Heat. Heat. Good evening. The school committee business session of January 12th, 2026 will now come to order. This meeting is being recorded and will be made available for viewing on the Mthuan Public Schools website. I want to mention at the outset that member
Maxwell is ill tonight and will be joining us remotely via Zoom. Uh we'll now have a roll call. Uh I'll take the role at this point since we do not have any other elected officers for the committee yet. And you know what? I'm just going to go right around the table.
We'll start with member Soy >> present. >> Member Daglio >> present. Uh, member Keegan >> present. >> Member Wlette, >> yep. >> Member Donovan >> present. >> And member Maxwell >> present. >> All are present and accounted for. We need a motion and a second to accept the
agenda for January 12th as presented. >> So move. >> Second. >> Motion is from member Daglio. Second is from member Keegan. Any discussion about the agenda? If not, we'll take a roll call vote. Again, I'll just go right around the
table. Member Soy, >> yes. >> Member Daglio, >> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes. >> Member Donovan, >> yes. >> Member Maxwell, >> yes. >> All right, that passes unanimously. So, we have an accepted agenda. Uh we're
going to begin now uh after the acceptance of the agenda with our flag salute. I'll invite Dr. Galobski to introduce uh the student who will be presenting the flag salute tonight. >> Sure. Good evening. Um, I'd like to invite Aaron Mackey, who is the lower
school associate principal for the Tim Grammar School, um, to introduce Jeremy Solomon Tiveres, who will be our flag salute student this evening. >> Good evening. >> Hit that button. >> There we go. All right. Well, I am Erin
Mackey. I'm the lower school associate principal at the Timny Grammar School, and I am proud to present Jeremy Salomonver to lead the pledge tonight. Jeremy has attended the Timny Grammar School since kindergarten and is currently a fourth grade student in Miss Philly's class. When asked about Jeremy as a student, Miss Philly had these
wonderful words to share. She says, "Jeremy is a hard-working, kind, and respectful student. He always shows up to school with a smile on his face and is always excited and ready to learn something new. He makes sure everyone in our classroom feels included and welcomed. He truly embodies all four of
our sore values and shows every student what it means to be a timid dragon. In his free time, Jeremy enjoys solving puzzles and watching TV. His favorite movie is Inside Out, too. He is currently working to solve a 1,000piece puzzle. In the future, he hopes to make
puzzle solving his career and make videos, increasing the difficulty and size of the puzzles he solves. His favorite subject in school is math because he loves solving multiplication and division problems. He says it can be hard work, but he enjoys doing difficult
things. He is excited to have his brother Elias in school in kindergarten this year. Jeremy also serves as a peer mentor for students who are new to the Tim and whose first language may not be English. Um, so it is a pleasure to have him represent the Timny in leading the
pledge. I pledge of allegiance to the flag of United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. >> Nicely done. And now what I'll do is I'll ask us to remain standing uh for a moment of silence. Uh and memory of an Zuber Monroe, a former nurse at the Tenny Grammar School. Uh she passed away
last week. A longtime Mthuan resident, she is survived by her husband Jim, daughters Jennifer and Justine. A loving extended family and school colleagues who remember her kindness, compassion, skill, and most of all, her ability to
make anyone who entered the nurse's office feel welcomed, heard, and safe. Thank you. Do you have a phone? I'm going to take a picture for you. All right, we will now open the organizational part of tonight's
meeting. We need nominations for the position of vice chair. Member Keegan. >> Um I would like to me um nominate member Daglio. Second. So the nomination of member Daglio uh has been made by member
Keegan, seconded by member Donovan. Uh member Dagio, do you accept the nomination? >> I accept. >> Okay. Do we have any other nominations for the position of vice chair? If not, I will close nominations and at this time we will take a roll call vote
on the election of member Daglio as vice chair of the Mthuan School Committee. Again, I'll go right around the table. We'll begin with member Soy. >> Yes. >> Member Daglio. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Donovan. >> Yes.
>> Member Maxwell. >> Yes. >> And I am a yes. Congratulations, Vice Chair Davier. I give you a handshake, but with your full hands, we'll do a like an elbow bump. >> All right.
Congratulations. >> All right. >> Now, at this point, I'll open up nominations for Secretary of the Committee. Do we have any nominations for Secretary of the Committee? Vice Chair. >> Yes. I'd like to uh nominate member Mary
Beth Donovan. >> Second. We have the nomination of member Donovan. Uh seconded by member Keegan. Uh member Donovan, do you accept the nomination to be secretary of the committee? >> Yes. >> Okay. Do we have any other nominations?
If not, I'll close nominations and we will vote on member Donovan to be secretary of the Mthuan School Committee. >> You know what I'm going to do? Vice Chair, >> would you mind uh calling the role? >> Not at all. In order. Member Soy. >> Yes.
>> Member Keegan. Yes, >> member Wulette. >> Yes, >> member Dunovan. >> Yes. >> Uh, >> thank you. Jeez. Member Maxwell. >> Yes, >> Mr. Chair. >> Yes. Congratulations to our new
secretary. At this point, we need a motion to appoint acting superintendent Lisa Golovski Tumi as the secretary to the committee. Just as a housekeeping note, this is a formality similar to my role
uh as being the automatic chair. Do we have that motion and a second? >> Second. >> Motion from member Soy, second from member Keegan. Any discussion? If not, we'll take a roll call vote on the appointment of the acting superintendent to be secretary to the
committee. >> Member Sro, >> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes. >> Member Dunovan, >> yes. >> Member Maxwell, >> yes.
>> Member Doglio as a yes. Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Unanimous. >> All right. At this point, yes. >> At this point, we will close the organizational part of our meeting and
we will move on to participation by others. I'll invite Dr. Gowski to introduce our Soore Award students. >> Sure. We'll begin with the Soore Award for the History and Social Science Department. Um, our recipient is a
familiar face. So, TAB, if you'd please come up. Um, and department chair Roger Lenfest was unable to be here tonight, so we'll have Principal Caret um, read on Taab's behalf. >> Good evening everybody. Uh, congratulations on your uh, new
appointments and good luck in your in your role. Um, so I'm here to present for Mr. Lenfest. Um, I have the the absolute privilege to present this award, the history and social science award to Tayad Afal. Um, who, you know, I know well, I've gotten to know well,
uh, over his, uh, his four years here at the high school. Um, I just, you know, before I, I read what Mr. Lenfest had put together. U just want to say a special thank you to his dad Muhammad and mom uh Somayra uh who have been
overwhelmingly supportive of Ta and his brother through uh their experience at the high school and and have actually been very much supportive of of the high school as well. Um so with that it is my honor to announce Ta B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B A B AOL as the history and
social science department sore award recipient. Ta has been an integral part of our community during his four years at Methuan High School. During these four years, TaBB has excelled in the classroom and has taken on leadership
roles outside of the classroom. TAB represents our students locally as a student representative to the Methuan School Committee. um as a member of the student council and as chair of the mental health parent and student advisory council.
Taab also represents our students at the regional and state levels as a co-chair of the northeast regional student advisory council as a member of the state student advisory council and as a member of DESI's safe and supportive schools commission.
Ty is a leader with a passion for helping his community. He has facilitated meetings, delivered presentations to adults at meetings, and testified at a hearing in favor of the mass bill to establish a permanent commission to promote the civil rights
and inclusion of American Muslims in the Commonwealth. Ta was instrumental in the establishment of a dedicated prayer room at the high school. He contributed to the update of our social emotional learning curriculum to enhance mental health awareness and
improve student engagement. Taub's willingness to work hard to solve problems and help others uh in need has made a great impact on his peers. When asked about his goals and desires, Taab responded, "I want to do what I can to
make my community a better place. I want to fight for corruption and injustice." In pursuit of his uh of this goal, Taub hopes to study pre-law or political science in the future. And I'll just say Ranger Nation looks forward to witnessing, you know, his accomplishments in the future.
Congratulations, Ty. >> Hello everyone. I promise to keep this short, but I like to keep my promises. So, I guess I'll apologize now. I'm incredibly honored to receive this award. History and the humanities mean a lot to me. The way I see it, every citizen has a civic responsibility to
understand the past and stay informed about the present. Because history repeats itself when people stop paying attention. Our world today is littered with injustice. From our education systems being attacked to innocent people being killed in their car. On top of all the heinous acts our government
carries out, which strike what strikes me most at times is the in injustice we do to ourselves. The injustice of education. We can all do more to stay informed, to learn the names of those innocent people being deported, to know the policy that is pushing AI into
school. Because through education, can we all unite and be better? I don't mean Facebook or Fox News. I actually mean both. I mean Facebook, Fox News, the Substack article and research paper, the government website. As hard as it it is
to believe, consuming content that might be deemed evil in your eyes or contradictory is actually important because only when we look across the aisle can we meet in between. Education is the bridge that can connect us all if we are willing to cross it. and as a
great mentor once told me a quote from an Indian philosopher that goes by Jidu Krishumati. It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. Onto my thank yous. First, a huge thank you to Mr. Lenfest for supporting me and
being there for me since freshman year. His dedication to his community is impossible to miss. To many of us, he's far more than just an administrator. I always joke that he holds the record for the most steps taken in the building, but he insists another Jessica beats
him, another building based educator. Honestly, it's debatable. But what is clear is that he constantly sacrifices his time to help others. Thank you to the entire history department, to Mr. Crips for teaching me with such heart. To Mr. Martali for the deep conversations about the political state
of America, to Mr. Brandt for making economics genuinely engaging, to Mr. Scamman for our insightful conversations. I also want to recognize others who hold our community get our community together and have shaped me in meaningful ways. Thank you to Mr. Caret for being such an actionoriented
principal. To Miss Aronson as in her first year teaching here balancing three subjects including AP environmental and doing it all with such dedication. To Mr. Crocker who I consider a mentor for the countless lessons I'll carry with me for my life. To Mr. Harris for always supporting me. To Mr. Lorac for
believing in me. and to Miss Meansen and Mrs. Brooks, two teachers who teach with immense passion. I don't say it enough, but thank you. And of course, thank you to my parents who support me endlessly, but also still remind me to do my chores. It's fair enough, I guess. I'm excited to continue my journey with
history. I plan to study political science in college and pursue a career in law, focusing on humanitarian causes. I hope to take everything I've learned here and turn it into something meaningful. Thank you so so much. Congratulations. Okay, next I'd like to invite up Moren
Meansen who is our CTE teacher leader and the student we'll be awarding tonight is Valentina Kado. >> Good evening. The career and technical education department is incredibly proud to
recognize Valentina Cedo as this year's recipient of the CTE Soore Award. This award honors students who exemplify scholarship, leadership, integrity, and a commitment to excellence. And Valentina embodies the spirit of the Soore Award in every sense of the word.
I have had the distinct pleasure of teaching Valentina for three years in AP biology, advanced biotechnology, and biotechnology externship. I can honestly say that in my 25 years as an educator here in Mthuan and after working with
thousands of students that Valentina is one of the most intelligent, ambitious, dependable, and genuinely hardworking young women I have had the privilege to teach. Watching her grow at Methuan High School has been nothing short of remarkable. Valentina is the kind of student that
teachers hope for, not because things come easily to her, but because of how she approaches learning. She is in um internally motivated, deeply curious, and constantly reflecting on how to grow and improve. In some of our most challenging courses, she pushed herself
to truly understand complex material rather than settle for surface level success. She consistently attends her classes prepared, asks thoughtful questions, and is never afraid to take academic risks. The willingness to challenge herself has defined her
journey here. In the classroom and lab, Valentina is a quiet but powerful leader. She brings insight to discussions, offers unique perspectives, and always does so in a way that lifts others up. She is often the first student to help a classmate by explaining a concept, walking through
data analysis, or staying after to make sure someone else succeeds. Her leadership is rooted in humility, collaboration, and example, and her presence elevates everyone around her. Academically, Valentina's accomplishments speak volumes. She maintains a 4.6 6 weighted GPA and is an
AP scholar with honors while taking on rigorous coursework and extraordinary range of responsibilities. Within the biotechnology pathway, she has earned multiple industry aligned micro credentials including passing the uh biotech biotechnology aptitude and
competency exam, laboratory safety hazard mastery, aseptic technique mastery, precision pipeetting, laboratory numeric and standard operating procedure compliance. These credentials reflect not just technical skill, but her respect for accuracy,
safety, and a professional lab standards, which are qualities essential to success in science and healthcare. Beyond the classroom, Valentina has independently pursued research experiences that far exceed the typical high school expectations. She was selected for the Biobuilder High School
apprenticeship challenge this fall, where she collaborated with peers to design and evaluate biological solutions in a STEM focused environment. She has also completed multiple paid summer research internships including working with Boston Children's Hospital Harvard Medical School where her research
focused on career biology and homatopoesis using zebra fish as model organisms and the science mentorship institute where her research focused on molecular approaches to bio to blood glucose management. In addition to the high school apprenticeship, Valentina's
second externship involves engineering a bio sensor to detect inflammation in the gut and release probiotics in response. In these roles, she conducted hypothesisdriven research, analyzed data, and presented her findings to academic audiences. All of these
experiences reflect her commitment to a future in biomedical research and health sciences. Valentina's leadership extends well beyond academics. As president of HOSA and the co-president of the Science National Honor Society, she organizes meetings, coordinates guest speakers, leads service initiatives, and
represents Methuan High School at the state level. She leads with confidence, integrity, and purpose, earning the respect of both her fears and faculty alike. Valentina's dedication to service and empathy is inspiring. As an active partner counsel uh counselor with
Samaritans Incorporated, she has completed extensive training in crisis communication and suicide prevention and now provides emotional support to youth through textbased helpline. This work requires maturity, compassion, discretion, and emotional intelligence, which are all qualities Valentina
demonstrates with professionalism and genuine care. Across our school community, Valentina is known for her kindness, reliability, and grace. She serves as a student ambassador, tour guide, volunteer, and student council member, balancing an incredible number of commitments while remaining grounded
through uh thoughtful and generous with her time. As Valentina looks ahead to a promising career involving biomedical engineering, molecular biology, and biochemistry, she plans to continue pursuing opportunities in health science and research. With her passion for science, her work ethic, and her deep
desire to make a difference, I have no doubt that she will continue to achieve extraordinary things. Valentina, on behalf of Methuan High School and the Career Technical Education Department, it is truly an honor to present you with the CTE Soore Award, we are so proud of you and cannot wait to see how you
continue to soar. Congratulations. >> Thank you so much. I'm really honored to receive this award. I want to thank the Miss Balansen for guiding me throughout all of my endeavors and supporting me throughout my time in high school. I also want to thank all of my teachers at
MHS. I wouldn't be here today without their encouragement and dedication. I'll truly miss all of them. I also want to thank my family for supporting everything I do and always being there for me. Thank you again. >> Congratulations.
