Okay. So, good evening. Welcome to the Hatfield School Committee. This is our March business meeting. It's Monday, March 9th. And as we call this meeting to order, we're going to start with the opportunity for public comment. Um, we do this by anyone who wants to join us in person or anyone who wants to join us
by Zoom. Is there anyone on Zoom tonight that would like to make comment? Nobody there. So, we can turn Zoom off. There's no one with us in person. And so we will move on for mission moments. Miss Dra. >> So at our February all school meeting um
second grade was hosting and in the audience were parents and grandparents because of course we it's open to the public. But unbeknownst to me, there was a grandparent in the audience who works in another district in Pioneer and was so impressed with the high school
presentation that emailed their superintendent and I got a phone call from another principal up there asking me more information about how it is that we orchestrated high school students to come and speak to the elementary school students. So, I thought that was pretty cool that I mean it was been it's been a
purposeful thing if our all school meetings happen to coincide before 2 o'clock when they have a dismissal. Jason and I have been trying to make sure that we're showcasing some form of students coming to our all school meetings. So, it's nice to know that even other districts were like, "Huh, that's such a great idea. Let's get the high school students to come and talk
with the elementary kids. >> That's awesome." >> But I feel proud. >> As you should. >> Wonderful. >> That's awesome. >> Other mission moments. >> Thank you. Um, I'm going to talk about the kazoo parade that we had uh for our our Smith
Academy opening uh ceremony for our Olympics and it was fantastic. Um, it just so happened to be that it was also uh Miss Jackie's last day with us. Um, so she got to lead the parade with the torch in the kazoo uh theme. Um, and we did a nice setup for her at the end,
too, which was great celebrating her 19 years in the district. >> Wow. >> And the and the event was just so much fun. It was a hoot. What did what song did the kazoos play? >> Uh the Olympic theme song. Yeah, >> which everyone knows by now.
>> With with kazoos. >> Nice. >> Yeah. Oh, >> it was great. >> She'll be missed. >> Is this something you hope to do every four years or every year? >> Well, there has been pu a push to try to do it every year. We'll see. It sort of snow dependent. >> Yeah,
>> but you can do summer in June. >> We have plenty of time in June this year. Yeah, we got true rewards somehow. >> Awesome. Other mission moments? >> I'll go. Um, I took my two boys to the
open house at Smith Academy and we were all three of us very impressed, uh, very interested and, um, the students that led our tour were so informative and so excited about being
in a school. had a lot of good things to say. Walked into the teacher's room. It was just such a wonderful vibe. That's what Omar said. My son, he liked the vibe, which I was like, that's great. Uh
he came into Smith Academy, walked into it, telling me absolutely he's not coming to Smith Academy to halfway through decision that he'll come back for seventh grade. >> Oh, that's nice. So, uh, if there's anybody watching, if you want,
>> I I don't know if you do tours or you should, if you're on the fence, you should definitely give Smith Academy a look. Uh, because I it convinced us to that it was a great place for our kids. Uh, Matthew, who's in fourth grade and
going to be in, we really went for the tour for him. um even though he's in fourth grade, but you know that's not far away. So >> you got two boys very convinced to come to Smith Academy and happy that was a a
very well thought out tour and I wish there were even more people there. So we do need to spread the word and I would say if you are like I would say do not walk to Smith Academy run honestly. So >> that's great.
>> Very good job. Thank you. >> Yeah, they did a great job. My mission moment was the same. We went to the open house and I gotta say the the student was fantastic, but we had a big group so there was a little less chatter. Um, what I walked away with was the new hires were great. >> Yes.
>> So, we met several of the new teachers like already knew we loved the old teachers. saw the new teachers and in fact the our new art teacher was so impressive that there was a family that I really thought we would probably lose and now they're they're pumped >> just from that interaction alone.
>> That's great. It's nice to hear. >> So, um they're doing a good job. >> And the math teacher had like there were like three kids at the table trying to solve math stuff while he talked to the parents were like >> really. So, >> absolutely >> it was awesome. It was
>> I I concur that the student tour guides were great. They were well informed. They had their little notes and and they referred to them when they needed to. Um but every classroom that we visited,
the teacher was as spectacular as the student in giving information and answering questions. And um actually a huge shout out to John Garrett who I felt like was
the most pumped up about people coming to Smith Academy. >> Um >> oh, Jenny Sherat was pretty tough. No, >> so many of my ones. >> John Garrett was really good. >> Actually, John Garrett was like Omar had
a long conversation about the you know super nerdy about the clubs and the chess club. Chess club in the DND club too was a very much >> also the art teacher that was another one. Um we Omar has gotten into clay and
uh pottery making and he saw that she had the wheels >> the wheels. Yeah. >> In there and he was like, "Oh my god, I do that." So >> um because the timing I didn't get to go into all of the rooms because another
group would be in with a teacher and so we didn't like >> sure >> barge in. So, there were a couple rooms that we didn't get to, but I just kind of poked my head in, say hi to the teachers, and it was just such a welcoming environment. It just felt so
good. >> Great. You didn't get to go. >> It's okay. >> Soon enough, I'll be there before you know. >> That's awesome. >> Continue those. >> We need to have more. >> We need to have more. And every year I'm
so impressed by because it's not always the kids that you think like, oh, this like person's going to sign up and do a great job. Every year we get students who are like, you know, you wouldn't necessarily peg them as like, hey, this person's going to be like a um, you know, a really engaging public speaker
as a tour guide and they just rock it every every single year. I'm surprised by, you know, at least a handful of our our tour guides which do who do a great job. >> It's a great experience. I know one of uh our student had they had a basketball game right after and he needed to get to
get to the game. But he was so torn about leaving us. I'm like, "It's okay. Like, we're almost done. You can leave." And he's like, "No, no, no. We'll finish up here." >> And I could tell he want like he he needed to go. So, it was really what really nice that he was like very
conscientious about finishing the job before he went out to do something else. >> Definitely. Another one uh in the late fall when we're accepting applications for the January admission. >> Yep. >> Uh around that time, promote another
one. >> Yeah, that could that could work to >> Yeah. >> I will just because we're talking about this. I will also say that I really appreciate that it was set it was like the whole experience like it wasn't just about the middle school or just about the high school. Like I really
appreciated that you could see this whole sort of like trajectory and all the possibilities and I thought that was actually really great. Like I thought that was >> like really nice to do it as like a whole school together. The middle school is substantially separate but like kind of seeing the whole vision of what Smith
Academy is about was really good. So >> anyway, yes, more >> more. >> Anyway, >> new carpet didn't hurt. >> The new carpet was delightful. >> No one else will know, but that's okay. >> Awesome. So, um, we're going to table the consent agenda for tonight and the student rep report. Um,
>> there there was a student rep report that came in late. >> So, it's >> I looked, >> but I must have missed that. >> It came in very late. >> Okay. >> Came in very late. >> You can read that. >> Um, but we can move on to the PD plan.
>> Sure. So, let me pull up >> the And I I have to apologize. Um, apparently the the most important link in this whole plan um wasn't shared, but I will share it now.
