--------- [Music] Uh good evening everyone. Uh calling to order the school committee meeting of the whole for May 20 2025. Paul rise and see the pledge to the flag of the United States and to the stands one nation under God
indivisible with liberty and justice for all this evening we have Mr. Kingston chair vice chair Jaclyn Monttoso Anthony Kajiano Aisha Ellis Stacy Rizzo
and Mr. Fanella so we have a full of course we have superintendent Dr. as well. We like to get on the move. No. Any questions? Yes.
Any questions regarding this? Okay. Reports, there are none. Food service, there are none. None. Enrollment update. None. Personal items. We have new hires, retirements, resignations, and terminations. We also, Mr. Mayor, we did have warrants in case anyone had
questions on those. Any questions on the warrants? We only have a couple seconds, Maj. I didn't have a chance to talk to you today anyway, but uh like number three, the website content management system. Is that a yearly contract? Any other?
Yes, that's an annual contract with that company to host everything involved with the front facing website. Yep. Contact Ed Leo. And how about 11,000? Every 18 months maybe. Okay. We make a
serious deposit to the Pittney Bose machine so that the mailer is stocked with enough funds. uh depending on volume it could be signal or lesser. So two out of three years you'll see you'll see that. Yeah. And one other thing I just wanted
to ask you was sometimes I see um warrants for was it left wing left field left field. Now, is that like it's on our warrants, but is it build back to capital improvements or the the
reason you'd see them on these warrants is because they're being funded by uh grant funding, in this case, the SR3 grant. So, you have to approve special fund and revolving through this warrant process. Okay. So, any left field or
other design services, enterprise, construction services that you see here, it's a trigger that it's being funded through grant funding. So, you'll see it down in the special funds, okay, section of the vote. Sorry. And
also, Lefield is the OPM on the project that we're doing at the Garfield School, too. So, it's not necessarily related to the new high school building project. All right. Thank you. Any John, any other questions on the
boards? I didn't have any. Okay. Any other questions? No. No. All right. We have acceptance of donations and gifts, grants. Um, so we have uh one donation that we
would like the school committee's approval of, and that is a grant to our fine arts department in the amount of $35,000, and that's from the U. Murray Bernstein Charitable Trust Grant. It's awesome. Yeah. So, it's very excited to have that. I know that Kelly Williams is very excited to have a little bit of a
cushion uh to help fund Pine Arts program. And Phil field trips, we have the robotics team down on that. Dr. Kelly, sorry. Yes. And sorry, one other thing on that. I was looking for this note that I had here. Um the grant is going to be used
to fund the new jazz ensemble and uh instrument repairs and purchases as needed for the entire music department. That's great. They did a really nice job uh last Friday. Yes. Rock ensemble. Yeah. And they did a did a the singing version as well
which is very choir. Yeah. I think one of the things that's most exciting about our uh fine arts program over the last couple of years when we've been able to fund it appropriately and we're so thankful for these grants. As our budget gets tighter and tighter, we want to make sure that we um keep those really
important programs in place for students. But the diversity that they have brought to the program between, as you said, Mr. mayor, the the rock ensemble, the jazz ensemble, the the choir, there's so many different programs um that that uh Miss Williams
and Hartim are developing. Um it's really exciting to see. And while just to bring it up while I was there, the I know Mr. Mucci no mucci apologies. He's into it and he loves it. But there was a student there
was first of all there are number of students that were that stood out. There was a student that was playing the drums and playing at least four different instruments. And I think I was told he was going to Berkeley. Yes. Berkeley School of Music, which is one of the best of the best. So, I I saw it. I was like, I can't believe this this person
plays the instruments like that. He looked like he should be on a world stage. But I mean, there were there were a lot of them. There's a lot of talent like that. When the my my guest said he was going to Berkeley, I said, that doesn't surprise me. Yeah. Without a doubt, our kids are talented and we have such talented teachers who guide them in
that. It's incredible. I can appreciate it because I know at a couple of times when I was talking to Mrs. Williams, students that could get lost would say, "Miss, miss, how can I join? How can I join?" So, she says, "Come by
my office such and such a day." And those are the kids that you want to make want to come to school. And I think that's what our art department does. It gives something else to offer the student that might not be a sport athlete or a lua major. So let's keep it
going. Matt's a mariachi band, please. Also, not to go unnoticed, they know that their students dedicated the performance to Mr. Burell Alber. Yeah. He's not classy. Yep. True. While we're on the topic, the rock and jazz ensemble
will actually be doing a special performance at the state house next Wednesday. So, I'm having an event there for my job and I wanted to make sure we could highlight a river music group. So, they'll be playing and having a a special private tour by Senator Edwards team of the state house. It'll be really
exciting to have them featured there. Okay. You want to give us a rundown on the field trips? Uh, sure. It's just the one field trip that it's unusual for us, but um the robotics team is proposing that they take an overnight summer field
trip. Um they are moving as a team, so it still does need approval by the school committee even though it's a summer trip. Um it is overnight. Um and the students the team in the has done some fundraising and between that and student payment, they'll be funding
this. It'll be self-funded. Um the trip is to I believe it's Iowa. Oh, Indiana. Indiana. Okay. Um it's an invitational contest, so they had to be invited from they invited uh robotics teams from different parts of the country to
participate. And so we're excited for the kids to have this opportunity. Yeah, it's good stuff. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, good evening school committee. Um, my name is Akand Dean. I'm one of the assistant principles at River High School. Um, and I'm here to present the work of our cell
phone working group at the high school um during the second half of the school year and then to share our recommendation for the upcoming 2526 school year. Um, so you guys did receive a 10-page memo. Um, over the past several months um, our group has
gathered input. And I say our group, our teachers, um, Mr. Bowen and I have led the group um have gathered input from a variety of stakeholders, teachers, students, caregivers um through surveys and focus groups. Um we've also done an external data um exploration um and
reviewed cell phone policies and practices across um about 20 comparable school districts. Um not just looking at what they do on paper, but like what's the lived reality and how things are going. Um and we've analyzed all this qualitative data um and feedback to
understand the challenges and needs around cell phone use um at River High School um with our focus on finding a solution that supports teaching and learning um but is also practical um to enforce and address the needs of our school committee uh sorry school
community. Um, in terms of the data and findings, um, it did st show a strong consensus among adults and students that cell phones are a real challenge, um, despite our our district, um, policy. And most agree that we do need an
implementation plan that addresses the bigger picture of cell phone addiction, uh, and its impact on learning. And as many would agree, it is essentially a a mental health crisis at this point. Um so our recommendation again if you look into the the memo there's a lot more uh
detailed reports of our work um including some of the summaries um and data from from all of the qualitative um data sources. But our recommendation um are the locker boxes which you'll see on page three exhibit one. Um these would
provide um consistency um and they would give us a clear system for all 100 plus classrooms across across the high school rather than relying on different approaches across different classrooms which has made it really difficult to manage. Um it's easier for everyone to follow and especially for our
administrators uh to support teachers dayto-day um so that we are able to follow the policy to fidelity. Um, and these locker boxes do provide a manageable and consistent solution um to reduce the burden on individual teachers and figuring out what they need to do
for for classroom management strategies with cell phones. But again, making it consistent across all 100 plus classrooms in the building and as an administrator and you know, I can speak on behalf of my team as well. Um, we pride ourselves on being there and following up in the moment and supporting teachers and and being
responsive. then I can say that this this would allow us to back up teachers with a uniform approach um rather than leaving them to just you know enforce the rules differently across all classrooms and you know I think about the importance of admin being able to
support teachers um it's critical and then you know obviously thinking about how as a as a school we are consistent across the board um beyond you know this would be an important first step and I think about how this type of implementation plan,
you know, what would go beyond that. And, you know, it's more than just simply telling students and families, you're putting your phone in in a locker, right? I think just providing a why behind the implementation plan and how it supports learning, reduces distractions, and and helps everyone focus um and that will be essential to
building an understanding and genuine buyin um as we roll this out. So, um we feel like this recommendation is a first big step again to living out the district policy to fidelity. Um, so can you walk us through like how would this work? Is this something that
students would be required to put their phone in this if they're taking it out and they're not following instructions or is this going to be where all students place their phones in there at the beginning of class? Like just kind of walk us through how how this looks logistically. Yeah, sure. So the expectation would be that all teachers
at the beginning of class um have each student put their phone into an assigned spot um and then they would distribute those back um at the end of the period. Um so it would be a requirement for all students, not just if they had it out and they're prompted to like put it
away. It is all students. Um and then if students need to use the bathroom again, it stays in there. They're not using it to to have it in the hallway, right? To use to go to the bathroom. and and so how much what's the time frame like for collecting the phones and for
distributing the phones and how much of that time is taken away from learning? Yeah, that's a great question and something um that I have um talked to some of the educators that are currently piloting this in their classroom. Takes about five minutes um at the front end of class, five minutes at the back end and I think about just the natural flow
of instruction where students come in um you know teachers are taking attendance, students are working on their do now. um it does naturally build into the flow of class and I think it it also outweighs the natural stoppages during class when you're prompting kids all the time to
put away their phones and the disruption that causes um definitely is a lot more of a burden than the five minutes on the front end and back end. But like I said, we are piloting these across a few classrooms um as we conclude the school year. So I'm looking
forward to to talking more of with those folks as well. Yeah, I think you know, first I appreciate the thoughtful research, the quotes on the yonder pouches. I'm all about scaffolding strategies before we jump to the most extreme, which in this
case would be yonder pouches. And I like the idea of a clear lot box because it's going to be required in every classroom unlike the little ones that we have right now that don't fit all of the phones. And so I think it's a good step to see how it pilots and it works and then we see if it really helps with
mitigation especially because it will be a requirement for all our features. So my question is are we looking to pilot this for next school year starting in the fall. So right now we do have an NF class are piloting um things are working well um but this would be our ultimate
recommendation for next year um to have that consistent uniform approach across the entire school. So it'll be implementation in September. Okay. So then, well, I I'll wait for folks to speak and then I'm going to refer this to the policy subcommittee, but I don't know if anyone else has comments first.
I I'll do the Stacey again. Ma, I just wanted to say I really appreciated the surveys. Um, and it really looked like we got some honest surveys and I was surprised to see how positive
um, not only um, the educators but the families and the students. So, thank you. I appreciate that's a lot of work. Yeah, work. It was something that we wanted to put a lot of time and effort in so that we become whatever recommendation that made sense. Um but also you know hear from important
stakeholders and and and hearing from different schools as well because something is working out there but what is it? Thank you. Uh on that note um you mentioned stakeholders you know so I receive emails from uh educators u they're upset uh and not all of them
some of them you know are completely okay and they manage the classroom differently. Some of our newer educators probably struggle with managing the classroom with cell phones. I can imagine if I was a new teacher dealing with 20 or 30 students per class. Um, so I just want to make sure that they know that we do hear them, but I I I tend to
go right back to the source and and whether it's yourself or Chris to, you know, you we trust you to manage the buildings and and I know that you were working on a process. Uh, it seems like you may have come to some solutions. Um, the big thing is, you know, that educated buy in. We we've had these conversations. We don't want to implement something or force something
down that they're not going to buy into. And it also I would just recommend that the the assurance is that it needs to be it needs to be equal throughout. It can't be and I'm not trying to you know it can't be teacher X is a little cooler a little hipper and decides that they're not going to have this uniform policy
because they can manage their classroom but teacher Y decides that they need to do it. Then what happens is the newer teacher or the teacher that's maybe a little bit um wants to use it is the bad guy. Okay woman, right? So, and the the teacher that has been here for a while that thinks that they can they can
manage it is the cool teacher and you pen teacher against uh student and it makes it really confusing the policy needs to be uniform and I think that that buying is important that everyone needs to understand that if we're going to have a cell phone policy that's a little bit more stringent it needs to be uniform across the board and that's the
expectation of I mean quite frankly your job and I'm not saying that in a threatening manner but more of this is the policy that we adopt we should have the educators there's buy in and we want to get that buy in but and then we when we implement it's it's uniform and in standard. Yeah. No, I I definitely agree
with you and I I feel like we've had lots of conversations behind closed doors about that and consistency like with anything is going to be the difference between something being successful and not successful. And I I don't think it's any different here. So I I definitely agree with you, Mr. Mayor. And I think that's why I like the
survey so much because it was like 170 educators that participated in the survey and to get people to participate anymore is difficult. So yeah, it was definitely our focus group. U we had two sessions as I had highlighted in the memo. We had an AM uh in-person session.
