[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6220168,"mediaKeyId","3618293-fb97c011abdaff2fc8782fb472fb7d91","parentId",3618293,"title","State supports weighted lottery; Smith trustees adopt district competency graduation policy","audioSeconds",726,"startMs",3584000,"endMs",4310000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618293-fb97c011abdaff2fc8782fb472fb7d91&start=3584&end=4310","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618293-fb97c011abdaff2fc8782fb472fb7d91/thumbnail_3584000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6220168/Massachusetts/State-supports-weighted-lottery-Smith-trustees-adopt-district-competency-graduation-policy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220168-0cfdb057ef31d0ccf185edabb6f0ae7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770739393&Signature=HidcH2wa4xhBRaftRPpjD67p200lghHrX3Ce1O4eRDNW2XDjoRrMri~Xqt~vJDtWIGc7bHMXGGckUc1Zyc4j1MvvvrXnOidgByeH6AVfbGBYpQGxaqBf4OcuBg9jC0E1x-ZRyrCd27Ul-auOF1u~kDFwYlNZTHznbOEz1tQVz0xTZAk03qJN1WXaVcQE8HcJudQdEOIglCvpHYv42U697HLb730vI1qrP9euKBqn9EDbEtxZ8IQ8I0ovdtITcPn0AwTrGNjimIFbKg6bysAcpo-360ytzvAksXkUXstNxT7w2cPQljikAeoXFCfoxG-Txqqqjj-EGCqUgS4ZTDNASQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Northampton City, MA","date","2025-05-31T20:32:46Z","article","Trustees were briefed on admissions, new state vocational admissions regulations and a board action to adopt updated local graduation requirements.

Principal Joe Bianca reported admissions activity: the first round of 150 acceptance letters went out before April break; as of the meeting 77 of those first‑round students had registered (about 48.12%), and first‑round accepted students have until Monday, June 2 to accept their seats, after which seats will be offered to students on the wait list. “As of today, we have 77 first round students who registered at so that's about 48.12% of those letters that went out,” Bianca said.

Trustees also heard that the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted 8–2 in favor of a proposed weighted lottery for vocational admissions following public comment and regulatory review. A staff speaker summarized the board action: “As of today, the vote was 8 to 2 to support the weighted lottery.” The new regulations require districts to admit in‑district students first under a lottery framework and then consider nonresident students; staff recommended Smith preserve current local priorities by running a priority lottery for Northampton students before a general lottery for other applicants.

On graduation policy, trustees reviewed and then voted to amend policy IKF to create local competency determinations now that state MCAS results are no longer the required determination. The policy specifies required coursework that satisfies district competency for English (satisfactory completion of English 9 and English 10), mathematics (completion of Algebra or Integrated 1 and Geometry or Integrated 2), and science (completion of Biology or Physics). The board approved the amended policy at the meeting.

The board also voted not to participate in the state school‑choice program for the 2025–26 school year; staff explained that the state school‑choice payment does not cover the higher per‑student cost of vocational instruction and that accepting school‑choice students could undermine sending‑district relationships.

Trustees made no changes to admissions practice at the meeting beyond confirming the district will plan to run lotteries consistent with state regulations and local priorities; staff will continue to refine procedures and communicate deadlines to families.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SVAHS Board of Trustees | May 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees discussed state‑level adoption of a weighted admissions lottery for vocational schools, reviewed Smith's admissions numbers, and voted to amend local graduation policy to establish district competency determinations in English, math and science after MCAS was removed as the state determinant.","taxTitle","Northampton City, Hampshire County, Massachusetts","taxId",68541,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6220173,"Trustees address horticulture building finish, contingency shortfalls and invasive plant costs",797,2367000,3164000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618293-fb97c011abdaff2fc8782fb472fb7d91&start=2367&end=3164","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618293-fb97c011abdaff2fc8782fb472fb7d91/thumbnail_2367000.jpg","/articles/6220173/Massachusetts/Trustees-address-horticulture-building-finish-contingency-shortfalls-and-invasive-plant-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220173-eb3a92c06c939d0e08a14ea7f63646f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770739394&Signature=Lj~-x1zBwWMI047lF0UcnaCyCF3RqtooL8ylokPVQtuzHny0XS1V-PnGwBXTFj9e5O3BLHvXKdgsbY58p4yFpc6YFjCCJPTGED9oUQkccFI7sVzKczhYzYbvwcRLXXM7RLLq78wvYZNO1-Wzpib1QXhNUEqiGUI~K9sgdKcQJeqmzdhonyA1h5RMLwjR8Pri3i9xb8fNjKz3Bugs3RORMyRO8lWO3d1JtASfcniMimrPFl4hqJJF10kEa9Ozje18q4MYEdRGY2eMfGvVRGmDgUMoGvbaye~Q4gMe01~92a4IhHms2alkWCCNX2RT3wgBttCOR95iG0sPiToLyOkdFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","School facilities staff updated trustees on remaining work to complete the new horticulture building, the city review of site plantings required for an occupancy permit, a modest contingency balance and the cost of eradicating Japanese knotweed found on campus property.

