Call to order the regular meeting of the Nishoba Regional School Committee at 6:04 p.m. As always, I'll start with the pledge of allegiance so you guys can mute and follow along with me if you would like to. I 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 all. Uh so first we have some public comment, but I have h I have not heard from anybody who would like to participate in public comment. So we're going to keep
on rolling and uh we're going to head into executive session. you know, probably for about 30 minutes and we plan to return here to the regular meeting. And so Amy, if you have a motion, I'll take it. >> Yeah. I move to enter into executive
session at 6:04 p.m. pursuant to MGL chapter 38 section 21A3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body. And the chair so
declares session to include the school committee superintendent Downing, assistant superintendent Ross McCarron, Assistant Superintendent Laura Friend, Director of Human Resources Jessica Murdoch, and Director of Student Services Rowan Demanchch. Committee will reconvene to open session at the conclusion of the
executive session. >> I do so declare and I will second that motion. And so we're gonna Well, is there any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, we'll move to the vote.
Amy, >> yes. >> I vote yes. Jillian, >> yes. >> Shandor, >> yes. >> Scott, >> yes. >> Sharon, >> yes. Matt,
>> yes. and Jackie, >> I abstain. >> Okay. >> Because I don't know what the question was. Sorry. >> Oh, I'm sorry. It's just to go into executive session, Jackie. Okay. >> Yes. Yes. >> There we go. Thanks for joining us,
guys. I know. item on the agenda is the consent agenda. And Amy Cohen, do you want to read a motion for us? I move to approve the consent agenda for
January 28th, 2026 as presented tonight. >> I will second that. Is there any discussion on the consent agenda? Just trying to expand my screen. Sorry, I guess I'm not seeing any golden hands.
All right. So, we're going to um take a vote on that. I vote yes. Shandor, >> yes. >> Jillian, >> yes. >> Darren, >> yes. >> Uh, Matt, >> yes.
>> Jackie. >> Jackie, did you say yes? >> Yes. Sorry. >> Oh, that's okay. John, >> yes. >> Lindsay, >> yes. >> Scott, >> yes. >> And Amy, >> yes. All right, that's the consent
agenda. Uh, now we get to move to our favorite part of the meeting and that is our report from Ryan and Maria. So, I see both of them are here. Welcome. >> Hello. I apologize. I'm not in the usual setup. Just came from the teacher appreciation hockey game. Um, which was
awesome. So, that was cool. I saw probably 30 teachers all in jerseys from students. So, that was um really cool to see. Um, I'll give you guys a quick update on the Massachusetts Association of Student Representatives and kind of what they're working towards right now.
Um, so we're planning a spring conference which is coming up in May. I think May 16th is the actual date. Um, so that's supposed to expand membership. We've been doing a lot of work reaching out to superintendents of different school districts um, and trying to identify their representatives which
we'd invite them over to that delegate assembly. Um and then at that actual delegate assembly, we're each going to be kind of sharing our practices as well as the directors and some of the leadership will be running through some workshops um on just on again different
practices and kind of unique um kind of changes in the atmosphere especially um with each kind of individual schools and their policy. Um and then Maria can talk a little bit about the student council. Um and then so I can talk about the midterm feedback after she kind of
touches on that as well. Okay, so hi guys. Last time I was the little waves. That was kind of cute. Thanks. Um, last time I talked about the comments that I was seeing on the handbook um that that we posted on Tuco
and okay, some comments were really vague and I and I think that to prevent any miscommunication, me and Bella um the vice president of StuCo decided that we were going to wait until our next meeting and actually have a
conversation, go through the comments and have a conversation to like prevent vent any miscommunication and just and also to remind people that some some things on the handbook are state law so the school can't do nothing about it and
some people weren't there when when we when we first posted the handbook so they I mean they didn't hear me talk about this but it's always good to remind them that some things that the school cannot do anything about since it's state law and also yeah and also to
just have that I think I think it's important to just have that conversation and go through the comments and read them and have that conversation to to really just prevent any type of miscommunication and make everything clear so I can present this to you guys
totally clear and you know um and then the midterm schedule. I mean, I guess we can we can't always please everyone with the schedule, but the thing that I heard the most about
was the late start. A lot a lot of kids prefer the late start because um a lot of us have after school activities and work and we end up studying till late and then waking up really early and
having to just do an exam. But I mean I I think just sleeping in it it would be just better for a lot of them. And also um we used to have um the the our lunch block which was a
review block which a lot of teachers said they they thought it would it was better because they felt like the students actually had the time to go and um review things. they thought they
needed help with and it was like it's just a longer period of time because now we only have 20 minutes between periods so it it doesn't give much time and also the halls are really busy and everything is just so noisy and I know it could um
it could make it hard to concentrate for some people especially because there's no place I mean there is the library but it's it's the whole school there's no place for everyone to just sit and concentrate for 20 minutes. So, that's what I heard on my part and then Brian just share with you.