We had about almost 40 caregivers here. Um we had an evening session on Zoom just to so that we could expand our reach. Um and one of the consensus was like we we did like a little informal vote and um parents or caregivers unanimously voted for for this.
And I I would add that to the comments that the mayor just made is that we really are going to need caregiver support. And so one of the reasons we wanted Afton to present and hopefully we can get this to the policy subcommittee pretty quickly so that in June before
we're out of school we can communicate clearly to staff to students and to parents what the expectation is going to be when we come back for the new year and then reinforce it again of course when we come back but make sure everybody leaves this year with an understanding of what next year is going to look like.
Yeah, I think that's so it's something we've talked about in our communication plan and roll out plan is building that communication and momentum um before the last day of school in terms of what plans are. If I can if I can even make a recommendation with our talented arts students, make a video do a a script and
show show how the show how it works in the beginning of the classroom and during and create a set and it goes out goes out to everyone over and over and over again. This is what we're expecting expecting on our cell phone policy when when it's fully adopted. Yeah. Know media is a a relevant way to reach them.
Right. Right. And I know that they're cool and they're afraid. So let's do something else. If I may, first of all, if we are going to establish this policy, it has to be consistent from day one. So what happens when a teacher is out? Is the the sub, you know, who's
handling it, are they going to be updated and follow the policy? So I think that there's a few so obviously recommendation here but I think there's a few pieces to the plan that still need to be ironed out. I would say substitute teachers is definitely one of them. Um I
would say that latter of consequences. So um as we've been piloting this there's been two instances over I believe a 7day period uh where students said they didn't have a device. They did have a device um and it's resulted in latter consequences. So I think being
consistent on that end in terms of what our response is but then also thinking about all possible scenarios. Um I think about also students during period three like what is the process for students getting their phone for lunch and then returning back like just I think there's a few like cakes to work on. There's
some deep fine details to work out but I think um you know this will be the nucleus of of what we build around. And the other thing I wanted to add was is like each student could like be assigned a number or something instead of everybody coming in at once and giving the phone number. It's each one saying
I'm number fifth, number one or number two. Is that how it's going to be? So that that would be our recommendation to teachers and we would have a plan of of what our recommended um you know initial um placing into cell phone into locker box at the beginning of class. So we would develop a routine to share with
teachers on day one. Okay. So again, it's consistent across. Um, so I'm I'm interested in how how do you determine whether you have teacher buy in or not? Like how do you know that we have all the teachers buying in? I think everyone has emphasized that enforcement is key. You say, you know,
how are other districts successful? They're enforcing their policies, right? So, I guess it's it's crucial that we have that educator buy in and the commitment to to enforce this policy and
um and I guess consistency also with the effects when students are not cooperating with this that there's consistent action taken as well. So, my my question really is how do we how do we measure educator buying? I know we
have the survey, but how do we know that we have everyone on board? Do we have them sign an oath? Well, they have to sign off on the faculty handbook at the beginning of the year. And this is one of the things that is included in that is that they will follow all policies of the school committee. Um, so if this
does go to policy subcommittee and gets voted, then that would be added to their faculty handbook. Um, but it's something that would happen through the routine evaluation process of educators. So if there was a teacher who repeatedly administrators were going in and phones were out and you know things of that
nature were happening that would be um addressed through the evaluation protocol. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. I just have one question. Are we concerned about someone taking someone else's phone? Um I think in my three years here that has been
something that's happened. No I mean with this Yeah. box is open. It's the end of the class. It might even be accidental. Phones all I mean pretty much phones all look alike and again I realized the number but I mean I grabbed the wrong one but it's accidental. You'll get it back. You'll get it back. All right. So I know I was trying to be kind. What if it's not accidental? I
took I took you off phone because I want to see what's in your you know. So you mean non-acal? Well yeah I guess. Yeah. Um I would say in my three years here and I know Mr. Me and Mr. Bowen were talking about this a little bit. Um no only because they're in the same place. I don't mean someone going in someone's pocket and taking out a phone but all
the phones are in there. I'm sitting in the front of the class. I grab number five and I'm supposed to take number 14. I walk out the door. All of a sudden, 14 says, "Hey, my phone's gone." Flip phone is gone. Looking at the different solutions, um, this tends to be the most
secure in terms against potential accidental like taking somebody else's phone and or theft. Um, we're worried about our liability. I mean, phones are $1,000 and if someone steals someone's phone because we put it in a box, aren't we on a good point? Let's hear what her
full response is. Yeah. Um so thinking about some of the alternative solutions um specifically the um the caddies that go over the door, right? Those are not locked. So that would be another potential option that a lot of school districts have gone to. Um this is locked. This is secured. It would be the
responsibility of the teacher to make sure that you know John has slot one. As John exits the room, John is going to slot one and taking out his phone. So it would fall on the responsibility of teachers to um to be able to carry out the policy and execute it effectively dayto-day. But I think that that's a
great way um that's a great point and a way that I think that parents and caregivers can help us because there are a lot of kids who maybe don't need to have their phone during the day at all. And if their child happens to be one such child who doesn't need to have a
phone at all, we would encourage them to have them leave it at home. Um, so there are things that that parents can help us with to help mitigate this and make it a little bit less um of a problem. I know that there is some talk about um legislation
happening at the state level that will ban ban cell phones from secondary schools. Uh and so that's something that could be coming on the horizon. In which case we'd be saying, you know, well, we don't have to worry about these because kids aren't allowed to bring cell phones
into schools anymore. Um the Senate President's talked about that. She used to be a teacher, which I didn't know. Um yeah, she has a concern about it. So, and if the Senate President usually talking about something, you know, generally something happens. It's not in no respect to everyone else, but you know, they tend to get their items on
the agenda. No. And but no matter right, they're not supposed to bring I think we're still going to be faced with the same issues always. You know what I mean? No matter what the the policy is. And and one other point that I want to make is uh 99.999% of our kids aren't even going to
think about grabbing somebody else's phone. Uh and so we have to keep that in mind that the vast majority of our kids are good and honest and kind their phones and they are probably suggested they weren't. But yeah, life happens. I think there's a lot of like life happens like what ifs
that we we need to think about. Like last night I was thinking what if what if they're like what if they're on say in here and flashing and be like what what if need be explicit about you need to turn off your phone before you put it in. So I think there's a lot of different nuances that we need to plan for and um you know that being one of
them and um MF yeah I just I'm not sure why this was presented here. I think it would have been much more impactful at our regular six o'clock meeting which we did it here because Dean has to get to the prom. I'm
sorry. Get on the red carpet. Can you come back? No, because it is important that everyone hears about it right from the beginning, the buy in. I like the video of and us all sharing it and getting it
getting the word out there. It's It's almost like a a campaign, right? Exactly. get the get the word out and and again get the word out to all of our stakeholders because we truly need families to partner with us um and everyone to to understand expectations day one.
Great presentation. Thank you for your uh with that. I'd like to refer this to the policy subcommittee for further discussion. And so my recommendation would be that we know this might take time. Your school year is only a few weeks away. So we, you know, Dr. Kelly,
you could choose to put out communication that is this is something that the committee is considering so folks know before the school year is over even though there's a chance we might not come to that formal decision. That way you all can start planning and preparing people. Not saying that I know what the vote's going to be, but it
helps with your your point of we need to let folks know this is a possibility before the school year is over and that way we can do our part and and schedule that meeting and start to discuss. Yeah, I could schedule a meeting or at least try to schedule a meeting in the first
few weeks of June. Thank you so much. If anyone needs rides home, let us know. Thank you. Thank you. I I can I say that a little bit more clearly? Uh the mayor has offered to make sure that any student who might
need a ride home from the prom um officer Singer will be there Dr. That will get the rides home. Question free. Question free. Thank you. To the home. Absolutely. To the home. Not to right. Not to the
holiday or get the rides home. I I will come on my own. Don't say yes to too many. Thank you. Have a great time. Thank you very much for your presentation. Can I just explain a little bit about the next item on the agenda? Go for it. Um so the the next item on our agenda is
part of the advanced research independent study program that the Susan Banthony has implemented um through that tech micott which you go write that I almost said conley old habits um is the teacher of that independent
study and as part of our effort to make sure that we're engaging students in rig um rigorous educational experiences where they are able to see and articulate themselves in their learning. Um um Miss McGillicott has designed this
course that students sign up to take and part of that is that they have to do a public presentation of the research project that they completed over the course of the year. And um so we have two students with us tonight and their families. Thank you all for being here. Um and also I want to acknowledge the
Susan B. Anthony administrative team is here as well. Um and uh Gabriella and Rana are going to share with us uh information from the research projects that they spent a good chunk of this year um working on. Uh and and I just
want to remind the committee, of course, you can ask them questions and talk to them. Their pre they're part of their grade is to present in public. And so that's why they're here. Not necessarily to say that we should put funding into their programs, not necessarily to say
that we shouldn't, but um they their presentation to a public forum is part of their grade. And so that's what they're here for tonight. And I don't know who wants to go first. You're gonna go first. Okay. Um do you have one more caveat about
that? Um so they had two options um to choose for their project and one was to create an actual change within the school. Um so the goal was to bring something new or make a change in the school or to um talk about a global issue and both of these students went
with a school school focused project and they're going to be presenting right over here. Um, hello. Good afternoon. My name is Gabrielle and I am a student at the Susan B. Anthony Middle School. Um, I am
so honored to be here today to speak to you all and um, I just want to start start off by thanking all of you for having me here, especially Mr. Kingston and Miss Miguel for all your support and including Mr. Fellows over at the high
school. Um, the reason why I'm here, why I'm here today is because I wish to speak to you all about a project that I've been working on. It was done for my independent research class where I was given the freedom to choose any topic that I wanted. And for me, that was to
bring this program to the next. Um, as you all have probably heard of, there is a club at the high school revolving around Mal United Nations or more commonly known as UN. Um, today I will be covering what ML
law is, um, a bit of the teaching plan like the course outline and discussing the financial plan needed for this to happen. For a bit more clarification, Molly is a program where students roll as real world delegates or countries of
the members of the United Nations. It is usually presented to schools in a form of a club or even class. Though the ultimate goal is to bring to the SPS club one serves as a place for students to learn communication, negotiation and decision-making skills while still
interacting with other student delegates from schools all around state or sometimes even the country. It gives them a sense of power and responsibility while slipping apart from the competitive learning environment. The high school already has
one and they've done an amazing job with it. But I know that there at there are kids at this young age with the mentality to go along with this project and they can really profit from this experience. We already have such a diverse community here. So why not take
this opportunity, this uniqueness and allow students to take their own view of the world and its problems. The program itself um the the program itself was created to teach students about contemporary global issues and advance the understanding of
new. The students are given a country at random by the facilitators of the program to represent and speak about whatever the given topic is. The topic could be about water supply, immigration or even things like food shortages. The actual uh program takes places in
colleges all around further benefiting students by giving them new setting something different. For example, they've had programs at colleges like Boston University, MIT, Suffach University, and even Harvard. The way that I got into Molly Web was through a recommendation, an
essay, and a survey that I had to complete just to be able to get a scholarship. With this program, not only will students be able to enter easier, but parents and students don't have to worry as much about financial restrictions, transportation, and enter the program without
alone. When I got in, I was overjoyed. I met so many different people, and it was one of the best educational experiences I have ever had. Um, SBA is made up of student leaders. We already have the writing center, community club, Girl Scouts, and many more kids that looking for leadership
opportunities or even just places for them to speak their voices. These kids have so many talents that they can be embraced even more. Kids who have an interest in law, international organizations, speakers, and even kids who are just doing it for fun will find this program endearing.
