Technology, transparency, community engagement, uniforms and other topics were all discussed as Superintendent Kimberly Shaver-Hood held the first meeting of the Superintendent Advisory Committee on Jan. 9. For Shaver-Hood, she wants a strong relationship with the community built on communication.

“I need the community to be my partner,” Shaver-Hood said.

A vast range of topics were discussed, but centered on two things: the state of the school from the perspective of residents and how to make the school better. Shaver-Hood wanted the community’s input on these topics.

The group of 11 admitted the Superintendent and School Committee can sometimes be appear inaccessible to the public.

“We have to get the word out,” Shaver-Hood said.

School Committee member Geoffrey Swett added that the advisory committee can give residents direct communication to policy makers in the school.

“If you sell it to Kim and two School Committee members here, you can make things happen,” said Swett.

Attendees also included selectman Judy Whiteside and School Committee member Michael Flaherty.

Whiteside praised Shaver-Hood’s work with the school’s budget for the 2015 fiscal year, which was announced at the School Committee meeting the previous night. Included in the budget was the reconfiguring of schools which would have each grade in the same school, instead of being divided between Minot Forest Elementary and Decas Elementary.

“I think it will be good shifting the schools. The grades and curriculums would be together,” Whiteside said.

Whiteside added that the shift could help improve MCAS test scores.

The group spent much of its time broken down into smaller sections, where they discussed the positive and negative things happening in the schools. Strengths included the teachers, student diversity and production by the school councils. Weaknesses included the public’s perception of the school, lack of family involvement and a lack of technology.

Regarding family involvement with the schools, parent David Fringuelli said, “There are some parents who work two jobs, but they care just as much as any parent.”

Shaver-Hood’s attempt to reach out to residents goes beyond just school-related topics, and requested the public reach out to her.

“I really like invitations to groups,” Shaver-Hood said. “It doesn’t need to be connected to school.”

To conclude the meeting, there was homework assigned to attendees: take the community’s temperature on getting school uniforms.

“It’s something we’d be interested in moving forward,” Shaver-Hood said.