>> I can I can definitely mostly speak for what I heard from the seniors. Um, and I think actually the general consensus were that was that they preferred this year's to last year's. Um, a lot of it was because they were getting home a lot earlier. Um, and that allowed them to
have more time in the day and afternoon to study, which I think was kind of a key driver in that opinion. Um but also the the people talked about the period that we missed out on the review period the um and I think teachers as well have
spoke to that and I talked to teachers about that where they think it puts the students at a little bit of a disadvantage where they're not really having an organized set out period which was like used to be like 90 minutes. Um superintendent down you have a hand up over there but that was my spiel.
Is there anything else on the student report or was that all of it? >> I think that closes it out. >> All right, great. So, I'll go to questions now on any part of the student report and I'll start with Kirk because he does have his hand up. >> Yeah. Um, thank you, Madam Chair. I just
want to come back to Maria and Ryan and just remind in regards to feedback on the student handbook. Remember that's also a process with the school council and Dr. Buon and we don't want to circumvent their responsibilities.
So, anything that you want to speak to uh regarding the committee, make sure you're vetting it through Dr. Bon and the school council as well because they're the ones that actually put forward ultimately the school handbook at the end of the year. So, and we can certainly uh follow up at school to kind
of talk about what that looks like, but uh you'll want to make sure you do that. >> Excellent. >> Yeah. And on Kirk, on that note, I think that we I wanted to touch base with the student council on you to schedule another um opportunity for, you know,
some information exchange with the um communication subcommittee. So, I'll follow up with you on that. Yeah. To get the second meeting of the year. Amy, you mean? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Got it. >> Yeah. I think we'll take advantage of uh
Ryan and Maria being here to engage with Mr. Kaiser and get get us a date for our next visit, please. That would be great. >> Yep. Um what other questions do we have for the student report, if any? >> I I had one question. >> Yeah.
>> Um because they both brought up the midterm schedule. Um, was there any feedback around students with sports? Because I know that was um something that I didn't really like think through until it hit my family with the early
dismissals and then coming back to the campus for sports practices. >> I can talk about that a little bit. Um, I know it's I think it definitely varies on by sport cuz I have friends on the basketball team who regardless of the schedule practice towards the night at
like 6:00, something like that. So, for them there's really no huge bearing on whether um on like how they're would be able to make it. Um, I I can't really speak to hockey. Um, but I know that like with the rink and ice times, it's all kind of all over the place. So, um,
they have to drive to the rink regardless. So it's not like they're going to the or staying at Shoba right after. Um but that's just kind of how >> Yep. I heard that as well. Especially for younger kids who don't
drive, it's hard to get back at 2:30 or 3. Any other questions or comments? All right, so as always, Ryan and Maria, we thank you for being here. Your voice is super valuable and we appreciate it.
>> Thank you. I'm going to go ahead and watch the Nishoba vers Hudson basketball game. Yes. >> I don't know which one. Yep. Thank you. >> I know it's tough. Go Nishova. >> Yes. >> Bye, guys. Thank you.
>> All right, guys. Uh, moving on now to the superintendent's report. And I hope um I just wanted to ask the committee if there's no objection. There is a new business or excuse me unfinished business item here. The review of the um school committee web page. It's also
tucked into the superintendent's report. So is it okay if we bump it up to the superintendent report and cover it in its totality there? I'm not seeing any objection. Okay, some thumbs up. Thank you. Um so Kirk, I'm going to turn it over to you for the superintendent report. I am going to stay with you. I'm
going to turn my camera off so I can go somewhere where there's light. >> Understood. Understood. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you to the committee. Um I'm going to begin by saying our our report's going to be a bit our main is going to be shorter and truncated tonight. Uh we plan to bring you um the
revenue side of the budget tonight. We did not receive that information until 2:30 this afternoon. So, uh, in lie of trying to to put that together in haste prior to this meeting, I think it's
better that, uh, we we, uh, uh, make sure everything is accurate and in line. We will bring that full report to you uh at the February 11th meeting, but the governor did release uh the budget today
and and you can find that information uh online in general about the um fiscal year 2027 governor's budget. Um that being said, we have a few announcements. First is a general announcement in your packets is the Aspet Valley
Collaborative update. Number two, uh the financial audit. So you'll see the draft financial audit that ultimately was approved uh by the board of directors of Aset Valley Collaborative for which I sit uh as superintendent of Nshoba and there was nothing remarkable in the
audit to necessarily report. So there's a summary statement here in the superintendent report. If you're interested, you can look in the detail of the full report, but all the finances within the Aset Valley Collaborative uh appear to be in order. And on the
subject of audits, uh I will turn it over to Assistant Superintendent uh Moaren to uh speak on the FY25 financial audit. >> Yep. Thank you, Superintendent Downing. And good evening, school committee members uh and the public. Our financial audit was completed by Rosel and Clark
and association uh excuse me associates uh certified public accountants. Uh Roseli and Clark to a number of school districts uh and regionals as well. Uh some members of the committee may remember that we switched to Roselli and Clark after a long relationship with another firm. Uh we found that it's just
been beneficial uh from the jump uh with this new firm. So, um they've helped us in number of ways and we had a positive uh experience again this year. Um similar to the ABC of note, uh nothing of concern. The full reports available
on our finance and operations page. Mr. Powell from the school committee chairs the audit advisory committee that met directly with um Mr. Mr. Rosali, one of the partners who did our audit um and they were able to ask their more in-depth questions um and provide
feedback and get feedback from Mr. Roselli. I don't know if Mr. Powell has anything additional to add to that uh but in brief positive and it's posted uh to our website and it's been shared with the town administrators. >> Yeah. The only thing I would say is that, you know, the auditors were had a
lot of praise for the district in terms of, you know, how clean the records are and how cooperative they are throughout the process. Um, so all in all, it's been a good relationship, I'd say, with the auditors and the district. So, we should keep going with them for the foreseeable future.
