School Committee: January 6, 2026

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.

0:36 Okay, Okay, Melissa, you can hear me? » Yep. » Okay, I can hear you. Great. Okay. Okay.

1:13 Melissa, just hang on one second. I’m having technical All right. So, I’m having, as usual, technical difficulties with the live stream because it’s like duping me. So, I’m going to stop the live stream and I’m going to record us and then I will post this to the um I will post this to our website. » Okay. So, I’m recording. Okay. I welcome everyone. I’m going to call us to order Marblehead School Committee budget subcommittee meeting January 5th, 2026 at 11:03 a.m. Got Melissa Klucas and Jen Shaner members. Um, and we have assistant superintendent Mike Piferling. We have superintendent John Robu, assistant business manager

1:58 business manager business manager » Chris. Sorry, I’m like, what are you? » Um, and it’s just Mike and myself, I guess, on Zoom. So, you guys, I’m sure they can hear you. Yeah, see you. » That’s okay. I might. » Okay. » Um, okay. So, um, I’d like to move on. Uh Melissa, I’m going to move on to the next topic if we’re all set. I’m going to move on to public comment. Uh let me just see. Is there anyone here in the room that would like to make a comment? All right. And anyone online, either Jack or Lee, uh if you want to make a comment, please raise your hand.

2:38 See any public comment? Okay. U Melissa, I’m going to move on to our next budget item. um sorry our next agenda item which is the FY27 school budget department planning and reporting um on our agenda. So we last met um I believe it was December 1st and there was going to be some workings going on in the background um with the administration building principles. So, I don’t know if you have an update for us or » Yeah, so Mike and I » Hi, Mike and I uh and Julia Ferrer, our assistant uh superintendent of teaching learning and Lisa Maria Bido, our assistant superintendent of student services, met with each one of the building principles, went through their

3:23 uh school, you know, their budgets, their staffing, uh and talked to them about, you know, areas that they uh may be able to help us with in regard to efficiencies across the district. So, it’s just kind of like the prelim preliminary conversations um in regards to that. So, uh because we’re looking at a budget that you know from the town side uh we’re we’ve been being told that we’re we’re going to have to level fund our budget. So, um in order to level service our budget, we’re approximately $1.7 million over our current fiscal year budget. Um, so that’s kind of the number that Mike, myself, and the team have been targeting in terms of uh getting us to a budget that’s workable uh within a level, you know, calling it

4:09 a level funded budget. It’s really uh it’s it’s an efficiency um way way to create a budget that’s more efficient and looking at ways that we can uh kind of re make reductions across the district through uh attrition through programming through operational efficiencies, staffing efficiencies, contractual um you know efficiencies uh you know across the board. So, we’ve been looking at all the different areas uh starting to kind of delve a little bit deeper into um how we’re going to get to that number u by the time we present our school committee budget to this committee and then the full committee and then to um advis your finance. So, we’ve had many conversations. This subcommittee’s also met with the finance subcommittee, you

4:56 know, incom joined us several times um just to have those ongoing open, honest and transparent communications. So Mike and I have uh done a lot of that work. Mike mostly has done the work in regard to um how do we get down to where we think is uh reasonable um at this point and then looking at how much you know how how much deeper cuts would need to be made um to get down to fully level funded. So, we’ve done that work. Um, and we gotten down to what would say we got down to about 800. So, yeah. So, we’re $1.7 million is our delta between level service and level funding.

5:44 The rough number 1.711 maybe uh rough numbers uh or more specific numbers we went through with the principal. um at full at with current staffing levels unchanged » without any changes with the increases in utilities with increases in special education costs with increases in supplies obligations for salaries everything in all in 1.7 the little I’m going to come up spreadsheets very shortly um there are some things in that 1.7 million it’s actually higher than that. But I hit our revolving accounts a little bit more like um kindergarten prek. Um I hit that account a little hotter in the in that number. So that 1.7 is probably much higher than that.

6:31 But just to reduce that down, I hit that and I will break that out in a spreadsheet in the future to show what the actual full spend of the of the school department between funds and revolving funds. what the total spend is and then reduce off of that each offset » and can you include grants in that too? I can to some extent there’s you know it’s more primarily the idea grant the special especially grant that we offer breaker » circuit breaker is already yeah circuit breaker is already in it is yes it’s already in but I didn’t break out the revolving funds for kindergarten because like last year let’s just say we offset by x just for a round number let’s just say we we offset by $800,000 out of the revolving fund for kindergarten uh ne

7:18 next year we may be offsetting by $11 so that 800 thou 3000,00 Delta is part of that 1.7. So it’s actually 2.0, » Mike. Yeah. So, so set a different way, I think the the delta between the level funded and level services is higher than the 1.7, but you’re using some revolving funds to bring that number down to the 1.7. » Absolutely. And » so that should be transparent » and and I’m going to make it. I think that’s important for us to do that. I just didn’t have um the full, you know, just great time last week, but um I I didn’t have enough time to put it all in and make sure double check all the numbers were accurate. Okay. To make sure everyone’s as accurate as possible. So, the the full increase is going to be more than $1.7 million. Exactly. But through offsets and whatnot, we’ve gotten that down to

