[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[9:04] The time being 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15th. I call to order this meeting of the Rentham School Committee.
[9:13] My name is Phil Jordan. I'm the chair of the committee. I'm joined this evening by my fellow committee members and Superintendent Dr. Alan Cameron.
[9:21] Tonight's meeting is being held live in the Roderick School Raymond Library and is being recorded and live streamed by cable eight. It will be available on our website.
[9:32] The agenda was duly posted on the town's website, so all is in accordance.
[9:40] The first order of business this evening is public comment.
[9:45] Are there any members of the public who wish to make a comment this evening?
[9:52] Seeing none, we'll move into our first order of business which is recipients of professional
[10:01] teacher status.
[10:02] So I would like to turn the floor over to Dr. Cameron to recognize.
[10:08] Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair.
[10:10] So this is one of my favorite parts of the year, recognizing people who have had a significant milestone in their professional career.
[10:17] In Massachusetts, after you completed three consecutive years in a public school district, you demonstrated competence in the role and interest and ability for continue growth.
[10:28] then you receive something called professional teacher status.
[10:32] It's some states they call it tenure.
[10:34] It must choose the professional teacher status.
[10:37] And it means that you have proven yourself
[10:41] ready and worthy to be an educator
[10:44] in Massachusetts, which is a very high bar.
[10:46] And excited that we have three people
[10:48] who received this year, two who were here tonight.
[10:52] So we have Caitlin Klo, Rebecca Lane,
[10:54] and Deb Terrell, who's Deb's not here.
[10:57] But Becky's here and Kailons here, and I just want to read the letter that I write to them.
[11:04] I think it captures kind of a sense of the evening and the significance of the achievements.
[11:13] So, Becky and Kailons, and to Dev. On behalf of the public schools and with the recommendation of Principal's
[11:21] Maloney and Martis, it is my privilege to award you professional teacher status.
[11:25] This is a considerable achievement.
[11:28] You've demonstrated a commitment to the students, colleagues, students, families, and your professional growth, while working for rent-of-the-public schools.
[11:36] You've met the professional standards and proved yourselves assets to our school district.
[11:41] earning professional teacher status as a significant milestone in your professional journey.
[11:47] You join every educator with professional teacher status and rent them and in Massachusetts
[11:52] informing the cadre of the best educators in the country.
[11:56] I trust that you will continue to learn about yourself and your students.
[12:00] Enhance your professional practices and collaborate with your colleagues and your students families.
[12:05] We are very fortunate to have you and rent them.
[12:08] Congratulations, I'm honored to work with you, and I wish you many, many more years of success.
[12:14] So.
[12:25] Thank you, Dr. Cameron, and thank you to our recipients for all you do for our students.
[12:30] It's a big milestone.
[12:32] We're so happy to recognize you tonight.
[12:35] Okay, the next order of business is the acceptance of donations.
[12:39] We have three donations to accept this evening.
[12:41] all for camp-worn-dale scholarships.
[12:46] We have a $710 donation from the original
[12:49] Congressional Church, $1,420 from the
[12:53] Renthum Educators Association, and $1,775 from
[13:01] Random Smile Project.
[13:04] Before we accept a motion to approve those donations,
[13:07] We don't want to force our wonderful teachers who have received their professional teachers
[13:13] that as to stay for all of our administrative business so you are welcome to leave at any time.
[13:19] And we will properly edit the video if you sneak out of the window again.
[13:24] But you've said enough time three years here is funny.
[13:26] You don't need to send another hour now.
[13:28] You're sitting doing administrative here but if you'd like to stay of course you're more than welcome.
[13:32] With that being said, when anyone like to make a motion to accept the donation.
[13:35] I'll make a motion.
[13:36] A motion by this poll or a second by Ms. Greene, is there any discussion? Hearing none, the
[13:41] chair will seek unanimous consent to accept the three Camp Wanderer Scholarships as Red without
[13:46] objection as approved. The next item on our agenda is reviewing the meeting minutes from the
[13:51] School Committee meeting on August 18. So we receive those minutes in our packet. Is there
[13:59] a motion to approve the minutes from August 18? Motion by Ms. Drennen, second by Ms.
[14:06] Your green is our discussion or amendment to the minute.
[14:10] Hearing none, the chair will seek an anonymous consent to approve the meeting minutes from August 18th,
[14:14] 2026.
[14:16] So, I'll move.
[14:18] Okay, the next item is new business.
[14:25] And we have three items for new business.
[14:28] We have policy ACL, which is interacting with law enforcement officers and policy JKAA, which
[14:35] is timeout, seclusion, and restrainer students first readings.
[14:40] So we discussed these, I think, briefly in our last meeting,
[14:44] but we did not have a full discussion on them.
[14:48] These are both policies that were provided by MASC
[14:53] and are also required under state law.
[14:57] So do you have anything you want to add to that?
[15:00] No, policy ACL is new. The state just passed that law. The summary of that one is we have to have an administrator for the district and for the schools in case police or other federal or state officers come to make it a rest on campus so that we have somebody designated to interact with that agency by law. They can't make it a rest during school hours or during school wrap round.
[15:29] And we need to have some administrator for the district and for the schools and we have to adopt procedures to respond in case there is a situation like that and we have to post that on the website.
[15:41] The state is not released the procedures yet but we will get the guidance from the state and follow their guidance.
[15:49] But the policy is, as recommended, as I see, and the state expected this to be implemented,
[15:58] they passed it and gave us four days to implement it.
