School Committee: June 23, 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.

0:17 All right, we are live streaming, so I will call us to order um at 12:30 p.m. This is the June 22nd meeting of the School Committee. First on our agenda is public comment. So, there is anyone in attendance who’d like to offer public comment, um please raise your hand. All right, I don’t see any hands raised, so um we will move on in the agenda. The first um item under our under our communication and discussion items um is an amendment to the Superintendent’s contract. Um so, I’d like to give a little context here, and then we can open it up to deliberation for the committee. Um as I’m sure everyone knows, John is

1:05 finishing up the first year of a 3-year contract. And the contract set his salary for the first year um and then left the year salaries for years two and three to be determined. Um and so, that’s why we’re meeting and discussing this today. The contract requires the committee to set his compensation on or before June 30th. Um and it provides that the year two salary cannot be lower than the year one salary. I would also just sort of point everyone to the fact that we approved a line item budget for FY 27 that did include a 3% increase um in the salary. It would bring that number to 221,450. That’s a 3% increase, which is

1:51 consistent with the increases our educators and our other administrators are receiving for FY 27. Um but obviously, this is something we need to deliberate and then make a decision on amending the contract. So, I’ll open it up to the committee um, for people’s thoughts and we can go from there. » I think for me we already approved the budget with the 3%. This feels a little bit just like an administrative like documenting what was already approved previously. Um, and so it all makes sense to me. » I would just say that since I’m the new person, I did go back and I I saw on the website you did » [clears throat] » because it does say that based on his evaluation. So, I did look over his evaluation that or the progress towards

2:38 his goals. Um, and um, also what the um, the um, the the teacher contract said that they were getting for this year. So, I, you know, I see that as in line.

2:51 » Any thoughts from Al or Henry? » I I mean I I support I’m sorry, Amy. I I support the 3% increase. » Yeah, I think I think, you know, going back to to John’s evaluation and and the approved budget, I think it’s I agree with Melissa. It’s just administrative. » I would agree. » Can I weigh in? » Yeah, of course. » All right. I just uh, so I’d be remiss and just I just want to share this. I mean, I’m I I think uh, given the climate, given what we just went through with the budget, given that, you know, we talked about 3% is in there. I’m not looking to um, you know, necessarily change that number, but just for the committee’s edification, I I just thought it’d be important to share that um, you know, I looked at just I always have

3:37 this conversation when talking about my contract, obviously. So, I looked at 17 North Shore communities just just to share that the 25-26 um, salary average for for superintendents was 246,000. And next year with a you know, purported 3% that would bring it to 253,000 as an average of the 17 of 17 our show districts. So, just so folks are aware that’s 32,000 less than um the average. My my salary would be 32,000 less than the average in this area. Um so, obviously if we were in a different situation, I’d be having a different conversation, I guess. Um but I just I think it’s important for folks to understand that, you know, if I get

4:23 hit by a bus tomorrow and someone has to be hired, you you’re looking at that that range, not not where I am. So, just be very cognizant of that as we as we move forward and you know, I’m not planning on going anywhere. I’m not planning on getting hit by a bus either, but just I just like to make sure folks understand like kind of what the market value is and even given that [clears throat] um finishing my 10th year as a superintendent and I’ll have my PhD, I you know, it’s it’s um I’m way below market value just so folks understand that. That’s all I’ll say. » Thank you. I do think it brings up a good point about and I you know, it the camp uh leading up to my election this year, you know, I talked about a lot a lot about, you know, um you know, understanding, [clears throat]

5:09 you know, the data-driven decision-making, you know, um and I think, you know, salary is a part of data-driven decision-making. So, I think that in the future, you know, thinking about going forward, it would be good to kind of take that data that John talked about so that, you know, it helps in our decision-making. But, I do agree that, you know, if that’s it you know, that was what was included in the budget, I can’t, you know, see changing that at this point from my perspective, but I do appreciate John’s point and I believe him. » Yeah, I think that should be part of the budget process. We should look at all of that kind of at the same time so we’re not Yeah. forced into a decision after the fact. I I completely agree. » For sure. And I think just just for just

5:55 for also this committee, you know, when my current contract was getting negotiated, I shared the same comps with the people that were charged with doing my my um my salary and I don’t know um that they were those numbers were really looked at, so just um I don’t want to I’m not calling anyone out. I just don’t think that they were shared with the full committee, so um you know, hence where we landed, but again, it is what it is and I’m happy with the you know, I’m happy with where we are. I’m happy with the support I’ve gotten from the committee. Um happy in Marblehead. I you know, we got a great team, so we’re going to push forward and and we’ll have further conversations down the line. » Sounds good. Um so, do we have a motion to amend the superintendent’s contract to set the year two salary at 221,450?