Here it is. All right. So you should all be able to access it at this point. Um but let me just I'll present this quickly. Um so as you know the uh as part of our our new collective bargaining agreement um we
really kind of fleshed out the um how the PD committee meets who who is on the PD committee to make sure it's very representative of all grade levels all disciplines um and sort of what their what their goal is by March of
each school year for the upcoming school year. And the and the goal really is by the time March comes around to present for the the PD committee to agree upon and to present to the school committee their vision for next year's PD. Um and
so I think we did a pretty good job of that this year. um really kind of looking at every single PD opportunity that exists in the calendar and it started with developing a proposed calendar um that comes from the PD committee and then looking at priority
areas distilling and and kind of prioritizing what those areas are and then going back to the calendar and saying okay you know here's the time that we have here is how we're going to organize it so we get kind of the most bang for our buck. Um, so really the as
as we talked as a committee, there really were um three kind of generalized areas of of focus. Um, and I'm going to take these right to left as opposed to left to right. Uh, we're going to start
with the nuts and bolts in the academic. So um these are trainings that people think you know the the committee said these are kind of critical elements to have and to be trained upon. Um and you know even if they're not you know
they're not the exact focus of our our academic rigor pieces. They are the core things that if you don't have them um things are just going to fall apart. So you need these and so those include the mandatory trainings at the start of the year. Um, so those are kind of the legal
trainings that we have to do. Uh, but also the important like, hey, here's where your emergency uh, allergy lists live in your classroom. Here's how you access that information for students in your class. So, um, you can keep
students safe. Here's how to conduct yourself during a fire drill, during a lockdown drill, during a shelter in place. Here's what they all mean. Um, so new training for new staff, uh, as well as a refresher for staff that that need it. Um, so that, you know, at the beginning of the year, no matter what,
everyone has this base level of knowledge of here's how we do things to keep everyone safe and how to how things function, schedule, all that, you know, the just the kind of the keep the trains running on time stuff. Uh, along those same lines are technology. Um, so
familiarity with the student information system, uh, how to enter grades, how to do all those all those pieces that, um, if someone's done it for three or four years, they they probably have it down, but anyone can use a refresher. Uh, but then for folks who are new, just making
sure that everyone has that that that training. Um, additionally, we have a new student information system that we started using this year. Uh and so there are tools that you know this was sort of the first rollout year. There are tools that we didn't really utilize this year
that will be helpful for folks to know about next year too as we get into that and tools that they've you know it's a a newer company. So there's also tools that they've developed over the course of this year that will be helpful for us too. Um so you know those those pieces are really kind of just hey here's how
to do the things that need to be done. Um and then we kind of get into the sort of curriculum dependent uh elements of mostly technology but also just kind of general uh curriculum tools, things like iReady, how to access student data, how
to access um student learning plans that are that are contained in there from the assessments. Uh things like my path. Um so so those tools um they exist, but they only are utilized if people know how to use them. And so making sure that
everyone has that kind of foundation knowledge and is refreshed in it. Um because again it's one of those things that if you don't use it routinely it you forget how how to do it excuse me it becomes difficult. Um so just making sure that everyone has that
training. Um and if we do end up going with a new ELA curriculum this year there will be need need to be training in that. Um, and so that kind of that piece is partially here's the tool we have, here's how to use it, but also
gets into the philosophy of here's how we uh conduct ELA instruction. Here's why and the science behind it. Um, and here's how you can kind of configure your classroom and your instruction to um, you know, to align with the curriculum that you've you've invested
in. Um, so that's I know the the ELA curriculum committee has been meeting um and if they adopt one and if it is within our um ability to to get it for next year um then we'll do that. Um
the two other big areas and these these get into more of like the kind of um I would say well with the exception kind of of some of the curriculum tools but also the ELA curriculum. Uh these two the the collaborative areas get into the
district improvement plan goals of um really belonging and SEAL and academic rigor. So we'll start with SEAL. Um the elementary school has started some restorative practices training this year. Uh they've been conducting
responsive classroom training for um last couple of years. The overwhelming consensus of the committee was that they would like to see that continue and to see it go deeper. Um so, you know, deeper than kind of the the kind of um this is what restorative practice is,
but here's how it works, you know, beyond restorative circles and mediations, but here's how it works in class culture and here's how you can kind of infuse it through every, you know, throughout the day and through everything that you're doing. Um and the same thing with responsive classroom going past the community building to
okay that part is in place now here's how that works throughout the day and those two pieces restorative practice and responsive elements responsive classroom they are they work very very well together. Um we have conducted some
and we'll you know there's a um a a need and also a a desire on behalf of the committee to continue with our neuro neurodeiversity training um to expand that from um the the the groups that have done it this year um to go kind of
districtwide and uh so teachers can spend that time not just with a trainer getting that training but also as groups who teach the same students or instruct the same people to take time as a professional learning community, as a as a core group of folks to go into what
what practices they have that are consistent and establishing those and um making sure that those align with the the best practices through the training. Um and the the the last piece here kind of I I was a little torn, the IEP
student need review, whether that should fall in or the academic the nuts and bolts academic review. Um but again, that is time to make sure that that that uh teachers as well as special educators um and related service providers have that designated time and
a a way to go through and review IEPs needs schedules to make sure that all all needs are being met. Um not just once during the year but kind of throughout the year as well. Um >> does that just a quick question does that include specials teachers at the
elementary? >> Uh it it will. Yes. I mean, that wasn't something that we specifically talked about, but yes, >> I can imagine them sort of being on the outside of that and particularly because they see every single student, that's a lot of IEPs,
>> but it's so important for those kiddos that those teachers understand those needs. So, >> absolutely. Um, yeah, and that was part of the the design of the the plan that we had is is doing it so that that time existed because oftentimes when you know there's only so many hours of
professional development throughout the year that that you have. And so there often times are, you know, if there's a a special ed training, it's for special educators, even though specialist teachers or other other classroom teachers may benefit from it. Um, so
this was the part of the goal of this this plan was to kind of break those silos down a little bit and do do some more um some more work together collaboratively which brings us to our middle last piece here the the collaborative piece um the horizontal
and vertical integration and alignment uh that came through loud and clear from the committee um and it's it's really important um I know at at Smith Academy in particular we have um on paper designated time for this. And that is the I I will say probably the the piece
that um gets eaten into the most by other kind of for lack of a better word minutia that you know things that come up. >> Define what that is. >> You bet. Yeah. So horizontal alignment is um we'll say all of nth grade. So the
ninth grade teachers uh who are across subjects. So, anyone who teaches nth grade having time together to look at um look at study skills that they're teaching across the board, look at um students who they teach, they all they
all teach all nth grade students. Uh to look at possibly common assessments. So, if you have English teachers and history teachers that are both teaching writing, maybe they're they're, you know, doing a non-fiction essay. Um, what elements can
be uh assessed across the board and how and kind of establishing commonalities between subjects so that students are kind of knowing what they're being assessed on in in both cases. >> And the translation for the elementary school is that what happens in third
grade isn't dependent on which teacher you get. It's consistent. >> Yep. >> Not picking on third grade for any reason. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Popped in my head. >> And that's exactly right. So, you know, really the goal is that, you know, in you know, someone's fourth grade
experience, nth grade experience, whoever they have as their teachers is going to going to be the same. um or or at least similar enough that that they can, you know, by the time they get to the next grade, they have these kind of common, you know, understandings. Okay,
here's here are the things that have been been taught and assessed and mastered. Uh which then gets into the next thing here, which is vertical integration. So now, uh we're talking about okay, learning progressions from really preschool all the way up through 12th grade. So if you look at as a
former English teacher, if you look at English, the English standards from 9th grade to 12th grade, they don't there's not like really it's not like you're doing geometry one year, algebra one year, calculus one year. The English standards, they they pretty much stay
the same and they get more complex as students get older. So this is a chance for the things like people like the English department or social studies department, math department, science department to say, "Okay, during ninth grade, here is where uh here's where we
expect students to be when they come in because we've met with eighth grade, seventh grade, sixth grade, all all the way down the line. And here's where here are the things that they're going to have by the end of nth grade." So the 10th grade teacher knows that when they're coming in, they have these established skills. Um, so it does two
things. It it it kind of sets that that standard and the standards exist. I mean, those are the Massachusetts standards. That's what they do. But this allows our teachers the chance to take some time to say, "Yep, here's the here's the expectation. Here's where we are. We've met it. We've exceeded it.
We're not quite there yet." Um, for, you know, for for a kind of more realistic assessment of where students are. So that you know that by the time they get to that 12th grade, they've hit everything that they need to. Um likewise, it also gives teachers a
chance to say, "Okay, hey, um I'm teaching 10th grade. You know, I know we said we'd be here. We haven't got to poetry yet." So, these like I'm sorry, but when these guys come in next year in 11th grade, maybe they're not going to have that that level of uh
poetry um that finesse that you'd like to see. Um so that teachers know where the where the gaps exist a little a little more. Um and it's particularly important um well it's not particularly important more so than other subjects but things like
things like science and math even though you have um students coming in that are going to be taking geometry you know they need a baseline understanding of algebra and and thinking so that even though they're not teaching the exact same subject they you know they the
geometry teacher would need to know that hey these students have this level of understanding they can do these skills before they're they're in here. Um, and that that even works with with science. I mean, if you if you have students going into chemistry, um, they're going to need that level of understanding of
algebra to be able to do a lot a lot of that that work. Um, so those two pieces are really those those came out pretty loud and clear. Um, and the most important thing for that to happen well two two parts. The the the beautiful
thing about that kind of PD is that um the people who know what they need and how to do it best are the teachers themselves. It's not like we have to bring some outside consultant in to say, "Okay, here's how we're going to have a conversation about the students that you all teach every single day." Um they
they do that. They can they can do that. We can, you know, if there need to be protocols to to make sure the conversations stay on track and everything, we can do that. But but they're the teachers are the ones that can can do that work better than anyone else. And same thing with vertical integration. It's really time to have that conversation about, okay, here's
where we want students to be. Here's the way that we're going to be be doing that and how it how it kind of um goes up through the years. Those two things together um kind of set the stage for the the next two, which is course and scheduling, review, and
