School Committee
School Committee: July 6, 2023
Two-hour meeting following the failed FY24 override. MEA co-presidents spoke at public comment urging the committee to support a budget that enhances public education. Subcommittee assignments set for 2023-24, user fees raised by $12 per athlete (5-0, generating ~$26K for freshman sports), Special Education department audit funding approved 4-1, and Schaeffner proposed working with administration on **zero-based budgeting for staffing specifically** with an outside consultant to complete the process. Continuation to August.
Schaeffner: zero-based budgeting for staffing, with an outside consultant
Third in a chain of ZBB conversations at SC (2020, 2022, 2023); recommended for continuation to August. No formal vote.
During the FY24 budget discussion, Committee Member Jennifer Schaeffner introduced a new proposal:
“Working with administration to look at a zero-based budgeting for staffing specifically. She also recommended bringing in an outside consultant to complete the process. It was recommended that the discussion be continued at a meeting in August.”
Sarah Fox also requested an update on out-of-district tuition at the August meeting.
Where this sits in the ZBB chain
This is the third of the four ZBB conversations at School Committee in the historical catalog:
| Date | Who | What | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-06-08 | Chair McAlduff | Commit to develop a ZBB for FY22, define methodology at summer retreat | Discussed; no vote |
| 2022-07-19 | Asst Supt Cresta | Full methodology presentation: justify every salary line, per-building budgets, no carry-forward, Oct start | Presented; no vote |
| 2023-07-06 (this meeting) | Member Schaeffner | ZBB for staffing specifically; outside consultant; continued to August | Discussed; no vote |
| 2025-10-17 | Committee (request) | ZBB examining staffing against enrollment projections; Oct 28 methodology meeting committed to | Discussed; Oct 28 meeting didn’t happen; Oct 30 SC instead directed level-service |
The pattern: each iteration is more specific than the last (define methodology → full methodology presented → specific scope + outside consultant proposed → concrete request and committed follow-up). The follow-through declines as the specificity rises: Cresta’s methodology presentation generated nothing; Schaeffner’s outside-consultant proposal was “continued to August” and doesn’t reappear in the catalog; the 2025 committed Oct 28 methodology meeting didn’t happen.
Other budget items this meeting
- OOD SPED prepayments: process in place since FY20. Cresta recommended a $500K prepayment for FY23. Anticipated FY23 surplus also estimated at ~$500K.
- Special-education audit: Fox moved to allocate funding for an audit; Schaeffner seconded. Superintendent Buckey recommended speaking with the Director of Student Services first. Passed 4-1 (Meagan Taylor no, wanted Dr. Donnelley’s input).
- Reduced services staffing budget priority list reviewed; discussion about using one-time surplus funding to fund recurring staffing costs.
Jennifer Schaeffner · Sarah Fox (chair) · Michelle Cresta (Asst Supt Finance & Operations) · John J. Buckey (Superintendent) · Alison Taylor · Meagan Taylor (remote)
Also on the agenda
MEA co-presidents speak in favor of enhanced public education after failed override
Jonathan Heller and Sally Shevory read a prepared statement; Chair noted prior-meeting concerns about confidentiality of complainants.
Chair Fox opened the meeting at 5:04 PM, with two notes before public comment:
Pre-comment chair statement
Fox spoke about public comment from the previous meeting — a parent had reached out with concerns about the importance of keeping the names of families and students who file complaints confidential, so there would be no fear of retaliation.
Public comment
MEA Co-Presidents Jonathan Heller and Sally Shevory attended in person to read a prepared statement on:
- Their disappointment with the failed override vote
- Support for working to pass a budget that “enhances the quality of public education in Marblehead” and supports the future of the community
Sarah Fox (chair) · Jonathan Heller (MEA Co-President) · Sally Shevory (MEA Co-President)
User fees raised $12 per athlete; freshman sports + transportation funded
About $26K new revenue to fund freshman sports coaching positions and transportation.
User fee adjustments for the 2023-24 school year. A chart of suggested fee adjustments was shared.
The change
- $12 more per athlete
- Increase in the family maximum
Revenue impact and use
- About $26,000 in additional revenue
- To fund freshman sports coaching positions and transportation costs for freshman athletics
Motion to approve the amended rates moved by Alison Taylor, seconded by Schaeffner. Passed 4-0 (Meagan Taylor had not yet joined remotely; she joined at 5:40 PM).
Michelle Cresta (Asst Supt Finance & Operations) · Sarah Fox (chair) · Alison Taylor · Jennifer Schaeffner
Special-education department audit funding approved 4-1
Meagan Taylor no, citing desire for Director of Student Services input first.
During the FY24 budget discussion, conversation about the reduced-services staffing budget priority list led to discussion of how to use the projected FY23 surplus. Fox recommended a comprehensive audit of the Special Education department.
Fox asked for a motion to allocate funding for an audit. Moved by Schaeffner, seconded by Alison Taylor.
Superintendent Buckey recommended speaking with the Director of Student Services prior to making any decisions to move forward with an audit.
