Thank you. Calling to order tonight's executive session of the Muan School Committee. It'll be held here at the media center at 5 uh 41. Uh, we're going to call to order. Madam Secretary,
>> present. Sorry, let's start over, shall we? Member Keegan, >> present. >> Member McCarthy, >> present. Member Wlette, >> Vice Chair Daglio, >> yes. >> Mayor Bogard. and member Donovan present and member
Abias >> present. >> Is there a motion to accept the agenda? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Member Keegan seconded by Marth Member So.
Any questions about the agenda? >> No. >> No one's on Zoom. All those in favor? >> I I nice have it. Let's stand for the uh flag salute, please.
Pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Anyone here for public participation?
All right, I'll close public uh participation. We're going to go into executive session in a moment. I'll I'll need a a motion to go into executive session pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 3A section 21A2
to conduct strategy session in preparation for negotiations with non-UN personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-UN personnel. And this is on the interim superintendent.
Is there a motion? It's a move second. >> So move goes to member Dunovan. Second goes to member So Royce. Any questions? I don't have anyone on Zoom. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any nays?
Eyes have it. We will go into executive session and then uh we'll come back out to adjourn and go into our next meeting. Thank you. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
Come on. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Here we go. Heat. Heat. Good evening. We're coming out of
executive session and we're going to go uh we're going to vote to end that meeting here now. Uh but first, Madam Chair, uh Madam Secretary, do you mind taking roll call? >> Sure. Member Keegan >> present. >> Present.
>> Yes. here. >> Okay, >> thank you. >> Wlette >> here. >> He's there. >> Donovan is here and bias >> present. >> Great motion to adjourn the executive
session. >> So moved. Second. >> Keeganus. >> Yes. >> Again. >> Yep. Sorry. Parliamentary procedure. >> I know. I know. Keegan, >> yes.
>> McCarthy, >> yes. >> Daglio, >> yes. >> Bugard, >> yes. >> Wlette, >> yes. >> Donovan, yes. And Bayz, >> yes. Great. So, that meeting is adjourned. I'm going to go straight into our special meeting of the Mthuan School
Committee to being held tonight, June 29th at 6:08 p.m. in the media center here at Mthuan High School, one Ranger Road, Methuan Mass. As always, you can watch uh live on channel 6 Comcast and channel 31 Verizon. All business
sessions and workshop sessions are televised and recorded. Please note that our executive session earlier was not televised or recorded. Digital meeting packets materials can be found linked to the agenda posted on the school committee web page of the Methan Public Schools website. Calling to order. Madam
Secretary, please take role. >> Okay. Vice Chair Daglio. >> Yes. >> Member Donovan Grassi. Yes. Member Bayz, >> present. >> Member Keegan, >> present. >> Member McCarthy So,
>> present. >> Member Wlette >> here. >> And member Bogard >> here. >> Thank you. Um just for everyone um watching tonight, Mayor Boergard is
virtual and member Wlette is also virtual. Um is there a motion to accept the agenda? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Second to member Keegan. Is there any amendments or Yes. Member Keegan. Um I'd
like to amend the agenda to move the um policies to the end to very to the very last thing. Um >> so before six or after five >> sorry um after five and before six.
>> So yes >> exactly right there. >> So just for clarification >> yes >> you would want three and four moved to after five. >> Five. Correct. >> Okay. So, we're moving five to after two to make it easier. And let's So, let's
do a motion to move five. >> Yes. >> To after two. >> Yes. I would like to make that. >> Perfect. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second of Member Soy. Roll call, please. Oh, excuse me. Is there any other
amendments >> we want to get rid of? >> Yes. >> Yep. >> I'd like to amend the agenda to remove number two from the agenda. >> Okay. So it'll be one, five, three, four, six.
>> Yep. >> There you go. >> Yes. >> Yep. >> Okay. And that was member Keegan and McCarthy. >> Okay. >> So, Vice Chair Daglio, >> yes. >> Member Donovan Grassi, yes. Member Bayz,
>> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member McCarthy Soy, >> member Wlette, >> yes. and Mayor Bard. >> Yes. >> Great. Anything else? We'll motion uh to approve as amended.
>> So moved. Second. >> Member Soy then seconded by member Keegan. Roll call, please. >> Okay. Vice Chair Daglio. >> Yay. >> Donovan Grassi. Yes. Member Bayz. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan.
>> Yes. Member McCarthy Soy, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes. >> And member Bora, Mayor Borard, >> yes. >> Okay. >> All right. That was approved as amended unanimously. All right. Let's stand for
the flag salute, please. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right.
