Good evening everybody and welcome to the Westfield School Committee moving for June. The Second Time is seven o'clock. This is Sullivan. Thank you Mary Kay. Jeffrey Gunther. Here. Deputy Hillman. Here. Bo Sullivan. Not here. Heather Sullivan? Yes. Here. Uh, Mike Terrell. Here. Tim O'Connor. Not here. Chairman McCabe here. Alright. For states, We'll now open our public participation forum. We'll leave it open for 30 minutes.
Anybody who would like to address the school committee can do so on a matter of their choosing for up to three minutes. Anybody? My name is Jace Brynn and I live at 36 Cassie Street. I'm a freshman student of the Westfield Technical Academy and Class President of 2028. I was greatly disappointed with the lack of acknowledgement Ms. Deland received at the previous school committee meeting held on Monday, May 19th after speaking on her behalf. So I felt it was necessary to address the situation again tonight. Ms. Deland is an ELA teacher who's taking on the responsibility to organize the class officers and schedule school events. We wouldn't have had the Schoolwide Talent show roughly two
months ago if it wasn't for her. Many teachers are inclined to maintain these positions, although she came to the school system just a couple years ago. Ms. Deland has consistently volunteered her time to support and build our school community. Removing her would force Mr. Davenport who's already in charge of the afterschool clubs to manage everything by himself. This is not a suitable work environment. How would we be able to function without her? There was a segment at the previous school committee meeting discussing one of the four manufacturing teachers that's also set to be let go next school year. Ms. Deland never received the same treatment. It doesn't make any logical sense to cut a core academic teacher like Ms.
Deland who organizes the class officers and school events. We don't even know who'd replace her. If anyone at all Ms. Deland brings the school spirit and pride to WTA are removing her would take away, take that away from us too. We were scheduled to have our first class meeting on Thursday, May 8th, but the event was CA was canceled just moments before starting. ALE discovered that just 10 minutes before the event, Mr. Deland was informed she'd be let go during the last school committee meeting. Superintendent Zaki stressed that reading is an important subject to focus on. So I don't understand why we have to cut a full-time.
ELA teacher from the WTAI started a petition that has over 46 signatures from both adults and students alike who want to see Ms. Deland keep her position at WTA. Please do the right thing in reevaluating the budget to keep Ms. Deland because we need more staff like her that's willing to go the extra mile and invest their time in the success of the student bodies. And I'll keep coming back every single meeting until I'm heard. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. Ralph Figgy, chair of the finance committee. Westfield City Council. Just to give some up some dates tentatively scheduled
for the finance committee review of the school committee budget will be on Tuesday, June 17th, five 30 and room 2 0 1. The public hearing for the budget will be held on Monday, June 23rd at 6:00 PM in council chambers. Budget reconciliation is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, June 24th, 6:00 PM Council chambers and the final vote vote for the budget will be Monday, June 30th. Thank you. Thank you sir. Be Jessica Britton 36 Casser Street. Let me remind you, I'm discussing
and uncovering hard topics that hold you. My elected public servants accountable for your actions. It isn't always going to be filled with pleasantries. I do not agree with your direction. I have a legal right to express myself as the individual I am when I am up here speaking at the podium. It is my civil right. Furthermore, I would like to reestablish the roles of the tax paying community stakeholder and elected public servants in the role of community government. I have every right to speak freely about my concerns on the public platform of the school committee meetings
or any community government meetings as I deem fit. That is what this platform is for. I did not yell, scream, or threaten anyone. We have case law with the 1964 Supreme Court case, case New York Times versus Sullivan where debate on a public issue shall be uninhibited robust. It may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes sharp attacks on the government. I find it highly disturbing that you needed to address me after I left the meeting and twist my words. I never said the Westfield High School synthetic fields
came out of the school budget that night. You did? I said we need prudent Fi financial fiscal planning Over the past 20 years I've worked for successful global organizations who would never be in business if they ran it the way city runs their business. Why? Because shareholders would fire them. Maybe that needs to happen here instead of everyone in the school department getting raises that weren't cut. Yes, I said the Westfield g and e is donating their IL funds for the next 15 years for $1 million. But why not donate 2.7 million
and give the kids of Westfield free gas and electricity line items in the 2026 proposed budget. So can you dedicate more so you can dedicate more school funds to what the students really need? I'm sure Westfield GE has the capability in their revenues from the for-profit whip city fiber side. Why didn't you look into the conservation and preservation Acts funds to pay for the athletic field? There's money there that every taxpayer contributes to. In fact, grandmother's garden in the Grand Westfield High School stadium, which I stated is coming from free cash.
