Enough. So, I know that um Katrina said that if she comes, she'll be late. Um so, I think we're just waiting on Leah in terms of the school. >> And
>> what >> is Jeremy coming? >> I'm right here. >> Oh, you it just says Shootsbury host. >> Oh, sorry. >> Sorry. I thought you were ask I thought you were going to ask about Trevor. Um I didn't realize my video wasn't on. I
apologize. >> Ah, there you are. >> Hi. >> I'm right here. I found out um an interesting thing this week when I was talking with Katrina that um she actually bought and lives in the house that I lived in in college. And when
she's doing these meetings, she's in my old bedroom. >> A that's so fun. She said, "I probably didn't recognize it because they put a closet door on the closet, which is where I used to have my desk many, many years ago." But I just thought that was funny.
>> That is funny. >> Sorry for being late. I was There was a Google Meet link in the uh calendar invite. So, I hopped in there and I was the only person there and I was like, "Oh, really?" >> Yeah. I was like, >> it it's a default on our settings. You had to Yeah. Sorry. >> Oh, okay.
and our calendar settings. It's >> Oh, okay. Okay. Okay. I don't even Yeah, I have no knowledge or awareness of that. I just do the I just do the town website. >> I've done I I have done that before and then when no one's there, I'm like, "Oh, there must be a Zoom link in that invitation." So, I have to go back. >> Yeah. I mean, I tried So, I've tried and
whoever takes over for me. I' I've tried to make sure that I put the link in on the town website. I try to put the link in as the as the location as well. So, like it's in the agenda, but it's also in the location because I hope that that makes it easier, but I never actually
see I'm always seeing the like the administrative side of it and not the public side of it. So, I don't know. Um I don't know how that works, but hopefully it seems to have worked all right recently. All right. Um so, it looks like we've got a
quorum. We've got our note taker. Um, so let us call this meeting to order at 7:03. Um, and we will begin. Here's Leah. Um, we'll begin with any public comments. I
don't see any public here. Let's take a quick look again, though. Oh, hold on. I got a Phoebe's phone coming in. Okay, so call the meeting to order at 703. We begin with public hearing. Is there any public here who would like to
be heard? >> I would >> go ahead. >> Um, so this is as general public. Um, I saw uh this must be Ann's report that Aaron
Saunders is responsible or participated in getting Shootsberry some funding that wasn't um particularly expected. I couldn't tell if part of it for the curriculum part fit in under Joe
Cmerford's in insistence that um equity be um one of the criteria when they take on new curriculum and stuff like that. I thought that hadn't progressed. So, this is before that. And so, that's good to
know that Aaron was in tune. Um and so I got to write him a thank you email. And I was hoping that people um other people would give him some thanks for his efforts. >> Great. Thank you for bringing that up, Susie.
>> I Susie, I have sent a thank you to him on behalf of the union for Shootsberry and um Swift River also got >> some some funds. So I've done that on behalf of the union, but I think certainly if there's something from the town that I'm sure he would welcome it.
>> Yeah. Okay. >> All right. Any other uh any other public comment? All right. Um seeing none, we'll move on to uh the review of the agenda. Please feel free to review it um on your own,
but it's pretty much the same as it always is. Um, when we look at the perpetual calendar for April, uh, we've got elections for school committee coming up, as of what I saw, um, the only candidates have to be right in because no one other than Anna,
who's running for reelection, um, put in uh, met the deadline for filing for the the election. Um, we're going to have a discussion of school choice with a vote. Um, that's going to happen at this meeting. Um,
there is the compiling of well, school council survey results. I don't did that happen this year. I don't think it happened last year either, but is there a school council survey in? >> No. Did >> Great. I'm going to just cross that off
the list. Um and then at the union 28 um there's the superintendent evaluation which is ongoing and there'll be a summary uh to the school committee on that. Um is there anything else that's missing from our calendar uh for April
that maybe should be added in? Shen, >> I just want before we get into the the weeds of the meeting, I know this is your last meeting and so I just want to take a minute to thank you. It is not an easy job to be the chair. I know you
were on the PR superintendent search committee. Um, you know, you're very I found you to be very thorough and easy to work with and you certainly helped my transition. Um, so I I appreciate that. I actually um I I knew your name before
I knew you because I heard from a school committee member in my district that I was working in and said, "You're going to a very thorough vetting place because somebody called and really asked some really good questions." And I said, "Oh,
okay." And he said it was you and and he just said that that has not happened a lot where school committee members really seek out and ask some clarifying questions. So, um, you have you have, uh, not disappointed and I wanted to just say I appreciate you. >> Thank you. I don't do deal well with
compliments, but I appreciate that. Um, and I'll just say at the start of this, too, that is this this has been I was unsure of it when I started in on it. Um, and then then in the second year I was chair, the third year I was chair, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it if my life was not so crazy and hectic. Um, at
this point, I would definitely uh sign on for another another round and maybe I'll come back at some point. But um thank you very much Shannon. >> I I second that. You've been a pleasure. We'll definitely miss you. >> I'll still be around. Um so thank you
very much. Uh so moving on from that uh we have the uh warrants. So recording a num minutes and number Caitlyn. >> Okay. So, >> it's Caitlyn's fault up here, by the way. I just want to say that, too.
