School Committee - Regular Meeting

I would like to call to order our school committee meeting for April 9th. If you're able, please rise. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Um so our first order of business on first meeting after elections is to have a reorganization elect officers for uh the school committee. Uh and I am only serving now. I am vice chair until now and I am serving just to get the meeting started. So in that role um I will welcome any nominations for chair. I nominate Sue Pazini Panini. Is there a second? I'll second that. Uh, I will then turn over the role of chair to the most senior person and that would be Christopher Benson.

Can I get all in favor? I. All opposed. So, it's unanimous. Thank you. Uh, I now would like to entertain uh any nominations for vice chair. I would like to nominate myself for vice chair. Do I have a second? Second. Any other nominations? Hearing none. All those in favor of uh electing Kim as vice chair, please say I.

I oppose. Congratulations, Kim. Thank you. That's unanimous. Um and uh the third office that needs to be filled is clerk. Um we have Christine that has served as that. I've tried to be in touch with her and did not hear back. I only started trying in the last day. knowing I'd be doing this. So, um, if it's okay, I want to wait until we hear from her and then maybe at the next meeting, uh, we can officially fill that position. Does that work for folks? Okay, this is where we do the chair shuffle. Have the vice chair come up beside the chair.

Take your name tag.

Oh. With that, then the first thing I'd like to do is to say thank you. Uh, thank you for trusting me for to serve in this role. Um, and I want you to know that I really believe that the correct verb is serve. um that I see a chair as serving the committee and what I mean by that is I think that the chair really needs to be the person that facilitates us to capture our mission and which is the mission of the school and that's to foster excellence for every child in every classroom every day and I think it is the role of the chair to make sure that we um set agendas get input um have the right amount of information and create an environment where people really speak to one another and listen to one another, listen to the community when they want to speak. Uh so that we have the information that we need to make those decisions that are not always easy ones and um I really pledge to do that while I'm in this role. Uh and again, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to do it. I know that we have some difficult decisions. These are tough times, but I am very heartened by the different life experiences, professional experiences and perspectives of this board. And I believe that if we really work together and share our thoughts and uh work towards those goals that we will be able to navigate these times together. So, thank you.

Uh, with that, I do want to officially welcome our new members. And I wonder maybe if we start uh with Sean, if you would introduce yourself uh to the folks that are here and the folks that are watching us uh on the cable uh and uh just because you don't we don't have name tags today, so everybody knows who everybody is. Good evening. Uh, my name is Sean Moler. I just want to thank you for being here tonight. Um, and thank you for everybody who voted for me and entrusted me to be part of this committee. Thank you.

Hi, I'm Leam Mashado. Um, thank you. I'm happy to be here. I'm looking forward to working together with everyone to do what's best for the district.

And thank you. Uh, and then we have one member that is not able to be here tonight. um who's Kristen uh but she will be joining us at the next meeting and so she will be able to introduce herself then at the same time I also want to say a thank you to um our colleagues that are not with us tonight that have served on the board uh for both uh Jess and Allen uh they too are people that um as our new colleagues and the people that remained on the board I've had the opportunity to talk with everyone on and including Allan and Jess. And I want to say that I know that everybody is here for the right reason, as was Jess and Allen, that they really want to serve our students and our community. And I want to thank Jess and Allen for the time that they did serve and put in all of that hard work that you all are going to get to see that needs to be done uh to serve on the committee. So, thank you, Jess and Allen. I was just gonna let her keep going.

Thank you so much. That was supposed to be the last sentence of my uh thing. Uh thank you for trusting me was And by the way, I will mess up and it is not intentional. Kim,

that's all right. Hi, I'm Kim Redlon. Um, and like the other new elects, um, I'm really happy to, um, be here to serve the district. I've worked in Middleboro Public Schools, um, for 14 years prior to my current job and I'm really excited to be back working with the district. Um, so I thank everybody who voted for me and put your trust in all of us and, you know, we're we're heading in the right direction. So, I'm really excited to be here. Thanks, Kim. And I apologize. No, you're good.

Um, we're going to go a little bit out of order. Um, and allow our student representatives, Jackson Collins and Mason Tech, to give their report so that they can get back to what it is that they need to do in the evening to be ready for school tomorrow morning. Uh, all right. So, normally we'd start with some districtwide announcements, but we don't have any right now. So, I just want to say welcome to all the new school committee members. Uh, I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Jackson Collins and I'm one of the school committee representatives.

I'm Mason Taxer and I'm the other school committee representative and I will kick off our report today with the stuff from the mech. Uh, they want to wish you all a happy April. And their new word of the month is creativity. uh ways their students are showing creativity in their classrooms is they're making recycled art. They are turning cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, and egg cartons into robots, costumes, and sculptures. They are writing stories, and they are storytelling. So, they're creating a storytelling extravaganza with random pictures, poems, and they create whatif stories, and they spend time in class writing to show their creativity. uh they do a lot of things, eventive projects, emotional art, word of play, creative writing, and even drama. So they are taking creativity to heart during the month of April. Their field day is scheduled for Thursday, May 28th. If it rains, it will be held indoors. Volunteer signup letters will be going home the first week back from April vacation. If any parents want to volunteer, they need to have a valid Corey license. If you have one, you will receive more information in an email letting you know what to expect. Um, these licenses do expire, so please check and make sure that yours is current. If you do not have one and you want to be part of field day, you can bring a license into the main office and you will be able to fill out that form. Only parents with cory's are allowed on the field and more information will be posted in the PE news section. So stay tuned. Report cards will be available to are available to view in Aspen as of April 6th and the paper copy was sent home on April 7th with all students. Uh kindergarten information night for incoming kindergarten families was April 8th from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Okay. And now we'll be moving on to uh

MKG. Uh MKG just wants to extend a congratulations to their amazing drama club for their outstanding performance. They certainly have talent at MKG. Some upcoming MCCAST dates is May 4th, the math session for grades three, four, and five. May 6th, the math session for grades 3, four, and five. May 12th, the um science session for grade 5. And then May 14th, the second science session for grade 5. On Thursday, April 2nd, the first grade students were visited by uh Calicott award-winning author and illustrator Brian Lies. The MKG staff and grade 1 students would like to give a huge thank you to the MKG PTA for sponsoring this amazing enrichment opportunity. Grade 2 students wrapped up their trip around the world. Their students worked hard to produce travel brochures for the parent presentation on April 2nd and 3rd, and they are so thrilled that many parents came to join. The mathematicians have started finding and using fractions in real world situations such as baking and measuring. Fourth graders have been busy this weekend while it's been raining cats and dogs. Ask your child what idioms are and why authors use them. In addition to other figurative language, students in fourth and fifth grade have been learning about the art of making sound for movies and films. To switch over to the HPV on April 6th, there was a PTA meeting. Um it was an MCCAST information session for the upcoming MCCAST tests. Um, tomorrow, April 10th, is the art festival from 5 to 7 PM. The theme is Candyland Glow-in-the-dark, and it features hands-on activities such as model magic, sand art, face painting, and more. Bring cash for t-shirts and snacks, but entry to the event is free. On April 17th, there's the Neon Glow Fund Run Fundraiser. Please register your child with a sign up in the bulletin. And the HPB lobby has set up a donation box for

clothing to support cradles to crayons. So, please consider contributing to this meaningful cause. Your donations will make a big difference.

Um, and then normally we move on to Nichols Middle School, but we don't have any major announcements from that, so we'll just be moving right on to MHS. So, at the high school, we want to congratulate all students that participated in the instant decision day for Massoy Community College last week. We're proud of them. And job well done to all of the AP students who participated in their AP mock exams over the past few weeks for both math and science. Congratulations to all spring athletes as they have started the spring season despite the weather. And good luck to the cast and crew of SW's production of The Play That Goes Wrong. We're looking forward to your play this weekend with shows at 6 pm on both Friday and Saturday. This is the annual winter comedy that the drama club produces every winter. Uh, congrats to the student council for the breakfast with the Easter Bunny event that was held on the uh previous weekend and where kids from throughout the community got to come have some breakfast in the calf and take photos with the Easter Bunny. Uh, please plan your Sunday dinner here at MHS. Well, there at MHS as the class of 2028 hosts their annual pizza bowl. The event will begin at 400 p.m. and will conclude at 6 p.m. on this Sunday. So, please come and taste a variety of pizza from the Middle area and you will get to vote on who serves the best pizza. Quarter 3 now ends on Friday, April 17th, 2026 before we leave on break. And quarter 4 will begin the Monday we get back from break. So keep that in mind as grades will close very shortly. Um especially for seniors because quarter 4 will be about a month. So get your grades up now. The spring SAT will be held on held at MHS on Saturday, May 2nd. So be sure to register for that exam if you are a junior. Uh please reach out to your school counselor with

any questions. and student council elections have begun for the next um student council executive board. The elections for the class board will begin after break and then after that the elections for the new school committee rep will be held and I believe it was a meeting the week I want to say the date was the 22nd that I predict the meeting would be where you will all get to meet the new school committee rep for next year. All right. Uh, so we just wanted to touch base with the new board and discuss how we can work together as students and school board. Uh, one of the main reasons we became school committee reps was to make sure student voices could be heard. As a school committee reps, we are responsible for not only reporting on student ongoings in the district, but also making sure that the voices of our students in our district are heard. My first ask of this board is to continue to ask both myself and my co-rep and any future reps our opinions on issues, policies, and any other debates the school committee faces. We are the student representatives on the school committee and we believe that the students voices are just as important as the parents. We ask you to remember that we are here to provide the students opinions on issues and implore you to use us as a resource. The student advisory committee is another option you have for getting students opinions on issues. The student advisory committee which henceforth I will refer to as the SACE is a committee consisting of five students from the high school. The members consist of the members at large from the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes as well as the two school committee reps here today. Our purpose is to share the voices of the students with the school committee. We read through policies. We skim through handbooks and we provide insight into everyday life at the school. Most importantly, we gather student input that can be shared with the committee at a meeting or via email,

whichever is easiest. If the school committee is reviewing a policy that affects students, one of the student reps will request to review it with the SACE during the first read process uh to make sure that the students voices can be heard in the decision-making process. If the school committee is debating an issue that would affect the student population, such as the mask mandate during CO 19, if anyone remembers that, and the pending cell phone ban for the upcoming school year, the SEC will meet to discuss and will share their opinions at the next school committee meeting where we hope you will all take our voices into consideration when making your decisions. Um, a friendly reminder just uh according to the law that creates the advisory committee, the school committee must meet with the SACE at least once every other month. Uh, we're very excited to work with all of you and we want to create a new relationship between the students and the school board. The SACE exists for the school committee to hear the students, the members of the community they serve that cannot make their voices heard in the ballot booth. in this transition into a period of transparency. Please do not forget about us, the SACE, and do not forget the students within the school that you serve. Um, are there any questions about the SACE at all?

Um, the last thing I Okay. Um, it's actually something I've I was thinking about uh earlier in the year, and that is we we do often uh change the order of the agenda. um we think we're doing it as a favor so that you're not sitting through all the deliberations and I wondered whether um that was something that you think we should not do that you should remain so that if there is a um a discussion that's going on that a student perspective would be helpful that you would be able to um provide it within the context of the conversation rather than at the beginning out of the context of the conversation.

