School Committee - Grafton Public Schools - Regular Meeting

Good evening, Grafton, and welcome to the December 9th uh 2025 school committee meeting. Um we do have a member on uh Zoom, so we're going to do uh roll call attendance. Uh starting with uh Laura. Laura often here. Christy Kajinski here. Stella Valik is here. Rebecca Soo here. Leora Braum here. Okay, great. So, um with that, we'll uh open it up for public comment. Anybody online?

All right. Seeing none, we will jump right into general business and a technology update. Welcome, Marine. Christ.

So I think the committee is maybe met both individuals but just to make sure we've got two wonderful uh individuals [music] um in our tech department presenting tonight. Moren Mallaloy who is our technology coordinator and Christa Lebron is AI AI integration and digital learning specialist. And uh we're lucky to have them both. Great. Hi everyone. Thank much for having us get started.

As I said, these are our tech specialists. [laughter] A little nervous, but we're starting. [laughter]

Um, I just wanted to give a quick overview of what our technology department does and the individuals in the department. I'm sure a lot of times you hear their names or you might hear their titles but not know exactly what they do. So, this is a group picture we took over the summer. Um, and starting um with Jamie Cardinal in the back there in the in the tall with the pink shirt. Um, he's our data coordinator. He handles all things PowerP state reporting. They he does all our um state reports including SIM, EUMS, SSDR, CRDC. He verifies all the information, validates for errors and ensures compliance with DESIE. He serves as the primary administrator of P school. He works closely [music] with the building secretaries to make sure all the data is accurate. Um he maintains reports, does a lot of trainings, meets with them pretty regularly, usually monthly to make sure things are going well at P school. He also helps on boarding with staff. He helps me a lot with accounts, setting up new staff, disabling accounts, things like that. Um, the next in the picture is Paul. Paul's next to him in the green shirt there to his left. And Paul's our mobile device manager. And the high school students will probably recognize Paul. He works at the um help desk, the student help desk about nine hours a week. And he does all things iPads, math books, so think of him on anything mobile. He also works with the special ed department [music] with the HCC AHC devices. Um, and he just troubleshoots any type of issues with those devices, setting them up, inventorying them. And then we also have Patricia. She's here on the front row um all the way to the left. Patricia Montrell. She's our assistant mobile device manager. very similar role to Paul, but she handles

all things Chromebooks and she also um has a student help desk at the middle school six hours a week. So, she provides um all types of technical support for students and staff, [music] those that use combooks. Um then we have Jesse here in the back row in the blue shirt and Dan over on the right in the green shirt. They are both computer technology um systems coordinators and they handle all things uh projectors, copers, printers, um PA systems, the phone service, the network troubleshooting. They have a lot of cross training which is [music] great. There's two of them. Uh they also coordinate with vendors, um troubleshoot any tech issues. And then finally, we have Bal. She's in the front row here in the jean jacket and she's a part-time technical assistant. So, you'll see her sometimes in here. She comes in about two days a week and she helps me with all types of um POS. She's very wonderful invoicing, enters things into the radar system, and she helps with the device prep and deployment. [snorts] some of our summer it's I know it's December but um we didn't get to meet in October we were rescheduled so some of our uh summer device deployments and maintenance we had um we deployed 280 Chromebooks to our incoming sixth grade class we had three sessions we deployed 240 plus to our incoming 9th grade and new students we conducted eight sessions We collected all the Chromebooks from the outgoing eighth graders and the [music] gradu and the iPads from the 12th grade graduating class.

Um, [clears throat] we cleaned and updated all the Chromebooks in the classroom carts. Um, that's a lot. That's about 15 Chromebook carts. We follow the custodians as they clean and get the rooms back together. where we come in and do all the tech and that includes updating computers, cleaning the projectors, replacing the filters, getting the rooms back together. Um, we set up all the accounts and equipment for new faculty and staff. Um, and this year we relocated uh a couple copers over at [music] GMS. They just wanted to change positions uh was over this summer. Some other things that we do over the summer, it's a very busy time for us. We have to complete the power school rollover every year. [snorts] We roll Clever and all the applications associated with Clevver and we create badges for the students in [music] grades kindergarten to grade three. We also have to do some year-end reporting, finalize the state reporting, complete the end of year for SIMS, EPOMS, SSDR, EBT, and the student demographic updates. The earlier that year, we were supporting the MCCAST as part of our spring computer-based testing. Also over the summer, we supported the ESY and enrichment programs held over at the high school. We hosted two new hire tech sessions. So we have prior to starting any new employees has a couple opportunities to come in get their devices go over any key applications they need access to and get all their HR loginins and information

prior to starting. We also hosted seven power school schooly gradebook sessions and that's for staff getting their grade book in [music] P school and their schooly setup prior to school starting. A couple things new since the last time I was here. Um we implemented anonymous alerts at GHS and JMS. Um then within the tech department we started utilizing Fresh Desk and it's a ticketing system that we use internally for our um tickets that come in. Some major projects that have mostly been completed was the North Street modules that was a big undertaking to get the technology back in order over there. Um, we installed three new laser projectors. We finally were able to get the the PA system over at GMS upgraded and fully operational. Over the summer, we upgraded the phone system. We updated our print server. We upgraded our Wi-Fi, which I feel like is always ongoing, but it's very important to stay on top of that. We have installed additional cameras at the high school, including two Wi-Fi cameras in the lower parking lot. Uh ongoing projects again is the wireless access points. We replace them as they become outdated to make sure we're staying to keep the infrastructure up to date. The N Street School PA system just was completed last week. Um last Thursday we did all our troubleshooting Monday and they're very pleased over there. Very very happy. And

we also are in the process of restostalling [music] installing a fiber redundancy module. It'll just be a backup to our current module in case there's any type [music] of outage. Then under curriculum and instructional support, some of the key initiatives we're working on is the AI task force translation services. We've kind of gotten together and and met with Jen Manion, um Jamie, my data coordinator, Steve Wilshshire, um Christa, trying to figure out how we can better serve those who need translation is it whether it's documentation um online using our website. So, we're that's something that we've been working on since the summer, how to help better provide translation services. Um we're supporting Project Lead the Way. That's ongoing. Um we supported the PSAT exams this past October. It was um the 18th. We are helping with the STAR testing. We just started um meeting regarding power school scheduling and that's for next school year, but those meetings start now [music] and they'll continue all spring. Um we supported the re MCCAST retests that just happened in November. We have upcoming [music] we have the WIDA access testing for EL students in our spring MCCAST. That meeting will be held again those all start very soon and then ongoing with cyber security training. This is our tech plan that um is a link at the top that goes over um some of the initiatives going on, some of the infrastructure, the goals, and some

