##VIDEO ID:tqzx1Hk_Cac## okay good evening and welcome this is the August 19th 2024 meeting of the school committee call the meeting to order 5:15 this meeting is being both audio and video recorded I would ask that everyone please rise for the pl of Allegiance I pledge allegiance the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all okay if we we'll call Samantha if you don't mind starting Fe Samantha Vasa secretary pamla Blair assistant superintendent for business AR trulio Smith superintendent of schools Gregory Thompson Antella R Kate Liden Dela Heather Brown director of curriculum Mr Mackey we don't have a visual on that screen still but we can proceed if you're okay with it just let me know if somebody's waving or something there's nobody out here okay perfect thank you okay approval of minutes I'd take a motion for the June 17th please move to approve the June 17 2024 regular session meeting minutes Mo made by Sarah second second by anel all in favor say I I I those oppose nay that motion carries 5 to zer next approve the July 1 2024 executive session meeting minutes made by sah second by an discussion all in favor say I I I those oppos nay that carries 5 to zero and one more please approve the July 1 2024 regular session meeting minutes what you Me by Sarah second my antel discussion all say I I I those oppos nay that carries 5 to zero welcome have committee and subcommittee Communications Amy would you like to start um I have no okay great um we met a few weeks ago um for lpvec and they told us that they're moving along the process is moving along for the electric buses oh and that East meow should be looking at getting five buses this year October they're hoping for the roll out um there's still more to come but that was their sweet plan I think yeah very exciting they're G to reach out to other districts that are using them for procedures for schools and we should make a big deal out of that somehow maybe the news or something you know I think they kids they see like the Amazon trucks that are electric and they they they really they like notice it and get excited about it yeah very cool they look different have you seen um I've only seen Boston Publix and they you can tell yeah you can tell more U like the lighting is different excellent thank you it's m nothing at this time Sarah nothing this evening okay I uh I joined the um Town book club for the walkable cities so I started that last Wednesday it's uh in conjunction with the deputy Town manager and some other folks from town so nice we're talking about the Center Square development so kind of trying to keep in tune with that very nice it's good to have you on there yes it's just my first book club so grow up I guess right okay so any who uh have opportunity for visitors to address the committee we have none this evening and we will move right along to presentations approve uh we have the field trip for either Sunny's place or for I meows hi meows you wna both come up if you don't mind please we are asking for approval for our yearly 8ighth grade Bill trip um historically it has been at High Meadows and we um after polling the students we also are looking at Sunny's place with this year and um neither of the contracts are signed as yet so we are asking for permission for I guess both of them so that once school starts we can take a look at full financials and make a decision as an eighth grade team as to which as to where we're going to go Amy are the costs different we have one for um let's see where is this one going plates yeah um on e place is greater okay um the cost is higher um uh but this year um when we pulled the kids the kids were not really happy with where we were going yeah and we would really have time to kind of process it as teachers but um they had said last year and then this year again that um High Meadows was kind of run down the food quality had um from what they thought it was going to be to what it is wasn't so much a lot of the areas to play in were not kept up or there were no equipment so um we wanted to kind of take a better look at that as a group and kind of make a decision okay September before we sign anything but and the day would be the same yeah either it have availability that day six six okay yeah of chaperon buses all those yeah so we have um we have been looking at different bus companies over the summer um one of the one of the um numbers we're waiting for was how much the busing was last year but if we take a look at how much was spent at High Meadows versus how much the students paid to go um it looks like it should be about the same um with a charter bus one of the reasons we wanted to go with the charter bus this year is we wanted to see if we can get the kids back before the end of the school day um and uh last year they the kids did not get back until 6:30 p.m. wow and it was a really really long day yeah yeah so okay any other questions from the committee did you say how much it would be for Sunny's place that one is is that the one we had that's I think it's uh in the in the letter no I thought that's 4 that's what they paid last year oh right so Sunny's SP um for 216 people which is going to be the maximum that we could carry because of just um the spots on the bus um if um if they wave the sales tax because we're nonprofit yeah a school trip it'll be about 13 about 13,800 so it's going to be um 65s about 65 yeah oh so it's cheaper than yeah it's the busing plus what time does the busing what's the district's buses can bring the kids back without messing up the transportation that that that had been the problem like how late so it's like not 6:30 but is it they back by 1:15 but they can't go after yeah so they would the last round of buses usually finishes somewhere around 4:15 4:30 so they still wouldn't be getting so they would be heading out you would have some that could head out earlier than that but you probably use first no first student they use First Student last year yeah yeah that would be like a huge cost Char I know yeah did you have the quote for for the quote that we have the best quote that we had was from Peter Pan Bus Lin are 5600 and that's for uh 200 uh four buses uh total um yeah total number 216 seats 73 any3 do they do any kind of fundraising or anything to we are hoping that was one of the things the reason why we're coming to the school committee so early this year is we would really like to fund raise and be able to get the cost down to something reasonable like $50 per person yeah um students paid $75 per person last year sure the PTO does typically help like $2,000 but um divide that by 200 kids it's $10 bucks yeah um so yeah we were hoping to kind of start off and and have a group of students help us with some ideas and things like that that's why I'd hate for any kid to not be able to go because of the price yeah yeah we've had that conversation and we I think we did help a few yeah we there were there was some um we were ble to help a few kids but um we didn't know until later that some of the kids who didn't go um didn't go because they had to pay for something else so um we wanted to make sure that this was accessible um to as many kids as possible in my daughter's school district on uh field trip forums there's a place where you can donate more money for a kid who needs it so I don't know if that's against our policy but I like even with yearbooks like I want to buy another yearbook for a kid who can't so if that's something we can put on our field trip request like a round up like yeah yeah just I'm including this much for blah blah blah and it's completely voluntary one of the elementary schools go to High medals or not to high medals to Sunny's place as their fifth grade experience this past year I believe they may have okay something to think about too like a to like explore how they managed it and then B to be thinking now over time that might be a recycled field trip for some of the kids the the one difference is if it's one School fifth grade that went they're traveling with half the kids that we would be agreed I'm just saying they may have been able to figure out like the costs in a different way they may have a different way of managing the buses if they've already done it once I feel like it was Maple Shade it was