School Committee: July 2, 2025

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

0:54 Hang on. Hang on. Turn your volume up.

1:02 Make sure your sound’s off. Yeah, it is. Thank you. Always forget. Yeah. John, I don’t see you. Oh, wait. There you are. Sorry. And O’Brien. O’Brien. There we go. Brian Oda. Thank you. That’s it. Oh, Mike Pifflin doesn’t want to be. Okay. Okay. Thanks, Belle. Yeah. Thanks, but now. All right. I’m calling us to order at 601. And we want to do the pledge. You want to do this?

1:48 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty, justice. Amen. Okay. Um so the next um item is uh which we do every year after the election is the school committee reorganization. So normally we would take motions. I don’t know how the committee would like to do this. If you’d like to make nominations or do it in the form of motion

2:24 well I’d like to make u our nominations for the chair all at once. Oh okay. Hang on one second. Frank, you can you can hang on one second, guys. What am I doing?

2:56 Okay. Um All right. Sorry about that. I’m hearing that. I’m hearing. Isn’t that coming from there? That might need to be muted. Um, okay. So, Brian, you want to make a motion? Is there any or want to make a nomination? Anyone else? Okay. So, how would the committee like to do it? So, So, somebody needs to be mute there.

3:47 Somebody needs to give me a minute. Yeah.

3:57 Damn it. There you go. Okay. Sorry about that. Um Okay. So, um do you want to go first and then maybe you go first and then we’ll just vote. Okay. That’s probably the way to go. So, the results of the poll clearly demonstrate the public wants a major changes in the way the school committee operates. I am reminded of an old saying that goes, you don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. With this in mind, I therefore nominate Jen Schaffer to continue as the chair. Jen has established critical relationships with the members of FINCOM, the select board, the town managers, and other town organizations. In addition, she works very closely with Superintendent Robu and his administrators. Jen has also worked very closely with the MASC, that’s mass association of school

4:44 committees, the field service director, and the school committee attorneys. I was an administrator of Marblehead ed schools for many years and worked with the Marblehead school committee over those years. When I was elected to the school committee, I found there was a very steep learning curve that takes time to understand and incorporate into your planning. As a chair, you must learn not only how the school committee operates, but also how the various town departments operate and learn their decision-making processes so that any plans the school committee requires of their departments can be successfully proposed and agreed to. We operate under mass general laws, the MGL, that regulate how school districts must operate. For example, open meeting laws are very restrictive and it takes time to understand their language to ensure

5:30 that we do not violate them. The school committee has adopted policies that are based on mass general laws and how the district will implement them. We have 12 major categories which break policies. We have 12 major categories which break down the various policies. For example, board governance has over 30 policies and many others have even more. Whenever plans are being discussed with the school committee, the chair must be aware of any mass journal law or school committee policies that may be involved. Therefore, I propose Jen Sha to remain as chair. And I make this plan this proposal with plan to nominate Kate Schmeck Pepper as the vice chair. I’d like to nominate Al Williams for

6:15 chair. I I greatly appreciate the work that Jen has put in and and I I agree with everything you said. I I really feel as though Al can can handle the job and I think it’s important we see a change in making school. Okay. Any other comments? I can just call for a vote. I’m just going to echo what? All right. I’m just going to call for a vote on which resolution. Well, they’re not motion. Which motion? They’re not They’re not motion. So, we have two nominations on the table. I think we just go through and state whatever the committee would like to do.

6:53 I’m fine to just go ahead and vote. Vote on. Yeah. All right. Um I will start with him. Uh I vote for Al Williams. Jen. I’ll vote for Jen Chapman. I vote for Al Williams. Vote for Al Williams. Okay. Al, congratul um Okay. I don’t have a doubt. So you’re up. Oh, I assume that since you put this on me, it’s your agenda that you would continue to Okay, just take over. All right.

7:44 No question. No question. I would suggest that.

7:52 Okay. Um Okay. Um I guess we’ll we’ll do the same process for vice chair. Does anyone have any nominations? I I nominate Ker what Brian said earlier. Anybody

8:16 Yeah, I guess you have the votes. Yeah, congratulations. I think we we should have voted. Yes. Okay. Um pepper, right? Pepper. So, I’m actually going to um abstain because I think that um I understand what the will of the committee is. It’s pretty clear. I don’t um necessarily agree with the way u this process has worked. So I’m going to abstain. Okay. Mr. Chair, I feel compelled to ask why what you’re uncomfortable about in case we need to learn from it or do something different. Well, I just it you know I I tend to go with the will of the

9:02 committee. Um I don’t think that this um is the right answer for the school committee. I don’t think that it is typical of how we come into leadership roles and grow into leadership roles and so for that reason um I’m in favor Kate. Okay. All right. Um that leaves secretary. So does anyone have any nominations? I’d be curious if it’s a role that Brian is interested in. No. Then I would nominate Henry. I nominate Jen.

9:42 Any other nominations? All right. I’ll just Sorry to pick on you, Henry, but just we’ll go in this order. Um, which I’ll vote for myself, Henry. And I am happy to be significant. Okay. Um, I vote for Henry. Okay, Henry, you’re our secretary. Um, just to let you know that is not taking the minutes of this meeting. That is done for us, but it becomes very important when we’re taking when we’re in executive session and we have or don’t have that person available to do that for us. So, that’s when we really need you to take minutes. Thank you. I appreciate that. I understand you were

10:27 just secretary. Yes. So, gotcha. Okay. um for the student rep. Is that something that we had? Uh no, now now the school’s out. Um well, it’s not here today, so he’ll likely pick up um September. Okay. Thanks, Sean. Oh, and uh good host here. Um are there any commendations? Um yes. I wanted to commend um Allison Taylor and Sarah Fox, our most recent school committee members for their um service to the town of Marblehead School District. Um and also to candidate Emily Djoy who ran as well. Anybody that puts their name in and and runs for office should be commended. So I want to thank

11:13 her as well. I also want to saying do the same commendations for Allison and Sarah for the hard work they’ve put in uh during the last term and from the joy who ran school committee. Anybody who runs for public office, they should get a congratulations. Good. Any other commendations? Okay, we’ll move on to public comment. Uh I just want to state briefly on before this that I will limit folks to three minutes. Um I think it’s unfair if we decide to make variations. I am more open to if there’s many more people who want to make public comment uh to go past 15 minutes as it as long as it’s

12:01 the will of the committee. So u thanks Mike.

12:26 Okay. I’m so sorry. Should be. Please sit down. Okay. I will sit here.

12:38 I mean, yes. Okay. you. Yeah. Okay. Hi, Sarah. Um I don’t have anything prepared for the first time. Sorry, Sarah. Just your your full name and address, please. Oh, Sarah Padian, 23 Idol Road. Um you know, first off with the vote. Um I particularly don’t agree with that and I feel that Jen should have really had the chance to stay as chair as we have two new members. Um, and I do think that it’s important for those members to learn and with Al only being here I think two and a half years, um, I just kind of think it’s the wrong direction. But I get that it’s probably pre-planned and, um, you guys have what you want to do and that’s what we have to go with.

13:25 Um, but I do think that Jen has done a fabulous job and I think that people should be a little more grateful and uh the same thing as Jen and uh Brian said that you know we thank um Allison and Sarah and Emily for running. Um I would never do what you guys do. Um so I think it is very important. Um I just want to let you know one thing that happened today. So, I had to spend half of my afternoon with an old student here in Marblehead, uh, fourth generation, decided to show up at our monument, uh, with Palestinian flag and try to explain to us why, you know, what his feelings

14:12 are. So, I just want to make it very clear, you know, first of all, this kid came from our schools. um you know was educated in our schools is only 22 years old um spewing a lot of propaganda you know whether it’s taught in our schools or taught in college or taught online or whatever um you know I want to make sure that the new board members realize that there is a big anti-semitism problem here and it’s not part of DEI um that has nothing to do with you know Zionism or Judaism Um, and I just really want everyone to keep it in mind that we do have a problem here. One of our big problems is the

14:59 MTA. Um, you know, I think I have a picture of one of their things. I’ll just read it. Massachusetts Teachers Association approves training or its members on the dangerous redefinition of anti-semitism used to suppress teaching about Palestine, which they did a new business uh portion. I don’t know, they voted on it a couple weeks ago. Um where they are going to teach why the IRA definition um is not acceptable. um and they’re going to teach their teachers and the community and parents. So, I just want to make everyone aware that that’s coming. Um and I have spoken 10 seconds left. I have spoken with a super and he has reassured me that you know this

15:45 behavior and that information will not be a part of our curriculum. Um so I just want to hold that and make that very clear that that’s not going to happen in our town. Thank you.

16:08 Good evening. My name is Mark Adams. I live at 15 Brier Lane in Marblehead Head. live at 15 Brier Lane in Marblehead. Um I want to speak about um last month’s vote to approve the spending for the new HVAC system for the high school. Um, I urge the committee to spend that money that’s been aortioned uh through um the property tax override on an energy efficient heat pump system rather than replacing a natural gas boiler with a new natural gas boiler. I remind the committee that Marblehead has set a goal for reaching net zero in our carbon outputs by 2040 and burning natural gas at one of one of if not the largest properties in town will not get

16:54 us towards our goal. Um installing a new natural gas system if we were to do that would have a 25 to 30 year life expect expectancy and leave a gaping hole in our net zero plan. The alternative would be to replace such a natural gas burning system, HVAC system prior to 2040 well within its lifespan at a cost of million dollar millions of dollars to the taxpayers and yet another override. Heat pump systems are highly efficient. They run on electricity from Marblehead Light, which is already today 65% carbon free and on track to reach 100% carbon-f free by 2040. They’re ultra efficient

17:40 and will result in lower utility bills to our schools. Geothermal heat systems like the one installed in Abbot Hall, excuse me, are even more efficient. There’s grants and incentives available to offset the off offset offset upfront costs of heat pumps, but not for natural gas systems. Our town’s sustainability coordinator, Logan Casey, has worked hard with contractors to develop a plan to install a new heat pump system in the Marley building. I urge the school committee to consult with him and utilize his expertise. I also urged the school committee to consult with other school districts who have done similar conversion projects from natural gas

18:29 heating systems to heat pumps. Um I urge the school committee to respect the values of our town and their choice for a new HVAC system for the high school. Thank you. You um Sarah, I know you have your hand raised. I’m just going to have one more person here, but I just want to say if you’re online and you want to have, you know, say something during the public comment, please raise your hand. Um, Michelle, Michelle Bell.