8:05 1.7. And then further between looking at our efficiencies, some of these things are positions that haven’t been filled or um basically there will be no layoffs um or positions that haven’t been filled uh or we don’t anticipate filling for next year. Um and tapping some revolving accounts a little harder. Um, we were able to get that 1.7 down to about $850,000 somewhere. 800 you were. » Sorry. Can we just clarify? So, we talked about putting together three scenarios. Level services, level funded, and then basically with the approach that you all took looking at staff by each of our schools, what we actually

8:51 feel like we need. Is that what that 850 number represents? » Right. So, this is no impact on education right now. We can get it down to 878. Um if we go further, it’s going to impact either education or uh other funding sources. » Okay. » Um so so that’s the exercise that we’ve gotten to right now. So we » But so not included in those efficiencies were any other than open positions. You don’t feel that there’s any position that’s currently staffed that is » we start we started with all the vacancies that we know that we have and then we know that we’re not going to for next year. started there » and you’re not selling them because you don’t need them or you’re not filling them because they’re vacant. Because you don’t need them. Okay. So, I was trying to understand because that’s not

9:36 actually what Melissa just said. Um » Yeah, that’s different. » Yeah. » But I but I guess the if you guys are saying, “Hey, we don’t have these positions filled, so we’re not going to backfill them.” But in conjunction with that, we may also move around people we have on staff already to align to how we should be staffing the schools. that does kind of uh address it. It’s just like we’re getting the savings by not not hiring these people in these specific roles. I think that’s different, » right? So So we start we started here. So with with what we know what’s vacant that hasn’t been filled and then those are the conversations we’ve had. Do we do we need to fill these vacancies or not? If so, what does that look like? Do we need to move uh positions around,

10:22 etc. So, having done that exercise, it got us down to » Okay, hang on just one second. Will can you see » you’re on You’re on, right? Okay. We don’t have it up here. So, as long as you can see it. Okay. » Oh, can I? » Yeah. » So, yeah. If I do this really quick, it might explain a little bit more. » Okay. So our budget this current year after all the offsets and everything was $49.1 million » which is includes appropriation revolving funds grants everything » that no that’s just the town appropriations 49.12 uh we had already taken out the circuit breaker reim uh reimbursement offset I had already taken off the kindergarten in uh revolving accounts I had already taken out all the grants and everything so to town money last year or this

11:08 current year is $49.1 million okay » next here to get the level service. It’s 53.2 million. However, » revolving. » No, not all the revolving accounts. That’s the thing I need to fix. Um, that doesn’t include the increase from one year to the next in kindergarten. Uh, that it’s tapped a little harder and things like that. So, I’m I’m going to redo this and show you what the actual full spend is for the school department. Then I’m going to, as you can see in line four there, » can we back up for a second? The FY26 budget. That’s that’s the town appropriation. That’s not the school budget, » correct? That’s the town appropriation to the school department. Okay. So that but that’s not our budget. » Correct. I’m going to redisco. Yeah. It’s not apples to apples I think. » Correct. Right. Correct. Yeah. Okay. » Um so next year’s level service

11:54 53.2 million. Does not it’s actually higher than that because there is money coming out of revolving in funds that are not accounted for. Now » I think just it’s confusing when you say like this includes this and this doesn’t include this and this. Absolutely agree. » The extent to which we can like have the gross number and then list out all reductions and then get to a net number so we we know exactly what we’re talking about would be really helpful. » That’s my full intention and I should be able to get that to you very shortly. » Um so 50 53.2 is what we need from the town, but I’m going to take $182,000 that I take every year for retirements. Those are so people retire and then we rehire their position at a typically a

12:41 lower salary because it less experience. Um they’re lower on the scale. Um circuit breaker reimbursement is we we keep one year of circuit breaker. This is what would be left in that account of above and beyond one year of circuit breaker reimbursement. So we’re going to take $2 million out of the circuit breaker account, almost 2.1 million. And then I’ve got all of these other things that are efficiencies that we feel that we can uh identify without an impact to education. Uh as we talked about at the last school committee meeting, there is a savings coming from our copier contract coming up by renegotiating our copier contracts. Um we discussed level funding supplies and this was all supplies. This is classroom

13:27 supplies. So meaning just level funded no increase. Originally I put a 2% increase in just level fund supplies. That’s classroom supplies. That’s custodial supplies. That’s maintenance supplies. That’s IT supplies. All supplies. Just level funded, not cutting, just level funding from one year to the next. So I took out that 2% increase I had already put in. Uh same thing with professional development level funding those. The next item in our current year budget, we had two bellows. Fellows are college students who are preparing to enter the educational workforce and um traditionally we get fellows in two one of two ways. One is they come in at no charge. They work for free. Their institution gets no money for them but

14:12 they come in and get their it’s like a a student teacher. The other way is through a fellowship where we pay the university and the university sends us students. We don’t pay them. We don’t pay the students. repay the university. Um those we had budgeted out of the idea grant two fellows for this current year. We actually got them at no charge uh student teachers. Um so next year we are going to take those two fellows out of the grant and we will move something from the local budget into the grant. So that’ll save us about $80,000.