$1 million holdback are getting new bathrooms as you like to call them ladies and gentlemen rooms. But sorry kids, we can't waste the money to fix your bathrooms at WTA. Instead you must go to the upper campus, which is Smith Ave to use one of the six bathrooms that are open. But that's okay. We got pride in our schools with our big beautiful stadium And since we're doing this back and forth with you responding to my public speak, I would like for you to explain to me where the money comes from in the tuition outta state and in-state what to the $9.77 million MS.
Under special services MS for 2026. Okay, Next. Anybody else like to address the committee? Thank you. Westville High school rep. We are supposed to have a rep. They now make this season. Thank you. Approval of May 19th minutes. Make a motion for the approval of the minutes of May 19th, 2025. School committee meeting. Second motion been made. And second, is there further discussion? Say none. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Homeschool. I'd like to make a motion for the approval
of homeschool application number 1 96 for the 2024 2025 school year. Second. Motion been made in second. Is there any further discussion on this? Say none. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carried. Ms. Holmes. Um, the next four uh, policies are all going to be a final reading. So I'd like to make a motion for a second and final reading by the title only of school committee policy file AC non-discrimination policy including harassment and retaliation,
Second motion. May, may say any further discussion. Say none. All is in favor. Aye. Opposed? Next one is I'd like to make a motion for second and final reading for file number AC dash R non-discrimination policy including harassment and retaliation. Second. Motion been made. And second. Any further discussion on this item? Say none. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Motion carries. Um, the third one is I would like to make a motion for a second and final reading of file
ACA a non-discrimination on the basis of sex. Second Motion be made. And second, is there any further discussion on this? Say none. All those in favor? Aye. Motion carries. Uh, the fourth one. I'd like to make a motion for a second and final reading of file number A, CAB, sexual harassment. Second. Motion been made And second there any further discussion? Say none. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Ms. Sullivan, uh, the weekly reports,
I mean, uh, signed Warrants May 16th, 2020 5, 22 Batches totaling $519,630 and 60 cents. And May 23rd, 2025 18 Batches totaling $735,379 and 91 cents. Thank you. Thank you. Special revenue account. I'd like to make a motion for the acceptance of a special revenue account summary, including gift and revolving Accounts. Second. Motion been made and seconded. Is there any further discussion Ms. Barry? Yes. Shannon Barry, director of finance. Hi, Shannon Barry,
Director of Finance. Hello. Um, just a few quick comments tonight. Um, Kathy, I believe it was you that had asked me the last time I did special revenues. You had asked about the parking fees at the high school. I did. Um, so I did follow up with Principal Jen Dreek and they did not charge parking fees this year. It sounds like it was more a logistical, um, issue than anything else, but I know, um, superintendents ever Roski and I have spoken and we both would like to have it considered to not charge parking fees going forward. The amount is so minimal that it's really, you know, when we're doing a major parking lot overhaul,
it, it's so small. And then the children's corner, you can see there's a balance of just over $30,000. So I've already done, um, some expended transfers to transfer salary, um, from the general fund personnel lines for the staff that works there to that line to use up that funding. So we'll be at a zero balance at the end of this fiscal year. And then finally, school choice. We're at $2.7 million right now. I just recently completed the claiming process, so we don't know yet what that will do to our revenue for the rest of the year. But based on what we've currently been receiving,
we'll receive about another $200,000 and we have just about the same amount, $228,000 worth of payroll that will still hit that line before the end of the fiscal year. And that is all I have. Okay. Any questions for Mrs. Barry? No, thank you. Can I just that Sure. Will that line item be wiped out now for the Children's Coron precinct? Yes, it will be. I'll do enough expended transfer. So it's at a zero balance at the end. Okay. Yep. Thank you. Anything else Ms. Sullivan? Jeffrey Gunther? Yes. Kathleen Hillman?
