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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-06-11 School Committee Minutes r Town of Reading q Meeting Minutes OJI:IM[O0.N' y_a Board - Committee - Commission - Council: School Committee Date: 2020-06-11 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Location: Address: Session: Open Session Purpose: Open Session Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Chuck Robinson, John Parks, Tom Wise, Erin Gaffen, Carla Nazzaro and Shawn Brandt Members - Not Present: Others Present: Superintendent John Doherty, Assistant Superintendent Chris Kelley, CFO Gail Dowd, Director of Student Services Jennifer Stys, Human Resources Administrator Jenn Allard Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Linda Engelson on behalf of the Chair Topics of Discussion: 1. Call to Order Chair Robinson opened the meeting and announced the School Committee was meeting in a virtual setting,fully remote via Microsoft Teams,practicing social distancing and in accordance with the Governor's suspension of certain open meeting laws. The meeting was being recorded and broadcast live on RCTV. The Chair called attendance: Mr. Parks—here Dr. Doherty—here Mr. Wise—here Mrs. Dowd—here Mrs.Nazzaro—here Mrs. Kelley-here Mrs. Gaffen—here Dr. Stys—here Mr. Brandt—here Mrs.Allard—here Mr. Robinson—here A. Staff Recognition Mrs. Allard shared that because the meeting is remote, she will be presenting a video in which the principals will acknowledge their staff being recognized tonight. She thanked everyone that assisted her in creating this video. First Name Last Name School/Department Milestone Year HEATHER MCCLAIN I BARROWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 10 Page 1 1 ANDREA CARUSO JOSHUA EATON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 10 BETHANY NAZZARO JOSHUA EATON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 10 LAURA FARRELL KILLAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 10 AURIANA MUSSELMAN PARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL 10 ANDREW SPINALI PARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL 10 JUDITH THERRIAULT PARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL 10 CHRISTOPHER TWOMEY PARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL 10 GIULIO BINAGHI READING MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL 10 ELIZABETH DALEY READING MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL 10 KENT HATTON READING MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL 10 LEA RICHARDSON READING MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL 10 PAUL COLLINS SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE/RMHS 10 FRANEY- MAUREEN PASSATEMPO SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE/KILLAM 10 LISA NORCROSS WOOD END ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 10 CAROL SANDBERG BARROWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 BIRCH MEADOW ELEMENTARY LEANA VRENANGR SCHOOL 20 KATHLEEN INGEMI JOSHUA EATON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 KERRY MULLEN JOSHUA EATON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 KARESA ENCARNACAO KILLAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 MARY GOTSELL KILLAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 AMY HUSSEY KILLAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 HELEN PALMIERI KILLAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 MARY ELLEN KIRWAN READING MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL 20 NANCY NAIMI READING MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL 20 BRENDA HOBART SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE/COOLIDGE 20 SARAH BIELICKI WOOD END ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 LISA FINIGAN WOOD END ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 William Keenan Barrows Retirement Paula Santarpio Central Office Retirement Chris Steinhauser Coolidge Retirement John Falkenstrom Eaton Retirement Vonda Gauthier Parker Retirement Giulio Binaghi RMHS Retirement Janet Klein RMHS Retirement Mary Ellen Kirwan RMHS Retirement Jeffrey Ryan RMHS Retirement Nancy Najmi RMHS Retirement Illeana Napoli RMHS Retirement Carmen O'Rourke RMHS Retirement Lisa Suglia Wood End Retirement Page 12 Vittoria Penna Barrows Elementary School PTS Leslie Jennings Barrows Elementary School PTS Caitilyn Coye Birch Meadow Elementary School PTS Mollie Pelletier Coolidge Middle School PTS Rachel Herman Coolidge Middle School PTS Amy Gelineau Coolidge Middle School PTS Selma