6.9.2025 Fall River School Committee

I'd like to call to order the Monday, June 9th regular meeting of the far school committee. Deb, would you please call the role? Mr. Dagiel here. Mr.

Bailey here. Mr. Das here. Mr. Corey here. Miss Laravey here. Miss Pereira.

Mayor Coogan here. Salute to the flag.

I allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person who make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Recognition awards.

We do have a few um recognition awards tonight. We should go down to the front.

Yep.

Good evening. We are going to begin tonight recognizing our retirees.

The first of whom served 25 years in the fall public schools as a classroom teacher. Joanne Aruda Amazing.

Deep gratitude.

Next up, having served 33 years, teacher interventionist Gretchen Baptiste.

serving 19 years as a coach interventionist.

Susan Dharmad

serving 18 years as a classroom teacher.

Mr. Ken Kavit.

having served 35 years as a counselor.

Kathy Montle

and having served 17 years as an adjustment counselor.

Libby Failen.

Can we get everybody to stick around up front for a picture, please?

Come on over.

Thank

Tonight, we also have the distinct honor of recognizing a member of our Fall River community whose life and service exemplify the very best of our shared values, duty, sacrifice, and commitment to something greater than oneself.

At the request of the office of veteran services for the city of Fall River and with the full support of this committee, we proudly award a high school diploma to Mr. Richard Anthony Gosson, an 88-year-old Korean War veteran and proud son of Fall Rome.

Congratulations.

that photo graduation.

I just want to say one. Yeah.

No, there was more to say, but people weren't clapping, so I just wanted a say a little bit more for some context. Um, Mr. Goson is a lifelong resident of Fall River and a veteran of the Korean War.

He left school as a young man to serve during a time of conflict. In choosing to step away from his education to defend the values we all hold dear, he showed extraordinary resolve and character. Tonight, we've come together to recognize not just a veteran, but a role model. By awarding Mr. Gossson his diploma tonight, we acknowledged a path that he that may have looked different but was shaped by responsibility,

integrity, and sacrifice.

The moment represents a meaningful milestone finally fulfilled and a tribute from a grateful city that remembers its own. We're proud of um of your service, your story, and your rightful place among the graduates of the Flover public schools. Thank you.

I have tears coffee. Yeah, I'm going to need it. Huh? I'm going to need it. I'm about to get very emotion.

Let me see in this place.

Okay. Um, item three is student comment, which is probably done for the year. Mr.

Mayor, can we motion for two-minute recess to let them Oh, okay. Okay, two minute recess.

That's two minutes. We're back in session. Um, citizens input. We have two letters. Uh, Deb, could you please lead the read the first one from David Olivera, Robersonson Street in Fall River? Sure.

Members of the school committee, first and foremost, I'm asking Mimi to resign her post tonight. She walked off on a subcommittee meeting because she is so obsessed and worried about Colin asking questions. If anyone would be done if any if anyone would have done that at any job they would be fired. She clearly showed she is not for the students of this district and then don't show up for

a school committee meeting for a Karen Reed case. How's that going? like this district will never get ahead if we focus on how Colin asks questions and what Colin wears to a meeting.

What's that say to school department who is hurting? Mr. Mayor, you want to brag on fulltime leadership? Then stop the crap and do your job instead of failing your CFO and just got the city budget rejected. To me, that's an that's not full-time leadership. You're an epic failure. Good night. Enjoy your sandwiches, Dave Olivera.

Thank you. Um, the next one is Christine Corville from Somerset.

I'll read that one as well.

Dear members of the school committee, I am writing to respectfully voice my concern regarding any policy that mandates the exclusion of students from school due to headlights infestations.

As a health care professional and advocate for the well-being of our students, I believe it is important we consider the guidance of trusted health authorities and the broader impact such policies may have on our students and families. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clearly advise against excluding children from school

solely due to headlights. Their research shows that lice do not spread easily in classrooms and are not a public health hazard. More importantly, exclusionary practices often result in unnecessary absences, cause embarrassment and stigma, and disproportionately affect children from lower income families who may struggle to afford treatment or access to laundry services. In an urban setting such as ours, where many

families are already balancing multiple challenges, a policy that keeps children out of the classroom due to life's risks deepening inequities in it turns it turns what should be a manageable non-urgent condition into a barrier to education. Rather than exclusion, I urge us to focus on education support and assess access to resources. Some possible actions include offering discrete notification and guidance to

families when lice are detected, connecting families with affordable or free treatment resources, providing students with clean clothing or supplies when possible, training school staff to handle these issues, these situations with sensitivity to reduce stigma. As educators and caretakers, our mission is to keep children in school safe and ready to learn. Let's approach Head Lice the same way we approach other

non-emergency health matters with compassion, evidence-based practice, and a focus on keeping children in the classroom. Thank you for your time and for your continued dedication to the health and success of all students.

Sincerely, Christine Corville. Thank you. Um, next we have our subcommittee reports. Uh, first one up is the policy subcommittee, Mr. Corey, chair.

Okay, we had a policy subcommittee meeting last week.

We actually had two in two weeks.

First policy subcommittee meeting was on May 7th and we talked about the walkers and writers policy.

We also talked about the um work from home policy and I believe that both items got forwarded to the um bigger body to be uh looked at more deeply.

We met again on uh let's see we met again on Tuesday May 27th and um we discussed head life and we discussed administering medicines to students uh other than the nurse and we also discussed development and dissemination of procedures which is um all these items got forwarded to the larger party for discussion.

Thank you. Uh next up, Mr. Aguar, special ed alternative ed early Early Childhood Subcommittee. Thank you, sir.

We had a very productive special ed aled and early childhood subcommittee. Uh we took a positive vote on a contract that's before you tonight on autism level up. That contract has been uh that program has been working quite well. So, we're going to be looking to continue that contract. We had a nice discussion around class size. class size is still an issue in the district. Uh through that conversation with the

superintendent and the administrative team, it was determined that we need six additional positions this year uh in order to rectify some of the class size issues that we have. So that motion was forwarded to the full committee. We discussed the hybrid to the evolve program which is basically an online component which I believe is on the agenda as well and this um passed uh unanimously two to zero with myself and

Mr. Bailey voting for it. Um, we also discussed the opportunity that we might have to uh have the evolve program move to be able to take more students in. I think that's for future discussion. Uh, but the evolved program is going quite well and this hybrid of the uh evolve uh online pathway went quite well. So, we're going to try to improve that. We also talked about a a contract for the

outer district um team chair. Uh what the committee after asking several questions and asking for information, the committee ultimately voted to send the actual positions that are in the budget which was called an out of district coordinator. So that position has been forwarded to the committee for their uh recommendation to fill only that position, not the um team chair at this time. And uh that was it for the

special ed ED subcommittee. Um, next subcommittee report is from technology.

Also, Mr. Aguar is chair. We also had a very successful technology subcommittee.

Uh, we voted to refer uh the vape detector purchase uh which is on the agenda tonight. Mr. Cabraw went over that the pilot on this program went quite well. I think that's the way it's supposed to work is that we try something out. We have a subcommittee and that got referred to the full committee as well. Uh we had two grant proposals uh Mr. Cabarell brought to us.

one for a student help desk and another for esports. Those were also just for discussion. I think more information will be forthcoming in the future related to those two issues.

Something that was been brought up for a while was live streaming uh of our school committee meetings and subcommittee meetings. Several u items were discussed and more information will be forthcoming on that as well. But I think the goal is to have some live streaming options and maybe keep our meetings at one place rather than moving them around for the good of all of the equipment and for making sure that we

can get those meetings uh live streamed if at all possible. Um there was another uh item on redundancy um with some of our cabling. It's more of a technical issue that Mr. Cabral spoke about, but I think it's going to give better access to Wi-Fi. I'm sure he'll be going over that more. But we also made a positive recommendation for that. Mr. Cabraw submitted a list of summer projects that

are ongoing which is a thing that he does each quarter to the school uh to the subcommittee. The tech department has a very ambitious summer. Uh but the way that it looks I think with uh the hard work of his team. They'll be able to get many things done over the summer.

So we thank them for that. We had an executive session and the topic was a cyber u the cyber issue. So, we received a lot of valuable information from that and I'm sure there'll be some uh information coming out relative to that in a general way soon. Um, we had new business. Uh, Mr. Cabraw had talked about board docs which was been mentioned here on several occasions and he agreed to he was going to take the

lead on a new company that was coming in. So, that was going to offer us some better options for uh board docks or the equivalent of a board docks type program. So, we're looking forward to Mr. Mr. Cabraw sending that information to the school committee as well. It was a long agenda but it was done in a few hours and I want to thank the members of the committee for their attendance.

Thank you Mr. Chair. Mr. Aia. Thank you.

Uh Mr. Das. Thank you through you through the superintendent. Just one question if we have an update for the public on what really happened with the cyber issue that we can keep them in the loop if I don't know if the superintendent might have um a statement to make or not.

Um, I wouldn't make one at this time.

Now I next item up is Mr. A. I I know I mentioned that uh issue was an executive session item. I don't believe the superintendent uh was supposed to be presenting something tonight. So, I just want to give credit where it's due. At the present time, we're looking into the situation and when it's such time as she can work with your team and issue a statement, that will be done. But, I

don't want to give the impression that we were uh waiting for that today.

Otherwise, I would have said it was coming out today. I yield. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ragio. Thank you. Um, superintendent's report. Uh, Dr. Curley.

So, I'll start tonight with a hiring update. Um, since our last meeting, we've had um 20 new hires, including um six teachers, and seven par profofessionals, one clerk, a department chair, one junior custodian part-time, three provisional junior custodians, one security officer. Um, additionally, we've rehired, those were new hires. We we've rehired three um for three positions as well. People have left the

district and returned, one student adjustment counselor, one custodian part-time, and one utility worker part-time. During that same time frame, we've had 35 people resign. Um, we've also had 17 transfers and one retirement.

I want to take um an opportunity to offer some updates in terms of our summer programming um specifically around the enrichment camp programming that is taking place at Derby High School. Um there are um 120 slots approximately um available and there is room for up to 40 more students. And I just wanted to let people know that the registration the last day for registration is next Saturday, June

14th. It's from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm here at Dery High School. Um at the same time, they'll be taking registrations for the basketball um program over the summer. That's two nights a week of kind of skills and drills and two nights a week of a um a competitive basketball league. There are about 50 slots that have been filled and up to um 80 to 100 additional. It's expected um as it has

been every summer that this third night of registration, third day of registration um will fill those slots.

So, if you're interested, I would um just really encourage people to get out because after that date, the program will likely um be filled. And then the last piece is around summer school um and really specifically about the high school programming. Schoolbased staff is reaching out to students um and parents in the next couple of weeks. Um, we know that the report cards will haven't been

finalized obviously um for our students because the last day of school is June 20th, but the registration for high school students will take place starting June 27th and will continue through July 3rd and they'll take place um from 9 to 12 at Dery's north entrance.

The next piece um is an enrollment update really specifically to kindergarten. We are up to 486 kindergarten registrations and those the registration is ongoing. Um and it happens you know as we travel um take place pace on the go to schools and community events and daycarees but anyone who wishes to register a new student um K or otherwise is welcome to show up at the pace center at any time

um to start that registration. A piece of the enrollment um and registration update is is also the dual language update. So, you know, we have a dual language program in the district. It's over at Vavveris. Um, there are 46 kindergarten families who have expressed interest in the dual language program for the coming year. It's the highest number um the highest amount of interest that we've had since the inception of

the program um a few years back. And so, this is a really big deal. I think I mentioned kind of in an earlier update, you know, the goal really for this program is to have a wait list. and um it feels like we are getting there. So that's really exciting for us. The next interest meeting is on June 24th at 4 p.m. at Vavveris Elementary School. And so any interested families for students

entering grades K to 4 are welcome.

The last piece I think is a graduation update. So we had a really exciting week last week with two large graduations.

One for RPA um on Wednesday and then Dery on Friday. So, RPA graduated 30 students and uh Dery 527, Stone had four graduates and we have an an additional um upwards of 40 students who are in the position to earn um enough credits this summer to graduate.

So, very very exciting um in terms of the graduation season this year. Thank you, Dr. Ko. Uh Mr. Das, thank you Mr.

Chair. Um just a few questions, concerns specifically on um summer programming and graduation and another matter. So starting with um summer programming um I have asked for and I have not received the line by line items for the summer programming at Derby High School.

Believe there is an extraordinary amount of money set aside for Derby specifically. And as a school committee member, I just like to know what that money is going towards. So that's one.

On two, on summer programming tuition, I believe um taking away free summer programming that we that unfortunately we did with little notice to families of financial hardship on those families.

I believe um we need to help those families who are in need that may may be that may have that may be struggling to um enroll their children within any summer course. I'd like to encourage either instructional subcommittee to um take up the issue and we can discuss making some sort of um hardship program if one doesn't already exist. Um I guess I'll wait for a response on that. Um so that's what I

have for summer programming on um graduation.

So few questions and concerns there. Um I was um I attended the Dery graduation this past Friday with the mayor superintendent was there and some others. Um it was again very good. I love the energy of the crowd. I had a great time passing out the diplomas and seeing everyone very happy. Um, and again, congratulations to um the graduates for Dery, RPA, and Stone. I I do have one question. Just looking

forward in the future. I don't know if this would be for Mr. Pico or the superintendent. Thankfully, it didn't rain. However, it was close. Um, what are the procedures in place if there is um ever a thunderstorm or some sort of weather event at for an outdoor event such as a graduation?

So, um, obviously a thunderstorm would be a major issue if it snuck up on us.

Um, we do have the a, uh, gymnasium, the auditorium, but there were close to 4,000 people at graduation. So, neither one of those would be comfortable. Um, so it would be shelter and shelter only.

Um, but we would be able to u move as many people who did not want to leave the site um into the building. So, I guess what I'm trying to figure out, let's just say all of a sudden we had a big rainstorm come over as a star thought light. We saw lightning strikes, we wouldn't automatically shut the event down. If there's lightning be just like a golf course, everybody out. Okay. All

right. We wouldn't want to try and, you know, have that situation. So, we would we would definitely um want to vacate that area, right? I figured I didn't know if this was something that was in policy. I'd like to see that in written policy. It's not Yeah, it's a kind of a common sense thing that we would do. We wouldn't want people sitting We don't know how long it's going to last. Um I I

have to tell you that we we do use quite a few different weather systems to check and see what's coming. Um the city has a a a service that they um that they pay for um that kind of gets a little deeper in than most of the locals. Um but that's what we would do. Okay. And um who paid for the police detail? Do you know? Or was it SR? Okay. I just see

some SRO. So it was SRO's and and I'm and some of that was paid for um out of our budget and obviously the other graduation that happened there, the lodge one would be paid for out of out of theirs. Okay. Okay. So that um so that was all SRO. Did we have to pay like out of detail for for some police for certain amount of hours? Yes. Which is fine. I'm not not necessarily um

critiquing that. I just wanted to figure out um one other issue. Do we spray for mosquitoes? We did not. Okay. Um we do at certain times of the year. We did not for this. I I just um I don't know. Just my opinion as one member. I think going forward um I don't know. I I I I know I was bit a few times by mosquitoes and um I know we're an area prone for triple E

and west now. I I think um next year for next year's graduations when we have outdoor events um I think we should set aside a little bit for mosquitoes.

That's sure my opinion. Thank you Mr.

Bgo. So um one um last issue on graduation. This isn't this isn't for you Mr. Chico. Um and this isn't a reflection on Stone School whatsoever.

Um, however, we give RPA their own graduation, which is good. We give Dery their own graduation, which is good. And I'm supportive. I don't even mind the fact that Stone students walk with Dery.

However, for the district not even to acknowledge the fact that they were there or their achievements is a travesty in my opinion. I believe um we need to give the students at Stone ARPA more recognition as a district.

Um, last issue I'm going to bring up because this is within superintendent report and it's been precedent to bring up issues within the last 30 days. Um, when it comes, this is a question for um, financial team. Um, for health insurance, do we pay claim by claim on the bills?

Where was that in my Where was that? Um, that was in her report. It's been precedent for this committee to ask questions during superintendence report that that take place within the last 30 days. That's that's why I said Mr.

Mayor. Oh, I didn't hear. So the the trust fund is charged off for actual claims that are paid for the schools.

So if the interim CFO in the city side said the opposite, that that would be wrong. Yes. Okay. So, I just want to give some um my thoughts to the city. I think it's really important that the interim CFO is careful of what is said to the city council, especially when the information is not accurate. And I'd like the mayor to look into that issue.

I yield.

Next, Mr. A. Just a few quick questions on uh the summer programming. The issue uh I think is optional. It's people have to pay for it. Is there a Fall River preference or do those seats go to anyone in wherever they want to apply?

Is does Fall River students receive preent that they can are they preferred?