Uh good question. I think it really depends on the meeting. There are some times where Jackson and I will stay to hear a certain um agenda item read. Um if there's a discussion item we want to hear opinions for, we will stay. Um lately, the school committee meetings have been very budgetfilled, which has led to us not staying for most of them. But as the budget um process winds down, Jackson and I can continue to spend more time as we get back into more um policy and especially the uh superintendent search. So I think it really would depend from meeting to meeting, but that is the sort of thing that once the agenda is posted, we can let you know.

Thank you.

Any other thoughts or questions? The last thing um was the superintendent search packet that we have here. I talked to Sue, but once um the committee is approved or changed or if you need anything from the schools for anything for the committee, you can reach out to both Bran and ourselves. So, thank you. We certainly will and and thank you both for uh the ways that you have uh presented what your information is from the around the district. Uh I think that you've done it in a very professional way and I really appreciate it. Um so I did put together I I knew that at least the newer members would not have your um laptops yet or Chromebooks. So, I did put together a packet of information uh that's before you that we're going to be referring to as we go along this evening. Um uh so if you open up and the first one that I want to refer to is uh charting the course. Um and again uh for the new members uh this is something that is required within the first year. Uh and you will see I just want to highlight that on May 16th there is one of these sessions that's going to happen in Marshfield which is closer than uh some of the others uh that you might want to think about going to. Uh last year Shannon and I went together to one and uh I will speak for myself but uh having a colleague from the school committee in the town together so that you could kind of discuss different things together of how that applies within uh our school committee I found very helpful. So um you might want to think about signing up together if you can and and attending and attending that. So just want to bring that to your

attention. Also behind that you see um something that Ann had sent around also which is the Middlebar school committee operating protocols and that was uh approved at our last meeting or the meeting before uh as it it is based on our policies. uh and the thought was of bringing this together, the information together in a way that uh we can all read and then sign at the end that these are our obligations. These are the ways that we are to conduct ourselves while we're here. I don't know that you have had enough time to really take a look at it to for me to send around the paper to sign now, but I I leave it up to what you what you wish. We can wait until the next meeting um so that you can really review it and then sign or we can sign it at the end. Uh what's your pleasure everyone thoughts?

I'm fine for tonight but should we wait for Kristen or It's a good idea. Want to wait till the next meeting so that Kristen would be with us and do it also? Yeah.

Okay. And that's what we will do. Thank you. All right. Next on the agenda, you see um rules and procedures for public comment. Uh so over the past year um there has been debate uh around aspects of our policy around public comment uh and specifically around the idea of the threeinut rule. Uh you will find in your in your packet that um thanks to Shannon who is on our policy subcommittee. um she pulled out for me just just the guidelines for public comment um which speaks to many different things but the uh you will see further along where it speaks to um that uh individuals can get up to speak that they have three minutes that they shouldn't come back more than once uh and many other aspects of it. The one part that seems to have been a um that people have challenged um and that I know that has been spoken about during uh this election season was whether we should maintain the threeminut rule. Uh also people wonder about how is it that we can change it if we decide if that is the desire. So behind it you will see um that I have also um copied and pasted what it says is the policy for um for policy adoption. What has to happen to change a policy and you'll see it really is a process and rightly so. Um it takes

review. It's a legal document. Um and you know it's something that we really need to abide by and making quick changes is probably not the best idea. Typically the people that are responsible for looking at any kind of uh policy changes that is decided by the school committee whether we want to or not. It can be brought forward by the superintendent. um it can be as from feedback that we get from staff members or community or whatever but brought to this board to determine whether we want to um change a policy or not. So it's not something that we can uh do immedi uh effective immediately. And so what I wanted to do was to knowing uh that this is um something that has really in sometimes gotten in the way of um our meetings because people have strong feelings about it. I wanted to open up for discussion uh if this is something that we want to officially review. Um and so that is what I am doing. I am opening it up for conversation. Does anyone want to speak?

Leah, Chris. Well, I was going to make a motion, but if anyone wants to speak first, I'd rather that happen.

I would like to amend this policy. Um, I don't think that in my opinion that there should necessarily be a time limit for anyone who's voicing their concerns at a school committee meeting, especially when it has to do with their children or the budget, you know, any anything. Um, I would also like to see back and forth dialogue between the community and the school committee. you know, even if it's just acknowledging someone's comment and, you know, making sure we table it and get back to it when we know the answer. Just so we revisit it and, you know, have that back and forth. It's just it's silly when you comment and everyone just sits in silence. It's just it just doesn't feel right. So, yeah, I would like to see this happen.

Anybody else have thoughts that they'd like to share? Yeah, I agree. I I think we should look at the threeminut rule. Um not sure what it should be, but I think it's worth investigating to see if there's maybe a better fit for this committee and the community.

And then just in keeping, you know, obviously we there's still discussion items that are open for discussion as well. So, I just wanted I just wanted to keep that in mind too when we look at revising the public comment aspect of it is that we're still open for the discussion items to have that, you know, that back and forth dialogue. Um, and also too, just to utilize email or reaching out to school committee members as well. I mean, I think sometimes that might be underutilized for us and I just want to make sure that everyone is aware of how to get in touch, you know, with all of us if there are questions. And I know some parents are more comfortable maybe reaching out to Chris more than someone else or you know they have people that they might be more comfortable with. But I want to make sure that too we're utilizing all the tools that you know that we do have when we look to revamp this policy.

Can I ask a question? Of course. Okay. So how does that work? So if a parent reaches out to a specific school committee member or you know reaches out to the entire school committee, how do we how are we supposed to then do we respond as a group? Do we respond individually? Then do we discuss it? Like how does that work? So again, we can't we can't re we can't comment or reply all. Okay. Because that would be a violation of open meeting law. Yeah.

And the same applies to social media too. I just want that I mean I know it's not something we actually put on the agenda to review but as far as responding to anything on social media um as a school committee member because then the opportunity for me to comment and then maybe Sue comments and then maybe Chris comes and then all of a sudden we're there's three people commenting or we have a majority of people okay which could also be considered a violation. So um I would say in my own personal experience if a parent reaches out and I can help them then I point them in the right direction of what I can do. um or try to answer if I can. If I can't, then I know I need to put them, you know, in touch with someone else. Okay.

So, it's really just depends on the situation or what the question is. I think for me, I I mean, I won't speak on behalf of anyone else, but that's just been my experience.

Okay. I uh my experience also I agree with what Shannon is saying and um there are we do have protocol around when someone if it's around a specific my child issue of directing it to the person um and you can follow up make sure that that they got responded to and whatever. Um what my experience has also been that if I start hearing three, four, five different people contacting me not uh about an issue um that's when I will go to the superintendent and say aside from each individual little thing, it just feels like there's something bubbling up here that this is an issue. um can we talk about that and is there something you know that we need to um address and we still need to bring it back to the superintendent uh and and then at some point a larger issue not around us to a larger thing can be discussed at if it gets to that point at the school meeting.

Yeah. And I think, you know, as we're going to talk about the policy and like Shannon had said, you know, really looking at when people are coming up for public comment and I know kind of sitting here and not being able to have a conversation back and forth and when we're comment having comments on things on the agenda, but they haven't been presented yet, we can't really have a conversation back and forth because they haven't presented the information yet. So, kind of figuring out how maybe tableabling that kind of discussion piece until they present and then coming back up and having that discussion. So sometimes there are those points when we can't really have that back and forth because it's not our presentation to even be answering questions about because they haven't had it yet. So I think all of that, you know, as we go over this, I think that's going to be a big part, you know, of the conversation, too.

Chris. Oh. Oh, I was going to have a motion a motion get on the table before we go to uh public input. Okay. So my motion uh in July we tabled a proposed change to policy BEDH and then we've also been provided BEH-E. I would make a motion to refer those both back to the uh policy subcommittee for review and hopefully with the recommendation to delete rule number three in behind rule. Is there a second?

Second. Um this is my first request as the vice chair. Can you get motions down because I will never be able to get them down. Um, yes, there were a lot of letters though, so you might have to repeat that. Y

and then this is okay. And did I hear a second? I second it. Thank you. Okay. Any further discussion here before we go to um community? Anyone from the community want to have input? I have you're in the dark. I have a hard time seeing you. Okay. If you wouldn't mind stating your name.

Hi Sarah. Can you hear me now? Oh, can I?

Um, just a uh comment for the microphones. If everyone could just be mindful of their microphones. We can't hear a lot of you. Um, so it comes in kind of blurry or I think it's just too far away. So like Chris I heard and Sean I heard but everyone else kind of and I asked other people so it wasn't just my hearing. Um, thank you. Uh I just want to comment on the three minutes. So I was coming to the school committee meetings when they started um enforcing that. That's when I started speaking out and I think part of the issue is it was done as a way of controlling parents from sharing from my opinion and from the public opinion. I think it was the timing of it. It was never something that happened until a lot of people started speaking out. So people have seen it as a way of controlling parents and the community. And I think that's why maybe the intention isn't that, but that's why it was used before by previous chairs. Um, so I do think it's important to remind people that you don't come up here if something's on the agenda. That's clearly stated every time. Um, and you save those comments for that particular item. But to come up here and most people don't break the three minutes, but I think just telling people they have a limit is it's not okay. And I like I said, it was used as a control method before by previous shares. And I think that's why it needs to go. So, thank you.

Thank you. Helpful. Good evening.

Welcome all the new members. Um, yeah, I just had maybe a couple clar Oh, I'm sorry. Pat Rooney. um uh second grade teacher at the uh Brooklyn school. Um couple of things I and um I appreciate Miss Redlon's comment about that. We need to speak on like when those items come up because like I'm looking at the school choice. We have no idea what that's about. Is that a pro? Is that a negative? Is it a thing? What are we doing? How we doing? So usually and and not having been to a lot of committee meetings before for the school committee when I was watching recently it's like when do you talk when do you not talk when can you ask a question when can't you ask a question and then people would said nope we're not commenting on that right now um that dialogue between the board and the me and the uh public is important um and to sit there and not answer those questions for the past several months that doesn't seem like, you know, we're working together and we're supposed to be having all this um transparency. It doesn't that's not transparency. No one's answering the questions. Um we heard emails going back a little bit that I got emails that let's just say we want to redistrict. I heard a lot of p What emails? How many did you get? Did you get two? Because that's emails. Did you get a hundred? Where did this idea come from? People say, "Well, I got a lot of emails about, you know, for it." Okay. Well, not to doubt you, but what emails are those? How do we know you got uh

No, that's okay. Don't go away, babe. Uh, that did that turn the mic off? Is that what happened? I can talk loud. Um, so you know, just that kind of when people say, "Oh, I got emails about this that the public wants to do this." Okay, that needs to be transparent, too. How many emails did you get? One person has an idea that they want to change the schools. That's not a that's not a public comment. That's not a public demand, you know. Well, 30 people did it. There's,200 students, 1200 2400 pounds. They're the ones who we want to listen to, too. So, it's not just, well, I heard this for just that transparency data. Um, and then I did that other comments should be on each of the agenda, right? Because as things come up, that's when the people can make those comments and kind of say, you know, oh yeah, that's a great idea or this needs to be looked at further or where did this come from? Who made, you know, why are we discussing this now? Why haven't we discussed this before? So, public comment and then we never discuss those things. I write stuff on the agenda that I'm sure people want to discuss and I'm sure that you'd like to hear

because you get the positives, you get the negatives, you get the fours, you get the against. So, so I I like where the board where you guys are looking at that to try to change that. Go back to the way things are so that there is that transparency that you know everybody knows what's going on. Whether we like it or not doesn't matter. everybody knows what's going on and that's where people can make their decisions. Thank you.

