[0:00] got. Thank you, Jordan, for shuttling us over. Um. All right, so. It is Wednesday, September 2nd, 6:00. And, um, start up our meeting. So I’m totally gonna mess this up. I’m good. Okay, so we’re. Gonna do. The Pledge of Allegiance. Yes. Yes. Allegiance to the flag. Of the United States of America.
[0:30] And to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And. It’s funny because I’ve always noted that it’s wavering and it’s just so cool. Oh. That. Is cool. Yeah, maybe.
[0:59] All right, so, um, do we have anybody here for public input? Nope. Okay, so first we’ve got reports in presentations. Uh, let’s see. Some. We have a couple of things here that, um, we were going to discuss. 21 slack here and discussing after. So I guess the first thing is the Board of Health. Um, basically letter that we received.
[1:34] Did everybody look at it and see what it was about? Um, are you following that? Thank you. Okay, so. So my thoughts, um, I reached out to, um, Doctor Joe, and we received this letter from the Board of Health.
[2:03] And basically, just as an overview, it was, um, kind of letting us know that there might be opportunity for us to have a healthier, um, you know, food preparation, healthier, healthier options for the students.
[2:22] I am not going to bore everybody with all of the details, but I thought it was something that, um, is something to think about, you know, and I will say, like doing the tour, it was exciting to see even that we’re growing food here, you know, and that’s already something that we can report back to the board health and say, look, we are you know, we’re already, you know, focused on this stuff.
[2:39] But, um, and having the conversation with Doctor Joe, I was like, you know, maybe there are grant opportunities. Um, and, um, you know, there’s so many grants out there and different programs that that might be able to bring some more fresh things, especially in season at the beginning of the school year, maybe towards the end of the school year.
[2:57] Um, didn’t want to stress Jordan out because, you know, I know the you know, the budget is the budget for food. And that makes sense. And we kind of talked about that. Terry and I, um, but it might be something to sit down with Charles and see if there is opportunity to trade things, or at least kind of take a second look at it.
[3:14] Yeah, I what I, what I would suggest is that the school committee spend some time looking at the menu offerings that are there, because you will see, I mean, um, Chartwell and Chris Cushman are our food service director, is here, and he could speak for himself if you want to ask him direct
[3:29] questions. But, you know, every, every dish that’s put out there is created by registered dietitians who follow all of the the federal regulations that we have to. Yeah, for our food. Not saying there’s not room for improvement. There always is. Um, but take a look at the menus if you haven’t.
[3:48] And we’ve all had kids, so you know what they like. You know what they don’t like. And it’s that balance between what they’ll actually eat because we want them to eat because that’s important. And full bellies to to learn. Um, and, and the healthy food that goes along with that.
[4:03] And, and we can meld those and meet in a good place then I think we’re, we’re really doing a good service for, for our students and our families. Absolutely. I feel like we have pretty good choices to. And I love that their so every day. So that’s great that. There is fresh produce.
[4:20] Fresh. fresh fruit. I just chuckled when I saw it because I was like, Thank God the bullet out doesn’t come to my house. It’s mac and cheese. And chicken. You know. Chris, did you do you want to come up and. Sure. Yeah. My my name is Chris Cushman. I’m the director with Charles.
[4:38] Um, and a few things, like, I’ve already. Taken off the menu. Any ham, any hot dogs? Um, bacon. A few things that were in that article. So I’ve already taken those out of our. So yeah. that’s cool. And I had them.
[4:52] I did have them planned for it because we do a couple months in advance. I had done it last year, but then when this came out in June, I said, oh gosh.
[5:03] So I went back and said, what can I? And of course, you know, there’s we’ll still look to make room for improvement to it, but I just, you know, I saw those items, the ham, the bacon, the hot dogs. So I took those out of our out of our menu rotation. Now to Jordan’s point, are the kids going to be like, wait a minute, this is what we look for. Bacon. Things like that. Yeah. Well like.
[5:18] For like bacon and stuff like a bacon cheeseburger. I do a cheeseburger. So it’s, you know, it’s it’s still we’re still got the cheeseburger. So had you seen this prior to us having the conversation and send it over to you or. No.
[5:34] No, I, I reached out to my fellow directors and I was and no one else had had. This was the first, like conversations like this going on. Okay. It was kind of it was it was new to. Char balls. Yeah. And we’ve been following, you know, they’ve they’re always on the we use web tuition.
[5:54] Um, and it’s we have a team of dietitians that’s always that’s monitoring dietician. They put in new menu items, take out menu items. So they’re you know, they’re always on that too. So there’s a lot of oversight on our on our menus. And like I said, I already went in and took a few things out from that article. That’s awesome.
[6:11] So does that come down from corporate as far as, um, what the main menu is? And then down the line you can kind of you have a little bit of say as to. Yeah, so. So Chartwell is a it’s across the whole country. So it’s kind of regionally based. So they have menu items for the northeast, you know, and some for the southwest.
[6:30] So there is like a bank of menu items which we could choose from. And you kind of pick your menu. So we have we can make our menu. But you know we have a lot to select from. Let’s go. I know I thought it was I mean it was interesting read. That was one of our first meetings.
[6:46] I was like, hey, what do you think about this? You know, and I think that’s the I mean, that’s really exciting, honestly, to hear that you even, you know, looked at it and said, you know what? Actually, I can make some tweaks and without it being, you know, in a little bit better mint.
[6:58] And that’s great that we can share that with, um, you know, with the Board of Health to. Certainly to, because, you know, I’m a father of three young girls, ten, seven and five.
[7:11] So I, you know, that’s I’m like, oh gosh, if there’s anything we can do to make it healthier for the kids, I’m all for that. So it’s certainly I saw that from like, okay, what can I do to rectify it? And, you know, make our menu better. And like I said, we’re always looking to ways to do that. That’s awesome. Could you replace like.
[7:25] the bacon with like turkey bacon or things like that or don’t even bother. I could search for alternatives. Certainly. You know, and it’s turkey bacon typically isn’t as popular. But certainly. I know. My guys don’t even. Make it either. Right. Yeah. So that was it. Yeah. Turkey bacon cheeseburger. Yeah. Okay. Forget it I.
[7:45] Don’t know, I feel like some of the teenage boys, you could just not even tell them it’s turkey bacon. And they might choose to put cheese on that. But I think it’s a fine line too, with what you said, Jordan.
[7:56] I mean, you want to make sure that they’re eating, you know, so that’s a good point too. So yeah, that’s. Awesome. Good. Cool. Thank you. Thank you. And thanks for coming up. Great. Thank you. And that was pretty cool. Geez, I didn’t expect that. Yeah. Because you and I were like talking about it. And I was like, oh no, no, don’t call people in.
[8:17] Like, let’s just share, you know that. Yeah. It was something to kind of even look at and yeah, no, that’s really good. My stress drawing out either with budgetary stuff.
[8:32] So I was like, no, no, no, just, you know, like when we get things from, you know, from the community especially, I think it’s important to bring it to the attention of everybody and say, hey, is there anything we can do here? Or did it open our eyes and see maybe we can, you know, make adjustments. So that was awesome. So thank you. Thank you very much for that. That’s great.
[8:44] And if I, if I could carry of course, because you mentioned the budget a couple times. Uh, it has no what we serve has no bearing on our operating budget whatsoever. Oh okay. It doesn’t the food service revolving account is there to support the food service for the kids.
[9:05] So all the money that we get from the state and federal reimbursements go into that program, the only thing that we can spend it on is the food service. So it’s. that’s good to know. It’s just revolves right back in. So there’s nothing to do with our operating budget whatsoever. I’m sorry. Does that include. Like, the dishwashers and stuff. The brand new dishwasher we just put in it? Yeah. Yeah, just.
[9:20] Just curious. No, No, but that’s our Jordan. That’s for sure. Going in in the new front. Yeah. The furniture and everything. Yeah. That’s coming out. That’s all. That’s awesome. But the company has to create meals that equate to what they’re able to charge. So exactly budgeting it is in our budget.
[9:36] Yeah that’s awesome. That’s great. That is pretty neat. Um all right so we’ve got next then the correspondence for DC for the pre-K approval. I apologize. The wrong link was up there. I don’t want to try to search to find it now, but you all got it on via email.
[9:54] Um, so the good news is the Department of Ed. Yeah. Um, fully granted us permission to host champions in our school for the wraparound program. Um, and that was after the board of select, uh, heard our, um, heard our request for them to approve it.
[10:12] Uh, if you recall, they said that they’re not the authorizing agency, which is what we originally thought. And so that vote held, um, and Desi was able to say, okay, then we agree with you. Um, so we’re fully we’re fully through now and approved. So, um, I’ll find it and relink it, but it’s just a formal letter congratulating us and saying that they accept our request.
[10:28] Yeah. Great. Easy peasy. All right, um, and then we have the. Oh, yeah, the school committee vacancy meeting is going to be September 8th, and this is going to be for, um, the one spot that we had, Maria that, um, you know, life and work and and everything else.
[10:49] So, um, she did resign. The meeting is going to be a zoom, and I don’t know, do we have the link on here? If not, people can find it. Um, and post it. Okay. And 7. P.m., it’s going to be at 7 p.m. exactly 7 p.m..
[11:05] And, um, we have three as of today, we have three applicants that, you know, showed interest, which is great. Um, and, you know, we have, I believe, the folders in here. Now, I kind of mix something up. We are waiting on one cover letter. Kind of like the why behind why.
[11:24] Um, the third person, you know, was interested in it, but it is open. We did say through the second. So technically we could have somebody like we did last night send over something, um, you know, send it over. So if that happens, we’ll put it in there and I’ll let everybody know that somebody else did.
[11:38] Otherwise, take a look at the resumes and the cover letters, and we will be voting. And it’s equally so. Basically, everybody will have their own vote as well as the select board. Um, so whoever has the most votes will be the person that will continue that term, fill that term.
[11:57] And I believe that is till 27, if I’m correct. I believe so. I’ll double check. I thought it was till it’s the rest of this. Year. And next year it’s the same time as mine. Longer. Yours is longer. I think. We just. Got to the 21, 21 more lawyer. One more. That was only. Yeah, 20. Will clarify. But we’ll.
[12:17] Double check if it’s just. Was it the same as yours? Yeah. So her and I were voted in last year. So we have the rest of the 28. And then we still 29 then. Um, I was just. We just reloaded it, so. Okay. Yeah. So that makes sense. Yeah.
[12:33] So it’s it’s a great opportunity for people to kind of, you know, jump in and see and go from there. So right in here in. Our folder, the they are in there in give me one second. We’ll need. Four of us on the zoom. Yes. Three. We need we need four. For at least four.
[12:50] Yeah. At least four. So everybody can do you know go. That would be great. And again it’s 7:00. It’s everybody’s zooming. Um I don’t think it’s going to take too long. You know, it’s, uh. Let me see if I can find the folder here. So it was under. There. It must. Be. I’m gonna guess maybe.
[13:12] Well, I want to make sure it finds us, so thank you for that, because I’m trying to think of where. Because Celeste liked it for me. Let me see. I see it here and then turn it back into it. Once. Things open now.
[13:36] Can you see where it’s through? Um, what it was attached to? I couldn’t, um, I couldn’t locate it. Right now you’re looking for the folder? Yeah. Yeah, but I can locate it. I’ll try to locate it after this. Yeah, and I’ll make sure that they resend it. Yeah. What is there? Because I can I see it here. Let’s see what I press.
[13:53] Okay. Think this one. And here’s the monitor. If I could just clarify one thing so everyone’s aware. So this is from Barry Johnson. Uh, the person so appointed. So whomever you choose will serve until the next upcoming annual town election in May 2027. That’s not the full term. Oh, okay.
[14:12] And if they wish to continue, they will have to go through the regular election process to get their name on the ballot. The position will be for the remaining years the resident has on his or her term or for the full three year term, but they have to go through the election. After. Okay.
