Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Hello. >> Are you want to play with me?
>> Sure. You want me to help you with Good. Good evening everyone. Good evening everyone. We're going to call this meeting to order. This one will be our executive session of the Methuan School Committee
today, June 22nd, 2026, starting at this 5:30, but 6:00 pm, but it's now going to be 6:30 p.m. in the media center here at the high school. Please note executive sessions
are not televised or recorded. >> Madam Secretary, please take role. >> Present. >> Member Bayas. >> Present. >> Member Dunovan. Present. Member Daglio. >> Present.
>> Member Wulette. Member Wlette is present but not connected to member Wlette is is in the still in the zoom. >> Okay. Member Soy present. Member Keegan
present. May Borod is not present. >> Five actual presents, one virtual, one absent. >> Absent. Right. Um, do I have a motion to accept the agenda? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Second.
>> Roll call, please. >> Member Bayas. >> Yes. >> Member Donovan. >> Yes. Member Daglio. >> Yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Okay. Member So, >> yes. >> Member Keegan.
>> Yes. And Mayor Bard is absent. Uh we'll stand for the flag salute. >> I pledge of 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.
>> Any public participation for the executive session? Seeing none, uh we will go into executive session persuant to mass general law chapter 30A section 21A2 to conduct strategy session in the preparation for negotiation with
the non-union personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-union personnel in this case the interim superintendent. We will reconvene in open session at the conclusion of the executive session. So, our 6:30 meeting
will be pushed. Um, and we're hoping to be on before 7 o'clock. Thank you. >> So, moved. Second. >> Roll call, >> please. >> Member Bayz, >> yes. >> Member Donovan, yes. Member Daglio, >> yes.
>> Member Wulette, >> yes. >> Great. Member So, >> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Mayor Boragard is absent. >> 6 nothing. >> Okay. We'll uh we will now go into executive session. Thank you.
Heat. Heat. That's The sound of an American oil company hard at work. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat. Heat. Happy birthday. I out of executive session and convening into our special meeting of the Mthoon School Committee tonight, Thursday, June
18th, 2026. The time is 7:12 p.m. Um, please note that you can watch the event live on channel 6 Comcast and channel 31 Verizon and it will also be livereamed on the MS MPS events YouTube channel. This meeting is being recorded
and will be made available for viewing on the Methuan Public Schools website. Secretary, can you please take role? >> Vice Chair Daglio. >> Yes. Donovan Grassi present. Member Bayas >> present. >> Member Keegan
>> present. >> McCarthy So >> present. >> Member Wlette. >> Yeah. >> And Mayor Bergard. >> 61 passes. Uh can I get a motion to accept the agenda?
>> So moved. Second. >> Uh I'm sorry. Who who >> second it? >> Keegan. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh, vice chair Zaglio. >> No. >> Excuse me.
>> Donovan Grassi. Yes. Member Bayz. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member McCarthy So, >> yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> And Mayor Bogard is absent. >> All right. That passes 511.
Uh, let's stand for the flag salute. I pledge of 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.
>> Public participation Good evening. My name is Jack Burke from 49 Canabola Road in Mthuan and I'm here to talk about the policy subcommittee. I am more than willing, I'm just a
concerned citizen, but I'm more than willing to work with you uh to help rewrite some of the older policies. I've been looking at this now since the whole budget thing debate
happened and uh I didn't want to get involved with let's steal money from here and move it there and do this. uh I saw it as a larger problem that the policies were aged and they weren't consistent with what
you need as committee members to do your job effectively to help the administration do their job. So that's what I want to help with. Now, I will admit I use AI and anything I send to
you, I always give the caveat that I I recommend you speak with a lawyer. I'm not a lawyer. I'm just a retired hardware engineer who spent 30 years in a semiconductor industry. But I had
three of my four children attend Mthuan schools. And I have grandchildren that attended Mthuan schools. And so I'm interested in everyone in Mthuan getting an adequate education and that's what you're here to do to make sure that we
create policies that do that. So I noticed that for tonight's meeting uh it was the I I believe and so I saw one item which was I I2B and I read it and I was appalled that it
starts off by quoting a 1972 census. I said well where's the census? And then it dawned on me, why do I care? it's 50 years ago. So my next question was where is the
student teacher ratio for all the current grades because that should be in it. And I didn't find any of that. And then I did write a new proposal and I sent it to the subcommittee. And I'm
here tonight because I read that tonight you're going to propose that we don't even have that policy anymore. You're going to delete it. And I don't think we should be deleting policies. We should be in the business of rewriting
them to make them current, make them accurate, and make them traceable. to back to the committee through the administration. And so I noticed that on IIB the MASC says that you should file a
policy that emphasizes class size on the basis of meeting instructional needs of students as well as any constraints imposed by state law and negotiated agreements. And I agree. And I don't see
why we didn't just cross out the census data and ask for the student teacher ratio and put that in as a start. Anyways, the bottom line here for me is I will gladly continue to work with you
and we won't always agree on what I propose. I don't have a problem with that. But I'm going to leave it up to you. If you'd like me to continue working and sending you data, I'll do that. If not, just feel free to say no.
Go away, Mr. Burke. Have a nice retirement. Take a trip somewhere nice and warm. Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mr. Burke. Anyone else? If there is anyone else uh and you are
not here to participate, you can also um reach out to Susan at snnsante mthuan.k12.mmass, excuse me, us before 3pm of the day of
the school committee meeting. And we'll read it here. So, I'll close uh public participation onto the MASC policy review and approval. >> Motion to approve section I as presented
and resend all previous policies regarding section I >> roll call. Uh oh, sorry, sorry, discussion. Uh before we get into discussion, I'm just going to say that this should not be the way we're doing
it tonight. I didn't get this packet until 3:35 delivered to my house yesterday. It was not posted with the agenda. And by the way, I didn't get home until about 8:00 last night where it was
emailed to us, too. So none of us who are on the subcommittee not on the subcommittee had a chance to review this thoroughly. And to be fair in a subcommittee what should happen is they come and present
have a presentation and review that policy changes and then the next agenda item be to vote on it. for us to be just saying, "Hey, let's vote on it," without actually doing a thorough review of this from a committee standpoint and not having the mayor here either is not the
way we should have done this. Um, so I I I would actually prefer that we entertain a motion to table, have the subcommittee present at the next meeting,
do a first Well, actually, this counts as a first round reading if we table it at that point. But then you could also table again at the next meeting too if we have any changes that we want to come back to or if anyone has comment.
But doing it this way with some of us only having it for less than 27 hours is just not the right way of doing it. So I'll leave it there. >> Yeah. Go ahead. >> Um I have a question and then a comment.