It supports kids who have an interest in writing or speaking and it guides them. Not only is Mon interactive but has amazing educational Bible that will enhance the students communication skills, writing capabilities and even confidence. This program will present
students with skills they will forever use. Isn't that the goal of our school to push kids to do their best and teach them to prepare them for the future? Monu will teach them that it isn't just always about winners and losers, but about finding something that they can all agree on. It will provide them with
a new setting, an environment where not everything is structured for them, where they will have to learn to make allies, speeches, and proposals by themselves. This itself is deeper learning at its finest. And I know that they can handle this because the
students at our school are incredible. The coursework itself for the club is straightforward and would be preparation for future conferences like speaking exercises, debate topics, and speech writing. Students will practice working together efficiently to come with
solutions to their designated topic to prepare them for actual conferences that are to come. The club will meet once one day a week, but the exact date is something that the adviser of the club will decide. Speaking of, I have already approached a staff member at the SBA who is Mr. Obon, a geography
teacher and he has agreed to take on the role as the emulated advisor. Now, our only grant full block is funding. The grant would be earmarked for three things. Money for training program, which is also
um money that is Oh, yeah. Sorry. um which is also called a delegate and faculty advisor fee, a stip stipen for the club adviser and transportation fees. The benefits of model program will
far outweigh these costs if kids in the high school already benefited from this program so much that stays with them throughout college. Can you imagine what will happen if we present this to middle schoolers? I do hope you'll consider fully funding
the school model club and thank you all so much for listening. I do have student graphs that I have taken from high school students if you are interested about their opinions on bring it to the middle school or how they felt doing the club
itself. And thank you um thank you all so much for being here today. It was really nice speaking to you all. My email is up here. Um, enjoy your lunch. Thank you very much. I'm sold.
Mr. Kingston, I had the distinct pleasure of being at the SBA for an event and Miss Wlette, if she remembers, kind of pushed me into the library to watch this presentation. I believe there were four presentations that day. That's what I remember. 86. Anyway, um, so I
think you should have got an A for the first time you did it. I'll give you a name for this one, too. And we'll have that conversation afterwards. EC all the way. EC. Yeah. EC all the way. But you I I think it's great and I obviously support this and we'll do our best to try to help you as much as we can because I do think it's great and I think you did a great job. You did a
great job the first time and you did a great job today. You should be very proud of yourself for a young person to get up and speak in front of these people. I think it, you know, and as you did, there were even more people at the SBA that day. I think it takes a lot of courage and um I really I really admire you. Thank you.
I was gonna say it's a great program. I got to do model UN and I even got to travel to Stockholm out in Sweden because we were able to have a delegate sponsor to take us all the way. So, it's a great initiative. Great program. And public speaking is, as you can see, is something that if
you're learning in this, it's going to it's going to carry with you no matter where you go because you're always going to be in a role that you're going to have to address a crowd, especially if you want to get up there and be a big shot someday. Great. Well, she surpasses my public
speaking, so me too. Me, too. Good job. Thank you. Take care. Good evening everybody. My name is Ga and I'm a student at the Sis Bing Middle School. Um today my research topic is about implementing head units in lunches.
Um, so these are the topics that we're going to be covering for today. Number one is my introduction. Basically, a brief summary of what I would like to achieve. Number two, our current school lunches. Um, what our school usually offers. Number three, steps we can take. What we as a community can do uh to make
our community a better place for all. And number four, my conclusion, my overall message to you. My presentation. My mission is to create a greater inclusivity in rever public schools by ensuring that all students have access to meals that respect their
dietary and cultural needs. By advocating for the inclusion of headed food options during lunch, I aim to support a more welcoming and equitable environment where every student feels seen, respected, and nourished. This small but meaningful change can help build a stronger, more united school
community. So I will now be talking about what is ha meat. Han meat must meet this criteria. Um first of all the meat is free from certain substances such as alcohol and toxic pork pork etc. Um the
meat is processed in accordance with Islamic dietary laws. The animal was treated humanely and the slaughtering process thought to reduce the animals pain and suffering. While I was survey surveying the students about my topic, one student
told me, I think the more options have, the more inclusive questions will be. And now on to our current. So as the calendar, one out of the 16 in April offer me. Many parents
face challenges lunches for their children when not the only option offering their school. Limited time, financial help, and school work commitments will make daily lunch preparations difficult, leaving children without suitable meal choices that align
with their dietary and religious needs. Which is why I believe me should be offered among standard meat and to ensure variety. So while I was researching I found a few companies that offer hen meat um to
schools in Massachusetts. Companies like Sedexo Cisco and RMR usually provide hed kosher and other specializ specialized food options to educational institutions. Additionally, contacting Boston public schools directly can provide useful information on their
available hed and kosher meal options as they may have already established partnerships with suppliers for such meals. Building a unified community. When hed food options are available in school, it ensures Muslims are not disadvantaged or included in the same
opportunity as their non-Muslim peers. Um, it is a matter of equity and fairness, allowing all students to thrive in a learning environment where their religious and cultural needs are met and nourished. My conclusion, young students
need more than just Gilbert and white snacks to stay energized and focused throughout our school day. They require balance notes that include go for proper growth and development. For students who eat only halen meat, it's essential that schools provide halen meat options
alongside standard meat choices. This ensures all children have equal access to nutritious meals that support their health and academic performance. Thank you. Well, last night I downloaded the Boston
lunch menu and was trying to compare it with Oz. Um, and then I got [Laughter] hungry. Um, but I am going to go back. I'm going to look at it. I know Arama was our um supplier this year. I know
she was trying to get more halal u meats on the calendar. Um and it was difficult finding someone local for the price that we could pay, but hopefully now that maybe food prices are coming down a little bit more.
Um maybe we can see more days on that menu. So, thank you. We are going to a different food service provider in the fall. We just signed a new contract. So, there may be some changes. I'm not sure. I think I emailed you and mentioned that to you that we were changing food preservers so I
couldn't say how many we were going to have. The only thing I will say as a positive on field day because I've grilled four schools. All the um hamburgers on field day are are halal meat. It says right on the box and when I'm handing out hamburgers after I finish cooking them, I tell every kid I
see I said this is halal. And they're very happy about that. So I totally agree with you. Again, like Mr. Rizzo said, it is a supply chain problem. there's just not enough supplier and probably someone like Boston is probably grabbing you know the areas there so many there's 40,000 students in Boston they're probably grabbing a big portion
of the available supply but it's something we can look at and when the when the menu comes out in the fall we'll look at it yeah I also want to add that like I'm really happy that um held meat was implemented in field day um meals I think that it's important like during the day everybody's running it's
hot you know you need that protein so um I know When I was younger, I think it was like I had my mom, she used to have me my lunch for field day and I greatly appreciate that and I appreciate that privilege. Um, but now seeing like my sister, she's in Virginia public schools
too. Getting to see her have like the privilege to eat hidden meat and field day along with her peers is great. Thank you. Appreciate it. I can quickly cover the next one which is um we had an email from u Mrs. Rizzo
about future teacher signing day and I just wanted to let the committee know that I spoke to Mrs. Finn about that and we will be having a future teacher signing day this year. Um we're trying to finalize plans for that and think about when we can actually entice the kids and their families to come. Um so
one of the things that we were talking about was doing it in conjunction with the senior scholarship night. Um so exact exact details to follow but we are working on it and look we'll have a new person coming in so maybe that person
you know makes some tweaks for next year and it's kind of last minute but y we could bring that box with us thank you thank you very Thank you. So, we're on five. Correct. Yes. School
transportation policy and state mandated requirements. Um I don't know if you had some data you wanted to share, some new information, Dr. Kelly, or Yeah, sure. So, um, one of the things that, um, I talked a little bit yesterday at the budget meeting was that
we that Matt and I did meet with the Department of Education to talk more about schedule 19, but as part of that conversation to also talk about, um, transportation and funding. Um, and you know, one of one of the things that was made clearer to us is that um, the law
actually only requires that you transport students in grades kindergarten, sixth grade through sixth grade. Um, so I know one of the charges the mayor has given to the committee is to consider uh what their policy is on
student transportation. Um, and I think in past meetings we had said that you had to transport anybody over 2 miles. Um, that's only true for children in grades kindergarten through six. Um, so we one thing I wanted to do is make sure that the school committee had that
accurate information as you deliberate on um, changes that might be coming to the transportation program. Um, I did talk to the mayor about making sure that we have decisions made sooner than later on this as well so we can notify families and they can make um,
appropriate arrangements if they need to um, for next school year. Uh well if anyone has any comments on that but you know I I just kind of want to reiterate we had a budget conversation yesterday with the school committee but it's you know it's unfortunate but school transportation
has completely outpaced um the city's ability and grow growth when it comes to you know what we return what the tax implicate implic implications are you know transportation costs have risen 10 12 15% uh over the last number of years
every single here our city's growth on revenues is three two two three 4%. Um even with even with growth when people see you know new construction and whatnot the state's um finances you know through you know I know some people are going to be in the legislature tomorrow
you champion for the UGGA we were we were given zero from the senate I'm sorry the uh from the house zero zero not not zero the governor recommended 2.2% 2% that's was based on what her expected growth is. Even 2.2% which
we're hoping the Senate kicks back in will equate to, you know, $200,000. Uh it doesn't cover the cost the the $2 million increase in cost on the transportation. Never mind, as mentioned, $6 million increased cost on on health insurance premiums. That is
that $8 million right there is everything times two of the city's growth. Two budget items. So, we have to make difficult decisions when it comes to what we can offer, not what we want to offer. If I could send jet planes to everyone's house and pick them up and drop them off, we do we do that. But we
can't. And we also can't bust every single student. And that's just unfortunate. But, uh, we we have given the city city side because the city pays for transportation, right? There are reimburseables when it comes to circuit breakers and special education, but the city funds the city side funds the the
transportation. And we've we've given the the superintendent a number to work with. That is higher than last year. Last year, the city gave what? 9.2 million. This year, I think we're we're estimating around 9.7 million. Uh that's a $500,000 increase. That is, do the
math. It's roughly 5%. That's what we're we're giving that number to work within. I think the onus should be on us to dictate what the city should or the school should should be able to offer for transportation. Obviously given the minimum the min
minimum amount that we have to we have to uh we're obligated to transport people with special uh special needs and disabilities and also certain educational plans and homeless homeless students. Um but I also think it's good a good opportunity to reflect on our transportation companies and what
they're charging us and uh and what we can hold them accountable for. And I also think that and I think that our team very small team does a very good job of managing the transportation department. There's only I don't know two people. Um and they do they do yman's work is maybe reflect on the
buses making sure that they're filled and they're being adequately uh used and appropriated and they're not just one one passenger for a 12 passenger vehicle that the buses if they have 50 seats 50 seats are being utilized. Uh, double runs are something that you work on and I know that they do a very good job, but
I always, you know, that there's always some waste in every program and I'm not saying there's abuse, but there's waste, just natural waste. Some students decided not to use the busing system and that seat's empty. City of Boston has dictated that if you don't go on the bus for three consecutive days, I believe
they they they remove you from the busing program because they're they're faced with the same burden. And just just to um put it into context, the Boston's um budget is probably 10 times the city of Rivier. How do they how do they um manage that? Like how do they
facilitate that? There's I think there's like I think there's like a a fob or some sort of a swiping system. They swipe it when they And I also think it's a good opportunity for us to really investigate the public transportation system that we have in our city that does that does bus students. I used I used public
transportation for busing when I was in middle middle school. you grew up in Everett as well. We went from the top of Elm Street. We took the 110 to Broadway and that's what we did. And it was perfectly fine. And it wasn't designated to just students. I was a 12-year-old, too. And I got on it, put my quarter on
the bus. I went to I went to high school. I went to middle school and then high school. Uh and then when I didn't catch the bus, I walked. So, it's just it's the it's the unfortunate reality. And I hate to be the the skunk at the garden party, but
we h we have to we have to take into consideration the reality of what we're faced with. Do we, you know, otherwise it's one of those where I mean, more positions do you want to take a look at? It's it's it's not an if or it's not a when, it's a it's a guarantee we have to make these
tough decisions, especially this year. Mhm. Go ahead. So what is the next step with that? I guess is what I would ask because could you repeat I I want to write it down what you said your statement about what Jesse said or who are the second
um K the law only requires K to 12 transportation over 200 miles to 86. So technically seventh, eighth, and high school students are not entitled to any transportation
regardless of how far they live. I I think we would need um I think we would need figures and various scenarios. So recommendation, but that was just for if we didn't I thought that was limited to
if we only did two miles, right? No, we did two miles, one mile, and no miles for the middle schools. Correct. It was lottery plus one mile, lottery plus 2 miles, no lottery, 2 mile radius, but that was a year three saving estimate.
