1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:29,980 And a change is actually before I do that, I have to say that this meeting is being recorded. And if anyone else is recording the meeting, you will please notify the chair. I'm glad it's being recorded. And there will be access to that meeting, hopefully, on the town website and also on the school website, not the website. This is meeting ID number 8689544. 2 00:00:29,980 --> 00:00:38,500 four, seven, three, four. The passcode is five, six, four, seven, six, seven. And now do 3 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:47,500 we have any agenda changes? No, no, not this evening. Okay, great. And public comment 4 00:00:47,500 --> 00:00:57,040 is there anyone who would like to speak through the chair? I see no hands raised. We're all 5 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:08,680 that. Okay. We're all here anyway. Great. And the first thing under priority business inexplicably 6 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:16,060 is the new date for the retreat. And oh well, I see two people who are maybe, maybe thinking of 7 00:01:16,060 --> 00:01:19,460 someday being on the school committee. Welcome, Ricky and Arlene. 8 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,820 We are needing to schedule a new date 9 00:01:25,820 --> 00:01:34,220 for the retreat and I know that Katie requests that we do it sometime in April or any time after 10 00:01:34,220 --> 00:01:43,740 April she will be back as a flatlander then back in Massachusetts and it would be lovely to have 11 00:01:43,740 --> 00:01:52,520 her able to come in person as well. So how do people feel about that doing it early? Sometimes the first 12 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:53,280 half of April. 13 00:01:56,130 --> 00:02:05,930 I will send out a form and just ask you to tell me what your favorite days are 14 00:02:05,930 --> 00:02:11,650 and that kind of thing and we can reschedule it and I guess have it at the school so it's publicly 15 00:02:11,650 --> 00:02:12,410 accessible. 16 00:02:14,830 --> 00:02:23,250 And that's that I will get that taken care of and we can go right to the administrators 17 00:02:23,250 --> 00:02:29,910 reports, Jones. I just for yeah for our public the retreat is the time that we 18 00:02:29,910 --> 00:02:37,770 get together and we get to dig deeper into one or two issues. Thank you for 19 00:02:37,770 --> 00:02:43,670 that. Yes and usually it's things that we don't really we can't take time for 20 00:02:43,670 --> 00:02:51,290 during our business meetings and we like to do them in person and really let 21 00:02:51,290 --> 00:02:59,270 our brains flow with ideas. It's really a lot of fun in their public. So people can come and visit 22 00:02:59,270 --> 00:03:09,650 those as well. And I will share my chair's report, which should be you. It's not highlighted. Uh-oh. 23 00:03:10,090 --> 00:03:18,090 That's my fault because I didn't send it into anyone. Here it is. Okay. Well, good evening and welcome. Welcome. 24 00:03:18,090 --> 00:03:23,550 especially to our two visitors, we almost never have visitors. So this is very exciting. 25 00:03:25,570 --> 00:03:30,890 And well, Felicia's pat yourselves on the back. We've made it through what appeared to be the 26 00:03:30,890 --> 00:03:38,510 coldest, newest January in a long time. Hopefully we are on the other side already approaching what 27 00:03:38,510 --> 00:03:47,530 is usually a disappointing well-fleet spring. This has been a really busy month. I am happy to say 28 00:03:47,530 --> 00:03:53,250 that given the weather that most of my own commitments have been virtual, enabling me to simmer 29 00:03:53,250 --> 00:03:57,010 soups and sport slippers and heavy ragged sweaters. 30 00:03:58,130 --> 00:04:02,010 And now we find ourselves right in the middle of budget season. 31 00:04:02,630 --> 00:04:09,630 Last week, our school committee had a quorum of four attend the second annual budget conference 32 00:04:09,630 --> 00:04:16,090 produced and directed by our very own superintendent brand and his amazing administrative assistant 33 00:04:16,090 --> 00:04:22,970 after a tour of the Magnificent High School, school committees, select board members, 34 00:04:23,270 --> 00:04:29,470 finance committee members, and town administrators gathered for Superintendent Brown's Regional 35 00:04:29,470 --> 00:04:34,750 Budget overview, which was informative, clearly articulated, and transparent. 36 00:04:35,030 --> 00:04:40,770 It included information on the Regional Budget and a progress update on the Superintendents 37 00:04:40,770 --> 00:04:49,550 entry plan. We also were treated to a preview of the middle school and the high school budget 38 00:04:51,430 --> 00:04:58,670 by the principals of those schools and again they were very clear very easy to understand even 39 00:04:58,670 --> 00:05:05,650 for those of us who don't have our brains very high on the financial spectrum. After a dinner 40 00:05:05,650 --> 00:05:10,930 In our expertly prepared vices in Murray, we regrouped into four smaller groups organized 41 00:05:10,930 --> 00:05:14,050 by town and a regional school committee group. 42 00:05:15,090 --> 00:05:20,070 Unfortunately, well-fleet town officials were not on hand to meet with the well-fleet 43 00:05:20,070 --> 00:05:23,130 school committee in our principal Atomo Shea. 44 00:05:23,230 --> 00:05:28,290 Given that we had a quorum of dedicated school committee members who were volunteers, we were 45 00:05:28,290 --> 00:05:34,530 disappointed to find that we had no one to discuss anything with but each other. 46 00:05:34,530 --> 00:05:40,470 Hopefully, select board members, finance committee members and the town administrator will join 47 00:05:40,470 --> 00:05:46,650 interested members of the public at the public hearing on our budget on March 3rd, our 48 00:05:46,650 --> 00:05:49,350 next school committee meeting at 5 p.m. 49 00:05:51,630 --> 00:05:57,110 On another note or two, after a couple of forwarded attempts to have in-person school committee meetings, 50 00:05:57,450 --> 00:06:01,250 I've decided to continue to have virtual meetings through the school year. 51 00:06:01,730 --> 00:06:03,750 It seems that some clarity is in order. 52 00:06:03,750 --> 00:06:19,330 I have also decided to pull papers for one term on the school committee in order for one more term on the school committee in order to establish a healthy succession plan and to continue to co-chair the superintendent evaluations of committee. 53 00:06:19,810 --> 00:06:30,210 However, if there is another candidate for my seat, I will most likely end with gratitude with draw my papers I can do so by April 1st. 54 00:06:30,210 --> 00:06:33,870 So I'm wishing everybody a wonderful short February. 55 00:06:34,370 --> 00:06:39,970 Stay warm and keep those flippers handy, respectfully submitted, Martha Gordon. 56 00:06:41,850 --> 00:06:49,630 And I wondered if people had additions or comments or anything to say on that. 57 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,560 I just wanted to thank you for running again, Martha. 58 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,240 We are lucky that you are on the school committee. 59 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:06,720 Well, Katie, I could not do it without you, so it would not, so I'm very, thank you for that, and I thank you. 60 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:15,020 Everybody else, I've had a lot of support for you guys, it's been, it's really an honor to be able to work with you. 61 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:20,000 And we'll see what happens. 62 00:07:21,260 --> 00:07:23,720 Okay. Any other questions or comments? 63 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,500 hearing, non-seeing, non-principles report. 64 00:07:30,020 --> 00:07:30,940 That was me. 65 00:07:31,900 --> 00:07:33,880 Forgot, no, that's out of them. 66 00:07:34,340 --> 00:07:35,220 Not the principal here. 67 00:07:35,900 --> 00:07:36,080 Go ahead. 68 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:37,780 Thank you, Martha. 69 00:07:38,020 --> 00:07:38,640 That was wonderful. 70 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:43,200 And yes, I feel so fortunate that you are the chair 71 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:44,720 and will remain the chair. 72 00:07:46,180 --> 00:07:50,020 And you can talk more about that after April 2nd. 73 00:07:50,220 --> 00:07:51,300 April 1st. 74 00:07:51,300 --> 00:08:00,040 their guests. Just the retreat piece, just to keep in mind, I know that will jump up on us. 75 00:08:00,260 --> 00:08:05,580 April 13th to 17th is the need academy, which is a good thing to talk about a good time, 76 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:14,320 potentially. I know Lauren as well as Melissa have fifth graders, so they might be freed up that week. 77 00:08:14,820 --> 00:08:19,820 The need academy, as you remember, is our week-long trip that our fifth graders take to Churro 78 00:08:19,820 --> 00:08:26,020 and experiential learning and that means you're kid-free for that week so maybe 79 00:08:26,020 --> 00:08:29,940 a good time to have a meeting. So I just want to mention that before I jump into the 80 00:08:29,940 --> 00:08:36,820 principal's report. I just wanted to start. February is a time I often reflect or 81 00:08:36,820 --> 00:08:42,040 end of January, beginning if I were to often reflect about just how students are 82 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:48,100 feeling, how staff is feeling, what the outlook looks like as far as mental 83 00:08:48,100 --> 00:08:55,040 help. And just to get a vibe on weather and I look at one of the key pieces I look at 84 00:08:55,040 --> 00:09:02,620 is student attendance and staff attendance really. And I've just been blown away by how 85 00:09:02,620 --> 00:09:11,220 wonderful our attendance has been and specifically whether students and staff this year. I'm excited 86 00:09:11,870 --> 00:09:16,780 just when I look at it and like, oh my gosh, we have 100% attendance in the middle of January. 87 00:09:16,780 --> 00:09:25,640 It's just a wonderful site to see that kids want to come to our school, and the staff want to be here on a daily basis. 88 00:09:26,900 --> 00:09:33,360 And during my tenure here, like I've really wanted the school day to extend. 89 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:41,960 And so it's more than just kids arrive at 7.45 and lead right at 2 o'clock, like a lot of elementary schools. 90 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:48,260 In, you know, a day like today, I've been so fortunate to watch the day kind of progress 91 00:09:48,260 --> 00:09:57,020 from after school and have the Lorax training and play practice go on, having clubs go 92 00:09:57,020 --> 00:10:03,160 on in the afternoon, and having staff working on social and emotional strategies with specific 93 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:08,680 students, having speech services after school, having before school, band and course lessons. 94 00:10:08,680 --> 00:10:15,580 the day starts truly at five after seven and still there are kids right now in our gymnasium having a blast. 95 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:21,640 And that's the vision of what a community school can be and should be. 96 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,620 So it's just wonderful to see and I just wanted to note that. 97 00:10:25,940 --> 00:10:34,660 Like often you can kind of phase a phrase a principal's report and talk about the district attorney's office and having to call them in. 98 00:10:34,660 --> 00:10:41,280 And that was a lot of the notes that I used to write when I was in middle school and how our attendance and what we were doing to solve it. 99 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:51,140 Well, the best solution to it is having just amazing dynamic educators wanting to be here and it just creates students that want to be here as well. 100 00:10:51,980 --> 00:10:53,540 So I just wanted to touch upon that. 101 00:10:55,260 --> 00:11:02,880 The other piece that I wanted to mention was just a recent connection that we had with Natasha INUZ. 102 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:09,780 I'm sure I just butchered her name, but through the farm to school, she's the farm to school coordinator. 103 00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:17,500 And just the potential that she brings to our district as far as developing lesson plans 104 00:11:17,500 --> 00:11:24,120 to touch upon what I've identified as goal number five within this school improvement plan. 105 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:31,260 And that's that partnership to increase nutrition awareness and education related to the foods 106 00:11:31,260 --> 00:11:41,500 that we take in. When I think of Jeff Liam and when he visited our school and just consulted 107 00:11:41,500 --> 00:11:48,840 with us in years past, he's like, the perfect medicine is good food and making sure it's 108 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:54,300 nutritious food and putting that in front of our kids and having kids understand healthy choices. 109 00:11:54,300 --> 00:12:06,220 So, here's another step that the district is taking, and in this one, it's more of a collaborative approach, which I love in working with our staff access to lesson plans. 110 00:12:06,220 --> 00:12:16,220 And I shared something out in the recent newsletter just related to this so that families can also, so we can also collaborate with families. 111 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:25,100 Finally, as mentioned by Madam Chair Gordon, just the budget in the budget season is upon us, 112 00:12:25,680 --> 00:12:32,800 and I don't want to sugar code anything, but we're sitting at a little over 10% increase, 113 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:41,760 which I think is a bit alarming for a principal, and I think it was taken in with okay thank goodness, 114 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:49,160 it's not February and certainly not March or April or May and we're voting on this. So it is 115 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:55,360 something where we'll have many conversations in the upcoming weeks and months and you know some 116 00:12:56,500 --> 00:13:02,660 there's some areas that certainly we recognize that will need to be reviewed and see where cuts can 117 00:13:02,660 --> 00:13:09,640 be made. But you know a big part of the meeting that we had was just talking about some of those 118 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:15,340 budget drivers that we have, and I've noted those within the principal's report, so you have access to it. 119 00:13:16,260 --> 00:13:27,900 Shifts that have been rather monumental specific to Wellfleet Elementary's, you know, shifts in, you know, pre-K or special education, and how we're educating and 120 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:36,360 instructing those students and making sure that when possible, and ideally, that education takes place here at Wellfleet Elementary School. 121 00:13:37,780 --> 00:13:47,040 And also, I've, you know, spoke with a lot of administrative Tom Garino at length, just about the building and the needs of our building. 122 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:53,460 And I think we'll have, you know, a great deal more information in the weeks and months to come. 123 00:13:53,600 --> 00:14:02,440 I think part of it related to the efficiency and regionalization study will provide a lot of insight on directionally where, you know, 124 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:08,600 we should or need to go at Welfare just to make sure we continue to have a safe environment 125 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:09,520 for our students. 