>> Thank you. >> Outstanding. >> Thank you. Next on the agenda, I'll invite CGS Supervising Principal Katie Pyeti to present her teacher recognition. short. Good evening everyone. This is Kelly
Sullivan. I am honored to commend fifth grade teacher Kelly Sullivan for her extraordinary quick thinking, bravery, and selfless heroism demonstrated during the lunch period on December 2nd, 2025 when she immediately stepped in to assist a student who was choking. Without hesitation, Mrs. Sullivan took
decisive action, turning a frighten frightening moment into one of reassur reassurance and relief for a young student. Supervising a cafeteria filled with a social energy of 250 students is both rewarding and challenging. Unstructured social social time is incredibly valuable for students as it
fosters friendships, builds communication skills, and blankets students in a sense of belonging. Every educator who has had at least one lunch duty will share that with less structure comes some unintended outcomes. On this day, we saw an example of that as a student discussion of a Tik Tok
challenge, which involved eating a roll of pressed fruit as fast as possible became a perilous endeavor. This unsafe trend resulted in a sticky ball of fruit becoming lodged in one student's airway, obstructing his ability to breathe. Fortunately, thanks to the quick thinking of his best friend, Donnie, who
immediately alerted lunch monitor Dork Leafo that his friend was choking, who in turn alerted Mrs. Sullivan, it allowed for rapid intervention and extraction of the fruit. Noticing the struggle and petrified look in his eyes, Mrs. Sullivan gave a strong thrust between the students shoulder blades,
finally dislodging the mass. Thankfully, the outcome can serve as an important reminder of both the power of awareness and the value of fast acting, brave staff and students. The scary event also punctuates the need for continued vigilance against these harmful social media challenges armed at innocent
children. Within my three rewarding decades at the CGS, I've had the pleasure to witness the true magic of powerful teachers. They are the heroes who do the right thing when no one is watching, who instinctively place the safety and care of students above all else. It's a powerful reminder that teacher teaching extends far beyond the
classroom. In moments of crisis, caring, impactful educators like Kelly Sullivan become protectors, role models, and quiet heroes. As author Maya Angelou so beautifully reminded us, people will never forget how you made them feel. While providing enriching academic lessons are vitally important in the
work educators do, it's often these moments of compassion, courage, and humanity that students carry with them for a lifetime. Through this brave act, Kelly showed students what it means to care deeply, act courageously, and lead with heart. We are grateful for Kelly and for all educators like her who
ensure that our students are not only taught but also seen, protected, and kept safe at school. >> Congratulations, Kelly. >> Are you sure? >> Sure. >> I just want to thank Katie for um acknowledging me tonight and it was
really, you know, thank you Nice job, Cal. very deserving of the recognition and this is why we need to have a conversation in this country about banning social media use for people under the age of 16. No joke. Uh I'll
invite uh our student representative to share any updates for the committee. Okay. On December 10 and 11, 178 students from Mthuan High competed in the DECA district level competition, showcasing their business knowledge, professionalism, and presentational
skills. The two-day competition followed by an exciting awards night was a memorable experience for our passionate DECA members. We're proud to share that 38 students qualified for the DECA state career development conference which will take place from March 12th through March 14th. At the state level, students will
have the opportunity to work network with peers and industry professionals from across the the state. With more than a dozen competitors in each category, only the top six competitors from each event would qualify for states. Senior Kell and junior Jake Fury
made MHS DECA history by qualifying first in their respective solo roleplay categories. We would also like to congratulate the following students for qualifying in roleplay. Joey Safi, Nadir Suarez, Jaden Tran, Cody Lamart, Zachary Capetta, Jackson Lelant, Essa Khan,
Hudson McAffrey, and Brady Wen. In written events, we would also like to recognize Amir Gatas, Tenzi Mahmood, Jacob Nyang, Kaden Wen, Damen Peligrini, Tao Zal, Lily Giard, Maya Turkantonis, Sara Laroka, Kendall O'hern, Alvin Wen, Joseph Nims, Savannah Alchab, Emily
Duong, Sarah Fairchild, Katherine Billings, Sophie Capetta, Benjamin Luke, Benjamin Benson, Luca Finario, Alli Latererno, Alexa Martinez, Gracie Neil, Gabriella Gardo, Aviana Lopez, and Ariana Merchant and
for Quizbroll, Eric Delaney and Owen Riley. We would like to thank all our DECA members for their dedicated and hard work. We would also like to thank our adviserss, Mr. Regado and Mrs. Thompson for their guidance and support. The Methuan High Stage Door 22 is proud
to be presenting a very renowned musical by the name of Mean Girls. Mean Girls is a very well-known musical/mov starring many diverse and iconic characters. Auditions have commenced on Wednesday, January 7th, and ended on J Thursday th January 8th. Eagerness to audition for
this popular musical was evident because about 35 students auditioned. Callbacks take place on Friday, January 9th. Stage door members are very excited to find out who will be granted a lead role for mock trials. This year's Massachusetts mock trial competition
will start very soon. Mthuan High's mock trial supervised by Mr. Becker, Mr. Becker has been preparing for uh for competition against Philips Academy as the prosecution team in week one's preliminary trial that will be held in the school of law in Endover on January
14th at 1:30. That's it. Thank you for the updates. Is there anybody here who would like to speak during public participation? If not, the committee did receive some written correspondence that the vice
chair will read. >> Thank you. I feel like I'm getting an early initiation. You guys have been busy lately, so I feel it's a light load here today. Good morning. My name is Donald Blunt and I am a second shift custodian at the Tenny Grammar School. I am speaking respectfully but honestly
about the current discussions regarding the possible privatization of custodial services. First, I want the committee to understand that the concerns being raised come directly from the employees who keep these schools clean, safe, and operational every single day. We take
great pride in our work, and we care deeply about the students, staff, and buildings we maintain. We are the workers who kept our schools clean and our children safe throughout a global pandemic, adapting to constantly changing health and safety requirements.
More recently, we worked diligently to address a rodent issue that was caused by structural conditions and the continued practice of students being allowed to eat in classrooms well after the pandemic, not by a lack of custodial effort. We also want to be very clear
that we as employees are taking the private visitation issue extremely seriously. We are consulting with our union and its legal council to ensure our rights under chapter 150E are fully respected. Outsourcing is a mandatory subject of bargaining and we intend to
be active informed participants in that process. Our goal is not conflict. Our goal is fairness, transparency and the opportunity to correct misinformation. However, the close timing between public acquisitions in related to the rodent
issue and sudden discussions of outsourcing has understandably raised concern among employees and created a serious perception of retaliation and fear within the workforce. I also want to address the belief that privatization custodial service will
result in meaningful budget savings. If the district believes there are cost efficiencies to be found, those options should be explored in areas that do not jeopardize the health and safety of the buildings that house our community's children. Custodial services are not
optional. Cleanliness, sanitation, and building integrity are just as essential as any academic or administrative function. Before outsourcing is considered, there should be a full and transparent review of past facilities and maintenance budgeting to determine
whether the funds have been allocated and managed appropriately. It is unfair to target the workers who maintain these schools when misallocation or long-term underfunding may be contributing factors. Students and staff deserve
safe, healthy, well-maintained buildings, and that requires consistent, accountable, in-house custodial staff. We are committed, experienced, and invested in this community. That level of accountability and institutional knowledge cannot be re replicated by a
private contractor. We are simply asking to be treated with respect, included in honest conversations, and given a fair opportunity to work collaboratively with the district and through our union representatives to address these issues without dismantling a workforce that has
supported this district for years. Respectfully, Donald Blunt. Thank you. >> I believe that does it for public participation that we have printed uh for tonight. Uh what I'll do is I'll share at this point a disclosure where
uh just in terms of submitting public participation in the future you're able to do so uh if you're not able to send or if you're not able to make a meeting in person you can send an email to Susan Shanti sni mathuan.k12
us before 3 p.m. on the day of the school committee meeting. At this point move on to the acceptance of minutes. We need a motion and a second to approve the revised minutes of October 27th, 2025. >> So moved.
>> Do we have a second? >> Second for discussion. >> We have the motion from member Keegan, the second from the vice chair. Discussion. >> Just point of information. I'll be voting present as I was not present in those meetings.
>> I will as well, Mayor. Thank you. There's no further discussion. We'll take a roll call vote on acceptance of the minutes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member Soy. >> Present.
>> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Dunovan. >> Yes. >> Member Maxwell. >> Yes. >> Member Doglio is present. Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> That is uh one, two, three, four, five.
Two present. >> Two present. Thank you. >> We need a motion and a second now to approve the policy special session minutes of December 11, 2025. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motions from member Keegan, seconds from
member Donovan. Discussion. There's no discussion. We'll take a roll call vote. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member So >> present. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Dunovan. >> Yes. Member Maxwell.
>> Yes. >> Member Douglas is present. Mr. Chair, >> yes. >> 52. >> Next week, we need a motion and a second to approve the minutes of December 11, 2025. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> Motions from member Keegan, seconds from member Donovan. >> Discussion. There's no discussion. We'll vote. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. Member Soy >> present. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Dunovan. >> Yes. >> Member Maxwell.
>> Yes. >> Member Douglio's present. >> Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> 52 passes. >> Next on the agenda, we have staff reports. We'll begin with an update from the acting superintendent. >> Thank you. Just a quick update um in the
memo that you have showing that the MTSS revisioning team has launched um by John Crocker and I. So that's the team of 31 staff members across the district that's really driving a lot of the work that's defined in our strategy plan. So more to
come on that at the workshop. Um, but I thought I would mention it now because many of the the initiatives set forth by the subgroups of this committee um have to do with bullying, SEAL, mental health literacy, um, integrating the mapping
for specialized programming um, such as IDEID or CPS, collaborative problem solving, also looking at chronic absenteeism. So that work um, is really important um, and we're very proud of that group who's very dedicated to it.
Uh also we've started um preparing um for FY27 um gathering figures from different departments um trying to get ahead of contracting understanding our professional development and curricular needs moving forward and just wanted to
make a quick note um with regard to the competency determination that we recently uh amended for the high school to align with DESI's expectations. There'll be two evenings coming up. one January 14th from 5:30 to 7:00 and then
January 21st from 4:00 to 5:30 in the cafeteria where myself, Principal Caret, Miss Bozac, um other building and district leaders will be available if parents have any questions as to how specifically their child may be impacted
by the change and competency determination. Um and also to put on everyone's radar on February 5th will be the portrait of a learner community event where um otherwise known as a vision of the graduate will be articulating and
putting out to the public ideas for what we believe um we being the students, staff, community members who have already participated in this project believe a graduate from Mthuan High School should know and be able to do. So, we're very much looking for
community participation. That's at Neans Memorial Library, February 5th from 5 to 6:30. >> Thank you, Dr. Gowski. Any questions for the acting superintendent? >> Member will. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh through the chair to the superintendent,
uh the accelerated repair program application status. I think at the next meeting if we could have a full update >> if we need to involve the legislative delegation on this. Uh this is money from the state. I know it's very competitive. I know it's a long process.
Haver was able to obtain it. Um so I want to have us either marsh our resources or get the latest status of what's going on. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> Ever Maxwell. Um for those um watching at home, could
you explain what the MTSS is? >> Yes. So MTSS stands for a multi-tiered system of supports. So that makes sure that all of our students are supported to achieve in really all aspects of their education.
So it could be academical, academic, behavioral, social, emotional supports. Um, but we're tailoring our uh education to what students need through intervention. Um, whether it be tier one, tier two, or tier three, which
indicates the depth of frequency of the intervention um, and how we can best support students. So, this isn't new to uh, Mthuan Public Schools. MTSS has been around for a while. What we're doing is taking a closer look at how we're executing our process and making sure
we're being efficient in doing so. And um the MTSS that we currently have, that's the um like triangle layout, if you will. Correct. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Um do
students on an IEP receive individual support um if they have behavioral needs or do they receive support through the MTSS? So, MTSS really meets students needs whether they're lagging behind in skill or
content knowledge or they have accelerated learning needs and need enrichment. Uh when a teacher notices that a student is achieving at a different rate, um whether that be accelerated or there may be some gaps they're learning and they're not progressing quite as quickly as they
would expect, they're brought up for recommendation to the team and the team then suggests whether a tier 2 intervention may be necessary for four to eight weeks depending on the type of intervention. Progress monitoring is undertaken. Um and from there we might
go through other interventions or go to tier three but that is separate from special education. So sometimes it's the case that a student has moved through various tiers of the process and is still not progressing where we think they should be and at that point a
recommendation may be made to test for special education. But the students IEP, which would be designed through the special education process, is different from the MTSS um triangle as you described, which is still >> Yeah, sorry. That was the best way I
could describe it. >> Right. So, tier one is known as um what we would expect all students to have access to through just their everyday learning. Um accommodations, which we're actually working on tomorrow. Um, in our leadership meetings, we're redeveloping
our decap plan, district accommodation, um, curriculum plan. So, working on that. Um, but tier one is really for everyone. Tier two is more intense. Tier three more frequent and intense, and then special education is separate.
>> Okay. And how much time um do teachers have to meet um to discuss students that may be involved in like a tier 2, tier three? Like what's the current structure for staff and admin to cover a case so that everyone's informed? >> So that's what we're working on re re um
developing now. So we actually are working with Metamorphics. It's a company to develop a platform to help gather this data, track progress monitoring, and it'll really expedite the communication between all parties. Um, so less face-toface time will be
needed. Um, so that's what we're working on right now. So this will this will be in its full form, ready for release next year. Um, and we're in the early stages of tearing it apart to rebuild. >> And you said meta, that was my next question. Metamorphics is the um is the
platform you're using. >> The platform is called Cascades. Uh we're working with the company Metamorphics to design it specifically for Methan Public Schools. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> Any other questions for the acting
superintendent? >> If not, we'll move on. The next item on the agenda is an update regarding the health and safety task force and uh any maintenance or custodian updates. We don't have any supporting documentation for this uh on the agenda simply due to
the fact that this is not like a formal subcommittee. This is more of a group that I've convened uh in the context of the health and safety task force. Uh I shared a brief update regarding the last uh or regarding these issues regarding uh during the last city council meeting, excuse me. Uh but I'll share some more
updates uh tonight. Um so uh we of course uh last year began working with a new pest control company called Braymond and uh according to the most recent reports that we've received from them. Uh our schools are uh continuing to
remain in good shape in terms of the the critter issue so to speak. Uh so where we were, you know, late 2024 to where we are today, it's like quite literally night and day. Uh which is fantastic. So we're we're really working on trying to
uh maintain and improve upon those exclusion efforts. I had a meeting this past week with uh Inspector Darren Dee as well as uh DPW Director Pap Bower as we continue to build out that framework determining the best ways for the city to support the school district but
actually coming forward with a plan for execution in the new year. And our thinking is to really base that plan around the concept of doing uh a spring cleanup, a fall cleanup, and then that way uh you know, we'll have two concentrated efforts uh during the year
to assist with exterior uh cleaning and the like. Um there's still some things that DPW is uh getting after uh right now by way of um clean up outside. For instance, the tim that's something that they're working on. But going forward,
the thinking is that if we have uh that plan for a spring cleanup, a fall cleanup, that'll make it a bit easier so that there isn't this constant need to uh you know get after that from a custodial standpoint when we have available help from the city. Uh I don't
know if uh Mr. Gosling, you have any update regarding maintenance custodian. >> I believe you touched upon everything I would have said um except for we do have a task force meeting this Thursday. >> Yes. >> Um and I also was able to meet with uh Darren D Friday morning. uh with our facilities staff um to to go over next
steps, etc. >> Great. >> Uh we do continue our once a month walkthroughs at each building as well. >> Yep. >> So, bottom line, uh significant improvement. We're going to keep at it. Member Wlette. >> Um thank you, Mr. Chairman. as I mentioned at the prior meeting um
looking for primary reports from the latest um pest extermination uh company also of the latest inspection reports from Darren if that's possible to furnish to the committee and then also a comprehensive report at the next meeting I know that we had a transition of
leadership in the school system and I'm accommodating that and I know I have confidence at the next meeting those items will be provided to us and I appreciate the outreach reach. I also want to say thank you and to the DPW department for working in partnership uh
with the school department. Um I really am grateful for that. Thank you. >> Thank you, member Wlette. Other questions? If not, we'll move on to the student enrollment data report.
