Hi. Shannon's on her way. She's um logging in right now. >> All right. Can everybody hear me at the moment? >> Yep. >> Good. Super silent in my ears.
All right. One second. I'm glad I'm recording this so that I can everyone can see my lack of ability to turn their speakers up on this. Um, can somebody >> Hello.
>> Could be anybody. >> Can you hear me? >> Yeah. Hold on. Just >> your audio. You seem a little choppy. >> Choppy. >> Just a little. >> Sources may audio.
Yeah, you're >> still bad. >> A little >> It's better now. >> Okay. >> Sorry, folks. Give me a second. Technical. I guess Jeremy, I think Shannon's waiting to be
let in. I think we lost Jeremy. There he is. Shannon and Jeremy, you guys are on mute. I feel like you're trying to talk, but No, >> now I'm good now. >> Hait and I are in the same space, so
we're trying to maneuver, not blowing up your ears as we're muting and unmuting and all of that. >> Gotcha. >> Technology. Okay, where start two of them? >> Hopefully this will be a little bit
better. Does that sound better to y'all? Yes. Yes. >> Sorry about that, but that computer is being capriccious, so I'll just move over to this one. Luckily, I have the two. All right. Hi, everybody. Welcome to the school community meeting.
All right. Um, I'm going to start off this meeting, call it to order at uh 7:05. Uh, we're starting off with um a public hearing according to our agenda on the uh fiscal year 27 budget. So, uh, I'd
like to open up to anyone who may be here from the public who has any, um, any comments, um, about the, yeah, about the budget. So, uh, speak up if you are a public member who would like to speak.
Okay, seeing none, um we will continue on with our agenda. Unless actually I should ask this too. Is there anybody who has any public comments not related to the budget? All right, seeing that we're moving on.
Uh review of the agenda and the perpetual calendar. The agenda is in front of you. Perpetual calendar for February. Um, we're going to have a discussion of possible open seats on the school committee. I believe Anna and I are both up for uh consideration this
coming year. Um, there is a February 4th, I believe Susie said last time, four towns meeting with select board. Is that true or is that from my last year's number? >> That's last year's there last year note. Damn it. >> There will be one. Oh man, where is that
number? >> The 28th. February 28th for town meeting live at the library. I believe it's nine o'clock. >> February 28th at library. >> Yeah. >> All right.
>> Oh, in the middle of the library. >> And um we also I just got the invite to from Haley that there's sort of a financial uh roundt on the I'm gonna say the 25th. >> Monday the 23rd.
>> 23rd. There we go. So, Monday the 23rd. Thank you, Susie. Um, and >> sorry, >> at 3:00 in uh our new library. >> So, anyone is welcome uh to attend that. The only thing and I'll probably send out a message prior to that if there if
we're going to have a quorum, we'll need to make sure that we post it. So, um maybe uh or maybe before the end of this meeting, we can talk about that and see who uh who wants to attend and who doesn't and see if we need to do that public uh posting so I can do that next week. Yes, Shannon.
>> Um Robin H, we've had this happen in a couple of recent meetings. So, Robin, just on to air on the side of caution, has just been posting it so that we don't have to worry about if it's forum. If we don't have it, it's not a problem. Um the only thing you'll need to do is if you do have it, you'll need to call
your meeting to order. >> Right. Right. So, okay. So, I'll just I'll post it to be safe and then we'll go from there. >> Y >> um sounds good. Okay. So, that is again February uh 23rd, Monday at 3:00 a.m. All right. >> 300 p.m.
>> 3 p.m. Yep. >> It's been one of those weeks. Um okay, so perpetual calendar. So the four towns meeting we've got down budget and personnel rep for union 28 sends out the superintendent evaluation tool but that's really going to be I think more in March than it is in February
according to my notes from last year. Does that seem right to you Shannon? >> Yes. >> Okay. Fantastic. So I have to make that change as well. All right. Uh moving on. Does anybody have any discussion of any of those things?
Okay. Uh moving on. Warrants. Can I just talk through yours? >> Are you able to hear me? Okay. >> Okay. >> A little bit of an echo, but it's cool. It's an effect. >> You're muted. >> Now we can't hear you.
>> There we go. >> Are you good now? >> Now we can hear you. >> All right. Great. I have two more accounts payable. Uh 317 from February 3rd for $48,1678 and 318 from February 17th for $23,145.79.
Two payroll warrants 316 from February 2nd for $91,345 and 317 from February 16th for $91,593.60. 60 cents. I don't have any gifts or
grants today. >> All right. Fantastic. That was speedy as well. Um, all right. Moving on. Approval of minutes from January 15, 2026. >> So moved.
>> Second. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh, any discussion of those minutes? Okay. Uh, all in favor? Mayu I >> Adelon I >> Herd I
>> Jack I >> okay so it is I think unanimous I'm not sure I don't think Nate is with us right now I'm not sure who the 413 number is but that's the 475 number but I think that that is not
Nate's um all right so uh unanimous amongst us unfinished business and updates we've got the capital projects and building process. Um I think maybe because Nate's not here, I don't know um if there is any update on that. Does anybody have any information along those
lines that we could share tonight? >> No. Does Nate Can someone text Nate just to I'll check >> if he's uh >> because we can always come back to that as well. >> Ian, are you aware of any updates on the
capital planning projects? Not not from >> I know that >> Oh, did you say Anna? Sorry. >> No, I don't. Maybe she said an um the only thing that I know is that we have scheduled a meeting to go over
green grants. >> Okay, >> as far as I know. Let me uh double check the All right. Um, okay. I'll let you know if Nate says anything.
We can always come back to that piece um as well. Um, and then the other thing that we have down here is our school improvement um plan and we have that down for discussion and vote.
Does somebody want to introduce that or >> So at our last meeting um the the content of the plan has not changed. I mean we we have not changed what our focus areas are. That is what lines up with what our data has said. um there is
a um instructional leadership group made up of instructional staff and um Ian who meet you know voluntarily and so the focus hasn't the feedback we got at the last meeting was for some more measurables around that so um I worked
with Ian and we we created a revised version it is linked um in your agenda and I did highlight the things that we've added that are measurables around each of those Um, so I think that that was the feedback of what you wanted to have some more
measurables. Um, and so we have added those and we're certainly happy to hear feedback around it. Okay. Um, I guess we could do a uh a move in a second and then we could
discuss that would be the way to go about it. I move to approve the school improvement plan. >> I second. Um but pending I I think I requested access for some reason.
