School Committee: April 10, 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.

0:02 shared all their artwork with us with me anyway. It was really cool. Um they it was different medium like paintings and uh photographs and different art. So it was really neat and we’re so proud of the talented artists that represented Maria. So well English uh had shared that Harry Ki who is a 2011 and high school alum and current co-producer of Broadway show Suffs came and worked with our um MHS women’s ensemble to form to perform a show’s final number at the Marblehead Little Theater. She met with our students who share what it’s like to be a Broadway producer and the journey that she took to get there. Thought this was a really great opportunity for our students and we’re so appreciating that appreciation that Ari took the time um to you with our students. That’s right um to meet our students and share share the journey and

0:49 and all that. So it was really neat and thank you to Colleen for making that happen. Um on May 4th at 5:00, so before the town meeting, um participants will get a VIP parking when you come because we’re going to be here nice and early for the uh for the meeting. The high school will be hosting anformational night for senior students and their parents and is sponsored by the Essex County DA’s office. This important event features the program Drive to Stay Alive, which is put on presented by Kathy and Chris Sullivan. It highlights the importance of making good choices, discussing substance use and abuse, social posting, how to be safe during the upcoming prom and other things during the spring season and obviously beyond. Uh this night is a part of a larger communitywide collaboration. In regards to that, u we also have chief of

1:36 kings uh DA Paul Tucker and myself um have um have drafted a joint letter that will be disseminated shortly that demonstrates our collective commitment to helping student keep our students safe here in Mar. The three of us will also be a part of a panel discussion next Tuesday, April 14th at 700 p.m. in Mary Allen at the board of health meeting to also help spread this important message to our community. Um so all are welcome to attend 7:00 next Tuesday 14th. Um our mech advocacy day is on Monday uh this coming Monday at the state house. I will be in attendance along with Johnson our mech director. This event is to highlight the continued need for the program and to advocate for continued funding. I will follow my impressions of the advocacy day. I think um this it’s it’s at the state house

2:22 legislators obviously it’s at the state house um all mechco uh communities are invited uh to part participate and it’s important especially not just because mechco program is is so important part of our educational community but also because funding um from the state obviously we we have issues with that and there’s some some thoughts that the funding for that program may be reduced next year um and in that light I just want to so some what we had talked about is how do we help um mitigate some of those funding um cuts. Uh we’re we’re piloting some transportation collaboration with swamps for our our Boston based students. I believe they’re piloting that next week to see if the runs work out okay and if not we’ll rethink that. But that will ensure that the funding that we we feel that we are

3:08 getting will be enough to kind of continue making sure we don’t have any breaks in the program. So this advocacy today is very important on on a lot of fronts. And finally, I was asked to participate in a panel discussion at the COA this morning. It was hosted by the select board and included all of the marble head department heads. This is a great collaboration and helped our COA members and other members of the community to understand what um what we do as department heads, how we collaborate in ways that we can work together to help the community grow. It was a great opportunity and one that seemed um very wellreceived. I think it was it was the first time they did this and it was kind of kind of neat. All the department heads were there. I think we’ve also 30 or so um community members and there’s some good good discussion that happened. So, I’m really happy with the way it went. Um hopefully we’ll continue to do that. So, I just want to thank Aaron Nan and Dan Fox for um they hosted that as I’m assuming they put it

3:54 together as well. Um and then finally, our shout out from Matt Leange, principal at Vets Middle School. Um he shouts out the MPS technology department. Um MVMS administration extends it sincere thanks to guest technology department for their outstanding support in transitioning to whole school MCAST testing this year that shifted from administering MCAST to seventh and eighth grades on separate days having all students test simultaneously. This was a large logistical and technical undertaking. The technology department played a critical role in the process preparing all student Chromebooks providing support throughout the testing days. Thanks to their planning and responsiveness, their transition was seamless and both testing days ran smoothly. This success would not have been possible without the expertise and support of MPS technology and I have to

4:40 say that’s that’s a was a huge and we set up separate the test days and by all accounts it went really well. um very well received because the kids got to buy at the same time instead of different days where they have to keep down hallway etc. So um I thought that was a great move by Mr. Leandy. I think we’ll continue to do it that way moving forward. So thank you to him in the technology department from Scott Williams um from village principal village school um he wants to shout out Mary Davies has been an outstanding tutor and amazing substitute teacher at village for over a decade. She’s dedicated to our students, rising up to any challenge she’s faced with. She’s professional, passionate, caring engineer of the highest caliber. Very lucky to have her on staff and village and we thank her for many years of service for our students. From Mary Maxfield, our principal at Brown School,

5:27 she’d like to shout out our music teacher De Moore. Music in our schools month is a true celebration of powerful instruments and songs in the Bron School. I mentioned this last week, but definitely very competing, so it was really cool. Uh during the month of March, Mr. Mora coordinates live music in our foyer every morning for students and staff to enjoy during arrival time. Simultaneously in March, she organizes, rehearses, and directs her first, second, and third graders and their first evening concert for families, which is adorable as was musical. Thanks to Miss Eileen Demor for all your efforts to keep performing arts live and well at Brown School and that’s mean our second year, so it’s uh that’s pretty good. um from Frank Kowski, the principal at Matt Glover. He shouts out to Isabelle Near.

6:36 I will continue that next week. Sorry about that. I apologize. I printed out way too many ways today. So, um that will my shout outs for this evening and I will I’ll reestablish those next week and I apologize to to Frank and to thank you. Thank you. » All right. Since it’s the first meeting of the month, we’ll have a financial update from our assistant superintendent.

7:05 » Good morning. Good afternoon. Uh thank you for this opportunity. We uh have to go every month with a little financial update. Uh our unac unexpended unencumbered balance currently stands just under 2.1 million. Keep in mind we are trying to reserve 1.5 million for C to prepaid tuitions to subsidize our tuition money line for next year that’s out of district of tuition. Uh so this is about 614,000 less than I reported last month. We did have a big push in March to get all of our end of year expenses and cover graduation expenses um other other costs around the district that we have. But with that said, we always have unplanned expenses as you’ll see in the next bullet. Um, in the month

7:51 of March, we had some unexpected HVAC costs with block and ground schools. Um, as well as we had some bus repairs that needed to be made and uh some elevator repairs. So, seems like sometimes when it rains, it pours. Hopefully, we’ve gotten through the the April showers and we get into the May flowers. So, uh that’s kind of it on that. Um well, not specifically related to the budget, just give you a quick update that the roof project at Veterans Middle School should be uh starting back up in about two weeks, within the next two weeks. So, we’re hopeful that that will be wrapped up within the next month or month and a half. And the high school roof project over April vacation, which is about a week and a half away. Students here, how far we got? And a

8:37 half. I know you’re counting. Um they will be in my memo I put two sections. It’s actually three sections. This roof right above us will be will be done over April break. Uh there’s a little section just off down to the left here. A very small section near the concession stand that will get done over April break. And there’s a section on the other side of the school. Uh all three of those sections don’t really have any um HVAC or exhaust units on them. So they pictured that those are the ideal units to get out of the way uh while they had an opportunity. We’re just praying for some nice weather. So um that’s kind of my my financial update. I’m sure that people gone through the lines and uh if anything stood out to you, please let me know. » All right. Thanks, Mike.

9:23 » All right, we’ll move to the high school spotlight.

9:37 close to the table. » Uh hello everybody. Thanks for coming. Uh my name is Michael Labosier. I’m a junior at Barb High School. » I’m Max Colin. I’m a junior. » I’m Don Obesi. I’m also a junior. » I’m Caleb Sidman. I’m also a junior. » I’m Lucy Molinari and I’m a sophomore. » And we’re not joined here by everybody that’s helped us out tonight. Uh but for everyone who is here, we speak on behalf of Marblehead at High School’s Magic Coalition, which was created this year uh in response to what happened on October 7th where there were reports of a swastika drawn in the men’s bathroom on the second floor. Uh so after a lot of discussion with administration as well as fellow students, we decided that um what was in place already for uh accounts of hate were not really effective in actually dealing with those

10:22 happening. And so we wanted to create something that allow for students uh and teachers and just the whole community in general to feel a little more welcome and to also educate um all those parts about uh everything that was happening just telling them that hate is not okay. Uh so we created this community uh if you guys want to talk more about it. » Yeah, I mean we held a uh full school we split up the sophomores and the seniors and the juniors and the freshman. We held a whole school assembly with both of them during magic block and then um we just hung up uh suggestion boxes and we plan on going down to the village school to the sixth grade to teach them about um just why heat is not good um during the end of May, start of June around that time period. Um we don’t have that fully cemented yet, but we really hope to do that soon. » Yeah. I also think it’s really important

11:08 to highlight the fact this is a studentled coalition because often times people don’t take teachers seriously seriously unfortunately but um I think connecting peer-to-peer it helps show that it’s like a real issue in the school and it helps show that like everyone around you knows about it and its » and we decided that going to village first so going to the sixth grade to lead an assembly with them would be the best course of action because we believe that hate is kind of not necessarily in someone’s heart, but more in their surroundings and in their environment. So, when someone is raised in an environment where they don’t know what their words mean, then it leads to things like this with repeated, acts of hate happening. We’re also trying to provide like hope

11:53 in the students minds that there is they have a place to go if they feeling they have a resource where they can talk to someone if they feel like they’re being discriminated against or they have a place to go or at least they can see the light at the end of the tunnel back. We’re really trying to do something to fix this issue. Um, not just in Marblehead High School and like I said, Village and the town of Marblehead, too. Hopefully, um, that’s what we’re trying to accomplish. So, we’re really, we really just want to make people feel comfortable um, for who they are and that they actually are able to go to people if they’re feeling discriminated against or they’re feeling like they’re having issues like where they go five times a week. » Can can you um, when you guys um, magic, what does it stand for? Again, we we’ve talked about school, but I think it’s important for everybody. Uh, it’s the Marblehead Headers Alliance for Growth, Inclusion, and Connection. » Awesome. » That’s awesome.

12:41 » Thank um so yeah, thank you guys for hearing us out.