That was right. That was not right. I think that was in contemplation of of the lottery and the impact that it would have if we financially if we were to do away with it. I think for this for these purposes, we would need probably to hear from the transportation
department any efforts that they're they can make on their end. So, we've done all of that. We've um talked to Chelsea and Winreup about um trying to find some economy by working with them to combine runs. If we have um kids that are going
to Landmark, the example we gave was if there was one kid from Winthrop and two from Rier and one from Chelsea, send them on one bus and um Winthre pays 25% of the cost, we pay 50% and Chelsea pays 25. Our transportation director is
working with them now along with Richie Blue to see if there's any of those runs that we can uh make work. They're really looking in depth at those things. Okay. Um, so we we've really we really have done all of the work of inspecting every run and every bus and and every other
thing. What we need to know is what does the school committee want to do regarding transportation and then from there um we can we can make the cuts and that you can think of as a general statement um a regular full-size yellow bus because we're not talking about the
special needs kids as much. We're working on economy there but there's less option there. We're required by a lot of transport them. So, no matter what, that that's got to stay in place. But for the big yellow buses, it's roughly $350,000 a year per bus. Is that right?
Um Oh, no. Sorry. That's for three. It's about 100. Right. Right. Yeah. How how much of And I should probably know this. I apologize, but maybe one of you have it off the top of your head. I know that we're talking about I mean the special needs um and
the homeless transportation that really eats up a very large portion of the transportation budget. How much is left for those students who are uh in district? How much of the of the the pie, if you will, are we talking about?
So we're talking about 25 buses at that rate. So $2.6 million out of the whole transportation budget. And the whole transportation budget is estimated at 11.7 million. That's with the reimbursements. It's 14.5 million with
no reimbursements, but there's pronounced reimbursements for special education and homeless. And this and the city's saying that they're going to give us 10 uh 9.7. I thought 10 9.77. I think there could be some room for
champion. However, I just want to make that and just so everyone can put into context. The city's police department is less than budget is less than $14 million a year. The city's fire department budget is less than $14 million a year. Okay? The city's DPW staffing is less than $14 million. The entire city hall is less than $14
million a year. So, we have a problem. We're obligated to help solve and we have to address it. There's no ignoring it anymore. We've ignored it for a long time. The ESSER money has supported it over the last three years. We can't ignore the problem anymore. We cannot.
I if I can make a suggestion for us to continue this conversation and the next one under old business just because we're almost at 6 p.m. and I don't want us to rush any important conversations. I think it should also be brought out
surrounding communities what policies are in place and have been in place for years. That may surprise an awful lot of people. Well, right to show that we are we're very giving. We're very we're very we've been very generous with our transportation and it's unfortunately a
it has to I mean it's it's a it's been a luxury and we have to kind of we have to hold that and also that there are children that use the bus only mornings only afternoons. So I think part of the survey or whatever we're going to look
at um you know it's not actually it's a session and I always think we have to be fiscally responsible for our school system but we also have to think about taxpayers too y and they're taking you
know they've taken a good bulk of it so I mean I think we have to look at I think we all know what we're discussing we all appreciate that there's there's cuts happening yeah everywhere. So, I just think we have to work on the end. But I think the mayor
kind of covered what the bus companies themselves are doing. They're bidding singularly districtwide. You don't come into my territory. I won't go into your territory. So, when it's the only show in town, they can literally charge what they want. There's ways to counter that,
too. One question I want to ask. Did we ever think about when we put it off a bid? You see how like with 311 we work with Chelsea and Win that we combine the buying power say say Rever and Chelsea one bid you get River and Chelsea you
know and put it out to the bus companies and so on instead of each I think it's you have more I think you can negotiate right when we have least we have I think that's definitely something we should consider I have not considered I I don't I really wasn't involved in the school
bus up until now and I think I'm going to get more involved in the next bidding cycle. I don't know if it's going to help us for our purposes now, but it's definitely worth it to look at. But I think we need to look at it sooner rather than later so that anything we're doing, transportation can get ready and
make any changes that they need. The one thing we would say is it was helpful when we were we were asked and I was working with Denise these two scenarios. Can you run the savings on those? So if we want to run the savings on
there's no transportation for the high school at all. What is that? If there's other scenarios that the committee wants to run, I can sit with Denise and do the similar analytical, you know, four months ago on on some of that. I I'll send you an
email. I'll have to think about that. Yeah, let's I don't want us to wrap up this conversation because I have thoughts as well. So let's continue it at 6 PM. So with that, a motion to adjurnn. Second. I I'm very sorry. Part: 2
Okay, good evening everyone. Welcome to the REA School Committee meeting of Mon Tuesday, May 20th, 2025. We'll all rise and salute the flag to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it
stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mrs. Bronston Rizzo here. Mr. Kajiano here. Mr. Kingston here. Mrs. Aisha Milellis present. Miss Monttoroso.
Mr. Sella present. Mayor Keefe here. Okay. First item of business, we have recognition. Oh, Miss Montroso is here. Recognition. Oh, no recognition. Okay, we have the consent calendar.
Motion to approve the consent calendar. Second. Any discussion? Roll call, please. Roll call, please. Oh, you want to do all in favor? No. All in favor? I represent. Student representative
report. Oh, no report. You're not going to the prom? Um, no. I'm a junior. Good evening. But as we're fastly approaching the end of the year with AP exams and standardized testing, most clubs and sports are coming to a close. But I hope
all seniors enjoy their senior prom tonight, including our senior rep, Sas Mendoza. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, this time we have public speak. If anyone wishes to speak during this portion, feel free to come
on up. Um, so Mr. Mayor, what we'll do is as usual, uh, we will, uh, read off the names. You have two minutes to speak when the timer goes off. Your time has gone off. Sorry, what is it? Three. Uh,
yes, three minutes. Okay. Bestie, I was I was at bestie earlier and I had two minutes. Uh, and then people can still sign up to speak until the end. So, there's an extra sheet in the back or you can just um line up to speak. So, the first Well, you're already there. What's your name? Um,
okay. Good. Good evening. My name is Jessica Gagnon. I live at 20 Fellows A Terrace in Medford and I am the Garfield Middle School nurse. I am here tonight with my nursing colleagues to support the retaining of our health aid positions. The health aids assist the
nursing staff with numerous tasks, but their most important role is helping to maintain a safe school environment. Though I do not have a designated health aid, I utilize the aid assigned to the Garfield Elementary School often when I need to cover the Gar Garfield complex
and I'm responsible for 1,200 students. Having a knowledgeable staff member in the office who knows the students and is able to assist me has been invaluable. Connie Ganon lives in Lynfield and is a nurse at the Hill School. She has worked in the district for 26 years. She could
not come tonight but requested that I read her statement. It is sobering to learn that the district is in a budget deficit. While all aspects of the school department are under scrutiny, it is apparent that a number of jobs will be lost. We fully understand that teachers will be
affected and we are in full support of our colleagues tonight. However, we are here to speak about losing the six health aid positions that are remaining as well as the 0.5 nursing position. The health aids were brought into our offices as we returned to school during
the CO 19 pandemic. We trained them to test and care for potentially COVID positive staff and students at a time when we did not have a full understanding of the scope of the virus. The job was quite demanding during that time. We also trained the health aids to
help with the flow and functions of the health office. They have been a tremendous asset in regards to triaging students, screening students, and giving care to students. Some of our health aid positions have been lost due to attrition. Now we face losing the rest
of that workforce. Several of our single nurse buildings see upwards of 40 and 50 students per day. If health aids are removed, it will pose a serious safety risk to our offices, particularly if nurses are tied up with one student.
Anyone who has been inside a busy health office knows how quickly the acuity can change. We are asking that these positions be preserved. The point five nursing position as well as the six health aid positions. Thank you for your consideration. Good evening. My name is
Isabelle Katano. Um I'm from Venice Vin Sagos. am the school nurse at Garfield Elementary where I serve 657 students. Uh each day I manage a wide range of health needs from daily
medications due to feedings, diabetic care, asthma, injuries, and mental health issues. I see an average of 40 plus students every single day trying to manage multiple situations
at once. Like a child having a diabetic emergency while another one is vomiting in the hallway and a third one is waiting for me for a daily med can be very challenging. It can become unsafe
without the proper support. That's why I'm here to ask for your support in keeping our health aids. Our health, our healthy Anna is not just helpful. She is essential. She
assists with triage, basic care, screenings, and keeps things moving so that students aren't waiting too long or missing class. Most importantly, Anna gives me the time I need to complete care plans,
documentation, and compliance paperwork. Tasks that are just not as critical as direct care. Without her, that side of the job suffers and does not um and so does a student safety.
In a school of this size, without the level of need, one nurse simply cannot do it all alone. Please help us keep Anna and our health aids in their positions. I urge I urge you to prioritize these health a positions as a
critical investment in student safety, academic readiness, and schoolwide well-being. Thank you. Good evening. Thank you for allowing me to speak today about a matter that lies at the heart of our school's mission, our school's
health, safety, and well-being. Sorry. Could you please start with your name and then just your street address? Oh, Angela Chakolo, uh, Warren Street, Reier. Okay, thank you. I started your time. Okay. I want to highlight the essential role that our health aid, Nubia
Figureroa, plays in our school nurse office that's here at Revia High School. one of the nurses here. Uh her presence is vital in maintaining student safety, accountability, and effective communication, especially when most of our students speak
Spanish. The health aid and the nurse are often the first responders here at Revier High School to emergency calls within the school building. This allows for immediate assessment through translation and provides our nurse with correct information needed to keep our students
safe and deliver quick and efficient care during emergencies. Nubia provides a student with clear communication, support, and reassurance that their medical needs are communicated in their primary language. Having someone who can bridge the language gap ensures that all
students and their families receive proper care, particularly during stress and urgency. This provides reassurance to parents that their children are being heard, seen, and understood in these sometimes critical moments. The presence of a skilled health aid in our nurse
office is not a luxury. It is a necessity. Nubia's expertise and her role as a health check and her proficiency in the Spanish language and Spanish culture directly contributes to our nurses ability to des deliver safe
and effective nursing care. I also humbly urge you to recognize and support the invaluable role of our health aids. I sincerely hope that the school committee and the community recognize our health tech's profound impact on our
school health offices and vote to keep them. Thank you. Anyone else? Do we have anyone on Zoom? Dr. Kelly. With that, I make a motion to close public speak.
