Um, good evening everybody. This is I don't even know what day is usually. This is September 16, 2020, Wednesday night. We are on Zoom uh for a regular session starting at 6:30. It's now 6:33. And I would like to welcome everybody.
Um, and I know we've been going back and forth between um, in person and Zoom, but uh, just setting up the meeting room properly so that it was um, in good sh, you know, in proper shape for COVID um,
has been just a little bit of problem. And the other thing since uh this uh Wednesday night, tomorrow is a school day and I didn't think it was fair to have the cleaners worry about doing extra cleaning because we had had a meeting in there. So, this is what we're
running into and we'll solve it as soon as we can uh so that we will be in person. None of us mind being in person. We would like to be in person, but we're just worrying about the logistics of it all. So if anybody has any good um uh
if anybody has any good ideas or corrective you know constructive criticism for that um you know let's discuss it and we'll see what we can do. Um I think part of the thing is setting up so that we have public is one of the difficulties that we might be running
into and the staff is doing such a fantastic job having the schools in such fantastic condition. I really don't want to impose on them. Um, so like I said, if anybody has any constructive ideas for that, um, be glad to listen to them.
Our next meeting is October 6th. Um, and we still have that less, uh, listed as a location to be decided. So, we'll see where we are. All right. Anybody have anything else on that that they'd like to put in? Okay. Um, so I need to
announce the official announcement here that those attending tonight's meeting should be aware that the meeting is being audio and video recorded by ASRSD and any audio members who wish to record any part of the meeting must inform the chair who will announce the recording.
This is to comply with the Massachusetts wiretap statute. The listings or matters um those listings of matters on the agenda are those reasonably anticipated by the chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not
listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. Okay, with that I would like to call to order the regular session on um September 16th. Uh, can we have the pledge of allegiance to We don't have Jonathan here tonight to put our flag up
and lead us. So, Mr. Quinty loves to lead the pledge. here. [Music] >> I pledge allegiance >> to the flag of the United States of America
>> and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, >> indivisible, >> with liberty and justice for all. >> Thanks, Jim. Um, Miss Town, would you do the roll
call, please? >> Mrs. Granger, >> here. >> Mr. Leone, >> here. >> Mr. Quinty >> here. >> Mrs. Re-shoots >> here. >> Mrs. Simmons >> here.
>> Thank you very much. Um, the next item on our agenda is public participation. I would request that anyone um please say their name and their address if they're going to speak. Our um our policy um
restricts any one speaker to three minutes and I think we're going to try to hold this until 7 o'clock tonight um because we have an executive session number of other things and everybody has to be up six o'clock in the morning for school. So, uh, is there anyone who would like to be part of the public
participation? We'll give everybody 30 seconds or so in case their computer is not computing. Is there anyone in public participation? Um, Joyce. >> Yes. >> Do they just have to put their name in the chat that they want to speak and
then >> Yeah, Mike. >> Mike is will allow them in when Mike sees them. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> So, if Mike sees anyone, he will um he will announce them and turn them on or he will turn them on and put them in the
screen. Yeah. Hello everyone. Uh just to address comment in the chat real quick. Um one person commented they don't think that the way it's set up that they can speak. Um if you wish to speak just put your name and address right in the chat
and then I'll announce you to the committee and we'll give you permission to speak uh through Zoom. Thank you. Isn't that the way we were kind of doing it before? That's all you had to do? >> Uh, yes. Yeah, that's the way we've always done it. Y
>> Okay. And it hasn't been a problem for anyone. I think we've had plenty of plenty of openings. So, um, >> so it'll be up to Mike to open people so it keeps it in order. >> Yep, we uh do have an attendee that would like to speak. It's Charice
Murphy, 49 Willard Street in Air. >> Thanks, Michael. Go ahead, Sharice. Uh, >> let me just make her active. Give me a minute, please. Hi Charice, you should be able to uh speak now through Zoom.
>> Uh can you hear me? >> That's fine. Yep. >> Okay, great. Um, so I wasn't sure I can get on this call, so I don't have a well orchestrated um, question. Uh, so it's going to just come off the cuff, but I wanted to know if the school committee
could um, address or speak to um, concerns of parents that have been expressed in the community um, regarding an incident that happened a few weeks ago on social media with the middle school principal. I didn't know how what
the policy procedures whatever it it is that um the committee addresses either individual parents or parents as a whole to their complaints. How I guess too is another question. So that's one. And then another question is how do parents in the community um feel empowered to be
able to um kind of act on those complaints? And h are there forms like I want to know about title n like so I just I'm curious there were some complaints given to the superintendent and assistant superintendent and I believe the school committee um or they were comments really from students and
parents. So I just didn't know if the school committee could address that. Uh if I can speak to that in my um limited knowledge and and memory. Um in 1993 when Ed reform went through uh
before then anyone come and the school committee could speak on any personnel problem or any personnel happening. Uh in 1993 with ed reform, the school committee was relegated to uh uh governing through policies and uh
through the superintendent. Um and so it is up to uh the superintendent, it's up to the um uh for them to handle any person in individual uh personnel things um until it comes to effect where um
there would be some other things going on. But until that point, it stays not with the school committee to comment. In fact, it's very improper. Um, it would be very against our code of ethics to speak outside of >> Sure. So, I guess at at what stage do we
then if it has gone to the superintendent, assistant superintendent, at which next would you advise parents to go? Well, first of all, on something I'd probably start at the more local level and um the um uh it
would be uh very difficult to for individual parents to move to that point. Um I don't this comes up from time to time. um you could uh it would be a matter of wanting to move it to a
legal level to move it into the into the uh into the committee itself. If anyone has any other ideas on that or comments, I'd be happy to go. >> Can I before they before they comment, can I just ask do you mean um individual like representation from an attorney?
Um I it's it would have to be something that would reach a legal level before we could act on it and it would only be an executive session to discuss personnel. Um and so it's not up to the school committee to comment on personnel things.
>> Sure. >> It's been handled. Okay. So um the um law is very definite on that. And in a way, I'm really glad that uh I don't know how anybody was on school committee before 1993 when they hired and fired
teachers and some people got on the committee to hire a teacher was was not a happy happy circumstance because they didn't really know enough to do it. So, um I that's the way the law is written and um it's very definite.
>> Okay. >> Not nothing that we know of at this point as far as the committee is concerned has reached that level. Sure. Thank you. I just was I was concerned. I want to make sure that parents feel um supported by the by the district um and that they know where to go because that
would make sense. I think that people are a little confused of where to go. But if you're saying that um once we get to the superintendent, assistant superintendent, then the next step is some legal recourse. And I just wanted to be clear. But thank you. >> Can I just ask a clarify? >> Thank you so much.
>> Can I ask a clarifying question, Shereice? >> Yeah, sure. Um, are you are you speaking to the incident and personnel or are you also speaking to a lot of the um the
stuff we we have seen in social media or parents have >> sent letters or or you know emails about what is out there in social media. >> Yeah. So it's not so much I guess that I am wondering or for me I can speak for
myself I am not wondering a personnel issue as much as I am concerned about um some of the incidents that have happened with students and with parents that were reported on social media and those that were also then um emailed or letter
written to um the superintendent. And so I'm concerned that if they don't move past that place, I don't I think that people are feeling and myself that that where else do you go? Um I think and that was my question. So it's not so
much I need to know what's happening with the middle school principal, right? I think it is if these are ex concerns that have been expressed, what happens after we are at the top that that's all. >> Yeah. So, so I would say um the social
media piece adds a whole other dimension to this. And so when when you speak to um reporting via social media, that's not really reporting. So I would say to parents, if there was an incident,
something that happened within the school system, it needs to be reported to um the building principal. you know, there's there's there's, you know, a way to do that through the school. Reporting
through s social media to me is just um a bunch of >> people, you know, it it it's it's go it feels gossipy. It feels um you know, whatever it is. I I I am really trying
not to look at social media. makes me sick to my stomach. Unless somebody is posting pictures of their kids on the first day of school or they're they're playing with their dogs, I I'm staying away from it because it's just nasty. So, I again I would say like report to
the school and the proper people in the schools if something that that happens. Yeah. So, just not to cut you off, Cheryl, but I know I don't want to take up all the time, but just for for um clarification. So, myself have report did report these things to Robera Ay and
Brian, right? So, we know that everyone knows and heard my story a thousand times. I no longer have uh kids in that school. However, there are other parents who have done the same. Then, they didn't hear from them. Um especially right now, we just went straight to um
Mary or and um Charlie. So, that's the question. And so it's not about the things that are on social media are great. I did share those with school committee to say, "Hey, FYI, it's not just the Murphy's that are dealing with this. There's like all these other people." So those were the screenshots. Other than that, um I think that I'm
wondering because I know people have sent and I have sent letters, too. I'm just that's all. So I think that maybe Joyce did answer it like the next course is a legal recourse. Um, but those I I want to be clear that I know people have taken the necessary like and gone
through the channels the right way. Um, so I just want that. So it's not just I'm I'm off of social media myself right now because it's disgusting. But >> I'm sure Yeah. Um, they actually had u just to follow up a little bit. The court defined the scope of a school
committee's responsibility as including comments about the superintendent of schools, the budgets for public education in the district, and the educational policy and goals of the schools in the district. >> That's our that's our limitation. >> Yep. Okay, sounds good. >> Can I can I just jump in too? I just
want to um piggyback on on something Cheryl said. So Cheryl did um you know mention that any kind of social media threads that um have complaints. I think she addressed that where um you know the school committee doesn't monitor any
particular page to look for complaints or anything like that. So, that's another thing I just want people to know that if there's something going on, um, certainly, you know, let a building principal know and then if that's, you know, not working in the chain of command, then you, you know, elevate it
to the superintendent. It would be a good idea to CC the school committee so we know, you know, what's going on. Sure. Um, but I also just want to point out that responses from the school committee I and I've said this before. I don't want people to think if they're not getting six responses back, it's because all of us don't care and aren't
paying attention to what's going on. >> Um, >> yeah. Oh, absolutely. We have I'm sorry. I don't mean to cut you off. Go ahead. >> No, no, no. Just I can, you know, I completely understand there could be people on this call that are new. I mean, we've had this conversation several times. I think I was just wanting to ask if if we take the proper
channel channels, what was next? And I thought maybe the school committee could as a excuse me help in policy procedure or whatever that next step would be. That was all. And I and I understand social media and the policies with that. And I don't think I would hope that people aren't expecting you all to peek
through people's pages and produce them. Um it just was I I was wondering because I I personally feel completely stuck and feel like I'm banging my head against the wall uh with some things. So I just kind of was like well what else do I do then? Um that that's all. Thank you though.