126 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:17,240 And again, I just mentioned in the just upcoming school events, there's 127 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:23,340 a lot of, lot to be excited about. And I wanted to plug one of the greatest things we've done 128 00:14:23,340 --> 00:14:29,540 in the last two years. You might not be aware of this one, superintendent brand, but we had a Spaghetti 129 00:14:29,540 --> 00:14:38,020 contest where we raised hundreds of pounds of spaghetti, and that was even before it was cooked. 130 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:47,060 And all that spaghetti contest, it was just like a great community event in which we had 131 00:14:47,060 --> 00:14:53,620 students bring in spaghetti for our spaghetti supper, that is an annual event for 42 years running 132 00:14:53,620 --> 00:14:59,980 now that our PTO puts on. In that event, I'll... 133 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:29,040 A lot of the proceeds, because we graced way more than we could handle, ended up helping out the food pantry. But we had enough spaghetti for the spaghetti supper, as well as the next year's spaghetti supper. And then boxes and boxes, I think it was like a truckload of spaghetti went to the Wellfleet food pantry. But it's just a great opportunity to kind of show off our community. And with a nice giving spaghetti contest. 134 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,540 Yes, so I'll open it up for questions at this time. 135 00:15:32,900 --> 00:15:37,980 I wonder if there is a date, maybe Lauren knows, for the spaghetti supper. 136 00:15:39,100 --> 00:15:40,080 There is a date. 137 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:47,540 I was going to say it in the reports, but it is March 20th and 5 to 7 30th in the West 138 00:15:47,540 --> 00:15:47,880 cafeteria. 139 00:15:49,100 --> 00:15:49,580 Perfect. 140 00:15:49,820 --> 00:15:50,100 Thank you. 141 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:51,520 Thanks so much. 142 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:55,460 Thank you for that report. 143 00:15:55,740 --> 00:16:03,560 It's certainly incredibly energizing for me to hear about the things going on in that school. 144 00:16:03,860 --> 00:16:08,680 It's incredible, and you are really creating a community school there, which is what we want. 145 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:10,900 Thank you for that. 146 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:12,140 Thanks so much. 147 00:16:13,900 --> 00:16:17,800 Okay, and I think next up is Superintendent Brand, yes. 148 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:28,720 Thank you. Good evening everyone. March the 20th. Is there meatballs or is it just spaghetti and will there be garlic bread too? I mean, what does this look like? 149 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:33,880 There's garlic bread. There's homemade meatballs and homemade white clam sauce. 150 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:43,020 And dessert. And dessert. Wonderful. Okay. March the 20th you said. All right. I did not know about that. Thank you. 151 00:16:43,820 --> 00:16:45,520 It's below shame for sharing that. 152 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:47,040 Thank you both for your great reports. 153 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:50,380 Mine is much briefer tonight than the previous two, 154 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:54,740 but thank you for just the opportunity to share. 155 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:57,080 The report was added through the agenda 156 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:58,420 just a short time ago, 157 00:16:58,700 --> 00:17:02,260 sort of working feverishly to get a lot of things out the door 158 00:17:02,260 --> 00:17:04,340 right now, so my apologies for it being 159 00:17:04,340 --> 00:17:06,180 a little bit late to the packet, but it's here. 160 00:17:06,700 --> 00:17:08,600 And there are three things just briefly to touch upon. 161 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:11,420 First off, as I think you're well aware, 162 00:17:11,420 --> 00:17:28,220 I think all of our, I'm sure, all of our four towns produce an annual town report and I know that these requests have already started to come forth from the, you know, from my office here and will, I think as I believe it's the case across the four communities, something from the respective chairs. 163 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:46,420 I included a link to the document that I put together, it's always tricky being in this place of being new to a district and of course not working here or being here for the year previous, but I did what I could try and put together things that I thought were important to note and to highlight on behalf of the NASA public schools. 164 00:17:47,020 --> 00:17:55,580 And this submission that I've included, it's linked here in the superintendent's report, is that which I'll share with the towns when we're asked to pass that along. 165 00:17:55,580 --> 00:17:59,620 so I thought it would be good for our school committees to see that. 166 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:05,060 Next, as the efficiency and regionalization study, which is ongoing, 167 00:18:06,020 --> 00:18:08,140 and there continues to be a lot of work for that. 168 00:18:08,660 --> 00:18:13,100 As a friendly reminder, I'm the co-chair with Peter Lombardi, 169 00:18:13,500 --> 00:18:16,660 a chair administrator and Brewster, but there is a larger steering group 170 00:18:16,660 --> 00:18:19,020 as I think folks are aware that is meeting regularly, 171 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,860 and the next meeting is coming up rather quickly. 172 00:18:21,860 --> 00:18:44,420 As the co-chair, I'm meeting regularly with Peter and the consultants really to kind of plot the next stages of their study and facilitating information gathering, for example, serving as the clearinghouse for our student enrollment data to help facilitate the consultants who are working on forecasting enrollment for the future. 173 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:52,100 But tonight I just wanted to take an opportunity to highlight three upcoming outreach efforts 174 00:18:52,100 --> 00:18:52,780 that are ongoing. 175 00:18:52,780 --> 00:18:56,660 In fact, a couple of this week and then another little bit later in the month. 176 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:04,300 The consultants recognize that we really needed to gather more input from stakeholders through 177 00:19:04,300 --> 00:19:09,280 other communities, that the interest has waned, it depends on the community that you're in. 178 00:19:09,420 --> 00:19:13,440 Some have seen some great turnout when they held public meetings, others not necessarily 179 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:19,420 really as much, but through conversation with them, I really stress the fact that we 180 00:19:19,420 --> 00:19:24,060 really want to have staff voice as part of this, school leader voice as part of this, 181 00:19:24,260 --> 00:19:26,900 and again another effort to invite members of the community. 182 00:19:27,660 --> 00:19:31,680 And so on the report, you'll see those three that are starting with tomorrow Wednesday, 183 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:36,980 February 4th, we've sent an invitation to all of our staff at the elementary and middle 184 00:19:36,980 --> 00:19:37,540 school level. 185 00:19:37,540 --> 00:19:40,800 Again, that's what the study is specifically focused on. 186 00:19:41,860 --> 00:19:44,760 A virtual meeting will be held by our consultant group. 187 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:48,960 And you can see there the list of those that thankfully 188 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,540 set forward and are going to participate. 189 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,520 Three teachers from Wellfleet, along with a number of teachers 190 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,720 from our other schools, including Orleans, Eastam, Eddie, 191 00:19:57,920 --> 00:19:58,940 and the Middle School. 192 00:19:59,820 --> 00:20:01,760 Later this week, Friday, February the 6th, 193 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:03,820 we have a specific focused working session 194 00:20:03,820 --> 00:20:05,760 with our school and district leaders. 195 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:15,260 So our school principals, and I'll show you, of course, be there, along with his colleagues will be meeting at the high school with a consultants and go through the information gathering with that group. 196 00:20:15,820 --> 00:20:28,260 And then on Tuesday, February the 10th, this was a fairly focused outreach for community members and the specific focus or target was extending a specific invitation to our school council members and our PTO members. 197 00:20:28,860 --> 00:20:34,900 We gathered with the help of all of our schools, the contacts for those groups, and then 198 00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:39,140 the consultant group sent out a specific tailored invitation to them. 199 00:20:39,580 --> 00:20:42,560 This meeting is being held virtually on Tuesday, February 10th. 200 00:20:42,780 --> 00:20:47,100 I'm not sure exactly how many members of our communities have stepped forward to participate, 201 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,800 but I'll certainly, you know, share that as we move forward. 202 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,860 And then the last is just a brief update. 203 00:20:53,860 --> 00:20:59,160 And, you know, a topic that obviously is getting a lot of attention, seemingly more and 204 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:04,140 more every week, every month, and that's artificial intelligence, or AI, please be able to 205 00:21:04,140 --> 00:21:08,680 share with the committee that we had a small team that attended a two-day conference 206 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:14,960 last Thursday and Friday, and in NADIC, greater Boston area, specifically focused for district 207 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:20,980 and school leaders, called the AI District Leaders Action Summit, and really a targeted effort 208 00:21:20,980 --> 00:21:27,500 to bring together leadership teams from K to 12 organizations and schools. And you can see the 209 00:21:27,500 --> 00:21:32,960 list of names that attended that shout out and thank you to Vicki Seldana, our Assistant Superintendent 210 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:40,000 of Teaching and Learning, Taylor Rye, our Director of Technology, Bo Gagnon from Eddie Elementary, 211 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:47,440 Lisa Orlando, Matthew Gunn, and Jennifer Mullen from the Regional High School. So certainly they will 212 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:55,020 be very helpful in charting our course and our next steps as a school community around 213 00:21:55,020 --> 00:22:02,420 AI and embracing both the safe use of it, but also, of course, how to effectively teach 214 00:22:02,420 --> 00:22:05,500 and educate children about its use in schools. 215 00:22:05,820 --> 00:22:10,020 So much more to come on that, and I also suspect that some of that will find its way undoubtedly 216 00:22:10,020 --> 00:22:13,920 into the new strategic plan that's taking shape as well as we move forward. 217 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:19,360 So, that's my report tonight, and I'm happy to take any questions if members of the committee have this evening. 218 00:22:29,220 --> 00:22:30,400 You're muted Martha. 219 00:22:31,020 --> 00:22:34,300 I know my dog was playing with a very loud squeaky toy. 220 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:47,880 I did read your town report report, and it fits right, at least in the town reports that I've seen since I've been around. 221 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:56,840 it fits right in. It was well done, perfectly done. So it's good. At least it works here, 222 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:03,500 which may not be a good thing, I don't know, but it was really well written. So I thank you for 223 00:23:03,500 --> 00:23:10,780 that, for sure. And I wrote mine and actually handed it in and did not include it in my report 224 00:23:10,780 --> 00:23:19,180 tonight. I'll share it with you at our next meeting just in the interest of time and how much time 225 00:23:19,180 --> 00:23:25,360 people want to listen to my voice reading. There's no need. Any send it to us? Right now. 226 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:32,260 I can. Yes, I can. Yeah. Good idea. Thank you. If I forget would you remind me, John? Just send 227 00:23:32,260 --> 00:23:39,600 me a text. Katie. Thank you, Superintendent Brandon. I would love to hear more. I don't know if 228 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:45,520 Assistant Superintendent Saldana was planning on talking about it at the next meeting, 229 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:52,580 but I would love to hear more about the generative AI conference and just overview sort of of what 230 00:23:52,580 --> 00:23:56,720 the topics discussed were. It sounds really interesting, and I don't know. You said 231 00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:01,020 there will be more coming, but I would love to hear. Yeah, we, you know, they're literally obviously 232 00:24:01,020 --> 00:24:06,080 just got back and are debriefing and decompressing from the two days. It was last Thursday Friday, so 233 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:12,180 So more to come, I'm not sure exactly when, but I know that they'll be working on a plan, 234 00:24:12,380 --> 00:24:14,120 a plan of action and kind of move forward. 235 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:20,100 And so as that becomes more clear and defined, certainly would be entirely appropriate and 236 00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:24,480 very happy to share that as it should be, I think with our staff and our school committees 237 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:29,320 in terms of where we think we're headed in the near term around this topic. 238 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:30,280 So happy to do that. 239 00:24:30,300 --> 00:24:30,640 Thank you. 240 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:32,980 Did that, Katie? 241 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:34,400 Did that answer your question? 242 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:35,260 Yeah. 243 00:24:35,260 --> 00:24:38,000 I just want to hear more about the content. 