[Nicole Branley]: and you scare me.

[Nicole Branley]: Sure.

[Nicole Branley]: Do we know how many people, how many students it is or adults at this point, I should say?

[Nicole Branley]: Do we have to put a motion on the floor to have some sort of little soiree, or are we good?

[Nicole Branley]: We can just have that in our own little fun time.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, I like that.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, if they want one.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, yeah, so my sister is literacy coach here in the district.

[Nicole Branley]: My mother is a lunch monitor, so that covers me.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, I logged on from the school website.

[Nicole Branley]: See the agenda there.

[Nicole Branley]: I was going to say, I thought I saw the agenda too, because that's where you get the link, because it's all on there.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, it's here.

[Nicole Branley]: Present.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley?

[Nicole Branley]: So I have a question.

[Nicole Branley]: So do we already have the facilities director, the position filled?

[Nicole Branley]: Can you hear me or can I just not hear Peter?

[Nicole Branley]: We can hear you and the answer is yes.

[Nicole Branley]: All right, that's what I thought.

[Nicole Branley]: And then I'm like, no, he's building in grounds.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm like, is that the same thing?

[Nicole Branley]: Because I didn't know if we were trying to approve two positions.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to make sure for clarity that I was on the same... Yep, you are.

[Nicole Branley]: Perfect.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Can I just ask a question?

[Nicole Branley]: Do we not have a meeting March 10th?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Hello, Nicole Bramley, 54 North Circle in Medford, member of the Medford School Committee currently.

[Nicole Branley]: I did not submit any comments on any of the topic.

[Nicole Branley]: I did read over Member Graham's.

[Nicole Branley]: I read over Member Ntoppe's.

[Nicole Branley]: I did read some of Member Ruseau's.

[Nicole Branley]: It was 12 pages long, so bear with me.

[Nicole Branley]: But yeah, so for Mayor being our chair, I see it as

[Nicole Branley]: two ways here.

[Nicole Branley]: One, no matter who the mayor is, I'm going to just say she because she's currently our mayor.

[Nicole Branley]: I do like it for the sense that she is involved with knowing what's going on at the school at all times.

[Nicole Branley]: Obviously that is my hugest priority to make sure our schools are safe and well-maintained and taken care of.

[Nicole Branley]: So I do like that aspect of it.

[Nicole Branley]: But then there's the other aspect of it that I feel like it should be a seven-member body just like the council.

[Nicole Branley]: So I really don't have a preference.

[Nicole Branley]: I want to thank the

[Nicole Branley]: I know some of those members are here tonight and on Zoom for all the work that they did on the chatter review.

[Nicole Branley]: It was a huge undertaking.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you for that.

[Nicole Branley]: I really don't have much to comment about for once, for once, but I wanted to be here just to hear what was going on.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Hi, Nicole Bramley, 54 Norwich Circle.

[Nicole Branley]: My comments are actually from member Intoppa whose Zoom is not working.

[Nicole Branley]: So he's asked me to speak for him if that's okay.

[Nicole Branley]: So John Intoppa, 12 Murray Hill Road.

[Nicole Branley]: It says, my apologies to the committee as Zoom is not working in my favor this evening.

[Nicole Branley]: After hearing my comments read aloud, thank you, Chair Tseng, it is not clear to

[Nicole Branley]: It is not clear that my opinion leans more towards the opposition for majority word based representation.

[Nicole Branley]: This is despite my comments of appeal towards it.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: And that was it.

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, and he thinks the valiant work of the chapter study committee.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: So this year I understand the situation with the class of 2025 and then MCAS participation student participation is required so every student in the district is taking the test.

[Nicole Branley]: That hasn't changed.

[Nicole Branley]: Participation is required.

[Nicole Branley]: The reason that I say that is because I think you see that a lot on social media circulating that MCATs are not required.

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, just write a letter.

[Nicole Branley]: They don't have to take it.

[Nicole Branley]: And I don't think that that's fair to the district.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, you know, I also understand the need of a child.

[Nicole Branley]: So like, how do we- That's the clarifier.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that there's maybe this, you know, notion that,

[Nicole Branley]: It's not a requirement.

[Nicole Branley]: It is a requirement for every student.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just think that that should be known to the public that it's a requirement for the student, but the student won't be held back from graduation or some of the things that are necessary.

[Nicole Branley]: for the student, but also it's necessary for the district.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think maybe if people feel like they don't have to put so much pressure on their child or their child doesn't have to feel so much pressure, I think that's just good to get out there because, you know, it's more our rating versus a student's rating overall.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just want to make sure that that's true.

[Nicole Branley]: That part is true.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: I think that that was just clarified my question.

[Nicole Branley]: So there's someone coming from the EL program to help Mr. Petralas every afternoon with these 40 extra children.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Do we think that's enough people?

[Nicole Branley]: So are they in charge of, Mr. Petrellis just mentioned, you know, tutoring and all of this stuff.

[Nicole Branley]: Is that something that they're responsible for?

[Nicole Branley]: It seems like he's taking care of that part.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, Title III.

[Nicole Branley]: All right.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley, what was our rate for non-residents?

[Nicole Branley]: from last time?

[Nicole Branley]: We had it at $300.

[Nicole Branley]: It says your non-resident rate is open for discussion, but we recommend $300 at this point.

[Nicole Branley]: So is that where we've been?

[Nicole Branley]: No.

[Nicole Branley]: It's been the same.

[Nicole Branley]: Present.

[Nicole Branley]: Hiya.

[Nicole Branley]: So yes, I was going to say the same as I think that Dr. Glucy said.

[Nicole Branley]: It's different when you're a voting member, which is why I do have to step away from the table.

[Nicole Branley]: I did talk to ethics the other day again, and the

[Nicole Branley]: factor is the voting member.

[Nicole Branley]: So I will step away from the table just like the mayor's doing.

[Nicole Branley]: And then obviously when budget season comes, I can vote, but we just have to remove that section like we did last time to elementary.

[Nicole Branley]: And so I just wanna let you know my update and then say the same thing about having the difference being the voting member.

[Nicole Branley]: So that was my two cents.

[Nicole Branley]: With this increase, I'm just curious, does the increase in tuition increase the director or the assistant director of pay?

[Nicole Branley]: Wow.

[Nicole Branley]: So my question, does the increase in tuition, would the money come out of that?

[Nicole Branley]: Do we usually make a profit?

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, do we ensure that Medford public school students are accepted first?

[Nicole Branley]: I know there's only 10 per se.

[Nicole Branley]: I just want to make sure that, that we're,

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, no, that's fine.

[Nicole Branley]: And then how much of the profit goes back into the program?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I know you said he starts with zero, but like, does some of that profit go back to him to say, okay, you have a like a budget?

[Nicole Branley]: Do you have a budget?

[Nicole Branley]: And then just for Mr. Petrales, do you feel like you are staffed properly with 120 kids?

[Nicole Branley]: Does do the people that we're hiring does that um does that expense come out of the profit?

[Nicole Branley]: I'm just wondering, I was lucky enough not to have to do summer camps for my kids when they were little.

[Nicole Branley]: It was more fun versus necessity because I was home.

[Nicole Branley]: But do most summer programs have a sliding scale or is it just a set tuition?

[Nicole Branley]: Anybody know that?

[Nicole Branley]: I really don't know the answer, so I'm really asking.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, okay.

[Nicole Branley]: And then just for Mr. Petrales, how old do you need to be a Councilor?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I understand for afterschool, that's a way bigger system, so someone is working on that, but who's deciding the sliding scale here?

[Nicole Branley]: Who's putting the work in to do that?

[Nicole Branley]: You?

[Nicole Branley]: Mayor, you raised your hand, that's why I said you, in case someone didn't see that.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, so wouldn't it just be easier to have this one price increase instead of trying to go low, trying to go high?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: We need a profit.

[Nicole Branley]: We've made it clear.

[Nicole Branley]: Mr. Petrellis is clearly working his heart and soul out here, definitely needs an increase

[Nicole Branley]: in pay.

[Nicole Branley]: So set it at one amount, we're already economical.

[Nicole Branley]: didn't they already do that when they put this together?

[Nicole Branley]: Dr. Galussi.

[Nicole Branley]: So this is the first reading, so does the policy go into effect as soon as we vote?

[Nicole Branley]: How quick, how quick?

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, she's laughing, uh oh.

[Nicole Branley]: Perfect.

[Nicole Branley]: Just want to make sure.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Present.

[Nicole Branley]: I think it was slide four, question seven, slide four.

[Nicole Branley]: Let's see.

[Nicole Branley]: Can you just say again what you said about the nurse floater?

[Nicole Branley]: You said there's two full time and one part time right now?

[Nicole Branley]: At the McGlynn.

[Nicole Branley]: And then it would be beneficial if we had another part timer as a two day floater, correct?

[Nicole Branley]: That what you just said, make sure I made my notes correctly.

[Nicole Branley]: So at McGlynn, two days and then three days.

[Nicole Branley]: Where needed.

[Nicole Branley]: Is the nurse at the McGlynn shared between both McGlynn Elementary and Middle School?

[Nicole Branley]: Laurie?

[Nicole Branley]: She's shared.

[Nicole Branley]: Did I say McGlynn and McGlynn or did I say Andrews?

[Nicole Branley]: I could have very well said the wrong thing.

[Nicole Branley]: Right.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: So McGlynn all shared.

[Nicole Branley]: I think that was it.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to say you had made a comment.

[Nicole Branley]: You said our community, but I want you to know you're part of our community that we are all one community.

[Nicole Branley]: And that includes you.

[Nicole Branley]: That includes every child in this district and every single parent.

[Nicole Branley]: I work in special ed in Somerville.

[Nicole Branley]: I've never made that a secret.

[Nicole Branley]: I love working for special ed because I say this all the time.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that sometimes there's this, you know, differential.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't like it.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't like it.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not fair.

[Nicole Branley]: And I feel like everybody in special ed, every student, every adult, everybody that works in special ed, every student in the district, every student outside of special ed, we're all a piece to a puzzle here in this room and everywhere else.

[Nicole Branley]: And at the end of the day, the pieces of that puzzle get put together and it's your child's name, you know, and that matters.

[Nicole Branley]: And I take it really personal because I think that,

[Nicole Branley]: You are part of this community.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just never want anybody to ever forget that.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you for coming and advocating for your child.

[Nicole Branley]: I've stood there and advocated for my own child.

[Nicole Branley]: I know how difficult that is.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you all for being here.

[Nicole Branley]: And I will be at city council tomorrow to support you.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you very much.

[Nicole Branley]: So it says, Maurice Edouard Vincent, Superintendent of Schools, presented with gratitude for seven years of dedication, service to the staff and students of Medford.

[Nicole Branley]: Here.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll second.

[Nicole Branley]: Teixeira.

[Nicole Branley]: Again.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Olapade.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Reinfeld.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Ruseau, Suzanne Galusi.

[Nicole Branley]: Mayor Lungo-Koehn.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm fine with leaving it as is.

[Nicole Branley]: That's fine.

[Nicole Branley]: I can motion to go into executive session.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Reinfeld.

[Nicole Branley]: Present.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, well, first, I'd like to thank you for all your hard work on this.

[Nicole Branley]: I appreciate it very much.

[Nicole Branley]: Also, I'd like to thank the custodians who are cleaning the bathrooms.

[Nicole Branley]: They're definitely unsung heroes on the day-to-day basis.

[Nicole Branley]: Question, when that plumbing emergency happens, where does that come out of, money-wise?

[Nicole Branley]: Facility repairs.

[Nicole Branley]: And so, obviously, that's a huge dollar amount that we're not budgeting for.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm assuming, correct?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I don't, as much as I budget at home, you know, I had a sink that was clogged for three weeks and it was, you know, impossible and it costs a lot of money.

[Nicole Branley]: So I can only imagine the depth of that.

[Nicole Branley]: So that is really disappointing to hear.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm really curious why boys more than girls, like a girl's throwing this in the trash and boys are just flushing it because it's, I don't know.

[Nicole Branley]: Hey, yeah, that's very interesting to me.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, I think it's imperative that we have the bathroom staffed so we can open as many safely as possible.

[Nicole Branley]: So definitely two staff members looks like it would be helpful.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you for this.

[Nicole Branley]: And just really a big thank you to everybody who's cleaning the bathrooms.

[Nicole Branley]: I hate cleaning my own bathroom.

[Nicole Branley]: So I can't imagine a bunch of teenage boys.

[Nicole Branley]: I have one, that's enough.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Just one question on the angle.

[Nicole Branley]: Some areas need more video monitors and then others just need the angle changed?

[Nicole Branley]: OK, so that seems is that I feel like that's an easy fix, but.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm also five feet tall, a little less now, but I can't reach them, but like, how does that happen?

[Nicole Branley]: Like, how can we get, can that part be something that's fixed that might not even cost money?

[Nicole Branley]: So I have a whole bunch of notes because I'm a big fan.

[Nicole Branley]: So I am honored enough to be on the advisory board for the vocational school through the culinary program through my daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: And we had a meeting last week, the first one of this school year.

[Nicole Branley]: I believe there was 120 in attendance.

[Nicole Branley]: There wasn't a seat at the bistro to be had.

[Nicole Branley]: We were looking for seats for which were together were parents, business owners in the community, staff members and students.

[Nicole Branley]: And to look around that room and to see how much like really love was in the room was really overwhelming to me.

[Nicole Branley]: For the culinary program, there was the executive chef for Earl's Kitchen, the owner of Goldilocks Bagels.

[Nicole Branley]: There was an owner of, I can't remember all the things this gentleman did, but he was a friend of Chef C and he owned food trucks.

[Nicole Branley]: But these people came out to, you know, listen to

[Nicole Branley]: The students talk and show around the bistro and it was very impressive.

[Nicole Branley]: You also gave out an award, and I believe it was the first award so I just want to know if you could tell everybody about that because I thought that was really cool.

[Nicole Branley]: I agree.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think it's amazing how many business owners were at that meeting that, that night and whether they're in the community or, you know, in the area and it, that group,

[Nicole Branley]: got up and I believe there was one already graduate from Medford High and one student from Medford High that was working with them.

[Nicole Branley]: And I just think it's really nice to recognize them to say like, you are taking this risk and we appreciate you.

[Nicole Branley]: And there were just so many business owners there and so many people that you recognize from in the community that you're like, oh, she's a hairdresser.

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, I know her from the elementary school or the local daycare.

[Nicole Branley]: And it was just really,

[Nicole Branley]: I think it's really a nice night.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think more people need to know about it.

[Nicole Branley]: Because if you aren't a vocational parent, you wouldn't know that that's on the schedule.

[Nicole Branley]: Just a few things that I think about in my spare time.

[Nicole Branley]: I think there's still a myth about the vocational school that I graduated Medford High 30 years ago.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm going to my reunion at the end of the month.

[Nicole Branley]: And you really went to the Vogue if there wasn't a great path for you academically.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think there is this myth that parents still say, Oh no, I want my daughter to go to college.

[Nicole Branley]: So she's not, she's not going to go to the Vogue.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think maybe that's what member Graham was sort of mentioning.

[Nicole Branley]: Like there are so many paths that include, you know, academics that I think that that is lost on some of, I don't know, I don't want to say the world, but definitely not just metric specific that

[Nicole Branley]: You can go to the Vogue, and you are going to college.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not just, you know, some of the programs are certainly more towards getting into a union or whatever, but I think that so many of them are also geared towards going to college.

[Nicole Branley]: And so I think bridging that gap between the high school and the Vogue is so imperative because

[Nicole Branley]: We do need kids to take language still.

[Nicole Branley]: We still need kids to explore other options.

[Nicole Branley]: And so obviously that's not just on you, of course, but just something that I think that we need to be aware of, that we need to get the word out.

[Nicole Branley]: And I also am wondering, you do have to keep up your academics, correct, to stay in your shop.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: And so I think that people just feel like if you're there, it's because you are not excelling in academics, but it's actually the opposite.

[Nicole Branley]: You need to keep up your academics.

[Nicole Branley]: So yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: Do you know if students' attendance on a day-to-day basis is higher if you're in the vocational program?

[Nicole Branley]: Just curious about that.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm always impressed that the academic teachers, and I noticed it a lot this year at curriculum night,

[Nicole Branley]: how supportive the staff is to the vocational students, and I think it's really nice.

[Nicole Branley]: They know that obviously the academics are priority, but they're talking about these students that are, they know that they're out at work, that they're doing co-op, that they're trying to tailor their teaching style to

[Nicole Branley]: really incorporate what these kids love.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that that was so great to see in science and math and English, you know, these different academics that they want these kids to excel and still really be, you know, workers in the community.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that that was like a nice thing that I hear every year that the staff says, you know, like how important they know the voc is to these kids.

[Nicole Branley]: Someone also mentioned to me how they feel like the behaviors of the vocationals

[Nicole Branley]: school students is better because they're busy.

[Nicole Branley]: Their hands are busy.

[Nicole Branley]: Their minds are busy.

[Nicole Branley]: And I even know in my house that there's never a question about wanting to go to school.

[Nicole Branley]: You know, there's never a question about that.

[Nicole Branley]: Like, I can't, I can't miss it.

[Nicole Branley]: You know, I can't miss it.

[Nicole Branley]: No, it's this day.

[Nicole Branley]: It's, you know, my daughter chopped 30 pounds of onions today in goggles.

[Nicole Branley]: She's never done.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: Where do you see the picture?

[Nicole Branley]: I won't show it publicly, but it was, it's awesome that, you know, there was no complaint.

[Nicole Branley]: You know, she came home and she's like, I gotta get my shower smell like onions.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm like, okay.

[Nicole Branley]: But, but I think that they do things that are so out of the element, but because they love their shop, they want to, they want to do it.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that that's such a great incentive to come to school every day.

[Nicole Branley]: And, you know, never wanting to be late.

[Nicole Branley]: I think that that is

[Nicole Branley]: Not that I would think going to school to chop onions is more exciting than going to school to do math.

[Nicole Branley]: But on the day-to-day basis, I think these kids are coming to school because they love what they're doing.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that that is great.

[Nicole Branley]: And so I just want to compliment you on that and the staff at the Vogue, obviously.

[Nicole Branley]: Let me think.

[Nicole Branley]: What else?

[Nicole Branley]: I want to congratulate you, too, because you mentioned in the meeting the other day that not only are you the director and obviously the principal of a vocational school, but you're also managing 15

[Nicole Branley]: Am I correct?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Businesses.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thanks.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm just trying to manage my house and it's a lot some days, right?

[Nicole Branley]: And so I know Memogram mentioned it, but what is your ultimate vision for a new Medford High School, Medford Vocational Technical High School?

[Nicole Branley]: Can you send it to us, please?

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that your staff is so engaged and I love how they collaborate with each other.

[Nicole Branley]: That makes me so happy.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I remember coming to look at the book last year and going into biotech and feeling like I was in a different world.

[Nicole Branley]: They were amazing.

