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Habitat for Humanity proposal

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Executive Director Jim Middleton and Development Director Amy Belmore of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth attended the virtual meeting of the Plympton Board of Selectmen on Monday, Jan. 25. Middleton provided some background into the locally based volunteer organization which is headquartered in Carver. With only five paid employees, the organization relies on the 200 to 300 volunteers who assist in all phases of work being done. Initially founded by ministers from Plympton, they serve Plymouth, Kingston, Middleborough, Lakeville, and the towns in between. Work includes building and fixing up existing houses as well as running the ReStore on Route 58 in Carver. Proceeds from the thrift shop assist with the work being done by Habitat.

Middleton explained that where a typical home in a local community might cost upwards of $350,000 to $450,000, a home built by Habitat for Humanity can be sold well below market value for say $170,000. Middleton also pointed out that oftentimes rentals of similar size can cost approximately $2,000 per month. “A lot of people who live in a town like Plympton they can’t afford to stay there,” Middleton said. He explained that a number of factors go into keeping their costs low. “We’re able to do that by having volunteers and community minded people who help us with the trades, like electric, and also with materials.”

Middleton said that the organization is always looking for land to build on as they can’t afford to pay market rates. Whenever possible Habitat tries to purchase land in partnership with towns. This is done by looking at the Assessor’s list to see if there are properties that are under utilized that the town may be able to make available. Of the 12 houses built by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth only one was through donation of land alone. “All of our houses go through DHCD [The Department of Housing and Community Development] at the state to get certified and to make sure that there is a deed writer on it and that there is a regulatory agreement… to keep that house as an affordable home in perpetuity,” Middleton explained. He said when no waivers are required for a plot of land the process is simplified and likened it to a joint application with the town and Habitat to the state. If waivers are required the town can, through a hearing, apply to build on a plot of land that might not otherwise be buildable.

Middleton also explained the process for selecting eligible families. He said there tends to be a misconception that it is a giveaway program but said it is “a hand up not a handout.” The state has a lottery which is income qualified. Habitat considers those whose incomes fall within 30 to 60 percent of the area’s median income. Middleton said, “The state likes a lottery but Habitat likes to look at the current living situation of a family and factor that in… it’s a blind process where our Family Selection Committee of volunteers go and visit each of the income qualified families and they look at overcrowding, sub-standard health and safety conditions, whether the people are paying way too much money out of their monthly incomes to be in that house.” From there, three families are usually presented to Habitat’s Board of Directors who select a family without being given names or other identifying information. Middleton and Belmore confirmed that towns can give a higher priority to those that live or work within their town though other factors will also be considered.

Even with the below market value on the homes, families that are selected still pay a mortgage. Mortgages are 0 interest over thirty years. “A young family trying to start out can get a house that costs them less than $1,000 a month all in for their mortgage, their taxes, and their home insurance,” Middleton told the Selectmen. Selectman Mark Russo asked if there was continued control of the home once sold or if the control was relinquished to the new homeowners. “They become the owners but there is a deed restriction that is quite detailed that says if they want to resell, they can’t sell at market rate,” Middleton explained. The owners would be able to recoup their money plus a bit for inflation.

Selectman John Traynor asked if there was an age requirement as it seemed the homes being discussed were geared toward younger families. Middleton said that because the homes that are built tend to be three-bedroom homes, usually capes, they tend to be filled with families as it is a requirement that all bedrooms be filled. Russo asked if they had explored the possibility of building duplexes or townhouses. Middleton said, “We haven’t done that but we’re wide open to doing that.” Belmore pointed out the affordability issue for older members of the community including retirees. She said that finding affordable housing for seniors could be a good reason for the organization to explore building duplexes and townhouses.

Traynor also inquired as to whether there was a set design that had to be abided by for the types of homes built. Typically, the homes that have been built are three-bedroom capes though one of the most recently built homes was a ranch style to accommodate the needs of the new homeowners. “We try to pay a lot of attention to making sure our houses don’t stand out as something different,” Middleton explained.

The selectmen were excited to have a potential solution to the town’s affordable housing issue. Selectman Christine Joy said, “We need to identify some parcels and hopefully get moving with the process.” Traynor agreed saying, “It’s something that we should be doing, it just needs to fit into the culture of the town.” “We are kind of a town of very modest means but we’re a town where people are willing to consider donations… this could be a real focal point for a community effort that we all could be proud of,” Russo said.

Joy also asked if Middleton and Belmore could speak to the Brush with Kindness Program. Middleton said that they have a very active program that takes on five or six projects a year that help people age in place in their homes. It is not limited by age, however, and often those with disabilities are also aided in getting things done around their home. Projects have included wheelchair ramps, roof projects, weatherization, and installation of windows and doors. Belmore said that while the labor is free, homeowners are asked to assist with the purchasing of materials to the extent that they are able.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy provided an update on various affairs in town. Dennehy told the Selectmen that there had been some paid leave for employees under federal coronavirus legislation that had been passed early in the pandemic. To date, Congress has not extended that provision which leaves towns to come up with their own. Dennehy said that should the state or federal government decide to pass further legislation it would prevail over local policy. She said, “I’m hoping we won’t have to use it a lot and that we are on a path to wellness.”

Dennehy also said that for the time being the townhouse and transfer station will remain functioning as they have been for some weeks now. Dennehy said she hasn’t received any complaints about residents being unable to get needed services. She said the town will reevaluate the status of various town departments in a few weeks.

Dennehy told the selectmen that the Board of Health and Fire Department have been inundated with questions regarding vaccine rollout. “We intend to keep people informed as far as the minute we find anything out, we’re happy and ready and willing and able to get that information out to the public. Currently speaking we’re not in a position to be administering vaccines or anything like that but we’re working on a program right now with some other towns… so as soon as we can get people vaccinated whether we have that capability or whether we partner with another town in the area we’ll definitely keep the public informed on that,” Dennehy explained.

COVID numbers continue to be updated weekly on both the town website and the town Facebook page. Dennehy said she had received a request for data regarding age group and other specifics about positive cases in town but said she doesn’t have the manpower to do that level of tracking.

The Selectmen closed with their rants and raves. Joy said her rave was for Habitat for Humanity and both Russo and Traynor concurred. Russo shared a rant saying, “we had a little mischief at Churchill Park last week. Some graffiti, some trash left behind. Kind of frustrating that that has happened but within an hour of the Open Space Committee and the Board of Selectmen learning of that we ensured that there was a police investigation and got in the process of cleaning it up and have started closing the gate at dusk to deal with those issues.” Russo spoke about how the project was a community effort that took years of hard work and dedication to come to fruition. He referred to the area as “sacred ground” and said of the poor behavior, “that is not the place for that to happen.”

