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HomeMy Public PortalAboutBrewster School Committee -- 2023-03-16 Minutes NAUSET PUBLIC SCHOOLS - --- --`r" MEETING MINUTES of the Brewster Elementary School MEETING DATE and Thursday, March 16, 2023 @ 6:30PM Hybrid Meeting Via Town of Brewster Zoom This meeting took place in a hybrid format pursuant to the law signed by Governor Baker on June 16, 2021 - An Act Extending Certain COVID-19 Measures Adopted During the State of Emergency, which includes an extension, until March 31, 2023, of the remote meeting provisions of his March 12,2020 Executive Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law. MEMBER ATTENDANCE: Chair Katie Jacobus, Judi Lech, Carol Jelinek, Sarah Sherman and Casey Mecca NON-MEMBER ATTENDANCE: Superintendent Brooke Clenchy, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, &Assessment Dr. Robin Millen, Director of Finance and Operations Giovanna Venditti, Stony Brook Principal Keith Gauley, Eddy School Principal Steve Guditus, Select Board Liaison Kari Hoffman and Finance Committee Liaison Robert Tobias Call to Order& Declaration of a Quorum, MeetinV,.Partici ation Statement and Recording Statement The meeting was called to order at 6:30pm. A enda Changes: None Citizens Speak: No one came forward to speak. PRIORITY BUSINESS: A. Administrators' Reports _Chair Report Chair Jacobus deferred to the next meeting. Superintendent's Report: Superintendent Clenchy gave an overview of the Region's FY24 Budget via a slide deck of information. She explained there is a team who works together to create the budgets and they begin their work in the summer. Many variables tie into the creation of the budget such as student enrollment, state funding, staff development and staffing needs. She explained that the Region's budget number for FY24 is coming in higher than the intended base increase of 3%. Below explained are some of the factors that affect the budget. ESSER funds, that were established during the COVID era, had been funding several positions; now with the ESSER funds expiring, those positions will remain fully funded in the FY24 budget. Brewster Elementary School March 16, 2023 Page 1 Contracts with Gosnold and Care Solace will also be continued post Covid. Transportation costs had a large impact on the budget for FY24 because the costs represent two years of funding. Last year, increases for transportation came in after the budget had been completed, so it is reflected doubly in FY24. Superintendent Clenchy did note that they have also had to reimburse parents for driving their children to out-of-district school placements because of the lack of bus drivers. The technology budget line item also increased due to a large need in upgrading hardware and software. ESSER funds had been very helpful in supporting the upgrades and the district needs to continue in that direction. Overall, special education (including Cape Cod Collaborative) were 7%higher and out-of- district was up 14% from last year and that is with a State level decision. SPED transportation costs have also increased dramatically, and contractual obligations are at a 6% increase. Benefits came in 2.5% lower than last year. Superintendent Clenchy further explained that at the start of the budget planning, there is already a deficit due to obligations that are out of the Region's control and Chapter 70 funds from the State only increased by 2%. Regarding the individual budgets, Nauset High School's budget increased only 1.8% and that was because of the reduction in five positions through natural attrition such as retirements. Enrollment at the high school is declining and there were several opportunities to eliminate positions that were no longer needed. The Middle School budget increased by 5.69%,partially due to the addition of an assistant principal and behavioral support staff. Director Venditti explained the Region's budget consists of benefits -health insurance for staff and retirees, the transportation costs in and out of district and school choice costs. The Region's budget increased by$1.4M. Principals' Report: Principal Gauley said if there are any questions about the six-page report,please feel free to contact him or Principal Guditus. Principal Guditus commented that the staff continues to do wonderful things with the children in the deep learning curriculum, academic achievement, building positive school culture and communicating to families and the community. Chair Jacobus reported that there was an increase of 1 student and there are now a total of 436 students between both schools. B. FY24 Budget Public Hearing MOTION: Members voted unanimously via a roll call vote to go into the public hearing portion of the meeting. Brewster Elementary School March 16, 2023 Page 2 Chair Jacobus opened the Public Hearing to give an opportunity for anyone to speak. Principal Guditus reviewed the slide deck details on how the FY24 Budget was created. Between the two schools, there are 436 students, a decrease from last year. The Eddy Elementary School budget is up a total of 8.06%with a total budget of$4,129,710. The Stony Brook Elementary School's FY24 budget increased by 6.35% for a total of $4,602,110. Principal Guditus explained that much of the increase at the Eddy School is due to the hiring of 3 additional educational assistants (I on 1 ratio) as required for students who have IEP's. There will also be four sections at the 5th grade level, up from three sections this past year, as was anticipated, due to a larger grade size. Principal Gauley noted that there was a big change in the enrollment in the PreK program over