[16:01] So this was supposed to be adopted by September 1st, and just as it, the committee can choose
[16:08] to do whatever the committee chooses to do.
[16:10] So we could not pass this at all.
[16:13] We could pass something totally different, which would have absolutely no effect,
[16:17] because the superintendent is required to follow state law.
[16:21] So we could try to work some at something we could talk about it.
[16:27] We could certainly understand it as much as we need to if people
[16:30] want to read it more.
[16:31] My recommendation given where we are on September 15th would be that we
[16:36] for this policy, since it is exactly following the state law,
[16:43] which we're required to follow anyway.
[16:44] and we are now 14 days out of compliance because they didn't give us any time we didn't
[16:50] have a meeting before then. That we would wave, I would recommend that we wave the
[16:55] second reading and move to a vote to adopt the policy. But any member who's not
[16:59] comfortable doing that can object, the reason that I'm comfortable doing it is that
[17:03] to me it doesn't really matter because it's what's going to happen anyway. But that
[17:07] doesn't mean that we have to do any of those things, right? So I don't know if you have
[17:12] handed on it would be an option for us would be to wave the first reading. I'm sorry
[17:19] to wave the second reading, vote on this tonight, then we are immediately in compliance
[17:23] and we are following the law in policy and in practice. I believe the timeout seclusion
[17:31] and restraint of students is also similarly follows our current practice and is similarly
[17:38] Yes, the law has changed a little bit.
[17:42] But to make it a little bit more protective of students
[17:46] and limiting, putting clear restrictions on when
[17:50] timeout and restraints could be used.
[17:53] And spelling it out clearly in the law.
[17:55] Fortunately, for us, this has been our practice.
[17:58] So this is going to be a big deviation from what we do.
[18:01] It is going to be an update for the policy
[18:03] that we currently have.
[18:05] But in terms of what happens on the ground,
[18:06] would be basically civil or what we'll do right now.
[18:09] And if my understanding is correct,
[18:10] there's a little bit less of a time restriction on that.
[18:13] I mean, it's practice is what it is.
[18:15] And we follow the practice, but for the update of the policy.
[18:18] No, we're this should have been updated as well.
[18:19] This is also, yes.
[18:20] But they gave us some time this summer.
[18:22] We had a little more time in this one, but it's still
[18:24] very quick to run for this one too.
[18:26] But in any case, we're doing it either way.
[18:29] Yes, what's happening on the ground is
[18:31] where we're into one of the policy.
[18:34] So that would be another one where we could choose
[18:36] to wave the second reading if we wish to to come into compliance,
[18:43] and then the third item
[18:44] is the superintendent's collar, which I'm just going to mention now, and then we'll
[18:47] get into each one. Superintendent's collar, so I'm going to negotiate the contract with the
[18:51] superintendent.
[18:53] We did not include any collar language. We said that it would be determined
[18:58] a later date. I believe that the rationale is that we didn't know the status of other contracts
[19:09] in the district and inflation was very high and so we decided to sort of kick the can down
[19:14] the road. The committee has met an executive session, negotiations have occurred and so we
[19:23] have a recommendation agreement that we would be voting on tonight. But let's go back to policy
[19:28] ACL. So, the first order of business there would be, if anyone would like to make emotion
[19:39] to wave the second reading for policy ACL, which is interacting with law enforcement officers.
[19:46] A motion done. Wave the second reading. So, motion by Mr. Green, any member can object to that
[19:51] if they do not want to wave. Is there any objection?
[19:56] Hearing none, is there a motion to adopt policy ACL on its first reading?
[20:02] Someone?
[20:03] Motion by Ms. Greeney, is there a second?
[20:05] Second by Mr. Greeney, is there any discussion?
[20:09] Just a question, not an objective.
[20:11] So this is driven by the law, not a reaction, obviously, to this is not occurred in reference.
[20:20] This is not occurred here at all.
[20:21] This is a law that the legislature passed right before the start of the school.
[20:27] So no, no, no, no, no, August, August, August.
[20:31] And so with that patient that we implement, and quite everybody off guard,
[20:37] which is why Dessie is still scrambling up dating to get the recommended procedure of place for us.
[20:45] But I got, but your question is, is it appropriate?
[20:49] It's not something that we had to deal with here.
[20:50] And I believe King Philip voter on this.
[20:54] We didn't, we always have a second radio.
[20:57] So they didn't wave it.
[20:58] But I believe Plainville and North Park have that.
[21:03] I believe Plainville has a match.
[21:05] OK.
[21:06] So everybody is eventually adopting the same policy.
[21:09] It's the same policy that everybody is debating
[21:11] at least or offering.
[21:15] Is there any further discussion?
[21:19] So the chair will seek unanimous consent to adopt policy ACL and selecting with law enforcement officers engage in civil law enforcement.
[21:26] Is there any objection?
[21:29] Hearing non-policy ACL passes.
[21:32] Okay.
[21:33] The next policy up for discussion is policy J.K.A.A.
[21:37] Timeout, seclusion, and restraint of students.
[21:40] Again, if anyone would like to make a motion to wave the second reading, you can make that motion.
[21:45] I'll make the motion. Motion by Ms. Fuller, is any objection to waving the second reading?
[21:54] Hearing none, the committee has waved the second reading. Is there a motion to adopt policy
[22:02] JKAA timeout's occlusion restraint of students? Motion by Ms. Greeney, is there a second?
[22:07] Second by Mr. Green, any discussion? Hearing none, the chair will see unanimous consent to adopt
[22:14] Policy J.K.A.A. timeout seclusion restraining students.