>> Great. Madam Chair, we'll we'll pause for any questions on the two audits before we bring Miss Hanigan forward. >> Okay. Uh, are there any questions on that item? >> I'd just like to say thank you and I appreciate uh Scott's comments. That
bodess well. >> Thank you. So, at this time, I'd like to bring forward Bridget Hanigan, our communication specialist and innovation pathways coordinator, uh, to talk to you about the school committee website update. So, uh, take it away, Bridget. Hi,
>> everyone. Um, I'm excited to bring the initial draft of the school committee website update to you tonight. Um, it is linked in the superintendent report. Is it helpful if I share it on the screen while I do a quick walkthrough? >> Okay. >> Yes, I think that'd be appropriate. >> Yes,
>> perfect. I will do that now then. All right. So, can everyone see my screen? Perfect. Okay. So, this is the initial draft of the website. Um, it was completed using feedback and priorities that were identified during the school committee's spring 2025 communication
survey. And it's modeled after a combination of the district's finance and operations center, family resources page, um, and the NHS building project site. Um so the new site high areas of interest into defined
sections those come with headers um icons and drop downs all within ADA compliance. Um and it's really with the goal of improved accessibility and navigation. Uh the next steps are going to be I'll give you a quick walkthrough of this. It's available. You can look at
it on your own time at any point. Um but really is just to identify you know what supporting pages we need to create. um any feedback from you as a committee and the communication subcommittee um to make this even stronger and then the creation of a school committee questions uh form uh because what I found out was
that we can't include a widget. Um so that's kind of just the general overview. Before I fully walk through this, I also want to say we have sorted out representation in the comment and it can begin as early as February. Um there will be an addition of a news from the NRSD school committee section. Um, the
section will feature a button that links directly to this page once we have it published. The Friday prior to each school committee meeting, I will pull information um from the school committee planning calendar and we'll include a link to the meeting the following Wednesday. And then the Friday after a
meeting, we'll do a follow-up with what was discussed um and a link to the video uh that is posted. Um, so there will be a rotating section each week in the common just depending on whether it's a week on or week off. Um, so to do a quick walkthrough of the website, we
have a general welcome. Um, we also have each of the school committee members listed. We have the school committee's goals, upcoming school committee meetings with links to all virtual um, as well as a link to the school committee meeting calendar that is published each year. And then finally,
this is where we would be putting it has all of your contacts linked in it, but this is also where we would be putting an ask the school committee a question. Um to our right right here, we also have the latest meeting. So that will be updated each time we have a new meeting. Um and then if you scroll below, this is
modeled exactly off of uh what the subcommittee brought to us. We have all of our committee meetings, agendas, meeting recordings, and planning calendars linked. Um to the right, we have subcommittees um all linked to their pages with their corresponding
agendas. We have information on the NRSD budget with the budget process which includes a video that is created and also lives on our finance and operations page. Um as well as the budget timeline, upcoming budget meetings. Um this section will link all meetings and meeting recordings and materials
following each meeting for the budget. Um and then finally just resources that have already been created by the district when it comes to the budget. over here. This is where I'll need to work with the committee or the subcommittee to identify how we want to create pages that showcase the NRSD policies that are in review and what
have been adopted. Um, and then we also have the NRSD policy manual linked here as well. Moving on to the bottom of the page, we have public hearings. So, we have the upcoming public hearings as well as links to the previous two years of public hearing meetings. Um, under current curriculum information, we have
the strategic plan, our curriculum guides, and then our equity report. the final report, the presentation of the school committee meeting where it was discussed. Um, moving over to evaluations, we have the superintendent evaluation over the last three years. This again, um, shows when this year's
