called meeting of the regional committee to order at 6:30 p.m. on March 11th, 2026. Good evening everybody. Uh we're going to start with the pledge of allegiance. I >> pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Uh so next we have public comments and I don't see anybody today here to share
any public comments with us. Um, if there is no objection, I would like to move the student representative report up before the executive session. Seeing no objections, uh, let's turn it over to our student.
>> Hi guys. So, just a reminder this week, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we have our spring musical, which is Big Fish. So, hope see you there. It's gonna be I've heard it's going to be really fun. So, uh, DECA state competition start tomorrow. So, good luck to anyone who's been there for
>> uh spring sports are starting next week. Um and like the update for the Massachusetts Association of Student Representatives is that they're planning their spring conference. They picked a date. I think it's um May uh one of the Saturdays of May. Um, so
right now the kind of the process involves reaching out to different like superintendents and principles of high schools and districts across Massachusetts um to try to get in contact with their student representatives and we'll all kind of meet up. This location is at Mass Bay Community College again where we'll meet
um and then like we have a team of like directors running different workshops and stuff like that. Um That's it. It's pretty short. Happy to answer any questions. >> All right. So, any questions for the
student reps going on? >> I have one quick thing. >> Yeah, >> we unfortunately had to postpone our superintendent advisory due to snow issues. That's been the theme of the spring so far. So, that's rescheduled for I think
it's next week or it's two weeks from now, I think. And then our um school committee advisor is coming at the end of March as well. >> Okay. >> That's the that's a school committee. >> Yes. >> But my advisory group
>> and you're those councils. >> Yeah. distinctly different. >> So I do know that we were supposed to meet with this Amy Cohen who is the chair of the um communication subcommittee and I as the chair of the school committee we're going to meet the student council today had to get
postponed. I think dodgeball was >> you know understandably much more important. So um and we want to give Ryan a big and his team a big congratulations for dominating dodgeball today. >> Thanks
We understand you can dodge. >> Yep. >> It was definitely I will speak to that like kind of it was definitely kind of cool to see the spirit from like we haven't had an event like that like the last two years. Uh it had had rough run because like we were lacking interest and spirit. So it was kind of cool to
see that come back. Like every team had their own theme and stuff like that. We had like we had teams in suit and tie all that. >> Yeah. That's awesome. Thanks for um leading that school. really important.
>> All right. So, you said that the student advisory council, superintendent advisory council meets >> on the 20th. >> Okay. >> And we'll be meeting with our school community on Wednesday the 25th. Cool. >> And it just so happens there are two school committee reps served on both of
those councils. So, I both >> Oh, the school the student council reps are on both councils. >> Yes. >> Got it. >> Our school committee reps. got a lot of councils and reps. >> I'll leave that to you. Um, so any other
questions for the student reps? All right. Thanks guys for being here as always. >> Um, all right guys, so the next item on the agenda is executive sessions. So >> we did already >> I did.
>> And the other thing is what's going on with technology? >> Yeah. So, um, unfortunately the technology failed us this evening, but because we have an amazing champion in Nikki, uh, and TV, generally speaking,
um, she ran over here and she set up this ad hoc system that is streaming live or recording. >> It's streaming live. >> It's just a laptop, so nothing fancy today. >> So, they can't maybe see us, but if we project our voices, I'm sure it will
work. So, we thank you for that. they can kind of see you. You're just a little small. >> Okay. >> And the agenda is short, so perhaps it will be a great patch jump. So, thank you for that. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Um, all right, guys. So, executive session is next. I'm going to make the motion. So, I'm going to move to enter
into executive session at 6:36 p.m. to Mass General Law C3A section 21 A3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation. Sorry or litigation in an open meeting
may some of open meeting may have detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigation position of the public body and the chair so declares as I do and it's with the unit a collective bargaining unit session to include school committees superintendent downing um Miss Murdoch
um Miss friend Mr. current and de committee will reconvene to open session at the conclusion of the executive session. Do I have a second? >> Second. Okay. Any discussion? So, we'll take the roll call. >> Yes.
>> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> Yes. Yes. So, that's unanimous. We are now in executive session. the consent agenda and I move to approve the consent agenda of March 11th, 2026.
I have a second job, Jackie. Uh, any discussion on the consent agenda? All those in favor, raise your hand. Okay, that's unanimous. So, we already heard from our student representatives
earlier, so we'll um go right past that item to the superintendent's report and I'll turn it over to Kirk. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh tonight, we're going to have a a brief report for you and then a budget vote. So, in the superintendent's report today, we're actually going to hear from
assistant superintendent McCarron and assistant superintendent. So, I'll first turn it over to you, Ross, to talk about the budget and the RFP. Yeah, thank you, Superintendent Dy, and thank you to the school committee. Uh, so this evening culminates uh our our work here on the
FY27 budget uh with the vote in front of you uh for the FY27 operating budget. Um it's a you know collaborative and um deliberate process that we go through every year. So it is focused on each and every student and we
believe that the budget before you uh this evening continues the work of our strategic plan and moving our district forward and offering an excellent education for each and every student. So uh we know that that's up for vote this evening and we appreciate your consideration. Uh and then secondly uh
the food services RFP has been posted. Anytime we do this we have to go through the state. We head back and forth. we finally get our last approval on uh what that uh RFP could look like. Um so it is now posted uh and we are in that process
and we'll bring further updates to you uh throughout the spring but in April uh so in a few more meetings uh we'll likely have a contract in front of you uh for for that if uh the process moves that direction. So
>> u maybe we can pause there for Any questions about maybe mostly the second item because we have the budget vote later in the agenda. >> All right, we keep going. >> All right, we'll bring forward assistant superintendent friend to talk about some exciting work we have coming up at the end of the month. So Laura, take it
away. >> Thank you, Superintendent D, and thank you to the committee to enable me an opportunity to talk about teaching and learning tonight. So we're excited to highlight our upcoming day of professional learning.