Walsh Coolidge Middle School PTS Phyllis Greene Joshua Eaton Elementary School PTS Brittany Kurtz Joshua Eaton Elementary School PTS Kameka Rees Killam Elementary School PTS Elizabeth Kelly Killam Elementary School PTS Rachel Weeks Parker Middle School PTS Kathleen Shmulsky Parker Middle School PTS Jamie Benger Reading Memorial High School PTS Alexander Pancic Reading Memorial High School PTS Sharyn Drew Reading Memorial High School PTS Gregory Cate Reading Memorial High School PTS Catherine Taglilatela Reading Memorial High School PTS Ann Marie McGrath RISE Preschool PTS Lori Abelson Wood End Elementary School PTS Jessica Hester Wood End Elementary School PTS B. Public Innu[ Mr. Robinson explained that public comment would be held at the end of the meeting allowing the public time to email questions to dgschoolcommittee(a)reading.kl2.ma.us C. Consent Agenda Mr.Wise moved,seconded by Mr. Brandt,to approve the consent agenda as amended. The roll call vote carried 6-0.Mr.Parks,Mr.Wise,Mrs.Nazzaro.Mrs. Gaffen,Mr.Brandt and Mr.Robinson. D. R ports Director of Student Services Dr. Stys provided an update on the plans for the Extended School Year(ESY)program. She said that she has been working closely with the state. The plan is for high priority students to come into small group or individual settings when the district is ready. We are targeting students that have not been able to access services remotely. She hopes to have additional guidance from the state for training of staff and PPE requirements by July 6o. Chief Financial Officer Mrs. Dowd reported on the following: Town Meeting—we have been working closely with the Town as they prepare for the upcoming Town Meeting. We have members of our Facilities Department, IT Department and Central Office working through the logistics and participating in"mock" Page 1 3 meetings. Town Meeting will be a virtual platform on Monday June 15". There will be a test Town Meeting on Saturday and those that are not participating will be able to attend in the PAC at RMHS. Use of School Fields-As the state moves into Phase 2 of re-opening,we are reviewing all of the guidelines for the multiple Phases of Phase 2 to determine the safest way to re- open Turf 1 and Turf 11. We are working closely with Facilities and Recreation to review the guidelines and will be presenting our plan to the Command Team as well as the Board of Health. We will keep the committee and community informed and updated as decisions related to the fields are made. As of today,both fields remain closed. Personal Protective Equipment and Buying Process—we continue to follow and monitor guidelines that are being issued by DESS On June 5th, DESE issued Guidance on Required Safety Supplies for Re-Opening Schools Upon receiving this guidance,I began discussions with Mary Giuliana,Joe Huggins,Kevin Gerstner, Kevin Cabuzzi and Dr. Doherty to review the list. We began to calculate the potential quantities needed based upon the guidance as well as to determine preliminary cost estimate. A spreadsheet was created for each category of PPE so that we had a clear picture of the orders that would need to be placed. DESE issued a memo on Health Supply/PPE Acquisition Support announcing a state sponsored ordering process. The process will be handled through the MA Operational Services Division(OSD). OSD will be working with statewide contract vendors to create a supply reserve that participating school districts can access and place initial and recurring PPE orders. Part of the process will involve DESE/School only web-based punchout catalogs with defined product choices and pricing. We will continue to keep the committee updated. As mentioned during our last meeting, we are preparing to start purchasing PPE now to ensure we are ready for the opening of school as well as for ESY. Food Distribution Update-We are currently providing meals to 42 children in Reading— the number has fluctuated since March with some new children being added and some coming off the list. We have had families starting to ask if we will be continuing through the summer. On June 10th we received an announcement from the Department of Education that the USDA released a nationwide waiver that will allow School Food Authorities to continue to provide meals at no charge to all children and teens at non-area eligible schools and community sites, where less than 50 percent of participants are eligible for free or reduced price meals. This specifically extends the existing waiver of area eligibility requirements through August 