244 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,880 I just want a more detailed report 245 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,960 sort of when it's convenient for everyone 246 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:45,340 because I think it sounds, 247 00:24:45,340 --> 00:24:47,440 it's something that really interests me 248 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:52,500 and I think is going to be a great influence 249 00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:54,100 on our kids moving forward 250 00:24:54,100 --> 00:24:56,560 and I'd love to hear how it was discussed at this conference 251 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:58,580 and I wasn't a fly on the wall 252 00:24:58,580 --> 00:25:00,820 so I'd just love to hear more in the future 253 00:25:00,820 --> 00:25:02,600 about what Vicki learned. 254 00:25:05,340 --> 00:25:13,880 I agree with you, Katie, because when I went to a meeting, the Massachusetts School Committee 255 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:21,520 meeting, I took a class on AI, a workshop on AI, where it was compared to like what 256 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:27,460 math teachers had to deal with when the calculator came in, how do you teach math when there's 257 00:25:27,460 --> 00:25:34,540 calculator. And now I'm not convinced that the analogy is as good as I thought it was. 258 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:41,720 I think AI is very tricky. And I watch it be tricky on Facebook. What's true? What's 259 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:48,500 not true? And also how do we use it as a learning tool without it being a crutch? So I have 260 00:25:48,500 --> 00:25:49,380 I'm very interested. 261 00:25:51,340 --> 00:25:56,000 I wonder, then, given that, and I agree with both of you, 262 00:25:56,820 --> 00:26:01,040 given that, would it make sense maybe at our next meeting 263 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:06,960 or in April when we're kind of done with the budget, I hope, 264 00:26:08,380 --> 00:26:12,500 to have, perhaps, have Vicki come in, 265 00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:14,980 assistance superintendent, Saldana come in, 266 00:26:14,980 --> 00:26:27,040 and just report on what she learned, you know, just the way we would at any meeting, just report out on it. 267 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,300 Yeah, if I can, I'll talk with her. 268 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:33,620 And that would get you off the hook for superintendent report if you like. 269 00:26:34,700 --> 00:26:44,380 I'll talk with her about what their next steps look like and what that report should entail from their perspective to share with all of our committees. 270 00:26:44,380 --> 00:26:47,440 So I'll get back to you on that after I've a chance to talk with her about that. 271 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:52,520 Maybe we can make it April and give you more time and let's get the budget done. 272 00:26:52,580 --> 00:26:56,360 It's so much me. It's really about them and not just having the chance as I stand here, you know, 273 00:26:56,420 --> 00:27:01,080 before you tonight to get a sense of what's next from their perspective and their takeaways. 274 00:27:02,660 --> 00:27:08,760 So that's just the thing I'm not sure about from their timing but I'll certainly let you know what they're 275 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:12,640 And not necessarily what's next, more their takeaways from the 276 00:27:13,380 --> 00:27:17,880 conference, not where they're going with it yet, for sure. 277 00:27:19,360 --> 00:27:23,800 It's just a really interesting topic, I think. 278 00:27:25,060 --> 00:27:25,200 Yeah. 279 00:27:25,380 --> 00:27:25,700 Absolutely. 280 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:26,500 Okay. 281 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:27,480 Thank you. 282 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:27,900 Thank you. 283 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:35,220 And the recap of the budget workshop, 284 00:27:35,220 --> 00:27:39,340 would anybody else like to recap? 285 00:27:46,410 --> 00:27:51,910 We had a good time at the Wicked Oyster on our way home. 286 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:05,340 Okay. Then, Superintendent Brown, you did get to go to some of the town, the town-based meetings. 287 00:28:06,020 --> 00:28:11,200 Did you feel they were productive? 288 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:20,040 You know, yeah, I did. I did have a chance to drop into and kind of rotate it around the three that we're meeting. 289 00:28:20,780 --> 00:28:26,280 So certainly wasn't there for wasn't able to be there for all of the discussion, of course, in each of them. 290 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:33,880 Those that were president of the central office team, we sort of divided and conquered and and and and popped around as well too. 291 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:40,140 So my general sense was that they were helpful to provide just the chance for more informally 292 00:28:40,500 --> 00:28:45,240 for the most part, informally telling the story of the budget and some of the challenges 293 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:47,200 respectfully in each of those budgets. 294 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:54,760 So I think I don't know exactly how folks felt in comparison or contrasting last year to 295 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:55,140 this year. 296 00:28:55,680 --> 00:29:01,220 But we definitely tried to pull a little bit more information together in a holistic package 297 00:29:01,220 --> 00:29:07,520 if you will, I'll pack it for folks, which seems to have been well received, and I think that, 298 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:15,040 you know, there was high attendance, really, a large number of turn-up for all of them, 299 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:19,500 booster being the largest or lean second East Ham third in that order, you know, in terms of 300 00:29:19,500 --> 00:29:24,380 total number of folks in the room, but there was good representation there, and I think some lively 301 00:29:24,380 --> 00:29:29,580 discussion that went and helpful discussion, you know, for the principals to be able to share 302 00:29:31,220 --> 00:29:35,440 share more information around their programs and the budgetary needs so good 303 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:40,400 conversation and I think for all of them went at least an hour after dinner maybe a 304 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:45,180 little more so yeah I think the general sense was people found them 305 00:29:45,860 --> 00:29:49,460 helpful which is what I had heard from last year's you know workshop although I'm 306 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,780 not present. I felt I felt ours was certainly last year 307 00:29:53,780 --> 00:29:58,520 Um, worthwhile doing again, yeah. 308 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:30,940 Let the record show that there were four school committee members there. We had a quorum, and I never, ever adjourned the meeting. So we've been meeting ever since. I didn't realize I had to do that until it was way too late. Moving on to the FY27 budget review. And I'm wondering, is that principal O'Shae? 309 00:30:30,940 --> 00:30:34,940 your superintendent brand, who would like to speak? 310 00:30:35,580 --> 00:30:36,680 Probably a little bit of both. 311 00:30:38,460 --> 00:30:42,360 I think, first off, just to bring to your attention 312 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,920 in your packet, link to this agenda 313 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:49,260 is where the current budget stands, 314 00:30:49,260 --> 00:30:52,480 aligning with that amount, a little bit over 10% 315 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:54,780 that Adam was mentioning earlier. 316 00:30:55,380 --> 00:30:58,840 Just to draw everyone's attention, and this is true 317 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:03,680 across the board not just for for wealthy, but as I have come to learn and understand 318 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:09,220 at least in recent times, March is an important month for all of these budgets, all of our 319 00:31:09,940 --> 00:31:18,140 multiple budgets, in that they need to be formally approved and through the process is I'm sure 320 00:31:18,140 --> 00:31:24,000 most are aware of the public hearing. And that's an important difference from sort of just a general 321 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:28,480 update like this or having you as a committee vote to approve because there are some specific 322 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:34,780 guidelines under, under Mass General Law that we have to comply to, you have to as public entities and so 323 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:40,100 for example that includes and we will do this of course, make sure that we are 324 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:47,240 not broadcasting but posting the fact that there will be a hearing in this case for the 325 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:53,120 Wellesley School Committee and your budget for Wellesley Elementary School. Right now we have that 326 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:57,780 tentatively scheduled for your date in March, which is March the third, I believe, at 327 00:31:57,780 --> 00:32:04,020 the next meeting. But I think that where that brings us to is where we are tonight, effectively, 328 00:32:04,300 --> 00:32:11,000 right, a month away. And as Adam and I were talking earlier, you know, really trying to 329 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:17,300 get a sense of what things that we can, we think, you know, propose or recommend to you as a 330 00:32:17,300 --> 00:32:21,860 school committee that can bring this overall budget increase down. 331 00:32:23,860 --> 00:32:29,660 And we don't have specifics written down to each of you to share tonight but I know 332 00:32:29,660 --> 00:32:34,320 that Adam has been thinking and certainly not just starting today but has been thinking 333 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:40,360 about what those might be but it also to me brings into the you know into the forefront 334 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:45,240 around the comfort that you have as a school committee around where you ideally would like 335 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:53,560 this budget to get to and align and how close to align that you would like to do if it's possible 336 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:59,880 to do without significantly impacting programs and services to to align to what the town 337 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:05,320 manager's request has been for the departments across Wellesley. Wellesley. Wellesley. Wellesley. 338 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:09,600 Wellesley. Looking at my other Gordon news, we're not in Wellesley. And so I think that that's an 339 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:16,740 important, that's an important sort of marker in the sand here in terms of where we go from 340 00:33:16,740 --> 00:33:23,960 tonight and how we get there. And one thought is perhaps, and obviously Martha and I have an 341 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:29,680 chance to talk about this, but is there perhaps another meaning that's scheduled later in the month 342 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:37,960 of February so that there's more time to consider what any kind of proposed reductions might include 343 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:45,540 And having a chance for the school committee to think more about those before going into 344 00:33:45,540 --> 00:33:46,300 the public hearing. 345 00:33:47,290 --> 00:33:54,200 At the end of the day, I know members know, and I fully regard this, that this comes 346 00:33:54,200 --> 00:34:00,700 down to recommendations from the administration to you as the Wellthead school committee, but 347 00:34:00,700 --> 00:34:06,240 it is your budget and it is your budget ultimately to hopefully approve. 348 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:24,980 And so we want to we want to come forward with recommendations that you can support and then in turn, you know, pass that public hearing seek the whole full support of the citizens of wealthy. So I'll pause there and turn it over probably to Adam who may want to add some more to that. 349 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:37,340 Yeah, I think the only thing I would add to that is just certainly preliminary discussions 350 00:34:37,340 --> 00:34:38,060 have taken place. 351 00:34:38,260 --> 00:34:43,780 Like, is there places that we can, you know, you know, looking at our school improvement 352 00:34:43,780 --> 00:34:48,560 plan and making sure everything continues to align with our school improvement plan, are 353 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:58,160 there areas that we can cut back on and still offer the dynamic design that we've created 354 00:34:58,160 --> 00:35:03,300 here at Welfly and want to sustain and moving forward. 355 00:35:04,820 --> 00:35:12,100 And, you know, conversations with like the PTO on what are the opportunities to like potentially, 356 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:16,960 you want to keep things like the need academy and you want to keep things like play performance 357 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:21,940 and things that we built in that are slowly or quickly, however you look at it, 358 00:35:21,940 --> 00:35:25,880 and becoming staples within our school system. 359 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:33,260 And those are also entities that people will come together 360 00:35:33,260 --> 00:35:35,480 if they see the potential that they might be lost. 361 00:35:36,540 --> 00:35:41,660 So it may be that opportunity to lean on our BTO a little bit 362 00:35:41,660 --> 00:35:46,880 for some of those extras that we've kind of built into our budget. 363 00:35:48,420 --> 00:36:16,860 And and I think also it's taking a closer look we have to be honest with ourselves and say you know we have 82 students in our school system we would need to make sure that like those 82 students have the we have teachers that have those skillsets and in that might mean that teachers look to expand their skillsets to accommodate all those like as I've said before. 364 00:36:16,860 --> 00:36:19,960 for many teachers at Welfly Elementary School 365 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:24,360 where many different hats to make our school successful 366 00:36:25,220 --> 00:36:26,380 for all of our students. 367 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:28,460 And we play within the guidelines 368 00:36:28,460 --> 00:36:32,380 of the Department of Education while we do that. 369 00:36:32,700 --> 00:36:35,380 So it's getting a little more creative. 370 00:36:36,620 --> 00:36:40,000 And it is, like I said earlier, it's that time of year 371 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,600 where it's like, okay, this isn't gonna work as it is. 372 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:46,140 Let's collectively come together. 373 00:36:46,740 --> 00:36:52,260 This is a decision that I see is made in isolation as far as, you know, things that may need to 374 00:36:52,260 --> 00:36:57,380 be pulled back a little bit, but it's a great time to lean on others and have discussions 375 00:36:57,380 --> 00:36:58,260 related to it. 376 00:37:01,290 --> 00:37:01,730 Understood. 