School Committee: November 6, 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.

0:02 also. also. » Okay. So, our next item is assistant superintendent Mike. So, I’m avoiding your last saying your last name in public. Thanks for » appreciate that protection. Um, so in your packet I did provide a updated financial report. Last week we gave you a financial report that was from the end of September. Uh, this is from the end of October. So, uh, just some highlights between last week’s report and this week’s report. Uh I mentioned last week that we had not uh encumbered all items that we could and we did in uh include encumbrances in this report for teacher leader stipens. Uh electricity had been encumbered but not to the amount that we probably should have been. Uh stipens there a couple of stipens that weren’t

0:48 there. Uh gasoline and based diesel fuel that we used for our vehicles, buses and uh district vehicles. Um we threw fuel up at the town depot where their gas pumps and then they just um you know we have a swipe card that tell us where they go to fuel up and uh they send us a bill quarter. So we encumbered that uh legal services uh at the end of the year our unit A members our teachers in collective bargaining unit A get a 403b match if they are professional teacher status. Uh so uh we had not encumbered that we did that. Uh we did find out this year that we have a school resource officer chargeback that we didn’t know about. Um we encountered that although it may not actually budget so we just it’s a small amount.

1:34 Um and then our athletic trainer we have a contract service with with um one of the hospitals and I can’t remember which one but we didn’t cover that also. So I feel like we’re probably um in a much better encumbered situation than we were before. we have a much better snapshot of where we stand with the uh current balance. Granted, with eight months still to go in the year, we still have a lot of time to uh look at those things. Um in addition to that, I I mentioned at the last meeting that the special education out of district tuition accounts were way out of whack. Uh they they were overspent. It’s because we hadn’t charged off the circuit breaker yet. Uh I worked with Lisa Murray’s department Kathleen and we readjusted the purchase orders to go to come out of circuit breaker um for the students that they should have coming out of broker. So that was about a million dollar swing

2:22 one way. These incumbrances was a half a million dollar swing the other way. So we’re actually in a half a million dollars approximately better position than when we were last month uh from an unexpended balance. They used to call surplus but people didn’t like that word. It’s not surplus. It’s just unexpended balance. Um there’s certainly some things that we can’t encumber yet. Uh athletic facility rentals, we need to rent ice rinks and we need to rent um other facilities for our athletics group. So we have not encumbered all those yet. Kent usually we’ve encumbers things by season. So very shortly we’ll start encumbering the winter season athletics expenses. Um facilities and custodial overtime. Those are some things that we just can’t we can’t tell.

3:08 can’t tell. can’t tell. Uh so there are some lines that look abnormal and I had a conversation earlier today or email conversation earlier today with Mr. Schm and um there are some things that soft and mun are not aligning on properly. So it looks like a salary is being paid out of soft account number A that should align to soft mun account number A and it’s not. So there’s some things off. I caught some and I and I tried to fix some but with I try to do the m reports at the end of the month run my reports at the end of the month and provide to the the school committee the next available meeting which was today. So uh it only had a couple of days to put it together in order to get it up and they drive for you for you to view in advance. So um

3:54 there are some things that that need to be tweaked. I think once we get to January everything will be in Munice. All the software will be dumped over into Munis. Right now I have to pull data from two systems and married it into one spreadsheet. Once uh Alicia Miss Benjamin can get everything over into into um Munis which I believe will happen after the last official soft payroll then I think things will be a lot more cleaner and smoother. But I will tweak things as I as I catch them just so you can you can see things like I highlighted in your reports the yellows. Those are things I manually encumbered and I need to manually encumber them every month. So I have highlight in yellow for my benefit but also you can see what I did this month. Um, but all in all, uh, current unexpended balance of 2, I’m sorry, 3.33

4:40 million. 3.34 million. Uh, and that has to get us through June 30th. » Any questions? » I have a few questions. Do you just have a sense of the high level? So, the $500,000 that I don’t what word you used is unspent or what not? What do you have a sense of what’s driving that? What changed from September to end of October? So yes, absolutely. So um we were at 2.8 million, right? And we’re now we’re at 3.3. So » So we went from 2.8. We actually should have gone to 3.8 because we moved about a million dollars into circuit breaker. But then we took $500,000 and encumbered in electricity, teacher leader, stipens, all the things I mentioned, you know, all those things. So the delta between those two was a half a million dollars. So we’re actually right on track to kind

5:26 of where we were. Plus, you know, I wouldn’t say the whole half a million. We had expenditures this month um that certainly weren’t encumbered until after or until we got the invoice or placed the order. Um but yeah, that delta in between is that what you’re getting at? » Yeah, I mean so I understand the offset and how we’re getting the 500. I was more wondering like broadly what does that relate to because we’re in a better position like what what makes that up? So it so what makes » out of the two is 500 which I get but still then something must have changed again. So, we took a million dollars out of what was in this report in local budget. Yeah. » And moved it to a revolving account. Yeah. Expenses to a revolving account » and then we took an additional half a million dollars in new expenses.

6:11 » And that that so well our unexpended balance if we hadn’t moved a half a million dollars it would have just shown a million dollar difference. But since we moved that we encumbered another half a million dollars in extended that brought us down 500,000 from when we went up. So we went from 2.8 to 3.8. Then we encumbered stuff. It came back down to three points. Am I missing you? Am I losing you there or » I think so. That’s fine. » Maybe I’ll find » And then I had two others. Just generally, how should we be thinking about lines that are negative that are over in comfort? Is that some of the things you’re talking about or like maybe the accounts are not lining up? And then my last one is just I saw the school committee central admin legal costs look like they’re at 100% of budget. » Is that true? It’s one of the highlighted yellow ones that says it’s

6:57 like there’s 0% left. » So what actually if you look at the the line we have expended I got to bring it up here. Um we have expended » 56,000 the yeah we’ve expended 56,000 and I just encumbered manually the the rest of the balance in the line knowing that we’re going to be spending that. » So that’s a manual encumbrance. Uh and that’s not with any particular it may not you know it may be uh between Valerio’s firm and some of the other firms we use Lisa me’s firm and some you know we use multiple firms depending on whether that’s labor or whether it’s contractual or you know non non- labor contractual uh there’s an investigation on something we need a

7:44 third firm so depending on what firm usually when we encumber something we encumber it by vendor we open a PO to that vendor in this case I did not open a PO to the vendor specifically um I just encountered being hot tire amount in a spreadsheet basically I committed that money in the spreadsheet so like not accountable to make sure we didn’t spend that is there two parts to that question » just the negative balances account mapping » so some of those negative balances are going to wash out um some of them are going to some of them have occurred because um just take a salary line and just say that there’s one person in line take my line you know Mike salary line it’s X and um for some reason I’m no longer here and there’s somebody else in my role and

8:30 that person comes in higher or lower that’s going to skew that line into a positive or a negative value. So if you take our our 535 staff, you know, we hire, you know, we we probably hired 30 or 40 people this year conservatively. those lines are probably going to be off because if somebody retired or resigned » at at step six and we rehire at step eight, it it’s going to skew that line. Um and some of them are the soft units conversion, some of our staff when we build the budget um some of our staff is um has informed us that they intend to move a column over meaning they’re going to get an advancement on the degree. They went from a master’s degree to a master’s plus 15. We don’t budget for that for each individual person. We put

9:16 a line in the budget that says if lane changes thought lane changes it’s under administration on page uh on page eight of the report. » Theoretically if if we weren’t in the middle of munis and converting and everything we we would do the budget adjustments uh for all those lines to make them all zero up and and give us a true factor of where we were. But until all the payroll comes over from soft I feel like that would be an exercise in futility. » Thank you. Thank you. » Okay. Thank you, assistant superintendent. » Thank you. Thank you. Um, our next item is under the consent agenda. So, I’m looking for a motion to approve the following. the identified schedules of bills totaling 500,243.96

10:06 and the meeting minutes from our octo our our October 30th 2025 meeting » so moved second » okay motion is made by Kate seconded by Melissa all in favor motion passes four zero you. My next item is the request to name the auditorium. Is that something superintendent you’re going to just speak to? So um actually skeptic then um reached out just um thought oh I’m sorry um had had reached out thought to

10:53 Greg Greg Vana who was with the administrator for a million years and I think it’s like 52 or something a long time 50 » okay so plus 50 years um and which is great and so the thought process was to you start the conversation. Obviously, it has to come before the school committee and be discussion about that. Um, and you know, she know this is the first step in the in the process. Um, ready to submit it to the school committee for discussion. Um, and so that’s where we are.