Um so I'd like to ask the subcommittee is what before us the recommendation of the committee a consensus because our last goound um I don't think was purposeful and productive because I
never felt it was the what was what the committee as a whole wanted to move forward with. So um perhaps chair Bayaz I know we have two other members here. What um could you ex explain to us what we are seeing before
us if it's what you are all in agreement on? >> Yes. Uh Secretary Dunovan. >> So I'll recognize member Bayas. >> Thank you through you Mr. Vice. Uh member uh Secretary Dunovan Graassi. I
had um some opening remarks regarding uh the process um and how we were deliberating and came to came to agreements on these recommendations. And one of those opening remarks is stating that during this presentation of the policies that um follow the same
structure in terms of how to go through them that we did that you guys did in A, B, and C in terms of a motion to approve and then going through each one and then uh amending them as needed, having a discussion and answering questions on each individual policy that that that
questions that may come up. Um but part of that is understanding that my role here as chair of the policy subcommittee is facilitating the recommendation of the committee. Not my personal uh beliefs on these policies but the
recommendation of the committee. Now to be fair as well there really hasn't been conflict and challenge in terms of of recommending these policies. We have debated thoroughly, purposefully, and with time to come to an agreement on
each and every policy that we have before us tonight. And each of these policies, the recommendations have passed 300 on all of them. >> That's good. Um in with respect to the comments of uh the vice chair, I will say that the policy subcommittee has been meeting
every single week with uh Zoom links posted with agendas being posted with uh adequate time of 48 hour notice for meetings that they have every that we have on every single meeting. And we wanted to make sure that section I
specifically gets passed and approved. And if you notice uh to the other to the other members if you notice we didn't motion to approve in form which would have stalled the approval of section I until all sections have been finished. In fact, what we did is we created a
motion to approve in general just so that the administration has the enough time to put these policies into the handbook, update the handbook and make sure that there isn't any conflict as the administration has voiced concerns of of policies that have been passed
that are currently conflicting. And we want to make sure that the handbook is updated with in terms of section I coming up before you tonight with the first read and uh June 22nd at our regularly scheduled for the cal in the
calendar business meeting for a second read. Um but again all of these policies come to you in unanimous consent from the policy subcommittee. My my remarks on each policies be it a one
minute remark and then answering questions or noting any substantial changes to these policies um will be uh in the voice of the policy subcommittee not as um my own my own thoughts and and recommendations albeit we're all in
agreement. And finally to close off these uh opening remarks um be it known and with the videos posted and everything uh people could see that the discussions have been thorough, thoughtful, sometimes intense but at the
end of the day with a true understanding of what is the policies uh doing in the past, in the present and most importantly what it should be doing for the future. I hope that addresses your your question. Um, Secretary Dunovan Grassi. >> Yes, it does. Thank you. And thank you
to the committee. I know this is tedious work and important work. May I ask one more question, Chair? >> Um, to the superintendent. I know time is of the essence because this is information that we'd like to include in our policy handbook, our parent
handbook. Um, can you give me an idea of what the schedule is to get this ready? Typically that work is done over the summer by our associate principles who head head up those projects. Um they are now on a different work year. So over
the summer it will be in part part of the associate principal's role but also the supervising principal's role that we hope to be able to work on those handbooks and bring them to you for our um August meetings for approval. >> Thank you.
member um Royce. >> Thank you, Vice Chair. I also just want to mention um I don't believe member Bayas mentioned it that we held no subcommittee meeting without the three of us present. And we also
held no subcommittee meeting without the acting superintendent and Alicia Mala from MA Min from MASC. um we were all present at every meeting. If one of us couldn't attend a meeting, then we canled the meeting and then
postponed it or just continued the next week. But we have all been in agreement. Um Alicia Malin has given her recommendations and and we've given her concerns and she's very knowledgeable about policies in general
and the um the laws in Massachusetts. The acting superintendent has also taken on the role of taking some of these policies and talking to her administration as well as um other members of the school committee to make
sure that um anything that we had a question about was thoughtfully um discussed and would bring back her recommendation as well. So, it wasn't just the three of us that were were
involved. There were also um the acting superintendent, Alicia Min from MASC, and then like I said um several other school committee members and members of the public if if need be from the library. Thank you. >> Member Keegan, anything on your end?
Um my understanding for tonight um my understanding for tonight was that you know it's the motion to approve and then we go through each individual one present it have a discussion about it and hear what people want if there needs
to be changes based on what people are saying. So, this is the presentation and if we postpone that to our general meeting on Monday, um that's going to take up a lot of our time on Monday and we have other business to do. So, it makes more sense
to me instead of tableabling it as the first read to actually go through them, have some discussion and move on. >> Member Wlette, anything on your end? I mean, I understand both sides of the
equation, but like I'm I'm leaning uh towards the vice chair. If you did not have enough time to review the packet and the mayor is not present uh and if there's a due to a conflict and in terms
of continuity of leadership, unfortunately, he's he has not been able to attend the meetings. I'm not perceiving a sense of urgency of reviewing these policies. The acting superintendent indicated that August is
their tenative deadline to publish the handbooks uh for us to do final approval. So, you're talking about the remainder of June going into July. I'm flexible with my schedule. We usually go into our summer recess in abbreviated
schedule anyways. Um I think there was some concern because of the holiday tomorrow in terms of the open meeting uh concept if we would need to do a postponement to Wednesday. Uh we're trying to uh
ascertain that front. So I would heir on the side of caution and as you indicated uh vice chair based on our parliamentary rules a motion to table would equate to a first read and I did not perceive a a
huge agenda uh at our next meeting anyways. So if we go right into uh a prior uh executive session and then go into our main body we were delayed tonight unfortunately. I would feel more
comfortable given those circumstances uh to table. Uh but again um you know it's based on the fact that uh the mayor is not present and also the vice chair according to his own testimony did not
have enough time to review the packet. Uh and then we also have questions about the open uh meeting uh concept as it applies to the posting and uh tomorrow's holiday in reference to next week. Uh so
that's you know in all deference to the committee. I'm not questioning the subcommittee. I'm not casting any uh darkness on to what they accomplished. I again I might have disagreements with some of the policy language but that's a
philosophical discussion but I think in just terms of procedure and also there's really no sense of urgency. I would feel more comfortable doing a motion to table. It would constitute a first read anyways. Uh, but I understand both sides
of the equation, but I'm leaning towards that because of what the vice chair indicated and the fact that the mayor is not present and give him an opportunity to be present on these major policy discussions. Thank you. >> Thank you. I'll just state before
anything is gone to next round of conversation is that when did MASC review this and send it back? Does anyone have that answer? So we have a live living document of section I uh section I draft with
changes >> which is one of the copies that you have. Um in essence if any amendments were made today our acting superintendent has the ability to change that and so that has always been in the district's possession is draft with changes. the clean copy, which is the
one without the red lines that you have in hard copy, that was given to us um yesterday morning >> if I'm not mistaken. >> So, and and was that with MASC signing off
yesterday morning that this was the clean draft? >> That's what MASC sent yesterday morning. There was we had another um subcommittee meeting yesterday as well following with MASC. >> So that's why I'm I'm I'm being very
particular on this is that you guys we booked this meeting without the documents being presented to the committee under 24 hours or under 48 hours. It was 36 hours if that.
>> I I did inquire with Alicia Malin from MASC about that. I asked that specific question. If when the posting goes up um with more than 48 hours or more notice, do the materials and resources and links also need to be on there? And she said
no. Um as long as the public and the committee have access at the same time, um that's fine to do. It's the posting and the content that needs to be up within 48 hours because I had the same question. I believe that was the end of our subcommittee meeting. I just
verified that with her. >> Do we verify it with Mike Macaro at all? >> Because I I'm curious if we would have a different point because for us to be able to review, we need 48 hours to do that. That's the point of the 48 hour
rule is that we need to review within 48 hours. So my only my only concern here is well, no, I don't want to move the question for two reasons. Because if if there is not going to be a vote tonight on this and we're going to table it. Why not go through the changes? I have no
questions. I'm not going to they can present tonight if they want to in my opinion. They can present if they want to present, but we don't have any questions. And I can continue to table this even at the next meeting until we have all of our questions met. So, it's
up to the body if they want to motion to table. But I'm also given the opportunity here tonight if there is a presentation because I didn't realize there was a presentation. Is there a presentation? >> Yes, we'll be going over each policy and going over some sort of changes and then
taking questions if there are any based on that. >> I have no questions because I haven't been able to review it. So, if there is a motion to table, I'll entertain it. If not, I will let me bias continue with reviewing. But again, I I I'm only as
good as the body. I am not um dictator in this. >> Mr. Chairman, >> Mr. Chairman. >> Yes, Mr. Wlette. I I >> I'm very Larry about this because I have a deep respect for the subcommittee. Uh
but I just I think there's lingering questions that you presented and then difference to the mayor. I'm going to make a motion to table. I'm not sure if it's going to be successful. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second that. >> Roll call. Any discussion on the table?
Actually, I can't do that. It's >> There's no discussion on a table. Sorry. >> So, I'll take a roll call, >> please. >> Um, so Vice Chair Daglio, >> yes.
>> Donovan Graassy, yes. Bayas, >> no. >> Keegan, >> no. >> Sice, >> no. Wlette, >> yes. >> It fails. >> So,
whatever happens going forward is at the me is at the at the basis of the uh school committee. So, I can't control what the public does. So, M >> M Mr. Chairman, >> yep. Super. I'm going to be departing from the meeting.