I don't think it was Mountain View it wasn't Mountain View I feel like Maple Shade went last year I remember approving that for some reason but they might have some of that information already okay any other questions or thoughts I would entertain motion to approve both and either please I move to approve the June 6 2025 field trip to Sunny's place in Summers Connecticut or High Meadows in grany Connecticut for the 8th graders for the eth grade birin Park field trip as presented excellent motion made by Kate okay second any other discussion you'll know when you making a decision before school starts or soon thereafter probably soon thereafter um Peter Pan was um uh nice enough to hold the um the contract open for us until we heard from the school committee that it wasn't okay but we would be okay for the field trip and then you'll send along once you do decide the details and the decision excellent okay all in favor please say I I I those oppose nay that motion carries five to zero very much okay thank you okay we have review policy recommendations from the easto public school diversity and Equity steering committee okay packets uh you have the first round of um policy revisions that are dealing with the policies that um are in section A of the policy manual um let me take you back um to what the diversity and Equity steering was attempting to do so last year the committee wanted to look at policies that doubt that dealt with um non-discrimination obiously putting structions in place so that you're eliminating discrimination but also um policies just that center around building culture building climate to make sure that we're moving forward in a way that um is really creating an atmosphere in elps where everyone feels comfortable and feels like they can connect and most importantly that they belong which is actually one of the questions that we have on our climate and wellness survey um so you have a variety of policies I think six overall some of which are revised due to um or revised from existing policy and some are new brand new policies that other districts may have had um a version similar to this um and it really was one it's um pretty comprehensive work it was a lot of work uh took us longer than we had expected but that generally happens when you're revising policy we had both um Miss Julio and M stenta um on the committee and uh Miss Brown was um co- facilitator of the group and we also had um a guest unexpected guest who stayed with us throughout the entire year um Mr schules uh who works for desie but is the western Mass advisor around policy such as this there's more to he part of the safe schools safe schools initiative yeah technical Heth like policy work but also professional development so there was a lot of work that went into this and then what our job became when these were handed off in June was bringing them back through so that they fit within the policy manual um as it exists online and is um following the masc format as well as looking at how much um in terms of procedure and so forth can we Implement and Implement with Fidelity and so that this is the result of that um work this summer and more work to come you'll have more policies and know you're very excited for that um policies to review over the next couple meetings so we start out with non-discrimination and in your packets um it looks like this uh the first one on top policy AC non-discrimination is the revised policy and then after that um is the existing policy I don't know what uh the committee's um prerogative is in terms of do you want me to read the Poli I know anel so this one um is somewhat straightforward in terms terms of it basically is one looking to in that first paragraph develop a paragraph that is more current than some of the paragraphs you see in our policies and bringing the entire policy more into the 21st century prob the good way to say it miss anything there no I was just gonna add that in addition to James schultes we also had uh Vanetta light foot um the director of equity inclusion and belonging for lvpc lpve and like but's going to be she's part of our stearing committee I don't know that James will come back he might he seemed pretty I he wasn't making any money from us so I don't know if Jesse's paying him he's very knowledgeable yeah he's incredibly knowledgeable and he was who was it a gentleman by the name of James Schultz he said Lightfoot oh Vanetta Lightfoot I'm sorry was the de director for the pioner Valley educational collaborative so she works with all seven districts but she is a member of our diversity and equity in addition of course to lot of parents who are on this as well so that's AC that's AC yep okay moving right along um acab is a policy um with regard to sexual harassment this is something um somewhat of a a new element uh if you research at least the um masc policy manuals that are online they don't necessarily go um and add sexual misconduct but this was something that um the group who was revising this felt um really strongly about so um in red you see different areas that we Revis from the original policy the original polic policy was just dealing with sexual harassment and so then this brings into play um policy and understanding of a little bit of both sexual harassment obviously the policy you were hoping that you are able to educate and Define for everyone what sexual harassment may be and then therefore hopefully prevent it and eliminate it from elps but this goes into um further detail with sexual misconduct both within the LPS or um actions by others that may happen outside of LPS but if they're part of the LPS could impact us and them so you have that addition just like in the first policy you have the original and I I thought it was relevant uh so people may remember that when we went through the entire policy manual Mass Association of school committees um what we did was we revised each section we went through each section but then we created a procedure manual from that where in some cases you may have procedures where a step here or there could change but the overarching policy itself would not change so it allowed for um procedures to stay current without necessarily having to go through the whole policy review process proc um I wanted you to have currently is in the procedure manual for the sexual harassment policy or acab and this procedure has been fortunately utilized uh a few times over the last few years and um has been very helpful as a guide as we go through any situation okay okay okay now we get to one of our new though connected policies I ask a question on yeah manual um instruction of students and instruction of Staff we have understanding of when that is happening so for staff they do a training school year starts every year um for students it's not as clear because it depends on um age appropriateness uh a lot more of this happens at the middle school level in health classes and high school level in health classes but I think as we start to implement um Health standards and um Health standards with flame obviously it's part of whats us the standards you're going to see more of these discussions it's adapting it to the age level to whom we're speaking Yeah I'm just thinking to like if we're putting this in approv manual we should have some record of when that instruction ising if that's not happening how are we making students aware of the guidelines by which they should be moving forward with especially if we're saving it we're saving and adopting both a procedure and a manual that are speaking to students access then we should have documentation that they've been instructed around what that manual says they have the right to right um is sexual harassment in the code of conduct not that that replaces instruction is not in the code of conduct part of it is okay um and that could guide the instruction so as they review the quote of conduct which um they do have class assemblies that happens more at birchland and the high school um they do a lot of work around obviously the bullying policy and they do a lot of work around hazing um but this could be added into them this is very specific as to what the instruction should be you have a definition of sexual harass and instruction and what to do someone's a victim of