Watertown School Committee Policy Subcommittee
Wednesday October 14, 2026
The order of items in transcripts is the chronological order in which they were taken up. Some Agenda items may have been skipped.
JESSICA15.05 MIDDLEBROOK15.05 -15.05 SCHOOL15.05 COMMITTEE15.05 POLICY15.05 SUBCOMMITTEE15.05 CHAIR15.05 -15.05 This15.05 is15.29 a15.62 meeting16.02 of16.82 the17.14 Watertown17.94 Public18.41 Schools18.73 policy19.3 subcommittee.19.86 It20.82 is21.14 10/14/2026,22.65 and25.05 I'm25.7 calling25.86 the26.26 meeting26.41 to26.65 order26.81 at27.21 05:03.27.45 First,29.59 we29.83 will30.07 take30.23 roll30.47 call.30.71
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
31.11 Rachel31.11 Kaye.31.51 Present.32.07 Sheila32.55 Christian.32.87 Present.33.51 Chestnut34.55 Brown.35.03 Present.35.43 37.75 MIDDLEBROOK37.75 -37.75 And37.75 we37.99 have38.15 two38.39 quick38.63 things38.87 on39.27 the39.43 agenda39.59 today.40.07 The40.55 first40.79 is,41.19 a42.77 new42.92 policy43.16 ACL.43.73 I45.09 will45.33 hand45.41 it45.65 over45.73 to45.97 the46.05 superintendent46.13 to46.84 walk47.09 us47.24 through47.48 it.47.73 49.24 DEANNE49.24 GALDSTON49.24 -49.24 WATERTOWN49.24 PUBLIC49.24 SCHOOLS49.24 -49.24 Excellent.49.24 So49.24 this49.65 is49.88 actually,50.05 from51.09 Governor52.52 Healey's52.92 office.52.92 In53.88 the54.13 end54.28 of54.52 August,54.68 basically,55.97 she56.52 set56.92 some58.28 ground58.44 rules.58.92 Laws59.64 around,60.12 immigration61.48 and62.28 ICE62.72 activities63.16 within63.8 schools64.28 in64.76 essence65 and65.32 other65.64 public,65.96 facilities.68.12 And,68.84 therefore,69.64 from73.01 her73.48 stance,73.72 schools74.53 needed...75.08 Need75.65 to75.97 create76.28 a76.61 policy76.77 that78.05 ensures78.28 that78.69 we78.92 are79.01 doing79.17 all79.41 the79.56 right79.65 things.79.89 So80.61 this81.01 right81.25 here81.48 is81.89 just82.92 straight83.17 from83.41 MASC.83.65 I84.2 didn't84.37 change84.61 anything84.84 except85.25 for,85.89 to86.05 say86.05 it's86.2 the86.62 superintendent86.78 and87.26 it's87.5 the87.58 Watertown87.66 Public88.14 Schools.88.38 I89.58 don't89.82 really89.98 think90.14 there's90.3 anything90.62 that90.86 needs91.02 to91.26 be91.42 changed.91.5 What92.54 I92.78 would92.86 say93.1 is93.42 when96.06 you96.22 look96.38 at96.54 all96.62 the96.78 different96.94 procedures,97.34 like,97.98 we98.14 have98.38 all98.62 of98.78 the98.94 procedures99.1 in99.66 place.99.82 So,100.46 that101.73 would101.89 be,102.14 I103.17 think103.33 they're,104.45 my104.78 interpretation105.02 of.105.73 Well,107.09 I'm107.42 not107.97 going108.14 to108.38 go108.45 too108.69 far108.85 into109.02 my109.25 interpretation,109.42 but109.89 my110.13 belief110.38 is110.69 that110.85 for111.49 the111.73 governor111.89 to112.3 do112.38 this112.53 was112.69 to112.85 make112.94 sure113.09 that113.33 every113.49 district113.73 was114.53 ready.114.69 And,115.74 so116.7 since117.02 we117.42 have118.38 our118.62 emergency119.18 preparedness119.82 packets120.54 and121.02 we121.18 have,121.34 our123.18 emergency123.42 response123.98 protocols124.38 in125.1 place,125.26 we've126.06 reviewed126.3 everything126.7 with127.02 staff.127.26 We128.06 sent128.22 out128.46 our128.7 preparedness128.86 packets129.34 to129.74 families.129.82 130.46 You130.46 know,131.64 everything131.8 that132.44 is132.75 