>> Yep. Thanks. >> Okay. Thank you. Um is there anybody else in the uh in the uh public comment section? Anyone else like to speak? >> Mr. Recognize you? >> Yep. Excuse me, Madam Chair. This is
Mike Tibo. Uh we do have another um participant that like to speak, Eric Span from SPAN. I'm sorry. >> And I'm sorry um everybody, but um there is a threem minute limit on any um speech. So, I think we didn't set it up tonight, but we'll try. If you could try
to keep it concise, it would be good. Thank you. >> Sorry, that was my fault, Joyce. >> Thank you. >> All right. Um, Erica, you should be able to talk now. >> Thank you. Um, so one, shares, uh, just to piggyback off of your question, the
next steps are we do have an EEO representative, which is William Plunkett for our school district where we can file particular types of reports. Um, and if you go on to the school website, it is now posted um, and his extension is on there as well. There
also is the recourse of um, asking for mediation with the Department of Education or what they call DESIE. And there is a website um that you can go to and you can file it. Um to speak to Sherice's point, you know, we there have
been several uh or complaints coming from parents and no response from Mary Malone. So ultimately the question is at what time what time or what do you think as a school committee is an appropriate
response time just to acknowledge the fact that there is a complaint? Number one. Number two, when then would you expect us to take that step to escalate it? Realizing that obviously you all are not able to make a decision on something
because silence is not okay. If I file a complaint and it's been, you know, a week and you haven't had a response, particularly around this busy time, that makes sense. When we're going into 20some days, 30 days, there's an issue there. So before parents, you know,
immediately escalate or um kind of go by their own timetables, maybe the a different way of asking this question is when do would you suggest as a school committee to escalate it to whatever source that be, you know, the EEO representative for the school, uh the
department of education, um you know, just based upon the question itself. Um, I think that, um, going back to the definition of our powers, um, it would it would not, if you want to CCS on
something that you've sent the superintendent, uh, that would be fine, but we cannot comment on it in a public cannot comment on personnel. Uh, >> I'm not asking about you commenting on personnel. I'm commenting on policy. So, we have a policy. You just identified a
procedure that's in place, right? So, what would be the elapsed time for said procedure? This isn't about Mary or the superintendent or the principal. I am asking about policy and procedure. >> Well, we're constantly working on policy and Mr. Quinty is in the process of
right now reviewing a number of them and we're getting advice on many of our policies right now uh as to because some of them have been there for a while but we do have policies on um on that and um you know they're probably not the
tightest the best because they haven't been reviewed in 11 years but Mr. Quinty is pulling out the the important ones and we are reviewing them. We have been stymied a little bit by being u not being in person because some of these things get pretty involved with the
wording. Um but we are u we are getting back to them. So the policies are on on the um are on the school site. All the policies are up there and um anybody can view them. >> Madam Chair, may I speak?
>> Thank you. Um the the question is more a a timely one like um if there is no response, what do we believe is a is a timely uh a time
for them to then go to the next step. And I I think that's a I think that's a fair question. um if if we're CCD on complaints and um and we ask about something or when we now informed that after a
certain period of time something hasn't been done, do we then have the authority to uh ask um what is being done about a particular complaint? That I think that's I think that's fair. So do we
have a policy on You're gone, Joe. >> We lost audio. >> Hello, >> Joyce. >> We got you back. >> There you go. >> Did I did not hear any of what I just said? >> No. You make these wonderful speeches
and we really enjoy them. Would you mind doing it again? Joe, I think I think where we lost you is when you said do we have a policy. So I I don't know if you were getting at do we have a policy with an acceptable time or if that was what you were getting at, but we lost you right around then.
>> Yeah. Was do we have a policy with respect to that or can we make a policy with respect to that? Because I think um you know as long as things are going well, someone you know makes a complaint, it
gets reacted to, it gets answered, it gets uh responded to, there's no there's no issue. But if there is the next step is legal or or um or can it still because I'd rather handle things
internally before things go legal. Um, is there a time period where we can then say, uh, we can check on it and say, you know, what has been done about this? Um, is there something that's being done about this? And just to make sure that
that that that's happened. >> Thank you, Joe. >> Joyce. >> Yes, sir. >> Yeah. Um, I would just like just from a policy perspective because of the myriad of things that could happen under this umbrella, it would be impossible for anyone here to
be able to put it an absolute time involved with it. What I would recommend in any circumstance that if anyone has elevated a situation to the superintendent level um and it's in a current review then
that whoever elevated to the superintendent level should stay in contact with the superintendent's office and I would think that although an ultimate um decision may take some time there may be periodic updates that could happen
through that handled, but I I I don't think there's anything we can do on an overarching policy uh perspective that would interject ourselves into the procedure. Clearly, um how these things
are responded to um really would end up impacting our performance review of the superintendent's office at a whole. And that happens on a on an annual event. But from a policy perspective, I don't think there's anything much more we can
do. But I would advise anyone that had had um interactions or issues they wanted to have handled by the superintendent's office to maintain contact with the office and let's hope
things get handled. >> There's an and then I think don't we do semiannual uh update every year, >> right? >> Okay. So, um, if we could >> I ask another clarifying question.
>> Hi, Erica. Um, I So, are you asking not for an an absolute answer, but a time period to respond like, I got your email, it's
going to take me a while, or are you looking for a time period to solve some sort of issue? Does that make sense? >> Well, and then it's very difficult to um
like Jen was saying, this has to go into our policy discussion and um it would be what it is. So, uh I think in this time frame where we're trying to get >> okay, >> school open and a few other things, there's um you know, it's just there's
so much happening. So, we're try I think everybody's trying their best. >> Okay. So, um I'm ju just looking at the comments. Um Erica is saying that she she's simply looking for I think probably policy around an acknowledgment
of a complaint. not necessarily necessarily addressing the complaint, but I've sent an email or I made a call and I would expect, you know, a some sort of acknowledgement within whatever it is, 48 hours or two school days or
whatever whatever that is. That's um that's what I think. >> Thank you, Cheryl. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Is there anybody else in public participation? We will allow one more person to speak >> since Mike is not giving me a flashing
notice. >> There's no one else at this time. Joyce, >> thank you very much, Michael. Thank you. Um, so if we move on to the consent agenda, if I could have uh we have September 1st, 2020 regular session minutes for release. Does anybody have
any comments on those additions or corrections? We have September 1st, 2020 um executive um minutes to release. Does anybody have any comments on those? Any additions or corrections? And if Mike could put up the warrant
memo because I don't have it, then I'll be happy to read that. And if anybody doesn't object, we'll do it as one consent. Does anyone object? >> I think that's how we should be doing it anyway, Joyce. >> Yeah. I just want to make sure in case someone wants to take something out,
Michelle, and take it separate, you know, it's >> No, no, that's fine. I'm just saying like >> Yeah, >> I think that's the whole point. >> Okay. >> That family ID is. >> Did anybody hear what Joe said? >> I think he wants to know what family ID.
>> Yeah. What is that? >> Mr. Plunkett can mad. Yeah, Mr. Plunkett could address that. Yes, that's $6.37. >> Madam Chair, that is the online payment system for athletics.
>> Okay. Does that help, Joe? >> No. >> Can you expand on that? >> Yes. That's that's how families pay athletic fees, athletic user fees online.
>> Okay. So So that's money that came in >> for athletics. Yes, >> but we pay >> we're not >> we we pay a fee on those on those transactions. >> Oh, we pay a fee. Okay. So, who does that who does that go to?
>> The fee comes out of the revenue that we receive. >> Yeah, I know. But I'm just saying who who who gets the money? That is >> the umbrella company that owns family ID is uh my school box is the name of the
company. >> Okay. Oh, so my family ID that that Okay. That communication thing that we send messages to everybody in athletics about. Okay. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Okay.
>> Thanks, Joe. That's great. Um, anybody else have any questions on the payroll and payables? If not, I'll read them so that they're in the record. Uh, AP warrant number 1181 dated 6302020 for 58,2363.
AP warrant number 1047 dated 942020 for $60.37 to the family ID. AP warrant 1051 dated 9420 for 600,600 600,6155
cents. I don't have that much money so I have trouble. Um that's for the bi-weekly uh payroll uh payroll warrant dated 911 2020 for $625,472.50. I would entertain a motion to accept the >> I'll make a motion that we
I'll make a motion that we accept the consent agenda um as listed on our agenda this evening. >> Second. >> Is there a second? And we don't have Jonathan tonight to second. So, you know, we're going to have to fill in you guys. Um Michelle, would you do a payroll? Would you do a roll call,
please? >> Mrs. Granger. >> Hi. >> Mr. Leone. >> Hi. >> Mr. Quinty. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Reuts. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Simmons. I >> thank you.
Moving on to new business. Love to welcome Christine MSA um for the robotics team pandemic plan and um what a pleasure it is to have you. She is here right?
>> Uh yes coming up right right now. Hi Christine. >> Can you hear me now? >> Yes ma'am. >> There you go. >> Welcome. >> Hello everyone. Thanks for being here. >> Appreciate it. Um Mary, did you want to say a few words
first or do you want me to just get into robotic stuff? Sure. Uh first I want to welcome you Mrs. Mser uh to the school committee meeting and to present a uh plan to host robotics this year. I know you've worked very hard on trying to
stay within all the guidelines um that we are restricted by to safely host any afterchool activity. And I guess I could um probably uh ask you uh it was it's quite a uh hercuent ef uh
effort, isn't it, to plan something around all of the restrictions that we have, but you um have such a passion and you've done such a wonderful job with the robotics program and it's really grown um not only in the district but throughout the Commonwealth due to your efforts. So, welcome and we look forward
to another season and I'm supporting this plan that you presented and I'll turn it back over to you. >> Thank you um very much. Um Madame Chairman, do I have a couple minutes to give highlights from last year's season? >> The floor is yours.