11:28 » Yeah, that’s fine. She’s prepared to do so. » Yeah, just

11:36 spot a little bit. That’s right. Do you mind hold up the » Yeah, just in case folks have question, you know, I think some I don’t want to get too far down a little, but I think some of the conversation is um not necessarily, you know, the naming of it after Greg, but also like the conversation the school committee has to have while

11:57 you guys. you guys. » Okay. Um so, thank you very much for having me tonight. Um, this is the letter that I submitted along with Henry Christensen a couple of weeks ago. So, I’ll just read that out loud. Um, myself and Mr. Christensen are submitting this letter on behalf of the countless alumni, colleagues, collaborators, and friends of Mr. Greg Dana to formally request that the unnamed Marblehead High School auditorium be officially dedicated and named the Gregory Dana Center for the Performing Arts. Together, we’ve had the privilege of working closely with Mr. Dana in various capacities over the years. Our experience has deeply impressed upon us the extent of his impact on both our students and on the broader school community. Greg’s 51 years of service to

12:43 Marblehead public schools, his unwavering commitment to performing arts, and his profound dedication to mentorship has left an indelible legacy that extends far beyond the walls of Marblehead High School. It is altogether fitting that we recognize his contributions in this manner and at this time. Although Mr. Bana officially retired from teaching several years ago. He remained an active and vital presence in our production, serving as tech director for our MEG festival submissions, as well as our spring musicals up until this fall. In the years following his retirement, Greg continued to work alongside students and staff with the same passion, patience, and precision that defined his lengthy career. A lifetime member of the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild, he shephered the program through every advancement and challenge, always with

13:28 an eye towards creating opportunities for student artists to learn and shine. Over the decades, Greg inspired generations of young people, many of whom pursued technical theater and film at prestigious universities and who went on to have successful creative careers. This legacy is measured not only in their professional accomplishments, but in the countless lives he touched, the confidence he instilled, and the community he built through the arts. To dedicate the auditorium in his name is to honor a lifetime of service and to ensure that future generations recognize the foundation he laid for excellence in the performing arts at Modite High School. And so again, on behalf of many uh the many alumni, colleagues, and community members who wholeheartedly support this request, we respectfully urge the committee to approve the dedication of the auditorium as the

14:13 Gregory Dana Center for the Performing Arts. Such a tribute would be fitting and enduring recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Marblehead and to what I believe is literally thousands and thousands of students who he uh whose lives he circled and shaped. Um thank you for your consideration. Thank you. Does anyone have any any questions?

14:39 I think one thing I think this is very deserving. This is well written. Thank you very much. Uh I I do want to uh perhaps just have a little bit of time to hear from the community and of course I’m not expecting any issues but you know we are we we’re representing the the community as a whole. So, » um, so we’d like maybe at least a meeting to get some of that input and then we’ll continue to consider this at a at our next meeting or if not the meeting after that. » Absolutely. » Anybody else? » I agree with that. I think that makes a lot of sense. » Um, you know, we it’s I think a separate discussion for the committee to have. It sounds to me that Mr. Dana is like if you’re going to name that space after

15:26 someone, you would be at the top of the list of who you would choose. Um, our policy is a little wonky. It’s called the naming of new facilities and spaces, but if you read it, it actually contemplates like this would fall under it. Um I I would like to suggest that the committee get feedback from the community and address this request and then maybe separately when we are do not have a pending request in front of us think about whether we want to put parameters around how we’re going to accept request to name spaces. you know what that’s going to look like because it’s really challenging when we have a request in front of us to then start to think about how do we decide if we want to name a

16:13 space. So I think we should deal with the theater and Mr. Dana and then come back later in the year broad questions. Yeah. Can I just So I would agree with Kate. PSA, but I think just having gone through all this fairly recent fieldhouse and you know all the steps were taken, you know, again first step sure committee asking for, you know, some some more stuff from the committee is a good idea. But I really appreciate Kate is um um continuing the conversation separately on the policy so it doesn’t money in this particular incident in instance because you know you never want to get into situation like oh no now we’re recommending because you know um so I appreciate that conversation um I think you know when we we had that you know housing we started

16:59 having those that level of conversation around we look at how policies written because it is low and I think this is just in general I dealt with my previous district too is like we need to have some sort of record about what we’re naming when we’re naming how frequently we’re naming is it memorial is it not you all those things so I think that’s that’s important stuff so I I want to think actually putting this forward I think I think it’s definitely deserving I think a short time but you have a fairly great spark on this

17:36 » thank you any other questions Okay. Thank you. » Thank you.

17:45 » Okay. The uh next item is our our agenda was amended and it was for this particular item to be added around the uh high school performing arts trip New York City. So we have someone » Yes. Colleen English is going to come up. Um she she came to um to me. She asked can you on the agenda? It’s important. We’ve done field trips and you know knowing that we have to get school committee approval for overnights and timeline’s pretty quick turnover. I know January seems like far away but with any fundraising we need to do making sure that kids have permission sub time. So I appreciate and I think coming through um you know amending the agenda to get this on tonight. So and you know it’s obviously in your packet and you know um you know what entails uh and seems pretty pretty well thought

18:33 out. think cost is, you know, is what it is for a trip like this, which I don’t forget out of line for for New York City. Um I I don’t know how I don’t know when the last time we before I got here, so a couple years ago, » it’s 2024, so it’s every other year. Okay. » Yes. Anyway, um, no, I just I just like to say when we have filters like this, I love when students have the opportunity to live and breathe and touch and feel and um, you know, really get their hands into, you know, experiential learning. This is, you know, one of those fields we had, we had portfolio, which also I think is just phenomenal. So, I I generally support these kind of fields, but obviously the school you guys ask what questions you want. So

19:19 you’re I’ll show you certain questions there.

19:25 » Do you have something that you you’ll tell us about it? » Sure. Yeah. Um so it’s an internship opportunity for the um high school performing arts students. So uh everyone who’s invited is anyone who’s in a performing ensemble drama club or in a music uh class that meets during the day. And so they would be going to New York City. Um we would leave on a Friday morning, January 16th, stay overnight one night and then uh come back late Saturday night. Some of the highlights are um a backstage tour of Radio City Music Hall, a 60-minute Q&A with industry professionals and performers. Um and then two Broadway shows uh and also a dinner at um Ellen Stardust Diner where the the servers are performers. So, it is a a professional goal as a performing arts staff that we want to

20:13 expose students to professionals in in the industry and see, you know, what what life is like. Um, and so I think this is just a really great opportunity for them to see that and what better place than in than New York City. » And just before I failed to mention to colleagues, this is for sharing this role and I think it’s really awesome that she’s taking this on. Um, really, you know, it’s not not often that, you know, first year folks in this kind of role are to take on a challenge. So I appreciate that. I just want to make that importance. That’s it. » Yeah. Unfortunately, Jen couldn’t be here tonight, but I know in previous requests like this, John, she she asked the same question around insurance. How is that dealt with with this particular trip?

21:00 » So, uh, students and families have the opportunity to sign up for a trip insurance. it is and it’s an opport you know it’s given to them should they choose to do it and it’s um all of that trip protection should you know they’re become ill or for whatever reason and then they can yeah it’s all part of we’re using the travel company um Bob Rogers that I know Marblehead has seized for for quite a few trips and they provide us with all of that as part of the package » I was also told at a previous trip or request like this there was some concern around the amount of students students in a room and what is the plan for this trip? » Okay, so um as of right now the plan is to do a quad occupancy. So students have to a room with two queen beds and they will be giving us some feedback as far

21:46 as who they would like to room with and then the teachers will kind of get together and and use that as puzzle to kind of put it all together. Make sure the students are comfortable with the the people who they’re rooming with.

