# school-committee — 118 documents, concatenated for reading and search # # This is a CONVENIENCE BUNDLE, not a source. Every document below is # published separately and byte-identically; cite the individual file, # whose path is given in each header, rather than this bundle. # Index of all boards: https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/minutes/INDEX.txt # The town's own scanned original is linked per document. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-01-08-agenda-6948.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-01-08 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-01-08-agenda-6948.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01082025-6948 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, January 8, 2025 6:30 pm, Town Hall HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance; Krista Diamantopoulos-LMS Faculty, Mr. GD Reichard-Scholarship Donor In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,,85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdujtUhVjm This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order Discussion 2. Pledge of Allegiance a. Restructured Fee Proposals 3. Executive Session- to conduct strategy sessions in b. Recommendations on Cell Phone Use preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel or to c. School Committee Resolutions conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations 12. Reports with nonunion personnel. 13. Public Comment 4. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion 5. Chair’s Report 15. Executive Session- to conduct strategy sessions in 6. Student Representative’s Report preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel 7. Review and Approve Minutes or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or a. Regular Session 12/4/24 contract negotiations with nonunion personnel. 8. Review and Approve 16. Adjournment Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 12/16/24 to 12/19/24 $237,027.01 9. Superintendent’s Report 10. New Business Action a. LHS Scholarship Donation b. Transportation Contract Discussion c. LMBDC Plans d. 2025-2026 School Calendar e. Revolving Accounts-School Choice & Facilities Revolving Accts. 11. Old Business Action a. Facilities & Grounds Report b. Class Accounts-Class of 2005 c. Committee Appointments ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-01-08-minutes-6948.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-01-08 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-01-08-minutes-6948.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01082025-6948 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, January 8, 2025 6:30 – Town Hall - Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - absent Carol Archambault, Secretary - present Peter Beardmore, Member - present Laura Brzozoski, Member - present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson – Director of Administration & Finance, Krista Diamantopoulos – LMS Faculty, Mr. GD Richard – Scholarship Donor In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Brian Lehtinen at 6:30p.m. 2. Pledge of Allegiance Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to go out of order and move our student representative report prior to executive session, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all in favor 3. Student Representative Report Districtwide there is no school on January 20th for Martin Luther King Jr day. The Primary and Turkey Hill have parent teacher conferences both online and in person on January 30. Both schools will have a half day that day. Monday, January 30 will be the start for winter activities. The middle school will be having a Red Carpet dance o n Friday January 17, and will also mark the end of the quarter for both middle and high school. The enrollment for Washington DC 8th grade trip remains open until January 15th. The after school music program is starting up for the middle and high school. The National Honor Society is now offering peer tutoring. 4. Executive Session – to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to enter executive session at 6:34, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote. Return at 6:57 5. Public Comment – Mr. Beardmore I would like to advise the committee that I was invited yesterday to participate on a Fitchburg Access TV show next week, it is called Fitchburg/Leominster Area Politics. It is hosted by a classmate of mine from Lunenburg. This will be my second time sitting in on the show, he asked me for some potential topics, and I suggested Chapter 70 funding as a topic. I have been advised that he invited a member of the Leominster School Committee to participate as well, it will taped next Wednesday, and I do not know when it will air. 6. Chair’s Report I would like to wish everyone a Happy New year. On January 1st the Mass State Senate and Representatives were sworn in. I congratulated our legislators and also wanted to mention that Senate President Karen Spilka called out K through 2 funding, in her speech for reform as a priority, to tackle review this ses sion, they need revisions and to re-examine the formula, and that there are communities struggling throughout Massachusetts. The regional school transportation and Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 special education needed to be reviewed. On Sunday President Biden signed HR 82 into law, The Social Security Fairness Act. 7. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 12/4/24 Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the minutes, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve 8. Review & Approve Warrants, Line Item Transfers, & Donations a. Warrants 12/16/24-12/19/24 $237,027.01– Warrants have been signed b. Donations From Principal Squire $30.30 from Box Tops, will be used for field trips. There is a donation in the amount of $13.51 for art supplies from the Cultural Council, this was the balance of money allocated to them for the Artist in Residence program. A donation of $1,560 from the PTO for STEM and Reading materials. All of this money will be deposited in the gift account. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to accept the donations with gratitude, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve. c. Line Item Transfers None 9. Superintendent’s Report An update on the search for Director of Facilities, we have interviewed a very well qualified candidate in the last week, however we anticipate that salary may be a barrier for this particular candidate. We are setting up interviews with other candidates as well. The MSBA is conducting statewide surveys of school buildings. We are gathering information that will be required. Part of the process will be participating in virtual interviews with them and then follow ing those interviews they will conduct site visits to all of our schools as well as TCP, because ACE is located there. The visits should be completed in late January or early February. At the last meeting the MSBA is going to be accepting statements of interest on January 13th, the eligible accelerated repair program projects for the 2025 cycle include roofs, windows, doors, and heat pumps. Based on the money available for the door replacement project at Turkey Hill, we will not be able to fund replacement of all the doors at turkey hill and we can have a conversation at the next school committee meeting after Dr. Gilson and I have the opportunity to attend MSBA’s webinar on the 21 st, we may want to consider putting in a statement of interest to get the rest of those doors. An update on the 911 phone – upgrades are almost complete, the only thing remaining is to fully transition the phone system and that will happen on January 21 st. There was a communication pushed out today regarding the PowerSchool Breach regarding what was accessed. Our IT Management Consultant is also looking into what was accessed. We will be sending out updated communication to the committee and families as soon as we have more information. Upcoming Dates January 22 School Committee Meeting Hybrid LMHS 6:30 January 17 Term 2 ends January 20 Schools and School Offices are closed. January 30 Parent/Teacher conferences for Primary School and Turkey Hill January 30 Half day for only the Primary School and Turkey Hill Happy New Year to everyone 10. New Business Action a. LHS Scholarship Donation Mr. George Richard, a former alum of Lunenburg Public schools has donated $15,000 for a scholarship award to honor one of his former teachers. Mr. Vincent Joseph. This donation is to go to an athlete that is pursuing college. Vincent Joseph, grew up in Leominster and had no money, Bridgewater State picked him up for one semester and he turned that into four and turned it into a teaching degree. He was an incredible advisor to our class and a great teacher out of the Lunenburg School System Ms. Archambault makes a motion to accept this generous donation with gratitude, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve. b. Transportation Contract Dr. Gilson supplied the bid with Dee Bus, it is a 3 year contract with tentative increases over the 3 years, working with them for a bit more consistency on increases throughout the contract. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to authorized Dr. Gilson to negotiate and finalize this contract, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approve. ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Discussion c. LMBDC Plan Mr. Lehtinen reports they met on Monday and they met with the architect for the second time. Mr. Michael Ray Jeffries met with department heads. Dr. Burnham reports they met this morning and was showed the plans for the Ritter Building and how they are setting up for the Central Office Staff. I did meet with my team to discuss this the projected plan. Dr. Burnham shares what does not work with this plan and how revisions would need to be made. A discussion regarding staff at central office and what their needs would be. There was also discussion with the Special Ed Coordinator regarding perceptions and having the ACE program downstairs in the basement is not what DESE likes to see. DESE does not like to see clusters of programs together, or in winged areas, they want to make sure it is in an “equitable” area, this could potentially be an issue when they come out for an audit, and you are not given very much time to rectify the concern and really not an appeals process. d. 2025-2026 School Calendar The school committee was provided with a draft of the 25/26 school calendar for review e. Revolving accounts – School Choice and Facilities Revolving Accounts Dr. Gilson shares a presentation for School choice funds and the Facilities revolving accounts. She shares that these accounts are following the same patterns as other revolving accounts, which is the money coming in is not enough to cover the money going out. 11. Old Business Action a. Facilities and Grounds Report Dr. Gilson shares an update on projects that have been bid out. We were discussing in December that the fire alarm system came in much higher than expected, based on new requirements. Updates on the doors and security for Turkey Hill. The Fire alarm should be completed by August 15. We have $300,000 for the door and security that will cover all the security and only 3 doors. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motional approve. b. Class Accounts – Class of 2005 Krista Diamantopoulos officially requests the money from the class of 2005 be moved into a separate account for future use for the class. Ms. Archambault makes a motion to approve the transfer of funds, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approve. c. Committee Appointment Sick Bank appointments, Dr. Burnham shares we have received sick bank requests, it was one member of the committee, and prior we had Mr. Cassidy, however, there was convers ation for Dr. Gilson, however she feels as HR she should remain neutral, but we do need to have a second person for this committee. Ms. Archambault is currently the school committee member. Mr. Lehtinen volunteers to be the second member. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to nominate Mr. Lehtinen to serve on the Sick Bank Committee, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approved. We are also looking for a Superintendent Search Committee, we were notified today the Superintendent will be retiring at the end of the school year. Mr. Beardmore suggests we allow our internal staff the opportunity to apply and interview before outside applicants. If we do not choose a candidate, we can then move to an outside search. Ms. Archambault volunteers to be on the screenin g committee Mr. Lehtinen makes a motion to appoint Carol Archambault as the Superintendent Subcommittee Search subcommittee, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve. Mr. Beardmore nominates Mr. Lehtinen as a second member to the committee, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve. Discussion d. Restructured Fee Proposals Dr. Gilson and Mr. Bigelow share a presentation for a proposal for increases for athletic fees. e. Recommendations on Cell Phone Use Mr. Santry shares some gathered information from his middle and high school groups. We do agree cell phones are a distraction, however also feel classrooms need to remain sacred. Zero tolerance is untenable, especially if it’s an unfunded mandate. We do have procedures within our School Advisory Councils, it allows us within the building to develop our procedures and update annually. We would prefer that each school have a policy that goes into the handbook. f. School Committee Resolutions A draft has been uploaded into the folder, any feedback and suggestions can be emailed to Mr. Lehtinen 12. Reports Ms. Brzozoski reports PACSAL met on January 2, we had Melanie Ray as a speaker, she is a special ed . advocate and spoke on how and why to get an advocate, she shared the different types of advocates and organizations that are available. We are going through a DESE audit and there will be parent surveys sent out. Ms. Archambault reports Fincom met on 12/19, there was a Budget Task Force Presentat ion, and all documents dealing with Budget Task Force are available online. Munis upgrade will occur between January and March. They FY 24 year end free cash came in at 2.5 million, there will be firm budget dates. The next meeting is tomorrow evening, budget meetings start on February 13th, and they need two more members Mr. Lehtinen reports the Lunenburg Municipal Design Committee met Monday, Greg Roy, one of our members also went to the select board meeting yesterday with Mr. Jeffries, we want to remind everyone that we are planning to revamp the inside and really “Wow” you when you walk into the building. We will meet again on the 22 nd. ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 13. Public Comment Ms. Brzozoski encourages people to go to the Municipal Building Design meetings, they are very fun and interesting. 14. Topics for Future Discussion Club User Fees School Committee Goals 15. 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 16. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to enter into executive session an d adjourn immediately following at 9:55, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-01-17-agenda-6970.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-01-17 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-01-17-agenda-6970.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01172025-6970 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING Friday, January 17 , 2025 3:00 pm REMOTE MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=81939986472 Meeting ID: 766 316 7607 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. 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. 3. Public Comment 4. New Business Action a. Search Committee 5. Public Comment 6. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-01-17-minutes-6970.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-01-17 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-01-17-minutes-6970.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01172025-6970 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Friday, January 17, 2025 3:00 Remote Meeting School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - absent Carol Archambault, Secretary - present Peter Beardmore, Member - absent Laura Brzozoski, Member - present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: 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 reasonably 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 Brian Lehtinen at 3:11 2. Public Comment – None 3. Executive Session (To conduct strategy session in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel Ms. Archambault makes a motion to enter executive session, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve via roll call. Return 3:32 4. Public Comment - None 5. New Business Action a. Search Committee The school committee assigned Mr. Lehtinen and Ms. Archambault for the search committee. We did reach out and get some great information from LEA and Liz Peterson. We have drafted up some dates to show the process. The files are in the folder. Ms. Archambault reads the post that will be put out for the Superintendent Screening Committee to include the description of what will be required for time of the members. You can send your letter of interest to Mr. Lehtinen no later than January 31, 2025 the members will be appointed at the School Committee meeting on February 5th. Mr. Lehtinen reads the job posting for the Superintendents position. Applicants should submit a letter of interest including your key qualifications, a vision for the district, how your leadership would support the district’s mission and goals, and your approach to fostering and thriving educational environment for students and staff, a current resume, three professional references, can be submitted to Mr. Lehtinen. We are hoping to have the job posting approved this week, and shares the timeline of interviews and planned finalist choices along with a time line if an internal candidate is not chosen. In the folder is a plan B with expedited dates. Ms. Brzozoski would like to use Plan B, to be more respectful of the committee’s tim e, especially if we end up needing an external search. The challenge is needing to add special meetings and also time needed to appoint members to the committee. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the internal job posting, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the screening committee post with potential for dates to be adjusted as needed. Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approve via roll call Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 6. Public Comment - None 7. Adjournment Ms. Archambault makes a motion to adjourn at 4:09, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-01-22-agenda-6971.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-01-22 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-01-22-agenda-6971.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01222025-6971 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, January 22, 2025 6:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry-LMHS Principal; Dr. Deborah Bookis-Director of Teaching & Learning In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 12. Reports 2. Pledge of Allegiance 13. Public Comment 3. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report 15. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 12/18/24 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 1/7/25 to 1/15/25 $364,142.06 8. Superintendent’s Report 9. Presentation 10. New Business Action a. Preschool Tuition Increase Discussion a. Health & PE Curriculum Frameworks and PE Credits b. LHS Program of Studies c. Budget Calendar d. FY26 Proposed Budget e. School Choice 11. Old Business Discussion a. Recommendations on Competency Determination b. Search Committee c. District Offices ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-01-22-minutes-6971.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-01-22 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-01-22-minutes-6971.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01222025-6971 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, January 22, 2025 6:30 p.m. LMS room D132 - Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - present Carol Archambault, Secretary - present Peter Beardmore, Member – present Laura Brzozoski, Member - present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry – LMHS Principal, Dr. Deborah Bookis – Director of Teaching & Learning In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Brian Lehtinen at 6:34 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Peter Beardmore I was unable to attend last Friday’s meeting due to a professional commitment, and I have a fair understanding of the path we are on. Last Friday’s meeting was just posted today and I was unable to listen to i t, but I think that if we are going to appoint a screening committee, which I think we should, we need to be able to communicate with the screening committee. Ideally in advance of their work what our hopes and dreams are from a new superintendent. I can tell you they very closely align to those four goals that I communicated almost three years ago. I do have some thoughts in terms of core competencies of a prospective candidate and what we should lean into. In terms of who we should be selecting, or what the qualifications and talents are of the person I hope to select. I would hope to communicate that with the members of the selection committee in advance of them going down the process of screening resumes. I promised myself on the way in I would not be melodramatic about this, but, suffice to say this does come from a position of frustration. I know we tell our students to be prepared for class, I am very unprepared for tonight’s meeting. I checked th e folder yesterday at 3 p.m. and there was one document in it. I checked again today between work and going to a track meet and coming here, that document had been replaced and there were 10 more additional documents, plus two versions of the agenda. One of those documents was 39 pages long, I believe and heavily edited. I take this job pretty seriously and I don’t feel like I am able to give it my all, if I am not given the proper time to prepare. We had discussed this in a workshop and I believe the ask was 48 hours, and that is by far the exception to the rule. This is just not sustainable for me, particularly as we go in to the busy season. This is not directed at anyone in particular, I know what we have today represents a lot of wor k product and I am appreciative of that, but also have a full-time job, that I do a lot of work product for and I am expected to turn it in and give my superiors and team proper time, so I would appreciate it. Ms. Brzozoski I was going to talk more during the search committee part of things, about goals and coming up with what we we’re looking or from the committee and proposing a workshop, where we could all sit around at a table and collaboratively come up with what we were looking for. If we could have a discussion on that during the search committee part of the agenda that would be great. 4. Chair’s Report I would like to congratulate Jennifer Warren Dyment, who was selected as the Town Manager, by the select board. Recently Representative Scarsdale reached out, that UMASS Memorial was going to be taking over for Nashoba Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Hospital, so that was good news. Ms. Archambault relayed today the information of the governor’s budget was put out today, so we will talk about that in the budget numbers. 5. Student Representative’s Report None 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 12/18/24 Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve minutes, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approve with Mr. Beardmore abstaining 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants, & Donations a. Warrants 1/7/25 to 1/15/25 $364,142.06 8. Superintendent’s Report I wanted to give some information relative to an item on the agenda a little bit later, the committee had asked me to explore alternatives for locations for Central Office. I did reach out to a realtor in town, currently there are no properties that would be adequate for our needs. We did reach out to get some information relative to leasing portable offices or trailers in order to provide enough space, we will be looking at three trailers and an approximate cost would be somewhere between $110,000 and $150,000 a year. The 911 phone upgrades we encountered a delay, the completion of the project was supposed to occur yesterday, however, the turnover of the system in each building requires participation of Verizon, these turnovers have to be scheduled with them for each building. The appointments for these turnovers have to be 10 days apart, so it’s going to be another couple weeks before we are fully turned over. A final update on the PowerSchool breach went out today, we are in the process of sending individual notices with recommended actions to take to anyone that we identified as potentially compromised through the breach, and those will be out by the end of the week. Reminders: February 5 School Committee Meeting 6:30 Town Hall February 26 School Committee Meeting 6:30 LMHS February 17 All Schools and Offices closed for Presidents Day February 18-21 Schools closed for Winter Vacation 9. Presentation None 10. New Business Action a. Preschool Tuition Increase There is a request for a 4% increase to tuition in FY26. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to approve the increase, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approve. Discussion b. Health & PE Curriculum Frameworks and PE Credits Mr. Santry and Dr. Bookis share a presentation explaining the requirements we need to provide to students with physical, mental, and social health. The presentation reviewed the updated principles, new goals and how to achieve them. We are looking at the program we currently provide and comparing it with the new framework and how it aligns and how we will adjust the program. The new program tends to focus on lifelong skills. c. LHS Program of Studies Mr. Santry shared the proposed programs for FY26 with necessary changes that best meet the needs of our students. A copy has been provided to the committee. The biggest change this year is the removal of MCAS as a graduation requirement. Competency determination is described as “Require students to demonstrate mastery of the common core skills competency and knowledge in 10th grade level of English, Math, and Science. d. Budget Calendar From the chair of the Finance Committee we will be presenting our budget on March 6 th, this is one week ahead of our expectations and 2 weeks ahead of the norm. e. FY 26 Proposed Budget Ms. Archambault had mentioned the governors proposed budget came out and the Lunenburg FY26 local aid distribution for Chapter 70 funding is proposed at $9,191,185, the unrestricted general government aid $1,330,762. This does include the fifth year of Student Opportunity Act implantation. The inflation is 1.93% in all categories. There is a $75 per pupil minimum increase included which is different from last year, I believe it was $104 per pupil. Dr. Burnham shares a presentation on the FY26 budget. This presentation is more for context and a reality check. The revenues we have been able to rely on in recent years are dwindling, grant money is gone, and our revolving accounts are tapped out. We have built a lot into our budget for this year, this is the result of those issues. The presentation will be posted online. ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 f. School Choice The committee discusses the advantages and disadvantages of opening school choice seats for the elementary level versus only the high school level. Ultimately the committee decides to table this topic until after the budget is approved, in order to discuss proposed class sizes. 11. Old Business Discussion a. Recommendations on Competency Determinations This was discussed earlier under the Program of Studies part of the agenda b. Search Committee An email has gone out to parents and staff regarding the search for members to apply to be on this committee. It has been posted on the School Committee’s Facebook Page, and also the community page. The library said they would post it as well, I have reached out to the senior center and the Ledger, the Ledger has a $50 fee to advertise, committee agrees it is fine to pay that $50 to have this advertised. This is also posted in the superintendent search folder to the applicants both internal and also the external applicants. So far I think we have had 6 people submit a letter for the 10 spots plus Brian and Carol. A reminder that we will start with internal candidates, we currently have up to 6 that are qualified, we will go through that process and if th ere weren’t any that we felt fit the position, we will open up an external search. Ms. Brzozoski recommends if we do not hire an internal candidate, we reach out to MASC and engage with them for services for a superintendent search, this does have a fee of $11,500, but this does open the candidate pool up nationwide. A future meeting for February 29 is planned to further the discussion and vote on committee members and a workshop c. District Offices Dr Burnham shares they did explore other options, however what we are seeing with the upcoming budget, I think we need to stay closer to a free option of moving into space at Turkey Hill. The town would like to know definitively when we will be moving out, my thoughts are its going to take a bit of time and it will be over the summer, throughout the month of July. With the plans of the future to move to the Ritter Building, I did drop some handwritten notes based on feedback and some discussion, the concern is that there may not be enough square footage at that building. The architects are continuing to work on plans and constantly adjusting based on feedback and discussions. 12. Reports Mr. Beardmore reports the Capital Planning Committee will be hosting a meeting for next Wednesday, we will be reviewing an early look at the Interim Town Manager’s recommendations for the Capital Plan and some of his thinking around funding for the capital plan. We will be discussing the issue relating to the generator a nd the issue with the dollar value on that generator will be discussed. I think another item likely to be discussed is the need for a definitive plan for the track and field facility, this is getting to a point it needs to be dealt with. We are not going to have this information available and ready for a warrant article as an offset the interim Town Manager his looking at a solution to do a separate article funded by free cash to move forward with design and bid ready documents. We have Athletic Advisory meetings for next Tuesday and the following Monday, Dr. Gilson, Mr. Bigelow and myself will be having an open meeting for parents to listen to the proposal for the increase in athletic fees and have the change to provide us with feedback. They are being notified via the SportsYou app, which is the primary means of communications for athletes and parents. We will also be submitting information to the superintendent and Mr. Santry to have the information included in newsletters. Ms. Brzozoski reports LEAF met and we talked about getting our 501C3 status. We met with a tech person who is going to answer some of our questions and consult with us about grant cycle. Ms. Archambault reports FinCom will meet on February 13 th Mr. Sculimbrene PTO met on the 6th, they talked about the movie fundraiser, they had a projection of 400 tickets, and they sold 378 of them and made $478 there were a couple of no shows due to a conflict with basketball. They also have their special someone dance on February 1. The next event they are also talking about is requests for funds with people in school administration, they had some good things to say about the process. They are putting out applications for people to join the PTO. Also working on coordinating a game with the Worcester Railers as we have some of our students singing the National Anthem, so maybe a Lunenburg Night. One last committee update, I spoke with Mike Kushmerek last week, he is introducing the bus inspection bill that I had written and talked to his Legislative Assistant about, basically what it would is, it would compel bus companies, in order to complete inspections to show that they have made competitive bids in multiple places over a 5 year period, so the hope is that we can strongly encourage them to take part in capitalism as a way to drive down prices. Mr. Lehtinen reports him and Carol met with the Sick Bank Committee, we had two requests, one was unanimously approved for 30 days and one was unanimously denied for lack of supporting data, we also hav e an additional meeting this Friday which we expect to be that additional data we requested. The Lunenburg Municipal Building Design Committee met tonight at 5:30, they did have an updated design from the architect, and it definitely ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 had a lot of good improvements. The architects are definitely listening to and taking the feedback to make adjustments. It would be great if more public came out to the meetings and gave feedback, overall it is going well. 13. Public Comment Mr. Sculimbrene I wasn’t here when you announced your retirement (Dr. Burnham) last time. I just want to say that I have learned a lot listening to you give presentations here and talking to you during the budget process and on policy subcommittee. You deserve a break, but I am sad to see you go. 14. Topics for Future Discussion 15. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 9:39, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-01-29-agenda-6988.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-01-29 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-01-29-agenda-6988.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01292025-6988 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, January 29, 2025 6:00pm Lunenburg Middle-High School LMS Collaboration Room AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment 4. Old Business Action a. Screening Committee membership 5. Workshop: Superintendent Search 6. Public Comment 7. Adjournment 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-01-29-minutes-6988.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-01-29 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-01-29-minutes-6988.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01292025-6988 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday January 29, 2025 6:00 LMHS School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - present Carol Archambault, Secretary - present Peter Beardmore, Member - present Laura Brzozoski, Member - present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: 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 reasonably 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 Brian Lehtinen at 6:05 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment – None 4. Old Business Action a. Screening Committee Membership We had put this on our agenda from our last meeting. There have been two memos that went out advertising about the screening committee and one of those had an incorrect date of deadline to submit your application by January 31. My recommendation would be that we table this to a vote on Saturday the 1st. I did reach out to all that had submitted so far and reminded them of the correct dates and that we were likely to vote on Saturday. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion based on the conflict to table the appoin tment of the screening committee, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approve. (Mr. Sculimbrene was not present for this vote) b. Workshop: Superintendent Search - The committee has received in their folder a list of workshop topics to cover, to serve as a rough outline to guide us through the workshop. Topics discussed were superintendent characteristics, communications between the superintendent and the school committee, education leader, curriculum expertise, leadership management, community engagement, a strategic minded individual, transparency, ability to understand, anticipate, and react to change. The committee ranks in order of importance. Listening sessions for staff and also for the public is suggested. The committee will review applications, set up interviews and give feedback to the school committee 5. Public comment - Mr. Sculimbrene is really grateful that Brian and Carol are doing this, I don’t know enough about education to know what is good and what is bad, and if I had to put my faith, my kids’ future in any two people’s hands other than my family members, you guys are it. I do not think we could do better than you guys. I am really grateful that it is you guys. Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Mr. Lehtinen I want to thank the community for stepping up with over 20 applicants to help out on the screening committee, with a very diverse group of people. I am really excited and I think we are on the right path, we are doing it as a community. We are making it. Change can be really hard but I think we are doing it the right way. I think we are going to do some good. Ms. Brzozoski I am happy we got community members without kids or with grown kids that is when we get the buy-in from the community. When we have people who don’t have an immediate stake decide that they want to help, that is fantastic. 6. Adjournment Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to adjourn at 7:08 , Ms. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-01-agenda-6994.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-02-01 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-02-01-agenda-6994.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02012025-6994 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Saturday, February 1, 2025 10:30am REMOTE MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Peter Beardmore Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=83760646954 Meeting ID: 766 316 7607 One tap mobile +19292056099,7663167607# US This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Old Business Action a. Superintendent Screening Committee - membership appointment 3. Adjournment 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-01-minutes-6994.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-02-01 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-02-01-minutes-6994.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02012025-6994 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING February 1, 2025 10:30 am Remote Meeting School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - present Carol Archambault, Secretary - present Peter Beardmore, Member - present Laura Brzozoski, Member - present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: 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 reasonably 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 Brian Lehtinen at 10:31 2. Old Business Action a. Superintendent Screening Committee – membership appointment Carol and I met at a posted meeting of the screening committee to recommend 10 people to join the committee along with myself and Carol. I have drafted up a brief summary of the diversity of the group that we are recommending. Mr. Lehtinen read out loud the summary. Ms. Archambault reports they went very carefully over everyone’s letters and thanks everyone w ho applied. The people that are chosen represented many groups. Mr. Lehtinen reads the list of applicants they are recommending for the screening committee. Mr. Beardmore appreciates the amount of work that has been put into this and shares some of his concerns with the list of applicants. Mr. Sculimbrene thinks the list is good, but agrees that it would be helpful to have a diversity of points of view. There are people that regularly attend school committee meetings that often disagree with us on various things, and I think that disagreement makes for a better process. Ms. Brzozoski also echo’s Mr. Beardmore and Mr. Sculimbrenes comment about diversity of views. I think if we are going to have a buy-in from the community about the superintendent choice, I think that it needs to be a little more representative of the community. This list feels a little “parent heavy” with three members being parents as opposed to the committee chosen for the search previously only had two. This list only has one community member at-large compared to last time there were two, so I was hoping to see two. The age representation of people tends to skew towards people who are parent aged and I was hoping have at least another person who was older than parent age. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to approve the list as presented, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the list, all approve via roll call vote 3. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 10:57, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-05-agenda-7006.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-02-05 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-02-05-agenda-7006.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02052025-7006 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, February 5, 2025 6:30 pm, Town Hall HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry-LMHS Principal; Dr. Deborah Bookis-Director of Teaching & Learning, Julianna Hanscom-Special Services Director, Dr. Susan Gilson- Director of Administration & Finance, Amy Resnick- MTSS Specialist/Coach, Lisa Cantin-MTSS Specialist/Coach In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order Discussion 2. Pledge of Allegiance g. FY26 Budget 3. Public Comment h. School Committee Resolutions 4. Chair’s Report i. New Town Hall/School Offices 5. Student Representative’s Report 12. Reports 6. Review & Approve Minutes 13. Public Comment a. Regular Session 1/8/25 & 1/17/25 14. Topics for Future Discussion 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants 15. Adjournment & Donations a. Warrants 1/21/25 to 1/31/25 $159,787.33 8. Superintendent’s Report 9. Presentation 10. New Business Action a. Grant Approval b. Town Meeting Article Discussion c. FY26-FY28 Unaffiliated Salary Schedule d. New Legislation e. Kids Kingdom Playground 11. Old Business Action a. Assessment Report b. LHS Program of Studies c. Facilities & Grounds Report d. Capital Projects-Contracts e. Competency Determination f. Superintendent Search ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-05-minutes-7006.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-02-05 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-02-05-minutes-7006.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02052025-7006 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, February 5, 2025 6:30 p.m. Town Hall - Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - present Carol Archambault, Secretary - present Peter Beardmore, Member - present Laura Brzozoski, Member - present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry – LMHS Principal, Dr. Bookis – Director of Teaching and Learning, Julianna Hanscom – Special Services Director, Dr. Susan Gilson – Director of Administration and Finance, Amy Resnick – MTSS Specialist/Coach, Lisa Cantin – MTSS Specialist/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 reasonably 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 Brian Lehtinen at 6:31 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Mary Foyle 985 Flat Hill Road I'm here as the President of the Lunenburg Education Association, representing the staff, who do an excellent job in our schools. I'm commenting over comments made at the last school committee meeting, January 22, especially from Mr. Beardmore, in regards to what is happening in Lunenburg classrooms. I would usually do this as a one-on-one conversation or email but because the comments were public and recorded I feel like my comments have to be public and recorded. I'm going to start off with the two stories or adages . Because everyone went to school, I heard this once upon a time that everyone feels like they know how school is run. I've stayed in a hospital it doesn't mean I know how a hospital is run or how patient should be treated. I saw this other thing in a Reader's Digest about elementary school teachers. It was something like if I will believe 10% of what they tell me happens at home, if you will believe 10% of what happens at school. I'm concerned over some of the comments that were made in regards to specifically the essential classes and high school gym. What struck me was that the comments were in my opinion disparaging to the teaching professionals and also to the students and families who are involved in those classes , and though the words or what the words meant may not have been intentional comments like, “I failed to see what a varsity coach cannot cover that a gym class would” or: that high school gym class is not time well spent”. I was insulted on behalf of my peers. What bothered me more is those comments were more opinion and read as assumptions and asserts as leaving staff to disprove them instead of seeking for knowledge. Our educators have master's degree, do course work beyond their degree, professional development, a lot on their own time and dollars and I could go on with they do to stay highly skilled professionals. To quote Margaret Wheatley, in one of my favorite pieces my seniors just finished reading: Willing To Be Disturbed; “We have the opportunity many times a day, every day, to be the one who listens to others. Curious rather than certain.” I hope that we can all practice seeking to understand being cognizant of potential impact of our words and approach issues from a place of curiosity instead of certainty. Julia Callahan 24 Beal Street For those that don't know me, I teach English and I am the head of the English Department at Lunenburg High School. Like Mrs Foyle I'm here tonight to respond to some discussion that occurred at the school Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 committee meeting on January 22nd, and at that meeting our high school principal Mr. Santry presented the newly developed competency determination, that had to be created with the change in MCAS legislation. After his presentation the school committee members were invited to ask questions, at that time one member of the school committee, Mr. Beardmore said the following “let's focus on the essentials level, let's say ninth grade English, what is the standard and how do we determine the standard for 9th grade English? When I went to high school everyone knew if you needed to pass world history you would take this particular teacher, because, he walked out of the room when he gave a test that was standard practice . Not to pile on but I don't want that to happen. How do we ensure that there is a minimum standard for each and every one of these es sential levels classes?” Mr. Beardmore continued to qualify essentials classes as paths of lesser resistance. Then asked “how am I to be 100% sure that the student is demonstrating knowledge of the curriculum?” While Mr. Santry provided a sound response to the these questions ,I felt compelled to respond as well as the high school English Department Head and as the teacher of the essentials level English course. I'm here to inform the school committee, the town, and students who watch these meetings as part of their Civics coursework, that students, all levels Essentials, College Prep, Honors, and Advanced Placement are being assessed on the standards outline in the Massachusetts ELA curriculum framework, depending on level the curriculum may be at a different pace with different accommodations and supports but each student in English class at Lunenburg High School is being held to that curricular standard. There are no teachers leaving classrooms to allow students the opportunity to be academically a dishonest on exams or on other assessments. To be clear the essentials level course are no means a path to lesser resistance for our students, rather they are supported and are in challenging classroom environments that allow students access to a curriculum that might otherwise post challenges giving their learning needs. In closing while I take umbrage with the assentation that any teacher in my department may be giving students the opportunity to be academically dishonest, it is far more unsettling to hear a claim that we are offering some sort of path of lesser resistance to our learners. Students come into our classrooms at all levels with a diverse set of skills, ability, strengths, and area for growth far be it from any of us to suggest that any Lunenburg High School student at any level is getting anything but academically sound support to help them succeed. Mr. Sculimbrene I would like to thank both Mary and Julia for coming forward and providing context to things we talked about in the last meeting. I know that the best things, the worst things, and the most true things that I can say about my knowledge of school is that I don't know certain things. I totally understand Peter's perspective from an anecdotal point of view when he was here but, as Mary said I just don't think that going to school makes us experts in teaching school. I'm also remembering back to what Mr. Santry said, and he said something to the effect of “As a special educator, I object to the idea that they are not doing the same work” and we should always be cognizant of what we don't know. I'm glad that you guys were willing to share with us how it really works and hope you know that the things that you say don't go ignored, the things that you educate us on even though we are not your students are still really important so thank you for making your comments Mr Beardmore I had a different public comment plan for tonight, but I feel compelled to respond to the comments that were made this evening. First I outlined during public comment at our last meeting the documents we received that evening I did not have the opportunity to pre-read. Secondly I want to apologize for my choice of words, they were poor. Further context I don't think there's anyone sitting here that's been a bigger cheerleader for the faculty and staff of Lunenburg Public Schools over the course of their term on the school committee, their life as a parent, or their entire life here in Lunenburg. I resent not having heard any of these comments until this evening, precisely two weeks after those comments were made. You could have come to me and you could have brought them to my attention. Frankly I would have preferred that you would have done brought them to my attention so that I could have addressed them with you personally, and you could have discussed those with your union members over the course of the last two weeks, rather than potentially having them fester. That said there's different types of discourse you've outlined, an inquisitive discourse tonight and I think there's a time and a place for that. I've made several inquiries over the course of the last two years pertaining to physical education and have not gotten a straight answer. For the first time two weeks ago I got the beginning of a comprehensive explanation for what the guidelines were and how we intend to go about addressing them. The dialogue that occurred that night was a two-way dialogue and I again apologizing for my choice of words, I took a provocative stand and an effort to understand. I think that our Educators can understand that sometimes that's what you're doing in an effort to understand. That applies to both topics the standards and the MCAS standards, and how we are planning to address our standards given what has occurred over the course of the last several months as well as our application of the physical education guidelines. My specific requests to look at the possibility of waiving physical education requirements for Varsity athletes, and while I appreciate the answers that I was given I still don't think sitting here today that I have received the level of answer to any of those questions that I've asked. I think there's more to do here, there’s more to learn, and I'm looking forward to that dialogue and the narrative. I also want to add one additional piece of context here which is there's a large contingent of our society that does not trust our educational syste m or teachers in general I am not a part of that, but there is a large contingent of our society who has those strong reservations and suspicions. I think that it is incumbent upon us when we are faced with approving proposals around standards to take those issues head on and to be a little bit provocative and to ask uncomfortable questions as I see it somewhat my role to do these ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 things, so again I apologize for my choice of words it was not my intention to offend anyone and I'm very sorry that I did. That being said I don't necessarily think that I can tell you that it won't happen again because you all know me. I do want to offer additional public comment tonight, we are going to hear the budget proposal and the news is not good. in fact it's really bad and there's going to be an outcry following this news, and we will discuss as a committee opportunities for the feedback and for discourse and dialogue about some proposed cuts that are coming, but I would like to offer to everybody first you are always welcome to contact me or any of the member of the school committee eithe r individually or in public. Please also contact your State Legislator, Representative Kushmerek, Representative Scarsdale, and Senator Cronin, and I can tell you that I personally have been in an email dialogue, and have copied the chair, for now over 2 months I have pushed, I have prodded, and I have chastised them a little bit for their unwillingness to come and meet with us in person. They have assured me that they are aware of the issue and are working on it but not one of them is file d the bill that made specific proposals relating to chapter 70, not one of them can offer timeline by which this issue and set of issues will be addressed. I appreciate their goodwill and their intentions, but this issue has been on the table for two years , we discussed it publicly in a meeting and in a joint meeting here in November of 2023. That was 16 months ago one full budget cycle ago, we passed an override late last year to deal with these budget issues, we expended an awful lot of time and political Capital to do that, and our partners at the state were not willing to file on their end. I would implore members of our audience tonight to directly contact our legislature and inquire to as when and how this problem will be solved. 4. Chair’s Report March10th at 7 pm at the LMHS auditorium is the Citizens Party Caucus. Back in 2022, myself and Carol were nominated and that allowed us to get onto the ballot. If you are interested in running for the school committee, we ne ed good people. Ms. Archambault will not be running again, so there is a seat available. There is also a seat on the Select Board available. 5. Student Representative’s Report February break is coming up the 17th to the 21st for all schools. The PTO held their Special Someone dance last Saturday, February 1st, and it went very well. Turkey Hill Elementary School MCAS testing is starting March 31 for grades 3 and up. The Lions Club is taking recycling at the Lunenburg Middle High School lobby for their recycling challenge. There are 84 students registered for the Washington DC trip. National Honor Society has started offering peer tutoring for student’s grade 6 through 12. 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 01/08/25 &01/17/25 Ms. Archambault makes a motion to approve the minutes for 1/8/25 and 1/17/25 meetings, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants, & Donations a. Warrants 1/21/25 to 1/31/25 $159,787.33 Warrants have been signed, no questions, no transfers or donations. 8. Superintendent’s Report The 911 upgrade incurred about $60,000 for cabling to be completed. We cannot use AARPA money, because the project is completed. Dr. Gilson and I met with the interim Town Manager and they suggested we meet with FinCom to see if they can cover the cost. We will meeting on the 13th with them. Upcoming dates February 17 All offices and schools will be closed February 17-21 Schools are closed for February break February 26th School Committee Meeting LMHS 6:30 March 6th School Committee Meeting at Town Hall 6:30 9. Presentation none 10. New Business Action a. Grant Approval Dr. Bookis reports this is a grant that would help support Science teaching at Turkey Hill, the grant that is proposed by Mass Life Science center. This is aligned with the science standards, but also in anticipation of a new science test that is going to be piloted this year and next year and all students will be taking it in 2027. Also an update on the Prism Grant, we unfortunately did not receive the Pris m grant, however, we are continuing with some of the foundational work that was outlined in the grant and it brought to our attention as part of the process, so there is a memo in your packet about some of the work we are doing on the foundational program for literacy. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve the application for the grant proposed, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 b. Town Meeting Article In your packet you have an article that Mr. Beardmore requested Dr. Burnham submit for the warrant articles, it was decided we should submit the subject to the school committee approval that scheduled meeting tonight. Dr. Burnham advised the interim Town Manager, they were estimating the cost at $100,0 00, Dr. Gilson is working to determine if that is a reasonable cost estimate, the language of the warrant article to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow, or transfer from available funds a sum of money necessary to design and prepare a bid solicitation for rehabilitation repairs and upgrades of the track and field complex at Lunenburg Middle High School. The committee discusses the options and positive and negative views of the article. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve the warrant for town meeting, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve Discussion c. FY 26-FY28 Unaffiliated Salary Schedule The committee has been provided the salary schedule for review, this is primarily for the extended day staff, which is a self-sustaining program and has no budgetary impact. If you have any questions please forward them to Dr. Burnham d. New Legislation In your packet you have a memo from an email from the communication from Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools regarding the 211 project. We received notification and communication from Julie Kelly, Research Analyst with Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools. Mr. Lehtinen goes through the bills and shared the ones that are mostly related to Lunenburg, while others are for rural schools and regional transportation. The committee discusses a letter and details they would like to send to legislature e. Kids Kingdom Playground The interim Town Manager reached out that the Senior Center is going to be expanding their parking lot, and would like to the move the playground over. Dr. Burnham as assured the town that the extended day program would be moved out of TC Passios by July 15 th and the offices will be moved by August 1st. The town has also asked if we would continue to mow the lawn around the building for one more year. The superintendent will reach out to the Town Manager and let them know the School Committee is not ready to take action at this time. The conversation is also to include having a meeting between school committee, council on aging, town facilities director and the library to come up with a plan. 11. Old Business Action a. Assessment Report You have the report and if you have any questions send them to Dr. Burn ham and she will get you an answer. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve. b. LHS Program of Studies At the last meeting you were provided a list of program studies, I have not received any questions or concerns regarding the program. A discussion regarding what we are offering and sharing with students and the effect it may have pending a reduction of staff, and having the disappointment among the students based on classes we aren’t ultimately able to offer. Mr. Santry shares that students are aware from the beginning of the registration process that these are always possibility. Ms. Archambault makes a motion to approve the high school course of study, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, the motion passes with 3 approvals, 1 no and 1 abstention c. Facilities & Grounds Report The report has been provided to you in your folder. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Archambault seconds all approve. d. Capital Projects – Contracts Dr. Gilson is looking for approval to move forward with the final two parts of the Primary School Security system upgrades and Turkey Hill upgrades, I have been able to work with two contractors for the doors. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to award the contracts as explained by Dr. Gilson, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve. e. Competency Determination At the meeting on the 22nd we discussed this need for a new competency determination now that MCAS is not required. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve the competency determination as provided, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion. The motion passes with 4 approvals and Mr. Beardmore votes no f. Superintendent Search On Monday the screening committee met, the screening committee made a chair, the chair wrote a letter to the school committee. Mr. Lehtinen reads out loud for the committee. The screening committee would like to request internal and external applicants be screened together instead. Ms. Brzozoski would like to reach out to MASC to with the superintendent search. The cost is $11,500. Mr. Sculimbrene makes makes a motion to approve the changes proposed in the letter from the search committee, Ms. A rchambault seconds the motion all approve. Ms. Archambault makes a motion to direct the superintendent to appropriately and legally procure a consultant for the superintendent search, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approve Discussion g. FY26 Budget Dr. Burnham shares a presentation sharing information regarding changes from the last level service funding budget and changes. Dr. Burnham shares lists of expenses and supplies that will be cut in order to get to the ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 budget down to the Town Managers budget. A slide is shared that lists the Personnel cuts in order to get to the Town Managers Budget. This budget presentation is available online. h. School Committee Resolutions Mr. Lehtinen shares he does not need these resolutions to go out, the letter is sufficient, the committee agrees i. New Town Hall/School Offices The Lunenburg Municipal Design is getting closer, they met with the select board and architect last night. Feedback is still welcome. There was some concern about leaving TCP and going to Turkey Hill, citizens may feel that would be a fine move and no need to move again to the new building. Dr. Burnham explains this is not a long term solution. The space cannot be separated from the school 12. Reports Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to postpone reports, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve 13. Public Comment Mrs. Squier This took an emotional toll on the administration at the Primary School. The weight of the decisions that lie ahead for our community are extremely difficult. Today we were tasked with speaking and meeting with 11 dedicated staff members to inform them of the potential impacts on the upcoming staff cuts. Each of these individuals is a valued member of our community and it is never easy to deliver such news. These conversations are not merely about staffing numbers, they're about real people with families, passions, commitment to education, and the well-being of our students. The decisions we are facing will have a profound effect not only on their lives but, also the education of our students. We ask that as we continue to move through this challenging time we keep in mind the human element behind these difficult choices. These are not just positions on a chart, these represent individuals whose work and dedication have contributed to the success of our school. The impact of the potential cuts is far-reaching, I encourage us all to reflect on the personal and professional consequences this will have for the staff, families, and ultimately our students we serve. I trust that we will navigate this with care and thoughtfulness. TJ Laughlin 207 Rolling Acres Road The first big question for me is, and Peter said it, is the math isn't mathing, which it shouldn't be a surprise. It is common for me at this point, given how I interacted last year, you know 3.5 million is a big number, it's a really big number. I was trying to do some math behind the scenes, a 12% health insurance increase is in the hundreds of thousands. The fee increase for athletics was in the $40,000 range which is 1%. Of the 3.5 million and some of the numbers that were shared, including about $70,000 for transportation, it takes a lot of tens of thousands to make up millions. It would be nice to see absolute numbers. I saw last week’s presentation naturally, but those are percentage increases relative to the amounts for those line items. What are the absolute increases? What's causing the 3.5 million? I can't believe it is inflation. It would be nice to see some of those other numbers. I started hearing last year about state funding and Chapter 70 in a criticism of proposition two and a half, which are all valid and a valid source of revenue. I just can't get out of my head, what are we saying about our town? The only way to survive is to have the state support us and or increase the property tax. If proposition 2 1/2 wasn't there would we be saying we'd have to be increasing the property tax by a lot every year? That is not sustainable model moving forward Chris Sullivan 108 Highland Street I am going to echo what TJ said, for starters regarding the increases, it'd be great to see what those actually are. It is substantial, 3.5 million is obviously very substantial and it would be great to understand and have a greater transparency on what we are looking at as far as line items what those increases are. Laura made a point ear lier tonight and it really hit home; the fact that our newly re-elected officials are not stepping up to the plate, representing and addressing our concerns with any of the bills related to Chapter 70 funding. I appreciate the sentiment of sending a letter and so forth, but it is becoming apparent that our concerns of falling on deaf ears. They're aware of the concerns prior to going into election. Here we are now, and none of them have stepped up to the plate to attach their name to anything that will help us address the educational concerns of our town or the town surrounding the area that they repre sent. I hope people will continue to take that into account as we continue to look forward Mr Passios 56 Whiting Street I'm still a registered voter in town for a little bit longer. First I'd like to say to Mr. Beardmore that as far as I'm concerned your comments over the years and the past couple weeks, although we get very passionate and sometimes our words don't come out the way we probably intended them to, I don't think there's any need for people like us that are volunteers to apologize if we hurt someone's feelings a little bit. Pull another tissue and move on, that's rather blunt but that's the way I feel after many years and many times what you did in the meeting. In regards to the budget I think it would be more transparent if someone goes through that list of cuts and somehow differentiates between reallocation of the funds for position versus showing it was cut. The janitor at TCP is a position that hasn't been filled for over a year, so you're not cutting a position, you're moving the dollars somewhere else. I think for transparency purposes that really needs to be identified and separated from the cut of an FTE. One other quick comment, for my years on capital planning committee and finance committee, the standard for engineering and design for a project to be brought (I'm going to call it shovel ready, but it doesn't even need to be that) to bid ready is 10% of the total expected cost of the project. That's where we've been getting in trouble for the past number of years, supposed experts telling us that 5% is enough is not. Dr Gilson, the example that she ===PAGE 6=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 brought forward of the two projects that you approved this evening they were not quoted properly , because we tend to do that we get low ball numbers, push them forward, and then lo and behold we either need to change the project or we need more money. The interim Town Manager insisted on a 10% contingency for the projects that he signed off on. In the 6 months or so that he was here, proved to be really prudent because in most cases that money was needed. Thomas Woodward 221 Leominster Road A couple things that Anthony and Carol said that we're a little alarming to me is the more obvious class size is going to go up at the Primary School and Turkey hill. I have a kid that has ADHD so it's a little bit gut-wrenching for me. He's already struggling, at that age making classes bigger is going to make it harder for him. As a parent you struggle, if it was actually the right pick of a town to actually move to. I moved here 3 years ago but you worry about your kids’ education. He struggles with paying attention and when he gets home we make sure he works with the programs available to him through his classes. His scores have gone up and it makes a real difference. It is alarming that some classes in high school have five, six, seven people and it just doesn't make sense to me. If we have low numbers in classes and we are taking resources away from our younger generation. When I was a student I wasn’t very interested in school and will shows and be reflected when you get to high school. I just want what is best for my town. Elizabeth Noyes 251 Holman Street my comment is brief and echoes some of the statements that were previously made but really just encouraging a little bit more scrutiny at the middle and high school level. I'm a former higher employee having worked in college admissions, so I know a little bit about high school curriculums, and I would just really encourage taking a look into those elective courses and seeing what is truly necessary. I have a daughter at Turkey Hill I have a child who will be going to kindergarten this year, we moved to the town six months ago. It's quite alarming to see that so much is going to be put on the backs of our young children Ms. Brzozoski I do want to assure people most of us on here, do have children in the school system and we do understand what the cuts are going to do. I definitely have the same worries that Mr. Woodward was expressing as a parent. I definitely hear the concerns. We are well aware of the humans and the staff members, the people and everyone behind this who's affected I think we are very well aware Mr Beardmore I appreciate everyone's comments tonight, I hope there's more of them in subsequent meetings. Please reach out to representative Scarsdale, Representative Kushmerek, and Senator Cronin. I will share with the committee my most recent email to them, which was less than complimentary, and I want to encourage members of the public to ask them difficult questions. They will respond to you- how hard they are working on this, but, the hard work isn't what is needed, it's the results. We're a long way away from results, and I think we need some creative thinking in some of our schools in terms of how we're running programs. I think we need some creative thinking when it comes to how our representatives are approaching Chapter 70. I'll give you a tidbit from that email- I believe, and most of the people that I've been speaking with recently, believe that the Student Opportunity Act was a scam perpetrated on towns like Lunenb urg, so was the millionaires tax. We've been promised all kinds of things over the course of the last several years and have done nothing to show for it. I am done with that and demand urgent action! Mr. Lehtinen I want you to remind you, as we have over 50 people still here at 10:35 at night, but I want to remind people that on Monday March 10th put that in your calendar at 7:00 p.m. the Citizens Party Caucus will be at the Middle High School auditorium. This is the opportunity where people can get on the ballot to run for a position the school committee. There will be two seats at this coming election I encourage people to run. I've decided that I will not be running for re- election, I've appreciated the time and the experience that I have had. 14. Topics for Future Discussion 15. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 10:37 pm, Ms. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-06-agenda-7016.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-02-06 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-02-06-agenda-7016.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02062025-7016 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Town of Lunenburg Lunenburg School District Superintendent Screening Committee Brian Lehtinen, School Committee Rep, member Carol Archambault, School Committee Rep, member Revised Meeting Notice Thursday, February 6th, 2025 6:00PM Lunenburg Middle High School LHS Collaboration Room The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated. 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Public Comment 3. Executive Session: Discussion and review of applicants and interview questions for the superintendent of schools. 4. Public Comment 5. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-10-agenda-7015.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-02-10 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-02-10-agenda-7015.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02102025-7015 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Town of Lunenburg Lunenburg School District Superintendent Screening Committee Brian Lehtinen, Chair Carol Archambault, Vice Chair Meeting Notice Monday, February 10th, 2025 6:00PM Lunenburg Middle High School LHS Collaboration Room The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated. 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Public Comment 3. Executive Session: Interview, discussion, and review of applicants for the superintendent of schools. 4. Public Comment 5. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-21-agenda-7066.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-02-21 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-02-21-agenda-7066.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02212025-7066 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE POLICY SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING Friday, February 21, 2025 9:00 a.m., Room#12, T.C. Passios Building Regular Meeting AGENDA Policy Sub-Committee: Anthony Sculimbrene, Dr. Kate Burnham, Laura Brzozoski Guest: Liz Petersen 1. Call to Order ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Public Comment ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Discussion: a. Protecting Students & Their Information b. Student & Staff Confidential Data Security c. Cell Phone Policy d. Audio/Video Recordings e. Title IX ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Public Comment ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Adjournment ____________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-26-agenda-7076.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-02-26 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-02-26-agenda-7076.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262025-7076 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, February 26, 2025 6:00 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry-LMHS Principal; Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary Principal, Dr. Deborah Bookis-Director of Teaching & Learning, Julianna Hanscom-Director of Special Services, Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance, Amy Resnick- MTSS Specialist/Coach, Lisa Cantin-MTSS Specialist/Coach In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 12. Reports 2. Pledge of Allegiance 13. Public Comment 3. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report 15. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 1/22.1/29 & 2/1/25 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 2/3/25 to 2/24/25 $387,798.50 8. Superintendent’s Report 9. Presentation 10. New Business Action a. Increasing New & Existing Revenues Discussion b. Joint Meeting with Select Board 3/11 c. Protection of Students & Their Information 11. Old Business Discussion a. FY26 Budget Update b. FY26 Budget Q A c. Superintendent Search ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-02-26-minutes-7076.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-02-26 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-02-26-minutes-7076.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02262025-7076 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, February 26, 2025 6:00 LMS Collaborative Room D 132- Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry – LMHS Principal; Norman Yvon – THES Principal, Carla Squier – Primary School Principal, Dr. Deborah Bookis – Director of Teaching & Learning, Julianna Hanscom – Director of Special Services, Dr. Susan Gilson – Director of Administration & Finance, Amy Resnick – MTSS Specialist/Coach, Lisa Cantin – MTSS Specialist/Coach In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Lehtinen at 6:02 p.m. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment – Mary Foyle 985 Flat Hill Road, I am here representing the LEA, obviously the proposed cuts are concerning to educators in the district and we will have more concrete details of those concerns in subsequent meetings. Today I am going to speak more about the institutional history and moving forward in regards to the budget. This is my 10th nonconsecutive year serving as union president. I have also spent 19 of my 23 years teaching here as a member of the LEA board. I can attest to the fact that most budget conversations in these past years have had talks of cuts. Your Lunenburg educations believe in the promise of a free and public education and what it offers for all students. A public school system is a nonprofit, often making fluctuations of the economy that much more impactful. Lack of overrides, a full 2 ½% tax creates an even larger budgeted gap. We cannot rely on the lack of raises, 1% and 2% to make up the budget shortfalls. The last time we faced significant cuts, we closed a building, removed key administrative positions, and had department and grade level cuts. I say this, not to encourage the same actions this time, but for institutional history, unfortunately we have been here before and if we as a school community, committee, and town continue making the same decisions we will continue to find ourselves in the same situation. Covid, despite all of its negative impacts, actually helped our current budget scenario at bay for a few years. If you watch meetings from prior years, I sound like a broken record, this shows that these budget woes are not anomalies, but rather perpetual and yes the Commonwealth could do more and needs reform in regards to school funding. Lunenburg also needs to take responsibility for its part in the issue. As a school committee, your staff implores you to determine, publicize, and advocat e for the school system you believe that our students deserve. Decide if we will be a school system that offers the minimum for our students or one that is comprehensive, allowing for the development of the whole student. Become more of a mouthpiece for the town in its goals. Perhaps a 5 or 10 year plan with steps on how to actually achieve the goals. If history repeats itself, Lunenburg’s budget woes will continue. It is clear that the town needs to make a decision; will it continue with taking similar actions and do what is needed to simply maintain a status quo or will it take steps to imagine a different future. Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 On the behalf of educators and students I implore you as the school committee to consider what part you can and will play in what the future looks like for our students and schools. Mr. Beardmore Good evening, this will be a little bit repetitive, but I told people that I was going to locked on to this until it is resolved and I am still locked on. Tonight you are going to watch five people make gut wrenching decisions that we all hope will be the least bad options. I have been dreading tonight and our next meeting and our next meeting after that and this is the situations that we are in. A previous commenter though is not wrong, we talked about the structural situation and the challenges that we could potentially face, particularly in an inflationary situation. When I was on the finance committee in 2020, 2021, and 2022 and while I was on the school committee in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 our legislators came and talked to us and told us that local aid is their top priority. Then last year they told us that they would come and meet with us following the election. They did not. Instead they held a meeting and invited our chair to the meeting, we have had an open invitation to our legislators all along. A few weeks ago Representative Scarsdale spoke at the Lunenburg Council on Aging event during the day and spoke on camera about education funding in Chapter 70, but hasn’t spoken with us. In her comments that day she spoke about the Student Opportunity Act and anticipated a very long period of time that it would take to resolve the formulas in the SOA. There were things that could be done; such as supplemental budget actions that could serve as a Band-Aid until that time. Let me tell you folks, what we heard from her that day about supplemental budget action or what we heard today from the regional schools consortium or what we heard a couple of weeks ago from the Consortium of the MTA and the MASC amongst other organizations are not going to help us anytime soon. The best we will see- any resolution to any of those items is the summer and probably later, long after these drastic cuts are made. None of that was unanticipated, we talked about this with our legislators years ago and months ago and they have done nothing. They talked about getting towns of similar interest together, but they have proposed nothing. There is no legislation other than legislation that would form a special committee that will report out in the summer of 2027. I say that wishing it was a joke, but it not. That is the situation we are in. Our legislators went to our local newspaper to try to explain the situation again rather than coming to us. They went and talked to a reporter from the local newspaper with no counterpoint. I am here to tell you that we have been pouring money into Gateway School Districts for the last three years and need to do something to fix this. While Representative Kushmerek who has been incredibly silent on this issue, pointed out that while Fitchburg doesn’t have school department issues, they have massive budget woes across their municipality. They in fact, have the contrast that in the last 23 years Lunenburg has passed an override. We have passed a debt exclusion for a fire station, a debt exclusion for a Primary School, a debt exclusion for the Middle High School, a debt exclusion for our roads and we have poured additional money every year into our pavement management program. We have invested massive amounts of money in Lunenburg in excess of $60 million just in debt exclusions. Fitchburg has never passed an override or debt exclusion. Let that sink in ladies and gentlemen, and it was said explicitly by our MASC representative, when she came and talked to us a couple of years ago. You are being asked to back stop the states lack of support by passing more and more overrides. While your income tax dollars and your sales tax dollars go to gateway cities and I am not faulting them, I think we have to support them, but we are also being asked to reach into our pockets again. The only mechanism to offer level services in our local public schools is through overrides. That is the only mechanism that we have, it is an awful situation and our legislators lack transparency, they lack practicality, and they lack urgency on these topics. I know that they’re hearing from people, they need to hear from us consistently and constantly until this issue is resolved. I will sit here in this very unenviable position for the next several weeks and make cuts, but I got to tell you every time I do I am thinking about the complete lack of support we are getting from our partners in education. When proposition 2 ½ was passed in 1980, it was passed in a much higher inflationary period then we are currently in, much higher, but it was passed on the promise that local aid would serve as a back stop, because in an inflationary period income taxes and sales taxes tend to go up, collections tend to go up and our state has gone in the opposite direction. Instead of 60% in local aid to support our schools we are at about 40% in comparison. We have to do better, we have to hold them accountable. Ms. Brzozoski Well you stole some of mine, the first thing I want to say tonight is that if you are watching this meeting congratulations, you are on deck to run for school committee or select board. If you are watchi ng on zoom or the recording later on YouTube congratulations you are an engaged and informed citizen who cares about education in Lunenburg. If you are paying attention to the issues we are facing that means you care about the interests of the students, the town, and the citizens who live here. I am asking you to run, this town is small, this town can feel a little insular and sometimes it feels like you might need an engraved invitation to be considered for town government role. That is not how this works, but if you thought it did, consider this your engraved invitation. I am asking you to get involved, we have two open seats coming up on the select board and we have two open seats coming up on the school committee. Select board typically does not have a lot parent’s serve on it, while school committee often does, but I think diversity of views is important on both boards. Right now you can help make your corner of the world a better place, you can help your community in your town and if you are watching this, you are already engaged. If you want to email Brian or any of us, we would be more than happy to answer questions and talk about the time commitment. You don’t have to be a ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 good public speaker. Secondly, I was extremely disappointed after reading The Lunenburg Ledger on Friday, specifically to Representative Kushmereks remarks about the last adjustment to chapter 70 funding taking a decade of crisis for the gateway cities. They had a decade of crisis to deal with before action was taken to fix it. I have been thinking about that comment all weekend long, I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I read it on Friday; there was a decade of crisis - my kids don’t have a decade, none of the kids in any of the Massachusetts towns dealing with this have a decade to wait for it to get fixed. I recommend people go out and seek out the article, and read it. I am happy that our elected officials understand the scope of the issue, I am happy that they have become educated on the issue and that they have sought out the information and they know a lot about the issue, but is becoming clear we cannot expect immediate assistance from the state. It is just not something we can rely on. Yes I have emailed all this to my elected reps and have not gotten a response back, which is disappointing. As a parent this is heartbreaking. I am having a hard time taking off my parent hat because this does affect my own children, it affects everyone, all the students in Lunenburg. I don’t have 10 years to wait for the state to get together and fix the funding issue. All I see is year after year coming back here and talking about the same thing, we sat here at this exact time last year saying this is going to happen again and I think it’s going to happen again next year too. I am very very concerned. I am having a really hard time knowing that this is a repeating issue, that they know it is an issue that is not being fixed and I don’t know what the town can do to fix it other than continuously raising property taxes and that is not something we can continue to do. Ms. Archambault The town caucus is March 10 at 7 p.m. in our auditorium at the Middle High School. If you want to run for the select board or school committee, grab a friend to nominate you and come to the town caucus. You do not have to collect signatures, you don’t have to do anything else if you show up at town caucus. The people there support you, if you like to be part of the something that is the way to do it. Mr. Sculimbrene After watching other proceedings in the town government boards, there is a question about how did we get here and what happened. If you go back and watch the meetings that we had for school committee last year at this time and even before that we indicated that there was going to be budget crunch because of predictable and obvious causes. One of the things that I was asked when I was delivering the report for the budget task force was…why does the costs in schools keep going up and the reality is the cost in schools keep going up for two reasons. One is inflation if you look at inflation since 2020 we have experienced 18% inflation over that four year period. Our costs are going to go up at least that much because dollars are worth that much less. The other issue is unlike other service providers in town we have constitutional and legal mandates that we have to abide by. We have to provide a free appropriate public education, we cannot discriminate based on the amount of need or the cost of the education. When people move into town or come to town with children that are going to go to school we have to education them and sometimes it cost more. Those are the two primary causes for why our budgets are constantly under this strain. I agree with what Peter and Laura said about the need to have action by our legislator but, I want to make sure that it is clear that this is not and either/or situation. We need to be doing both we need to fix this problem ourselves and we need to be regularly in contact with our legislators. I know Representative Kushmerek is sponsoring a bill to help address some of the concerns about transportation costs - that is not a fix for everything but I do think that there are actions that they could take and would be shorter term solutions then refiguring how Chapter 70 funding works. It is important to remember what Mary said, but also to think about this experience from your own personal life. I deal with a lot of municipalities in my day job. This pattern of boom or bust funding for municipalities is not something that is unusual, it is something that is normal, it is cyclical and when you are in a boom period it seems like everything is working. When you are in a bust period everybody is grumpy, all the belts are tightened, and it is unpleasant, but I want to make sure that this is part of a pattern and, this did not surprise us. We are not going to be able to address the problems we have got to understand how this happened. The fact that it repeatedly happens over and over again. That leads me to my last c omment which is how do we get out of this problem. In the short term, we need to restructure how the school operates, and I think that’s one of the things that is proposed in the budget. I think we need one more town override and finally looking at the numbers and how town generates revenue in Massachusetts. This town in particular needs to adopt the Community Protection Act. We have tried to do it multiple times before, it made its way to town meeting but lost. This is the only other lever of revenue generations that towns in Massachusetts have and when our tax rate is locked in place by prop 2 ½ we have to make up the funding gaps. The CPA offers us an opportunity to do that, but it also provides a state match for tax dollars. Renovating buildings in town or renovating Marshall Park those things will make us eligible for the CPA and will help get us more money. We have to move away from the notion that this is a crisis, we knew this was going to happen last year. We know what causes are, and the solutions aren’t perfect but we need to take steps toward recognizing those solutions. The reality is we must solve the problem ourselves. 4. Chair’s Report – I want to thank everyone for being here tonight, your engagement is crucial. As we navigate these challenging budget discussions. There will be a budget Q& A where the public can participate later on in the agenda. I also want to express my gratitude for the volunteers in the community, my fellow school committee members, and our dedicated staff and administrative team who are here to help guide us through these decisions. If this is your first ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 meeting I hope you leave with a clear understanding of the budget situations and the factors that shape it. I want to provide an update on the significant financial challenges facing Lunenburg Public schools and over 200 other districts across Massachusetts. This is not a Lunenburg specific issue but a statewide crisis that requires legislative and budgetary solutions. The school committee wants to assure community that Lunenburg Public schools is committed to fiscal responsibility and transparency. Lunenburg has not mismanaged funds and our budget accurately reflect s the district’s needs. We recently negotiated a fair contract with our unions in good faith ensuring that we stay competitive with other towns. While attracting talent to our vacancies our staff are working to earn a living wage, just like other profess ionals in our community. Many of our teachers are our neighbors and we work together to ensure that Lunenburg remains an attractive place to work while maintaining financial sustainability. While we actively seek and receive grants, this will not solve this large budget shortfall. Many other districts are also competing for the same grants and these funds typically come with restrictions that limit their flexibility. The real issue is the inflationary measures and the states funding structure. Together we can focus on our advocacy efforts. The financial strain on public schools comes just 5 years after the overhaul of the state school funding formula through the Student Opportunity Act. While this law is set to increase school funding by over $1.5 billion by 2027, the majority of those funds are being directed to about three dozen districts with the highest concentrations of students in poverty, with disabilities, or English Language Learners. Meanwhile many other districts including Lunenburg are receiving only modest increases that are not keeping up with rising costs. If you read the most recent news you will see districts like North Middlesex, North Andover, and Belchertown are grappling with multi-million dollar deficits forcing them to consider drastic measures such as cutting positions and even closing schools. Lunenburg is not immune to the pressures, rising costs of healthcare insurance, transportation and special education outpacing our revenue. It is becoming difficult to maintain the level of education our students deserve. Fixing these systematic funding problems will take time, but we are actively working with key coalitions to push for change. Organizations such as The Massachusetts Teachers Association, 211 Associat ions, and the United for our future Coalitions and 15 other partner organizations that are advocating for short -term and long-term legislative solutions to address the inequities in school funding. We encourage the community to contact legislators and elected officials, attend legislative meetings and coalition events. They need to hear from all the stakeholders. Several bills have been filed to provide relief for various types of districts including rural, vocational, minimal aid, and regional schools and also to increase chapter 70 inflation adjustments, improve special education funding, and support in district transportation. While not all of these bills directly impact Lunenburg, we need to continue to advocate for the ones that benefit our town as well as all districts. Legislative action takes time, and changing the chapter 70 funding formula or securing additional relieve requires through debate committee reviews and hearings before any bill can move forward in the state. However, we remain committed to advocating for fair funding for our schools and ensuring that Lunenburg students receive the high quality educations they deserve as we confront the reality of budget shortfalls We welcome feedback and ideas from the community. It is also important to recognize the expertise of our administration and teachers who are making professional informed recommendations on how best to educate our students with the constraints we face. It is important to understand that securing additional revenue will re quire a multifaceted approach, this includes advocating for state level funding changes, while also working with town officials to explore local solutions. We must also continue to advocate for more local funding from the finance committee, select board, and town manager, This is not solely a school issue Lunenburg is facing, inflationary pressures in all departments, however, as the largest department in town, these financial challenges are particularly visible in the school budget. You will hear tonigh t that we are exploring expanding partnerships, revisit fees, and leveraging town resources as part of our efforts to increase revenue and minimize cuts. The school committee will make decisions that impact the education of Lunenburg students the least while also looking at increasing revenue, in an effort to decrease cuts. These are not easy decisions there will be many ideas presented, but not all will be accepted as some are not in the best interest of Lunenburg or the student success. A strong school system is a reflection of a strong town. As we have seen in other communities families may choose to move away if they feel their schools are not adequately funded and prospective home buyers often avoid purchasing in towns with struggling schools. Investing in education is not just about our students, it is about the long- term health and vitality of Lunenburg as a community. We appreciate the community’s engagement and support as we navigate the difficult financial decisions together. Please continue to reach out with your thoughts, and lets work together to push for the legislative changes needed to secure the future for Lunenburg Public schools. For those interested in getting more involved, the Lunenburg Caucus is an opportunity to run for local of fices, including school committee and select board. The Caucus will be held Monday, March 10 th at 7 p.m. in the Lunenburg Middle High School. The town election is on May 17th. 5. Student Representative’s Report I am here on behalf of the Student Council. The biggest concerns for the council today were around the budget. We are very worried about the cutting of upper level and high achieving classes. That will drive those kids out of Lunenburg. Students that can’t take AP classes, won’t be able to compete to get into the schools you want and students will end up leaving. The other big thing they are worried about was the rise in athletic fees, if they are a 2 or 3 sport athlete, it’s likely some of them won’t be able to keep up with rising fees and theref ore will have to drop things they are passionate about. ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Meeting 1/22, 1/29, & 2/5 Ms. Archambault makes a motion to approve the minutes for 1/22, 1/29, & 2/5, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve with Mr. Sculimb rene abstaining 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 2/3/25 – 2/4/25 $387,798.50 – Signed and approved b. Line Item Transfers - $9,200 from vehicle maintenance to contracted services to take care of HVAC on roof of LMHS. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve line item transfer, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approve 8. Superintendent’s Report We went before the finance committee a week ago and requested funding for the $60,000 unbudgeted additional cost for the 911 upgrades at Turkey Hill. Our next update is we are finally 911 compliant in all buildings. Upcoming Reminders March 5th School Committee meeting March 6th PacSal meeting 6 pm zoom March 6th Presenting Budget to Finance Committee March 19th School Committee meeting 9. Presentation – None 10. New Business Action a. Increasing New & Existing Revenues I. Athletics A slideshow presentation of athletic user fees is presented to increase fee for high school up to $325 and $275 for Middle School. A 25% discount for siblings. Reduced fee for high school to $50 and $40 for middle school with a family cap of $1500. Mr. Bigelow is asked to suggest a sport to cut Ms. Archambault makes a motion to accept the increase, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote II. Student Activities a proposal for an increase in fees, potential of having a base fee, and then additional fees based on clubs or activities students participate in. Committee recommends Dr. Gilson meet with students to discuss these possibility of increases in fees. III. Transportation Bus Fee A proposal is presented to charge families a fee per student that ride the bus in grades 7-12 and also K-6 students that are under 2 miles from the school. Committee would like a survey to go out to parents to get community feedback. IV. Facilities Proposal to increase fees by 50% Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to accept this as proposed, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote. Discussion b. Joint meeting with Select Board 3/11 The select board chair reached out trying to get a joint meeting with the select board and school committee to try and discuss anything and everything. Committee agrees this is a good idea and will propose the March 11th date for the meeting c. Protection of Students & Their Information Lately there has been concern of access of personal information. We have had a recent breach however, we do not share any personal information or school records. That information is private. 11. Old Business Discussion a. FY26 Budget Update Slides are posted and available on the website. Dr. Burnham shares the presentation and explains how budgets are developed. The administrators for the district explain their list of priorities to the committee. b. FY26 Budget Q &A Q Laura Peria, 44 Whiting Street I have a kindergartener, who is enrolled at the Primary School and I also had two high school students already go through the Middle High. I have seen all the different levels. Everything said today was spot on and I appreciate all of your comments. One question I had was you were talking about these meta-analysis studies, which again I think there is a lot of different studies out there, do you know what the range of classroom size that was studied? I don’t think obviously there is an end point that classroom size may cut off. I don’t think anyone is going to argue that a ===PAGE 6=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 classroom size of 5 is the same as 5. Do you know the actual range that was studied? A. Dr. Bookis responds A meta- analysis which looked at many studies and they pinpointed that the impact on achievement was from 13 to 17 students. For high school from that point up to 30 students and middle school up to 28 there showed there was no negative effects of learning based on the class size. Q. Can you clarify what the current proposed cuts to MTSS are? I noticed when I looked at the excel spreadsheet positions were grouped under Special Ed. A. Dr. Burnham answers all three positions were to be cut in the initial proposal. Q. Has physical classroom size been assessed for the increase potentially in students, and is it appropriate and safe? A. Ms. Squier answers that we can fit more kids in the classrooms, however the materials that would be out on display and available will be limited. Teachers will have to rearrange their classroom and be limited in their materials. Q. I saw a salary increase of $71,000 for an HR Specialist, I am curious as to what that represents and especially if we are cutting jobs why need to further HR support and do we have multiple HR positions? A. Dr. Burnham shares that is not a new position, it was moved from a different part of the budget and no we do not have multiple positions Q. I noticed on the expense cuts that were presented tonight the additional cuts to PE and music programs in the lower levels, was that just materials? A. Yes Laura Barooshian 389 Mulpus Road Q. Can you repeat where the slide deck is online A. It is under the school committee link and then the Meeting Minutes and Agendas. Q. On the line items noted for music positions that was materials correct? A. Yes that is materials not positions. Q. Some topics coming up were extra-large study halls, getting work credit, possible work credits, large PE classes were there other things considered but tabled? A. No we expect that there will be an increased number of kids in study halls, all classes will be larger. We are piloting a work a work based program, and will report back at the end of the school year. Q. I do like the idea of sponsorships, I think there are opportunities to have other funds coming in. What is the plan for a longer term, 3 or 5 year plans? A. I do not have a three to five year plan, it is going to come down to a shift in a funding mechanism, I can tell you that if this is what it is we will make cuts this year and we will be back here a year from now with likely more cuts. Mr. Beardmore comments we are in a slightly different position then we were a year ago. There are actually more knowns today. A year ago we had several unsettled contracts that are now settled, including our contract with the LEA, those are big numbers and we can now project those costs out over the next two years. The numbers that are going to be projected are not good, there are going to be more gaps. We absolutely need to deal with and we need to have a very straight forward and realistic conversation with our partners on the select board, town manager, and or legislatures. Vi-Anne Brown 118 Whiting Street I have been a resident here since 2008. I have two daughters in the school system. I am also the school social worker at the Primary School. In a town like Lunenburg that is small and highly interconnected, I do not think that our solution for the school is taking from another entity, because the all matter. They all contribute to the school, they all contribute to the public safety of the town, and they all contribute to the library, and all the other vario us organizations that we have. It all matters. I think the CPA money would impact the school, my question is: What has prevented the town from moving forward with this? A There have been two attempts, once it got to Town Meeting and lost, the other time the select board did not want to put it on the warrant. (Comment) We know learning cannot happen without a relationship. The relationship doesn’t necessarily have to be with people, they can be with a specific subject matter or specific historian. Typically with younger children it is a relationship with a caregiver. I want everyone for a moment to think back on your most pivotal educational experiences. Did the building you were in matter, did anything about the grounds or the physical aspect about the environment matter? Likely not. What mattered? So Lunenburg, we ar e a community here and we actually get to make the decisions. This is not about the school committee, this is not about the select board, although they are important, it is about all of us. I would implore you, when you are making your decisions, whether to vote or make a public comment, to think about what mattered to you and your educational experience. I was also very fond of the sponsorship program, on thing that has been super impressive to me about this community is the willingness for people to just roll up their sleeves and do what needs to be done. The volunteers in this community are exceptional, from the pasta parties for athletics to the families opening their houses and garages for an entire month in the fall to let the students bu ild floats. Q What are the limitations that currently exist in allowing parents or other volunteers to come in and support the school community? What would we need to do to get through the barriers? A We have a flyer on the website with different volunteer opportunities and we do not get a lot of volunteers. You don’t typically get as many volunteers for grades 6 -12 as you might for the Primary School or Turkey Hill. We also have limitations, as information is confidential and a non - employee would not be able to access to those kinds of things. Otherwise we would in need of cori checks, it would be best for them to reach out to the PTO. Amy King 3 Gates Place Q There has been a lot of discussion about the athletics and the increase in the budget. We see many towns near us that have various advertising on their fields to help support the athletic budgets. I am wondering that h as been discussed and if we are looking at that as a source of revenue. A Currently we have a school committee policy that prohibits this. The school committee will be reviewing this policy. Q I heard the conversation about increasing facilities fees, one concern I would have is are we also cutting facilities personnel but increasing those fees? We really need to mak e sure we are maintaining the facilities. I know we had a big volunteer group in the fall/late summer that came and cleaned up a lot of the facilities and fields. A None of the personnel cuts that would be connected to the use of the field or the gym are going to be impacted, they are not among the proposed cuts. Q You mentioned health insurance went up, is that with the current roster of personnel? A What is built into the budget is based on the January enrollment when we made cuts and pulled ===PAGE 7=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 individuals out of the budget that were also taking health insurance. Q The large presentation on MTSS, have we looked at how other school districts are doing some of that? Are there other districts not using coaches and having good results? A The coach is not limited to MTSS in terms of direct service to students. The coach is a little bit of curriculum planning, prioritizing data, and differentiating instruction working directly with teachers. The MTSS structures that we have in place is a couple of licensed teachers working as intervention teachers, we have also had tutors. I think this is the standard practice that build into your system. You have staff to provide the direct service. The goal for the coaches is to be working with t he teachers to strengthen the instruction that happens every single day. If we can strengthen the instruction that is going on every single day in every single class, you have kids learning and you are not having as many kids that are having difficulty accessing the learning and therefore, in need of additional supports. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to close the public portion of the Q&A, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve Mr. Lehtinen shares his list of priorities for the committee to discuss and provide feedback, Direc tor of Facilities and Grounds, it is recommended that Dr. Burnham hire the candidate she has interviewed. A discussion about sharing resources with North Middlesex, which was not supported by the committee. Committee does not support eliminating the Direc tor of Teaching and Learning position, reducing Director of Special Services to part time or eliminating all assistant principals or eliminating Athletic Director. Committee tables the idea of eliminating Director of Finance and Administration and add an accountant position and HR Consulting Contract Support. Committee supports eliminating one of the assistant principals at the Middle High School and the part time athletics secretary, making the IT tech to a part time position. Committee goes through the expense cut proposal and discusses options. c. Superintendent Search Committee discusses timeline and ultimately decide to proceed as listed. 12. Reports Tabled for the next meeting 13. Public Comment Laura Peria Whiting Street, We started this meeting talking about priorities being classroom learning, instructional learning. I would urge the committee and the superintendent to keep that in mind as you are looking at the budget. I think I heard Tony say a few times, we are not cutting enough and yet these are all really hard decisions and nobody wants to cut athletics, nobody wants to raise fees, nobody wants to cut transportation, but I would just ask that we try to keep in mind serving the most students, our most vulnerable stu dents, serving that early education that we talked about being so critical as priority. That is not going to make everyone happy. I would really urge people to look at those transportation fees, I think that we went over a little quickly. I agree with L aura though saying that may target certain groups more, but we also don’t want to raise fees. I’m imploring the group to really think about our priorities. It bothers me that I see a disproportionate cut at the K-6 levels in the classroom with the MTSS tutors and the teachers. I would love to see that be a priority for restoring those positions. I also appreciate lookin g at the admin roles, I think that is hugely helpful. Kara Harunkiewicz, 165 Gilchrest Street, I am speaking on behalf of myself. As far as the student activities is concerned, when I looked at the list, I personally participate in 6 of them. That would cost $450 which is more than any of the athletic fees were raised. Two of them are directly related to music, which is also another hu ge expense. I am trying to raise the awareness, even though some things that we are providing are seen as they don’t anything. Any student in band has spent an insane amount of money to be in the band. Instruments cost a lot, you need reeds and that can cost $50 a semester. It is not like those kids aren’t paying anything, they just aren’t paying anything directly to the school. Mr. Beardmore It has been a hard night, I need to say something that is even harder. Tomorrow morning I will be informing the town clerk and the select board that I am resigning from the school committee effective May 16 th. I spoke with the town clerk yesterday and the mechanics of this work such that, if I make my resignation known within a certain amount of time prior to the election, the position can be made available on the ballot at the next election. My personal circumstances have changed rather dramatically since I first joined the school committee. I have gotten married, my family has expanded quite a bit. My family responsibilities have changed and I have recently taken on a new job. That job is taking up a lot more of my time then my previous job. I need to manage my responsibilities better and as a result of those changes, I don’t feel like I am personally able to put everything that I want to into the school committee. I have certainly felt that over the course of the las several weeks and certainly through the budget season, I have done a fraction this year with respect to the budget that I did last year and the year before that. I think I personally, my family, my colleagues and our school department deserve a member that can put more into this then I am currently able to. So we will have three vacancies on the school committee in May. I think that we also need to look over the schedule and see what needs to be done over the course of the next few months. I don’t intend to retire from the public service, I will be back, but I do need to take a break it will be a little but I don’t know how long. ===PAGE 8=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 14. Topics for Future discussion 15. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to adjourn at 10:43 pm, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approve Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-05-agenda-7085.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-05 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-05-agenda-7085.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03052025-7085 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, March 5, 2025 6:30 pm, Town Hall BUDGET HEARING HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry-LMHS Principal; Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary Principal, Dr. Deborah Bookis-Director of Teaching & Learning, Julianna Hanscom-Director of Special Services, Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance, Amy Resnick- MTSS Specialist/Coach, Lisa Cantin-MTSS Specialist/Coach In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 12. Reports 2. Pledge of Allegiance 13. Public Comment 3. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report 15. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 2/24/25 to 3/3/25 $92,649.40 8. Superintendent’s Report 9. Presentation 10. New Business Action a. Initial Greece Trip Approval b. Capital Project Transfers c. Business & HR Reports 11. Old Business Action a. Final Spain Trip Approval b. FY26 Recommended Budget c. FY26 Budget Hearing d. Bus Fee Discussion d. Superintendent Search ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-06-agenda-7088.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-06 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-06-agenda-7088.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03062025-7088 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE/FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING Thursday, March 6, 2025 7:00 pm, Town Hall HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public- AccessCable-157427270975305 ) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 . From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an email address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law 1. Call to Order 2. Old Business a. FY26 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget 3. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-10-agenda-7089.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-10 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-10-agenda-7089.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03102025-7089 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Town of Lunenburg Lunenburg School District Superintendent Screening Committee Brian Lehtinen, School Committee Rep, Chair Carol Archambault, School Committee Rep, Vice Chair Meeting Notice Monday, March 10th, 2025 5:00PM Lunenburg Middle High School LMS Collaboration Room The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated. 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Public Comment 3. Orientation with MASC Field Director 4. Discussion of Interview Questions 5. Future Meeting Schedule 6. Public Comment 7. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-10-minutes-7089.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-10 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-10-minutes-7089.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03102025-7089 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Town of Lunenburg Lunenburg School District Superintendent Screening Committee Brian Lehtinen, School Committee Rep, Chair Carol Archambault, School Committee Rep, Vice Chair Alicia Mallon, MASC Field Director Screening Committee Members Caesar Nuzzolo TJ Loughlin Sarah Wright Mary Foyle Brad McNamara Jane Hall Kristen Ryan Mandy Gilman Carla Squier Liz Petersen Meeting Minutes Friday, March 10, 2025 5PM Lunenburg Middle High School Collaboration Room The minutes lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated. 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order-Call to order at 5:00pm by Mr. Lehtinen, seconded by Ms. Archambault. 2. Public Comment-Brian introduced Alicia from MASC as our Field Director. 3. Orientation with MASC Field Director: a. Open Meeting Law-Ms. Mallon discussed the quorum of our committee which is 7 based on the number of members(12). Important everyone attends all meetings. Mentioned ethics law and respecting executive session-members prohibited from talking about any topics discussed in executive session outside of this room. We are a confidential committee and will need to sign a confidentiality statement today. If you have a question, can ask Ms. Mallon directly. Conflict of interest- if there is someone you recognize, related to, etc., have to sign ethics document. Cannot ask a candidate questions about age, race & ethnicity, religion, gender, health, disability. Role of Chair-chair has no more influence over body, one vote. Help keeps committee ===PAGE 2=== on track, making motions, posting meeting & minutes. Start in open session & go into executive session to narrow semi-finalists next meeting. Typically have 8-10 interview applicants. Those meetings will be in executive session, not shared with other semifinalists. Led by MASC rep. Screening committee has to send at least two, maybe three as recommendation to SC. No more than four. Committee can choose how many. Internal candidates can be given courtesy of screening committee interview. Do’s & Don’t’s- Come into with no preconceived notions. Wide range of applicants, keep open mind. Question as to what happens if we don’t have qualified candidate at end of process? Ms. Mallon said that MASC will come back out and do another search for no cost. Discussed key words/themes important for our district: Budget theme, inclusive, communication theme-tone, receptive & outward), community supporter, school safety, leader, families, understands needs of district (size, makeup), visibility, honest, collaboration (town partnership), data driven, receptive to feedback. Homework: think about survey and booklet. Send three questions, MASC will merge and compile into interview questions. Will go through questions with group, fine tune. Ms. Archambault said she will send listening session’s feedback to compile for group. Posting closes March 21st. Three searches running concurrently-Beverly, Monson, etc. Already have applications coming in. After deadline closes, committee will meet again to finalize questions and choose semi-finalists. Group decides how many to bring in, MASC contacts candidates. Exaample-9 people- 3 people 3 nights. MASC will send rubric and we will have our own notes from this to formulate top candidates. After this is sent to School Committee, finalists have a site visit in district, meet with admin, tour buildings, meet with teachers, dinner break. Will have interview with School Committee in public at night. Will have QR code for feedback. Scheduling-Meet Tuesday the 25th at 5pm to go over questions, pick semifinalists. Try for later that week or next? Ms. Archambault mentioned this falls when she is away. Said that another committee member would jump in if necessary. Another SC member would have to do all meetings if this was decided so process was not broken. The 27th 6:30pm & 28th 5pm & 31st, 6:00pm suggested. One member gone after 30th, asked about virtual. District visits not until after April Break. Ms. Foyle suggested interviews in Library classroom, exit right from there to side door for parking lot, and more private. A week from today is deadline to receive questions. When posting closes, MASC will send link for drop box for committee to see applicants resumes and experience. Could make a decision on 31st. Otherwise would want to meet again that week. Could ===PAGE 3=== also meet 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th. Not public until School Committee decides, and then publishes. Question whether internal applicants have to apply? YES Posting going out nationally, statewide, social media posts, MASC, MASS. Ms. Mallon provided her email and personal cell for any questions or concerns. 4. Public Comment -none 5. Adjournment Motion to adjourn at 5:57pm by Ms. Foyle, seconded by Ms. Hall. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-11-agenda-7095.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-11 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-11-agenda-7095.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03112025-7095 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== MEETING NOTICE JOINT SCHOOL COMMITTEE & SELECT BOARD MEETING Tuesday, March 11, 2025 6:00 pm, Town Hall HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public- AccessCable-157427270975305 ) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 . From a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an email address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law 1. Call to Order 2. Old Business a. FY26 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget 3. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-12-agenda-7098.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-12 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-12-agenda-7098.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03122025-7098 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING Wednesday, March 12, 2025 6:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2878544906?omn=82646105861 Meeting ID: 287 854 4906 One tap mobile +16469313860,,2878544906# US +19292056099,,2878544906# US (New York) Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/ksaFkesFm This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel , and on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the LunenburgAccess YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law 1. Call to Order 2. Public Comment 3. Old Business a. FY26 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget 4. Public Comment 5. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-12-minutes-7098.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-12 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-12-minutes-7098.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03122025-7098 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING Wednesday, March 12, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 at 6:30 pm by Mr. Lehtinen 2. Public Comment - Casey McDonnell 1024 Massachusetts I want to start off tonight by saying I know it's been a lot, there's a lot of people that do not envy the position that this board is in. It's definitely easier being on this side whether we're coming at it with our own biases or whether we're not. It's much easier being here nitpicking the decisions and the actions that the board is getting. I understand that myself I'm a teacher in the high school I teach History and ELA. I'm also very proud to be the head coach of the football program that has been brought up several times by this board in the last couple meetings. I put all that aside, I have my own thoughts, I have my own concerns about things that have been said, I put that off to the side simply to mention we all want the same thing we all want the best quality education that we can provide our kids. In order to do that we need to make sure that we are giving them the best experience w e can in the school as well as the extra-curricular that run parallel to those goals, we also need to make sure that kids can feel like they are excited and engaged about what's going on in their community and with what's hap pening. I know for myself me and my fiancé we're so excited to eventually have kids that we raise in the school system that become “Lunenburgers” of their own. I know from the small sample size that I have the privilege to work with that a lot of the families that we are working with are families that are generations worth of “Lunenburgers” that have raised their families in this town that are now having kids and families of their own. This town that's a long line of pride and commitment to this community and I know there's a lot going on right now between figuring out this budget. The fact that several members of this board will not be on this board this time next year I understand that I'm simply here tonight to ask that when the dust settles somewhat that we take a moment to re-evaluate the accessibility of information and the efficiency of information that this board and this committee works with. I will tell you from last meeting there was a large group of kids that over overwhelmed town hall and I'll tell you from what I've gathered from the kids that I have the privilege to work with on a daily basis a lot of them were very discouraged with the last meeting. For the ones that had the courage to speak a lot of them felt like they had not been heard, others that were there that didn't talk also felt like nothing was done and that things kept getting tabled and pushed off. As much as we focus on the quality of education for these kids we also need to realize that this is the next generation of Lunenburg residents that will be contributing to this community and I really think we need to reevaluate our ability to access that information. Make it efficient and make sure that kids want to be excited and engaged in what they're doing . You saw signs of it last week, Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 kids are willing to step up when they need to. I think we need to meet them head on and we need to give them a chance to continue to maintain their excitement and engagement in being a part of the community. I know for me I'm a little curious as to why the meetings bounce back and forth between in here and going to town hall. Both of which has felt very much like a very small venue for what we're trying to do here. I would love for somebody to be able to summarize what took place last night with the select board just for people that maybe are tuning in for this one or here in person that don't know about what was talked about last night between yourselves and the select board which I feel like is pertinent information for what's going to get discussed tonight Owen Snyder 985 Flat Hill Road I am a member of the high school band and I have been in band and music programs ever since I was in fifth grade. Now in the budget the fifth grade band is being cut now. I know that there are between 30 and 40 kids in fifth grade band this year and that's a lot of kids especially compared to the class sizes. That's a huge percentage of kids that are going to be missing out on this huge opportunity I know that it is a huge opportunity to get into music and to be able to be part of something that can help with many different skills that you can use in your high school career. I'd also like to talk about how with marching band and High School band being compared to Athletics in the budget. The band transportation is being cut by 100% well the athletic transpo rtation is being increased by 231.38%. I'm not in any way trying to cut Athletics or speak to try to cut Athletics all I want is equitable treatment between all extracurricular here at Lunenburg Chris Sullivan, 108 Highland Street first of all I just want to say I appreciate all the time you guys have all put in so far and continue to put in tonight. I did want to speak here tonight to share some continued thoughts regarding the athletic cuts. I'll preface this by saying that I'm a parent of two student athletes - girl soccer, indoor, and outdoor track, golf team, and the ski team. I'm also a very active in sports here. At the school committee meeting on February 26th Dr Gilson referenced having a breakdown of cost for sports by season and individual cost by sport. I requested this information as a matter of public record and assumed it was fairly easily accessible. As she was reading that data off the laptop at that meeting and referenced it was information that was received from the athletic director. I was told today by Dr Burnham that this data is incomplete and not ready to be shared publicly which leads me to believe that the school committee will also be making decisions this evening that will impact student athletes futures without having the full picture. Also speaking based on facts alone, that I know tonight, and also don't have which also means that I don't have the full picture for each sport because of this lack of information regarding cost to particular athletic programs. I can see how it might be easier to look at a less popular sport or a team with fewer athletes and say let's shut that program down. Or a program that does not generate revenue for the school. I'm hearing rumblings that perhaps the Lunenburg ski team is on the block tonight. This is a partnership with several area schools including Leominster, Ayer Shirley and Quabbin, this team uses zero transportation budget, zero equipment budget, no referee fees, the extent of the expenses are fees to two mountains for training and racing. I know the total cost of those bills is $1,440 for this year. Outside of a coach's stipend that is the total expense, I expect that we're sharing these costs with other schools who are part of this program. I don't know if that's the case or not I couldn't get clarity on it. Perhaps maybe we just discovered a cost savings for this particular program. The athletes buy their season passes, buy all their equipment, there's no Lunenburg ski jackets or helmets, they even buy their own race bibs. Student athletes have made choices sometimes pushing themselves beyond their comfort zones to try new things and participate in a sport to build a resume for college, demonstrating hard work, commitment, and dedication. Before you look at completely removing the sport from our program, please consider that you are taking away that opportunity in its entirety. Please look at how you can equitably share the burden that we are all facing across all sports. Allowing all students to live the path that they have chosen. We keep hearing how transportation is a huge factor, I still recommend this is a place where we should start looking -how much is a bus, we've heard about this, but how much is a bus that goes to an event, most of the students ride home with their parents. How much do it cost to send a football team to Martha’s Vineyard, I assume a soccer bus to Cohasset isn't cheap. I think the same thing should be kept this in mind when you look at other extracurricular as well. You just heard Owen speak about students who choose to participate in anything, should be supported and encouraged in any way that we can, as best as we can. No student should have something ripped away from them entirely we need to think about the social and emotional impact on the wellbeing of theses students as we continue to create and foster opportunities for all students to find their path as best we can. Laura Barooshian, 389 Mulpus Road after being at the meeting last night understanding that there is a there will be cuts here today to urge the committee to use equity and fairness. We're raising well-rounded students’, well-rounded athletes, musicians, and chorus. We just have to look at all programs. Everyone I think needs to share in this, you know in what we're trying to do here and trying to get something where we can continue all of the programs and not single one out. You know one music program, one ski program one whatever it might be. But just really looking at how we can look at cuts where they're significant and where they're equitable Shoshana Mule, 139 Cove I will try to be brief because I know you guys have a very long night and a lot of big decisions to make. Having been through this process with you all last year I have a view of perspective. It's really hard when you're in it and I feel very strongly about all of the activities that mean so much to these kids, and I wholeheartedly understand the mental health benefits to kids from whatever activity they participate in. Unfortunately the situation that the school is in, fiscally right now, is a lot worse than last year and so that leaves various interested parties fighting over ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 scraps. I guess my main message is that whether or not there's a request for an override this year or next year the school budget needs to speak to the fact that the in classroom instruction is the most important thing. So that means keeping paraprofessionals and keeping classroom teachers. I know that you are going to revisit the administrative positions, some of them that have very high salaries, and that's important I would not want any kids to miss out on sports, music, or art etc. However you're going to hear from a lot of other parents tonight too, but I just want to stress that this budget needs to put Reading, Writing, and Math as the most important for this year because of the situation. Thank you all very much for all of your work, I really appreciate you Ms. Brzozoski I wanted to ask everybody if they could close their eyes and think about when they were kids, when they were students at school and if they could remember as a student a time when they were nervous about school budget issues, if that was an issue they faced as kids, if they spent time being nervous about programs being cut, losing teachers they cared about. Or if they ever went to a school, did any of you guys ever go to school committing meetings when you were younger to fight for programs, was that like a thing? I know some of you did, some of you were born doing this. I don't think that's a normal childhood thing to worry about. I'm a little upset it's the childhood we're giving our kids. I'm not happy this is what we're doing to Lunenburg students. These are kids that were hit by Covid. The fifth graders were in kindergarten when Covid hit they learned to read and write over a computer. They have the handwriting to prove it, they returned to masking, they returned to six feet distancing, they missed out on playdates, they missed out on field trips, they missed out on school concerts, and a normal childhood when they were very young. The se are kids who are in school right now, they had that, and now we are cutting things from them. And while we're talking about things like cutting this year and delaying things and waiting for the town to get their act together. We are saying well you can keep or cut, we can do without for a little bit these are kids have already suffered and now we're doing this to them again. I don't think it's fair. I'm frustrated - is this the best that we can do for our kids? Is this is the best that Lunenburg can offer our kids? We're at a point where we're making cuts that are going to hurt, and they're going to affect kids, and people are going to be unhappy because we're at the point where we have to remind ourselves that we have to focus on our core mission of educating the kids. That extracurricular come with the word “extra” in front of it because we're at that point where we have to take very hard looks at everything in the budget. I'm very frustrated that we're at this point. I'm really frustrated. Frustrated that we've put kids in this situation of having to fight for what's important for them when we should be doing it. I'm frustrated the town has put kids in this situation. I'm frustrated the taxpayers have put kids in this situation. Mr. Beardmore I've got a few comments tonight. First I'd like to address the point that was made by Mr. Snyder a little bit earlier about the transportation budget. Sometimes when you read lines from left to right in a budget they don't necessarily reflect the reality of the situation. The cost of athletic transportation is not up 200%. The way we are accounting for athletic transportation has been corrected from past practice that was done incorrectly. It was not transparent therefore, you are seeing a number that is substantially higher than what was carried in previous years, but is not necessarily that substantially higher than what has been actually paid in previous years. So I apologize that sometimes these things are illustrated in a way that don't necessarily reflect reality. Second comment for those of you on the zoom please mute if you're not speaking thank you. Third comment, I grew up in this, I think everybody knows, Laura just said my mom was on the school committee for six years while I was a kid in Lunenburg schools. This is in my bones and Lunenburg as was discussed last week has been through feast and famine over the years. We had massive budget cuts when I was a kid programs cut when I was a kid. The walker radius which we don't have any more was increased dramatically when I was a kid and then retracted again. As I said last week this is an ugly business, it's a messy business and while I regret that some people don't like what they see, you are seeing a microcosm of the reality that exists here, and in businesses, and in state government, and federal government. The business of government is a messy ugly business, I wish it could be cleaner, I wish it could be easier. We have to bring five people informed by a variety and a lot of different data some of which is unfortunately incomplete to a conclusion. We all come from very different perspectives and that is a really hard thing to do and on top of that we have to do it in public. There are three or four exemptions that you're allowed to do executive session and a budget discussion with the exception of the discussion relating to a security item has to be done in public. I have a kid who graduated from Lunenburg 5 years ago that kid was not an athlete, they were a band student and a theater student and a straight A academic student. I have another student, who needed extra help in the Primary School grades and was extremely well served in Lunenburg, and is not an artist, he's an athlete and a very good student. I've seen the full spectrum of what it is, and I've lived it by the way, but I've also seen that full spectrum of what it is to be a student in Lunenburg. The ups and the downs, the services that are needed, the benefits of living in a small community and the activities that define our character and who we are. I think that is all important and we have to find a way to find a balance and ensure that we are protecting and preserving what it is to grow up in Lunenburg ,and be a part of this community. These are issues that I'm struggling with, I've come around on alot of these issues over the course of the last several weeks and you're going to hear tonight that I have changed my mind on an issue or two as well. Just since last week that's what happens. This is hard work. Tony and I got into an argument about this sitting here two months ago, about how much work this was going to be, here we are. I'm sorry that people don't like it, I'm sorry that I get blamed via email, and on social media on a pretty regular basis. This is what we signed up to do it's ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 not pleasant frankly it's quite unpleasant right now, but we have to do the job and we're not going to make everybody happy with decision. Ms. Archambault First I want to thank all the parents, all the families, all the kids, the staff members are wonderful, office administration and building administration for the time, the effort, and the concern put in to what we're doing tonight. This is very difficult and as Mr. Beardmore has said not everybody's going to be happy and I'm going to say none of us are happy. This is not going to work to anybody's advantage. We are, as Peter said, a couple weeks ago, trying to make the least bad decision. They're all bad decisions somebody's going to get slighted or hurt or their experience is not going to be what it should be because of what we do tonight. What we are hoping to do tonight is to maintain as much as we can of the character of the school district. We have listened and read every single letter someone has written. Mr. Lehtinen replies because that is our protocol, but we have all read every word he passes them right on to us. If you've written to him your thoughts are with us as we look at everything. We have people saying you know keep all the academic stuff don’t worry about extracurricular. We have people saying extracurricular need to be taken care of first. I was a music teacher, my husband was a music teacher in the district for 28 years. I understand extracurricular are important, everything is important and this is why it is very difficult. I can’t argue with anything anybody said. I want to thank people for being involved and want to remind people about the caucus, there is a one year school committee membership still available if you wish to run. You go to the town hall you take out papers you get 50 signatures and I believe they have to be returned on the 20th. Mr. Lehtinen we did have a question about last night, so the school committee had a joint meeting with the select board, you can watch it we also posted it on Facebook it's on YouTube as well. For the first hour the school committee and the select board sat down we discussed the budget and potential overrides. The consensus by the school committee was that we were not interested in an override this year. It makes more sense to wait and do a full town override, instead of doing an override this year and still needing one next year. Also if you watch the video, throughout the whole select board meeting they talk about concerns of the towns finances. Dr. Burnham Mr. Sullivan made a comment that he was looking for the athletic program summary by sport. I told him that it wasn't in a cleaned up version for me to post yet, but it was posted before the meeting this evening. It is available for everybody on the district web page, go to the school committee link, and then go to the meetings and agendas link and then it's posted under tonight's meeting 3. Old Business a. FY26 Superintendent’s Recommended Budget Dr. Burnham shares the one page summary that was shown at the last meeting and at the select board meeting. A list of the proposed cuts along with changes in the budget expense lines. This is also available on the district website. Ms Brzozoski makes a motion to table the cut to the ski team and give the athletic director an opportunity to negotiate terms with co-op schools, Mr. Lehtinen seconds the motion all approve Ms. Archambault makes a motion to accept the superintendent’s proposal to restructure of the Business Finance Director Position, Mr. Lehtinen seconds the motion all approve Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to vote on bus fees and send to policy subcommittee for setting rates and language of safety of travel. The rates would be $180 for 1 child, $270 for 2 kids or more and a $50 reduced fee, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion. Motion passes 4:1 with Ms. Brzozoski opposing. Ms. Archambault makes a motion to accept the superintendents recommended budget with the change of the ski team continuation to be funded by the bus fee $25,787,474 and 3.6% Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve. 4. Public Comment Mary Foyle, 985 Flat Hill Road I am struggling as a high school teacher because I think as Mr. Santry said we have taken hits, and I know my department took a hit last year. This is actually the same point I made last time we brought in a busing fee. I do have concerns about economically disadvantaged families and some of those families who are on the cusp, who don't fall under free and reduced lunch. I think it puts an unfair burden on those who may be more disadvantaged if we have a bus fee that they have to pay but nothing happens with our parking fee. I know the parking fee goes to the town and not the school, I think that's something else it's two separate issues and that needs to be a change. I know this last time I brought this up for discussion with building leadership, not Mr. Santry, with building leadership at the time, I was told that having a car is expensive. I do understand having a car is expensive but if yo u're in a family who can somehow afford a car then you can afford a car. My own son will probably be a junior and maybe ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 driving next year as well, I also don't know what our parking situation is and if we can even absorb more people having cars and not riding the bus if that's an option that people are looking at. I think it's just worth a discussion point. Jim Broden 24 Autumn Road 19 years ago I created the ski team and I asked only to use the Lunenburg name. The team was completely self-funded. What I think happened with this $1,000 bill is that after four years we co -oped with Leominster, the Leominster athletic director and the school gave me the money and I ran the budget. When we get to our expenses from Wachusett Mountain and Nashoba Valley we had the athletic fee and then we looked at how much we owed and we divided it by the number of people which automatically adjusted. If there were 10 people from Leominster and 10 from Lunenburg we adjusted that fee every year. After I think 14 years, the first 12 years I coached the team for free I wanted to do it. After 12 years Jay Conroy took over as the head coach I became the assistant coach because my kids had all gone through. At 14 years the school decided they wanted to handle the budget, I think what happened is when we went over the athletic fees there wasn't a kickback to the team to say hey you got to collect more money to make it balance out even. So all of the parents when we have an opening meetin g we explain to them this skiing - ski racing is not an inexpensive sport. We have never had any transportation. I think for two years we had a bus that brought the kids to the ski area but the kids went home on their own. In 19 years no kid has ever missed a race or practice because they couldn't get a ride so basically what we did is we went with the approach all the parents have raised their kids through youth sports and paid for everything. Once you get to high school it's a different story. We went with the approach I don't need the school's money because people are used to paying for this stuff . I just talked with the athletic director and I think what happened is they forgot to say hey here's how much extra money you owe and if we go back to that I think in a minimum you can save $7,000. Yes sounds great and that would leave some money for the coach Jay Conroy. He had his kid on the team and he wanted to do something, he was retiring as a prison guard and he thought this would be great because he could get to work with people that didn't want to kill. He became the head coach and I think that the school recognized and probably had good budget times that they decided to give him a certain stipend and he said okay. I don't think he ever asked for it. That's the way to solve the problem and I can help you do it Chris Sullivan, 108 Highland Street I just want to come up and talk ski as well. My son's a freshman on the ski team this year. First time doing it, I was certainly under the impression that with multiple schools involved and multiple schools are contributing to the program so that's one of the reasons why I brought that up . There are four kids from Lunenburg on that program, four kids - 100% four kids should not be spending $11,000. The list is wrong there are about 20 kids in the ski team this year not 14, so there were 18 alone at the banquet last night. I had actually reached out to Jay this morning when I kind of heard rumblings that this might come up tonight. I have the bills its $10,400 .The bigger bill is from Nashoba. The issue is there is not a Mid-watch ski league if we could all ski and race at Wachusett it would be a lot cheaper. I would also encourage Kevin to reach out to all the parents having a group conversation exactly kind of what you're saying, that you know this is this is what it is and fees need to come into this program to continue. Tim Santry, LMHS Principal It is my responsibility to advocate for the students and the staff in my building. We are going on 13 hours of debate and discourse over this budget. In that time not one mention of the impact of the cuts will have in our High School. We as educators, we understand the importance of learning to read, no one will dispute that, but our responsibilities to students in this district don't end there. We have the responsibility for all students in the district. That means it's as important to prepare students for college and career as it is to teach them to read. The cuts that we are going to experience are going to hurt us, every student, and every classroom. I think we are gambling on the fact that myself and my faculty are going to be able to pull a rabbit out of our hat and we're going to be able to pull this together. There's a 0% chance of our schedule looking like it did last year, I want people to be aware of that there's going to be a major impact to our high school. I implore you that if you did get any free cash even though it would be a Band- Aid that you look to the high school to restore some of those positions. Some of those class offerings that we've cut, we now cut 27 class offerings from our high school schedule over two years. It’s going to have a major impact on our students. I had a discussion with a student at in lunch today, she is my her self -proclaimed my favorite student, I've written several letters of recommendation for her for private schools and checking in and how those were going and always saying you know why don't you stay here at Lunenburg high we always want you here. She said to me that she was looking at choicing out if her private school choices didn't come through. I think that's going to be the reality that we have if we're not able to offer our student choices they are going to hemorrhage out of the high school so please I implore you to look at that free cash and restore some positions at the high school. Tom Woodward 221 Leominster Road I don’t know if you guys are familiar with the road its going to be toward charging kids to go to school. I really appreciate you, I can see it is hurting you in this way. You know how many kids are injured or killed walking to school a year -67,124 kids. It is not going to be your fault but what if a Lunenburg kids, because maybe a parent couldn’t afford the fee, or maybe they only have one car, but what happens if that kid is walking to school one day and gets injured or killed. Are you going to be ab le to look at yourself and say – it was the right choice? You guys want a town override, I understand that, but the town was able to fund $20 million or so for the new town hall, we could have done an override this year to make a little less of a deficit. Most of this community might not have kids, I don’t know the percentage, but if we don’t choose to make huge cuts this year, which makes us all hurt in a different way. I think we failed our kids and it is going to hurt because like some of them said, a lot of kids are going to leave. I moved to Lunenburg for the reason of the school system, it was great three years ago. Obviously we ha d a little ===PAGE 6=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 bit of lower numbers, I come from a city where we are fully funding, obviously great stuff I want to be abl e to give my kids a better life, and right now it’s not better and it hurts. My biggest thing is that you guys are going to charge kids t o go to school, it is not fair, you are going to hurt families in a lot of ways, you are going to put them in collecti ons, which puts them in debt, which puts them at credit. You guys have kids, you’ve talked about the athletics, and track team and how good they are. But we need to be Lunenburg strong, we need to stick together and we are not doing that. TJ Loughlin 207 Rolling Acres Rd. I learned a lot about municipal budget in the last two years. I hope I understood it correctly. At this point I understand the logic behind waiting for another year for the override. It is the same playbook as last year, same argument, all the same justification. What I want to make clear to the public is depending on how the override is pitched next year, we may still have this cut deficit build into the Lunenburg budget forever. If you go forward and decide to put forward an override for the future this set of cuts, which you heard Mr. Santry say is going to be painful, is that pain is going to be baked in our school system unless the override accounts for this year too. No matter what you have to account for this year’s deficit moving forward, which is also going to be a weird ask for the town, because it is going to back projecting. The next thing a few of us have said, the select board meeting last night, the joint meeting, is the same playbook. Everyone wants the same, town wide override, account for all departments, we need long-term projections, we said that last year and again, just like Ms. Brzozoski said it didn’t happen. How are we as tax payers and citizens supposed to believe that is going to happen this year? What is going to be put in place to know that is actually going to happen? We need a holistic view, we need to understand our town finances, and we will be here again. How do we know this is actually going to take place? Sandi Orni 365 Sunny Hill Road first thank you all, I know this is hard and I know it is getting late, so I appreciate all of the diligence you are putting into this. First comment I have is around the bottom of the list of restored teachers, if I look at that list, I have a middle school and high school students and I see 6.5 out of 13 of those restored positions going to the Primary School. While only 1 ½ are going to the high school. I very much want our kids to be able to read and I want them to be in small classes, but once they learn to read, I also want them to have the best opportunities they can to get into college. I would like you to consider that as we continue to cut the offerings at the high school. Second comment is around the ski team. You know I was a little disappointed to he ar just today that we had a little lead time to get some of the kids on the ski team to come and speak in front of about their experiences with the ski team. I am happy with your comments today and where we have landed but, my son was on the ski team for o ur years, my daughter was on the ski team for two years and was unable to participate this year due to a sports injury but would have been the fifth child on the team. I think we want to look at this comprehensively. I agree we need to pursue funds from other schools that is absolutely the right thing to do. Bu t I think we should also look at the history, we keep throwing out that there are four kids in the program from Lunenburg, this is a low year. If we go back historically during Covid, there were six freshman boys alone, because it was a great offering and inclusive. Obviously there is speed just like any other sport but there are no try outs, Coach Jay says I don’t care if you are a competitive skier or you’re just learning to ski I will teach you, you will learn, you will be better than you were before. It is a really nice alternative to sports that have strict cut offs for members. I’d also like you to consider that as you look at the ski program going forward. Mandy Gilman 186 Reservoir Road I want to thank you for your work tonight. I know this is not easy and not fun. I just want to leave this meeting with the impression that we shouldn’t have to live like this . Last year when I started to fight for the override, I took a very aggressive stance with the committee, and told people we didn’t have to live like this. Last year we fought for an override of $1 million dollars. Is very scary to think about where we would be if we hadn’t gotten that million dollars. There has been a lot of talk that this is not the year for an override. I am very conflicted about that, last year I basically didn’t take anyone’s advice and just told you wall we were going to do an override. It is not all about me, but I feel like that’s what happened. I am scared that next year are going to be in this huge hole, and the economy could go down. I volunteered, I am running for the school committee, so lucky me I get to sit up there maybe next year and listen to everyone complaining. We need to start in June. I a m disappointed that we did not look at this last June. I know that the teacher contract wasn’t finalized, I know there were a lot of moving parts, but I am disappointed that we waited this long. I know we were waiting for the state to save us, that wasn’t going to happen. I had a good meeting with Senator Cronin last week. I have a meeting coming up Kushmerek and Scarsdale. I think eventually there is going to be something there, but we have to limp through until then. They are not going to be able to fix every problem, so I haven’t come up here with a plan of what to say, but I think we need to start planning in June. If this committee doesn’t think this is the time for the override that is fine. The only good thing I have really gotten from this whole thing is that if you are active on social media, there are many parents in this town who you been getting their emails who are incredibly fired up. I just want to implore the public to stay engaged because you are only governed by people who volunteer. It is government, it is not about every single person, and government is about those who show up. That is the reality of the way the system works. Amy King, 3 Gabes Place I echo what Mr. Santry and what Sandi had to say about the high school taking huge hits here. The ability for our kids to have the experience they need to get into college. I implore the school committee and the future school committee that as a finance professional the manner in which we put this budget together and that we look for trends for expenses and revenues. Splitting everything into revolving funds is not a good way to manage finances. We need to lay out all revenues and all expenses. We need to understand what those expenses are, how they ===PAGE 7=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 increase and decrease and where the funding is coming from so that the public has the full transparency of where all of the money is going. Someone just mentioned the parking fee that we pay doesn’t even go to the school, why not, isn’t it because they supposedly plow the parking lot, I mean the $50 parking fee, every one of those kids almost fell in the parking lot on the ice this year. I really think we need to do a better job as everyone has said, in how we are managing our finances. I would love to see something done with the curriculum director to get more money into the high school. I think that is a position, that while it is nice have at the state we are in, this school system we need teachers, we need offering for these kids. We have done a great job improving the curriculum over the years. Can we take a break for a few years and give the high school kids a little bit more options. Mr. Sculimbrene I think what TJ said is right, we need to have a long-term plan. I think that one of the things we would do as a school committee next year is immediately star working on the long term plan. One problem I see and I keep coming back to is we don’t do this budget discussion correctly. No one brings forward a case about what impact this will have on student achievement. What I want to know is the dollar value of every impact on student achievement. We have people come up and say I love this or that, I don’t want this to go, and my kid does this. But we don’t even know how to quantify student achievement in a predictable way that allows us to do a forecast. We need to have that data, we need to have a utilitarian approach because if all we do is constantly listen to people making good cases for things. Everyone loves their children, all of these things are good things, we could make a c ase for any of them, but if we don’t have a way of figuring out which ones count more, which ones are worth more, which ones have a bigger impact, we are going to perpetually be in a budget cycle that is based on emotion not fact. First thing we have to do is answer TJ’s question is we need to create a rubric to decide budget decisions to make calls about student impact. The second thing I think that we need to do whether it is as a parent or group, we need to understand how legislation changes. We are not in the 1700s version of the United States, a citizen request is not going to change the agenda. I testified two weeks ago in New Hampshire, I was the only non-lobbyist in the room and I was a lawyer. There were no citizens’ there at all. It was a decision that impacted hundreds of millions of dollars. It was for the insurance, it impacted hundreds of millions of dollars, the reason the hearing happened was because people with money coordinated together and got a lobbyist, we keep talking about this, we keep saying our legislative delegation isn’t coming to our aid. That is true, but we haven’t approached them in a way that people do now. If we expect the 17 th century version of all of us get on horses and ride to Boston to work, it is not going to work. The last thing I would point out is I understand the concern about not going for an override. I do think that there was a little bit of politics last night in the presentation about why don’t you go for an override, when the groundwork that it took to get the override last year was already months underway by this point. You don’t go to the bank and get a loan to start a business in an un-pressed shirt and none of your tax records, we need to have that level of preparation when we go and ask for a big amount of money. We can show the town that we have done our homework. This is the only options and we need it because of the way inflation has impacted municipa l finances. My guess is given the people that said we should do it now, they know that we would fai l and cannot fail for the kids. Doing it now at the cost of doing it later better, doesn’t seem the best. I think that we should as soon as this is done, start planning for next year. We should have a vision and a vision should be based on real concrete information, dollars, data, student achievement, we can’t keep doing this on an emotional level Ms. Brzozoski I will be honest, I came home from the meeting last night thinking what the heck did I do. We were not going to go for an override, this doesn’t quite sit right with me, because these cuts are so difficult. But like Tony said w e need a comprehensive plan. I am trying to balance it against what the town is going to need in the future. The town is not ready to present what their needs are going to be. I said it last night too, I don’t think we are going to get three yea rs in a row of overrides, I don’t think Lunenburg tax payers are going to be wild about voting three years in a row for overrides. I just don’t. I wish they were because I think that would be great and I think overrides exist for a reason especially when inflation is high. I don’t think we could sell it and I have to live in the town too. I would like us to have a functioning fire department and the things that would bring that they are going to ask for next year. It is a calculated risk, is it the right answer? There is no right answer because all the options suck. This is awful, this is terrible and I hate it. I hate that it affects our kids, which makes it terrible. I wish this was a board that didn’t affect our children, but I think this is what we keep saying – the least bad option. I think we are going to have a rough year, I think that we have managed to make a budget that we are going to have a rough year, but it is not going to be a disastrous year. I think that we have built structures in place that we are going get by. Lunenburg has a very strong staff and teachers th at are going to make it work. We have fantastic staff and teachers, I think we are going to make it work for the year. I don’t think we are going to make it work long-term under this staffing, but I think we can make this work for a year. Then we are go ing to figure this out next year starting soon. We are going to go up from there and fight for an override next year. Mr. Beardmore I am not going to belabor my reasoning that I outlined last night about the override. I am still very comfortable with that reasoning and I understand that you can’t make all the people all the time. This is a difficult decision, I do want to say that these are really difficult challenges I volunteered for the finance committee six years ago. I have spent almost three years on the school committee, it is getting harder and harder and frankly I am out of answers. Which is part of my decision to leave the school committee at the end of budget season. I am exhausted by it. That being said what has been represented through the last several weeks by people who have come and spoken and by to conversations that we have had here, some of which have been very spirited debates and we have certainly disagreed on ===PAGE 8=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 some issues is ultimately the way to come to those solutions. We have some good energy in the community, we have good ideas and to the extent that I can I will continue to support the schools. Please keep in mind, while we are governed a little bit differently we are a department in the town of Lunenburg and we all live in the town of Lunenburg. I am not particularly happy with the way the town has been run. I think it is run way too lean, but we have got to give our new select board, town manager, and new school committee the opportunity to envision what that is going to look like and ideally support them to move them in the right directions. I am hopeful that the leaders that have stepped up and our new leader, and our town manager, and that we can hire a really good leader to help us in the schools and figure this out o ver the course of the next several months. Ms. Archambault I just want to say that despite all the gray weather her and the blizzard that we are maneuvering through, I see a really good silver lining. The silver lining is the engagement of so many people. As long as so many people stay engaged we will find a way out of these difficult issues. We have found a way out before and we will find a way out of this one. I want to thank the people for their thoughts and their difficult nights of not sleeping, be cause they are worried about this. I want to thank the staff for hanging in there because having been on that side many times, not knowing if my job was going to be cut or not is torturous and I thank them for hanging in there, it is not easy to do. Moving forward next year you will get this figured out and I think Tony will still be with you and has committed to hanging in there and finding a plan. Mr. Lehtinen I want to thank the students, the children of Lunenburg, the parents, and the staff for being c onstantly involved and giving feedback. I want to thank Dr. Burnham and her team for all this work and thank the fellow committee members too. I think we did it as a team, we did it as a community, it’s not great, but it is the best we could do. I think having all those voices and emails and public comments made the difference and it gave a full picture of what we needed to do and how best we could serve the Lunenburg Public School. I want to thank everyone for staying engaged and going to town meeting, voting, and running for office. Volunteer and be part of the community. 5. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 9:16 pm, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approve. Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-19-agenda-7111.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-19-agenda-7111.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192025-7111 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, March 19, 2025 6:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry-LMHS Principal; Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary Principal, Dr. Deborah Bookis-Director of Teaching & Learning, Julianna Hanscom-Director of Special Services, Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance, Patty McCarthy-Guillette-Director of Community/Schools Programs, Kevin Bigelow-Athletic Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 12. Reports 2. Pledge of Allegiance 13. Public Comment 3. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report 15. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 3/3/25 to 3/12/25 $138,511.41 8. Superintendent’s Report 9. Presentation 10. New Business Action a. FY26 Extended Day & ELC Handbooks 11. Old Business Action a. FY25 Quarterly Budget Report b. Unaffiliated Salary Schedule (FY26-28) c. FY26 School Calendar d. Athletic Camp Proposal Discussion a. Parent-Teacher Conference Pilot 2024-2025 Report b. FY26 Budget c. Superintendent Search d. State Funding & State Delegation ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-19-agenda-7113.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-19-agenda-7113.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192025-7113 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, March 19, 2025 6:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry-LMHS Principal; Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary Principal, Dr. Deborah Bookis-Director of Teaching & Learning, Julianna Hanscom-Director of Special Services, Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance, Patty McCarthy-Guillette-Director of Community/Schools Programs, Kevin Bigelow-Athletic Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 12. Reports 2. Pledge of Allegiance 13. Public Comment 3. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report 15. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 3/3/25 to 3/12/25 $138,511.41 8. Superintendent’s Report 9. Presentation 10. New Business Action a. FY26 Extended Day & ELC Handbooks b. Grants 11. Old Business Action a. FY25 Quarterly Budget Report b. Unaffiliated Salary Schedule (FY26-28) c. FY26 School Calendar d. Athletic Camp Proposal Discussion a. Parent-Teacher Conference Pilot 2024-2025 Report b. FY26 Budget c. Superintendent Search d. State Funding & State Delegation ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-19-minutes-7111.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-19 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-19-minutes-7111.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03192025-7111 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, March 19, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry – LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon – THES Principal, Carla Squier – Primary Principal, Dr. Deborah Bookis – Director of Teaching and Learning, Julianna Hanscom – Director of Special Services, Dr. Susan Gilson – Director of Administration & Finance, Patty McCarthy – Guillette – Director of Community School Programs, Kevin Bigelow – Athletic Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Lehtinen at 6:31 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment – Mandy Gilman, 186 Reservoir Road I have been doing some advocacy work with our state legislators about more school funding. A group of parents and I met with both sets of legislatures, Senator John Cronin and Representative Scarsdale and Representative Kushmerek over the last few weeks, I would encourage anyone who is listening to this, if you would like to reach out to them please send them an email, tell them how devastating the budget cars are four our school district. They are all big supporters of getting more money, but they need to hear from us, they need to continue to hear from us, they need to hear from us multiple times. Even if you have already sent them an email, send another one. It is really important because they have to go to leadership and get more support and if they can say they got 100 emails from their constituents that is more convincing. There are a few things I want to let people know about. I know these are during the day, which isn’t great if you work a full time job, but I am just letting people know that there is a hearing on Monday March 24th at 11 am at UMass Amherst. This is a hearing only for invited members of state government to testify, but it is the education hearing, so there will be a lot of education officials there testifying. I am going to go, I know there are a lot of other groups including North Middlesex and Amherst that are having difficulty with funding that are going to show up. If you want to come join our Facebook group or send an email to one of the school committee members. I am happy to coordinate with people, if you are not on Facebook. Number two, there is a public hearing on Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Tuesday April 8th at 11 am in Boston at the State House. This hearing is an opportunity to actually speak. I have already been in touch with them, I am going to make some testimony, I am hopeful that maybe some other members of this committee or the select board, or the superintendent. We have been coordinating to get people, I think we have some willingness for folks to come and testify. These are opportunities for people besides our state legislators, people who are making the budget decisions to see the problems with school funding across the state. Lastly I am organizing a zoom call next Wednesday at 8, it is in our Facebook group, if you aren’t on Facebook send an email to the school committee members and they can forward it to me. Something we are going to talk about is state advocacy and we are also going to talk about possible override advocacy. I know that is something that is still in the works, for those that are not aware, a group of parents did file an override ballot initiative for about $2 million. I think some decisions need to be made. I do urge the members of the school committee to think about if the select board is thinking about. I have heard through the grapevine that the select board is also considering adding things to the override number, if we decide to file, I am not against other department in town getting money, but no one else had any problems until the moment the override got filed, so let’s not make it so big that it will not pass. Briana Proctor, 141 Gilchrest Street I am a 2011 graduate of Lunenburg High School and I also coach girls’ basketball and softball at the High School. I am here to advocate to save the proposed administrative cuts to LMHS. It is incredibly shortsighted to remove an administrator from the building with the largest population of students, who have the most complex challenges as they are navigating adolescence. As a coach at the high school, I see the time the administrators spend outside of school hours to help monitor sporting events, a responsibility that administrators at the Primary and Elementary schools frankly do not have. Some of these administrators are current and future coaches for the school. Students and athletes whose coaching role would likely be lost, should they no longer be employed here. Administrators’ jobs have become very complex given societal changes, and they are an integral part of supporting teachers to create a safe and effective learning environment. To cut a school of around 800 students down to three administrators, while leaving smaller schools, with less complex problems fully staffed would harm both the students and the teachers at LMHS. Should this committee not be swayed in the LMHS position not to be a saved, I hope that you at least inform the person on the chopping block, so the entirety of the staff is not living in a constant state of anxiety. Laura Barooshian, 389 Mulpus Road I am here to advocate for the fifth grade music program cuts and salary cuts. The cut to the program is going to be devastating on our program. The upcoming fifth grade program is bigger than it has been in the past five years, it 20% bigger. The fifth grade program feeds directly into the Middle and High school band program. The kids that have allied together, the music program, the marching program have worked incredibly hard. Multiple studies are done on the impact that music has on kids as young as four years old. Their interpersonal skills, their leadership skills, their math, it impacts all academic curriculum. It is really shortsighted, it is very small amounts of money to keep our fifth grade program. I know you are wrestling a very large gap between spending and the budget, and I know it needs to come from somewhere, but I just really want you to take a hard look at some of the smaller dollar things that should maybe be used with free cash. I ask you to look at which programs are being maybe inequitably harmed. Ms. Brzozoski I have been really uncomfortable since our last meeting with the select board. The decision to wait a year for an override has not been sitting well with me. As we have continued to closely examine the cuts it has been more and more painful and it has been getting more and more uncomfortable. It makes sense to wait from a holistic and a strategy view, and I see the Town Manager and the Select Boards reasoning. There is no way they can get the override numbers together for a holistic override this year. I understand the reasons why, but I cannot stop thinking since our meeting yesterday is that we weren’t elected to represent the interest of the whole town. We are the school committee, and it is our job, our duty to fight for the students and what the ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 students need. I am not sure we are doing that duty if we wait another year. My motivation was to hold out for the free cash, but that money is not guaranteed and the amount keeps going down. There was a discussion about putting money into the paving, they don’t want to reduce that amount while I am sitting watching and we are laying off 10% of our staff. I said it last week and I am going to say it again, these are the kids that have lived through covid, they have not had a normal childhood, they’ve already had to go through so much. Why are we in Lunenburg, insisting on making things harder for our kids? Why can’t we give them the basics of a quality education? I can’t understand why we are choosing to do this to our students. I have faith in our staff and teachers and I think we can make it through a rough year, but I can’t understand why we are doing it when we have other options. I want people who don’t have kids to understand what an entire year of child’s life is developmentally, how much they grow and change. How much teachers are trying to cram in their head in a single year. I don’t think people who do not have kids are understanding what waiting a year means for a kid in first grade. It means a kid in high school isn’t getting to take a class they need before graduation, it means students are missing out on supports they need to reach their full potentials as humans, as adults, which is our end goal. Last night at the select board meeting they did discuss going for a town wide override now that there is a citizen’s petition for a school wide override. I don’t understand why the urgency now? Back then we were still cutting 10% of the staff and looking at class sizes of potentially 30 kids, facing these devastating cuts and it wasn’t met with urgency then. I am grateful there is a citizens override on the ballot, I am grateful there is hopefully going to be an option to vote for it and I am going to fight for it. Mr. Beardmore I share all of the concerns that Laura spoke of, however, my position on the override has not changed. I said that we need to go for a town wide, a well-considered and well vetted town wide override next year. That being said if a school override lands on the town meeting warrant and the ballot for this year, I will absolutely support it and help to whatever means that I am able to. I spoke to the chair of the select board earlier today and I am very concerned that the plan seems to be an influx as a result of the citizens’ petition. I am concerned the new numbers are going to brought from the town and have not been vetted to any extent. I am very concerned this may end being a poison pill. I don’t know that is the intent, but it certainly may be the intent it could be the effect and I just want to voice my concern. Certainly for all of the reasons that Laura stated if this does end up on the warrant, and ballot, I do intend to support it. Ms. Archambault I am planning on attending the March 24 meeting with the Ways and Means committee in Amherst. If anyone has letters or concerns about our budget, this is the time to do it I have reached out to three legislators and heard from three of legislators stating that they are going to push what they can to get additional funding for our schools in legislative session. I have also reached out to the chairperson of the education committee in the Senate as well as in the House and I suggest everybody do that, the more letters they get the more they will pay attention to what we need. I have never been to a hearing like this before so I’m quite curious about it. I am happy to go and will bring my thoughts. I have no idea if I will have a chance to voice them or share them, but I will bring our thoughts that we are getting crushed here and that the state needs to do something. John Bowen Jr. 162 Highland Street I gave this speech last night at the select board meeting but I am going to give it here to. I am speaking tonight about Lunenburg schools I recently moved here to Lunenburg with my dad, John Bowen, in January of last year because I was in a bad environment which caused me a lot of difficulties in my life mentally, emotionally, socially, and academically. Every school I attended which was three last year alone and seven schools over five years was a real challenge. I had no support from people I was living with and I was abused, not physically but mentally and was told my father didn't love me. I did not know that my father was in a bitter legal fight for more than 10 years all of this was before I came to Lunenburg to live with my dad. In my previous living situation I was told I should know what to do with homework assignments and with regular life skills. This was my whole life and I felt trapped, whenever I got upset because I was ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 frustrated with understanding everything. My mother would force me at the four hospitals between the ages of 9 and 15 all the time telling me I am the problem and I am no different than my father which she characterized him in a negative light to me and my sister daily. However, I am speaking with you today because of my father, and because of Lunenburg High School. I never thought I could do this a year ago. Why am I sharing this with you? My father has shown me having one voice and one vote is important! That I should always speak up this is how I heal from my traumatic path I am who I am today by speaking up and speaking out. I want you to know that because of people here in Lunenburg, my dad, of course, my stepmom Jean Marie Price, and from school Joshua Koziol, Juliana Hanscom, Lori Shea, James Sweeney, Coach Hausler, Jennifer Miller, Stacey Canfield, Timothy Santry, and all my other teachers and mentors and friends at Lunenburg High School including Mr. and Mrs. Eberhardt, Mrs. Foyle, and Mrs. Maillet and all my friends and the entire class of 2027 for voting me to ride the float with Kendra Eberhardt at homecoming this was a great honor. There are so many others I want to name just not enough time, all of these people have helped this person, me, who stands before you today who has had an IEP his whole life and today I do not have any special needs requirements because of a good plan that Lunenburg High School formulated for me and working with my father. Since coming to Lunenburg high, my first semester here I made honors, my second semester here I made High honors, in this past semester I made special honors, and it appears I am keeping the ship steady. This is because of the program that Lunenburg high school has for kids with special needs including kids like me who come from difficult homes or abusive homes. I have excelled because of the special needs assistance and the professionalism of how Lunenburg High School worked with my father and with me. They helped me make my life better academically and socially. I have failed every grade since seventh grade and I was just passed along by other schools. I thought no one cared however, not today, today I have a direction, I am planning on law school and then the Marine Corps. I also intend to run for president of the class of 2027 at Lunenburg high school and I will be looking for signatures. What I'm really here today to say to you is, you have difficult decisions to make about the schools but the one thing you should support 100% is the special services needed for all the kids in Lunenburg schools. I play sports and I love sports but if you cut that I am okay with it happening. If you have to cut any other after school activity I will be ok with that too. I just want to be heard that cutting any program or assistance for people with educational or social difficulties, maybe some with my situation of an abusive home life with no support, as a survivor myself, I know there are many out there and you cannot have them slip through the cracks. Cutting special needs education or the professionals’ attached to the education in Lunenburg schools is like removing life support from a patient who can’t live without the assistance. Mr Sculimbrene I just want to say that was an amazing speech. Ms. Brzozoski I just want to follow up on Carol’s comments. If you ware writing letters to our elected officials, they should have your address, your full address and the address where you are registered to vote at the bottom. It makes it more official for them. 4. Chair’s Report The select board is meeting at Town Hall in 7 minutes. They are discussing the FY 25 budget, FY26 budget capital plan and annual town meeting warrant articles and most likely will be discussing the override. State House news service this morning stated that two weeks before the policy is set to expire, House democrats moved Monday to temporarily extend pandemic era laws allowing public meetings to offer remote access. The House Ways and Means Committee began advancing a bill that would keep in place the language granting public bodies flexibility to hold meetings virtually or in hybrid formats, as well as measures lowering the number of people necessary for a quorum at Town Meeting, and allowing representative town meetings to be held with remote participation. Those policies are set to expire March 31st the house bill would push that sunset date to June 30, 2027. There is a citizen’s petition for an override that was submitted by TJ ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Loughlin signed by many citizens, the language of the warrant article to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate $2,099,337 to supplement Lunenburg Public Schools budget for fiscal year 2026 contingent upon the passage of a proposition 2 ½ ballot questions. The number was calculated by the difference between the level service budget and the town managers budget. Additionally the Joint Committee on Ways and Means FY26 public hearing is on Tuesday April 8, 2025, the hearing begins at 11 am at the State House. You can join educators and public education supporters from across the Commonwealth as they advocate for the FY26 funding for schools, colleges, and universities. The MTA is also organizing this, but they are looking for written testimony and we will be talking about later also. 5. Student Representative Report - None 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session - None 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants, & Donations a. Warrants 3/3/25 to 3/12/25 $138,511.41 signed by chair b. Donations a donation of $105 from a Lunenburg family, this is for the Turkey Hill Music Department and will be deposited into the gift account. Ms. Archambault makes a motion to accept the donation with our gratitude, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approve via roll call. c. Line Item Transfers a request to consolidate substitute lines and applying a high school paras with excess in English text books and Middle School overtime secretarial Custodial will be collecting all unused supply funds to turn and buy toilet paper, paper towel, and cleaning supplies. A transfer for contracted services of $1,374 to target the contracted services at the high school level. Special ED evaluation line needs $1200.10 so we are using Special education general supplies and Ace Program general supplies and home hospital tutoring account. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept transfers, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve via roll call 8. Superintendent’s Report Our Pre-K registration is currently open and closes on March 28th, summer extended day opens April 28th, before and after school opens May 5th and the Early Learning Center opens on April 2nd. We hired a Facilities Director, they will be starting on April 2nd. Upcoming Dates March 28 Early Release day for students and full PD Day April 2 School Committee meeting Town Hall 6:30 – In person April 16th School Committee meeting LMHS at 6:30 9. Presentation None 10. New Business Action a. FY26 Extended Day & ELC Handbooks the only changes in the handbooks are updated dates and the change of location. Early Learning Center will be moved to the Primary School. The before school program will be at Turkey Hill, Primary School kids will be bussed to the Primary School. The after school program will be at the Primary school and the Turkey Hill kids will be bussed to the Primary School. The summer program will be at ===PAGE 6=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 the Primary School pending any changes with the AC install. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve the handbook, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approve via roll call b. Grants Dr. Bookis explains what the grants are and how they will be used. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to move forward and apply for the grants, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve via roll call. 11. Old Business Action a. FY25 Quarterly Budget Report report in the folder Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve via roll call b. Unaffiliated Salary Schedule (FY26-28) there is a 4% increase next year and then 2 ½ % increases for the following two years. This mostly is the staff of the extended day, ELC staff and is primarily paid out of the revolving account Ms. Archambault makes a motion to accept the salary schedule, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve vis roll call c. FY26 School Calendar Ms Archambault makes a motion to approve the calendar as proposed, Mr. Sculimbrene second the motion, all approve via roll call vote d. Athletic Camp Proposal Concerns are shared and it is recommended that there is communication with the Town Rec Department Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to move forward with camps, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve via roll call Discussion e. Parent-Teacher Conference Pilot 2025-2026 The high school has proposed a new conference model for the 25/26 school year that will have 3, 2 hour blocks which allows for the conferences in the beginning of the year, but also leaves the option for a conference later in the year. f. FY26 Budget We will present to the Finance Committee again tomorrow with a few line changes. Dr. Burnham shares an explanation regarding questions from the Finance Committee and changes that have occurred since the last presentation. g. Superintendent Search The initial meeting with MASC rep went over guidelines, privacy disclosure agreements and set an agenda for the rest of the screening committee. The next meetings will be 3/25, 3/27, 3/28 and 3/31 if needed h. State Funding & State Delegation Mr. Lehtinen has drafted a letter and is available in folder that we can could send to legislatures. School Committee agrees to use school email to reach out to community and send letters. Mr. Lehtinen will draft the information and guidelines and run by Ms. Archambault and Dr. Burnham. 12. Reports Ms. Brzozoski PACSAL met on March 6th via zoom and discussed the ACE program and talked about the updated IEP form Ms. Archambault FinCom met, they are listening to all of the department budget requests. They have stated that last year other departments were not given money and that money was given to the school department that will not happen again this year. School choice and Charter school was discussed Mr. Sculimbrene PTO fundraiser at launch tomorrow 3:30-7:30. Mr. Lehtinen LMBDC met and are working on a presentation to give at Town Meeting Mr. Beardmore Capital Planning will meet tomorrow after the Finance Committee meeting. They plan to discuss funding plan and final recommendations, and warrant articles from the Town Manager for FY26 ===PAGE 7=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 13. Public Comment Mr. Beardmore I want to acknowledge a comment made by Mr. John Bowen Jr, frankly I am taken aback by it. I am thoroughly impressed and dare I say choked up. I think it was very thoughtful, poignant, and brave for a student to come forward with that type of commentary. I think his commentary tonight was an enormous credit to his family, himself, and our schools. I am very appreciative of it and I think I was probably one of the most poignant public comments that I have heard in my three years on the school committee and I want to thank him. 14. Topics for Future Discussion 15. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn 8:51 pm, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, approved unanimously via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-03-21-agenda-7112.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-03-21 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-03-21-agenda-7112.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03212025-7112 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE POLICY SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING Friday, March 21, 2025 9:00 a.m., Room#12, T.C. Passios Building Regular Meeting AGENDA Policy Sub-Committee: Anthony Sculimbrene, Dr. Kate Burnham, Laura Brzozoski Guest: Liz Petersen 1. Call to Order ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Public Comment ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Discussion: a. Bus Fee Policy ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Public Comment ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Adjournment ___________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-02-agenda-7137.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-04-02 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-04-02-agenda-7137.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04022025-7137 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, April 2, 2025 6:00 pm, Town Hall HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance, Kevin Bigelow-Athletic Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 11. New Business 2. Pledge of Allegiance Action 3. Public Comment a. Annual Town Meeting-Food/Drink in Auditorium 4. Chair’s Report b. First Read Policies: 1303.1 Advertising in Schools, 5. Student Representative’s Report 3601.1 Proposed Bus Fee Policy 6. Review & Approve Minutes c. Warrant Articles a. Regular Session 2/5/25 12. Reports 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants 13. Public Comment & Donations 14. Topics for Future Discussion a. Warrants 3/17/25 to 3/26/25 $345,886.14 15. Adjournment 8. Superintendent’s Report 9. Presentation 10. Old Business Action a. Class Funds Request b. Spring Athletics Report c. LHS Ski Team d. Facilities & Grounds Report e. School Choice f. 2025-2026 School Calendar Update g. FY26 Level Service Budget & Override h. Superintendent Search Discussion a. FY26 Budget-Free Cash b. Athletic Summer Camps Update c. School Committee Goals ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-07-agenda-7153.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-04-07 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-04-07-agenda-7153.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04072025-7153 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== MEETING NOTICE EMERGENCY SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, April 7, 2025 7:00 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 REMOTE MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82628215478?pwd=ms0sq7pACLPeawOfDcAw0JD3qIe6XT.1 Meeting ID: 826 2821 5478 Passcode: 549984 One tap mobile +16469313860,,82628215478#,*549984# US +19292056099,,82628215478#,*549984# US (New York) Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kcBEtqFBUj This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page(h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Public Comment 3. New Business Action a. FY26 Capital Plan 4. Public Comment 5. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-07-minutes-7153.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-04-07 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-04-07-minutes-7153.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04072025-7153 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES EMERGENCY SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, April 7, 2025 7:00 – REMOTE MEETING School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Absent Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Sculimbrene at 7:02 2. Public Comment - None 3. New Business Action a. FY26 Capital Plan Dr. Burnham reports we were awarded a Green Communities Grant of $200,000 and additional rebate saving that could be applied to the cost of phase 2 of the mini split installation at the Primary School. There was a discussion of the different ways we could secure the remaining funds for the project and it was determined the best resolution is to amend the Capital Plan requests for 2026. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to endorse the town manager and the superintendents plan to modify our request and extend the request back to the town manager, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote 4. Public Comment Mr. Beardmore I want to thank the town manager for her willingness to be extremely creative and flexible in her approach and collaborative is much appreciated. Her willingness to work with us is greatly appreciated. 5. Adjournment Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to adjourn at 7:39 Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-16-agenda-7171.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-04-16 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-04-16-agenda-7171.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04162025-7171 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, April 16, 2025 6:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance, Kaja Savasta-CSS Architects Inc., Michael Ray Jeffreys-Select Board Vice Chair In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 13. Topics for Future Discussion 2. Pledge of Allegiance 14. Executive Session: to conduct strategy sessions in 3. Public Comment preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel 4. Chair’s Report or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract 5. Student Representative’s Report negotiations with nonunion personnel. 6. Review & Approve Minutes 15. Adjournment a. Regular Session 2/26/25 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 3/27/25 to 4/14/25 $368,097.31 8. Superintendent’s Report 9. Presentation-LMBDC 10. Old Business Discussion a. Student Activities Fee Restructure LMHS b. Athletic Summer Camps Update c. School Committee Goals Action d. THES ADA Study Report e. FY26 Budget-Free Cash & FinCom Memo f. School Choice g.Warrant Articles h. Superintendent Search i. Second Read Policies: 1303.1 Advertising in Schools, 3601.1 Proposed Bus Fee Policy j. Capital Plan 11. Reports 12. Public Comment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-16-minutes-7171.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-04-16 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-04-16-minutes-7171.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04162025-7171 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, April 16, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson – Director of Administration and Finance, Kaja Savasta – CSS Architects Inc., Michael Ray Jefferies – Select board Vice Chair 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Lehtinen at 6:31 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment – Carol Archambault This afternoon the House Ways and Means Committee did submit their budget. Their budget has a minimum aid to school raising from the $75 per student to $150, however, this is a huge example of how you can’t count on anything because this has to go to the Senate, so right now it looks like we would have more Chapter 70 funding. However it could be cut in half come July 1st, it is very important for people to realize these things go up and down. There is also potential for 75% of all required out of district placement eligible for reimbursement, which again could change and cannot be counted on. Peter Beardmore There have been a number public hearings over the course of the last several weeks pertaining to education funding. There was a hearing in Boston last week that I know the superintendent and two of our members attended. I was able to watch some of both the hearing in Springfield and the hearing in Boston over the internet. I recognized a lot of impassioned testimony on the part of parents, students, municipal leaders, and quite frankly what I consider to be a lot of political theater on the part of acting commissioner of education and many legislators. What came out last week in the way of a proposal that is explained as a one-time funding from the fair share tax. Although the fair share tax is a permanent tax the funding proposal is one time funding which I don’t quite understand. As well as a House budget I have inquired of our legislators relative to the bill that came out last week, what the net effect on Lunenburg? I would encourage people to repeat and Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 reprint to their hearts content because we need that number and while all money at any time is sufficient, the sooner the better 4. Chair’s Report I also have the House and Ways Means Committee was expected to release their FY26 budget today prompting increased advocacy efforts as state budget activities. The state house news service reported that the speaker Mariano’s comments at a Boston Chamber of Commerce event last week was Mariano confirmed that the House Ways and Means budget will sustain funding for universal free school meals and fully support the Student Opportunity Act, however he ruled out reforming the Chapter 70 school funding despite calls from superintendents, school committees, and students at budget hearings. When asked post event about revising the formula, a topic Senate president Karen Spilka had shown interest in, Mariano firmly declined stating , no too much uncertainty. Representatives will have until Friday to submit amendments and then we encourage the public to contact your district’s representatives this week and urge them to file amendments establishing a chapter 70 commission using the language from Senator Lewis’s bill Senate 400 and all requests outlined in the FY26 advocacy document. The 211 have been working from Representative Scarsdale house bill H405 was finalized as H410. An act making appropriations for fiscal year 2025 to provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and projects. It allocates a one-time 1.3 billion FY24 fair share amendments tax surplus and has been referred to the Senate. Key provisions to the bill were a full 100% reimbursement for FY25 regional transportation up from 82%, a 75% reimbursement increased from 44% for FY out of district special education transportation cost through circuit breaker, a directive for the office of Inspector General to review transportation and recommendations by February 2, 2026 to reduce costs and enhance purchasing power and streamline services. Also Representative Kushmerek and Scarsdale reached out to me stating that there are $50,000 in earmarks for Lunenburg Public Schools. The chair of the select board also reached out stating the same. 5. Student Representative Report In the Middle High School they have been having the spring food drive, I have seen a lot of kinds bringing things in. We have the Spain trip leaving tomorrow and the DC trip is happening next month. We have had MCAS in the schools. Elementary school is having field day on June 11th and the Primary School will have theirs on June 12. The fifth grade will have their promotion ceremony is June 13 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 2/26/25 Mr. Sculimbrene make a motion to approve the minutes, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approved via roll call vote 7. Review & Approve Warrants, Line Item Transfers & Donations a. Warrants 3/27/25 to 4/14/25 $368,097.31 b. Donations A donation in the amount of $800 for the Parilla family for STEM supplies for the Primary School and will be deposited into the gift account for future STEM supplies. We also have a check for $1000 from an anonymous donor to help students going to Nature’s Classroom in October 2025 that check will be deposited into the gift account at Turkey Hill Elementary. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to accept both donations with gratitude, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve via roll call c. Line Item Transfer A transfer in the amount of $19,600 from computer purchase and lease line to the equipment maintenance and lease line, this is for an anticipated expense from Canon. Second line item transfer request of $5,000 moving from the fire safety furniture repair line to the vehicle maintenance repair line, this transfer will cover the remaining ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 repairs to the truck and mower for the remainder of the year. A third transfer from the school salary reserve line of $311,041.69 to the multiple salary lines. A fourth transfer to move funds to the athletic transportation, special detail, dues and fees and the high school after school stipends, this is the first phase move making monies available in the athletic portion of the budget. We can go back and reclassify expenses that had been charged against the revolving account. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to approve the line item transfers, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion all approve via roll call. (Ms. Brzozoski was unavailable for this vote) 8. Superintendents Report The transportation form were a little late getting out to families, we weren’t able to get the payment option on revtrak up and running in time. Transportation forms are due by May 1st, at this point we have only received 413 forms. You do not have to fill out a bus waiver form if you have already submitted a free and reduced application and qualify, because we will be relying on that information for the bus waiver. The free and reduced applications can be found on our website on the main page and on the transportation page, for anyone submitted an application, you will also need to complete and submit a sharing form also available on our website. In order to pay the bus fee, you can send a check made out to Town of Lunenburg and send it to The Central Office 1025 Massachusetts Ave, make sure to put bus fee in the memo section of the check. Once revtrak is open and operational we will send out a notification to families. Additional details about the bus fee can be found on the website on the transportation page. To date we have received 27 bus waiver requests. Moving forward payment will be due at the time you fill out the transportation form. We have extended a due date for payment to June 1st. Registration for the summer program extended day will open April 28. Before and after school program for the fall will open May 5th and Early Learning Center Program will open May 19th. We have been notified that we were awarded the innovation grant from Innovation Land Education, this was one of the stackable grants. Innovation Land will work with us providing us letters of support for additional grants that we should pursue in order to complement their grant. Our current plan is to apply for both the Ryman Foundation grant and the SC Johnson grant both of which have rolling application periods. Routinely our tech department repairs broken Chromebooks, replaces screens and we were out of available parts, we had to switch vendors and the prices went up 54% due to tariffs, I think we need to be prepared it is going to be a bumpy ride relative to our funding in our current approved budget. Town meeting, our food service program will be offering bagged lunches, cost will be $8 and be available between 11 and 1, cash and carry only. I was one of those in attendance at the Ways and Means hearing on April 8th, I did submit written testimony advocating for some of the bills that are under consideration at the moment, and based on estimates for revenues that could come to Lunenburg if those were passed. We should be able to restore 9 positions if all of them pass. Upcoming Dates April 21 Schools and Offices are closed for the Holiday April 22 -25 Schools are closed for April Vacation May 7 School Committee meeting 6:30 Town Hall 9. Presentation LMBDC Mr. Michael Ray Jefferies gives a presentation on updates that the Municipal Building Design Company has been working on which includes The Ritter Building, Town Hall, and Meeting House. The presentation that will be shared at Town Meeting is shared with the committee. ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 10. Old Business Discussion a. Student Activity Fee Restructure LMHS The committee has been provided an update in their folder regarding the progress that has been made thus far. b. Athletic Summer Camp Update Dr. Burnham makes the committee aware that our AD Bigelow has accepted a new position, he will be resigning effective June 30. We did reach out to the Board of Health there is a rather lengthy check list of tasks to take care of in order to be compliant. Given the short timeline I am not confident at this point that we are going to be able to satisfy all of the Board of Health requirements. They are working on the list, and while we may not be able to hold camps this summer, I think it is worthwhile to continue the progress with paperwork so long term we can pursue this as an option. c. School Committee Goals passed over Action d. THES ADA Study Report Dr. Gilson introduces the architect Kaja to the committee and shares a presentation. They are wrapping up the study of conditions and assessments and ADA compliance for Turkey Hill. Kaja shares the details of parts of the building that have been assessed and what would be recommended for replacement or repair. The engineer also shares information on scenarios and costs. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report as a draft, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve e. FY26 Budget – Free Cash & FinCom memo The committee discusses the FY 26 budget, position cuts, unemployment costs. We have developed a memo to be shared with the finance committee and how we would plan to spend the free cash, but also it was suggested it be printed and available to the public and at town meeting Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to approve the memo to the finance committee as presented, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve. Mr. Brzozoski makes a motion to move forward with the recommendations for free cash, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve f. School Choice Dr. Burnham shares options of opening school choice beyond 9th grade. Dr. Burnham goes through each grade, their size, and potential seats to open. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to accept the proposal, contingent on the passing of free cash, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion g. Warrant Articles Mr. Lehtinen goes through the warrant article 7 and how it relates to the school Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to support Article 7, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all in favor. Article 8 is the FY 26 program of Capital Projects, there are two options Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to support Article 8 option 2, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve Article 9 authorization to fund special projects Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to support article 9, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve Article 11 is the citizens petition for the override – no motion Article 12 Supplement LPS fiscal year operating budget Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to support article 12, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve Article 28 Marshall Park Design Debt Exclusion, the Parks Commission shares details of the plan Ms. Archambault makes a motion to support article 28, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, the motion passes 4 -1 with Mr. Beardmore voting no Article 29 LMBDC debt exclusion Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to support article 29, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, motion passes 4-1 with Mr. Sculimbrene voting no h. Superintendent Search In the folder is the dates of the timeline of a plan to meet the candidates. The MASC rep speaks about the interview, questions, length of interview and ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 the schedules of the day of site visit. Ms Archambault makes a motion for Alicia to see if she can schedule two candidates the week of the 28th and two candidates the week of the 5th, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve. i. Second Read Policies 1303.1, Advertising in Schools 3601.1, Proposed Bus Fee Policy Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to waive second read, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve. j. Capital Plan This was voted on during an emergency meeting, but also just agreed to support Article 8 section 2 11. Reports Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to table reports, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve 12. Public Comment Chris Sullivan 108 Island Street As a private citizen, listening earlier in terms of the athletic director discussion,. The possible solution that was proposed budgetary and totally get where we are at budgetary right now obviously, I would hope that we will look at this as a very temporary solution. The reason we have a full time athletic director is we have 50% of the student body participating in high school sports. To think that job can be done on a part time basis is short sighted, even in the short term. Again I understand where we are at and I think we have made a lot of strides in the last few years with Lunenburg Athletics in terms of quality of the program and that we continue to put out in terms of the level of participation, spectator participation at a lot of our sports. I would just hope this is a necessary short term solution. Additionally I would just point out prior discussions in term s of what our athletics has been charged with, one team in particular, with the ski team, I want to make sure we do not lose sight of that discussion that needs to happen with the other schools involved and if that is something that is going to default to someone who is part time. 13. Topics for Future Discussion 14. 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 15. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to enter executive session and adjourn immediately following at 10:31 pm , Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approve Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-30-agenda-7190.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-04-30 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-04-30-agenda-7190.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04302025-7190 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== MEETING NOTICE SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Superintendent Finalist Interviews Wednesday, April 30, 2025 7:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Brent Conway, Superintendent Finalist In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87104380876 Meeting ID: 871 0438 0876 One tap mobile +13092053325,87104380876# US +13126266799,87104380876# US (Chicago) 877 853 5257 US Toll-free • 888 475 4499 US Toll-free, find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kNHTGR6VU This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. New Business a. Finalist Candidate Interview for Superintendent of Schools: Brent Conway 3. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-04-30-minutes-7190.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-04-30 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-04-30-minutes-7190.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04302025-7190 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING SUPERINTENDENT FINALIST INTERVIEWS Wednesday, April 30, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 7:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Brent Conway, Superintendent Finalist In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Lehtinen at 7:44 pm 2. New Business a. Finalist Candidate Interview for Superintendent of Schools – Brent Conway The candidate introduces themselves as well as an opening statement. The committee takes turns asking a series of up to 10 questions that have been predetermined and will be the same for each candidate. Each interview will be a max of 75 minutes. During the questions the committee and finalist share back and forth conversation related to each specific question. At the end of the questions the finalist delivers a closing statement. The interview recording is available online. Surveys have been sent out to stakeholders to share their input 3. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to adjourn at 9:06, Ms Archambault seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-01-agenda-7191.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-01 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-01-agenda-7191.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05012025-7191 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Superintendent Finalist Interviews Thursday, May 1, 2025 7:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent Finalist In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81304869132?pwd=N00oJaUXIZC8a2UiZaATi5FPLdyWn2.1 Meeting ID: 813 0486 9132 Passcode: 368237 One tap mobile +13017158592,,81304869132#,,,,*368237# US (Washington DC) +13052241968,,81304869132#,,,,*368237# US Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbQzKmFen0 This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. New Business a. Finalist Candidate Interview for Superintendent of Schools: Jodi Fortuna 3. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-01-minutes-7191.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-01 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-01-minutes-7191.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05012025-7191 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING SUPERINTENDENT FINALIST INTERVIEWS Wednesday, May 1, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 7:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent Finalist In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Lehtinen at 7:30 pm 2. New Business a. Finalist Candidate Interview for Superintendent of Schools – Jodi Fortuna The candidate introduces themselves as well as an opening statement. The committee takes turns asking a series of up to 10 questions that have been predetermined and will be the same for each candidate. Each interview will be a max of 75 minutes. During the questions the committee and finalist share back and forth conversation related to each specific question. At the end of the questions the finalist delivers a closing statement. The interview recording is available online. Surveys have been sent out to stakeholders to share their input 3. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to adjourn at 8:36, Ms Archambault seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-05-agenda-7192.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-05 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-05-agenda-7192.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05052025-7192 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Superintendent Finalist Interviews Monday, May 5, 2025 7:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Timothy McCormick, Superintendent Finalist In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83099265430?pwd=QoLlDazJVSp3GGFTvwtzoktGMKZzbh.1 Meeting ID: 830 9926 5430 Passcode: 711893 One tap mobile +13092053325,,83099265430#,,,,*711893# US +13126266799,,83099265430#,,,,*711893# US (Chicago) Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kba4z8z3Yb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. New Business a. Finalist Candidate Interview for Superintendent of Schools: Timothy McCormick 3. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-05-minutes-7192.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-05 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-05-minutes-7192.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05052025-7192 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING SUPERINTENDENT FINALIST INTERVIEWS Wednesday, May 5, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 7:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Timothy McCormick, Superintendent Finalist In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Lehtinen at 7:30 pm 2. New Business a. Finalist Candidate Interview for Superintendent of Schools – Timothy McCormick The candidate introduces themselves as well as an opening statement. The committee takes turns asking a series of up to 10 questions that have been predetermined and will be the same for each candidate. Each interview will be a max of 75 minutes. During the questions the committee and finalist share back and forth conversation related to each specific question. At the end of the questions the finalist delivers a closing statement. The interview recording is available online. Surveys have been sent out to stakeholders to share their input 3. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to adjourn at 8:42, Ms Archambault seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-06-agenda-7193.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-06 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-06-agenda-7193.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05062025-7193 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Superintendent Finalist Interviews Tuesday, May 6, 2025 7:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Joanne Menard, Superintendent Finalist In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82047562688?pwd=xNIsEvZs9YahfK3TNfaZX9ZftQDU8k.1 Meeting ID: 820 4756 2688 Passcode: 029679 One tap mobile +16469313860,,82047562688#,,,,*029679# US +19292056099,,82047562688#,,,,*029679# US (New York) Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kowH3Fa36 This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. New Business a. Finalist Candidate Interview for Superintendent of Schools: Joanne Menard 3. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-06-minutes-7193.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-06 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-06-minutes-7193.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05062025-7193 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING SUPERINTENDENT FINALIST INTERVIEWS Wednesday, May 6, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 7:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Joanne Menard, Superintendent Finalist In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Lehtinen at 7:30 pm 2. New Business a. Finalist Candidate Interview for Superintendent of Schools – Joanne Menard The candidate introduces themselves as well as an opening statement. The committee takes turns asking a series of up to 10 questions that have been predetermined and will be the same for each candidate. Each interview will be a max of 75 minutes. During the questions the committee and finalist share back and forth conversation related to each specific question. At the end of the questions the finalist delivers a closing statement. The interview recording is available online. Surveys have been sent out to stakeholders to share their input 3. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to adjourn at 8:48, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-07-agenda-7207.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-07 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-07-agenda-7207.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05072025-7207 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, May 7, 2025 6:30 pm, Town Hall HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance, Dr. Deborah Bookis-Director of Teaching & Learning In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 12. Reports 2. Pledge of Allegiance 13. Public Comment 3. Recognition & Farewell to Outgoing Committee Members 14. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Public Comment 15. Executive Session: to conduct strategy sessions 5. Chair’s Report in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel 6. Student Representative’s Report or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract 7. Review & Approve Minutes negotiations with nonunion personnel. a. Regular Session 16. Adjournment 8. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 4/16/25 to 4/30/25 $182.608.62 9. Superintendent’s Report 10. Old Business Action a. Superintendent Search Deliberation & Action b. Override Ballot Impact b. Student Activities Fee Restructure c. THES ADA Study Final Report d. Facilities & Grounds Report e. Paraprofessional Contract Ratification f. Third Read Policies: 3601.1 Bus Fee Policy, 1303.1 Advertising in Schools 11. New Business Action a. Class of 2023 Account b. Grant submission Approvals c. Budget Task Force Charge Discussion d. Master Planning Committee ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-07-minutes-7207.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-07 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-07-minutes-7207.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05072025-7207 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING Wednesday, May 7, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson – Director of Administration and Finance, Dr. Deborah Bookis – Director of Teaching and Learning In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Lehtinen at 6:31 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Recognition & Farewell to Outgoing Committee Members Mr. Lehtinen reports Mr. Beardmore will not be returning, he brought a sharp mind and strategic lens to our work on the school committee, his financial expertise and deep understanding of systems made him an invaluable resource especially in times when we needed to make tough long- term decisions. Peter always had ideas worth hearing and opinions worth considering. He never hesitated to speak up even when it wasn’t easy or popular. Sometimes his candor came across a little strong but it always came from a place of passion for doing what is right for students and taxpayers. His honesty and drive to improve things and his commitment to transparency have shaped many of the conversations and decisions we have had at the table. Peter’s decision to step away to spend more time with his family speaks volumes about his priorities and I know I speak for many when I say we wish him all the best. His contributions to this committee will have a long lasting impact and his voice will certainly be missed, but knowing his voice will continue to be heard from the public comment mic. Ms. Archambault was already a dedicated member of the school committee when I first joined and from the beginning she set an example of thoughtful student centered leadership. Carol has always brought a caring grounded perspective to our work especially when it comes to advocating for our youngest learners. She often saw angles I hadn’t considered and was always willing to dig in to help and do the work that often goes unseen, but is so critical. I have learned a great deal from Carol, not only about educational policy, finance, and governance, but how to lead with kindness and clarity. I Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 am genuinely a better committee member and a chair because of the time I have spent working alongside her. Her voice will be missed and her impact will be lasting. Mr. Sculimbrene Peter I think all the things Brian said are true, but I also think that the thing that makes it so enjoyable to be on a committee with you is that you have a really good nature, you know that you are going to say things sometimes that inflame people’s passions and you are fine doing that. The thing that makes you different then so many people is that you do this regularly, is you can take it when they do it back and that is truly a great person to have in your corner. I have often asked you questions and I have often sought your advice but really I think it is fun to know you, no one else can handle the things you can handle. Brian I have been stunned at how good you are at executing on every part of the job. You get everyone involved, you answer every email, you provide thoughtful responses every time and I know that bodes well for your future. I wish you all the luck. Carol, I have enjoyed learning from you and listening to you. I have taken to heart what you said the first time I met you which is are you willing to speak for the trees. I am happy to have known you and I will continue to speak for the trees. I am also going to say you are one of the wisest people I have ever met, you know what the right answer is just by thinking about it being reflective and being kind. I hope to be more like that as I get older I still feel sometimes I rush to judgement and I am impulsive as I was when I declared I did not want to be involved with the superintendent search. I am so grateful that you are gracious and kind, you share your wisdom with everyone here. Ms. Archambault When I was told Peter was going to jump from Fincom to the school committee I said “How is he going to do that?” I thought he was going to do both so I spent all this time trying to trap him into saying “I can’t do both” when he said “I’m not going to do both” I have been delighted to work with you, you always have a fresh way of looking at things and when I don’t know what government person to talk to I ask you, because you know all those inner workings. Brian, I have been continually amazed at how you juggle this job with your three young boys and coaching at school all at the same time. I have enough trouble this job and I am retired with my husband at home, with no cats or dogs! You do what you say you are going to do, everything gets done in a timely manner and I thank you very much for taking the chair this year, so I could take this last year and not do all that stuff. Mr. Beardmore Wow, thank you. I have been thinking a lot over the last several weeks about the last six years of my public service, but the last three years in particular, and thinking back to my appointment. I think I had a lot of people wondering what that meant, but I outlined four things that I really wanted to focus on, student achievement, facilities budget, public engagement, and communication and I have been thinking about if I were to grade those things on a rubric over the last three years where would I put us. I am reasonably a tough grader I think, but in totality I give myself the “Ralphie Essay” a C+ and I probably shot my eye out more than once over the course of the last three years and that is just being honest. I think there is a lot of work here to do and I am very proud of what we have accomplished. I am most proud of the dialogue that we have built as a committee amongst ourselves, but also with the broader Lunenburg government and the public, which is something that existed nearly to this degree three years ago as it does today. I am most proud of that. Carol and Brian, first of all thank you for being excellent chair people of this committee. I am a lot to deal with sometimes and you both know particularly when I lock on to something that I can’t let go of. I know that is hard to deal with and keep the train running in a reasonable straight line, I think you both did that with extraordinary grace and attention, you both did a fantastic job and I am honored to call every member of this committee friends. It is going to be hard not doing this moving forward and not be part of this committee. I also want to thank Dr. Burnham and the entire administrative team and faculty, your time, attention, and responsiveness has been excellent. We have not always agreed, as you knew when I showed up that would be the case, but the way we have worked together and worked through some extraordinarily challenging issues and times has been truly and honor to learn from you and to ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 work with all of you. I greatly appreciated that. To the members of the public, thank you for putting me here for a few years and I look forward to returning to your ranks and we will see what happens next. Ms. Brzozoski I want to thank you all for so many years of service and for showing me the ropes. I have only been on for two years. Carol when you were the chair you were scary and sweet, I think people underestimate and forget you are a grandma, very sweet and kind, but you have a backbone of steel, you used to be a teacher and you will stand up and fight passionately for the students here and I loved that. Brian you have been fantastic, the way you communicate, I like getting emails and seeing your responses to the community members as our spokesperson, because they are always so well written. I mean you are a math teacher, not an English teacher, your English skills are great. Peter, I love when you agree with me, but when you don’t it is a little scary how passionate you can get. You have definitely shown me how important it is when you are in a small town and disagree with someone you can do it in a kind emphatic way. There is a way to do it and still maintain relationships that is one of your strengths. Mr. Lehtinen shares himself and Peter will continue to serve in the future, however, has invited delegation here tonight to honor Carol. Representative Scarsdale. Representative Scarsdale states it is truly an honor to be here tonight and certainly I am glad I was able to be here early and catch the comments. The conversation between all of you and how you interact and respect you have for each other is amazing. Lunenburg is lucky to have you. Peter I would not give you a C+, I would give you an A+ for your passion and your dedication to such important issues such as education and funding around it. It has been an honor to work with you too Brian. I am glad you are continuing your service to the community. Carol, you are very kind and you present in a soft and gentle way, but you do have a backbone of steel. I remember when I first met you and I was running for state representative the first time. Lunenburg was new to the Middlesex, because of redistricting, and I remember how patient you were, and while I understood issues with Chapter 70, you helped me see it in a whole new light, your patience and depth of knowledge, your willingness to think outside the box and how can we solve this. I was in awe of you when I first met you and that never changed for a single moment. I am still in awe of you. The delegation wishes you the best, Senator Cronin and Rep Kushmerek had other engagements tonight. Senator Cronin is at the state house fighting for the House budget on the Senate side, which hopefully will be good news for all of us, but they did send me with citation, honestly they are similar to mine. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the House of Representatives and Senate, be it hereby known to all that we offer our sincerest congratulations to Carol Archambault. In recognition of your 7 years of indefatigable commitment and dedication to the Lunenburg Public Schools, specifically to the Lunenburg School Committee. The entire membership of both chambers extends it very best wishes and expresses the hope for future good fortune and continued success in all endeavors given this seventh day of May at the State House Boston Massachusetts, signed by Speaker of the House , Ronald Mariano, Senate President, Karen Spilka, State Representative Michael Kushmerek, Margaret Scarsdale and State Senator John Cronin. Carol I don’t think you will have a typical grandmother’s retirement, I fully expect to see you out and about on the streets and continuing to lead with your heart and you beauty we wish you all the very best. Tatum Furman, Student Rep This is for everyone, for a 17 year old, I don’t zone out at these meetings as much as you think I would. I have learned a lot for you all, how to hold my ground, how to express my opinion and how to speak publicly. It has been very beneficial to me in life, these meetings actually part of what made me want to go into Political Journalism after high school You affect students more than you know, but for me personally this has been a big part of my life for the past 2 years. ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Dr. Burnham I wanted to echo all of the comments that have been made. I don’t think I have much more that can be added, I think everyone covered all that ground pretty well. I have been extraordinarily lucky to have worked with a consistent board for as many years. I think it is fantastic that you are five unique individuals and you all bring talents to the work, it makes for a better stronger board. While three of you are exiting soon, I will be exiting as well, so I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you, it has been a pleasure to work with you and I think we have done a lot of work together, we navigated COVID, several of us Post-Covid and have had some very difficult budgets. Thank you for your partnership, encouragement, and your support is much appreciated. Carol is known for the Lorax, those of you who have been to a graduation or tow may know I am known for the turtle. I would like to say this quote, it is an anonymous quote, “behold the turtle for him to make progress he must stick his neck out” every single one of you, by taking on this role and engaging in every single meeting, you are sticking your neck out, sometimes that can feel dangerous, but that is how we make progress. I think we have made progress, thank you for your service, thank you for sticking your neck out and thank you for all the progress we have made for the children of Lunenburg. You are greatly appreciated by everyone in the school district. Ms. Archambault I want to thank everybody, the 7 1/3 years that I have been sitting here has been extraordinarily interesting, I have learned so much about town government. I have learned that you have a voice, so many people do not realize, you all have a voice and you need to use it. I wish to thank my committee members who have nothing but the very best in their hearts for the students of Lunenburg. Whether it was my first committee I sat with all the way through, everybody just wants what is best for our kids collectively. When I came to this committee I was hoping my goal was to make some curriculum changes and I cannot thank Dr. Burnham enough for the curriculum changes that she oversaw and the growth in our district as well as the staff, the teaching and learning department, the students who work so very hard, everybody worked hard together to make those changes. I also wish to thank people for their friendship, or people I didn’t know, like Liz, she is delightful and knows everything about everything and I can’t thank you enough because every time I text her with something she says of course I will do that, and she does. It has been quite an experience and I wouldn’t change it. John Bowen Jr. I want to say to the committee members who are leaving and who have serviced this town, thank you for your service. Mr. Beardmore, Ms. Archambault thank you for your service on this committee. 4. Public Comment Justin Repucci 1147 Mass Ave I am going to respectfully ask the school committee to consider how the new bus fee policy applies in cases where walking to school is unsafe. We live within the 2 mile range, but we are on a busy state road with no sidewalks. Walking is not a safe or a realistic option, I understand the goal of the policy is that distance is used as a fair metric, but assumes walking is a viable option, in some cases it is not. I am not here to ask for special treatment based on finances or convenience, I am asking for a process that accounts for safety and road conditions when determining who pays for the bus fee. I’d like to ask the committee to consider a safety exemption or review this process so families like mine aren’t penalized for this circumstance. Jane Hall 73 Pine Grove Road I wanted to compliment the school committee on the process that you have followed as you lead up to tonight, hopefully appointing or making a decision about who you are going to appoint for the next superintendent of schools. I was a little nervous when there was a little hiatus and the timing, but I think you did yeoman’s work over the last two months. I wish you all luck tonight. Thank you for the opportunity to serve on the screening committee and attending the meetings was very informative. You have four very qualified candidates, and I don’t envy you tonight. The only think I hope is that you are thinking about how you make the decision that is based on what are the needs of the district and the town, because, sometimes we can be very ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 influenced on the type of person I might like to work with. This is much bigger than that as you all know, so I wish you luck and I am happy to be here to hear the deliberations that take place. John Bowen Jr. 162 Highland Street I have been the only student to show up at all of the superintendent candidate meetings for students. I take that I will be the voice of students along with my friend Tatum. In my comments to each candidate I mentioned history about Frederick Douglas, who was a US Marshall appointed by President Hayes, both of whom were against Jim Crow laws, particularly Marshall Douglas who was an abolitionist, however, they both upheld and followed the law of the land. In that discussion I inquired about how critical race theory applies to public education. Mr. Conway stated that he doesn’t believe CRT is being directly taught in school. Ms. Fortuna was directly quoted from the MASC position statement for K -2 curriculum and critical race theory, she said “We do not teach CRT but we do have a fundamental and moral responsibility to teach history and social science and in all its truth, the pleasant and the unpleasant” That is word for word in the last paragraph of the position statement. Mr. McCormack stated that he does not believe CRT is being taught at all. Ms. Menard does not agree with CRT but says she will teach standards set by the MASC and DESE. Focus indicators that were put out by the Massachusetts DOE in the 24/25 school year is online and it identifies ways to incorporate CRT teaching indirectly by using a set of semantics in teaching. This is hiding the fact that it is being taught. I also inquired about teachers expressing their own free speech in their classrooms. I mentioned a particular history classroom that is overloaded with one side of history and culture. The teacher does not promote an equal and fair representation of history throughout the classroom, because she is specifically overloading her classroom with imagery and slogans and flags of this one specific social science. I believe that is a teacher expressing her own free speech and expression in the classroom and influencing students based on a personal agenda. Mr. Conway stated he does not agree with teachers promoting their own free speech and expression within the classroom, he stated if it is being taught in a block regarding a specific historical or social science unit then it is acceptable, but the classroom should be balanced. Ms. Fortuna gave me a word salad of avoidance on the issue of free speech. Mr. McCormack stated he is unaware of teachers promoting their own free speech in classrooms but he believes that it is ok and should be allowed. Ms. Menard also stated that she is okay with allowing teachers to exercise their own free speech and expression in the classroom. In summary, students want a superintendent that leads and takes charge, not someone who is afraid of back and forth conversations or avoids difficult questions. I strongly recommend you select Brent Conway as the next superintendent of schools. He did not avoid answering my difficult questions, he was short answered, straightforward, direct, clear, and concise. Mr. Sculimbrene he did the same thing with you, the law you raised during your interview with Mr. Conway. He will tell you how it is even if it is uncomfortable. That is a leader and the person who should be leading our district education John Bowen I want to thank everybody for your time that you spent. It is a long time and arduous, you guys were slave drivers last year and it was very difficult so I don’t envy anybody here on this board for the job and duty that you have particularly this year with multiple cuts. I don’t envy the superintendent who will be walking into this disaster, it is a financial disaster, an educational disaster, and a district disaster. There are buildings that have problems, there are educational direction that is lacking in teaching because of teachers classroom size is changing. You guys are all in trouble and you are not going to make this community happy at all with any decision you make. I tell you what will make me happy – just as long as you do your job. I support my son in his direction I watched all the meetings and I think that Brent Conway is a direct, concise, short answered and someone that is not going to hand us a bunch of language, but going to say “here is the deal”. In the exchange of the law that Mr. Sculimbrene was having back and forth with him, I understand Mr. Sculimbrene being an attorney, he doesn’t like to give up a fight or an argument. A lawyer will not ask a question he doesn’t know the answer to and he wanted a specific answer, but what Brent did in the exchange is he clarified, I have no read in detail, I have no idea, I cannot do that, but I would be ===PAGE 6=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 glad to discuss it with you at a later date. I would like to know, did you guys’ discus that later on and get an answer to that legal question that you had gone through? Mr. Sculimbrene In response to Mr. Bowen’s question, after he clarified there is a case pending in the first circuit about the cheerleader scenario, but applied to student conduct as opposed to the conduct or the running of a club. So the first circuit has yet to rule on it. Basically, the gist was he was focused on that case and missed the word group in the questions. I agree with you, I though he gave it a good answer. Peter Beardmore I would like to comment on the discussion last night that occurred at the select board meeting pertaining to the discussion around the special election. To complete the override process prior to last night’s interview, Laura and I spoke at public comment. Select board meeting, the gist of my public comment was that I think there is going to be additional public outcry to make this happen. Town meeting appropriated the money, the same body that appropriates an omnibus budget. Town meeting appropriated that money, subject to the passage of an override vote. While the select board pays regular lip service to the votes at town meeting, for some reason this particular vote did not meet their muster for affecting their decision to put this on a allot. I say this, having been part of the process where we as a committee came forward and agreed that the less bad course of action once again was probably to do this as a town override. But there is a process and the public is included in the process. There was a citizen petition, and lo and behold that citizen petition held the day on Saturday and those who chose to come to town meeting and to vote, voted for it. An appropriation that has been made, but there is no revenue to support that appropriation because the public is not being given the opportunity to vote to approve that revenue. That is the mechanics of the situation that we have right now. The situation is different from the one that existed 2 months ago, when we met with the select board. In deliberations last night, the select board ignored that reality. I think to a certain degree it serves them to make dispersion of the school committee and the school budget when frankly our budget has been scrutinized ten times more than any other department in Luneburg. There have been discussions around the forecasting and the long term projections of the costs associated with running the school department to a much greater degree than any other department in town. There is a blocking mechanism that two of the three members that voted against or spoke against this last night used a year ago in opposing the override. Here we sit, nothing has been done, one of those members is leaving and I don’t know what to make of it. I am exasperated by a board that claims to represent the will of the people of Lunenburg, but will not put it to a vote. I still believe that this is going to happen, it is just a matter of how long we are prolonging the agony. I think there is going to be a special election, the question is, how long the select board is going to prolong this agony and the longer it takes the more disruptive it will be to the school department operations over the course of the summer and fall. Ms. Brzozoski I would like to echo what Peter said. I also made a public comment not knowing that Peter was coming in hot too. What I asked for was for the select board to choose either –act immediately on bringing an override for FY26 as a compromise if they are not inclined to take action now then to start work toward an FY27 override at special town meeting in November. This way everyone knows what money is coming in when we are doing our budgets. Making 10 budgets is incredibly difficult and it wastes a lot of resources. My main reason is because of what we are doing to our staff, when we prolong this agony. June 30th we have a significant number of staff being laid off, we are going to pay out unemployment, and they are going to hopefully and very likely end up finding employment in other districts. These are quality teachers we are losing and it hurts every time we do this, it damages morale in the school system, it stresses out our staff. We are not good employers, it is very upsetting what we are doing to our staff, and this is not good stewardship. If we wait until next spring for yet another budget season like this, that will be three years in a row that we have put Lunenburg school district staff through this and this is not okay. I am having a difficult time with the fact that the select board is not understanding what this is doing ===PAGE 7=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 to our staff. I don’t know how to make them understand. I don’t know how to make them care. I am very frustrated, and then to hear them, last night disparage the school committee and our stewardship of what is happening. I need leadership and I need forward movement. This is me speaking as a citizen, I am upset that we are not being given a vote on something that we voted at a town meeting. I feel like our voice is being taken away, I understand they have the legal ability and the right to not put it on the ballot if they feel it is not appropriate, but it is frustrating to have sat through town meeting, voted, did the work and then to be told “sorry it only won by two votes that’s not good enough, that doesn’t count” But then to hear Mr. Jeffries say the town hall vote only failed by 5%, he phrased it as six votes, so if it passes at the ballot they will try again at special town meeting. So wins aren’t really wins and losses aren’t really losses, it is whatever the select board decides. I know that is inflammatory, but I am very frustrated, so I am going to be agitating for an override at special town meeting and FY27 override at November town meeting. If I have to do a citizens petition, not as a school committee member, then that is what I will do, because I can’t speak for the members of the committee, and I don’t know what the new members coming in will want, but I will keep pushing. Mr. Lehtinen I want to thank Dr. Burnham for her outstanding leadership and dedicated service to the Lunenburg public schools as she prepares for retirement this June. I am filled with admiration and gratitude for the impact she has made on our district. Dr. Burnham has led with clarity, care, and unwavering focus on what is best for students. Her steady leadership helped navigate complex challenges, supported meaningful growth, and built a foundation that will serve Lunenburg well into the future. Whether guiding instructional improvements, prioritizing students’ well-being, or strengthening our community partnerships, her legacy is one of thoughtful student centered progress. I have appreciated Dr. Burnham’s collaborative spirit and her ability to bring people together with a sense of purpose and professionalism. It has been an honor to work alongside her. Thank you Dr. Burnham for your years of service and leadership and your heart you have brought to Lunenburg. I wish you a joyful and fulfilling retirement, you have certainly earned it. 5. Chair’s Report This Friday is Are you Smarter Than a 6th Grader at the high school at 7 p. doors open at 6:30, this is a fundraiser for the club and you can come watch the school committee beat the select board. The Lunenburg Business Association is having their vendor fair on May 10th from 11- 6 at TC Passios, this is a family friendly event. The classic cruise night is at TCP on May 21st from 4-8, this is a free event, and they will have music, food, games, prizes and fun for all. The state budget process with a vote of 140 -14, the House passed H410 an act making appropriations for certain other activities and projects as part of a statewide priority for high quality education, $353 million was allocated for educational related investments and is a direct result of the work of project 211. The following provisions were included, a full 100% reimbursement for FY25 regional school transportations up from 80%, 75% reimbursement for FY25 out of district special education transportation costs through the circuit breaker program increased from 44%, 75% reimbursement for FY26 out of district special education transportation costs, a directive for the Office of Inspector General to review school transportation and provide recommendations by February 2, 2026 to reduce costs, enhance purchasing power and streamline services. There was also $483.2 million for circuit breaker special education reimbursements, there were local earmarks secured of $40,000 for security system upgrades in Lunenburg Public Schools. The budget also continues to fully fund universal free lunch meals and invests $1667 billion in early education care. The House budget passed including 150 per pupil minimum aid increase. Additional circuit breaker funding of $190 million, $120,000 in direct earmarks for Lunenburg public schools. The Senate ways and means committee has released the FY26 budget on their side, unfortunately does not include language to establish chapter 70 commission that we have been advocating for, so we can continue to push for this as an amendment. The support of the public as well is critical to our success. You can contact Senator ===PAGE 8=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Cronin and urge him to file a budget amendment incorporating the language of Senator Lewis’s Senate bill S400 which is proposing the commission to recommend changes to the funding formula, there will be a hearing on May 9th at 2 pm. On May 12th you can testify in person or virtually on educations hearing on Senator Lewis’s bill, you can also submit written testimony. The senate will debate FY26 amendments the week of May 19, 2025, which is after the hearing. 6. Student Representative Report There is no school on 5/26/25 in honor of Memorial Day. On 5/29/25 the first graders will be going to the zoo and Primary School will hold field day on 6/12. At Turkey Hill the fourth and fifth graders will be taking the MCAS test and their field trip is on June 11th. The Middle High School, athletics are in full swing. Student council elections were last week and votes were announced on Friday. The middle school had their Glow Dance on Friday, my friend sister went and said she had a lot of fun. The sixth grade will visit the Museum of Science and 8th grade will be going to DC. The seniors are wrapping up their year, participating in motorcade, senior breakfast and graduation fast approaching. May 16th is the last day to order the high school yearbooks. The 2026 Greece trip for next April is filling up fast. May 17 -30 there will be an honors and AP art thesis show, I have a piece in that, so check it out, it will be fun. National Honor Society is offering peer tutoring on Tuesdays. The Junior Senior prom is coming up on May 17th. 7. Review & Approve Minutes- none 8. Review & Approve Warrants, Line Item Transfers & Donations a. Warrants 4/16/25 – 4/30/25 $182,608.62 b. Line Item Transfers A request to transfer $16,063.77 and $7,136.41 from the Elementary Guidance salary due to a resignation and partial unfilled maintenance to substitute lines. A request to transfer $1000 from fire safety furniture line to vehicle maintenance. A request of $12,332.80 to go to contracted services from general supply line of $6,370.01 and $5,962.79 from another general supplies. A request to rectify salary lines move $1,500 from business manager, $1,500 from human resource director, $53,493 from salary reserve line to Business Office, Assistance Secretary. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve c. Donations from the Madigan Family for $1,500 to continue the Richard Stachowicz Memorial Scholarship to be awarded to a graduating senior in the class of 2026. A donation of $35.50 from Box Tops which will be deposited into the gift account at Turkey Hill Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept donations with gratitude, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve 9. Superintendents Report Upcoming Dates 5/21 School Committee meeting hybrid from LMHS 5/26 Schools and Offices Closed – Memorial Day 6/4 School Committee Meeting hybrid – prior to meeting will be a celebration for retirees, Karyn Giuliani from the Art Department at the high school, Peggy Proctor from World Language at the high school, and Bob Hill from the Science Department at the high school ===PAGE 9=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 10. Old Business Action a. Superintendent Search Deliberation and Action Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to open the discussion of superintendent candidacy, a candidate needs three affirmative votes, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, all approve Ms. Brzozoski first choice Jodi, second choice Brent Mr. Beardmore first choice Jodi, second choice Joanne Ms. Archambault first choice Brent second choice Jodi Mr. Sculimbrene first choice Jodi second choice Brent/Joanne Mr. Lehtinen first choice Jodi second choice Joanne After a discussion amongst the committee they then choose their first choice Ms. Brzozoski – Jodi, Mr. Beardmore – Jodi, Ms. Archambault Brent, Mr. Sculimbrene – Jodi, Mr. Lehtinen With four votes for Jodi she is voted to be the next superintendent of schools pending negotiations, Mr. Lehtinen calls her and she accepts. b. Override Ballot Impact The select board has met and decided they will not be putting the override on for a special election, there was no official vote they need 2/3 of vote to get it on the ballot. c. Student Activity Fee Structure Dr. Gilson discusses some options for an increase and the committee ultimately decides for a universal increase from $55 to $70 Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve the increase to $70, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approve d. THES ADA Study Final Report the committee has the final report in their folder, Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve e. Facility and Grounds Report the committee has a report in their folder. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report, Mr. Beardmore seconds the report, all approve. f. Paraprofessional Contract Ratification a brief summary status is given by Mr. Beardmore, about a year ago a contract was agreed upon for one year with the Para’s. We have gone back and made some changes, a raise in pay, they will now be on a salary plan opposed to an hourly pay plan, 26 week pay period and all benefits of a contracted employee vs an hourly employee, moved away from some stipends and it will all be absorbed into the contract and all money goes toward retirement. Ms. Archambault makes a motion to accept the agreement, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve g. Third Read Policies 3601.3 Bus Fee Policy, 1303.1 Advertising in Schools the bus policy needs to go back to the subcommittee for an adjustment in language. Mr. Beardmore reads 1303.1 advertising policy out loud Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve policy 1303.1 as read, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approve. 11. New Business Action a. Class of 2023 Account Ms. Walker and Mr. Koziol discussed the wishes of the class of 2023. The class has a balance of $4,644.36 and would like to donate it to the annual secretary’s gift card drive. Mr. Beardmore makes a motion to accept the donation of ===PAGE 10=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 $4,644.36 to be earmarked for the Annual Secretary’s gift card drive, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve b. Grant Submission Approvals the committee has been provided the memo’s in their packet from Dr. Bookis and Ms. Hanscom. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the submission of grants, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve c. Budget Task Force Charge the chair of the select board wants the committee to review the budget task force charge, there is interest in the task force starting up again. Mr. Lehtinen recommends adding “develop and present at least 3 numerical scenarios” Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to table this until next meeting, Mr. Lehtinen seconds the motion all approve Discussion d. Master Planning Committee Ms. Archambault reports they met, as previously they couldn’t get a quorum. The committee decides they will go through the list and will send their priority list to Dr. Burnham and Ms. Archambault 12. Reports Ms. Brzozoski Come see me at the vendor fair Saturday I have 300th Lunenburg anniversary stickers, which will be in 2028. LEAF met and welcomed new members, they are still waiting for their 501 C3 status to be approved. The wellness committee met and will be doing survey of student behavior, and I am excited to see the results. Mr. Beardmore the High School advisory met on 4/27 had a budget discussion and the effects on the high school and how the class registration process is delayed because of this. We also discussed the student activity fee, and end of year calendar. Ms. Archambault Middle School advisory met on 4/26 and discussed MCAS schedule, handbook, approved minor changes, discussed the DC trip which will be going via bus this year. Mr. Sculimbrene The PTO met on Monday night, cruise event with Lions club, met with some of the people bringing cars. They are wondering what will happen to their room at TCP when the staff move out of the building. Dr. Burnham does not have any authority over whether any space after they move from the building. They should reach out to the town manager Mr. Lehtinen LMBDC met before town meeting, the plan did not pass, but will still be on the ballot for a town vote 13. Public Comment Dave Passios I got a chance to hear some of the members comments regarding the budget task force. Last night I made some very marked comments relative to the challenge that had tasked the select board with last year. Shortly after elections, my comment to them was, you need to get over your issues and you need to bring the town out of the hole, you need to lead this town, the executive branch is the branch that needs to deal with budgetary problems and passing it off to a committee that is then going to have to go back to paid employees and department heads to get information, digest it, and then spit it back again at the select board and executive branch is a waste of time. I told them it is their responsibility to run the town and use every resource available to them. Ms. Brzozoski I would like to welcome our incoming superintendent I am very excited and this was a big decision. Thank you for everything Dr. Burnham you have been our measuring stick, you are going to be really hard to replace. I think there are a lot of things that you do that we don’t even know about, because you make it look effortless. Mr. Beardmore I want to repeat all of the thank yous. I am so excited we are on the cusp of finishing the AC project at the Primary School, it has been a long road and we may have everything we need procedurally. I am proud of the stick-to-itiveness of our administration and this committee to make sure that project happens. Ms. Archambault Thank you PAC for everything they do and John for being everywhere when needed. The people in this community are so much better informed because of what you do. ===PAGE 11=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Mr. Lehtinen Thank you to my wife and children, if you are up –Go to bed! 14. Topics for Future Discussion Dr. Burnham is working on the State of the Schools report 15. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to enter executive session and adjourn immediately after at 9:58 pm, Ms. Archambault seconds the motion, motion approved via roll call vote 16. 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 Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-15-agenda-7223.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-15 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-15-agenda-7223.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05152025-7223 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Thursday, May 15, 2025 6:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Carol Archambault-Secretary Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=861321 47451 Meeting ID: 766 316 7607 One tap mobile +19292056099,,7663167607# US+13017158592,,7663167607# US (Washington DC) https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keEQiMHAD5 This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page(h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Public Comment 3. 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. 4. New Business Action a. Superintendent Contract 5. Old Business Action a. First Read 3601.1 Bus Fee Policy 6. Public Comment 7. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-15-minutes-7223.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-15 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-15-minutes-7223.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05152025-7223 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Thursday, May 15, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Carol Archambault, Secretary - Present Peter Beardmore, Member - Present Laura Brzozoski, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Lehtinen at 6:30 pm 2. Public Comment Mr. Lehtinen reads aloud a welcome letter to the new superintendent Dr. Jodi Fortuna. Dear Lunenburg family, staff, and community members we are excited to share that Lunenburg School Committee has voted to appoint Dr. Jodi Fortuna as the next superintendent of Lunenburg Public Schools beginning July 1 2025. Dr. Fortuna comes to us with over 20 years of experience in educational leadership and a deep commitment to student achievement, inclusive practices, and a strong school community. She currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning in the Brookline Public Schools where she has led important district-wide instructional initiatives and worked closely with educators’ families and community partners. Her professional background also includes numerous leadership roles including Assistant Superintendent in Boston Public Schools, Principal Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent of Hudson Public Schools, Principal at Narragansett Regional School, and Assistant Principal at Northridge Public Schools. She began her career as a Special Education Teacher in the Dudley - Charlton Regional School District. She has continued to center her work on supporting all learners and empowering staff. Dr Fortuna holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Boston College and she brings a collaborative of out outcomes driven approach to school leadership. Throughout the search process Dr Fortuna impressed us with her thoughtful vision, her understanding of district systems, and her ability to bring people together. She is dedicated to listening, learning, and working in partnership with students’ educators, families, and the entire Luneburg community. This appointment follows a rigorous and inclusive search process that included public finalist interviews as well as a screening subcommittee made up of school staff, union representatives, town officials, parents, and Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 community members. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed time, insights and feedback throughout the process we look forward to welcoming Dr Fortuna to Lunenburg and beginning a new chapter together. She will be working closely with the school committee and current leadership to ensure a smooth transition in the months ahead. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our schools 3. 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 Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to enter executive session at 6:33 Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approve via roll call. Committee returns at 6:43 4. New Business Action a. Superintendent Contract Mr. Sculimbrene and Ms. Archambault met with Dr. Fortuna on Tuesday. The contract includes an annual salary of $174,000, we accepted the request to reimburse her for the membership fee of American Association of Superintendent which is $485 per year. This is a 3 year contract with a 2 ½% raise each year. Ms. Archambault makes a motion to accept the contract, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote. 5. Old Business a. First Read 3601.1 Bus Fee Policy Ms. Brzozoski reads the policy out loud. 6. Public Comment 7. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 6:52, Mr. Beardmore seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-20-agenda-7232.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-20 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-20-agenda-7232.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05202025-7232 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== MEETING NOTICE SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 20, 2025 4:00 pm REMOTE MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Brian Lehtinen, Chair Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Carol Archambault Peter Beardmore Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=894 16878777 Meeting ID: 766 316 7607 One tap mobile +19292056099,,7663167607# US (New York) +13017158592,,7663167607# US (Washington DC) Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keEQiMHAD 5 This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page(h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Public Comment 4. Old Business Action a. Second Read 3601.1 Bus Fee Policy 5. Public Comment 6. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-20-minutes-7232.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-20 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-20-minutes-7232.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05202025-7232 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 20, 2025 REMOTE MEETING – 4:00 School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Laura Brzozoski - Present Mandy Gilman - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Sculimbrene at 4:00 pm 2. Public Comment None 3. Old Business a. Second Read 3601.1 Bus Fee Policy Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to waive second reading, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve via roll call 4. Public Comment None 5. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 4:07, Ms Gilman seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-21-agenda-7235.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-21 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-21-agenda-7235.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05212025-7235 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, May 21, 2025 6:30 pm, LMS Collaborative Room #D132 HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Chair, TBD Dr. Kate Burnham Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Secretary, TBD Laura Brzozoski Recording Secretary Member, TBD Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 11. Reports 2. Pledge of Allegiance 12. Public Comment 3. Public Comment 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 3/5/25 & 3/12/25 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 5/6/25 to 5/16/25 $130,589.17 8. Superintendent’s Report 9. New Business Action a. Committee Reorganization  Election of Officers & Appointment of Sub-Committee Members  Authorize Policies & Procedures to Remain in Force  Annual Student Activity Accounts Authorization  Annual Town Meeting-Auditorium Waiver b. Letter to Legislature-Funding Reform Commission c. Review of Operating Protocols d. SC Draft Meeting Calendar 2025-2026 10. Old Business Action a. Evaluation/Audit Reports b. 3601.01 Third Read Bus Fee Policy c. Finalized Superintendent Contract Discussion c. Curriculum Office Updates d. Strategy Action Plan Update-Core Values e. Budget Task Force Charge ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-05-21-minutes-7235.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-05-21 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-05-21-minutes-7235.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05212025-7235 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, May 21, 2025 LHMS Collaborative Room #D132 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman Secretary - Present Emily Young, Member - Present George Yapp, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: 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 reasonably 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 Mr. Sculimbrene at 6:37 2) Pledge of Allegiance 3) Public Comment –Ms. Brzozoski would like to welcome the three new members and thank you for stepping up and volunteering. 4) Chair’s Report Mr. Sculimbrene (after elected) I am super glad that everybody who is here tonight is here. One of the things that I have learned on school committee is everybody brings something different to the table and everybody brings something that matters. When Peter joined and then Laura joined they brought real and different skill sets to the job. It made us better and I think that one of the things that we do that maybe not every committee does in town is we work with comedy and respectfulness. I think we are going to do that going forward and as I have said to many people, it is not what you believe, it is how you believe it. If we are going to be respectful then I think this going to work, so thank you for coming. 5) Student Representative Report None 6) Review & Approve Minutes a) Regular Session 3/5/25 & 3/12/25 Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, the motion passes with two yes’s and 3 abstain 7) Review & Approve Warrants, Line Item Transfers & Donations a) Warrants 5/6/25 – 5/16/25 $130,589.17 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) Superintendents Report Welcome to the new members of the committee. Cruise night has been rescheduled to 5/28. We have received 1006 transportation forms so far, which is down from 1450 last year. Kindergarten screening is June 2, the Middle High School concert is on May 29th, chorus at 5:30 and band at 7 pm. Eighth grade is currently out on their annual Washington DC trip. There was a bus accident today, and a special thanks to everyone who coordinated around it. I was not in as I was out on bereavement. Thank you Dr. Gilson, Juliana Hanscom, our SRO Brad McNamara, Chief Sullivan from the fire department, Sandra Martin from Dee Bus, and Liz Peterson. There was a lot of outgoing communication and coordination back and forth. Congratulations to the bus driver for handling the bus in a way that kept all the kids safe. Upcoming Dates 5/26/25 All schools and offices are closed for Memorial Day 6/4/25 School Committee Meeting 6:30 and Annual Retiree Celebration 6:00 6/4/25 Last day of school for seniors and motorcade in the morning 6/5/25 Senior Awards 6/7/25 Graduation 6/18/25 Last School Committee meeting for the school year 9) New Business Action a) Committee Reorganization i) Election of Offices & Appointment of Sub-Committee Members Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to nominate Mr. Sculimbrene as Chair Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to nominate Ms Brzozoski as Vice Chair, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to nominate Mandy Gilman as Secretary, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote. The committee goes through all sub committees and assign a member to each one Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept all appointment of subcommittee, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion, all approve ii) Authorize Policies & Procedures to Remain in Force Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to continue as is Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve iii) Annual Student Activity Accounts Authorization Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to authorize annual student activity accounts, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve iv) Annual Town Meeting – Auditorium Waiver Ms. Gilman makes a motion to continue waiver, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion, all approve v) Grant Approval – Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion for the school committee to authorize the superintendent and those delegated by the superintendent to pursue all grants for the next 12 months that promote Lunenburg School Districts strategy for continuous improvement, Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve b) Letter to Legislature – Funding Reform Commission Ms. Gilman has drafted a letter in regards to Chapter 70 funds. She can forward the letter to Liz Peterson to be sent out to delegates. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the letter with revisions as stated, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 c) Review of Operating Protocols discussion over present protocols and possibilities to streamline meetings and try to get more public attendance and participation Ms, Brzozoski makes a motion to accept protocols as is and bring back for review at next meeting, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion all approve d) SC Draft Meeting Calendar 2025-2026 discussion about adding a meeting in August for budget discussion, email sent to Town Manager for ideas. 10) Old Business Action a) Evaluation/Audit Reports a report in in the committee’s packet b) 3601.01 Third Read Bus Fee Policy Mr. Sculimbrene reads the policy aloud Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the Bus Fee Policy 3601.01 as written, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to allow a public comment, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve Justin Reppuci, 1147 Mass Ave I have put in a waiver for fees, due to unsafe sidewalk, when will I know if it is approved Committee responds the waiver needs to go to superintendent’s office and will be notified of a decision, and if you are unsatisfied you can appeal c) Finalized Superintendent Contract The contract has been signed, our lawyer came to us after the fact with multiple changes to the contract. The committee agrees to allow the contract that was ratified to be the final contract Discussion d) Curriculum Office Update there is a link to a video in the committees folder any questions can be referred to Dr. Bookis e) Strategy Action Plan Update- Core Values Members will review the information and if there is any feedback with send to superintendent f) Budget Task Force Charge uncertain if the task force will be starting up again 11) Reports None 12) Public Comment Mandy Gilman In regards to the state budget, there are two areas I would like to talk about. There may be some money coming through Special Ed Circuit Breaker for the current fiscal year. There is also a one-time millionaire’s tax, it could mean some money for Lunenburg. When the final budget is signed, if we have more money than we are currently expecting, we as committee should have a plan of spending. I’d like to know when we get this money, what it will be used for. 13) Topics for Future Discussion Possible increase in funding for Lunenburg and a plan of how it will be spent 14) Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 9:08 pm Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approved Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-06-04-agenda-7251.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-06-04 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-06-04-agenda-7251.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-7251 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, June 4, 2025 6:30 pm, Town Hall HYBRID MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Kate Burnham Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance, Tim Santry-LMHS Principal, Norm Yvon-THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary School Principal In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Retiree Recognition 4. Public Comment 5. Chair’s Report 6. Student Representative’s Report 7. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 3/19, 4/7, 4/16. 4/30, 5/1, 5/5, 5/6, 6/7, 5/15. 5/20/25 8. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 5/19/25 to 5/29/25 $598,262.60 9. Superintendent’s Report 10. New Business Action a. FY26 School Handbook 11. Old Business Action a. 2024-2025 SIP Progress Reports b. Facilities & Grounds Report c. Review of Operating Protocols 12. Reports 13. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion 15. 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. 16. Adjournment ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-06-04-minutes-7251.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-06-04 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-06-04-minutes-7251.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06042025-7251 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, June 4, 2025 TOWN HALL 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Kate Burnham Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Emily Young Secretary - Present Mandy Gilman, Member - Present George Yapp, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson – Director of Administration and Finance, Tim Santry – LMHS Principal, Norm Yvon -THES Principal, Carla Squier – Primary School Principal 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 reasonably 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 Ms. Brzozoski at 6:30 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Retiree Recognition Dr. Burnham reports Ms. Karyn Giuliani is retiring from the High School and has been with Lunenburg for 24 years, she has done a phenomenal job with the art department. Ms. Peggy Proctor is a World Language teacher working with grades 8 through 12, we thank her for her 26 years of service. Mr. Robert Hill is a Science teacher at the high school and has been with us for 26 years. He and his wife will be working at the family business at the apple orchard. We wish them all well and good health, happiness and lots of relaxation. 4. Public Comment Ms. Gilman – I am sorry Mr. Hill isn’t here, he was my geology teacher when I was a freshmen in high school. He was everyone’s favorite teacher, I am sure he still is. I am happy for him but sad he is retiring, he was such a great person, in the early 2000 he always hosted the rallies and always had some creative funny performance Liz Peterson – reads a letter in honor of Dr. Burnham retirement. Ms. Peterson presents Dr. Burnham with a plaque in honor of her 7 years and a bouquet of flowers. Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Kate Burnham, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Carol Archambault – Thanks three retirees for all of their service. Ms. Archambault reads her letter in honor of Dr. Burnham’s retirement. Ms. Brzozoski – I would like to honor our retirees and the length of time they have been part of our community and congratulations to our seniors that will be graduating in a few days. 5. Chair’s Report Isaac had Mr. Hill this year and he was one of the most engaging educators that he has had in his entire academic career. The only think I regret is that Isaac will not have the opportunity to have the other retiring teachers and my other son Ethan will not have the opportunity to have any of them. They were all extraordinarily gifted, they all reached students in a way that made them feel special and brought subjects alive. I am grateful that these people are working in the cradle of democracy, teaching our kids, not only how to be smart people, but also how to be good people. 6. Student Representative Report None 7. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 3/19, 4/7, 4/16, 4/30, 5/1, 5/5, 5/6, 6/7, 5/15, 5/20 Mr, Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve all the minutes, allowing the new members to abstain to the ones they were not part of, Mr. Yapp seconds the vote, all approve via roll call vote 8. Review & Approve Warrants, Line Item Transfers & Donations a. Warrants 5/19/25-5/29/25 $598,262.6 b. Donations Lauren Perilla donated $800 to the Primary School for the purchase of STEM supplies for the next school year. Box top donation of $31.70 to be deposited in the gift account for future field trips and presentations. A donation of $2381.08 from the Scholastic Book fair also to be deposited into the gift account at the Primary School Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve all donations with gratitude, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote. c. Line Item Transfer $231,912.49 transferred from multiple lines to cover expenses, unemployment, student activities and spring athletics. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve line item transfers, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve via roll call. 9. Superintendents Report We have received 1,074 bus requests, and have 494 unpaid at this time. We will send a list to Dee bus, so they can designate bus routes, names will not be forwarded to Dee Bus unless or until the fee is paid. Today was the last day for seniors and was also the senior motorcade was this morning, senior awards will be held tomorrow and graduation will be on Saturday, there is a possibility due to weather the graduation will be indoors. Yanina Burns will be the part time Assistant Principal and part time Athletic Director for the next school year. There have been two finalists for the Finance Director position, however, both declined due to the salary. The move for TCP to Turkey Hill will be happening sooner than expected. A new program will be using our classrooms and we have to be completely vacated by 6/30 instead of 7/15. There has been some communication with the town manager for chairs of three major boards to meet rather than reconvene the budget task force. The plan at this time is to schedule a tri-board meeting once a month and that is the full membership of the school committee, the select board, and the finance committee. A list of dates for the meetings are supplied to the committee. All of these dates are on Tuesdays. Mr. Sculimbrene asks if we can go back to the town manager to adjust dates to be on dates that some of the meetings are already scheduled versus adding seven meetings for the School Committee. ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Upcoming Dates 6/16 Last day of school ½ day 6/18 Next School Committee Meeting 6/19 All Schools and offices are closed 7/7 ESY Special Education Program starts 7/14 Extended day summer program – located at the Primary School 10. New Business Action a. FY26 School Handbook the committee has been supplied with the handbook in their folder, any changes are in yellow. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept the handbook as proposed, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote 11. Old Business a. 2024-2025 SIP Progress Reports committee has been provided a School Improvement Plan for each school with notes on all updates that have happened. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve SIP plans as included in the folder. Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve via roll call vote b. Facilities and Grounds Report a comprehensive summary of all projects that have gone on this year and their status, along with all capital projects that will be underway for the summer. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve via roll call vote c. Review of Operating Protocols Ms. Brzozoski provided a version of the proposed operating protocols. Mr. Sculimbrene wants thing set as rules versus guidelines, we will always be able to vote to extend any section of the protocol. Ms. Brzozoski would like to keep them as a guideline. Ms. Gilman shares her experiences with testifying at the State House and having 2 minute time limit for comments. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the proposals with the removal of meetings being at one location and ban on PowerPoint and that these are rules and not guidelines as an amendment to the current protocols. Mr. Yapp seconds the motion, Motion passes with 4 approvals and 1 no. 12. Reports Mr. Sculimbrene I was unable to make the PTO meeting. The policy subcommittee will be meeting on Friday. Ms. Gilman reports the PTO had a great car show last week with the Lions Club, Teen Center, and Community Food Pantry. It was a wonderful day and I want to thank the schools for all their help getting the information out to students and thank you to the administrators who’ve offered great prizes, including Dr. Burnham who hosts kids for lunch and I have principals for the day both at Turkey Hill and the Primary School. Thank you to the fire department, library, and police department, the library is dong a slime party for a student, the fire department is doing a ride to school, and the police department is doing a ride to school also. It is a great community event across generations, we are hopeful to continue this. 13. Public Comment Ms., Gilman on our agenda for next meeting can we put some discussion on the budget task force. 14. Topics for Future Discussion A statement from the committee to guide our discussions going forward Budget ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Tri-Board Meetings Information from the Town Manager and if she can attend or a formal response on her timing Budget projections from the Superintendent Potential for meeting the new superintendent via zoom prior to a meeting in July MASC workshop on superintendent evaluations and school committee roles and responsibilities 15. 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 16. Adjournment Ms. Gilman makes a motion to enter executive session and adjourn immediately after at 7:53, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion, all approve Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-06-18-agenda-7280.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-06-18 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-06-18-agenda-7280.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06182025-7280 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Kate Burnham Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: Dr. Susan Gilson-Director of Administration & Finance, Julianna Hanscom-Director of special Services, Dr. Deborah Bookis-Director of Teaching & Learning, Chris Stevens-Director of Facilities, Nadine Lorenzen-Food Service Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85906741187 Meeting ID: 859 0674 1187 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85906741187# US +13092053325,,85906741187# US This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Subcommittee Reports (15 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13.Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14.Adjournment 6. Review & Approve Minutes a. Regular Session 5/21/25 & 6/4/25 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 6/2/25 to 6/12/25 $350,385.98 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. DESE TFM Audit with Preschool Proposal (5 min) b. FY25 Budget Carryover Open PO’s (5 min) c. Geoffrey R. Lucier Scholarship Donation (5 min) d. Declare Surplus Equipment (5 min) e. Field Trip Guidelines (10 min) f. Forecasted Budgets FY27 & FY28 (15 min) g.Tri-board School Committee Statement (5 min) h. Community Eligibility Provision Approval (5 min) i. Curriculum End of Year Report & Update(5 min) 10. Old Business Action a. Paraprofessional Contract (5 min) b. FY25 Quarterly Budget Report (5 min) c. FY25 Quarterly Personnel Report (3 min) d. Keystone Report (3 min) ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-07-08-agenda-7301.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-07-08 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-07-08-agenda-7301.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07082025-7301 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Eagle House, 25 Memorial Drive, Lunenburg, MA 01462 Broadcast Status: In Person Only AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. This meeting will be broadcast live local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Tri-Board Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. New Business a. Tri-Board Ground Rules Adoption b. Discussions on consolidations, efficiencies, and timeline c. Discussions on Departmental Growth d. Specific Requests from Tri-Board e. Financial Management / Best Practices 4. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings - August 26, September 30, October 14, November 12, December 9, January 13 b. Finance Committee – July 10 5. Adjourn Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committ ee, and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board meetings may be further deliberated in future individual committee meetings c) The agenda has a lot of material so Public Comment periods have not been included. Please feel free to reach out with comments to members of Finance Committee or make Public Comments at future Finance Committee Meetings. Email addresses for Finance Committee members may be found at the following link: https://lunenburgma.gov/252/FinanceCommittee Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-06-agenda-7334.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-08-06 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-08-06-agenda-7334.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08062025-7334 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE WORKSHOP MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 Time: 4:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: Tracy O’Connell Novick-MASC Field Director In accordance with the requir ements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=854575196 62 Meeting ID: 766 316 7607 One tap mobile +19292056099, 7663167607# US (New York) +13017158592,,7663167607# US (Washington DC) Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keEQiMHAD5 This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenbu rg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 3. 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. 4. New Business Action a. Donations (2 min) b. Business Administrator Contract Approval b. Workshop-Roles & Responsibilities of the School Committee and Superintendent Evaluation Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-06-agenda-7336.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-08-06 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-08-06-agenda-7336.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08062025-7336 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE WORKSHOP MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 Time: 4:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: Tracy O’Connell Novick-MASC Field Director In accordance with the requir ements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=854575196 62 Meeting ID: 766 316 7607 One tap mobile +19292056099, 7663167607# US (New York) +13017158592,,7663167607# US (Washington DC) Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keEQiMHAD5 This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenbu rg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 3. 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. 4. New Business Action a. Donations (2 min) b. Workshop-Roles & Responsibilities of the School Committee and Superintendent Evaluation Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-06-minutes-7334.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-08-06 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-08-06-minutes-7334.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08062025-7334 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna , Superintendent of Schools MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, August 6, 2025 LMHS – D132 4 :00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski , Vice Chair - Present Emily Young Secretary - Present Mandy Gilman , Member - Present George Yapp , Member - Absent Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests : Tracey O ’Connell Novick – MASC Field Director 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 reasonably 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 2. 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 - Returned to regular session at 6:11 3. Pledge of Allegiance 4. New Business Ms. Brzozoski announces that Chris McNamara has been hired as our Business Administrator Action a. Donations i. Kevin T Szocik foundation donated a check in the amount of $895 to Lunenburg Middle High School Athletics Program Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the motion, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve b. Business Administrator Contract Approval – Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the contract, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approve c. Workshop- Roles & Responsibilities of the School Committee and Superintendent Evaluation Ms. Tracey Novick discusses roles of the school committee along with the process of superintendent evaluations. Ms. Novick shares some worksheet presentations. 5. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 5:41 Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-06-minutes-7336.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-08-06 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-08-06-minutes-7336.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08062025-7336 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, August 6, 2025 LMHS – D132 4 :00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Emily Young Secretary - Present Mandy Gilman, Member - Present George Yapp, Member - Absent Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Tracey O’Connell Novick – MASC Field Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 broug ht up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law 1. Call to Order 2. 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 - Returned to regular session at 6:11 3. Pledge of Allegiance 4. New Business Ms. Brzozoski announces that Chris McNamara has been hired as our Business Administrator Action a. Donations i. Kevin T Szocik foundation donated a check in the amount of $895 to Lunenburg Middle High School Athletics Program Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the motion, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve b. Business Administrator Contract Approval – Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the contract, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approve c. Workshop- Roles & Responsibilities of the School Committee and Superintendent Evaluation Ms. Tracey Novick discusses roles of the school committee along with the process of superintendent evaluations. Ms. Novick shares some worksheet presentations. 5. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 5:41 Ms. Gilman seconds the motion al l approve Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-26-agenda-7364.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-08-26 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-08-26-agenda-7364.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08262025-7364 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Bilotta Meeting Room Town Hall Broadcast Status: In Person/Remote AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. This meeting will be broadcast live local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909- 174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. I. TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. NEW BUSINESS a. Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories: Human Services (Health Services, COA, Veterans) Culture and Recreation (Band Concerts, Library, and Historical Commission) Health Insurance b. Review and Approve Minutes of July 8, 2025 III.IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS a. Tri-Board Meetings - September 30, October 14, November TBD, December 9, January 13 ADJOURN Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-08-26-minutes-7364.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-08-26 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-08-26-minutes-7364.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08262025-7364 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Minutes School Committee Meeting Minutes Meeting of the Tri-Board, August 26, 2025 Town Hall, 17 Main Street and Zoom Note: References to the Tri-Board in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board Select Board Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Clerk Renee Emkey (via Zoom), Member Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod (Absent- Vice Chair Amada Moore) School Committee Members Present: Chairperson Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chairperson Laura Brzozoski (left meeting at 8:29 p.m.), Secretary Mandy Gilman (left meeting at 9:02 p.m.), Member George Yapp (Absent- Member Emily Young) Finance Committee Members Present: Chair Chris Menard, Clerk Tom Gray, Member Tanya Dall, Member Ana Lockwood (Absent- Vice Chair Jean Russell, Member Jay Simeone, and Member Mike Rupp) Tri-Board Moderator: Tim Murphy, Town Moderator Also Present: Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Superintendent Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Finance Director Ezequiel Ayala, and School Business Manager Christopher McNamara TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Tim Murphy, who served as Moderator. He asked everyone to stand and address the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Murphy provided an overview of the open meeting law requirements, noting that the meeting was being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, Facebook Live, and would be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. After the Pledge, Mr. Murphy invited each Chair to officially open their respective meetings and introduce their members. School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene called the meeting of the School Committee to order and announced that Member Emily Young would be absent. Caesar Nuzzolo, chair of the Select Board, called their meeting to order at 7:04 PM with Renee Emkey (via Zoom), Glenn McLeod and Brian Lehtinen also present. Chris Menard, Chair of the Finance Committee, called the meeting of the Finance Committee to order with Tom Gray, Ana Lockwood, and Tanya Dall present. I. NEW BUSINESS a. Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories Human Services, COA Debra Goodsell, Adult Activity Center Director, presented the preliminary budget for the Lunenburg Adult Activity Center. She outlined the COA's mission, FY25 statistics, recent ===PAGE 2=== kitchen renovations, program breakdowns, sources of outside funds, budget numbers, organizational chart, FY27 goals, and budget requests. Ms. Goodsell reported that in FY25, there were 13,931 check-ins at the center, with 1,185 unduplicated individuals and the center averaged 47-51 visitors per day. She highlighted the recent kitchen renovation, which was completed on budget in two months and now includes a commercial-grade setup that passed inspection. Ms. Goodsell detailed the wide range of programs offered at the Center including regular programming and special holiday events. Transportation services through MART served 42 individuals, while outreach services helped 396 individuals with various needs. The center also delivered 4,748 Meals on Wheels to 41 individuals and served 2,417 on-site meals to 268 individuals. Ms. Goodsell discussed outside funding sources, including donations through the Select Board, $10,000 annually from the Eagle House supporters, and a state formula grant of $46,800 based on the senior population. For the FY27 budget, Ms. Goodsell proposed staffing changes, including creating a new Program Coordinator position and changing the Outreach Worker role to an Assistant Director position. She estimated a total budgetary increase of $8,000, which includes these changes. During the discussion, committee members raised questions about the proposed staffing changes, the process for implementing them, and the potential impact on current staff. Ms. Goodsell clarified that the changes would not take effect until July 1st of the next fiscal year and that the Outreach Position would be absorbed into the new Assistant Director role. Culture and Recreation, Library Muir Haman, Director of the Lunenburg Public Library, presented the preliminary budget for the Library. He provided an overview of the library's mission, usage statistics, anticipated budget for FY27, outside funding sources, and state certification requirements. Mr. Haman reported that in FY25, the library had 68,000 visitors, a 4% increase from the previous year. The library offered 410 programs with 6,700 attendees. Physical item circulation was 77,543, while electronic resource circulation jumped to 34,363 items. The library's FY27 budget request was $671,142, which includes salaries, materials, utilities, and other core services. Mr. Haman explained the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) certification requirements, including the municipal appropriation requirement and materials expenditure requirement. Mr. Haman also addressed potential staffing changes, including the upcoming retirement of the children's librarian and the need for additional support in various areas. He presented a three-year staffing growth plan, which includes adding a specialized programming services librarian and increasing hours for existing positions. He discussed the library's membership in the Central and Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing (CWMARS) network, which allows resource sharing among 150+ ===PAGE 3=== libraries. The annual assessment for this membership is expected to increase to the full membership fee of $8,000 in FY27. The presentation concluded with a discussion of federal funding uncertainties and their potential impact on library services. Mr. Haman noted that some databases previously provided by the state had been discontinued, requiring the library to purchase them directly. Committee members asked questions about the library's trust funds and database usage tracking. Health Insurance Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment presented an overview of the town's health insurance costs. She explained that the FY26 health insurance budget is $3,298,520, which represents 7% of the total budget. This figure does not include school active employees but does cover town active employees and all retirees. Ms. Warren-Dyment explained that Town Meeting had accepted MGL Chapter 32B, Section 19 in 2008 which requires a written agreement between the Town and the Public Employee Committee (PEC) which requires the Town to have contracts with health insurance carrier(s) in accordance with the Agreement. She also discussed the structure of the Public Employee Committee (PEC) and its role in negotiating health insurance plans. Mary Foyle, Chair of the PEC, stated that it been four years since there had been negotiations and discussed some of the prior areas that have been explored for const containment. Ms. Warren-Dyment detailed the current health insurance plans being offered, the enrollment figures, and cost history. The town participates in a health insurance trust through the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Agency (MIIA), which includes over 160 cities and towns. She explained that recent years have seen significant increases in premiums, with FY26 seeing a 14.8% increase. Ms. Warren-Dyment discussed potential alternatives such as exploring alternative providers like the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) and enhancing the current opt-out program and potential changes to make it more attractive. School Committee Secretary Mandy Gilman announced she needed to leave the meeting due to family obligations during the discussion. With lack of quorum, Chair Sculimbrene moved to adjourn the meeting of the School Committee. Seconded by Clerk Gilman. The motion passed unanimously at 9:02 p.m. Mr. Sculimbrene and Mr. Yapp remained for the remainder of the meeting. citing family obligations). Ms. Warren-Dyment projected a potential over a million-dollar increase in health insurance costs over the next three fiscal years if current trends continue. Committee members engaged in a discussion about potential strategies to manage these increasing costs. They discussed revisiting the opt-out program to make it more financially appealing. They also discussed considering changes to plan designs, such as increasing deductibles. Ms. Warren-Dyment emphasized that any significant changes would require careful consideration and negotiation with the PEC and various stakeholders. ===PAGE 4=== Human Services, Health Services Ms. Warren-Dyment presented the preliminary budget for Health Services (Board of Health). The total human services budget, which includes the Council on Aging and Veterans Services, is under half a million dollars, with the Health Services budget at $126,000 for FY26. Ms. Warren-Dyment explained that the Board of Health consists of five elected members responsible for formulating and enforcing local rules and regulations affecting public health. They are supported by a 32-hour per week administrative assistant and receive services from the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health, which serves 15 other local communities. The preliminary budget projections show a relatively level budget with a 6.51% increase or $8,200. This includes contractual increases for staff and assumes a 10% increase for Nashoba Boards of Health and Nashoba Nursing services. Ms. Warren-Dyment noted that Nashoba has experienced recent staffing difficulties, which may impact future budgets. She also mentioned a potential staff retirement in the next 0-5 years and upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations for FY27. Human Services, Veterans Ms. Warren-Dyment presented the Veterans Services budget, explaining that Massachusetts state law requires all municipalities to administer Chapter 115 benefits to qualifying veterans. The Town must appoint a Veteran Service Officer (VSO) to manage this program. Currently, Lunenburg has seven individuals receiving Chapter 115 benefits, ranging from under $100 to over $1,000 per month. The town pays out all benefits first and is then reimbursed 75% by the state. The VSO, Michelle Durkey, serves Lunenburg and three other communities, receiving a stipend of $11,000 per year. Ms. Warren-Dyment proposed keeping the overall budget flat at $77,000 for the foreseeable future unless there are changes in the veteran population. Committee members discussed the reimbursement process and explored the possibility of creating a revolving fund for veterans' services to better reflect actual town expenditures. Culture and Recreation, Band Concerts Ms. Warren-Dyment briefly presented on the town band concerts which have been level- funded at $6,000 for several years, with band members paid $40 per performance. There are currently 35 members in the town band. Committee members raised questions about the oversight and organization of the town band, including how to join and how sponsorships work. Ms. Warren-Dyment acknowledged that more information was needed and agreed to follow up with the Band Director, Steve Archambault. Culture and Recreation, Historical Commission Ms. Warren-Dyment stated that the budget had been reduced from $3,000 to $1,000 this fiscal year and she does not intend to change this appropriation. ===PAGE 5=== b. Review and Approve Minutes of July 8, 2025 The committee decided to table the review and approval of the July 8, 2025 minutes. It was agreed that each board or committee would review and approve these minutes at their respective upcoming meetings when they had full attendance. IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS The upcoming Tri-Board meeting dates were noted as listed in the agenda. No further discussion took place regarding these dates. ADJOURN At 9:46 PM, the chairs of each board moved to adjourn their respective meetings. Motion to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting. Moved by: Member Lockwood. Seconded by: Member Dall. The motion passed unanimously. Motion to adjourn the Select Board meeting. Moved by: Member Lehtinen. Seconded by: Member McLeod. Roll-Call Vote: Clerk Emkey- aye; Chair Nuzzolo- aye; Member McLeod- aye; and Member Lehtinen- aye. Minute Approval Select Board Minutes approved at the meeting of October 7, 2025 Select Board Motion to approve the meeting minutes of August 26, 2025. Moved by: Clerk Emkey Seconded by: Member Lehtinen. The motion passed unanimously. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-09-03-agenda-7385.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-09-03 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-09-03-agenda-7385.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09032025-7385 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, September 3, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Town Hall Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry-LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary School Principal In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is bein g broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenbu rg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 14. Adjournment 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 8/6/25 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 6/16/25 to 8/28/25 $1,753,054.41 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Appointment of SC Representative to Building Redesign Committee (3 min) b. Budget Timeline (3 min) Discussion a. Back to School Updates (5 min) 10. Old Business Discussion a. FY25 Budget Update 11. Subcommittee Reports (10 min) 12. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-09-03-minutes-7385.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-09-03 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-09-03-minutes-7385.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_09032025-7385 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, September 3, 2025 Town Hall 7:0 0 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski , Vice Chair - Present Emily Young Secretary - Present Mandy Gilman , Member - Present George Yapp , Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests : Tim Santry – LM H S Principal, Norman Yvon – THES Principal, Carla Squier _Primary School Principal 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Dave Ro d gers, 82 Highland Ave , I am here because of a memo I received, there are multiple paragraphs and there needs to be one more, in my opinion and that is that the previous superintendent was not as upfront, forthright, and honest as I would have liked her to be, and hopefully this will be sorted out tonight. 4. Chairs Report – Mr. Sculimbrene read a prepared statement regarding a memo sent by Dr. Fortuna to him, the Town Manager, and the Chair of the Finance Committee regarding a budget surplus that was recently discovered in the amount of $582,115.44. An explanation of general expectations of the school committee and the unhappy discovery of this surplus. The mem o explains the plans going forward to ensure this does not happen again and how they plan to make sure policies and practices are followed as they move ahead. 