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Home My Public Portal AboutNauset Schools -- 2021-02-11 Minutes Nauset Regional School Committee ;m , � r February 11 , 2021 Virtual meeting live streamed at Brewster Town Hall �° Present for the Committee : Judith Schumacher, Chris Easley, Richard Stewart, Josh Stewart, Tom Fitzgibbons , Steven Leibowitz, Griffin Ryder, John O ' Reilly, Ed Brookshire Present for the Administration ; Thomas Conrad, Giovanna Venditti, Mary Buchanan, Dee Smith, Keith Kenyon, Chris Ellsasser, James Nowack Others Present : Members of the Community Call to Order : Chair Easley called the meeting to order at 7 : 05 p .m . , and read the meeting notice and Zoom information aloud . Agenda Changes : The School Choice Presentation was moved to Item C on the Agenda . Citizens Speak: Martin Culik from Orleans spoke to the Committee about the Nauset High School operating budget and School Choice, and that he is looking forward to the presentation on School Choice tonight . Bob Young from Brewster spoke to the Committee about School Choice and the Nauset High School Building Project. Consent Agenda : It was moved by Griffin Ryder, seconded by Steven Leibowitz and voted unanimously to approve the Consent Agenda as presented . Items approved are : Minutes of January 14 , 2021 and January 28 , 2021 , Gifts & Grants . Priority Business : Administrator ' s Report : Interim Principal Keith Kenyon ' s written report was included in the Committee packet . In addition, Principal Kenyon reported to the Committee on the work he and some staff did with DESE that resulted in 250 air purifiers being sent to Nauset free of charge , which would be a total of about $ 65 , 000 . The second round of parent teacher conferences have been completed with a good turnout; professional development has been very successful ; the scheduling committee has completed their work for this year, and the work will begin on scheduling for next year after February vacation; a video tour has been completed for incoming 5t" graders coming in; an update of the Grab and Go Program which is located at the Middle School ; the work on anti-bias and BLM that is being done ; and two of the musicians at the Middle School have qualified for the Junior Music Festival . Principal Chris Ellsasser ' s written report was included in the Committee packet . In addition, Principal Ellsasser pointed out that the principal ' s report is now formatted according to the goals in the new Strategic Plans Principal Ellsasser was able to sit with a student for a bit in which the student spoke about starting a club to help students who are struggling; he was also able to witness an interaction between two staff in a Zoom meeting sharing information Nauset Regional School Committee, February 11, 2021 11 P a g e for a full hour ; mask breaks ; and an update on a JV Basketball game that included some wonderful moments ; the theatre students created a presentation regarding William Shakespeare entitled ` What if Will lived during COVID " . Superintendent Tom Conrad reported he has been working in a few different areas this past month ; the COVID numbers have gone up substantially; there are 9 budgets being developed and are in different phases of completion; there is ongoing work with Administrator ' s regarding Master Schedules , the Building Project work is ongoing . Presentation on the BRYT Program : Dee Smith began thepresentation on the BRYT Program (Bridge for Resilient Youth in Training), which is a program that supports students reentry into school after a hospitalization or extensive absence from school for a length of time . There are four components to the BRYT Program for each student : clinical/coping support which is delivered by an Counselor, an academic case manager (usually a full time paraprofessional) who acts as a tutor and as a liaison, the third service is family support, the fourth component is care coordination which begins prior to the student re-entering school . Last year NRHS had 24 hospitalizations , 5 of which were repeat hospitalizations . This year to date there have been 10 hospitalizations . Hospitalizations and concussions are two issues that come to the forefront on students not being in school . Last year, there were 27 severe concussions , with 14 being out at least a month . The BRYT Program will put a system in place , up to 12 weeks, to help students feel supported while reintegrating into school . Discussion was held on how the Committee can support the staff in implementing this program including what additions to staff might be needed . School Choice Presentation . Chair Easley gave an overview on the School Choice Program to the Committee . School Choice began in Massachusetts in 1992 . Districts have the option each year to determine if they will participate in the School Choice Program . Tuition to the District per student is $ 5 , 000 , plus an increment if the student is in Special Education . Nauset receives on average $ 5 , 800 per student under the School Choice Program . The School Choice Program creates a positive income stream, in addition it allows for a wide variety of courses that deepen and broaden the school curriculum which in turn enriches the experience of all students . It also increases the diversity of the student body. The financial benefit of the School Choice Program can be challenging to understand . Nauset Regional High School currently has 900 students ; 200 of which attend under the School Choice Program . If you have 900 students, or 700 students , there would still be Administrative staff, teaching staff and custodial staff; there is still an obligation to run heating and electric ; all of these are fixed costs . There are 70 areas within the school where students are taught — this includes gym, art rooms etc . Each of those classrooms has seats for 25 students . There are 250 different classes offered at NRHS . Some of those are the same (ie : freshman English) . The average class size at Nauset High School would be 15 if there were no School Choice Students . When you add in 200 School Choice students the only real change is class size, which would be increased to an average of 18 . Fixed costs remain the same with 200 school choice students . There are approximately 6 to 7 additional staff added due to School Choice at a cost of $ 650 , 000 . FY20 the School Choice income to Nauset was $ 1 , 735 , 000 , in FY21 it is estimated to be $ 1 , 550 , 000 . Even with the added cost of the program, there will be $ 900 , 000 towards the budget . Nauset High School is the # 1 ranked public high school on the Cape , and is ranked #24 in the State of Massachusetts . The Cape is a challenging area to provide quality education to students . Chair Easley read a disclaimer that all examples of averages are estimates, and should be viewed as an example of the net, positive impact of School Choice . A tremendous amount of work has gone into finding a solution to the problem of a high school building that is aging and outdated . Discussion was held on the High School renovation project and the School Choice Program . Nauset Regional School Committee, February 11, 2021 2 P a g e FY 21 Budget — Dashboard Review Giovanna Venditti invited the newest members of the Nauset Regional School Committee to meet with her to go over the Dashboard and the budget process , in order to gain a greater understanding of the process . The Dashboard gives a comprehensive view of the finances in the Nauset District . Giovanna then reviewed the current Dashboard Report. Discussion was held on Truro and Provincetown tuitions, there are 3 Truro students that left in the month of January which accounts for the reduction in anticipated revenue in that line item . Between Provincetown and Truro there were 112 students projected , currently there are 105 students from those towns . FY22 Capital Budget James Nowack, Assistant Director of Finance and Operations , reviewed the FY22 Capital Plan with the Committee . A printed copy of the Capital Plan was included in the Committee packet . In FY22 there will be $ 559 , 306 available in Capital Article funding. The Capital Plan article will be voted on when the FY22 Budget(s) are voted . REPORTS AND INFORMATION Chris Easley reminded the Committee of the upcoming Cape Cod Collaborative Legislative Breakfast . Steve Leibowitz informed the Committee that there have been bills filed with the State regarding making school meals free to all students . Josh Stewart reported that the Policy Subcommittee has finalized the RUP for Staff. It will be sent to the Union for review, and then to the School Committee ' s for a first and second reading and vote . Adjournment : It was moved by Josh Stewart, seconded by Ed Brookshire and voted unanimously via roll call vote to adjourn at 9 : 45PM Respectfully submitted, Arlynn Consiglio Nauset Regional School Committee, February 11, 2021 3 P a g e