6:48 » All right, we have a motion from Melissa. » I’ll second. » Seconded by Henry. Any further discussion from the committee? All right, we’re going to go to a roll call vote. Al? » In favor. » Anne Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate in favor. The motion carries five to zero. » Thank you. » So, John, I’ll work with legal to get that amendment done and » I have the addendum all done. We we do it for everybody anyway, so it’s just a matter of um at some point I I just have you sign it and date it and then I sign it and date it and then I’m done. I did it for everybody else already, so » Sounds good. » Yep. » And John, » We can save a couple dollars. » [laughter] » There we go.

7:34 » Congratulations on your PhD. » Yes. » Thank you. Yeah, I appreciate that. It was a long time coming for sure. Feel feel pretty good about that. I was able to actually this weekend some It’s good. I have a little bit more work to do. I got this minor revisions. There was always something but finish that up in the next week or so and stick a fork in it. » Excellent. » Congrats. » Thank you. » Um so moving on in the agenda, we have sort of our last batch of policy updates. So once we get these done, we’ll be sort of done with this for um So first we have several policies that are before us for our third reading. They’re new I thought I would just sort of go through I can provide [clears throat] a quick summary if folks want to discuss we can otherwise we can

8:20 just move to a motion and a vote. Um so the first one is policy GBEE which is personnel use of technology. Um this is a new policy that MASC recommends and it sets forth expectations for how sorry to my dog for how staff will use digital resources, district issued accounts and then some guidelines for digital communications with students and parents and guardians. Um John has been involved in reviewing this and the other technology policies along with Steven Kwiatek just to sort of make sure that they mesh with how we operate. Um John, did you want to add anything about that? » No, I think um I think this is good. It’s it’s nice it’s updated. It’s uh you know, according to Steve it aligned with

9:07 what what we have in place too and um this is always good cuz we always talk about the staff and not just you know, we try to do a proactively versus a reactively so folks are aware of this now. I’m pretty happy with the way the policy looks at this point. » Great. Any comments or discussion from the committee on this one? Okay. So can I get a motion um to approve policy GBEE which is personnel use of technology? » So moved. » Motion by Henry. » I’ll second. » Seconded by Melissa. Any further discussion? All right, we will go to a roll call vote. Al? » In favor. » Ann Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa?

9:52 » In favor. » Kate in favor. Motion carries five to zero. All right, next we have policy KBG parent advisory councils. Um yet another MASC policy. Um state law requires parent advisory councils for special education um and English language populations. Um and so this is an MASC recommendation for a new policy setting forth our responsibilities with regard to both of those. Um pretty straightforward policy. Any discussion on this one? John, did you have anything you wanted to say on this one? » No, this covers everything. I think there was some I think that most of the language is stuff is around the EL

10:37 stuff that we had to change. So I think Dan looked good. I had uh Julia look at that as well. So I feel comfy. » Excellent. All right, do we have a motion to approve policy KBG parent advisory councils? » So moved. » Motion by Henry. » I’ll second » Seconded by Ann Marie. I’ll go to a roll call. Al? » In favor. » Ann Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate in favor. Motion carries five to zero. All right, so then we have policy JICK harassment of students. Another MASC recommendation. Um I assume people had a chance to take a look at it, but it defines and prohibits harassment and then sort of sets out