More in-person school is nixed

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Much of the Plympton Elementary School Committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 25, was spent discussing the viability of adding more in-person learning time to the current hybrid model at the Dennett Elementary School. The meeting which was held virtually had nearly 50 participants with many staff and parents in attendance. The larger than usual attendance was due to the recent discussions at the middle school and high school level regarding the potential for in-person learning on Wednesdays.

Currently, Wednesdays are a remote day across the district for all but some of the highest needs learners in Cohort D. Teachers and staff have used Wednesday mornings for planning as well as professional development.

The plan proposed during the most recent Silver Lake Regional School Committee meeting would have students in Cohorts A and B attending school in-person on alternating Wednesdays. While most on the regional committee were in favor of the plan and asked the administration to work on the logistics, there were some members who voiced concern for the complications such a plan might pose for both families and staff. Scheduling and childcare could become complicated for families with students spread out across the district, particularly if the elementary schools chose not to adopt the same plan as the middle and high schools. Additionally, teachers will be losing valuable planning time.

With regard to greater in-person learning time, Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen said, “As a school committee and as an administration this is something that we are thinking about all the time.” He acknowledged that the current learning models necessitated by the pandemic are not ideal particularly for the youngest learners. “Unfortunately, some of our largest grades are our youngest grades which poses an additional stress,” Wilhelmsen explained.

While there have only been a small handful of positive COVID cases at the Dennett and no evidence of in-school transmission, Wilhelmsen explained that the greater issue has been with close contacts needing to quarantine. He said that he would be concerned that were the school to reduce the physical distancing requirement from six to three feet the number of close contacts needing to quarantine would increase causing even greater disruption. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends six feet of distancing while the state requires just three. Wilhelmsen said the Committee is steadfast in maintaining the full six feet of distancing.

President of the Teacher’s Association and fourth grade teacher Ann Walker spoke to the ways in which the staff is currently utilizing the remote Wednesdays. “These Wednesdays have been crucial for the success we have had over this time. We have taken this time and planned for every scenario possible… we have to make sure everything we do is both digitized and ready for students to work on in-person,” Walker explained. She also said that work has to be planned several weeks in advance and noted that teachers have even had to deliver materials to families that couldn’t make it to the school. Walker said the time has also proved valuable for learning the necessary technology to succeed in the hybrid model.

Dennett Elementary Principal Peter Veneto also spoke to the difficulties of bringing more students into the building more often for in-person learning. “The biggest obstacle that I foresee is lunch,” Veneto said. While the state allows for three feet of distancing, six feet is required while eating lunch thus reducing the seating capacity. The staff at the Dennett was also described as lean and cited as another potential obstacle to more in-person learning. Veneto also noted that bringing students into the building on alternating Wednesdays would likely only add an additional 9 days of in-person learning time to the school year.

Parent Danielle D’Angelo, who was quick to express gratitude to the teachers, administration, and staff, asked if the Committee and others had considered an out of the box approach to the lunch dilemma suggesting that other spaces such as the gym could perhaps be utilized. Veneto assured D’Angelo and other parents on the call that the space within the Dennett has been utilized in the best ways possible to ensure maximum capacity while still maintaining distancing. “I do think we’ve looked at this creatively and from a lot of different angles and have sought opinions from a lot of different people,” Veneto said.

D’Angelo also asked about the possibility of parent volunteers to help off set any staff shortages. While Veneto said that he was open to any suggestions, he noted that the school has had to cut down significantly on parent volunteering this year in an effort to reduce the number of people in the building and in turn help mitigate any potential spread or exposure.

D’Angelo stressed that many parents have growing concern over their children’s emotional and social wellbeing saying, “most of us feel okay in sending our children in at three feet with a mask.” Another parent spoke up saying she had heard that Sacred Heart Elementary School had reduced their distancing requirement from the CDC recommended six feet without many more positive cases than Dennett and without evidence of school spread. “I don’t think this Committee is interested in going below the six feet,” Wilhelmsen reiterated.

Wilhelmsen pointed out that as of the time of the meeting, Plympton had moved into the red risk designation. Communities with populations under 10,000, like Plympton, must have more than 25 cases in order to be considered red, or high risk. “There’s a lot that’s changing rapidly,” Wilhelmsen said referring to the new federal administration as well as the vaccine rollout. “Where we sit at the moment, I don’t see what we can do in the next two weeks,” he said.  “Our goal has always been to provide as much in-person learning as we can,” he assured those present. Wilhelmsen also said that he was hopeful that the eventual vaccination of teachers and staff in Phase Two would provide the school with greater flexibility.

Parent Angela Wilbur asked about the hurdle posed by limited capacities on buses. She said that she had noticed that the pickup and drop off line was significantly greater than in years’ past indicating that more and more parents had opted to drive their children to school rather than have them take the bus. Wilbur suggested to the committee that perhaps the bussing issue is less of a barrier than previously thought. Veneto noted the way in which Plympton families had stepped up to the plate to provide transportation for their children but said that he was still required to “make sure we have enough room for every child every single day.” It was also asked if it would be possible to provide a waiver for the busing requirement. Committee Vice Chair Jason Fraser said that that option had been explored as far back as last April but it was determined that it couldn’t be done without a change to Massachusetts’ general laws.

Some of the parents on the call expressed what they felt to be a lack of communication on the part of the school committee and administration regarding what kinds of plans were being explored to further in-person learning opportunities where and when feasible. Both Wilhelmsen and Fraser apologized if there was a perceived lack of communication. They noted that school committee meetings are held on a regular monthly basis in addition to meetings of the Health and Safety Advisory Committee. Parent Michelle Ruxton, who serves on the aforementioned committee, stressed to her fellow parents the level of thought and concern that goes into how decisions will affect not just the schools but the home lives of Dennett families as well. Wilhelmsen also offered to host more informal Zoom sessions that could be posted to the Friends of the Dennett Facebook page.

Playground Update

Director of Business Services Christine Healy provided an update on the new playground to be built at the Dennett. Healy said they are working with firm Beals + Thomas to oversee the construction of the playground. After coming out for an initial site visit, the firm came back on January 19 to do a topographical survey. Once the results of the survey are in, the project will begin moving forward. Fraser said that he was appreciative of funds being allocated to hire them to ensure that the playground is accessible, safe, and long-lasting.

Legislative Report

Fraser provided the legislative report saying that the pandemic had highlighted the need to reevaluate critical issues at the state level such as school start times and achievement gaps caused by summer vacations. Fraser said that research has shown that elementary age students should be beginning their days earlier and ending their days sooner whereas secondary students would be better off with later start times. Additionally, gaps in education caused by the pandemic have highlighted the need for summer school reform. Fraser said there is a push for summer school coursework to include social and emotional learning as well as enrichment opportunities in addition to the traditional academic courses. He also pointed to Australia where students attend school the full year. In lieu of summer vacations, students attend school the same number of days a year but have more frequent, shorter breaks with the shortest being just four weeks long. This prevents the regression that occurs over the summer. That lack of regression each year amounts to 2 to 2 and a half years’ worth of additional learning time for Australian students.