Yes. Opposed? Heather Sullivan? Yes. Mike Terrell. Yes. Chairman McKay? Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Barr. Superintendent? Uh, just two. We have graduation Thursday and Friday, um, at seven o'clock at Palms Field. Right now it looks like Thursday's gonna be a hot one and Friday's gonna be a wet one, but let's hope that changes. What, uh, Matt, um, what's the game plan? Is there any game plan for moving indoors? So Typically if the high school has to be indoors,
it gets moved to the Westfield High School gymnasium and then, uh, students are limited as to how many guests they can bring. And it is typically, uh, sauna in that particular space. No, I'm aware. Uh, the reason why I'm asking the question is for folks at large that may be tuning into the school committee meeting, is there a time that we come up with to make the final decision on Friday? Usually, Uh, by three, four o'clock in the afternoon. It's, it's definitely final. But if we know it's gonna, I mean, if we, if there's a hundred percent chance of rain, we would make that decision sooner. Right now it's at 50. So I'm holding hope
It's still early. It's still early in the week. The weather could change. It's New England. It could snow. Who knows? You know, it was fall yesterday. Thank you Mr. Trump. Um, parking, uh, handicap parking For, so we can no longer park on Bones Field, but we're gonna arrange for handicap parking. We have a space for them behind The, behind the bleachers. Yes. And we also have, um, so we don't believe so we have extra parking. We can park at Westfield River Elementary School as well. This email went out to families already. Uh, we can also, we also get permission to park at the Armory, which I thought was great. Not only their parking lot, but their grass area.
And, uh, for which I, I believe Friday when it's gonna be outside. 'cause the sun's gonna shine. Um, we also have, uh, two buses at Westfield Middle that will pick up anyone from Westfield Middle School that needs to, to be brought to the area. Uh, and so that'll be at six 30. They'll bring people to the, um, uh, to Bones and then back to the middle school afterwards. So we have a lot of contingency plans. Let's hope we need them Or don't Need them. Or don't one or the other. Right. I think the the biggest one is the handicap. Yes. And they'll be behind the bleachers. Yeah. We used to enter from King Street for that.
And we'll be entering from Hubbard Street. Right. For that. Right. Folks need to be handicap accommodations. Back to you, Mr. Superintendent, do you have one more item? Nope, that's all I have. Just the graduations, Um, acceptances or grants That's mixed. And Joanne's here. Yes. Last day of school. Uh, one at a time here, right? Yep. Last, I'd like to make a motion for the acceptance of the Career Connected Learning grant. Second. Motion made. And second. Is there any further discussion? Ms. Um, just a quick overview. The funds are going to be used to purchase equipment
and instructional supplies to assist the implementation of our innovation pathways, um, at the high school for Business and Finance in manufacturing engineering. Any questions? Ms. Le on that grant, Do I need to make mention of the amount in the motion? Yes. Uh, so I'd like to amend my motion, uh, to make a motion to accept the Career Connected Learning grant in the amount of $35,000. You didn't say that. No, I didn't say that. Oh, I'm sorry. The first time. Is there a second for the amendment? You second? Yeah, I second. Super. Any further discussion on that? Ms. Sullivan? Kathleen Hillman? Yes. Heather Sullivan. Yes. Mike Terrell. Yes. Jeffrey Gunther.
Yes. Chairman McCabe? Yes. I'd like to make a motion to accept the Civics Teaching and Learning grant in the amount of 29202nd Motion. My maiden second or something. So these funds are going to be used for the purchase of curriculum, providing professional development for our staff in both Generation, citizen and iCivics. Um, and then collaborative planning, um, designed to further students civic knowledge and skills. Any questions? Yeah, I don't have that number on mine. I'm gonna say it's
Six C or I'm sorry. Eight. Nine C. Nine C. So what's the amount? 29,200. I pulled it outta the narrative rather. So I Dunno. Mm-hmm. What about the next one? There's a little, there's a little glitch on our notes. Yeah, there's I A glitch. And now we're all set. Who seconded that? Jeffrey? I did. Oh, Kathleen. Kathleen. I did. Any further discussion? Say none. Ms. Sullivan. Uh, Heather Sullivan? Yes. Mike Terrell. Yes. Kathleen Hillman. Yes. Jeffrey Gunther. Yes. Chairman McCade? Yes. I'd Like to make a motion for the acceptance
of the Alternative Cyber Education grant in the amount of $48,892. Second March made. And second. So these funds are, um, to provide a summer camp, um, a cyber camp program over the summer that will be offered to eighth graders through 12th graders. What is it? What do they do? Um, well they will be learning a lot of debt, different networking. And in the end they hope to actually be certified in, um, I don't have my glasses on. Um, a plus network plus security. Plus and Comp.
