Susan show it herself first. >> Give me your >> I'd like to call this meeting of the Narans at Regional School District School Committee to order. If you would all please rise for the pledge. allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for a reminder that this meeting is being livereamed and recorded um and is
available to watch on YouTube. Getting into our regular business, I would entertain a motion to approve the meeting minutes of January 15, 2026 as written. >> Motion by Sean, second. >> Second by Heather. Any questions or
comments on those meeting minutes? >> No. >> Seeing none, all in favor? I >> opposed. Abstain. And I say yes. And let's record that Danielle joined us at 5:31. >> No worries. Um, next I would entertain a
motion to accept the bills and payroll warrants as presented. >> So moved. >> Motion by Sean. Second. Second by Heather. Any questions or comments about those? Seeing none. All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstained. And I say yes. So
that is unanimous. And now uh we have our student rep here to present to us tonight in the middle of midterms, I'm assuming. So, we appreciate you taking the time to come and talk to us. >> The attendance goal of 100% for the
middle school was not quite met for quarter 2, but they did achieve a 94.3% which is impressive after a low December rate due to sickness. Grade 7 had the highest attendance rate of 95.15% with grade 5 having a 94.91%
and grade 6 having a 94.21%. Grade 7 has won the ice cream Sunday party. Middle and high school students have just taken star reading and math assessments for the middle of the year. Their results will be coming home shortly. Order tu is your report cards today. Upcoming events for the middle
school. Student council will be selling candygrams for the week of 29 to 213. The scholastic book fair will be taking place 22 to 26 for middle and high school. Gi gear is on sale until 2:10. And there's a grade five Valentine movie
for the high school. The Project 351 representatives for this year, SJ Fles and Juliana Enley, recently began their year-long journey of service and gratitude for their communities. And SJ attended the launch day in Boston. He spent the day hearing about how past ambassadors have been impacted by the
service, and he was able to begin helping that afternoon. This past weekend, the theater crew put on the play that goes wrong, a plight in a play, where the actors keep messing everything up as they try to perform a murder mystery. Congratulations to the wonderful actors. There's an upcoming
spirit day tomorrow, blackout day, for senior night for basketball, and a spirit week next week, February 2nd through the 6th, leading up to our winter carnival, which will be a glow skate night on February 7th, 2026. Open skate from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and middle school high school from 8:00 to 9:00
p.m. Winter sports are almost over with basketball games tomorrow, hockey games upcoming soon, and track meet leagues this weekend. Finally, we had our third snow day this past moment. Dr. Tasman and a few talented warrior leadership students made a wonderful video to alert
every school was cancelled. >> Thank you so much, Kelly. [laughter] >> Any questions from anyone? >> Well, thank you so much for making the time to come and sit with us tonight. We always appreciate it. Good luck on your
test burn. is that you can >> and now I would like to invite our Templeton Elementary School friends if you'd like to come and join us at the table. We'll get you on the camera.
Favorite thing to do is bless you. And then we'll just ask you to introduce yourselves even though everyone knows who you are just for you know the official records. Um hi everyone principal at Templeton Elementary School. Happy to be here
tonight. And Jan Smith, assistant principal at school. >> Um so we'd love to share some updates and things that we have had going on at DEES. some highlights and um where we're at with our school improvement plan.
So, our first couple of slides are just highlighting a lot of our fun uh community events that we've had going on this year so far. Um PTO has put on um several great events. One of which being the Halloween dance, which if you've ever been to it, um is probably the
highlight of these children's lives. The parents maybe not so much, but um it is for sure a hot time. Um we also have our um newly appointed uh student council representatives who've been working hard
um including our new mascot which you are aware of. We had our holiday door decorating contest. Um we had multiple uh spirit days. Um our holiday plays and performances that are put on by Mrs.
Wendy McKon are always um well received events and and definitely full of of excitement there too. We're highlighting our character virtues monthly um with our kids of character um nominations. So
the kids um that earn that award for each month um get to come to the auditorium and receive their special certificate as well. Um we had our Butch Lwell um turkey trot
for our third and fourth graders um which is a great tradition. The kids really truly enjoy taking part in that. We had our um TDS literacy night where they got to travel around the world. Um it was hosted by our title one teachers
and um Janet and I. So each station that they were able to go to, they were able to learn more about different countries but also use their literacy skills at the same time. Um we had Beth Cullen who won the district uh door decorating contest there with her brand new trophy.
She's very thrilled. Um and then our fourth graders here have also um been putting on yearly um the food drive. And so they were able to we filled up I believe four vehicles to bring food to the Templeton Food Pantry. Um and so
they were very grateful for that support as well. Um we really have kind of taken pride in being a dysfunctional family I guess you would say. I think I think when when you when you say that your school is a family people like do you really want it to be a family? But I think, you know,
we've just kind of created an environment where we are enjoying having fun with each other but also, you know, holding the highest expectations for our students and um it's nice to be able to get together as a community and do just fun things and wear the same shirt and
you know, the kids love it and and they enjoy seeing us as a collective too. So, it's been really um nice to see. And then we have our awesome book vending machine um which has been a huge hit this year. We actually just got um a ton
of new um hard coverver donations um that the kids are really excited about. So I'm going to put those in the vending machine. Um so they're, you know, they look forward to being chosen as somebody who goes above and beyond for either their school or their community or their
class. Um so that's been fun to watch, too. So um a part of our SIP you know we're focusing on our social emotional learning um as well as academics. So, Swiss um as you may or may not know is a
system that we use to track um behaviors uh as well as um you know how they are um handled within a school and we're you Janet's doing a great job this year with sharing those with parents too so that everybody um is aware of what's happening on a
day-to-day basis. Um so we are really continuing to focus on positive behavior supports um utilizing restorative practices. Um and you know proactively this year we have introduced a tier one
SEAL um curriculum called wind up which our school adjustment counselors are teaching um daily. And so we are thrilled to to be able to look at the data and start to see those those pieces being connected and the referrals um
decreasing. Um so even just looking at our year-to-year comparisons from you know 2023 to 2024 and I only did this up through January 6 of that school year just so we were looking at the same data. Um we had 457
behavior referrals. um 2024 to 2025 we had 385 up to this point. Um so that is you know 72 fewer referrals um which overall is you know almost 16%
decrease from last year to this year. So um it's nice to see and again why is that important? Because, you know, fewer referrals means that teachers have more time to instruct. And so, if they are not having to deal with behaviors or any
thing in the classroom that is prohibiting students from accessing that time, then, you know, we have kids that are learning more and um the overall improved school climate and sense of belonging belonging. The kids know what the expectations are and they're starting to learn, you know, that if
something goes wrong that they have to fix it. And so they're they're a part of making um of making the community better. >> Um just a quick question for 2025 to 2026. Are you seeing these trends continue or still too soon to discuss
that? >> So yeah, so we and you know what I just realized that I actually those are the wrong years. It should have been 2024 25 and I was like wait yes that is it. I put the wrong date. So that's okay. um that is compared last year to this
year. Thank you for pointing that out. So yes, we are um you know we we have seen some you know more severe behaviors but it's with a very small portion um of the student population and so the overall um negative behaviors that we
are we're seeing are definitely decreasing. That is the 16% from last year to this year. So thank you for pointing that out. Um, and you know, the data also supports that obviously we want to continue investing in the things that we're doing. And so, you know, having our our
tier one curriculum be taught to every student in the classroom and every student is able to think about, you know, how do I manage my emotions? How do I regulate my body? What are things that I can do when I'm stressed out? You know, um, all of those things are just helping our kids feel more confident in
their own skills, too. Um so getting into our academic achievement um we are right now testing for MOI. So our star and dimples data will be out um hopefully you know next week. Um but just looking at our fall
scores here if we take a look at our overall achievement in star reading we had 65.4% 4% of students who at the beginning of the year were scoring at or above the benchmark. Um, which is
awesome. And then for math, we had 58.6% who were meeting that at the beginning of the year benchmark on proficiency level. Um, if you look at growth, which um, this was like one of those proud mama moments where you see the data and
you're like, "Wow." Um, it's something to to be proud at. This is the highest student growth percentage that I've seen since I've been here. Um, to have almost 80% of students make um, growth is um, something that I am truly
proud of. Um, and not just, you know, typical growth, but we had 51% of kids that made high. So, very proud of, you know, where we're at. And of course, there's room for growth. Um, and we know that as a school, but
we're working hard on getting there. And for Star Math, um, you know, just a little bit lower, but still one of the, you know, the highest growth scores that I've seen for, um, TEES and at 74% of our students who are making typical
um, growth from um, our last year endcast data um, which has also shown some pretty um, fantastic data in thinking about tees and where TPS has been since you know again on this accountability percentile from
2022. um we have never got the substantial progress towards targets and so to put oursel into that category is just again another piece of that data that's showing that we are trending in the
right direction and you know 56% of progress towards improvement target it's still not great numbers in my eyes right I want for us to do better but the fact that we have made that jump from from even 40% last year um is is something
that been very proud at and looking at the accountability percentile too, the highest accountability percentile that we've seen. So, I'm excited to see um what this year's data looks like, too. Our professional development has been
focusing on um writing instruction for the first half of the school year. So, this is just um some work samples of our student writing um and small group writing conferences in action. teachers were participating in um professional
development that allowed for them to um utilize writer's workshop and really um focus on small group instruction to target um the skills that students needed um while also learning instructional practices to help all um writers be successful.