[22:17] Is there any objection?
[22:20] Hearing none, Policy J.A.A. is adopted and we are in compliance.
[22:24] Great, thank you.
[22:25] Thank you.
[22:25] Thank you.
[22:26] Thanks for staying up top of that.
[22:29] Superintendents.
[22:30] The poll up for 2026-2027. The contract for the superintendent, generally the administrative contracts work is that all administrators get a 2.5% cost of living adjustment, and then when their contract is up, there is a market assessment to see if those contracts are still in line with the market for similar resituated positions. This is a mid-year or mid-cycle cost of living adjustment.
[23:00] The first three years of the contract were two and a half percent.
[23:04] The committee was prepared to offer a two and a half percent
[23:08] cost of living adjustment to the superintendent.
[23:11] We're instructed to give the negotiation to put those parameters
[23:15] and the superintendent agreed to the two and a half percent.
[23:21] So that agreement is in place,
[23:23] and so this committee would then need to make a motion to approve
[23:28] The cost of living adjustment for the 26-27 contract year, so that would be retroactive to the beginning of this contract year for a 2.5% cost of living adjustment, so what we had discussed previously was accepted by the superintendent.
[23:43] Is there a motion to amend the superintendent's contract to include a 2.5% cost of living adjustment for the 2.026-2027 calendar year?
[23:55] I'll make a motion.
[23:57] Motion by Ms. Drennan.
[23:58] No, no, no, no.
[23:58] Second by Ms. Greeney.
[24:00] Any discussion?
[24:03] Hearing none.
[24:05] The chair will seek unanimous consent for a 2.5%
[24:08] for Dr. Cameron.
[24:11] Without objection.
[24:12] Thank you.
[24:12] Thank you. Thank you.
[24:13] Thank you.
[24:14] Easy negotiation.
[24:15] Thank you.
[24:16] It's a long time.
[24:17] Just happy to be here.
[24:18] We appreciate it.
[24:20] Okay.
[24:21] And now we have a very exciting series of updates.
[24:25] Particularly the last part,
[24:26] But I'm gonna ask, okay, these two build an interest
[24:30] as we go through, we start off fairly dry,
[24:33] but then the end is, we bring it home in the end.
[24:35] So first up, we have my goals for the coming school year.
[24:39] I have four goals for you,
[24:42] and they're really based on two things,
[24:47] continuing work that we've done over the past years,
[24:50] things that have been priorities in the past
[24:52] that we're trying to continue to advance,
[24:53] And then feedback from your retreat, working with the administrators, W.E.A., my colleagues to find out other things we need to work on in the district.
[25:03] So I kind of put all that together in shape of my goals.
[25:08] And I've highlighted some of the ones that I just wanted to discuss here are just highlight,
[25:14] that I want to raise in the meetings tonight.
[25:17] So the first goal through the new goal foster culture continues to grow with the learning.
[25:21] So, really, there are several things under here, but the ones that are going to be a priority
[25:27] for me and my team are going to be working on the third year of the implementation of
[25:31] our English language arts core programs, becoming more proficient with that, but also recognizing
[25:37] the areas that we need to supplement and continue to work on that with fundations, integrity
[25:44] and making sure that we're providing students what they need so that they can develop those
[25:49] We're going to pilot history, social studies, curriculum materials, as part of our curriculum
[25:53] review cycle so that we can implement a program going forward that will be used throughout
[25:59] the district.
[26:01] And then we are in the fifth year of the rollout of our core math programs, so we're going to
[26:06] do a check in on those to see how we're doing.
[26:09] See if we need to do any supplement to anywhere, or if what we're doing now is working fine.
[26:17] And then my professional practice goal, the developed skills related to leading a safe and
[26:22] high function of school district, so the ones I want to focus here.
[26:26] I'm going to continue to serve on the by-county collaborative finance subcommittee.
[26:30] All right, I'm by-go is having some financial struggles right now because I had a decrease
[26:35] in enrollment.
[26:38] So we're going to really focus this year on looking at their core functions, what they do,
[26:44] And how they can maintain those aspects of the programing while looking for new areas and trying to recruit additional students because they are tuition driven program.
[26:56] So I'm excited to really work with the new executive director on some of that, some of those priorities.
[27:02] I'm going to be on the DECI gifted and talented education advisory council, which I'm excited to be a part of. I don't really know what the outcome of that's going to be.
[27:10] order to take a look at the status of a gifted and childhood education in the state and make
[27:14] some recommendations for that.
[27:17] I'm going to participate in a book group on crucial conversations, tools for talking when
[27:21] stakes are high, which I'm very interested in.
[27:25] And the administrators, we're going to do some work this year, we've done it in the past,
[27:29] not for a while.
[27:30] We're going to do it again.
[27:31] We're going to see if we can work together on some collaborative observations, most
[27:37] Just a chance for us to do some practice observations of teachers come together and discuss what we see.
[27:44] So we can make sure we're having a consistent experience with teachers have a consistent ability to experience.
[27:53] One of my district improvement goals is strengthening family connections and community partnerships.
[27:58] We're going to restructure our M-Cast presentation to the school committee focusing on what's going well.
[28:03] We need to do better and how we're going to do it.
[28:06] It's going to be a little bit different that it has in the past.
[28:09] You'll see that at your meeting next month.
[28:13] And we also are going to launch our the M.C.Paret portal.
[28:18] The DSE has initiated this summer.
[28:22] So we just set that out.