TIA. Did I that Right? That's awesome. Cybersecurity. Yeah. That's awesome. It's huge. How long is the, is the camp? I think it's approximately four weeks. And they're looking about 60 students. That's not enough time to learn all those. It's very, I think there's, it's gonna be kind of tiered, like different. Not everybody's gonna learn everything. It's, but those, that's what's gonna be offered. Okay. Anything else? Ms. Sullivan? Uh, Mr. Sullivan? Yes. Mike Terrell. Yes. Jeffrey Gunther. Yes. Kathleen Hillman. Yes. Chairman McKay? Yes. Thank you. Thank you. So following up with, with a question from, um, this
One's right Committee member, Hillman, when is the last day of school? Yes. June 18th. And there You have it. Thank you. I just wanna make sure everybody knows, Uh, thank everybody for their hard work over the last couple of months. And that's really, that's the end of my, uh, comments school committee update. Ms. Hillman. Um, today I found some good news happening about the students who are in the Children's Corner program that the seniors will be going to Hoya Community College and some other students were offered different placements.
Awesome. So I was glad to hear that happening. I also attended the aviation graduation. That was always a phenomenal and wonderful experience for me being a Westfield resident. And, uh, we had great speakers and it was terrific. It really was. The 13 kids there, you know, just doing outstanding work and now their placements in the future is phenomenal. And, and today I was with, um, Westfield State College, um, Melinda Phelps. Mm-hmm. And they were talking, she was talking about
the high school and the college. They're working on that college and she spoke about the Bridgewater being the only closest one for the aviation. And they're really trying to move that aviation to Westfield State, co State University working on it. So I was really, no, I was really great to hear somebody else knew about it besides the people who were at the aviation graduation. Thanks Mike. Super, super superintendent Roski has been kind of working behind the scenes to make those connections and hopefully we'll make it happen.
Um, it seems odd that we can't get it done here, but I think it'll be an eventuality shortly. Dr. Gunther. Yeah. And this is the time of the year where it's really fun to be a parent in the schools. And, um, so I wanted to shout out a few people, uh, or a few experiences I've had over the last month. Um, the, we approved the grant from New Horizons for the bike, helmets for all third graders. And so a couple weeks ago, my daughter and all of her friends came running outta school back to the bike racks with their brand new helmets. I helped. Yes. Thank you. Ton of appreciation for everyone who helped with that.
Um, the, I had the opportunity to attend Miss Lily's third grade class for career day and talk about the work of school committee and got to hear all of their fun ideas about what we as a school committee should be focused on. And there were, you know, there were more recess and more choices in lunch and all that that you would expect, but also some really great ideas. The most, the most popular one was more outside time, more outside learning time, um, which was great. And something I look forward to passing along to the Project Lead the Way implementers. 'cause I'm sure there's, there's a way to make that happen.
Um, and then finally the spring concerts. I just wanted to, I always appreciate all the work that goes into those, but I particularly wanted to name, uh, this year was the first year that we had evening, uh, band and course for our elementary school. And I know that's extra time those teachers are putting in, but it was great to be able to attend and have parents who couldn't attend during the day be able to join those. So huge thanks to all the people who went into making that happen. Can I just add one more? So I believe the helmets was the culmination of the work from the Kiwanis Club, the Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail.
And last but not least, new Horizons. Yes. Just, just want to take a minute. With the graduation coming up this week, uh, to congratulate all the, uh, graduating seniors and their families. Um, I hope the mayor will take care of the weather this year. It is. I think everybody knows it's his responsibility, but, um, and, and also all the, the award winners and the scholarship winner. So just congratulations to everybody. Everybody. Please stay safe. Um, I went to the Memorial Day Parade and I was thrilled to see how many elementary students were marching. Of course, the high school always presents wonderfully in
the middle school, but I was surprised at the huge contingency of elementary students. It was phenomenal. Anything else? Subcommittee of course. Subcommittee minutes. Next, regular school committee meeting is June the 16th at, uh, 2025. And before we go, um, I know we're still a little up in the air trying to figure out, um, details on the fourth. So Right. We're gonna have that first thing in the morning. We just need to get I think one more look, but it looks like Yeah, we may have to delay that. Okay. Um, which would be okay with me.
'cause I didn't have that on my schedule when I made the other appointment and then it came in after. So you tell me whatever you need to do and I'll Do it. Okay. We good Everybody? Are we gonna have the link? Are you gonna send that so the link is there, but I think we have, the agenda was made. We have an error. And if that's the case, we don't have 48 hours to post, so we would have to delay, but I'll have a, a final ruling on that first thing in the morning. Okay. Got it. And I'll send it out to you right away. Anything else? Motion. Motion to adjourn. Second. Motion to adjourn has been made and seconded by Mr. Terrell.
All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. 7:24 PM.