I I I I'll be honest with you for enrichment program. I I don't know. Uh my assumption is that we don't turn fallover public school students away. Um but I I honestly Another question if you could check it out. Just uh a constituent reached out to me asking that question. didn't have an answer, but I'm sure you could get one. The uh issue also I think was addressed here at

one of the citizen inputs about the pay, who's paying and who's not. Has that been rectified with parents and uh notices on that we used to pay because we had uh ES funds and now we're no longer paying is any free programming or is So there is that we do have programming at some of our schools. Our 21st century programming um remains at no cost. We have um some ESL programming

at schools and things like that. But for the summer enrichment program at Dery High School, it is for a cost, but actual summer school is free. Summer school at the middle level um remains um at no cost to students. At Dery High School, um for one course, uh we're asking for um students to pay $25. For two or more courses, $50. And I will put it out there that part of the reason is

that there are a number of stu we we may plan for students to show up and over staff depending on how many students raise their hand and say I'll be there and we feel like with a $25 commitment from students and their families we will have an accurate count of who will um who will show up. Additionally, specifically at the high school, there have been multiple um opportunities for

students to or um to earn credit over the course of the year free of charge.

And for students who have, you know, specifically, I would say for students who haven't taken advantage of that, um, and are still in a position where they require some outside of school time, um, coursework for grade recovery. Um, there is a $25 or $50 charge depending on the number of credits. I'm not necessarily opposed to it. I just think it no information was out there. So, everyone

started wondering, okay, are we taking it? So, the more publicity we can make, I think the better. Okay. related to that on the dual language. I just want to once again request I've asked several times for the cost of that entire program and um I'm still waiting for that. Okay. Um relative to the hiring update, I know you said you had a few people that returned. Mh. Do we know

what the policy is if a person leaves if they acrewue 56 days, let's say, and then they leave to go to a neighboring community or they move out of state and then they come back, do we issue them their you as an incentive to come back?

Did they get what they had already earned?

I don't believe so, but I don't I don't believe so. Maybe the HR director would know. I would I think typically uh it depends on how long that they've been gone. I think I've seen cases where somebody left and then came back in a real short amount of time and and I think in those cases we have sort of kept their acrals the same, but you know if somebody leaves for a

different job, comes back maybe eight months later or something like that, uh they they'd kind of start over again. So we don't have a set policy on it. No, not that I'm aware of. And you would be the one that would know, right? I would assume no matter when they were Okay. Can you just say I I I I guess for teachers they get half of their acrruels back when they return. Okay. But that's

just FREA. I just think it's something to look at. Uh quite honestly when this market of people, you know, trying to track people, including those that leave and come back. I for one would if they've earned the days, they should be able to come back if they when they come back and be made whole with their days.

If I've acred a 100 sick days and I was trying to become, you know, recruited to come back to work and wanted to get hired, why would I lose half of my sick days? I I just don't understand. I guess half is better than none, but I would ask you and the superintendent to look at as we're looking at recruiting. We got a presentation coming up. That would

be one that right off the bat I think is lowhanging fruit as they say that we should issue full. Thank you. I yield.

Item number seven, we have nine sets of minutes for approval. Um motion to approve our minutes. Second. I have a motion and a second. I'll uh read them.

Um approval of the special meeting of the former school committee from 318.

Approval of the special meeting of the for school committee from 319. Approval of the minutes of the parent and community outreach subcommittee meeting from 3:26.

Approval of the minutes from the joint meeting of the city council and the school committee from 48. Approval of the special meeting of the school committee from 4:17.

Approval of the regular school committee from 429.

Approval of the minutes from the parent and community outreach subcommittee meeting from 55. Approval of the minutes from the policy subcommittee from 57.

And approval of the minutes from the public hearing on 512. I have a motion and second. Deb, please call the role.

Miss. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr. D. Yes.

Mr. Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Mrs.

Pereira, Mayor Kan. Yes. Item number nine is the approval of some travel requests. We only have three. Um, any discussion on any of the travel requests? Motion to approve with a question. I have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. I have a motion to second. Mr. Das, thank you. Just on the travel request policy in general, I'm just trying to understand one thing that I saw from my

batches. Um, do we um encourage hotel use for um conferences that are just an hour away from the city?

Do um we don't encourage them. No one's making that suggestion to people, but we have not denied requests to do so.

Right. I just hope um I'm not sure as a district if there's um conference in say Malboro that if that that comes up and we're looking at what's more cost effective for the district the hotel in Malboro or traveling for two days that that'll just be my only comment but I yield Mr. Chair.

Thank you Mr. Dus. Mr. Aguia just following up on that question I think it's a valid question I believe Mr. D raised the issue that someone went to um because it's in the reports that they stayed in a hotel overnight. Is was there been anybody looked into that? Is there an answer to that question? I think when we circumstance, you know what I mean? It might have been a special circumstance. I will say that

often um enough I mean it's it's it's not unheard of for like a at a two-day conference in Malboro that people will stay over in between instead of making the drive to um two hours. I will say that for people who drive a distance to school, um, and also I'll say me, for me to drive back and forth to Malber for a couple days in a row, not a big deal. I

I do that kind of thing every day. For people who live very close, um, to the school at which they work, um, doing an hour plus commute in, you know, in traffic to get up to Malber, um, I think that that it takes on something new. I feel like um to some extent I think that we could be in a position um when we send people out like that to also pay

them for their travel time because they'd usually be leaving work, you know, leaving home 10 minutes before they want to be at work and now they're leaving an hour and a half to get there.

Um and so the cost effectiveness of it isn't like it's not crazy when I when I kind of think of it that way. And we definitely have people who will spend the night in Malboro. Yeah. Yeah. I just thought it would just to clarify what it was. And I think we need to have a policy where you tell all the folks that are signing off on these things to check those. So if there's a rational reason,

fine. But if we're just, oh, go ahead and do it. Yeah. Like a one-day conference, I don't think makes any sense. Two days, I think you make a valid point. But I don't think we ne necessarily know that other than we just see the bill. Sure. So thank you. I um did we have a motion to second on that? We do. Did you call the role?

Sure. Mr. A. Yes. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr.

Das, yes. Mr. Corey, yes. Mr. Laravey, yes. Miss Pereira. Mayor Kogan. Yes. We have two donations tonight. Um I need a motion to second. Motion to accept.

Second. I have a motion to second. Mr.

Das, thank you. I I do have um a question on the one for RPA. Um then just going through the backup given um I I see u Mr. Riley's names on here, but just going on the backup, it doesn't even appear he was notified. It wasn't submitted by him. And um it says this is a donation that can be used for um basically a generic purpose for for students. However, the check itself says

it's for a scholarship.

So, I didn't know there were certain and this is from an organization. This is from a culinary organization. And so I guess that's one member. We're accepting um a donation from a culinary organization. It should go for culinary purpose to support the um culinary program at RPA. Um I don't know. But for the other question, I don't know if we have an answer.

No, I don't I don't know what the um I understand I can see in the check that the check memo says um for the AF um ACFRI scholarship, but it was communicated as um that it could be used for anything for the kids in the culinary. So, I'm not sure. Okay.

And I guess third concern is like for the top one, the athletic director, Mr.

Bustin, he put in the um through the donation form, which um is that this is something that's in policy. You have to submit your donations through the form or can it just be through an email?

I know that is the practice uh because I see them often. Um I don't know that I don't know to tell you the truth whether or not it's a policy. I know that it's generally how we do business. Um, it could be that we had a um teacher who didn't know the the protocol and so maybe the person sent an email or just sent the check-in or whatever it was. I'm not really sure

from the backup. Well, I am about if um I'd like the donations to be done through policy from for myself and my fiduciary responsibility to approve them. Um, so I'd like to make a motion that we um table the RPA donation till we get more information.

Do I have a second?

Mr. Chairman, uh, Mr. Aguar, just on that, so my colleague I think is correct that we should use the form, but with all due respect to, uh, Miss Cabraw uh, who actually submitted it, she submitted it to the CFO and another person. So, like she didn't get a response, I don't think, that said use the form. I think now we can't tell her to use the form. I think it was just an oversight. It

wasn't it I think it's a good thing.

June 4th, they received it. She's very active in culinary federations and the like. So, I would assume it's through her connections that she was able to get $300 for the school. So, I think we should approve it, but in the future just send something out reminding them.

Thank you. I agree. I withdraw my motion to table.

Deb, could you please call the role? I need a motion and a second. Oh, I need a motion. Oh, I'm sorry. There is a motion in a second. Mr. Mr. Bailey made a motion in. Yep. Okay. Deb, please call the role. Mr. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr.

Das. Yes. Mr. Cory. Yep. M. Laravey.

Yes. Mr. Pereira. Mayor Cougler. Yes.

Item number 10 is the approval of grants. I think I have to read them. Uh, we have two grants. Oh, I I'm sorry.

Read the donations, please. Dr. Curly Dery athletics director Brad Bustin accepts a donation of $1,000 from the Kyle Caris Foundation. The donation will be used for different activities and um events um of the club sponsors.

Um Principal Kyle Riley of the Robert El Medeiros Resiliency Preparatory Academy accepts a donation of $300 from the American Culinary Federation Rhode Island chapter. This donation will be used as needed for students.

Item number 10, the approval of grants.

We have two grants tonight. Any questions on the two grants. Motion to approve. Second. I have a motion and a second on the grants. Hearing no questions. Deb, could you please call the role? Mayor. Um, Mr. A. Yes. Mr.

Bailey. Yes. Mr. Das. Yes. Mr. Corey.

Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira.

Mayor Cougan. Yes. Item number 11 is the approval of contracts. We have a number of contracts. We usually um divvy them up by order. Um the first are the two grant contracts, level up and uh equity.

Does anybody have any questions on those two? Motion to approve. Second. I have a motion on the first two discussion hearing. None. Deb, would you call the role on those two? Mr. Daga. Yes. Mr.

Bailey. Yes. Mr. Das. Yes. Mr. Corey.

Yes. M Laravey. Yes. Miss Perrero, Mayor Coogan. Yes. The next set is miscellaneous. We have Lionbridge, Skills USA, and the town of Tivan. Mr.

Chair, Mr. uh Das, can we place a hold on Lionbridge in the town of Tivan for those um for those three? Okay. Well, there's only three, so we might as well just do them as you go. Mr. Dias, you have the floor on Lionbridge. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, so my question in regards to Lionbridge, did who who who placed in who's here to speak for this for this grant or I mean

not grant this um service from the administration.

This is phone interpretation and translation services.

So can you repeat the question? I I didn't hear I couldn't hear what wasn't a question yet. He he just asked who's going to speak on it on Lionbridge. Yes.

And Mr. Alita got up. Well, I think that I think uh I think it would be important to know what the question is because I think I think it would be important to ask the question and that it will be clearer who should answer. Okay. I So, I'll get into the questions. So, for this contract, it's um a $13,000 contract. Um did we seek um written price quotes? because I've asked about

this before. It comes through our batches. Um believe we could be um shopping elsewhere for the services.

Just my opinion. Did we use the 30B um bidding laws which is required for a contract estimated to cost at least 10,000 but not more than 50,000 to seek written price quotes from at least three vendors based on a written purchase description and award the contract to the responsible vendor. Do we seek three quotes for the service? We've used Lionbridge for many years now and we've just continue with their service.

Right. I I just um and I've been asking for this. I really would like to um get a a legal opinion on 30B and how it applies to contracts within the district. I think it's important that we we start more as a district following 30B and uh I think we'd save money in the long term if we did. And starting with Lionbridge, um we haven't I believe it's the law that we need to seek

written price quotes from at least three vendors. And if we didn't, unfortunately, I cannot vote for it. I yield. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Cy, I'm sorry, Mr. chairman, but but the logic behind that is it doesn't really apply to a long-standing relationship with one of our outside contractors who we already know have already vetted and have already benefited from their extreme good services for a number of years. And

with that, I place my trust in the CFO and the superintendent to continue those services. I yield Mr. Mr. Yeah. U one thing I would say is that the this isn't necessarily the finance piece is Mr. Almeidas, but this is a subject for the ELLL director. So I think the directors need to be at the meeting so they can speak to what is happening if there was other questions.

Just that's an aside. But in this case, when you look at the report, uh Mr.

Alita, the backup indicates that we approved a contract for 24,000 with this vendor in September. Now, based on what Mr. Das just read from the law, I'm not sure if it's just coincidence that it was under 25,000, but it certainly begs a question for us to get an answer on because now we know that we have to have 13,000 more to make it 37. So, the if 25 is the threshold,

we approved a contract for 24, but now we know it was 37. If it was 37 to begin with, would that trigger what Mr. Das is saying? So not I have no problem with the question the the gentleman asked because that's our duty is to look at the the all of the stuff. So I don't saying I not I don't trust you. All I'm asking is let's go back and review how

did we get to 24 to beginning and if it was to circumvent the the bidding laws that's a problem. That's all I'm saying.

It might not be the case. But that's but that's not that's not the case. So the Lionbridge contract was under 25,000 last year. The contract is based on usage. it's how often the service is being used by families and we've seen an uptick this year and that's essentially what happened. And so we I was made aware of the contract being over 25,000 about a month ago. I was not able to get

it on the May agenda and I did as soon as I could.

But that that doesn't really answer the question of to go out to bid. So I guess you're trying to say that it was the 24,000. So last year we spent 24,000. We spent under 25,000. So you wouldn't necessarily know whether it was going over. I'm asking for just some backup information because if you if you asked me, we spent 24,000, let's say last year. If you asked me based on the ELLL

director, the superintendent, all of the assistant superintendents coming up saying how many students we have that are needing services, Miss uh Kudo at the pay center. If you asked anybody, anybody if we were going to spend the same thing as we paid last year for Lionbridge, their answer would be no.

which definitely going to be above. So I I'm not trying to spot you. All I think is it's worthy of a question and I commend my colleague for actually asking that question. I yield.

Mr. Das, thank you. And um so that's one issue and just um to actually talk about basically the the merits of the service.

Do we um have any written feedback data on the usefulness of this? Again, this is translation services, phone interpretation, translation services, but we live in an age where we can get this these services for pennies on a dollar with artificial intelligence um with the with again with different um services that are similar to Lionbridge that just cost a fraction of the cost. Again, I understand we've gone

with them for a while and it's just the way that things go. It's again, it's not um it's not really a critique. However, I I made it clear before. It's very important that this district follow 30B and the bidding laws. And I think we'd go a long way financially when we do so.

So, um I'd like to get an opinion on whether 30B has been followed. So, I'd like to make a motion to table this contract to the next meeting.

Second.

I have a motion and a second to table.

Any discussion? No. No discussion. No discussion. Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry. Um, Deb, please call the RO. Mr. A? Yes. Mr.

Bailey? No. Mr. Das? Yes. Mr. Corey? No.

Miss Laravey? No. Miss Pereira? Mayor Cougan? No.

I'll entertain a motion to approve Lion Bridge. Motion to approve. Second. I have a motion to second. Any further discussion on Lion Bridge, Mr. Aguar, do we know how much was much this was for monthly? I'm sorry. Do we have any any other backup other than the one paragraph that said the time went over?

It varies every month. The contract the the amounts vary every month. Is that what you asked, Miss? Yeah. It just says as of this month, we've run out of funds on the contract and we'll need another 13,000. So, we have a week and a half left of school. So, I don't think we're going to use 13,000 if we only use 24,000 for the whole year. So, it's I don't think you know what I'm saying. I

don't think but it's but it's through March. It's through March. So the bills come in the bills don't come in right on time. They come in in essence a month later and it's through that was through March. The 24,000 three months that we need the 13,000 for.

Okay. And the school years I'm just not getting the math of we then we went through six months of school year for 24,000 and for 3 months we're going to need 13. You know what I'm saying? I just don't I'm not seeing the math but we don't have the service is back from July. It goes from July through the end of the year. It's a 12-month contract.

And we didn't spend more than 24,000 last year. We did not know. No, from July until March. We did. It was It was 24 that where we we we're over the 24,000 as of March. And so because of that, I'm coming forward to you for a contract. And how much is it now? So you're saying you got 13? I'm estimating that through June it's going to be an additional $13,000 is what it's going to

be for a total based on just based on what's what's happened all year. I just think we I personally think we need more backup uh related to it. I understand it's a service that's needed, but it begs a lot of questions. So I'd ask the superintendent to at least give us a one pager on the questions were asked. You got it. I yield. Thank you, Mr. Bailey.

Yeah, I was just I was just going to say um considering the timing of um where we're at in the school year, I don't I don't think uh we should table it this.

So that's why I've voted um no on that.

I do think we need more backup information. I do know um obviously our numbers have increased and the service is great um and it's something that we need, but um if we can just get a little bit more information that would be helpful and then we can make that decision. But um thank you Deb. I have a motion and a second. Could you call the role on landbridge? Mr. A, no. Mr.

Bailey, yes. Mr. Dice, no. Mr. Corey, yes. M. Larry? Yes. M. Pera. Mayor Coogan. Yes. Um, the second one was Skills USA. We will have a hold on that motion to approve. I have a motion to second discussion. Deb, call the whole on Skills USA. Just uh can't hear you. I couldn't hear you. We can't hear what you're saying. I'm I'm sorry, guys. Um uh the second one had no uh discussion

or no hold I should say on Skills USA uh the leadership conference. I have a motion a second. Deb, can you call the role please? Mr. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Yes.

Mr. Das. Yes. Mr. Cory. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira.

Mayor Kan. Yes. And the final one was Town of Tivan. I believe Mr. Das held that one also. Mr. D Mr. Das. Yes, Mr.

