Good evening. Uh, welcome to tonight's meeting of the Milton Brook Public School Committee. We'll start this off by calling the meeting to order. Stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it
stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all >> very much. Uh second item on the agenda is to approve tonight's agenda. everybody could look it over and let me know if there's any committee reports
that need to be struck. Seeing no objections, I will take the agenda as approved. We will move on to item number three, public comment. Um, for public comment, in accordance with school committee policy, we welcome members of the community to share their perspective with us during public
comment. We have set aside up to 15 minutes for this part of the meeting, and individuals may speak for up to three minutes each. While the school committee does not respond directly to public comment, there may be opportunities for members to address issues that are raised over the course of the meeting when relevant topics on
are on our agenda. We strive to engage in respectful discourse during our meetings and ask that public comment speakers keep that in mind. Speakers should introduce themselves and provide their address for the record. Is there anybody here for public comment?
We have one person in person which we'll go ahead and welcome up. And if you are online and looking to speak, if you could just use the raise hand feature on the Zoom. Start here. I will keep track for three minutes. Oh, >> wonderful here.
Don't forget to introduce yourself. >> Okay. Thank you. Um I for those of you that don't know me, I'm Aaron Bradley, former select board member um and town meeting member, precinct 4. I have one child that graduated from Milton Public Schools in 2021. Ouch. And um the other
one who is currently a junior in the school. Um, I'm here because I had the pleasure of watching you guys work for many years when you tried to figure out your new um, calendar for the school year. Remember that? Some of you sat
here for many months, discussed it, tried to figure it out, make sure it was equitable for all the students. I'm here today to talk to you about a reoccurring issue that continues to happen with the Milton High School track team. Last year it was the graduation that was
in conflict with the division three state championships. This year it was the prom. Um I completely understand about graduation dates. I get that. I get it set in stone. Understandable. However, the prom is not set in stone. The prom is a date that we pick and we
pick it at the beginning of the year from our student body and we make a reservation. Um when my son's father called the principal uh when we first found out when the date was, the principal said to
him, "Well, do we even know that we're fielding a team there?" So, let me just tell you what the uh track team did at the Division 3 state championships because it seems to me that there might be a disconnect with how big of a team this is and what exactly they do for our town.
We had five state champions. Five people meddled. They are the champions of the state. Just like the hockey team, just like the football team, just like the theater team that won. Same thing. I'm going to say their names tonight because it's not often that they get their name
said in a public forum. The first one, oh my gosh, it just refreshed. The first one's name is Jonah Stevens Roy. He's a sophomore, so this is going to be a consideration for the next few years because let me tell you, he's gonna meddal. Not only did he win
one, but he won two medals. He won both the 110 hurdles and the 400 hurdles. Amazing. Amazing athlete. The next one is my son, also an amazing athlete, um, Robert Biato, who won the division 3 800 meter. Ella Turner also
won gold and the high jump. Anelise Aguilar was the fifth gold medalist and she won the uh 100 hurdles. All in all, they fielded Scrolling back up in the coach's email. >> 30 seconds. >> I only have 30 seconds left.
>> Can I take somebody else's time, too? >> All right, I'm going to keep going. So, they won 20 medals. Top eight. 20 medals were won. When we tried to talk to principal Cahill about this, she informed me that there's no conversations that happen between the AD and the principal
regarding scheduling of these items. I understand that there's a lot of sports. I understand there's a lot of activities. However, this is now the second year in a row that the track team has had to Can I keep going or no? Thanks. Um, this is the second year in a row that the track team has tried to
make a make arrangements for this to happen. Now, let me just say this. I know track is really difficult and it's complicated and I don't get half of it, but they have to put in their re real relay teams weeks in advance, right? So, they couldn't field the relay teams that were going to run on Sunday because they
thought that it was supposed to be on Saturday and they had the prom. So, more than half of the track team was not going to be there for the second half, but because of the storms that they pushed it off, right? So, we still couldn't run in that. So, we couldn't even meddle. These these teams are teams
that have won indoor. The girls just won the indoor championships. The boys won last year. These teams are important. These athletes give their all and they should not be treated as secondclass citizens just because they're not on a giant football team, a giant soccer team, a giant whatever team that this
town, you know, relishes over and fonds over. I'm not asking for special treatment for the track team. All I want is for the AD to come up with a calendar over the summer because let me tell you, I already know when the tracks track meets are for next year. The schedule's
already out. I want him to come up with a schedule and I want him to give it to the principal so that they can have a record of when these dates are going to be so they know what impact it's going to have on these kids. That's it. That's all I'm asking that you guys do is break down the silos within your high school
so that we can have a calendar and maybe the track team doesn't get messed up next year over this. I was going to use another word, but I'm using messed up. So, that's all I have to say. Thank you all for your work. Thank you for your work that you gave on the calendar for the school. I just want a little attention to be done as we do things for
our seniors and our juniors because it it matters. So, that's it. Thank you so much. Y'all have a great week. >> Thank you. >> Oh, and happy graduation. Thank you. >> Uh any other there's no other members in person for public comments. Anybody online or member, please raise your
hand. >> Yes. Um Nicole Boyce has her hand raised online. >> Um okay. Oh my goodness. Hold on a second. Uh hold on Nikki. I have to promote you there.
Okay. >> Hi there. Um, I'm fighting a little bit of a cold, so hi. Um, I'm fighting a bit of a cold, so I apologize for my voice. I just wanted to say quickly that I really appreciate your considering um, my petition, the work we're doing with
homeschooling kids, and um, all the wonderful treatment and help that you've given me. Um, I'll look forward to the vote later in the meeting. Just wanted to say hello. Thank you. >> I'm sorry. For just for the record, could you provide your name and address? >> Oh my gosh. Of course. Nicole Rexales. Um 26 Coline Road.
>> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. You can unpromote me now. Okay. Figure out how to do. >> We'll try. >> Thank you. Okay. I go remove, right? I'll sign back in if I get lost.
>> Any other hands raised? >> I just want her to be able to rejoin if she wants to do that. >> Any other hands raised? >> No. >> Uh seeing no other hands raised and no one else here in person, we will conclude for comments. move on to item
number four which is the superintendent. >> Thank you uh chairperson uh Lori a quick report out on uh some things that are happening around the district. Uh we just had prior to our meeting tonight the reception for Milton public school
retirees. We were so happy to have folks come out tonight for a short reception. uh chair chairperson Lauren gave nice speeches about each one of our uh retirees and I'd like to read their names so you know uh in the public that these folks were here tonight in honored as retirees in the public schools. Uh
the first one, Marie Laorray Brown from Glover. Gil Chase from our business office. Reena Chen, grade five teacher at Cunningham. Uh Mary Ellen Coin, special education at Cunningham. Elellanar Jones. Uh par profofessional and all-around leader from a par
professional role at the Tucker School. Marian Blank, nurse at Glover. Kathy Mallerie, library aid. Grace Marinelli, uh worked for our office at staff as well as a par professional at the high school. Owen Molaney, grade eight um history teacher at the Pierce. Uh
Barbara Perry, nurse at Pierce Middle School. Um Maggie Bradley, physical education at Milton High School. And Joyce White, who was culinary arts at the high school. Congratulations to these hardworking um and uh great educators and they did a
great service to our students over the past to some folks I think it was 34 years. So lots of years of good experience. So thank you uh on behalf of public schools. Uh we get to the next big group that we're recognizing at this time of year is our senior class. Last night, thank you everybody for being at
the senior awards ceremony. Uh we saw $25,000 worth of scholarships handed to our seniors uh along with a lot of other awards in recognition. So we're so thankful that the families and students, the school committee, and more most importantly, our donors uh were there to
present those awards. The seniors are having a great week. Last week was the prom on on the 30th of May. Tuesday, June 2nd was seniors awards night, which is last night. Today was graduation practice. Tomorrow will be graduation practice as well. Uh and they will all be on time. We hope they'll all be on
time. The boosters varsity celebration is tonight for all of our athletes. Senior field day is on Thursday the 4th and Friday uh the clapout on uh June 5th uh where they have lunch in yearbooks for the students and Sunday will be graduation at 2 p.m. Uh if it is
outside, it'll be at Brooksfield. If there's inclement weather, it will be inside at the Copen Fieldhouse. Um, Monday, June 8th, we have uh Katie Carrera who is speaking to our families and students uh connected to technology and social media. Uh we have uh Katie
working with our fifth graders and eighth graders as well as parents. So, please check our website for those um for those nights. It is Monday night at 6:30, June 8th. Is that that's Monday correct? Um, instrumental music lesson night is Tuesday, June 9th at 6 p.m. for those
folks who take advantage of that. And on June 11, the Milton Arts Center from 5:00 to 7:00 will hold it Milton Public Schools Art Showcase. So, we thank the Milton Art Center for doing so and recognizing our students and staff uh who are artists as well. Uh, bus
registration, sorry to pack in some serious news here, but uh, registration is open until June 30th. Um, we had a great meeting with the bus company last week. I want to thank Katie Blake for her leadership on this. The school committee has added an extra bus. We have met with the bus company in order
to them to uh really pay attention to our middle and high school bus runs which were problematic last year. We believe that adding an extra bus and also uh the bus companies providing two or three larger buses to create more capacity that we will be able to provide
bus service for middle and high school students at a much higher level than we did last year and we thank Katie for her work on this with the bus company and we look forward to that working out uh this year uh next school year. So please register by June 30th. Um
want to have a couple more highlights. uh Milton High School Theater. We just found out that the theater program's production of Frozen and the Drowsy Chaperon were nominated for nine Massachusetts educational theater guild theater awards. Uh this is uh another
recognition for theater and that also uh was the best in the state uh over the spring and winter season. Uh the 52 high schools across Massachusetts participated and they are incred incredibly honored to be one of the six schools nominated for best overall production. So uh again a huge uh a huge
deal for our theater art students in music. Uh the awards and honors keep coming for our music community as well. The music department was recognized as one of NMMS which is the National Association for Music Merchants best communities in
music education. Milton continues to be a music and arts community. Uh the theater program, the music program, and our arts program is outstanding. There's a list of music awards that we want to let people know that we'll be publishing in our next uh in our next newsletter.
Uh but as we sat last night at our our awards night, I actually thought back of just how many great things are happening with our students in school and outside of school. Uh the awards that we heard about last night, every athletic team in
the fall, in the winter, in the spring made tournament. All of our theater groups that participated this year made state finals. Our band made state finals. Our STEM program competed. Our robotics competed. Our elementary Tucker
School future problem solvers are off to the nationals next week. These are just great things that are happening in and outside the classroom that we're really proud of and we just want to, you know, announce that to the community and celebrate it for the community. So, um, thank you very much. That's that's my update before we get to to regular
business. >> Um, next out of the preliminary approval of the music department, >> I we actually have preliminary Oh, I'm sorry. So, this is the first reading of the trip for the music department. The
second reading we'll have at a fall school premium, but we wanted to get this uh in front of the school committee early. Uh the Milton School Band and Choir under the direction of Rebecca Damiani and Julia Hannah uh will perform at the destination is Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. And this is not
just a trip to go to Disney World. This is where they will participate and take part in a program there. Uh and they're asking for uh the school committee to read through this uh application. Uh and then when we get to the fall, any details and questions that you have,
we'll be able to to answer at that time. The itinerary is part of the packet that you have. They will leave Wednesday, February 3rd, and they will return, I believe, on Friday, Saturday, February 6th.