11:23 some parameters for the district to investigate and discipline if harassment occurs. So um John, anything to add on this one? » Uh no, it’s just uh the Title IX stuff changed a little bit uh, last » year or so. So, that’s that’s captured here. And then the um, the last asterisk there on um, hair texture, hair type was added a couple years ago. So, I’m glad to see that that’s in there as well. Um, but everything else is in alignment. The only thing I had a question of is do we need to change versus name of district to actual Marblehead? » Yeah, we do need to plug bar Marblehead in. That’s just a the MAS code. [clears throat] » Yeah, I I just noticed that one. » Yeah, thank you for catching that. » Other than that, yeah, no, it looks good. And then um, yeah, that align and that aligns with our uh,

12:09 bullying and harassment » Mhm. » protocol and stuff, too. » Excellent. All right. Any comment or discussion from the committee on this one? All right. Do we have a motion to approve policy JICK, harassment [clears throat] of students? » So moved. » All right. Motion by Henry. » Second. » Second by Anne Marie. Any further discussion? Okay, we will go to a roll call vote. Al? » In favor. » Anne Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » Favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate, in favor. Motion carries five to zero. All right. We have policy JLCDC, self-administration and self-carry of medications.

12:56 medications. medications. Um, John and I did a fair amount with this and a few of the other health-related policies um, with our lead nurse. And this one um, establishes parameters for students to carry and administer medications beyond those that are already permitted. So, students, I think it’s by state law, but they can carry EpiPens, inhalers, and insulin-related supplies. They don’t need, you know, the approval of the school student school nurse to do that. So, this allows you know, other medications, you know, if you go through this process that the students can carry them.

13:34 Anything to add on that one, John? » No, I think this is one of the ones that there may there may still be some other stuff coming down from the regulatory um side of things, but I I think Megan was just right now this makes sense and this is it’s in the right alignment, but I think there may be something coming down. I think I think I remember saying something else percolating, but it hasn’t come through yet. So, I mean, we’ll adjust it if and when we need to, but right now this should set some good parameters around how and when cuz kids aren’t just really allowed to just like carry Tylenol and take whenever they want to. » Yeah. » Um so, this is one of those things that helps us out. » Perfect. All right, any comments or discussion from the committee? Okay, so do we have a motion to approve policy JLCDC

14:20 policy JLCDC policy JLCDC self-administration and self-carry of medications? » So moved. » Motion by Henry. » Second. » Seconded by Melissa. Any further discussion? All right, we’ll go to a roll call. Al? » In favor. » Ann Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate in favor. Motion carries five to zero. All right, so then we have policy KDC community use of digital resources. Um this is another one that John and I worked with Stephen on. Um and it addresses sort of public use of district Wi-Fi, you know, appropriate

15:06 use of use of digital resources um provided by the schools. Anything you wanted to add on this one, John? » No, I think it’s yeah, it’s mostly just like if someone comes in jumps on our Wi-Fi, um there’s always some risk, you know, to to that, but you know, um I dealt with this a few years ago in my last district and it’s, you know, the blocking the public from using our Wi-Fi really becomes more of an issue than it needs to be. So, we just need to What I’ll do is I’ll continue to work with Stephen around what firewalls and stuff we have that kind of uh help to protect us. I feel comfortable with like incoming stuff. It’s just, you know, what they access once they’re on there and that’s kind of been the issue. Same thing with students, so. We’ll continue to have those conversations, but I feel I feel good about um

15:52 our ability to to kind of detect stuff that’s happening, so. » Okay. Great. Any comments or discussion from the committee on this one? Okay. Do we have a motion to approve policy KDC community use of digital resources? » So moved. » Motion by Henry. » Seconded. » Seconded by Anne Marie. Any further discussion? All right, we’ll go to a roll call vote. Al? » In favor. » Anne Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate, in favor. Motion carries 5 to 0. And then the last new policy is KDCB district website and social media. And

16:37 this one sets forth best practices um for operating the district’s website and any district official social media accounts and it particularly focuses on what happens around comments, commenting on those features. Um anything to add on this one, John? » Yeah, I think um you know, there’s been some conversation with the principals about like, how do we use Facebook or or whatever. Um I know Mary Maxwell’s using Facebook at at Brown School. She felt comfortable doing that, but she said the parameters where you can’t I from what I understand, you can’t land all comments on there, which is what I would continue to encourage other principals um to do. So, again, I feel pretty comfortable with this. Um Stephen sits in on our on our um, our admin team meetings with the

17:22 principals, so he hears first hand about what the what the challenges are and he tries to troubleshoot them, so. Um, you know, our school website, you know, he he just up, you know, updated that this year. There’s still some tweaking that needs to be done, but that’s just, you know, performative stuff, but yeah, I think this looks good. » All right. Um, any comments or discussion from the committee on this one? Okay, so do we have a motion to approve policy KG CB, district website and social media? » So moved. » Motion by Henry. » I’ll second it. » Seconded by Al.