13:01 » Very quiet. All

13:27 Kelly’s going to pull up and share uh, the Portugal field trip request that she’s put forward to the committee. Welcome. » All right. You can sit right there, my people. There you go. » Goodbye. I’m Kelly. I am the lead world language teacher at the high school and I teach Spanish as well. I also helped coordinate the trip that happens this year. I kind of stepped in and took over when the teacher who initiated the trip left and um they’re back. Took a while, but they’re back. Um so with that in mind, we are asking to host another international field trip um to Portugal this time and in April this time. Um so this would be a trip

14:12 from April 15 to 24th which starts a little before April break and lets them come back and recuperate for a day before coming back to school. Um, again, we’re we want to go to Portugal and we would stay in two main base cities, Lisbon and Porto, which also reduces the amount of hotels, which if you think about the trip we took this year, there were a lot there’s a lot of bouncing around from hotels. Um, so there would only be two main ones and then they would do day trips from there. Um, we feel that this is an important um historical, cultural, and linguistic um experience for our kids. We don’t offer Portuguese, but it is a romance language, so they will be able to exercise those um those skills still. Um I know whenever I was traveling um in that area, I could always get by their

14:57 English or Spanish. So, I’m excited to see those skills. And of course, making connections between the different languages work as well. Um we do have a sample itinerary for the listen at Porto trip. It highlights amazing things from day trips to places like CRA and Kumbra. Um, it also gives them really really nice um, experiences. There are some that are more historical, some seeing um, like ancient ruins or castles or fortresses and some are things like a Portuguese cooking class and going to the most beautiful bookstore in the world. Um, it’s a really nice trip that they put together. We’re looking to work with or we are working with the same uh, company from last year. We would also be looking to uh use the same tour guide that traveled with them as last year who

15:46 was an amazing asset to us when we had a blizzard and we needed to really be thinking on our feet. Um his name is Haime Crystal and he was really really awesome. So he was a really big asset to us and helping us out. Um you have any questions? I don’t have a question, but I would just like to say how much I appreciated the shifts you made sort of in light of what happened this year. I think it’s great that you know there were lessons learned and changes made » you know in order to address those issues. So thank you. » It was a real team effort. It was awesome. Um every you know from my job is really communication. So um I was pushing all that information to parents but everyone on the ground we were amazing.

16:34 I I just want to say um I appreciate uh uh experiential learning. I always say this every time uh because I think it’s great experience for kids and I know there’s there’s always some hesitancy like oh we’re sending kids off to Europe or whatever but I think you know um you we have chaperons that go that you know and a lot of times it’s repeat uh folks we sent administrator last time and I think we’re plan on doing that again which is helpful um but for the students there’s nothing that replaces that experiential learning so I appreciate when folks come come to school committee with these kind of trips because it’s something that these children may not get to experience public lives, right? And I think that’s that’s always that’s always great being there with adults that are educators and know, you know, kind of know the ins and outs of all,

17:20 you know, where they’re going and I just I just think it’s great. So, I I always support the experience and I just want to say thank you for coming back and for many especially so quickly after the last last trip. So, » absolutely. But you’re right, we are looking to repeat shop rounds. Um, it would be Dan Richards as the admin again. It would be um Erin Bark who was on this trip, Jay Gudara who’s on this trip and then I would be traveling with them to get this time. Um my son’s a little older now so his dad can. » So I’m looking for a motion to approve of this trip request. » So moved. » A second. » I’ll second. » All right. Motion made by Kate, second to by Henry. Any further discussion? All right. We’ll we’ll go to a roll

18:06 call. Uh Jen » in favor. » Henry » favor. » In favor. » Deep. » Amen. » Al in favor. The motion passes five to zero. » Thank you so much. » Thank you. Thank you. » Anybody want their ready? » They have it all. » All righty. Thank you everybody. » Thank you. » Anybody else? » Yeah. The rest just » Okay. Thank you. » All right. We will then move to the fiscal year 27 budget. I believe John, you want to kick us kick this off for us? » Yes. Um got we have we have a just one slide to kind of do the overview and then just Yeah. » Um so thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um so I

18:53 just you know this has been a long um budget process as everyone knows and I I just want to say again uh you know I’m really proud of the work that we’ve done. kind of proud of, you know, Mike and his team and and our and our team here that just put their heads together and just kind of crunch the numbers been very thoughtful about how we how we get to the budget that’s been requested of us um in in a relatively short amount of time and I think it’s it’s needs to be underscored that uh the work that’s been done is been the work for uh for the for the amount of time we’ve had to to do that. So in this slide it kind of gives the overview. Our fiscal year 2026 budget our current year is 49,12287. Um while the initial request was a level services budget for FY27 Marblehead

19:39 schools is now at a reduced service budget with cuts and use of revolving accounts for a total budget reduction of 3.15746

19:50 million. So if you look at that middle C middle line on the left hand side level services for the fiscal year 27 which was not approved would have been 50 million73633 and then the fiscal year um reduced budget that’s why sorry 2027 is now 47620 287. So um that that budget has been approved tonight we’ll go through the uh the reductions where those reductions were made. Um but again that the total reductions have been $3.1 million. Um which land primary in the areas primarily in the areas personnel including teachers and support staff is 22 positions that have been reduced. Classroom supplies materials uh were level level funded. So no increase to

20:36 any of those areas. Curriculum copers and maintenance and supplies were also level funded. Um you know we did some uh work around that they’ve talked about the copy of leases and how that saved us some money which is good but um that was part of the reductions um and our increase in cost primarily in there is out of district tuition and transportation and that’s that’s driven mainly um through OSD which is the operational service division who sets the rates across the states. We have no control over those increases. Um, and the rates, you know, have varied. This one year, a couple years ago, it was 14% increase. Just boom, 14% increase. Deal with it. Schools. Um, and it it’s always the increase is always in the four, five, 6% range. Um, so that’s that’s always not helpful. Um, our educational consortium

21:22 just last week let us know that they had an overall average increase of 9.4% in their tuitions. um the high end for the higherend um uh programs that they run was actually 12%. Which unfortunately is where I think all of if not most of our students attending the consortium land in that in that bucket. So um so the 12% increase that we didn’t know about until a week ago. um that these are things that are beyond our control but obviously drive um some of the shifting um things that we talk about and I’ve always talked about since since we were started a conversation about budget back in October, November, special education is a force that that drives a lot of the budget. Transportation is hugely

22:09 expensive these days. Uh tuitions like I just said rise exponentially every year and we have no control over it. Um the one thing that we will we we are working on and controlling and we’ll talk more about this over the years is like how do we bring students back into our district um not just to reduce the cost of the tuition although that’s an added benefit but to make sure that they’re being educated with the like age peers that’s a huge philosophy of mine I know it is so Lisa Marie and her team um so we’re working on that but that’s that’s a multi-year approach so when people say oh bring the kids back and save the tuition it’s not that simple it’s really really not that simple but we’re working on it so I just I just share say that and obviously fuel costs. Fuel costs have driven everything from what you’re buying at the grocery store to the gas pumps to your electricity, you know, delivery of electricity. I’m not telling you anything. You don’t

22:55 already know, but that’s kind of the overall school budget. That’s how we got to where we are. The $3.1 million in reductions. So, um there’s the uh the budget sheets that were in there. I think um I’ll let Mike kind of talk a little bit to um where the where the extra reductions landed on on the overall uh the budget sheets that we that we shared. I think um you know the biggest this part of the discussion is the prepayment of the tuition to 1.5. So when we’re asked to reduce another 1.5 from our budget um that’s mainly where that that reduction will ended. So I’m like you guys talk about that a little bit. » Yeah. Um, so in your packet you did have the line by line budget and we’ve already talked about many of these

23:42 reductions. So if if you please direct me if you’d like to go through them one at a time or if you’d just like the highlights of where we’re making additional reductions on that one. » I think Mike at the very least I mean we approved this budget but this is the first time where I’m actually seeing where those are coming from. » Okay. So we can go we can go. » I mean that’s just me. I don’t know if everybody else wants to see it, but and maybe there are members of this committee who have seen these numbers, but this is the first time I’m seeing them. » Understood. I will let me also preface this with we met with our principles early this week, give them kind of a a preview of some of the the cuts or all the cuts. U and I and I got to say there there’ll be trying to be a lot of creativity as far as when we say maybe it’s a position, maybe it’s not

24:28 the position that they had originally intended. Maybe there’s a way that we can um shift positions around the district. Julie has been instrumental in looking at where holes are, where staff could fill those holes from within our cuts. Um so, you know, when we talk about 22 vacancies, 22 positions and 11 of them are vacant. Uh some of those there are some other vacancies, you know, through attrition that maybe will be back filling from people. So it may not be the total reduction force will be a reduction in positions but the reduction in force right now that we’ve talked about it being 11 uh may not be 11 it may be something shouldn’t be more than 11 ideally will be less than that through the efforts of the principles

25:14 Julia Lisa Marie u they’ve really done some some great work around that while we’re running the numbers on the other side » I’m just going to jump there for a second so um what folks need to understand a lot a lot of the conversations are like oh you know it’s we have to reduce the budget by this much just make it happen, right? Well, it’s it’s all the conversations that need to happen that we have to get to um figure out where those positions are. So, some of some of the some of where we are right now and the time constraints we’re under is there’s contractual, you know, there’s things in the in the unit contracts we have to buy by. So, right now, April 15th is a day that we need to let folks know if they’re getting transferred into another position. I’ve requested a change that date from the union and hopefully they’ll you know they’ll let me know shortly if that’s amendable to them and that will be helpful because for

26:00 planning it’s you know it’s okay we you know this this position is getting reduced but we have you know a professional status teacher over here that maybe sliding them into that position makes sense. So it’s it’s not as simple as just cutting these positions see by eye. It’s how can we move the uh pieces around so that um the positions fall off but the maybe some of the staff um can we can move to different positions that they’re qualified for. So it’s it’s a licensing thing. It’s a grade level um thing. It’s a content area thing. It’s a special ed thing. It’s it’s a lot of moving parts. So you know it’s not as simple as saying, “Oh, I’m just going to replace these two people and these 12 people.” it’s where are those people, what are their positions, how can we um you know mitigate some of the um things as we move forward. So, it’s it’s

26:48 a lot lot. » Can you um put the document up on the screen, Mike? » Um I probably can. » I think it would be helpful for the public to see. Um, » you talked through the specific cuts that were made to the level funded budget. So, is it worth just stepping through the incremental how we got the incremental 1.5? » Um, probably. Yeah. » Yeah. Okay. » All right. So, I’ll try and be as brief as possible on these. Um, I know we have a long meeting tonight. Uh, so just at the Brown School, uh, we talked about level funding supplies. That was a savings of about $800. $1,800. Uh, not savings, a reduction of about $1,800. Uh we talked about reducing we haven’t

27:33 talked about this maybe we did um reducing uh a full year clerical position at Brown school year being 195 days versus 261 days. Uh reduce one custodian um that hasn’t been zeroed in at Brown but potentially could be we currently have a vacancy at Brown. So as with any position sometimes custodial positions we shift them around and sometimes they’re split. Um this has cut 1.24 FTEES general general ed construction assistance. That’s actually not a cut into soft part of the 22. It’s actually we’re shifting that into some grant money. » I up there. » Yeah. » Okay. Um » it’s a reduction in position. So the the actual position will be fun though. The position will be in » right. That’s not a cut in position. It’s it will be funded out of a grant.