>> You have it. >> Okay. I do. Okay. Well, I'll just do a quick Thank you. >> It's the highlights. >> Yeah. I need to because I moved to the small computer. I now need to open that up on the big computer. So, this should take a minute to peruse
that. And I have not heard back from Nate yet. >> And this is a three-year plan. And and some of those measurables might there might be additions as it goes through 2028 because some things might be accomplished. We may have to add some
more. But these are the measurables that we're working. And because we're we're kind of late in the year to be getting this approved that a lot of these are really for June, I mean some are for this year certainly, but um some of those measurables you'll see listed as June. Um and we'll present an updated
version of this again in the fall of next year. Um >> I don't have access either just >> Yeah. >> through the through the agenda. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. My link is still saying I don't have access either.
>> Oh, I'm I'm granting it all right now. >> Oh, okay. Okay, >> you got it. >> Sometimes you got to sometimes you got to refresh too to get that. >> On my end, it looks like everyone with the link has access, but clearly that's not the case. >> We will. Anyone with the link can go for
it. >> There you go. This is >> not a technology day. >> Okay, I see it. Thank you. >> Sure thing. Woohoo. Think of another minute or so for us to look these over.
>> I just say I really like the highlighted areas that you've added. I appreciate the uh incorporation of that feedback from the last meeting and so quickly. >> Well, I think it really wasn't. I mean,
I'd love to say it was a ton of work, but Ann and I Ann's very clear about how she's measuring it. Just we just needed to add it in. So, >> um, it wasn't as cumbersome as because they're already engaged in the work. They're doing the work. They have the measures. It was just getting them
explicitly in the paper. >> And the ILT was definitely and and this doesn't even represent everything that is done for students. So, it was really about making it something that shows what we're already doing to support students and then making sure that it it
was measurable like that. So, there is more work that goes on behind the scenes for sure, but at least this will this will show what we'll be working on. >> Okay. Um, does anybody have any other comments
or discussion around this or do people need more time to look through it some more? >> Okay. Hearing none. Um, all in favor? Mayu I >> I heard I >> Jack I.
>> All right. So it passes as well. Um so we're going to move on uh from the unfinished business piece for now. And if Nate does join us at some point, maybe we can circle back around uh to the capital projects and the um the building process. So that takes us over
to the new business in discussion which uh really had to do with some of the stuff that's come out in the last um the last month or so um since the last actually I wonder Ann could you give the Anna can you give the context a little
bit of how this kind of came to be? So what happened was that the superintendent attended the Pelum school committee's I guess most recent meeting and talked
about the future of Pelum school and um I don't know if John Turkey was there or if he had just spoken with Dr. Jersey. Um, and the idea that was on the table
was that Pelum School was not looking viable, that they probably needed to close it, and that as a first step, um, the proposal was to move the sixth graders from Pelum to the sixth the
Chestnut Street Academy, whatever sixth grade academy. It's not, it's called Chestnut Street School. um in the middle school and um then work on a sort of a plan for future years to
close the school. And I think the idea because it's like that's union 26. The idea was to integrate the Pelum students into the Ammerst school system. Um but none of that was fleshed out. It was just sort of like this is the this is
the the situation where you know the Pelum school is in pretty financial distress right now and this is just sort of the reality. Um, of course, the idea of
what the what the parents heard was, "We're going to move the sixth graders to the middle school this fall." and the Pelum parents came out in droves at
the next joint school committee meeting which was Pelum Amoris and the regional school committee all at the same time because we were talking about some policies and some other things that we needed to cover al together and so we had like over an hour maybe close to two
hours of public comment um 90% of which was related to the Pelum school proposal um and 10% of related to
I can't even remember maybe it was a policy I can't remember um so the problem at you know at that meeting Dr. Z basically said, "Yeah, I I think maybe moving the sixth
graders this year is not recommended. I would recommend um using school choice funds to additionally support keeping the sixth graders and funding the Pelum Elementary School through the end of this upcoming fiscal year. and then sort
of like having a a financial discussion about how thing, you know, what the sort of forward-looking plan would look like. Um, John Tricky has also talked to AJ
and our finance committee um and talked about this. I think he's been talking sort of very casually about this kind of conversation for like five years. So this is not really like
uh brand new information. This is something that's been sort of like an ongoing issue in Pelum. The the town is small. Supporting the school is hard. Their financial situation is difficult. they don't have um a lot even if they
have like you know a five or six percent increase in um growth in Pelum that's still like a a couple tens of thousands of dollars that adds to their budget and like the increase over
last year in their um revenue for the town is like $130,000 um total. And so now they have to take that $130,000 um to fund the increase in the town's budget across the board. And if the
region takes, you know, requires, you know, nearly that much in appelum increase for their allocation, then all of their excess money for increasing their budget goes to the region and none of it goes to the town, none of it goes to the school, none of it goes anywhere
else. And so John Tricky was basically saying um any additional money that the regional school is requesting is essentially taking the money from the elementary school and moving it to the to the regional schools because they just don't have any money. And he
apparently sent out u a notice to all of the departments in the town saying um we are in a level >> a flat budget situation. Nobody is getting an increase over last year.