14:52 Um there the just this is probably the only thing uh not the only thing. Um so we do have a summer summer technology help that comes in and helps us get our Chromebooks and laptops and devices make sure everything is set up for the start of the year. It’s a small amount. It’s not something that’s you know absolutely etched in stone right now but that was a possibility that we could uh cut that small uh summer position. It’s usually a a college student or or somebody who’s just looking for some part-time work over the summer. Um, one of the things that we haven’t discussed is funding two positions from Educacious and I’m not sure that I spelled that right. Um, Educacious is our foreign exchange program where students come to us for a year, they pay a tuition to us to come here and it goes into a revolving account. Uh, we felt that it would be

15:38 uh, prudent to pay to fund two high school positions, whether they’re teacher or counseling or some other position at the high school out of the educations account. And I will line it on that out a little further uh when I redo this. » So that’s using nonrecurring revenue. » Should be it should be recurring as long as we think » but it’s not guaranteed. » Correct. Not non-g guaranteed but likely recurring. » Okay. » As long as the program continues.

16:08 Um so then we have some vacancies. We have an HR assistant vacancy. Uh, this one hurts a little bit because I think that we really still need some um additional supports in our HR department. Um, you know, Gloria is one person. Lisa Deir has been helping her out uh to the detriment of not being able to support John and Julia as much. Um, but there is an HR vacancy that has been unfilled all year. So, we are potentially » Why was it unfilled? » She resigned and we didn’t back. » When did she resign? » It was early on. It was like September » after the budget was set. Yeah. And you didn’t » We had intention of filling it and then uh at this time we just knowing what we’re in for a position for budgeting. It’s hard to hire a position when you know you may need to eliminate it in the

16:54 future. Um there is a current physical therapy assistant vacancy at at Glover that was cut late last year after the budget was set at the end of the year uh at the end of the school year. Um so that’s been vacant all year. So we’re certainly looking to not fill that and remove it from the budget. Uh last year we had added in a small teacher in charge stipen at Glover. Uh it’s the only school that doesn’t have an assistant principal. So um it hasn’t been filled all year. Uh they seem to be doing well without it. So again, it’s a small amount, but you know, as I continue to say, crumbs make up the cake. Every time we can get some crumbs, we can uh maybe make a cake. Um there are the 1.75 EL teachers at Village. We feel that those positions with our EL population are no longer needed next

17:41 year. So that’s a substantial cut. Uh 1.75 FTE is substantial. Uh there was a math intervention position of veterans that wasn’t filled this year and uh after talking with Matt and Julia, um they feel that that position could be eliminated from the budget. There’s a uh we had we had budgeted a 1.0 0 our teacher at the high school and actually just recently filled that with a 08. So that’s a 02 savings. Um and talking to Michelle, she doesn’t feel like we need to have a position that additional small 2 position in the budget. So that’s that that position is currently at 80% instead of 100%. Um, we’ve also talked about um, so Christa

18:27 Mel does a lot of our invoicing and accounting for prek and K. So we talked about moving uh, 10% of her salary from the local budget to the prek revolving account. K prek revolving account. » Can I make one suggestion because I’m looking at K, I’m like, is that kindergarten? Maybe we just call that assistant business manager just because versus the versus the name of the employee that » they and again we’ll point one of the assistant business manager salary from the LEA to grant um her » LEA Melissa just you know is the local education agency basically the school district » right from the town budget from the town appropriation to uh grants uh Kristen does so much reporting funding drop drawdowns uh applications for grants

19:14 or working with the grant managers on the applications. Uh she manages the day-to-day for the most part. So I felt that point one um we haven’t identified which grants yet. » It would have to be one that allows that, right? » They they allow somebody

19:29 » that makes sense. » Um move five of the assistant special education director to the special education revolving account. » So same thing you’ll do assistant Yeah. » assistant special director » director. Yeah. » And move 0.5 of the uh assistant to the facilities director from the local budget to the building » five » half of herself. » Okay. » Is that » excuse me? » Oh. Based on the fact that she does » she does all the scheduling scheduling of the invoicing scheduling the the custodian. » Okay. » For coverage. Yeah. um you know uh doing all the large that’s a large part of » nothing to do with the transportation.

20:16 » Nope. This part? No. » Can that be offset to something? » Um » transportation. » Um we bring in very little money in transportation. » Well, there’s a metco grant. » She already gets a stipen out of that. » The after and then the regular stuff couldn’t come from No, I guess not. Right. Because we have very Yeah, we don’t have a lot. » Yeah. In town in town, » right? Um so that those are the offsets. The last thing that’s on here I just want to mention um and I think it’s a conversation that we need to have. Um when the fees increased for athletics in clubs and um kindergarten prek um that was with the intention of funding salaries specifically with the athletic

21:01 coaches uh also with the um the clubs and activities that were previously funded out of the town budget. It’s now funded out of the revolving account. If we have 3% increases coming in salaries, contractual salaries, we should be increasing our user fees by an equal amount um in order to pay those coaches and not run those accounts negative. » And what is that? Do you know? » I rough numbers off my head. No, I don’t have those numbers, but but it’s outside of a local budget. This is just a conversation to have and I think we need to have something. » There’s going to be a conversation. » Yeah. » Well, we probably have to vote it. We usually vote it. » Yes.