[Nicole Branley]: They were amazing in biotech.

[Nicole Branley]: And I loved how last year they, I hope I say this right,

[Nicole Branley]: biotech was taking the oil from culinary and changing it into glycerin and then also taking some to make the gasoline or the diesel for the, right?

[Nicole Branley]: Am I right?

[Nicole Branley]: Am I on track there?

[Nicole Branley]: And then there was something to do with, yeah, with the welding shop.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm like, this is so cool that they're all working together.

[Nicole Branley]: We need a shop to take care of that part.

[Nicole Branley]: It's awesome.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm doing all I can to promote

[Nicole Branley]: the culinary program.

[Nicole Branley]: I think everybody sees all my delicious food that gets taken back to some of the public schools, or that I'm having for lunch or taking home for dinner.

[Nicole Branley]: But it's great.

[Nicole Branley]: And it's so affordable.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that people don't realize how affordable I mean, I walk out of there with $40 worth of food, but I'm feeding the Somerville special ed office, I'm having lunch for the rest of the week.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't believe they do.

[Nicole Branley]: We get a lot of emails.

[Nicole Branley]: Mr. Pantidose is the CTE director over there.

[Nicole Branley]: Their menu looks great too, but a little partial over here.

[Nicole Branley]: But no, it's awesome, so thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: I love it.

[Nicole Branley]: I love it.

[Nicole Branley]: I love it.

[Nicole Branley]: Nicole Bramley, 54 North Circle.

[Nicole Branley]: I am a current member of the Medford School Committee.

[Nicole Branley]: And when I saw this, I was a little surprised.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm happy that it's been revised.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: I think it going to committee to be talked about further is a good idea.

[Nicole Branley]: But I would just like to have some of these things kept in mind.

[Nicole Branley]: I did ask Mr. South if he wanted me to go first, maybe I should have went first.

[Nicole Branley]: I just wanted to remind everybody that as I took office in January, our salary was $12,000.

[Nicole Branley]: We received a $5,000 raise come July 1st, and we'll receive another $5,000 raise next July 1st.

[Nicole Branley]: So our salary will go from 12,000 to 22,000.

[Nicole Branley]: that is our part-time position.

[Nicole Branley]: It is not lost on me as an elected official here in this city that we are considered part-time employees.

[Nicole Branley]: right, but we are, you know, asked to be at everybody's beck and call 24-7.

[Nicole Branley]: And that's not lost on me, especially being on this side of the podium.

[Nicole Branley]: I've stood here for years talking, but you do have a different perspective when you cross the rail.

[Nicole Branley]: People reach out to you on a Sunday, like many of you may be talking about this,

[Nicole Branley]: motion, this resolution, like Councilor Scarpelli, I too have received a lot of calls and people inquiring about this, this resolution and, you know, people expect you to be there when when they send the email they expect you to be there on a Sunday if if they don't like what they see when they when they read the, you know, the paperwork for the meetings so that's not lost on me that we are part time employees, but

[Nicole Branley]: You know, people do want you to show up all the time and I and I can respect that because I expected it when I was here, demanding change.

[Nicole Branley]: So, I think, going into committee, I don't know if I'm at three minutes but I'm being really nice so just keep that in mind.

[Nicole Branley]: So just want to also remind people that

[Nicole Branley]: There are a lot of unions in the city, as Councilor Scarpelli said, that don't have raises, that are fighting, I think, close to three years for the police department.

[Nicole Branley]: The fire department went three years.

[Nicole Branley]: Other unions in the city that don't have raises.

[Nicole Branley]: I sit in those executive sessions where we talk about contracts regularly.

[Nicole Branley]: It is not fun.

[Nicole Branley]: Budget season is horrible.

[Nicole Branley]: It's really horrible.

[Nicole Branley]: I lost a lot of sleep and I don't feel comfortable that we would get any more raises or anything else put forward for us.

[Nicole Branley]: So just to keep in mind that, you know, if the line of COLA or anything else that gets put forward for an elected official matches, no more then.

[Nicole Branley]: what other unions in the city would get.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't think that we need anything more, but I think that if unions are getting 2% or 1%, that we should not get anything more than that either.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanna make sure that that is brought up and talked about and kept in mind for your future meetings.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you guys.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll second it.

[Nicole Branley]: Hi, so I agree that the bathroom situation is not ideal.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't believe that it is as horrible as it is portrayed by some.

[Nicole Branley]: This is the schedule that was taken off of, hold on, where am I?

[Nicole Branley]: Off the door today.

[Nicole Branley]: This is the schedule.

[Nicole Branley]: And if the staff that are actually on the ground at the high school could,

[Nicole Branley]: Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is on the doors at the high school on the bathrooms.

[Nicole Branley]: So you have availability of all of these bathrooms all day long.

[Nicole Branley]: Is it great?

[Nicole Branley]: No, it's not great.

[Nicole Branley]: We also have, I think, too many bathrooms.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think in a new high school, we wouldn't have as many bathrooms also.

[Nicole Branley]: I know that that's not the situation now.

[Nicole Branley]: I reached out to nursing staff at Medford High, security at Medford High, custodians at Medford High, teachers at the high school and at the Volk.

[Nicole Branley]: And I also reached out to staff over at Somerville High School.

[Nicole Branley]: And these are the things that I heard.

[Nicole Branley]: More bathrooms equal more hangout spots, not supervised at all times because there's just not enough people.

[Nicole Branley]: Bathrooms that are open aren't enough, but who's going to man them?

[Nicole Branley]: We're already spread thin.

[Nicole Branley]: All bathrooms during lunch are locked, besides the calf bathrooms, but it's only a 30-second walk, I was told.

[Nicole Branley]: Bathroom schedule is always posted.

[Nicole Branley]: B and A buildings probably have the biggest inconvenience during lunchtime, not any other time.

[Nicole Branley]: Bathrooms are in better shape overall this year.

[Nicole Branley]: Kids do clog the toilets, can't have them open all the time, everywhere, because there's just not enough staff to secure them.

[Nicole Branley]: Graffiti this year has been minimal.

[Nicole Branley]: Vape detectors were pulled down, the majority of them, within the first couple of days.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know if they've been fixed.

[Nicole Branley]: Main office for students, the bathroom is always available.

[Nicole Branley]: general gender neutral bathrooms, third floor C building, always open, open all day based on this schedule and based on what I was told.

[Nicole Branley]: Third floor and lunch ones need monitoring.

[Nicole Branley]: Everybody's doing the best that they can.

[Nicole Branley]: And these are quotes from staff that are there every single day.

[Nicole Branley]: Nurse bathroom is for emergencies.

[Nicole Branley]: It is available, but obviously students with 504 plans and medical plans access, they are the priority.

[Nicole Branley]: Four sets of bathrooms open, ABC, Vogue.

[Nicole Branley]: That was a suggestion by someone.

[Nicole Branley]: Four full-time monitors, sign kids in.

[Nicole Branley]: That's not realistic, really.

[Nicole Branley]: Ideal?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: In an ideal world, that's great.

[Nicole Branley]: But that's probably not realistic.

[Nicole Branley]: The current situation does need improvement, but opening every bathroom would never work.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to give my feedback of everybody that I spoke to, like I said, nursing staff, security staff, custodians, teachers at both the high school and the voc.

[Nicole Branley]: And I spoke to some of the high school today, here we are, a high school right that went through what we hope to go through an old high school that had too many spots to a new high school that has

[Nicole Branley]: little bit more tailored to the needs.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, and there's a lot of single stall bathrooms at the new Somerville high school.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, there's still monitors in those bathrooms.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, so yes, things need to get better, but in asking students, even that I know, I'm like, do you know what bathroom to go to?

[Nicole Branley]: They're like, Oh yeah, it's posted.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: And could even name them to me off the top of their head.

[Nicole Branley]: So, um,

[Nicole Branley]: Do we need to do better?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, I would never say that we're at 100%, but I definitely think that for safety concerns, top of the priority, the bathrooms that are open are what we can manage.

[Nicole Branley]: And still, it's not 100%.

[Nicole Branley]: So if we have six sets of bathrooms open, or three sets of bathrooms open, or 12 sets of bathrooms open,

[Nicole Branley]: does it really allow that many more students to use the toilet or does it allow that many more students to hang out?

[Nicole Branley]: This is my concern also.

[Nicole Branley]: So that's my two cents.

[Nicole Branley]: I look forward to the report.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm happy to know that there is some money, hopefully somewhere that we can help do some renovations.

[Nicole Branley]: I know that there was some renovations done to bathrooms and that the conditions in the bathrooms themselves are a little better, but it is not lost on me that I'm going to my reunion this year of 30 years in those of the bathrooms that used.

[Nicole Branley]: So that's not lost on me.

[Nicole Branley]: It's gross.

[Nicole Branley]: But some of that is going to have to be what we look forward to for a new Medford High, what we're envisioning.

[Nicole Branley]: So what we're doing now, I think we're doing the best of our ability.

[Nicole Branley]: And I just want to thank everybody who takes the time during the day to check those bathrooms.

[Nicole Branley]: to send kids back to their classrooms, the custodians who are cleaning up the bathrooms, the security monitors who are sending kids back to class, the nursing staff who is trying to accommodate everybody on 504 plans, and anybody else that needs the bathroom.

[Nicole Branley]: So a big shout out to everybody that's doing the work on the ground there.

[Nicole Branley]: So thanks.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, so just to piggyback with member Graham just said, I think that I did hear you say compensation at one point.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm just curious how that would work between, you know, our school budget and the city budget.

[Nicole Branley]: I have to give three shouts out to Frances because I think she's one of the most loveliest human beings ever.

[Nicole Branley]: I can't help but hug her every time I see her.

[Nicole Branley]: She makes me really, really happy.

[Nicole Branley]: I love her energy, her messaging, the way she brings our community together.

[Nicole Branley]: I think she is a star.

[Nicole Branley]: But I do worry that we're going to blur that line.

[Nicole Branley]: And then if we blur the line,

[Nicole Branley]: you know, are we school?

[Nicole Branley]: Are we are we city?

[Nicole Branley]: It just makes me a little nervous.

[Nicole Branley]: I do love the sentiment.

[Nicole Branley]: Like member Graham said, I do think there are some things here that our staff definitely should be able to handle.

[Nicole Branley]: You know, I would love to clone Francis, just for my own personal life, to be honest.

[Nicole Branley]: But but yeah, I think I think we just have to really walk the line here.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just I think

[Nicole Branley]: that that just has to really be on the forefront.

[Nicole Branley]: So thanks.

[Nicole Branley]: I just have one question.

[Nicole Branley]: When is that DEI subcommittee meeting?

[Nicole Branley]: We have to schedule it.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm a yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: On section three, number seven, just need a capital on that.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm just wondering if we can have a copy of that slideshow sent to us.

[Nicole Branley]: Each of us can have that slideshow.

[Nicole Branley]: Before this testing was done, was the city testing the water?

[Nicole Branley]: I know the city tests the water every week.

[Nicole Branley]: Are the schools part of that testing regularly?

[Nicole Branley]: Do the testing that came from this go to the water department?

[Nicole Branley]: What is the follow through in collaboration with the city?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, so the Department of Public Health.

[Nicole Branley]: The plan moving forward.

[Nicole Branley]: Can we be notified what the plan is going to be moving forward?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, I think that might be it.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you, Megan.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: So just a couple of points.

[Nicole Branley]: Jessica, yes, I was gonna just say thank you for all that you do.

[Nicole Branley]: In Somerville, I work side by side with the Somerville Special Education Transportation Department, and the transportation calls never end.

[Nicole Branley]: And it's all year round.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, we have extended school year.

[Nicole Branley]: That's another whole project in itself.

[Nicole Branley]: field trips, day-to-day, it never ends, detours, road closures, unexpected things, a car accident, changes a whole route for a bus.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just want you to know that I do appreciate everything that you do.

[Nicole Branley]: I obviously don't work hand-in-hand with you here at Medford.

[Nicole Branley]: But just another point, with the kids getting on the buses, I worked in the kindergarten classroom for six years at the Brooks.

[Nicole Branley]: Dismissal is chaos.

[Nicole Branley]: especially in the kindergarten.

[Nicole Branley]: Five-year-olds don't always know where they're going.

[Nicole Branley]: They don't know what day it is all the time.

[Nicole Branley]: It's great to say, give the bus driver a note.

[Nicole Branley]: That's great.

[Nicole Branley]: But on the day-to-day in the classroom, I just can see how that could just be nearly impossible at times.

[Nicole Branley]: A child goes up to the bus at one time, one week with two aides and maybe a teacher.

[Nicole Branley]: they get up to the gym and then it's you're off to your bus line.

[Nicole Branley]: Those people change constantly.

[Nicole Branley]: Different staff covered different weeks.

[Nicole Branley]: So I don't know how to really make it as smooth as I would love to see it, or as you would love to see it, or the bus driver would love to see it.

[Nicole Branley]: I give all the kudos to the bus drivers because I've been on plenty of field trips for my own children.

[Nicole Branley]: I wouldn't be a bus driver.

[Nicole Branley]: So I big huge kudos to the bus drivers also because they are really the ones on the ground doing all the work, you know, day in and day out with.

[Nicole Branley]: I think we all you know anybody that has children know the chaos of having your own children in the car asking for something when you have one or two children that are asking a question, let alone 60 or 70 kids that

[Nicole Branley]: is beyond imagination to me.

[Nicole Branley]: But I really think it's great that everybody has their tags.

[Nicole Branley]: I was the one that put the tags on the kids in the kindergarten.

[Nicole Branley]: It's a great system, but those tags fall off.

[Nicole Branley]: You forget your backpack one day.

[Nicole Branley]: A million things can happen.

[Nicole Branley]: So I don't know how we really make this like the smoothest process.

[Nicole Branley]: But obviously, I know our staff

[Nicole Branley]: would do anything, you know what I mean?

[Nicole Branley]: Obviously to ensure that the kids are getting in the right place and so are you.

[Nicole Branley]: So a big, huge kudos to everybody that's working this constantly.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Bramley?

[Nicole Branley]: So acts of words of aggression if device is tampered with, have we seen that devices have been tampered with?

[Nicole Branley]: And then with the acts of words or aggression, how are we following up with that?

[Nicole Branley]: So just a follow-up question on that.

[Nicole Branley]: With the amount that the device is going off, say 104 times for the second floor boys bathroom, is that bathroom being monitored?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I'm assuming no one's running to the bathroom 104 times during a day to see the device went off, so what's happening?

[Nicole Branley]: Hello?

[Nicole Branley]: Testing.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley?

[Nicole Branley]: I just want to piggyback what Member Ruseau said about making sure that we have guidelines.

[Nicole Branley]: I believe my favorite word here is being proactive.

[Nicole Branley]: So we can just be proactive to protect you guys, to protect us, obviously, as a district.

[Nicole Branley]: And then I'm just also curious with the paying,

[Nicole Branley]: Obviously, if you're not paying, you can still park at school.

[Nicole Branley]: You're not parking at school at all if you don't pay.

[Nicole Branley]: Correct, okay, so that's obviously gonna be told to everybody that's parking is gonna understand that if you don't pay the $75, you can't park at school.

[Nicole Branley]: And so then just my other question is, would this be something that's done after school?

[Nicole Branley]: When would we be painting if that was the case?

[Nicole Branley]: Do you have any ideas, Mr. Casey?

[Nicole Branley]: And obviously the school is being used during that time too, for activities.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, so.

[Nicole Branley]: Do we have to motion on the floor to make this two separate votes, 175 for the spot and then 175 for the painting?

[Nicole Branley]: If somebody wants to sever, otherwise we can move approval of the whole thing.

[Nicole Branley]: I'd like to sever it so that we can have motion to sever the $75 for the spot and then $75 for the painting, if that's possible.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just have a question on number two.

[Nicole Branley]: If we eliminate the MCAS as the standard, then what are we using as a requirement for competency to graduate?

[Nicole Branley]: So it moves to the district to define student competencies.

[Nicole Branley]: Mayor?

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley?

[Nicole Branley]: My child is a student in this program, so I don't know if I should abstain from the vote.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm all for it, but I don't know if it's a conflict, so.

[Nicole Branley]: Not a conflict.

[Nicole Branley]: Anybody?

[Nicole Branley]: Is she attending?

[Nicole Branley]: She's attending.

[Nicole Branley]: Still not a conflict.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, it's fine.

[Nicole Branley]: They're telling me it's good.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, I'll second then.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I want to go.

[Nicole Branley]: I want to come eat.

[Nicole Branley]: Can I, can I ask a question on that?

[Nicole Branley]: Just being a newbie, if the field trip is within the first couple of weeks.

[Nicole Branley]: Mayor?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, Member Brindley.

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry.

[Nicole Branley]: Can we get a regular update on enrollment?

[Nicole Branley]: Monthly, quarterly?

[Nicole Branley]: somewhere just to see how our numbers are staying.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: You mean this report?

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: Sure.

[Nicole Branley]: Just a little bit regularly.

[Nicole Branley]: Just so, you know, even if it was like January 1st or come the spring, just to see where we stand.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm just, I don't know if there's a time for that, but just curious with, you know, cuts that we made and budget issues, you know, are we being supported properly?

[Nicole Branley]: You know, nurse guidance, all the things that we worried about back in May and June, some of those things haven't changed.

[Nicole Branley]: So,

[Nicole Branley]: concerns me with some of the numbers so i just want to make sure that we're where we're supposed to be thank you no problem member graham

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley?

[Nicole Branley]: Can we just have a copy of that?

[Nicole Branley]: That's not in our packet.

[Nicole Branley]: Absolutely.

[Nicole Branley]: Those two pages with the personnel.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you, Member Bramley.

[Nicole Branley]: I just want to agree with Member Graham.

[Nicole Branley]: The proactive word was used, and I feel like we are a district that is constantly reactive.

[Nicole Branley]: And it's aggravating.

[Nicole Branley]: It's aggravating to see that I feel like in so many different aspects, we react to things that happen instead of being proactive.

[Nicole Branley]: And I would love to hop on board to anybody that wants to be proactive because I'll come to every meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: But let's be proactive.

[Nicole Branley]: We know school's going to start.

[Nicole Branley]: We know it's going to be warm.

[Nicole Branley]: We know that, you know, it's going to get cold.

[Nicole Branley]: Like, we know these things are going to happen, yet we're always shocked.

[Nicole Branley]: And it blows my mind.

[Nicole Branley]: And yet I don't know why I'm surprised.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think if we could be proactive, that would be great.

[Nicole Branley]: we know kids are gonna take the bus.

[Nicole Branley]: I was a parent that always filled out that, oh yeah, we live here and we're gonna take the bus to the Brooks.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know why we always end up in a predicament like this and it's for more than one subject.

[Nicole Branley]: And it's just like member Graham said, being proactive, we know school's gonna start next year, we know we need the buses.

[Nicole Branley]: And obviously there's some stuff that we can't control in many different aspects, but.

