 We're ready Today is Thursday February 25th. It feels more like March 25th or maybe April 25th. May. Nice and warm No snow on the ground. This is beautiful And it's good to be here with my colleagues on the Arlington school committee and the professional staff here in our island and we have some friends in the Audience who'd like to talk to us. So the first thing we're starting with is our annual public hearing on the budget so We have one person who has signed up mr. Fuller Good evening Peter Fuller seven kill-scythe road town meeting member and Employed as a lowly lunch recess aid at the Dallin school There's nothing lowly about serving our children well that may be true I'm here to comment on the budget in so far as the Pay policy and practices for us lunch recess aids are embodied in the budget Recently we have been paid at an hourly rate below What is required by the Massachusetts minimum wage law? Apparently you can do this because as a public employer and I as a public employee that law can't be enforced But I think it's a poor practice It leads you know away from having a motivated employee It may make recruiting and retaining people harder For example this afternoon on your website three of our elementary schools. I have help wanted ads up for lunch recess aids So I ask you as you approve this budget. I don't know where we are in there It's not called out in position control or anywhere else specifically But that you consider making a policy that all your employees will be paid At least at the legal Massachusetts minimum wage even though you're not really required to do so That would be appreciated For FY 17 It would also be a good idea to fix that right now for the rest of FY 16 It's not going to break any either one of those budgets Just do it. Thank you As this is a budget public hearing We have to offer three chances for people come up to speak I'm about to close the hearing of any other people who'd like to speak in this public hearing Any other people would like to speak on this public hearing Anyone else who'd like to talk in the public hearing seeing none Thank you very much. We now go to our regular meeting in the yes, would it be out of order to respond to mr. Fuller? No, it would not because he's not Public participation I would like to Because I entirely agree with the sentiments expressed in fact I'm going to let mr. Spiegel who is our HR office director Talk a little bit to this as to what our plans are Yeah, mr. Fuller has been in touch with me and so and I haven't been able to Get in touch with I haven't had the chance to get in touch with you this week But we have been in close touch on the school side and the town side on this issue It is true that the law The Massachusetts wage laws Do not apply to municipalities as long as we pay at least the federal minimum wage because the federal step fair labor standard Fair Labor Standards Act applies to us However the town Administration and the school district administration has decided that We are going to increase the people who do make minimum wage in The town both town and school employees To the mass minimum wage effective the first week the first full week in April Based on when payroll can make that adjustment And we're going to do it town-wide at the same time So that will be ten dollars an hour starting in April for the rest of this calendar year and then in January when the mass Massachusetts minimum wage goes up again to eleven dollars an hour. We will increase town-wide to eleven dollars an hour We wanted to be on the same page with the town We didn't want to have town employees and school employees at that level not get the same so so effective in April and we will get a notice out to all the recess and cafeteria monitors to let them know I Don't want to engage in a discussion point on this Simply because it's the first time that came to us. I said question. I I'll entertain a couple of questions. I think this is an interesting Topic that I wasn't aware of and I think it's worthy of us thinking about a policy on this Going forward, but I don't want to engage in the conversation Flat out tonight. So there are any quick questions we can have dr. Seuss Oh, I just have a quick question. Um, does this only apply to Permanents or full-time employees or long-term employees rather than say a temporary employee like a substitute? Well substitutes are already being paid. I know that we don't we pay seven substitutes seventy five dollars a day For a six and a half hour day. I mean they're above the minimum wage so Any employee and and the people who work in the in this capacity in the schools are technically part-time employees They vary in the hours and depending on the school of how many hours per day They work and some don't work every day some work Some do some work a few days a week. So It varies, but anyone at that would be at the ten dollars an hour So we now go off to public participation first of the great Christiana Sure Juliet more Name an address for the record. We don't respond in public participation, but we're glad to listen to you and If it's not something we're ready to talk about tonight We will often put things on a future agenda or refer them to subcommittee. So welcome. Thank you Juliet Moyer 14 Wellesley Road. I Live right in the Thompson district and I have three children there. I Come to you today on behalf of the school enrollment parent group Many thanks to those of you on the school and on the enrollment task force for your thoughtful discussion around both the elementary school and the Middle School crowding issues thanks also to the other members of the school committee who come to the table with Educational expertise and a commitment to find the best social emotional and educational solution for our students Dr. Bodie we support your preferred plan to use the Gibbs as either a second middle school or a town one sixth grade and We're ready to do what we can to make that happen for a September 2018 opening We appreciate that times of the essence and any delay beyond September 2018 will result in the need for at least Eight modular units on the Odyssey grounds where modular siting Could be costly and limited It's our expectation that any additional cost estimates at Odyssey and will include the cost of the parking structure the cost of Modulars the cost of additional shared space and we'll give due consideration to all the additional overruns that are expected From ledge blasting and delays from our butters We support the use of the Gibbs because we're confident that when considering the Odyssey and additional monetary costs plus the Unquantifiable negative impact on educational outcomes will result in a project that should be taken off the table We value the Gibbs tenants with regard to the ACA Adam chapter chapter Lane mentioned on Tuesday's meeting at Tuesday's meeting that he believed there is an avenue with an existing town Spaces where a different model could work as a group were eager to assist in rallying around the town in its efforts to Find the tenants new homes to that end providing the tenants with notice this June will allow all parties involved to make Necessary arrangements so that they can continue to be a part of the fabric of our town for many years to come Finally, thank you once again for your support of the Thompson addition Though the timeline is tight the collaborative efforts of the members of the enrollment task force make possible a September 2017 opening Please know that we're willing to do all that we can To see these projects to completion and if we can assist in any way we are here to help Thank you very much Now Greg you're up Name an address for the record. Yes Greg Cristiana 82 Ridge Street precinct 15 I have children at or soon to be at Bishop. I like Juliet I also Speak on behalf of the school enrollment parent group and I'd like to reiterate the thanks for all the hard work That that everyone on this committee has done especially those on the task force as well And I don't Julia covered a lot of material just now and there's one aspect. I'd like to put a finer point on The Odyssey expansion we believe is a no-win situation Due to the overall costs and where it leaves the Gibbs which is in desperate need for renovation no matter what To believe that the Odyssey expansion saves the Gibbs tenants from relocating. We believe is a false choice Renewing leases at the Gibbs on June 30th would solve no one's long-term challenges So let's act now while we still have the chance before the costs to the taxpayers and to our children inevitably goes up Thank you. Thank you very much with us tonight This was taken to first grade teacher at the Bishop and Mr. Cristiana you may end up with Liz as your child's teacher Your child gets the first grade and that would be a wonderful thing Liz has passed a document before us Liz would you please? Take the microphone from mr. Heiner We don't want him to have it And tell us about what you're doing so on Wednesday March 23rd at Arlington Town Hall There will be an information session on the issue of the Charter School Cap that we as are all in very strong support of So we wanted to make it known to to everyone in our community that if you want more information on the topic Because it seems like it's it is a topic that not a lot of people are aware of and how it directly affects our school budget and Also in larger cities. It's even more crippling. So The Charter School student in this town will cost us $14,000 right and at this point Arlington isn't losing that much money But that that can change if if the cap is lifted It's our information that there are eight eight students in the town of Arlington that attended Charter School. So Eight times 14 And you know, obviously that doesn't save us any costs by having eight less kids But it certainly is the cost of a teacher Plus to lose those kids. So and in the state of Massachusetts It's hundreds of millions of dollars being lost in public education So it's a really important thing for people to become aware of and support One of the members of the State Board of Education in approving the two Charter School New York new charters that they Approved one in Springfield one in Brockton Said I did not take into consideration the economic impact on the district or the Municipality it is not my job to do that and certainly certainly Draining money out of a municipal system for a Charter School Where the community has no choice in the matter? And the money is taken off the top town meeting has no appropriation authority Finance committee has no oversight authority No safeguards on Finances or governance. I Have no problem conceptually with Charter Schools But the funding and governance mechanisms are very problematic and it needs to be fixed I agree and thank you for letting me speak on that And you are representing the AEA I am I'm the second vice president of the Arlington Education Association So we welcome you to our meeting. Thank you. Mr. Heiner Thank you I'd just like to comment on the statement you made about one of the commissioners on the State Board Doesn't feel that that's their job yet They still create an ordered amount of mandates that cost us a lot of money They're they're definitely and I say it passionately the legislature that has to get some control on these people Thank you Any other comments on this? I hope everybody would Come in and enjoy this event I also have in front of me a thank-you note from Charles and Elena Landford thanking us for remembering Their their son I believe At a previous meeting And that is public participation and we're into the meeting So we we're now at Breakneck pace to budget discussion dr. Boat I think we're at the point where We've presented the budget and this is an opportunity for the committee to Give us some feedback. There are Issues over the last couple weeks that you would like us to address Changes we made this is the evening to be talking about those The The next time we meet in March that will be the time that you will actually be voting For this to become your budget and then we will have a our meeting schedule of the finance committee is March Mr. Heiner I have only one question the The chat that you presented to us before of the That had the green and the yellow on it. Have any of any of those things changed? Have you taken anything out or add anything? Thank you Dr. Allison ampy I know this isn't a comment on the budget so much as the budget process So as you know the budget subcommittee has been trying to do some outreach through PTOs and stuff And I just want to report back the main comments that we've gotten through that email We've just gotten a few and it's all been in support of having full-time kindergarten aids Which I know is already on our minds, but just That's pretty much all the feedback. I mean if either Yeah, I've heard a couple on that but that was yeah, so just so the rest of you are aware This is not our last opportunity to make budget adjustments We are we will be voting the next meeting the budget we present to town meeting And that will become our adopted budget, but we do have a right to make transfers and amend it Subsequently, Mr. Heiner. I'd like to say the comments that I have heard They're not Exuberant about the cuts that have been made, but they have heard that we have advocated to And expressed our concerns about it, too. So the Just wanted to share that Neither comments on this line I Mr. Could you just review again, so I How many positions do we have in reserve and what the process will be over the summer We have two