the prior year, going from 27 children to 37 this year, which meant 3 full day classrooms rather than the previous year of 2 classrooms for a half day. In the budget presented, it reflects 3 Kindergarten classrooms, with an anticipated number of 48. The anticipated class size for the Kindergarten in FY24 is 16, 16 and 16. There is not a cut to programs or services for the children. If the enrollment increases at the kindergarten level, Principal Gauley will be discussing the situation with the Superintendent and the School Committee. Citizens comments: Ms. Tonya Donovan teaches 1 st Grade at Stony Brook Elementary. She sees that post-Covid, the children's needs are different; the children need more one-on-one time and more specialized teaching since they didn't experience that in pre-school because of the Covid pandemic. She advocates for smaller classrooms at the kindergarten level to be able to spend more time with the children and prepare them properly as they move on. Mr. Tobias indicated that the town identified the amount that could be funded was a 4% increase. Therefore, the town will be asking for an override to fund the School Operating Budget. Chair Jacobus read a letter into the record from parent Colleen Ladd, who was concerned with eliminating positions. Ms. Amy Montgomery, a third-grade teacher at Eddy Elementary, echoed those concerns. Principal Gauley noted that the four kindergarten teachers are exceptional. MOTION: Members voted unanimously° via roll call vote to come out of the Public Hearing. Brewster Elementary School March 16, 2023 Page 3 C. FY24 Bud et Discussion and Vote Principal Gauley explained that he and the administration are aware and continually have discussions about the many factors such as housing projects, numbers of births, trends in the census, that can impact student enrollment. Ms. Jelinek noted that if the town were to do a one day sign up for kindergarteners in the Spring it may clarify enrollment numbers earlier. Ms. Mecca said that she is opposed to losing a position and class at the kindergarten level and wants to continue to see smaller classes so that the children are prepared not just academically, but also socially and emotionally as they grow. Mrs. Lech echoed Ms. Mecca's comments and feels it is important to continue to give children the support systems that they need. Ms. Mecca added that she was concerned that if the needs of the students aren't met at the kindergarten level, she feels their needs could become a greater cost in the future with IEP's, special education etc. Mrs. Lech noted that the law states that the job of school committee members is to prioritize the best possible education of the children. Ms. Sherman asked for clarification on how to go about amending the budget if the kindergarten class was to be added back in. Superintendent Clenchy explained the various ways the budget can be amended from the presented budget total. Principal Gauley estimated the approximate cost of$60K to maintain four kindergarten sections. Member Sherman and Jelinek added comments of support to maintain the four kindergarten classes. Chair Jacobus noted that some early interventions did not happen due to COVID, so many children do not have the same readiness. The overall consensus of the members is to maintain the four sections of the kindergarten classes. There will be no action taken tonight on the proposed FY24 budget. A meeting will be scheduled prior to the Select Board meeting on Monday, March 20 at 5pm to discuss and take a vote on a new budget number that will include the kindergarten teacher position and any related benefits added back in. D. FY23 Expenditure Report-Report deferred until next month. Brewster Elementary School March 16, 2023 Page 4 E. NPS Polio Manual Sections A & B -Approval in Form -Report deferred until next month. F. Declare Surplus Principal Guditus explained that additional surplus from the Eddy School has been identified and is no longer functional. A list of that surplus is in the member packet. MOTION: Ms. Lech made a motion to aimrove the declaration of surplus list. Ms. Sherman seconded the motion. and all voted in favor via roll call vote. REPORTS & INFORMATION: Cape Cod Collaborative—Ms. Mecca had no report at this time. PTO Liaison—Ms. Sherman reported the meeting was canceled. School Council - StonN Brook—Ms. Sherman said the next meeting is at the end of the month. School Council -Edd v—Ms. Jelinek reported that they discussed the proposed budget and are working on updating the Strategic Plan with an additional meeting to be held in April. Policy Subcommittee—Ms. Lech met on March 6 with no quorum but able to work on some of the basics of the policies. Behavioral Health Task Force - Chair Jacobus reported they met last week. Principal Rodman from Wellfleet Elementary attended as well and explained how she and her staff meet the students as they come to school in the morning which helps them get a feeling of how the students are and if there are any immediate issues that need to be addressed. Nauset Middle School Principal Deneen also attended the meeting and reported the mentor program is going very well and she feels even sophomores could fill the mentor positions as well. APPROVE MINUTES MOTION: It was moved bN° Ms. Mecca and seconded by Ms. Sherman to approve the minutes of the February 16 2023 as amended. Via roll call vote the minutes were approved. ADJOURNMENT: MOTION: It was moved by Ms. Sherman seconded by Mrs. Lech and voted unanimous) to ad4ourn at 8:24PM. Respectfully Submitted, Amanda Lapierre Recording Secretary Brewster Elementary School March 16, 2023 Page 5