special projects [music] that are in here. Some of the um one one one part of the technology plan I like to highlight is our soundfield systems that we're installing across the district. This year we installed an additional five systems. Three at the middle school, one at North Grafton Elementary, and one at North Street School. That brings us to a total of top hats. The top cats you find installed up in the ceiling. The teachers wear a mic and they're synced and it just makes the audio a lot clearer in the room. And then the red cats are the mobile ones that students pardon um travel with because not all buildings are um suitable to have a top cat installed. And this just highlights our new ticketing system that we um we are using Fresh Desk and it just gives you an overview of the number of volume of tickets that have come in um in how they're resolved uh over the this was from August through October. Um so the total number of tickets unresolved that could be we're waiting for somebody to get back to us. there's something [music] out being repaired. Um, and one-touch tickets means those tickets were resolved within one to one reply. And [music] next, I'm going to turn it over to Christa. Sorry. Hello everyone. Um, thank you again for having us tonight. So, my name is Christa Lebrren. Um, my role is AI integration and digital learning specialist for the district. Um, I did do some math earlier. This is my 15th year in education. Um, so I am a certified educator. I have a 1 through six license as well instruction technology. Um, and so what I've done is I've spent 11 years in the classroom

prior to coming to Grafton. Um, this is my fourth year here and I'm loving my role. And so what I've done is I've taken that um, background knowledge of teaching in the classroom to then help support students and teachers with [music] technology integration. So again, jumping back to summer. Um just a few things that I've done run to just kind of help the school year start off um very smoothly for everyone. The first is presenting at seven iPad deployment sessions. I know Moren mentioned that in her slides. Um I'll go and I'll run those deployment sessions so that way students and [music] parents are ready to go with the iPads for the start of the school year. I also ran seven power school and school gradebook set of sessions for teachers. So teachers from 6th through [music] 12th grade use our LMS um schooly and so I ensure that their grade book set up and their courses are ready to go for the school year. So once they start adding grades um students grades are being calculated properly and able to be synced to power school also schooly training overview for new hires. So you know [music] as as teachers come to our district some have used school in the past some have not. So, it's really, you know, my job to kind of get their feet wet and get them familiar with Schooly so they can then use it with their courses, their classes. And we also met with teachers um one-on-one to address any technology integration issues [music] prior to the start of the school year. Um again, there's a lot of tools in Schooly itself and a lot of programs that integrate with. So, it's really my job to make sure that teachers know how to use all [music] of that. I also break down my support into different tiers for technology integration. Um I am a Google certified coach. So I've done the educator literature as well as completed the certified coach [music] training. Um tier one I call tech support tickets. So teachers who are sending in emails who have questions about technology integration um troubleshooting workflows any training or support or any other tech requests. Again I'm [music] looking

at that um inbox. from looking at fresh desk, our ticketing system to answer those questions and um support those requests. Tier two um I consider AI I consider smart goals um as part of that tier. And so I created a couple years back I created AI specific and technology specific smart goals. Um so it's part of the educator evaluation process. Teachers need to select a professional and a student learning goal each year. And so they can use these pre-approved goals. um we can customize them to their needs and then I support them all year with those goals. Third one for tier three [music] um again I'm a Google certified coach so there's a coaching cycle that I've been trained in um I will rule that out with teachers where we'll co-plan co-e and the overall goal is to increase [music] um student impactful technology use. So I do want to talk a little bit more about those smart goals. Um, I know these might be a little hard to see. Um, but again, these are the pre-approved goals that teachers can [music] select as part of their evaluation. Um, the AI goals are really um, a variety of goals. So, if there's teachers who are just beginning to use AI and kind of getting their feet wet with it, they have an [music] AI tools overview goal where I go and meet with them. We talk about some of the AI tools [music] they have access to and how to use them in their role. And then we dig a little bit deeper. Um, teaching [music] students how to use ARI responsibly. There's AI integrated into Google. Of course, we've got Gemini, Google Classroom sets. Um, and then even moving a little further, implementing AI with the flipped classroom model. So, those are just a few examples, but um, these are a list of goals they can choose from. And I've also created, um, custom AI goals for teachers as well. And then we've got our technology smart goals. And these are really aligned to the hardware and software that we're implementing at the district level. And so these allow teachers to use the technology that we have to their fullest

potential. And so you'll see um Schooly assessments. There's a few different Schooly goals there. Again, it's very robust LMS. So just kind of teaching um teachers how to use it in the the best way possible. And then we've got some other tools such as GoG Guardian, Apple Classroom that are used a lot at the from the sixth grade to the 12th grade levels. um student writing and Google Docs, adaptive reading supports, um clear touch panels, we've done a lot with that um where teachers have had those. We've added those into classrooms over the last few years. And so just teaching them how to use all these tools to the fullest potential so students gain the most from the each of the tools. Who doesn't love a good picture? So I can include a few here. Um snarkle examples. So, in the past, I have teamed up with a corky team at Milbury Street to teach the DLCF standards um with the computer teachers kind of taking over the PLTW lessons. That leaves a [music] little less time to cover those DLCS standards. Um so, we're doing more of that into the classroom. Um so, just going in and teaching these students. In this example, I taught Google Slides and Doc Skills just to help them um as they move forward in their in their journey. from the picture there at that B in the bottom. I teamed up with the GMS social studies teachers to complete a Google coaching cycle. Um they were kind of my guinea pigs for this. They were my first group to to do the coaching cycle once I was certified and they were great. We were able to use technology to complete research um you know teaching students how to identify reliable resources by vetting online websites. That was a really great lesson unit that we got to do together. And then lastly, you've got this boy at the Queer Touch Board. Um, I teamed up with grade one North Grafton teachers to plan ways to differentiate her advanced level math group using the clear touch panel. So, her issue was that [music] she had a group of students that had already mastered some of those first grade math standards and so she needed to then extend the content for those students and so we use interactive themes and activities on [music] the clear touch panel to meet their needs.