required,133 we133.4 have.133.64 But133.96 this134.12 then134.44 just134.68 at134.84 least135 puts135.31 it135.56 into135.72 your135.96 school136.12 committee136.36 policy136.68 to137.16 say137.31 that137.4 we137.56 always137.72 have138.03 to138.12 make138.28 sure138.44 that138.59 we138.75 have138.92 the140.03 guidelines140.19 and140.75 the140.84 procedures141 in141.47 place.141.64 So142.03 I142.92 don't143.08 really143.24 feel143.47 any143.72 need143.96 to144.12 necessarily144.28 change144.84 it.145.08 I145.55 sent145.71 along145.95 the146.43 family146.59 comparatives146.91 packet.147.47 I147.87 would148.03 say148.19 that,148.43 when149.15 it149.39 comes149.47 to149.71 our149.87 emergency150.11 response150.67 protocols,151.07 we152.75 don't152.99 share153.71 those153.95 publicly154.11 because154.67 they155.15 are155.39 how155.79 we156.11 keep156.19 our156.43 students156.83 and157.23 staff157.31 safe157.63 across157.87 the158.11 board.158.27 They159.23 are159.47 in159.79 place.159.95 You160.35 know,160.71 if160.86 you161.03 ever161.26 wanted161.5 to161.82 sit162.06 and162.31 go162.71 over162.87 them163.03 with163.19 me,163.26 I'd163.5 be163.58 more163.66 than163.82 happy163.99 to164.22 do164.31 so,164.47 but164.63 it's164.78 not164.94 something165.03 that165.26 I'm165.43 going165.5 to165.82 fit165.91 on166.15 the166.31 website.166.38 But167.19 we167.34 will,168.15 one168.38 thing.168.38 Okay.168.38 I168.71 would168.78 say169.03 the169.19 only169.26 thing169.5 that169.66 is169.82 missing170.06 and,170.63 Doctor171.58 Daly171.99 and172.31 Joel173.36 Toman,173.52 who173.76 is174 our174.16 systems174.32 administrator,174.72 they'll175.6 be175.84 putting,176 like,176.4 the176.48 family177.04 preparedness177.44 packets177.92 on178.24 the178.4 website.178.48 We178.88 distributed179.04 them179.44 to179.52 every179.68 family.179.92 So,180.32 again,181.04 I181.36 think181.52 we've181.68 gotten182.32 them182.64 out182.8 to182.96 everyone.183.2 We183.76 just183.92 haven't184.24 put184.48 it184.64 on184.8 the184.88 website.184.96 So185.28 that's185.44 one185.6 thing185.76 that185.92 we186.4 need186.64 to186.88 do186.96 so187.2 the187.5 families187.66 know188.06 how188.3 to188.46 access,188.86 information190.62 and191.34 making192.62 sure192.94 that193.18 they193.34 know193.5 who193.66 to,194.14 that194.3 their194.3 contacts,194.46 who194.86 their195.09 contacts195.25 are,195.66 if195.81 there's195.97 a196.22 situation,196.38 etcetera.196.78 So197.25 that's198.14 the198.38 only198.53 thing198.69 that198.86 we199.01 still,199.5 one199.66 thing199.66 that199.81 should.200.06 200.38 MIDDLEBROOK200.38 -200.38 Questions200.38 for200.94 us?201.09 203.35 RACHEL203.35 KAY203.35 -203.35 Just203.35 comment203.99 is204.47 that204.79 I205.19 was205.43 impressed206.23 reading206.79 through207.19 this.207.43 I'm207.75 like,207.91 oh,208.23 we208.63 do208.79 that.208.95 We've209.35 sent209.67 that.209.91 And210.15 so210.31 the210.55 difference211.03 here211.43 seems211.67 to211.91 be212.07 the,212.23 putting213.11 it213.43 in213.51 the213.67 policy213.75 manual.214.23 Yeah.214.63 More215.03 than215.27 any215.75 active216.07 changes.216.79 217.75 GALDSTON217.75 -217.75 Yeah.217.75 That's218.07 good.218.31 220.84 SHEILA220.84 KRISHNAN220.84 -220.84 SCHOOL220.84 COMMITTEE220.84 POLICY220.84 SUBCOMMITTEE220.84 MEMBER220.84 -220.84 Yeah.220.84 