Fraser also told the Committee that the Governor would be coming out with the first version of the state budget this week. He said that sources told him the budget was not in as bad of shape as previously feared. Fraser said that he was also being told that schools would be held harmless for enrollment decline this year due to the circumstances posed by the pandemic.

Superintendent Jill Proulx spoke to that decline during her update saying that redshirting of kindergarten students this school year was not unique to Plympton as it was occurring throughout the state. Proulx also said that the number of students in Plympton being homeschooled this year had increased.

Principal’s Report

Principal Veneto gave a brief update on the state of affairs at the school. Math interventionist Maria Barlow replaced retiring fourth grade teacher Bea Reynolds. Recent Bridgewater State University graduate Paige Sylvia has been hired as the new math interventionist. He also said that they are in the process of hiring a new building-based substitute.

C.A.S.A. Update

Committee member Amy Hempel said that the Community and School Association (C.A.S.A.) will be moving forward with selling raffle tickets for gift baskets. The baskets will be available at the Mayflower Mercantile shop in Plympton toward the end of February. C.A.S.A. Chair Sarah Prario said tickets will be available for purchase through Facebook, Venmo, and email.

Halifax investigates possible COVID-19 vaccination center

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Thursday, Jan. 21, for one of the weekly meetings they have been holding since the onset of the pandemic. Board of Health agent Bob Valery told the selectmen that every Thursday he receives a two-week run rate of tests from the Department of Public Health (DPH). The most recent numbers indicate that 848 tests were performed with a total of 69 of those coming back positive. “So that would put us at a two-week run rate of 8.13,” Valery explained. “We are running a lower rate, a slightly lower rate than every town that surrounds us,” he continued.

Valery also said that effective Jan. 25 the stay-at-home advisory for the hours of 10 p.m. through 5 a.m. was rescinded. The limited capacity of 25 percent and gathering limits remain in place until Monday, Feb. 8.

Valery said he was working in conjunction with Fire Chief Jason Viveiros on the logistics of having an in-town vaccination site. He said that should they move forward, vaccinations will likely be by appointment. They are working through their eight-page checklist for hosting a vaccination site. Viveiros said that Our Lady of the Lake Church had offered their hall as a possible site for a vaccination clinic. “It will be a decent space for us, we will have a good flow path for people,” Viveiros said. He said he spoke with Police Chief Joao Chaves about having a police presence for traffic control purposes.

Viveiros said that in speaking with Town Administrator Charlie Seelig, it appears that there would be roughly 500 people in the 75 plus age group. Also, in Phase 2 will be those with co-morbidities, 65 plus, and schoolteachers. Valery pointed out the priority rankings within each of the phases. Viveiros said they were hopeful they would have enough to vaccinate at least those that are 75 plus as well as the teachers. Selectman Gordon Andrews, who also serves as Chair of the Halifax School Committee and as a member of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee, asked about the possibility of coordinating the vaccinations of teachers with Kingston, Plympton, and Silver Lake.

Selectmen Chair Tom Millias asked about acquiring the vaccine doses to be administered. Viveiros said that to date they were only given the doses that were administered to the first responders, noting that all first responders in town had been vaccinated. “As far as availability… we really don’t know what’s going to be available to us. The only thing we’ve been guaranteed is we’ll get the second doses for everyone that’s already been vaccinated,” Viveiros said.

Millias asked Andrews about a cluster of cases that had occurred within the school district. “We had a cluster of sports teams,” Andrews explained. “There were eight positive cases, I believe, and they shut down contact sports meaning ice hockey and basketball for two weeks,” he continued.

Seelig said that he and Valery had reviewed the COVID protocols for town employees with the aim of simplifying the process for those that have been sick or have been exposed with the goal to err on the side of caution. Seelig said that there weren’t any plans to roll out any further large-scale testing programs in town as the focus has now shifted to vaccine administration. He said the plan would be to work with the Council on Aging (COA) on sign ups for the vaccine as well as possibly transportation. “These folks are our most vulnerable individuals, the elderly especially, we want to make sure that they have an opportunity to participate,” Seelig said.

Millias asked if the antigen test was the most commonly run. Chief Chaves said it was. “Now if you were to get a negative result, that’s not necessarily 100 percent accurate,” Millias asked. Chief Viveiros said, “They’re roughly 85 percent accurate. If we test someone and we get a positive result, then it’s just considered positive. If someone’s symptomatic and they have a negative test they still need to get the PCR test,” Viveiros said.

At this point in the meeting, the Selectmen and Seelig turned their attention to non-COVID related issues in town. Seelig provided an update on an ongoing transaction between the town and the state.

Back in July of 2019 DFG land agent from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Joan Pierce came to speak to the Board about the possibility of acquiring an area of Peterson’s Swamp from the town. At the time both Millias and selectman Troy Garron expressed frustration with always coming up with the short end of the stick when dealing with Fisheries and Wildlife. Selectman Gordon Andrews suggested that in addition to the sale of the parcel, Fisheries and Wildlife transfer a sliver of land behind Aldana Road that they own to Halifax. That land would be necessary to possess in order to be able to pave the road eventually. All parties agreed to the transaction.

Seelig said during Thursday’s meeting that the state legislature had passed the necessary legislation to transfer the land from the Commonwealth to the town. Seelig asked the Board to take an official vote to approve the sale of the parcels of land to the Commonwealth. Once done, it will go to Pierce and the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM). “Troy and I have been through this thing for about twenty years so I would love to get this off our plate,” Millias said.

Chief Chaves said that several weeks ago the Board approved Michael Boncariewski as an intermittent police officer. He said he was hoping the Board would now approve a conditional offer of employment so that he might replace an outgoing officer who left the department for Weymouth. Chaves said a full background check had been performed on Boncariewski and noted that nothing had changed since their previous approval. The Board voted to approve and Boncariewski will begin the Academy in Plymouth on March 1.

Seelig asked the Board if they were interested in creating an article to eliminate the exclusion zone for marijuana establishments as he was fielding multiple inquiries about the issue.

Millias said he would be more comfortable to have the Zoning Bylaw Review Committee or Planning Board handle it. Seelig also pointed out that applicants unhappy with the zone could get the necessary voter signatures to create a petition article themselves. Andrews agreed with the petition article idea saying, “I would request that if they want to make a petition article, to do the petition article and they can be the champion of the article and say what the value is to the town.”