31,2020(which is a change from the originally proposed date of September 30th). DESE has requested districts to submit and amend applications that had an end date of June 30th by June 17th. Danielle Collins and I will be meeting to review the new information to determine the appropriate next steps. Assistant Superintendent Mrs. Kelley congratulated all the staff that were recognized tonight. Mrs. Kelley shared that we continue to work hard with remote Teaming. We are getting better, staff growing with remote learning and asking questions. A remote learning survey has gone out to staff, parents and students that will be closing tonight. Mrs. Kelley indicated that the response has been good. She will provide a curriculum update at our next meeting. Page 1 4 Mrs. Kelley reported the diversity group that has been brainstorming ideas regarding the direction to take and added that all of the schools are having conversations,and this is a huge priority. Superintendent Dr. Doherty wanted to thank our principals and staff for their creativity in handling the move-up, promotion and award ceremonies this year. He went on to thank Jordan's Furniture for allowing us to use their parking lot for the parade and senior slideshow events. Graduation is set for the end of July as an outdoor ceremony. The graduation plan will need to be approved by the Board of Health. Dr. Doherty reviewed the strategy going forward. He said that he is receiving a great deal of information from the state and DESE. He feels there is a strong possibility that there will be a hybrid model following DPH guidelines. We have established planning subcommittees(Continuity of Learning, Supporting All Learners, Social Emotional Leaming and Staff/Student Transition&Communication and Operations). These subcommittees are made up of teachers, administrators and parents. Liaisons Mr. Parks reported that the Recreation Committee met and cancelled all summer programs. The Ad-Hoc Committee will meet on lune 17w. E. New Business Endorse Community Action for Social Justice Event Jennifer Blackmon, Parker teacher, provided some background on the upcoming event. There have been safety discussions during the planning, RCTV will be live streaming this event as well. She went on to read an excerpt from a student letter describing her fears and concerns as a student of color in the Reading Public Schools. She is asking that the School Committee endorse this event. Mr.Wise moved,seconded by Mr.Parks,to endorse the Community Action for Social Justice Event on June 13th. Committee members shared concerns about safety and liability.Members also wanted assurance that proper protocols were followed for holding this event. The rally should be viewed as a unifying community event. The committee is being asked to endorse the event to show support for our students of color. The roll call vote carried 5-1. Mr.Parks,Mr.Wise,Mrs.Gaffen,Mr.Brandt and Mr.Robinson votine for.Mrs.Nazzaro votine against. Endorse COVID-I9 State funding Resolution Mr. Wise read the resolution. Mr.Wise moved,seconded by Mrs.Nazzaro.to endorse the COVID-19 Fundine Resolution. Mrs. Dowd said that she has been running preliminary estimates for PPE with the range being$660- $700K per year. Page 1 5 The resolution is symbolic in nature. The roll call vote carried 6-0. Mr.Parks,Mr.Wise,Mrs.Nazzaro,Mrs.Gagen,Mr. Brandt and Mr.Robinson. F. Old Business Capital Update Mrs. Dowd provided an update on the progress of the modular classroom project. The delivery has been delayed due to a manufacturing delay due to COVID-19 staffing reductions. We hope to have them delivered to the site sometime in mid-August with a proposed completion date in the September/October timeline. There have been discussions with Mrs. Hendrix to discuss space alternatives within Birch Meadow to accommodate the short-term needs. Mr. Huggins shared that DPW can begin the sitework and construction of items such as the canopies to be installed over the entrances. Mrs. Dowd reported that the building security study is ongoing. The contract has been awarded to Lynnwell Associates with a target date of June 22"d to begin construction. Second Reading of Social Media Policies Mr.Wise moved,seconded by Mr.Brandt,to accept the second readine and approval of Policy BHE—Use of Electronic Messaeine by School Committee Members&Policy BHEA—Use of Social Media by School Committee Members Mr. Wise began the second reading of Policy BHE—Use of Electronic Messaging by School Committee Members. Mr.Parks moved to suspend the readine.Seconded by