22:03 Um I had a question about your the trip is open to 50 students. So then what’s your ratio of chaperones to students? » Uh 10 to one. » So five chaper

22:28 right. So, uh, this is something we need a we need to vote on. So, we will need a motion and a second around approving this trip. » I’ll make a motion to approve for arts field trip to New York City in January of 26. I’ll second. » Okay. Any further discussion? All right. The motion made by Kate and seconded by Melissa. All » right. The motion passes zero.

23:03 You had my vote when you said New York City is a great place to get. » You can’t guess where I’m from. » All right. Uh, our next item is the superintendent evaluation. Um, should I put in the right order here? Um,

23:26 so at uh a previous meeting, we finished the superintendent’s evaluation and voted unanimously to approve it. So I’m going to read the major portions of the evaluation into the record. » Okay. » Okay. So just so so folks know, we follow a process that both mask or MASC and DESIE uh recommend. uh and this is an end of cycle summit of evaluation report and this document is uh a composite of all the amendment five members of the school committee. Um so where I’ll start is with the specific goals that we have for our superintendent. Um the the student learning goals around

24:11 ensuring that students have a voice in their teaching and learning. This particular item the committee uh marked him as met uh professional practice goal of establishment of a consistent district-wide culture and development of appropriate staffing patterns to meet the needs of our students. Uh we marked uh the superintendent as some progress. I should have stated I’ll go into some detail as to why those ratings were done the way they were. Uh and then the last goal was a district improvement goal. Massachusetts requires the establishment and implementation of a district improvement plan for public schools in three-year increments. The DIP is sometimes referred to as a strategic plan and we marked the superintendent as met.

24:58 So there’s performance standards as part of this process. Um there’s four somewhat broad categories uh around instructional leadership, management and operations, family and community engagement, and professional culture. And the committee uh marked the superintendent as proficient in those four areas.

25:25 So the overall rating for our superintendent is proficient. And now I’ll just talk about you know a part of this process and form is that we we provide comments and so this to me is one of the most important parts. Uh it’s a little long so please bear with me. Uh so we made comments on each of the the goals that I discussed and then we had a kind of a summary comment section. So around the the goal of establishing a consistent district-wide culture. Um we all uh noted that as noted in his self assessment, Superintendent John Romano made partial progress towards this goal during the evaluation period. While some steps were taken to address staffing patterns, a comprehensive district-wide approach to developing and implementing

26:11 implementing consistent staffing practices was not fully achieved. Notably, compiling concrete staffing data remains a critical tool to tool to inform and drive the fiscal year 27 budget process. Central administration is functioning as a team. John’s direct reports speak very well of his management style around the district improvement goal of creating a uh district improvement plan that would cover years 20 uh 25 through 28. Superintendent John Robo has initiated the development of the district improvement plan with completion expected by this winter in a formal presentation in the school committee for approval. The expected date of implementation is July 1st of 2026. Plan currently has a structured outline

26:57 and John is actively engaged as direct reports to inform its construction. Ongoing and robust stakeholder input including from the school committee remains essential to mature plan’s relevance and effectiveness. Additionally, the identification and use of appropriate data metrics will be critical for measuring the plan’s outcomes throughout its implementation. Continued focus on these areas will strengthen the impact and sustainability of the improvement plan. So, I think John stated that was 25 through 28. That’s 26 » through 29. » Yeah, I think when I originally did the goal, I was trying to be okay. » And the last student was around the student goal. that was ensuring that students have a voice in their teaching and learning. So the superintendent

27:44 devoted significant attention to this goal as part of his broader effort to cultivate a district a district culture of openness and listening. This commitment was reflected by building principles who demonstrated their progress in this area during spring presentations to the school committee. While some principles embrace student voice initiatives more fully than others, the district made meaningful strides overall. The building principles are looking to continue to increase opportunities for student voice in this 2526 school year which is evidence of his success in implementing this goal.

28:23 » All right. So the overall summary this evaluation reflects an assessment of superintendants John Robo who served both as an interim and for a short time as the permanent superintendent of schools. John entered the Marblehead Head schools. John entered the Marblehead School District during a period of significant turmoil culminating in a teacher strike. Throughout this challenging time, John demonstrated professionalism, calmness, integrity, and diplomacy. He was placed in the difficult position of supporting the school committee in contract negotiations as the leader of administration team while also working to establish a productive professional relationship with the union leadership. His efforts in balancing these responsibilities are commendable. Following the strike, John worked diligently to reunite staff and

29:09 students, refocused the district on teaching and learning, and prioritized academic rigor and student achievement. His steadfast commitment to the district and its students in the face of extraordinary circumstances is greatly appreciated. We are grateful for John’s willingness to commit to the district of a long-term contract, and I applaud his leadership. We applaud his leadership during this period of transition and recovery. John’s commitment to strengthening district culture and climate is evident in his establishment and leadership of the superintendent’s anti-discrimination committee. This effort directly responded to a specific demand from the school community to address anti-semitism in the district and is a model for superintendent across the Commonwealth. John does an excellent job of working to build relationships with the district

29:55 within the district and his moving forward together motto demonstrates his understanding of the importance of repairing and rebuilding trust among stakeholders. John is a very agreeable superintendent frequently saying that his administration will make it work. John could advocate more directly for what he believes is in the best interest of the district. School committee members can then rely on his professional expertise to inform their decision- makingaking. In conclusion, it is important that John builds upon the district’s practices around datadriven decision-making to equip administrators, school committee members, and other advocates and stakeholders to explain and justify the district’s needs.

30:41 Take a sip of water after that. Um » so John, do you have any comments or questions on this evaluation? » Sure. I’ll keep it brief. Um first of all, I I’d like to thank the committee. I mean, you know, I’ve mentioned this is the fourth iteration of the my committee since I’ve been here year ago July and it’s it’s been, you know, challenging to kind of make sure that we’re all working together and making sure that we’re supportive. I’m feeling supportive which I have um which is it it helps it helps in this role right to have support members. Thank you for that. I think um this was challenging I I’m sure it was challenging committee because new members on and is really the only one that’s been here since I’ve been here kind of thing. Um so I do appreciate the thought on this um going into the

31:28 evaluation where not diving all the things I’ve done with our team. Um, so I appreciate that and I think for me the points I lost that I was intern for most of this goal period um and and you know fully superintendent from July forward. So I think when we get to the next part of the meeting we’re going over my goals. I think that’s be more reflective of kind of the work that we’ve done as a committee together and establishing your goals moving forward. And and I think the part that will come out that I’m excited about is when we sat down, we did my goals. Um there was a lot of good feedback uh input discussion about what you wanted to see. And I think I mentioned in that meeting just on the tail end of this is I’ve been a superintendent for 10 years and I that was the first time I ever had that level

32:15 of conversation with any iteration of any campaign. So I wholeheartedly appreciate the the discussion and really saying because now I know what what the committee will be looking for instead of guessing and that’s that’s always really challenging to guess in what you’re looking for. So all said and done, I happen to evaluation. I think it happily um I think it happily explains what it current districts and moving forward. I think that was

32:48 Thank you so much. » Any other comments? looking forward to seeing you coming here. » Great. Thank you for everything you’ve done your district.

33:03 » All right. Um, also we’re going to talk now about the superintendent’s goals. Um, also in the previous meeting, uh, the superintendent presented draft goals for November of this year, uh, through May of 2027. We discussed the following goals with a plan for the superintendent to return tonight with revisionists. So, a student learning goal focused on using data to measure academic achievement and student growth. A district improvement goal focused on hiring, developing, and retaining highquality educators and other employees. A second district improvement goal focused on communicating stakeholders and the broader community about the creation, approval, and implementation

33:50 of the district improvement plan. And then a professional practice goal focused on strengthening strengthening our principles as the instructional leaders of their buildings. So it it’s important to note that, you know, we will regularly visit uh these goals to ensure we’re making progress and to make appropriate revisions as we we learn more as time progresses. So the committee provided initial feedback to the superintendent at a productive workshop that we had this past Monday and so uh Johnny » ready to further discuss. » Sure. I think I think it’ll be important just to kind of go through the goals that you just mentioned just and I think um I tweaked what I thought um was reflective of the meeting we had on