Sure.221.25 I221.65 appreciate221.89 that222.28 we've222.44 sent222.69 out223.56 the223.65 packets223.81 to224.28 all224.44 families,224.6 and226.53 I226.69 think226.84 that227.09 will227.25 help227.49 normalize227.89 it228.44 for228.6 all228.84 families.229 And229.49 it's229.65 just229.81 a229.97 good230.13 thing230.37 to230.6 have230.84 that231.09 in231.32 general.232.28 Yeah.233.44 233.76 GALSTON233.76 -233.76 Yeah.233.76 And234.24 to234.88 that235.04 point,235.28 it's236.72 funny.237.2 As237.52 a237.68 parent,238 I238.32 don't238.4 know238.64 if238.72 I238.88 ever238.96 would239.2 have239.36 thought239.44 about239.6 it239.76 necessarily.240.08 But,241.6 you241.84 know,241.92 in242.08 the242.16 end,242.32 you242.56 really242.64 should242.88 have243.12 a243.28 plan.243.44 Life245.99 is,246.86 you247.03 just247.03 can't247.19 predict247.34 it.247.58 But247.75 I247.82 think247.91 there's,248.47 obviously,248.86 in248.86 certain249.03 populations,249.34 there249.99 becomes250.22 more250.63 immediate250.94 and251.42 necessary,251.66 but252.38 it252.54 is252.63 a252.86 good252.94 thing253.1 for253.26 all253.42 parents253.58 to253.91 have.254.06 Yeah.254.54 255.19 MIDDLEBROOK255.19 -255.19 And255.19 those255.26 packets255.5 went256.06 home256.38 in256.87 English,257.19 but257.58 we257.75 have257.9 them258.14 in258.31 other258.46 languages.258.63 259.26 GALDSTON259.26 -259.26 Everything259.26 is259.75 in259.9 a260.06 folder260.14 that's260.89 in,261.69 I262.89 think263.05 Sarah's263.45 up263.77 to,263.93 like,264.01 20264.25 different264.49 languages264.89 translated265.45 or266.33 more.266.57 She267.05 just267.21 keeps267.45 adding267.69 them267.93 as268.09 she268.25 gets268.49 them268.65 done.268.89 And270.17 in270.57 the270.81 communication271.37 home271.93 and272.17 parents272.25 where,272.65 it274.05 was274.13 clear274.29 that274.61 if275 they275.17 wanted275.4 something275.73 translated,276.13 they276.69 could276.85 reach277 out277.17 as277.4 well.277.49 Yeah.277.64 Meaning,277.88 if278.29 something279.08 wasn't279.4 there279.73 and279.88 they280.05 needed280.2 it,280.44 we280.61 would280.76 take280.93 care281 of281.17 that.281.32 MIDDLEBROOK281.81 -281.81 I281.81 just281.88 see.282.13 K.282.93 Anything283.73 else?284.04 ACL?285.64 Do286.13 we286.2 have286.37 a286.61 motion286.93 to287.56 approve287.88 and288.37 move288.61 new289.28 policy289.44 ACL290.08 forward290.32 for290.8 first291.04 reading291.28 to291.68 leave291.84 full292.24 school292.48 in292.72 aid?292.88 293.92 KAY293.92 -293.92 So293.92 moved.294.24 294.96 SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
KRISHNAN295.84 -295.84 Second.295.84 295.84 All295.84 in296.08 favor?296.32 Aye.296.96 Aye.297.44 298.24 MIDDLEBROOK298.24 -298.24 Alright.298.24 This298.72 has,299.44 absolutely,300 we300 discussed300.08 it300.48 at300.56 our300.72 next300.96 meeting.301.6 Alright.302.96 The303.37 next303.52 thing303.85 is,304.25 BEDF,305.2 which305.76 is305.93 voting306.16 method.306.56 We,308.49 got309.29 this309.52 feedback309.76 from,310.25 Colby311.04 this311.93 week,312.64 and313.52 I313.69 pass313.95 it314.11 on314.35 to314.39 you.314.43 So,314.75 basically,314.99 the315.39 questions315.55 that315.87 we316.03 had316.19 asked,316.35 she318.03 had,318.75 kind320.75 of320.99 responded321.31 and321.87 made322.27 some322.51 changes322.59 to322.99 the323.07 