Second. All in favor? I I Okay. Thank you. Uh superintendent report. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um we have two presentations this evening to share with the school comm with the school
committee. Um and the first is from our friends at the Garfield Elementary School um who are going to come up and do their presentation. And it looks like Adriana um I was gonna say Trangali, but Adriana Delg Greco is gonna lead the
team. Thank you. Great. I also have with me Kate Kelly, our school adjustment counselor, and Zra Martinez, our grade 1 teacher, um who are definitely integral people to um get this resource fair up and off the ground. So I would like to
start first with a um quote, equality means nothing without equity and equity means giving people what they need to enjoy full access to opportunities. And this quote is the heart um of why we organize our annual resource fair each
year. We want to connect our families with the tools and services that support their unique needs and ensure equitable access to opportunities in our school. The Garfield Elementary School is part of a diverse and vibrant community and
Rea offers a wealth of opportunities for our families. Our goal is to make sure families know what's available and can easily access the resources that they need. Our equity team saw this as an opportunity to support the whole child by under by addressing more than just
academics. Guided by Maslo's hierarchy of needs, we understand that for students to thrive, their basic needs like safety, wellness, and a sense of belonging must first be met. I'll turn it over to K. Kelly. Um, so when we were determining
how we were going to start this equity um the sorry, this resource fair, we started three years ago and the equity team partnered with the school adjustment counselors at Garfield. Um at the time Karen subtle was with us there and she had a great um community of support in terms of uh different
partnerships and resources available. So our goal initially was really to increase the ease and access to existing community support. So we know there are tons of supports within the river community and we wanted to make it easy for our families to be able to access them. We also wanted to increase
participation within our community so our families had more opportunities to get together because the families in and of themselves can be great resources to each other. Um so we did have a whole bunch of partners um attend. We had our family support and education partners,
youth programming and then um health and health care. So we again had just were able to take advantage of all of the great partnerships that exist within RER. Um, we reached out to them just through email. We made our list. A bunch of people responded. Um, and we were
able to have, I believe, 16 partners our first year, 18 our second, and we had 22 this past year. So, it's a great opportunity for our families to sign up on the spot and actually get to talk to someone that works within the organization, most of the time in their primary language. Um, so it kind of gets
rid of those barriers that families sometimes face when they just have to make a phone call. Hi, Zara Martinez. Um, we also thought of things that students could be doing while families were um being introduced to all of our resources. So, um, some of
the things that we included was a mini touch a truck, which they were very excited for, and a gaga ball pit was a part of it um to motivate students to bring their families. They were very excited um to share with them and they kept them entertained as caregivers
spoke with the vendors. Another part of our resource fair that was very popular was the clothing popup that we had. We offered upcycled clothing as part of our resource sharing efforts. Staff contributed clothing in a variety of
different sizes for children and adults. We displayed the clothing to make sure that everyone could see what was available and they were able to browse and take as they needed. And then the remaining of the articles that were not um used or taken,
we donated to local organizations. In closing, we would like to share our key takeaways. Our resource fair has grown into one of our most attend well attended events at the Garfield School. It's now in its third year. It reflects strong family interest
and has been made possible through great collaboration with our community partners. Students also play a big role in its success by helping spread the world word and build excitement. So, thank you very much. Any questions? Mr.
I had the pleasure of being there for the event and I would I would hazard there were four or 500 people there. I know I had 400 giveaways and they were all gone. So, it was very well attended. I thought it was great. I was especially impressed with the close. I know that probably helped a lot of people. So, I thought that was maybe the best part for
me as far as what I could see, but I thought it was very well attended and I thought you folks did a great job organizing. Everything was run very smoothly and um it was a great experience. Thank you. Thank you. And we um thank St. Jeans for always being there. Any other questions?
Well, congratulations. Good job. Thank you very Thank you very much. Miss Williams, the fine arts director. I come along from the first year when I started as director. I brought so many people with me. I was we took up your whole
meeting. So, I come alone. Um I have some slides with some photos of um what we've been up to. We've been had a really busy year. Um I just got want to start with updating what's been happening at RHS. Last year we talked um about the added electives that we were able to add. Um so this year we did add
intro to voice um which brought uh like it was a small group. It's growing for next year, but the students went out into the community um saying at some of the nursing homes. Uh they partnered with the middle schools to put on a river sing event which um will come up in another slide. Um which was really
successful and a lot of students are requesting to take that class next year. We added which was not originally in the plan um but with some movement in positions we were able to add a tech theater. Um, we have a theater teacher
now who has experience in tech theater and it turned out, we didn't add it till second semester, but it turned out to be a huge success. They helped build the set for Greece. Um, and they next year we have how many 40 student requests to take it and we're going to run it first
semester and second semester. Um, we did add theater nine for freshmen this year. Um the numbers were a little bit lower than I'd like to see, but for next year we do have 69 students requesting theater. We have 103 students requesting um music. This
is just freshmen that are requesting coming in. And then basic art nine, we have 218 students. Overall for requests for next year, we have 1516 students requesting arts electives at RHS. Um 218
alone is for ceramics. Okay, next slide. Um, this was our River Sings event. I just want to give a shout out to our chorus and music teacher here at Rivier High School, um, Nicole Farrier. She um, took a big step in teacher leadership this year and planned this event, um, collaborated with the
middle schools and, um, had a night of of singing um, which she's already put on the calendar for next year and is excited to do again. And this year we're hoping to invite our elementary um group that's now in its third year, the River Youth Singers, which um I'll talk about
again later. Um our next event was our production of Grace this year um under direction of Christina Manissian um assistant director Craig Casper and musical director Nicole Furrier, same teacher that is um did the Rever sings
event. Uh we had a huge sellout almost sellout two night shows. We sold over a thousand tickets and 51 students participated and six of those students were city lab students. Um here's some images from Greece. They also over February vacation visited the
Jack Sadder House and sang for the residents and did a question and answer with the residents. Um we did have 35 residents attend the show opening night which was really exciting. Some came dressed in their pink ladies jackets. A lot talked about what it was like to be
at River High School and um some did graduate around the time of Greece. So, it was it was nice. They talked a lot about how their skirts had to be below their knees and it was a good experience for our students. Um this year we did have a music grant um that has helped us
um add a jazz ensemble. This was a student choice student request. A lot of um students were asking for it. Um so we have a part-time teacher. You can see here in this um picture it's GMO Ortiz. He is actually a music teacher in Milton lives in Winthrop. So he was a perfect
candidate and is running the jazz ensemble that meets on Mondays and we're going to continue that through next year um because we were rewarded the grant again. Our rock ensemble performed a concert of Santana this year. Um it was really an incredible twoight show. A lot
of these students um really resonated with Santana and talked about how that some of the music that they learned and played as a band um was music that they listened to growing up but also that their parents had taught them. Um one student said it was like the first song he learned to play six years ago was a
Santana song. So they were really connected to the artist this year. Um it was a great show. You can watch it. It's on River TV if you weren't able to attend. Um the RHS you those are just some more pictures from our concert. They sold about 307 tickets over the two
nights. Um opening for them was our pop ensemble. So now we have three ensembles which we used to only have one. Um the pop ensemble, it's been really incredible to see how much community outreach they've done this year. Um they were at Deck the Halls for the seniors. They did the city parade. Um they've
been in both talent shows this year and they opened for Santana. Coming up next week they have their a concert at Zumx which um is exciting like getting out into the community. A lot of our music students do perform and are part of Zumx. Um, ZoomX also provided some
professional development for our music teachers and they also played at our district-wide showcase that's led by Nicole Farrier and um, Eric Bolton who's the music teacher at Garfield. Um, this is just another highlight of our review singers. This is grades four and five across the
district. Our six elementary music teachers work together. Each teacher selects a song. The students learn it over the year. We come together for one rehearsal. Um, and then they performed at our our district art show back in April. We're hoping to get them as part of our River Stings next
year. And then moving to our middle schools, we um SBA had Once Upon a Mattress. Um, this year we had about 40 students with cast and crew and um volunteer participate. RMA um put on the production of Beauty and the Beast in their lecture hall, which was um new
this year, but they had two soldout shows and are hoping next year they'll do three since it was easy to fill that space. Um you can keep going. Newsies was at the Hill. Um currently The Hill is the only elementary school that's putting on productions. I'm trying to
work with some of the other schools to find a teacher who's um talented in theater and wants to do that. Uh we do we are adding with using part of our grant a summer theater for students in grades four through 12. So the high school theater students can mentor the younger students and they'll put on a
smaller production at the end of the summer program for for the community. That will be on July 24th. But I can send an invitation to that. And then just still to come um we have or also some other highlights is I did have some City Lab interns this year which was really great. They came to a bunch of
this um winter concerts and events and made some Instagram posts for me. Uh and it was really great to get to know them and and to work with them. We also plan to do more internships with City Lab for students next year. Um the art teachers did receive some professional development from the Isabella Stewart
Gardner Museum during director's meetings. Um our ensembles are heading to the state house next week to perform um for the Latinos for Education ceremony. They're really excited about that. Um, next week is the Zumx concert and we still have all our elementary
spring concerts coming up. Um, and our middle school concerts and then again still to come next this week, actually Thursday and Friday, Garfield is performing Beetlejuice Jr. We also did have two glow galleries that I just added in my notes because I forgot to put pictures of. We had one at
the Garfield Elementary School and we also had a glow gallery at the Hill Elementary School. Um, any questions? M two comments. First, I want to give um great kudos to the parents um that
started the elementary um drama about 30 years ago at McKinley, now known as Hill and it keeps going and they get better and better and now having the support of um Mrs. Williams. It It's just a
wonderful how it grows and to do newsies, you know, things that our students never get to see. They're getting to experience. I do have a question though. With 1,500 students wanting to
participate in the 80inute periods, does that interfere with them um wanting to join these different um currently no because we were able to add like Nicole Fur's position. We added
music. We um so that now we have two music classes. So some students it becomes a scheduling conflict for them. But if they're requesting it and mostly only if they're taking a year-long course, it becomes a scheduling problem. But we're really working with um you know individual students who to make
certain things happen for them um with the fourb block period. But extending like to a fifth block with a little less time would definitely help some of these students that are maybe not getting their first choice because of AP or other priorities that they're choosing.
But with the ensembles happening after school and all of that, it it's we are definitely growing, still growing. And I just want to say thank you for including students all around. Um I said last meeting a couple of times talking to
you, students that could be on the streets just hanging out asked you how they could join and you told them just come see me tomorrow. We'll talk about it. and just to know that they have someone they can talk to and want to come to school. Um it's such an honor to
see. Thank you, Miss Mila Ellis. Yeah. Um I I would just like to marrow those comments as well. I truly enjoy all of the productions that um that you're behind and the hard work that
goes into them by members of your team. Yeah, it re it's I mean it really is so much fun. I've always enjoyed them, but they just get better and better. Every single production is more put together. There's like you can just see the work and the development and the growth. We're doing actually going to do a play
in the fall um next year and a musical for my high school. Oh, excellent. Excellent. And I loved that car in Greece. I thought that was so cool. Like yeah, it was just it's just awesome. It's good stuff for going and picking that up. Picking that up in Rhode Island. Yeah, that's awesome. But no,
thank you. I I just appreciate all the work that you do. the fine arts department is stronger than it's ever been and I just look forward to see what else you have up your sleeve. We appreciate all your support and continuing to help us do those things like rent the car and stuff like that. Absolutely. Thank you,
Miss Williams. I know you mentioned um in the fall, you know, first weekend of October city does fall fest. We want to see a student uh group out there, you know, rocking on the the uh Senate Plaza. So, we'd like to have your participation. Put that in the calendar.
Okay. Okay. I have some events too that know. Yeah. I mean, they're they're really willing like um the kids want to perform so they're willing to do it just with enough notice. And um with that music grant, it's been really helpful also because I'm able to like pay the teachers for their time to be there and
to do to do more outreach and community event, but they do donate a lot of their time and it's really appreciated and the students definitely know that. I just want to say thank you to you and your staff. I've tried to make every event that you put on. I think it's important and I
enjoy it and I really do and it's fun to go. It's not an obligation. It's fun. I enjoy seeing the kids perform. Um, and I just think it's great. But I really want to thank you and your staff because it's a lot of it's a lot of time and I'm amazed at the amount of talent that these kids have, but also what the
adults can get out of them and the confidence. I mean, for a kid to get up there in front of I don't know how it had to be over 500 people at Greece. For a kid to get up, you know, especially there's some young kids there to get up and perform in front of all those people. That that's saying something. Yeah. So, I want to thank you and all your staff because it's a lot of lot of
a lot of time. Thank you. Rizzo. And just one more item. So, while you're doing nothing and sitting down just eating bon bonss, you could you please write a grant to so that we could start the mariachi band, too, please? I mean, I'm sure I can find the students
to do it. I'm sure you can. Thanks. Thank you. All right. We have hearings. Uh, school choice. You want to go over that, Miss Dr. Kelly or? Sure. just a a brief
overview for um the committee and the community. Um first for the committee, just a reminder that this is almost like a double negative vote that you're going to take. Um and we're required by the Massachusetts Department of Education every year school committee is required to take a vote on whether or not they
will admit students from other districts through the school choice program. And um my advice to the committee as it has been for a number of years is that we not engage in school choice as our schools are all overcrowded to begin with. We don't have room to admit kids
from other districts. Um do we have anyone here for the public hearing? Okay. So with that, Mr. Mayor, if I may, um, I move that we, the River School Committee, vote to not adopt the state
option for school choice, which would allow non-residents to attend the River Public Schools. So, to clarify to the committee, a yes vote would indicate the school committee is voting to not participate in school choice. Second. Any
discussion? No. Roll call, please. Mrs. Bronston Rizzo, yes. Mr. Kajiano, yes. Mr. King. Mr. Kingston. Yes. Miss Milberry Ellis. Yes. Miss Monttoroso.