that are slated for the Thompson because of the two new Classrooms that are going to be provided and so we have to staff them. Those are those aren't reserve positions. They are not They're in the budget We have one we have two reserve positions one of whom we know is destined for the Hardy and the second may as well be Destined to the Hardy and that's it. That's it. So there's just two reserve positions and we think one is already spoken for at the Hardy So that's it So my follow-up question is I mean are we are we comfortable with that level of staffing reserve? No We're not and and as we went through the deliberations ourselves and looking at what the other Choices were It was with a Lot of pause to realize that be the case because last year we had eight. Yeah, and we needed eight. That's right So What we have said to principles and curriculum leaders is that the staffing they have other than what we have put in the budget Is the staffing they need to work with now? Having said that we have already had one I don't even know if it's actually gonna be a slight change. I think we rolled over the FTE We're pretty sure but already we're starting to see as we schedule At the middle school in the high school that we're going to find some situations where Class sizes are going to be 2930 and we have to figure out something Generally that what people that you need to understand that the budget is a blueprint and We may need to make adjustments as we go along and we make adjustments even during the course of the year for example Where we're just talking about this evening this the state law We just felt after discussion with town as well that this was something That while we don't have to do it we should do it And so we have to make adjustments in our budget in order to be able to do that now the reason why you don't see it in the in this particular In for the FY 17 is that this actually happened after and we just kept the budget as it is so the costs of this will have to be Put in there and we'll figure out what that would be the other question that surfaced for me anyway was Are we have we anticipated the most? Optimistic McKibben numbers in terms if we anticipate the most optimistic McKibben numbers for kindergarten enrollment Do we have enough staff for that which one's optimistic? Right it depends on the it depends on the distribution I if the numbers come in as predicted the answer is yes, okay That's how it's the issue of a distribution and how that that happens and and we will be beginning In March kindergarten registration, but if the last two years or any indication We really will not know what our kindergarten numbers are too. Well into the summer because we all Every year in June July and August Whatever the July and August we get a lot of emails we do enrollment, and so I just want to know for prepared They may be slightly larger, but I think that yes, we would be prepared if it's not that big a jump it's just again, it's the district where the students live in town and Right now if we used our our census numbers We would say we have too many staff people, but though the census numbers Barely be they certainly give us an idea that but they're they're off. They're just off Mr. Heiner We can just hope that any one of the moves in moves into a buffer zone Dr. Allison am I actually had sort of a similar question which is first I wanted to point out to our viewers at home that the reserve positions are not Extra they're for anticipated enrollment. They're just not assigned. They're more unassigned than then reserve true reserve But I wanted to know when we added in the for I'm calling all of the four reserve did that Was that addressing all our expected enrollment increase to next year or did we are we do we have some unfilled? reserve positions if we Certainly this the three that I think we're gonna end up needing for the other two the other one for Hardy I think Hardy is going to need to the answer is yes Based on what I've gone over this with the elementary principles and looking at their numbers The answer is yes We would have the staffing that we need based on what we know now because we pretty much know five of the classes and Middle school and high school too That one's a tougher one the high school is even a little bit trickier because Our staffing is based on student choice and What courses they take so once the choices are made department chairs? Look at the staffing now what can happen at the high school if we don't have the staffing is That some students may not get their elective choices But we certainly make sure that students get the courses that they need to take But that has been the issue at the high school for a while now that We could use more electives We would probably fill them because a lot of students want to take more than They just than the courses that they have and math department's a perfect example There are more students students taking math and there are students in the school What it means is that there are I know it's funny way of saying it But what it means is that there are a fair number probably as many as a hundred Students taking to math classes So that's the issue is the choices that they make and the electives they take so some of our electives we They go up to pretty high numbers in order to get as many students getting their choices that they want But we always I don't think we've had a year that I can remember That we haven't arrived, you know at some point After scheduling to have to increase, you know divide a section or add something It invariably happens. Okay. Thank you And we have a financial report in queue any questions on the financial report mr. Hainer Online eight one three two two Says other stipend just tell me what that is what that means please other stipend is a category You know the way the way we both stipends right now is very thickly thickly and some of the thing We I had hoped this budget cycle to be able to really lock down stipends in a better way But the staffing loss made that impossible It's my hope that moving forward we will be able to get a grip on that But basically the way stipends have been handled since I've been here is a carry forward of the way They were when I inherited them and there were certain kinds of stipends that were called one thing and certain kinds Of stipends that were called another and this is a carry-over budget some stipends land in this code But not all stipends by any stretch of the imagination. Are we are you still anticipating the over budget part? Yes Okay. Thank you and the next one eight three eight three eight oh four athletic services. Yes, I guess Athletics has been running over budget for quite some time Okay, now I'll direct it to dr. Waddy is through any anticipation of reeling it in or dealing with it What we want to do is find out really What is what should be the athletic budget? and This has been an ongoing issue and in much to our current athletic director and Johnson's efforts. We really are doing we're getting a much better idea There are there are some costs that continue to increase and What we would like to be able to do is to say this is what you can spend and That number has not been as clear as it could have been and it's It's because it's actually difficult to get that clarity about it But we are very getting very close and this number that we have in the budget now is actually Very close to the state report. We did last year And this is the first time that I can remember that the athletic budget really flexed and one of the things I think it's also important for people to know is that the fees Don't even represent they represent less than half. Do you know a percentage less they somewhere have this idea that We're funding that like these 34 ish percent. I'd say off the top of my head Thank you. You anticipated my next question. I appreciate the effort. My last one is line eight seven six oh one And I know this is gonna may be a difficult question to answer Are these expenses? Those were the ones from the summer. Ah, thank you Thank you. Mr. Pierce. Thank you, mr. Chair. I had two quick questions. One is on eight one two oh one Temporary salaries and wages professional It's quite a bit over budget estimating What where is this coming from and what what are our plans to deal with it many of the stipends live in this line Okay, so intensified professional development hits to this line Other types of stipends hit to this line So this is a combination of additional professional development efforts Existing stipends additional stipends. It's really kind of a catch-all the the one immediately below it temporary Wages temporary salaries and wages other is predominantly athletic coaches But not entirely and all of these codes all of this legacy of the stipends is money And it's an area. I've really wanted to get to the bottom of and clean up You know, we kind of are chucking them in big buckets and I don't like that I would like to parse it out more finally. So that's what the plan is going forward is to make degroup Really get clear. You know, what are the stipends what for what purpose? I mean, and we did some preliminary work where we basically came up with five general categories of stipend activity and you know at a minimum have codes for those five so we can look at them academically supportive stipends slash PD Student support stipends, you know clubs and activities athletic support stipends Additional administrative duties stipends. I mean I'm quoting from fallible memory But breaking them down into these kinds of categories so that you could see not only is it a stipend But what is the purpose of the stipend and in general stipends fall into some very distinctive categories? Well, I'm sorry with the follow-ups, but will that will that be able to be put on? Attracting report like this with that amount of detail. Well, yeah I mean if we instead of having eight one two or one if we made up five codes in a sequence somewhere There's all the different kinds of stipends and so we you know We would rename them who we probably add two or three and then you'd say okay athletic stipends that ah, you know Administrative stipends that ah, you know, you would see it in this report Okay, so assuming that that's the case and that's where that's money is going over budget How still how are we going to? to keep this from Budget bus at the end of the year. Well, I mean I think in terms of professional development You know, we're gonna have to be planning differently next year, you know as you saw in the cut lists You know that there was a there was a real need to increase our budget for professional development work And we weren't able to fund that fully, you know, so that's gonna be a pullback point once we get the athletics tightened up That will be a pullback point, you know and and it could be that there are other things being charged here That are not stipends, you know, it could be that someone started out as a part-time Something and they're in they changed to a TA and but their budget code is still hitting to the other You know, there's there's also some bit of muck in there, too. That needs to be peeled out Dr. Allison ampy. Thank you. Um, I have a question on why row 40? It's 8 to 103 power and electricity. I'm wondering why that one's so over Well, because the other funding for that comes out of revolving funds and this is just looking at just moving Yeah, this is just looking at the general fund portion of that the actual cost is not correct all the costs are sitting here But the budget isn't all here. Okay. That's what I was guessing, but and just Following up on mr. Heiner's comments about athletics. I just want to point out again to our viewers that Although our athletic fees are high. I just want to point out that we haven't increased them in multiple years Even though we are seeing rising costs both for transportation and ice time and other assorted things, so practices Yeah, I I know a situation to other schools is We're looking much better than we maybe anticipated which I suppose good Actually, I have a question about this and I was is this not the right time to raise that or or is that That was really in the prior. I should have I know I should have done it. I'm sorry I'm sorry Yeah, I have a question about digital copies of things when you list digital copies. Does that is that a recurring cost in general? We're buying subscriptions to a digital textbook. Oh That's one of the curriculum materials. Yeah, I'm under curriculum materials. I was just wondering what is your question So is digital copies, is that an expense that we would see every few years or is that usually a yearly expense when we buy digital copies? Yeah, usually it's about six years. It depends on the The company and how they structure their fees some are three. Okay. I don't think we have any that are one So they're okay. Okay, four five or six. Okay. Thanks Anything else on the financial report? You're in none. We have two Adams business Number one We have the misfortune of having a meeting scheduled for the 24th of March, which is also the night in which The League of Women Voters holds there. No It changed it So this is a good thing of being in the cycle, so I know what's going on It's been changed to Tuesday the 22nd not because of us It's because the 24th is also a whole way Thursday, which and Which was a problem for some of the candidates, so That's been so I guess we don't need to adjust the March 24th meeting, okay I've Proposed and we've got a doodle poll to have a school committee retreat in May Nancy Walzer