Any questions from the committee regarding the student enrollment data report posted on the agenda? Member Sice. >> Thank you, Chair. I just had a question. The in district disabilities, the English language learners, are these
students identified as they're in um they sign up for school or is this after they've already done all the testing? And >> so for the disabilities, it's upon enrollment. So, these are students moving in and enrolling with IEPs
already in place. >> You're welcome. >> For the English learners, um it could be both students that are coming in already identified as English learners or students who have arrived at the F FRC and been tested and then have been deemed English learners prior to being
assigned to school. member Keegan. >> Um I know this would be a change in what you give us. Um but is it possible to have a running total after October 1st, like get our because that tells us what
our enrollment is? That's our our number for the state for money. Um, it would it would be really helpful to be able to see how much how many students we're getting after that number has been solidified and how many kids we're not going to have money being given to us
from the state for. Does that make sense? >> Um, I don't know where you can put it, however it looks, but it would be really helpful to have that number to just see how our enrollment's growing after we've sent our number to the state.
>> I agree. I think that would be a good idea. I think the August row is sometimes confusing too dealing with the new enrolles in kindergarten. >> Any other questions? >> Vice Chair through your chair to the U acting superintendent. So coming back
into this, I remember what our numbers were six years ago. Are we trending down still or are we seeing a spike come back up? because I see 710 over the last 6 months with yes 175 withdrawals. But is that a positive trend for you
year-over-year or are we still seeing a negative decrease? >> The enrollment number of 710 is is still including um K enrollments. So that might be deceiving there. Um we we do have pockets of grades that are slightly
lower in enrollment and our enrollment is down. Um it just it did come out um Desi published that across the state in district students so not not including students who are outer district or charter students but students that are
remaining in public school districts. The state is down um approximately 15,000 students. Is that to charter schools, to private schools, to just moving out of state? Do we have any? >> There's there's nothing um across the
state or the Commonwealth that could speak to that um quite yet. We know interest in vocational school is high, but it's capped. Um homeschooling, I've seen that goes through my office. I have seen a slight uptick in homeschooling. Um certainly not enough to speak to the
entire decline. >> Yeah. Um, but as you know, Mthuan has a high churn rate. So, we often do see students unenroll and then enroll back. Sometimes the same student. >> Um, but we're the kindergarten particularly is low this year. >> From homeschooling though, they're still
counted towards our enrollment numbers. Am I correct? >> Well, they're in district, but we're not serving them. >> Okay. Can I also get a number on how many are being homeschooled? >> Sure. I appreciate uh because I do see a 230ish discrepancy between the the the
highest grammar school to the lowest >> in between between the CGS and Marsh being the lowest and then the Tenny and Tim. So it'll be interesting to watch those numbers as we get closer to the new um new budget cycle. So thank you. >> Yes, we we have I will mention too the
English learner population is is growing um most quickly at Tenny outside of the newcomer program at CGS. Thank you. >> Any other questions? If not, we'll move on to the HR report. Any questions from the committee
regarding the human resources report? >> Staffing updates. Member Maxwell. >> Um, so since our last meeting when we discussed this, um, what have we done differently to find people for these
positions? Um, I did send a a talking points message out to all families, um, asking them to take a look at at the opportunities within our district and particularly highlighting those in special education. Um, and I know Miss
McCarthy has um removed and then reposted um the positions so that they would refresh um, in search engines and would be populated back in emails for um, individuals who have subscribed. Um and I believe Miss Bozac has still
been working with um services contracted services. >> Yes. So I'm still collaborating with a number of contracted service agencies. I will share that we have had a couple of interviews for special education teachers specifically for the pathways
program at the Marsh. Um we have one candidate that is in process with us right now. So until that's finalized, you know, I can't communicate anything beyond that. and we have another applicant that's in the interview process with us. >> Um I did just look and I don't um I
don't see a message from you um regarding the positions um that I I don't know if maybe I'm just a lower school parent and you sent it to a certain targeted audience. But um I I just wanted to take a quick look. Um
>> I I believe I sent it December 30th. Um, and I can share. >> I know. I was just taking a look. I didn't I was just updating you. Um, how many? So, I I noticed that there's
nine. Does this mean that there there's a contracted person in these rooms right now? There's nine pathways um for the sub separate and lower school of marsh and then eight at Branch Street for Foundation subpar. Does that mean that these classrooms don't have um those
teachers in them or um that you have contracted services in there with them? >> So there are a number of classrooms where um similar to last year we provide we are providing a model where we have a special education teacher overseeing two
classrooms with the additional support staff in there. So some of those classrooms are being serviced that way. >> Okay. So, a special education teacher is overseeing and then the um teacher beneath, you know, underneath
>> the program assistants are are in the classroom full-time. The special education teacher is between the two classrooms when the special education teacher is not in say classroom A, one of the program assistants is taking the lead, but under the supervision and guidance of the special education
teacher. >> Okay. Thank you. But are so right now these positions they are they are open positions or I'm just confused by the word contract. They are open positions or they are contracted right now. >> They are open positions. So at the at
the preschool right now um if I believe off the top of my head we have six classrooms where it's they're um being covered by three special education teachers. So right a pair of classrooms um special education teacher between them. Um, but those are open positions
still. So, if we ever had a candidate and we were able to fill one of those open positions, we have it in the budget for that special education teacher. I I believe too, it happened last week um that we received an application for a
program assistant for a position that was already covered by a contracted service individual. Um, and so what we're able to do there was then hire the person who applied and release the contracted service person. So, we're considering positions open and that we're taking applications for all. Where
it says contract, that means that we do have someone in that spot for the time being. >> Okay. Okay. And um have you given any consideration other than the talking points into how else we could I mean I
see that there's a bunch of psychologist positions too. I feel like that's a big role to fill. No, >> it it is a big role to fill. Again, we're going through the same processes where, you know, we're posting, reposting, we're working with a number of agencies. Um, we have contracted with
a number of individual people. Um, but they're they're going through the private contract, not coming on board as um an employee at this time. >> I got you. Okay. Thank you, >> vice chair.
>> Through you, Mr. share to the assistant superintendent. So, a quick question here. So, I'm looking at the headcount, especially on the contractual side because I remember something happened last year where we said we were going to try to move away from contractual services with outsourcing these
positions because the union was really barking at the fact we were paying more for these services. Has the union assisted in filling any of these roles through retirements or part-time or they're they're outside
of school uh programs that they're a part of. I know a lot of them are with universities. I'm just looking here. I just feel like 50 headcount on 14 positions throughout the district and Branch Street being the highest number
here. It looks like when it comes to some of the contractual services, where are we lacking? Like is it staffing firms? Do you need like better opportunity with universities? Like it just seems like 63 total headcounts
still halfway through the year. Like bluntly tell me what's the problem. >> There are not enough certified or qualified candidates out there that are applying for the positions. um even some of the staffing agencies or the agencies that we're contracting with are unable
to identify qualified certified people to put forward to us. >> Do we have anyone in these full-time positions that could bring on student teachers for their ability to get certified? because I think that meets the criteria with the state if we bring in student
positions to fill for their hours to with an oversight of an FTE. Have we thought about that or is that something we have not explored? >> We have explored that and we have partnered with certain universities or
colleges um to do that. Again, it's the are the people out there that are going into these fields and into these positions and they're they're not there right now. >> Okay. >> We we have a a very close relationship with Mary Matt College um school of education particularly a special
education >> um portion. They come and um tour our schools regularly and I know we meet with um Dr. Welby often from there. Um we also work with UMass LU Rivier. Um, this is another problem across the Commonwealth. Um, in this particular
area of education, there's a real need. >> Yeah. And I apologize for the questions. It's been, you know, six years since this and I've stayed in my lane across town. So, >> can I just add to that though because you mentioned something about, you know, having a, you know, student teacher come
in to fill those pieces while having somebody supervise. Yeah. And and for years we've been able to do that, but now we're stretching our own staff then in terms of if I have a special education teacher covering two classrooms to then provide supervision
to a student teacher um is just adding to the special education compliance paperwork follow. They have to do the curriculum for that teacher and testing and all that. Yeah. >> Yep. >> Y >> All right. I appreciate Thank you. >> Yeah. you you kind of triggered a a
memory, a very old memory. Years ago, we used to partner with our school psycho psychologists with I believe it was BEu. >> Is that really? >> It was TUS. >> TUS. Yes, >> it was TUS. >> So, I wonder I I I'm sure you've reached out, but I mean we we had several school
psychologists that ended up staying with us. >> Um, >> so that pathway still available? um sometimes, but right now that pathway is difficult when right now on our own staff we have one school psychologist primarily. We have um a couple in the
Timony that are not just testing only um but that has that has been a difficult piece. Um and some of the feedback that we're getting is um for the vacancies that we have for school psychologists, it's the testing only school psychologist position and a lot of the
programs now have shifted to their testing but also they have the direct service component which is not the model for some of those positions for us. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Any other questions? If not, uh, realizing I think I skipped
student services. >> That's okay. Um, I'll just give a kind of a quick couple of quick touch points. Um, so I I'm happy to say that as of tomorrow, um, we are actually going to have um, interim ETFs in all of the
vacant positions. Um, so the that administrative support um, and support for the teachers is now going to be um, in full effect. And so I'm looking forward to kind of overseeing how that is going in each building so that that will also drive some of the information
when we come to budget and and talk about um proposals. Um I also want to call attention to the last part under Mckin Vento because I just want to make sure that people are aware that that addition of 55,000 wasn't like um an
inflation in one month. It's just the way that the invoices hit. Um, so that's just how the payment has gone. So we haven't seen a significant increase in our homeless population. Um, but that's just how the invoices have arrived.
>> Questions regarding student services? >> If not, we'll move on to the disciplinary actions report. Any questions from the committee? >> Vice Chair. >> Thank you. Um again I apologize for the questions but what does unique students
mean? >> Well first I'll say this report has a new look to it. We we had been operating off three different grids. So I tried to compile it into one. So we do have some students um who have fallen into this category more than once over the course
of the year. So unique students mean individual students. >> Okay. So it's >> so whereas for instance um whereas there there have been 32 incidents at the Timn that involved 29 unique students meaning
three of them had been crossover between multiple incidents. So just trying to give you a scope of how many students within the population are receiving out of school suspension. >> Okay. So based off of all of these
incidents leading to out of school suspensions. >> Mhm. >> I mean I see criminal weapon. I see alcohol, drug and vaping. All of this is underage and also again criminal in my opinion. If if a student in
K through eight is doing drugs, vaping or having alcohol, I'm assuming the police are involved. Well, the and I will say in those categories, those are those are DESIE recognized categories. >> So, so we report them as such and that's
what gets sent to the state. Um, and so, right, for instance, weapon um could could be a number of different things. It might even be something as simple as like a novelty keychain that had a sharp end that resembled a weapon. um depends
on how things are used, whether classified as weapons or not. Um but yes, um primarily you'll see that our out of school suspensions um come from the the fighting or attacking um category. And so to define that, to
add clarity to that, the fight would indicate um the both parties um are reacting or acting physically toward one another. Um and attacking would be the one-sided How many of these lead to expulsions if
any? Zero. >> Very few. >> Because we don't expel. Correct. >> No, we have. >> We have. >> Yeah. It I mean primarily surrounding felony charges or things related to
that, but certainly not common practice. So when we have students fighting and attacking and disrupting at the high school or even these lower schools because I'm looking here at the CGS just it's a lot of students and it could
be the same it's 113 unique students so that means that multiple times could have happened with that person right if I'm looking at those numbers correctly 233 they could have had multiple situations correct >> the the 233 in that category are incidents that teachers or administ
ators have entered into Infinite Campus um for an office discipline referral >> that did not result in out of school suspension. So something more minor. >> Correct. So those 233 is separate to the 56. >> Right. Exactly. >> Correct. But that 113 could be that same
student multiple times under that 233. >> Right. >> Yeah. So at what point does a multiple situation lead to an OSS? >> It depends on the infraction. So um depending on the severity of it.
So if it has to do with um class avoidance on multiple occasions uh that may be different than um instances of insubordination um or swearing. Um so they really try in terms of the the nonoss resulting
incidents. Um it's not that those aren't handled, they're just not handled with OSS. Um and then in the OSS category, um sometimes there could be a substantial amount of time that's passed between and the infractions could be very different from one another, could have different
triggers. >> What we're trying to what we're trying to really look at is >> not the outcome of the of the situation as of course we are, but what was the impetus for that action to take place? So, what was the lacking skill? What was
the context? What was the trigger that we need to work on with that student to avoid the outcome? Um, particularly with the repeated behaviors >> cuz cuz I'm looking at the CGS as an example or even the high school. >> Mhm. >> You know, a third of the population of
those schools if you base it off of just the statistics is in a behavioral situation. So if I look here 233 and 56 okay so roughly 270 you know um you know that that's a big chunk of students out of that 989
enrollment >> even though it might be the same person but I'm using the statistic a third so what are we doing in the lower schools >> that are combating these things because these numbers in my opinion are a little high I don't know what the year overyear
or the month over month again this is the first time I'm seeing this report. >> Mhm. >> But these seem high. >> Well, we do want teachers, administrators to enter an infinite campus when there is a situation that they consider behavioral infraction. For instance, those that don't lead to OSS,
we do encourage teachers to enter because then we're able to see if there's a trend >> in student behavior. Um, so some of those aren't necessarily concerning um because they may have happened once or twice over a year and didn't result in
OSS, which was more serious. But we do have um we've been really leaning into collaborative problem solving. Um, and so we have several staff trained throughout the district to be coaches and now we've moved into the third echelon of trainers. Um and so that
helps um adults work with students to kind of deescalate, find the root cause of the behavior. Um we also have tier one um or teams where sometimes it's more minor behaviors that happen really frequently. Um, and so we have teachers
that can pull aside a student, um, and kind of work with them and figure out what is it about this place, this one class, this one context that's leading to the behavior to find the root of it. Um, I decide um is still I don't know if
you remember that um it's a an education program for students who may be caught with um drugs, alcohol, vapes, but more of an educational um program to figure out why and understand why that's important not to do or have.
>> Is that the one that to write an essay about what they got caught? If I were >> might be a part of it. Um but it's more of an education um program. We used to have people come into the high school. Now we have some counselors that are trained um to work with students. >> The last question I have and I apologize
for the questions. Where does bullying fall into here? Is it under fighting, attacking, policy violations, obscene, disruptive behavior? Is it its own category? Some some of those outcomes could be
involved in an incident that could be classified as bullying. Um Miss Bozac leads our bullying. >> Yeah, I was just gonna say that the If something's deemed bullying isn't necessarily going to be categorized here. It's what was the infraction that led to the discipline. So it could be
the fighting, attacking obscene, disruptive behavior. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Almost >> member Keegan. >> Um I just wanted to give you some context. This report I had requested ages ago. Um and the reason being is because there are laws around out of
school suspensions and um it w it seemed that the out of school suspensions were very high based on the restrictions that the law provides for out of school suspensions. And so that's why this this report started was to make sure that we
are in compliance with the law for out of school suspensions. I know we used to have RDR in school suspension which we don't do that anymore. Correct. >> We do or don't. >> We we don't have RDR rooms. Um but we do
have some programming that allows um for us to pull students aside and work with them during the school day. >> Yeah. >> Um as an alternative not classified typically as in school suspension. >> I'm blanking on the name right now. So in two of the buildings, Tenny and Tim,
we have >> Riss >> Ris um as an intervention. So we have specifically staff that we're are working with students so to try to maintain them in school but still working through whatever the issue is
that they that they have so that we're preventing students from the disruption of missing school. Um especially if it's not as egregious as weapons and things like that. Are they still in a classroom or are they in a separate like a RDR room like it used to be? >> It's they're they're pulled into this
separate space but that that risk coordinator is collaborating with the classroom teachers so that we're not missing a beat with their curriculum and then helping them transition back in. And it's to repair the relationship too so that if there was a you know difficulty with the teacher and the
student because of that infraction that risk coordinator works to repair that relationship as well. >> Thank you. All set. Thank you, >> member Donovan. >> Yeah. And not to add additional work, but last year we got a fabulous report that showed us the efficacy of that
program. Um, and really helped us during the budget process to say this new these new positions, are they working? >> I'm wondering if if there's a way to do that again this year. um not only for the budget piece, but to say maybe this
is something we need to because everyone's concerned about behaviors and um preventing disruptions and distractions to learning. Um but I remember being really really happy with the results. So, I'm wondering if there's any way to revisit
that >> and to make sure because my concern at the time was that the it was calling it in school suspension. Um because you want to keep the kids in school. You do and work with them. You don't? But I do. Did you say you didn't? Oh, okay.