Seelig also mentioned that there was a vacancy for a Halifax member on the Silver Lake Regional School Committee. The appointment will be a combined vote of the selectmen and the members of the regional school committee.

Teeka Lynn’s Day Spa celebrates 15 years

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Teeka Lynne’s Salon and Day Spa on Plymouth St. in Halifax is celebrating 15 years in business this month. A difficult feat in today’s day and age, especially given the current environment. The Express spoke with owner Teeka Isakson about both the struggles and joys of owning her own business.

Isakson said her interest in hair began as a young girl highlighting, coloring, and perming her sister, mother, and grandmother’s hair. At the age of 19, while pregnant with her first daughter and attending hair school, Isakson said she dreamed of owning her own salon by the time she was 30. “At the age of 29 after working for other salons and realizing a lot of the things I believed in were not coming to fruition, I knew it was time to make my dreams come true,” Isakson said.

After working for years in the towns of Hingham and Norwell and getting to know many of the residents and their families, Isakson decided that she wanted that same familiarity with the people in her own community. “I chose Halifax because I was raised in Halifax and wanted to share my passion with the community that raised me and get to know the children in which my children were growing up with,” Isakson explained.

Another impetus for choosing Halifax for her business was that back in 2006 when she opened Teeka Lynne’s Salon and Day Spa there were no day spas in the community. Isakson said she wanted to bring services to the town that had previously not been there. “I implemented the spa atmosphere which includes not only hair services but manicures, pedicures, skincare and massage all under one roof,” Isakson said.

Community engagement has been important to Isakson over the years. The salon has supported local sports organizations, school events, and other local fundraising efforts in both Halifax and other surrounding towns. The salon has been involved with pre-prom fashion shows, sponsored local youth sports teams, helped with HOPS Playground fundraising, and donated many gift certificates to various school and other fundraising events. Most recently, they have partnered with South Shore Foster Closet to help raise funds and awareness for foster children of Plymouth County.

The last year has posed previously unseen challenges for Teeka Lynne’s and all small businesses. Isakson said that the biggest struggles have been maintaining a safe environment for her staff and clients as well as accommodating all clients in accordance with the constantly changing regulations and scheduling/capacity limitations.

“I have built my salon based on state board guidelines,” Isakson said. In light of the pandemic, the salon has enhanced safety protocols even further regularly disinfecting high touch surfaces like chairs, door handles, and high traffic areas. Only one client is allowed with a given stylist or therapist at a time. The waiting area has also been extended into the vestibule and outside under the awning weather permitting.

Asked what she believes to be the key to her longevity, Isakson cited both customer service and education. Isakson said that the salon works hard to keep abreast of current trends in order to guide clients toward something that will suit both their sense of fashion and lifestyle. “We have always paid attention to our clients wants and ideas,” Isakson said. Employees at Teeka Lynne’s keep up with their education through attendance at in-house classes, outside classes, and trade shows. “I would want any potential client to know that our number one service is customer service,” Isakson said. She continued, “We do our best to keep everyone happy by listening to what their thoughts and goals are with any and all services we provide. We give feedback where and when necessary.”

Isakson said that she looks forward to growing not only as a salon but as a woman-run business. She also emphasized the importance of community support over the last decade and a half. “I would like the community to know that we would not be in business for the last 15 years as a local, small business without their continued support,” she explained.

Seelig says dim outlook for FY22 budget

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The Halifax selectmen met in-person on Tuesday, Jan. 12. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig provided a brief budget status for fiscal year 2022 saying most department budgets were turned in with the exception of the schools. Regional dispatch costs will be increased by approximately $50,000. “The outlook is dim at this point given what I know we have for revenues and expenditures,” Seelig told the selectmen. “State revenues on the other hand continue to be good, fairly stable,” he added.

Seelig told the selectmen during his COVID update that the 14-day count continues to climb. Seelig said the count was at 52 for the previous 14 days where it had previously been hovering around the low forties. Seelig said there had been a cluster of cases resulting from athletics at Silver Lake. Actions were taken to mitigate the spread further.

Seelig provided updates on a number of other ongoing projects in town. He told the selectmen that the legislation pertaining to the Aldana Road land transfer was signed by the Governor. The next step will be for the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) to write up the deed.

Seelig said that the initial submissions for the wage and personnel bylaw amendments were submitted by the Finance Committee and selectmen in time for the January 11 deadline. The amendments will be read during the Finance Committee’s January 25 meeting as part of a public hearing. Proposed changes include regrading the police administrative assistant and fire administrative assistant from a Grade 6 to a Grade 8. Seelig said that he believes that given the inclusion of those two proposed changes, there should be a reevaluation of all positions considered either Grade 6 or 7 for possible changes in grades or pay rates. The Fire Chief proposed changes for non-wage compensation benefits for call firefighters. “I did also ask for review of the pay scales in connection with the ongoing changes in Massachusetts’ minimum wage laws and then also review the scales for positions in Grades 11 through Grade 14 to eliminate some discontinuities.” As an example, Seelig said that currently the Fire Chief is considered a Grade 12 while a Fire Lieutenant (which Halifax doesn’t currently have) is considered Grade 14.

Regarding the Complete Streets Program, Seelig said that Highway Surveyor Steve Hayward and Courtney Beckwith met with the consulting firm Green Seal Environmental. They would like to meet with the Board of Selectmen later in the month to obtain input about possible future projects. This will likely be part of the Board’s meeting on January 26. Seelig said that many of the suggestions sent in by the Planning Board were in regard to new sidewalks. A few traffic intersections including Oak Street were also mentioned. The final list will eventually be submitted to the state.

Seelig also told the Board that he had had a couple of people call or write to him inquiring about the town eliminating the 500 ft exclusionary zone around the pouring licenses and marijuana establishments. Seelig pointed out that the 500 ft zone is from property line to property line. He asked the Board if they had any interest in proposing an article. Selectmen Chair Tom Millias said, “That would be my recommendation, I don’t have a problem with putting it on a ballot no matter what and let the folks decide. Maybe we can talk about it at a future time and get a little more input.” He also pointed out that nothing would happen with it anyway until the annual town meeting in May.

The Board had an appointment with Anthony Curtin of Plymouth St. to amend his license for fuel storage from underground to above ground. Selectman Troy Garron confirmed that the area in question was not behind the buildings but behind Curtin’s house and he confirmed. Millias said that there weren’t many abutters who would be affected but said that a public hearing would still be necessary. It was decided to add it to the selectmen’s meeting on January 26. It was agreed that an above ground tank is preferable.

