All right, welcome everybody. Um, we do have a new member tonight. Welcome, Mr. Summer Gedliffs. Um, we'll start off with our uh actually let me call the meeting to order. We'll call the uh May
19th, 2025 meeting of the uh PL school committee to order. Uh everyone, please join me in the pledge of allegiance. 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. All right, Miss Jackson, if you'd like to read our land acknowledgement. We acknowledge that we are meeting meeting on the unseated ancestral homeland of indigenous people whose
enduring presence we humbly recognize. We honor the Wanoag people as the original stewards and the Herring Pond Wanoag as the surviving tribe indigenous to these lands. In our commitment to lifelong learning, we acknowledge historical injustices to the people
uh to the native people of this land and vow to educate ourselves, our community, and our students on the first peoples and the hardships they endured. We offer this as a small but essential step towards building a cultural respect, truth, and accountability.
Thank you, Miss Jackson. All right, having just gone through an election, our first item of business is our annual uh school committee uh reorganization. Um I will the chair will turn the meeting over to the superintendent of reorganization. Superintendent will explain the reorganization process and call for nominations for school
committee chair. Thank you, Mr. Pazano. Um congratulations Miss Bryant, Mr. Pazano, Mr. SM Sajidelis, congratulations. Very happy to have you here as well. Um as so this is actually our second annual annual this year. Um
but um so the first as Mr. um Tano said the first item of business is to do the annual reorg. Um so I will inquire if there are any nominations for chair. Um and then we'll see if there's any second nominations. If there's more than one
nomination, give each person an opportunity, one minute opportunity per policy to explain um um the reason why they would like to be chair. Um of course, the individuals can accept or not accept the nomination as well. I
want to be clear on that. Um and then we'll just take it to a vote and then once the chair is identified and and selected, the chair will then continue the reorg for vice chair and secretary. Okay. So, nominations. Sorry, Miss
Jackson. Yes. Uh, I'd like to nominate Mr. Pazano for chair. Okay, you accept the nomination. I accept the nomination. Any other nominations? Okay. All those in favor of Mr. Pazano as chair. Unanimous. Congratulations, Mr. Pisano.
All right. Thank you. All right. Thank you everybody for your continued uh uh trust in leading the board. Um I will now take nominations for vice chair. Do we have any nominations? Vice Chair. Mr. Morgan, I'd like to nominate Miss Jackson as vice chair of the school
committee. Miss Jackson, do you accept the nomination? I do. All right. Do we have any other nominations? All right. No. So, all in favor of Miss Jackson as vice chair. That is unanimous. All right. Next up, I will
take nominations for the position of board secretary. Miss Jackson, I would like to nominate Mr. Morgan for board secretary. Mr. Morgan, do you accept the nomination? Yes. All right. Do we have any other nominations for secretary? All right. Seeing none, I'll take
another roll call vote. All in favor of Mr. Morgan as secretary, and that is unanimous. All right. But we we don't have to do any uh musical chairs tonight. All right. All right. Next up, uh comments from community members. I don't believe we have anybody wishing to speak tonight.
All right. We will quickly move on to our uh high school representatives. First up from Plymouth North, we have Mr. Quinn Hails. Um, thank you for the May 19th uh Plymouth North updates. First, we have uh student council. Student C student
council elections were held and the final results are in. Congratulations to everyone who ran for a position. Um, next, the VPA. The spring a capella concert is on May 22nd at 7 p.m. Tickets for the spring a capella concert are on sale and can be purchased at the door.
Congratulations to Mrs. Holmes for being named the SESPA teacher of the year. Next, the drone national competition. The Blue Eagles drone team will be participating in the Drones in school national competition uh championship race in Houston, Texas, traveling May
20th to the 24th. Please wish them luck as they qualify this year as a top 10 team in the country for their rookie season. Um, next for juniors, the junior prom will be held on May 30th at Lake Pearl in Rethm. And guidance, just a reminder
that May is mental health awareness month. This year's theme is in every story there strength. Highlighting the resilience and diverse experiences that shape mental health journeys from within our community. Remember, by sharing our journeys, we not only find strength within ourselves, but also encourage
others to seek help. For more information about mental health support, reach out to one of the adjustment counselors or guidance counselors at Plymouth North. And finally, for key upcoming dates, Monday, May 19th, is the PNN live show during KBLC. And also May
19th, is the athletic awards night. Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 20th, and Wednesday, May 21st, grade 10 uh math MCAST. May 22nd, spring a capella concert. May 24th, Memorial Day. May 28th, hypnotist night. May 29th, senior
class meeting. Um, also May 29th, uh, grades closed for seniors. And May 30th is class day and junior prom. June 3rd is the senior dinner dance. June 5th is convocation. June 7th is graduation. And Wednesday, June 11th and Thursday, June
12th are full days, exams, first and second period. June 13th are half days, exams only. and June 17th, half day, last day of school. Thank you. Thank you, Quinn. Any questions for Quinn? If not, we'll hand it over to
Shay Ross from Pum South. Hi, everyone. I wasn't sent notes tonight, so I'm improvising all up the brain. So, um, the junior prom was a major success. Everyone looked great and the dance floor was full the entire night. You know, I was on that. The Newsies
production was amazing. I haven't heard anything but positive comments. So, thank you to everyone that was involved in that. We also held our student council elections last week. Congrats to our winners and we're all looking forward to amazing um year next year. Um senior athletic awards night is taking
place as we speak to honor those that have done 12 seasons of sports which is extremely impressive. Um our girls shuttle hurdle team won at our meet um crowning them the first place state champions. Congrats to them. Senior dinner dance will take place on June 5th
and I believe the seniors only have eight days remaining. Um, we also had our successful Mock car crash a couple of weeks ago which made our statement on driving under the influence especially right before prom. And last week we recognized our women in sports. So that
was an exciting day for all of our female athletes. And finally, our student council held an amazing student um teacher appreciation week with beautiful breakfast, a flower bouquet station for the teachers, and even handwritten letters to be left in the mailboxes. So, thank you. Thank you, Sh.
Any questions? Yeah, that's pretty that's pretty good for you. Quick, um is this the last meeting for these representatives? Should be. You're right. I thought so. So, say thank you for your report. I'll be here next year. Thanks.
Yeah, I think we'll have the rest of them for the final because there's one more meeting before graduation last. All right, thank you for that. But yeah, super good job for not not being prepared yet. Thank you. All right. Uh first up, so we have two
elementary school school improvement plans tonight. Uh first up is Mr. Derek Thompson from Plymouth South Elementary. Good evening. Evening. All right. So, I just used the clicker. Hopefully, this will work. It would work. So, all right. Teresa says it
works. It's gonna work. Uh, thank you for having me. My name is Derek Thompson. I'm the principal of South Elementary. Um, looking forward to presenting my plan here. If I can figure out how to make this work, the right tried the right arrow. Stacy said it would work.
The little window needs to be closed up. Yeah. Am I pointing in the wrong direction? Maybe you shouldn't have. What's that? All right. Can we advance it? You have to close out the little window. Maybe I can do it now.
Nope. This is we we do this to every first new principal. Yeah. All right. So, it's like a hazing thing. I get it. All right. So, I did just want to take a moment and thank we had a pretty large council. Um, since I started there this
year, there was um I was really kind of overwhelmed with the outpouring of support and people wanting to be involved in moving the school forward. So, we did have a pretty large council, a number of parents. And I did just want to publicly thank Brienne Shepard, Allison Blether, Michelle Allegria, Beth
Goodwin, Nicole Holmes, and our teachers, Rachel Ival, Haley McSherry, Tracy Feny, Alli Berno, and Victoria Briggs. Um, we had a lot of good, lively discussion. We can advance it. Uh, so South Elementary this year has 626 students. We have 30 general ed home
rooms, three strive home rooms. 23% of our students receive special ed services and 25% are lowincome. Um this year and we can advance that or I can't um has really just been um defined
by trying to set the stage for all the work that's to come in the school. And we have a new motto this year which is we are one south which is really I spent a lot of time trying to capture that in the admin summary which is just an acknowledgement in setting the
expectation in the building that our job is to meet the needs of every single kid that walks across the threshold of our doors. Um and part of the way we do that is by acknowledging that we all also need to be on a path of growth. We're
trying to make sure that every one of our kids are growing and we've inst we're instilling systems to make sure that happens, but that we also expect staff to be on that same path. We need to model that for our kids. The other aspect of we are one south is the belief
that you know feeling like you have a lack of agency leads to disengagement. So just creating an environment where everybody has a voice in the school, every teacher has a voice, every parent has a voice, every kid has a voice. Uh so that's been a big part of what we've
been focusing on this year and I would say overall it's been going really well. Um we developed four goals for the next three years. We developed these goals through a variety of data. We spent a lot of
time looking at MCCAST data, student survey data. One of the big things we did this year was we administered a survey and used the conditions for learning as an outline and establishing that survey. We created questions that were aligned that we asked parents,
students, and teachers. And we spent a lot of time, you can see it on the back end of our um plan, really analyzing what did our kids think, what did they say, what did parents think, what did teachers think, and really looking for where there was misalignment. Um, and
that really helped springboard a lot of our goals um and our thinking. The other thing I did just want to say about our goals is that the way we thought about it as a school is there are things that we need to do exclusively at South. Um so a lot of the initiatives that are
going on districtwide we didn't repeat. We're going to be doing all of those things. Everything that's going on in math what we put in our goal are goals are the things that we feel like we needed to do above and beyond anything that was a district-wide initiative. So it really starts with our first goal which is really about academic
achievement. Um the gist of this goal big picture because there's a lot in it is really ensuring that we have a consistent system throughout the building to analyze student performance data, identify the kids that are struggling and to do something about it. Making sure that we have consistent
interventions applied across grades, ones that feed from one grade to the next. That's something that we were finding that there was a little bit of inconsistency with that around the across the school. The other is is about literacy. We really want to focus I've been working with um Dr. White on this.