>> Understood. >> So I just want Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> This is um acting superintendent. I just wanted to note that um I did ask the chair, the mayor if he preferred to postpone the meeting um when you brought
those concerns up and he uh notified me this morning that he was on board with the meeting proceeding although he would be unable to attend. So I just wanted that noted that I did give him that um respect since the chair does set the agenda. Um and then I believe member
Bayz um wishes to proceed with the presentation if that's the will of the committee. >> Go ahead. You got the will of the committee. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice. Um and I'll note that my vote no tonight is to since it
is the first read, we might as well go into the review. Um so I'll start off with our first policy file IIA uh educational philosophy and you'll see that it has been stricken along with the following two policies but in essence
the first policy has been uh rescended due to the fact that is an aspirational document. Uh we have decided as a policy subcommittee to resend aspirational documents in lie of the fact that we had a vision of a graduate. we have an
uncertainty in the superintendent position and in general of where the leadership and identity of the schools were headed. So in in lie of that what we have decided to do is uh resend educational philosophy and all other aspirational
um documents so that we could come back to them in a later date uh to to identify the strategic plan of an established superintendent the vision of a graduate and put it all together with grassroots support on on perspectives from students from educators from
families on the educational philosophy and all other aspirational documents of the of the committee. And so the official recommendation of the policy subcommittee is to remove file IA. Uh that goes along the same lines with
file IAA. The statement of philosophy of primary education along the same lines. These are aspirational documents with value statements that we have decided as a policy subcommittee would be more beneficial to come back to a time where
the not only leadership but the strategic plan vision of a graduate could all come together and we could create a document that is holistic in what is the educational philosophy of the Mthuan public schools. And finally in terms of these three
documents that were considered in that aspirational lens file IAA um E1 um E2 are all in the same realm. And now at this point if anybody had questions on these philosophy documents, value
statements um not only myself but my colleagues and the acting superintendent are all willing to answer. But the rationale for the official recommendation to resend is the fact that they are aspirational documents. Um and uh we thought that it'd be best to
uh resend them for a future date. Um and Mr. Vice since I am on the edge and you kind of can see everybody if there are any questions please feel free to just interrupt. >> Any questions on behalf of the members? No. Okay.
>> Okay. So the next file is IB, academic freedom. Um this is a um MASC uh policy and so the official recommendation of the committee is to adopt. We thought that it was pretty straightforward and actually quite nice
to have uh this policy in place to make sure that we're respecting the rights and acknowledging the Constitution of the United States. If there are no questions on that, again the official recommendations is adoption.
The next file is ICICA uh school year/school calendar. Um so what we have here is we will be rescending our methan school day policy. um adopting this policy would combine
school day and school um year. Um and so there wasn't any substance and changes to this file uh IC and a we would resend our school day and then adopt uh again
under that file ID school day um is recommend adoption with the change at the bottom administrative and staff hours will be posted on the district website. This decision was made after a discussion on the fact that the subcommittee liked that the original
policy had the uh times on them in terms of the uh on days um on days school days. The policy would go into place of 5:00 p.m. um 8:00 a.m. 4 p.m. So we wanted to keep that but give time for
people to or or give space for for that to be open to interpretation and guidelines. So, I'll go over that again because there's three policies here that are being moved around. The first one is file ICICA named school year school calendar. What is going on is we're
adopting this policy that has that will replace um that will replace one of our school calendar policies and then >> I see move into um school day as well.
I feel like that was a little confusing, but is there any questions? >> So, where's a in here? Because I don't in the red line packet. >> So, a is the new policy from MASC, school
year, school calendar. It's file ICICA. >> Okay, I get that. But didn't you just say we're taking two policies and we're getting rid of two policies and we're moving it under one. >> So MASC notes at the bottom when a policy covers two topics that appear
consecutively in the classification system the codes and headings can be combined as shown at the top of this page. Uh so what what is happening here is that the two topics are being combined. um the one that we're removing is school
day and so we have another policy under that file ID also called school day. So um the concern that you're bringing up is that they're in the similar they're in
the similar topic area but they're different policies if that makes sense. And again, the change the substant change here would only be um in the file ID. Administrative under in the red line
administrative and staff hours will be posted on the district website. Um just to keep into account some of the things that we like from our previous policy. Any questions from anyone? So file IE, organization of instruction.
Um this is our original methan policy and our official recommendation from the subcommittee is to keep this policy. Um I am I am assuming that there might be questions about this. So I'll open it up. >> Didn't we just say we're getting rid of
ID? >> There's no IE. >> IE. Yes. IE. Our recommendation is to keep IE which is organization of instruction. >> Go for it. >> Okay. So my question is why is preschool
not included in the three levels? Says lower school includes kindergarten through grade four. Was that done intentionally? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Um I actually had the same question and there was a very good discussion about this. This doesn't work. Um there was a
very good discussion about this because um school is not mandated um except for special education and our lower schools actually do not include preschool. It's its own building and its own unit. So our lower schools are
actually K to4 um and that's why I guess okay I I I don't know I I just they're part of our community but I mean I don't want to nitpick. So, thank you for that answer. Appreciate it. >> Quick question to the superintendent
>> because this is one that I would have. Are the union are the teachers in the preschool union >> today? Yes. >> So, I don't know why we wouldn't include them. I think that I mean there union teachers promoting education in the preschool and
and we do have it in our day-to-day which they're still part of the school and I even would argue that we do more than just that because we also have little rangers too which I would assume they're also staff
>> not uniday um >> I know they're not >> I would recommend >> if if you're interested in adding that I would recommend um not including them in this section called lower school, but maybe an additional sentence encapsulating that idea.
>> I mean, I'm fine with that. I mean, >> noted. >> Yeah, thank you for that question. >> But so, quick question. Is that a motion to enter that into the record or do you want >> if you would like to make that motion? I would happily accept that and we could the the assistant the the acting
superintendent has the ability to to make that live change if if need be >> or would you like to go through it in the next meeting make the change? >> So I could >> This question is for member Divin. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. I'm just wondering what the the
best policy is as we go through this. Do we have to vote? I'm trying to remember what we did last go round. Do we have to vote on any proposed changes? >> Um, so what we would do is we would um vote to accept as amended um with the
changes. Um and then the second read we would have those those already put in and then we would vote to accept as it is. So it would be more helpful to have the changes on first read so that
we can second read have it be clean. >> Um and my question to follow up so the discussion about preschool was that at the recommen recommendation of MASC not to include preschool? >> Yes it was because um DESIE defines um
education starting at age five. I get it and so it was it was their recommendation. I understand that. It's just it just seems peculiar to me. It just So, yeah, I would like to make a motion that we include preschool in a separate line just identifying that they
are member that that group is uh a member of our organization of instruction. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second that. >> Can we say um >> Ken's gone? So we could do >> um so I I just want to the way we need
to word it though is that our preschool program is a special education program because we are not offering preschool to all students. So if we have the organization here that says we have preschool >> we have to identify it that it is not open to everyone and that's why that's
why we excluded it >> because it's not open to everyone. It's only open to special education students. >> Okay. So I'm wondering in that third paragraph which is also a single sentence, special education services are integrated across
each grade level in all schools, including >> preschool. >> I'd be happy with that. Thank you. Yeah. The >> Go ahead. Member Bas continue unless there's other questions. >> No, I was just saying that if we had the
vote, we need a >> Oh, didn't we do Oh, I'm sorry. No worries. The motion in a second. >> Yeah. >> No, we don't need roll call anymore. >> Favor. I I >> No. It's 41. Yeah. So, it still passes.
>> Yep. >> All right. Mr. Bas could continue. >> Thank you. Um, so the next file is file IGA, uh, curriculum development. Um so
again these is this is one of those files that the we're proposing to resend our original one and adopt MASC with the changes that we have um to them. So then under that redlinined is IGA IG
D um curriculum development and adoption. uh there was no changes to the model policy and so we have the recommendation to rescend ours and um adopt MASC's.