Any questions about this folks want to read that? So we see Rebecca will be at meeting that we have >> um at the at the meeting where we um will be speaking with Rebecca. Will we be talking a little bit more about um this is my first field trip I've been
on this side of. Will we be talking more about the details of like um the I see that there's like a nurse and there's like 120 kids. there's going to be like the plan to have 10 uh 10 kids per shaft bone and um I did like a little bit of
research just to prepare myself for this and you know I read some things about um different requirements policies uh for administrating medication if you're going out of state for a nurse >> um and licensing and all this other stuff and uh do we have details about
like where we are with that that we like or or will we have those details when we have our next meeting? We will I I can say that we just experienced that when we went to DC. The nurse went on the trip. Uh there is a specific detail regarding the lensure of
who can administer outside of the state. That's why our nurse goes on the trip and we actually >> um pay for that nurse to be there because that's a paid duty for them. Uh and so I think in the spring of 25, which would be last school year, uh that
became a factor that people really had to look into and see how it worked. And I believe that they've they figured out what the formula is and our addressing team is well aware of where what it looks like to go in another state. But we can definitely have them talk about that. >> You know, the other pieces are fundraising. I think Rebecca and the
team wanted to get this up and running so we could uh have them uh let the students know to begin thinking about if they wanted to go fundraising like so they could begin to reduce the cost for all students. >> Just to be clear from the
This is February of next school year. That's correct. Anticipation. Any other questions for members? Talk about this second reading. Hearing none, uh we will continue. Up next is the uh school building committee
presentation. Uh, I'll welcome our chair of our school building committee, Sean Aor, here to provide us a bit of a >> Oh, yeah. We just set up if you want. >> Sure. That's fine. >> Um, very happy to announce uh some of the larger positions we have uh that
were vacated. We had search teams for a director of finance position which we have offered a contract to an individual uh who will be uh hopefully signing on by the end of the week. Uh at that point they will give notice to their district uh about uh their exiting and coming to
Milton. They will start uh on July 1st. Uh we want to thank Katie Blake for her time but also as identified two days in June. We will try to overlap uh Katie with a new individual starting. So we have some overlap in preparation for starting the school year and actually ending this fiscal year. So uh we're
very happy with that hire. We have also hired a new technology director for education and uh data analytics. Uh we have a young man coming to us from the public schools who was vetted by a team in a search committee uh that uh was led by Kakosa. uh that person will be a unit
B employee and they'll start also in July one. Because they're in unit B, they don't work a full year. Um so we'll work a schedule out to get that person up and running and uh get them introduced to the district and be on boarding as well uh that position. And lastly, we had the finalist interviews
for the human resources director uh yes uh yesterday. Uh Ker and I and Lori D met three candidates from uh three different uh school districts in the state. uh we have very very good finalists and we're really struggling with our decision right now and we're
calling references today and tomorrow when we made that final decision. So by next week we'll have all three positions hired prepared to on board in July and u and prepare for the school year coming up in the summer. In the buildings, we have building based teams doing the
hiring, the interviewing for each of those schools individually that are led by our principles and teacher interview teams as well. >> Questions about not Thank you. Now we'll move to the school building committee presentation just to kind of orient us and provide
some training for Sean JSON. Sean graciously agreed to come give his time as he does so much and so it's so appreciative of you Sean to kind of give the school commit building committee lens as to kind of where their role is here and what they're seeing as relates to lab and as relates to kind of the
ongoing work of the committee related to guile the guile site after we hear from John and members will ask questions and talk about that and then pivot over to um the superintendent and the school department team will share some of the
slides in the materials around the options are two from our conversation two weeks ago. So those are things we providing to members. There's nothing about that. I'll pass it over to you Sean. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you. And just for the record, Sean work, school building committee chair, town meeting member, precinct. Um is it okay if you share the screen please? We promote Sean. >> Yes. Hold on. Let me see if I can do that. >> Talking more people.
>> Um I did I did run into the challenge of moving you. You I might just deal with that when we get to the point. You're a panelist now, so can you share? >> Yeah. Perfect.
So yeah, as as Mark mentioned that tonight, uh yeah, I just want to give an update for MSBA kind of where the school building committee is at and then also follow up, you know, following your discussion a couple weeks ago regarding labor array and kind of how that fits
within the framework of the path we're going with MSBA right now and also how it doesn't fit within the path for what we're doing with MSBA. So you know what you see here is the flowchart with MSBA which are the nine modules that we have there. Uh we had
worked the past year on module one uh which we completed in February 25th of this year. Uh which basically had a certain outcome from it which is essenti um and right now we're moving on to module two which is formation of our
project team as a project manager and an architect and engineer. um school building committee is actually meeting on Monday to go through a short list. So for uh applicants for the owner's project manager, we had 11 applicants and we shortlisted uh just recently down
to three. Uh so we're going to be interviewing each one of them uh on Monday. So as I mentioned the outcome from module one was essentially um call it boundaries that they have us under MSBA
that we have to operate under. So what that is is they looked at certain data that we provided them to develop enrollment analysis for three options and those three options are an addition and a renovation to Collie Cunningham school to accommodate 1,400 students and
they do this as a baseline for any statement of interest. So whatever school you submit on they automatically say you have to do an ad rena as an option. uh we're not anticipating that as something that will go far into mainly due to space constraints. But the other two that are there I think are the
ones we focus on is a new elementary school uh grades K to 5th plus a preschool component uh and the enrollment that they they gave us of that was 495 students and essentially we defined the preschool component of that. So when we did this process before we
had about 112 in prek. Um the other option that we're looking at also is a new middle school grades seventh and eth plus preschool. Uh and the enrollment for that was 660 students plus prek. So again that's kind of the framework if
we're working with MSBA under our current timeline that we've got a hold to. So those two options the new elementary school the new middle school um there's no site constraints on there. So what act we're able to look at Gal road that we have there that we got
through the land swap and library college. Um so Gal Road just again for comparison is a 6.4 acre site. Uh library is a 4.7 acre site plus three existing buildings that are there. Um just an update too for you get for you
guys information just came through today. So, the land swap, if you recall in the special town meeting, I think in last year, we put an extension to the land swap, >> uh, Senate address bill text me this morning that it got, uh, passed through the house and it's on to the governor
for signatures. So, the land swap had an expiration date of 2028. It's now probably going to go to 2033. So, just for context. Um, so when we when we talk about Gal Road, the two options that we're looking at there again are middle school with a
certain enrollment of 660 and a preschool enrollment of 112. Uh, elementary school 495 and 112 again. So again, a 6.4 acre site, no existing buildings, and essentially it's all new construction that we're going to do
there. So that is kind of what we're working with with MSBA right now. uh if we purchase labor and want to continue down the path that we're doing with MSBA right now, the two op the only two options we can look at are those same two. Essentially a middle
school with an enrollment of 660 or an elementary school with an enrollment of 495. So because those are the kind of constraints that we're put on there, that's what we're looking at. Now, as I said, preschool is an option that we're allowed to define as part of that with
looking at the work that we did before on Gal Road. Both of these options are going to be tight on the library site. So, I would assume there would be no preschool component on there. You know, we'd have to if we had to squeeze it in, that would probably be what I would anticipate would be part of the option
that we'd have to squeeze off. Um the other part of this too as we compare the two is the the other differential that we'd have to look at is the acquisition cost for labor. So we'll have to pay money for lab which we wouldn't have to pay for Gware. So again under the
framework if we're going to continue down the MSBA path that we're going down this is kind of where we're at. So your last meeting that we talked about, you know, knowing MSBA is on one side, there were a number of options that you guys looked at and I appreciate
you guys diving deep into this because these are other feasible options that we need to look through. So but essentially with those they don't fit within the boundaries or the constraints that MSBA is putting on us. So essentially that becomes a non MSBA path that we don't
qualify for reimbursement. So I one of the things as I listened into the last meeting I I just want the public to understand that if we do that down the down a library path that's non MSBA we're not qualifying for the reimbursement that's there. Now we could
go back to MSBA and offer to restart again with some of these non MSBA options but essentially you hit a reset button you go back to module one and it be another year to two delay. So, that's still an option and that's honestly for you guys to decide. Um, but in in the
context of what we're looking at um for MS for lab array right now, this is essentially what you have for the building that's there. So, in green is what's shown as building A, also known as the mansion that we talked about. Uh,
building B is an adjoined uh office space, multilevel that's there. and building C, which is the majority of the classroom space, and it's connected, as you see in gray, uh, by a hallway that's there. So, a couple things to keep in mind as you're having your discussions
here. The existing classroom sizes that are there are approximately 725 square ft. Um, there's no cafeteria, there's no gymnasium. Uh, building C has minimal bathrooms, so whatever program you're putting in there, we'll have to add
bathrooms to accommodate. Uh, and then the other one, the main one that I'm looking at here is whatever renovations we do, I want to keep to building C, which is the red area. And the reason for that is for the energy code trigger triggers that will come up that we don't
want to go into these historical buildings and have to renovate that entire portion of that. So for us, as I mentioned multiple times at our meetings, um school building committee, as far as this decision goes, is in the advisory role. Uh what we're
looking at from school committee is to provide us a program. Uh we've signed an we've signed on uh DLR group as an architect. So we've been working kind of ahead of you guys on this to prepare to have an architect ready to kind of take the program that you guys provide and
then basically do a spit a fit out of that. So they're going to come up with a conceptual design and they're also going to come up with a cost estimate. Now the program that you guys provide and the cost estimate all go to the select board again is the advisory roles to let them make their decisions.
So the key part for me like what are our roles here? So for you guys as far as I see it and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong is to define the educational program and the grade configurations associated with that. evaluate those options of how they impact the existing overcrowding we experience and then at
the very end evaluate this option against cow road. Um again that's not our decision to make our our job is just to provide you guys options. You are the elected leaders of the town along with the select board. So that honestly for us that's our role. So again for us is
to develop those conceptual program layouts the obvious construction cost and then you know again provide it to you guys and the select board you know is to negotiate the purchase price execute the sale and then schedule all the required votes that have to occur.
So with that that's the end of my presentation I don't know if there's questions and if there are I happily entertain them and if not I'll happily sit back. >> Thank you so much. >> No problem. Sean, can you can can you um provide us an idea? We've talked a little bit about
timeline. What is the timeline for this to happen? Uh first of all, I appreciate your work and I appreciate you outlining the the different roles that each body has. Uh so uh the schools has to provide a program that we feel out of our prek to 12 uh grades, you know, what what one
or two grades do we want to pull out and what makes sense for students and the size, etc. Um and when we do that um then the town will be then we'll be working exclusively with the uh architect firm that you've identified. And then when will what will that need
to when will that firm need to produce a document or a summary or a conceptual model for the school committee and school department to uh review and decide whether that makes sense or not. >> Yes. So in regards to the timeline they want to start now. So, I'm looking to
get them into the building to do a sidewalk uh probably next Friday if they're available. They're out at the conference till Thursday. Um and then the anticipation or the hope of that is to pro provide them uh the educational plan or the grade configuration that
you're looking for. So, following the last meeting, I just wrote the original contract under K prek, but they're open to whatever option you guys come up with, but essentially only one option. They're not going to explore five to six of them. um the the intent with them or the contract that we're looking at is to
work with them over the month of July, you know, June and July to build up before an Augustformational session or a decision of here's the floor plans, here's the cost estimate. Uh so the intention is their deadline is the end of July, beginning of August. And the
reason we're doing that is if this is to go on the ballot uh for the November election, the select board has to make that decision. by I think it's August 5th or early August. Um so we're trying knowing that's a decision that the select board would have to make. Um
we're trying to work as quickly as we can to do that. And again that's why you know we took the initiative first to reach out to architects to do that. So we weren't coming here tonight saying oh we'll talk to them in two weeks or three weeks. We're trying to be proactive on all that stuff. So, um, you know, the
goal is the end of July to have all that answered for you. >> And, and so, uh, is your hope and expectation that the school committee and the school administration of school committee tonight decides to, uh, provide you with what that grade choice would be? Um, and if and if that happens
and we walk through this process, is there any ability after we decide if if the town does decide to purchase the space, um, will there be any other time to revisit the great configuration or is this kind of set in in stone or would the asset be ours at that time and there
would be chances for further discussion about what might be a better option if if it were discovered? >> Yeah, good good question. You guys are open to do whatever you want. So the the work they were doing is to only influence what potential the property has, not define like a constrict
boundary of this is where we have to go with it. Um you know for me I'm in favor of buying it. I think it's a great asset for the town. I think the town should buy it. That's my personal opinion. Not going off school building committee chair and stuff like that. Um you know does it work for a school? That's kind
of what I think what we're all trying to figure out. You know is it the right fit for what we're doing? Um, so to your point of, you know, the the the report that we get from the architect, the input and the cost estimate, that's going to influence what it whether we
buy it or not, potentially they might decide to buy it regardless, >> right? >> Um, but the opportunity to shift from that if something comes up later on that we would like to go from one option A to option Z, we can do that. >> Great. Thank you. Yeah,
>> John, I have a couple questions. I should probably know the answers to these a couple of these as a delegate to the school building committee. Um, the preschool option is that or the preschool part of the M MSBA program.