curriculum mapping. Um so we'll take curriculum mapping first. Um, this is kind of a a morbid thought, but the way I see curriculum mapping is kind of beyond um beyond like a syllabus. Um, is okay, here's kind of the materials we're
going to use, the things we're going to do throughout the year and getting into almost, you know, getting into kind of lesson planning. Um, so that if I'm teaching English and I don't make it into work one day and can't make it in ever again, I drop
dead. Um, that someone can take this. >> You won the lottery and >> I won. Sure. Sure. That um >> the other way. >> So, so >> there's a map that exists. So, when Melissa comes into my classroom, um, she
said she says, "Okay, here's here we are. like we're gonna, you know, we're gonna we're going to pick right up where we left off and and keep going. Um, currently we have uh done some of that work. That work does exist. Some of it's outdated. Some of it is more updated
than other um other curriculum maps, but uh this was kind of crystal clear from both the elementary setting and the secondary setting um that folks would like some more time to work on this. And that works really well when you have
conversations about horizontal and vertical alignment so that your curriculum map can reflect the conversations and the skills that you'd like students to have at each grade level and also across across the board. Um and then getting into um so beyond
curriculum mapping once once that's in place spending time looking at courses and scheduling. Um so this came primarily from the I I will say mostly from the high school um is is taking time to look at um not that we haven't done this but to
continue to look at okay here are the the courses that we teach yeartoear so do we alternate how do you know what are the student needs coming up do we need to have two blocks of something one block of something um do we need to add different electives or change the electives or something is getting stale
um or you know just just a chance to to do that um and then to look at the schedule to see how you know how best the schedule can work together. Um so how do we infuse things like uh lab blocks that might need to be longer than
an hour? How do we do things like um you know what what rotation works works best for for students to gain to keep momentum going? That that sort of things uh those sort of things. Um, and then the the last two pieces here, data review and usage and and PLC's. Uh,
we have those together. PLC is kind of a a buzzword. Uh, it stands for professional learning community. Um, really what it what it is is a um focused group of teachers that have a shared common vested interest in certain
things. So you can have PLC's around kind of anything. So there may be a group of teachers that are work that are really interested in project based learning. So they form a PLC together about okay here's what that what project based learning means. Here's how we're going to work on it. Here here's how I'm
going to do it in my class. We're going to share out. We're going to kind of give each other feedback on on plans and work that kind of stuff. Um, again, that works really well with things like vertical and horizontal alignment, especially when you want to kind of go
deeper uh into something. Um, and then data review and usage. Um, that's exactly what it what it sounds like is again time. Um, and I know that the elementary school, I will say, has done a really nice job of scheduling that time and reviewing that data on an
ongoing basis. Um and we you know at the secondary level we have the data and um I think on an individual level teachers and teams are are doing a nice job of looking through it. Um but the there's a desire to have more time designated to
okay we're going to we're going to sit down as a group. We're going to look at this data together. We're going to distill what it means. Um and primarily that those conversations happen really well with again that horizontal alignment piece. So looking at, okay,
nth grade, we all teach the same kids. Here's what the data that the kind of objective data that we have about them says, uh, through things like I Ready or MCCAST. Uh, let's look at how that reflects with what we're actually seeing in the classroom on the day-to-day. Um, because again, those assessments are not
necessarily assessing things that they've already learned. Um, as opposed to the classroom assessments, which which should be. Um and then looking at okay what what do we need to to change if anything to help help support them. Um so again the biggest piece with the
collaborative section here um is just a desire for the time to make these things happen. So if we go into the what I what I I failed to um share previously and I apologize for that. I
linked it but didn't share it. Um, here is kind of a a pretty exhaustive calendar of the PD times that exist. So, um, and this is what the the PD committee spent really time doing. So,
you'll you'll as you look through here, you'll see things that that are reflective of the um of the the previous slides, but uh, for example, August 24th is a full day. That's what FD stands for. Uh same thing with 25th, 26th and
the 4th. Um SM that stands for staff meeting. Um and so the second staff meeting uh and the reason it says 914 and 9:15 is because uh we have elementary is on 9:15 u on the Tuesday
and um secondary is on the Monday typically. So they're two different dates. Um and the and S SM stands for staff meeting. So every other staff meeting is designated for teachers to meet together um in PLC's um at the
elementary school and then at the high school middle uh middle high school you'll see things like horizontal PLC that's again for that horizontal alignment for students um or vertical PLC alignment. Um you'll also see the half days here and
each half day um there are there there's I think one half day at the elementary um school is kind of like a can be a mandatory one uh and then the rest at the elementary level are kind of a menu of options. So when we when we have
these trainings that that we offer as a a district we can say hey we're offering these kind of three or four options. you can, you know, you can can can choose to do that. Um, if you have other training that you're interested in that aligns with your professional development plan
and and the district goals, then that can be approved. Um, but here's what here's what we're offering and how it aligns with with our PD plan. Um, and similarly at the at the the high school, that's where you'll see some of those other um, you know, those other elements
coming in, the neuro neurodeiversity thing, things like that. um respon uh restorative practices. >> So when all this gets mapped out and someone goes through the whole schedule, will they have completed will they have sort of checked the box on all the
categories you spoke to? >> Yes, they they will. So there's two things to think about with with kind of checking the box is um it you know they they all these all these elements are kind of contained
throughout. So most most of these the on the right side most of those are going to be done in the first four days of school and follow up as needed. Um it's not particularly helpful to get technology training in May. Um but uh so
most of those will be done pretty early. The other pieces here um will mostly be ongoing there. You know, the the the era of sort of oneandone trainings is kind of um
kind of in in the past. Um there are sometimes big trainings that you'll want to have on a you know a full day, you know, four or five hour trainings. Um but then the important piece is implementing that training. So you can get you can get great training um but if you don't use it and you don't have
follow-up to say hey here's how it's actually working um then it's not going to be effective. And so that's the goal here is, you know, if we have some of those larger trainings, things like res restorative practice, um it's great training, but again, the the the really
effective piece is when when you use it and you reflect on using it with with colleagues and you have you have ongoing kind of uh time with with an expert that can come in and even coach and say, "Hey, I was in your class. I noticed you have these systems in place that really
is um you know, effective use of some some of these tools. have you thought about X Y and Z? Um and then time again to to work with college colleagues to reflect on that >> questions. Um, I just am wondering, so like I I'm
seeing how every other staff meeting for the PLC's at least definitely in the elementary school and at times in the high school. Um, is like everybody part of one of these? They'll pick one. >> Yeah. So, so that's I mean that that's the goal. Um, and it's a little how it
plays out at the elementary school is a little different than at the high school. Um, but you know, I think at the elementary school it will likely be more kind of menu based. Here are the PLC's that are meeting. You can, you know, pick which one you'd like to kind of go to. Um, and at the high school, those
the PLC's will kind of exist already just by um by the focus on either vertical or horizontal alignment. >> So, for example, I'm just trying to understand this. So for example, you give the like project based learning. You have a bunch of people who are like
really interested in project based learning. So they make a PLC. They're doing this at every other staff meeting. >> It it could be every other staff meeting. It may not be quite that often, but yes, it would be ongoing. >> Maybe they would do a different one a different week then. Okay. All right. And then like do they I'm just like
trying to understand. So like they learn about this and then implement things in their own class or do they like report off to the other staff? Like I'm just curious how it works. >> So typically with how it would work um and I'll just keep using the the project-based learning example because
it we started um is it again it depends kind of where people are starting. So, if you have a group that is, you know, just starting out, hey, I'm really interested in learning about project- based learning, maybe trying it out. Um, you know, they may start by working together to kind of define what it means
for them and and do a little research about why it's beneficial to do it in schools. They may work to plan it, um, you know, plan a a unit for their own classroom. Um, they may spend some time as a group kind of giving each other feedback. Here's my unit plan. you know,
I want to know what you all think about it. What questions do you have? Do you think it would be effective? Do you have any suggestions? Um, they may they may implement it and then reflect on that implementation. Hey, here's here's what I would wanted to happen. Here's what
went wrong. Um, I'm coming to the group for suggestions about things that I could change or or tweak. Um, and there there are uh specific protocols in place for PLC's to have that kind of consultancy that works really that work really well to get that kind of
feedback. That may be very different than a PLC that's in their third year of doing some kind of project based work or you know a group of teachers that have maybe have come to the district with some background that they're they're looking to expand upon. Um, so it's, you know, it's dependent a on kind of what
the what the goals of the group are and the goals would align to the the school and district improvement plans. Um, but b it um it allows for that kind of peer peer feedback and peer improvement.
So, I had to remind myself when I looked at this because it looks like the Wow, there's a lot of PLC time at the elementary school that they're all staff meetings which are an hour long. >> They're an hour long. >> So, some of these are like Yeah, but I had the same. So, are are the PLC's
administrative approved? So, somebody says, "We want to study project- based learning." They show up, they ask you, you say, "Yep, that's like really worthwhile for what you all want to do." How does that work? Yeah, I I mean, yes, they they would say, you know, here's
again at the elementary level, it's a >> I usually do a Google form and I give them the different oper offerings and then they fill in what what it is that they'll be working on. >> Okay. So, the offerings start from administration because it follows with >> based off of this. Yes. plans and
>> but but I don't I can't think of a time where someone may have come to us and said hey I'm really interested in doing this in the classroom and it it um where we would say no we're not going to we're not we're not going to do project- based learning sorry we're not going to do
this um you know my question would be okay you know that sounds great can it work within the kind of the the the framework of what we have established here because we don't want to you We don't we don't want you to miss out on something important but if this is you know really important to you how can you
know how can we support you in doing it >> and is there is there anybody who has solo PLC's >> yes so um for example our Spanish teacher at the high school >> um >> speech teacher >> speech yeah
>> they generally have other different avenues and platforms that they are on take you know viewing different modules to be able to um advance their degrees andor the P uh professional learning PDPs that they are required to achieve and get
>> and and the and for Spanish she actually has worked with the PLC of other districts and schools in the area. Um so oftentimes schools will have one Spanish teacher, one you know foreign language teacher and so they've formed their own
group where they can they can do this this exact work. Um, so from that came the the focus and kind of howto of pushing students to get the seal of biiteracy if they're ready. Um, so that's that's something that we wouldn't
we wouldn't have explored or done if it hadn't been for Angie being part of the that kind of um Hampshire County um Spanish teacher PLC. >> Does she then also meet with the when they talk about horizontal stuff? >> Yes. Yep.