it clear de delineation of the sanctions brought against the person who is the perpetrator of the sexual harassment so we're delineating all of these pieces I just think as a body who's responsible for the policy and approving it we need to make sure that we have some way of knowing that this actually Happ not only for students but also sta will happen on the the the second day of their reporting back to work they have a training that um they go through and then have to sign off on and then get a digital signature so that happens every students as I said it's come a little bit more informally through whether it be class assemblies then following up with the health classes and on the elementary level it's less so yeah yeah but we're not specific that so we can make those revisions I'm just saying either we need to have a measure by which we can say this actually occurred or we need to revise because I don't feel comfortable putting forward a Manu saying we that students are receiving age appropriate information instruction that will include the following one two three four five six seven bullets it's very specific I don't I don't know having had two children in the schools that I've ever seen a copy or a digest of this policy no I don't think it has other than as m brown said in the code of conduct with what's referenc in the code how do we address that we can two things we can um put it into the class assemblies um the tough part would be the elementary because they don't have class assembly but do they have Second Step they do then could it be put in a lesson in Second Step where we're say but I think again this is a policy that is effect in set of procedures that is an effect from the beginning of the school year that that lesson needs put at the beginning of the academic year because if a child then has a claim in January and on it since September because it happened prior to them knowing what to do with that information in particular with most vulnerable kids which are that they're in right I know is that like information for the parents so too I mean imagine going over this first graders well does say in an age appropriate right that's why we would have to do do it differently at I just don't think we as a body can approve a manual and a policy if we don't have a metric by which to say that this was delivered can I just point out that the instruction of students I believe is in our current procedure manual right so for a metric I know I get that I just want to make sure it's not new yeah it's not new I'm just saying that since this is now back up in front of us if our manual is saying something way by which to say that yes that has occurred and we as a body need to ensure that we have a way of saying that this hasn't right I don't I don't know that I've seen the sexual harassment manual before this meeting no because we had we had revised it with the um original vision of the entire manual and so now it's just as you said coming back relevant and makes sense this is acab acab yeah okay all right can we readdress this either modify or develop some sort of aab b-r uh we didn't do ACB d r is the manual ACB is that so ACB is so this is brand new and this is a policy um that extends on the non-discrimination and this specifically goes into non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity transgender non-binary and gender expansive students and provides more specific definitions and more specific goals um and this is something that uh the group who was working on these policies in the steering committee did an extensive amount of research above and beyond uh some of the resources we offered because there are districts that have this type of policy already in place and so this would be a first for Els to have um this type of policy some of it is captured as see at the end um to the legal references you know is captured to an act relative to gender identity an act relative to gender identity so we have fallen back on that law um in different discussions throughout the years with actions that we may have taken as an Administration on page two I'm sorry page three under names and pronouns is the age of 14 something that is written to massachusett state law or is that something we're adopting as a district no that's actually written into law that was put and actually that's one of the changes we made because the the group um put forth some excellent work but I think it was important to make That explicit so everyone knows that 14 is the age that schools have to operate on where um students start to have real independent decision-making power that also carries over to um IEPs is this all reviewed with the kids this is a new policy so we haven't had this in this is coming to you approval and then we would all of this what I'd like to do is once approved send them out with a message to All Families similar to what we did with the bullying um prevention and policy updates there uh regarding the plan and just talk about you know as we similar to how I introduced all of this as we continue to review our policy our goal is to make sure that we continue to cultivate um a climate within elps that is welcoming inclusive and one to which all of our students feel they they can belong and connect so is the goal to go over this with the kids eventually at all ages I think those conversations change depending on the level that you yeah well that's why I don't think that this direct instruction okay with it um similar to for protection this is more for protection right so this is more for us to have a policy to fall back on when situations happen okay situations happen frequently that's not just an LPS that's everyone for clarification the students under 14 need parental consent but is that for informal too is that what's that difference formal versus informal um sorry in some no no no informally uh after a student requests a name change formally or informally wait so formal requests goes to the um actual Administration and under 14 um parents need to be involved in that request formally or informally uh a little bit of both okay yeah um we're going to communicate with parents that you know this is a request uh that has been made and we want to make sure that uh we're communicating with the parents yeah informal it happen you know if the student is asking to be called something but then maybe the parent does so I didn't know formally verse so under 14 that would be more informal yes formal becomes when they actually put it in writing and their records are changed yes so Desi has an Avenue that you can change yeah all of that so it can be reflected on their mcast forms it can be reflected on it's you go through the sasset system there's also a line on page or at the bottom that says it's size this half a f School supporting student gender identity and then in name and pronouns at any age that's what I was wondering because that that does come up a lot with younger students and that's I guess that that's informal if we're not changing it in you know power school or something like that and that's a question because we've had this come up without having this policy um anyone under 14 we've gone back to the parents and asked is this a change that you want and if you do would you please put it in writing and then we go through the process but is that in the policy anywhere or is that just something we this is the first time we've had a policy right but I had I don't see that language that you just described at or that be like in the manual that's in des's guidelines we don't have a manual on it so when we've gotten those requests we've gone back to des's guidelines on this okay and we followed their guidelines okay do we say that anywhere in this no this is reflective of des's guidelines I'm understand I understand what you're saying but part that you added just then to say that we back to the family confirm I don't see that anywhere in here oh no I yeah so so we can add it that's why I'm just wondering like should that be there because if a principal or a counselor is hired who doesn't know pass practice mhm how would we support them in adhering to the past past practice which has been to notify the family if the policy just says this does not preclude the school from affirming and supporting