Uh so that's the situation in Pelum. I think the idea for Shootsberry is that there may be some opportunity for Shootsbury to collaborate with Pelum and to invite Pelum to send their students to
Shootsbury. We talked last meeting about the idea of whether that could be done with a a regionalization to regionalize Shootsbury and Pelum together or whether it would be faster and well it would be
faster and easier to just tuition them in with a tuition agreement. Um uh the tuition agreement also makes it a lot simpler for Shootsbury because um we keep our school, we keep our staff and we just allow uh Pelum students to
attend Shutesbury. If we did a regionalization then we have to it's a a completely new school district and we have to essentially rehire all of all of the staff as far as I can understand. Um there's some trickiness related to
um how everything would work and um how the funding would work and whether it's beneficial. And so I think at this point we're still trying to get um we have not yet had a meeting with all of the departments to talk about the potential
benefits and drawbacks of um moving forward this. And so we're just trying to get there. >> Yeah. I think our last meeting, I mean, Anna went even beyond just giving us the groundwork of that, but we had there was
a meeting briefly um between the town administrator, some of the select board members, finance committee, Anna and I attended as well to just kind of talk this over a little bit. And I I think the one thing I want to be really clear about is that we um we talked about trying to come up with an idea of like
what it would look like for us and what the options were with an idea down the road of kind of approaching Pelum with like look we're not trying to like we're not trying to force it. We're not trying to like but like this is an option that if it's acceptable, you know, like this is an option that we should talk about
basically. So really not like trying to trying to be very cautious about like we're not trying to like really we have to see whether it makes sense for us first off and then we also like you know no we don't know what Pelum students you know what Pelum families would want to
do anyway and we don't want to be like I don't want to be seen as us poaching people I don't like you know we just want to make sure that we know what we could do if that was what comes down the road because at this point it looks like I think that What what year did they say that like they've gotten a reprieve
right now for at least the next year? >> At least the next year. I don't know that um there's any decision beyond fiscal year 27. >> Um and of course the other issue that we have here, well it's not really an issue, but like you know Anna just
pointed out that we could do the tuition in agreement which is simple but then the regionalization agreement would take a lot more of a process to do as well. Um, and there's also for Pelum, there's the issue of, you know, 50% or more of their kids are school choiced into that
school. So, that also would have to be and and there's really no telling for a lot of Pelum families, they might rather just go to Ammerst. It's closer. It's not like out like who knows what they'd want to do. But, we could put it out there as a possibility um for them should that come to it. So, we really
just want to do our homework and see what that looks like for us and if it could be beneficial to us and, you know, all of those things. Um, really looking at the long-term longevity of our school as well and the financial issues that we're all facing this year that aren't really possibly going away that there
might be a way to be more sustainable together than apart. Uh, Katrina, I see your hand up. >> Yeah, you sort of answered my question. All I know about this is what I read in the Gazette and it didn't seem like it was eminent from that, but it sounds like from this conversation, if it's not
next year, it's the year after that they're not Yeah. Okay. Okay. >> 67. Um, it really feels like it it feels a lot like um it felt very urgent at first. It felt like one of those things where like it almost felt like people were like this could happen this year
and like you know I was on the phone with Ann being like is this even a possibility? What would this look like? that we have the space for these kids. Uh, and then it really kind of it did slow down. Um, and I think it had a lot to do with John Turkey and people that were trying to get out ahead of it. Um, but it felt like my first understanding
of it was like this could be like something that has to happen now. Um, and it definitely is at least a year. Uh, it would be at least a year away at this point. I think a lot of the the slowdown came after the like literally a hundred parents showed up and came to
the meeting and saying please don't do this. >> Yeah, that'll do it. Um yeah and I think you know we've seen even some people who have uh choiced their kids in there have been some articles I think I don't know if is that enough there's some you know there there are folks from Shootsbury who choiced their kids in down there too and and you know I think one of the most
compelling arguments that I heard was like you know we put our kid in here and I think we feel similarly about our school with the idea that he would go through sixth grade at this school and that felt like the promise that was made and now you guys are changing that you know in the middle of this um you know
that sort of stuff that needs to be dealt with. I guess um >> it just needs to be done with in a more consultative manner and with like >> more than a fivemon you know heads up about it. Like I think you know throwing
this out there and saying that that it might happen this fall after having assured all of the parents that the sixth graders at Pelum would not be joining the sixth grade middle school. um was just very shocking to a lot of
parents. And um I think that you know as we move forward if we talk if we start having these conversations about next the next year not this coming year but the next year rather than this fall that gives parents sometimes some time to
think and plan and talk to their kids and discuss how things are. it, you know, it gives the school an opportunity to have a celebration for the fifth graders as well as the sixth graders um if this is likely to be their last year. But, you know, like the and and and
being able to plan for how how to transition into that next phase for Pelum. Um they just wanted a little more time to be able to do that. And I think that's where this is really coming from. I think from Shootsberry's standpoint, I
think, you know, we have some capacity to accept some additional students. Um there the more parents that I talked to um the more say we would love an influx influx of some additional
students. I think these very small classes can be very challenging for some students. Whenever there is an issue between one or two students in the classroom, there is just no getting around it. It's just it is
what it is. It's in the classroom and you can't like put them in a different class because there is no different class. You can't try to find them a different friend group because there is only one friend group in the class like you know. So it's very different. It's it can be very challenging with a very
very small class. And so I have not talked to any parents in Shootsberry yet and that I have a very small end. So that's you know one thing. Um but I have not yet talked to a parent who's like oh no we can't do that. They're all like oh
that that's that would be great. That would be terrific. you know, so um I have to say that I don't think there would be a lot of push back from Shootsbury residents about accepting some additional students in Shootsbury or accepting Pelum Pelum families in
Shootsbury. And so I think offering Pelum Pelum the option saying we hear that you're in financial states. We do have some openings. We would be willing to accept your students. uh we are not pushing to have them but we just want to know that we would like to support you
in any way we can is sort of the appropriate approach. And I'll I'll just say to I see your hand Shannon that like one of the things that I felt like you know in bringing up some of the concerns that maybe some people would have I feel like what I
heard very strongly from the town side and particularly the select board is like look this is not like we are not like we are have very serious financial concerns and any way that we could go forward to make that like we can't like
