--------- Hello everyone. >> Good evening. >> Oh, I'm always like in the waiting room like am I in the right one? Back to look. Me, too. I need that alert like, "Okay,
get it together. Everyone's here. We're definitely feeling the uh end of December feels for sure." >> Yes, it sure is. >> I bet Jeremy, you're feeling that, too. Definitely. You don't need a calendar to tell you >> what time of year it is.
>> No, we're on We're on borrowed time right now. >> Yeah. It's like we are we are overtime. This is not a it's not a good time. >> Uh I mean it is what it is. You gota you can't like you can't completely let up.
But it is not the most productive. And what did somebody tell me my first years of teaching? Nobody wins teacher of the year in December. >> Um >> you just get through it. >> That's it. Just survive it. >> All right. It is I'm sorry. My computer has been incredibly slow today. It seems
to be working now, but it took forever to get the camera and the mic up. So, how about I'll just call uh this meeting of the Shootsbury School Committee uh policy subcommittee to order at 6:34. Um and our first order of business is to
approve the minutes from November 20th. >> So, move. >> So, um so Leah moves. Uh I'll second. All in favor? Mayu? Hi, >> that guy. >> All right, it's unanimous. So, tonight on um our business, we've
got policies for review around homeschooling, which I think we had at the end of last year, but we put it off and now it's back. Is that It doesn't really matter. Anyway, so we've got the homeschooling uh policy for review. We've got the early childhood education
um which it looks like this is not a Mass Association of School Committees policy, >> right? So, we could vote to delete it. Um, and then remote learning and library materials section and adoption.
So, there's nothing that we have to do other than review that. Um, Leah, did you have any thoughts on any of those things? >> I actually did not review all of them just yet, so
>> I don't know if maybe Well, I mean, so all we have to do is to review them. We don't have to like We can add things, you know, the next time when they come. Oh, sorry. Hold on. I was trying to pull back up the remote learning one because I thought I had
I just want to see if there was something on that one that I My window is too small to support document previews. The one that has the most um difference between what we have and and um the MASC
is the homeschooling policy which hasn't been updated since 2004 in Shootsbury and MASC did theirs in 2003 and schooling has changed a lot. Um, and it certainly some of the requirements,
>> I don't want to say become more lax, but more parentfriendly to make it not so difficult to homeschool. There's still obviously some pieces. Um, so that is one I would suggest that we we adopt the new policy.
So, the one we currently have is pretty pretty labor intensive and puts a lot of um additional requirements on the parents >> and a lot more checking in and all that. That really isn't how it's done anymore. >> It's really interesting. I know that
>> and all that, but >> I know that Jen um I can't remember anyone's names either. I know that Jen last year wanted to look over this and I think she was looking at it from a parents perspective, but unfortunately as we ran out of time at
the end of the year, we couldn't get her for a meeting um to go over it. So, I'm sure that that is part of what it was. Um >> I think it is this is the only one that
I was able to review. Um, and yeah, it does look very different. Like our existing one has a lot Yeah, to your point Shannon, you did say that the existing one has a lot more requirements
than um what Massie has outlined. There are some pieces of this that I kind of want to keep, like I would like to kind of combine the two. Um, not necessarily in terms of like all of the steps that parents have to take, but
just like the intro, keeping some of the language that's specific to Shootsberry. >> Okay. I could get >> that first paragraph. Is that what you're thinking, Leah? That first paragraph. >> Yeah. It just says like that we we value
that it's a unique choice and >> embed that right before the first paragraph on the >> MASC. Okay. So, like in terms of like would we be
able to cut like keep these on for next time or is it recommended that we just move these forward to the full school committee? >> No, we can keep it as long as we want. I mean, >> okay.
>> Mo most school committees don't even have their policy meet every month necessarily. So, um I I don't have any problem. I can make that change and then if you have other suggestions that you can get to me in the um
>> can I ask >> I can I can you >> sorry >> no it's my fault um my question is you know one of the things that I see in the
that I don't necessarily and I don't know if we really want to get involved in this anyway but like I do like you know I think Um, you know, I love the idea of being, you know, obviously somebody who's being home in a home based home school being able to be, you know, do the extracurricular whatever things. I think
that's important, but I also think that like never mind. I don't know. >> I like that first paragraph, too. I think and the one swiping the one from the SCES I think it's a nice kind of introduction to it because >> I I mean I don't want people to feel
like it's a punitive thing and we're not going to keep encouraging them to be in the community because >> we do I like it and I'm totally on board with it. But I am going to tell you what MASC would say that when you want the nicities that should be in your
procedures and your handbook and your policy should be dry. >> Perfect. That's what they will say and I'm not necessarily it I don't have any problem with that but I'm just will tell you that that is their mantra that you keep your policies dry and you add the
nicities to your handbook and procedures about how you want things done. So I'm just going to throw that out there. I don't feel strongly about adding that either way. Um, but I just know that some of the the feedback and I just had the same discussion with Irving um
because we were in a a training and we were asking questions about um policies and they kept redirecting her and saying that's a procedure that's not a policy. >> Our handle's pretty light so we're good. >> And and I don't feel strongly but I just
I was going to throw that out there. No. >> So, I'm cur I think I'm just curious from a procedural view like you know the committee delegates the review of home instruction to the superintendent to make a recommendation like how much how involved do you really get in that in the real world? Um, Shannon,
>> I do not Lindsay Lindsay Rodriguez, it's one of her responsibilities. I will say she is very thorough as far as um, but in a supportive way, not like our current policy feels like it's hoop jumping. Um,
>> and you know, she helped. There was a family who really wants to homeschool and they didn't really have the curriculum that they needed. So, she hooked them up with some networks because we want kids who are homeschooled to be getting everything they need because often they make their
way back in and so I want them to be successful. >> Right. And I have I've had such vastly different experiences with homeschooled kids. They're either >> they're e either my like most gifted students or they're the students that are struggling the most. There's not I haven't had a whole lot of homeschool
students that fall in the middle. They're either like one or the other. Like they either really got you know, a beyond their peers sort of education or something that was very different. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> I don't really get involved with it, but I will say this union, Lindsay does a
very nice job with making those connections >> so kids still feel pretty connected to their school, both Shootsbury and other schools, because she does it for all of the union schools. >> Okay. Okay. I'm okay with that. Um,
it's interesting to me that on the MASC2 that it says that the I didn't realize that this language about a student being educated has access to the curricular and extracurricular activities. I thought that was a requirement, but they're saying it's actually just an option. >> Yeah. >> Which is okay.
>> Yeah. I mean, we do try to make a practice able to. They they do get any special education services that they're entitled to. So, we could have a homeschool student who comes in for testing and >> they would be able to come in and get their services in school, >> right?
>> Um, >> okay. >> So, I can keep it on the agenda and add that first paragraph to the beginning of this one and see how you like it and we'll just keep it on for next month. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Otherwise, I didn't really have any other suggestions. I'm f I mean, I'm
fine with moving the other ones on. I'm also okay with just having keeping this whole slate for next month and then if you know Leah has the time to read it then we can look at it again. Um as far as the early childhood education one that looks like something we could just vote to move on to delete right or can
we just vote to delete it? >> So yeah no you can vote you can you have to bring it to the full committee to delete it. Um I think you could look there's three policies. the um early childhood which you said and also the organization of instruction they don't have that anymore because it's embedded
in other places. >> Okay. So actually I see it's actually it was brought back down there anyway. So uh let's go from policies to be added which is the support services programs and the health education. Didn't we just look at health education? >> We did is an addendum to that. So when
you see IH and it says like R, it means that it's a piece of that. So, we've probably looked at IHAM recently and this is >> It feels familiar. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Sorry, I'm a little behind the uh behind
here, too. And we can keep the same agenda and just >> I really do feel like we saw this. >> Shannon, the other schools do the how do they structure their policy meetings if it's not monthly? They just is it um >> bigger districts they might meet. I mean
they have a a they do meet I shouldn't say they don't meet monthly but like like in athol they met a few times a year and typically >> when there was a policy that was right
it was not proactive let's just say um it would be largely based on like >> if there's stuff going on right now like about um how how government people access the building, they would probably be
reviewing that because there's a a you know social need to review that but um not as methodical. >> Yep. >> H okay. Uh so I don't know how you feel I am okay with moving those policies
that are to be added and those policies to be deleted to the whole uh committee but I'll I will defer to you and what you would like to do. >> Yeah, I'm good with that too. Um, >> okay. >> Yeah. >> Do you want to make make the move and then we'll vote?
>> Yes. I move to have IGB and I am R move to the full school committee for addition to our policies. And I move to have IE and IH AX deleted. Move to the
full committee for deletion. >> I second both of those movements. Uh all in favor may you? >> Jack I. >> Okay. So those move on to the committee and then I think yeah let's keep the other stuff here and let's take a better look at it for next. >> So we're going to keep homeschooling
which with the addition remote learning and then the library materials. >> Yep. >> Perfect. >> Great. So I'll make a note of that too. All right. All right. >> It's really silly because I prepared last night but I completely forgot about
policy. I like just looked at the main school committee. >> You just looked at the extensive list of things we have to approve in our regular meeting. >> So I will be better next time. >> No worries. We're not worried at all. >> Such regularity. I'm not not worried about it at all.
>> Yeah. Um All right. So do we have a move to adjourn? >> So move. >> Uh I'll second it. All in favor? Mayu? >> Jack I. >> All right. So, I'll see you guys in a little bit. >> All right, we'll see you in a bit. >> Bye. Thank you.
>> Bye. Part: 2
Hello everybody. All All right. Um, I think I am going to I know we're still waiting on Anna. Um, but I think that I am going to call this meeting to order at 7:02.
Uh, so, oh, hold on. Get somebody else to admit here. That's what I get for trying to just start it. All right. So, I call this meeting of the Shootsbury Elementary School
Committee to order. Um, our first agenda item is uh public hearings. And so, I know we have at least one number that I don't recognize. I'm not sure if that's a member of the public, but if there is a member, any members of the
public who would like to address uh the committee tonight, I would ask that they make themselves known. Okay. Uh hearing none, we're going to review the agenda and perpetual calendar. So, obviously, our agenda tonight has a number of different things. We've got our normal pieces. Um,
we're going to hear about some of the capital projects, uh, stuff that's gone on in the last month. Um, there's also been a green communities grant meeting which, uh, we're going to hear some reporting out from. Um, I also have, uh, one, I guess, sort of new agenda item.
We're going to talk hopefully a little bit about, uh, uh, a constituent who reached out about a concern that they had regarding the use of the gymnasium. Um and yeah, so that's kind of our agenda. Um as far as the perpetual
calendar goes here in December, we're uh at a point where it looks like um there is the superintendent's budget is on the list for December, preliminary budget. Um and our town is the only
other thing that was really on there. And so I I think that's kind of in hiatus as far as I know right now. Um, coming up, we've also got uh there's a poll for another meeting of this multi-committee meeting as there was uh this past week. So, there was uh a
multi-committee meeting in town on December 16th at like 5:00. There's been a poll put out for the next one. Um so, uh maybe if you were there before that was sent out, I could also send that out to everyone else so that they can fill it in. Um
there was a number of days over two weeks um in the middle of January that they're looking for availability. Um and there's also >> Sorry, go ahead. >> Can I just ask so this is about the green communities grant funding. What's
this multi? >> I think so. I don't know. Like I just got an email saying that at the last meeting that they decided that it would be good to have another meeting and so I guess they're going to do it next month. I don't know if it is still on the green committee piece or maybe Nate or Anna will be able to talk to that um >> okay
>> after I don't know. Um and then also the finance committee is going to have their yearly meeting with us. I think Susie said last month um that it will probably be in February. Um so those things are coming up uh as well. So uh yeah. So
that moves us on to Lawrence. Okay. So, I have five warrants, two accounts payable, three payroll. For accounts payable, I have 3013 from December 9th for $7,852.90 and 3014 from December 23rd for
$5,342.70. for payroll uh 311 from November 24th for $91,97.19 312 from December 8th for $90,67543 and 313 from December 22nd for $91,339.7. And those are the warrants I have.