21:40 So, and that has nothing to do with with any of that. So, once I take all those offsets and reductions, it still means that we are about $878,879,000

21:53 above level funding. » Now, that 3.1 is inclusive of » basically 2. Yeah. So, it’s about 900,000. » The circuit breaker, correct? It’s about $900,000. um that is not lining them up with. Okay. » I was just going to ask so so we talked about you guys obviously going to have the conversations with the principles and identifying with kind of how we looked at where positions were at each of the grades and schools like what we what we needed to support um same education moving forward. When I look at this list, row 34 is really the only cut on this list. The rest of it looks like vacancies and like reallocations between

22:38 various funds. How should we think about the work that you guys did around making sure that we have the right kind of staffing by grade by school with this list here because it doesn’t look like there’s a ton kind of shifting. Not that it has to, but just want to understand that kind of the thought process and logic. » So that’s so that’s that 879 is that discussion, right? So, those are the more specific conversations around which positions and which um further deeper cuts we need to do to get us down to um hitting that 879. So, we’re not we’re not ready to have that specific conversation yet in terms of like what the actual » No, no. I I sorry, I don’t think that’s what I’m asking. What I’m asking is

23:25 basically this list to me implies that we have the right people in the right roles across all of our schools and grades because there’s not a whole lot changing here. Is that a fair like you guys did the work and now you’re coming back and that is kind of what the output of the work is. » I I think the meta message is yes. I think there’s still some slight efficiencies and the efficiencies I’m talking about at this point without cutting too deeply into classroom teachers and instructional pieces is how do we move some of the uh people and positions around » more of a shift of Yeah, I see. » So you might be like a h a half of half position goes here and half position goes over there. One position can go from this school to that school. That’s the work we’re we’re doing right now so that we can come back and say we finally

24:11 finished shuffling it based upon what we know right now and you know special education mainly changes those those trajectories. So um we’ll continue to have those conversations and then the next level of conversation is okay we’ve done all that we still have $879,000 to get us to um zero funding. What else um what other areas can we cut to do that? But knowing that those cuts are going to start affecting classroom sizes, start affecting instructional um you know providing instructional um materials and resources and in teaching and learning to students. So that’s that’s yes. So the first part of what you’re saying is accurate and the second part is the next round of Rexon of reductions in efficiencies are going to

24:57 start having those more broader impacts on education. So, I’m going to say ask the same question that Melissa just asked, but in a different way. » And so, what I hear is that um basically the same thing that Melissa is saying that you would you talked about, you know, efficiencies based on enrollment because we’ve had this enrollment discussion. » So, I’m I’m reading this to say that given the drop in enrollment, you don’t see any ability to make any changes. So, in other words, I I what I’m not what I wasn’t looking for was to have the tail wagon the dog that the level the direction to do a level funded budget to drive this this exercise I was hoping was going to be specifically based on enrollment in needs and case

25:43 load and student load. So what I’m hearing is that given the current enrollment, » there’s there is no other than these couple of minor things, there’s no there’s no other changes that you’re » No, there are there’s there’s changes, but like I said, we have to solidify those changes before we share them. So there’s definitely some changes that are still coming and then » we get to a point where we say, “Okay, now we’ve done all the shifting and all the moving that we can.” Um, and we feel comfortable with that, but knowing that if we don’t have any more money coming in, we have to make deeper cuts into. So, yes, the staffing that we have currently with with some of these efficiencies and some slight movements of things is pretty much where we need to be. The cuts that we’re going to need

26:29 to have to do to get this number down are going to be more than we’re necessarily comfortable with, but know that we probably need » Okay. So, then that’s why that’s what I feel like we need to be able to explain. » Yes. Um and we have I mean haven’t so far » with the declining enrollment, » right? So, » so I think some so some of the conversations like for instance um we have conversations with Lisa Maria Pledo student services um the number that’s the numbers of students that have declined has also we have we’ve had decline in numbers but the needs of our students are such that the the ability for us to reduce the staffing in much of the areas especially around special ed is negligible because it’s going to be more detrimental to the student.

27:15 » So then how do we » Yeah. How do we get data and like a picture to show that because it makes sense what you’re saying like numbers going down but needs is going up. So like » I mean I I will push back a little bit on that or actually I won’t say that because we need the data but the number of students on IEPs and 504s has risen slightly in 10 years but not that much. » No but the needs of those students have great. So yeah, so that » that’s a conversation because I keep having the same conversation like I look at it I say well we have this programming and the staffing and how can we look at the special education efficiencies so that we can determine whether or not the staff we have is accurate. And the conversation that keeps coming back is the staffing is accurate because the needs of the kids even though we have only slightly more specialized students than we did

28:01 before the needs of those kids is much greater. they probably actually have less. You know, 28% of a thousand less students is probably actually less students. » Um, it’s it’s gone up slightly. So, I want to say when I got there Yeah. last year and we talked » I’m talking about 10 years ago, eight years ago. Well, I mean, but this is what we I know, John, but this is what we need to be able to explain to a town meeting. » Um, because that’s what everybody’s talking about, right? » We’re down 8 according to NASDAQ. We’re down 800 students. So I have no idea how many actual IEPs that is, but it’s possible it’s less, but those students needs are higher. That that’s fine. We just do need to quantify that. » What data would you guys use or do we have to be able to quantify and explain that? » That’s that’s the tricky piece. That’s