the student's gender identity at any age through the use of a name or pronouns that to me kind of speaks to the opposite of what we're saying we do that makes sense or no yeah basically any anyone under 14 who are communicating with the parents on these things so if they're 14 or older we're not communicating with the parents if the student requests us not to communicate with the parents then Leu are bound not to communicate with the parents really y there are court cases out there yeah on that I'm just wondering if we need to clarify that cu in that same paragraph we're saying the exact well does that fall into the formal nonformal portion so that would they would require a formal no it it actually says the exact oppos opposite which where are you reading under privacy confidentiality and student at the very bottom it says a student who is 14 years of age or old or who has entered the ninth grade May consent to disclosure of information from their student record if a student is under 14 and is not yet in the 9th grade only the students parents has the authority to decide on disclosures and other student record matters clarification from desie this is related to permanent record changes this does not preclude the school from affirming and supporting the students gender identity name and pronouns at any age I think to the question that uh Miss Leiden asked that would be informal because if a student's asking but they're not looking for it to be reflected in records with desie I I understand that point but I'm saying a 10-year-old is asking to be called something different at school than what their parents are have the expectation that they're being called if we're not explicit in saying that we're going to ask the family I would agree with you that I think we have to add that it has trigger so an informal request for trigger asking the parents because if a new administrator or a new guidance counselor or someone else comes in and the policy is what they're trying to follow and we don't have something in there that says that then this paragraph contradicts itself is that Our intention that if an informal request is made by a 10-year-old that we would go to the parents BAS basically our rule of thumb now is based on des's guidelines and so anything that's requested formal or informal um for under students under 14 we work with the family and require a formal request from them to change it no no we don't if you don't want your your record if you don't want your record you want them to be allowed to the parent can make an inal correct the student may not at 10 years old the student may not informal right right you would need the parents that's what you're asking yes because is saying the exact opposite it's saying like what we have in place yeah is that we're calling or we're making contact with the family what this is saying is that we don't have to so all I'm asking for is clarification because this does not pro right so which one are we following I was reading it and I agree that you know the parent thing is not clear here but if the parent and the child are are um requesting this then it's the staff needs to affirm so I can't just say I'm not going to call you that if that does that make sense it does but I don't think that reads like that like when I read one who's charged with so it's not the school it's the staff this does not procr the staff from affirming right that what you mean thing is if there does that help it yes and where's the communication with families I think I think that what seems to be the confusing part is that when you're dealing with students under 14 formal or informal um if they don't want State records changed um we still have an obligation to discuss that request with the family you know how that make sense yeah I was just trying to clarify that I think that it's it I I get where that's not where that's not clear but I think what it's coming from is and it's not clear right if this is what the parents and the kid are requesting then we need to honor it follow that policy even if it's even if on my attendance sheet it still says this if the family's asking for this I need to affirm it does that make sense so that language needs to be added and then clarified and I think there's also the sensitive issue of If the child and their family are on two different pages at even a young child and so we didn't we got into that in that those committee discussions and it's such a sensitive it's challenging situation yeah and you have to you know approach it with such care and on such an individual ual basis with each child and family but I think we also tried to obviously looking at the law as the most important thing and protecting people but I think that wasn't really reflected in here because there's just no way great way to reflect the sensitivity that you need to have with families um when this kind of situation arises so we're have to work on that we'll work on revising that yeah so that reflects um the actual intention that we had yeah that'll be help okay anything else on ACB let go back to restant locker rooms and changing where are you at next stage I know the intent of the policy is to ensure that a protected class has the space that they need in order to transition in order to feel validated in in their current um their current movement towards um transitioning or if there cisgender I just think we still have an obligation for the students who are not transitioning who are now in a situation where they're sharing spaces and may not fully understand the situation that they are also in and we don't have language in here that provides access to single stall facilities for students who are maybe not comfortable or who maybe there's a paragraph that talks about uh cisgender students may feel uncomfortable that one where they they would have the same access to utilize in all gender Al have the facilities Sarah to offer that we do in in most of the building but not holistically though in order to say that we' have have to use elementary schools we have to use a St bathroom right which locks yeah I'm just thinking like if we're putting these in place we need to make sure that we have the logistics also in place to a firm on both sides around that everyone feels safe so in the elementary schools we would have to designate You' have to designate probably a what do we call we an alternative all General yeah do we have those do we physically have those in the buildings okay so and we've done that um in other buildings when needed y yeah I think probably at this point we should just have it in all the buildings whether needed or not and then we have information how is that information then communicated to students I think that's the other piece yeah now I we don't have a policy like this but generally uh we have again a lot of this is based on des's guidance yes and so um what we've done is we've sat down because there have been discussions of this uh with parents and with students and we've offered um Alternatives and plans and tried to work with families and students to make sure everybody's feeling comfortable so it becomes individual plans which is more or less what this is also saying that each situation is but the access isn't so I'm saying how is the access broadly communicated so that to me seems like something that if in terms of anybody being able to right utilize those spaces yes um at the high school they actually state that um more and more as they've gotten into these situations um and then at the other schools you're right we don't make a general statement but even it as the situations arise to me seems like we're and I'm making an assumption here because I'm not in the buildings every day a reaction to it rather than a proactive statement that based on new policies enacted by the school committee this is how we're treating restrooms locker rooms and changing facilities at elhs everyone has access to a single stall facility for the purposes of changing for the purposes of using the restroom so that so I think if we ad this that helps with the creation of an announcement like that you really should look at our locker room layout in the new building and the new building I remember we they had a few uh single stall changing rooms with the shower and