Okay. Um, looks like we don't have any gifts, but we have a number of grants in there, um, which have to be voted for acceptance. Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, looks like we have an IDA um, grant of 2565.
We've got the title one of 17,070. Uh, title two of 2500. Title This is where I'm going to start getting nervous. Uh, title four. Yes. Um 10 I wasn't the math teacher. I always, you
know, I don't use Roman numerals except here. Uh $10,000 and then we've got the reap um grant of $18,73. So we're going to need a move to accept those.
>> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Move. And we have a second. All in favor? Mayu. I >> I long >> cop I >> All right, it is unanimous.
Those are accepted. Uh next up is the approval of our minutes from November 20th, 2025. Uh so let's have a move and then if there's any discussion, we can go for it. >> So moved. >> Okay. Did I see you Nate second that?
Yeah, I want to second it, but I there's a couple things I want to talk about. >> Well, now now it's open now it's open for discussion. Go ahead. >> Okay. Uh there's um a couple parts. There's a uh part F um at the beginning
it says unfinished business. And in section A, if you guys are looking at the minutes, um section A, fourth line down, um there's a part that's stating, um Nate said in May. You guys see that
part? Anyway, it's talking about >> how and then it says it took two weeks to get uh in contact with the building committee. And I just wanted to like um yeah, it it kind of makes it sound like
that's a long time and I was wondering if there's a better way of saying it took two weeks because you know that seems like a pretty fast turnaround. Um I don't know if you guys >> you could just say like we met to
discuss this in June and two weeks later the building committee got involved, right? >> Yeah. Or we could, you know, >> I guess you keep it keep it passive. >> Keep it passive like that a little bit. >> Something like that, you know. >> Trevor, >> change about to so and it only took two
weeks. >> Something like that. That's right. That's exactly >> I don't know if we have to go that far. I like the way that that made it sound like it was neutral without being inclusive. >> Right. Well, that's I was trying to like like like when I presented I was trying to say come up with, you know, come to
your own conclusion on that, but my conclusion is that's a pretty timely turnaround. And so I want that to be expressed in that minutes. Also, uh later on it's uh talking about the tractor is 24,000. I may have misspoke. It's 34,000.
>> Um >> okay. >> So those are the only two things I caught. >> Okay. Anybody else? Any other uh points for discussion or editing? >> Man, these minutes are so much better
than ones I do. >> Yeah. Pretty expensive. >> Yeah, >> they are. >> What do you say? Oh, yeah. Mine are volunteer. Um, so we have a move. We have a second. We've got a couple of additions. Um, all in favor? May you
>> I Jack? on code Y. >> Okay. Uh so that passes unanimously again. All right. Uh so we're moving on to unfinished business and updates, which is the capital projects building process.
Speak carefully, Nate. Just kidding. >> Yeah, I know. >> I know. Um well, a lot's gone on. Um I have a little presentation I want to share. Um, but I do want to talk about um just kind of what has transpired since our last meeting. Um, you know, we
got um the town administrator on board. Um, I was contacted by um the Birkshere design group um and I discussed um the parking lot with them. They are a
all-in-one kind of surveyor and civil engineer and they do project management as well. Um they've done uh the uh Irving Elementary School um playground and different elementary schools and they're working right now
with the Deerfield um elementary school and repaving their parking lot um to the tune of 1.2 two million. Um so um that was kind of a big
wakeup call um for me. Um they discussed um the need to come in and kind of do a survey. They needed to drill down about 18 in to kind of see what uh the substrat is of our um our parking lot and see if it needs to
be regraded and what needs to be torn up. Um I I became pretty anxious with the whole thing like listening to him. I was like, "This is going to," you know, he was asking about um wetlands and all this stuff and I just was like, "You really need to discuss this with um with
our town administrator." Um and so, uh he was really eager to come out and we tried to get everybody uh he wanted to get everybody out there. Um and I just want um Haley to kind of take the lead there and just see if this is the route we want to go to or if we want to do
something more simple. But then there was all this whole thing with the green um uh uh the green initiative grants. And so we uh are discussing now kind of I'm going to put in a request uh an application for
this uh parking lot uh for the capital projects in February. I'm going to change my my price tag a little bit to reflect this new reality. Um and um but we're going to like look into this these grants. So
one grant is um you know a lot of these are for uh one is for a heat pump a ground source heat pump and um you know I don't Anna is not here and we were going to talk about this in the next section but you know one this uh February 13th is the deadline for this
application but that it's potential of getting up to $5 million to uh to you know deal with our heating system and get a ground source heat pump you know and we were the idea is to kind tie all this in and have um the parking lot be
part of that. Um you know, we're like, "Oh, well, it has the heat pump has to be underneath the basketball court and oh, we have to replace the tarmac and everything." So there, that's 5 million going towards the uh the play to the to
the parking lot. Um we'll see. Uh we're that's this committee that's that's going to um uh meet next month. um that uh Jeremy was talking about. So um there's some push
back um you know from whether we want to to to to you know we'll have everything together in time um for the February 13th uh deadline. Um so we'll see. And you know, there's talk about uh whether
we want to even focus on the school or whether we want to focus on the town hall and the um Spears um building. Um so yeah, again, that's that's stuff we can talk about in the in the other section. Uh
I did want to kind of try to share this little presentation if I can. Let's see if this >> It should be I did just go in and make this >> Okay, let's see if I can do this.
Um, >> hey. >> Um, let me see if I can Can you see that? >> Yep. Shootsbury Elementary School parking lot and driveway sidewalk repair 2025.
>> Looks very professional. >> Thank you. Thank you. Well, I put this little map together. I met I ended up meeting with uh Matt um Foster uh the uh custodian and we kind we discussed kind of the things we can do and um I put
together this little map of the parking lot. There you can see the in kind of orange is the building um and the gray is the tarmac in the parking lot highlighted in yellow. >> Very nice. >> Thank you. >> Well done.
>> You know it was it was kind of fun to put together. Um I got some I through Laura at the front office. there was some like town meeting and I was able to get some of these numbers um from her and she emailed me that afternoon
talking to I forget who it was but they gave me kind of rough estimates for that back um you can see the 100 ft by 80 feet is that kind of basketball court area um you can see at the front there's like about a 300 foot driveway um and
anyway in those bright uh yellow are kind of the problem areas that need to be addressed um sooner than later. So, this is that 24,000 that's already set aside. Um and we discussed like um so I'm just going
to share some photos. Here's a photo of >> the bike rack area. This area was replaced um Matt said by the previous custodian. He just um kind of did it. I don't think he put rebar in there. So, it's kind of really deteriorated. This
is kind of done fairly recently, but it's deteriorated pretty quickly. Um, here are some cracks. Um, you know, these are the cracks by the um this is by the preschool um entrance and you know like you know kids kids are waiting
to get in and they've tripped on those like cracks right there. Um, so that needs these need to be addressed. And I think, you know, the idea of putting um black top there is that it melts faster. It's easier to deal with um and getting
the ice off. The other section is this front entrance way as you can see around that bench there that's that that um is coming up that um this is kind of near the flag pole there. Um it's a little
closeup of that corner. Um there's this like area in the center island there. There's these faux like um rocks, these cement rocks that are deteriorating. Um and here you can see those bricks that I had mentioned last time with those
little knobs. You can see some have been severed off there. Um so that kind of those are the things that really need to be replaced. Now, there is also the this issue with the with the snow removal and
the tractor. So, you know, there's 34,000 that um we need to replace this tractor. Now, the reason why we have a tractor is because the town
doesn't take snow plowing seriously at the school. And here are some photos of this is from Saturday after the storm. And you can see how kind of still there's a lot of snow that's left behind. Um, and it's pretty icy, pretty
slippery, pretty slushy mess. Um, and so Matt has this tractor that can kind of help supplement for the kind of, you know, job that the um, highway department is
or isn't doing. Um, and he only, you know, he only has so much time during the day uh, to do his job, so he can only do so much. Um, and here's the tractor that he wants replaced. Um, here is the quote. This is
from last year. So, this is the $34,000 quote. So, he and I discussed um this a little more. I brought this to the um capital planning committee last time and there was some push back there about
like you know um with the new uh library uh if we can get the town um to kind of take these facilities more seriously and if we can get them to, you know, plow them and deal with the sidewalks. And
Matt said, you know, yeah, and you know, and I talked to Matt about this and he said, you know, it would be great um if we had the town, you know, could do mo the majority of the plowing and he could do do his thing and do the sidewalks
with two of these units, the Aeron's um platinum snow plow as an example. So these are three two of these at $3,000 a piece. That's $6,000. So, you know, there's that that um
that there's that. So, that could save us, you know, a bunch of money. Yeah. >> I think it's important to note, too, it's on its last legs and it has been for a while. And anytime that he goes to get it fixed, it is a we lose it for months at a time, and it's a
considerable amount of money >> for even just the smallest repair. >> Yeah. So >> can I can I just ask >> is the tractor used for any other >> It is. It is not.
>> Okay. So the main difference between doing two snow blowers versus the tractor like the snow removal would still be doable for him with the time he has or >> Yeah. >> Just think about the tradeoffs.
>> Yeah. I mean, that's the that's the that's the idea is that he'd have time to be able to go around, I assume, having another custodian doing the second um you know, the two snow snowblowers and going around just doing their
supplemental stuff. >> Really depends on the timing of the storm. >> Yeah. I also just I mean my only my concern here and I'm not like advocating for a $34,000 tractor, but like my experience of our spring storms the last few years is that they tend to be really kind of
slushy and wet. >> Yeah. And you know, I I know this is a $2,900 uh snowblower, so I I would hope it's better than mine, but like I just worry that that's not the more slush and the more wet kind of
storms we get that >> Yeah. >> snowblowers won't be up to the challenge the way that the tractor was in terms of cleaning out and around the edges. >> That's a fair point. I think those those erands uh are insanely um okay >> effective. Um they're they're incredible
machines. Um so yeah um I think they they're kind of built for this kind of stuff. And if you saw that one had like you know caterpillar track you know treads and stuff. So it's a it's a beast. >> Um and he's get that's that would be the top of the line you know and I think
that would be the kind of idea is get the top of the line best snowblower. But the idea is to kind of coordinate and kind of you know create this uh these relationships with the highway department and kind of you know work with you know that was a bit you know
that was what was really exciting about this meeting at um the other day with all these people is that we were all talking about all this stuff you know that I feel like I've been kind of trying to figure out for the past year. We were talking about the boiler and we
were talking about um the oil tank and we were talking about the parking lot and it was pretty incredible. And then there with the potential of having uh you know grant money to kind of >> be able to deal with this stuff is is pretty awesome.