More in-person learning is SL goal

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The possibility to add more in-person learning time to the current hybrid model was discussed during the remotely held Silver Lake Regional School Committee meeting on Thursday, Jan. 14. Silver Lake Regional Middle School Principal Jim Dupille and Silver Lake Regional High School Principal Michaela Gill both weighed in on possible configurations for an altered hybrid plan. Currently, Cohort A attends in-person on Mondays and Tuesdays and Cohort B attends in-person on Thursdays and Fridays. Cohort C consists of those students who have elected to be fully remote and Cohort D consists of the highest needs learners who are prioritized for the most in-person learning days; some of which already attend school in-person on Wednesdays. Up to this point, Wednesdays have largely been used for professional development and planning. The new plan being proposed would have students in Cohorts A and B alternating Wednesdays in-person.

School Committee member Leslie-Ann McGee confirmed that this would not be a change to the learning model but rather a change in the way that the district is executing the hybrid model. Gordon Andrews, who serves as Chair of the Halifax Elementary School Committee and as a Halifax selectman in addition to his role on the Silver Lake Regional School Committee, asked how they plan to coordinate the change with the elementary schools in the district. Superintendent Jill Proulx said that once a timeline and proposal were established, she would address it with each of the other school committees either at a meeting or in an email.

School Committee member Chris Eklund brought up the stress that changing the look of the hybrid model at the middle and high schools but not at the elementary level could have for families with students spread out across the district. Two of the three elementary school committee chairs were at the regional meeting with Andrews and Kingston Elementary School Chair Eric Crone both on the regional committee. Only Plympton Elementary School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen wasn’t present. While Crone said that Kingston had previously discussed the possibility of adding in-person learning on Wednesdays for Cohorts A and B, Andrews and Proulx confirmed that neither Halifax nor Plympton had.

The possibility of holding a joint meeting between Silver Lake Regional and the three elementary school committees was discussed. Crone pointed out the need to move quickly as it took several weeks from the time a vote was taken in Kingston to implement certain members of Cohort D attending school in-person on Wednesdays.

There was some debate back and forth regarding the practicality of adding the additional in-person learning time. At her first meeting since being appointed to the Regional School Committee, Emily Davis, concerned for posing more of a hardship for teachers, asked if Wednesdays were the only planning time available for them. Gill confirmed that it was. Gill also said that some teachers had proposed the possibility of a half day return to in-person learning on Wednesdays.

The hope would be to make the change as early as possible in Semester 3. McGee made a motion to accept the new proposal and it was voted through unanimously. Andrews asked that the administration focus their attention on implementing the plan saying, “we accept that other things won’t be at our normal timeline… I just want to give them the flexibility to get what we’re telling them is the number one priority done.”

Proulx provided an overall district update saying that despite the towns of Halifax and Kingston remaining in the red risk zone, there has not been evidence of classroom spread so the schools continue to remain open. She did say that there had been evidence of team spread which necessitated the canceling of team practices for close contact sports for two weeks.

Both Dupille and Gill also provided updates on their schools. Dupille said that drama has been reinstated albeit virtually. They held their first remote meeting on Jan. 13 at 9 a.m. The students are preparing a virtual variety show which will consist of each student’s performance being pieced together for the audience to view. Speaking of the staff responsible, Dupille said, “What they’re doing to connect and engage our students during this difficult time is really wonderful.” Dupille also said that the virtual robotics club will be restarting for the spring session on February 8. As of Thursday’s meeting, 20 of the 30 spots had already been filled.

Gill told the Committee about a number of new elective offerings, most of which fell under the ELA umbrella. Courses include “the podcast studio,” “the happiness class: rhetoric and the good life,” “grammar for modern readers and writers,” “race, society, and Identity,” “film studies,” and “soapbox to social media: analyzing media through the times.” The Committee voted to approve the new course offerings for the 2021-2022 program of studies.

Gill also asked the Committee to waive some of the graduation requirements as they had done the previous year in light of the pandemic. The waivers would include the 40 hours of community service needed to graduate as well as flexibility on the 96-credit requirement. Gill said the credit waiver wouldn’t include core content classes but rather an elective here and there. The Committee voted to approve Gill’s request.

Gill also introduced School Resource Officer Richard Allen to present his proposal for a criminal justice internship program at the high school. Allen, who is a patrolman with the Kingston Police Department, said the internship would be designed for 12th grade students with an interest in entering a criminal justice field. The goal would be to obtain an overview of a number of careers in the field and distinguish differences between roles such as police officer, parole officer, social worker, corrections officer, probation officer, and case manager.

The internship would include 8 hours of classroom time as well as 4-8 hours of field trips to places such as the Plymouth County Courthouse, Plymouth County Correctional Facility, Plymouth DCF, and the Kingston Police Department. Topics covered would include constitutional law, motor vehicle law, and the US court system. Allen said that the allied health program at the high school was his inspiration. Allen told the Committee, “My hope is that by them partaking in this internship program, they be able to make a more informed decision.”

Director of Business Services Christine Healy provided an update on the current year’s budget saying, “we’re still doing pretty well.” She said there were a few deficits including in the superintendent category due to conferences and travel that is mandated by her contract. There is also a deficit in homeless transportation at the middle school level though Healy said that will be balanced out by the surplus at the high school level. There is a deficit of about $1,100 for athletics as they haven’t been able to raise any revenues due to COVID restrictions. Finally, a deficit of $36,000 exists for unemployment as Healy said it was a difficult summer with many people collecting.

Proulx presented on the preliminary budget process for the coming year. She said that principals were asked to prepare a level service budget that would encapsulate only what it would take to maintain current staffing and programs. Proulx said that the preliminary budget does not include the costs for staffing the current hybrid model because it is assuming a return to full, in-person learning next year. It does reflect shared costs though it has not been adjusted for potential retirements. The increase in the preliminary budget from the current year is $714,168 or 2.67 percent. “Right out the gate, to see something under a three percent increase is surprising,” Chair Paula Hatch commented on the lower than usual percentage increase.

Proulx also gave an update on overall enrollment. At the secondary level, the total enrollment is down 21 students from last year. Homeschool enrollment has increased by 10 students in Grades 7-12 and students leaving the district through school choice has increased by 2 students. Proulx said she was waiting to hear if the state would hold the decrease in enrollment against the district given the circumstances surrounding the current school year.

President of the Silver Lake Education Association (SLEA) Jon Lay spoke briefly saying he was “very pleased that we were able to settle the teacher’s contract… I’m hoping that we can settle those things more expeditiously in the future.” He also spoke to what he called the “light at the end of the tunnel with the pandemic” saying that he would like to see the staff vaccinated quickly. The staff will be eligible during Phase 2 which is scheduled for February to March. Lay also said that he spoke with Proulx about having Silver Lake handle the vaccinations directly as employers with more than 200 employees are eligible to administer them directly.