>> Sorry. >> Said it's Caitlyn's fault that I ended up here as well. I just want to put that out there. >> Not my fault. It was my efforts. >> Thank you, Kaitlyn. >> I have five warrants, three accounts
payable, and two payroll. So, for accounts payable, I've got 3021 for March 31st for $42,794.94, 3022 for April 14th, uh, for $5,958.74, and 3023 from April 28th for $57,
uh,747.54. two payroll warrants. Uh 320 from March 30th for $92,26747 and 321 from April 13th for $93,919.91. I don't have any gifts or grants. I'm talking without the mic on. That's classic. Um, so moving right along.
Approval of minutes for March 19th, 2026. >> All moved. >> Second. >> All right. Moved by Leah, second by Nate. All in favor? Mayu. I >> heard I
>> won't go by. I guess I should have asked if there's any discussion, but I assume we are all good because we all voted yes. All right, moving on to unfinished business. Um I feel like we're in the Muppets mood right now. Moving right along. Updates on the capital projects building process, Nate.
>> Uh okay. Well, um the um last night I had a meeting um about lighting um with Eric Stoker, the select select board member um and Frank McInn, the
buildings committee, and Michael Dara. And we discussed the uh and Michael Decara is on the ECAC committee. Um, we discussed the complaints from uh neighbors about uh the brightness um of the um parking lot and the
building exterior lights. Um Frank uh did some leg work and um noticed that the exterior um building lights have a switch. We assume right now they are at 5,000
lumens, which is pretty bright. And we can uh hopefully go in there. We're going to get a ladder hopefully next week and hit this switch down to 3,000 lumens, which is a soft warm light. Um, and we also looked at a timer for the
parking lot um lights. They uh they have a automatic switch when it goes dark uh for you know the uh shorter days. Um and there's a timer that can switch that can turn it off at
some point. And for whatever reason those little tabs on this archaic timer have um come off and I guess the lights are staying on all night. So we are going to try to reattach those. We're also going to just have them be off.
Devin uh the chief of police said that he is mostly interested in getting um the lights for the cameras. So they are um I believe they're motion detecting
lights. So they will they're kind of a deterrent. So the ones on the building. So if you kind of kind of come into view, the light will come on the camera will capture any uh movement going on. Um >> he wants to get those or those are part
of the Are those part of the cameras right now or he wants to get those? >> They are part of the camera right now. >> Great. >> Um so the idea is that the parking lot lights do not need to be on all night. >> Fantastic. >> And we can have them turn off um at a reasonable hour. You know, they'll
they'll be turning off you know, when it gets dark or turning on when it gets dark and they won't even come on. Um Frank's going to look at a package to digitize that timer. Um and he's going
to look into finding the same company that made those lights have a a different light that there's a it's called dark skies compliant. Um so there's some new lights that have a 45 degree angle. So, the light is pointing down. Um, so we're going to look into
that and maybe put a package together for September meeting, town meeting that might happen. Um, and we will look into uh the street lamps and dark dampening bringing those lumens down if need be if that's
possible. Um, so that's kind of what happened last night. Jeremy, you got a question? >> Yeah, I do. So like the timer is it part it's integral as part of the lights. It's not a separate device. It's part of the actual lights. >> It's part of the exterior light.
>> Okay. >> All right. And the other um the other question, not a question, but I just wanted to say that I think that the the dark skylights are a great option because obviously the town had voted at one point to try to be a dark sky town, right? We don't have street lights. I think I do think that the school is
really the one place right now that's like just lit up like all the time. >> So I really I just think that from a town standpoint that's a great I'm I'm glad to hear that that was the the outcome. Yeah, it seems like there's a quick solution and we'll see if if if
you know bringing the the temperature of the light down um and keeping those uh street lights, the parking lot lights off in the evening if if you know we'll see how the neighbors react to that and then we can we have a plan going forward and we'll be able to have a budget and
or a proposal how much that's going to cost if we need to go further with that. Um, Frank also updated me on some oil tank. I don't know if Ann if you might know a
little bit more. Um, >> they're still there. >> Yeah. Yeah, there was some discussion of why those barrels are still there. >> We are discussing that all the time. It's mindboggling to me. I'm happy to
take them myself at this point. >> Yeah. What what did he say in his email? Let me just uh pull up Frank's email. Uh he said he talked with Matt Warner of Titan Bond and Haley.