Roll call vote: 4-1.
- Yes: Schaeffner, Alison Taylor, Ota, Fox
- No: Meagan Taylor, citing she would like Dr. Donnelley’s input prior to voting
Sarah Fox (chair) · Jennifer Schaeffner · John J. Buckey (Superintendent) · Meagan Taylor · Brian Ota
Subcommittee assignments for 2023-24; Communications subcommittee under discussion
Budget, Curriculum, Facilities, Policy, plus advisories; Schaeffner and A. Taylor to lead a new Communications subcommittee with community surveys.
Subcommittee and liaison assignments for 2023-24:
Subcommittees
- Budget — Sarah Fox, Jennifer Schaeffner
- Collective Bargaining — Sarah Fox, Jennifer Schaeffner
- Curriculum — Brian Ota, Jennifer Schaeffner
- Facilities — Sarah Fox, Alison Taylor
- Policy — Alison Taylor, Jennifer Schaeffner
Other
- Selectmen MOU — Chairs as needed
- Safety Advisory — Brian Ota
- Health / Wellness Advisory — Alison Taylor
Liaisons
- METCO — Meagan Taylor
- SEPAC — Meagan Taylor
Communications subcommittee: Schaeffner and Alison Taylor voiced interest in spearheading the process, beginning with community surveys.
Principal Ota recommended holding quarterly forums with parents and teachers to focus on annual goals, similar to the Falmouth school committee model.
Sarah Fox (chair) · Brian Ota · Jennifer Schaeffner · Alison Taylor
Executive Session planned re: athletic-program investigative report
Public records request surfaced an investigative report; committee plans an Executive Session under exemption 1 to review process.
Fox brought up an investigative report for an athletic program that came up due to a public records request.
What’s being reviewed
Whether information in the report could be used to review policies in an effort to avoid similar complaint-related situations going forward.
Legal advice
Legal counsel recommended entering an Executive Session to further review the report and understand:
- When complaints were raised
- What actions were taken
- When and why the investigation was initiated
Superintendent Buckey asked for clarification on whether the Executive Session would pertain to the records request or the investigation. Fox confirmed it would focus on the process of the investigation. Counsel confirmed the meeting would be under exemption 1.
Scheduling
A meeting tentatively scheduled for July 20 at 6 PM, pending availability of counsel, to convene either at the beginning or end of the planned summer retreat (or earlier).
Sarah Fox (chair) · John J. Buckey (Superintendent)
Summer retreat scheduled August 7 (8 AM - 12 PM); abutter fence at Brown
MASC and counsel availability pending; goal-setting before school year starts.
Summer retreat
Decided for Monday August 7 from 8 AM - 12 PM, pending MASC and legal counsel availability.
Fox inquired if members had professional development training requests. Alison Taylor requested that school committee and Superintendent goals be reviewed and outlined by the time the school year starts.
Closing business
No new business. Correspondence: Fox mentioned an abutter of the Brown School raising fence damage from the construction project; discussion about other complaints and how best to address them with the Building Project.
Schedule of Bills (deferred)
The Schedule of Bills was unavailable for this meeting and will be voted at the next scheduled meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 7:14 PM.
Sarah Fox (chair) · Alison Taylor
Tonight's record
5 decisions ▾
- Approved amended 2023-24 user fee rates: $12 more per athlete with increase in family maximum (4-0; Meagan Taylor not yet joined)
- Allocated funding for a special-education department audit (4-1; Meagan Taylor no, pending Dr. Donnelley input)
- Subcommittee and liaison assignments for 2023-24 (Budget: Fox + Schaeffner; Curriculum: Ota + Schaeffner; Facilities: Fox + A. Taylor; Policy: A. Taylor + Schaeffner; Communications: Schaeffner + A. Taylor to lead)
- Tentatively scheduled an Executive Session for July 20 at 6 PM to review an investigative report regarding an athletic program, under exemption 1, pending availability of counsel
- Scheduled School Committee Summer Retreat for Monday August 7 from 8 AM-12 PM pending MASC and counsel availability
2 votes ▾
- 4-0 (Meagan Taylor not yet joined remotely) Approve amended 2023-24 user fee rates ($12 increase per athlete plus family max increase)
- 4-1 (Meagan Taylor no, citing desire for Director of Student Services input first; Schaeffner / A. Taylor / Ota / Fox yes) Allocate funding for a special-education department audit
6 documents ▾
- MEA Public Comment Statement (Co-Presidents Heller and Shevory) — Prepared statement read at the meeting; not in the public materials section but referenced in the included-materials list.
- Memo: Prepaid Tuition (FY19-FY23 expenditure history) — Listed in materials; supports the FY23 $500K prepayment recommendation.
- Memo: User Fees Adjusted for 2023-2024 sy — Listed in materials; chart of fee adjustments by sport / category.
- Reduced Service Budget Priority List — Listed in materials; basis for the discussion of surplus usage and the special-education audit motion.
