School Committee: March 21, 2023

Transcript captured from MHTV’s Vimeo auto-captioning. No speaker labels; proper names and dollar figures occasionally misheard. Click any timecode to jump to that moment in the source video.

0:00 Seven PM when a welcome everybody to our fy24 budget hearing. Tonight it runs a little bit different than a typical public meeting. forgot to use this

0:16 The way here the hearing will run is Dr. Bucky will do his presentation at that point. I will open it up to any questions or comments from the school committee. After that. It is open to the public a hearing is a The public’s meeting. Essentially you may speak as often as you want. I want everyone to you know. Keep a Collegiate and ask questions of the leadership of the school committee and we will work through this and get everybody the information they’re looking for. So with that I will invite Dr. Bucky up to the podium.

1:05 Thank you, the slides to advance. That would be helpful.

1:14 right

1:19 All right. There we go. Start with the good news. The district is flourishing and continues to flourish as I’m out in schools. I see students happily and actively engaged in their education. I see passionate Educators working with our students meeting them where they are differentiating their instruction using a line curriculum maximizing time on learning. I see our students achieving as you see behind us AP results. We have more students achieving three four and five under eighty exams. 87% of our students are pursuing some sort of Education Beyond Marblehead High School.

2:02 This week the high school learned that they are a finalist in The Innovation pathway manufacturing Grant which means the district will get 75,000 to implement that program in Year One. And then $50,000 a year in the subsequent four years to maintain that program. We have some of the highest staff retention rates in our comparable districts almost tied for first place when compared to other districts in staff wanting to be in our district. All of this despite or in sight of a community that finds itself in a financial crisis.

2:46 Tonight we will talk about two budgets A reduced service budget and a level service budget. So, how did we get here? That we took to create a bunch that you will hear about. The leadership team has met over the last month having very difficult conversations about a reduced service budget. No one wants to make any of the cuts that are included in the reduced service budget. We don’t want to eliminate freshman Sports. The athletic director doesn’t want to do that. The high school principal doesn’t want to do that. We don’t want to have a middle school. That doesn’t have a librarian. Matt Fox doesn’t want to do that. We don’t want to see programs eliminated or

3:33 class sizes increase, but that’s where we find ourselves when we’re talking about that level or that reduced service budget. So as we met we made sure we aligned with our PFS the plan for success. In order to maintain level services for all Marblehead students. We conducted a line item analysis to maximize our resources. We examine grants to determine the most effective use of the budget. We reviewed building schedules and class sizes. We kept an eye to headcount which I will cover in a later slide across all of our bargaining units and we continue to collaborate with town and the

4:18 budget subcommittee. So here’s our goal our goal for fy24 is to provide at minimum. A fiscally responsible budget that provides level Services while aligning with our district plan for success and school Improvement plan areas and attends to the unfortunate Financial reality of our community.

4:44 So the district objectives in our PFS in a reduced service budget do not attend to teaching and learning there would be significant cuts to resources for teachers in terms of curricular materials. Professional culture in a reduced service budget does not attend to the much-needed professional development that our Educators deserve. It doesn’t get them the supplies the equipment the materials to create a professional culture. Diversity equity and inclusion is not part of either budget. It is not in the reduced service budget. It is not in the level Services budget in a request for personnel or any stand alone items associated

5:30 with Dei. Technology and reduced service budget takes a tremendous hit it eliminates the technology integration specialist that we brought on because of the Investments. We have been making in technology and finally facilities. We will not be able to attend to the maintenance needs of our district. And that’s something that we have heard from our community is we have provided you these wonderful facilities. Now, you need to maintain them reduce service budget does not provide for that. So how did we get here expenses versus revenues simple math? Our payroll expenses and obligations are outpacing the available Revenue. That is a town-wide problem.

6:16 So our expense increases are contractual obligations 3.85% You have heard me talk many times about osc’s 14 percent increase for out of District tuitions. That 14% over the last 10 years has been two to three percent annually, so that 14 is the significant hit to the budget and then of course utilities. Electric water natural gas. You’re seeing it in your homes. We are the largest consumer in Marblehead in terms of utilities. so Revenue increases Chapter 70 we’re proposed to get a 1.29% increase.

7:01 Taxes as we all know at two and a half percent. Going to show an interesting slide Chapter 70 increases. These are the top 10 wealthiest. communities in the Commonwealth you see marbleheads getting 1.29% in Chapter 70 Revenue increases Lexington’s getting 16 Westwoods getting 17 The funding formula is inherently broken when you see numbers like this.

7:35 enrollment enrollment is a big part of the budgeting process. What you see are current enrollments that are 2563 and then the projected enrollments that the principles and directors provided you during the budget workshops. That project our enrollment to be 2562. I don’t know about you, but that seems rather flat to me. We do not have a projected significant decrease in enrollment for next year. So Staffing levels, we looked at historical data. You can see the chart behind me. It has sapping levels over the last four years and what is projected for a level service?

8:21 And a reduced service budget. I do think it’s interesting in.

8:28 2021 the first budget that I did our enrollment was 2704. We’re projecting the enrollment currently at 26 22 or 2640 as you saw on the first slide. That’s a 64 student differential. If you take the department of Elementary and secondary education that says our average class size is 17. Then we should have reduced from 2021 to today for teachers. You will see in the level service budget that that’s eight teachers. Someone might say Well, they’re hiding it in paraprofessionals. Nope, significant decrease from 21 to the projected budget in 24 for

9:15 level Services of I think it’s 16 paraprofessionals, but it’s tutors. There’s an increase of one tutor over that span of time.