5. Student Representative Report We started school last week. The Primary School will celebrate “ dot ” day on September 15 th to celebrate creativity, it is inspired by Peter H. Reynolds book Dot. Picture day will be September 11 and 12 th at the Primary School and open house will be September 18 th . Turkey Hill picture day is September 10. Penny wars will be starting soon and open house is September 17 th . At the Middle School , student government will start on September 15 th , their first school dance is October 3 rd . The High School open house will be September 11 th , fall athletics will begin shortly. ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 8/6/25 – postponed until next meeting as not everyone has the minutes available for review 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers - FY 25 $174.05 from athletic dues and fees and move to special detail, $4900 out of business manager salary account to the stipends account, $53,395.19 out of building maintenance to cover sewage disposal, electricity charges and telephone charges, a discussion of transfer accounts regarding a double budget amount for paraprofessionals in the amount of $243,000, and a transfer of funds from High school specialized paraprofessionals into HR director thru over time for the high school custodians Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve line item transfers as outlined by Mr. McNamara, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve b. Warrants 6/16/25 -8/28/25 $1,753,054.41 c. Donations – None 8. Superintendents Report Dr. Fortuna explains the theme of Ohana , a Hawaiian word meaning Family. Schools are more than a place of learning they are a community where everyone belongs, unity, inclusivity, responsibility and love. My commitment is to ensure that every student and family in Lunenburg feels, seen, supported, and valued. I have sent out a survey to help with my entry plan . E arly survey feedback highlights strong pride in our teachers and in the sense of community that defines our schools. To date as of 6 pm we have received 184 responses, if you have not completed the survey, please do, I am really interested in hearing your voice. Senior sunrise was well attended and is a tradition that marks the beginning of their senior year. An example of the resilience Lunenburg School District has, was experienced on day 1 , when an unexpected fire occurred at Lunenburg Middle School, staff responded calmly and effectively ensuring that every student was safe. We welcome Jennifer Traverso as our new K -8 Literacy Coach Specialist, who is already partnering with teachers as they implement HMH and a new reading version. Our team submitted entitlement and competitive grant application, we have launched a new website for staff and families to keep everyone informed more easily, thank you Dr. Bookis for your work on this. Professional development this year will be building and department based, making it more relevant to day to day practice. Our schools continue to grow and evolve to meet student needs. I would like to welcome Am y Monahan - HS Art, Anabel S auer - Primary School Kindergarten, Beth Robinson - Primary School MTSS Support K- 2, Jen Traverso - district Literacy Coach, Amanda Lucy -TLC Program, and Kayla Dwyer – Primary School Kindergarten. We have 1,593 students enrolled across the schools including the ACE program. Our new Business Administrator, Chris McNamara, has begun his work with energy and focus as you have seen tonight, through reviewing expenditures dating back to FY22, he is developing a multi-year projection through FY29. Our maintenance and facilities teams worked tirelessly through the summer to get our school ready. Turkey Hill received fire alarm upgrades, the security upgrades are nearly done, additional parking, office improvements at Central office moved to Turkey Hill. New doors and hardware and we replaced a freezer. The Primary School finished HVAC upgrades, installation of new cameras, a grease trap, a dishwasher and a table at the primary school. We created a kitchenette for the ACE program. Juliana Hanscom represented Lunenburg and federal level advocating in Washington DC ensuring our districts voice was included in national discussions about special education funding and staffing. We have received DESE approval for our 240 262 federal grant as well as some Title 3 funding . 9. New Business Action a. Appointment of SC Representative to Building Redesign Committee determines Ms. Brzozoski is currently the appointed member. ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 b. Budget Timeline Committee has a budget timeline for FY 27 in their folder. Dr. Fortuna goes through the dates and expectations. Committee discussion their plans for information to be supplied and transparency expectations. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the budget timeline, with the exception of a possible edit of the March 16 th date after conferring with FinCom , Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. Discussion c. Back to School Updates Ms. Squier reports they have 394 students at the Primary School, not including the ELC. August 26 th we welcomed first and second graders, September 2, we welcomed kindergarten, preschool and ELC, and today we welcomed our second set of preschoolers. Yesterday we had Hank, Officer McNamara, and Officer Mu nroe in our building greeting students. We are working on the one Ohana , so it is a family that supports, respects, and uplifts each other. Today we worked with our fire department for our first fire drill, it was successful and everyone got out. One more new staff member we have at the Primary School is our full time evening custodian, Daniel Johnson. Additionally we have had some moves, we welcomed Derek Guimond, who was the physical education teacher at the high school and is now shared between the Primary School and Turkey Hill. We have Ms. Thompson, who was a paraprofessional at Turkey Hill, and also Miss Smith who was a paraprofessional through the ACE program and is now in our building. Some of our upcoming events are we will be having picture day. We will be having “ dot ” day, which is a celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration through the book by Peter Reynolds, The Dot. We will have our first community meeting as a school. Open house will be September 18 th from 5 to 7 . Mr. Yvon reports this opening at Turkey Hill was the best one he has seen in 40 years of education, we had a great first day and first few weeks. Over the summer we had Central Office, ACE and morning extended day all into Turkey Hill. As of this moment we are coexisting nicely and I expect that will continue. I want to give a special thanks and shout out to our custodial and maintenance team, Jimmy, Paul, Scott, Norm, Tom, Ryan and Chris. We had 4 doors replaced, they now all open and close correctly and securely, our fire alarm system was replaced, and we tested it this morning with our first fire drill. Our security system was also upgraded over the summer, new cameras and swipe cards for more than one door. Over the summer we did lose some students, we lost 8 third graders, 2 fourth graders and 7 fifth graders, we wish them well wherever they ended up. We did have a paraprofessional resign due to another opportunity, that position was filled by a member of the high school, we are at full staff. Over the summer we also had transfers in, we gained 6 third graders, 9 fourth graders and 5 fifth graders, they are fitting in well and have been welcomed by the teachers and their classmates. We have started this year with 357 students and an average class size of 23/24 for third grade with 113 students, 135 students in the fourth grade with an average class size of 27, and 109 students in the fifth grade with an average class size of 22/23. Last Thursday I did visit the Middle school to check in on the sixth grade students, they looked comfortable and ready to rock the school year. I want to thank our faculty, our staff, our students, and our families for the best start ever. Mr. Santry reports our first day of school was certainly not boring. We had a small fire, we evacuated 834 students and 130 staff members, the whole process from pulling the fire alarm until last student wa s picked up or on the bus was 1 hour and 13 minutes. I really want to thank Dr. Fortuna, our staff, our students, everyone was so calm and level headed. We have 388 students at Middle School class size 23-26, our 7 th grade is at 155 which is the largest class size I have had here. We welcome John Malloy from the high school to the middle school TLC. We have a Washington DC parent meeting scheduled for September 25 th , our open house is tomorrow night at 6 pm. The high school students are settling into their courses with 446 students , we are in the middle of add/drop so we don ’t have an accurate class size. We welcome Amy Monahan, she is ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 our Visual Arts teacher. Our largest class is 31 which is because of a reduction in foreign language. Fall sports and clubs are underway. Class advisors are underway with homecoming plans, homecoming will be November 1. Old Business Discussion d. FY 25 Budget The committee shares some questions that have come in, Dr. Fortuna and Mr. McNamara provide the answers and explanations of how situations occur, surpluses, debt, and how budgets are planned and prepared for. A discussion of new processes with purchase orders and how they are monitoring funds. Ms. Squier shared some of the things her students are missing out on and how hard it has made it, which is disappointing and frustrating based on an unknown surplus of money that was not spent and instead was given back to the town. Mr. Yvon shares some of the positions that were cut and left unfilled and the ability to meet all the students ’ needs is harder. Mr. Santry shares we had drastic reductions in services to students. We really could have used those funds to keep some of the positions. Dr. Bookis reports from a curriculum perspective all of the programs that were cut in order to meet the budget. 10. Subcommittee Reports Ms. Young reports the Master Planning Steering Committee has met several times over the summer, we did have to adjust quorum in order to start our meetings again, new positions have been filled as well, but we are still looking to fill a member at large position if anyone is interested. The committee is working hard to encourage growth while preserving what makes Lunenburg, Lunenburg. We are trying to find a balance between development and preservation though the initiatives asked for by the town and what the committee feels are “ must haves ” vs what are “ nice to have. ” Currently the committee has reached out to other committees and board in town to gather input related to the draft of the goals for the master plan and public meeting. A presentation will be coming soon. Ms. Gilman reports the PTO, (Parent Teacher Organization) will have our first meeting of the year next Monday at 7 at the Middle High School in the project room. I encourage any parents who are listening and want to come to join us. We are a low pressure organization and we are planning some really fun things for the year. Ms. Brzozoski reports the Lunenburg Municipal Design Committee has met twice, they talked about what they wanted going forward, I wasn ’t aware of the second meeting, so I will follow up on that. Mr. Sculimbrene reports the Athletic Advisory Committee has not met, Peter and I talked to Yanina about scheduling a meeting. We are scheduling a meeting for the High School Advisory as well, it is the 26 th at 3:00. 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight Mr. Ro d gers I don ’t think that there are 12 people in the hierarchy of Lunenburg that could put together the budget that you folks look at, not because they are not smart, but because of time constraints, families are traveling. What you have to do is trust the people that work with you and if they aren ’t doing what they are supposed to do, it is like shoveling sand against a tide. The people in the town are overworked, but this is the scenario we have to work with. It really is not easy. You really need a forensic accountant to go through all of this information. The previous Superintendent was a very capable person. I really miss not having Cassidy here. I have lived in Lunenburg for 50 years, I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, I would be remiss if I didn ’t thank each of you for what you do, it is a volunteer position and you put lots of hours in. The good news, this is a nice community made up of wonderful people, just because we had a catastrophic event, doesn ’t mean it is not salvageable and still a nice place to bring up your family. We have to work together and realize we will not get everything we want , but we will get this squared away because of people like you. ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Renee Emkey 6 Iris Court I am a member of the select board but I speak as myself tonight. I learned of this surplus last night, and it was gut punch, I was not happy and did not sleep. I know the superintendent who I have had the pleasure of meeting at the first tri-board meeting and Mr. McNamara are the messengers, you walked into this mess. I want to give a slightly different perspective. The first thing I thought of was the override year, the amount of money is 61% of that override amount, that is going back to the town, well the increase in taxes for that override 61% higher than needed. As timing would have it, there was fire on the first day of school, at the first tri-board meeting the chief presented what a fourth shift would cost, something that the fire department has been asking for, for a few years, I will round it up, it was $470,000, that surplus would have more than covered this amount. On the day of the fire there had been a serious medical incident going on and when the first engine arrived it only had one person on it because of the other medical emergency, this could have been much worse, and that money could have gone to that. We have had some turnover, superintendent, business manager, the school committee, majorit y of the members have turned over. I know you guys are aware of this, but this cannot happen again. I am stating the obvious , but , I need to get it off my chest. Leading up to this in the past 6 months or so there have been things that have come up, athletic revolving fund was running in a deficit, I was told over $100,000 , there was the ski team, Lunenburg was paying more than their fair share, a one month copy fee of $19,000, a line item transfer. There is 2020 hindsight, I think there were signs that things weren ’t working. You spoke to the trust and the confidence, it has definitely been damaged, I am speaking for myself and I don ’t think I am along, and I think you guys feel the same way. I ask you please, please put eyes on this. Please ask the questions and provide the answers. This cannot happen again, we can ’t go back, but I would love to know more of what we didn ’t get. Please be extra diligent, I know it is a lot of work, I sat through the rainbow budget season, and we all sat in this room far too many nights. So yeah this hurts. TJ Loughlin , 207 Rolling Acres Road I really do resonate with a lot of what Ms. Emkey said, she took the words out of my mouth. What I think is getting mixed up here in this meeting is the FY 25 and FY 26. My understanding is this is a FY 25 surplus, which is the override year, which the cuts that were made were ESSER cuts. So we didn ’t cut beyond ESSER, which is a really important thing to remember, because if we made only ESSER cuts, and then we dug in with $500,000 into that budget, what does that mean? Does that mean we didn ’t offer the services or did we actually make cuts that we as a town did not approve? That is important, what I have learned after the override passed, is that the school is budgeted money and then the school can do what they want with the money. When schools make decisions after the budget, we as citizens don ’t actually know how the funds were spent. We had a list of “ saves ” and at the end of the day we don ’t know if those positions were actually saved. The cuts that are listed don ’t actually have to be cut, other cuts could be made, other transfers could occur. The budget is one thing, but now we are talking about the actuals that we do not have access to and we are not really informed of it after the fact. I was criticized personally going into FY 26 – did the schools actually spend all of the override money and it was never an outright easy answer. The other question that I personally asked and probably Mandy too was, did all the teachers and paras actually get saved that we said we were going to save? This is alarming and erodes trust, especially for people like me that put a lot on the line, two years in a row for overrides. I went to bat for the school committee in front of the finance committee to say we all trust what they ’re saying. We have to trust them they are the experts, and now I find out that we couldn ’t. What could you even show us that makes us trust you now? I think we need answers, because what was cut in FY25, I know what was cut in FY 26 , we need to figure out what was not provided in FY 25 and then we can figure out the major implications to the FY 26 budget. Should we have actually decreased that budget by $500,000 and started with less money? Would we have cut more? Did we not have to make cuts? It is all very not clear to me. Peter Beardmore, 282 Pleasant Street As a former member of the school committee, I share in some amount of responsibility here. I feel like we didn ’t ask the right questions at the right time, particularly as FY 25 was getting into the latter months. Lets not lose perspective here, I think the right question ===PAGE 6=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 was asked, was this a budgeting problem or was this an operational problem? Was this a management problem? I believe it was a management problem, but I also believe the school committee actually put a lot more on the administration in the last several months of FY 25 then they could handle. Lets keep in mind some context here, at no time in the last two years have I ever heard that Munis is good, not once. The school department shares Munis with the town, not once did I hear we are caught up on PO ’s, payments or invoices. There has always been a backlog for the last two years … why ?... because we are efficient, we are a tightly knitted with the town, we work together really well to save on cost. We are not saving a damn dime doing it that way in my opinion. Everything requires a phone call, someone is out for the day, town hall is closed on Friday, and it is one thing after another. The operational part of this really needs a look. Yes I do think we need to look at FY25 and see what didn ’t get spent, but I actually disagree with the previous speaker. I think we really need to look at FY 26 and make sure that we don ’t need to redo the budget. We need to make sure we are doing the budget. Is Munis updated, is Munis coded correctly for FY 26? I suspect it is not. And if it is, and if you believe it is, I would say please double check. The administration has a responsibility to carry out the budget that the school committee votes for and I think ultimately that is where we have fallen short. I want to make sure going forward we are intent on doing that. That means the budget, but it also means all of the functions of the school, such as spending when it comes to grant funds as well. Postings, hiring ’s they should be approved by the school committee before they are made when they are funded off the budget. With respect to the unspent money, the money is not lost. The money is still there, it is free cash and it is going to roll over. It is going to be appropriated in one fashion or another. It now falls under a different fiscal policy, but the money is not gone, this is nowhere near as bad as what happened here 23 or so years ago. The money is still here, so lets keep that in mind. Peter Beardmore, Capital Planning Committee , Thank you for appointing me. The first meeting was held tonight across the street. The town manager outlined the capital plan requests to the CPC are due by October 1 st The good news is I think a lot of that work has kind of been done because if you recall last year we flipped FY27 and FY26 to deal with the Primary School air conditioner. I would encourage you to get moving on that and to whatever extent I can be helpful or consult with you folks I am happy to do that. Mr. Sculimbrene There were three people that are emeritus members of town government that I consulted with before talking tonight. I want to thank each and one of them. One asked not to be named, one was Carol Archambault, and one was Dave Ro d gers. I do not like delivering bad news, but they gave me really helpful insights. I was not feeling great about talking and Mr. Ro d gers say “ you got to do it ” Thank you 12. Topics for Future D iscussion 13. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 9:38, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion all approve ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-09-17-agenda-7408.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-09-17 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-09-17-agenda-7408.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09172025-7408 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenbu rg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) a. FY25 Budget Update (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) b. Community Q & A FY25 Budget (5 min) 3. Executive Session: To discuss the deployment of security personnel c. School Committee Goals or devices, or strategies with respect thereto. 12. Subcommittee Reports (3 min) 4. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 5. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) 6. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 15. Adjournment 7. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 8. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 9/2/25 to 9/15/25 $689,112.33 9. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 10. New Business Action a. Arts & Cultural Vitality Grant (3 min) Discussion a. Consideration of New Legal Representation (3 min) b. Increase in Office Support LMHS (3 min) c. FY27 Draft Capital Plan (5 min) d. Superintendent Goals Draft (3 min) 11. Old Business Discussion Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-09-17-minutes-7408.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-09-17 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-09-17-minutes-7408.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_09172025-7408 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, September 17, 2025 LMS Room D#132 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Emily Young Secretary - Present Mandy Gilman, Member - Absent George Yapp, Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 broug ht up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law 1. Call to Order at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Executive Session To discuss the deployment of security personnel or devices- or strategies with respect thereto. Returns from executive session at 7:34 4. Public Comment None 5. Chairs Report – None 6. Student Representative Report The Lunenburg Public Library will be hosting a writing contest with four different age groups for everyone to submit to, the deadline is September 25th and winners will be announced on October 3rd. Parents should fill out all their back to school forms, available on the Lunenburg Public Schools website. The Primary school will have their open house on September 18th, Turkey Hill had their open house tonight, they will have a book fair this week through the 19th and Penny wars will start on September 29th through October 3rd. At the Middle High school there will be a display of self-portraits on display in the school library from October 11th through November 9th. Our fall sports and activities are in full swing, you can catch a home game for any of our sports by checking the online schedules. The eighth graders will go to Washington DC this year, there will be an informational meeting Thursday September 25th at 6 pm in our auditorium. Guidance counselors recently visited the senior English classes to offer guidance about their futures and college applications. There is a college fair at MWCC on September 25th for all schools. Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 7. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session- None 8. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers FY 26 we will be moving $4,222.59 out of the curriculum adoption line and putting it into the Primary School workbook line and $550 from the Elementary School art supply to the Elementary Phys Ed line. FY25 transfers are from maintenance of buildings to sewage disposal, electricity charges and telephone charges in the amount of $50,701.43 and $26,524 transferred from the transportation line down to the Elementary Special Ed Para to athletic training coaches to athletic court time lines. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve transfers, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion all approve. b. Warrants 9/2/25-9/15/25 $689,112.33 c. Donations – Ms. Barooshian, President of the Music Gators, kids raised $1500 through toll booth in town, would like to donate $500 to Turkey Hill Music program and $1000 to the Lunenburg Middle High School Music supply budget Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the donation, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve 9. Superintendents Report Dr. Fortuna shares a list of district highlights and celebrations at each school along with recognizing our new staff members. Open house at the Primary School is tomorrow night, grades 1 & 2 are from 5 to 5:30 and Preschool and Kindergarten are from 6 to 6:45. The middle school had a successful open house on September 4th, it was well attended, and the middle school student government is in full swing and has started planning their first dance which will be October 3rd with an 80’s theme. The high school also had a successful open house on September 11th, parents had the opportunity to follow their student’s schedule. LMHS had a representative from the office of the District Attorney’s Community Outreach Program to provide information to parents about substance abuse as well as social media concerns. Homecoming is November 1st, the theme this year is countries, and each grade has begun building their floats. The guidance office has a full schedule of college admission representatives visiting. Our teaching and learning team has been actively engaged and working to support collaboration, instruction and student learning across the district. The business office has been working with town hall for permissions in Munis and working to make processes more automated. Thank you to our maintenance team for working together to get projects done in all of our schools. There is an upcoming PACSAL meeting October 2nd at 6 pm the topic is trunk or treat. 10. New Business Action a. Arts & Cultural Vitality Grant Details are in the folder for the school committee and posted online, this is year 3 of a 3 year grant, its approximately $7000 Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve Mr. Yapp seconds the motion all approve Discussion b. Consideration of New Legal Representation Dr. Fortuna would like to use a firm she has used in the past with 3 other districts, the fee is $25 more per hour and would like the committees approval to move forward with the change. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the change in legal representation with an amendment as Mr. Sculimbrene explained, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve c. Increase in Office Support LMHS Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve an additional 15 hours to secretarial support, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion all approve ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 d. FY Draft Capital Plan Committee and Mr. Beardmore discus the items on the drafted plan, to include the turf and track, plow for a truck, and some building renovations, safety film and playground e. Superintendent Goal Draft Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to pass over the superintendents goals and save for the next meeting, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion all approve 11. Old Business Discussion a. FY 25 Budget Update Mr. McNamara explains the surplus number has gone up to $603,885.97, the change is due to closing out purchase orders from FY25. Mr. McNamara and Dr. Fortuna explains how this may have occurred and how we can avoid this for the current and upcoming years. b. Community Q & A FY 25 Budget Mr. McNamara reads the questions that have been submitted and answers them for the public. Also discussed what the schools missed out on by not spending the funds. The committee explains some of the issues that have been discovered, to include double booking of the para salaries, the music program and supply line cuts, and also the process the committee had gone through in the past year and how they did not know this was the reality of the budget. c. School Committee Goals Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to pass table the school committee goals and the subcommittee reports, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve 12. Subcommittee Reports 13. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion 15. Adjournment Ms. Young makes a motion to adjourn at 9:29, Mr. Yapp seconds the motion all approve Respectfully Submitted, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-09-30-agenda-7427.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-09-30 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-09-30-agenda-7427.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09302025-7427 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Bilotta Meeting Room Town Hall Broadcast Status: In Person/Remote AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. This meeting will be broadcast live local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909- 174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. I. TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. NEW BUSINESS a. Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories: Public Safety DPW Facilities b. Review and Approve Minutes of August 26, 2025 III.IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS a. Tri-Board Meetings - October 14, November TBD, December 9, January 13 ADJOURN Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings. Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-01-agenda-7432.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-10-01 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-10-01-agenda-7432.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10012025-7432 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Town Hall Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher Stevens-Director of Facilities, Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Yanina Burns-Athletic Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is bein g broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 10. Old Business 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) Action 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) a. FY27 Draft Capital Plan (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 12. Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) 13. Executive Session -to discuss strategy with a. Regular Session 8/6/25 & 9/3/25 respect to collective bargaining or litigation if 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants an open meeting may have a detrimental effect & Donations (3 min) on the bargaining or litigating position of the a. Warrants 9/15 to 9/26/25 $464,149.66 public body and the chair so declares. 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Additional Primary Paraprofessional Position (3 min) b. Potential Hire for IT Dept.( 3 min) c. Fall Athletics Report (3 min) d. FY26 Quarterly Reports-Budget/Personnel/Keystone (5 min) e. Facility Fee Document Update (3 min) f. Facilities & Grounds Report (3 min) g. Authorization for Warrant Article Discussion a. FY27 Budget Priorities (5 min) b. Superintendent Draft Goals (3 min) c. School Committee Goals (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 d. Payment for Soccer Uniforms (3 min) ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-01-minutes-7432.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-10-01 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-10-01-minutes-7432.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_10012025-7432 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Town Hall 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Emily Young Secretary - Present Mandy Gilman, Member - Present George Yapp, Member - Absent Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Christopher Stevens – Director of Facilities, Yanina Burns – Athletic Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Executive Session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to enter executive session out of order due to technical difficulties, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve 4. Public Comment None 5. Chairs Report – None 6. Student Representative Report The winners of the Lunenburg Public library writing contest will be announced on October 3rd. Tonight the Lunenburg Field Hockey team is having a game in support of Hattie, who has a rare and aggressive brain tumor and is a member of the Primary School. On Friday October 3rd is Smile day and students are supposed to wear clothes with smiley faces. Turkey hill has had their Scholastic book fair and penny wars starts this week. Literacy night is October 22nd at the Primary School. The high school fall sports have started and are going well. The middle school has a dance this Friday. NHS is offering peer tutoring every Tuesday and AP exam registration is now open. Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 7. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 8/6/25 & 9/3/25 Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept minutes, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve 8. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers We have one transfer it is to move $20,000 from athletic insurance to athletic dues and fees, they were classified in the wrong object and org number Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the transfer, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve b. Warrants 9/5/25 – 9/26/25 $464,149.66 c. Donations – We adopted the third version of HMH, we have a surplus of HMH 2 supplies, and we would like to offer to donate to other districts that may be able to use these supplies. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the request to donate, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve 9. Superintendents Report Dr. Fortuna shares district highlights and celebrations. The FY26 budget is current under review. Staffing is being closely monitored and a recent retirement as created a savings that will allow us to hire a full time paraprofessional. Updates from the food and services review that was discussed in December of 2024. There are also updates on the IEP schedule processing goals. Dr. Fortuna shares her community engagement and communication. 10. New Business Action a. Additional Primary Professional Position Principal Squire included a letter in your packet asking for the support of a paraprofessional. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to add two paraprofessional positions where needed, Ms Young seconds the motion, all approve b. Potential Hire for IT Dept this was a position that was cut to part time, and it is not working at the middle high school, this would allow us to have coverage for the full school day. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve this request, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve c. Fall Athletics Report The committee has been provided a report of the fall athletics Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve d. FY26 Quarterly Reports – Budget, Personnel, Keystone The committee has been provided a report on budget, personnel Ms, Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the quarterly budget report, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the grant funds and revolving account, with the caveat that we remove family names from circuit breaker , Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve e. Facility Fee Document Update we would like to make 1 hour of AV support mandatory to match what it is costing us. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the increase in fees, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve f. Facilities and Grounds Report Mr Stevens gives an update on the Facility and Ground reports Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve g. Authorization for Warrant Article There are two warrant articles that have been proposed, the first one is to come up with a form of a stabilization account Ms. Gilman makes a motion to add this as a warrant item , Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. The second item discussed the school budget is based on an estimate of chapter 70 number, this year there is an additional $202,185, in order for the school to get this money it needs to be on the warrant for the Town meeting in November. Mr. Sculimbrene reads his reasons as to why he does not support this request. After a full discussion, Ms. Gilman decides to withdraw her motion for this ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 to be added as a warrant. Ms. Brzozoski discusses a potential for a forensic audit and best practices audit being added as a warrant article Discussion h. FY27 Budget Priorities Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to table this item until the budget priorities are declared, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion i. Superintendent Draft Goals Ms. Gilman makes a motion to table these items until a future meeting, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve j. School Committee Goals Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to move until a future meeting, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve k. Payment for Soccer Uniforms Soccer uniforms were purchased without the knowledge of the previous or current superintendent, they are personalized and cannot be returned. These will be kept and will be held for the soccer team until the Fall of 2026 11. Old Business Action a. FY 27 Draft Capital Plan Committee discusses the list of requests and they decide on their top choices Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to change the capital plan, it ends with a tie vote, in the event of a tie, the original plan will stay as is and be submitted. 12. Public Comment TJ Loughlin 207 Rolling Acres Road In regards to the salary reserve line as it relates to paras, and how these hires show up in next year’s budget items. If we assume the hires this year were increased for next year. When we propose FY27 and compare to the FY26, if we look at increases, will it look like an increase, or will it show a zero change in the line because we had hired the person. It is interesting using the salary reserve as a hiring mechanism, if we use that in full this year, how will it change next year? Will it be used as an ongoing hiring option? Ms. Gilman The PTO is selling gear and the sale ends next week, we will also have a Great Wolf Lodge fundraiser Anna Lockwood In regards to the $200,000, I supported the FY25 budget and override, we never want to disclose that we rely on state money solely, the community has taken funds from other departments and project to give extra money to the schools already, that $200,000 really has already been used and allocated to the school. As we are adding these positions into the budget, you are taking from the FY27 bucket of budget money. Amy King 3 Gabes Place In understand the comments regarding not being able to hire people in time, but there have been many comments about the whiteboards for the Primary School, and every supply line has been cut, can th$200,00 be used to bolster those items. I am disappointed to hear we have these soccer uniforms sitting in boxes, we have 14 seniors this year many that have been playing varsity since freshmen year, we have uniforms that are ripped and parents are sewing them. We also do have fundraisers, it may not be toll booths but we do fundraisers 13. Topics for Future Discussion 14. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 10:25, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve Respectfully Submitted Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-15-agenda-7458.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-10-15 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-10-15-agenda-7458.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10152025-7458 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Tim Santry -LMHS Principal , Norman Yvon -THES Principal, Carla Squier -Primary School Principal, Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 6/18/25 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 9/30/25 to 10/8/25 $280131.23(2 min) 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Discussion a. School Improvement Plans b. Assessment Report c. FY27 Budget Priorities d. Superintendent Entry Report e. Superintendent Draft Goals f. School Committee Draft Goals 10. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 11. Reports from Sub-Committees 12. Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) 13. Adjournment Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-15-minutes-7458.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-10-15 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-10-15-minutes-7458.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_10152025-7458 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, October 15, 2025 LMS D#132 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Emily Young Secretary - Present Mandy Gilman, Member – Present George Yapp, Member - Absent Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Tim Santry-LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary School Principal, Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment None 4. Chairs Report – I want to highlight two things, I want to thank all the teachers and staff that participated in Nature’s Classroom. Thank you to the parents who also chaperoned the trip. I would also like to highlight that float building is underway, all four classes are working on floats, it is a huge commitment, but is part of what makes Lunenburg so special. 5. Student Representative Report None 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 6/18/25 Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers None b. Warrants 9/30/25 - 10/8/25 $280,131.23 Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 c. Donations – Donation from PTO, they donated $1500 to each school to be used as principal believes is best. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the donations, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve d. Grants – we have been granted the opportunity to receive $105,000 in two amounts, one is $50,000 and one is $55,000, it has to be spent on a one-time option and cannot be added to the budget, Dr. Fortuna recommends this to be used for I-Touch screens at the Primary School and to restore iReady for one more year. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept these grants and spend as described, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve 8. Superintendents Report I would like the school committee to reconsider a vote we took two weeks ago regarding the soccer uniforms, we are currently adding an addendum to the bottom of the order forms regarding employees that do not adhere the rules will face consequences along with creating a uniform replacement plan. I do think it is the right thing to do to let our soccer players wear the uniforms for the rest of this season. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to disperse the soccer uniforms to the players as soon as possible, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve 9. New Business Discussion a. School Improvement Plan the plans have been put into the committee folders, each school has submitted their packet. The committee discusses chronic absenteeism in the high school b. Assessment Report The committee has been provided the report by Dr. Bookis. Dr. Bookis goes through the report and highlights some of the detail in the report c. FY 27 Budget Priorities My entry report and the assessment report both align with the budget priorities. This is more explained as a statement of our community values, not just numbers, we are looking a kids futures. Dr. Fortuna explains each priority and what that entails and how we make our investments to make this a success. d. Superintendent Entry Report The committee is very happy with the entry report and look forward to the positivity of the future in Lunenburg Schools e. Superintendent Draft Goals The committee has been provided the goals in their packet. Dr. Fortuna explains her goals and the structured elements of the goals. There are goals, key actions, and benchmarks and what will be provided to show evidence of each goal f. School Committee Draft Goals The committee discusses some ideas/topics that they would like to see on the list for goals. 10. Public Comment Chris Sullivan 108 Highland Street. As a parent of a 5 year soccer player and on behalf of the soccer boosters, I wanted to thank you for reconsidering your vote on the uniforms. Always feel free to reach out to the groups that are involved in the challenging situations, we may be able to help with explanations and dialogue. I think uniform replacement cycle is great. I would encourage using the Step students to have the job of tracking uniforms coming and out and keeping track of the state of the uniforms in relation to replacement cycles. 11. Reports from Sub Committees Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to table the reports, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve 12. Topics for Future Discussion DESE group will be meeting regarding Chapter 70 funding. Representative Scarsdale will also be having a forum and Ms. Gilman would like to put some information together to submit. Audits and the future of Turkey Hill including a conversation with the Facilities Director. ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 13. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 9:35, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve Respectfully submitted, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-24-agenda-7476.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-10-24 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-10-24-agenda-7476.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10242025-7476 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE POLICY SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING Friday, October 24, 2025 9:00 a.m., Turkey Hill Elementary School, Superintendent’s Office Regular Meeting AGENDA Policy Sub-Committee: Anthony Sculimbrene, Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Laura Brzozoski Guest: Liz Petersen 1. Call to Order _______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Public Comment _______________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Discussion: a. Middle School Pathways b. Competency Determination c. Sponsorships/Advertising d. Data Privacy ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Public Comment ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Adjournment ___________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-31-agenda-7488.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-10-31 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-10-31-agenda-7488.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10312025-7488 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE POLICY SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING Friday, October 31, 2025 9:00 a.m., Turkey Hill Elementary School, Superintendent’s Office Regular Meeting AGENDA Policy Sub-Committee: Anthony Sculimbrene, Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Laura Brzozoski Guest: Liz Petersen 1. Call to Order _______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Public Comment _______________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Discussion: a. Cash Handling b. MASC Policies ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Public Comment ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Adjournment ___________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-05-agenda-7496.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-11-05 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-11-05-agenda-7496.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11052025-7496 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Town Hall Bilotta Meeting Room Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is bein g broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 12. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 2. Executive Session: to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for 13. Reports from Sub-Committees (3 min) negotiations with nonunion personnel or to conduct collective bargaining 14. Topics for Future Discussions (3 min) sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel. 15. Adjournment 3. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 4. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 5. Chair’s Report (3 min) 6. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 7. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 9/17/25 & 10/1/25 8. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 10/15/25 to 11/3/25 $709,457.44 9. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 10. New Business Action a. James J. Larkin Scholarship Approval (3 min) b. First Read Policies 1303.1 Advertising in the Schools, 3303.01 Cash Handling, 5201.03 Middle School Pathways, 5204.01 Competency Determination (3 min) Discussion c. Discussion RE: Trust Commission (3 min) 11. Old Business Action a. Superintendent Draft Goals (3 min) Discussion b. School Committee Goals (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-19-agenda-7520.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-11-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-11-19-agenda-7520.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11192025-7520 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) Discussion 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) b. Update-FY26 Capital Plan (3 min) 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committees (3 min) 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) 14. Adjournment a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 11/3/25 to 11/17/25 $93,788.86 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. FY25 End of Year Report (3 min) b. Substitute Teacher Pay (3 min) c. Revision of FY27 Capital Plan Vote (3 min) Discussion d. Turkey Hill Discussion (3 min) e. Municipal Design Building Committee (3 min) f. Transport Vans (3 min) g. Preliminary Discussion-FY27 Budget (3 min) h. Massachusetts School Building Authority 10. Old Business Action a. Second Read Policies 1303.1 Advertising in the Schools, 3303.01 Cash Handling, 5201.03 Middle School Pathways, 5204.01 Competency Determination (3 min) Lunenbu rg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-19-agenda-7521.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-11-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-11-19-agenda-7521.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11192025-7521 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) Discussion 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) b. Update-FY26 Capital Plan (3 min) 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committees (3 min) 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) 14. Adjournment a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 11/3/25 to 11/17/25 $93,788.86 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. FY25 End of Year Report (3 min) b. Substitute Teacher Pay (3 min) c. Revision of FY27 Capital Plan Vote (3 min) Discussion d. Turkey Hill Discussion (3 min) e. Municipal Design Building Committee (3 min) f. Transport Vans (3 min) g. Preliminary Discussion-FY27 Budget (3 min) 10. Old Business Action a. Second Read Policies 1303.1 Advertising in the Schools, 3303.01 Cash Handling, 5201.03 Middle School Pathways, 5204.01 Competency Determination (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-21-agenda-7525.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-11-21 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-11-21-agenda-7525.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11212025-7525 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools MEETING NOTICE SCHOOL COMMITTEE POLICY SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING Friday, November 21, 2025 1:00 p.m., Turkey Hill Elementary School, Superintendent’s Office Regular Meeting AGENDA Policy Sub-Committee: Anthony Sculimbrene, Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Laura Brzozoski Guest: Liz Petersen __________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order _______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Public Comment _______________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Discussion: a. Medication Administration b. Acceptable Use Policy c. Guidance-Use of Artificial Intelligence c. 1303.1 Advertising in the Schools, 3303.01 Cash Handling, 5201.03 Middle School Pathways, 5204.01 Competency Determination ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Public Comment ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Adjournment ___________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-24-agenda-7532.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-11-24 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-11-24-agenda-7532.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11242025-7532 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING Date: Monday, November 24, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: In Person/Remote AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller Guests: In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. This meeting will be broadcast live local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909- 174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. 1. Tri-Board Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. New Business a. School Department 4. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – TBD b. Finance Committee – December 11 5. Adjourn Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings. Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-12-03-agenda-7548.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-12-03 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-12-03-agenda-7548.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12032025-7548 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Town Hall Bilotta Meeting Room Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary George Yapp, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is bein g broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committees (3 min) 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 10/15/25 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 11/17/25 to 12/1/25 $240,518.56 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Initial Approval-France & Switzerland Trip (3 min) b. Winter Athletics Report (3 min) Discussion c.2026-2027 School Calendar (3 min) d. Lunenburg Education Accelerator Foundation(LEAF) 10. Old Business Discussion a. FY 27 Budget (3 min) b. Turkey Hill Discussion (3 min) c. Massachusetts Building Authority (3 min) d. Third Read Policies 5201.03 Middle School Pathways, 5204.01 Competency Determination (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-12-03-minutes-7548.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-12-03 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-12-03-minutes-7548.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_12032025-7548 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Town Hall 7:0 0 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski , Vice Chair - Present Emily Young Secretary - Present Mandy Gilman , Member - Present George Yapp , Member - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests : Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Nancy Charbonneau, 170 Arbor Street, As a concerned resident based on my son when he was in the elementary school and based on the reading level s that were included in the 2024- 2026 Pr imary School Improvement Plan, I think it would be important for us to have an update on the reading levels of K-2 graders. I am not asking these questions to be critical of the elementary teachers, the teachers were amazing when he was in the elementary school. On November 24 th I sent an email to the superintendent, the chair and vice chair of the school committee requesting an update on the current reading levels of the K-2 nd grade to be addressed at the next meeting, I included questions in my email that I asked to be read into the record at the next meeting, will these be read tonight or at a future meeting. Dr. Fortuna does reply that it will be read in a future meeting in January as we will have an overall picture of what is happening using our internal assessment tools. 4. Chairs Report – None 5. Student Representative Report - None 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. 10/15/25 full committee did not get a chance to view the minutes, push to next meeting ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers - None b. Warrants 11/17/25 – 12/1/25 $240,518.56 c. Donations – Lunenburg Primary School donation from Hannaford Helps for $600.00 with the intended purpose of field trips and presentations. A donation to the Middle school from Hannaford Helps in the amount of $483.00 and is intended to be used for Middle School programming. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept both donations, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve 8. Superintendents Report Dr. Fortuna begins her report sharing her plans going forward regarding snow day calls. For future knowledge, the extended day program does not run in the morning of a 2 hour delay. Dr. Fortuna shares her spotlights and highlights, which included her attendance at the National Honor Society Induction and how wonderful the experience is, but also even more amazing was the next morning attending the Honor Roll breakfast at the Middle School. An update is shared on year to date expenditures. Dr. Fortuna introduces the new Director of Teaching and Learning, Dr. Sarfde . 9. New Business Action a. Initial Approval – France & Switzerland Trip Ms. Ayer, a French Teacher and Department head for the World Language Department, presents to the committee a proposal for a trip to France and Switzerland trip anticipated in April of 2027. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the trip, Mr. Yapp secon ds the motion, motion passes with 4 approval and 1 abstention Discussion b. 2026 – 2027 School Calendar Ms. Petersen shares with the committee the anticipated calendar as a first draft for the 26/27 school year. c. Lunenburg Education Accelerator Foundation (LEAF) An update on the status of the LEAF program. An ED foundation is another way to funnel funds into schools. LEAF has a functioning website, we can accept online donations, and we have received our first donation as well, which we have used toward sending mailers out to announce the official “ opening ” of our foundation. The plan is to fundraise until the end of this academic year and then open the grant process. 10. Old Business Discussion a. FY 27 Budget Ms. Gilman shares what some of the upcoming plans are with the Tri-Board meeting, and the beginning of January we may start to talk about an override. The committee discusses athletics and positions of Athletic Director and Athletic Trainer. b. Grants The committee has been provided documents on the Federal Entitlement Grant analysis that includes the narrative and visual of each grant over the past three years, which also includes suggestions and recommendation for spending of the funds. c. Turkey Hill Discussion Committee discusses creating a letter of intent regarding the decision of renovation or new building for Turkey Hill. It is very unlikely we could put in a competitive letter by the end of April to the MSBA. Dr. Fortuna shares a list of projects that are going to have to be done at the Turkey Hill Building in the near future, which are also listed in our capital plan. ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 d. Third Read Policies 5201.03 Middle School Pathways, 5204.01 Competency Determination committee members take turns reading the policies. Ms. Brzozoski m akes a motion to approve the policies, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve 11. Public Comment None 12. Subcommittee Reports Ms. Young reports the PACSAL has a meeting tomorrow via zoom at 6 Ms. Gilman reports the PTO is selling tickets to the new Spongebob movie and also selling blankets for $30 apiece, they will be here for Christmas, and we only have 100 to sell. Ms. Brzozoski reports the Municipal Building Committee continues to meet and continue to talk about plans for Town Hall, at this point it has been decided that the school offices will not be included in the iteration of Town Hall 13. Topics for Future D iscussion a list of accessibility upgrades that Turkey Hill needs 14. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski m akes a motion to adjourn at 9:27, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve Respectfully submitted, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-12-17-agenda-7572.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-12-17 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-12-17-agenda-7572.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12172025-7572 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Julianna Hanscom -Director of Special Services, Yanina Burns -Athletic Director, Tim Santry-LMHS principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary School Principal In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committees (3 min) 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 10/15/25 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 12/3 to 12/12/25 $217,820.97 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Winter Athletics Report(3 min) b. Budget Workshop-Initial Draft FY27 Budget(30 min) 10. Old Business Discussion a. Q & A FY25 Budget (5 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-12-17-minutes-7572.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2025-12-17 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2025-12-17-minutes-7572.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_12172025-7572 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, December 17, 2025 LMS Room D#132 7:0 0 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski , Vice Chair - Present Emily Young Secretary - Present Mandy Gilman , Member - Present TBD , Member - Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests : Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator , Julianna Hanscom-Director of Special Services, Yanina Burns-Athletic Director, Tim Santry-LMHS principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary School Principal 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Dr. Fortuna 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Brian Lehtinen, 88 Beachview Road, member of the Select Board. As the school committee liaison last night ’s select board meeting, we voted to approve sending a letter to the tri-board members. Mr. Lehtinen reads the letter out loud. Nancy Charbonneau, Arbor Street , Ms. Charbonneau comments on the emails she has sent to Dr. Fortuna and Mr. Sculimbrene regarding the current reading informatio n, I want to thank them for thoughtfully answering questions regarding reading levels for the elementary school students. I also want to thank Ms. Sarfde for her response and opening up the conversation about literacy. Ms. Charbonneau shares her concerns about the current reading levels in Lunenburg and is interested in partnering with the schools in any way possible to support. In a future meeting, can you share with the parents and the community the systems that you currently have in place to help the students close the gaps in reading for the students that are either well below or below the reading levels? Can you also share information on how you are implementing the tier one reading support so hopefully we can prevent as many students from falling behind in reading? How can community members, such as myself, partner with the schools to assist in helping the students and their literacy skills? A parent Myra, Arbor Street, also addresses the committee to express her concerns with her son in the first grade, while I take accountabilit y and do what is necessary to support my children and help them succeed. I make sure to help them with reading at home. While my son is receiving the reading support he needs, I am concerned that not all students that qualify for intervention are currently able to access it. I wanted to ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 bring this forward in a spirit of collaboration in advocacy of all learners. I want to thank you for all you do for our students. Dawn Gearin, 9 Crescent Terrace I have lived here for 32 years and I have had many different roles within the school and community. My big goal is to make the point that the athletic director job needs to be full time. I am living the nightmare of having a full time job cut and then I could be expected to do both of those full time jobs, I am lucky enough that I don ’t have too, that Greenhouse job was full time job at one point. From a coach ’s perspective, I cannot believe what an amazing job Yanina is doing, and I know this from a coach ’s perspective, because I coached this Fall, it was seamless. From the educator ’s perspective, she is at school doing a great job also. I feel bad for her, it is almost inhumane what is happening to her, because of the hours she is working. I am supporting her as she is doing a great job, but my big shout out is that the athletic director needs to be a full time job. How does it affect me? As a coach, when I need the AD in the morning, I don ’t want to reach out to them because she had been there until 9 or 10 the night before, I struggle as a coach to get what I need when I need it. As an educator, thank God, we have the other two administrators that are helping and pulling up the slack, which is unfortunate for them also, having more stuff dumped on them, but again I cannot get in touch with her until she gets to school, this is too much for one person. If you know anything about that job, you know it is a full time job, the fires you put out every day with parents, kids, and coaches alone is a nightmare. Managing the budget, gym, the fields, the transportation and the weather. In the past they have tried to have it be an educator , and those poor kids, that had that teacher, they were out almost 70 different days that is not fair to the kids. You have a great person working their tail off doing a great job at both of these, because she would never not do a great job. I am here to express the importance of the position being full time. Sports are a big part of kids ’ lives, more importantly if we lose sports, we will lose a lot of great kids. Ms. Gilman As a member of the committee, I would like to report, I do not receive a lot of the communication either, I don ’t know what is going on, whether only the chair gets the communication. However, Mr. Lehtinen, regarding what I think you are referencing, I knew nothing about it either, no email, no information, and I want the Select Board to know that. 4. Chairs Report – Mr. Sculimbrene reports he received an email from Mr. Yapp on December 7 th , and he indicated that he had a change in his job and is no longer able to serve on the school committee. Anyone that is interested in being on the school committee please let Dr. Fortuna or I know. 5. Student Representative Report None 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. 10/15/25 Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the minutes, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers None b. Warrants 12/3/25 – 12/12/25 $217,820.97 c. Donations – None 8. Superintendents Report Dr. Fortuna shares spotlights and highlights. Looking ahead to 2026, I am excited to announce an addition to the Central Office leadership. We are preparing to welcome Mr. Johnny Reid, a doctoral resident from Harvard University to our team. From July 26 to April 27 th , Mr. Reid will serve as a key administrative asset , working directly under my mentorship, while providing his own unique insights. With a strong background in entrepreneurship and deep commitment to student and teacher wellness, Mr. Reid is poised to be a vital resource for our community. We are eager to ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 leverage his expertise to support our district strategic goals. This will be the second year I will work with Johnny, I also did his fellowship year with him, and he is really an outstanding candidate who will bring a lot to the district. 9. New Business Action a. Winter Athletics Report Ms. Burns supp lied the committee some documents regarding the athletics breakdown from 2024-2025, as well as details on the position of an Athletic Directors role and responsibilities, we have added a winter cheer team which has been great. Ms. Burns gives the committee a synopsis of information provided. The committee has a back and forth conversation regarding the Athletic Director position. b. Budget Workshop – Initial Draft FY 27 Budget The committee has been provided some documentation regarding changes that have occurred and how this is reflected in the budget, including proposed expenses. The committee discusses level service budget information. Ms. Squier shares that all buildings are struggling, we are really feeling it this year the repercussions of all of the cuts over the past few years. We cannot cut anything else. Mr. Santry has put together a list of prioritized positions for the next year, and reiterates we have lost over 30 section s of class availability and it is really hard on the students to not have the array of class offerings. The ELL position is discussed, we currently have 71 ELL students and it is explained how the needs of the students are determined. 10. Old Business Discussion a. Q & A FY 25 Budget No public comment. Ms. Gilman put together a statement from the committee regarding the FY25 budget. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the statement regarding FY25 variances and changes, and allowing changes to be made by the chair as long as the message and tone remains the same, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. 11. Subcommittee Reports Ms. Gilman reports the PTO is selling blankets for $30, we have about 20 left. Saturday is the SpongeBob movie, we have a few tickets left, and we are close to selling out. Our special someone dance is the first weekend in February, if anyone would like to sponsor us, we are still looking. Ms. Brzozoski, the Middle School Advisory council met yesterday, we talked about the bridge program, consistent enrolment numbers, need for intervention numbers, and budget. I also got a tour of the green house, it is amazing. 12. Public Comment None 13. Topics for Future D iscussion meet with Mr. Beardmore regarding the track, borrowing capacity with the town that is not related to overrides. 14. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski m akes a motion to adjourn at 9:20, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve Respectfully submitted, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-07-agenda-7586.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-01-07 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-01-07-agenda-7586.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01072026-7586 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE BUDGET WORKSHOP MEETING Date: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Town Hall Bilotta Meeting Room Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Nick Valorie -President East Coast Renewable E nergy, Matt Paraliticci- ECR Representative, Peter Beardmore-CPC Member In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is bein g broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast live through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committees (3 min) 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 11/5/25, 12/3/25, 12/17/25 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 12/13/25 to 1/5/26 $516,336.86 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Discussion a. Solar East Coast Renewable Energy Proposal (5 min) b. Track/Turf Field Design Plan Discussion (3 min) c. Kid’s Kingdom Relocation (3 min) 10. Old Business Action a. Mid-Year Curriculum Report (5 min) Discussion b. 2026-2027 School Calendar (3 min) c. FY25 & FY26 Budget Update (3 min) d. Future of THES (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-07-minutes-7586.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-01-07 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-01-07-minutes-7586.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01072026-7586 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, January 7, 2026 Town Hall 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Present Member - TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Nick Valorie –President East Coast Renewable Energy, Matt Paraliticci – ECR Representative, Peter Beardmore, CPC Member In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment - None 4. Chairs Report – We are still looking for a fifth member, this term would be until May. You would not have to run, you would be appointed. 5. Student Representative Report - None 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 11/5/25, 12/3/25, 12/17/25 Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the minutes, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve , 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers None b. Warrants 12/13/25 to 1/5/26 $516,336.86 c. Donations – None Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 8. Superintendents Report Dr. Fortuna reports our Literacy Coach abruptly resigned on Monday and we will not be filling that position going forward. This is a grant funded position and we will be directing those funds to more direct services for the children. 9. New Business Discussion a. Solar East Coast Renewable energy Proposal – The owner of East Coast Renewable Energy presents to the committee options available to the school, to add chargers for electric vehicles. Benefits of having a charging station on the property are discussed along with the responsibilities of the school to take care of the charging station. An electric bill can be submitted to the company and a proposal can be put together. b. Track/Turf Field Design Plan Discussion Mr. Beardmore, comments as representative to the Capital Planning Committee. Mr. Beardmore has sent a prioritized list to the committee via email on December 18th. The top three items are for the DPW and the bridge construction on Flat Hill Road, a patrol cruiser, and a replacement of the town’s brush truck. The first two school related project which is number 9 are the intercoms at Turkey Hill and Primary School for the entrance doors and the cameras that are associated with those buzzers. The safety film and the mower are number 14 and 15. The heat for the maintenance garage is number 19, In total the requests were 3.267 million dollars. In terms of the track/turf design, the proposal came in the week of December 16th, it was then forwarded to Mr. Beardmore by the facilities director and superintendence, cam in just under $200,000. We need to come up with a plan for this as soon as possible, we cannot move forward until we have the engineering and bid work. We need a new surface, drainage, and new construction/walls. c. Kids Kingdom Relocation The select board has sent the committee a proposal to the school committee for permission to move kids’ kingdom for example 20 feet in one direction. Mr. Sculimbrene would like to relinquish Kids Kingdom over to the Town of Lunenburg. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to remit care and custody of Kids Kingdom to the Town of Lunenburg, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, the motion passes with 3 approvals and 1 abstention. 10. Old Business Action a. Mid – Year Curriculum Report Dr. Sarfdie sent a comprehensive report to the committee, she explains to the committee a summary discussion on what and how Lunenburg is doing at this point in the year. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Gilman seconds the report, all approve Discussion b. 2026 -2027 School Calendar Liz has included in the folders, feedback, that we have received regarding the proposed calendar. The committee discusses parent/teacher conference dates and kindergarten screenings and start dates. Calendar will be brought forth again in the future for a vote to approve c. FY 25 and FY 26 Budget Update Chris McNamara gives an update, we are on track for FY 26 for spending. We are in a good position d. Future of THES We do need to look at next year’s capital planning and make some changes for requests. We can come up with some suggestions that we can ask for that will work toward ADA compliance. Discussion of a rebuild vs a new building and also with MSBA assistance. Dr. Fortuna states the first phase needs to be the restrooms, they’re not accessible. Tony will ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 come up with a draft proposal for the committee to have a goal to aim for in regard of the THES future. 11. Reports from Sub-Committees Ms. Young reports tomorrow is the PACSAL meeting at 6 in the Lunenburg Middle School, in person and zoom. Ms. Gilman reports the PTO met on Monday night, we have the Special Someone dance, tickets go on sale tomorrow, and they are still looking for businesses that would like to sponsor the event. We also have some blankets left for sale, they are $30 and you can email the president of the PTO. A shout out to the businesses that have sponsored, Gatsby Grounds Company will be our presenting sponsor. Powell’s has given us a fundraiser. Damon McQuade, architect, Lynn Walsh – Real Estate, Styles Company, Photos by Jen, Biotech Builders Group, Nedloh Mechanical, and Keatings. The PTO is doing a Great Wolf Lodge night in March and we will receive $15 or $20 per reservation. The committee will work together to have a representative to FinCom. 12. Public Comment Ms Brzozoski is excited about the cooperation between town departments, and feels it’s a real theme this year. I appreciate that and our team. Mr. Sculimbrene comments that on Christmas Eve, they were driving to family in Rhode Island and his 15 year old son engaged them for over an hour and a half on the Palestinian Israeli situation. It was very clear to me that a lot of what he had learned came from contact with the educator in our town. It was amazing and the best Christmas present I could have gotten. It was intelligent and insightful. He had facts, figures, and statistics that I was unaware of. Having full discussions about issues of the day with your kids is incredible. I wanted to thank all of the people that educate our children in the town. Ms. Young reports on the Turkey Hill study there are 10 accessibility issues identified to be worked on over a number of years and the cost was estimated at $1,250,000. 13. Topics for Future Discussion Turkey Hill, override, 14. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 9:40, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve Respectfully Submitted,.07 Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-12-agenda-7947.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-01-12 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-01-12-agenda-7947.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01122026-7947 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING AGENDA Date: Monday, January 12, 2026, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: In Person/Remote School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller 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 FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE I. NEW BUSINESS a. Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories: General Government, Unclassified, Debt Service, Intergovernmental b. Preliminary Revenue Projections c. Preliminary FY27 Budget Plan Discussions IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS Tri- Board Meetings- January 26, 2026 ADJOURN Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-21-agenda-7610.