[Nicole Branley]: this seems something that we can control.

[Nicole Branley]: So I know that you said that you had a meeting coming up.

[Nicole Branley]: I would love to join you because I think that this is imperative that, you know, two weeks into school that we're telling parents, well, now we can't take your kid.

[Nicole Branley]: Well, you know, and you said, well, we're not going to leave your child out, you know, if it's unsafe.

[Nicole Branley]: Who's going to make that judgment?

[Nicole Branley]: You?

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not saying that you can't, but is the parent going to make that judgment?

[Nicole Branley]: Well, I don't think my child can cross Mystic Ave.

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, well, it's only a mile, so they can.

[Nicole Branley]: don't think that's fair who's who's to say whose child is more responsible to to cross high street or you know i know that my son has said to me before when he was at the at the middle school i'm going to ride my bike there what from west medford that makes no sense to me it's too far you know what i mean it's too it's it's rush hour traffic there's so many you know obviously the bus to me would be the safest route for you to get your kid to school and

[Nicole Branley]: There is the convenience of it.

[Nicole Branley]: People have to get to work.

[Nicole Branley]: This is a district that the majority of parents are two working parents.

[Nicole Branley]: And, you know, they have to get to school.

[Nicole Branley]: And to think the kids are going to walk.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I know when I go for a walk, it takes me 15 to 20 minutes to walk a mile.

[Nicole Branley]: So what time are kids getting up?

[Nicole Branley]: What time are we sending them out the door?

[Nicole Branley]: Is it dark?

[Nicole Branley]: Because I think this all has to factor into it.

[Nicole Branley]: And I just think it's such a, you know,

[Nicole Branley]: broad aspect of saying like you know we're going to make sure the kids are safe but who's who's going to be the final say and what's safe for each individual kid so i just think that we just have to throw that out there and like i said i'd be more than happy to hop on board with any transportation meetings coming up so if you can let me know i'd be more than happy to do that so thank you thank you um

[Nicole Branley]: Hi, Mr. Velez.

[Nicole Branley]: It's Member Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: I just want to welcome you to MPS and know that anything I say on the floor is not personal.

[Nicole Branley]: So, welcome aboard.

[Nicole Branley]: Thanks so much for all you're going to do.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Second.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll second.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, congratulations.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Hello, can you hear me now?

[Nicole Branley]: So I think just to go along with the mayor on that, I agree.

[Nicole Branley]: I think

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I think.

[Nicole Branley]: Supplying something for a year.

[Nicole Branley]: It's great.

[Nicole Branley]: But then what happens after that?

[Nicole Branley]: And then.

[Nicole Branley]: I understand what you're saying, Super, but.

[Nicole Branley]: You know, I think we needed more.

[Nicole Branley]: Info background info for this, because I have to agree with member on top of that.

[Nicole Branley]: And then to add this, I don't know, I kind of feel guilty and I think it's a great program.

[Nicole Branley]: So Ms.

[Nicole Branley]: Roberts, thank you for your time.

[Nicole Branley]: And I love that member Olapade could elaborate on this from a firsthand experience because it is a great program.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think this is something that, you know, here's a moment where, here's a great program that I would love to say, this is awesome, let's do it.

[Nicole Branley]: They're gonna be here for more than a year, you know, supporting our afterschool and our before school program.

[Nicole Branley]: But because we've dug ourselves this hole now,

[Nicole Branley]: it, you know, it puts us in a different kind of position.

[Nicole Branley]: So, and just one other thing Memogram had mentioned about the curriculum with the staff, even as paraprofessionals, we don't get any training on curriculum, we go in day in and day out, without any training.

[Nicole Branley]: We're, you know,

[Nicole Branley]: the back and call sort of of our of our classroom teacher to say, Oh, this is what we're doing today.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, I'm going to follow along.

[Nicole Branley]: Um and so I think even that part.

[Nicole Branley]: You know, even a staff.

[Nicole Branley]: Sometimes we're not trained in the things that we're doing day to day.

[Nicole Branley]: Um and so it's great that they can pitch in, you know, but it almost is equivalent to the parent in that point.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to let That

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, so thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: I also make a motion.

[Nicole Branley]: You tell me when.

[Nicole Branley]: correct.

[Nicole Branley]: So I need to make a motion to amend.

[Nicole Branley]: I need to sever the teacher salary line item as my sister is also a teacher here in the district, but I can abstain from that part of the vote, but I can vote on the total budget.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, perfect.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Motion to waive the second reading.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Nurse Silva.

[Nicole Branley]: I just wanted to thank you for all that you do.

[Nicole Branley]: And I want to especially thank you for advocating for nurses these last few meetings.

[Nicole Branley]: You've been very heartfelt and I just appreciate everything you do from a personal perspective.

[Nicole Branley]: You started getting choked up and I said, I will never cry here.

[Nicole Branley]: So don't start that, cut it out, but great job.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you so much.

[Nicole Branley]: Good luck.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley, do we have a special department head at every school?

[Nicole Branley]: Oversee two schools.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm just curious, like who checks those packets at the end, like some of these are just, you know, pages in the IP in this that like we have a checklist and some of all that we go through every single thing, which is my job.

[Nicole Branley]: So I go through that checklist every single day, you know, so I'm just curious, like when I don't see that autism checklist, I reach back out to the team lead or to the department and said, hey, you know, there's just a page missing.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm going to hold this aside.

[Nicole Branley]: So who's doing that double check?

[Nicole Branley]: Present.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't see any.

[Nicole Branley]: I have a quick question.

[Nicole Branley]: So just, it's Nicole Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: I know if you can see me, I'm sure you know this voice.

[Nicole Branley]: My question, I guess, this just makes me think as I'm seeing, you know, some of these names and some of these positions, how do we go about these strategies if some of these positions are cut?

[Nicole Branley]: Who does this fall on?

[Nicole Branley]: I will not forget my question, Mrs. Galusi.

[Nicole Branley]: Don't worry.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: I welcome that.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: I know you always do.

[Nicole Branley]: I appreciate it.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: I took my notes.

[Nicole Branley]: You guys are rock stars.

[Nicole Branley]: Present.

[Nicole Branley]: Here.

[Nicole Branley]: a huge, a huge undertaking.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think it's a huge, amazing, it's really amazing that this was happening in our city.

[Nicole Branley]: I love that Jonas said that this is making him be, you know, a better person.

[Nicole Branley]: He's not walking by something and what more do we want in our community than someone to say, hey, this needs to be fixed or this isn't right.

[Nicole Branley]: I think that it's one of the most important things that you can do.

[Nicole Branley]: It is so hard to get up to that podium and speak.

[Nicole Branley]: Jonah you did it without any writing.

[Nicole Branley]: I stood at that podium many times I couldn't do without writing something ahead of time.

[Nicole Branley]: You're very well spoken, I've watched you grow at the Brooks, and I'm so grateful that you're here so thank you so much.

[Nicole Branley]: Savannah.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm a huge fan of your mama but you might have moved ahead.

[Nicole Branley]: in the McLaughlin chain for me tonight.

[Nicole Branley]: That was awesome.

[Nicole Branley]: You and Adam are amazing.

[Nicole Branley]: I've loved watching all these Brooks bees come up here, especially once a bee, always a bee, right?

[Nicole Branley]: So my heart is always there.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you guys so much for making a difference.

[Nicole Branley]: And thanks for switching on the taser and the pepper spray.

[Nicole Branley]: Good job.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll second that.

[Nicole Branley]: I think I may be one of your biggest fans.

[Nicole Branley]: I've said from day one that I thought you were unicorn, I was on the committee to hire you.

[Nicole Branley]: Remember Graham was there also there was there was maybe 10 to 15 of us that were in that room when you came into interview, and you walked out and there was this silence.

[Nicole Branley]: And I remember just saying, if all of you don't wanna give her a hug right now, I'm moving.

[Nicole Branley]: And luckily you are still the unicorn and I just can, I don't wanna become emotional.

[Nicole Branley]: I promise I would never cry here.

[Nicole Branley]: And every time, every week I say, I'm not gonna cry.

[Nicole Branley]: But these are happy, happy, this makes me very, very happy.

[Nicole Branley]: I have really, really pushed for accountability in this district.

[Nicole Branley]: I have really begged for safety, accountability, yes, more than anything.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm proud of you, I thank you so much, I really do.

[Nicole Branley]: You and Chad are rock stars in my book, so thank you very much.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm still not gonna cry.

[Nicole Branley]: But I think that there's always still work to be done.

[Nicole Branley]: The amount of emails that we get about day-to-day basis things that are happening in the building still concern me.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer by any means because I am really Medford's cheerleader here.

[Nicole Branley]: But I just wanna make sure that we don't lose sight of the day-to-day

[Nicole Branley]: things that are going on.

[Nicole Branley]: The Welch page was not in our packet.

[Nicole Branley]: Can we have a copy?

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: Awesome.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Keep up the great work.

[Nicole Branley]: My voice is so loud.

[Nicole Branley]: Can we specify the elementary positions by building that are being cut?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: I think seeing five at the Missittuck is devastating.

[Nicole Branley]: And as someone who has worked at the Brooks, I know that the staff is short, but can I ask why there are no staff at the Brooks being cut?

[Nicole Branley]: Not that I want to see anybody cut, I'm just curious where the discrepancies are.

[Nicole Branley]: Other question.

[Nicole Branley]: I have it too.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page.

[Nicole Branley]: With the reduction of the administrative assistance, are we still suggesting six are being cut even though three are taking the early retirement?

[Nicole Branley]: So there's only three?

[Nicole Branley]: So only three administrative assistance will be cut?

[Nicole Branley]: Not six?

[Nicole Branley]: I don't like that word, Jerry.

[Nicole Branley]: We talked about that last week because three positions are three people at the end of the day.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: So is the elementary position at the McGlynn being cut?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't understand how a

[Nicole Branley]: building secretary is cut if she was six miles away, would she be cut, I don't, I don't understand how that is equivalent is an equivalent, I really, this one I cannot wrap my brain around.

[Nicole Branley]: I really cannot wrap my brain around this.

[Nicole Branley]: How can you go a whole school without the school secretary.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't understand how this is going to be possible.

[Nicole Branley]: If, if, if someone else is going to do her job so does that mean we're paying the other person double, where are we, where are we saving.

[Nicole Branley]: because someone else is gonna have to do her whole job.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not, well, someone will pick up the slack.

[Nicole Branley]: This is a whole position.

[Nicole Branley]: Has anybody shadowed a school secretary?

[Nicole Branley]: Superintendent, have you shadowed a school secretary?

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, that would be great.

[Nicole Branley]: So if she's there every day, how are we saving money?

[Nicole Branley]: Does she get paid less?

[Nicole Branley]: Is she not in the union?

[Nicole Branley]: What happens?

[Nicole Branley]: I don't understand.

[Nicole Branley]: I really do not understand.

[Nicole Branley]: So if we have a floater who needs to be in a building all the time... Yes, but they can have... Saving money.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, so if you need a floater when someone's absent for one day, why wouldn't we need the position filled for the 180 days?

[Nicole Branley]: I'm sorry, it just that that just seems like such a disservice to the McGlynn elementary community.

[Nicole Branley]: I just, I think that we're really want to see our district thrive, and I feel like we survive every day because I know everybody here is working their butt off.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm listening, you know, I watched a mom nurse her baby out here who's been at school all day, you know, and, and another one that has her toddler on the floor is the people who are doing other people's jobs all the time is when you work in a school you're pitching in.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not as easy just to close the door and walk away.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not how it works.

[Nicole Branley]: When you walk in that building you are 100 people to 100 different

[Nicole Branley]: different avenues.

[Nicole Branley]: And I really, I think that we're, we're, we're giving the McGlynn elementary, such a huge disservice.

[Nicole Branley]: Great we have a floater, but if Mrs. Hardy is absent at the Brooks and she's at the Brooks.

[Nicole Branley]: Then now the McGlynn doesn't have a secretary.

[Nicole Branley]: And why is Mrs. Hardy's position, no offense, Mrs. Hardy, but why is her position for one day so important that she gets covered, but the 180 days of the McGlynn doesn't get covered?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, well I guess we remain to be seen.

[Nicole Branley]: Under nursing, four nurses still being cut?

[Nicole Branley]: You know, as a parent whose child needed emergency services at our school, this is such a disservice to every single child.

[Nicole Branley]: And it's such a disservice to these nurses who are working overtime.

[Nicole Branley]: Some in my own family, you know, some from my own family, they helped save my daughter's life one day.

[Nicole Branley]: So to think that we could go four less or we could go one less assistant, it's such a disservice to our school.

[Nicole Branley]: We are barely surviving.

[Nicole Branley]: And this is really devastating, in my opinion, that this is going to happen, that we've got to this point.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm concerned about the Brooks, the staffing there.

[Nicole Branley]: You said, you know, you're concerned about the Brooks with the health services.

[Nicole Branley]: So we are going to be hiring an incoming director.

[Nicole Branley]: Someone's going to take every Heinz place.

[Nicole Branley]: So that position is going to be filled.

[Nicole Branley]: That's already been posted for how long now?

[Nicole Branley]: How many are assigned to the high school now?

[Nicole Branley]: Three.

[Nicole Branley]: So that won't change?

[Nicole Branley]: That will not change.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: For guidance, I believe last week we discussed, or two weeks ago, we discussed that they also teach a class.

[Nicole Branley]: So if we're cutting them by half, who's teaching the class?

[Nicole Branley]: Do you want me to repeat that?

[Nicole Branley]: So the guidance Councilors at the middle school, I believe last week we talked about, or two weeks ago, I'm sorry, that we talked about that they also teach classes.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm curious, who's gonna teach those classes now that there's one less person?

[Nicole Branley]: How are we managing them to teach the class plus service the students?

[Nicole Branley]: So one Councilor, and how many students are at the middle schools?

[Nicole Branley]: they are gonna service 440 students plus teach classes.

[Nicole Branley]: And then at the Andrews, one person is gonna take care of 442 students plus teach classes to 442 students?

[Nicole Branley]: I'm just trying to figure out the math.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not too good at division in my head.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm afraid it's not gonna happen, and this is what scares me.

[Nicole Branley]: This is what scares me.

[Nicole Branley]: Superintendent.

[Nicole Branley]: Do adjustment Councilors teach classes?

[Nicole Branley]: No, right?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, and then do you need to have an IEP to see an adjustment Councilor?

[Nicole Branley]: What about a school psychologist?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, I'm just asking.

[Nicole Branley]: For staffing adjustment councils, you said it was reasonable.

[Nicole Branley]: That's a scary word to me that we're just reasonable.

[Nicole Branley]: I think that's it for me.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you, Jerry.

[Nicole Branley]: I appreciate your help.

[Nicole Branley]: I appreciate these numbers.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't like them.

[Nicole Branley]: I can't help but be cranky about it because it's devastating.

[Nicole Branley]: Like I said before, there's nothing more I want than to see us thrive, not to survive.

[Nicole Branley]: My children are in this district, you know,

[Nicole Branley]: This is our family.

[Nicole Branley]: To me, this is what community is all about.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to fight for these students.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to fight for these teachers.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to fight for these administrators that are in the building that are on the ground every single day, program directors.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, the whole marching band is here.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not just cutting a position.

[Nicole Branley]: It's cutting the heart of a program.

[Nicole Branley]: I can't agree with that.

[Nicole Branley]: I haven't slept in two weeks.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Brandling, so just to follow up, Jerry, you had mentioned that when things are cut, we would then talk to the directors about how that would happen, but didn't we cut the directors?

[Nicole Branley]: It says six, right?

[Nicole Branley]: Departments affected, administrators, is that the same thing?

[Nicole Branley]: So if the contract ends June 30th and we get the numbers on June 30th, and you mentioned that date, how do we ask somebody who's no longer in the position?

[Nicole Branley]: I think the hope is that we would have those numbers long before June 30th.

[Nicole Branley]: Well, I have a lot of hopes tonight.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm not sure that they're all gonna happen.

[Nicole Branley]: So we can hope that that's the case.

[Nicole Branley]: But is that really the reality if we've got those positions?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: But why would I want someone in a different department to answer the question about a different department?

[Nicole Branley]: Am I missing something?

[Nicole Branley]: The superintendent can answer if she'd like.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, so I know that they've been informed in Jerry said that he doesn't have the final answers that he would consult with the directors and they would they would, you know, figure things out then but if we've cut the directors, how do we ask them.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: On the payroll positions.

[Nicole Branley]: It says that there are times people are waiting weeks or months, and that it would be nice.

[Nicole Branley]: that we could if we could get some of these reports that we've been asking for that some some of the things we asked for is a system issue, but some is a person issue.

[Nicole Branley]: So if it's a system issue, and we hire two people, we still have the system that we have to deal with that we're not getting a new one.

[Nicole Branley]: So if we have two people that still can't get those numbers out of the system, is it really worth hiring the two people?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: And then for the retirement, does retirement not go through City Hall?

[Nicole Branley]: So do we know if the if the hold up is city side or school side.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: And then just in the sake of education, I just want to get the definition of grandstanding.

[Nicole Branley]: It's a noun and it's derogatory.

[Nicole Branley]: And it says, it's the action of behaving in a showy manner in an attempt to attract favorable attention from spectators or the media.

[Nicole Branley]: So I in no way ever want to be grandstanding.

[Nicole Branley]: If I seem grandstanding to you, this is just who I am.

[Nicole Branley]: And I show my heart on my sleeve and I have passion for things that I care about.

[Nicole Branley]: And this is what I care about.

[Nicole Branley]: This is why I'm in this seat.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Well, I'd ask if I'm making faces, but I already know I am.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm trying to,

[Nicole Branley]: center myself because this is obviously horrifying.

[Nicole Branley]: And as somebody who has worked in an elementary school in this district, I don't see how any of this could even be possible.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not gonna take it out on you, Jerry, because I know you're doing a job and I thank you for it.

[Nicole Branley]: So it's not personal, of course, but I have- I don't take it personally.

[Nicole Branley]: A lot of questions.

[Nicole Branley]: So you keep saying we.

[Nicole Branley]: We came to this decision.

[Nicole Branley]: Who's the we?

[Nicole Branley]: We, okay, thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Let's see, I'm just gonna go page by page.

[Nicole Branley]: The ESSER funding, those positions on this page here, Brooke, let's see, I'm on 11.

[Nicole Branley]: Are any of those gonna be added to the general fund?

[Nicole Branley]: They're all added, okay, I just wanna make sure before I go kooky.

[Nicole Branley]: And I have to agree with our student rep here, the two full-time employees with payroll and HR that are being suggested.

[Nicole Branley]: You said the words, it's hard for them to keep up.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think it's gonna be hard for teachers to keep up.

[Nicole Branley]: I think it's gonna be hard for nurses to keep up.

[Nicole Branley]: I think it's going to be hard for secretaries to keep up at this rate.

[Nicole Branley]: We're burning people out as it is.