>> True. >> And uh yeah, I I came away came out of there pretty hopeful. Um >> great. >> You know, I think Frank, you know, advocated uh Susie was there. she advocated for us in a really great way and um yeah there was push back you know
there's definitely as always there's push back but uh you know I think if we can get uh three people there if we can create a quorum you know we would have a a real presence there um and be able to really kind of assert you
know our agenda or whatever the heck we have going on you know Okay. Um, so in order to get in order for the snowblowers to be the thing, um,
we'd have to make >> because I mean I know >> there's been some, you know, I know the DPW is short-handed right now. Um, as far as I can tell, I'm not super tied in, but it sounds like they've been catching some guff around here. Um, but they're super short-handed. I just
wonder, you know, if that's a if that's a reality, but how what's the timeline on on needing either a new tractor or those snowblowers? Is it an immediate need? Is it a this year need >> I think so. I think so. Um I'm I'm meeting we have another January 8th, I
believe, is our next capital planning meeting. So, I'm going to bring this presentation to them and I'm going to present them with this 3000, you know, with this snowblower concept because this is me like taking their feedback, going back to Matt with their feedback and him coming back and saying, "Here's
a compromise." >> So, >> yeah, we'll see what happens January and January and see what they say. Um, you know, I'm going to try to put in what we're trying to do is get, you know, I have a thing that goes out to like 2030, 2045 or something. They're trying to
really project um pretty far in the future of what the town's needs are. So, I'm going to try to just and I, you know, would suggest this if we're going to make a handbook, Jeremy, like like for whoever's on the capital PLA planning, you know, committee, put in
those requests every year for what needs to get done. so that it's on the docket. Um so that we can kind of get them if it's not happening next year and that you know so we can get it on the thing and get it talked about. Um yeah so
>> get things on in well ahead of time like look ahead. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know there was some push back about you know how we spend we already spent tens of thousands of you know thousands of dollars on the oil anyway. What's the big deal? and I kind of pushed back and
said, "Well, you know, one month was $34,000 and >> yeah, >> when it the heat came on in October, it wasn't working." So, >> you know, we really need to deal with this um now. And and the reality is >> the reality is >> the reality is we're going to need to
deal with it. We're going to need a new heating system at some point. >> Yeah. >> Um no matter what. And to be looking ahead at other possibilities of ways to save ourselves money when we have to replace. Yeah, >> if you're planning for it, you can make the plan for it, right? But if you end up having a crisis situation, you're
going to end up just replacing it with an oil burner and then you're stuck with that for however else, >> however long, >> you know. And then, yeah, Frank was saying how he, you know, that the the oil tank we could possibly get, you know, 10 years out of this ground um oil
tank and I just kind of was like, well, you know, but we're probably not going to get that from the parking lot. We're not you're not going to get another 10 years from the parking lot. parking lot should have been done 10 years ago, >> right? >> You know, and we it's been in deferred maintenance for 10 years. And so
>> we don't want to put down uh, you know, get Clarks to come out and put down a bunch of new, you know, tarmac and then have to tear it up in 10 years. >> It could be, you know, >> 20, you know, a 25 year >> tarmac, you know what I mean? So,
um, it was really great to be able to express all these and kind of get everybody talking about it and getting getting everybody like on the same page because I don't think that has been the case. Um, so I was pretty psyched about that. Um,
and we'll see where it goes. Um, yeah. I'm sorry that Ann's not here to kind of give more information about um the, you know, the heat pump stuff is is a little bit out of my um Yep. Susie has something to say, but yeah.
>> Yeah. All right. Uh Susie, go ahead. the um I believe that the green communities grants um there's a February deadline and then there's an August deadline and I believe the heat pumps can fall into the process that would look at August
but until a master plan where everything that is known is put down and then it's sorted into a logical order. um that that has to happen and and what happens in a diffuse
um structure um is that people don't all know they're illinformed. They may end up doing resistant behavior, but it's really mostly a lack of knowledge. And so the meeting that was last night was helpful to to begin to to recognize that
there were other um concerns that hadn't been shared. And the the drive to be a decarbonization leader is not should not be the drive. The drive is to figure out what's needed and then make a logical sequence of this. Um and there are lots
of pieces that are appealing like oh let's do heat pumps. Well, how does that fit in to um the parking lot? How does that fit into the 30,000galon tank? How does that fit into now there's more discussion about canopy solar? So,
>> yeah, >> hopefully that meeting will yield a group of people that heard all that that will write it down in some logical order before we hire any consultants. um and then get the consultants that
that weave it all together into a coherent plan. But what was clear from yesterday is like one of the people involved was saying, "Well, there's forced hot air for heat in the school." It's like, "No." And so one building, I don't think that's what that is. So it's
like, "Okay, then we can see we need fact gathering, not opinion gathering. Then once we gather facts, we can put it in logical order. So it's a little concerning to me that um that still hasn't been done. And so the question
around the oil tank that can last I believe it can last 10 years. The oil tank was not the problem. >> No. >> Water in the fuel was the problem. >> Exactly. >> So then people are saying, "Oh, the boiler is no good." Excuse me. >> The boiler wasn't the problem either.
And so it was jumping around last night still in a way that makes me want to tear my hair out. Yeah. >> So it doesn't help to have a lot of people >> although you understand that people can show their real un their concern but you really need to have a very careful
laying out of what has to happen. But decarbonization and the way we are in this planet it will move away from oil f uh fired water. It will, but uh the order to do that, the process to do that
has to be figured out. But I believe right now they're looking more at the August submission deadline. And I believe that it could be for the heat pumps and they might figure out where to dig the holes or trench for the heat
pump in a way that doesn't interfere with the other plans that are trying to be settled. Um, but they need to know that. And that's >> I it still makes me >> uh frustrated to hear how it's not very
coherent, but the need for coherency might be coming clear. >> Yeah, I'm sorry if I'm not more coherent. I I'm I'm trying to figure this out as I as I go. You know, >> I think you're pretty coherent. >> Thanks. >> But it's all coherency between all the different organizations. That's the all
the different committees and >> boards. Um, >> I think you're right, Susie, like a logical order of fix it. Like what needs to be fixed where we are with the current ages and stages of all the things in the past that have been recommended and and might not have gone through because we just keep spinning
our wheels like they're going to um sh I know what Jeremy I've got an idea of what Jeremy's going to be talking about with the there's a system in the gym that the divider that goes up and all the components that are breaking down and we've been really limiting how many
times we open and close it. So, um, it's at least $15,000 of a fix that we I haven't even brought to capital. >> Wow. >> The capital projects because I'm trying to prioritize heat. We got to we got to we got to put the heat on, you know, like that sort of thing. And and um I
would love a meeting of just logical order of all the systems in the building so we can be very clear and transparent with people so they can make the ultimate decisions on what they want to fix when. That's that's part of the agenda is getting Frank and and Stephen out here and doing a audit a full full facility
audit. Yeah, for sure. And you know, it's frustrating for me, you know, again, like you know, we met in June, you know, if we had gotten that ball rolling in June, we'd be in better shape for a February third, you know, 13th deadline. >> Um,
>> but yeah. Um something else, you know, they were mention of of like uh the canopy, the EV um canopy. One thing that about that is is having chargers on the um school grounds, having public chargers on the school ground. I think,
you know, I just w read one of the policies and you're not allowed to have anybody um on the school grounds that's not, you know, a staff or student or something like this. So you can't have a public charging station on the street.
>> They have plans for public stations other other places at the library and at town hall. >> Exactly. >> The thing that will probably come up for canopy is storage and then >> Okay. >> Um battery storage and that's still being sort of uh fought off by some
people and joined by others. The other piece that came up to um the fincom so we met right after decarbonization. We had a regular meeting is to um they are they agreed to fund the 6,200 for the
tank water polishing bill. Um but what it highlighted is how and who defines what is maintenance, what is repair, what is emergency repair and how should the and what is capital
plan um based um funding blah blah blah that again has to be coordinated by the select board. the FINCOM has an emergency fund. That's why we rationalize to to pay the money for that
bill. Um there's also thinking, well, maybe the school should pay the bill and as their year unwinds, they should say, oh, we're going to need that money and then the fincome transfers. So, there's lots of strategies. of course that didn't work very well last year for different
reasons, but um there's strategies, but there's definitions that aren't clear. Um and you know, I feel like the school has done things that have been called maintenance that maybe should have been categorized as
>> town building repairs. And you know, the building committee was the p were the people that initiated that check on the tank. And so last night when we're talking about who should pay, it's like, well, maybe Frank should pay because in that building they have a fund and it's
called repairs. I mean, so those words have to be more clearly defined. And then I think >> all of the departments need to participate at some level. The school has one of the biggest budgets. So there's a sense that they have money,
but that's not how you define maintenance. It's not. >> That's what I was just gonna say is like last year we end up like we end up, you know, we end up cannibalizing our technology fund. We end up doing like and we're trying to be, you know, good stewards of our money and we're trying to keep the town's financial picture in
mind, but like it doesn't really feel like that's going to it doesn't really feel >> this is not like people don't pay attention to town government as closely as they could, right? So like people don't know these things. And so I understand like you look at it, it's like, wow, this is a huge portion of our town budget. But the idea that we can
like front bills for things that are maintenance and repair at our school and then somehow just see if we have le enough leftover money and if not, you know, hope on a promise that we'll get our budget balanced at the end of the year is not a very sustainable or >> right >> correct way. It's not a equitable
process. It needs to be clear and defined. And the thing that happened, I believe, is that Becky Torres was in government, town government, long enough to sort out some of this and direct where the project should be considered repaired or maintenance or blah blah
blah. She did that. When she left, we're back to having new people kind of at every level that have to go back through this. Maybe um Shannon can tell us how some other schools define that that maintenance versus repair versus
emergency and then we can adopt a clearer definition that applies to all the build all the buildings and all the um equipment >> townwide policy. This should not be open to interpretation every time something comes up. >> Susie, so if if we want to address this
though, where is the avenue to do that? Did you say that this is sort of a who controls these definitions is an open question or is that something that select board fincom us who defines this? How can we actually do something? It it's something like the decarbonization
meeting where you sit down not with a bazillion people there were a lot but you say who is it who are the people that should have part of this discussion and it's obvious it's it's clearly like the the town administrator has been administrating it but Becky had a body
of knowledge to work from we don't have that right now the um the but I think you end up looking at how other best practices are in other towns and you hammer it out and um so I'd say the fincome is going to be part of it.
Capital planning will be part of it. Um the select board and then I believe the departments should have a way to define what they see in their budget as repair maintenance. And we actually ran through this a little bit with um the fire
department because almost $11,000 of their budget was going to inspections and that was called maintenance. And so when you have to go then take a wheel off of something and put it back on, you didn't have any money. So there was a
boost for them to do that. And I just wanted to call the 11,000 inspections because their their equipment has to be inspected and tagged as this is working. Um, and it's multiple inspectors. So anyways, each group is going to come to
it with the knowledge of what their costs are and how to sort them out and then maybe we'll negotiate. Okay, that sounds like maintenance. That sounds like repair. That sounds like a one an emergency oneoff. And I would say things
that happened around the um boiler nozzle, the water, and the tank really should all have been considered emergency repairs. But we if we do that, we I mean the fin's reserve didn't have that money. Um didn't have all the money
that you had to spend on that. So we'll have to figure out a process. Right now we're into the budget planning and there's so many things to be thinking about and working on. Um I'm thinking don't shove this because it's really a part of everybody's budget.