Did I hear you right that that is optional under any circumstance? like we could lap that off if we wanted to whether it's labberet or whether it's the guy road site. >> Correct. So the enrollment component of it what I was saying was optional. They
allowed they didn't prescribe an enrollment to us that said you have to provide a school for this many kids. What they what they said is you want to provide preschool let us know what that enrollment number is and then you know there's a certain formula that that builds into their reimbursement. like
there's not 100 it's not as it's not as heavily reimbursed as the overall school but there are some reimbursements for it uh but the overall enrollment like the prescription of that is what was open to us >> so if we wanted to do a K5 option under
the MSBA is authorized for K5 >> if we could squeeze that into lab but we couldn't fit preschool we could just remove preschool and still be eligible for the program >> correct >> okay um are the So if I understood you right,
the the three buildings you were saying we only really want to touch the main academic building so that we don't trigger the stretch code for the entire site. So under that code they view the three buildings as three distinct buildings
>> to be to be determined. >> Okay. I mean >> that feels like a big deal. >> Yeah. my interpretation of it because you have a separate structure of that building right the academic building that you're putting building C that I think has separate electrical and like
gas services to it that so essentially it acts as its own and it's interconnected only by that hallway that interconnects them you could make a case that you know the renovations are isolated to that building we're only drawing kind of the boundary of the upgrades to that building there
>> um and that's one of things within the architect. We're going to ask them. Okay. But through initial discussions, that's kind of our our where we're heading with it. And that's why for program space, I don't want to aim to anything in building B or A because if we start doing anything in there under
call it this overall project if it becomes a project, I don't want to trigger anything over there that causes to renovate the entire mansion because it's quite nice. How much of the how much what percentage of the whatever building do you have to touch to trigger
stretch code? >> You don't know off the top of the head. I don't know. U but again that's one of the things that we're going to work with the architect like my goal for that again is whatever that I keep the renovations isolated the building see so
that way you know it's not triggering all the others. That's that's like kind of the new goal going into it. And last question, um, will the architect be also looking at new constructed new construction needed potentially needed for the building like
a cafeteria? >> 100%. >> Yeah. So, it's not just interiors. >> Yeah. So, so the the scope of the architect is to take whatever program that you guys prescribe, look at how we fit it into the existing building, and then also, you know, there's obvious need to add on to the building. So, what
that add-on is going to be and then that will get turned over to a cost estimator and they will have a certain renovation cost that will be there and a new construction cost. >> The one the one thing with library just to note too that they did have a master
plan that looked at it and it did have an addition. So, the image that I was showing on the slides and I can share that later. Um, that had that like red square on that, they had already planned to do an addition there previously. So, we're trying to leverage some of that previous work that was already done to say, you know, it was additions planned.
Here's where they were looking to do it. Can you, you know, just use that? >> Cool. >> Thanks, Sean. Lizzy, >> um you had pointed out the need to do some sort of comparison and contrast
between this um nonMSBA path and the staying MSBA, which as you were just saying could include like a K5 school at the site. But I guess I'm wondering how would we really be able to
do that if we have to deliver one option. Um because we won't be able to do both with the architect like both a K5 in the building and the preKK in the
building. Right. I got a good answer. >> How it just seems like we wouldn't be able to do a very thorough comparison. >> So, think of it this way. We're going down with school building committee parallel
paths from that, right? We're on the MSBA path. We're hiring an project manager. We're going to hire a new architect for that. That's part of that path. That option falls under that path. So, if we continue down that path >> Oh, under the I see. >> Correct. Gotcha.
>> If we purchase MSBA, it would be a different architect, different team >> that could look at that option. So that that's a longer timeline that we're working with right now. >> The MSBA, >> correct? >> K5 at Labber timeline. >> So if we Okay. >> So as I mentioned with MSBA, we don't
have site constraints. So as we open up, we have building constraints or building options that we have to look at. That option can be on any site, >> right? So if if if when we get to that point the town has purchased the lab array and we're still on that path we can now add lab to that site analysis
and the program on that site. >> I so that would just require the town to build to purchase the site without certainty of which path we were going to pursue. That would just they would have to be willing to do that.
>> Got it. Thank you Steve. Um you were saying that if we um wanted to look into labor and couldn't make the the current constrictions work that we would have to like start over or
we could start that process all over again. Uh we're on module two so we've gone through one module but it sounds like that was a very long hall but it sounds like it was also mostly about coming up with some numbers. Can you can you give me some more information about like what that module one consisted of
and why it's such a why it takes >> why it's going to take that long again. So, so the funny part is um I hope MSBA is not watching when I say this, but like working with the state agency is very slow, right? So, we were accepted to the MSBA in May of last year. The
required documentation they required us to submit, we had like 270 days, we had it done in 90 days. We submitted it in July. So, it dealt with uh housing production, birth rates, uh historical enrollments, um a number of different things. The
maintenance records that Tom McCarthy put together, which was great. Uh and they they asked for those maintenance records because they're going to reimburse us a large chunk of money. They want to make sure the assets they're investing in are maintained. So, the cool thing is we have all that stuff. We can resubmit it really quick,
but it still took a year. I mean, it still took like six to eight months after we submitted all that documents. So even if we they told us to reset and we immediately submitted everything the next day, it's still this long delay because you're dealing with a state agency that has a queue of other projects
>> and we just go to the back of the queue and then when it gets to our turn, we'll be there. So there's no way to kind of jumpstart that. Um and again, that's not our decision, but I'm just trying to again explain to you guys what the options are and what the consequences of those options. If you decide to do it,
that's fine, too. Um but again just trying to you know put things in context as you have in this kind of very important discussion. Um getting getting back to this matter of cost and comparison. Um when we put a
program forward and they explore that uh over the next few uh next month and a half and they'll come up with what they think it could cost, we we still the town or the all of us together as the uh select board and this building committee and the school committee may not have a real clear idea of what the MSBA project
would cost. So if it if it does go down that pathway of non MSBA path which is we buy it outright by as the town we're not looking for reimbursement because we think that it will be something that will maybe move faster might be you know cost effective otherwise
>> but it I think it will to say out loud do you agree that it may be hard for the public to kind of reconcile that choice without all those facts >> at the time when we have to vote because that information from a time perspective just might not be available. So the idea of the town wanting to buy it as an
asset as a taxpayer in Milton resident I would agree 100% this is an asset that I think the town would be wise to purchase and I think the step would feel similarly and the town administrator does um and then if the schools can make it work then great if not can be a town asset they can utilize by the town in
another way. Um just want to try to make sure that as we walk our way through this work in June and July and August and then we begin to get in front of the voters that we're really explicit about what we can show them for comparisons and and what we can't and why and and
that that's just a function of the timing of so and so forth. Um and just to start that narrative now that letting people understand that there will be some missing pieces to this equation that people are going to try to have to decide on that aren't um a matter of us not disclosing that information as much
as it's a function of the timing of this project up against the MSBA and then the time that we have to vote and that this is an open purchase. It's a real estate purchase in an open market. It's not something that we're bidding you know. we have to decide whether we're going to go to the open market to purchase the space or not. So, uh kind of want to get
that traction going with the public as we begin to to socialize this with the community. >> Yeah. And just to that point, so for the MSBA, you know, module that we're looking at, we have two options. Previously with school building committee, many were going down a path
on our own weren't accepted to MSBA. And the reason we're doing that is as we're seeing with MSBA, it's a slow process. And the reason we were doing that is we can get to a solution faster. Um, so in the summer of 2024, we finalized our conceptual design for a middle school
option that was there for the similar enrollment. So the cost of it at the time was $173 million. Um, the timeline again, if we had passed it then was to have a school open in 2027. Keep that in mind. So that was not put forward by the
select board at the time and that was fine. Immediately afterwards we were selected to MSBA. One of the questions we asked our OPM at the time was what what is our reimbursement and our reimbursement under MSBA is a 45% reimbursement on eligible costs. So an
overall project has eligible costs and has ineligible costs. You can come up to an effective rate. So looking at past projects that 45% gets diluted down to an effective rate. The effective rate that our OPM suggested was about 28%.
So when you take a $173 million project and you look at a 28% reimbursement on there, roughly 45 to $50 million. So that 173 comes down in the 125 area. So when you are looking asked to compare
these two options, you can use that as a baseline for of it was if today it was $173 million project with the reimbursement that we're anticipating from Memphis VA, it really is about $125 million project there. Um
the and then yeah for the option that we're looking at here for you know again whatever option is here the architects are going to give you an option for that program the cost estimate there. So like the joke I keep making about this you
use like work all the time is like we're comparing apples to pineapples. They're both you know fruits that are there they taste different >> but you know there's similarities but they're very different and different things there. And I think that's, you know, where everyone everyone's going to look to you guys to say, "Here is an
option for X dollars. How does it address our overcrowding for where we're at now? And here's another option for X dollars that does something else." And then that's honestly for you guys to make that determination. >> Thank you. >> Yeah.
>> Just want to go back to the question that Lizzie raised. Um, we we have an agreement with an architect to do a design analysis of whatever program we give them. Um,
and I I assume we've I don't know if that I don't know if whatever we're paying as a public is publicly known. I can't remember if we discussed that, but it's some reasonable sum of money that's coming out of the school building committee um budget.
And I assume if we paid them twice that amount, they could do two design analysis. And I'm I'm wondering like the idea of like, okay, we we can figure out one
option and they'll tell us whether that option will work. And then if we want the second option, first we have to spend eight figure sum of money to buy the land. and then we'll figure out whether some other whether the K5 option will work and we'll get MSBA
reimbursement. I'm kind of wondering if there's been a discussion of paying for an analysis of two options. One, >> yeah, >> one the one we're talking about and one that will be eligible under MSBA so that
we know when the select board just finished my thought. And if this goes on the ballot, we have a clear sense of what the purpose of the purchase is. It's either we think it's most likely for a school because one of these two options will work or is most likely not for a school. You know what I mean?
>> Yeah, I I totally agree. I think that'd be great. Uh if we got three options, right, we can say here are our top three and let's do it. We don't The issue is time. And so the threshold in public procurement is for design services is $30,000 and $300,000 in construction costs. If
you go over both of those thresholds, you have to do a public procurement process which is going to be three weeks, right? And uh we don't have three weeks to lose. So we have to keep the design the construction cost is going to be more than $300,000. So we have to keep design under $30,000 in order to
not have to go through an extended procurement process. Given that the select board has to make a decision by August 5th and that the labet is going out to bid or kind of publicly starting to get um interest in the sale of
property on July 30th or August 1st and the architect is going to need several months to create even one design much less multiple designs. We we just don't have the running room to kind of get both of them. Which is why the difficult challenge in front of this
committee tonight is what is one that we want to study? And I think the best we're going to be able to do for the select board as we try and give them direction as to if this is a useful investment for the town from a for a school project perspective is to say is
is there a school project that could fit on the site? not necessarily that that is the one we want to do on the site, but it is feasible we could do a school project on the site. Um, and then as Sean said, we have a separate path where
in about two months hopefully we'll have an architect on board and that architect can start kind of coming up with these designs. That's going to drag us a little bit past the August kind of timeline, the purchase of this timeline. So, we could, to your point, pivot a little bit later on. We aren't 100% locked in. We just don't have a whole
lot of time till August. The select board could delay their decision because the August 5th fifth is owner to put it on the vote for the November election. They could delay that. They could separate it from the November election uh and do it at a later date. >> Part of the question there is what is
Lay's timeline for sale? Like we don't have property. We don't have agreement. Lab need Lay to want to sell it to us. And so that's another piece that we don't know here. select board town administrator responsible for we just don't have that answer today in terms of like would labare wait until
December to sell to us that would give us a lot more time to figure this out that would be great maybe they would probably not um and so we have to kind of make a decision today as a committee based on what we know and what we know is the timeline we're working with really is like the beginning of August
we need to have a sense of a plan and the architects we've worked with is like they need to know two weeks ago in order to really get us something for August. So they'll work your tail off to get something for us for August, but they don't have enough time to do multiple projects.