So, we're going to go right into number five. School choice for school year 2027 2028. Member Wlette, you have the stage. >> So, I'll be making a motion to reconsider, Mr. vice chair if that's an
order as a prevailing side. >> That's not what's on the agenda. Member Roulette, this is saying for school year 2728. >> Well, we can start the process of discussing, but I think there was some
members that wanted to bring concerns to the table as well. So like that I will defer to the other people that were advocating for school choice and then I will recall my remarks towards the end.
>> So clarification school year 2728's a year from now. >> No, I understand that but there were some concerns from some of the members of the committee uh that would they wanted to bring to the table. >> All right. Is there any you want >> chair? Can I chime in with some context?
>> Sure, please. briefly. So, uh, member Wlette had reached out to the superintendent and I about the idea of a reconsideration on his part regarding the vote on school choice for uh, the year that is about to
begin. And the superintendent had shared, and you can uh feel free to chime in, uh she had shared information about how the deadline for taking that vote for the upcoming school year per Massachusetts state law uh had come and
gone. And so at this point, there's no change to be made for the uh upcoming school year. However, you know, perhaps this is something to discuss well in advance of the following year. But uh this is simply I think a response to uh
that indication about how the deadline had passed. >> Okay. >> So so from my perspective I would like to ask for an advisory from our legal council as well as an advisory from the city solicitor on this and also a notice
from the uh from Desi on this as we proceed. Uh again um I I'm going to be in favor of school choice in order to save jobs. So that was my uh motus operande was to save jobs, teachers jobs
and I'm very concerned if the state is uh pigeon holing us so to speak and uh restricting us if we wanted to and uh again we're talking about still in June and then you have July and August going into the September school year that we
cannot uh engage in reaching out to neighboring communities for school choice in order to save teachers jobs. Now, I think this the Senate uh is sending the package as part of the conference and we await those numbers and again I applaud the mayor on the
GIC, but that's going to be in January. So, I'm interested in in saving as many jobs as possible. If we can forall uh terminating any jobs uh from the process, I'd be in favor of that. But I thought that a limited experiment
working with uh the school choice uh colleagues and since we already were victorious, the mayor, the vice chair and myself, especially myself advocating for the GIC for 25 years, I wanted to pivot to school choice because uh I've
had conversations with uh the mayor and and member Bayz in keeping with the quorum and open meaning law uh and again advocating for school choice and then the the superintendent was aware of those conversations. I thought it was a
compromise to do school choice. Now, I'll defer to the superintendent and her uh legal interpretation, but respectfully, I would still ask for a legal advisory from our legal counsel in conjunction with the city solicitor and reaching out to Desi. And if it's
something that has to be corrective legislation, I definitely would like to entertain that because the local level has to be given greater tools in order to uh save jobs and to make sure services are provided. We're doing a GIC
and we're doing constellations and we're working with our partners on the city council. I thought school choice even a limited experiment. I thought the merits outweighed the disadvantages and there was going to be some uh compromise or maybe at the next budget session with
member Bayz and I having a conversation about potentially having a truency officer to strengthen residency enforcement. So, member Bayz was operating in good faith. I believe the mayor was operating in good faith. I'll defer to the superintendent, but I'm
also le seeking that legal advice. So, that's my perspective. Thank you, >> Madam Superintendent. >> Thank you. Um, Mr. Wlette did share with me his his wish to reconsider. Uh, what gave me pause was that we needed to have
the hearing followed by the vote by June 1st. by June 1st of the preceding school year. And also there's some language that states that by July 1st we would need to send to Desi um our students who are out of district but will be
attending Mthuan public schools for that school year. Um, so, uh, I thought the idea was, um, that member Wlette was suggesting that we start brainstorming early, um, for the following school year as to and spend the fall thinking about
what that would look like um, as we're simply out of time for this coming school year. >> Thank you. And and just for clarification, didn't we take two votes on that? >> Yep. >> Yes.
>> So, after it fails twice. >> The f the first didn't follow the hearing. So there was there was some question as to the validity of that vote. So we we again put it on the agenda this time following a hearing
and then proceeded with the vote um prior to the June 1st deadline. >> Okay. All right. Member Bias. >> Thank you, Mr. Vice through you. Uh so I can confirm that member will wlet and I have had discussions about our
to the extent of wanting to save jobs looking at no matter what number the state comes back with to us that we will be uh unfortunately perhaps um losing some positions. And so we have discussed the the idea of school
choice as a opportunity to um create revenue. And so I am also wary of the procedures that we have taken that we have uh taken place in the past. Uh and so the law is pretty clear. Um
the school committee must have a vote a public hearing on or before June 1st to discuss a possible change in the school choice policy. Um and as the madam superintendent correctly uh advised uh
chapter 76 subsection 12B section E refers to the first day of July as a reporting date for the numbers of enrollment in out of district students. However, in that same subset, in that same
section, section E, uh the state also requires the district to report numbers in October and in April.