Um uh yeah, so there's a the um Omni environmental LSP um recommended
that we update the um alarm system um and get uh the polishing done again, which was the $6,200 um expense. Um
and um we wondered if that was um necessary, if that was a smart thing to do right away. Uh the um alarm system is about $25,000 to
upgrade. Um and um we just wanted to know uh the the I guess the discussion was if there's still contaminant outside of that tank, is it a good idea to um invest 25 $30,000 into this tank if
we're just going to abandon it anyway? So, we they're um going to go forward with uh drilling some bore holes uh to test the soil um around the tank um before we move forward with um
upgrading the alarm system to just see what exactly uh is going on. There was about a quarter of an inch of water that was found at the bottom of the tank the other day. Um, and there was some water on the seal
at the top where the the lid is. So, there's a suspect that that that it's coming through that lid area. Um, so that's a good thing. They didn't see any other leaks um going on. did assure me that Matt is
not going to need to continue to pump out the water that goes in the oil tank, which I think is a is good, but honestly, I'm I'm really concerned about the the pipes. I mean, this is this was just the tank. The pipes are um are have
definitely done their time. >> Um so, I know they're they're kind of looking into the feasibility of maintaining it or what some next steps have to be. Yeah, I think uh there was a lot of uh push to getting the above
ground um tank and that those you can put closer to the building and less pipes that you have to worry about getting, you know, corroding or or um you said that they did notice um water dripping
out of the electric power box. Um so that's a concern. Um yeah. So yeah, I think that the the the tank is still problematic. It seems like
um yeah, so that's kind of the buildings and uh you know update the cap the other capital planning uh stuff is going to town meeting uh for a vote and we'll see what
goes further with that. Anna. >> So Nate had a conversation with Train, my husband Nate Herd. Um, and they
gave him a lot of information about the process of doing this kind of work. you there are ways to engage train without bidding
um because they are a pre-listed government contractor um and so they have like a fixed price that they're allowed to charge and so um they would just charge us that fixed
price that they have already agreed on. Um I think he has shared all of this information with Michael D de Kiara. Um and then I the regional school
committees fiscal sustainability subcommittee that involves a member from each of the four towns. I think they're mostly finance committees but I think maybe one of them is a town council. I don't know. um
invited Sarah, somebody from Undaunted K through K12 to talk to us about um green grants. And so I the the meeting
was recorded and as soon as I get access to the recording, I can pass that around. um which could help Shootsbury sort of figure out where we might apply for grants and whether we can just start
moving forward with um if you engage a company like Train, they will do all of the things that need to be done um doing the assessment, doing the design, doing the implementation,
all of it so that we Shootsbury doesn't have to go in and do the engineering study and all of these other things. So, I think it's worth put this again, this
is coming up fast and I don't think that, you know, it's definitely not possible to put this on this spring's warrant. So, this is something that would probably be looking towards um either a fall or next year um to get any
sort of fiscal plan for this. But, uh it's definitely something that we should put on our radar screen. I think my point here was to really say it seems any cost associated with the oil tanks
and maintenance for them. I think I would recommend we try to minimize the amount we're spending and put band-aids on if we can um so that we don't invest huge sums of money in things that we want to replace within a
year or a year and a half. Um, and I really want to replace them in a year, a year and a half because this reliance on oil is it's just not good for Shootsbury. >> Thank you. Uh Susie,
>> I think it's important that people do some research, but then the next part and before it gets too far down the road is making sure there's a communication header that includes all the people that need to hear it. And so it's not only
ECAC and the buildings committee and the select board. It's the FINCOM and the school committee and the school administration and capital planning. They all need to be hearing this come along because
somebody might know something that needs to interject in the arc of this. And um and the other piece is um it's painful how slowly towns function. It just is. And it's partly because
there's a lot of volunteers and some people go away and some people don't read their email and it just is difficult. So whatever happens, it has to be um sort of reiterative and um and
get some sort of a affirmation that people are listening or hearing or getting these things because it it's so difficult to communicate. Um and this particular project is really huge. Um,
and it's involves a lot of money and it involves a lot of um, steps that haven't been sorted out totally. So, I just recommend that you establish a header that that goes for emails and you vet it
with people to make sure everyone that's in that's that's involved really hears what's going on. Yeah, I think we discussed that last night in uh the small lighting committee uh meeting about uh going through the
town administrator and having Haley kind of be the one that says this is the next step. This is what built we expect from buildings committee because buildings committee can't take it all on. You know, not one of our of our committees can take this all on. It
needs to have a spearhead and it needs to start in town hall. So I think uh that's kind of getting established. It seems like those roles are are getting figured out. Um but yeah, absolutely. It's a huge project and I think the idea
is to get these kind of uh assessments, these um audits, energy audits, uh the survey done of the parking lot to get these kind of uh things done uh now to kind of get a big, you know, to get an
idea of what we're dealing with as well before we jump in like Anna said, you know, and start spending uh, you know, all this money, you know, that's 30, you 30 some odd thousand right there. $33,000 right there that they're
recommending we put towards this tank that you know is it good money after bad? Um so >> yeah. >> Can I ask a question? The water leaking from the electrical panel that's
separate from the oil tank or is that like one related to the oil tank? >> That's that's a an electrical box inside the tank. It's >> okay. So, it's part of it's problem with the tank. >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Great. Just fantastic. All right. >> Thank you, Nate, very much. >> Um, so next is new business and discussion around school of choice. We have every year to discuss this and take a vote on whether to move forward with
it. Um, Ann, I believe this is your space. Yes. >> To speak about school choice. >> Yes. >> Oh, so um I mean I would I sorry I didn't I didn't see this. >> I can I can speak. >> Do you have our numbers? Sorry you guys.