28:21 So those two positions. Moving on to Glover. Um there was a sip in the budget teacher in charge that’s been vacant. that’s not part of an FTE count or or whatnot. Um there’s a a point for EL teacher and Julian may explain if there’s extra questions. I it’s it’s I believe it’s vacant. » It’s a it’s based off of our members are out. So it’s » the census for the reduction. » There you go. Thank you. » Uh level funding supplies at Glover about $1,600 and sit in reductions. Uh here’s the second custodian. Again, just a Glover for now. May not land a Glover, but it will be a custodian. Um so for all Oh, I think I skipped this on the Brown one. Both Ron and

29:08 Glover have prek and on Wednesday is an early release day for all prek. So, uh in the past, they’ve stuck around for professional development or to assist their teacher in planning. Um unfortunately, in tough times, tough measures, um we reduce their two hours a week on Wednesdays. Uh that’s it for Glover. Getting into village. Um there was a vacancy of um EL teachers and again that was due to censuses. Uh so that 1.75 is truly cut. Um a vacant special ed teacher position. Uh there’s an elementary teacher position. Right now I have under village. It could be village glove or ground just for to not stress anybody out. Um and one they have three uh

29:53 full-time instructional assistants general ed at at village. The intention would be to reduce one of those three. Uh there are savings on supplies contract service professional development about $2,600 and uh there is discussion to cut a part-time um power level position.

30:21 Moving on to veterans. Um we talked about this before, math interventionist. Um one teacher contender rate to be determined. Um level fund there supplies was about $1,600 savings and uh cutting the um power clarable position at veterans. Also, we have two power clericals in the district and um unfortunately they know both those positions are currently um out there. This is where I’ll kind of preface this that there’s there’s a lot of horse or horse trading going on and conversations of if I can give up this can I save that? So, this you know there are some of these positions that that may be in that situation. Uh moving on to the high school. Um we did previously

31:09 um had already accounted for we we had gone from a 1.0 art teacher to a point.8 art teacher. She was hired as point8. We had a 0.2 vacancy in the budget. It was already uh that was eliminated before all these conversations started happening. That was decided before, but it it is an FT cut from previous year. So just let you know. um move two of our teachers from the general fund to educious which is a uh revolving account. Um that will need to be restored. Uh that is not a long-term solution. Uh cut three um classroom teachers at the high school and level funding their supply lines was a savings of about I’m sorry. Yeah, level funding supply lines was a savings of about $4,000.

31:54 um athletics and we the only thing right there is level funding their supply lines uh a savings of about $30 full. Moving on to district. Now the when we say district, these are not necessarily all district. A lot of these resources are out in the schools, but they’re they’re district resources. Allows us the flexibility to move them where we need them, different days of the week, different months of the year. Um so quickly to cover those, uh cutting two fellow vacancy positions. Um those were funded in a grant. So we’re going to take those two positions out of the grant, not fill them. They are fellows. They’re not positions. They don’t get benefits. So not counted in our FTE. Uh but we would then move something else into the grant to be identified, you know, at some point in the future. Um

32:40 but that opened up $81,000 in our general fund for for to to reduce the amount of cuts we need to make. Um there was a a vacant ABA coordinator position in the budget that’s been cut. Uh we we did have some money in there for summer IT help. summer is is critical to us to get our technology back into spec and ready to go for the spring. So, it’s a it’s a hurt, but it’s it’s a cut that, you know, trying to save us other places. We had a an HR vacancy. Uh it was a a generalist or an assistant. Um so, we uh cut that and uh there was a vacant special education PTA or physical therapy assistant. That position has been removed. Um these next couple here um

33:28 assistant business manager moving 20% of her salary 10% to the prekk revolving fund and 10% to uh various grants mecoer IDA early childhood um we’ll spread it out over all those grants in different proportions um we’re moving the uh facilities assistant uh half of her salary to the building rental involving fund I don’t know uh it’s hard to project exactly how long we we’ll be able to do that for. Uh it it may be longer than a year or two, but but for right now, we know we can cover it for a year or two. Whether that that that’s driven by how much we rent out our facilities. Um uh this is kind of in the middle here.

34:13 Um prepaying tuition at the end of FY26. So we are reducing our tuition lines which are just up above. You’ll see that the tuition lines up here. I’m waiting to see my mouse moving, but these tuition lines up here have not been reduced uh from one year to the next. So, um this is where we’re showing the reduction here. When we actually load the budget into Munis, it will be reflected in the right area. Um reduce uh a speech and language pathologist from 1.0 to 6 FTE. Um we are pausing the curriculum refresh cycle. Uh it’s that’s a a reduction in supplies and training and professional development and um summer work to get ready for the for the new year. Pretty

35:01 good. Good. Thank you. She has so much I don’t know what all the um we studied our daily sublines and we don’t know if it’s because we it it’s multiffold. Um, we now have building subs, which is reducing our our need for having daily subs or as many daily subs. Um, it’s hard to find subs and um so and and just the lack of a need for subs in some situations. So, we had we had an amount budgeted I think was 25,000. We reduced that by 137,000 almost 138,000. So, uh, we feel really comfortable that we can do that. Um, cut a 1.0 maintenance employee. We

35:47 reduced our heating fuel budget. That was primarily due to the new contract we signed. Reduce our electricity budget. Uh, that was primarily due to just usage. Um, a little tight, but we’ll we’ll get through. um reduce our student services contract services level fund supplies contract service professional development a lot of the the supplies from the district around central office you know u Marie and Julia especially sometimes they’ll they’ll buy our materials and distri them out to the school so that they’re all using the same materials and it’s under district plan so we are it’s not that we had big large budgets in central office.

36:33 Um and then you know um we haven’t talked much about this but when we built the budget we built it on a percentage 6% uh over previous year’s budget not the previous year’s actual and through some additional research and um and whatnot. We did have a couple of moveins. We had a couple of uh students in district who needed to go out. So we needed that additional 540,000 above the 6% that we had already put in. So we had to add that in. So when we said we cut 1.5, we actually had to cut deeper than 1.5. Um » so tuition. » Yeah. Yeah. And this is not all tuition. It’s tuition and transportation, right? » Yes. » With the kids, they have their tuition and their transportation. Uh Lisa Marie and I will work on that break up how much is tuition, how much is

37:18 transportation, so I can adjust the lines appropriately. Um, and that is pretty much your summary. So, bottom line, uh, our ending our budget for fiscal year 27 would be $47,620,287,

37:40 which is $1.5 million reduction from 49998,

37:48 which is a 3.05 05 reduction sheet in our show.

37:58 Zooming in that for those at home. » Can I stop sharing?

38:23 Well, I have a few questions. Does any No one else has any questions? » Not from the room. Go ahead, Jen. » Okay. Um, so, um, Mike or John, I think it was Mike said at the beginning that you you let the, um, principles know where these cuts were. I just want to, I mean, I’m a little concerned to make sure that they, our administrators were part of this discussion. um as to where these cuts were going in their buildings. I mean, was this sort of an iterative process or collaborative process with them? » Yeah. Um yes, they’ve been part of that conversation all along. Um back in starting back in October, November, we started the conversations and they’ve evolved um since then through the reductions that we’ve been talking about. So the through the 1.7 and 1.5,

39:08 they’ve been part of that discussion. um it hasn’t been they’ve been told it’s been we’ve been uh we’ve had them give us feedback as to where those reductions would be least impactful in their buildings and what ways they could help um with the adjustment in the reduction. So they’ve been very very much a part of the conversation. I think some of this last iteration we really um quick turnaround. So this there’s some further discussion. So a lot of the positions and stuff that Mike talked about, you know, um yeah, you know, it’s it’s positions we had to put them in in certain, you know, schools and certain buck I said may not pan out exactly how was outlined. So you know, I think people we haven’t notified staff of a lot of it. So some of the specificity tonight you may it’s going to cause some extra inks but I think it’s also um you

39:56 know until we until we say exactly what those positions are the principal you go out to the the dollar they they may shift slightly just because um of the discussions with the principal. So the principles have been very involved and they are they are the ones driving a lot of the discussions at the schoolbased level um with guidance from from Julia and Lisa Lorie around special ed and you know teaching learning. So I I’m very comfortable with um how this process has unfolded. I’ve also been meeting, you know, I meet with the union um presidents every other week. So we’ve been having conversations. So I don’t think any most of this isn’t a surprise to them. I mean other than some of the specifics that we’re starting to get into, but uh you know they’re they’re well aware of how we’ve been at the reduction. So

40:41 » I I think one of the things that we should I would ask John and you know Mike and the team to be thinking about is I haven’t heard a lot of um push back from the community. So maybe there isn’t going to be but you know we definitely have had in this you’ve you’ve had stu some student facing cuts um and I think there’s one technically one person considered an administrator which I think may be the ABA coordinator um so I think that’s just something to be thinking about and be prepared if there are if there’s any um push back from the community or concern um around not you know you know did we take a I’d look on the administrative side as well. » So, I I’ll answer that question right now. So, in case there’s any community

41:27 questions, um I think you know, when we look at right sizing a district, right, typically that is a a multi-year planful process, right? Um and you know, typically we’ve been having these conversations in an ongoing way to say, you know, where are the where there’s some reductions, where there’s some efficiencies, what can we look at and do that in a planful manner. um which which would be the hope um for most superintendents to be able to do it that way. Obviously it’s generally done through attrition through you know retirements, resignations and then we look at do those positions need to be refilled or we reallocate etc etc. Um so I think I’ve given this example before so I came in 2024 and if it weren’t for all the budget stuff here by you know if I looked at like a 10-year look forward I I can guarantee you that some of these reductions would be most of these reductions would be made regardless of