>> Yeah. spec specifically around like students. >> Other questions? So, I know the intent was for us to see this prior to the meeting and that didn't quite work out with technology. This is something that the committee approves. Um, if the committee feels
like they need more time, we can put it on to I don't think there's anything detrimental to vote on it in April. >> No, I don't think so. Except the only thing is that it in in the contract or in the CBA it's it has March is the kind of time for it but we can extend it.
>> It had to be in to vote on March. I don't and so that if there were people that needed to get booked >> right >> for trainings. >> Yep. >> Is there anything we're worried about in here if it didn't get approved that we might not be able to hire the training we needed? >> Not at this point.
Can you uh tell us what beyond MM means? Sure. The phrase is used morning meeting. >> Yes. >> So we our consultant that I had brought in did a lot of emphasis on morning meeting but responsive classroom isn't just all about morning meeting. It's
about academic choice logical consequence. So there's other areas and avenues with that under that umbrella of responsive classroom. So teachers are just saying we've got an we're good with morning meeting. If you're going to bring in more responsive classroom, we would really appreciate getting some
other areas around again academic choice, logical consequences, other things that are in that realm. They would rather have training in that and have someone come in and do a repetitive because I feel like they've they've gotten that down. They're good. >> And beyond circles is a similar thing.
>> Yes. Mhm. >> Those are kind of like the introductory >> pieces of both of those th those kind of um ways of thinking about classroom management, community building is morning meeting and circle which morning meeting is typically done in a circle. So
>> it is >> again they they they mesh very well together. I will say just um you know as a kind of final note and then I'll stop talking um is that I think the committee the PD committee I I'm really proud of the work
that they they did. Um I think it was a really good representative committee group that came together several times to do this. Um and they all I I think were pretty happy with um both the process and and the result of what our what our goals are for next year.
>> How many are on that committee again? Oh, I should know that off the top of my head. >> It's one for every two grades. >> Yes, it's one for every two grades. It also includes special ed teachers, ESPs, um, and related service providers. >> That's a pretty large group. >> It's a large group. Yeah. And not not
everyone was at every single meeting, but yeah. >> Um, yeah, I think I think >> from prek all the way up to high school >> and I think it's more representative than has been previously, which has been helpful. So this was one of the goals that we had
that from our side of the contract negotiations we went into looking for sort of more clarified plans for PD. It feels to me like they have really stepped up.
>> I'm impressed by this. Um I imagine the hours of work that went into this u because it's really very extensive going across going down you
know the the dates the groupings >> and you know what's coming like there's no question. I love that part. >> Yeah. And I imagine that it feels good to them as well. >> Mhm. >> That they they've got ownership into this of planning this out of the way they'd like
it. >> Um I don't have a problem voting on this tonight because >> anyone have any qualms about that? I'm just like looking at the eyeballs to make sure we're >> I don't have the problem. >> Okay. I I feel like there's not much
that we could or would want to change um given the hard work that they put into this. So delaying it a month for me personally isn't going to make much difference. >> I just want to make sure everybody had time to comprehend it
>> explained well not have questions later. >> I have one question though actually before we vote. I thought of one. Um, if if we're looking at like let's say we're looking at MCCAST results or I Ready results or whatever and you can see a a cohort isn't doing well or repeatedly a
grade is doing not up to snuff >> on on a certain metric. >> How would you decide whether that's like a a PD issue or a curriculum issue >> or or an instruction issue? >> Sure. I mean I mean those are that's that is part of the reason um for having
time designated to specifically to those horizontal alignment conversations because it's really hard when you're like if I'm the single English teacher in I don't mean to pick on nth grade. It just keeps popping into my head in ninth
grade. Um and and that's what I'm seeing. You're right. I may not know like hey is it something I'm is it something I'm doing I don't know um and >> or are you getting a difficult handoff from previous years >> right or did they you know and so having having that time to share across the
board okay yep we're seeing the same thing in social studies um it's really difficult to read you know science texts um so okay how are we going to infuse you know literacy skills across the board that's where that conversation can happen so you know regardless of if it's
a if if it's a curriculum, if it's an instruction, if it's a a PD problem, it can it can be addressed kind of across the board. Um likewise, having that, you know, having the vertical time ahead of time would say if you know that eighth
grade team might say, "Hey, listen, um these guys really struggle with with X, Y, and Z." So, here's the work that we've done. we know that, you know, they might not be um up to snuff in this this regard, but you know, here's here's where they here's where they are. Here's what I' what we've done to help support
them. Or vice versa. I mean, you great at this. You don't you and we we've had that. We've had um you know, a group come in and say, "Okay, you know, these guys, they've got algebra, so you can move right on right into geometry with them." Um and and frankly that those
conversations they shape not just what you know what teachers are doing to help support individual groups and cohorts. Um but they you know they led to a shift in practice for math for example. So it
used to be that every single nth grader took um geometry and then every single 10th grader took algebra one or intermediate geometry. um these conversations they led you know the the math team said hey listen um for some students it would be really beneficial
for them to have uh intermediate algebra before they get to geometry because those skills are so critically important that you know that they're they're lost if they come to geometry without that. So now we offer two different courses for ninth grade and two different courses for 10th grade to make sure that
by the time students get to that 10th that 10th grade level that they all have that you know however they got there they have that kind of that basic threshold of of um algebra and geometry skill. Um, but you just kind of you just kind of
asked the the million-dollar question in education in general is how how do you determine if it is a, you know, a a a skill deficit for students for some kind of some kind of reason, if it's curricular, if it's instructional, or if
it's um, you know, some some other reason. Um, and the only way to do that is through having this this time designated to do it. um because it's really really difficult to to for someone to do it by themselves.
>> So, thinking about our school's MCCAST scores from last year, >> our 10th grade results were were pretty solid. >> The other grades were not as >> as effect or not as desirable. >> Yeah. >> How are those results reflected in this page in any
>> Yeah. So, those I mean that there are well there's there's a couple things to think about for that. So the the first question is okay those MCCAST results are those also indicative of because of uh are we seeing that in other
assessments in things like I Ready are we seeing that in classroom assessments um because any single assessment isn't going to give you a whole picture of how a student or even a even a group of of students is doing. Um especially when
you have cohorts as small as ours. Um, but if if you're kind of triangulating that data and saying, "Yep, okay, we have low MCARST scores. Uh, our I Ready scores are really not great." And and yeah, I'm seeing some of those deficits in the classroom. That's when we say,
"Okay, are we looking at instruction?" Are and yes, the answer is yes, we're we're looking at instruction. Um, or are we, you know, and and how are we how are we kind of triaging that? So we we'll use uh use English as an example. Um I
know seventh grade English was was pretty low last year for MCCAST. Um so that you know the the way to address that is to say okay how are we infusing those literacy skills not just an English class because it's not just one teacher that's going to teach that's
going to help help get those those scores up. How are they reading in science? How are they reading in social studies? How are they reading in math? How are those literacy skills being infused across the across the board? And that's where the that's where this kind of horizontal work will will come into
play. Okay, we know we have a cohort coming up into this class that is like, you know, that that that's struggling. How can we all work together to address those needs um rather than having it all rely on that one subject teacher? >> So given the need for that vertical
piece, just ties in and I'll come back. Is that meeting happening early enough because that doesn't look like it takes place until well until the fall or is that something that happens early and then continues? >> It it hap it'll happen I mean we could
possibly adjust this too if we felt there was a need to but it also happens in the spring so >> looking ahead. >> Yes it happens in the spring looking ahead too. Um so >> that's much better from my perspective. >> Yeah. So, we'll have, you know, that's part of that's a big part of what our
springtime meetings are is, okay, the, you know, the nth grade team and the 10th grade team are going to meet to to look at those things. >> Um, so that there's a kind of a springboard in place for where when students are coming in in the fall. And there's always anomalies, but that's,
you know, give it's it's a good starting point. So related to this topic as I've continued to digest this uh spreadsheet, um I think you've spoken really clearly and very helpfully to me about like horizontal and vertical alignment and how that's so important and I love to
see how specifically that's laid out in Smith Academy and I'm wondering I know that the elementary school functions in a different manner but I'm wondering how that is operationalized at the elementary school because I'm just not seeing it reflected on the spreadsheet. the vertical alignment.
>> Yeah, like the hor like in Smith Academy it says like horizontal with focus on students vertical alignment D like in specific days and I'm just like wondering how that happens then at the elementary school. >> Um that actually kind of happens more well during staff meeting time actually.
I mean we spent a lot of our staff meetings this particular year looking primarily at math knowing that we were in the process of trying to purchase and look at a new ELA curriculum. partly because my teachers are incredibly they like the I Ready math program, but what
they find incredibly frustrating is the amount of different strategies that are taught for each different thing. So they said, I don't it's really confusing to be able to teach five different ways to teach addition. Why are we not just teaching two really strongly and then so
we've been having those conversations at staff meetings um where teachers are working in vertical groups. We have K to2 and three to five having those exact conversations. What exactly is the most salient parts of what you know you want
kids to know how to add or subtract and divide and multi. What are those strategies that are going to give us more vertical alignment so that you are still building on those so that if you're not you're not teaching something in second grade that the third grade teacher isn't going to also be using.