to to paraphrase it There's no point to being provincial if, you know, we're struggling every year to put together a budget that keeps things together for us. If there's a way of bringing more money in, if there's a way of making the school more sustainable, we should consider that,
which I think is, you know, it's a it's a it's it's important looking down the road. Um, you know, if we want to continue our elementary school as well, um, forward. So, uh, Shannon, >> yeah, I just I you sort of chimed in
about what I wanted to, um, echo that, you know, this is really right now a a a Pelum crisis that they're going to need to deal with. And so, you know, Ann and I as school representatives will be happy to be a part of whatever that is. But I I also want to be mindful. I don't want, you
know, to to be spending a half hour of our school committee talking about an issue in Pelum because it doesn't feel really collaborative. It feels a little poachy. >> Um, and so we're ready to if the town because I think it would be a much bigger conversation than just the school
committee if the town decides to do that. You know, Ann and I have already, you know, as requested, we've pulled numbers. We know what our census looks like going in for the next few years. Um, you know, we've looked online. You can see, you know, online, um, through
the mass.gov, you can get everybody's relative census, so you can kind of project because it's not really about what do they have right now. It's what do they have for one and two year olds and three-year-olds. And so, um, you know, we'll be a happy happy to be a part of that. If the towns decide that
they want to go, you know, we'll offer our our feedback. Um, >> that was all to say. >> Yeah. And I just want to say like the the point in bringing this up and putting it on the agenda was just to bring the whole school school committee up to speed on it. Um there is another meeting on uh there's another like kind
of town department meeting that was just scheduled today for February 25th which is supposed to be sort of a brief followup. So I imagine we'll have a another brief point um brought up you know for the next for our next meeting. Um so we'll have a little more information but we just wanted to make
sure that you guys were all on that you all understood what was going on. um because we haven't had a meeting since this sort of stuff kind of popped up. Um but yeah, I also think to piggyback on you Shannon, my understanding is really at some point this is going to be the town administrators who need to get together and start talking about this
and figuring it out long before we have to do anything around it at all. Um so that's I think the conversations that are going to be happening if they happen are going to be between um town administration and um they'll trickle on down. So thank you. Does anybody have
any other questions before we move on? I feel like we comprehensively kind of covered it. Okay. Um so moving on, uh we're going into reports. So superintendent report is first. >> All right. So I apologize for the late
linking in to your agenda um of the superintendent report. Robin is taking some well-earned uh days off and it has really shed to light how disorganized I can sometimes be. So, um, and I don't have anyone keeping me, you know,
keeping me on time. So, I apologize for that late, um, linking. So, um, some updates. Uh, SCES held their prek open house on February 4th. Uh, we're excited about the excitement and interest in our early childhood programming. We've been
working with children's network director Gileian Boddine to coordinate our open houses across all the Union 28 schools to support family needs as given by input gathered on various at various CNC sponsored events. Um, one of the things
that came up is families need to make decisions about preschool because it falls into a larger conversation around child care. Um, and that doesn't always fall on a school calendar. And so trying to be responsive to that need that we've heard from our communities. We've been
booking them earlier so parents can make those decisions um earlier. Uh the kindergarten openhouse will be held on March 4th. Uh SCS hosted the Union 28 schools for our common jobs yesterday. Um and Ann and Laura did a great job in
getting that organized and hosting um all of the school uh members of Union 28 and teaching staff um for some PD and um that's not easy to coordinate all of that in in one building. So they did a great job. Um some Union 28 updates. The
CPAC group met um uh at Leverit Elementary School to discuss progress reports and IEP goal setting. Um CPAC agendas are rotated among the Union 28 schools and present topics of interest for special education support but also interest to wide range of caregivers. Um
the group is open for all Union 28 families. I think they had a recent cancellation of CPAC but they are rotating there so that we're getting to every um having something local in every community. uh joint supervisory council met on
January 12th uh and passed the U28 budget for fiscal year 2627. Caitlyn presented a 411 regarding how school budgets work with a specific emphasis on the intricacies of a union budget. It was very wellreceived. Um,
and um, Caitlyn actually did some presenting for MASBO. Um, because school business leaders around the Commonwealth do not understand how union municipalities work um, for budgeting. So, um, uh, that was, you know, great
for Caitlyn and it was very informative. I got a lot of great feedback from people who were at that. Uh, I recently attended the winter meetings of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendent in Marlboro. The theme of the meeting was steady, strong, and strategic leadership. The keynote
speaker was Dr. Miguel Cardona, the former secretary of education under the Biden administration. There was also breakout group work around rural school funding and advocacy efforts to on sustainable funding for our rural school districts. Uh MASS is working to support
district leaders in their advocacy work. Superintendents from rural communities will convene to discuss plans for the 2026 legislative session and strategize about securing additional support for rural schools and districts. Um there'll be every year you get a um notification
from MASC about the um day on the hill. Um, and that's really going to be important that rural schools make their presence known both through administration and community members about when when rural schools that are significantly underfunded are not, and I
know I'm preaching to the choir a little bit here. When we have a, you know, a cut of $6 million that is spread among those schools, that's people that that's programming and equity for our students in rural schools. So, um, advocating
for, um, restoring some of that funding is, um, it's going to be a quicker solution to our fiscal needs than looking at the chapter 70 formula. The chapter 70 formula does need to be reviewed, but that is not going to be a quick a quick and timely process. And
so, it's really important that we're advocating around um, anything to do with rural schools and that funding. Um, we will be rolling out, we are in the process of rolling out our new social media platform and we'll be sharing information um, with stakeholders. That's all been sent to the schools. I'm
not sure if each school has sent it out yet or some are waiting until right before the break. Um, but we're focused across all the union schools about improving communication through a couple of venues. One, improving our website. Um, focusing on ADA compliant
communication. Um we there are uh some significant changes around the requirements for communicating in an ADA friendly way because we're a small entity. We got kind of an extension of that. Um but we're in the midst of trying to make
sure that we're compliant with that. Um and um also increasing um our social media platform for communication. We're not open to having dialogue over social media, but to not use that as a form of communication doesn't best serve some of
our younger families who get information that way. Um, and so trying to be more um proactive with that. Um, if you are curious, you can like us on our Facebook page, Union 28 Le Shootsbury New Salem and Wendell. Um, some legislative
updates. There's um right now the act to provide a sustainable future for rural schools which was sponsored by Senator Cford has been referred to the Senate Ways and Means. Um and that's all I have for today.