Thank you. Um I do uh want to provide some information um and hopefully we'll reinforce it um as we're going along. There are two different times that we call for uh the public to get up and give us feedback or provide information. One is called public comment and in that section you can get up and speak to anything that um is within the purview of the committee whether or not it's on the agenda. Open law, open meeting law does not allow us to speak to anything that's not on the agenda. So that is why often we'll the response will be um we're not going to be able to speak to that right now but we'll follow up later. The second time is as you've said is during the agenda at that time it is the agenda. So that's why we stop and we ask for uh any kind of public feedback or input and that is when we can always have back and forth um information going flowing back and forth because it's on the agenda and we will not get into any kind of open meeting law violation. Does that help?

You're welcome.

Hi Lauren Hook. Hi Lauren. Uh Summer Street. So, I just wanted to uplift what Pat, right, Pat just said. Um, and I've had this conversation with both I think Leah and Sean when we had some of these meetings about um, you know, you don't know what an agenda item is. And so I don't know if it's part of the law or just the policy of where public comment f like lies in the agenda and if it could be moved back because that could also um like reduce some of the times that people feel they need to get up to speak if some of their questions are answered throughout the agenda previously. So

thanks. Good idea. Any more? Oops. Sorry. Hi Katie.

Katie McMenan. Um, North Street. Um, I watched all the incredible speakers that spoke at the ways and means hearing. Um, so the three rule for me um, limits passion. Um, having to hear them kind of rush through their speeches because they were limited at that. I just don't think that should be here. I think here is where should be a safe space, excuse me, safe space and we should be able to hear that passion. Um, so my votes for the new uh school committee members kind of lean towards okay who also agrees that maybe that three minute rule should be looked at. So just another parent saying I'd appreciate that being looked into. Thank you.

Other thoughts? We can still discuss before the vote. we can

I just want to uh let everyone who's watching or who's here tonight, thank you for being here tonight know uh the agenda usually comes out on the Tuesday before the Thursday. If there are things that people want as discussion items and they feel passionate about, you can email Well, I'm I don't want to speak for everybody. You can certainly email me and I will voice it to the superintendent, the chair, and the vice chair and fight to get that as a discussion item because staff, taxpayers, and parents, you all have a voice that should be heard every meeting and on any issue. So, please reach out to me. I'm happy to read your emails and forward your thoughts along to the chair. Thank you.

Thanks, Chris. And uh if I might piggyback on that, uh the agendas, even though they come out on Tuesday, um we really work on them the week before. So anytime you want something on an agenda, um that you feel passionate about, certainly email Chris if you want, but uh as chair, you certainly can email me. Thanks. So I didn't want to speak for you. That's okay. I appreciate that. All right. Any other conversation? Go ahead, Leah. I welcome emails as well. Please, please reach out. That's why we're here. So, utilize us. Reach out.

All right. So, uh, Kim, would you mind reading back the motion? Uh, a motion for policy BE DH and BE DH E to be referred back to the policy committee for review and it was motioned by Chris and second by Shannon. Thank you. All those in favor I I

oppose. That's unanimous. Thank you. So following up on that um and I wanted to do all of this before we had public comment. Uh you will see in your packets behind that that there is a policy there's a policy for everything. Uh there is a policy to suspend policies um which allows us to um temporarily suspend some aspect of a policy. And I'm going to read it so that uh those that don't have the paper in front of them will know. It says, "The operation of any section or sections of Middlear school committee policies not established by law or contract may be temporarily temporarily suspended by a twothirds vote of the committee members present at any regular or special meeting. Any action to suspend policy must be reviewed at the next scheduled meeting and will be so noted on the agenda for that meeting." Um, what I interpret that to mean, though I will bow to Shannon's knowledge of the policies, um, is that we can, uh, vote to suspend some aspect of a policy, but it's only for that night. If you want it to continue, you review it again at the next meeting. Uh and so with that in mind and hearing all of the input that has been given both previously and tonight um I would entertain a motion to uh suspend the threeinut rule, what we have come to lovingly call the three-minut rule uh uh for tonight's public comment.

Second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I.

I. Opposed. We also have that as the unanimous vote. Thank you. So we now move into with all of that done, we can move into public comment. And I want to reiterate one more time that public comment is for the time if there what you want to talk about is not on the agenda. um this is the time that you can speak to it. We can ask clarifying questions. Um but we cannot have a conversation about it if it's not on the agenda because of open meeting law. Uh if you wait until the agenda item uh that it refers to, we will always stop and make sure that the public is given an opportunity to give input. You can if it is on the agenda, you can do it during public comment also. Um but it might be a way to streamline um how we get through these meetings. So having said that, is there anyone like to speak for public comment?

Hello. Um there was no Tiger Times this past week. So I just wanted to mention that the Nichols Middle School PTA were having a textile bin drive on Saturday for Earth Day. So it's 8 to 12 um this coming Saturday. Help us fill a textile bin. They're going to be dropping off a big trailer and uh we get funds from that that we can use for the students and teacher appreciation. And then next Tuesday we have a McDonald's fundraiser for Nichols Middle School PTA um from 4 to 7 at the Middle Brow McDonald's on Tuesday. No code needed. Anyway you order it counts. Uh and we get 20%. So thank you.

Thank you and thank you for what the PTA does. Relax. I'm on your side. Uh James Dupont, 118 Elm Street East. For the for the minutes in the record, I'll leave a copy of my remarks. Uh just to put it in the context of why I'm here and with whom you are dealing. I served 18 years on the Bridgewater Rainham Regional School Committee. I served as a town selectman for a number of years after that and uh despite the fact and there being three new members here all I'll say is possibly in about two weeks I'll be the new member of the Bridgewater Rainham Regional School Committee but never never can tell maybe the voice of Bugs Bunny Mel Blank will beat me. Good evening, uh, Madam Chairman, members of the Middleboro School Committee. I come tonight to deliver a message regarding a matter of grave and immediate importance to the students of the Middleboro district, their school committee, and the administration staff of the Middleboro School Department. The issue is twofold. First, it concerns the decadesl long practice of underfunding by the Massachusetts state legislature over the various categories of so-called local aid, which as all of you know is a significant factor in setting the the tax rate in the local property tax and hence how much the property owners are asked by you to pay. Prior to fiscal year 81, the first year in which Proposition 2 and a half was in effect, which I helped put on the ballot, the cities and towns before that simply put another nickel on the local tax rate to make up for any shortfall in local aid and went on with things. After Prop 2 and a half took effect, the cities and towns were limited in how much they could raise the prior year's levy. Consequently, many local services,

mostly education, were annually paired back due to the annual recurring shortfalls in state money being returned to the local governments. This brings me to my second point. Where does so-called state revenue come from? The answer is it comes from every resident and business in every city in town, including Middbor. Why isn't that money being returned to you, the people who actually need it for day-to-day things like police, fire, seniors, and most importantly, hear this that word, most importantly, schools. It's been my experience that our state legislators have not made full funding of local aid a priority. Members of the majority party bemoan how tough things are this year in Boston on Beacon Hill, and you're already hearing that. And I will just make a footnote. $8.3 billion B billion dollars in the rainy day fund. And they're telling you how tough it's going to be. And the governor only put in for a 2.5% increase in chapter 70. So the members of the majority party bemoan how tough things are this year on Beacon Hill. All the minority party members shrug their shoulders and say there isn't anything I can do about it. Last year, Rainham's annual budget process resulted in a failure to pay the regional school district's assessment. After failed Prop 2 and a half override, a large layoff of school employees then followed. 41 31 the next year and possibly more this year. Makes you wonder why I'm running for the school committee. I suppose a resident I discussed this with said it sounds like bad management. I responded that it wasn't bad management, but rather a shortfall caused by our state legislators not fully funding Chapter 70. I've been tracking Chapter 7 since

1973. I have checked it every year. Never once fully funded. I want to repeat that for the record. Chapter 70 never once fully funded. when he responded that it to to that I said that it wasn't bad management but a shortfall caused by our state legislators. He responded by saying it sounds like our local government mismanaged their relationship with our legislators. And yes, I'm looking at you. As long as our state reps and state senators can get lauded for giving us half a loaf, then the residents and businesses will be told to make up the difference. And you, the elected members of this committee, you will take the brunt of the public's eye. Not the governor, not the state reps, state senators, the people at this table who've been elected to conduct education this town will take the brunt of the public's hire when taxes go up and educational opportunities go down. Madam Chairman, this leads me to the conclusion that the time has come for all local elected officials to demand their respective state legislators change their vote on local aid and aid to education from the current here's what's left to here's what the town of Middbor and its schools legally are entitled to under chapter 70. After that, if the state then has a shortfall, let them raise taxes. let them do massive layups to make up the difference. I want to thank you, Madam Chair, members of the school committee, and I'll leave a copy of my remarks with the secretary. And I'm not asking for a vote or anything. I've been to 19 different communities with this exact statement. This is somewhere between Paul Paul Rivere and Doniody. Those children are counting on you people to deliver for them. And I had

one thought that I would share with you that if you come to an override situation, how about we do this? What if the the tax collector sent out a tax bill to everybody in in town for what Proposition 2 and a half would allow you to do and then send them a separate bill for how much the legislature shortch changed you. Maybe you could have an override vote in November, the same day that those legislators are on the ballot. I want to thank the committee for their time and good luck to the new members as well. Thank you. Thank you,

Katie McManam again. Um, just because someone else had mentioned the PTA that kind of sparked. Um, I'm on the MEX PTA. Um, so this Sunday, April 12th, from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 PM, Papagino's in Middlear will donate 20% of the proceeds to the school. Um, there's more information about that kind of all over online or you could certainly reach out to me and I'd be happy to share with you. Um, and if there's any parents listening, um, just a reminder to sign your child up for the danceon and fundra. That's it. Thank you.

Thank you, Katie. Anyone else? Thank you all. Um, all right. We will move on to discussion items uh and to the superintendent's report.

Good evening. So, every year uh the committee must uh make a dis uh decision on school choice uh and have a discussion on that in the spring. Um, and you will need to have a public hearing. We'll do that at the next meeting. Uh, you only have to hold a public hearing if you are going to say no to uh, school choice. So, uh, we currently are not uh, school choice. And so, last year they held the public hearing uh, to vote that we do have school choice kids because in the past we were uh, open to school choice. We'd have to have that open for siblings. We do not have any siblings coming in next year. Um, so I just bring this as a discussion item. No vote tonight. And if you decide that uh well, we'll hold the public hearing. You'll vote either yay or nay on whether we become school choice. Any questions on that? Do we have any perspective siblings coming in the future? Like if we vote no and close the door today, would the siblings going forward not be eligible?

No. If they if a there's just none coming into the district next year, but it's grandfathered in for any student. And so and and the decision is made each year. So if a sibling was I mean a new student that wanted to come in. Each year we we take the vote based on what our capacity is pretty much correct. Correct. Questions, thoughts? I thought I might see you again.