>> Yeah. I Right. Right. Um and the state really pushes us to keep them in school. Um, so I just want to make sure that we're using it to the and and we share that information. So, um, I would be
curious, our kids, we kind of lost track of it. So, are we providing inschool suspensions in accordance with the law, but whatever you could bring to us, I would be so appreciative. Mhm. >> I know just to piggyback on member
Dunovan, that was one of the biggest things I was advocating for uh two budgets ago and we're able to implement it. The problem was we could not expand it. So, it's limited in scope. So, if the efficacy of the program is working
right, we should be actually expanding it even in a budget of limited means. Because if you're dealing with multiple behavioral issues linked to the same students and we don't want them to be uh removed
from the school environment. We don't want to have uh home suspensions. We want to do inschool servicing to tackle these issues. And it could be a holistic approach with the family too to try to
help them with services. I rather do because I think right now it's limited >> right we don't have a total >> we don't across the four grammar schools but but that was purposeful if people recall because the the principles
reported the needs in their building were a little bit different so although Tenny and Tim have the risk coordinator CGS has the bright program um and the marsh has something similar but it's not so everybody built their their in their
school building supports around the needs of their building. So, it wasn't wholesale across all four buildings because that wasn't what the principles had had requested and advocated for. >> But I thought that was an additional budget request that we had to take off the table in the initial round of cuts
>> like kept status quo. >> There was a request for additional as I thought. >> I could be correct. I'd have to go back and look, but >> because if this if it's working, the program's working and we're talking about like bullying prevention and
talking about discipline and we're dealing with the small universe of repeat offenders. I hate to say that, repeat offenders. We don't want to have the repeat offenders here become repeat offenders outside of the school in terms
of major crimes. If we can do as much as we can for social services, holistic, bringing in the family, um dealing with the child and their issues, isolating at times, making sure the regular education
kids are being taught, that there's not a disruption to the classroom. All those things should be explored. So, I just want that's my two cents. Thank you, >> member Maxwell. >> Just a couple of questions. I have a
couple concerns. Um, one being that when um, Kaza, member Daglio asked about weapons, you said that it depends on what it is and a keychain can be considered a weapon because it's pointy or it looks like a
weapon. Um I mean there are five six seven there are seven incidents where criminal or weapon was involved and I you know what is there can we get a breakdown of what weapons
were involved in these incidents I guess going forward. >> So you'd like you'd like a description of what the weapons are in that category? I mean, just simply because it's weapons. Um, I'm I'm just curious to see
what, you know, what kind of weapons the students are bringing into the schools, you know. Um, I know I'm not going to ask you to break down fighting and attacking or obscene, you know, disruptive behavior. I think that's a lot of work, but just because there's only there's seven, you know, complaints and and what are we categorizing as
weapons? >> Okay. Sure. Um, and then I my other concern is the um is there a a is there a structure to how you inform administrators to report
these incidents? Um because you know the tenny and the tim I feel like have pretty low numbers. Um and they're I'll stop there and ask my next question. >> Okay. Yes, there there is a structure
there is still some subjectivity um within that structure in terms of how um an associate principal is coding u a certain behavior. So every year we do need to do some calibration work. Um and
especially as I think I think we saw in the first discipline report for this year um the Timony had very few categories um quantified and that's because um the coding just simply hadn't been entered yet even though the the um
the narratives were in there. So there is a cycle um that the associate principles go through to um codify the actions um in accordance with the desi recognized categories. >> Okay. So it's the um associate it's is
that it's the associate principles that are the ones kind of given >> yes the break so the um the office discipline referrals go into a queue for the associate principal to review and work on um and then when the um situation or case is closed um it's it's
quantified and cleared from their queue. >> Okay. And then my final question, and bear with me because it may seem confusing at first. I know in the past we've been told that um bullying cases
that involve fighting um between both parties, even though it may be, you know, you're bullying me. I've stepped up a couple times to an adult now. I'm just now it's self-defense. But if they fight back, that's technically considered fighting. Is there a way to
break down a portion of the bullying maybe after the other or are those are those already characterized in because wouldn't bullying be categorized as other handbook policy violations.
I told you bear with me. Am I am I making sense? >> We're with you. We're with you, I think. >> Okay. I know I'm like deep pause. The again um bullying could fall under those
other handbook policy violations. Um because after the investigation, if something is deemed bullying, part of the outcome could either be a safety plan or other disciplinary measures which could be an inschool suspension or
out of school suspension. Um so that could fall under other handbook policy violations. >> All right. And if it's a bullying situation and it's now a fight between two parties, it's no longer a bullying
situation, is it identified as a fighting or attacking? Um, if it leads to out of school or behavioral incidents not resulting, is it is it populating in these numbers? If it turns from bullying to fighting,
attacking, >> I'd have to I would have to >> Yeah, I think the context is important. >> Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. I just I figured it was more of a cut and dry answer. Um I know that we, you know, we've asked in the past about the bullying incidents
that do involve two parties and that's now a fight. So, I was just curious how that breaks down to reporting numbers so that we could see it. That's all. I wasn't trying to be difficult. >> No, no, no. You're not being difficult. I just again I think it does boil down to the context because
when we're when we're looking at a bullying investigation, we're not just taking into account that one infraction because right that by definition bullying is the repeated >> over time. Um, so so that's how we have to look at
this that these these infractions are those individual infractions. When we're talking about bullying, we're talking about repeated instances over time. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> Member Keegan. >> Um, so I just want to clarify with the
bullying piece. The bullying investigation happens because there's an infraction. So the infractions are being recorded here and that's why we don't have a category for bullying because bullying probably if it's been deemed that it's going to be a couple of these
incidences that have caused you to label it bullying >> potentially. >> Right. So so you're investigating the incident to determine if it's bullying, not the other way around. Right. Not necessarily because sometimes
bullying could be the repeated um name calling which might not fall under one of these out of school suspensions, >> right? But so then bullying so something like that isn't even going to be on here. >> It could be under that other handbook >> policy. Okay. Thank you.
>> You're welcome. >> Vice Chair then member will >> thank you. I just want to say back to the risk program. It looks like it is working at the Tim and Tenny based off the numbers. Have we explored bringing it to the CGS?
>> I believe that's what member Wlette was mentioning from last year. >> Sorry. >> Um and and again when when and that's part of what I was talking about when CGS had to make a decision. They have the bright program that has been proven to be successful for different needs
that are in that building. So that was their primary role when they initiated that. >> I hate to say it this way. I know it's budget, but have we thought about carouseling it around to different schools? Like you know this year it's the Tim and Tenny, next year it's Marshian CGS by annually you're going back and forth.
>> I think the concern we have the short answer no we haven't discussed that the concern would be the what's in place for the Tim if they don't have that in place so that we can maintain the success that's been there. Well, we have the bright program. So, could we have the CGS?
>> Could we bring that to the tenny >> and then the two risk programs go to the other place? I'm just looking at how we can because I'm looking at the CGS. >> These numbers are it's comparable to the high school. >> It's just it's it's just it for me that's a concern when a third of your
population is seeing some sort of in school and because I'm assuming the risk program is probably the OSS and maybe the out of school in school, right? I mean, I'm sorry. Let me rephrase that. Not OS OSS. >> Not OSS. >> But I'm assuming one of those 56
individuals at the CGS may have been in the risk program prior, right? Could they have been >> in at the CGS? If I'm at the CGS, the OSS and the non-resulting in OSS, the
233, one of those students could have been right in the risk program. No. Oh, I'm sorry. That's right. The Bright program then. >> No, because the Bright program serves a different purpose. It's when a student is having um is dealing with probably a
traumatic life event. And so rather than them miss school, they're receiving it's not a it's not a behavioral intervention. It's more to support them in terms of processing that life event, the traumatic life event while not disrupting their education and being
flexible with them and working around that so that we can re re-engage them. >> The nonoss it could have been teacher detention, phone call, home, any other step of the pro progressive discipline. We have a 56 OSS. That's still high
compared to the other grammar schools. But when I look at the let's take the the tenny for instance though going back to my original point that I was trying to make. One of those 139 could be one of the 25 too if I'm in the risk program. I could be OSS, >> right?
>> I could be. Okay. >> And that 81 unique students could be part of that 22 unique students too. Correct. Is there a way to zero in on actually how many students even if they're duplicates
>> or is that a little too much data? >> Um, can you clarify what you're looking for? So, I was trying to show you how many individuals >> Yeah. So, >> like over the course of the year had been >> Yep. John Doe told the teacher to go have a good day. >> Mhm.
>> Gets some non OSS. Okay. Yep. >> Gets a phone call. Home, detention, whatever. Y during detention, he throws a desk around, >> breaks a lamp, whatever it is, he gets OSS. >> He's being counted twice. >> Oh, in both columns. Yes. >> Okay. So, you're saying combined?
>> Combined and get removed duplicates. >> We could do that >> because I think that will paint a different picture, >> right? >> If there's duplicates. >> I'm assuming that is the case that there's duplicates. >> Yeah. Thank you.
Any other questions? If not, we'll move on to old business and other pending matters. I'll invite member Donovan to share an update regarding the superintendent search and the RFP process. >> Okay, I don't know if Miss McCarti has
arrived yet. I thought I saw her. Okay, she's in the back, but um I hope she hears this. Kudos to Miss McCarthy um who has really gone out of her way. She worked tirelessly with the city's purchasing department. I know mayor, you were involved in some of those
discussions. There were some tweaks made to the RFP and she has communicated them all very consistently to the committee. As a result of those tweaks, we know that the bid award is being moved back um to Monday. I mean, sorry, the bids
are due. I apologize. The bids are due now on Monday, January 26th, as opposed to today. um with our expectations that we'll be able to award them for whatever we decide to do on uh February 10th. She
has reported Oh, here she comes. She has reported um there were I think we're up to 20 people looked 20 20 uh companies did look some that we had researched ourselves. So, um I again want to applaud
uh Colleen for the work she did with this. I know it it got tedious at times, but you're getting us through it. Thank you. >> That's it. >> Thank you, Member Donovan. >> Any questions?
>> Vice Chair, >> just being new to this and I really haven't publicly said anything about the situation. So, um, to the committee, I I know you guys went through an RFP process to look for a new superintendent.
Is this the will of the current committee to continue with the idea that we're going to find a superintendent by July 1st? Because there are a heck of a lot of superintendent searches going on out there. And uh I'm not sure if if the
city's prepared to to waste that type of time to look for an actual superintendent or go with the mindset of an interim. So I'm just curious of where most of us sit and I just want to get on board with the right decision. So just for some background, the
thinking was to uh late last year prepare to attempt to set the table for a search process um by going about this concept of settling on you know the decision uh for an RFP and then to bring in a consultant
to assist us with the search. Uh now of course there have been uh a lot of changes uh just given our circumstances in the district um that were not originally play during those initial conversations.
>> Uh and so uh I'm I'll just be frank. I think >> given all the change the process and that discussion is kind of on its head right now. >> Okay. uh so I think it is uh on uh this new committee uh to establish that path
forward. Now I will say that one of the uh very intentional elements of this was the uh push to wait until we had a new committee seated before we get too far down the path. Now granted, you know,
that also as we referenced this at the time presents these challenges as it relates to process and July 1 and getting things settled by then. Uh so you know this is really a decision that the committee collectively has to make
in terms of whether we uh I don't want to say switch gears entirely but you know explore the prospect of an interim appointment versus anticipating that we'll be able to navigate this process to get to a more permanent solution
given the fact that there are so many other districts doing the same thing and they are in many cases significantly farther down the path in terms of uh a selection process. So that's something that certainly I'll open up for the
committee for discussion just in terms of uh where folks are at given the fact that this is uh on the agenda as an update regarding the superintendent search the RFP process and the like. I think it's appropriate to have that discussion. >> Thank you. And I'm all set. I won't ask any more questions about it. I just
wanted to get the point. Thank you. Member Maxwell. >> Um I just want to say thank you because I did send some um concerns to Colleen and um you know you did get right on that. So I appreciate that. I did have
um some questions regarding the um insurance portion of it. I know that we, you know, you don't need the um certificate before we um hire the firm or whatnot, but the certificate piece of it really, it's not service um
professional services related. It's kind of more like a construction contract where it has auto um coverage and you know, there's a lean holder and umbrella insurance and all that. So, um I was curious about that and then um well, I guess I'll stop there first. Member
Maxwell, I can answer that question for you. So, >> Sure. Thank you. >> Uh the thinking uh especially over the course of the past few months has been uh trying to get the uh city and schools on the same page as it relates to uh procurement and the contracting uh like
the template that's used for contracts and the like. And so, uh something that is standard for all city contracts uh is uh the insurance aspect. So regardless of whether it's a service uh vendor, anything like that, uh the uh the
thinking is to have it all standardized and have that uh as part of the uh process here. So that's something that is uh simply due to the fact that we're following the city template and that's something that's standard across all city contracts.
So, um, if a firm didn't have auto coverage, um, we wouldn't consider them. >> I mean, I I guess it's a good question. Uh, but, uh, again, I think the the goal is to get at some consistency from a
process standpoint. Uh, but that's something that we can follow up on with you, Member Maxwell. I I don't I don't envision that something like that would necessarily be um something that would preclude us from working with a particular vendor.