Um so there's that there's no questions to that. So file IG IGB um recommend we recommend adoption as well. Um the red line is just changing the title to acting superintendent of student
services. Uh this is a very straightforward again this is uh nothing too substantive again. We're going through this and I I'm I'm coming up with questions that I'm going to save for the next meeting because
going back to IG, we do not oversee the development and adoption of instructional content. We approve budget and instructors
which then the superintendent and the her team build that instructional curriculum. We approve the book but we don't create that. We do not cut. We do not make recommendations that get
accepted. So I don't know how we can say the committee itself will consider and officially adopt new programs and courses when they constitute an extensive alteration instructional content or approach. That is saying that we have actually done that.
The the key phrase there is the extensive alteration. So you would have the the ability to say uh the district wanted to do something drastic and say eliminate science or um
change the way that we're teaching literacy and that we're hypothetically suspending the instruction of that until grade 4. Something that was completely outside of what's the been the norm that would be um within your purview. Um but
but considering the adoption of um one publishers program or another that would be the district. >> I mean even you cutting science I don't think is legally lawbinding but I mean >> just to give you an idea I'm getting at
is like I don't see this situation ever really coming up. Have you any examples of us ever drastically altering? Because if you cut theater, I can then overrule you on that. If you cut that curriculum in the future,
well, you you do approve the budget. So, if that if that were in the book and you voted on the budget, that would in essence be supporting that. Um, but it would I think member Keegan has >> Sorry. Um so every year we get presented
with um the course of studies and we have to approve new courses. So for instance when um sign language was brought up we had to approve that because it was drastically different curriculum. Um so yes if there's new courses that are that have never been
taught before we have to approve them. >> Yeah you you approved the book but that's not what this is. the committee itself will consider and officially like we're considering it. I can't go to them afterwards and say cut sign language
like we just don't vote on it. Like that's their instruction. They have they have a budget for it. They have aligned the budget to it. So for instance, like if you come to me and say we're cutting theater, I can't say you're cutting theater. Like I can't literally come to you and say
cut theater and we vote on that. Like that's you've budgeted. That's your curriculum. You've built that into the structure. Could I cut $100,000 next year >> out of your budget somewhere? And then that was itemized pretty much towards theater, but you can allocate your money
anywhere you want >> to bring that instruction to methan public. So even if I say no to a curriculum of study, all right, that you've now put as long as the budget passes and you've adopted
an actual program book because again the study book I can't go in and cut sign language, I can't cut English. But if you add English classes in there, okay, in theory I could say no, but again, you have a curriculum to put it
somewhere else in English. You already have English, >> right? >> So, I'm just saying I I think this is putting us in a position where I'm not going to lie, we're overstepping in curriculum development.
We're not experts in curriculum development. You are. we're supposed to be experts in where the budget goes. So, I'm just again, these are questions that I would pose >> at the next meeting that that we can get
some answers on, but if you're saying you're fine with this, um it's at the will of the council, I committee, sorry. >> No, I appreciate the comments. Um and certainly we do need that um latitude to be able to make to make changes as we
see fit. Um, but I I did want to protect the committee's right as recommended by MASC when it's an extensive alteration, which again I think that the the issue there is there's some subjectivity to what that could be perceived as. Um,
perhaps we can become more explicit in what is meant by that. >> Mr. Questions, >> uh, just a comment on this, Mr. Vice, if I may. >> Sure. >> Thank you. Um, it also states at the beginning of that paragraph that the superintendent will have authority to
approve new programs and courses of study after they have been thoroughly studied and found to support educational goals. So that second sentence um on the committee itself will consider is in reference to when new programs or courses of study are presented. So it's
not like tomorrow I could say let's cut theater. It's uh in reference to that first sentence of the superintendent has the authority to approve new programs and study courses of study. So I just wanted to make that note and if you would like to if again um just of a note
we could always you could always amend the section I and make a motion to resend the policy if that is your wish. Um and it'll be at the will of the committee at that point. But just wanted to give you those two notes on on on
that. So if we would like to continue on this then we could or >> I mean member >> Yeah. I also want to mention that um master law is also dictating and guiding this policy. Um and it's if I if I'm remembering the conversation correctly,
this is coming right out of the Massachusetts general law. Um and so we can bring that next time, but the reference is there. Um, so it's not just an aspirational that we
want to be informed. I believe it's our duty to be informed and it's our duty to approve things that are not unreasonable, I guess, is is the right way to put it, you know, but no, we are not coming up with curriculum. We are not choosing the books that are going
into the classroom. We have nothing to do with that. Um, and we really have no say on that. But we do have to approve if, like she said, if she decides she wants to cut science curriculum altogether because she wants to put all that time
into reading, she would have to come to us and say, "We'd like to do that." And we're going to say no because that's breaking the law, right? So, but we have that input. if she wants to do something crazy. We are this the guard rails to when she wants to do something,
you know, that's that's it. >> I just I'm looking at what we cut to what we've created and it's not the it's not tit for tat and it's that's also mass general law too based off of the old document that's been around since 1987 too probably. I mean the committee authorizes and
encourage this says the committee itself will consider and officially adopt very different than authorize and encourage. So like we'll consider like again that that shows that we are
overseeing curriculum. But again I get the point. It's pretty much saying superintendent you could do I I read the first sentence of that as you have the authority to approve new programs and courses of study but we have the right to consider it. That's how I read it. Doesn't mean we
will agree to it. We can we can consider it but doesn't mean you can actually create it. That's how I'm reading that flow. But if the rest of the committee thinks this is okay, I'm good with moving forward. >> Oh, sorry, member. >> Sorry.
>> Um, I also just want to say that we can check with Alicia Malin at our next meeting, but I know many questions that we've had in these policies that were recommended by MASC and also in our own policies that we wanted to keep.
Alicia Malin has also contacted their legal department at MASC and has received recommendations or comments from them as well. I neglected to mention that when I said, you know, we were all in the meetings. She's also gone back to her legal department as
well to double check some of these things. >> Any other statements before I have a request of the subcommittee or to the superintendent if possible? Can we have Lisa here at the next meeting, >> Alicia? Sure, we can. That's okay. I
know what you meant. >> I know Alisa Mallet. That's why I said that. >> We We can see if she's available. Certainly. >> Okay. I appreciate it. >> I'm good with this for now. >> May I? >> Yes, Mr. Bias. You have the flooring
unless there's deliberations. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um so the next policy um student services programs file IG J IGB again uh recommended adoption the red line is just the title of the
position. Um this is pretty straightforward um a policy from MASC that we have decided to officially recommend for adoption. Just point of clarification to you, madam superintendent. Uh the assistant superintendent of student services.
Could that title change next year? Could it change in three years? Could it change in five? I mean the the mindset here is is if we progress and grow, is it an opportunity for us to say, hey, another assistant superintendent could be doing this or will they always be
called assistant superintendent of student services? That update was recommended because the the title was outdated for how we have grown as an organization which is why um that's the role that Gina's in um that's
responsible for that. So I suppose if we grew and it would come under someone else's purview that could be an update we could make. Um but it has been the individual in that role that has overseen um and been responsible for this work
>> because I do see a note district to identify appropriate administrator there. So I'm curious if we just inserted that because of the title that we currently have it as. So >> I I would like a if we could potentially make it generic because God no offense
if Gina leaves tomorrow like you might need a director level I see into that role. So in some of these this a good point that you bring up uh vice in some of the policies we have put superintendent designate
so that the the purview of selecting persons for whatever this job may be would be at the discretion of the superintendent. >> I would recommend that if that's a motion to take that. >> Okay.
>> I I can't make the motion though. Uh, I'll make that motion vice. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. The motion was to update the assistant superintendent of student services to superintendent design. >> Yes.
>> On on IGB student services programs. Member Bayz motioned it and member Soy second it. All those in favor say I. I. I. >> I. >> All those opposed? >> I.