9:27 So if you see before you the two budgets in contrast the level Services budget. which is a 4.52% increase and then our reduced service budget Which is a 1.82% increase. This is what you get with both. Level Services budget at the four point five two percent increase will require. A proposition two and a half override which is the town has shared agreed to confirmed that we are in with them. Get funds all of our contractual obligations for payroll and contracted services. It has seven vacant position. That will be eliminated and three that will

10:15 be repurposed because we want to continue to move the district forward. So the effects of covid are still here additional school counselors having seen in a school district like Marblehead when we built a school with a steam room that is currently not being taken advantage of and then reworking the central office director of HR position into an HR generalist.

10:42 It forms our freshman Sports programs. And it will not fund requests in the aspirational budget. So anyone has concerns that with the level Services, we will repurpose or change the documents are there on the website in the budget for what is reduced funding what is level services and the difference between the two? and then the

11:10 reduced Surplus. two and I override it elimin. Ates 33 positions which we will reallocate for Increases funding for unemployment costs and of course, the utility costs that have skyrocketed. We will have to take 92,000 for our building use revolver count. Now on each side I’m not going to read all of this text. We will put this presentation up on the website, but this gives you a flavor for what happens in a reduced service budget. So elimination of teachers World Language reductions elimination of paraprofessionals. Some of whom have been in the district for multiple decades to have

11:56 to eliminate that position is gut wrenching for the high school elimination of the Freshman coaching positions special ed, which will impact co-teaching and Direct Services to students. Impacted the middle school again. You heard me reference in the reduced Services budget. There would not be a middle school librarian and then they would have the elimination of World Language Latin no longer able to be offered and thus because of scheduling significant increases in class sizes in both French and Spanish. The reduced services at impact at Village. They would have two classroom teachers eliminated resulting in larger class sizes. Decrease in supervision because of not being able

12:42 to fund paraples of paraprofessional positions and the PE and music positions not being filled due to retirements.

12:53 Brown School special education teacher tutor position and loss of the lunch and recess which we have talked about increases need for supervision or for others to pick that up. So counselors and administrators counselors not able to provide Direct Services to students because they’re going cafeteria to be At the Glover Elementary they would lose a front office Clerk. Lunch and recess Care Professionals the same impact as you would see at the brown school and a reading tutor not able to provide those tier 2 supports to our Learners who need the most.

13:33 student services our students on IEPs are impacted as much and I might say more than our general education students. So as we’ve talked about elimination of special education teacher at Brown increases very decreases co-teaching reduction in special education staff will reduce support for general education teachers. And as a result, the down river effect of this is that parents are going to increase their requests for evaluation and thus increase the need for services. So we’re Pennywise impound solution service scenario. Technology, as you heard me say we’ve invested significantly

14:20 and I think wisely you utilizing grants and other funding to get teachers the technology that they need and the support to be able to implement it in our reduced Services budget that position goes away.

14:37 Teaching and learning decodable text supplementary literacy materials for phonics supplementary literacy materials for fluency. These have cumulative effect over time and not being able to adequately fund these Facilities one custodian we do a lot of rotation as we’re not able to fill all of our custodian positions reducing that by one means that staff will continually have to be moving around.

15:08 Central admin I’ve mentioned the reduction of the HR Director which will be repurposed into an HR generalist and reduction of a payroll coordinator in business office.

15:22 Good news in some of the budget requests and thank you to Allison Taylor for bringing this to the Forefront many of these things will be put forward as arpa requests. So the textbooks that were requested professional development again, they are not for positions. They cannot be recurring expenses, but we’ve identified about $350,000 that I will bring to the art of working group to see if we can get some of the equipment the smart panels the things that are educators are asking us for Just today the 11th hour. I got to add an additional slide met with Thatcher and our new town accountant or Finance director Alicia and we

16:09 went through the capital requests. These are the capital requests that town. I have agreed to fund for us again. Not the complete list. It does not match what the facilities subcommittee had put forward as the needs for facilities maintenance and then the Rolling Stock. We will have a new school bus as part of our Rolling Stock request.

16:34 in summary There is significant detail in the school committee budget book. So that has been online that was a request to the community for increased transparency. You can see line by line program by program school by school. The Personnel requests supplies requests the equipment requests and where there have been increases or decreases in both scenarios. This isn’t where any of us want to be but the level services. Will at least get all of our students continued service in what they need. So I open it up to questions from the committee.

17:21 Or so I thought thank you very much for a thorough presentation and passion and your leadership. So thank you on the house with school committee and to all of you for putting together these materials. I think we find ourselves in this situation where the town clearly has a financial a crisis and I applaud you guys for putting together reduce Services budget as a as a fallback if we have to but it’s our goal as this Committee in the community to see us for those services. I thought that chapter 70 slide was quite provocative and I hope to learn more about that. You talked about a formula and if there’s something that we in the community to do.

18:07 To enhance our chances for Chapter 70 allocation in the future and certainly would like to explain around that but not tonight. It’s not the night for it. So that’s my only comment. Thank you.

18:23 One thing that jumped out my apologize. I didn’t think of this early year when we talk about the special education at a district increases. I know right now at the state level. There is a proposition that they raise for people to who don’t know to see kind of tells us the maximum or tells the private institutions the maximum they can raise each year for our tuition and if usually sits around two to three percent right now the State House the what’s being proposed is an increase of 14 percent. Is that reflective in that number or that is okay. I just wanted to make sure that and again, I just I want to thank all of our Educators Dr.