[28:22] We'll see we're navigating some road bumps with that.
[28:25] We'll see how that works out.
[28:27] And we've done some work on the webpage to make sure that it is.
[28:31] Continues to be a place where people can go and find information easily.
[28:34] and can be our repository for information about the district.
[28:39] Nice to you a quick question on that.
[28:40] Of course.
[28:42] So on the online portal.
[28:45] I noticed that they are still referring to results as preliminary.
[28:50] They are.
[28:50] Is that because they are preliminary?
[28:52] Yes.
[28:52] Because they didn't update them.
[28:54] And that's a very, that's a great and totally appropriate question,
[28:57] considering the source.
[28:59] But no, it is preliminary still.
[29:01] They're not going to release the information until
[29:03] the end of the month. So, Ben, I don't know why.
[29:07] I'm not going to release the information to, like, on district-wide scores or because, like, I logged in and I sell the scores for my kid, was that not supposed to happen?
[29:19] It's that it was permanent.
[29:20] Well, I guess you can.
[29:23] That's great news.
[29:25] Good.
[29:25] Well, it's blueberry, so it might change.
[29:26] Oh, good.
[29:27] All right, good.
[29:28] Yes.
[29:29] Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad.
[29:30] Hands on which kid we're talking about.
[29:31] There you go.
[29:32] Yeah, I did not realize that they had scores available in there.
[29:37] So, yeah, the scores.
[29:39] Did you see?
[29:39] Yeah.
[29:40] But it says underneath it, if you go back years, they show them the years prior.
[29:44] It would be great.
[29:45] And you can see a note say that they're final.
[29:47] I see.
[29:48] But then it says, you know, here's your score on the test,
[29:53] and then note that these are preliminary.
[29:55] Maybe because they haven't been released.
[29:57] Yes, the district score, the district of schools.
[30:00] This data is still embargoed. So that's why I didn't realize that the student individual scores have been released.
[30:06] Yeah. Yeah. There we go. There we go. All right.
[30:09] Whether they were meant to be or not.
[30:10] There's another question.
[30:11] There you are. Yes.
[30:14] And then a big one for us, ensuring the schools are safe, innovative, inclusive, you know, really excited
[30:20] to have a full-time SRO officer for counselors doing a fine job, although as we get to
[30:27] point three, he did not play softball for the schools, which is an unfortunate decision on his
[30:32] part, but he's doing this great time for your full-time.
[30:37] We're working with West and the rent of outlets to try to get a digital signboard in front
[30:43] of Delaney.
[30:43] It's been something I've wanted for 13 years, so I think that might actually be able
[30:47] to happen this year, really excited about that.
[30:50] We have to go out for a new bid on the bus contract, so this has been a great initiative for
[30:55] that I will work on that.
[30:58] And a system principal, a system principal,
[31:01] the principals that I will work together
[31:02] on trying to model a model.
[31:06] Support more positive,
[31:08] pros social behaviors on the school bus.
[31:10] So we've got some ideas that we've been thinking about,
[31:14] trying to make that happen, and we're excited for that.
[31:17] And we have to replace some outdated tech
[31:20] because of two years of budget freeze.
[31:24] We've had to slow that process down a little bit, so we're excited to get that back up to speed.
[31:33] So, though there's some of the key points of my goal to have any answer to question about any of those,
[31:37] or any of the other items that are listed there.
[31:39] Bless you.
[31:40] I have to say, it was a sad day when the digital board came off of your annual request to the committee.
[31:47] Yes.
[31:47] when we are not, I've been around for a long time.
[31:49] We're just back.
[31:51] We're just back.
[31:53] Yes.
[31:54] It's something.
[31:55] Persistence.
[31:56] Persistence.
[31:58] I'm sure.
[32:00] Mr. Donnelly asked to change the letters.
[32:03] So when we part.
[32:04] It is.
[32:05] It is.
[32:06] It is.
[32:08] This is terrific.
[32:09] Thank you for.
[32:10] It's clear that you've incorporated the committee's
[32:12] goals here and that you're working towards a lot of things that
[32:15] really, you know, surfaced in our meeting in August.
[32:17] So thank you for cooperating that feedback and providing some really useful
[32:23] I think outputs for us to move forward together on this.
[32:27] I'm excited about
[32:32] it.
[32:33] Would you vote to approve them?
[32:35] Oh, would you like to?
[32:37] I'm not going to make the motion.
[32:39] You have a motion I did last night.
[32:41] I will.
[32:41] I'll make a motion.
[32:43] I'll make a motion.
[32:44] I'll make a motion.
[32:45] Okay.
[32:45] There's a second to approve the superintendent's goals.
[32:48] Thank you.
[32:48] Any further discussion?
[32:52] Hearing none, the chair will seek unanimous consent to approve the superintendent's goals
[32:55] for 2627.
[32:58] The objection so moved.
[32:59] Great.
[32:59] Thank you.
[33:00] Thank you.
[33:02] Now, so I pledge your two invite up, Principal Martinez and Principal Maloney, to give
[33:08] their start of the school year reports.
[33:17] Oh, one thing, because we both have printed in my thoughts about this big, so that I can
[33:21] read it.
[33:22] Well, thank you.
[33:22] Thank you.
[33:23] Thank you.
[33:26] Good evening, Mr. Chair, members of the school committee, Dr. Cameron.
[33:30] Thank you for setting aside time for the two of us to talk about the opening of the
[33:35] 2026-2027 school year.