>> So it's a staff meeting though not into professional development. Yeah, I've been doing them this year particularly in staff meetings and that's partly because again the PLC there are PLC's that are dedicated to those that teachers can be working on those. So those could be offerings that they're doing next year to have more vertical
alignment conversations. >> And then with like the horizontal like the teachers meeting with their colleagues, is that also happening then on the other staff meetings? >> No, they kind of do that automatically when they're planning. I mean generally it's a little different. >> This is like a different setup just for
the academy. So, I'm just wondering like when that happens. >> So many of the elementary teachers do planning together. Um, the difference might be, of course, the fourth and fifth because they're departmentalized. >> Um, but they're constantly having conversations about what they're noticing about students. So, that's impacting whether or not they're keeping the same kids in that group or cohort.
Maybe they're switching some kids. And that all came from the work that Jenny and Megan had done when they were doing this as sixth grade teachers. So, they that's begun trickling down to those teachers as well. But the younger grades, they work so closely and do so much planning together. There's always
conversations about what they're doing. >> And I will will add that the other constraint that the elementary school operates within that the the Smith Academy doesn't um is is a is a contractual constraint. So um the the second staff meeting of the month for
the elementary school is designated as teacher directed time. um so that you know what is done can be approved but it's you know the the um PLC's by by definition are teacherdirected >> um so this gives that that time for that
um but it's slightly limiting in terms of saying you know being prescriptive as okay your PLC has to meet and talk about X Y or Z um >> and that makes sense I'm not necessarily saying I want to direct more of it but also just to make sure like it sounds
like the best practice. So I want to make sure that we're giving people the time, you know, to >> right >> make sure those things are happening, right? Because even, you know, in like an elementary a lower elementary classroom where like you kind of aren't
departmentalized, right? Like it would be very important to give the students the same experience. >> Yeah. So making sure we're like supporting that. >> Yes. So is it the case in those staffing times at the elementary which is teacherdirected but we're also offering
something for them. So it's like here we have your meal prepped. >> Yes. >> Is you have to >> but I can't make them. They still have choice but yes it's definitely offered. >> Are we listing what the prepped piece is on this?
>> Not during staff meetings. No. I've been doing that for the half days. But we do kind of have it prepped for the high school. >> We do. >> Or secondary, I should say. >> So even though they wouldn't have to attend, we could still sort of like
>> like have a suggestion like here's what we're going to offer >> whether you want the pre-planned meal or not. >> Yes. And there are definitely people who come up to me like, you know, it would be really great if we could get a bunch of people to talk about this. And I'm like, "Go for it. I can't say that, but you can say that."
>> So they do. They'll reach out and be like, "Hey, anybody who wants to talk about um let's all meet in my realm." So that does happen. Any more discussion on this? From what I can tell, adding that little like here's what we're offering would be
nice just so it feels as comprehensive as secondary, but I wouldn't hold it up. I wouldn't hold up voting for that. >> Yeah, that would be nice to have. >> Sure. >> I'll make a motion to approve the professional development plan for f for
school year 2627 as presented. >> I'll second. All in favor? I >> I >> That was a 5. Thank you very much. Um I slotted on our agenda an opportunity for trip approval in case there was anything
new coming through. >> Yes. >> Um go first. >> I I have two grades, second grade and fourth grade that are looking to go to the Connecticut Science Museum. Um we have our meeting tomorrow night for PTA.
I can get you more details about dates um duration um after tomorrow's meeting. I guess they're just this is just an overview of just seeing if they're willing to fund the trip, but I can get more details for the next meeting. Okay. So, I believe by our policy if if it's overnight or they
go out of state, the school committee approves that trip. If someone has a burning desire that they think that that would be a problem, they would be good to say so now, even though they don't have enough details for us to go, yep. But if anybody's like a good science
museum, oh no, >> it's terrible place to go. >> Why would you do that? >> So delightful. I'm not any issue in closer than Boston. >> Sounds great. >> Yeah, sounds like fun. Mhm.
>> So, all looks good, but when you have the details, we'll formalize that approval. >> And am I hearing that there's a fifth grade trip >> that's still in Massachusetts, though? >> I know. But when is that one? That one's in June, right? >> Yes. I need to talk with them tomorrow
because they may have tried scheduling that simultaneously on field day. And we're trying to figure out if field day can get moved, but the inflatables usually get booked. So, we're that's a that's a work in progress. Again, tomorrow's meeting is going to be
flushed with many grants for all the different activities that happen in the spring, particularly around field trips. >> Awesome. We have such a good PTA to help fund that stuff. >> They're fantastic. >> You have trips? >> I have two. Um, so the first one I think
is an easy one, and again, it's just the kind of preliminary approval. The middle school team would like to take a day trip to Connecticut to the Mystic Seaport. they would like to go to the um aquarium to see the belugas and among
other things. Um but honestly, it's all about the belugas. Um and then uh down into the the seapport area as a whole. We I just took my daughters to see the belugas. That's why I got them on and they're wicked cute. Um so they would like to do that the week of uh Memorial
Day in May. Um, so I'm hoping to give them the green light to to start planning that. >> That's after any MCCAST testing. >> Not all of it, but it is we can work
around MCCAST. Yeah, MCCAST is they keep adding things and con constraining the timeline. So that will be sort of smack dab uh in the middle of math and science MCCAST. Um but it should only at that point should only
impact um eighth grade and they only oh and civics. They also threw civics in there now too. So um that should only impact eighth grade which has to take math, science, civics and um uh English.
>> So you say middle school, does that include the sixth grade? >> It does. >> So it'll be sixth, seventh, and eight. >> Six through eight. Yep. Did that cohort just do Mystic when they were fifth graders? >> No, they went to Boston. >> Okay,
>> good to know. There was a group not long ago that did. So, I was just like back to back years would be >> they might be less attentive. >> I don't know. I could see those blues every week. Pretty darn happy. And uh
the cost for this is >> we don't know >> parent you know parent will pay or >> uh primarily parent driven they have done and would probably do some fundraising the middle school team um but uh you know whatever is residual
would be would be parent driven. Um we also do have the fund for students who who need any support to to do that as well. >> Do you have any others? >> I do. >> Okay. Um, so here is the and this is I'm I apologize that I didn't get this to you earlier. I got it today. Um, so this
is the itinerary uh proposed itinerary for the Boston uh and Salem trip that we've been kind of going back and forth with the um they switched it. Originally they had us in Boston on Friday and
Salem on Saturday. Um, I really wanted to do a cultural activity in the >> um the Red Sox game on Friday, which is the proposed culture activity, was opening day. >> Uh, and tickets for opening day, as you
may imagine, were very expensive. Um, so they were able to uh switch that and um drop the price by just over $100. Um so the total price if it depends it depends on exactly how many students we have
sign up. We are are limited there. Um but if we had so this is you know I'll walk you through this. So we start um day one we head to Salem uh we go to the peex museum which is a really cool museum in Salem. Um, and then students
can and their chaperons can have lunch on kind of Essex Street there, which is kind of a pedestrian zone in Salem, which is really neat. Lot a lot to see there. Um, then we have a guided tour of Salem. Um, and I will say that this aligns pretty darn well with our um with our
curriculum. They've wanted to do Salem for a while. They do the Crucible. They do um you know, they they do do a lot of the history of Salem. Um, and we've never taken a trip there before. Uh then we head to dinner after that in Sus. Um and then we go to our hotel in Denim. Um
following that we wake up in the morning nice and early. Um brighteyed and bushy tails. We head to Boston Boston. Uh there's a we we'll do the science museum in the morning. Um followed by an omni show. Um, it says I suspect we'll be
there a little bit earlier than than 10 o'clock hopefully. Um, but the science museum in Boston is really fantastic. It's there's a lot of really neat stuff. I hope we could see the lightning show. That would be pretty neat. >> Um, >> they still do that, huh? >> I was in the cage once. I got chosen to be the person that got zapped in the
cage. It was fantastic. Yeah. Um then after that we'll head and get some lunch at Quincy Market followed by uh heading to the second game of uh the season at Fenway, not the opening night. Um and we'll have uh after the game
we'll head back to um back to Hatfield. So kind of a full itinerary um but a lot of fun stuff going on. Um it's short notice so um you know it it may be challenging. I know that we I had inadvertently scheduled it for the
weekend of um excuse me of Easter. Um there was the that was the only time that it was that was one of two weekends that could work with the spring schedule. Um and the second weekend they said there was no possible way that they
had availability or could do any of it. Um so the price is uh you know it's it's more than I would like but it does include a lot. So for 30 to 35 students um it would be be between $466 and $488
per person. For 36 to 41 students it would uh be 426 to 437. And for 42 to 47 students uh it would be between 398 and $49 per student. >> Say that last grouping again. Would you
please? >> Uh 42 to 47 students. >> Yep. How much? uh 398 to 409. So because this is um you know it's coming quicker um you know we if we get approval from the committee tonight I'll put out an email to families tomorrow to
have a initial deposit for this week. Uh and then we'll um you know would be kind of a weekly weekly payment for the the remainder. Um and and again we have the we have the the fund for anyone for whom it's a a
challenge and and you know I understand that's short notice so we may have have folks take advantage of that. Um >> and the number of chaperones >> uh every 10 students gets one chaperon so it depends on the number >> you're going by the way I will be there.