34:37 Monday and clearly I’m open to further um tweaking if needed. Um but I let me just go through it because I think it’s important for folks at home and um watching to know what my goals are. So, the professional practice goal um again further development of of building administrators as the instructional leaders of their schools in alignment with district-wide expectations for increased rigor and cohesive practices prek to 12. Uh principles and instructional leaders of their schools and as such need to ensure practices within their individual buildings are meaningful and align with district expectations that all students instructional needs are being met. In a district that has five buildings operating is important for those buildings to operate cohesively and not in silos. This goal is meant to ensure that there is collaboration, communication, and alignment of instructional practices both vertically across all grades and horizontally grades preK to three. Embedded in

35:23 enhancing the instructional leadership of our building administrators is the expectation increased rigor is developed to meet the high expectations from Marblehead public schools. It’s kind of the summary of the goal. Why did I choose the goal? In the absence of um cohesive expectations, discussions and collaboration, school building administrators sometimes have a tendency to operate their buildings um myopthically. And I think this is not done intentionally, but it’s something that transpires organically. And the goal is chosen in an attempt to ensure that there’s a cohesiveness across the district in regard to educational language used, instructional practices, their research based, and substantially similar between buildings and that all students have a pathway from prek to 12 that is aligned. And so transitions between grades, between buildings can be more seamless, more seamless. I think that’s important. This is an area that I

36:08 think a lot of districts struggle with. You know, going from building to building um grade level to grade level. This is especially important with the shift in responsibilities for curricular alignment oversight and training shifted from the previous employee curriculum directors to lead teachers and instructional coach model that is currently in place. building principles are charged with ensuring that all aspects of instruction are managed accordingly and in alignment with district expectations as well as helping to determine resources, professional development and support needed for educators to effectively provide academic and social emotional instruction to our students. So that’s the main reason I chose the goal. Um, and then some of, you know, the measurement of some of these goals. It’s it’s always difficult sometimes when, you know, things aren’t super tangible like numbers easy to quantify sometimes, but this is how I’m open to measure it and I’m open to more feedback. This goal

36:53 will be measured in part by a surveys administered to staff regarding the input into the effectiveness of each building principal as an instructional leader. Implementation of instructional learning walks by principles in their other in in each other’s buildings would be a way to create meaningful conversation, feedback and sharing of ideas that are to be administrative meetings. The stat will help inform the focus of instruction instructional leadership encourage collaboration and help establish cohesive practices. So that’s one of those areas where it’s more discussion some anecdotal but it’s really meaningful that we can have those conversations. This is also a shared evaluation goal for each principal. So the success of the goal will be measured by ensuring that I effectively evaluate each principal based upon them providing schedules, feedback forms and any data collected throughout the year along with conversations and anything comes out of

37:39 those learning walks and um in discussions for the surveys. What will be the evidence evidence of meeting uh meeting this goal would be the administration and review of staff surveys along with the completion of scheduled learning walks by each principal a sharing of their experiences within our bi-weekly administration meetings and by providing feedback regarding instructional practices throughout the district as indicated with each principal educators principal’s educator evaluation sorry timeline for the goal each principal will schedule at least two learning walks at each building at each other’s buildings between October and June at each bi-weekly administrative meeting principles will share experiences of the instructional learning walks so that there can be more in-depth analysis by the administration team of our shared practices. By the end of the school year, each principal will have done an instructional learning walk in each building twice and shared feedback, insights, and thoughts with the team. By the end of January, each principal had

38:25 met with me to provide mid-year progress on this goal. And by June, feedback will be provided as part of each principal’s educator evaluation. Staff surveys will be administered in the spring and the feedback will be reviewed and shared with each principal which will help inform areas of strength and identify areas of growth while also assisting with providing a basis for establishing future goals. I did this in my previous district and you know there was some uncomfortability sometimes on on part of principles um their staff surveying but however in conversations it makes it makes um for a more cohesive school because you know we can hear feedback we talk about it we we say how you know based on that feedback how are you going to develop your goals for the following year so I think it’s really good it’s powerful and it’s good information um and it’s not a do the

39:11 surveys in a way that’s not got you know I mean you’re always going to develop going to be theaters and lovers everybody in the middle but really you look at the data and you say what what’s really shines through as as positive and what needs to be looked at how players grow and then uh connecting these the standards and indicators that we talked about uh number four I saw this is the the main areas professional culture 4D which is continuous learning and 4E which is shared vision and there’s a discussion and the committee really asked me to say how how is this connected Because the goals are one thing, products are the goals are one thing, but then how are they connected to the standard? So I think this will be better when you guys do my evaluation deals, right? Um you just want me to follow » however you like.

40:01 » I don’t really have any I mean the comments that we made in the last meeting were addressed really effectively. I think my only question and it’s not really for revision but we we talked about and I noticed that you make made changes to a bunch of the schools um 18 months goals so that we’re sort of resetting the clock on on getting you know those goals of evaluation in June. Is this one 18 month or is this one sort of through June and we’ll check in in 26? I mean, I didn’t put the 18 months here. I probably should have used to get them all the same pathway. » So, they’re all the same. » Yes.

40:47 » Yes. » Yes. » Yeah. » I thought you incorporated all of our feedback into this.

41:02 » Um, I agree. I thought it might help on just kind of globally where down at the bottom where you have the indicators maybe have the indicators the completion date you know so somewhere kind of easy to find my only comment I wanted to make tonight is that reflecting on this further after the workshop I’m a little concerned I guess for lack of a better word that the measurement of this goal is mostly through principal eval valuations which are not something that the school committee has visibility into. But I wonder if we could include something like you know working into your district updates reports on changes that are made based on

41:47 the work that you are doing. So things that are strengthening cohesion are improving vertical and horizontal alignment. So while we’re not seeing what the reviews are of the principles, they’re seeing the tangible changes that are being made. » Yes. I I think that’s good and I think um yeah I’m happy to incorporate that in there. I think um when we talk about me coming back to the committee and doing you know updates on all my goals I think you talked about them being like quarterly um so it’s not you know everything at the end or not so spread out that you forget all the talk about but yeah so I think organically those conversations would happen but I think you have to incorporate them there

42:34 for that that feedback. Uh second one, uh district improvement goal establishment of practices related to hiring, training and retention of licensed Marblehead public school educators. Um the school is being created to address hiring, training and retention of licensed educators in Marblehead public schools. I mean that’s clearly going to also expand attention of other staff, but I really want to focus on the license piece because it’s so important to make sure we have properly licensed professional people um in our in our classroom. So I mean I think okay that’s that kind of expands how we will gain our inevitably. So um but I didn’t want to get too far down a rabbit hole. So um sorry our goal is to hire engineers um ensure that they are provided appropriate training support and resources so they remain in the district and become part of the fabric of our educational community for an extended

43:20 period of time. There are many facets to creating school culture in which people want to belong in the school. Explore ways in which we can enhance accountability, establish solid education programming, grow leaders, and provide meaningful and sustainable mentorship and support for new and veteran staff. Why did I choose the goal? Retention staff is always something that needs to be addressed in any workplace. Marblehead has a reputation for providing high academic standards, but positionality amongst the Northshore communities can inhibit longevity of staff. It is incumbent upon the administration to ensure that there is cohesive collaborative collaborative and meaningful support in place for educators. so that they can manage their learning spaces in the most efficient and effective manner, foster student success. Exploring these factors and determining ways that we can engage our educators more productively is why the school was established. I’ll talk about

44:06 this a little bit. Um uh some of the exit interviews that I’ve done over the time I’ve been here. Um I always ask for exit interviews. Some people are well, some people aren’t. Um and many of them without getting into like you know for the small reason but many people it’s really I I mentioned the positionality because it is a real thing it’s like I can’t get to all unless I this kind of sale. So it it is a reality. It’s not the only piece by by far but it is it is a factor. So I just felt that was important to me. Um how will I measure the goal? will be measured through oversight of HR department specific tracking of hiring community year and providing and by providing opportunities for and tracking of exit interviews for staff that ex you know leave the district. Data collected will help establish trends and inform

44:52 hiring and retention practices reviewing data from our professional development committee will assist in tracking the training that is being provided and will help to ensure that the training is helpful to to make meaningful gains and retention of our educators. to measure the success in this school in part by decreased amount of the hearts of licensed educators throughout the next 18 months. And I think you know to your point you may have the same feedback for this. So I’m going to try to jump on it first. I mean when I do my updates can have those conversations like how much staff I have left staff see if you had an exit interviews how many and what say I can share that would be helpful. Evidence I mean it’s going to be creation of a systemic tracking system which I don’t think really exists in a meaningful way. I mean, I can, you know, probably have two left, but it’s been tricky um for us to kind of manage that.

