Monday, May 2nd - School Committee Meeting
Find all of the materials here
There was a theme that ran through 3 aspects of our meeting last night... (and maybe all over our meetings)
How do we get the job done well?
In the Facilities presentation, we learned that we are severely under staffed in custodial and maintenance based on industry standards. Mr. Spratt, our facilities director, advised that we take a long term approach to the remedy:
First operationalize efficiencies, then add staff once the systems are improved.
The additional staff will eventually come out of the Natick Town budget in Shared Expenses by the Schools and the Town. As one member noted last night, the need for staff begins to demonstrate the need to increase the our Town Budgets in the coming years. As you know, as a whole, our Town and School budgets are running a deficit every year. We can't go into the red by state law so we continue paying bills with savings and other one time funds like free cash. We can't have both an structural deficit AND a need for more staff without eventually realizing an Operational Override...
That said, I have to highlight the facilities department's commitment to change some of the operational aspects in order to FIRST create efficiencies and THEN request the staff needed. I appreciate this as a tax payer and as someone who first got involved in town politics because of a budget crisis.
The Strategic Plan
was also discussed last night. Our current plan is ending at the end of the next school year.
In this Memo to the Committee, Dr. Nolin advised the committee we need to tackle this effort as an internal effort or with an outside consultant.
The committee discussed several pro's and con's to both paths with most of the members indicating that they are leaning towards keeping this as an internal process.
I'll be honest, I am frustrated by one reason I have heard to use an internal approach: that we don't have enough time or money to work with consultant. Overall, I am not entirely against an internal approach (with a well defined design plan) but that reasoning falls short on me.
In fact, I believe the opposite (not that we have unlimited funds) but this critical piece of our leadership is one of the MOST IMPORTANT places to invest both time and resources so that we have the MOST robust picture of our district and the MOST realistic and innovative plan to influence how we go to through the next 5 years.
So, over the next days, I will be speaking to constituents about this and reaching out to other districts to understand how and why they chose the process they did (internal or external). Also, what type of design worked well and role the School Committee played in the district plan's creation.
Our committee also has an outstanding question: If we created a Strategic Plan Subcommittee (sub committees as an agenda item for our May 23rd Committee Retreat Meeting), how many members can be on it and what will their role be? Additionally, it was asked if other members of the community and school staff could serve on the committee.
The School Committee will vote on doing the Strategic plan internally or with an external consultant on May 16th.
Teaching and Learning
Finally, the Director of Teaching and Learning, Ms. Sue Balboni, presented her Entry Plan - The School Committee has no action on this plan, but listened to understand the perspective Ms. Balboni will take into her work in the coming years.
After offering interviews to anyone in the community, and completing these interviews:
Ms. Balboni shared these observations on the work ahead:
Thanks always for reading.