>> Sorry, sorry, just to provide some more context that might help your discussion later on too. So prior to school building committee being in 2019, this school committee at the time hired the RA architects that built all the schools and designed everything to do a space scene study, right? So that space needs
study was done 2018 and the outcome of that had multiple options on there which were uh additions or renovations to existing schools and these were seen as like short-term solutions that weren't there. The long-term solutions that they had was a new elementary school K to 5.
They also looked at an early childhood education center and they had kind of conceptual floor plans for it on the back side of the high school and stuff like that. So you know the options that you're talking about tonight aren't just coming out of thin air. They were studied by professionals before. They were outcomes that came out of like an overall study
>> uh that was there. Uh so I just want to you know let you know like school building committee when we took those on we were looking at a new elementary school at the time and then as we saw the you know the overenrollment just because of the delays and everything going on migrating up to the middle school. That's where we said all right
is there a different way of doing this? And while we were going down that path of looking at a program or an alternate program, that's where we identified the land on Gal Road and they both kind of merged at the same time. >> Um, so I'm just providing that as context that if labas decided upon,
there were previous kind of independent professionals that looked at this and looked at those options and said that those are actually feasible options too. But again, at the time it was like 2018. Um, so I just don't I think like some of those things that you guys were discussing were um, you know, not
thought about before. >> That's great history. Thank you for that. >> Sean, I did have a question. I know you mentioned in >> 2024 the cost of the the Bose new school is 173 million. Do you know roughly where it is now or is it roughly around
the same? >> I it's a good question. I don't um I I would assume I think at the time we were saying aim for like a two to three% escalation per year. Um so roughly you know five to$6 million each year. So my
guess was probably somewhere 180 190 at this point you know off the top of my head. >> Uh but definitely more than 173. >> Okay. And then because Lever is an existing site, is there fall under a different reimbursement rate through
MSBA or is it similar because like the structure is there? >> Yeah, good question. Um, I don't know on that one. So, because it's not an ad rena because it's like not an existing school like it's a site that we're building and it's not a school that we own. So I I honestly
don't know how they would look at the the new construction costs there obviously would fall under whatever falls under for the reimbursement that we're having to the renovation costs that are there. I don't know how they would address those. >> Okay. And then what if we're following through because we're on module two now
we were to go through what is kind of our timeline where we looking at completing whichever path we decide to go. >> Yeah. if if we stay down the the path that we're going without hitting the reset button that I talked about to like return back. Um we're hoping to have the
overall ballot question for whatever project it might be in 2028. So, a couple years out. Um, you know, we want to get the architect on board, start our design, and then get to a place, I think it's module five, where it's funding the project that they call it, where we have a price, and we can put it in front of
everybody of here is the project, here's how much it will cost, here's the impact to the taxpayers that we're going to see. Um, so our aim for that, I think, is around 2028, annual town meeting 2028 in May. Um and then you know construction
final design and construction following that. So probably a school open 2031 >> 30 2030 2031 something. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, no problem. See,
>> sorry. Um, do we have any uh concept of how well utilized that main building, the mansion would be that that and the the side building that would have OTP stuff and like given uh what we have in
the district now for administrative staff and and all those roles, like how well we actually be utilizing that space um moving people over. I just remember walking through the mansion and seeing >> there are a ton of like offices. There's a lot of office space and it was hard
for me to imagine that we would actually utilize. So I'm just curious about that. >> Yeah. So for me my focus has mainly been student focused. Sure. You know the administrative end of it. I I don't know. I I know in your previous discussion we were talking about you know the space that we're creating as part of the cow road like middle school
before and creating additional administrative space and that was a goal to try to move some of the administrative out of the high school to kind of free up everything all levels down. >> Um but as far as specific like how administrative existing space would migrate over there. We haven't looked at
that but that is something you can ask the architects to add on to you know that they're looking at. We can have that answer in August. I was mainly just more interested because Oh, I'm sorry. >> Yeah, it would be great for them to assess that and you could let them know exactly how many offices we currently have and which ones we thought would be
moving in that area, but not and the public should know that uh folks did other school folks did tour the site as well. So now you're actually getting a chance to see that there are so many nooks and crannies in that building. Uh but you know if we move the central
office business functions uh the superintendent's office uh special education services uh our DEIB office our school registration um and if we found ourselves with more room we would invite the town any any service delivery to the town that we
wanted to be part of that building would obviously be welcome um but I would it would be really nice to go through the space for space count because it does feel like there'd be a little bit more space than we would Um my goal would be to have if we were uh planning in the future would be to
have a family center there uh which would I think would really take up a lot of the first floor for our families to be coming uh and whether or not we could have our school committee meetings and all that just space there as well. So but it's definitely a big question. The second question was if we're not going
to renovate this building B, how would we utilize that? And I think that we could actually utilize that without much renovation at all uh in order to provide different types of support services for the for the students as well. So, >> but uh I think that if if they can
actually move that into their work or scope of work, that would be great because maybe I kind of have the same >> I'd like to walk the building nine more times like because every time you turn a corner, you find another little space. >> Yeah. And you want to maximize Yeah. You want to make sure you're maximizing the space that you're buying.
>> Yeah. I mean the one nice thing the initial walk that we went on um the basement of the office build the classroom building academic building Tom McCarthy was looking down there they were looking at taking their their staff and utilizing facility
>> staff rental that space and high school and to my point of like as an advocate for purchasing it like I said I think it's a a great asset for the town to buy and And again, whether it's a school or not, I think is kind of where what we're all trying to get out
of. Um, but could there be other opportunities that the facility offers from the remainder of the town? >> You know, all this places sounded like at the select board meeting, they were discussing the need to do that parallel.
That would be a parallel path for them to be pursuing, right? that while we're looking at this, they're hopefully exploring what those other non-school options would be to utilize the space. >> Um, I have a question. A Sean, you have
mentioned earlier that the the project you want the architect to look at is going to be on building C. So how can we make building A and B feasible workable for all for for the school human resource department etc without any
renovation because even we walk through it there's still the ceilings might have to be fixed and there will be a lot of plumbing issues with the old toilets and other stuff. >> Yeah. So I think it goes back to the earlier question Nathan was saying that like how much renovation triggers those
energy code things. So my anticipation would be we can still have the architect look at everything. To Steviey's question, we have the floor plan so we know what everything looks like there. We can look at the floor plan without really going through it. So ID this program can go over the space. This
program can look here. >> Um but when you're talking about like upgrades to it and stuff like that, I think the way I would do it is for this overall project that we're talking about is isolate everything into building C. do that overall project, >> walk away, sign the building, do the occupancy per have that project closed
and then some of those follow-on projects that you're talking about there, you can do them smaller so it wouldn't trigger that. and welcome. I think I mean having walked through the space with B and Stevie the other day was and and Sean um it was really nice to be able to see the space and to
Stevie's point there are feels like a lot of space right especially in that main mansion and it it's nice that it is air conditioned and stuff I think that was one of my main concerns like is it does it get hot up here and it's it's very comfortable so I would say to your
point focusing on that last the the actual classroom building um first and then looking at renovating those others minimally like you know like slowly would be would make more sense. So because it it's definitely usable. There's some cosmetic upgrades I would
do you know just just you know ceiling tiles and things like that but overall it's pretty well kept maintained space. >> One one of the other nice thing just to insert some humor here too is like we're in one of the new conference rooms right now. It's beautiful. I think everybody
likes it. There are a couple very nice conference rooms over there too that If the town were to own it, it gives us kind of more space that we can actually have meetings in and stuff like that or a variety of different spaces that we can actually operate too.
>> Council agent, you know, just so there's just a lot of space for cross >> cross work between, you know, different functions that it would be very interesting. >> Yeah. >> So Sean uh before I go and show my slides and if you're staying that would
be great. The way I framed the updated presentation goal was to revisit our May 20 options and bring forward a recommendation to the school committee in order to provide the architecture firm an initial option to review space needs assessment and potential program
for the site. And I say that out loud because I I want to kind of release the pressure a little bit. We don't have to get this perfect now. We're going to choose one to have them take a look to see if it's actually in the ballpark of feasible to use, you know, regular words. And if that makes sense, we can hand it to them. They can give us what
they need to say, you know, if the town wants to buy it, great. And if the town wants to buy it with a potential school option, this one that kind of makes sense. And you can actually change that if you do purchase it and we want to revisit that conversation. >> And to summarize, if we want to revisit it through an MSBA path, it's either got
to be um a kid to a kid to five or preschool. So we we already have that pathway that we can actually go down because our MSBA partnership is not sight specific. If we want to do it without the MSBA, we still have time to revisit and say, you know what, let's let's go back to that eighth grade
option. Let's go back to that K6 option. Let's go back to that whatever other option. We'll have time to do that. Um, so I only say that to kind of lower the pressure of the decision that we're about to make. uh because time is very very valuable in getting this work up and running in order to to have the
window of work done uh in order for it to be decided in time for it to actually consider it seriously and move forward on or not that depends on us just moving that ball forward. So uh kind of a preview of setting the expectations for how we may want to talk about this these
options. >> Any other questions for Sean before to the second conversation. >> Yeah, just to your point, I'm I'm free to stay whatever you guys need. So happy >> the sitters paid till
and uh on behalf of the full school building committee that has been working on this issue since 2019. Um, I want to thank them for all their hours and time uh in pursuing the really worthy goal of providing the schools more space in order to serve the
students of the town and that this is a curveball in any way uh that that makes their work a little differently, goes down a different path. I appreciate that flexibility and I really respect that they're able to pivot if needed in order to support the uh this project moving
forward. uh and and thank them again for their work and the the project that we're already on that could also be the path that we take. So thank you uh Sean and thank you to the team as well. Appreciate it. Thank you. I mean as you're aware it's multiple times we've done this. So yeah looked at fun looked
at you know >> this parallel path that I talked about we've had multiple parallel paths along this whole road. So, I mean, we're excited to get something. And, you know, the the one thing I enjoyed about hearing the discussion at your last meeting was everybody's, you know, acknowledgement that we need more space.