45:37 Um, I think we’re in a much better place now than we were a year ago. Um, so I’m excited about that. Um, in development of exit interview processing by collecting data related to the hiring department staff throughout the district. I think that’s the main pieces of this goal. Um, over the next 18 months, systems will be created and implemented so that by in goal period, hiring retention practices will be in place that are meaningful and tangible. the data collected from a professional throughout the next year and a half was just ensuring the goal is submitted time. So I think it’s just effortlessly a lot of things we have to look at but retention really hinges on that professional development. The other piece I’ll say next interview is and a lot of conversation we had is we only have more training we had more training in that specific area or you know it was great that we did this training but then we didn’t have like followup or it

46:24 wasn’t embedded. So all those things are really tricky but it’s a good conversations to have and Julia wants the um professional development stuff and I think yeah and I think um it’s helpful to have those conversations because you know when you look at PD where you have like some awesome speaker that comes in and talks to everybody every like oh I’m so energized is great and then three days later they’re like oh you know it’s so to have that embedded is great and there’s a lot of that going on and again when I do updates um you know share some of those really soft things um that’s not something I would That’s what he outlined in the goal specifically what I think um instructional leaders. So the so the areas are instructional leadership under data informed decision- making uh management operations and the HR management and development and professional culture commitment to high standards and shared vision. Those are

47:11 the ones to this goal. Happy to have any more feedback on this one as well. questions. » And it’s kind of a general statement of like enhancing um enhancing. You aim to enhance practices, but you don’t define what enhancement is. I wonder if you should put a stake in the ground for trying to a certain percent decrease in people leaving for voluntary reasons or something like something very specific to aim towards even if it’s lost. I really like this goal though. I think it’s super important. Yeah. Um and one that we really need to have our eyes on. » Yeah. And and I and I was happy that this this because I just for folks at home, I left kind of one of the goals open for that kind of discussion. So I was really happy that the school

47:56 committee kind of was like, hey, you know, why I didn’t look at this because it’s um I can certainly look at that and see if I can something that makes sense. I think » no problem with not. » Yeah. No, no, because I think I think that’s good good feedback. I I kind of go back to my my specialized training sometimes when you put percent like say percentage in my AP. Is it just for the sake of putting a percentage in there? Is it is it a real thing? And » I just want to make sure if it’s something our baseline, we know that like we’re coming in better than what our current state » is. Let me let me think about that. Is there any crash intended? » Am I remembering right that there’s data that we’ve reported to Dexi on therition? Um, so that’ll be some place to look at it what the baseline is or has been to improve it.

48:42 improve it. improve it. » Yeah, I was just going to say, yeah, it speaks a little to me of being a little more proactive, too, right? A lot of times when people write these type of goals, it’s always people leaving and why they’re leaving, which is important to understand, but I think also how do we market? Yeah, how do we market ourselves when we’re looking for for new people and you know, » the front part is just as important, right, as all the other players. It’s simil it’s similar to like you know you look at you know student transition right so like we’re having those we have to have those conversations a little bit more too like students going from one school to another how can you celebrate the next school so kids you know kids are excited about brothers so like for instance eighth graders coming to the high school how do we celebrate that and

49:28 bring you know uh teachers and staff like can talk to the kids and we can do the same kinds of things with each like I I think a lot of um or you know some districts do we some of this, but like how do we have teachers kind of visit the each other’s classrooms and different buildings and even offer them the ability to go to other districts to see what’s happening in practices. Those kind of things help sometimes say only they lose it. But most of the time, if you frame it correctly, it’s it’s good because they see other things that happen. We want to replicate and I think that’s important as I can. » I had a couple comments. one sort of feeding off what Al just said um in the summary or description you say our goal is to hire educators I

50:13 think we can aim higher than that you know our goal is to hire high performing or qualified educators in » it’s in the first

50:27 summary is very yeah » yeah that’s

50:35 » and I like I like this whole a lot and I agree that it’s just so informing. Um » highly qualified something along those lines. Um, and we we talked so much about using data to make decisions and I think that this is going to be a great way to have some more data around hiring and retention and you know away hopefully a little bit from anecdotal information influencing decisions. Um, I don’t think this needs to go into your goal, but one thought I had was that I wondered if in addition to the PD community, um, the PLC’s might be a place where you could sort of less formally gather information about I should I should mention where

51:35 Good. Good. » Great. » Uh, third goal is the other district plan. I mean, I won’t go too far into this because it’s it’s just really the continuation of development and implementation of the the district improvement plan, but I did change the date to 2629. Um, like I said, I was trying to be a little bit um too far too far reaching. Um uh just just for overarching you know the district improvement plan now is being based on our student um plan for success which um was slated to fruition next year. So we got through the district improvement plan in phase by them. It’s generally supposed to run three years uh so that we can consistently um review it and everything else. So where I am, I I’ve done a lot of the um input from central administration, everything else,

52:22 principles, um other administrators in the district. And then my next so I finished integrating that and my next is to push out the staff, get their input, integrate that, push it out the parents and caregivers, integrate that. Um maybe students at the high school, I’m kind of going vacasillating on that. It’s because it’s a very broad, you know, it’s very like there’s a lot of information in there that they may not unders not that I don’t understand maybe not know how to how to give the feedback to it because it’s just really a lot of operations but there may be some value in some of the areas so I’m going to kind of think about that a little bit more and then obviously once I do all that bring that back to the committee so you can review it and then we’ll talk about whatever else needs to get done I think I shared this before I’ve done it this way in the past and

53:07 it’s worked out really well because I get hundreds of stakeholders versus like 14 of us sitting in a meeting going oh I think we should do this um so I think is really beneficial and helpful. Um it’s a again it’s a lot of work. That’s why, you know, I’m still it’s taking me a little while to kind of get it together, but you know, it will be done. Um I’m hoping to get this um you know, to the committee obviously back, you know, early spring so we can uh so we can get it voted and in place. And then my my bigger thing is is when you do this consuming plan, it’ll just get done and put on a shelf gets and then we consistently look at it and review it. And a lot of ways that happens is through the principles doing it with doing the school improvement plan, their school improvement plans with their SACE’s and their staff and everything

53:53 because they have to look in they have to make sure their school improvement plans dove tail with the district improvement plan. And that’s where you start seeing like oh yeah, we we need to work on that. Well, we we worked on that. how to continue that with little next steps. So, um, a lot of places just do it, stick it on the shelf, say pull it back out again 3 years later and start over. Um, realistically, our school improvement plans won’t dovetail with this new one this coming year because they’re so aligned to the student success plan. However, we have had conversations. So, this should start to see some overlap. Next year, they’ll be fully dovetail the following year. same but never start on plan and start working on the next one. So it’s really it’s a three-year plan, but you really get like a year and a half before you start looking at it

54:39 again. So anyway, I I don’t I think that’s that’s kind of an overarching um thing. This is really my goal for me for I did add in the standard uh standards and indicators and instructional leadership around instruction data informed decision-m management operations environment fiscal systems but the top ones that I felt are connected family and community engagement would obviously be engagement communication professional culture would be committed to high standards and shares there but like continually show

55:12 » yeah I like that that we’re going to have a chance to sort of take another look at this goal in you know in next year once the plan is in place that we get to say but what’s like you said what how are you going to follow up on on the plan and work that quick

55:38 » yeah I can do you can ask you do I do that too so that’s that’s not atypical um and sometimes this maybe a you know don’t need to hear part of it but a how with the professional development piece so the HR piece because the HR piece really nicely we just talk about so those kind of things that I look at right » yeah John I just I think I said this in a previous meeting but you know if I look at you know how to measure the goal it goes before a lot of people and entities and the school committee is almost very near the end and I’d like to and again I this isn’t a trust issue and I you know certainly don’t want to have meetings for the sake of having meetings but I still would like to see the school