Mr.Brandt.The roll call vote carried 6-0. Mr.Parks,Mr.Wise,Mrs.Gaffen,Mrs.Nazzaro,Mr,Brandt and Mr.Robinson Mr. Wise began the second reading of Policy BHEA—Use of Social Media by School Committee Members. Mr.Parks moved to suspend the readine. Seconded by Mr.Brandt. The roll call vote carried 6-0. Mr.Parks,Mr.Wise,Mrs.Nazzaro,Mn.Gaffen.Mr.Brandt and Mr.Robinson. The committee reviewed the proposed policies and the procedures. The roll call vote carried 5-1. Mrs.Nazzaro,Mr.Wise,Mrs.Gaffen,Mr.Brandt and Mr.Robinson voting for.Mr.Parks votine against. G. Public Comment—entails received during meeting Mr. Wise read an email from Rebecca Liberman: "Dear SC members, I never received a response to my comments and suggestions made before your prior meeting(see below). I had also asked about the possibility of summer school. Page 1 6 Lastly, I urge you to consider the following suggestions: 1. The agenda order must be followed unless there is a compelling reason to change it, which should require a public vote 2. Time far public comment should be provided at both the beginning and at the end of each meeting, and this needs to be a requirement at every meeting 3. The public should be able to comment on ANYTHING during any comment period, whether or not it is on the agenda 4.All comments received prior to the meeting should be read aloud, including any written responses--this and#3 are especially important as meetings are held remotely during this pandemic 5. Comments most receive responses during the meeting, even if it's to say, "We will find out and get back to you". This will allow those who comment to feel heard and will help ensure that issues don't get neglected. And issues that require follow up should be addressed at the next meeting. Thank you. Sincerely, Rebecca Liberman 50 Pratt St. --------Forwarded Message-------- Subject. Some suggestions for kids out of school during COVILL to get more learning during current situation Date: Thu, 14 May 1020 19:07:09-0400 From: Rebecca Liberman <rfliberman@gmaiLcom> To: DG School Committee <schoolcommittee@reading.kl2.ma.us>, Doherty, John <John.Doherty@reading.kl2.ma.us>, Kelley, Christine <Christine.Kell ey@reading.k12.ma.us> Hi, I've made a few suggestions here that might help improve remote learning this time that I hope the administration will consider. I recommend not waiting for the new platform to be available but instead to use old fashioned phone calls and email for some of this until the planned replacement for Microsoft Teams is ready. I.The next remote learning phase needs a timetable for implementation and so does the rollout ofthe new platform, including training lime for teachers,families, and students. 2. Provide a syllabus for each class and a detailed list of concepts/topics for every class for all students (or parents or both for younger kids) 3. Set clear expectations for each grade level and provide a schedule of school activities for the upcoming week. 4. Make sure there's consistency between classrooms, schools and grades 5. Record all teacher sessions, in case of technical issueslkids who cannot attend, etc. 6.Attendance should be taken, and there should be outreach to those who miss class--this could be a flag for issues that may need to be addressed 7. Every student should receive phone calls from teachers to check in on a regular schedule 8. Guidance counselors should reach out by phone to all high school students to check in 9. Specials should meet regularly.' music, art, library, and especially PE 10. Make sure younger students have workbooks so they can do some work independently. We liked the Summer Bridge series to keep our kids from losing ground over the summer. Page 1 7 11. Encourage reading with a program like the Reading Library summer reading program, with prizes 12. Provide opportunities to focus on writing" L Routine Matters a. Bills and Payroll(A) b. Calendar Mr. Robinson reviewed the calendar changes. The meeting scheduled for June IP will now be held on June 22"d. We will have a meeting on June 25° as well. 2. Information/Correspondence None 3. Future Business None 4. Adjournment Adiount Mr.Brandt moved seconded by Mr.Parks,to adjourn. The roll call vote carried 6- 0 Mr.Parks Mr.Wise Mrs.Nazzaro,Mrs.Gaffen,Mr.Brandt and Mr.Robinson. The meeting adjourned at 10:33 p.m. NOTE: The minutes reflect the order as stated in the posted meeting agenda not the order they occurred during the meeting. Link to meeting video: btty,/Iww%v.rctv.org/2020/06/l I/school-committee-meeting 6-11- 20/ Jon . Doherty, EV.D. Page I e