>> Thank you Shannon. Um any questions for Shannon related to her presentation? Um, yes, Susie. >> I just want to add that the rural schoolsmma.org org has updated their um
their page so that you can connect with the joint house and ways means um means committee and there is a video of Joe speaking at the Senate and getting one of the bills that was out there, not the
one that we are working the most for, but one of the bills that wanted to have early literacy requirements. She got it amended to say you need to deal with um rural schools funding these kind of um ef these kind
of legislation and that was her amendment was her amendment was adopted. So if it there's so many ways that we have to address this and that she is doing that work, but you might feel inspired by listening to her and then you can send out those emails again this
time to the um ways and means committee and I looked into the representation and on the house has 35 members. One of them was Natalie Blake. Oh, that goes away. So all of those rural towns are not represented and there are only other six
other um representatives that have rural towns um in their districts. So I feel we're under reppresented with the house. The Senate has more um people representing rural communities, but it is very clear that we're not heard. We
are pretty far away from the center. and um so every voice that comes from out here helps inform them of where we're at. >> Thank you. Um I know that the uh the petition that was going around uh was coming back around again. They're
looking for another 800 signatures and I know I pretty sure that most of us are signed into it, but if you have other um if you know other people in other districts um or other unions or like whatever, you can pass that along. I know some schools are a little squeamish
about that. Um, I know Tech Lawyer encouraged the administration not to sign on to it. Um, which seems a little ridiculous to me, but um, you know, that's that's another place that if there's anybody who you look down that list and you don't see their names on there, um, that you can forward it to, it'd be great. Um, I imagine anybody who
signed it did get that email this week. Um, I can also forward it back out. So, great. Uh, Kaitlin, that brings us to you, director of finance and operations. >> Uh, Jeremy, it says, um, sharing is not turned on. I can, um, kind of verbally
walk through my >> Oh, we'll get you we'll get you we'll get you some sharing. Hold on. >> Okay. >> I don't understand why that is an issue. Try it again there. >> All right. Great. Um, it's the difference between one person can share and two, but like I'm not sharing, so
why couldn't you share? >> Uh, so I'm gonna start with the the budget for this year. Um, we are there hasn't been any catastrophes uh that have really kind of killed our budget this year. We know that we had
some additional special education expenses, but it looks like we can manage within the budget. have the tuition with some excess IDEA funding from last year, some circuit breaker, some IDE funding from this year and the
budget we had. We should be okay. Transportation is going to run over. That is line where am I? Uh line 39. Uh but we've had some other
adjustments within the budget that will will keep us afloat. So we are looking pretty steady and hoping that the boilers and roof and anything else that could just fall apart on us won't happen or need. It's not even the falling
apart. It's the needing backto backto back $20,000 a repairs that can be kind of crushing. So the budget is looking pretty good right now. Um I have um the next item is the
um is it sharing the budget now? >> Great. So this is we had a public hearing earlier. We had our meeting with the Sheesberry Finance Committee. It has had a vote on preliminary adoption. Um unless there are any other changes
you'd like to make and bring it back for final adoption, you can um if the school committee decides they can decide to vote on it tonight or at the next meeting in March and still meet the timeline of town meeting, but this is that overall
increase of 6.32% which we know would have been about 3.88 without the unexpected increases. And we did have a really good conversation with the town finance committee um about the the struggles we've had this year with the budget.
>> Leah, um I did have a quick question on the FY26 budget, but I can send you an email about that. Um for the FY27 budget, I I feel like I've heard you mention this
figure before, but I'm not sure I've heard it for this one. Um, have you had a chance to look at um for this increase what the impact on taxes um for the for
individuals in the town would be? >> I have not I'm not sure how I would um how I would do that. What the town is planning for their other departments and what their overall budget is. Susie might have a better insight into that.
Yeah, I think um so we're going to do the summit on the 23rd and um how you present numbers to the public are really important and it could we could break out what the impact on the tax rate
would be um for just this piece. Um and I think we should think about that. Um sometimes separating out one budget makes it more of a target. Um but I feel um the school worked really hard to get
this budget together. So um if you want those kind of numbers or when we come to our meeting on the 23rd, you can suggest those kinds of things and then we'll follow up because we're still working hard at this. It's far from over.
Okay. Um, I have a question, Caitlyn, which is just, is there any benefit like I know last year there were a couple of like late changes. Um, is there any benefit to holding off a month to do our final vote on this?
No, I I mean, so I've seen budgets vote for final adoption in February and then possibly as things if things change, make an amendment in March or don't do a vote until March and have that be the
final vote. Um it's and even last minute amendments, you know, that are spontane not spontaneous meetings, but meetings that for for only one item if an amendment needs to be made. So, I think with a March um
March school committee meeting, Susie, when's the annual town meeting? Is that the first week of May? >> Uh no. Uh second, >> it's um the 9th. Is that the Is that the second one? >> Uh yeah, >> second Saturday.
>> Uh so your um next school committee meeting is March 19th. Um, I I think that meets the calendar for town meeting for May.
>> Okay. >> I just wanted my my question was just more like should we hold off because there might be something that would have to be added on. I think you answered that question. So, um, yeah, I'll put it to the committee. Do we What do we uh what do we do? >> I move to accept.
>> Thank you. Katrina, >> do I hear a second? >> Second. Both of you. Okay. Um so all in favor um all in favor myuan I heard I >> Jack I.
>> All right. Thank you very much. So that is passed and we are good and well within our timeline. So thank you very much Caitlyn. Is there more that you had to discuss? >> In my director's report one the school budgets explained which was the
presentation I gave to JSC last month. comparison between municipal and regional school districts which I gave to MASBO and then this the last two are from Maso presentations I've been to recently. So one is the Massachusetts taxpayers foundation the new fiscal
reality it's incredibly dense but um has some really important information about it especially if you are wondering what the town is doing with our taxes. Um, it does feel like the I can't remember the official name, but the millionaires tax.
They're, you know, they're saying that it's overwhelmingly going towards education, but the way that they embedded that was into the chapter 70 funding the student um the SOA >> S SOA student opportunity act >> student opportunity act and which we
don't really reap the benefits of it all. That's going mostly towards gateway communities. Um and then the last is the uh desi. So Robert gave a preliminary FY27 chapter 78 and charter reimbursement. So just you know good
beach reading if you if you've got time over vacation. Um but just some resources to to link in my my report and that's all I have. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Any uh further questions for Caitlyn?
All right. Uh so that brings us to the principal report and uh yeah brings us to the principal report and go ahead. >> All right, good evening. Our numbers haven't changed. I think Shannon did a great job on our SIP update. Just a big
thank you to our volunteer instructional leadership team of course to Shannon and um I'm feeling really confident with the SIP that we have. It's going to take us through the next three years at least. Uh as part of planning for the school improvement, we've been analyzing the effectiveness the effectiveness of
instruction as measured through data points that include our student performance on classroom assessments, benchmark assessments, progress monitoring, MCCAST classroom walkthrough data, and individual teacher feedback. Steps for improving our instruction include developing a curriculum pacing
guide, which we are um actively doing now, piloting some new e models, and ongoing professional development. staff had an incredible share out around the literacy um what they've been doing with literacy as part of our our group with the
pioneer and the grant that we have through them. We've been implementing some resources through the writing revolution 2.0 know structured word inquiry. Some teachers are getting the letters language essentials for teachers of reading and spelling training. And I
am actively in the group for the pathways to proficient writing graduate course which is um a group of teachers and um educators in our reading specialists who are learning more about the importance of um knowing all of the pieces to writing. Across the
classrooms, teachers are successfully balancing structure and flexibility, providing clear models and tools while honoring student voice, complexity, and independence. The result is thoughtful writing, strong content, understanding, and high student engagement. Our work with our curriculum council, we
um Shbury continues its work with high quality instruction. Uh one group is supporting this work with our U28 curriculum council. The curriculum council is a group of staff of the four buildings that look at data and instruction and provides input and action steps in improving our
educational programming. Um, we've also shared the district literacy vision and that has been created and developed with that group and there's also a letter there that supports that. We are looking forward to Valentine's Day tomorrow and welcoming the council for aging for a
Valentine's Day tea with our fifth and sixth grade students. They are very excited to decorate the cafeteria and engage in thoughtful conversations with our um friends from the Council on the Aging. The PTO had a really popular um
160 people attended their skating party and lit this past weekend. They had um it was a wonderful event. They did it last year and had about a quarter I think of the amount of people. So, it was a it was great to see the numbers grow. They also hosted a winter dance and grade six had a pizza fundraiser to
help support their upcoming field trip to Boston. So, it's been busy. I think some of our friends at Shootsbury are looking forward to February vacation. And um there you go. So, if anybody has any comments. >> Perfect. Thank you. All right.
>> I have one question. >> Yes. Seriously, technological issues. Um, my mute button is just spazzing out. So, I did want to just bring up I know I got an email from I think it was Haley this week about a number of more Jamrog um and maybe we should have brought this up during capital improvements or
whatever. Um, a number of more uh Jamrog invoices and I just wanted to check in about how and what was how that what what our thinking was on that. Is that something that we're passing off to the capital planning? like what's what's going on with those invoices?
>> That is a great question. We are continuing to share all the information that we have through the that dock and um trying to keep everybody um up to date. We did get all of those at the same time and just wanted people to be aware of the work that was going into
the the boiler system. I know that there was an alarm that had that had gone off earlier, but that's been taken care of. So, um, that is a great question. That's a great question. >> Yeah, I was just I I know that it was sent out, but I wasn't really sure what the like what I was supposed to do with
it or what we were supposed to do about it. >> Susie has her hand up. She'll probably have more insight. >> Sie, you you know more than any of the rest of us. Go ahead. >> And the first question I have is, is everything working with this new cold weather we've been surviving? Has it been working? Oh, good to hear.
>> So, >> at least one, sometimes both. So, um, so I brought it up to the FinCom on our Tuesday meeting. I sent the, um, email that Robin sent or no, Laura sent
out to, um, AJ and I said, "We have to have a discussion about repairs versus maintenance." And that that distinction seems really important to me. And we need our buildings committee to meet and talk about it and come up with a very
clear plan. Um, My personal opinion is that um when you talk about a 50-year-old building, you're talking about um repairs, not so much maintenance. So um we'll see where
that goes. Um it also at that meeting um our town administrator Haley Bolton presented the notion that there should be a position created of a person who is uh has a name. The name is
>> a building >> facilities manager position and um and so our committee heard about this on Tuesday for the first time and it said well a new position in town starts with the select board. So it's on the select
board agenda for the 17th. If people have anything they want to weigh in on um that is on their agenda, you can. And that is just the very initial round of thinking about a person who's aware and
pays attention to the um systems that are in the new library, the old library, the town hall, the highway, the fire, and the school. as someone with knowledge about systems and then can push buttons when they need to call this
person, call that person. They did not create their preferred vendor list yet. So, that might be a job that that person would take on. >> Um, and there might be another way to approach this, but this is what's come up recently, and it came up really from
the kind of work that the school had to do to to get the boiler running. Um, one other person on the fincom suggested the idea that that could be a shared position with another town and then that led to how do other towns do this? Um,
especially small towns without um, you know, a big staff um, a maintenance staff that goes around. So, it's in the it's in the beginning stage to be thinking about it. There's plenty of reasons to support it. the position I
think was like $75,000 and in this budget that we're trying to manage that's like that won't work. So um so there's a lot of thinking to be done but it it does seem like it would um is a need that's
clear. The new library has a lot of systems and somebody has to learn all about them. They have a year's warranty on that building. I think it was one year and they, you know, those people that put it in will come, but that would be a good time for somebody to learn
what what those are, those systems. Um, so I don't know how that will pan out. Um, let me just see if there's any other pieces on that note. Um, uh, oh yeah, the other one I wondered.
So, so actually if the school wants to take a first step, it could submit those to the finance committee, those uh repair bills. That could be part of the step. Um
um and that was um 8,000. Oh, >> I was just adding it up right now. >> I got it here. >> All right. >> $8,26.55. So, um I read I read the um invoices and I can see what they're
doing. I I get it, but um I think it reflects a system that's old. Not bad, but just old. >> What I also want to point out from Gemrog, right, these are like from October through December. Most of them are October and November. >> Yeah, they're all they're all invoiced
on the 1st of February and due by the 3rd of March. >> Yeah. And their billing system sucks. You could you could even tell them that >> tell them. >> We actually have and then this was the improvement was getting them this early because remember last year we got them a
giant chunk in May and dating dating really far back and then they send people at different times that we don't always know and it's sort of like you're always playing catch-up and there's not a way for us to pre-plan, >> you know, and now at least now we're not replacing the filters that go into the
systems. At least now it's it seems to be more like you said, it's more of the not the routine maintenance, more repair, >> which makes sense. >> I just think the idea of dropping six months worth worth of invoices with a net 30-day term is on a on a
municipality is unconscionable. Like that just feels like a ridiculous ridiculous thing. >> I I say the same thing. And you could maybe um I'm not sure how all of the different conversations are working, but maybe that's something Haley would take
up with them and say that's not acceptable terms and we'll we'll do this. Um but also the school should consider if they want to submit them as a repair bill to the finance committee. Um
>> and that would just that just remind me of how that that last time I just I just emailed AJ with that request. Is that correct? >> And and he did re I forwarded him uh Laura tried to make the header very inclusive, but she actually skipped him. And that's a person that really should
be first um or in the list. And and you know, this is how you decide to proceed. I I can't tell you, but I wanted you to know that if you think if you're thinking that you do need to write up a um a request for the finance committee to meet those um
>> those invoices. And the other piece is I'm wondering how the oil is doing, how the fuel oil um is doing. And I ended my we mended our meeting on Tuesday late and I didn't get to put that on the
agenda. There was too much stuff. So, um I don't know how any um building is doing on their heating costs this year. Um so you should keep an eye on it and if it needs to be a request, it needs to be a request. >> Matt's planning on ordering some more
oil over the February break. We have about 4,000 gallons left in the tank and 3,000 left on our contract. So, we could still order we can still order more and we'll be within it. Um, >> so we're just we're we're we trust that
trust us when we say we treat it like our own house. We're definitely not trying to go overboard. We want to make sure that we can maintain what we have, but um just being really cautious of of um how much fuel we're using and really trying to be conservative. So >> yeah.