Yes. Mr. Sella? Yes. Mayor Keefe? Yes. Motion has passed. Okay. The next item is the Ways and Means Subcommittee report. Uh the ways Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The Ways and Means
Committee met on April 30th, 2025 at 9:00 am and the Ways and Means Subcommittee met on April 30th, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. In attendance was myself, the Ways and Means Subcommittee Chairman, Mr. Anthony Kajano, and Miss Stacy Bronson, Rizzo.
Also in attendance were Fred Sella, Ashley Milbury Ellis, Superintendent Kart Kelly, Assistant Superintendent Macaba, and Matt Cruz. The meeting was called to an order with a salute to the flag. Mr. Mr. Cruz started the meeting with explaining the carryover and deficit. Many reasons for the deficit examples included flat net school
spending, raises, health insurance increase of upwards of 19%, tutoring costs, um, and other factors. The city also funds the school department at the net minimum allowed by law. Dr. Kelly discussed her list of potential cuts outlined on her handout
and the negotiations with the city over expenses such as building insurance, vehicle insurance, and these negotiations are continuing. The goal is to retain as many teaching staff as possible by looking at the needs of the whole district. Discussion about middle school administrative positions were also which were added last year was also
discussed. Dr. Kelly mentioned the non-UN salary working group. This work will help us with potential state audit looking into fairness of salaries. The cost of transportation was discussed in length. Busting students less than two miles is the current practice. Dr. Kelly gave a rundown on academic coaches and
the meeting was adjourned at 10:17 a.m. There was a second meeting yesterday. Um I do not have the minutes for that yet. The meeting concluded uh about 24 hours ago and I just honestly haven't had a chance to write them up. They'll be available at the next uh regular meeting. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
Kingston. So, continuing on, we have the motions. Um, Miss Monttero. Yes. Uh, motion to approve the contract for Superintendent Dr. Diane Kelly as presented to you all from July 1st, 2025 through June 30th of
2028. Um, is there a second? So, moved. Second. Just wanted to give a quick synopsis. Uh, I think we've all had a chance to review the packet. Um, obviously Dr. Kelly has been an esteemed um, superintendent in our school
district for a number of years and also a almost a lifelong employee. I think you're coming up on how many years? Finishing my 30th year in the district. And um, more than likely this will be her final contract to wrap up her um,
you know, exceptional career. And I know that that time will be a tough ch tough challenge for us when we look to when when she looks to potentially retire in just over three years. Um it was it was it was obviously a lot like our the rest of our negotiations. We looked at um the
longevity of her employment uh and the options that were in her prior contract and we have to honor those obligations. So there the obligations will be honored in her current contract as well as some you know factors when it came to really the general consensus was the colas that were very consistent with actually I'll
be quite honest they were actually slightly under what they were from a parody standpoint with the tenure teachers uh but we after some arm wrestling um we we came to an agreement and uh I think that it was a fair contract um she is very much in the
middle of the pack when it comes to competing superintendents in the region um But in my opinion, she is the best superintendent in the region. Uh so we're happy to uh extend the contract for three more years and um and and have her continue to lead our school district. Just wanted to state that. Any
questions on the contract? Do we have a motion? Yes. I motion second. Okay. Roll call, please. Mrs. Bronston Rizzo? Yes. Mr. Kajiano? Yes. Mr. Kingston? Yes. Miss Milbury Ellis? Yes, Miss Montterroso. Yes, Mr. Sella.
Yes, Mayor Keefe. Yes. Congratulations. Congratulations, Dr. Kelly. I know we have a little bit of unfinished business. Did you want to bring that up? Yes. So, to continue over from the committee of the whole, we were
still talking about the transportation policy and state mandated requirements. And Mr. Mr. Mayor, if I may, I just had a few comments myself. You know, I I understand that as mayor and school committee chair, you balance multiple difficult decisions, roles, and hats,
and I see that and I respect that. For me, my job as a school committee member, I see it as putting students first. And so cutting transportation budget without clear alternatives and voting to amend and extend our distance policy this fiscal year without first changing our
middle school lottery system to me isn't putting students first. Many people mentioned many committee members mentioned at the last meeting that there could be alternatives, right? Whether it's using public transportation, but we can't make a vote and change the policy without having those alternatives
present because in what answer are we giving students and families? I don't want to walk two miles in the rain snow at night. I wouldn't send my son to walk two miles. And so I understand that we're in a difficult decision right now, but unfortunately I think we started the
conversation too late. And we need to have a clear plan before we vote to override our policy and cut the budget. And so I think for me that's a conversation for fiscal year 27, not the vote we have to make in less than a month for fiscal year 26.
Um, I'll just I'll certainly I think your comments are valid and I certainly empathize as well. I just want to remind everyone um again the what is going to be given to the school side of the spending is is is a is a um a process
through the city uh and what they're able to give from school transportation. Last year roundabouts $9.2 million was given to the schools to use for transportation from the city side. not reimburseable, not counted towards net school spending, right out of the city council budget. $9.2 million was voted
on to give to the school. Uh there was some luxuries when it came to using uh onetime expenses like ESSER funding to uh get that money upwards of $1 million. This year, the city side and the school and I'm going to imagine this the the school the city council will be
expanding that $9.2 2 million upwards of 5% which is well above the costs of uh growth which is well above the the taxes that come in. So more than is coming in is going to be giving to the schools for transportation. Again very rich um but
still not enough because the cost of transportation has exceeded the growth of the community by double by triple. And then what happens is that co transportation cost gets taken out of making tough decisions when it comes to paying health aids, when it comes to paying uh custodians, when it comes to
even paying teachers or or uh or city hall staff or uh engineers at the at our at a um DPW. Uh all of these positions have to be taken into context if you throw $2 million more. And I'll just say this at what I think is a
longterm problem that we need to have to that we have to adjust. we have to fix. Uh not the student's fault, not the not the uh school committee's fault, not the city council's fault. It's just a product of our environment and we have to we have to face it head on. We can't just keep throwing money at the problem.
So yes, we do have to counteract and I think that one of the one of the counter measures is to eliminate the lottery and the lottery has become a bone of contention for 20 I 15 20 years. Um I think that there was good intention when the lottery was was brought up 15 years ago. It it diversified our school
system. It created uh equal access to all our newer schools and it gave everyone the opportunity to at least have a chance to have extended learning day. Extended learning day doesn't exist anymore. Our schools are all equally diverse and there is no shining star for a brand new school. So those three
arguments are now no longer valid. I think that it's time that we remove the school lottery. It's a burden on many residents and it's a burden on off taxpayers from a transportation standpoint. And then the last piece, transportation is a luxury to have when it comes to school buses. Just because a
student takes the bus doesn't mean they don't have another avenue. Their parent may choose to put them on the bus, but now they may have to be faced with driving to school. No one's suggesting that we want to see a six-year-old child from Oak Island, from North Rivier, or from Broadway, just as a busy just as busy as a stretch of road having to walk
to school unnecessarily in the rain, in the snow, and in in whatever inclement weather andor in the best days of the year. But parents will have an have an op will have to be faced with taking their kids to school if there's not an option. We cannot, and I think Miss Rizzo mentioned this earlier or Miss
Miss Milbury Ellis mentioned this earlier, we have taxpayers to represent as well. And those there's 65,000 of them or so in the city and 7,000 of them have have students in our school system. We understand that. But at what point can you not keep saying you have to give
more? The school budget is now $170 plus million $170 plus million. That's not including the $10 million in transportation. Okay. The city's budget or the grants or everything else, right?
You know, the the the the total, and I just want to say this again, the total growth, tax growth of our community, the total tax growth of our community is around $7 million. Total tax growth growth. New growth. So, new expenses are outweighing
our tax growth 5 to1. What do you What What do we do? Do we do Do you want to tell everyone here that they don't have a job tomorrow? Do you want to tell the city hall staff that they don't have a job tomorrow? because those are the decisions that we're going to be faced with if we can't corral the spending when it comes to things like transportation and take a deep look at
things like our healthcare expenses. You know, this was something that was not we had an opportunity to do our healthcare expenses. Everyone reads the paper. Things like, you know, lifestyle drugs and things like that are driving up the cost of health care uh across the nation. We have an obligation to look at
that. We obviously have to negotiate that. That's something that has to be negotiated. You can't you can't take on $6 million more this year in health care costs than you had last year. You know, 30 I don't know $36 million in healthcare costs to the city. That's a lot of money. I
mentioned it. Transportation costs are equal to their entire police department less more expensive than our entire police department's budget who manages the entire city 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Our school transportation costs are more than our entire police department budget. our school
transportation cost more than our entire fire department budget who has to protect the city 365 days a year, seven days a week. And I just want to I know that this is a heavy conversation. I I this is the hard this will be the hardest decision decision I'll have to make in the my first year and a half.
And this is a shared decision. It's not my decision. It's not just mine. It's a shared decision by all of our uh stakeholders. But we do have to address it. You made some great points. Uh, but we can't do unfortunately we just can't do everything. We cannot do everything.
That's just the truth. Facts of life. Thank you. Any other? So I ask where do we go from here? Um, I think a lot of us may made our comments um known and how we feel
about it. So what what's your suggestion for the next steps? My suggestion I I would say again my recommendation is work from within the number. Take what is required for transportation and we know that what the the the requirements are. We have to do certain things that
are required by law and then see what we have left to do with that. You know what what we can do with the additional funds whether it's through circuit breaker funds whether it's through the additional funds that are coming from the city or from the school and see what we can do from there. and what we want to do and what we can do are going to be
slightly there's going to be a delta but then we have to look at the efficiencies of the entire transportation program as mentioned you see some buses driving to school half empty you see some buses leaving school half full uh and the same thing goes for some of the redundancies in transportation when it comes to a
student that might be going off campus is can we work with another city and and and and partner with them so that we can share the load of the transportation cost uh all of those things do have to get looked at Yes, it's going to be have to be done really quickly and but I I'll
I'll go with one of the I I I wouldn't say easiest decisions, but one of the the most rapid decisions would be to take a I think this is you know in the committee next month next next meeting, but I think we need to eliminate the school lottery effective immediately and phase out the students that are in it.
I'm not saying you pull a seventh grader out of uh a middle school that they've been in for two years, but the new the new students going into lotteryies should go to their neighborhood school. We should draw the district lines. What's the closest school to their home that can afford the load of the student population in that neighborhood, you
know, west, east reve, and right in the middle. And you have to draw the lines so that it's equitable and you have the shared load of students in each school. And that to me would eliminate, you know, estimated $1.5 million in transportation cost alone. So, Mr.