everything so we did take that into consideration in the design okay and if you remember the bathrooms uh we have the upstairs we have the single stall downstairs is airport style locker rooms are airport as well so you have the ability to go a couple different directions but the point is to um let the students options especially at the younger levels which they don't exist now but if we create those one of the examples they have in the guidance here is um if you're working with the parents the nurses bathroom you know so and we do have that in all buildings but again that goes on both right sides like I I'm only saying it because I I picture potentially like a nth grader who does not necessarily know the anatomy and what they might be exposed to in a locker room if they don't know that they have the option not to go into the locker room I feel like we have we have to ensure that we're messaging so that everybody is aware of what the options are yeah it's a hard it's very hard not meant to be insenstive towards a protected class it's just meant to state that if we have students who were charged with protecting on across the board then we have to make sure that we're communicating that there are options for all and not just options for some right right putting a policy in place I just want to be clear that then we have to put the actions in place they're going to ensure that access is well we have to create the options and some of the schools still agree so we're putting policy I just want to make sure we're following it up with action well they just so if the policy is approved um the next step is take it to the leadership team and start working on you know a general message for all policies but then how they put into place just what Mr trulio was talking about in terms of how are we going to message that out so that everyone has this option should they want to take that option um and so that would be something that we have to work through as a leadership team okay I think that was our lens though again looking back at the charge of the committee was the kind of overall messaging of everybody is safe here think hopefully I think it's reflected in this and most other you know um pieces of this I with you and it is all about the messaging and I think keeping the messaging as positive as possible you don't want to make people feel like Outsiders it's kind of just we should be moving towards just being a conversation that's within our normal vernacular and we just move on everybody safe here there's some all gender bathrooms for people that are more comfortable with that moving on that's just that was how we approached it we want to be respectful and inclusive and make it a positive to feel safe okay anything else on that one so do we need changes to that section as well onb for the locker rooms it's more about the messaging well the messaging and then what is it- r is that what we call acab like acab is the actual guidelines and procedures do we need then ACB DHR that we have guidelines and procedures as to how this is going to be can um generally what once we have a policy we then develop what how we're going to message something like that and what the procedure will be we haven't done that yet can we draft the manual language prior to policy being adopted so that we can view them both and make sure there's alignment before we sure I'm just thinking like because there's a lot more involved in this policy in terms of how is this set up within a school to ensure safety for all how is this set up in a school to ensure that the messaging is there as well and it is new so I think that if not done well from the onset then we actually risk not making people feel safe corre so if we're going to approve the policy then I would say we should be approving the policy and the manual in conjunction with one another personally but that's just my opinion more just the procedure right yes like the procedure that's a part of the larger manual yeah so we can work on developing some procedures and then can you just walk me through Gordon because I don't I'm not tending to understand um especially when it comes to the MIAA can you walk us through a little bit about what the Mia's guidance is around um transgender non-binary gender expansive M MIAA because that's what's referenced here in terms of the guidelines for interal inter Scholastic and physical education classes um basically Mia followed what the schools policy that have been put in place and um whatever the individual has determined to be their gender so they don't necessarily step in and say you can't compete can compete they're going to support what the school's policy in place um that is in place in terms of their competitions they don't necessarily Mia doesn't get involved in PE okay um but they they also go through and have um their emphasis on being more inclusive and providing more opportunities for students so then is that part of this policy connected to the section that's two paragraphs down gender based activities rules policies and practices are those two linked then saying that regardless so that there's the ability of for a student who may be biologically male but is identifying as a female to now participate in the female ski team is are those two saying that that's what we're we're endorsing um I'd have to do more research on that specific piece okay I I just want us to know like what what we're saying when we're adopting policies of policies I guess like if the Mia is endorsing that or if the state has said why then I just want to be really clear so that when we do get questions we as a body are understand something what that we actually adopted I think they do endorse that the MIAA does end that yes and is that what the policy is saying I can but I'm saying we don't have we can pull that yeah I haven't read the M I don't know if anybody else on the committee has I just haven't read it and I would want to know right to what your reference extent y are they doing that y that we know pull that we're saying yes to actually know someone is on the board of the Mia so I'll pull that okay okay anything else on ACB so that one will come back as well sounds like all of them might be coming back AC with AC AC okay we haven't voted on yet so no I know but I'm all right okay um continuing to become more specific uh with definitions and so policy AC non-discrimination This was um also something that uh this group came up with they did a ton of work um and to um one create a a better understanding of what neurodiversity means and entails and um make sure that there's no discrimination on the basis of neurodiversity so again it becomes more specific off your policy AC non-discrimination so this would be brand new with an adoption of a policy such as this I just want to make sure like when we look at number one second page of this are we going to have a way showing that we have provided training to staff members to ensure that they understand neurodiversity and can support neurod Divergent students appropriately through the implementa through implementating principles of Universal Design for Learning are we going to have training like a district training are we going to have that as a mandated function of every Year's professional development if the policy it's not at the level of mandate um which is why the wording has been placed the way it is because the mandated trainings um that we have at the beginning of the school year are rooted in law and so um we talked at the end of the year with the diversity and um Equity steering committee around what we could mandate and what we would probably have to say that we will offer training um and so what we would have to do is start to rework into trainings like we've had training around Universal Design for Learning um for a number of years and we'll continue to offer that but now we would go um as do that to look at specifically how do we help people understand further what neurodiversity is um when we speak to um trainings around IEPs and 504s that already has started to pick up some of this um information but should become more specific as we continue so it's it's going to filter into how we discuss IEPs how we discuss 504 plans and how we discuss app accommodations does that term provide