So, because school choice is an open enrollment um not tied down to July, uh the thought is that a school choice program would probably be zero enrollments in
July, but perhaps 20 in October and maybe more in April depending on the availability of seats determined by the administration. Um so again by May 1st the superintendent administration team is supposed to report availability of
seats um tuition etc etc. By June 1st, the committee is bound to have a public hearing on the matter. Um, notwithstanding specific language on votes, but rather a public hearing. And the reporting numbers are in terms of an
open enrollment in terms of July, October, and April in that same subsections. Um, so my perspective is that I urge my colleagues here on the school committee to reconsider their school choice vote in terms of saving
jobs, having an opportunity here to reform the way that we do things here in Mthuan for the better for the fact that we can try and help our employees, our staff, and our faculty, our students um, in a way that is available to us now.
Thank you. So point of clarification, we can't do anything for 2627. >> That's my understanding because while we do report enrollment numbers at those times of year that member Bayas stated,
those are our uh enrollment numbers of who we currently have in the district. I thought that the language was for the July 1 deadline that the outof district students needed to be reported by that date. Can you get
>> this? I I haven't heard from many members of the committee on this except for member Wlette, so a lot of this discussion is new to me. >> Okay. >> Um if you don't mind getting a recommendation from Desi on if it's too late. However, we're not talking about
2627 as the chair of this meeting. That's not what the agenda states. It says 2728. So if we would like to talk about 2728, great. If not, I will move on. But what I will say is is let's get our house in order first before we start inviting
others in. Like that's the one thing that needs to happen. Let's get our house in order because we have a lot that could be done with our current student population that needs to get done first than inviting other students to our district. Because if I had a chance, if if I'm another one student
living in, let's say, Georgetown that doesn't want to go to Georgetown High or the Tri school system, if I could pick Newberry Port over Methuan, I'm probably picking Newberry Port. I'm not picking Mthuan. And let's change that mindset. All right, let's change that mindset first because I don't hear anyone
knocking at the door. All right, let's fix the problem first. Our population is overwhelming in two of our actually three of our five schools. All right. And if I really want to think about it, I would love with like the
2728 year or if we want to think about it sooner is what if we did school choice with new residents coming into district? Like how amazing would it be if I lived in the Tim or Tenny district and I know my class size is going to be a little bit bigger and the population's a little
bit lower at the marsh or the CGS and I had the ability as a new student to potentially pick a school within Mthuan to go to like Lel does that Lawrence does it. If you move into the district you can pick your school. I would love to look into something like that to help
balance the population and that also might help with certain housing markets. If I buy a house in the Timin district, I have the ability to go to a different school system through a lottery. How amazing would that be for the housing market in the Timin and the Tenny district? Vice versa, Marshian CGS
district. If I want to if I have a really good teacher over the Timnney or Tenny or the grades are better or maybe, you know, heck, maybe I kind of want to go to the Tenny or Timnney. If the opportunity is there, why not send myself there? Maybe we should look at our house first
before we open the door, Mr. Chairman. >> Yes, Mr. Wlette. >> So, and all due respect to you, and this is something that I've been really racking my brain over for many years.
I'm very strong with the residency enforcement advocacy, but what I've noticed is the demographic numbers are collapsing. Over the past x amount of years, we experienced roughly a 10% reduction in our student population.