18:01 All right, any further discussion? We’ll go to a roll call. Al. » In favor. » Ann Marie. » In favor. » Henry. » In favor. » Melissa. » In favor. [clears throat] » Kate in favor. Motion carries five to zero. Okay, so then moving on to the next set of policies, these are all updates to existing policies um, that the policy subcommittee voted to bring forward to the full committee for approval. And these ones are a little more substantive, which is why we’re doing them as discussion items as opposed to consent agendas. Um, so the first one is IGA, curriculum development. And if you look at it, they look like really substantive changes, but it’s actually combining

18:47 policy IGA with our existing policy IGD, so the new language you see in IGA is literally a cut and paste from IGD, which is all of these I believe are MASC recommended revisions. So. » Yeah. » John. » Um, yeah, no, I think that’s good and just for Ann Marie’s um, on edification to MASC does this kind of stuff once in a while. They just kind of need to combine or get rid of ones, which I’m glad that they do, so we don’t have seven billion policies. So, uh this is one of the ones where it made sense to just kind of smash them together. Um You got to do it to make sure you’re doing the development and the adoption properly. So, just that’s all I wanted to share. But yeah, it looks good. I had I think we had Julia look at this, too. » Yeah. » I did on my end, anyway.

19:33 » Perfect. All right, any comments or discussion from the committee on this one? All right, so do we have a motion um to approve the revision of policy IGA curriculum development? » So moved. » Motion by Henry. » Yeah. » Do we have a second? » Second. » Seconded by Anne Marie. Any further discussion? We’ll go to a roll call vote. Al? » In favor. » Anne Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » All right. Motion carries 5 to 0. All right, so the next one is policy JIC student discipline. And the existing student discipline

20:19 policy in our handbook has a note on it from 2018 saying that it needs to be reviewed and updated. Um so, what the policy subcommittee is suggesting we do is to replace the existing JIC with the MASC version of JIC. It’s pretty significantly different um from what we have right now. Um and John was part of those discussions. I don’t know if you want to add anything. » Yeah, I mean, I I went through these with uh um with Lisa Marie, too, because she ends up like making sure that even the notices of suspensions and stuff are all good. And so, I met with the principals and her um just to kind of go through this. I mean, it’s all aligns with what we do um anyway. So, it’s good I love this the fact that they updated this one. It

21:06 just is cleaner. It’s a little bit long, but it outlines everything really well. So I actually appreciated this this revision and I’ll put it up. Yeah, I feel good about that. » Thank you. Any discussion from the committee? Great. Do we have a motion to approve the updates to policy JIC student discipline? » So moved. » Motion by Henry. » Second. » Seconded by Melissa. Any further discussion? » Yeah, can I just mention one one other thing the the MGL references down the bottom are important and I meant to mention this earlier. So the alignment with 37H 8 and 1/2 and 8 and 3/4 is really important because um our principals to kind of make sure they’re taking the right steps for the right disciplinary actions. Um that was

21:51 the other reason this is really clear cuz those three things are vastly different for each each one. So um this is going to spell it right out. So I’m going to make mention of that, too. » Thank you. » Yeah. » Okay. Any further discussion? We will go to a roll call vote then. Al? » In favor. » Anne Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate in favor. Motion carries 5 to 0. All right. Next is JICFB bullying prevention. Um and this I know when you look at the redline version it looks like a really significant um update to the policy.