Yeah, this is a good one. No. Um I just have just a couple of points that we're we're talking about um riffs with teachers um which is going to bring up class sizes

um increasing those. So, if we're not replacing teachers that are going to be laid off or we're not replacing them when with vacancies and we're going to allow and I'm saying we are not just saying if we allow school choice, we're now increasing those class sizes more. Um, we don't know, you know, do we have a ceiling? We we do have in the contracts that we have class size. We try to keep a class size reasonable. Um, and you know, I'm not saying there's 100 kids who want to do school choice, but you know, any kid above 24, 25, 26 in a classroom is a lot. So, a school choice could affect that. Um, is there a ceiling? Do we say like right now we don't have we don't have room, we don't have teachers, we don't have we don't have room in the inn right now, right? Um, so, you know, we also have a lot of moveins that are going to be coming in. So just thinking about that that you know if we're going to allow the school choice I know there's money in there but will that school choice money go to salaries to hire teachers to help in the classrooms when our class sizes do go up either through school choice or with our moveins that are coming you know not just September they're going to come October November December so just something to keep in mind that's all thank you

thank you comment sure yeah the these are for out of district students Uh and the reason that the committee has in the recent past voted no was exactly for that enrollment in capacity. There wasn't there so we said no. Thanks for that clarification. Mike, other questions about school choice? Then Mike, I assume you will be bringing that back for a vote public hearing. Yes, for a public hearing. Right. Thank you. Budget update.

Yes. The next item is a budget update. Um this is a brief update. So for the new members, uh I invite you to um set a meeting or try to get a hold of me, set a meeting so we can go over the budget in detail. It is quite lengthy and not for uh a meeting here. I will get you all the information, but I would love to sit down individually and go through it, but um this is an update. We've been obviously going through this for the last few months. So, I have a little PowerPoint here. Um we normally uh set our budget with our budget drivers which are all the things that we need uh to have a level service budget which uh is our continuous district improvement uh and the strategies that we use for that. We have to budget for fixed costs contractual um obligations and salary increases. Uh special ed tuition and services we must uh budget for those. the everchanging technology uh curriculum costs. We have a uh item in our budget for a new ELA program that we're discussing now. Uh we do try to maintain lower class sizes. We're struggling this year because of funding, but that is a goal uh and does drive our budget. And lastly, we must uh budget for transportation for our students. The three uh constraints that we find when found when we were building this budget uh was the special ed uh increases. Two uh our alternative funding sources and we'll get into that if you're new member uh that may be a new concept that we have funds that are not uh within the general fund that we use to offset.

And last, um, as you heard the gentlemen, we are having declining financial support from the federal and state and local levels. So, constraint number one in special ed, this is just a brief uh look at the last four years of our special ed out of district tuition costs. And you see how it rose from 23 24 to the current budget that we're looking at 26 27 and almost doubled over that four years from 2.6 million to almost 5 million. In the middle column we have the number of students and uh you see that that isn't going up in a great number but the dollars are. So it's the cost of these tuitions that are really uh going up. Second constraint uh as I said we have alternative funding sources. The problem is we've been using those uh and we have brought them down. Uh and so um we have uh facility rentals we reduced by 650,000 that we used last year uh or the current year that we won't be able to use next year. uh our school choice we reduce by 112,000 and then um every year we look at the current budget to see if we have money uh this is a a legal um payment that we could prepay tuitions uh for next year if you have money at the end of the year and I that is starting to look a little better uh so that is good news I'm I'm trying to keep an eye on that but last year we used 355,000 we paid for tuitions for students um at the end of last year for this current year. And hopefully uh as we get

closer and we're almost there, we'll have some more money. Right now I have zero budgeted, but hopefully I can put some towards that which will help offset our deficit that I'm going to get into soon. The last is the federal, state, and local funding. Uh we had a grant a migrant grant uh and we fully expended that this year. So that is gone. Uh I mentioned earlier again is our chapter 70 funding funding is down due to the assessments and charter enrollment. Uh so we need to keep an eye on chapter 70. Um some more maybe better news. We got a email from the state saying that title two and title three may come through with some funding. So that 80,000 may be de lowered a little bit. Uh and then our federal grant reductions in our title uh grants uh title one and IDA are to be reduced by we're projecting 82,000. So, this is our original um uh level service budget and it's broken down. Again, this is really high level and this is why I'd like to meet with the new members so I can get into a little more detail than just two line items for salaries and expenses. Our salaries total uh that we need for a level service budget is 37.8 million and our non salary are uh expenses are 12.2 million and our total uh request is 50 million uh57,431. So I go back to these offsets because this is really where we uh found our budget shortfall. Um last year we used uh and I won't go through each and every

uh line but at the bottom you see in fiscal 26 we had the ability to use 6.7 million to offset um our budget and lower that what our request would be. And because we've drawn those down you'll see some zeros in the far column in 27 because as I said prepaid tuitions the migrant grant are gone. um and the facility uh rental is uh gone down. So we are only able to use 5.2 million versus 6.7. Uh so that's a $1.5 million decrease in uh funding uh that we have outside of our general fund. So if you take the um level service uh budget that we've built is at 50 million57,000 and you subtract what we're able to use in the alternative funding sources of 5 million our new request again this is level service from last year for current year and we are um we would need 44836,262 So I bring that up to the top and the middle column is what we are being allocated uh locally which is a 1.8 increase. Uh you've I'm sure heard uh the town is having similar funding issues like we are. Uh so our number is 42,550,000. Again it's a 1.8 increase. So from our level service what we need to do exactly what we were doing this year next year we have a shortfall of 2 point almost 2.3 million

as I said we've been doing this for oh almost three months now uh and so we've had different uh iterations and changes as time goes by and uh as usual uh the the longer we go the better uh the budget it looks and we get better news. You always uh have to be fiscally uh conservative to start. Uh but how to get that 2.2 2 million in the beginning was uh because it was actually um a different number but we're looking at 29.5 position in reduction back in February um last month um with some different funding sources um and changes we uh lowered the number total positions of 24.5. you could see the breakdown um in the different areas. Um and I also tried to see or look at the historical of uh attrition in those areas to hopefully um we'll have attrition from now till the end of the year and hopefully not uh have to eliminate um well the positions will be eliminated but it won't be people. So uh most recently um And tonight we're looking at uh since we got some more news. Um we were able to use uh or find some more money on the non salary. Uh and I also uh added a line, you'll see a blank down there for anticipated vacancies. I did not have that knowledge on 212 or 39. And uh we picked up a couple that we know are going to uh materialize. So I've added those uh but the number uh total has gone to 23.5.

Uh so right now that is what we're looking at in terms of positions uh along with the non um position non people and the expenses that we were able to reduce uh and were able to balance the budget with that reduction. So if you take those the reduction of the 2.3 that I talked about out of the total uh request uh we still have the offsets that didn't change at 5.2 million. We do now balance there to the 42,550,000 that was allocated locally. Not the greatest news obviously but uh it's getting better and hopefully it'll continue. But um in the next month either way we're going to have to uh vote a balanced budget to that for the town meeting which I believe now is June 1.

June 1st is the town meeting. So they giving you a deadline of when they need the budget for I don't have a I don't have a deadline. I was given one that at least a couple of weeks. So I would think that it would be prudent to vote uh at the first meeting in May. Okay.

Lastly, this is what you will actually vote on. Uh is not that 42 million. You will vote on that, but it's the the total operating budget. Uh because there's a number of things that go into this. So, there's a separate transportation budget that the town sets aside and that's the 4.4 million that you see uh in the second line. Um, and then uh the next three lines really are the offsets and they add up to that 5.2 million. It's just a different way I broke it out because the circuit breaker is such a large amount for the 3 million and the idea is another million. Uh, and then the other all the other ones at the 1.2 1.3 those three lines add up to that 5.2 million that I mentioned earlier on the offsets. So our total budget what we spend is the 52.2 2 million and at the meeting that is the number that you will vote but it does include the operating budget of 42550 which is what you'll see at at town meeting and with that and again this is kind of a high level uh so I do want to meet with everybody who's interested in getting into much more detail because it is 52 million and I kind of did it in five or 10 minutes so Uh but I will take any questions.

Do will um everyone have access to the um get the new folks access into the budget line items? Yeah. So when I when I upload the because it did change a little bit. It's online right now, but I want to I'll have uh Sean uh upload the new and that's what I'll go over with the new members if they'd like to. It's uh but that'll be online. Uh and then I could go over that and back up to uh this presentation. Uh if that is u the wish of the new members or current members if you just have nothing to do and you want to come in.

Chris, did I see you moving toward the mic? Yeah, just so things of have obviously improved a little bit, but if things improve in the future, one of the priorities would be retaining studentf facing staff. Correct. Correct. Yes. Other questions or thoughts from the board?

Uh difficult situation. Uh one thing though I think that uh Mike did not underscore enough and that is that um yes because of the town's circumstances they came back and um gave him a number that was 300 400 400

400,000 less than the original number that we were given. We were given a number, then it went up, then it went up again, and this is 400,000 less than the first number. And I really do want to give uh so Chris and I are on the budget subcommittee. Uh and so we meet with him on a regular basis um getting his thoughts on the details and um providing questions that we've heard in various from various people and uh to get clarifications and I really do want to give uh Mike the credit he's due of how he is really trying to work this budget as best he can under very difficult situations and in that 400,000 it did not. So you saw that number of um positions didn't that were going to be eliminated didn't go up with the 400,000. As a matter of fact, it's come down and um that is a much credit to the work that he's been doing.

Thank you, Mike. Hi. Anybody else here first? Hello. Hi, folks. How we doing tonight? Good. Um, I want to say uh hi again to um the school committee members who I've spoken to quite a bit. Um, welcome. Could you provide your name first, please?

I'm so sorry. I'm Alexis Spurrows. Uh, we're ham street and also a first grade teacher at the Mary K. Good. I also hate the feedback so forgive me if I'm speaking a little close. Um, speaking a little bit slow because of just the echo. Um, so I'm here with a couple of questions. Um the first being the new number that the town came back with. Um does this is this is this it basically or is there a chance that they could come back to us saying there's even a greater shortfall. Not that I want that but I didn't know if that was a possibility. I

I think it's always a possibility but I'm confident that we have our number. Okay. As I cross my fingers. Um, the second thing is I noticed I can't remember what the name of the slide was, but when you were going over the facilities rental, um, it was $715,000. I'm assuming that was So, of course, it was fiscal year 26. Is that funding that we had gotten as a school district? that is the money that we received when we rent the buildings for any outside usage.

Okay. I just I hope I'm not echoing someone else's comments previously. Forgive me if I did. Um but it seems like we got a substantial amount of money from fiscal year 26 and I'm looking to fiscal year 27 as $84,000. That's that's $631,000 lost. Um, so I was just curious as to how we lost that rental. Is this the pool at the complex? Is it other things? This is not uh revenue in. Okay. This is expense. Okay.

So this year we spent 715,000 out of it. I can't do that again next year. No, no, no, no. I understand. And I wasn't sure if that was money that we got as a rental fee or, you know, if people rented our facilities. Originally, that account um was close to a million dollars this year. Wow. And we and and we allocated and spent 715. Okay. So now I'm down to like two and I can't I want to be conservative and not drain it. Yes. Totally. So I understand. No, I was just clarifying question. I didn't understand this. So, I apologize. No problem.

Thanks. Uh, another thing is when we were looking at anticipated vacancies, if I could please see that slide. Thank you.

Okay. So, um I do see the journey. I do see how fortunately we started at 23 positions down to 14 as teachers and then um of course the total number is 29 and a half back in February and now 23 and a half. Um, so my question is for clarification. When you have 14, I'm assuming full-time positions, um, and then you have average attrition 15, is that 14 including the uh, including the attrition or is it potentially could be lower? So actually there's we're proposing 14 positions and normally we lose 15.