[14:27] So you’re putting them in until the election. Until the election. And if they’re elected. For that rest of the seat. Okay, I think it’s 27 for some reason. I’ll stick it in my head. We’ll make sure. I didn’t organize it right. Any other questions on that or.
[14:45] Nope. Okay. And if worse comes to worse, I will follow the email. So you’ll have it on perfect. Fine. That’s what I had to do is give us the last minute. So all right. And then two. Oh and then this was now our draft school committee goals. I think we have that for discussion a little later.
[15:09] Yes. If you’d like. Thank you. Yep, yep. So we can just move past that. So now student advisory report. We don’t have one. This month because we haven’t. Yet. Can we get. And then we’ll have one in October. About all that happens in September. Yeah. Perfect. Oh welcome line. Thank you. This is exciting. Senior year. Yeah. Exciting.
[15:34] Exciting. I know right. All right. So we’ll have superintendents report now. All right. Thank you. So many exciting things to talk about I’d like to start with welcoming up our principals to talk briefly about some of the events that have already happened. Because the year launched a couple of weeks ago.
[15:51] And then some of the ones that are on the way. So, um, start with youngest. As soon as Canedo. Thank you. The youngest. I’m not gonna take it. I’m gonna ask so.
[16:14] Everybody all right? Um, so we just finished our welcome night, which was wonderful on Monday, and, um, get to bring all the families in and let the kids see the building. Um, the excitement was definitely there. We have almost every family come for that at the beginning of the year. So it’s really a great way to kind of just set the tone.
[16:31] Um, and make families feel safe and comfortable coming in and starting the school year and trusting us with their babies. So it’s a wonderful way to kick it all off. Um, I would be remiss if I didn’t say thank you to our maintenance and custodial staff. Everything they have done throughout the summer, um, they always do an exceptional job.
[16:47] But this year, moving things around, getting everything where it needed to go, um, it was no easy task. Especially my first off, walking in every day and asking them to, you know, move another table from upstairs and downstairs and put it all around. And they did it with a smile.
[17:02] Sometimes they started to anticipate what I was going to be asking, and had it done before I even got there. Um, and they did it all with a smile and would show up every day and help the teachers and make them feel like they have support there too. So it just need to thank them.
[17:15] Um, along those lines to the teachers, just making sure that the the rooms and their classrooms are inviting kids and the vibe in the building was absolutely amazing. They were so excited. The kids fed off of that all day long. Um, and they’re just amazing at what they do. So very lucky to have them.
[17:31] Um, we welcomed our first graders in today, and we are very excited to have our kindergartners in tomorrow. We had a lot of them popping in even today and kind of seeing things again. Uh, and then our last first day is Tuesday welcoming our preschool students. So our youngest are three and four year olds.
[17:47] Um, throughout this whole month, we’ll be benchmarking and getting a really clear idea of where our youngest learners are as far as the curriculum and needs and supports, but also challenges where they might be really ready and where we can challenge ourselves and challenge them.
[18:06] Uh, it really helps us identify their strengths again and areas that we can focus on our instruction within groups. All of those good, good things. Uh, also this month we are going to be working with our new school program, Second Step. The teachers do a lot of work piloting that program.
[18:22] Last year, the team did a lot to make sure that it was developmentally appropriate for our students and for what we were really seeing come in. So they’re excited to bring that in. And with that, we have a new adjustment counselor who’s going to be working with us this year, who has had a lot of experience in that program as well.
[18:36] So she’s going to be a nice addition, bringing that in and helping us out with that. Uh, on the 16th of this month, we’re kicking off our one school, one book program. Mrs. McAuliffe has been scheduling a lot of different activities for the students. We’ll kick it off with dinner time.
[18:50] And this year we’re reading May Among the Stars. And the core message of that is, if you can dream it, believe it, and work hard for it, anything is possible. So a really great message for our students.
[19:07] Uh, the week of the 21st, we have our Scholastic Book Fair, which will coincide beautifully with our back to school night. Uh, this night we really geared towards the parents and caregivers. It’s an opportunity for the teachers to really dive into the curriculum that their kids will be receiving all year.
[19:24] Um, any of the the really in-depth ways that they can become partners in the education for the students. Um, so it’s a really wonderful night for parents and caregivers to come back in on the 24th. We have our first book Nook of the year for our new families. Students are able to purchase a book after they’ve finished lunch for $1. It has become very popular. Uh, so we’ll get all that information out to families.
[19:41] And rounding out our month is going to be picture day. So we have all those fresh, shiny dresses from, um, big smiles on our students. So we’re looking forward to that. That’s awesome. Thank you. How about this next I’m. Hiding. Hello everybody. Welcome back. Um. we have actually.
[20:09] Started our year, um, beginning our festivities last week when we had our get ready for school night, where we were thrilled to welcome both new and returning students and families to BHS. Students had opportunities to meet their new teachers and classmates. Um, they participated in some fun activities.
[20:25] We had pencil pouches that they got to make to bring for the first day of school, as well as individual flags that they were able to personalize using nautical, um letters. So it was very, very fun for them. And it was wonderful to see so many new faces. We have two thirds of our building, our brand new to us.
[20:41] Um, so we saw lots of new faces and then we welcome back some familiar friends of ours. Today we officially kicked off our first day of school, welcoming in our newest little ones, our second graders. Um, second and third grade joined us in the gymnasium this morning. So having two thirds of the building all in front of us, um, was really exciting.
[21:01] And you could feel the energy, um, in the gym. Um, and we were then also again able to welcome our, uh, returning fourth graders. Our hallways were filled with excitement, curiosity, and laughter. With so many beginnings in the classrooms were buzzing with so much excitement.
[21:21] I have to say, I couldn’t be more proud of the teachers. Um, for our, you know, our all of our classrooms moved to new locations. So the teachers have been working tirelessly on creating warm and welcoming areas for kids. And they truly, um, did an amazing job. Um, and as Mrs.
[21:42] Carpenter said, we truly couldn’t have done it without our custodial staff. Um, like I said, we flipped over upside down and inside out. And even today we’re moving a couple of offices, um, and the end of the office is very, very full. Um, and continuing to grow. Um, so I also would like to say thank you to our PTA.
[22:01] We have, um, lunch donated yesterday. Um, by our PTA and breakfast the day before you left. White walls, um, and snacks for our teachers when they were setting up their classrooms. Um, so we were very, very thankful for them. Beginning, um, next week, we will also sound a lot like BS.
[22:22] We’ll be starting our benchmarks, um, next week, and we will be able we use our benchmarks, um, to get to know our scholars and build 2020 627 goals for them. Um, it helps us to identify their strengths.
[22:38] Areas that they can grow on, um, so that we can help them meet their fullest potential when they’re leaving at the end of June. Um, we are also going to be working starting next week on our B2B behavioral core values, as well as our SEO curriculums and regulation. Within the next couple of weeks. As you know, we had piloted as a building last year, um, but with a whole new grade.
[22:56] We’re starting back, um, and doing some training with all of the staff so that we’re all using consistent language. And we’ll be rolling that out probably around the 20 of September. Once all teachers are trained with that, we will be holding our back to school night on Thursday, September 17th.
[23:13] This will be an opportunity for our students to become our tour guides on Back to School. Night is a wonderful opportunity for our students to show their families, their classrooms, their work and proudly introduce our beautiful school to their caregivers.
[23:31] We also have an opportunity for our teachers to introduce the curriculum that we’ll be working with, with our students, um, and learn the day to day activities and schedules that the kids will be participating in. We will also be holding our fall book fair all week. Um, and rounding off with our night event. Um, that’s usually the last place people are when they’re leaving that night. Um, Mrs.
[23:48] Weatherbee loves a full media center, so that’s one of her favorite nights of the of the year. Um, and then rounding off our month, we have our our fun run that is coordinated by our incredible PTA. Hopefully no rain this year. We did it in cyber last year. Um, and it’s definitely a different kind of vibe when we’re outside.
[24:07] And this year’s fun run is going to help fund, um, field trips. And then both school and classroom events for our students. So super exciting things happening in the month of September already. So thank you. Everybody. Thank you. Thank you. That was awesome. All right. That’s the Bourne Middle School. Please okay. Hi everyone. Welcome back.
[24:28] All right. So I want to start out just with a shout out to the amazing custodial team at BMS. We also had a lot of moves. And if you’ve walked through our building, the floors are literally sparkling.
[24:44] The building is immaculate, so shout out to them as we settle into the rhythm of the new school year. I’m happy to share some information about events. We had a hugely successful open house on Monday afternoon. We had a fantastic turnout and the energy was really wonderful.
[25:01] I want to extend a sincere thank you to the 25 staff members who gave their time to welcome our students and families, and to lead smaller tours of our building. So I’m going to give a shout out to Tina Canterbury. If you know, you know, she’s the master behind the scenes or, you know, is a master of ceremonies extraordinaire.
[25:19] At the event, she was right up front greeting families, organizing tours. It was a team effort, and I felt like the afternoon just ran seamlessly. Was a great event. Students started today and we were off to a strong start. It was a true joy to welcome our new fifth and sixth graders to the building, and to see our returning seventh graders fill the hallways.
[25:38] The energy through the school was incredibly positive, setting a wonderful time of the year. Our teachers have done an amazing job. Many, many actually. I think all of them are here. Over the summer, unpacking, setting up their classrooms. The classrooms look great and they all hit the ground running today.
[25:58] On Thursday, September 10th, we will host the BMS Back to School night. We’re actually using a new format this year so families will follow their students. Purple day one schedule. It’s a wonderful opportunity to open our doors, welcome families into the building, and give them a chance to meet their children’s teachers and get a firsthand look at their child’s learning experience.
[26:18] So we’re really excited about that meeting in the month. On Wednesday, September 23rd, our faculty will gather after school for professional development on Wayfinder. Wayfinder is our new SEO curriculum purchased by Bourne Substance Free Commission. This session will equip our teachers with the tools needed to effectively implement this SEO curriculum across grade levels this year.
[26:42] And finally, we will be doing our beginning of the year benchmark testing for Excel in Math and area. The third week of September. So these are all exciting things happening at the middle school. Awesome. Sounds great. Thank you. Thank you. And last but not least for in high. School.
[27:01] Thank you very much. Uh, and I obviously have to echo the custodial and maintenance staff, um, that you walked through the building. The floors are amazing. Uh, the room changes that they had to do. Um, it was just awesome.
[27:20] I will continue to say it, but they they know it, and I know it. So, um, we had our eighth and ninth grade orientations last night. I wasn’t sure because we also did a night before athletic signups. So I was like, oh, you know, we won’t get a lot of people. I cannot believe how many, especially the eighth grade parents, came.
[27:37] It was mobbed, which was awesome. And then we had a bunch of ambassadors come. We had a bunch of staff members coming, so it was a nice way to just casually walk through.
[27:49] They got a little presentation from us, but then they spent time walking through, which I think made it a little easier for our eighth and ninth graders coming into the building today. Uh, there was some anxiety, of course, but it wasn’t what I thought it could be. So that was really good. Um, it was a crazy first day. Exhausting. But, um, that’s what it’s supposed to be.
[28:08] And there are lots of kids running to guidance to make some changes to do all that, as we do in the high school. Uh, we’ll continue to move through those, of course. But, um, guidance has been standing on the head all summer long anyway. And so, because there was a lot of changes, it was schedule changes.
[28:22] There was a whole bunch of different things going on. Uh, so kudos to them. Uh, athletics is is moving along. They’re still trying to get kids to play again.
[28:38] We’re small, but, um, I saw today I happen to be standing with the football coach today and a kid that I think transferred in came up, and he was a good size boy. So I think there was a conversation that continued to happen. So we’ll take it. Um, so that that is, uh, moving along. Tomorrow we will start our first of daily assemblies with each of the classes.