19:01 Hello. Good evening. I’m Michelle Bell. I live at 261 Ocean Avenue and I’m a member of sustainable marblehead and it is on the on whose behalf I present to you the request that your the committee consider um pursuing the goal of designing a solar ready roof for Marblehead High School. Um you know don’t worry the structure is already built. So for a part like our for a structure that’s already been built like our high school is with their crest really would entail simply well that’s not so simple placing conduits on the roof uh where the places are determined that the um load capacity can support a a solar array. Um so um and while you

19:47 know I think that there are a variety of reasons to include solar readiness as a request for in the roof renovation. I think just a simple one for tonight I wanted to emphasize is there really is a benefit that inserting a conduit during a renovation carries the potential of producing a result that’s far superior in both its reliance as well as its water tightness. um compared to one that’s a post hawk insertion which was similar to the argument you made for the hback on the roof but we’re making that for this to for the solar on the roof and just lastly sustainable marble head is really very keen on this and we’re interested in offering any help and involvement that could be to that would enable us to

20:35 pursue this endeavor. Thank you. Thank you. Sarah,

20:49 Sarah, can you hear me? We can’t hear you. Um, you have to give the person online permission. So, thank you for who did that. Um actually I I first of all I want to start off by congratulating Henry and Kate um on your win and I wish you the best of luck. Your success is the su success of our students. So I truly do wish you the best. Um and then I just wanted to also point out a few points of order. Um Kate is not actually the vice president right now and Henry not the secretary. there was no motion made, so no vote is legal. So, you’re going to have to go back, make motions, second them, and revote. Um, so you’ll just want to do that. And

21:35 I don’t believe there was ever a second on Al’s motion either, but I’m not positive on that one. Um, as far as, you know, I do have concerns about the way this went about. Um, we’ve heard a lot about good governance. And you know, I have a very good friend who has since passed away who would haunt me if I did not state her favorite saying of public business happens in public. And it um is is clear no matter what. But but I do have you know factual input that serial communication was absolutely happening which is a clear open meeting violation to secure this vote and line

22:22 it up ahead of time. not just through members of the committee but outside people um who were carrying messages who know better because they both have been in a chair either in the past or are currently in a chair role on other boards. And I think it’s really important that public business happens in public. It’s sometimes really uncomfortable to have these deliberations in public. It’s uncomfortable to explain and to lobby for why you’re voting something, but it’s important. It’s why the law exists. It’s what the public has a right to see. So, um I would hope that you guys would follow the remedy for that and then have that actual deliberation and share those private conversations that by law have to be public in the public purview. Now,

23:09 um my other concern is with the with Henry as secretary, um with the conflict of interest and the ethics with um his partner being a an employee, he will not be able to be in anything to do with the superintendent, um contract negotiations, any possible disciplinary action, not that I think there would be any, John, um but a multitude of things that all happen in executive session. So you might want to even if it’s jockey rolls, maybe he’s the vice president and Kate’s the secretary. I don’t know. That’s up to you guys. But my point is having someone whose sole authority is to take minutes who cannot be in those meetings isn’t very functional. So that’s my two cents. Um and just you’ll

23:54 need to revote those because they’re not um actual votes, right? Okay. All right. I don’t think there’s any other public comment. Um, Cindy Tower Loan has her name. Uh, Cindy, I’m sorry. Go ahead.

24:18 Hi, Cindy Tower Loan, 12 Trinity Road. So, do we pause public comment so that you guys do that business that you need to do and then come back to public comment or what? Um, so I know that you’re not supposed to have a dialogue with me, but I’m just wondering if it makes sense to pause the public comment, go back to what Sarah Fox just um brought up, um, or to just continue with public comment. Um, let’s just get through public comment and then we’ll do the vote the motions and voting. Okay. So, first of all, I’d like to congratulate Kate and Henry

25:07 and um I am actually glad that there has been a change. Um I felt that um there needed to be a change in terms of some of the stuff that has already been shared. Um I I actually take um oh what’s the word I want? Um, right now I’m not even thinking, but I I take deference to some of the things that have been shared because in the past, um, there’s been conversations, there’s been other things that have involved multiple members of the school committee. And so for Sarah Fox to put something out there now, it’s like really, you know, um, I don’t um I’m not

25:52 saying I agree or disagree in terms of the process. What I disagree with is when there are things that are being said when these same things have happened in the past. Okay? And so going forward perhaps maybe what we do is make sure that they don’t happen with this current school committee. The other thing is in terms of um one of the comments that was made regarding the MTA and that the superintendent has assured um a community member in terms of the Palestinian. You know, personally, I feel that whenever there is a someone who criticizes Israel that we

26:39 are um saying that you can’t criticize Israel and the things that have been happening. And the truth of the matter is anything that’s going on, we should all be able to criticize in terms of the country, in terms of the White House, and we should be able to have free speech. And that includes at the Marblehead public schools as well, whether it’s the students or the teachers or former students. So that’s my take. I wasn’t going to speak tonight because I actually wanted it to be a congratulatory piece for Kate and Henry and for the school committee going forward. But I do feel that um the comments that have been made I needed to address them to some

27:24 degree because I am a community member and I am an advocate in many many ways. And so some of these conversations in my opinion are not okay. Um or they are desparing to other people that want to be critical. Okay. Or want to understand even more. Anyway, my time is up. Thank you very much. And however you guys end up with the um the chair, the co-chair, the secretary, it’s all up to you guys. Um and I wish you the best.

28:18 Hi everybody. Kate Thompson, Julia RH. Um, I just want to congratulate new committee and thank the members who are still serving on their terms. Um, I hope that we as a community can give a fresh new committee the grace that they earned because the voters were very clear in seating them on this committee. So, I hope that current committee members and past committee members and community members can approach this new committee with the mandate that they were handed by this town a couple weeks ago rather than criticizing them straight out of the gate. With that said, I have four specific challenges for this committee that I hope will be entertainment at least in conversation. Number one is

29:05 meet through the summer. Don’t waste any time. Do not take a pause and wait for the fall for the schools to start back up. We cannot lose any more time. And there is no reason why this board should pause to take a summer break. Um so I challenge you to continue knitting through the summer. Number two, please assemble a communitybased subject matter expert group to oversee the root project. get going on it ASAP and make sure that that group is prepared to partner with Mike and with whoever from the committee chooses to lead that um to get all the perspectives that we need to get to get that project going. It’s been delayed far too long and it needs to get started. Uh, number three, could you please go

29:51 back and look at the capital needs audit that was conducted in 2020 to look and find out what other facilities projects need immediate attention. As we know, the facilities committee failed to meet for 15 straight months under the purview of the immediately previous school committee. What else needs attention? I’m sure there’s plenty of things. So, I would just challenge whoever facilities to please go back and look at the document that was produced by a third party in 2020 and find out what else is immediately in need of repair. Um, and then the fourth one is that I’d like to ask you to commit to have all of your subcommittees meet regularly, whether that’s monthly,

30:36 monthly, bi-weekly, whatever you deem appropriate, but please do meet on a regular cadence. The policy committee specifically needs to go back and look at all of the policies that were not that were recommended by MASC for attention since um I don’t know maybe two years ago and figure out whether there’s anything that deserves to be looked at and that needs to be looked at um per that group. As we know a lot of that wasn’t addressed at all because all we did was talk about flex. Um so congratulations. Thank you. and um just four four small requests.

31:21 Okay. Uh public comment is now closed. Um let’s move back to um I guess making a motion and nom nominating making a motion and voting on the president and vice chair positions. And we’ll talk a little bit more about secretary in a moment. So let’s start with the chair position. I nominate Al for chair. I make a motion. Excuse me. A motion to nominate Al for chair. Seconded. I nominated Jen Shaper. So, I think you need to do the first to do the first. Yeah. Okay. So, Ryan, we’re going to hold off on that, right? Okay. All right. So, it’s a motion’s

32:08 been made and seconded. Um, I’ll start. Henry uh with you. Are you in favor or not? Okay. In favor, Brian. Not in favor. In favor, Williams in favor. Okay. Um need to do the same for the vice chair position. I’m I’m sorry. So, in this particular case, the motion that you wanted to make, Brian, was to make sense. Okay. All right. Just want to make sure it wasn’t okay. Uh, vice chair position. I make a motion to nominate Pepper for Vice Chair W.

33:03 Okay. Henry in favor. Brian in favor. Jen um in not in favor. Al Williams in favor. Kate in um so Sarah brought up an interesting comment around perhaps there is a conflict of interest here. Um I I do not know that to be the case. Um I I think it’s something I’m glad it was brought up. Um, I’m wondering if what might make sense is that we have access to an ethics office that we can call and say this this is the situation. What does this allow and not allow Henry to do? And let’s just verify what is appropriate or inappropriate, I think, before we move forward. Is is everyone

33:51 okay with that? I can I just add that I I’ve done that already. I’m happy to do it again as a group. Uh but but before I officially ran and I did call the state ethics office and to outline what I can and can’t do and specifically position like secretary. No, but I’m I’m happy to to have that conversation. Yeah. And if you would just uh round to executive session too. So it has to be both for our public meetings and our executive sessions. Absolutely.

34:28 John, district updates, please. Thank you, Chair Al. Um, could we could I indul if the committee will indulge me, could I move uh 2B up to 2A so I can introduce Matt Levangi first before I do my updates? Is that okay? That’s that’s fine. Um, so I’d like to invite Matt Levangi up to the seat where uh we’re very excited and happy that Matt um has come to join us as the new middle school principal uh taking over for the long tenure. Matt Fox. Um uh there was a very um extensive uh interview process search. Um assistant superintendent teaching and learning Julia Ferrer um headed that up. Uh we did a lot of conversations. We did focus groups. We

35:13 did visits to his uh previous district. Um he came here, we’re there. Um very happy, very excited about him coming on board. Um and so just tonight just to kind of introduce Matt to the to the committee and to the public and to welcome aboard officially um he had uh previously been the assistant principal in Littleton Middle School um in Littleton Mass. Um and we’re excited to have him here in Marblehead. So um that’s my introduction of Matt. I’m happy to turn it over to the committee for any questions you might have. Chairman, Chairman, anybody have any quick? Yeah, Brian, I was on the search committee uh interview committee and I can tell you the teachers that were there from the school were very enthusiastic about your interview. Really wanted you to come on

36:00 board and I have to approve. Welcome aboard. Thank you very much. I’m through the chair. Yes. I just would like to welcome you to Marblehead. I have a vet student of big shoes to fill. Um, but the parents who met you through the search process were very enthusiastic about what you’re going to bring to the district and I’m very excited to have you. Sorry, the boot. Thanks a lot. Welcome aboard.

36:26 Anything else? Okay. I just want to add one thing. Um, you know, Matt Matt started yesterday, right? The first it’s already so started the first came in. Uh, Julie did a really nice job in in welcoming him to the middle school. Some of his staff was in did the same. We met for a short time just to kind of get him acclimated. tech department got over there, got them all squared away. Um, so he’s he hit the ground running yesterday, was in again today. Um, you know, being throughout the summer to kind of get things squared away, work with Kathy Cotch to make sure um, everything’s ready to go. Matt Fox did, I would have to say that he left the middle school in a really good place. He and I had a exit interview um, uh, on the 30th, his last day. Um, let me know that most of the scheduling was done and and really, I think, handed off things nicely to you. So, you know, I appreciate Matt Fox for doing that. I appreciate Matt Leangi for being with us and and really kind of grabbing the

37:12 reins and and uh I’m really excited about um going forward. Julian, did you have anything to add as you were part of that? Uh one thing I had the opportunity um along with Jenbo tour Judaro counselor and Spanish teacher at vets and we got to go to Littleton Middle School to do a site visit and we were just completely impressed. Obviously, he was already our finalist candidate, but going there and speaking to the teachers who worked day in and day out with him. Um, and the high the just high praise they had for Matt and also these little moments when he was connecting with students and they a kid came up to him and they fist bumped and they had already a connection and you could see it. I just really excited for him to bring that to vets and to our students and our family. So, welcome. Thank you very much. Super excited. If there’s anything you want to share on what you hear and move forward. No, I just wanted

37:58 to say thank you. Um, it was a very thorough process. Um, and I know like the committee worked hard. Um, I know Julia was really, you know, you know, I just want to say thank you. Um, because I felt like, you know, walking into this, never being a principal before. I already felt like tremendous support on day one. You had a greet me. Tech department came swooping in. Anything I need, people have been extremely responsive. It’s only been two days, but so far I’m extremely impressed.