training not necessarily mean that we will give training to everyone but we will just have an opportunity for anyone who wants to it was it was more General originally it was we're going to mandate training by our staff members but we don't have the authority to do that um generally without uh it being rooted in law or a Desi regulation is that clear enough in that wording because if I say I'm going to provide Sarah car I'm going to give her a car offer so we could say training will be available to staff we could do it that way if you want to make it even more General I think so I just again like if we're no this is policies in place I think we have to have the actions to match or else the policies are not in effect again like if we are the body that's approving them we have to know that the steps are in place that they are actually going to go into effect did the committee that had input on the this policy they did so would you want to bring that back to them or are you comfortable wording I mean we have two members here I we did have this discussion over two different meetings um it's challenging though I think uh for folks who haven't been through the full process of adopting policy to so what they did here is that we have to take these policies and then continue to go through them um and we also want to have the leadership team put eyes on them because that's the group that ultimately has to implement them have they looked at it that they've seen some of this but they haven't seen the entire packet I'm just trying to get as much uh approved as possible we can make a minor change to ACCC and still approve it tonight then we should potentially but to the point you made no they have not seen this entire revision but if we approve some tonight or they will get them at the next leadership team okay I would just say then flip one more page because it's again like we have this tener of like inclusive of everyone in our community elps commit to and again number one is provide training so we say commit two number one training will be offered each year to staff members to ensure that they understand neurodiversity right that's the change two locations the first one start the policy where the Yellow Umbrella is you flip it the second page it says provide training to MERS right so FP again and there's a longer set of commitments that we as a school district are making that's AC though is not in my packet I have another page I don't have that I have that that's this page here it's same page I think it's duplicated I have it twice I'm not sure why that like that oh there was an issue with the printer at one point so maybe oh okay I have sorry but I have this paper that left one okay so just it's one list one one through five so just the one change okay okay else good on AC with the one Reis revision yeah okay AC yes okay um no what's matter I just number four every effort to ensure that new staff members who are neurod Divergent are paired with a neuro aware Mentor how are we qualifying that that one's challenging a lot of I think that's why it does make every because we may not be able to do that but again then how are we defining without possibly infringing on some yes someone's personal right personal right to not disclose that they are neurod diversion and who's making that decision and who's making that determination so if we're not able to do some of these things I just don't want to see us put right things in we can't actually actually do take that out then it may make sense to take it out take out four because you're not we're gonna support our staff in any way our staff is our staff so I don't know if this is necessary to put in at all okay Scrat Heather what do you what do you think of that Heather no I agree that it would be hard to do that I'm just thinking like you know if there's some sort of survey where you give information and like you divulge it if you want to um but that would be tricky I think the challenge though is um finding mentors right they would actually be able to up yeah they're qualified to do that right right like there's a level of right awareness like and I just don't want to see us put ourselves in a situation where the best of intentions actually ourselves in a wor situation yeah yeah no it makes sense and and this is as Heather knows because we've had U many different meetings reviewing all of this why this is so challenging because the committee was fantastic in pushing us forward it's a question of how well we can Implement any part of these different uh revisions uh which is why it's getting this thorough discussion here and and certainly can be brought back for more discussion and then we have school spaces as delineated Ina like that is in every building and we've staffed not staffed it but we've resourced it to a level we don't have um necessarily to that level where every every space and every building is identified for folks what we would have to do is actually start to identify those spaces um I think d as a teacher and parent could be a little obviously not the the um public shaming or anything like that but I think a lot of Staff still use types of charts or incentives definitely incentives and so I think that how it's presented or or how the um the punishment reward systems are presented have to provide training because I think that a lot of people are using yeah that so so if an incentive what you know has to be achievable or something like that and I know you know one of the main authors of this has done a ton of research on how that because you're right I used incentives all the time classroom but how that impacts kids so I don't know might be interesting to have them talk to us about that or saying reord provide training yeah or what they're looking for too I know that we are and again it's hard to quantify all these things but we're bringing in the regulated classroom training which is all about helping kids to self-regulate right so it's more proactive rather than reacting um but yeah so thank you for the regulated classroom training that would be something that is a little bit more Universal because we're going to be doing that Meadowbrook is doing that and it was something that the Meadowbrook uh teachers specifically when we met with the kindergarten group were asking for um but it does go back to say the first one where you know maybe we have to say training will be offered because the other schools although they will get some training May not buy in as much as mebrook is but then I go back to the question if they're not and this is where I just want us to like be real about this if I'm an educator and I do not choose to go to the training how am I then accountable to a policy that I am not aware of the specifics that I should be adhering to in my classroom like if we're going to have a policy I think we have to have a mechanism by which we're saying you have to be trained because by not being trained you are not able to adhere the school committee's policies on NE diverse students we cannot require that training you're saying is that what you're saying um generally it's it's when you have mandated trainings there are certain mandated trainings at all school systems have to go through at the beginning of the year and those are rooted in both law and Desy regulation can they also be rooted in policy you can um but that would change our professional development structure within thect probably need anou or we would have to negotiate it which is the other discussion that we had um well was it rather a quick discussion because a lot of these had even stronger wording when they were originally drafted and one of the things I said is you know Thea going to support that which is hard for you know is putting the members that were on that committee on the spot because they're not necessarily on the executive board nor is the executive board necessarily even looked at this right so I would agree you you would have to probably negotiate something around mandated training it's not rooted in but we wouldn't be able to do this kind of training and like an after school day or something like that so you don't have many after school days to I know but I mean if this is something that's really important I mean I understand that there's not that many