19:08 Bucky all of our leadership, but tremendous amount of work has gone into to multiple iterations of this and I’m really excited to hear from the community.

19:21 About what their questions and thoughts are because we we’re going to need some support here. So if anybody in the room would like to see that microphone I believe is on you can go up to the microphone. Also. If anybody in the audience would like to see just please raise your hand and I will call on you and we’ll start going through there. Remember everyone needs to see their name and address for the record when you

20:00 Sally Chevrolet Jonathan Heller cool good presidents the Marvel at Education Association this evening the Marblehead Education Association in the superintendent of schools, John Buckeye. Stan United Support of a school budget that provides exemplary education that the children of Marblehead deserve while none of us want to be in the position. We find ourselves. We’re encouraged by our collaboration and commitment to a longer range plan of appropriately funding our schools and compensating our Educators at a level that commensurates with their experience expertise and dedication to the district. We’re pleased to learn that the select board voted on Friday March 17th to include the Marblehead public schools in any override put forward by the town. Well, this is a

20:47 temporary remedy to our current situation. It does not get our students and Educators what they deserve. But it is a first step towards establishing a budget that supports the future of this community. We trust that the school administration will continue to advocate for us and our students and we’re confident that we will continue to collaborate together.

21:09 So at a recent school committee meeting a member made of that. We like to do the Maryland Public Schools as one of the top school systems in the Commonwealth.

21:20 The whalens The Westerns the lexingtons, but in reality we are good school system with excellent teachers. Our children deserve the very best education the school budget to support it a budget. That attracts and retains the very best teachers in Educators by establishment of peacekill that competes with the top school systems reduces class size. Increases salaries for esp’s to provide a liberal wage and the additional support needed in the classroom to Target instruction during a wind blocks. Focus Of our students by increasing guidance and therapeutic support each School. Provides increased opportunities for professional development and

22:05 planning time to allow teachers to collaborate together to review and discuss student work review and create curriculum and communicate with families. Support to maintains our school buildings technology equipment supplies and curriculum. It is time that the community moves forward to ensure that children of Marblehead benefit from these priorities. We see the exemplary education they deserve However, our schools remain dependent on the town of Marblehead to maintain our current budgetary needs for fy24 through a joint over on override with the town. looking forward we need to start preparing for fy25 where we need to come together as a community that includes teachers administrators students

22:50 school committee our PCOS and families to prepare a school override that will address all of the needs in place Marblehead Public Schools amongst the top tier school districts in the Commonwealth Where We Belong

23:06 Together we can build a school system that does not just maintain the status quo, but thrust as forwards we are the leaders in providing our students with this exemplary education. When we invest our children, we invest in the future of this community. Our school is provide the foundations of the future of Marblehead. They say that all roads lead home again in Marblehead. This is more than a saying our children do come back to Marblehead as adults to buy home. To start a business to raise a family. By investing in our children. We are investing in the future of this community. We respect the requests that this joint statement become part of the record for this meeting respectfully on behalf of the MBA Jonathan Helens Valley show every co-presidents. Thank you.

23:53 Thank you. Both John and Sally as you send a copy that will make sure it’s attached to the minutes.

24:01 It was very powerful what you had to say. I just want to clarify there was no vote taken by the select board on Friday. They anticipate taking one and I’m sure they that we will be included. I have no reason to believe otherwise, but to avoid the emails we get on that. alrighty Yes, we have another member of the audience.

24:25 My name is Grace wilberson. I’d like to and I’d like to comment on the proposal of eliminating the position of the librarian at the veterans Middle School. When I found out that there was no plan to hire a new librarian and it’s very upset. I really hope that this town can support so that we can afford to properly

24:42 staff that we need all of our schools for me has been a great place. I’ve lived reading since a very age and issue School libraries, one of the things I’ve enjoyed about school. Different students have different things that get makes it to go to school. A librarian is essential position, especially at the middle school level. Many students use the libraries of resource to do homework work on projects read borrow books and new technology. Image and help students use this all cannotic impossible without a librarian. I greatly hope that this happens on override for everything that all our students need because every item makeup is something we’re taking away from students. Thank you.

25:17 Thank you.

25:24 Becky if you want to unmute yourself and then if we can hear in the room the zoom participants

25:36 Can you hear me?

25:41 Can you hear me?

25:47 It looks like Becky’s Frozen. We will come right back to you and we’ll go to Dan Albert if Dan you can unmute yourself. Hi, I appreciate you holding this hearing having opportunity to talk and thank you for all the work you’ve been doing. I’m trying to get our budget and our schools where they need to be. Are you one second?

26:28 the entire one more time Yeah, my name is Dan Albert. I love it 58 lesser road again. I want to thank everyone for the hard work you’re doing and trying to struggle with this budget and taking a time to present all of this to us. I would only comment that in the presentation. I’ve seen a lot of scary things like eliminating a librarian and teachers and so forth. I didn’t hear anything about the central office or why would be rehiring central office people when to replace people leaving when we are so short on fun, but certainly seems to me this has been an ongoing problem a perennial problem or Perpetual problem. And one of

27:15 the most obvious things to do would be to eliminate the superintendent’s position and you could do that by consolidating our school with the school district next door and a Consolidated swamps got Marblehead Public School District might end this situation going forward that said, I would certainly like to hear in the more immediate term about how we’re going to get the central office before gutting the teaching. Yeah, thank you.