38:28 Good. Well, thank you, Matt, for joining us tonight. I appreciate you. Appreciate your time. Thanks

38:42 to the updates. Yes, chairman. Yes. Um, so let’s see. I worked at Marblehead for a year and a day today, and I couldn’t be more proud uh of the work that our administrative team and our educators have done to help move the district forward. It’s been a year of ups and downs, but quite frankly, I’ve seen way more ups. Our students have grown and are performing well. Our educators are taking some time to recharge so they can return jubilate, rejuvenated, and focused. And our administrators are busy wrapping up this school year and planning for the next. So, I’m truly excited about what lies ahead for Marblehead Public Schools. Um, thank you to Jen um for your support um as chair throughout uh this year. It’s been invaluable to me. uh your thoughtfulness, your support, your availability um is exactly what the superintendent is looking for the chair and I just want to say thank you

39:29 publicly um that you know your thoughtfulness and your your experience um on the school committee is really helped to guide me and my first year superintendent and I appreciate um you for for all you’ve done. So um welcome to our two newest members uh Kate and Henry. look forward to working with both of you over the next three years hopefully um to come and um years to come and based upon the conversations I’ve had so far I’m confident that both of you will be supportive of me as superintendent and in terms support of our of our admin team and educators so that our students can continue to benefit from the education they’re providing uh we finished off the school year uh with only a minor heatwave um but everyone made it through and are on to summer happenings the extended school year program and literacy program begin next Many of our students will be

40:15 partaking in the program to ensure recruitment of skills and enhancement of lit literacy skills respectively. We saw some great growth last summer and I’m confident that we will see more of the same this year. Um I’m going to um we are upgrading facilities. So to speak to some of what Kate was asking about, we’re upgrading facilities throughout the summer as is generally the case when students and staff aren’t in the buildings. uh this year includes typical uh things like floor maintenance, painting, deep cleaning, but also includes some other facilities issues that have been identified. Um and this is not an exhaustive list, but I think it gives you a flavor of the the amount of work that’s being done and scheduled to be done over the summer. Um so at Brown, um installation of a bottle filling station in the cafeteria, installing the EV charging station, repairing the cafeteria shade, repairing

41:01 the gymnasium sha shades, finishing repairing the stage wood trim in the cafeteria. There’s an area that was kind of coming down. So those the main things at Brown Glover are replacing the L LG roof system. The work’s already begun on that. We’re installing mini split systems for cooling in the cafeteria/kitchen. We’re painting the central stair area at Glover um schools, the cement and the steel. Repainting the hallway whiteboards. Uh there will be a new piece of playground climbing equipment thanks in part to the PTO. Um they they did some fundraising. Um and um despite the town kind of cutting some of our funding in half there, we’re we’re looking to um put that playground equipment in and renew the existing um playground surface. The rubberized surface that’s outside is in in some disrepair and Mike and his team have been working on um getting getting

41:48 quotes and stuff to re redo that. So um there’s going to be some work done at the Glover playground. If you’ve been on the Glover playground, it definitely needs some work. It’s uh it’s a it’s it’s not it’s not something that’s been neglected. It’s just the way it’s constructed. It’s very difficult to maintain the way that, you know, things wash out and stuff. So, we’re going to work on that. And this is our first uh attempt at kind of beautifying that space. Um so, we’re very excited about that. Uh village, we’re inspecting and recocking the rear windows. Uh the scoreboard replacements happening up in the field, which is really cool. Um vets at vets, we’re installing two mini split systems in the computer lab. Uh the pack seating is being repolstered. The seats have already been removed um completely. Uh we’re also going to be painting the pack and then putting the seats back in. Got to make sure to do it in that order so we don’t lo new seats. Uh we’re replacing the roof and the air units on

42:35 the on the roof on the D-wing and vets. Uh gym padding is getting replaced. I think that’s already that may have already been done. I know it’s been deleted. Uh paint the ceilings in the red wing. Uh cleaning out the old locker room/s storage area. Installing door between Magic Hat and school space. Um there’s been some conversations about them having like too much kind of in and out there. We’re we’re going to shore that up for safety reasons. Um high school, we’re installing a mini split in the food service office. Uh installing mini split in the ads office, replacing the main entrance doors. They’ve been giving us some big this year, so we’re going to take care of that. Um we’re going to paint the main staircase steel at the high school. We’re installing new clock system, replacing the auditorium door as well. There’s a boiler replacement going on, cafeteria exhaust fan replacement, cafeteria speaker

43:21 upgrade. uh speaker upgraded so that when the the cafeteria is full of students and there’s a lot going on and we need to, you know, notify them something, they’ll actually be able to hear. There was a time when Julia and I were over there one day and we needed to do a stop, you know, a hold in place because there was a medical issue going on and it was clear the kids had no idea. They were all leaving. You they had no idea. So, we’re putting in a system where it’s going to have some flashing lights and to alert people. So, it’ll be a nice safety thing, and we’re going to look at that in other areas across the school district to see where else may need a similar system um for safety. Uh see, fire doors at the main office, grease trap replacement, and replacing the gate on the emergency entrance road and back. Um that’s been that was discussed with the uh the districtwide safety team. So, that’s coming come to fruition. We’ve worked

44:06 with uh police and fire on what that will look like and and how we have access to that installation of the larger split system for the IT office area. And at Widgetger Road, we’re installing a mini split in the conference room. If you’ve been in there for anything, it’s really there’s really no air. There’s no um pool or anything. Um we’re also hopefully going to continue the sprucing up. We’ve we’ve painted some of the office space. We’ve put in some new uh you know uh carpet tiles and things like that. Hopefully paint the bathrooms and things like that if we if we can get to that. Obviously, all the school stuff’s more important. Um, so we’ll address those things first and then we’ll move on. Um, so that’s that’s mainly the um facilities things going on throughout the summer. Um, and then the last thing on on my updates is the announce of the staff retirees. So, if you’ll indulge me, I just go right into that, Mr. Chairman. That’s fine.

44:52 Uh, please join me in congratulating our retirees. And I believe I have everybody that I’ve been made aware of. So, I apologize ahead of time if I missed anybody, but I think this is a comprehensive list. Um, if Sally’s here, you can holler at me here. I missed. Uh, we wish you all the best in your next endeavor and thank you for your years of service to Marblehead Public Schools. Lisa Andrews, who’s an instructional assistant at Glover, she’s been here since 2014. Kathleen Bishop, instructional assistant at Brown School, been here since 2004. Leonard Kaplan, instructional assistant at the high school, has been here since 20121. Allison Karuchi, I think I said that right, special ed teacher at Brown, been here since 2013. Rebecca Hastings, PAR professional at Brown School, 1999. Uh, Emry Jordan, special ed teacher at Brown, 2023. Deb Lawrence, a special

45:37 education teacher at Village. She’s been here since 2013. Uh, Bob Lemieux, the custodian at Village 2002. He retired early in the school year, but I didn’t want be remiss if I didn’t thank him. Uh, Linda Mills, uh, secretary at Brown School’s been here since 2004. Lynn Perez, world language teacher at Vets Middle School, has been here since 2010. Lan Strangy, our innovation career path pathway teacher at the high school, uh, has been here since 2012. Lisa Vid, grade five teacher at Village School, 1997. And last, but certainly not least, Kathy Gallagher, who’s our accounts payable clerk at the at Wro. She’s been here uh, since 2006. So, I believe those are all our retirees. I just want to say a hearty congratulations and thank you for all your time. As you can see, there’s some longevity there um, which we’re

46:24 really excited about. So, um, that’s my updates. Thank you and have a happy and safe Independence Day. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Superintendent. Thank you. Um, I’m looking for a motion to approve the schedule of bills that was placed in the folder. So, moved.

46:57 take your advice for next time. Yeah. Thank you, Brian. So, the motion should also include the total is 1,249,38320.

47:15 We ready to vote, Henry? Is there a second? Uh, there was a second. I second. Yes. Uh, in favor, right? In favor, Jen in favor. Al in favor. In favor. Kate in favor. Thank you. Um Jen, do you want to speak to the donation or not sure how this came into the committee? I I think John be able to Can you Yeah, I can I can read it, but I thought Yeah, school. Um so Vincent Tentido said, sorry names. um uh had requested to donate landscaping improvements to the Brown School. Um they the same where they live, which I’m not going to say out loud, but um uh the next Brown

48:00 School for over 40 years. Um during that time, we made various donations of trees and landscaping to the schools to enhance the school area. I would like to donate six dwarf Albert Alberta spruce trees and some bushes to be put in the front of Brown School to replace items that were planted but have not survived. I would they would also like to donate two or three rolls of green plastic wrap to attach the chain link fence behind the school next to the basketball court. This material is like material like G’s playground and easily put up the plastic zip ties. Looks nice and will lessen the noise from the court which is very close to the property. Anyway, um yeah, so they so they did all that. They they want to um donate the landscaping supplies and more than happy I think to receive those. But if as long as the committee agrees um we can move forward. we get move forward with a

48:48 donation. Thank you. Yeah. All right. So, this again is a motion. So, I need someone to make a motion to accept this donation. So, move. Second. Okay. Any discussion on the item? Okay. We’ll move to a vote. Henry, please. In favor. Brian. In favor. Chen. Favor. Al is in favor. Kate in favor. Okay. Thank you. Um I guess this is mostly for Brian, Jen, and myself. Um are we ready to There are draft meeting minutes available to approve. They were just made available very soon. So uh if you’d like more time to discuss them, they were put in there today.