>> So then is that something that we could align on as a group so that our messaging for how we divide these things is clear before we even come to >> you should you should begin to think about it. What could those word what are those words and how do you put things in
categories? When I heard Ann talking about replacing the front door, it's like, okay, what kind of thing is that? Is that a maintenance? >> Yeah, >> maybe. It's certainly more maintenance than dealing with the nozzle that was a
problem and it was causing a series of problems. So y'all can think about it and should should sort of come up with some working ideas and then and and we need to then discuss it as a group because there's different so it's the
highway is all equipment all of it and when the grater breaks down I'd call that a problem half the roads need the greater so anyways we have to figure it out >> you know I think something uh about that too is that I was hoping that last meeting we would get a little more
clarity on what was going on, you know, I um have been pretty overwhelmed, honestly, about what is going on with the boiler, and I was really hoping that Frank would have been here last uh last meeting and give us that clarity. I think that is
kind of an initial step and us being able to say, okay, well, this is that and this because, you know, we're not even on the same page of what what's going on and what's wrong and what the problems are. And so I think we need we need that information. We need that um
camaraderie with those other departments. This is kind of what I'm talking about. Like I want to try to figure out these things with the high highway. I don't want to have contentious relationships with these other departments. I want to try to figure this out with them. Um I think I think you know about going to a select
board meeting. It's kind of putting a presentation together. You know there was concerns um I brought up a little while ago um that the select board um came through. We, you know, there was one concern about, you know, class sizes and how the class sizes are so small. And last time we had our meeting and
presented, you know, a a list of class sizes and and they're pretty big. And since then, I've heard that, you know, there's a second baby boom in town. You know, there's another baby boom coming up, which is different from like Swift River. Swift River has a baby boom that's going to, you know, bubble that's
going to go through of a preschool of 27 preschoolers. you know, we have this this large preschool class and all those preschoolers are now having little siblings and so there's a second, you know, so we c we have to, you know, prioritize prioritize the school, you
know, it's um yeah, we can't let these things slide. Um and yeah, anyway, that's my rant. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> All right, Shannon and Susie, I see still have hands up. >> I'll take my hand down.
to Sus's question about how other districts and I'm happy to have that conversation. I think every dis every town is municipality runs a little bit differently. Swift River is a region, so there's a lot more, you know, when I say autonomy, the school district takes the
lead on a lot of things. But one thing that does happen is at um in Irving, um I'm invited to the department meetings and so they're not always my favorite thing to go to, right? Because a lot of times it but it's really helped
me to understand what are the priorities of the town. Um, and either I go or the principal goes. You know, we we sometimes tag team that, but it gives a better picture. It helps form relationships where you can have those conversations. And I and it's something
maybe we need to think about is having a school capital planning committee. Um, Caitlyn goes to a lot of those. When we have something that's coming up, we invite the town manager to come and represent that. um uh so that she's
always in he's always in the know about what's coming down our pike, >> right? >> And they leverage a lot of resources like we had some sidewalk repair that had to happen and he sent the DPW guy out there to look and say, you know,
>> what what can we do internally and what can be done before the you know first frost and all that. So, I think it's just about setting a structure where that happens and I'm happy to be a part of it. I know Caitlyn is happy because sometimes it's a money piece and I'll often say, you know, Caitlyn and I will
go in tandem because, um, she certainly is much more versed on what is the finance avenues we have as a school. Um, and so I, you know, I'll put myself out there that I'm I'm happy to go to any of those meetings. Um, but they have to be
put on my radar. >> Okay. Um, okay. So, we have the next thing on the agenda was the green committee's grant discussion. Um, and the February 2026 uh
school committee policy meeting date discussion about vote. So, the first thing would be the green committees grant. Is there anything else that we need to kind of talk about with that or do we feel like we've kind of gotten the overview at this point? Um, >> the door was fixed and it was um like six grand. So, just you know, the
internal parts were fixed. Okay, >> great. >> There was uh like a talk a talk of the G of a green schools uh grant that was also in an August deadline. So, we'll find out more information. I'm sorry that Anna is not here. Um we talked a
bit yesterday like after the meeting just kind of recruit regrouped about um what was going down. So, I was really hoping she'd kind of fill us in uh and give us more information, but um yeah, we'll have more information about all this stuff in January.
>> Okay. Uh Susie, >> so I think we need to know um very clearly when those deadlines are and for what grants and what those grants will cover. And so, um,
I think ECAC, and Anna's not on ECAC, but Nathan is, but, um, her her partner is, but I I think maybe I will go to I will email ECAC and say we want to see a very clear um time uh, line and which
grants come when and what grant and what those grants can provide. They did a a report. I don't think I see it in there. I'll read it again, but I'll al also ask them. Those are the kinds of clarities that we all need. And like I don't I'm not sure why Anna knows what she does
about it. Um but often times you have to go more to the source and um she she could have helpful knowledge, but we need somebody to commit to what the um grants are and the time schedule and what those grants will
allow you to pursue. >> Okay. I think I have I I can email you guys uh I think some of the stuff um right now um that Nate had sent out
yesterday. >> See if I can get this to you guys right now. Um, >> while you're doing that, Shannon, did you some thoughts that you wanted to add with that, too? >> Nope. Sorry. I just hadn't lowered my hand. Sorry. >> That's all right.
>> Um, okay. So, I guess we don't like it feels like we've kind of talked about the green committee's grant. Um, so the other piece would be this February 2026 school committee date, which I guess I have to
open up my calendar here so that I can actually see that. I know this happens every year. You'd think that we would catch it before now, but >> you guys during the It falls during the winter recess, >> right? Right. Um, sorry. I just want to
see what other dates we have here. So, usually we can either move it to the week before or the week after is what we do. Um, I just want to get the actual dates. And for some reason, whenever I get >> or the 5th, >> I'm sorry, Susie, what was that?
>> 19th of February or the 5th of March is on either side of >> So, well, okay. So then maybe that would make the most sense if we can to just agree to do the 19th. Hold on a second. So fifth
fifth. >> No, the 19th is break. Yes. >> No, the 19th is break, right? >> It would have to be the week before or the week after, which is the 12th, the >> 12th or the 26th. Okay. I'm sorry. 25th or the 11th, right? Thursdays
usually. Um, nope. I'm in December still. What the hell? This is like >> the 12th and the 26th. >> I swear my computer is not >> What's wrong with the Oh, right. So, the 26th could be good, right? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> So, uh, does anybody have any
preferences? I think >> I tend to think the 12th could be better because it's not as, you know, otherwise it might feel a little close to the March one. I guess it's kind of the same thing. I don't really care. Um, is there any is there anybody who has any opinions on this?
>> The one of the grants is due February 13th. So, if we met on the 12th, we could >> talk about whether we getting that grant together in time. >> Okay. >> I I I'd like to push to get try to apply to anything and everything and not try
to pass up potential money. I I understand what Susie is saying, but yeah. you know. Anyway, I I emailed you guys. There's a green schools initiative uh information packet there and some of the stuff from the other guys to read.
>> So, does anybody want to make a move on this uh February date and we can vote on it? >> I move for the 12th. >> Okay, >> I second that. >> All right. All in favor? May you? long co.
>> All right, perfect. So, we'll meet on the 12th of February instead of the date that we had on break. All right. So, then the ex next thing is this outstanding invoice which um I mean I read the email kind of like I read the email that was asking about it and then
I saw that Susie had emailed last night that it got paid from the finance committee I believe. But can can we talk a little bit about like I got I I could use some background on this because it feels like it just kind of came out of nowhere this week. >> Is there anybody who has that information?
>> So what I found out from last night's meeting was that when Frank knew there was water in the tank, he as a member of the building committee um decided rapidly that the
tank had to get checked. And so he um looked around. I don't know how the procurement part on that all went. Just look the other way. And he um said, "This company can do it. They can give us all the information. The tank is
pressurized and that Yep. No leak. No leak there. Water's in it. Get all the water out. Get any mold that developed in there out and get the um system back up for running." and he did that because he's on the building repairs committee
and felt he needed to act quickly. Um somehow that invoice um didn't go to somebody's desk, not clearly. And so even in last night we're like, okay, so the FinCom will approve this money, but
who go where does it go? it decided to go to the school because Frank's not really um a com um he doesn't the buildings committee does not actually pay things. I think they I don't know how it happens and again this is the
problem. We don't all know I don't know. Um so now the money is going to be sent to the school. the school can pay that invoice and um and that was the reason of it and that was the source of who initiated it and that's how um and he
was very sensitive to um it was getting to be 90 days past due and that's not a good way to run your business >> right we didn't see it at the school level at all until we we as soon as we saw we acted on it and said hey what's going on you know what's going on with
this we didn't know that was >> or was it for the other three months That's a great question. >> Okay, fair enough. >> I don't believe it was in town hall. I don't think it got there. I I didn't read the invoice very, >> but regardless, it's taken care of right
now. And I think again this just points to the point that you're making Susie repeatedly tonight which is we need to have some policies and we need to have some sort of a flowchart of how maintenance and repairs and emergency repairs get approved and paid for so
that these aren't just things that we're we're not constantly coming up with invoice invoices that we're not aware are coming uh for things that may or may not you know are not part of our our budget obviously. Uh, perfect segue
into the other piece which uh, Ann alluded to earlier, which was that I um, we have I I I know from the last couple years we have a very avid uh, pickle ball um, group in town and I received an email today from uh, one of them uh,
questioning about this year. I guess uh they were told that um we have to have the gym divider curtain down um because and I in in our follow-up emails and kind of made it
clear that it's not really the curtain is not a danger. It is not in you know horrible shape but it's the mechanics of the gears that move it up and down or move it in and out. I forget which way that one goes. Um but those are worn and so the school has had a policy of trying
to not put it up and down as much as possible and because we now have this p you know now that we have this nut now that we're a nut-free school my understanding too if I'm not incorrect an is that you guys pretty much keep this down so that you separate out the gym area from the cafeteria area which
of course is all the gym but like one part is predominantly used as the cafeteria the other part's used as the gym so that you can separate out those things. Is that correct? >> Exactly. And the gym um for classes is is outside the majority of the time. So, it's only inside if it's really really
bad weather. And we're not trying to be a bad partner. It's just we're really trying to not come to the town with a $15,000 maybe could be more issue. And um that was a way that we could easily say, well, when it's down, it's down.