Chair. Um first um so later in the agenda we have the memorandum for the town of Teran. I think um it'll just and then we have the the contract. I think it would be appropriate to take the two together. So um I'd like to request unanimous consent that we take if I could just comment. Sure. Uh so the the contract in front of you is to pay for the services for this year. What the

item that's on the agenda is moving forward into next year. Okay. Never mind them. I'll thank you for that. Yep.

So on the sorry I dropped my notes. Um on the town of Tiveran So this is so this was just services for this year. Um can I think it's appropriate I can ask is go this year going into next year. Is there an increase? I believe I it might be a slight increase. They're they're looking for an increase and I'm I'm requesting that we do increase it slightly but not to not to the amount that they're

looking for. Yeah. Okay. Are they going to um accept it? Are they going to? I'm I'm asking for your okay on on the increase and then I'm going to go back to them and say this is what we agreed to. Sure. And so Okay. So I believe it's it's appropriate to mention. I understand to my understanding and mayor correct me if I'm wrong some in the town of Tiveran are relying on what type of

water? So, and I'd be curious to know what that rate is compared to what Fiverr rateayers pay. Um, if um obviously fall rateayers pay a ton, I'd be curious what the town pays. The reason I'm bringing this up, I believe it should be used as leverage in negotiations to keep the price down. If we have the if throwing a hypothetical, we have a town that's receiving our water supplies from our rate payers at a

fraction of the cost. And again, I don't know for sure. I'm just throwing a hypothetical and yet they're going to come to us and and demand an increase in the price that would be unacceptable for myself and I'd be showing them the contracts showing other that they get breaks otherwise. So I encourage the city to work with yourself to work out some sort of arrangement because towns

that are reliant on our services should not be demanding prices to go up astronomically. But just um on the for if we do improve the increase, it would still be um just so the public understands that at home, it would still be cheaper than if we were to transport them. Yes. Okay. And I think it's important I encourage the administration because what we're talking about is an enclave within Fall River next to Saudi

Pond, which is deep, deep down into TDan. Um, I'd be curious to know if um if they this the residents there even want to be a part of Fall River, if they would rather be a part of Tiv or Westport. And I also be curious to see if we can get some sort of if this ever happens in the future, work with Desi to get some sort of either waiver or some

extra extra help because we're we have to pay money over geographics basically because this is so far down. However, I'm glad to We're also receiving money for those students that live in that area. Right. And that that's why I'm not I'm not voting no on the contract. I'm just um I'm I'm not even against it.

That's why I wanted you to mention that we are saving money in the long term. So if there's ever any question in the community, they understand why. I yield a motion to approve. I have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. I have a motion to second on the town of Tivan um contract. Any discussion? Deb, call the role, please. Mr. A. Yes, Mr. Bailey.

Yes, Mr. Das. Yes, Mr. Corey. Yep, Miss Laravey. Yes, Miss Pereira. Mayor Cougar. Yes.

We also have two special education contracts, Justice Resource Institute and Proare Therapy. Motion to approve.

Second.

Any any holds? No holds. Any discussion?

Hearing none. Deb, please call the role on those two. Mr. Drag. Yes. Mr. Mr.

Bailey, yes. Mr. Das, yes. Mr. Cory, yes. Miss Laravey, yes. Mr. Pereira, Mayor Couan, yes. And finally, under miscellaneous contracts, we have um four um education cooperative frontline.

Front line front line. Any discussion on any of those? Mr. Das, all four. Um all four. Go ahead. Thank you. So, for the tech bid, I understand this is something that's through the state. Um when we say it's through the state, can you just explain um to the public um what this why we go through the state and and they do the procurement for us and how they got to the 350,000 price. Sure. So the

the state through the tech cooperative goes out to bid and looks for best pricing related to all the supplies that we purchase. And so uh we are part of the collaborative. We pay a small $750 fee to be part of the collaborative. uh and we get the best best pricing through the state. Okay. Um those um I would like to request going forward that these bids are included um in the backup.

Obviously, we just have the the one paragraph, one pager explaining um explain the circumstance. I mean, so one last question. It says this funding is contingent upon the passing of the budget from the city. Um but so I budgetary question. And if the city council does not approve a budget on July 1st, um so this this this wouldn't happen. This would be kapoot. I would if it if the budget's not passed, it would

be a one 12th budget and I have to live within one 12th of the budget of this year's budget moving forward. And this most likely would not make the first month. When when would this when would we need this by to be approved? I'm sorry. We we come we come in front of you for this for this budget for this approval in June so that we can begin purchasing in July in July. Okay.

Exactly. So we would this be included in a July 112 budget if that happens. A portion of this would be yes a portion that well since you said that I'm assuming it's okay to do that. Okay. Um I yield on that motion to approve. I have a motion to approve on the tech bid. Any further discussion? I need a second. Do I have a second? Second. I have a motion and second. Deb, call the

role on the first of the miscellaneous, please. Tech bid. Mr. A. Yes. Mr.

Bailey. Yes. Mr. Das. Yes. Mr. Corin.

Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. M. Perr. Yes.

Mayor Ken. Yes. Next up is front line.

Mr. Das. Yes. Um if it's okay if I can ask questions on all three if the HR assuming this is the HR directors if you could explain um what these services are for and um if we use them I'm assuming we used them in the past believe it's a continue yeah as a continuation what has been for the year what has been your experience with using these technologies yeah so uh the first one which is

absence management absence and substitute management um that's been in place for at least a few years since before I got here that's how we track staff absences. We keep track of their acrruals um sick time, personal time, vacation time, and that's also what we use to um get substitutes for our vacancies as well. So um that system's been in place. I'm familiar with that system. I've used that in two other

districts. Um so it's it's pretty wide widespread um in terms of K to2 public education. Um and I think it's a pretty good system and certainly something we need um just to kind of streamline uh time and attendance or or absence management. Um, any questions on that one in particular? Did you go through all three? No, no, that was just the first one. Right. Access manager. Um, do you want him to do all three at once,

Mr. Das? That's okay. Sure, that's fine.

So, the next one, uh, these are actually two new platforms from Frontline that um we're actually on the tail end of the roll out with both of them. So, we've been doing sort of the the roll out all of this year. Uh, the first one, which is recruiting and hiring, that's going to be our new job posting platform. Um, what's nice about this system is because we have other front uh frontline

platforms uh or solutions, they're all going to tie in with one another. So, um, from the time that someone applies to, uh, being onboarded and hired, all of their information will be housed within Frontline. It's going to connect to a new human resource information system. Um, and it's also going to help us with our, um, recruiting and outreach as well. it it gives us some um further

outreach in terms of our ability to post jobs and and hopefully um get those jobs in in front of um viable candidates. The other piece to that which is time and attendance um that is going to be a new system that we use for tracking overtime. Uh the way that we've done it historically and we do it right now is if you do an overtime event or you do an

extra duty as a you know a teacher and administrator, you fill out a paper time sheet that gets signed off by your supervisor and then eventually gets processed to payroll. Um this is going to digitize and streamline that whole process. So they'll be able to enter their uh extra duties or overtime into the system. It can get approved right there in the system and then that will

get automatically sent to payroll. Um so streamlining that that process and and that system completely um is going to be a big help for us. The last one I actually don't know what the location analytics is. I don't know if uh so the location analytics piece is used by the um SIMS department so that they can track where students live. Um they can see where the demographics are higher in different areas. Um it's

real-time information. and that's what we use to um fill classrooms when we're building schedules with the pace center and when new students come in that's how we try to place students.

All right. Um thank you for that Mr.

Cabro. I guess um with the last one I I guess I have um some slight hesitation.

Obviously, we went through a cyber issue in the district where um there was issues with data and um we're going to be so this is not and again we've been through this and we've had this conversation um 99% of our information is on the cloud and it's stored via the vendors. Um that piece that we had an issue with our ransomware was one of the tenth of a percent of data that we had

left on prem. Um, so moving forward everything is out on the cloud so it's secured with the vendor and not with this in in house. Thank you for that.

But I guess if you can go a little bit further when we say we're going to um track I believe you said track students if um you can or track where students live. It's basically it's basically the United States census and the city census. So that information is then in turn dumped into this software so anyone could get it as a public records request. they could get where people

live, etc. Uh, and then what we do is use that to place student A at Fonsucker or student C at Henry Lord depending on room left in the school physical classroom space versus students in the area. And again, that would be done with the SIMS team with Mr. Michael and his team in direct correlation with uh Mrs.

Kudo and the Pace Center. So the city of Fall River will be providing um their local the local census to the school district and we're going to be implementing that data. No. So I mean when a city has a census or a state has a census, they're uploaded so that people can see them and companies such as this provide a service where they can see and they can predict where you're going to have heavier pockets of

children in certain areas of the city over time just like other softwares do the same thing. And it gives us a chance to also look at we back fill with Mr.

for Chico with transportation as well so that we can see where those areas have higher concentration of students or they do not. We've been using this software I want to say about 18 years. It's changed names but um we've never had an issue with it in close to 20 years that we've been using it. Okay, thank you for that.

Um, I guess I'll just say, um, now I guess this gain an interest in knowing where the city of Far River sells its data to when we take that local census.

Um, if we can get I'm not asking for an answer now, Mr. Mayor, but we can if we can get an answer on that. Um, I'd be most appreciated. Mr. Das, it's not selling information. It's public record.

So, any company can go out there and they can create their own company. I could go out there tomorrow and I could request from the town of Swansea all of their information and then build a software platform around it and say that I think that they could get rid of a school. They could do you know it's the it's software engineering at its finest.

So this company just this is what they do. They go out they look at demographics and they better help school districts to be able to move students in the correct direction. And if we didn't have this software, we'd probably have to hire a team of 10 to 15, you know, individuals to make this work yearly with scheduling and moving students.

Well, thank I I appreciate it. So, I um you gave a very comprehensive um assessment on that. Um I I I yield my questions for the service. Thank you, Mr. Laravey. Yes. I don't know who this question is for, but it has you mentioned the extra duties and how that's monitored and and put into the front line, but can you just somebody I don't know who uh explain to me about the actual process, the system

of attendance and um what the chain of command is and how we monitor it, the call outs, the attendance of staff, how do we monitor that? So that's uh attendance of staff mostly is done at the building level. So vast majority of our staff work in buildings. Um so you know direct supervisors most likely the principles and also kind of front office um secretaries and clerks will kind of

monitor the daily attendance day-to-day.

Uh best practice is the uh employee who knows that they're going to be absence is able to enter that absence themsel into the system. The system then spits it out there for any sub to pick up um a vacancy and and subs can kind of open their app and and choose whatever vacancies they're available for. Um for instances where you wake up in the morning and your kid's sick unexpected,

you have to put in an absence. If it's too close to the start of the day, you're not able to put it in yourself, you then have to contact the school to say, "Hey, I can't make it in today."

They'll enter the absence for you and then hopefully work out either a sub or coverage. So, that's kind of a brief snapshot of kind of the day-to-day. Um, for people that don't work in schools, it's, you know, um, kind of monitored by their direct supervisor. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, I yield. Sorry.

Not really. Um, Mr. M. I'm sorry, Mr. Yeah. Go ahead.

Just two questions for the HR director.

So this uh I believe this contract was before the um technology subcommittee over a year ago which predated you sir.

Uh at the time I recall some sort of um either personalization that the old HR director Mr. Coogan was mentioning. So there wasn't a template just uh there was things that he needed or the district needed that were specific to Fall River. Has that happened over the last year or is this a a just a a turn?

And I know this contract's from July 1, but I'm assuming we've been working with them before, or is this starting from scratch on July 1?

Is this for the the new recruiting and hiring and um time in attendance? I think all of the frontline they were trying to sell us on front line and Mr.

Kogan indicated at the time, as I recall consecrated to personalize it. Has this been personalized at all or is this a we're taking whatever they just have and turning it on July one? Um I guess I' I'd want to find out from Mr. Kouan what he meant by the personalization piece. I mean we've been working with them all year for rolling out recruiting and hiring and time and attendance and it's

certainly been personalized to our needs. Um I'll give you an example for time and attendance. Um I've been working with our you know contact at at Frontline for this project. Um, we've actually gone in and, you know, looked at the contracts for some of our ASME unions, you know, the the typical jobs, custodian maintenance security things that actually do overtime events. We've been actually putting in the background

of of this system, you know, number of hours of days that they work, um, number of days in the year that they work. So, the background of that system is able to calculate overtime, you know, 8 hours, uh, more than eight hours a day, more than 40 hours a week, you know, things like that. Um, and also I mean it's it's we're able to sort of run the approval process for for that specifically

through whatever approvers we want.

We're able to sort of personalize it for different departments. Uh, so in that sense it's very personalized. Um, but yeah, I can't speak to what Mr. Coogan was thinking, but I I I think we we've been working pretty closely with them and uh I think it certainly meets the needs of the district. Yeah. So, uh, I think maybe somebody could find the minutes or the the video cuz I don't

know exactly what he was talking about, but he definitely did say something about needing to make sure it was personalized. And I know he doesn't work here anymore, but maybe somebody can get you to that. So, the piece of the overtime tracking, I couldn't agree with you more that we need to address it because what I think this system will do, correct me if I'm wrong, we've had situations in the past where people have

had $20,000 of overtime in a year. And when I asked for the backup, which is the forms, you know, to fill out the forms, it took about six to eight weeks to for us to get them. Yeah. Once we got them, they weren't they were made up in my opinion. So, we had a a system with 25 lines on it and the person said and it said so and so special project with

an arrow going down 25 lines and we paid the person thousands of dollars. I've been saying this for multiple years.

That is basically theft. In my opinion, the backup can't be made up after the fact. It needs to be done on the front end. So, I think you're telling me that this is going to catch potentially that type of thing and not put us in a bind where people are approving things after the fact. Is that accurate? I I think so. Yeah. I think the way the system is set up, I mean, before it gets to

payroll, it has to go through whatever approvers um you know, are authorized to approve the overtime. Uh just in term of the the the timeline piece you mentioned right now with overtime specifically it's paid I think two weeks after the overtime events happen and I think the the reason for that or or at least two weeks we need time for the the the actual paper sheets to get passed

through inner office mail to get signed by one person then get sent to payroll.

Um so just speaking you know to that that issue of we asked for backup and it took a long time to you know get all the copies that's going to be you know streamlined completely with this system.

Um you know with the press of a button we can run multiple reports multiple weeks of o overtime. Um we can spit them out into you know PDFs or or Excel sheets to you know manipulate and um you know um filter as we need. So I think it'll help a lot with kind of the the issues that you you brought up. Yeah. So I I've asked for an overtime audit of those departments that you mentioned and

that never happened. But uh I'd be happy to send you what I have so you could look at it because the way that we don't make the same mistake again is if at least if we know what was happening and I don't think you know but I will send you some things tomorrow so that you and Dr. Curley can look look them over.

Thank you. I yield. Perfect. Thank you.

So I I have a I need a motion and a second on the three frontline contracts to approve. Second. I have a motion and a second. Deb, could you call the role, please? Mr. A, yes. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr.

Das, yes. Mr. Cory, yes. Miss Larvy, yes. Mr. Herrera, yes. Mayor Coug, yes.

And finally, under the new contracts, we have the Vicata vape sensor uh contract. Motion to approve. Second.

I have a motion to second. Any discussion on Vicata, Mr. Das? Yeah, actually very quickly um Mr. Cabra gave a very in-depth um presentation that was outlined previously by um technology um subcommittee chair. So I'm happy this is coming forward and look forward to what this can do in regards to the vape issue within our schools school district. I yield. Thank you, Mr. Cory. So So Mr.

Cabraw, if I could ask you at the podium, please. Uh I'm really excited to see this. By the way, I support it wholeheartedly. Could you just describe it to me and how how does this system detect vapors and stuff? So, it looks like a typical home smoke detector uh goes up on the ceiling uh gets connected into the computer network. Um and then, um just for a back minute, um Mr. Reposo

and I um we kind of demoed it when Mr.

Reposo was a principal at Talbot Middle School and he and I were able to work out the initial bugs. Um, it sends real-time text information to whoever in the building, the building administrators want it to be texted. Um, and it also sends an email. Uh, so say for example at 10:40 a.m. you get a real-time alert. What it's doing is it's sensing that the air quality has gone down very quickly and the vape in the

small room has gone gotten to a high level. Um, most of the time the staff get there while the kids are still in the bathroom. And for that oneoff occasion where they don't get the text and they're at the bathroom already, um, what you do is you do some oldfashioned police work. Our cameras are pointed right at the, um, the direction of the entrances of the bathroom. Um, and then

Mr. Reposo and his team were able to by um, just asking some questions figure out who was vaping and who was not. Um, it's been very effective. Um, we are already in the course of pre-wiring, so we're able to keep the cost of the project down because all the wiring will be done in house. And, um, the plus is it's a 5-year contract for licensing.

Um, so one thing that Vera is very good about, if the device is damaged or um, something is wrong with the device, it's overnight replacement, so it would go down overnight, get plugged back into the network, and be working. So, are you telling me that uh for the price of this contract um that we have a 5year term on that? Correct. And um is there a GPS function on these on these sensors? Um

there different parts of the building?