So students have also been working on um with their teachers identifying areas that they feel like they are successful at and areas that they want to grow at and that's kind of a part of their goal setting routine that um a lot of our our teachers are using. Oh,
>> um we also worked this year on um changing our report card a little bit in order to better align with um the standardsbased curriculum. Um which for some of our families was a little bit difficult, but I think um we tried to
really proactively put out their information for parents to explain to them. It's hard as a as a parent to, you know, not see that top score in every um in every trimester, but the way that our standards, you know, from DESIE are
reported out are based on end of year goals, right? So, if students are are getting threes at the beginning of the year or getting meeting at the beginning of the year, that means that they've already mastered a standard that hasn't even been taught within the classroom.
So trying to just get um our community to understand that it's okay to not have M's um in first trimester um while you know getting them to to understand that it is standards are meant to be year-long in a lot of aspects. So um
again we're being broke and then we had 92% of our families attend conferences in December in the middle of the winter with colds and flu and everything. So, um, the teachers were really happy to see that as well.
And so, I wanted to just end because we love kids and we love seeing kids. Um, the student council members had when I was talking about how I was going to present, you know, information to the school committee and they had they had said, you know, oh, can we do a video?
[laughter] And I said, sure. I said, what do you want to do a video about? And they were like, why do we love GES? and I was like, "Yep, let's go." Um, so we went from classroom to classroom and um selected various students to kind of just tell us what they love or what they
find special about tees. So, I just wanted to share those with you. >> One, >> TES is special to me because um I've been here for three whole years. The teachers are awesome and I learn cool
things. >> Tees is the best teachers. >> TES is fun because at school you can learn. >> Tees is so special because I made so many friends.
>> My favorite elementary school thing is my friends are being nice to my and my teachers. I'm Aiden Revard and what's Temple Tren Elementary makes so me so special is that art you can't mess up on. You just
get better and better at your art works. >> I love Tees because they help me with my reading and I love seeing Miss Kadesh. >> Oh, >> I like Templeton Elementary School because it helps me make new friends and I like I really like the teachers.
>> Practice groups. I love tees because I met my new friends and they help me every day. >> What makes TES so special is art and music because it helps me with my drawing skills and
music also helps me with my singing voice so I get better every day. >> What makes TES so special for me is being on student council. >> Something that I love about tees is that you can make so much friends. TS is special because of all of us. We
are kind. >> Tees is so special because of everyone so different. >> Tees is so special because of all the teachers. >> I love tees because we get to draw our own mascots.
>> Tees is special because I see my friends. >> TES also has >> It's okay. TES is also special because we have really great guidance counselors. Um TES is special because some schools
don't have to pick their mascots. We did and we are the TS Eagles. >> One >> TES is special because my mom works here. >> Yes, she does. >> TES is special because all the teachers.
So, you know, just a little glimpse into our daytoday and um you know, we're we're thrilled at where we're at. We know that we still have room to continue to grow, but I think we're on the right trajectory at this point.
>> Absolutely. Well, thank you so much. It's really exciting to get these updates. Are there any questions? >> Did I miss anything? >> No, you did a great job. [laughter] I'm surprised to see Dash on the video.
>> I'm behind them [clears throat] >> and congratulations on those growth scores. That is definitely something to celebrate. I know that's something that TS has been working especially hard at that, you know, COVID recovery was really really hard and we're, you know,
starting to see some, you know, a lot of great work towards that. So, >> thank you. Thank you for everything you do. >> You're welcome. Thank you. Been a great effort for sure. Good team. >> The the faculty speak very highly of
leadership, just so you are aware. >> Thank you. So >> the students [laughter] they the kids are the reason I'm there. [laughter] >> It's good to know. >> Yeah. >> Well, thank you so much. You are more than welcome to stay if you would like,
but we also understand that you have your own things you might like to get to. Thank you. No one here for public inputs. Um and FDA was unable to be here this evening. Um so we'll move into budget updates. Um
so very quickly on MSBA um the last time you were here it was the night of fellows who voted. We didn't actually have the results at that time. So, in case you missed the big thank you email, we are very, very grateful um for those who took the time to show up and make
their voices heard um at the ballot efforts. I know that that is a a big ask, especially when there's only one thing on the ballot. So, we really appreciate those who um showed up for the school or even just those who showed up to make sure that their voices were
heard. Um and that's as you know, Dr. C says democracy works for those who show up. Um so uh extremely grateful there and excited to see that project moving forward. FY26.