42:14 the budget thing. So, so the reason I’m saying that is because one of the charges I had when I walked in the door was we need to look at the right sizing of the district. We need to look at our staffing closely. We need to look at what’s what’s right for what we need in Marblehead and looking at fiscally responsible way. I would never have done this level of cuts this quickly if if not for the fiscal um crisis that we’re in because it’s not good for kids. It’s not good for staff. It’s not good for the community. However, we find ourselves in this position. and I’ve said all along and we’ll do what we need to do. Um so I think that that’s that’s important to understand. Um as far as administrative that everyone every position in the district was looked at um many different ways from many different sides. So um you know it’s it’s administration was looked at,

43:01 custodial was looked at, teachers looked at, I was looked at, leo looked at, maintenance looked at, you know, we we looked at everything and you know we we made that we made the reductions the best we could that um helps to rightsize the district and I think some of the conversation is well why you why you you know you’re not looking to restore I know this will be probably more of the override conversation but like you’re not looking to restore all these positions. Well the question is is I don’t want to well there’s two things. one um I think the conversation about the enrollment decline has been been a big piece we’ve talked about the reduction over the over the years kind of following the same trajectory these reductions will bring us closer in line with that with that trajectory one two it establishes a new baseline not that again not not my drugs I would rather not be doing it this way but I’m trying

43:46 to look at the positives I always positive so the positive is which we’re we’re um establishing a baseline by which to start rebuilding right as we need forward as we get through this budget crisis. It allows us to say, “Okay, I think we’re right size.” And there could be areas we say, “Oh, you know, we cut that position. Maybe that wasn’t the best position to cut. So, how do we either get it back into the budget or move some stuff wrong?” That’s just normal course of events. It’s just everything’s fasttracked right now. It doesn’t feel good for me as the superintendent. I’ve been doing this for 10 years and this is the first time that I’ve been put in this position. We’ve all been put in this position, but it’s where we find ourselves. So, I’m not that’s not a way of complaining. It’s a way of explaining. So I think um you know without any restoration of the funding you know our cuts would be much deeper. So I think we have

44:32 to look at where are we right now? what what are the customs made and why and you know when we get to those rights especially I think we’ll talk a little bit more about you know what it would mean if we had if we didn’t get fun store what does that look like that’s a much different conversation right so um that probably doesn’t answer your question all the way Jim but I think again as an opportunity to kind of share some of my thoughts so » thank you

44:59 » um I have a question around the the 22 positions verse L completion So you said that there were 22 positions removed but out of those only 11 are are actual reductions as opposed to not filling unfilled positions. Did I understand you correctly? » So 11 are currently filled and 11 are currently unfilled. » Okay. Thank you. » Yeah. » And and again some of those are not full positions. you know they’re they’re 22 that’s why so it’s 22 position but it’s 18% if you were to look at at it on an FTE basis it would be less than the 22 18 and change yeah » and just just to kind of jump on that

45:45 too like just because it was unfilled doesn’t mean that we weren’t ne like in a in a level services budget I’m not saying all those position be filled because I would be contrary right about on right sizing however some of those positions may have stayed in the budget look at other areas, but you know, when you’re in this position, there’s cuts that you need to make that don’t feel good, that aren’t 100% where you want to make them. But, um, so some of those 11 positions, you know, good place, we probably would look to, you know, fill them because there’s a need for some of them, but you we just have to ship to them somewhere else. I think, you know, I I don’t want people say like, oh, they’re in a fitted position, so doesn’t matter. they were budgeted positioned for a reason and this is the these are some of the ways we’re going to move forward and get to a to a better

46:34 um size but um I just you know it’s it’s a hard conversation to have and so we can say oh and funding not really making cuts well it’s not it’s not providing positions and jobs for people so it’s open » I think the other thing is that this is a balance seems to be a balance of cutting positions and level funding supplies, which is going to be a challenge, but also kind of moving moving money from places where from sort of our safety accounts to sort of make this as as painless as they possibly can be. Does that sound » so so if we didn’t if we there’s always

47:21 this revolving cost that we have right for you know our school tuition you know etc. Um there’s always some parts of the budget that comes out of that we we just went a lot deeper than we we typically would and quite frankly they would comfortable but if we didn’t get those you know accounts people say why have all this money not doing anything one two it would mean that we’d have that many more cuts. So you know that’s where good fiscal management and good fiscal um you know looking at ways in a good fiscal way is looking at those things and say what opportunities are here for us to tap into so that instead of 22 position you know instead of having 42 positions we only need 22 because but part of the conversation is those things that we’re tapping into need they’re not going to

48:06 last forever. It’s a couple that you know we we had a year maybe a year and a half out of couple maybe two but those have to be restated at some point. So you know when we look at you start talking about you know override and how do we rebuild this budget with with uh with the monies from from the town um that that has to be part of the conversation. So it can’t be oh well you took it out of the revolving account before why don’t you keep just take it or let’s reduce your budget by that amount. It can’t work that way. It’s it’s it’s a way that because some of the accounts are healthy, we’re able to tap into it for a little bit. Um, but I think some of the conversation is some of them are probably more healthy than they should have been anyway. So, I think that’s also this is also part of the right sides. I mean, what do we really need to have in some of those

48:52 accounts? Um, one of the costs for instance is uh special ed, you know, uh, for back in the day when we were able to pull, you know, tuition kids in to the district has some special ed program which we got to get back to. Um, but we don’t have that right now. We don’t have people coming in. So that that that’s going to drive up those costs. So things like that. So it’s it’s a way to manage some of this, stop some of the bleed, I guess. Um, » so John, I know we’re talking about override in a moment, but for the positions that you said we don’t want the position to go away. It’s not part of right sizing, but we found a different way, you know, grant or whatever. It’s funded for this year in the override in the tiers. Is that money then asked for in subsequent years

49:37 because we we know is needed? Okay. » Yeah. For the um pulling back out the the positions we have in the hubs, is that being needed? Yes, as » everybody needs to keep in mind that that will be a decision of a future committee, right? That’ll be a budget decision by some future committee. We cannot compel a future committee to some future general fund appropriation. » Yes, would be highly suggested that » so in other words, it may it may be highly suggested, but there is no way you can compel a future committee to anything. Yeah, I wasn’t looking to to say that that we should continue to to cover that through a a fund like that. It was more to have it be part of the fiscal year 28 budget,

50:24 budget, budget, » right? But even if you were to get an override passed, number one, there’s no uh guarantee that the funds after FY28 would go to the school anyway. Number one. And number two, um you this committee or an override vote, it cannot compel that those portions of general funds to be allocated to specifically reinstating something. That may be the intent, right? That may be what John chooses to um talk about for intent, but there’s nothing to compel that at all.

51:01 » I have one. So when um when you presented the the level services budget, uh John, you had a very compelling letter in the review about cuts that were being made in the impact of those. And I’ I’d like to give you a chance to kind of explain a little more about the impact on students with this reduced budget. Um, and because I I encouraged everyone to that and I I know we were working so fast to get this done, it would be good to sort of at least start to help people understand the the impact of these addition cuts. » Yeah. So I think um anytime there’s cuts

51:47 to educators like the education, you know, reality, teaching, learning, there’s impacts, right? So part of the convers it’s it’s morphed a little bit since I wrote that that letter um to be honest with you because we’ve we’ve come up with some a little bit different efficiencies. So when when we first started talking about this um a lot of the cuts were really um focused on you know true teacher reductions true IIA reductions and through the conversations with the principles and stuff so as I just said some of some of those positions changing but so it’s it may be a little less impactful than I initially um um indicated but it’s still going to be impactful as we move forward. So when you look at this coming year in the reductions, um it hurts across

52:32 the board, but I I feel as okay as I can about where we where we made the cuts where that letter will 100% be on the front page of the paper is when we’re in as in the following year and there is no override and we’re looking at humongous amounts of cuts that that’s when there will be impacts. The impacts will be an increased classroom sizes, reduced resources for students, um likely more out of district tuitions because we don’t have the programming that’s properly in place um because of the staffing issues. Uh you know, all those things. So, you know, that was a little nostraas kind of stuff. Um and hoping it doesn’t worry just yet, but it will. It will if we continue down this path, you know, right into FY28 will absolutely be there. will

53:20 have huge impacts. So you know you have to look at it this way. If if we reduce teachers to a point where we have to increase classroom sizes, right? Um that starts affecting um how stu students are in the classroom. Um social emotional learning becomes affected. Classroom teachers, they’re already dealing with a lot of lot of stuff in the classrooms. Now you got to put four, five, six more kids in the classroom. That that wears on the teachers and the IAS and then student achievement starts dropping. you know it all affects it’s a trickle down effect and then you know people say well you know marble heads up here with you know achieve student achievement and ability to get into good schools etc etc you know that starts leaning a little bit and then you know uh that’s when people start I’m going to bring my kid to private schools I can put them in a

54:07 classroom of 18 instead of 26 I can you know etc etc so it’s it’s not as simple as just okay we’re going to reduce it I’m going to hope hope for them best like when I when I talk to all the PTO OS when I went around 12 PTO’s initially, this was before the last 1.5 reduction. Um, a lot of what the conversation was like, that’s great that you’re working to figure out that first initial 1.7 reduction, but we’re looking for how do we enhance what’s going on in the classroom, right? How do we we don’t want to just maintain? We want we want to grow our that’s an impossibility right now. when when we’re cutting almost like $4 million from the budget, everything starts to impact. So maybe not the classroom sizes yet, but overall

54:54 um you know staff staff morale, parents getting you know what’s happening, you know there’s all there’s just so many different factors um that come into play and it affects the teaching and learning, affects the social emotional learning, it affects students first and then you know definitely staff and parents start seeing seeing that too. kids kids coming home, it’s like, “Oh my god, you know, this is happening in my classroom, which happens anyway, but it’ll happen at a higher degree for sure.” Um, so that’s that’s kind of where that letter was born from. And I I feel okay that we’re not maybe as as in in the dire stra initially wrote, but we will be there next year if things don’t change 100%. Um, I think part of why we’re not in those dire straits is because we have

55:41 the ability to prepay 1.5 and out of district tuition. But can you talk a little bit about how that impacts our budget going forward that we’re making that prepayment and reflecting it in balancing budget? » Yeah, you might think can speak to this a little bit better than I can. I think, you know, when we talk about prepaid, it’s not just, oh, like, oh, we just have this actual pay. it it has a different um outcome that back in the question. I think Mike can explain a little bit better than I can in terms of what that means for the fiscal bottom line. » So absolutely. So next year for our out of district expenses just for tuitions it’s about $5.3 million. So the the through this budget presentation

56:27 we are going to reduce that from 5.3 down to 3.8. eight taking it down by $1.5 million because we have the prepaids and that’s from the years of um end of year surpluses that have grown. When I got here it was 900,000. Last year it was 12.1 million. This year we we’ve tightened our belt in March. We told everybody to stop spending. We we foresaw this coming. Um we’re we’re targeting to get that to 1.5 million which one way or another we will get there. um we will then prepay 1.5 next year’s towards next year’s bills, next year’s costs, and that will reduce our need next year by 1.5 million. And we’ve been doing that for multiple years. This is something that’s been in practice uh

57:16 since back to probably the early 2020s. Uh I wasn’t here, so I can’t speak to exactly when we begin. Finance committee asked us if we could do that back in September and October when we met and we we did not feel comfortable doing that. They said why not? I said because once we take it out of our budget, we will never get it back unless there is a substantial influx of revenues into the town. So we we could not risk giving that up. Um so dire times, dire consequences. It was I’m going to say this the best way I can. In my opinion, either we cut the staff next year and hold the reserve or we spend the reserve and if we don’t get an override, it will mean dramatic.

