good evening everyone the second regular June meeting of the Taun school committee should come to order please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance in the star bangle Banner pledge of alance United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all can you see by the dawn's early night what so proudly we held at the Twilight last gleaming who's BR stripes and bright stars through the per fight or the round parts we watch were so G streaming and the rocket R glare the bombs bursting [Music] in gave Pro through the night that our flag was still there oh s do that star spangled then yet W or the land of the free and the home of the brave thank you please remain standing for the invocation secretary Fagan Lord as we begin this session let us acknowledge your goodness and mercy and ask your blessings on all our deliberations we thank you for this opportunity to be of service to our community and to the young people entrusted to our Care thank you secretary Fagan and Roll Call Secretary Fagan yep Mr Reus is absent Mr shs present Mr Mrs shs I'm sorry Mrs shs present Mr palowski present Mrs span pres Mrs Miss Santos pres Mr viea presid and Mr Laura present and Dr Dello present thank you uh first up we have the approval of the minutes of June 5 2024 motion to accept the approval of the minutes as recorded and dated second all in favor opposed eyes have it next up we have the student advisory committee report unfortunately our regular participant Isaiah Wendell has a work commitment tonight so he could not be here but uh I'm sure we'll meet up with him during the summer uh next up we have public input Miss Lasser any public input tonight public tonight thank you and next up we have the softball field project update before I turn over to uh superintendent cabal who will introduce our guests uh we as a school committee are very proud to have special guests in the audience and we're going to hear all about them in just a few minutes so superintendent cabal yeah I'd like to invite to the podium hip Aguilera ra rapael Dow and 10 time state champion athletic director mark aivanelli thank you Mr Cabell um school school committee members it has been a fantastic run here and we are going to honor tonight our four time state champion well nine time overall but four times in a row state championship softball team tonight so we're gonna go we're going to go a little bit out of order and I'd like to coach uh call up coach Michelle raposo to introduce our student athletes I just wanted to First say thank you for having us here tonight um the girls have had an incredible season it's been a joy to be their coach um if you asked me at the beginning of the year I don't know if I would have said that we would would have went 25 and0 undefeated um but I definitely knew there was a spark in this uh this team once we played Westfield because they came from behind and never let up and quite a few of our games that happened that way so they did a great job I just want to say congratulations to them too also one last is to my coaching staff um I wouldn't be able to be as successful as I am or we are without all of them they are truly my right-hand people what I say to them all the time so thank you I'm GNA quickly call up their names Ashlin Hebert who's not able to be here tonight Gracie olera come up and grab you T deosta Bella Bor [Applause] Mia tus job well done conratulations Megan CA Chelsea bu good job congratulations Tor Carrero Molly congratulations congratulations sorry uh Bridget McDougall good job Kate lson you're all smil Simmons good Brook Aldridge who couldn't be here annia Bailey Maddie [Applause] Crowley Grace [Applause] Bennett Kaylee [Applause] Lopes Sam Lincoln a Amaral coach Michael [Applause] Fox coach Meg Kirby and Coach Marissa Alman [Applause] Abby Abby maybe I didn't call I don't Abby D give thank you thank you so much the perseverance of these young ladies throughout the tournament and throughout every game and the dedication and knowledge of our coaching staff to lead them it's just an incredible feat and this does not get old okay they asked me some someone asked me on Sunday what's the difference between this one and all the others I said it doesn't get old but this one's even sweeter cuz we beat king Phillip who's our league rival so congratulations lady congratulations um on that note you know girls I think you can I don't know if you can see it or not but thank you if you want to if not we I've showed him a couple pictures already but we are in the middle of our process of renovating Jack trip field it will be a state-of-the-art facility just like everything else on this campus excuse me we are very very proud of the support of the city school committee everyone involved our Administration in making sure that our student athletes are taken care of with the best facilities our projects the football stadium the tennis courts the baseball field the field house you can go on and on we are the Envy of everyone not only in the state but probably New England with our facilities so I would like to call up hip agilera from nesra engineering he's one of our lead Architects that we've been working with this whole process has been going through we've been working with people in Miss mahan's finance and operations Department measure engineering our coaching staff myself Mr dowy he's involved in this whole process and this is the culmination of what we're presenting and what we're going to be looking forward to starting hopefully in September it'll be going off so and ready for next march