Mayor, if I could um I think it's really reckless to say that we immediately withdraw a policy without talking to parents, families, students, or anybody else to change the whole policy on how students are assigned to schools. Um and I would just
encourage you to at least take a beat. And I'll uh echo what Miss Montteroso said. Um making changes in the 11th hour is not going to solve problems. it's going to create more problems. We've already talked about um the issues
around needing to redistrict if we want to go to neighborhood middle schools. That requires the hiring of a consultant who can study the habitation patterns across the city and figure out where to draw lines to say this is the Garfield neighborhood, this is the Romney Marsh
neighborhood, and this is the Susan B. Anthony neighborhood. that's not something that anyone sitting on this dis has the skill set to turn on a computer and do tomorrow. Um so I would just say I would just be I would caution the committee and you as the chair
against making um statements that we're just going to eliminate um long-standing practices in the school department overnight. I just I I guess I'll rephrase. I would say to phase out the lottery, but uh because I I would not want to displace a
student that's in a school for a number of years and going to finish up. But this is again this is these are long-standing problems that we are getting faced with head-on. You knew about the uh budget deficit for the school two weeks ago, three weeks ago. Did you just find out about that? The
two weeks ago? Yeah. When did you find out about your school deficit? We found out what our final budget was, Mr. Cruz. Was it in April when the Senate budget came out? We found out two weeks ago that the city was adding $600,000 of debt to our budget. So that
was definitely new. So So the $600,000 is not does not equate to $7 million. But do you know that the transportation costs have been subsidized by Esser onetime funds for a number of years? So that's not this isn't a surprise. What I'm saying this is not a surprise. This
is something that we have we have known about. I I I don't know. It it it makes me laugh that you're saying that like that we gave you money for transportation for 3 years and now you're saying I should have known there was going to be a deficit because I was giving you money for 3 years. You should
have known there was a deficit. This isn't going to help either way. Um I don't think anyone can I don't I don't think anyone can predict double digit increases in transportation and in double digit increases two years in a row in health insurance cost unprecedented. Agreed. So we have
to deal with it. Do we just pick money off a tree? So I am going to suggest that we have some committee of the whole meeting sooner rather than later. Um and we need to come up with this decision
on transportation for this year. And you know the talk of lotteryies and stuff that's not what we're dealing with immediately. We need to deal with what we're doing now. In fairness, Mr. Kingston brought up the lottery three months ago and it was kicked and it got
kicked and it's going to get kicked again. There's fear of change with the lottery. There's fear Hold on. I'm talking I'm I'm being honest. I'm being honest. There's fear of change with the lottery. The lottery has been a bone of contention for over a dozen years.
Everyone knows it. I've gotten I've never gotten a call. Not one parent, not one student, one not one educator has ever called me and said, "Thank you for this lottery." 400 of them call every year. As a matter of fact, right now on our email, hundreds of them, hundreds and hundreds of them call every single year crying, screaming, and complaining
about the lottery. We have to address it. Mr. Mayor, there were 44 students this year who did not get their first choice or their second choice in the lottery. And you're going to tell me that 400 students called? Hundreds every year. Every single year. hundreds every single year. Mr. Chairman, we're not
going anywhere. Can we before we sign anything, if we keep going on this, can we have in front of us what the exact numbers are? Before we had an approximate, we don't have the exact numbers. I mean, I know there's been negotiations going on with the city and
the school and how much you're going to be giving us. And uh I would like to see more numbers before we really get into it. more also too is the reimburseable cost that you get from the transportation. Is that in on top of the
city gets nothing? The school gets it and then usually school gives it to you, doesn't it? Matt, can you speak to this please? It's in a it's in a reserve fund that the city controls that the city controls. If you want to use it then then use that reserve fund for transition. Rich already said he was going to use it. You can use it on top
of the 9.7. M Okay, great. Uh, the simplest way to think of it is that there's a total programmatic cost to run transportation. If there were no state reimbursements of any form, then the
city would be responsible for the entirety of the cost of the program. Call that X which is which next year our prediction based on recently executed contracts with no changes to the program. Okay, which is what we're
talking about what changes would need to happen with no changes is about 14.5 million. Okay. The way that it is running right now between the circuit breaker special education
transportation reimbursements and the homeless transportation reimbursements that kicks back uh approaching $3 million worth of reimbursements. So it reduces the city's burden directly by that
amount. So we were left with around $1.6 6 million of what our estimate of our cost would be next year if there were no changes to the program. And the city is saying to the school department, what we
can give you is 9.7. So you need to look at programmatic changes that will move that 116 estimated cost down to a 97 estimated cost. Mhm. The first bit of work that we
did on that was to see what would the savings be moving this minimum mile limit of students being transported to the middle schools from one to two. So that one
programmatic change would return around now I don't have it right in front of me. It's around $900,000 of savings from having to run fewer yellow buses because we're transporting fewer students. So, that was one analysis that
we did. A second analysis that we did was uh if we were to phase out the lottery, what savings would that affect? So, there's two issues to that. One is it wouldn't really affect any savings in the coming fiscal year because you would
still have the students entering the seventh and the eighth grade being transported as has been and the savings would be affected once the lottery was exhausted. That savings was between three and $400,000 in our analysis
because there are a lot of middle school students who no matter what school they go to, it's above the two mile mark. So those are the two analysises that we've done and I think what we're saying is where else can we look to say what other
programmatic changes can trigger what other kinds of savings. Those are the two analytics works that we've done so far. So that's a summary of the numbers from the from the from the highest level.
Okay. Okay. Thank you Miss Montroso. So, just one reminder to everyone on the lottery. When this was last brought up by Mr. Kingston two months ago, we did all make a decision on a plan that we were going to spend
the summer to create a wellthoughtout plan for the redistricting so that it went to into effect for the 2026 27 school year because the lottery had already passed. So, we are not kicking it down the road. we are practicing sound policymaking and that is all I'm
asking for when it comes to this decision of transportation. So it whether it's we need to reduce it but we can move it around because students can use public busing like I've been on the committee for 2 years and the one policy priority for our student senate has been creating alternatives. They've done
their research. They've seen what other cities are doing. They've brought to us the numbers. So what I'm asking is that we don't just make a decision today or we don't override our operating procedures of just changing the policy without referring it to subcommittee but that and I know time is not on our
hands. That is why I am suggesting that this might be a decision we have to make for fiscal year 27. That being said if we want to continue discussing this my suggestion is a joint ways and means and policies and procedure subcommittee because it's false to both. Someone
would have to make that motion. I am not going to make it. U Miss Montroso, I I'll I'll certainly make that recommendation. I just want to again reiterate the conversation came to what would be able to be expended from
transportation. We gave that that was the request. We gave that number. Just because you don't like the number doesn't mean you can't policy your way out of what you have, you know. Um it's just it's just I it's you have the city whatever whether it's a school or the
city side we can only encumber and you can only spend what is encumbered. So I'm trying to give everyone a heads up the encumbered amount is going to be okay there might be some flexibility when it comes to balance you we have to present a balanced budget. We can't
borrow to present a balanced budget. Okay, there's no this isn't like this the the the the government uh where they there three three $300 billion in deficit whatever the numbers may be. City of River and all cities and towns have to present a balanced budget. Okay,
we like the school department started minus five million down to four down to three reducing a limit reducing open positions uh reducing overtime reducing all of the expenses that we may have looking at things. The city cannot just
arbitrarily overt tax a resident and say you have to pay more. They can only as you everyone knows proposition 2 and a half requires the city can only raise the levy limit up to 2 and a.5%. We can't say let's go with the 3% because we want to give $2 million more to the school for transportation. Can't do
that. So, we have to present a balanced budget. In order to present a balanced budget, the city was only able to allocate an additional $500,000 to the school for transportation. That's rich. 9.2 to 9.7.
That's rich. $500,000. Do the math. It's roughly 6%. Okay. Matt, am I close? Close. Right. So 6% is a large increase in expenses when it comes to everything else. And I know the schools, they made those same tough top decisions when it
comes to costs that have been associated with direct school spending, whether it's um and the colas don't even equate to that. Not there's no no cola that's going up that much. So it's not salaries, sometimes it's positions, sometimes it's utilities or whatever else may come into play, equipment, etc.
But 6% is rich. It's generous to say to think anything otherwise is really disingenuous. It's generous. And I'm just reminding every we need to know that this you want to know what you have so you can spend. If if you're if you have a city home budget, any of us has budgets at their homes and you say you
only make $100,000 a year all in for your family. You can't spend 101 without going into deficit. The city can't do that. You can't buy vacations and and not be able to afford it. If we can take a vacation, let's take it, but it has to be within that
number. So, the city's giving you the number $9.7 million. There are other revenue sources that the school may have, whether it's in reserve accounts for circuit breakers, whether it's in other reserve accounts. There's different, like we mentioned yesterday, there's a string. If you pull the string, it's going to come from
somewhere else potentially. But that's what you're faced with. If you're recommending that the the school looks at their budget and finds a $2 million, don't make any transportation changes. I don't know if we can do that and I also don't know if it's fiscally prudent to do it knowing that we're just going
to have to do it next year. It's kind of one of those where we have to make the tough decision. Might as well make it now and have those tough conversations. The legal you bring up the legality. I'm just going to say we will always we will always fulfill the obligation for lawful school transportation. I'm talking to
Matt about using district funds for transportation. I I me I mentioned the circuit breaker funds which how much is in the reserve account for cir circuit breaker transportation the expectation and the numbers don't come out until the final conference committee budget happens and then we
submit all of our actuals from this year and the reimbursements are echo effect from the previous year. The expectation is as it was in this current year that the state will reimburse for special education somewhere in the tune of $2 million. Oh. Do you think that that
would cover the gap? Uh, in other words, now we're getting into the specifics of how we allocate those funds. I I'll just I'll say, can you use those funds to cover the gap for any uh what what the school committee
may want to do from a transportation standpoint to feel good? Right. So, the way that we use the funds that come in in these reimbursements is we receive them in a fiscal year. the reserve account that's been mentioned, that's where they're placed so that they can
then flow into the place where we expend them. So, one of the strategies is to use the funds that arrived in the current year and actualize some of the funds that arrive in the subsequent
fiscal year to this one. So, we're instead of preparing for the future year with those funds, we're using them in real time. So that is legal to do. That's why we're receiving the funds. Just making sure what we set ourselves up for whether we do that with the
transportation or with the tuitions is if we're using them at the moment that they're received, then there's this uncertainty about the subsequent years. Will it be funded? Will it be not? Which will affect subsequent years budgets.
But the question of can we can we do that? um can we actualize them as were received? The answer is yes. Thank you. And I just want to bring up one other because you mentioned something, Miss Rizzo. What are we doing? I also my last piece is to push back on the transportation company and say this bid
is unacceptable, which I did ask to do. It was not done and say we we cannot afford this. You need to revisit your cost to us. That would be the last piece. Well, it should be the first piece, but that would be part of the equation. Mr. Cash yellow. One question on the circuit breaker money that we
received last year. How much money did we use that money that we used part of the 5 million for the carryover? Okay. The conversation we're having now has nothing to do with our
school department net school spending required funds. But but what I'm trying to say is we carried over 5 million that circuit breaker money. How much do you believe was part of that 5 million? Because if we use it for
transportation, then we wouldn't be able to we wouldn't have less carryover from next year. So you're saying none of it, right? The circuit breaker program thankfully, okay, now provides two types of reimbursements. One of those reimbursements is for tuitions which are
a net school spending eligible cost and which we manage strategically and you can see in the detail of each year's budget what we're expecting to use for that. The circuit breaker program also now reimburses for the transportation
costs for these special education students and every year we use those funds to credit the actual costs to the city for the transportation program. What we're saying is our practice has been to
receive funds in one year so that we can accurately budget it for the subsequent year and have no risk of what we know is available. It is certainly possible and we've gotten this communication from the city side CFO saying uh one of the
things we can do is actualize FY26 payments as they come in. So not only use the FY26 FY25 reserve but also use the funds as they come next year. So we can do that
and obviously if we're using them as they come then we're not reserving them for the subsequent year which means in a year there's less certainty about what's available to credit those funds.