show, you know, we've we've reported on how the budget is going in general. You know, it's we're holding we're holding we're there, we're holding on, you know, but something came up um in the last week or so that will absolutely affect
uh the FY26 budget. Um and again, we started talking about the budget, you know, FY26, FY27 will blend a little bit, you know, together, but we start talking about this FY. So um our insurance group master strategic
um they have been for the last oh I don't know three four or five months been talking about the districts or towns who have had um a deficit. So how do you how do you get a deficit? um you you know in
general for us it's because we've had members who are who are insured um with us and they've had extraordinarily large claims. Okay. So in general what we're paying in just isn't covering you know
three four or five maybe staff members or their u dependent um care. So when we on June 30th of 25 we had a deficit of 1,268,000
$48. When it's June like that and they they did they you know our consultants were like well wait let's wait till reimbursements come in from insurance. was, you know, cuz at one moment you can
if if we were if we hearken back to last year when we when folks some folks said that we had a a surplus, we did not have a surplus, right? Because not all the claims that come in. Well, it works it works reverse where you might have all
these claims and insurance hasn't reimbursed. So we've carried this debt along with many other districts and towns for quite a while and you know just like they said anyway um
much of the insurance came in you know and offset these costs to the tune of roughly I believe was roughly to a half million 500 jobs. So the board is carrying uh the mass strategic the board is carrying probably somewhere in the area of you know a
little over $1.8 million in in debt. So they made they during one of their board meetings they said you know cuz we're all we're all in the fiscal year and we have to balance by the end of the fiscal year. That's generally how it goes. So
they they voted to have folks like like us in Templeton, if you watched their um their presentation few months ago, um to pay 45% of that, right? So whatever whatever your deficit is, you
have to come up with a plan to pay 45% of it. Now, it was kind of ambiguous about when like that was kind of we know that everyone knew that they had to pay it, but we were still kind of waiting for we kept being told, look, this
credit will come in this credit. Well, you know the the dest roughly roughly as of I guess 3 days ago we are 45% of the FY26 grand total is 539,791
>> a million >> 30 >> do 30 now. So when because this status in death 27 in a minute, but we we've already reported out several times that
we're just hanging in there. Everything is, you know, good but tight. So where do you come up with $539,000? you as you know um our END was certified give or take 800 >> 898,87
>> we generally um certify anywhere between the high fours and early or early 500 you know uh $500,000 still we had we had more money to put towards FY 27
what our thinking is at this moment is not to pay the entire amount but to I would say was it 300,000 we were talking yeah roughly $300,000 from the END which the school committee
would have to vote right in the current F1 to um to allocate towards this this now it doesn't wipe it all out you know the way we're the way we're thinking is that we'll carry this and I think that will make them will make them happen, you
know, for now. Um, because we have the highest because we hadn't we we hadn't really had a chance to even talk about this cuz we're waiting for the insurance to to come in. But that will that will I think satisfy the board. Um, and how
we'll pay for the the remainder. We we'd like to wait till the end of the FY as we generally or hopefully have I'll call it surplus but whatever you know unexpended um you know funds that we have at that point in time. We don't we
don't recommend that of course that we take 500,000 we need to pay that forward for FY27 which we're going to talk about in a minute. Realizing of course the board isn't prepared to today this moment to do that. We thought that it'd be best to explain it out. Um we have a
meeting in a week although certainly business that the school committee could you know take out if it if so chooses. >> We have till June 30th but we just need to report to the board. Do we have some sort of a plan to at least start to make
payment? So I think the fact that we sort of do have a plan will satisfy them for the time being but sooner or later we have to check >> because what could it well I won't mention the municipality but um someone
has made the claim that they're just not going to pay it because whatever. So the board could then start charging interest. So we don't want interest on $500,000. Um and and by the way, we're not we're not we're not that group. We're we're
pacifists. We we'll do what we need to do. Um but that's what we that is our recommendation. And quite frankly, it's the only option that we we have currently. It's not this is not something we could just go to like say school choice. you still have
>> because our numbers are down >> so any questions? My only question would be um is there any indication of when the remaining 55% is going to need to be paid or are they only going to they're only requiring
>> 45 quite extensively like on a personal call yesterday with them um they the 55% they feel that by the new rate adjustments for FY27 seven, the rate increases will be able to help cover
that deficit that's left behind. >> Yeah. Now, to be honest, we've been told this before um in a sense, right? So, but you can't predict when you're going to have highs.
You you can't. And actually we narrow it has had outstanding claims for for quite a while but people get sick and people need care. That's why you have health insurance. And so it again it's no shame on someone who
that's that's what insurance is for. But when you start getting into what they call the pool and you start paying you know insurance on the insurance it it starts to you know starts to uh you know starts to add up. So again, this kind of
blends into the FY27, but we'll wait cuz how do we make sure that this kind of thing doesn't happen again? You know, we'll we'll really kind of talk about the FY27, but I think there was another question about >> Yeah. So, I just want to know where you're pulling the 300,000 from again
>> from END. >> What is END? >> Excess efficiency. >> Thank you. >> You you certified amount close to $900,000. Yeah. And we typically use that to fund FY27. >> Will we eventually have to resupplement
the $300,000? Is that the goal or do we get an END every single year? >> You get an END every single year. >> Understood. Thank you. >> And it varies. This 898 is extremely high for us. Usually >> usually it's around 400. >> Four to 500. >> Got it. Okay. No, I had to go back. The
reason why it's extra high this ration because in the spring we got a rebate from Minute and Showar old health insurance group of the excess that was not needed for the claims with them. So
in the end it's kind of like you still back to the machine. So you're technically reusing it for essentially a whole lot. >> So the additional 233 would come out of hopefully surplus at the end of the year
by June 30th. historically >> historically that would be >> I try to aim for surplus which is what you didn't spend on expenses and what we have shot in unanticipated revenues like
like interest on the bank account >> will be like that thing I usually try to aim for those numbers together roughly to be about 500 so I know and do all the calculations for do we can have an EMD of above 500,000 that kind of sets our benchmark to put
towards the next year's budget. >> So that means pro most likely probably we're not going to have as high and D moving into well to look into FY28. Um the END is almost exactly like food.
>> Yeah. >> I was just kind of say that if you are more familiar with the municipal side of things, it's it's our food. >> I was really hoping to be able to use 800,000 of that to go towards FY27 to
kind of give us a leg up in FY27, but we got to take care of 26 if we can get there. >> Another question. six. So, the news doesn't get any better. Um, actually, it gets decided. So, what
we're going to in a minute, I'm going to actually I'm going to start with this because I just want to and then we're going to put up a slide in a few minutes. >> So, Julie Kelly works for um National Association of Regional Schools. she is our data person um from ours and uh
she's does all the advocacy and she's um she's really the numbers person so that's who really feeds us as much information possible but to give you an idea about this new the you know this the FY 27 budget series just one step back
>> the governor released the budget numbers so we have our foundation budget numbers that came out this week and we've been telling you that we are in full harm harmless, which is we have less students than last year. So, we get the same amount of money as last year. This year,
no increases. So, that's where we're at now. >> So, remembering your old harmless um you know, definition, 229 districts in the state um out of 300.
>> Are you on something else? >> Well, yeah. >> Okay. >> We are. We don't need the slide yet. >> Sorry. >> No problem. Yeah. I'm just going to read just we these just came off like literally this morning. So we didn't we didn't >> there's roughly 300 Sabad districts um
229 of them were held harmless this budget season. 69 of them are regionals. Many um urbans um for the first time. So we believe and sort of many who do this for a living that now that the urbans
have been held harmless now someone's going to now someone's going to go uhoh. So when the big cities are now held harmless which means they're only going to get roughly what they received last year that becomes problematic.
There are districts who are close to us who are considered and they usually receive anywhere between 1.5 and $2 million you know just because of um well because just the funding formula etc. Um and if they're held harmless that is going to be
devastating. So in a way this would bring attention to it although the regionals have been glamoring about this for a very long time. the last year, this is the last year of the student opportunity act increases, roughly 27 um which if you remember back um then
Governor Baker and created well in and of course the the Senate, they created a funding formula to help increase um funding to uh to all districts, but the criterias
were uh were low income um and um ELLL and special needs. So those are the those were the local layers, right? So which really fed into the urban districts quite a bit. So that's why the urban districts were really
starting to um see the increases that you know and by the way we were also a um a healthy recipient of year two of that when we had 100 plus students that one year and we saw the first year 6 point $666,000.