and the wear and tear of having it um because pickle ball was meeting two days a week and um they were charged $5 a time. So, that's another thing we might want to take a look at is how um how we're structuring that the lending of
the building, especially if they need custodial support. And and that's, you know, that's not neither here nor there. But that's just something that kind of came up because um even just putting it up and down the two times a week, four times, then it's it's more wear and tear
than what we're already doing. And we're really being so cautious about not opening it. like we do our all school assemblies in that half of the of the room. We only opened it for the town hall meeting and then we'll probably open it when we do the play, but we've
been so uh so cautious about that and it's been a good plan for as far as the allergens go. It's on a designated side that children are eating in and then the it leaves the other area, the PE area totally safe and um allergen-free. So,
we're not trying to be, like I said, we're not trying to be bad partners, but we're both good renters, and that thing is not it's it's it's not long for this world, and we're really trying to limp it through before we ask for another thing. So, >> okay. So, I think that, you know, one of
the things, you know, and I think this is where things get a little confusing for our for our town person, um, was just this idea that like, you know, well, you know, first off, is it safe? Secondly, like, well, you know, what's the point if we can't use this? And I think to your point, Susie, right, like
this idea that like, oh, there's this thing that's broken at the school and they're not fixing it. Why aren't they fixing it now? It's in the way of pickle ball. >> Um, and the recreation committee kind of weighed into just saying, uh, that they're glad to have been a pri praise and they'd be interested to hear what the thoughts of the school committee
are. But I, you know, initially I kind of responded to this, not not defensively in any way, but I was just like, uh, what is like what is this? But I do have this thought and I know that money's tight and everything else, but this is one of those places where like as a school that the town feel, you
know, that many in the town feel like, well, this is like a huge part of our budget, whatever. you know, having the ability to be able to use those public spaces in the school is one way that we are, you know, kind of positive for the
part of the the part of the town that doesn't that pays the taxes but doesn't have kids in schools anymore. The people that often I've run into and talked to at town meetings when I show up where people are like, "Well, why should I have to pay, you know, full price for this school? I don't have any kids there." Whatever. Like that. We know the
piece, right? And so I guess this goes to Sus's point, too, which is where do we find the money? Like where if this is we're limping this along, it's something that's going to have to be fixed. It is a building repair, maintenance sort of issue again. You know, how do we get
this in the pipeline to get it fixed? Because I do think it's important that we're able to allow and I I think that and I want to say to you, too, I'm going to I put it in my notes. I'm going to check in with my school to see what we charge for outside groups coming into our school. Um,
>> we measured it. They could do half court, but I actually met with the a couple of representatives, different representatives from pickle ball a couple of times and I said the way that we're handling is it it is we do a pickle we do a pickle ball um club and
we do it half court. So, they're using that area and we just shortened it and they didn't want to do that at all. So I said, you know, like I'm not trying to be difficult, but honestly, $15,000 for this to go up and down right now doesn't make a lot of sense to me because >> n, >> you know, so I'm I'm flexible on on
other ideas that people might have, but also I just have to be really um protective of the those, you know, the building and and what's going on in it. >> But again, this sounds like something that we also need to address and fix at some point. And so, you know, if we can get that going sooner rather than later
so that we're not just limping it through. I mean, it sounds like something that like, >> you know, the problem with limping something through is at some point it stops and then it has to be dealt with. And especially if it's part of our allergy response plan in terms of the students we have that are super allergic, like it just feels like
something that should kind of get in the pipeline and this is another place where we need to figure out like whose responsibility is it to take care of it. Um, I saw Nate first and then I think Trina and Shannon. >> Yeah, thanks. Um, I right here is just
this form that I got for capital planning. Um, and it's just like each department and it's like the thing that goes up to 2045. And so this is the this is one of those things that we'll put in. I'll take that
$15,000. I'll I'll write a little form for the February 1 deadline and say we need to replace the mechanics for that divider. Um, these are the kind of things that we need to know about and put in for capital plannings. This is the this is exactly the kind of thing. I appreciate where you're coming from,
man. And like keep it on, keep it down and stuff and kind of maintain it, but like this is exactly the kind of thing that like when something comes up like this and it's a big expense like let me know, let whoever's capital planning know and they'll and put it in and we put it in and we put an app application
for it. And not to look like I'm being greedy, but the stage, there's the um the soundproofing that's on the stage is also one of those things that was really done well, but now it's been so many years. There's an entire panel fell. Nobody got hurt. Every everybody was
fine, but it was like insulation and a panel and then um that also moves on a really intricate system of all of these panels kind of cooperating so the stage can open and close. And so that was another area where I'm like, "Oh my
gosh, I feel like I'm like trying to trying to limp together the lemon." But um the systems are so th those that pulley system that it's on is um there's not even companies that are going to that want to look at it. Like same with the door like the the intricate pieces
of the door. It was really hard to find people that would even bid on it because they were like, "Are you serious? Just replace it." But we did. We ended up finding Matt Foster, cheers to him, found somebody to do it. But um yeah, so it's we're just we're we're trying to be really cognizant of where the town is
financially. >> Yeah, that's awesome. But we we also need to put these in, you know, like we need to we need to let the town know >> like these are things. Definitely. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. And you know, like a lot of this stuff was 1993, like there
was a big like build in and so it's like a lot of this stuff is like getting it to the end of its life and uh >> Yeah. So, anything like this, just let me know. We'll try to put put it in, you know. >> Okay. >> Um, so was I think Katrina next.
>> Yeah, I was just going to say I think that's great, Nate, if we can like have this on the docket that we are planning to take care of this. Um, but I also think, you know, they can play pickle ball. It's just not the pickle ball they want to play. Yeah, that's not really like the primary >> No, that's that's a perfect explanation
to me. Yeah. I mean, it's it's not really like >> it's not the primary >> the primary directive of this school building. And if we're going to put ourselves in a position where we're trying to buy goodwill by opening and closing this and then we don't have something that we need to function for an allergy-free school, then that puts
us in a position that would be bad. And I also don't think it would actually buy us that much goodwill. So, you know, if we have if we have 15 grand that we then at minimum that we then have to emergency come up with, I think that's going to be a net negative rather than a positive. >> And I'm definitely not advocating for
that. >> I think I'm advocating. >> I don't play pickle ball, though. So, >> yeah, I think that the idea is just like, let's get this thing fixed sooner rather than later, regardless of pickle ball. Like, let's just try to get this thing fixed. Um, all right, Shannon. >> Yeah. when this came to me today because
I just the same time you got it. Um I I touched base with Ann and I I have given her a directive to let's get some hard numbers. We're saying 15,000 but we don't have any hard numbers around that, right? That's what we're projecting. So I think we have to do that due diligence
to find out what is it actually going to cost to repair it. um and then bring it to this committee to talk about what what are our case scenarios for that because I have two thoughts about it. I am a firm believer in that schools
are a community building and we want everybody to be vested and especially in rural towns where there are not many buildings in the town. I I think and I know Ann as she said we want to be good partners but
we have to you know we want to make the building accessible to a number of things and while right now we're doing the best thing to limp this along we have to have some sort of viable plan for what does it look like to repair and I also if it does not work we have a
health obligation that will force our hand to make this an immediate repair >> then it becomes an emergency repair instead of a plan >> and so I think getting you know, and Caitlyn and I will will touch base about, you know, possible funding pieces and but I think
the first step and and Ann and I talked about it today is that we are going to find out exactly what what are we talking about for a repair. Um and then when we have those hard numbers, then we can really, you know, come to Nate and say, "Where do we add this?" and and go to the town. Um because although it's
really nice for pickle ball, if this went tomorrow, we would have to figure it out tomorrow. >> Yeah. >> I just want to say that down. >> And if you're able to get three bids, uh that would be fantastic. That's what they request, three bids. So, thank you so much. >> Yeah. And I just want to say too, Ann,
that I feel like um and I think this was kind of in the email, but I appreciate you kind of reiterating that we are offering them half the gym. And if that doesn't work for their needs, we're sorry, but like that's what we can offer you. And it's not like we're saying you can't be here. We're just saying these are the these are the protocols that we
need to follow right now because we have a severe allergy, you know, within the school building. Susie, >> right? And it was really more about the cost of of fixing something that we would we were not planning on making it be a top priority because we already solved the problem for the school needs
and then um measuring it out for the half court. I learned a lot about pickle ball and it's really not missing by much. It would just be a matter of them being flexible, not physically, but just really taking turns while they're pickle balling and then Yeah. Okay. >> Yep.
It's not a Sorry that it's not a regulation. Um so Susie, >> so the um capital planning is working again to sort of regground themselves on what they need to do, what it needs to
look like. a 40-year-old building, an I think it's 50 year old building really has to have an a section of the capital plan where all the systems are listed and the um buildings committee which
also got reformed after many years they're they've been much more careful about analyzing buildings and identifying things. I'm not sure how much um they've done on the school, but the school is a town building that
probably needs very careful analysis for each and every system. Movable walls, curtains, oil tanks, the whole nine yards and and they can, you know, like start it off and then figure out where they need more expertise to figure out
actual things. But those systems are all on all are coming due in some schedule. And so, um, I feel like it's good to put this particular item on the capital plan, but it's not this item. It's it's
the whole building that >> you're saying we need to figure out how to get a full building assessment. >> Yeah. And I you know the buildings committee could start that I believe or they could know what else had they for uh resources they need for analysis but
>> for the last um I don't know 10 years the fincom has said here are the risks of the future a 40-year-old school building well it's coming due it's happening and we need to we can anticipate it a little better um and it
needs to then be in the capital plan we know that we have to replace the dump trucks on a certain schedule. We're going to know that 40-year-old buildings have to have a specific and we've done a lot of work, the painting, the re re-roofing, um a little bit of sidewalk
repair, but there's real and the HVAC, the air exchanger. We do know that we have these things, but if it's written into the capital plan, it has much more um much more power.
>> Yes, that's what I'm that's what I'm gathering right now. And that's what I'm saying. Like, I'm going to put this these things in, you know, I'm going to put one in for the for the pavilion even though it's like $60,000 bill, you know, like like we they need to know about
this stuff, you know? they need to get it on their radar that this is the reality, you know, of having to your point again, right? Like this is the problem we keep running into is that, you know, we do the roof or we do the painting and then we're like, well, there's this problem with the parking lot. It's like, you know, there's going
to be turnover in town departments and committees and there has to be a way, a systematic and centralized way of planning for all of the different things so that like that pavilion. Okay, well, this year's not the pavilion, but we know it's been there. We've been talking about it for a couple years. You know, eventually it becomes the time for that
and then we're not having to do these things where it's like actually we've been kicking the parking lot down the road for 10 years. Not everyone knows that. Not everyone remembers that. But now it needs to happen and it's not negotiable anymore. It's not like a well we can just patch it up. We can do like no like the back by the basketball court
is constantly sloing off chunks of you know chunks of pavement >> and kids get hurt. I mean that's that's you know that's the truth you know like becomes oh somebody slam I mean somebody slammed into the basketball court today you know like >> I don't know anyway
>> okay so I mean there seems to be a theme to tonight's meeting all right uh moving on I guess we'll move on to the superintendent's report at this point >> okay I'm just gonna give some highlights I know I know we're getting kind of late here um we're continuing the the work um
of implementing our high quality curriculum and working. We've been very fortunate in Shootsbury to be on the literacy uh consortium that is funded through the grant that the other three union schools got. They have um very
graciously allowed Shootsbury even though we have a different curriculum to um get some of the PD around the best practices and is on that literacy consortium. So that work is continuing. Um we're working on budget de
development. Um we've Caitlyn Ann and I are meeting regularly and looking over um we know we're going into a tough fiscal season so we we have been doing a lot of pre-work on that. Um some union 28 updates. Um the commissioner of
education um our new commissioner Pedro Martinez is visiting Swift River School tomorrow the Friday before the winter break at 10:00 in the morning. I can't think of a worse time to come visit an elementary school, but we're excited to
host him. Um he will be >> excited every time you mention his name and then I realize he's just a commissioner of education and not a former president. We're I mean we're excited to have him, but it's like the worst day ever. Um but uh that will be going on um on
December 9th. The director of curriculum, Lindseay Rodriguez, and I met with the parent teacher group officers from each of the union school districts to discuss ongoing parent collaboration, programming, support, and communication strategies. Um it falls in line with our focus on family and
community outreach, but also trying to leverage our res our title resources that are spread thinly across four schools by trying to consolidate some of that and get, you know, um more bang for our buck sort of um thing. And so we had a great first meeting with them. They
gave us some great ideas about how um they can work together to to um meet the needs of the schools. Um the CPAC group um met yesterday at EEES for presentation um by the um speech and language pathologist Heather Peterson
who shared strategies with families can use to support their child's ability to plan and problem solve. And that group is open to all Union 28 families. And so there'll be ongoing parent um training. And um that was one of the things we talked about is having the um individual
schools PTO groups um you know help support and get the word out so that um the families that could really use support in different topic areas will know where it's happening and when. um some legislative updates. I wrote in your report and I put links to other
reports, but um on November 18th, which I'm sure many of you have read, the US um education department informed state education leaders of its intent to transition the management of several major programs to federal other federal agencies. The announcement states that
the majority of programs currently managed by the office of elementary and secondary education will transition to the US Department of Labor via a inter agency agreement. Those programs will include the title programs title 1A,
title 2A, title 3 and title 4 A and B. Um and the McKini Vento homeless act. um the um IDEIDA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, um will for the moment stay with the Department of Ed, as will the Office for Civil Rights.