Thank you for that. Um the next file in the redlinined version I GD has been again redline curriculum adoption. That's our original policy. Um so I assume that there's no questions on that
since I we already went through that. So the next one is health education um file IHM recommended adoption. Uh as you can see there has there was a significant red line um in that second paragraph. Health
education will be taught as a separate uh academic discipline in grades K through six and as a separate class in other grades. It was redlined due to our current practices that that does not align with our current practices. Um other than that the policy is
recommended by the policy subcommittee. I'll open it up to any questions on that. question, >> member member. >> Sorry, >> that's okay. This this is more of an observation. I I know um our health education is often and rightly so a hot
button topic for some of our families um and there's always good conversation around it. Is there a reason why we don't include in these related areas that we also are because sometimes I think families
aren't aware that we also adhere to the state standards. It's not noted in any of this and I I just think it's an important thing if it's going to be part of our handbook that we are sharing with our families that we are complying with the
requirements of the state which especially since the health standards were really looked at uh last year or the year before and it's more of a question to the subcommittee. It's not a make or break, but I just think it's something, you know, it's always like
and here's the reason why we do it this way because we are supposed to be in compliance. I I don't know. It's a thought and I'd be curious to think what you think, Dr. Gopski. >> I wouldn't be opposed to that. um
especially because I believe um the state standards were referenced in IE and the organization of instruction. So perhaps in some ways that covers the
health education, but again I don't think there's any harm in repeating that. Can I make a suggestion if you don't mind? Could it be part of our mission statement in the handbook that all the policies set forth are aligned to state
and federal laws governed by mass general law etc etc something like that a legal disclaimer? >> Yes. So Mr. Vice all of our policies um don't most of all of our as the policies that we have looked at so far it's a
better statement they don't conflict with DESI regulations. So that would be an accurate statement to make in our in any of our handbooks or language. >> So by the time we get through Z, we're we can make that disclaimer. Is that what we're can we can we generalize?
>> I'll make a note of that handbook. >> Mr. Bay is all yours. >> Thank you. So I'm assuming that there's no other questions on policy IH am health education. I mean I have I have one more please.
>> And uh it's why did we get K through six cut? Is it because of >> the budget? >> The budget. >> Budget. Yeah. >> K through four. Yes. >> Last year. >> Thank you. Um okay. So uh health
education exemption procedure IHM-R um if you notice the -ash R is in reference to that this is a policy directly from regulations uh CMR uh so again this is recommended adoption since it is regulation we didn't have it
beforehand >> any questions about that >> okay so file I am a M a uh parental guardian notification relative to sex education.
Um so this was just we recommend the adoption of the MASC. The only major difference if any is just the legal references at the bottom. So no questions on that. file IHB teaching about alcohol, tobacco and
drugs. Um this is a new policy that we would be recommending adoption. The only change was in that first bullet point um to prevent and or reduce alcohol, tobacco and drug use among students and youth. The word delay was in the
original policy and it was the will of the subcommittee to strike the word delay to promote and encourage that our goal isn't to delay but to prevent and reduce. Um but other than that again this is a pretty straight we thought a
pretty straightforward policy to uh recommend. Any questions on that? file IHB um special special instructional programs and accommodations programs for students with special needs. Uh we
recommend adoption. This is a policy that we had intense discussion on debate um on most if not all of the language has been purposeful. We have checked the language with uh our legal department, MASC legal department because there were
significant changes to this policy. Um part of that is the in the one two in the third paragraph um not counting the stricken paragraph. The school this committee affirms that
students with special needs are general education students first. That portion has been highlighted that was discussed with legal in terms of if that if that language can be used and it was the will of the subcommittee to use this language in in light of the fact that um it was
more of a sentiment of where we where we stand as a as a community on in terms of how we value all of our students and that we do value all of our students. And so we just wanted to make sure that that was language that was acceptable which it was. And again, um, this is a
policy that really took a long time to hone in, um, in terms of the language and I'll open it up to any questions and I'll give it a moment just to make sure. I might have questions at the next meeting.
>> Okay, sounds good. So file IHBA >> actually I have one call out right now >> please. >> We scratched disabilities in several places but added it in another place. Why would we do that? Should it be
disability or should it be special needs throughout? And I'm looking at the third well the second red paragraph second line from the bottom. The disability is such
that education is general education class. Severity of the disability. Shouldn't it be severity of the special need or should it just be nature of the special need? I mean I we we've cut out disabilities throughout and that's the one that I see left.
the disability is such I see. So the stricken of disability throughout in a lot of these cases is students with disabilities. Um so there was a discussion about correct terminology and making sure that we're being uh
respectful of of all students. And so it was noted that special education isn't necessarily just for students with disabilities or some students that have conditions or there are different just aspects of what special education encompasses. And so a
lot of times what was stricken is uh students with disability um and in other terms in this pair in this sentence specifically um only when the nature or severity of the disability. Um so I would be actually now that you bring up that point vice in favor of disability
or um other circumstances or whatever language we want to put in there but that was the reason why disability was stricken in many cases and and perhaps not in this case >> just because it's a removal like meaning removal from general education environment. I would actually look to
you guys to restructure that whole sentence to be fair because again removing someone from general ed environment has its own policy and process I thought and in its it its own self
and also does this also align to like the policy that we passed last meeting on the restraint policy which I would assume would have something to do with special instructional programs and accommodations. Wouldn't that have some sort of correlation? We're not even calling that out in here.
So, other policies that probably need to be called out need to be put in here, too. We'll take that into note. >> Member Keegan. Um, just to be consistent, member Vayz, I do notice um, going off of what the vice chair said,
that entire paragraph, the the first sentence, the school committee recognizes that placement decisions for students with disabilities, it should be special needs. >> Sorry. >> Yeah, correct. That is correct. >> Um, and so there's no reason not to change the bottom um, when the nature or severity of the special need is such
that the general educ the education, the general education classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. There's no reason not to change that one also just to be consistent. >> So I will just make >> Go ahead.
>> I'll just make a motion to um in that paragraph strike students with disabilities um insert uh students with special needs and also strike and then uh for now we'll leave that that sentence the way it is um and
revisit it at a future date for the restructuring. Go ahead. Second >> motion from member bias, seconded from member Soy. Any discussion on that? Seeing none, all those in favor?
>> I >> opposed. >> I do I just one last thing. I just think the whole that whole paragraph needs to be relooked at and looked at what other policies need to be aligned uh to this to be tied into. So that's
the only opinion I have on this for now. Uh member Bayz, if there's no other questions, sounds good. The next policy uh again um IHBA student services program
um this is a MASC policy straightforward um just pretty oneliner. So, >> so the next policy, >> sorry, the observation of special education programs. Is that what we >> That's the next one. >> Oh, that's the next one.
>> Yeah, no worries. >> Yes, it is actually. Um so we have observations of special education programs um file IHBA um as a MASC model policy was updated they recommended it so we uh have
rescended or rec recommend that we resend ours and uh look at a combined version um at the bottom IHBA observations of special education programs Um the again the line uh assistant
superintendent of student services. I'm sure we as a committee would want to change that. Um but that was one of the red lines. And then at the bottom um we assistant
superintendent of student services will communicate expectations to observers prior to the observation. That was really purposeful. Um, and I would invite member Keegan to to talk a little bit about the reasoning for that because she was a great advocate in in making
sure that we were aligned with with what was going on here. >> Sure. So, um, oftentimes depending on the the nature of the program, the presence of someone new could potentially
disregulate the students in the classroom. Um, and so it it's really important to explain that to parents upfront that, you know, if if some some situation happens while you're in the classroom, you may be asked to leave and
it's not so it's not a surprise to the parent if something happens, they're asked to leave um and that they're upset that their um observation gets cut short or whatever. Um so we had spoken with um
at length about having something written like in writing of the procedures and so the assistant superintendent was going to go back and write some sort of procedures and expectations so that the parents have it in writing prior to
their observation. Um and so that's why it will it was in the policy that we expect that this assistant superintendent will um communicate it and it's now on
the administration to create something that will be consistent across the district on how to how parents are expected to behave and what might happen during an observation. Thank you for that explanation.