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-01-21 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-01-21-agenda-7610.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01212026-7610 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Kimberly Sarfde-Director of Teaching & Learning, Carla Squier-Primary School Principal In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 10. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 11. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Executive Session- To investigate charges of criminal 12. Topics of Future Discussion (3 min) misconduct or to discuss the filing of criminal complaints. 13. Adjournment 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 1/6/26 to 1/14/26 $133,298.69 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Grant Amendment Proposal (3 min) b. Preschool Tuition Increase (3 min) Discussion a. Reading Data (5 min) b. Draft Warrant Articles (3 min) c. FY27 Proposed Budget (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-21-agenda-7614.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-01-21 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-01-21-agenda-7614.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01212026-7614 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Kimberly Sarfde-Director of Teaching & Learning, Carla Squier-Primary School Principal In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Executive Session- To investigate charges of criminal 13. Topics of Future Discussion (3 min) misconduct or to discuss the filing of criminal complaints. 14. Adjournment 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 1/6/26 to 1/14/26 $133,298.69 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Grant Amendment Proposal (3 min) b. Preschool Tuition Increase (3 min) Discussion a. Reading Data (5 min) b. Draft Warrant Articles (3 min) c. FY27 Proposed Budget (3 min) 10. Old Business Discussion a. THES Update Directive Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-21-minutes-7614.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-01-21 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-01-21-minutes-7614.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01212026-7614 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, January 21, 2026 LMHS 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Absent Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Present Member - TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Kimberly Sarfde – Director of Teaching and Learning, Carla Squier – Primary School Principal In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Executive Session – To investigate charges of criminal misconduct or to discuss the filing of criminal complain 4. Public Comment - None 5. Chairs Report – We are still looking for a fifth member, this term would be until May. You would not have to run, you would be appointed. We really need more people 6. Student Representative Report - None 7. Review and Approve Minutes None , 8. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers We are moving $2500 from Special Ed contracted evaluations to special Ed contracted related services b. Warrants 1/6/26 – 1/14/26 $133,298.69 c. Donations – Box top for education for $55.30 for Turkey Hill, and Box Top for education for $36.60 for Primary School to cover costs for Bay State Interpreters for American Sign Language Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 (ASL) Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the line item transfer and accept the donations, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve. 9. Superintendents Report Thank you to the school committee and the school community for being so helpful as I roll around the district or my office. We had a meeting with LEAF and they are going to be opening up their grant cycle later in the Spring for donations. They are looking for innovative teaching practices that teachers want to try out in the classroom. 10. New Business Action a. Grant Amendment Proposal Dr. Sarfde reports that because we had the unexpected resignation, we would like to reallocate the funds from the Student Opportunity Act (SOA). We want to use these funds in a way that maintains the fidelity to the grants purpose. We would be focused on building the capacity of the people in the buildings now. For example, helping to plan and facilitate professional learning communities or helping design lesson plans that teachers would use in small groups, this would happen outside normal school hours. I am also looking for two positions to do some work over the summer, we’d like to offer some professional development, and more planning and digging into data that would help build the capacity of our teachers. Ms. Young makes the motion to approve the amendment for the grant, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve b. Preschool Tuition Increase Ms. Squier presents a new model for 2 day, 3 day, 4 day, and a 5 day option. We would like our afternoon to be an all-inclusive program. Mornings will stay the same, our afternoon would change to a 5 day option, along with the 2 and 3 day option. Tuition increase would be 4% Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the addition of 5 days and tuition increase, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve Discussion c. Reading Data A presentation is given that shares the beginning of year data and the middle of year of literacy and math screening. d. Draft Warrant Articles The last school committee meeting we discussed adding two items to the warrant, one is related to the turf field and one related to Kids Kingdom, Dr. Fortuna drafted the warrants that will be submitted. e. FY27 Proposed Budget Mr. McNamara shares the budget proposed for FY27, approximately $2 million more than FY26, a few key notes, health insurance on the expense side, on the salary side is going up about $1 million. The public can view this online on the school committee page, this is a level service budget. 11. Old Business Discussion a. THES Update Directive there is a memo in the folder, we could plan to rehabilitate the Turkey Hill Building, unless the out of pocket cost to the taxpayers’ of Lunenburg would be no more than 25% additional funding, then it would make fiscal sense to do a new building. . ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 12. Public Comment None 13. Reports from Sub- Committee Ms. Gilman reports the PTO Special Someone dance still have some tickets left. 14. Topics for Future Discussion Public hearing date for FY 26 budget 15. Adjournment Ms. Gilman makes a motion to adjourn at 9:28, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve Respectfully Submitted, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-27-agenda-7623.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-01-27 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-01-27-agenda-7623.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01272026-7623 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING AGENDA Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Town Hall –Bilotta Meeting Room Broadcast Status: In Person/Remote School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller 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 (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in t he subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the concl usion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being pro vided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. PUBLIC COMMENT- The Tri-Board seeks public comment on the presentations made to the Tri- Board and the FY27 budget. III. PRELIMINARY FY27 BUDGET PLAN DISCUSSIONS IV. PUBLIC COMMENT V. IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS VI. ADJOURN Note: a) References to the Tri -Board and Tri -Chair in the conte xt of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri -Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-27-agenda-7624.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-01-27 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-01-27-agenda-7624.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01272026-7624 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING AGENDA Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Town Hall –Bilotta Meeting Room Broadcast Status: In Person/Remote School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Emily Young, Member Courtney Fuller 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 (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in t he subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the concl usion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being pro vided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. PUBLIC COMMENT- The Tri-Board seeks public comment on the presentations made to the Tri- Board and the FY27 budget. III. PRELIMINARY FY27 BUDGET PLAN DISCUSSIONS IV. PUBLIC COMMENT V. IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS VI. ADJOURN Note: a) References to the Tri -Board and Tri -Chair in the conte xt of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri -Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-04-agenda-7634.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-02-04 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-02-04-agenda-7634.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02042026-7634 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Town Hall, Bilotta Meeting Room 2nd Floor Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara -Business Administrator , Carla Squier -Primary School P rincipal, Tim Santry -LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes may be taken as a result of these di scussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) Discussion 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) a. Update on School Improvement Plans (3 min) 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) 14. Adjournment a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 1/20/26 to 2/2/26 $180,039.36 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. LHS Program of Studies (3 min) b. School Choice (3 min) c. Temporary Proposal to Move School Committee Meetings to LMHS (3 min) d. Superintendent Permission to Discuss Earmark Funding with Representative Kushmerek (3 min) Discussion a. FY27 Budget Q & A (5 min) a. Coordinated Family & Community and Parent/Child Grant Programs (3 min) b, Override Format & Amount (3 min) 10. Old Business ActioN b. Facilities & Grounds Report (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-04-agenda-7686.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-02-04 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-02-04-agenda-7686.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02042026-7686 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara -Business Administrator , Carla Squier -Primary School Principal , Tim Sa ntry-LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Christopher Stevens-Director of Facilities, Hailee Attorri-LHS History Faculty In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 2/3/26 to 2/20/26 $216,371.46 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. History Minuteman Field Trip Grant (3 min) Discussion b. Outsourcing-Facilities & Grounds (5 min) 10. Old Business Action a. FY27 Budget (3 min) b. FY26 Quarterly Budget Report (3 min) c. Facility Updates (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-04-minutes-7634.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-02-04 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-02-04-minutes-7634.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02042026-7634 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, February 4, 2026 Town Hall 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Absent Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Present TBD- Member Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Carla Squier – Primary School Principal, Tim Santry – LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon – THES Principal In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 at 7:05 by Ms. Brzozoski 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment - None 4. Chairs Report – None 5. Student Representative Report None 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session , 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers None b. Warrants 1/20/26 – 2/2/26 $180,039.36 c. Donations – None 8. Superintendents Report Dr. Fortuna reports that we have received a grant from DESE for high impact tutoring to support 117 for our students at the Primary School. We are partnering with a group called Ignite Reading. We will begin implementing the program the week of March 9th. The grant amendment presented at the last meeting has been approved, approximately $41,000 will cover fixed costs including Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 instructional support, stipends, summer prep and materials, the remaining $17,000 will be dedicated to contracted professional development. This week our legislators have approved one-time earmarked funds, $36,000 is going toward touch view screens at the Primary School, $7,000 will fund IXL for our middle school students, and $10,000 is going toward safety improvements across all three campuses, specifically for a sander attachment and harness. The remaining funds will cover smaller but vital projects. We originally allocated $42,700 toward IReady diagnostic assessments’, however given how late in the year the approval came through, we will be looking to better utilize these funds, and will be bringing an amendment proposal to you in the future. Dr. Fortuna gives an update on the status of the budget cuts last year as we currently have students on our radar that may require out of district placement and we have also had students move into the district that require out of district placements. 9. New Business Action a. LHS Program of Studies Mr. Santry presents the LHS 2026/2027 Program of Studies, this is a list of all courses that can be offered, however, does not mean all courses that will be run, it also gives information on graduation requirements, GPA grading scales, and prerequisites etc. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve LHS Program of Studies, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve. b. School Choice The committee discusses options of class sizes and funding. We are looking to only add school choice options to the high school. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the school choice proposal, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. c. Temporary Proposal to move School Committee meetings to LMHS Town Hall is not very accessible if someone is not able to walk we would like to move our meetings to LMHS for the foreseeable future. Ms. Gilman to move meetings to LHS for the foreseeable future, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve. d. Superintendent permission to discuss earmark funding with Representative Scarsdale Dr. Fortuna would like to reach out to Representative Scarsdale to discuss the possibility of changing the earmarked $195,000 to be used for a different purpose, originally it was for 2 passenger vans and at this time, it is not fiscally responsible to purchase two vans. Ms Young makes a motion to approve a discussion with Representative Scarsdale, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, Ms. Gilman abstains, and the motion is approved. Discussion e. FY27 Budget Q & A Level service budget stands at $28.2 million, with the additions discussed with the tri-board, this would add $980,000, and this also includes the 14.4% increase in health insurance. This year budget is $26.2 million, we have a $2 million increase for FY 27. All the principals are carefully examining their budgets to determine if there are any possible areas to reduce any budget lines. f. Coordinated Family & Community and Parent/Child Grant Program The committee has a memo which is a recommendation for Lunenburg Public Schools to not pursue the renewal of the coordinated family and community engagement and parent child plus grants for the 26/27 school year with the reasons for this proposal. g. Override Format & Amount The committee has discussed the override amount of $2.9 million, it’s still undecided if it will be one town override, if it will be one amount for an override or a tiered approach ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 10. Old Business Action a. Facilities and Grounds Report The committee has been provided the report. The playground study is no longer one of the capital planning recommendations. The driveway study is still on the list. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. Discussion b. Update on School Improvement Plan Each principal gives a presentation for updates on their School Improvement plans. The committee and principals have an open discussion regarding changes and effects they are seeing in the schools. 11. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight None 12. Reports from Sub-Committees Ms. Young reports the PACSAL committee met at Coffee Connections, there was a small group, we discussed upcoming event ideas and plans for the next few meetings. We are working on ways we can spread the word and grow the group. Tomorrow there is a meeting focused on behavioral concerns and management for parents that need it, it will be held on zoom and at the middle school. On March 5th there will be an interactive session with the Story School Camp at the library starting at 6 pm for parents to explore how the camps work. Ms. Brzozoski reports the Building Reuse met on Monday and discussed next steps in space usage, looks like the town is planning to use Ritter as town hall, with adjustments. There was also a wellness subcommittee meeting and the survey was discussed. Ms. Gilman reports the PTO still has tickets for the Special Someone dance, it’s a great event, and we have a lot of teenagers from the LMHS that are volunteering. 13. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion Turkey Hill bathroom, override, budget reports, personnel report 15. Adjournment Ms. Gilman makes a motion to adjourn at 9:23, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve Respectfully Submitted, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-13-agenda-7651.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-02-13 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-02-13-agenda-7651.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02132026-7651 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING Date: Friday, February 13, 2026 Time: 4:00 PM Location: VIRTUAL Broadcast Status: VIRTUAL MEEING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=84 878035593 Meeting ID: 766 316 7607 One tap mobile +19292056099,,7663167607# US (New York) +13017158592,,7663167607# This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 2. New Business Action a. FY27 Restoration Budget (30 min) 3. Public Comment for Issues Discussed 4. Adjournment Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-25-agenda-7672.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-02-25 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-02-25-agenda-7672.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02252026-7672 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE EMERGENCY MEETING BUDGET HEARING Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Time: 6:30 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara -Business Administrator , Carla Squier-Primary School Principal , Tim Santry -LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Dr. Kimberly Sarfde-Director of Teaching & Learning In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 10. Old Business 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) Action 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) a. 2026-2027 School (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) Discussion 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) b. Override (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) 11. Public comment for Issues Discussed Tonight a. Regular Session 1/7/26 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants 13. Topics for Future Discussion & Donations (3 min) 14. Adjournment a. Warrants 2/3/26 to 2/20/26 $216,371.46 8. FY27 Budget Hearing & FY27 Recommended Budget Presentation (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. FY27 Civics Teaching & Learning Proposal (3 min) b. Reallocation-Fair Share Earmarks (3 min) c. MyCap Grant Proposal (3 min) d.Central MA Activation Fund Proposal (3 min) e.Enrollment in CMVS (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-25-minutes-7672.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-02-25 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-02-25-minutes-7672.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02252026-7672 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, February 25, 2026 LMHS 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Absent Member,TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Carla Squier – Primary School Principal, Tim Santry, LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon – THES Principal, Dr. Kimberly Sarfde – Director of Teaching and Learning In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being r ecorded 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Mandy Gilman reports on March 19th the PTO is having a fundraiser at Great Wolf Lodge, there is no school on March 20th. If the STEM night isn’t set in stone to be March 19th, maybe it can be moved, as we have a lot of families attending the fundraiser. 4. Chairs Report – None 5. Student Representative Report – On March 19th, the Primary School and Turkey Hill has STEM night from 5:30-7:30. Read across America is March 2nd they will be having speakers come in and read books. The Middle School has a dance on Friday, the theme is Party in the USA. The high school boys and girls ice hockey and basketball teams have made play offs. I urge people to order their yearbooks, they are currently $95 with potential for price increase in the future. There is a jazz concert tomorrow. The seniors won the competitive class plays the week before February break. Spring sport registration is now open. On behalf of the high school student council, I bring two concerns to you tonight, first there has been an increase in vaping in bathrooms and second concerns with the budget, they would like to remind you that the classes they are unable to take does affect their futures, their transcripts are not as strong or competitive as others with more options of AP classes and electives. The student representative shares some of the struggles they have personally had with scheduling. Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 1/7/26 Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the minutes, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve. , 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers b. Warrants 2/3/26 – 2/20/26 $216,371.46 c. Donations – None 8. FY 27 Budget Hearing and FY 27 Recommended Budget Presentation Dr. Fortuna and Chris McNamara share the details regarding the FY 27 budget numbers, this is the restoration budget with one change, we are not replacing the full-time athletic director, it will be a half-time position. Mr. McNamara shares the revolving account updates. The team discusses the potential restructuring of positions and departments as a result of this budget. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the FY 27 needs based restoration budget to present to the finance committee, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve 9. New Business Action a. FY27 Civics Teaching and Learning Grant Proposal Dr. Sarfde presents a grant for the Civics program. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the application of the grant, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve. b. Reallocation-Fair Share Earmarks Dr. Sarfde is looking for approval to submit a proposal to the state to reallocate $42,000 in previously awarded one-time funds, originally anticipated for IReady and use the money for decodable readers and high school math instructional materials Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the proposal for strategic reallocation of one time grant funds to evidence based investments, Ms. Gilman seconds all approve c. MyCap Grant Proposal Dr. Sarfde explains this is a multi-year planning tool and process adopted by DESE to help students in grades 6 – 12 map out academic, personal, social, and career goals. Essentially this is similar to an electronic portfolio. Not every student is required to participate, but what is required in order for us to participate is completion of all mass core requirements. This is going to be required in 2027, we are trying to get ahead of it. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept this proposal, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve. d. Central MA Activation Fund Proposal Dr, Sarfde is looking for $125,000 in grant funding to provide professional development and instructional coaching for pre-k-grade 5 educators to strengthen foundational literacy instruction and build long-term internal capacity. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the grant proposal, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve e. Enrollment in CMVS Dr. Fortuna explains the enrollment in Commonwealth of Massachusetts Virtual Schools (CMVS) we can vote to cap at 1% of its student population, we currently have 1.08% of our student population enrolled, which is 16 students, this vote could allow another 1% to enroll Ms. Gilman makes a motion to cap at 2%, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 10. Old Business Action a. 2026-2027 Calendar Ms Gilman makes a motion to accept the 26/27 calendar, Ms Brzozoski seconds the motion to approve, all approve. Discussion b. Override The committee discusses what the amount of the override should be, should it be town wide or just the school, and thoughts on a tiered structure. 11. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight 12. Reports from Sub-Committees 13. Public Comment 14. Topics for Future Discussion Budget 15. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 945, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-04-agenda-7687.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-04 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-04-agenda-7687.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03042026-7687 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara -Business Administrator , Carla Squier -Primary School Principal , Tim Sa ntry-LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Christopher Stevens-Director of Facilities, Hailee Attorri-LHS History Faculty In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 2/3/26 to 2/20/26 $216,371.46 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. History Minuteman Field Trip Grant (3 min) Discussion b. Outsourcing-Facilities & Grounds (5 min) 10. Old Business Action a. FY27 Budget (3 min) b. FY26 Quarterly Budget Report (3 min) c. Facility Updates (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-04-agenda-7692.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-04 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-04-agenda-7692.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03042026-7692 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara -Business Administrator , Carla Squier -Primary School Principal , Tim Santry -LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Christopher Stevens-Director of Facilities, Hailee Attorri-LHS History Faculty In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations (3 min) a. Warrants 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. History Minuteman Field Trip Grant (3 min) Discussion b. Outsourcing-Facilities & Grounds (5 min) 10. Old Business Action a. FY27 Budget (3 min b. Facility Updates (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-04-minutes-7687.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-04 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-04-minutes-7687.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03042026-7687 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, March 4, 2026 LMHS 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Present Member,TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Carla Squier – Primary School Principal, Tim Santry, LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon – THES Principal, Christopher Stevens – Director of Facilities, Hailee Attorri – LHS History Faculty In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised t hat 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Sarah Cammer 304 Lancaster Ave I want to thank the committee and our superintendent for your efforts this year and looking at what our students really need first. I want to mention that the 5% of children in Lunenburg live in poverty and 6% of our seniors according to the census, that is real data and if you are looking at the census, the majority of Lunenburg is not per our capita. So when I think about equity in town, I think about what our seniors need and think about what our impoverished students need first. I do serve on another board, but I am not speaking for them now. On the board of assessors, many exemptions have been put forth to handle impoverished seniors who maybe still own a home in Lunenburg and our town has worked to address that issue for the past two years at least. They are called exemptions of taxes and those exemptions had not been looked at for over 20 years, those levels have been raised, approved by the town, and that is how we address seniors living in poverty in Lunenburg. I bring this up because I am constant hearing that we are evicting seniors from their homes based on our taxes, but with these exemptions we are able to help the elderly. I think it is important to take care of the elderly and it is important to take care of the young. They do not have to be in conflict with each other. I am not sure there are many seniors that like to see younger kids have reduced opportunities because they themselves are impoverished. I think they would prefer to see those opportunities for kids. So, if we need to change those exemptions, there is a method for that. Another thing I wanted to say is 5% of our kids, think about that number, it is not hard for me to think about because I lived that life, I went to middle school wearing my brothers old clothes. I got a paper route when I was 11 and I didn’t have to deal with that anymore, but that is not an easy thing to do around Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 here, there are no sidewalks, and you will get run over on Mass Ave. This is why we have to bus our students, this why we should not have a bussing fee for our students, it is appalling. It is up to this board and town to put those thoughts before our tri-board, every time you meet, I am at the board of assessors handing abatements for people who have found their taxes are too high and I am signing letters of exemption for people who should have had those things. Aside from exemptions, we have also passed the senior means testing in this town to reduce those taxes as well, so next time someone brings up that Grammy is going to have to choose between paying for her house or her medications, that is not because the school is asking for too much money, they are doing the right thing by our students. I hope you will continue to impress that upon the boards you are talking to. Chris Robarge I am the staff rep for ASCME Council 93. We represent about 65 workers here in Lunenburg serving as paraprofessionals, office personnel, and of course, school custodians. I wanted to comment on the discussion about potentially privatizing the school custodians. Privatization would result in the loss of jobs that these men and women love and the loss of their pension and affordable and quality health insurance coverage for themselves and their families. It would also be a loss for parents, students, and teachers across Lunenburg who rightly recognize these men and women for what they are, a critical part of the fiber of the school community. These students and teachers know and trust these custodians. I've seen it in person when I'm in your buildings. We rely on them every day, not just for keeping the schools clean, but for intangible things, the most important of which is serving as an important layer of security during these troubling times. They're the eyes and ears of your schools, when something or someone seems out of place, they're often the first to notice and take action. ASCME has decades of experience with watching employers hand over this important work to private for-profit companies. And what we can tell you for sure is that you will lose your current workforce to neighboring communities. Replacing that workforce would be a revolving door of strangers with no connection to your students, your teachers, or your community. And that's because the only way these proposals are profitable for private companies is if they drastically slash the wages and benefits of the workers. We realize that tough economic times are happening right now and they require tough decisions. If you are considering taking a vote that would cut the legs out from under these workers, I respectfully request you challenge and fully vet any supposed cost savings that you will achieve through privatization. We can tell you again based on decades of experience that any savings will be short-term at best. That's because the pattern is always the same. A for-profit company secures the contract with a low ball bid. A few years pass and then the district loses the infrastructure to provide the service in house and then the cost of the contract starts going up every single year. You'll also start to see hidden fees and extra costs for things such as shoveling school driveways and walkways and staffing special events, things that are currently handled by the in-house staff. Before long, the district is paying more for much less. In addition, you'll also be dealing with a whole other set of problems that you perhaps never envisioned. When you have some time over the next few days, search the Mobile Sun archives for what happened in Chelmsford when they made the mistake of privatizing their school custodial services, a mistake they ultimately had to correct by bringing the service back in house. You'll find that the cost savings were exaggerated. You'll also see that over just a few years, four employees of the contractor were arrested for offenses ranging from outstanding warrants to prescription drug crimes to theft of school laptops, cash, and even students prescription drugs out of a locked cabinet. This is one example of how things can go bad very quickly when you get rid of trusted employees for the possibility of some short-term savings. In closing, we want to stress that we stand ready to work with the district to find solutions that will not replace your trusted custodians with a part-time minimum wage cleaning crew. To close, I just have two specific questions for the administration to ponder as they continue to crunch numbers. When you lay off these workers, what's the cost of meeting your contractual obligation to pay them for unused paid leave time? And will that cost be reflected in what you present to the committee? And when all these workers refuse the lousy job offers that they get from the private contractor, have ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 you estimated the cost of unemployment benefits that the town will have to reimburse to the state? For those who may not be aware. Ms. Young I don't know many of the custodial staff, but Mr. Jose I just to kind of jump on how it's more than just cleaning up messes and fixing things. When my daughter Norah entered kindergarten, Mr. Jose was the one that put in the sinks that she could reach and the faucets and the extenders and offered to build things if needed. Every morning we see Mr. Jose and he's more than just a custodial staff to her, we talk about you a lot actually and his songs that he sings. We have lots of conversations about how it’s really helpful when you clean up your mess and we don't we don't leave it for other people to clean up and things like that. But he is more than a custodial staff to my daughter. He made school accessible for her in many ways which I greatly appreciate. Kara Harunkiewicz I would like to, for the people at home, recognize the sheer amount of custodial staff that we have shown up today. I'd also like to mention, I mean, from a student's perspective, it's not just cleaning up messes. I mean, I see someone here who has let me into the tech booth multiple times when, when it gets locked. As a band student, I've made personal connections with two different people who have had the band hallway when I come in very late at night realizing I forgot my saxophone. You can ask almost any of my friends. I was devastated at one point, the old custodian that was in the band hallway when we were in middle school got moved down to Turkey Hill and we were all so sad when he told us he would not be there. It is not just about cleaning messes even to students, and the students do recognize you and do appreciate everything that you do for us. Chris Stevens, Director of Facilities I rely on these custodians every day. I call them at night, Can you do this? Can you do that? And they do it! They might not like it, but they do it. And to get rid of them would be devastating. There are so many moving parts to a school to have it work like that. It might work well in an office building when everybody's gone and they're in there for an hour and they take the trash out and shut the door behind them, but when everything is going on, on a daily basis here, these guys make this place run behind the scenes and nobody even knows. So, that being said, terrible idea, it will not work. 4. Chairs Report – After 42 years, Coach K finally has a girl’s state championship division 5 winner for Indoor track. At our last meeting and at the end of the finance committee meeting, I had mentioned that on March 18th we will be presenting our budget with cuts and because we don’t know exactly what the cuts were but, we knew they were going to be bad based on prior experience, I flippantly called it the “shoot your favorite puppy” budget, I have received feedback, that this was insensitive and I want to apologize but, also want to make sure people are aware. I wanted to get people alerted to the problem, but it is hard to do when you don’t know the scope or scale of the problem. I didn’t want to scare anyone but at the same time I didn’t want to make people think that it wasn’t a big deal. I hoped that the language would engage with people, and it very clearly did, but maybe it was a little too much. I apologize. 5. Student Representative Report – On Friday, districtwide, we are wearing green in support for Haddie. I am here to speak on behalf of our student body in the decisions that are being made. 6. Review and Approve Minutes None , 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers A transfer of $54,548.50 to transfer funds to represent the new allocations for the SOA account, these funds will be going from instructional staff salaries to the list ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 provided to the committee (and available online). A transfer of $462.07 will be transferring from the supply line items, math, art, periodicals, library, guidance, repair office machines and general supplies to the Primary School special educations instructional material amount for testing supplies. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the line item transfers, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve b. Warrants c. Donations There is a donation from the book fair for $2,096.65 and a donation from box tops for $23.10 this will be used for field trips and presentations. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. There is a donation for $220 for Girls On the Run Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the kind donation, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve. There is another donation that is for a scholarship, it is the Betsy B Parker Scholarship, and this will go to a senior in Lunenburg and has played and earned a varsity letter in at least three sports during their 4 high school experience and expresses an interest in becoming a teacher. Mr. Sculimbrene read the write up provided that explained all of the accomplishments Betsy achieved throughout her lifetime. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the generous donation in honor of Betsy B Parker, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. Action d. History Minuteman Field Trip Grant Ms. Attorri states she has been teaching in Lunenburg for 14 years. I have a deep personal love for place-based learning. I've seen firsthand how a student's face lights up when they realize they aren't just reading a story, they are standing exactly where the story happened. That is why I made place-based learning my smart goal this school year. And this field trip will be the culmination of a year-long practice of place-based learning in my US history classes. I am planning to bring my 10th grade US history and 11th grade AP US history classes to Minute Man National Historical Park. This trip is a hands-on history learning opportunity for our students to walk the battlefield and see where the soldiers of the revolution once stood. If all students come who are eligible, there will be 48 students in total on this trip. This trip is especially important because this year our country is celebrating the 250th birthday of our country. At Minute Man, our students will visit the very place where our country was created and defined. To make this happen, I applied for and secured a competitive grant from the American Battlefield Trust. They are the largest battlefield preservation group in the country and they award these grants based on a competitive national application process. It's an honor for Lunenburg to be recognized and it shows our commitment to excellence in the classroom. I want to be very clear on the financial side so we can ensure a reimbursement with their grant. We are keeping costs very low. Students will only need to pay $5 each. The trust provides a reimbursement of up to $500. We will need to pay Dee Bus Company upfront and that cost is $731.50. To get our money back, we have to be perfect with our payments and paperwork. I must submit all receipts and the reimbursement form within five business days of the trip. We need to be good about paying on time and have no delays to guarantee the trust honors the grant. And there are specific grant requirements. The National Battlefield Trust has prepared a press release, which I've given you their copy of, and I would need to send it with my personalization’s to our local newspaper so the community can celebrate our students and also feature the generous gift by the National Battlefield Trust. And I will need the school committee's help of getting that published. I hope in the Lunenburg ledger. I will also be required to take and submit at least seven “rights free” photos of the trip to the trust and required to send those along with student thank you notes shortly after the conclusion of our trip to the trust. Thank you for considering this and helping to bring this experience to our 10th and 11th graders. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the grant reimbursement for the field trip to the Battlefield, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Discussion e. Outsourcing Facilities and Grounds Dr. Fortuna has given a memo recommending that we not take this action because of the many reasons that the ASCME rep stated earlier, we will never get the quality of employee s that we currently have. In the long run it will cost us more then we will save. Overall, the committee agrees this is not a good idea. 8. Old Business Action a. FY 27 Budget Dr. Fortuna reports an important update and correction regarding financial figures we have been reviewing. Recently TJ Laughlin reached out to point out a discrepancy in our latest numbers, and after reviewing the information, he was correct. Based on this information the previous deficit was artificially inflated, our actual deficit is now anticipated to be $1,978,307. As we move forward we will be working from these corrected numbers. The committee has been provided with updated FY 27 projections. The committee discusses the fluidity of numbers and possible changes b. Facility Updates Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to move the facilities update before the budget, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve Mr. Stevens gives an overview of all the projects happening within the school district, the list and information has also been provided to the committee in their folder. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report with gratitude, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve 9. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight Mandy Gilman I have drafted a letter that is in your packet that I would like you to review and for us to send to The Ways and Means Committee and also our own legislators. Mrs. Squier I've been listening to the discussion about positions and it's really challenging and it's really difficult. I think I've said this the last this is probably my third time saying this, but we're going to be forced to make some difficult decisions. One of the things I hope that we can approach the process with compassion for colleagues across the organization, and when I say across the organization, I mean our whole town of Lunenburg, our police department, our fire department. We work collaboratively with all of the departments across the town of Lunenburg. So different groups are going to experience an impact differently. That should not turn into a competition about who is more deserving of the resources because everyone every student in this town is deserving of the resources. But we're going to be faced and have to make some difficult decisions. I think everyone is working hard. Everyone's going to be affected. So our focus should be on understanding each other's constraints and finding the most thoughtful path forward. We're working hard as an administrative team. We're working with Dr. Fortuna. It's not going to be perfect and yes we have to as Tony was saying something's got to give. We can't keep everything that we want, but we have to work together as a community and come together. Without that, we're going to have fighting within one another. It's not going to be productive. It's not good for students. We've seen this in the past. We've lost really good educators. We can't continue to do that. I think we have to come to an understanding everyone's going to have to give something if our override doesn't pass. And even with the override passing something, but we have to have some understanding because fighting back and forth. How did our custodians and maintenance feel? Today we talked about outsourcing. We're going to have uncomfortable conversations. We have to understand everyone and just know that everyone is doing their best. Ms. Brzozoski It was a really challenging week for our bus drivers, so I wanted to recognize them and say thank you for getting our students home safe. It was absolutely a crazy few days for them. We have amazing drivers. We are very lucky to have bus drivers who very much care about the well-being of our kids, and I just I wanted to say I very much appreciate them. ===PAGE 6=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Ms. Gilman I read at Read Across America Day and it was wonderful and I want to thank the teachers and Alicia McAllister who put it together and I got a really nice pile of thank you notes from the students yesterday which is really cute. 10. Reports from Sub-Committees 11. Topics for Future Discussion Budget, Athletics, HR Staffing report 12. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 9:34, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-10-agenda-7706.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-10 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-10-agenda-7706.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03102026-7706 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING AGENDA Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026 Time: 7:30 PM Location: Town Hall –Bilotta Meeting Room Broadcast Status: In Person/Remote School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member 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 (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meetin g minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II.PUBLIC COMMENT- The Tri-Board seeks public comment on the FY27 budget. III. FY27 BUDGET AND PROPOSITION 2 ½ OVERRIDE IV. PUBLIC COMMENT VI. ADJOURN Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-10-minutes-7706.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-10 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-10-minutes-7706.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03102026-7706 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 1 of 10 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes School Committee Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Town Hall, 17 Main Street Tuesday March 10, 2026, 7:30 PM Note: References to the Tri-Board in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board Select Board Members Present: Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod (Absent- Chair Caesar Nuzzolo) School Committee Members Present: Chair Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice-Chair Laura Brzozoski, Secretary Mandy Gilman, Member Emily Young Finance Committee Members Present: Chair Chris Menard, Vice-Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Member Tanya Dall, Member Jay Simeone, Member Ana Lockwood (Absent- Member Mike Rupp) Tri-Board Moderator: Tim Murphy, Town Moderator Also Present: Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment, School Superintendent Dr. Jodi Fortuna, and School Business Manager Christopher McNamara CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order by Tim Murphy, who served as Moderator at 7:30 PM. He asked everyone to stand and address the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Murphy provided an overview of the open meeting law requirements, noting that the meeting was being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, Facebook Live, and would be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. After the Pledge, Mr. Murphy invited each Chair to officially open their respective meetings. Each board chair officially opened their meetings, with School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene calling his meeting to order, followed by Finance Committee Chair Chris Menard calling his meeting to order, and Select Board Vice-Chair Amanda Moore calling her meeting to order. The Moderator also noted that Town Counsel Adam Costa was attending another meeting but would attempt to join via Zoom at some point during the proceedings, and that he might be recognized out of order to accommodate his availability. PUBLIC COMMENT Sarah Cammer, 304 Lancaster Avenue, addressed the board. She spoke not as a representative of any board she serves on, but purely as a resident and parent. Ms. Cammer opened by observing ===PAGE 2=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 2 of 10 that Lunenburg has faced persistent budget challenges for as long as she has lived in town, roughly thirteen years, noting that even routine matters such as removing a hazardous street tree had been denied due to a lack of funds. She expressed appreciation that the Tri-Board was now addressing these issues collectively, calling it a positive development. Ms. Cameron reflected on the impact budget cuts have had on the schools over the years, including the elimination of a librarian position at the Primary school during her daughter's kindergarten year, a decision that contributed to her choice to remove her child from Lunenburg schools for a period of time. She stated that this decision, while ultimately beneficial for her child, separated her from the broader school community, an outcome she regretted. Turning to the substance of the FY27 budget, Ms. Cammer expressed her support for the Town Manager's budget requests, suggesting that the Town Manager had likely asked for less than was truly needed. She then directly addressed what she described as a troubling dynamic she had observed in both the School Committee meeting and the Finance Committee: a discussion about separating an override into tiers, with the suggestion that some departments, particularly the school, may be asking for too much. She argued that this framing reflected the very problem that has plagued the town for years: pitting the "town side" against the "school side." She stated emphatically that the schools and municipal services are part of one whole community, and that fragmenting an override based on distrust of any department's ask was counterproductive and harmful to the community as a whole. She cited that fifty percent of Lunenburg students are not meeting literacy targets, and called the school's requests for an interventionist, a kindergarten paraprofessional, a world language teacher, a teacher and paraprofessional for the bridge program, an English teacher, a part-time music teacher, an assistant principal, a literacy coach, and an assistant business manager entirely reasonable and defensible. Ms. Cammer also articulated her support for the Fire Department's fourth shift, stating that the town has needed it for years. She closed by warning that if the boards proceeded with a fragmented or piecemeal override strategy, she would urge residents to vote against all of the measures until the boards returned with a single, comprehensive override that addresses the full scope of town needs. FY27 BUDGET AND PROPOSITION 2 ½ OVERRIDE The Moderator opened the discussion by framing the central question before the Tri-Board: what form a Proposition 2½ override should take, and how it should be structured. School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene was the first to address the Tri-Board. He opined that perhaps if the schools had requested a larger override two years ago, they would not be requesting as much now. He drew a parallel between the town's historical tendency to defer spending and the long-term costs that result. He used the air conditioning system at the Primary school as an illustrative example. In that case, the town had chosen not to install the system as originally designed during construction, and the subsequent cost of retrofitting it was exponentially higher. "We have always preferred to save a penny today even if it means we have to spend a dime tomorrow," he said. ===PAGE 3=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 3 of 10 Chair Sculimbrene strongly advocated for an override large enough to carry the town through fiscal year 2028, noting the current economic uncertainty and potential recession. He observed that inflation has exceeded 2.5 % in virtually every month since approximately 2018, and argued that the town cannot count on external relief. He further commented that the picture was not going to get any better and that the School Committee had just learned that the District's federal entitlement grants had been cut by approximately $123,000, adding to the fiscal pressure. He argued that asking for only what is needed now would likely necessitate a return to the voters within two years, and urged the Tri-Board to think in terms of a longer-term solution. Finance Committee Member Ana Lockwood then spoke, recounting the failed 2012 override which she described as devastating. She stated that override had lost two to one and resulted in the Friday closure at the library and that staff took a ten percent salary reduction and given up hours. She noted that the more recent override in FY25, by contrast, was a smaller, targeted ask with no organized opposition and passed by only approximately 200 votes. She stated that her primary concern is not the amount of the override but the risk of failure. She argued that if an override was needed to maintain level services then that should be presented separately to the voters. She emphasized that she had not yet completed her own line-by-line review of the budget and therefore was unable to say whether she felt an override was needed to maintain level services as of yet. Her central argument was that whatever number is brought to the voters must have the best possible chance of passing, because the consequences of failure would be devastating. She commented that it was risky to put something in front of the voters that would not pass. School Committee Member Mandy Gilman followed, speaking with urgency about the timeline. Having worked in political campaigns throughout her career, she expressed alarm that the Tri-Board was still debating the structure of the override approximately six weeks before it would appear on the ballot, without a cuts budget, without a final override number, and without any meaningful public education effort underway. She stated, "We are currently waving in the wind six weeks before people are voting on this. We don't have a cuts budget. We don't have a list of things that are not going to happen. Nobody is paying attention." Member Gilman pushed back firmly against those who predicted that the previous override would not pass, noting that it succeeded because a committed group of parents invested significant time in direct outreach, standing in pickup lines, distributing flyers, and speaking with families at community events. She predicted the chance of an override passing, regardless of the figure, probably had a 50-50 shot. She called for the Tri-Board to settle on a number that evening if possible, warning that further delay was eroding the time needed to run an effective public education campaign. She predicted that voters would not be moved to vote based on $100 difference in their tax bill, but they would be moved to vote by knowing what would be cut if the override did not pass Select Board Vice Chair Amanda Moore introduced herself and agreed with Member Gilman's sense of urgency. She was careful to frame the conversation as one of structural math between available resources as opposed to competition between departments. She proposed a three-tiered framework for presenting the override to the community: first, a "balanced cut budget," representing the worst-case scenario with cuts across the board on both the school and town sides; second, a "core services override," a combined school and town ask with some reductions; and third, a full ===PAGE 4=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 4 of 10 "restoration" override that would fund everything the school and town have requested. Vice Chair Moore acknowledged uncertainty about whether the full restoration override could pass, stating that she had heard concerns in the community about the larger number. She responded further to Member Gilman’s call for urgency in decision making, stating that the Select Board had not yet had the opportunity to go over the budget line by line as a collective and that additional budget workshop meetings have been scheduled for the Board to weigh in on the budget options as a body. Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment provided during the discussion that the average single- family home in Lunenburg is assessed at $517,296, with a current FY26 tax bill of $7,444. The estimated impact of a $3,000,000 override on that average household would be an additional $636.27 per year, based on FY26 figures. She noted that the FY27 figure would be slightly higher once the standard 2.5 percent levy increase is applied on top. Select Board Clerk Renee Emkey spoke next and agreed that a balanced cut budget should be presented to the public, not as a scare tactic, but as an honest explanation of what would occur without an override. She supported a tiered override approach, describing it as a "plus and premium" model similar to fuel grades. However, she made clear that a true level-service override would not be sufficient, stating, "I don't think a true level service is enough. It's just there's too many critical gaps." She commented, “level services with a sprinkle of salt”. She cautioned against selecting a number for the override that members thought residents would pass as opposed to selecting a number based on justifiable needs. Member Emkey reiterated that the Select Board had several budget workshops scheduled to go line by line through the budgets. She also commented that the budgets were changing rapidly with the revenue figures having just been revised that day. Accordingly she was not prepared to commit a specific number to the override at this juncture. The Town Manager confirmed that revenues had been revised that same day, with investment income adjusted upward by $100,000 and motor vehicle excise tax by $75,000, meaning the balanced budget gap had narrowed somewhat. She also expressed concern for what happens in FY28 as the budget pressures were likely to continue. Member Emkey reaffirmed her intent to pursue a unified override with the schools- commenting that she had sat in the same room a year before and made that commitment. She returned to the schedule stating, that the Select Board had scheduled additional budget workshops on March 16 and March 23 to review the budget line by line. The Moderator then turned to members of the School Committee and inquired as to when they could be ready for final number. Chair Sculimbrene commented that the “cuts” budget would be presented on the 18 th. Member Gilman commented that she believed that the School had been waiting for the balanced budget figure from the Town Manager. The Town Manager responded that the school department had those figures for several weeks, but confirmed that the Superintendent had received the adjusted revenue (from investment income and motor vehicle excise tax) that day. Member Gilman commented that it would be helpful for the Select Board to publicly state they were planning for an override. Member Emkey commented on the lack of public engagement thus far. School Committee Vice Chair Laura Brzozoski spoke in favor of a single, unified override, arguing that the town is strongest when it approaches the challenge as one community. "We're one unit. We're one town." She expressed concern that a tiered structure would send the message that the ===PAGE 5=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 5 of 10 higher-tier items, including positions the schools have identified as essential, are optional. She noted that the school's restoration budget was, in her view, already extremely conservative, restoring only positions that had been cut the prior year and whose absence has been demonstrably harmful to students. "Kids are in first grade once. They're in kindergarten once. They learn to read once. When we miss those windows, it affects them for the rest of their lives." She stated her preference for one override but acknowledged she could support whatever the body decided, as unity of message was itself important. Finance Committee Chair Chris Menard stated that he did not think that the group could walk out of the room with one number that night, but they could choose a structure. He stated that he trusted the data this year in a way he had not in prior years. He stated that they needed to continue to look at revenues. He stated that they could look at revenues to reduce the impact of the override but know that would impact Free Cash and other things. He presented a visual diagram he had prepared to illustrate the budget situation. He described the diagram as showing the FY26 budget as a baseline and went over the revenue sources. He showed that the revenue projection line, which increases modestly, cannot keep pace with the FY27 level-service budget. The gap between the revenue line and the level-service budget represents the amount that must be cut in a balanced budget scenario. He noted additional items shown in the diagram representing expanded service requests, including the fourth fire shift, an Assistant Town Manager, and the school's restoration budget items. Chair Menard reiterated that the Tri-Board should at minimum leave the meeting with a consensus on the structure of the override (one, two, or three questions) rather than a specific dollar amount, and said he personally was leaning toward recommending at least two override positions. He stated that a course should be charted and that the details of the budget could be discussed during the remainder of the month. Moderator Murphy asked when numbers could be finalized. Town Manager Warren-Dyment expressed frustration at the pace of the conversation, noting that both the school and town sides already have their balanced budget numbers and their request numbers, and that what staff need is direction from the elected boards: "We need to hear whether those numbers are what the override numbers are. We need to be reacting to you." She emphasized that staff are ready to produce the detailed documentation required, but they need the policy direction to do so. The Superintendent concurred. Member Lockwood responded that what she thought she heard was “level services with a sprinkle of salt”. She stated that she wanted to see the level services budget with the additional asks. She commented that she had sent the Town Manager 125 comments on the budget as well as her suggestions as to revenue. She said she would be “rigid about what is a level service” and that the town and school both had unused money in FY25. She commented that if the Town needed to borrow to get capital projects done, that was an available alternative. Member Gilman questioned whether if the pursuit is for a “bare bones level services override” would people be willing to be back next year again. Finance Committee Member Tom Gray urged the group not to over-engineer the process and to deal with the information they currently had before them. He argued that the best approach is honesty ===PAGE 6=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 6 of 10 with the electorate: "We're just trying to deal with this year and we are going to try to deal with next year, next year." He acknowledged that he had watched the Fire Chief's budget presentation and found it informative, but commented how few members of the public had done so. He urged the boards to make a decision and commit to it, noting that public attention would not be captured until there are visible signs in the community and real information to react to. "We have to make decisions. We just can't sit there and pass it on." He also commented on the urgency, stating the group had been ahead of schedule, but was losing time. Member Emkey opined that true level services was not enough and that there were too many critical gaps. She acknowledged that the school needed an Assistant School Business Manager, that a principal should not be in a kindergarten class, and that she supported an Assistant Town Manager. She questioned whether 4th shift fire would be considered level services or not. School Committee Member Emily Young noted that as a parent who had watched the prior override process from outside the committees, the most powerful motivating factor had been the sense that the community was acting together with the town and schools in unison. She said that unity in messaging would be a significant asset in building public support. Vice Chair Moore commented that she viewed the ask as “core services” as opposed to “level services”. She commented that she would be willing to make cuts in areas of the operating budget to support the addition of the 4 th shift fire. She would like a restoration budget to pass. Member Emkey commented that the needs have changed and that cuts are being made to support those changes. Vice Chair Brzozoski cautioned that the two tiers may suggest that the higher tier included optional items. She was concerned that there would be a suggestion that the things in the higher tier would be considered perhaps “unnecessary”. Additional discussion ensued about core vs. level services. Chair Menard offered that a level services option should be offered. Vice Chair Moore responded that she felt like certain cuts should be made to support core services and that is why the term core should be used. Member Lockwood commented that she felt like core services was the right direction as she believes in a “zero-base budgeting” approach. Folks should look at actuals and be strategic as opposed to adding 2 % to everything. Moderator Murphy suggested that a group get together to work on messaging. A distinction was made between campaigning and messaging. Chair Menard offered that the Chairs will meet to discuss the messaging. Select Board Member Brian Lehtinen expressed support for a single override number and noted that if parents and students are directly engaged and asked to show up, they will come, as demonstrated in prior elections. He agreed that the numbers should be ready by the end of March and that the numbers must be justified and reviewed by the Finance Committee. He stated that he does not believe a level-service-only override is appropriate, and that it is ultimately the school committee's responsibility to determine what the schools need and to put that number forward for voters to decide. On the question of one versus two tiers, he stated he would support a two-tiered structure ===PAGE 7=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 7 of 10 only if it were tied to a multi-year projection, and that for a single-year ask, one number is cleaner and more defensible. He affirmed that it was not just about level services, it is about the services that are needed. Finance Committee Member Tanya Dall agreed with the consensus that the override should encompass both the schools and the town as one community, including the fire department. She emphasized that if a tiered approach is used, each tier must be accompanied by very specific data showing the dollar impact per household and the precise service implications of each option. Chair Sculimbrene offered that he thought parents would not be motivated to vote for an override that keeps the status quo if the status quo is not good. He commented on the recent student performance metrics. He said an override based on level services will not pass and that it should be a “core function” override. Telling people to “spend more money on something that is not working is not compelling”. He said he is leaning towards core override and then a restoration override, but not an override for just level services. Select Board Member Glenn McLeod addressed what he characterized as the broader systemic cause of the crisis: insufficient state investment in communities. He noted that more communities than ever are expected to seek overrides this year, and that simply passing overrides does not solve the underlying structural problem. He urged that any public messaging acknowledge that Lunenburg is struggling as a result of inadequate state funding and that residents should hold the state accountable. Vice Chair Brzozoski said that they have been lean for years and that there was nowhere else to cut from. She stated that they have not heard the “cuts” budget yet, but that there was nothing unnecessary in their budget. She reiterated that one override supports the message that this what we need. Member Emkey commented that the Town was offsetting additions to its budget by making cuts in other areas of the budget. She asked that the schools look at their top priorities and perform the same exercise to come up with a “sub-restoration” budget. The Moderator called for a straw poll on whether all members present supported placing an override on the ballot. All members present indicated their support. The Moderator confirmed that this was unanimous among those in attendance and noted for the record that it was a non-binding straw poll. The Moderator then called for a straw poll on the structure of the override: one number, or two numbers. The count yielded approximately seven members in favor of a single override number and five members in favor of two numbers. The Moderator acknowledged the near-even split and noted that several members were absent, including Select Board Member Caesar Nuzzolo, who was away on National Guard duty. While waiting for Town Counsel to join, the Town Manager discussed override options and mechanics with the members. She stated that many communities are thinking outside of the box when it comes to the override approach. She suggested to start with defining what you want the ===PAGE 8=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 8 of 10 structure to look like. The Moderator asked if anyone in the group was against either approach of an override (single vs. tiered). Member Lockwood commented that she was opposed to bringing forward a single override number. She stated that her children suffered from the failure of the 2012 override. She called the prospect of repeating that outcome “extremely dangerous” and "reckless," and argued that the voters of Lunenburg have historically supported schools, citing the approval of a new school building shortly after the 2012 override failure. Member Lehtinen reiterated support for a single number and suggested removing emotion from the process: the School Committee identifies its needs, the Finance Committee reviews the numbers, and the Select Board puts the article to the voters. Member Gray urged the group to commit: "Pick a number and go with it, and then be forceful and educate the people." Vice Chair Moore expressed concern about a single override. Member Dall expressed concern about a "trust issue" with residents stemming from recent years' budgetary events, and argued that having two options on the ballot could be framed as transparency and a good-faith effort to work with the community rather than a sign of indecision. Chair Menard commented that he hoped that all would support the Select Board’s decision regardless of what that decision may be. After some technical difficulty establishing audio, Town Counsel Adam J. Costa joined the meeting via telephone from his vehicle, having been at another meeting. The Moderator briefed him on the central question before the Tri-Board. Town Counsel Costa observed that the current override season is shaping up to be exceptionally busy, potentially surpassing even last year, which he described as unprecedented in his twenty years of practice. He noted that municipalities are actively seeking creative approaches but that the stringent statutory requirements governing Proposition 2½ overrides create real risk when communities try to deviate from traditional methods. He stated that he had recently had multiple conversations with the lead general counsel for the Division of Local Services (DLS) at the Massachusetts Department of Revenue regarding non-traditional override structures, and that even in those conversations, answers were not always definitive. He observed, "Thinking outside the box carries with it some risks." He reported that despite extensive internal discussion of tiered overrides, multi-year overrides, stabilization fund overrides, and other creative variations, most communities ultimately land on something "tried and true" in a general purposes override or a categorical override. Those approaches are the ones that voters understand and that can be executed without legal uncertainty. He said that communities seem to gravitate toward simplicity when the stakes are high. Member Emkey asked Attorney Costa to address the rules governing what elected officials and public employees can do in terms of informing the public about an override, conducting surveys, and using public access television. Town Counsel Costa responded that while he did not have all relevant materials in front of him, he could speak in general terms. He stated that the law regulates conduct, not speech, and that local officials are permitted to take positions on override questions ===PAGE 9=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 9 of 10 and speak publicly in favor of or in opposition to them. He stated the use of municipal funds or municipal resources (personnel, supplies, facilities) to promote or oppose a ballot question is what is prohibited. He noted that public employees may work on an override campaign on a volunteer basis on their own time in any capacity except fundraising. He further noted the existence of a specific statute, which he did not believe Lunenburg has adopted, that permits municipalities to send a one-page informational summary to voters regarding override questions. He committed to providing specific guidance documents through the Town Manager, including materials from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) and the Attorney General's office. Regarding Member Emkey's question about a public survey or poll, Town Counsel Costa indicated his belief that gathering information from residents through a poll is distinguishable from advocating on a ballot question, and that it is likely permissible, though he would confirm this in writing. Chair Sculimbrene asked for clarification on whether, as a School Committee member, he could tell parents that they should come to town meeting with a sponsor and vote for an override article. Town Counsel Costa read directly from the DLS Proposition 2½ guide: "The law regulates conduct and not speech. Thus, while local officials can take a position on an override or exclusion question and can speak in favor of or in opposition to it, they cannot spend public funds or use public resources such as personnel, supplies, and facilities to promote or oppose the question. Public employees may work on an override question or exclusion campaign on a volunteer basis on their own time in any capacity other than fundraising." He opined that providing informational context to parent groups, such as explaining town meeting procedures and the role of a sponsor, would not run afoul of the law, though he would verify this against available guidance. Member Emkey confirmed the key timeline constraint: the ballot question language must be submitted to the Town Clerk by April 11, 2026, which is thirty-five days prior to the election. Town Counsel Costa confirmed this, and also confirmed that if the override question fails at the ballot, the town has the option of bringing it back for a special election, provided that occurs prior to September 15th for appropriations made at the Annual Town Meeting. He noted that the thirty-five day notice requirement applies to each subsequent election as well. Town Counsel Costa also confirmed that the specific dollar amount does not need to appear in the printed warrant; it needs to be contained in the motion on the floor, but the motion's dollar figure must match the ballot question. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed the April 11th deadline is to the Town Clerk's office, not a board vote. The Moderator thanked Town Counsel Costa for attending under difficult circumstances, and he disconnected from the meeting. Following Town Counsel Costa's departure, the Moderator attempted to bring the conversation to a close and identify next steps. He noted that the straw poll on one versus two overrides had yielded a near-even split, and that the group was not yet in a position to reach a binding conclusion. Member Gilman expressed urgency about the need to begin at least some form of public communication, proposing that the Tri-Board put out a statement indicating that an override is ===PAGE 10=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes March 10, 2026 Page 10 of 10 necessary. Vice Chair Moore raised concern about taking a formal vote without Select Board Chair Caesar Nuzzolo present, as he would be returning from National Guard service later that week. The Town Manager suggested that rather than taking a formal vote, each individual member and committee could use their own platforms to communicate that the Tri-Board had met and is actively working on the FY27 budget, noting that there is nothing improper about doing so. The Moderator noted that the April 11th ballot language deadline effectively means the Tri-Board must arrive at a final number by the end of March or very early April, and encouraged the chairs to keep that constraint front of mind. PUBLIC COMMENT Sarah Cammer of 304 Lancaster Avenue, returned to the podium for a second public comment period. She addressed the Tri-Board as a parent, stating that the schools are "not starting this process on equal footing with the town," noting that new hires had occurred on the municipal side in the prior year while the schools had been cutting positions. Referring directly to the diagram Chair Menard had presented earlier, Ms. Cammer took issue with the labeling of the school's restoration budget items in the highest tier, particularly the items listed as "x, y, z." She identified those items specifically: an English teacher and part-time music teacher to ensure adequate time-on-learning at the high school and middle school, an assistant principal, a literacy coach, and an assistant business manager. "These aren't x, y, z items to me," she stated. Chair Sculimbrene exited the meeting prior to end of the public comment period. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Member Lockwood to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting. Seconded by Member Dall. Call for the vote: Six-aye. The motion passed unanimously (6-0-0). Motion by Member Gilman to adjourn the School Committee meeting. Seconded by Member Young. Call for the vote: Three-aye. The motion passed unanimously (3-0-0). Motion by Member Lehtinen to adjourn the Select Board meeting at 9:53 p.m. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore. Call for the vote: Four-aye. The motion passed unanimously (4-0-0). Respectfully Submitted, Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday June 16, 2026. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-18-agenda-7719.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-18 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-18-agenda-7719.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03182026-7719 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara -Business Administrator , Carla Squier -Primary School Principal , Tim S antry-LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon-THES Principal, Christopher Stevens-Director of Facilities In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 1/21/26 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants 2/25/26 to 3/11/26 $298408.51 & Donations-Beth Curtis Scholarship (3 min) a. Warrants 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Final Approval Greece Trip (3 min) b. FY27 Extended Day & ELC Handbooks (3 min) c. PEC-Health Insurance Opt Out (3 min) 10. Old Business Action a. FY27 Budget (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-18-minutes-7719.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-18 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-18-minutes-7719.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03182026-7719 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, March 18, 2026 LMHS 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Present Member,TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Carla Squier – Primary School Principal, Tim Santry, LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon – THES Principal, Christopher Stevens – Director of Facilites 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Ms. Brzozoski We need people to run for office, I'm not just talking about school committee. I'm talking about town wide. Up for election this year is select board, sewer commission, board of health, assessors, school committee, park commission, commissioner of trust funds, cemetery commission, library trustee, planning board, and housing authority. Some of those positions have nobody running for them. I know for us there are three seats up for election for school committee and there are only two people running for three seats. So we need people to run. You have until March 26, which is next week, to pull the papers. You go to the town clerk's office, get a form, you collect 50 signatures, you return it by Saturday, May 28th at 5:00 p.m., and then your name will be on the ballot. That's the easiest way to do it outside of caucus, which has already happened. If you need help getting signatures, you can email me and I will help you. And there are other people in town who will help you get 50 signatures if that sounds like a large task. This town is run by volunteers. If you're unhappy about how things work, you can make changes. This is a concrete action that you can take in your local community. I highly recommend that if you're watching tonight and you're upset by things, to consider running for office. Number two, tonight is going to stink. No one will be happy. We will all be upset. We sustained massive cuts last year. Cuts that affected our students in concrete, demonstrable ways. Cuts that put immense strain on the reduced staff. I cannot understand how we're going to possibly cut more. But we have to look at a balanced budget. That is our responsibility. We have to do it. The important thing I wanted to say was I am so grateful for our Lunenburg teachers and staff. This is what makes Luneburg schools great. You guys are the reason we have managed this long with so little. Your Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 creativity, your dedication, and your caring for our students and for each other, is much appreciated. And I'm saying that as me, a school committee member, who is constantly impressed with what I see, and as a parent who has seen firsthand how talented and dedicated you all are. Third thing and last thing is that May 2nd is town meeting. You must go. Do not depend on other people showing up for you. This is not going to be an easy thing to get passed. No, it's not fun. It is always, for some reason, beautiful weather and the nice first Saturday in May. As parents, for some reason, it is a day that is constantly filled with every child having activities. It is a hard thing to attend. That is why historically parents don't go. But it is important you go. It is too important for you to sit out and hope for the best. You are the best hope. This is directly a way that you can make the town better. You can make our kids' lives better. This is one of the few times that we as citizens have a vote that very much counts. Saturday, May 16th is the town election. You must show up and vote in that election. You have to. An override needs to pass at town meeting and then it needs to pass at the polls. It needs to meet both of those obstacles in order to pass. It barely passed last time. Your individual vote will matter. Those individual votes absolutely mattered. So, I want everyone to put the dates in your calendar now. Saturday, May 2nd and Saturday, May 16th, put them in your calendar. May 2nd is the not fun day. That's going to take a lot of hours. May 16th, you just need to be in town and spend a few minutes voting. But both of those things are really important. You need to spread the word too because not a lot of people watch this as compared to who we need to show up. 4. Chairs Report – I want to make everyone aware all of the committees are working together, behind the scenes to try and things ready. We are working really hard to get everything ready for our side, so when we have the next tri-board meeting, we will be ready to go. I know the select board is working very hard. One of the things I want to highlight is that according to the budget presented last Monday, the fourth shift fire department two days ago, has moved from an override item to a regular budget item, while I understand the necessity of that, from my perspective as chair, it greatly weakens the ability for the override to pass. I wish that wouldn’t have happened, I understand why it happened, I understand the fire department still has needs, but it is hard to be this late in the process and have that big of a change. I am concerned that it will impact turnout and the vote count in a way that is bad. I am also a little concerned that this structure of the override has not been set, the amounts have not been set, hopefully, and when we finish tonight everything will be in. This is been a very difficult process and I am more concerned now than before. Renee Emkey, 6 Iris Court – Speaking as myself, I want to clarify one thing about the fourth shift fire that is in the no override budget, The fourth shift is included in the override budget, the full ask of the fire department is not. The per diems were cut in half that impact is that we cannot man two ambulances in the no override budget, so that is the missing piece. This impacts safety and services of the town. 5. Student Representative Report – Primary School and Turkey Hill hosted STEM nights, MCAS are also coming up for Turkey Hill, Middle School, and High School. Prom tickets went on sale Monday and will be on sale for 2 weeks. Course registration has just opened for the high school. Kids are scared again about the budget. Districtwide, we are currently hosting a food drive 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 1/21/26 Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the minutes, Ms. Young seconds the motion, Ms. Brzozoski abstains, motion passes. , 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers - None b. Warrants 2/25/26 – 3/11/26 $298,408.51 ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 c. Donations – Beth Curtis Scholarship This scholarship was awarded to two, 2025 graduates, it was $500 each, this works out to be a payment to the student, as it different than the usual scholarship donations. Town Hall wants approval to pay this out, and we need your signatures for that to happen Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the donation/award to be paid out, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve. 8. Superintendents Report The high school very nicely created a schedule that would not require the movement of graduation due to the terrifically wonderful winter wonderland we had this winter. So this will keep our graduation on the 6th and keeps us within guidelines for the 12 school days between senior dismissal and district dismissal. The schedule would be senior's last day will be Tuesday, June 2nd, Wednesday, June 3 would be the motorcade, Thursday, June 4th would be rehearsal, senior awards and dinner, Friday, June 5th is senior sunset, and Saturday, June 6 is graduation. Obviously, we didn't want to move to graduation because of the number of snow days, even though we had that option. So, I really want to thank um Mr. Santry and Ms. Tousignant for us, working out a flexible schedule so that we could keep graduation on the 6th. One more thing that I wanted to make sure that you are aware of for our handbooks and registrations for summer programs and our early learning center, and extended day. For summer camp, the application is going to be put up around 5:00 p. p.m. on April 27th. For extended day, 5:00 pm on May 11th, and for early learning center, 5:00 pm on May 18th. These are all Mondays. Extended day will run as it ran this year, the early learning center is located at Primary school and summer camp at the Primary school. And then you have some images that were just in our folder of students enjoying decodable readers, which you approved the grant funding for. So, we wanted to show you that they are being used and how much our students are enjoying them. 9. New Business Action a. Final Approval Greece Trip Ms Ayer represents tonight for Ms. Yourk and gives a summary of the agenda. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion for final approval for the trip, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve b. FY 27 Extended Day and ELC Handbooks Ms McCarthy-Gillette reports information is all the same, the only changes are days that the Lunenburg School calendar changed. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the handbooks, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve. c. PEC Health Insurance Opt Out Negotiations between the town and PEC are coming to an end, which includes an enhancement to the Opt out program, Right now employees must enroll in the town’s health insurance for at least two years and then are eligible to opt out, when they opt out the receive a one year incentive of $2,000 for individual plan and $4,000 for a family plan. For the new proposed program, employees must enroll in the town’s health insurance for at least one year and then they are eligible to opt out, and will receive a $3000 for individual and $6,000 for family incentive payment. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the Superintendent to move forward with the opt-out program, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve. 10. Old Business Action a. FY Budget The superintendent goes through the reductions and increases that have been made in the proposed budget, with explanations. The committee discusses their override structure preferences. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to provide the selectboard with one number for the override, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve. The committee will draft a letter to clarify they believe it is in the best interest to have one number for the override, and for that number to be $1,601,140. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the core budget as our suggestion to the select board for the override number, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 all approve The committee continues to discuss the projected reality budget, which will be the results is there is no override. The list of cuts and consequences are reviewed. The committee decides they do not accept the budget as it has been presented Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the balanced budget as proposed minus the athletic transportation, which the team will then make a recommendation that will accept. Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve 11. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight Renee EmKey, 6 Iris Court, speaking on behalf of myself, I first want to publicly thank the superintendent, Chris, and the town manager all who spent a lot of time Friday and over the weekend, looking at line items, expenses and looking into Munis and a lot of it was incorporated into the budget. Coming back to the fire conversation, I want to make it clear that in the no override budget that was discussed on Monday, it was a decision that the fire fourth shift career fire was a priority and we cut several departments to make that happen, library, additional fire, DPW, police, parks and rec, council on aging all took cuts. I want to be clear no one is happy with the no override budget. This is not what anyone wants. It is so critical that this override passes. We are not asking for money for frivolous things, we are not padding the budget. This year with all the new staff in place, it was a lot more work, but the work got done. I want the public to know that and to feel comfortable, the override that is presented is the override that is needed. If we go with the two tiers, it could be needed and then plus what we want. Public education is critical, this is a matter of priorities. We have to go to town meeting with a no override budget and present it, but we need to be very clear of what is lacking. Sarah Camer, 304 Lancaster Ave I wanted to speak here to parents who might be listening now. May 2 is a big sports day for a lot of people. I hope you are having a conversation with your student about how you might have to miss one of their athletic events. My daughter is going to states, I am not going, I have to go to town meeting. On average there are about 1540 students in Lunenburg, that means that every house sends 2.7 kids to school, that gives about 570 families assuming everyone is a single parent that means 570 parents need to be at town meeting and they need to vote for the budget and they need to get their extended family that live in town and they need to go to town meeting. The one at the beginning of the meeting, not the one that is causing all of us to tear up in this room tonight. I do find it really hard to believe that all the rest of the people in this town who may not be parents would jump on board with that budget either, maybe I am an optimist, I am an educator so I have to be optimistic. I have been working in climate change for a long time and I still think we can do something about that too. Having to talk about that balanced budget, the word “balanced” is wrong, that is the budget of no override, the budget of despair. We really as a town need to do better than that. We need to carry forward from your meeting today is what budget is essential, and that is what we need to talk about with the town, not the failures people have had in the past with overrides. It is not this group vs that group, it is what the whole town needs. I do believe that was part of the discussion at the select board with what the town needs budget-wise. Nobody wanted that first budget either, if you listen to that meeting they want the override also. We need to get this right the first time, this C budget is a good number, it is well designed and transparent and obvious that is what we need. Laura Barooshian, 389 Mulpus Road, here as a parent and as the president of the MusicGators. I want to thank you for everything you are doing. I think there is a different feel this year and how you are all working together and the conversations you are having. There is transparency, I don’t have to search for the budgets, and there is a hub on our town website that gives people, committees, and groups everyone’s budget, I think this is phenomenal for the public. We are at a crossroads, push has come to shove. These are the cuts that we are talking about at the end of 4 hours, 4 days later, and they will be the same thing next year. This is a rinse and repeat budget that is what is going to happen. This is the tip of the iceberg of what is going to happen. This impacts all of us, whether you have students in the school system now or in the past, you have benefited from your property tax, your property values go ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 up. Look at the properties that are selling, I have a neighbor and saw the house for sale, we saw little kids and thinking, there is the next generation of Lunenburg. That is why we are here, whether we are here for music or chorus or arts or athletics, whatever it is, well-rounded students who go on and productive member of society, who can come back to our town and start that over again. That is our goal. We need to get there and this budget proposal that helps us get there and meet that goal. We need to be taking care of our kids. I have three other things on May 2nd but I will be sitting in the auditorium all day with the clicker and on the 16th, you just have to be there. The MusicGators appreciate this too, thank you for the restoring the music teacher back in, I will commit with my fellow officers to helping balance and make up for supplies, transportation and other needed things. Sarah Call, 11 Easterbrook Road I work at the Primary School and I am a parent of two high schoolers and a homeowner in town. The one thought that keeps coming back to me is last year we suddenly found almost $600,000 but then lost it and went to the town, I feel like before we move forward with another override, we should address how that money was lost and if there is a chance of getting it back. 12. Reports from Sub-Committees 13. Topics for Future Discussion 14. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 10:46, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-19-agenda-7718.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-19-agenda-7718.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03192026-7718 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING AGENDA Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026 Time: 7:05 PM Location: Town Hall –Bilotta Meeting Room Broadcast Status: In Person/Remote School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member 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 (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in -person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in - person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy t o the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in -person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=83933248201 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475 -4499 and enter Webinar ID: 766 316 7607 # If you have not register ed with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e -mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. PUBLIC COMMENT- The Tri-Board seeks public comment on the FY27 budget. III. FY27 BUDGET AND PROPOSITION 2 ½ OVERRIDE IV. PUBLIC COMMENT VI. ADJOURN Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-23-agenda-7732.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-23 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-23-agenda-7732.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03232026-7732 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE EMERGENCY MEETING Date: Monday, March 23, 2026 Time: 6:00PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=81730698114 Meeting ID: 766 316 7607 One tap mobile +19292056099,,7663167607# US (New York) +13017158592,,7663167607# US (Washington DC) Join instructions https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/81730698114/invitation s?signature=aR1cR9MHUpgUUfZwoGdTbXwOYg9kFOx AHICMs4_l40s The meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 2. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 3. Chair’s Report (3 min) 4. Old Business Action a. FY27 Balanced Budget Vote Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-23-minutes-7732.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-23 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-23-minutes-7732.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03232026-7732 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES EMERGENCY SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, March 23, 2026 LMHS 6:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Absent Member,TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator 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 reasonably 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 at 6:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Ms. Gilman makes a motion to extend the public comment section past 10 minutes, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve Casey McDonnell, 1024 Mass Ave I'm a teacher at Luneburg High School and I'm also the head football coach. I want to be very clear as the football coach, I'm not here trying to protect my puppy. I understand everybody needs to take some cuts and I'm in complete agreement with that, however, I strongly believe that a more creative avenue for further conversation needs to be had about the athletic transportation. It's a liability nightmare waiting to happen with what we're talking about by just making it completely cut. In my opinion, this fall I'm going to have 40 kids in the football program and I shudder at the idea that we are going to carpool and figure out rides to places like Gardner, Fitchburg, Worcester, Leicester, etc. There needs to be some sort of alternative option. I know Emily had talked about a one-way transportation last week, I have even talked with other coaches in the area about other programs that have done the purchase of one or two vans or buses. I'm going to leave them anonymous, but direct quotes that I've gotten from other coaches in other athletic programs in the area, “any school that wants to save money finds a way to get a van or two to supplement their travel”. Another coach that told me, "It's absolutely worth it. I would recommend every school having one. It paid for itself within two years”. Whatever argument against it, whether it be insurance, whatever the case may be, I promise you it is less than any lawsuit or liability that could fall back on Miss Burns, the coaches, myself. We can talk about if parents can be the ones that are responsible for bringing the kids to these games, but that's out of our control. And I don't want us to be on the other end of when a kid throws four other kids into his pickup truck, drives out to an away game that we told him to go Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 to, and something bad happens. It is a legal nightmare. There are liabilities there that weigh far more financially and emotionally than us just being able to figure it out. I have full confidence and faith in our extracurricular community. I'm including band and music into this when I say this that we could come together and be able to raise funds and aid in the effort if needed. Like I said, it just requires more of a conversation and willingness to explore more creative options besides parents and families helping us to figure it out. Nathaniel Ayles, student athlete, I have comments on the busing, all of us understand how expensive busing is, but cutting both sports and band transportation from our budget would unfairly limit student access to essential extracurricular activities that build teamwork, discipline, and school pride. Many students rely on school provided transportation to participate, and without it, those who cannot drive or lack other options would be excluded, creating inequality among the student body. Athletics and music programs are not just extras, they contribute to students’ physical health, creativity, and overall academic success. Removing transportation risks lower participation, weakening school culture, and taking away opportunities that help students grow beyond the classroom Chris Sullivan, 108 Highland Street, I am not jealous or envious of anything you guys had to do here. I think Lunenburg needs to focus on educating our students and our obligation to do that. Our obligation should be educate the entire student that includes extracurricular activities. Classroom first and foremost obviously and it goes without saying but I'm a firm believer that athletics and other extracurricular here at Lunenburg play a significant role in student development and the life experiences extend far beyond the classroom. I have two students here at the high school a sophomore and a senior and those extracurricular directly impact their social and emotional well-being, they establish long-term relationships and friendly bonds. It builds their college resumes, it helps them understand what it means to be part of something special, to be part of something more than just your individual self. I haven't heard much in the way discussion of cutting middle school sports. I'm not sure where we're at with middle school sports if they're completely off the table, but when I looked at Dr. Fortuna's slide that came out today, we're talking about $2,400 for the ski team, $3,300 for golf, $4,200 for girls lacrosse, that's $9,976. We're presently spending $14,415 on middle school sports. There's a $4,439 difference between the two. I would be a proponent of cutting middle school sports before I would anything to do with varsity sports. Cutting varsity sports can have direct implications on kids’ college opportunities, not sure if you're aware, but our varsity lacrosse goalie is a D1 commit to Cal Berkeley next year, that opportunity goes away if we don't have opportunity here for girls to play lacrosse. Two of the sports that we're talking about, my son plays, so it hit me like a ton of bricks this morning when I got that email. He's been on the golf team since the eighth grade, he’s been on the ski team for two years. Ski team is a co-op. I'm not sure if we can look at other schools taking that on. Golf, I don't know what the solutions are, but we're talking about impacting kids opportunities here to enjoy school, to be off screens, to not be going home directly after school, to build these bonds. I think that's a travesty that we are here talking about that tonight. I know we got to talk about the position, athletic trainer, not the person, Dave obviously has established a great relationship with students but whoever the trainer is, the fact that kids have somebody here full-time that they can rely on for safety, for their health, and their emotional well-being is huge. Someone that's not here full-time, I can speak to it directly. My first track meet of the season this year, my daughter pulled her hamstring, she came home distraught, totally upset. Senior year, down and out, not sure what to expect. She realized that Dave was up at the school at a basketball game. She immediately came up to the school that night, saw Dave, came home with a stim machine for the weekend to start getting herself rehabbed, and then was able to get back to compete at states at the end of the season where they won the state title for the school. The impact that a trainer can have at a school on a full-time basis is huge. Not having a trainer here full-time is a massive detriment to our program here at the school ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Jim Broden, Ski Team Founder I’ve been involved with the ski team for over 20 years. What I would propose that we could do is if we raised that money, would you keep the team? We've done that before, we were a completely self-funded team and I believe that we could raise that money. If that wasn't an option the second thing that we could do is to go talk to Leominster High School and Littleton High School and ask if they want to be the host teams. We do not use school transportation and we make it work, everyone has insurance. When I started the team we did look up in the Massachusetts law if a parent has over $100,000 of liability insurance they can drive. So we've never had any issues with that. I think if it's no cost, we should be able to keep it. So that's what I propose. And it's really no different than when all the kids are younger, we pay for all of their sports and we believe that we could continue to do that. For the first 12 years that I was the coach, I had all of the funding. It was all reported to the athletic director at the end of each season and we had no problems with it. So, I hope you take that into consideration. Anna Lockwood I want to thank Mr. Broden for his comments, my daughter did the ski team when he was the coach and it was a self-funded sport, there was no cost to the school district at that point to have that team running. I think as parents we can do that again. I am looking for ways to support the school department and continue everything that's good about Lunenburg. I'd love to support any team including the golf which my son played as well. I made a comment earlier to a school committee member it's not that we don't want to support the sports I think we need to be pragmatic about it and if sports have less than number of kids then school department will not provide transportation might be a good rule to go by, so that we'll be funding sports that maximize the most benefit to the most kids. I was also very appreciative of the chair on that our last meeting where he said you know we need to focus on education. As hard as it is to admit to this, the outcome of any kid on their educational journey really has to do with social economics. I think we need to focus on doing the basics and doing the basics very well during difficult times and provide good education for the children. While the extracurricular benefits children but not as many I think we need to be frugal about it. So I do think I support the chair on his comments on focusing on education. I hope everything can stay. I hope parents can step up and gosh, I can step up, too. This is not easy. I don't envy you. Unfortunately, it seems to be a cycle that we go through every 10 years or so. Matt Snyder 985 Flat Hill Road I agree with and appreciate everything everybody said to date. I would argue that unfortunately education first doesn't go without saying because I think that is one of the areas we cut the most, because we don't want to lose some of the extracurricular items and the things that make a potentially better-rounded student. So, I think it does need to be said over and over again that the education does have to come first and we might need to make some difficult decisions in other areas. My kids happen to play sports and they're in the band. They're both very academically successful. We're going to be impacted no matter what we cut, right? It doesn't matter. So, I'm not here to make a plea for my own self- interest or anything like that. I'm really not even here to make a plea to you folks. I know this is a difficult and challenging decision. It's really a plea to the town, we keep going through this. I know the previous speaker said we go through this every 10 years. We're going through this every year right now. It's not every 10 years. It's every year, and the problem is that we either don't ask for enough money when we go for an override or we wait too long to ask for money when we go for an override. We make these death by a thousand paper cut type moves, we dwindle away what our school system offers and then eventually we pass a band-aid fix that solves that year. The next year we're making the same conversation. Maybe an override gets us a couple years, but it's rare in my time in town that we're passing an override that significantly carries the town to the next. We need to help change the mindset in town that if we're demonstrating a financial burden and a financial need, we need to fund that financial burden and financial need or we're going to lose programming and that you can't have all the programming you want without funding it. There's no way around it, so we're watching a slow fade turn into a rapid fade of services. Everything's falling off the edge right now, we're like lemmings. It's just everything's going right over the edge. When we came to town, we had a shop program. We had all kinds of things. We built a brand new ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 school and didn't have a shop because we had to cut the shop. We now can't have a shop because we don't have a space to put it, the band has been under threat every year. Our son has played in a band of like six kids, right? We're finally seeing that return. Some of that was COVID. A lot of that was funding. A lot of that was cuts in the lower levels. A prior speaker talked about cutting middle school sports. Yeah, that's an option, but those are feeder programs that feed into your high school sports. So, you start cutting the lower level sports, your feeder programs go away. Sure, there's town sports. Sure, there's programs that people can put their own kids into programs, but if it's not run through the public schools, it's the people who can't afford it who can't do it. So, it's the haves and have nots. I graduated from one of the smallest public high schools in all of Massachusetts, it probably still is. We had one honors class. We had one AP class. We did still have a shop program. I don't know how, but basically you had two offerings maybe of each subject at each grade level throughout. As far as sports, we had a single sport per season per gender, right? We had a boys’ soccer, girls’ soccer, we had boys’ baseball and girls’ softball. We had very few extracurricular offerings there. When I went off to college, I was woefully unprepared in my exposure and background. I managed to be a successful student. I'm not going to say it was in spite of my education. I think I would have succeeded just aptitude, but my high school did not prepare me for college. Lunenburg is definitely heading down the path of not preparing its kids for college if we keep cutting programs. And it's not sports. It's not band. It's not education. It's all of it. So, it's not a message to you folks, you're doing what you can to fit a square peg in a round bowl. The town needs to step up and take care of our community because we're a community. Our kids, our school is a critical part of our community. And if it starts to go downhill, the rest of the community is going to follow. Kara Harunkiewicz, 165 Gilchrest Street I'm normally up there and trust me, I fully agree. There are many times I probably wouldn't have come to school if it wasn't for my extracurricular activities. I hate when I get a doctor's appointment that's scheduled the same day I have jazz band because then I'm not allowed to go to jazz band. But I would like to justify what I said the other day too about education coming first and why I made the comment up there about, hey, why are we cutting teachers when we aren't cutting athletic transportation. I work at a summer camp. For our kids from pre-k to first grade, our ratio is 1:7. And I mean, mind you, we're being paid minimum wage and are hardly trained, but still one of us to seven of them. The idea of it being one of us to 30 of them, I don't know how anyone could do that. It's hard enough as it is. I don't see how a primary school teacher can manage a classroom of 30 kids on their own, especially when some of those kids have special needs, can't learn the same way as the other students, and yet we'll get our football team to Martha's Vineyard. It doesn't make sense. And no one likes to come up here and advocate for the loss of extracurricular activities. It affects me too. I've done sports, not here in a while, but I have done sports through Lunenburg. It just you can't run successful sports programs when your lowest level of students aren't being educated. How is your first grader ever going to be able to play a sport if they can hardly spell their name? Which is what we're looking at when your first grade students are shoved 30 in a room. So, I would just like to justify what I said before for those who were like, why would she say that? Because I did get a few questions in school about why I would suggest cutting athletic transportation. Laura Barooshian, 389 Mulpus Road I was at the marathon meeting on Wednesday night and saddened to see that today's presentation had even more cuts than were being discussed on Wednesday. And I think it's just a testament to the fact that to make a balanced budget, it has to come from somewhere, I want to remind the public and all of the parents and the 117 people that are on this Zoom right now. I don't know how many in the room, but May 2nd is town meeting day and May 16th is voting day, 117 votes puts through an override that avoids these cuts. Parents and taxpayers, this is a balanced budget is a one-year fix. We will be back in this room and back on the Zoom this time next year. And there won't be an athletic transportation, there won't be a music transportation cut, there won't be a point to music teacher at the fifth grade, they'll be all academic cuts. There'll be the support services for the special needs kids. There'll be teachers. The cuts ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 will be even more drastic. And this will just be on we are in a vicious circle over and over again. We have to do something to stop this. 117 voices plus those in the room and those that we can talk to in your neighbors and your other maybe your family, that's what needs to happen. We can avoid this. We have one thing that we can control. There's one thing that we can do in this world, is to make your voice heard and to stop this from happening and stop I will say the board school committee from having to put this forward. They have to put this forward but this is this is up to us. I will also say the president of music gators we have our biggest sixth grade band right now because the fifth grade band last year, I think I'm going to get this right, Mr. Ballister will correct me if I don't, but I think it was 90% of the kids that started with 5th grade band last year finished with the band. And that's what's got our biggest band program now. And the musicgators will step in where we need to. We've already communicated that to the school committee. We will fill the gap, but we will be asking our parents to fund that. We will be asking for financial support to do that. But I just remind folks, this is in our control. May 2nd you have to be at town meeting and May 16th you have to be voting. Mr. Sculimbrene reads aloud a letter from the first grade team. Dear members of the Lunenburg School Committee, the first grade team is writing to express serious concern about the proposed change from five first grade classrooms of approximately 23 students each to four classrooms of 30 students or more each. We want to begin by acknowledging and appreciating the difficult decisions you are facing and working within what we understand to be an extremely challenging and at times seemingly impossible budget. We recognize the care and thought that goes into balancing financial constraints with the needs of students, staff, and the broader community, and we are grateful for your continued commitment to our schools. At the same time, we feel strongly that this proposed change will have a significant impact on our youngest learners. First grade is a foundational year for literacy development. It is during this critical period that our students not only learn to read, but build their foundation for future learning and shape their entire academic trajectory. Increasing class sizes to 30 students significantly limits a teacher's ability to provide the instruction that early literacy demands. In smaller classes, we can more effectively deliver mandatory curriculum, identify gaps, and tailor instruction to meet diverse needs. With 30 students, that level of attention becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible. As classroom teachers with little to no support already, we feel confident that our struggling learners will not receive the individualized instruction and intervention they deserve and require. This poses tremendous long-term academic consequences. Research has consistently shown that early grade size matters most. Investing in smaller classes in first grade is not simply beneficial. It is essential. We are deeply concerned about changing the class size particular particularly as the number and intensity of student behavior challenges continues to increase each year. We are already supporting students with a wide range of social, emotional, and behavioral needs, often without staffing or resources for us to do so effectively. Many of our young students are arriving in our classroom needing support in managing big emotions, dealing with trauma, following rules and routines, and maintaining focus. Addressing these needs takes substantial time, and often disrupts instruction, reduce learn reducing learning opportunities for all students. While larger class sizes may seem like a practical response to budget or staffing challenges, they often lead to unintended consequences for teacher morale, effectiveness, and retention. As class sizes grow without additional support, we have less capacity to provide individualized instruction and are forced to focus on more classroom management than meaningful learning. This shift will increase stress, make student needs harder to meet, and will lead to burnout, frustration, and a diminished sense of effectiveness in our classrooms. We respectfully urge the committee to carefully reconsider this proposal and prioritize maintaining small class sizes in first grade, smaller class sizes in first grade. Supporting our youngest learners at this critical stage is one of the most important investments we can make in their future. Thank you for your time, your service, and your consideration. Sincerely, Christa Palma, Jackie Favreau, Kara Slattery, Pattie Kilcommins, and Mike Courtemanche ===PAGE 6=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Mr. Sculimbrene reads a letter from Nicole Bienvenu on behalf of the second grade team. Dear Mr. Sculimbrene, Ms. Brzozoski, Miss Gilman and Ms. Young. We are sending this to you today as a team of professional educators with a collective 71 years of teaching and practical experience at the Lunenburg Primary School to express both our unwavering commitment for to what is best for our second grade students and also our concern for those students due to potential staffing changes in the coming year. To begin, we want to thank you for the time for taking the time to hear our concerns and for your advocacy on our schools and students during this challenging fiscal time. We are aware of and understand the budget constraints all too well as we have been experiencing this difficult environment for some time. We appreciate the difficult situation you face balancing priorities and resources. We would like to emphasize and make you aware that any staff cuts resulting in class sizes of 30 or more students at the primary level will lessen our ability to educate students of Lunenburg effectively. The result of this student to teacher ratio will negatively impact our students, their safety and their academic, social and emotional progress. Currently the struggles we are facing in our classroom include substantial and growing number of students with social emotional dysregulation major unsafe physical and verbal behaviors and a lack of staff to support these ever increasing needs. The current staffing shortage has already made it very challenging to adequately meet academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students at the primary school. Staffing reductions would only make that situation worse. We believe drawing on our extensive experience as educators that at those levels of student to teachers, it would become impossible to give our second grade students the focused instruction they require without even meeting the basic requirement for adequate space to safely educate our students. We are facing a current reality in education where every year our students come to us with more and more needs, specifically social, emotional, and behavioral needs. We need to acknowledge this reality and be proactive in supporting our student needs. Reducing staff at the Lunenburg Primary School will make an already difficult situation impossible. Our school is staffed by dedicated, experienced, and compassionate educators who consistently go above and beyond to ensure our students receive the support they need. We all agree our students deserve a robust and effective public education. We need and appreciate your support and advocacy in order to continue to deliver what our students need to be successful. For all of these reasons, we are asking you not to cut classroom educator positions at the Primary School. We have one more critical area of concern. Given the significant challenges we are facing in our school year, our assistant principal has been vital in supporting us. He consistently goes above and beyond to support staff and students. Our school would be less safe and less functional without a full-time assistant principal. Please also consider not cutting this full-time essential position. Our Lunenburg Primary School mission statement states, "Our mission, we prepare our students for lifelong learning and responsible community membership. Our vision, the Lunenburg Primary School is a child- centered school devoted to providing high quality early childhood education for all students. We're a community of teachers, students, and parents working together to create a safe and respectable, respectful learning environment”. Our current knowledge of child development guides the school's beliefs and practices and provides the foundation for student learning. Please help us and advocate for what our students deserve in order to learn at the Lunenburg Primary School and help us live up to our mission statement. Respectfully, Nicole Bienvenu, Melissa Bourgeois, Britney Gibbons, Julie Hudson, Sara Kenney, Laura Refrigeri, and Karen Hurley. Mandy Gilman I want to thank our educators for their thoughtful comments and feedback. I Laura Brzozoski First of all, everything that people said tonight, thank you. You also need to be saying it to the select board and the tri board meeting is tomorrow night. It needs to be said there, too, because we know that these cuts are painful. There's nothing that doesn't hurt, so send emails to people, advocate outside of just here, please. This is good, too, I love when our students come and talk as well. I think that's says something nice about Lunenburg. This weekend I did what I think many of you also been doing, I spun out a little. I'm a school committee member, but I'm also a mom and I need my kids to get a decent education. I went to open houses. I looked at the rich towns that I can't afford to live in, the ones with the ===PAGE 7=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 that I can't afford to move to, the ones with the really nice fancy schools, and then I talked to people, to the teacher from Boxboro and Groton and people in Westford and Chelmsford and a lot of really nice towns. Arlington, a lot of very expensive places to live with very good schools, and the good news and the bad news, it's not just Lunenburg, it's like this everywhere. This is a statewide issue. It is horrifying as a school committee member to see it coming and know that it's about to crash down on Massachusetts and to see the state legislature doing very little. This is awful it's like screaming avalanche and nobody's listening, homeowners, taxpayers across the state are bearing the increasing burden of education without the state helping. Massachusetts is failing its students. Lunenburg is unfortunately uniquely poised to be closer to the edge of this cliff. We are too rich for state aid. We're too poor to fund this entirely ourselves. We're too small to be a gateway city. We're too big to be rural. It's really hard. We are a very fiscally responsible community that keeps a close eye on our budgets. The schools have been running very lean for a long time. I've been saying it for three years. It has not stopped being true. What we're seeing is the result of the leanness. I don't think it's so much that it comes in cycles it’s that the economy comes in cycles, but by the time it gets to the next cycle, we haven't built up from where we were before and now it's every year. What we're seeing is the result of the leanness. I'm watching what other districts are cutting first, as they hit this fiscal wall and it's usually things that Lunenburg either never had or trimmed years and years ago. We're cutting to the bone now because that's all that's left. The awful truth is it's a state issue, but we do not have time to wait for the state to fix it. I don't know if they ever will. We have to do for ourselves and take care of our own. But the good news is that doing for ourselves is a very Lunenburg thing to do. We are a community. We dig in our help our neighbor. So I need everybody listening to step in and help. An override is not a casual undertaking. It is not something that I want to be asking for year after year. It is a hard sell to ask people to pay more. We all have kids. So it makes sense to parents sometimes when you say pay a little bit more for your kids’ education, but it is a hard sell to ask people without kids in the system who don't have much money to also dig a little deeper. Part of why I like Lunenburg so much is our economic diversity, but that also comes with a responsibility to maintain a town that's affordable. But this is necessary. This is what it's going to take to avoid the cuts we're talking about tonight. The cuts we talked about last week and to give our schools what they need. Not more than they need, not extra, but enough to properly educate the kids of Lunenburg. I think we're up to the challenge. The history of this town is rooted in self- reliance and community connections. I've seen how we respond to disasters. I've seen how we've responded when our neighbors’ house catches on fire or people need help. That's what we do. The state is not going to come fix this this year. I don't think they're going to fix it anytime soon. We are a tiny demographic compared to the cities, but we have to do this. I'm not going to do it. The three of us are not able. It can't be just us. So this is the time if you are upset about the cuts, if you are upset about the future of Lunenburg schools, this is the time that you have to put in the effort and make a positive change in this community. So May 2nd town meeting, you have to go. Do not expect other people to go. Don't go and then be frustrated when it didn't pass because that is your fault. That's on you. Don't wait for someone else to do the work for you. You have to go to town meeting May 2nd and then you have to vote May 16th, which is the town election. Override has to pass at town meeting and then it has to pass at the town election. So May 2nd and May 16th, they're Saturdays. You’ve got to put them in your calendar and you have to go. And also, we need someone to run for school committee. It's really fun, that's a lie, but we do we have two people running for three seats. There are other boards and committees in town that have empty seats. No one is running for them. There are boards and committees. Right now, I don't think there's a single contested election where the citizens of Lunenburg get an option in who to vote for. That doesn't make for a good democracy. Thursday is your last day to pull papers. To get on the ballot, you need to collect 50 signatures and hand it in by Saturday. It's not impossible. You can email us. We'll help you figure it out. If you are sitting here frustrated because you have the answers and we're not seeing them, then you need to step up and run, please, and we need to work together on this override. This is going to be a team effort. ===PAGE 8=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Mandy Gilman I just want to say two years ago, I did a lot of screaming and yelling at the previous version of this board. Lots and lots of people told me that we could not pass an override in this town. And we did. We passed a million-dollar override. We won by over 90 votes. And we can do it. But that means that every single person listening to this call needs to talk to bring someone with them because we can win with 800 votes and we can get there and I do not accept that this is what our kids deserve. I just won't accept it. So I just hope each person listening understands how little I'm sleeping, how little I think Dr. Fortuna is sleeping, and how much we care about this. But we can do this. I don't want to hear people saying we can't do it because that, Tony, that is the worst way to be because we can do this. There are enough people that live in this town that believe in this community. I was born here. I was raised here. I love this place. 4. Chairs Report I just want to make four quick points. Number one, this has been an especially unusual form of torture. Making people who care a lot about education being legally compelled to disassemble the school district they send their children to is terrible. The balance budget that we put forward on Wednesday and the revised balance budget that we put forward tonight are mandated by the town charter. This is not something that anyone would choose to do or want to do. We met with the booster parents for athletics. We're going to meet with the booster parents for other extracurricular activities. Our hope is that the only time we talk about this balanced budget is when we are obligated to and that's it. It reminds me of the process of watching my grandfather die. My dad's dad, he was named Meyer. He was born in Italy and he came here when he was a young man and he had very serious diabetes. And I lived in Ohio and they lived in in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And we would visit, every three months. And each time I would go, I would see him getting sicker and sicker. I would see, a toe get taken by the doctor and then a foot. And it just kept getting worse and worse and worse. And I think that what we need to understand is that there is a point of no return for the school district. And we are rapidly approaching the point of no return. It is a mathematical certainty at a certain point that this will not continue to work because funding from the state government is largely premised on the number of students. If we have a reason for some students to leave that would reduce funding and then that would in turn cause more students to leave. We need to be very careful as a community to avoid the death spiral and we are very close to being at that point. Second thing I want to say is the removal of fire. You know, I thought it was a negative. I still think that it was not great, but Anna Lockwood called me on Sunday and she gave me a pep talk. I am really grateful for the pep talk. Her pitch was this, a smaller override is more likely to pass. And I think that she is right. Anna is a unique person. I've never met anybody like her. I'm very glad that I can call her my friend. And I am very glad that on a Sunday afternoon when it should not be snowing, she can call and tell me, "Look at this differently. You may have been wrong." And I think she was right. The third thing is, as we sit here and talk about all the things that we would have to cut under a balanced budget, I am reminded of what our last great president said when people were booing. He said, "Don't boo, vote." So if we're complaining, go vote. If we are advocating to the school committee, go vote. If you need somebody to sponsor you to speak at town meeting, I will make sure that happens. But anybody who is agitated needs to be motivated. And the final thing is we have got to stop the process of doing this year in and year out. We need to engage in true long-term planning. That was the way I was sold on the tri-board meeting. Unfortunately, for a whole host of reasons, we didn't get to the point where we were engaging in long-term planning because the crises in front of us became too big. But we do need to go back to that model. I think the idea of bringing back things like vocational programs to the school, even if it means that we'd have to disentangle ourselves from Monty Tech that is something that has real long-term value. I think that looking at how we utilize school property has real long-term value. I think that one of the things that we could try to do is find other places where there is synergy such as if we have an athletic trainer could that person also provide some sort of basic callisthenic services at Eagle House. All of these things are things that we need to do and we need to do not just from February until May, but we need to do them all the time year round and we need to have long-term planning. I look at when we go to Fitchburg for ===PAGE 9=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 track meets, they took out a huge amount of money and a huge amount of effort and they got the solar canopy built for their parking lots. We need to start thinking about things like that. All of those things planned out over 10 years will work. And the reason I know that is because when I started my law firm, I had a very nice job at a boutique firm and I decided that I was going to do it by myself with one of my very good friends and we planned and we saved and we went without a salary for almost a year to make it work. If we can if I can do that and I am not a great financial wizard, I know that we as a town can make this happen. We need to engage in long-term planning and stop crisis management. It is not a crisis if it happens every year. It's just what is expected. So, we've got to do better. 5. Old Business Action a. FY 27 Balanced Budget Vote Dr. Fortuna shares a slideshow to explain the consequences of the proposed balanced budget. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to not pay MASC dues of $6500 for next year, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept this budget as presented, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approve 6. Public Comment Mary Foyle, 985 Flat Hill Road As someone who's worked in this district almost 25 years, and who wears a few different hats. I do get feedback from a number of people, sometimes unsolicited. I do want to point out, we have been in this position before, I think data probably shows statewide that when we went through our first cuts in 2008 that some of us lived through I think we didn't get back to 2008 numbers till covid hit because there was covid money in there. So education is often first to be cut and one of the last to come back. But I will also say speaking generally just about public funds in general, I have students in the school system. I represent teachers across the school system. So I feel I can understand the many stakes that are involved in there. But I'm also a person who lives in the town and I really have to be cognizant of the fact that police will be looking at cuts in this like other places are looking at cuts without an override. So even if some people think, well, the school hasn't done this, the school hasn't done that. I know we keep talking about last year's cuts, but I sat in a department that took cuts in FY25 as well. So the cuts go beyond just last year and the impacts we're feeling go beyond just cuts from last year. And those cuts are only going to continue if we don't pass an override. This does somewhat give us a short-term solution. If we don't do an override, and I know this was spoken about at the last meeting, and this just doesn't mean for schools, it will cost the town more to not do an override than it will cost to do an override. That cost won't just be financial. That cost will be the courses students may not take. That cost will be a life that's not saved because an EMT cannot show up soon enough. That cost will be a car accident or a robbery or you fell for a scam and the police just simply cannot be responding to it. So those costs will hit in a variety of ways. In this town, even, if we look at the buildings this notwithstanding we keep making short-term decisions because we don't want to spend the money right now. But I think we can come up with a laundry list. I know Mr. Sculimbrene, you said one the other night, with the air conditioning in the other building. I think we can come up with a laundry list of times we try to save money across the town and you end up paying for it far more down the road. So, I would encourage people that are on the fence, come give me your unsolicited comments. I will say things back as well, I'll put myself out there, but it will I will guarantee if the override does not go through, it will cost the town more. Chris Sullivan 108 Highland Street I will plead and say show up on May 2nd, show up on May 16th, show up in November. Yes the people we elect have left us out to dry and yet continually year after year in this state, we show up and we elect the same damn people again and again and this is the impact. If this goes through as it is, the golf team, just to point out they are Midwach C League champs, the last two years, so yes we are a small team, but historically lately successful programs for the school. I am solely speaking of the experience of my kids, I can’t begin to understand what other families might need ===PAGE 10=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 to deal with with their kids and in their classrooms. I can speak to what we have dealt with in this town. We have had great teachers, we have had amazing aids in our classroom, I still get texts from an aid when my daughter is doing a presentation or something my son is doing, we have had the fortunate experience in our family, a lot of what we have experienced in town at the high school with our buddies. We have amazing coaches, and yes we have an amazing trainer, I can personally say that his impact has made my daughter chose to go to school next year to be a trainer. That is far beyond sitting on a bench. I toured colleges with her this summer with not much of an idea of what she wanted to do, we got through the fall and continued to work with Dave through soccer and made some decisions where she wanted to go academically and now she’s accepted into Masters programs to become an athletic trainer, that is the impact things can have at this school. People need to show up now May and November. Matt Snyder 985 Flat Hill Road Sixteen years ago, when we moved to town, we did so proudly. We did so because we knew what a great school system it had and we were excited our kids would go through it. Today the only reason I would recommend that somebody move to town for our school is because of the staff we have, no for what we offer, not for how the town supports the schools, not for how we are funding the schools. Unless we get our act together, I am going to tell people not to come to Lunenburg for the schools because we are failing the town with how we are funding our schools, 16 years, totally different perspective. Our son it is too late he is going to be a senior, our daughter, maybe we will make different decisions. Griffin Case, 305 Wayland Road I am a custodian at the high school, my wife and I moved here in August I grew up in New York and my wife in New Hampshire, two very different places and this place is amazing. You have farmland 5 minutes away, city 5 minutes away and the community rail to Boston, it is everything we both wanted in one place. I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old, I think an override is an increase in our taxes. Based off Google AI, there are 5000 houses in Lunenburg taxed $1.6 million dollars, that is $350 dollars. If you have a leaking toiler or sink, I will come fix it for you, just say hello at Market Basket. I think this budget has been a little scary, but this place is amazing and I am so happy we moved her, my wife is also a teacher here, she is the new art teacher, so we are all in for our kids. Jim Broden 24 Autumn Road I have been here since 1993, my oldest daughter graduated here, went to UMass and in now w CPA, my son went to UMaine, and my daughter went to UPenn, all out of this school, she got accepted into the doctorate program and the nursing school she graduated from was voted number one in the world. She just accepted a job at Boston College as a Nursing Professor. I say that because I live on a road with 15 houses, one of our neighbors went to Harvard, another one went to MIT that is two Ivy League schools, that is how good the school has been. I love living in this town, I think it is great and I have done lots of things here to participate in the public. One thing I wonder about is the business revenue that we bring in, is that an issue from the town growing side, I just have this perception that we want a quiet little town that has no business, which doesn’t make anything easier for the school system. As far as my ski team, we already offered that we don’t need any money, if we come up with a plan, that we can still function as a team with our two co-ops, can we submit something to say that we can continue to operate? 7. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 7:39, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-24-agenda-7727.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-03-24 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-03-24-agenda-7727.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03242026-7727 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE TRI-BOARD MEETING AGENDA Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Town Hall –Bilotta Meeting Room Broadcast Status: In Person/Remote School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, TBD Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member 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 (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in -person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in - person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy t o the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broad cast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in -person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=83933248201 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475 -4499 and enter Webinar ID: 766 316 7607 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e -mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. TRI-BOARD CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. PUBLIC COMMENT- The Tri-Board seeks public comment on the FY27 budget. III. FY27 BUDGET AND PROPOSITION 2 ½ OVERRIDE IV. PUBLIC COMMENT VI. ADJOURN Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-04-01-agenda-7748.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-04-01 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-04-01-agenda-7748.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04012026-7748 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Christopher Stevens-Director of Facilities In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 2/4/26 & 2/25/26 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations- Betsy B. Parker Scholarship (3 min) a. Warrants 3/18/26 to 3/27/26 $368414.29 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Congressionally Directed Grant Funds (3 min) b. Monthly Spending Report (3 min) c. Spring Athletics Report (3 min) d. Food Exemption-ATM (2 min) e. Bus Fee Decision (5 min) f. Life Long Learning Program Decision (3 min) g. Draft Letter for Legislature h. Vote to cosponsor the warrant article for Kid's Kingdom with the Selectboard 10. Old Business Action a. Facilities & Grounds Report (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-04-01-minutes-7748.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-04-01 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-04-01-minutes-7748.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04012026-7748 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, April 1, 2026 LMHS 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Present Member,TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Christopher Stevens – Director of Facilities In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on Facebook Live on the Public Ac cess 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Eden Perrine 18 White Tail Crossing I am going to advocate about school sports counting as gym credits for high school students. I have multiple reasons behind why this would be beneficial for students and for the athletic department. The first supporting reason this would be beneficial is that it would increase the number of people involved in school sports. If students could free their schedule of a gym class and instead play an afterschool sport it would allow students to fulfill other credits while still being able to take classes they are interested in taking. An increase in the number of kids trying out for sports they would be interested in participating would be instrumental as the teams would be bigger. In the fall of 2025, the boys varsity and jv soccer teams barely had enough students to field a game. They resorted to a large number of players swinging for both teams. With more students on the team, they would be able to have two full teams, which would fill the field positions and still leave substitutions. There have been multiple studies showcasing that students who participate in after school sports have overall better mental health. A study published in the journal of adolescent health found that students who play an afterschool sport had less stress and better mental health as young adults. In a study, they surveyed 850 students from 10 different schools about participation in school sports and met up with them again 3 years after graduation and found those that were involved in school sports had lower depression symptoms, lower stress, and better mental health than those who did not play any sports. The study co-author Katherine Sabistston even made the statements “team sports offer a heightened emphasis on group goals, social support, and sense of connection that provides more opportunity for learning adaptive coping strategies that can be essential or long –term mental health” She explains that students playing after school sports had a good increase in mental health even as they Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 got older. Another reason supporting the idea of after school sports counting for credit is that more people joining sports teams would increase the income as students would pay athletic fees and more parents/guardians attending these games would add to the interest fee revenue. We won’t have to worry about students not doing PE either. Those who don’t do any sports would still apply for gym credits and those who like it will continue. I asked 53 people from a mixture of grades, non-student athletes vs school athletes to get the students perspective. I created an anonymous survey and the results showed that 100% of students said they supported the idea and would be willing to join an afterschool sport if they didn’t already if this were to pass. Though one was concerned that they enjoyed PE and played an after school sport, I explained they were still able to choose gym as a class. My last point explaining why this would be beneficial is that students should be able to take classes they look forward to while taking other credit inducing classes. Kids could take two semesters of other credit gain classes while still being able to be in classes that they were interested in. This is why I think that income-wise, mental health wise, participation wise and schedule wise this would be beneficial if the school adopted the idea that after school sports could count as PE credits for high school. Dave Rogers, 82 Highland Street I have been a resident for 50 years, I am a concerned citizen about a whole bunch of different things. I don’t think I have heard anyone say if we do an override we will rid ourselves of this problem, I hear just the opposite, it may be a few years, how long? Who knows? So before I vote on something I’d really like the whole enchilada, as they say. What is the best projection that we can do so we can have a long range and short range ideas? I know I don’t have to tell you things are pretty tough today. Number 2 we talk about a lot of things, but not necessarily the building and the programs that we need as we go on, its scattered her or there and that plays a big role in costs. I’ve heard rumblings about, but no real discussion that centers around bleachers, turf, and the buildings and that all equates to money. The Lions Club started the food pantry at TCP, they take care of thousands of people a month, when this idea first came about and I was asked to help out if I could, I said yes, but I didn’t think there was a big demand, and I was wrong. Thanksgiving we gave out two big boxes of food to 125 plus families, this is a testament to the fact that things are not good right now. I was in CVS one time and there was an elderly lady in front of me talking to the pharmacist and said “well, you really really have to take these pills, twice a day” and the lady said, well I ran out to quick, and the pharmacist said let me see what I can do, he took her aside and told her there was a special on the prescription, but it is only good if you take it as it is prescribed. She said ok I will try. He said you can take two pills every single day for 90 days and we will see what we can do after that. And she said, oh thank you, I hope I will feel better. Can you imagine talking to your grandmother or your aunt? It happens and it happens around here. I went into my pocket and made sure that lady would be taken care of. For those of you that don’t know, we have had two tragedies in this town when young people had horrific accidents and we pulled together, we build houses, we bought houses, because one of the youngsters was accepted at the University of Florida on a doctorate and the other one needed some help, so we get it done. The point is we made it happen. I have confidence we will continue to do that, but we need to keep our heads on straight Laura Brzozoski May 2, Saturday is town meeting, you need to come and vote and then Saturday May 16th is the election. The override has to pass at both town meeting and the ballot box, you need to sign up for both. Mandy Gilman I took 3 students, 2 seniors and 1 junior, from Lunenburg High School yesterday to testify at the state house in support of more school funding. It was a great day, Jason, Jade, and Kara were thoughtful and interested and I hope they enjoyed it. I had a great day, but I do want people to know although depressing listening to all the schools, it is not just a Lunenburg problem, this is a statewide problem. I am always going to hopeful that Margaret Scarsdale, our state rep is working incredibly hard to push though changes to Chapter 70 formula. I am hoping we will get the override and limp through a few years and that the Chapter 70 formula changes. ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 4. Chairs Report – I spoke with Capital Planning this morning and can confirm that there are three things that capital plan proposed on our behalf that were approved by the town manager and were the two feasibility studies for the primary school, one for driveway and playground, also the cameras system for the entrance 5. Student Representative Report – None 6. Superintendents Report Dr. Fortuna highlights our students and the why behind our work, she shares some recent experiences in the classrooms. We have had a busy week with many committee meetings and to ensure the community remains fully informed we have officially launched the districts FY27 budget and FAQ web page that can be found on our main website. 7. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 2/4/26 & 2/25/26 Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the minutes, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve. The minutes are approved for 2/4/26 by the full committee. The minutes on 2/25/26 are approved with 1 abstention , 8. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers b. Warrants 3/18/26 to 3/27/26 $368,414.29 c. Donations – Betsy B. Parker Scholarship – funds were accepted, at the time the transfer from the estate to the executor, the funds were not available, once this is resolved we will bring back to the committee. 9. New Business Action a. Congressionally Directed Grant Funds seeking $300,000 in one time funding to address increasing student needs. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion that the committee authorize the superintendent to submit an FY 27 congressionally directed spending proposal titled Lunenburg Districtwide Instructional Implementation System Development Initiative in the amount of $300,000 to work with our legislative delegation to advance this request, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. b. Monthly Spending Report Chris McNamara has shared an updated monthly spending report Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. c. Spring Athletics Report The committee has received an updated spring athletics report in their folder. Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. d. Food Exemption – ATM Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to approve the waiver for the food and covered beverages in the LMHS auditorium for the boards during the town meeting, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. e. Buss Fee Decision Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the bus fee, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve f. Life Long Learning Program Decision After a discussion of the program, including costs and participation it is decided to discontinue this program for the time being. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to sunset the Life long learning program effective June 1 2026, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve g. Draft letter for Legislature Ms. Gilman drafted a letter to the Senate Ways and Means and House Ways and Means chairs and our legislators regarding the budget situations Mr. Sculimbrene ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 makes a motion to approve the letter and have it sent out, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve. h. Vote to cosponsor the warrant article for Kids Kingdom with the Select board To ensure this goes on the agenda at Town Meeting the committee votes again. Ms., Gilman makes a motion to cosponsor the warrant for Kids Kingdom with the Select board, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion all approve 10. Old Business Action a. Facilities and Grounds Report Mr. Stevens shares an update on the Facilities and Grounds Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to accept the report, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the report, all approve 11. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight Ms. Young I am struggling with the unified sports, I would like it to be a bigger conversation at some time. I don’t want it to be swept under the rug. I’d like to look at it again and see what we can do for kids with disabilities. 