Funny joke about that is that we've never seen that money. We actually called the state. We thought they made a mistake. So we never see we never have been positive before in the following year. We see we received close to a million dollars because we because of all those stats of SOA. So S SOA worked
for those two for those two years. Okay. But this is the last year that it's going to be in play for 27. Um regional transportation um is reportedly going to be funded in the highway.
That's good. Um and it's a little bit more than generally are used to be feedback when we see it. Um they always seem to be really high when they're first comes out. It always seems to kind of drop to the 70s. >> The cherry [snorts] sheet has the the
number that's on the cherry sheet is figured at 80%. They're saying it's supposed to be higher, but we'll see if when it falls out if it actually is. >> So, I know we're called harmless. Do we have a number as to what it additional
>> additional funds? Right now, they're giving $75 per student. So, that equates increase of us in chapter 7 of $96,000. >> Okay. but substantively lower than >> okay.
>> Y >> and so are you ready for the slide on the All right. >> Thank you. So, one of the things that I'll tell you before we really talk about the slide is remember we talked about um
the what low income percentage group we and so last year we were a little over 40% which made us group eight [snorts] we have dropped to group seven okay which by the way we dropped almost well
close to 3% 4% of our students um meaning that there were 4% more students roughly give or take um in the low income group last year. Now we we should be excited about that and we are of course but
the you know we we don't believe that this is a great measure of what low income is. Let me just be clear about that. And with the higher the group number you are the well of course you're you're you get more money um but also allows you to apply for more state funed
grants. So sometimes they'll say you must be over the 40% mark or 42% mark and there have been we've been close but but we dropped considerably. So this year um yeah this year we reported out 38.89 which is the low group uh income
group of of seven. So I just want to I just want to set that as a as a factor. It's not up. So in all of our years and we can say that kind of almost I guess braggadociously. I I say it a lot and Marie and I have
been doing this a long time. Um neither one of us can remember a year at any point that we have seen well such increases but across the board. Now we're not alone. We know that. We know that you can't pick up a paper without
seeing some district having meetings just like this going uh we're you know we're this or that or this or you know people talking. It's it's been it's hard but it has hit us incredibly hard. So these are the drivers of why the budget
is going to you know has has really going to spike to to honestly to unheard of levels is that when you start looking at out of district tuition. though we have fewer um school choice in kids, right? We know
that um we we we're roughly the same about out but also um but that again that gap which we'll talk about when I present my point, you know, we present the the uh the presentation next next week I guess. Um that that that that
margin was too thin. Also, it's gone up with charter school um considerably actually. up there seven kids >> and seven is a high number for us into in terms of charter and of course that that increase but so you look when you look at that the out of district tuition
has gone up $287,000 sped transportation again that's that's high that's you know $174,000 school choice out and you I mean pardon me school choice out it's it's broken out and of course charter school your
MVP the that's you know the MVP program. Um that assessment again it's about per you know how many of those kids are in the vocational program that is actually we have a vocational line now we actually receive monies for chapter 74
but that money goes right to 20 tech so much >> we keep the academic portion of the number I think the number is what 18,000 something >> um I'm not quite sure how it breaks down VO versus academic but Monte builds us
for the load a piece. And for the students this year, it was like $5,600 a piece. So that's what I used to guess on this number. Um I'm sure it's probably a little bit off. Um we have 12 kids this year, but it's anticipated to add
plumbing and possibly have 18 kids next year. So that is my estimate of the bill we will receive from Tech for the VO piece of that. I'm going to get to when I go through this a little bit more. I'm going to talk about my text in terms of numbers.
But our employe health insurance that's almost a half a million $455,000. We are looking at a they're not set in stone about a 20% increase on our
employee health insurance >> which by the way it because we had a very long conversation. It goes back down to like the question about what what's stopping this from happening next year. Well, we
in talking to our Kevin AOS and company, they they feel that this rate increase plus much of the um of those, you know, those high claims are kind of are now in the arsenals, right? They're kind of
behind us now, so to speak. So, you know, when they start looking at at the kind of the projections, they feel that this will will really take care of us. But we'll have to see. I mean, to be very, you know, we have to see. >> The thing is is this is extremely high
for us, but it is not in the industry. Maya is looking at 14% increase for their insurance rates for those people. Um, GIC is doing a major overhaul with their health insurance plan and there's a big vote on February 12th and GIC is
the benchmark for all the plans in the state. Um, they're looking at a 10 to 12% increase on top of probably increasing all the deductible to the members that are in the GIC plans. So, February 12th, I guess, is a very
important date across the state. Um, because that ties into one of these other numbers, this GIC retirement assessment. That's the assessment we get for all of our teachers that are in mass teacher retirement and retired. That number, when the woman gave it to me
yesterday, said that number will probably change and probably go up depending on what happens every 12th. Usually they give me that number in January and it stays that way. They just will catch up in years later, but they're anticipating that is going
to change. So insurance does not look good out there for anybody. >> Retirement assessment is is of those folks who are um most of your your FCW members. Um so that went up about $80,000 as well. So when we look start
looking at this you're looking now again these are just fixed costs these are these are costs that we have no control over um one $1.5 billion. Now you will notice
you know that there's salaries not on there um we we just went with the budget drivers in terms of the hard costs at this point. So you look up in the right hand corner again I'm looking at the TV so I can barely see it but you you're
looking at a $2 million. So our hope was again it it it almost becomes in the ocean so to speak but that 800,000 we would have put towards right towards FY27.
Well we're not going to be able to do that. Obviously, we have to pay what we need to pay for FY26 and then whatever 600,000 whatever it is um is going to go towards FY27. Um
it so those other budget drives someone might say what you what are you going to do? Yes. Well, company, you know, um we're we're we're going to formulate
obviously a a plan um as best as we can given these numbers. We don't have the numbers from the towns. To put this in perspective, a 2 and a half% increase from say
doesn't even cover the minimum local contribution, it's like short by $100,000. So to to put this again that that and that is that is
for me I mean we've had this happen before but this is a jaw drop. So it doesn't even cover their what they what the state says you have to pay Philips as well. I mean it's it's it's a big number. No, it's followed but it's
still a big number. Um so that that is what we've been well we've been sitting on. We we've known that it was going we knew the other we knew most of these numbers. We just didn't know the state numbers and we didn't want to
we knew they were held harmless. So we we we had pretty good number to use so to speak. But um [snorts] now that we have the moment, >> the the thing we've been struggling with is we fully realize that nobody's going
to look at this number and be like, "Oh, no problem. Got you." Like we we are not delusional. But in a world where the 2 and 12% doesn't even meet the minimum contribution, it is really we're really
struggling with what numbers do we even play with to start to consider what to cut without detrimentally hurting our school.