28:47 why I’m trying I’m not I’m not being evasive. I’m being I’m not sure how to how to say that without speaking to specific kids needs. And I know you say, well, it doesn’t that doesn’t matter. But it does because if you say like I have, just say for instance, we have 100 kids at Brown and they need this amount of staff because their needs are so high and these are the programmings that we service. These are the programs that we service these kids in. And you start looking at this program and this program. » Yeah, but that’s all public information. » It’s not the kids aren’t. » The kids aren’t, but the programmatic information is the staffing is the budget item like Yeah. But I mean, if you say, okay, we have we have a program somewhere in the district that has 12 students. » Yeah. » And those 12 students need six staff. » Yeah. » Right. » Yeah. » And your

29:32 kids in that classroom, that’s » I’m not looking to violate by any means any furpa, any any privacy. » I’m just saying I don’t know how to share that information without » how get to that level, » figure it out. I guess maybe we do it on a greater like on a higher level about generally, you know, programmatic district-wide program programs and staffing. » Yeah. Because like pl playing devil’s advocate like someone in town could say like you guys are just saying that they have higher needs. Like where’s the data to actually prove what you’re saying? Not that folks don’t trust you, but like we do need to to kind of lead with the data to support that in whatever way we can that doesn’t obviously give specifics away. » Yeah. And and I could and I’ll continue to work with Lisa Marie and her

30:19 department on that. I mean, maybe maybe a meta message, you know, meta review of that. you know, we we have I don’t know 110 kids that have they’re on the autism spectrum and we used to only have 80 and we have » you have to say that you can also say we have you know we have a we have the you know whatever program I don’t know what they’re called anymore the PACE program that this program language based program these are how many students are in it » these are this is the staffing that’s needed and this is how much it costs I mean that’s that’s in the aggregate » doesn’t need to be I mean we don’t need to need broken down by grade » um same you know whether it’s adjustment counselors or OTP whatever these are these are the needs and this is the staffing because we are we are being

31:05 tasked with delivering that information well I should say if I you know I feel we need to provide this information I want this information to be able to vote on this budget » because what I really want is like again we’re falling back and get it we’re falling back into this you know level funded because this is our directive but I really want to know like what does it cost for us to deliver those » need » what do we need based on the students that we have today yeah and where what we expect that to look like moving forward » yeah and I think and again my conversations with Lisa Marie and her department are they feel comfortable with the special education staffing that they have is what they need to provide the services and even that I think we’re still struggling quite a bit right » that include inclusion classes and inclusion staff

31:51 inclusion staff inclusion staff » yes that The answer to that the question they ask is yes. » Okay. » Um that’s that’s across the board in special education. So that’s why I keep saying special education we put that kind of over here and then where do we look in other efficiencies right? So you know you can we can look we went through every single classroom in district and said this English class at grades you know this English class in the high school has this many kids in it. This third grade classroom has this many kids in it. And we could say there’s one gened teacher and there’s an inclusion special ed teacher going in. there’s 22 kids in that classroom that that we that we’ve done we’ve done that work um that but then when you start doing that’s that’s the conversation about increasing classroom size right so I guess it’s one of those things what’s the

32:38 comfortability of like we have classroom sizes that are roughly 19 say 19 is roughly an average number across like elementary right so elementary 19 that’s that’s a number that » that’s 19 with one teacher or two teachers, » right? So 19, it could be two because two teachers could be including. » So that’s not an actual class size. That’s half the class. » Well, yeah, but it’s not half class all day long. So that’s those are the things like it could be inclusion teacher goes in for math and goes out and then, you know, goes in for ELA, goes out, you know, in and out and out. It doesn’t mean there’s two teachers sitting in that classroom with 20 kids all day long. » You know, that’s that’s where it becomes difficult to quantify it. So there’s that piece and then you know but that’s conversation that says okay if we if we reduce a x-grade teacher that means the

33:24 classroom goes from 19 to 22 are we comfortable with that is that still going to be allow allowable to to provide the students what they need and I think it depends on who you talk to for someone who’s in education I say it’s better to have 19 kids in a classroom but having 22 isn’t out of the realm of possib of of instructional thing other people might say absolutely not I don’t want my kid in the classroom 22. I’m going to pull them out and bring him to this private school. I can put him in a classroom 15. So that’s what that’s that’s the dialogue, right? And there’s no federal approach to that. There’s no, you know, right or wrong thing. I think it’s it’s what people are used to and that’s not what’s driving my discussion. My discussion is what do we need to provide that education and where are we in terms of are we providing our children rigorous