>> I mean, if it's a requirement of their application, uh it would certainly count some people out if they don't have the coverage >> perhaps. uh but you know I'll reiterate that this is something that um has been
uh discussed with the solicitor uh on the city side um especially and so you know we're at a point where uh in terms of procurement uh and on the guidance of legal counsel on the city side that that's where we're at in terms of
uh getting after this from a process standpoint. So that's something that I can certainly follow up with the solicitor regarding in terms of his thinking. Uh but I don't have a specific answer to that for you tonight. >> Okay. Um, and I I recently watched uh in
the MASC presentation on superintendent um and hiring of the superintendent and they recommend that at least two school committee members sit on the um search committee for the superintendent process. And I know that that was a
discussion for us and and that was not included in the um RFP. it was kind of just like a blanket. We're going to have certain stakeholders, but um committee members were not a piece of that. And I I just
wanted to suggest maybe um looking further into that and changing that so that two members um were put on the search committee for the superintendent. So, Mor Maxwell, just to respond to
that, um, you know, at this point, we're in the process of trying to search for a consultant to come alongside of us. Um, this isn't something where, uh, that is being formally established. Uh I want to
mention that the um I guess I'm trying to say the uh not the template but the overall gist of what we were looking for was circulated among committee members and determined as a committee
collectively. Uh there were some committee members that I don't believe and Miss McCarthy correct me if I'm wrong some members didn't necessarily respond to that. Um but nevertheless it was based on a consensus of the committee and uh that was the main
reason why we brought that conversation before the committee thinking that it would be best to have buyin from the group uh as a collective body and be transparent about the process of formulating uh the RFP itself so that
folks are involved from soup to nuts. >> Just for clarification publicly Mr. Chair. >> Yeah. Yeah, I just I just um I just you know coming from MASC and and um having I I know we haven't had our meeting on what
we're going to have them kind of come in and consult us on next, but I think that that may be an option because there was a lot of information in that that maybe we weren't um aware of before we agreed to, you know, the terms that we agreed
to. So I I I'm not saying that it's wrong and I'm not saying that it it's not the right way. I'm just saying maybe we can rec reconsider that when the time comes around. >> Thank you for your feedback, Member Maxwell. Member Wlette. >> Thank you. I mean, this would be
I've had experiences with four superintendent and and at times I witness in the community that there was a rush to approve a superintendent contract and I think it came from the school committee. So I rather have a new approach to this
process uh have the metrics in place, have a independent consulting firm. I am in no rush at all. I want to establish a solid foundation. I want to involve the the newer members of the committee. Um, and
I that's my mindset is that I don't want to necessarily involve the school committee as part of this process. Ultimately, we'll take the votes at certain uh checkpoints, but I don't want to have a process where
we have two members potentially um monopolizing the process. I'm not interested in that. I've witnessed it in the past. Um if you want to talk about it as politics, I want to make it as independent as possible. If I see names
on the search uh committee that I'm not liking, I will call that out. Um I want uh diversity included. Uh we're a majority minority district and I I think we need Hispanic representation on that
search committee. I'll be seeking that. Um gender is going to be a factor. People that have a stake in a school system. So maybe people with decades of experience, I defer to them. The the
audit was very revealing that we have major issues and again part of it I'm going to take ownership as a school committee member that maybe we need to go in a different direction in this process. Um and ultimately if we
don't find the candidates, let's say we have a certain group of finalists and we're we're not happy with that. My most important thing is also to have continuity of the administration that we have stability in the central
office and I'm geared towards that too. I'm want to work with my colleagues. But to me when you talk about automatically appointing someone from the committee to me that's automatically a red flag. Let's have the process go forward. We
have strong foundation. We have strong metrics. We're going to have these consulting firms. We're going to have a bid process. Okay. We've gone through this the city side and the school side and our respective uh councils. Human resources. I'm very um she's very much
involved in it. Veteran status. Um my uh expectation is to have minority representation uh gender representation and people with decades of experience involved in the school system. Okay. Beyond even me. So
that would be my expectation. Thank you. >> Member Donovan. >> If I may only and I'll be brief. I know it's my second time. Everyone brought a lot of good thoughts to this table tonight. when we finally do the ru open the bids do our rubric
we might say or we we may default just because it's too expense all those things there's so many reasons I think at that point we all have to make a decision together do we need to go with an interim because the events of the
last few weeks you know it's in our real window now however I think it's going to be difficult and I can share I was approached I got called by a couple of different people or friends of people saying, "Hey, what's the process like?" Because I always wanted to work in a
gateway city school district. Those people aren't returning my calls now. So, I think we need to be honest about that. But while moving forward, at some point, we're going to reach a date where I don't think there's any going forward.
And um I know folks are cons, you know, I it's I think it's really hard to work in this district right now. Right. And Right. And thank you for alluding to that about our central office. That means a lot. So at some point we're going to have to pull the
plug and I believe as a body and decide how do we move this district forward with an interim. And what criteria do we use for that? It's out there, you know, like the elephant sitting in the sitting in the corner over there right now. Look
at some people turned when I pointed. No, right. I I you know, so I think we need to consider that and maybe that date is when we open the bids and we do our rubrics and say not what we were hoping
for. We took a good risk, but maybe that there's a reason for that. So, thank you. >> Thank you, vice chair. >> The only thing I'll say is I think there's only two people sitting here that have actually gone through that process in the past. And I will say the
mayor was part of the last search committee as a resident and I was on as vice chair actually of the school committee in that situation as well. A lot of similarities unfortunately to that situation seven years ago. Um
whatever what everyone just said is 100% correct. You think one thing right now a week from now it's a whole different story. the number of candidates you receive, the the the ones that back out after interviews after they got through the
search committee, you thought they were the 100% option, you know, last hour it changes. And and I also, and again, don't take this the wrong way either. We don't know if we have someone internally. This is
probably going to be someone that's going to have to move or relocate or be a a new member of this community potentially. I mean, I know what I want, but that's something we got to look long
and hard. Are we past that date of those people looking? Or we got July 1st when someone in Georgetown, Virginia goes, "You know what? I hated my year here. Maybe I should go look online and see what's going on. And that whole new
round of employees and ideas and candidates are hitting the market. I just don't want Mthuan to say, "Hey, that could have been our superintendent and that person coming in is given the wrong shot right off the bat if we rush it."
So I just what we think today could be different tomorrow. And in a year from now, we could have been saying, "Why did we even have this discussion? and we knew exactly what we wanted to do at that point. So, just throwing that out there. >> And we also weren't anticipating that when we began this discussion that
certain actions would be taken that would scare away uh a lot of >> uh I voted no and I'm just saying I just wanted for the record. I voted no and that veto stayed. So, thank you ma'am. member will >> I I also want to emphasize is that I had
multiple conversations with school committee members that indicated that uh there were not any other candidates in the field. So and then I heard in Wilmington that there were multiple candidates
running for the superintendent's uh position. >> Yeah. So that kind of dismissed the premise is that we needed to have either the status quo or there wasn't competition or we wouldn't be able to entice people.
Um, and I'm in no rush to do anything at this stage other than go through a process that I pledged to the voters in Mthuan. Let's go through that process. Uh but I was told um again you need to
do status quo. Um people are not applying elsewhere. And then all of a sudden we heard oh yeah there's a ton of people applying in in different communities and they were finalists in nearby Wilmington. Uh and then all of a sudden I said oh wait a minute that
whole house of cards got uh knocked over. So I understand I think the fact that this is not pre-ordained like in Mthuan people would say oh yeah that vote is pre-ordained they went into a back room and they decide what they
wanted to do. I think the fact that we haven't made a final determination on anything at this stage is healthy. It shows that a community we're going to be open and transparent during this process. So that's the only thing I hope people glean from tonight.
>> Just a point of information. Mayor >> and I know member Maxwell has a followup. >> Yeah, I did. >> And oh, so we'll hear from member Keegan, we'll hear the follow from member Maxwell, then we'll have the vice chair. >> Thank you. >> Hold that thought. >> Um, the other thing I want to point out is that most people who are going to be
a superintendent, if we if we're going to get somebody with experience, they have contracts that they're in right now and they have requirements for giving their notice to their current district. and those are typically in March.
>> And so we're running out of time to get people who will have time to give their notice. And so I I do feel like we're heading into an interim situation because we don't have enough time to do the search and get somebody and give
them enough time to give their notice to their district. >> I I just don't think there's enough time between now and March to do that. Um so that's where I'm at. a followup for member Maxwell. >> Um, no. My only followup was just to um
thank you for actually having this conversation because uh member Wlette actually reminded me of the first conversation we had regarding this and why we came to the consensus of um not having our committee members on the search committee. Um so I appreciate that. I I did kind of push that to the
back of my head. So, um I would say that I still agree with the the process that we originally chose. Thank you. Thanks for listening, though. >> And then the last point, yeah, last point, chair. Uh I agree with you. The Wilmington situation is very similar to
what happened to us seven years ago. A lot of it went down in August and those decisions and the RFP process went out in October and then you know candidates had interviews in October and November and the decision was made in November.
We're in January now and so again as member Keegan mentioned a lot of those people are like I'm not deciding to leave my my my contract's another year and a half. Come July that John or Jane might be saying yep that might be a better opportunity. What I'm worried
about is we get someone that's not being rehired in a district and then that comes with its own problems potentially and and I don't want to go down that route right now. I think we need to give a fair and open opportunity here like we did seven years
ago which again if I recall no school committee member was also on that that search committee. They waited until the interviews. >> I don't remember any school committee members in that. >> There was none. Uh, and if there was any, it would have been Sue Nicholson and it wasn't. So, there was zero on
that school committee. So, I just want to say again, different timelines. I agree with you, but they also went with someone in a different state and who was never a superintendent. So, I'm just I'm putting that out there. In Wilmington, they went with a person
from NSHA, an assistant superintendent. >> All right, >> we'll move on. Next item on the agenda. We're going to move on to new business. We need a motion and a second to approve the Mthuan High School dining room improvements.
>> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion's for member Keegan. The second is from member s Royce. Discussion. >> We have Mr. Friday here. >> Mayor. >> Oh, we have uh Bob Friday here from food services. He'll go over what it is, but
um really he's looking at really upgrading the cafeterias starting at the high school. Um, I think it's important that you guys at least vote to support this so we can move forward. Uh, that's why I had the approval put on there. But he'll be able to give you the soup soup to nuts, uh, explanation of everything
he's looking to do. >> You're on, Bob. >> You need an extra set of hands. I can't hear anything. I can't hear him. >> How's that? >> Oh, that's better. Thank you. >> I forgot to push the button. Um, but we
replaced all of the um, walk-in refrigerators and freezers at the CGS, the marsh, and the Tim school, and that was this past summer. Um, we also purchased the new food service van for our deliveries for our satellites um that replaced um, a fairly old van that
we were using. Um during the holiday break, this past holiday break, uh we made some improvements in the high school cafeteria over the serving lines. Um the serving lines when it was originally designed, it's extremely dark
if you ever been there during lunch. Um, so I added track lighting over all of the lines where you can actually we can actually turn the heads of the lights to highlight menu boards and the different entre and it made a huge improvement. I
mean I mean the students are really even recognizing the the change which is awesome. Um this summer I plan to with there's plans in the works to replace the serving areas of the at the all of the grammar
schools. Um most of them um are very outdated. Um a lot of this stuff doesn't really um function well. It doesn't allow us to add variety to our menus. Um but the most important project I want to talk about um the goal is this February
vacation I would like to um modify the high school cafeterias. Um um we this has been about a year and a half in the works. I've been working with the high school administration and the principles. We've met several times. Um
this is probably the sixth or seventh revision of the plans. Um, so the the plans that are in your packet now um are the ones that the most finalized. Um, but it's ready to go and we're just looking for approval.
It's really going to I mean it's replaces all of the furniture. Um, the existing furniture will go will be distributed to the grammar schools. The grammar school's furniture is ancient. We're constantly buying seats, the plastic seats for the tables and because
the kids sit on them and they spin and they loosen them up and that whole bit. So, um I've done inventory at the high school and um the grammar schools and we can incorporate all of the tables um that we have here um and they're in much better condition. Um the new tables and
chairs will be um branded. So, we have a lot of the um the Muan, you know, Rangers logo is on it. Um, you know, we've added uh trash receptacles that are all branded. Um,
the the the paint scheme is we're still using the Methuan blue um but we incorporated the black and the white that's in the um the logo of the Methuan M um throughout the cafeteria throughout the dining room.
>> Thank you. We'll hear questions from the committee. Member Keegan. Um, I just have one question. I think it's a great idea and it looks fantastic. Um, my my only question is is that is a 62 250 pound student going to be able to sit in
those chairs because currently they can't sit at those tables. So, I just want to make sure that if we're adding new tables and furniture that the students are actually going to be able to sit in them. >> Yeah, great question because I can't even sit in some of those chairs downstairs. They're all benches. Um,
these are designed for high school age level. Um, and they also, it's a it's a proprietary. The company's name is Amtab. Um, it's proprietary. So, they have a like an actual piston so that these tables you can use literally just
one hand to put those tables up because it's all on a spring or whatever. Um, yeah, it's it's designed for a high school student. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> You're welcome, >> vice chair. Thank you, Bob. This is great. I like the layout and look out of it. Thank you.
>> Um the Is this going to increase capacity at all? Because I know there's a problem right now about capacity. >> Yep. Um it does. It does increase the overall capacity. Uh we we're also um adding additional tables in the main lobby. Yeah.
>> So I know that's where the seniors will usually eat during lunch. Um, so it did it did I think it was like 20some tables more than what we have currently now. >> Did you guys look into the high tops around the windows like bar stool
seating like with the with the table and your >> Yeah, we went back and forth with that. Um, we had some four seats, high top tables. Um, and then during the revisions the um staff, the administration staff didn't want them. >> Okay. Okay. Um, plus it we really
couldn't maximize capacity, the seating capacity with those tables. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm all set. Perfect. Thank you. >> Member Maxwell. >> Um, I just have two questions. Uh, one, how much is this going to cost?
>> Um, the cost is 372,000. >> And is that already in our budget? It is already in the food service budget and the funds are um there. Yes. >> And um with the expansion, will students
still be eating or needing to eat in the media center or will the will there be enough um seating to accommodate? >> So, we've maximized the space that we currently have. Um, so I would would
assume that you would still have to use the media center. Um, you're talking like 17, 1800 students with only three meal periods. So if you do the math, you're talking over 600 kids are eating each meal period. It's
it's crowded. Like that serving line is crowded. When they designed this building many years ago, they really didn't look for the future. I think they that whole serving area should have been a lot bigger. But we do we do well. We get the kids in and out as quick as we can. I mean, the
staff here are just amazing. >> And you're looking to do that this year? >> Uh, February vacation. And the plan B would be April vacation. If we didn't make the mark with the deadline, everything we would go to the April
vacation. >> Okay. And you said 373,000, correct? >> Uh 372 and I forget the exact number, but 372,000. >> What um
what are we looking at? How how is this going to be uh make it a better situation than it is now? >> I'm sorry, Member Maxwell, I didn't hear the question. >> How is this going to make it a better
situation that it is now? I'm just asking because I know you said that it won't expand like kids will still have to eat in the media center and um that there's just so many and I I understand that but >> doing these renovations at that price what is going to be the benefit?
>> I think just the overall dining experience I think that when a student comes they should you know they have that 15 or 20 minutes or 30 minutes to enjoy lunch outside of the academic studies. I think that it's a way of them to be able to relax and to to network
with friends and it's going to give a much better environment. I mean, if you go down there now, it's pretty plain. Um, this is definitely going to add some value and I think that the students are going to, you know, think of it the dining experience.
>> So, this is just to aesthetically make the cafeteria better. There's no actual benefit to the students. depends what student you talk to. I think most students have to see >> I just think $370,000 is a lot of money to spend on something to make it
aesthetically pleasing when it's going to serve no real purpose. >> Yeah, I think if you go around to other school districts, I think you're going to find that um their schools are much better um their dining rooms are much better than what we have. And I want to add value to the program and and one way
to do that is to invest back into the program. I have the funds and the requirements, the USDA requirements is that I invest those funds back into the dining program to to improve it. Um those funds cannot be used for anything
else except to improve the program. And we have the funds available um and more. Um so I'm looking to, you know, the five-year plan that I have scheduled. the high school was first and then we're going to do all of the grammar schools too because they're
really the schools are outdated. I mean, they really are. The cafeterias especially, they're they're old, you know, and if I can make a student's life better by enjoying lunch for that 20 minutes, you know, sitting in a nicer table in a nicer, you know, um, branded
room with the logos and the colors. And I think it's definitely going to be um a much better value to do this. >> Do I do think it's beautiful? I want I just want to say that I do think it's beautiful. Um I just think with the budget crisis that we're facing, I'm I'm
just hesitant. So, but I do think it looks beautiful. >> You have to remember that the food service program is funded by the USDA. So, we're not part of the school budget and we're not part of the city budget. I'm I'm with my own budget almost like our own business within the school
system. Um, so we have those funds. Like I said, in fact, when we reviewed a few years ago, um, Des, >> so the school district doesn't fund I'm sorry, I'm confused by that. The school district does not fund the food services program. >> They do not. >> Nope.