but nor do we necessarily have it identified like regulated classroom is something um that we had offered as an option and it really was popular and so that's why then we did train the trainer and all schools will get a certain amount of that so yes they're they're all going to have um the basics of it um Meadowbrook I think given uh how much interest there was they're going to have they're going to be more versed in that all the way through the school year but in terms of a training like this I'm imagining like we could create something that was asynchronous right and so they could get one elps University credit for it but again to mandate it mandated yeah you have to get that moou and if we're putting a policy in place just have to have the action steps yep all right that one's coming back to us s to all right so that's right we'll look at d look at um a I think A1 look at all of them okay thank you prog looking for some things to do over the next couple days no um okay this one's simple don't say that um so this is um policy acce which was in existence prior to um this review and this is simply taking the word handicap in the policy name and replacing it with the word disability and AC e which is in accordance with the msca which sure Mas masc perfect sense using the word disability now and the only other thing uh would be to take out the the name of the person who's no longer employed in the district not there yet oh okay sorry got excited all right so this is um this would be something that maybe should go in the procedure manual but um it's always been in the online policy manual and so it's ac- stands for exhibit using the nomenclature of um so since it was there and it is attached to um acce in terms of actually going through uming the American act updated it because if you look at the original policy back quite a few years in terms of referencing the TX I'm not sure that you want names in there no at all you know maybe you referen the title so we did update it um with mind you ask asking if AC would then become AC um no I think unless the committee would like to do that I think you can keep it as keep it's always been in the manual sits in the manual now we can revise it and send it back up to um the MC o are online manual and so we send any revisions that are approved to any questions on those two AC ac- so if my Tally is correct we are contend with AC AC and ac- E we're looking to send back or acab ACB ACR AC and accs not um how about a motion then so I would entertain the uh a motion to approve those three so we can get something done that's if folks are uh okay with waving the second reading which typically we would do but in anticipation of continuing policies coming I would be okay with at least accepting the three right and move to approve AC policy acce policy ac- as reviewed from the elps diversity and Equity steering committee motion made by Anella second by Amy other discussion please those oppose nay is four to zero and then we'll look for the other for to come back yep bring those back um this stuff too the revisions we need the existing policies little paper if I can I'll try to coordinate it with a leadership thing so maybe they can have um procedure different buildings okay good work progressing out foot games football practice them out yes they're at Maple Shade yeah you have to go no no well they sent us a message if we have to take them but he walked with his friend who's right down the street so just on have to leave we we can cover too can all just cancel right we can do that no I'm just kidding got that Authority Sam work happen anyway let's move on we have the search process for the district the director excuse me of student Support Services okay um so just to give you a sort of a summary of this outline um what we would hope to get out of this meeting is um one school Committee Member to sit on um the first round of interviews and doing some screening the posting has been up since um August 1st it closed at midnight last night and um we do have some um good candidates that are in there not as many as I had hoped but um nonetheless good candidates that are in there that we move forward with that first committee and so the um first committee would be composed of school Committee Member to be selected tonight um a lottery draw of a building administrator we did streamline this a little bit because the last search um the committee filled this entire room um and it seemed a little bit unwieldly so we're trying to streamline it as well as um that search process um was over two months time we're trying to speed up the pace a little bit on this one given the time of year we're in um where school's going to open next week um so the administrators know uh from our meeting last week and hopefully I'll have names to from um tomorrow or Wednesday um also we'll have a central office administrator and and I think we have three individuals that are interested in being part of that Lottery process um Unit A is going to conduct their process of selecting two teachers and one par professional on the 21st and um working with uh the two individuals in our student Support Services um that uh who work in a clerical position and I've already reached out to the president of the CPAC committee uh and she is interested in being part of this committee and I'm reaching out to another parent um and hope to have that solidified tomorrow so with teachers not and Par professionals not being back is it that all names are entered into the lottery and then whoever's pulled now the way the UN a conducts Lottery is they send out their messaging that this is how many we're looking for and anyone interested please submit their names by xate all the members are notified all the members are not email through yeah which they're used to that's their process no but school email school email but if I'm not I'm just saying we're putting forth the process your not obligated to check three it's a unit a it's a unit a issue it's not our issue because they're picking their own they they could them out ofing a process that is no we're let we're telling you to day give us two and they're going to pick it basically what they're telling it's widely known out there um yeah we'll be all right what time of day you think in that compe might meet uh I think it's going to have to be at the end of the day in order to make sure that people are available so I would say we're looking probably at after three maybe even after four yeah I'm gonna push back again though e how do we know that they have a computer at home how do we know that they have access to that we provide our unit a witht it's not for us we actually do provide Unit E withs membership they pick out of their membership so the union itself I understand they pick out of their membership the union is responsible for their own process we they can they can do it however they want does a union reach out to their membership by their personal email no they do they do their school email so that's what I'm saying is you are not taking your school email while you were technically not responsible for it I don't think that that's providing access to everyone to enter their name and is there a scheduled meeting on August 21st they have already put it out um last week that they were going to conduct this on um August 21st it wasn't a set preset meeting no the union no what choice do they have I mean this is CR of critical we have to get position Unit A and unity e do get um District laptops unit A's are are Macs unit are Chromebooks all of them have that um if we were not to get generally a response uh they generally let me know and then we go into further advertising or they do in a lot of times this these things happen over the summer I've never heard a push back of someone saying oh I wish I'd known I could have been the when do we put together a a search committee inclusive of Unit A and Unit E I'm saying since I've been on the board which is now going into year seven that happened over the summer when we cannot guarantee that everyone has read a message that allows them the option to participate I just don't want to see like the process get stopped before it starts the principles actually do that quite often and they give up you know especially if it's