[28:59] Uh, they’re going to get used to some new routines with the big, bad, new principal, um, who has some different routines than they’ve had before. So we’re going to work on that. That’s good stuff. Good stuff. And I think it’ll they’ll be fine. And kids, always a surprise to everything that you give them. So I’m not too, too worried about that.
[29:16] Um, we are also filling our leadership, our staff leadership positions and around team leaders, things like that. All the different clubs and activities, which is really helping me get to know the staff, which is fantastic. Uh, we have, uh, picture day on Monday the 14th. Not it’s just something to share with you.
[29:32] Uh, our our we don’t have as much during the month of September as some of the the little grades do. Uh, just mostly we want to start setting our routines, but we do have our parent conference night on, um, Thursday, October 1st. So that’ll be the first real good opportunity for parents to come in and talk with their kids, teachers.
[29:48] And then during the course of the year, you’re going to hear me talk about this is that we are entering the phase, the beginning phase of the collaborative visit for the accreditation process.
[30:04] Uh, there was a conversation I had with asked earlier in the summer, and they they had offered if we wanted to postpone it, just knowing there were a lot of changes, but as I talked with Christine and Kerry and I’ve led a number of these visits, so I have zero worries about leading them through this process this year. I’m really excited about that, and mostly you saw what is happening in this building.
[30:21] I want them to see that. Yeah, I think that is nothing better than having a team come in and really witness what’s going on in this building. Um, we know we’ve talked about this with our parents. Is. And you, I hope, know this.
[30:38] If you don’t know this, you should, as someone that’s come from other districts outside, you are a beacon right now of what is happening in a small school and the ability to offer what you are offering to your kids. It is a testament to what you’re doing. You heard a lot of it from the Stroud today. Uh, so keep doing it. Keep supporting them. Keep offering them.
[30:54] Uh, it will pay its dividends. And I again want to share that with me because it is impressive. So I’m going to I’ll run around. I’ll just throw it to carry their hand down to you. It’s just a what we gave to our parents.
[31:09] Just updating an upcoming calendar of events from September through December. You’ll get more, of course, but it’ll be an easy opportunity to take a look at what we’re doing. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Cool. All right, so continuing on, so is the final transition update. I thought it would be really nice. Yeah.
[31:25] We’ll get those passed. out to have one last one. Um, and it’ll kind of tie everything together that we’ve been working on for the whole year. So I won’t read it verbatim. Essentially, check my check check boxes all the way down for everything that we set out to do. So that’s fine. Thank you. Chair. Thank you.
[31:43] So, um, we we started this move on up transition. Um, we have just put the finishing touches on most of our staffing. There’s still a few recommendations that just came in for lunch monitors or an ESP. We’re getting everyone in this week, but all of our teacher. And that’s many different types of educator roles.
[32:03] Positions were filled before day one. And that that hasn’t happened for a few years. So that’s a really proud of all the work that everyone did. Um, for budgeting, we are we are on track. We are. You can you can read there all the different pieces. But, um, we’re doing well with our budgeting and moving forward.
[32:20] You heard loud and clear about our facilities. I won’t beat a dead horse except to say, wow. Yeah, like when you walk through these schools and you. And, you know, that room used to be there, and now it’s there. We moved almost everybody.
[32:36] Um, and so I definitely want to give that huge shout out to our, our custodians, our maintenance crew, uh, to Ted Buckley, who’s in charge of all that, to Jordan, who oversaw all of it. It really was yeoman’s work. And every time I saw the custodians this summer, I’m like, how are you? And they’re like, I’m tired. Yeah, they really, really worked hard.
[32:53] Um, but I also want to give a shout out. You heard it from the principals as well to our teachers. I know they came in over the summer. I know they did so many extra things. I was speaking with one today and I’m like, how are you? I want out who she was.
[33:05] Um, she’s like, I’m okay. Um, I see your room looks great. And she goes, yeah, it was a lot of work, I know. Um, but then she said, you know, it was a good thing. It was. It feels good to kind of purge. It feels good to start again.
[33:18] Um, so there was this, like, crisp excitement in the air. Uh, so, yeah, you can feel it when you walk around. We have something still on backorder. Um, some things just didn’t come. And that seems to be the way of the world now since Covid, right? Some things just don’t arrive on time.
[33:34] So we will have an extra tour of the cafeteria here when all of those are neat new furniture comes in. We have high tops and, you know, cool tables. It’s going to have a really nice feel in there. Um, and some of the teachers in this building were promised brand new desks because they were falling apart. To be quite honest.
[33:50] And they’re coming in on Friday, so they’re making do with whatever we have around so that they have a workspace. Um, but we’re grateful to everyone for their flexibility, technology team worked, um, probably twice as hard as they usually do over the summer, and that’s usually a lot of work.
[34:06] Um, I’m sure you’ll hear from Chris some of the things I won’t steal your thunder, but it was a big, big lift. Uh, scheduling and program development. You’ve probably heard bits and pieces. There were completely revamped master schedules and some of that we did over the school year.
[34:24] So, you know, when we were meeting in our transition meetings, but pretty much every school has a reworked master schedule that’s really putting in all the things that we know are important to kids, whether it’s, you know, a revised wind schedule, whether it’s a 90 minute, um, ela block, you know, all of these constants that we know are really good for students are all part of these new schedules, including
[34:38] here at the high school. We’ve somehow managed to have a slightly different eighth grade schedule than the rest of the school, because that’s what the eighth grade teachers really asked us for. So developmentally, we really need this time with them.
[34:52] And so we have this overlay and maybe a bell goes off a little earlier and someone’s moving a little sooner than they should. But at least for the first day, it seems to be working out.
[35:07] Um, and here in this building, too, we were able to really, um, be cognizant about separating out the eighth graders for their learning so they have their own time in the cafeteria, their own wind blocks, their own electives, but still feel really part of what it means to be a canal. And so that’s been really fun. Um, our communications, I could just go on and on. So we’ve got the full report there.
[35:23] I’m happy to say, unless you tell me to give you another report, that that is the last transition update. Um, because we’re here. And if you were at the, uh, the opening day, I’ll kind of start there. Our opening day for staff. Then you’ve heard about our theme this year. I’m not going through all the slides, I promise.
[35:39] Uh, and so as part of our new strategic plan, which was last year, the first year, we have a brand new vision statement. Inspired to learn was last year’s theme, empowered to explore this year’s theme, prepared to act as next year. And that really is a cycle of kind of even last year what we went through. But this year we’re empowered.
[35:57] We’re empowered to explore. And you could see right there at the beginning, I was ready to do the shout out for custodial and custodial facility staff. But you can also see here there are so many people that that prepped for for today to be a great day.
[36:12] And today was a great day. As we all walked through the buildings, there was there was an excitement in the air, actually in two different schools, two different teachers told me that a student said to them, this is the best day ever. I mean, that’s just wonderful.
[36:25] You know, for them to really feel that. Um, so it really was electric. It was really fun. Another young lady said to me, she was a little first grade. I’m brand new to this school. I said, that’s wonderful. Welcome. She goes, you have a purple shirt, like I have a purple shirt. I’m like, that’s because we’re coming out.
[36:38] And she was the cutest thing. So. So yeah, it was really. I have a few pictures at the end, but also you can see all of our partners from from Nye and the PTA and the BA leadership and all of our town departments.
[36:52] People don’t realize I was driving in today thinking about all the departments that help us get ready. Um, everyone from the people in payroll at the town that help us get all these people onboarded to, of course, our amazing fire department and police department, just just so many. And Starbucks at the rotary donated our morning coffee. So that was awesome.
[37:07] Um, so we went from inspired to learn, empowered to explore. I’m going to pause here for a minute for our new admin team members. I believe most are here, if not all three are in the same picture.
[37:20] Um, so what I’m going to do, you’ve met some of them already. But what I’d like to do is call on them and ask them to just briefly introduce themselves, because it might be the the only time they get to formally introduce themselves. So, Pam, you’re first in the picture. So, Doctor Gould, if you don’t mind coming up and reintroducing yourself.
[37:36] Yeah. I am the interim high school principal. Here. Uh, I retired high school principal and school superintendent, so I’m happy to be here wearing the purple. Yes, it’s a change for me, but I like the purple. The people. Who are on sale. That was a good one. Are you. from the finance. Guy? We’re so. happy to.
[38:04] Have you. Thank you. I’m glad to be here. Great. And I’m not interim because we’re hoping she stays. Assistant principal, come on up. Please. She is not going anywhere. Oh, no. No, you’ll do it. Yeah. No, I. In that vein of blood. Well, I was. Just gonna say I don’t need. To. Wear it because I.
[38:22] Bleed it. Yes. Um, in restorative and in the district. This is my. I’m starting my 24th year, and, um, also Bourne high School graduate and very proud to be the new assistant principal at Bourne High School. Thank you. Thank you. This is waiting for you. David. This is winner. That was good. We are happy to.
[38:48] Have her with us today. And I do want to say we just did it for. And Miss Stroud wanted to show you her locker. Yes. Her locker was 70. They’ll be in. Oh. Thank your locker. I you get to use it. It was the shiniest combination. She was up there polishing.
[39:11] So we have a brand new assistant principal at BHS at Lawndale. She has the best name ever. So I’d like to introduce Carrie Moreau. Um, so I’m very excited to join you guys here. I’ve come from Swansea Public Schools, where I’ve been for 15 years.
[39:27] I’m very excited to wear the purple and join all of you and really take in the community and be a part of it. So it’s been so welcoming and it’s been great. Thank you. You carry. Welcome, welcome.
[39:40] And so I’m sure you’ll many of you know Kelly well she was a teacher with us here for I believe she was on year. 6 or 7. 5 or 6. Yeah. Um, and she was a I know, I’m sorry. I have a 12 year old know still in my heart. Um. She was a teacher for a long time after that.
[39:53] And also military involved. So she comes with that. Really great. Um, you know, a Purple Star school concept. So we’ll bring her. I’m sure she’ll be explaining something of the curriculum that we’re doing in the future, but she’s our secondary curriculum director.
[40:08] All right, so, um, for our handbooks a little later, we have very few changes. So, um, my colleague Christine will present that. So I’d like to be able to dismiss these administrators who I’m sure woke up really. early for the. Start. So thank you. All right. A few more things in my. Thank you guys. Thank you.
[40:24] As I said, it was an amazing day. Um, so I have a little a few slides for each school. I’m sure there are many more. I’ll go back there for you guys. Just turn. Uh Bourne. Dale was all smiles.
[40:40] Um, they felt it was a little weird because they only had first grade, right? And then they have a slow roll. Then kindergarten comes tomorrow and then pre-K. But it was so nice. It was just a really exciting vibe. Um, lots of tours being had at BIS because they had two new grade levels there, two sets of kiddos. Also all smiles.
[40:56] People getting right down to work. Uh, this one down here. Um, they they got goldfish of various colors, and they were able to sort count and then eat them. Really fantastic. Um, but lots of great things happening over at BIS, and I think I actually missed Mrs.
[41:11] Colbert every time I went loop around. She was the only person I couldn’t find. We must have been doing concentric circles. Um, at the middle school. Another great vibe. Um, so now it’s five through seven. Uh, obviously, you know, you got to try out your locker. You’ve got it. You got to get that going on.
[41:27] Um, so many really fun things happening there. And again, just a great vibe. And last but not least, our high school had these are these are pictures of the eighth grade. And then our upperclassmen were, you know, all of our ambassadors a few nights before. Just some really, um, just a really good vibe in the in the district.
[41:44] All across the board. Um, I don’t want to put you on the spotlight, but was there anything that you noticed or anything that either felt different or felt the same? Nothing felt really different.
[41:56] It kind of just felt normal to be back, but it felt a lot fuller with all the eighth graders. But it was fun. It was good birthday. That’s great. Thanks, Lila. All right. And so our theme is about exploration. All the different ways you can explore.