is consented to come and work with us to do a refresher on governance and As dr. Seuss didn't participate in the governance project and we will have mr. Pierce's replacement with us On the committee starting in April. I thought this was an important thing to do I consulted with dr. Seuss and she's agreed under her leadership as chair to participate So we did the doodle poll and the prevailing date was May 21st 9 30 to 12 30 so we'll need a motion to Have a board retreat on the 21st of May 9 30 to 12 30 so moved Move by of miss Starks second second by dr. Seuss mr. Heiner I'll wait till after Doesn't it pertains to a retreat but not this but topic, okay? Any discussion on the motion hearing none all in favor I opposed Mr. Heiner last year we had a retreat and I thought that that was this was it on goals Are we going to the To do a second retreat or Goals or what are we going to do? Well, I think that one of the most important things we can do is do the refresher in terms of the governance some of this will Naturally touch goals, but I think that I would ask the current of the incoming chair to have a conversation with Nancy Walzer about What how to structure this and whether we can so it I Guess where I'd ask The and future chair to let us know if the I Think a meeting on governance is absolutely wonderful, especially with for you and for the Mr. Pistols replacement value what we did last year to some extent on on having that I don't want to diminish you either part of it because it took all of Several meetings for us originally due to the governance and and the uptake but the goals I value that last year I'm not suggesting maybe it might take two. I don't know but Dr. Seuss I can I can tell you what I'm thinking. I I'm seeing this governance meeting to be bigger Potentially Issues about what we want the goals to look like it included in our discussion Because I think that we started to have that conversation last time and we didn't really finish it So I'd love to have that kind of I think that once we have that discussion my thinking is when we meet again To finalize the goal to to craft them That we potentially have a lot a shorter meeting then that's what I'm thinking right now. I don't But but it's definitely I mean I I agree. I mean there's a balance We don't want to have too many meetings, but we definitely want to have the meetings that we need to to discuss There are the things that we need to discuss Yeah, so what's the time just one of you mr. Pierce knows the timeline when do we Have to approve the goals for fiscal year 17 by June 30th, right? So by the isn't that right? Yeah, so it's by the end of June so We have some time between the governance workshop and the end of June to kind of meet offline to finalize goals naturally when the discussion of goals, but There they were intertwined but I before we go too far down the discussion I will connect Nancy walser to dr. Seuss and have them Discuss what they think can happen so that we're not talking about this blindly But the board's interest in revisiting goals on a retreat format is noted Yeah, but I think we're not talking about I don't think we're talking about the overarching goals, right? You're talking about Yeah, I think it'd be valuable to have a high level discussion before we start some wordsmith Okay, and that's that's what my thinking right now And I've you and if you started just the administrative team started thinking about FY 17 goals So I so I think at our timing. We don't want to get ahead of the administrative team When do you think we'll probably March okay, so we're consistent with your time. We're not getting ahead of you. Okay. That's why I wanted to thank you Miss it's Gerald Would you kindly notify the two people who were running for school committee who were not at the table tonight? Did we intend to have that and should? One of them be elected I Which is highly likely seeing that there's Three candidates for two seats That we hope that they keep that data over Mr. Pierce it is it is by May 15th. Oh The oh the goals. Okay. Okay, so that's a quick timing. Yeah Well, the thing is is that I'm so that we can't that's there is so I guess I guess this workshop Okay, so that's what I want to clear. Yeah, okay, so this is governance on this government. So okay, so since we're on top of the goals I'm wondering if One of the subcommittee should work with the Administrative leadership to kind of vet some goals and then before they're brought for the committee. That's a great. Okay So it can be the curriculum committee if you people want or it could be another I Mr. Heiner Since the goals are tied into the superintendent's evaluation piece. Maybe belongs to accountability. Yeah, that's what I mean Yeah, I'm sorry accountability. Thank you. You owe me and I picked up the words. That's the long title committee All right, so we'll we'll try to It'll be the next yeah, yeah nothing here in restricts us from going Doing another retreat or coming in at another time the May dates were picked because that was when Nancy was available I tell what I'll so I'll talk to Dr. Boney and see when the administrative team is gonna have a draft Do you if it's in March? We can do it If not, there's a new school committee that sits in April or something. We can do it until that I think that it Would probably merit doing after the election because I would think that a new member would want to have a say in the Oh, yeah The committee can't vote for me 15, but it's not gonna talk about vetting. Yeah Or having a dialogue with the administration about goals. Yeah, yeah, like a new member to be able to participate if they choose Okay, it seems to me be kind of important, but that it's up to the board what they want to do Yeah Dr. Bode well the policy says that I think what's happened in the last few years is the process has taken a little bit longer Maybe this will yeah, help it. Well, I think we have Mr. Gerald can confirm this, but I'm pretty sure the final vote on goals has always been the last meeting of the school committee of the Year, yeah, that has been a break. That's an action. That's that's what's happened now I think that the goals have been presented early May for beginning discussion and But I think having something before comes the whole committee might not be a bad idea Okay, so I'm gonna new committee and April so we have to worry about it. Okay, okay Superintendent's report and Dr. Bode this will also include Information regarding the school enrollment task force It will There's sort of be a combination. I think that we have three members here on the task force, but I think this is something that is very much on people's minds of what what what how we're going to be moving forward so What I thought it would do is give a little bit of a shorter version of a Presentation up that I gave the other night a task force with my recommendation and the reasons why And there's some things that this committee Perhaps should begin a discussion on this evening. Not I also have some other things on the report as well That we can get to and by the way since we're talking about goals and accountability. This is think of this as a What this is one of the goals? So we're getting an update where we are Okay It's true Very much so it's certainly something that has Frankly been rather dominant on my on my dance card this year for sure My recommendation after a lot of thought about this is that the best solution or Moving forward with addressing Ottesons enrollment growth is to have this committee vote to have vote to use Gibbs as a school again There are no There are no solutions that are not without as positives and negatives challenges and Obstacles there's just none of them and it's only when you go through each one and you look at the costs and Some of the challenges are the positives Timelines that you really you start weighing all of these and look to see what really is Probably makes the most sense the basis of my decision is that certainly one of the one of the things that I hear a lot Who teaches in the school as well and I from parents is the issue of having a smaller educational environment If we were to put an addition on Otteson That would make a very large facility of 1400 students and be honest if That was a viable alternative I actually might lean that direction because I think that we could do a good job as a school system in creating Small learning environments within the school But the fact is that it's really not a good feasible alternative Because it doesn't lay out. Well, there's a lot of structural problems in the site itself Connectivity there I have a sketch of and I'm happy to share it with you Just received the other day a sketch of what an addition might be but in actually in a conversation today With our architect that helped me on this Looking at maybe another model But no matter what model you look at there are problems in terms of how the building how this addition would connect What a labyrinthian walk it would be toward media center cafeteria the other piece of the other piece of this is that When you put on an addition to an existing building it always triggers other codes in the building the existing building and Until we actually would look at that which by the way this task force wants us to look deeper into both the Gibbs I'll talk more about that in a minute and the in the Otteson alternative But when you look deeper All the costs those are potentially going to be significant The other issue just because it because the two are so intertwined as to why one is preferable to the other is that Just putting up the building the addition while you have modulars on site if for a couple years is going to make the site just Very difficult To for students for teachers It's just going to be difficult to have all that activity and that upset on one small piece of property The other issue that Leans toward on Gibbs is that it's probably the quickest solution of Any of the possibilities and they're on that that report that I gave you now It's public to anybody who wants to see it on the task force committee handling the options How we're going to handle the options for Otteson enrollment? if we were to if we were to for example Put an addition on Otteson That process is probably going to take three to four years In just in terms of all the design the bidding the construction and the actual construction itself Meanwhile, you're having modulars there. It is possible With the Gibbs solution should we back it out and begin some movement toward it? It could be possible July 17 to begin construction so that students could be in the building in 18 which would mean that we'd have one year of Eight modular classrooms at the middle school If we have to wait yet another year, we're going to have to add on probably at least two more modulars classrooms and incur the cost of continuing to rent the ones that we already have as Well as adding the cost of installing two more so it's really good. It's it's it's a cost issue as well To not be able to do that another issue is that Is that by investing in Gibbs the town is going to be able to Is going to be able to keep that property and building for a long time? The situation is is that the building? Is not in prime shape it needs a lot of work and some of the work Has been deferred and deferred what really needs to get done has been done We're getting a boiler, but it's been as and a band-aid basis. There's going to come a point And it won't be too long down the road before those band-aids are going to need they're not going to work And we're going to need to do more investment and at that point the town is going to have to decide whether They're going to continue being a landlord there and Whether we can have the revenue to was to offset the cost of all the repairs. So I mean it's it's We have to invest in something and there's been this fall and I appreciate everybody's input into this because I think it's been a very dynamic and engaging conversation we've had an enormous number of options to take a look at and In and I think that's been a great a great process but And they've included Gibbs and they've included new schools and they've included but the thing is that We're going to have to invest in one of those and If the town does that investment that money is is not going to be put into Gibbs And and I think that that's part of how we need to think about it Is this an asset that the town wants to hold on to for a long time? And without that kind of investment in money, it's really will it probably not going to happen It's Potentially the cost of renovating Gibbs might be one of the least expensive of the options as well if you I will tell you already that the task force has taken off the table doing a new school and Also doing a wing an eighth-grade wing or just adding having the eighth grade here at in the high school project and There were the two factors in that with a cost If you were to build a brand new Smaller middle school for say around 500 to 600 students you would You would probably choose to have 80,000 square feet. That's what is is going on right now and if you look at projects that MSBA is funding That's about what it would be Well new construction Is about $400 a square foot So it's a very expensive option not the other issue with a brand new school is that We don't have a land for it unless you can choir it some way and most of the land in town is under Under under conservation or it's under parks and rec in both cases I think you've got to go to the state legislature for a homeroom petition on