Uh US ED officials noted that signed agreements with the Department of Labor and other agencies is only the first step. Um, and it falls in line with what has been a very public um, uh, mandate from the, uh, current administration
about really seeking to, um, narrow or close the Department of Ed and disperse that to other federal agencies. We don't really know what that means uh, for us yet. Um, I did link a statement from the DESIE commissioner just saying
that Massachusetts, you know, is is prepared to support schools in in that transition and and um filling in gaps as they're able. And I also linked the statement from um the Massachusetts Secretary of Ed, Patrick Tutweiler.
Um, and last Saturday, uh, legislators Natalie Blle and Joe Cummifford were joined by rural school advocates at an informational event hosted by the Lever Democratic Committee to explain, um, the complex dynamics that are part of the funding formula for Massachusetts public
schools in particular um, how that funding formula really impacts rural school funding. Uh their current top priorities include restoring the 4 million cut to rural aid that was in this year. So it didn't come in fully funded and then we did all this advocacy
and they cut from the already low funding that they gave us. Um so that they're advocating for that for fully funding it in fiscal year 27 and to reopen the chapter 70 funding formula. I
provided the links. They have a great website that has a lot of resources um places that you can um you know get template letters to be a part of the advocacy. It's so user friendly for the people who say oh time to write a letter like they could truly cut and paste and
sign it and send it off. Um the they were pretty blunt about that. We've done a lot of talk about changing the chapter 70 formula, but that is a really long process and it's labor intensive and even if they started it today, we would
not see the impact of that for four, you know, four years out. And they while they're still advocating for that, they really feel the most timely relief for rural schools will come in sharing in
our advocacy around um fully funding the rural aid um as is earmarked. And they have and advocating that they use the millionaires tax fund which can only be used for education and transportation to do that. um and they have taken in more
revenue than they anticipated and yet cut rural aid. So, um that is really where they're asking for lots of advocacy efforts um because it's it's far less red tape uh you know to just say it in a more you know layman's terms
than the chapter 70 change in formula though we desperately need it is not timely. It's not timely relief for us. And that is my report. I'm happy to answer any questions if you have them. >> Thank you, Susie.
>> I want to add to that. Um I was at that meeting and actually Joe Commer said it really got to come out of the general budget which is $60 billion budget and 60 million wouldn't it needs to come out of that? Um because I went after the
fair share money in that conversation and she's like really it it has to be in the general budget. But the big piece I took away and I'm writing to all the people I know to send them this website and the link for take action is that the governor is going to set her budget up
and release it usually by the third week in January. If she gets a blizzard of emails, and I'm trying to do a postcard process, too. If she gets a blizzard of them, then she'll know first of all that Western Mass and Rural Schools exist and
that they're truly hurting and that there's a commission that defines how to approach this and it hasn't been approached at all. And if she sets up an expectation that this is an issue that will be addressed, then the House and
the Senate and the conference committee and the joint committee that gets it all done will have a different starting place. She does not shown a lot of response to this issue. So, we need to have once you get that link from
Shannon, it has to go to everybody, you know, even people that aren't in Western Mass and they have to say this is this is important. Um, so the FinCon met last night, they edited the message. I'm going to send out. I've already been
talking to Elizabeth Murphy and the PTO. Um, but I was working on a postcard process, which I still will do, but that's an in-person event. This is from the comfort of your own home. Plenty of information on the website. You can press that, take action, and you can do
it. And it really has to be like everybody, you know, has to send something in. And you do have the link already in my report. It's it's a hyperlink on the word here at the end. If you have any trouble accessing it, please let me know. But you you have
access to that website. >> Thank you, Nate. >> Can we send this off to um as a as a school committee? Can we send this link off to like every parent like go through
the directory and just be like, "School committee would like you to can we send off an email saying that to everyone? Anybody want to do that? Can we do that?" the school the school the school cannot do that >> school as a school committee
>> the school committee can but you'll have to access um >> I'll have to check with Adam I think you you might want to team up with your PTO >> and do a joint email and I think accessing that to everybody but the school and there's big rules about what
the school can do >> yeah that's what I was wondering about yeah >> so PTO and school so we could reach out to Elizabeth Murphy >> to Elizabeth Yep like We cond we we you know in school committee would like you to do this.
>> Yeah, I'd be happy to work on Nate with her and and drafting or her and you and draft our email and I'd be happy go through the as much as possible go through the directory and put that together. I guess that would make sense. >> And the fin is going to put their
announcement in the road town news as well as the town website. Um, and it has the direct link for rural schoolsmma.org. >> Susie, any >> I wonder that's that would be my other question would be if we could put it in the roadtown news as outside business.
If like the school, you know, the way that anybody does like if the school committee put in the Roadtown News a little flyer, you know, expressing our hope that people would would would reply to the survey or would send this
message. Uh Katrina, >> I was just going to say, Susie, your postcard event that you're thinking about, um would that be something that could be included in the newsletter? I I think you know obviously a lot of people are going to prefer to do something via email but if it's an open option for folks I I've I've always heard that
postcards are very effective when you send legislative >> and so um Elizabeth said she would work with the classroom liaison but what I found is that I felt the postcards was a sitting and doing and so as soon as the new library opens up we'll be able to
have that at that t at a table talking to people as they come and So because and the postcards that we designed have check boxes. Yes, it will affect me as a taxpayer. I'm writing to you as a retiree. Blah blah blah. The thing but
the thing that was hard is I went to two places to talk to people. They were a a um happy audience to hear it. But filling in the information is difficult. This website has all the information. And emails are another way. So they both
have to happen. And I've been talking to Elizabeth about both of them. And so, um, the the Fincom signed off on the last message. I they edited last night's message that and today was a very busy day. So, tomorrow I'm sending that to
Elizabeth. If you want, we could sign it Susie Moer. Um, or we can sign at the Shootsberry Finance Committee and the Shootsberry School Committee. Or you can do two separate ones. I I think the more the better. Okay,
great. Thank you. Um, all right, moving on to Kaitlin. >> Thank you for your patience. >> Sorry. >> So, um, in the interest of of time and the length of the meeting, um, I've shared the expenditure report with
everyone, I'm not going to to present it. It hasn't changed much since the since the last meeting. We're still um we have some we have a low amount of money to get us through the rest of the year. It's not that we are anticipating
on um running out, but we have to be conscious of um everything of of emergency fixes and repairs and or um if there's staff that go out or some some things. We have to kind of just be very
careful and uh and be mindful of the budget right now. We have about it looks like if we've kind of encumbered everything we know we have to spend uh but not things like you know
the grounds maintenance uh equipment maintenance things that could come up library materials and supplies those little lines. we have about uh $69,65 that we are are we have for the rest of
the year um to get us through any of those you know purchases of stuff that has to happen. You know like one of the lines for um you know custodial supplies we don't encumber because we don't really know but that's probably going to be used. So we'll we're just we just
keep a very close eye on it for for the remainder of the year. Uh, I'm gonna get to the budget. We have not made any changes since the budget was first presented last month, but we have dug into where do we go from here. So, the
budget that we have currently, and I will project, well, we'll share that if I can. Um, it should be >> Yeah, it's it's a me thing. I got it. There we go. I'm just making sure it's the right
size. Um, oh, here we go. Sorry if it's a little bit small. Every time I've been using this and trying to make it bigger, all of a sudden it'll kick over and I don't know why. So the current budget we have right now has an
increase of 6.32%. We haven't made any changes to those lines uh with total funding um and expenditures of 5.44%. The reason why the town uh why the budget summary is at 6.32 is because
that is what we are asking for from the town. 5.44 44 is the increase that our actual spending is because and I know the town is in the same has the same problem. Our other revenues are either
staying the same or they're drying up. So, I'm not going to go over line by line, but if you've have questions, you can always email me or email me and I'll I'll come back with some answers at the next meeting. Um, but there haven't been any changes since since last month
to that 6.36%. The funding uses from grants and school choice. So, our title 4 and title 2A grants we are not expecting for next year. Our idea
grant went up a little bit. So, we're we're hoping that it stays the same. Our reap grant went up a little bit. Circuit breaker, we should have some circuit breaker funds for next year. And the rural aid though, that's one of
the the big ones that has decreased. So, our rural aid, we were budgeted for 75,000 80,000 the year before. We can only really confidently budge for budget for 60,000. and that's they don't decrease rural aid. Early childhood revolving will budget
for the same 35,000 and for school choice we would like to reduce it a little bit to from 138,000 to 130,000. >> So here's the reality of the budget. The two lines that we know are the the
biggest driver to the increase are are um programs with other schools are tuition to um non-public schools, private school out of district tuition and transportation. If we did not have these two increases, not even just the
amount that we had budgeted this year, but the increase from this year to next year, we would have a 2.39% increase because we have made reductions. We have um kept a pair of professional position unfilled and we
are taking it out of the budget for next year. So, we've been mindful of this increase. It would be 2.39. it's not because of these special education increases. So that kind of brings me to
um in my report I listed out let me see if I can share this one now. So the over the 6.32% increase is going to be a hard sell to the town and we are aware of that.
If we are to decrease from here it would have to be salaries. It would have to be reductions in um in staffing. So with our and do you see my director's report
right now with the reduction amount uh table? Okay. Thank you. I don't want to be talking about this and have you still be looking at the budget. So, here's a little bit of a table of what we would need to reduce by to get to certain percentages.
And um Shannon and Ann and I talked about this a lot and we are we we are the ones that are going to be deciding what those reductions would be. But we would like some direction from the
school committee, um, from the town, from what you think your community would be able to vote on for for the budget at the annual town meeting. So, if we kept it as it is right now, which is a level
service, actually less than level service because we've already removed one position, we're at 6.32%. Here's if we reduced by 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, and so on up to 80. Um, it will
decrease the percent increase down to 3.24. And we want to to open the conversation and the dialogue of where does a school committee and the town think we should go with this budget.
I mean, it's a it's a tough one because to me, in a certain respect, like a municipal budget, like $80,000 doesn't feel like a whole ton really for you know, like I know it is, but I'm just saying it doesn't feel like it's
I mean, I don't know what that would come down to. I would assume that's a position plus most likely. Um maybe two positions. Um, and we don't really have that to cut, but I also know that that number 6.32 and then we don't even know what the
regional budget is going to require of us either. Um, with Amoris, >> so I need you to go so I can finish this meeting. >> Um, so, you know, I don't it's a hard one. I don't know like I don't I'm never really quite clear on how we go about selling
it to the town. Um, I feel like the way that you just described it is super compelling. we're losing a whole lot of funding. People should know that um based on uh really I mean it starts with the fed with the federal government but
also rural aid and the rest of this. I don't know. Um I guess is that was my long-winded way of saying I really don't know. >> I know I know this is a really hard conversation to have. Um, we understand the challenges of the the town, of the
residents, the taxpayer. Like, this is no one, I think, is going into this year and looking at anyone's budgets and thinking, you know, we're in great shape. It's it's a hard year in their hard conversations. >> Other committee members,
>> Susie, >> what did we ask for last year in terms of percent increase? 3%. >> That's a great question. I will bring that up in just a second. >> Was 5%, wasn't it, Kaitlin?