>> Okay, great. Um I know we haven't visited that often now that we're off and rolling. So, um just a quick update. So, I'm here as the uh Air Shirley Regional School District Robotics Coordinator. I'm not here representing one team. I'm here um representing all
of our teams in the district. Um and we have I want to recognize the head coaches who helped make this possible. So at the high school level, we have Bill Walter co for grades 9 through 12. Um and that's our F FRC team. And then at the middle school, we have an FTC
team and that's led by Patrick Doyle, grades six to eight. And then at Laura White and at Paige Hilltop, we have um First Lego League Challenge, that's a new name this year. Um first Lego League Challenge is grades four through five.
That's Amy Van Gilder who leads it in Laura White and Brian Le Point who leads it at Page Hilltop. And then we were going to uh restart our LL junior or now called First Lego League Explore and
that's grades two and three. Uh we start that last spring but with COVID we were unable to. So this year we plan to start it with uh Laura White head coach Linda Atwood and Pilop head coach Brian Le Point. So we really have a powerhouse
set of coaches. They're all returning from last year. Um, so I couldn't have done this whole plan without input from them. Um, also it's worth noting that we have um, in 2019 we had 142 students
approximately in the program. That's 14% of our school district. Um, which has gone up about 1% each year uh, 1 to 2% each year since 2013 when we were down at about 6%. So um we have a steady
increase. Page hilltop has the highest percentage at about 31% of their students in robotics who are eligible in the grades where we offer it. Um so yes everything's um growing strong which is good. Last year we had some awards that
our teams received which are are not easy to get. So, uh, a Laura White team, uh, the LL team, uh, called the Laminators, uh, that team won the Rising Star award. At the middle school, we had
two FTC teams and the team called Dark Matter won the design award. At our high school level, we um had a season cut short. We only um did one competition with the robot, but um in our very short uh season, we had one of
our most successful seasons. Um we won the uh highest honor award, chairman's award. So, there'll be a new banner for the gym to hang. We won the second highest level award, engineering inspiration award at the other competition. And then um the one
competition we did have was stacked with all the best teams and we were literally frightened to go to that competition. We were in first place for almost the entire competition and we won um first place in the qualification matches. Um
we we got knocked out in the finals, but um it really was one of our most successful um robot performance competitions. >> Christine, where was that? Um that one was in Salem, New Hampshire. >> Salem, New Hampshire. >> Yes. >> Congratulations.
>> They're in New England. Uh the the Southern New Hampshire teams are very strong. Um First Robotics started by Dean Cayman and he's based out of DECA in um Manchester, New Hampshire. So uh we are surrounded by some very uh seasoned powerhouse teams. Um a few
other highlights worth noting. Um the high school team ran their fourth annual summer STEM camp and um we had to completely transform it this year to a virtual program. I could tell you it was a lot of work, but it was a big success.
Um we had just as many students this year even though it was only virtual. Um, it's usually our biggest fundraiser, uh, even though it's a bargain at $175 for a week of camp, but this year we knocked it down to $55 just to cover the cost of the camp. And, um, now we have
everything on on YouTube, so people can do the camp every year. Um, so the other thing, uh, worth mentioning is we're really proud, this is our second year, that the high school team has done scholarships. Um, we fund those scholarships through our
fundraiser like the summer STEM camp. And we had 12 seniors graduate this year and four of them received a $1,000 um, scholarship award. So, we're really happy to be able to uh, help our graduating seniors. Also, just announced
officially um, yesterday um, we had two of our uh, seniors that just graduated, William Schilp and Abigail Clemens. uh they were two of the eight um students that received a BAE
system scholarship and summer internship um award. So across the country they accept eight students for the scholarship. It's a $20,000 scholarship over four years and they're guaranteed a summer internship assignment as engineer
at BAE system. And um other recipients were from Texas and New York, New Hampshire and we got two out of the eight. So I'm pretty th Um and then um I do have a summary that I'm going to get over to Bill um
Plunkett and Dr. Malone. Um with our sponsorships and grants, uh it's important to recognize our sponsors. So if you wouldn't mind, can I just read them off very quickly and then you can see the dollar amounts
later. Um so Paige Hilltop for the first time we applied for aL uh grant and uh we were successful so we are surely going to do it again. So my company BAE Systems uh paid $250 to all seven of
Brian Le Point's um uh teams. So that's 1750 was awarded there. middle school. Uh we had grants from DECA, um again my company BAE Systems, uh Air Shirley Education Foundation, and an inind
donation from ST Micro Electronics. the high school team. Um, we had Schneider Electric, Boston Scientific, analog devices, um, Polymer Shapes, Lexan Material was an ink kind donation, Johnson Controls,
BAE Systems, um, Solid Works, Cadet's company, Synopsis had done, matching benefits, uh, Beimis Associates, Luchia's restaurant downtown does a buffet lunch for us. um pet food
shop who's uh the grandparents of one of our team members and again a Shirley Education Foundation and I would say the majority of those SC sponsorships and grants um in the thousands of dollars
come from our mentors and coach volunteers. So um so basically Jim Bengilder, Peter Grall, myself, Bill Schilp, Earl Hos, Bill Walter, Greg Lupassic, they're
they're all mentors on the team and our technology companies because we're dedicated to the team. Uh it comes with money. So this third team, I I wouldn't have thought that there's a direct correlation with number of mentors and
the amount of money. So continuously recruit. Um okay. So th those are the highlights. Um then I thought I would move on to this um strategy document um in the plan document. So it has three
parts and we're not going to go through every line of it but the first section is just our overall strategy um you know why are we here? What are we doing to guide us as we plan um the season? Um I think during COVID it's especially
important that we still give opportunities kids and and this just brings too much value to um we had to find a way to hold it this year. Um so during the difficult pandemic robotics teams will allow kids to have fun, meet
friends, learn new skills, receive mentoring, build confidence, learn leadership skills, and improve their resume and college applications. Um what we put together is a plan um that will generate an inclusive competitive team
in a remote or low-risk environment. Um what we're what we have this year is um all students and mentors have the option to be fully remote um while they participate in the team. Uh our teams are going to be in-person teams but
there are many um activities that can be done fully remote. Um it does take more effort on the coach's parts as you all know as teachers um and facilitators it takes extra effort to do remote but it can be
done and it's worth it. Um we also want to make sure our head coaches are being prepared for at any point there could be um a situation where the schools closed. So we're going to try and be prepared if we need to go
fully remote partway through the season. Um, all the rules and policies that we have documented here were derived from the ASRSD blueprint plan, CDC guidance, first robotics guidance, and the
Massachusetts and MIAA guidance. Um, and in some cases, we've been u more conservative than um than those uh guidelines. And uh our overall approach is to make sure that the our team structure and the meeting plans are going to reduce the
density of people working on a single task and minimize any touched items. Okay. So then you can keep going down a little bit. You see the four types of teams we have. The next section you'll see is a table.
It's a Oh no, no, it's this next section. Yep. Keep going. You'll see low risk, meet, moderate risk, high risk. Thank you. You can stop there. Yep. Perfect. So those three references are word for word from the state uh
guidance for sports. So we use the same um criteria, the same language to assess all the robotics team program activities and what risk level are they. So, um just for reference real quick, we can see that um the low-risk activities can
be done either socially distanced, no physical contact, um things like tennis, golf, and gymnastics. U moderate risk activities are when it starts to have some contact but but limited incidental, right? So, that's the everything you
guys already approved, baseball, softball, soccer, track and field. So, that's comparable. High- risk are things like football, basketball, cheerleading where there's a lot more um contact. We have um out of all the activities we have, we have no high-risisk activities
um and only very few moderate risk activities which we have in our plan coming up. So, if you want to slide down to the next page. Okay, pause there. So, um this is um good. I have it all on one page. So, if
you were to um have a print out, this full page is a list of all types of activities that the robotics teams do, all the teams. So, it talks about things that maybe are done in the second grade all the way to the high school. Um these
items that are highlighted in blue are um activities um for the robotics teams that can be done fully remote so that if a student signs up to be on the team and they choose to be fully remote then they can fully participate in being um part
of the um project team, the research team. You know every robotics program has a presentation and a project and a research project. you can be part of game strategy. You're still meeting kids and having fun even if it's uh through
Zoom and uh you can learn robot programming. You can learn Solid Works CAD and and learn the design process. So all those things there and then you can see when you start to get down to you know build Lego field components um you can either do that remote if we send
some of the pieces home and then collect them back. Kids can build their own pieces separately and then the coach can integrate them together or it's low risk where they'll be done during the meeting at separate stations at tables. Um, programming the robot. You can do some
programming at home, save the file and then the coach can run the software on the robot at the meeting, although it's a lot easier to be at the meeting and you can run it with social distancing. So, if you do end up looking through, you know, how we split things out, some
places we have X's in both columns because we we can um adapt to different ways. And I think you get the general idea. If you scroll down near the bottom, you'll see some things in the X. Keep going a little bit more to the
bottom of the page. Yep. Okay. So, you see um in the uh second from the right column some X's. So the only items that we have identified as moderate risk. So the equivalent of soccer and baseball
from the sports analogy is um hardware debugging and mentor coaching. Um that can be done low risk separate but there may be times where um where uh you're with briefly within six uh feet to be
looking at a robot or trying to uh figure out you know a mechanism on a piece of hardware. Um the F FRC team that's a high school team that robot is 125 pounds without the battery and the bumpers. So you know it's almost 150
pound lift. So, we need a two person lift. They're on each side robot. It's about 3 feet apart, six feet. So, that would be a brief um moderate risk scenario. Um obviously, we're going to have masks and stuff with that. Um and
then briefly at the F FRC level, if uh a student's using a power tool like a drill press, the um mentor needs to be nearby. If there's an issue, of course, the mentor is going to get closer than the six feet to uh for any safety issues. And then the only other one I
have at the bottom is competitions at the high school level. Um once we know what they are, they're they were going to be in they're usually in spring and April, March and April, but um they're delaying the season. It's going to be June and July. So when the time comes,
we'll have to assess whether there's any moderate risk things there. Okay. So that was some of the process. So the next page um starts to talk about the policies we have in place. And I think it's important even when we do
recruiting, hey, would you like to join the robotics team? If I didn't see these rules, I wouldn't let my student join the robotics team. But hopefully with these rules in place, people can see that it's a safe um situation for the kids. First of all, this whole list of
policies is going to be given to the parents and the students and they need to sign and commit that they'll follow the rules um or they're going to be sent home. Um attendance is going to be taken at all meetings. We do that um at least for the high school, we do that anyway.