[Nicole Branley]: And this is going to just increase that.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, it would be hard to work without two more full-time people, but it'll also be hard to work with only one nurse.

[Nicole Branley]: It will also be hard to work with only one administrative assistant at the McGlynn.

[Nicole Branley]: It is two separate schools.

[Nicole Branley]: It is two separate schools.

[Nicole Branley]: I know they're housed in that same office, but that doesn't make any one more valuable or less valuable than the other.

[Nicole Branley]: They're two separate schools.

[Nicole Branley]: It doesn't mean that one can absorb the work of the other.

[Nicole Branley]: And as an administrative assistant myself, I don't see the people that are above me that I'm an administrative assistant to do more work on their own.

[Nicole Branley]: I see that we're leaned upon more and more every day from something as simple as the coffee machine being jammed.

[Nicole Branley]: Sometimes I pretend I don't hear them saying to me, Nicole, Nicole, I need your help.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm like, it's a piece of paper.

[Nicole Branley]: You can do this.

[Nicole Branley]: Let me show you.

[Nicole Branley]: I think it's almost offensive to think that

[Nicole Branley]: you know, their need is less because it truly is more.

[Nicole Branley]: And especially at an elementary school level where children are coming into you, parents are coming into you, the phone never stops.

[Nicole Branley]: That alone, I don't know how one administrative assistant is gonna just handle the phone alone, let alone all the chaos around them.

[Nicole Branley]: So how do you choose

[Nicole Branley]: that elementary school over a different elementary school, because there's not anybody else there.

[Nicole Branley]: But that doesn't mean that the administrative assistant for the middle school can handle what is going to be put on her from the elementary side.

[Nicole Branley]: It's almost unfathomable to me to think that that is a position that could at all be cut.

[Nicole Branley]: So that's one thing.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, kindergarten teachers added in FY 24 will not be continued in FY 25, but did we not see that the enrollment is increasing in lower grades?

[Nicole Branley]: None will be saved, correct?

[Nicole Branley]: Has anybody shadowed anybody in the kindergarten?

[Nicole Branley]: Just curious.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: Anybody shadowed the nurses?

[Nicole Branley]: Has anybody shadowed any of these directors that are being cut to see what's actually happening on a day-to-day basis?

[Nicole Branley]: Because I can tell you... We have been doing a really good job, I think, trying to get job descriptions.

[Nicole Branley]: But what's written on a piece of paper, what your job is, when you walk into that building,

[Nicole Branley]: you are a hundred things to hundreds of little humans that can't wait.

[Nicole Branley]: They can't wait.

[Nicole Branley]: They're throwing up, they're pooping, they're doing it all.

[Nicole Branley]: And I don't care what grade they're in, they're all doing it.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think to, you know, cut jobs without literally

[Nicole Branley]: knowing hands-on, on the ground, what exactly is happening.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know how much more existing staff, if these are all cut, can handle.

[Nicole Branley]: How can you handle it?

[Nicole Branley]: How can you be there from eight to three, which I know is not what a teacher's job is not eight to three, believe me, I know that.

[Nicole Branley]: So it's 24 hours a day.

[Nicole Branley]: But how do you...

[Nicole Branley]: How does anybody absorb even more?

[Nicole Branley]: What is the toll we're going to take on everybody?

[Nicole Branley]: And if we take the toll on our teachers, guess who it's falling down onto?

[Nicole Branley]: The kids.

[Nicole Branley]: These are our babies.

[Nicole Branley]: We want enrollment to go up.

[Nicole Branley]: It's never going to go up like this.

[Nicole Branley]: Never.

[Nicole Branley]: Never.

[Nicole Branley]: People are going to run away.

[Nicole Branley]: OK, I'll keep going.

[Nicole Branley]: strain on staff, yes, clearly.

[Nicole Branley]: I can't imagine being in any class with 22 kindergarten children or 22.2.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know where the .2 comes from because guidance Councilors.

[Nicole Branley]: I know, I hate averages.

[Nicole Branley]: So proposed saving initiatives.

[Nicole Branley]: Do guidance Councilors teach guidance classes?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, correct.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, so if we cut them, who's doing that and still guiding?

[Nicole Branley]: The principals?

[Nicole Branley]: So maybe they rely on the administrative assistants a little bit more.

[Nicole Branley]: And I know these are the numbers, I get it.

[Nicole Branley]: I get that this is real dollars and there's $5 million or $7 million, the number just seems to keep adding up here.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm also curious, if we eliminate directors, do directors walk out the door or do they then absorb a teaching job?

[Nicole Branley]: How does that work?

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, so I know you said it's a position.

[Nicole Branley]: Not a person, but at the end of the day, it is a person.

[Nicole Branley]: It is at the end of the day.

[Nicole Branley]: It is at the end of the day, because if you're bumping someone, someone else is out.

[Nicole Branley]: And that's less, and I know you realize that.

[Nicole Branley]: And I can't imagine any of these schools working with one body less at this point.

[Nicole Branley]: I really, it's gonna be detrimental, it really is.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, McGlynn principal office consolidated from two to one.

[Nicole Branley]: That's outrageous.

[Nicole Branley]: Reduce nursing staff.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm sure the nurses that are here can help us understand that.

[Nicole Branley]: Can someone tell me how many students are at each elementary school just to start there?

[Nicole Branley]: So maybe the nurses can answer my question a little bit better.

[Nicole Branley]: working at the Brooks.

[Nicole Branley]: I used to say to Nurse Allison all the time, I feel like we should have one of those little deli ticket things here.

[Nicole Branley]: Because not only are there emergencies all day, I mean, I can tell you what happens in the kindergarten playground pretty clearly.

[Nicole Branley]: What happens if that nurse needs to, they leave the room, now the nurse's office is closed, and there's another emergency?

[Nicole Branley]: Field trips, how do we manage field trips with less nurses?

[Nicole Branley]: Things like this that keep popping into my head.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know how these things are gonna get done with less bodies.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not gonna get done?

[Nicole Branley]: Let's...

[Nicole Branley]: That's really sad.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not okay.

[Nicole Branley]: And then if a nurse is absent, what happens?

[Nicole Branley]: Everybody hold on.

[Nicole Branley]: So we'll have a director for the nurses.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes?

[Nicole Branley]: So the director for the nurses will figure that out, right?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, great.

[Nicole Branley]: Let's see, what else?

[Nicole Branley]: There's a lot of jobs posted.

[Nicole Branley]: a lot not filled, and that's what scares me.

[Nicole Branley]: Because if it's not filled, then what?

[Nicole Branley]: We need to know the then what's here when we do something like this, because this is real day-to-day challenges.

[Nicole Branley]: And I know, even for myself, I've needed the school nurse at times.

[Nicole Branley]: I got COVID when I worked at the Brooks.

[Nicole Branley]: How many times I was checked for lice?

[Nicole Branley]: Luckily, never got it.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know how.

[Nicole Branley]: But do you know how many times my head was checked for lice?

[Nicole Branley]: Do you know how many times I had to go to the nurse's office for something?

[Nicole Branley]: A student injured me.

[Nicole Branley]: That happens.

[Nicole Branley]: This is real, live stuff that's happening every single day.

[Nicole Branley]: And we're, I don't want to use the word failing, but I'm

[Nicole Branley]: failing, happening.

[Nicole Branley]: Identifying other resources.

[Nicole Branley]: You said we'll need to revisit this in 2026.

[Nicole Branley]: Will there be funds?

[Nicole Branley]: So we're cutting, but then we're gonna have to revisit again for even more cuts.

[Nicole Branley]: Great.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: All right, let's see.

[Nicole Branley]: This page.

[Nicole Branley]: You said we haven't looked at paras, custodians,

[Nicole Branley]: Great.

[Nicole Branley]: Let's see, my next page.

[Nicole Branley]: So I talked about foreshadowing the people whose jobs were cutting.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Individuals that are being cut as in directors, how do we know if they're cut, someone's not necessarily replacing them, correct?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: So how do we know that the people are gonna step in and do their job are qualified to do it?

[Nicole Branley]: because it's gonna be someone under where the director was originally.

[Nicole Branley]: So how do we know that they're qualified to make the decisions?

[Nicole Branley]: So basically, if you're the senior in that group, you're most likely going to absorb some of the work.

[Nicole Branley]: Well, that stinks.

[Nicole Branley]: Let's see, what else?

[Nicole Branley]: It really does.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, I can totally agree with you on that.

[Nicole Branley]: Let's see.

[Nicole Branley]: The director, we talked about that.

[Nicole Branley]: We talked about that.

[Nicole Branley]: Consultants, how many consultants do we have working for us?

[Nicole Branley]: Or anybody else?

[Nicole Branley]: Get a list, if we can have a list of who is a consultant.

[Nicole Branley]: Are there any cuts in assistant principals?

[Nicole Branley]: So no assistant principals will be cut?

[Nicole Branley]: Across the board?

[Nicole Branley]: Jerry.

[Nicole Branley]: You're messing with me now, come on.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I can't,

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I'll just use Mr. Tucci as an example, because I always say I've been Tucci-fied, because I'm at my sixth year at the McGlynn Elementary School.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm gonna miss it terribly next year.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't think the man takes a day off.

[Nicole Branley]: I think he's- Yeah, he's very good.

[Nicole Branley]: He's exemplary, as are all of our principals.

[Nicole Branley]: But I can't imagine not having an assistant principal.

[Nicole Branley]: And especially at the high school,

[Nicole Branley]: Have we decided on any cuts in the central administration office?

[Nicole Branley]: None?

[Nicole Branley]: Not one.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm sorry?

[Nicole Branley]: I think all our staffing is lean.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, I'm gonna stop.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just have one other question.

[Nicole Branley]: The raise that we received as school committee members, where did that, what was that funding from again?

[Nicole Branley]: Our raise?

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, there's no more money in there?

[Nicole Branley]: Is there no more money in there that we could use any of that for this?

[Nicole Branley]: Because it seemed really easy for us to get our raises.

[Nicole Branley]: Lucky for you, I'm all done.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm not trying to be cranky, but obviously this hurts.

[Nicole Branley]: My children are in this district.

[Nicole Branley]: My family's in this district.

[Nicole Branley]: This, this is our family.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, this is our community these the people that go home into our neighborhoods.

[Nicole Branley]: These are the kids that stand in front of my house and for the best every single morning.

[Nicole Branley]: These are the people that pay taxes.

[Nicole Branley]: And so it's, it's just so frustrating to me because I think when you work in a school.

[Nicole Branley]: you have such a different perspective of what's happening day to day.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm no expert, I'm no expert at all, but I think it definitely gives you a bird's eye view of really what is happening on the ground.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think, you know, I'm sure we have plenty of people here that would like to speak and I really encourage everybody to speak and to write emails and to send letters because this is a priority.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you very much.

[Nicole Branley]: Nurse Jen, can I just ask you a question?

[Nicole Branley]: How many nurses do we have in the district right now?

[Nicole Branley]: I might have that number here, but the numbers are- That's okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: And what number day are we on in school?

[Nicole Branley]: I know, I know everybody here definitely knows that 29 days left.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Nobody's counting.

[Nicole Branley]: I get it.

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, there we go.

[Nicole Branley]: So I can understand everybody's point here.

[Nicole Branley]: but I feel like if we're gonna draw the line, can we just wait for the presentation and then we can draw the line?

[Nicole Branley]: I don't see why, I feel like it's a little disrespectful to the team.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, motion to table, please.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, yeah, can we just, can we table until they speak?

[Nicole Branley]: Is that possible?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, so let's just table the vote until we can listen to them speak.

[Nicole Branley]: Well, I have to say nothing makes me happier than to see this because I feel like there's actually accountability happening and nothing makes me happier than that.

[Nicole Branley]: So I appreciate the report.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm happy that we're still using out of school suspension and I'm happy that it's a last result.

[Nicole Branley]: I think that it's important that it's not off the table.

[Nicole Branley]: I think overall,

[Nicole Branley]: I think it's a staggering number of referrals.

[Nicole Branley]: And that makes me feel sad.

[Nicole Branley]: 2599 just at the high school alone, that is a significant amount of work for staff, especially teachers.

[Nicole Branley]: And so I just want to applaud them for, for their due diligence all the time.

[Nicole Branley]: It's I'm always

[Nicole Branley]: amazed by it.

[Nicole Branley]: And then just the follow up between the houses and everybody working collaboratively to make sure that this work is getting done, I think is something that has been needed.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm happy that it's coming to fruition here.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: So as someone who works in special ed in Somerville, I had spoken to our

[Nicole Branley]: department head over at our alternative school in Somerville.

[Nicole Branley]: He was nice enough to join us tonight.

[Nicole Branley]: So I don't know if it would be, I know it would be beneficial to hear from him.

[Nicole Branley]: So I don't know also if it would be good for him to come to some of those other meetings, Medford resident, and I don't know how much he wants to disclose of him.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'll let him disclose what he'd like to about himself, but I respect his opinion and his work ethic.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to throw that out there.

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry.

[Nicole Branley]: We all want to second this.

[Nicole Branley]: Let's go.

[Nicole Branley]: I would just like you to know that Jack is that calm all the time.

[Nicole Branley]: He calls with chaos and I'm freaking out.

[Nicole Branley]: He's like, so I'm like, okay, check.

[Nicole Branley]: So yeah, he seems he's amazing.

[Nicole Branley]: Present.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: So can I ask a question?

[Nicole Branley]: Do I need to abstain because my daughter's in culinary or can I say yes?

[Nicole Branley]: Just want to make sure that you can hear me.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, so just a few questions.

[Nicole Branley]: Let's see here.

[Nicole Branley]: Do we have data on how often we're pulling reading specialists, EL teachers, specialists, you know, music, PE?

[Nicole Branley]: Perfect.

[Nicole Branley]: I appreciate it.

[Nicole Branley]: If you could share that with us, that would be great.

[Nicole Branley]: And then my question, what is the difference between a teacher coverage and a loss of prep?

[Nicole Branley]: I know when I was at the Brooks, a loss of prep was, okay, you know, Mr. Sacco's absent.

[Nicole Branley]: There's no one to cover loss of prep.

[Nicole Branley]: Go ahead.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, and then loss of prep and teacher coverage paid at different rates.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, so teacher coverage and loss of prep is both $40 an hour now.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Would it be helpful if people, you know, the participants on the meeting know who's on what committee?

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, I am wondering how much the feasibility study is.

[Nicole Branley]: So the feasibility study alone is two to two and a half million dollars.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: And you said reimbursement would be 100%.

[Nicole Branley]: That's if we get- Reimbursement will definitely not be 100%.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: So we are going to be asking the city council for this money.

[Nicole Branley]: Where does that money come from?

[Nicole Branley]: Um, that is all work for the mayor and the council to do and good time.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, and then just one other question.

[Nicole Branley]: Non-voting member addition is member Rousseau.

[Nicole Branley]: Why was that decided?

[Nicole Branley]: I'd be more than happy to offer anything that anybody needs.

[Nicole Branley]: If I needed to be another non-voting member, I'd be more than happy to volunteer for that, just to throw that out there.

[Nicole Branley]: If we wanna take the non-voting member addition off altogether, I'm comfortable with that too.

[Nicole Branley]: But just to offer that I'd be more than happy to do that also.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: So can we just be clear that we're adding the two additional members, correct, from the pool?

[Nicole Branley]: That's correct.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Friendly.

[Nicole Branley]: I just have a quick question.

[Nicole Branley]: Why do we have a different handbook for every school?

[Nicole Branley]: Why do we not have a handbook for elementary one for middle and one for high school?

[Nicole Branley]: Like, okay.

[Nicole Branley]: I figured that that was a case that we all needed.

[Nicole Branley]: They all needed to have their own handbook.

[Nicole Branley]: I just figured one could say the Brooks with the principals and, you know, whatever staff that needs to be on there, but all the meat is the same because to me, if I'm a student at the Brooks and I go over to the McGlynn, the rule should be the same.

[Nicole Branley]: If I'm at the high school and I walk over to the Volk or I'm at the, at the Curtis, those rules should be the same, same at the McGlynn and the Andrews.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm just, I just want to make sure that, like you said, 90 something percent or whatever, it is the same.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, I just, when I got the binder, I'm like, I can't go for four elementary schools and see if page one was the same as page one.

[Nicole Branley]: the way wrong.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to make sure that was clarified.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Welcome.

[Nicole Branley]: Good job.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Hello, Nicole Branley, 54 Norwich Circle.

[Nicole Branley]: I was just wondering if I could request that the school committee be invited on that tour.

[Nicole Branley]: I think for 14 elected officials in this city that we can all work together to support our first responders.

[Nicole Branley]: That's possible.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, they don't have to come, but if they could be invited, we could be invited, that would be great.

[Nicole Branley]: Good.

[Nicole Branley]: Motion to approve.

[Nicole Branley]: Second.

[Nicole Branley]: So, yes, a lot of thanks to Jerry.

[Nicole Branley]: Obviously, I was thrilled to hear that there was, you know, less of a deficit here than what we're looking at the day before, or the week before, the meeting before.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just have a quick question.

[Nicole Branley]: The error that occurred, the error was identified in the projection model, which was causing the deficit.

[Nicole Branley]: Are we sure that that's correct, Val?

[Nicole Branley]: Perfect.

[Nicole Branley]: So will we get an update if anything changed?

[Nicole Branley]: And then just one other question.

[Nicole Branley]: It says, we identified spending that could be postponed to FY25.

[Nicole Branley]: Does that make things look worse for us, for FY25?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, we can push them off now and balance, but now, does that mean in FY25 we're causing a bigger problem?

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, so could we get a dollar amount on that?

[Nicole Branley]: Can we request that?

[Nicole Branley]: Even though it says spending.

[Nicole Branley]: It says we identified spending that could be postponed.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you for being here.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to compliment the STEPS program.

[Nicole Branley]: My family has benefited from that and it was a huge

[Nicole Branley]: plus trying to get back to school, you know, when obviously you're going through something to make sure that that gets done.

[Nicole Branley]: And the rotation is awesome with academics because the teachers are coming in there, they're helping when need be, and it's really a safe space.

[Nicole Branley]: Does Ms.

[Nicole Branley]: Cunningham still?

[Nicole Branley]: She's amazing.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just want to give her a shout out for that.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm very grateful to her.

[Nicole Branley]: And then just one other question, the high school counseling, so that's nexus for high school, correct?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: And that's done by the Councilors?

[Nicole Branley]: No, it's academic teachers.

[Nicole Branley]: Academic teachers, so like health teachers?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: So it's a co-taught classroom.

[Nicole Branley]: Co-taught classroom, okay.

[Nicole Branley]: How does it not fall under health?

[Nicole Branley]: Like under health, I guess.

[Nicole Branley]: How does English and science

[Nicole Branley]: teach the nexus portion of that?

[Nicole Branley]: Member Burnley?

[Nicole Branley]: I'm up.

[Nicole Branley]: Well, thank you for this.

[Nicole Branley]: This is very interesting.