for our for our season so hip could you please describe what's going to happen here sir thank you everyone for this opportunity first and foremost sorry is this better so we we we definitely wanted to just take that time and thank everyone for for this amazing opportunity I'd like to kind of uh in general go over what the work has um been performed to date and talk a little bit about the uh Renovations that we're proposing for the softball field um we'll start at the top left corner in and clockwise order but um we went through the process of uh several Alternatives I believe we had four we went from fully natural uh sort of uh field um and we settled on a combination of um uh clay in field and a synthetic outfield for this particular project at the number one location at the top left um we went through a couple of options but um it looks like we're going to have a sort of paw print with your your um traditional the tea right on it as far as a logo there's going to be um an area of a warning track around the perimeter um of the field uh it is going to be a Synthetic Turf The Outfield is um the latest iteration that we've uh just on June 14th we we met with uh with the team and we made some updates to the actual scoreboard which is going to have a dome top to it and there's going to be um both a top section and a bottom section um in case you know that I believe that this the school is going to have a dedication element at the bottom of it too so uh so that will have to be updated as um you know the design gets uh uh improves and and gets uh you know further along um the number three is going to be uh athletic lighting uh we're proposing at at the time right now it's going to be for um if you will it's going to be um the LED lights with the um camera vision so there could be a couple of cameras so that folks can actually log in and be able to view the game via the camera system so that is something that I believe that we also have on the football field which we helped um design as well and further to the right the upper right we have a uh flag pole it's going to be a 40 foot tall flag pole and we're proposing some plantings around it um and then we're GNA to skip down to sort of the middle right where we're um going to have basically some batting tunnels which are going to be synthetic uh it'll be two side bys side batting tunnels roughly in the same location that they exist now uh we're proposing a concrete pad which uh we're hoping that the um the school is able to sort of build that particular shed but that's where that gray area is on number five right beneath that uh so the school um the kids at the school can actually build u a shed and and uh put it there uh if we continue further down uh number six will show the um the bullpen they're going to be comprised of the collegate uh clay uh so it'll simulate kind of what's going on in the INF field as well one of the updates that we're proposing as well is a concrete walkways around the bottom perimeter of the uh softball field um they'll be Ada accessible and and um and uh create it in a way so that uh the access is available for both um you know any type of uh maintenance work that needs to be done there'll be double uh swing gates at the bottom there for Access um there is you can't see it here but there is a little bit of a memorial area that we're proposing at the very entrance uh currently there's a plaque that exists on the fence that'll be transplanted in new fencing around the perimeter as well as this little Memorial area that we're proposing similar to uh what's um currently there at the uh football field and uh towards the bottom uh number eight is uh depicting a sample of the um BC has a softball field which we've been told from the coaches and and and U and the assistant coaches that uh I believe the team has actually played there they really like it so we're going to simulate part of the design is simulating uh what that particular softball field is is going to be looking like and we we got inspiration from that particular field around the bottom to the left so I'll stop there since I'm halfway through is there any particular questions that the group has so far I don't know if the softball team has any questions no okay um on the bottom left uh where we have the uh the bleachers we're proposing the same um amount of bleachers it's going to be four side by side bleachers um and they're going to be on the the concrete the cement that you see there and um they're going to be portable bleachers but um that's sort of the the thought right now is to to have those dual bleachers side by side for additional seating um and then one of the um the uh sort of important pieces that we brought up to the to the team the key stakeholders is this proposed sort of Press Box area the Press Box will have um there's going to be 40 foot back stops there's going to be a a particular sort of um padding about a twoot padding around the perimeter of that there's going to be an 8ft fence that comes up and then there's this proposed back uh Press Box that um has been installed in Middlebury um college and that particular Press Box will have a filming pad on the top end of it as long and as well as an awning for shade so that was um one of the items that uh the key stakeholders really liked about about the new Press Box and similar to the boys baseball field we're proposing some dugouts uh for both the visitors and um the home team um and these dugouts will be similar in nature but um you have a picture of those there and that's really the the biggest elements