And just recently, because of national politics, regardless of someone's ideology, we're experiencing another decline in our student population. So we're not uh limiting or you know
controlling the tide of outward uh migration from our school system. So like in another x amount of years if we experience another 10% reduction. So we would have 10 uh 20% in total over the
last let's say 10 15 years that's not sustainable as a school system. Meanwhile, enrollment numbers are directly related to how much chapter 70 money we receive. So, every year it's going to be a a spiraling uh death
spiral of we're not going to have enough resources and now we can do internal reforms. And again, I'm on board with having an outside consultant discuss uh redistricting and explore other
possibilities, including what you're intimating tonight. But like again, that would be an outside consultant that I would be in favor of. But I'm looking purely at the demographics, and the demographics are
very damning. We've lost uh 10% as reflected I believe in the in the cultural audit and in uh prior meetings with uh former mayor uh Perry was a 10% reduction and we're experiencing uh out
migration due to a to a number of state and national factors. So when are we going to be stemming the tide of uh out migration and stemming the tide of uh enrollment declines? I'm not sure. But I
need to explore as a dulyeleed member of the school committee in terms of saving jobs. Now again, if we're going to approach the state and find out if we have any capacity to do a a waiver and based on a a further reflection of what
member bias indicated that if we have any flexibility, if you're looking at different benchmarks in the calendar year of going into October for reporting numbers, then I think we need to as a school committee explore this along with
other reform measures unless the city council is going to step in, but then the mayor indicated that uh free cash is going to be frozen by a certain point. So, our hands are tied. So, like short term, I'm trying to save jobs. That's my
modus operande. Now, in terms of your grandiose uh redistricting dreams, again, I would be in favor of an outside consultant to help us guide through that process. I would not want the school committee itself to be manipulating that
process based on my prior experience with redistricting and the trench warfare. So, I'm not understanding like whatever we receive. Again, you're right. The agenda item reflected the next school year, but I needed to have my voice heard without violating the
open meeting law and doing back channels. the superintendent. I try to communicate as much as possible and I spoke to the mayor and and and member Bayz in keeping with the open meeting law because I was very concerned about saving jobs. Now, I'll sit down any time
with the state and say, "Listen, we need to have the tools to help with the school district that has declining enrollment." Now, again, realignment of schools that should come for a professional consulting report. It should not emanate from the school
committee. We're not the experts. We're not the professionals in that matter. So, that would be it. Thank you. >> Oh, okay. I don't know. Member member Dunovan, go ahead. >> No, I'm sorry. I I just need a little clarification. Maybe member Bayas, you
can help me out because you've been part of this conversation. So, is this dis It's not on the agenda. We're looking at next year according to the agenda, but then we shouldn't I probably shouldn't ask this question. Putting this on the agenda with was the
intent to discuss making school choice happen at some point in the upcoming school year even though it doesn't it's not reflected in the agenda. I'm very confused about what this discussion is supposed to be about. I've heard about redistricting in it now three times, but
it's not. So, well, from in my perspective, >> well, because apparently you had a discussion with member Wlette. >> So, in my perspective, intra school choice was also not on the agenda. And yet, we still had I said intra school choice was not on the agenda yet. It was discussed today as an idea. So, so
there's that. But, um, for me, >> uh, school choice is school choice where we are debating the policy of school choice, whether that be um, this coming school year or for next year. >> My discussion my discussion has been
about the benefits of school choice. I haven't said 26 27. I haven't said 20 uh 25 26 or 26 27 27 28 I have talked about the merits of the policy >> right >> in my from my perspective >> asking your personal no offense not your
personal opinion not anyone's personal opinion but what are we talking about right now that's all this year or next year that's what's not clear to me and I know we all have a thought and I respect everybody's but what are we doing right now I'd feel better if I felt the ground
underneath me be a little firm. >> I think we're moving on because everyone has their own opinion and I'm sorry, intra school choice. I said something about 2728. So, if we're going to get in a match back and forth, I'm going to close discussion on this. Is there anything else about 2728? Because all
I've said tonight and anyone that's supposed to be talking about this is supposed to be talking about 2728. Anything about next year, put it on the agenda. >> We're not going to let this meeting get out of control. >> Yes. The only thing they asked Mr. >> Member, we'll let you're out of order. I
didn't call on you yet. >> Okay. >> Member So, >> the only thing I would ask is that um we wait till we see the October 1st number before we take a vote. Um I think it's a little early in the game to take a vote right now until we see the October 1st
numbers. Um, I mean, I I'm on board with school choice, but I just would like to see the October 1st number before we decide on anything for the school year 2728. And I think if we look at that, I think in October, we'll have plenty of time to
get everything together for the May, June, and July dates. >> Member Wlette, do you have something to add towards 2728? >> Yes, Mr. Chairman, our vice chair, I would just again just to reemphasize
that I'm seeking legal advisories from our legal counsel, from the city solicitor, and from Desi as to any possible waiver of the process, and then in a future meeting, we could put it on the agenda based on my opinion that we
could do it because the we've had other discussions that involve the necessity of legal advisories. So to say that we don't we're not understanding what the agenda is. We're working to reintroduce the concept of a discussion of school
choice. Now the vehicle tonight might not be that but doesn't preclude us from having a conversation because we're talking about either the future or seeking legal advisories. They're all part of the same package. We're not taking a formal vote. I
realize that based on what the superintendent's interpretation is. I just happened to ask for outside legal opinions on this and wondering if Desi will provide a waiver based on what member bias and I are interpreting from the law. That's it.