I'm I have a migraine right now. I'm hanging on by a thread. I'm so sorry. Thank you Shannon. >> No worries. So, every year, as Jeremy said, you have to take a vote um if you are going to be a school of choice and if it is um going to be um schoolwide um
so K through six um with various openings, you know, it could be one spot or two spots based on class size or if it's going to be targeted by grade. um Shootsberry for as long as I for quite a while from what I can see they have been
a school of choice. um how that process works, if anyone's unfamiliar, you have a date that applications um start to be sent in, probably already have some. Um and then it's a blind a blind lottery,
so we can't ask any information about um particular needs of the students. Um and we fill the spots um in that random manner. So, um I don't know Ann if you have grades that you want to exclude from that, but my recommendation would
be that Shootsberry maintain take a vote that they are a school of choice. >> And just so you know, it has to be voted on in April because um I have to submit that to Desi because they keep a keep track of it. >> Yeah. And in the past, I think our past
practice for as long as I was on the comm as long as I've been part of the committee is normally we have limited it to certain grades that have the room and feel like it's an appropriate >> it's an appropriate placement. So I don't know um and what your thoughts on that are.
>> I I do um I'm actually looking for the dock right now. So if I can I add that to my report and give you the numbers. >> Okay. We have to fail we'll have to revisit it because it has to be it has to be its own vote, >> right? We But we can she can present it in her report and then we can vote afterwards. That would be
>> and we can come back and vote. Yeah. >> Right. Because we did discuss this before. So I'll just I'll just have to find the document. >> I'm sorry. You have a migraine too. >> No, it's a worse. Right. >> Um >> let's go over this and we'll come back to it. We'll go to the reports. Uh superintendent report.
>> Sure. Um so I had mentioned last time I think I have the a mis misprint on the date but um we I had shared in the March meeting that we had had our prek open house. We've had also our kindergarten orient uh orientation openhouse um at
SCES. Um other happenings uh staff took part in curriculum day which was hosted in Leverit um this year. Um this dayong professional development is led by our director of curriculum and instruction Lindseay Rodriguez. Um it's a tremendous amount of work to bring four small
schools together because you're bringing them into a small school space and it requires a lot of uh creative planning and flexibility and so our thanks to uh lever but also to the work that Lindsay did. Uh we had a great keynote speaker
by Jenna Rufo from the empowered um school solutions company. Um the focus of the day was on inclusive practices and developing learning environments where all students can thrive. Um just to keep you updated as a followup to
comments um there was a statement read last month in the public um uh comment from the um Shootsbury Education Association. Um, as I stated at the end of that meeting, I would reach out to them to just find an opport a time where
we could just sit and have what's called a a joint labor management. Um, I regularly meet um with um the uh Irving Group has once a once a month that I meet with them. Um and Shootsberry uh I
have not had that opportunity to have something formal. Um so I did reach out. We have a tentative as you'll see in your report. um they'd like to get some support from their MTA rep. Um I think both of the co-presidents are new and so um you know they would like that which
they're certainly entitled to but it's just required a little um now it's an extra schedule that we have to coordinate so it's gone a little bit further out than um any of us would have liked but we are tenatively meeting on May 5th um and it'll just be a you know it's a conversation it's not like
negotiations it's really a listening and relationship building piece um as part of the supplemental 1.8 billion um funding bill uh with the help of state representative Aaron Saunders as Susie
spoke to um SCS has been awarded $25,000 towards the purchase um of upgraded curriculum. I did include the full press release. Um so we're very appreciative of of his efforts. Um and certainly that money will will go to good use. Um some
Union 28 updates. Um the Union 28 Wellness Committee has been working uh with our Desi assigned coach Allison Doick to update our policy um so that it is compliant with Desi standards. Um last year we had some food service
reviews and it be uh and Caitlyn had reminded me of this when I came in. Um our wellness policy needed some work. Um it is a daunting task. Um and uh we were able to get a coach um that was
sponsored through Desi who has been very helpful. We have our draft. It has had representatives from every school. Um and um the coach is now doing her last minute check and edits. Um my hope is that I will present it um in its draft