Crystal (reporting for Tim Smith) told trustees that the sidewalk project will begin June 16, that the energy management system estimate has gone over the original appropriation and the city reduced that estimate by about $100,000 but the project remains over budget and is on hold. She also said the debuilding roof repair drawings are in progress and that sawdust collection engineering for the cabinet program is at an early stage.

On the horticulture building, staff said the city requires landscaping and planting work before final occupancy can be granted; the planting season window for many species typically closes around June 15. That timing creates a challenge because the construction contractor will still be completing final work when the planting window closes, likely pushing final landscaping into the fall. Staff and the site designer (Berkshire Design) proposed returning to the city for an updated site plan that reduces tree counts and allows the school to plant additional trees in the fall.

Trustees reviewed contingency balances and near‑term capital choices. Staff reported a tuition‑revolving account balance and an approximate contingency balance of $96,000; demolition of the old horticulture building, including abatement, was quoted at about $90,000. The board discussed possible uses for remaining contingency funds (demolition, additional drainage work to prevent winter stormwater washouts, a clear‑coat finish for interior timber at about $10,000) and asked staff to bring a prioritized recommendation over the summer.

Staff also reported multiple sightings of Japanese knotweed on school property, including steep slopes near the former VA lot, an area near the storage barn and a hillside abutting Mosier Street. An outside contractor provided a three‑year eradication proposal with first‑year costs on the order of several thousand dollars per site; staff estimated first‑year total costs in the low thousands to several thousands (combined approximately $6,000–$7,000 depending on access and treatment complexity). Staff warned that eradication is typically a three‑year program with declining costs in years two and three.

No formal capital reallocation vote occurred. Trustees asked staff to return with final contingency recommendations, including timelines and the cost‑benefit of demolishing the old horticulture building versus retaining it.","Trustees were briefed on the nearly completed horticulture building and remaining site work requirements, discussed a roughly $96,000 contingency balance and an estimated $90,000 asbestos/ demo quote for the old horticulture building, and were warned of Japanese knotweed infestations that will require multi‑year treatment.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6220178,"Resident asks Smith trustees to add Zoom and faster video posting for public meetings",116,97000,213000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618293-fb97c011abdaff2fc8782fb472fb7d91&start=97&end=213","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618293-fb97c011abdaff2fc8782fb472fb7d91/thumbnail_97000.jpg","/articles/6220178/Massachusetts/Resident-asks-Smith-trustees-to-add-Zoom-and-faster-video-posting-for-public-meetings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220178-0f0829e926ed130121ce21648a9083ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1770739394&Signature=EaRufPzC~pfryo8iimGd7xxpGeJDATK50F-cLEP8CJH1uhmtgjS2EB72IWDm-wZhSRHskaH-HtAARSVIR0ZaSQhuh2qb~GWTeUcOdwqNrB~9RaMMsuqokMi20kcktx3uMwflm~psJA-pgATmvMAnuxaIXwMpmEaAYGbAENmcPemZaO-2sOd7XUvBz-xToddBmR2AQkaoaXFvgJvzdNOWyRS8Xvw2HwrQU7AfRD1h9w9yOEMjIjyoMrjkOS-HGKkXpnIBj~aBe67YRnUDmkExKOrI7VnIqQaMmUb8EG~3deNTmDG-2u-5QLFv5QNjG1O-qNkCmwssnGZEcFnPrk0XxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leslie Scans Hodgson, a librarian at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School and a Northampton resident, urged the board to provide remote access (Zoom or equivalent) for board meetings and to post recordings more promptly.

Hodgson said the school community draws from “dozens of communities across several counties” and that travel time, work schedules and physical limitations make in‑person attendance difficult for many. “Providing a remote option like Zoom would make it easier for community members to watch and participate,” she said, and added that a quicker posting cadence would help: she noted the recording of the April 9 meeting was posted about 40 days later and has already received nearly 30 views.

Hodgson framed the request as an access and transparency measure. She also told trustees that many other local boards and committees in Northampton already hold hybrid meetings and that offering a remote option would “promote transparency, civic involvement, and overall improved communications between [the board] and the SBAHS community.”

