Monson School Committee Working Meeting 5/19/25

Minutes of the 

Monson School Committee

Working Meeting

Date 5-19-25

Present:  Alison Morgan (Chair), Jamie Murphy, Colleen Flynn, Karen Nothe-Valley, and Peter Wiggins, Superintendent Roland Joyal, Leah Zippin, Director of Business & Operations, Principal Joe Trivisonno and Principal Chris Fontaine 

Note: This working meeting was held in-person and not recorded. 

Ms. Morgan called the meeting to order at  7:04  p.m.

Meeting information: 

Budget update FY 26

In light of an added $300,000 in funds appropriated to the school’s operating budget bottom line number as a result of an amendment to the FY 26 operating budget having passed at the 5/12/25 Annual Town Meeting, the School Committee discussed prior decided cuts and updated recommendations from administration. 

Conversations centered on restoring classroom/student facing positions and programming consistent with prior discussions and assurances that if additional money were allocated, the money would be used to restore classroom facing positions to the extent possible. 

Discussions took place about math intervention, music program, and a possible course correction by adding an Licensed (LC) SpecEd teacher (not previously identified as a need). School Committee members also emphasized the desire to retain smaller classes as conversations progress. 

Three options were presented by Superintendent Roland Joyal, with clarifying input from Leah Zippin, and context based on staff and programming suggestions provided by Principal Trivisonno and Principal Fontaine, their combined comments covering all three buildings (QH, GV, and MHS). 

Option 1 included adding back in the Curriculum Director position full-time ($118,000). Option 2 included adding back in a half-time (.5) Curriculum Direction position ($60,000).  Option 3 does not include adding the Curriculum Director position back in ($0). 

All (3) options add an LC SpecEd teacher ($65,000), add back in GV/ECC Music teacher ($62,548) and add back (1) MHS ELA/SS teacher ($65,000) to reduce class size in 7th/8th grades (est. class size 17-18).  

In addition, Option 2 and Option 3 both increase ECC Counselor from .5 to .75 ($15,000).  Both of these options also increase Music from .5 to 1.0 ($30,000) to increase flexibility within the schedule and begin to build out the High School band program. 

Option 3 additionally would add a school counselor ($65,000) returning Granite Valley to 3 counselors.   The total estimated cost of Option 3 is $302,548. 

The School Committee discussed the proposed options and whether to create a customized option by moving certain elements around within the options. The School Committee moved toward a consensus of choosing Option 3, adding a Grade 3 homeroom teacher instead of the proposed counselor @ Granite Valley. As a result, the total impact in dollars will slightly exceed the $300,000 allocated amount. However, the School Committee seemed to agree, with assurances from the Superintendent and administration, that choosing the revised Option 3 remains a workable path to achieve the goal of restoring classroom/student facing positions and programming where possible and reasonably within the scope of the additional appropriated funds. 

• Motion by Alison Morgan to allocate $300,000 to the positions identified by administration in Option 3 with a swap of a Grade 3 homeroom teacher instead of a counselor at Granite Valley (Second by Jamie Murphy)      

• No further discussion  

• Roll call:

• Peter Wiggins YES

• Karen Nothe-Valley YES

• Colleen Flynn YES

• Jamie Murphy YES   

• Alison Morgan YES

• Motion carries 5-0

Adjourned to Executive Session regarding Superintendent Contract negotiations with no return to open session. 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:53 p.m.

Documentation for this meeting:

Agenda

Distributed at meeting:  Chart entitled, “Possible additions based on the increase of $300k.”

Approved by Committee:

_________________________________________________

Karen Nothe-Valley, Secretary