Um but we're not going to have everyone sign in sharing a pen or paper. There's going to be an adult assigned to sign in attendance. students are already split into teams and go to separate rooms. So, we already have smaller um cohorts
naturally. We know who's with who. Um and we'll track those. This next one, anytime you see three asterises, that's um me indicating that we're going above and beyond the recommendations, you know, to be extra conservative. Um we're
going to take team member temperatures. Um, I just bought um four touchless thermometers school. Um, I know it's not required, but it's an easy thing to do. So, um, and we're not saying 100.4, we're saying
100 degrees is our threshold. So, um, and if there's, um, a student with a high temperature, we'll, um, have them go back home with their parents because we're checking them on the way in. Um, and we're going to, um, contact the
school nurse. And so basically all the school policies will trigger um because we're not going to manage the um you know when someone can come back when the nurse says that the student can come back they can come back. Hand sanitizer
will be used upon entry and exit and the the adult taking attendance will witness that I already talked about no sharing of pens, a paper or computer for the coming in. We're going to minimize touching of
shared items. Um there are some things that the robotics team will have like safety glasses for example at the high higher grade levels. Um I so I purchased with my um stipend money as an ASRSD
uh coordinator. I'm going to invest that in the thermometers and I'm going to buy safety glasses for every individual for them them to own and take home and um any other like a whiteboard marker and and their own little kit for things that
they're going to need. They can bring their own uh Chromebook to minimize sharing of computers, their own whiteboard marker, and when they sit down at their station, they they can have a name tent. That's their desk, that's their computer. There's no
sharing in between. Um so that's part of our social distancing strategy. If you scroll down a little bit more, masks will be worn for the entire meeting. And for the older grades, F FRC, middle school and high school, they're going to
wear safety glasses the entire time. That's another place that's going above and beyond the rules. But um the same way the mask protects you from touching your face, um the safety glasses will protect them from touching their eyes.
Um even though this the um software team really is not at danger sitting in front of the computer, we're still going to require safety glasses. Um, we're not planning on giving out any food. We're not planning on snack time. Um, that's not going to be part of the
the meetings at all. If there's any um food that needs to be eaten, especially if there's medical reasons for that, then they have to be they will only be able to eat it in a school designated area. And right now that means outside.
Um, so like I said, we're not planning on on any uh food and they have to bring their own water bottles. Okay. Um, you can scroll down. >> Let's see. Okay, stop right there. So,
the last one on the uh on the first page there, I did talk with Mr. Briggs to make sure that we are aligned in the plan that um the janitors uh Mr. Briggs team will make sure that uh the meeting space the rooms that we're in will be
sanitized by his staff before the meeting and after the meeting and that way it's being done at the standards of the school and so it's not um you don't have to rely on the coaches or anyone else to do that. Um, we're going to be doing uh, you
know, when you help a student program a robot, we are often sitting side by side, shoulder-to-shoulder, looking at the computer, um, or doing CAD. We won't be able to do that anymore, but we have technology, so it's not going to be a problem. Um, Mr. Tibo is going to help
us get um ASRSD accounts for the coaches so that they can do a Zoom uh session and um we can do screen sharing and we can project the screens in the classroom so that others can review it you know at a distance and still collaborate. So we
found some good workarounds there. Okay. And then the next one with some stars. So, we actually have quite a few um uh robot kits between um ASF and the PTO's purchasing Mindstorms over the
years. And then with the amazing grant that we got last year, we were able to buy many uh FLL junior we do kits. We have enough kits that we can have um you know one kit for a couple of kids doing an activity or we may even have cases
where a student can have their own kit to be doing a project at home. Um so we're we're going to maximize student separation, minimize sharing of parts. Um and um at the junior levels they shouldn't be touching common parts
really at hardly any of the meetings. um they'll be in separate stations and their next meeting will be in a week and the virus dies on plastic in three days. So um we don't have to rely on sanitization of all those little Lego parts.
Okay, you can scroll down. Um keep going. Um the one on the bottom there. So, um, robotics team coach will, uh, notify the nurse, Renee, if there's a member with an elevated temperature and, um, we're
going to look to the school nurse as to, um, the policies for when someone can come back. So, we're not making up our own policies there. Uh, keep going down. Actually, that's the last one, I think. So, I know it was a lot. Uh, rapid fire.
Um, are there any questions? So I have a quick question if I could. Um so Chris, this is really thorough and I would expect nothing less from you. So thank you for putting this together for us. Um it's great. And um I just have a
question for you with regard to the overall um organization. You mentioned that they have delayed the season um as far as competitions. Have they delayed the season for when you guys can start to build and all that? Like is the whole season delayed or um or are they, you
know, do they have they given any guidance on um when they expect to announce when the season's going to start? I only asked this because I know um Mock Trial has already had an announcement made for their season. So I just didn't know if if they've given you any indication for for robotics as well.
>> They have. And I and you reminded me that I forgot to talk about a couple of things there. So, um number one, the um fourth and fifth graders and the middle school FTC, their season has started right now and it always
starts right now at the beginning of the school year. Um and their competitions are in December, right? So, uh there's not a lot of time, which is why we really need to get going. They've got robots to design and build. Um, but this year in Massachusetts, LL and FTC
tournaments are going to be remote. So, there's not going to be a crowded gym. Um, where we have, um, you know, that's where the biggest risk would be, right? It's one thing to have a meeting, but then you gather crowds. So, there won't be crowds there. As a matter of fact, we may be helping to host one of
those once we learn what it's about. That means we may need to gather still a few members of our team around a field that's sitting at the middle school and record our robot doing its stuff and send it in. So um but there won't be
gathering of multiple teams in one place. Um now when it comes to the high school team um it was just in the past week that they I saw they're delaying the world championship um from April to
June and July. So they're extending the season. So we'll have to see what those dates are. But I think that's just trying to increase the odds of being able to do something in person because you can't have you can't do that remote, right? They'd have to that's hard. So,
um, the other thing is last year, um, the season started to get cancelled after the early weeks of competition. So, some teams didn't even compete at all because they were cancelled before they competed. So, some didn't get to
play the game that we had last year. So, they announced um last spring that this year's game is going to be nearly identical. So, for the first time ever, we know the game except they'll do a few minor changes to
change it up in January, like uh when we normally find the game. So, the weird thing is normally you have six weeks to build and you build like crazy. We have the same robot. We could have some teams, I'm sure, are refining their robots since last January and all
summer. And um you know, we didn't meet in that way. We've met all summer. Uh we've been doing uh we've been making shields for the high school or the school district face shields. We've been doing uh the summer camp. Um but we haven't been um touching a robot because
that requires um us to figure out this safe safety plan first. So um so yeah, so that's we're going to be able to start uh with the high school, but it'll be a little bit easier. Our strategy will be um we have a robot that plays
the game really well. Let's not break it. >> Yeah. I was just gonna say that you have a head you have a head start because your robot performed so well last year. So that's good. >> Yeah. So, um, what we're going to do is we're going to build a second robot. We usually have two anyway. Last year's the
first year we only did in a while that we only did one. So, we'll make a second one with new and improved parts, but at any moment if we stop, we have something fully functional. >> Okay. Great. Thank you. You're >> welcome. Anyone else?
Christrista, I can't tell you how wonderful I think this program is. Um, and uh, your dedication to it is obvious when all when we have 14% of our school district taking part in this. Um, I don't think we can elevate science any higher at this point, you know, and and
I congratulate you totally for going through all these details with COVID. um we all do it in whatever work area we're in and I'm sure your company has gone flipped themselves inside out also and I
say people who are working are working more hours than they ever worked before and obviously you have done the same thing here so thank you so much um um our vote is to simply tell you to go ahead is that I was because we've had
this we've had the robotics team for quite a while but It says uh I guess we're voting on your plan that it's acceptable is what the motion should be around. >> I think so because it's a only because it's a COVID pandemic time. We just want
to make sure you are um giving us authorization to get started. >> Oh, Madam Chair, if I may. So, this is an extracurricular activity and so that's why the school committee as you voted on um the fall sports >> Oh, I see. the last meeting, you would
um vote to approve um the um the program going ahead. Um >> does anybody have any other comments or additions or anything they would like to ask? >> Seeing none, I would accept a motion to um uh accept the robotics team pandemic
plan that was presented by Mrs. Christine Misca. >> So moved. >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded. Any other thing? Any other additions? Uh, if Michelle Town would do a roll call, please. >> Mrs. Granger.
>> I. >> Mr. Leone. >> Hi. >> Mr. Quinty. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Re-Shoots. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Simmons. >> Hi. >> Again, Christa, thank you so much for being here and thank you for everything and tell us what we can do to help you.
Well, I just um I should make sure that I thank all of you because I've always felt the tremendous support from the school committee. Um I'll also tell you to spread the word. We're likely going to need some more volunteers to make this all this remote stuff and and
spread out things happening. So, um tell your friends and family to um contact me and high school kids to help volunteer. And um a huge thanks to Dr. Malone, who is um helped make this possible um every step of the way. Um we I know we don't
get um you know dollar donations. Luckily, we've been pretty good about getting a lot of our own sponsorship, but we're able to get into the building on uh weekends, and I know that um she and and um u Mr. Briggs are making sure
that uh the buildings are all open for us to do our hard work. So, um thanks to the whole school district leadership and Dr. alone. >> Thank you, Christine, and thank you for your great presentation and thank you for the great work and we look forward to every year I get to at least one of
the meets and if um any of our viewers of the school committee if you haven't had a chance to go, it's fascinating and you can go in at any time because they they run all day, right, Christine? You're there for hours. So, at any time you go in, you usually um can catch when
um the robotics competes in their match. So our team, so it's really good. >> Yeah. Or just let me know when a good time to go is. You might be able to watch it from your couch this year with with virtual. >> Well, it's different because it it draws a really big crowd. I mean, you really can't even find an empty seat.