educators coming up on March 27th. Uh the day it will in large part be focused on AI, but it really does reinforce our continued work of our strategic plan as it relates to curriculum and instruction and assessment. The day will begin with a keynote
address by Dr. Tony Frontier, an author on leading AI with intention and authenticity. as a district, we've been engaged in a book study and so we're excited uh to bring him on
site with us uh to spend a day with us as an community. He'll be leading sessions and also leading a think tank session with leaders in the afternoon. So, we're excited to learn from him beyond the keynote.
Our primary goal as it relates to the day and always is really centered on student student thinking and how AI can support student thinking and student learning and not replace student thinking and learning. And so there was
intentionality with the selection of the keynote in the selection of the sessions to focus on the preservation and enhancement of student learning and thinking and not just using AI as a productivity tool or replacement tool.
So that's a through line throughout the day. In terms of log logistics, following the keynote, educators will have a choice of sessions both in the morning and the afternoon that provide them with options based on their role, their grade level,
their discipline, um, and their interest. I've included, if you can scroll down just a smidge, I've included a sampling of the sessions for the committee. You'll see a range that transitions
teacher workflow to high impact AI strategies designed to scaffold student learning. use AI to provide personalized and differentiated opportunities for students and to work to unlock different levels of creative output for our
students as well as give our educators an opportunity to grapple with the reality that we face of this arrival technology and grapple with the complex and evolving impact of AI and education and what that means for our students for
ourselves. I'd like to extend a warm invitation to the committee um to join us on that day. Whether you can join us in part for the morning, the keynote only, a session or two, or you'd like to join us for the
think tank session in the afternoon with Dr. Frontier. We'd love to have you join us for the day all or in part. If you're interested, please let me know and I'll make sure to send you the full offering and registration information.
With the chair's permission as well, um we would like the opportunity to provide an update of our work this year as it relates to AI. I know the committee had mentioned this and it may be in the parking lot. Um following Mr. Sanoit's presentation earlier this year to give
an update to the committee later in the school year about our work with AI with both our students and with our teachers and to point to our work for next year. So, if anybody's interested in attending this amazing day, thank you for that
invitation. Can you guys shoot me an email and then I'll funnel all of that to Kirk and Laura so we can um make accommodation for you. All right, sounds great. I of course will not be able to join you as a school um myself and I'm sure Matt feels maybe
the same way, but anybody else is able to go, let me know. Yeah, the day is always awesome. You guys do such a great job of organizing it. And I think the thing that I love most is that you give so much choice. So I hope that educators also appreciate
that. Um any questions guys on strategic work? >> So I'd just like to thank the administration for putting this professional development on the district calendar. I think it's important that we
learn teach how to use these tools going forward. Um the one thing I would ask I think one of the greatest values of public education is the social experiences you have at the school and so you know going forward as we're
learning how to integrate AI is a great think about the social implications of AI and how to teach people around how to say implications of it. I understand a lot of this should be done at household
level but even as members of the community I think couldn't agree with you more I recently had that exact conversation with >> do you guys envision the family university application
>> so that might those students how we can take what they're doing and help as well. It's a beast. Um, so Laura, you mentioned kind of a share out at some future point. Um, I
will work with Kirk. I know that I feel like Jillian asked us to be on the parking lot as well. So, I'll work with you to kind of identify, you know, when it would be best to bring this forward to the committee. kind of a wrap up of sorts of the year and um all work
this spring can take off. >> Great. Um thank you very much for that superintendent update. That's the end of that. Uh so we're going to move on now to uh the finance and operations budget
vote. And so Ross, you have nothing more to share with us. >> Nothing left to add about the FY27 proposed budget, Madam Chair. >> So um I'm going to move to approve the Nishoba Regional School District FY27 budget in
the amount of 79,196,135. Do I have a second? Great job. Second that. All right. So, is there any discussion? Any further discussion? We've been discussing this for months, but any further discussion? I would like to go on the record as
saying how grateful I am to the work of this district, Kirk, your entire team, uh, Ross, and in the very thoughtful process. I know that you guys are at endless meetings trying to work with your partners to bring about
the most fiscally responsible budget that gives our kids the very best you can give them. Um, and it is tireless and sometimes thankless, but we are grateful and I thank you for all of that. Um,
anything further? All those in favor raise your hand. Any opposed? So that is unanimous. Thank you very much for that. I do want to give a minute uh here on
the agenda to ask if there subcommittee share >> I can share with schooling committee but it's the same I shared last time. >> That's fine. You can remind us. >> Yeah. So next Thursday our committee will be detailed the uh
information on solar the new high school. So again encourage the committee to listen to the event because it has potential of an item being put before you in our March meeting uh to move forward. And the way that will look is uh not the
contract specifically, but we're going to be looking for vote to authorize the superintendent to enter into those contract negotiations to then bring a final contract forward later.