Okay. However, it doesn't normally unfortunately doesn't normally work out that those 14 are the ones that are being proposed to be reduced. There's so many different things with certifications and grade levels and different things like that. It's just to give an idea that with with 15 um normally in a year and attrition that 14 could be much less in terms of people

versus positions. So that's good news. But if they all hopefully fall out the right way, we'd be in good shape. And my question is, what were the anticipated vacancies? Um, are they a specific I I I don't feel comfortable.

Got it. Nope. I'm sorry. I don't mean to put you in a position. I just didn't know if it was like uh could potentially be teachers. So, that's why I was just curious. Um, the second thing is maybe the third. I lost count. Um, the ELA curriculum. I know a lot of folks um in education know this. general public don't. There's the Prism grant. Um I know we're hopefully looking into grant funding to help supplement the cost of um of our ELA curriculum. Um forgive me if I'm incorrect in the number, but was it $200,000 that was budgeted for curriculum?

Correct. Okay. So my question is if potential um we purchase an ELA curriculum that everybody agrees is of the highest quality for our students. Um that also includes books and not all on a screen. Um my question is let's say we get that grant money. I've heard it doesn't cover the entire cost. Um, but could that money, if we're given that grant, potentially be rolled back into save a job or two? That's already been taken into account.

Okay. Um, and so we have some um of those um non general fund, the offsets, we have some more money there. But I I went back to this slide because I cut title two and title three grants, eliminated 80,000. We got word we might get that and that can be used for the ELA program also. So, I'm things are looking better.

Okay. Wonderful. I'm glad to hear that. Um I know ELA curriculum is not on the docket, but I just want to say thank you for um having the committee to look at the ELA curriculum. Um, I wish it was done in the very beginning because I think it would have saved a lot of time and effort and we could have made some very good decisions early on. Um, and as a first grade teacher, I want my children, my students, both my children who I gave birth to and the students I teach, um, to have an ELA curriculum that's being taught with books in front of them and not on a screen. Um, so I'm just putting that little plug in. Um, and then the last thing is that transportation budget um that we have um that is a separate budget. Correct.

Correct.

Okay. Um, for those folks who uh weren't aware, this is not myself praising myself. Um, just to make you and the public aware, um, I went with three fantastic educators to the Ways and Means Joint Committee and, um, and also other folks that support us, too. Um, and one of my colleagues who spoke did bring up the issue with transportation costs. Um, it's funny when we stop and look at it. When you have regional school districts, they get 80% of their transportation costs funded simply because they're a regional school district. If you consider the size of Middleboro, how big we are, our town alone is almost even bigger than some of these regional school districts. So, we took it to the state level. We're really hoping um that they do listen. there were over a hundred folks that spoke there from school districts uh across the state and other people who just support us. Um it'd be amazing to see if they rethought things and helped us out with the budget on the transportation among other things. Um so thank you for answering my questions. Um thank you again to everybody who takes their time to do what they have to do as a school committee member. Mike, thank you. I know you've been thrown a lot and I know probably dread seeing me come up to the microphone at all.

Um, but you know it there's there's no ill will. I promise you. I just ask hard questions as a parent and a teacher. So, thank you. Um, have a good night, guys. Thank you.

Sandy Smiley, 15 Spencer Street. And, um, I'm a former special education teacher. I have uh taught in very very rural districts. So I totally understand the concept of Middleboro being such a large space and how transportation can literally, not to use a pun, um but I'll use it, drive the bus. Um, in terms of budgeting, I've also worked in a large metropolitan school district that had the audacity and fullheartiness to think, "Oh, we'll save on transportation by putting all of the kids at their home school, whether that building is accessible to a child that uses a wheelchair or not." And that lasted about 20 minutes um and caused a great deal of problems. So I know that is a huge um not very easily controlled. So I hope the state does pay attention. My question has to do with special education. When I have come to your board meetings, your committee meetings and listened to reports from the departments, I've been amazed and really impressed by the level of both human support that you have budgeted for and provided and um software and other kind of program support at um materials and things. So my question is I was really surprised when I saw that one large chunk of increases was because of out of district special education students. I understand how those other places can be making their their costs go up and that we can't control that. But I was

surprised at the number of students and I realize 33 is a very small number in terms of the total number of students but I mean we had to twist arms legs and practically you know hogtie people to get any student allowed to go out of district. So I'm just curious, not breaking confidentiality, but what is the nature of the kind of out of school placement just to kind of educate myself?

There's a number of them. I'm not uh wellversed in that. I can get you that information. Uh I will tell you that we are um main focus is to uh limit those and keep the students here. Um so we are working on that. It has been a major focus but um the disabilities range from all all kinds. Uh but I can I can uh and I think we did have a presentation for our from our acting uh sped director uh who went through all those and and we can go through that again but I I I I can't comment on

a lot of those. If I could add to that, um because it was for the budget subcommittee, it was uh that u we asked the same question immediately um if that was a place that we might be able to bring students in and the information that was shared of the extensive nature of the disabilities. It it's not because we're not using the right methodology or something like that. It's not that at all. it's something is more all-incclusive that to set that kind of environment out to uh meet the needs of that student in this district would cost more for that student than it would be to send them off to another place. So um I I believe after listening to um the discussion that it's not a place that we would be able to bring students back into system.

Thank you. Thanks. My question is on the facilities. Do we have a um school committee subcommittee on facility rentals? Mike? Yes, we do. Okay. Big different about $700,000 difference there. Um we have all all kinds of basketball programs in town, dance recital in town. Um where are the kids going if they're not renting our facilities? We have baseball stocking up, right? We

No, we're we're renting our facilities. We have to balance up to 1.2 million in there. We started using it more than what we were bringing in and we can no longer do it. All right. So, facility rentals aren't covering themselves then. Oh, no. I'm sorry. Say that again.

So, in other words, we're renting facilities, but we're not making enough money to cover the cost of renting those facilities. No, I wouldn't say that. We we are paying we were paying for some salaries out of facilities rental. Um and so as I said we the balance was up to a million and over the last couple years we were paying for salaries that used to be paid out of general fund. So we were paying for those and now we can no longer do that. I have to move those people back to the general fund.

All right. So, is that money then that money kind of accumulated then over the years and now we've hit the bottom and we're just it looks like we're making like we're making $700,000 in facility rentals, but we're not. That's a that's many years that have accumulated we were able to take out of it, but now it's correct. Kind of zeroed itself out and we're just I wouldn't say zero. I would not allow it to go. Sorry, not zero. I got to leave something in there. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, thank you. Yep.

Mike, just a touch. So, it wasn't a 715 in one year that was built up and we had delayed some of the pain we're feeling now by using those one-time payments going forward. Correct. Okay.

Anything else for Mike? Okay, moving on. We asked about subcommittees. That's uh next on the agenda. Um so again uh the agenda that was uh this is the topic that's typically on the agenda for right after uh we have the elections of what the the uh subcommittees are are and um who might serve. Um so in your packet you'll see there is a list of our current uh subcommittees and who up until the time of the elections who has served on it. Uh you'll see I'll just quickly um read this policy that we've referred to many times already this evening uh which Shannon and Jess served on. Um lots of time that's been spent because our policies hadn't been reviewed for many years. Uh it's very important because it's uh there are many laws that we have to that are always changing that we have to make sure uh are incorporated into our policies. Uh very important and detailed information that has to be discussed and um and then language written that then goes to legal uh and then comes here for our um review and decisions. Next is a we ended up during the year last year because when Zeke left and we went down to a smaller committee so we were a committee of five. Um so um populating all of these subcommittees was uh was not easy. Uh so we combined to the master plan facilities and equipment uh subcommittee which Allen chaired and I was on. Uh we did not get to the master plan. We worked uh predominantly on uh looking into

questions about the facilities that came up in a variety of different ways. Uh public and student relations that was Chris and I but uh because we were also on the budget uh as well as others. Uh there were some things that we did regarding communication and it was something that was definitely a priority that came out of our retreat last year but uh it is not one that we made a lot of progress on. Uh and you will see underneath there what what the intent was for that committee. Uh budget committee again you've heard a lot about that was Chris and I. uh negotiations. Uh we have a variety of different uh unions that we need to do negotiations with and we need to have um typically two people at those negotiations. Uh sometimes if it's a a small one, we can get by with one. And that was Jess and Chris. And then superintendent evaluation. Um that was uh Jess and Shannon. Uh last year when we populated these uh we did it originally last summer. We did a retreat. We determined um we did a bit of a self assessment. We determined goals and priorities and from that came uh what the individual um committees were and what their charge was. And then um the chair uh reached out and asked people uh what where they wish to serve and then these were populated in that way. uh in thinking about where we are now. Um again um uh where we have our all our new members uh a thought that I have and I'm just

putting this out as a thought uh and then uh whatever the wish of the board is um I do think that we might want to wait until we have the retreat to formally go through things again this you know if we did it early this summer and then um really get a sense of what you might want to serve on. Uh though there are some that are of immediate need. Uh and uh Mike or anyone else you can uh help me if you think I am misstating. Um policy and protocols. Uh we have Shannon and we and Jess is not with us any longer and Shannon might not be with us uh in physically for a little while. Um I know we just spoke about wanting to to look at uh the policies. I do wonder this is, you know, ideal in reality. Um, not having someone here immediately to help with whomever else wants to serve on that board. I wonder if we can put it on the given that we're also looking at suspending uh the one that we really want to take a look at first. I wonder if we can hold on that one until uh the end of the school season and then uh you're able to look at that along with some other ones. Uh master plan and facilities uh actually Mike I know that you uh there are some things that are coming up that we need to discuss immediately. Is that true?

Yes. Um so that is one that we need to think of quickly to populate a second person on that subcommittee or or the first person which is me. Um public and student relations again even though that's something we want to we know we want to do. I do wonder if that is one that we can hold till the summer where we have some time to regroup. Uh budget I think Chris and I can continue on budget. uh just on the subcommittee everything comes back to the committee anyway and finish that negotiations is one uh you told me is was that was a stipens one that's not is that a different subcommittee stipens you said something about stipens

um it's not a subcommittee it's just uh we need a committee member on when they talk about um stipens either athletics or for non extracurricular um and so they meet it. It it they don't meet that often. We have in the past two years because they've totally revamped it. Um so it's not a heavy lift, but we do need one representative there. And the next time that group would be meeting would be

it was yesterday, but we couldn't do it because it was Jess. Uh so they moved it to next month. Okay. Um and as far as negotiations, we are we done with any negotiations that need to be done for the rest of the school year? No, we have uh we just got a notice to start food service. I'm sorry. Food service. Okay. And that will finish it up

and superintendent evaluation um won't begin until next year. Uh so my thought is at the next meeting given this uh that and is that too late for the stipen and negotiation one to populate that sub those subcommittees if we wait till next the next meeting. Um if someone if someone would just be available for this type and then uh it doesn't have to be a a standard you know and we can maybe we can talk about that after this

and I could work with them as to when someone would be available and we could go from there. Uh so we would be and the uh when we need a a group for you to meet with about facilities when does that need exist? That one's immediate. Okay. Uh can it wait till the next meeting or do you need it tonight? It could wait I think to the next meeting. a meeting with the attorney tomorrow morning um to start the conversation of what I'll bring back to the committee

and negotiations. Chris, you still on negotiations? Can't. Uh so yeah, uh two chairs ago put me on negotiations and then the previous chair informed me that legal um told me that I could not participate as a member of MTA. So I was replaced with Alan. Okay. And so do we need that person now tonight

for this one? Yes. Because uh food service is connected to that. So but if it were custodial or the admin assistance uh Chris could sit on that one or those two, but the ones uh with the ESPs, food and teachers, he's not uh able to do that. Okay. Um, so this is my thought. I don't know if we can do this this evening. Um, if it is okay with the board, uh, that I speak with individuals and see if we can just temporarily fill these positions until we, um, regroup, uh, this summer and, um, and more formally set up our subcommittees, though, I'm open to any other ideas. Yes.