>> I was going to say check your local listings because it might be different this year. So >> yeah. Yeah, it will be. I'm sure. Yeah. >> Well, we'll advertise on our social media. Olivia Striker is a great social media lead for us. So we'll make sure you know. >> Great. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Our next item on the agenda is superintendent's report. Dr. Malone, reopening of schools. >> Sure. Thank you, Madam Chair. So, today um was the moment the day that we have been planning for since school closed in
June. It was pretty um intense and uh challenging, difficult, hard um opening to plan. As you know, this is uh the last time we had a pandemic was about 100 years ago and um so
we were learning along the way and um everybody in the district, all the administrators, um the story department, food service, everybody was hands-on and it made today uh very successful. We were out early this morning. We wanted to uh check on
students at the bus stop and um Mr. Plunkett even rode one of the buses and um the principles and Mr. Clary and myself were we drove around to say hello to kids and use your wonderful signs that you had made. Joyce said they're lovely and uh
>> usable too. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, that was really good. And the kids had you know they had students had big smiles on their face faces and then uh we went through all the schools. was just about every classroom today and it was just um
I I don't even have words to say how how pleased I was and how proud I am of everyone in the district. Um the students were really happy to be back. Um when I asked them how it was going, they gave us marks of 110 A++.
Uh it it it was really it was excellent. So tomorrow we will welcome back. So today we had the panther students in. Tomorrow we have the prize students in. So we'll um you know do the same process. Tomorrow greeting students at the bus stops and then going into the schools and into all
the classrooms and getting to as many as we can. You know that's a half day schedule but pretty much I got to almost every classroom today. And um I want to thank the school committee uh for your support. Um we know that this was uh
challenging and difficult. Uh I want to thank um all of course all of the teachers um and and the administrators in the district. Um also the parents and guardians um for their support. Uh their their children were prepared. It didn't
seem to be um hardly any confusion today. Everybody, you know, knew everybody was clear. We know that um it was a lot of emails that parents were getting um and a lot of information to read. I mean the blueprint itself uh was I don't know about 70 something pages.
So um we appreciate the challenge that they had um as emails were coming in from the district and from from the individual schools. So we knew we know it was a lot to manage picking up bus passes you know things um you know the bus route. Uh I want to thank Debus too.
I actually was going to text um Mrs. Martin tonight but I I didn't have a chance. Um debus it it was great. they they worked really hard. I mean, it took them a while to do the the busless and um you know, we had we had families that were changing their minds about the
cohorts or going from um remote back to hybrid and so we tried to accommodate uh as many families to the latest point that we could. So, the bus uh routes were published on Monday and the buildings did a fabulous job getting the bus passes all uh ready and parents
picked them up. Mr. Tibo and his team. Well, the distribution of the Chromebooks and um I also want to thank uh you know our two uh town town manager Robert Pompian and town administrator Mike McGovern um and the border boards of selectment for their support. The air
and Shirley police departments um they were out in full force today uh monitoring traffic making sure uh things were going smoothly. We know we have our resource officer Jen Bigalow who organized um you know the local uh police to be out and um being aware of
students going to bus stops and such. So a lot of thank yous. Uh I don't know if you heard anything but um I had I've heard some from some parents and got some really um really nice emails uh thanking us thanking the district and um
saying that their their child had a really good day today. So, and if anybody wants to ask any questions about opening day, I'd be happy to entertain them. >> Can I ask a selfish question, but I think it might help others, too. Um, if
you did not get your bus pass yet um because I totally forgot yesterday. Is there a procedure to get the bus pass? >> I would just email the principal and and just say, you know, when can I come in? Sure. >> Okay. Thank you. Maybe others have the same question hopefully and I just
didn't principles. We uh you know the um I had talked to them about um you know they offered some evening hours last night realizing that parents work during the day so it it was a challenge. So I think they um they offered that. So ju just email uh Mr. Christie. I'm sure
he'll be happy to accommodate you. >> Thank you. And I also I just want to commend everyone on on um you know working together to make this happen. Um that we've got our students back in the building which you know a couple weeks ago we were all really nervous about and
and um and I think you know everything seemed to go really smoothly. I think, you know, we've um put the proper protocols and procedures in place and um hopefully we can continue to um expand on half days to full days to full in
person. >> Yeah. Yes. And and the teachers, I mean, all of them today um just were so um they were relaxed and they were happy the day was here. and even our remote teachers. So the the students that are
in the full remote learning academy um they were all obviously in class. So as we went I went to the classrooms I was able to zoom in and say hello to our remote students as well. And um everybody was smiling and waving and um you know it's amazing uh when I say you
know do you know who even the youngest ones they all know who I am and um it's nice and um I I appreciate that. I think when I interviewed about six years ago, that was one of um the things I said in my interview that I wanted the students to know me and and I I can say that you
know pretty much they all do. So that that's a really nice feeling and um and they were just just so happy and they all had their masks on and you know the teachers uh were it was some they com so many commented about you know just
having a smaller number of students and how different that is and uh and you know it's it's kind of nice and the students really get um you know individual attention and and even though it looks when you go into the classrooms it doesn't look this like there's only
11 students because it's still, you know, 20 desks. But, um, it it was it it was amazing and, uh, I'm proud of everyone and I can't thank everyone enough. >> I just want to jump in real quick to
say, um, you know, thank you, Dr. Malone, and everyone you work with from families to teachers. Um, I work in education and have for a long time. This was a monumental task and I got to witness it both with Air Shirley
and where I work. Um, problems came up back to the drawing board. Questions came up back to the drawing board. These people were working night and day all weekend. Believe me, I
was on the phone with Dr. Malone, you know, 9:00 on a Saturday night when she's driving home at 8:00 at night. I it it was it was a monumental task and it's by no means perfect, but I think it
um it was put together to start off successfully and um I think we're in a good good position to tweak things um and we're ready for all that. And and I do want to want to send a big shout out
to the teachers because um when my my daughter it it wasn't her cohort today, but she was online and there was a whole lot of laughter coming from her bedroom. So that is awesome.
>> Yeah. you know, and what's what's even um more amazing is the fact that we our remote learning academy students are being taught um within our district and um so that so our elementary model is that uh we have our elementary teachers
and most of the teachers uh they volunteered to be the remote uh learning teacher and then the high school and the middle school teachers they're live streaming um the remote students most of them are into their class classrooms and uh we have a few teachers uh that are
live streaming from their home into their classroom. So, it's really uh fascinating to go to all the different classrooms and see the different modalities of teaching besides the inerson and how it's working um for for the students and their families. And um it it's
>> yeah, it's we were, you know, we started out the motto uh you know, let's build something great and we want to continue um to build. That's our theme, you know, in our district and in in our staff is is to build something great and um we're
we're doing that and we'll keep improving it. And you know, there's always there's always um you know, there's always issues with technology. Uh you know, and and people have to have patience with it. Like even in in my home, I've been getting messages on my
computer that in my connectivity is unstable. And you know, I don't know. I haven't had a chance to look into it yet. We were in one meeting and my computer just shut down. So, you know, you ask people to be patient with technology and Mike TBO, of course, who's hosting this meeting will attest
to that that it's it things can happen and and internet connections can be unstable and so just ask for patience and um I know Mike is is really good at responding uh to families and and such. So, Mike, do you want to add anything to
that? Not to put you on the spot, but >> No, that's fine. Mary. Uh, no, just want to echo uh your comment about patience. I think that's uh key here. You know, there's a variety of factors at play. There's a lot of new technology, um, new ways of doing things for everybody,
parents, teachers, students alike. So, uh, yeah, just a little bit of patience, uh, work together, we'll figure it out. Um, what we're doing today may not be the final way that we do things. It could change tomorrow, could change next week. Um, but we we will definitely figure it out.