And and so what we are hoping to have as a healthy conversation next week is to get a better sense of what are their plans for FY27 because
we it sort of feels like throwing darts in the dark right now to pick a to find another number. Um, but we already cut the staff last year. So there's not, you
know, that that is that is there's not there wasn't fat last year. So I even hate saying this, but like that doesn't exist anymore. That that option is not, you know, is not accessible to us as a a factor to play with. then it becomes
there then it becomes really tough from there to think about what to cut and so I don't want you to be looking at this thinking that we're not looking at scenarios we are and yet all the scenarios are
>> devastating >> devastating and it is hard to figure out what to we don't want people to panic we don't want folks to be you know um
worried worried about next year until we know exactly what to worry about. And so that's where we're hoping to get some information from a town and yet we're also not putting all our eggs in that basket either. So I want to be clear
that we're walking this fine line of, you know, h how do we start talking about these cuts and we will start talking about them soon. But we wanted to just be transparent about what a level service
budget looks like in the upfront so that everyone can have a very clear understanding that there's no good scenarios because when your must-have costs are 1.5 million
it it it's a really tough situation to be in. Over the last couple years, we've seen it, of course, as everyone else has seen these these [clears throat] costs kind of creep up. Well, this wasn't a creep, this was a big jump. We've been
able to uh in very very strategic focused areas, been able to use um school choice funds to offset X. I mean, not not necessarily all of it, but you know, there's things that that
no longer exists. like it when I say no water exists you we are going to one of the many things that we're going to be that we're [clears throat] going to be talking about strategize is that
um you know those nineish that are in school choice we had two missions we've succeeded in one matter of fact the year that we we had a 1.1 million dollar
increase. The very first thing we did is we took insurance out of school choice. And probably that is that that honestly biblically it saved us, you know, if you think about it or it saved off, you know, at least some some I don't know
devastating results, you know, these three or four years. Um those nine teachers of course are needed. It's not like you can just say, you know, well, just get rid of them. They're going to have to come to the local at some point. I mean, when I say at some point, you
that almost gives the impression that we don't have >> if I don't if we don't take in some some again >> either start taking in significant >> significant choice, right? We've seen some districts and I was actually
surprised some local districts actually doing some open houses um you know about, you know, hey, come come see us. we've got all these great things. That's I think not I don't want to call it desperate, but that's what people are
doing. I I remember, you know, coming here in 2016 before I actually became a superintendent again house here. >> I vowed them to do that. It just the area superintendent said, "Well, we've we've got a challenge agreement anymore agreement not to do that because it's
it's it's pilering and we're just not we're just not going to do it." That's how we feel about it. I will tell you Gardner Ash West in their me that a long time ago cuz we were the recipient of about 11 football players just so happened from Garden. It just so
happened that an entire football team essence came over here um you know and and it it just was to me it just didn't feel right. So we just it happens when it happens. Um and by the way it's perfectly legal to do that. You can't have an open house. Don't don't hear me
say anything differently. But you can see a time when we're, you know, some can't we do that? I mean, I I rather do it, but I'm just saying that those that's where it's at right now. And but school choice is not going to save the day. It it's it's not it's not the the
number of kids that you would have to take in to, you know, would be it would just be impossible, you know, it would literally be impossible to because we have grown so much as [snorts] a district, right? in terms of the number of kids. We don't we don't talk about that as so much anymore, but we have and
we've we've got the apartments that everybody wants to talk about. I don't know what that's I'm not even focusing on that to be very candid, but yeah, that could that throw things, you know, into a kilter, I guess. Right now I'm just focusing on July one, you know, in
in getting in some type of, you know, formation of the budget >> since it's another 1.3 million some odd in the increase. Is that is there do you have a rough overview of what that includes? I mean I
know salaries I know >> yeah salaries are about half of it and then it's just like on this these are all the large things like I have $25,000 of an increase in my property insurance
but like that's small compared to this but there's a lot of that small stuff >> that may I just wanted to because 1.3 is also another very large number and so I didn't want to ignore some of the factors that are leading into that. So it's helpful to have a rough
understanding. >> Exactly. >> So you know what our job and what do we do? We advise the school community. We're going to put together the PowerPoint to explain all the data
points that and in what you know fin detail if needed. Um, you know, I know that we're going to be looking someone's going to ask the question, well, how do you balance just given the number? I'm not again, I'm not
just communicated with the towns, but well, you know, the number to hit would be it'd be biblical. You you wouldn't be able to you wouldn't be able to, right? So if if it became staff, right, because that's you just couldn't you
couldn't on the school, you know, we've already done things like close the elementary school back into we've done those things. Um where you know, some districts are doing now, you know, because the situation, but we're just ahead. When I say, we've just been there
already. Um so we're going to do we're going to do our diligence, right? We're going to do what we what we've done at least the last 10 years anyway is try to project and do the best um we can to to hit a number or to an area but at some
point it's going to come down to you know that you still need to we're staff intensive that's what we are you know you're not going to touch any of the special education services you're not I just these are just things I can just say out loud you're not you're not going
to touch any of because they're they're fedally mandated. There are a lot of other great reasons why I shouldn't, but if no one cared about them, they're fedally. So, speech and language OT, your school sites, your you know, I could go on special education teachers, uh, you
know, on and on and on. You're you need those. They're they're, you know, you know, they're case loss are those are the >> Well, and I know that we've seen an increase in need of services. assuming that if we were to calculate that out,
that would also be part of that additional 1.3. >> Um, and I'm not referring to the added district in that case. >> Like on this where it says like the spend transportation, my biggest increase in that number is
not for the ones we transport out of district. It's the ones we have to transport within our district to our schools. Okay. >> All right. Um, so that a little bit telling there the kind of service that we're seeing in the schools. >> Yeah, >> I was looking at the slides today and
last year we were tasked with doing the budget forecast for 2 years out. I had forecast $1.5 million in increases for FY27. The $1.3 that is left over from this that I can't control was not far off
from that estimate. >> Thank you for reminding me. I I'm going to I'm going to say I'm going to say it a lot quite frankly just given you know the criticism there's no other word for it that we've received. Um I will tell you that our projection to
that that realm has been spot on and um I say that so if someone would like to say again that we could not reject and you know you're not giving us that information we now are we're three for three we are three years for three and
the last two years we've made sure and I've made sure it's made sure I mentioned that those numbers up so that there is no there is no doubt that we have not projected appropriately um or accurately because we we have done
we Amarie has done a fantastic job in making sure that we are very now things change but in terms of that we have we have been very what we have control over we were sponsor the things that we don't have control over that
>> um so here's what I want to open up to the table is we have our multibboards meeting next week and what had been asked of me as chair is that folks have an opportunity to talk about things that they would like to see or hear about in
relation to the budget in time for that meeting and beyond just everyone going through sticker shock right now. That's one of the things I'd like to understand. Um because last year we had that request of, you know, can we look
at what transportation increases were for um surrounding towns was one of the big asks and we made sure that that was in there. I think now we're in a multi-year agreement. So that's you know pertinent at this time. Still important but not as pertinent for this year. Um,
but that that is one of the things I'd like to open this up to. And if if you need more time to think on that, absolutely. But also recognize that there's one week between now and our multi-board meeting. So if you do have questions you'd like to have answered, let's make sure that those are coming in
quickly. >> We have a pretty robust data set. Now, we've been asked a lot of questions and I I don't say that, you know, any of we're happy honestly some of the more critical questions that we've been asked over the years have actually provided some of us the best
information going to be. So if if anyone is watching and I'll say this again, I I we you know, as long as it's done, you know, good taste and you know, not off-handed, we we really do. Um well, I say enjoy, we'll we'll
definitely track down anybody. >> It's actually changed our It's actually changed some of the way we've we've actually done things and budgeted things to be very candid when we've had, you know, good, you know, again, several districts. we really have and um but we do have quite a bit of information now
just based over the years. So I think that if any if any of those that you know you're thinking about that homework wonder X if we don't have it you know we're probably pretty darn close to having it on the website there's that
link that has quite a few years worth of >> budget information. And then I guess my last closing if no one has specific questions at this time would be that I fully recognize what the appetite for this is going to be
following a vote on a roof. you I mean I'm not not walking in blind and the challenge is that you know taxpayers struggle to differentiate between you know having just voted for a bunch
of money for Ruth and then also simultaneously absorbing and understanding that that in no way helps with those year-to-year costs um especially those costs that we we have no influence her control
over. So, you know, I do want to make sure that gets set up and I'm recognizing that to everyone involved. >> Yeah. Sean, >> um just and I think I understand the answers, but just to ask this and say this out loud. Um and maybe Dr. C, you could help because we kind of converse
about this. What would it take to regionalize services? Well, it honestly reaching services um depending on what we're talking about. I I really believe it would just be
probably an MLU or something between, you know, school committees, etc. This wouldn't be a regionalization type of an actual you couldn't do that quickly. But if you wanted to mutualize say sped transportation that could really just be a memorandum agreement
between two towns just a or pardon me two districts or however however folks want to do something. The challenge we have is that both towns have made it very clear to me that they're not interested in that. >> And would it truly be a fast enough >> well and the other question
>> exercise is it beneficial? >> We don't know. >> And and that's the other question too because it's been asked to me I feel like I should a form have a congregation. I think keep asking the question. Unfortunately, my answer at this time is
I was basically told do not proceed like by both towns. And I, you know, being a voted elected official, I need to be hearing from the public that this is what they want. No matter what the towns are telling me in order for me to really start pushing on that, especially where
we don't have a signed regional agreement. And I want to be clear. I don't think anybody's necessarily just think that people ask question trying to trying to be creative in terms of you know like like as an elected official also right there >> the questions have just been coming up.