So you will have plenty of time once assuming hypothetically approval to authorization to proceed forward with any contract regarding forward um to have full contract be presented to this committee will have time for you to
review so that there's contractually questions. >> So I think that the last time we talked to the committee we told them that they would be approving the contract that that is no longer the case. >> We learned that was a correction. So,
we're not approving the actual contract in the March meeting. The if the recommendation comes through the school building committee, the school building committee would be recommending that you authorize the superintendent to
enter into contract negotiations. I cannot finalize the contract because it would be a contract with the school system for many years. So, ultimately, it would be the that signs the contract. I believe Mr. Moar, isn't that right?
>> Correct. It's an agreement with the school committee. So, there's the protections are all in place to make sure this committee has a chance to fully deliberate the terms of the contract before it's executed. >> And so, we're thinking that we would perhaps have that on the April 8th
agenda. I'm gonna bet it's probably April 29. >> Are we going to have a two reading approach? >> Um, >> so if you bring it to us on say the 29th
and you say that you here's the the negotiated contract, we would look at it on the 29th and then we would go on the 13th. We'll make sure at school building committee next week that we add that to the process this date to make sure that
the reasonable flow for you know the work isn't so so as as it stands right now we can approve this contract end of April into May and it doesn't impact anything >> any other subcommittee share
Um, I will say that I'm not on personnel, but just keep in mind that we do have the superintendent evaluation coming through um the personnel subcommittee. We'll get cranking on that. But do you guys want to set up is there something on the agenda for a
summitive evaluation training? back up. >> Can you change So that's the day that we present the summitation and so normally do the summit training and presents his evaluation at the same
material. So announcing the organizational meeting >> first meeting. >> Yes. The first June one is organizational. So the 27th the last meeting.
So we actually need to vote on your evaluation there which means you need to present it there which means the training would need to be there. Do you want to do the training on the summit of training on the 29th?
>> So, why don't we do that? Y >> and then Kirk, you're gonna have to present on the 13th. That's okay. >> Well, sounds good. >> That 13th is packed. >> Well, can I something off that date? not consistent with our
>> so we can move that into June meeting June 10th we don't uh we could do a little bit of business there would just be a presentation >> just a read out basically you know I mean we were talking about things like
you know recommendations on auditor change stuff like that but we don't think that's likely this year so there's nothing else on that report that require so there's it's basically just complying with regal agreement which
report out there things that the regional agreement calls for as far as what it should contain so we started talking about that June. >> All right. So, I'm going to put that on June 10th. If you want to alert your people, June 10th is the day.
So, everybody, so any other subcommittee share >> future agenda items back up to the dates >> for the evaluation. So, the 29th you would do the training. >> So, that
13th you said that's when we would actually we present to you >> oh you present on that day I just report So after >> so what ends up happening?
>> Yeah. On the 13th Kirk will present his case or his evaluation say like he will say look at all the amazing things I have done. Um and then we will we will then take all the
materials home with us and we will I think we normally give ourselves seven days >> to write our own individual reports and there's a template a rubric. So we write our own individual reports. We then submit it to the personnel subcommittee.
You then take those um 10 or 11 reports and one of you, the chair normally is responsible for creating the composite evaluation that is a compilation, not necessarily an average score, but like a compilation of what we all
believe with regard to Kirk's ratings. And then on the 27th, that composite would be shared with us and the public, not in advance. That composite is shared on the 27th, 48 hours in advance. We read the composite and then when we come into the meeting
on the 27th, we all vote to either accept it as is or we discuss and we make edits and then we can just vote on the spot there and then that um evaluation is sent to
Jessie. Any other subcommittee reports or future agenda items? >> Yes, sorry. We were supposed to meet um policy was supposed to be on the 15th. There are seven policy recommendations
um put out by MASC as of August 2025. I would like to get those for first and second grade before >> all seven. >> Yeah, I think it's going to be fairly
straightforward for a subset, but I will confer with my colleagues and cabinet about that because some of them may be appropriate to hold off on next year. >> You just don't want to be here.
>> No, I do. I want I want to have it in a nice boat and then in July there will be 75. Can we shoot for April 8th? The first reading just goes in the consent agenda.
So it's not budget item on the 29th. And then you can just let Alina and I can let ones you want to put forward. >> Anything else? >> Dr.
Jackie is happy to I don't always comment >> if I may also do that. >> Anything else for future agenda for subcommittee chair? All right, everybody. I'm
Second job. All those in favor, raise your hand. Unanimous. We'll see you guys next time. I guess 61 minutes.