49:35 Yeah, I just got the drafts. So um so I put them in without any expectation that you’re necessarily going to vote them. They’re marked drafts as a watermark and so I did ask I don’t know if they did but I asked them to be put up on the website. I don’t know if Steve got to it or not. Well, Steve Alisa said she provided. Okay. Um so at least they’re up there as a trash so there’s no expectation of these. Um so that’s all. So no necessary expectation. Nobody wants to make a motion but um you can review them and future meeting. And just for the record anybody all members are allowed to vote even if they weren’t intended to vote. Okay. Um, Mike, financial update, please. Thank you. Um, so typically at the first meeting of the month, we have a financial update. Uh, it’s only the second day of the month and, um, we are

50:22 working on closing out fiscal year 25 and opening fiscal year 26 is now open. Um there is a lot going on at central office with the conversion from softright to munis which is our financial package um our systems that we do for accounts payable reporting uh we’ll be moving to uh munis for payroll come January 1st. So it’s been a little crazy in our office this week. I do not have an official um financial update or close out for FY25. I think it’s just too soon. I would like to do that at either the next meeting or uh whenever uh we’re closed out officially to give you an update. I will give you some highlights though. Um in the past LA in the end of a fisc year 24 we prepaid about $900,000 in tuitions. This year we paid slightly over $1 million. So a

51:08 little bit more uh just give us a little bit more flexibility going into next year. Uh we had some some funds available. We also at the uh in June we purchased 17 AEDs that were going to deploy or replace um AEDs that that had reached their end of life cycle around the district. So thought that was important. Uh as Superintendent Robo had indicated um when we went to town meeting uh right before we got to town meeting we had been asked to cut back our capital asks and part of that was the packed painting and the other part was the packed seating. um we were short on pack seating by about $30,000 impact painting by about $140,000. We were able to cover both of those out of the fiscal year 25 budget. So um it’s exciting. We we had most of the seating paid for. We just really we struggled

51:55 with putting reupholstering the seats without doing the painting of the ceiling and the walls before we put brand new upholstered seats in there. Superintendent had alluded to before we don’t want to ruin the new seats. So, um, painting is started started on, uh, last Friday, Friday, Thursday, Friday, uh, last week and, um, that should be wrapped up prior to the seats being reinstalled in August. But, uh, both of those projects are well underway and partially assisted by fiscal year 25, but um I think in the past we had voted that yeah, we didn’t have a meeting in June that after the elections before, right? Normally, normally we would come to you and let you know what our intention was, but we were under the deflp apologize for that. And then is

52:40 there also a surplus? I does that there will be I haven’t dialed in the number yet. All right. So that will I think also we have we we saw one more payroll today. We are processing uh a payroll. We processed a payroll today um that took us through last Friday and then we will process another payroll that had that’ll include Monday, the Monday we just passed. So we have we still have it’s a very small payroll. It’s mostly for custodians. Um our hourly employees who are fog here. So custodians maintenance uh bus drivers um who fall into the maintenance group. Uh our department anybody who’s so um we still have some more business to close out. That’s why I really can’t give you a close out yet. Um just three more really quick things that we we did while we’re

53:25 on the topic of what we what we tried to do with our 25 funds. Um we uh superintendent Robert had indicated we invested in new speakers for the cafeteria. Um not only at the high school but in the auditorium at the high school and at the pack. So the pack is pretty much going to be pretty much refreshed already to go. So that’s phenomenal news. Um already already uh ordered and arrived and um and away with installation. And we also did order a couple pieces of cleaning equipment. I met with our custodial staff a couple weeks ago, asked them, “Hey, what do you guys need to do to get your jobs done uh more efficiently, more effectively, and they said that they needed a couple pieces of cleaning equipment?” So, we did those more um they’re they’re floor cleaners. Um you know, see them in Home

54:12 Depot or supermarkets, guy walks around behind the guy, girl, whatever. Um, so that’s that’s kind of my quick update on the finances for uh fiscal 256.

54:27 Any questions or comments for me? All right. Thank you. Um, roof project update, please. Great. Thank you. I um there’s been a lot of discussion. I’ve been here a year now. A year and a day. Year and a day. Right. I walked into um you know handed a contract that we had just hired uh left field as our OPM that was done by my uh by Mary Delight who was was interiming in my position prior to my arrival. Um I I have with us tonight left field and also available online for in the in this in the Zoom meeting is uh Raymond Design Associates. So from left field and David Sando hope I said that right. Well, and uh Lena, I mean, Lena Wong. Uh

55:13 they’re both from left field. They’re our own project manager firm. And online, we have Gene Raymond from Raymond Design Associates. Um and they did present or put together a very brief six or eight slide presentation just to kind of bring you up to speed as to where we are with this. Um, I have to say I if sometimes I feel like I’ve been involved with this for the last year and I’ve heard everything in every meeting and and every phone call and sometimes I forget that not everybody has had that same opportunity. So, um, if if we get out of order or get ahead of ourselves, please say, “Hey, can you slow down? Can you can you tell us a little more about that?” But, uh, I’m going to introduce David right now if with with the permission of the chair. Yes. Thank you, sir.

56:02 Um, thank you. So, as um Mike indicated, uh, David Sen, project executive with Left Field. Um, I’ve been involved in Marblehead, um, projects for probably six years in one day. Um, a long time. Um, as Mike indicated, I’m here with Lena Long, senior project manager. Um, thank you for having us here tonight and being on the agenda. Um, Jean I hope is on the call and uh can hear us. Um, I’m wondering if um technology can put the the slide up. Does he need to be able to speak? I think he was elevated. I think if as long Yes, because if I go off course, I think Jean can can step in and help. So, um,

56:50 perfect. Um, if someone could go to slide two. Great. Thank you.

56:59 I think it’s right. Just did a button. No, I didn’t do something. There we go. Beautiful. Um, so we have uh a timeline. Um, and just quickly, in May of 2022, uh, the town authorized a borrowing of, uh, 54 million for the Marblehead roof project. Uh, Leftfield was engaged a few years later. uh May of 2024. Um at that time um the project was really just a roof replacement project. Um a few months later um or during that time frame we uh assisted with procuring a designer which is Raymond Design Associates the same designer um that was

57:45 involved in this school. Um in August uh there was a robust walk um and assessment of the roof uh and we looked at various options. Um as you may be aware the project developed um with having a HVAC replacement component. So the project somewhat evolved. Uh there were various meetings with the district leadership uh as well as two facility uh committee meetings a few months ago in May and June. uh town meeting authorized the the additional funding and also um a ballot uh debt exclusion uh and that was for the project to include the HVAC component uh replacement in kind. Uh so we’re here tonight to hopefully approve

58:30 the RDA amendment and the left field amendment which reflects an augmented engagement of our contract uh which was done in May of 24. Um you’re going to see on the next slide that the schedule uh of this project is very aggressive. Uh and it’s aggressive to meet the goal of uh in the industry we call it hitting the street with bidding documents. Uh and we want to do that this October to allow and plan for construction activities to commence next summer in 2026. uh based on our research and experience, HVAC rooftop equipment uh can have upwards of um six months. So obviously um this is slide three. So you can see

59:17 that um you know we’re here um we’re anticipating having a meeting in June. I understand that that was rescheduled for today. So technically we’re we’re slightly behind um but but you know we’re we’re ready to go. Um and um you know with the goal of uh having construction activities uh happen in uh July and August of next year. Um slide four please. Uh this is just a overall roof plan. Um it indicates um leaks that were reported that are in green. Uh insulation that has to be removed which is in uh blue. You can see that there’s multiple different uh roofs that are identified ABCD etc. Um so I just wanted

1:00:05 to provide an overall um view of the scope of this work. Next slide. Uh this is a breakdown graphically that kind of explains the evolution of this project. As I indicated the original appropriation was um $5.4 million. I’m slightly rounding. Um, and it had no uh HVAC replacement. Uh, we were quick to determine that um to do this it would end up being a part roof. There was not enough to do the entire roof. Um, but the project evolved and uh auction B was approved at town meeting for $14 million. Again, I’m I’m

1:00:52 rounding um total projects of authorization is 14 million. At town meeting, let me just correct myself. The additional appropriation or authorization to borrow up to was 8.61. So, the total project is about a $14 million project. Uh and that, um is a um roof recover plus the HVAC equipment and con. Um there is also an alternate um that we are looking at for a full roof restoration or a fluid applied um barrier and um that would be um less um but with the experts involved um within

1:01:38 RDA and within the town um there is slight differing of opinions. Um so we are approaching this project where we would like to have the bidding documents done in a manner when the bids come in we have alternate A and alternate B at that time we can time it where we can have a meeting with um however the governance is going to be defined as who we meet with to make that decision. Um, and the reason why we’d like to approach it that way is that there is a difference of opinion of how much savings they could be with a full roof restoration or fluid quality. There’s pros and cons. Um, but I feel that if you did both, we can always say the

1:02:24 market has spoken, so there’s never a, well, we thought it would be less money or more money. The market has spoken, so there’s no more debate. Um so that’s how we would uh we’re planning on approaching it. Um

1:02:42 slide six. slide six. So um you just saw this slide. So there’s a reason we’re showing it again. We wanted to drive it home that um uh you know we do have a tight schedule. So, um, in the interest of time, um, hopefully, um, we can move forward with our amendments and, uh, get going and, uh, that’s it. Thank you. Add, um, couple pieces of of information on this. As David had mentioned, there’s an option documents to bid both documents. There is a cost and we can accomplish that within the $14 million rounded number that’s been appropriated between two dedications. Um, we if we made a decision to only go one

1:03:30 direction, only bid one, and not have to create two sets of bid documents and two sets of engineering documents, and there’s a lot of work behind each bid. Um, it could shave approximately $200,000 out of the project cost. Uh, and as David has said, the initial estimates showed about a $1.6 million savings on the fluid applied. So, again, those are estimates. Those are there’s a lot of work to do behind them. Uh, as David says, we have the money allocated to do both bid documents to see what it comes back at. I hate to waste town’s money. I do not want to waste the town’s money, but I also don’t want to put a roof on that’s not going to be the best possible option for the town. Um, our students deserve the best. They deserve not to have drips on their heads or, you know, teachers having to deal with

1:04:15 moving classrooms, whatnot. Um, the other side of this is the the authorization of the amendments. uh that requires school board approval and school committee approval and the board of select board uh approval. So I don’t believe that there’s a specific uh order that that needs to happen in that could be wrong. I can go to either we can go to either governing body first, but they both do need to approve it. Um if this was there’s been I’ve had conversations that maybe tonight is not the best night because I only put the amendments in the draw box this afternoon. um and you guys haven’t had a chance to digest them and it wouldn’t be fair to the committee. Uh if we could schedule another meeting with even if it was just a very brief meeting of the committee to give us some direction or kick it to the facility subcommittee if we could identify the

1:05:01 who the facility subcommittee is and maybe have a meeting within the next week and kind of lay some of this out and get some direction. Uh David did indicate that there’s somebody in the town who has some uh some expertise. Um we’ve spoken with him, they’ve met with him. Um I’ve communicated with him through email. Um he is somebody who may be interested in joining as a community member of some type of a facilities uh committee um to assist us with guiding us. Um I am not a subject matter expert. I’m kind of the guy who make sure everybody’s doing what they’re doing um doing what they said they’re going to do. But I can’t advise the committee on which roofing material is best. Uh there is somebody in town who does this. Uh he works for company that’s similar to left

1:05:46 field or RDA. Um neither. Okay. He’s a specialty consultant and um he actually um I thought he was an I thought he worked for an OPM or No, he’s a uh an envelope uh consultant as a specialty firm and um you know he’s well known in the industry and uh let’s just say if I knew I wish I knew he lived in Marblehead six years ago. We actually um left field and him do a lot of work together. We just never knew he was a modelhead resident. Uh and as Mike indicated um while there is a cost to do both auctions, I think um you know there is a savings that the estimators have put together, but it’s a theoretical estimate. But if when the

1:06:32 market speaks um that savings could be $2 million and then we could come back to um for the purposes of this meeting the facilities committee and um based on the pros and cons of the two options and the savings the committee can make the decision. So I think what what I’m looking for is some guidance. Should we delay and try and get a facilities subcommittee formed and meeting within the next three to five working days and we’ve got some holidays quite here. I don’t know who’s available next week. Um but really you know as as indicated that we are up against the clock on this one. We need to get moving on this as quickly as possible but we don’t want to haste makes waste. We don’t want to waste waste money. We want to save time. Don’t