Halifax COVID cases continue to rise

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The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Thursday, Jan. 7, for one of their emergency meetings being held regularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. While participants were in-person, the public was able to attend the meeting virtually via Zoom.

Board of Health Agent Bob Valery led things off with an update on COVID-19 infections in Halifax. Valery told the selectmen that during the two-week period from Christmas Eve to January 6 there were 41 new cases reported in town. He pointed out that multiple cases were occurring in single family homes. He said that as of January 7 there were no hospitalizations and no deaths from the active cases. Reporting as of January 10 show that there have been a total of 270 coronavirus cases in Halifax, 220 of which have recovered, 44 of which are in isolation, and a total of 6 deaths.

Selectmen Chair Tom Millias pointed out that while the numbers have increased significantly, so has the testing. “This was the highest two-week total since the start of reporting,” Valery told the Express. “Yes, variables like increased testing come into play, but I believe the number shows that the Governor’s decision to keep the gathering limitations in place for an additional two weeks is statistically supported,” he continued.

Valery was referencing Governor Baker’s announcement of a two-week extension of his previous COVID restrictions. The restrictions, which were first announced December 22, were set to expire on January 10 but were extended to January 24. The restrictions include a maximum of 10 people indoors and

25 outdoors. Many businesses are limited to just 25 percent of their capacity.

Valery touched upon the various phases for vaccine distribution and who qualified for each. Phase One includes, in order of priority, healthcare workers doing direct COVID-facing care, those in various care facilities, first responders, those in congregate care settings, home-based healthcare workers, and healthcare workers doing non COVID-facing care. Top priority in Phase Two will be those with two or more comorbidities and those that are age 75 or older. Next to receive the vaccine in Phase Two will be a variety of workers including those working in early education, transit, grocery, utility, food and agriculture, sanitation, public works, and public health workers. Finally, adults that are age 65 plus and those with one comorbidity will also be eligible at the end of Phase Two. In Phase Three the vaccine will be available to the general public.

Millias asked Valery what kind of timeline is expected for the various stages. Phase One is already underway and according to Valery, Phase Two is likely to happen from February to April and Phase Three from April to June.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros said that the rollout of the vaccine to first responders would be starting the following week. Vaccinations were scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 12 and Friday, January 15 and continue the following Tuesday. Viveiros said the first week would be a good indication of how smoothly the process will go.

Viveiros said that Halifax first responders are part of the Brockton Hospital group and will receive the Moderna vaccine. He said the plan was to pickup the vaccines on Tuesday morning for use later that day. The vaccines will need to defrost for two hours before being refrigerated. It can be refrigerated for up to 30 days though Viveiros said they plan to distribute the vaccines the same day they receive them. According to Viveiros, once punctured, a vial is only good for 6 hours. Individuals receiving the vaccine will be monitored for 15 minutes afterward for any adverse reaction. There will be 28 days between the first and second dose of the Moderna vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine requires 21 days between doses.

Valery said that a shortage of doses isn’t expected as the various phases rollout. Viveiros said that while his department is well setup for administration of the vaccine, he wasn’t sure if there would be a plan to utilize the Fire Department in wider distribution. Valery said that the school could potentially be used. He also said that large venues such as UMass Amherst and Gillette Stadium could be used for later phases. Stores/Pharmacies such as Shaws and Stop and Shop have already signed on to receive doses.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that there have recently been issues arising regarding town employees and COVID protocols. Now that there have been a few recovered cases of COVID in town employees, the question is being asked as to whether they still need to quarantine following out of state travel. Seelig said he was assuming that the restrictions would still apply as there is still uncertainty about the extent of immunity in recovered individuals.

He also pointed out that even if an individual didn’t get sick themselves following an exposure, they could potentially spread the virus while asymptomatic. Valery verified Seelig’s assumptions saying, “absolutely.”

Plympton selectmen’s first meeting in ‘21

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Chair of the Plympton Board of Health Art Morin reported to selectmen at their first meeting of the new year to speak to the COVID situation in town. Morin said that the numbers that the Board of Health have been supplying to Dennehy come directly from MAVEN, the secure web-based surveillance and case management system for infectious diseases in Massachusetts. Morin told the selectmen Plympton saw its highest monthly total of 11 positive cases in December. He went on to say that as of that day there were 8 total cases for Plympton in MAVEN in January with another two not yet listed in the system reported. “That brings us to 10 and it’s only the eleventh of January,” Morin said. Morin also told the selectmen that he has “gone old school” using a hardcopy calendar to track cases per day as it is “foolproof.”

Morin also made a point of stating that he believes that most of the spikes in cases are coming from people gathering over the holidays rather than from establishments like grocery stores and even restaurants. Regarding spread of the virus, Morin said, “…that’s the fastest way to do it, groups in small spaces.”

Wilhelmsen, who serves as Chair of the Plympton School Committee, provided an update on COVID in the school district. The number of total cases throughout Silver Lake Regional District was 28 leading into the week of Christmas. According to Wilhelmsen, as of Monday’s meeting that number had climbed to 109.  While Dennett has been fortunate to have only a small number of cases, Wilhelmsen said, “but if the numbers keep climbing everywhere else, they’re going to climb there too.”

Chair of the Dennett C.A.S.A. (Community and School Association) Sarah Prario joined the Plympton selectmen during their Monday, Jan. 11 virtual meeting. The selectmen have recently started a new tradition of inviting a representative from a different town organization to each meeting to provide an update. Prario spoke about the challenges posed by the pandemic saying, “We haven’t been able to do pretty much anything that was on our usual schedule, but we are adapting as necessary.” Prario said that that they have been able to continue with their luncheons for staff which they have been attempting to hold every month. Prario said that some local businesses have been providing the funding as C.A.S.A. doesn’t feel it is an appropriate time to fundraise from families.

Currently, the C.A.S.A. meetings are being held virtually over ZOOM and attended by only five or so people. Prario said that once in-person meetings resume, she would like to maintain the ZOOM option for those who may be unable to attend in-person. Prario also told the selectmen that C.A.S.A. has recently been granted 501c3 status designating them as a nonprofit organization which enables them to receive contributions including grants. Prario said that the organization was eager to do fundraising for other areas within the community. “You guys do great work and you do really tangible work,” Selectmen Chair Mark Russo said. “We’re grateful to have such a great community,” Prario replied.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy provided an update on the town’s newest project – “What Makes Plympton Unique.” She said they kicked off the project that day on the town Facebook page highlighting the Plympton Kindness Tree. Several years ago, resident Stephani Teran and her son thought up the idea to have a tree on their property during the holiday season where community members could stop by and place kind sentiments about people or things in the town within a glass ornament and hang it from the tree. Writing utensils, paper, and ornaments are supplied as well as sanitizer this year. At the end of the holiday season, Teran would give a nice accounting of the things that were written. Dennehy will continue to highlight the things that make Plympton unique on the town Facebook page.