form um at the JSC um meeting in May. Um if that doesn't happen, it will certainly be presented in September, but that committee has done all the work that they have and now we're sort of waiting for for the edits to come through. Um and just some legislative
updates. The legislature uh is currently in the final approval stages of the supplemental bill, um which will be funded through the fair share tax. The bill includes um in addition to some earmarks like the what we're getting in Shootsberry um it does include some um
funding that is relevant to school districts in particular. Special education is going to get uh $232 million um which would fund circuit breaker reimbursement and transportation at approximately 75%. Um there's a grant for high dosage
tutoring. Uh there is 25 million for districts who are seeking um regionalization studies. That is certainly something the state is is um endorsing. Um there's 15 million for early literacy and there's 4 million
supplemental in rural aid. We're very happy about rural aid. We've all worked so hard for that. But I just um I I don't want to be a Debbie Downer about it, but rural aid last year, which which was already underfunded, was cut by 8
million. So, we're getting half of that cut back, which we're appreciative of, but I don't want that to um let people think that they should stop their efforts around rural um advocacy because that's that's still an ongoing um area
to um lend our our voices to. And that is all I have in my report and I'm happy if anyone has questions and if not I will mute. >> Any questions for Shannon? >> Perfect. >> All right. Thank you Shannon. Uh Kayn
you are next. >> All right. This is the I think the first month since October where we haven't gone over the budget because the FY27 budget is uh has had final approval by the school committee and now it is ready
to to go for the May 9th annual town meeting. I will be also presenting uh or not presenting, I'll be handing out a um a one-page information sheet like we did last year that consolidates
um school achievements, uh challenges to the budget, what the numbers are, and I um pulled one of the drone pictures from the rural a to put right there with it. Um, so that'll be finalized and we'll have them
printed out and and ready to hand out to to families at the town meeting. The this year's current budget FY26, we've met about a few more times. We got fortunate with some circuit breaker money that we're getting in uh for
extraordinary relief. Um, and this is I think the the most relaxed I've been about a Shootsberry budget since I started. So, uh, even though the year started off really, um, a little scary
because of the additional expenses, circuit breakers come through for us and, uh, Ann's done a great job at finding costsaving measures and other areas. So, we are in a in a pretty good place right now, but we'll continue to monitor until the end of, you know,
through the end of June. >> Anna, >> thank you, Kaitlin. You too as well. And Shannon, I really appreciate all of your support and helping this happen. >> Thanks. >> Hey, thank you so much for all of your work. Um, Caitlyn, um,
I I just remember this one town meeting where, I don't know, a certain member of the public was really unhappy because he hadn't been able to read the full budget before town meeting. And so, I just want to encourage you to make sure that it
gets posted at least 48 hours before town meeting, wherever it needs to be posted for people to access it. and then the the having it as a handout is kind of helpful, but if it's available
for people to access prior to town meeting, people would be super happy. And if you could just I think if if you could send Fincom a copy or Susie a copy as soon as you have the the final version, I think FinCom would be super
appreciative. >> Yep. So the this is the last meeting before the annual town meeting. So the version I have in my director's report is the final version unless someone decided let's make an amendment to it tonight. Um but even then there isn't a
vote for that on the agenda. So um yeah, I can I can reach out and make sure they have that that copy available. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> The best. Susie, did you >> Yeah. So, um, yeah, we're getting to the
point where we want to put stuff up on the town website. And we usually have the fincom reserves, I mean, um, revenue, expenses, and our report. And our report's going to have a narrative this time. And it would be good to put
your PR sheet up. And Anna, I don't know if the um, regional schools thinking about doing some kind of sheet. Um, but the more pieces we put up and like you say ahead of time, the better off we'll be. So, I can um make sure that the um
budget um I can I can collect it from Caitlyn and make it posted on the town's website. Um, and whatever PR can get out before the meeting is better than trying to do it off the floor only.
