The meeting began with a focus on the formation of a new subcommittee dedicated to reviewing building use policies. This subcommittee will evaluate existing policies, procedures, and fee schedules with the objective of drafting a new policy for committee approval. Members of the committee expressed their willingness to participate, and a motion was made to appoint staff and committee representatives, which passed without further discussion.

Following this, the committee addressed the 2025-26 school lunch program food contracts. The food service department’s annual process of soliciting bids for food items was discussed, noting that Right Brothers Allstar Dairy was the only bidder for milk and dairy products, leading to their recommended appointment. Domino’s Pizza was the sole bidder for the pizza contract. The discussion also highlighted the challenges faced in the current food bidding landscape, where fewer vendors are participating. In a notable change, the committee decided to switch from Pepsi to Coca-Cola products for vending due to Coca-Cola’s lower bid.

The curriculum and professional development presentation by Miss Kamitzky was a focal point, as she emphasized the alignment of the district’s work with its vision and mission. Her presentation covered federal and state grants received, including Title I, II, III, and IV, and competitive state grants for career action planning and safe and supportive schools. A key highlight was the first-time receipt of Title III funding through a consortium with neighboring districts, supporting professional development and resources for English learners.

Miss Kamitzky detailed the district’s literacy initiatives, pointing out the high priority given to literacy at the elementary level. The district’s partnership with the state to provide high-dosage tutoring for kindergarteners, expanded to include fourth and third graders, was noted as a success. The Ignite tutoring initiative, which pairs students with tutors via Zoom, improved foundational literacy skills, with 83% of participating kindergarteners entering first grade with some reading skills.

The presentation also touched on personalized learning pathways, emphasizing the district’s focus on engaging students by connecting them to their learning. Increased STEM opportunities at elementary and middle school levels, and new high school courses in materials and manufacturing, as well as robotics, were highlighted. The implementation of Socratic seminars in humanities classes was noted for enhancing students’ academic voices and listening skills.

The meeting also recognized retirees, including guidance counselor Marie Fowls and high school Spanish teacher Caroline Baro. Superintendent Thomas Aubin was acknowledged for his leadership during transformative times, including challenges posed by the COVID pandemic and the introduction of new educational technologies. The committee expressed gratitude for the retirees’ contributions and their lasting impact on students and the school community.

A new job description for a maintenance assistant and groundskeeper was also discussed, with the committee opting to bring groundskeeping in-house to save costs. Two motions were made and passed unanimously to approve the memorandum of agreement and the job description, respectively.

The committee concluded with routine matters, including the acceptance of a $1,000 scholarship from the American Red Cross and the approval of previous meeting minutes. The session adjourned after a brief discussion about a new job description for a life skills position, which will be addressed in a future virtual meeting.