[Nicole Branley]: One question.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm looking at the numbers here.

[Nicole Branley]: It looks like my glasses broke as I walked in.

[Nicole Branley]: So forgive me.

[Nicole Branley]: But it looks like our numbers have doubled from our 350 back in 2015 and 16 to 631 as of March 1st.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm curious how our staff has risen with that.

[Nicole Branley]: And I've been in some of those classrooms at the Brooks, and it is amazing to me, the teachers that teach these classes, not that they're not using their words, but it is such a diverse group.

[Nicole Branley]: I think I remember Allie, and I can't even think of her last name right now, but her saying to me that, you know, 10 languages in her class,

[Nicole Branley]: I remember saying, how do you do this?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, we're speaking English in the kindergarten downstairs and I feel like half the kids aren't listening.

[Nicole Branley]: I feel like they're not hearing us.

[Nicole Branley]: So how are you doing this?

[Nicole Branley]: And it just amazed me how creative they are so that everybody is getting the same curriculum at the same time.

[Nicole Branley]: It really is astounding.

[Nicole Branley]: So huge shout out to them.

[Nicole Branley]: And then my other question, I want to thank Mr. Fallon for buying 15 of these little things.

[Nicole Branley]: He's a rock star too.

[Nicole Branley]: And then on one of these pages here, you have the schools.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't see the Andrews.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm just curious.

[Nicole Branley]: I know the programs are housed at the McGlynn Middle School, but how does that change their enrollment all year long?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, it must be constantly changing.

[Nicole Branley]: That was just my question.

[Nicole Branley]: Cause I'm figuring if all of these kids are influxing to just the McGlynn, how are we balancing that off?

[Nicole Branley]: Cause it seems.

[Nicole Branley]: like that would happen a lot more than someone that would move in still, right?

[Nicole Branley]: So if we could just get those numbers, I would love to see that if that's possible.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you so much.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

[Nicole Branley]: I can second.

[Nicole Branley]: Remember finally.

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry So I was also in attendance.

[Nicole Branley]: I was here actually during all of this the other night at the City Council, and it didn't seem like the voters were very happy about that.

[Nicole Branley]: It seemed like there was a lot of uproar

[Nicole Branley]: How are we going to manage this, this fund?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I know it says here emergencies, but then we also said the stability.

[Nicole Branley]: So can we use that for anything?

[Nicole Branley]: So, this obviously hits very close to home for me I know that we spoke.

[Nicole Branley]: privately over email, but I just want to thank you for being brave enough to come up here, because I know personally how hard that is.

[Nicole Branley]: I promised myself that I would never cry at a school community meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not going to start now.

[Nicole Branley]: It's still too early in my term, but there's still time.

[Nicole Branley]: But thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you very much for sharing your story with us, because I know what that feels like.

[Nicole Branley]: I know how all of this feels.

[Nicole Branley]: And I know that when I did return my email to you, that I said it actually took me courage to even respond to you.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you for standing there and know that this could be the result of you standing there one time.

[Nicole Branley]: You just never know where the road is going to lead you.

[Nicole Branley]: So always speak up.

[Nicole Branley]: And I say that to anybody that's out there in the public, like you never know where the road will lead you or sometimes, you know, what you think or what is your some of your darkest days turns into something completely different.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you for being brave enough to come here and tell your story.

[Nicole Branley]: Hello, Nicole Branley, 54 North Circle in Medford.

[Nicole Branley]: And just for the record, I am a Medford School Committee member.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't believe it is the first time speaking as a school committee member.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm up here so often, I've lost track of the dates.

[Nicole Branley]: This side or that side.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to ask if the superintendent was going to be here tonight.

[Nicole Branley]: I know that she is on the docket.

[Nicole Branley]: Correct.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to confirm that in the Medford school committee meeting, I don't think it was this one or maybe the last one.

[Nicole Branley]: Gerry McCue did come to the podium and did discuss that we did have a 2.5 million deficit that is not a secret.

[Nicole Branley]: He stood here, I actually confirm that because I thought maybe.

[Nicole Branley]: I was incorrect but I was correct he did stand here he did discuss the 2.5 million deficit in the school budget.

[Nicole Branley]: We did pass a motion and I'd like to thank Mrs. O'Leary for bringing up the fact that we did pass a motion that we will not run out of paper.

[Nicole Branley]: So this is what we've come to in this city that we're passing motions that we don't run out of paper in our school.

[Nicole Branley]: That breaks my heart.

[Nicole Branley]: We do have a budget freeze.

[Nicole Branley]: And of course, if I'm incorrect in any of this, someone can correct me.

[Nicole Branley]: But we have stopped purchasing water for our teachers, just simple bubbler water for our teachers in their in their lunchroom, which I know they have a faucet, I know that they can bring their Stanley cup also.

[Nicole Branley]: But I think that we've really

[Nicole Branley]: gone over the line here of what of what's happening so I know people are very upset.

[Nicole Branley]: I just want to encourage people to always come to meetings, where we're here I'm here just like you guys at a meeting regularly so I know you're upset now but there's stuff that happens in this chamber.

[Nicole Branley]: multiple times a week.

[Nicole Branley]: So be present, you know, know what's going on.

[Nicole Branley]: So yes, that's happening in our school.

[Nicole Branley]: And I just want to thank Councilor Scarpelli and all of you for your hard work.

[Nicole Branley]: But know that that is a true number.

[Nicole Branley]: We are $2.5 million in the whole for the school budget.

[Nicole Branley]: And that is devastating as someone who's worked in the Medford public school system and who has children in the Medford public school system.

[Nicole Branley]: And as a school committee member, here we are.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think we really need to hold ourselves accountable because this is this is who voted us in.

[Nicole Branley]: This is who voted us in and we need to listen to that.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: I do this every time.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley?

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm just curious.

[Nicole Branley]: Well, one, I'd like to thank you because I was a member of the school program when I worked at the Brooks and I loved it.

[Nicole Branley]: And actually as a parent at the time, I was making a lot less than what the parents do now, which is good.

[Nicole Branley]: I've never paid enough, of course, but the pay was why I did it.

[Nicole Branley]: And the pay has come up significantly since then.

[Nicole Branley]: So that's great to see because there is that definitely divided group at morning program that some just need a hug and to sit and chill and others are,

[Nicole Branley]: ready to bounce the ball off the wall.

[Nicole Branley]: So for each other.

[Nicole Branley]: But no, I think I think this is great.

[Nicole Branley]: I know how hard you work.

[Nicole Branley]: So my only question is, on the re registration for current students, how long does that last?

[Nicole Branley]: And when does that what are the dates?

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, great question.

[Nicole Branley]: It says new registration April 1st remains open until April 13th, but just curious about their re-registration.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, and then does that stay open, like if they, do they have a deadline that they have to meet that by if they're re-registering?

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you so much for all you do.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Olapade.

[Nicole Branley]: Member Branley, I'm just curious on timeline overall, if I'm going to be very positive that all this goes as well as we would like it to.

[Nicole Branley]: What is the timeline that we're looking for?

[Nicole Branley]: Ballpark, obviously, not, you know, are we looking at five years, 10 years?

[Nicole Branley]: Is this maybe my grandkids?

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry.

[Nicole Branley]: So obviously my mind is a little blown by all of this.

[Nicole Branley]: This is ridiculously overwhelming, but obviously much needed and willing to do the work.

[Nicole Branley]: So just on member McLaughlin's point about the surrounding cities, I mean, I do think that's a great point.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, they're right there.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean,

[Nicole Branley]: I work in one of those neighboring districts, I worked at one of those brand new high schools this summer.

[Nicole Branley]: So, I mean, could we pick someone's brain?

[Nicole Branley]: Am I thinking too small?

[Nicole Branley]: Like, member Branley goes there and says, Hey, can someone give me like 10 points of, am I being too narrow minded to think that that, you know, like could go somewhere and say,

[Nicole Branley]: you know, hey, like I just remember in the building that I was working in over the summer, there was a comment, I think at some point, and maybe like too much glass, you know, that it was, you know, an issue, you know, heating, cooling, safety, just little things that had popped up that we could say, yeah, we might not wanna do that in the foyer of the brand new Medford High School.

[Nicole Branley]: So is,

[Nicole Branley]: Am I being too narrow-minded to think that I could be a point person for a neighboring district and maybe, you know, if someone else volunteered or something to say, can you, can I just pick your brain so that we're not in a 400 person Zoom call that, cause that doesn't seem like much gets done in a 400 person Zoom call.

[Nicole Branley]: To think that you could just go in and say, you know, maybe just maybe from like a safety aspect or a,

[Nicole Branley]: logistics of, you know, the driveway, you know, whatever, those little things.

[Nicole Branley]: Is that, is that a possibility?

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you so much for being here.

[Nicole Branley]: I just have a question on, you said there are eight referrals from the high school that we placed in the spring or next fall.

[Nicole Branley]: So that means eight more students coming in addition to your 12.

[Nicole Branley]: Am I right when I hear that?

[Nicole Branley]: Staffing.

[Nicole Branley]: Is the average usually 12 students?

[Nicole Branley]: Just want to make sure you're supported.

[Nicole Branley]: OK, thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think mine pretty much piggybacks off of what Member Graham had to say.

[Nicole Branley]: On the first page, I'm just curious, these $102,005

[Nicole Branley]: This is outside, correct?

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: So my concern with that being our level spot there, are we checking what's inside?

[Nicole Branley]: Because I'm guessing the temperature inside is going to be much hotter.

[Nicole Branley]: temperature outside.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, because that makes me nervous, especially up at the high school.

[Nicole Branley]: And then is there a way to link that MIA heat protocol with our protocol when the time comes so that somebody can just click on it and then we're there?

[Nicole Branley]: And then Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: And then, yes.

[Nicole Branley]: So my most questions were on the equipment needs, like when, how we paying for it.

[Nicole Branley]: Rentals great.

[Nicole Branley]: Is it going to be across the district if we have a rental for a misting who's who's walking through the Mr.

[Nicole Branley]: Is it like a vegetable mister?

[Nicole Branley]: Like this is what I kept picturing.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm like, are we just gonna walk through with our clothes on?

[Nicole Branley]: Like, what is this?

[Nicole Branley]: Is it outside?

[Nicole Branley]: I see that.

[Nicole Branley]: I get it.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm with you.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: And then at the high school, obviously, I'm guessing one of the larger concerns overall for all the schools.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know exactly how many schools have air conditioning and who doesn't.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know, are we supposed to talk about that?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I'm assuming that that can be public knowledge, right?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I'm assuming they all have it, but is it all functioning?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, right because I feel like that's, that's a good question.

[Nicole Branley]: Middle schools and high school.

[Nicole Branley]: I just, I was here during that meeting as an audience member.

[Nicole Branley]: I remember the conversation about the compressors and how depressed I was on the other side of the rail to hear some of the

[Nicole Branley]: answers, sadly.

[Nicole Branley]: So, yeah, I was just curious, you know, if we're doing an assessment at the high school or at the middle school, fans, air conditioning, you know, standalone units, whatever, is that going to be at least those things in place before the heat comes and we're not saying, oh, it's a hot day, like we didn't expect it to be hot in June?

[Nicole Branley]: I just want us to be proactive.

[Nicole Branley]: All right.

[Nicole Branley]: Got it.

[Nicole Branley]: So you put me in a tricky position.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm Nicole Brandly.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm at 54 Norwich Circle.

[Nicole Branley]: And as a newly elected school committee member, I questioned if I should speak tonight.

[Nicole Branley]: I feel like I'm torn between everybody, right?

[Nicole Branley]: So as always, I also know I couldn't stay quiet.

[Nicole Branley]: So I look over the agendas for both our city council and our school committee as they become available.

[Nicole Branley]: And when I read the city council agenda last week, I was shocked at the pay increase.

[Nicole Branley]: There's been a lot of accusation on social media that

[Nicole Branley]: newly elected members are somehow pushing for this.

[Nicole Branley]: I had no idea.

[Nicole Branley]: I actually had to read the proposal twice.

[Nicole Branley]: And then I asked someone else to read it for me.

[Nicole Branley]: I did not run for the school committee seat for the salary.

[Nicole Branley]: Although I do appreciate the salary.

[Nicole Branley]: But if you've seen me up at this podium over the last year, you know my motivation and surely where my heart is.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm the only person in this city, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure they will somewhere.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm the only person in this city who can say that I've been elected to a school committee seat, but have also worked at the city of Medford as a kindergarten aide.

[Nicole Branley]: So I held that beloved position for six years, and according to my W-2s, because I'm a good record keeper, in 2020, for my 180-day full-time position, I earned $17,642.93.

[Nicole Branley]: I left that position.

[Nicole Branley]: because it is a not fair living wage, and it's still not.

[Nicole Branley]: And like too many unions in this city, we also had no contract at the time.

[Nicole Branley]: I've sat at most of these meetings, whether it's for good reason or bad, and George's, Mr. Scarpelli's right, we have to come all the time.

[Nicole Branley]: I've sat here and watched all of these unions sit here in solidarity with each other, asking for contracts, asking for a fair living wage, for their rightfully earned COVID pay,

[Nicole Branley]: There are still unions in this city negotiating their contracts, most namely the police.

[Nicole Branley]: As a newly elected official, I believe the $17,359.80 pay increase for us on this school committee is fiscally irresponsible.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, our start our current stipend is fair.

[Nicole Branley]: And although not equivalent to you on the city council, I'm not sure it really should be.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't think anyone would begrudge the school committee a fair living wage increase like other unions in the city have agreed on.

[Nicole Branley]: But this proposed increase is exorbitant.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not in line with the increases anybody else has gotten in the city.

[Nicole Branley]: And I have sat right here in this room listening to the budget hearings and never once have I heard that we have any extra money, especially in our school budget.

[Nicole Branley]: I also think this proposal itself causes even more animosity between elected officials, like all of us, and the same people that voted us in to do the right thing.

[Nicole Branley]: So let's do the right thing.

[Nicole Branley]: Nicole Bramley, my address is on record.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think Councilor Scarpelli has given enough of his son through the years.

[Nicole Branley]: just as I've given enough of my daughter, okay?

[Nicole Branley]: So I also have been frustrated that there was no joint meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: President Morell can confirm that I have emailed her repeatedly regarding the meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: So I did speak to you, I think it was last week and still really didn't get an answer of when it would happen.

[Nicole Branley]: So I emailed the mayor myself

[Nicole Branley]: And I did get a response.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm hoping that it's okay that I share this.

[Nicole Branley]: And it was from her public account.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm assuming it's okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Please do, because I did not get it.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: So, you know, not to ever go over anybody's head, but when I don't get an answer, I think that you know that I'm pretty persistent and look for the answers myself.

[Nicole Branley]: So it says, Nicole, I am discussing the draft outline guidelines, which I actually thought was already done.

[Nicole Branley]: So it says, which I'm not saying it's a lie.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm just saying, I thought that that was already done.

[Nicole Branley]: It says, I am discussing the draft outlined guidelines with the members and then hope to send around a doodle poll on dates people are free after that.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: So just FYI.

[Nicole Branley]: Correct.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Any time you want.

[Nicole Branley]: Can you hear me?

[Nicole Branley]: I do.

[Nicole Branley]: Can you hear me?

[Nicole Branley]: Can she hear me?

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, here I am.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, so my question, hello.

[Nicole Branley]: So my question was, I was just wondering if I can have a copy of the superintendent's report, if that's possible for the public and not just for the committee.

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: And then my other question is for,

[Nicole Branley]: The numbers for the reports and the bullying, I'm just curious, how do we know, I guess we don't know, but I just wanted to make this, just put this out there that, you know, in a lot of cases, I don't think the bullying reporting was happening.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think the numbers look good, but was all the bullying reporting actually happening?

[Nicole Branley]: So I think that that's something just to think about that the numbers don't look bad, but was it actually accurate?

[Nicole Branley]: So I know in our situation, we did not have a bullying report until after an injury.

[Nicole Branley]: And I know in another case, a bullying report was handed to a parent and said, here, read this and fill this out.

[Nicole Branley]: But I'm not really sure who's responsible in filling that paperwork out.

[Nicole Branley]: I know the nurse did it for us.

[Nicole Branley]: But, um, in her case, it was handed to the parent and said, fill this out.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm not sure, uh, how that bullying report is supposed to really be reported and by who, um, and if that those steps have really been taken in the past.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to, um, throw that out there.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Because I didn't think I was going to be able to do it.

[Nicole Branley]: Usually it's very good, especially late at night when it's like, come on, there's only one more thing to go.

[Nicole Branley]: Let's do this.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not going to talk long, I promise.

[Nicole Branley]: So Nicole Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm just curious, how are the student reps

[Nicole Branley]: brought here when they're here?

[Nicole Branley]: Are they on a certain?

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, I'm just curious how they're requested to be here.

[Nicole Branley]: Sometimes they're here, sometimes they're not.

[Nicole Branley]: Are they?

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry, just trying to remember what their- Yes, thank you for all your hard work trying to- Yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: I was just curious how they ended up here sometimes and like not, which makes sense, of course, because obviously everybody has other things to do too.

[Nicole Branley]: So then my only other question is, obviously,

[Nicole Branley]: in the public participation part can, I mean, I've seen the minors come up before.

[Nicole Branley]: Students could always present too.

[Nicole Branley]: So could maybe that part of the agenda be just changed, adjusted to say public, you know, obviously they're part of the public, but so then you don't need a whole other space for them?

[Nicole Branley]: That makes so much sense.

[Nicole Branley]: We could do that.

[Nicole Branley]: It's up to member Hays.

[Nicole Branley]: I think that's the first time anybody said I've made sense of it.

[Nicole Branley]: Hello.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: There I am.

[Nicole Branley]: Hi, Nicole Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm just wondering if on the flowchart, if there could be timeframes, is that something that's possible?

[Nicole Branley]: If your child is experiencing bullying and they do report it and it's, you know, not considered a conflict, but it is, you know, filed into bullying.

[Nicole Branley]: you know, is that day one?

[Nicole Branley]: How long is the process going to take?

[Nicole Branley]: Is, you know, is it start the first day that it's reported?

[Nicole Branley]: Is it after three reports?

[Nicole Branley]: Just if there's some sort of timeframe that you can expect answers.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm done, sorry, I'm done.

[Nicole Branley]: Well, I mean, I'm not really ever done, am I?

[Nicole Branley]: But I'm done at the moment, yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Hi, Nicole Bramley.

[Nicole Branley]: I need to admit my address.

[Nicole Branley]: I think these are really good points.

[Nicole Branley]: Even the last point, obviously.

[Nicole Branley]: I just don't know how a whole system is going to say, yes, it should go to this family, but no, we need to worry about this family, especially if it's an email.

[Nicole Branley]: That seems like a monster.

[Nicole Branley]: you know, size situation that seems impossible, right?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, but I do think in elementary, there are, you know, forms that are used that are age appropriate, you know, consequences that are age appropriate, discussions, you know, all of that stuff.