>> Yep. Madam superintendent, will you be getting this request? >> Yes, I already noted it. >> Thank you. Please keep us updated on it. Moving on. We have the uh MASC policy review section one approval. We
need to remove it from the table. >> So moved. >> Motion from member Keegan. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second from member Soy. Uh roll call. Roll. Uh any discussion on the removing it from the table?
Seeing none. Member Dunovan. Roll. >> Vice Chair Daglio. >> Yes. Member Dungrassi. Yes. Member Bayz, >> yes. >> Member Keegan, >> yes. >> Member McCarthy Soy, >> yes. >> Member Wlette, >> yes.
>> And Mayor Borard, >> yes. >> All right. Uh, moving on to the actual review of it. Um, is there a motion to approve?
>> So moved. >> Second. Member Bayz first. Uh, member Keegan seconded. >> Okay. >> Roll call. Oh, yeah. Discussion. Sorry. Discussion. >> I have a question quickly. Is this an
approval for first read or second read? >> This would be technically a second read. Okay. >> But because of some things, I would recommend a table at the end, but you guys could do whatever you want. >> But, uh, member Bayz, wherever you left off, if I recall, it was around uh, >> Do we need to vote?
>> No, no, we're we're in >> we're in discussions. We're in discussion. Okay. >> We don't have to vote right now. We We got the first and the second. We're going under section A to review the review section one changes. Member Bayz, where did we leave off again? I apologize. >> No worries. Thank you, Mr. Vice. Uh we
left off on IIB, class size. Um we were able to finish that in terms of letting people know that our recommendation is to remove this policy. Um so our next one would be J. And since um most people have had the opportunity
to look at these policies, um I'll just be uh asking if anybody has any questions and trying my best to answer or refer to the other subcommittee members and madam superintendent um to better answer those questions or appropriately discuss recommendations or
amendments. Um so uh for these next couple of policies and I am speaking about specifically Jig JR JL JL E1 E2 E3
JL A J and so yeah and JLA those policies our subcommittee collectively are noting no recommendations at this time leave asis. Those are all policies uh pertaining to instructional materials
um library resources and we will note that the subcommittee in with in conjunction with another member of the committee and the superintendent are working to diligently work through uh these policies in terms of specific
language compromises and uh thoughtful debate to come back to us with a recommendation of their own. Um we believe at this time it is best to leave them as is um until we hear back from
those members. Again those are policies Jig Jr. JL, E1, E2, E3, and J L A. So, members, superintendent, do you have
any comments on that before I ask if there's any questions about that? Because I see a lot of red here. And if we're not changing anything, I'm assuming then those red lines are not happening. Am I correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. Any comments, concerns?
And that will continue to reflect in the current clean version. Correct. >> In our last uh hopefully it it is my hope that my colleagues table this matter at the end and then we were a we're able to provide a new clean copy with changes made tonight >> and changes that obviously are reflected
in our recommendations. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Of course. >> All right. If I'm not seeing any comments uh then I believe the next one in line is JLA. Am I correct in that? J ND >> ND sorry ND >> and that is access to digital resources.
Again everybody has had the time to review so I would just open it up to questions right away. And this aligns and just the one question I had with this one was this aligns with our current technology policies like on like YouTube and access
I'm assuming too digital resources that meets the policies need member superintendent or the the city mandate of not allowing social media. >> Yes. >> Because I don't see that called out in
this one. So, this is an example of um policy language that points to the procedure. >> Okay. >> And the procedure would be what would outline all those pieces? >> Yeah. All right. I'm good then. If there's any questions, comments,
concerns, anything on the online team here? >> Yeah, Mr. Chairman. >> Yes, Mr. Will. Go ahead. >> Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chairman. uh through the chair to uh the chairman of the subcommittee buyers. I had sent an email to his attention reflecting my
concerns about the uh children's internet act and um promoting uh certain material online through our media center and uh hopeful that notification to parents would be at a future uh
consideration either from the subcommittee or from the administration or from the full committee. I feel that we're exposing ourselves if we do not have a notification process that's strong uh to parents at home uh in terms
of online material that's being promoted by the media center. So I've reflected that in an email to uh member Bayz and then it was the social policy aspect of it. I had concerns as well and when that
opportunity arises I would like to be able to speak on that as well but I I don't have the official policy with me but I did review it previously. >> Thank you Mr. Anything else from the committee?