>> Yep. >> Okay. >> Thank you. you. I can get that to you once we've finished it up. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Actually, and I've already noticed one thing that has to change because on the cherry sheets that just got updated to
the FY27 House budget, uh they had the governor's local aid proposal. Um then the house budget came through and the school choice receiving has reduced from this current year of $112,150.
The local aid proposal was for $92,292 and then just today or yesterday the house budget is $80,292. So we're seeing the school choice amounts significantly going down. So, it's not going to change the budget for
next year. Uh, we're past that point, but it is just another I'm going to update a sheet with like more challenges to the budget. >> Well, we will handle it as best we can for sure. Mhm. >> And I want to say I saw the cherry sheet
and um the net from the governor's budget to the house's budget was a loss of um about 10,000, but it's still early in the game. I think the Senate's going to come through stronger. Um this is why it's so
difficult to budget because our numbers have to be in and then we watch the year unfold. Um, so I I mean I'm annoyed that the House would go lower than the um
governor. I don't know what kind of political posturing this all involves, but um it ain't over. And it's shocking to me. Both charter and school choice are numbers that they pull back and forth like a game. I They're very
different from budget to budget. and you're like, well, aren't we talking about the same number of kids or this or same formula? It's not the same. So, I feel like it's a shell game at this point and we won't really know what happens until the whole thing gets
passed. Um, there's a tremendous pressure on this budget because they're afraid of the ballot question and so they want to show that they are tough on budgeting. It's like, well, thank you very much. um not tough at the local level where we have to make up the
difference in in property tax just tough ahead of us. So I just say it's not it's not over. We don't know and we can't we can't reorganize based on the um fluctuations that are coming through.
I have one other piece. So, um I think at the last meeting, I can't remember, um I mentioned that the FINCOM is very interested in setting up a special ed stabilization um fund and there are some documents
that I copied out of what Irving did. Um the FINCOM does not have the bandwidth right now to do that. So, we're looking to do that in the fall at the fall town meeting. it was seemed really appropriate to do it because things like rural aid and supplemental budgets, they
come through when you've already spent your year's money. So, I can see maybe a role for some of that um that funding to go into the sped stabilization fund. And of course, like everything, it has quite
a lot of rigma roll. And um I guess I'm going to rely on Caitlyn and maybe Irving to guide us so that what we put in front of the town meeting in the fall will be um clear and people will understand how the money accumulates and
how it gets spent and who's in charge. >> Okay. Thank you. Um was that all of it? Uh Kaitlin? Yes, that was all of it. >> Man, we are moving. All right. Uh Ann, your turn. >> Our school choice open grade levels um
would be kindergarten 3 and five and we um had a really special trip from the Missoula Children's Theater. They come uh once a year and they are a traveling theater company. They are funded through the Amherst Community Theater and Massachusetts Cultural
Council. They have um a great relationship with our Phoebe and um she is able to have them come and facilitate workshops between um the students in K to6 on acting, drama and mime. The students enjoyed the workshops with the actors um from the in the midst of their
performances and learned some improv activities and some prompts to sort of help them with their stage performance. students had an amazing time interacting with the actors and uh learning some warm-ups and some um practicing some public speaking. They're uh going to
help us really get ready for our end of the year um school play that we're looking forward to doing. Um in addition to that, they also had um students around our community and joining other communities. they participated in auditions and did a performance at the
end of the week and they got to work a little more closely with the uh with the performers. So, as part of their outreach, they do offer these workshops to area schools and we were lucky enough to not only do it last year, but to do it this year again as well. And so, um we're hopeful that we get to do it
again. It was a it was nice to see all the students kind of have a little break from the regular learning and um a chance to work on some of the soft skills. Today we had our our trip that um you might remember was uh funded by John Zeb. We worked in collaboration
with the DCR to create a unique experience for the students to um participate in this all expense paid trip to the reservoir. The students in grades K to six participated in fish stocking. They um they made watercolor paintings by the water. They sang an
original song that Mr. Cortina came up with. So ask the kids about that for sure. uh in addition to his um student teacher Mr. N. They sat by the water and kids went through the different stations. We observed a fish in a bucket up close and the students wrote a story about them and the students were
coordinated into multi-age groups. So it was every little group had a student from K all the way to grade six. So there was a lot of really great um moments with the older kids helping the younger kids and vice versa. You know, that was really it was really special. Um there was also some parachute games
and who doesn't love that with Mr. H. And um the students had a really great time not just interacting with each other but uh we sort of um did another layer to it this year where we had midway through the day. The younger kids went back to school. And the older kids