- Sample School Committee Communication Goals (Falmouth) — Referenced by Principal Ota as a model for quarterly parent/teacher forums.
- Subcommittee and Liaisons Template — Used for the 2023-24 assignments.
130 min full transcript ▾
AI-generated · may contain errors · verify with the source video
Note on this transcript. Derived from the official meeting minutes (
data/minutes/school_committee/2023-07-06.cleaned.txt), approved by the committee on October 5, 2023. The minutes are the authoritative record. School Committee meetings are recorded to the SC’s YouTube channel; the per-meeting video ID has not been resolved here. For verbatim quotes, please cross-check against the official approved minutes.
Initial business (5:04 - 5:15 PM)
Chair Fox called the meeting to order at 5:04 PM. Members in person: Fox, Ota, Schaeffner, Alison Taylor. Meagan Taylor virtually (joined 5:40 PM).
Chair statement
Fox spoke about public comment from the previous meeting — a parent had reached out with concerns about the importance of keeping the names of families and students who file complaints confidential, so there would be no fear of retaliation.
Public comment
MEA Co-Presidents Jonathan Heller and Sally Shevory attended in person to read a prepared statement on their disappointment with the failed override vote and in favor of working to pass a budget supporting the future of the community to “enhance the quality of public education in Marblehead.”
Schedule of Bills (deferred)
Schedules were unavailable; will be voted at the next scheduled meeting.
FY24 Budget Discussions (5:20 - 6:30 PM)
Out-of-district SPED prepayments
Process in place since FY20. Chart of expenditure history FY19-FY23 shared. Asst Supt Cresta recommended a $500K prepayment for FY23. Schaeffner inquired about anticipated surplus; Cresta confirmed estimated surplus of about $500K.
User fees for 2023-24
Discussion and vote on adjusted user fees. Chart of suggested fee adjustments shared. $12 more per athlete with an increase in the family maximum. The adjustments would bring in additional revenue of about $26,000 to fund freshman sports coaching positions and transportation-related costs for freshman athletics.
Motion moved by Alison Taylor, seconded by Schaeffner. Passed 4-0 (Meagan Taylor not yet joined).
Meagan Taylor joined at 5:40 PM (remote).
Reduced services and Special-Education audit
Conversation about the reduced-services staffing budget priority list. Discussion about possible uses of the surplus funds and using one-time funding to fund recurring staffing costs. Fox recommended a comprehensive audit of the special education department.
Fox asked for a motion to allocate funding for an audit. Moved by Schaeffner, seconded by Alison Taylor. Superintendent Buckey recommended speaking with the Director of Student Services prior to making any decisions to move forward with an audit.
Roll call vote: 4-1. Schaeffner, Alison Taylor, Ota, Fox yes. Meagan Taylor no, citing she would like Dr. Donnelley’s input prior to voting.
Zero-based budgeting for staffing — Schaeffner proposal
“Ms. Schaeffner mentioned working with administration to look at a zero-based budgeting for staffing specifically. She also recommended bringing in an outside consultant to complete the process. It was recommended that the discussion be continued at a meeting in August. Ms. Fox also requested an update on out of district tuition at that time.”
No formal vote at this meeting.
Subcommittee and liaison assignments (6:30 - 6:50 PM)
Returned to subcommittee assignments. Principal Ota recommended holding quarterly forums with parents and teachers to focus on annual goals, similar to the Falmouth school committee model.
Subcommittees: Budget (Fox + Schaeffner); Collective Bargaining (Fox + Schaeffner); Curriculum (Ota + Schaeffner); Facilities (Fox + A. Taylor); Policy (A. Taylor + Schaeffner). Selectmen MOU: Chairs as needed. Safety Advisory: Ota. Health / Wellness Advisory: A. Taylor. Liaisons: METCO (M. Taylor), SEPAC (M. Taylor).
Communications subcommittee discussion: Schaeffner and Alison Taylor voiced interest in spearheading the process by beginning with community surveys.
Public Records Request discussion (6:50 - 7:05 PM)
Fox brought up an investigative report for an athletic program that came up due to a public records request. She wondered if information in the report could be used to review policies to avoid similar complaint-related situations going forward. Counsel recommended an Executive Session to review the report and understand when complaints were raised, what actions were taken, and when and why the investigation was initiated.
Superintendent Buckey asked for clarification on whether the Executive Session would pertain to the records request or the investigation. Fox confirmed it would focus on the process of the investigation, under exemption 1.
Executive Session tentatively scheduled for July 20 at 6 PM pending availability of counsel.
Summer Retreat (7:05 - 7:10 PM)
Decided for Monday August 7 from 8 AM - 12 PM pending MASC and legal counsel availability. Alison Taylor requested school committee and Superintendent goals be reviewed and outlined by the time the school year starts.
Closing Business (7:10 - 7:14 PM)
No new business. Correspondence: abutter of the Brown School raised fence damage from the construction project; discussion about other complaints and how best to address them with the Building Project.
Meeting adjourned at 7:14 PM.