That was another example of the smart pool. All right, just a quick overview of the Google coaching cycle. So it is a five-step coaching cycle that's again used to improve student impactful technology use. And so you can see the five steps are here. The first one um we identify and understand challenges that teachers face in their classrooms. We investigate possible strategies and then select a personalized strategy in the tools that we'll be using to solve that um challenge. Fourth, we implement the strategy. We make any improvements. Um I'll meet with the teacher. I'll visit the her her his or her classroom and then we'll meet again to discuss any changes and make any tweaks and then we'll continue to implement that until we see a positive [music] change. And then lastly, we'll reflect on the experience and the outcomes. And we use this rubric that's here um to evaluate growth of students impactful technology years. And so we assess the students prior to the coding cycle. We implement that strategy and then we reassess at the end to show growth. for the more ticket data for you as well. So, here's my lovely pie chart. Um, again, this is that fall the summer to fall data from August into October. Um, so this is my personal data for my tickets. Um, 151 tickets resolved in that time frame. Uh, with, you know, the beginning of the year comes with that school G grading setup. So, you'll see that that's the largest portion here of this pie chart. Um, another [music] big piece that I do is the tech integration and training. again, how to use the hardware and software that we have available to us here in wrapped in um some website support, GoG Guardian support. So, a lot of that beginning of the year foundational [music] um support you see here. But as the year goes on, you'll see that little slice where it says coaching cycle goals. That will increase greatly as I meet with um teachers as they go through their benchmarks throughout [music] the school year. And then just a few um notes about AI

initiatives and some PD support that I've provided as well. Um I have ran I've run several AI professional development sessions for staff during PD days during staff meetings [music] and department meetings. Last year one example of um using AI was at GHS we were working on the NIASK alignment and so teachers needed to um align their curriculum with the UDL per um NIA asks uh requirements and so I used I showed them how to use AI to help support that process. And then I worked one-on-one with teachers to introduce AI tools, um, plan how they can be used to support them in their roles and plan lessons that can be used across content specific areas. And lastly, working alongside district administration on the AI task force, the plan district policy guidance for [music] teachers and student use. Um, as some of you may know, DESI rolled out the AI guidance this [music] past summer. So, we've been taking what we've had our draft and kind of aligning with what they have. who are kind of working towards um that district guidance as well.

Madam chair, before you go on, can I ask you a question when you get speaking of Desi? So, Desi also has the Desi AI um what is it? Literacy for educators that program. Are we utilizing that with our teachers as well? So, we haven't dug into it yet, but is something that we're exploring and we're we're starting to dig into that because that was again just released in August. So, yeah, I'm not going to be going dig. Yeah, we can offer like a certificate completion of it. Yes, exactly. Yeah. Any other questions at all for myself or Moren? The question, Laura? No. I have a few. Sure. That was first of all, great presentation. Very thorough. Um,

and you can imagine we're going to have a lot of like interest in um, you know, what's next, AI being a big piece of that, and you know, [music] there's excitement and there's fear and there's all kinds of things. So it would be really great um if you could so your example about the um working with the ghs faculty on um using AI to sort of meet UDL alignment. Um so what is can you tell us a little bit more about you know tools you used or how you know how kind of how that went?

Yeah sure. um you know as educators and as any professional field we're going to use our educator hats if you will um to kind of guide our processing here but we did use chat GBT and Gemini so just a general large language model um and we took this the curriculum that teachers were using or what they had already come up with um the previous school year um UDL is a framework that we [music] follow um and so they took that they took their curriculum the UDL framework and then the NEAS um the vision of a graduate that we And so we took all three of those and we pretty much asked chat GPT to align them. And so it kind of started the process of the correct wording and verbage that we needed to then you know [music] make it. So it was um it it met NEAS's requirement. So again it was a starting point. It didn't just do it all for us but it certainly um saved some time and allowed teachers to kind of get that ball rolling and get that finished up. So, how do you see sort of bringing those tools into the classroom in terms of helping kids learn how to use AI maybe to spark ideas or you know to get a brainstorm going but not to [music] write their papers, right? So, that's a great question. Um, so we have discussed at the district level the stoplight model. So, I don't know if anybody has [music] seen that in the past, but um teachers and curriculum departments can decide what it looks like in their specific content area. Um where you know, red meaning stop, you're not using AI for anything, yellow light meaning, you know, ask your teacher. These some of these um you know, tasks [music] can be completed with AI. And then green light is go ahead and use AI for this task. So, [music] um you know, we're really kind of starting to to get the kids feet wet with it. Um, I did work with a teacher at the high school and they were teaching um, she teaches a course on um,

course [snorts] habits of life. Habits of mind or something like that. [music] Um, but she Yeah. Yeah.

Habits for success. Yeah, I think is what it's called. That's it. Um, and so she teaches kids like how to make a study guide using AI using all their notes. So they can attach all their notes and then it can create a study guide. It can create a quiz. Um there are tools like notebook LLM. Um it will actually create an entire podcast which is really quite amazing. So it has these two people talking about the information that you've input. Um so just kind of using teaching kids how to use it in a respectful responsible way where it's not doing the work for them but rather supporting their learning. And do you envision as a district there are tools we're going to want to look at over time to you know standardize across the district in terms of how we're using of what we're using for AI in the classroom. We believe that's coming. Yep. That's part of the task force. First I wanted to get some guidelines and then we want to investigate tools. That's our next next initiative on the potent. [music] Awesome. Who's on the task force? this item if you can.

Um, cruise rep. It's uh Jen Manion, Tracy, Chrisar, Christine Martellia. Awesome. Okay, thanks. Anyone have anything else? Yeah. And in relation to the AI [music] with the tools that we're using? So, no mainstream AI right now really aderes to Kofa as in all privacy is kind of out the window, right? So are we ensuring that children in elementary schools are not using AI because they wouldn't meet that 13-year age requirement? A Gemini was Gemini Google Gemini does.

