Tim St. John, a respected figure on the committee, received warm accolades from members for his dedication and contributions to the community. The gathering highlighted Tim’s qualities, such as his commitment, empathy, and inquisitive nature, which were deemed vital to fostering community trust. Attendees expressed their gratitude, presenting Tim with gifts, including a certificate and a card, and capturing the occasion with photographs. The atmosphere was a blend of celebration and nostalgia as committee members shared personal anecdotes and praised Tim’s impact on the school committee.

In parallel, the meeting spotlighted the district-wide implementation of Parent Square, an innovative communication tool aimed at improving the connection between schools and families. Jean Living provided a detailed presentation on the platform, emphasizing its role in fostering intentional and respectful partnerships with families. Parent Square offers multiple communication channels, including email, text messages, and app alerts. Despite the app’s lower usage, with about 54% of parents using it, most were still engaged through email notifications. Jean encouraged parents to customize their notification preferences to maximize the platform’s benefits.

Parent Square’s functionalities extend beyond simple communication; it streamlines administrative processes by allowing easy completion of forms, managing volunteer sign-ups, and providing real-time updates on school activities. The system’s ease of use, particularly in filling out forms online with pre-filled student information, represents a notable improvement over previous methods.

Additionally, plans to roll out Student Square, an extension of Parent Square for high school students and eighth graders, were discussed. This platform will facilitate communication about clubs, sports, and school-related activities, minimizing the reliance on social media. Training for teachers, specifically ESL instructors, is underway to ensure effective usage of these platforms. Parent Square is also expected to refine attendance notifications, offering parents a quick way to inform schools about their children’s absences, thereby reducing the workload on front office staff.

In staffing updates, the meeting noted the posting of assistant principal positions on School Spring and internally, with a screening committee open until December 19th and an application deadline of January 5th. The committee urged community members to disseminate information about these vacancies at Mountain View.

The meeting also highlighted the district’s educational policies, focusing on graduation and competency determination requirements. The introduction of a middle school pathway exploration policy aligns with expectations from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) regarding career technical education (CTE) programming. This policy aims to inform eighth-grade students about their options upon transitioning to high school.

A noteworthy segment of the meeting was the approval of a nearly $30,000 grant aimed at expanding gardening programs at Mountain View. This initiative will integrate gardening activities into the middle school curriculum, offering students hands-on understanding of food production, potentially supplying the school lunch program. The committee expressed enthusiasm for the gardening program’s potential impact and emphasized community involvement in its execution.

As the meeting concluded, members received updates from the finance subcommittee on budget preparations for upcoming fiscal years. Public hearings were scheduled to allow community engagement in the budget process. Members were reminded of upcoming reorganization meetings in January, urging them to consider their roles within the committee.