She's been joining us for a literacy committee that we've established in the school because we recognize that we have a lot of work to do with our literacy instruction as a school as well. And then the last thing is really um something we've been talking a lot about as a school is establishing some clarity
around some of our e expectations that we have for kids that are not necessarily stated explicitly. um things like focus, organization, perseverance. We do believe that those are essential outcomes for kids. And we just see that there'll be a lot of value in putting
that down on paper and having there be some consistency across the school in terms of what how long we think a first grader should be focused independently when they're working. How long a third grader should I think we have a lot of inconsistencies there. So, that's something we're looking to tackle. Our
second goal is about student well-being. Um our cons our overall focus here is really about establishing consistency and approach in terms of how we're teaching uh social emotional skills that we have some common language throughout
the building similar to our academic achievement goal that we have a pretty consistent system of looking at data so that we're identifying kids that are struggling and then we're doing something about it and that we have consistency in our approach there. Um, and again, similar to our first goal,
we're going to be doing some work around providing some clarity around the outcomes because I think that can be hugely problematic again in a school where we have not really articulated what we expect our third graders to be able to do in terms of making friends with one another, um, in terms of taking
the perspective of other people. So, that's a project we've started already this year with our kindergarten team. Our plan is to move that work up throughout the grades as the kids progressed. Our third goal is around special ed and just improving our
services there. Uh we are doing a lot of pull out across the building. Um and we want to change that. We believe that kids are best served in the classroom as much as possible. Uh so we some of this work has already started this year. the
district has been hugely supportive in getting us more uh support in the form of an almost full-time special ed department head in the building. Um but we are really working to keep kids included. And so along with that comes a whole host of initiatives
that we're going to be doing around um just working with teachers on understanding how disabilities manifest themselves within the classroom. What does a co-t talk classroom look like? Um and just the practices around that. So that's a big focus for us moving forward. And then the last goal is
around school culture. Um and I talked about this a little bit at the very start, but um we just have a lot of work to do here. It ranges from ensuring consistency across the school. One of the things that we did was we've created
a collaborative survival guide. That's what we call it. It's essentially a staff handbook that's outlining all the procedures and protocols specific to South Elementary just so that we ensure that everybody is following the same playbook across the school. But teachers
have the opportunity to provide input to that. So they'll be doing that all all summer. They can comment. We make adjustments to the rules and expectations as we go. Um and that also includes just what does it mean to be when we say we are one south. Um, a big
part of our focus is really trying to provide platforms and structures and systems, especially in a school that size where staff can have their voice be heard, kids can have their voice be heard. We've been it it's been amazing. Like our fifth grade, as an example,
we've been we've um started community meetings. So we meet with the kids once a month and we've really been encouraging the kids to advocate for themselves and help trying to get them to understand that you know when they take some ownership in the culture of the school they feel like they can make a difference. They tend to act better.
Um and it's been amazing some of the things the kids have done. They've been advocating for changes to recess, speaking to their peers in the lunchroom. We didn't run as many clubs as the kids were hoping. They went and found ways to run clubs during the school day. So, we've got like 10
different clubs running the kids have created and found staff that will supervise them. Um, and they've been really buying into it. So, I I think it's important that everybody in the school community from parents to teachers uh to kids all have a voice and a platform and an avenue for making
change in the school. So, that is really what's reflected in that last goal. Um, the last piece just because I feel like it was something important to touch on is MCCAST data and you know overall the school with both ELA and math both both
we have a slide for each up here. Just unpacking it it's really just it feels like the school has just kind of been steady and hasn't really made any significant gains. It's up one year, down the next, up the next. I mean we're
above the state. We're doing okay. I think we could do a lot better. Um, we have been talking though that improved MCCAST scores in and of itself is not an outcome. Improved outcome, improved MCCAST scores will be a byproduct of a job well done. It'll be a byproduct of
our efforts to make sure that every single person in that school community, staff and students alike, is on a path of growth and that we have the systems and structures to make sure that happens. And that's essentially what's outlined big picture in what is a pretty
long in-depth lengthy plan. So I think that's all I had. So there's our new logo. We are one south. So that's great. All right. Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Do we have questions? Yes. Jackson.
Um I really appreciate your vision. Uh and I think by all accounts you're doing a really great job. Um, and I've heard about how much you've done in your other districts. So, I'm really excited to see what you do here. Um, do you can you
talk more about um like the bridge that you see for like moving scores up from what you were talking about? Because I I think overall you're doing a really great job, but I'm excited to hear more about your vision for improving scores specifically. I don't know if that makes
sense. Yeah. um because it seems like you have a vision that you're not that you haven't like completely communicated, but I'd really love to hear what it is. Yeah, sure. So, well, first of all, I think it's about getting it our one of our biggest accomplishments was the development of a mission and vision statement. It's a
little wordy, but it means something. Staff all had a voice in it and it really does, I think, articulate how we're going to move forward. I think my initial vision in the early stages, you know, I think about school culture like it's soil and I need to make sure that
the soil is conducive to growing something productive and I think, you know, it's a big school. It's not one person. Um, it's not just my vision. It's important that everybody has a voice in creating that. Um, so I would start there. It's about making sure that
everybody feels a sense of ownership in what it is that we need to do and that everybody isn't just waiting for somebody to tell them what to do. That that is a little bit how it felt when I started there. So I think first of all it starts there. The second part of a vision I think in terms of student
achievement is we this this is like a hard question to answer in a quick succinct answer but I try to put you on the spot. No no it's okay. I could talk all night, but I won't um because I'll put you to sleep. But I think it's, you know, we need to make sure that our
staff have the skill set, the understanding, the depth of understanding of the needs of our kids, um to make sure that each of them are on a path of growth that's specific to them. Like kids learn on a continuum, but so much of what we do says that if a
kid isn't here at a certain point in time, there's something wrong. And I just don't think that's accurate. If a kid, if we're teaching fourth grade and a kid is reading at a second grade level, we have no choice but to make them feel good about themselves because no one wants to do anything they don't feel good about. Um, and show them how
to take the next step. We have to be skilled enough in our we have to implement instructional models in our class that help us and allow us the space to meet each kid's need and lift them up from there. Not just this is what I'm teaching and this is what every
single kid in the classroom gets. But that that's complex, nuanced, challenging work, of course. So, it's going to take us time to get there. Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate it. No problem. That's great, Miss Bryant. Yeah. The way I'm interpreting what your
vision and goal is is right now really watering your soil to build trust and build community because that's really what's going to move you forward with putting all of those structures and pieces together. And I'd be remissed if
I didn't acknowledge, you know, you coming into a tough spot and recreating and evolving what was there. Um, I love the fact that I think every objective is
very direct and clear. It's giving a a path forward for people to understand, to your point, which pieces they're going to take ownership. and then if they're not going to take ownership of something to be able to ask more
questions and get the clarity necessary. So, I'm really looking forward to seeing what this looks like next year because both with your soil and the water, you'll be able to see the things grow at this time. You you're just not quite
there yet. We're waiting for things to sprout, but I I see you building a really strong foundation. So congratulations. Yeah, thank you. I think one of the things that needs to be that's um needs to be understood too is you know one of the great things about
Plymouth is we have um coordinators for every subject like we we know what we need to do, right? I don't need to determine what we need to do in literacy or what we need to do in math. We need to implement the district curriculum and the practices that are being supported by the district and I need to create an
environment where those things are embraced and we're moving forward. So that's why the plan isn't spelling out. You know, you know, the coordinators have that spelled out like we know what we need to do. We need to create an environment where that stuff will take hold. Yeah.