Sorry for the complexity, but I'm trying to make it as clear as I appreciate your Okay. Okay. I'm going to try to articulate this as best I can. Circuit breaker funds ultimately is that amount that's
allocated in circuit breaker funds credited to the city at all? Do they ever see that see that amount even if it's not necessarily the circuit breaker funds because those are transportation costs but in another way do they get a credit for that amount and how what
what's our practice been I just want to understand so there's a so there's a struggle with language but it's completely understandable because of the complexity of how this happens uh in a sense in the same way that the
city runs a police department and The city runs a fire department and handles all of those costs and bear those costs and manages all those funds. They normally would run a transportation department. The reason that the
transportation staff is housed here and the city embeds those funds into your budget is for uh convenience or wise use. uh we are the ones dealing with every
student getting on and off of a bus runs start times, school times, principles. So instead of the city running the program themselves, they embed those funds in our budget and say, "Can you run this
program because it makes much more sense for the superintendent and principles and and transportation director and monitors and bus drivers to to be the ones executing the program. So, in a sense, whatever language we use, it's
all the city's money and they say, "Here's what we're going to give to you for that." And we run the program for that amount of money. This year, the thing we're stumbling into is the cost
to run this program as it is exceeds, as the mayor has been trying to articulate tonight, the the city's ability to fund that cost. And so it's coming into this conversation and if it gets moved to the subcommittee to say so what can we do to
come closer to what the city's able to pay for this. So when we start talking about circuit breaker if we're talking about tuitions then that's our world and you can see all of those calculations in
your appropriated budget. When we talk about transportation, the money is being deposited directly into a reserve account and directly credited to where we're spending the money on the
transportation program. So, it's not inappropriate to say all of that funding is the cities in the sense that they're responsible for the entirety of the program. The same would be true with the reimbursements for the homeless
students. So, we receive an annual reimbursement for homeless transportation. When the revenue comes in, it goes directly into this clearing or reserve account and then it is immediately credited to where we pay the homeless transportation bills from. But
the 9.7, does that include this this reserve money or no? No. So, it's it's a it's a it's a good question. In other words, if you said to me, if there was no reserve
money, if the state said, "Sorry, municipality of Rivier, you're responsible for every kid." Then the current estimate of the cost to run the program as it exists for next year is
around $14.6 million. But because we are receiving reimbursements of between two or three million, that's driving that cost down to around 11.6. And what the mayor is saying to us is, hey, the city can't afford 11.6.
What we can afford is 9.7. So you need to revisit your transportation programming to to see if you can bridge that deficit gap. And here we're saying
um can we do that in a way that is legal and can we do that in a way that is in the best interest of the students? And how how do we get there? Does that make sense? And and the reimbursements are those guaranteed every year? So in the
past they are guaranteed in the sense of as we re you have a one-year echo effect. So you can receive four quarterly payments and hold on to them and then utilize them in the subsequent
fiscal year. So that's been our practice. And so when you say the word guarantee, I'm able to say to you, oh, I know that this much money will definitely be available on July 1st of next year because we already have it. Yes. And one
of the strategies that the city has said recommended to us or said this is how we can do some of this is we can not only credit the entire year's worth of reimbursements that we have the exact amount to the penny in your budget but
we can also begin to realize those payments as they come in next year. Now I don't know how much that will be. We haven't been given the rates yet, but we at least can be relatively confident at this point in the budget process that it
would be similar to last year. But there's a new element of risk in doing that. Not just in that we wouldn't know the exact amount, but also using it then takes away from the subsequent fiscal year that we'll be talking about next
year at this time. and we can run it forward assuming that things stay in the same state reimbursement world. Does that make sense? I I want to add one thing to that. It's not guaranteed money. The legislature has to vote it every year,
right? And in recent years, they voted it anywhere between 45 and 75%. Um to fund it at that rate. Um, this year in particular, there's been a lot of movement on the Hill to make sure that they fund that more fully. And I
know that right now there is a supplemental budget proposal that is in both the House and the Senate to fund circuit breaker at 90%. Which would be beneficial to us. But the reason we've always used circuit breaker a year in a rears is so that it
was guaranteed inhand money. When you say we're just going to use whatever the reimbursement is this year, we can do that, but then it has an echo effect the following year, you won't know what the number is. We won't know what the number is and it could go instead of being 90%, it could be 45%. Just Mr. Thank you. I just wanted to
make it this I was just trying to make the conversation a little clear. So basically, we've already kind of counted the reserve. We we've counted the circuit breaker money by taking the 14 and subtracting three. Correct. The 2025 circuit. for the 2025, right? You like the 2026, right? No, I understand. Yes.
But so we we have to cut we can't think unless we want to borrow from the year the next year, which I don't know how prudent that is. I have to be honest with you. I don't you know um I don't I don't know how prudent that is. So we're we're basically we're back to the I just want to say we're back to the finding
the 1.9 bottom line unless we want to start taking money from a future year. Right. Right. You said prudent. The the first the first thing that I just wanted to clarify was the legality of what the the mayor was saying that it is it is uh
perfectly legal to realize or actualize receipts in the fiscal year that they're received. It's just not a practice that we have done before. So our conversation would be uh what would one payment look like? What would two payments look like? what
would two payments look like with other changes that we're doing? But if there is zero appetite for actualizing those funds, then we are we're back to the 1.9. That's what that's all I want to say so people understand we're we're in a hole for 1.9 on the transportation and
that's the number we have to look at, right? And I think the conversation is there's a number of potential solves and no one loves a fiscal year like this. No one wants to be the mayor or the superintendent or Jesus forbid
the CFO on either side of these in a year like this or the school committee or a school committee or a city council. But you know what that's why we have hopefully accurate solid strategy coming in a good grasp of the numbers and then make decisions to bridge to bridge some
of this. What we want to be careful about in this conversation is there is nothing that this committee can do to help with the transportation cost with any of our other funding. It's a non-net
school spending eligible cost borne by the city. So, so all we could do is change our policy. I know. So, could you for I I think a committee of the whole would be a great idea. I'm agreeing with M Miss Rizzo. That's I think that's a great idea and I totally agree. Could you run some numbers for us so we can get to that
1.9? I don't know what I know you have the I know you gave us some some numbers before, but what are you know some some more options I guess other than that one page? We have to give him scenarios that we want him to run. We were going to email them. So, so we can in some of the
other scenarios that the committee can think about would be um the transportation of high school students um where right now we are transporting high school students who live more than 2 miles. There's there's not a huge number of them, but it's certainly a number of bus runs that we're doing
every every day. That's one of the places that we can look at. Um, and then, uh, we had talked previously and what Matt shared back in February was the numbers strictly around middle school and moving from one mile back to two miles. You could look at seventh and
eighth grade not providing transportation legally. That's an option. Um, that's what I want to number because I don't know how many kids we're talking on, how many buses we're talking. So, for me to vote on say that, let's say that's the policy. If I don't know what the savings are, and I don't want to give you a million scenarios
either, but I just would need to know what the savings are. You know, maybe we can send you an email and outline some different strategies, but I think we need to look at because, you know, if we could save a save some kids from walking and get to the 1.9, I you know, that's what I'd like to see. I don't want to
make I don't like blankets. So, I don't want to say anybody two miles, you know, stop walking if I don't have to. So, if we can get to that number and kind of do what we got to do. Um, my only concern is if the city comes back next, no offense, Mr. Mayor, but if the city
comes back next year and says, "Well, we can't give you 9.7. We can only give you 9.5 and we've already done all we can do on our end." I at that point, I would respectfully say, "Sorry, you got to pay the n whatever that number is." Because that number is probably not going to go down. It never goes down, right? So, that's that's my concern. It's just how
it's just it never goes down. It's all it's just how much it can go up and going up six% is is is right. So So I guess we'll eliminate some scenarios, but I think a committee the whole would be a great idea. I have no problem with that because if we're going to convene three committees, it's probably everybody in the room anyway. Right.
When you say scenarios, you mean suggestions and um obviously I'm trying to get to the magic number. So if you said this as we did the first time through Yeah. with the transportation director and and some of my staff and say, uh, given this, what is what would
estimated savings be on a number of different things that we could look at that still maintains us within the parameters of what's required by law? Yeah. And if we could just have the And if we could just have the um number of buses and number of students that would
be affected by the proposed change, that would be helpful, too, right? just to make everyone feel a little better. Uh the city of Ravier has a number of contextual realities that make
transportation very difficult. So um Dr. Kell and I hesitate to just look to our left and right at other cities and compare u because some of the geographic and the um neighborhood realities. uh no
one else has four highways running through a town of this size and it's a big city with a large special education population and also the homeless reality that is here. So, uh we have been given
the burden of a very complicated transportation reality and have done an excellent job with it over the years and I think we'll move through this as well. But it's not like there's just some simple answer here that no one has found
out. Um almost everybody in our immediate connection has an easier cost around this. So we also feel it on the city's behalf looking to a Winthre or a Chelsea or an Everett or a Melrose. There's there's no comparison. That's
just our lot and we've worked really hard to do a good job with it and we'll continue to through this process. Thank you. I know Miss Rizzo wants to speak and then I'd like to wrap it up if that's okay. Miss Rizzo. If that's okay. Well, I was already going to try to wrap it up
by saying 14 years I've heard how amazing this man is as our CFO. I've heard from CFOs from Worcester, um, Springfield, Melrose, and they tell
us how lucky. This is a pure example of what we have. His patience, never mind his knowledge. His knowledge goes without saying, but his patience is truly mind-blowing to me because I have
none. Um, and I my last comment was he didn't have hair when I started either. So, this is him. We are so lucky. We're lucky to have everyone that is employed in our uh city, but when I really look
at times, hard times, and I am not a math person, and things go right over my head, he explains it like there's no dumb question. And um thank you, Matt. That's all I can say is thank you. I know these are hard times for the mayor,
the superintendent, the CFOs, but thank you so much. Um, Miss Rizzo, I I echo your comments. You know, both Matt is he's a professional. He's unflapable. And the the the thing about all of this is everyone here has the same passion to
want to do everything we can possibly do to make ourselves the best best most inviting school district and city as possible. No one here has bad intentions. Uh, but you know, and I just want to keep reminding sometimes we have to make difficult choices and that is part that's why we're here, right? We have to make that balance of of what's
right and what we can do and and you name it. This is definitely worth more of a discussion. I'll recommend that this goes to the committee of the whole. I think it's important enough to be as the committee of the whole. It does garner both the attention of the policy and of the the ways and means, but committee of hall should pretty much do
that. One last piece that I would ask that you to take a look at is, you know, possibly the scenario of the students that did get their first choice or second choice is if, you know, they they're choosing to go to the school, that responsibility could potentially be taken off of uh of transporting. So that
only students that were not saying forced but not given the opportunity to go to the school they wanted to if they're forced to go across the city and and review what uh the transporting them because I I feel the obligation of transporting a student was saying go from west rea to east rea you know
because of the lottery um but I appreciate everyone's uh time in this and oh miss but that that would be the last scenario I should look at. Okay. So, I will work with Robin to get everyone's schedule for a committee of the whole and then my suggestion would be if people want to send me all of your
possible scenarios and questions that way Matt and Dr. Kelly don't have a huge thread and they miss something and then we can give you all a full request of like the studies we want. So, I think if folks can get that to me by the end of this week, then they'll have it all in one email and they'll be able to run
numbers for us on different scenarios or what does it mean in terms of actual students being affected to have these cuts. That way, we can go in and just do the the informed policym. So, end of week, send me any questions, scenarios that you
want run by the district team, and then I'll work with Robin to get everyone's schedule so that we can uh hopefully meet as soon as possible. Thank you. Thank you. Motion motion uh to put this to committee of the whole. Do we have a second? Second. All in favor? I I So
ordered. Okay. Um the last item from unfinished business, which we may have already touched, was just um the middle school assignments update. So I don't know, Mr. Kingston, if you wanted anything else on that. Um no, I I think we'll take it up with
the committee the whole um I think that would probably be the best place for it. both on there. Yeah. Yeah. I think they're they're somewhat related, so I don't see why not if that's okay. That's okay. May I Okay. Um, we've had a pretty intense night and I hope everyone can
understand the levity of it, but I do want to kind of lighten up a little bit. U I wanted to offer uh and I know the school committee as a whole and I wanted to offer our congratulations to our mom to be, Miss Montto Roso. We wanted to congratulate her. Early
congratulations. We expect that the next time we meet she may uh be officially have a baby in in tow. You can pull a little Mayor Woo bring her bring uh the baby to to the the council meeting. But um I want to congratulate yourself and Victor on your blessing. And I'm so
happy for you. You're you're going to represent uh your your children, your child very well. So thank you so much. Oh, thank you all. If I'm not here at the June meeting, it is because I am literally in labor. It is my due date. So, we have to
if I'm not here, then that'll be the that'll be why. But I'll be right back as soon as I can. So, thank you all for your support and just your patience. It's it's something else to give public comment while you're going through um Braxton Hicks. So, tonight has been a little long for me. Uh but just thank
you all. This is very kind. Congratulations. Congratulations. Motion to adjurnn. We have a second. All in favor?