it. It's it's quite a process So if that is going to be an expensive alternative and long and I and then the other part of that new school is does Does the town? Want to do a project like this without the support of MSBA and if the answer is no then we have to wait to the high school is Well along and though in order to even you know, we should be we could submit it But they're probably not going to be considered Until well along and then that could take a couple of years and then the construction itself will take from beginning To end about four years So it's it's so far off to solve our media problem Same thing with the high school the high school is going to be at least five years from now to when we have the project complete and The cost is going to be more than you would think because there There was an assumption in this idea that there be we could we could just easily share all the core facilities and that's not really probably likely and Just take one of the core facilities gym right now we use both gyms most of the day and By the time we get further along the high school population is going to increase and we're going to really be needing to use both gyms There is not going to be the possibility of use of having the eighth grade use a gym They do it they have a gym program twice a week if you look at our elementary schools Just to give you an idea because we've talked a lot about that at the table. We have a school of 450 students a Gym we have we have double classes in gyms the two classes per Week in order to cover all the time so we would almost need an entirely We need a third gym here on site in order to Have the program So we have 2100 kids on this site with an a third gym And it wouldn't happen for five years and during that time Have modular costs at the middle school up to up to 20 18 to 20 modulars during that period of time So it just didn't seem like a feasible option and would deal with our immediate need So it's going through this process thinking deeply about it all the implications that you finally start to say Well, that doesn't that doesn't make sense. That doesn't make any sense. So right now the task force is considering the two options of the Gibbs renovation and An addition at the middle school and they've asked to have a more in-depth Look at the numbers of what would have to be done and now while this report that I gave this task force has already looked at that I Think that we could go even you know deeper to get a more more costs. So for example it at Gibbs The cost for renovation it was based on what is the going rate right now, which is 275 dollars Square foot Well, we probably and that's not a bad way of doing it. In fact, that's often how when a designer comes in and does their Proposal they they do it on square footage that you because until you really get into schematics of a Project you don't cost these things out, but we could do some costing out for example with HVAC We know that if this if the town wants to hold on to that building long term patching It isn't going to be the right thing to do. So what is it going to cost? What kind of a HVAC system would we get and we could cost that out? and Those are the kinds of things and you know dividing up with the space So for example The current Gibbs doesn't have a lunch room a cafeteria or kitchen. So how where would you put that on site? What would that cost we can do a lot of that in fact? Lori Coles from HMH is is putting together proposal right now after the task force I contacted her To look at it exactly that forgives and the same thing for the middle school which will involve structural and Mechanical engineers and their cost estimator. So I think we'll have a we'll even get in a little bit more deeply into this But basically right now we're down to these two options As I said to the task force a lot of people talking about well should the if we do give should that be a six through eight Or should be a single grade and that is a decision that would have to come from the committee And I think we'll have to have more discussion about that When would we have to know well? If we go with give it's probably in the next few months because it may affect How how room is our configured? The classrooms that's not an issue the cafeteria is not an issue the gym And all those things are not really an issue in terms of educational space But for example the number of world language classrooms would be so there's some curriculum decisions that would have to be made special education classrooms We have that's actually gonna be much more complex Than I anticipated Regardless of which we go with so that would have those things that we've thought about and So we will this is gonna be a little bit more ongoing But I would like to keep us moving down this path so that we don't get in a position where we've excluded up an excluded put ourselves in a position where we couldn't move forward with one of the options and in his most The fastest way possible So essentially those are the main ideas And I know that the people on the task force Might want to talk a little bit more about some other issues. Let me see if there's anything Big ideas. I miss no not really There's a lot more here, but you know, I think those that covers it The key ideas doctor says I just have a question at the relationship between a vote that I seen We need to take and then a vote that I that the task force needs to take sort of the timing of all that Okay, yes, but the task force Will need to probably be the the the body that makes a recommendation as to which to go forward on and then Then there's gonna be timing in terms of town meeting debt exclusion overrides There's the debt exclusion. However, the scheduling of that is a select win decision, right, right the decision Before this committee are two things if we go with Gibbs, we have to decide which which we're gonna do a single grade or six or eight the other the other vote that you're gonna have to take down the road is Taking the Gibbs back because the lease ends in June and that's The timing in which the between now and the end of June that vote has to be taken as to whether you're gonna continue to excise it So the other vote when what timing would we need to do to take that vote? But this the model the educational model I Don't know exactly yet because I don't know how long I don't have the proposal yet in terms of how long it's going to Take but my guess is that if we begin it Probably the sooner the better in April ish Because then as I said most of regardless of which decision it is most of the school is Going to be the same We're gonna have so many classrooms And the core areas it's more with the the smaller spaces I will say that I asked that question of Ms. Coles and she said you know the We can't people should not have the expectation that this next level of study is Really the true cost of it you never know the cost for project to you go out to bed But and you get the woods back And when you go into schematics on a project, that's when you can start even sort of changing spaces So this is not in any way precluding so I Wouldn't think that you'd have to make it in April, but I can find out But I think the conversation and the pros and cons of it can certainly go forward And I know that you're thinking about that too in terms of how to engage parents in that conversation Mr. Heiner I think it's important for us to make this decision informed have a good discussion as soon as possible based on The discussion you have a night to go out. I Agree with dr. Bodie. You're not going to have a definitive cost factor that we can go to the bank on But if we're going to have a six to eight That part of the configuration is dr. Bodie said may expand language programs and things of that nature as opposed to one great I think it's important for the people that are going to be doing the study that we're talking about Have a general idea of what the program that they are going to be asked to look at and get the thing on The other thing I would ask the chair again to have dr. Bodie talk to council for the proper language and for notification of the tenants I Want to make sure that we're doing that as It's a definitive vote that we're going that way. I think that's the direction we're going but at the same time It's important to have the correct language and the timing Thank you Okay, I think the consensus of the committee is would like to have Which I would hope that we have that for the next meeting Whether we act upon it or not Is up to us, but I think that to have it in hand is important dr. Allison ampy Thank you, I appreciate that you sent us the information that you sent to the task force a couple nights ago I've been thinking a lot since your recommendation came out about the six versus six through eight and How are we going to make that choice? things that are coming up to my mind are How much will it cost? I mean will there be a cost differential? And I the back of envelope calculations that I'm doing suggests that there would be a significant cost differential And I think we need that as a number For as part of our discussion it needs to include we probably would get rid of busing costs so we need to know what those numbers are but I Can show you how I was coming up with numbers just making guesses of what the split would be and what the class size is and then Trying to deal in things But as I've been thinking about this as a school committee member who's going to have to make This decision is six eight versus a six. I can see lots of pluses for the six eight But my concern is when I think back over All the past years the complaints that we've heard I'd say inequity has been a core of almost all of them I especially things that come up with really upset people and When I think about our budget and how tight our budget is and Think about adding I was coming up with hundreds of thousands of dollars of costs of having It be a split school. I mean to split middle schools As opposed to a single grade I'm having a really hard time justifying Those additional costs and trying to figure out how are we going to maintain Equity of education for all of our students across the town and I'm also concerned that the buildings are inherently unequal and You're going to just because the buildings are so different Can't offer people the option of you know open enrollment go to either middle school or something That worse if we go to a split middle school we're setting up a situation where We're just we're adding to the inequity and I'm Concerned about this and I think we need there's numbers that we need to add to it But we also need to be thinking about this. I can give you lots of reasons why it would be good to have the split middle schools But I'm really worried that the numbers to me maintaining equity is Addressing the main theme that I've heard from people all along for for multiple years and So that's something I'm really looking hard at Actually done that and I can give you where my my calculations are I should have sent that to you as well Yes, you're absolutely correct. It's going to be incremental cost There's always going to be cross in terms of an enrollment growth But there are going to be incremental cost and I think they're in the neighborhood of 700 $750,000 that would be ongoing. I think the sixth grade there would be a little less Just because a part of the cost you can't entirely capture is like parts of people when you move them And that's actually when we had this discussion. We need to talk about that but No, that is that is a factor and if if I thought Frankly if I thought that an addition was feasible and was a good site for an addition I Think that's the direction I would go, but I don't see it feasible Yeah, I wasn't trying to suggest doing the addition It was just I'm concerned about incremental cost of doing a split middle school as opposed to a sixth grade and seven eight That when you you have two schools, which are both smaller and there's just Inefficiencies because when you break the kids down into classes you end up having to add in another teacher over here Where we have the whole group you can even them all out. It's exactly right Um, Mr. Thielman, were you I thought Mrs. Stark said her hand up first. Okay, I just I wanted to also bring up the discussion We had about the cost We talked up with finance Chair and I didn't know if you were gonna go there. I gotta go there. Yeah, bring you want to bring it up bring that Yeah, I just was talking about oddison. Yeah, but should we talk about Thompson right now? Well, no, I mean the cost of doing the study The cost of doing the study Yes, well, I've I've talked about that with With miss Coles and I just had to wait and see what the proposal is and We will work with finance committee to find the money the I Think that it I think that I've narrowed it down or I think what people need to And if we can keep it under what the procurement number is without having to go out to bid that would be ideal Because time is of the essence when you have to go out and get quotes and it just takes much more time I Think it can be but I don't know for a fact now Where are we gonna get the money to do this the finance committee has suggested that we do take it out of school funds and Take it out of reserve counts Another another possibility is that they would share the cost with us out of their reserve fund And I also want to remind you that we have $200,000 sitting in the finance committee reserve fund separate and apart from theirs that we have a Article to move that