So on my left. All right. No, I don't u I'll just add one thing. I don't have a a question, but um totally agree with everything Miss Bryant and Miss Jackson said. The one thing that jumped out at me is um you know you said you know we have pretty you know you know on the whole
great uh test scores like they said you took over a great school and what I heard from you is you know uh uh not settling that you were trying to turn a good school into a a great school. So I appreciate because you know you could certainly say hey these are great test
scores but you're actually trying to uh up the game there. So I really appreciate that. Yeah no problem. Thank you. All right. I think we're good. Thank you. All right. Thank you. All right. Thank you. All right. Next up, we have Miss Martha Ducer from West
Elementary School. Hello. Good evening. Thank you for having me. Um, so we'll just start off with our school council. Um Bob Morgan's on our school council, so he's already heard this. I do always do a practice run
first, so he has to act surprise. I always tell him. Um we have a good mix. Um so Casey Rascott, our assistant principal, is also on um our school council, as well as Cecilia Barry, who's one of our fifth grade teachers. Um and we have a few parents and community
members, and of course, as I just mentioned, um Bob Morgan as well. Our enrollment has gone up tremendously. Um, so we're up to 361 students this year. Um, we have three care home rooms, so that's our sub-sepparate program in our
building. Um, special education students is 24%. ELLL students that is 11.6. Economically disadvantaged is 31% and we are not a title one school. This is our school vision statement. So this is at the end of our three-year school improvement plan. So
we'll be starting to create our new one starting in the fall. Um, so this is one of our first things um, coming into West three years ago, which is hard to believe that it's been three years. Um, but just really trying to find that vision statement that really was all-encompassing of kind of the
direction that we're moving into. And it's kind of, you know, mirrors a little bit from what Derk just spoke about. Um, is really just building a community where kids can foster and really become self-made learners and really taking the ownership of themselves. you know, they have the phrase of ask three and then
ask me for the teachers, but it's really it's it's a catchphrase for teachers to use, but I think it's really instilling um not only as educators ourselves, as the adults in the building as lifelong learners, but really instilling that in the in the children as well. And they really have taken off with it, which has
been amazing to see. Um we got something for everyone at West. So, we got a lot of different clubs, um Lego clubs, um this year. I'll show you a little clip in a little bit. Um, we started a newsletter. We really heard a lot of feedback from families um
about um the school in communication with families. So, every Friday we do a what's up Westies kind of our newsletter um trying to give every anything going on, important dates, what have you. Um so, this year we kind of took a spin on that. Um we wrote a grant for the Plymouth Education Foundation. So, we're
doing our announcements. We're starting off very slow um with fourth and fifth grade. So they started doing live announcements which um through EdTV um I think what they have established I mean our ed TV organization in this district you all know is phenomenal um they've
just been they've been outpouring with success for for us too um they Jen Mulvaney and Brian and Seth they're just amazing so they've really embraced it and have come in and helped us out. So, they're doing a live morning show. The first couple were a little had some work to do, but now that we got the link up
and going, it's been something fun that the kids are enjoying, and they've already talked about wanting to pursue that as they go on into middle school and high school. Um, we do the ch uh children's business fair, the coffee house, um, just, you know, peer leaders is another big program at our school as well. Um, I just talked a little bit
about our frequent communication. Um we're really trying to increase our social media engagement with families. Um one of the big things that u we brought over to West and we started was our effective effort initiative um which is based off of um Carol Dwek's growth mindset. Um and I'll get into that a
little bit in a few minutes. Um our PBIS is something that we revamped as well. So we you know every acronym letter of the acronym we have a big schoolwide assembly um recognizing students for different characteristics and traits that we're looking for all students to exhibit. Um, it's kind of like a big pep
rally, you know, red carpet down the middle, music going. So, it's really a fun opportunity to celebrate students. Um, we try to incorporate our 30 secondond dance breaks, which is everyone needs a motor break. I think even the teachers could take a beat sometime, too. So, it's just kind of something fun that kids if they win this
effective effort initiative, that's something that they get to institute and do for the school. Um, but I will jump down to the What's Up Westies and I'll show you guys a little clip. Again, this was our first one. So be gentle. Be gentle.
[Applause] Morning. This is Jason Tman from Miss Killy's class. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. 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. Please remain standing
for a moment of silence. Thank you. Please be seated. Today's lunch is meatball sub on a whole wheat roll with celery sticks and assorted fruit. Monday's lunch is chicken nuggets with barbecue sauce, rainbow kiwa salad, and assort of
fruits. Good morning. This is Preston McNeel from Miss Keely's class. The weather forecast for Friday, May 2nd, is cloudy with a chance of some sun later today. We will have outdoor recess. We would like to wish the following students a happy birthday. There are no
birthdays today, but two on Saturday. Taylor Fuselli and Daniel Lambert. On beha on the behalf of West Elementary School, this has been Jason and Preston. Thank you everyone. Remember to make it a great day or not. The choice is yours.
[Music] That's what we call the rapid fire pledge of allegiance. Like just breathe in between. It's funny when you if you're ever walking around the building when it's happening to like you know some classes are already done, some are just getting started. So we'll get it
down. Um so on my next side, it's a little bit more of an in-depth and I won't go crazy into it to take up too much time, but um this kind of just outlines what so this is posted in every single classroom in the building. So these are what we're looking for from students um on really focusing on their
time, how how they're focusing, being resourceful, using feedback, commitment, and persistence. And I think the biggest one for me is a use of feedback that it's not we're not criticizing like we're we're teaching students how they can grow. So when they go back and they you have to make an edit, no one wants
to go back and rewrite something. But I think that them understanding to be persistent and really persevere through that, we're just seeing so much growth on the other side of it. And it's really kind of changed not only the mindset of the students, but I think the staff is getting pretty in inspired as well by
it. So these are a couple of our VIPs, we call them. So if they win effective effort, they get a t-shirt that has a Westy dog on the back. Effective effort, they get a certificate. On the next slide, they get to pick from the um the VIP menu. Um so these are just suggestions that the kids can pick. So
they'll wear their t-shirt the next on the Monday. We do it on Fridays. Um they get to pick from something and other ideas is always wide open. I say short of a pony or brand new car. There's not many things I'll say no to. So if they're excited about this um then we usually roll with it. I'm always surprised with the lunch with the
principal because it's really you're just sitting in my office looking at me. But however it works. though, but they're they're so cute and they're so excited to have won. So, going through our um goal focus areas, um obviously for academic achievement, a lot of the things that
we've tried to kind of cultivate is really having a true child study process in our building. So again, much like Derek is really honing in and finding out what the students um where they're finding disadvantages, where they need intervention work um and really having
people around the table that specialize in what that student needs. So if we're students are doing fine academically, but they're maybe have social emotional or behavioral concerns. Well, I'm not going to have the math coach there um at that meeting because that's not where the problem lies or where we can find
improvement. So really finding to hone in on the people that specialize in what they're doing to making sure that we have true interventions that are meaningful. Um and I think the follow-up process is every four to six weeks. Whatever intervention goes into place, we have a follow-up meeting and I think that only ensures that the interventions
are happening. Um but it gets to see if it's not working, how we can tweak it and improve it to make sure that we're hitting on all cylinders. Um another big thing too is really focusing on our paraprofessional staff. I think having the opportunity to have multiple educators in a classroom
is so important and a blessing to have. So it's not just someone in the back in the classroom who may be collecting data. It's somebody who's another educator in the room that can be working with students whether that's you know in our workshop model pulling small groups um really finding ways to have every
single hand on deck in the classroom. Um I just think that they're such an invaluable part of the staff and the educational process of students. So I think empowering them whether that's through professional development, giving them more tasks or different opportunities to step up and help students in another way I think has been
really a positive turnaround for sure. Now we're at the graph section. So here we go. Um this is our star bath. This is the fall grade three. So not too bad. and then going
into grade three three um winter math. The next slide, we're jumping up a little bit. It's good to see the green go up, right? Colors are fun, right? That's what we like to see. U moving into fourth
grade. Oh, sorry. Everybody have grade three ELA. Sorry, you can go back one, Kristen. Sorry about that. This is where at in the fall for ELA and then jumping forward to the winter. And now we'll move into grade four. Sorry. Really cool. And then in the winter for
ELA, definitely starting to see our jump. We're starting to see a lot of trends and patterns, which um Bob will tell me I'm kind of like a data dork, so I usually like to see and have as many measurable points as possible, but we're starting to see trends that we're really seeing, especially in our fourth and
fifth grade. We're seeing huge jumps come wintertime, which is great for us because then they're in their stride for when their biggest testing points for the MCCAST seasons. So, here's math in the fall. And this is a big jump, too, for our grade four this
year. We also do through our data meetings, too. So again, obviously we have um our math coach, Jen Marciani, who is a wizard, and I don't know what I would do without her, but we really like to look at data. What we started to do, especially for our fourth grade, is sometimes I find that if we're in a group with all the grade level teachers
at once, there's always one stronger voice or they're not really able to like drill down on really what's going on in that particular classroom. So what we started to do this year is meet with them individually. So it would be Jen, myself, and the classroom teacher um and the special ed teacher if that's an inclusion classroom. and really honing
in and going through what they did on their MCCAST last year, what their star data looked like last year, and how we can really target what those students need individually to not only maintain where they're at, but also move forward. So, this is our fifth grade, jumping up to
73 ELA, and then for the winter. So, right here, winter, we're doing all right. doing all right. All right. So, this is a little bit of our MCCAST rundown here. All these percentages are really exciting, I know. Um, but the biggest thing for me,
my takeaway from it is that we've really seen a steady climb. So, in two on 2022, we were at the 49th percentile. 2023, the 61st, and now in 2024, we were in the 69th percentile. So, our scores are really starting, we're starting to see
progress moving forward for sure. Um so at our 88% for accountability percentile and 73% for um progress towards our targeted goals. Um last year we were school of recognition because we hit a lot a lot of our target areas sooner than the three-year time period that is
allotted. So we were happy to see that growth. So I highlighted just one grade for our fifth grade. Um, so this is just a a simple graph, but then I'll show you kind of a breakdown of the numbers, but you can see that our meeting and exceeding was at 53 and 18 were
exceeding expectations. So, uh, then obviously those the the variables there for the district and as well as for the state and then this is for ELA. And then the next slide kind of breaks it down. I think we've all kind of had similar numbers or graphs to this. So, our fifth grade for math last
year, they crushed it. There's no other way to describe it. Um, our fifth grade teachers are really just embracing the curriculum and they work so hard. They, you know, they utilize the coaches as much as they possibly can. They really do have a co-eing model with the pair of professionals in their classroom. Um,
the inclusion teachers, the pushing, you know, put, we're doing a lot more pushing in, which I think we're seeing a lot of success with that. Um, but for 71% district was at 44, stayed at 40. So the difference between that is plus 31 in math and then for ELA again we were
at 69% district 48 state 38 and again 31 which is a pretty significant number. Um our social emotional uh goal area I think we've really hit on a lot of these over the last few years. Um
again for our outside counseling with outside services and like just throughout the district that come in and push in to the whether that's through Gnold um has been a great organization to come in and work with our students. Um like I said our PBIS is something that we've taken off the ground really
finding leadership opportunities for our students in our building we found to be very successful. um staff professional development. We have a lot of therapy dogs rolling in which is great because you know westies, right? Why not invite the dogs? Um we had uh Christian from the town of Plymouth emergency
management director came in this year with his dog. So that was exciting. And this is something that we're going to hopefully be starting um in the s um right when we start when we get back um is the OC international pilot. So I'll talk a little briefly about that.