>> And on one of those one of those invoices said they checked out why some of the areas were cold and they said the thermostats were set a little low. And when it is this cold outside, you have to raise your thermostats. That's how it works. And I know that's true in our
house. So, um, >> so whatever. So, as you watch the fuel oil bills come in, keep us surprised. >> I mean, worst comes to worse, we could always water it down like we did last year. Um, >> that works.
>> Remember how much that cost us, Jeremy. It's not a thing we want to do. But, but I like where you're thinking. I like where you're thinking. But just because the line goes up, it doesn't mean it's good. We don't want that. >> All right. So, I um I guess I should bring that to we should talk about that as a committee just quickly. I I feel
like considering the fact that this is repairs, considering the fact that we went above and beyond and really cannibalized some of our budget last year to try to keep this from the town, um I feel like my my sense is that I would like to forward
these invoices to AJ and ask for uh finance committee help in in paying these because we're talking about like yeah, we're talking about $8, and you know, $200 uh which is no small uh no small number. So, um, does anybody else
on the committee have thoughts about that? Yeah, Anna, go ahead. >> I was just wondering where I mean, it seemed like our budget is in halfway decent shape and so if we were to submit to try to take care of this with our within our operating budget for
maintenance, um, would we be struggling to stay within our budget? >> Yep. >> Yeah. I I also just want to say too that I think that my sense that my sense of that too is that like the maintenance budget is for maintenance and if
something you know happens over the rest of this year that requires that maintenance budget >> and we've spent it on repairs to our boilers. Um that's not really, you know, that's that's the issue. I'd rather have I'd rather have money left over at the
end of the year in the maintenance budget um and do something with it then than to like you know what could happen is what happened last year, right? Which is we use the money to pay the invoices and then we have to keep going back to the finance committee for every other
little piece of things that come up like, well, we need more oil now. Oh, here's another invoice from Jamro. Like that is what I don't want to do again. That was sort of painful uh last year. So, >> I agree with submitting them as repairs.
>> Okay. So, worst case is I just go and get grilled in front of the finance committee, but that's fine. I can handle that. >> Thank you. Let me know if you need backup. >> Oh, it'll be fine. Just some people on that committee know a lot about systems. Um, all right. So moving on, we are
going on to the Amoris Pelum representatives report and >> I should have been more prepared. Sorry, I came to this meeting and so yeah, we're in the middle. We're, you know, we're closing up the budget cycle. I think it's going to be we're we're going
to have a uh our budget hearing coming up pretty soon. Um, I don't think it's going to change a lot from what was presented at four towns meeting. Um, I'm I think everybody is
hoping for a few more details. Um, and then when we present a budget that has like $2.8 8 million in cuts. Um I think it's we really need to know how those cuts are hitting and it's just not
quite good enough to say, "Yeah, that's going to be 28 FTE." I think when when you're trying to figure out whether you can pass this budget, um people want to know which 28 FTE are going to be affected. And so hopefully we'll get
some more details on what that might look like. Um, we got an update on litigation and um complaints, which is always fun. Um, and uh,
needless to say, we still have some. Um, I'm hoping to see the day when we don't have any current um, cases going on. Um, and like what what what what's
frustrating to me, and I can't talk about any specifics, but what's frustrating to me is it seems like um I I think this is true with all legal legal issues. You feel like it's just
very weak cases that you still have to fight. And um >> anyway, >> so uh there's a lot of money still being spent on legal fees. Um they're still trying to they're still in the process
of hiring an assistant superintendent for the sixth grade. Um they're still talking about moving the start time of the middle school and high school half an hour earlier. I don't
understand exactly how this affects Shootsberry's transportation. >> It does not. >> Yeah. I was told that it doesn't affect the elementary school at all. >> Yep. Um Dr. Z let us know that that was going to be coming up and didn't want us to panic by hearing it secondhand. She'd
already established it would not impact us at all. I I don't fully understand how that's true because apparently the buses that serve the elementary school in Shootsbury are not
the same buses that serve elementary, middle school, and high school students. >> Yep. >> Okay. because they used to, but apparently they've switched that now because I know when my kids were in
seventh and eighth ninth grade, they would take um the same bus that they took to the elementary school to the high school and middle school. They would just pick them up after they delivered the kids to the middle school or to the high to the elementary school.
So Richard would deliver >> well I think some of the kids come on the high school bus to the elementary school where they get on a bus for us to get dropped off around the town. Is that correct? >> That's still correct. Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. >> But the question is does this is there a
bus that delivers kids to the elementary school and then delivers kids from Shootsbury to the middle school and high school? I guess I don't really know, but I didn't think that was the case. >> That's that's apparently what Dr. Z
believes as well. >> Okay. >> But anyway, >> that what I'm saying is that didn't used to be the case, but apparently now it is the case because Miles and Kai's bus used to do that, >> but apparently they don't do that
anymore. >> Okay. It's very sad because Richard was awesome and you know >> the only one that would really have the final answer to that I think. >> Yeah. Um I think that I don't I can't think of anything.