is scheduled, but as well as the, um, school committee meeting in which it was recorded, as well as the materials that go along with that meeting. And then finally with additional information I will just need to link or create some language for open seats as they become available and how we want to
um represent this. Additionally we have school committee press releases which is already a page that exists on the website information about the regional agreement and then a direct link to all of the school committee archives. Um and then at the bottom I took the diversity, equity and inclusion belonging statement
that was adopted um and included that. So, all said and done, everything from the initial website is here, just organized into more um easy to navigate buckets for community members. Um, and if anyone has any questions, I'm happy
to build some of those. >> Yeah. So, that is phenomenal. I see some golden hands, so I'm going to go in the order I just noticed them. Shandor, >> first off, like massive improvement. uh really really uh a fan of this um in
particular. I I just like the uh the video is so prominent there as a way of sort of showing current stuff, but it's a lot easier to find stuff. Um I'm starting to make a list of just little the quibbles and comments in terms of
feedback. What is the best way to provide that uh to you all? I think um Shondor is it is it it um a lot of feedback is it like minutia is do you you tell me what you think is best based upon what you're trying to provide
>> yeah a bunch of it is minutia uh and but but some some of it is is uh uh >> substantive >> yeah I mean I I think one of the challenges we have is that so much of the content is buried in meeting
materials and trying to find something where you have to know what meeting to go and look at the meeting materials is still a somewhat unsolved problem. Um, I'm not entirely sure the best way to
solve that. That's probably my biggest thing. Like most of the stuff are like the columns are so narrow that when you embed a video there, it is un viewable. And so like can we just open up that in a new page instead of trying to show it
in there. So I have a lot of little things like that. But the only >> really big one is is how can we make the meeting materials more discoverable? >> Yeah, it's a great question. Um, I think Kirk, do you think it would be best for
everybody to send me the minutiae stuff and I can compile that and send it to you or to Bridget and then we can just talk about the substantive stuff right now? >> Well, you could do that. Uh, Madam Chair, I know you're always busy as well. So, we we do have a communication
subcommittee. >> Yeah. >> Um, that's what I was going to say. >> Like it would make sense to funnel it through that subcommittee to me. That's what I was going to suggest is that maybe we can invite Bridget to our next meeting um and work through some of that.
>> Yeah, I mean that's fine by me. And so maybe Amy, can people send you an email if they are like some members of this committee are really good at finding and rooting out small things that are important but minute. So, can we have
all can people send you an email with just like minutia um feedback and then we can talk about some of the substantive larger things right now and you could maybe take notes on that and
bring it up at your next subcommittee meeting that you invite Bridget to. >> Sure. >> Bridget, is that okay? >> Yeah, that's totally fine. >> All right. So everybody if you have the minutia stuff email it to Amy but let's just talk about the bigger more substantive things right now that um Amy
can also take note of and discuss at the next subcommittee meeting. So Jackie I think is or rather Shandor um had the first item here and that is how can we make very important elements of our meeting materials more discoverable. Shandra, do you have an example of that? Like something that gets buried in the
meeting materials but is important and doesn't fit under one of these categories. >> Uh so at some point like the draft of next year's calendar is tied to specific meeting. Eventually it gets published
all over the place, right? But while it's still being discussed, it's only tied to that meeting. Um >> Okay. So, >> just off the top of my head, that's the the first example I come up with. But but really, if you
I I I don't know if there's a way to maybe have a search function to make things more discoverable for the meeting materials. Um, >> all right. So, Amy, is that cool you have that as the first substantive concern? Okay, Jackie,
I will extend an invitation to Miss Anigan to join the policy subcommittee at our meeting in March because then we can go through I think some of those um areas of question. I love this and I also wonder if there's
a way for us to elevate our DEIB statement from the bottom. >> Yeah, absolutely. We can do that. I can look to move it up back to the top or even put it maybe um with one of those initial drop downs right under school committee goals or even work it into there as well.
