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Home My WebLink About2024-09-23 School Committee MinutesW Town of Reading Meeting Minutes JJDIFfOPP� y Board - Committee - Commission - Council: School Committee Date: 2024-09-23 Time: 7:00 PM Building: School - Memorial High Location: School Library Address: 62 Oakland Road Session: Open Session Purpose: Open Session Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Tom Wise, Shawn Brandt, Charles Robinson, Sarah McLaughlin, Erin Gaffen and Carla Nazzaro Members - Not Present: Others Present: Superintendent Dr. Thomas Milaschewski and Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching Dr. Sarah Hardy Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Olivia Lejeune on behalf of the chairperson. Topics of Discussion: A. Call to Order—Mr. Wise called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. to review the agenda. Roll Call Attendance—Mr. Robinson — here, Mrs. Nazzaro — here, Mrs. Gaffen — here, Ms. McLaughlin — here, Mr. Brandt — here, Mr. Wise — here B. Public Comment—Geoffrey Coram of Ridge Road asked a question regarding the Massachusetts ballot question on MCAS as a graduation requirement. How does this affect the local public schools? How many students have not received a diploma as a result of not passing MCAS? Consent Agenda 1. Minutes (08-22-2024) 2. RM HS PTO Donation —Supporting After -School Library Coverage 3. RMHS PTO Donation —Supporting Freshman Orientation Equipment 4. Request to Surplus — RMHS 5. Acceptance of Scholarship —Arthur L. Spencer Memorial Award 6. Quebec Field Trip Request Accounts Payable Warrant Reports 1. 08-22-2024 2. 08-29-2024 3. 09-05-2024 4. 09-12-2024 Page I 1 Mrs. Gaffen motioned to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Mrs. Nazzaro. The committee discussed some concerns with the field trip requests forms such as staff names listed and if they were correct, the number of teachers attending from Parker, and the price difference between the two schools. It was noted the schools are using different companies due to preference in tour guides. The committee agreed to provisional approval, but the district will review the field trip requests to address concerns shared tonight. Roll Call Vote — Mr. Robinson — yes, Mrs. Nazzaro — yes, Mrs. Gaffen—yes, Ms. McLaughlin— yes, Mr. Brandt — yes, Mr. Wise — yes The vote passed 6-0. Reports 1. Superintendent — MCAS results will be shared tomorrow at 10:00 AM, and we will present these results to the committee on October 10th. Last week, we were informed that we have 30 National Merit Scholars, nine National Merit Commended students, and one National Merit Semi -Finalist. We will notify the families of these students and recognize them during the October 10th meeting. 2. Liaison/Sub-Committee a. Mr. Brandt—The Finance Committee held its first Financial Forum of the year last week. One key highlight was that maintaining the same level of growth in the operating budget year over year would require approximately $6 million in free cash. This amount is inconsistent with the total use of free cash in recent years. Additionally, the free cash position has stagnated, with the FY24 numbers remaining the same as those from FY22, indicating a decline in free cash. The Finance Committee will review this issue during the meeting on October 9th. b. Mr. Robinson —The Athletics Facility Naming Advisory Committee held its first organizational meeting and will have a second meeting next week, where the two groups will present to the committee. Following that, a third meeting will be a public forum. After these meetings, we will present a recommendation to the School Committee. c. Mrs. Nazzaro —There were two meetings regarding Killam. The first included a presentation by the designers for the facilities assessment subcommittee, focusing on alignment with educational goals and design. The second'meeting involved the MSBA discussing the preferred schematic design, which is on track for an MSBA vote on October 10th. No red flags have been raised at this time. Additionally, there will be a committee meeting on September 30th to finalize HVAC systems, along with two upcoming community meetings. On October 30th, the committee will be in attendance at the financial forum to provide updates. d. Mrs. Gaffen—SEPAC hosted a presentation featuring Lynn Lyons, focusing on anxiety and depression. The next event is a Meet and Greet with the Team Chairs. Additionally, there will be a showing of Right to Read Page 1 2 followed by a panel discussion on October 15th, which is open to all community members. Lastly, the Autumn Moon Festival, co-sponsored by PAIR and the Reading Public Library, will take place on September 28th. e. Ms. McLaughlin — September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, and the Reading Coalition will be sharing messages throughout town to raise awareness. An upcoming event to note is the community theater