an assistant principal is being hired um and it always seems to work we if you know the director of student services left and you have a high interest of being on committee to pick the new one and ch going to pick a new one over the summer you're going to pay attention and ignorance is no excuse because if the information is provided I'm not I think I think you're overing you're over reading this though I think read your email also has their own private Facebook group not that that's even you know but that's another way that they're getting out information I'm not on it I've just heard that they do have their own all right does any would anybody like to represent the school committee on such a um just to let all of you know no that's fine um once this committee has conducted interviews and identified hopefully at least two finalists then we would submit those finalists to the full school committee and then those uh interviews would take place with the full committee so you're going to have one person who's on both committees yeah so we H superintendent assistant super and so by by law um technically the hires are yours but you have a good point because as I continue to discuss things like this with other superintendents often what happens is the superintendent runs the entire process and then forwards one candidate to the committee yeah this is my recommendation in the committee however we've always worked much more in Partnership around these type of positions so although I'm helping facilitate I figured the whole committee should be involved and at least that screening committee has had a chance to offer up to finalists that they feel confident in they feel confident Mass General uh Ed reform the school committee hires or no they reference um that the school committee has direct hiring power over superintendent and business manager right but in there a few sentences down and that same document talks about the special ed okay okay it's probably less stringent than the first two but um not required but you're recommend you correct I think bringing forward I think I you know I don't necessarily have to bring forward um a teacher hire but in some way or form when way shape or form the school committee has to be involved in that final piece when the hirings outen yeah I'd be interested no one else's I won't I won't I'm G to be out of the country for a little bit of time so I'm not going to be back until 10th of September so much of this is going to happen when I'm not here got it is subject to change but um hopefully if we can stay on the timeline and are we following the same process at that point that we did last time with live interviews yes and live Liberation full committee we have to yeah last unless and so this is where you unless you want it to be where we develop you know both the um screening in first round and then a second committee for the second round and we just forward one individual then there's no deliberation you either agree with that recommendation or you don't that that's how it has happened in other District districts give me an example and if we don't pick that person Mr fet who is um now an assistant superintendent that was the process that Hampshire followed so there was just one finalist recommended to the um School committees do you have a preference I think we should follow what we did because we're so close to the initial process that it makes sense to follow a similar I just know we had a lot of hard conversation around how those deliberations were going to unfold so I would not want to see us if we're going this route to change how we deliberate and how we vote from how we did it last case uh two years ago yeah I think we have to be consistent personally if we're going to stay true to a very similar format as last week does make it challenging because you are deliberating in in public I just want to make sure we're it is clear on that though but I think it's important too that the committee is able to see um the people that have made it through sure and not just have one voice okay so we're gonna stick with this process we'll appoint a school Committee Member and keep going okay any other interest other than anel okay a motion to appoint you want do I would do it only if you don't want to but if you would like to I don't need to do it so you're good yeah okay so can we have a motion to appoint please I move to approve Antonella um sorry as the school committee representative for the search process for the director of student Support Services excellent motion made by Kate second second by Sarah any other discussion all in favor say I I I those oppos nay that carries 5 to zero okay thank you very much does the the screening and first interview committee we would look at all of the candidates um I'm going to go first through and check lure okay and then um anyone that does not get a limit meening I would okay eventually this full committee select hopefully um there are eight candidates between five six those moving right along the same thing uh new business approval of Elie 2025 Grand recipient check in the amount of $ 54,3 18040 who's going to um so if you if you look in your packet you um see a added to me regarding the um grants that were awarded by the East Long Meadow educational endowment fund and they do an incredible job supporting us every year I want to say $54,000 is a new high know that we've had grants to that level before so the second page you see where those grants and for what those grants are where those grants are going and for what um what they are am I missing something breaks out so that you see um you know they're going to a number of schools fortunately uh I think they were hoping for more um Grant applications but they did as you said um in that second paragraph receive uh grants totaling $62,000 and ultimately the order $4,388 40 um so we're excited um your acceptance of these grants to get this money out to the um Grant recipients so that they can start purchasing um so we're going to accept the check then yes so I entertain a motion to accept please and make a motion to accept uh the El 2025 Grant check in the amount of $ 54,3 18840 motion made by Antella second by Amy any other discussion just certainly thankful for the work of the committee uh they put to supplement of our students so thank you to all of those folks uh motion made and seconded please say I I I those oppos that carries 5 to zero thank you very much you and our last order of business approval of the bachelor one rate for the SL High School long-term substitute for chemistry so um this is a a retired teacher who uh last year helped us out uh in a similar position uh where there was a leave of absence generally um in accordance with the policy we bachelor's one if we have a long-term sub who Begins the year with us and is looking to um save for the year where we have a situation where there's a leave that's going to take the entire year we start um at your daily sub rate or our daily sub rate and on day 31 after 30 consecutive days of teaching we go to bachelor's one this would be um with your approval allow this individual to start at bachelor's one start of the school year U and she's ready to start the school year and you know have everything set up U because the individual is on leave that was approved at the end of the year okay questionss comments we had approved sorry one more y um last year the school committee had approved bachelor's one rate for a similar type of situation yeah similar situations arising as a result of something I just think it's interesting like two years in a row starting different teacher subject matter is probably the subject matter okay no I'm just asking like if it's something beyond that no I mean they're not leaves that um incredibly unique okay okay I move to approve the bachelor One Rate the med High School long-term substitute for chemistry made by an second second by Kate any other discussion all those in favor please say I I I I those poos please say nay that motion carries 5 to zero okay thank you page now okay without further Ado uh we are at the completion of our meeting take a motion to adjourn please they'll Move Motion May second second by Kate any other discussion please say I those F name CES thank we areour