So, if I may, so just with the suspending of that policy for this evening, obviously it needs to be reviewed on the next agenda. Um, so with that, are you going to review put it on the agenda as such that it's noted that we did review it and was suspended for this meeting, but we will put that on hold until there is a redistribution of the subcommittees. Correct. I put the review on hold and and revisit the suspension each um each meeting. So the threeminute rule will stand until the subcommittee is developed and has had a moment to review the policy. Okay. Other thoughts? Okay. Next. Are you moving towards your your

I understand why it needs to be suspended but then every meeting not suspended tabled but every meeting will suspend it or vote to suspend it. Okay. Yes. Okay. Okay.

Okay. All right. That is the end of the subcommittees, but you're going to be hearing from me. Um, all right. Next on the agenda is the superintendent search. Um, you know, probably the two most important items uh that we are working through right now is the budget and the superintendent search. Uh I don't think that typically though I've not been on the school committee long that um the first meeting of the new board has uh uh heavy lift items on the agenda. But because of the importance of the su uh the superintendent search uh and some pressing um decisions that we need to make uh we really need to dig in on this one. So in your packet you will find clipped uh together uh three different timelines. Uh and let me give you a little context for it. Um at our last school committee meeting um at the very end of it um we were given the superintendent uh what is now labeled the original superintendent search timeline revised. Uh it had been revised um when it was given to us but it's the original one that we we received at that time. Um when we had uh Sean Costello from Mask came and did the presentation on the superintendent search uh we had told him uh that we really wanted to uh expedite

the search uh and uh have a superintendent in place for the upcoming year. and he was given a deadline um of July 1st to have um the superintendent, the new superintendent begin the tenure. Uh and and that was something everybody wanted. Uh when we had first talked about doing the superintendent search back in I don't know Mike when when did we know we wanted to launch the search back in I don't remember the dates. I think January or February. February. Um we we thought that that was doable, but because of circumstances of when we closed um our relationship with the past superintendent, that got pushed back. Um and as a result, we ended up with the timeline that you have in front of you that says um the original. when um those of us that were on the committee at the time afterwards started looking at it, there were a few of us that began looking at the dates and wondering whether or not it was reasonable um for us to accomplish all of this, knowing that it was of utmost importance to us that we get community input, that we get stakeholder input, the teachers, the staff, all various kinds of input. it um and that we wanted it to go smoothly. Um if you've been involved in searches before, you know, you set times and dates, but they never stay exactly where they are. Often it gets moved back and we didn't want to miss uh at least I will speak for myself, I didn't want to see us misststepping because we were trying to get it done by July 1st. Um, so on

on Sunday, well maybe it was Monday, um, when I realized I would be at least starting this meeting, um, I reached out to Sean uh, Costello and said, uh, can we look at pushing the what about what if we push the, uh, start date for the new September? at least give us a little uh wiggle room because if you see on the original one, so for example um we it says April 2nd uh a designate meets with the consultant to confirmed deadline, set up the schedule for focus groups on approve an online survey and determine the screen screening committee composition and recruit plan which just appropriately did but we've not really had time to look at any of that. Um and that according to this timeline, we would be starting online surveys on the between the 6th and the 15th. Well, today, you know, we're already behind. Um and then on the 10th, which is tomorrow, um start recruiting volunteers for the screening committee. So, it already felt like we were falling behind and that it was it it felt I will tell you Monday it felt very overwhelming. So, uh, I did contact Sean and ask for that, um, August 1. And so, you will see, um, that they have another timeline, which I've now pulled all my stuff uh, apart. Hold on. You have another timeline that's behind that that says with the August 1st. When he gave that to me, he his initial

I said would that work and he said I have to tell you well first I asked him if we could go to September 1 and he said you're just not going to get the candidates that you want if you go to a September 1 date. um they we will already have gone and and taken positions. Um and I said, "Well, okay, how about August 1st?" And he said, "Yes, you would have a you'd have a better pool than if it was September 1st. Um but not an ideal pool because of how late it is in the season that people are already ready to move on." and he came back to me with a another suggestion which you will see behind it and that is he said I really believe um and then he called me back again or no he emailed me and said that he talked to his colleagues later about our circumstance and our circumstance being where we are many new um members of of the board um that haven't been in the conversations about is um that we have the positions that are open in leadership um or in interim positions. uh he recommended that we consider hiring an interim um superintendent and starting the for a year and starting the um search for the permanent superintendent end of September um with the goal of having that person be in place at the ideal time next year which would be July 1. Uh so um I said that I would bring that to this group which is I know that this is a lot um for our first time around here. Um I have talked so Mike has been

our acting superintendent. Different people have used different titles, but uh that is the title that he's been operating on and from the very beginning when we spoke with him, it was uh because we thought that it would be for a um short period of time. Uh this would extend it um through all of next year. Uh there's a lot on his plate as far as the budget is concerned uh going forward in the facilities and all of those things. Not to say he is absolutely able and willing. He has done a fabulous job and willing to continue on. Uh uh so the question would be which direction do we want to go? Uh and as I I'll throw in one last thought uh and that might make this a little more palatable in terms of the chunks of information we're taking in and decisions we need to make. It might be that the first decision would be do we want to go with the idea of starting a search the end of next September with the idea of putting someone in place hiring the superintendent whose tenure would begin next July. We could start with making that decision um tonight which would offload a little bit of all of that we should be doing if we're going to go forward with it. and then um have a conversation about uh interim versus acting uh and the complexities of the decision of that of that decision. ju not I'm not saying whether which one to go with just for people in general this is the last one with starting in

September and doing the whole process through the year that's a typical search process and search timeline um what we would be doing whether it's July one or August one is definitely an expediated compressed timeline. Um so just comparing what would be typical versus obviously what we are also you know looking to do which yields very different pools that we're looking at. Other thoughts?

I have thoughts, but uh can we hear from the people first and then I'll share? Sure. Anyone like to speak to this?

Hi, I'm back. Um okay, so I have a few questions. I know that we don't want to rush this, make a knee-jerk decision. I get that. Um, Mike, you've done a great job considering everything that's been thrown at you. Uh, and please do not mean this. I hope this doesn't come off as offensive. It's nothing with you. Um, but our former superintendent had been MIA for the entire year due to being on leave. Um, and now we're hearing that yet another school year we could be without a, again, Mike, no disrespect, a true superintendent that's been hired in that role. So, in my mind, I'm thinking two years. Wow. Um, and I know some school committee members who were running for this position ran on the idea that they're going going right into that superintendent search. Um if we were in this position where let's say hypothetically we take our time and maybe you cannot answer this question but would it be Mike being as the acting superintendent is this another potential candidate? And my question is, if it's another potential candidate, how are they going to be selected? Under what credentials, who is going to make that decision? Um because we've been a district in flux, uh with administrative positions kind of

coming and going and different messages and so on and so forth. I was really hoping that we would just go all in and really hit the ground running looking for a superintendent. Again, this is speaking as a teacher and a parent for my children's education.

And um if I just want to respond to your question uh that you asked. So um unfortunately you don't have this but what um the timeline for choosing an interim superintendent search timeline it would be conducted in the uh by mask by Shawn uh and it would involve uh many of the same steps but not as intensive. So it includes a community survey, post the position, um, and then we would be meeting to review the survey and determine questions to review applications and select interviewees. Uh, and this is his recommendation and also this can be added to. So I that pro it would be a process. It wouldn't be just one person or a couple of us saying, "Yeah, let's hire that person." it would go through a similar very truncated process uh for someone and typically um there is a pool of for interims of uh superintendent that for a variety of reasons uh very often there are people with some experience that they don't want to have a full go they they see this as something that they do or there's a variety of reasons why but there are people that would have the same kind of experience and credentials um that uh for a superintendent.

Okay. And if that was to happen, when would that potential decision be made? Would that before be before the start of the academic school year? Could we see an interim in like October?

No, July. this he believed he could do um by July because it's not in the in a um typical the one thing that for example that is not in the timeline of hiring the regular the full-time one is things like site visits is usually always part of hiring and I don't believe I I see that in this so there are specific things like that that you wouldn't do for the interim so you can truncate it a bit Um, and it would be his hope that he would be able to have someone here for July going through a real process.

Thank you. I just have never been a part of this conversation before, so that's why I had different questions. Um, moving forward, we do need, again, Mike, no disrespect, I never want to come off like I'm coming off the wrong way, but the culture of the district this whole school year has been different, um, we feel it. So my hope is whether it is an interim situ or or acting superintendent, whatever you want to say, whoever is selected is an ideal candidate for a not rushed superintendent search. I just am hoping we're not delaying uh delaying the process. That's all. So thank you so much for clarifying those questions. If I could just sorry Sarah,

what is the We know what the cost is for an actual superintendent search is 11,500. Do we have a cost and Sean may have presented this and I maybe just forgot. Um is there a cost associated with an interimm superintendent search in addition to the regular superintendent search? He said he they would do it for the same fee to together. So in addition Okay. So all 11,500 in Yeah. It does not increase it does not increase the cost. I just think that was important to know. Thank you.

So as someone who um watched the last process, I think we really need to be careful about rushing this. Uh we need to open this up much further than just uh the the zip code. Um so I really think we need to consider having an interim somebody that knows they're not here long term unless they choose that to apply for that later. But I think if we're gonna hit the ground running now and try to get a permanent placement in July, it would be foolish. It would just be repeating old patterns. And I think we need to get out of that mindset. We have a brand new board. I think we have a great acting superintendent. I think we need to just take a bit of a breath and make a make those choices in a timely manner, but not to just rush and hit the gas and say, "Well, we need this. We need this. We need this." there's a lot of issues going on, but I think this is such a big um decision and we've seen it go wrong before. So, I'd really like to take time with this. So, I think an interim is definitely the way to go.

Thank you.

I just wanted to comment towards the new members. When you guys were running, I heard and read about your stuff. I don't think any of you were surprised as superintendent. Are you? Because it sounds like, oh, we got new members. we're going to put it off. I think they knew exactly what we needed, right? You know, we need new superintendent. You need time to I don't know what learn more about the schools. I think you ran because you know that there's an issue in the school. So, I don't think waiting because a new board. They knew what they were getting into. They knew what they wanted to take on. This isn't and I don't feel this is rush. We've been talking about this for what, a month and a half, two months now. What is Mr. Costello's timeline if we start in July? Is it a two-month process? Cuz we're going to be ready for September with the new superintendent, right? And now we're going to wait another year. I don't know why we're waiting. His his timeline sounded pretty quick. I can't remember exactly his timeline. I know it was busy. He did talk about that, but we knew the timeline and we thought we'd get a good pool of candidates. I don't know if it was July 1 or if it was June 1st that we were meeting.