There hasn't been any like oh we should >> it's been like well would this make a difference and and and I think it's at least valuable to >> you know >> understand what that process looks like and at least put that on the table and would it even make a difference? I I don't know what the answer is that right
Jennifer. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Just here about special ed district. So last so this year we have 52 special ed districts. Okay.
Last year we had 53. Now you would think by the way that's great according to according to the chapter 70 sh it's different. It's not exact. But what I'm saying is when those numbers go up or down, you know, you know, yeah, we're
looking at them first. But to think that if we kept if we kept [clears throat] based, give or take, right? Those numbers have gone up regardless, right? When you look at again, I don't know how many of these kiddos being transported in or out. Um when you
start looking at spread transportation, you know, to go up that much, you would think >> you I just you just you would just think, oh, well, >> God, we must be transporting and maybe we are. Maybe there's more kids of the 52 or three going, you know, we those
are things that we're going to check, you know, check into. But, you know, and if it is, then we need to look at, you know, okay, why and who are they and all those things. Um but again I'm not like I said it's not exactly a an exact
measure but when those numbers go up identifi you know usually costs go go up transportation is a little bit different because maybe those kiddos you know some of them are more being transported but transportation of of students generally are it's pretty high it's a pretty high
bar to to have your child transported right in special education. Um and so it's not something that just oh happens you know so to speak. So those are the things that we look into quite a bit. Um you know we'll we'll we'll we'll keep looking into that but I just thought
that's just one small you know minor you know data point but something that we'll we'll look into going back to can we regionalize services? Can we regionalize, you know, spread transportation? Is that something that makes, you know, makes sense? You know, that we would have to do. First off, we'd have to get permission to kind of
look into it, right? Or at least have an agreement. But we we wouldn't know until we knew. >> I have a question on the spread transportation. When we're talking about that, does that mean um children that are being transported to the um schools
with the van or >> Mhm. >> that's separate from busing, right? >> It's a van. The van vans. We have one yellow van that is run by McCarthy which transports our we have like a half a
dozen kids that have to ride it on all like the roads that the buses can't get to. >> Um for instance there's a road Willis road it's across from market basket >> but it's in Philip so there's I think three kids out there that live on that
road. >> There's no room for the bus to go out there and turn around. So that's why that van goes out there. >> Okay. >> And then um the school choice tuition out and the charter school tuition out.
How do you know that those numbers are that high for FY27? Do you know they there's going to be more kids going? >> Those numbers are from the state. They came on our chair machines and they base them on the current population right
now. That could those numbers could go up or down. I've seen that go both ways and there's no telling which way it's going to go. My best guess is that based on what the state has on record for the students we have right now.
>> Okay. >> Thank you. because the employee health insurance currently a 20% increase or >> it's not voted on but that's what they're telling us to plan on >> so depending on the GIC vote that could
go off >> potentially >> I don't think though I think the GIC vote could possibly be something depending on what they do that we could look at possibly changing our plan
structure Sure. So possibly we could have higher deductibles that might save us a few%. But we have that large deficit there. So that's most of our problem. >> Um and the adviserss feel like this is
going to bottom out sooner or later. It it they they said it es and flows and right now we're on the high. They anticipate at some point it's going to break. One of the things that is on the table is like GLP1s. Like if you want to
discontinue those out of your plan in the mass strategic board votes, that might save you a percent or two on your rates. But those are a very hot topic. Are people really going to vote to not have those available to your employees under insurance?
So, there's a lot of factors in like it's just such a moving target to pinpoint. Like at some point they're going to say this is what it is and then you're just going to have to suffer the consequences whether it's good or it's bad. Um so hopefully if that rate is
where it needs to be, it will take care of it and will prevent us from going there again. Yep. Oh, none of you were hoping for an easy budget year. That's not what we got. Um, so please do be in touch. Please,
please be in touch. There is something that you want to see in the multi-board meeting, a question that you have, a point of curiosity, um, a level of detail. um you know, we wanted to make sure that
you at least had a clear picture of what we're looking at for this year. Um but beyond that, we're we're there's still a lot of work to be done. So, and as far as like the income sheet, I
basically have it figured, but it really depends on what we decide to do with that bill in END. That will change the numbers drastically. It will honestly depending on what they say they can give us because we have not pulled any number
from either side yet. Um and I also have to add their capital debt assessment to this but that was separate. They owed that that's extra I just have to add it to the account and then stop the financial advisor getting the
borrowing sorry for the project. So if you live in the Washington state, you email them to Would you? >> It would be best if you emailed both of us. Yeah. >> Meaning Enry and I. >> Yeah. Dr. Cassavan and Emory because they don't have I do not have the
numbers at my disposal. So you best to go direct to the source of the system instance. You can certainly copy me for awareness if you'd like to. I I would also like to recommend and again week out but when we've had these situations before
we didn't have a great term um I'm not talking about the cupcake I think we definitely need to uh we need to probably have some parent forms about this that you know I regardless of what happens I want people to understand
why why this is happening what I know about any budget process is that it'll automatically go towards it'll it'll go to um they're paying people too much amount. Well, I think that's relative,
but I but we of course have more data on salary and what other people are paid around us salaries. probably I don't know what percentage of time me tracking down salary but I think it's but I but I do understand why it's
important people need to understand where our teachers are at right and how they compare because you got to you have to pay at least a fair quotequote fair wage um you have to be uh competitive you you know depending on the size of your district we're not Welssley right
we're not Worcester but you know we do compete with all of our friends to the north, south, east, and west of us. That's important. Um, I almost like to put that information out first and let people just kind of gravitate towards that and just kind of soak it in. So, is
oil if it is a question, you know, let's let's talk about it. Um, but we've never seen and I we're going to go back cuz I I want to see what the percent increase to these same hard, you know, these hard costs have been over the last x amount of years. I without even knowing I know
that it'll be quite a jump meaning from >> well I mean last year was 9% it's 20 >> it's 20 this year you see but overall I'm just talking about the overall number right like and since and [clears throat] we're just I want to make sure that we understand that as well but I I'd like to do that I want
once we talk about this next week and we do this more I I really do want to engage the parents I don't want them to be surprised nor do I want them to be >> I don't want everybody to be getting their information on Facebook would be my goal. I would really like to be
having conversations with parents in the district. And in addition, you know, as we all know, the majority of res residents in our towns don't understand that the town meeting process or how the
budget gets voted in. And you know, I'm not saying that we need to start preaching about that. But if they don't foundationally understand what it means to show up for your schools, then you know that someone can care deeply
and not know what action to take. And so we need to those are a couple things we're going to be working. Okay. Um, I'm going to move on unless somebody has somebody stops me.