Um well, so yeah, so you can actually overlay a map in the network software and you can put where all your devices are on that map. Um, we do that, but we don't show that um because it kind of basically shows your cards as far as where cameras are if anyone were ever to be able to get into that. Um, so we can see that at an engineering level. Um,

but you can't see that, you know, on a broader spectrum. But all in all, you guys feel confident this is a really good system. I I I think it's a very necessary system. So I I lord you for for making this uh and you're confident this is going to be helpful to us. I I on the techn technology side am extremely excited to do this. Um and Mr.

Reposa could speak on the you know the student discipline side but I think you know technically wise this is the way to go. I'd love to see these as we continue to you know advance these um devices in more bathrooms and areas. I saw one more question. Is it just at the middle schools? Correct. So right now we're doing a tiered approach. It'll be the middle schools this year. Um there's

some grant funding that comes out July 1 through the Homeland Security um that I'm actually going to apply for to try to get for the high school here, but the high school here has an enormous amount of bathrooms, so it's quite a bit to cover. Thank you. I yield. Anything further on Vicata, Mr. Mr. Ada? I know he asked for some data. I don't recall seeing any, but Okay. Not that it um is

basically the subcommittee just asked for discipline data relative to how uh how that looks. Um at the subcommittee uh Mr. Cabraw indicated that there was not a lot of false uh alarms, let's say.

So it's a good system that's worked the kinks out. And um that was my concern at first because over the years we've heard that they don't work very well. But this by our doing it as a pilot, you and Mr.

foss were saying that it worked well.

So, I think it's worth a shot. The other piece I think that needs to be addressed with the committee at this time is we also talked about having this at the high school and whether the other principles wanted it or not, I think it it's something to look at relative to um putting this at the high school. Does anyone want to speak to that?

Okay.

Yeah. So in terms of the high school, I do think um you know it was important to start small at first at Talbot. So I think the idea is let's get all the middle schools done and then I think in process I believe this is purchasing 60 units. We don't have that many bathrooms at the three major middles, right? So I think we would be able to start to outfit the high school, but I think the

idea is let's do this at scale. When we piloted this at Talbot, we only piloted it with one set of bathrooms. So, we didn't even do it in the whole building.

We just piloted in one area really to work out some kinks, false alarms, even the notification. At first, it was an email. That's not going to work for me if I'm on the floor. You know, I'm I don't have my laptop in front of me. So, we went to a text message alert. It went right to my security, went to myself.

So, that, you know, we sort of worked those pieces out. But, I definitely would be supportive of um this at the high school as well. I think it's just this the number of bathrooms and then anything that we roll out at the high school. um because of the sheer size, we have to look at who's going to be responsible for sort of responding. What does that look like? They have obviously

many more security staff than the middle schools do who only have one. Um and so I know that they have slightly different systems in terms of responding to issues like that. How many do you you say you you don't have all 60 at the Yeah, I'd say like at so for instance at a school like Talbot um realistically you would have you would need probably 10 8 to 10 units at a place like Talbot

because it's one unit per restroom I believe uh one unit per restroom per men's and and uh women's room the CUS is a little bit bigger Morton's a little bit bigger so I'd say maybe 12ish units at each um Cus and Morton potentially So without a vote of the committee, are we going to implement this at the high school with the other remaining to basically pilot it at the high school with the remaining

uh I think that 25 or something like that. I think that would be up to this.

I know you know with Mr. Kall the intention I make a motion to amend to add that we're going to pilot it with the all remaining um devices at the high school. Second.

Bobby first. Okay. Bobby, who's first?

Um, no, she can go first. Okay, Mr.

Pereira, I have a motion and second, though. I don't dis I don't disagree with wanting the technology at the high school, but sometimes I think we we jump without knowing how deep it is. And I hear the technology guy telling us we should Scott, sorry, I've had a long day. Scott, I apologize. I hear Scott, the um person who is knowledgeable in this area, saying that he wants to do the middle school first to make sure

it's all set before we move to the high school. So, I think if that's what he's thinking is best to prevent any other problems, then I don't know why we're jumping ahead. So, unless he comes up and tells me that he wants to do it in the high school first, my vote on this will be no. And that's that's without that. I yield.

I am completely a team player and I will get the high school ones done just as fast as the middle school. The only thing that we have to realize here, um, most of the bathrooms here are solid ceilings. So, it's going to take me some time to kind of sit with Mr. Pico and engineer a way to get the wires in there. Um, because they are solid ceilings. Um, so what I'd like to do,

like I said, we've been pre-wiring the middle schools, is once the product comes in, as soon as the product comes in, get the middle school up live and going, and then what we'll do is we'll continue with the high school. Um, just knowing that we're going to have a little bit of a push and a lift to get the wiring into there. Point of clarification. Okay, hold on. Mr. Bailey

was next. Um, just a few things. Um, because we did have this conversation at the at the technology subcommittee. Um, and I think when we had the conversation, Mr. Aguia, you can correct me if I'm wrong, we did talk about it being piloted at the middle school, but also we thought it would be important to put it in the high school. Um, it wasn't necessarily like a timeline to put it in

the high school, but it it was making sure that we got them up in the high school as well. Um, and then that's why we requested the data so we can actually take a look at it, share it with the committee, and see what that looked like across the schools because I think it would have been great for us to have it in front. And I know you don't have it

right now, um, so I'm not putting that on you right now. um just when you can get it over to the committee. Um and I don't really think there was any timeline, but we just kind of wanted to know more and how we can help the high schools out along with the middle schools. Um and something else I just wanted to talk about was um if we can also talk about what that process looks

like and you can share that with the committee and then another question I asked what is what would the policy look like? And I know that's something that would come before us, but if we're dealing with all these and we're putting the vape sensors in and we have the discipline and stuff involved, what does the policy look like behind that? So, I think it's important that we focus on

the code of conduct that is already in place. We don't need a policy necessarily for the discipline component to it. As we remember, we have implemented the past program up at Derby High School this year. Um, coming to the end of about six months in that program, we've really seen some dynamic outcomes.

I think it's really important for us to recognize that it's not just about also putting vape sensors in our schools, but once we find and identify problems, we also have to be prepared to be able to meet our students where they're at and provide a service and a response to that situation. And so up at the high school, we do have the PASS program that has been going exceptionally well, but at

the middle school level right now, we do not. So as we think about alternatives to school suspension because as we know dependent upon if it's nicotine, if it is marijuana that carries a suspension from school and so you know as much as we are on board with identifying the issues, we also have to be on board with identifying the ways that we're going to support kids as they're at a crossroad

um as it relates to using substances at an early age and how we can provide interventions. And we're certainly not alone on that. you know, we have a very strong community partnership working with South Coast, working with St. An's um and STAR certainly over the course of the year, but I think it's really important that simultaneously we are able to respond to the needs of our kids in the community with actionable

resources for them and their families.

I Dr. M. What? M sorry Dr. Bronh. Do we have any middle school students in the past program right now? No. Right. Known as a 9 to2 program through the funds of the opioid grant. Right. So is that a concern if these detectors stop working the way we kind of think they're going to work and these referrals start coming in coming in and we don't have so we do have some supports. You know, we've

partnered with I decide, which is a vaping sessation program that really focuses on the education around smoking and smoke usage for adolescence and brain development. Um, and so that will just take on a different look again as we look for alternatives to school suspension because clearly we cannot just be removing kids from school as a result, right? But we are, you know, this is also on the heels of a number of

protocols that we're looking to shift around attendance and making sure that we know who's in the building. Um, and really securing some of our routines as it relates to getting kids to class on time. Um, electronic hall passes we've been in discussion with as we look at the use of the mental health grant in a very um kind of cross priority approach and and so that's been an opportunity

for us this spring more specifically.

Right. I I think while I am a very strong proponent of this and in the high at the high school level, um I I kind of want to take a breath and see how the middle school goes, but I mean, let's just set a timeline and report back to us is is what I say. Report back to us with some data and then maybe next year at this time with the middle school data

and we we see how it goes. But I'm not opposed to getting them up at Dery as long as you guys have a plan. I mean, yeah, I think it's it's a matter of collaborating with the high school administration, right? They need to be a part of that larger conversation. We do have a program to support at the high school level for students who are identified in need andor a self-referral

program, but looking at every level and meeting our schools and our kids um where they're at to avoid suspension from school at all costs. Absolutely. I yield. Thank you. Mr. the dasis next, but the grant says middle and high school with a 5-year license, so I think we're covered whichever way we go. I know Mr. uh Aguar made a motion, but it's listed in the grant as such.

So, I don't know. Do we want to vote on that or just approve the contract as written? It says middle and I what do you think there Mr. Yeah. Go ahead. So, at the subcommittee meeting, it was stated to us by Mr. Cabell that we didn't have the money to do the high school. So at that point is what we were talking about. So all I'm simply doing here is saying if we needed more money,

it was not said said to us that we were going to have 20 or 25 devices not being used. So if that was said at the at the subcommittee, we would have obviously said at that time when we discussed it, we would have said, well, let's do the middle school first and when we have 20 or 25 left over, we're going to put them at the high school without a timeline. I

just think it's common sense. But we were not told that at the subcommittee.

Hence the reason why I brought it up here because if we needed another 25 or $30,000 to get that going next year at some point. We That was the point of my motion. Uh I can't imagine that anybody thinks that we don't have a problem with vaping at this high school. I know we didn't get the data, but do we need the data to tell us that? So clearly there's

an issue. Why would we wait? I don't understand why we'd wait. If we have 20 25 devices left over, we should work with the high school administration to say, "Where are your hotspots? Let's do these four or five first and run it out like a pilot." So, it's not that controversial. I just didn't think we had uh we were told we didn't have the money, so that's basically was if you're

going to do it as is, then I'll withdraw my uh motion and I think the direction is clear. Okay. Anything further on Vicata? Yes. One more, Mr. Mr. Corey.

First of all, I want to praise the team for their oversight on this issue. It's it's clear to me that they they're all working together, unified language, and I do appreciate, Dr. B, the fact that you would consult with the administrative team at the high school to try to design some type of uh uh uh what do we say reprimand or uh you know, consequence to their action and still

try to keep them in school. I think that's a really really strong component.

It's a brilliant component. So I say do it, you know, and let us know how that develops. But um I think uh Mr. Aguar's proposal makes sense to me. If there's something left over, let's do a little pilot at the high school whenever it's feasible. I yield. Okay. Here, Mr. Das.

Thank you. Just one question on um vape the vape policy in general or we have the past program. Um I know with like for example with cell phone policy we have like a tier one tier two if you're caught with your cell phone there's upgraded penalties. Um could you just walk us through how it's um is there like different penalties if there's if it's nicotine versus marijuana or cannabis or how does it work again? Yes,

there is based on the code of conduct um different levels at different infractions that have different outcomes. So incidents and actions as it relates and alternatives to school suspension are always the top priority.

But when we're looking at drugs in school, it is an automatic um potential for suspension from school.

Okay. Um, so I guess I could follow up offline, but I'm just So if so, at the so say at the high school, if a student is caught with um is there a difference between possession and usage in terms of punishment? Yes, there is.

But as the discipline policy rules and as mass state law is with out of school suspension, every student is granted a hearing. And so nothing is automatic as it relates per se because every student is granted a hearing and it's at that discipline hearing that a disciplined decision is made based on the circumstances that are presented. So I can't say um that every student will be handled in this specific way because

every student gets due process as part of the out of school suspension state law. Okay. I yield. Thank you.

Okay. Can we call Mr. Aar just following up on that? One of the things we asked was also for a look at the uh discipline policies what is in place. That's why we asked for the data because as at the subcommittee we were discussing for instance at the high school if we think that uh vaping is an issue and vaping is against the rules at the high school in one way shape or form it's in

the handbook. There should be a lot of uh referrals listed that data will now indicate to us what is happening with those children. If it says if you use a vape you get an inschool suspension automatically even if I don't know if you even have inschool suspension but let's just say that it says that we shouldn't have three in school suspensions for the entire year with vapes just throwing those numbers out

there. So we also ask for the data also a look at for the whole committee to look at the policies because we might need to change some of those policies rather than do them at a bunch of you know in a handbook or when it's a big thing we need to have a focus on what is the discipline policies was the other request that we made. So I'm sure it's

going to be coming at some point and then we can take it up at the subcommittee if you need be. Thank you.

I yield.

De please call the role. Mr. Yes. Mr.

Bailey. Yes, Mr. D. Yes, Mr. Corey. Yep.

Miss Laravey. Yes, M. Pereira.

Mayor Kogan. Yes.

Item 12.

Committee of the whole discussion and vote to approve the selection appointment of Christy Ferrer.

Districtwide. Motion to approve. Second.

Discussion on Christy Ferrer. Hearing none. Deb, call the role, please. Mr. A.

Yes. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr. Das. Yes, Mr.

Cory. Yeah, Miss Laravey. Yes, Miss Pereira. Yes, Mayor Coogan. Yes. 122 is a discussion and vote to approve the re revised start and end times for school year 2526 as presented by Dr. Curly. Motion to approve with a question, please. I have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. I have a motion. Second, Miss Laravey.

Thank you, uh, chair. So, it it was brought to my attention uh this year that there were school lunches being served at 10:30 in the morning at a couple of the early start schools. I think I just want to I did have a conversation with um some of the administration but I think um I don't think my colleagues are aware or if they are but I think I would like to have a

little more information on students having lunch at 10:30 uh if they come into school at say 7:40 or 7:30 at an early start. So I guess if somebody wants to come up that is my concern is early start lunches with early start days and early endings. If we could just get some information. Uh it it was brought to my attention from a couple parents and um I brought it to your attention but could you just give

me some more info so I can understand it better I guess? Yeah. So I think it's a combination of two things. obviously the early start um breakfast at at after after the bell. So there students that are starting early um could possibly be um having breakfast at 8 and now having a lunch if they're young enough having a lunch relatively early. Most of our elementary schools are running six lunches. Um so

six 20 minute lunches takes a little bit of time to go through. Um and um obviously the reason why they have to start early enough because if you're starting early, you're ending early and you got to get everything in between. So at the early schools, Mr. Vicho, what is the time frame? Well, most of the early most of the early schools are middle schools. All right. So the middle school

what is So they would have they may not have six lunches. That's the first piece. So they may have smaller lunches.

Yeah. larger lunches, less amount of lunches, I'm sorry. So, on the middle school side, where on the elementary school side, a lot of the elementary schools go by grade level to uh to lunch. But there are the 1040 is probably a lunch that's happening quite a few schools, right? Their first lunch uh and fitting in 20 minutes after that to wrap up before the end of the day, right? So, with the focus, I'm sorry. So

with the focus say 740 start or 720 start. Those are those are the schools we're predominantly speaking about right now right the 720. So 7 720 start is is most of our middles are starting early.

All right. And and some of that obviously so everything has a consequence. So when we start later um tearing of buses is eliminated because we can't have enough time in between. So, if you look at the elementary schedule, you look at the middle school schedule, most of those gaps allow us an hour um hour and a half in between to allow for the tearing of the buses. So, it's not all just the

lunch period. It's not just the length of the day. It's obviously trying to capitalize on all of the operations at the same time. Okay. What is the time span of lunch at these early schools?

10:30 to what? 1:00 a total. a total six times 20 or 22 minutes if that's an elementary lunch. So two hours more or less two and a half hours plus cleaning.

I'm sorry. Plus cleaning, you know.

Well, in between, but it's they're doing that most of the time on passing time.

So, but you're right. There is there is a little bit of downtime in between.

Right. So, if they're being dismissed at 2:15, that means 10 12:30 we're done with lunch.

Is that accurate? Um, on a 720 start, like I said, it's it's the older students, so the lunch periods don't quite start as early. On the on the elementaryaries, they do start earlier. I'm sorry. Vice versa, there's no way we can push back or like discussions be had with a little later lunch for some of these kiddos or no, I would think it's a bigger conversation that needs to be had with scheduling and

Yeah. Okay. I yield for now. I I guess I just wanted a little more of an explanation. Ours was very quick. Um I obviously wasn't um including the transportation portion. So um thank you.

I yield. Okay. U Mr. D. Thank you. And I I shared the sentiments of the vice chair and I would love to um receive love to have that bigger conversation sooner rather than later, especially before the school year. Um but I think the superintendent was going to give a presentation. Um so I was actually curious to hear um why this is um coming back before us. I believe this was

before us a few like a month or two ago.

It was so the um the original draft um failed to account for the fact that during our negotiations with FREA the um the school length the day of the the length of the school day was decreased by five minutes.

So, where you see something for um CUS Middle School, the hours had been 7:20 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. and now it reads 2:15.

So, at our secondary schools, um this reflects 5 minutes shorter day. I guess my only question would be is this going to um affect any transportation contracts or the cost of contracts, Missina? No. Okay. Um motion to approve.

There is a motion. Motion. I have a second. I All right. We have a motion.

Second. Mr. Aguar. Just the only suggestion I would make is that we get something that's and maybe I missed it, but I all I have is this. Um but every school was changed. Is that what you're saying? The secondary um the secondary schools and you're right, we could have highlighted them. But um RPA and Stone, Dery, and the three traditional middle schools, those are the only ones that change by contract.