money to the stabilization account Specialized stabilization account. It's possible because it's not earmarked now to use some of that money one question that came up at the Committee meeting was could we when a debt exclusion goes out? Could the money be reimbursed and One member said didn't think it was illegal How the mechanism would work? So I think we could do that I Think if we I think that's the best way of going forward because Otherwise, we're gonna have to wait much longer and the longer we wait The you know the less chance we're gonna have to be able to get this done in the time frame we need to get it done So I just wanted to make sure that people understood. I thought it was a gracious offer by mr. Tosti. I mean he spoke And said listen, I'm chair of finance committee. I can't speak for them They would have to vote on this but what if we shared the cost? What if it was a 50-50 we'll take some money out of our budget you take some money out of your budget And we'll get it done right away, and you know, I think everyone was very Eager to get this underway because One of the things that John was saying Who's the engineer who's on the on the committee John Coles right? Was saying that you know We're a very tight squeeze to make it in for the you know 18 school year and so anything we can do to kind of pull it up and so we said well if we can start this right now But we don't have the money right now because we haven't asked for the money And so Al said well, why don't we think about splitting it? So he was willing to go back to the finance committee and ask them and see what they thought and so It was I thought it was a gracious way to kind of move it all forward and really a Really made me think that they also are starting to see how Quickly we need to solve this problem And that they are also working on it So I was I thought that that was really a good outcome of that meeting so the the school enrollment task force voted to Have us come back at the next meeting with a vote by the school committee Authorizing the superintendent to work with the chair of the finance committee to identify funds in both budgets for a study of Odesson gives and Thompson And so our task tonight is to pass that motion direct the superintendent to Identify funds and then for her to report back at the meeting on March May something No, no, you're right. It's much earlier in March 9th and 9th. I don't know March 9 Mr. Sterrell, do you know what the motion is? I'll do it again. So moved that the superintendent is directed to identify funds within the school budget or its reserve To finance with the finance committee to fund with the finance committee a architectural study of the Odesson the Gibbs and the Thompson expansion Okay, moved and seconded any discussion on the motion Dr. Seuss so The understanding is that this is a much bigger study than just going to Lori and sort of this is the study that they were pushing for at the task force that study they're pushing for it is Larger than it's going to Lori, but I trust the superintendent to Be in touch with members of the school enrollment task force to see if there might be a way to do this without going through the procurement Process So she's inclined to do that and if she can come up with a solution that meets everyone's Expectations great if we can't then we have to go through the procurement Any other discussion on the motion dr. House and ampy I just wanted to clarify so my understanding the reason that we're looking at What the cost of an addition at the Odesson is is just Because as we go out to the voters for debt exclusions we need that it's due diligence Not that we're expecting to go down that plane It's that it's more for due diligence and showing that this is not funny. Okay. Well, it's due diligence and also if we God forbid do a debt exclusion vote that doesn't Prevail for the Gibbs then there's a fallback plan That we could you know so but but I think the larger the larger issue that the better way to look at this is That it gives the voters Evidence that we've done our due diligence We're able to present to the voters that we look at all of these different options and the only viable option is the Gibbs For many reasons one we can't expand the Odesson to we would lose the Gibbs facility if we didn't do this because it's not in good shape three Depending on what we decided to do whether sixth grade or sixth or eight Hopefully we can argue before the voters that it's educationally sound, you know, that's important So for all those reasons we're doing that That's that yeah Yeah, this is back to the previous discussion Word on the motion on the motion. No, no, sorry. Okay on the motion and either for the discussion is seeing none all in favor I oppose That's unanimous. Thank you. Now dr. Seuss you can go back to the rest of the discussion So just back to the discussion about If if we take over Gibbs, which is what we seem likely to be voting for Whether we should go for a sixth grade or a six through eight I Was I think I've mentioned this before I was at a room in Bishop at the PTO meeting where Initially parents were ninety percent opposed to a single grade option six great option and a couple of teachers in the room spoke up and Talked about why they thought a sixth grade only option was educationally valuable and After this teacher spoke the room shifted and it was very interesting and to realize I mean this is You know, we don't understand these models because we haven't seen them before so that it that that people's opinions shift over time I would urge the superintendent to reach out to the community need them I mean, I think we what we as community need is to hear from Those educators about the benefits and disadvantages of what they've seen In a public forum at the school committee, I sort of think that that's our next step. I think Dr. Broglie do you want to comment any further on that? Mr. Heiner I think the discussion we're having now is great, but we need to have definitive numbers on cost and Programs both the education and the economic aspect of the thing Hopefully it'll be the education aspect that drives it, but where we are cost also was a is a determiner We need that information and when we get that digested then have the discussion and that's the discussion on the Configuration yes, I would ask that we do this as soon as possible because going forward on the study. We just I Think that's an integral part of the direction of that study if we're doing a one-grade as opposed to a multi-grade Mr. Thielman so the other thing so regarding the vote to not renew the lease For the tenants of the Gibbs. I think that's something that we can't just we can't just say We're going to get a language from the superintendent next week and then take a vote I think we got a we got to announce the date We're going to take the vote because we need to hear from all people in the community Mm-hmm, so actually I think the scope of your decision-making in this topic is whether you're going to Continue to excise it correct. I think the awarding of leases is in the realm of That's right of the So I think the question the question is you know I Think I know where the world we're going to go I think I know where I'm going to go But I think it's important that where there's due process and allow the public to have input I think it's an important part of the culture of the town. So I'm I'm uncomfortable with the idea of just doing it Next week when we get language and I'm wondering when you think dr. Bode when do you think it's a good time to do it? I Really need to find out when the proposal when the study can be done What's what how much time is it going to take and I probably might know that in a couple days and I can Let you know We just had the Tuesday. We just had the meeting Tuesday night put the proposal out there Asking for a proposal and so it may not be some next week. I get an answer all right So I think we need I think it needs to be announced in the agenda well in advance We're going to take this vote and it needs to be clear so that we can hear from everybody I think it needs to be an item in the next agenda And we can have a discussion on it. We can have people coming in If they so choose to discuss it But I think that it needs to be in our agenda for the next meeting so we can get and we'd have a Proposed vote in hand is a road map For where we are going because having that vote out there is really sort of like a warrant article It's a warning that this is serious. We're about to make the decision This is the language of a proposed vote. We've asked for the language So that it so it's sitting there and it doesn't come as a surprise But my concern and and I don't want to get into a debate here I'm as the chair if I were a member sitting out there I'd be forceful on this but I I Worry about the long-term impact of any kind of delay At this point, I'm looking at two proposals If we are heading towards a Gibbs proposal Then it is not in our advantage to allow that process to delay Because there are kids who need to be housed and educated and it will be more costly and more disruptive if we Lose the opportunity to open that building in fiscal 18 so we can study we can prepare we can do everything we need to do but I don't want this committee to Lose momentum to the point where something we've done is put us in a position where we can't achieve a September 18th deadline if I think that can happen Whenever we take the vote I don't think because I think there's two things going on one is is the desire for the study Mm-hmm And so and the other thing is is so the vote in the vote doesn't if you want it You're the chair if you want to put in the agenda for the 10th it takes place in the 10th I do we want to coordinate this with a school enrollment task force Yeah, it would coordinate the which yeah, yeah, you know I Would like the Administrators to have a chance to sort of talk about this. Yeah, I tell you why cuz I have I've heard a lot of arguments as to one choice over the other and And Is this configuration? No, that yeah, that's different. Are we back looking? No, no, no, no not configuration We're talking about only talking about the Gibbsville Gibbs. Yeah, the Gibbsville. Sorry about that Yeah, I think that it's it's been delegated to the task force to make a recommendation Yeah, and to make the recommendation come back here to the committee And then we vote on that task force is one and then the task force will look at what the next steps are going to be in Terms of moving it forward. So we're trying to build a Coalition to Get that override debt exclusion. That's what all of this is about. So I think a appropriate process Would be next no two Tuesday nights from March March 24th, no, no, no March March 10th March 10th, no, no the school to the test March 8th task force meeting on the March so at the March 8th task force meeting I think you and you and the town manager to do the agenda So March 8th school enrollment task force meets I think on the since we're in a public meeting I can talk about that at March 8th at that meeting. There should be an agenda item Gibbs decision Yes, okay, and then once that and then and then once we have that then we can come to the school committee of the I don't know whether what the task force is asked for Can be accomplished by then I thought it was April 8th, but I can March 8th March 8th is the meeting They asked at the task force was for us to take a vote authorizing you to find money to do the study and for you to come back at the meeting on the 8th with Costs cost and a timeline Study that was it not to have the study, but the cost and the timeline for the study That's why it was only going to be two weeks away And at that meeting I think we should if we're going to take the vote as a school committee I think we should we should put the with the Gibbs question on the table Mr. Heiner that makes sense I asked for earlier was that the superintendent Get the legal opinion on drafting it didn't ask for it for the next week or whatever just so we have that in hand Yes, whenever we decide to do it. We have the right thing going The other night unless I was on another planet the consensus no vote taking was that we're heading to Gibbs So that would be in line with having the legal opinion Ready for us to go forward everything else that you just said as far as getting the cost or get an estimate Was tasked to the superintendent and the town manager having us ready But to go forward we part of our job and that is our job is to make that decision on the configuration So on our meeting for the 10th of March We need to have or hopefully to the committee before so we can be prepared for discussion those elements of the economic and the educational aspects of a one-grade or a multi-grade going forward on that so if we take a vote on the 10th to to Notify the tenants will be prepared if we defer that to a late date we can Mike and I want to be able to talk about it at the next meeting Which is why I want it on the agenda and I want the language available the next meeting so we know What decision we would need to be taking that's why I structured it that way I'm not saying we need to take the vote at the next meeting But I want both things to happen at the next meeting to have the ability to talk about it and knowledge of what we're talking Because it's a legal document. We need to have that Clear in our mind what we have to do and the steps we have to do Yeah, I want that perfectly outlined So if we're going to the Gibbs option we have