Trustees acknowledged the request during the meeting; no formal policy change or vote was taken at this session. Board members may raise the request at a future agenda item for action on hybrid meeting procedures or technical equipment procurement.","A Northampton resident and Smith librarian urged trustees to offer remote meeting access and faster posting of recorded meetings to increase transparency and public participation.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6220184,"Smith trustees hear regionalization roadmap, weigh consultant RFP",7034,377000,7411000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618293-fb97c011abdaff2fc8782fb472fb7d91&start=377&end=7411","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618293-fb97c011abdaff2fc8782fb472fb7d91/thumbnail_377000.jpg","/articles/6220184/Massachusetts/Smith-trustees-hear-regionalization-roadmap-weigh-consultant-RFP","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220184-e9587f080e5dfe05efd587db61066f4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770739394&Signature=fDsmVa6WaOyJXhC6Vz-KWmAuPtzvxsu7rkuwSn1-qu1MkpwQXNUuHsiih5ANNrhzXOpkPvYAI~LHC5Dd6sbNIJsUCWshf86Ri6roH9W5Kff-~gC3k8eUFVD4-e6nq5ciH0OtyI4nPJda0YCRJb3JeSr0Qh0lbAF9gwxMWOodGaFJfMAd47yDGxC5tGgB09QsnomQp9XKQZLBMcDG6QugqijofgqVIBNq1lYLcGxxjKudHrIShj92v-oZO7IkT-KZ2~byZXos1Cp3~TyLBwNS3OEdSXpKCYHfEHxqirFTTOaGphwUu-EGJaRgNCKT88C~mi4L9Y7e0SHoLPvCQrH1JQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School Board of Trustees on Tuesday heard a detailed presentation on regionalization as a potential path to replace or significantly renovate the school's aging facilities and to qualify for state building funds.

The presentation, given by Jay Barry, a consultant with Mars Consulting Group, and Roger Bujola, a former superintendent involved in the creation of Essex North Shore Agricultural Technical School (Essex Tech), outlined statutory steps for forming a regional vocational school district, described how a regional agreement functions, and offered examples of how a complex merger has worked in Massachusetts.

The discussion mattered because trustees said the school needs a clear, fundable plan for Building D and other capital needs. Barry said the process is procedural but “unique” for Smith’s situation and that forming a regional vocational‑tech district is one option to explore. “One of them might be that you want to consider forming a regional vocational tech school,” Barry told trustees during the presentation.

Bujola described how Essex Tech’s reorganization combined multiple schools after enabling legislation and a feasibility study. He said the enabling legislation also funded a feasibility study and architect work: “The legislation also funded I think it was a hundred thousand dollars in funding for a feasibility study to be done to hire an architect,” Bujola said, recounting the Essex Tech experience. He described a coalition of legislative, municipal and business champions and noted the new Essex Tech opened in 2014 as a roughly $134,000,000 project serving about 1,440 students (900 vocational; 540 agricultural seats), with state land contributed under DCAM terms.

Trustees and staff pressed presenters on governance, seats on a planning board, how member towns would be assessed, and MSBA eligibility. Barry and Bujola cautioned that the process is lengthy and statutory, that voters in member communities must approve a regional agreement, and that a transition period follows any approvals. Barry said a planning study and regional agreement are necessary steps before a district can become operational.

Board members did not adopt a regional agreement or hire a consultant during the meeting. Instead trustees directed a small group of board members and staff to draft a scope of services and prepare a request for proposals (RFP) describing the deliverables the board wants from outside consultants. The board agreed to return the RFP to the full board for review at the June meeting.

Trustees and presenters also discussed alternatives to regionalization, including (1) assessing a capital fee on nonresident students, (2) pursuing MSBA processes if governance changes make the school eligible, and (3) more structural options such as reducing shops and contracting vocational offerings. Presenters repeatedly emphasized the timeline and political work required: creating a regional agreement can take several years and requires legislative, municipal and community champions.

The board’s next formal step was procedural: trustees asked the debuilding/strategic planning subcommittee to draft the RFP scope, to include possible alternatives or desired outcomes, and to present the RFP draft at the June board meeting.

The meeting also included extended questions from trustees and staff about budget impacts, transportation reimbursement incentives for regionalization, and how tuition and nonresident capital fees have been handled at other regional schools.

The board did not vote on regionalization itself; presenters characterized regionalization as one of several paths and repeatedly urged stakeholders to begin a planning conversation with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.","Trustees heard a presentation from Mars Consulting Group and a former Essex Tech superintendent about forming a regional vocational district as one pathway to fund a major building project. Board members asked staff to draft an RFP for consulting support and to bring recommended next steps back to the board.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

State supports weighted lottery; Smith trustees adopt district competency graduation policy

Trustees address horticulture building finish, contingency shortfalls and invasive plant costs

Resident asks Smith trustees to add Zoom and faster video posting for public meetings

Smith trustees hear regionalization roadmap, weigh consultant RFP