58:03 But I’d rather risk that one more year than have any impact. If we can reduce the impact on education for another year, hopefully forever, but for another year, I think it’s more critical than us holding something in reserve. Uh and we had we had three safety nets. We had circuit breaker which we will continue to have. That’s our biggest safety net for special education. We had this prepaid tuition which was a second safety net. We are eliminating that safety net now. And the third safety net is a special education stabilization fund which is much smaller. It requires us to go back to town meeting in May to use it. By that time it’s too late but it’s there. Uh you know it’s it’s there. Um, the finance committee did let us know that they also had a finance committee

58:49 stabilization or I don’t know what the name of it is officially, but there is a a finance committee fund for all departments if there’s something blows up. It could be snow and ice, it could be special education, it could be whatever it is. Um so you know that’s not directly available to us without a lot of you know explanation and and begging probably but um you know if we didn’t have a full year circuit breaker and we didn’t have a stabilization fund I would be a lot less likely to offer up the prepaid uh at this time but again saving positions was having teachers and instructional assistants and counselors in front of students was more important than having a year of reserve.

59:37 » Can we um move on to the override? » Do um I think we have to we voted on the total amount for the budget but we did not vote on the line item details. So I believe we need to do that before we move on. » I’ll make a motion to approve the line item budget as presented by the administration tonight. » I’ll second. So the motion was made by Kate, seconded by Henry. » Yeah. Yeah. » Any further discussion?

1:00:08 » All right, we go to vote. Uh Jen » in favor. » Henry » favor » in favor. » Jen favor in favor. The motion passes five to zero.

1:00:26 I’m going to start with the right. Oh, is that me? Um, sure. I can res that. Yeah, please. Um, this probably going to be a joint collective uh discussion. So, a lot of folks working on this.

1:00:44 » Mom, you um all right. So, school department override request. So, we were we were tasked basically um the the discussion was what would a tier one override look like? What would a tier two override look like? what a tier three override looked like. Uh all the departments in the town were tasked kind of um coming up with numbers. I know there was a select board meeting last night when this was discussed a little bit. Um I’ve continued to say that our board hasn’t really had had a discussion about what this what what these numbers are in terms of you know voting the numbers or anything. So all my conversations with people have been you know this is these are proposed uh proposed discussions proposed um numbers. So I just wanted to share that first. Um, so I’m going to share share some slides that were developed um collaboratively

1:01:31 today and I appreciate the extra assistance. Um, it’s been it’s been a little bit kooky last couple weeks. So I think uh this was this was definitely um um collaboration. So why are we here? The structural gap between what Marblehead receives in revenue, what it costs toward our schools. Um the budget problem and and this is like broken down into what’s the budget problem? what what’s cut from the schools in FY27. We’ve talked a little bit about this, so I’ll run through it quickly, but um revenue cap Proposition 2 and a half limits. Um our revenue growth 2.5% per year, far below actual cost growth, which is why the you know why we’re in this problem in the town in schools. Um benefit cost to health insurance rose 11 um% this cycle. Pension contributions rose over 8% especially at out of district tuition. Um cost of surge, we

1:02:17 just talked about those numbers. Um, and that’s not something that we have a ton of control over as far as what the tuition costs are. Uh, salary obligations. Obviously, we have contractual obligations for cost of living and step increases and they create mandatory gap every year. Uh, shrinking cushion and one time free cash has been used to fill gaps historically that we never felt. So, I think yeah, the town’s been very clear that they used uh the pretty patch over the last several years to kind of fill some of these funding gaps and they’re no longer in position to do that, which is also um part of the reason we’re where where we are. So, I was cut from » John just can I ask you a question? » Yeah. » Who who created this document? » Um we had we it was a

1:03:02 collaboration between Mike, myself, Melissa, and Kate. » Okay. because I I mean we’ll go through this fine, but I have to tell you, you know, I mean, it’s fine if that’s the administration and you’re presenting this. I mean, I I have a little bit of a concern. You’ve got school committee members. I mean, this statement at the bottom, without an override, these shortfalls compounded cannot be resolved within the levy limit. Um, we can resolve it by reducing our costs and our expenses. And I think we need I mean what I’m hearing loud and clear in the in the community is um that we need to be cognizant of the fact that people are asking I think townwide um officials to be looking at all costs which of course we’re doing but I think you know I think there’s some you know opining in here

1:03:48 and I think we just need to be careful about that because the it will be the will of this entire committee to decide you know how we want to go forward with this and so it just it’s a little concerning that we’ve got um committee members involved in this when this was not the directive. » It was it was really just um it was just more putting the slides together because it was a time constraint for Mike and I to be able to do that. So all the information here is from the administration. Um » okay so it’s not from committee members. Okay, great. Thanks for the clarification. » I’m sorry. What was cut from the schools in FY27? Uh $3.2 million total reduction to reach your balance FY27 budget. So the 1.7 to level and the 1.5 to additional talent requested cut. So that’s what was cut. Uh we talked about

1:04:35 this already 18.25 FTEES uh 1.5 million in special ed tuitions covered by free payment um which cannot be a repeat um thing but we have to do that this year. It might just um aptly discussed revolving funded positions shift off the general fund supplies uh professional development reduce technology investments devices and software their aging. So um that’s all been um cut out. So a tier to post three choices for voters. Um this is basically so there was folks from the town saying like we have to look at a tier one, tier two, tier three. So this just kind of clearly indicates um one would be to prevent further damage. fund contractual salary increases for all school staff, restore special education on a district tuition to its full required level, move

1:05:21 positions from revolving accounts into the general fund and um so that tier one would be a $6.2 million increase over the three years. Um a tier two, but everything back everything from tier one plus fund the technology lease for the student devices and software and eliminate the full day kindergarten fee. So the so the kind of what they’re what they’re looking at is what’s the tier 2 we would put put in the 1.5 plus we’d look for um our technology refresh refresh to start in FY28 as well as full day kindergarten not being um a fee based program anymore and that will be in that tier 2 the three-year total will be 7.2 2 million. And then some of some of what we look to, and this is kind of really hard to project, but some of what

1:06:07 we talked about doing uh for future investments is everything obviously from tier one, tier two, it builds on two tiers. Uh restore the curriculum, professional development um that we reduced. Um and then we started talking about uh um creating in district 18 to 22 special education program um which is we know that’s a need and it’s one there a lot of areas that we need um some extra special ed programming in but that was one that was you know right now kiddos that um you know are 18 to 22 we you know we we are responsible for educating them till 22. don’t have that program anymore in district and um we’re sending students out and paying a tuition there and there’s a huge need for that programming and I think establishing um a program in district again bring those children back into our program and it’s an opportunity for

1:06:53 potentially um tuitioning other students in because this is a high need everywhere. So that that was a kind of low hanging fruit so to speak in some of the special ed program that we could put in place. Um so that was part of that and then establishing dedicated school building capital fund and that three year total for the tier three would be 18.5 million » 8.5

1:07:17 definitely not 18.5 million thank you » okay um and then two oh sorry to prevent further damages um so across the top of this you can see um you can see the three-year totals So um » tier one » tier one. » Yeah. Um so across the top it’s FY27 would be uh zero FY22 3 million FY29 3.2 or tier one coverage. » How would we be out of in breach of agreements with our staff? We would never do that. We are not in a position to not meet our contractual obligations. You know where

1:08:02 » ever? We may have I mean positions may have to be cut in order to be able to do that. » Which part? » I’m looking at FY28 and 29 contractual obligation. Without this, the district is in breach of its agreements with staff. » We would never do that. How I mean, » yeah. Well, I haven’t got that yet, but yes. I mean, that’s just that’s just outline the fact that we have contractable obligations in FY2829. So, we would need to be able to restore the money to be able to meet the contractual obligations. Maybe the way it’s worded is is it clear? » But I don’t think that a tier one is going to cover that. Or is it Mike? » Yes. Tier one covers contractual obligations » through FY28. Well, first of all, you don’t know what your FY29 contractual obligation is, but you do know your FY28, » right?

1:08:47 » FY29 is a little bit conjecture, but we were asking » an estimate. Yeah, » there’s some. So again, tier one, um, we would restore the 1.5 million, remove from the FY27 budget. Students value have federally protected rights to this service. Um, we just put that in there to make sure everyone knows that that’s, you know, we don’t have really a choice there. Our revolving fund positions, um, move the 59 699 from FY28 to 29 to 2009 positions from revolving accounts back into the general fund where they belong. That’s part of what I just talked about who’s, you know, um, pulling those pack out of the revoling clubs into the local budget. » Oh, sorry, just before you continue, because I think I want to underscore the point, you might have skipped over it. So, the three-year total is 6.2 million. That kind of first line at the top, but

1:09:34 in FY27, we would be asking for 0 from the override in tier 1. In FY28, it jumps to 4.3 million largely because we’re restoring the special ed prepayment. Then FY29, it’s 1.9 million. So we wouldn’t be effectively contributing to the increase in the tax levy in FY27 on the school side under the tier one scenario. » We’re not we’re not contributing to the increase of the levy at all. Like let’s just like that. I don’t know what that comment meant. But I think so if » this override passes, we are not going to draw down on any of the increased capacity from that over. » Again, you can’t compel a future committee on anything. So let’s just remember that. Um, and » 27 John » for FY20. » FY27 I’m talking about.