everything we need in hand to go and do that That's all I'm asking for I'm not asking to force a decision on on the 10th Dr. Allison api I Just want to follow up. I think we don't want just the language of what the vote is we need to understand the Mechanism who's the who does a notification? I mean and what what our role is in is in it and also what the options are after that because I'm thinking We can vote to or we can direct Whoever to vote to not renew the lease but that doesn't necessarily mean that we are telling them that they have to leave And that's that's a separate thing. We need to understand what all the moving parts are here So that we understand when decisions need to be made because we may have Notification deadlines or we meaning the town may have notification deadlines for when even if we don't renew their lease that We have to say a year ahead that you're going to have to leave that's different Superintendent Bode is this something that would Town council would be addressing. I will definitely talk to town council. I think that your vote needs to wait Until the task force makes a recommendation. Yes. Yeah, I think that's pretty important That's not going to happen until we get the outcome of the thing that we're trying to pay for None of this is going to happen at our next meeting We're trying to do is make sure that the study happened before June 30th so that we could make the vote This vote is going to be very tight. It is not going to be in March. It is not going to be in April Right, it's going to be in May or early June because we won't yeah because we won't have the information We won't have the outcome of the study Oh, hold on I want to know And You know where we take the vote may be governed by what the What what our advice is is what the steps that we need to do are visa v The task force visa v town meeting visa v the select been putting something on the ballot for a debt exclusion I mean these all come into play, but we need to know what our role in this is now The one thing that I the other thing I would say is that the task force took the other Options off the table. I think it was appropriate. I think they looked at them and said it's too costly or too impractical I Look at an addition at Oddison is being impractical If I had my way I'd be taking that off the table and using our prerogative say that's the one that we can't live with Educationally that you can't put 1,400 kids up on that site The architectural problems are just huge trying to blast into that Into that ledge across the parking lot and then to try to come back That is not a suitable site for a bigger school And I don't think that it's in our interest to have the largest middle school in the state that that's my opinion And if I could I'd take that option off the table and we'd be moving forward right now But we've got we've made the commitment to do the study But I also want to have every bit of language and process and procedure we have In hand so that we do not find ourselves Delayed at some point where we're looking around figuring out what to do and next thing, you know We're not gonna we've we've missed something that gets us to a point where we can't have this open in 2018 and that's my goals to get this done by 2018 because the cost and the disruption of extending it past that date is Is major and I think that We have sat here as Good listeners we presented this problem to the town almost a year ago And we've had town hall forms. We've had Lots of engagement by the community lots of people going out talking to folks We have done everything we can to put to solicit every option To vet every option We've done a great job I think that it's time that we start moving forward because of the urgency that that's just where I'm standing and Unfortunately as a chair, you know, I sound a little too proactive in this. I realize that I need to defer to go where the committee wants to go But I the only thing I can say is let's have All our ducks in line Let's have all our papers and our votes and in a clear sense of the process in line So we know what to do and then can have a sense of When we need to hit certain steps in order to make that happen by 2018 that's that's my position I'm not going to try to talk you into doing anything But I want those decision points to be clear and have us with the resources to make them when it needs to happen and if The discussion tonight is building it if the members here who were on the task force are bringing back sort of a message In their mind as to what we're thinking. That's not a bad thing Even without a vote saying that the school committee wants to go in a certain direction Which I wouldn't call for at this point anyway, but I think that The reason why we're having this conference at conversation now is so that everybody in this room has a chance to Deliberate and that the community and the task force and each other have a sense of where each member is so I Sort of like to go around the room very quickly to get a sense of where people are thinking whether or not oddison is a Viable option and if they are committed to expediting this to have a school open in 2018 Just a statement of opinion or thoughts on on those two questions And I'll repeat them again, please. Yeah, I basically the question is If there are members here who think that oddison is a viable option that we should spend time thinking about or if Or the poor almost certainly going to Gibbs and then Are is there a commitment to moving this to the point of getting a school open in 2018? Mr. Heyner, I do not think oddison is an option given all the reasons. Dr. Buddy has already stated. I think going forward with gifts and I support doing it as Quickly as we can with due diligence to open it in 18. Okay, mr. Pierce what he said, okay, dr. Allison ampy Pretty much what they said. I I'd like to see the numbers that are coming in but it sounds I can't Figure out how we could possibly put a workable addition at oddison Thank you miss Starks. Yeah, if what comes back is that there really is no way to make a workable solution up there Then I'm absolutely for whatever the superintendent recommends Mr. Thielman. Yeah, I'm I think once the report comes back from the architects and technicians I'd probably be where miss Starks is and accept the superintendent's recommendation dr. Seuss I think I agree with superintendent that theoretically a large middle school could work I think if we were building one from scratch we could create a structure that would work But given the current configuration. It doesn't work I cannot support And I would like to see us move as expeditiously as possible You get a building open in 2018. Mr. Thielman. So I think I think we're I don't think anyone's expressed a Opinion opposed to the chair's opinion. No one's said anything opposite of what you've said. I think the question is Are you sort of clarify you proposing a vote on the 10th? No, okay I'm not I'm not proposing any vote in the 10th. Okay. This little exercise was a point so that the three of you who were on the Task Force can co-back with a sense of this board after this conversation and that the people who are watching us and the news And the folks in the media can report back our thinking So that the community gets an understanding of where we are looking at the data that we have today and Sort of seeing how we're sketching things out for the future So I would I would like to have a proposed vote and as much information is Possible for the 10th with the provision that we wouldn't be voting it on the 10th But that we'd have it there because that's what we're talking about That's the direction that we seem to be moving toward and that we need to know what we would need to do to Execute that if indeed that's where we're going. Okay, so I still have the floor. So in addition addition To that information on a legal vote. It's not it's not a complicated question It's you know, the school could the school department is going to repossess the Gibbs school on June 30th 2017 It's or that's pretty it's a one-sentence vote or something like that But in addition to that I think one thing we need to be clear on on March 10th Or actually by March 8th for you is that what Laurie tells you about a timeline? right The timeline for the research I'll get that I'll get that information that you're looking for in terms of what the vote needs to be as far as No, it did occur to me that it probably would be a good idea if the committee could Authorize me and I think it may have been covered on under your motion to be able besides identify The funds but to be able to go ahead and use the funds Because it might be possible once we get a proposal to just start moving forward and we may even have before that date 10 some tentative numbers as well Because I wouldn't want to hold it up if we can get this thing off the ground next week Well, I think you got it. I think we got it, you know, I think you have to talk to some members of the task force Who have an idea that I mean there were different? Opinions about the depth of the research that needed to be done Okay, because some people wanted an in-depth look at the mechanicals in the building the entire HVAC in both sites So that's a level of technicality that you and the architect on the task force and Lori Coles should have that's a discussion you guys should have and I'm going to defer to wherever you guys come up with What we will do as soon as I get the proposal send it out to the task force and I'll include all of you and getting a copy of it as well Actually, I had a slightly different interpretation of what the task force was asking for besides all you've said I Have the interpretation that Go forward and get this done And report back That was my interpretation of it. And so Very quickly I don't I do not think that's I thought they wanted something along the FM HMFH cut type reports that took forever Because that's what John can say. Yeah, right is like he was saying this is going to take Because they all thought it was going to take hundreds of thousands of dollars and weeks and weeks of procurement and time And that's why we wanted to do it ASAP because in order to get it done before June so that we could make that vote That's that's why it wasn't just a but if it doesn't and We can get what the with satisfies the task force, right? Can I move forward? It seems like we need some clarity from the task force Hold on. I think you need to talk to the task force Do you need to talk to the chairman of the permanent town building committee who raised Get clarity from him and maybe do a conference call with the chairman of the public Permanent town building committee and the architect from HMFH and you to make sure you're all on the same page because he drove that just part of the discussion Mr. Heiner I support letting the superintendent go forward with only one caveat that Going forward there is some maneuverability for us from when we decide which way the programs are going to go That's all. Oh, yeah Great configuration is really Secondary secondary to the whole process. Yeah, you know if we all I'm concerned with if that is part If somewhere along the line, which you ever study we're going with if that ends up being part of the study It has to have that flexibility if it's not part of the study you indicated earlier that 90% or 70% of the building is going to be the same whether it's one or multiple grade But there may be some difference if that's not a consideration I'm an educator. I'm not an architect by any means if that isn't a factor in the thing And I have no problem and I think I can figure it remember configuration is ours It's not the task force right, but if that study comes back and the study is only addressing one configuration We're talking about renovating the same amount of square feet no matter how we divide up the rooms then I just understood because I thought Dr. Body indicated that there may be more rooms if it's a multi-grade the program as opposed to Figure differently with the same building, right? Yes, yeah, so that's not the issue fine. That's not the issue Okay, and we're not going to seed our authority on that. I'm not suggesting we are yeah Can I just make comment on it? I don't think that It would it would impact at all this level of study where it will impact is the next when you actually have to Do the schematics on it nobody's expecting that this study is going to be the schematic drawings Right of either proposals it can't be because then you're into hundreds of thousands of dollars That's wasn't the intent. I didn't know that's definitely not yet John Cole suggested a similar program to what we did for Stratton and that was that that was a significant cost to do that study and it took a considerable amount of time That's what John was coming from the other night, and I didn't hear it We all left there with different Ideas we came to a consensus, but what we came to consensus with I think we came out with different thoughts Okay, Dr. Allison ampy. I just wanted to point out that I understand we're going out for three studies and that I don't I Think we could suggest that they don't all have to be done at the same time that and we should tell them which one We want done first I'm thinking is Gibbs, but maybe it's Thompson. I don't know. Maybe we just we should be thinking about that I like that all the one all right since we should talk about the elementary school now Really, this is all been about Madison. Mm-hmm. All right. I still recommend that we add six classrooms on to Thompson