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Commendations and Public Comment (Link: 00:00:00 – 00:02:00)
Williams opened the commendations portion of the meeting. A committee member commended Mary Maxfield, the Brown School principal, for spearheading efforts to bring Lynn Lyons to the district the previous week. The speaker noted that this would likely be part of an upcoming update and thanked the Friends of the Marblehead Public Schools and the PTOs and PCOs for funding the initiative. The committee member emphasized that Maxfield deserved special recognition for her work in putting the idea into motion, describing it as a great parent presentation with positive feedback.
Another committee member commended the school resource officer Sean Sweeney, recognizing his hard work throughout the year. The speaker praised Sweeney’s professionalism and communication skills in handling various situations, noting his important role in keeping students and staff safe. The committee member expressed both personal and public gratitude for Sweeney’s contributions to the school district.
Williams then moved to public comment, asking if anyone participating virtually wanted to speak and requesting they raise their hand. After a brief pause with no response, Williams proceeded to move on to the student representative portion of the meeting.
Student Representative Report (Link: 00:02:00 – 00:03:00)
The student representative reported that the first quarter would end the following Thursday, with students and staff working hard to ensure grades were current before the quarter’s conclusion.
Regarding athletics, the student representative noted that fall sports regular seasons were wrapping up that week, with most teams beginning playoffs the following week. The football team had its final regular season game scheduled for the next day at home against Danvers. Additionally, Powderpuff had begun practicing for the girls, with practice taking place in the field house that day but normally occurring four times a week outdoors at Getchell’s. The student representative expressed well wishes for their game later in November.
The report highlighted that many seniors were working diligently toward their post-secondary goals, with some admissions deadlines approaching, particularly on Saturday, November 1st. The student representative thanked the school counseling department for making the transition process smooth for students. The report concluded with wishes for all students and faculty to have a happy and safe Halloween the following day.
Williams then moved the meeting forward to district updates.
District Updates (Link: 00:03:00 – 00:11:00)
A speaker provided comprehensive district updates, beginning with upcoming November events including parent-teacher conferences on November 5th and 12th, a full day of professional development on November 10th, and Veterans Day on November 11th, followed by Thanksgiving week.
Recent events highlighted included the high school’s day of service and Community Evolved Day. The National Honor Society induction ceremony was recognized, with new inductees including Catherine Andriano, Tessa Andriano, Finn Bowen, Elon Rucker, Tessa Francis, Sasha Ganeser, Emil Gil Duran, Brian Lynn Golden, Avery Prune, Joy Mishulem, Jack Molinari, Ashley Mortensen, Isabel Mortensen, Chloe Rowland, Haley Schmidt, Thomas Spencer, and Luna Valandri. The Monster Mash event at Brown School and the Idiom Parade at Village School were noted as successful, with creative student and staff participation in costume activities.
Professional development initiatives were discussed, including Lynn Lyons’ presentation to staff, parents, and caregivers focusing on anxiety management strategies, with a return visit planned for January. Laura Backosh from Internet Explorer presented mindfulness strategies and resources to staff through a program funded by the Rotary Club. The speaker emphasized the value of these programs for managing mindfulness, worry, and anxiety.
Community support efforts were acknowledged, including messaging about potential SNAP benefits impacts, with resources developed by counselor Caitlin LeBaron and the counseling staff. The digital backpack resource was highlighted as accessible through the district website and principal newsletters, with the addition of “Wait Until 8th” information encouraging parents to consider delaying cell phone provision until eighth grade.
The speaker reported speaking at the Dollars for Scholars annual meeting, noting the organization has provided nearly $4 million in scholarships over almost four decades under Helena Hazlett’s leadership. The organization is seeking board members and students were reminded they can reapply for scholarships each year of college.
Staff recognition messages were shared from various principals. Scott Williams from Village School recognized Chuck McKeever, Head Custodian, for his outstanding service, dedication to cleanliness and safety, and positive attitude. Matt Fox from Veterans Middle School highlighted Megan Kaplan, school nurse, for her support of students and staff, and Tracy DePaula, cafeteria manager, for her positive attitude and connection with students.
Frank Kowalski from Glover School recognized Sally Chevrey, Alyssa Daggett, Gary Killeen, and Kristen Zaros for their positive attitudes, ability to connect with children and adults, and their contribution to Glover’s strong MCAS data from 2025. Michele Carlson from the High School thanked faculty and staff for their work during a successful day that included chaperoning over 200 freshmen in community service, proctoring PSATs for 357 sophomores and juniors, and assisting seniors with college essays and resumes.
Michael Pfifferling, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, was recognized for the work of Carlene Saman and Kristin Morello in setting up the MUNIS payroll system. Their efforts include establishing payroll tables, linking them to employees, running simulations, and operating dual payroll systems to identify errors before the November 26th launch. They are also creating training materials in English and Spanish and scheduling staff webinars on the new timekeeping process.
Lisa Maria Polito, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, recognized Gina Semple, a teacher at Village School, for outstanding collaboration with the Special Education Department in creating an adaptive art display that showcases student artwork and promotes inclusion. Julia Ferreira, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, thanked the Professional Development Committee members including Natalie Beli, Rebecca Brand, Shelly Burns, Bonnie Callahan, Ali Carey, Maura Dartley, Rocco, Katrina Donovan, Katie Freegan, Angie Graziano, Jay Gutadaro, Mary LeBlanc, Daniel Moser, and Emily Perez for their contributions to district-wide professional development planning.
Williams then moved the meeting to the next agenda item regarding district financial matters.
District Financial Report (Link: 00:11:00 – 00:22:00)
Michael Pfifferling, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, presented the district financial report, noting it was created approximately one month prior at the end of September after completing the second payroll for ten-month staff. He explained that the district is currently operating two systems, with payroll running through SoftRight and general ledger expenses through MUNIS, which will be consolidated when the transition to MUNIS is complete on November 26th.
Pfifferling detailed the salary encumbrance process, explaining that he created manual purchase orders for September through December and one covering January through June to manage the transition. He noted several salary categories that had not yet been encumbered, including lead teacher stipends, custodial overtime, unemployment costs, contractual lane changes that came in after September 1st, athletic salaries, medical salaries, custodial salaries for district events, police duties, lunch and recess salaries, and the 403 match. He explained that many of these items would not be encumbered in MUNIS due to their inconsistent nature.
A significant budget concern was highlighted regarding special education out-of-district expenditures, which were approximately $700,000 over budget at the time of the report. Pfifferling explained this was due to all tuition being charged to the local budget since circuit breaker accounts had not yet been set up in MUNIS. He reported that this issue had been rectified as of that week, with $1.7 million in expenses being moved from the local budget to circuit breaker, which would restore about $1 million to the special education budget.
The district was carrying an unexpended, unencumbered balance of approximately $2.8 million in September, though Pfifferling noted that considering $1 million in prepaid tuition, the actual available balance was closer to $1.7 million. He explained that the largest budget expenses are salaries at 76% of the budget, followed by special education out-of-district costs, equipment, transportation, and utilities.
During the question period, committee members inquired about the composition of the unexpended funds. Pfifferling explained these included utilities, supplies, maintenance accounts for unplanned repairs, custodial supplies, personal hygiene products, and materials that schools order later in the year due to shelf life considerations or timing of use, such as biology specimens. He noted that some schools, particularly the high school, proactively encumber graduation expenses early to ensure funds are available.
Discussion also covered legal expenses, with Pfifferling noting that the central administration legal budget of $117,000 had $32,000 expended in the first two months, primarily for July and August. He explained his goal to separate legal expenses into three categories: school committee negotiations, superintendent investigations and advice, and special education legal matters, though currently they are divided into two categories. He acknowledged that determining appropriate budget allocations was challenging given the unusual legal activity in the previous year.
Williams concluded the financial report discussion and moved the meeting to the next agenda item, the MCAS analysis presentation to be led by Julia Ferreira.
MCAS Analysis Presentation (Link: 00:22:00 – 01:19:00)
A speaker introduced the MCAS presentation, noting that Julia Ferreira, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, would lead the presentation with principals joining to discuss school-specific data. The presentation format was modified from the previous year based on committee feedback to focus on more applicable and pertinent data. The speaker emphasized that MCAS represents one data point among many and mentioned the graduation requirement context.
Ferreira began by focusing on students, presenting the MCAS student report that families receive from DESE. She provided copies for committee members and explained that the student-centered approach was important because all district work centers around students. The presentation included screenshots from student reports showing how families are encouraged to review results with students to discuss academic progress and growth. Ferreira emphasized that DESE highlights the importance of using MCAS results alongside other assessments such as school tests and classwork.
The presentation covered achievement level descriptors and student growth percentiles (SGP), explaining that SGP measures how students perform compared to peers with similar starting scores. Ferreira detailed the growth level ranges, noting that SGP of 1-20 indicates very low growth, and differences of fewer than 10 points between years should not be considered meaningful. She explained that a student with an SGP of 58 scored the same or higher than 58% of their academic peers.
District-wide data was presented for core MCAS assessments. In English Language Arts, the district achieved a 51 SGP, placing them in the moderate growth range alongside comparable districts including Beverly, Swampscott, and Lynnfield. These comparison districts were selected years ago as alternatives to DART districts, focusing on local North Shore communities. In mathematics, the district showed similar moderate growth patterns, performing above state averages. Science results were presented for grades 5, 8, and 9, with the district achieving 57% meeting or exceeding expectations compared to the state’s 43%.
The presentation addressed the Student Opportunities Act plan created in March 2024, focusing on increasing academic achievement for English learners and students with disabilities while supporting social-emotional wellbeing. Data showed that 36 English learners took MCAS in spring 2025, with SGP indicating low to high growth depending on grade level, with particular strengths in sixth and tenth grades.
Special education student performance was analyzed in detail. In English Language Arts, grades 5 and 8 showed high growth with SGPs of 61 and 64 respectively, while grades 4 and 10 showed low growth with SGPs of 36 and 40. The percentage of special education students not meeting expectations increased from 21% to 29% between 2022 and 2025. In mathematics, grades 4 and 10 again showed low growth, while grade 7 demonstrated high growth at 56 SGP. The presentation noted that absenteeism significantly impacts performance, particularly for high-need students.
Cohort growth data was presented showing student progress over time from grades 3 through 10. The data demonstrated that students generally show growth over time, consistently performing above state averages, though there was noted concern about a dip in 10th grade performance that would be addressed by the high school principal.
Michele Carlson, Principal of Marblehead High School, presented high school MCAS results. She noted that students performed well academically but expressed concern that many students did not take the assessment seriously after it was no longer required for graduation. Challenges included reduced time spent on exams, attendance issues during testing, and families attempting to opt students out. Carlson emphasized that the results may not accurately represent student capabilities, noting that students in AP courses performed well on those assessments.
High school data showed decreases in ELA and math performance compared to previous years, though still above state averages. Science performance remained consistent and well above state average. Carlson reported that in comparison to NEC schools (including Masconomet, Danvers, Beverly, Hamilton-Wenham, and Swampscott), Marblehead ranked second in ELA and math, and first in science, though all schools in the group experienced similar declines.
The high school’s response included detailed review of MCAS results by English, math, and science departments, including item analysis to identify improvement areas. Emphasis was placed on improving student attendance, updating curriculum scope and sequence, and enhancing RTI classes through the MTSS framework. Carlson noted that chronic absenteeism was very high the previous year and continues to be an issue.
Matt Fox, Principal of Veterans Middle School, presented middle school results. The school performed well above state averages in all subject areas. ELA showed a 5% increase despite a previous year dip, returning to an upward trend. Math showed a slight 2-point decrease but remained well above state performance. New assessments in civics and science showed strong performance above state averages, with the science curriculum change to inquiry-based learning showing positive results.
Middle school student growth percentiles showed above-average performance, with students making more than average yearly growth. Eighth grade ELA and seventh grade math fell into the high growth category. Specific achievements included seventh grade math ranking in the top 16% of Massachusetts districts and eighth grade ELA ranking in the top 9% of districts. Areas for continued growth included aligning structures between elementary and middle school for writing support and increasing student discourse for problem-solving skills.
Scott Williams, Principal of Village School, presented elementary results for grades 4-6. The school outperformed state averages across all subject areas, with particular strength in reading at 71%. Mathematics performance was strong, especially in numeracy and number systems. Fifth grade science showed significant improvement, jumping from previous performance to 61% meeting and exceeding expectations.
Village School celebrations included fourth grade math with only 3% of students not meeting expectations, fifth grade ranking in the top 25% statewide, and sixth grade math ranking in the top 20% of Massachusetts districts. Areas for growth included strengthening writing instruction, building student independence and stamina for productive struggle in problem solving, and supporting the new science curriculum implementation. Williams emphasized the importance of allowing students to experience guided struggle to develop grit and growth mindset.
Frank Kowalski, Principal of Glover Elementary School, presented third grade results showing remarkable progress. Glover third grade ranked in the top 13% across Massachusetts, with steady growth in meeting and exceeding expectations rising from 54% to 71% since 2022. The school is now 29% above state average, up from 11% three years ago. Mathematics showed equally impressive growth, with Glover ranking in the top 20% of grade three programs statewide, growing from 52% to 69% meeting or exceeding expectations.
Kowalski highlighted Glover’s strengths in early intervention, emphasizing data collection and early identification of struggling students. The school focuses on strong foundational instruction with targeted support to ensure no student falls through cracks, cultivating independent learners, writers, and thinkers who approach learning with confidence. He noted continuous improvement efforts despite strong performance.
MCAS Test Results Presentation and Discussion (Link: 01:19:00 – 01:40:00)
Kowalski concluded his presentation by outlining Glover’s areas of focus for the new year, including building data literacy through professional learning communities to strengthen data use for instruction, continuing support for teachers in the third year of Wit and Wisdom implementation, developing math interventions and structures, and enhancing collaboration among students. He emphasized that these priorities build on current success while maintaining momentum.
A committee member praised the remarkable increase in third grade performance, noting that these results represent the culmination of K-3 education in the building and acknowledging that Glover has faced challenges in recent years, making the achievement particularly noteworthy. Kowalski responded that the results reflect a K-3 process and expressed anticipation for seeing fourth grade MCAS results in spring to track continued student progress.
Mary Maxfield, Principal of Joseph Brown Elementary School, presented the school’s results. She emphasized that behind every student is an entire team including parents, paraprofessionals, and teachers working together to support the whole child academically, behaviorally, emotionally, and socially. Brown School’s ELA performance exceeded state averages in all categories, remaining consistent with the previous year’s percentages. Maxfield highlighted particular excitement about the language component, attributing improvements to the inquiry-based model and deeper vocabulary exposure through Wit and Wisdom curriculum.
The most concerning area identified was essay writing, which Maxfield noted was consistently low not just at Brown but across the state. She questioned whether the assessment format, requiring third graders to type essays on computers when most students are still developing keyboarding skills, might impact performance statewide. Mathematics results showed the school exceeding state averages significantly, with a slight decrease from 61% to 58% overall but demonstrating growth from 46% to 58% since 2022.
Brown School’s celebrations included ranking in the top 30% of Massachusetts elementary schools for math and top 15% for ELA, performing 17% and 23% above state averages respectively. Maxfield conducted detailed analysis revealing that 10 students in reading and 17 students in math missed proficiency by just one or two questions, indicating the value of item analysis to identify specific areas where students need support in demonstrating their learning.
Areas for growth included item analysis and deeper investigation into writing data. Maxfield’s school improvement plan focuses on using multiple data points to identify both learning and instructional needs, implementing teacher inquiry cycles, and developing consistent progress monitoring systems for math interventions using Title 1 funding.
A significant finding emerged from Maxfield’s analysis of student tenure at the school. Students who attended Brown for all four years (K-3) significantly outperformed those who attended for three years, with ELA proficiency jumping from 46% to 72% and math from 46% to 63%. This data highlighted the importance of kindergarten foundation and raised questions about how to better support incoming first-grade students who attended kindergarten elsewhere.
Committee members inquired about kindergarten enrollment patterns, with Maxfield confirming that almost all students attend full-day kindergarten, with typically only one or two families choosing half-day by preference rather than necessity.
Ferreira concluded the presentation by thanking families for their ongoing support and encouraging them to review MCAS results alongside other assessment data. She highlighted the district’s strategic development of multi-tiered systems of support, evidence-based curriculum adoption, continuous assessment monitoring, and professional learning community structure to strengthen instruction.
A speaker thanked all administrators for presenting and sharing both celebrations and areas for growth. They acknowledged the school committee’s support for curriculum adoptions that have shown positive results and emphasized the importance of consistent language across schools to avoid operating in silos and ensure smooth transitions.
Williams reiterated thanks for the presentation effort and requested that future presentations move beyond state average comparisons to include more appropriate benchmarks, suggesting consideration of DART schools or other comparable districts. He emphasized the need to discuss proper benchmarks and potential targets for the district.
The speaker agreed with Williams’ feedback, noting adjustments made from the previous year and emphasizing that student growth year-over-year is more important than comparisons to other districts. They acknowledged the state benchmark as low and committed to developing more robust comparison methods for future presentations.
Discussion addressed data availability on the DESE website, with Ferreira confirming that all data is available there but noting that district numbers include all students, including those in out-of-district placements. She explained that the presentation used Open Architect platform data to provide more specific school-by-school analysis and mentioned ongoing collaboration with other North Shore districts for comparison purposes.
A committee member expressed appreciation for the presentation format, noting that previous years sometimes felt focused on incremental improvements without addressing underlying challenges. They praised the administrators for presenting realistic assessments of both successes and areas needing improvement, with clear, tangible plans that non-educators could understand. The committee member also suggested the district might be emerging from COVID-related impacts based on the positive trends shown.
Williams concluded the MCAS presentation discussion and prepared to move to the next agenda item.
Consent Action and Agenda Items (Link: 01:40:00 – 01:47:00)
Williams began the consent action and agenda items but first addressed an issue with meeting minutes. A committee member noted that they had submitted meeting minutes with some missing items since they were not present at that meeting. The missing information included the time when the committee went into executive session and details about consent action and agenda items where audio had cut out, specifically who made motions and the votes. The committee member indicated they could fill in this information if provided and that the minutes could be voted on with these edits.
Williams called for a motion to approve several items including identified schedules of bills totaling $1,238,783.41, school committee meeting minutes from October 15, 2025 with the discussed edits, and approval of policy updates including CA administration goals, CB school superintendent, CVI evaluation of the superintendent, CCB line and staff relations, and CHCA approval of handbooks and directives. A committee member seconded the motion, and it passed five to zero.
The committee moved to the third reading of the middle school pathway exploration policy. A speaker noted that for third readings, the process typically involves checking for any questions from the last reading and discussing if necessary. A committee member asked about details regarding the instructional program, and there was brief discussion about changes to the admissions process starting the following year. The speaker clarified that this was how the process was supposed to always work and that they had been doing this practice for years. A committee member made a motion to approve policy IH8, which was seconded and passed five to zero.
Williams presented two donations for consideration. The first was a sandbox installation for Brown School’s 3K program, with James Welch & Co. donating the labor and materials to complete the project. The project was supported by preschool teachers led by Mrs. Connolly, Brown School Principal Mary Maxfield, and Director of Facilities Todd Bloodgood. Williams explained that the project would allow children to thrive through sensory play activities. A committee member made a motion to accept the sandbox donation, which was seconded.
A speaker provided additional context about the sandbox donation, noting that Justin Welch was the person behind the donation and that they had met him during a meeting with Julia Ferreira about a different matter. The speaker emphasized that the donation was considerable and represented someone giving back to the community. The motion to accept the sandbox donation passed four to zero.
Williams then presented a second donation of $500 cash from the Making Ends Meet foundation to the Marblehead Public Schools METCO donation fund. The donation was designated to supply snacks for students and faculty associated with the METCO program. A committee member made a motion to accept the donation, which was seconded and passed four to zero. Williams confirmed he would send thank you notes for both donations.
Williams noted that the committee was moving to the draft meeting minutes item on the agenda.
School Community Communication and Discussion Items (Link: 01:47:00 – 01:53:00)
A committee member provided historical perspective on meeting minutes preparation, explaining that historically an administrative person, typically the superintendent’s administrative assistant, provided administrative support including drafting school committee meeting minutes. This evolved over time so that staff was no longer responsible for this task, though the district still budgeted for someone to do the minutes. The committee member clarified that it was never the secretary’s responsibility to draft the minutes, but rather to review them and submit them for approval.
The committee member explained that they had used the budget to contract with an outside company called All About Town that drafts minutes using AI from video recordings. They noted appreciation for the system’s timestamps for different agenda items, which allows public transparency by enabling people to click on items and go directly to the corresponding video section. The committee member acknowledged the system is not perfect, as it misses some content due to mumbling and voice recognition limitations, particularly missing votes and names of who makes motions and seconds them, requiring review.
The committee member expressed support for using this system for subcommittees as well, noting that drafts can be produced quickly once recordings are uploaded and changes can be made efficiently. They encouraged Henry Gwazda to reach out to Joel from All About Town to improve the system, noting there was programming capability to format drafts closer to desired specifications. The committee member suggested establishing consistency across different committee approaches to minutes preparation.
Gwazda reported that he had contacted Joel, who responded quickly and was already working on requested changes. He indicated that meeting minutes for the current meeting would be improved and closer to desired format through ongoing collaboration. Gwazda noted that some compliance information requirements had not been previously communicated but were being addressed. He emphasized wanting to set future school committees up for success by providing them with a resource rather than requiring them to build from scratch or do minutes themselves, believing this would result in more complete meeting records.
Gwazda stated he believed the issue was resolved and could be revisited if needed, noting that Joel was willing to make recommended changes to the format and that he was happy to serve as the contact person. He indicated no vote was needed on this matter.
A committee member emphasized the importance of better adherence to Robert’s Rules procedures, particularly clearly stating “motion made by” and “seconded by” specific names, and being clear about roll call votes or unanimous votes, which would help with voice recognition accuracy in the minutes preparation process.
Gwazda noted that the required edits are typically minor and can be completed quickly when taking notes during meetings. He also mentioned that Joel has been contracted to supply minutes for all subcommittees except for the communication subcommittee, which he asked to handle separately, and indicated this arrangement could continue if everyone was agreeable.
Meeting Minutes Discussion (Link: 01:53:00 – 01:56:00)
Williams noted that when the committee filled the secretarial position in June, they had discussed these responsibilities with the position holder, so this should not be surprising. He agreed with a committee member that it was not realistic to expect the secretary to actually draft the minutes and that a resource was needed. Williams clarified that while the responsibility of the secretary is how the minutes are done, it is also the responsibility of Gwazda, and he had encouraged Gwazda to explore tools, whether existing ones or new ones, or working with other town meetings to try to standardize on one solution if it meets all their needs.
A committee member inquired about the cost, noting that there are many AI tools available. A committee member responded that the cost is $60 per school committee meeting. Gwazda acknowledged that while there are many free AI tools available, the service being provided produces better results than what he had obtained from free AI tools. He emphasized the longevity aspect of the tool, noting that it would not require training a new secretary or clerk to figure out how to create effective AI prompts.
A committee member expressed hesitation about the cost, noting that AI is becoming more user-friendly and may eventually replace the need for paid services. However, they acknowledged that since the committee previously paid someone to sit and watch meetings to draft minutes, paying for someone to put in time and energy to generate them was reasonable. The committee member raised a concern that current versions of the minutes do not clearly state what the motions are, often just noting that a motion was made and seconded, when the minutes should serve as a record of the motions made and how they were voted on, which is important from a legal perspective.
A committee member emphasized that the committee should be clearly stating motions, and that even when someone makes a motion, the clerk should be writing it down and probably should be stating it clearly anyway, which may help with voice recognition. They noted that while it may not be perfect, the committee has a tendency for motions to get long and bogged down when they should be clear, referencing that this would be discussed in the next agenda item.
Gwazda agreed that getting into better practice would be beneficial and noted that when using any AI tool, it is important for the public to know that he reviews the output of the AI tool. He emphasized that one should never simply accept what an AI tool produces without review, stating that there should always be human oversight of the process.
Open Meeting Violation Remedies (Link: 01:56:00 – 02:00:00)
A committee member explained that at the previous meeting, there had been a question about the committee’s need to file an open meeting law violation complaint, which they had offered to handle. They reported that they went online, spoke to the state, and filed the complaint. The committee member clarified that what was initially discussed was a summary they had prepared, but the actual complaint, which should be the focus of discussion, had been submitted that day and they were unsure if other members had seen it.
The committee member explained that there is no actual self-reporting mechanism for open meeting law violations – it must be filed as a complaint. They filed the complaint on behalf of the committee, explaining what happened and what the committee had voted on. They noted that according to their notes, the committee had voted to self-report an open meeting violation, and they had made suggestions for remedies as required by the complaint process, where the complainant must suggest remedies for the board to either accept or modify.
The committee member stated that to complete the process, the committee needed to vote on corrective action, after which the matter would be resolved. They proposed that all school committee members take mandatory open meeting law training, noting that some members had already completed such training two weeks prior. The committee member emphasized the importance of being thoughtful about open meeting law compliance, acknowledging that while it can be cumbersome, it must be considered in the spirit of transparency.
The committee member made a motion for corrective action regarding the open meeting violation, specifying that all Marblehead school committee members would take or attest that they had taken mandatory open meeting law training since September 30th, and that all school committee members would agree to refrain from violating open meeting law going forward. Gwazda seconded the motion.
Williams asked if the vote needed to be conducted as a roll call vote. The committee proceeded with a roll call vote, with each member stating their position: Schaeffner voted in favor, Schmeckpeper voted in favor, Clucas voted in favor, Gwazda voted in favor, and Williams voted in favor. The motion passed five to zero.
Subcommittee Updates and Liaison Reports (Link: 02:00:00 – 02:31:00)
Williams addressed the need for a facilities subcommittee chair, noting that all other subcommittees have chairpersons and that Schaeffner had previously indicated she was not interested. Gwazda stated that he had watched the last meeting and was willing to serve as chair of the facilities subcommittee. Williams made a motion to appoint Gwazda as chairperson of the facilities subcommittee, which was seconded and passed five to zero.
Gwazda provided two updates, beginning with the communications subcommittee. He reported that the biggest point of discussion was the need for better communication tools, noting that the committee does not have its own social media presence or email server. He explained that while the district has communication tools, the committee’s audience is different and there is value in having independent tools that could be passed down to future school committees. Gwazda and Clucas planned to explore building these tools, potentially asking PTOs to help people sign up for committee newsletters or email listings.
Discussion ensued about the communication tools, with clarification that the committee would need an email list rather than a separate email address. Gwazda explained they would explore vendors like MailChimp to manage email lists, allowing people to subscribe and unsubscribe without manual management. A committee member noted the existence of Facebook and Instagram pages for the school committee, though Schmeckpeper clarified these exist but have not been used because the committee had not previously agreed to use social media.
Schmeckpeper suggested that while developing these tools was beneficial, the committee should not stop communicating while figuring out how to communicate better. She proposed developing quarterly newsletters or updates covering what had happened since July. Discussion covered the previous year’s newsletter process and potential tools like Smore, which Ferreira noted the district uses and appreciates for its translation capabilities, though she mentioned it only allows one person to work on documents at a time.
The conversation addressed current communication distribution through the district’s system, which reaches all families through Aspen but does not reach community members without students in the district. This highlighted the value of building an independent opt-in listserv to reach broader community interest.
Gwazda provided an update on the roof subcommittee, explaining that the timeline had shifted from the original plan. The roofing subcommittee was now scheduled to meet on November 14th to vote on bids, with school committee and select board approval needed between November 17th and 20th. A speaker clarified that the subcommittee would make a recommendation on whether to use liquid application or traditional roofing methods, and that this should come to the school committee first before the select board for contract form approval.
Discussion covered the timeline concerns, particularly regarding HVAC equipment lead times that were initially estimated at six months. However, further discussion revealed that since the roof must be completed before HVAC installation, a July 1st completion date was considered safe as long as contracts were in place by January 1st, with actual installation likely occurring in late July or August.
The schedule delay was explained as resulting from RDA and Leftfield requesting more time to prepare comprehensive bid documents, which was considered worthwhile to ensure accuracy since changes cannot be made after bids are received. Bids were due November 13th, with the subcommittee meeting November 14th to review both liquid application and membrane replacement options.
Committee members discussed scheduling options, considering whether to hold the school committee vote on November 20th or schedule a special meeting on November 17th or 18th to avoid delays due to Thanksgiving week. The decision was left tentatively for November 20th with the option to schedule an earlier meeting if needed.
Schmeckpeper reported on the policy subcommittee, noting they had met the previous week and would vote on some policies that evening. The subcommittee planned to continue monthly meetings reviewing MASC revisions and had scheduled a meeting with administrators to review competency determination policy and academic achievement policies. She also reported participating in the superintendent’s wellness advisory committee, which was beginning a review of the district’s wellness policy.
Gwazda mentioned ongoing conversations about establishing a liaison between the school committee and the charter school, noting shared students and potential collaboration opportunities such as school tours for charter school students transitioning to high school. Williams expressed interest in potentially serving as such a liaison when the concept becomes more developed, noting that the charter school head already collaborates well with the superintendent.
Schmeckpeper reported on budget subcommittee activities, noting they had met twice with the finance committee liaison and received a directive to prepare a level services budget with no expectations for increases based on current revenue projections. The subcommittee planned to meet independently the following week and expected to bring preliminary information to the full committee in December, with the budget process timeline including work in January and February, voting in February, and proceeding through finance committee in March.
Williams provided a brief update on the Marblehead 2037 comprehensive master plan, noting the first meeting had been a meet and greet session and that he would report back when there was substantive information to share.