56:24 committee involved a little sooner just because I I hate for the end of the pro the process I don’t think this will happen but it’s possible right with how this is laid out that we get to the end and there’s something the school committee really has an issue with and then what do you do you go back to all the previous entities so if there’s just a way to you know u involve us uh you know during the process versus near the end. » So what what if I did this? This is this is this is an easy pivot. So once I finish integrating all the all the information I have now and send it out to staff maybe when I send it out to staff I give it to you as well at the same time so you can start I mean I provided the draft to you guys to you already so you can start but maybe at that point I’ll have the rest of the

57:09 important feedback from the administration team in there and then sort of be you’ll be seeing it same time the staff see it and then there’s some step at that point and then when we get it back again then at least you’re in the process again at the end. Does that make sense? » Yeah. All right. So, we just

57:34 » Yeah, we can we can pause it immediately just kind of go through it and then

57:41 » Thank you. Uh last goal will be the student learning goal. Identifying mean identifying meaningful ways to assess and advance slashimprove students academic achievement and social emotional growth PK to 12. It is incumbent upon administrators to ensure that we have ways to assess student achievement and growth beginning and early grades and caring through graduation. In the absence of MCAST as a graduation requirement is even more important that we address ways to ensure students are meeting standards and that their achievement is accurately documented in multiple ways. Over the next 18 months, I will work with administrative data team members or instructional coaches, etc. That’s just to name a few to collect pertinent student data focusing on areas of strength and identifying areas of growth and development in order to ensure that district assessments are providing meaningful dataffect positive student achievement and growth. Along with

58:27 ensuring that the district has the appropriate assessment tools in place, this goal will also explore ways to ensure that the uh curriculum and materials and resources are supported by our budget and are implemented with the proper training for educators. So that was something that was really important. I came up with our discussion too is it’s great when we have materials and everything else, but if we’re not providing training alongside it, it’s, you know, kind of moving false, right? And we need to make sure that we have good enough budgets to support um uh the materials and resources. Um why do we choose this goal? Educators are generally good at knowing that where the student strengths and areas of growth lie. However, having specific measures of academic achievement, social emotional growth is important to ensuring that students outcomes are aligned with our high expectations. It’s important to share with our educational

59:14 community stakeholders the ways in which student growth and achievement is measured, what tools we are using across the district, and how those tools are chosen and utilized. It’s equally important to ensure that the budget supports the curriculum, assessments, training, and resources required for educators to successfully implement programming and assessments across the district. uh the school will be measured by review and sharing of data derived from district assessments including but not limited to uh dibbles I ready MCCAST and common assessments um meetings and discussions with administrators that team members guidance um your instructional coaches will help to inform the data collection review process um and I’m sure Julia will have a lot of other groups that will fly that for us since her games um professional development is key

1:00:00 especially when new curriculum material Assessments are implement this ensuring that feedback from educators regarding the ED provider will help measure effectiveness of the school. Student outcomes assessments will measure the success of the school based upon comparison to previous assessments periods and how our students compare to similar districts. » Heard that I um what evidence um will be demonstrate the meaning of the goal? Evidence towards this achievement of this goal will be provided through the data gathered from the A4 assessments through data teams in part input from administrators assessment results and ongoing conversations with coaches and building based educators and administrators utilizing scores on AP exams, SATs, ACTs and assessments of special education students will also be an important evidence forward with completion of the score. preparing

1:00:45 student growth year-over-year and comparison to some logistics will be a way to measure the success of the assessment tools resources provided and student achievement moving forward. Is the timeline for the goal data can often be viewed from assessments throughout the year will be reported to this committee quarterly before cars progress monitoring and state district assessments results being provided by benchmarks as well. Over course the next 18 months I will ensure that there will be cohesive research based assessments provide student achievement data that will highlight areas of strength and areas of profit for the continual address. I got to say seven. Um stand indicators instructional leadership. Um IC or 1C is assessment. 1 D is instruction. 1 E is data informed

1:01:31 decision-m and then also management and operations. Um 2C is scheduling in management information systems. Um most talked about

1:01:51 I’m excited about this one. I think we’ve got a lot to do on our own sort of school principles related to this. Yeah, I had one sort of thought when I looked at it the second time today, which is I wonder whether since it’s an 18-month goal, it might warrant almost breaking it up into two components and having the first part be figuring out what the data is and the time of year when that data is most going to be most useful. is almost coming up with a plan for the data and then the second component would be actually you know coming and giving those reports. Um you could probably do like a hybrid of those two things over

1:02:38 the course of this year and then set us up for next school year to being you know ready in September with like a first year of all the data we’re going to look at. » Yeah. I think I think um so um I will certainly rely on my my assistant superintendent to provide those time frames. They really know that I think that that’s important as well in between you know uh the teaching department and the student service department you know they can kind of frame some of that help.

1:03:16 » Okay. Uh if you notice on the agenda it was both next to this but it doesn’t make sense because we’ve given you some edits and I also believe uh I want be respectful to Jen and you know make sure that she has a chance to comment » whatever works I can I can make the edits bring back to the next meeting and then we can do more discussion you know work here I would probably suggest to vote based on talked about and I just yeah and » you know it’s it’s public document now too so make some time and then I hope the next meeting we’ll be able » Yeah. » I think at that point you just make sure

1:04:06 I’m sure she has some thoughts on some happy media. » Thank you. I you know again I just want to say I wholeheartedly feel good about this process and I think it’s going to help solidify my my leadership in my practices and help me to help uh other administrators to to enhance their practices. So part’s been great

1:04:38 time going to say honestly but I do do that work.

1:04:43 we will move on to school committee goals. Um and so at a previous meeting we discussed six potential goals that were drafted and presented by members. Um and then also last Monday the workshop we agreed that the members would refine and edit three of these goals and present in tonight’s meeting. Um so Henry might start with you. » I don’t I so I I did kind of type some stuff up. I’ll share it. But it’s I » You brought » I did bring outs. Um and I use the same format that John used his goals. I don’t have one for everybody, but

1:05:30 » uh so this this goal is um is around decision making and data storytelling. I am excited about the potential for this goal because of the superintendent’s goals seem really well aligned with it. I think he’s and his team are going to be building a lot of tools that he should take advantage of, you know, and we had such a successful presentation with the MCAST data that was more on storytelling than just here’s the numbers. um you know three of John’s goals have have the the data informed decision uh focus areas. Um so

1:06:15 I tried to focus this more on on what are we doing with that information not you know are we gathering information. I did sort of propose in here that there was some things we could do to build you know if we wanted to explore a dashboard to see this. But I I think that that’s probably more John’s business than ours. But I think one thing that we should focus on is, you know, establishing a cadence for the government data or anyone else to come because again, we have a lot of success with DNS data. uh and to be able to report the data that’s that’s driving

1:07:01 our decisions and and doing that both in this meeting and with the community and and the district and um and sort of developing tools that we to send out that information including possibly surveys or or ways that we can gather online data. about you know back or community interests um that’s going to help guide our decision making rather than just making um so did sort of highlight some it’s tricky without January I don’t want to send

1:07:49 their goals but I did highlight some some stages that we can check off to sort to demonstrate the evening goal. I think a lot of the success of this goal is is if John achieves success in his data driven goals really um and I think for the timeline there’s sort of two stages to it. So one would be establishing the cadence of for data and what that looks like or what it looks like for what data to whom and then sort of at the end of this process have we demonstrated that we’re using data to drive decisions are we do we have numbers in those meetings when we share the decisions that we’ve made are we providing the

1:08:36 providing the providing the here’s why our data um so there’s a a lot of words on here, but um I I’m interested in getting your feedback in where this needs to go to to continue the conversation. » And I just had a quick question. So this would this was the compilation of goals one, two, and three » from resolution. » I think » which is what I think we were asking for is you know there was a lot of overlap and similarity. So, I just wanted to make sure that I had that that I was taking those first three goals. » That’s right. Because they were they were goals around data and communications.

1:09:24 Um, and I think the most important thing that we have to communicate data data is so this sort of encompasses both improving our communication tools and Yeah, just in terms of the process, I think it’s similar to what we just went through with the superintendent goals that it wouldn’t make sense to vote on it because we’re just seeing this right for the first time. So, we I think we need to kind of digest it potentially and also » Yeah. And I think chins and » absolutely I I don’t expect I think we’re I think this is well done. I think we’re very, you know, » well, I’ll I’ll wait on that part, but I

1:10:09 think, you know, we’re very close to finalizing our goals.