Are there any questions to that? >> I just any questions? >> I I I think we got to go back and look at all of this because uh especially with it there's some like first paragraph alone says special
education director design and or principal and then we cut out special education director throughout and then we've also agreed that assistant superintendent shouldn't be the title. it should be designated by the the superintendent. So I think we should change that
throughout this document, not just this policy piece, just throughout the whole document. And then I would love to know what reasons outlined within law and DESIE regulations we would put in front of a
parent under section three of that where if a parent or guardian requests to to observe we deny it like what examples would we actually deny it based off of desi
regulation or law. Like if a parent requests, we should be allowed to give them some time during the day to come in and re see this observe in a gened statement or even in a
special. I don't know why it would be even called out here that we would deny it. >> Right. Well, it specifically says we're only allowed to withhold it for reasons outlined in law.
>> You're calling out a law that there is no what law? Like that's the thing. What law outlined within law and desi regulations? So I would think if we're calling out a law, we should name that law. >> Yep. MGL71B colon 3 right there. and the
Massachusetts Department of Second Elementary and Secondary Education Technical Assistance Advisory SPED 2009-2 dated January 8th, 2009. >> Okay. But but but again, that's a law referencing what we're we're we're doing
here, but you're not referencing like the reasons. You're referencing a law, but that's not the reason. that law is protecting those students, not withholding parents from observing that that law is
supporting what we're doing here. >> I think at the very end, um there's some a series of bullets there. The observation law states that districts may not condition or restrict program observations except when necessary to protect the safety of the
students in the program, the integrity of the program during the observation, and students in the program from disclosure by an observer of confidential or personally identifiable information they may obtain while observing. Who's the designing factor of that?
The sui the superintendent of student services or the teacher. I think I think that comes down to the same as number in number eight when it's referencing um if if the presence presents a
disruption. I think it would be up to the um the administrator in the building to determine whether it's disruptive or is compromising the safety of students. So why isn't eight with three? Why do we
have it as its own place? Because if I read that first, then you really don't need to say we would withhold approval because this is now saying we will inform them not to interfere and at that point in time we
would ask that they leave and any future requests could be withheld due to law or desi regulations. That's how I would I would perceive this going forward instead of saying, "Well, we're going to deny it potentially
because no one should be denied." However, if an observer is found that they're interfering and they continue to interfere, then that that could lead to being withheld the next time
potentially. But I I wouldn't be like right off the bat if I'm asking to reserve and I can't even get to that point. Like we could find a point in a day for a student to be observed. Member Keegan.
>> So for instance, if a parent says I want to come in and observe with um the BCBA, my own home BCBA, my own home OT, and I'm going to bring a team of people in to observe. that could
um conflict with the integrity of the program by having that many people in the room at the same time. So that would be denied. >> But you're not calling that out in this. >> That's just one example, right? So So depending on what the request is, if the
request is I parent want to go in and observe, then no, you're not going to hit a law that says you can't go observe. If you say I parent want to send a design to observe the program to determine its adequacy for my student then no likely you're not going to find
a reason under law but if you start but some parents do ask for things that are going to affect the running of the classroom and so so yes there are times that things will be denied based on what the request actually is
>> but I don't look at that as a denial If I say, "Hey, I want my doctor and my BCBA, my my grandfather, my grandmother." That that that's we're not going to deny you the ability to observe, but we need to limit how many
are in the classroom due to safety. We got to limit you. You know, if you want your doctor to come in or your BCBA, yes, you have to sign. I see this here. You have to sign. But if if we're gonna if we're going to say such approval will be withheld, then we should just merge all this
together to give the examples upfront before we go and say, well, we can withhold this for reasons by law and or desi regulations. But we're not calling it out that there's a limit because if
there's a law or a desi regulation, then that number should be listed. If it says that a parent or guardian does not have the right to sign a release to have someone in the room, then that should be listed on that. But but we're we're not saying that. We're saying you have the
ability to do these things, but it could be restricted based off of what you're asking. But that's not what the number three is saying. It is saying I'm going to withhold the reasons outlined in law and desi your approval to observe. I'm
not denying your approval to observe. I am catering to what you're requesting. However, we're limited by law on what you can do. And limiting it by three people is allowed in the room or you know,
uh, you're signing a release. I mean, you're you're contradicting some of the statement at the top based off of what I'm being told over here on my right side. So, I'm just saying we need to parents are going to be by this if they
read it this way because I'm getting a little if I'm being told that I can be withheld from observing my child with special needs. No, that shouldn't be the case. But if I'm blatantly disruptive in the
classroom, if I'm asking to bring my whole family in and I'm asking, yes, I'm gonna release everyone there and I'm not going to be there, then yeah, that should be denied. But as a parent, I should be never denied the
ability to see and observe in this case. Certain accommodations could be withheld. certain accommodations can be said that we can't do that based off the environment. We can accommodate you and maybe one
individual, etc., etc., but I'm not withholding a deni like this is saying I could be denied. So, could I just ask the acting superintendent to define current practices and how things are done now so that we could all have clarity?
please do. But that's current practices being thrown out. This is the new policy. >> So, >> so what what comes to mind um is the approval may be withheld. I think there may be um a rare circumstance, certainly not
the norm, where we may have um a parent who is elevated about a situation who we may perceive as not being it might might not be the best time for the parent to go to the classroom because they're
elevated and we know or can infer that it would be disruptive or unsafe. So to withhold that visit or the observation during that time and schedule another time I think might be within the right of the district or advantageous to all.
Um and I think that's the reason why those bullets are broad because if we were to list examples um I worry that we might be held to circumstances that closely mirror what those examples are. Um but by referring
to safety or integrity or the confidentiality of the students those give us the umbrellas to protect the students. >> Thank you. And I just want can I just ask a question? >> You have the >> um so uh Mr. Vice to your point um I'm
just wondering uh what your recommendation might be. Is it to just uh bring bullet point eight to the front? Is it to merge point three or eight? >> I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not going to off-whim this. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to read through it. I haven't been able to write it up
myself. I'm not going to just throw it out there. But I do think consistency needs to be done on this one right here alone just on the title of the design. And then I do think maybe a reshuffle of how it flows
>> should be re reconsidered because again if you're calling out law and desi regulations on this and then you're saying well we may limit if there's a limit by law put the limit there. If there isn't a limit then what defines me not being able to bring certain people
in or those whoever those people are in one time? That's what it says. So I would if there's a there's if there's a law that calls that out, I would I would advise that we put that in. >> Noted.
So after that, you'd see our redlinined um guidelines for observations by parents and guardians um or their design. And so it was advised that we adopt the policy that we just went over
and um relocate the one that we currently have, which is procedural to uh administrative procedures. Um, and there's a few policies in here that you'll see the same where a lot of our policies are very specific, very
procedural, and we were advised um, and consented to relocating some of those policies to handbooks or pro administrative procedures um, and adopting a more broad uh, version of policies that give somewhat latitudes to create those procedures because it is
not in our purview. So, compensatory education title one file IHBD. This is one of those which again um is a oneliner just affirming our commitment. Um and so
I don't believe there should there may not be questions about this one. So I'll just move on. um multilingual learner education file IHBA. We recommend adoption. Um and so we had
an extensive conversation on our current practices in terms of how we identify multilingual learners. Um we even had a a intense dis uh not intense but kind of thorough discussion on English learner versus multilingual learner based on you know what we what there is in law what
there is in our policy in our handbooks and what we want to represent as a district. And so after going through that we we decided that multilingual learner education can be recommended from the subcommittee and then obviously
put forward to the full committee. And then on one of those on the bullet points uh the district shall identify students whose document who whose uh dominant language may not be English through these bullet points. And then we had just redlined registration including
um because these are again uh screeners and tools to identify students with multilingual uh that are multilingual and and merit services. We had discussions on some of the changes that DESI is rolling out in the future in terms of um some of these tools that are
used by districts to identify students and test them out of multilingual services and and keep them in multilingual services. But uh again uh those are the substantive changes and slash discussions that we had as a subcommittee in terms of some of the
purposeful language in here. >> Member Dunovan. I I think this is an area where we can't be explicit enough in how we respond to students needs identifying students based on the requirements of DESIE.