377 00:37:04,790 --> 00:37:05,310 Thank you. 378 00:37:05,550 --> 00:37:07,950 Thank you, Principal O'Shea, and thank you, Superintendent. 379 00:37:07,950 --> 00:37:18,950 And, Brandon, I do have a question whenever anybody mentions another meeting, I feel the 380 00:37:18,950 --> 00:37:29,090 need to protect my colleagues on the school committee because we're not nearly as flat 381 00:37:29,090 --> 00:37:38,730 out as you are superintendent brand or you principal O'Shea but we are pretty pretty busy with meetings 382 00:37:38,730 --> 00:37:50,010 and I don't want I just feel so I don't feel guilty myself but I I've disappointed on everybody's 383 00:37:50,010 --> 00:37:57,330 behalf because of what happened on Thursday and I don't want to ask people to come to another 384 00:37:57,330 --> 00:38:07,230 meeting or force them to and what I'm wondering is if we is there a way that we can have a meeting that 385 00:38:07,230 --> 00:38:14,950 is more of a voluntary meeting that is not doesn't have to be a quorum. So if two of us want to get 386 00:38:14,950 --> 00:38:21,910 together with you to work on this and then bring it back as part of the public hearing on the third, 387 00:38:22,630 --> 00:38:28,550 can we do it that way without forcing the issue of a quorum? 388 00:38:32,860 --> 00:38:40,840 Well, I think that the answer to that really is, and part of this, is how you've approached 389 00:38:41,620 --> 00:38:47,600 this time of the year in the past as it relates to, you know, hosting and making available your 390 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:52,900 final budget, or what would be the final budget that you'd be going into the public caring for. So, 391 00:38:52,900 --> 00:38:59,460 So I admittedly haven't had the opportunity to dig up sort of what that has looked like 392 00:38:59,460 --> 00:39:08,640 in the past, the idea though, in an ideal situation, I think it is best for a school committee 393 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:14,720 and I can check on this, I do think that there's an obligation for a certain period of time 394 00:39:14,720 --> 00:39:20,000 to also make the budget, the budget that's going to be considered in the public hearing available. 395 00:39:20,500 --> 00:39:28,100 And so it's how do we get right from get to that final and I think it's a week, I think, but I have to double check that. 396 00:39:29,020 --> 00:39:37,780 So, you know, that's the can we meet without a full quorum and identify some possible adjustments. 397 00:39:38,860 --> 00:39:47,500 We can, sure, but it's about how do we, from my perspective, I believe, how do we get them to the full committee to consider. 398 00:39:47,500 --> 00:39:49,940 So I respect, though, you know, 399 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:54,420 Arthur the whole notion or idea of adding another meeting. 400 00:39:54,620 --> 00:39:57,440 People are giving up so much of their time. 401 00:39:57,740 --> 00:40:00,560 As I quickly learned throughout all of our school committee members. 402 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:03,480 There's a lot on everyone's plate. 403 00:40:04,740 --> 00:40:08,440 And I think that one of the things to be fully honest that I'm learning about 404 00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:13,160 is some of the challenges as well when we have for our elementary districts. 405 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:19,420 When there is just one scheduled meeting each month, and I'm not proposing that we add 406 00:40:19,420 --> 00:40:24,780 more each month, but when you do, for example, at the region have two, there's a little bit 407 00:40:24,780 --> 00:40:32,080 more flexibility to be able to know that you've got that second meeting, and as I'm learning, 408 00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:33,060 we don't have that. 409 00:40:33,340 --> 00:40:36,480 And so sometimes, especially this time of year, it's a little trickier. 410 00:40:37,220 --> 00:40:50,460 So, you know, I could be off phase, I haven't talked to the other committee members and they may all feel, and rightly so, perhaps, you know, no, we want to be part of this and we want to be part of this discussion. 411 00:40:51,240 --> 00:41:00,800 And but I'm also trying to pay attention to their needs too and the rest of their lives. 412 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:10,120 some people are working full-time, some people are working full-time and have kids and you know it's 413 00:41:10,120 --> 00:41:16,380 just a that kind of thing but if we have in the past had extra meetings usually around budget time 414 00:41:16,380 --> 00:41:24,740 you know I remember having a meeting somehow it was posted to happen at the end of a 415 00:41:24,740 --> 00:41:30,560 select board meeting I don't I just remember sitting in the back of the room there and it was posted 416 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:37,260 and so we did have it and we had to vote on something. I cannot remember why it was quite a while ago 417 00:41:38,700 --> 00:41:41,760 which is why I'm really glad Ricky and Arlene are here. 418 00:41:44,990 --> 00:41:47,670 So, you know, I can certainly put it out 419 00:41:47,670 --> 00:41:52,830 to them if people think it's a good idea. Four of three of you are sitting here right now. 420 00:41:54,250 --> 00:42:01,230 Would you be okay with another meeting? And then there's a matter of scheduling it with everybody else's 421 00:42:01,230 --> 00:42:11,050 schedules too. I mean, you know what I always say, Martha. I know what you say. I do. And you've proven it. 422 00:42:12,410 --> 00:42:18,610 Katie. Um, I'm okay with another meeting. Um, I'm going to, I'm the new guy. So I'm going to 423 00:42:18,610 --> 00:42:25,530 reveal my ignorance a little bit. But I, Martha and I met, uh, just a two of us, which is kosher, um, 424 00:42:25,830 --> 00:42:30,070 to talk about the budget because I just wanted to understand more how to look over it. I, 425 00:42:30,070 --> 00:42:38,550 this is new to me and why like so wouldn't we discuss now like the things so we 426 00:42:38,550 --> 00:42:43,450 vote on this to me everything we discuss I know there's like the special 427 00:42:43,450 --> 00:42:49,730 ed went up a lot that's the biggest thing that new custodian which makes sense to 428 00:42:49,730 --> 00:42:54,670 me there was a librarian thing I was going to ask about but I think that's because 429 00:42:54,670 --> 00:42:59,230 we didn't get a grant or something maybe this year but wouldn't it be 430 00:42:59,230 --> 00:43:07,330 appropriate to discuss this stuff now or we and then because like I I can I can 431 00:43:07,330 --> 00:43:14,850 understand it I think like I these expenses seem like appropriate to me but I 432 00:43:14,850 --> 00:43:19,310 see we go to the town and then like 10% doesn't sound very good you know but I 433 00:43:19,310 --> 00:43:23,690 don't want to pull like plays and things like that so anyway this is like the 434 00:43:23,690 --> 00:43:28,370 discussion that I was kind of excited to have but is this not we're not gonna have 435 00:43:28,370 --> 00:43:31,990 this discussion right now. We're going to have another meeting to discuss these things. 436 00:43:32,530 --> 00:43:38,590 That's a good question. Yeah. It's certainly appropriate. 437 00:43:39,350 --> 00:43:45,810 One hundred percent of the question. Sorry. No, I was going to say it's entirely appropriate 438 00:43:45,810 --> 00:43:54,950 and to discuss if there's a comfort and I know I'm doing some thinking of this to work through 439 00:43:54,950 --> 00:44:00,350 some of these things. You know if I guess there's two thoughts and they'll turn around. I mean you 440 00:44:00,350 --> 00:44:08,770 know one is if there was a will to you know to identify a couple of possible areas to incorporate 441 00:44:08,770 --> 00:44:14,630 as a reduction into this budget we can leave this meeting and certainly work with you know our 442 00:44:14,630 --> 00:44:21,630 finance department to do just that and then consider it perhaps done you know and and and that's okay 443 00:44:21,630 --> 00:44:25,950 if as a school committee you're comfortable then not seeing it again before it comes to the public 444 00:44:25,950 --> 00:44:30,930 hearing. I did double check it's 48 hours in advance of the public hearing that you if we're 445 00:44:30,930 --> 00:44:36,110 following the law which we should be is making that final budget you're going to consider available 446 00:44:36,110 --> 00:44:41,830 to the public. So we can leave here tonight with you know with what you're comfortable with and 447 00:44:41,830 --> 00:44:47,410 some ideas that Adam has that he might walk through here and then and if there's a collective 448 00:44:47,410 --> 00:44:55,230 sense of comfort with that, and we can move forward with Adam. You're going to add a couple 449 00:44:55,230 --> 00:44:59,890 things. John, go ahead. I want to know what you're coming. 450 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:29,460 to rule with Alan, because I don't want to force this discussion if it's premature for you, even by days. And if it is, then I say, let's have another meeting when you're set to put things on the table. And if it is a good tonight, do tonight. I mean, there's some things I feel comfortable talking about. There's other things that, you know, like this is, you know, a budget is 451 00:45:30,160 --> 00:45:36,080 A great deal that's made up of staff salaries and when you're talking about staff salaries, 452 00:45:36,100 --> 00:45:42,980 you're talking about people and you really have to be cautious as far as how much you 453 00:45:42,980 --> 00:45:49,540 talk about that before I'm able to have conversations with employees and what that entails 454 00:45:49,540 --> 00:45:50,160 for next year. 455 00:45:50,760 --> 00:45:57,920 I think if people are, you know, have a close eye on this, then it's pretty transparent 456 00:45:57,920 --> 00:46:01,800 that, you know, some cuts will need to be made. 457 00:46:02,740 --> 00:46:08,220 And I can certainly walk through line items and just discuss those if you want. 458 00:46:09,380 --> 00:46:13,740 And just to give perspective, I think Katie, you talked about it a little bit. 459 00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:16,160 So I feel comfortable doing that. 460 00:46:16,500 --> 00:46:17,920 Super tenant brand, do you find with that? 461 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:31,220 So if you're looking at the document, I'll assume that you are and I'm, let's see, should 462 00:46:31,220 --> 00:46:31,660 I share? 463 00:46:31,880 --> 00:46:33,020 Is that the best way to do this? 464 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:40,620 It's been a while. 465 00:46:41,060 --> 00:46:41,660 Give me a second. 466 00:46:57,460 --> 00:46:57,980 Is this right? 467 00:46:58,280 --> 00:46:59,120 And on the right document? 468 00:47:00,140 --> 00:47:00,540 Mm-hmm. 469 00:47:02,860 --> 00:47:03,740 All right. 470 00:47:04,020 --> 00:47:08,340 I've created, to be honest, we have created a second one that I'm not looking at right now that 471 00:47:08,340 --> 00:47:13,540 has my notes on it, but I didn't want to share that one just because it has some other information on it. 472 00:47:13,960 --> 00:47:16,200 So I'll try to kind of pull from this. 473 00:47:18,820 --> 00:47:26,540 So in a quick glance, what 474 00:47:31,150 --> 00:47:32,610 I'm looking at is basically 475 00:47:32,610 --> 00:47:39,730 the shift or increase percentages or decreases from, so line or in column H, that's the one I'm kind 476 00:47:39,730 --> 00:47:44,050 kind of queued into to see if there's great disparity from the previous year. 477 00:47:45,350 --> 00:47:48,270 And why is that if it's an addition? 478 00:47:48,990 --> 00:47:56,230 So if I just kind of go down, like if I see something that's significantly more, for 479 00:47:56,230 --> 00:48:02,690 example, other principal expenses, like this is one, like there had been, and which been 480 00:48:02,690 --> 00:48:08,430 a common practice across NASA, is other principal expenses sometimes, and in this case in previous 481 00:48:08,430 --> 00:48:13,730 years has included expenses where there's professional development related to district 482 00:48:13,730 --> 00:48:20,770 wide initiatives. So it's not just necessarily my principle, my being principle, but expenses 483 00:48:20,770 --> 00:48:24,970 from the admin that are shared costs across the district. That's why there's an increase 484 00:48:24,970 --> 00:48:28,730 related to that. And it's consistent with what happened in the previous years. 485 00:48:35,940 --> 00:48:43,400 I can't see the line item on that but I would love to know what it is if I can do this. 486 00:48:43,760 --> 00:48:44,220 Now I can. 487 00:48:44,480 --> 00:48:44,640 Yeah. 488 00:48:44,860 --> 00:48:45,080 Thanks. 489 00:48:45,300 --> 00:48:45,540 Hold on. 490 00:48:45,620 --> 00:48:50,060 Let me see if I can make, if I do this, 491 00:48:52,260 --> 00:48:53,260 is that good? 492 00:48:54,980 --> 00:48:56,100 Can you see the number? 493 00:48:56,960 --> 00:48:57,080 Yep. 494 00:48:58,200 --> 00:48:58,840 All right. 495 00:48:59,020 --> 00:48:59,460 So special. 496 00:48:59,600 --> 00:49:00,780 So it's for all one. 497 00:49:00,780 --> 00:49:02,100 No, yeah, thank you. 498 00:49:02,100 --> 00:49:04,060 So if you're looking at, okay, understood. 499 00:49:04,820 --> 00:49:06,940 4064, if you're looking at that, you know, 500 00:49:07,120 --> 00:49:09,280 this is, you know, at the beginning of this year, 501 00:49:09,460 --> 00:49:11,300 past the budget season, you know, 502 00:49:11,440 --> 00:49:14,260 influx of special education need 503 00:49:15,400 --> 00:49:17,520 caused increase in salary position. 504 00:49:17,860 --> 00:49:19,620 So that's one that's increased. 505 00:49:20,480 --> 00:49:23,100 Similar level of need moving forward. 506 00:49:23,400 --> 00:49:25,780 So I would be like cautious 507 00:49:25,780 --> 00:49:27,880 and as we look at that one to say, okay. 508 00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:38,420 And this is also just keeping our eyes open to with our students, one of the goals here 509 00:49:38,420 --> 00:49:42,220 at Welfly is to make sure the students that reside in Welfly are educated at Welfly. 510 00:49:42,340 --> 00:49:44,940 That's the ideal goal whenever possible. 511 00:49:45,300 --> 00:49:47,720 So it's looking at that and keeping consistent with that. 512 00:49:48,040 --> 00:49:52,320 That this year created an additional 0.566 position. 513 00:49:52,680 --> 00:49:56,380 So it kind of threw the budget off kind of at the beginning of the budget season. 514 00:49:56,380 --> 00:49:56,440 Yeah. 515 00:49:56,660 --> 00:50:00,060 And it's related to special, SE is special education. 516 00:50:01,220 --> 00:50:04,740 What particular subcategory of special education? 517 00:50:05,700 --> 00:50:06,400 What's the disability? 518 00:50:09,000 --> 00:50:13,140 Yeah, I don't feel like going into specifics related to that. 519 00:50:13,260 --> 00:50:18,760 I don't want to put identifying markers on a student, you know, I'm not asking for identifying 520 00:50:18,760 --> 00:50:19,360 markers. 521 00:50:19,540 --> 00:50:26,880 What I want to know is, and I keep asking this and maybe not remembering the answer. 522 00:50:26,880 --> 00:50:30,480 but if we have a halftime special ed teacher, 523 00:50:30,760 --> 00:50:33,480 is there an opportunity to bring any of our children 524 00:50:33,480 --> 00:50:37,600 that are placed outside of well-fleet back in 525 00:50:37,600 --> 00:50:39,240 and use that teacher? 526 00:50:40,060 --> 00:50:42,560 Moderate disabilities, I didn't realize a good question, 527 00:50:42,640 --> 00:50:43,540 it's moderate disabilities. 