34:11 education and teaching them what they need to be taught to be successful in their endeavors throughout their schools and beyond and are we doing that in classrooms of 19 or classrooms of 25. If we’re able to do in classroom of 25 great we can reduce our our teaching staff by x amount of numbers. So those are the conversations that it’s hard to quantify. one, you don’t know if that’s going to work until you have the data down the line. So, some of it is supplementation. Um, and my comfortability with the classroom size isn’t somebody else’s comfortable classroom size. I don’t know if that makes » Yeah, to me that’s one where we say here’s what we need to provide the kind of current education of today and to get all the way down to like remove that 879 that we’re still looking for, we have to

34:57 take our classrooms from 19 to 25 and like this is the implication of that. That’s kind of how I see that walk happen. » That that’s that’s the next wave. That’s that’s absolutely the work that we’re doing right now. » But I’m not ready to say we’re going to cut these positions from the schools and these grades yet. We want to make sure we have that all active before we start pulling the trigger on that. » So what’s the time? So what’s your recommended? » So that’s itinerary. » So yeah, so we’re doing that right now. try to get some more um information from Lisa Ray and her her and her uh team around some of the things you just asked about the you know the needs if we can kind of look at that a little bit more um in a different way um so maybe that satiates some of the

35:43 discussion and then um I mean we’re I think we’re still on track for the our budget um calendar right this point » well yeah Melissa do you want to move on to do you have any other » No I’m good on this » I mean at some point I need to I as a member of this subcommittee need to see this information be right because we’re going to need to see it » and move forward. Yeah, » we’re well we’re presenting it » effectively to the school committee. Yeah. » So the next thing on our on our

36:20 um um » um you should be able to pan You guys see that? » Yeah. » All right. So, we are right here. Um, we don’t have anything scheduled for FINCOM right now. This is today, January 5. Um, binding subcommittee. We need to follow back up with our principles and directors is our next step as far as, you know, we we met with them all. We put them all into spreadsheets. we know what our uh efficiencies are at this point and now we need to have those conversations that John was just talking about about you know what is the impact on education with deeper cuts

37:05 um from the school committee standpoint I think we need to start talking about an override article discussion u whether that’s needed or not and if so what the amount would be » we have that » you don’t have to have the amount » right right okay » so we have that as January that was when our school committee meeting was so we should probably make that the 15th that’s meeting override article right

37:33 um so later this month January 26 was our date for us the executive team to finalize a recommended budget uh so probably after that point we should get back together with finance subcommittee » and us » that’s what I’m saying budget subcommittee yes » and and finan » and fin sure » if you’re going to try so you’ve got from the 26th to 5th because you’re looking to present this to the full school committee on the 5th, » correct? » Of February. » Correct. Yeah. So, month. » Are you still on for that?

38:26 Uh so late January finance subcommittee with BCOM leaison. Um so somewhere after the 26th but far before the » Well, it’s only it’s only » um Okay. Well, I guess we would have to reach out to Fincom and find out what what they can do. » Yeah. Um Melissa, generally like that week » that’s fine. I I could find we can make it work. » I’m thinking like January 29th. That gives us a full week before we go to school committee. » I could do anytime in the afternoon on the 29th. » Okay.

39:15 » Okay. I will reach out to Alec and ask and find out their availability because we might as well do that al together. They absolutely need to see this before we go before the school committee. I think » I think it’ be helpful » because what you’re presenting on February 5th is your proposed budget. » Yeah. Fin usually sees the proposed budget after the after the school committee does but » not here. » Yeah, that’s I was going to say this is a little bit different. not here » and you don’t want I mean I I don’t mean to sound physic we we need them » with us locked step » oh no I shouldn’t I’m just saying no surprises » for us to meet with them has to be a public meeting and then so the community the budget plan before » they’re not a subcommittee it’s

40:01 according to them » that’s you can meet with them yeah » but I would like to be there » only one of there » no no we should vote there becomes a public It’s a public meeting. Everybody knows about the budget before it’s presidential disc. » That’s that’s that’s the catch 22. » Yeah. But they know they’re going to know but because usually it’s usually the budget subcommittee also sees it before. So yes. » Yep. » So it would be a public meeting anyways. » Yeah. Yeah. » Yeah. I just I again it’s I I’m fine with however you guys want to do it. It’s just not not been my experience. But I also haven’t experienced the fact that like everyone. Yeah. Okay. That’s fine. We’ll be on track as of right now.

40:46 We’ll let you know if it gets derailed, but it looks like we’re we’re a month out of that next school date on the 5th. » Okay. Um and then if the state of the town takes place before that, which it should possible that that could be some gamechanging information. I don’t have any idea, but you know, I I have no idea. But the last time we heard, you know, we’ve heard we heard this basically in November. » I haven’t heard anything different other than money, » right? But I don’t even think they had certified free cash. So may I you know, you never you just you never know. Um so at least » but here’s the thing. So I just want to say this too because this has been a part. So say we get to say the town » and we get to a point and they say, “Oh,

41:33 by the way, we have we have a million five for you » to have.” Mhm. » In my estimation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we just take it and say, “Okay, cool. We’re done.” » I we’ve done all this work, we’re doing the continued work, then maybe some of those that we say, “Yeah, if we get a little bit of money from the time, rather save those those positions to get rid.” » So, it might be a slight adjustment, but I don’t I wouldn’t wouldn’t necessarily go back and say, “Okay, well, it’s town save, you know, town save the schools again. Look, because I’ve heard this whole time that » every single time we get here, we say doom and gloom. woe is us. We got to cut positions that then also we don’t cut positions. So everyone doesn’t feel, » you know, they don’t feel anything different anymore. » I’ve heard nothing but we’re not gonna get any more money. » And I think that’s we’re we’re planning on that. » Um we know that next year is going to be