Um, and I think I if we can be even a little more explicit as I kind of suggested earlier, but putting in here somewhere that we, you know, identified students will be assessed annually blah blah blah in accordance to DESIE regulations or something as simple as
that. >> It's in the first paragraph. >> It isn't. Okay. But I don't know if that's I know. I'm sorry. I don't know if it's clear enough given the confusion we seem to run into every every year. Um I I think sometimes
we need to repeat ourselves in different ways because it's such an emotional important issue. Um maybe we lay it out a little more like parent checks something off
how you how you have to take the um the access tests. I I I just think being explicit in certain areas will only help us all. >> I have a flowchart that um we've created that I'll be sharing on Monday. >> Oh, good.
>> Um at the workshop and can go on the website as well. Uh I think that that speaks more to the procedural part and as whereas this is the policy only because as DESIE updates their guidance,
we update our practice, >> right? >> So I would hate to be stuck um in a bind between the two. >> I I get that. I'm wondering though if that flowchart belongs somewhere in the handbook. I mean we can always yank it out since it's
electronic, right? But I I really think giving more information to families >> and our staff is really important. >> Absolutely. >> Don't think it belongs here though. >> Well, the handbook since it's it's
looked at yearly, I think would be more appropriate, whereas this policy might not be revisited every year, >> right? >> Um I would also suggest that we do it in our registration packet. um in addition
to the handbook because I'm going to be honest the handbook is very long and no one reads it. So I would rather have it in a simple when you're registering very clear if you state that your home language is something other than English
these following steps are mandated by law like make it very very in-your-face blunt but as part of that registration packet for the district um not just bury it in the handbook that nobody's going to see. Mhm. And that that is one of the
recent um upgrades that Dussie has recommended on the home language survey is that statement that clearly indicates if anywhere on this home language survey there's a reference to a language other than English your child will be screened. So we've updated our home language survey to reflect that. So it's
right at the top so people understand. But I like the idea of slipping in a the flowchart as well. >> Pretty sure that happened to me when I registered my daughter. >> Okay. So, I'm pretty sure we're doing the right thing. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions on this? >> Moving on.
>> Thank you again. And member Dunovan, your concern um is is is is very is very important and us as a subcommittee have ran into uh similar concerns in terms of what is procedural and what can be policy and there there could be very
very intense debate about that. So, I I look forward to seeing more thoughts on that. Um, so homebound instruction file IHBF. Um,
so this one was a policy that stay uh stayed with us for probably a month or two. Um, just because we were considering the language on the first paragraph. Um, for medical reasons. um for medical
reasons and for a period of not less than 14 days. that sentence itself 14 days where there's a question about if it were in uh 14 days staggered or 14 consecutive days and so uh after review
from legal counsel there it was a consensus that that language implied consecutive days >> or it did not right it did not it did not sorry it did not >> um which was an important point um and would I would invite member Keegan to to
speak on why that was such an important fact that we needed to to look for. >> Right. So, um it was my understanding that it was consecutive days, which would mean that if somebody is out of school for 14 straight days, then we
were required by law to provide homebound services. That is not the case. If someone has a chronic illness and they're out of school for 14 staggered days and they have documented um from a provider that the student
needs to be out of school, then we are required to provide home tutoring as a district. And that is a large financial implication. And we had and I double checked because it didn't say consecutive and I wanted to put
consecutive in there and the law does is explicitly not consecutive days. >> Thank you. And again, the the only other red line significantly is from medical doctor to licensed medical uh provider
just to uh make sure that we were taking doctor's notes or whatever that were consistent with what we expect and our standard >> as well as mental health professionals that would cover them. And so we would if if it is the will of
the committee, we would be adopting and rescending our our homeschooling um policy and then um or sorry homeschooling policy and then adopting a new homeschooling policy. If there's no other things on homebound instruction,
we could move on to homeschooling. Um and so we would be rescending our homeschooling policy IHBG and adopting um a new IHBG homeschooling um recommended adoption.
Um and so this also sparked significant discussion. Um at the bottom there's that highlighted portion a student residing in Methuan being educated in a homeschooled program within the district. So that was important to us because we wanted to identify if a
remote learning academy was considered homeschooled a homeschooled program or not. And again um uh keeping in lie with consistency in our residency enforcement with our all of our policies that we currently have and are aligned with. We
wanted to make sure that our policy was staying residing in Methuan. Um so I will open it up to discussion on that. or questions. >> I have one question for the superintendent.
Are we on the hook for any financials for homeschool students? >> No. So, the homeschool students that we have that do participate in our extracurriculars, um, for instance, athletics. >> Yeah.
we we don't have them pay a fee for that. Um so that comes at a cost to the district because we're not collecting a per pupil um uh rate from them for the state.
But no um otherwise no. >> And that doesn't go towards our total student population either. >> No. That's why uh in the highlighted line that's recommended uh upon approval of the superintendent
is is important there because we do have homeschool families that will ask um I had one recently that asked um for their students to attend halfday curricular programming and then go home for the latter part of the day. Uh and so we
have no funding from that pupil to support that. Um but it is it has been pa past practice for them to participate in athletics or extracurriculars. The point that member Bayaz brought up about the um online schools that are
diploma offering uh we have had some discussions with our council about that as to whether those students are able to participate athletically. Um and so there's that's a whole another discussion with the MIAA
involved as well. Um but I think that upon the approval of the superintendent is the important line there. >> Thank you. Any other comments questions? >> See none. Go ahead. Member bias.
>> Thank you. Um and so uh we are recommending file IHBGA. Um this is one of those procedural. Um we're recommending reallocation to the handbooks is I just want to make sure that
everybody's on the same page. >> I'm not. I'm on alternative school programs now. >> So be before that, Mr. Vice, the one before that, there should be a redlinined file >> IHBGA. >> Yes, sir. >> Turn over. >> Yeah. So that's what we're we're proposing reallocation to the handbook
as as um it seemed to be procedural and would also just be um restating some of the things that in the previous policy. What was the difference between homeschooled educa students versus
homeschooling? >> You homebound and homeschooling? >> No, no, no. I'm looking at the red lines IHBG and then IHBGA that we're striking from this. >> Yeah. >> So, we've discussed that what does
extracurricular mean? Does extracurricular include athletics? Right. And so, um, part of the discussion is >> Oh, okay. Okay. I see the bottom piece here. Okay. Got it. Got it. Got it. Got it. Got it. >> Thank you for the question. All right.
So, yeah. So, we're we're proposing reallocation. Um, and then the next file, file IB, uh, alternative school programs. Um, this is one of those MAS like uh I guess
uh commitment statements um that just land out our commitments, but um we recommend adoption file IHB remote learning. This one is one that we recommend adoption, but more so had a
discussion on when we could adopt remote learning, what were dese regulations and laws and most importantly who had the authority to announce an emergency. Um so if you look in the first paragraph towards the bottom uh the remote
learning plan below will be applicable in cases of disease, weather emergencies, destruction or damage to schools rendering their uh them inaccessible or other extraordinary circumstances including emergencies declared by government officials, the school
committee or the superintendent. Specifically, the discussion revolved around whether or not the districts needed to wait until DESIE des or or uh other government officials described an emergency or the superintendent in the school committee could. And so, um after
that review, make sure that everything was in line to recommend adoption. If there's any no questions or anything to add on that, >> I do. >> Yes. And again, I haven't read this yet, but remote learning. Do we have anything
that would have collective bargaining issues if you were to say, "Hey, let's do the snow bags for instead of doing a snow day." Like, that's what I'm looking at. I know some schools do remote learning days during snowstorms. >> Would we be adopting that into our
policy that instead of doing a snow day, it could be a remote learning day? This this in my from my perspective would be in an extenduating circumstance um such as the pandemic when we needed the ability to go to remote learning.