[42:11] We’re challenging everyone to think about what will you explore this year? We’ll also have some really fun things for staff to do, like maybe going on hikes together or maybe exploring new food together. So I do hope all of you will join us for that. Um, so stay curious. Have a plan. Take the first step. Trust your team. You can here.
[42:24] We’re a team of teams and learn from one another. So we’re ready to launch this year. Very excited. Um, so we had a great first day, and now I know that Mrs. Berning has a really full report. All the things that we’ve been up to. Yeah. I’ll give you a quick report. And then we can talk about the. Handbooks, if that works. Sure.
[42:42] Um, so on August 25th and 26th, we welcomed our new teachers to the district. Our mentoring committee, led by Lisa Dixon and lead mentors on Nicole Tanguay, Lisa DeBlasio and Tara Stanton, planned two full days of orientation and learning for new staff.
[42:59] We also had visits from the town, from the BPA, from the tech team. It was a really. Busy couple days, I think a highlight, uh, every year is most definitely the tour of Bourne, West with Tina Canterbury. We added in a stop at Lazy Sundays for ice cream.
[43:16] Um, I have it on good authority that at least one person left with more than one ice cream. I was very appreciated. Um, and so thank you to the Mentoring Committee for ensuring that our new staff are off to a strong start.
[43:29] It was a really great group of new teachers and just a really I feel like we keep saying like, what a great vibe this school year has. But just even from there that they really gelled. It was just a really nice two days. Notably, we have five new staff members who are relatively recent BSW alum. I think the oldest of them might be like 31.
[43:45] So within the past 10 to 12 years, um, they they knew each other. They were gelling, the youngest of which was just a very recent grad, um, Emma Curry, a grad student, taught with us last year and now as a kindergarten teacher, I think a huge testament to our community overall, not just our school system that our, you know, students are coming back to
[44:00] work with us. It’s really just so fun. And it was just great to see them all together. So it was a great, great couple of days. Our beginning of the year professional learning looked a little different this year.
[44:13] You’ve heard a lot about all the teacher needs in terms of the classroom moves. Um, so instead of doing a lot of really targeted PD, we teachers had the day to collaborate to finish setting up their classrooms, planning, vertical planning, meeting with new teams, things like that, and really getting settled in their new grade spans. And I think that was really appreciated.
[44:35] It was very positive day and a nice way to start the year, especially with everybody moving. Um, our administrative team also engaged in some professional learning. At the end of the summer, we had a retreat focused on team building and getting to know each other better. Um, as people and professionals, Jordan may or may not have done the work during said team building.
[44:53] It was legendary. Uh, and we are also looking forward. To that video. I don’t know, um, but I did get a folder of pictures from the facilitator today, so we shall say, uh, we are. We learned that I’m the least competitive and everyone was mad at me trying hard enough to win.
[45:14] Um, we’re also looking forward to continuing our work around educator evaluation this year. Um, I know everybody’s talked about it, but I do want to recognize and congratulate principals, APS teachers for an incredible first day of school. Really struck just by how joyful it was in every building.
[45:30] And, and, um, our staff really came together to make sure that it was just incredibly positive day. Um, everywhere, despite, you know, a lot of change and challenge and change is hard for change is hard for teachers. So it was really just a very, very positive day everywhere. Um, district wide. We’ve expanded our commitment to teacher leadership.
[45:49] And you heard Doctor Gould talking about this a little bit as well. Um, we’re utilizing grant funding to support stipends for all of our staff who are serving on any of our leadership teams. So that would be our MTS committee, our data team. Um, those have typically had stipends attached.
[46:03] We are able to add stipends for our elementary and secondary math and literacy committees. And our instructional council, which we started last year. And for key um, representative members of our DIB committee.
[46:25] So I think really to I mean, they’re not large stipends at all, but I think it is a nice honorarium for our staff who gives their time and more importantly, really shares their educational ideas and expertise with us. So we’re filling those teams now. Um, and then I’m going to skip over handbooks and just talk about, I know you got to see the spaces, but just give you a little bit more information about our new designations. We do have two of the letters in your folder.
[46:42] Um, the first and the one that you don’t have a letter for. It’s just they didn’t do a letter. Is the, um, the fifth, um, official DC innovation career pathway, which is the advanced manufacturing, but it’s engineering. Call it advanced manufacturing. It’s a little bit of like a, I don’t know, I was confused. It’s an engineering pathway.
[47:00] Um, that pathway is being supported by the project lead the way engineering courses. Um, I think it’s also important to note, if you take the project lead the way courses, you’re eligible for that to take the AP in those courses. And many colleges do accept project lead the way for college credit.
[47:13] So those are advanced courses and they are incredibly hands on and inquiry driven. And so we I already saw this morning um, Cam Sarkisian teaching like you got to figure out how to how high a bouncy ball bounces and ready. Go figure it out. It was great. So we’re excited about um that pathway.
[47:34] Um so that brings so I know Anne-Marie said we had eight. Five of them are official. Desi, uh, desi designations of ICP programs. Um, very excitedly last year, you heard about our pilot of early college, and I know you saw, um, Ethan and Caden. Thank you.
[47:54] Um, who participated in that pilot program? Uh, after a lot of work, we received our early college designation with Mass maritime. Um, both institutions had to do quite a bit of work for this designation. Um, students will have the opportunity to earn 12 transferable college credits, um, participating in coursework on site at May during both their junior and senior year.
[48:12] So our pilot program was a one semester program. The boys were college students for one semester, and that’s what’s happening also this fall, as we transition into the way that DC really wants the program to look, where they’ll take two classes spring of their junior year, two classes, fall of
[48:27] their senior year. One of the things that DC looks for which I appreciate is, um, persistence within the program. So showing that, okay, I can I’m not just doing this and like a quick spurt, I can do college courses over time. Yeah.
[48:42] Um, so currently we have four seniors participating in the program, and we’ll be opening applications to juniors in the fall. And I do want to note, I think this is it’s been an incredible amount of work on our part on certainly, Anne Marie has been heavily involved in this, um, and working with the students.
[48:57] But Mass Maritime has really come to the table as a true partner. Um, and I think it’s a lot of work for them to be, um, you know, working with their, their faculty to understand what it means to bring in, um, high school students into their campus. And, and their classes are fun, and they’re fully enrolled institution. They do not have empty seats everywhere.
[49:14] So just even figuring out, like, where can our kids literally get a seat? Um, they put together an incredible orientation day for our students where they got to visit everywhere on campus and really have that college experience.
[49:34] They, um, seeing the tutoring center, um, going to disability services, if that’s something that they needed, uh, going to the school store or having lunch, figuring out where they would get help if they needed all of those things. Um, so really high quality programming, so excited about it. And then finally, you saw the space we received our first secondary level state designated Career Technical Education Program in graphic design and visual communication.
[49:52] That’s awesome. Huge deal. Um, it really like our innovation career pathways. This program provides students the opportunity to engage in advanced coursework or an industry certification and engage in work based learning experience in their desired field.
[50:08] So, like the ICP, students would do, you know, field based experience at the end. Those are typically paid, um, in a CTE program or can be paid. They can be paid in the internship program, too. But um, more typically are paid in a CTE program. Uh, one difference with the CTE is that it has a board, um, of or like a yeah, like advisory committee.
[50:26] It’s called um, of industry professionals that um, also kind of provide guidance around the programming so that it really is industry aligned. So, uh, huge congratulations to the HS team for these accomplishments. I do specifically want to mention the work and dedication of Anne Marie Stroud. Anne Marie was the primary writer on each of the applications.
[50:45] They are lengthy applications. She did so much work on them. She worked collaboratively, collaboratively with the DHS administrative team to clearly communicate the vision for these programs. In order to receive the designations. I do really also just want to recognize Chris Oliver and the tech team.
[51:01] Jordan and the maintenance team, and Shawn Silva for their work, planning and preparing for the CTE visit. Uh, it was a massive undertaking at the right at the end of the year with ordering, with the building set up, with the technology, set up, with the cleaning.
[51:16] And and Jordan and Chris were here multiple days, like making sure that everything was getting done. I know Jordan was doing a ton of ordering. Uh, it was just a very, very heavy lift. And I would be super remiss if I did not thank them both. So thank you so much.
[51:30] Um, and we’re just really excited about the many opportunities that will be afforded to students as a result of the program. So, yeah, big things this year. Yeah. Just add something. You finished? I’m sorry. Yeah. No. I’m done. Um. with the partnership with Emma. Uh, Ethan Fox, um, is now attending West Point. Yes. So that’s absolutely amazing. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. No. It’s wonderful.
[51:49] Um, and I think, you know, we talked about this with, um, uh, with, uh, Dean McKenna and with Elizabeth, who’s the kind of she runs the program for us or coordinates the program for us at MMA.
[52:08] I think even in Caden, were really, um, anomalies in terms of, like, what a fresh college freshman might look like as high school seniors. I mean, they’re both super driven. And, um, you know, I think the goal is for students who are maybe more typical 18 year olds, 17 year olds to get on campus and and have that experience and say, okay, this is what college takes, really see themselves there.
[52:23] Um, and, and it is open to students with disabilities. It’s open to students who might not be straight-A students. I think it was a great pilot with students who were really strong students. And, okay, this is what it looks like, but it is something that’s available to all of our students.
[52:37] And you do not have to be like, you know, Harvard bound or West Point bound to be a participant in this. So I think that’s also just important for students to know. Yeah. And I. Had. A question too, like how many. Other schools.
[52:50] Do they work with? Is it just they only have a partnership with us? I thought. So I wanted to put that out there. That’s awesome. Yeah. No. So it is it is really outstanding.
[53:05] And I would also say I think, um, looking at just the early college, any of the schools that have early college designations, um, some there is like a school that has one with um, Wentworth, um, a couple of Merrimack has a couple designations, but mostly they’re with, um, community colleges. So for me to really come to the table and partner with us and again, they’re fully enrolled. They are not. So I think that’s people away. Yeah. Yes.
[53:23] So I think that in and of itself is just a huge, um, compliment to our students and to our team. And I think the other thing to understand, in addition to the great opportunity that our students get the partnership, um, we’re already better because of this partnership.
[53:42] They, their teams have worked with our teams, you know, our math department, like what we’re doing, um, with them and through them is really making us so much stronger. and impacts all the students. That are here to not. Just those, you know, what’s the, um, what’s the. Capacity look like? Like, you know, have they set a. It it is not massive.
[53:58] I mean, I think we have to look at what’s reasonable in terms of how many students they can manage on campus at a time, and then also how many students we can manage. Not on our campus. Right. And and what that looks like. I think we’re really looking at like about eight students a year. I was going to say like under ten or something.
[54:11] Yeah. And I think that’s a reasonable ratio of our junior and senior classes as well. It’s not for everybody because it does take you off of campus. So that’s not something that everybody wants.
[54:26] Um, but I do think the way that we’re doing it this year, where or will be doing it in the spring, where you might be on the MMA campus for part of the day. And on our campus for part of the day feels a little different as well.
[54:40] So yeah, yeah, I think they’re willing to grow it as much as they can within, you know, the constraints that they have, which is finding seats for kids. Yeah. Um, but yeah. No. And I will reiterate, I think there’s two ways. I mean, yes, we’ve grown just from the kind of the institutional knowledge that we’ve gained from working with them, just about college readiness, all of those things, um, their feedback on like, how our kids did on the accu placer, which
[54:55] is the math test, things like that, but also, um, you know, part of the program. It’s not it’s not just about the junior and senior year. It’s about kind of all the work that happens academically to onramp kids to be ready for this early college.
[55:12] That’s work that is impacting all of our students, because that’s how are we making sure their foundational math is set up? How are we making sure that they have college writing skills? Everybody’s getting those, not just the kids that are going to partake. So it is certainly beneficial, I think, for all of our students. That’s awesome. So we do have the student handbooks.
[55:30] They’re all pretty much the same. And there’s only one change. So you don’t mind. Yep. They’re all the same with one addition to just the VHS and BMS handbooks, which is that we added e-bike language last year. We started to see more e-bikes on campus.