>> Seeing none Mr. Bayz. >> Thank you. Our next policy is uh use of technology instruction file JNDB. Any questions? If there are none and none on Zoom
world, uh all yours to move on to JNDC if there's no comment. Yes. So acceptable use of digital resources. Uh this is recommended adoption. You could see that
we have some um red lines there. Um so we actually had a lot of discussion about you know what we expect um our our students to sign especially if they're of a certain age. But I'll open it up to
discussion. if not uh so policy JN DD um policy on social media um and Mr. Vice through you I know member Wlette has some concerns
>> Mr. If I may thank you Mr. chairman uh for recognizing me through the chair to uh chairman bias of the subcommittee. The two items that I brought to your attention that I hope that either the subcommittee, the administration or the full body will consider uh two items uh
I have concerns if an employee of the Mthoran public schools at some point is pedalling uh products or services that would profit them personally. Um, so I'm concerned about that based on uh actions
of certain employees or outside parties in the past linked to the Mthoran public schools. And then secondly, in terms of uh dealing with any type of uh sexual activity, uh there is a process for termination as
deemed uh necessary by the administration, but there is no specific language about referrals to outside law enforcement or to DCF. So in the context of the legislation that needs to be
filed on the hill in terms of there's still consent between adults in the Mthorne public schools in 16 and 17 year old students in terms of uh sexual activity. There's a loophole at the state level. I think is a loophole
potentially here of if it involves any type of sexual activity uh indiscretion inappropriate potentially criminal potentially a termination factor that there's no specific language for uh referral to law
enforcement or to referral to DCF and I would just emphasize that that's something we should strongly advise and that this the committee as a whole should be on record that there should never be uh consent between employees,
adult employees in the Mthorne public schools hypothetically and uh students that are uh 16 and 17 year old that would be under uh state law of a major loophole. I'm not saying it's occurring. Um I know we've been
very vigilant but hypothetically I think we're talking about major loopholes that as a committee and as uh you know just as parents and as elected officials we should be very vigilant upon. So that's the only thing I can reflect to uh member bayers the subcommittee the
administration the full body thank you >> if I may. Uh so uh member wlette in terms of your concerns u that were um brought up. So
the selling products to from uh from faculty to students um we believe that it is best to have that as its own policy especially since this section section I is about instruction. Um and so uh we have specifically noted
that it's it's not a an idea that we disregard. It's an idea that in fact we would like to find its place. Um but we believe that it's not best suited for for this specific section. Um and in regards to your other concern, um we
defer to the procedures that are outlined in in terms of referrals to DCF when it is appropriate and law enforcement when it is appropriate specifically to the administration in terms of that those procedures are set in place in terms of policy versus
procedure language. um and would invite the MA the uh acting superintendent to talk about especially some of the red line here why we chose to have accessibility language espec specifically if you could talk about the new application that we have that we
were very excited we're very excited as a district to roll out that will be useful in terms of explaining the practicality of this policy. >> Sure. So um what member Bayas was referring to
is uh through the athletic department um and also it will be in in fine arts for band and sports and clubs and the like. Um, we are moving to an app that many districts use across Massachusetts and
one that is um recommended by the athletic director association. And the app um provides a mechanism for athletes or participants and coaches or adviserss to communicate um and then also provides the district the mechanism
to uh oversee those communications m much like we do with talking points or um email between uh a faculty member and a student. Um so that would eliminate the the necessity uh for students to be
communicating through cell phone um as this policy has recommended on e um notes that faculty and staff will not give out their cell phone number because they will no longer need to because we have provided um this app. Uh, and so
what we're working on now, I know there are some teams that were piloting this uh toward the end of the school year, um, Mr. Ryan, who's our athletic director, and some of the administrators at the high school are putting together some expectations to roll that out, um,
for this coming school year. >> Thank you for the context. Any other questions on this? >> Yeah. Um, I'm just curious with um teachers may not friend or follow current students on social media.