1:10:18 » I think this starts to tackle the real question that we’re going to face, which is now that we have all this data, what are we doing with it? So, I think this is to me sort of like the first step in figuring that out. Where where are we sharing it? What are we using it for? Those sorts of questions. » The word data is so broad. Are we talking about like student outcomes data? Like » so I think » because a lot of the decisions we make are not necessarily the committee are not necessarily numbers specific. » You’re absolutely right. Yeah. I think I I did sort of identify some of the resources and I’m talking about for the

1:11:03 most part existing resources not things that we need to build and see that and it was all the stuff that John and then you know » um and I think he also was talking about I added in my notes sort of the staff managing data that John notion that I think is » it’s different from academic success but it is important and Then you know uh there are surveys that go out. I think we need to empower ourselves to send out our own surveys that are more specific to the school committee just the district uh and it can seem to but we don’t have the tools to distribute those sort of the district’s list.

1:11:50 » Any other questions or comments? I like it. » I’ll refine it and bring it to » data means nothing without the story. So » yeah, I I agree. Um I was really energized by the by the end. So » all right. Um Melissa, » just um I didn’t bring print outs, so I’m going to share my screen.

1:12:50 much to talk about how we want to separate out well maybe there’d be overlap with mine and Henry’s mine is focused on strengthening financial transparency through the lens largely of communication of the budget um so the the description is improve how how Marblehead community members understand the school budget by providing clear explanations of cost drivers including teacher contract increases special ed circuit breaker funding enrollment shifts, offering opportunities for dialogue and building trust in how resources are allocated. Um, with the specific goal being to basically successfully implement a structured financial comm’s plan that measurably increases community comprehension of key

1:13:37 budget drivers before our May town meetings. Um, metrics for success. I think currently the community would most folks would say that that the budget is complex and we’re quite reactive. There’s little confidence I think in the puts and takes to what’s going on. Um and there’s been really limited structured comms as we saw kind of during what happened last fall. So the target would be to publish at least three clear budget explainers. Um I think the the budget subcommittee can work with FINCOM. We already have been working with FinCom and Mike and John um early in the process to basically just in a very clear articulate um form whether it’s one

1:14:24 pagers or public presentations just lay out um in I think visuals that are easy for people to comprehend um before March 2026 and then to host at least two community forums dedicated to Q&A. I think having those conversations earlier next year ahead of May 2026 where people can ask all the questions that we’ve kind of been talking about amongst ourselves and how we’re going to start to build that trust and um to be able to answer some of the questions that we know folks in the community are asking each other and wondering about um with really the intent of addressing kind of ongoing repeated funding requests when we know we have declining enrollment and and the contractual obligations in front of us.

1:15:10 So the intent would be basically two checkpoints in January at least one um kind of explainer published at that point and one form completed and then basically everything completed ahead of town meeting. Um with the owners of this really being budget for the most part but within consultation sub

1:15:41 I just think that in my mind the really important responsibility that the school committee has around the budget is to help the community understand it um and why it’s built the way it is and why our needs are, what they are. And I think this will help. » Mike has already done a great job of just like I have trouble everything that’s going on. It’s it’s really in my mind like packaging and presentation explanation exercise. » Anything else? I’m so despicable.

1:16:39 Um so what I did is I took the um the goal that was sorted by being the superintendent and completing the district improvement plan and expanded it a little bit and turned it into a strategic planning goal. Um, and I laid it out this way because all the different rubrics that we So, um, the goal would be to refocus school committee efforts on high level district oversight and strategic planning in a way that supports the operational work and priority of our administrators. Um, and I propose doing this in three sort of parts or steps. The first would be to agree to a statement that articulates a clear division of responsibilities between the school

1:17:24 committee and the administration. Um I attached to the goal a slide that I think MASC showed us at our workshop this summer. If not um it’s part of their charting the forest presentation that I think does a good job sort of what I’m thinking about here. Um, and my thinking with that component of the goal is it’s we’re setting our expectations for ourselves, what our responsibilities are and and holding ourselves to bed. Um, the next component of the goal would be to support John in completing the district improvement plan uh by setting a near-term deadline for school committee review of the draft um establishing a timetable which he does in his goal um to gather and process stakeholder input and then monitoring

1:18:10 that we’re meeting that timetable and then reviewing and approving the finalized plan in the spring of 2026 for implementation. And then the real meat of the goal is this last section which is con to consider strategic planning frameworks for the district moving forward um with clearly articulated responsibilities for the school committee in that process. Um as I I think I mentioned at the workshop, this is really what I’ve been wanting to do this year and we just sort of haven’t been ready. Um so my thinking around this is either appointing someone on the committee to take the lead on this or putting together an ad hoc subcommittee that can run with it. Um exploring what guidance NASC has to

1:18:56 offer and really working to put together a plan for the school committee on how we are going to do both short and long-term strategic planning and oversight um moving forward. So, I would love it if we can like launch the district improvement plan in the summer along with a plan for what the school committee is going to do over the course of a year to fulfill its strategic and broad planning responsibilities.

1:19:24 » Really like this. I think what you what you haven’t actually stated runs through it is is sort of longevity and setting up future school committees for the framework to to continue to do this » which I I think is is important for the whole » I’m actually thinking that sort of a plan that could be created can then get embedded in that like year-long agenda that we approved at the beginning of this year and even maybe with a little army on those phones around what what is doing

1:20:17 So hopefully So hopefully » So Kate, is this just what was um goal six or is it » Yeah, it’s it was just that one. » So the elevating of educator voices and perspectives in school. » Yeah, I didn’t. » So we » we could either also consider that one still. I didn’t I didn’t do any further development. I couldn’t » So it’s still in play » figure out how it would into this one. Um, » and I don’t think we were necessarily lasting that. Okay, we still should consider it. » Okay. I think one thing I would add to this is is the challenge that this goal is is not as clear I

1:21:02 think as as sort of the budget challenge or the you know the challenge and I’m wondering if just to communicate this goal and it would be good to sort of have the challenge stay what are you trying to meet with this goal?

1:21:29 do my math right. We have four four goals right presently in front of us with you guys » if we’re including the » if we’re still doing that elevating » right assuming right still

1:21:49 » I guess my question that and This is something that agend is is are these goals well aligned to the responsibilities the way I think they are. I just it’s important to show how like maybe that’s part of the goal that you’re developing is to to be able to show how those goals align to our responsibilities and what’s ours and what’s yours. I also think that some if you look at examples of other districts, places that are doing this really well, the school immunity goals actually flow into the district improvement plan which flows into the school. So it’s really like we’re up here saying this is where we

1:22:34 want to go and all those other things are getting us there. So yes, two years from now is impossible. is impossible. » No, I’m I’m very excited because they’re, you know, it’s not slam dunks. They’re, you know, I think they’re they follow a smart framework. I also think they’re they’re pushing us in places that we haven’t necessarily been as much as we should have. and and we may not meet all these, but I think they’re they’re very, you know, very good goals for us to try to attain. So, um I earlier I said, you know, maybe we don’t vote on this. I just want to verify what the will of the

1:23:20 committee is on this wait for that or do we vote on them? » I’m not going to vote. I think we had what we had discussed at the workshop was potentially voting them tonight and then having some additional work done to you know beef them up or we felt that was necessary. So you know to keep the ball rolling we could vote them with an expectation. » Yeah. since we first talked about it like a month ago at this point when I’m just hesitant on » think I mean our John’s goals are a little further along than ours and I think it’s important to like sort of keep pace and so voting

1:24:07 goals and saying that well we can come down Yeah, he’s doing » that. » No. » Yeah.

1:24:30 Motion. Motion. I will make a motion to approve um four school committee goals. The data driven decision making and communication goal that was presented tonight. The budget explainer financial transparency goal that was presented tonight. The strategic planning goal that was presented tonight. And then the goal from our October 15th meeting of elevating educators.

1:25:11 » Right. So we’ll have a motion made by Kate, second by Henry. All those in favor? Right. The motion passes. 4 zero.