Okay. Um we are getting are create we have created a data data dashboard for AI tools. Um where we go through we're still working on it. It's not complete yet, but we're going through the tools and [music] explaining exactly what the age restriction is and exactly what that tool does. Again, that's part [music] of our task force, too.

And I guess at the middle school and high school level, like are [music] there appropriate tools that they can use for certain assignments? like a is there like a specific name of like an AI resource other than like Gemini or [music] um I don't know what she said um that that they can use for certain assignments. Um I would say Gemini um we do encourage Gemini just because it's a safe so it doesn't a lot of large language models use the data you input to train their models. Gemini for education does not. So we I really try and push for [music] that because it's the safest option for kids to use. Um, you know, there are a lot of meat options as well that we're starting cook

because I mean we even saw with this almost snow day that they said that Milbury Street was closed but it was clearly open and well that's part of what we're teaching people how to critically look at because so much of it can be made and be wrong. Yeah. Great lesson actually. Right. That's part of the learning is to differentiate when when information [music] is gone. Great. Thank you both. Really a lot of work went into the presentation. We appreciate it. Yeah. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Can everybody post it?

The moment we've all been waiting [laughter] for, but I'm really excited. It's not that I'm There are people that aren't very excited cuz I I'm 66 delion.

[clears throat]

All right, [cough] here we are. Um, we Kathleen and I are going to just run through a few slides, give basically an overview, a big picture review of where we stand with the between submit budgets. Um, obviously as usual, ask questions throughout. [music] Um we're going to be touching on the summary of the approach that we've been taking and with all of this obviously this is our best thinking but [music] the committee can with us push us in a different direction if you choose. Uh so talk [music] about the approach just explain what a level service budget is and what that means for us talk about the three central cost drivers for FY27. uh a quick look ahead and begin [music] talking uh in a very basic sense about a reduction budget. So what we are going to or what we are recommending is that we end up we're going to create two budgets. Uh I think we did this I know we did the same bit last year um where we'll have that level service budget which I'll talk about more in a [music] second but maintain try to maintain the current level of service and programs that are provided in FY26 and then we'll also at the same time be uh producing a reduction budget where once we know the deficit and there [music] will definitely be a significant deficit between what we anticipate for funding and what we think we need to have that level of service. Um a reduction budget, decrease the level of services, programming and people um to get to that number, whatever that is.

Jay, can we for folks listening or watching later, can we clarify that last year we did indeed proceed with a reduction budget. It wasn't a huge I mean it was a reduction. slide that they that I just want everyone to remember that that's all. Yep. Uh steer in case anyone forgot.

As I just mentioned, a lot of people don't understand the liberal service budget. They think it's the exact same amount of money. That's not the case. We have uh [music] increased the costs, staffing, materials, etc. But a level service budget is intended to [music] maintain that operational status. But more or less what was experienced last year or this year would be experienced the next year. Um so when we look at a level service budget, the one that we're putting before you in this preliminary draft is is really bare bones. Um and it's made up almost entirely of three factors that I'll talk about with the with one exception. We are not in what's [music] being put forward tonight in the preliminary budget. We're not bringing any of those reductions that [music] Leora just talked about back from last year with one exception. So, we made non-personnel reductions and [snorts] oh uh the non-personnel reductions a little over $162,000 and $447,000 in personnel reductions. Um, so a curriculum coordinator, two curriculum coordinators, a maintenance position, a math intervention teacher, a technology position, the HR director position, half the time preschool. Um, so we we put it under like if we could bring one position back, it would be that HR director. We'd probably pay a little less, have the scope be a little more limited, and have it be a a coordinator position. But 1.0, I know and as a placeholder [music] we we put in 123,000 for that position. Uh there's a very very good chance that needs are going to come up between now and the end of the year that are going to trump that need.

Um so we're putting it there as a placeholder, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was extra paras or two teachers or whatever [music] it might be. Um, but we're making it work, but it's been uh exceedingly challenging. It's just not best practice not [music] having an HR specialist. Do we know J? Do we know? Are we relatively confident with the number of preschool teachers we have versus what we think is coming in? Okay. Yeah, we do. Yes. Clark. No, no, no. Fire away.

Oh, I'm sorry. Um, so the 123 though, it used to be 140 for the HR director. You're you you're saying our needs would be going up, but you'd be reducing that position to be a coordinator as opposed to a full director as you had before.

Well, you lost me on that. But we put it the the director, somebody who's making more money is going to be doing just more things. Um, so if if we can if we have 123,000, [music] we'd make that a human resources coordinator, possibly a shorter schedule. Um, maybe not the entire year, but they won't be doing anything [music] more than that focus on human resources.

So, I guess my question is why wouldn't you want back the HR director position? Um, we we could um if we could get that piece, I think that would be great. My gut tells me we won't even get the coordinating part. Um, but if you guys want me to have a director and pay more and it makes my life easier, that that's great. But we Frank and I are doing this job not particularly well, but we're doing it day in day out. It was the assumption of the board last year that you would be bringing back an HR director if I'm [music] not mistaken. I mean, I think we all hoped.

Yeah. For that, but we're again facing a devastating def deficit. Certainly add to it. The point being is if you're going to create two budgets, why wouldn't one of them

be what your needs are? Well, and that's going to go to the next slide because in part of that feedback that we're looking from the committee via tonight or in the next few months, we we have five months, but let's not wait till month four. Um, we don't have any change slides. There we go. Um, these were the positions requested for the coming year. Um, I think our SAP does our leadership team does an exceptional job. When I first started, I'd say, [music] you know, put down what you want. Everybody would put down everything under the sun. And that was great. I didn't qualify. But over the years, as financial realities have just become a a way of life, they they tend to put uh things that would make us better, and they'll tell us if they just absolutely have to have it. No questions asked. None of those meet this. None of the ones the five listing [music] were we just have to have them. Uh but they'd love to have them and I did not build them into the budget.

So So there could come a time there's a choice between human resource and and [clears throat] one of these. Yeah.