27:48 Thank you, Mr. Albert.

27:51 We’re going to return back to Becky and see if we can make the tech work to apologize. Can you hear me now?

28:01 Hello.

28:04 Alright, so I just had a question two things. Actually. The first is just a clarification Mr. Dr. Rocky mentioned having on the website all of the budget and the line items. Just wondering if that can be sent out or if we can be pointed to that because I would like to look at that. I just quickly pulled it up, but I could find that page. So it would be helpful to kind of have that to look at. Um, but the other thing is just for a point of clarification. So I did see in the presentation that we are the school district is asking for an additional $350,000 in arpa funds but I’m I understand that the town was awarded over six million and I’m just wondering as a percentage of town budget

28:52 where the school budget Falls and then as a percentage of arpa funding how much has been allocated to the school to date how even if we’re counting that 350,000 and how does that stack up against some of the towns especially that we were mentioning, you know where we’re there was a comparison between some of the other towns in the state in the districts just to see, you know, our districts taking the arpa funds and just allocating them across their budgets, you know, would that help for a year two years if the town did that with the stop gap of you know, avoiding losses. And then, you know coming back to the town next year with that more cohesive budget, which kind of has everything that we would like to see in the school

29:40 budget not just having to come and ask for a prop to half override just so that we don’t lose anything. So that’s my question.

29:50 Thank you very much. Becky. I’m going to ask Dr. Puckey. Would you like to take that?

29:57 It’s Timely. Michelle I had that conversation with Alicia and Thatcher this afternoon and he says that he Figures it’s about a five percentage Point swing between 47 and 52 depending on what your including in that calculation. So I think 50% of the Town budget it’s a solid figure in terms of arpa they are they have given the district 75,000 for summer programming 25,000 for school year programming 400,000 for the literacy curriculum adoption and will be bringing this 350,000 request forward. So quick math is 900,000 in

30:42 arpa funding of the Six Million that they received. So I think for me the important clarification there, right is that We are 50 or 50% of the town’s budget. We did not get 50% of the art of funds as as you know noted and I think that For me is a frustrating piece. I think that we also as a town. They’ve the team voted that there would be some very specific rules on how we could utilize our funds. Those I want to make that distinction also that it is not an arpa necessarily distinction. It is a distinction that this town

31:28 ruled on your part of their rules for using our funds. that being said I do think it’s a very important point and I know Dr. Bucky has been at least since I’ve been here because it’s been a little bit of a thorn in his side about it that it is. Something that I think we should be getting more of I think it’s a I’m glad that someone in the audience brought enough. I didn’t have to and I appreciate your continued efforts to gain even more for us when possible. I just want to add that Marblehead unique is that they will not fund any recurring positions. So to Becky’s point about Staffing they would they would turn down the list which again it’s not it a rule of our program.

32:14 Worth by the federal government. It is a specific rule put forth in Marblehead. I ran the numbers just really quick because you asked about percentages Dr. Baki said 50% roughly were 50% of the town wide budget at present. We’ve received seven point eight percent of the arpa funds and if all of our requests that Dr. Bucky just put forth in the last week are approved then we would be at a total of receiving 14 percent. So Other towns, you know, everyone is unique. If I had to go from the ones I’ve researched I do think the majority of towns have taken the percentage of their budget which is representative of their schools in in apply that

33:00 there are performula and just give that to the schools just to combat learning loss and the effects of covid as they feel as Educators is the best way to do that. That would have been 3.2 million. We we didn’t get 3.2 million. The neck hold on two seconds. I just want to talk to Becky’s point about the finding the budget documents. They are there is a link right on the front page of our website. If you just go to Marblehead schools.org, and there’s a cute little picture and then at the bottom of that there’s a link to click and it’ll take you to all the budget documents starting from the budget workbook and leading up to all of the other things that we’ve discussed including things tonight.

33:46 Thank you. Next hand I see is Catherine Martin. Give me a

34:00 set of mine. Are you good?

34:06 You’re good. Okay. Yeah, Katherine Martin 29 West Shore Drive. I wasn’t actually, you know coming to speak about arpa, but did we request 50% of the Opera funding? because if we think we need more. Then we should go for it and we should request it and we should get the public behind us. The parents in this community. We know can can drive a lot of decision making so, you know, I’m just stating that I guess I’m here to speak in favor of the level Services budget. I think it’s heartbreaking that there’s even an option that we would be less than that because we know how profoundly

34:53 short we are with level Services. I’d like to just like really congratulate and thank the two Union reps who spoke tonight because they were spot on their comments were powerful and as a parent who’s been in this district for 11 years. It’s their 100% Right and I would remind the school committee that it’s your job to hold the superintendent’s feet to the fire. It’s your job to request a plan from him. And in his team that breaks down our needs over multiple years. And then when you have that plan we can bring this forward we can get this override your collective bargaining and getting is next year.

35:38 You know, obviously you put the request in, you know, you build that into it, but I also want to remind you. We don’t have to only have one town meeting. You can have another town meeting. It just requires signatures and I would take that I as a schools. I would take a more aggressive stand with the town. The town has put us in a really tough position and the town is going to talking point right now that this is a result of inflation and covid when those of us who have been paying attention for years. You know that John mcginn warned the town about this in 2016 and 2017 and we put band-aid and Band-Aid on our town budget. And now it’s the backs of our kids who suffer my freshman.