[33:38] As many of you know, we had a very busy summer here, and our custodians were hard at
[33:42] work throughout the summer, not only supporting the programs that we're here, but getting
[33:46] ready for the start of the year.
[33:47] So in addition to their dearly cleaning after extended school year, summer institute, summer
[33:51] basketball, kindergarten kickoff, and title one.
[33:55] They also were able to conduct deep cleaning, waxing of floors of cafeteria, hallways, et cetera, and getting rooms ready.
[34:02] They helped with our new carpet installation in third grade wing, which is very exciting.
[34:06] And also with helping to spread mulch on the Delaney playground, compliments of the PTO, so thank you for the PTO for that great donation.
[34:15] With all the programs going on throughout the summer, it's very tricky and Glenn and his crew to a great job of working collaboratively with all of us to get everything done.
[34:23] We want to give our greatest thanks to Glenn Lewis, Rob, Tim, Joe and Ben for all of their work this summer.
[34:30] We want to thank them for helping the teachers move their furniture, find some furniture, and do whatever they needed to do to help get their rooms ready for their students to arrive.
[34:41] Good evening.
[34:52] Good evening.
[34:54] 394 students in September of 2025 and 357 students in September of 2024.
[35:04] Grade 4 has 127 students from that average class size of 21.
[35:10] Grade 5 has 143 students with an average class size of 21.
[35:15] Grade 6 has 131 students with an average class size of 22.
[35:20] 13 students enrolled over the summer, and in the first few weeks of the school year,
[35:26] three and grade four, six and grade five and four and grade six.
[35:32] Okay, and in the delaney, we opened the year with an enrollment of 604 students.
[35:37] As compared to last year, we had 590 students, and in 2024, 6011 students.
[35:43] Right now, in preschool, we have 85 students, our three-year-old classes have an average size of 12, and our four-year-old
[35:51] class has an average class size of 15.
[35:54] Our kindergarten class has 126 students with an average size of 18 per class.
[36:00] Grade one has 140 students with an average class size of 20 per class.
[36:06] Grade two has 128 students with an average class size of 22.
[36:09] and grade three has 129 students with an average class size of 22.
[36:15] We had 22 students in rural over the summer and into September.
[36:20] We had 12 in kindergarten, two in grade one, seven in grade two,
[36:25] and one in grade three, and we've also had three students in rural sense,
[36:28] the starter school year, so one in K, one in first, and one in third.
[36:35] All right, the Delaney and Roderick School Mean Great was held on Wednesday, August 26.
[36:42] Students and families had an opportunity to meet their teachers and classroom friends in feedback from staff and families was very positive.
[36:50] The Roderick School curriculum night will be held, actually a couple of nights from tonight.
[36:54] On Thursday, September 17th from 530 to 8 o'clock, and the Delaney School curriculum night will be held next Thursday on September 24th from 530.
[37:05] both events are well attended, or hopefully will be well attended. By parents and other family members
[37:11] to learn about curriculum updates and events throughout the 2020-2026-2027 school.
[37:19] I know we talked about some of these at our last meeting, some of our programs, but it's worth repeating.
[37:23] Our kindergarten kickoff summer program was successful again this year thanks to the generosity of West and the PTO.
[37:30] We had over 95% of the students participate this summer, which really helped with getting back to school and with the transition to a successful start to kindergarten.
[37:40] The feedback from parents and staff was overwhelmingly positive again, and the students are reaping the benefits of this wonderful program.
[37:47] So thank you to West and the PTO again for their generosity and I will be reaching out to them again for next summer.
[37:53] I
[37:56] would like to welcome some new staff to the district and the Roderick School.
[38:01] Some new staff, we have Samantha Hinnett, who is our director of curriculum and instruction,
[38:06] Courtney Harrison, who is our assistant principal for both the Roderick and the Laney
[38:09] Schools, Abigail Varsheroni, who is our multi-lingual learner teacher.
[38:15] And the new staff of Roderick, who are hired from a competitive pool of qualified candidates,
[38:19] John Capaldi, paraprofessional, Vanessa Creador, ILC teacher, John Farrell, paraprofessional,
[38:28] Ian Jordan, Adjustment Counselor, Long-Term Substitute, Michelle Cleo, paraprofessional,
[38:34] Heather Lawyer, paraprofessional, Joyce McGee, paraprofessional, Lisa Murphy, ALC teacher,
[38:41] Megan Rees, Roger General Music, and McKenzie Wayland, SLC teacher.
[38:46] Like to also announce some change of positions, we have Shaylee Borten, who is an ABA tutor,
[38:53] Jim Cotter, who is a fifth grade teacher, Lori Ellis, now is our Roderick Math Specialist,
[38:59] Calvigotter, we'll be doing meeting coverage.
[39:02] Elizabeth Orlando is now our sixth grade special education teacher.
[39:06] Sarah Tracy is our Roderick Literacy Specialist, and Amanda Van Roone is our ABA tutor at
[39:12] the Rugger School.
[39:16] Okay, and we have had lots of changes to our deline stuff this summer between
[39:19] retirements, new hires, and changes in position. The new staff members hired at deliney from
[39:24] a competitive pool of candidate, excuse me, of qualified candidates include Janine Kisik,
[39:29] Suhu, who's our new secretary, Samantha Dittrich, our new nurse, Julia Katciola, a kindergarten
[39:36] Sarah Collins, Kindergarten Cara, Ali Brass, Kindergarten Cara, Isabella Freyone,
[39:43] preschool Cara, Catherine Cooney, Math Para slash third grade teacher, Sydney Horton,
[39:51] AVA Tutor, Sarah Cross, AVA Tutor, Kelly Ryan, AVA Tutor, Eileen Boyton, AVA Tutor, Rebecca
[40:00] Rose ABA Tudor, Jessica Havilland ABA Tudor, Emily Russell, third-grade para, and Caitlin
[40:07] Curly Food Service.