>> Yeah. And and my last comment would be like uh for example um I think Sher you mentioned about >> how things change and even with the department of education and you know the commissioner of education he's he talks frequently with superintendents he meets with us weekly and he um is available
but you know things from that department too you know things evolve and change so like I think it was last week we got the attendance guidance so we're trying to you know flush that out and and create um procedures for that and have parents understand uh you know the procedures
for attendance and and to understand and the teachers and such. So you know I I guess my my point here is that we weren't doing anything last minute. It may have seemed that way but we've been working on all
of these pieces and as the department you know works on on their things and sends them out to the school districts and said this is you know the guidance of this is what we're requiring you to do. Attendance is mandatory this year. it wasn't um you know in March when we had the emergency closure and so we you
know we wanted to to create a procedure that everybody could understand and is equitable um for the remote learning students um in the hybrid model um because they have a remote you know segment of their learning and then of course a remote learning learning academy so I think we achieved that but
it you know it takes work um and a lot of deep thinking to to think about how to roll something out and and to make sure that it's going to roll out so that everybody has access and and everybody can understand um the processes. So So again, you know, I thank you to
everybody. >> Mr. Quy, did you have a comment? >> I do. I do. Just a comment and a couple of observations. I just want the general public to understand that what we're going through now with the the plan is really only one of three plans that they had to come up with independently
depending on what the situation was going to be. The reason we're able to do what we're doing now is because both the administration and the staff, the teachers, everyone understands the uh uh being in a room
physically with somebody at any amount of time really helps form a bond. We're trying to all get together here for teaching and learning and that's that's best done in person. In today's environment, you can't do it fully. And the only reason we're able to do the
plan we're doing now is because of the amount of work and preparation that was been put in. And also from a community standpoint, the fact that our our disease transition rates are so low >> and that's shows a lot of discipline in the towns of Aaron and Shirley. If you
take a look at what the infection rates are, we're only able to put this plan together and keep this plan in place because of those rates. That also means that if the communities lose faith in
adhering to what we're supposed to do, it can all be taken away in a heartbeat. You don't have to go far on today's news to find school districts and schools that are automatically having to go full remote because a lot of people wanted to have a big party. So, the discipline
must continue throughout both communities for us to continue to do what we're doing. and I'm sure that uh we're up to the task. Thank you. >> Yeah. One last thing, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Quinty, for your comments. And and so the other thing I I would uh
really uh give accolades to the district, you know, the team, uh the teachers, you know, particularly um the administration is that we we put out the hybrid plan and and we have been consistent with that plan. We haven't had to deviate u from that for, you
know, various reasons. And and there's no criticism of any school districts. This is really hard. And there are school districts that, you know, have 16 schools uh versus four schools. And you know, we we ordered our our equipment early. We ordered the Chromebooks early. Um you know, Mr. Plunkett was uh you
know, had the foresight to order all those heper filters and things. So, a lot of our things, you know, we we did early on and um with the good thinking of of all of the members of the team. And so therefore, we were able to present the plan to you that we presented that you voted on and then we
were able to execute that plan without having to to switch or delay. So, you know, I'm very proud of that. So, thank you. >> Cheryl, did you want to say something? >> Oh, I thought I saw your light come up. Um,
I'm going to uh if I might kick in a little bit. Um, you know, they say that, you know, being someone who's not in the school, it's terrible to just look at a snapshot, but I will tell you the snapshot I saw today was fantastic. I ended up at Lori White in the middle
school, saw the kids getting off the bus. They looked like they didn't know where to go, but everybody was wearing their masks. No one was pulling at it. No one was, you know, had it down or anything. And and the kids were like, "Okay, where do I go? This is good." Um, so I didn't get I didn't want to go into the schools because I felt that was
improper. Um but in and Laurier White being the elementary school and every there were about 25 teachers lined up on the hall with um um pompoms and bells and cheers and you know if you were finishing the tour to France with the
crower tour to France screaming on the sidelines as the racers came ac come across. Uh that was pretty equivalent to what was going on in Laurier White this morning and I'm sure it's going to be repeated tomorrow. So, uh, the things that I saw were some like, "Oh, this is
first day of school. My daughter doesn't have her bus pass. I'm bringing it." Um, the funniest one was like, "What time do we start?" And I'm like, "This has only been said a hundred times, but it's typical first day of school stuff." You know, there was nothing that wasn't first day of school. Oh, do I need this?
Do I need that? Oh, I need to give you this. My son forgot. My daughter forgot. And typical elementary school happenings. And it was really good. was very smooth and so for seeing a snapshot um it was excellent
>> everybody came >> and to the and to the teachers credit I mean our teachers their first day back was August 31st and all of our back and we were ready for them we had you know the classroom was ready [Music]
um within the classroom and I think to mute themselves I don't Um, so you know the PP was in the classrooms and you know we have a few teachers that are on tonight listening to the meeting and um, you know, so our teachers came back and you know they
they they took the the tasks on. They they you know participated in the professional development. They prepared their classrooms and um it was it was very smooth and it was seamless and um again you know it's it's about preparedness and uh you know keeping
your eye on the ball and staying focused and doing the hard work so that uh the students the most important piece of the whole of why we have school come back today and have smiles on their faces and go home and and you know say
to their parents I had a good day today. It was nice to be back in school and I think most of the students I would say did that today. So >> well and also behind the scenes there was one parent who was commenting how wonderful it was the conference that he had had with his um with his students
teacher uh that they had done online and how helpful that was. So a lot of stuff behind the scenes that we know were done that really were way and beyond and very very good. >> Yeah. >> So thank you. Well, thank you everyone.
And that completes I'm sorry if someone was gonna speak. >> Jim started to say something. Mr. Quinty. >> No, I'm good. >> Okay. Did want to cut miss anybody. So, thank you. Um and if we can go on to
ongoing business. Um um Mr. Leone um has studied the um policies concerning um subcommittees and the difference between a subcommittee and an advisory committee. And it's of
his opinion that really um it was probably improperly designed as a as a subcommittee and it should be an advisory committee since a subcommittee really is supposed to have an endpoint like building a building or something to that effect. U Mr. Leone, do you wish to
um expound on that a little bit with the differences? Well, I it was brought to my attention that um that we don't have specifically specific uh committee members and that a
subcommittee um at least by the the the policies that I read did not allow for members of the subcommittee to be um people on the professional staff or
people uh in the community. the the subcommittee um didn't say specifically that they couldn't, but it didn't allow for it. It said that it would be members of uh um it it it appeared that it would be members of the school committee only.
Um an advisory committee allows for professional staff and allows for um members of the community to be part of the committee and and and a listed member of the committee. So um under
that advisement um you know I'm asking the school committee uh for advice uh for um guidance on this um this this subcommittee I feel is extremely
important. this subcommittee or advisory committee has been doing some tremendous work um and and I want this work to continue and so if if it's possible to continue this
as a restructure this as an advisory committee with uh you know certain number of school committee members um professional staff and a certain number of um of community at large people parents whatever
on the committee Um then we can continue to have uh our open meetings for uh for discussion which by the way have been superb um and run by Michelle Laflam and and Erica
Span. They've been great and um uh I' I'd like to continue to do it that way. So, my recommendation um I guess I I'm jumping on, but my recommendation is to is to put uh two or three school committee members um two or
three um professional staff and two or three um uh members of the community at large on this committee and um um and then let it do its work >> and it would be an advisory committee, right?
>> Yes. Okay. one wish to jump. I think it looks like that it sounds like that what we probably need to do is to um vote to dissolve the diversity and equity subcommittee and to establish the
diversity and equity advisory committee. Does that sound right, Mr. Leory? Uh well, I don't know. Uh I don't know if we need to dissolve the other one or or not, but whatever whatever that process is, as long as we as long as we end up with an advisory committee that um is
the way I described it, then I'll be happy. >> May I just ask a question? um with an advisory committee. Do you have one ch do you have a chair or is it
>> just appointed? >> Oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> I I it's not it it it wasn't clear to me in the in the policy whether there there is a chair or there um one chair or no chairs. Um I have no idea. Um I I assume
my own assumption would be that there would be uh one chair a a member of the school committee that that would share it. Um and that you know so that's my end but I don't know I'm I'm I'm in the dark. I'm just
kind of winging things. >> Okay. >> Policy is not my strength. No, Joe, I think you're probably right on that is that um the advisory committee could have a member of the school committee as the chair of it. Uh and therefore the responsibility for
reporting and posting and all those wonderful other things that need to be done. >> Does anybody it only makes sense to me that that would be it. So that it's so that its responsibility is to advise the advise the school committee and um and
and the school district with respect to equity and diversity. Um and and the members of the community at large are a big part of of that. But the the the role of the chairperson would be to report back um to the school committee
all of the uh the things that get um decided as advisory um information >> and I think I have to ask if you would accept that position. >> I would. >> Okay. Thank you,
>> Jim. Yeah, Joyce, I it's um I know it came up last time and I guess I'm I'm fine with whatever format works to get the uh the right people on the committee, but we we as a school committee never really developed a
stated purpose or endpoint. Um, so I don't know if it's up to us to do that or if we want to try to have the advisory committee put their mo their own statement of purpose out or series of planks that we would like them to
address. Do you have any thoughts or anybody else on the committee has some thoughts on that? I mean, we we came up and we as far as I know the only thing I saw is that we have the title So, the subcommittee's been working on that. >> The subcommittee does have a a statement
that they've been working on. Um, >> great. >> As to who they are and what their goals are. Um, that the committee discussed and voted on. Um, >> okay. >> So, that that's been done. Um, and
>> and it's a very good statement and and >> Laura, we lost your audio joke. >> I I'm I'm not um I mean certainly we it it will be shared with this group. I'm not sure um you know I guess I would just want to
confirm that that was official um with the subcommittee before sharing with this group as the final statement. But um you know the the um I guess I'm just like trying to look over our policies right now. That's what I'm looking at is the difference between subcommittees and
advisory committees. Um and it sounds like Joe was advised that we had formed incorrectly as a subcommittee as opposed to the advisory committee. Um so I was just myself looking at what the what the differences
were. Um Are you back? >> Yeah, I'm here. >> Okay. Um, yeah, I think we we did it. I I'll blame myself. I think I I didn't understand it thoroughly. The difference between a subcommittee and an advisory committee. And what we're really looking
for right now is an advisory committee. A subcommittee would be more like the high school building committee who would have an our attention. But so I think we just um and then we can take everything that the
previous subcommittee did and put it into the advisory committee. And I think it I think they've done some really good stuff. So, and Joe, if you need to make a motion, that could be up to you. Doesn't matter. >> Well, I I I don't know. I don't know in
terms of numbers, like, do I need to make a a a specific number of of people that will will be on the committee. I mean obviously meetings will be open to uh who whoever wants to attend and um and we hope that we get a a a good
number of um but I would like to have a specific number of people that are uh that are on the committee. Um the the nominations or whatever or the recommendations for professional staff according to the uh policies are
supposed to come from the superintendent. um school committee members uh that are appointed um you know can be volunteer or whatever. Um you know Cheryl and and uh Michelle have been coming to all of the meetings. Um
at in terms of the people the community at large um I would certainly want to nominate um Michelle Laflam and Erica Span to be on the committee and I don't know if there are um um other people
that would want to be but uh on the committee but if they would >> I think we lost Joe again. It's always when he's doing his best. >> Oh man. >> Um, one of the maybe what I would suggest I think >> if Joe's not back while he's Well, were
we waiting? >> I'm I'm here. >> Okay. Sorry, >> we missed what you said. >> We We missed the last 45 seconds. >> Oh, 45 seconds. >> Maybe 30. Um I just I don't know with respect to numbers what what the corre
correct number of people to be on is but um I I said that professional staff needed to be nominated or recommended by the superintendent at least that's in the policies. Um, as far as community
people, um, again, I don't know a number, but I would certainly want, uh, Michelle Llam and Erica Stan to be members of this committee. >> Am I gone again? >> No, you're there. One of the things I would suggest is maybe kind of bringing
this shift to the subcommittee. I think I don't know if they're due to meet tomorrow or if it's next. Uh we were going to but I since I didn't I wasn't sure where we would be uh we didn't send out our our agenda um and I I postponed
the the meeting until next Thursday. >> Okay. So maybe what I would >> put on opposite weeks of our regular school committee meetings which I think would be more beneficial. >> Yeah, that that definitely helps. Um, but if we were to, you know, discuss it with that subcommittee, I mean, you
know, obviously this committee can kind of come up with some parameters as far as numbers, but I'd like for them to be involved in the conversation as to who's interested um and who, you know, might want to be an official member of the committee as opposed to just um an attendee. >> Yeah.