1:07:19 want to waste time trying to save money. Um, so I’ll leave it in your hands. So the original debt exclusion override included in the budget to bid out two two different options. Yeah. Did not. So then how would we have enough in there to bid out two different options? Could you go back to slide four maybe? There was some contingency money in there. Some contingency. U they shave some money out some other other budget. I mean, if it’s in there, I’m prepared to vote. Yeah. When when um the project was um evolving

1:08:05 um and we looked at option B and said, how much more do we have to go back to town meeting to appropriate? Um, you know, we we went with the higher option, the 14 million, not the 12.3 cuz it wasn’t considered at that point, right? That’s right. No, it was David. It was not. When we first gave a number to the school committee and the town administration, it was 8.6 million and we had not heard from our town consultants yet. And that’s when we went back to the drawing board and realized, hey, we might be able to save some money by going apply. So, it the original 8.61 61 only included one bid uh one set of bid documents and then um Lena and her Lena’s kind of the the money person along with I can’t remember the other guy’s name David uh Dan

1:08:51 Sweeney um they we looked at the budget and said how can we come up with an additional $200,000 uh within the 8.6 six or four to 14 million to do both sets of bid documents because that really is what makes sense to do. But again, we don’t want to waste money. If somebody strongly objected to doing the liquid applied or strongly objected to doing or the consensus strongly objected one way or the other, um we could save $200,000 potentially, but I think that’s probably not the my opinion would not be the best interest. Um what is your recommendation? I I would um while it is more work to do um it is included in RDA’s contract right now and I would recommend exploring both because if you don’t um I

1:09:38 think there will be continued healthy debate as hell we could have saved x amount whereas if you get the numbers there’s no more debate the market has spoken um and it it’s uh in every industry you have experts that have differing opinions. Um, this is one of those situations where the experts have differing opinions on what would be the best option. And I think it’s an analysis of um, you know, while a uh, membrane replacement has a longer lifespan. It is more money. Whereas the fluid applied um, will extend the life of the existing roof. Um, but you’re also saving money. But having both

1:10:24 alternates bid, you know what that savings is and you can put it into some sort of an equation and the um facilities committee, if I may, could make that decision. I mean, we could make a recommendation, but you may be getting recommendations that are different, but at least we have all the data and our facilities committee could make that decision. I think both the products come with a 20-year warranty. That’s what I was led to believe. Um the one piece that I’m unclear about and it may sometimes it’s advant advantageous to contact MSBA and sometimes it’s not. But if we put a new surface on does that reset the clock on our meaning we’re not good for a roof for another 30 years

1:11:10 with support from MSBA. If we did apply technically we did not replace the roof. Could our clock continue to be we’re already at 25 years. could it continue and in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years from now, we would could go to MSBA and have a 40-year-old group that they say, “Oh, yes, absolutely. You’ve extended. You’ve gone far beyond our expectation.” So, there there are some I need to get the answers to those questions to in a moment. And and that’s part of the equation. Yeah. So, if if I could ask a question, it sounds as though there’s pros and cons to both approaches, correct? And if we go through the process of fitting both, we’re going to get more information than just the cost of both, but actually further explore the pros and cons of each option. I I’d have to say we have

1:11:56 explored the pros and cons, but what we don’t know is what their savings would be to go with the fluid applied. Uh and that’s why I um my saying is you need the market to speak because estimators are estimate know they’re not perfect. They can’t predict the future. Um but if you did it then you you know that number um you know as Mike said the estimate um there is a savings of 1 point something but um you know some experts experts feel that oh no the savings will be more so I think let the let it go through the process and have the market speak. the chairman. Yes. So, if we I just want to just kind of play this out a bit. So, if we do both bids, right? We put them both

1:12:42 out to bid at the same time, get them back, then we make a decision we’re going to go with this one or this one, right? They’re replacement of the other one. Um are we still looking at the same time frame? Like, if we get to that point and we make the decision, okay, we’re going to go liquid or we’re going to go the other way. Um will both of those time frames still land us on construction next summer? Is that the plan? Yes, regardless of which we we had reached out to roofers and um the fluid applied goes quicker. Yeah. Um but there is some um I mean obviously you you know it is a weather endurance. Um but um when Lena has reached out to the the roofing industry uh even with the uh membrane replacement they said they could get it

1:13:29 done in two months. really the driver of hitting the summer is the HVAC replacement of the equipment. That is the that’s the driver of the lead time. And if it was to go fluid applied, um the um the duration may not change, but the for the project, but the duration of replacing the roof or putting the fluid applied will be quicker than doing a membrane replacement. Right. It’s really it’s the rooftop equipment that’s driving it. So I think so I think if if I may just I think you know from what I’ve heard of from the community is we want to make sure we’re exploring the options so that we’re making a decision based upon the best information that we can have. I would think that having the

1:14:15 two bids although it may cost us a little bit more upfront um it’s going to give us the information that folks need. I think what we need to decide, what the committee needs to decide is when we get to that point of the bids, we can’t then have another three, four, six week debate about which we have to make a decision then. So I would think if the committee is willing to do the two bids, the committee or the subcommittee also needs to be able to say this is what we decided and stick to the decision because there’s going to be people on both sides of the argument and be honestly just like if we’re going to get this roof done, which needs to be done, it’s already way behind schedule. We need to make the decision, stick to the conviction, get it done whichever way we decide. Otherwise, that roof will not be done next summer. And I just want to make that abundantly clear that we have to move forward regardless of

1:15:01 what the debate ends up being at the the final decision. So, absolutely spot on. Um, whoever is going to make that decision or what um governance or group, they have to be decisive and we can time it to set up that meeting based on when the bids come in and so forth. So we can provide that runway.

1:15:25 So it sounds like J Jenny still. Yeah, let’s I’ll make a motion that we approve uh two sets of beds for both option A and option B and option C. Seconded.

1:15:43 Okay. Any further discussion? Just want to make sure I understand. I mean the liquid or the membrane, they’re the same warranty overall. 20 years. Is that what I heard? Mike indicated they’re both um 20 years. Um I’d have to look through my notes as my recollection. Yeah. Or our conversation. And again, when the bids come in, that will also be part of that information that that has to a 20-year warranty. We’ll put the RP out that way, I believe. that they have to minim minimum of a 20 year warranty on on both both sets of the documents. Um I guess I have a further question as we’re making the decision which is

1:16:26 um we heard some public comment tonight about a desire to make sure the roof is ready to accept solar if the town is able to move in that direction. And I’m wondering, I know that that’s a more complicated decision, but are both of these group options something that could then work with a solar set? I’m not sure that they can answer. I did ask them that question. So, uh, they advise us to go back to the original designer. Otherwise, it would take another engineering study, which would cost money. So, why should we invest in an engineering study that when we just go back to the original engineer? Um, we have not heard back from that engineer yet. As far as whether the roof was designed to accept a solar array or PV photovoltaic array, if the roof was not designed for it,

1:17:11 there will never be solar on top of that unless you want to spend millions and millions of it would have a new, correct me if I’m wrong, but they would be have the roof would have to be re-engineered. My question is less about the engineering and more about like do both of these surfaces can both of those surfaces work with solar? Does that mean it probably cannot be my my opinion would be yes. Okay. Um I think with the um nothing against PV array or solar. It’s just I think it comes down to um would municipal um Marblehead municipal light fund that. And um I know cuz this building was

1:17:57 designed PV ready and at the time um I mean it it’s not PV they haven’t put foot panels on the roof and I don’t know if there’s a plan um because it it is it is expensive. I think the question that Miss Bell had she’s still here. Great. Uh, Miss Bellhead, while we have the project going on, would it make sense to put the conduit through the roof? And yes, it would if it will support the solar array cuz nobody wants to come out here in 5 years and go, we should have put a piece of PVC or 10 pieces of PVC through that roof when we had it opened up and we didn’t, and now it’s going to cost us more. So, I think the the logical answer is yes. If it’s PV possible, you know, designed that way, then yes, I think we should design

1:18:42 to have the PV just like this roof has the the um PVC conduit through roof. Putting the infrastructure in is not going to move the needle of the total project budget, okay, of you know um the the conduit PVC. Um but again as Mike indicated we should find out if um the roof um as designed has the capacity right so I did speak to the chair of the Robert High School building committee okay um who indicated that um there was no discussion whatsoever in his you know his recollection of 25 years ago making it solar that doesn’t mean that it is and so that’s why I think we have to go back to the original either designer or ultimately they’re

1:19:27 probably miss engineer to determine it. So I know the school was designed by uh SMMA. Um we have a relationship with them in the industry. We’d be happy to reach out to them, but um I I can’t comment for them if it’s a um a simple yes or no uh question. Someone has to do an analysis. Um but um you know and I don’t know if that’s analysis if that analysis is a $5,000 event or a $50,000 event and I’m just making up numbers but we we can um reach out to the original designer and inquire that again I think that’s separate from the conversation tonight but since Miss Bell was here and she made points I

1:20:13 thought it was important that we at least address her questions. So, I’d just like to add I I would love to save the town $200,000, but I think we don’t have the information to make the decision on which service to go with right now. But I would like to get a sub, you know, a subcommittee form so we can start to look at those pros and cons and talk to those experts so that when the quotes come in, we’re not then scrambling to find that that information. Yeah, absolutely. press. I think it is important kind of I don’t think you voted yet. It was a motion. I’m not sure. Still still on the table. Um the the Well, that is very important to get through. We also need

1:20:59 to set a date to approve or let’s just say set a date to approve the two amendments. One for RDA and one for left field because um they asked me if they could start designing last motion. That’s what the motion is. Oh, you’re motioning to approve the both contract amendments. Yeah. Oh, great. Thank you. Okay. Is that how we want the motion to be read? I My motion was to approve the bid. Yeah. You two different things. Okay. At some point, we need to decide whether we’re going to go PV roof, a rubber roof or or we’re going to bid rubber or or liquid applied. That That’s what I thought your motion was. And you and I’m in favor of you saying let’s just get this out of the way. Now the other thing though that we do need to do is we do need to vote to approve the

1:21:45 amended contracts for both left field and RDA. Their original contracts only got us through this phase which was town meeting. Then that was through estimates that was through all kinds of things. Now we need to get into design and actual construction and close out. That’s the final part final portion but it is a large portion. So we need to approve their contracts or the select board also needs to approve that. Select board does not need to approve whether we go with option A or B received. Um select board just needs to approve the contract because of the binding contract that that’s town capital money. And if I could add RDA’s contract amendment and left the contract amendment all fits in within the $14 million total project also

1:22:35 doing both ultimates. So I guess by approving if it’s the will of the committee the two amendments you’re organic you’re automatically approving studying both options and getting you know both numbers to then make a decision through the chair Jen your motion was to approve those contract amendments my motion was to I didn’t realize that it was needed to be in that form so I will amend my motion to say um the motion is to approve the amended contracts as submitted to uh for both RDA and left field that does include the two different the two

1:23:22 options for purposes. I seconded. That was

1:23:29 I think that again. Okay. Any other questions or further comment? I just would say that while I would like to make a decision on which option we’re going to pursue and save the town the $200,000, I don’t think we’re going to have the information we need to make an informed decision without causing significant delay and risking getting this done by next summer. So, I would be in favor. I don’t understand your comment. You don’t understand what you’re not saving 200,000. It’s actually costing us 200,000. I’m saying that I came into the meeting thinking that we should make a decision between the two and not spend $200,000 to explore both options. But

1:24:14 after listening to David speak, I think that it’s we’re not going to be able to resolve that question as to do that. Uh no, but just as I was um presenting that came to be. I I think Kate, respectfully, I think you have the same um kind of feelings as as Henry. Um I mean I I love to save money myself, but it would be my recommendation that you know we study both, right, and get the numbers. So then there’s again there’s no debate of what the number could have been of savings. And like I said, um, doing both options is part of RDA’s contract amendment right now.