Um, I know that happens. So, I I I I don't know how you enforce that. I don't know how how you can enforce that. I mean, while we know it's not something adults should be doing, we do, you know, it's you could go on any
time and see that teachers and students follow each other. Um, so I'm just curious, you know, what would be the ramifications? My second question is and I don't know if it belongs in here and I appreciate the new approach with the teams and band
but I also know that there is sometimes communication on different apps like Class Dojo which um you know it's a great app but it is not something that the district to my understanding could
keep a record of. Um so is that any would that belong in this policy or I I'm just curious what you think. Do we need a policy to make it clear that if teachers are communicating or staff are communicating with parents, it needs to
be on some sort of platform that the district would have access to. I wonder if that's covered um by 1B and that the contact should be uh through the district's computer and
telephone system. Um perhaps we could add some language there. It's a little bit clearer. Um but what what is discussed by the subcommittee um pretty regularly is uh the need to remind and share these expectations um
with staff in the community uh at the start of the school year and throughout. Um in the instances where I have seen um over my my 20 years here certainly nothing necessarily recent where there may be an uh a student or teacher
following each other on social media. It's always been um a meeting with the administrator and the staff member uh most always who is unknowing or unaware of the policy and then quickly rectifies that. But I think that that blanket
review um with clarity of the expectation is is necessary as well. So I I I think there could be some room to clarify language wise in terms of platform even maybe even adding the word platform. >> I think you know what I would just
appreciate that because I know it's done innocently. people love that platform especially in the you know lower grades um because you can share a lot but I think it needs to be very specific and I would just appreciate that
and I would certainly leave it to the discretion of the committee and I I do think that you know I appreciate and I know most people know the dangers of communicating with you just social media in particular but sometimes I think these recommendations if we if you
really can't enforce it. It It just seems like an empty I don't know expectation. So, and I have no no offering on how to address that, but I would appreciate at least a mention of complying with PLA
certain platforms. Member Donovan, could you be very clear about what you want added um and even maybe make an amendment so that we can um make sure it gets added? >> Should be through the district's um accepted or approved platforms,
computer and telephone systems. >> So member Dunovan, you are referring to section B. >> Yes. All electronic contacts with students should be through the district's computer >> accepted. >> Accepted. So the amendment would be
through the district's accepted platforms com or approved platforms. Okay. Would you like to make that official? >> Sure. >> I'd like to move that that be included in section 1B.
>> Second. >> Any comments on that? Okay. >> Well, yeah, it was a member by second by me. >> Okay. >> You want to take role on that change? >> Sure. >> Before we take a a vote on that, can we just clarify the the full sentence as as it reads amended or or or as it would
read amended, please? >> All electronic contacts with students should be through the district's approved platforms, computer, and telephone system except emergency situations.
>> Thank you. You're good with that second and clear clarity. You still good with that second? >> Can May I just ask a >> We're in a motion here, but >> I'm fine with it. >> Okay, now we're in discussion. Members, sorry. No, no, no. I just want to make sure we got everyone's on the same page and we're all good with it. I just
wanted to double check because what I originally wrote down that you said um districts accepted platforms or approved platforms >> approved >> just approved not accepted. Okay, thank you. >> Nice. >> The only question is is do you have an
approved list that's published? The word approved um makes me feel as though there needs to be a process for approval. >> Correct. >> Unless we are we are issuing the list
which we're in the works of doing anyway. A re recommendation for the type of communication and the platform um talking points I see email that we would recommend staff members use just to clarify that. So that could double as
the approved list. Um, but it's generally the platforms that we as a district are providing, not that there's a seeking of permission. >> Like I don't I mean I just want to be careful with this too. like we're getting to like a whole different world
here because I know it's innocent, but I've seen teachers in the high school post different trips that were overnight trips with multiple teachers and students and they might have tagged the teachers, but the students are in the photos on their social media. I've seen
it with back is it backstage 22, right? Or stage stage door 22. stage door 22 where you know the the the theater director and teacher have posted photos on their social media about how proud they are of their students that week but they might have not tagged a student
they might have t a parent or or even tagged you know another faculty member. So are we saying also now that we we're going to start monitoring if a teacher or a facilitator or even our principles
and superintendent posting on social media accounts on the the the city's social media accounts because again that's not an approved me like Facebook we use Facebook we use Twitter or X we use uh LinkedIn for some of
these things too. I mean there are other social media websites we use that would have this inappropriate behavior potentially. You're now saying something honest is going to be taken out altogether. So
like no teacher next year or principal or even the superintendent can post on Facebook potentially anything of student students because what happens if a student says oh that's me I'm going to tag myself in it. It might not you might
say Facebook is not an approved form of communication now we can't do that. Am I wrong here? you're >> so so um the way that I'm reading this policy is in terms of contact of of
>> but a photo could be a contact. If I post a photo and then I tag the student, >> you'd be contacting the student. >> Correct. >> But that again, we then would say that friending and unfriending
uh students is frowned upon. So, >> so what I'm getting at is a teacher cannot post a photo and then a student can't go tag themsel in it after even if it's a social media. Like we're going to
need teachers now to create Mr. and Mrs. Jones as a Facebook as their own Facebook page potentially as a teacher. So, a professional Facebook page versus a personal one. So, if I'm a coach or a teacher that has performing arts, I'm
just going to use performing arts for example here or band when they go to Disney. Okay. How many people posted on that Disney trip or on any of the competitions this year on Facebook? And then a student might have gone on
Facebook and been like, "Oh, that picture was reposted by Methan Public Schools, but it came from Mr. Doglio's page. So, I'm now going to go tag myself on it. That's a form of contact. We're saying now our teachers and our fac our
faculty can't even promote any of the stuff that have been done in the school. >> Well, anyone can untag in their post. >> Who's policing this though? Is anyone
can be posting a photo? I could post a photo of graduation and Lori, your your your daughter could have tagged herself in it for all I know or Martha, you could have tagged yourself in it or whatever. And then a student that you're you're friends with
could have tagged them in it. Like it is you. We're like opening up a whole can of worms because I could be friends with Lori, but I'm not friends with her daughter and her daughter's going to see the photo and now the students going to tag themselves in it because they're in it.