36:26 In a high schools World culture book is from 1996. It is literally the date inside of it. The book is old the names have been erased. I can see that somebody used it in 2001. We need curriculum updates. We need to really address our outplacements in District out of District outplacements. We there are many of those kids that we can service in this town and they want to stay here and I just I’m just imploring you to do the hard work. I I heard one of the Selectmen say I don’t want to tie anyone’s hands and last Friday and I thought it was the most deplorable thing I’ve ever heard because it’s actually the time when all hands should be on deck and everyone should

37:11 be working extra hard department heads Our Town Administrator all of the people in town who bring forward budgets because we need to really understand not just for the schools, but for the town too how much it cost. to run this town in an exemplary way and how much we’re willing to pay so that the taxpayers can make that decision and I just hope that Perhaps this leads a fire under you to get this strategic plan done bring it to the smart parents in this town and then let them bring It Forward because they will they’ve done it in the past and they’ve done it again and just in closing. I have a quick question as a building Committee Member my our last meeting we had done the Brown School.

38:00 Reference at the field because of the previous failure. We had 1.4 million dollars left in our coffers. I’m curious where that is or if any decisions been made on that. Did it pay down the bond? Is it in the general fund? So if I could get an answer for that, that would be great.

38:20 Thank you to Dr. Butler. Dr. McGee, do you want Michelle to take that I see you looking at? It do we know we haven’t closed out the project yet. I don’t believe The upcoming building committee. Okay, and at that point, I’m sure we’ll be talking about closing out the bond and if that will reduct reduce the tax levy because that’s important for everyone to understand too. We didn’t spend to the maximum that we were allowed to so there will be reduction. I mean granted it’s one point four million. So the it’s not You know the greatest increase the project was not fully bonded. There was 1.8 million that was not yet bonded on the project. So therefore everything but at one point eight million is in a

39:06 bond, so we just will not go out for that final portion that we’re not spending, but correct me if I’m wrong what we what we showed people at town meeting that this is what will be representative the actual we collection on your taxes is less because we did not bond that one point email, correct.

39:25 Thank you for answering that. Miss Martinelli to thank you for your comments and please rest assured that school committee is working at least my fellow school committee. Members are all working super hard as volunteers and I applaud their efforts to to help you Administration find their way to some difficult decisions and working with the the building leadership. I’m also very pleased with the collaboration with the town given the scenario new to town. I don’t have children in school. And I can tell you that I’m trying to parse through a long history of sort of US versus them with the schools versus the town. I’m super thrilled that we’ve gotten to a place where we are collaborating and we’re

40:11 looking forward to doctors but he’s presentation to the arbor committee. This is not US versus them. This is a committee process. And we will bring forth requests and I like Miss Martin said encourage you to continue to add to those requests as they meet the criteria that are set up by the town. And there was no nothing owners in those criteria that was done by a committee, and I’m happy to Miss Martin has involved in the in the schools and container encourage and remain involved and appreciate your questions. Thank you.

40:46 Him days the next hand. Go ahead. Can you hear me? I apologize because my audio has been going in and out. So if I repeat any questions that have already been answered, I’m sorry about that. But Kim day 18 Liberty Road. I have a few questions one. I’m hoping at some point that you can reiterate the next steps after tonight’s meeting for all of those listening. And for those who will be listening to a recording later so that people understand that you’re not bringing both of these budgets forward. You’re going to be voting on that and only one will be presented at town meeting. Um, I wanted to also thank Katie for all of her comments because they were spot on not only tonight but at the last good school committee meetings so Katie thank you for all of your efforts and

41:33 your commentary as always because I know how Luke didn’t you have been and how much you’ve been paying attention and I Echo a lot of your remarks. I’m hoping that you can clarify two things specifically within the budget. For the high school special ed. Or Lyon item for both the level services and the reduced cert reduced budget asks, it looked like a significant reduction in that line item even for level services and I’m hoping to get some clarity around that is it because of the student population that will be at the high school is not at the levels that it has been for instance because our enrollment isn’t

42:20 going down as you have previously indicated maybe that the students within that population in the needs aren’t going to be there. My second question is and it may be a very stupid question. I admit it for the reduced budget ask of one point eight whatever it was percent or is that number because that’s what the town is holding us to for our budget.

42:47 Be maxing out to the two and a half percent so that we can help alleviate some of the reductions that are being considered.

43:00 So you cut out a little bit. So I just want to clarify what I think you’re asking. Okay, so Dr. Bucky, would you like Dr. Not only to speak to the question about special education or do you want to We’ll have to show you. When making someone thank you. It’s actually more of the the reason for the I should say more accurate reporting figures and fy24 every year we get better and better and can pointing exactly where our staff is when I joined Marblehead a few years back. I couldn’t tell you if the person certainly the payroll on the budget was correct overall, but all of the staff was not necessarily coded to

43:46 the correct location. So every year we tweet that a little bit more and more we are spot on for fy24. I can all I could say that I 100% accurately.