42:20 that much more difficult with the contractual increases we have. So you know, we’re we’re planning now. We’re also planning for next year to, you know, do this in increments as well. Did you provide the you provided the information Alec was looking for the projections out through FY actually I think through FY 20 or 30 or whatever he was right. » So you provided that » 20 29 but we don’t have contractual obviously we have no cell contracts » but we can you can put in a he » you put it did you put in some sort of a placeholder or did you not give them anything? » I don’t know. Well, I mean, normally that’s what we you’d throw in like a 2% 3% or something. » You just take a number and add it.

43:06 » He can. Yeah. Um, okay. » So, is the plan of a meeting at the end of January that you guys will just give us the headline amount or will we see the breakdown by school or how are we » it should be a line item budget. » Okay. How are we going to revisit like the staff by school and how what’s being proposed align to that? And like I just to set my own expectations for what we’ll be reviewing in that meeting. » Well, we actually Melissa typically are the ones who say what we want. So, okay. » Typically in the past, it has been a line item budget. » Okay. » And it should be I mean I don’t know that we’re going through every single line, » right? Typic typically what I would do is we would bring to the subcommittee basically our draft of our proposal that would go to before the school committee and say this is what we’re going to bring to the school committee. the

43:52 subcommittee would say, “Okay, this looks great.” And I ask all your questions. I mean, we’ve been having all the conversations, so nothing should really be that surprising. We talked about the numbers. Um, and then questions that you guys have, thoughts that you have, any adjustments that you have that we think we should make before we bring it to the fourth committee. That’s that’s kind of usually what that that meeting is about. » Okay. » So, yeah. And I think Jen’s right. I mean, obviously, we’ll we’ll plan on getting that, you know, so it’s not at the table you’re looking at the same time. » Yeah. If you could share it ahead of time so we could not talk about it but go through it. Yeah. Okay. » Yeah. And then that way it you know typically we wouldn’t it wouldn’t be the same full-blown you know presentation in this meeting as it will be with for the school committee but obviously we’ll go through whatever questions that folks

44:37 have and you know um you know I mean we’re not going to spend an hour and a you know hour the budget um necessarily to » do it then three days later. Right. » Well we could I mean you could you could » questions you have. Yeah. thought you have but » yeah I mean it’s a tight timeline because we if we meet then and then there’s you know vast changes or other stuff that you know » looks different or you know like I said the talent goes back says well you know you know we have $150,000 that we’re going to give to you and that gives us a position or two double positions » or it might be something else you want it for. » Correct. I mean that’s the thing that like we don’t it doesn’t have to all be it’s based on what the right efficiencies are and there may be » things that you’re you know that you’re that you you are taking out or have taken out on » the supply side or anything else that you know what we really actually need

45:25 this. Yeah. And it and it’s Yes. And we have to look, you know, we look at trends. We look at like, you know, how much does this cost us electricity and oil? You know, some things are going down, some things going up, but you know, we don’t want to shoot ourselves in the foot of like, okay, we we balanced our budget by taking $300,000 out of our, you know, our water budget. » Yeah. And then all of a sudden, whatever. Um, you know, Mike’s been doing this a long time, so he he knows how to kind of play that play that game with the utility side of stuff. Um, which is good. And I think, you know, we don’t want to pad, you know, we don’t want to put extra stuff in there. We also don’t want to shoot ourselves in the foot and take stuff out and then be like, “Oh boy, we need that next year that we asked for back in.” So, » well, and the special education is the big I mean, you’ve seen the headlines recently. It’s been a handful of school districts that are in some serious hot water, like legally serious hot water.

46:11 um because they have mismanagers. It’s obviously not what I say it, but I mean this is why, » you know, you know, this is why we need a line item budget so that we all know what we’re talking about, that we’re comfortable with what the projections are. We’re comfortable where we, you know, where we where our budget busters are. » Yeah. And you will have a full lunch on budget as you did last year. Yeah. Uh line by line. » Um I I you know, I I hear your point about other school districts facing special education challenges. Um, I think that the work that the previous administration has done and we have continued to do, we have a full year circuit breaker reserve, which is almost $2 million that is there for us if we run into a bad situation. Plus, we’ve been prepaying between $800,000 and a million dollars every year on tuition. So, » and we have a small special revolving

46:57 account and the town has a special » reserve account. between those four sources. Um the the alarm will be sound sounded long before » we have a budget deficit. » Budget deficit. Correct. » Well, and and the caveat to that is for those that may be looking to hit those circuit breaker um things that Mike just mentioned hard. Um I would push back immensely not to do. Too hard to build it, too hard to get it. » Listen, I was here in 2019. I was a ground zero. I was patient zero. » I know what it and that was $800,000 which, you know, seven years ago was whatever it is today. » Um, and it was, you know, it cost people their jobs. It cost people their