Yes, he wants listed as the lead chaperon. >> This is grades 9 through >> this is grades 8 through 11. Yeah. So, it's open through 8 through 11. We decided to open it to 8th grade um to kind of build a connection between 8th grade and high school.
>> Um and that worked worked well uh it worked well in the past and we anticipate we'd have a few eighth graders at least. >> That's essentially next year's high school cohort. >> Correct. >> Right. It's just that these eighth grade families will probably need to make a
choice between mystic or this. >> They they may they um >> because one one will be in May and one is in April. >> Mhm. Yeah. Um the mystic one is not overnight. So I don't think that would
be nearly as expensive. Um but it's we it is open to to to eighth grade to allow >> to do both. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Or make a choice. >> Yeah. >> It would be helpful when you're presenting it to let them know
>> that both are like on the horizon and roughly what the cost is just so that they can make choices. >> Yeah. And we should have a cost this week for the mystic one as well. So, it looks like it would be helpful if we could approve the Boston trip so they can put that out for interest. Is there
a motion to approve this trip? >> So, moved. Second. >> All yours are mine. >> I'll second it. >> Let the record show. >> Okay. All of All in favor of the Boston trip. >> I >> I >> Okay.
>> Bundle up for that Fenway game. >> Yeah. Fenway in April is tough. I know you can you can feel the the shock in your hands when they hit the ball >> and nice >> immediate emotion for the mystic trip because it's out of state. >> Yes.
>> I think we're not quite there yet. We don't we have sort of established the amount of information we want before we approve a trip. Which is why I just wanted a general like is there a problem? Speak now. Got it. So it may be a little simpler to approve it. But I
think we're looking for the info. But it sounds like they're not going to have that till tomorrow night. So just timing is what it is. >> Um and I have one more that I'd like to propose or um kind of put out there. This is the senior trip. Um and so we've
talked they have um they have had some really great ideas about places that they'd like to go as a senior class um and timing. So, um, I I did constrain them a little bit from they they originally wanted to go to Puerto Rico,
which would have been really fun. They wanted to do that after graduation, which also probably would have been a whole lot of fun. Um, >> they can go, >> but we are we are uh we we we then talked about, you know, the senior Disney trip, which is they do a great
senior trip to Disney every year um down there, but they wouldn't work with the schedule. So they are interested in doing a sea coast trip um in the in the spring prior to graduation of um down to Cape Cod and then a day trip out to so
it would be an overnight trip to Cape Cod and then a trip to um the islands as well. So they're still working out the details of what they uh are proposing. This class has done a really phenomenal job over the years of fundraising. Um, so it is likely that they they'll be
able to pay for most of most of the trip with the fundraising that they've done. >> So you said spring trip. Would that mean April or May? >> I think it would mean May. Yeah. So they I think they'd look more towards May >> and over a weekend or would it be school days?
>> It would probably a couple of school days into a weekend. So how it's worked in the past is they've gone uh like a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or uh Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. This is sort of right before graduation. >> Right before graduation. Yeah. So this would be after finals um prior to
graduation. Okay. >> So again, we're not sitting with the details. We may not approve it tonight, but tonight is the better opportunity for the committee. If there are more questions or concerns about this, let's raise them now so that we solve for it before it's too late.
>> I forget. Is the senior tip chaperoned or is it >> Yes, it is. It is chaperoned. >> Okay. Um and and we've you know last year they went to the dude ranch. Um so there was you know there were um you know uh broken up by cabins broken up by
gender with with chaprons in each cabin. Um if it's a hotel there would be um you know blocks of rooms separated by chaprons. Um that that kind of thing. Sounds like fun. >> Anyone have any concerns about that one?
>> They're not going in that far. So, >> no, they could have gone to Puerto Rico. >> Um, >> should have been >> the trip. Uh, did we talk about the trip? Um, >> the Spanish >> the Spanish trip changed, right? >> Yeah. So, it did change.
>> Gave an okay to that. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. Just just as an update, the um the State Department, there had been some some kind of political unrest um with some attacks on officers in Guatemala. Um the squads abroad was
confident that they could maintain a a comfortable margin of safety down there. Um I I ultimately said that, you know, the State Department, they raised the level of of travel advisory. Um, and I didn't
want us to get, you know, a week out and not be able to send our students because of something else that had happened. Um, so we, um, an Angie did a fantastic job working with Squads Abroad to find a, um, similar trip. It won't be quite as
language- based because they're headed to Bailey's, not to Guatemala. Um, >> but um, >> I'll volunteer for that. >> Right. But um but they have you know sim it's a similar kind of experience of a trip. Um and it and it should be should
be wonderful. Um but again the the I I just I wasn't comfortable I I know that this is what they do. They do these trips all the time. Um and they wouldn't be spending much time in Guatemala City. But with everything that was going on I wasn't comfortable saying okay you know
we can give because we had to make a decision. I wasn't comfortable saying yes we can definitely do it. Um because in the event that something happened and we couldn't do it, we would have there we couldn't have recouped anything. >> Um and then our students would have missed out. >> When is that scheduled for?
>> This is scheduled for later this month. So this is a late March trip. >> Nice. >> But the travel advisory to Bailey's, you'll be happy to know, is the same as it is going to Germany or Great Britain. >> And how many students do we have signed
up for this trip? I think there are I want to say 16. I don't have the list right in front of me, but I I want to see. There's there's a good number of students going. >> Are we joining with somebody else? I forget because we did last we >> one of the trips we did join with. >> Yeah, one of them we joined with Hadley
because uh they didn't have enough to run it themselves and then we completely overwhelmed that trip. Um and they keep going back because because um you know they it's a great experience and they've um >> nice a nice job. I will say that um Angie is interested. This is way down
the line next year in doing possibly setting up a Europe trip um to go to take a group abroad if they want to if they want to do that. >> Okay. So, we've approved the trips we need to approve tonight. We've tacitly agreed to the ones that look like there
are no objections, but we'll get the information and we'll come back on those. Um given the time, I just want to be conscientious of folks schedules. Are there things that we want to highlight on the administrative reports >> or questions that the committee has?
>> I'd like to highlight one. >> It's under the safety and building report. >> Community doors and new gym doors have been installed at HS. Um so we're now looking at the mechanism mechanisms making sure that they're all working properly. Um and so that we'll be able
to put the remote locking feature in. So that was a a great one. >> Three years. Well, it's not just I don't want to >> not quite that long, but it's been a while. >> No, >> excuse me. >> It's been a while. >> Um, yeah.
>> The other piece I wanted to add uh is that the bid for the roof bids for the roof came in and they chose a a bid for 1.133 million. Um, which is way lower than the estimate that we got and way lower than the design estimate, too, which is
great. So that's inclusive of >> that's so tech the project manager the >> not quite. So when you include all that stuff it's about one and a half million uh which is still less than the 1.6 that was originally quoted. >> We knew we needed a little extra.
>> And the boiler came in at about 280 something thousand which is um about h and that's like all all told and done. Um and that's about it's less than just about half of what the original quote was. So both those projects came in way
under um the estimate which is fantastic >> because I feel like we were like we were told like 200,000 per boiler the first time >> we were >> yeah I think that the the the original the original estimate in quote was about 600,000 for the boiler and it came in about 280 >> boiler.
So >> less anyone get really excited about like oh found no there's no found money there's no it's less borrowing means lower taxes which is great >> it just but it if anybody's playing along at home it doesn't mean that we
freed up money for the school budget that wasn't part of the school budget >> no and the and the other piece to keep in mind is we haven't got bids in yet for the parking lots so >> which could that those could be over I mean that that's that's um you So >> yeah, >> that was needed. So >> it's good for the town.
>> It's great for the town and I'm delighted and the town has been really supportive of making that happen. >> Cool. >> And one more highlight. Go ahead. >> I promise this is it. Um we are in a position this year that we can field uh
for the first time since I've joined where we can field both varsity and subvarsity teams for baseball and softball this year which is fantastic. >> Great. >> Yeah. which is really really nice. >> Do we have middle school teams? >> We have um we have likely JV teams which
are comprised pretty much mostly of middle schoolers. >> Okay. >> Um >> so middle schoolers get to play. >> Middle schoolers get to play. Yes, absolutely. >> Yep. >> Nice. >> And any word on how school choice applications are going? >> Yes. And I updated this today. So if you
looked at this um before about 1:00, you may not have the most accurate. We have 28 applications currently. Uh we did need a lottery in kindergarten. Um so in kindergarten we've got eight applications. We've accepted three. Five are weight listed. In second grade we
have one application. Fourth grade one application. Fifth grade one application. Sixth grade five applications. Seventh grade six applications. Eighth grade three applications. Ninth grade uh two applications. And 10th grade one application. Um, so far we've heard back
from three sixth graders and one seventh grader who have definitely committed to coming next year and we expect more to come in. Um, this is the time where we're seeing more applications come in. We got five over the weekend. >> So, we're you know we this um this is the time where where they they keep coming in
>> and this is pre-advertising. >> This is pre-advertising. So, the other piece that we are we are looking at is to do um more outreach. Um, I don't know if we'll go with the same firm that we did last year, um, or kind of keep it keep it internally or close, but um, we
we will be reaching out and I've reached out independently to, um, uh, private schools in the area that that end at grades that that come into our school. So, I've done that. >> They're closing >> or they're closing. Yep. Exactly. Um, I
don't do that to public school districts. They get a little pnicity about that. Um, so I won't be I won't be doing doing that. >> Got to get them on Instagram, >> but we will be advertising on social media and through other platforms as well. >> That's great. And that's memory serves.