>> I am a separate budget. I create my own revenue um by supplying breakfast, lunch, and supper to different satellites like the YMCA's and daycarees and um St. An's Home. And so I create and generate my own revenue um and
manage my own funds. So we have the money. Like I said, Desi when they were here a few years ago, we were told that we need to spend the spend those funds. Um so that's that's my plan. So I've I've replaced um gosh, multiple ovens,
new uh kitchen equipment. Uh we've purchased a new food service van, like I said. Um we're investing back into the program to make it the best program that we can possibly have. And one of those things is to to give it a good image. And I think that this dining room would
definitely do that. >> Great. Thank you. Thanks for answering my questions. >> You're welcome. >> Question. >> We have a second on moving the question. >> I was just going to >> We have some comments. >> Anything else? >> Okay. >> I was going to make some comments, but
that's okay. >> We We haven't had a second to move the question. >> So, >> yeah. member will >> just very briefly so just some points of clarification the millionaires tax is contributing to this this process of free and reduced uh
meals for kids plus the federal government which I think everyone is on board with that because we don't want to have any starving uh kids um secondly the media center um people are on IEPs and they have uh anxiety and sensitivity
issues so that's the reason why they're in the the media center. So, I just want to make sure people are aware that because they're in the media center and they're eating lunch, um they are on IEPs and they have anxiety issues. Just that that clarification. Thirdly, I
think we really need to be aware of the plant because it's almost like the broken windows theory. If you have broken chairs in a corner, uh kids are going to disrespect that environment. adults will disrespect an environment if
there's like a a broken window or a graffiti or something dilapidated. I think if we uh refurbish and refresh that environment and then also the secondary benefit of that is that our
grammar schools will be beneficiaries of the this furniture. So it's not going to be just discarded. >> Um I think you do need to invest in times. Um, and I think again like talking about refrigeration and making sure we're closing egresses and
furniture and things of that nature and making things comfortable for the kids. Uh, because they're like 6'2, 200 lb, 250 lb football players, wrestlers, those are going to be factors. So, I don't have a problem voting. So, I'm I'm going to move the
question. How's that? >> In the interest of unity. >> There we go. All right. Let's take the vote. to vote on moving the question. >> No. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> We also we also could just go ahead and vote on the whole thing, >> but we we did technically have a motion
in a second to move the question. >> Okay, >> we need a roll call because of Zoom. >> Go ahead and >> just move the motion. Thank you. >> Thank you. Yes.
>> Member Soy. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Dunovan. >> Yes. >> Member Maxwell. >> Yes. >> Member Doglio is a yes. Chair. >> Yes. >> Uh unanimous.
>> Are we good now? >> All right. So, we'll move on to the student food survey results. Uh do we have any questions from the committee while we have Mr. Friday here? Member will >> I just very quickly the hour is late. I'm very appreciative that we've done
the survey. It was very comprehensive. I don't know if Ian was part of that process. Um there were glowing reviews for our cap cafeteria workers. I want to emphasize that. I know there's going to be suggestions for improvements. You'll take that into consideration. Uh
overall, I think that the kids are satisfied, but there are also some items that could be uh tinkered with. I don't think fish is that popular. So, >> um, but I think if we can do this on an annual basis, >> that's exactly >> I think that's also should be included
as part of our outreach at customer service >> and that's basically it. Thank you. >> Member s Royce. >> I just wanted to thank Mr. Friday and Miss um N. You've done a fantastic job. >> Thank you. >> Um, I think it's great. I know I'm going
off topic from the previous one, but I think your whole plan is fantastic. I feel like the cafeteria is one of the first impressions that people get when they come through the main office, the main entrance. And um also, just an FYI, I know the cafeteria is used for other
purposes besides the student lunches. Um I know that um Dr. Gowski Mo mentioned that the competency determination check-in is going to be in the cafeteria. So, I think it was a great idea and a great plan. Thank you everything for everything you do.
>> Thank you, >> vice chair. >> Thank you. This is a I loved the survey. I thought it was really good. The only thing I didn't see was when was this survey executed? I just want to get a kind of an idea. I didn't on the cover page. It doesn't say a date.
>> Yeah, I do have a little slide presentation that probably take me five minutes to go through. Um, but it was it was done on in November. So right after everything kind of >> right before Thanksgiving I believe. >> Yeah. So I mean there's a few things like cleanliness that I was like ah
that's probably like a tainted review because of all the news that was going on. So that's why I kind of held like a grain of salt to it. >> Right. >> So I I just wanted to get kind of a date. But if you have a slide I'll leave it to the chair to to recognize that.
>> I'm all set. That was the only question I had. >> We'll hear from member Maxwell. >> Okay. Yes sir. Um just a quick question. I know I had reached out to um the director of uh mental health. I believe that's his position. Um and I had asked
him about how many students we receive um surveys from for um for those purposes and the number was significantly higher. I'm just wondering how can we get students more engaged in these surveys so that you have, you
know, more information to go off of? I I can only think it'll help you to have more uh responses. So, how could how can we push the survey so that you're getting more information? His his number was 3,000 for grades um 5 through 12,
>> right? So, when we sent out the emails, we we targeted the upper school in all the grammar schools and the high school. So, it was 37.82. Um this is what's in my presentation, but that's okay. So, the total survey participants was 11:02.
um which is a 29.2 percentage uh participation percentage um which I think I felt as if it was a pretty almost a 30%. I mean I think that's a pretty good participation. Um we did a number of different things. So we started advertising the survey about
two weeks prior um with countertop signs in in all of the cafeterias on the serving lines. Um we also did a direct email to all of the upper school um stu and high school students. One one was on November 10th and one was on the 21st.
Um we also set up and staffed umformational tables in all of the cafeterias. Um so we Brenda and I my assistant went to each school and we staffed the table. Um we gave out a little Rice Krispie treat um whole grain
of course um bar if they participated in the in the survey. We also um had QR codes with signage so they could you know especially at the high school they just took their iPad and they scanned it. Um so they did it right away which was awesome. The grammar schools they don't really you know they have a
Chromebook. Um but we advertised it and promoted it. Um so we hit every single school for a lunch an entire lunch period. So, we hit every single grade. Um, and then also, um, we actually I came up with an idea. Well, you know, let's make this big.
Let's give an a a free Apple iPad away at every school. So, I gave away five iPads and and it was a randomly generated off of the the Google form. We we we split it up by school and then we
had uh this software program just randomly select a student and then we went down there, Brenda and I, we split the schools up and we presented it to the student that that actually won. Um so I think that was a definitely you know definitely a good draw to have um
to increase participation. Um and then also the schools, the offices um put put the announcement on like on the morning announcements too. They they they mentioned the um the survey um and that went on for quite a while too. So you know we we were
thinking of all the you know different avenues that we could take and I think the iPad was the biggest draw. You know some of the students are like really a free iPad? They were like and we can take it home. Um it was awesome. Yeah it was really good. But my goal is is to to do this annually. I would I don't know
about the iPad piece, but um definitely to do a survey annually >> each year. >> Um so I think you I think you got a great response. I guess my question was um for maybe Dr. Golovski like what can we do
um on the inside on the internal aspect of it of giving these kids this survey because I think that it would be beneficial to them to all of them to have this survey where you know where the mental health surveys are going out you're getting 3,000 responses. I feel like that's because they're they're
doing that and they're instructed to do that maybe after a test or, you know, a certain whatever. Maybe these kids could do this during, you know, gym or wellness or, you know, whatever whatever the class could be. Could we could we get Mr. Freddy like a better response
rate is what I'm getting at. >> Sure, we'd be happy to work with Mr. Friday. Um we generally have success when teachers post the um surveys in Google Classroom and then a lot um some sometimes beginning or end of class to complete it. So we'd be happy to work
with you Mr. Freddy. >> Excellent. >> Thank you. Uh this is great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And the last thing I just want to mention is next step. So we did a whole survey. We have a lot of feedback from students. We we have so much information. Part of the thing that
doesn't show up is all the different um the very end they could actually write in different responses and we've gone through each and everyone myself and the calf managers. Um so like you mentioned fish. Um you're probably not going to see fish on the menu except maybe once
or twice for lunch, right? Um so there there are you know there you know one of the the biggest thing is breakfast pizza. Students wanted to see breakfast pizza. That's already been on our menu last month. So, you know, we've started making those changes in January and February. Um, and we're getting a lot of
feedback from the students and they're extremely happy. Um, one of the other things I want to do though next step is so now we did this, now where do we go from here? Right? So, I'm developing a campaign. I'm calling it either like a we heard you or um you spoke, we
listened. So if we make changes to the menu, we have like some type of a little icon to let the students know this is because of your survey. This is because of your feedback that you get that you've given us. So that's kind of closes the loop. Um
yeah, so that's all I got. >> I second some of the survey results. Drop the fish and add the Oreo muffins for breakfast. >> Remember, >> um I just wanted to make one suggestion. And the reason why the mental health surveys get so much traction is because
they're done during connections at the high school. And it's so if we could actually add maybe this survey to a connections um lesson, you'd get most of the high school um to at least do it. I don't know how you do that at the middle schools, but at the high school, I know
that connections is something where the kids do the surveys. >> Okay. Again, uh studying social science over the years, 29% is fantastic for that type of survey. Um I'm recommending
maybe doing endofear recap a follow-up survey. And then you can add another question of is this the first time you've done the survey or are you a repeat respondent to the survey? So then you' be able to gauge okay you you got
the feedback I'm contributing more feedback or these are new respondents uh then we'll be able to compile the data from November up until let's go June and then we can maybe do it over the summer uh first meeting in September but I'd like to give it a couple of
months do it in November and do a recap uh towards the end of the year >> um but excellent thank you thank you >> thank you very You're very welcome. Thank you everyone. >> Have a good night. >> Thanks Bob. >> Appreciate it. >> Next on the agenda, we have uh the memo
requesting the revision to policy JICFB. Uh do we have any questions? First of all, regarding the memo that's on the agenda. If there's no question about the memo, we can perhaps entertain further discussion, explanation uh during the
second half here where we're being asked to uh officially approve uh the policy JICFB bullying prevention and intervention plan. Uh if we have a motion and a second, we can have >> So moved.
>> Okay, we have a second. >> Second. >> Motion's from member uh Keegan. Uh second is from member uh Donovan. Now we'll have discussion but I'll invite uh Miss Bozac to share brief explanation.
>> So if you recall I believe last year we went through a similar revision and at that time the state did not um indicate that we were missing this component nor did we identify that this was missing. Um with when the state has PRS complaints,
there are different reviewers. So everything gets reviewed under a different set of eyes. Um so as of this PRS complaint that was earlier in the school year, um they identified that we were missing the component that is highlighted in yellow only. Um that is
talking about affording all students the same protections regardless of their status under the various laws. Um so this is language that you would find in many um intervention plans across the state and so we are um looking to do this so that we are in compliance with
the corrective action for that PRS complaint. >> Thank you. Questions member Maxwell. Um the only questions I have are um one I know that we revised this and readopted it in in 2024 and I know that
we're supposed to revisit that um every two years. So that would be this year. Um correct? >> Oh, sorry. Can you repeat that last part? >> I know that we re um we had the readoption on in 2024 and in the policy
we're supposed to review it every two years. Correct. >> Correct. And so our next uh overall revision would be um in December around December of 2026. >> Okay. And I was just curious um I know
that the I know um MJL mandates that the plan be developed with uh a bunch of stakeholders. And I know that the last time that we kind of came together for this, we didn't um have that collaboration with like, you know, teachers, staff, parents, students,
community representatives, all of them. And I was thinking um maybe this would be a great opportunity for the bullying task force um that uh the mayor has been talking about. So, if we could um you know kind of
um just keep that in mind when when the bullying task force exists. >> Thank you. >> That's something now that we're in the midst of the new year, new school committee I'd like to get after. Uh other questions?
If not, we'll vote. Roll call. Member So, >> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes. >> Member Dunovan, >> yes. >> Member Maxwell, >> yes. >> Member Douglas, yes. Mr. Chair,
>> yes. >> Unanimous. 70. >> Thank you. Uh, next on the agenda, we have the appointment of the Crest board member delegate. Do we have a motion in the second? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion's from member Keegan. The second
is member So Royce. Discussion. Vice Chair. >> I'm assuming this is the assistant superintendent acting being transitioned into this position. Just to confirm. >> Yes. Yes. Crest requires um that there
there's a voting member um and in the absence of that person, Miss Bozac, would would vote. So, she did inquire um with our current situation if she should be the voting member and they said no. Um in fact, there needs to be
>> two. >> Yes, the superintendent. So, just for a point of clarification, are we appointing both of them tonight or because you're already appointed as the delegate that stays I'm just >> she I think she's the default delegate
regardless. >> Regardless, >> regardless. >> Okay. Thank you. >> This would clarify be for the acting superintendent. >> Any other questions? >> Roll call. >> Excuse me. Member Dunovan. >> I did. because in my position as
secretary who moved >> there was a motion. >> You made the motion. >> Member So was the second. >> Okay. I apologize. >> Roll call. >> Member Sus. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Dunovan. >> Yes.
>> Member Maxwell. >> Yes. >> Member Dogio recorded. Yes. Chair. >> Yes. >> Unanimous 70. >> Okay. Chair. Next on the agenda, we have subcommittee nominations. Uh first, uh
we have the budget finance subcommittee. This is something that recently got off the ground >> uh with hold over membership technically before this vote. We had uh a meeting uh to just begin the new year and and get
the keep the ball rolling, so to speak. Um but we're technically going to take a vote on this. Uh the subcommittee consists of myself, uh member Donovan, member Keegan. Uh I'm going to ask for a motion in a second to appoint
the budget uh finance subcommittee formally tonight. >> So moved. Second. >> Member Keegan, member is the motioning uh member and then we have second from members Royce. >> Any discussion? And as I mentioned, this is a committee
that's in existence and we're all returning members. We'll take a roll call vote. >> Member Sor, >> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes. >> Member Dunovan, >> yes. >> Member Maxwell.
>> Member Maxwell. Member Zog recorded. Yes. Chair. >> Yes. >> Uh 61 out of the room >> passes. >> Next we have the building facility subcommittee. This is separate uh just
for full uh I guess awareness in the public square from the health and safety task force. Uh currently uh the membership consists of simply member Donovan. Uh so what I'll do is I'll open up uh the floor uh for any nominations
to fill the other two uh seats on the building facilities subcommittee. >> Do we have any nominations? >> I I'll nominate member Daglio. >> Sure. >> We have uh the vice chair. Is there a second? >> I'll second.
>> We have a second and he accepts. So we're adding uh member Daglia and we'll take one vote at the end. Uh, do we have the third member to be nominated on it? >> Building facilities
have a formal subcommittee for that. >> You know what? I I I I I have taken on facilities as sort of like a pet project. So, I'm willing. >> There you go. >> I'll nominate the chair. >> Okay. >> I'm just trying to gauge what is what is this entailing? Because you have
>> your your task force. Yes. >> Is this talking about the long-term structure of uh school buildings? Because like if you're talking about the accelerated repair program or school building assistance or uh renovations
and you know, solar panels. I think originally it was set up to u deal with the e the extra buildings that we have. Um >> uh what is it? PA >> PV PV adult learning center 10 diten
originally it was set up to deal with that as well as the uh youth center >> still have >> they still have the uh >> there in lies the >> right >> natural confusion with the task force it's separate >> yeah point of information too I think it was used too looking at alternatives for
like the auditorium like could we bring in a musical or a theater class or a dance company on those facilities and renting it out. If I recall back a while ago, >> this was just established about a year ago. Oh, >> okay. That wasn't part of the
>> It would have been a different subcommittee. >> Maybe there was a different subcommittee. >> Well, I might want to add an asterisk to that if we're talking about building facilities. We could look at excess space. >> Okay. >> It's got to be beyond the scope of, >> right? >> So, I'm willing to serve. I think there was a motion in a second. Do you have
that? Okay. I accept. I think >> so. We have member Donovan, the vice chair, myself. That'll create a full group of three. Uh we'll take a roll call vote on the composition of the building facility subcommittee. >> Member Soy. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes.