Yeah. the probably the greatest odds would be around special, especially like where we've just been having uh an increase in moveins, but that student that isn't out of district [music] that's in district that needs a full-time nurse, whatever it might be. Uh and things could break the other way where we have kids move out or things change, [music] but that doesn't seem to happen a lot. U so over time that the committee might want to add to it or put things in that would make us even better or stronger. I'm okay with that. [music] It's a little hard given that it's challenging that like publicly uh the town administrator is yet to share the forecast not only for 27 but the following four years. I think that's going to be shared tomorrow. Um but obviously Kathleen and I have seen drafts of it and we have assessed some of the the significance of that deficit. Uh so we didn't build it in but we certainly could the central cost drivers uh three um it's primarily three things uh salaries we have almost 500 staff members um cost of living adjustments for a two of the bargaining units have steps and lanes uh that's essentially with [music] the that one exception of the HR or thing. Um, that's looking at the staff that we have [music] right now going to contractual increases for next year out of district tuitions in special education. Uh, in previous presentations, we we've gone over just the high cost of that. It's not anybody's fault. I'll touch on it [music] in a second. We still have a little under 1% of our population going out of the district. We [music] have great internal programming. Uh, we had four students move in between the spring

and summer. Uh again, well, that's glad they're here. Those four students that most likely won't ever actually enter physically our schools. They're all out of district placements. Uh they moved in at the end of last year, so we didn't have to those salaries. If it's during the year, we don't pick them up until the following year. So, FY27 [music] for us is the next year. Um and we pick up all the transportation costs. So almost all of that is with moveins increase of 880 880,231. Um the only other addition that I've touched on now a few times is that HR or [music] other needs and again that flexer 123.

Dr. Cummings. Yes. Why don't we include athletic transportation in that transportation? That would be a wonderful question for our fendings. Correct. Transportation. It's all together. Uh, no it's not. It's under DHS activities. Oh, I'm sorry. It was a crystal wire. [music] Why go Why don't we Yeah. Why isn't it considered part of transportation? It just wasn't broken out that way. And Okay. See that in the detail, right? I see it. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's why I'm asking why it's not part of it. How can I ask why? Because because why aren't all transportation items as the cost center as that one cost center?

But I guess it's a different kind of transportation. It's not getting kids to school. Okay. But it's $183,000 that we spend on it. So I I would I'm just it's just a question as to why it's not part of it. You can still see it. It's not flumping. Okay. What we're trying Yeah. the special education like a yellow bots contracts.

Okay. I just touched on this that this slide you've seen before just gives an overview of that that as of October 1st having 34 students placed um the out of district private or collaborative settings but just under 1%. So this is a little confusing but I think it's borderline brilliant. Uh this kind of sets kind of give some I think or I hope gives some perspective as to where we are in FY27. Um so we had the second of our two operational overrides [music] with capacity being increased thanks to the generosity of the town. Fantastic. That capacity was exhausted the end of FY24. And you could say, somebody not doing this all the time could say, "Well, we we've had some reductions, but we haven't had massive cuts, massive layoffs, and it's been two years since we haven't [music] had an override." Well, as all of you know, the the reason for that is we backfilled that gap both FY25 and FY26. So you may recall in FY25 we spent over a million dollars in spending [music] out our revolver accounts primarily school choice that's our biggest one but every little thing that we had we spent it out just to get through the year with as you know internal optimist maybe next year we either have an override or the state changes the formula or something and sure enough FY26 that didn't happen. Uh so [music] we did combination of three things. We spent out our circuit breaker funds. So we should always have a year's worth of circuit breaker about that [music] in reserve. Um we spent that out. We reduced I should change the number so it's more accurate but 447 I think

thousand dollars over 400,000 in staff reductions and we created 200,000 in revenue generation. We're actually a little over that [music] which has been great but we kept a program that we were going to sunset at the high school. We kept it in place brought students [music] in uh allowed us to retain staff and to bring in money. Uh so that got us to the the 1.6 million needed to again stay stable if you will. That brings us to FY27 where we have zero as you know we have well close to zero um in circuit breaker carryover in FY27 and we have money coming in for our res revolvers but we no longer have reserves. And so my little write up I talked about like we're out of rabbits to pull from the hat at this point. It's going to it's that reduction has got to be it's going to be personnel and programming whatever it is uh largely um and this is just a different way of looking at it. So, we've obviously spent out reserves. Uh we are still going to be a minimum aid district. We'll receive somewhere between 30 and at most $150 per student um as a minimum paid district uh as assuming there are no significant funding changes coming down the pike very [music] quickly. And then we are going to continue developing that level service budget. Can take your feedback obviously tonight or as we go forward. Um our thinking was probably every Friday. We picked a day yet, but we're going to update the book uh not only to you but online uh with any changes we make during [music] the

week to both the budgets. And then our next big step is defining that deficit or that gap. Um and again my I talked to Evan today and I think as soon as tomorrow they're going to be ready to share the uh that forecast about that and then obviously we've got to focus on filling and reduction budget once we have that number. We can take any questions back then. Um I have a question about the regular transportation contract. Is that number solid or is that our assumption? Okay, cool.

No, it's solid. We're in year two. Right. So, we're we're going for what three and then we have two additional year after that. The first was the 11% or 12, right? That's what I was just like not be 6%. Yeah. Okay. The big deal. Thank you. Go ahead.

Hi. So, Dr. Cummings, I have a concern regarding the method for which we're budgeting because back in the fall, you had said that we'd going to be using the actual budgeting method as as Evan [music] had stated to be using, but when I look at the salaries, it's clearly being done by an incremental budgeting method, which is um more of a criticized method of budgeting. like you can see it because you're you're taking the the budget from FY26 and and adding flat percentages onto it to create the FY27. And by using that method, we're not accounting for contractual changes such as the principal's salaries didn't get changed. Your salary didn't get changed. Frank's salary didn't get changed. Any any position that has been left or steps and lanes changes. I'm wondering why you're using the incremental method and not the actual method.

No, it look the non salary is what we use the performance based. We can't use that method for salary contractual. So when I was talking about performance based is that what I don't understand why we couldn't use that method. I mean by this when we're looking at this for instance it looks like teachers are getting a 6% increase. Uhhuh. They're getting a 6% increase from last year to this year. On average, you have to keep 7 million. Sure. Yes. But it's not really on average. I mean, you can figure it out. I mean, when I used to do this for a living, I mean, we used to figure out each individual salary. Just have to add that you're building a budget for next year, [music] right? But we know, for instance, the superintendent salary for next year.