We need a school. So, I appreciate that. >> We do. Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh, slides pull those up again to kind of provide the framing for the group. The goal of this part of the conversation would be to hear from the school department on the recommendations, ask
whatever clarifying questions, but to get to a design, a singular design that we would like to recommend to John's point, you know, help us get in the ballpark of feasibility uh for the site in order to give the
architect that we are purchasing through the USBA, I'm sorry, through the uh school building committee um some direction to move forward with And the goal of that is to kind of give the select board some information relating to their decision on whether or not to
purchase this property and for how much are appreciate sharing the steps accomplish here. I'll pass over to you. >> Thank you very much. So, uh, uh, on the off week of our school cing meetings, I
meet with Mark and Anna, uh, to kind of think about what's on the agenda for the next meeting, and we kind of scratched out a little bit. It would be helpful if we revisited the options and then, uh, had this visual of what we think will work and what we think will not work. So, uh, trying to provide that that
quick assessment, uh, in the slideshow, but as these are self-standing presentations, I also want to make sure that we provide the context as well. So, this is the 2.0 0 version of our lab uh presentation for June 3. Uh on the next slide, you can see as Sean has showed as
well that we have the lab site is uh building A which is the uh the home/mansion part of the building that would not be renovated that would be housing central office and other essential functions that are non-school related in terms of classroom based work. It could also
house any town based offices as well. uh in the aqua color on the lefth hand side of the screen is building B which would be uh support staff space uh and other types of space used as well. And then in uh orange building C would be the main
space that the building uh would be for school classrooms uh for whichever grade would go in potentially with any kind of an addition that would need to happen uh to increase space depending on the cohort that we choose to move over. Um on the next site um reiterating what we
just said this is the potential that we're looking at in terms of how the building can be utilized. Uh this is a very high level look at how we can utilize that space. Um then when we go to slide four we're looking at the context. Uh I think it's been very helpful to have Sean here tonight to
kind of remind us of where we are in this arc of work from 2019 for the school building committee to now uh in the MSBA path that could be utilized for this lab auction uh and or have it be a non MSBA option. Um, but it has been
determined to Sean's point that the space needs of the school are real and that we could use more space to to service our students prek to 12 and that uh the first thing we want to actually look at is whether or not a library site option could actually achieve that goal
because if it can't achieve the goal of saving or increasing our footprint in order to serve our students then it's something that we would pull back from. So that's the major goal. Um so we're asking this high level analysis. Uh the updated goal on on slide five um is to
really kind of uh slow this down a little bit for tonight and take the take the hot air out of the balloon that we're not setting anything in stone tonight. What we want to do is revisit the May20 auctions, bring forward a recommendation to the school committee in order to provide the architectural
firm our initial program option to review a space needs assessment and potential program fit for the site. So, as Sean had said earlier, that if if we go forward with anything tonight and vote on it and have that explored over the summer that if the building was purchased and then we have it as an
asset for the town and the town would like the schools to be able to utilize that, there is room for that that assessment to be different or that course of action to be changed. And remember, it our MSBA pathway parallel to this. It could be the K5 school or it could be a preschool and fit right into
the MSBA pathway. So, a lot of options. We're not locking ourselves into anything at this time. The timeline has been consistent as Sean outlined in his slides and I will uh provide in mine as well. Uh last week or two weeks ago, we had a rubric that we went through on
slide six. Uh first of all, it has to address the space needs of the Milton public schools. Um can the grade actually fit with additional renovation and potential additions to the site? um is it is the greater program an educational fit for the site and are there operational costs associated with
that? And when we talk about the grade program uh fit for the site, that's also meaning uh is them are these transitions these educational transitions and how we want to organize our district good for students. Uh not just a fit of the school but a fit of how we want the the
degree configurations for the district uh in the future to be to be u uh made up. So these this the next page uh on seven is the list of um options that we reviewed through that rubric at our last
meeting. A new K to five school, a grade nine self-standing one grade school, a grade eight and grade five uh separately, a grade one, a one grade school, meaning that each one of those grades would be the only grade at the library site and not part of any other building. So the ninth grade would no
longer be part of the high school. the eighth grade would no longer be part of the middle school or the fifth grade would no longer be part of uh any of the four elementaryaries. Um there was also a move for a self-standing grade uh of just kindergarten as we thought about that uh kindergarten and prek together
and then we talked a little bit about uh just prek. The school committee at that meeting on the 30th also talked about can we review a little bit and talk a little bit further on adding a K6 school. So we'll talk a little bit about that in a slide or two as well. So when we look at uh the brief overview of what
was to come out on May 20, uh a new K5 school, uh if it was at the lab site, uh we would have to make sure that it could fit um how many sections we would like to have there. So uh if we were to build a new school, uh we would look at
creating uh enough space uh for students and taking students from each of the other elementary schools that would actually free the space up at those schools. uh redistricting our current neighborhood maps and home schools uh which I think is something that we really want to say out loud. This means that we would draw all those maps
differently. Um we would also if it was a separate school we would have a full administration in the needs of fully equipped that with our world language specialist uh a different level of art, music and um physical education um that
we would have to provide as well. So that would be a brand new school just to service those K to 5 students. If we did a K to five school, we'd have to think about also what would the other schools look like if we did build a new school. How many sections of first grade would
there be at the Tucker or at the Cunningham or at the Glover? And we'd have to make sure that we were aware of when we did build that new school, what that school culture would look like in each one of the schools after the building got shifted over. Um, and uh, not only from a space perspective, but
from does that work? And, and the reason why I say that is that if we were to draw students out of our schools, Tucker is only a three-strand school, and we would never, I don't think, want to educationally have be a two-strand school. I think a three- strand school is the smallest school that we would
want in terms of a healthy school environment with three three classes per grade. Um, and so different conversations about that I think would will would need to happen. Uh, and I do think operational cost may may be on the high end of that. Uh, moving grade nine
there. I think we were all pretty clear that we wouldn't want to separate that grade nine from the high school. We have a state-of-the-art high school. We just bragged about it in the superintendent's um update earlier. Um, grade eight had some legs a little bit around do we want to isolate our eighth graders and try to
um have them have their own experience. It might not be a middle school like experience but more of a transition to high school like experience whether that's from a a social emotional lens and or more importantly from an academic preparation lens which I think right now principal Cahillo and uh Dr. Fish are
already working on that and trying to uh create that um relationship between 8 and N in a more healthy way. Uh I want to applaud we've already started with the the step up day happened last week that folks have been asking for for a long time. We have a step up day that's scheduled for the fall as well. Uh and
we have teachers co-observing uh eighth grade classes and nth grade classes. So there's a lot of work going on that I think are already u good viable options for that transition from 8 to nine. Um we thought also about just taking out a fifth grade and I think again I think we
all worry about isolating any one grade that is in the middle of our sequence of grades. picking one out of the middle and isolating it as opposed to picking something at the beginning or something at the end. Um, you know, would that be a good idea or not? And why would it be
effective and what would make it work? Uh, but I I my personal opinion is that we when I see isolating a grade in the middle of our prek to 12 continuum, uh, that's not the first thing I think of as good educational practice. Um the next shows uh the move of kindergarten
standing uh by itself. That does free up space, but it doesn't address our prek needs. Um having a prek and self-standing uh early childhood center with uh just prek. Uh it probably be too much space in the library. So there is
thought that maybe a prek could be something that could be a little bit entrepreneurial. Uh we could be a fee charged for fee service for prek. Um we all know that potentially a prek expectation from the state department of education could be coming down the road.
So we would be building capacity if we thought about just having prek there. I'm not sure that would just justify the full building cost and also whether or not that would actually remedy our space issue which is the first thing that we're trying to solve. Um after walking
this again uh through with the leadership team, the option of the prekk uh we feel takes our earliest learners at the beginning of our continuum of prek to 12th grades. Um it provides a learning an early childhood center that we feel can be really uh immersed in
what all early childhood uh students need and uh and have professionals dedicated to just that work at one site where we can prepare our students uh who are coming to us at three years old, four years old and then at 5 years old and really enriching them in a way that
prepares them for what is traditionally an elementary setting for one through five. and um that that is something that people still have uh verbalized real support for um in terms of moving something forward. Um we also
uh at this table uh two weeks ago talked about the the K to6 goal and I apologize to the group my head wasn't wrapped around it and so we actually talked about it a couple more times. Um but this would really look at you know how would Glover fit a sixth grade? How would Tucker fit a sixth grade? Uh what
we would do is actually thin out every school just enough to have a fifth school that was K6 um and and and take some students out of each building and add six grades to that uh in order to provide space at the middle school. Uh and obviously all of these options
provide space for the high school because central office and all the other auxiliary offices come out of the high school and go down. Um, this too uh would require us to re uh redistrict the school uh have a fifth elementary school. Um and and um I think the
resources of world language and all the other things that we have to provide might stretch a little bit and I think that we're already kind of stretching that area, but it's certainly something to consider. Uh the other part of this would be what would we do in sixth grade? Would we go back to a one school, one classroom based sixth grade um
setting like an old u elementary setting for that for that group to keep them young? Would we have team teachers there? Would we want to model a uh a middle school option? And and one of the things that I've learned in my previous world of doing this kind of work is every transition should be preparing
every last grade should be preparing that grade to make the transition to the next grade. So if we had a sixth grade, we'd want to make sure that there was something a little different about it that prepared them for what seventh grade would look like at Pierce. Just like we're trying to figure how we want to make eighth grade look a little
different even academically to get them prepared for what nth grade look like. So uh when we had a chance to draw this from scratch, we really want to really look at our transitions as best we can. So that would be uh in this case if we did a a prek to a K to6 school and one
of them would have to have a prek auction. um making sure that that sixth grade educational model was preparing students for that seventh grade experience. Um and more importantly, if we have a prek experience, how do we get those K students ready for grade one if
they leave there? So preparing transitions is important. Uh and we've been talking about transitions for the last three weeks around 8 to 9, 5 to six and uh preK to K already in and how that district is already formulated. Um so
this overview we renify the leadership team again and this is the slide that just kind of shows like as we start to look at things that we have to make a decision. Um I we as a leadership team felt that we could strike these off and really recommend the prekk
uh which would be roughly 340 or 50 students plus another 120 uh uh preschool but remember those 120 are not all in the preschool all the time and there's a half day program so the capacity of the building isn't for the full 120 um and uh we really believe
that that early childhood center would best serve the students in Milton uh moving forward um the uh we left on the why preschool ind is a fit uh document and statements and um I'm open to any questions that
the group has >> questions for members. >> Thank you. So, I just wanted to um go back a little bit to the middle school. So, the middle school does still have uh a space constraint. Yes. Um
Pierce still has space constraint. And my only hesitation about this is how we are helping Pierce >> um when we do this because I I feel like the long-term strategy is to try and carve out space so that we don't
>> Right. So is is there what are we doing for Pierce? >> So as we compare the the MSBA model and potentially model in this the the comparison will be we we're not giving PICE any space remedy as much as we are
giving it to elementary and we are giving it to high school. So um so the the honest answer is we're really not >> and that has to be factored into what decision we make moving forward around whether or not the other option is better and we might want to stay with the MSBA or stay with this in and it
also as we as I tried to make sure that we were saying a few times if we feel like that is a major piece that's missing uh in the fall or in the winter after this building is purchased and and becomes an option. Do we want to revisit that if that becomes a priority? talking
with Bill Fish, uh he thinks he's he's fine, but that's fine. That's not great, right? And so we understand that that's one of the trade-offs that we have. >> Uh in our enrollment increases are really seen at the elementary level in the high school. Uh we do have a
transitionary period where folks uh do not come into middle school, they come back for high school. Uh we want everybody to come into elementary, middle, and high school. So we would like to build capacity uh and have it available because we want everybody to come And and I do think part of the allure of a seventh and eighth grade
school that Sean has been working on is really creating that new build fresh idea of how seventh and eighth grade can work in order to keep all those parents in the in the middle public schools which is actually a priority. >> Could I know a couple years ago what we were doing was space studies for the
individual all six buildings and saw um Milton access. Now that if we're looking at potentially labor and there's all this additional space there that could we look at maybe convincing them to move. >> No, I looked at that in in depth. First
of all, it's like one small classroom is the space they have. So just out of respect, it's back here. So it it wouldn't even moving them doesn't >> Yeah. >> really move the needle that much. But it's the issue is that's the head end room which cannot be moved. It's it's
very integrated within the infrastructure. It's the headend room of the the network. Okay. >> So that is in that space and so that is why they are there for their public broadcasting and that that cannot be moved. What is that word that you're saying? Head in.
>> Head in. >> It's a tele because that used to be the high school and that was like the central of the the district. And so that still remains in there even after the constructions. They didn't move that. It was just talk to them because they were going through a
whole uh IT kind of upgrade stuff with the the work like Zulus was doing around like IT infrastructure. And so is this a time to move it? and they didn't. And so it's it's there. They're going to be there. There's no way. >> No, that's that makes sense.
>> Just one comment to yours too is if this was an option and middle school became, you know, focus that you want to look on, you could look at the additional project in the future that could address the middle school too. So you know, I mean, I don't want you thinking that if
this option is chosen the middle school, nothing will ever get solved. there is opportunities to do stuff in the future. It would just be another project that we could do later on. >> It wouldn't be made by that. But but I I I just want to say that that
you know similar to you know John's point earlier like this is an option that you're looking at now. There's there's still a lot of other opportunities that will come. >> Um so I just don't want to think that if you choose this the middle school will never get addressed. Right.