>> Member Dunovan. >> Yes. >> Member Maxwell. >> Yes. >> Member Doc recorded. Yes. Chair. >> Yes. >> Unanimous 70. >> Next we have the redistricting
subcommittee. >> Wow. Well, that's a new one. >> I'm going to nominate uh member Daglio. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> I was going to nominate myself. >> All right. >> Which was this for? I'm sorry. >> This is the redistricting subcommittee.
>> Oh, I Okay. >> Created last year. >> I'll nominate member Maxwell if she's interested. >> I'm interested. Yeah, I'll second. >> All right. So, we have uh this would round it out. I was appointed to this
group last year. So we have myself u vice chair Daglio and member Maxwell will take a roll call vote on the composition of the redistricting subcommittee. >> Member So >> yes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes.
>> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Dunovan. >> Yes. >> Member Maxwell. >> Yes. >> Vice Chair is a yes. Mr. Chair, >> yes. >> Unanimous 70. >> All right. Next is the superintendent evaluation subcommittee. Currently exists of member Keegan and member
Donovan. So we need to fill uh one open slot there. Do we have any >> Can I just say do we actually need it this year because we don't have a superintendent to evaluate. Um so it doesn't really seem like we need a
subcommittee to do that this summer. Fair point, but it just, you know, this is a subcommittee that technically exists. >> But point of inquiry, we still have to report to Desi on the superintendent, >> right? >> Regardless of how long he or she is in the role,
>> it I I would disagree with that because um we made goals for Dr. Kuang. We didn't make goals for Dr. Golovsky, right? But in the point of an acting or an interrum, she's inheriting those goals. >> Yeah, >> I've been treating it that way.
>> Yeah. >> So, I think Desessie still requires us to report. >> Allows us to do a two or three year cycle whatever we want actually. >> So, we don't actually have to do it every year. >> So, >> right. So, >> which is true. >> Um
I I'm fine. We can we can I'm willing to stay on it. That could be some of the discussion of the subcommittee. >> Right. Yeah. >> Uh so do we have a nomination of a third member? >> I'll nominate member Sice.
>> Second. >> That's seconded. >> All right. So uh there are no other nominations. We will close nominations and vote on the composition of the superintendent evaluation committee. It would be member Keegan, member Donovan, member sus.
>> Member Royce. Yes, >> member Keegan. >> Yes, >> member Wlette. >> Yes, >> member Divan. >> Yes, >> member Maxwell. >> Yes, >> vice chairs. Yes, Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> Unanimous 70. >> Next, we have the transportation
subcommittee. Uh, currently consists of uh yours truly and member Keegan. We need to fill uh one opening there. Uh, do we have any nominations? These are standing standing committees. >> I'll nominate member Soy.
>> Okay, we have a second. >> All right. >> Okay. >> All right. I withdraw my nomination and I will nominate member the wlette. >> All right. Very good. Okay. >> So, uh, let's have, just so I can make sure this is correct from a
parliamentary standpoint, let's have a motion, a second to confirm the the group here. >> Second. >> All right. Very good. So, this will be um myself, member Keegan, and member Wlette. We'll take a roll call vote. >> Member Soy,
>> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes. >> Member Dunovan, >> yes. member Maxwell. >> Yes. >> Uh vice chair is yes. Mr. Chair, >> yes. >> Unanimous 70. >> All right. Uh next we have the policy
subcommittee currently consists of member Keegan, member Maxwell. We have an opening there. Uh I'll open up nominations for the opening on uh policy subcommittee. >> I'd like to nominate
Mr. Royce. Second. >> All right. Do you accept? >> Sure. >> All right. >> Okay. Any other nominations? If not, I'll close nominations. Let's have a formal motion and a second to >> so moved. >> Okay.
>> Second. >> Motions from the vice chair, seconds from member Keegan. We'll take a roll call vote on the composition of the policy subcommittee. >> Member Sro. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Dunovan? >> Yes. >> Member Maxwell? Yes,
>> vice chairs. Yes, Mr. Chair. >> Yes. >> Um, can I just say something? Um, we are actually missing one and I know we can't vote on it because it's not on the agenda, but we need it on the agenda um as soon as possible and that is the
custodians um negotiating team. >> Right. So, we'll add that to the next agenda. >> Just for the record, 70 on that subcommittee. Thank you. >> I just want to make sure. >> Thank you. All right. So next is finance and operations. Uh we have the December
expenditure report and the revolving funds report. Are there any questions regarding those reports? >> Member will just my uh regular intreaty to the administration and that includes the mayor. We has $63,000 and that high
school parking account. It should be dedicated to public safety needs. I know I spoke to the vice chair about some ideas maybe we could have uh through the city solicitor um brooing uh because if you're going from a
parking area into a building um that could be a good application of that account but I definitely want to deplete that within a matter of the next couple of months and some type of uh at least give me a plan. Thank you.
>> Thank you. And just to build off that, I did request at the next meeting that we have the chief here to have a uh safety conversation in executive session where it should be. Um, and I also think I know you have your public safety task
force. I think safety for the schools may be an appropriate subcommittee in the future. Um, so I think that's a discussion that we will have at the next meeting, but I just wanted you to be aware off of what you've brought up that I do anticipate that being on the next
>> meeting. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Any up member Maxwell? >> Um, I just have a question regarding the revolving accounts. Is that That's where we're at. Correct. >> Correct.
>> Okay. Um, the facility rentals. I know I know you're working on it and I know I've asked you for the breakdown of that, but I'm curious why we've only received 25,000 um to date. I know that our facility, I mean, our schools get rented out all the
time. I feel like that should be a higher number. >> Just a matter of when the checks come in. Um, I I'll double check, but we'll send out invoices. Those check the checks just might I might miss it by a week or two when the big checks come in. Usually the um with doing youth usually
sends us a check like once a month. I probably missed it as well as um the gentleman who rents out Brand Street, Victor Wilkins. U but I I'll double check to make sure I didn't miss anything. >> Okay. And is there a flat rate for facility rental or like depending on
school or >> uh for the most part the MDUN youth pretty much just covers our custodial when they when there's overtime. So I believe it's $55 an hour to cover the custodial overtime. Um and at Branch Street I believe it's $80
$80 an hour. It's a little bit more. They're covering more than just the custodian. >> And so that's overtime for the custodians. Aren't the custodians um in the building regardless? >> Which uh which one are you referring to?
>> I guess any of them? I don't know. Um >> the way it operates right now is during the week we don't pay anyone overtime at the at the buildings. We don't pay anyone overtime. It's staff coverage. Um on weekends when we have to open up the buildings where we're normally closed,
um we do charge overtime. Um the people who use Branch Street um do not need I mean there's a custodian in the building um in the central office building not necessarily in the gym building. Um so we don't pay anyone overtime to cover
that at night. >> So dur so so during the week specifically you don't charge anybody to use the um facilities because we already have the custodians on staff. Well, Mthu Mthuan youth, but say um trying to think
if another group rents out the cafeteria or a gym or whatever. It's $100 per hour. >> Um I got an outside group rents it. >> So, they're not really paying for overtime issues until it like rolls into the weekend or something like that. >> Correct.
>> Okay. All right. Thank you, >> Vice Chair. >> Thank you. And with this being my first meeting in a while, could I get the rates of all of our facilities at for the next meeting? >> Yes. >> And when was the last time the committee
reviewed it and looked at increases versus >> Well, we're going to be doing that real soon. I have a meeting set for Wednesday to go over the U facility rental policy specifically around the auditoriums. >> Yeah. >> So, I'll be bringing that to you for an update. Now, it's crazy to think we're
at like 13 years since the high school's renovations. The performing arts center was supposed to be rented out all the time. I don't know how we've done over the years. I know we've had some controversial shows come and go >> and we've also have been able to rent it
out to like dance studios and stuff like that. >> Correct. >> I mean, so I I would like to know where we are at. We we had everybody wanting to use it and what was happening is our school events were being cancelled so that dance
competitions could come in on weekends. Um and there was a lot of give and take um working with the school. Um we've cut way back on people coming in using the auditorium. Yeah. >> Um so that our kids can >> Yeah.
>> Um we still do have some groups come in and you know we do okay but it's It's I know at one point maybe when you were on last time you envisioned that it was going to be a big money maker >> like callin center >> and we were going to bring in you know orchestras and stuff like that. Um but
then our kids couldn't use it. >> So it's a I mean I like to think we're a school first, rental facility second. >> Um and when you're bringing in those outside groups there's a lot of wear and tear on the facility as a whole. >> Yeah. I just remember the Colin Center
just redid their whole facility at a mult multi-million dollar project. I do want to explore it again even if it's off year like you know the the like June July August time frame. There's a lot of good things that could happen. Comedians I know like uh you know Lenny Clark was
just at PBD High in Danver High a few weeks ago. So I just know things like that >> we can look at it. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Any other discussion? If not, we will move on to the December grants report. Any questions from the
committee regarding the grants report? If not, we will move on to the student activity accounts. They're outlined by school on the agenda. And I do want to note the agenda says this December reports. They're actually for November. We don't receive
the December reports. And I think we just got them this week actually. >> So, it's just a typo. I should say November for the student activity accounts. >> Sure. Member Maxwell. >> Um I'm just Can I rewind for a minute and go back to the grants report? I'm
sorry. Um there's a line here that's the homeless emergency state fund. Um you had a date and then remaining balance. Okay. So the remaining balance is 1.2 million. Would that be helpful in that first? Um
I can't I I can't remember what it was, but uh Miss Bozac was talking about transportation for something. >> Correct. Um >> that be used for that. >> Any money we received over the last several years for homeless, specifically for um Pelum Street or any other
homeless reimbursement we get from the state, we've been able to put into that account. um we can use that. We we've been using it for homeless transportation as well as additional supplies for kids as they move in etc. So yes, we we will be relying on that. Absolutely.
>> So that 55,000 plus that would that could be covered here. >> Yes. Yes, that would that would be part of it. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Right. We'll move on to the we were on student activity accounts. We'll move on
to the food services report. Any questions from the committee regarding food services report. Going once, going twice. All right, we'll move on to the warrant reports.
Any questions from the committee? >> Vice Chair, >> I just like seeing that Munice is working for you guys. Seems like we're still having development issues at the city side. So glad it's working for the school. >> It's a work in progress. Maxwell,
>> um I I can't I don't remember which warrant it was in, but there was a warrant where um TNTP was paid about 54,000 and it said uh the note next to it said
um curriculum instruction or or something like that. Can you just explain that? >> Sure. That's the um TNTP is the vendor that we were assigned to work with through the Prism grant. So that's the set aside that's required um from the
grant award to be provided for their work. So we work with them um regularly. They support our literacy curriculum council of teachers. They help run those meetings. They meet with the supervisors and I weekly. Um they come out three
times a year to visit all classrooms um K3 to monitor CKLA and the implementation. Um they also support um professional development, but those rates are set um by DESIE for the grant.
>> Okay. And uh I know Ian's still working on putting together uh the report for me, so I'm just going to be a present vote. Just for clarify, >> sorry, I didn't hear you. >> She indicated she'd be a president vote, but we're not Okay. We're not taking a vote. >> Um, next on
>> taking a vote on the warrants. >> We we aren't required to do that. >> We were required to do that last year. Why are we not required to do that anymore? >> So, that's something that uh we we never had to do at any point. uh that was added to the agenda but it's not
something that uh we are actually required to do. >> Oh okay. >> We do have to as school committee members sign off on them u but not necessarily vote. Uh next we have contract approval. Uh there are none on
the agenda. Uh next is acceptance of new fiscal year 26 grant awards. None on the agenda. Next, we have notifications of appointments and other personnel matters. Uh, we need a motion and a second to approve one new preschool
teacher and one preschool program assistant. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion's from member Keegan, seconds from member Soy. Discussion. This is regarding the early childhood center. Member Maxwell.
>> Just one question. Um the integrated preschool teacher, it says salaries range from 54,000 to 107,000. And I'm just curious why there's such a gap there where like you know the next position is like 30 to 36,000. This one
has a $52,000 difference. >> So the um teacher is based on the unit A contract. So depending on their degree or in years of experience where they're placed on the scale. So we wanted to give that range. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> You're welcome. >> Vice Chair, >> point of inquiry to um actually whoever can answer it. I currently utilize this program. Is there any impact or anything unethical about voting for this tonight
just to get your perspective? I think I'm just approving a position. Right. >> Correct. No, it has no bearing on your financial. >> Okay. Just I just want to make sure or anything like that personal gain or anything. Thank you. Any other questions? If not, we'll take a
vote. >> Member sir, uh, this is a vote on the request for staffing as an early childhood center first. >> Member Sro, >> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes. >> Member Dunaman, >> yes.
>> Member Maxwell, >> yes. >> Vice Chairs, yes. Mr. Chair, >> yes. >> 70. Next on the agenda, we have a request for one onetoone program assistant here at the high school. >> So moved. >> We have a second.
>> Second. >> Motions from member Keegan, seconds from the vice chair. Discussion. >> There's no discussion. We'll vote. >> Member Sorro. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Dunovan. >> Yes. >> Member Maxwell. >> Yes.
>> Vice Chair. Yes. Mr. Chair. >> Yes. 70. >> All right, that passes. Um, what I'm going to do just out of an abundance of caution, not to mention we're also going to have an executive session. I'm going to ask for a motion in a second now to
approve going past 9:00. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Motions from the vice chair, seconds from member Wlette. Any discussions? If not, we'll take a roll call on going past 9:00. Member So, >> yes.
>> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes. >> Member Dunovan, >> yes. >> Member Maxwell, >> yes. >> Vice Chair, yes. Mr. Chair, >> yes. >> 70. >> All right. Next, we're on to other business from the committee. Uh, I'll
invite member Donovan to share an update regarding our budget subcommittee. >> Very quickly, we had our first meeting of uh the new year. Um and while we wait for January 21st, which is the anticipated date for the cherry sheet to
come out and governor's budget to follow, um there's work being done. Uh district leaders, as Dr. Golovsky had pointed out, they're looking at anticipated purchases, contracting things that we need to um think about.
Um we hope from there to come up with a forward a a very purposeful uh timeline that will bring us to the end of the school year without the chaos and the last minute planning and it was
great to have um our cafo there uh along with you the mayor. Um so we have that going on. Uh Dr. Gopsky is prepared to present a budget focused on our needs. So we'll go through hopefully just one budget that we'll be working with. Uh we
discussed areas uh where we could be generating revenue and it will be discussed down the road the carrier and the PV which we have uh talked about turning that over or just making money off of it. And I think the most important thing is we hope to build some
collaboration with our colleagues on the city council and we'll be inviting them once we know what the finance committee is all established to meet with us a couple of times a year once we get the cherry sheet numbers and once we know where we're headed to just share some
information so everybody knows what we are moving forward with. So we look forward to reaching out to our colleagues, the budget committee does with the blessing of the committee. >> Very comprehensive update. Thank you. >> Uh next we have uh the uh request for
discussion regarding uh the declaration of surplus for 10 dits in place. This is being requested by member Keegan. So I'll turn the floor over to her. >> Um yes. So last year um we had voted for
courier and PV to be released. Um the vote never happened for tendits in place because it was incorrectly put on the agenda. So we weren't able to make a vote. Um and so I just want to bring that back to people's minds and given our budget cycle, the more we can get
off our books, the more money we're going to have to spend on students. And um currently Ditson Place houses city departments um and they don't really pay rent. Um so it it's not being used as a
school building. Um we need to release it and move on as the um budget the building uh subcommittee had recommended. Um so I would like to get that on the agenda for an actual vote.