Yeah. That number is not correct in here. I know the principal salaries for next year. Those numbers are not correct because what's being done is you're using the the the base budget and adding a percentage instead of so you're looking for more like go through it individually. Yeah. Probably a difference we should do which is I mean it would make a difference because teachers have left I mean the you're basing a budget off of a previous budget. So you're basing a budget off of a guess. Why wouldn't you do a compounding rate over the actuals from FY25? Why?

No. That's what we are taking their salary any contractual whatever it per means but it's it's clearly an incremental based okay and that's not the method that you stated that you'd be using okay okay I mean it it's a highly criticized method because it leaves holes Yeah, we we can definitely I'm not sure I agree either, but we we can we're happy to take a look at that. That would have been a fantastic email to send.

Yeah, I I'm I mean it's a major thing for the whole board though to understand. Yeah, but I think incremental versus actual based budgeting. Okay. Except again I think [music] like that level of detail that's not a detailed question. I disagree. It's on the entire method for which it's being presented. That's a that's a huge but is being the like for them to ask questions about their entire method.

Yes. It's for the whole board to understand so we all have equal access to this information. Yes, we should all be understanding the method for which is being used. If you don't agree with that, I don't understand why that the whole board shouldn't understand the methods for which being used to create that understand. It's our job to understand the methods. My point is for the for it's a level of detail for a first round of the budget that I think is confusing to a lot of people. If the method is incorrect and we choose to go it's incorrect. It's a highly criticized method

by the accounting boards by most people who do budgets would not do an incremental based budget for salaries. It's very highly because of like I just said, it's not accounting for contract changes. It's not accounting if teachers leave, if teachers get added. Let's say because because you should know, you know your payroll, but you know your payroll. Whoa. Whoa. Madam Chair, point of order. Yeah. What is going on? Yeah. It's way different watching from uh from Florida, I tell you. Imagine that. And this is my concern. First of all, how do we know today who's leaving in May? I mean you're you're talking about

the perhaps in a in the corporate world this is a highly discredited educational financing is completely different from corporate financing. I worked in educational finance madam chair and madam chair [snorts] you you don't know that's correct but we didn't know last year when we created the FY26 budget who was going to be here and people but now we're basing our budget off of that. That's what we're basing it off of. What would you base it off of? Of the actuals, off of what people are actually making and then using a compounded rate of cola and steps and lanes changes. That's what I would base it off of. I wouldn't base it off of a guess that I made last year. Okay. I don't I didn't read it that we're based on a guess. We have more than two weeks.

I'm happy to sit with you, Dr. Cummings, as I've stated. Thank you. And Kaitlyn should sit down. It's this is a over a large over thing for the entire board to understand. I'm excited. Work it out on a small group and bring it to the board and but madam chair this is a strategic a large strategic thing that you and I will meet with [music] Kathleen and then we will bring it to the entire board because I want to understand it. It's clearly important. Sure. Any other questions? Madam chair. Yeah.

Hi. Thanks. So I think for me what what is important um when we talk about it is the story. So that's where I always go back down to um and I do think u when we talk about p cost drivers and um the difference it is I think there there was a slide you could go back with like the salaries and the steps and lanes and everything. Um, yeah, thank you. Is just I think that's a really important thing to really kind of talk about and it's something that people can really understand when we're trying to go out and really stress that our salary increases. Um, it's it's not a grafted increase, right? Like this is happens in all school districts. So when people who come like myself, I'm in the corporate world, we don't have this kind of salary. We don't have steps and lengths. We don't have that kind of thing. So it it's always a little confusing sometimes when we're talking about it like why can't you just do a pay freeze or why can't you do this? So you can't do those types of things because we have contracts and this is also what you get when you get to be an educator. That's part of the role. So, I guess more of mine is more of a comment, but just thinking about when we're telling the story and how important it is to kind of circle back to that.

That's all. Totally understood. Makes a lot of sense.

Well, be yours. I'm just so I mean, sort of big picture here. I know this is obviously very preliminary, but we're looking at about $3 [music] million. Is that right? Um, okay. That's the last one we were looking at last year. Madam Chair, I know that it comes from a separate, but we're also probably going to be looking at like insurance rates, too, which isn't captured here, right? Not so I don't I'd be cautious, Rebecca, about throwing out a number right now. Okay. Yep. That's fair.

Yep. Agreed. [clears throat] Also, sort of going back to I mean I don't know if we want to decide this or not or if we want to have more conversation about it, but going back to what Christy was saying about the HR director, it's like I feel like we should have an HR director. Like I and I don't feel like that small amount of money, even though it's probably going to get sucked up somewhere else anyway, I I feel like and we [music] should we should also have a million dollars for curriculum. And I mean, [laughter] yeah, this is a level service budget. This is not, you know, nice to haves at this point. But I don't disagree with you. The difference between 140,000

and [music] 120,000. But I'm afraid we're not even going to be able to use any of it because there will be other needs that we haven't anticipated because there's a lot you can't anticipate in December for a budget that's going to be completed [music] in May. Yep. But point well taken. I'm not arguing against Gal. I just am feeling realistic at the moment. Is there a certain way that you can um outsource some of like the smaller tasks for an HR like coordinator and then keep them for some of the larger tasks like use like a service that we all kind of see on the problem probably. No. Okay.

I took it. Could it be a shared service with the town? We looked at that. I don't think so. A lot of people believe that they take that. Technology is the other big one that comes up. Part of the I mean you could hire somebody and then look to share the services and maybe what's produced in terms of collective services is stronger. We just have so many more staff. Putting that even with a little help on that department, they'd just be crushed. It's It's a ton.

