Following a 6 PM Executive Session for the purpose of collective bargaining strategy with the Holliston Federation of Teachers, School Committee (SC) Chair Stacey Raffi called for and all present observed a moment of silence. Raffi said, “[For] our Hopkinton neighbor, Mikayla Miller who has lost her life, and her family and friends, who are suffering.” 

Raffi then reported that although the SC voted to approve the budget last week, State Law required the SC have a public hearing about the budget prior to going to Town Meeting.

The Public Hearing began at 7:02 PM. Four residents spoke in favor of funding a new position:  Director of Social and Emotional Learning and Equity. No residents spoke in opposition to any part of the SC FY2021-22 budget.  Speaking in support of the proposed Director’s position,  Alecia Thomas, 468 Central Street, a member of Diverse Holliston said, “I am concerned about social and emotional well being.” She advocated for full funding to “enact change and provide the tools to support the healing process.”  Also supporting the position, Sarah Fitzgerald, a Diverse Holliston member, thanked teachers.  Chris Brumbach, 93 Robert Road, a member of Temple Beth Torah spoke in support of the Directorship and thanked Diverse Holliston and the School Committee for their work.  Jane Kohuth, 120 Brook Street, a member of both Diverse Holliston and Temple Beth Torah, spoke in support of creating and funding the Director position and a contract for teachers.  Barbara Ryan, 645 Washington Street, called in to the Zoom meeting, thanking the SC, the Finance Committee, and Dr. Susan Kustka, Superintendent, for their heroic effort.  “I have the deepest appreciation every day for how you touch our children,” said Ryan.

Dr. Kustka thanked all the speakers for their input.  She said, “This was the only requirement I put on the budget—the Director’s position,” adding, “It will be an incredibly important role from Pre-K to grade 12.”  Raffi closed the Public Hearing at 7:32 PM and encouraged the audience to go to Town Meeting and vote the omnibus budget. During individual comments, Raffi announced a virtual book fair being sponsored by the Holliston PTO with Aesop’s Fable, Holliston’s independent bookstore.  During the first week of May, 20% of all purchases by Holliston Elementary school friends and families will be contributed to the Holliston PTO. https://aesopsfable.com/pages/holliston-pto-book-fair

Dr. Kustka (above) reported that the search for an Assistant Superintendent will begin with a meeting at 6 PM on Monday, May 10.  She thanked everyone who applied to be a parent candidate on the committee.  The composition of the Search Committee is as follows:  2 central office administrators, 2 building administrators, 4 educators/staff members, 2 SC members, one high school student, and one parent.  

Raffi asked for reports from the following sub-committees:  the Superintendent’s Evaluation, the Budget, and Communications. 

• Andy Morton, Chair of the Superintendent’s Evaluation sub-committee reported that the timeline had been pushed back due to the schools being reopened. 
• Anne Louise Hanstad, Budget subcommittee chair, reviewed the budget priorities and showed the bottom line:  recommended FY21 budget $37.098,523. a 5.57% increase over FY20. 

• Lisa Kocian, Communications chair, deferred until later in this meeting.

Dr. Kustka reported, in her COVID 19 update, that pool testing has been found to be helpful, and, if it plays out as it should, it will help to identify a person within the pool who has COVID but is asymptomatic.  Present numbers of pool tested students show 25% at HHS; 40% at the middle school, and 30-40% in elementary grades.  Kustka said that pool testing is much more useful applied to 80% of the student population. 

Returning to the Communications sub-committee Chair Kocian, a brief newsletter/update was shared and the SC voted to approve. 

At 8:35 PM, the SC voted to return to Executive Session for the purpose of collective bargaining with the HFT.  The next meeting of the SC is Thursday, May 20, at 7 PM. The agenda will include School Choice seats and transportation—with a vote to adjust the school bus times for 2021-2022.