policy323.23 based323.55 on323.79 the323.87 questions.324.03 So324.43 in324.59 terms324.75 of324.99 distinguishing325.31 between325.95 open326.35 or326.59 executive326.67 session,327.23 we've327.55 now327.71 done327.95 that.328.19 If329.76 we329.93 have330.08 less330.25 than330.4 a330.56 majority330.72 voting,331.04 does331.28 that331.52 allow331.69 the331.84 vote332 to332.25 go332.32 forward?332.64 And334.16 according334.49 to,334.96 Robert's336.96 rules,337.44 all337.76 actions338 will338.32 require338.49 majority338.88 vote339.76 of339.84 all340 members340.16 present340.49 and340.88 voting340.96 except341.63 as341.87 state342.03 law,342.19 Robert's342.51 rules342.75 of342.91 order343.07 and343.15 review343.31 revised,343.47 blah,343.87 blah,344.03 blah.344.11 A344.51 majority344.59 of344.99 the345.07 members345.23 of345.47 the345.55 school345.71 committee345.95 will346.27 constitute346.43 a346.99 quorum.347.07 And349.23 then,349.47 conflicts350.43 of350.83 interest350.99 were351.31 handled351.47 above351.79 and352.27 what352.51 constitutes352.75 a353.31 quorum353.39 if353.63 members353.94 abstain354.1 or354.22 vote.354.35 A354.75 quorum354.82 is355.06 who355.22 is355.38 present355.54 and355.87 eligible356.02 to356.43 vote,356.5 and356.75 abstention356.99 does357.46 not357.7 impact358.02 quorum.358.66 So359.54 abstention359.94 still360.66 count360.9 as361.22 votes361.87 even362.26 though362.43 they're362.58 not362.75 votes362.99 for363.22 or363.63 against.363.87 KAY367.41 -369.57 Now369.57 I'm369.81 getting369.89 confused.370.13 Yeah.370.53 Hang370.69 on.370.85 Okay.371.65 So371.97 we372.29 say372.61 somewhere,372.93 I'm377.25 sorry.377.41 And377.81 I've377.97 lost378.13 my378.37 place.378.61 A379.81 member379.98 voting...380.46 All385.57 actions385.81 will386.13 require386.46 a386.78 majority386.94 of387.57 vote388.06 of388.22 all388.22 members388.46 present388.94 in389.34 voting.389.5 But391.18 later,392.97 it393.29 says393.37 an393.69 abstention393.85 is394.41 not394.65 a394.89 vote395.05 in395.29 favor395.45 of395.77 or396.01 against396.25 a396.65 motion396.73 and397.05 is397.29 not397.53 counted397.69 as398.01 a398.25 vote398.41 cast.398.65 399.93 MIDDLEBROOK399.93 -399.93 It's400.57 not400.89 a401.13 vote,401.29 but401.61 it401.85 still402.09 is402.57 a402.89 person403.13 in403.69 the403.85 room404.01 who404.41 is404.65 present.404.81 405.45 KAY405.45 -405.45 Okay.405.45 Good.406.01 Okay.406.71 407.55 KRISHNAN407.55 -407.55 So407.55 it408.38 contributes409.5 to409.99 quorum?410.23 410.94 MIDDLEBROOK410.94 -410.94 Yeah.410.94 411.43 KRISHNAN411.43 -411.43 Okay.411.43 Yep.411.82 412.55 KAY412.55 -412.55 So412.55 as412.87 long413.03 as413.26 quorum413.5 is413.9 there,414.06 quorum414.71 doesn't415.19 have415.43 to415.67 actually416.15 cast416.79 a417.11 vote.417.26 419.81 MIDDLEBROOK419.81 -419.81 Quorum419.81 doesn't420.21 have420.45 to420.53 answer420.69 that?420.85 421.09 KAY421.09 -421.09 Well,421.09 a421.65 quorum421.81 of422.21 members422.45 does422.85 not423.09 have423.33 to423.41 cast423.57 a423.81 vote.423.89 424.37 MIDDLEBROOK424.37 -424.37 Yes.424.37 So,424.69 I425.49 think425.65 in425.89 the426.05 incident426.37 that.426.85 Or427.17 the427.25 kind427.41 of427.57 the427.73 situation427.89 that428.29 we428.45 have428.61 been428.77 kind429.25 of429.41 reflecting429.81 upon,430.29 I430.61 think430.77 