Yeah. Uh I did talk to Evan about that and tech a few times. We've talked about it this year. Are there any anticipated um retirements or that we won't backfill because of the nature of what they are? that we've actually right as of now we have two I don't know if the public but two general education teachers uh we'll probably go through the process of looking at like the retirement incentive but

it does it we did that we looked at it years ago maybe a decade ago and that just the fact that between in the town the town is offer we offer two different builtin incentives uh for for teachers then that's within their contract but a principal somebody like that is qualified for incentive already you'd have to go so far above and be yeah it's not really invested but we're going to look at it okay we have a lot of people works to reach anyone with anything Well, yeah. Well, I just want to point out that that's why it needs to be actual based because when retirements happen and we've already budgeted for them two years ago that that person's staying,

then you're adding on top of that salary of a person who has left. I'll go over that separately offline and bring it back. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Kathleen, sir. Appreciate you. Unless you want to hang out because it's so fun here. Thank you. All right. Next year's school calendar, the equally anticipated.

All right. So, this calendar thankfully is kind of old by the school committee. Um, what I try to do is or I do is create a draft uh to put before you just to kind of get the process started. We've put it as a draft today. you can bring it back next meeting or meeting after and you can like last year I think we changed a couple things maybe around Hamilton or something. Uh but prepaid feedback I'll make the changes uh and go from there. When I look at 2627 it's about as straightforward as [music] I can remember. Uh November 3rd is an election day and that [music] was requested to consider having it off anyhow. we would tie that with parent conference day. That seems to make sense to me.

If we the the last day without [music] any snow days, it was June 11th. Um and I'd encourage everybody to just count [music] the days. I've done it about 20 times, but I could use 21 times. Uh if we had a bunch of snow days, that Junth falls on Saturday. So if [music] you recognize, we'd have the day off on Friday, June 18th. Um, and here is just a screenshot of it. I kept the early release days. Same number, same basic setup. Everything was pretty much just moves forward. Um, I couldn't think of anything particularly tricky about it. Comments

just with Labor Day being later next year, it's Yeah. always been that first week and [music] it's the second week now which is fine. Yeah, it's funny. I think making it giving an extra week of summer just sends the whole calendar off late June is we're assume we're going to have a snow day that pushes us the week of the 14th and that's only a 4 day week. So we have five days even as it stands now we'd have to come back [music] 21st that week.

Yeah. And then if you already have a week tagged on, we got to by the end of June have to be. You're actually allowed to go into July, but that was a payroll and that's fal side of things. That would be a nightmare.

Nothing. No, it's probably not. So if it does my plan I mean I'll talk to Leora but I assume we'll bring it back for we'll bring it back for a vote a vote. So we've got some time in there but if you do have a thought or have a chance to look through it and see something please let [music] me know. Yep. Yeah. Anybody have anything? No, that was just the only thing that point was the like lateness of Labor Day. Yeah. Just it's a weird one. Okay. Student representative report. All right.

Okay. Um, can you have Grafton celebrates the holidays? Uh, it was a success and then the Grafton students were volunteering via the body. Um, winter sports started up with triyouts ending this last week. Um, and student council has been hosting a winter clothing drive ending this Friday accepting gently worn jackets, pants, and sweatshirts at the Olympic and high school. And a dance it up and great Might as well. Yes, that's all. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you, Go. Have a great break. Which will be here before we know it.

All right. Future agenda. Does anyone notice anything missing or off? I see the promising practices are coming back next meeting, but we still haven't gotten the minutes from that meeting in July. We had said we would look at those prior to the next I'm at plus brought back. Yep. I was going to ask what the promising practices were. So now you've helped me understand what that is. I don't understand what you're saying. I'm sure I'm I have all the notes from our um workshop we did with um MC. Is that what Wait,

is that what we were talking about? I thought that's what that was. No, I was But okay, now again I was Oh, that's what [laughter] is Oh, okay. practices is an annual event [music] uh put on by the Blackstone Valley Educational Consortium and one staff member from each of the district recognized for fantastic practice. And so they're going to we'll do a presentation, they'll have an award, whatever. I'd love to have that staff member here, of course. Yes. Here if available, but it hasn't I don't think it's public yet. Okay. Um, but uh next week it the ball really gets a rolling. So that's what that is.

Oh, great. I thought it was because I didn't know I'm like what is that other like it must be that I was like no I don't think we out that. Okay. Uh Madam Chair, while we're looking at the agendas, do we have another meeting with the high school for the student advisor? Yes, we're trying to get that done. I may not happen in December. I know it's supposed to, but it just may not given December. So, it will have to be early in January. But yes, we're working to do that. We're going to have a lunch then. Maybe not during a week. There's a half day or I [laughter] know. We'll do the best we can. Yeah. But yes, if possible,

it's definitely We're working to schedule it. Thank you, Christie. Um, we've got special education on here. All right. Yeah, I didn't see anything missing. All right, great. We'll get to it when we get to policy, but we talked about [music] um Chrissy very kindly put together a list of the policies that we need to look at annually. So eventually those will need to be will they just be distributed basically across the No, however you guys want. No, it's gonna Yeah, we'll talk to Can we talk about when we get 100%. Um, just can I

uh we do have some minutes to approve, madame chair. Yes. I'd like um Oh, why am I blanking to vote on the minutes to approve the minutes? I'd like to make a motion. Motion to approve the minutes from November 18th, 2025. Second. All right, we'll need a roll call vote. Starting with our colleague on Zoom, Laura Austin. I Christy Kashinski. I Stella Rollikas. Ibec I Leora Braum. Bye. All right. Thank you. Um, anyone have any questions on the warrants that were in the drive? Okay. And here are the excellent. So, all right. Policy.

Policy. Uh, we've brought the we're looking at a couple policies tonight. The first policy is IKFE. [music] That's competency determination. We've looked at this policy once before. The only reason that we're bringing it back is Ms. Kao has suggested that we add a section for students with IES. Nothing else to this policy has changed. I can read what it says. Students with IEPs. For students with IEPs, diploma eligibility will be reviewed annually through the IEP process. The IEP team will consider the students course of study progress towards graduation requirements and any necessary accommodations, modifications, or alternative pathways. This has been, as I said, the recommendation of the high school principal to be added. Um, did you guys write this language?

She wrote the language. You wrote the language. Okay. I think it came from state. It was handed to the policy subcommittee. Were you going to praise the language? Because if you were, then yes, we wrote it. But [laughter] I'm just really happy to see it there. It was one of the things that worried me about the policy all along. So the acknowledgement that you know IEPs are individual education plans and so there will be an individualized path for people when it's appropriate. It just I'm just happy to see it.