[Nicole Branley]: I think Mrs. Glizny had a great point.

[Nicole Branley]: I think Memogram had a great point too, saying that it's great that we're,

[Nicole Branley]: rolling things out, but if we're rolling so many things out that are especially falling on teachers' shoulders, that really concerns me because I feel like how much more can they do?

[Nicole Branley]: And I had asked Ms.

[Nicole Branley]: Bowen too, is the incident report, this draft, replacing the current incident report?

[Nicole Branley]: Because there are incident reports.

[Nicole Branley]: So the incident report, if you come to your assistant principal,

[Nicole Branley]: and say there's a problem, would that be the new draft form of it?

[Nicole Branley]: So I think that that sort of falls to Jenny's point too.

[Nicole Branley]: So if we have an incident report that we're using, who's deciphering what incident report we're using at what point?

[Nicole Branley]: If the incident report that I got said,

[Nicole Branley]: you know, there was this incident and explains it, why that form and not this form, just out of curiosity.

[Nicole Branley]: Can the students see the same things that the parents see?

[Nicole Branley]: I know when I look on, I can see their pictures, their grades.

[Nicole Branley]: absences.

[Nicole Branley]: They're seeing the same thing.

[Nicole Branley]: I never looked on it with them.

[Nicole Branley]: I've only looked on it as a parent.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm just curious.

[Nicole Branley]: So they can see the referrals too.

[Nicole Branley]: When did that referral go on?

[Nicole Branley]: I go on School Brains pretty regularly.

[Nicole Branley]: I actually have a reminder on my phone to check it pretty regularly just to see missing assignments, anything that maybe I didn't know about.

[Nicole Branley]: And I did not notice the referral.

[Nicole Branley]: So I only look on my phone, but I just noticed it's way at the bottom.

[Nicole Branley]: So I don't know if it's something that.

[Nicole Branley]: So, Miss Bowen just showed me that on the laptop but on the phone it looks completely different.

[Nicole Branley]: So I don't, I just saying that when I look on my phone which is the only place I access school brains.

[Nicole Branley]: It's done at the bottom.

[Nicole Branley]: I've probably looked at school brains three times this week, just knowing report cards were coming out.

[Nicole Branley]: And I didn't even know that that was there or notice it in my scrolling.

[Nicole Branley]: So just to make a point of that.

[Nicole Branley]: And then I think when it comes down to really the bottom line, and I think Jenny or Melanie might've said it, it's really just the communication at the end of the day.

[Nicole Branley]: So the incident report that we got was great if we were told about it too.

[Nicole Branley]: So we had had some incidents that happened that we were just not even told about at the end of the day, that even had our child's signature on them, which I found very concerning that no email or phone call had happened.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think you can have a new form, an old form, but at the end of the day, if no one reaches out to you, even though our child made us aware of it, she didn't come home with the form either.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just think at the end of the day, however we're communicating, as long as the communication is a real time, I think that that probably helps.

[Nicole Branley]: I think someone mentioned the word trust.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that that would have been helpful even in some of the situations that I've heard of, that it does make you feel very insecure.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to throw that out there.

[Nicole Branley]: Hello, Nicole Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just have a couple of questions.

[Nicole Branley]: I did reach out to the committee, thanking them for putting this all together because I do think pointing out the positives.

[Nicole Branley]: is as important as pointing out things that would need to be worked on.

[Nicole Branley]: So I do appreciate all of this.

[Nicole Branley]: Assigning the school resource officer in the mayor's communication on December 23rd, you had mentioned that there would be two officers, a female officer and an officer of color.

[Nicole Branley]: So I'm just curious if there's gonna be a third officer or what happened with that?

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: And then for the implementing clear consistent protocols for student identification, check in and hallway presence.

[Nicole Branley]: What happens when they don't?

[Nicole Branley]: Like, what are some of the consequences?

[Nicole Branley]: So if they don't have their identification, once identifications are passed out, what if they don't have it?

[Nicole Branley]: Is there a consequence to that?

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, it's gonna be.

[Nicole Branley]: Absolutely.

[Nicole Branley]: And then you had touched upon just the cutting of the classes.

[Nicole Branley]: So

[Nicole Branley]: teachers are going to be using the talking point app if a student.

[Nicole Branley]: What was the procedure before.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: For a period.

[Nicole Branley]: And then so what is the follow up to that?

[Nicole Branley]: Is it still four offenses?

[Nicole Branley]: That it's followed up by the AP?

[Nicole Branley]: So is the talking point just going to the parent, right?

[Nicole Branley]: I have it, yep, yep, yep.

[Nicole Branley]: And then, so is that also going to the AP too?

[Nicole Branley]: Is it happening simultaneously?

[Nicole Branley]: No, the talking points message to my knowledge- What I'm saying is the AP being told that today, when you said Johnny, so Johnny didn't show up, his mom was notified, but was the assistant principal notified so that those four are still being counted towards the discipline

[Nicole Branley]: Correct.

[Nicole Branley]: The answer is yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, mom, you know this now.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, just want to make sure that so the teacher is responsible to make sure both parties know now.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that maybe parents feeling even a little disconnected from that, because I know that when my child goes to school and I'm sure many parents feel the same way.

[Nicole Branley]: Well, I'm expecting them to be in English right now.

[Nicole Branley]: You know, and then, you know, obviously when an emergency is happening at the school and you know that emergency response teams are there, you're thinking, okay, my child must be in math right now, not in a bathroom hanging out or in a hallway that no one's, you know, might be looking at regularly.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think that it's important that parents know where your child is during the day.

[Nicole Branley]: And I've said this, I think I've reached out to many of you saying that, you know, if there was just even a natural disaster, if you don't know where these students are, if they're supposed to be 30, you know, 30 kids in a class,

[Nicole Branley]: and eight have walking around, three didn't show up.

[Nicole Branley]: That's a lot of responsibility for the teacher to say, I don't know where 11 kids are.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think that that's great.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just have one more question.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think it was from member Hays.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm curious when you did this new walkthrough, did you see a difference?

[Nicole Branley]: Have you walked through prior?

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, so just in our situation alone, I just wanted to- I'm just kidding.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm just kidding.

[Nicole Branley]: No, I said you cut the line.

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, that I know.

[Nicole Branley]: I think I created the line.

[Nicole Branley]: No, I'm just kidding.

[Nicole Branley]: So just FYI for a member who's still at home.

[Nicole Branley]: So our daughter had filled out what is called Medford High School, Medford Vocation Technical High School Incident Report Forms.

[Nicole Branley]: So in her situation, a threat,

[Nicole Branley]: you know, whatever was going on at the time.

[Nicole Branley]: Went to her as a principal, an incident report was written with the assistant principal.

[Nicole Branley]: It is called the Method High Incident Report.

[Nicole Branley]: There is some for students.

[Nicole Branley]: There are some for faculty and staff.

[Nicole Branley]: There's an incident report form for administrative response.

[Nicole Branley]: And obviously, if there's anything that you think is different, you know what I mean?

[Nicole Branley]: Like, tell me if you think that there's something different that I'm not saying, to correct me.

[Nicole Branley]: You know what, that's all I'm saying.

[Nicole Branley]: just to correct me, so there is incident report form, the administrative response, there's the incident report form for faculty and staff statements, there is the incident report for students, and also Joanne might also know the stat on this, and I believe if I'm correct that if there are three incident reports, then you can file a police report.

[Nicole Branley]: That's a no harassment order, three incidents of harassment.

[Nicole Branley]: Right, but then you can also file a police report too.

[Nicole Branley]: So there's different reports at the high school.

[Nicole Branley]: One, Officer Conway takes care of, which would be the police report.

[Nicole Branley]: And then there's also reports that the high school fills out when your child comes to the school with a complaint or worry or a threat or whatever else is going on.

[Nicole Branley]: But there are some that students fill out.

[Nicole Branley]: There's some for the staff.

[Nicole Branley]: And then there's some that I have here that say administrative response, but they are also redacted.

[Nicole Branley]: So if you request them, they, they are redacted.

[Nicole Branley]: Cause obviously if a student is talking about another student, they're going to say, you know, me and Melanie or whatever.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, so they do need to be redacted before they're getting to anybody else.

[Nicole Branley]: Right.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: And we've noticed that too, not always notified.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think that that definitely has to be part of it.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think to a student signing something with their signature, definitely is important that a parent gets told about that right away.

[Nicole Branley]: Absolutely.

[Nicole Branley]: So that was not always, at least in a situation that I'm very familiar with, that did not happen.

[Nicole Branley]: So just FYI.

[Nicole Branley]: All right, thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Every time I come to these meetings, I say, I'm not gonna speak.

[Nicole Branley]: And then I listen to what everybody has to say.

[Nicole Branley]: And I take a lot of notes and everybody here makes it pretty easy for me to end up being the, maybe the calm voice.

[Nicole Branley]: Maybe that everybody needs to hear.

[Nicole Branley]: Maybe it's the parents and the kids at home that need to hear my voice.

[Nicole Branley]: Maybe it's you.

[Nicole Branley]: I hope I'm not just hearing myself at this point.

[Nicole Branley]: but a lot of things have been said.

[Nicole Branley]: I heard the superintendent say that all hands were on deck.

[Nicole Branley]: We need that every day.

[Nicole Branley]: We need all hands on deck every single day for these children.

[Nicole Branley]: or step down.

[Nicole Branley]: But there was something else that our daughter said yesterday that impressed me.

[Nicole Branley]: And this morning I sent an email to her teachers and she said, if it weren't for my amazing teachers and my amazing vocational program, I would transfer, I would leave.

[Nicole Branley]: I think that says a lot.

[Nicole Branley]: about our staff, about our teachers, about her friends who are dealing with this at her age, right along with her, with their families who have stood by our side.

[Nicole Branley]: It's very impressive to me that the teachers were the ones that were with our kids today.

[Nicole Branley]: They were the ones that were with our children during that lockdown yesterday.

[Nicole Branley]: As upset as my daughter was, her teacher took care of her yesterday.

[Nicole Branley]: Her teacher saved her life on October 17th.

[Nicole Branley]: I know four by name, there were others in the incident report that I did not know of, but they saved her life.

[Nicole Branley]: We're asking a lot of our teachers

[Nicole Branley]: or asking too much, but yet they're rising to the occasion every single time.

[Nicole Branley]: And so are these kids.

[Nicole Branley]: These kids are kids.

[Nicole Branley]: We have to be the adults that lead here.

[Nicole Branley]: We have to be the adults that lead here.

[Nicole Branley]: So when it comes down to money, there's no dollar amount that should be set on any child.

[Nicole Branley]: And I know that in the big picture, we have limits.

[Nicole Branley]: I get that.

[Nicole Branley]: but our teachers, our staff, our students, families, this is what's the most important thing.

[Nicole Branley]: I heard many people say that there's been years of bullying.

[Nicole Branley]: I have one, two, three, four police reports since September.

[Nicole Branley]: for our situation of bullying.

[Nicole Branley]: And yet the bullying plan that we have was not initiated until the nurse saw my daughter on October 17th.

[Nicole Branley]: No one filled out that bullying incident report until October 17th when she was on the ground.

[Nicole Branley]: And the nurse asked me, is this something that's been going on?

[Nicole Branley]: I said, yes, we've been dealing with this since June.

[Nicole Branley]: And she said, I need to write the bullying incident report.

[Nicole Branley]: I didn't receive it until December 9th.

[Nicole Branley]: I asked for it.

[Nicole Branley]: You all know I asked for it.

[Nicole Branley]: And that bullying plan that I sat on a subcommittee meeting

[Nicole Branley]: Right?

[Nicole Branley]: Subcommittee meeting, school committee meeting on December 6th.

[Nicole Branley]: And I said, I've never gotten these papers.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't, I asked if the bullying plan that we were going over was actually something currently that we were using because it was foreign to me in the sense that none of it was executed.

[Nicole Branley]: So what we have in place needs to be followed.

[Nicole Branley]: We have a whole bunch of stuff that we need to do.

[Nicole Branley]: Don't get me wrong.

[Nicole Branley]: We have a whole bunch of stuff that we need to do.

[Nicole Branley]: We really need to step it up.

[Nicole Branley]: But what we have in place could work if we followed it also.

[Nicole Branley]: That has to be done.

[Nicole Branley]: So I know Councilor Knight, you said maybe cancel school for the rest of the week because no learning will be done.

[Nicole Branley]: But maybe something just as valuable as learning can be done because I noticed today that for our daughter, it was a bit therapeutic.

[Nicole Branley]: to be with her friends, to be with other students.

[Nicole Branley]: I understand why parents or guardians felt that they didn't feel comfortable sending their kids or that kids didn't feel comfortable being at school today.

[Nicole Branley]: I understand that.

[Nicole Branley]: But today was probably the safest day to be at school.

[Nicole Branley]: It certainly wasn't yesterday.

[Nicole Branley]: I can vouch for that.

[Nicole Branley]: So we have all these good faith discussions.

[Nicole Branley]: I heard the words.

[Nicole Branley]: mentioned sustainable solutions.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to put our politics aside.

[Nicole Branley]: We really need to put our politics aside.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to all stop arguing.

[Nicole Branley]: I know that I was very emotional last night.

[Nicole Branley]: This whole situation is making me lose my voice.

[Nicole Branley]: But the division is what our kids are seeing.

[Nicole Branley]: That's not okay.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not okay.

[Nicole Branley]: They need to see us all united.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that I've been very vocal to everybody that I am willing to help.

[Nicole Branley]: I have an army of people behind me.

[Nicole Branley]: I really do.

[Nicole Branley]: It is amazing to me, the outpouring of people.

[Nicole Branley]: And I thank every single last one of them because it has helped give me the strength and helped give my daughter the strength.

[Nicole Branley]: Our family, my husband and my son give us the strength to keep moving forward because there's no doubt if I went away,

[Nicole Branley]: If I went away October 17th, if I pulled her from Mefford High, we'd be here right now, but it wouldn't be about her.

[Nicole Branley]: It would just be another situation and maybe the urgency wouldn't be there.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know why this has all happened to us.

[Nicole Branley]: I really don't, but we can't stop.

[Nicole Branley]: And I just, I beg every single parent to come to every single school committee meeting

[Nicole Branley]: to join me.

[Nicole Branley]: I've sat here the first night, an abundance of people, but I've sat here every single meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: You all have seen me.

[Nicole Branley]: I've spoken at your meetings.

[Nicole Branley]: I think this is number three here at the city council.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to hear your voice.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to hear voices, parents, because I've heard you all.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm relaying the messages, but I'm just one woman repeating myself.

[Nicole Branley]: We need all of your voices.

[Nicole Branley]: So I also wanted to mention too,

[Nicole Branley]: My full police reports are all about bullying.

[Nicole Branley]: But I met this other mom yesterday outside of Medford High, someone I've never met before in my life.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know her.

[Nicole Branley]: I feel like I've known her for a very long time, even though we've just met yesterday outside of Medford High School.

[Nicole Branley]: This is not

[Nicole Branley]: a bond moms should have while their daughters are in high school.

[Nicole Branley]: This is not the bond that we should be making.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm grateful for it.

[Nicole Branley]: But this is a sad time.

[Nicole Branley]: It really is a sad time.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to step up.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to work together, please.

[Nicole Branley]: I've asked, and I almost messaged the school committee today and said, let me help.

[Nicole Branley]: let me help.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll come to I've been at every meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: I've been here.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll do it all.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll do it all.

[Nicole Branley]: Just tell me.

[Nicole Branley]: I think you all know how persistent I am at this point.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not going away.

[Nicole Branley]: I love this city.

[Nicole Branley]: I love I believe the blue and white too.

[Nicole Branley]: I believe it too.

[Nicole Branley]: And I and I want to be proud and I always have been I'm so proud that the football team was here tonight.

[Nicole Branley]: I we need to we need to recognize all the good that's happening here starting with the teachers, the sports

[Nicole Branley]: the culinary program, the vocational school, all of it.

[Nicole Branley]: It needs to be celebrated, but we can't let this other stuff go be swept under the rug anymore.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you again for your time.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry, just to add one thing, and I don't know if I had mentioned it to you, I think.

[Nicole Branley]: I can't keep track.

[Nicole Branley]: I can look at all my notes.

[Nicole Branley]: But the resolution had talked about incidents that Officer Conway could put together.

[Nicole Branley]: I believe it was 30 days.

[Nicole Branley]: And will that include incident reports within the school?

[Nicole Branley]: Not just the police reports, but student on student violence in the schools that's handled within

[Nicole Branley]: an assistant principal, a principal.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: I just want to make sure that that was all included, not just from the SRO because he would only have access.

[Nicole Branley]: Cause cause, okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Because, um, he can only produce the stuff from the police department.

[Nicole Branley]: So, all right.

[Nicole Branley]: Awesome.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you so much.

[Nicole Branley]: Nicole Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: Every time I come to these meetings, I say, I'm not gonna speak.

[Nicole Branley]: And then I listened to what everybody has to say.

[Nicole Branley]: And I take a lot of notes and everybody here makes it pretty easy for me to end up being the, maybe the calm voice.

[Nicole Branley]: Maybe that everybody needs to hear.

[Nicole Branley]: Maybe it's the parents and the kids at home that need to hear my voice.

[Nicole Branley]: Maybe it's you.

[Nicole Branley]: I hope I'm not just hearing myself at this point.

[Nicole Branley]: But a lot of things have been said.

[Nicole Branley]: I heard the superintendent say that all hands were on deck.

[Nicole Branley]: We need that every day.

[Nicole Branley]: We need all hands on deck every single day for these children.

[Nicole Branley]: Councilor Scarpelli quoted our daughter and our community really has seemed to rally around: Step up

[Nicole Branley]: or step down.

[Nicole Branley]: But there was something else that our daughter said yesterday that impressed me.

[Nicole Branley]: And this morning I sent an email to her teachers and she said, if it weren't for my amazing teachers and my amazing vocational program, I would transfer, I would leave.

[Nicole Branley]: I think that says a lot.

[Nicole Branley]: about our staff, about our teachers, about her friends who are dealing with this at her age, right along with her, with their families who have stood by our side.

[Nicole Branley]: It's very impressive to me that the teachers were the ones that were with our kids today.

[Nicole Branley]: They were the ones that were with our children during that lockdown yesterday.

[Nicole Branley]: As upset as my daughter was, her teacher took care of her yesterday.

[Nicole Branley]: Her teacher saved her life on October 17th.

[Nicole Branley]: Her teachers saved her life.

[Nicole Branley]: I know four by name, there were others in the incident report that I did not know of, but they saved her life.

[Nicole Branley]: We're asking a lot of our teachers

[Nicole Branley]: or asking too much, but yet they're rising to the occasion every single time.

[Nicole Branley]: And so are these kids.

[Nicole Branley]: These kids are kids.

[Nicole Branley]: We have to be the adults that lead here.

[Nicole Branley]: We have to be the adults that lead here.

