AGENDA

Rachael Abell Updates

• Ward 1 School Committee seat will be open: Rachael Abell running for an at-large seat & offering her guidance to anyone who would like to be put on the ballot & run

• Two-year term from January to the end of December of the next year

• Two Wednesday per month commitment

• Subcommittees prior

• Whole group immediately following 7:30-10:00 pm

• Please reach out to any of the school committee members to get an idea of what it’s like to serve in this role

• This Wednesday 
  • 6:30 pm Curriculum Meeting
  • 7:30 pm April 9
• April 14-17 = COTW meetings with superintendent candidates
  • Candidates visiting on 
  • April 14th – Jennifer
  • 15th – Dr. Cushing
  • 16th – Sean Gallagher tour then interview at 7:30pm
  • Requesting turnaround time from community survey via QR code
    • Voting on THURSDAY
• April 30 Committee of the Whole – BEV YOUTUBE CHANNEL

• May 7th Budget Hearing: health insurance premiums are going up; SPED programing for out of district students; circuit breaker/federal funding/grants are low

Corissa Reynolds and Alicia Michael

• • Apex Leadership Company
    • 1. Student Leadership
    • 2. Fundraising
  • What are we doing currently/in the past?
    • Enrollment? – 400 students
    • Pain Points? – having to run them! 🙂 + fundraising fatigue from the families & businesses
  • Corissa – Rowley mom of elementary aged kids
    • Background in insurance fraud, government, digital product manager
    • Bringing business model to Massachusetts
  • Apex focus
    • Goals
      • Investing in students
      • Impart understanding in students’ minds that they are leaders
      • Raise a lot of money
    • Overview
      • “Athletes” come to the campus for 2 weeks giving lessons & encouraging leadership activities.
      • All students participate regardless of the amount of donations
      • Typically raise 30-50% more money → 70% pledges come from outside the families
      • Individual webpages for students + high spirit on campus
    • Set Apart
      • Fitness oriented event (mind & body)
      • Local college students fill the “athlete” role
      • All students included
      • Giving back: company sends money back to Feed America
    • In Depth Programming
      • Typical Model
        • Teacher Huddle 20-30 minutes
        • Pep Rally
        • Team Days
        • Apex Event
        • Wrap-Up
      • Monday: Teachers get to pick their designated classroom times for leaders to come visit
      • Tuesday: Outside or in a gym – high energy pep rally where the kids get to know who the athletes are & receive their pledge kit
        • Pledges = flat donation or per lap donation
        • Inflatables, prize preview, fundraising paired with leadership
      • 6 Days of Team/Leadership Days with athletes on campus from start to finish. Wavy dude out front/15 ft flags. Visit classrooms at designated times with 10 minute leadership lesson
        • Lessons tie into annual theme
        • PBIS based curriculum
        • Next year’s theme: “Level Up”
      • Physical items: bracelets, leadership cube, slap band bracelet, crossbody bags with sunglasses, electric bicycle
      • 6 Days of athletes integrating themselves into the community
      • Apex Event could be fun run, glow run (inside)
        • Ask for 15-20 volunteers; 5-6 at the very least
        • Family guests welcome to cheer kids on
      • Wrap Up Day – Team says good-bye, finish up prizes & classroom activities
      • Fundraising take-home increases the more money we fundraise
      • From – to $30K Apex takes 50%
        • The more you raise, the more money you take home

• Q&A

• How many athletes in the building? 2; 60 minutes total classroom time

• • • • How is APEX different from Boosterthon? Same basis. Distinguishing factor is the local piece. Apex athletes are locally hired.

Event Updates

• • Comedy Night brough in more than enough money to cover the benches
  • Caregiver Night – disappointingly low attendance
  • Yard Sale – A success last weekend!
    • Do it again next year a little bit later in the spring
    • $440/table sales; $230/swag & donations that day
  • Paraprofessional Appreciation Day – Lunch from the gyro spot in Salem
  • Benches update
    • City installs them for us
    • Everything including shipping would be just over $3,000
  • Field Day pinnies ordered – 450 reversible 
    • No more t-shirts or headbands
    • Flat pinny to reuse every year
  • Board elections for next year
    • Several open positions – Talk to your friends & get more people involved
      • Enrichment Coordinator (Katie Lovett did an amazing job)
        • Planetarian
        • Recent guest _____
        • Rob Surrette
        • Operetta coming
        • Jump Rope guy
        • Bike guy 
  • Appreciation Items
    • $50 for each
      • Administrative Professional – Sarah Carrier
      • Principal Day – May 1
      • School Hero Lunch Day
    • Teacher Appreciation Week
      • Drop Off food items
      • La Victoria lunch
      • $5 gift cards
        • Maybe some local businesses

• List to go out to families

• • PTO Presidents Meeting
    • Discussed Citywide PTO – on the brink of extinction. It gives the PTOs and boosters a 501c(3) status. Current president and treasurer are stepping down. Todd doesn’t mind dissolving it but it would be unfortunate.
      • It has to be completely separate from the schools. 
      • At arms length from any of the city employees, etc. 
      • Runs Fall Frolic. 
    • Have to meet once per year.
    • Meet with the accountant at tax season.
    • When it started out, it was a place of collaboration.
    • Emails & Bootstraps asking for can drives.
    • Need at least two signatories on the checkbook, make sure fundraisers go through the superintendent’s office, need to send all receipts to the accountant.
    • Used to have a stronger partnership with BevEd & YMCA in terms of an event-based organization.

• Bev Ed

• • • 30 Grant Proposals Submitted
      • 3 from Ayers
      • Voting on them next week
      • Applicants hear results in May
    • Pushing the Honor Teacher to increase funding through one mode
      • Considering a Jimmy Fund sticker model
      • Bring a visual awareness to the honor-a-teacher
      • Apple that says “one of ayers educators has been honored through the honor teacher program 2025” (Ms. Hart didn’t want any names.)
      • Ayers already has 8 teachers who have been honored. 
    • Idea: email + post on the Ayers whenever a teacher was honored & include the link?

• New Cones for Drop-Off

• • • Pick Up Logistics 
      • Coming out of the school near the kiss-n-go there’s a logjam

• Why are there so many .pdfs?

• • • Ask Sarah Carrier to be the gatekeeper of email subjects & PDF titles

• 4th Grade Fundraiser 

• • • Going well; expected to raise $1200

• Budget Update to Come