22:37 It’s actually a lot of reorganization more than anything else. Um and then the our version of the policy used outdated terminology and language. So it’s a lot of updates around around that. And so and this was one I know that Anne Marie No, that Lisa Marie, excuse me, um had really wanted the committee to look at and revise. So I don’t know if you wanted to add anything on that. » Yeah, it’s it’s just really that the language that there’s a lot of old language in there that that has changed. So, it’s good that we updated it and like you just mentioned, I said I had Lisa Marie look through it and [clears throat] she she gave her blessing. Actually, she was sharing pretty much the same revisions, but it also aligns with our bullying prevention plan and everything that we’ve worked

23:22 with the principals on and we’ll make sure that following my protocols. So, this is this is beautiful cuz it outlines it very clearly. Black and white. » Excellent. » Thank you for that work. » Any further discussion from the committee on this one? » I just wanted to say because I I felt very confident because I I when I started reviewing it, I I’m like, “Hmm, language is a little different.” I just worked with this policy in my previous work and then I went on DESE and I found all of the updates and I appreciate that there was so much work to make sure that it’s consistent with what the most up-to-date guidance is. So, I do appreciate that. » Thank you. » Is that what was driving Lisa Marie’s interest in updating this? It just was old?

24:08 old? old? » Um, it’s both. I mean, we we get a lot of information from DESE that says you need to do X, Y, and Z and um I don’t know if you if you recall at the beginning of the year, we had you know, that DESE came in to review a lot of our you know, our our stuff. Our you know, they did a program review last year and you know, they’re always looking at that, looking at bullying, looking at harassing, looking at our reporting mechanisms and all of that data. So, um, she had already kind of really updated our own bullying handbook and stuff and it didn’t align with the the policy. So, it was kind of driven that way and then MSC, you know, I redid it. So, it was actually a really nice trajectory. Um, it would have been nicer if it was done earlier so we could have you know, but it helped her not have to re-

24:54 reinvent the wheel for that bullying handbook, but it worked out well. Yeah, that was the driving factor, really. » Right. Any further discussion on this one? All right. So, do we have a motion to approve um the revisions to policy JICFB Bullying Prevention? » So moved. » Motion by Henry. » And seconded. » Seconded by Anne Marie. Any discussion before we go to a vote? All right. Um Al? » In favor. » Anne Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate, in favor. Motion carries 5 to 0. All right. We’re almost there. JLCDC

25:43 Administering Medicines to Students. Um just a lot of revisions that center around the nurses having a medicine administration plan and then record-keeping requirements related to that. Um John, did you want to add anything on this one? » Yeah, again, um you know, uh our head nurse has been really instrumental in making sure that this language all looks good and it dovetails with the other one. Um And yeah, there was something So, this is uh so this is self-caring on the medication. Yeah, that’s a little bit different than the other um than the other one we talked about earlier, right? » Yes, this is sort of the medicine that is

26:29 administered in the nurse’s office. » Yeah. So, this uh I’m sorry. Yeah, this align This dovetails with our, you know, our school physician, too, to make sure that they’re, you know, we have the right orders and etc., etc. and that there’s this alignment there. So, I’ve been working with um Megan about that as well. So, yeah, this this is Yeah, this has her blessing, so it has my blessing. » All right. Any comments or discussion from the committee on this one. All right. So, do we have a motion to approve the updates to policy JLCD administering medicines to students? » So moved. » Motion by Henry. Do we have a second? » Second. » Seconded by Melissa. Any discussion before we vote? All right. We’ll go to a roll call vote. Al.

27:19 Can you say your vote again, Al? » Oh, I’m sorry. Yeah, in favor. » Thank you. Anne Marie. » In favor. » Henry. » In favor. » Melissa. » In favor. » Kate in favor. Motion carries 5 to 0. All right. Um that brings us to policy KI visitors to the schools. And this is a proposed redraft by MASC. Um the existing policy is really narrowly focused on classroom observations. And so, this is a broader policy to address the range of visitors who access our school buildings for a variety of reasons. John, anything you want to add on this? » Yeah. So, um I think when we talked about this in the subcommittee, I wasn’t loving this first paragraph because um realistically, the school committee encouraging parents and guests to visit