[55:49] Um, and then I will say we learned a lot about e-bikes when we had a really positive meeting with, um, Chief Aesop and, um, SRO, SRO Mackinac. Yeah. So, um, yeah, the e-bike stuff is like way down, but, um, basically, if they are riding an e-bike to school, they have to be following the e-bike rules. And if they’re getting warnings, then they won’t be allowed to ride them to school anymore.
[56:09] Um, there are I, I was really surprised by how many, um, laws and regulations there are around e-bikes in general. So we just added that in, um, you know, I think kids, you know, like to do daring things on bikes and totally understood.
[56:29] But maybe our parking lot isn’t the best place for that kind of exploration. So, um, so yeah. So that is the only change. Um, really the only substantial change. I mean, we went through and made edits to who the administrators are and things like that. So we would be looking for you maybe later in the evening to just approve them.
[56:47] They’re published to parents in draft form right now, but we would want to just publish them and approved for them. Do you think that it’s necessary for us to put what the state law is? Um, I don’t know that it is.
[57:03] They did say that they would be happy to come in and do some education for our students, for either parent education or student education. Around that. I will be interested to see how many we see. To be honest, I think we’ll see. Link. Right. That’s what I was thinking. Yeah, we could certainly link that. Yeah. That’s what I was looking at it. Yeah. Happy to link that if you’d like.
[57:17] We don’t always link to the state laws in here, but we certainly can. But where it’s a new one and I’ve seen so many, um, revisions to them too as more kids and, you know, right. Dangerous things have happening and things like that. I’ve seen it change a few times. Yeah.
[57:33] And I will say we weren’t seeing, like super outlandish behavior on them. But, you know, the the roads that get to our schools are busy roads. Yeah. So even in that. Yeah. Are they. Running there fast there. Well and that’s one thing that we learned. They can’t they shouldn’t be on them. Yeah. There’s helmet laws. There’s just rules. And then you know.
[57:48] So anyways I think again I think there’s been many positive times when kids are riding bikes to school. It’s great. And then there’s times when it’s a little bit even regular bikes. Exactly. Oh yeah. Yeah. So yeah. So we would just be looking for approval on this.. Right. Thank you Christine. All right.
[58:05] We’re still in superintendent’s report. Um, and so now, uh, Mr. Geist, please. Thank you, doctor Joe. Um, a lot of this we covered in our budget and facilities meeting last week. Um, but I’m going to walk you through the FY 26 closeout.
[58:27] Um, the coming up fall, uh, FY 27 capital request that we need to make and vote on as well. So there’s a couple files, uh, in your folder. Uh, one is a letter from me going through the FY 26 closeout. So I’m just going to put a little asterisk next to this.
[58:45] This is the planned closeout. The town, uh, this year is not, um, hasn’t actually closed. Uh, put the final button on on the budget, um, closeout. But this is this is where we are as of today. Um, so the 26 adopted budget was $27,718,638. We had encumbrances in FY 25 of $453,559.71.
[59:21] We take those two numbers, add them together, and subtract the 26 expenditures of $27,634,243.79 in the FY 26 encumbrances of $533,573.34, which leaves a balance return to the town of $4,380.58. Questions. They’ll be happy with giving the money back. Makes us look good in day one, right? I’m gonna bite one down.
[59:55] So the votes that that you have to make do now or later on is that we carry over the the attached encumbrances. That’s the other file listing all the things that were ordered that did not yet come in or prepaid to collaboratives in the amount of $533,073.34 into FY 26, and then close up number $4,380.
[1:00:26] 58, return back to the town. So do you want to, uh, close out? That’s why we’re doing. We want to we want to do it after. I mean, this vote now, right? Right. That’s voting after all, right? So let’s. See. Do you have to do them separately? The incumbent and the or you can put. Them. All together.
[1:01:05] All right. So is there a motion. Do you want to. So I’ll make a motion to carry over. the attack. Uh carryover. Of 533573. Um, into FY 26 and. Return. Um, $4,380 to the town. $0.58 out and $0.58. That’s right. I can’t get $0.58. Is there a second? Second? It is moved in second. Okay. Oh, okay.
[1:01:56] It’s discussion. Thank you. Even had it printed. On you, isn’t it. Because I was like, you’re doing great. Um, so yeah. Is there a discussion. Do we have any questions on it? No no no no. It wasn’t anything that was you know. No. Okay. So no further discussion. All those in favor say aye.
[1:02:24] Aye. Um, all those opposed say no and any abstentions. Oh, so the motion passes. Um, unanimous. And it’s just us, right? So be six. Seven, seven, even on budget. Seven. Five. Five. Six. Yeah. Just exercise that because of financials. Okay. Perfect. Yay. We got one vote done. Mhm. Okay. Awesome.
[1:03:02] That doesn’t have to be a roll call. Vote does that because I don’t know okay. We’re all here okay. Very good. Okay. Then the next item um that’s on the timeline to get over to the town is our fall town meeting capital request. We have two requests. Um, one is the for a Ford F-250 pickup truck.
[1:03:27] Plow truck? We had a 2017 model that unfortunately got hit. As someone who blew the stop sign down at Five Corners, everyone was okay, thankfully, but the vehicle was a total loss. Um, there’s a quote in your folder for a new one with some outfits at the state contract pricing.
[1:03:48] Uh, we had to add in the plow, uh, strobe lights that you have to have with the plow. Uh, some toolboxes. Um, so the total price is $66,304. There’s an insurance check in an account over at the town side for just about 17,000. Uh, so our request should be for $50,000.
[1:04:14] Uh, in the small town meeting, we only have we have, uh, one other F-250. We also operate two F-350. One is a utility body, and one is our, uh, aging dump truck. Dump trucks, 2015 the utility bodies of 11, their diesel. The engines are strong.
[1:04:38] Um, but you’ll see, when I do the five year capital request at our next meeting. Um, the replacement of that, um, F-350 dump truck will be a request. Just because the body, the body shop, basically, we want money into them. So we have three, three full time maintenance personnel. Um, so this this is actually a fourth truck.
[1:05:02] Um, that I’m asking, um, I’m suggesting that we ask the town for, uh, the reason for that is because the other two are older, um, and usually one of them is in the shop, if not the other. Yeah.
[1:05:18] And, uh, when there’s any snow events, we have to have four vehicles, um, to, to get us plowed out in time of for schools and open up really quickly, one right after the other on each side of the bridge. So we pull in, um, some custodial staff to help us on those days so they may end up that fourth truck.
[1:05:37] And it’s just you just need a backup because plow trucks break all the time, and then you’re, you’re down one. So if we were only to have three and one of the plows broke, just the the pistons go on them in the middle of the blizzard. Then we’re down to two and uh, just couldn’t get it done. So that’s the reason for that request. Okay. That makes sense. Yeah. Yeah.
[1:05:54] We certainly there are enough snow last. Do you have the plow from the previous truck. So that you could put on the new truck? I’m just asking. I’m just curious. Sorry. Yeah, Yeah okay. Well it doesn’t because they’re expensive. Chassis of the truck though. Yes. So. I just asked if an expensive.
[1:06:16] And Rachel knows her way around plows. And her family. Does a little bit of plowing. Yeah. Yeah, right. Just a little bit. Oh my. God. I’m pretty sure Rachel can plow faster than most of us. But. I can’t. I’m just going. To have. For the one. Yeah, yeah yeah.
[1:06:38] But but again, it’s like having the spare plow is is necessary as well. Because when the piston goes on one, you just drive up and swap and put on the spare. That’s what we need to be able. To do. Okay. That’s all right. Good question. Before I. Yeah. And an extra two. Two requests. So yeah.
[1:06:57] The uh so that’ll require a vote for me to send that over to town as an official request. Okay. And then I’m sure you’ve all seen the good news that, uh, the MSBA has, uh, moved us forward. And a couple files in your folder. One is the, uh, project funding agreement.
[1:07:19] Um, it’s a there’s a huge spreadsheet in there. There’s the letter announcing that there they’re going to move forward. So what it means in a nutshell is we have to go before town. Uh, town committee again, town meeting and request funds.
[1:07:38] Uh, we’re going to the total project budget, which is a little confusing, is, uh, just over $4.8 million, 500,000 of which has already been appropriated by the town for the for the design portion. Um, um, what? They want us to word it that way. So it’s completely transparent that the total budget is 4.8.
[1:08:01] It also helps just on the on the bookkeeping side, because it’s the way it used to happen in the last, um, accelerated repair program when we did the high school roofs, was you end up with a design bucket of money, and then you end up with the construction, and then you end up with this hanging account. So they just want that money. It’s not okay.
[1:08:19] And they want it all in one spot, basically. So that’s why you have to ask for the the whole 4.8 at this point, even though we’ve already appropriated the 500,000, the reimbursement rate for the MSBA is 48.27%.
[1:08:46] Uh, this, um, the maximum facility grant that’s noted on line 90, column C, is just over 2.2 million, but that excludes contingency funds that are also built into this project. That may be reimbursable as well. Um, so we could get up to 2.3 million.
[1:09:08] So, like I can’t give you a firm number of what this is going to actually cost the town, what the MSBA is going to actually do, because it depends if, uh, what’s reimbursable and what’s not in terms of those contingencies, roughly. The town response will be for between like 2.5 and $2.6 million for the middle school roofs. These are all the shingled roofs on the middle school, as well as the built up flat roof over the gymnasium.
[1:09:32] Yeah. Anything else? Or is that it? Nope. So we’ll just need to vote either now or later on on those two items to send them over to the town so that they get into a. Vote now night as well. All right. Is there a motion? I make a motion to vote for capital.
[1:10:01] requests for fall town meeting. 50,000 for the maintenance truck and 4.8 million for the BMS roof replacement. I think we should probably be specific on that amount. The 4,895,004. $5 pull up that number. $4,895,000 404,000,895. For 35. Got it all. Thank you. Okay. Second. Second. Okay. Um, so it moved in second.
[1:10:42] Is there any discussion about it? I would like to know the timeline. Yes. Could you tell us what the timeline is. So this continues to move forward at the rapid pace that it is. We will be pulling off that roof at the end of the school year and putting the new one on before the new school year starts.
[1:11:05] Another fabulous summer, right? Wow, that’s a good time on that. Don’t you think I have you? It’s been. A long time coming, so I know it would be a blessing. But that would be amazing. It would be amazing. I thought you were gonna say, like, you know, after the bridges go up or something, and. Have we already.
[1:11:21] Had the design done? I know we approved the monies last year, but. So that the the project funding agreement is based off of, I want to say, you know, they do a, you know a percentage design. So it’s somewhere like at the 40 to 50% mark. So okay, okay.
[1:11:43] And when this goes to um town meeting this will be clearly written out. As far as the 4.8 million, it’s really not 4.8. Like will people really be able. So the vote language is is also in your file folder. So you can see exactly what it will say. Okay, I did push back on the MSBA.
[1:12:00] Um, and they told me to pounce in um, that’s the way they wanted it. Uh, it was reviewed by bond counsel who made some changes. And then back to the MSBA legal team. So it’s approved as is. So that’s the way it has to go. But it does say the 4.
[1:12:18] 8 and it does say 500,000 of which has already been approved, appropriated last October. Okay. And we could request that when it is presented by either select one member of income, that there’s some additional explanation. And you could also request that, you know, they allow one of you to speak or Jordan to speak. So yeah, it will be important for people to understand that. Yeah.
[1:12:37] Well, we’re getting a grant of this amount. And so the final cost is this amount to the town, which is 48% reimbursement is huge. It is. For the project like this. That’s really been needed for as long as I’ve been here. Um, possibly a decade.
[1:12:54] So, um, we don’t want it to rain on our middle schoolers anymore while they’re learning. And I’m sure there’s going to be some someone in the audience that’s going to say so we’re not going to do the same type of thing that we didn’t do the roof before and all that. But the police department roof that. That’s what I’m saying. Yeah. So we’ll hear those questions.