>> And did we I know we you'd initially mentioned that when we were doing >> add looking at additions years ago to each of was there an option for the middle school potentially of adding on was there any >> site constraints? Yeah, that's a funny one because they looked at the back of
it and they had an addition off the back of it and through the work I did with the conservation commission for you know what we did with the land swap. Uh I was educated on you know we have pine tree work that runs right through the middle school there's certain setbacks on that
that were infringed upon by that add-on that they're looking at. Um, so the add-on that you might see as part of that might not could be that big, but there was, you know, potential that you can look at to add on to the in some way. >> So, and that's why I just wanted to bring up because you remember that too
because again, it's not um something that can never be done later on or something like that. But there also would be cost associated with that. So that gets back to that apples to pineapples comparison >> and and I I think that that's the essence of the dilemma, right? It's a if
it does it meet the space needs, what meets most of it, but not all of it. What's the cost? is the cost um at a value that's less than the other project that it's worth not having space uh added to the middle school of one part of this puzzle, but it solves enough of
the puzzle at the cost is that a value added to the town, you know, because it's not going to be perfect and yep um and then the other part of the cost is opening up sooner than later. You mean Sean's been at this for, you know, nine years, 10 years. >> Don't take that. And um and so that
there are children that have start there are families who started this conversation whose children will see a graduation on Sunday. And we really want to be able to so the other element that we want to pay attention to is just time and execution of of the uh of the added space for the families that that we have
moving in. And uh so all all those var >> could we so in my mind the the I like we debated this option quite a bit and it does seem like a like probably the most credible option but also seems like the the second most credible option is a K5
option because it's the one that will be approved for financing through the MSBA program. >> Could we just spend I don't know if we could go back to the slides. If we could just spend a few more minutes on that one. >> Um
>> and just to clarify like a K6 would not be counted as a K5. So that's just off the table for MSBA. >> Correct. Okay. And then just further context, a K5 one would have to be for 495 students, not for the 350 that we
discussed before. So that's where I wanted to start. So it's it's so MSBA is approved for 495 students. Do we even we must have some kind of theory square footage divided by number of
people whatever. Can that can building C hold 495 students? >> No. So the the simple the simple way we can do it is MSBA. The reason they give you these enrollment numbers, there's a spreadsheet with a lot of formulas to
it. You plug in your enrollment at the bottom and it spits out what their program will allow you for space. So that would be a first star that if you wanted to look at that, take that spreadsheet, put the 495 in there, see how much square footage you have, but go
way close. We have building C. >> How much bigger would building C need to be to hold 495 students? You know what I mean? I mean, you'd have I mean, if you take an average class size, calling 25 kids, you know, 495 divided by 25, that's how many
classrooms you'd have. >> I think C had 13 classrooms or >> 12 and then >> I would do it my my top guy. I can't believe >> so 20. So, we need seven more classrooms
than what's currently in there, which we could build, >> right? And you had to build a cafeteria and gymnasium. >> Mhm. >> You have to do that again. >> Yeah. >> True. >> Oh, you don't have to build a gymnasium for early childhood, right? Correct. >> Cafium.
>> Okay. So, you'd have to build an additional seven classrooms and uh like an additional facility room. >> Yeah. And just more than seven. Seven classrooms would be the core classroom, right? Yeah. You need all the aesthetic
law offices. You need the >> music room and the art room, any of that other stuff. So it it does end up being more there's probably some of those ancillary spaces that also apply for a prekk but more so if you have a full K through five and in
and having just gone through this the MSBA square footage requirements for classrooms a certain size but then there has to be a corresponding uh number of equitable space for special education students half rooms small rooms and small spaces for EL and special
education that would be baked into that too. So uh and that that is not negotiable. Uh whatever the to Sean's point there is a spreadsheet and you plug in your number and they have an algorithm that says well this x percentage would be students with IEPs
that would need these kind of spaces. So to to Mark's point these are just your generic classroom spaces the corresponding spaces around special education e offices etc. >> Yeah to that point too. So, one of the things when we were going on our own
before we were we were fine-tuning the design we were doing, we were scaling down the kind of classroom sizes because we weren't in MSBA and constrainted that. Mark remember >> that if we would go into MSBA, it was going to require us to get bigger classroom sizes because they have minimum sizes that we have to do. So,
the 725 foot classrooms that exist there now would have to expand to accommodate the 12 existing >> would be less. Yeah, >> maybe less. >> Um, okay. I don't want to belabor this point. I know we're we're evaluating the
the education program, but I also just want to at least try to mentally model the financial impact here. Um, like do you think asking you to do things that we're paying an architect to do in your head
right now, but like is it even I don't know what's buildable on the site, but like let's imagine >> I don't know. It sounds like we're going to have to build we would have to build a building that is like the size of building C, >> something added on to that like like can
we even go that big on that site? Yeah, it's it's hard to know. I mean, again, I think you as the question, how big is Tucker? Tucker is 440 kids. Ultimately, have a facility that is larger than Tucker in order to get this
>> as a as a comparison. And um you probably and it depends on again what do you have to do with building B. And then if you're keeping the mansion and not touching it, right, that's a space constraint on the site because the site's fairly large. if you're going to demo it all and fit something there,
maybe something, but we're not going to want to do that. Um, so it's it's feasible. Like I think you're right, like I I totally agree with you. I think the K5 is a still a really interesting thing because it keeps us in the MSBA gives us that reimbursement. What is the
size of the addition that you put on compared to helping designing to be in terms of bigger than the prekk compared to then what is the financial benefit of staying in MSBA? That's exactly what it >> Yeah. No, totally agree. I think that's that's right.
>> Um and I think there could be some benefit. It might just be make the site too tight other than but again we have Tucker and Tucker is already a pretty tight site and figure it out and then great school and great community. Um, so I just think as we as we think about
what our architect can do and to Sean's point of like how we're moving down parallel paths, I'd be really interested in trying to see if we could test fit a K5 if we end up getting a 9 495 student K5 on the site if we end up getting the property. Yeah.
>> And we move forward with an SBA. I think for the information to give to the select board of like is this a feasible site for any type of school programming in my mind going with the smaller the more conservative option of like this is not going to solve 100% of
our space needs neither is a K5 because K5 still doesn't address peers but like it's not going to solve quite as many of our space needs but it's a small program see that fits if that fits we have something that doesn't even fit we know what K5 is not going to fit but if that fits and we can figure out that working
then we move forward with a architect through an SBA. We try and do a quick test on that and do we think that would fit and then that brings these questions of like the financial should we investigate this further because there's there are real benefits with staying with SBA which which almost makes it um
uh a a good opportunity to go with the prekk because that option will be explored by Sean's folks now and the K5 can be actually explored by the MSBA group. Yeah. >> So we we just have to be a little patient for that to kick in. But we we we actually have a >> that that can happen under this model,
you know, I mean, and because it's already would be paid for under the OPM and the design team's work. So it's kind of a, you know, if we can get this done by these folks for the 30 grand real quick and see if it's even fit, you know, would fit and and and then if it if it does to Mark's point, then we can
always do the K5 through the MSBA modeling to find out if we want to stay within that model. that if if those are the two options that people feel strongly about, we're actually can we have a methodology or a pathway to both, >> you know. >> Yeah. One one of the things we did uh working with town administrator Nick
Milano, we're aware that laboratories coming on site are going to be available at some point and it happened right as we issuing the request for services for an OPM which was good because when we wrote the OPM one, we actually wrote lab as as an option to look in there. Uh, so
we we physically wrote that in knowing that we wanted them at some point potentially if we purchased it to have as an option with MSBA. Whereas if we didn't write that in and then tried to rein it later again, it might have got us to reset. So we're trying to be proactive on this whole thing. >> Uh, knowing this was potential option.
So we wanted to make sure that was included >> and school building committee can finance both a design review of labor for a K5 option and continue down the path of the 78 option kind of simultaneously >> spending all school building committee's money.
>> Well, but that's that's the idea, right? Like I I just want to make sure that there's that that can actually right now for MSBA. The good thing is we have funding strictly for MSBA uh project of $1.5 billion. So under that, that's to
cover the Arctic no PM fees to get us to module 5. >> Uh so there's plenty of funding in there that we can look at all those different options that are there. Um the one thing I'd caution though is when we go with MSBA, >> um we we limit it to just these two sites because we don't want, you know,
if something else comes up, we open up the more and do we'll get into analysis paralysis and we'll spend all that money and never get to where we want to go. Right. And I mean I I just say that for everybody to know. >> Um but the funding to do all that work we have that
>> I do think this is just really smart well thought out path forward in terms of trying to go with that smaller option that makes the most sense on this space in terms of renovation how much we have to like do to the space. um and then
exploring that other option so that we're still you know exploring um following this parallel path with both of them but I think like time is of the essence I think that's the biggest thing so it's just getting aligned on moving forward I mean a lot of things could
happen between like once August comes you know we might you know we talked about the November timeline that might I don't know that's something that they're willing to wait for so there's a lot of things that we have to hurry up and I feel like to >> show that we're enthusiastic about this
property and I so yeah like I really appreciate how you know the detail that went into this presentation your presentation as well to kind of share um you know where we are and what our options are forward and you know so this is this is great thank you so much
>> just one other thing too just a preview what may come with the architect and stuff like that so if the decision doesn't go with K prek right the as I mentioned the existing rooms that are there are 725 square feet your existing
prek K rooms in and the elementary schools right now are about 1,200 square feet >> right so when you're talking classrooms to classrooms it's not a onetoone comparison talking so if the intention is to keep smaller classrooms there
that's fine the enrollment within that classroom has to reduce so your biggest classes that you have now kinderg yard collicott. So it's 23 kids in a,200 foot classroom. So if you're going to take those same kids and move them over to a 725T
classroom, in that 725 ft, are you putting bathrooms in there? Are you building out internal cubbies and squeezing that 725 smaller? Or what the architect's going to suggest is take some of those walls down and just make 1,200 foot classrooms off of it. Right?
and to do that. So now you won't have 13 classrooms, you might have less, but you're accommodating, you know, the more kids. So that that's something the architect's going to be here. There's going to be a lot of interaction. I hope you guys don't have plans for the summer. >> You know what I mean? Because we're
we're going to be doing work on this and and this is one of the things that they're going to ask you guys of, you know, programmatically start thinking about the stuff that's there. So, I just wanted to bring that up uh just so you know when they do come along and stuff like that. And and then my final point, the
architect that we did hire is the actually the architect that was doing the previous program at the middle school. She left her firm that she was at. She's at a new firm. Uh so be a familiar face to somebody for contest.
Um be mindful of the time, but I also want to make this opportunity conversation. additional questions. Okay. So, I think I know I appreciate the note. I know there's no vote on the agenda. We still are allowed to vote on
it. Um there's no meeting law requirement, but we have to say vote. Um it's just a nice thing to do generally. So, we can still vote on this. I think we should vote on this in order to get the school building committee direction. um on kind of what path forward that also
is going to dictate some work that the school department is going to have to do with the architect in terms of meeting with them for some of these things that Sean's kind of bringing out some programmatic information. So I'll make sure we're being aligned on what we're asking them to do.
If there are no more questions, might take a motion. Somebody wants to make one for proposing which uh path we would like the architect like propose the school building committee architects move down.
the exact language in mind here. >> I'll make a motion that we recommend the school building committees architect explorer design for prek and kindergarten school at le
motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Any further discussion? Then all in favor Sean, thank you so much for helping guide this conversation. >> Thanks for all your work as always. Really appreciate it. Super helpful.