28:05 the classroom to observe or learn about the structural programs taking place in our schools has absolutely 100% um in regard to special education students being recommended for special education placement. That’s where that language comes from. » Mhm. » I I honestly don’t think that it belongs in this in the policy this way. Um it cuz in in the end, it’s in Yeah, I just I I don’t know. I don’t I don’t I wasn’t there for the first part of the conversation, but I I was there for part of the conversation. And um that language seems to be pulled from from special education language that’s really specific to when parents can come in and visit and observe in the classroom. There’s a form for that, there’s a reason for that, it has to be very

28:51 specific to why they’re coming and sitting in the classroom. I I think that this gives parents cart blanche to come in and that’s not I wouldn’t support that. So, that would be my two cents on that piece. » Okay, so your recommendation would be that we strike that first » Yes. » paragraph? » Yes, cuz visitors to school are really visitors to school. The all the red line stuff is is perfect. It’s exactly what we need to do. That paragraph again is specific and I’m sure that it’s in a different policy around um it’s it’s definitely under special education around when parents bring you know, » Yeah. » Yeah, for special education placement. That would be my recommendation is to strike that first paragraph. » Okay. What do committee members think on that?

29:39 » Can I just so just clar- clarify, this was the first paragraph is not wasn’t part of the MASC? » I believe that that first paragraph was part of our prior version of this policy and that when we discussed the MASC revisions, you know, there was a a decision to keep that first paragraph in the policy. Um but it is not I can double check right now, but I believe that it is not part of what MASC was recommending um for revisions and I do not feel strongly that it needs to remain in the policy, especially given the superintendent’s view on the subject. But I’d be curious what other committee members think.

30:25 » Uh yeah, I’m looking at I I’m seeing at the bottom referencing policy IHBAA, observation of special education programs, which John, I think is that what you’re referring to? Where » Yeah, I believe so. I have to pull up the policy, but yeah, I think that’s the policy. » that I don’t see that specific language in there, but I do sort of see the I see what you’re talking about. Um Yeah, I mean I have to say I I kind of agree with John on this. I don’t The first paragraph kind of doesn’t read like a policy in some ways, too, you know. » Yeah, I agree. It it seems strange. Like I I read it and I’m like this doesn’t belong here in this. I agree with John. » Thank you. And I think I think it was we

31:11 had some of our policies that were created that were kind of Marblehead created policies back in the day or how many or years ago I don’t know when, but as we’ve been going through some of these it’s it’s clear that there was ones that were developed for some reason and not not under the guise of an MASC and I think that that language is where I think it came from some other discussions, so. Yeah, that would be my recommendations to take that out. » Yeah, I think without additional language in there if if it if it stays in there it’s without additional language that says, you know, we’re really talking about specific » you want and » Yeah, right. Yeah, it feels very disruptive. » And and it’s and it’s not that we’re not we don’t want to be open and honest about what we’re doing. It’s just that’s that’s totally disruptive. That just means anyone can come in for

31:58 whatever reason and there’s no gatekeeping there and realistically the the policy that Henry referred to I think is the one I was referring to and it’s it is the specific language of how and when and why you come in and observe a classroom, so. » And actually, you know, the revised policy the third paragraph, you know, observations of educational spaces and programs by all visitors will be governed by procedures developed by the superintendent. So, the policy certainly leaves open you know, the opportunity for people to come observe our programs. It’s just » Our cop function. » Thank you. Yes. » Yeah. » Okay. » Well, I guess I would move to approve the policy um

32:46 KI with the first paragraph stricken.

32:51 » I’ll second that. » Right, so we have a motion by Henry to approve the policy with the first paragraph stricken and that has been seconded by Melissa. Um any further discussion by the committee? » [clears throat] » Okay, we will go to a roll call vote. Um Al? » In favor. » Ann Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate in favor. Motion carries five to zero. Excellent. All right, so then the last policy we have is policy LBC relations with non-public schools. Um and these are updates that better explain the steps required for approval of non-public schools. And I will just share because I had to look into it when we were looking policy. Um

33:38 policy. Um policy. Um for the state attendance rules, the compulsory attendance at school the school committee has to approve the programming of a private school that educates grade six and up if it’s located in our town. Basically to certify to the state that it’s, you know, it’s a program that should count for the attendance rules. So that’s this policy governs how we would go about approving such a program. So » And this is not related to charter. » It does not relate to charter cuz they’re » public. » Yes, thank you. » So I think it would only apply to Tower cuz they have a middle school program, so we would approve there.