[1:13:10] Yeah. Um, you know, about project management and oversight. Yeah. You know, the MSBA assigns the designer, they’re vetted through that process. Yep. Um, and so with the project managers that that are assigned, um. Here’s a question. Was it the same process when we did the roofs before? Was it MSBA. The high school roofs here? Yeah. Yes.
[1:13:34] What about the middle school ones. No, it wouldn’t have been. Right. That was the entire building. That was the entire building. That was the original build. We didn’t know because we did do an emergency.
[1:13:50] Uh, we did an envelope repair and we did do one roof over the, uh, gym entrance and locker rooms, a small flat roof there. That was not in the school. Okay. Because that’s, you know. Okay, perfect. Well, that’s good though. But that’s included in the project. The replacing everything. Yes. No. Except that. So it’s just the shingle roof and the gymnasium roof, not the flat roof over the gymnasium entrance in the locker rooms.
[1:14:09] That was ten years ago, right? It was recent. Yeah, yeah. Okay. It’s more okay. Okay. Okay. So you have a motion and a second. Yeah. Yes. So any more discussion? That was our reception. Yeah. Yeah. So we’re good. It was good. Okay. Um, so all those in favor say aye.
[1:14:28] Aye. I’ll say all those opposed. Say no. Any abstentions. All right, so the motion passes. Unanimous move on. All right. My my last week. Maurice, I know this is my last one. And I know we can cover more if you want to. During during the budget.
[1:14:48] Silly sub meeting. But I just think it’s important to say loudly that, you know, as we look forward to the FY 28 budget process, which starts next week, basically. Yeah. Um, at the August 18th hole to select eating, the Board of Selectmen directed the town administrator to request from all the department heads a level funded budget.
[1:15:10] Yeah, but made it clear that that would mean that we’d be looking for an override. Um, um, in order to make that level funded budget pass. It’s just coming our way. And we’ll we will work through that process with with the town and, uh, keep you fully apprised along that way. We’ll have some decisions to make, obviously. Yeah. Yeah.
[1:15:34] Great. Thank you. Jordan. Um, technology update. Mr. Alder. Okay. Good evening everyone. Good evening. So the technology department has had a busy summer. Um, Chromebooks alone could really be a full time job. maintaining Chromebooks. Uh, over 1000 Chromebooks were updated, sorted, cleaned if necessary. In part because you would.
[1:15:58] You wouldn’t imagine how some of the Chromebooks come back. They clean them off. Um. Most. Of them, yes, I would say. I would say most of them, um, in preparation for the upcoming school year, some were moved from one building to another based on need.
[1:16:18] And we also, uh, ordered and installed 130 new ones, um, as part of our annual, uh, purchasing program to put we typically I try to since I’ve been here, try to put approximately one grade level of new ones into circulation. So this year that was our eighth grade. So we figured they were coming into the high school. This would be a great opportunity.
[1:16:35] We gave all the so the eighth grade students have a brand new Chromebook. And our hope is that that Chromebook will travel should they stay with us. And we hope they do that for in high school, through their high school graduation. That is our hope. Uh, we also sent out approximately 75 Chromebooks that were under warranty for repair.
[1:16:57] That’s it’s really time consuming. Uh, HP who we purchased them from, from the manufacturer. Um, they require us to fill out a spreadsheet. The reason why they send us an empty box, we box it up, ship it out, they repair it, send it back to us so we’re able to repair about 75 of those that were covered
[1:17:15] in the warranty, which is a huge savings. A number of desktop computers were also replaced in offices and classrooms across the district, as well as several laptops were swapped out with new ones. In addition, ten new touch panels were installed in classrooms across the district, primarily here at the high school.
[1:17:34] Based on moves around the grade level shift. Again, um, if you remember, the capital outlay security project upgrade was approved at the Springtown meeting. We began that project in July. The contractor was here on site for several weeks pulling cables, uh, but with many of the things in today’s society, uh, due to supply chain issues, our new cameras are back boarded.
[1:17:54] They have been. We expect them to arrive, hopefully in the next 2 to 4 weeks. Um, the good news is that we currently still have our old ones in place, and they’re continuing to work. Um, as expected right now, until we can get the new ones done.
[1:18:12] Uh, once the new cameras arrive, uh, the contract to be working second shift as well as over the weekends to get that project installed when there’s no students around. What was completed was the upgrade of our door access control system at Lawndale. Uh, this was the final building that we needed to consolidate onto the main campus system. Uh, having all the buildings in the same system provides continuity.
[1:18:30] It needs of use for our staff. So now the one card for those of us who go between buildings will work across the district. Uh, last but not least, uh, there’s so much more that gets done over the summer that I really don’t talk about, including dusty data collections, software, program updates, year end rollovers, reprogramming our phone
[1:18:48] systems, and just lots of moving parts around all the technology that is in use day to day. Uh, none of this could be possible without my incredible tech team of Nick Kunis, uh, John Troy, and our data specialist, Theresa Vicente.
[1:19:03] Uh, finally, I would be remiss if we did not extend a big thank you to our awesome facilities department under the direction of Ted Whatley. So that is my technology update. Excellent. Thanks. Great news. So I have some exciting news. As of yesterday, I would like to reintroduce to you, Doctor Kristin Donahue. Appreciate that. Uh. That’s exciting. I know. I would like to start with you.
[1:19:38] Today was truly a. Great first day. It was so exciting. It was great to have the kids back in and the energy and excitement and all the buildings was just, was just remarkable and fun.
[1:19:52] Um, but I do want to pause, to think about where we’ve been over the summer. Um, so like Chris, it was very busy. We had our extended school year program, um, each week was anchored by a theme, um, including World Cup. I remember. That was, um, but.
[1:20:13] But weekend community helpers, um, which featured touch a truck from an event that DPW and Foreign Fire and police helped support. A special thank you to Kate Hartley for organizing all the themes which kept, um, lots of fun. Um, but through that, our youngest learners continue to build early literacy skills and math skills all aligned with their IEP goals.
[1:20:37] Middle school students, um, uh, their own engaged in some entrepreneurial activities, um, most notably a car wash, um, that allowed them to practice some functional math and communication skills. Uh, both having a little bit of fun. Um, and the high school and level up students continued their vocational. Skill development and community outings and their volunteer work at Cape Cod Kids Meals, um, Market Basket and some of the local nursing homes.
[1:20:59] Speech, language, occupational and physical therapy services all continued throughout the program. Um, and supported that. So a sincere thank you to Principal Carpenter for hosting the majority of the program. Um, and to the yes, custodial staff, because, as you heard, it was an incredibly busy summer.
[1:21:20] Um, and they worked did all of that while working around our schedule and being there. Um, so appreciate that from them. And an extra thank you to, uh, Susan Grinnell, who keeps the office running for us so we can have the program there, um, as well as a thank you to Doctor Gould for hosting the level Up program at the
[1:21:37] high school so that they do not have to move equipment. Um, their care. And it just makes it much more convenient. And as always, um, a sincere a sincere thank you to Sue Downing. Um, recordings or transportation and no small fee and any time of the year, but especially for summer.
[1:21:55] So, um, summer traffic has it’s has its challenges for sure. Um, so aside from all of that, the pre-K itinerant team, um, associated with the 612 grant that you’ve heard me talk about, um, continued meeting and collaborating with the desi coaching that we were required to be part of a community needs assessment was completed with
[1:22:14] input from the collaborative daycares, families and our current preschool staff. Um, this assessment will guide our work as additional funding becomes available, which is very promising. Um, so we keep our fingers crossed for that. I won’t spend much time on that site because I think we’ll have, um, updates regarding pre-K and future meeting.
[1:22:35] So we’re going to add a little bit more, um, a significant amount of the summer work, as everyone has mentioned, has been around the move one up, uh, making sure that case loads and assignments and equity as much as possible and records and all of those things that have been, um, were put into place over
[1:22:54] the summer. So that both students and staff can be successful, as possible. And have what they need for for our kiddos. Great. Thank you. Congratulations again. Thank you. That’s incredible. And how many students again participate in that. Like in the summer program.. Yeah. Varies. This this year we’ve probably in attendance. Um probably averaged about 55 to 60.
[1:23:20] Wow that’s great. All right. So that concludes the superintendent’s report. I know what’s a big launch to the air. Um, we do have I know a couple of committees. And then we’ll we’ll finish out with some discussion items. Perfect. Thank you. All right. So curriculum subcommittee, I don’t think. right.
[1:23:47] Oh policy subcommittee did not need budgeting facilities. We did need. Yes. And Jordan gave. Such an extensive I know of course, but there are a couple of things that, um, he did not mention. Um, the Jackson Field bleachers. That project. is all completed, and looks great.
[1:24:08] And, um, the one thing that we did have at our meeting, um, Sue Downing and the collaborative, um, the bus driver shortage update, there’s still a significant, significant, um, issue with that. Um. I’m curious to see how today went.
[1:24:37] Um, I’m speaking off the top of my head because I don’t have my notes, but it was 16 routes, basically, 14 of them were covered by staff, and two were basically administrators kind of stepping in. People doing double routes. Um, so they’re still short, basically. Um, and 16 is not even enough. Um, Sue spent a lot of time over the summer reconfiguring the routes. Obviously, with all of the changes, um, with the schools, um, and the one grade up.
[1:25:00] Um, so the collaborative is obviously where we, um, get our, our buses and our bus, um, drivers from um, we did talk about some of the reasons why, um, they were leaving. Um, a lot of it, a lot of it has to do with more benefits than anything else.
[1:25:20] Um, I mean, as you can see, there’s signs everywhere. You have to $33 an hour, which is, you know, really great. Um, but the way that, you know, they’re, they work in the morning and then they’re off, and then they come back in the afternoon. So it’s it’s a little bit of a challenge.
[1:25:34] Um, but the benefits was the biggest piece. Um, so they were doing a little bit of problem solving. We were doing a little bit of problem solving, um, to really try and, um, get some more drivers, um, specifically for Bourne, um, we were looking at they have, um, a.
[1:25:56] I guess a special program for, like, the drivers on Nantucket, because living on Nantucket is obviously extremely expensive. Um, we talked about all of the nuances of being born with the bridges and the construction, and no other town. The Cape has to deal with that.
[1:26:12] And so, um, that’s going to be looked at a little bit closer as to maybe being able to offer some more compensation for that. Um, so to be determined further down. And if I could just so everyone, you know, we had 18 routes last year, so now we’re down to 16. Um, and you can’t just do that.
[1:26:33] Um, the the transition, the the move one down sort of helped and made that possible. Okay. Um, but it still comes at a cost. We’d like to be back at 18. We had to move bus stops, which are never fun to do. Yeah.
[1:26:50] Um, and so you asked me, how’d it go? We got calls from some of the, you know, some of the parents from some of those places that Sue mentioned. So, um, you know, I asked to the people I talked to just put it in writing. So we have a record on it so we can, you know, once things hopefully settle down and we get to see where the routes are, maybe we can maybe we can make some adjustments.
[1:27:04] But no promises. Um, so, you know, when you’re reducing routes, you’re increasing the length of time. Yeah. And that’s what it comes down to. And that’s really hard when you’re talking about a five and six year olds on a bus. Yeah. Right. Yeah.
[1:27:23] And you know, we had, you know, always an added challenge is the bridges. Um, but now we also have construction on the other side from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day down to one lane each way. Uh, for ten months. Um, so we’ll do what we do. Sue is amazing. She does a fantastic job.
[1:27:45] Um, the collaborative set of repeatedly in our meeting that, you know, um, she’s great. And the drivers love her, and she’s problem solves on the spot because she can. But it’s something that we’re gonna continue to work through and look at and do the best we can with.