Um, so what we're hoping to do, so this is the International OCD Foundation is pushing out a new program about um addressing students with anxiety in the classroom. Now that can sound like so many different things and I think really breaking it down that anxiety isn't something that you always see and I
think more students not only with they don't need to have a specific diagnosis that's something that lives in a lot of students and adults alike. So really finding a way to understand all students on how to get the best out of them and making sure that they're feeling supported. What we're going to do is um
in our subsparate program, we're going to focus in our care program first. Um so this foundation, as I said, is kicking off um a partnership. They're looking to partner with schools and then hopefully um in districts as well. Um so they're going to be supporting the staff to create kind of a train the trainer
model. So that will include our student support staff in our building as well as our care paraprofessionals, our RBT, BCBA counselor as well. Um to really I think you know I think Derek even spoke on this and I know him and I have had conversations is you know understanding
the diagnosis and how to work with those individual students is such an important piece. Um and I think giving the staff the most tools possible to really make sure that we're supporting all the students the best way we can. We're finding in our care program, we're having students being pushed into the
gened classrooms, the inclusion classrooms. You know, really pushing for the least restrictive environments is what that's what we're our goal is. Um, but with that being said, that's pushing staff into those classrooms away from the program so support can get thin. They're moving into those classrooms. So
the train the trainer model what will happen is not only is our student support staff you know our school psych our school adjustment counselor for the building as well will be trained that they can start pushing in and working with teachers with pair professionals. So down the line what we can do is kind of be self- sustaining and working
towards the common goal and making sure that students are being supported not only academically but also socially and emotionally as well. So this is just some quick um bullets. So, the different types of um anxiety experienced by school age kids.
And again, I think there's such a stigma that it has to be something so glaring like, oh, this student must be anxious, but it really can be an underlying thing that you may not even notice. So, um, the cool thing about this site, and I encourage you to go check it out, they have a lot about, um, as a parent, as an
educator, um, as a professional, how you might be able to help not only with maybe your own families or your own children, um, but also maybe different adults in your life or in your businesses as well. But these are some things that kind of popped up for me that we're seeing in our building, not
only in our subsparate program, but buildingwide. And then these are just some signs and symptoms which I think if you read through those I think we all see students kind of have a lot of this almost every day at least once or twice throughout the school
year. Um again we have talked a lot about our PBIS. It's something that I said that's really it's nice to see when the when the staff buys in the kids buy in and the families buy in. it just it just starts to have this rolling effect and I think um it's exciting to see and
it's really something that you know it's easy to say you know is this one of our expectations on our buildings and the kids are able to answer no that's not what I should be doing or I need to make a better choice and it's like I said it's all over the building you can't miss it these are just some pictures of our
some of our um assemblies that we've had this is the picture part of the program. Um, community and family engagement. We do our one school, one book. We actually have ours next week, which is going to be very exciting. The It's out. We're doing The Wizard of Oz. We had our kickoff this year. It was
very exciting. Um, I will be dressing up as Dorothy, much to my dismay. So, um, but we try to do that that we transform the entire school. We go above and beyond. It's really a fun night for families to come and get together and the kids are excited. They've already started reading the book. Um, teachers
record the chapters. So, if they don't have someone at home that can read it, they can just log on to their Chromebooks and the teachers can read along, read a chapter along, and they can follow along in their own book. Um, we have our uh great bedtime story pajama drive night. Um, we've hit our
goal the last three years and and then some. Um, we have our coffee house, art shows, book fair, things of that nature. So, we really are trying to get people into the building as much as possible. some pictures, nature classroom cleanup. Our peer leaders are always busy.
There's a couple things um that they've been up to um making uh Thanksgiving cards um with food collected from our turkey trot. Um they do stuff with the elderly. They are, you know, do a lot of different donations. Their big thing we did idle free signs. Um they're this
group is very into recycling which is amazing. So we're get your recycling bins. So we're doing that. We have some compost bins that we're going to be starting up next year as well. yellow tulip drive. I'm sure um PCIs had started that. Um and we kind of our nurse, nurse Marissa, she's um jumped on
board. So that's something that we've implemented. So it's really nice in the spring when you go out and you see all the tulips planted out front. Um this one you could take a tulip off of a tree like our kind of like your giving tree um and donate different things for um for kids with uh mental health
illnesses. So whether if they're in treatment, there's coloring books or adult coloring books, um socks, things that kind of keep them feel comfortable when they're kind of going through a very difficult time. There they are. This was a one school book kickoff.
Yes, my head custodian, Bobby, I prepared him for this. I did help sweep, but it was exciting. The kids open up the books of confetti goes everywhere. It's It's quite the scene. It's exciting. So this is one. This was from last year we did Nims Island. So that was at the
end of one of the pods. So the cool thing is out we prep all this work and then the kids leave at the end of the day and by the time they come back at 5:30 the entire school it's like a workhorse situation but we have everything like waiting in the wings and get it going. Um the cakes I get from Plymouth South High School. So for their
culinary program some of them have that for their senior junior their portfolios. So, they get the book and then they decorate it how they seem fit, which is every year it's it's awesome. I can't wait to see what they're going to do this year. And that's it.
Any questions? Lot going on. Questions? Mr. Jackson, I always have a question. That's okay. Um, your numbers are just amazing and I really commend you because I've seen the hard work that you've done and how it's paid off over the last few years. Um, I'm wondering because I also
know that you have a background in counseling and social emotional needs, how that ties together with the academic achievements and like how you can create that, you know, how that comes together to make your model so successful. Yeah, I think, you know, and again, I feel
like, you know, Derek and I have a lot of conversations, so it's going to sound very echoey in a sense that I think it's really building your school culture first. Um, and I think making sure that people are feeling supported and they have all the tools that they need to be successful is first and foremost. Um, I
have amazing staff and I think for me having a background in interventions, whether that's behavioral interventions or academic interventions, we have to be creative because we're not a title one school. Um, so but our CTLs work tire they're unbelievable. You know, like I said, the math coaches, everyone just
wants to help and like I said, we try to find the right people to help in the right ways. And I think it's just people wanting to know that they're supported and they've just run with it. You know, following the the district has laid it all out for them. It's just having the confidence and the training and the support that they need. And I can say
especially for our fifth grade team last year. It's so evident on how much work they've done. I mean, people are in the park like leave like staying so late just like working. I want to get this right. I want to get that right. I'm like, go home. It's okay. Um, but I do think I think again it starts from the ground floor up. As long as people are
feeling kids and adults alike, as long as they're feeling safe and and a happy environment, they're only going to soar from there. And I feel like that's been evident and so far for our scores. Thank you. So, thank you, Brian. Yeah, I was just going to mention
I wasn't sure that I couldn't remember the term you used regarding yourself with data, but data dork. A data dorm. Very proud. Well, I like to refer to myself as a data diva. Oh, and so way
better. You you can coin it. You can it'll share it. But one of the things just while looking at your data, I would like to see in the future is you to figure out how to put a side by side because from looking at it side by side,
you're really able to see those growth metrics and and really be able to celebrate them. So well done. I'm I'm really excited to see, you know, the continued growth as you pour into your your school. So,
thank you. Great job, Mr. Morgan. Yeah. I just want to say um I commend you for the combination of academic achievement and then the community engagement. A lot of times someone excels in one or the other and you're doing both. and uh it's been a pleasure to be on the school
council. Very engaged school council and I enjoyed the presentation for a second time. Um but uh great job. Hopefully I get an opportunity to serve next year as well. Thank you. Awesome. I'm going to say what um I echo what
most of um my colleagues have said here. Uh you you have been you've had this ability to um uh s succeed in both places. Um and um and I guess my question was the same as um Mrs.