34:24 And presumably that’s meant » And And technically it’s it’s actually goes one step further. So if someone wants to create a private school in Marblehead, they have to get our kind of blessing to do that. So, if they’re creating a brand new I had this happen in the last of the building like a Grace Gospel Church school or something that had to come and meet and show everything and get the blessing to be able to open it. So, and no one no one’s approached me, so I don’t know if there’s anyone looking to run the school in Marblehead. Maybe in the old Abbot building. But, and there’s a process. So, » So, we’ll we’ll have our policy ready if someone » There you go. » wants to do that. All right, any um comment or discussion from the committee? » So, maybe I missed it, but

35:09 is this just done once or is it are there a certain amount of time it has to be redone? Like John, have you when did you do this last for Tower? That’s what I it seems to me unless that’s it is just a once and you’re done or like is there any ongoing maintenance of this needed? » No, it’s my understanding the way the way I’ve I’ve read this policy and the way I understand it is like when some looking to open a school like a private school within our within our district borders, they have to do this. It’s not I don’t believe it’s an ongoing annual thing cuz once they’re established, they’re established. And then we have to reach out to them around child find and title one and all the things we need to anyway around what they can and you know what they can access from us. So, that that’s that’s ongoing,

35:54 but I do believe this is like a maybe you want to open up a school and then and I don’t even know I you know I think we could say no and I don’t know what the ramifications are for stopping them, but and I bring it to you they bring it to me, I bring it to you and then you guys say yay or nay. And then they can proceed. » Okay. » Right. » All right, thanks, John. » Yep. » All right, do we have a motion to approve the revision to policy LBC relations with non-public schools? » So, moved. » Motion by Henry. » Seconded. » Seconded by Anne Marie. Any further discussion? All right, we will put it to a roll call vote. Al? I saw your word your mouth move, but I didn’t hear any words. Al?

36:41 didn’t hear I didn’t hear any words. Al? » Oh, really? Um, in favor. » [laughter] » Anne Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate, in favor. Motion carries 5 to 0. All right, we are all set on policies. Hopefully we can take a while take a break from those. » [laughter] » All right, um I wanted to just open up discussion from the committee. We’re we’ve set um July 8th for our retreat. And it was the afternoon of July 8th was the one time block um that we were looking at that worked for everyone. Um Alicia from MACE is going to attend and do a training for us. I’ve got like

37:28 a couple ideas I’ve been kicking around, but I wanted to see um what people on the committee thought might be helpful to hear about from her. Um we’re going to have Julia come and do a wayfinder activity with us as sort of a team building activity. So, I’m going to work on having a growth mindset and being open to to doing that kind of stuff. Um and but I also will, you know, we’ll have some other just sort of agenda items. I’ve kind of been thinking sort of around where we are on goals and, you know, what we’re thinking about for goals for next year, but I wanted to see if there were things committee members wanted um us to do at the retreat so that I can be sure to include them. » Well, I think

38:13 uh it may be worthwhile to take a look at our goals » [snorts] » in uh in the frame of the district improvement plan that we approved. You know, just make sure that they’re aligned, that they’re you know, they’re working together. I I think that that being a new document and something I would like for the community to be sort of more engaged with and I think that starts with us. » Mhm. I agree. I like that idea. Yeah, my only point was going to be touching on the goals as well. So, I think as long as we have that in some way, that’d be great. » And then we’re also doing subcommittees at the retreat. » Yes, we will also do. Thank you for that. Subcommittee assignments.

38:59 And get that all sorted out so those can get moving. » Yeah, I mean, towards that end, you know, the strategic planning goal, there’s a specific task in there around agreeing to a statement that articulates kind of the roles between [clears throat] us and and administration. Um so, I I have a a draft from MASC. So, I I don’t know, Kate, if we want to have people look at it beforehand and bring their edits to the meeting or do it at the meeting. I I’m open either way, but um yeah, I I think it’s okay if we share it and people provide edits to someone, perhaps you or me, and then we just we we can’t disclose that until the meeting. But, I think we’re allowed to do that. That’s not going to violate OML.