And now we're saying, well, we're going to wait. And I do agree with the fact of yeah, we shouldn't rush into it, but I'll be rushing into it. Is 3 months by the state rushing into it? If that's their program, is that how they pick superintendents? That's not rushing into anything. That's their policy. That's how they find superintendents. So, I I don't know why we would wait. We're in trouble. We need help. And again, not no he's doing double duty, but the schools need summer and we can't, you know, waiting another year. Okay. Well, then what are we doing? And we're still going to interview for an interim, but we're not going to go as far with the interviews. Well, then aren't we kind of rushing into that, too? Where did this person come from? Are they just because they were a superintendent? That means, oh, yeah, we'll put them in there for a year. That means we can't move forward for a year. we can't move forward on programs. We have the ELA that we're talking about. We want the new superintendent about the restructuring the schools and we're going to wait another year. I just I think Mr. Costello made a good case that this was the program. This was how you picked the superintendent. Uh if I just may clarify, he um he said if we want to do it that quickly even during the presentation um that he would build a timeline that did it but the normal timeline is longer and includes other aspects.

Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Hen I just have a couple uh questions clarifying. So there's an $11,000 fee for the surge and so we're already in budget issues. So we're going to do $11,000 this year if we do interrum and then $11,000 for the surge next year.

No. Um he offered to do all of it for the same 11,000. Um so then my other question or thought to consider is you know some of the things that we had discussed and I think you know the previous comment also just mentioned this is we weren't going to think about reconfiguration and some other building issues with interim superintendent. We wanted to get a full superintendent in here before we had those conversations. So now if we have another interim, are we going to wait a whole another year to start having those conversations about our buildings again? Um and just continue pushing things off for further years. So just thought thanks also for clarification. um not really following the original hiring of the previous superintendent and the process um until it got towards the end. When you have a superintendent, what process goes on in terms of um evaluation? And like with anything else, whether you get an interim or whether you hire a full-time superintendent, I'm assuming there's going to be an evaluation periods. And if they're not cutting it, then they're going to be held accountable. So to me, having worked in districts, if that process, if you do as good a job in search, regardless of the amount of time as you possibly can, and then you

stay on top of evaluation based on what you have learned apparently from where there were shortcomings and difficulties and things that didn't work. then it seems to me that you'd had a better outcome. And and I empathize with those staff members. It's going to be very difficult, I would imagine, to keep morale up if there are unanswered questions or there are un um resolved projects like reorganizing uh the elementary schools that have to be put on hold. That's that's really going to be difficult. And I think whatever decision you make, that impact on staff needs to be really thoughtfully considered. Thank you. Very good point. Colleagues on the board. So, is there a way to maybe put together like some kind of survey that gets sent out to everyone with the thought process, the two different timelines, what would be the reason to consider either or and see what the majority of people think. Um are you saying the uh whether people want an interim or the by the time we do that we would have lost the time. So the surveys that are supposed to go out and by the time you did that we would okay have blown this

timeline that we we wouldn't be able is my thought although people can because we'd have to develop develop it get it out but maybe you have a different if you're looking at these dates to get this done but maybe you have a different thought. Is there someone up there? I'm sorry. It's dark up there. I don't see. I couldn't tell if you were sitting or standing. Is that a short joke? No, because the thing's in my way, so I couldn't see.

Um, hi, Eva Crawford. Um, uh, resident here in town 172 a. um also retired teacher here in Mibbo public schools. Um I've been through two interim superintendents. So I know what that feels like as an employee. Um so I would caution you to um really think everything through before you make a decision. I've also been on a superintendent search committee 20 years ago. Okay. Show my age here. Um, so I understand very much the process and how long it takes. Um, I just want you guys to make the best decision possible because this is not just about staff. This is about our kids.

Absolutely.

And I don't know any teacher who does not want the best for their kids. You know, our our staff is wonderful. So, we really hope that you really think this through. Okay. Thank you. I understand when when you said about this um survey and how comp comprehensive and how long it would take and everything. And this is probably maybe even a stupid thing to suggest, but you're in a lose-lose situation, quite frankly. So, the best you can hope for or if I were in your shoes would be at least to send out by Monday question to staff and that would be the question, should we go interim? Should which will take this kind of timeline and lay out that timeline or should we go um the longer you or should we get a full-time superintendent with a compressed three threemonth um search pro process at least give them to my my way of thinking and this is just my opinion the respect of asking that question of them and I mean staff from all the way across the board. Um, get back those answers and then you at least know where they all stand and you can come back to them with what your decision is and your rationale for whichever it is. But I think they're

going to feel blindsided. Um, and then that's going to make the whole process harder. Um, so I I'm glad I'm not in your shoes. Thank you. I think

I had a question. Uh Kim, you brought something up about the pool and I don't know if you can answer this or not. I just don't have any experience with this, but I think you want the strongest pool as possible of candidates, right? So is that what you were kind of indicating is that hey the normal process starts in September you know because it was vacated and that allows for a larger pool or a stronger pool I guess of candidates. Are we kind of do you think we're past that point? So it's kind of like you're not at the bottom of the barrel but like maybe those candidates that we would want they're already kind of in a you know last interview type of process that we think would be a good fit for this district. So it kind of really narrows that focus at that point,

right? So a lot of districts who are in a superintendent search right now are kind of finalizing their searches. So a lot of superintendent are being hired right now. Um so we might obviously we'll be getting ones that are still looking for jobs. Um we might be getting ones who are being let go from districts and then looking for jobs. um at the end or who might have put in last minute notice and then leaving positions um I mean somebody might see our post and be like okay awesome yep want middle brow and then put and put in their notice. I mean it could be a unicorn. Who knows? But um you know at this late stage in the game this is the hiring time versus the posting time for a superintendent. Um whereas in se late late September fall is usually when you're posting and that's usually if somebody is leaving a position or it's that towards the end of their contract or things like that it's the last year then the the district's already prepping for that um and they know that is coming. So

I also would add to that um which I think is absolutely correct but in addition to that the amount of time that we really want to get the community and the uh teachers and the staff everyone's um information and really think through what we consider the best fit for Middleboro at this time and um I just worry that we have a lot of um bullets on here about do f do a focus group next week, send out the online survey next week. Um and is it really in a in will we have enough time to thoughtfully consider who we are looking for with the right kind of input? That's also alongside of what you're saying. That's also my concern.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean looking at the timeline if we were to start now for the August 1st we would be putting out you know after break putting out um surveys doing community forums the week of you know May 7th and then on Monday May 11th we would be you know kind of looking at that and then immediately posting three days later. I mean, that's not really giving a whole lot of time to even be able to review the surveys that the communities, you know, the information they're giving us. So, whereas if we're doing that process throughout the fall, that's giving us, you know, a lot of information and a lot of time to get a lot of get the community input.

Other thoughts? I know it's hard. Can I chime in? Certainly.

All right. Uh, yeah. So, in my experience, usually the way, and we're in a different spot, usually the year starts in September where you have a superintendent who's they're in their last year of their contract if they're going to retire and that's when you start your search. So, we're definitely behind that given our circumstances. Um, I think it's I mean any number of candidates can look really good on paper. I really want someone who's here for Middleboro and we're sure is going to be here for Middleboro and understands the staff, the families, and the the all the stakeholders. Um, and I'm hesitant to do that in such a a quick search. Um, interims in my experience are usually experienced superintendent, keep an even keel. Um, and I think one bonus that we haven't talked about yet is if we have an interim superintendent, then we don't need to have uh an acting and business manager doing two jobs at once. Um, and I don't think uh the state's going to cap spending on transportation, special ed, and other cost. And I don't think they're going to add more funds to us. So, I think having a business manager who is full-time looking at the books and monitoring the budget is incredibly almost as important as whoever we pick for a superintendent just in these next few years where things are going to they're going to be tight again next year and for the foreseeable future. So I think that's an important piece that we need to consider. And if I could add to that, guess I'm adding today. Um, couldn't agree more with one addition, uh, and that's the added bonus of having an acting superintendent,

um, on the staff working with the interim. And it would be my desire that who whomever as we go through that interview process that we pick a team player that recognizes that he's got a good teammate. he or she has a good teammate who's done this for a while and will be able to provide the institutional knowledge um and information about the culture and all of that um to help guide in in a way that might not happen in other circumstances.

I would just really love to see some community input. you I would love to see community input on this because this is such a huge thing for our town, you know, and I completely value what you guys are saying as educators. I mean, you've been involved in it, you know, firsthand. Um, but I still just feel like everybody should have some kind of input, even if I like that quick survey. I mean, let's just hear what people say, you know, because then everybody's they're going to be involved. So whatever decision is made, it wasn't made by just the seven of us. We have more input, you know. Understood.

So how do we want to proceed here? If I if I may, I think too with to Leah's point as well is that this was on the agenda. I think if I mean, people here have spoken. If they wanted to come and speak or had any questions about the superintendent search as we presented it at the last meeting, I think tonight would have been a good opportunity for them to come out and raise those questions. Um obviously not understanding that we were going to go through this process of presenting you know a interimm superintendent but I think you know if we did proceed with interim superintendent search and then we are going to launch a community survey with that I think that will give them an opportunity to answer like to ask a lot of the questions but is your question more whether we should proceed with an interim superintendent or just go right into

superintendent search yes and I feel like if it was stated like that on the agenda, maybe more people would have come, you know, if if that's, you know, the point. Um, sometimes people can't get here, you know. So, for something like this, because I mean, I wasn't aware that we were kind of behind the eightball with the timeline, you know. I did I wasn't aware that we were going to be thinking about an interim until um mid I don't know, yesterday afternoon. Yeah. When he got back to me, right? And and whoever said lose lose, I guess I would call it a rock and a hard place. Yeah. Um definitely

I I I empathize with the different perspectives on this. Um and I just want to know what we think is realistic. Um, so if we put out a survey, which in of itself I don't know where I'm not that um, knowledgeable about how that process works and and you know how we give people the context to understand what they're answering. Um, and then we get it back and then we would meet um when to make a decision of how we go forward. Um, I'm just trying to be realistic that we don't miss that we shoot oursel in the foot because we ended up understanding the reason for it. I um so I'm not for me the the having the input for our next superintendent, our next full-time superintendent is of utmost importance.

This timeline does not allow it. That's I guess what what um concerned me. So I think one thing that might influence that uh if item nine the April and May 2026 school committee meetings because there were there were discussions that we would be meeting next Thursday at one point. Um, if we knew are we meeting twice in April, twice in May, then that might give us time to put out a survey. Uh, what I was going to recommend to put out a survey to to Leah's point.

Okay. So, if we put out a survey now, um, and what what would you see as a turnaround time on a ser? Well, I'll answer your question. Uh, I think when Mike and I were speaking, uh, that we thought the best time for the next meeting was April 30th. I I wrote it down. I shouldn't do this off the top of my head. Yeah. Uh, that we would have a meeting on April, you said May 1st, that's Friday. April 30th.

Um, April 30th, then May 14th, and May 28th. So if we put out a survey for 7 10 days and then we can review that on April 30th and make a determination then would that still give us enough time? Enough time for what to either go with the interim or try to tackle the expedited timeline.