The other one stay it was just secondary. Yep. The uh only other comment I'd make is on the um issue with the lunches. I think we got to rely on the principles. I I don't think principles are making schedules to try to get kids to eat two hours after having breakfast. I I it's a struggle sometimes to get all the things you need to do as a principal into a school day.

You have times, you have contracts, you have the time. Like I had mentioned to Mr. Pico, you can't just have a lunch.

You have to give some time to that for that cafeteria to be cleaned. You know, you start looking at it and it gets into some uh very difficult situations. So, I don't want the impression to be out there that I for one don't support the principles trying to make those decisions. It can always be looked at.

Could you combine them or whatever? I think it's it's healthy to look at, but I'm not sure there's going to be very much change because if if there is an easy change, they should have made it already. I yield.

Miss Pereira, I just have a quick question because now I'm a little confused. So, when the when we're talking about the scholars who come in at like say start at 7:15, do they come in and receive breakfast?

Yes. Um, some do have breakfast in the classroom and some have breakfast in calves, but they all come in and have breakfast at 7:15. Yeah. Not no elementaryaries would when the buses arrive. The elementaryaries are after the bell. Not every school is after the bell. So, what time is some on the go?

So, if you look at their time that school starts, if it's after the bell, if I drop my second grader off, is he going to get breakfast? Yes. What time do you think he's going to get breakfast? It's going to get breakfast in the classroom at 8 9 whatever time school starts. So school starts at 8:35.

They're going to be having breakfast at 8:35. 8:30. Now is that kid going to be one of the kids who also has lunch at 10:15? Depending on where that depending on whether the lunches go in order. Yeah. Youngest, oldest, oldest or however they go. It's I mean my concern is somebody will be. My concern isn't so much when we're when they're eating, I guess, but my concern would be, you

know, if we're providing a lunch at 7 a breakfast at 7:15 and then they're eating again at 10:15, that's 3 hours.

That's not crazy unreasonable. 7:15 is early to have breakfast. Um, but if we're providing them breakfast at like 8:15 or 8:30 and then sending them an hour and a half later back to the cafeteria to eat, that's strange and not really a healthy way to sort of do your your eating for the day. So, that concerns me because I don't really think it's about what time we eat, but it's about eating when it's appropriate

for your body to like keep up energy and focus and be engaged with their teachers. So, I mean, that probably has to be looked at.

What? recess. Yeah, recess schedules. I mean, I think they can do. Yeah. Or maybe like Mr. Aguia suggested, if we have I don't know, obviously all these schools aren't the same, but if we have big enough areas that we can combine and have larger lunches or something. Um, otherwise, it sounds like we may have like second graders who are hungry for the rest of the day. No fault of yours

or ours, but if we know it's a problem, we need to, you know, work on making it not a problem, I guess. All right, that's all I have. Okay. Can we call the role on the uh the start and end times?

Mr. D, I'll wait till the vote on that.

I do have um Okay, can you call the role on 122, please? Mr. A, yes. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Das, yes. Mr. Cor, yep. Miss Laravey, yes. Mr. Carrera, yes. Mayor Cougar, yes. Mr. Chair, Mr. Dus, um, on the issue my colleague to my right just mentioned, I I would love to see this conversation be carried further. I'm just trying to think of the appropriate subcommittee. Um almost want to say

facilities and operations. I'll make a motion to refer this matter to facilities and operations subcommittee.

Second.

What what what do you want referred Mr.

um D? Oh, I can clarify the conversation on the um start and end times. Not the start and end times. Just just the school lunches just trying to figure out. All right. I have a motion and second on referral to facilities for the lunch programs at the elementary schools and and middle I guess and uh go ahead Deb. Mr. Drag. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr.

Darus. Yes. Mr. Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira. Yes. Mayor Cougar. Yes. Okay. So on the first read on number 123 the first read. The following policies are referred by the policy subcommittee and presented by Dr.

Tracy Curley, superintendent of schools.

Uh the first one up is the school committee organizational meeting policy.

Dr. Curley. Sure. So, um I'll present this, but I think uh Mr. Das was the person who um requested this. So this is um to request a change in the policy um around school committee organizational meetings specifically um the voting of the vice chairperson.

Um the request is to change um to a policy that would read that each school committee member shall vote via voice for the name of a person within its membership to serve as its vice chairperson. The person with the majority of the votes will be declared the vice chairperson. If no person receives a majority voted, the election will be declared null and void and a new election will be held. Um it looks as if

this was a this is aligned with how the city council um does their elections.

Correct. Exactly. It's just the um instead of voting yes or no on a candidate, you're just voting um for a person and the most and the person who gets the most votes wins. Same way city council does it. Um I'm not even going to go into deep detail. I don't I don't think it's that convoluted or that controversial. So, I'll make a motion to pass through first item. I have a

motion. Do I have a second? Second. But are these listed together? I'm confused.

No, we're doing one at a time. There's four. All right. Second. All right. So, the first one to call the role on organizational meeting policy.

Mr. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr. D. Yes.

Mr. Corey. No. Miss Laravey. Yes. M.

Perr. Yes. Mayor Cougan. Uh, yes. The second one is administering medicine to students.

Um so I would invite our um nurse director Mary Gustav up um in the event that there are any questions about this policy revision. Motion to pass the first read. Second.

We have a motion and a second to pass the first read. Um Mary, if you want to just tell us what what it is, please. Um It's basically been updated um and it just more clearly defines the regulations for medications in schools including delegation, self- administration and standing orders. Um the old policy was very general yet both new and old policy follow the same mass department of public health regulation

for medication in schools. I wanted to more clearly um highlight the requirements especially self- administration and delegation u delegation and self- administration was always in effect in mass school districts and within the RN's scope of practice under her professional nursing license. About eight to nine years ago, Mass DPH school health unit decided to make the requirements for safe

delegation to students more regulated, especially nursing to student ratios and charged an annual fee for application and certification from DPH. Fall River Public Schools didn't go forward with the certification back then due to the fee and decided to send a nurse to every field trip and school event as needed to administer medications. Mass DPH has since waved the fee but still require

the annual application for certification with the biggest factor determination as school nurseto student ratios. Okay. So this is something that's desperately needed as the number of field trips out of regular school time activities and events have sorely outnumbered the number of nurses that can cover both the school and these out of school activities.

Thank you mayor. Um can I have a motion a second?

Deb, can you call the role on that? Mr.

Yeah. Yeah. Just I I just had a a comment on this. So it looks like as if it's just uh was the old policy from 2010 that's sort of uh it's time for an upgrade upgrade of course. So, I think that it's important to do, but I also um as the director of nursing, if she's presenting something that is within the confines of the law as well as the um whatever associations

there are, I think we need to take that into consideration when we when we vote.

So, I think this is something I'm going to support, but it also the director of nursing is bringing something to us and we have to trust on her opinion and I do that. So, I'm going to vote yes. Thank you. I t please call the role. Mr. I Yes. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr. Das. Yes. Mr.

Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira. Yes. Mary Cougar. Yes. I think you're coming right back up, Mary. The next policy is the headlights policy.

Um, what are you we doing on that one, Dr.

Curley? So we have um this was something that went to uh subcommittee policy subcommittee and was discussed there um Miss Gustav and I had had um subsequent discussions around it um and mostly to make sure that the way the policy was worded was aligned to our current uh protocols. And I'm not going to lie, uh, Miss Gustav and I have had, uh, you know, as recently as today, another conversation um, because I may have

misunderstood something, but um, basically the the revised we haven't had a policy and so we have relied on our procedures um, for many years. Those procedures had changed. The basic the the basis of this policy says that if a student is found to have live lice with no signs of treatment that the nurse will contact the parent or guardian and the student will be dismissed for treatment at home. So there's a lot of

um discussion in the community um and among our nursing staff around um the ways in which that kind this kind of policy aligns with recommendations from associations you know across the US and you know as well as locally here in Massachusetts. And so that's what we're have here for a first read tonight.

Um, Miss Gustav. So, actually, um, as Dr. Curley said, we didn't have a policy and initially I had put a policy together that stated that, um, if a student was found to have head lice that um, it would basically be up to the nurse's discretion as to whether or not that student would be sent home. Um and then I changed it that the student may be sent home. Um and as Dr. Curley

had said, we came to the um conclusion that we would send a student home if they have head lice. Um, however, I do have some difficulty with this because we have students who may be in a class and have one head lice and or lose and for whatever reason, you know, may not be able to go home or, you know, will not have to be dismissed and can be treated at the end of the

day. Um, and I believe that all of our nurses are professionals and based on what they see, they can determine whether or not the student should be returned to class or not.

However, this is the policy that I've put together and it does say that the student will be dismissed for treatment at home.

So, I just want to be clear though that um what you're saying is that this says they will be that parents will be contacted um and that they will be sent home for treatment but that your preference is that students may be sent home. Yes. For treatment. Okay. That is what I'm saying.

Question. Hold on. Hold on. Okay. Mr.

Harvey and then Mr. Das. So, just a quick question. So they may have to go home or we will call the parents guardians and they may have to go home.

But are we keeping it do you recommend keeping it at the nurse's discretion? I would recommend keeping it at the nurse's discretion. I mean you were very clear when you said it is true. I mean there are kids that unfortunately have a head full of lice and there are some that have one or two. I mean I would feel more comfortable as leaving as that leaving under the uh the nurse's

discretion. But where I would like to see some action is how are we ensuring the parents are addressing the situation and not just sending them back because they're not taking them to the doctors.

That's very evident, right? So they're not taking So if they send them back and they're not clean, they send them back to school. I'm sorry. Uh Mary, if they send him back to school, what is the the the process, policy, reading? What do you suggest? Well, our recommendation is that the parent bring them back to school. Um I know there are situations where the parents would put them on the bus and then they come back.

Mhm. Um, so what the nurse would do is they would check the student to make sure that there are signs of treatment and you could easily see the nurse who's checked them the night the day before whether or not there's been improvement in the number of knits, the number of lice. You could tell by just some some students have um irritation to the product. So if their scalp is red, you

could determine that the parent has used the product. Um there's a smell to the product. So there are ways that the nurse could determine whether or not treatment's been done. We also work the nurses work with the parent to make sure that there's continued treatment going on. By that I mean brushing, combing um the the hair. There are scenarios in which parents sometimes may not have

enough time the first night, the second day they'll comb it again. So, the nurse would recheck that student's um hair.

They can't do the treatment for 7 to 10 days after. So, it's very important that they keep up with that, right? Um and I' I've even looked at nurses notes and have seen where the nurse is the one who calls the student back down to the office to recheck to make sure that there's continued treatment going on. So I guess that was my question. So there will be contact with the nursing staff

in that in that school to check to look and again nurses discretion on day two I should say. Yes. Is that accurate? Yes.

They would Yep. as soon as that student comes in or shortly after that student comes in, they would um call that student down if the parent didn't come in with that student to recheck that student to make sure that there's been So, this might sound like a crazy question, but is there any nicks in the nurses? Uh that's the sorry, that's the product. But is are there any products in the nurses station? Um and I was

talking to somebody else about this, but it might be a cost. there is a cost barrier for some of the parents because I last time I checked they were 12 $15 for a little kit. I mean, it it's tough for some parents that, you know, are struggling and to get a kit to clean their children's. I don't know, maybe it's something we can look into maybe providing uh some of the parents at the nurs's discretion who

kids the families may need it. Um but yeah, we the only thing is we can't pres we can't prescribe anything without a physician's order only because if a student has an allergy, then we would be held liable for it. Um but if a parent can't afford it, a lot of physicians will still um prescribe y the medication and they can get it with it through their insurance company. And thankfully

there are, you know, generic products.

Yeah. That you can get through the store brand and it's a lot less expensive than um the trade, right? The name, you know.

So, thank you. I yield for now. Thank you, Mr. Destin. And Miss Pereira. Thank you. Um so I guess um from what we're being told is a little bit different than what's on and I understand this is the first read, but it's a little bit different from what's the language is on here and what we might be doing going forward. Um, so Mr. Chairman, I just interrupt for one second. I just have a

quick question on what's in before us here. Go ahead, Mr. Can you just tell us what is We have one paragraph and then we have what was called old screening procedure and then we have new. What exactly is the old screening procedure? Wouldn't that be the policy? Actually, we didn't have a policy. We just had a procedure.

Well, yeah, in essence, it's the same thing. But but I was I was asked to write a proced a policy. So I wrote a my only question is because I just interrupted my colleague was what I'm reading here old screening procedure is how we typically did things how we're currently doing things. So if if somebody came to tomorrow morning to the nurse and they said they had lice this screening procedure is the policy that's

being implemented with fidelity across all schools. Well there's a policy now that's no the policy hasn't been voted on ma'am. Okay. So there's right now the old procedure correct the old one is what's in Thank you. I yield. I just wanted to Mr. D. Thank you. So yeah, then I agree with my colleague D. So I see the um the old procedure, new procedure, then now the policy itself and I was just really looking at the

policy. I didn't review the new procedure yet. However, so I guess where I may dis disagree slightly. Um, obviously a parent needs to be notified and a parent may um have I don't know they may not be may or may not be going to either physician. They may have their own treatment. Um that parent should have the discretion for that day one to bring them home and the nurse can then

come in day two or whatnot and um and make a decision there. However, um from what I've heard from parents and the parents in the audience today is they want to be notified and they want the discretion to remove their child without penalty. Um which was something I support and for the treatment to school when we talk about a cost barrier I think um in order to support our nursing department we need to provide those

resources for them and that's something that should just go without saying. Um however at the same time no student I should be forced to leave as well. Um if say a parent isn't able to pick up their child or the parent is um comfortable with either send if there's um special treatments with the nursing department.

That's where the barrier comes in with the money. if um I I know you just said that they prescribe it anyway, but I don't know if that I mean I'll take it at face value, but again I we don't know if that's the case. So I feel more comfortable providing um treatments within the school as well as to help the parents who may be struggling. Um and if I may, Mr. Chair, I'd like to request um

there was a parent that came um and gave expert testimony in my opinion on the matter. I would like to invite her to to speak and talk about her. I think we're gonna I think we're going to stay she had an opportunity during public input.

I I don't I don't believe she might have Mr. Mr. Chair. The only the only thing I don't believe um I don't believe Miss Perry has um attended school committee meetings in the past. She might not have known the procedure. I believe um may at least provide maybe a threem minute citizens input for the parent to speak.

We're not taking her out of order right now. We have a lot of work to do tonight. Mr. um Das I know Miss Perry.

I understand.

So I'm just asking three minutes of your time just me out. I sat here. I read all this. I know. Motion to give her three minutes. Like number 10. Can I say something? Go ahead. Mr. I'm sorry. But we've had repeated conversations about the way citizens input should take place. Right. We've ma'am. Okay. We've I'm speaking to them.

We've talked countless times about how we take citizens input. Now, the fact this young woman did not know she should have spoke at the beginning, I'm sorry, Colin, that's on you because you've been in close contact with her. You should have told her. No, no, that's a bummer on your part, but you should have told her we have citizens in at the beginning of the meeting. With that being said, we

have citizens input at the beginning of all of our meetings. At our subcommittee meeting, you invited this young lady there. You did not have her speak at citizens input. Instead, you invited her to the table. This sets precedence that every parent gets to do this. And I'm sorry. I understand your experience and I know you probably hate me for what I'm saying, but it is what it is. Um, the

reality is that's not an expert. The expert is the woman there in the flower dress that just sat down. So, I understand you've done your research and I understand you're upset with your daughter, but there is no way. There is no way that it is acceptable that we're going to be because today it's this, next month it's going to be something else. So, who do we get to pick and choose what citizens get to join the

school committee at a meeting? because that's what we're doing right now. And I've said this before and I'll say it again. You could be my mother and I would tell my mother to show up at the beginning of the meeting and she has three minutes. So I don't know why anybody here, especially those of you who voted for the citizens import the multiple conversations we've had about making these meetings efficient to now

throw this in. It's it's ridiculous.

It's ridiculous. But Perry, you can submit I yield. Mr. Mayor, may I respond to Hold on. Hold on. I gave Deborah the citizen stuff that I needed. I just handed her the petition.

All you hand Deb, did she give you a citizen's input to read at the beginning in timely fashion to read it? No, she didn't. She gave me a petition and I told her it would be on record. It is a shame you had this woman with the thought that she may respond. Hold on. Order. No order.

We have a motion and a second, Mr.

Chair, to allow I was just called out the opportunity to respond, please. On the motion. On the motion. Let's go ahead. On the motion. On the motion.

Thank you. I'm just responding to what my colleague said. With all due respect, Miss Pereira, a lot of what you just said was not accurate and how you're blaming me for the fact that a citizen did not know the input. I I h I sure I I've been in contact with Miss Perry. I haven't been in You did talking every single day. I I don't say I don't believe understand how that's my responsibility.

However, this the the parent that's before us was a big proponent for this policy and I figured it would be important for the committee to know firsthand what she was experiencing.

When I say expert witness, I don't mean within medicine or anything like that.