The selectmen then turned their attention to various priorities in town with Chair of the Town Properties Committee Jon Wilhelmsen leading off the discussion. Wilhelmsen said that the Committee has been working with their consultant Beta Group to begin conceptualizing how best to use the space. They are working together to validate what can and cannot realistically be done. “Septic and water are always the things that limit us in town,” Wilhelmsen told the selectmen. The Committee is also working toward prioritizing what needs to be fixed right now versus what needs help in a year. Wilhelmsen said that by 2022 he expects tangible results from the work being done now.

Wilhelmsen delved into specific potential projects. He said that the Committee has removed the consideration for a municipal garage due to space constraints. The Committee plans to go to town meeting to ask for funds to replace the flagpole on the town green. The cistern on the town green is no longer holding water and is also on the Committee’s radar. Wilhelmsen also said that a roof assessment will eventually be done for both the Townhouse and the library. An inexpensive fix has been established for lighting concerns at the library though Wilhelmsen noted that a lighting consultant may want to be brought in at some point for a better solution.

Several items pertaining to the Highway Department were also discussed. Dennehy said she and Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte had met earlier that day with the selected contractor for the highway barn roof and insulation project. Materials are being ordered for the work soon.

Russo said that the signs indicating the safety zones that were established by the selectmen per town meeting’s approval have been placed. Road painting indicating such will have to wait until the spring.

Finally, there was a brief discussion regarding procedures for removing brush and chips from trees that have been taken down. Firlotte feels that it doesn’t fall under the purview of the department.

Technology upgrades in town were also discussed. Dennehy said the fiber optic upgrade is in progress and that local government offices should expect to be updated in the next week. Dennehy said the only setback was a minor one locating the wiring in the library.

Selectman John Traynor said he had an agreement with the Fire Chief that street number signs would be installed on municipal buildings in town. He said that given the magnitude of the work currently on the Chief’s agenda, he assumes it will be done once COVID is over.

Russo spoke to another possible priority saying he would like to seek funds at town meeting to have a hydrologist come in to analyze Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reporting as well as compliance from Rocky Harvest LLC. Russo said, “it wouldn’t be a lot of money and there is a really good guy around who has done some work for us in the past.”

Dennehy gave an update on emergency management in town saying the hazard mitigation planning grant is still in process. The project meeting is set for the end of February. The end goal will be a stand-alone plan rather than a plan that was embedded in a larger regional one. This project was funded through grant money. Dennehy also gave a brief financial update saying that the budget process is well underway and that the Finance committee has been looking at the capital plan.

An update on elder affairs was also provided. Until recently, a volunteer was coming in two days per week to manage the pantry as paid for by Citizens for Citizens. The organization, however, made the decision that it was too risky to have volunteers going into the building due to the state of the pandemic. As a result, the Director of Elder Affairs will be managing the pantry on Thursdays from 10 am to noon.

Dennehy said that they are looking for a volunteer for Mondays. She said the hours are flexible but noted that the original hours were from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Dennehy also said that with the Townhouse closed, volunteers would not be near others. Prario offered to help secure a volunteer and assured the selectmen that she would find someone for this coming Monday.

It was also noted during Monday’s meeting that there would be a mailing going out to residents shortly to detail various volunteer opportunities in the community.

As always, the selectmen ended their meeting with their rants and raves. Selectwoman Christine Joy was quick to say that hers was a rant rather than a rave.

She began by saying how troubled she was by the deep divide in our country. She also said that while she doesn’t condone violence, she does understand the pain of many Americans whether it be based in racial injustice, the pandemic, or frustration at the government.

Joy said, “For me, Wednesday and the summer protests have really served as a wake-up call and the need for us to stop talking at one another and start talking to one another. Instead of pushing further apart, we should be working to find common ground; this will only be accomplished through freedom of speech, the sharing of ideas, and spirited debate through open dialogue – talking and listening with tolerance and compassion. We are all Americans and as such are capable of working together to make our union stronger than before.

We need to stop the rhetoric and name calling, stop the vilifying of those that don’t agree with us – start seeing each other as individuals, as fellow Americans not defined by our political ideals. It is the diversity of our people and ideals that give us strength. Through true collaboration we can rise above this and work together to rebuild our United States of America.”

“Amen, amen,” Russo said before adjourning the meeting.

Davis named to Regional School Committee

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The Kingston Board of Selectmen and the Silver Lake Regional School Committee held a joint meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 6 in order to appoint a new member to the Regional School Committee following a resignation of one of the Kingston members. The appointment would be good through the next election in April. While the selectmen were in-person, the School Committee as well as the applicants attended the meeting via Zoom.

Selectwoman Kimberley Emberg  began by saying they would hear from each of the five candidates before moving forward with a vote. Members of the Regional School Committee in attendance included Eric Crone, Christopher Eklund, Leslie-Ann McGee, and Paula Hatch. The five applicants were Anne Caliento, Missy Bateman, Emily Davis, Carl Pike, and Sheila Vaughn. Vaughn, who is a current member of the Kingston selectmen abstained from voting.

Bateman, who has been an educator for over 20 years, spoke first saying she was a lifelong resident of Kingston and a graduate of Silver Lake. She has two children in the district and currently serves on a recreation board as well as a local hockey board. Bateman said that she felt that her standing as both an educator and a parent would allow her to bring a sense of empathy and understanding to the Committee. She also said she was up to the challenge of serving despite the difficult times.

Caliento, whose parents were both teachers, said she has been a Kingston resident for 20 years and currently has a daughter in the 10th grade in the district. She told those assembled that she had contemplated running for School Committee for years but always determined herself to be too busy. “If anything the last year gave me the realization that I do have the time…it’s important to make the time for things that are important,” Caliento explained. She also said that she volunteered frequently in the schools when her daughter was younger and was hoping to become involved again.

Davis told the Committee that she moved to Kingston a few years ago from Pembroke. Both she and her husband have worked in education for many years. While no longer working as a teacher, Davis has stayed in the education field working on curriculum design online.

While originally from the South Shore, Davis said she has traveled all over both the country and the world working in various schools. She currently has a son in preschool and a daughter in first grade in Kingston schools.

“I love the school district here, it’s why I moved to Kingston,” Davis explained. She continued, “I think Silver Lake really has an opportunity to be at the forefront in education in Massachusetts.” Davis cited the regional nature of the district as well as the vocational education offered as the reasons she believes Silver Lake can be a leader in what she sees as a turning point in education.