presentation at Parker on October 30th, titled I'll Never Do That. This presentation tells the story of families struggling with addiction and recovery. f. Mr. Wise—No report E. New Business 1. Introduction of 2024.2025 Student Advisory Committee Dr. Milaschewski introduced the Student Advisory Committee for the 2024-2025 school year. The student representative from the committee shared the following updates: Improvements: • The PTO funded new tables on Main Street: six new long tables with charging stations. • New ceiling fans were installed in the fourth -floor classrooms. • The PTO also funded a speaker for freshman orientation this year. Upcoming Dates/Events Happening: • Innovation Career Pathways field trip for students pursuing the manufacturing and engineering path. • Internship fairs for students during lunch. • Freshman PAIR night. • SATs on October 5th, with over 200 students signed up to test. • Upcoming activities fair, which has been one of the biggest events for clubs over the past three years (at least 60 clubs signed up). • PSATs on October 23rd. • National Honor Society induction later in October. Big Announcements: • The Thanksgiving Football Game will be held at Fenway Park this year against Stoneham. • MBTA half-price cards are available for students free of charge. Goals: • Goals for this year were discussed, most of which build on last year's initiatives to keep improvement efforts moving forward. 2. FY24 End -of -Year Financial Update Dr. Milaschewski flagged that the special education reserve fund FY24 report is not yet complete, so we anticipate having that information updated for a future meeting. Committee members raised some questions and pointed out the following items: - The extended day revolving account has decreased significantly in one year; with increases, we need to ensure this is being maintained sustainably. - The revolving fund for kindergarten should have its forecast adjusted appropriately, as there is a little more in the account than anticipated. Page 1 3 3. Review and Approve Director of Finance Search Process and Timeline (A) Dr. Milaschewski thanked Dr. Pinto for his service in Reading Public Schools as he transitions to a new role in Lowell Public Schools. We have shared the search process and timeline in the packet, and we are confident in shifting to an interim, whether with an internal or external candidate, if we do not find the right person during the search process. We would also like to note that an internal interim has been identified. Our Assistant Business Manager, Kate Finnegan, is extremely qualified for the role. While she does not wish to take on the position long-term, she is willing to step in on an interim basis and would like someone alongside her to assist with the work. Mr. Brandt will be stepping in as the School Committee representative on the screening committee. If a special meeting is needed to appoint a candidate to the role, we will call a special meeting. 4. Update on METCO Program Director Search Process Dr. Milaschewski shared that METCO Program Director, Mr. Kurtis Martin, will be transitioning away from his role to take on a new position within Boston Public Schools. Please find in the packet an email sent to families regarding his transition. Dr. Milaschewski highlighted some of Mr. Martin's improvements over the last few years in building the program. As we have developed the staffing model for the program, we have collaborated to appoint two METCO SACS as co -interims for the year. Jerika Santiago and Cindy Marta will work together to assume all responsibilities at the district level. Recruitment and enrollment are significant aspects of this role during the summer, and we will work with them at the district level. We anticipate coming back together in the spring to begin a full-time search for the position. S. Math Pathways Update on Summer Progress Dr. Sarah Hardy shared a presentation with the committee updating them on the Math Pathways summer progress. A copy of the presentation can be found here. Key Areas Addressed: o Summer Geometry Course o Middle School Mathematics o METCO Summer Bridge Program o Title l Summer Tutoring for students in grades 4-8 Looking Ahead: o Continue to improve Math Pathways for all students. o Maintain the Math Lab at RMHS with anew sign -in method to better understand student attendance. o Explore math intervention and enrichment opportunities at the middle school level. o Investigate pathways for advanced students and plan accordingly. o Monitor student progress based on participation observed in summer programming. Page 14 Mrs. Gaffen motioned to adjourn, seconded by Mrs. Nazzaro. Roll Call Vote — Mr. Robinson — yes, Mrs. Nazzaro—yes, Mrs. Gaffen—yes, Ms. McLaughlin—yes, Mr. Brandt—yes, Mr. Wise— yes. The vote passed 6-0. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxEmhNXitixA Meeting Adjourned from regular session at approximately 8:29pm. Page 15