Um, and if there's any information that people want, now's the time to request it so that we can get it on for a vote next meeting. >> This will definitely be a good subject for the the building facilities uh, subcommittee. So, that's good. Uh, next
we have >> I just had a question. >> Yep. >> Denon Place is the old central administration building. >> How do we offload that when we have an active lease? that's managed by the school department.
It's not like we're selling it. We're offloading it. So, would the city take on the lease or would you sell the building? >> Um, so >> and we lose the >> That building has a funky deed that requires it to be used for educational purposes.
>> Um, and currently adult ed is currently in that building also. Um, so when we vote to offload it, it would be with a contingency that hopefully they'll keep those people in place, but if not, then we'll have to find someplace else for
that. But again, this is like it's the conversation we need to have. >> Yeah. I Okay. I I just think there's a lot of legal issues here potentially, so I don't want to talk about it too much. >> I think so, too. But thankfully, no vote
tonight. Yeah. So, we can just Yeah. Thank you. Almost all set. >> Uh next on the agenda, we have uh a uh discussion regarding school committee training uh being brought forth by member Donovan and uh the vice chair.
>> I'm just looking um the board last year we had um MASC come in and address some of our questions and concerns and review some of our responsibilities. The board at that point indicated we'd like to move forward with another training. Um, and we didn't check everything off what
we had hoped to get to. So, I'm wondering if that's the pleasure of this board. I'd be happy to coordinate with um, Miss Min. Most people found it helpful. >> Yeah. >> So, that's the MASC part. So, sh just
with a little head nod, we don't need a vote, right? We can >> I would like to add like an asterisk, Mr. chair that we also include the city council because I think it's important for them to understand the roles and responsibilities of the Mthuan school committee or the school committee in
general across the Commonwealth and maybe where city councils can be a part of it as a partnership and that's also why I added ethics to it too because I think this whole community all due respect mayor could use ethic
training and that could be a collaboration between council and all actually not just council all bodies of the methan elected delegation. So that's including the vocational school, the housing authority
and um the Neans Library. So all all the above for ethics, MASC methan school committee and city council. >> I remember there was a time uh I think it was early 2020 when we had that big turnover. We had a new mayor. We had a
new council, new school committee, etc. And there was almost like a summit. >> Yeah. >> The timony in the auditorium for >> uh who? >> Yeah. Ethics was >> Yeah, it was um >> OFCP too. Was it finance?
>> It might have been the inspector. >> Could have been the inspector. >> Inspector General. So, that's something that we can coordinate. I think that would be very helpful for >> everybody. May I >> I mean we can't we can't force other boards to do our bidding but
>> we keep it open post >> with the MASC >> um I think we talked about what would our own goals be as a school committee because we don't have our own goals what is our mission statement and I think that is very much our job not anyone else's agree >> so I could at least with your blessing
move contact with Alicia to see what date she has available and I thought it was a good process where we filled out a questionnaire that went right to her. Um, you just tell me what we would like to do as a body and I think the other
piece is your job. >> I I I think that that makes sense in a school committee context with Alicia and then we can coordinate maybe something a little bigger more of a grand scale along the lines of what we did back in 2020. I think that'd be helpful with
this new uh turnover that we >> This recommendation would be before the budget. >> Sure. Yeah, >> absolutely. >> Yeah. >> The only thing I'm gonna mention and it's relative to this because we go through these trainings when we're talking about legal documents, all school committee members should be
privy to all legal documents. Okay. Uh confidential reports, we should start doing that. And it's all members, not a select group of members. So when we talk about collaboration in training, I'm not going to participate in something where
I wasn't privy to certain legal documents and then uh we didn't have consensus driven dialogue or executive sessions on those matters. We had it before then we
had we had an incident. Um so I'm hoping to just have that train back on the rails again. So that's all. Thank you. >> Are you referring to the policy discussion? >> We'll talk about
>> any other questions or discussion. >> Um, so did we pick a topic? I'm sorry. I'm just trying to follow. So, >> are there topics up for um ideas like is the superintendent search one or is the
ethical training or are there any real topics that we could kind of bounce off of? Well, the thinking uh member Maxwell was that member Donovan would reach out to Alicia Malin from MASC to coordinate uh some additional opportunities and then
separately as the vice chair and I were just uh discussing here uh hearkening back to early 2020 when we held at the Timn school auditorium. It was almost like a summit for newly elected officials, but even for people who were
returning uh to be able to uh receive training along the lines of uh proper financial governance, ethics and the like. Uh I think Sean Cronin might have been involved with that at the time. Uh so that's something that we're talking about on a broader scale. Uh that would
include an opportunity for all electeds to take part in again along the lines what we did roughly six years ago. Okay. And member Dunovan um would be coordinating with Alicia and um would a I don't want to say a survey because we
don't need to do another survey, but would a survey type thing go out to discuss kind of these are the topics that we would like to discuss and we can pick from those? certainly at the pleasure of the board, but that the survey items that she gave
us last time, if you remember, she I I wasn't privy to it, but she sent out a survey and we checked off what we thought was most important. >> Um, >> okay. So, you're just going to go from that survey? >> Well, I'm going to ask her what else >> advice. >> Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm sure as
before, we would we would consult before we brought her in. >> That's all. I just wanted to know the topic. I didn't know if that was >> something I was missing. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Next on the agenda, we have a discussion regarding the delivery and availability of school committee meeting packets.
This was requested by the vice chair. >> Thank you. Um I'm not going to lie, prior to um going to the city council, the school committee had Mr. Goslin dropping it off uh back in the day, if you recall, the the packets. Not saying that's what the way we want to do it,
but I was told that the packets were dropped off to residents uh of the committee members up until like two or three months ago. I'm not sure if that's true, but I was told that we discontinue that. I'm fine with the digital version.
I was able to uh request that I uh get an iPad or keep my iPad from the council to keep it digitally. Um, I think there's an opportunity there for us to potentially use technology if we want to do digital, but if we want to continue with the packets, I do think it,
you know, it should be delivered to us instead of unfortunately us going all the way to Branch Street. I I just I I think that is some an exercise that was done years um and and I don't know why it was stopped. I'll pause if there's reasons behind it or
conversation to restart it >> because it was one additional thing I had to do and >> so could email it. It was a lot >> so I'm fine with digitalizing it and then if giving technology to everyone to utilize it >> but at the same time we also have
chargebacks. >> Is there a reason why we couldn't utilize the police department like the city council does? I think the I don't want to speak for the city council, but I think the police department has better things to do than deliver my paper. >> I get it. I get it. >> I I don't know. I I I
>> I'm not trying to ask for public dollars to be used against, but again, as public servants, I want to make sure everyone receives these packets at a timely manner and for excuses to be, I didn't go pick up my packet and I got it tonight. I all due respect, it shouldn't
fly for anyone. So, I was very lucky to get the packet from uh member Keegan uh who went and picked them up uh for us. I didn't realize they didn't get delivered. So, I we we now have a courier.
>> Yeah. >> So, half the day he's custodian, half the day he's a courier. So, anybody who needs one delivered on a Friday um because I believe they're posted Thursday night uh digitally, but anyone and then they're printed out. So, anybody who wants one delivered to their
house, I'm sure we could arrange to have the courier go out and do that Friday morning. >> I appreciate it. And again, I'm not trying to look for special treat. I just want to make sure everyone has the ability to get their packet. If you can go pick it up, great. If not, that should be an option to have it delivered. Or if you're like me, I'm
fine with doing it digital. >> Email on it. >> Correct. But you're utilizing your own technology and you're reading it on your own computer. The city council just got new laptops and and and iPads and cell phones. So, I'm just saying I'm not trying to one up them.
>> Wow. >> But I'm saying if we're going to >> major leagues, >> if we're going to be utilizing digital packets, we should be able to do it on city devices in case we're ever foyered.
And that business is done on city property and not your personal laptops or cell phones. So, I'm just saying I again I've learned over the years that we should protect ourselves as
committee members. Thank you, >> Member Tegan. >> Um I'm fine with the printing out. Um the only thing that I would request is that we have the warrant sent to us every week. There is no reason to have
this much paper wasted for seven of us and more. Um, it's just a colossal waste of money. We could do so much more with that. Um, we have the opportunity to read the warrants every single week. We can ask questions every single week.
They're on here for transparency, but you know, we're not voting on them. We're not there's no need to be asking questions during the meeting even. It's just an acknowledgement of the warrant is what I was told. Um, and so I I would just request if we're going to print them out that we don't print the warrants because it's just a lot of
paper. Right. >> Sounds like we need a subcommittee for this potentially. Mr. May, >> please, for the love of God, know. >> So, I I mean, I'm fine with digital, like I said, but I want the whole committee to have the ability to have an option. I
>> I don't want to speak out of turn, but if there's any school committee members who would like a Chromebook um maybe a gently used Chromebook um to access the documents, I can definitely make that available if that's what the school committee wants. Um we won't be
going out and doing a a big lease to purchase new ones. Um but I'm sure we have some gently used ones um either iPads or or Chromebooks. If you guys would like that, I can make that happen as well. Next, we have on the agenda a request
from the vice chair to start the discussion on a brief to the city council as part of my report. >> Mr. mayor, not to add more work, but prior to you and prior to Mayor uh late
Mayor Perry who kind of moved away from this uh every mayor that I have ever served with andor watched did a mayor's report with a subsection to the schools and gave the city council a true debrief on the
previous meeting or anything that was going on at that time. Um I'm asking you the same um request that you start doing that again that I think it helps with the transparency. It shows that we're collaborating and if and I think I even
wrote that if you could provide the brief to us prior to that meeting that would be helpful but I'm not going to overstep just at this moment. I'm really just requesting that you added to your mayor's report a subsection for just schools. >> So I I appreciate the suggestion. Um I I
have generally included updates to the city council on things that have been of uh significant public interest but mainly in the context of issues that we've addressed in partnership with the city council. For example, the school
audit uh facilities related matters. Uh but I am happy uh to uh perhaps provide a synopsis of uh say the meeting prior or something like that. Um, you know, it never hurts to be overly communicative.
Um, I of course encourage everybody to tune in to these meetings as well. I think that's helpful. Um, but nevertheless, I will um follow through with that. I think that is a helpful suggestion and I thank you for it. >> No, I appreciate it. Like things like tonight with the cafeteria and the rehab
and the food survey, like >> that's a loud reminder that it's not coming from our budget. >> Exactly. >> Thank you. And then we're going to drop the fish. Yeah. And we're going to add the Oreo muffins. >> Uh member Maxwell, we have a request for a discussion on monthly updates from uh
CPAC and ELPAC representatives. Um yeah, so I was just wondering if we could add um a representative from the CPAC and ELPAC um kind of like we have a student representative um at the monthly meetings, you know, just even if we just start with inviting them and and giving
them a seat at the table so that they can provide feedback and updates to us um on their specific um advisory councils. >> Thank you for the suggestion, Mayor Maxwell. I want to mention um this is something that I I've spoken with member
Keegan about. Uh I need to loop in Miss Bozac as well. Um I had a meeting with uh Nicole Pereira uh from CPAC and one of the ideas that uh had been mentioned during that
discussion was the idea of following the lead of municipalities like Peodyy. I think a few other cities have something similar uh in essence a special education subcommittee or even like a task force something like that uh that would allow for more of a tie-in with
say CPAC organizations along those lines. So I think that that is it's definitely a helpful uh suggestion and something that I I think we should take seriously especially as we start to place uh more of an emphasis on uh
special ed of course uh due to this ongoing crisis that we have in special ed not just in Mthoon but everywhere. Uh but on top of that too uh beyond special ed you know the conversation about bullying things like that I think it all plays in together. Miss Bozac, >> I'd just like to add to I do meet with
Miss Pereira and other members on a monthly basis. Um, and part of that discussion that we've had this year as well is looking to have them come to a workshop meeting to provide an an update, not necessarily monthly, but maybe twice a year. Um, and they've also
provided feedback that during that workshop, um, if I could even do a review with everybody of the programs that we do have in the district. Um, so those have been ongoing conversations this school year. >> That's great. Thank you. >> Thank you. Really good suggestion, Member Maxwell. Thank you.
>> Uh, do we have any other business from the committee? >> Member Wlette. >> Very briefly, um, and maybe it's something that the mayor in your capacity uh, working with Ian. Um, I'm not really familiar with our involvement with the
vocational school. I read all the time that they do a lot of uh community projects. So, uh with TPW, Department of Public Works, with with you, uh taking the lead of of doing certain items, if it is all
possible, uh I've had outreach to uh member uh Brad Jones. Uh and it's a resource that's available. Um, and I think just to reconnect with the vocational school and also if we did any
outreach to Home Depot and Lowe's within the area, if they want to donate uh supplies and material, it's a good photo op for them. And in conjunction with supervision of the vocational students, a lot of them are from athan.
um if there's something areas of need and I I have confidence in Ian and um uh maintenance crew and yourself and DPW of collaborating with the vocational school, but you might have to take leadership on that just to fall through.
And again, at the end of the day, it' be something that they have the resources, they have the personnel, reaching out to Home Depot and Lowe's and getting something accomplished within our school that we can maybe advertise in Mthan Life. And again, positive pieces. I
think that we need to start doing that for Mthan Public Schools. Positive items, which we've done tonight and going in the future. Thank you. >> Absolutely. Thank you, member Sice. >> I know it's late. I just have a quick um I want to thank the community for your
continued support with the backpack program. We currently have 61 families who receive weekly um bags from the school when school is in session. They are in desperate need of donations. They're looking for cereal, pasta, pasta
sauce, black and red beans, canned vegetables, fruit cups, oatmeal packets, granola bars, excuse me, mac and cheese, ramen, peanut butter, tuna, soup, and then any canned pastas. And they can be donated between 7:30 and 4:00 p.m. at
Branch Street, our central location. And I just wanted to thank Kim and Ed Quinn for all of their um their time. They've volunteered in when we get monetary donations to go shopping and try to fill those shelves, but they are really in need of food. So, if anyone out there
would like to donate, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. >> Thank you, members. >> I'll add on to that, even though I'm not a school committee member. The library also collects the food for that program. So, if you can't get to Branch Street, the library will also accept it and we
send the uh courier or myself over to grab it once a week. Great. So, uh if we don't have any other business, that'll do it for our agenda with the exception of executive session. Uh so, uh I'll read this uh for the
record. Uh after I finish, we'll need a motion in a second to enter executive session to discuss the following topics. Executive session pursuant to Massachusetts general laws chapter 38 section 21A3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or
litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating litigation position of the public body and the chair so declares uh this is regarding the custodians union. Uh I'll make that declaration formally now. Uh an executive session also
pursuant to Massachusetts general laws chapter 38 section 21 A2 to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-UN personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-UN personnel. This is regarding acting
inter excuse me acting or interimm superintendent. Uh I'm also going to state publicly that we will be adjourning our open session, convening an executive session. We will not uh re-enter open session after we're done. Uh we'll close out for the night. So with that, I will ask for a motion and a
second to enter executive session. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motions from the vice chair, seconds from member Keegan. Any discussion? >> If not, we'll take a roll call vote on closing out the public portion of the meeting and entering executive session.
Member Soy, >> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes. >> Member Dunovan, >> yes. >> Member Maxwell, >> yes. >> Vice Chair is a yes. Mr. Chair, >> yes. >> 70. >> So, the time is 9:15 p.m. And the open
session uh portion here is adjourned and we will convene now in executive session. And vice chair, you've got to continue the tradition, the the brotherly tradition, please. >> Good night, Muan. >> Here we go. Have a good night.