Carl Pike began his statement saying, “I’m sure that you probably all have had a chance to look at the letter I sent in with my background and my beliefs and why I feel I would qualify for this position.” Pike said he has been active in the town working closely with the school administration and school committees on the budget. “I really believe that education is the number one responsibility of local communities… at the same time there are limited resources,” Pike explained. He went on to stress the importance of compromise when creating a budget saying, “school committee members need to be objective” and “what I strive for is to see that everybody gets something out of the deal.”

Vaughn, who currently serves on both the Kingston Board of Selectmen and the Kingston School Committee, was the final applicant. Vaughn, who has been a Kingston resident for over two decades, has three children including a fifth and eighth grader in the district. She said she would view the appointment as lasting only until the election in April.

“Once there is an election, I would be happy to see one of these wonderful people elected to the position,” she explained. She said that she felt that given the difficulties posed by both budget season and the pandemic, it would be best to have a seasoned person fill the role in the interim.

Vice Chair of the Regional School Committee Eric Crone addressed all the candidates prior to the vote saying, “I just want to say thank you to all five of these candidates; it’s overwhelming that we have this many people willing to step up and help out.” He went on to praise the backgrounds of the candidates and said that any of them would be a great addition to the current Committee.

Committee member Leslie-Anne McGee also spoke saying, “it’s been an exceptionally challenging time for us… it’s extremely complicated and I don’t think it’s going to be less complicated for any time now.”

She echoed Crone’s sentiment saying how impressed she was that so many people were willing to come forward to serve during such a challenging time.

An anonymous vote was held resulting in Davis receiving the highest number of votes. Both the selectmen and the School Committee made separate motions to appoint Davis to the Committee. The votes were both unanimous with the exception of Vaughn’s abstention.

HES to stay open though Halifax is red

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The Halifax Elementary School Committee held their first meeting of 2021 virtually on Monday, Jan. 4.  Superintendent Jill Proulx said that the town of Halifax has been in the red risk zone for COVID-19 for four consecutive weeks. Initial guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) stated that communities in the red should move to remote learning. It was later changed to state that communities in the red for three consecutive weeks should move to remote.

The most recent guidance issued in late October recommended that communities remain in either a hybrid or full in-person learning model regardless of risk designation provided there wasn’t evidence of in-school transmission.

Proulx said that there has not been any evidence of school spread and said that the school administration has been in contact with all necessary parties regarding Halifax’s numbers. She also said that the district’s nurse leader has increased the frequency of her communication with the Board of Health providing them with daily updates. School Committee Chair Gordon Andrews said, “I know that any decisions made are always made with the best interests of those in the community in mind.”

Proulx also provided an update on student learning time in the hybrid model. Per DESE’s standards, schools in the hybrid learning model must provide an average of 35 hours of live instruction over the course of two academic weeks. Proulx said that all Silver Lake and Union 31 schools have cleared the standard.

Halifax Elementary School principal Kayne Beaudry provided an update for the Committee. According to Beaudry, enrollment currently stands at 572 students. Cohorts A and B have a nearly even distribution of students. Enrollment in Cohort C, or the fully remote cohort, has been reduced from approximately 100 to 85. “Teachers are doing a great job adapting and being flexible,” Beaudry said.

Beaudry had high praise for the virtual winter concert organized by music teacher Brenda Lessard. A recording of the chorus’ performance was made available. “If you have not seen them, check it out, it was pretty amazing what she was able to pull off with the students,” Beaudry said of Lessard. Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch nodded vigorously in agreement.

Beaudry told the Committee that two esteemed members of the cafeteria department retired on December 23. Between the two of them, the retirees had over 50 years of experience working there. “We will miss them,” he said. He also gave a shoutout to everyone that contributes to the giving tree at the school which provides hats and mittens to the Plymouth Area Coalition for the Homeless.

Each of the standing committees that have had a meeting since the last School Committee meeting provided an update. Committee member Summer Schmaling read from an email from Halifax Youth and Recreation Director Richard Steele. Steele reported that the Halifax Elementary School gym has been used for the last two months for basketball practices only. As of the week beginning January 4, town basketball will also be held in the gym. Steele reported that the gym was one of the only ones open in the area. Schmaling expressed her gratitude for children being allowed to play sports in town. “Shoutout to Youth and Rec for making sure that happens because it’s really important to a lot of our families,” she said. The gym floor was also recently refinished.

The PTO last met on December 2. Due to cancelled field trips and other events the PTO has a surplus of money that they are looking to allocate. For this reason, Beaudry said that teachers should submit any wish list items to them. The PTO recently held a teacher appreciation luncheon. Participation in the recent book fair was down, but it was anticipated due to the unusual circumstances.

Proulx presented a first draft of the budget proposal for 2021 to 2022. The draft which was shared with members of the Committee represented a 3.41 percent increase in the regular day operating budget as well as a 5.13 percent increase overall. Principals were asked to prepare a level service budget as well as a capital plan that included input from staff. The budget presented by Proulx did not include Beaudry’s staffing requests nor did it include the current staffing for the hybrid model. Proulx said that shared costs were not yet included and said that she anticipated that the addition would increase the budget.

The budget includes an increase in custodial supplies as the need for continued increased cleaning is anticipated. It also includes $5,000 for a shed. The Special Education reimbursement program Circuit Breaker was factored in at 55 percent, a number that is likely conservative. Proulx also said that the budget accounted for five slots in the out of district vocational tuition line though there are currently four students enrolled, three of which will be graduating. The actual number remains to be seen.

The overall enrollment numbers are down while homeschool numbers have increased. Student enrollment at Halifax Elementary School is down by 17 from 2020 to 2021. Halifax student enrollment at the middle and high school levels is down 5 students.

Andrews requested that the school make regular videos to showcase the work being done by the students and teachers as a way to show the taxpayers where their money is going. “There is a great return on investment,” Andrews said. Andrews referenced the presentation to the Committee by the students in the Pathways program for 18-22-year-olds that included a video of their recent work. “It made me feel good and gave me a reason to want to be on the School Committee,” he explained.

Andrews told the Committee that he wanted to acknowledge the great work done by Facilities Manager Matthew Durkee, Head Custodian Bob Clancy, and Director of Building Maintenance Scott Materna in getting the backflow device at the school fixed after the recent snowstorm. Without the quick fix, the school would not have been able to open. Durkee, who was on the call, also acknowledged the assistance they received from various local companies including City Point Fire Protection, Inc., John Hoadley Plumbing & Heating, Inc., and FW Webb. “The group really pulled together and was able to accomplish this… kudos to all involved,” Durkee said. He also thanked Halifax Board of Health agent Bob Valery who he said was instrumental in getting things up and running. Andrews said that the Committee would be sending letters of thanks to those involved. “I know how long and hard you guys worked to try and get a solution into place,” he said.