1:25:01 right now. right now. Okay. Now, what’s Can you say the motion one more time? So, it’s an amended motion to approve the amended contracts for one for RDA and one for left field that includes in the amendments the um design and bid process for option B and option C. C. Okay. B and C, not A. Yeah. Okay. Henry in favor. Right. In favor. Chen in favor. Al in favor. Eight in favor. And the motion passes 5 Z. Thank you. Next. The next step would now be go to board sought for to get their

1:25:51 name. name. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks guys. And um um Jean was online. Thank you. Guess we didn’t meet up.

1:26:09 The next item is entry. Okay. All right. The next item on the agenda is policy updates. John, is there something you’re going to help us? Yeah, Julie and I are I’ll just talk through them. Um, so there’s there’s more policies there. Um, the policies we’re updating the slight updates to technology policies because uh they need to be updated for the handbooks. So they they go they go hand in hand. So there’s there’s four policies there. IL for student submission to educational surveys and research. Um JNDB which is student acceptable usage policy. Um JNDB-E parenting parent guardian consent form and then JNDBR

1:26:56 um is student email and internet posting guidelines. So, uh, Julia and and our, um, and our director of technology, Steve, met and went through, um, to make sure that Steve had Steve made sure the language that needs to be in all those form, all those policies are accurate so that, um, all the policies reflect what we we’re actually doing in the schools and so that they’re appropriate to to meeting the needs of our students and our staff in terms of, uh, usage of the technology. So, um, they’ve been in the they’ve been in Dropbox and, you know, don’t necessarily need to go through them unless people have specific questions. U, the only comment I wanted to make because I’m probably going to vote no on IB, um, is the student educational survey and research. The MASC

1:27:41 recommended policy, which I think does reference in McMaster a lot, is an optin policy for surveys and as is presented to us um, was an opt out. So, I’m just letting folks know that. Um, John and I had some discussion about it, but I just wanted to say that I think we should be going with the MASC version. This is what John presented as a recommendation. So, John, could you speak to why we’re kind of varying from MASC? Um, actually, I’m going to turn over to to Julia. She she had the conversation with Steve and I think this just um wouldn’t mind speaking to that. So in this situation um there’s eight um elements that are listed in which the parents would opt out. This happens not regularly in the

1:28:27 schools and we do send a lot of communication. Um we feel that when we do reach out to families um sometimes we might not hear back and we would like to have more um students participate. So we would do the passive consent where the parents and guardians would have the opportunity opt out and we give plenty of time for that. Um but this doesn’t then put the burden on the families. If they breathe, they don’t have to do anything. They can just continue. Um when students are 18 years old, they can also opt out as well. And we have uh annually Gina Hart comes to present on her um surf data and the survey. We also give high schoolers the opportunity to opt out in that moment as well from that um even if they aren’t 18. Um and Espert at the middle school as well, they get the opportunity students if they don’t feel comfortable doing the survey as

1:29:14 well. Um, so these are these only happen a few times. It’s usually um more in the middle school and high school. Um, and we felt that it would be more uh beneficial to have more participants and just give the parents opportunity to opt out. So I was just concerned because I think it’s at least that’s what I’m told. That was my that’s my concern. Um, and that’s what I you know that’s what our directive is. I I don’t know that we have spoken necessarily to council. So, I don’t know that we need to take on that cost, but um or at least run it by MASC so that we’re complying. That’s that’s my only concern. What’s the What’s the reference? It’s the federal law. It’s the family protection. I forget the full name. Yeah, it’s federal federal law. Yeah,

1:29:59 Yeah, Yeah, federal law.

1:30:06 So, so I’m sorry, Julie. So, we’ve we’ve addressed that. We think we’ve addressed that or we understand that or that’s something that um well, we when Steve and I looked at that, we felt that we had the same eight elements that they have listed. Um I can double check if would like to go further into the you know language of optin or opt out. I’d be happy to do that. Um sorry, I don’t have that for you right now, but I can get that. I think it’s important to confirm how uh addresses that whether it needs to be you know if it’s requiring an affirmative opt-in then should yeah the opt out option just I mean it it’s come up more frequently one two uh

1:30:51 like Julia says it’s for mainly for specific um items that people will tend to want to opt out of or parents will call us to say you know I I want to opt out of that and it’s an opt in opt out. So this way it’s like everyone’s in unless they have to opt out. So it just seemed like it was um better way to track it. That’s that was the thought process but certainly certainly have to go back to the drawing board on that policy. Um so fine that’s the will of the committee. I think when I’m seeing things it’s pretty loose terminology. So we can also consult on um what that means for um when it says you know that without prior consent. So if we put that out there that this is um what we our practice then

1:31:39 ask our lawyers I guess that yes. So so does the committee want to vote on all but that particular one or do you want to come back with all of them Julia? Oh, I would love to vote on the others, especially um we have handbooks to get ready for. Um and these are all going in our hand almost all our winter handbook. So, I’d really like to continue and I’m sorry I don’t have the language on that one. It is I’m looking at it right now. It’s vague in the language. So, I’d just love some another set of eyes on it as well, but this one better and I’ll take ownership of that. I mean, Jen and I did have a conversation about that and Julia and I’ve been like ships in the night last few weeks. So, uh, I didn’t get a chance to go back and like do a deep dive. So, I’m happy to do that. I think the other three is that in the

1:32:27 handbook? No. Survey isn’t in the handbook that policy. I don’t I don’t think so. So, that’s not going to It’s not that. Okay. So, um, someone will make a motion around approving all but the survey and research IL. Um, I think you have to do each individually. You have to do each individually. Okay. Go ahead. I’ll make a motion to approve the updates to policy JNDB, student acceptable usage policy. I have a second. Seconded. Seconded.

1:33:12 Okay, thank you. Any more discussion on this policy? Okay, we’ll vote then. Uh Henry, favor. Brian in favor. Jan in favor. Al in favor. Kate in favor. Right. The motion passes. 5.

1:33:34 Uh do we have a motion on J and DB-E? I’m sorry. Yes. I J N DB-E parent guardian consent form. So move. Seconded. Okay. We have a motion that’s been seconded. Any discussion on the item? Okay. Uh we’ll move to a vote. Henry favor. Brian in favor. Jen favor. Al in favor. Eight in favor. Okay, the motion passes 5-0.

1:34:12 A motion on the next IGNB-R student email and internet posting guidelines. So move second. Second. Okay. Any discussion on this item? Further discussion? Uh Henry. Brian in favor. Jen in favor. Al in favor. Kate in favor. All right. Motion passes 5-0. Thank you. Thank you so much. And

1:34:45 John, uh, Superintendent Rob, you going to address the recess policy? Recess. Yep. Sorry, I was I flipped my page over. Sorry about that. Um, so we’ve we’ve discussed the recess policy several times. Um, this is a draft. I I think that we’ve kind of tried to reach uh um something that kind of makes sense. it becomes a policy but it gives us enough latitude I think. Um so the the draft policy as proposed reads the school committee recognizes the importance of physical movement as part of students educational experience. Students in kindergarten through third grade may have up to two scheduled recess periods and students in grade four through six may have one scheduled recess period providing daily opportunities for physical activity, cooperative play, and positive social interactions. All recess peers will be

1:35:30 supervised by school staff to promote a safe and inclusive environment. So, uh most of that language was um have been uh proposed by a previous school committee member. We we’ve kind of kind of gone through a few iterations. I I think we’re as comfortable as we’re going to be. If um if if the committee still feels we need this uh recess policy, I think this gives us um what we need to move forward. Uh the I I will say that it’s predicated on the fact that we um we have a 5m minute um change in the start time for students that needs to be in place for this to be able to be put for us to be able to operationalize the morning recess at the elementary schools. Um that’s still in discussion um to some degree with the

1:36:17 union. So um it’s kind of the carpet before the horse. the committee agrees and puts the policy in place, we have to adhere to it and then but we can’t adhere to it unless we have the five minutes. So, um we’re at a little bit of a you know standstill I think. Um so again it’s it’s another strange thing for the committee to consider whether we want to move forward and put the recess policy in place um or uh wait until we know that we have come to agreement on the five minutes for the start of the school. So the five minutes, just so folks understand, would not change the start time for the staff coming in. They would come in the same time the students would come in five minutes earlier. And that five minutes would allow us to create a morning recess at the younger elementary

1:37:02 grades. The four to six grades were very um I think when we did the survey, they felt the one one recess was was plenty and the five extra minutes would add a little bit extra time at those four four to sixth grades. Um but to operationalize it, we need the five minutes. Without the five minutes, we will not meet our time on learning and we won’t be able to implement this. So I know this has been a discussion for a long time now. Um and I wish I had a a better more solid answer um on where we were at five minutes, but that’s where we stand at the moment. So that’s all I have at this point. Mr. Chairman, at some point we probably need a letter assignment to this policy. You know, I mean like it’s got to be one of the eye policies or Yeah. Yeah. I just Yeah. I don’t know where it fits in the thing yet, but Okay. Yeah, that’s why I left it draft.

1:37:53 John, what’s the proper process for involving the MEA and seeing where they are and getting them on board if it’s needed for this this new policy? Um, I don’t want to speak out of turn. Uh, so there’s You’d have to Yeah. It’s a bargaining issue, which we don’t do. It’s a bargaining issue. Yeah. It’s that’s what I was going to say. It’s a bargaining issue. Say it’s not but yes technically should change your work. We would do it is already in our memo of understanding but if there’s any discussion around it it normally takes place in a executive session. So we can do a public section.

1:38:37 So just so the bargaining happened there was memorative of understanding that’s with both the the union and with the attorneys. They’re just actually trying to come to some resolution at this point.

1:38:54 So we we could tee the recess possible suggestions tee the recess recess policy up folks are okay with the language we can put it into place like right before school if that if that makes sense you know maybe one of our either late summer early fall meetings so it’s it’s in place before the students start um that might be a way to go I just just suggest sub meeting so just to make sure I understand in chat so we we’ll need to have a subsequent meeting it’s executive session or public Um, and hopefully we could do that over the summer so that we may have it in effect by the beginning of the school year. I’m actually going to make a motion to approve this policy. Is written.

