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Home My WebLink About2024-08-22 School Committee Minutes�H Of FSO Town of Reading RECEIVED a �Y Meeting Minutes STOW N CLERK nA 0a �� Board -committee - commission - council: 2624 SEP 24 PM 3:56 School Committee Date: 2024-08-22 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, Sarah McLaughlin, Erin Gaffen and Carla Nazzaro Members - Not Present: Charles Robinson Others Present: Superintendent Dr. Thomas Milaschewski 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. B. Public Comment—None Consent Agenda 1. Minutes (07-11-2024) 2. Music Drives Us Donation 3. Reusable Ice Pack Donation 4. Request to Surplus — Central Office 5. Request to Surplus — Parker 6. Request to Surplus — Coolidge 7. Request to Surplus — Killam 8. RMHS Football Field Trip Request Accounts Payable Warrant Reports 1. 06-30-2024 2. 07-18-2024 3. 07-25-2024 4. 08-01-2024 5. 08-08-2024 6. 08-15-2024 Payroll Warrant Reports 1.07-19-2024 Page 1 1 Mrs. Gaffen motioned to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Mrs. Nazzaro. The vote passed 5-0. Reports 1. Superintendent—No report 2. Liaison/Sub-Committee a. Mrs. Nazzaro —The preferred schematic design report was submitted to the MSBA, marking a significant milestone in the project. A group visited Uxbridge High School to explore the Innovation Career Pathways program, and video footage from this visit is now available on the Killam website. This visit aimed to help demonstrate how the new building will benefit the entire district by consolidating the full preschool program in one location, thereby freeing up space at the high school for additional student opportunities. The Permanent Building Committee is currently selecting an Owner's Project Manager for the senior center, with plans for a vote around the same time as the Killam project. b. Mr. Brandt—As a new member of the Killam School Building Committee, Mr. Brandt has noticed several key aspects about the committee. He appreciates the strong sense of collaboration among members, as well as the responsiveness of the designer and Owner's Project Manager, who actively incorporate feedback and address the committee's needs. Additionally, Mr. Brandt is encouraged by the emphasis on sustainability, which is central to the building's design. c. Ms. McLaughlin — No report d. Mrs. Gaffen—No report e. Mr. Wise—The Policy Subcommittee has cataloged a substantial amount of policy work, identifying over 150 policies that require review and updating. They are currently developing a schedule to update as many of these policies as possible within this year. E. New Business 1. RMHS Student Handbook Review & Approval (A) Dr. Milaschewski noted the RMHS handbook and district -wide handbook published earlier in the week are slightly different than the handbooks in the updated packet today. The following updates were made: High school handbook: o Replaced "Caregiver' with "Guardian" in the high school handbook and made corresponding updates in the district handbook. o Replaced policies JICH and JICH-R with the updated versions adopted on 5/9/2022. o Added links to policies, similar to last year's district handbook. o Updated the language under Illness Documentation to state "Illness communicated by Parent/Guardian." o Removed a duplicate section (Section N — previously on page 71). Page 1 2 • District -Wide Handbook: o Added the Reading METCO Program to the table of contents and included it as a heading in the district handbook. Dr. Milaschewski acknowledged the time and energy Principal Callanan has dedicated to updating the RMHS handbook, as well as the involvement of the School Council. Mr. Wise reiterated the gratitude expressed for their efforts in moving this initiative forward and continuing to make progress. Mrs. Gaffen motioned to approve the RMHS Student Handbook seconded by Mr. Brandt The vote passed 5-0. 2. District -Wide Student Handbook Review & Approval (A) Dr. Stys thanked everyone who contributed to updating this year's district -wide handbook. Over the past few years, we have collaborated with our attorneys to ensure that it is aligned with policies and that the format and links function correctly. Mr. Wise also expressed gratitude for everyone's efforts in making the handbook clean and professional. Mrs. Gaffen motioned to approve the district -wide student handbook, seconded by Mr. Brandt. The vote passed 5-0. 3. New Leadership Introductions Dr. Milaschewski welcomed the new leaders in the district and briefly shared more about the following individuals before providing an opportunity for each to introduce themselves: a. Parker Interim Principal —Jill Story b. Parker Interim Assistant Principal — Beth Simpson c. RISE Interim Director —Alanna Shone d. RPS Doctoral Resident— Barbara Best D. Old Business 1. Review of Superintendents Goals Dr. Milaschewski noted that earlier this year, the committee approved two-year goals, and he will not be recommending any changes or adjustments for the 2024-2025 school year. There was discussion last year regarding Goal Three, Benchmark Five, which involves developing an initial iteration of a system to capture research and best practices by June 2024, with an expanded version by lune 2025. Dr. Milaschewski expressed some hesitation upon reflection, acknowledging that while this is a lofty goal, it is nonetheless important. He emphasized the need for comfort with the language used and the importance of keeping the committee informed throughout the year. Mr. Brandt suggested that we think about this as a process rather than a specific deliverable, such as a software solution or database, making it more achievable and formalized. In relation to this, we should also consider Benchmark Two, which focuses on creating a central location for storing student data. Page 1 3 E. New Business 4. Beginning of 2024-2025 School Year Updates Dr. Milaschewski shared several updates: 1. Staffing: Open positions include a speech-language pathologist at Birch, two special education teachers at Wood End and Coolidge, a Spanish teacher at RMHS, a one-year math teacher, and five paraprofessional positions. Most of these vacancies resulted from late resignations, but we are confident that we have strong candidates to fill these roles and achieve full staffing. 2. Facilities: Thank you to our team for their excellent work in preparing the buildings for the return to school. 3. Summer Food Service: We are launching a variety of offerings. The Food Services team has been nominated for the USDA's Annual Turnip the Beet Award, recognizing outstanding programs. Breakfast will be served at all schools starting this year. 4. Summer Updates: Out of 238 students referred, 158 attended Extended School Year (ESY) programs. S. New Staff: We welcomed about 40 new staff members during induction week. Looking Ahead: 1. We will introduce a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program as a partnership with the SEEM Collaborative at Wood End. 2. We are streamlining safety and security protocols as part of training received by I Love U Guys. 3. There are a number of events coming up such as SEPAC and the School Committee co- sponsoring the Right to Read Act, a virtual presentation with Lynn Lyons and Sarah Ward. 4. We will continue discussions around the curriculum in depth. 5. The high school modern classroom project is underway. Additionally, we are adding a one-year METCO Coordinator position. Currently, all five elementary schools have METCO/SAC positions, while the middle school only has one METCO/SAC split between two schools. This additional support reflects a positive shift in our budget, allowing us to enhance this role. These positions benefit all students, not just Boston resident students. This will be funded through $25,000 from the METCO budget and another $25,000 from the operating budget for the next year. httas://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfFIMOisYmO. Meeting Adjourned from regular session at approximately 8:O1pm. Page i 4