47:43 careers. It is not something that we ever I would ever allow ourselves to be involved in if I » too many business managers, too many superintendent. » Um, » hey Anna, come on in. Join us. » Okay. » Join the budget subcommittee. Um, actually no, we probably can’t do that. » Well, you can’t we can’t you can observe. » Yeah, you can observe celebrate. » Um, yeah. So that I mean I’m not say but you know but stuff’s popping up. I mean you’re seeing this like it’s not just oneoffs now. » I can project salaries all day long. I can project utilities to some degree of of accuracy. Uh special education is one of those ones that you know if you want to play around with utility costs and cut a little closer than we should absolutely all day long let’s do it. you know, we’ll get close. Special education

48:28 is not one that you want to budget with the dollar. You’re just a recipe for disaster. » Yeah, understand. » All right. Um, » to answer your question, I did provide Alex um special education through FY29 projections for special education through FY29 as well as salary projections through FY29. » Okay. » And the special education is just based on current student staff, right? Like or do you do you assume some sort of average escalation? Uh no it’s based on within 6% inflation each year 6% share in salaries with an inflation sure » but not do you go back and look at any trends in terms of just general increases » a very hard district to do trending first education it is like a low » okay » there I mean there’s some years where

49:15 you’re you know normal two three 4% increases you had desi one year approve a 11 or 14% increase on special education out of district yeah you know and we’re Those are you know Desi doesn’t consult us when when they go and give you know 14% increases to » and when you have a lot of a good portion of your or it’s a big it’s a decent sized number in our district so that does affect us if it were a small number that we didn’t have a lot about district placements you know you can hit you can take a 14% hit » I don’t you have millions districts are in that position where they » a very level » low number or even just a steady number of to kids in or out or tuition costs remaining within inflationary » constraints. » Yeah.

50:01 » To forecast that it’s it’s hard and a trend. » Not for nothing but when you do read around the district, let alone the country or around the state. It’s like every school district is facing this. » Correct. And I think there are some districts um like Marblehead who have built up reserves and have put ourselves in a position that we can weather a storm for nearly even two years. Um, but beyond that, if if the storm is drastic enough, it’s going to be a problem. » Yeah. Right. » But but like I said, the alarm will be sounded long before » probably » before somebody’s losing their jobs. » Okay. » Um Okay. So, Melissa, are you okay? Did you have any other questions or » No, all good. » All right. So, we’re shooting for the 29th. I just need to check with uh in the afternoon, I’ll check with with um Fincom and Alec and his team about their

50:47 availability for a hybrid meeting. » Okay. Okay, I’m going to move on to the meeting minute approval if you’re okay with that, Melissa. » Yep. » So, um I had put in the um agenda to approve the minutes of the budget subcommittee school committee budget subcommittee meetings of October 17th, October 3rd 25, October 30th 25, November 17th 25, and December 1st 25. When I went back and checked my notes, I did see we have already approved November 17th. Okay, so that’s been approved. Yeah. » So, I am looking for a motion to approve the meeting draft meeting minutes of 101725, 10:3025, and 12125. » I’ll second. » Well, so you’ll make the motion. » I’ll make the motion. I’ll make a motion. Yes. » Thank you. You’ll you’ll move the motion. I’m going to second it and then

51:34 I’ll ask for a roll call. Melissa, are you » I had two minor um changes. Um, I’m fine to approve them, but just in the 10:17 and the 10:30 minutes, the meeting was just not linked at the top. They were kind of linked throughout, but can we just link the general meeting at the top the same way that the 121 um minutes had it? » So, you mean the link to the YouTube? » Yeah, exactly. Just to kind of keep the format consistent. » Yeah, I must have missed that. I probably didn’t check the link. Yeah, I can do that. That’s 10:17 and 10:30. Okay, I I can do that. » Um, okay, roll call. Uh Melissa » in favor » and Jen Shaner in favor. So we’ve approved those minutes and I’ll get those to Lisa to get those posted. » Awesome. » Um next I have on here to schedule our next subcommittee meeting. That’s

52:21 technically we’re shooting for the 29th. » Do you see any need to do one just with us before then? » I do not because I my my calendar is free. » Okay. Melissa, do you » I guess so long as things are moving along. Um, no. Okay. » But just want to make sure. Yeah. In that meeting we have all the details to go through. » Okay. And remember you also and I can separately offline separately. Yep. » Yes. Meet with or talk with the superintendent as long as we don’t talk to each other. Y » um so that’s also so you can check in and I do tend to occasionally check in with John and Mike just to see where we are. So feel » Yep. That sounds good. » Um okay great. So I’m going to ask for a motion to adjurnn. » You are you going to reach out to the fincom leaison about the 29th and 30th? » I will do that. Okay. Yeah. » I just want

53:06 » I’m going to copy everybody so we all on everyone knows what’s going on. I’m going to ask for a motion to adjurnn from Melissa. » I’ll make a motion to adjurnn. » Make a motion to Okay, great. And I’ll second it. Um, so roll call. Melissa » in favor. » Jen Shaner in favor. Um, so I’m adjourning us at 11:55. » Thanks Mike and John. » Thanks everybody. Neighbors sh it.