However, in regards to a parent had a concern and she wanted to bring it to this committee and and just explain what her circumstances are as we vote on a policy and we should be hearing all sides. I also found out today that there were some nurses that weren't even notified about this policy. They should be here too and I wish they were. That's not motion. That's not on the motion.

Mr. Das, that is not on the motion. You said you going to talk about the motion.

How How's that not on the motion, Mr.

Mayor? We're not talking about who we Mr. Mayor, you allow the my the colleague to my right to um say all sorts of things, but when I get to respond, you shut me down. That is not fair. We're talking about nurses. I just asked We're talking about the policy.

You just said the nurses weren't informed. I didn't know anything about that. Right. That's not I just found out today they sent us a letter. That's all that's all I'm saying. So, Mr. So on the motion, how about we the parent that was trying to push this is instead of yelling at the parent, let's just let her give her two cents on what she's exper what she dealt with. I I don't

think I don't see how that's an issue.

We should be hearing more from parents and we again should be also hearing from the nurses as well to get a collective opinion. I yield. Mr. Das, the superintendent sent this parent the information on how to participate tonight.

That's what it was. So, let's provide the information, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Yeah, just uh briefly. So, the reason why I made the motion was because I think it just makes sense. Uh the young lady, whether I agree or disagree with her, didn't understand it. And I think anyone that came and sat here for two or three hours and waiting. Three minutes is not the end of the world to let them be

heard. All it is is a policy. We make them the vote. If it's not, we've talked longer than three minutes about whether we should let her speak for three minutes. All I'm asking is let the young lady present what she wants for three minutes and then we'll go on asking Miss Gustav the questions. So, let's please get to a vote. It's taken longer to get to the vote than her actual three

minutes that we're trying to get her. I yield. I can go ahead. Uh Bobby, if I can real quick, I I would be honest and and I'm getting a little infuriated. Um and I get where everyone's coming from.

I get we have our citizens input time, but I it is not why I joined this committee to sit here and tell someone from the city that they can or can't speak. Um I agree with Mr. Aguar in the sense if we let her have her three minutes, we would have been done already. Um I'm going to vote yes on this and the and not that I think someone should come up here, but if she

did not understand the policy, she's been sitting here quietly since the beginning of the meeting. It is now close to 7:45. I don't think it's a big deal if she comes up and she has her three minutes. And with that, I yield.

Deb, call the role. Mr. Aette, yes. Mr.

Bailey, yes. Mr. Das, yes. Mr. Cory, yes. Miss Lar, no. Miss Pereira, no.

Mayor Coug, no. You've got three minutes M.

Hold on.

Yeah. You want to time it to speak? Oh, you want to talk now? I'm sorry. I can wait till after she's done. I haven't spoke yet. I'm I'm sorry. My name is Taylor Perry and I stand here before you guys this evening. I'm a passionate advocated for staff, students, and 678 parents of the Fall River Public Schools. They have signed a petition and they shared their heartfelt testimonies

expression expressing their deep concern and distress regarding on a current approach of this headlace management.

These families respectfully urge you to support and approve a district-wide headlace policy, one that betters protect students health dignity.

While there is no state law mandating specific headlice policy, it is within the school's district to have the authority to create one. Collaborating for what my understanding was with the director and nurse in the superintendent. We have drafted a proposed policy mode modeled on a successful approach already in place in other Massachusetts community communities including Dartmouth,

Somerset, New Baffford, Fair Haven, Springfields and even afterchool programs such as YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, US Taekwondo. These pro programs implement a head headlights protocol, no live lights, students wellness and prevention. They have shown positive outcomes and I believe and we believe that it should be extended to the Fall River public schools. Some may argue that sending

children home for life disrupts their education after or affects attendance.

But the reality is that one day of home for proper treatment is far less destructive than ongoing reinfestation.

missing learning due to distraction or discomfort or worse the emotional toll of stigma and embarrassment. It saddens me deeply that this city where there is 35 of our children in poverty. We hesitate to support the policy that could actually lessen the burden on families. Offering clear, compassionate and consistent approach, we can reduce the repetitive uh treatment, minimize school outbreaks, and preserve both

academic focus of emotional well-being.

Lastly, I would like to address comments made by Sheila Pereira during our last subcommittee meeting where she questioned the qualifications of the committee members and myself, implying we lacked the medical expertise to shape the policy. I found those remarks not only unnecessary and dismissive, but also deeply disrespected to the follow committee. members of to the voices of families. That's three minutes. Hello.

In closing, students matter. We all matter. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. That's three minutes. That's what we voted for. I know the constituents come up in the middle of the meeting and talk. That's what we voted for. No problem. It's Shelley Pereira. Uh, Miss Pereira, you Yes, I did say that and I stand by it because I do believe that qualified individuals should be the ones making policy when it comes to our medical department and the and the health of our

children. Now, initially, I have a question for the nurse. If you can come back up. Yeah, please.

I'm confused because I was at a subcommittee meeting and I heard everything this woman said before and everything that was said, but you are saying something different now, I feel. So, I'm confused. At the subcommittee meeting, you were kind of standing your ground on one thing and now am I not getting that correct? Did you change your mind from the subcommittee meeting?

Um, I didn't change my mind. Did you change the way you thought the policy should be written since the subcommittee meeting?

I didn't change my mind. I just um felt that in order to Can I interrupt because I know this was my doing. Um Miss Gustav and I had a conversation on Friday um after um so it was after the policy subcommittee meeting. It was after subsequently we had met with uh Miss Perry. I talked to her about some information that um I had received regarding um the advice that we got from and I don't remember the

woman's name but she was like she oversees the South Coast nurses or you know I don't know what her title is who had said that there was nobody in this area that had any anti- um any policies that sent kids home for lice. Subsequent to her sharing that with us, I found out that wasn't true. Spoke to Miss Gustav on Friday who shared who I do believe it was just a misunderstanding at that

time. When she was talking about the procedures, I thought what she was telling me was that we do send kids home if they haven't been treated. Like if there were no signs of treatment on a day, we would call home and say to a parent, "Hey, can you come pick up your child?" the parent may or may not be able to come but that we would make that call based on that conversation

I had said then why don't we say that students will be dismissed for you know to for treatment at home why are we continuing to say they may be if we are calling parents so we had that conversation and that's where the change came that's where it was a word change basically from they may be dismissed to be treated at home or will be that's that word words are very important that

word change is the complete policy. It changes the policy, which wasn't what I I voted to move forward here.

Yep. That makes sense. Um, so that's concerning to me that you Yes. The if I was looking for some questions on special education, maybe classroom behaviors, I wouldn't call you up. If I was talking about budgets for the school department, I wouldn't call you up. But this is your wheelhouse. This is why we've hired you, as my colleague all the way to the left said. So, I'm really

confused as to why why we're doing this.

But but but but anyway, I I digress. I digress. We're on a table. Are you still talking? So, here's the thing. I hear a lot of talk, too, about everybody wanting to be notified when somebody in the classroom has headlights.

Are we notifying a whole classroom when one kid has headlights? No. Okay. Do we notify a whole classroom when a kid has pneumonia? No. When a child in a classroom has strep throat, do we send out a note to all the other parents letting them know a child has strep throat? No. Okay. And that's where I have a I have a problem with this whole head policy. As you should, ma'am. As

you should. I do too because it is unfortunate. Head lace is not fun. And I know I'm coming off whatever, but just too tired to care anymore.

Honestly, I just I'm too tired to care.

The reality is this is an ick factor.

This is not a medical condition. Nobody goes to the doctor for it because the doctor wouldn't see you for it because it's not a medical condition. What I got from you when we talked about policy was you said if a child was symptomatic meaning then we would bring the child in, we would send the child home because number one is the child getting anything done at school if they're symptomatic and

they're and this is going on, right? Um, we talked about if somebody had munchice and it was the first time you'd seen it, that you're going to notify the parent and the parent is to treat the child.

Excuse me. We talked about preventative measures. This is all that happened in the subcommittee. I would like to see because headlights doesn't jump. So, the concept that if I have headlights, Bobb's going to get it is is is a fallacy. Unless I lay down on a couch and Bobby lays down on the couch or unless Bobby wants to give me a hug and put his head over here, that's a

fallacy. Just because you have a knit in your hair doesn't mean you have headlights. That knit may be hollow.

That knit may be too far from the scalp even to to pop an egg. Okay? This is not a medical emergency. But what is an emergency in this in this city is getting kids to school. Attendance is an emergency here. That's what I think we should be focused on. Attendance.

Getting kids who are healthy enough to learn in their seats to learn. If you're healthy enough to be in school, you should be in school.

I would like to see more polic if you don't have them I don't know this is something you could look into but I'd like to see some preventative stuff happen at the beginning of the year right send some information home with parents in different languages have conversations at your open houses hey make sure you teach your kids have have teachers teaching their students at the beginning of a year what we share and

what we don't share how we keep friendly distance from our friends how we high five we don't need to hug in school we don't need to put our heads together We don't need to share hats. All of these things, right? Which is why we have classrooms that don't have couches and things in them. All for these purposes.

Now, does that mean a child isn't going to get headlights in school? No, it doesn't mean that. You have a bunch of kids, especially the younger ones that are altogether. It can happen for sure.

It can happen. Just like your kids probably going to get strep throat this year. Probably, you know, your kids's going to catch a cold. Except strep throat and a cold can actually lead to damage to a kid's lungs. can actually wind them up in a hospital can actually put them on a ventilator. Those are serious things. Headlights are going to do any of that. So when we sit up here

and talk about and I have an issue with HIPPA concerns I do and maybe that's my nursing background or maybe that's just being a woman, but I feel yes, maybe it's both. Maybe it's being a mother, a woman, and my nursing background that I feel strongly that people have a right to privacy.

So, I don't think it's appropriate to point out or make a child let have everybody know this child has headlights. It's absolutely just absurd to me. I'm not done. I'm almost done. I want to make sure I'm not forgetting anything. I mean, essentially the policies that are in place where we're sending kids home if they infested and we're making sure they get treatment, we can't treat them. So, I

love everybody saying that and it's a wonderful thing. But unfortunately, the way the laws are, you need a doctor to give us permission to treat a kid with nicks or whatever else. You also have a community with multicultural people. A lot of those families may not want to use nyx because it's toxic.

It's toxic. So, they may choose homeopathic ways. I'm not going to tell a parent what they need to use to get nits out of a kid's hair. That's not my job. That could be cultural, not our business, but it's not a life ordeath issue.

But getting our kids to school should be our number one concern. And the fact that we have a nurse in front of us that felt she needed to change a policy based on any information from anybody on this stage is disheartening to me.

It's just disheartening to me. I'm not going to This is a first read, but I will not vote for a policy that you did not bring forth that makes sense to you.

And then the last thing I'm going to ask is the other nurses that are in your office. What is this that Do we get an email today that I didn't read yet? Yes, I have. Sorry, it's Monday. I had to do my first job. What was the email? Do you want to enlighten me? Were they upset?

Did they not know they wanted to be here? What's the deal deal with the nurses? Well, I had just notified my nurses that there was going to be a policy um since we didn't have a policy and that there was the policy was different than what the procedure was.

So, they were upset because now they're going to be told to send kids home.

Correct. Because they have headlights.

Wow, that makes sense to me. Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense to me.

I I will vote on this as a first read, but I will not vote for a policy that our entire nursing department disagrees with just to appease people from the ex.

I'm sorry I won't. And I know that sounds cold, but I am so tired. With that, I yield. Mr. Cory, then Mr. Das.

And so, um, the biggest issue I have here is the the stigmatization of the issue itself and and how it plays out in in any of our classrooms or schools.

Let's face it, head lice has been with us for generations. It's it's it's an issue. It's not a it's not truly a disease. It's an infestation. It's communicable, but it's not a disease, as my colleague spoke so eloquently to. Um I do have a problem with exclusion, you know, and kids not being able to be in school due to it. And so my issue is with the parents. If if a child is uh is

identified to have headlights, then I really think it's on the parents to try to, you know, moderate that situation and work with us. That being said, I would be open to a policy of having some emergency kits available in some of our schools only if it were uh you know feasible to the AMA that we could do that. Obviously, we can't do that now.

uh if we can move to that direction in the future perhaps. There's so many ins and outs, but the stigma of the head lice is is a real concern to me on other kids in the class that they share with with the child who has lice. Now, um I have friends of mine that work in the system that actually contracted head lace from the kids in their classes. So,

I can see where it's a real concern. I also, Miss Gusto, do do not want to irritate your nursing staff to uh to any kind of high level point, but I would thoroughly encourage you as the director of nursing to get ahead of this issue in the next school year and to PR it with a campaign uh to enlighten parents so that parents could become more proactive and work with us hand in hand. the schools

cannot handle every problem. We're trying to though. We put a good we put forth a really good effort. And I think we're very um humanistic in our efforts to try to help as many children and families as we can. And I'm going to underline that word humanistic because that's what I think we are as a school.

I I worked in this school system for my career. We were always humanistic. And um and so that's really prevalent in my argument, but I really I I like what Miss Pereira said. I'm going to echo it.

We need to PR it. We need to make an awareness campaign about it and get ahead of the issue in the next school year so that parents like Miss Perry don't have to suffer because her child got it couple of times. And it's so unfair in that situation. and I feel for her, which is why I I afforded her the time to speak today. And I think that she's Miss Perry, you may not get a

result tonight, but you've definitely helped move the needle on this issue, and I loaded you for it. And so, Miss Gusto, I really want to put the charge out to you and your staff to do an awareness raising campaign in the next school year. With that, I yield.

Mr. Das, thank you. I I don't disagree with my colleague, Mr. Cory just said um especially I and I would agree we need to really focus on PR with this issue and spread awareness to all parents. I think that will go a long way and if we can just do a double check on some like Mr. Cory just said emergency kits I think that would um go a long way as

well just to see if we can just find out what we can and can't do and what we can or cannot provide. um if um so just just continuing on with with with this policy. So I I agree with um all my colleagues, no no student should be excluded from class whatsoever and no student should be forced to go home.

What I'm advocating for and I believe a single word would would have stopped half this argument is we need is if it we change the word from will be to may.

parents should have a seat at the table.

They may have um treatment at home. What I don't want to see as one member is a student to be forced to stay in the classroom on the day one. And I believe that's I don't want to put words in in any parent's mouth. I believe that's what Miss Perry was advocating for and that's something I support is to give some discretion here so it's not forced one way and not forced another way. I

think that would go a long way. Um, and I think that's a policy. Don't want to speak for all my committee members. I think that's something we could get behind. Um, so yeah, that's that's all I had. And and just on this policy as well, um, I believe the the motion, and the clerk can correct me if I'm wrong, was just at the at the policy subcommittee level was just to create a

policy. I I think the direction was a little bit different. So, I'm I'm not going to blame yourself or the superintendent to how this came about.

And I'm glad it is a first read so we can have this discussion. So there's that. And um yeah. No, that that that's all I have.

I'm glad this is a first read. Are you Miss Pereira? Yeah. I just had one thing. First of all, currently we are checking kids and if you notice headlights like it's a first in you call the parents. Correct. We do. That's already happening. Okay. I just I wanted to make sure. Um, but the other thing, um, touching on, you know, having treatments a obviously we can't give out treatments. I understand, but I'm

wondering if you could look into possibly maybe grants or something that could provide vouchers to parents that they could go to a Walgreens or Walmart, whatever, CVS, a voucher that could give them one free box or two free boxes or whatever. This, I think, is huge. I think it's something that if you could invest some time in this summer would be very important to um if you know the

superintendent thinks you should would be very important to the district because I think that um cost is a barrier. Cost is a barrier to all of us, right? I mean maybe not all of us, but I know most of us I know I go grocery shopping and I make sure I'm like, "All right, two weeks I got it till I get paid." Like we're all strapped. So when you're a parent who

has three kids and you're already working two jobs and one kid gets headlights, now you feel like you want to treat the other. Now we're talking about three kids. We're talking about 30,45 $50, which was not expected. So if we could find any sort of grant program that could help reimburse parents or provide them with the vouchers. Um I just think that would be epic. But anyway, that's it. Thank you. I'm going

to go I'm going to go down here first because they haven't talked to Tommy, then Mr. I'll be brief, Mr. Chairman. I would like to put in the form of a motion uh what Miss uh what my colleague Miss Pereira just uh raised. Uh if we could write write uh or maybe rethink this policy and and provide vouchers, I think that's a great idea. I yield. Mr.

Aguero. So, a couple questions. The uh how many cases have we had this year across the district?

roughly about 30 in the whole district.

The uh I I think somebody had mentioned before um one of the questions I was going to ask you was kind of a pointed question, but do you believe with all your heart that this is the policy that you recommend? You don't need to answer that question. I understand from the dialogue that other people had that I know the answer to that question. What we have to start avoiding doing is worrying about

we got to stand firm on what the issue is and what it is and what it's not. And sometimes I'm going to agree, sometimes I'm they're going to disagree, sometimes I'm siding with the parent, and sometimes I'm not. But we have to get out of this idea of we have to just come up with something because it makes everyone more confused. And I'm totally confused on what it is. So why I asked

you before about the old screening procedures? What is the problem with the old screening procedure?

The old screening procedure um allowed students to go back to class if they had if they have head lice.