1:10:19 » Yeah. So, I don’t understand like I just don’t understand where these like who gave the direction for these numbers. Was this Melissa and Kate? » This this came from the town finance committee, select board, and town administration. » So there. Okay. » We’ve got a working group. We’ve had a working group with Fincom, the select board, Thatcher, Kate, and I. » Okay. before the committee agreed that FY27 would be zero in an override to the schools. » No one from the committee agreed to anything. John and Mike brought forward what they were recommending for the schools for these tiers and they were discussed in the working group in the context of what the town was also » in Melissa in the working group. » Yes.

1:11:04 » Okay. So you so you you’re I guess you’re agreeing with this. Yes. Yes. » Okay. So have zero for FY27. Okay. Um the other thing I think you we need to be very careful of in talking about FY29 is we you know we can’t you know for budgeting purposes and for forecasting purposes we often will put in a quote unquote place marker um for what you know which is appropriate um for what costs may be. that we have to be very careful that we’re not, you know, this could be considered bad faith bargaining. This has to be bargained. So, we have no idea what FY29 is going to be. Um, and when we start allocating funds towards what FY29 contractual

1:11:50 obligations are going to be um without having bargained it, you just we need you need to be careful. I’m not going to be there, but you need to be careful with this. Yeah, it was uh the conversation that I was a part of was we don’t know what FY29 will bring and we were asked to put a placehold for the discussion. So that’s that’s what we that’s what we’ll do. So I and I would agree with you. I mean that’s we don’t we don’t know what the contractual obligations will be. So that number is it’s that is definitely conjecture um to some degree. I you know I mean we know what some of we know what the fixed cost will be. So that that drives some of that. But yes, you’re absolutely correct. The contract obligations are not all we get. And just clarification on app 28 talked about the 1.5 million. It is it’s also

1:12:36 slightly higher um because it’s the third year of the contract and through negotiations it was discussed disclosed that the back end of the contract would be way because it would give us time to plan for. Yes. » So yes. Yeah. » Right. So a little bit about why that override is needed. um school spending excluding share benefits is growing at a 3% um per year on average over um throughout the next three years um as it estimated for that FY29. The override is not about uploaded school spending, it’s about costs um the district cannot control. And then there’s a chart there that basically outlines um the school department you know percentage increases 27 20 proposed 29 um and you know what

1:13:22 that looks like and then that’s excluding benefits and then the town from their numbers excluding benefits outlined there. So that is shared costs FY29 positive 11 F28 will be plus 5.6 six and compose our conjecture about plus 6% on um emergency and then tier two. Um so tier two is kind of where will we be um you know after after if tier one’s restored. So uh getting back to basics is basically how we term this. So three three-year total would be 7.2 in in the tier 2 model. Um again it outlines FY27

1:14:10 and zero proposed 3.5 and FY28 and FY29 we adjusted » I’m sorry we adjusted number sorry » it’s 0 4.98 and 22 » and 2.2 I apologize um so 4.9 and then 2.2 2 and FY29. Um, school technology lease would be, like I mentioned, we we would add that back in. That would be 150 per year starting in FY28 and then carrying over to FY29 and, you know, beyond. Um, the way Mike’s explained it, I think, has been pretty good. So, the 150 in, put the 150, put the 150 in, and then after you go 3 years, it kind of just it um serves itself for when you buy the 150 worth of instru technology and leases, it actually buying four years out. So it’s it’s um but it’s needed because we have um aging infrastructure. We have

1:14:56 you know Chromebooks only last a certain amount of time. So we decided to put that in in FY28 because it’s going to give us next year to really audit our situation in terms of technology. So it’s nice to say oh yeah we need all this technology but I I’m going to work with Steve and his team um around what is it we actually need? Do we need to buy new Chromebooks that in that year or second year and third year? we need to buy laptops for teachers and the access points and any combination of that. So that’ll give us next year to plan for that. So we just want to share that. Um that’s basically seven left hand column. And then we’re also looking at free the full AK um FY28 would um it would uh run approximately 671,000 um to run F uh full AK without um paying

1:15:43 tuition or paying tuition and then that balloons to 710 17 and FY29 we we do that. So that’s that’s those are are more actual numbers. Um so that eliminates out of pockets which for full day Kay um where families currently pay it removes equity barrier for families and alliance marble head in the direction of the state the practice of peer communities where we’re one of very few communities that charge for kindergarten. So this would be and I want to mention that this is part of our plan for success that was created. It’s coming you know sun setting as as you all know we’re doing the district improvement plan but that’s been in the plan for success for several years and it hasn’t been addressed and this is an this would be an opportunity to address it through to through a hopeful override. Okay.

1:16:28 Okay. Okay. And then the tier three is kind of what what we look forward to invest in Marblehead’s future. And we’ve talked about this already, but um the totals would be uh FY28 5.2, FY29 proposed 3.3 million. That includes everything in tier 1 and two. Did I get that right that time? Yeah. Um curriculum and professional development will be added back in um the refresh. So that starts at 100,000 a year and similar to the technology, it kind of adds to it adds to it. So we can we can do it. we were comfortable pushing that out because Julia and her team have done such a great job of doing the curriculum um refresh over the last several years. So, we’re at a good place to do that so we can start over again um when the funding is there. So, we’re pretty happy about, you know, being able to push that out a

1:17:14 little bit. Um the 18 to 22 year old program I already talked about, we um it’ll cost about $500,000 to set that program up and that would include staffing, would include um a van for travel. So, so an 18 and 20 year program is generally staffed by a teacher, some IIA, school adjustment counselors, maybe a job coach, um, and staff would bring the kids out into the community for for community based programming. So, a van for that would be um would be needed. And then generally when you create a program like that, you do you know an apartment living situation where you put in a you know a stove and a bed and um a washer dryer kids on their ADLs and their um you know things that they need to learn when they’re you know outside

1:17:59 of our educational realm. I’ve done this my previous district and it’s 500,000 I feel pretty comfortable being the number that would allow us to start the program. Some of that’s onetime costs obviously um or mostly onetime costs like the build out of like you know in our apartment thing you know would need updates like we all do in our homes um the van would be would probably do the lease so um it would uh kind of propagate itself and then the staff needs the staffing. So um so roughly $500,000 would get us to that point. Um so that would be really um that would be a great way to um start and rebuild it some of our specialized programming that um it’s no longer in the

1:18:41 oh I’m sorry the capital um and then the uh capital fund will be the $500,000 dedicated um establishing dedicated capital fund for extraordinary maintenance across school buildings. Um, this is one of those things where we’re not always sure what we’re going to get from capital. Um, and and but we need capital to be able to maintain our buildings may um for extraordinary um situations too. Um, but to put that into the budget so that we have that um be able to fix all things we need to fix outside of our giant capital projects like moves and stuff. Thank you. Okay. What happens if voters say no? So these are just some of the things like so if we don’t get an override, we don’t get extra funding. Um we know that special edit um out of district costs continue to rise. We know that benefit

1:19:27 costs outpace the revenue each year. Um we’re just sharing again 11 rose 11.1 717% this cycle. The pension contributions below 8% and revenue growth was just 2 and a half. So there’s a mismatch there. Clearly technology falls further behind. Um as we know technology has short shelf life and uh you know between licenses and the firewalls and the all the programming that we need to have in in schools um that needs to be um refreshed and looked at in an ongoing way. Uh staff salaries you know we we won’t be able to meet our contractual obligations without huge um cuts to staffing um without without extra funding. Um education quality declines like I already said a little bit um a little while ago. So I won’t get back to my soap box there, but um I

1:20:14 think it’s important to phrase again. And then the problem obviously compounds each year. So every time we get extra funding, this just problem just keeps growing growing. And I think you know quite frankly we’re at a point here. you know, I’ve been here a short time, but in the short time, I’ve seen um some really good positive growth, some good collaboration between the town departments, and I’m hopeful that as we move forward and um you know, you know, however, the committee uh votes when we get to override stuff um and with the town, hopefully we can get to a point where we’ll get some more funding back in place and um some of the conversations about staff cuts and programs will continue that have to be had um moving forward. So that would be great. Um, and then this is just a comparison at a glance. So I’ve gone

1:20:59 over this already, but if you just look at, you know, what’s included, colas and step increases, special ed tuition, revolving positions, technology, full day K, curriculum and professional development, the 18 to 22-year program, and the school building capital fund. Um, if there’s no override, none of that gets put back in tier one. Um, we look at the cola and step increase. Obviously that will replace the 1.5 reducing or um and help fund the uh district tuitions and revolving um funds would be intact and then tier two is all that plus um school technology lease and the free day free full AK and then tier three would be all those things we be able to um in it’s under enhanced but it’s really not enhanced. It’s it’s getting like if we

1:21:45 have all those things back in that’s kind of where we need to be. We need to be fully funded. We need to have the resources available for our students. We need to have our special education um programs in place. We need to have capital funds. We need to make sure we’re not killing our revolving accounts. We need to make sure full AK is available to everybody. Um and it’s all it’s all important. So, I think this is a way to kind of share what what we feel the schools need um as we move through the next couple years. And then um you know why we’re stabilizing, not expanding. Um if you look at the enrollment, we talked a little bit about this already, but um the enrollment increased 24% um since 2016. Uh staff declined at 14.7 for the same uh uh period of time. Enrollment has fallen

1:22:32 3.8% since year 2019. Um it’s driven primarily by Marblehead’s aging population. We talked about that the census kindergarten um incoming students are lower. um overall uh residents 65 and uh older have have grown. Um there roughly, 1100 more senior residents than um that have no children’s schools. There was two elementary schools had already consolidated into Brown School which is major right sizing previously. Um district projects 23 49 students um next fall which is 86 um fewer students than current enrollment. We’re hopeful that that’s not the real dip but that’s what’s projected this time. Um and due to our current projected enrollment, the school department is not recommending the restoration of the 18.25 full full-time uh full-time equivalent

1:23:19 positions in any of the override tiers. 8.95 positions are vacant and 9.93 are fil um why the costs um why costs don’t fall one with enrollment. So Marblehead has has already has a lean district teacher ratio is 11.4 4 to1 which matches the state average. Per people spending is 21972 which is 4% below the state average and Marblehead schools ranks top 20% in Massachusetts. Enrollment decline is spread thinly across grades. Fewer students rarely meets fewer classes or teachers. So when you look at I mean that’s that’s the point that needs to be made. So you know our our decline enrollment spread out. It’s not like oh we have like 100 less first graders you know. So it’s it makes it difficult to say well oh you can

1:24:05 reduce this classroom teacher and it’s not going to make that big of a difference. So um that that’s that’s real and that’s why we have to have all the conversations with the principles. Special education needs have grown significantly. We’ve talked about this several times. I need students require additional staff regardless of enrollment. Out of district tuition’s growth is 12.6 for FY27 on top of double digit increases in prior years. um salaries are at 8% in the school budget and contractual raises apply to every employee every year. So you know our contractual obligations are for what they are. Um and we we don’t need that fun. That’s not we don’t have a choice on that. And then um the only way to mitigate that is by cutting staff and programming. Um and obviously Marblehead has not passed a general ride since 2005. Um and the district has absorbed

1:24:51 20 years of structural underfunding. Um which I think is a point to to share. Um, these last slides I’ll just skip over because it’s it’s more. » So, um, I’m just going to jump in here because I had a hard stop at 7:30. I have a family obligation I need to run to and I’m going to try to come back, but I I can’t miss this. I’m just going to make one statement before I hop. Um, well, the first is I have a question. I have a I I would like a direct answer. Did anyone outside of the administration help prepare this document? Did anyone from for Marblehead or any other person outside have anything to do with this document?