[Nicole Branley]: So when it comes down to money, there's no dollar amount that should be set on any child.

[Nicole Branley]: And I know that in the big picture, we have limits.

[Nicole Branley]: I get that.

[Nicole Branley]: but our teachers, our staff, our students, families, this is what's the most important thing.

[Nicole Branley]: I heard many people say that there's been years of bullying, years of bullying.

[Nicole Branley]: The bullying in our situation started in June, continued in September.

[Nicole Branley]: I have one, two, three, four,

[Nicole Branley]: police reports since September for our situation of bullying.

[Nicole Branley]: And yet the bullying plan that we have was not initiated until the nurse saw my daughter on October 17th.

[Nicole Branley]: I want you to hear that.

[Nicole Branley]: No one filled out that bullying incident report until October 17th when she was on the ground and the nurse asked me,

[Nicole Branley]: Is this something that's been going on?

[Nicole Branley]: I said, yes, we've been dealing with this since June.

[Nicole Branley]: And she said, I need to write the bullying incident report.

[Nicole Branley]: I didn't receive it until December 9th.

[Nicole Branley]: I asked for it.

[Nicole Branley]: You all know I asked for it.

[Nicole Branley]: I asked all of you to help me get that paperwork.

[Nicole Branley]: So years of bullying have been happening.

[Nicole Branley]: And that bullying plan,

[Nicole Branley]: that I sat on a subcommittee meeting, right?

[Nicole Branley]: Subcommittee meeting, school committee meeting on December 6th.

[Nicole Branley]: And I said, I've never gotten these papers.

[Nicole Branley]: I asked if the bullying plan that we were going over was actually something currently that we were using because it was foreign to me in the sense that none of it was executed.

[Nicole Branley]: So what we have in place needs to be followed

[Nicole Branley]: We have a whole bunch of stuff that we need to do.

[Nicole Branley]: Don't get me wrong.

[Nicole Branley]: We have a whole bunch of stuff that we need to do.

[Nicole Branley]: We really need to step it up.

[Nicole Branley]: But what we have in place could work if we followed it also.

[Nicole Branley]: That has to be done.

[Nicole Branley]: So I know Councilor Knight, you said maybe cancel school for the rest of the week because no learning will be done, but maybe something just as valuable as learning can be done because

[Nicole Branley]: I noticed today that for our daughter, it was a bit therapeutic to be with her friends, to be with other students.

[Nicole Branley]: I understand why parents or guardians felt that they didn't feel comfortable sending their kids or that kids didn't feel comfortable being at school today.

[Nicole Branley]: I understand that.

[Nicole Branley]: But today was probably the safest day to be at school.

[Nicole Branley]: It certainly wasn't yesterday.

[Nicole Branley]: And it certainly wasn't October 17th.

[Nicole Branley]: I can vouch for that.

[Nicole Branley]: So we have all these good faith discussions.

[Nicole Branley]: I heard the words mentioned sustainable solutions.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to put our politics aside.

[Nicole Branley]: We really need to put our politics aside.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to all stop arguing.

[Nicole Branley]: I know that I was very emotional last night.

[Nicole Branley]: This whole situation is making me lose my voice.

[Nicole Branley]: But the division is

[Nicole Branley]: is what our kids are seeing.

[Nicole Branley]: That's not okay.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not okay.

[Nicole Branley]: They need to see us all united.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that I've been very vocal to everybody that I am willing to help.

[Nicole Branley]: I have an army of people behind me.

[Nicole Branley]: I really do.

[Nicole Branley]: It is amazing to me, the outpouring of people.

[Nicole Branley]: And I thank every single last one of them because it has helped give me the strength and helped give my daughter the strength, our family,

[Nicole Branley]: My husband and my son give us the strength to keep moving forward because there's no doubt if I went away, if I went away October 17th, if I pulled her from Mefford High, we'd be here right now, but it wouldn't be about her.

[Nicole Branley]: It would just be another situation and maybe the urgency wouldn't be there.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know why this has all happened to us.

[Nicole Branley]: I really don't.

[Nicole Branley]: We can't stop.

[Nicole Branley]: And I just, I beg every single parent to come to every single school committee meeting to join me.

[Nicole Branley]: I've sat here the first night, an abundance of people, but I've sat here every single meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: You all have seen me.

[Nicole Branley]: I've spoken at your meetings.

[Nicole Branley]: I think this is number three here at the city council.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to hear your voice.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to hear voices, parents, because I've heard you all.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm relaying the messages, but I'm just one woman repeating myself.

[Nicole Branley]: We need all of your voices.

[Nicole Branley]: So I also wanted to mention too, my four police reports are all about bullying, but I met this other mom yesterday outside of Medford High, someone I've never met before in my life.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't know her.

[Nicole Branley]: Between us, we have seven police reports from this school year.

[Nicole Branley]: Her story is so similar to mine.

[Nicole Branley]: I feel like I've known her for a very long time, even though we've just met yesterday outside of Medford High School.

[Nicole Branley]: This is not a bond moms should have while their daughters are in high school.

[Nicole Branley]: This is not the bond that we should be making.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm grateful for it.

[Nicole Branley]: But this is a sad time.

[Nicole Branley]: It really is a sad time.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to step up.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to work together, please.

[Nicole Branley]: I've asked, and I almost messaged the school committee today and said, let me help.

[Nicole Branley]: Let me help.

[Nicole Branley]: I've been at every meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: I've been here.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll do it all.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll do it all.

[Nicole Branley]: Just tell me.

[Nicole Branley]: I think you all know how persistent I am at this point.

[Nicole Branley]: I am not going away.

[Nicole Branley]: I love this city.

[Nicole Branley]: I love, I believe the blue and white too.

[Nicole Branley]: I believe it too.

[Nicole Branley]: And I wanna be proud, and I always have been.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm so proud that the football team was here tonight.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to recognize all the good that's happening here, starting with the teachers, the sports, the culinary program, the vocational school, all of it.

[Nicole Branley]: It needs to be celebrated, but we can't let this other stuff be swept under the rug anymore.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you again for your time.

[Nicole Branley]: Let me stand here with you.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: This is the bag I carry around.

[Nicole Branley]: This is my whole life right now.

[Nicole Branley]: One. Two. Three.

[Nicole Branley]: And of course my OCD, everything's color coded.

[Nicole Branley]: Four.

[Nicole Branley]: You know what?

[Nicole Branley]: Because they're not bad.

[Nicole Branley]: They have unexpected behavior and adults aren't doing their job.

[Nicole Branley]: That's why adults aren't doing their job.

[Nicole Branley]: So all their unexpected behavior continues.

[Nicole Branley]: continues.

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry, just to add one thing.

[Nicole Branley]: And I don't know if I had mentioned it to you, I think.

[Nicole Branley]: I can't keep track.

[Nicole Branley]: I can look at all my notes, but the resolution had talked about incidents that Officer Conway could put together.

[Nicole Branley]: I believe it was 30 days.

[Nicole Branley]: And will that include incident reports within the school, not just the police reports, but on student violence in the schools that's handled within

[Nicole Branley]: an assistant principal, a principal.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay.

[Nicole Branley]: I just want to make sure that that was all included, not just from the SRO because he would only have access.

[Nicole Branley]: Cause cause, okay.

[Nicole Branley]: Because, um, he can only produce the stuff from the police department.

[Nicole Branley]: So, all right.

[Nicole Branley]: Awesome.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you so much.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: You know, these kids have to know that everybody is following the rules so that they follow the rules.

[Nicole Branley]: There has to be consequences for actions.

[Nicole Branley]: So again, my name is Nicole Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: and I can't give you my address.

[Nicole Branley]: I've tried to really keep our daughter out of the spotlight as much as I've been vocal for our safety concerns.

[Nicole Branley]: But I want you all to know here tonight that today is her 16th birthday.

[Nicole Branley]: Today is her birthday.

[Nicole Branley]: And as we sat at dinner, she said, mom, I can't sit here.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to go there.

[Nicole Branley]: They need to hear my voice.

[Nicole Branley]: For anybody that's spoken about what happened to the other student, here we are.

[Nicole Branley]: This is us.

[Nicole Branley]: This is our face.

[Nicole Branley]: This is my baby.

[Nicole Branley]: And this is her high school experience.

[Nicole Branley]: This is how she spent her birthday, texting me repeatedly, saying, Mom, you need to pick me up.

[Nicole Branley]: You need to pick me up.

[Nicole Branley]: I have been standing in front of every single one of you for two months saying, I'm sounding the alarm.

[Nicole Branley]: Every parent that's here tonight, you need to come every single meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: If you're on this meeting and you hear my voice, you need to be here.

[Nicole Branley]: This is for your child.

[Nicole Branley]: Mayor, I was on zoom.

[Nicole Branley]: Did you say that we have to school resource officers to who said that we have to because because officer Conway has been a godsend to our family.

[Nicole Branley]: And you should thank him every day.

[Nicole Branley]: You should all thank him every day because he's been a godsend to our school to our family.

[Nicole Branley]: He has supported us more than anyone.

[Nicole Branley]: But I've only known about officer Conway.

[Nicole Branley]: So who's, who's the second officer officers the overall, he is at the middle schools and also will go up to the high school so we do have a lot more for the district, that makes a lot more sense because I would love to meet him and chat with him too.

[Nicole Branley]: Melanie, did I just hear you say that you didn't know much about the previous incident?

[Nicole Branley]: Is this meaning what happened today or what happened with my situation?

[Nicole Branley]: I just wanted to make it clear.

[Nicole Branley]: Swear to God.

[Nicole Branley]: Okay, can I just say something?

[Nicole Branley]: And I think that this has really been important for me.

[Nicole Branley]: People have asked, who stabbed today?

[Nicole Branley]: Who hurt your daughter?

[Nicole Branley]: I want their name.

[Nicole Branley]: Guess what?

[Nicole Branley]: It doesn't make a difference who, when it comes down to it, because they're juveniles who need to be led by adults.

[Nicole Branley]: and our adults are failing our students.

[Nicole Branley]: That goes, parents need to step up.

[Nicole Branley]: Superintendent, there's blood on your hands today, my friend, I'm sorry.

[Nicole Branley]: But I told you, I told you.

[Nicole Branley]: Kiana, Kiana, I told you.

[Nicole Branley]: I understand, but I've told you all.

[Nicole Branley]: I've talked to each and every one of you.

[Nicole Branley]: I've met with you privately.

[Nicole Branley]: I've met with you privately.

[Nicole Branley]: Devastated.

[Nicole Branley]: It's a piece of paper when it comes down to it, I would like.

[Nicole Branley]: She would like to speak, and if she can speak I would really be grateful.

[Nicole Branley]: Yeah, this, this is not how any child should have to spend their birthday.

[Nicole Branley]: Correct.

[Nicole Branley]: This is such a shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame.

[Nicole Branley]: You don't need to know their names.

[Nicole Branley]: You just need, you need to be.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes.

[Nicole Branley]: Yes, she is.

[Nicole Branley]: How do I turn this on?

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, so Nicole Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: I need to omit my address for safety concerns.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't actually have any specific words written for tonight.

[Nicole Branley]: 51 days ago was my daughter's attack.

[Nicole Branley]: It's still horrifying.

[Nicole Branley]: On November 7th, I spoke at the school committee meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: We spoke about that earlier on the phone.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm wondering if you went and actually looked at the meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: not since our conversation, okay.

[Nicole Branley]: On November 29th, I believe it was brought up at the City Council meeting by you and by Member Knight and Member Caraviello about what happened to our daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: I spoke December 2nd at the City Council meeting, and here I am again today.

[Nicole Branley]: I think the city has a lot of work to do.

[Nicole Branley]: And as I said before, I believe there's 14 elected officials.

[Nicole Branley]: Everybody has to do their part.

[Nicole Branley]: Every parent, every elected official,

[Nicole Branley]: Every person, what happened to my daughter was inhumane.

[Nicole Branley]: It was inhumane.

[Nicole Branley]: And it hasn't gotten better.

[Nicole Branley]: Some of the words that we've talked about here tonight that I've heard many of you say is communication, teachers, uncomfortable.

[Nicole Branley]: This is uncomfortable for me.

[Nicole Branley]: Uncomfortable is watching your daughter walk into school every day and know that she she's sad because she got hurt and she's scared Uncomfortable is how she must have felt that day on the floor This doesn't get easier 51 days later this is something that I I said to someone earlier I will never get over that over this and all the days of the rest of my life because this is my child This is my child

[Nicole Branley]: So this is uncomfortable.

[Nicole Branley]: It might be uncomfortable for you to vote on this or make your peace, but this is uncomfortable and it's not getting any easier.

[Nicole Branley]: I need everybody's help.

[Nicole Branley]: I need everybody's support.

[Nicole Branley]: Someone also said to me, you have hundreds, if not thousands of people standing behind you, but what elected official is going to take the lead and stand in front of you?

[Nicole Branley]: Wow, I thought, wow, you're right.

[Nicole Branley]: I can lead everybody behind me, but who's gonna step up?

[Nicole Branley]: I need everybody to step up for the safety of our kids, not just for mine, not just for mine, for every child, for every child.

[Nicole Branley]: So there has been one consistent, I mean, there's been many consistent people who have supported us and one has been the teachers.

[Nicole Branley]: her teachers have been amazing, amazing, and they have validated every single one of our concerns.

[Nicole Branley]: They've listened to me, they've communicated tirelessly to make sure that she's okay and that I know she's okay every single day, that we're getting through it all together.

[Nicole Branley]: So I guess my question is after 51 days, why,

[Nicole Branley]: yesterday was the first time that I heard from you.

[Nicole Branley]: Why was today... I just mean, today it was 3.30 we were on the phone.

[Nicole Branley]: This meeting was at seven o'clock.

[Nicole Branley]: And I asked you one thing.

[Nicole Branley]: I said, could you just look at that video of what I said at the school committee meeting?

[Nicole Branley]: Because I'm not sure you know what happened.

[Nicole Branley]: And I hung up with you and three seconds later, I got a voicemail from you.

[Nicole Branley]: I haven't heard one thing from any of you.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm not trying to point you out and say you were wrong or whatnot, but it's not right.

[Nicole Branley]: And what I need everybody to do right now is the right thing for my family, for our city, for our school.

[Nicole Branley]: We only get one shot here with our kids.

[Nicole Branley]: I only have one shot right now.

[Nicole Branley]: This is my one shot.

[Nicole Branley]: And people keep saying how strong I am or how brave I am.

[Nicole Branley]: This is really uncomfortable.

[Nicole Branley]: I've had to put myself out everywhere to protect my child.

[Nicole Branley]: Going to parent-teacher conference the other night, we walked through the overpass that we walked through 30 years ago.

[Nicole Branley]: And I said, wow, it's still just as cold here.

[Nicole Branley]: in this overpass.

[Nicole Branley]: That video of my daughter being attacked was sent to me before I even started my car to get to Medford High School.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to do better, not just for me, not just for me.

[Nicole Branley]: I can lead everybody.

[Nicole Branley]: I can say a million great things.

[Nicole Branley]: That's great.

[Nicole Branley]: But if nothing changes, then what does this show?

[Nicole Branley]: What does this show the kids who have the unexpected behavior?

[Nicole Branley]: What does it show them?

[Nicole Branley]: And my God, what does it show the kids that are doing the right thing and having this done to them?

[Nicole Branley]: If you don't like this policy, then what's your proposal?

[Nicole Branley]: What's your proposal?

[Nicole Branley]: What's your proposal?

[Nicole Branley]: You can say no to this all day, but then what's your proposal?

[Nicole Branley]: Can you write a proposal?

[Nicole Branley]: Can the three of you get together and maybe make a plan?

[Nicole Branley]: Because these three got together and made a plan.

[Nicole Branley]: They wrote something.

[Nicole Branley]: It says right here, Councilor Knight, Councilor Scarpell, thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think just to add, and I said it to you,

[Nicole Branley]: We can't be reactive anymore.

[Nicole Branley]: Even about the paving.

[Nicole Branley]: Now we're gonna ask questions.

[Nicole Branley]: Why?

[Nicole Branley]: Why are we always so reactive?

[Nicole Branley]: Why can't we be proactive?

[Nicole Branley]: Put something in place that's proactive.

[Nicole Branley]: Don't let this happen to another family.

[Nicole Branley]: Because what if the family isn't as strong as ours?

[Nicole Branley]: What happens to them?

[Nicole Branley]: What if a child can't go home and talk to their parents?

[Nicole Branley]: I am so blessed that we have the relationship that we do with our daughter, that she was open with us.

[Nicole Branley]: I wish you that for your baby.

[Nicole Branley]: I really do.

[Nicole Branley]: I really, I wish that for every child.

[Nicole Branley]: I wish that for every parent that they had that open conversation, but I'm really worried about the people that don't know how this is supposed to work.

[Nicole Branley]: I've done a lot of research.

[Nicole Branley]: I've worked in the school system.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm versed in the lingo that's in the school system versus the lingo out of the school system.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm blessed in that way, but not everybody is.

[Nicole Branley]: We can't help what happened to my daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not sure something else is going to happen either.

[Nicole Branley]: So I need to be proactive.

[Nicole Branley]: I need you all to be proactive.

[Nicole Branley]: So if it needs to go to the committee of the whole, if there's something that I can do to help, I'll do it.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll support all of you.

[Nicole Branley]: If you support my family, the teachers, and I don't mean just contract, I mean like teachers that are on the ground that have their opinion that can't go up and speak just, hi, I'm a teacher that I wanted to say that this is,

[Nicole Branley]: you know, a problem in our school, I had to apply, you know, I felt like I needed to apply to speak at the school committee meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: I needed to send to the school committee and to the superintendent who I've been in meetings with, who I didn't feel like I had the full support of, the superintendent, read my words before anybody could say to me, sure, yeah, you can come in.

[Nicole Branley]: It's, that was a horrible feeling.

[Nicole Branley]: It was a horrible feeling that I felt like it had to be studied first and okayed.

[Nicole Branley]: I poured my heart out into that.

[Nicole Branley]: Like I poured out my heart every single time that I've spoken.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not saying, you know, I feel like what I'm asking should not be a lot.

[Nicole Branley]: I need people to be proactive to protect our children.

[Nicole Branley]: to protect the safety of all at school every single day.

[Nicole Branley]: It should be just common sense at this point.

[Nicole Branley]: So listen to the teachers, find out what they need on the ground there.

[Nicole Branley]: Because there's a lot of things happening at the school that I'm hearing about that you, everybody in the city should know about as elected officials.

[Nicole Branley]: It shouldn't be dangerous to send your child to high school.

[Nicole Branley]: and certainly should not land them in the emergency room.

[Nicole Branley]: So I thank you for your time.

[Nicole Branley]: Like I've said, I am willing to help in any single way.

[Nicole Branley]: I was on the subcommittee meeting for the school committee earlier about bullying prevention.

[Nicole Branley]: I'll do whatever it takes.

[Nicole Branley]: Ask me.