And Miss Perry was against having students return to class if they have live head lice. What does it mean to call it a permit or a note from the school nurse for re-entry?

What is it? What does that actually mean? Maybe I'm just missing that what is in this procedure because I don't agree with what you just said.

So the pol the procedure that I'm reading from here in our documents, it says yeah. So number one says as soon as a parent, teacher or staff reports a case, an investigation should begin. If a case is positively identified, the student should be sent home at the discretion of the principal nurse. Do not wait for checking the whole school.

Step two is after the initial reporting, siblings with knits or active lice should be checked as soon as possible.

Notification letters should be sent home to all students in the classroom with active cases. Oh, I'm sorry. This isn't the procedure. The old procedure was before I came in um before I became uh supervisor of nursing, director of nursing. When I came into when I became director of nursing, I implemented the procedure that's dated 112023. So that's the procedure I'm talking about. I think Mr. Now the

present one is on page three. Okay. So it's not an old I just asked that question before. I'm sorry. For that reason to say if it's an old one that's Yeah, that was before I became director of nursing. Okay. So, it's before us now as a policy, but and whatever date you said this was from 11, we don't have that. I the one I have says 666 2025. So, I'm looking at this

as you created this on 66205. The third one procedure to manage headlights. I don't know when you created it, but if you created it as a procedure, that's basically circumventing the policy duty of this committee because now we have an old procedure a year ago procedure and now it's before us as a policy.

Quite frankly, it should have been a policy from the first whoever, whenever, however you presented this, it should have been a policy in my mind right off the bat. Well, what I did was I had initially turned this procedure into a policy, the 11 3023 procedure into a policy and then I was told that I should create a policy.

So I created this policy. So in 11 you said the one that you showed which I don't see anything date that says that date on it. You were told by who to make that a policy and that was over a year ago or two.

So how did it end up that this procedure is this new procedure which I'm guessing to me it says 662025 was created circumventing the policy nature of the school committee because the procedure never came to the school committee before. There was never a procedure policy headlice procedure policy ever presented to the school committee before and why I guess is the question. And it's not necessarily you,

but now what's before us is in policy.

Correct. So if it's a procedure, it's a procedure. If it's a policy, it's a policy. I don't understand why we're debating it. But with that being said, I still don't understand. And what was the old one? What is so wrong with what this old one said? Why did we even need the new one that you said you created in November or something of a couple years ago? Why was this first one not just

okay? I don't understand. And did the nurses that work for us say that they didn't like it and we needed to change it? Like what was the reason for creating this what's called a new procedure to manage headlight? Like I don't understand what was wrong with the old one.

Can I point of Hold on. Hold on. Wait a second. Point of clarification. I think she was just trying to go in line with the CDC and the American Academy of Pedi because this one said that if a Yep. if a student had active lice that they were going to be sent home and this is no this is no longer the recommendation from the American Association of Pediatrics the CDC and from NAS point of

clarification was that provided in the backup today I don't I don't see that okay it's it's on board dos so I don't it's this one right here so for so let's say for 20 years we operated under what's called the old procedure here I'm going to check 10 20 years. A lot of years. Mhm. All of a sudden, I guess we changed it last year or whatever the date was that you you said. I can't

remember what it was. 23 24. We created it to create something new.

But I just I'm still having a hard time understanding what is the reason for the new and is that what you're having some conflict over and you were your nurses?

Yes. Were they opposed to it from the beginning? Yes.

in in November of 2023, actually way back in 2015, there were changes made that if children had live headlights, they could remain in school. Nothing was ever done. So, when I came in, May I stop you there? I don't know where that is. I don't we don't see anything that you just mentioned in this document. Well, it's it's it's in the Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidelines.

If you go in and you look under mass.gov and you go under school health guidelines for headlights policy, you'll see it there. So, we didn't keep up with policy. No, we did not. Or procedures cuz if it's under headlights policy, we changed procedure. I think you understand what I'm saying. In 2015, we should have changed the policy or at least had this discussion then. My concern is that I don't think you in

your hots want what's here. And I don't think if I asked you how did all your nurses weigh in after the last did they was there ever a meeting of all of the nurses so that they can weigh in or is all of my nurses wanted what I put into place if you ask them in November of 2023 which is what the recommendations are and what is the major difference I guess just trying to streamline this

that if a student has lice if it's at the nurse's discretion as to whether or not that student should be sent home or that student can return to class. Period. And that was the same thing that was in for 20 years. The the first this old one says the same thing.

No, the old one says step one as student it says if a case is positively identified, the student should be sent home at the discretion of the principal nurse. Do not wait for someone to check the entire class. That's the sentence I'm I'm holding. It says they should be sent home at the discretion of the principal nurse. I think that's what I'm as I think I'm hearing the school nurses

want that discretion. But if you get down to step three of that old it says all children identified with active life should be sent home with instruction sheets as soon as possible. So there's a there's like this very reactive you have head lice. It doesn't matter if it's one, two, or a thousand. You are going home. And that's what the our school nurses um and recommendations from the

CDC and everybody else said that doesn't have to be. You can use discretion.

I will say it again. This got confused because I had a conversation with Miss Gustav on Friday and we debriefed today and realized she was talking about old procedures. I thought she was talking about current procedures. I said, "Then why doesn't the headlice policy that you're recommending match? Because it seems like you we're sending kids home.

So why do we have a policy that says we don't? And she changed the m the will uh the may be dismissed to a will be dismissed. I will be honest and say isn't that worse that they may be dismissed. Well no here I'm saying should. So the first one said should they at the discretion of the nurse. I think that's what the nurses are asking for. So when you step down to

step three it says they should. It doesn't say they must. So whenever they changed it from this to whenever it says a permit or note from the school nurse for re-entry into school is required. So like this is outdated in its language and everything else. And I think also in kind of the spirit of what the recommendations are from the CDC that says like no you don't have to send everybody home if they have lice. Nurses

can use their discretion. So what are we currently operating under? This thing that says 65 or is this new? No. What is the current procedure? You don't have it. It's the 11. It's the 11:30. What does it say in there? Does it say that the nurses have discretion and the nurses are happy with that? Your nurses, the people in the trenches on this on the ground are happy with that procedure. Is that what you're saying?

Yes. I make a motion that we approve that procedure.

So, wait, we're going back to the first.

It's only a first read. Uh and I want to wave all readings and make the procedure that's there the new policy for the school district that backs up the nurse and the workers. Second. Second.

Thank you. Seconded it. All right. Huh?

Bobby or Colin? Well, Bobby, whoever three of them seconded it down there. So, which Wait a minute. I don't know which one we're voting. Mayor, I didn't hold my hand up. Hold on. You're next, Mr. Das. I'm just just clarify what we're voting on, please.

Kev, which one did you bring up? The the procedure that's in place currently in the school district for all nurses, it's dated November of 2024.

2024 11:30. So, I basically want to keep exactly the procedure. Just call it a policy. So, may I go ahead? So, I have a question. So, I don't have dates on mine. I have new procedure. And you don't have it in front of you. She just said it. She just explained it though.

It's okay. Mr. Chair, do I do a floor?

Go ahead, Mr. Dus. Thank you. I honestly think we need to take Mr. Cory said we need to take a little bit of a pause here and go back to the drawing board. I think it's appropriate and this is not next school year starts in September. Y I want to make a motion to table motion to table takes precedent. Second.

Uh where does this go back? Can I comment?

Can I comment? Am I Go ahead. Wait. One at a time. Am I allowed to comment?

Okay. The bottom line is I feel like we're just pushing something again down.

I don't think I think you guys this was already in a subcommittee. If you wanted to look into it, you there was time to do so. I I respectfully have to say and also respectfully have to say that I I just prefer the the opinions of our nurses, the Center of Disease Control and the Academy of Pediatrics. And if we table this, I'm pretty sure the Center of Disease Control, the Academy of

Pediatrics, and all our nurses are going to be telling us the same thing. So, I think tableabling it doesn't make sense.

So, I'm going to vote no to that. But with that, I So, the reason you have a six point of clarion on the table needs to take a vote. We shouldn't even have the conversation.

Yeah. Hold on. Hold on. No, I'm not.

Deb, call the role on the motion to table. Mr. Ael, second. Mr. Bailey, no.

Mr. Das, yes. Mr. Corey, no. I'll change. No. Miss Laravey? No. Miss Pereira? No. Mayor Coug? No. And now on Mr. Aguia's motion to accept the policy.

I have a second. Yes. Mr. Bailey seconded that. De call the role. Mr. A.

Yes. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr. D. Present.

Mr. Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey. Yes. Miss Pereira. Yes. Mayor Coug. Yes. Finally, policy is development and dissemination of procedures.

Dr. Curley.

Oh, is this Mr. Das? Mr. Chair, I like to make a motion to grant leave to withdraw. Leave to withdraw. I got a motion to withdraw. Do I have a second?

Second.

Deb, call the role on withdraw. Mia, yes. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Das, yes. Mr.

Cor, yes. M. Laravey. Yes. Miss Perr.

Yes. May.

Yes.

Okay, the next one is 124 discussion and to to approve the appointment of Dr.

Tracy Curley, superintendent of schools.

So, mayor, may I Well, we're into this one now. So, just just approve it. Motion to approve. Second with a question. Second with a question. Go ahead. Thank you.

Um, Mr. D, what is So, I told my uh gave my comments. Um so I have two um a question and I guess a concern. Um the question is one are we allowed to send um assistant superintendent uh to serve on this committee? Um the reason why is um this is a collaborative and to keep our superintendent within the district.

I believe Miss Overchain should be serving on this board. However, it's not legal. I wouldn't make the motion. Mr.

Mr. Cory has the answer. I believe I can I can answer I can answer that for you Mr. Das. Um previously uh in the previous administration um we explored all those options um for the very same reasons you just raised right now to try to keep the superintendent in the district. But it's it's it's within the charter of the uh collaborative that the superintendent be a board member and not an assistant

superintendent. We actually tried to make that happen a few years ago, but the state but their charter will not allow that to happen. So, it needs to be our superintendent. Okay. Thank you for that, Mr. Corey. Um, all right. So, that that's that answers one question. Um, second, I guess concern, not necessarily with the appointment, but with the South Coast Collect. I'm just trying to understand and I asked for the

information ahead of time. I did not get a full answer to this. What when when does their budget come? Um, when does the budget due late to be approved?

Um, I believe it was in the spring in It was April. Yeah. Yep. April. And did that budget have increases to tuition?

Yes. See, now um I'm wish I received that answer ahead of time because now a concern that I have as one member. Look, I was able to look at that agenda. that agenda when it comes to the open meeting law was so vague and the fact that we were not notified on increases to that budget. I honestly believe we have a case in court to take them to court for

the open meeting law and get our money back and I and I'll be bringing that forward a second time. I guess I'll ask superintendent for this appointment purpose. Do you believe um did they give a in-depth presentation on their budget and did they give a rationale for the reason why they wanted to increase um the tuitions on the district? Uh yeah, they did. I mean, I think that um they're not like any

district in that they're seeing increasing costs of educating students in terms of um cost of living adjustments and you know, just like everything we do, the costs of everything are going up. Um and they're to increase tuitions by 5%. Um I I mean I think makes sense. We the in we know that the in the cost of of educating our students increases by more than 5% from year to year. Um we do as a member of

the collaborative enjoy reduced rates.

Um but yes I mean they they did present that information. Right. I I guess the issue I have if the April meeting I viewed the agenda, it was not clear and specific of what they were voting on and I I guess I wish the the district was notified when we should be notified when when all of them go up um from any collaborative. We should just be notified of that. Um, again, I I'm going

to be submitting a legal opinion to the corporation council on this matter, and I believe we should pursue it because um, organizations such as South Coast Collaborate should not be increasing tuition on vague agendas where the public doesn't have the opportunity to give a full opinion. I yield, Mr. Corey.

U, Mr. Das, uh, if I could, uh, answer that again for you.

Um, not only uh do we receive um a reduced tuition per student because we're a member of the collaborative, but previous to being members of the collaborative, we'd have to send our students into other out ofdist placements and and those dis those out ofdist placements were at an exorbitant cost to our budget. Being a member of the collaborative is actually saving us some money. Probably one of the reasons

I didn't see it, but I'm assuming one of the reasons why why they had a 5% cost increase is you toured their facility. I toured a couple of their facilities.

They serve a highly specialized population that our public schools often times cannot service as adequately or well. they have an a a a whole ton of equipment in their facilities that take care of the needs for that specialized population. So, I mean, with the cost of everything going up, that's a very moderate raise, but ultimately, as a member of the collaboratives, not only do we receive a reduced rate per

student, but we're really getting away from that exorbitant out of district placement funding. Thank you. Mayor respond, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Aguar is next. Yeah, just I'll be very brief. So, I believe that this uh these tuitions are regulated by the state as well. They just can't come in willy-nilly and just throw any money around. So, I support this, but I also want to say thank you to the superintendent for serving. It wasn't too long ago, three or four years ago, that we had a superintendent of schools, Matt Malone, who chose not to because he

had a poor attitude and it cost this district $500,000. So, you're coming to this meeting, you're actually saving the district over $250,000 a year. is very worthy and I appreciate you going. I yield Mr. D. Thank you. I'll be very brief and I echo both my colleagues comments um by Mr. Cory and Mr. Aguar. I am glad the superintendent we have someone serving on the district and it's

a shame that we just didn't get rid of that that past superintendent sooner.

However, um but again, when the tuitions go up, I just like to be notified as one member when when they do. And I still do stand by my comments and my assertion that even though it is at a reduced rate, it's at even higher reduced rate and I want to see them as low as possible for the finances of this district. I yield. Y Dr. Curley. Yeah. I ju I did want to just clarify something

because I just pulled up the um April agenda and within the agenda itself there's narrative around their business plan and there's narrative that says currently the budget plan the business plan budget model being considered reflects a 5% increase in tuition in other fees for services. All possible avenues are being considered and explored to reduce potential increases but as indicated major challenges exist.

And then it goes on around you know difficulties in terms of predicting student enrollment level of student challenges etc etc. So it does seem like even within their agenda there's narrative that speaks to the rationale for potential increases.

It seems to me clear in the agenda that that was something that was going to be discussed on that day. Duly noted. Thank you. Thank thank you. Um call the role on Dr. Curley, who made the motion? Oh, I need a motion to second. Thought we did that. No, said no. I didn't hear.

Okay, I make a motion to approve.

Second. A motion to second. De, call the RO, please. Mr. A. Yes. Mr. Bailey.

Mr. Das. Yes. Mr. Cory. Yes. Miss Laravey.

Yes. Yes. Miss Pereira. Yes. Mayor Cougan.

Mayor Kan.

Yes. You want to take that out of water?

Uh, we got a motion uh because um Jan's been here from Evolve all night to take 1210 out of order. Any discussion on 1210? Second.

1210 is next.

Deb, call the role and take I'll just do a voice vote. Voice votes fine. All in favor? I opposed. Unanimous. Where's Jen? Jen just went out the door over there. Can someone get Oh, she might be in the ladies room. Yeah. Thank you.

Okay. Yeah, that's what you just did to me. I didn't know. Yeah. Two minute recess. Uh well, I'm hoping she's right here. She was just here.

1210 discussion. Going to do this is the discussion and vote to approve the expansion of the hybrid evolve program as referred by the special education, alternative education, and early childhood subcommittee.

Second. We have a motion to approve and second. Do we want to discuss this? Yes, please. Okay. She's been here all night.

Um, unless Dr. Bronhard wants to come down.

She's on this also.

Good thing. I know. Sorry. Aim.

Sure. You can come up with some pitch it. Yeah. Pitch it for till she gets back.

Go ahead, Dr. Brown. Sorry. The presentation.

Okay, here she comes. I don't want to steal the thunder. Um, but I will take a quick opportunity just to congratulate and thank Jan for her efforts. Um, this year, well, all years with Evolve. Uh, but this year we really had an opportunity um through the homebound tutoring approach for kids that would otherwise um be out on homebound tutoring to really take a hard look at how we implemented the competency based

curriculum of Evolve. And with Jan's team and some of the supports through the bar grant from Springpoint, we were able to stipen some staff and really be able to look um at a different approach to providing a hybrid model down at Evolve that proved to be extremely successful for our kids and for our school community. And so we are looking to expand upon that. And I will at this

point kick it off to Jan to really talk a little bit about the pilot and what our plans are for this other arm of an alternative pathway at Dery High School.

And again, thank you to Dr. B for allowing us to start this pilot this year. Um, just to sum it up, um, we started based upon student centered needs. So, we had six students who dropped out of Evolve last year. And a lot of the data about why they dropped out was because they didn't have a lot of flexible options about when and how they can access their learning. So, we

talked to Dr. B. We said, can we maybe try to pilot a really small cohort of kids that we know are coming to school less than half the time and that have dropped out, but they really want their high school diploma. We know they can earn it. We just need to be a little more flexible in our offerings. So, of those 16 students that we originally piloted, we had 12 of them that had um high success,

um eight of those 16 were able to earn their high school diplomas. We had five of the six students who had dropped out end up enrolling to earn their high school diplomas this year as well. So, really, we had 12 out of 16 students really making high success. All of the students did have success earning credits, but we were really um determining the number of credits that they were earning to really get back on

track. That's kind of how we were um describing their success in this pathway. So, we are looking to expand it for next year because we know that there are a lot more students. Um we had we currently have 112 students. Um this year we had 34 graduates. So, we're really happy to have so many graduates this year. Uh we've received almost 200 applications just this year alone in Evolve and we're really looking to

expand this option for more students that we know if we make it possible they'll be able to earn their high school diploma.