1:25:33 » No. Okay. All right. Um because what I’m concerned about, John, um and Mike, in your preparation of this document is that there are potential finance violations here with some of the things you’re saying. We cannot as an as a as a school department be So, you know, we can provide information, but making any kind of value statements or recommendations on how people should support this or not support this is beyond the um purview and the um and is a potential violation. I think you need to really be very careful with this document and it definitely concerns me. Can you can you point to where where the concerns are then? Because I I override

1:26:18 isn’t about growing a district about keeping pace with costs that rise whether enrollment does or not. I mean these are you know spread the word. Um you know um these are things where you’re it’s like we are promoting people to approve this override which we cannot do. So, I mean there’s there are some, you know, there are o opinion and you know or value statements through here um that go beyond just providing information. I’m just going to suggest that we reook at this document and maybe consider um this because we just need to be very very careful about this this » yeah that’s why I asked you to kind of point that piece out because I can definitely see the perception on that and » no vote is not quote saving money. It’s

1:27:03 ch it’s choosing lot larger problems tomorrow over smaller investments today on page well it’s not pageionated but » I gotcha yeah I gotcha tells you what happens if the voters say no yeah all right I appreciate that feedback thank you » thank you um and so as I said I do have to hop because I have um an obligation I need to go to but um I I will say this I’m going to try and get back on but um what I was was unclear to me um in terms of a vote because it did say on the agenda out that this would be a vote um tonight. So, what I don’t understand is what it is we’d be voting for. In other words, we we have a place marker on the warrant for this year for a we have two

1:27:49 well we have two. One is for debt exclusion override and one is for permanent general override. um if the DEC it is the will of this committee which it appears to be um to want to um go in or you know combine with the select board to do a townwide um um override vote to town meeting. Um then what we would be tasked with is is voting to um indefinitely postpone our warrant article and then we’re done. There’s no other vote. This is clear clearly squarely in the hands of the select board at that point. um you know this is a presentation I guess of what this so-called working group did um and what the you know but this is ultimately the vote of the select board not the school committee unless unless this

1:28:34 committee decides to want to go forward with our own I don’t know what article it is but with our own but I don’t believe that’s the case so I wasn’t sure what the vote was for tonight » so so I think we’re well I mean we can have a motion if we if you want to know Jen the intent of the or the will of the committee around doing something separately on an existing warrant or with the town. » Well, yeah. I mean, I think we » That sounds like it was important to understand that first, » right? » Yeah. » Well, I understood that from our last meeting, but maybe I » I thought we voted on it. » So, there shouldn’t be any question around that, » right? So, I’m not sure what the vote is for we we’re not in a position to vote what the select board’s warn article is

1:29:21 going to be. That’s their vote. » So, » so there I’m sure » that is their vote, but I do think that this committee should vote on what the schools would like included on behalf of the schools in that war. It has been this has been an incredibly collaborative process. Um, you know, John and Mike have advocated for what they think the district needs to have in that override. And I think that it should have the backing of a committee vote. you know, whether it’s required or not, it’s, you know, how we show our support. » Yeah. No, that’s fine. I just wasn’t I mean, because we we don’t have any authority to to compel the select board to do anything with there. So, I guess that’s what I I just that wasn’t that was what was not clear to me. Um, is

1:30:07 what we would because again, we can we can vote this, but it doesn’t mean I don’t imagine that that’s going to be part of their maybe maybe it will be part of their article. I mean there warn our I don’t know that it would be broken out. I think that was not the intent though to break it out by division that it was going to be just one total number. » That’s how it was presented at select board last night is one total number but then it was discussed as you know this is the amount that is anticipated to be needed for school costs and this is the amount that’s anticipated would be needed for municipal costs. So you know it is a number that is based on the articulated needs of various departments

1:30:52 » and the potential vote would be beyond the numbers that we just wanted not necessarily the verbiage but the numbers associated with this framework for following the town. Okay, » I’ll make a motion to approve the three tiers of the override as presented by John was my only backup so we can skip the dollar amounts tier one was six » 62.2 » 6.2 7.2 two

1:31:32 » 627285 » 627285 » tier one at 62 tier 2 at 72 tier one tier 3 at 85 » I’ll second that so motion has been made by Melissa seconded by Al any further discussion

1:31:56 » no Okay. Um, so we’ll vote. Henry » in favor. » Melissa » in favor. » Kate » in favor. » Pal in favor. The motion passes 4 to zero. » Can I just make a quick comment? » Sure. The chair. » Um, I want to just once again, this has been a really difficult process to go through. Um but I do want to say I I appreciate the collaboration with Fincom and with the select board and um folks I think it’s all it’s important for the overall discussion that um it was important for me as a superintendent to even though this is way reduced budget and you know it’s not what I what I want but in collaboration with the

1:32:43 town I think it’s important to say that I appreciate that this conversations, uh, collaborative conversations, everyone’s trying to work towards the same common goal. Uh, we’ve committed, um, even though we can’t commit for other product made, we committed to having ongoing collaborative conversations for that, which I think is really important um, as we move forward. So, I just want to publicly thank people for that because as frustrating as this has been, um, again, trying to look at positive the positive pieces that came out, I swear that there’s been some really solid good conversations that it sounds to me may not have always been the case at the moment. So, I feel good about that piece. I feel good that we set the stage to move forward in a much

1:33:28 more um collaborative way. So, I just I just want to say that. » All right. So we we do have an update item potentially around the joint memorandum. Is that something we we want to address tonight or is it okay? » Yeah. Okay. Thank you. » It’s sort of in the spirit of collaboration. Um, one of the things that the working group spent a fair amount of time on was developing a draft memorandum of understanding um that is going to be put before the select board incom um and the school committee um and the intention has been each board or committee will vote um to support theou there’s a um slide deck that was shown at select board last night. I’m not going to go through it, but if people

1:34:14 are interested in looking at the slide deck, um that is there. And the draft memo was shared with the full school committee by John um over the weekend so that people hopefully had an opportunity to look at it. Um the theou is written from a place of understanding that current city boards cannot bind future but the intention is to lay out the thought process underpinning a multi-year multi-tier override. Um it spells out the levy increase that would be imposed at each tier. um and how it is intended that those funds would be allocated to the schools and the town in each year. Um so it’s a lot of what that went through in his

1:35:00 presentation last night, but really sort of spelled out in the document. Um it includes a commitment that there will not be another general override requested until at least FY30 if any one of those tiers passes. Um, and you know, it’s sort of a recognition by town leaders that the budgetary limits that are imposed by the tier that is selected by the voters are the ones we’re going to have to live with for the next 3 years. Um, it articulates the 6238 revenue split that we worked through um with select board and fin this year. um applies it in future years and it addresses

1:35:46 there’s there will be a revenue and expense forecast um spreadsheet attached as an exhibit to theou that sets out you know the the numbers that we looked at to drive the numbers that John might post. So these are not theoretical numbers. They’re based on, you know, a three-year forecast. And the MOU attempts to address sort of the major drivers in there, namely free cash and health insurance benefits. Um, and to make a commitment that if you know, if those projections are not correct and more money comes in as a result than we are anticipating, those funds would be allocated to the stabilization fund. um perhaps capital needs if we have a lot of free cash,

1:36:33 other um obligations like OPAP and um pension and if the numbers come in lower, we will absorb that deficit in our operating budgets. We will not seek to use more of the overhead funds than we had, you know, committed to. And the also sets up a few different metrics for reporting. So there will be annual annual reporting by the town administrator and superintendent um on override funds that have been used, what they were allocated to um reporting on remaining levy capacity for the town. Um and it establishes a a process of quarterly reporting um to the chairs of the select board committee

1:37:20 income on the town’s fiscal position. So hopefully some of the hiccups we had this year um aren’t occurring and everyone is really sort of on the same page as we go through the budget process. And then it also includes further commitments um to work to publicize tax abatement and relief programs especially people may remember from town meeting last year town meeting approved a new means tested senior citizen property tax exemption which should help with tax burden. So presuming that that’s approved by the legislature, you know, it would be implemented for FY27 um people to continue to work to find efficiencies and new revenue sources to grow existing revenue sources um and to work to build the stabilization fund to 5% the

1:38:07 sort of that general terms of the agreement. um the select board discussion last night I didn’t hear any you know within the board objection to it um but the thought process was you we can talk about whether people are comfortable with this MU and then you can vote it or we can hold off and we can allow some more time

1:38:34 » I mean I would sort of slap board So, it’s a good idea.

1:38:47 » I agree. I think it’s a it’s a document that gives the community the accountability they’re looking for. Um, and that’s necessary, honestly. So, any changes to strong support?

1:39:04 » Yeah, I feel the same. So we get to vote on motion. » Yeah, » we don’t have so we can hold off. » But I I did check with council that at the time it wasn’t sure right at the time plus the agenda was put but um there’s nothing against the open meeting law that if you know as you’re discussing things the motion is decided to make sense you are allowed to do that. No, I appreciate we should make sure we’re following, you know, following all of that. » The the draft that we’ve all seen does not have the numbers in it. It just had placeholders cuz the numbers hadn’t been finalized. So, we can vote it subject to not, you know, the numbers being added or we can wait.