[40:10] We've also had a few changes in position for some of our staff members at Delaney.
[40:14] Julia Catalano is now a special education teacher.
[40:17] Selena's Ventola Special Education Teacher.
[40:21] Jen Rose and Grants is now a second grade teacher.
[40:24] Jen Burnier is now an ABA Tudor.
[40:27] Page Chism is now our Delaney Literacy Specialist and Jodie Fowls is now our Delaney Mass Specialist.
[40:36] All right, Ms. Voloni and I will be sending out a newsletter through Catapult Connect System at the beginning of each month.
[40:43] This newsletter will give information about upcoming events, classroom updates, in school-wide initiatives that both the Roger and Delaney Schools.
[40:51] We'll be sending out the monthly newsletter home doll families and we'll also post it to the WPS website,
[40:56] which will be a convenient reference to parents.
[41:00] Additionally, school-wide events will be posted to the WPS website, Instagram page, and Facebook page.
[41:09] And as always, we want to thank the families and staff for their cooperation in patients with our arrival in dismissal routines.
[41:15] The beginning of the year is always a little hectic, but by this week four, we are in a groove.
[41:20] Arrival in dismissal routines have been running smoothly.
[41:22] The procedures of routines have been organized and efficient, and our new full-time SRO
[41:27] John McAllister has been instrumental in helping to make a rival in dismissal safe and efficient.
[41:33] Ms. Harrison and our Data Specialist Chrissy Eaton worked collaboratively with the bus
[41:37] company over the summer to ensure that the roots are safe and comfortable for our students.
[41:44] And especially thanks to Ms. Harrison who walked in late in the game and was thrown right
[41:48] into this and she did a great job working with Chrissy and with Holmes to keep things running smoothly.
[41:52] So thank you to Courtney for that.
[41:57] Thank you.
[41:57] Thank you.
[41:58] We're not quite done yet.
[42:00] So we'd also take this opportunity to thank the administrative team for their support
[42:04] through the summer to prepare for a successful start to the school year.
[42:07] So from creating class list, scheduling to the daily operation of the buildings,
[42:12] a professional development for staff at the start of the school year,
[42:15] would like to thank Alan, Samantha, Sean, Ellen, Casey,
[42:19] Courtney Lisa Shannon and the WEA leadership for their hard work of the last few months.
[42:25] It was truly a team effort to create a successful start to the 2006-2007 school year.
[42:34] The thank you to our continues.
[42:35] We would like to thank the office staff and Glenn and the custodial staff.
[42:40] Our office, we would like to give our sincere thanks to Jill,
[42:43] Jeanine, Laurie and Laurie for their work over the summer.
[42:45] As is always the case, they were very busy throughout the summer
[42:48] from enrolling new students to working on schedules, to booking locations.
[42:53] They've really helped to make the start of the school year smooth and successful.
[42:57] And as we said, Glenn and his team worked tirelessly and we wouldn't have been able to do all of this without them.
[43:03] So, times it was a little touchy.
[43:05] I'm going to get close to the end, but we all pull together and did a great job to get ready for the kids.
[43:12] Okay.
[43:12] We would also like to thank the rent and PTO for their generosity and providing planners for the
[43:20] students and WPS string back facts for the kindergarten students. We want to thank the PTO for
[43:27] purchasing new playground equipment for both schools, which is always a fan favorite amongst
[43:32] our students and for purchasing mulch for the Delaney playground. Thank you to the PTO for
[43:37] providing the ice cream truck during the meeting greet and providing staff breakfast on the
[43:43] second day of school. All these efforts are much appreciated. We're excited to work with West
[43:48] throughout the 20,000, 20,000, 20,000, 20,000 school year
[43:51] to provide enrichment opportunities for all delaney
[43:53] and Roger's students.
[43:56] And the WPS School Council serves
[43:58] an advisory board to the principals,
[44:01] and will be developing the WPS School Improvement Plan
[44:04] over the next two years.
[44:06] The rent and PTO will hold an election this month
[44:09] to select two new parent representatives for the council.
[44:13] Through the school improvement plan,
[44:15] the council partners with the principals
[44:17] in the WPS Administration, providing valuable input on areas of strength and opportunities for growth.
[44:24] Members of the WPS School Council serve on a two-year term.
[44:28] We will be holding on election actually in two weeks, and our really our main priorities
[44:34] to send out our school needs survey in March.
[44:38] So thank you for allowing us the opportunity to highlight the exciting events that are underway
[44:42] at the Delaney in Rotterdam Schools.
[44:44] It's our honor to be here tonight to represent
[44:46] both the Rotterdam Delaney schools.
[44:48] And we're looking for a great looking
[44:50] forward to a great 2020-2027 school here.
[44:54] Thank you.
[44:58] Thank you.
[44:59] Thank you.
[45:00] Part of this loanee and Ms. Harrison for building leadership. It's been great to see the students coming back.
[45:08] And those three, in particular, as the building administrators do a very nice job of working with the students and with the teachers to make sure the students feel welcome to come back in.
[45:17] So it's been really nice to start the school year. And building on something that Dr. Maris Smith said about the summer work.