1:25:30 Our next item is um an update on the Piper Field Lighting proposal to the CDA. » So, I think everyone on the committee is aware um that we’ve been working to increase the number of nights per year that the lights can be used at Hyperfield. Um, John, sorry I’m losing my voice. John presented a request to the planning board on behalf of the school committee and that request was approved by a planning board vote at its October 14th meeting, but we’re awaiting the written decision of the planning board. Um, and my understanding is that that can take up to 90 days. The next step in the process is that we need to go before the zoning board of appeals to

1:26:16 request an amendment to the conditions within ZBA decisions that were issued in 2013 and 2000. The process of doing that is to submit an application to the ZBA. Those application deadlines are a few weeks before the scheduled meeting. Um, so the timing here gets complicated and the ZBA um, my understanding is will not hear our application until the planning board’s ready for the decision has been issued. So they want that to be part of what they’re looking at when making the decision. Um, so the deadline to apply to be heard at their November hearing has already passed. So realistically we’re looking at December, probably more

1:27:01 likely January for us to do this. Um, but my hope was that the committee could vote tonight to approve making the application to the ZBA so that we can get that. Um, so that’s and then the other component of it is that we it has been recommended I know Jen has mentioned a few times that she thinks we should have legal counsel involved in that application process. Um, and the town planner has recommended the same. Um, the law firm that we use for the majority of our work does not do land use, but Tom recommended an attorney, her name is Megan Hall. She practices at Rail and Winer um and who

1:27:48 said that they refer clients there. So, I’m certainly open. I haven’t made contact with her yet. I don’t have a sense of what the rates look like. Um, and I’m certainly opening numbers of administrators have ideas other » Yeah, I can make a motion because I broke out.

1:28:25 » Okay. Um, so the motion would be for the school committee or our designate to submit an application to the zoning board of appeals to amend the conditions of the 2013 and 2000 ZBA decisions to permit the use of the lights at Piperfield until 9:00 p.m. from mid August through November, which is approximately 105 nights, and from mid-March through May, which is approximately 75 nights, and to use the PA system for 12 varsity level MIA sanctioned high school contests. Okay, so um so I’m sorry, I shut down. So are all the So we’re voting on an application we have not yet filled out, right?

1:29:11 Are are all the items that you just mentioned part of that application or is there more of them? » So this is jump in if I get this wrong but this is what we applied to planning board for and the planning board approved this with some sort of added conditions around monitoring and checking back in in a year. Uh it may be that the zoning board opposes those same conditions, but my preference would be for the committee the committee’s approval to be basically to ask the ZBA for the same thing from the planning board in whatever way our attorney tells us we should make that

1:29:58 request. So the ZBA decision talks about game nights. So, I don’t know if we’re going to end up the request is really going to be to increase the number of game nights, but the intention being to get ourselves permission to use the lights this summer of nights and the VA system. » Yeah. And I think you know characterizing

1:30:24 one is only high estimation. one we have that highly recommend all the way out. It’s all tight buttoned up nicely then

1:30:41 with the I think when you check that out we can hit the zone more planning more information we get the written stuff that so yeah I think we’re board I don’t know what else is on the board seems seems have an idea about the two there’s two decisions

1:31:09 and then I just want to say thank taking more and then other things I just want to focus on. » Yeah. So what I’m hearing is really proving an application that a lawyer will help us with makes sense. » But we will not see » because they we’ve approved it already and and again I’d be more comfortable with that if there’s really nothing new here and it’s a very similar application. Uh you know that lessens my concern here. I don’t know that’s the case. It sounds like it » wouldn’t be as a friend different than what we asked the planning board unanimous unanimously included on the planning board. So it’s just really the same information, same the application

1:31:54 process. I I don’t know if it’s more than I didn’t need to be an attorney. I mean when I went before the planning board, you know, I tried to do all this stuff on my own and it ended up being I just had to kind of do a letter to get, you know, supporting documents to to get through the planning board process which I read. It’s a little bit more But it’s not in essence it’s the same exact request change.

1:32:25 » Um well we could also make amend the motion and have the report back to the committee once the application has been prepared available to if you’re concerned about making sure that it » Yeah. If you’re amenable to that, yeah, that just enhanced me, you know, makes it better.

1:32:50 » So, I will amend my motions. » Okay. » Any further discussion. All right. So, motion made by Kate, seconded by Henry. All in favor? All right. The motion passes 4.

1:33:11 All right. Are there any subcommittee or andor lays on updates? » I have an update from the facilities sub um police marine created a survey uh that we’re sending out to sort of assess the demand for early childhood education. Uh and we’re we’re trying to make a determination on a level school by the end of the year I think is what John is that » yeah I think we talked about a feasibility study being done to determine whether whether or not they’re saving fe school child discussion

1:34:00 something many talked about really do a needs assessment first to say is the time really wanted to be meeting that’s where basically jumped in and did a survey. So once we get that data then bring that back to facility subcommittee and all the next steps we’re going to dump it into a full feasibility that’s the cost isn’t costing us anything easy. So that’s more that’s kind of large. We’re trying to look at needs and make any decisions. » Thank you. » Can I just ask who we’re surveying? » So at this point I think there were some

1:34:45 suggested changes but at this point we are ser surveying kids or parents who have kids zero to five. to see if they were interested in services, what sort of what they would expect out of a preschool program because in some in some cases it’s things that we don’t provide. Um, » so presumably the survey is not it’s not just going to the current families where it’s going the broad is going.

1:35:25 » So, so I you know that sounds like we’re trying to gauge demand demand of a potential early childhood center. I think yes. I mean I think before we have any further discussions about sort of what we may want to do at the level of school is sort of the way we can determine what marble head » No it makes s but I’m just wondering so I heard kind of a survey hopefully getting some gauge of demand and then the building the grounds and all that associated with it I to me I’d love to see a business plan of which this is a component as part of the feasibility and I understand a large part of the feasibility would be you know the the

1:36:11 building what what it would take to actually bring it up whatever it may be but know I don’t want to build something if we don’t have a business plan around why the building’s being renovated you’re absolutely I mean I think this is just the first step to determine if we’re even going to that sort of the next step and there there are a lot of other factors in town uses is the multi-use building. There’s the 18 to 22 year old students. Um and so yeah, right right now are just a convenient to go with. » Yeah, demand is a good place to start I guess right, you know, if there’s no demand, right? Then obviously it’s we’re going to have to kind of continue with a lot of feasibility studies. Is the intention that if that survey comes back and says like we’re not interested then

1:36:58 like that is the final data input that we need to say okay we’re not will they not do this any longer. » Yes. I mean I don’t want to predict survey results right because » but the goal is if possible we want to get this you know maybe returning the school or the property to the town on the line for the town. So that would that’s why we set the deadline of sort of leaving maybe this » December 2nd to to review the results and I think we would want we would need to get something

1:37:39 » I think yet to the German study I’m not against that I like the idea but I was just just want to make sure we’re kind of thinking through the process before we start to spend a lot of money feasibility I think yeah, if I may, that’s that that was kind of initially like let’s do a feasibility study because we want to make sure we can use the blah blah blah. Mike and I did a little bit of early leg work and kind of had a bar about how much money like a full fe study would cost. to the conversation switched to let’s do a needs assessment first before we spend any money and then based on our needs assessment then we decide he’s going to study yes no for early child or these will study for small groups that may still be under the ospaces of a school

1:38:26 » or not and then kind of helps make that decision so yeah really useless infancy stage I think » and I think it’s important to note that we all agreed that the conversation isn’t we’ve got a building. What should we do with it? It’s do we need do we have convenient for this for this building?

1:39:06 Okay. So I am looking for a motion and vote to meet in executive session for the following reason. It will be pursuant to chapter 3A section 21A3 page three to discuss litigation Marblehead School Committee and Marblehead Teachers Association M25- 11555 as an open meeting may have a judgmental effect on the litigating position of school committee and the chair so declares without intent to return to open session. » So moved. » Seconded. Um we have to do a roll call with this vote. So Kate » in favor, » Henry » in

1:39:52 » Al in favor. All right. So the motion passes 40. We will now meet the executive session pursuant to chapter 3A section 21A3 and purpose three to discuss litigation. Marblehead School Committee and Marblehead Teachers Association MEP25-115555 as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the school committee and the chair so declares without intent to return to open session to the room here.