of the the upgrades to the actual softball field um right now we're in the uh finalizing the design aspect of it in terms of like the schematics uh over the next few weeks we're going to be moving towards providing um the full design documentation the construction documents um our goal is to right now we're currently ahead of schedule but uh the time timeline for this is over the next you know two to three weeks to provide all the final documentation specifications and um and basically get this ready for the Conservation Commission um a big component of this because we are in the riverfront area towards the top um the river runs through there there's a you know 200 foot buffer zone and we have Wetlands on both sides to the left and to the right of the facility where we have to um go through conservation for their approval so that'll be a a a component an important component um uh we've had great luck with with the conservation they've been very um accommodating and and and been very sort of uh a key partner in some of our previous projects so we're hoping to continue that uh we'll reach out to them there is a timeline we're estimating anywhere from 30 days to about 90 days in the conservation uh approval piece um we're hoping that that'll go a little quick but uh in essence once that passes the conservation we'll go through the bidding um portion of this which uh Nester will be um heavily involved in the bidding aspect of it and we're looking to bit this out sometime in September to October um sort of remaining ahead of schedule and uh because of the timeline involved and uh you know the athletic directors were very clear to us to to make sure that we get this out the door and ready to go so that we are basically um April 1st Live for the uh for the next season we're we're giving ourselves to March uh 17th so we're trying to be a little bit of head schedule um in that regard um with that I think that's sort of the biggest element I think we're right now ahead of schedule and we're definitely under budget um so I just wanted to give it out to the rest and I'm going to yeah thank you I'm going to add a couple of things if you don't mind um with the Press Box area it is all Ada accessible it's on the ground level so that way we don't have to worry about putting in a lift or an elevator so we've caping it we're like at the football stadium we needed a lift we won't have to do that we're following all Ada codes there The Dugout situation with storage and all that we're going very similar to what we did with baseball we have storage areas already on our site which are con you know we're going to tap into our own resources at the high school with our construction technology um components now that we have in our curriculum have our students work on those sheds work on those sales we'll go through all the proper processes and all that stuff um working with um Miss hardung and Mr reposer in that department we we're going with the larger dugouts because the standard with baseball the standard size was 24 ft with 6 foot storage areas we didn't really need the storage area we needed the space so we ended up going to the next level with 32 ft 32 foot dugouts we're going to do that very similar with softball we're going to go with the 32 foot Dugout so we have plenty of room so we're all going to keep that in that same manner with our bleachers um they are going to be portable they're not going to be put into the ground connected once we go into the ground that changes all the plumbing codes we would need bathrooms and toilet facilities that brings a couple more million dollars into the project portable bleaches we don't have to meet those codes just like we did on the visitor side here on the football stadium we have portable bleachers there that changes the whole different things so we're going to get our best bang for our buck when not going to be extravagant but we're going to be thoughtful and we're going to get what our kids need and make this the best facility in the area thank you thank you I'll open up to the uh I'll open up to the committee for questions comments concerns I'll St Mr you Mr Laura thank you Mr chairman uh as far as near the buff area are there going to be any additional type of lighting necessary um all we're proposing right now is is um to the athletic lighting which um you know that range is in height but they're usually about 60 to 70 foot tall poles but uh right now it's four um we do do a photometric plan in terms of making sure that there's enough lighting We've ran that already and our calculations estimate uh just four light poles for now um there will be an additional poll sort of at the very center um in the Outfield area and that's going to be one of the the vision cameras the other uh vision camera is sort of behind home base in the actual uh the back back stop area behind the back stop so uh but in terms of lighting and and poles it's just going to be those four as as far as the bigger bigger FS thank you Mr Laura Mr Vier thank you Dr Deo thank you for your presentation you guys did a great job with the football field and I'm certain you're going to do an equally as good job with the softball field question is in regards to con conservation is it just a basic notice of intent or is it something more extensive um I think it it it depends it might be a little bit more extensive because we are going to be in that um the 200 foot buffer zone where the riverfront area is um before we we've actually had um just really good working relationship with conservation as as you may or