This would give us the leverage to do that. Desi does not allow us to count um single snow days, remote learning days as time on learning. Um, but if by chance there ever were an emergency that
required us to go to remote learning, um, and Desi had approved that that would be counted toward our learning hours, we would be able to do it this way, >> but they do not approve currently in Massachusetts >> um, remote days on Lake New Hampshire.
>> Yeah. So for instance the marsh situation where we had no heat or we have an AC issue could we say the timony or the tenny are now on remote learning days? >> No because you're right it's not in our
CBA. We would have to I it would need to be an extended amount of time where I would need to have an agreement with the union um that we are moving toward that. >> Um so what happened there is we filed for a waiver and that's why we are granted. I know. >> So that's the the current practice from
Desi. >> I just feel bad for a lot of the school districts this year >> because we're stuck with the um snow days as long as we were. All right. >> Correct. You're not wrong.
>> Um so summer schools file IHCA. Um >> Oh, and one last thing. Sorry. No worries. >> Cross reference. on the EBCDs, IGA, all these other listings
>> on the second page is exactly what I'm kind of talking about for like the special ed comments I made earlier on um >> you know which one I'm talking about team >> that's what I'm looking for here kind of
like with references to other policies that should be referenced that's exactly how it to look and I think that's the first time I've actually seen it look like that to be fair in this observation of special education programs IHBA
like that crossrev only has K1 visitors to schools like we need to also talk about the other policies that it would interact with >> okay >> that's the first time I think I've seen it that much on this so far, but I've
called it out. Thank you. Noted. So, summer schools file IHCA. Um, recommend adoption. Um, this was one that we held on to for quite some time
as well, just to review uh simple language. So um students uh at all instructional levels was stricken just because we had discussed our current practices and what we do offer in terms of enrichment um programs and I would
invite the acting superintendent to talk a little bit more about that on what we offer and why we wanted to make sure that we didn't include at all instructional levels. >> Sure. I think uh the phrase at all instructional levels was a bit redundant
because the end of that sentence talks about summer school for remedial enrichment or makeup purposes. So we do have some credit recovery summer school courses running but we also have enrichment programs as well um for our
transitioning 9th grade students. Uh and so we just wanted to be sure that uh we we were representing all of those offerings here. >> Thank you. >> I just have one comment. All summer
programs will be subject to annual approval by the school committee. Is that from a budget perspective? because I don't recall ever approving summer school curriculum or anything like that or like yes, you can do summer school this year, not this year because of
budget reasons. >> It's the last >> I think that's part of the new the new addition. Um it it might be nice for us to share with you what our plans are for our summer offerings. I seek your approval.
you want to put that much all due respect power onto the committee. Is that something that you're okay with? Because again, all summer pro if if we get a committee in three years that's like, oh, if we could save a million dollars because of summer school
programs, and all due respect, we say, "Nope, can't do it." How many students is that going to impact? Like that's an impact to students and potentially graduation andor being held back. Like that that's curriculum in my opinion. So, I wouldn't want that line in here to
be fair. >> I would be happy with um presenting to inform. >> Love that idea. >> So, I Is there a motion to remove that last line? >> So moved.
>> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I >> I >> I just had a question. >> Oh, about that. >> That's okay. Yeah. Sorry. You got you got a Sorry. I like this lineup, but I also don't see it unless you don't voice up. So,
>> um, >> voice up hashtag. >> Dr. Gowski, where did you want that to inform by to inform a school committee included in that last change that last line? I'm not sure. >> My motion was to remove the whole line, >> right? I understand that, but she said to inform. So, I just wanted to know
which way we're going. That's all that that's a practice that we can provide without having it explicitly stated in the policy. I think that that's okay. >> Sorry. Do you have the first and second on that motion? >> We all voted that we all
>> and we all voted. Yeah. All right. >> That line has been stricken. >> Thank you. >> Anything else on summer schools? Member Bayz or any questions or comments? >> Not from me. >> Moving on. Sure.
So this fi file IIB class size related related contractual um clauses. This is the file that was uh referenced in public participation. The subcommittee recommends removal um based on
the outdated fact of the census and the fact that uh bargaining agreements change all the time. um we didn't see in our discussions the necessity of this policy um and would invite if
any other members had other reasoning other than this well what I state is in terms of our official recommendation um but again we didn't see the necessity of the of the policy and also the outdatedness uh we recommend removal
any discussion on I uh I don't but um it's not it's 8:54 and I think we still have a 100 pages left of this thing. This is why I I kind of wanted time to review instead of asking questions and and and and maybe coming
prepared at the next meeting. I don't know what the will of the committee is. We can extend or we can table and continue this conversation at the next meeting and review and then again schedule
another special meeting to vote on the full approval because I do think we should have the full committee here to be able to review it one full time and then a quick second to make sure all the checks and balances are in it. If not, I
I will entertain an extension. But again, I there's a lot here. >> I'll make a motion to table. >> Second. >> I just have a question. >> Open for discussion. Sure. Sorry. Oh, I
ask the I mean, you're not supposed to. If someone doesn't mind removing >> I'll remove it. Removed. >> Thank you. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I keep forgetting. We're not supposed to discuss. >> But I'll remove if if they'll remove it and removed. Okay, go ahead, member. >> I just wanted to know on Monday night,
are we starting from the beginning again or are we going to continue from where we are? We're going to start from the beginning. >> I would recommend where we left off, which is going to be the instructional materials. >> Okay. And then anything any questions you have to the ones prior to that, we
can also discuss. But >> again, I I would like to see a clean copy of any of the changes before >> that we've made so far >> made so far. and then whatever changes we make to and then my recommendation is to schedule another special meeting either before July 1st or right after
July 1st. >> Okay. >> To approve the full package because at that point it'll be a clean and we'll all have opinions and I think that will satisfy >> perfect. I just wanted to see where we were going to we were going to continue so we're all on the same page and where
we're continuing on Monday. >> But again, it's the will of the committee, not the will of me. >> I'm sorry. you can make your >> So, if you guys want to vote for the whole thing on next Monday, you're welcome to do so. But again, I think it would be best if we pick off where we
left off and then um clean it up. So, >> motion to table. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Yes. Yes.
>> Yes. >> All right. Um I know we're business from any minute business from the committee. >> Yes, I have something. Um >> anything that should be extending the time? >> No. Very quickly, Dr. Dr. Gowski, could you please tell us whether or not the um
the posting for Monday's meeting was done within the 48 hour time frame or anything that would make an open meeting violation for us holding the meeting Monday night? Please. >> No, it it was done in time um >> based off of yesterday. Correct.
>> Yesterday executive session. >> I did both at the same time. Okay. >> Yeah, I emailed them to the city at the same time. >> Okay. Mhm. >> So, >> because tomorrow doesn't count, >> right? >> Um, so going forward, if we can just
proper meeting hygiene, I'm not sure if anyone's ever said this to you, but if we could post the actual stamped version of the meeting onto the website, that would be great. and or or at least
a copy of it somewhere so we have it >> because that is technically the the the stamp posting is actually what should be posted to everyone being us and on the website. The same thing goes for the council. They post the stamped one once
it's completed right on the bulletin board and posted on the on the um website >> packet. So our stamped ones are also on the bulletin board at city hall. Um, and so I I can add another link, but in order to keep the hyperlinks, I'll
have to have both. >> But they send that back to you, the copy of the statement. Correct. Yes. Okay. So, I just want to make sure in case any questions come up for the next meeting. >> Yes. >> Very quickly. Um, just double check with that, Lisa, because I believe we never
included it because it wasn't um it has to be physically printed and then sent to city hall. They send back a document that we copy off of their email. And I don't know if that can be linked like all the other
attachments to be linked. I'm just not sure how that works because I I feel like we couldn't do that before once we started doing it with the documents. And >> I think I can I can just have both. I can have a linked >> agenda with all the hyperlinks and then I can have another with just the stamp
plane. >> Perfect. >> Motion to >> Sorry, it's nine. It's nine. >> Oh, motion to adjurnn. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Uh, all those in favor? I >> I >> post the eyes have it. It is 9:00
exactly. Thank you very much. This meeting has adjourned.