined. But motions calling for the appropriation or

284
01:24:03.440 --> 01:24:19.679
expenditure expenditure of money will require an affirmative vote of four members. I think that's mass general law. So, um, and 83, the secretary will review the warrants weekly and provide a signature authorizing the payment of payrolls and

285
01:24:19.679 --> 01:24:36.719
bills, which I've been doing for a number of years now. Wow. All right. Yes. >> Of course, >> member Vastoni. Yes. >> Thank you. On on number 80, um, is is is the intent of that to just

286
01:24:36.719 --> 01:24:52.400
ensure that when we're when we're spending money, we have enough enough folks here and and so like a quorum could be four um and and that's the difference between the two is in one scenario we have we need to have four affirmative votes and but it could be uh

287
01:24:52.400 --> 01:25:06.719
something that could pass with four people here would be three to one or three okay great thank you just want to understand that one slate >> if you have an idea on how to make that less uh obtuse I would appreciate that um you

288
01:25:06.719 --> 01:25:24.080
can send it along because Um, it is obtuse. I mean, we we have seven members. We could just spell it out. Um, but then we'd have to do we want to describe if there's seven here or six here or five here? Like that could get a little wordy, but you don't have to

289
01:25:24.080 --> 01:25:42.800
answer that right now. And I see him. >> Do you have >> Oh, no. I was just going to is to motion that member Russo consolidate these and present them at >> the next meeting. >> The next meeting.

290
01:25:42.800 --> 01:25:57.920
>> Second. >> Motion for to consolidate for the next meeting by member Rinfeld. Seconded by member Graham. All those in favor? >> I. All those opposed? The eyes have it. Our next regular meeting is April 29th,

291
01:25:57.920 --> 01:26:13.760
2026. And the meeting will be held via remote participation only. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> A motion to adjurnn. My microphone's still on. By >> member Reinfeld, seconded by >> second.

292
01:26:13.760 --> 01:26:18.000
>> Member Parks. All those in favor? I