and The schedule is this that if we're going to have that building that the addition and completed in September 17 We would need to begin construction and so have everything ready for construction by late November next year Takes 10 months. That's Inquiring about this so the next step in Thompson actually would be to begin the design process and This is the issue because This is where we're going to have to go out in a bid format Because the design process is not going to be under the procurement limit It may be that the other will not either once I get a proposal back it might not be but right now it's hovering It's hovering there because I know how much we spent on threaten so We're gonna have to go out for a design and if we wait to town meeting to identify the money That might be a little late in getting going on it. So that was actually one of the suggestions from Mr. Tosti is that we look at where we could the school department could find money in its budget to go forward with that process now and That was also part of the offer. Can we work with you on this? So That we're talking I don't I don't want to really put a number on it But we're talking about a couple we're talking in the hundreds of thousands a couple hundred thousand on this going into that now One of the things that was helpful to know is if we get a debt exclusion on this That the money that we expend can be replaced So that's good. I'm not sure what the process will be but there's an intent that that could happen So I would like to go forward and get this process going Now the reason why there's some hesitation in going full steam is that members of the task force want to be sure that The numbers that we're going to see it at the at Thompson and Hardy are going to actually Be the same as the McKibben numbers and justify this and they want to wait until the fall But if you wait until the fall to begin the whole process It's not going to happen Now a grant is this is an investment and I Go forward with it. I mean we still holding on to these documents, but at the same time It's an investment that we do run a slight risk that We don't get the debt exclusion I don't think we're gonna have an issue with the numbers frankly because the McKibben numbers were spot-on on East Arlington but That is a risk and the question I have for you tonight is whether you are willing to give me the Authorization to go forward with this process financially Okay, the only problem I have with any of this is that there has been a recent proposal That someone brought forward that only involves us having to renovate the Gibbs And that is that we turn all of our elementary schools into K-to-6 schools and We turn the Gibbs into an additional K-to-6 school It solves both problems Where do we put the extra grade? They in the school in the redistrict so that now we have the Gibbs as another K-to-6 school Which is where the problem is anyway, so now we have three elementary schools in that end of town We have classrooms in the other schools. That's what we have, right? And the math that has been done says that if we do that we have two empty classrooms And I don't know anything educationally about how that is but that is another option and it means that we don't need an addition to Thompson But we do still need to renovate Gibbs So I still think that that option which I know it's only it's very high level right now It was just an accounting of classrooms and kind of you know, you know Head, you know high-level thinking about you know if you put this many six grades in these schools And you then turn the Gibbs into another K-to-6 if that's what you do, but I don't know if that's possible I don't know if that's you know, but again if we're thinking about costs and how we need to move forward I just want to make sure that that that idea was out there. Can you forward that? It was sent to the task force. Yeah Send it on but the one thing that we notice you do have open classrooms that Stratton and Pierce but Bracket Bishop are well over their design right now down right and so it's a it's a massive Redistricting of students to make sure that you fill the schools that are Right, so a lot more Bishop kids end up with pivoting into East Arlington But it's my idea Mr. Thielman so The vote that I my intention of the vote that we took earlier the motion included Thompson Yeah, so my understanding the vote was that you had the authority under that boat to do what you needed to do in terms of finding out the cost of a Design of the Thompson so the my mind is to my vote. I think I think it was pretty clear in that there's all three All three things Specifically state all so yeah now regarding this the proposal to go case six have eight case six schools in the town of Arlington that is a You know, I I wasn't here when the when the district went through this conversation about whether or not they have a six Seventh and eighth grade in the middle school But it but I read a little bit about it because I kind of like them 2003 wasn't that far away from that And I learned a lot about it in that time and there was a there we it felt like from what I read and heard years of Conversation about whether to make that move so to all of a sudden go from a middle school model back to a K through six model requires Research reflection and lots of participation by lots of people in the town So while I notice pulling out the sixth grade and having it separate. That's also breaking the middle school model Yeah Yeah, but I think it's it's similar it very similar It's more consistent. Also. I mean need him has done it. Well, we can we can look at what he's done in the sixth A lot of towns have K to six is to yeah, and K to eight well We but I mean to embark upon a K through six to conversation I mean how long would it take to really do the research think about it in my faculty and staff? I don't know And hold it in addition to size. It's not so much the research It's the discussion that would need to happen and redistricting couple years redistricting redistricting for the limited amount that we did took a long time a lot of participation it would take a Lot of it would be a massive redistricting just to do this for sure because you're correct that That not that only two of the schools have extra classrooms and in fact It's not even clear as we're going through Some some issues around Stratton whether we really will have three because of some other issues that come up in terms of specials So there they will be really tight to assume that they could have two classes at Pierce That would be sixth grade that that part that I think is fine the three at Stratton may be a little bit more problematic, but The other schools Would not so there would be a massive redistricting in order to do this. It would be a substantial change in curriculum One obvious one would be world language That would would change for sure now that may change anyway in a split in some in some respects It's a time issue and if if the town wants to engage in this the issue is what are we going to do? The year after next at Thompson So yeah, I mean I think that I think the K through six question is a school department and school committee Conversation it is the big issue if you want to do K to six that still doesn't the it's we still have to have a Gibbs and You could engage in that kind of we can still go forward with everything that we need to do to get Gibbs ready But I will say that if it's a K through six it would be a Different schematics than it would be if we were going to do a middle the middle school agents, so in order to Move forward with that in in any kind of timely way Would you have that decision done and ready to go by the time they have to do schematics and construction drawings this fall Well, we would be we would be responding to a recommendation made by the Superintendent and her staff, so I don't know the question goes back to could you do all that research and get We could do the research that us doing the research isn't the issue. Can the town Have that level of discussion and consensus Look how many options have come forward with Just yeah, the recent discussions and how and how much went on with redistricting. I think it's a very I think it's a very Narrow window, so let me just make one last point then I'll yield the floor Paul so the of all of the things that we have to do in the town of Arlington, which is a New high school a middle school a Vote on the Minuteman 36 million dollar 40 million dollar expense to our town Modulars the least expensive thing is a three million dollar addition to the Thompson elementary school It's the least expensive item, so I don't want to hold that up Because we have so many bigger challenges ahead of us It's a it's it's the least of our problems financially, and it's the least Costly option for the voters. It's small potatoes compared to what we're going to do Over the next few years, so I don't want to stop the Thompson conversation And I just don't want to stop it and I don't think there's time to stop it Because I think if we go down this path the addition won't be built and I think that would be a shame Right, I think if we go down this path We run the risk of losing the override because we'll get people so angry with us. Well, there's that too, you know Miss Starks, I just I think that you know, I agree that we need to I just feel like we haven't I Disagree that it I mean I'm worried that we do the Thompson then all of a sudden now Then we have to do the Hardy and then we have to do that's the real problem is that we are Yes, I know that the Thompson has to be done But we are running so fast and so furious to do that that we are still not looking at the big picture The big picture is that it's not just the Thompson that then it's going to be the Hardy and then it's going to be the bishop And then it's going to be something else and so yeah, it may be the cheapest It may look the cheapest, but I think it's the tip of the iceberg It is the tip of the iceberg on the elementary schools and the elementary schools need a bigger solution And I'm not necessarily behind this K-to-6 idea I'm just saying that it's another way to think about it and it's another way to solve the problem And it's just as big and just as you know I don't think that it's that easy of a decision the decision we have to make about what we're going to do in the Gibbs You know, whether it's one grade or whether it's three grades whether it's middle school whether it's K-to-6 Whether it's whatever it is none of that is going to be easy And you're not going to have a town-wide consensus on whatever you do So saying that you know this I don't think this is any harder of a decision. I just think it's a different decision Mr. Heiner the other night the consensus we came to was to do a study and all three schools were mentioned The idea was for credibility going to the town for the vote on this there was an understanding that night from both parents and Other people that this was going to be a delay in basically putting having kids stay possibly an additional year in Modular units, but the credibility factor to get it passed was it was perceived by those Involved even understanding that extra year for kids in modular units To get it passed the first time was important to go off Educationally, I'd love to have it done as fast as I can and I would support that but Before we even go that route I thought we left with a united consensus from what I'm hearing just from the three of us We perceive different things and I'm not knocking anybody else. I know I Would be most important we can get along So we always find a way to get it to come to consensus even when we disagree I don't want to lose the other three people that were at the table The other night by by saying that you we might be jumping the gun. That's all Yeah, so the K through six model Would be harder. I believe because we would have to do redistricting all at once We wouldn't have an easy restricting people coming into kindergarten We would have to be like this is it you know everyone under the age of whatever has to be redistricted So I think that would be actually really really hard for the town And I guess I agree with dr. Bode that we haven't we don't have enough time to repair the town for that And I agree with mr. Thielman that we can't risk delaying the Thompson edition I do want to stress that when we took the vote about the addition though We didn't just take a vote on the six classrooms We also took a vote on looking at expanding core space issues Which may involve the existing envelope? I mean it might mean reconfiguring the Jim's life music space, but But I don't want that to be lost in art in the discussions that that's a possibility I think we've talked this out anything else into the superintendent Actually, I wanted One great thing and I'll turn it over to Laura to have her talk about the park presentation and Some some other issues around professional development We just got word yesterday that our technology teacher at Odyssey and Gary Blanchett Has been notified that he is going to receive the international technology and engineering Educator Association National excellence in teaching award in DC It is excellent is quite a recognition so that actually is happening next week There was a little bit of a I'm not quite sure what happened, but I think they sent it to the wrong email address But we're not sure but at any rate this is it's tremendous and I just want people to know that we're gonna get a press release out Probably tomorrow The park so we've