43:59 So the big fluctuation there is a slight decrease in the high school special ed staff. Some of our staff is moving around two different schools, depending on where the needs are. However, the fy24 has the accurate figures by person by Dollar. So therefore the swings may be a little bit larger and certain places, but the allocations are correct for fy24 in terms of the increase of the one point eight percent budget. The 800,000 was the figure that the town provided to us, which was The figure that they could afford in terms of balancing the budget where that actually came from. I do not know because we weren’t involved in the town calculations, but that was the allocation that

44:46 they had suggested to the school department. Okay, thank you for making those clarifications and I guess I would go Katie said in terms of going back to the town. I can explain how we move to that. I just want to speak to the 800,000 really quick. You know one thing that I think has been hard for everybody that develops these budgets in the school side for all the years that I’ve been involved or watching is we’re given a number essentially that we need to back into. And it usually gives us level services but as education changes and new initiatives arise it’s hard to back into that number because those initiatives aren’t allowed for in it. This year’s particularly hard for multiple

45:32 factors the numbers lower than what we need to do to level fund but also, you know, Dr. f** and his team and Michelle were extremely proactive. They got us these numbers very early. We’ve had five fincon meetings where every meeting we have the same information because we were ready to go really early and we’re just waiting on a number from the town. And as of tonight, we feel the town the numbers pretty solid. But as of this morning, we still weren’t quite sure. So I just am appreciative to how we got here. That being said the process to To get us the funding that was presented tonight is very prescriptive town meeting

46:18 May 1st. And I think second so put it in your calendars. It sounds like it’s going to be tonight. The only way budgets and Marblehead in the Commonwealth are passed is that town meeting? You literally cannot go as an absentee ballot. You have to be in the seat to raise your hand. So article 30 will be our level service. That’s the refer to it as level Services keep the lights on austerity a million different names but that is are not level service. I’m sorry. That is the budget that includes 855,000 increase that we do services. That is the budget. We will be asked to approve next week. Legally. We have to approve that budget for it to get into article 30 which is

47:04 what the town can afford without any proposition two and a half or other funding sources. So that would be article 30 article 31 will be joint with the town. That’s very important for everyone to understand. I’m just not the schools going at it alone. We are included in one article with the town and that would require a two-thirds vote a town meeting again folks got to be in the seat raising hand two thirds. So in that then brings it to a valid election on June 20th. Which would need to pass by just a simple majority and adapt point on June 20th, if it passes we would secure. The funding to get level service, but for anybody

47:51 watching it’s two-factor authentication. If you will, we really need people to you know, participate at both of those and vote. However, they choose but it’s just as a mechanism of Mass General law it requires both of those. They’re connected to tolerate a question for the ignorant. He was at town meeting. Is it a deliberative process or an upper crop and that and so they announced each. Well, it’s quite fun actually. Oh, so the question was at town meeting. Is it a deliberative process or is it simply vote yet or anything? It is quite deliberative.

48:36 Yes decrease it alterate or is it just legally speaking? Yes.

48:49 Um, and if you can just for the because our our Administrative Assistant who takes the notes if you can write down for us later, so I don’t screw up the minutes. So yes. Technically by Mass General law, it can be amended on the floor the amendment needs to be written. So to your answer. Yes.

49:10 Any other questions, sir? Okay. Any other questions from the public Samantha, do you mind coming down to the mic? And remember we’re going to State our name and address for the record.

49:34 Hi, Samantha, Rosado 3 Martin Terrace. I just want to thank the school committee Administration for their hard work. And I’ve had a student in the district since 2009. So as a parent of a seventh and 10th grader on gutted to hear that that’s could potentially lose the library like got it. Our children and staff were asked to make so many sacrifices during covid and I just don’t feel like they should be asked to give up anymore personally. I feel very frustrated that we are here at all. So as a staff member. At the Glover school and I hope I’m not breaking any rules by talking. I would just like to

50:21 reiterate how important and valued each position is at schools.

50:27 each and every one matters So every time a physician is left unfilled someone else has to walk away and not perform their job that they were hired to do and when this happens repeatedly the students suffer and staff morale is definitely affected. So I just worry what will happen if the override doesn’t pass to the staff. That’s that’s still there. So the schools lose all these positions. So I really hope that we can pass that level-funded override and I do have one question on a separate note. I know this is come up. When it comes to the contracts for the paraprofessionals on the tutor, but just to the power professionals and lunches and that group. I noticed that

51:15 it’s under minimum wage for the state and I know why some positions are unfilled and this is public information. So it’s not crazy because I’m a staff member anything. I’m just curious why. That is and will it be addressed maybe next year or the year after just to boost those? I’m sure that maybe we can have a little wiggle room and hiring people, but that is a concern to me. So, thank you. Thank you, Samantha. We did put funding in the budgets to get our professionals and I believe cafeteria workers up to minimum wage. So that is included in the budget.

51:56 Thank you very much. Yes, use your makeup. Hey, so this result. Thank you very much for your comments, and I just wanted to reiterate that article 31 level service budget is an override proposal for all Town Services of which were part of but we’re also talking about body level services from for public safety for vpw, etc. Etc. So just for clarification for all the public. It’s important. If you live in this town and depending on how you feel. I know I will be voting in support of level funding our services in this town, which would include level funny at the schools. Thank you.

