===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, October 18, 2023 LMHS Room #D132 6:30 - Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Carol Archambault, Chair - present Dr. Kate Burnham Brian Lehtinen, Vice Chair - present Business Manager/ HR Director Anthony Sculimbrene, Secretary - present Michael Cassidy Peter Beardmore, Member - present Laura Brzozoski, Member - present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Julianna Hansom – Director of Special Services, Annica Scott – Director of Teaching and Learning, Amy Resnick – Math Specialist, Megan Wheeler – Co-Teaching Coach In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page. (http://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonabl y anticipated by the Chair. Votes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law 1. Call to Order by Carol Archambault at 6:37 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment - None 4. Chairs Report The superintendent presented our warrant article for special town meeting, this article was to fund the first phase of mini splits for the climate control at Primary School. The article was approved by the finance committee 4 to1. We held a joint meeting with the Lunenburg Municipal Design Committee on Monday October 16 th, there was a discussion about how the rehabilitation and/or replacement of Turkey Hill Elementary School fits into the committee's plan. We did agree that phases one and two of the plan involving the Ritter Building and the Town Hall should get underway as soon as possible. The superintendent, Mr. Hevy, and I met with Green Communities last evening it appears the path for possible funding for school projects goes through the execution of an energy building audit, we will be looking into this. Homecoming has been rescheduled from Saturday October 21 to October 28 th 5. Executive Session: to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel Mr. Lehtinen makes a motion to enter executive session, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve 6. Public Comment – Mr. Beardmore takes this opportunity to reiterate all the work that has been put into the SEL program, and notes with the violence that is happening around the world not only this past month, but really this past year an d a half, that it is an opportunity for us to teach empathy and lead by example. 7. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 9-20-23 – Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve minutes, Mr. Lehtinen seconded the motion, all approve with Mr. Sculimbrene abstaining Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 8. Review & Approve Warrants & Line Item Transfers a. Warrant Total 9/21/23 to 10/6/23 $271,472.93 Committee has reviewed and Ms. Archambault has signed off. The committee votes to table the line item transfer until the contracts for the custodian team is completed. Mr. Lehtinen makes a motion to table the line item transfers, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all agree. 9. Superintendents Report Homecoming has been moved to October 28th, due to the forecast of inclement weather for the entirety of the upcoming weekend. The parade will leave Turkey Hill Elementary at noon on Saturday the 28 th and the football game will follow at 1:00. The MCAS 2023 results and iReady student score reports were delivered to the Lunenburg post office on Monday, parents were also notified by email. A reminder that sometimes the mail can take up to 14 days before it arrives at your homes. An update on some key district positions, Eric Hevy, our new Director of Facilities and Grounds will begin his employment with us on Monday, we are working to coordinate a meet and greet opportunity, tentatively at 6 p.m. on November 1st just prior to our next school committee meeting. Ms. Maclean, our Title One Coordinator and Literacy Specialist has resigned, I wish to publicly thank her for all her efforts here in the district to strengthen literacy instruction and to use assessment data to target students’ needs and was a dynamic dedicated and knowledgeable leader, and will be missed. This position has been listed and we will be looking to fill it with someone who can bring their knowledge and talent to continue Ms. MacLean’s work. Also, our Director of Finance and Human Resources has accepted a position in another district, he will begin that position after the Thanksgiving recess. These are enormous shoes to fill and will be a significant loss for our district. I have put a freeze on our current year budget the FY24, out of an abundance of caution, until we navigate the transition to a new Finance Director. Upcoming Dates October 19th Evening Parent Teacher conferences at the Middle High School October 24 6 p.m. MCAS and iReady Zoom forum, Turkey Hill and the Primary School combined October 26 6 p.m. MCAS and iReady Zoom forum, Middle and High School combined October 29th Rescheduled Truck or Treat 12 – 3 Upper parking lot of LMHS November 1 6:30 School Committee Meeting Hybrid Town hall Ms. Archambault also sends good luck to Ms. Maclean and Mr. Cassidy and we wish them well 10. Student Representative Report - None 11. New Business Action a. Contract Ratification – Café & Custodians – committee decides to table contract negotiations. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to postpone negotiation, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion. All approve b. Donations – Two donations first is $2171.21 from the PTO from the Scholastic Book Fair, this will be deposited into the gift account. The second donation is $5513.27 from the PTO from the Penny Wars, this will be deposited into the gift account and earmarked for the library. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept both donations, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approve Discussion c. Assessment Report Dr. Burnham shares and discusses a presentation regarding the highlights of the MCAS and iReady results, Thank you Mrs. Scott. This report is also available on our website. The committee congratulates Turkey Hill on their success. 12. Old Business Action a. Third Read of Non-Discrimination Policies Ms. Brzozoski reads Policy 4106 Equal Employment Opportunity – Nondiscrimination out loud. Policy 4106.01 Nondiscrimination on Basis of Sex- is read aloud by Mr. Beardmore. Policy 4202.01 Professional Staff Hiring is read out loud by Mr. Sculimbrene. Mr. Lehtinen reads Policy 4202.02 Equal Employment Opportunity. Ms. Archambault reads Policy 5103.01 Attendance of non-resident staff. Ms. Brzozoski reads 5201.01 Curriculum of Instruction. Policy 5218 Equal Educational Opportunity is read by Mr. Beardmore. Police 5402 Student Harassment is read by Mr. Sculimbrene. Policy 5412 Dress Code is read by Mr. Lehtinen. Policy 5801 Nondiscrimination – Students is read by Ms. Archambault. Policy 5801.01 Non Discrimination on the Basis of Sex – Students is read by Ms. Brzozoski. The committee confirms that there have been no comments received on any of these policies. Mr. Lehtinen makes a motion to accept Policies 4106, 4106.01, 4202.01, 4202.02, 5103.01, 5201.01, 5402, 5412, 5801, 5801.01 as read, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve. Policy 5218 will come back for approval needs to have a cut & paste edit. ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 b. Second Read Policy 6214 – Committee confirms no comments or questions have been received Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to waive second reading, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approve Discussion c. FY25 Draft Capital Plan Priorities Mr. Beardmore wants to postpone discussion until 11/1/23, as we can’t approach the field, when we haven’t spent the $50,000 that has been allocated. Mr. Beardmore has questions about the engineering on Turkey Hill. Ms. Archambault will come up with a prioritized list and will send to Dr. Burnham to put in the folders. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to postpone discussion. Mr. Lehtinen seconds the motion, all approve 13. Reports Mr. Lehtinen reports the Finance Committee met on October 12 th they reviewed warrant articles and decided what to recommend, defer, or not approve. The Committee approved the school article 4 -1, TCP roof article vote to recommend 4-1. Police Chief presented an article on a co-response model with the Lancaster PD and Lunenburg PD – Mental Health crisis rather than a criminal justice approach, they will hire a clinician that will work 40 hours and be shared between the two departments. There was conversation about the ambulance that has been approved through ARPA and possibly want ing to change the way that is funded. Mr. Beardmore comments relative to the ambulance and dump truck, that there is a long history of this request going back to the request for special stabilization funds for the ambulance and dump truck, and believes this is being misrepresented. This fund is going to carry us to buy very large pieces of equipment through the decade as long as we place $250,000 annually into that fund. If that continues we will continue to set ourselves back and not be able to spend this money on Turkey Hill or the track, we really need to look ahead at the capital plan deficits. The Finance Committee voted disapproval 3-2. Mr. Beardmore reports there will be an Athletic Advisory meeting on November 20, with hopefully a guest speaker wit h fundraising ideas. Ms. Archambault reports the Master Planning Committee will meet tomorrow at 6 at Town Hall and the Middle School Council will meet in December. 14. Public Comment - None 15. Topics for Future Discussion Capital Plan Priorities Line Item Transfers Contract Negotiations Third Read 5218 Third Read 6214 Action on Articles – TCP Roof and AC Project 16. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to adjourn at 9:17, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve. Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller