No requests for  privilege of the floor.

Executive Director Romer reviewed his PowerPoint presentation on his leadership report including the following highlights. 

• Recent school events.
• October academic milestones.
• Contract implementation update.
• Enrollment update.

Discussion followed including the following highlights:

• Budget enrollment is 1,525, which is 53 students under the goal total, but the tuition from the state was higher than projected.
• The collective bargaining agreement execution was completed before the start of the school year and boosted morale.
• The real work of the district begins after the rush of beginning of classes.

Executive Director Romer reviewed his PowerPoint presentation on the MCAS and Accountability Data update for 2024 including the following highlights:

• Agenda overview.
• MA accountability system designations.
• FRCS overall accountability information.
• Highlights from accountability system and results.
• Key context - shifting enrollment at FRCS over seven years.
• Summary trends of MCAS results.
• Key strategies underway to improve outcomes.
• FRCS science results vs MA.
• FRCS ELA, math and science results by grade span.
• MCAS growth rates over time.
• MCAS comparisons with home districts Gr 3-8.
• Low income/economic disadvantaged subgroup MCAS data.
• EL and former EL students subgroup MCAS data.
• Black African American subgroup MCAS data.
• FRCS chronic absenteeism data (10% or more).
• Key strategies underway to improve outcomes.

Discussion followed including the following highlights:

• The process of getting the lowest performing students up to speed.
  • Interventionists at the elementary level and adjustments to programming and curriculum.
  • High needs student is a term used by DESE for students with a disability who are still learning English language.
  • Multiple causes, including high needs students, pandemic, social/emotional hardships etc. across grade levels have contributed to decreasing scores.
  • Measurement of the "catch-up" growth is important for a student coming into the system who needs to perform not only at a level of like student proficiency but need extra help to meet that mark and making a difference in the student's academic growth.
  • Getting all students in a diverse demographic population to proficiency or advanced is the challenge/goal.
  • Strength of community is defined by passionate commitment of families to the FRCS education.
  • Student support team working in a multi-tiered system addresses a number of individual student problems from a wide range of backgrounds.
  • Collaborative effort among leadership, teachers and Board members is needed to collectively address and measure better outcomes.
  • Despite the disappointing and downward trend over the years, there is real opportunity to dedicate full energies to improve the academic life of students and families which have chosen the FRCS community and entrusted the education of their children.

Bridgette Lemieux, High School Principal, reviewed her PowerPoint presentation on the post graduate planning for the Class of 2024, along with the school counseling team of Adam Goldberg, Keisha Joseph, Sarah DeMello and Saed Mahfoutz. The highlights include the following:

• Agenda of topics.
• Comprehensive school counseling curriculum.
  • School counseling 9-12 curriculum and testing highlights.
  • Junior and senior resources - "prepare for success."
  • Online platform Naviance.
  • Support navigating the financial aid process.
  • College visits.
• Additional learning opportunities.
  • Dual enrollment.
  • Virtual high school.
  • Elementary education practicum - student teaching.
  • Advanced placement - 2024 highlights.
  • Enter-to-learn in the seven-day cycle.
• Report on the Class of 2024.
  • Relevant data on numbers of seniors and matriculation.
• Preliminary report on the Class of 2025.
  • 86 seniors - preliminary highlights.
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Discussion ensued including the following highlights:

• Two-hour parent night for juniors is held the first week of the third quarter to present the entire college process from start to finish; individual meetings are held to connect families with counselors to share any concerns about their student and to gain information not necessarily supplied by the student.
• Importance of counselors in the college process; two counselors is adequate to handle the student load.
• Survey will be given to students and feedback solicited from prior graduated students on the relevance of their FRCS experience/preparation for college.

Kathleen Foley reviewed her PowerPoint presentation on FRCS field trip overview including the following highlights:

• Enhances core classroom instructional content.
• Provide relevant meaningful experiences and support leadership opportunities.
• Equitable access to all students.
• Grade level experiences tied to rites of passage.
• Last year's snapshot of field trips local and international.
• Streamline policy and planning process.
• Enriches wholistic educational experience.

Discussion ensued including the following highlights:

• Field trips are primarily driven by the teacher in elementary grades, and a combination of teacher/student input at the middle and high school grades.
  • Production of Flamenco has become a tradition driven by middle schoolers.
  • Visit to Carson Beach as community-service contribution of high schoolers.
• Day-to-day support of administration key to successful planning of field trips and budgetary support and funding of trips; post-pandemic field trips have increased and may require increase in budget in near future.
• Streamlining of policy will include easier scheduling of transportation.

Mr. Martin reviewed the Executive Director evaluation of Dr. Ingram for FY24.

Finance

Ms. Calvert reported the following:

• Revenue is lower than previous year due to enrollment and interest income.
• Personal expenses higher due to increase in salaries.
• Operating expenses at projection.

No policy reviews.

No updates provided at this time.

Mr. Martin reported that four candidates have stepped forward and a google spreadsheet has been created on contact information.  Mr. Romer has followed up with one candidate, and he asked members to follow up with remaining candidates as a first introduction.

The agenda will be developed for next meeting by Mr. Martin and Mr. Romer.

Mr. Tetreault reported that amendments have been approved and minutes finalized and he is continuing to work on finalization of remaining minutes for FY24.

No executive session.