had two meetings thus far for parents regarding the park One was just for the Bishop elementary school because they're going to do the test online And then last evening we had a presentation at Thompson Where we had about 80 85 parents To discuss it for the the schools that are going to do the paper test at the elementary The presentation I think was well received. There were a lot of really good questions that were raised The presentation that we have given last night in the previous time will be on the district website as of tomorrow I've submitted to Claudia and she'll be getting it up on the district website in addition We'll be Eventually putting up an FAQ has some really good questions came out of that But we want to make sure we have some very thoughtful answers to those questions prior to putting it on the website And dr. Bode will be sending out notification to all the parents when the FAQ gets posted I wanted to remind parents of Otteson students that on March 8th The OPEC is sponsoring an evening meeting also about park at the Otteson so the parents can come and ask questions Because of course Otteson will be doing not only doing computer-based testing but the testing at the middle school is slightly different than it is at the elementary schools So that presentation will be open The other thing I just wanted to share with the committee was regarding some mini courses The certification requirements for teachers has changed and they now have to have 15 professional development points For working with special education students Along with 15 professional development points for working with ELL students for those teachers that did not sit for retail In order to try to make this Teachers but also a little less painless painful than it would be otherwise We have Implemented eight mini courses this spring That will all be Blended courses so they'll have one or two face-to-face meetings and the rest of the time the courses will be given online They're beginning by our staff. We're gonna have three courses working with ELL students primarily working with Giving the reading instruction and writing instruction to ELL students and also helping them with their academic language development And then for additional workshops working with sped students again around Reading and writing and also Setting goals for students that are achievable and helping students figure out what they need to do to work towards those goals and last We're going to add this is not required for certification, but it's something that we thought was very important We'll be adding a mini course on cultural competency That will also be run by one of our staff members Mr. Heiner the mini courses that are required Is it a one-time thing? Are they gonna have to be redoing it like every five years you have to have 15 PDP's Dealing with ELL students and 15 PDP's would they be different or would it be just a refresher? Could they be taking the similar question? You know, I I don't believe that those things are checked that carefully But I really couldn't say this is for those that did not take The ELL ones are for those that did not have were not required to take retail So basically the art music PE PE world language teachers were not required Those folks didn't need to take one for certification. Basically the specialists in the Secondary Would be secondary for the most second secondary if they have certain Subject areas, so it's 15 and how many PDP's will each one of your mini courses 15. Oh, it'd be just one court Thank you. Yes Okay. All right another award is it's going on as we speak tonight Steve Portello who is our school resource officer is getting The officer of the year award tonight It was a big surprise and I was assured that if I did it after eight probably there wouldn't ruin the surprise So that's congratulations to Steve The the other recognitions I just I just have to Tell everybody what a great job Karla Sturbing us and the maintenance staff of this district on town have done last week as you all know the two pipes burst in Odesson and We had eight inches of water in the cafeteria water coming down multi levels it was a mess and The Jack flood was there. He was he did great job and his administrator. He had a good name But anyway our maintenance staff are terrific and when people came in on Monday, they they looked and they couldn't see We know that there had been that kind of water now There must be something out there in the universe because today a Pipe Burst backed up. I'm not quite sure what what it was in the girls locker room Put four inches of water on the girls Bathroom and then backed into the locker room and so that had to be all shut off So they're they're working I'm trying to hear out of Odesson at Odesson as well Odesson as well Yes Can you just clarify for us at this point with the new facilities department does did Kind of taking care of the buildings over the vacation did that come under facilities does that come under us and were people Okay, and we're people people were okay, but people were still people were checking on the buildings Through the freeze and stuff. Yes, they were in fact Well, it's true that the custodians or maintenance is still in our budget But their supervision and organization of their schedule is all Okay. Yes Mark me on in particular was in all of the buildings not just schools over the weekend checking He also has a setup on a computer where he can do sensors and there was a number of problems He found that he was able to come in fact Really early early mornings One in the morning to fix before they became a bigger problem For some reason and we don't know what that what the reason was the sensors at Odesson did not pick up the flowing water He is looking in to find out what what happened in that case But yes, they had been over the weekend checking the buildings because everybody knew it was going to be deep freeze, right? Okay, great. I'm glad that we're doing that because I know you know we've had a couple breaks now in the past Bishop or Pearson and the high school and We needed to start doing more checks and I'm glad to hear that we're doing it Well, we have more checks, but it's also set up on a computer. Yeah, that's great. Yeah, too if it works Well, yeah Sort of worked didn't work as well as we would have liked it but they did a terrific job and So my I want to say thank you to all of them publicly. I Know you were finished talking about this whole issue, but I do want to And that is over the years since we have gone from that model We require all the teachers to have certification in their field When you go to an elementary model our teachers in the elementary in the middle school do not have an elementary certification That would be another area that we would have to really look at and just Need to put that out because that's not actually insignificant Okay, Dr. Allison and Eating the dead horse I Did I ran numbers on the idea not having seen the proposal that we were given but just looking at how many students we have How many students we have in sixth grade? How many classrooms there are and I'm coming out with using all the classrooms 21 students per class Which yes, we could fit everybody in adult in but that suggests there's not Much extra space and that's not allowing for significant growth anywhere. So that would work today And it worked tomorrow, right? But in a year or two years We're gonna Even if we did this massive redistricting to spread everybody out around it's not clear to me It would continue working. We would still have issues with space constraints. So good And hardy will is an issue we have to do Okay Consent agenda all items listed with an asterisk considered to be routine will be enacted by one motion. There'll be no separate discussion of these items Listen member the committee so requests in which event the item will be considered in its normal sequence. Mr. Heiner I'd like to feel tripled Trip is removed Proof of warrant one six one one seven dated February 11th their total warrant amount for 54,000 $133.40 Proof of minutes regular meeting February 11th 2016 All in favor I Unanimous consent agenda now we have before us approval the trip AHS I'm ASC student council hi Anna smart nine through 11 Mr. Heiner I think the trip is fantastic. I have just one question as far as attendance How will those students be marketing regarding attendance You will have an excused absence and And students over the years have had to make decisions about which field trips they go on because there's a six that they would have in the high school before they would have to Sort of justify their case before the Dean just want to make sure The students themselves know this because so they don't get in trouble. Thank you Okay Motion to approve the trip by mr. Heiner second by Dr. Seuss all in favor I oppose that's unanimous Subcommittee is on reports and announcements before we go on to the subcommittees. I just want to make an announcement that There are now 16 minimum towns who have approved the new regional agreement Excellent Six of these towns voted to leave the district Boxborough Carlisle Lincoln Sudbury Weston Wayland Dover elected to stay So that's where we stand we go from a if everything pans out the way it looks We're going from a 16 town district to attend down district. Mr. Heiner two questions I assume the smaller in population as far as yes, and the second question does the Agreement that's going forward change without proportion of the vote now that the or is it still a percentage? It's a percent. It's a percentage, but we're it will be a percentage of a smaller number of towns. So obviously We the weighting would be increased by the amount being pulled out by the departure of those fine Thank you six towns. It's just simple change of the denominator change Policies and procedures here. Thank you, Mr. Chair. We're going to be meeting on Thursday of next week at 815 We're going to be meeting with our school policy council She's going to go over some older policies that need to be consolidated But just ones that I've identified that we haven't really looked at in a number of years so Planned to have some further report on that on March 10 for all of us Budget dr. Allison amm Budgets going to go discuss the budget tomorrow at oddison part of our outreach. Otherwise, we have nothing to report Facilities People on the task force. Thank you so very much No report other than your committee is going to take up the question of the timeline whether the policy needs to be amended for the superintendent evaluation Yes, that's right. We we have to update it for the new time line Yeah, so we have no report the policy and procedures committee is going to look at the timeline of This superintendent's evaluation Community relations dr. Seuss We are meeting Tuesday the first and we're going to talk a little bit more about the survey to parents and teachers on the calendar Outreach the community about options for Gibbs if we're going that way and some other sort of public And we are at 430. Yes, it was posted at 530. Oh It was so yeah, it was posted at 530. Community relations. I know it was posted before I posted it. I mean When I got the email from you it said 530. Well, you know when it comes from the town Okay, so it went out an automatic type of posting, but it's changed Executive session minute review subcommittee. I have finished reviewing all of them I have Thanks to miss Fitzgerald put the entire package to council He had been on vacation. We're going to set up a meeting It's on my intent to bring them before the committee for approval I would like to just share with the committee that policy DEC revised in 2012 Requires us to at least three times a year review our executive session minutes for release So I will be bringing a strong emotion to have us review it Executive session minutes from previous meetings on a regular basis. He gives suggestions as timelines of one day to be released I That part of not being released. I blame the policy chair for not informing us The policy chair has been finding interesting policies to Warrant committee all good paint School enrollment task force. I think we Talk some more We've got an announcement by dr. Seuss I just wanted to tell people about this great event on March 5th at town hall Arlington eats, which is an organization that provides food for kids when they're not in school during vacations and weekends and so forth Also snacks for kids when they are in school Is doing a fundraiser? 730 till 11. There's a cash bar. There's gonna be food There's going to be auctions and My husband's band is playing so an extra reason to come It's a Saturday March 5th at 730 in town hall Anything else? We do have a brief discussion in executive session. So The motion would be to conduct move to executive session to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with union and or non-union personnel or contract negotiations with union and or non-union in Which if held in an open meeting may have detrimental effect? And to conduct strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation in which if held in an open meeting may have a detrimental effect collective bargaining may also be conducted motion by Mr. Pierce second by mr. Thielman roll call mr. Hainer I mr. Pierce dr. Allison ampey I miss Starks Mr. Thielman I Dr. Seuss yes, and the chair votes in the affirmative that's unanimous and this should be very brief Are we going out? We will that we're done after executive session. We're not coming out there So we're not gonna come back