1:39:45 We’ve been discussing this um this is the third reading. This was the administration’s recommended policy which was how the last time we left it meeting to was that it would come back with the recommendation from the administration. Um any other items withstanding in my mind is irrelevant to this that would be needs to be dealt with separately. This is something we’ve talked about. Um this is something that there was there was a meeting on it I think two years ago at this point or a year and a half what it was. Julia did a survey um last month which overwhelmingly of the um of the ed educators um overwhelmingly supported by the educators involved in this. So um that’s why we’re here.

1:40:32 So any other outstanding issues can we certainly can deal with. Um, but we’ve been, you know, we’ve been working on this and this was what was tasked with the administration based on the survey results. So, I mean, that specifically was the case. Yeah. And I think again I I shared the rest of it because it it will matter down the line, but that’s why that’s why I suggesting if we have it teed up, ready to go, approve, and then we just make sure we implement it from the start of school. That’s I meant scope when I said that. I’m sorry. So, I’m actually saying the same thing Jen’s saying. Um, because I think it’s important. It’s been a lot of work done on this. Um, and I think it’s, you know, it needs to be in place if that’s, you know, that’s where we’re going to move. So, so I just clarify that. So, the MEA is holding up, but themselves, right, we really are not

1:41:18 supposed to be talking about this in open session. Oh, the labor issue. Could I support? We just normally do bargaining in executive session. Again, that’s a little committee. We can do it in open session. Putting aside the labor issues, do you need a policy from the committee in order to move ahead to add a second recess, which is something that existed without a policy before? Um, I understand that a policy from the committee would make help make sure that it happens perhaps, but um I think the short answer to that is is no. Um, I mean there’s there’s language

1:42:05 that already indicates a morning recess, but um I think this was a way to ensure that it would happen. Um, that’s my understanding. This conversation started before I got here. I just been kind of into it as Yeah. This policy was developed primarily by request of the community. Yeah. So that was the genesis of this. Yeah. Um it didn’t come from school. It was policy definitely came from community and it was this task for I don’t know what it was. It was some sort of a committee that existed um specifically around this two years ago. I think at this point three days may but that’s my understanding you referred to this as putting the card before the horse

1:42:52 just no I think I the card before I was just I just want to make sure that we can implement it that’s all I mean and and Jen so aptly pointed out um this is a separate conversation so you know I maybe I shouldn’t have said that to begin with but I think to have you know if the will if it’s the will committee to have the policy in place and everything else then it’s obviously get my my role to figure out how to so I’m going to conversation to that. I probably spoke about a challenge. And also it says have up to two recesses. So you wouldn’t be non-compliance with this policy for the school year. Correct. Yeah. It wouldn’t so it wouldn’t allow for three recesses, but it does allow

1:43:40 for up to two um which is also in the contract. So this also does then reflect for what it’s worth what’s already in the contract which also says they may have up to two recesses and there’s no discussion there on the timing of it but of you know there’s no minutes. So and that’s this is that was yes. I mean, I had a similar question, Henry. I support the policy, but I’m also a bit concerned. Is this uninforceable until we kind of dot all the eyes and cross all the tees? And do you pass a policy that’s not enforceable? Well, it is enforceable if you’re having may have up to two. So, as written, okay, as written, the policy is enforceable. Yes.

1:44:26 as I think initially conceptualized we need to do a little bit more work that this so but yes we can put this this if this policy is in place we can we can force the policy that’s on the table so there is a motion that’s been seconded to approve this policy and I’m paraphrasing it correctly Jim please let me know yeah no it’s too this policy it doesn’t I it doesn’t have we’ll have to attach a number letter sequence to it yeah just maybe we can do the motion um pending a letter. I just didn’t know where to put it. I don’t know what it would attach to really. We’ll have to figure it out. But we can we can do the motion sending a letter. Better.

1:45:14 Okay. Are we ready to vote? Ed in favor. Brian Jen. Jen. Favor. Al in favor. Kate in favor. The motion passes. 5 Z.

1:45:30 Okay. How many years of this a school handbook that was there? Um, Um, so the handbooks are basically what we’re looking at tonight is the updates to the handbooks um for the committee’s um hopeful approval and then once they’re approved um we’ll put them into the actual handbooks and and be able to post them as a holistic entity. Um it’s up to the will of the committee. I they’ve been in the box. I don’t know if going through each each number is is um indicated but what I will tell you is that overall the academic integrity expectations is um um interwoven between all the handbooks. That’s something that

1:46:17 um we needed to have. If we didn’t have uh it’s it’s um in the different levels um speaking to the different levels um I think that makes sense. And then in addition to the elementary handbook, the middle school handbook, the high school handbook, you also have um Kent R. A had sent his athletic handbook with the minor changes he has that are um that are highlighted. So I’m happy to or Julia and I are happy to kind of answer any specific questions on any of the policies. I mean any of the handbooks. So the only issue that I had which I’ve talked about with the superintendent is the attendance policy at the high school. Um, and I don’t see any subst substantive change. I think I think the change that she put

1:47:03 in there was like the um it was the chart that kind of uh outlined. So it seemed seemed that most of the people had an issue with like they weren’t understanding it. So she did the chart that’s on under five page 26. So it basically like if it’s a documented absence etc. If it’s an excuse absence this happens. If it’s unexcused this happens. Um and what I would say is that the the amount of absences are four per four four per term which equals 16 and our um chronic absenteeism identified by the state is 18. So clearly we don’t want to have a handbook allowance that allows for our kids to be chronically absent. So that’s why the number um is the way it is. um it’s in alignment with the states um process and it’s one area

1:47:49 that we’ve been dinged on um in our in our accountability that the absenteeism um so um I know there’s conversation about the numbers there’s also conversation about um potentially you know if it’s a parent excusal what does that mean basically for that point of conversation any absence count is is counted right when it’s excused unexcused it’s counted the difference is is if it’s unexcused there’s work that can’t be made up because if it’s like I just skipped school, I didn’t come to school, I left on vacation when I wasn’t supposed to. Um those kind of things, it’s kind of there’s there’s a consequence to that. The um medically is excuse obviously that’s that’s the higher end. That’s what we’re looking for. We also are aware that sometimes you know kids get sick, parents don’t always bring them to

1:48:35 the doctor. So we do there is an allowance for you know a parent to excuse in that way but it also you know we can’t just absolve the fact that you can’t not conflict those days. So I think the chart kind of clearly delineates that um because I think that was that was a lot of the confusion I was hearing um from high school end um and from some parents. So um I had asked Michelle kind of but it doesn’t change like so it might be clarified but it doesn’t change the issue that I’ve heard from a number of parents for the years is that this was relaxed during co The way this works right now is if your child is sick, you do not actually go to the doctor, it’s a whatever, you know, from teen illness, but they’re homesick, that counts against them. So, there’s four per quarter. Um, and so what happens has been multiple parents have

1:49:21 contacted me over, you know, over the period of time is that children go end up students end up going to school sick, which is not what we want. So, this has been my issue, continues to be my issue. I’m not going to vote to approve this tonight because of this. Um I feel like I’m by no means am I underscoring, you know, not supporting the fact that we need to be dealing with chronic absentism and issues around attendance, but this continues to be an issue that I hear from the community. And I don’t know what the answer is, but I don’t feel like I don’t think putting, you know, I appreciate this, but I’m not sure that this addresses the issue that I hear from the community. So is the issue from the community that I want to and I don’t mean to sound sassy. It’s going to sound all sassy. Is the issue from community like I want to be able to just allow my kid to stay home sick whenever they want and have it not count

1:50:08 against them. I think is that if that’s if that is what it is I I as an educator I have a problem with that. So what I hear from community members if I have a child that’s sick whatever that might could be go could be anything that they’re they’re homesick but they don’t take them to the doctor. A lot of times doctors don’t want to be you know for for but they’re home they have a temp fever and they have what they are they this is counted against them. So I don’t that’s the problem. I don’t have a solution but I’m just saying I’m just communicating what I’m hearing from parents. Yes I’ve been hearing about this for years for that reason I I don’t support I didn’t mean to interrupt and that and that’s fine. I think um I mean that it’s Desi’s guidance is is what we’re like the numbers are going by. So you know um excuse or right they don’t they don’t

1:50:53 care if it’s excuse or unexcused it’s an absence an absence I think the the issue is whether or not they get the bigger issue is um whether they are able to make up classes and um you know obviously if you know if it counts for um you know ineligibility and things like that yeah that’s what we hear from parents that’s what you know someone has a you know a couple of bad viruses over the course of quarter they’re getting an edge And I don’t support that. Yeah. And I I don’t I don’t disagree that it’s not a it’s a thing, right? It’s a thing. I feel like there’s a way he could find some It’s got to I just don’t feel like there’s been a robust enough discussion with the I think it’s pretty much the high school. This is certainly the high

1:51:39 school goal um with the community or with the parent leaders I don’t know or the school advisory counselor some whatever group to try to come up with perhaps some else I don’t know what that would be you know that there’s discussion with the nurse or a discussion you know that it’s reported to the doctor’s office and that’s I don’t know um but I’m just saying I this has been a problem and I don’t feel this is the solution

1:52:09 Have we explored how upper districts handle this at the high school levels? Um the the exploration that I’ve done personally has been most of them are very similar to this because we’re we’re sticking to we’re trying to follow the test guidance for trying to make sure that our kids are in school. And I and I do agree with Jen. There’s a you know does that does that maybe have kids come to school when they’re not feeling well? They shouldn’t possibly. I don’t think that that’s a proponance to kids. I think it’s one of those things where this has always been an issue. This isn’t this is a new to Marblehead. It’s a new thing. I don’t know that anyone’s figured it out. Um other than just saying, well, any anytime a parent says my kid’s sick, we just excuse everything. And I understand that that would be great, but I also I’m cynical. I don’t know that that’s that’s a good way to do it either. And we have kids, you know, we have chronic absenteeism already. We’re we’re we’re

1:52:56 not in a good place. Um kids need to be in school to be able to be educated. All I’ve heard is from since day one I got here, we need to get back to the rigor. We need to get back to being a great school district and we need achievement levels and growth and everything have to be higher. Kids aren’t in school. That’s not happening. So I I understand the argument and I and I don’t again I don’t mean to be sound argumentative. I don’t mean it, but I mean as an educator kids need to be in school and I don’t I don’t I agree with Jen. I don’t have a different answer to this, but we have to have something. And four four absences per quarter get 16. 18 is considered chronically absent. 18 is a lot. That’s 10% of that’s 10% of go to school. 16 is almost 10%. So I just I just sh

1:53:43 Yes. Just to change the topic, I just want to um mention um Superintendent Robin who mentioned the academic integrity expectations. So this year I started um an artificial intelligence um steering committee and um we did a lot of great work and I just want to thank the committee for their work on that. Um and what we found was that um we did not have any academic integrity expectations in our elementary handbooks and we felt that that was very much needed um with the access to technology at younger years. Um, and so we actually took what the Marblehead High School had in their handbook and we modeled um so that all levels, middle school, high school, and elementary now all have the same expectations. And we actually have a plan to launch the school year um to support our teachers in that work as

1:54:28 well. That’s something we heard from our staff um that they want some more support with um artificial intelligence and academic integrity. Um and we looked at some recent um cases that have come up using academic um using artificial intelligence AI um when creating work and they found that um if you have that strong um policy um and procedure with your academic integrity expectations and that would cover when there’s um issues with AI students using AI. So um just wanted to shout out the work that the AI steering committee did this year.