>> I think it was around five. We had uh similar challenges with special education, but um not as much. >> I can look. Oh, and last year was actually last year was the first year budgeting for the new contract.
>> So that was another hurdle. This year we are budgeted we were budgeted this year for the contract because it passed. So next year is we're we don't have that challenge as much. Um it's just mostly the special education and looks like we
were at a 5.03 last year. >> Yeah. I mean, I think that to my way of thinking, asking for 5.03 is not crazy. Um, but I'm also I'm just, you know, my my thought is always like, how do we ask
for what we need and make the case for what we need? Um, >> yeah. I don't know. >> Well, if we're not even at that 6%, we're still at not at level service, right? So, we're already taking a hit.
So, this is just me, you know, naively and maybe other people have more informed opinions, but it seems like we should ask for what we need and what we're willing to ask for, which seems like the sixish% number and then
is it then that's kind of the conversation we have at the town meeting if it becomes a problem? But if if we got 5% funded last year and I don't think it was an issue, it's not great. Nobody wants to like
what is other thoughts, Susie? Probably >> I agree. I agree with with you. I think that's that's kind of what you do. >> Um >> I I throw my support behind that for the first at least to start with. That's my first >> This is this is our
this is what we It's the same with the capital planning. It's like this is what we need to get >> to to run this school, you know, >> and it's not it's not >> and it's up to you guys to figure the town to figure out what they're if they want to say yay or nay on it and we just
say this is the reality, you know. >> Sorry, >> Jen. >> Yeah. I just I I'm I want to make sure we have a budget that while I agree with you, right, like as an educ this is what we need to run the
school and we have gone when I tell you we have been so deep in the budget in because all of our municipalities are are in this spot about looking just so minutely to be, you know, a good partner. However, if we get to the town
floor and it doesn't pass, we go to a 112th budget. And I want to be clear that will mean far more cuts because we will not have the funds to maintain that. So it is a it is a while I agree with you. I just want to be transparent. It's a big gamble because if the town
says can't do it, the rules are we go to a 112th budget and >> 112th. >> Yep. You get what what your budget currently is divided over 12 months and that >> Yeah. Okay. >> Something else can get worked out >> right while you work. What was that,
Susie? >> You do that um when a budget doesn't pass, then you have to go to 1112th until you work out some kind of pattern um that that can be workable. >> I guess not to do that. I mean, that's
this committee's prerogative, right? you where I'm just want to be with my lens as the superintendent just let you know that that would could potentially mean that we lose some people because they even you tell you know you might be back
in a month or two they're they're going to look for other places and so um we'll take your direction but I just want to make sure everyone is aware of of what that would look like if it was not passed at the town level. Well, >> Susie, do you have a risk assessment kind of for that with your institutional
knowledge? >> Do I have what >> a risk assessment? I guess that's what I'm trying to figure out here for our decision-m is like how likely is it that we would with a with a 1% more than we asked for last year increase run into something like that. Do you think it's
reading tea leaves? It it's also a ser it's um about the context of last year was high that was a high number for us and this year is higher and that's true across the board. Um it's true in health insurance. Um last year the increase at
5.03 was 124,000 more for the school. Um the regional school last year was 126,789 increase. So that's like, you know, $250,000
of our revenue went to that to support it. And people want to support it. Um, but now we're going to the next year and nothing has changed yet. In fact, when the state made the rural aid cut, it's like really, you don't understand this.
And so, so this one that's at 6 point um Oh, well, I think the difference is 160,000. So last year was 124, then it's 160. And you can hear people say, "It keeps going up." Yep. So does my life. My life is
going up. It's called inflation. There's nothing in the state aid that deals with inflation. So >> it it's just like everybody has to recognize what the pieces are. It's not about, you know, right or wrong. It's these are the pieces people are
wrestling with. And and you know, health insurance is a big one. and I I want to support the workers to have health insurance. Their part of the premium went up 43%. It's, you know, so that's those are some numbers to think about.
>> Thank you, Susie. Um, Shannon, how about >> I'm sorry, I forgot to put that Leah's hand is up. >> I don't see Leah. Aliyah, go ahead. >> Yeah, I um I know and I believe our town
had this last year where um the fincom hosted meetings with um all the different committees to talk through budgeting. Um so we would be able to talk through our budget with them if if
we you know if they're planning to have those conversations. So, I don't think we need to gamble for the annual meeting. Like, as part of the the general conversations that Fincom sets up, I think we'll be able to get a sense
of what they think the town could handle. >> Do you have any information about that, Susie? Has >> Yeah, January 13th is the hearing is the um time for the FINCOM to sit down with the school. I've shown them the budget
you shared with me on November. Um I'm starting to get deeper into the numbers to look at some of the factors. Some of those factors when you identify them then people have to say yeah well we didn't we have a student we need to
support and here it is and that's what this increase is about and the rest of the budgets being held as tightly as possible. So um I I am going to share some of those numbers with Caitlyn. She's been really helpful talking to me when I get lost in the weeds. And
January 13th is when you will meet. I said to them that this was the first draft that there was some discussion about um whether there would be any suggested cuts or changes and so that should the numbers that you generated
should also be shared. Um, and the committee needs to I I'm telling you this whole I've been on the fincom for a while. This is a really overwhelming time. We don't have enough time to discuss this and you know it's the maintenance of the building and it's
blah blah. But I'm going to try to get them to talk about it. We're having our next meeting on January 7th and I'm going to try to get them to wrestle out what their real real questions are so I can get them to Caitlyn so when she
arrives or when everybody arrives on January 13th we can have an informed discussion. That's always the best kind. And um yeah and and you to appreciate like like um Shannon's thing that they
meet with the um other departments. Yeah. Um we're also trying to do the newsletter. We did one in November. The one in December is just about to come out and it tells you what kinds of things we wrestle with to get a budget together. And so this one is called
challenges and contexts. And then we're going to do tools that we can use. We used a fair amount of cash reserves and we boosted the taxes beyond two and a half for FY26. It looks like the some of
those same tools will be needed for FY27. >> Okay. Happy times. All right. Um, sorry, I've lost my spot here. I made the I made my screen big to see
uh Caitlyn's report. All right. And it is your turn. >> Fantastic. Thank you. So, um we had a really exciting uh bunch of visitors that came to our school. It was the sixth graders. They did a living history
museum and they were um they composed slideshows that gave information about their historical figure and then they read their reports from a first person point of view and students um sort of went through as if somebody went up to them they would um basically be on the
stage and then told the um historical figures life story. So it was amazing. I listed in my report a bunch of the um famous people that came. It was uh really incredible activity for the students. They did not disappoint. Um the students have really been enjoying
the snow. We've been outside of every day humanly possible. I think they had to make an announcement when it was below severely below zero where the kids were still disappointed that they couldn't be out there, but they're definitely enjoying the snowing hill and um their play activities that are
covered in snow. Um we had an amazing turkey trot this past um Thanksgiving. There was a huge community turnout. We had a children's run too that was um really well attended and even though it was raining the kids were really real troopers about it. There are um pictures
I think on the it's on the Facebook page for um for the PTO if anybody's interested to see that. So um in the interest of time if anybody has any questions or anything else I'm happy to. Is that Silus? >> Yeah. He's He's curious if you're going
to have recess outside tomorrow. >> What is going on? What's the weather? >> Wasn't public trans. >> Yeah. >> What's the weather tomorrow? Okay. How's it looking? >> Windy. >> You want to go outside? >> Yeah. I think it's going to be pretty windy. >> I want to go out. >> Wind warning. >> All right. All right. We'll we'll talk in the morning. We'll see what the
projections are. But good to see you. So, if anybody has any questions, I'm happy to answer. And then um there you go. I'm curious about the as you have the school improvement plan on here as well. Was that something you were going to address tonight or is that just for us to look at?
>> Um for you to peruse. Yeah, definitely. And if anybody has any questions, we can we can go over it the next time. >> We do have to take a vote on that though. So, if we don't, which is fine, we will have to vote in January because technically this the school committee is
and we talked about it at the last meeting and and looked at it very briefly. Um, so we can just put that on your radar that you will have the next month to look at it, but we'll have to take a quick vote on it um, in January. >> Okay. >> Okay.
>> And I'm sorry I didn't see you had your hand up. >> And I was wondering if you could talk about your involvement with Ron Burgerer and bringing him to the sixth grade class that's in sixth grade class. Um, and I was talking to Ann yesterday and
she was like, "Oh, I I used to attend a school in DC. My kids attended a school and it was started by a guy in Shootsberry and you know, and then we had this whole conversation about Ron Burgerer and I was like, "Oh, Ann is bringing him in." So, I I thought, again, I wish Ann was here, but I
thought it would be a good thing to talk about, >> let everyone know. >> Yeah. >> Absolutely amazing. He is a town treasure. He helped um start and work still works for ELEL. He was a classroom teacher I believe for over 25 years and
he did a lot of hands-on learning with students. He had the sixth graders map out and actually plan the addition that went on. The kids had a lot of integral and I don't just mean the building. I also mean right down to the furniture
that was used in the classrooms. So he uh came by. he um is still friendly with the teachers that were there at when he was there. And we did a little like a walk down memory lane for him. And it was really interesting to hear um just all the parts of the that were really
student designed, the bookcases, the way that the um dry erase boards were um were curated, just uh really interesting. And um so he as part of being spearheading the EL curriculum which is the curriculum that we use for
literacy it also has a science and social studies integrations as well. He wrote a lot of the um a lot of those units. So um it was great when he came to fifth grade they happened to be in the middle of Espironza's arising and he was able to say you know that's you know
that's a lot of the work that I have done with the team. And so he goes around internationally now to present on the different ideas about the um exponential learning and talk about how how different it is with the being a
knowledgebased program and what the um how elevated a lot of the activities are that the students do and the the deeper the deeper thinking and he has his heart still in Chesbury. So he has opened up um he resources. He donated a bunch of
books. He made a very sizable donation to our PTO last month and he is happy to help support us in any way. So I know a lot of teachers and staff have been interested to reconnect with him and to have him just come and talk more about different components of EL that we might
not have tapped into its full potential in the past and to get his his feeling on that. So um the works are in progress. when he um when he's back in town, he's uh traveling a lot. Uh we'll we're gonna have him come and and do um have some time with him. It was so great
to meet him. Yeah, he's a he's an incredible resource. >> Yeah, I think that's something that uh people in the town should know about. I've heard from several people about that before you even brought it up. So, you know, like, oh, they still doing the
um you know, the Ron Burgerer stuff. And so I I I think that's something that we should try to figure out how to uh communicate to the town as another thing that um yeah that they >> one of his big legacy projects is the uh portfolios at the end of the year and um
Leah Jack was my partner in crime last year when we got to um watch the students do their presentations about their sort of entirety of their um their schooling in review and it's really an interesting the kids are very honest about how they've grown and what they've
learned and what they hope to learn in the future and he was a um a big a big part of that work. >> Amazing. Thanks. >> Yeah, I remember reading his book prior to or in my first year of teaching without realizing that he was from
Shootsbury or Shootsbury. So, um yeah, >> it's great. Um >> I just have a quick question. Yeah. >> So, for the uh school improvement plan,
is this in its final version? Like, is it ready for a vote? Cuz I see like there's some sections that don't have >> Oh, that is not ready. That is the wrong link. I will update the link. Yes, that
is definitely not ready. Stand by. I will share the right link. >> Thank you. Good catch. Perfect. All right, just give me one give me a minute. I too have the big screen right now so I can see everybody's faces. So that's just going to take me a minute. Yeah, that would be
helpful to be able to review the actual school improvement plan that that we're using. Okay. All right. Let me make sure we have a couple of different versions. All right. So maybe we can just put it put it on
next month. Um and then and you can send us the link when you're ready. >> Oh, sure. I'm sending it to your emails right now. >> Trevor, would you like it as well? >> Are you all set?
