At the forefront was the annual update on the School Resource Officer (SRO) program. The Police Chief and Deputy Chief joined the meeting to discuss their collaboration with Reading Public Schools, emphasizing the longstanding partnership that had fostered a supportive school environment. They introduced Lieutenant Detective Abat, who would be stepping into the SRO role, ensuring continuity after the departure of Dr. Tom, a key figure in the partnership. The officers detailed their proactive involvement in school safety drills, including state recertification training and preparations for a new online training format. Their efforts to educate students on online safety, particularly for fifth graders, were highlighted, with specific focus on cyberbullying and safe social media practices. Collaborations with organizations like the Reading Coalition for Prevention and Support were also mentioned as part of their comprehensive approach to student safety and well-being.

The discussion on school safety extended to the implementation of comfort dogs in schools, with enthusiasm expressed for the program’s ability to provide emotional support to students. The possibility of acquiring an additional comfort dog to join Cooper, the existing comfort animal, was explored.

Attention turned to the financial landscape with a review of the Q2 financial report. The board noted an anticipated surplus of a million dollars for year-end, designated for prepayment of special education tuition and IT refresh expenses. The financial report provided insights into various cost centers, with special education expenditures appearing higher due to prior encumbrances for out-of-district placements. The athletics budget was also noted for its high figures, attributed to a lack of expenses charged to the revolving account.

Additionally, the meeting addressed the status of entitlement grants and revolving accounts, spotlighting the school lunch program’s significant drop in balance due to timing issues with pending reimbursements. The board discussed moving towards an accrual basis for accounting to provide a clearer financial picture and avoid discrepancies in reporting.

The conversation then shifted to the kindergarten enrollment for FY27. With a priority registration deadline of February 4th, 246 students were registered, with flexibility to accommodate additional students. The board considered trends in enrollment, particularly at Wood End School, where decreasing class sizes prompted a discussion on potentially reevaluating district lines to ensure balanced student distribution. The importance of understanding family choices for private or parochial schools was emphasized as part of ongoing trend monitoring.

The Select Board also addressed the composition of the Kllum School Building Committee, following the announcement of a member’s decision not to seek re-election. Discussions focused on retaining the member’s involvement due to their contributions and institutional knowledge, with consensus supporting their continued participation.

Progress in the superintendent search was another focal point. The screening committee had been filled, with members from the CPAC board and police department included. Optimism was expressed about the candidate pool, and the timeline for the search was noted to be ahead of schedule. Detailed plans for site visits to candidates’ current districts and prospective visits to Reading were outlined, emphasizing the importance of receiving candid feedback from diverse stakeholder groups. Concerns about potentially consolidating stakeholder groups to streamline scheduling were discussed, with a consensus on maintaining the integrity of the feedback process being paramount.