Karen Ann Ares

The committee convened in Open Session before moving into Executive Session. Upon returning to Open Session, the committee reviewed and accepted the Open Meeting minutes from January 20, 2026, January 26, 2026, and February 7, 2026, with no corrections made. The Open Session was adjourned later that afternoon.

Key discussions during the meeting included the announcement of the retirement of Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jane Lizotte, effective June 30, 2026, following 30 years of service. The Superintendent provided an update on the status of the district, including a focus on PBIS. The Superintendent Search Screening Committee narrowed the pool of applicants to four candidates for further consideration. Regarding finance, the Superintendent recommended a Fiscal Year 2027 Appropriated Budget of $94,631,135, representing a 4.75% increase over FY26, with detailed discussions on funding sources and budget themes. Furthermore, the Committee voted unanimously to authorize the signing of the Massachusetts School Building Association Commissioning Certificate of Completion for the Oak Middle School Project. An update was also provided on the Assabet Valley Collaborative Audit Report, confirming stable finances.

The meeting agenda covered several significant areas requiring discussion and votes. Key topics included updates on the Superintendent Search and a vote on accepting a $5,000 gift from the Massachusetts Beijing Chinese Language School to support a senior scholarship. The Finance & Operations segment involved a report on the Fiscal Year 2027 Special Education Budget, including detailed analysis of out-of-district placements, Circuit Breaker utilization, IDEA Grant 240 allocations, and addressing Significant Disproportionality findings related to disability identification among White students. Additionally, the Committee considered a vote to maintain current fee levels for transportation, high school athletics, and music lessons for Fiscal Year 2027. The meeting also scheduled executive sessions to discuss collective bargaining, litigation strategy, and personnel matters.

The Superintendent Search Screening Committee convened for its second meeting. The committee adjourned to Executive Session to consider applicants for employment or appointment, with the understanding that they would return to open session subsequently. Upon returning to Open Session, the committee continued its work on screening interview preparation, which included finalizing interview questions, confirming alignment with the Successful Candidate Profile, and organizing logistics for the screening interviews. No discussion regarding individual applicants occurred during the Open Session.

This was the first meeting of the Superintendent Search Screening Committee. Key discussions involved self-introductions from committee members and consultants, the suggestion to appoint a chairperson and a secretary, the designation of Erin Boucher as Chair and Sandra M. Fryc as Secretary, and a briefing from the NESDEC consultant regarding the superintendent search process, including the calendar of interview dates, development of interview questions, and the interview procedure.