may not know started in Taunton so we we go um we go way back and we we've had a really good um relationship with the Conservation Commission but um I think we're going to just kind of reach out and and take their Direction but it might be a process where it might take a couple you know two or three meetings just to make sure um but I don't know that as of yet but it it might be just be an an a why we're not 100% sure and then my uh next question as far as the scoreboard goes do you know when they there be like a final uh rendering that would be available that way we know what the finished product's going to be sure I think right after this um meeting as we get the detailed design in place we'll uh reach out to our contact and get that final rendering for you um I think the latest notes that I saw we did have something already in place but due to the timing of providing you with this particular document um it didn't make it to this so but we'll we we can disseminate that to the group that would be wonderful thank you so much and thank you for all your work on this thank you Mr VI anyone else yes Mr on that point um we had a meeting last week before all the information was needed for the school committee packet we made some changes to this original document with our coaching staff and The Architects that will be now in place for the next meeting I do have one uh question or comment so behind home plate with the Press Box are there going to be any bleachers or stands surrounding the back stop because I all I hear people raving about is that UMass Amorous the bleaches behind home plate so I'm just saying is it necessary do we need so our setup here is what is what our we all think is the best situation for our student athletes is to have the back the Press Box and the dugouts close and the two sets of bleaches on each side there'll be two I believe 240 each side 250 so 250 of two bleaches 250 on each side so it will be you know I think that's the best situation for our land that we have gotcha thank you Mr cab so I just want to make sure I heard that correctly we're gonna have two portable bleachers on each side or one on each side it's it's comprised of um it's two bleachers together so they'll be four so this you where the nine and the nines are it's actually two sets of bleachers together yeah and just a quick question because we have amazing power hitters on our baseball on our softball team so as far as the mentions of the field any changes will it be a larger field will it be reg roughly the same size no uh we during our course of uh designing this um with the key stakeholders and the coaches we kept it the same size that's what they wanted and then a last question for Mr aivanelli uh so with when this goes out the bid will it include new uniforms for our state champs that's up to you boss is there a motion so on that on the dimensions we're right now we're 220 to center field and 195 down the lines which is standard we're going to keep that great great anyone else thank you so much for the presentation um and uh I'm looking forward to what what transpires but before we uh uh you're dismissed thank you before we dismiss our our student athletes uh I know you all have things to do right it's uh that time of year as chairman I I'm very proud that since I've been elected to the school committee we've won a championship every year so I must be good luck but besides that I know the sacrifices that you students make uh parents caregivers to bring you to practice and everything else and some of you going on to your college careers I wish you the best of luck um you're only a phone call away from home right if you ever get homesick so I wish you the best and uh stay in touch bring back good news to the city of Taunton any of the committee members like to say anything good it okay great thank you so much uh motion for 5 minute recess would be in honor so motion to recess for five minutes i' make a motion to recess for five minutes second second all in favor I eyes have it thank you e e e e e e e e e e e e e e motion to return to the regular order of businesses in order so moved second by Mrs shops all in favor I I opposed eyes have it uh on the agenda we are now at item F superintendent report superintendent cabal thank you chairman Dello so I am very excited to introduce our next guest uh following that amazing presentation and celebration of our softball team and soon to soon to be renovated field we also have someone new joining us at T High School I am honored to introduce Dr John M Harrison who was recently appointed as the new principal at Taunton High School uh Dr John Harrison will be joining us as our new principal Taunton High School of effective July 1st Dr Harrison brings extensive experience and a strong track record of educational leadership making him a valuable addition to our community Dr Harrison comes to us from Rockland High School where he has served as principal since 2016 during his tenure he improved mcast scores and attendance rates particularly post pandemic by foring a positive and inclusive School climate his leadership in curriculum development student support initiatives and Community engagement have been exceptional prior to prior to his role as principal he was a high school math teacher at reading Memorial High School and an assistant principal at Dion reoboth Regional High School Dr Harrison HS a Doctorate in Education from North Eastern University a master of science and accounting from bapson college and a Bachelor of Science in business management from bapson college