[1:28:03] Uh, I also want to just, you know, shout out to, uh, the police chief, uh, chief, he said, you know, he’s doing his back to school yellow bus program. He’s got cruisers out following bus routes, visiting schools. Just in the first couple of weeks. Um, you know, and he’s always been a big proponent of that. So I want to thank him for. Yeah, definitely.
[1:28:20] That’s awesome. Emphasizing that. And. And I have to one correction from something earlier that I said, I said level, um, funded budget, I meant little service, not level funding. Level funded me and same money as last year. Level of service means more money to provide the same services. I spoke as. I’m exhausted. I think you. Know.
[1:28:45] That’s fine. When you’re talking about I didn’t. We did. Yeah. But essentially. To provide the same services as last year, it will still cost more. Next year. Yeah, we have a 3%, um, cola increase that’s already, you know, in our contracts.
[1:29:04] And when it’s 3% for teachers, it’s almost always like a 3.5 because of the steps and lanes. So that’s already over and above. Um, so you know we’ll have to do some pencil sharpening and we’ll have to see what we can do. Uh, because our population isn’t going down, it’s going up. Hopefully we can stay stable within the number of classrooms we have.
[1:29:22] That’s that’s my hope. Um, and just kind of add to those classroom environments. Yeah, we’ll get through it. I have a question. Um, specifically, what benefits are are they looking for or what. Are they looking at? A new benefit time? Yeah. Um. Do they. Get sick time. A little? They do get a little.
[1:29:40] Time, but they did mention that they if there’s like three, they can have up to three paid snow days because having a week of snow days really affected a lot of the drivers, because that’s because they get paid for the hours that they work. And if they’re not driving those days, then it’s hard at home.
[1:30:01] Okay. Mind you, that was the week before vacation. So they had to. basically. They are getting paid, right? So that’s. A lot, right? Yeah. To answer your question as well, the the collaborative that’s basically a municipality.
[1:30:21] Um, and they can’t lay people off like other big bus companies can and let them collect that employment as a result of that. So that’s that’s also one of the challenges that the collaborative faces, just because of the unique kind of way that they’re created. Okay. Um. Huh. All right.
[1:30:43] That from our standpoint fiscally, it’s far more, uh, beneficial for us to work with the collaborative and then go to an outside source. We would be spending way more money. So millions more. Oh, wow. And I love. That they’re going to work. With us, too, with our special circumstances, with the bridge and all that they can. That’ll be good. Something off? Yeah. Yeah. Nice. Thank you. Yeah, that’s all right.
[1:31:02] Okay. All right. We had a seat back, right? No. No, sir. Oh, okay. Okay. Um, how to prepare for the policy events? Um, the training for the Federation for children with Special Needs is tentatively scheduled for September 30th. This session will focus on helping families understand the referral process for special education.
[1:31:25] The components of the evaluation, and then how that is used to determine eligibility. So the session will be held virtually, and we hope to be able to set this format will encourage greater family participation. And increase involvement for CPS throughout the year. Is that something that somebody who just is curious about the program can attend? Absolutely.
[1:31:51] The more the merrier. Yeah. Mhm. Yeah. And I know we can talk about this about the meeting but might be good to like give it to like the preschool preschoolers a lot because a lot of the times the parents are thinking if like their children need to be evaluated and process it’s it would be helpful. Yep.
[1:32:12] Yeah. For sure. So, um, Tara Hill is working on the flyer for us. And so as soon as we get that, we’ll distribute typically, um, all of our have to be handed out for parents. Where, um, and all the principals posted that we do do special people as well. Yeah.
[1:32:30] That’s great. Um, all right. So collaborative. Um, I’m not sure when I know that there’s a meeting coming up. Um, didn’t attend in August. Um, did. Uh, no real. Update other than we are currently seeking members for the dive committee. Um, we’re seeking a staff representative from each building.
[1:32:57] Uh, and we would also welcome students and members of the community who would like to serve on the committee and share their perspective and ideas. People can just let me know if that’s something that they’d be willing to do. Do we post something to, um, to say, you know, kind of like invite them? Yeah, yeah. And Leila.
[1:33:13] Maybe you could share it with the students or how. Are. We getting that message? Yeah, I. can talk to people. Definitely. Thank you very much. Perfect. And then just take technology committee. We have not met. Yet. And then the wellness advisory on this thing. We don’t meet until.
[1:33:33] Yeah. I haven’t set up the schedule of meetings yet. I’m looking somewhere and after my end of the year report is done in the next month. So probably by mid October, I’ll be ready to jump on that.
[1:33:48] I’ll send out an email to try to get more members. I know that, um, we’ve got Taylor who wants to be on it this this coming year. So I’ll include her in that outreach as well to get some student voice in on the last year. Okay.
[1:34:04] Did you get the football team on that? My son joined the football team, and all of a sudden he’s eating bananas. I’m like, whoa. Okay. Maybe we can get Coach Palmer. Applesauce. I’m like, oh. Wow. Oh, he’s just saying real program. That’s awesome. All right, so we are. in discussion items then. Uh, let’s see.
[1:34:29] So the school committee vacancy kind of already covered that. So we can check that on, um, and then the goals and action items. So here I mean, you know, we’ve got a. Good start. To it. Uh, we discussed it a little bit when we met last month. Um, Doctor Joe and I, you know, there’s a does anybody have any additional.
[1:34:52] ideas that you can kind of think of to expand that, you know, connection? I know we did talk briefly about, um, you know, getting, you know, getting the parents, you know, more involved too.
[1:35:13] And we briefly had a conversation about, um, uh, bees and like, field days and stuff because, you know, for the last few years, it’s been, um, you know, more of, uh, you know, PTA is involved and supporting, um, but not necessarily having all the parents around everywhere.
[1:35:32] So, you know, we talked about, you know, having discussions about some of those events that do, you know, pose, you know, safety concerns and finding like that balance because I think it’s important to get the, you know, the parents into the school so they can see, I mean, the tour that we just took was amazing. And to see the bright, you know, hallways and all that stuff.
[1:35:51] And I think, you know, sometimes when they drive by the buildings and they see the buildings kind of not changing as much, we have to get them into the, into the schools more. So, um, that was something that we talked about and had a really good conversation about it.
[1:36:08] And, um, some of the hurdles around that, but, um, still, you know, I think, you know, there’s more opportunities for us to do it. So I was curious if anybody else had any ideas or I. Think our friend Taylor can really help us out with. that., too. Um.
[1:36:26] I don’t really I think I need to talk to you about that, but. Yeah, I mean, we do need younger parents that can kind of, you know, because a lot of us that have been in old parents know, know, I mean, a lot of the parents that were involved have aged out, you know, so getting the younger parents and maybe talking, um, students. Right. The younger.
[1:36:48] Sorry. Yes. The younger students. So they can kind of follow their children. But maybe we could do something at, um, you know, back to school nights or things like that, you know, like doing, like, um, you know, how they do the night outs where you go and you drop your kid off for like an hour
[1:37:03] or two or whatever? What if we did, like, something like that? Like a free babysitting for, like, an hour or two? If you come and do a tour through the high school, come see the new high school, and then you can go have dinner down at TPL or something along those lines.
[1:37:24] Maybe some sort of community, like, like connection with the restaurant and like, yeah, that’s. A really good idea. I don’t know how you’d work with the quarries and all that, but. I mean, if there’s presence. Right. And as long as I mean, we have people come into the schools all the time and, you know.
[1:37:44] Anything can be figured out. Yeah. So you guys, you know, make it a goal. And we have a small team to work through a few ideas. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I think a lot of parents want to help, but they might think, you know, they have too many people already.
[1:37:57] So they’re kind of reluctant, you know. So yeah, we can discuss it. I think the other thing too is, you know, oftentimes we look at, oh, they already have PTA, they already have all those organizations. And, you know, um, I don’t know, I think I think that was one thing.
[1:38:15] Thank you for you just reminded me to is to kind of maybe get a group of us together that, you know, maybe quarterly can, you know, discuss and have like, a little committee to kind of, you know, for one, reflect on, you know, what are we able to attend? Did we find that there was good
[1:38:31] interactions when we were going to the parent nights and things like that, that because I think when we’re in there and we’re hearing the conversations and we’re here with the parents talking about, I mean, you were great doing that last year, even to I mean, I saw you everywhere, you know, um,
[1:38:46] that’s where we get the feedback. But more things they want. I also thought about, um, back in the day. I’m totally aging myself. Was, um, I was one of those books and beyond moms. And, you know, and it was. I mean, that. Was like many, many years ago.
[1:39:01] Um, but it was a really cool program, and it was a way for, you know, moms, parents, dads to come in and, you know, and read to the, you know, the classrooms and do things like that. And, and of course, you get quarried.
[1:39:20] But, you know, if there’s maybe a program like that with the earlier, you know, I loved it. So before. Um. I knew I was moving. Um, I reached out to Taylor to see if we could do an article on, you know, the importance of volunteering. And coming from a parent who was there. Yep. You know, from the very beginning.
[1:39:47] So I think that might that that might generate, you know, I think that would be. Yeah. Yeah. Now they left me. So the kids know. Oh you get so. Yeah. Exactly. They grew up and they read you, they grew up. I keep referring to this year as the year of independence. Yes, yes. No. But.
[1:40:06] And then what? You know, we get out of it. I mean, you think. You’re doing it, you know, for them, but it’s like, oh my gosh, I just got so much out of it, you know? And my kids got so much out of it. Yeah. There is they’re like a. Landing page for volunteerism. Like what you guys need for volunteers or what. You should love it.
[1:40:24] School needs. I love that it’s a great idea. That’s amazing. Like, take a picture of and say, oh, look, my kid’s school needs these things. Yeah. I would be more than willing to volunteer, but there’s a lot of different spaces that I have to go and look at. I was saying that earlier. That’s amazing. It’s welcome.
[1:40:46] Welcome where. I am. Did it right. If there was an easier. way that. I love that I love that volunteer opportunities, that’s amazing. I wonder, I was thinking, as I was listening to all this, there’s some good positive energy to kind of bring together.
[1:41:04] You know, we think about the BFF, the PTA, we think about all the schools. And I was thinking it is really spread out, like volunteering. So I wonder if a goal, if I try to go to a concrete goal like an action.
[1:41:19] So we’ve got our rocking goal if you choose it tonight, but maybe an action step is that some of you choose to be the liaison and meet with the PTA and meet with the BFF. And you know, we can help with each of the schools to kind of bring that hub together. Yeah, because you really don’t know until you ask.
[1:41:35] And, you know, the PTA might have a place that asks for volunteers, but they’re still four different schools, even though it’s an overarching. So I think there’s a real merit in all these ideas. Yeah, yeah, that’s a really good. Because then they could contribute. to like, you might have a teacher who says, you know what, actually, I’m always looking for a volunteer for specific things. And there’s lots. Of there’s. Lots of models. And. Surrounding.
[1:41:56] There’s models. I do think the PTA does a monthly newsletter. It probably hasn’t come out yet this year, but they put in their monthly newsletter what they’re looking for for each building. But it is all in one place, so that will be a good place. That what all you guys know, but that’s all I. It’s yes, it’s.
[1:42:13] Only PTA. Um, but they do communicate with the building. So a lot of times it speaks to some of the events that they’re hosting in the buildings and things like that. So just as it’s it’s only one way to get involved, it’s not school committee, but it is.
[1:42:29] It does it kind of capture a lot of the school based volunteering that might be needed? I like having it on the each individual school, though. But even if. It was something like, you know, when they send out the classroom sends out, we need three people for this, three people for this, you know, something like that. Like that. Sign up genius.
[1:42:47] I think that’s fantastic. Where we could go to a space and say, well, I could plug myself in here, or I could plug myself in there, you know, to be able to see it as one big schedule school or, you know, whatever it looks like.
[1:43:02] It’s a collaboration with the teachers, too, because they may say, oh, you’re looking for that. Why don’t we do it together? And then, you know. So yeah, that’s really cool. Are they still looking for, um, like, I remember I used to photocopy stuff for Mrs. Gerard and Miss Lynn for individual classes, and I used to go in and read to the students. Things changed a.