>> Have a good night. >> Thank you for all your >> John. Thank you for your work as well and appreciate the work that is to come. I just want to hedge my own concerns about this whole process with the community that we don't
own the land. So that's something we should be very clear. We do as like great as is think about library. We don't own it. Library owns it. We might not get it. I'm still I'm really hopeful the select board and town administrator can position us really well, but um we should keep that in mind. Um as great as
this might seem. So let's cross our fingers. Uh great. Thank you. That's anything else for superintendent report? >> Okay, we'll move over chair support. uh school committee governance retreats. We
are trying to figure out the um some changes potentially to dates. We've thrown out 15th, thrown out the 17th. Um so I think that's still something that we try and talk with John offline about
to figure out there is a date. The goal is we obviously want everybody here because having all the members be a part of that cap especially the goal conversation for next year will be very important. Pushing it late into August is a problem
because uh one of our members is going on a phenomenal trip and we'll be gone a significant amount of August. Uh, and so, you know, not wanting to delay this until September so that we have some direction going into the year because there's a lot of work we have and trying to figure out what we can do again in
the next two weeks would be important. So, sorry for the back and forth. I appreciate the members flexibility and everybody's time and commitment. >> It seemed like the 16th might still be a live option option. >> I might be the only one.
So, I might have to >> if it works literally for everybody else and not me, then >> No, you'll keep us posted. >> Um, did have just a couple other things I wanted to just mention. I just echo John's points about the senior awards. Thank you all for inviting us. Thanks to
um uh the high school staff for putting on just a great show as always and obviously the kids were I should say young adults at this point. They're graduates uh were very impressed all the things they won and to your point just the community support donors just so
many people on that stage with money and time and care for our kids year after year and so that's really impressive and really appreciated. uh the retirees Charlene, big shout out to Charlene for organizing that uh said some very nice things that I got to read luckily, but
uh again she helped put together all the principles and so just appreciate all the work on that end and the time dedication those folks had as you're used to have just decades upon decades of commitment and service to our kids to our community how much they've given back and will be missed and we really
blessed in this town have really great people who who care about our kids. Uh excited for see all of you graduation on Sunday. So um hope the weather is still looking good and we can do it out on the field. Um I did want to share I got an
update from uh Richard Wells the other day. We did pass through the it was a house and a senior vote $250,000 in funding um through fair share uh for the Tucker playground project. So we were anticipating that going through but it
has gone through. way down needs to be signed by the governor. But really big thanks to Richard to Bill Driscoll to especially Tucker PTO who applied for this and look seeking this funding for playground project. So I just want to thank all those folks who were involved.
Um and then last thing I want to make sure to say is that tonight is Katie's last meeting with us and so we tried to lock her down to her desk and she >> slipped out of the cuffs. So she is
>> she is leaving us but just want to say thank you once again Katie for all that you've done here last year. Really appreciate it. It's been a pleasure working. I think I speak for all the members and just the value you brought to these conversations and really difficult times and less difficult times now um because of your work and so
greatly appreciated. You will be missed. Don't be a stranger. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate Thank you. And that will do it for my chair report. We will move over to the finance subcommittee report. Pass this over to
you, Mr. >> Okay. Um I'm going to try to do my best. Mark Luring impersonation first finance subcommittee report. >> Um so we met on Wednesday. Um went over a couple of things. Uh Katie, if I get
anything wrong here, feel free to correct me. Ketty went over just kind of end of year logistics. There's a purchase order freeze in effect for the rest of the year. Um lots of advanced purchasing for next year. Um payroll stuff happening and then looking to
close the books by mid July on the prior fiscal year. So that's great. Um talked about um Katie's transition plan and the hiring which failen already gave an update on. They'll overlap for a couple days in June and the new person will hopefully start at the beginning of
July. Um, we spent a lot of time talking about the budget development schedule or some time talking about it which I shared around to the group. Um, and happy to field any questions on this um
that people have and we can continue to talk about it because it is a it is a living document. But this is, you know, a significant work product coming from the budget coordinating committee which John, Katie, Mark and I have been
participating in. Um that you know probably for the first time in a long time or maybe the first time ever kind of outlines the the timeline and responsibilities and expected collaboration from various parts of town government to build the
following year's budget uh and really asks us to start that work in August um largely through discussions and planning um uh and then progress aggressively collaborating kind of more intensively
with other parts of town government over the next few months and ideally approving a budget in voting on a budget in January of 2027. Um
so that that's kind of the purpose of this document. I think we'll we'll use it, reflect on it. um it'll it'll evolve and I I I suppose we'll we may rebuild it every year after we learn learn more and use it.
Um and then maybe I'll just close out the finance report. Sorry, let me find my notes here. Uh we also talked about finance committee goals for next year which we we might talk about at the governance retreat in a couple of weeks.
So three things that that kind of came up for the committee. one was successfully executing the building of the FY28 budget. The second is thinking about um our sort of I don't know what the right word is but policies or
principles around how we want to structure fees and how to set expectations around fees for the community. And the third are continuing to build out revolving fund policies or maybe maybe like sort of an overarching policy for revolving funds. We did that
work this year for circuit breaker um and for the special education stabilization fund which is not really a revolving fund I don't think but um sort of continuing the work of documenting how we want to govern those accounts um
and I would just ask you know other folks to to think about other work that you might want the finance committee to take on next year if something occurs to you um and we can we can put that in the hopper Any
questions? Did I do better than Mark? >> It's a little hard though. >> Not at all. Hi Mark. >> Can I just add I think we spent the end of the meeting talking about the good work that happened this year. >> And this will be where I can be able to say a couple of nice things about Katie
as well. uh in her two-year tenure um uh identifying challenges in FY26 and supporting the the closure of the FY 20 I'm sorry 25 budget uh and then working um diligently in order to make
sure that there was policies in place that we created in 20 during this school year so that didn't happen again. Right? So the policies that we implemented this year were really important. There were safeguards for the school committee in the school community and the school department in order to operate in a way
that was very transparent and available for the community to be able to know what was going on with those involvement funds which were uh a big piece of what we were trying to work through that time was working through. So I want to thank Katie for that work in just two years and really in just one year. First year
was an identifying the problem. second year was remedying the problem and then set setting policy so that problem didn't come up uh in a way that was as kind of um popped up in a way that people had to be reactive. We we will be proactive with that moving forward. So I
I can congratulate the the finance committee for doing that work this year and also doing some peace work as well and uh and getting the budget house this year. So thank you and thank you Katie again. It's a lot of work for two years. Uh, you want to read out the warrants that one approved?
>> Uh, yeah. So, tonight I signed um Oh, no. I signed one last week, too. I don't have that. >> Oh, okay. Hold on. >> I can read them off. >> Do you have it open right there? >> Yeah. >> Okay.
>> Uh, so the following two warrants have been previously signed and approved. Warrant number 46 dated 52126 in the amount of $537,39421. And warrant 47 dated 52826 in the amount of $822,000
400 $822,47242. >> I also signed warrant 48 tonight. Okay. in the amount of in the amount of $577,000800 $577,89188. Uh we will move keep moving. Uh up next is policy subcommittee report and we
have some expedited policy to approve. So um the policy subcommittee met I think it was last week. Um we met remotely. It was only time we could make
work unfortunately. Uh but for policy we had uh the subcommittee review the homeschooling policy IHVG. uh there we discussed the inconsistency in the language between the the actual policy and the student handbook that had
caused some confusion uh that a member from the community had raised to us and brought to our attention. So per John's recommendation, we considered a uh one-year exception to the current homeschool students to help address the issue. Um the issue was basically um
about not um being able to participate in sports and there was some um in athletics if you're a homeschool student. So there was some confusion. So what we did was u make an exception that would um just be for this year. Um and
then for there would be this ex exception would not apply to new homeschool students. So students who start who register to go home school in in August they wouldn't be able to take part in this exception but um for current students we're just giving that
one-year exception. And then the um committee also clarified that AP course participation would be similar. it would be only available to students who started uh the school year in school under the current arrangement and not for future students. So um we do have
the um original policies in your um folder and also the redline version as well as the u final um edited one. And as you will note is we tighten the language and just simplified um everything so that is very very clear
for anyone um who sees that. So just really tightening up that language. So we appreciate the community member who brought this to our attention so that we were able to look at this in detail and just kind of um make those corrections and make that decision. And then uh then
we went so we'll have to do an expedited reading and vote on it tonight um since this is officially our last meeting. Um and then the next one was the camera systems policy that we had. Um and what we did was um we kind of reviewed it
further. Uh it's about um making sure the the agreement between the police department having access to distress camera systems. Um the police would have um access limited um in emergency
situations but not have access throughout all the time as needed. So we someone would be designated from the district to give provide access to the cameras in case they needed to review that. So we just again tighten that language and there were some concerns
and questions that members had including um how uh the logging into the system would be tracked if it would be manually logged in or if it would automatically um be logged every time someone had access or was able to access. Stevie um that was a great point that Stevie
raised. So, we're going to get some clarification in terms of what the technology can actually do and what we would have to do manually to make sure. So, just uh that's something that we would um look at again in the fall I think when we regroup for policy. So, just a couple more questions just making
sure that um everything streamlined and makes sense. >> Yeah. questions for members specifically around the one we're going to be voting on here policy school application. So, just so that I'm clear, what we're
voting on is uh the previous policy had provisions for making exceptions where someone could participate in these things and the red line policy, the one we're voting on tonight, takes those exceptions out and just >> did I finish your question?
>> And and just straight up says no, you cannot uh participate in the in athletics. >> Right. So the the policy the the current policy says first of all the policy the application and the student handbook said different things >> were not were not aligned. So the first part was just aligning it. That was a
really confusing point because it said different things. Uh and then the decision to uh use language that was that was that was either no or yes. The current language was at the superintendent's discretion. So when you have that now you're giving people the
the hope that it will happen. So when they're making this out and they're going to homeschool and they're talking to their child, they're saying, "Oh, it'll work out and and if that superintendent decides to say no, then we're back to that confusing gray area that that current parent exposed to us." We thought it was very if if we felt it
wasn't something that we would approve on a regular basis, then we thought we wanted to be very upfront with that and ought to have people be set up to be disappointed. Um, and rather have it be clear and in writing than subjective at some point, whether it be the principal's decision or the superintendent's decision. Um,
I I think Paul should should be more uh clear like that and not give sometimes that flexibility makes it harder for those individuals who have to hear the cases and continue to make decisions based on a continuum of if I do it for you, I got to do it for the next person. And even though every case is different,
uh I just think that the the saying no, if that was what we would reasonably say if we were asked, that was our decision to to make at the time, then let's just be in the rationale behind each of the nos was. We currently
have so many APs being taken by so many of our students and with the accommodations and the other pieces that that it takes to execute that. Um it's really hard to have anybody from the outside come in. We have already had the practice of not allowing students outside of the Milton public schools. Uh
Milton Academy students call up a lot. Other schools call and say, "Oh, you have the economics. We don't have economics at our school." Uh it really is a challenge to introduce anybody into that. It's not students that we're aware of and what their accommodations are. And then for the athletics, it was a no because we hold our students who are in
school every day to a certain standard of behavior, grades, and good standing. And we just have no way of comparing that in a homeschool situation. And we didn't feel like that was um a balance that we wanted to or a decision that we
had to make. If I if I had a student who didn't was asked not to play anymore on the basketball team because of their grades, well, how come the homeschool child can play? we don't even know how the grades work or if they're in school in good standing. So that was the kind of the general rale and then the big
piece of this was clarity and not leaving people with any kind of um false hope and mean greatness in when they applied exactly what it meant for the child. And I think that the the family that brought this to our attention had a very good example that touched on all of this. And so it allowed us to have a
really healthy conversation about the policies of >> and then and we did say that there' be an exception to Anna's point because because that family went through that process and was unable to participate. We did say that we would grant an exception for next year because we did
feel like we did a disservice to that family. The group thought it was important to write that situation. So that feeling will be made whole next year if they choose to questions. I've appreciated the conversation over the past few meetings and I just really
appreciate John and Carla your sort of openness to the conversation and to um you know neither of you were had anything to do with creating that that set of um conflicting documents. Um, but
I felt I really appreciated your willingness to try to problem solve um, with the current situation that we found ourselves in. And, you know, I think there are a lot of nuances to the issue and a lot of factors to consider as
there are with basically everything. But, >> um, yeah, thankful for the, um, process that we've been able to have. So, thank you, Anna, for leading us through that. >> Yeah. No, and I appreciate just making
that language absolutely clear, you know, and I think it just, you know, less is more in a way like so it just very clear. So, uh hopefully that's helpful for families going forward decision. >> Can I just ask
how many homeschool applications we get a year? >> I think that we have maybe 12. >> Yeah. kid as well district. And so therefore that would that would the this is generally high school driven
the AP and the reason how many are in the actual high school >> and just a question um so there was a discrepancy between the policy the handbook and some third source >> yeah application I think it's the
application for instruction >> which is also on our >> yeah so all three said something different or >> this policy said one thing and those two things said a different thing or something. >> Oh yeah, it it was hard to follow the dots if you would from one to the other.