Okay. Okay. So, if you look at the uh timeline for the August 1st, um we would need to have the screening committee composition and recruitment plan already done. Um and start recruiting the um volunteers for the screening committee on April 27th, which I'm sure can go a couple days. uh and have a community forum on May 7th. So to me uh the the things that would be challenging first of all is um we need to know from this group who wants to if you're able if you're able to to go to these meetings that are mandatory for the two design the for um the interviewing and going you know there are um the May 11th is is something that everyone needs to the design or all of us need to go and take care of the focus groups and the survey responses. So if we met on April 30th,

then it would just cut down that April 27th to the 8th. It would just cut that down really to one week rather than I mean, yeah, if we're going off this timeline, right, then this timeline we can't do it anyways because April 2nd, we should have already had all that done.

They there is a ska there. So, a schedule for a focus group. They have the room. They have the questions that were determined by Jess and Sean um back then. So, those are done. Um I tried to get a copy of the online survey uh but uh Sean is now on vacation. Uh so I couldn't get it from him and I wasn't able to. Um there were a couple other people that were involved and they didn't have them. So we we don't have that to approve. Uh and I have the composition is in that they determined is in your packet. So we could we could approve that tonight. So Sue, was the online survey approved prior to the election or it was not approved going by the original timeline?

The original timeline it was done. Yes. So it was already approved the online survey. Approved by one person from the committee. Correct. So, is there a need to reapprove that online survey so we're not jeopardizing a newer timeline or do are you hoping to get an opportunity now as the chair to approve again the same survey? Um, I I think it would be nice for the committee to see what's being asked. I'm not saying that legalistically. I'm not I No, no. I'm just I just want to get

I I think it would be good for us to take a look at what is uh what is being asked but that's this is one person's thought that's so if you all feel differently that we can go forward with those surveys and not having really had a chance to have um take a look at it. I mean, we really wouldn't put those out until after the 30th anyways because we wouldn't know if we're doing this or not till the 30th because this would be if we're doing I think they were saying going forward now within the original

because what the survey you will you're talking about is to send out to say do this timeline or an interim. No, this is the online survey that will that is going to um give information does superintendent search. I think we're talking about two different surveys. Yeah, two different surveys, right? Yeah. But we wouldn't what you're talking about would be which timeline you pick, right? Exactly. But do we need to send out the survey that Sue is talking about? We don't send that out until and that's just to that's just to the committee like to approve. I my question was more has it been approved already?

Does it need to be reapproved? Because having more eyes on it and then approving it again is going to now obviously delay that. Yeah, we would have time to look. Yeah. No. And if people are comfortable with it going out with not because someone already approved it. Again, up to you folks. Yeah. But I think to Chris's point, seven to 10 days is a bit of time. Maybe if we shrink that timeline down just a little bit. Yeah. 5 to seven days max and then we can go from there. So that

if we shrink that time, that 7 to 10 day timeline down that Chris suggested to maybe 5 to seven days before April school vacation. Um and then we have that time before an April 30th meeting. That that might be the way to go. I still think that's plenty of time to answer one question for, you know, for staff and for parents. I'm shaking my head even though I heard like three or two words. So, uh I'm sorry I didn't understand. So, just shrink. So, if you were would send a survey out of whether or not we want to follow the interim superintendent search timeline or the the full like the full-time superintendent search timeline. We send a survey out, but we shrink the timeline down to answer the question within 5 to seven days.

Okay. prior to April school vacation commencing and then prior to that April 30th meeting and who will we send what what groups do we first of all um is there somebody that's willing to help uh put together that survey and should there be context information that goes with it so that um there's an you know understanding of what the choices are anyone willing to work on that I'll help so I just don't know how to If someone knows how to do, would it be Sean that? Okay. So, yeah, I'll help. Okay. Um, and we would want that to go out when?

Probably as soon as possible. Yeah. Okay. And to what groups, parents, staff, if there's some students that want some input? Yeah, probably a good thing. Um, as our representatives would say, a good thing to um if we can and when would we say that that um it needed to be returned by? I'm not just asking you. I think people really need to we need to if we're going to send it Monday, today is Thursday. Um

say Friday before break because I think once people leave for vacation then it's kind of gone.

Okay. I think 5 days is more than more than sufficient and once the packet is is ready um does anyone So uh Leah and Sean are going to work on it. Well, I don't I think Sean will do the mechanics of it, the um the body of it. Do you want to circulate that or how do we what do we do? Yeah, once you kind of write up whatever it'll say, then you can just kind of send it to us just to

I would recommend that if possible that we include the timeline um with it so people understand what their what their choices are. Yes.

All right. Should we put this into a motion? Want me to take a stab? Um, I'll entertain a motion uh that we the uh school committee will disseminate an online survey to parents, teachers, and staff. that asks them whether they would prefer to go forward with an expedited superintendent search or have an interim superintendent for next year. Anyone want to amend that

just to include students? Uh will are we going to survey them or are we going to speak to the students? How would they get a survey? Excuse me. How would the students get a survey? Is there a different way or it's Google survey? So they all have access the same. Okay. We might want to limit, you know, obviously kids in kindergarten. Yeah. Making the determination, but maybe like we determine what level of students if we want high school and up or or the representative boards. Correct. Yeah. From the school committee. From the student committees. Yeah. I didn't hear that.

So, the student committees. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe the student maybe the student advisory committee. Yeah. Yeah. Want to read that back to us, Kim? Sure. Uh motion for school committee to disseminate an online survey to parents, teachers, staff, and the student advisory committee whether they prefer an expedited search or an interim superintendent. Do I hear a second? Second. All those in favor? I discuss. Oh, sorry.

Uh I am all for the survey. However, um I just want to strongly voice my opinion that we should go with the interim superintendent search timeline based on my experience and the points that I brought up earlier. But I will vote I in favor of the survey going out. I agree with you, Chris. Any other comments from anyone?

Hi. Um if when you if the wording on the survey, can you just maybe put footnotes just of some of the things that were talked about tonight about how the cost doesn't go up because I think the budget issue is going to be a big part of it like for people thinking it's going to cost double. So can is there any way to put like a paragraph before people choose just to have some of those pieces of information? Perfect. That's a very good point. I think in the context of what we were talking about um there's some different points that we should make sure and that is one of them.

Uh Alex Cook, 32s Main Street. Um I will say I understand why you choose to go to the student advisory committee, but I will also note that that advisory committee is only made up of high school students and I think that goes a disadvantage to the lower grades. I would suggest maybe um I'm not a 100 percent sure if the middle school still has a class president system, but I would suggest maybe including those representatives because it does disservice them to only speak to an advisory committee of only high schoolers. Not that does not take input from the lower grades. Thank you. Thanks. Yeah.

I just ask one more question. you know, I'm in favor of the survey, but the intent is, you know, okay, so this goes out and there's going to be one group that's going to sit there and say yes or no, or they're going to pick one of those two. At the end of the day, does this come back to this board to vote on which direction? So, I guess the cautionary tail would be if they said, "Hey, let's let's go the expedite route. let's get the full-term superintendent, but then this group decides to vote and say, "Hey, we want to put the interm um in motion." Now, you're kind of going against what the popular vote said. So, it's just a cautionary tale. I can see it both ways. I think the survey should be done, but I'm just trying to think through the entire process and what could possibly happen. Other thoughts?

I I will add to that. It's the Oh,

sorry. One more thing in thinking about the survey and who it goes out to. Um, you know, I know we said parents, but there's some parents of kids that would be infected by this that aren't going to get that survey because they're not in the system yet, but they would be, right? So like thinking about kids that have preschoolers um that if this decision is made for another interim versus waiting a year expedited search that wouldn't have a say um because their kids are right on that cusp of not being in school to be counted in whatever email system there is. So just something to consider. Um, one thing I would um, ask you to consider is to educate the public on what this timeline is going to look like and what it all entails because someone's going to say it's an interim, it's going to be four months, but what does that look like? So, if you give them some more information, they might be able to make a better decision.

Thank you. Anyone else? Anyone else from the board? Uh, on the Did we put the dates on there? So, it's going to go We think and I'm not even positive that we I'm hoping that Sean can you have no thoughts? I don't know that Sean can do this by Monday. You know that there's so uh there's that

there's a lot there's a lot going on. Today's Thursday, tomorrow's Friday. Um if this is not able to be done by a certain date, I don't know. I just I I feel that we are really tying ourselves up in some real big unrealistic timing knots that are going to hurt ourselves.

Does that change anybody's thoughts? All right. Um, so all those in favor of uh creating and sending out a survey if possible on Monday, um, please say I. I. I.

Opposed. There we have it. All right. Sorry. Uh, next, as we talked about is, uh, April and May school committee meetings. Uh, order of folks, we already have school committee me meetings scheduled for May 14th and May 28th. Um, we know that we're we really are going to need another um meeting. Uh, and the one that we are thinking about is April 30th. uh which we need both for budget reasons as well as for the search questions. Uh does April 30th work for you folks?

I'm going to say no. That's probably wise. So I'll abstain from Okay. And Mike, this I've not done before. How do we check on availability? Uh talk. Okay, Tim.

Okay, thank you. All right, next is the consent agenda. Mike, approval, well, approval of warrants. Uh, I just thought before we approved these warrants, uh, Mike might might give us a little, um, how we get to this point with these warrants that showed up in your, uh, drives. Yeah. So, I'm already in trouble. Um, there were warrants that I was supposed to bring for you to sign. So, what happens is every uh all during every day we're paying bills and setting up warrants uh that a committee member needs to go in and sign. Um, so there is a warrant in my office that was supposed to come with me so somebody could sign it. Uh, so I do need someone to come tomorrow and sign. Um, but we build the warrants. It's all the bills for the month and you go through them, review them, sign off on them, and then they come in this form uh on the agenda after the fact. Uh, so the ones that are on this are uh from previous, but we we do have a warrant. I don't know if you're available tomorrow to go over to Forest

or someone. If if you can't, Sue, I'm I'm off work tomorrow, so you can go. That would be I got to go into Boston tomorrow. Yeah. What else am I doing?

So, that's the process. It It's every two weeks there's a warrant to be signed. It has every bill, every backup, all the uh invoices, and then um if they get them to me like they did, I can bring them here. It saves some time. Um but we'll do that. So that's how the warrant process goes so that the board is aware of what we're spending uh on a daily basis. also involves some uh series of checks, different kind of checks. Uh the department head signs, you sign,

purchase. Yeah. The whole requisition, purchase order, everything goes through a checks and balances and we have a number of approval for the payment and and then the school committee members signs them before they come to the full board. Um, so, uh, I move that we we, uh, approve the warrants, uh, that have gone through that process that were in your, uh, that were in your, uh, drive. I have a second. Second. All those in favor? I I I.

That's unanimous. Uh, and so we're down to information. Uh Middleboro High School speech and theater workshop is uh June 12th and 13th. Middleboro High School class of 2026 have online sales um that are happening that you you saw in your um in your drive. Uh I also wanted to note that we got an invitation from um Miss Sea from Mech to uh go to the space camp on Tuesday. Um and those are wonderful events as well as uh a request that maybe that she could come to a bring the kids to a future uh school committee meeting which I think would be fabulous. And so I I will pursue uh getting them here for that. With all of that, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn.

Someone has to say so move and second. Second. All those in favor? I I thank you and good night. Mike, what time are you going to be there? I mean once I drop the kick off in the morning. Anytime. You're at No, they're usually at brought them over to me. Oh, okay. Oh, I expect I'll try to get there to school.