1:39:53 Let’s vote being a double. » Yeah. I’ll make the motion to approve the draftou subject to the numbers being added to the override structure section. » Second. » All right. Motion’s been made by Kate, seconded by Melissa. Is there any further discussion?

1:40:18 » All right. Uh we’ll go to a vote. Um Henry » in favor. » Melissa » in favor. » Kate » in favor. » Motion passes. 4 Z handic.

1:40:34 All right. Um, so I think it was a good idea to to do some engagement after the fiscal year budget. Um, so is there anyone that would like to have that or ask a question or have a comment? Sarah. Mhm. Um, so the idea was that you would hear feedback from the public before you took your vote, but it seems like you weren’t really that interested in public feedback. Here we go. Um, to your point about asking council if you can take the vote if you had sometimes council. Like I do think it would have been best practice to amend the agenda so that you were being transparent that you were going to take a vote that takes less time to amend an agenda and put that out to the public. I think people may have

1:41:20 intent and they don’t you were doing that. Um I have some concern. It’s I I don’t know if it’s if miles here, but who is someone else getting some clarity? It sounds like our collaborative tuitions went up very unexpectedly this week and then some transportation for that. My understanding from what you said is that then triggered you need you needing to cut more position and correct me I’m hoping I’m wrong. it triggered you having to cut more positions to kind of stay at that level number because that was an unanticipated significant rise. Am I wrong in that the numbers we were looking at a week two weeks ago the numbers the same but that there was additional physicians programs supplies

1:42:08 whatever cut in order to allocate for that unanticipated increase in the cloud that’s tuition and transfer I was okay the dialogue um yes that’s correct » that’s and do you mind just saying what those additional cuts were that we were because it is really startling that no when on this committee bothered to ask or discuss what those additional cuts were that were not part of anything that that’s » well so we we’ve we’ve always had kind of um you know we went through the exercise of the first round of cuts second round of cuts then we had um uh there was a there’s a group of cuts that we had like slated to in case we needed to take deeper cuts or in case Tom came

1:42:54 back and said more and then that’s where we had to those are the ones we had to look at. Um in addition they were all incorporated in one like might shared out to I think that the PTA I have to find » so they there were more bots not just actual more people that slip and that you wanted to » so I what I would say is that when we had the last conversation we’re at 14.75 FTS we’re now at 18.25 25 FTS by position. So that’s double » increased by roughly 28 numbers really quick here. 28% additional actual living cost. None of you none of you has a single question.

1:43:38 » Thank you. » All right. Um see if anyone can ask any point. Is there anyone online that would ask like to ask a question or make a comment? » All right, seeing no hands, we’ll we’ll move on. So, back to the consent action and agenda items. I’m asking for a motion to approve the following. The identified schedule of schedules of bills totaling 443,690.77

1:44:19 and the meeting minutes from March 12th, 2026 and March 27th of 2026. » So move second. » All right. Motion’s been made by Kate, seconded by Melissa. Is there any discussion?

1:44:36 All right. All those in favor? The motion passes 4 to zero.

1:44:44 Um Um I believe Superintendent Ro, you’ll address the surplus request from the athletic department, please. » Yeah. So, uh, K can’t our ad sent over, um, you know, every year, you know, there’s things that we have that are, you know, not functioning or broken or or whatever, we have to have to bring it to school hopefully just to declare them to plan surplus. Um, within your pack, there’s some portable basketball nets, some sweepers for the field that were integrated. Um, a whole whole mess of things in there. I I must say, I think the total was somewhere around $1,100, $1,00. Um, but it’s just really just we have to declare a surplus. We can spoil it. So that’s that’s the second.

1:45:30 » I’ll need a motion to declare the athletic equipment outlined in Ken’s memo as surplus.

1:45:40 » Motions been made by Kate, seconded by Henry. » Henry. Any further discussion? All right. Uh all those in favor the motion passes 40. Thank you. » I think Mr. Superintendent um a donation for the Borndale. » Yes. So uh the Bornail trip as we know is is going off um in in a number of weeks and Tommo Tackle which is located at 104 W Street in Salem has been very uh generous in their donations over the years. And this year we were able to secure Steve Vulpi um was able to work with them to secure a nice I don’t know how you say it but nice rotten reel combination dialog

1:46:25 rod and reel combination which is valued at $140. Um and as well as a $50 gift certificate to $25 gift certificate. So the total donation is $215 this year which is great. Um as I talked about before when we talked about born the kids love the fishing. These are they I put it in your pack the raft how they got to wrap this stuff up off biggest fish and all that. So um so I appreciate Steve and his engaging of the students in their in their activities and I appreciate Tomo Tommo’s tackle for uh you know continuing to support us and and provide the donations and students. It just makes it that much more exciting and I can’t win any of the prizes apparently what I’ve been told. So, I’m a little bummed out about that, but I’ll do my best to be okay.

1:47:13 » All right. So, there we go. Cool. So, that that’s that’s the duration. I’m going to just say thank you to Stephen for tommo tackle. » I’ll make a motion to approve the tommo tackle donation. » I’ll second. » Motion’s been made by Henry, seconded by Melissa. Any further discussion? Post.

1:47:38 » All those in favor? The motion passes for » I can get a jump over. » Yes. Thank you very much. » Okay. Um, on March 19th, 2026, the school committee reviewed minutes from two different executive sessions in order to determine if the executive session purposes from those sessions still apply. On that date, the school committee determined that the executive session purposes cited for the executive sessions on September 12th, 2025 and October 10th, 2025 warranted non-disclosure of the executive session dates. So that needs to be uh publicly uh stated in this meeting.

1:48:31 so um I I did solicit some uh through email around calendaring which I I believe I’m allowed to do around moving our 6 June 18th uh school committee meeting to June 11th. And it really just coincides better with the election cycle that we’re going through so that we can quickly thereafter uh you know understand who our members our memberships are and then start to discuss and fill in committee and lay his opposition. So that’s the the purpose behind that. I just wanted to to raise it up. There’s no reason to vote on this tonight. Um one item that that did come up that just happened to me this afternoon is that I will not be able to make next week’s meeting. And I believe Melissa is not available either. So I know we have a lot of budget things

1:49:17 going on, but um so I guess I’m asking, do we continue on with three members present um or do we look to potentially moving that

1:49:37 So yes, the options are we move it or we eliminate and we we can do both, right? Eliminate it and if we find a need for a school committee meeting, we can put one on the calendar for maybe the following Thursday. » Yeah. So the the following week is school vacation week, » but then have to look at the calendar, but I think there’s another week then in April like at a town meeting. So we could either just move the meeting out so that we’re meeting again between now and town meeting. Oh my god. » 30th » or we could all just hold that evening in case there’s a need for a meeting. I guess » my preference would be to plan that we’re meeting and then we can cancel it if we don’t have for the 30th. » For the 30th.

1:50:22 » All right. So, » assuming that works for us, » let me just look because I have things planned already and I f I’m sure life we start with our school plans and stuff on the 16th, but I’m sure we can. » Yeah. So smooth, » but he’s hosting a third grade parent night at middle school on April the 30th. So

1:50:44 » excuse me, I’m sorry. April 13th, I’m sorry, the 16th to the 30th.

1:50:52 » March 8th. Yeah, just we’ll have to adjust our » Yeah, I’ll just have to adjust the uh the presentation but that’s anything about going to be a huge issue. » Okay. All right. So, it sounds like we’ll we moved uh

1:51:13 we ended up moving just the uh the 618 meeting to 611. » Great. » Yeah, that’s correct. » So far so good. and then the 416 meeting to 4:30 April 3rd. Okay. Thank you all for that. All right. Do we have any subcommittee leison on updates? » We have two um and I’ll be quick about them. The roof subcommittee did meet um after some scheduling hiccups, but like Mike said, they’re starting work on the room for annual break. It’s exciting to finally get this project under the way. Um, and other than that, we were really just

1:51:59 discussing some of the long lead time items, making sure those were on track. Um, the committee members are are very engaged with that, staying on top of that. Um, it’s great because they have a ton of expertise. Uh, and then, you know, uh, Corey, uh, approval is underway for the contractor. Anybody working on site has to have employee deliver. So that’s going as well. So the project is going along and excited about that. » Let me just specific question about I think you answered it and I didn’t see much about this in the paper but I know at one time we were very concerned about the lead times for some of the HBAC equipment and then you see that come in a little bit. So it’s it’s still tracking that we shouldn’t have any problems with delivery of that equipment. » Yes, it’s we we are on track with with

1:52:47 all of that stuff and um and keeping a close eye on sort of you know, steel fabrication and all these other things that are are a little more complicated. Just are the is are things going to show up on site? So, it everything is remote. Good. Thank you. » Um the other update is that we had a CPAC meeting today. Um not a lot to talk about. Been a lot of questions were mostly about what’s the budget look like? What does the override look like? I just had to say please hold. Um but again I would love to put in a plug for anybody who’s interested in joining CPAC or leading CPAC. Um again they are a

1:53:32 fantastic group. They are all rowing in the same direction. If anybody is interested I would encourage you to reach out. » Thank you. Anybody else? Um no policy committee updates but the wellness committee wellness advisory committee met I think it was last » wellness yeah » yeah a long time ago » um » was a long time » so and you know that committee sort of done the bulk of its task for this year which was revising the policy but we had some really good conversations about some new things that have come out in Desi and maybe some things that need to happen policy wise and implementation

1:54:19 wise. It’s a great and a really helpful med. » Yeah, that was it was good. We get a lot of time expanded and wellness policy. It’s a long policy as you guys know you voted on it but uh I was like oh what do we do now? I know, but everyone just kind of like came to the table and we had good discussions and then you know um Kate had some good thoughts after the meeting about distracted driving and I just saw like5 there’s a lot of good conversation I think uh you know continue work with Megan mostly who’s a nurse just discussion we did talk about um protocol for measles god forbid that comes around. She’s already d she has drafted that we should she should know

1:55:05 me today yesterday. It was a nonable which is kind of that was that was one of the big things that was helpful. I think it’s great committee. » Anything else? » All right. Thank you. Um is there anybody have any correspondence?

1:55:36 a motion made by Melissa, seconded by Henry. All those in favor we are journal.

1:55:44 » Thank you all. » Thank you. » We might still on second off.