[Nicole Branley]: I think by now the city knows I'm persistent.

[Nicole Branley]: So I will continue to be persistent.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not going anywhere.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm going to stand up for every child, my child,

[Nicole Branley]: every single time.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Hi, it's Nicole Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: I can't give my address.

[Nicole Branley]: And it's saying I can't start my video because the host has disabled it.

[Nicole Branley]: So just so you know.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you for that.

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry, is it too bright, too dark?

[Nicole Branley]: I couldn't get on the laptop.

[Nicole Branley]: So we're trying everything here.

[Nicole Branley]: It's fine.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to say that I've read this multiple times and I think the thing that really took my breath away about it is that it wasn't followed in my case for my daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: I have never seen

[Nicole Branley]: this bullying incident report form.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think when I saw this, it kind of caught me off guard that I didn't even know that this existed.

[Nicole Branley]: I mean, I don't think there's anybody on here that doesn't know our story at this point.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think that that was, you know, it took my breath away.

[Nicole Branley]: And I know from the documentation that I have

[Nicole Branley]: from the communications from the superintendent and from the principal that a bully investigation was never done.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think everything that I've read in the actual plan is great, but we can have all the plans and all the rules and all the policies.

[Nicole Branley]: And I think I've said this 8 million times, we can have all of these things,

[Nicole Branley]: but if we're not following through, it all means nothing.

[Nicole Branley]: And so, you know, I've highlighted some things in here.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't want to be the only one that talks the only time because, you know, you all deserve a voice, but we have fallen under many of the categories here that are the definition of bullying.

[Nicole Branley]: We have incident reports, but that is being reactive in our situation.

[Nicole Branley]: And maybe if some of this paperwork was done initially with some of our complaints, that maybe

[Nicole Branley]: we wouldn't be on our fourth police report at this time.

[Nicole Branley]: So I think, in my case, and I think that I've probably been the most vocal person about everything that's happened to our child.

[Nicole Branley]: But there are other people out there that I'm sure have had terrible things happen.

[Nicole Branley]: And where do they end up too?

[Nicole Branley]: So it's not just about me.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not just about my daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: This is a big picture.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to make sure that that was stated.

[Nicole Branley]: And obviously, like always, I am more than willing to help.

[Nicole Branley]: and do anything I can for the future of our city, for my daughter's future, for, you know, Medford means a lot to me.

[Nicole Branley]: Medford High means a lot to me.

[Nicole Branley]: My daughter means the most.

[Nicole Branley]: So, you know, I think it was just sad to see this form and know that it was never a plan.

[Nicole Branley]: You know, there was never an investigation.

[Nicole Branley]: There was never a bullying form filled out until the day my daughter was attacked.

[Nicole Branley]: the nurse wrote something out.

[Nicole Branley]: By then, we were already at the emergency room.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just want to make sure that that is stated.

[Nicole Branley]: And I'm sorry, my dog keeps barking, of course.

[Nicole Branley]: But I just want to make sure that that's noted.

[Nicole Branley]: One, um, I worked in a responsive classroom for six years.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, I think it's definitely imperative that we have responsive classroom.

[Nicole Branley]: I've sat in close to 180 nexus classes.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, it's important.

[Nicole Branley]: I do think that it's great for the kids that are in elementary school now.

[Nicole Branley]: But I do feel that as we get to the high school, that there is a little bit more of a disconnect.

[Nicole Branley]: Some of the wording, I don't think many kids in high school are gonna go to, let's just say Mr. DeLaver and say, I'm feeling like I'm in the red zone right now.

[Nicole Branley]: Or I feel like I'm having rock brain.

[Nicole Branley]: Those are some of the terms that we use in elementary school, which are great.

[Nicole Branley]: But I don't feel like as we get a little bit older and we're feeling a little bit more,

[Nicole Branley]: maybe confident.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, you know, I think kids think they know everything.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, but I think some of that is not going to be used as they grow up.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, I think from what I've seen at the middle school, um, I can't agree with Mr. Tucci enough that he is so proactive.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, and I think that, um,

[Nicole Branley]: that really needs to be carried out through all of the school years.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to be proactive.

[Nicole Branley]: I think the wording, you know, and even Mr. Rossell, you just said, I feel sorrow for those needing to know all 38 pages.

[Nicole Branley]: I read all 38 pages.

[Nicole Branley]: I read it more.

[Nicole Branley]: I did exactly what you did before going to bed.

[Nicole Branley]: I highlighted every single thing in here.

[Nicole Branley]: And I feel like when you're a leader at our school, it is your job to study these things.

[Nicole Branley]: So is there sorrow that there has to be 38 pages of this?

[Nicole Branley]: Sure.

[Nicole Branley]: Does some have to be included law-wise, policy-wise, plan-wise?

[Nicole Branley]: but I don't know what parts we cut out besides duplicate, because there's a lot of duplicate information there, because I did turn back and say, oh my God, am I reading the same thing twice or am I going there?

[Nicole Branley]: I was late.

[Nicole Branley]: But I feel like if we don't cover every base, it could be the one wording or one sentence that could matter in someone's life.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just want to make sure that that is out there.

[Nicole Branley]: Like I said, elementary school responsive classroom.

[Nicole Branley]: I worked in a responsive classroom.

[Nicole Branley]: This is amazing.

[Nicole Branley]: I don't ever, there there's no bad children.

[Nicole Branley]: There's a lot of unexpected behavior.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, so that's part of the wording, right?

[Nicole Branley]: Expected.

[Nicole Branley]: Oh, that was very unexpected.

[Nicole Branley]: This is very expected.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, I think that we need to see a lot more expected behavior.

[Nicole Branley]: Um, but I think it needs to be pushed up to, um, the upper levels where kids think that they're going to rule and they don't.

[Nicole Branley]: So I just wanted to make sure that that was out there.

[Nicole Branley]: And as always, whatever you need for me to help move forward with policies or plans or anything in between, I'm more than happy to work with anybody and everybody.

[Nicole Branley]: So thank you very much.

[Nicole Branley]: Good evening.

[Nicole Branley]: My name is Nicole Branley.

[Nicole Branley]: I need to omit my address to share that for you privately if needed.

[Nicole Branley]: Yep.

[Nicole Branley]: I want to thank you all for joining tonight.

[Nicole Branley]: And if anybody else is upset about fiber optics, I apologize.

[Nicole Branley]: So good evening, first of all, to everybody.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you very much for this time.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm here to speak tonight regarding an incident that happened at Medford High School with my daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: In June, my daughter began to be harassed, bullied, and threatened by a female student.

[Nicole Branley]: come September, the bully's sister also became an aggressor.

[Nicole Branley]: After multiple school incident reports, the behavior became so disturbing that a police report needed to be written.

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry, I'm pretty much the loudest person I know, so- I know that.

[Nicole Branley]: Can you hear me better now?

[Nicole Branley]: Awesome.

[Nicole Branley]: Please continue, yeah.

[Nicole Branley]: So on October 17th at Medford High School, our daughter was, our daughter was beaten so badly that she suffered a concussion among other injuries.

[Nicole Branley]: She underwent seven hours of observation at the hospital and tests.

[Nicole Branley]: We have since needed to obtain a harassment prevention order.

[Nicole Branley]: We've pressed charges of assault and battery on both of my daughter's attackers.

[Nicole Branley]: On Tuesday night at Fenway Park, where we had hoped to enjoy a fun family night with our beloved community, the attackers violated the harassment prevention order.

[Nicole Branley]: It took six Boston police officers to hold these students back from our daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: Six police officers and their parents had to hold these two teenage sisters back so they wouldn't hurt our daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: Who will be able to hold these students back if they return to Medford High School?

[Nicole Branley]: No one.

[Nicole Branley]: And no one will be safe, not one teacher, not one student, and certainly not our daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: to say this has been a nightmare of epic proportions for our family.

[Nicole Branley]: I come here tonight to ask each and every one of you for your help.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm a mom who can leave no stone unturned in protecting my child.

[Nicole Branley]: Being here tonight, I can now say

[Nicole Branley]: Every elected official in this city has heard our story from me.

[Nicole Branley]: I've spoken publicly at the school committee meeting.

[Nicole Branley]: I've spoken to our mayor.

[Nicole Branley]: I've communicated with our state representatives.

[Nicole Branley]: I've communicated to the news, to DCF, to DESE.

[Nicole Branley]: I have had our story shared hundreds of times on social media.

[Nicole Branley]: And I have spent countless hours trying to communicate with Mefford High School.

[Nicole Branley]: What happened to our daughter opened my eyes to a much larger problem at Mefford High School, one of rules not being followed, and I'm seeing that starting with our administration.

[Nicole Branley]: Multiple times, my daughter's attackers were wandering the halls, searching her out to threaten her life in a class that she belonged to, not them.

[Nicole Branley]: Not one school administrator called us when this all began.

[Nicole Branley]: Incident reports were written, and I never got a phone call.

[Nicole Branley]: I never got an email.

[Nicole Branley]: At one point, I had to go to the school where I came to learn the administration was unable to locate these bullies who had tried to enter yet another one of my daughter's classes.

[Nicole Branley]: They could not find these girls on the Medford High School campus.

[Nicole Branley]: And they asked me to dismiss my daughter for her safety.

[Nicole Branley]: I wonder all the time what would happen if she wasn't as communicative to me.

[Nicole Branley]: What if she didn't text me during those times?

[Nicole Branley]: What would have happened?

[Nicole Branley]: I've learned from many sources that cutting classes and hiding in bathrooms is a regular occurrence at Medford High for students.

[Nicole Branley]: It's not always followed up by our administration for consequences.

[Nicole Branley]: No doubt they are overwhelmed, but I refuse to make excuses for the adults who have a job to do to ensure all of our children's safety.

[Nicole Branley]: We all own a part in this, each of you, our city officials, school staff, and parents.

[Nicole Branley]: We need to show our students that there are consequences for their actions.

[Nicole Branley]: There's nothing more I want than to work with the superintendent and her administration to ensure our daughter's safety.

[Nicole Branley]: Although we have had some communication in one meeting, unfortunately, I have had multiple emails not returned.

[Nicole Branley]: I requested paperwork that had a 10-day deadline, not by me, but by law, and it was not received.

[Nicole Branley]: I've been given dates by Medford High School admin of when the paperwork would be ready, and yet these dates have also passed.

[Nicole Branley]: I've been told one of my daughter's attackers was removed from a class when she was not.

[Nicole Branley]: I have been told that they were suspended indefinitely at one point.

[Nicole Branley]: They were not.

[Nicole Branley]: I was assured they never crossed paths.

[Nicole Branley]: They did.

[Nicole Branley]: I was assured they never entered CAF II, which is exactly where they entered the day that they attacked my daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: No school administration even thought to reach out to the other family.

[Nicole Branley]: knowing that their child was on the football team on Tuesday night.

[Nicole Branley]: And there, yet again, they tried to attack my daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: It's negligent.

[Nicole Branley]: Disregarding the rules is starting at the top of our school chain, so no wonder some students are not following the rules.

[Nicole Branley]: School administration must be the leader.

[Nicole Branley]: They must set a better example.

[Nicole Branley]: I hope the example that I'm setting for my daughter is a good one, to always stand up for what is right.

[Nicole Branley]: And I also hope you will stand with me.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm willing to help in any way, any solution that I can.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm open to every suggestion on how to help.

[Nicole Branley]: I wanna work with our city officials, the school, our teachers, they are so talented.

[Nicole Branley]: They are beloved, and they deserve to have every child be able to thrive in front of them.

[Nicole Branley]: What is allowed in our schools sets the standard in our community.

[Nicole Branley]: And I appreciate you listening to me.

[Nicole Branley]: I thank you for your time.

[Nicole Branley]: And I would appreciate any solutions that you may have for me going forward.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: Nicole Branley, our address is on file, but needs to be omitted publicly due to our safety concerns.

[Nicole Branley]: This is my first time speaking at a meeting, and I want to thank you all for this time.

[Nicole Branley]: I have heard from the mayor personally, and I appreciate your story and your time, each and every one of you.

[Nicole Branley]: Mr. Russo, you must have lost my email address because I have not heard from you.

[Nicole Branley]: My husband and I have been lifelong Medford residents and have always been proud to be raising our family here.

[Nicole Branley]: We both attended Method Public Schools and graduated Medford High School.

[Nicole Branley]: There was never a second guess in sending our children to public school here in Medford.

[Nicole Branley]: Sadly, my daughter encountered some very alarming and repetitive acts of harassment.

[Nicole Branley]: Bullying and threats at the high school, which led to a vicious physical assault that sent her to the hospital on October 17th.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm not here to speak specifically about her situation, but more of the broader scope of what my eyes have been open to.

[Nicole Branley]: Safety in our schools is imperative.

[Nicole Branley]: News reports of mass shootings that have inflicted on our most vulnerable, our innocent children are everywhere.

[Nicole Branley]: But not until my own daughter's horror story began in June, did I ever really consider that the child sitting next to her would be such a one-on-one threat.

[Nicole Branley]: But that is exactly what happened when she was attacked two-on-one.

[Nicole Branley]: So many people reached out to us when news got around what happened.

[Nicole Branley]: Sadly, many shared their own bullying stories with me.

[Nicole Branley]: I'm sorry that they had to go through that, but I know that the apology does not have to come from me, but it should come from their bully, from their attacker, and from our school district.

[Nicole Branley]: I have heard from countless Method public school victims of bullying in the last week.

[Nicole Branley]: Every story has been more horrifying than the next.

[Nicole Branley]: This is not a new issue.

[Nicole Branley]: As a mom, I know how these mothers feel.

[Nicole Branley]: Helpless, angry, heartbroken, and terrified to send their child back to school.

[Nicole Branley]: I worry too about the students who don't feel comfortable going to the administration.

[Nicole Branley]: or even to their parents or guardians to say what is happening.

[Nicole Branley]: What about them?

[Nicole Branley]: I was the ultra proactive mom in our situation and this violence still occurred.

[Nicole Branley]: What is the breaking point here?

[Nicole Branley]: What about the long-term effects of this on our victims?

[Nicole Branley]: My daughter.

[Nicole Branley]: At one point, at one point during the last few weeks, I realized something even more horrifying, that our daughter will carry this story with her through her whole life.

[Nicole Branley]: One friend told me about her bully in a Method elementary school.

[Nicole Branley]: Sorry.

[Nicole Branley]: back when she was 11.

[Nicole Branley]: She is now 53 years old.

[Nicole Branley]: She asked me not to share her specific story publicly, but fear that her bully still lives in Medford.

[Nicole Branley]: 42 years have gone by for her.

[Nicole Branley]: 42, and she still is in fear.

[Nicole Branley]: Our school system let her down.

[Nicole Branley]: They let our family down and countless others.

[Nicole Branley]: I have heard so many stories this week that bullies or aggressors that are in a fight have actually returned to school from their punishments before the victim could heal from the injuries in return.

[Nicole Branley]: That is backwards and it needs to change.

[Nicole Branley]: Not all the stories I have heard have been under your administration.

[Nicole Branley]: Or during the time of your elected positions, but our story is and so are countless others.

[Nicole Branley]: Although you cannot change the past.

[Nicole Branley]: You certainly need to step up now.

[Nicole Branley]: Medford can be the example of the school district that set the bar.

[Nicole Branley]: Our school should be on the news for positive stories, not ones of violence.

[Nicole Branley]: I am hoping moving forward, we could work together to actually make sure the policies we have in place are sufficient.

[Nicole Branley]: And if so, that they are being implemented.

[Nicole Branley]: I think it's long overdue that children see consequences for their bullying, harassing and fighting.

[Nicole Branley]: Maybe if students know they will be held accountable and consequences are imminent, that they will think twice.

[Nicole Branley]: Even more importantly, that no one else has to be a victim of such a crime and that students who choose to use their fists and hateful words to solve problems actually see consequences.

[Nicole Branley]: If zero tolerance is stated as part of our Mustang way, then follow through has to be too.

[Nicole Branley]: Actions speak louder than words and the students know it.

[Nicole Branley]: They know it's only lip service from you right now.

[Nicole Branley]: It is our job as the adults to set the standards for what we are willing to accept.

[Nicole Branley]: What is allowed in our school defines the morals of the city and our community.

[Nicole Branley]: I've done a lot of reading in the last few weeks.

[Nicole Branley]: And in our own handbook, it says following policies,

[Nicole Branley]: are consistent with the mission statement to set expectations for students and to offer them considerable motivation and support as a way to help them become responsible citizens.

[Nicole Branley]: The time is now.

[Nicole Branley]: I make a vow in front of all of you.

[Nicole Branley]: I will help be a part of the change.

[Nicole Branley]: Tell me what you need.

[Nicole Branley]: Tell me what I can do.

[Nicole Branley]: Tell me where I can sign up.

[Nicole Branley]: Do you need more funding?

[Nicole Branley]: Tell me who I need to contact, because I will do it.

[Nicole Branley]: Do we need another assistant principal?

[Nicole Branley]: The relationships we have built with the school resource officer has been a great one.

[Nicole Branley]: Could we have maybe one more to help him try to cover multiple buildings?

[Nicole Branley]: Help him cover multiple buildings and over 1,200 students.

[Nicole Branley]: Can you type up a clear policy that every child actually has to read and sign every year?

[Nicole Branley]: There's gotta be options.

[Nicole Branley]: Can we make clear that prom, sports, homecoming, that those are privileges and they could lose them.

[Nicole Branley]: Students need routine, they need encouragement, they need love, they need discipline, and they need a hard line.

[Nicole Branley]: So draw the line.

[Nicole Branley]: What are you specifically going to do?

[Nicole Branley]: starting now.

[Nicole Branley]: Maybe our school committee members should start walking the halls of Medford High School.

[Nicole Branley]: Maybe you can spend some time in the cafeteria at lunch or check in on a bathroom.

[Nicole Branley]: I wholeheartedly agree that every child has a right to a public education

[Nicole Branley]: We have exemplary teachers in our district implementing amazing curriculum while nurturing our students to be the best they can be.

[Nicole Branley]: If no expulsions are set forth, then we need to be able to find solutions and education plans for aggressors in an alternative school setting, especially away from the victims to ensure safety for all the students.

[Nicole Branley]: Introducing violent bullies back into the corridors with their victim is assaulting them again.

[Nicole Branley]: Only this time, you will be the bully.

[Nicole Branley]: Thank you.

[Nicole Branley]: So just to go on with Jenny had just said, it really does come down to accountability.

[Nicole Branley]: If the superintendent is accountable for our schools, then why has it not been done?

[Nicole Branley]: Please do your job.

[Nicole Branley]: Mayor.

[Nicole Branley]: And I need the school committee to make her accountable for her job, because here are the voters and we're gonna make you accountable for your job.

[Nicole Branley]: Mayor, what will be the new deadline for this climate and culture report?

[Nicole Branley]: Is there a new deadline?

[Nicole Branley]: Was there a deadline originally?