52:38 I just wanted to Circle back to a couple of things one thing that Katie mentioned I For sure have been a thorn and Dr. Buckyside about asking for the arpa money that in my personal opinion professional opinion. We are we deserve and I will continue to do that to make sure that we are looking at every possible option. We have to ask for that and to put that forward but also I didn’t know that you now might not be the time but if You know in speaking what Kim mentioned about next steps. if we wanted to talk about kind of what you and I had discussed for next steps in general after this year to

53:24 I think what we have provided the public. Is Worlds more than we have in years past? Hopefully that’s recognized. I also am able to recognize that we can do even better. I think everybody at this table wants to do even better and I think that I talked about a really fantastic. Plan to get there or to at least help get us there hopefully inside. I don’t know if you wanted to talk about that now since you know, it was asked about next steps specifically for this, but I think just to let everybody we’re also thinking. bigger picture for students that type of situation I think that you know this conversation that I had in opening statement at the last school committee meeting that the

54:12 short game is fy24 in the longer game is starting Earnest today after town meeting of collaborating with town on a Longer range plan that includes curriculum review cycle for the district that specifically identifies those benchmarks for the planning for success. And so I think there’s tremendous opportunity but those have costs drivers and identifying those early so that taxpayers understand exactly the next three years of planning for success and what those drivers will be for the district. I think will be important in developing fy25.

54:58 Gifted and talented programs things that our district is woefully behind other districts. The steam is the immediate thing that jumps out. So we’re able to attend to that this year but gifted and talented opportunities for enrichment. We do need to continue to go school by school line by line program by program to see where there are efficiencies. Don’t be a lot of them spoiler alert and where there are opportunities for us to significantly invest in the district and get us to a place that when we’re comparing to The Westerns the whalens the W is Were there not just in theory but in practice?

55:44 nothing to that point being able to capture that data and share it with the public so that there aren’t so many different conversations that we have about students for class. In particular, which is something kind of grates on me when I look at those Destiny numbers, and I know what happens specifically at brown, but I know it’s rampant elsewhere. So thank you. I think the public should know. Just pipe in for a second because I am just kind of struck by How Far We’ve Come sometimes it to me. It feels very frustrating. Being at a level service, you know because this is not what we sort of set out hoping to be in this position this year, but I think to your point Dr. Bucky, you know, I have to be I

56:30 have to say thank you to you and your staff administrators both at Central Avenue in the buildings because you all have worked incredibly hard to move this District forward and to be courageous enough to put forward what the actual needs are. You know, there’s been this conversation has been ongoing for many years before I even got up on the school committee and and yet now we’re actually talking about what it costs what is needed and and hopefully, how do we get there? So I really appreciate that leadership. You know, I think one of my favorite terms that you’ve used is courageous leadership and I think that asking for these things and advocating for our students and our staff is courageous.

57:15 And so I just wanted to take a moment to say that I really appreci that

57:22 cute I’ve seen a hand up and it’s appears just

57:28 Yep, and then I’ll get back to you.

57:31 Types of 39 Beach Street, I just wanted to thank Mr. Mathers for the comment about the partnership with the town. I think it’s important that while level funding is not the best case scenario for us right now. The town is also going through a lot of painful things like headcount reduction. It’s it’s not easy for anybody in this atmosphere. And I think pretty quickly. We need to be on the same team rowing in the same direction with this town and understanding that we’re all in similar situations because this adversarial what they’re giving us what they’re not giving us is not going to help anybody in the long run here. So Updates thank you, Tom for talking about the work that’s being done with Dr. Becky Our Town Administrator. There’s there’s a lot of partnership going on. So I

58:19 really don’t want to undermine that with Further conversations soon when we really need to be partners and Becky you had your hand up if you’re ready to go now and then we’ll go to the next speaker.

58:33 Yeah, I was just gonna ask about the process because it sound okay in there.

58:49 Are we good? Okay. I was just gonna ask about the process because of the timing of town meeting vote budget and you know any impacts to Staffing that might actually hit this school year and if there are impacts to Staffing the school year just knowing that you know, when tell meeting happens and then when we go to vote it’s at the end of the school year. So, you know are there impacts that we should expect to see this year to be prepared for as a town? Let Dr. Becky answer that so there are some contractual deadlines that we will have to meet the timing for involuntary

59:37 transfers is April 15th, and I’m looking to my phone friend mea members there and then because our election is late. The reductions we won’t know if we need to make those until after the town election the town vote and so we can identify the positions but not give notice until after the election.

1:00:08 There are no cuts to this current school. There are no cuts the current school year.

1:00:15 So we don’t have to notice people by June 1st. We will let people know of the reductions, but they will not actually get their pink slip until after the election.

1:00:28 Seeing NBA done. That’s very that’s very good news.

1:00:35 Does that answer your question Becky? It does as a follow up because I really want to I really want to sell this. So would it be possible? I mean, I I’m just I’m very supportive of not doing anything but level funding like I’m a little bit upset that we aren’t able to even present the aspirational budget. But but that’s something that I’ll get over if we can pass level services. You know, is there something that we can do as parents and you know, I do full disclosure. I work in the school, but I’m more worried about the impacts to the students. I’m not worried about myself. I’m just worried about you know, the other staff impacts

1:01:21 the students, you know, and how we can possibly You know rally the town if it you know, if we will before the election to come out and support what we really need to do and and I know it’s not just the school. It’s you know, all the town Services police fire, you know, everything across the board so Thank you so much Becky for your support. You can reach out to me and I can put you in touch through the proper channels just a lot of rules of what can and can happen. So I’m happy to make those connections for you, but I can’t I can’t do. Thank you. Was there another hand up?

1:02:05 Catherine Martin

1:02:08 Thank you, Catherine Martin 29 Westshore Drive. I am thrilled to hear that there has been discussions about more long-range planning including steam gifted and talented. I hope that also includes special education inclusion, but I guess my big question is where was that last year you brought forward your own two and a half override without that planning. Was there any consideration to do that last year? Um, I I feel like We have these budget hearings every year and you think we have amnesia. I sat here last year well and listen to you know, how we had to live and die by adidia Dei coordinator. And now I see the carrot like being strung out in front of me again. Yes, we’re gonna start doing this long-range planning.