528 00:50:46,860 --> 00:50:49,180 And yes, and that would look at, 529 00:50:49,300 --> 00:50:52,260 you would look at just what the certification areas 530 00:50:52,260 --> 00:50:54,100 are of the educator, but yeah. 531 00:50:54,100 --> 00:50:54,180 Yeah. 532 00:50:54,920 --> 00:50:55,440 Yes. 533 00:50:55,540 --> 00:50:56,580 Joan, to your question. 534 00:50:56,920 --> 00:51:01,620 Like that definitely warrants more of a closer look at students than that's my. 535 00:51:02,100 --> 00:51:02,620 Yeah. 536 00:51:02,860 --> 00:51:08,680 I mean, that's where I, I, I want the kids back that should be in our school if it's financially 537 00:51:08,680 --> 00:51:09,580 feasible. 538 00:51:09,880 --> 00:51:13,660 It's certainly a social, emotionally feasible for the kids. 539 00:51:14,260 --> 00:51:16,280 So I'd love that to be looked at more. 540 00:51:17,200 --> 00:51:17,300 Yeah. 541 00:51:18,720 --> 00:51:24,100 It is part of our practice and has been last year as well as this year. 542 00:51:25,960 --> 00:51:36,000 Teachers, so there's two major factors that would create this increase, maybe Dr. 543 00:51:36,160 --> 00:51:41,300 Brand can tell me, tells why it's 14, I can't go to that specific, I know there's 544 00:51:41,300 --> 00:51:47,840 three-and-a-half percent raise. I also know there's been some lane changes that create, 545 00:51:48,120 --> 00:51:52,080 you know, when there's a lane stain for a teacher, it's well above that three-and-a-half percent. 546 00:51:53,320 --> 00:51:59,900 Is there another factor I'm missing? No, no, I mean, we talk a lot about, you know, with the contract, 547 00:51:59,900 --> 00:52:05,900 the Cola or cost of living increases, and it's 3.25 percent for the NOSIT contract, 548 00:52:05,900 --> 00:52:11,360 back going into the third year, next year is the third and final year, but as Adam was 549 00:52:11,360 --> 00:52:18,000 just mentioning, for a lot of staff, depending on their experience and age, it's not just 550 00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:22,500 3.25% because they're moving steps into where they're moving lanes. 551 00:52:23,760 --> 00:52:30,720 So I don't have an exact number to share with you, but those that have looked more closely 552 00:52:30,720 --> 00:52:34,680 at this can, you know, and I'm not, you know, it could be upwards of seven or eight percent 553 00:52:34,680 --> 00:52:40,460 for particular staff members increase when you combine both the cost of living increase, 554 00:52:40,760 --> 00:52:46,880 3.25 percent plus moving a step or lane. So we would, you know, we would have to do a much more 555 00:52:46,880 --> 00:52:52,540 thorough analysis of well-fleet staff to actually identify that. But we use that 3.25 percent as a general 556 00:52:52,540 --> 00:52:57,020 marker of what the increase is, but there is a lot more happening and I suspect that that's 557 00:52:57,020 --> 00:52:59,220 That's accounting for these increases here. 558 00:53:00,900 --> 00:53:02,140 Can I ask something? 559 00:53:03,500 --> 00:53:05,320 I lost the line at it. 560 00:53:05,480 --> 00:53:09,440 It was at 14, and what I hear is seven or eight percent 561 00:53:09,440 --> 00:53:11,360 with lane changes and steps. 562 00:53:12,280 --> 00:53:15,380 So how does that, that's seven, that's double that. 563 00:53:16,920 --> 00:53:17,980 Why is it double? 564 00:53:20,050 --> 00:53:21,850 He just explained that, Joan. 565 00:53:22,290 --> 00:53:23,530 I don't get it. That's what I'm saying. 566 00:53:23,730 --> 00:53:24,150 I don't understand. 567 00:53:24,190 --> 00:53:27,110 I understand that it will increase 3.2. 568 00:53:27,110 --> 00:53:30,590 I understand that lane changes and step changes. 569 00:53:31,370 --> 00:53:42,450 So yeah, and I would argue the only other factor that's different is and that I'm aware of is last year because this is the actual, 570 00:53:42,790 --> 00:53:48,350 that's the approved FY26 actual expenditures. 571 00:53:48,350 --> 00:54:04,510 The only other shift to it would be that last year for a good portion of the year, we didn't fill one of the positions that we ended up filling at the end of the year, which would definitely create that increase. 572 00:54:05,570 --> 00:54:17,810 So if you recall, Collette D'Amusey, you know, ended up going from the interventionist position to second grade in that interventionist position, there's a long stretch of time it wasn't filled in that might. 573 00:54:18,890 --> 00:54:27,870 Again, I'd have to check on who these individuals are, the breakdown of each of the employees in order to know that specifically. 574 00:54:31,050 --> 00:54:32,530 I have a question. 575 00:54:35,210 --> 00:54:41,670 I'm not concerned about teachers' salaries at all, but as far as this special education, 576 00:54:41,930 --> 00:54:45,870 which I think is great to have that in house as well, I was just wondering, does any of 577 00:54:45,870 --> 00:54:51,090 these increases, I understand we had to hire someone, so that would obviously be an increase, 578 00:54:51,470 --> 00:54:56,630 but does anything have to do with like losing federal grants that would help with paying for 579 00:54:56,630 --> 00:55:04,270 some of this or a thinking of like the librarian number, which again is critical, but I'm just 580 00:55:04,270 --> 00:55:08,590 wondering why that number goes up. And if any of that has to do with like something federally 581 00:55:08,590 --> 00:55:14,450 just thinking like I had to explain it to the townspeople, like does it have anything to do with that? 582 00:55:15,470 --> 00:55:21,090 The librarian component does not. The librarian component is strictly the percentage that 583 00:55:21,090 --> 00:55:25,350 the librarian was doing that position versus part of another position. 584 00:55:26,070 --> 00:55:32,790 So that shifted from 10% to whatever was from one year to 30% the next year. 585 00:55:33,130 --> 00:55:37,590 So that's just where the money went, the actual overall for that, 586 00:55:39,390 --> 00:55:48,650 the percentage of salary was part of and so it was a 60% employee last year. 587 00:55:48,650 --> 00:55:52,890 and of that 20% was library and 10% or 20% 588 00:55:52,890 --> 00:55:54,450 I don't have the exact number in front of me. 589 00:55:55,090 --> 00:55:59,690 And then this year that 60% employee became a full time employee 590 00:56:01,330 --> 00:56:04,170 and so as a full time employee, 591 00:56:04,750 --> 00:56:08,770 a greater portion of that was in the library 592 00:56:08,770 --> 00:56:14,790 and it just happens to be in this document isolated to that bike. 593 00:56:14,790 --> 00:56:16,570 I want to say that makes sense. 594 00:56:16,570 --> 00:56:17,590 This is isolated. 595 00:56:18,830 --> 00:56:20,390 To the grants funding. 596 00:56:21,090 --> 00:56:22,950 Dr. Brandy, do you want to tackle that one? 597 00:56:24,510 --> 00:56:26,810 Yeah, I don't believe within the 598 00:56:26,810 --> 00:56:30,270 Well fleet that there's any offsets that were applied for grants for teachers. 599 00:56:31,730 --> 00:56:35,270 I do want to just want to go back as I think a little bit of a closer look. 600 00:56:35,430 --> 00:56:36,750 If you take a look at. 601 00:56:38,530 --> 00:56:41,510 So 29, of course, that's the line we're talking about. 602 00:56:41,510 --> 00:56:48,830 the reflects the rule up. And if you go a little bit deeper into that, what I see there happening 603 00:56:49,430 --> 00:57:00,890 is that you've got an increase of teacher salary of 6.13% or a little over $60,000. That's line 604 00:57:01,650 --> 00:57:09,990 24. And then if you take a look, and I believe you know better, you've got a special education teacher 605 00:57:09,990 --> 00:57:15,490 increase that was reflective of a new position added. Is that right after the budget, after 606 00:57:15,490 --> 00:57:23,770 fiscal year 26 budget? Yes, that's correct. And so that would be captured in line 26. So the overall 607 00:57:23,770 --> 00:57:29,470 increase back to what we were talking about about steps and lanes and so on, you know, reflective 608 00:57:29,470 --> 00:57:36,850 in that $60,000 or 6.13% increase. But when you add on to that the special education cost, 609 00:57:36,850 --> 00:57:42,510 That's what's driving, appears to me, that's what's driving up that to a much higher increase, right? 610 00:57:42,670 --> 00:57:45,530 Does health insurance play into that increase too? 611 00:57:46,510 --> 00:57:55,330 Health insurance is, the region, we include health insurance for our middle school and high school staff and other central office employees. 612 00:57:55,730 --> 00:58:03,630 The elementary health insurance costs are picked up by the town, so those are not factored into these budgets. 613 00:58:03,630 --> 00:58:15,010 I have a question and I don't know if there's an answer, but we have a stabilization fund 614 00:58:15,010 --> 00:58:28,850 now for anticipated or very costly special education costs that come in, I've always thought 615 00:58:28,850 --> 00:58:34,830 of it as a student whose needs cannot be served in our own school who would have to go out 616 00:58:34,830 --> 00:58:43,470 of district or to the collaborative. Is the stabilization fund only for that or can we use some 617 00:58:43,470 --> 00:58:53,640 of the stabilization fund funds to help offset some of our other special education rises, especially 618 00:58:53,640 --> 00:58:58,240 hiring a new teacher for a student, or half a teacher for a student? 619 00:59:03,620 --> 00:59:08,600 I mean, no, the answer is that within this fiscal year, like, and that's what we're, 620 00:59:10,340 --> 00:59:15,120 when we know it's happening, like, then we should budget for it, is how I look at it. 621 00:59:15,240 --> 00:59:22,880 Like, if we know, like, there's a need for, you know, for FY27, we should be budgeting 622 00:59:22,880 --> 00:59:23,360 for it. 623 00:59:23,360 --> 00:59:27,940 if it happens within this year and we couldn't satisfy it with our current budget, 624 00:59:28,340 --> 00:59:32,980 then I would completely agree with you that it would be inappropriate use upon it. 625 00:59:33,900 --> 00:59:40,540 So if it were happened once the school year started or the budget was taken and we find out 626 00:59:40,540 --> 00:59:45,140 about a new student, is that what you mean? Then we can use the stabilization fund? 627 00:59:45,500 --> 00:59:51,220 Yeah, just based on the definition of stabilization. You're looking to stabilize something that has 628 00:59:51,220 --> 00:59:57,660 already you know was you're not gonna you're not gonna prepare your budget with 629 00:59:57,660 --> 00:59:59,840 instability like so it just seems like 630 01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:04,000 It would be most appropriate to have it like only as needed. 631 01:00:06,580 --> 01:00:29,240 So it's a restabilization fund, actually. Kind of. Thank you. That's clear. Thank you. But I will look into that with. I'm just looking at some other records. I don't show. It certainly does not appear like you used any of the. And I don't even know exactly as we talk here tonight. How much is in that fund? I don't know. 632 01:00:29,240 --> 01:00:32,560 Adam, if you do, but it does not. 633 01:00:32,640 --> 01:00:33,740 Well, that's another thing. 634 01:00:34,440 --> 01:00:39,320 I know that we want an article in our warrant 635 01:00:39,320 --> 01:00:44,320 about transferring some funds into that stabilization fund. 636 01:00:44,940 --> 01:00:48,280 And I guess my understanding, Adam, 637 01:00:48,480 --> 01:00:54,100 is that Tom Guerrino will write that for us, that article? 638 01:00:58,640 --> 01:01:03,540 I don't have a hundred percent clarity on that. I did reach out to Rebecca Eldridge, 639 01:01:04,080 --> 01:01:07,980 and she's going to get back to me on it, which is his admin assistant. 640 01:01:08,600 --> 01:01:11,680 Well, that's an important area to certainly drill down and further understand, 641 01:01:11,940 --> 01:01:16,580 because that certainly can be if you've got funds in there, and I'm not seeing, 642 01:01:16,780 --> 01:01:21,120 you know, that could be applied for some of your out of district costs. 643 01:01:21,720 --> 01:01:22,280 Yes. 644 01:01:22,580 --> 01:01:26,380 Would that include Brewster say for the pre-K? 645 01:01:27,000 --> 01:01:27,560 Yes. 646 01:01:31,660 --> 01:01:34,040 For the substantially separate program. 647 01:01:34,560 --> 01:01:35,120 Yes. 648 01:01:36,260 --> 01:01:37,740 So we'll check into that. 649 01:01:38,640 --> 01:01:38,920 Okay. 650 01:01:39,860 --> 01:01:41,360 That might help us a bit, anyway. 651 01:01:45,750 --> 01:01:46,550 Where are we? 652 01:01:48,030 --> 01:01:49,610 So librarian we talked about. 653 01:01:49,750 --> 01:01:50,590 I'm looking down here. 654 01:01:50,910 --> 01:01:52,630 A lot of these you can look what they are. 655 01:01:52,950 --> 01:01:54,490 They're mostly in the negative there. 656 01:01:54,490 --> 01:02:00,790 I'm not going to talk about them unless you want to, which 657 01:02:03,480 --> 01:02:05,480 this one contracted 658 01:02:09,800 --> 01:02:10,600 services. 659 01:02:12,290 --> 01:02:15,480 In here somewhere, I'm not sure if I'm highlighting it correctly. 660 01:02:16,300 --> 01:02:18,860 We've changed our model recently. 661 01:02:19,360 --> 01:02:29,020 So our speech language pathologist was at 40%, like we didn't have a need past about 20%. 662 01:02:29,020 --> 01:02:37,720 So, we tried to keep that employee on board, but they ended up needing 100% and now has found work elsewhere. 663 01:02:38,220 --> 01:02:39,480 That happened a year ago. 664 01:02:40,640 --> 01:02:47,160 So, throughout this year, our speech-to-language pathologist has been designed in two ways. 665 01:02:47,480 --> 01:02:54,680 We have, which I kind of like, we're servicing students after school, but it's through contracted services. 666 01:02:55,500 --> 01:03:00,380 which honestly it doesn't cost the town a heck of a lot less just based on the design. 667 01:03:01,340 --> 01:03:05,560 So three, four of our students are served that way in the after school. 668 01:03:05,840 --> 01:03:13,220 And then one of our students is through technology just like a virtual design with supervision by an adult. 669 01:03:13,900 --> 01:03:22,100 So that's contracted services that we have in place, which is pretty normal in rural settings. 670 01:03:22,100 --> 01:03:30,060 it's not like to have it set up that way, as far as the virtual services, the after-school 671 01:03:30,060 --> 01:03:36,080 services is unique, but we've received parent permission to do so, to do it outside of 672 01:03:36,080 --> 01:03:36,680 the school day. 673 01:03:37,260 --> 01:03:42,120 And it's a great model because they're school day-end so early, and the kids can transition 674 01:03:42,120 --> 01:03:43,720 right into our after-school program. 675 01:03:51,550 --> 01:03:57,330 I just have a question about that is if there's consultation on the ed plan for the speech 676 01:03:57,330 --> 01:04:03,610 and language, does the contracted service person consult with the classroom teacher and 677 01:04:03,610 --> 01:04:05,490 have any integration into the school day? 678 01:04:05,490 --> 01:04:18,090 consultation with the provider as well as doing assessments and attending IEPs as part 679 01:04:18,090 --> 01:04:19,230 of the services. 680 01:04:22,570 --> 01:04:27,010 Other activities I mentioned that earlier, like, you know, there's a potential, 681 01:04:27,430 --> 01:04:33,270 that's need academy, that's our play performance, those other student activities, that's one 682 01:04:33,270 --> 01:04:39,250 I want to make sure we're keeping and one that, yes, I'm very guilty of, you know, that 683 01:04:39,250 --> 01:04:44,950 money right there and wanting one to establish it and two keep it. 684 01:04:45,290 --> 01:04:47,270 This is also an area in the past. 685 01:04:47,410 --> 01:04:49,750 You talk about grants that have kind of dried up. 686 01:04:50,090 --> 01:05:00,310 This is where we had been utilizing our REAP grant up until FY 25. 