continued on to have a lunch at the tower and then did a pretty pretty good hike back to the meadow where they could go down a road that um they could see some foundations of some houses that used to be there and then go down to the road to the water where um it was a road
that led right down that used to lead into the town. So, um, we learned a lot from the people that were there and, um, a lot of the classrooms did did a lot of work leading up to it. Um, then that I was just included the the letter for the
additional funding that will help us. We're going to be looking at getting um some more work, some more um curriculum for EL, that's our that's our reading series and also um science. We're going to be looking into beefing up some of
our science materials. Um, our staff also had an opportunity to go to the Conway Grammar Elementary School. Um, educators from Shootsberry Elementary School went to have a collegial conversation and observe teachers in Conway. Their school is really similar
to ours. We have the same curriculum, same same type of student population and they're also a rural school. We were able to engage the educators through authentic day-to-day work of EL and Bridges. Bridges is our math program and um we're building our collective capacity through collaboration,
observation and a meaningful professional dialogue around the work that we're doing. The current clubs at um at Shoots Elementary School are the martial martial arts club is up and running. Pickle ball chess club, crochet club, and we are um continuing with
moose on the move as well. >> Wow, >> there you go. >> That's a lot. >> Yeah. Um, okay. So, in the after, not aftermath, that's a bad term. >> I was teaching a poem today that talked about the aftermath of childhood, and we had a whole discussion about why
aftermath was an appropriate word in that spot. Um, in uh response to uh Princ's report, we have to take a vote on uh becoming a school, being a school of choice this year for grades K and five. So it will actually be so we have
to vote for what next year's openings are. So it's actually first, fourth, sixth. >> Perfect. >> Okay. >> Sorry. So first, fourth, and sixth. Okay. Um, so we need to take a vote to
be a school of choice for grades first, fourth, and sixth. I move to be a school of choice for grades one, four, and six. >> I second that. >> Is there any discussion? Any questions
around that? Okay. All in favor? Mayui. >> Herd eye. >> D I Longco. >> Perfect. Uh passes unanimously. We will be the school of choice for those grades. Um all right. Ammeris Pelum
representatives report the highlight of every school committee meeting. >> Yes. So we are dealing with a few new complaints
and um we so that's always fun. Um, >> we are negotiating a lease agreement for the sixth grade um, ammer students at the middle who are located at the middle school. Um, our
regional agreement is antiquated and allows only $100 per classroom per year in rent, but we are trying to also include some expenses for utilities and
facility expenses. Um, so that is currently in negotiation. Um we are working on sort of ensuring the bullying policy is
up to date. We're working on ensuring we have this newer policy on um non-transgender discrimination and um ensuring transgender students are fully
supported. That um has come under a little bit of fire. And so we are working to solidify the policy um and just uh
make sure it's clear and goes through additional channels of extra notification of the AP the teachers union. Um
so much has happened. I can't even remember all of the different things. I should have written notes better. Um, there's just been a lot of discussion about the budget. Um, I I can't think of anything like other.
We've been so busy and yet I have nothing to report. The track is up and running. Um, if you have any kids there, don't touch the grass. You can be on the track, not on the
field. Um, oh, we had a huge amount of turnover. We're like hiring for principles. We're hiring for students uh student services um director. for hiring for some
assistant principles and um so the I I think you may have heard that Talib Talib Sadi is leaving and so we need a new high school principal and um they're just sort of shifting
things around and filling in spaces to accommodate uh an assistant principal for the sixth graders. Um the current middle school principal will also be the principal for the sixth graders. Um and with the moving the the school the
elementary schools is going to be shifting some some roles as well. So there just it's a lot of um different issues. There's also um a Cominantis which is a English bilingual English
Spanish um immersion program in I guess it's currently located in Fort River Elementary but trying to have um a transition and and and a program that can uh that the the continuity of the dual language program in the middle
school. Um, right now there is no upper level Spanish offered in the middle school and so we're trying to talk about that at some point. >> Okay. >> Any >> questions? All right.
Uh, so the next one is the joint supervisory committee report. Um, yeah. I didn't take great notes on this one either. I know. Do we Wait, hold on. Yes, we did have one. >> We didn't have one yet.
>> I'm trying to remember what we >> did. Not last month. >> It's in May. >> Yep. >> We didn't have one in March. Okay. Why did I think we did? >> We did have one in March, but you shared out about that in March because we had
it before. >> All right. There we go. That's what it was. Thank you. So, I took really good notes on that. I shared out last time. You guys remember those? Those were great. Um, all right. So, then the next the next one is the CES report, which I did see Leah sent us something today or yesterday, sometime recently.