Let me Oh, give me one. >> Sorry. Oh, shoot. Um, I had some notes No, that's that's basically >> okay. >> The um yeah
>> question from Susie and then I have a question as well. >> Go ahead Susan. >> My question was at our meeting on Tuesday AJ's understanding was it looks like the regional budget will be working towards the $2.06 million
cut. Um, and we all agreed that yeah, that would make our life simpler, but that's also before the parents hit the hit the airwaves and the pre press and the hearings. So, um, I just I just
wanted to affirm that that's what you're you're telling us is that the um regional school is looking towards the version that has the 2.0. I think yeah it's the the Ammerst 3.5% increase or 3.52% increase.
>> Okay. >> Which leaves us at like the point 75% increase or something like that. It's very tiny. >> Yeah. But you know just sort of witness what happened in Pelum. People are quite on fire and they're going to show up. Well,
>> and like you said, you should if they have some more more specific information besides just 28 FTEES, then the more specific it gets, the more flame flame. >> Yes, that's true. The I mean, we're the
the the thing for us is that Pelum and Leverett are going to hit their I can't do this point much sooner than Shootsberry is going to hit it. >> Yeah. Um, Pelum is already
>> hideously strapped and um I think they're at is it 3.5 something >> that they're being or are they up at six or 7% increase? >> Yeah, >> they're at seven. They're at seven and
Lever's at 3.5. >> Mhm. >> Um, and so Leverett doesn't I don't think Lever feels very comfortable going any higher than that number. and Pelum is, you know, like we can't do that number and Amoris is that's the absolute
highest that we can go. I think it's extremely unlikely that we're going to get any traction to be able to pass a budget that is higher than that. Um, I think there is still a
chance that there's going to be representatives from Pelum and Leverett who say we need to reduce it further. And um I I I think we're going to this, you
know, as a school committee member, I think we're going to fight pretty hard to not have more cuts than that, but I don't know that we would be able to fight for fewer cuts than that. It would just it's going to put such a strain on Pelum and Levett right now that it's
going to be very difficult to fight that. So, I think we need to brace ourselves for some really unhappy conversations and um think think critically about which battles we want to fight.
>> Um when you say, you know, I know oftentimes at this point in the budget season when we talk 28 FTEES, it's a big scary number, but then we find, you know, efficiencies or money that isn't related to positions. Is that still >> absolutely absolutely a possible? Yeah,
that's still a hope. I think >> you know I think I what I heard was like that last year we thought we were going to lose like 18 >> or something and we didn't lose anybody um or we didn't let anybody go. I think
um we we didn't hire like it was people who left um because they found a different job and we didn't refill their position or um other savings and shuffling and
overlapping that were they we were able to not lose as many positions as we thought we were going to lose. Um but honestly that org chart has not been
presented to us. >> Okay. >> So >> any questions? Any other questions for Anna? Thank you Anna for as always soldiering through that. Um joint supervisory I know uh Leah you sent out
the latest kind of newsletter. Is there anything to report on that end? >> You mean CES? Let's see. Yes. Yeah, we didn't have a We've already had our joint supervisory. That was last month. >> Uh yes. So, the joint supervisory committee met on January 28th
um where they discussed the FY25 annual highlights. So, like every year they release a CES summary of annual highlights. Um we also they also reviewed financials. Um and then they
went into executive session to discuss the contract for the e executive directors. Um we do have a meeting coming up on February 23rd. Um so more to come.
>> Thank you. Um and thank you for forwarding out those reports to us as well. Um all right, so we're going into our policy review section. We've got a second read final vote for deletion on IHAX early childhood education i.e. organization of
instruction. So we need to vote to finally delete those. Do I hear a move? >> Okay. All in favor? May you? >> I heard I Jack I. >> Thank you. Um and then we have a first
read for IHBG homeschooling. IHB special instruction programs and accommodations, IHBA, Student Services Program. IHBD compens uh compensatory education. I am ready for February
break. Uh IHBF Homebound Instruction and IHBH alternative school programs. Um final vote on IB, academic freedom, ICICA, school year, school calendar, and ID school day.
Um so we need a movement and a second on those final three for the final vote. >> Um so I move to uh vote slashapprove. Um >> yeah, yeah, final vote approved.
Um IB, IC, ICA, and ID. >> Second. >> Awesome. Any discussion on those? Any last minute ch? Okay. I mean, we looked at them a bunch. All right. All in favor? May you? >> I heard I.
>> All right. And those all pass in. All right. So, uh, one of the things that I'd mentioned on the perpetual calendar, uh, and, uh, those of us, I think it's just Anna and I, who have right now on this committee, we're all on three-year terms. We're all in various staggered,
um, staggered places, but, uh, there are two seats, mine and Anna's, that are up for uh, up for re-election this year. I have decided over the last couple months that I have to I have to bow on. I can't run again. I have too much um on my plate and I feel like I'm struggling to
kind of keep all of the all of the things up. So, I'm my seat will be open and I uh want to encourage you guys to think about people who might be able to uh step up and and fill in. I know that this next couple of years are going to be full of challenges. Um and there's a
small part of me that feels bad about missing out on some of it. Um, but I honestly um I need to I need to turn my attention elsewhere um over the next couple years. So um yeah, just be thinking about people who might be able to uh who you might consider endorsing
to run or convincing to run or cajoling to run, whatever that might be. Um and Anna, I don't know what your intentions are, but I just want to make people know um mine. Yeah, I think my husband would love if I would just not try again, but I feel
somewhat compelled to run again. Just I I think my kids are still in the school system, so I probably will. >> Okay. Um I might come back again at some point, but I think I just need I need a couple of years to to focus elsewhere
right now. So, all right. So, uh, we have coming up, um, our next meetings are Shootsbury policy committee and the next school committee meeting are March 19th. Um, budget and personnel, I think that says to be to be announced. Uh,
union 28 June supervis joint supervisory will be March 16th. Monday, March 16th. Um, are there any other future agenda items that we want to add into next month's agenda that we can think of right now? Okay. Uh let's move to adjurnn.
>> I move to adjourn. >> I second. >> Thank you Katrina. All in favor mayu I >> do I >> heard I >> dark eye. >> Wouldn't it be funny if like Leah at the last minute was just like wait I'm not ready to. >> All right. Uh thank you all and we'll
see you next month. >> Bye guys. >> Bye >> bye.