>> Um, I'm guessing that we have fulfilled your business manager's report. >> Yeah, I I didn't two weeks ago. So, >> yeah. And then I apologize, municipal representative was listed under ongoing business. That is not a point. I missed that when I was creating the agenda this
week. Um, so moving into curriculum and instruction. Um would you be willing to come and join us up here at the table for your updates and super cheap most steps I've taken in a couple hours.
[laughter] Um so my first update um is an update on professional development and um Miss Rasmus spoke earlier about uh Templeton but we are coming off of last year where we had focused heavily on universal design for learning and really
supporting all students um in in core classrooms and so this year we're continuing to do that but in slightly different work depending on our schools. So, our elementary school has um really been taking the first half of the year to um dive into writing um and looking
at their writer's workshop model, their instructional routines and practices with the core curriculum they're utilizing. Um and starting last month, they just have shifted into math. And so we are um we're not making any program changes, but what we are doing is
looking at how we're utilizing the program and structuring in classrooms um and structuring lessons to be able to engage students um and differentiate for individual kiddos um within our math blocks. So at the elementary level, I mean you saw the data earlier, they are
just off and running. Um, and so what's nice about that structure right now for math is we've we're starting to look at um where the needs are by grade level and we have some grades that have a lot of new teachers. So we're focusing some of our sessions
um sort of like a breakout session model on sort of how what are the core program um routines and how do we do some of these instructional routines and how do we manage our time when we have 60 minutes to get through all of these different activities. Um, and then we have other teachers who are delving into
their curriculum and really saying where are the areas where I need to prioritize standards based on my data with students. Um, and they're having some sort of more in-depth conversations about adjustments to the curriculum versus how do I manage and use this. So that's been going, you know, quite well.
Um, and our middle school, our middle school is focusing on inclusive practices and really thinking about how are we meeting needs of all students. So they started off the year really diving into what does it mean as a teacher to be a warm demander. Um so what that is is how do you have high expectations for
students while at the same time um being well connected and understand students interests needs um and social emotional supports for them as a teacher as well. Um and so they are really working on how do we how do we connect with kids and push them um when and where they need
that support to reach high expectations in classrooms. Uh they are shifting from that now into unpacking data to kind of individualized plans for small group instruction in their classrooms. So trying to break into either um you know more of a rotation and small group model
or individual sessions to pull students to provide a little bit more targeted support based on their data. At the high school level, the high school's been focusing a lot on um on their core curriculum. So, they've been focusing on as teams unpacking standards to really
understand the core um transfer skills, knowledge um and information that students need to acquire over the course of a unit in their in their um courses. And then from there, they've been working on how to develop um not when I
say assessments, not multiple choice assessments or open response, but they've been working specifically on performance-based tasks and what kind of relevant tasks students can do to apply and demonstrate the knowledge of skills that they're doing in their classrooms. Um and then our history our um
districtwide we've had a breakout session for professional development with our health and physical education teachers where they have been really auditing and redesigning the curriculum to make sure that our curriculum is in alignment frameworks for health and PE and they're going to become um be shifting that work a little bit to
looking at their instructional materials um and looking at whether we need to adopt some new instructional materials to make sure that they have the tools they need to teach the curriculum. Um so that is and then I should add too um our pair of professionals have been getting more targeted professional development
this year too um on how to work with students in classrooms and support learning needs of students. Some of that has been focusing on uh behavioral support and we're shifting as well to include uh academic supports and strategies for working with various students whether that's as a one-on-one
instructional car or a small group um care professional or so forth. Um and then our nursing staff has been doing a lot of work on um on pediatric uh diabetes and a couple of other hot topics in the nursing realm.
Um and then we have some other groups working on some more specified or specific uh areas like our occupational therapists and our speech pathologists. Um in addition to that, our administrative team had a professional development session at the beginning of the year with our district one of our
district's attorney focusing on updates and best practices for student discipline. So they reviewed laws, procedures, um and protocols with our team. It was really helpful because we do have um some new folks on our administrative team this year, some new
assistant principles, either new that position or new to the district. And so it was really helpful to have a chance not only to go over updates, but also to have folks who are new have access to um you know, instruction from our attorney who really has more knowledge than I
think I'll ever have in my lifetime. Um, so that's been really really helpful and our feedback across all our sessions has continued to be pretty positive. Any questions on PD? >> Um, additionally, I planned to give you an update on our district and school
report cards because the state is supposed to release them by January 30th. So, I thought I would be safe today putting that on our agenda to report out to you, but they haven't yet released them. So, um I will give you
sort of a a heads up. They're coming. Um so, every year we typically early February, um we will send this information out to families um for both the district and the schools. We're required to do that under ESSA. And so, what that looks like typically is a
letter from the building principal that will go out with all of the um newsletters at some point, usually early February. um that indicates that the state has released both district and school report cards and that they provide a link to those. They'll be public on our website. Um if any parent
or guardian or community member would request a hard copy of those, we're also required to provide hard copies for anyone who requests those as well. Essentially, these um these report cards um are a way for the state to show us how schools are performing in multiple
areas. And so things that are included on the report card are things like uh student enrollment and demographics and it will compare your school to previous years and your school to the state uh your school to the district and your school to the state. We also have teacher qualification data that gets
released in those um access to various coursework. So access to advanced coursework, access to the arts, um access to digital literacy and computer science courses. And I believe that's um I believe that those are the buckets under uh access to coursework. Um
student attendance and discipline data is included in that. Um graduation rate data, dropout rate data, postsecary enrollment, which is essentially the rate of students that are attending college when they graduate in the our district. Of course, MCCAST data. So you
have academic growth and achievement data. And lastly, there's financial data released on your district. And what they're really looking at in the financial data component u is a dollar spent per pupil. That's how they're reporting that out. Um so that data will be forthcoming. It will be sent out to all uh family members and the community
via school newsletters and the website. But unfortunately I don't have the data to show you today. I know you're all coming tomorrow. >> Exactly. Right. It'll be in my inbox when I get home tonight. Um, and then as I think our school rep and our student
rep and Miss Rasmusson mentioned, we are in the at the tail end of our benchmark assessment window. Um, our window technically closes tomorrow. We do have some students still doing some makeups. So, um, and our next meeting uh, next month, I will have our Dibbles data and
our benchmark uh, STAR assessment data for reading and math to present as well. >> It's coming. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Any questions? >> Thank you. Surf items. I think these are old as
well. That's what I thought. Okay. Um, we have no items not reasonably anticipated and so I would open it up for any school committee comments. >> I'm not sure that I can comment this. Um mention anything about um school
committee and elections coming up. >> Um you can mention the fact that um this is the time for folks to be reaching out to their towns. >> Yes. >> And securing their papers if they're interested in, you know, Yes, we will
have some open positions. So, if you either sitting at this table and this is your year to be reelected, um like yes, Sean was pointing to himself. I know this is his year. If you have any questions for me about whether this is not whether or not this is your
year to be reelected, please feel free to reach out to me. Um or if we were interested in seating the table, yes, this is time to be collecting those initial signatures to get on the map. >> Is that what you were hoping to get? >> I can give it a date. Philipsson or
>> Yeah, Philipson's going to have a newsletter coming out. February newsletter is going to be coming out and um March 30th is the last day to obtain nomination papers and um the election is on Monday, May 18th. So, yes, please
reach out to your town clerks. And like I said, I'll I I know there was a student in Delta College that reached out to me for information on what status everybody had. So, I'll dig that up and send it out to school committee so that you know what your next election is, just so you have that information handy
because the years just kind of blur together. [laughter] It's hard to remember. >> Was it a fast three years? >> It was fast three years. >> Any other school committee comments? And thank you for bringing that up. dealership, >> right?