>> And it does sound like um you know, we need to kind of set up, you know, how long we're asking each person to serve. um you know what the school committee wants the committee to fulfill. I mean these are just itemized in our policy in
item six. Um so it looks like you know there are some direction that the school committee needs to provide but as far as membership um I think asking that subcommittee um you know first would would would be a good idea.
So, um I I saw in the chat that Erica would like to speak. Is that okay? >> Um are you going to have a subcommittee report? >> Am I? Um >> is this it? >> Well, this is this is the main thing. I
I can give a subcommittee report, too. Um I kind of gave it already. We had a a great meeting and I I can do that later. Um, but we should decide on what we're going to do here. >> I mean, if you would like someone else
to speak, Joe, that would be up to you. Um, I think what you're I think basically the it's just the basic structure the committee is going to operate kind of the way it has and it's already you set out some good things, but I think you know the basic structure
needs to be changed and you're quite right on that and thanks for bringing it forward. Yeah, I I as far as the work of the committee goes, I don't think the work of the committee will be altered at all. Um I and I just think it gives a little more structure to the committee
um and puts it more in line with the policies. >> What do you feel or what have you discovered would be a good size for the committee? Uh it's really it I mean seriously it's
just it's just on paper in terms of like having numbers and having official members of your of your sub uh of your advisory committee and um so I don't know I really don't know. I'm thinking 3 three and three is my um is my thought.
So you're you're basically you're just basically changing the structure of like what it's called and who is sort of in char. It's it's nothing about the work is changing. So, you're looking to
shift the the three what or um you're you're sharing the chair, the three people over and adding another school committee member and a couple of staff as sort of the people
that oversee or run it or what, however you want want to say that. And I if if that I I would agree you would probably want at least two, you know, two comm community members, two
school committee in case there's somebody that isn't able to make a meeting um to be able to speak from their point of view, >> but I I don't know what the process is with >> Yeah. >> shifting it. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Point of order, Madam Chair. Yes, please. Mr. Quinty, >> I I think we have a request I see on the chat here from a standing subcommittee member to speak to what our discussion is. I I would say since she's a standing committee member, it's no longer public
participation and she has a right to address. >> Yeah, >> sounds good to me. >> Okay, >> Mike, I got you. Erica, you should be all set now. >> Thank you. So, um I just want to say
thanks to Joe. Um he did reach out to me and let me know about this. And you know, I do have several questions for this committee. Um I'm not new to this. And this committee was supposed to be created out of a need from the community
and a request. Um way back almost a year ago, we uh both Sherice and myself asked for something like this. um and we had you know a difficult start given we had COVID and a number of other issues. So my concern here basically is that it
seems like we're kind of almost like the rug's being pulled under from underneath us a little bit and in the sense that Joe I realize you have good intents but all of you are questioning the structuring of the committee. All of you are saying,
you know, we're really not um sure about what the policy is, so why wouldn't you keep the subcommittee as it is? When Joe pointed this out to me and I looked at the school governance document that is posted on ASRSD's website and section B
on page 16, when it describes a subcommittee of a school of of this um school district, it doesn't mention anything about only um school committee members being on it. And as far as our purposes, we put together that mission
statement that we voted on, not this past um committee meeting, but the committee meeting before that, which was making sure that we created a com a community um and each, you know, school or school district, that's probably the best word to say, school district that
has diversity, equity, and inclusion in minority groups. So, there's our end goal. So, I guess I'm a little confused as to why we would switch to an advisory committee particularly where myself and I can uh and Michelle has also said we don't even have buyin from our
superintendent. So, going to a advisory committee that would then sit underneath the the superintendent when she hasn't even attended the last two school meetings is very alarming to me. we are making strides and we're we're doing good things and we're having good
conversations. Um to put that to to change the structure of that is very concerning because we're pulling farther and farther away from the original comments and buyin that we had from the school committee. So that's what I wanted to kind of point out is is where
we're all questioning structuring and I understand why you'd want to do that and uphold the policy. I saw nowhere in that school policy where the comments that are being made are specifically identified. I think the whole thing is like if a
advisory committee can be uh reappointed and keep going on for a long time with advising with putting in different things and different things that they have that they have found. So the composition of task forces and other advisory committees um where the
subcommittee the school committee is more like a much more closedend ended uh committee that when it finishes its one task it's over instead of maybe going on and evaluating or keep evaluating various items.
>> Gotcha. Thank you so much Joyce. So my last question is going to be where is this is it going to remain advis I guess advisory committee to the school committee or then or we place somewhere else in the district because I thought I heard a comment that said that it would
be advising elsewhere. So I just want to make sure I'm clear on what >> it's titled as an advisory committee to the school committee. So it keeps it a public >> Erica. I I think I I mentioned to the school to the district as well, but um
only because with respect to professional development and um and uh educational curriculum that we that we deem is uh appropriate and necessary for our kids to have. advising uh with
respect to that uh not being under the jurisdiction of of of the ASRC just being um we're an advisory committee to the >> I lost you a little bit Joe but I do understand what you're saying so I thank
you for just taking the time to answer my questions and kind of allay my concerns >> Jim Yeah, I the I I'm fine if we just sort of put this on hold if the um if the
diversity and equity subcommittee wants to it sounds like there's some cu confusion among members who are currently on the committee and I don't know how much time they spent talking about reorganization but you know if we wanted to wait another couple weeks for them to come up
to speed on it that might be helpful. The only other comment is that um the fact that you know um I'm not at one of the meetings or Mr. DeForge isn't at one of the meetings or the superintendent's not at the meetings does not mean that we're not buying into
it. I mean, one of the ways that the most amount of work is going to get done is if everybody feels perfectly comfortable with the people sitting at the table and can say what they want to say. And sometimes that's a hard thing to do if the deciders are in the room.
So I the fact that somebody is or is not in attendance uh should not be pushed to the point saying that we don't buy in. >> So with respect to uh the committee members being confused about where they want to go. None of the other committee
members were confused. Uh it was me. I I was the one who was brought to my attention that that that we're um we're not under we're not a subcommittee based on the policy. We're an advisory committee. And so I brought it up. If if
the committee wants to keep this as a subcommittee and we can keep things going just the way they are, then then I have absolutely no problem with that. All right. I just want to make sure that we're that we're legal.
and doing the things that we're supposed to do. That's uh you know I mean I I like what we're doing. I I love what we're doing and I think um uh you know I think that this committee is is going to be but personally in looking at the policies I believe we are more of an
advisory committee than a subcommittee but it's a name it really doesn't mean any diff make any difference and the work will be the same and um and will continue. I think Madam Chair, can I can I make a
motion we table this until the next meeting because I I don't know how the other committee members I don't know enough about the differences between the committees and actually I didn't know that an advisory committee was even a thing until I just heard it. So, um, I I
think having a couple weeks to understand the differences of what those are from a policy standpoint would be helpful, but I also want the people that are sitting together, regardless of what committee we call them, they keep doing what
they're doing. It sounds like everybody is animated about the progress that's being made, and I I certainly don't want to slow any of that down. So, I'd like them to keep on keeping on. And at the next meeting, I think all of us would have a better idea of what a uh a sub a
standard subcommittee versus an advisory committee is and make this vote just be pro- fora. >> Yeah. Well, those the policies are BDE and BB BDF. Hard to say the B's and D's together. So, >> it's just >> we can review those and maybe we should
review those as part of the policy subcommittee. >> Hey, and And and to be clear, we can we can have our meeting next next Thursday um just the same as we would have, >> right? >> Yeah,
>> that that'd be good. >> Okay. And we can and then uh and we should probably uh put something on the agenda for um to discuss whether we want to restructure or uh whether we think it's necessary or not. Okay.
>> Okay. That's theoretically scheduled for Tuesday, October 6th. >> No, no, we're going to meet next Thursday. We're That was >> our reg our meeting. >> Oh, your meeting. Okay. >> Or your meeting, too. >> No, our We're going to meet next uh next
Thursday, which will be what? The 20 um 4th. >> 20 Yeah, 24th. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh there's the floor to table this. Do I have a second?
>> No. Go ahead. >> Jim has made a motion to table. >> Oh, I I'll second it. Sorry. >> Okay. Is any other comments or questions from anybody? Additions or corrections? Um uh not hearing any. Michelle, would you please take the roll call?
>> Mrs. Granger, >> I. >> Mr. Leone, >> I. >> Mr. Quinty, >> hi. >> Mrs. reshoots. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Simmons. >> Hi. >> Thank you everybody. Thank you, Joe. This is very good. Uh something is very
important and we just need to be solid in how we pursue it. That's all. Okay. Um if we have any policy review, Mr. Quinty or Mr. I don't think you have anything else for diversity and subcommittee, right, Joe? >> No, I I I basically gave my report.