in431.01 that431.17 case,431.33 according432.29 to432.85 both433.17 the433.65 Roberts433.97 AI436.63 guy,437.4 parliamentarians,438.15 the439.04 AI439.19 parliamentarian439.51 and440.24 our440.4 lawyer,440.56 that,441.75 motion442.96 should443.27 have443.51 passed.444.48 Okay.445.04 And445.68 we446 now446.15 have446.4 that446.48 kind446.71 of446.96 in447.12 here447.27 much448.07 more448.31 clearly448.56 in449.04 the449.19 policy.449.36 So451.59 the452.15 changes452.39 here452.87 basically453.43 are453.91 in454.23 yellow,454.47 which455.59 go.455.91 Kinda456.31 breaks456.63 down457.03 the457.35 voting457.51 in457.91 general457.99 and458.47 covers458.63 conflict459.11 of459.51 interest,459.59 and461.19 covers462.15 statements462.79 of463.35 present463.51 and463.99 abstentions.465.81 And469.08 I469.64 do469.81 believe470.05 that470.37 those470.52 are470.69 the470.85 changes.471 So471.4 just,471.64 any473.4 other473.56 questions473.81 or474.13 comments?474.29 Is474.52 there474.69 anything474.85 that475.08 people475.32 wanna475.49 add475.81 to475.88 this476.04 to476.2 make476.29 it476.52 clear476.61 before476.85 we477.17 move477.32 it477.49 forward?477.64 479.5 KAY479.5 -479.5 Do479.5 you479.62 think479.74 every479.98 time480.22 our,480.38 480.62 MIDDLEBROOK480.62 -480.62 It480.62 is480.7 confusing.480.86 Everything481.58 looks.482.06 Yes.482.46 I482.94 mean,483.02 I483.18 think483.34 we483.66 just.487.18 Yes.487.18 It's487.5 confusing487.82 but488.54 also488.86 less489.66 confusing.489.98 491.1 KAY491.1 -491.1 Excellent.491.1 That's492.38 the492.62 goal.492.78 496.42 MIDDLEBROOK496.42 -496.42 Anyway?496.42 Yeah.496.74 Okay.497.45 Alright.497.86 So498.18 we498.42 will498.57 move,498.81 if500.33 there's500.57 a500.81 motion500.98 to501.3 move501.45 this501.62 forward,501.86 we502.33 will502.42 move502.65 forward502.89 the503.54 top506.01 part506.33 and506.57 the506.81 part506.89 in507.21 yellow,507.38 but508.01 not508.18 the508.42 questions508.57 in509.13 blue509.21 at509.81 the509.89 bottom509.97 of510.13 this.510.21 Is512.21 there512.37 a512.53 motion512.61 to512.85 move513.01 forward,513.25 revised514.29 b,e,d,f515.41 with515.65 the515.89 top516.05 part516.29 and516.53 the516.77 part516.85 in517.09 yellow,517.25 voting518.29 in518.61 general518.85 section519.17 2?519.57 522.78 KAY524.23 SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
-524.3 So524.3 moved.524.3 524.3 KRISHNAN524.3 -524.3 Second.524.3 524.3 524.3 All524.3 in524.54 favor.524.63 Aye.525.42 Hi.526.14 May527.26 has527.5 had527.66 it.527.82 527.9 MIDDLEBROOK527.9 -527.9 Alright.527.9 That's528.3 done.528.46 We529.99 have530.23 nothing530.46 else530.7 on530.94 the531.02 agenda,531.11 but532.3 I532.54 think532.63 we532.87 will533.02 have533.26 some533.42 things533.66 coming533.99 up.534.3 So,534.46 maybe535.64 we535.88 can535.96 just536.04 hang536.28 out536.44 for536.6 a536.68 second536.76 and537.08 schedule537.24 another537.56 meeting,537.88 after538.84 we539.16 close539.4 this539.64 one.539.8 Is540.04 there540.2 a540.44 motion540.52 to540.84 end541.8 this542.04 meeting?542.28 543.88 KAY543.88 -543.88 I543.88 move544.12 to544.36 adjourn.544.6 545.64 SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
KRISHNAN546.36 -546.36 Second.546.36 546.36 0,546.36 there.546.52 547.08 MIDDLEBROOK547.08 -547.08 Alright.547.08 Meeting549.32 is549.72 over.549.88