So yes, >> I I don't know how often this comes up. It could be worth like I don't know taking all our policies and our handbooks and running them through AI or something and asking it to identify areas of discrepancy just so because
this one feels like I this is not a critique of anybody but like this one feels like probably uh you know one there's only 12 homes families so this doesn't come up very often but one that had you been had you looked at both of you be like oh yeah
these don't match I wonder if we should just be proactive in in >> and drilling down on that. >> No other questions or comments? There's a motion. Thank you. >> Um I can make a motion using the
expedited approval process uh to approve the following policies. policy IHBG homeschooling policy and policy IHBG- application for home instruction >> second
all in favor thank you the policy >> yes >> thank you so much appreciate you negotiation subcommittee update >> yeah so this will be brief um just to keep you all informed formed that
negotiations are ongoing. Um we met on Monday of this week for a bargaining session um with the MEA still on unit A. Um we have our next session next Monday.
Um and you know we're continuing to make progress. I think uh we decided that it would make sense to hold off on an executive session or further detailed discussion of um sort of the agreements
that we're moving towards until we've had like one more uh layer of progress which we anticipate hope for next week hopefully. So, we'll have to keep everyone in the loop on um being able to schedule that opportunity to share some
more updates. Um which would of course be, you know, before um taking an actual look to approve the contract, but we're moving forward and appreciate the MEA's on continued um engagement with us in
this process. Anything any of you would like to add? negotiations will be next Thursday. >> Next Thursday, sorry, the 11th, right? >> Yeah. >> And nothing else, we'll keep it moving.
Thank you very much. Um, next item is the superintendent search committee report. Back to you. >> Yes. So, um, thank you. So we the superintendent search commit subcommittee met last week um for the
first time and um it was a good sort of opening meeting. Um I'm I'm providing this report because one of the things we did there was um determined that I will be chairing this subcommittee. Um but I'm very excited to be working with Stevie
and Nathan on the committee and also joined for part of the meeting which was great. Thank you. And it's just a reminder that like our other main subcommittees, these are going to be cross-osted if um any of the rest of you would like to join. We had a good discussion. Um
the key pieces that we talked about included um just doing a little bit of like context setting for where we've been with um superintendent searches in the past going back to 2022.
Um so we discussed that a little bit. Um we also talked a little bit about the ways in which the expedited interim superintendent search that we undertook last year is really different from uh the process that we're preparing to embark upon for this full school
committee um superintendent search for the next permanent superintendent for Milton public schools. Um we talked a little bit about pros and cons of things we've done in the past including using MASC Milton um Massachusetts Association of School Committees is the partner that
we used in the previous um full superintendent search. A lot of districts do use them as a partner. We talked a little bit about about that. Um we also discussed like what other options would be um that school
committees can pursue and those include um working with uh NZDAC is another agency similar to MASC that offers that service to districts member districts. Um the Collins Center at UMass Boston is
another um entity um that h leads a lot of municipal searches including superintendent searches. Um I believe they actually helped Milton um hire Nick Milano as our town administrator a few years back. Um
but they are sort of a different type of an option because UMass Boston is a public entity. Uh the third sort of bucket of options we discussed involves um going out to um do an RFP process in which we would welcome proposals from
private um search firms which is another thing that districts often do to hire a search firm that leads a process for you. So we kind of like put those different ideas out on the table. I think we had some general um consensus
on the group that we're you know we're recognizing the challenges of the turnover that we have faced as a district in these in these recent years. Uh given that we feel like a really important responsibility to run a very
rigorous um professional and ultimately successful search to get the best possible candidate for Milton. And that led us to kind of think about um our the subcommittee's interest in pursuing some
of these different options that tried in these most recent iterations. uh youth Collins Center being one and possible RFP um process being another just to get as many options as we could and then as a
committee as a full school committee to evaluate like what makes the most sense. factors we would need to consider include the cost of working with any um provider including the Collins Center which I gather is um you know less
expensive than working with a private search firm but that would be a process of costbenefit analysis for us to just figure out you know what are they proposing to do for the process uh what track record of success do they have etc those would be things for us to weigh
together um and then you you know, look at budgetarily what's possible and make a decision for how to move forward. This is something that we will be needing to uh pursue over the summer. Like Sean said, you know, we're going to be here working anyway on the school building
project, so we might as well just work on this, too. Just kidding. Uh but we do have work to do because we need to kind of identify um our partner for the search over the summer in order that they're in place and ready to help us launch the search as we return to school
and help you know bring the community into the process um early in the school year. Uh the timeline we also discussed as a subcommittee would generally look like over the summer identifying our um sort of partner who will help us lead
the search. Uh and then um through the fall would really be an active period of community engagement. um while you know getting a search committee in place and all of that um in order to be early in the pool
um and you know trying to um hire somebody by January hopefully for July 1st of 2027. Um so those were some of the general things we talked about. Um, and I think Stevie, Nathan, did I miss
anything or would you like to add your point of view or Anna for the part you were there? >> You covered it. >> Nailed it. So we we don't um you know I think one thing we talked about was uh at our governance retreat
whenever we're able to do that assuming we can identify a date like uh at the beginning of the summer um perhaps to that um this feels like it fits under governance. I mean it is our
primary responsibility in governance to um you know hire and work with the superintendent. So uh what I was um proposing was the idea that we could um bring additional information to the
governance retreat if if it's possible to have the superintendent search on our agenda at that. Um, I for example made an inquiry to the Collins Center. Um, I haven't heard back from them yet, but on behalf of the subcommittee, I went ahead
and did that just to like see what's what is their process if they don't need to go through an RFP because it's um, you know, uh, do they pro provide a proposal like how does what is what is
it that they do um for the process? Um, and I think we we had talked about wanting to maybe do both of those like another parallel path option really just to try to get ourselves as many options as possible. Um, and
uh, so the idea would be I we could try to gather some additional information to share with the whole school committee at the governance retreat if that's possible >> in order to like come to a decision this month.
um that would allow us to launch an RFP like process officially if we formally decide together that we agree that makes sense to do. And in the meantime, we could have the info from Colin Center to like help inform us about that.
But I don't know what any of you think about that. We we kind of just wanted to bring this update and see what you think. Yeah, I mean I love the idea of moving forward with an RFP um sooner than later and try to get that ball rolling so we
can have the summer try and get love the idea of the RFP or the center more robust professional organization here to support the search beyond what's been in the past just how essential this is that this this goes well. So I appreciate the
committee looking for ways to just maximize your impact to make sure that this is a successful search. So um the idea of putting out a governance let me just that again is a governance order is somewhat substantial but either way I
think us needing to meet on this agree with that point >> we need to figure out how to make sure that happens give you all the approval you need subcommittee can move that forward >> well we can start working on like that's
another thing we talked about was starting to um try to draft an RFP >> in the event that we all agree that's something to do. Um so there are some of the like some of that work is can be happening um between now and when we
might um you know whether it's part of governance or something separate since um yeah we can work that out but >> yeah I mean ultimately what would we need to vote the RFP itself that we
release the RFP it's probably what we would need to take a vote on as a school committee because otherwise provide general consensus here tonight like folks are open to and then RFP process that that's something I'll work towards.
I mean to be honest I actually I think need to do more diligence due diligence on that as far as like what we haven't um done an RFP process for this specific
>> service you know so I actually would want to double check like what's the >> do you have any thought on that >> so the in order to do an RFP the procurement process goes based on um a dollar threshold. So
if it's up to $10,000, it's just sound business practice. You don't have to do an RFP. For schools, you can procure goods and services up to $100,000 just based off of three quotes. But you
have to define a scope of work. So you I think it would be really important for the committee to define what they would like this consulting firm or partner to do as a part of the superintendent search. So the scope is
going to be meeting with stakeholders and kind of all of those key pieces. And then when you have that um if it's under a 100,000 you can just solicit three quotes based off of that scope of work. If it's over a h 100,000, that's when
you would formally have to issue an RFP. >> Okay. >> Better not be over 100,000. >> What we've talked about is actually I don't think we have an expectation that would be over 100,000. >> Um just based on some initial research
of what firms charge for this type of process. So I guess then it's just um this it's a distinction between a formal RFP and soliciting bids >> soliciting quotes. Yes. So you would but
you just need to make sure you have that clearly defined scope of work so that when you're reaching out to all the different companies that you're asking them to quote the same same product. >> So it's like a closed procurement
process. We solicit the quotes and then do we need to provide evidence that that happened and have that sort of reviewed by somebody some body? >> No, you just have to keep documentation. >> Okay. All right. You get it through
email address. >> What's that? >> You just like if you're assuming you're going to send out through email and you'll get an email reply or proposal submitted. That's documentation. Make sure your email is public record. And so that's where you are directly contacting
providers to ask that they submit a >> okay I mean it's easy enough to find through the research of all other districts that have been through this process. It's it's really not that hard to identify like who are the what seem
to be the most successful farms that districts we would compare ourselves to might use. So, >> um, c is it okay if I follow up with you to just maybe check in around >> the details of that?
>> Yes. And um it's if that's something that we're going to do in which we don't have to launch a formal RFP process per se, then um it seems like it would actually
suffice at this point in time to move forward just with a general consensus from the committee that this is um a direction that people support. so that I can move
>> forward with that. >> Yeah. So the committee can put together scope of work >> services, >> which again is pretty standard. I I mean I think >> we're not looking to create something
that isn't replicated like in every district that takes this path. Right. So um Okay. And just to obviously state for the obvious like um embarking on this process commits the
school committee to nothing. It um it just lets us start to learn what options we have um to then formally make a selection when we would get to that point. >> Right. >> Yeah. Yeah. to say it out loud in terms
of like I think places the committee we committee is maybe have the full committee again get the scope of work just so we all the scope of work we want and then see when we get the quotes back we do interviews or what that selection
process is you know and defer to subcommittee exactly what that looks like but obviously we would have to vote on signing the contract financial right that the selection window.
>> Okay, >> makes sense. Thanks. That's helpful. >> Get excited. >> Great. Uh, moving on. Approval of meeting minutes. So those were in the folder for the May 20th meeting.
Anybody have any edits or concerns? >> Just one small edit that I make. >> You made it in the document. >> Uh I just commented on the spelling of the student ramp's last name.
Great. She's changed. Thank you. Anything else? If not, uh, I will take a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve the Milton School Committee meeting minutes of May
20th, 2026. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thanks. Uh, no discussion. Further discussion. All in favor? your hands. Thank you so much. Next up, uh we've just talked about our next
meeting agenda item will be governance retreat. We'll figure out the exact date and then we'll figure out dates when we get back in August. We will likely, as we said, kind of scheduled some meetings over the superintendent board and possibly
possibly negotiations. Uh so there's lane ring work. So excited for everybody to stay connected over the summer. Sorry in advance to your families jumping out of your beach trip on Zoom. Um great. Uh if there's nothing else on that then we
will move to item 12 which is actually an executive session. This is related to an open meeting law complaint that's been shared with the board. Uh so we will be going into executive session and before I make a motion to speak with different folks we'll go into executive session and adjourn directly from
executive session. So we about to adjourn from kind of public session. Uh so with that said, I will make the motion. Uh motion is made to go into executive session pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 3A section 21A3
to discuss strategy with respect to litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares. specifically an open meeting law complaint and to adjourn directly from executive session,
not to return to open session. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second. There's a roll call vote. We'll go around. Nathan, >> yes. >> Stevie, >> yes. >> Val, >> yes. >> Lizzy, >> yes. >> Anna, >> yes. >> And I'm Yes. >> We are adjourned into executive session.