>> Thank you, >> Kirk. >> Yeah, I just I I I don't mean to be the skunk at the long party, but I just want to make sure I bring up a couple of things. One is uh Miss Hanigan has put a lot of time in this and really appreciate it. So I think always
remember to work through my office though as we have to you know uh how we're deciding to do that work because some of the things uh I can simply direct uh Bridget to to put in there as I attend those meetings. Um, the second
thing is as we're talking about the types of things we would like included here, let's be mindful not to create a problem while we solve a problem because we have information in other places on the website as well that could set up the potential of creating confusion of
where things are located, but also has the potential um of having a lot of duplicitous uh things in the website that that take a lot of time and effort. effort in terms of thinking about what's the
yield. So nothing specific to to point out there. I'm just asking we all be just mindful of that concept. >> Um go ahead Amy. >> Thank you. Um, first of all, I want to
just express my gratitude to Bridget for the work she put into this and how much of an improvement it is and how you were able to take the recommendations of the communication subcommittee and package it into this nice little
um much more graphically pleasing website. Um, and I think you know some of the feedback you're getting now wasn't incorporated into the recommendations we gave you as a subcommittee. So I think you've you've taken what the communication
subcommittee presented and delivered that. Um, I think now that we're looking at it, we're noticing other things that could maybe improve it a little bit more. Um, one of the things that I'm noticing is that the bucket called
public hearings. I wonder if we could bring more clarity to the fact that it's budget and school choice hearings because somebody from, you know, the who's not familiar with these processes wouldn't
know that those are um like you'd have to click to find them, you know. >> Yeah, absolutely. Um, and then the other thing I was just kind of pondering was that on the top here
you have upcom upcoming school committee meetings, which I really liked how everything was linked beneath it, but I wondered if that duplicates information on the meeting calendar that's listed below and
if instead maybe on the top you could have where it says upcoming school committee meetings, you could have um the I don't know how to phrase it, but the next school committee meeting with like the agenda for the the next school committee meeting. So, that's easier to
find. >> Yeah, that's absolutely something that we can do and just link um and it will probably be easier to maintain that way as well. >> Yeah. >> I mean, we want to make this um sustainable and manageable at the same time. So, if there's, you know, the less
amount that you have to update on these pages, I think the better in my mind. >> That's that is a good point. >> Yeah. And I think right now it's in a pretty good place with having the meetings listed. It really means that, you know, on a weekly basis, I'm going in deleting things and adding links. Um, but the content is being created by the
meetings and the meeting materials that are automatically generated each week or every other week. >> All right, great. Um, the only thing I wonder, and maybe I just missed it, there's a section on the current web page that's called school committee member documents.
>> Did that move over? >> That isn't here. Um, it was something I wanted feedback about it. It's something that we could put into committee meetings or in additional information. Um, but want to know from the committee, you know, where you think that that is bucketed the most
effectively. >> So, >> oh, go ahead. I would leave that to the subcommittee in the conversation that you guys want to have. I know that there's some orientation material in the manual that we worked really hard on um that I would like to see get on there, but otherwise I'm flexible. So Amy, I'll
let you take that up at your subcommittee meeting and how you want to manage all that in that internal documentation. Any other questions or comments? Substantive All right, I'm not seeing any. And uh just one more big old thank you so much,
Bridget, for your endless work ethic and awesome style. >> Thank you guys so much for the feedback. Um pretty good first draft, but as always, there's more we can do to make it better. >> Yeah, and thanks to the subcommittee, the communication subcommittee for bringing this forward and pushing for
it. It's going to be great for the people. So, thanks everyone. >> Thank you guys. Um, Kirk, forgive me. I'm a little lost in all my tabs. Um, more for the superintendent report. >> Uh, no. I think we're on to new
business. Nature's Classroom and the Washington DC requests. >> Ah, very good. All right, guys. So, onward and upward here. Um, I do want to just reiterate one thing that Kirk has already said that the governor's budget numbers did not really
come in um with any time to insert any of that information. So, at our next meeting, we're going to be getting uh a much more substantive budget update. And um I have already sent all of your
questions to Kirk regarding things that you would like to be elaborated on. And we already asked Ross to elaborate on a couple of things at the last meeting. So that budget update that comes um on February 11th
on February 11th will be a sizable one. All right, guys. New business. Uh we have a couple of travel requests which is exciting. And so Kirk, I'll let you tee this up. >> You bet. I think first we're going to talk about nature's classroom. And I
want to bring forward our elementary principles, Mr. Scott Blanchard at Mary Rollinsson, Miss Kerianne Coer at Center School, and I believe uh Miss Shandra Ferraro is doing the uh this Miss
Shandra Ferraro is our assistant principal, our fabulous assistant principal at the Florence Sawyer School. Uh she is here to represent Florence Sawyer as Mr. Bates is at a very important family celebration this evening. So, thank you, Miss Ferraro,
for being here. And I'll turn it over to them for their um um overnight field trip requests for Nature's Classroom. So, take it away, Scott. >> I'm going to take it away if that's okay.