That's better than we were doing this time. >> Better this time than we were last year. Yep. >> Nice. >> Anything you want to highlight? >> Um, yeah, just two quick things. um I was fully um staffed and then my newest
and latest hire as an ESP um took another position after working a day. So, good news is there's a former ESP that is interested in coming back. So, I will be fully staffed as of March 19th. >> And then on February 24th, the state and
local police came to do some reunification procedures with our staff. Um, again, this is an opportunity where if for any reason we needed to have parents come and pick up um and either in an alternate location like maybe um the church or Smith Academy, how does that work as far as what the
responsibilities and roles of our staff are doing when parents are coming to do this so that it's smooth and making sure that the child is getting home to the right parent. Um, we were supposed to do a practice on the half day, but we ended up having the snow day. So, we will be in touch with whether or not I did have
some volunteer families that were willing to stay. Um, again, just they didn't state police were like 10, you know, six to 10 families that are willing to just kind of go through this process with us. So, I spoke to families at pickup, um, who generally come and just pick their children up. Um, but we
will try to see if we need to reschedu questions. With that, we will move on for the briefest finance subcommittee report. >> Um, so school finance met with town finance. Um, we uh presented a draft
budget to them. Uh, and they uh were pretty supportive of our budget. They agreed with the cuts that we have proposed. Um, and they were they had no negative >> philosophically aligned. >> Yeah, there you go. Um, so then it goes
to the select board, right? >> And the date of that is still to be determined. >> So that's a copy of what was shared with them. There's no new news there. So we just didn't think we would rehash it tonight, which lets us have more time to
talk about policy. >> Oh man, it's what everybody's been waiting for. >> Um, all right. So Pauly is continuing our review of all all things related to conduct. So you have in front of you today and I do really apologize for the
late update that I really thought I had done and then realized I hadn't. Um we have a few edits to the hazing policies. Um we did hear back from legal and so um this is a third reading. So we
have uh that you have the edits in front of you. We also I'm just going to overview real quick and then we can discuss um JKA which is corporal punishment. I mean the policy just says that we don't do it which is true and and as a committee we feel that we
should reaffirm that commitment to not doing such things. Um we made some cross checks and uh we have no edits except to >> update the date. >> Yeah. To continue to affirm our commitment. And then um the third that
we have is it's actually kind of like a whole bundle of policies although really we've only worked on JKAA first which is about physical restraint of students. It is uh very regulatory. Um this policy is definitely in need of
updates on our end. Um but it's pretty complicated. So we have our subcommittee has reviewed it. We've cross-cheed with MASC. We are comparing with other available similar policies at other districts. Um we would like feedback
from the committee. We're definitely not done yet and we are also seeking legal input. Um just trying to strike a balance of aligning this obviously with legal regulations but also ethically and philosophically how we want to approach things as a district and make it
something that's I mean in a dream world readable to like the average person, right? like if a family or other person wanted to look at this, you know, right now we don't feel it's it's terribly readable. So, we're trying to improve that. >> So, um
if it's okay, I think I'd like to just start at the top. Um >> Sure. >> If anyone has any comments about >> Can you just verbally highlight what legal wanted to change? Um the they to take out what is written in
what is cross here. >> Sorry, I don't have that one. >> Oh no, I'm so sorry. >> I printed. >> Yeah, there were words about um >> organizing and things like that. >> Just removing that language.
Yeah, there were no other changes, right? We asked questions. >> Yeah, we asked questions about things. Um, >> it's on the policy subcommittee report. I think it links from there. >> Got it. >> Yeah, >> it's a it's a double link. >> There you go.
>> Why did legal want to take away the up to 10 days? >> Go up to the top one. >> Um, >> because you think you could technically go beyond that or >> I I think doc Dr. Driscoll had a conversation with legal about this and actually I don't know why it didn't come through in color but I think the
sentence below what's crossed out is what legal had replaced it with. >> I'm sorry I don't know why it didn't come out highlighted. >> Yeah. And I can I can speak to why they recommended that. So, um they uh
our our legal council basically in in their experience has seen some pretty nasty hazy incidents hopefully which we will never see. Um and felt like they would not like to limit, you know, to the point where some of these incidents
were criminal. um and would not like to limit a school's ability to discipline a student under 37H and a half or 37H and three/4ers which are the legal legal statutes um because a policy contradicted that. So, you know, if someone, you know, if there was hazing
that was was criminal and a student um were, you know, were were charged with that criminal behavior under the statute, we could, you know, we could technically expel or suspend a student long term. If this policy um this policy
limited that, then we could run into a a problem. Um so, he wanted to make sure that we didn't limit ourselves in the event that we needed to do something. I think there would be like a possibility that this would then also conflict with our policy that we have on suspension. >> Yes. >> Right. >> Yeah.
>> Um so it's just to like >> not make it so narrow. Just open it up a little bit more. >> That makes good sense to me. >> And this is a third reading. >> This is the third reading. We are >> we could approve this tonight. >> Policy feels pretty dumb with this.
>> And we we want to include the other one as well. >> JKA. I'm happy to vote on JKA if others are happy to wave the >> that other reading. >> I've read that. >> Yeah. Um so I would like to make a
motion to approve JICFA as presented and to approve JKA without additional readings um for new policy. So I'll make a motion for both of those. I'll
>> second. Any more discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I Okay, so that leaves us with JA JKA physical restraint. Is there anything you guys want to talk about with this
one tonight or do you just want to leave it with us tomorrow? >> I go ahead, Kathy. No, I was just going to say that it's it's uh wordy and >> it's like 11 pages long >> and and we've we've done um
>> job is shorter is like two and a half pages but then all the addendum are super we haven't even touched those ones yet. >> Yeah, we really concentrated on JKA and worked on language. Um, we
inputed things from legal and um, from other policies from other districts, but if we could get feedback before we do a whole heck a lot heck of a lot more. >> I just want to make sure we're like going on the right track. I think there
are like different ways we could approach writing this to make the main policy shorter and then have different sections on procedures um or keep it as it is. I don't >> given that some of us may be less familiar with this text. Could we just
get the maybe Connor could do a quick recap of sort of philosophically where the district stands, where you guys are headed from your like or or you guys could recap the committee's disposition. Yeah, either way that would be helpful to speak to a little bit. Um, so um,
physical restraint is um, I think both philosophically for us but also legally throughout the state of Massachusetts is only ever used as a last resort when a student presents a um, imminent danger to harm themselves or someone else. Um, cannot be used for things like
destruction of property. Cannot be used for u any kind of of punishment. Um, importantly for for this policy and others, it cannot be used in any in written or written as any part of a plan of an intervention plan. You can't say
um you know as part of an IP or a plan if X happens then staff may restrain. Um that's that that that can't happen. Um, it can only be used as a last resort when all other um all other attempts to
deescalate have failed um or and when when someone will be hurt um if if there's no intervention that happens. Um you know philosophically as a district we train staff on deescalation
primarily. I mean, even even with the restraint training that we do, which is safety care training, the majority of that training is, hey, here's how you can approach ai a situation calmly um with the the goal of deescalation. Here are tools that you can use to try to deescalate a student who's ramped up um
or I mean hopefully enough, but quite quite frankly, or an adult who's who's ramped up. Um, and if that fails, here are the least intrusive ways to uh restrain a student um until they're
safe. Um, it can only be used uh while the while while the the harm the potential fire harm exists. Um, so as soon as a student is calmed or or or calms um it has to be ended. It can it
can't be done if there's any kind of like you know if if a student is presenting as maybe having a hard time breathing or um if there's like you know if they you know if they say they're having a hard time breathing things like that um it needs to be discontinued. Um
they need to be monitored while it happens. So, you know, ideally when a when a restraint happens, you have someone who's watching, who's timing, but also kind of monitoring from a not afar, but from a side, you know, how the students doing. And that
person's kind of in charge and say, "Hey, you know, you know, Connor's looking like he's he's in pain. You need to stop." Like that. That's that person's job is to do that. >> Um, and ideally two people taking part in it. um you can do it with one person,
but the potential for injury grows more when you have fewer people um that are actually doing it. If you're trying to restrain more limbs as one person, um you know, flailing and hitting can occur. Um, you know, I ideally physical
restraints don't happen, but in times when when um someone is going to be be hurt than um than than they could need to. >> Yeah, I would just that that is totally reflects what we've talked about in
subcommittee. I think I would just add that, you know, we'd had a lot of conversations just around um when this might be necessary, what other options we would have besides restraint
>> and also thinking about like not only have we taken some time reviewing like the statute and other policies, but also just like thinking about our particular school district. So like for example, we talked about how our ideal preference would be that the school nurse responds
to every restraint >> and is designated to monitor the student and make sure that the student is safe. However, you know, we also kind of were in this position where we're like, well, if the nurse is out sick or can't get there in time, like can we really put
that in the policy? Even though this is like a procedure that we would advocate for. So, we're kind of wrestling with like how to express these things while also realizing that this is a policy designed for true emergencies. It's really it's not like a routine policy at
all. Right. Um I will just add that there are in the statute like certain regulations around like medication restraint and prone restraint and we as a subcommittee decided that's just not something that's within our scope in at at in Hatfield schools and that we're
not interested in pursuing. So, while the law has, you can see it's like crossed out in yellow here, the law has certain provisions for prone restraint, we don't feel it's a safe practice. And we feel that if we were really at that level where there was a behavior we truly couldn't manage, we would >> call
>> we would call the police and we just be like seeking outside help if it was truly that severe. um because it's it's just like not really a safe practice and it's not something that we would like be able to like maintain skills on and also
that philosophically we disagree with. >> Yeah. And the train that we do says don't do >> also that right like the specific program that we use for training is like it's too dangerous don't do it and so we just don't even want it in the policy. >> Yeah. >> Or more specifically in the policy we
said Hatfield Public Schools does not use prone restraint. Yeah. So like these are just some of the things that we're kind of wrestling with and you know maybe at the next meeting is a better time for feedback but we did want to like bring it forward just so
people can start thinking about it. >> Having the conversation tonight is really helpful. Yeah so that we can give you better feedback. Thank you. >> And it does clearly state that um any staff who is going to do a restraint has to have been trained.