A speaker reported on the school safety committee meeting, which included principals, technology director, fire chief, police chief, SRO, and representatives from various schools. The meeting covered general safety topics including camera placements and collaboration with police and fire departments, though specific security details could not be discussed publicly.
Policy Revisions Approval (Link: 02:32:00 – 02:38:00)
Schmeckpeper asked whether the committee wanted to proceed with policy approvals that evening or table them to the next meeting. After brief discussion, the committee proceeded with the policy items.
Schmeckpeper made a motion to rescind policy CHCA E approval of handbooks and directives, which was seconded. She explained that MASC had recommended removing this policy as unnecessary, noting that while state law requires certain provisions to be in handbooks, they are not required to be in district policy and the policy does not follow proper format. The motion passed five to zero.
The next item was also a rescission, with Schmeckpeper making a motion to rescind policy CL Administrative reports, seconded by Williams. Schmeckpeper noted this was another policy that MASC recommended removing. The motion passed five to zero.
Schmeckpeper made a motion to revise policy DJ Purchasing as set forth in the materials, which was seconded. She explained that MASC had issued policy revisions in September 2023 related to purchasing and procurement policies, and these edits would bring the district’s policy into alignment with MASC policy, which was recommended by the superintendent after reviewing both the existing policy and MASC policy. The motion passed five to zero.
A motion was made to revise policy DJA Purchasing authority, seconded by Clucas. Schmeckpeper described this as a simple update changing policy language to refer to cost centers and adding language limiting the condition of contracts. The motion passed five to zero.
Schmeckpeper made a motion to revise policy DJE preparation and procurement requirements, which was seconded. She noted this was the most substantial revision being considered that evening, reflecting changes made to procurement laws in 2022. The MASC suggested revisions had been reviewed by the superintendent and assistant superintendent of finance and operations, who both requested an edit changing the procurement threshold from $50,000 to $100,000 because the district meets the requirements of the law. The motion passed five to zero.
The final policy revision was a motion to revise policy JEB entrance age, seconded by Clucas. Schmeckpeper explained that Williams had brought this policy to the committee’s attention after hearing concerns from parents in the community about tying kindergarten entrance age to the first day of school rather than a specific calendar date, which created uncertainty. The edit changed the date to September 1st, which was the superintendent’s suggestion and aligned with state requirements. The motion passed five to zero.
Williams asked if there was any new business and noted that there was one item regarding correspondence that the superintendent had not addressed in his update.
New Business and Executive Session (Link: 02:38:00 – 02:42:00)
A speaker addressed correspondence that had not been covered in the earlier update, explaining that counselor Caitlin LeBaron had shared information about SNAP benefits potentially being affected. The speaker reiterated that LeBaron had created a document in collaboration with her counseling peers to share with the community at large, providing resources to ensure families could receive help through food donations and food pantries.
The document included various community resources such as the Marblehead Food Pantry, Salem Pantry, Public Market, Marblehead Free Pantry, Family Table Sinai, and additional resources including Making Ends Meet, Marblehead Female Humane Society, and Marblehead Counseling Center. The speaker praised LeBaron for compiling this information, noting that regardless of whether SNAP benefits are affected, it is always beneficial to have an updated resource list since many community members need extra support.
The speaker encouraged community members to consider how they could help through food drives and acknowledged the good work done by PTAs and PCOs in this area. They emphasized the importance of community support, particularly as the holidays and Veterans Day approached.
Williams announced that the committee would soon move to executive session but first informed attendees that the step three grievance would not be discussed that evening, as they had been asked to postpone it and would schedule it for a later date.
Williams called for a motion to enter executive session pursuant to Chapter 38, Section 21A3 Purpose 3, to discuss litigation between the Marblehead School Committee and Marblehead Teachers Association case MUP2511555, stating that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the school committee. He declared the committee’s intent not to return to open session.
Schmeckpeper made the motion, which was seconded by Gwazda. Williams noted that a roll call vote was required. The vote proceeded with Schaeffner voting in favor, Schmeckpeper in favor, Clucas in favor, Gwazda in favor, and Williams in favor.
Williams formally declared the committee was entering executive session pursuant to Chapter 38, Section 21A3 Purpose 3 to discuss the litigation between the Marblehead School Committee and Marblehead Teachers Association, reiterating that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the school committee’s litigating position and confirming no intent to return to open session.
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