1:55:06 Yeah. So, this is something you wanted a vote on. Yes, we need approval so that um the we get the handbooks all squared away and done. Yes,

1:55:18 all right. Um do we have a motion to approve the student handbook?

1:55:29 Okay, it’s uh Henry’s made a motion. Second. Seconded by Kate. Any further discussion?

1:55:40 Okay. Henry in favor. Brian. Jen. Not in favor. Al in favor. Kate in favor. Uh the motion passes four to one.

1:55:57 so we’re going to talk about the retreat. Uh we have a date for the retreat. It’s August 4th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. I think we’ve all agreed to that. Um I don’t want to spend a lot of time in this. Uh but um I’d like to just get some brainstorm ideas on what people would like to be for potential agenda items and then the vice chair and I will parse that into a proposed agenda that we’ll bring to the next meeting or subsequent meeting. So I think normally we have the attorney come and we have MSD come. I have lined them up but that’s not the will of the committee. They did they have something

1:56:42 they specifically to address or just Oh they do have specific items to address. Okay. What’s uh what is list? I think updates just update. Okay. Liz gives an update um and she does some basic I think basic grammar stuff and then um um an update and then based on earlier committee request member requests I had asked Alicia from MASC to cover a specific workshop this would be in the form of a workshop by the way this is not I guess typically posted but we can figure that out but um but that’s up to whether this or not so and what what was the specific Um it was oh god I’m trying to think. So it was it was a couple of general topics that I

1:57:28 think she normally does trainings on and then she’s gonna sort of um customize it to our time frame but it was um communication. It was a communication building team building um role of the chair and dealing with difficult people. Okay, that was that was the request. Um, so that is those are three separate things I think they they offer but she can so they’re three separate trainings. So she can do them sort of and they both are ask

1:58:11 given we had another potential opportunity to discuss anything. Is there anything? I mean, these are two important things. Thank you for setting those up. Would there be anything else that the committee would like to discuss?

1:58:27 I think it’s a pretty full day. It’s a full day between the updates from the law department and MSC and then we do the workshops. We’ll take right up to the end. Mr. Sharon, I think I also had previous conversation about just me doing like a quick update on where we are with like my district improvement plan and stuff that can be done at that workshop or not. It’s up to the will committee, but that was also some of those discussed. I mean, that’ll be brief. It’s really it’s not a, you know, 10 minute kind of thing. But I mean, typically we would do school committee goals, but school committee wants to do some goals or not. Something along those lines like something planning our goals. Okay. Sounds like we’re kind of full with the two, but maybe we can John, we can kind

1:59:13 of keep it in about his box. Sorry for the sports metaphor, but if we have time. I just It was part of one of the conversations I was having. I’m I’m totally fine with you guys doing whatever you need to do. That’s more important. Okay. Do my district update when our first meeting. So, all right. Thank you. Yeah. All right. Next item is subcommittee and lays on assignments.

1:59:42 so the uh start with the budget also done those in between two as well but so I put it on there because someone would have requested it but you want to wait until then it that’s how we’ve done it in the past but obviously up to whatever so what will the rest of the committee I would like to at least get facilities sub establish some stay on track with the big questions that could be asking in the next week or so. Sorry, I was just talking forming a facility subcommittee so that we can say the talking I’m not sure what the next week you just approve them so the next step would be then they come back with the bids. My my next step is to get the select

2:00:29 board to approve. Yeah, it’s awesome. Well, that’s out of ours. Yeah. So, we were talking about some experts that they will bring it in to help us make that decision, not just based on on the financials of it, but on effectiveness of that roof. And I think I’d like to start those those conversations. But you’re not going to have back in a week. No, I know. But but I don’t want to have those conversations about about what decision to make all at the same time. I’d like to get some of that information as soon as we can. It sounds like they have it. They have some experts. So, I’d love to hear from them. Yes. Um there is uh one in town person and um just to give an update on facility subcommittee prior there were two members of the school committee on the committee and there were two members of the community

2:01:15 assigned to the committee or join on the committee I don’t know how they appointed um one of them I believe has stepped away the other one has um unfortunately passed away so we don’t currently have a community member and the former committee had asked former facility subcommittee had asked uh a gentleman within town who they were talking about tonight who has the building envelope expertise if he would be interested in joining the facility subcommittee. Um he said he would be my recollection. Um but I think it it certainly be revisited. So I I think it would not to me it would be great to get studies subcommittee meeting scheduled you know sooner so we can actually establish what we’re doing. We’ve got a lot of summer projects going on. Love to

2:02:02 bring people up to speed. Um, whoever’s on the committee, I don’t know. But also determine I you’re right. I don’t want to get to October and then try and contact the gentleman and say, “Hey, can you advise us?” I’d like to get some advice in August in September. You know, I think there’s some information we can gather before we’re looking at that number from

2:02:24 members. I think somebody mentioned another to me. I never met him. He must be for my That was Jeremy Bouch four. Usually you wouldn’t have It was

2:02:39 um It was Sarah and Allison. Correct. Or and Sarah Cal, right? And then Mr. George and then somebody else somebody mentioned the name to Jeremy Polander, but um it’s four members. It doesn’t sense that you would have an even number. Just trying to think if they I wasn’t on it. It wasn’t time wasn’t talking about I don’t think he just just intended just like I’m not a I’m on the committee but I’m not a voting no that’s what then you can have a tie vote

2:03:08 superintendent no wouldn’t be on that I mean I think at the end of the day you’re making recommendation to the full committee right and that’s so we make a recommendation that’s to say we were a split decision we were a tied voter fully I’m just wondering I’ll have to go back and minutes whether you’re just saying something and I’m working off what people tell me. How about does anyone have a problem if we uh ascertain willingness to serve on the facilities committee since we do have a that opening? We’ll do that one committee. We’ll do the rest at the retreat. Is the committee okay with that? And that to me is just in case there is something that they could avail themselves of to help with this project. A lot of projects going on this summer. So I mean I mean we have stuff going on at Glover. We have stuff going on at vets in the pack and the vets roof the

2:03:55 high school obviously not going on this summer. Um got stuff going on and and if something hits a snag I’d like at least not want to contact. Okay. I would also wonder besides the superintendent

2:04:09 from the admin team if there are other subcommittees that it would be helpful to have you know established and available or working this summer. you know, if there are things that need to get done because if so, you know, waiting until August means summer’s basically over. I think that were what you asking us? Yeah, sorry. Thank you. Um, uh, facilities would be important and I think policy stuff would be important. So, those be the two that I would if if we’re going to establish something and do some work over the summer, those two, because I think whoever made that um, comment was right on point. I think there’s there’s things that all these subcommittees need to continue to work on because you know MS MC will make updates you know regularly and if we can get on track and then just do those regularly I think again that

2:04:54 all smoke we struggle the same thing because you know happens quickly and with no warning you just kind of get a list um those would be the two I would recommend I think everything else you know facilities facilities be number one policy All right, let’s let’s proceed with those two. I like that idea. Um, who’s interested? Anyone interested in serving on the facilities subcommittee? I am. I’ll serve on that. So, you you’re interested. So, Henry and Jen, can I ask? Are you still going to be interested in the budget subcommittee? Okay.

2:05:41 I have no issue with those two. You know, I I will I will step down and Henry and Jen can be our two facility school committee members.

2:05:56 That’s not a vote. That’s not a No. Okay.

2:06:02 Okay. Policy. Okay. Policy. Was Allison a Jen for other people who are interested in serving on this committee subcommittee? I’m interested in serving

2:06:19 J. Do you wish to continue or No. Okay. I will if that’s

2:06:27 good for a change in the committing haven’t been doing it for long. All right. Um,

2:06:43 does it make sense to have someone with who’s been on the committee for a little bit or I’m h I’m happy to do it. Fine. Okay.

2:07:02 All right. So we’ll we’ll wait on the um the um the rest of the assignments including lays non assignments uh till the retreat. So our next meeting would be scheduled on the 16th. I would suggest we keep that on the calendar if people can make it. Um we have a normally on Thursdays but Oh did I that might be a mistake of mine. June, I’m sorry, the 17th. We did move today. So that would be the Thank you. August 17th.

2:07:42 Yeah. July 7th. Why? Oh, so anyone say um the chair. Um yes. So we’re gonna we’re going to continue meeting through the summer. Is that what the committee saw meetings? Traditionally not. Yeah, I know. Um I just I just throw that in our last discussion. I mean I think there’s especially since the retreat really doesn’t have anything around planning and goals for the school committee which I think are very very important and I’d like to have that in place before the start of the school year. And if we’re going to do that I’m going to suggest we meet during the day because that’s a for me daytime is better for that kind of work. This is a business meeting typically doing. Um

2:08:28 but and and you might want to have Alicia there. You might want to have her there. She was there with us last year. We did our you said our school committee goals and our superintendent goals. She was there. Well, she did. Yeah. My my goals are good for now because I can go. Yeah. Um may I just speak up as you guys are if it’s if you guys are meeting to do your school committee goals on that 17. We’re all at the conference that week, so we’ll be around. Um, so I mean that’s fine if you got me. We don’t need I just want to I want to hold it up. I think typically we probably want to have it there. Yeah. Our goals just to get your um thoughts. So I can just one or two things if if it’s going to be during the day. I mean I can you know

2:09:14 step out I can and if that’s if that’s what I’m going to be entertaining. So we could do it the 24th. The Yeah. What about the 24th since there are five? There’s five Thursdays in July. Um, Um, Duck I get I’m I’m in my PhD class that week. Um,

2:09:38 31st. 31st. The 31st. I mean I mean so the 31st will work. That that’s just that’s that’s the only time I have anything conflicting all summer is those a 15 16 17 and then that next week I’m like PhD program. So I don’t mind if the 31st if if that works for folks. Yeah, if that works for everybody else. Okay. So that will be our next meeting. Thank you. I appreciate that. And I think um just to let people know what you know we need to talk about uh you know the retreat agenda is pretty much done. the approval of the minutes. Uh please come prepared to or take a look at the school minutes so we can have those officially posted. Um Henry, if you could look into the ethics around

2:10:26 the secretary position. Absolutely. Um and then also I guess Julie, you’re going to follow up on the policy. Yeah, we’ll get Yeah. I think and then we could talk about maybe the the rest of the scheduling for the for the summer. Yeah. All right. Any other items? Can we also um Sorry. No, go ahead. Jumping in. Um in one of those either the that meeting or the um retreat, we just look at setting the meeting dates for the school year because that’s really helpful for our calendar planning or at least some tens of days. I know it’s generally what the first and third. Yeah. Are there any does anyone have any reason to maybe move away from the first and third? No, I think we just need to look at the be able to look at the calendar to see some adjustments. Yeah,

2:11:13 that so it’s just helpful to have that kind of laid out for everybody with the community as well and our principles. Thank you. Okay, looking for a motion to adjurnn. Unless there’s any I’m sorry, there’s any new business. Okay, for a motion to adjurnn.

2:11:35 Second. All right. Um, in favor Jen in favor. All in favor. Kate favor. All right, we’re returned at 8:11 p.m.