687 01:05:00,310 --> 01:05:05,090 So that we just have to find another funding source from my perspective. 688 01:05:07,690 --> 01:05:17,430 Custodians Katie mentioned this is somewhere where I've added it here where the ideal the idea is. 689 01:05:18,870 --> 01:05:26,270 And this is an area potentially for for for caught is there shouldn't be a continued need. 690 01:05:26,270 --> 01:05:32,070 need as much for overtime services with those staff being at 1.0 so there's a potential 691 01:05:32,070 --> 01:05:39,310 that I can shift that slightly and there's also when we're talking about contracted services 692 01:05:39,950 --> 01:05:48,090 below when we talk about extraordinary maintenance or services to our grounds and things like 693 01:05:48,090 --> 01:05:48,450 that. 694 01:05:48,750 --> 01:05:54,830 The desire and kind of working with David Samuels, if you're not familiar with him, he is a 695 01:05:54,830 --> 01:05:59,810 Jack of all trades and he's willing, you know, many discussions kind of took place. 696 01:05:59,810 --> 01:06:04,970 He's willing to work on some of these projects and he would be the best deal in town. 697 01:06:04,970 --> 01:06:09,890 So this is another one where potentially instead of that being an increase, it's either 698 01:06:09,890 --> 01:06:12,250 a level or decrease into next year. 699 01:06:12,450 --> 01:06:15,090 So there's some potential savings there. 700 01:06:15,090 --> 01:06:33,530 I mean tuition, other districts, this is another, I would say this is a lot of money, like 701 01:06:33,530 --> 01:06:39,410 this is the one where, you know, depending on the number of students, they kind of identify 702 01:06:39,410 --> 01:06:48,390 a per pupil rate and this is students attending Brewster and in this case so tuition out of 703 01:06:48,390 --> 01:06:55,090 district is Brewster and we don't have students attending other schools. 704 01:06:57,350 --> 01:06:59,670 So that's one that's 705 01:06:59,670 --> 01:07:04,290 challenging because it's not necessarily something and going back to what Joan said is there 706 01:07:04,290 --> 01:07:08,590 is there any way we can look at those students rejoining us in 707 01:07:08,590 --> 01:07:15,030 wealthy and do we have the capacity for that? So, you know, when making 708 01:07:15,030 --> 01:07:19,310 decisions like that, one, what's in the best interest of the student? You know, 709 01:07:19,330 --> 01:07:23,330 how can we make sure that there's like peers for a student and do we have the 710 01:07:23,330 --> 01:07:28,590 capacity to serve all the needs of the student in our school system? So all of 711 01:07:28,590 --> 01:07:33,730 those questions kind of run through our minds as we try to determine 712 01:07:33,730 --> 01:07:37,830 to where to go next and how to best serve the student. 713 01:07:38,550 --> 01:07:41,730 But at the end of the video, go ahead, John. 714 01:07:41,910 --> 01:07:45,450 I just, you know, you talked about contracted services 715 01:07:45,450 --> 01:07:49,710 being an efficient and positive way 716 01:07:49,710 --> 01:07:51,390 to service the speech and language. 717 01:07:52,230 --> 01:07:55,790 So if there's something that we don't have, 718 01:07:59,230 --> 01:08:07,430 can that model be used to add to what the student needs 719 01:08:07,430 --> 01:08:11,150 in addition to the halftime special ed teacher that's already been hired? 720 01:08:15,060 --> 01:08:17,380 Yeah, it's hard. 721 01:08:17,860 --> 01:08:25,200 I just from, you know, I spent a great deal of the summer days trying to solidify SLP, 722 01:08:25,200 --> 01:08:30,700 a speech language pathologist, you know, and that's pretty consistent with OTPT services. 723 01:08:31,020 --> 01:08:37,480 It's really difficult, but yes, it's definitely worth exploration. 724 01:08:41,470 --> 01:08:41,990 Thank you. 725 01:08:42,410 --> 01:08:46,330 I have a question placed through the chair. 726 01:08:46,910 --> 01:08:51,170 To Adam, thank you so much. This is really helpful in helping me understand 727 01:08:51,170 --> 01:09:00,330 Um, these numbers, I, the preschool tuition, could you, I should know, but what, what is that for? 728 01:09:05,060 --> 01:09:08,280 Glenn, I see your hand up. Is that you wanting to answer the question? 729 01:09:09,020 --> 01:09:17,080 Or do you want me to take that away? Sure. So, um, preschool is a program that school districts, 730 01:09:17,380 --> 01:09:22,520 public school districts are obligated to provide. And not so it's no exception. 731 01:09:23,460 --> 01:09:30,300 There's a obligation under the law to provide programming for students that are those with special needs. 732 01:09:31,840 --> 01:09:36,580 That's not universal pre-K, and that doesn't necessarily warrant or require, sorry, not warrant. 733 01:09:36,720 --> 01:09:42,960 Require a school district to expand and open seats to non-special education students. 734 01:09:43,120 --> 01:09:48,520 But I would say from my experience, most school districts do, to some extent. 735 01:09:48,520 --> 01:09:55,660 Yeah. A hot topic is growing around universal pre-K, meaning making pre-K available for all students. My understanding is 736 01:09:55,660 --> 01:10:08,620 modemoi went in that direction recently. I'm not sure of others on the Cape. And there is some sense that this is going to be coming from the state at some point that's going to be required, but not tomorrow, not next year. 737 01:10:09,440 --> 01:10:17,440 So, as I've come to learn, the district, the regional school district, the district is, 738 01:10:17,660 --> 01:10:22,440 in essence, operating the preschool program because neither one of the elementary districts 739 01:10:22,440 --> 01:10:25,200 own it or directly operate it. 740 01:10:25,820 --> 01:10:30,900 It's housed at Brewster because there was sp- I'm not sure all that went into the thinking 741 01:10:31,460 --> 01:10:36,360 about the placement of the program and to be quite honest, I'm not even sure how long back 742 01:10:36,360 --> 01:10:40,740 we're going here. But what I have come to learn is it's been housed at Brewster for some time now, 743 01:10:41,180 --> 01:10:48,500 and any preschool students from any of the four towns go there. And if they are special needs, 744 01:10:49,320 --> 01:10:54,920 we're meeting that requirement under the law. There's also the opportunity for students to 745 01:10:54,920 --> 01:11:04,800 tuition in there. And there's a relatively modest cost, modest in comparison to private 746 01:11:04,800 --> 01:11:11,080 pre-school programs. But the tricky part about this, not tricky, but the complicated part 747 01:11:11,080 --> 01:11:17,300 about this program is that because not one of our, no one owns a program, but the district 748 01:11:17,300 --> 01:11:27,320 does, the regional school district does, we roll up these costs together and then we come 749 01:11:27,320 --> 01:11:32,660 up with an assessment for each of the towns. And if it doesn't get more complicated than 750 01:11:32,660 --> 01:11:36,940 that, well, it will, and it does because what I've learned has been done recently, and 751 01:11:36,940 --> 01:11:44,240 I think this was more recent, we use what's called a three year rolling average. 752 01:11:45,380 --> 01:11:50,980 And so what that does is it takes the, it takes a view of snapshot of the total number 753 01:11:50,980 --> 01:11:57,680 of students per elementary town, wealth, leed and leans and so on, and then divides these 754 01:11:57,680 --> 01:12:04,140 costs across that average over three years it's it's it's somewhat complicated so 755 01:12:04,140 --> 01:12:08,460 if you if you lost me a few moments ago I can understand why and I'm happy to 756 01:12:08,460 --> 01:12:14,600 roll this out more but it's a big it's a big cost costs are going the expenses 757 01:12:14,600 --> 01:12:18,220 are going up like it for all of our salaries you can see that across the board 758 01:12:18,940 --> 01:12:24,500 and at the same time not necessarily are we educating the same are we paying for 759 01:12:24,500 --> 01:12:27,980 the same number of students this year as opposed to three years ago because it's 760 01:12:27,980 --> 01:12:35,120 that three year rolling average. Pre-school is a whole program unto itself. And I 761 01:12:35,120 --> 01:12:40,920 shared this with the budget workshop last Thursday. We have to dig into it because 762 01:12:41,780 --> 01:12:46,300 there's a lot to it both financially as well as where we want to go with this 763 01:12:46,300 --> 01:12:49,120 programmatically for our four communities. 764 01:12:50,100 --> 01:12:57,500 And our Montessori Pre-School is private. 765 01:12:58,640 --> 01:13:12,200 And in my correct, therefore, we can't tuition those children into the Montessori school that is located in Welfly. 766 01:13:12,200 --> 01:13:24,090 So the monster is just sorry to respond to Joan. The Montessori Program yes is private. We have no 767 01:13:24,090 --> 01:13:31,030 affiliation with them other than the fact that they are typically our community members that end 768 01:13:31,030 --> 01:13:39,210 up going to Welfare Elementary School so the students are like so it behooves us to have a you know 769 01:13:39,210 --> 01:13:50,090 sound relationship and a good working relationship with Montessori, but they could, you know, yes, 770 01:13:50,430 --> 01:13:55,750 they are completely private and take up space in the school. And pay for that space? 771 01:13:57,230 --> 01:13:59,610 Good. Don't right now. 772 01:14:01,910 --> 01:14:07,850 They haven't. So it's a private preschool that doesn't pay rent. 773 01:14:09,990 --> 01:14:10,550 Correct. 774 01:14:10,550 --> 01:14:25,130 Okay, so I think that so this is not the integrated preschool we're talking about. Is that right? Is that what it's called the preschool? Oh, no, okay, so because my understanding just as a parent is there's 775 01:14:25,130 --> 01:14:40,310 Montessori and then there's like Cape Cod Children's Place and different places and you get a voucher from the town to go to these preschools, fortunately, and you have most people go to Cape Cod Children's Place or Montessori, which is an awesome 776 01:14:40,310 --> 01:14:48,430 program. So when we're talking about this $34,000, is there anyone in 777 01:14:48,430 --> 01:14:54,450 Wellfleet who has used the preschool and Brewster, or historically do people 778 01:14:54,450 --> 01:14:58,910 in Wellfleet tend to use it because I don't think I've ever heard of it. 779 01:14:58,910 --> 01:14:59,910 And... 780 01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:29,680 But then we just split the costs equally because that's just how it works. But I guess that's my question. Is what is the name of the preschool and Brewster and do people in welfare use it? Generally, or this year? Special ed kids do. But I'm sorry, yes. But the community partners, the kids who are not on ed plans, don't tend to choose their families, don't tend to choose them. 781 01:15:29,680 --> 01:15:36,520 to send them there because there's no transportation for them and it's a long way for them to go. 782 01:15:37,400 --> 01:15:43,040 When it was housed in Wellfleet with Nancy O'Connell, yeah, we did have. 783 01:15:45,280 --> 01:15:47,360 Oh, that's what, and that's what Nancy integrated was. 784 01:15:48,180 --> 01:15:48,820 Okay. Yeah. 785 01:15:50,380 --> 01:15:50,860 Yeah. 786 01:15:51,400 --> 01:15:56,760 So to answer your question, Katie, over the last three years, we've had, I believe, two 787 01:15:57,660 --> 01:16:03,740 in one or two one in one students attending like each year. 788 01:16:04,660 --> 01:16:09,160 So on, yeah, with specific educational plans. 789 01:16:09,720 --> 01:16:10,820 So I have a question. 790 01:16:11,500 --> 01:16:18,060 So is the formula for reimbursement, does it make sense? 791 01:16:18,960 --> 01:16:29,600 Is it the most accurate, I guess I'm asking why, if we have one, let's say, why can't we pay for one, if we have two, why can't we pay for two? 792 01:16:30,500 --> 01:16:39,300 Why does it have to be a three-year average situation? Is that the best that we can do for billing? 793 01:16:39,300 --> 01:16:47,040 And it's certainly that question's been thrown about and mentioned and like is this the because 794 01:16:47,040 --> 01:16:53,580 I think what we're all looking for is something that's equitable and where you know in this conversation 795 01:16:53,580 --> 01:16:58,560 honestly since I've started this has been a conversation you know a lot of conversations with 796 01:16:58,560 --> 01:17:04,860 then principal Keith Gully and Brewster was just related to this like there's there is an active 797 01:17:04,860 --> 01:17:12,960 concern that it's not fair, I guess, for lack of a better term, from one school to the next, 798 01:17:14,000 --> 01:17:20,240 and to answer your other question. There are formulas that have been shared with us of what's 799 01:17:20,240 --> 01:17:26,840 the one-year cost, and what you're really looking at is what's the one-year cost, and it would be more, 800 01:17:26,840 --> 01:17:38,840 In fact, then the 94,000 in the iteration that was recently reviewed would be so so it 801 01:17:41,240 --> 01:17:53,320 is difficult to look at that number and think there's not something there's and just think okay what's wrong with this but because it just from the from the numbers they've certainly skyrocketed over the last couple of years. 802 01:17:53,320 --> 01:18:01,800 I think part of it is also the benefits piece of this is incorporated into this number 803 01:18:01,800 --> 01:18:06,420 by, you know, where it hadn't been in the past. 804 01:18:06,720 --> 01:18:12,040 So when you look at the 34 and the 59, like you can take, if you just look at that as 805 01:18:12,040 --> 01:18:17,440 a teacher salary, say 60,000 as a teacher salary, with the benefits, that's right around 90. 806 01:18:18,020 --> 01:18:21,540 And so now you're looking at it this year and saying the benefits are included. 807 01:18:21,540 --> 01:18:29,860 So the cost to the town doesn't shift a lot because the towns are picking up the benefits. 808 01:18:30,280 --> 01:18:33,860 Now they're just on the schools rather than on the towns. 809 01:18:36,520 --> 01:18:43,640 And before that, I think the region was paying, I think the region was paying for the 810 01:18:43,640 --> 01:18:48,560 benefits, possibly even the salaries, but definitely the benefits. 811 01:18:48,560 --> 01:19:00,960 and that's why we don't, we see that for the previous two fiscal years, the amounts were much lower because we weren't including, we weren't paying the benefits and now we are. 812 01:19:01,640 --> 01:19:07,040 It left the region budget, it shouldn't have been in the region budget to begin with. 813 01:19:09,220 --> 01:19:14,680 And just the last note if I can add on that that makes it all this this is a very it's a 814 01:19:14,680 --> 01:19:19,860 difficult program and again this is not just a commentary on NASA anywhere but that I 815 01:19:20,500 --> 01:19:24,760 I'm like you know we can reasonably predict how many students we're going to have in seats 816 01:19:25,380 --> 01:19:30,820 from one year to the next right if you've got 20 kids in third grade reasonably speaking you're 817 01:19:30,820 --> 01:19:36,340 going to guess that approximately preschool is very different and it can and does shift from year to 818 01:19:36,340 --> 01:19:41,560 year and it can and does shift even from when you start the school year because 819 01:19:41,560 --> 01:19:47,220 there's some probably no and there are kids that do come in after they 820 01:19:47,220 --> 01:19:53,200 term three. That could be in November, December, January, every single month and 821 01:19:53,200 --> 01:19:58,080 so that's what makes sort of planning for the program and assigning costs 822 01:19:58,080 --> 01:20:02,880 challenging because you know we're building a budget now but we have no idea as 823 01:20:02,880 --> 01:20:08,180 we build this budget today. How many kids might enter this program in the next four weeks? 