>> Um, finance and facilities. We reported out on that last time, so we will skip that. Um, district operations. So, we met last night. It was a rescheduled from our miss meeting um a couple weeks ago. Um
we talked about um a few things but we we looked at the CTE admissions recruitment and retention policy we have attached here. We initially uh voted on this in October.
Jesse came back with just some feedback um that they wanted us to include um some specific procedural language around um providing the textbooks with a list of students in
the eighth grade uh seventh grade for them to be able to reach out to. Um so that is in here and we voted to bring it to full remedy and suspend the first reading accept the changes for uh final
the second reading final vote. Right. So I would entertain a motion to suspend the first reading and accept the changes to policy CTE admissions recruitment and retention policy for second reading as presented. >> So moved. >> Motion by Hank. >> Second. Second by another. Any
questions, comments, or concerns about moving this forward expeditiously? >> Being none, all in favor? >> I >> opposed abstained. And I say yes. So that is unanimous. So we can go ahead and process that change. Any other
updates you wanted to make sure to raise to our attention at this time? >> Um Dr. Cassavan shared with us uh that we had some title changes for some of our administrative teams in the building. Did you want to to go through the changes? >> Sure. Uh as I as we explained out last,
you know, we had a lot of movement last spring. So Michelle Henry uh was the interim school principal. Aaron Day was the interim high school moved vice principal and Janet Smith was the interim PDS vice principal. Given all
moves that we have to make and in speaking with each other, one of them they'd like to stay in their roles. because I what I want I just I did not make a comment. I wanted to, you know, get them there and see if they well if if it was a fit and it was. So each of
the folks that I just mentioned lose the inner um title portion of the title I should say and become principal, assistant principal and assistant principal of the illness respon.
>> Congratulations to that. >> Great. Um and then the final thing we discussed because we have this movie deadline of u board docks diligent whatever they have um expiring in April. Um so I reached out to a couple a few
different places um all had quotes that around the same as but I did find one that was less. It's a company called on board. Um they give us a quote with a couple of different options. So, I would say we're still looking at anywhere from
7 to $9,000 per year for this service. We also discussed the possibility of um bringing it inhouse and creating uh sort of a shared Google Drive or you know Google folders to to uh store meeting
minutes and uh post agendas. Um there's some concerns with that. We don't know who exactly would be in control of that. how longing to inte to to do a mass data download and integrate that onto a Google share drive or platform. Um, so
that seems very big, but I'm not exactly sure how um that [laughter] >> Susan Susan wanted a little bit basis last year. >> Susan wasn't there when we were talking.
We did speak with Jared Ryan um in it when this first came about last year and he kind of looked at it in very you know rough numbers so to speak and said that it is something that we could possibly do here. um we need to have them come in
and talk a little bit more about it or talk to the the district operations committ because it isn't something we can just decide to do set it up quickly and there's a lot of >> it's not super quick but it's doable >> um
Dr. Do you remember anything else he said? But he he has a few ideas. I'll say that >> it's doable. >> It takes some time. >> It will take some time. Um >> can we can we rather than having you both speak over memory, although I'm sure it's very accurate. [laughter]
>> That was really actually that was really nice of me to say. Um but could we arrange to see if um Jiren could attend the next district operations meeting and then or or whatever meeting we're going to look at another solution because maybe he should
be involved in that and then that way we would have like h however you'd wish to execute that if you're thinking >> we we need to make a decision on what we're going to do because we're getting close to >> so then if we if we need to make a decision and we need to invite him to a meeting in February then that is another
option but I'm thinking that maybe he is there for the discussion with the larger committee so that we can look at okay do we want to move forward with this other and we have to remember that no matter what this is an increase other month >> versus what we have historically been
spending because we we convinced board docs last year to give us an extension because basically they had sent us a reminder at the 11th hour um and it truly was not enough time to make any other decision other than to increase from a it's a just under $6,000 a year
to 11 over $11,000 a year was what they had presented us with which was just an absolutely doubling the cost without doubling the value is not no one was keen on that and so we wanted an extra year to to look at this and now
>> now we're here >> now we're here >> so we have to make some decisions so so if perhaps we want to coordinate Daniel and making sure that you and I get that on the agenda in the right way not obviously the multi-board meeting, but another February meeting. Um, and
figuring out how to get the right information available so that school committee can make a decision one way or the other. Um, and then making sure Jared's present to be able to talk to what that would look like for us to take it in house. I do know many districts do open. >> Y, >> it's just the transition that I would
guess that everyone was feeling concerned about. Is that accurate? >> Yes. What does that transition look like? Yeah, >> and I'm sure Jared is uh you know, he does his job very well and he'll know exactly what questions to ask. But my concern immediately is what is a mass
data uh download look like and how do we even move that into some organ like organizing? >> There's also some question about what information we can get from diligent on all of our >> historic stuff how that can come over. >> Yeah. So maybe we also want to simultaneously start that conversation
because I think I think one thing is clear which is that we are not staying with that >> and so no matter what that looks like whether we move to another >> system or whether we move to Google Docs maybe that's another area where we can
start to get additional information. >> Perfect. Thank you. Thank you for getting that started and leading that up and having those initial conversations. Um, labor management committee has had no meetings. Um, any CPAC updates at the
moment? >> Nothing at the moment. Okay. Um, any PTO updates at the moment? >> Nothing at the moment. >> Okay. Um, we will skip student advisory council. Any legislative updates at the moment?
>> Yes. Um, tomorrow is the uh the deadline for um Congress to decide to um fund our government. Um there really is no appetite for another government shutdown. So everybody's got their fingers crossed this will go through. What we're looking at right now is the
potential for our all of our federal grants to be funded at level funings which would be amazing. So keep all your projects crossed with that bill. >> Noted. Okay, we've had no correspondence. Our
multi-board meeting is next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. We do not need executive session this evening. So, I would entertain a motion to ajour. >> So, I'll give it to Hank and >> I'll take a second. >> Give Sean second. Seniority matters.
[laughter] That's >> fine. All in favor? I >> Thank you very much.