>> Fine. I'm I am not a person to deliberate on it, so that's fine. Okay. >> All right. So, um, moving on. Uh, we don't have our Ammerst Pelum representatives report. Uh, the joint supervisory committee. Oh, sorry, Nick.
Go ahead. >> Um, I, you know, it's too bad again Ann's not here, but you know, we we had a big discussion yesterday, she and I. um something something she brought up to me um that we are going to have to
discuss at some point I think is um the sixth grade um and something she brought up was having that the Amherst sixth grade starts in that middle school starts in
sixth grade for Amherst and then seventh and eighth for Pelum and Leverett and Sheetsbury and how that is kind kind of a disadvantage to those kids that they're that the Amoris kids kind of have a home field
advantage um in middle school and uh you know she would probably talk talk about it more but like something I brought up and she's like well we're going to have to discuss whether the sixth grade is going to start going down there and I kind of pushed back and was
like or the opposite or we keep you know the seventh and eighth graders and send the ninth graders down. And I said, you know, from what I know that the building um is
um has a 250 student capacity and we're at 10 and something. And so the potential of keeping those students, you know, why would we want to send, you know, that from what I've heard that building is
dead and full of mold and why would we send our kids, you know, more kids down there and, you know, I don't know, but it's a discussion that she said that we would we were are going to have to have. Um, and I just want to throw that out to
us kind of think about um, yeah, >> I know we um, we did some preliminary discussions on this. I want to hear what um, Shannon has to say and I'll add my thoughts to that as well. >> If you and and that certainly it's a it's a conversation you should be having
as as school committee. Um, but I just you'll have you really should form a committee to look at that that has representatives from the town, from the union and from Shootsbury because it's not a simple process. If you've been
following anything about um, you know, Pioneer and uh, Turner Falls or looking to regionalize, there's a whole but like you have to buy into where you're going. You have to buy out of where you're leaving. you have to get your plan approved through Desi. So it is not just
a quick, hey, we'd like our kids to take a part of that and you can just, you know, kind of pick up your sixth grade and move them. And so just um I do think it's something the committee should be talking about, right? Because you're looking at what's best for your sixth
graders. That's your your charge from your community. But just know that it would have to have a a broader committee to dive into what that looks like. And if Ammerst even is looking to accept you
earlier, right? I mean, that's a whole other thing. So, um, and they have a new middle school which you don't you proportionally pay for, right? So, >> they have they have a new elementary school which we don't have >> new elementary. So I'm just I just want you to know that when you have those
conversation it really is a very broad conversation that um stakeholders beyond this group have to be at that table. >> Yeah. Um and so I think like you know we talked about this when um I mean maybe it wasn't last year maybe it was two years ago we talked about
this when Jackie was on our way out and I think Jackie did a really good job of kind of explaining the two types of students that we have in the sixth grade at Shootsbury. You've got the kids that are very kind of worldly. they're on their phones, you have to keep them like and then you have the kids that really benefit from like that last year before
heading to the big school. Um, and she really I think she was really great on her way out of saying like, you know, I'm not telling you one way or the other what to do. I'm saying I can see benefits to both sides, but my understanding too is that if Amoris wanted to take Lever and Shootsbury kids
in the sixth grade, we'd have to reopen the com contract. We'd have to reopen our regional agreement and figure out a whole lot of things there. As it stands right now, if they move their sixth grade up to the regional school, they've got to do that as a substantially
separate entity, they can't have they can't share administrators with the regional school system. They have to have their own like kind of stand-in academy for sixth graders if they move them up there right now because it's not part of the regional agreement. Um, so I think we should have that discussion. I
know that um when we were kind of when this first hit the news a couple years ago as they were talking about redoing that Wildwood Elementary and then needing someplace to put the sixth graders um we did have a little bit of talk about it and we did get some um some communication from uh town members.
Not a lot but more than we normally get and people seem to be very much on the side of trying to protect Shootsberry as a as a prek through six. I do think it's interesting your idea. Um I think it's interesting your idea, Nate, about like looking at it from the other place. You know, if we're opening
up a contract, if we're opening up the agreement, then maybe there's a possibility of talking about something like that. Um I have not thought about that at all. But um you know I think that the other problem that we talked about when we talked about this before was that we have
we struggle obviously like we just talked about we struggle with funding our schools as it is to lose the sixth grade um would be uh you know at some point my concern would be that schools like shoot lever it starts to become harder and harder to have our own community schools and you can look out
towards like row you can look at these other towns where they've had to shut down their elementary schools and now their because you're traveling out of town to that. And that's one thing that I definitely would want to try to avoid at all costs. Um, looking down the road again, right? Um,
so I think if Ann is worried because there's more talk again down there of like actual movement on this, then we should definitely put it on our agenda. But I think that anytime we want to talk about it um, in general, um, I'm down for it as well. So,
any other thoughts before we >> I want to keep my sixth graders. So, there you go. >> Yeah, I I you know, and I I do think that like I think that it is a very I understand the dynamics of like they go in there and the Pelum and Ammeris kids have already been mixing it up for a year. Um, you know, they come from
these really small schools into this much bigger environment. I get all of that, but I think there's also a benefit to staying in that small school for that one more year, too. especially when it's a school of equality of Shootsbury. So, I don't know, but we should talk about
it some more. Um, joint supervisory committee did not meet last month. Their next meet meeting is January 12th. Um, CES, is there anything to report from there, Leah? Yeah, just quickly, um the committee is moving along with uh
finding a new executive director or excuse me, the um CVS is moving forward with finding a new executive director. Um we are planning to have a final round of interviews on the 14th
um and hoping to select a finalist shortly thereafter for start date in February. Um and then we also have another um full board meeting on January 28th.
>> Okay. Thank you. All right. So, we're moving on to uh the policy review. Uh we've got our first read on um academic freedom, school year, school calendar, and school day. Um so, consider them
read. Uh second read, first vote on school community relations goals, visitors to the schools, access to buildings and grounds, student fundraising activities, and relations with parent and booster organizations. So we could have a move in a second and
we could discuss if there's anything to discuss. >> I move to have the um items the policies in the second read first vote category um move to final vote. >> I second that.
>> All right. Any discussion on these policies? >> Um I did have one on the KA. >> Okay. um one and it was >> K there was just can you just to get
examples of what those things are >> I I'm trying I I just had it written down I can I I don't have it sitting in front of me but if somebody's seeing K a >> so you got accurate and meaningful communications that facilitate dialogue
encourage involvement in district programs and create community advocacy for its public school Yeah. >> Um, volunteer programs that provide mutually enriching experiences for our students, staff, and community volunteers. Recognition programs that publicly honor
the contributions of our students, employees, and community partners, and express pride in our individual and collective accomplishments, and community service efforts, which enable the district, staff, and students to express their commitment to the community.
>> I was just wondering about examples of those. Thanks. >> I can share one um just given >> one of the opportunities that I I had last year. I think Ann is um and probably Jackie before her have done a really good job of trying to get the
community involved. One was with the portfolios, the student portfolios at the end of the year. That was a really nice opportunity. Um but it does seem like there is so much going so much going on. Um I think the Quabin um the
Quabin um trip is is also a really interesting thing because that's funded by a community member. Um and then the students are able to go and like literally like volunteer at um the Quabin. So it seems like there's a lot but I did just want
to share my my one exper my one experience and how how great it was and I felt like connected to the school community. >> Awesome. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Well, we'll take you anytime, Leah. You come on down. All of you are more than
welcome. >> Are there other anybody else with other ideas of like Well, I mean, yeah. So, you know, I think there's some of this that happens a little bit in the newsletter. We let pickle ball use half our gym. Um
>> I just didn't know if we needed to be doing more as a school committee and you know Yeah. And if we're doing anything >> Yeah. I mean like it's tough because I think of like how often the people that are involved in the school are involved
in like you know the turkey trot and you know um some of the even some of the PTO pieces and all of that. But I don't know, you know, is that community service efforts? I don't know. You know, that's part of that too, I guess. Um,
you know, I do think the PR I think the the Roadtown News, the newsletter is really helpful in terms of the accurate and meaningful communications, but I also think that there's probably ways that we can improve um our community outreach and engagement as school
committee members and as just district, you know, district members. Yeah. Is there anything we want to add to Did you want to put some examples of this into the actual policy or were you What were you thinking, Nick? >> No, I was just trying to get my head around it. Just trying to Yeah. Thank
you. Thanks, Leah, for for helping to >> Yeah. Um All right. So, we have a movement. Do we have a second? >> Do we have any more discussion? >> Okay.
Uh then all in favor Mayu I >> Catalan I >> Jack I think that's unanimous. All right. So we've got our final vote on these ones that we've looked over a number of times. Uh the KBA school parent guardian
relation goal, the GBBC gifts and solicitations by staff. uh KI visitors to the school and I am R health education. Um so again >> yes thank you.
>> I I move to have KBA J GB BC K I and I R um moved to a final vote. >> I second that. >> All right. Um any discussion thereof?
All right. All in favor? May you? >> A lot of my Jack I cop bar. >> Right on. Unanimous. All right. So, that brings us finally Oh, this might be one for the record books of late. Um, we
have some upcoming meetings that are on the table here. So, we've remembered that we're changing our February meeting. I believe it was to the 12th. Is that right? I was going 13th was first in my head. But our next policy and school committee meetings are
on January 22nd. Um budget and personnel is to be uh announced. Union 28 joint supervisory is Monday, March 16th. So we still got a little bit of time there. Wow, that's a long time away. Um we also have uh a multi-committee meeting. I'll
send out that email in case any of you want to attend uh in terms of the green grants, energy grants and that sort of thing. And then we also will be looking forward to in February getting together with the finance committee uh to talk over the budget needs and such. Um
>> what Susie mentioned January 12th for that meeting. Is that was she correct in that? Was it January 12th? >> I thought it was the 13th for the You're talking about the finance meeting? >> Yeah, I think that's a finance meeting. >> Yeah, that's on the 13th is when
>> January. >> Yes. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. >> And we go to we all go that's our school committee fincom meeting, right? >> Oh, that is the 13th. I still had it in my notes for I I had written that down at the beginning of the meeting from my previous notes when she said it was probably going to be in February. Okay.
>> That's what I'm Yeah, that's what I'm trying to figure out because I got confused there. >> Yeah. So, Leah, was your understanding that that is the date of our meeting with her with them? >> Yeah, my understanding is that January 13th is when Caitlyn will be going to talk through the budget with the FinCom.
Yep. And then I think that Well, okay. So, there's that and then >> Yeah. What were you saying? Sorry. >> I was just going to add um it sounds like it sounds like Susie is priming them on this on the 7th of January for
that conversation. So, >> yeah. And I know she mentioned last meeting that we would all get together sometime in February, but maybe >> Okay. So, those are two different meetings. >> I think they're two different meetings. >> Thank you. Okay. Thanks. Um, yeah, because I think that the other thing here too is that like like Caitlyn
said, nothing's changed, nothing's final. I think it would be a little early for us to go and like kind of shake that stuff out um more. >> Uh any other future agenda items that we need to be uh thinking of anybody? Okay.
Uh so let's get a move to uh adjurnn if we could. >> So moved. Second. >> All right. All in favor my Illinois guy. Bye. Thanks everyone. Appreciate all
everyone. Bye. Happy holiday.