where he graduated Magna klau and was a student commencement speaker his commitment to professional development for teachers focusing on social and emotional learning equity and Innovative teaching strategies has consistently improved academic outcomes and created a supportive atmosphere for students and staff Dr Harris is excited Harrison is excited to join the taon high to join tton high school and work with our dedicated Community his goal is to ensure all students feel safe supported and prepared for their future endeavors I am confident that Dr Harrison's extensive experience and Innovative approach will greatly benefit our school Community it was a great honor that I introduce and welcome Dr John Harrison to the podium thank you superintend Dr Harrison please sure thank you very much uh thank you to the school committee for having me here tonight uh thank you to the school committee superintendent cabal the district leadership team uh the search committee for uh selecting me as the principal I'm very proud and humbled uh to be the principal at Taunton High School starting July 1 um over the last few weeks I've gotten to know the teachers I met with the faculty met with the administrative team went to a softball game against th and and I'm just um very excited energized by the dedication of the staff The Pride within the community and just the comprehensive supports um and programs that are offered for the students here it's just very very impressive um and I'm so excited to start so um very very excited to get to know the students um looking forward to being very visible and seeing faces um with the teachers as well so uh thank you again for having me here tonight and looking forward to getting to everyone here thank you great thank you good luck with your challenge thank you you're welcome okay thank you next up we have administrative business uh Staffing report C en closure wishes of the committee motion receive and place on file second second Mr Laura all in favor I opposed eyes have it next up we have Reed's collaborative qu quarterly report this is information only seeing closure wish of the committee receive and place on file second second by Mrs shabs all in favor opposed eyes have it next up we have the tea subcommittee of June 14 24 uh chairman Fagan is not uh in at the moment uh Mr Vier will you thank you Dr yes I have the report um the subcommittee Met uh subcommittee is uh Mrs Fagan Dr Dello and myself we met with the TA on June 14 to impact bin implementation of the recently revised IEP procedure no votes were taken that concludes my report Wishes the committee motion to accept the report second all in favor opposed eyes have it thank you uh Mr Vieira next up we have finance and law subcommittee uh report out from today June 18th by myself uh first up we had the Student Activity request for Titan High School in the amount of 10,1 12660 that was basically to replenish the account uh from the prom at Jette Stadium uh voted unanimously in favor uh next up we had the legal services Update Memo uh we are well ahead of budget allocated uh we still have approximately $227,500 available for the FY 24 budget which of course concludes on June 30th and uh third was bills payable for FY 24 in the amount of 1, 142,50 1,037 uh there were two items um question one was an item for um a vendor in the amount of just one second please the amount of 75,000 that's ongoing uh HVAC HVAC systems for a couple of our schools and the other item that was uh questioned was in the amount of 51895 and that is related to our new scoreboard which is on premises but not fully installed but working on a couple of uh last remaining issues to be connected so we're excited about that that was also voted unanimously in favor and that concludes my report motion to receive the report and adopt the recommendations of the finance and law subcommittee second by Mrs Santos all in favor I opposed eyes have it thank you all next up we have new business item I uh nothing to discuss next up we have unfinished business action items update first to Hamilton Street uh assessment C enclosure superintendent cab yeah in your packet I provided you with a memo uh just to identify just to capture and memorialize that we did receive a communication from superintendent of building carich regarding our request to have the two Hamilton Street uh building assessed uh and now that he has been made aware of what grade spans at the committee believes the building will be best used for so we should have some reports coming to us second by Mr sha all in favor I opposed eyes have it next up we have action item update see and closure or believe we have a couple items we can remove so let's take a look uh we have uh the East tart Elementary School naming uh that has officially been completed last Friday Flag Day June 14th of the wonderful ceremony very well attended by community members uh usually you just get the politicians at these things but this was very very well attended by the community we had coverage by uh Channel 10 news if you all saw the news clip very very important uh to the city of Taunton wishes to the committee on this item motion remove from the action item second it on that all in favor I opposed eyes have it and anything else on here that we can talk about not not at this moment okay wonderful so that concludes the action item update next up we have press any press in the audience I see no press and mo toj be an order Mr Mr Vier second all in favor opposed eyes have it meeting is adjourned good night everybody have a great day