We're >> we're doing great. Thanks. >> Do you want to add anything? Don't let me stop you. >> No, I'm I'm good. >> Okay. All right. Anything, Mr. Quinty? I know we're holding stuff until we're in >> Yeah, I wanted to I still want to put on the uh You can take a look what at
whatever agenda you wanted on. I still wanted us to act on the policy I wrote AAA, which is on um policy review and audit. We put it off. We thought we'd do it when we all got together. And I think we decided that, you know, we may as
well take another look at that. Um, so if we could include that at the um next school committee meeting. And the question I wanted to ask, as you as you'll all recall, this was a policy I wrote that would give us a periodic review of the entire entire policy
manual. It separates the policies into different audit cycles and it has another uh a number of other uh items that structure exactly how policies are reviewed and what the timetable is. And what I wanted to find out from the
committee members that I'm not sure if it would be helpful or not. One of the big advantages we have in doing an audit this way is that you know all of our backgrounds on the school committee are wildly different. I think that makes us more effective because we look at similar problems in different ways. And
I started to put together um a review sheet kind of like a set of rubrics that you would use to review a to review a policy. But one side of me says it's a good idea and the other side of me says that that's going to take away the
diversity of assessment that we share individually. So, I I don't know whether people think that would be helpful or not as a part of a policy review if I put something together for comment or if we should just leave everybody to their
own devices. >> Well, any policy has to come before the whole committee to be reviewed. So, if people have >> No, no, I'm not. No. What I'm talking about is I'm sorry. I'm talking about putting I if we vote and approve the
policy as written which which basically says um Michelle gets this many policies from cat column A b and c to do in a year and gets as many policies from A and C to in a year. There would be like a sheet. So when you're reviewing a
policy, you would review it for particular things and then if you found everything was owner, it would be audited and put in the complete pile. If you thought there were changes necessary, it would be brought to the chair for review by the entire committee. It doesn't change the
policies. It just kind of gives you a cheat sheet to evaluate each one of the policies. And I'm I'm really am torn right down the middle whether that would be a helpful thing or not a helpful thing. I could go either way on it. >> So, if I could, I would just I would
think it might be a little bit helpful just to see at least what your thoughts are on what that sheet might look like. >> Okay. >> Um, just to get an idea of, you know, you know, where you're going with it. And then, you know, there always there could be some structure, but then it could be, you know, an open-ended
portion of it, too. Um, so that you'd get a little bit of both. >> Okay. So, what I'll do is that I'll I'll just put that together. So, the next school committee meeting if there's time or the whenever we're going to review AAA, I'll
put the um I'll just put an extra uh sheet together for audit and everybody can get a chance to look at it and just give me your thoughts on that. >> Yeah, I think that might be helpful. So, Jim, are you suggesting an overriding
policy that says all these policies have to be reviewed by date X or else we're out of policy compliance? >> I Yeah, I wrote that. It's we we have the entire the entire policy is written and we we had it I think back in June,
but we decided that we'd wait because it's it's brand new and it takes a lot of review. But now I think we're at the point where people are more comfortable in a Zoom environment that everybody gets a chance to read it. And I think we can we can decide to enact the policy or
not enact the policy in this format if we have to. I mean ideally we'd like to be in the same room. But if we were going to be in this format for a while, I think we're now at the point that everybody's comfortable with the format that we could review the policy and make
whatever decisions we need to make. Uh here, anybody else comments or questions? I'm sure we all have it buried someplace in 5,000 sheets. So, we can ask Michelle Town to reintroduce it to us. Thank you,
Michelle. >> Yeah. >> Um I think it's I think you have to is it would it be a time limit on this stuff then? It's kind it's it's very involved and and I'd be happy to if there's time at
the next committee meeting if Michelle can just send it out to everybody, I'd go through the uh how and why I develop it and I can go through some of the particulars that are in the policy. >> Okay. So perhaps if anybody can give um
Jim any any notations or any uh questions or any suggestions before that would probably be good. So it could be fine-tuned, >> right? I I I don't mind doing it cold. We can just we'll just start over. It it'll be a first read and it really and
it truly is a first read. So, you can have Tim, you know, so >> I think we'd be I think we'll be better off if if everybody just sort of stands down and we'll put it on for the next one. You know, whenever Michelle gets it out, they can read what I've written and then next week I'll go through some of
my thoughts when I put it together and everybody can comment. We can adjust things as necessary. >> Okay. Is everyone >> Yep, that's good >> with that. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, Mr. Quinty. I have no notes
at this point. >> Um, are other topics for discussion not reasonably anticipated in 48 hours of this meeting? Do we have anything in that column? >> I I this may not fall under that column, but I just have a question. Actually, if
we're going to discuss future meeting dates, I can ask it then. Whatever you prefer. >> Um, well, the meeting dates that we have are October 6th and October 21st. Do you have >> Well, I I'm only bringing up we had talked when we um made the vote about um
assess like doing assessments on you know what's going on in the schools, COVID numbers in the towns, that kind of thing. Um and I just didn't know if that was something we were going to start right away or if we're going to wait until after that October 6th meeting to do that. But we had discussed um you
know a quick Zoom on whatever night of the week just to um check in on how things are progressing at the schools and look at the numbers in the communities to monitor what was going on. >> Well, initially I think we had set that as the first meeting in October, but if you think we should do one before that.
>> It's not I'm not saying I'm just saying I just want to bring it up because I didn't know what the intentions were of the committee. Um, if we want to wait till that October 6th meeting, I I don't that's fine. I know we're going to look at it at at the October 6th meeting, but I thought we
were going to do weekly check-ins um based on our conversation when we did the initial vote to do the hybrid model. >> Just today, there was a communication from the um who's this from? um Massachusetts Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education about reviewing those things and putting time limits on um when you should see different color coding uh and the C and the districts around. Um so it sounds like um it says
they're talking about a three-w weekek period um before you make an assessment so that you have a not a single one day shot. M Dr. Malone. >> Yes, sure. Thank you. A couple of comments. Uh, yes. Um, Michelle, we tal
talked about when you voted uh on hybrid plan that we would evaluate um October it's October 6 meeting, evaluate the health metrics and I think um that that was what the committee decided and I I have it on on my
calendar on our agenda calendar for that meeting. We um do the metrics get a chance to look today uh didn't change um an era the case count. So it's it this was through September 9th which was last Wednesday
and um the case counts uh for the last they look at the last 14 days they were zero and um so the relative change in the case counts were lower um and the total positive tests in the last 14 days were zero positivity was 0% in Shirley
um it was less than five so the um there were two positive case in the last 14 days so it was a case count was a little bit higher but still obviously very low. And then the the percent positivity rate in Shirley was point 73 73%. So I will
get those um numbers. Like I said, I didn't I didn't have a chance today. I'm sorry. >> No, that's fine. >> Yeah. >> I picked on him before four o'clock and the and the numbers were the same. >> Yeah. And then the commissioner's letter. So he you know at the meeting we had today he he cited the same thing. He
didn't what he's saying is that if if you start to see an increase like don't immediately jump to remote. He doesn't want to see districts going hybrid remote hybrid and switching back and forth and stuff. He said you know to he's recommending that you wait um for a period of time to to see if the trend is
actually um increasing in cases um you know that are reported in your respective uh towns. And to Mr. Quinty's point and I put it in one of the parent communications last week is just reminding families to keep our networks tight as Jim pointed out the Aaron and Shirley communities have done an
excellent job um in keeping uh transmission of CO 19 low in the two communities and you know you know not we haven't had had the any cases in the schools. So um we appreciate the work and effort of of all of the families um and all of us all of us that work in the
schools. as you know, we've been back working in the schools since last May. So, you know, whatever the will of the committee is is fine with me, but I I thought, you know, that would be the plan. And then, um I think the purpose was to evaluate phase one, which is what we're in right now, and then um
determine if um the committee uh wanted to vote for us to go to phase two, which would be full half days. um um you know it can what we have right now but only the students would stay for the full day and of course if that what
my recommendation would be to the committee if that would be the will of the committee based on on the numbers and I can bring you the numbers from all these weeks but they're basically just staying you know the same and low um then we would certainly want to have a few weeks to transition to that so that
would be my comments. So Michelle, what do you think? >> That's fine. I mean, even if we're just I mean, we're obviously all looking at the numbers and monitoring them. We don't need a meeting to to do that. Um I just, you know, know that we had
discussed having update meetings. Um and if we even can do that via an email, um just to say, you know, numbers came out Wednesday afternoon, you know, on a Thursday. This is what it looks like. You know, I'm fine with that, too. I just, you know,
>> Well, are you are you requesting that we send you a weekly report? Is that what you're asking? >> I can do that. >> It I don't want to put any more work on. I mean, we're all looking at them. So, I'm okay with that. I, you know, with not doing that um at least, you know,
until we, you know, get a little further in or we start to see some changes. Um, I I'm just following up to the committee because I know we had, you know, discussed that when we made the vote, but so, you know, I'm okay with not getting, you know, an email report. I know you're looking at the numbers and
I'm looking at them, too. Um, I just bring it up because, you know, I want everyone to be aware that that's what we discussed and just want us to be all on the same page. >> Yeah. And I have been uh I put it out publicly that the school committee is going to be re-evaluating on the 6. So, >> Okay. Yeah.
>> And if we see something then we can meet always. You can always you can always pull an emergency meeting for something like this and if we have to we will. Um so like you said we're all the towns are doing really good and we're all looking at the numbers constantly. Um when this
all first started my husband was working from home and every day I got a report when I walked in the door. So um finally told him he had to not look at it every day. Um but uh so I think you're right and none of us are going to be slack in
um noting what this is. So thank you Michelle for keeping us online on it. That's good. Is there any other uh communications? That was the big communication we had by the way was the was the thing from the department of elementary and secondary
education I thought. Um so uh we do have an executive session tonight and we will go into executive session only to come back for the sole purpose of adjournment. Um pursuant to the mass general laws uh chapter 30 30A
paragraph 21 A and three for the purpose of conducting strategy with respect to collective bargaining. As conducting this deliberation in open session would have detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the committee. The committee will return to open session following the executive session only to adjourn um and to discuss
strategy with respect to litigation pursuant to matter journal laws chapter 3A paragraph 21A and three as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the school committee. If we could have a roll call vote please. >> Do do we have do we have a link for
that? I don't I don't have a link. >> Huh? >> Is there a link for the executive session? Uh yes. Um if uh there is a you open into a into a different meeting. >> I think it's in the drive. Joe, if you look in Do you have the drive?
>> Well, I can get to the drive. >> Yeah. >> That's where it's a separate thing in the drive. Okay. Yeah. All right. Thanks. >> There's a separate email. >> Okay. >> I had trouble too.
>> Okay. If I could have a motion for executive session, please. So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. Michelle Town, please. If you have a roll call vote, >> thank you everyone for coming tonight before we go into this. We really
appreciate all of you being here. >> Mrs. Granger, >> hi. >> Mr. Leone, >> hi. >> Mr. Quincy, >> hi. >> Mrs. Rehoots, >> I >> Mrs. Simmons, >> I. >> Thank you. We're will re reorganize in
executive session.