>> Um, yeah, just quickly, I don't actually remember sending anything this week. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> It might have come directly from the admin, >> maybe. um
>> or I might have been in the wrong box. >> Um but I will I I am trying to forward to um folks anything that comes through like regarding PD or anything um or any updates. Um really quickly, we voted on
the contract for the interim director um and so that is all set and our interim is in place. Um this was uh we had the meeting on March 25th and it it might have been March 23rd um or 24th when we
when that person actually started. Um they are a retired superintendent um there to help us uh with the transition um to the new interim or the new executive director to start in July.
Um, we also review the financials for CES and are hoping to um just be in the black um for the end of this fiscal year. Um, we did vote to accept those
financials through um, early March. Um, the interim director shared their entry plan um, and the deputy director also shared uh, their updates. Um there's a real focus on just trying to make sure
that the transition is as smooth as possible um given some of the bumps we felt um just in the recruitment phase for a new executive director. Uh so that is my report. >> Great. Thank you. Any questions for
Liam? >> All right. So we move into our policy review section. Um, we did make a decision at the last policy meeting uh to try to just get through uh this stuff so that we didn't have any kind of hanging out over the summer. So, we did
our last vote tonight for the things that will be added to next uh to the next month's uh to May's well to June's agenda. I think what we talked about was not having a May meeting but then meeting again in June after the reorganization of the committee um to
discuss the last uh the last few things and to talk about what's going to happen um in September so we can hit the ground running. Um so we have a first read of IGB support services programs and IHMR which is health education. Um we don't
have to vote on those tonight but does anybody have any comments on those? All right, seeing none, we're moving on to the final vote on IHBG homeschooling, IHB, Special Instructional Program Accommodations,
IHBA Student Services Program, IHBD Compensatory Education, IHBF, Homebound Instruction, and IHB Alternative School Programs. Um, and just as a reminder, we've gone over these multiple times at this point.
So we need a movement and a second and then we can have any discussion we want around it. >> I move to adopt the policies
just read. I HBA IBD IHB F I HB. >> Second. >> Do I Wait, are there more? Oh, IHBG IHB. >> All right. >> Sorry.
>> And Leah, was that Leah who seconded? >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh, so we have a move in a second. Any discussion? All right. All in favor? May you >> I? >> Jack I. >> Long eye.
>> All right. It is unanimous. Uh, future business coming up. Shootsbury town meeting is May 9th. Hope to see us all there in case we need to advocate. Um, as Susie said, anything that we can kind of put out before that meeting and talk to people before that meeting will be helpful rather than having to do it from
the floor. Uh, shoot policy meeting will not be meeting on May 21st. It will be meeting on June something the date. Hold on one second. Let me tell you, uh, it'll be on June 18th, which will be the last meeting of
the year before the September. June is really just uh well May will be the reorganization meeting and then we'll have the June meeting and then you guys won't meet again until September. Um Shootsbury School Committee next meeting is May 21st. Um the Union 28 joint
supervisory is Monday, May 18th. Um are there any future agenda items that we want to add to our agenda? >> I just had the CES meetings. The next one is May 27th at 6 p.m.
>> Thank you. Yeah, we'll add that in. >> Do we have a June school committee meeting? >> Yes, that was that was what I was just talking. Yeah. Yes. June 18th will be uh policy meeting and um the school committee meeting. >> Oh, both. Okay.
>> Yeah. >> Like >> we're just skipping next month's policy meeting. >> Okay. >> All right. Um, usually the main meeting is pretty brief in general, too. It really is just about reorganization and then the reports. Um, all right. So, uh,
we are up to adjournment. Um, I just want to say before we move that it's been a pleasure working with all of you. I like these, this is honestly one of the best this this group of us has been just a fantastic um, a fantastic group to work with. I feel like I really this year has
been uh relatively easy um given so many things that we've had to deal with on a buildings on a buildings uh you know on a buildings extent Nate like I can't even you said you'd do it and you've had to do way more than what you wanted to do um initially and I really think
you've stepped up to that and it's I I've it's been so competent and thorough and I really appreciate appreciate that Anna you're you know you have soldiered on for three years in the Ammerst Regional School Committee and I can't even imagine um I can't
imagine doing that. And Leah, your thoroughess on everything from policy to the numbers um and your understanding of it all has been such a great addition to this and Katrina as well. So, thank you guys. Um and as always, like if there's anything that I can do to help as the
transition goes on too, I'm happy to do so. So, um, >> thank you so much for your service and, uh, really appreciate taking on the pres the chair position. >> Um, and we'll miss you
>> for sure. >> Thank you so much, Jeremy. >> Yeah. Thank you, guys. So, do we have a movement? This was pretty good. >> Journ 8:00, guys. That was crazy. Second. Yeah.
>> All right. All in favor? May you >> I long. Thanks again, Jeremy. Thanks everyone. Byebye. Have a good meeting. Bye.