Okay. So we would like to recommend that this be done on a single read because we've already brought this before the committee and the only change is that one. If if anybody has issue with that we can make it into two reads. If not, I'd like to make a motion to approve policy IKFE competency determination as written in front of you. Second. Second. All right. Motion made and seconded. Any discussion, question. Okay. Roll call vote starting with Laura. I Christy Kajjinski. I Stella Valis I. Rebecca Soko. I

Leora Braum I. So on this the next policy um to kind of give you a little bit of history as to why this one is coming. We all the policies that we've done are now in the policy book. I audited the entire policy book yet again and this [music] one had gotten missed. So we're bringing it to the committee. It was an MASC policy. I know why it was missed but it still should have been brought to us. It's [music] a K policy KF-R community use of school facilities. This will take two two reads. It's an MASC policy. Um, anything? So, this is straight up. Yeah. Like the super,

right? And Dr. Cummings had agreed with this and there's nothing wonky or weird with it? No. No. Can I ask a question? Um, isn't smoking not allowed on any school facility like on them? Anyway, like it's right. It's It says not within the building. I just that's my that was my only Yeah. It's like within feet, right? It's like you can't be on school property and smoking. That was my only kind of like Yeah. I mean, we could change it, I guess, if you want, but I mean I don't know that that was my only playing the smoking school. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I didn't think that was weird. You're still in the signs, right? 70s still up, right?

It's not in the 70s. There used to be smoking in the high school when I went to high school in the 90s. Well, I was in the 2000s, but there was there was they allowed smoking at the at the high school inside at at on the courtyard at the high school. The old high school in my high school smoking lounges where you could knock inside. Oh, that's right. There were for the teachers. No, no. I was a boarding school. I was okay. In the dorms and in um I was like in the teachers the kids building. Wow. [laughter]

Um the other thing that number 10 in situations where there is no cost factor, you know, I worry about going there with saying like, oh, in some cases we might not charge. It's fair because I could see somebody saying, "Well, you know, we don't need your custodian or we don't need so it shouldn't cost you anything, right? So, don't charge us." Our wear and tear use is always there is always a cost factor. I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking, but it's is that like a barter system? Intentions around cost and I don't know.

If you want, we don't even need to have this [music] policy honestly. Like I'm not married to this policy. This is just an MASC policy that we had missed had that we that that NASC had recommended and we didn't even consider it when we were going through everything. It's cross reference with another policy, but I can change out the cross reference. What's a cross? I don't know off the top of my head. It's referred to in another policy. Oh, okay. Yeah. I mean, we also got rid of most of our Rs when we could, which is probably why we didn't review it to begin with. It doesn't matter. We don't have to take the policy. I really I don't Yeah. Okay. Fine. So, good.

Okay. I'll find the policy that it's cross referenced. I'm just going to delete it if everybody's okay with that. Okay. Which is great. So, thanks Christie. In regards to the policy book now, once this competency determination is is in We need to vote on that. We did on deleting that one. Oh, no. Because we didn't add it. We've never added it. It's never been there.

Thank you. Uh, so once this is done, our book will be 100% up to date. I would like to recommend, and I think Laura would be on board with it, although we haven't really talked about it, is that now that once the book is 100% done at this point, that it be distributed to all staff, whether it even just be in your newsletter, Dr. Cummings, or something, that all staff is aware that this book is fully updated and these are our policies. Dr. Cummings. Um, you want that shared like in a news even in your newsletter. Yeah. That this you know public. Yeah. Yeah. Just to share the link, but this is you know that it's fully updated. I didn't do that.

Thank [music] you. And then I went through all the policies. I had done this last year um for Dr. Cummings in regards to the the policies needed for the handbooks. So all the policies that I've listed are those that would be needed in a handbook. I've denoted whether it's the student handbook or student and staff. Dr. Cummings and Laura have looked over these and we're in agreement, right, Laura? Yeah. That these are the policies. If anybody feels that there's other policies that they think should be in the student or staff handbook other than the ones we're showing, uh that'd be good to know. Let us know. And then from here on out with policy uh our policy book is done. So the purpose with the MASC model is that they will be updating their policies and we will find out from MASC if a policy is being changed or added or whatnot and at that point we'll bring it forward to the committee. They only do that once maybe twice a year depending on the year. So, but however, we have policies for which we own or which state they need to be reviewed annually or have contact information in them which Laura and I are neither a fan of, but that's just the way that the policies are written. And so, we'd like to ensure that they're continually updated, like up to date. So, these are policies that we would request once a year before the handbooks come out, before the handbooks are written, because we don't want a wrong policy in a handbook. So, that's what Dr. Cummings was referring to earlier is that we [music] do an annual review of policies, meaning just the ones that you're seeing here. I think it's one, two, and most of them are not going to change at all. And probably it would be just a single read or just Yeah, we looked at that. That's still how we feel. Same person.

Yeah, same person, right? But these are the graft and specific or contact changes in policies. So what's in the gifted and talented one that needs [music] annual? Well, it's our it's a personal No, it's No, no, it's a grafting specific policy. So, these are either graft and specific because we'll never get told from MASC that there's a change. Gotcha. Like the homework policy, that's graph and specific specific we'll never hear and and what will happen is since we're not [music] going to ever be doing this like sections A through F, X through like the this will get overlooked. So these need to be

yeah I was like cash at school they'll have to review that uh annually but I understand just to ensure that we still even want to keep the policy on an you know so do we want to just put them on the agenda so that they Right. So that's what Dr. Cummings was saying. Yeah. So when you look back at the agenda Yep. probably towards the end of the year. Well it's got to be beforehand. Right. Right. So, it's got to be I maybe April 28th. You don't have there's nothing really on that other than Dr. Cummings evaluation unless that's not soon enough. Dr. Cummings for the April 7th. The handbooks are the 26th. Yeah. Fine.

So, yeah, maybe April 7th, the 7th. 7th probably. Make sure. Okay. So, annual policy review. It'll be there. Yep. Okay, great. Thank you. Great work. Thank you, policy subcommittee. Um, well, we have no correspondence and we don't need executive session. So, uh, unless somebody has something else, I will, uh, declare this meeting adjourned. Thank you everybody.