Oh, I guess I'm a judge. I have a question. Sure. It's a request, but I guess it's me. So um first I'll start by saying somebody very important to me very wise man always says if the students aren't learning the way we're teaching we must teach the way they learn right so I absolutely commend I love what I'm hearing um there are so many students I mean following this data my whole career

they fall through the cracks right those are the ones s that fall through the cracks and you guys are at those cracks now and and doing an amazing job. I fully support this this program and I hope it it grows and gets bigger, but I don't want to waste too much time, but I I commend the effort. I commend the work and thank you for this program. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Corey. Yeah. So, I I

want to commend you, too. Uh I know it's hard work. uh a lot of gray area with these students. But u my question is do they uh have an opportunity to access any of our chapter 74 programming hands-on culinary arts or uh cosmetology or anything like that. So the way the current evolve structure um their schedule is for the day um a lot of our students don't really have a lot of

flexibility throughout the entire day to engage in a lot of the CTE programming because it is pretty specific about when it's offered and the availability.

However, they are able to engage in the after dark um programming and we've had several students find a lot of success especially in the cosmetology after after dark program because what happens um um with their brain development, you know, in their their middle adolescent period is when they get to be around 17 or 18, if they've been introduced to those means, then that could be like a

trigger for them to pursue as a career, you know, and set them off on a really strong path. But otherwise, I I really applaud, you know, the work that you guys are doing in Evolve. I'm happy to see it expand. Let's let's keep working with it and keep talking to us about it.

Thank you. I yield.

Mr. Yeah. So, I had a lot of comments at the uh subcommittee. I do support this.

I do think that we need to start really taking a hard look at the evolved program, where it is, the location, physical location, u the expansion. I don't have it in front of me, but the slides that you presented to the subcommittee, which I assume everyone received, indicated we have 250 students at Dery that this would benefit. We have parents saying that this should be their own school. All comments that I agree

with. Uh but I think we need to get real about what we're going to do here moving forward. And if it's something that's working, we need to expand it. I think we need to look at the other options that we currently have at the RPA. We're going to have a lot of discussions on it. But I can't not take this opportunity to say what you're doing is different. What you're doing, I think

works. But historically, I've been part of this for a number of years like you have. I believe with 100% certainty that the grants that you received and Mr. Ker received and the others at RPA was the intention of doing alternative education different to create this model. And I think where we missed the boat was evolve. The whole RPA program should have been evolved with the grants and

with the funding and you don't have to weigh in. I'm just giving you my two cents, but that's what it should have been in my opinion. So now we have some opportunities in front of us, I think, to make that decision to write the wrong of a few years ago. Online education is here to stay. We need to provide opportunities for all kids to do it. But I don't want to let anybody be just so

let's just nibble around the edges. We don't have time for a dress rehearsal.

As I've said before, we need to get this done sooner than later, and it needs to expand more than 25 students in my mind, but the committee can weigh in on that at the right time. But I do appreciate what you've done. All of the hard work of your staff. It's doing things a little different. Um, I also said at the meeting, and I'll say it again, the al the kids that are doing well in the

alternative school right now would do very well in your program, and I believe that with my entire being. So, it's not like we would do anything different if we expanded. Now I can hear, oh well, we don't want to go too quick. It's time.

It's time to go a little quicker than what we have to and take some chances on a program that is currently working. So keep up the good work. I yield. Thank you. Thank you. Anything further? Motion to approve if there's not. There is a motion. There is a motion in second.

Deb, would you call the role? Mr. Dio?

Yes. Mr. Bailey? Yes. Mr. D? Yes. Mr.

Corey? Yes. Miss Laravey?

Go ahead. Miss Laravey? Yes. Sorry.

Sorry, Mr. Pereira. Yes. Mayor Coogan.

Yes. Mr. Mayor. Laravey. I'd like to make a motion uh that we uh move the agenda out of order and head into executive session. We have quite a lot of work, important work, contracts that we have to review and discuss and I think we're going to be in there quite a while. So I make the motion to go out of order and enter into executive session.

Second. I have a motion and a second.

Staff, would you call the vote? Mr.

Aguia. So I think that we have uh boxed ourselves into a corner per se with this committee making a motion to say we have a cap on the end of a meeting. But we have items that are on the agenda that I think are very very important to take care of today. So I think we should at least look at the rest of the agenda and say are there things that are important to take care

of so that we can move forward with some hiring and that process one of which is 12.11 which is the discussion from the subcommittee about the auto district program coordinator that has implications for hiring movement of staff recruiting and if we want to move some of the things that maybe aren't that pressing I'm not opposed to it but skipping over some things that are very worthy I I wouldn't be in favor of. So,

well, we can come back. We can come back. We can come back, but we're not coming back here because people in the infinite wisdom said the meeting ends at 10:30. So, at 10:30, we're coming back and we can't do these on the motion. Go ahead. I didn't say that. No, I don't know who said that. We voted at the last meeting to say our new rules are 10:30 the meeting. Well, we

got two hours to tangle with some stuff.

I just think it's it's not right to put things on the agenda and then all of a sudden say, "Oh, we got to do, you know, who created this agenda?" Excuse me. I have the floor. Okay. I have the floor.

Okay. So, when when people created the agenda, you created it with all these items on it. Who creates the agenda, Mr.

Chairman? I gauge him by how long I think it takes, but I haven't been having any luck on guessing time lately.

Right. So, you created the agenda with these items on it. Uh-huh. So, why would we not take these items up? I think most we I didn't say we weren't. I said we're taking um I take that back. Miss Laravey made a motion and we got second. Let's vote on going to executive session.

Debbie, you want to call the role? Sure.

Mr. Hag, no. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Das, no. Mr. Cory, yes. Miss Larry, yes. Miss Carrera, yes. Mayor Coug, yes. into executive session. We may or may not return. Thank you. Oh, wait, wait, wait.

Oh, I'm sorry. You're correct. My fault.

Mr. Assad will read the reasons. Sorry, guys.

National Law Chapter 38, section 2187 approve executive session.

National Laws Chapter 3A section 21A1 to review the open meeting law complaint dated June 3rd 2025 filed by Patrick Higgins regarding the June 2nd 2025 special meeting of the forward school committee. The complaintant alleges that the forward school committee violated the open meeting law as follows. One may in his capacity as school committee chair refused to allow colanders to bring up a matter that was not

reasonably anticipated by the chair 48 hours in advance concerning the newspaper article that appeared in for Hill news on June 2nd 2025. The newspaper article referred to payment of a ransom to recover and unlock the school department's computer system after it had been hacked and locked down aka ransomware and to enter into executive session for the illegal purpose for compliance with student

records law which is not one of the 10 exemptions that allow executive session.

National Laws Chapter 38 section 2183 to discuss strategy with respect to credit to the bargaining agreement including hearing grievances relevant to all professional teaching employees for school system including coaches title one teachers nurses occupational physical therapists and specialists in the teaching profession represented by the for educators association as the chairs determined that open session may

have detrimental impact on the bargaining position of the committee national law chapter 38 section 2183 to discuss strategy with respect to ting relative to all administrators and employees represented by the forward administrators association as chair has determined that no open session may have a detrimental impact on the bargaining position of the committee match law chapter 3862183

to discuss strategy with the to correct the bing relative to all cafeteria employees of the for school system represented by the American federation of state county municipal employees council 93 local 11 is the open s as the uh chair's attorney open session may have a detrimental impact on the bargaining position of the committee national law chapter 3A section 2183 to discuss strategy The

respect to collect the bargaining relative to all custodial employees forever school system represented by the American federation of state county municipal employees council 93 local 118 is a chair attorney possession may have detrimental impact on bargaining position committee national law chapter 38 section 2183 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining relative to all safety and security

employees of the former school system represented by the American federation of state county mal employees council 93 local 118 as the chair is determined there's no concession may have detrimental impact on the bargaining Position of the committee mass general laws chapter 38 section 2183 to discuss strategy with respect to clickbing relative to all civil clerical employees in for school system represented by the

for department of civil service clerical employees association as the chair is determined that open session may have detrimental impact on a bargaining position committee made national laws chapter 38 section 2183 discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining agreement including all including hearing agreements relevant to all par profofessional employees of the former school system. Yeah. Represented by the

for federation of par professionals and chairs in terms of open session may have a detrimental effect on body position of the committee. National laws chapter 38 section 21 to discuss complaint brought against a school committee. Uh member national laws chapter 38 section 213 and section 217 to discuss a pending settlement agreement and in order to discuss strategy to shut the litigation and

comply with student records laws. The chairs determined open session may have a uh detrimental impact on the litigating position of the committee.

National law chapter 38 section 2182 to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiation with non-unit personnel andor to conduct contract negotiation with non-unit personnel including all for educational for government TV cable grant positions nine and number all administrative assistants uh 11 and number all school-based athletic programs uh support positions all facilities and operations supervisory

positions seven in number all computer technical and student information management system support positions. 19 and number all special education support positions. Two and number all early education support positions. Four and number Allison Los redesign coach. James Sullivan, chief officer of special education compliance. Stacy Gayan, uh, financial manager. Christine Abdau, procurement specialist. Sandra Silva,

payroll manager. Melissa St. Pierre, CTE cooperative education coordinator.

Kendra Pimemental, post-secondary career pathway specialist. We would reconvene.

There may or may not be statements at that time. Thank you. Recess to executive session. We

And Mr. Mayor, um you said we may or may not come back. I I would um advise you um and I'm saying this in a in a friendly manner to state whether we are or we're not coming back. I would say we are. You have to come back to We are coming back. Correct. We are coming back. Thank you, Mr. Das. We got to wait for Mr. Cory and Mr. Chairman. Yeah, I

do believe that we voted and uh we have to do it again. And you forgot to mention to say the reason, but the reason doesn't necessarily have to be before. Okay. I think you voted and clicked on the So, we're good to go. Is correct. There was a vote.

Wait for the supra. We're back in session. Deb, please call the role.

Mr. A here. Mr. Bailey here. Mr. Das here. Mr. Cory here. Miss Laravey here.

M Pereira here. Mayor Coogan here.

Anything further to come before the committee? Yes, Mayor. Can I make um a motion to approve the executive session minutes for June 2nd, 2025 special meeting of the school committee?

I need a second. Second. Oh, I can't even. Yes, you minutes. I have a motion to second discussion hearing. None. Deb, please call the role. Mr. AO, yes. Mr.

Bailey, yes. Mr. Das, no. Mr. Corey, yes. Miss Laravey, yes.

Miss Ferrer, yes. Mayor Cougan, yes.

Anything further? Yes, ma'am. Can I Oh.

Oh, sorry. Sorry. Yes. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to authorize attorneys to address the open meeting law complaint dated June 3rd, 2025 filed by Patrick.

The one side check that attorneys. Um, aren't we supposed to in open session vote to authorize you to We have done it too. It's fine. We can do it. Okay. Go ahead, Colin. Finish, please. I mean, Mr. D.

Um I just I just if we don't need a motion, I withdraw that motion. So um so now we get to the collective bargaining.

Uh Mr. Mayor, I make a motion um to appro um I guess to approve the collective bargaining agreement for um all administrators and employees represented by the Farber Administrators Association.

I need a second. Second.

Second. Any discussion, Mr. Region. Yes.

So I am I am a big supporter of the for administrators association. I am going to be voting no on this contract. And the rationale for that is we negotiated a contract that um I believe the administration didn't take into consideration the compression of wages at the top scale of our of the union. So the first year this the highest paid positions are going to receive additional percentage up to 8%.

Which is going to cause an elevation of wages across the board moving forward for all the individual contracts and principles and other directors. And I think at some point we have to be able to say we have to hold the line somewhere because we can't continually pay people over and over. We're going to have over 50 people making over $150,000 a year as this goes through very quickly

and I think we just need to hold the line. So it's not a reflection on anyone in the FRAA. I'm not going to be voting on this based on that issue. I yield.

Mr. Chair, Mr. D. Um Sp um my reason as well similar to my colleagues comments um I don't believe as Mr. Mr. Agar just pointed I don't believe we took this issue into consideration as well and the fact that there would be some big bonuses coming no bonus at some not bonus some big pay raises coming that again the district um I don't think can afford going into the future I yield I

have a motion to second that yes please one other comment please go ahead Mr.

just on the same I just wanted to clarify my my position what happens when we look at people that are in the top uh earners in the union they will they're in raises will be increased so now that's going to force future discussions and decisions by this committee now to have to put other people that are at higher positions at an even higher amount than typically would have been the five and five that we've been given

to other members that's the only thing I wanted to clarify I yield Deb please call the role Mr. Mr. No. Mr. Bailey.

Yes. Mr. Das. No. Mr. Corey. Yes. Miss Laravey. Abstain.

Miss Pereira. Yes. Mayor Krugan. Yes.

Anything further, Mr. Das? Yes, Mr.

Mayor. I'd like to make a motion to approve the collective bargaining agreement um for um m all maintenance. No, not maintenance. I'm sorry. for all um cler cafeteria employees of the fall school system represented by the American federation of state county and municipal employees council 93 local 118 second I have a motion and second discussion hearing none please call the role Mr. yes Mr. Bailey yes Mr. Das yes

Mr. Cory, yes. Miss Laravey, yes. Miss Pereira, yes. Mayor Coogan, yes. Anything else, Mr. Das? Yes, Mr. Mayor. I'd like to make a motion to approve the collective bargaining agreement to all custodial employees of the Fall River School System represented by the American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees, Council 93, Local 118. So moved.

I have a motion, a second. Any further discussion, Mr. uh Mr. Aario? Yes. So, uh, I do agree with the, um, financial position here of 5,5 and five for those individuals, but I I'm going to be voting no on this contract because I disagree with how the four senior positions will be filled. They will automatically be going to four individuals without regard to the current senior positions in the

custodial union. And this is a different practice than has been in place for all senior positions in the custodial union for many, many years. And I don't believe that we should be changing that practice. All positions that are promotional should be filled the same way that they've been filled over the last 10 or 15 years. So I will be voting no, but I do agree with the five five and five. Mr. Chair,

Mr. D. And if um I can elaborate my position as well um fully agree with my colleague and I also have um some concerns that this um agreement may not have been fully explained to all members in in such a way. I question whether they had meetings to explain what is in this collective bargaining agreement as well. Well, no. And so for that reason and the reasons Mr. Aguar brought up, I'll be also voting no.

Anything further? Yes. I want to state why I'm voting yes on this. Um when and also clarify when my colleague says they, he's referring to the union, not management, not us. He's saying that the union he does not think the union did a good job with their membership which I you can agree or disagree but I'm management on this stage. So the reason I'm voting yes is because the union

overwhelmingly voted in support of this.

So whether I 100% agree or not, it was a negotiation between union and management and I I take what the union says seriously and I think if there are members that don't agree with how it's bargain then I encourage them to um to go to directly to their union. Yeah.

With that I yield. Mr. Chairman. Yes, Mr. Ko. Yes. So I want to echo my colleagues comments. Uh I was debating one way or the other the same thing, but uh because of the overwhelming majority in approval of this contract that urged me to vote yes in regard to this contract. Thank you. I yield. Uh anything uh further? Deb, would you call the role on that one, please? Mr. A, no.

Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Das, no. Mr. Corey, yes. Miss Laravey, yes. Miss Pereira, yes. Mayor Kan, yes. Anything further?

Yes, Mr. Chair, I'd like to make a motion to approve the collective bargaining agreement for all safety and security employees of the Fall River School System represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Municipal Employees, Council 93, Local 18,8.

Um, and do I have a second? Second. I have a motion to second. Any discussion?

Deb, please call the role. Mr. Drag, yes. Mr. Mr. Bailey, yes. Mr. Das, yes.

Mr. Cory, yes. Miss Laravey, yes. Miss Pereira, yes. Mayan, yes. Anything further?

Mr. Chairman, I don't believe so. I don't believe so, Mr. Chairman. Mr.

Chairman, Mr. A, I'd like to make a motion that we approve the out of district coordinator job description uh for the position that's listed in the budget so that the position can be filled. Second.

That was item whatever it was. You 12 or something like that. Okay. 11. Yes. We have a motion to second on approving the out of state coordinator. Deb, call the role, please. Mr. Agiel? Yes.

Mr. Bailey? Yes. Mr. Ders? Yes. Mr.

Cory? Yes. Miss Laravey? Yes. Miss Pereira? Yes. Mayor Koug? Yes. Anything further to come before the committee?

Motion to adjurnn. Second. I have a motion to second. De want to call the role. Mr. A. Yes. Mr. Bailey. Yes. Mr.

Das. Yes. Mr. Cory. Yep. M. Laravey, it's got to be something. Miss Laravey.

Miss Pereira. Yes. Mayor Coogan. Yes.

Yes. Ajourned.