824 01:20:09,140 --> 01:20:14,200 Let alone, you know, next year. So it's tricky. There's a lot to this and there are a lot of costs. 825 01:20:14,460 --> 01:20:19,800 And like I said, we have to, we have to dig into this and figure out what the best path forward is. 826 01:20:20,320 --> 01:20:22,900 Right now we're sort of where we're at. 827 01:20:23,840 --> 01:20:31,000 And then if I can just end if we're okay with that, with this next, the ask district director salary, 828 01:20:31,000 --> 01:20:39,360 that position, I've you know worked with Superintendent Brown, Superintendent 829 01:20:39,360 --> 01:20:44,820 Proclensche as well as the town administrator just to communicate in this 830 01:20:44,820 --> 01:20:51,340 group should be aware of how much I value the after-school programming and I 831 01:20:51,340 --> 01:20:55,960 want it to be two things. I want it to be a social emotional haven for our 832 01:20:55,960 --> 01:21:00,660 students and I want it to be an academic opportunity for our students like until 833 01:21:00,660 --> 01:21:08,500 our school day is longer like our kids can build their capacity to learn more and you know in 834 01:21:08,500 --> 01:21:16,380 working last year with Becky Rosenberg and in the REC department we have ourselves you know 835 01:21:16,380 --> 01:21:22,600 a van that we can consistently use on a daily basis part of our school improvement plan is making 836 01:21:22,600 --> 01:21:27,600 sure we're out in our community and what better time than to do it right after the end of the school 837 01:21:27,600 --> 01:21:35,860 that and build that in like as our enrollment has gone down our our after-school child care 838 01:21:37,400 --> 01:21:43,900 program has sustained itself and increased actually over the last year and a half so I want 839 01:21:43,900 --> 01:21:51,220 that to continue there's a lot of you know and I recognize it that's really what I value in even as 840 01:21:51,220 --> 01:21:57,200 you know expenses you know you can see there's potential cuts in other places but this is one that I 841 01:21:57,200 --> 01:22:00,000 I just think it's really good money for us 842 01:22:00,000 --> 01:22:02,580 if we can educate more students from two to four. 843 01:22:06,230 --> 01:22:06,650 The degree. 844 01:22:10,140 --> 01:22:11,060 Thank you. 845 01:22:14,190 --> 01:22:18,590 One of my questions in looking at it 846 01:22:18,590 --> 01:22:21,270 after our budget workshop last week was, 847 01:22:21,630 --> 01:22:27,030 and I can't find it now, of course, because I don't like. 848 01:22:28,010 --> 01:22:28,110 I don't like it. 849 01:22:28,110 --> 01:22:28,470 Here I am. 850 01:22:28,810 --> 01:22:31,650 Oh, because I'm trying to do your screen instead of mine. 851 01:22:31,650 --> 01:22:33,150 Yeah, you can't move mine, so I'll do this. 852 01:22:33,150 --> 01:22:43,920 don't have that power. Where is all the technical stuff? It just looked like there 853 01:22:43,920 --> 01:22:52,200 were a whole lot of expenses on technical instructional supplies, like lots and 854 01:22:52,200 --> 01:22:58,700 lots of apps or whatever they are, packages that kids are using or not 855 01:22:58,700 --> 01:23:06,740 using and I'm wondering how much of that is actually being used in the school. Do we need all of that? 856 01:23:07,580 --> 01:23:08,400 Is that a signal? 857 01:23:13,300 --> 01:23:14,600 It's a good question. 858 01:23:14,600 --> 01:23:20,780 And with, you know, Warren's a closer look, I agree with you. 859 01:23:21,080 --> 01:23:27,800 So, you know, in collaboration with the Director of Technology, Taylor Rye, we, you know, 860 01:23:28,060 --> 01:23:34,440 a draft is formed, and I think a good opportunity at this point, just now that there's clarity 861 01:23:34,440 --> 01:23:42,300 on where our budget is overall, a good place to look at potential areas to kind of cut back 862 01:23:42,300 --> 01:23:42,880 a little bit. 863 01:23:42,880 --> 01:23:43,640 Yeah. 864 01:23:46,110 --> 01:23:53,510 Yeah. Yeah, we, we, I'm just if I can add to that, there's, we currently across 865 01:23:53,510 --> 01:23:59,550 all of our schools, expend quite a bit of money on technology, hardware and software. 866 01:24:00,170 --> 01:24:07,290 And it seems to me that, um, that we started this process, but we have much more to go in 867 01:24:07,290 --> 01:24:13,390 terms of what's happening here is, I think, and this is not meant to be a criticism against 868 01:24:13,390 --> 01:24:15,290 against anyone or any school or individual, 869 01:24:15,470 --> 01:24:17,630 but we have a lot of software creep happening, right? 870 01:24:17,710 --> 01:24:18,910 We have a lot of, I use that term, 871 01:24:19,310 --> 01:24:21,230 there's lots of new and innovative programs 872 01:24:21,230 --> 01:24:22,310 that are coming out all the time. 873 01:24:23,350 --> 01:24:26,310 Teachers are looking to be innovative and creative 874 01:24:27,230 --> 01:24:30,450 and provide the best experiences for their students 875 01:24:30,450 --> 01:24:33,370 and their children, and we have a lot of programs 876 01:24:33,370 --> 01:24:37,270 that don't necessarily have a lot of users. 877 01:24:38,930 --> 01:24:42,170 And it seems to me like what we really need to think 878 01:24:42,170 --> 01:24:47,970 carefully about how we better align the program so that we can maximize, say, the number of, 879 01:24:48,010 --> 01:24:51,010 you know, the more people you have using a program, the better cost it will be. 880 01:24:52,290 --> 01:24:57,710 But not surprisingly, we also have a lot of teachers using different programs in different schools. 881 01:25:00,290 --> 01:25:06,790 And so trying to come together with more uniformity, I think is clearly going to take us a little time, 882 01:25:06,790 --> 01:25:19,130 You know, so that no matter what time you're in, maybe there's a great third grade program for math, but right now we might be using making this up. We might be using eight different programs in the third grade for math. 883 01:25:19,970 --> 01:25:29,370 And I think there's definitely some work that we need to do as instructional leaders going forward to kind of hone this in and figure out how we can 884 01:25:30,770 --> 01:25:35,430 economy, economy is here a little bit more. And again, this is not just a challenge 885 01:25:35,430 --> 01:25:38,830 at a wealthy, and I'd say it's across all of our schools. 886 01:25:40,490 --> 01:25:45,050 I'm wondering if it can be honed sometime between now and March 3rd. 887 01:25:47,590 --> 01:25:51,670 Well, it can and what it really requires is working, you know, with Adam as 888 01:25:51,670 --> 01:25:55,610 a principal to take a clue, in this case, to take a closer look at those programs 889 01:25:55,610 --> 01:26:06,430 that maybe we can reduce, go though and working on the hardware front, which I'm looking at this, 890 01:26:06,550 --> 01:26:13,270 you know, I think roughly speaking, we've got, you know, we've got, there's a lot, and you know, 891 01:26:13,470 --> 01:26:21,350 it's all the time, this, this combined, you've got roughly $30,000 in instructional software 892 01:26:21,350 --> 01:26:29,330 at Wellfleet. And then you've got about $30,000, almost $30,000 in non-instructional software 893 01:26:29,330 --> 01:26:35,830 that includes things like Aspen. There's a whole bunch of different programs that are 894 01:26:35,830 --> 01:26:43,870 in that. So, you know, software combined right there, you're talking about $60,000, almost $60,000. 895 01:26:44,330 --> 01:26:51,050 And then hardware is an additional on top of that Chromebooks for students and a couple of laptops 896 01:26:51,050 --> 01:26:56,210 for staff and so on. So it mounts up quickly, but we can certainly take a closer look at that. 897 01:26:59,930 --> 01:27:00,690 No, it'd be good. 898 01:27:05,160 --> 01:27:12,080 Any other questions or comments about the budget? Katie, do you feel satisfied? 899 01:27:14,780 --> 01:27:24,720 Yes, I really appreciate Adam and Glenn taking the time to go through these things, 900 01:27:24,720 --> 01:27:30,620 and I'd be happy to have, I'm available for another reading, but thank you for taking the time tonight. 901 01:27:34,720 --> 01:27:56,140 Thank you. And thank you both. Is there a way that we could be provided probably through Jen with a list of dates times where we could jump on, where you could jump on Glenn and Adam. 902 01:27:58,320 --> 01:28:06,240 Just a suggestion to provide the group with the opportunity to see the revisions that 903 01:28:06,240 --> 01:28:07,320 take place. 904 01:28:07,480 --> 01:28:11,720 I honestly, I don't think that should take a long time to do. 905 01:28:12,000 --> 01:28:16,000 Like I've done a lot of work related to that. 906 01:28:16,100 --> 01:28:18,940 I just want to consult with people related to it. 907 01:28:19,460 --> 01:28:24,340 But to get that information and the shifts and the changes, now that you've had an opportunity 908 01:28:24,340 --> 01:28:30,360 to kind of look this over a line item at a time. Then you can see like the changes, subsequent 909 01:28:30,360 --> 01:28:37,360 changes that have been made. And then it might not be necessary to meet until that March day, 910 01:28:37,580 --> 01:28:42,820 if you're content with what you're seeing, or if not, then schedule a meeting. 911 01:28:43,160 --> 01:28:43,880 Would that make sense? 912 01:28:47,860 --> 01:28:50,220 Super intended brand, does that make sense to you? 913 01:28:51,700 --> 01:29:02,920 It's fine, if you're comfortable with that, I think producing this and I think the tricky 914 01:29:02,920 --> 01:29:06,040 part is how we convey this, right, how we share this information. 915 01:29:10,600 --> 01:29:15,720 And you mean sure it among the school committee members or we 916 01:29:17,740 --> 01:29:22,400 can't get it as an attachment? 917 01:29:24,040 --> 01:29:28,000 Does it become a meeting if we all get the same document? 918 01:29:29,580 --> 01:29:33,860 I mean, we can share, but it's the question of seeking. 919 01:29:35,720 --> 01:29:39,160 I mean, we can put something together, certainly, and share it out to inform. 920 01:29:40,240 --> 01:29:44,980 But the challenge is how to engage if there's a desire to do so, right? 921 01:29:45,200 --> 01:29:50,040 In terms of open meeting law, and, you know, what do you want to discuss? 922 01:29:50,040 --> 01:29:59,960 if you do it all. So that's the tricky part, but we can come at this however you wish. I just... 923 01:30:00,180 --> 01:30:13,120 I wouldn't, you know, I wouldn't want to, I wouldn't, I wouldn't want to make sure that if there's to be further discussion and deliberation on it, that it should be really enough. I hate to say it. It should be at a meeting. Yeah, 924 01:30:17,070 --> 01:30:25,010 it 925 01:30:30,350 --> 01:30:39,370 should be. 926 01:30:39,370 --> 01:30:45,110 What if we just meet March 3rd and plan to meet for like longer than normal if we have tons to talk about? 927 01:30:45,810 --> 01:31:09,110 I don't know if that's what is the March 3rd like it's so close to the other deadlines that I mean I don't know I'm new so I don't know if I'm fine with another meeting but if the more experienced members and administrators don't think it's necessary like if March 3rd is going to be enough and we might just have a long meeting. 928 01:31:09,110 --> 01:31:18,210 that's fine with me. What's what? Sorry. I don't know if we could do that have a public hearing 929 01:31:18,210 --> 01:31:25,440 meeting at the same meeting that we're having a discussion about whether we want to discuss this 930 01:31:25,440 --> 01:31:33,440 at the public mirror hearing or not. It seems to me that we have to sort of look at it again and then 931 01:31:33,440 --> 01:31:37,980 and before the public hearing meeting, I think. 932 01:31:40,020 --> 01:31:41,020 Well, different. 933 01:31:41,220 --> 01:31:41,920 Superintendent Brown, yeah. 934 01:31:42,000 --> 01:31:44,320 Yeah, but Joan, were you gonna say something? 935 01:31:45,740 --> 01:31:46,020 Oh, okay. 936 01:31:46,480 --> 01:31:46,700 No. 937 01:31:47,080 --> 01:31:48,860 As I think a little bit more about this, 938 01:31:48,860 --> 01:31:53,240 and I think a suggestion would be this. 939 01:31:53,440 --> 01:31:55,680 That Adam and I and others, 940 01:31:56,020 --> 01:31:59,480 the finance department can work to identify some adjustments 941 01:31:59,480 --> 01:32:03,320 that would push down this budget. 942 01:32:03,460 --> 01:32:07,900 We could put those together as a very focused item 943 01:32:07,900 --> 01:32:10,380 on a possible agenda. 944 01:32:11,980 --> 01:32:16,400 And then it could be as simple as, hopefully, 945 01:32:16,560 --> 01:32:21,600 there are not that many items that are controversial 946 01:32:21,600 --> 01:32:23,880 or they seem straightforward. 947 01:32:24,640 --> 01:32:27,280 A reduction in technology a little bit here and that there, 948 01:32:27,780 --> 01:32:32,940 We could schedule, you know, a pop-up meeting with this, obviously Martha, your decisions 949 01:32:32,940 --> 01:32:35,580 chair, but, you know, with this as the only item. 950 01:32:36,100 --> 01:32:40,380 And then it could be as straightforward as if there's nothing really that if everyone's 951 01:32:40,380 --> 01:32:46,620 comfortable with what is being proposed by, you know, by Adam as the principal, then you 952 01:32:46,620 --> 01:32:48,400 can weigh in on that and then we could be good to go. 953 01:32:49,620 --> 01:32:56,760 So I know that sounds easy, but that I think that that keeps you in line with public meeting 954 01:32:56,760 --> 01:33:00,840 If there's any further discussion and it could be a simple, it could be a very short 955 01:33:00,840 --> 01:33:05,720 meeting if there's a, you know, a rather focused list that helps bring this budget down 956 01:33:05,720 --> 01:33:07,280 to a level that you're comfortable with. 957 01:33:07,720 --> 01:33:13,560 I think the other thing that I also might suggest that we didn't do here for tonight, but 958 01:33:13,560 --> 01:33:21,680 certainly could, is separate the costs, the increases from special education in comparison 959 01:33:21,680 --> 01:33:28,980 into regular education. And to be able to give you as a school committee a view of what's 960 01:33:28,980 --> 01:33:35,980 happening in those two buckets, if you will, of the budget. One of your communities 961 01:33:36,500 --> 01:33:39,780 opted to, one of your neighboring communities, one of the other elementary's kind of went 962 01:33:39,780 --> 01:33:46,420 in that direction as well. And once they did that, could see that the tension, the rising tension, 963 01:33:46,420 --> 01:33:48,740 in the increase on the overall budget 964 01:33:48,740 --> 01:33:51,920 was really largely rooted in special education. 965 01:33:53,220 --> 01:33:55,540 We've found that in the past we have, 966 01:33:55,760 --> 01:33:57,000 and it has been helpful, 967 01:33:57,200 --> 01:34:00,780 and it's been helpful to defend the budget 968 01:34:00,780 --> 01:34:02,040 at town meeting too. 969 01:34:02,140 --> 01:34:04,360 That's exactly why I think that as a person. 