[1:43:19] Lot and got the books were easy. I know. Um, things changed a lot during Covid. Yeah, but we do still have people that come in and volunteer with these things. But I’m reflecting on kind of maybe it is time to take a look at that again.
[1:43:33] So again, when you guys settle in on the goal that you want in the different action steps, we’re more than willing to help. Um, because I don’t think this is me speaking. Um, yeah. For my own opinion. I don’t think it’s the, um, goal of the school committee to create a volunteers and page and maintain it. No.
[1:43:46] No, but we need to figure out the systems that are going to work because we’ve left the quarry. People, we will have to have some meetings. Um, but I think it’s a great idea. Yeah, because we want to get I mean, we want the same goal to engage families and the community. Um.
[1:43:59] We need to get the parents in the school, you know, to kind of see all the amazing things that are happening. And, and right now, parents are more than welcome to coordinate with their teachers, right, to see what they can do.
[1:44:16] You know, can I photocopy for you? Can I read to the students? Can I? But I feel like a lot of I mean, with having kids and the youngest was a lot of the at least who my kids had a lot of the teachers don’t have as many volunteers.
[1:44:31] They’ll do like, um, a mystery reader, but it’s only like you’re literally there for like 10 or 15 minutes reading and then you’re done. It’s okay. But I think it all depends on the teacher, too. Yeah, because we just. Which is fine. I mean, they have a very you know, they’ve got a structure. So there’s a lot to it. But no, no. Yeah. At least you know. Yeah.
[1:44:46] Okay. All right. So basically so we all have wonderful ideas in the community. Yeah. And I love your idea. That’s awesome. Um, but what we need to do is like an action step, right? It’s what we were talking about. It means at least one. Goal, which is the same goal as last year. Yeah.
[1:45:03] Um, and then maybe, maybe ask for some help to formulate the rest of the action steps. I don’t think you have to vote on the action steps to know, but just that this is the general gist of. Where we agree that this is. We’re going to keep the same goal.
[1:45:15] We tweaked it a little bit and you know okay. All right. So is there a motion to um, to approve basically out of school committee go over to draft right now for. Yeah, I’ll. Motion to keep it. Okay. Is there a second second. Okay. Um, any further discussion here? I think doctor Joseph, we got this right. This is good.
[1:45:40] This is good. Um, and then. All right, so all of those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed saying Any abstentions. All right. Motion passes unanimously. We’re on fire tonight. Very good. Perfect. Yeah. That’s good. Thank you for that. And so we have, um.
[1:46:08] Also, if everybody’s Sarnia, there’s what we’re doing tonight is a discussion on a, um, a new law that was passed by the governor, which specifically included, um, an action, uh, not a suggestion, but a must for school committees to, um, basically, you know, have a separate policy in the schools that basically pens, you know, certain points or, um, focuses on certain points of this, um,
[1:46:37] new civil law enforcement, uh, protect act. So did everybody see it? Look at it. Take a look. Um, so, I mean, it, you know, it makes sense, right? You know, people need to come to the door with, you know, judicial warrants.
[1:47:00] And then if there’s an emergency, then, um, obviously, you know, federal agents can do what they need to do if there’s emergency, that type of thing. But the, um, the piece that’s important about this is that we have a couple of different, um, versions, if you will. Uh, mask kind of put something together based on what Jesse, um, suggested.
[1:47:20] You know, the policy looks like. I know we do have, um, and I can’t quote exactly what the policy is, but kind of already encompasses some of this. Like what? The procedures. Yeah, the procedures per se.
[1:47:37] Do you want to speak a little bit more? So in essence, this law kind of codifies what we already knew last year that we needed some procedures in place. So internally we’ve we’ve got procedures. We know what to do. We’ve designated who who would speak, you know, with the person coming with the judicial warrant, all these things. So it’s not going to be a big lift for us to implement this.
[1:47:53] Um, so what this says, basically the law says is you need both procedures and policy. So whenever you need policy, this body needs to vote on it. Now normally we have a policy subcommittee meeting just like any other subcommittee that gets recommended here. And then you vote on it.
[1:48:08] We technically don’t have to do that because our policy for making policies is that it just needs to be voted on and distributed. Um, so, you know, there’s a few different paths forward here.
[1:48:24] The important piece or maybe the interesting piece, is that we were told only a few days ago that we needed this policy in place by September 1st or the first day of school, or whatever comes first. So that’s it for a minute. So that already happened. Um, yeah. The good news is, because I did speak with Colby, our attorney. Uh, the good news is that if we don’t have it in place, it defaults to what’s in the law.
[1:48:42] Um, which is the procedures we already have in place. So I just wanted to put it on your radar. Uh, as a group, you can choose to, um, call a policy subcommittee meeting and then call another one of these meetings right after. Um, that’s a choice. So they can get it in place right away.
[1:49:01] Um, or we can wait till the very next one. We seem to be, by default, still in a good place. As a team, we’re going to make sure those policies are solid. Um, so that we’re in good shape. Yeah. So, no.
[1:49:16] My thought was, is that at our policy subcommittee meeting, which I believe is we already have that date, right? Maybe my glasses back. See, my eyes are failing, so I’m new to glasses. I look like I don’t know. How to get in there. Oh. It’s crazy. Um. So, anyways. 22nd, 22nd.
[1:49:38] So my thought is, um, you know, if we there’s already a draft in there and there’s nothing preventing us from kind of, you know, on the policy subcommittee, the three of us kind of going in there, we can tweak it on our own. Right? And, you know, put little suggestions. So when we meet, we wrap it up, make sure it meets what needs to be done.
[1:49:53] Have Colby take a look at it. Make sure you know we’re in compliance. Um, and then on our October meeting, then we just. We can vote on. Be done with that. I mean, everything in it, for the most part, is already procedures that we are abiding by. Making sure we’re following the laws.
[1:50:14] So, um, that’s just that’s where I stand on. Sounds good. Sounds good to me. You there? So, um. Sweet. And then what else do we have? I have a quick question about. The procedures. So if an agent left, they were to come to the door.
[1:50:34] There’s somebody designated in each building where they can see on the window. They know who to call. Or who’s going to. It’s always going to default to the principal. And there’s some principal. And, you know, there’s usually another point person in the office. Um, and then they know to get it right up to Christine and our eye.
[1:50:49] Um, and then, yeah, I’d be the one to interface with the person. Okay. Yeah. Folks aren’t getting in our buildings unless we know for sure they’re able to come into our building. So all that’s going to be happening outside, and hopefully in a very collegial way.
[1:51:04] Yeah. And part of the part of the law to that, because I read the whole law there too, that, um, uh, the governor put in place was some of it was discussion about even which people have brought up about bus stops.
[1:51:24] And now the bus stops technically kind of quasi become part of the school grounds and things, you know, so there’s some nuance to it that, you know, that’s why I think it’s very important to that. We pause for a moment, look at it, and make sure our school and our legal teams look at it, too.
[1:51:38] You know, before we put something in and rush it so they can’t stop a bus. Can they. Know? The the thinking was that maybe. Um, again, this is really if they’re coming and trying to take students. Yes. Um, that students could be taken from bus stops either prior to them getting on or when they get off.
[1:51:54] Um, and so again, we’ve had these we’ve already had these discussions with our bus drivers. They know to not release children to people they don’t know. There’s it’s really the same common sense thinking that we have with anything.
[1:52:07] Um, and procedures we already put in place a little over a year and a half ago. Right. Or so. Okay. So so that’s good. That discussion. We’ve got to put something together and we can work on it. So that way we make sure that we. Yep. That was a good point to bring up I didn’t think about the bus stops. I didn’t either. Yeah, yeah.
[1:52:22] And that’s part of it too is that she read the law. It’s very it’s very interesting. There’s a lot in there, you know. Um, and we just want to make sure that we put a policy in our schools, too, that it’s the right thing for our school and the town to, you know,
[1:52:37] because, you know, we’re, you know, off off of them as well. So. Good, good. Um, so let’s see. So now we go into action items, right? Yeah. So what do we got? Um, vote to. The next three. Payroll. Let’s see. Did everybody see that? Take a look. They make a motion. To approve. The payroll. A second.
[1:53:04] Okay, great. Um, so any discussion? No. Okay. All in favor, say aye. Aye aye. Aye. Opposed? Say no. Any abstentions? No. Okay. The motion passes. Yes. Thank you. Uh, then we’ve got a vote to approve regular session and workshop minutes. Um, from July 1st and do we have a motion? A motion to approve. And a second.
[1:53:35] A second. Okay. Any discussion? No. Okay. Yes. Um, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Say no. Um. Any abstentions? No. The motion passes unanimously. Thank you. Um, we already do this. Photo proof student handbooks. So we’ve got a vote on that.
[1:54:03] Um, and then could we put that little link, potentially. Yeah, because I think that’s good because it’s been constantly live. Right. Because the the handbooks online. Yeah. That’s fine. Adapt. All right. All right. Yeah I think I think it’ll be good because they’re always changing stuff. Um. All right.
[1:54:23] So do I have a motion to approve the student handbooks? Motion to approve all student handbooks. With the addition of the link. To the e-bike. E-bike law. So thank you. There a second. On a second. And, uh, any discussion further? No. Good. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed say no. Any abstentions? Okay. Motion passes for the animals. Thank you very much. Yes, of course.
[1:54:50] And thank you. Thank you for now. You’re up on that? Yes. Now you can. You. Come? We got this. Yeah. Right. Um, that’s it for the school. Well, good. Yeah. Look at that. So, future, um, agenda items we have, um, school improvement plans will be, you know, diving into that in October.
[1:55:15] Um, the mask, um, delegate and resolutions. Does anybody know? Like, if they’ve decided they want it? I think that Celeste sent out or she’s going to send. No. Um, uh, Google form to see if anybody wanted to attend it. It’s not on Cape. It’s now up and Danvers. Yeah.
[1:55:35] Um, so if you know, if you haven’t gone and you like to go, um, even if it was for one day, we can kind of figure that out. Maybe, you know. It’s a great day. Yeah. I mean, it’s a great. I mean, there’s a lot you’ll learn. A lot.. There’s a lot of other people. It’s it’s it’s pretty good. So. Yeah.
[1:55:50] Um, if nobody’s going to go, I will go. Um, but, you know, if you want to, you know, let me know, because then we do want to, um, we need to pick somebody, you know, the delegate to.
[1:56:03] We can chat about that because there was something with the dates when I first looked at it, but I had some stuff move around, so. Okay, I might be able to go. Yeah, something. Okay. We’ll chat. All right. Great. And then, um, future obviously won’t vote on the FY 28. Um, capital requests.
[1:56:21] Um, and I did want to say one one last thing before we wrap up. Um, you know, I’m really excited about this year. I think, you know, there’s obviously there’s so many changes, but I think the biggest, um, the biggest benefit to all these changes is the opportunity for growth.
[1:56:39] And I think we’re going to have that, um, you know, and the more we can get the parents involved, you know, not just in the sports. I think about when we look outside and we see all the, you know, there’s so many parents on all the sport fields, soccer fields and all of that, like, you know, be
[1:56:52] nice to get them in here to see all the amazing work that we’re doing in the school. So, um, I’m excited about our goal.
[1:57:07] And, um, you know, I, I look forward to the year and I, I thank everybody for, you know, for giving me the opportunity to chair to and I’m excited to work with everybody here. And I think. It’ll be great. So thank you to everybody. Look forward to it. Um, so motion to adjourn. Make a motion to adjourn. The meeting. Okay. Second. All right. Any discussion? Nope. No. Um. And, um, all those in favor say aye.
[1:57:27] Do we have to roll call? All right. No no. No nos. No. Okay. Any abstentions? Nope. All right. Can I discuss. A little more? Jordan. Jordan, I have a few. More questions. For you. Only. We have. No.