Jackson's in terms of you know what what is the secret to that success? But you were able to um relay that information relay that information. So I just wanted to just say you know thank you. I' we've been many of us have been part of your um some of the community efforts that
you've um had and so um it's just wonderful to see considering that you you were also a school in transition um as well and you came in and um and really kind of soared. Thank you Mr. Smartos. Thank you. Um I
think it was a great presentation both of you. Um do you have access to the math coach for enough hours? I mean, I know math coaches are a, you know, a great resource to have, but is it per building or is it So, we split um between So, there's two math coaches for
the elementary school level. So, um Jen Marciani, who I have, is at four schools. Okay. Um and Jen Powers is at the other four schools. So, she resource. Yeah. So, she has coaching hours. She signs up and teachers can sign up for different coaching times or
coaching sessions. um I have access to her calendar so I always know when she's available but um I don't know how she's in all the places she is but she's um yeah so she works with four different schools. So I like how you said the fifth grade is a crush in it. I like that animation. And uh is it an
environmental factor though like you say you have a great staff and um you know the makeup of the students or there's some internal practices that you can share amongst buildings that you think can be beneficial like and I think we do actually the um eight elementary school principles for our goals this year um we
met monthly. You know we really no one hides the secret book under their desk. I think we all try to make sure that everyone's feeling supported. I mean, anyone can pick up the phone at any time and ask a question, but we try to keep things consistent. Each school has their own flavor in some way, shape, or form or does things a little bit differently,
but I think as a cohesive group, we really try to make sure, you know, these reports are going out on this day, we're all putting it out on this day, so you're not getting, well, we got it this week or that week. So, we really work um really closely, not only as an elementary group, but as our leadership team in general in the district. I think
that's a great approach. Thanks. All right. Um, I have nothing to add because I think we already covered it, but yeah, you're knocking it out of the park. So, thank you. I mean, amazing. And I know test scores aren't everything, but I mean, I'm blown away.
I was looking back at my notes. I think the only school we've had with comparable test scores is probably Madame. So, I think you should let Dr. Freay know you're coming from. Oh, I let him know on the regular. He would like to know that he was my mentor, too, as well. I'm sure he'd like to take that. No. Awesome job. So, please keep it up.
Awesome. Thank you. Thank you so much. All right, so next up we have where are we at? Uh annual summary of school book revisions. Uh Dr. Rogers, good evening. So um it's always difficult to follow such our amazing principles because we are we are so
incredibly lucky in this district to have um the leadership that we have across across buildings. So thank you both. Um, so these are our uh handbook summaries and our revisions for 25 and 26. It's a little bit longer. We had a lot of updates in our acceptable use
policy. Just when I think we have it all figured out, the kids have us beat. Um, so I just want to thank Alan Mlan and um, Jolie Bucher for doing a lot of work in this year's handbook and trying to keep us up to speed with all of the new
tricks that uh, technology is pulling on us. Um, so some of these are pretty straightforward, so I'll just go through them quickly. Obviously, we're going to be changing all the dates to 25 and 26. Any reference to MCCAST language um will be competency determination moving
forward with um the new state regulations. Um cancellation of schools. Um so we use um it's not Blackboard anymore either. It's um Final Site. Final Yes, Final Site. Thrillshare.
like I can't even keep up with our own technology. Um so we use Thrillshare for cancellation of schools and that goes out um during snow days and things like that. Um we did have a policy change with regard to um student registration
in a an attempt to add a more equitable um level playing field for students who um are trying to register for school. So giving a little more flexibility with what they can um what they can register school for. So
copy of de deeds or leases um mortgage payments, things like that. Um excused absences on page 11. Um, so we're seeing um a large increase um from pediatricians offices, from other hospitals where they haven't seen the
student in six to 10 months, but still sending in a doctor's note um and keeping students out of school for really long periods of time. So, we're trying to do our best to have conversations with them, but really encouraging um pediatricians to not just
keep kids out of school for long periods of time unless you know best practice would suggest that the student at some point come into the office for a wellness check. Um so, trying to get a handle on that. Um food services. So, this was a change because we are still
um free breakfast, free lunch, which is amazing. um release of students. So, Plymouth Public Schools will not release a student on the basis of a telephone call alone. Um and we do use forms of electronic communication. So, we use
pickup patrol and things like that or if a parent emails and we know it's from the parent email. Um we will dismiss a child. Mr. Rogers, would you prefer to go through the whole thing or since it's so long like have questions throughout? I am happy to do
whatever you would suggest. I'm thinking maybe one page at a time. I don't know. Oh, and do questions at the end of each page. Yeah, just it's so long. Otherwise, we're going to like go through half an hour and somebody has another page. So, any questions on page one, Ashley? Yeah. Um I I don't know if
it's a if it's a question. I just I don't know if we should just verbally say a disagreement with the um after being seen by a physician. If a if a child's healthcare provider is is comfortable writing a note and excusing the student, that's between the
child and their healthcare provider. Um I don't think that we can force parents to pay co-pays um in order to get a letter um just to authorize that they've been seen by a physician if their status and healthcare hasn't changed and the physician's comfortable writing the note
without seeing the child. I think that's that's between the patient and the provider. So I it would make me more comfortable to have after being seen by a physician removed from that and just keeping it the way that it was. Um but I obviously defer to my colleagues. Yeah, I I had a
similar thought. It wasn't so much striking, but I thought, you know, I think you you said that, you know, you'll have cases where the physician hasn't seen the student in whatever 6 months, 11 months. And my thought was if you're going to have it, there should be some time period on it. Like, you know,
like yes, maybe you don't want it to be 11 months ago, but maybe they saw them in the last month, several weeks, whatever. So, kind of somewhere in between where I think just because the way it's written, does that mean they need to have been seen yesterday or could they have been seen last? Like, it's too It's too vague for me. So I think it's if it's going to be there,
there's got to be some some bounce. So somewhere between I think we're miss and I am I think would be appropriate. M Jackson or M. Right. I think Ben might be sharing the same. I I guess maybe I wanted to ask a question just in regards to what what
examples are you being are are you um seeing because you did you did mention months and so um I have to wonder I mean I I find it you know if unless something that's a
chronic illness. Aside from that, you know, when a physician would have the curview to Yeah. So, this is outside of of the students that have a documented dis disability or healthc care issue like
that. Um, we have several examples right now where we have kids that are out for extended periods of time and the home health form really requires us to revisit the home health form every 30 days, but that's been sort of a struggle. So, I'm happy to take it out.
I know that a lot of this is, you know, the principles are concerned with, you know, again, the chronic absenteeism and students being out for very long periods of time without appropriate documentation or without any follow-up from a physician. Okay. Yeah. Um I guess it's just trying to figure out what is
that timing because if someone has had like say surgery of course and we know that you know this it requires 6 to 8 week or whichever um as opposed to something else. Yeah, sorry. I was going to say similar but
also in respect to you know co's kind of changed the approach of how medicine is being delivered. So I I'm not comfortable with the use of physician I would say medical provider
um where people can be seen for a lot of these things via tea health and it could be you know whatever um documentation, but I think physicians sometime catches people up too in in the wording. Um I do think it
is necessary for more than x number of days needing to provide something, but it's hard when and I was trying to go back and look at the policy. Um, if you're sent home from the nurse's office with a temperature and can't
return for 48 hours, so technically you're out for 2 days. Do you still need a note or do you not? Because technically you're only returning because of the fever has been reduced. So I think there's some like waves in
that part of the policy. So I want to speak to the physi. So on the home hospital form that's required by the state, it is a physician is required. So we can't accept something from like a nurse practitioner or even a physician's assistant. Um so that's um
that's in a mass general law. I can absolutely take it out. I I get that it's a sort of a it's it's tricky. I think our principles are just trying to get a handle on, you know, again, not if a student has a broken leg and they have surgery and it's, you know, and they're out going to be out for at least eight
weeks. It's more sort of those ambiguous things that I think are a little bit challenging. Yeah. M Jackson, um I would maybe suggest or consider the idea of revisiting it under maybe policy
because I don't think striking it completely solves the problem. And I don't think that like putting it in the way it is solves the problem. Like I I think we have to have a more dynamic um thing because I totally understand where the principles are coming from and
at the same time I understand where Miss Shaw is coming from. Um so maybe this is something we could revisit under our policy committee and try and come up with something that's a little bit more like encompassing of all of those factors. It's a great suggestion. Yeah, I'd agree. I think Miss Haywood would
hit on the head which is let's figure out exactly what it what exactly which scenarios are trying to prevent and try to craft something that addresses that because this is it's too vague but I told here I think there's something needed here but it's it's just not what's written here. Yeah. So, all
right. And then, all right, I have Sorry. Before we go to the next page for um page nine, um I think she's going to go through one page that it's the main section, page nine first. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Right above it. You're saying Yeah. Yeah. Thank you.
Thank you. I thought you were going. So, in regards to how it's stated now in the handbook, it doesn't talk about if a person is experiencing homelessness. when looking at the documentation required to be able to register a child.