>> Yep. It's like specific people in the building who are trained. And >> if a student is is in a situation where there's some self harm possibly involved like they're they're acting in such a manner, >> are we required to restrain or like like
is there is there like an issue where like like failure to act is worse than acting? >> I just wonder where a liability is either way kind of. >> Yeah. I I >> because it seems a little odd to require something where then that employee could then become harmed. But >> yeah, I I I would have to look at the
statutes. I don't know like I know that there are um in some states there are like good Samaritan laws where if you intervene you cannot be held liable. Um, as long as you intervene within the scope of your like, you know, if someone's choking and you give them the
himlick and they still die, you're you're li you're not liable. But if you give them a tracheotomy that you're not trained to do, then you would probably be um but the like the um I I don't exactly know how that pertains to this
in Massachusetts. Um but I will reach out to legal for that. Yeah, I was going to say that definitely that's something that we should be, you know, exploring with legal and also like specifically in the CMR and written in the policy. The the standard really is that it's an
emergency procedure of last resort except when there's a threat of like assault or imminent serious physical harm and the student is not responsive to verbal directives. So, I do think that there's like a spectrum of behavior that we're looking at. And so, like the key point is going to be like this
imminent serious harm. Um, and we should clarify that as much as possible. >> Yeah. Because what's a serious harm for one may not be a serious harm. >> 100% agree. And that's just how the CMR is. So, you know, we'll get more feedback on that specifically. >> Yeah. And it's and and truthfully,
you're you get into the realm of judgment calls here, too. Whereas, you know, you have a student who might be like pounding on the wall. um but they're right next to a glass window. You know, pounding on the wall might not be dangerous, but if they smash that glass and slice their arm, it could be.
Um so, how do you you know, in that case, you're looking at, okay, how can I maybe without restraint, how can I guide that student away from the wall or from the from the window? Um how often does this actually come up? Like >> not very frequently.
>> But like is this something like like annually? Do we have have at least one instant where it's required? Is it do trends show it happening more often now than previously or not or >> um so so typically we'll have you know maybe a couple in the year I don't we haven't had one at Smith Academy knock
on knock on wood um in in since I've been there um but we you know at the elementary level I mean younger students get more disregulated easier um and may not know when they're doing something that could possibly cause them serious
harm. Um, and so that's, you know, it does happen more more at the elementary setting. So I'd say every year we have, you know, a handful. >> Yeah. >> A couple at the elementary school. >> How many staff at the elementary school are trained?
>> Five. >> And we have two at the high school. >> So how does that work at the like if there's a a situation arises at the elementary school where you need someone and the teacher in the room isn't trained? Is it >> we call for secure um safety care train? >> Okay.
>> So, a call will go out. We need safety care trained personnel to go to this room >> and they just >> and they show up. >> They just flee their classroom and guys will be right back and >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Or I cover a class so they can go. >> Yeah. And >> and sometimes that's just what they're doing. They're deescalating before that
any kind of thing happens. And generally that's generally what ends up happening. But and yeah, unfortunately there are times when we have needed to restrain a student and not only do you have to then like you said in the in the policy is is spoton except that we are also required
to update that update the state. So it's irregardless of an injury, I still have to report that to the state regardless. And and truthfully, like they're, you know, if you have a if you're a teacher in a room and you have a kid with scissors and you see them about to stab
themselves in the leg or something, you're not going to you're not going to wait and pause and go and call the office and say, "Hey, can you send the, you know, the group the like the kids going to stab themselves?" You probably going to just grab their arm and and and that's
and it'll be brief until the group gets there. Um, but you're you're not going to let a kid harm themselves like that. Um, just because you're you haven't taken the 4-day restraint course. Um, >> that that's a quick interaction.
It's not like an actual restraint. >> But if you're restricting movement, you are still technically restraining. That's the big piece. It's restricting someone's movement. >> And there and there are two levels of training that we provide. The first is, hey, um, this is when restraint is
appropriate, and that's for everyone. So, for an example, when someone's like, oh, I'm, you know, if they're going to stab themselves, like say, no, we're not going to we're not going to be doing that right now. Um, technically that would be counted as a restraint. We would need to document that because you're restricting. So, like even if they're going to hurt themselves, you're
restricting that movement of that arm. That's a restraint. Um, the other is for those, you know, more de deregulated students that need like a longer, okay, we're going to we're going to sit with you for, you know, two minutes while you
come so you don't do this. Um, that's that's where the, you know, that that trained team comes in. But I do think it's important to get some clarity from legal about okay what should go into our policy to to protect staff that you know
it it happens fast you know it can it can happen quick and um sometimes the staff who are present are not going to be the ones that have gone through that that formal course. >> Yeah. and and to protect our students. And I really think that like one thing
that I just have continually reflected on as we have started our review of this >> is that genuinely my preference would be to be like a restraint free school. Like I would I would I would love to be a restraint free school and I honestly think that should be our goal.
>> Um I also like definitely understand that emergencies arise. Um, I do think that like I'm glad that we're looking at this policy and it's really important to treat it with care. I'm also super glad that we revised the other conduct policies first because like really like
helping our students stay regulated and preventing restraint is going to be the best thing. You know what I mean? And then hopefully this is one of those things that we can have written in that people can be trained on. And you know, we have this lovely new PD schedule that like, you know, so everyone is going to
know like how to deescalate these things and then if it does have to happen, um, you know, we can do it safely for everyone involved. I think that we as a district have done a lot of work in the last number of years with
>> SEAL >> and um I wouldn't want folks that are watching this later hearing that oh this happens yearly at the elementary school but not at all at the high school. It's
that we're we're teaching these elementary students >> uh skills to self-regulate and and learning all of these things that by the time we're done with them in the elementary school, they
can move on. They've they've matured themselves enough that they can utilize the skills that we've been teaching them over and over in the elementary school. Um, but we have little kids who haven't.
>> You got to have time to learn. >> They have to learn and it takes time and some might need more time. But um, I believe that we're doing all the right things to give >> students uh, the tools and the skills to learn.
>> Yeah. >> So, this one will come back next month. >> Oh, for sure. We have a lot of work to do on it, but we just wanted to like be able to start having this conversation if you have thoughts or preference on how to >> I'm appreciative that you're taking the time on this. >> Yeah. >> And you know, when you have something
some time to kill and you need to read something, um, >> go to the 11 page something. Sure. >> Give us some feedback because we'd really like that. Thank you. Thank you for all the work that appreciate the work on this.
>> So that is the end of our agenda this evening. Is there a motion to adjourn? >> First, let me just ask Dr. Driscoll, what is the last day of school this year? >> June 23rd. >> Yes. >> And last day for preschool, >> June 18th. >> Okay, that's all. We just wanted that in
there. >> Is that on the um website now? >> I don't know if it's on the website. I definitely sent it on my newsletter last week, though. >> I I saw that. I did appreciate it on the newsletter. >> I'll keep updating. I'll just keep that in there as a constant. >> And I haven't checked today to see if um
Mr. Tran updated the website for that. >> He's been doing a good job of keeping that up there, which is really appreciated. So >> hopefully that's it. >> Don't don't know like don't even >> It's not up there yet. Says June 22nd 3. >> Yeah. No, it's
>> 20 23rd now. >> And with that, that's the end of our agenda. Is there a motion to >> motion to adjurnn? >> All in favor? I >> Thank you. Just shut off.