>> I took I took a guess. >> It was a good guess. Good evening, school committee members, and thank you for the opportunity to present tonight our second year of a district aligned trip for our fifth graders to outdoor classroom. My colleagues and I are seeking your approval to initiate the process to book and plan this trip that
will allow our district fifth graders a rewarding common experience. In this year's planning process, we continue to be mindful of strategic objective 3, initiative 5, to grow a common noshova identity. We found a site, Oceanwood Camp, in Ocean Park, Maine, that can host all three of our schools within a
similar time frame this coming October. This is where all of our schools attended this past fall. And the trip will continue to ensure consistency in the student experience across the district. Mary Rollinsson would go the first week of October, center school the third week, and Florence Sawyer the last week of the month. We appreciate the
opportunity to present this and we are happy to answer any questions that you might have. Thank you. >> Madam Chair, if I may add a piece as well, >> please. One of the things that we've talked about with these overnight field trips that are so far away, we bring them to you now so we can do the appropriate fundraising, but chaperones
have not been identified yet. And so, uh, in speaking with Miss Mastersonson today, we're setting up a process where on all of our overnight field trips, we will be doing an update of those 1 month, 30 days prior to them actually going on the trip with a resubmission of
the form so that you can see the updated chaperones with Corey checks and fingerprinting. >> Thank you for that clarification. Um, I appreciate you guys creating processes to make everything constantly better. Uh so I'll start off by saying I'm so
grateful for this presentation. For many many years this was not consistent across the district and I think um this is really great for kids and I thank you all for making this happen so that it is consistent for all of them. Um does
anybody else have any questions clarifying or otherwise? Let's start with Shandor. Um, so and Cork as an aside, this is an example of meeting materials and finding stuff on our website. Uh, I don't have
easy access to last year's version of uh, these requests. Uh, are the costs similar for both the overall cost and the total cost to students? >> Good question. Does anybody know what it
costs last year? I don't have the exact figures um but the the cost has gone up a little bit but it's it's comparable to to what it was last year um for us. >> Yeah, that's a that is a great um observation Shandur that this is
something that's buried in meeting materials that would be really hard for us to track down that I'm not sure that this would be a drop down on the school committee website but it's real food for thought. So, thank you. Um any other questions? Yeah, Scott.
>> So, maybe I'm misremembering the trips, but if I remember correctly, this used to be a spring trip and now we do it in the fall. Is that right? Yeah. And I'm just wondering, is there are there different educational experiences from doing this in the fall
rather than the spring? Like, you know, I think of spring and that's when flowers are budding and the like and all the leaves are coming to the ground. And I'm just wondering are those different experiences and is one or the other better or what are the merits of fall versus spring? Does anyone have any thoughts on that?
>> Great question. >> I can I can answer that. Um so uh Mary Rollinsson has always uh done it in the fall as far as as I'm aware. Um and we've been doing it for decades. Um the
reason why we we've always liked to do it in the fall is because uh it sets up um the sort of the community building aspects uh to carry through the rest of the year. So the kids go, they're there for the week. um they get to learn
things about themselves and each other that they they wouldn't through another experience. And and then um that that common experience that they've had is used as an anchor throughout the rest of the school year uh in terms of supporting um uh their sense of
community um and camaraderie and and friendship. And if we did it in the spring, uh they wouldn't have that to carry them through. >> Great. Uh Sharon, >> I just wanted to add um to Scott's
question that this the nature's classroom where they're attending is right on the coast in Maine. It's an old orchard beach. Um an advantage to going in the fall over the spring is that it's warmer. Um in the spring
the water's cold, the air is cold, everything is cold. when they go in the fall, they really can get involved in a lot of handson like handson activities um because it's still really warm.
>> Interesting. Thanks, Jackie. >> The 2024 permission form was 495 uh per cost to the student. So, just as a point of reference, I think it's close to um I would reiterate what Sharon said
and um it might be useful to cross collaborate with families because there's a lot of materials that the kids use and if they're going one after the other maybe they can share resources. >> Any other questions? Con. Oh, Jillian go
right ahead. >> Thank you. Uh in terms of sort of standardizing the experience across the three elementary schools, do the principles coordinate the sort of counterprogramming for the kids who do not attend nature's classroom to ensure
that the kids who stay behind are also getting similar experiences to their peers in the other towns? >> That's a great question. Um we have we have not done that uh yet. Um but I think it's a great idea. Uh and I think
it's something that we should definitely explore um going forward. Uh teachers at MRE a few years ago um put together sort of a curriculum that they've used uh for the kids who see behind and we'd be happy to share that or uh you know build upon it um uh in collaboration with the
other towns so that there is a common experience. >> Please forgive me. Is this the first time Stow is going or is this the second time? Did Stow just go? It'll be the second. We did our first trip um this fall and it was very successful. So everybody is pretty excited to go back and we have you know volunteers jumping
up wanting to come and chapron. So it was a really wonderful experience. >> And so I mean what do you have like just a raw number of the amount of kids who don't take part in this? Is it two? Is it 15? >> Last year I believe we had about nine
kids that stayed behind in the fall. >> And I'm sure that's for a variety of reasons but never financial. Um we offered financial support to anybody that um needed it and for those that came forward and requested it, we were able to fully support their needs.
Um we had some surplus within the principal fund. The PTO partnered with us and helped support our busing um which was helpful for the families as well. >> All right. So thank you for that recommendation, Jillian. It's a good one. Thanks, Scott, too, for hearing
that. Any other questions? Yeah, go ahead, Scott. Just one more thought that occurs to me, and I could be totally loony here, but is there any effort to reach out to the homeschool kids that live in our district and see if they would have any
interest or is it even possible to extend the invitation for them to join us for the outdoor classroom? >> Kirk, >> yeah. Uh, no, because they are not students of the Nova Regional School District and and our students are insured as a result of that. So, we
would not ever entertain that idea. Hm. Okay. Um, so this is something that by your new process, Kirk, maybe this should go on the planning calendar like one of our first meetings in September, right? >> Yep. So, Miss Masterson will always uh
take a look at that and as we look at that, put it on our future planning. So, >> great. And then to give us an update and then um this will go on the consent agenda at the next meeting, everyone. So, um, if any questions arise between now and then, please feel free to let me
know and I can bring collate it all and bring it to Kirk and get answers for you. So, thank you to all of our principles and assistant principles for being here. We really appreciate you all taking on this enormous challenge for the betterment of our kids. It is definitely not easy for the adults.