970 01:34:04,720 --> 01:34:05,220 That's how it's restricted, yeah. 971 01:34:05,480 --> 01:34:08,960 That's why, and that's exactly why that approach was taken, 972 01:34:08,960 --> 01:34:10,420 and that seemed to have helped greatly 973 01:34:11,640 --> 01:34:14,480 for another community has a lot of folks involved 974 01:34:14,480 --> 01:34:19,300 in heavily, you know, kind of walking through these budgets. And that helped greatly. 975 01:34:19,960 --> 01:34:24,400 I suspect we can we can certainly do that here and it's not please don't get me wrong. 976 01:34:24,520 --> 01:34:29,260 It's not to pit one against the other at all, but it's just to put into context where the 977 01:34:29,260 --> 01:34:36,180 driving increases coming from largely which at the end of the day these are required services 978 01:34:36,740 --> 01:34:40,840 and programs, right, for students for for wealthy students that you need to provide. 979 01:34:41,420 --> 01:34:45,780 That could provide some more comfort in terms of the overall increase, whatever we land at. 980 01:34:46,120 --> 01:34:47,160 We can do that as well too. 981 01:34:51,650 --> 01:34:52,930 It's a good suggestion, Jim. 982 01:34:54,190 --> 01:35:03,250 The special ed costs are, to some extent, reimbursable both federally and on a state level. 983 01:35:03,750 --> 01:35:13,870 Does the cost that we will see reflect what we have to pay before or after those reimbursements? 984 01:35:17,270 --> 01:35:22,330 The reimbursements would come after, right, and in less than I have to work with our 985 01:35:22,330 --> 01:35:28,970 Director of Student Sports Service to see if you are as wealthy on the door of any kind 986 01:35:28,970 --> 01:35:32,950 of emergency relief which is an option, circuit breaker is an option too. 987 01:35:33,090 --> 01:35:37,890 So we've got some other things that we have to also still hone in on and we can do that coming 988 01:35:37,890 --> 01:35:41,510 into the next meeting so we can lay that out for you so you get a sense of what that would 989 01:35:41,510 --> 01:35:41,970 look like. 990 01:35:44,170 --> 01:35:48,210 So the numbers that we would see would be our actual cause. 991 01:35:48,810 --> 01:35:54,450 Yeah, they would and they would have to be because and the other piece of course incorporating 992 01:35:54,450 --> 01:35:59,890 this is the special education stabilization fund and and how that could. If it all play 993 01:35:59,890 --> 01:36:09,380 into into all of this. Yeah. Okay. Not to make it more complicated. Katie and. And I do often if I 994 01:36:09,380 --> 01:36:15,240 to say I often do think of folks like yourself, Katie, who are new to all of this and there's 995 01:36:15,240 --> 01:36:20,620 a lot of jargon, there's a lot of, there's a lot to try and learn and understand in school 996 01:36:20,620 --> 01:36:27,400 fine. It's not, it's not always the most straightforward. And just for you, Katie, or anybody else, 997 01:36:27,520 --> 01:36:33,380 if you want to ever sit down and walk through more of this even after the budget, I'm happy 998 01:36:33,380 --> 01:36:41,240 to do so because it's it's not the most easy to grasp at times it's really it's really hard 999 01:36:42,100 --> 01:36:45,700 and but you had a glossary at the end of your presentation 1000 01:36:47,020 --> 01:36:51,560 at the last meeting of I don't know if you saw it Katie but it has 1001 01:36:51,560 --> 01:37:00,180 I gave her a copy of it so that glossary is helpful yeah I appreciate that thank you and now 1002 01:37:00,180 --> 01:37:03,820 This has been very informative and fun. 1003 01:37:05,500 --> 01:37:06,640 Fun, Oakwood. 1004 01:37:07,020 --> 01:37:08,260 Well, fun to hear. 1005 01:37:09,540 --> 01:37:11,280 Vote for her for Vice Chair. 1006 01:37:12,640 --> 01:37:16,380 So if I can just to close this piece up, Martha, 1007 01:37:16,580 --> 01:37:18,720 would you like me to work with Jen and of course Adam 1008 01:37:18,720 --> 01:37:21,700 to generate a few possible dates that could work for us 1009 01:37:21,700 --> 01:37:23,520 and then get those to you and go from there? 1010 01:37:24,360 --> 01:37:25,840 Yes, yeah, that would be great. 1011 01:37:26,100 --> 01:37:28,760 And if you can separate the special Ed 1012 01:37:28,760 --> 01:37:32,580 and regular and pieces of the budget. 1013 01:37:33,440 --> 01:37:35,720 Maybe there's some computer program 1014 01:37:35,720 --> 01:37:37,580 who can do that for you. 1015 01:37:38,580 --> 01:37:41,460 Maybe AI, you never know. 1016 01:37:44,380 --> 01:37:46,400 Do you have a time frame? 1017 01:37:46,780 --> 01:37:49,860 I'm gonna be unavailable for like 20 days, 1018 01:37:51,340 --> 01:37:54,160 unless I can zoom from a far away place. 1019 01:37:54,160 --> 01:38:06,520 would this be before the 17th of February? Probably not. No, people shaking right now. Probably not. I don't, I don't see how it could. 1020 01:38:07,640 --> 01:38:17,380 And after March 10th, probably somewhere in there, right? It would happen. March 3rd is our public hearing. Right. 1021 01:38:17,380 --> 01:38:25,140 So it has to be before that. I don't know what Adam and Glenn can have ready for us. 1022 01:38:26,360 --> 01:38:32,600 Well, not to make this more complicated, so forgive me. The other thing that I do 1023 01:38:32,600 --> 01:38:39,900 and perhaps Martha, you already know this, I know that there is a deadline for your 1024 01:38:39,900 --> 01:38:43,400 town meeting in which we need to have this public hearing to get this number to the 1025 01:38:43,400 --> 01:38:49,740 weren't and I don't know if we have leeway bill on the third so another suggestion or thought 1026 01:38:50,300 --> 01:38:54,880 we if we don't okay I was going to say perhaps well I don't know that but then that would be 1027 01:38:54,880 --> 01:39:03,880 at another meeting but we could focus we could focus on the third for this next pass of the budget 1028 01:39:03,880 --> 01:39:11,700 and then it would still be another meeting I understand that but just just maybe about that I'll put 1029 01:39:14,000 --> 01:39:19,540 is Katie, Lauren, are either of you finding that you're not going to be available? 1030 01:39:20,120 --> 01:39:22,020 The meetings are zoomed anyway. 1031 01:39:25,020 --> 01:39:31,660 The only day, I'm going on vacation, but the only days that I couldn't meet would be 1032 01:39:31,660 --> 01:39:40,300 travel days, which is February 10th and February 25th, I am going to a small island, so Internet 1033 01:39:40,300 --> 01:39:47,840 is not always super reliable, but it's it's usually pretty good. You may hear roosters in the background, 1034 01:39:48,780 --> 01:39:56,960 but how are their monkeys here? Yeah, I can I can be on zoom. It's just that February 10th. 1035 01:39:56,960 --> 01:40:02,900 I guess February 10th, February 11th, and February 25th. I would absolutely not be available. 1036 01:40:04,470 --> 01:40:07,310 not February 25th. Okay. 1037 01:40:09,650 --> 01:40:15,430 I'm available the hours totally I stop forever so I have nothing to do. 1038 01:40:16,650 --> 01:40:18,490 Okay. He want more meetings. 1039 01:40:20,630 --> 01:40:31,060 Yeah. Okay. And I have Melissa's way so I guess she's not 1040 01:40:31,060 --> 01:40:39,640 not getting any messages at this point, but she should be backed by them in any case. 1041 01:40:41,320 --> 01:40:49,820 Okay, well, I'll look forward to getting those meeting dates and times and I'll send them out to the committee, 1042 01:40:52,380 --> 01:40:53,180 for sure. 1043 01:40:57,130 --> 01:41:00,070 All right, moving along. Oh God, capital plan. 1044 01:41:01,370 --> 01:41:07,410 This is the longest meeting I have ever shared in my whole life just so, you know, go ahead. 1045 01:41:07,970 --> 01:41:09,070 I think that's you Adam, yeah. 1046 01:41:09,670 --> 01:41:13,450 Yeah, if it's okay, can we skip capital plan tonight? 1047 01:41:14,390 --> 01:41:14,770 Yeah. 1048 01:41:16,110 --> 01:41:17,730 Any objections, Skank? 1049 01:41:18,790 --> 01:41:19,570 Thank you. 1050 01:41:20,110 --> 01:41:20,670 All right. 1051 01:41:21,030 --> 01:41:21,350 Thank you. 1052 01:41:24,770 --> 01:41:27,930 And just tell me when you're ready, when you'd like it. 1053 01:41:31,210 --> 01:41:33,210 reports and information. 1054 01:41:36,730 --> 01:41:37,150 No reports. 1055 01:41:39,860 --> 01:41:40,260 Okay. 1056 01:41:43,270 --> 01:41:47,030 I have a superintendent evaluation report but you'll 1057 01:41:47,030 --> 01:41:55,250 hear it tomorrow night, so it's not really a report. As you know, superintendent Fran will be 1058 01:41:55,250 --> 01:42:03,690 presenting his goals and we will be voting to approve them. We need a quorum and it sounds like we 1059 01:42:03,690 --> 01:42:05,470 have one I checked with you guys earlier. 1060 01:42:09,550 --> 01:42:12,050 You've heard about the efficiency and 1061 01:42:12,050 --> 01:42:21,450 regionalization grant we met at the end of January just last week on 1062 01:42:21,450 --> 01:42:30,130 Zoom and we will be meeting again this week I think on Thursday in person to 1063 01:42:30,130 --> 01:42:39,350 to look at some of the, some more data, but also look at some of the possible scenarios 1064 01:42:39,350 --> 01:42:41,470 that the consultants will give us. 1065 01:42:41,550 --> 01:42:46,970 I think there were six that I saw on an email today, although two of them look suspiciously 1066 01:42:46,970 --> 01:42:48,270 like what we're doing here. 1067 01:42:50,490 --> 01:42:52,350 And that's all I have. 1068 01:42:52,490 --> 01:42:53,310 No other reports. 1069 01:42:54,150 --> 01:42:54,650 I couldn't. 1070 01:42:55,210 --> 01:43:03,590 We, um, the strategic plan that for the first time that was exciting, it was via Zoom because of weather. 1071 01:43:04,290 --> 01:43:06,790 I guess we're going to meet monthly until June. 1072 01:43:07,490 --> 01:43:10,070 The dates were sent out. I don't have there in my calendar. 1073 01:43:10,070 --> 01:43:13,850 I don't, it's basically the end of the month until June. 1074 01:43:14,130 --> 01:43:19,430 I cannot be at the next one because I will be, I mean, I can be there if it's on Zoom, 1075 01:43:19,530 --> 01:43:21,330 but I hope it's not on Zoom. 1076 01:43:21,890 --> 01:43:25,190 So I won't be able to attend the next one. 1077 01:43:26,650 --> 01:43:28,690 It was a productive Zoom meeting. 1078 01:43:28,850 --> 01:43:36,770 It was interesting, you know, Zoom meetings aren't my favorite, but we got a lot done. 1079 01:43:37,030 --> 01:43:44,530 I mean, we looked over the mission statements, looked over what the core values of NOSIT region 1080 01:43:44,530 --> 01:43:50,190 looked at a little bit compared to the old to, you know, do we want to keep it, do we want 1081 01:43:50,190 --> 01:43:56,610 I changed it and they probably about 30 people total. I don't know Glenn. I mean, I would 1082 01:43:56,610 --> 01:44:01,470 say about 30, right? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, yeah. I would agree with you. I thought 1083 01:44:01,470 --> 01:44:09,210 it was, I thought it was quite productive on Zoom too. Yeah. Yeah, it was great. And yeah, 1084 01:44:09,310 --> 01:44:13,990 I mean, I, I'm sad that I can't be at the next one. Like I said, I'll be there if it's 1085 01:44:13,990 --> 01:44:21,310 zoom, but it was good. I was a little discouraged because I'm the only person from 1086 01:44:21,310 --> 01:44:27,430 Welfly. There were a few people that couldn't attend the first meeting, but I don't know 1087 01:44:27,430 --> 01:44:32,310 if they were representing Welfly in any way. The names didn't seem super familiar to me. 1088 01:44:32,910 --> 01:44:38,170 But I mean, it's fine. It's fine. There was a lot from Brewster, but that's a bigger place. 1089 01:44:40,030 --> 01:44:47,150 Yeah, so no, no teachers, no community members, no building principal, or not that I don't 1090 01:44:47,150 --> 01:44:47,590 know how. 1091 01:44:48,170 --> 01:44:53,170 Like I said, there were a few names missing, but I didn't recognize the names, which 1092 01:44:53,170 --> 01:44:58,850 I don't know everyone in Welflates, so I mean, they could be Welflate people, but I didn't, 1093 01:44:58,850 --> 01:44:59,870 I mean, uh, 1094 01:45:00,080 --> 01:45:29,160 So, but it was good. It was good. It was good meeting. No. I hope they find somebody. So you're not so. At times we've sent in substitute school committee members when someone can't attend a meeting that seems important. Do you want a substitute? I mean, it's, it's up to you guys. I don't know. I mean, sure, but. 1095 01:45:29,160 --> 01:45:34,560 I mean, Martha, do you think it's a good idea to send in another set of years? 1096 01:45:35,940 --> 01:45:38,980 I don't know because I'm not part of that committee. 1097 01:45:39,260 --> 01:45:49,660 I wouldn't answer that, you know, it's a thought, if you want me to substitute. 1098 01:45:50,460 --> 01:45:51,200 When is the meeting? 1099 01:45:52,380 --> 01:45:53,840 The 24th of February. 1100 01:45:54,500 --> 01:45:54,620 Good. 1101 01:45:54,760 --> 01:45:55,160 I can't. 1102 01:45:55,360 --> 01:45:55,940 So, never mind. 1103 01:45:55,940 --> 01:45:59,300 the office and non-offer. Sorry. 1104 01:46:01,120 --> 01:46:04,440 Moving on, are there any other reports at all? 1105 01:46:06,100 --> 01:46:15,360 Okay. Then, future agenda items. We know what some of them are, but please, anything 1106 01:46:15,360 --> 01:46:22,360 that you think should be on the agenda, don't make me do this alone or don't make super 1107 01:46:22,360 --> 01:46:28,480 intended to it alone, either. It's not fair. But if there's anything you guys want to talk about, 1108 01:46:28,680 --> 01:46:34,840 we'll just send them along to us. We generally meet during the last week of the month. 1109 01:46:37,450 --> 01:46:37,470 So, 1110 01:46:38,730 --> 01:46:40,810 if you have them in the next couple of weeks. 1111 01:46:41,610 --> 01:46:47,230 Sorry. If you want to put the capital plan on there, you can just 1112 01:46:47,230 --> 01:46:48,050 Okay. 1113 01:46:48,050 --> 01:46:49,230 All right. 1114 01:46:51,910 --> 01:46:52,350 Okay. 1115 01:46:54,590 --> 01:46:55,050 All right. 1116 01:46:55,530 --> 01:47:00,790 And did we we did have a report? 1117 01:47:01,110 --> 01:47:01,230 Yes. 1118 01:47:01,610 --> 01:47:02,130 Next meeting. 1119 01:47:02,450 --> 01:47:03,590 Do we have meeting minutes? 1120 01:47:05,570 --> 01:47:08,570 And do we want to approve them? 1121 01:47:10,390 --> 01:47:13,350 Anybody make a motion to approve the meeting minutes? 1122 01:47:13,790 --> 01:47:15,730 I can't for the life of me find. 1123 01:47:15,730 --> 01:47:19,270 You should know that there are some of your nights in January 6th. 1124 01:47:19,330 --> 01:47:21,630 I don't see that they were linked in the agenda, however. 1125 01:47:22,750 --> 01:47:23,610 No, they're not. 1126 01:47:24,250 --> 01:47:24,950 My goodness. 1127 01:47:27,210 --> 01:47:30,450 Okay, well, they're not in the packet. 1128 01:47:31,290 --> 01:47:32,370 No, I didn't say I can do. 1129 01:47:33,250 --> 01:47:34,990 So, okay, they are ready. 1130 01:47:35,090 --> 01:47:36,930 I guess we'll be approved for next meeting. 1131 01:47:37,170 --> 01:47:37,550 Thank you. 1132 01:47:37,830 --> 01:47:38,190 All right. 1133 01:47:38,370 --> 01:47:41,090 Okay, just make sure I remember to do that. 1134 01:47:41,990 --> 01:47:44,630 I'll send Jenna note reminding me. 1135 01:47:44,630 --> 01:47:44,830 Okay. 1136 01:47:44,990 --> 01:47:45,390 Thank you. 1137 01:47:45,990 --> 01:47:46,670 All right. 1138 01:47:46,670 --> 01:47:49,010 and a motion to adjourn. 1139 01:47:49,010 --> 01:47:50,150 Motion to adjourn. 1140 01:47:50,930 --> 01:47:51,690 Thank you, Lauren. 1141 01:47:52,350 --> 01:47:53,490 Second, thanks, Joan. 1142 01:47:54,150 --> 01:47:54,390 Okay. 1143 01:47:55,630 --> 01:47:56,670 Well, goodbye. 1144 01:47:57,490 --> 01:47:57,930 Bye. 1145 01:47:58,370 --> 01:47:58,790 Thank you. 1146 01:47:59,050 --> 01:48:00,110 See you all. See you. 1147 01:48:00,290 --> 01:48:01,150 Oh, wait, wait, wait.