[45:25] So Glenn Gillespie, he is the facility's manager for both the town and for the district, and
[45:32] he's been here for 28 years, as an employee, he's also a graduate of both of the schools.
[45:39] He's a rent-thumb guy, and he told us on Thursday that he is leaving rent-thumb for a new
[45:46] job, and he's going to, he's last day with us will be out on October 9th, normally as you
[45:54] That I don't have to do is retirement because I would not be able to make it through although I did text him to watch
[46:00] So he's watching me now, so I still might get a little bit. My allergies might kick in as a
[46:06] Laura also less I but anyway
[46:08] Glenn is irreplaceable. He is he started here as a evening custodian
[46:15] became a custodial lead and then when we had an opportunity to restructure the contract during one of my first years here
[46:22] We created the facility's manager position for the districts and Glenn was the top candidate for that role in the Excel.
[46:29] When the town was looking for a shared position,
[46:34] I was fully endorsed Glenn for that role in Kevin Sweet and I Kevin told the degree.
[46:41] We created that new role for Glenn and he excelled in that too.
[46:46] He's a hard worker. He cares a lot. He's a genuine, nice person.
[46:52] He was one of the first people I've met when I came here and I think he really embodies the kind of the spirit of this community and is a true loss for us that he is leaving for a different job.
[47:07] But, you know, he's still, we still maintain those positive relationships and we'll still try to endeavor to carry on his spirit in his absence.
[47:15] So thank you Glenn for all the work you've done for us.
[47:21] And one of the things I learned about glad and early on is that he's terrible at softball.
[47:26] He played in the first, every year, we have a run in the public schools versus run in the police department charity softball game to benefit the
[47:38] of the Reath of the Educator Association Scholarship Fund,
[47:43] and over those years, the 13 years that I've been here,
[47:48] I think have been 14 games all together.
[47:52] It's some years are close to the others,
[47:55] but we don't often win.
[47:58] I mean, obviously, we do win because we raise money for the students,
[48:00] which is great, but in another more actual way,
[48:03] we do not win, the police win.
[48:07] This year, however, was a double win, because not only did rental public schools win the
[48:12] game.
[48:13] We also raised $5,000 for the rent-of-the-metch-cater's Association of Scholarship Fund.
[48:19] Yes.
[48:19] It was a great game, and I appreciate my colleagues coming out, Jim Moon, in particular, for
[48:26] an Adam Moon for leading the initiative, but also the police department for being good
[48:31] sports and coming out including retire police chief and current select board member chief Anderson
[48:37] who is the pitcher and it was just a great cheerleader for the whole game so thank you to
[48:42] the police to our but I am annoyed that officer for Calstair played for the police rather
[48:47] not because he's a good player so we could have used him well I guess we couldn't not this year
[48:52] did you like bring in new people or something we did we did us a new people yes we did
[48:57] people smart. We did. It was a good manager. Yes, exactly right. That's
[49:03] going. Yes. But it really, it all has to. It is so great to have a great
[49:07] relationship with the police department and there will come out and, you know, my
[49:11] colleagues coming out is just a great great night. So perfect. And I can please
[49:14] my report. Fantastic. Any questions for the superintendent on the report?
[49:21] Okay. Well, we may. Let's go into the subcommittee reports. Did the
[49:27] The science of committee meets the innocent last time.
[49:32] Policy, subcommittee, anything on the agenda
[49:36] come up that we've seen in the channel?
[49:38] This is just this case.
[49:38] This is the science.
[49:40] Negotiations.
[49:41] So we successfully negotiated the cost of living adjustment.
[49:46] It was very challenging to negotiate.
[49:47] But we got through it.
[49:51] And the negotiation, subcommittee,
[49:52] We will be active this year and considering potentially looking at the superintendents contract
[50:08] longer term.
[50:10] So we're a little bit more than halfway through once we get through this year and so we
[50:16] usually start thinking about that then so we'll want to start getting the parameters on that
[50:22] that committee will be working on understanding the pathway forward for that contract.
[50:30] KP?
[50:31] Yep.
[50:32] KP committee met last night.
[50:36] The meeting started off with committee recognizing a group of students for leading a nine,
[50:40] eleven members events.
[50:43] Their effort included writing notes for first responders across all three towns,
[50:49] in creating red, white and blue rock garden featuring names of some of the nine of them victims.
[50:55] These rocks we placed under the American flag on the turf field for this Friday's first home
[51:01] football game. We as committee approved the Martian Bands trip to New Jersey in November for
[51:09] the National Champions Competition. For a new business we voted to amend the 2027 budget to include
[51:17] the chapter 70 increase. We reviewed the budget calendar for the year and the school committee.
[51:24] We reviewed the school committee and superintendent goals. We reviewed both the policies that
[51:30] we spoke about earlier tonight and we will have a second reading from both of those at our next meeting,
[51:36] which is October 3. Very much. Legislative. So there's a lot of conversation about chapter 70,
[51:44] So it has been increasing, most of that revenue coming from the so-called millionaire
[51:50] certax that can only be used for transportation and education, surplus from that funding
[51:56] has been used to support additional fully funding the Student Opportunity Act and which
[52:03] has it also now included additional funding for chapter 70.
[52:06] So we have seen some modest increases, most of interestingly, most local elections are on
[52:14] state, there's reference to chapter 70 in both the House of Representatives and state senate races.
[52:22] So there's a lot of anger, feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it,
[52:27] and make a lot of this feel seen about how difficult that.