So, thank you so much for that. And now we're going to move on to our next trip, this legacy experience that is back. Um, and so Kirk, I'll let you tee up the Washington DC travel request. >> You bet, madam chair. At this time, I'd
like to bring our middle school representatives forward. We have principal Shaun O'Shea uh at Luther Burbank. We have principal Kyle Grady at Hail. And I would like to introduce to the committee our dean of students at Florence Hor School, Mr. Mark Schultz representing Joel Bates in the Florence
Warrior School tonight. Thank you, Mark, for being here uh tonight. And I believe I'm turning this over to Mr. Grady. Is that correct? >> Mr. Take it away. >> Uh thank you for having us tonight. Um similar to our elementary colleagues, we're looking for your approval to
attend um our trip to Washington DC. Um I I'm I'm personally very proud of this trip. We've we've run this now for um more than 10 years and we uh we did not stop the trip despite the uh pandemic that occurred. We made sure that we we
had a similar trip. Might not have been the exact same trip, but um the credit really goes to our teachers who are prepare our students for this and and um and guide them throughout their eighth grade year and their seventh grade year to to be prepared to to to represent our
school. Um and uh it's a lot of work for them while they're there. They come back tired. They come back um really connected with their students. This year uh we uh we had a significantly different experience in one of our schools where we went in the fall. Um
which uh which which I I think um Joel would be able to speak very clearly about if you were here and Mr. Mr. Schulz could absolutely do that as well. Um but it was um these are great experiences for our students that connect directly with the eighth grade
uh curriculum in in uh social studies. Uh um and the experiences that they have are things that similar to nature's classroom serves as a a bookend to their time with us in middle school. Um and it's it's something that we hope that that you tonight will um grant us
permission to to continue to move forward and plan. Um so you're going to hear first from Mr. Schultz who's going to talk about the trip that's planned for uh this coming fall and then uh princip I'll I'll conclude.
Uh yeah, thank you for having me. And I think that um we had sort of demoed the fall trip um this year um and pretty much entirely positive feedback um and something that you know students and the
staff that were involved um are keen on doing again for for the next year. Um, one of the the highlights that that uh to point out is we were at the Vietnam uh memorial and our tour guide who's been there like time and time again and
has never done a fall trip was says to our group, "We've never seen the Vietnam Memorial this up close." So, I think that going in the fall provides um that sort of experience where the crowds aren't there. And that's the reason why we drifted away from it to try it was
noticing like how chaotic it can get if when you go in the spring. Um obviously still a great uh experience but one reason we shifted and a lot of positive feedback for that. So we are looking to go again in October from the 20th to the
to the 23rd. Um so that makes us I think a little bit different than the the other schools. Um but I'm happy to take any questions that you have on that. Great. Should we ask questions now or do you want to finish it out, Kyle?
>> Um, if if principal Jay would go, I think, um, Sure. >> Um, I I I just want to re reiterate, I know I've said to the committee many times that travel I I think travel is so important for students. Um, it is not something that all students get to do.
Um, and I just hearken to one parent that was so passionate last year talking to me like he was he expressed his excitement all year long about his uh child being able to go to DC because he remembered it um and how influential it
was for him when he was a eighth grader and he wasn't sure what kind of opportunity she would get again to um you know leave the state or do a big trip like this. So in in addition to all of the the educational uh content uh
impact, it also has just uh you know a lasting impact on on students, the ability to travel with a bunch of trusted adults and peers and uh taken a a vastly different experience than um you know our our own three towns. And so
I I am always amazed at how much the students take away and um and come back with. Back to you, Kyle. >> Okay, thanks. Um, again, thank you for having us. Um, I I think my colleagues have have done a great job of explaining the purpose of the trip and the value to
it. I I do want to reiterate again, it is a tremendous amount of work that falls on the grade level teachers to to get this trip up and running. And um they do this because they too know very much how important it is for our students. And uh I think that speaks
volumes to the communities that we that we work in and the school district that we work for. Um many other school districts including um you know local school districts near us um stopped sending students away for these types of trips um uh in in 2020 and um you know
we were blessed with your support to continue to do these types of things and our students very much are are the benefactors of that. Um, there is a lot of great memories and there's a lot of great educational things, but I would be foolish to not also say there's just a
lot of fun. You know, there's just silliness that that that kids get into. You know, it's harmless. It's enjoyable fun for them. Um, they feel that independence that they've earned from going through those um eight years in our school district. And um you know,
we're we're just really we're really fortunate to have teachers who who want to organize it and a school committee and families that um make sure that every and all student is able to go um you know despite their financial need or
or despite their um you know any any obstacle. Um, so, um, I believe all the information you might need is there within your packets and and like, um, Superintendent Downing said, we will come back and provide you with more specifics around who our chaperons are.