12. Reports from Sub-Committees Ms. Brzozoski the school advisory committee for the middle school met and talked about the grade 8 world language and the override, middle school sports being in the restoration budget, one of our students is doing the Project 351 with cradles to crayons clothing drive, Julia Melvin is representing Lunenburg. Ms. Young April 2, PACSAL will be meeting at the Middle High School at 6 pm and they will be doing a planting project. Ms. Gilman The PTO raised over $15,000 at the Special Someone Dance. I want to thank everyone. We had our Great Wolf Lodge fundraiser that went really well. There is a movie night on Saturday to see the Super Mario Bros. at 10 am The Primary School Advisory Board met we talked about the changes in schedules. The MCAS is happening at Turkey Hill Mr. Sculimbrene The High School advisory is meeting on Thursday, we need to do one policy subcommittee before the end of the year Dr. Fortuna The committee should start thinking about my evaluation and also I have an announcement that the principal at Turkey Hill next year will be Mr. McGrath from the Middle school. You will see two postings Dr. Beth Anne Cormier has announced her retirement, we will have an entirely new administrative team at Turkey Hill 13. Topics for Future Discussion contract negotiations, HR report 14. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 8:50, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-04-15-agenda-7768.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-04-15 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-04-15-agenda-7768.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04152026-7768 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Sibyl Kaufman-LEAF, Kim Sarfde-Director of Teaching & Learning In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 3/4/26 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations- (3 min) a. Warrants 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Leaf Grant Funds (3 min) b. Prism II & III Grant & Fresh Grant Proposals2026 c. Scholarship Tax EIN’s(3 min) d. Unified Sports & Co-ops(3 min) e. Budget Quarterly Report(3 min) f. Personnel Report(3 min) g.SC Representative for Negotiations(3 min) h.Superintendent Evaluation (5 min) i. First Read Policies 3303 Handling of Cash Receipts, 5503 Student Data Privacy and Security, 5701.01 Administration of Medications, 1303.1 Advertising in the Schools 10. Old Business Action a. Warrant Articles (3 min) Discussion b. School Committee Goals (3 min Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-04-15-minutes-7768.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-04-15 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-04-15-minutes-7768.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_04152026-7768 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, April 15, 2026 LMHS 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Absent Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Present Member,TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Dr. Kimberly Sarfde – Director of Teaching and Learning, Sibyl Kaufman - LEAF In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 at 7:05 by Dr. Fortuna 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Mandy Gilman, I thank both the chair and the superintendents for their comments, we have worked collaboratively for a long time over the last eight months with the rest of the town. There has been a lot of discussion about why there is not an option for level services funding, I feel strongly that the town, when they didn’t endorse the override last year, asked the group of leaders in the town to get together and think about a long term plan. A long term plan is difficult in municipal finance, but the reason our budgets that are being represented include a few different things is because the goal of the tri board process was to think two to three years in advance, and I think that some of that is getting lost in the conversations. 4. Chairs Report – I have watched as the debate online and in other places has unfolded and I want to make two comments. Everybody in town who did not watch the tri board meeting process, which I don’t blame you if you didn’t, has to realize that process gave us so much different access to the town’s budgeting process then we have ever had before. This process and how it unfolded over the last eight months really did engage in a collaborative process to build budgets. The town charter makes clear that we are responsible for the school district’s budget and the town and select board are responsible for their budget. While the select board has an oversight role over the entire budget, they really are separate and distinct. This year, it felt like everybody was making sure everyone else knew where they were and what was going on. We have never seen so much detail about each town department. The second thing is while everyone has opinions, and everyone has the right to their opinions, at the end of the day we are Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 all still neighbors. If someone, who is your neighbor disagrees with you, or you see fights on Facebook, remember that we are all neighbors. If we are all fighting, it is a beautiful spring in New England, close your laptops, push your keyboards away and go for a walk. 5. Student Representative Report – The Primary School has their first grade field trip on May 26. Turkey Hill has their third grade field trip on May 27, fourth grade trip is May 29 and the fifth grade is June 3rd. The Middle school has their play tomorrow, called Are you Scared Yet. There is a family DC meeting in the auditorium right now. The students going to Greece leave on Friday. If you visit our website there is a updated information for the seniors. Next week is school vacation. April 30th is a PTO fundraiser at Launch. Bus sign ups close on May1st, May 2nd is Town meeting, May 16th is Town election, May 25th there is no school in observance of Memorial Day and June 18th is the last day of school. 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 3/4/26 Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the minutes, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. , 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers None b. Warrants $18,547.98 c. Donations – Visual Arts student scholarship, this is 2 one time scholarships for a graduating senior donated by the artisans of Hickory Hills care of Donna Silverstein Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the donation, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve 8. Superintendents Report Dr. Fortuna addresses the upcoming town budget and Proposition 2 ½ override votes. The dedication this community shows to our students and schools is wonderful. There is a strong emphasis on “one town” we all work together. April 28th at 7:00 at the Eagle House, I invite anyone with questions to come meet with our town representatives. 9. New Business Action a. Leaf Grant Funds Sybil Kaufman, president of LEAF, gives an update for the status of LEAF, to date $8,366 has been raised. The grant cycle will start May 1, 2026 b. Prism II & III Grant and Fresh Grant Proposals 2026 Dr. Sarfde presents two grants, one is a farm to table grant, and has worked with our Food Service Director to determine how this would be used and implemented. Ms. Young makes a motion to accept the proposal, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. Dr. Sarfde explains the Prism II and Prism III grants. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the submission of the Prism III grant proposal to DESE in the amount of $72,250, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve. The Prism III grant is for curriculum materials for high quality instruction and potential some professional development, focusing on pre-k to grade 5 Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the submission of Prism III grant, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve c. Scholarship Tax EIN’s the committee has been provided the legal opinion in their folders tonight with their assertions. We are currently determining whose tax id numbers all the scholarships are using. d. Unified Sports and Co -ops Dr. Fortuna shares information with the committe e regarding available unified sports and options. Ms. Hanscom shares her perspective on our district culture and availability of activities to any and all students e. Budget Quarterly Report Mr. McNamara shares the recent quarterly report ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 f. Personnel Report Ms. Peterson has provided the committee with the updated personnel report g. SC Representative for Negotiations Mr. Sculimbrene and Ms. Young will do the cafeteria negotiations and Ms. Brzozoski and Ms. Gilman will do the custodial negotiations h. Superintendent Evaluation Dr. Fortuna has added her list of goals and the different artifacts linked to her goals into the committees folder to utilize and prepare the evaluation i. First Read Policies 3303 Handling of Cash Receipts, 5503 Student Data Privacy and Security, 5701.01 Administration of Medication, 1303.01 Advertising in Schools Ms. Gilman makes a motion to waive the first reading of policy 3303 Handling of Cash Receipts, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to waive the first reading of policy 5503 Student Data Privacy and Security, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to waive the first reading of policy 5701.01 Administration of Medication. Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to waive the first reading of policy 1303.01 Advertising in schools, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve 10. Old Business Action a. Warrant Articles the committee has the link to the warrant article in their folder Discussion b. School Committee Goals the goals are added to the committees’ folder, the future of Turkey Hill, the Primary School parking lot and driveway. 11. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight None 12. Reports from Sub-Committees Ms. Gilman reports the House budget came out today and it does include $160 per kid more than originally though and a little bit more in circuit breaker money, not sure on the amount yet 13. Topics for Future Discussion 14. Adjournment Ms. Gilman makes a motion to adjourn at 8:46, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-05-06-agenda-7798.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-05-06 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-05-06-agenda-7798.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05062026-7798 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Kim Sarfde-Director of Teaching & Learning, Chris Stevens -Director of Facilities In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 3/18/26 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations- Women’s Club Gift Cards & THES/LMS Box Tops (3 min) a. Warrants 3/31/26 to 5/1/26 $745,084.51 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Hearing under School Committee policy 5803 regarding student government election (5 min) b. Facility Report (3 min) c. Innovative Approaches to Literacy Grant Proposal (3 min) d. Approval for Entitlement Grants (3 min) e. Revisit 5th Grade Consent Procedure (3 min) 10. Old Business Action a. Second Read Policies:3303 Handling of Cash Receipts, 5503 Student Data Privacy and Security, 5701.01 Administration of Medications, 1303.1 Advertising in the Schools (3 min) Discussion b. Superintendent Evaluation (5 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-05-06-minutes-7798.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-05-06 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-05-06-minutes-7798.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05062026-7798 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, May 6, 2026 LMHS 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Absent Member,TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Dr. Kimberly Sarfde – Director of Teaching and Learning, Chris Stevens – Director of Facilities In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment 4. Chairs Report – None 5. Student Representative Report – 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 3/18/26 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers b. Warrants 3/31/26 – 5/1/26 $745,084.51 c. Donations – Women’s Club Gift Cards & THES/LMS Box Tops 8. Superintendents Report 9. New Business Action a. Hearing under School Committee policy 5803 regarding student government election b. Facility Report Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 c. Innovative Approaches to literacy Grant Proposal d. Approval for Entitlement Grants e. Revisit 5th Grade Consent Procedure 10. Old Business Action a. Second read Policies: 3303 Handling of Cash Receipts, 5503 Student Data Privacy and Security 5701.01 Administration of Medications, 1303.1 Advertising in Schools Discussion b. Superintendent Evaluation 11. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight 12. Reports from Sub-Committees 13. Topics for Future Discussion Budget 14. Adjournment Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to adjourn at 945, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-05-20-agenda-7821.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-05-20 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-05-20-agenda-7821.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05202026-7821 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items liste d may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 3/23/26 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 5/4/26 to 5/18/26 $263,707.25 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Committee Reorganization (10 min)  Election of Officers & Appointment of Sub-Committee Members  Authorize Policies & Procedures to Remain in Force  Annual Student Activity Accounts Authorization  Annual Town Meeting-Auditorium Waiver b. Next Steps after Override (3 min) c. Resolutions of Appreciation (3 min) d. Revisit 5th Grade Consent Procedure (3 min) 10. Old Business Action a. Third Read Policies: 3303 Handling of Cash Receipts, 5503 Student Data Privacy and Security, 5701.01 Administration of Medications, 1303.1 Advertising in the Schools (3 min) b. Superintendent Evaluation (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-05-20-minutes-7821.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-05-20 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-05-20-minutes-7821.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05202026-7821 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, May 20, 2026 LMHS 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Present Member,TBD Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Mr. Sculimbrene 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Jane Hall I’ve been a resident of Lunenburg for 47 years. Not quite an old-timer yet, only in age. But I just I want to say to all of you how much I appreciate all of the work that you have done on the override, the school committee, our administration, all of you, the teachers, everybody. I'm sorry that it failed. Truly am, one of our town members at the town meeting brought up a little bit of history from overrides in years gone by. And my children went through those years. So, they're in their late 30s, middle to late 40s, and they all suffered through overrides because their mother was usually either the chair or the co-chair of the override committees. Some we won and some we lost as you have experienced. But what I wanted to just share, if you will, is that we will get through this. As you know, we will. The losses are deep. There's no question. But I've heard that there'll be a call for volunteers, for people to come in and help in the lower grades with reading. And I think that's wonderful. The more public awareness we can bring to all age groups, the better, it is not the solution. Believe me, I don't think that's the solution to the problem. But I think having support in the schools from community members who, you know, with some training would be really wonderful. It can help in many ways just even with helping the students, but also to see what goes on in the school. So, I applaud that and I will be one of them for sure, I just I can't say enough. We will get through this. Our kids will be okay and they will all go on and be successful upper grade level students, if you will, and colleges. And I look at my children and as hard as those struggles were, and they were difficult, some years really difficult, they all did okay. So again, thank you for all of the work that you've done and that you will continue to do. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Fortuna, for all of your work and your beautiful letter that went out after. I don't think I've ever seen that before. Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 Chris Sullivan 108 Highland Ave I want to thank you for all of your efforts, regardless of opinion there is a lot of work that went into the entire budget season and I am grateful for the effort and extra time. I also wanted to talk about the fifth grade bus release, I was that family that was doing this seven years ago with two other moms, we collected data, and we ran surveys we did not prevail at the time. At the time my son was in the fourth grade. Oddly enough I could have signed my fourth grader out as a walker and he could have walked home, but he couldn’t get off the bus by himself, there was a lot of interesting logic there. I am hoping that common sense prevails tonight at you take on that article again. 4. Chairs Report – Mr. Sculimbrene reports the outcome of the override vote was disappointing, but not unexpected. We knew and stated on public record as early as September 2025 that the override effort was always going to be a true battle. The combination of the surplus and the general difficulty of selling an override means that this time was from the very beginning a hard sell. As the chair of this school committee I am committed to making sure an override passes as soon as possible. The next time we have the advantage of the lessons from this failure. In particular, we will make sure that the financial house is in order and has been for a substantial period of time. We are well on our way to meeting this mark. Second, we will only ask for what we actually need, which is what we did this around in the tier one budget. Third we will ask for an override on our own, to make sure we can better control the message. Fourth we will have a clearer set of options for voters. We know what is at stake and we will continue to fight for the future of the children of Lunenburg. The result of the vote was a delay not a defeat. America fought for 8 years four months and 15 days to obtain its independence from Great Britain, we owe it to our children to fight for at least one more year. I also want to give a commendation to one person. Everybody here has worked really hard this year. Every teacher here, every member of the staff, all of the administration, they have worked incredibly hard. And so accommodation for one person seems somewhat unfair, but in this case, I think it is deserved. So I wanted to point out the work that Yanina Burns has done. And I want to say this year, Miss Burns didn't do just the basics, showing up, spending money as authorized, making sure that logistics associated with the job were taken care of daily. She made huge strides in keeping kids on the field, and teams competitive. She was at literally every sports event I attended this year, whether it was a football game in the fall, a random basketball game in the dead of winter, or spring track. She was working, helping, and leading, not with a bullhorn or quote unquote supervision, but with roll up her sleeves hustle. I told her when she came before the school committee about the budget this year, and it remains true today that Miss Burn's hallmark is excellence. Everything she did this year, she did with grace, insight, and skill. Her decision to remain on as the AD is huge for both the kids of the town, the kids of Lunenburg, and the town itself. It is critical as we approach the severe austerity measures imposed because of the failure of the override that we make sure to recognize and deploy Miss Burns. The future is uncertain, but we should always bet on people like her. For all of these reasons, I want to highlight Miss Burns as the person that aided the district most in 2025 2026 school year from the perspective of the chair of school committee. The last thing I want to say is this. I'm not going to be chair anymore. It is too much work. It is very difficult. I also think that it's important that we have new ideas and so when she gets here my plan is to nominate Laura to be the chair of school committee. I think she will do an excellent job. She has different strengths than I do and I think that she will do things her way and that way will go very well. One thing that I thing we all need to work on is the length of the meetings, we need to make them shorter and more to the point. 5. Student Representative Report – District wide there is no school on May 25th, June 6th there is a bake and book sale at the library. The primary school has their field day on June 11th, Turkey Hill has their field day on June 9th. The middle school has a jazz concert next Wednesday, a concert band and chorus concert next Thursday, eighth grade graduation is June 18th. The high school has graduation on June 6th, this Friday is the honors and AP art thesis show ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 3/23/26 Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the minutes, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve via roll call with 1 abstention , 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers none b. Warrants 5/4/26-5/18/26 $263,707.25 c. Donations – Scholarship awards Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept donations, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve 8. Superintendent Report Dr. Fortuna shares gratitude for Tony and his work as the chair for the past year. Dr. Fortuna reports the plan to continue to work together to support our students during this tough financial time. 9. New Business Action a. Committee Reorganization i. Election of Officers & Appointment of Sub-Committee Members Dr. Fortuna accepts nominations for the Chair position of the School Committee. Mr. Sculimbrene nominates Ms. Brzozoski as chair, Ms. Young seconds the nomination, Ms. Brzozoski accepts - Ms. Brzozoski is the new Chair Mr. Sculimbrene is nominated as Vice Chair, Ms. Young seconds, all approve, Mr. Sculimbrene accepts. – Mr. Sculimbrene is the new Vice Chair. Ms. Brzozoski is provisionally nominated as secretary, Ms. Young seconds all approve. Ms. Gilman will be asked at the next meeting if she would like to accept. The committee goes through subcommittee positions and decide on which member will be appointed. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept the reorganization of committee responsibilities as proposed, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. ii. Authorize Policies & Procedures to Remain in Force Ms. Young makes a motion to authorize policies and procedures to remain in force for the 26/27 school year, Ms. Brzozoski seconds the motion, all approve iii. Annual Student Activity Account Authorization Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion for the annual activity account authorization of $2000 for the Primary School, $2000 for Turkey Hill, $5000 for the middle school and $10,000 for the high school, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve iv. Annual Town Meeting – Auditorium Waiver Ms. Brzozoski makes a motion to allow drinks with lids and food at the annua l town meeting in the LMHS auditorium, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. b. Next Steps after Override Dr. Fortuna shares some of our options, we could call a special town meeting and election for a school only override, the town manager would not stand in the way if we choose to go this way. We could call for a special town meeting election for a smaller level services override, or we could stand firm on the balanced budget. My recommendation to the committee is that we implement the balanced budget and launch a community task force given that the override was defeated resoundingly that the margins were not close in vote. Attempting option one or two right now carried extreme political risk. Returning to the voters immediately may be perceived as tone-deaf or dismissive of their decision. A second defeat would severely fracture our community and damage the districts credibility for years to come. I am recommending that the school committee charter for future Lunenburg Schools community task force be focused on only the schools, and should include parents, educators, town officials, and vocal opponents of the recent override. ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 c. Resolutions of Appreciation the committee takes turns reading the paragraphs and declaring appreciation days. d. Revisit 5th Grade Consent Procedure this is tabled for the next meeting. 10. Old Business Action a. Third Read Policies: 3303 Handling of Cash Receipts, The policy is read out loud, discussion as to whether to change the amount form $50 to $100 is had, the committee decides to stay with $50. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept this policy, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. 5503 Student Data Privacy and Security, this policy is read out loud, discussion for AI and Chat GPT is had. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve this policy, Ms. Young seconds the motion, all approve. 5701.01 Administration of Medications, this policy is read out loud, there is no public feedback, Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve the policy, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. 1303.1 Advertising in the Schools the policy is read out loud, no public feedback Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept the policy, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. b. Superintendent Evaluation the evaluations use a DESE form. Mr. Sculimbrene shares some of the comments made regarding Dr. Fortuna and the process of and approach for the evaluation Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept the composite evaluation for Dr. Fortuna, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve 11. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight Mr. Sculimbrene thanks Mandy for being the spearhead of the political side of what we do, not just with the legislature, but also here in town. She puts herself out there, she organizes things, and she is the lady with the checklist and clipboard. There is no one more tireless or committed advocate for our kids in the town. She is a good team player. Matt Nazarenko 79 Robbs Hill Road with the middle school sports budget just shy of $15,000, what would the legal option be for raising that money and restoring that? If a sport is not offered, what are the student athlete’s options to pursue that sport if it is not offered at the school? Dr. Fortuna responds with the option of playing the sport for the town of Lunenburg Kara Harunkiewicz to the superintendent, this is the first year I have felt my opinion actually mattered, and I just want to thank you for that. Chris Sullivan 108 Highland Street thank you for being present throughout this academic year, I have seen you at sporting events and activities, thank you for being engaged. There have been some ski team parents having a discussion on what we can do to keep these kids participating in their sports choices 12. Reports from Sub-Committees 13. Topics for Future Discussion Sports, bus waiver 14. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to adjourn at 9:36, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-06-03-agenda-7838.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-06-03 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-06-03-agenda-7838.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032026-7838 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING RETIREE RECEPTION Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2026 Time: 6:30 PM (Retiree Reception) Regular Meeting (7:00pm) Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Anthony Sculimbrene, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Laura Brzozoski, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary TBD, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Eden Perrine-LHS Student, Tim Santry-LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon- THES Principal, Carla Squier-Primary School Principal In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be d iscussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 4/1/26 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 5/19/26 to 5/28/26 $170,395.88 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Physical Education Credits (5 min) b. Elementary School Report Cards (3 min) c. FY27 School Handbooks (3 min) d.5th Grade Band Proposal (3 min) 10. Old Business Action a. 2025-2026 School Improvement Plan Progress (3 min) b. Facilities and Grounds Report (3 min) Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-06-03-minutes-7838.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-06-03 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-06-03-minutes-7838.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06032026-7838 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING - RETIREE RECEPTION Wednesday, June 3, 2026 LMHS 6:30 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Laura Brzozoski, Chair – Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair, Absent Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Absent Emily Young, Member - Present Jean Russell, Member, - Present Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Carla Squier – Primary School Principal, Tim Santry, LMHS Principal, Norman Yvon – THES Principal, Eden Perrine – LHS Student 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 reasonably 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 at 7:00 by Ms. Brzozoski 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Chris Sullivan, 108 Highland Street, There was a comment made at last meeting about adding it to the agenda and there being a discussion, I am very disappointed that it is not on this agenda tonight. I think there is a concerted effort in this town to continue to see those flourish and see if there are means and mechanisms to fund the things we are losing. So just to comment I am disappointed it is not on the agenda. Laura Barooshian, 389 Mulpus Road We are not borrowing $47 million for the water treatment plant, in case you haven’t heard, that just failed. I made a comment that we are trying to find $10 grand to put the music program back in the program, in full transparency, I did speak with Dr. Fortuna and I spoke with Kara last week at the band concert. I would like to get an accounting of the music, specific chorus, across the district of the programs, the things that were cut. I would also as that Mr. Sheldon and Ms. McGregor and Mr. Ballister comment on what the priorities are, and as president of the Musicators, what can we do to fill in those gaps. We have such a strong program, last week there were 120 kids on the stage and tomorrow those 120 kids will be going for Trills and Thrills, 3 busses full of kids. I have my daughter at home sorting snacks and we got water, so we have some traction. We are so disappointed obviously that the override did not pass and the cuts we are sustaining. I am making a formal request, for the accounting of everything that was reduced and then working with the teachers and working with you as well. What can we fundraise for based on what their priorities are. Peter Beardmore 292 Pleasant Street. I want to talk about money, I recognize that the defeat of the override was a lot of things, demoralizing is probably very high on that list. I think it’s caused a lot of Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 people to think about what do we do next? How do we approach this? Two to one majority against seems insurmountable obstacle, to think about how we fund the town and our schools over the course of the next several years. I would encourage people to keep an open mind. I think Selectmen Emkey, said very astutely last night that clearly there isn’t an appetite to go back and try to run the same play again for an override, given what has happened. I look at between 700 and 800 votes on the “for side” and I think well its five or take what we got last time. There was an opposition, there was a campaign, and there wasn’t a sufficient story ask message campaign on the other side to go and get this thing. We have over 1500 kids in our schools and we came up with 700 to 800 votes, I don’t think we need to bring back the same proposal, in fact, I wouldn’t. I think there are things we can do differently, but we cannot give up, we cannot concede. That budget that we are going to run next year is the level of service that we can continue to offer in perpetuity in Lunenburg. Your job is to represent the kids and that is going to seem a little ironic to some people who are here, who were part of the many arguments that I had with Carol Archambault over the years about what your job is. They don’t have a voice, they don’t have a vote, and it is really incumbent upon you to make sure that the voice is heard to our executive leaders and to our finance committee, to our town manager and to the voters at town meeting and to voters at the ballot box. Candidly there needs to be more of both. I know there has been talk about do we reopen the budget and I think that there is a developing consensus amongst members of your board, members of the select board and members of the finance committee to not do that. I wonder why. In my opinion, if things are as bad as we said they were going to be, and we said they were going to be, and here we are, then we need to be clawing and scratching for every dollar we can get. There is a Senate budget when you look at all of the sources and local aid, there is somewhere between $350 and $450,000 depending on how you calculate it. I haven’t looked at the budget itself, but that is what I am told, that is what Lunenburg would get if that budget passed. The problem with municipal finance, of course, or state finance is that budget is very unlikely to get through conference committee passed and signed by the governor inside of the end of July right? That’s probably the time frame, the second half of July. Last year was an anomaly, they actually passed it at the end of June, so it could happen, but is unlikely. So what do we do? Do we wait for an official budget and then figure out what to do with this windfall money or do we start making a plan now and do we lay the foundation in place to act upon those available funds. My opinion is the latter. You should be talking about what you would do the X amount of money. You should be making a request to the select board to schedule a special town meeting, ideally in the month of August. There should be an article that gives you some leeway depending upon the amount of money that is actually made available. There is a scenario where the state could pass the budget in July and in August we can appropriate several hundreds of thousands of dollars to the school department I recognize the fact that plans have to be made, the schedule is set for the high school, layoff notices have gone out, teachers have quit, families have decided to leave, all of this is happening right now, but I think there are impacts that we could affect across the board that we could put 3 to $400,000 to good use if we put our minds to it. I would encourage you to think about that. Nobody is going to do it based on what I am hearing at the select board of the finance committee, unless you ask. I am asking you to ask and get organized to come up with a plan. I know the town manager would certainly be, I am speculating, but I am sure she would be ready, willing, and able to help you work through the logistics of what that could look like. 4. Chairs Report – Our community lost someone special this week, Haddie, you may have seen represented in the myriad of “Hope for Haddie” signs and a lot of the color green, passed away. She was an important member of this community and I would like for us to hold in our hearts her family, parents, sisters, friends, those who loved her, those who cared about her, our students and our staff, and everyone who was affected by the loss of such a bright angel. So if we could have a moment of silence. Everyone knows there is a half day on Friday, so that our staff can attend the funeral. In the last two weeks Massachusetts School Alliance featured some videos about the school committee, we have had an ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 influx of interest in the school. Members have received threats, peoples said some truly vile things, and members were harassed and have had to deal with truly awful, heavily misogynist, hateful things being directed to them and harassment that directly came their way. I am so sorry this happened. This should not be the price to pay for volunteering for school committee. We have a lack of people in town willing to step up and volunteer. After this past two weeks, I worry we are going to have even less people willing, Tony was originally appointed to fill a vacancy, every one of us up ran unopposed. It should not be this difficult to find people, but it is, and I don’t think that is good for democracy. I think a lack of options is terrible for democracy. The concept of our government hangs on choice and the ability to choose our representatives. Creating a culture where we don’t get to have choices is bad for democracy. I want us to be able to debate and discuss options and examine other points of view and share our points of view, I want alternate options. I want people sharing their thoughts. That is the only way it is going to work, so that we can compromise and work on building systems that benefit everyone. We are a town of 11,000 people, we are a small community, we are neighbors, we are friends, we drive on the same roads, our kids might go to school together, we see each other out and about. We call the same town home, we are a community. Humans are supposed to care about each other, humans evolve to have social groups and social bonds, we evolve to take care of each other, and I am really disappointed right now in this community and the wider Massachusetts community, I am very disappointed. Our job as the school committee is to advocate for the schools, to speak for the kids, to make sure that we have an adequately funded school system that is going to give the children of Lunenburg an education that will help them achieve their goals and become happy, healthy, functioning adults. That is our responsibility that is what we are elected to do. That is our duty and it is one we all take very seriously. Our duty is to kids, they cannot vote, they can’t even make a public comment at town meeting without a sponsor. They have no voice in the decisions that have been made in this town, but the decisions that were made are going to affect these kids for the rest of their lives. With the class sizes next year, there is about 100 kids or more in each grade, they are going to have class sizes of 27 to 30. That is over 400 people who in this town are very much affected by that. Asking for the override was our duty as a school committee because that is how it was going to get the kids what they need. There is going to be an election for select board, there are two openings and there is going to be a special elections, we need people to run for select board, which is on the heels of scrutiny, it is not looking very appealing to run for public office right now, but we need people to step up and run. If you are considering that please do, there will be a special election soon, you need to gather signatures to get on the ballot, please consider stepping up and serving. 5. Student Representative Report – Graduation is June 6th, there is a book and bake sale at the library. The last day for the district is June 18th, 5th grade graduation is June 17th and 8th grade graduation is June 18th. 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 4/1/26 Ms. Young makes a motion to approve the minutes, Ms. Russell seconds the motion all approve. , 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers b. Warrants 5/19/26 to 5/28/26 $170,395.88 c. Donations – Turkey Hill book fair donation of $255.38 Ms Young makes a motion to accept the donation, Ms. Russell seconds the motion all approve 8. Superintendent’s Report Dr. Fortuna reports our community has had a mix of emotions in the past week, as we mourn the loss of one of our bright learners, Haddie, while also getting ready to celebrate ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 our graduates on Saturday. Dr. Fortuna also expresses her appreciation of our community, parents and booster and willingness to work together, but also to be transparent, after legal consultation we want to publicly clarify legal, and ethical and management rules that govern how the funds can be used. While we do not want to discourage the incredible generosity, but to make sure every dollar raised is used equitably for all of the students. Dr. Fortuna also shares an update on the status of our students following our end of year testing. 9. New Business Action a. Physical Education Credits High School student Eden Perrine brings attention to the discussion regarding a waiver for PE credits in exchange for Varsity sport participation. Mr. Santry explains some of the reasons regarding not supporting the waiver. Topic is waived until the full committee is present to discuss b. Elementary School Report Cards Ms. Squier has provided the committee a new proposed report card and an outline of how they came to this decision. This would be a standards based report card and would be for kindergarten through 5th grade. c. FY 27 School Handbooks The principals discuss all sustenance changes in each handbook Ms. Young makes a motion to accept the FY 27 handbooks, Ms. Russell seconds the motion all approve d. 5th Grade Band Proposal Mr. Ballister has developed a proposal to have the fifth grade band meet before school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and charge $100 per student, with a goal of 20 students. Ms. Young makes a motion to approve the proposal, Ms. Russell seconds the motion all approve. 10. Old Business Action a. 2025-2026 School Improvement Plan Ms. Squier has provided the committee with a comprehensive four page update on the progress of their three goals. Mr. Yvon also provided the committee with an updated school improvement plan. Mr. Santry shares the update for the Middle and the High School b. Facilities and Grounds Report Chris Stevens updates the status of projects and plans throughout the district Ms. Young makes a motion to accept the facilities and grounds report, Ms. Russell seconds the motion all approve 11. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight Mr. Sullivan Softball won tonight, they move on to the Elite 8 for the first time in history, 10 to 6, lacrosse did not fare as well unfortunately. As a parent to two student athletes, my daughter is graduating after 6 years of varsity track in the spring and winter and four years of varsity soccer, the opportunity for her, if she had a waiver in any capacity would have given her the opportunity to take a different academic program, the first part of her senior year she had gym, which my understanding is probably not an enjoyable experience as a senior with the freshmen. I would encourage you to consider that. I would say to look at the encouragement of more participation in high school sports, if it’s a sport that may have cuts, like basketball or soccer, there is an opportunity for cross country or track. This fall we had 48 seniors participating in sports, that’s 41% of the senior class participated in sports, 8 seniors on the boys basketball team, 4 seniors on the girls basketball team, 18 seniors in spring and indoor track and 12 boys on the lacrosse team, 5 seniors on the baseball team and 4 girls on our softball team. The more you can participate, you can encourage kids to participate in sports, I think a waiver would possibly do that in some of these sports. Mr. Santry talked about the chronic absence of students, this would not solve everything but if kids participate in sports they have to be in school. I am now the chair of the parks commission, and I want to start in some capacity a better ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 relationship with the school committee and superintendent’s office regarding scheduling and use of fields and so forth. We need to work collaboratively in a timely manner to get facilities scheduled so we can run the summer programming, the same capacity that we need to work with the schools and athletic director to make sure that our fields are up and running for baseball and softball. We can’t wait a month to get access to the scheduling program. We are in a crunch where school is ending in a few weeks and we don’t have field use yet to be able to run summer programming. If there is anything I can do to help or anything we need to figure out, we can meet together and sit down and talk. We need to make sure we are squaring that away as soon as possible. Jared Perrine, 18 Whitetail Crossing I want to reiterate in terms of summer programming for the kids, we tend to book our summer camps in April for our family, in fact our summer is booked up now, so even if the town did offer something, we are full, this happens every year. As a town we really should have those things in place for people to schedule during April break. Regarding the waiver for PE credits, there are many communities in the state that offer this, they don’t call them waivers they call them credits. They offer PE credits for sport, if I can help in any way let me know. I have been on parent advisory councils for 10 years, I am on the middle school council now, I just follow my kids up, and if you need help rounding up policies or anything I can do to help. Ash/West and Littleton are two local districts that offer this. This is in no way discriminatory, the policy would be giving credit to the sports that we offer to the kids, I don’t think title IX is a good reason to not offer PE credit for kids that want to take other classes. We offer other opportunities to our kids or at least in my district where I work offer early college and all these AP classes and I think any anything that we can do to keep kids in school, to keep kids active. We cut middle school sports, we have to drive kids to every game. You know, most people don't get out of work until five o'clock. I don't know how that's going to work for families and neither do you. I understand we're all on the same page here, but, anything that we can do to get kids involved with sports and to get kids coming to school, kids don't come to school to go to history class. Kids come to school to see their friends, to play sports so, however I can help, I'd be happy to do that. 12. Reports from Sub-Committees Ms. Brzozoski reports the Municipal Building Design Committee met on Monday and we are stuck right now because of finances in the town. The town manager had mentioned that we could go back and look at TCP plot, which is where we started. We do have a survey that got sent out this week to all department heads to talk about space needs so we can assess space needs vs space wants. Kara Harunkiewicz Student council has a fundraiser next Wednesday at Cherry Hill, we have raffle baskets and ice cream. It is on June 10th from 4 to close. 13. Topics for Future Discussion override request, athletics, 14. Adjournment Ms. Young makes a motion to adjourn at 8:52, Ms. Russell seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-06-24-agenda-7869.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-06-24 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-06-24-agenda-7869.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06242026-7869 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Time: Regular Meeting (7:00pm) Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Laura Brzozoski, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary Jean Russell, Member Courtney Fuller Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Kim Sarfde-Director of Teaching & Learning, Nadine Lorenzen-Food Service Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdspPfhHCb This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 11. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 12. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 13. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 14. Adjournment 5. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 4/15, 5/6, 5/20, 6/3/26 b. Tri-Board 1/12, 1/27, 3/10/26 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 6/2/26 to 6/17/26 $515,921.28 8. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 9. New Business Action a. Adult Meal Price Increase (5 min) b. FY26 Budget Carryover PO’s (3 min) c.T-Ball Field T.C. Passios (3 min) d.July School Committee Meeting Calendar (3 min) e. 2026-2027 School Committee Calendar (3 min) 10. Old Business Action a. Year End Curriculum Report (3 min) b. FY26 Quarterly Budget Report (3 min) c. FY26 Personnel Report d. Request for Additional Chapter 70 Fund Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-06-24-minutes-7869.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-06-24 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-06-24-minutes-7869.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06242026-7869 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 MEETING MINUTES SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, June 24, 2026 LMHS 7:00 – Hybrid School Committee Superintendent Laura Brzozoski Chair - Present Dr. Jodi Fortuna Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice Chair - Present Mandy Gilman, Secretary – Present Emily Young, Member - Present Jean Russell, Member - Absent Recording Secretary Courtney Fuller Guests: Christopher McNamara – Business Administrator, Dr. Kimberly Sarfde – Director of Teaching and Learning, Nadine Lorenzen – Food Service Director In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being rec orded 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 reasonably 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 at 7:11 by Ms. Brzozoski 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment Daryl Plant, 490 Lancaster Ave. the failure of the override was not primarily the result of a tactical error or a messaging problem as suggested by the school committee chair, rather, it reflects a deeper issue. Many Lunenburg residents have lost confidence in our public institutions, particularly our schools. Over the past 7 to 8 years, school leaders have increasingly emphasize social equity initiatives, while academic performance has declined. Regardless of one’s views of these initiatives, the results are concerning. According to statements made by both the superintendent and school committee chair at town meeting, the district is close to losing its accreditation and approximately 40 to 45% of students are not reading at grade level proficiency. Many explanations have been offered including curriculum changes, funding challenges, and demographic shifts. However, neighboring districts such as Lancaster, Ayer/Shirley, Groton, Pepperell, Townsend, Leominster, and Fitchburg have faced similar challenges while achieving stronger outcomes. According to DESE data, parents increasingly feel that the district has focused its attention on struggling students while insufficiently challenging those performing at or above grade level. Every student deserves to be appropriately challenged and supported. Equal opportunity should not require identical outcomes, nor should academic excellence be sacrificed in pursuit of other objectives. At the town meeting, I asked the superintendent to provide three specific strategies that would improve student performance, there was no response. If the district hopes to rebuild public trust, it must articulate a clear plan for academic improvement and demonstrate measurable results. To restore confidence and improve out comes, I recommend the following: (1) re-evaluate student support programs, conduct a comprehensive review Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ===PAGE 2=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 of all nonacademic support programs and staffing. The goals should be to determine which programs demonstrably improve student outcomes and which can be streamlined, restructured, or eliminated. Resources should be directed toward services with measurable benefits. Students with significant behavioral or mental health concerns should receive appropriate support in partnership with parents, guardians, and qualified professionals (2) Prioritize academic achievement. Implement an aggressive reading, writing, and mathematics remediation program for students who are below proficiency. At the same time, expand opportunities for advanced learners through accelerated coursework, enrichment programs, and differentiated instruction. Students who have mastered grade level materials should be encouraged to advance rather than being held back by the pace of the class. Physical education and wellness opportunities should also be expanded recognizing the important connection between physical and mental well-being. (3) Review special-ed services. According to the superintendent, approximately 25% of students currently receive services through an IEP. The district should conduct an internal audit of all IEP’s to ensure they are appropriate, compliant, and effective. Students with documented disabilities should receive the support they need to succeed while ensuring the resources are allocated efficiently and responsibly. (4) Improve efficiency and accountability. By focusing resources on academic achievement and evaluating administrative and support costs, the district may identify opportunities for savings and improve effectiveness. Any savings should be used to strengthen classroom instruction, preserve extracurricular programs, and reduce financial burdens on taxpayers whenever possible. Most importantly, restoring academic excellence will require accountability at every level of leadership. The community deserves clear goals, transparent reporting, and measurable progress. If current leadership is unable to deliver meaningful improvement, residents should consider whether new leadership is necessary to move the district forward. Matt Nazarenko 79 Robbs Hill Road Thank you to Dr. Fortuna and Laura for having a meeting a couple weeks ago with boosters, that was very helpful. One of the things out of that was the parents and boosters are looking for a by sport line funding. We were able to find the fiscal year 24 actuals online if you go through your budget files and I did put those in the third and fourth column. I applied 6 1/2% compounded annual growth rate to the costs in fy 24 moving through the past year, the second page, the last two columns are the impact per athlete. The black numbers would be revenue, positive meaning $350 athletic fee that we would charge the student covers the sport, if you roll that out to the rightmost column that would be the revenue impact per sport. You can see that football is a $20,000 negative revenue impact and other sports are positive. One thing that is concerning to me is that in the meeting we had a couple weeks ago, it was mentioned that middle school sports specifically do not cover the cost of the sport, which I now have two seasons of middle school sports under my belt, with my oldest, I don’t know how that is possible. Field hockey and track, they are using hand me down jerseys, field hockey had 11 games last year and one official per game at $50 per official. Track had zero officials, the coaches were the officials and they are using hand me down jerseys from varsity. I don’t know how track costs anything other than overhead allocations, which I would call programmatic cost. The programmatic costs appear to be transportation and allocation such as the athletic director, insurance, hudl feels etc. The stipends would actual be the operating costs not the programmatic costs. Operating costs in my mind are direct costs associated with the sport. Another clarification I would like to make is related to MIAA rules, 6th grades are not allowed to play on JV or Varsity sports, only 7th and 8th graders, if there is room, that would pretty much eliminate football, basketball, baseball, softball, any major sport, there probably is not enough room. Track and field hockey are not offered at the middle school level at any clubs locally. The first time picking up a field hockey stick for a lot of these girls is 6th grade, last year the varsity field hockey team won the Midwach League undefeated, it is a very good program. There were 20 girls on the turf this morning working out to try and repeat that for the upcoming season. Middle school sports was $19,400 revenue positive, effectively off setting football. So we made the decision to cut middle school sports because of a funding issue and they are revenue positive, I don’t see why we are doing that. Additionally, they are not under the MIAA, the coaches ===PAGE 3=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 make the schedules, so it is really easy, you don’t have to contact anyone, the AD is not involved. I know Coach Rios kind of scheduled the games last year. We started the field hockey season with actually no games scheduled and finished the year with 12. I have put in a formal request records to Dr. Fortuna and the school to help out, I would like the actuals for this. These are what I would consider estimates moving forward and myself and some other parents are happy to provide this analysis for you. Chris Hurlbut 469 Sunny Hill Road Education is about more than academics alone. Athletics are an integral part of the educational experience. Sports build teamwork, discipline, leadership, accountability, and school pride. For many students, putting on a Lunenburg uniform is one of the most meaningful parts of their school experience. Following the failed override, middle school athletics were eliminated as a budget reduction of $14,415 from roughly a $29 million budget. Since that decision was made a growing number of parents and community members have come together with a shared goal, preserving these opportunities for our students. Community members have already begun making financial commitments and are prepared to fund the gap if an approved path forward can be identified. Community members have asked straightforward questions regarding the actual cost of middle school athletics and the process required to apply community raised funds towards these programs. Yet the answers have been inconsistent. As a result, the community still lacks a clear understanding of both the financial picture and the path forward. Based on information shared publicly, there are also legitimate questions regarding the actual financial impact of middle school athletics on the district. Available data suggests that user registration fees may exceed the known cost of operating these programs, suggesting that middle school athletics may generate net revenue for the district. If accurate, this would mean the district eliminated programs that were operating in the black. We are not asking the school committee to solve this problem alone. We are asking for accurate information and a clear path forward so that we can help solve it. To move this effort forward in time for the upcoming athletic season, the community is requesting these three things by mid-July. First a detailed breakdown of costs and revenue for each sport, including transportation, overhead, administrative expenses, and user fees. Second, guidance on the process required for community raised funds or donations to support these programs. Third a commitment to work with the athletic directors, coaches, and schedulers to restore middle school athletics for the upcoming year. This is a solvable problem if we work together. Finally, I want to address the future of athletics and extracurricular activities in Lunenburg more broadly. The school committee has recently stated that looking ahead to next year and I quote “All extracurricular activities, including all athletics, will be on the table for future reductions, and that would result in a full dismantling of Lunenburg schools, if the district’s financial challenges persist”. If the district leadership believes these programs may be at risk, the community deserves to know right now. Nikki Jeannotte, 111 Mulpus Road, I am the president of the football boosters and I am here tonight on behalf of the boosters and the football program at the high school and also the head coach who just had a baby a couple days ago and wasn’t able to be here. Casey, the head coach put in a request to the athletic department to purchase five new helmets earlier this spring, we currently have more heads than we have helmets, we haven’t heard whether that was approved or denied. If it is denied, which is probably given our financial predicament, we are hoping to get permission to purchase the helmets out of the booster funds, which we understand, we need permission from the school committee for. The second matter is a bit trickier, I will preface with some background, we are all aware transportation to and from away games has been cut form the athletic budget. The football boosters would like to fund one-way transportation to away games and have families bring their players and equipment home, which we have been told may or may not be a violation of Title IX, because there isn’t a female team with enough funds to purchase transportation. However, it is our understanding that two mini buses were purchased by the district to help provide transportation to and from away games. These buses are not a reasonable option for the football team given the number of athletes who travel and the amount of equipment they require. With that in mind, any question of inequity stemming from football boosters funding alternative transportations should be settled because the mini buses aren’t a viable option for us ===PAGE 4=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 and they are a viable option for many of the other smaller teams. Our asks are first and ideally that the athletics department purchase helmets for the program, but if they can’t or are unable to, we have permission to purchase the helmets from boosters and also that we have permission to fund transportation to away games, which comes to about $1500. I’d also like to add that I was on a zoom a couple weeks ago with several other booster people and you all stated that football is one of the wealthier programs, more wealthy than the other programs, and I respect that people believe this and I understand why, but we have more money because we work our tails off, fundraising at every available opportunity. We do 50/50 at every game, we sell merch at every game, we latch on to any fundraising opportunity we can, we don’t get a dollar for admissions to the football games, we don’t get a dollar from concessions at football games, we don’t see any of that money. We are basically asking to spend our money that we work really hard for in a responsible and meaningful way for our program. Mr. Sculimbrene I was unable to attend the boosters meeting, I want to make sure that as we go through these discussions that everybody keeps in mind that a solution that only solves one of the problems is not going to work. If we solve a problem for one sport without considering the legal implications for other sports, all we are doing is inviting costs related to litigation, and those kinds of costs would be huge and they would be difficult to sustain and would not necessarily go away within a single calendar year. So if sports and the booster organizations are trying to solve the problem, which it sounds like everybody wants to we need to make sure that it’s not just a numbers thing, that it is also a legal thing and that we work together to make sure that as much as we can we can comply with the law. One idea would be to pair sports, if you have a shared interest and shared facility, such as shared officiating boys’ and girls’ basketball that would be a natural pairing. Some sports do not have necessarily natural pairings and some sports are automatically Title IX compliant, but it would be problematic and really sad if everybody puts all this effort in and then it all gets washed away because we didn’t comply with the law. Solutions need to be mindful of those legal requirements, otherwise we just spend money that will be taken away by lawyers, which I don’t want to have happen. 4. Chairs Report – lt is officially the end of the school year, so, thank you very much to Dr. Fortuna for her first successful Lunenburg school year and for getting us through this very difficult year. So, thank you. I very much appreciate it. For the foreseeable future, the school committee will be meeting here in the media room at the Middle High school. The town hall meeting room is sadly not handicap accessible. There's serious accessibility concerns with that meeting space and we can meet here. I understand this makes it more difficult for some people to watch the meetings remotely via public access and I am very sorry about that. You can still watch our meetings via Zoom when it works, and the recording of the meetings will be available the next day on the Lunenburg Public Access YouTube channel and Facebook. Just a plug, this town needs meeting spaces that are accessible to all members of the public, and all meetings should be taking place in handicap accessible places that don't require a terrifying outdated ancient lift to the second floor. I want to state up front that I will be asking the committee to vote to ask for a special town meeting as soon as legally possible. Once we have the final conference committee state budget. Also there was new snow and ice money that the town got. It's looking very likely that the state legislature will be sending us extra chapter 70 money specifically address the statewide ongoing education funding crisis. This money as chapter 70 funding is intended for public education in the schools, 35% of the entire school budget in Luneburg is covered by chapter 70 funds uh which are dispersed to the town but intended to go towards education. And I would like to ask that we have a special meeting to reopen the FY27 municipal budget once the state has finalized the number and that we allocate all of that additional chapter 70 money to the school budget. Things are going to be hard next year. That's not news to anyone. They're going to be very hard, they were already hard this year. This was not an easy school year because of the cuts that we had to make the year before. But this next upcoming school year, things are going to start breaking. I am really sorry. This affects my kid too. Many things that you as a parent or you as a citizen or you as a student care about will be ===PAGE 5=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 affected negatively. Many other things that may not affect you personally but affect other people in the town will be impacted negatively as well. I understand the urge to try and save specifically the things that matter to you. I really love the energy to try and make things better. I love the way our community continues to try. I love that we keep trying even in such adverse conditions and we don't give up. That's what it takes to change the world is a group of committed people working together to bring about the change they want to see in the world. But I want to make really clear as school committee members, it is our job to see the big picture to take in the entirety of the system and to look out for all members of the system. It is our job to keep an eye on the main goal and our core mission which is educating children and preparing students for the best possible future for each and every student. That is our job as school committee members. So I understand and I especially understand as a parent the impulse to fight precisely for what matters personally to you and your child. I don't ever want to stop anyone from advocating for your children and you should be very proud that you are good advocates for your children. But please just know that sometimes there are going to be important critical things that may not be as popular or have as many or any advocates, but are still vitally important. My example for that is toilet paper. No one is lining up to advocate that we buy it, but we really need it. It's something we have to spend money on. It's not visible. It's not something you think about. It is an expense, but there's nobody advocating for that, and it is our job as school committee members to look at the big picture and keep the big picture in mind. And I also want people to be cognizant of administration time and our staff time as we are facing such a dire gap between our needs and what we have. Requests are going to take longer. We're not going to have everything. Certain things you ask for may not exist or cannot be created because of the time. We are focusing on the core mission and we do not have enough personnel to get everything done. It is important that we together collectively as people who want to improve things who want to maintain quality schools in Luneburg and all that that means it's important we keep our eyes on the big picture and not turn into infighting over specific programs or issues. The big picture, adequate school funding for the entire system is where your efforts are going to do the most good. Continuing to engage the select boards, send emails, go to meetings, advocate for the school. So, run for office. Go to meetings twice because it's important. Make the phone calls. Email your state senator and state rep. Be a fierce advocate for every kid in this town and making sure that everyone is getting what they need. 5. Student Representative Report – None 6. Review and Approve Minutes a. Regular session 4/15, 5/6, 5/20, 6/3/26 Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the minutes, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion is approve with one abstention b. Tri-Board 1/12, 1/27, 3/10/26 Mr. Sculimbrene makes motion to accept the tri-board minutes, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, motion is approved with one abstention 7. Review and Approve Line Items, Transfers, Warrants a. Line Item Transfers Mr. McNamara explains the four line item transfers for this meeting Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the transfers as outlined by Mr. McNamara, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approve b. Warrants 6/2/26 to 6/17/26 $515,921.28 c. Donations – One donation in the amount of $196.56 to the Turkey Hill Elementary School from the author of Taco and Pizza visit. Ms. Gilman makes a motion to accept the donation, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion all approve 8. Superintendent’s Report Dr. Fortuna shares updates on some key areas that have been focused on. We were successful in our bid for transportation vans, we are currently waiting on the state contract and ===PAGE 6=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 after receiving that we will be able to execute quickly to meet the spending deadline of June 30. We will be able to purchase two new vans and have enough left over to cover driver training, registration, and insurance. On the facilities front, we have secured an additional $175,000 in state earmarks for FY 27 specifically for facilities improvements, one of the priorities will be making the main doors at the central office fully handicapped accessible, anticipated projects include ADA bathroom sinks at Turkey Hill, interior and exterior doors at primary and add a DMT antenna to remotely control security systems the JACE upgrade at LMHS, the generator install at Primary, a fan replacement in the hallway and gym at the Primary school, the installation of new gym lighting at LMHS and lift rental or purchase, this list is subject to change. We are looking into possible portable AC in the upstairs at Turkey Hill also. Staffing and personnel updates include: Ms. Tousignant will be the new Assistant Principal of the Middle School, Mr. McGrath will take over as principal at Turkey Hill. We have hired two new assistant principals, Kaitlyn Angulo at Turkey Hill and Eddaliz Viola at the High School. Dr. Fortuna lists a few positions that are currently open and are recruiting for, while also working closely with Dr. Mancini to develop a comprehensive plan for how athletics will operate and be supported when the season starts again. The process with Title IX and boosters’ guidance is explained. 9. New Action Action a. Adult Meal Price Increase Ms. Lorenzen proposed to increase the adult meal price to $6.00 Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to improve the increase, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve motion passes. b. FY 26 Budget Carryover PO’s – already discussed by Mr. McNamara with the encumbrances c. T-Ball Field T.C. Passios We are proposing T-ball be able to use the grassy field at TC Passios and the town has generously offered to mow and maintain that area. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to approve the proposal regarding the use of TC Passios, Ms. Young seconds, motion approved with 1 abstention d. July School Committee Meeting Calendar a proposal to add a July school committee meeting on Wednesday July 29th remote only, it will be financial only in nature. Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to add July 29th to the school committee calendar, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve e. 2026-2027 School Committee Meeting Calendar follows a typical plan schedule Ms. Gilman makes a motion to approve the meeting calendar, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the motion, all approve 10. Old Business Action a. Year End Curriculum Report committee has been provided the report in their folder from Dr. Sarfde Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept the report, Ms. Gilman seconds the report all approve b. FY 26 Quarterly Budget Report Mr. McNamara presents the quarterly report Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to accept the end of year quarterly budget report, Ms. Young seconds the motion all approve c. FY 26 Personnel Report Dr. Fortuna runs through the list of new hires as well as the staff that will be retiring. Ms. Gilman makes a motion accept the personnel report, Mr. Sculimbrene seconds the report, all approve d. Request for Additional Chapter 70 Fund Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to ask the select board to schedule a special town meeting, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion, all approve ===PAGE 7=== 1025 Massachusetts Avenue, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 11. Public Comments for issues discussed tonight Laura Barooshian, 389 Mulpus Road I did find the fundraising policy that you mentioned, it has not been updated since 2019. And one thing that just caught my eye is it does say that families and athletes will not be asked to participate in more than two fundraisers per sport per year. So just as the groups are getting themselves organized. I am here as president of the Music Gators we had a meeting we talked about fundraising, that was the major topic of discussion, we do want to work with you guys to figure out what we can fundraise for, transportation is one of the items. Also part of our mission is to provide the schools with the uniforms. I am very pleased we are going to be pushing 30 kids in marching band. That's up from 18. Ms McGregor is hopeful that we're going to be band and color guard. We are going to need to purchase color guard uniforms. We have different people of different sizes and different shapes and different needs this year. Um I'm still working on getting information from Ms. McGregor, I can't wait until band camp at the end of August to order color guard uniforms or we will not have them for football season. So we have a pool of funds available we are looking to donate, and we are looking for guidance on how to present/use them. – email Liz Peterson, and it will be on the agenda for July 29th. Also I can tell you the juniors are already feeling the stresses of having to choose certain classes and making choices of can I take an AP class, or honors class, or is it going to have to be a required elective. If there is anything we can do to help restore the 6th grade Jazz band, please let us know. 12. Reports from Sub-Committees Ms. Brzozoski reports the Municipal Building Design Committee is meeting on Monday, we met two weeks ago and did send a survey to departments about wants vs needs. We did meet with athletics people, we do want to let everyone know, that yes, next year athletics are on the table for cuts, everything is on the table. 13. Topics for Future Discussion football helmets, 14. Adjournment Mr. Sculimbrene makes a motion to adjourn at 925, Ms. Gilman seconds the motion all approve. Submitted Respectfully, Courtney Fuller ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-07-15-agenda-7901.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-07-15 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-07-15-agenda-7901.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07152026-7901 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 SCHOOL COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 Time: Special Meeting (7:00pm) Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: REMOTE MEETING AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Laura Brzozoski, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna AnthonySculimbrene,Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary Jean Russell, Member Gina Gonsalves Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7663167607?omn=84 092781416 Meeting ID: 766 316 7607 One tap mobile +19292056099,,7663167607# US (New York)+13017158592,,7663167607# US (Washington DC) This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 6. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 6/24/26 7. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations 6/18 to 6/30 $362,767.40 a. Warrants 9. New Business Action a. Vote on warrant article for a special town meeting for school funding (5 min) b. Vote on a proposed spending plan for school funding (5 min) 10. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 11. Topics for Future Discussion 12. Adjournment Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-07-29-agenda-7930.txt BOARD : school-committee DATE : 2026-07-29 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/school-committee/2026-07-29-agenda-7930.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07292026-7930 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== 129 Northfield Rd, Lunenburg, Massachusetts 01462 978 582-4100 ~ fax 978 582-4103 REVISED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2026 Time: Regular Meeting (7:00pm) Location: LMS Collaborative Room #D132 Broadcast Status: HYBRID MEETING (in person and on Zoom) AGENDA School Committee Superintendent Laura Brzozoski, Chair Dr. Jodi Fortuna AnthonySculimbrene,Vice Chair Mandy Gilman, Secretary Recording Secretary Jean Russell, Member Gina Gonsalves Emily Young, Member Guests: Christopher McNamara-Business Administrator, Casey McDonnell- Head Football Coach, Bill Tyler-Lunenburg Historical Society In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunenburg Public Access channel. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83227847126 Meeting ID: 832 2784 7126 One tap mobile +16469313860,,83227847126# US +19292056099,,83227847126# US (New York) This meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access cable channel and on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be found on the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably 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 also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order (3 min) 12. Public Comment for Issues Discussed Tonight 2. Pledge of Allegiance (3 min) 13. Reports from Sub-Committee 3. Public Comment for Prior Issues (3 min) 14. Topics for Future Discussion 4. Chair’s Report (3 min) 15. Adjournment 5. Executive Session-to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non -union personnel or to conduct collective Bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel. 6. Student Representative’s Report (3 min) 7. Review & Approve Minutes (3 min) a. Regular Session 8. Review & Approve Line Item Transfers, Warrants & Donations a. Warrants 7/6 to 7/20/26 $100,507.91 9. Superintendent’s Report (3 min) 10. New Business Action a. Donation-Football Helmets & Transportation (5 min) b. Donation-Color Guard Uniforms (3 min) c. Donation-LEAF Grants (3 min) d. Fireworks-Lunenburg 300th Anniversary (3 min) e. FY27 Budget-Additional State Aid f. Custodial MOU 11. Old Business Action a. FY26 Budget- Update on Year End Lunenburg Public Schools Dr. Jodi Fortuna, Superintendent of Schools