So is there something along that section that can refer you to? Yeah. So I McKini Vento or something. So there is a section in the handbook on McKini Vento and homelessness. I can try to find it for you. It might not be under registration, but you feel like indicating it under it should be
referred to so that people don't necessarily come when we talk about that anxietyinduced um feelings of coming and trying to explain it while they're there. So
just a reference to that section in the handbook. Sure. That would be my suggestion. Great. Anything else on the first page? Nope. All right, keep going. Okay, the
second page. Um, so we added um that PPS employs alice strategies for um lockdown situations and that lockdown drills are not always announced in advance. So that's just an update um again with how we conduct our safety
drills. The next one is school privileges. Um we've added um school privileges may be prohibited um activities and field trips um that occur outside of school including but not limited to athletic events, dances, community events or
performances as a result of school-based discipline. And the principal has the authority to limit or deny student participation in any special function or activity. So we just updated the language a little bit on that and made it a little more
clear. The next one um food delivery. So this is a a this is a fairly new phenomenon which is getting a little bit challenging. Um so during the school day outside deliveries including parental deliveries will be held until the end of the school day. So we've kind of listed
Door Dash coffee delivery outside delivery parents will be held until the end of the school day just becomes incredibly disruptive. I know it's a blessing and a curse. Yes. Can we still do it during meetings?
um student inter internet safety. So, we moved all of the technology to the end and have it located in one place. It was getting a little bit cumbersome because over time we've added bits and pieces and it was really difficult to follow. So, that'll all be at the end under one
um consistent um appendix. Um and the same thing with sex education. It was kind of throughout the handbook. I think it got thrown in at multiple times um during different revisions. And so um thank you to my amazing administrative assistant who was like, "I can't follow any of this." I'm
like, she's like, "I'll fix it." I'm like, "Thank you, Michelle. Fix it." I have two suggestions. Sure. Um for the lockdown, could we lead the section with lockdown? Drills are not
always announced in advance. Mhm. I think that'll lead to a lot less like confusion and like ah for people entering the high school. Yeah. Um and then for uh school privileges, is there
somewhere in there that can elicit the need for the principal who has the authority to limit or deny participation? That family or student will be notified in advance.
So it becomes part of the practice versus someone showing up and coach being like, "Hey, you're not supposed to be here." Yeah, I think that does happen, but we can definitely put it. Yeah, perfect. Thank you. Yep. Anything else on that second page?
Very good. Um, so electronic devices has always been part of the handbook, especially when we refer to um, secondary, but it's becoming more and more of an issue in fourth and fifth grade. So, we wanted to make sure that um, this was in the
elementary appendix. So, it's the exact same language that's for the middle school and the high schools as well. Um, page 72, this is under the middle school appendix. So, um, we just wanted to update. So, it's the class
used to be called research, it's now digital literacy. So, that's just a change. Um, student failures. Um, so this really had to do with um our grading for equity um initiative that we had this year, changing all of the minimum grades at the middle school to a
50 because we know mathematically if you fail with a 20, it's impossible to um to pass for the year. And so we just removed the minimum grading scale and just kept um
50%. Any questions on that page? Some more pretty hot button topics. Cheating cheating and plagiarism is getting more and more difficult with the use of AI. So, it's just a reference um to student internet safety and the acceptable use policy, which again we'll get into at the at the
end. Um so, we don't do summer tutoring anymore. We have a summer school program that students can take. Um so, we're removing that. Um energy drinks are becoming more and more popular. Um and I think we had this conversation
a couple years ago with how much caffeine Um there is now um energy drinks that contain stimulant compounds which I'm not entirely sure what that means but um but it includes caffeine um and they will be taken during the day. So it's
like a it's like a energy drink on steroids is how they're sort of explaining it. Wow. Um and this isn't an attempt to like take away anybody's coffee. This is like a That's what I brought that up. That was me because we all need our coffee. like that's not um if you walk into any
of the high schools, there's kids walking around with coffee and those um fruity drinks from Starbucks, but this is, you know, those really high energy drinks that you're get that they're getting at convenience stores. Um and then the high school appendix, again, just changing any
reference to MCCAST to um competency determination and then putting in the mass general law around that. Can I provide a suggestion? Yeah. So, um, similar to your technology theme, I'm seeing a food related theme
kind of brewing here, no pun intended, but is there an opportunity that when you look at the revisions to kind of group all the food stuff together as well? Because I just think it's Yeah. odd to jump similar to to changes with
technology. Yeah. So, we can look at that for sure. Um the next page it's I have sorry that's okay. Um for the energy drinks something that um we were at a meeting
recently Dr. Campbell and myself. And um something that was brought up were um dietary supplements that are 100% legal, highly addictive, sold at gas stations and available to
anybody who's 18 plus, but may or may not be sold to people who are younger if they look older or more easily accessible. Mhm. So having a conversation and trying to add some context around these dietary supplements
might be something we want to include because they're not considered illegal, but they're also highly addictive and can be very detrimental. Yeah. This was this was posted before the meeting took place and we learned it was called Y. So it's a
stimulate much reminds me of nos back in the day. Oh yeah, take no again a stimulant. It's drink form, but it also comes in pill form. I think someone said too. So maybe perhaps energy drinks and stimulants.
Yeah, we could phrase it so that we it kind of incorporates both drink form and I probably venture to say nonprescribed. Yes. Yep. I like that. Yeah.
Yes. Yeah. And we don't want students to to have prescribed stimulants in their possession either when they're in school. Yeah. But what's specific to that energy? Yes. Yeah. Sure.
Okay. Any other questions on page four of 11? All right. Okay. Page five. Um so the state has removed any language um with regard to educational proficiency plans. Um that might change
later. Um we're still waiting for state guidance on that, but for right now that's um that's on hold. Um cheating and plagiarism, we'll cover that in the appendix on um acceptable use. Um and then the principles wanted
to add this. Um, please note that high schools have other honor societies beyond National Honor Society and these honor societies follow their own approved charter guidelines which are monitored by their advisor to these societies. Um, so that can sometimes be a little tricky when um we have students
that are part of the National Honor Society and let's say a student gets caught cheating or plagiarizing or using AI. It's not necessarily up to um the building principal. They have again like the National Honor Society is countrywide um and there's other other
organizations that are similar to that. So we have to abide by their charters in their um bylaws and we added volleyball because we have it and somehow it got overlooked over the years. So I don't know how. Well, I like the next one even better. I
know the health and guidelines. Yeah, because they have peanut butter. Yeah. Um, so any questions on that page or any comments? Good. Okay. Um, page six of 11. Um, so just updated the nutrition
and health guidelines for snacks. So we are nut-free and then we removed peanut butter as a healthy snack option because of students with nut allergies. Um, tuition, we'll come back to that in another section.
Um, there was a big picture of PCIS in the middle of the handbook, but there was no other parking or diagram of any of the other buildings, and it was taking up a lot of space, and the handbook is getting quite long as it is, so we deleted it. Um, there have been no changes to title
N. Um, and then this is the next section. Um, is again the acceptable use policy appendix H. and we tried to capture as many as we could being specific but not as but also intentionally being somewhat open-ended
um because again technology is just changing so very quickly um but before I go to page seven was there anything on page six um so this just up a lot of these have to do with updating languages language around smart devices and not just saying
cell phones. Um we changed um a couple years ago we went to Google Workspace for Education. So we changed that throughout. Um let's see. A lot of um endpoint security again was just a a change in our virus protection. So a lot of these
are just updates to our um technology and what we utilize currently in the district. This last one, access to the system. So we at one point in time students were allowed to opt out of the internet, but it is become so much ingrained in what
we do. Um, and I think really when we talk to some of the parents, the I think the thought is that we're just allowing kids to go on and like surf the internet, which is not the case. Everything that we do is through Google Classroom, which is all um student data privacy protected.
Have we had anyone that's been opting out trying out? Okay. No, we had one I want to say about a year ago, but again when we called the parent, yeah, they were like, "Oh, we just didn't want them to be sort of just surfing the internet unsupervised." So, it's it's really those kinds of things, which
doesn't happen. Um, any questions? Any other questions on page seven? on page eight, unacceptable use. So again, some of these I don't even know what they are, but you utilizing a VPN or a flipper zero. These are devices
that can steal credit card information out of your pocket, purse, or backpack. Smart glasses. So, these are sunglasses that you would wear and they h are uh there's a camera that's embedded inside the sunglasses or even a prescription set of sunglasses
um where people can be recorded or audio taped. And then um page page 40, plagiarism and copyright infringement. This paragraph has to do with utilizing AI either to take a test, write a paper, those kinds of things.
So from a smart glasses perspective, um I would argue that Rayband metas um pose opportunities for accessibility. So Rayband meta you can have it as a prescription. Um they come with
Bluetooth. They're actually upgrading their software to help from a visibility perspective and describe things that are surrounding as well as auditory to replace some hearing aids. So I think
by adding a policy that limits it, you're taking away opportunities to have accessibility for some folks. I'm speaking from a personal p perspective because I do use um Meta's outwork. Um to your point in regards to the
recording um I think Rayban did a wonderful job where recording cannot take place if the light is covered. So, if someone is in fact recording, there's a a light that shows everybody, it's
very visible that you're recording or taking a picture. So, I would caution that it could be discriminatory specific. And again, I can't speak to the other um glasses, but Rayban is
branding on specifics that promote accessibility. But, M. is your concern mitigated all by that bottom sentence such as exceptions may be considered for students with documented medical or accessibility needs. I think that even if it's not necessarily documented for
accessibility, I personally it's not documented. that it helps me to be able to focus. And I think I would I just think in my own circumstances, I would put up a fight that I need to disclose
something or necessarily like go above and beyond to wear these glasses when I don't necessarily pose a risk. Yeah. M I think it's tricky. Yeah. Um, so but I think it's tricky in terms of this type
of technology and I'm, you know, right now in graduate school, you know, and and I will be uh transparent have accommodations. I cannot use those glasses.
I can't. So I I I think it's I I think these underlining ex um you know exceptions may be considered um I I think provide some sort of leeway in a sense but I think if you do not have that you create you you can create a
pathway for those who clearly have an ability to to kind of circumvent the system. So I think it's it's very tricky. I think, you know, having this, you know, just this exception, um, uh, at least gives some
leeway to those who really need it. But for those who don't, it's we have some very intelligent students. Yeah, I could maybe mixing the the documented medical piece, but I think you're right.
There's got to be some I wouldn't feel comfortable having a a free-for-all with these types of devices knowing that there is a large you potential for misuse. So, yeah. And I think um and I don't know how these
glasses work, but I believe anything that you could utilize the glasses for, we would have available to students through Google. So, like read and write for Google or um being, you know, speech to text, like that's all accessible. So, I don't know that there would be anything you would need the glasses for
that you couldn't get. And again, I don't know um that you couldn't get through your Chromebook or laptop. So, we would ensure access through the use of other technologies. Miss P, if we if we nix documented
medical or does that make it better where it's maybe considered for students with accessibility needs following? So I had to read it twice just to make sure I understood what it was trying to say and as I read it the second time I saw the medical need but I also saw an
accessibility which might not be a medical document. As long as administration has the ability to sit down and review it. Um, I think that gives latitude for both sets that could be utilizing these glassware, but I had to read it a couple times
because I was getting Yeah. Oh, yeah. You're saying that you could be either. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Yeah. Mr. I will say this in in seeing this um uh I guess policy or I guess that's how
we're framing it. Um, I was happy to see it because when these glasses came out, I thought, "Wow, what I I hate to say what a great way to like, you know, attempt to kind of circumvent the system." And so I'm glad
to see that. Um because I don't, you know, um I I don't know what other districts are doing. Um I certainly have, you know, I I'm not seeing it in some other places. So I just um Yeah, I was kind of happy. Yeah. So, are we okay
leaving it the way that it is? Mr. Jackson, you go ahead. Oh. Um, I think I would go with what Louise stated, Mr. Pano that we take out medically documented but leave in accessibility because
um I think medically documented makes it harder for people but as long as administration and the student agree on it Mr. Chop's point, I think having the leadway for them to make a decision collaboratively um without a specific medical
documentation at this point maybe is the best way to go. Mr. Morgan, no, I was just going to say I kind of agree with Mrs. Haywood. I'm I'm okay. It's not perfect, but I'm okay with the um policy as written. I'd
rather have it slightly flawed than not have it at all, especially with the changing technology. Anybody else? Say what you um just in terms of the documented medically documented as opposed to accessibility. Um normally if there's an accessibility
issue there there is some sort of documentation anyways. So um it's just you know what is causing what? So um it requires documentation.
Yeah. From a provider. Mhm. I'm okay with it. Anybody else? Sounds like you have a majority, but I do. Okay. All right. Anything else on page 81?
Good discussion. Um, I just had a question intelligence. Yeah. Yeah. I just had a question artificial intelligence. I like the way that it's written because it leaves it open as a learning or study aid, but I um I kind of see this as a living
breathing part of things because it's such a new technology that um maybe figuring out a way to leave it a little open-ended so that it can evolve with the evolution of AI itself
might be and I I don't know exactly what that looks like I was trying to figure it out before the meeting but so Google Classroom correct me if I'm wrong is coming out with an AI tool for schools which will be a part of our platform
okay so as we learn this I think that would be how we would yeah and we're trying not to I think the second house yeah I think you know we're not trying to elimmit AI right like it's not going away we completely recognize that but we're trying to limit it in scope in the sense
of we don't want students to just, you know, type I want a US history paper on the Civil War and just spitting out, you know, information. But, you know, we've had some training in the district around using AI as a thought partner or using AI for like sentence starters or like
clarifying or, you know, using different vocabulary words. And we want to encourage students to use that because again it's a tool that you know it people are equating it to like when cell phones first came out or going even back even further when calculators you know were all all of a sudden like in every single classroom. So it's it's one of
the things that students need to be able to utilize and colleges are using it too but colleges are very very strict um and they have amazing technology that can sniff out AI very very quickly. So, we don't want students to all of a sudden go to college and be like, "Oh, this is great. This is, you know, we want them
to use it responsibly. Um, and we want them to be able to use it effectively, but at the same time, we don't want to get rid of all original thought, and we want kids to learn how to write. So, it's tricky. I think it would be helpful similar to
how it has the image alteration as a call out to have maybe like written content creation or something like to call out the two sections because I think the piece about the fact that you may not use AI for X Y and Z
kind of gets lost in the paragraph of things. I'm just thinking of from a handbook perspective, sitting down with my student, it he's just looking to sign the page, not go through the content versus I'll pull up the
handbook to get to whatever it is that I need to find. So, I just I think it gets kind of lost in there, the content creation versus I really like the call out of the image alteration because I don't think people are thinking of that.
Yeah. as well. Mr. Smart Doss, I I think there's some things to be learned when, you know, the first iOS first came out in 2007 and there were policies that we were putting in place. Um, but that generation of student was sort of the guinea pig because they got that device.
And I think, you know, when you look at tech, it's all cyclical. And we should look at AI and and when we're writing policies, we should also combine it with something that's AI literacy driven. uh because there are benefits to using AI, but there's also reduced critical
thinking. Um I I sat with Nvidia three weeks ago. They have 6,000 startups they're funding, right? And they're they're all deep machine learning language models and it's coming. Um, but I think there's ways to have a policy,
but then also say, you know, bring that handbook to life because we're going to have some AI literacy going on too amongst staff and students because it's it's evolving and the information also creates a bias too. Um, there's there's
some AI information that uh has to be rewritten for fairness. And so there's there's things that, you know, some of these language models can hallucinate, they call it. And uh you know it's I see it specifically in health care. You're not replacing doctors and nurses, you're
assisting them. Um and you're not replacing teachers, you're assisting them. So I think the the more we put it into the handbook, but make it an ongoing exercise to to understand it um is critical. Um you know, we'll just we'll we'll never stay completely ahead
of it. That's you know, Moore's law got thrown out. It's it's gone so much faster, right? So, we're going to stay ahead of it though, I think, by looking at it continuously. Michelle, um, mine's just kind of a grammatical thing, but under the image alteration, um, where it says using any
form of image alteration programs and it says such as, but not limited to, can we just change that to including but not limited to? Oh, yeah. So, while not perfect, is everyone good with that? This is a I guess a starting
point for our AI language. AI I just add one more thing. Um the other thing I would say to add was maybe this is something else that we could take them under policy as it is living breathing thing to have something
under policy to we do have a we have we have that in policy as well. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. We have them in both places. All right. Yeah. I think and to Mr. Sergeant Dallas's point. I think this is probably an area where every year we'll be updating it because we're just have to
keep up. Y every month. All right. Anything else for page eight or page nine? All right. Okay. Page 10 of 11. So this just updates our student Google Workspace for education. Um so this was a little bit
up to date. Talks about acceptable use policy. Um, talks about our student data privacy, what grade levels use which tools. Um, let's see what else. Talks about student emails, things like that,
student accounts. Any questions on that? Not seeing any. All right. And page 11. So there are a few um third party applications that we do use. Um so this is in there for certain classes that
students take like ed our ed TV students use use the Adobe cloud suite. Um Google Maps, Google Earth, and there's a couple of others in here. Khan Academy um where it's just a disclaimer that there are certain classes where those companies or
those um thirdparty apps do not sign the student data privacy. So there's a permission slip that goes home separately to those students who are on these particular um applications, but they're very specific to certain like biomed and ed
TV and things like that. Any questions on it? Any questions on that? I just have one um maybe comment or question. Is there a possibility of putting that closer to the digital image creation part in the handbook? Because I
know like at least for my part with using Adobe Photoshop every day. Yeah. That there is now a generative fill place where you can easily very easily generate an image. Um so maybe having them together and tied together. Sorry.
Okay. Might um might sort of stick out in people's minds. Okay. Thank you. All right. Mr. I know there wasn't any lots of substance changes, but was your would you want to make revisions, highlight
those and then bring it back or is or is there um there is a little bit of a time crunch because we have to get to the printer. Yeah. Or do we want to make a motion with noting all of the uh revisions? I can entertain. I would make a motion. Okay.
Second that. Miss Bryant, would you like me? I I I make a motion to approve the 2025 2026 student handbook with res vision suggested at tonight's meeting as presented.
Do we have a second? I second. All right. Smart jaw seconds. Great. Thank you so much. So, okay. Uh, Mr. Sargill, are you able to um vote online or do we need to do a roll call? I you logged in. The roll call would be more uh efficient right now because
computer keeps going and I will take a roll call vote then. Mr. Smartellis, I All right, Miss Shaw. I misswood. Hi, Mr. Morgan. Yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Miss Bryant, yes. All right. And I
vote yes. So, unanimous. Thank you, Miss Rogers. That was definitely a lot of uh changes this year. Yeah. Thank you. So, all right. Next up, I believe we're Are we superintendent report? Yes, we are. Dr. Campbell, thank you. Just a few things
to bring up. Um first off, uh PCIS want to congratulate PCIS for being accepted into the 252618 Foundation Applied Learning Leadership Institute. So this is because of all the amazing work that they've
been doing uh with the open sed um so otherwise known as ally it's a program the 18 starts offers um leading schools to work together to help integrate applied learning um into the vision of the school. So um PCIs um was among a
very competitive pool for this was awarded this grant because of the vision that they put forward. So, it was really exciting to see um just the leadership there collectively across the entire uh faculty and staff and administration uh
and the quality of their program. So, this comes with a $13,000 grant associated with it too. So, really excited for PCIS. Um I will speak briefly to this because I'm sure Miss Jackson will talk about it too. Um MASC Day on the Hill, we went Dr. Rogers, Miss Jackson and I
met with Representative Badger. um had an amazing time there talking about a lot of um bills that actually a couple of them started right here at this table which is really exciting. Really cool. Yeah. Um and had a a grand tour um
before leaving and getting completely soaked. Yes. On the way out. But it was it was a great day. Um thank Miss Badger for that as well. Uh we do have a new commissioner of elementary and secondary education who will start July 1. found out today officially is start date is
July 1. So, as you know, um our commissioner uh stepped away. We had an interim commissioner and then that interim commissioner took a good job as a superintendent in Pennsylvania. Um so, uh Pedro Martinez was uh voted by the board 13 years as a superintendent. He
was the head of Chicago public schools. Um really did some uh great things there nationally. Um national graduation rates were really exceptional. So, um, look forward to, um, him joining, uh, Desi and helping to lead, uh, our com the
Commonwealth, the 25th commissioner, first Latino to serve in the role. And again, he'll be starting July 1st. Um, statewide, there's a statewide K to2 graduation council. We were talking about that. Dr. Rogers was sort of referring to that in terms of what's
coming next. Uh so Governor Healey's established the Mass K12 statewide graduation council uh to give recommendations for new high school graduation standards. Our own uh Shelley Terry Pith High School department head and Milin educator uh was asked to sit
on this council. So we have a seat at the table there through Mrs. Terry. Um and uh that council started meeting monthly and will submit formal recommendations to the governor by the end of the calendar year. So we we should learn more um in December of
where those recommendations go. U then just a couple logistic things. You heard from uh Quinn mentioned a number of things happening with our seniors in the next couple of weeks. Very busy time, but um I think a few important ones to just bring to your attention. Academic
convocation, which happens June 4th at South High School at 7 p.m. So if you're available, you're welcome to come. 7 PM um in the auditorium performing arts center and north's is Thursday June 5th so again fourth and 5th south starts at
7 north starts at 6:30 they always have to be a little bit different um both wonderful events just amazing just the outpouring of this community um in terms of the support that they give to our graduates and it's a great night to to
celebrate them and then graduation day um June 7th Saturday Um, North High School begins at 9:30, but if you get there early, uh, we'll have breakfast in the cafeteria of North High School. We're going to have a beautiful day. We've already ordered beautiful weather
for that day. Uh, that's why we're getting it out of the way this week. It's going to be a rainy week. Um, and then we'll we'll head um from North, go right over to South High School. That starts at 1:00, but we'll have a lunch from culinary beforehand, which will be
uh amazing. Um, and we'll have parking. Um, so the parking situation for anyone who who your name will be on the list. So if you go to North High School, you haven't been to graduation before, come in where the parent drop off is, you'll the security will stop you right away. Um, your name will be on the list and
they will direct you to the back of the building where we'll have parking at south. It'll be right in the front of the building. We'll have dedicated spots there as well. And we're working on um for our new members to have uh the robes as well. So that's in that should be
underway. Should have had received a communication regarding that. Um any questions. Thank you, Dr. Kim. Thank you. Next up, we have retirements. Movey. Yes. Good evening. I have one retiree to share with you. Gail Howland is 31 years at
Cold Spring Elementary School as a PAR educator, specifically a security receptionist. She'll be with us until the last day of school this year. Wow. Jackson, thank you to Miss Howland for her 31 years of service. We wish her good luck and the best all the best in
her retirement. All right. And next up, we have a letter of thanks from the Salvation Army. Mr. Morgan. Yes. So, um I'll summarize the letter because it's a little lengthy, but it's a um it's a letter from the Salvation
Army. Um and they just want to take a moment to express their gratitude for the work from South Middle students and their visit at the Salvation Army. Um guided by the teachers. Um they really got to learning how they give back to
the community and um they want again thank you um everyone at P South Middle School for coming in for their visit. Excellent. Thank you. All right. And next up uh do we have any reports proposals from committee members?
Mr. Jackson. Um, as Dr. Campbell said, I had the opportunity to go to a day on hell. Um, and it was great. Um, of course we all know that Miss Badger is our biggest cheerleader over there and she had the
opportunity to speak which was great. Um, they've also supported the two bills that we put out there and so it'll be exciting to see what comes of that. There was a great lunch by uh all the culinary students and Dr. Campbell
checked to see if we could figure out a way to get our culinary students in there. So, um overall it was a very productive day and I think we're all excited to be there. Awesome. Sad I had to miss it this year. Sounds good.
All right. Uh Mr. Oh, um I just um wanted to let everyone know that um the articles of agreement have been accepted from uh Cape Cod Collaborative um as of um April actually and so now Plymouth Public Schools will
be um a member district as of July 1. Awesome. Nice work. Any other updates? was right. I just wanted to give uh a huge shout out to Ed TV. I was able to attend the Ellie
Awards and if you haven't had a chance to do that, it's an amazing experience. Um I had the opportunity for one of my children to participate in EdTV, but never expecting what the Ellie's was
like. and to have this start in our elementary and go all the way through high school. The partnership with the high school, the teachers, um the production was
fantastic. They gave amazing feedback to all of the winners and it was just pure joy seeing the kids cheering each other on and it it was wonderful. So, um, West Elementary sharing their
morning update is just like the icing on the cake to see that's how it starts out to how it evolves is absolutely amazing. So, huge shout out to them. And then also, um, I know there were quite a bit
of elementary school band and orchestra going on this week. Huge shout out to the musical departments because you can definitely definitely feel the difference from your winter concerts to spring. So, it was wonderful being able
to identify the majority of the songs without looking them up. Um, great job. Great job. Nice. Nice. Any other updates? All right. Um my only update is now with our um reorganiz uhization we
need to do our annual reassignment of all the uh committee and subcommittee assignments. So as before, please send me your um any requests, committees you'd uh like to be on or continue on, committees you'd like to no longer be on
or that you would don't want anything to uh do with. So like I said, um Mr. smart gels, if you need me to review what the uh all the uh committees are, we can go through that. But please um send me your um your your request and I'll do my best
to uh uh to accommodate uh accommodate that. Obviously, we have you know, some you know, one new member and one member that left. So, there has to be some some shuffling as as always. But, you know, if you know, I definitely value continuity. So, if there's something that you really would like to uh continue on and maintain whatever
relationships you have with those uh on those committees or school councils, I'm, you know, definitely open to that. So, please uh shoot me your uh your requests. All right. Uh master planning committee, Mr. Morgan. Um yes. So, um on Thursday, May 22nd, there'll be the last community
forum at Plymouth South Middle School. I believe it's 6 PM. I'd have to look to confirm it my notes, but that's the last one. Our consultants working on the um the material we received so far so we can get a first draft of our um master
plan and have the voters, you know, the members look at it and vote on it, whatnot. So, um there's a community um again, the last community forum is coming up this week. Thank you. and P building committee. I believe you met on 8th. Yeah.
Unfortunately, I missed that meeting. I was um I was I had a prior engagement so I I couldn't make that meeting. All right. Yeah. And I was traveling on uh business that week as well. So, all right. We will we will attend next month's meeting. All right. Mr. Trophy, appointments, leaves of absences, and
resignations. Oh, yes. I can share with you that we had three classified appointments. Uh we did approve 10 leave of absences. Uh there were three parental uh six medical and then one personal. Thank you for that. All right. Do we have any unfinished business? Any
members would like to resurrect. No. Any new business we want to put on for two agendas? No. All righty. We're on to our consent agenda. Believe all we have are some accounts payable warrants. So yeah, just
one. So all right. Do we have a motion on consent agenda? Miss Jackson. I move that we approve the consent agenda as presented. Right. Second. Mr. Morgan. Seconds. All right. I'll do a roll call vote again. Mr. Smartos, yes. Miss Shaw,
yes. Miss Haywood, yes. Mr. Morgan, yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Miss Bryant, yes. And I vote yes. Unanimous. Thank you. All right. With that, we have concluded our meeting. So, I will call the meeting to close at 8:46 p.m. Thank you.
Nice job, everyone. Thank you.