Um, but thank you. Thank you for your time. And if you've got have questions, I I suppose this is the time to fire the fire away. >> All right. Fantastic. I just want to say thank you to Coach Schulz coming to our our meeting on the heels of a great Nishoba basketball victory. Well done, coach.
Yay. Um guys, what questions do you have about the Washington DC trips? >> Anything at all? >> I will say, Madam Chair, the only thing I'm disappointed in is is that uh when Representative Trey Han hosts third district, it doesn't look like I'll be
down there when our students are there this time. So, um alas, I will have to adapt. >> Ah, oh well. >> I'm noticing, so I'm so sorry if I miss this. I'm noticing that hail is still going in June of this year. Are we going
to transition to the fall next year or will we stay in the spring? >> Um for Burbank, we're we're we're uh continuing to go in the spring. Um >> Oh, sorry. I didn't see that.
Yes, both both Lancaster and Stow are going to continue in the spring. >> Yeah. Yeah. Bolton um Florence Sawyer went this year kind of as a pilot. There were some thought it might be cheaper uh economically more advantaged, but it's it's only about $100 difference and to
to see what it's like. Um in speaking with our coordinator, they're pretty passionate about keeping it in the spring, but they we do want to find a time where all three coordinators could have a conversation so they can hear directly about um you know, the fall experience and and not secondhand. So,
>> Got it. Got it. at no big deal. Again, so grateful that you guys are doing this, that you take the kids. It is not easy on adults and a lot of schools have trouble um getting adults to shop around these enormous experiences and it just never feels that
way in Noba. You guys want to take the kids, you want to give this to them. So we appreciate it so much. Uh so every if if nobody has any more questions, this will be in the consent agenda again next time and we will get an update um in advance to understand what the chaperon situation is for sure.
All right, that's going to do it. So thank you again to our principles and our dean for coming here. We really appreciate your time, guys. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right, everybody. So, moving the agenda now to right past unfinished
business, but to subcommittee report outs. Is there a subcommittee that would like to share anything in particular? Nothing new on this on the school building committee front. >> No, nothing new, Madam Chair.
>> But although it is making amazing progress, very exciting. >> It is. I will just make a side note, madam chair, that we will be getting a presentation on um solar at our next meeting. So looking forward to that. >> Excellent. And that's in February,
right? >> That's the February meeting. Yes. Uh I believe that's the meeting right after February vacation or is that the 12th? I don't have my calendar in front of me >> and I don't have it in my Oh, no, I do. It is the 12th. February 12th. that
meeting where if anybody community wants to hear more about the potential for solar. Um we're pretty down far pretty far down the road on that in regard to we've set up all of the necessary things
that we would need for credits and things like that if the committee agrees to go forward with it. If this if the school building committee thinks that it's a good idea, then it will need to be approved by the school committee. That's right. >> So, it would be a contract that the
school committee would enter and so you all would have to be the ones to agree to that. So, if the school building committee advises it, we will let you know. >> So, at the second meeting uh one month from from now, we'll brief the committee on uh that school building committee meeting. Uh but I do encourage our
committee to watch online the presentation on the 12th. >> Any other subcommittee sheriffs? All right, it looks like it might be time for items for the next agenda. So, um,
let's see. Alita, do you have it handy? Yes, you do. So, the February 11th meeting, obviously, the proposed budget update will be significant. Um, we'll also have a capital submitt
update, but Kirk, that's not necessarily nothing will change from what we heard in December, will it? >> Um, no. And Mr. Mulering, uh, I I guess we can't talk about it tonight, but um, we can certainly talk about that in our planning session.
>> Okie do. Um, you are also going to be bringing to us the program of studies. >> That is the typical meeting we bring it to you. Um and that is largely because the high school students are on the verge of course selection for the following year. >> That is correct.
>> Okay. Um All right. So um I I expect that the budget update will take a good portion of the meeting. I will be in person. Is that right, Alita? >> I can't see it. Yes, in person. >> Um anything that anybody would like to
add to this request an agenda item? All right, fantastic. If something comes to you, just feel free to email me and I can add that. U many things in the works right now. I thank all of you for your time and your energy uh pushing forward all of the plans. I'm going to move to
adjourn. >> Second. >> Thank you, Jackie. Let's take the vote. I vote yes. Jackie, >> yes. >> Jillian, >> yes. John, >> yes. >> Scott, >> yes. >> Matt,
>> yes. >> Lindsay, >> yes. >> John Door, >> yes. >> Sharon, >> yes. And Amy, >> yes. >> Awesome, guys. Thank you so much.