1:02:56 Yes, we might we might start doing steam initiatives and looking at enrichment. But I’m I’m maybe I’m the only one but that should have been done last year and that plan should be in hand now. So maybe you can speak to the thought process of starting that for FY 24. Excuse me, FY. Yeah fy25 and why it wasn’t looked at for FYI 23 when you actually were looking for a prop two and a half override on your own because I think if you had done that you would have gotten the override.

1:03:36 Yeah, go ahead. thank you, Miss Martin for The education we look forward to your collaboration and moving forward in the planning process for the next five years. It’s great to see your enthusiasm and knowledge of the of the budgeting process. I can tell you that this school Community having only served on it for 60 days plus or minus. I’m very impressed with the collaboration with you know, my four other solid school committee members who are like-minded in a singular Focus to do the very best we can give us circumstances of this year. And I’m also very proud of the administration’s Outreach and collaboration with the town. In working through a very difficult fiscal situation.

1:04:24 And so from my perspective being new, I think the most important thing is is to be perspective. And I’m not here to criticize any kind of sentences of the father if you will and I look forward to getting to work you in all stakeholders. Until is it June 20th. Until June 20th when I’ll be leaving the seat to to help us plan to play Implement The Guiding principles that have been working on by by stakeholders previously. It really Implement that into a true strategic plan. And that’s going to be a great process. Thank you.

1:05:03 I do think what we heard tonight from Dr. Becky. I wasn’t aware that you guys had that conversation. I think it’s a great conversation. I’m really happy was a commitment to move forward with what we heard here at spoken to as a strategic plan with those line items. A dollar amounts initiated things like that. So I think that’s what you were just describing. Yes. We’re not going to develop a new strategic plan. We’re going to flesh out the planning for Success. That was 26 members of our community you were on at Sarah make the Taylor was on it that established those benchmarks those initiatives for the district. Now further fleshing them out into more specifics having to engage that work, but we will not be developing a new strategic plan. No, we won’t

1:05:51 be developing the New Direction, but we’ll we’ll be taking those building blocks in in really, you know, flushing out skeleton if you will. Okay benchmarks. Okay. Can I just type in really quickly to because I think you know Ms. Martin’s husband was on that that committee as well that put together the planning for success and you know, what what is in the education World a strategic plan. I looked at Milton’s last week. It looked quite similar. They had three objectives. We have five objectives, you know, when you look at other districts there often very similar to what we’ve got just to kind of set the record straight. I also think that we can flush things out a little bit more. I think that was talked about at our summer Retreat, you know, we shouldn’t move forward with that. I don’t know if

1:06:39 it’s best done over the summer or if we can do that work further into the school year. but last year’s asked also was reflective of those strategic initiatives and what the district is set out. Are they a little different based on feedback this year that we got from the community last year? Absolutely. None of us is so Intent on things to not listen and that’s I think the difference in what you’re seeing steam was in their last year and that request last year and steam is in the requester the the aspirational budget this year. So I just want to make sure that that we’re talking correctly and talking about facts because there’s oftentimes a lot of misinformation out there and it bothers me to no end there any

1:07:26 other questions from within the auditorium?

1:07:31 Any more hands in the audience here? So I do want to just make a statement here. I I want to make it abundantly clear that I 100% support this ask for our level funded which will be article 31. I like many that we’ve heard from tonight cannot fathom the results of not having level funded as many of, you know, very vested interest in the turnout of this but all hitting aside I There is nothing in this request that I find concerning at all that it’s in there. If anything, you know, I think we’ve

1:08:17 been extremely fiscally responsible in pairing this down as much as we possibly can without doing real harm if you will, I I don’t feel there’s any fat in this I don’t feel that there’s you know anything that is padding anything anywhere I 100% back this budget back article 31 and you know, I hope I speak for everybody else here. We’ll have a formal vote on Monday night before our fin come hearing but I just wanted to as chair speak to the fact that I I completely support this and I hope that the community feels we were able to answer any of your questions.

1:09:03 If not reach out reach out to any of us reach out to Dr. Bakke. We will get you answers. We will we’re happy to continue to have these conversations. Even if it isn’t a formal hearing setting but we want to make sure we put all the information out and answer to anybody’s concern. So there isn’t, you know any other information out there flowing floating around and I want to make sure I give myself committee members a chance to speak to Dr. Buck anything in closing. Of did you want to talk about Monday’s Finance committing presentation will play.

1:09:42 So we don’t have it on the agenda. There’s no huge business region. If we we can yeah, I mean so in the past we’ve had the been calmlyzons present at the budget hearing and then last year because we had our own sponsored over I Dr. Bucky presented. I think it would be really important that no matter what that you’re there. Um, I might take away my understanding after having had come conversations with Alec is we’ve been really proactive about giving them all their information. We’ve had so many meetings that they don’t have other questions left is my understanding. So I I think it’s somewhat precursory that will present our

1:10:27 numbers. Maybe they’ll have some more questions, but we’ve been really an open book and I’ve been really proud of that process and I think you guys should be really proud of that as well.

1:10:38 Sounds good. So with that I will.

1:10:48 So with that I will adjourn us at 8:11. Thank you.

1:10:57 Working have failed.