[52:30] So I'm really hoping that maybe with a new legislative session, we'll see some action around some permanent fixes to Jeff 70, but definitely excited that it's turning in the right direction.
[52:41] PTO met last night and I'm bailed the events for the year. I'll just give a few
[52:49] highlights here. The Panera fundraiser on 921 obviously we know about
[52:58] Roderick and Delaney curriculum night just to reiterate 917 for Roderick and 924
[53:03] for Delaney. And then we, let's see, we have the kindergarten first grade big recess on September
[53:16] 25th. And then October just as a few notes for early October since we were meeting a
[53:21] little bit in the middle of the month. On the second of October is custodian day. And then
[53:29] on the 5th of October is the PTO meeting
[53:31] and the teach supply event, then a Papa Geno's fundraiser.
[53:37] And the fund run is on the 23rd,
[53:39] and the trunker treat is on the 30th.
[53:41] So those are a few quick updates there.
[53:46] Pan, man, one thing was on the tree.
[53:48] This kind of exciting.
[53:49] So every year, KP student council had their own trunker treat.
[53:54] And they weren't getting that many students.
[53:58] kids to go. So our PTO, I think Betsy, reached out to the student council, and so now we are partnering with the KP student council, they're going to partner with us on our trucker trees.
[54:12] I think that's Megatermetry.
[54:14] Yeah, exactly.
[54:15] Yeah, I think we had maybe 10 or 12 years last year, but they go all out.
[54:19] Yeah, so it's going to be a huge plus for us having that level of kid energy at our event.
[54:25] Yeah, it was really great that BTO did that.
[54:27] Yeah, excellent.
[54:29] For MSPA, the committee continues to meet.
[54:32] So the hard work has now begun.
[54:33] Now the funding has been approved.
[54:35] Lots of action happening.
[54:37] So basically going from conceptual plans to actual design,
[54:41] which means specifically what goes where and each of the buildings.
[54:46] And so a lot of work being done with the user groups,
[54:50] meaning like, what are we really actually getting in there
[54:52] construction, what do the specialists need for providing services, how does everything
[54:58] going to lay out exactly in the way that it needs to look, which is really exciting.
[55:02] I'm also doing a lot of work outside, so understanding some of the borings, we've become
[55:08] experts in how much of a mound you need to create in order to fulfill to settle down eventually
[55:14] and what you say for people of plants, so a lot of work with wreck to make sure that we're
[55:22] And then also the sustainability subcommittee, which included, and was mostly Glenn, we are not going to have to figure that all out too.
[55:34] We're meeting tomorrow.
[55:36] Yeah, okay.
[55:37] We're meeting tomorrow, but he's leaving soon.
[55:40] And so not only just, I mean, you said everything he'd be said, but not only for all the things
[55:45] maintain the buildings, but also I don't think there was a more important person in that
[55:52] committee's work over the last couple of years of really understanding everything about the
[55:57] infrastructure here and what we need. I mean there's like a leaching field issue and he was like
[56:03] oh yeah 22 years ago we shut that valve off because of XYZ and it's like you know it was really
[56:09] I like that level of knowledge and information, so it's going to be very, very hard to replace him.
[56:16] So I'll add if he's hopefully not listening anymore, but thanks for all your work on that committee as well.
[56:22] And also looking at things like the planting structures and the runoff and drainage, because we have wetlands all around us.
[56:30] So native plantings and low cost maintenance, all that kind of stuff.
[56:34] So lots of work is still going on there.
[56:36] And our next meeting for the full committee is next Tuesday, which is virtual at 1030.
[56:44] And it will be posted in the bill one soon.
[56:46] I got that right, yeah.
[56:47] Yes, it's just 20 second.
[56:48] I'm sure you're right now.
[56:49] Thank you.
[56:50] Anything else for us today?
[56:53] No.
[56:53] Thank you, too.
[56:55] Dr. Mardis, and the Roger team, the teachers have been great, very, very generous with their
[57:02] It's a very involved process.
[57:05] School Safety and Security.
[57:08] Good minute.
[57:09] See back.
[57:11] No.
[57:11] Take test force?
[57:12] Well, this.
[57:14] No.
[57:15] But it looks like early November.
[57:17] We'll be kicking off it.
[57:18] And West?
[57:19] Yeah.
[57:20] So the first meeting is September 30th, 730 here.
[57:27] And West is you for an update this year on Spy Laws.
[57:29] they've begun working on that. This will not impact grant funding for this year so they'll
[57:34] still be lots of exciting grants coming from west this year and they're looking forward
[57:37] to another great year. So there'll be sharing more updates on that at the first meeting.
[57:42] What was that day of that meeting? September 30. Oh, okay yeah.
[57:45] I'm sorry, here.
[57:50] Are there any other announcements or comments from the committee?
[57:53] We're the superintendent of the evening. Hearing none, the chair looks at the motion to adjourn
[57:59] tonight's meeting. Motion by the screen. Is there a second?
[58:01] Second.
[58:03] Right.
[58:03] It's still a roll call.
[58:05] Any discussion on adjournment?
[58:07] Hearing none.
[58:08] Mr. Green.
[58:10] Mr. Fuller.
[58:12] Mr. Dredden.
[58:13] Hi.
[58:14] Mr. Green.
[58:14] Hi.
[58:15] And Jordan is yes.
[58:16] This meeting is adjourned.
[58:18] The next regular meeting of the school committee will be here at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13.
[58:23] 26.
[58:24] Thank you all for coming.
[58:26] Thank you.
[58:26] Thank you.
[58:26] Thank you.