39:45 violate OML. violate OML. But, I just want to verify that. » Yeah, I think you’re right about that, but we could also just have people come to the me I think it would make sense to work on that document cuz what I was thinking about having Is there an echo? Having Alicia sort of focus on what the training is continuing to talk about sort of the division of responsibility between the school committee and the superintendent and um so, working on a document like that might mesh really well with » Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. » Okay. Right, so if you want to circulate that to the committee, people can review it and come with you know, edits and revisions and whatnot. Yeah, that’d be great. » Okay.

40:31 » Um the other thing I wonder if it’s worth discussing at at this retreat or if it this is just something that we do at one of our regular business meetings, but sort of re-addressing the the MOU with the town around the override and sort of you know, re-committing to transparent and responsible use of the funds that were approved. » Mhm. Yeah. I think that’s great. We can either put it on the agenda for the override or for the override for the retreat or you know, I believe that the select board talked about targeting October for the first one of those, you know, financial update meetings. » Yeah.

41:16 » But I think it’s worth having some discussions as a committee about our component in all of this and how we’re going to carry that out. » Yeah, I think while the while the iron’s hot and people are asking questions, I think we have an opportunity to preempt » And it’ll be more simplistic for us because we don’t have override funds in your ones. Like let’s spend the time to put the right framework in place to make sure that we’re giving people the information that is most helpful. Um yeah. » Yeah, I think [snorts] what I think there’s still a perception that what voters approved was just more money across the board for schools and » Yeah. » it’s more » John has already had to remind people like, no. » [laughter]

42:02 » Your one is not the case. » Yep. » Yeah. It’s it’s it’s that kind of I mean, I’m trying to have the conversation whenever I can cuz I think it’s important for them to understand what you know, um that we’re not flush with money all of a sudden and we’re you know, it just really gave us some breathing room and I don’t have to cut 40 to 50% of staff. That’s really what this that’s really come out. But um you know, I think and then I mean obviously with Thatcher’s departure off to figure out kind of how we tie in the whoever’s taking over for him. Um so those are all all conversations I guess. » Absolutely. Okay. All right, great. So I will um talk some more with Alicia and sort of work up the agenda for the workshop but I’ll include all of these things that we’ve been

42:48 discussing just now. » And then just on my end, I mean I’ll do whatever you guys want. I mean do I do I go there for the whole shebang or do I go there for coming in and out? I mean I I don’t want to stymie any conversations that you’re having being in the room. Um but I also don’t want to not be there if you’re looking for thoughts or anything. So I I’ll you don’t have to answer right this second. I know Kate and I have talked a little bit about it but just just let me know. I I my feelings don’t get hurt. So if you say yeah, thanks Sean but I don’t want you there, I’m fine with that. You don’t want me there, I’m fine with that. So

43:20 You can stop me there. » All right, great. Okay. So is unless anyone has anything else they want to add on that, we will move on. Um I’m looking for a motion to meet in executive session pursuant to chapter 30A section 21A3 purpose 3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the Marblehead Education Association Unit A because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the school committee and the chair so declares without intent to return to open session. » So moved. » [snorts] » I’ll I’ll second it but did did you have a a link to this meeting? » She emailed it around.

44:06 » They emailed it around. Uh I can send it again when we

44:13 » It was June 17th at 10:20 a.m. » Yeah. Thank you, Al, for pulling that right out. » I’ll forward it to you, honey. I’ll forward it. » June 17th, sorry. Hey, you know me, cuz so you know, super attention to » I think I found it. Yeah. » All right. So, we have a motion to enter executive session made by I think I heard Melissa first. » Yes. » Um and seconded by Henry. » And yes, I do have the link, so » Okay. Everybody’s got the link. Okay. Um we’ll do a roll call vote. Al? » In favor. » Ann Marie? » In favor. » Henry? » In favor. » Melissa? » In favor. » Kate in favor. Motion carries five to zero. We will enter into executive session

45:00 pursuant to chapter 30A, section 21A3, purpose three, to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining with the Marblehead Education Association, Unit A, because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the school committee, and the chair so declares without intent to return to open session. So, I’m going to end