So, this is going to turn into a domino effect, especially when I look at like a Disney trip. How many facilitators went on that and they were tagged in photos with each other? Students were in the background. I know students started tagging themselves in those photos. What are we
saying? We can't promote that anymore. Or are we saying our teachers are going to have to create a professional page versus a personal page? And if we do that, we can't say Facebook is an accepted website because some of this
bad actor stuff happens on Facebook. >> So I'm just trying to play devil's advocate here. >> Mr. Vice Chairman. >> Yes, Mr. Willlette. So, I just wanted to mention that just as a point of clarification,
don't we have an existing policy of people have to opt into being photographed by the school district officially that if they would be an opt out, they would have Yeah, it's an opt out of not opt in, opt out.
>> Okay. So maybe that's something we need to explore is that specifically I'm opting into being photographed because we're trying to protect the children and certain circumstances and they would have that standing list because like I
thought would be you would be actively saying yes I would I don't have a problem with my children being photographed in official uh items and a byproduct of that might the official trips sanctioned and approved by the
school committee or official events, then that would be covering us. But then we would do is if the student voluntarily tags themsself, then it it's the student doing it, not the school district including these students. So we
would be protected in that front anyways. But that should be emanating from the parents of yes, I have no problem with my children being included in official photos. And we're promoting uh starting to promote a website. And I
think, you know, we we got to catch up to other school districts of having some type of like media uh relationship out there and trying to uh promote the positive aspects of our school district. Like if you look at Salem to Hampshire
and if you look at other school districts, we again we have to upgrade our website and we have to really try to promote the positive aspects of our school district which I think we're doing and I think we're light years ahead of what we've been like from prior
two years. I think we've made a lot of progress, but I think we need to have some maybe common sense items that it emanates from the parents and they would have to do a form saying yes, I have no problem, which I think the vast majority of the parents if it's like sanctioned
official events or things that are approved by the school committee that yes, you occasionally be photographed or no, I'd rather have not my kid be photographed and then they would have a standing list and they would try to do the best they can. But if the student
just, you know, accidentally or voluntarily tagged themselves in a photo just out of the nature of being want to be part of social media, we would be covering ourselves as a school district. But I'm concerned about these these private uh sites or uh maybe potential
for favoritism or tagging people or something outside the reservation based on what's been happening across the country. So I think I mean it's this is a thoughtful conversation and I think you raised some valid points but maybe the vehicle is that the parents would
have to you know again most of the people would opt in but some of the people might opt out because they want to have the privacy of their children protected and they want to not be part of that process. Might be even for religious and moral objections. I'm not
entirely sure but something that we should entertain as a school committee and work on this further. Thank you. >> Thank you, madam superintendent. Do you have a comment? >> Yes. Thank you. Uh there's a few layers to this and one is that that new PR firm that we're going to be working with to
help design the website and um create our social media channels. In our initial meeting with him, um he recommended that there only really be one account for the district on all the different platforms, but only one
account. And that there is a policy that's created to state that if there are other accounts by student groups who sometimes create their own that there's some stock language that clearly um denotes that this is not a
representation of the views of the public school system but is created by students in the club or something of the like. Uh and then was beginning to discuss some other policy language that might be useful for that. So, um I would like to as we move forward with this
partnership, maybe even have him join one of our subcommittee meetings to talk about what are the policies that need to be in place. Is there some language that's missing from what we're working on or is there something entirely different that we need to have down? Um because we certainly want to make sure
that what's being put out on behalf of the district is the district's true viewpoint. Um, and on those channels, I know we're certainly careful uh for who we would be photographing or sharing in terms of photographs.
>> Mr. Vice, I have a question for you. >> Sure. For me directly or >> Yeah. Yeah. I just want to make sure. So, is um you're concerned with the word approved in in the context of >> many of it is about approved because we don't have a list of approved websites.
I also question about the whole social media policy between believe me teachers should not be friends on social media with students until they graduate. End of story. End of story. I I know coaches that aren't actual teachers though that
are you know teacher not even a teacher. They might be a lawyer for you know the the federal government but they are on our co coaching staff. I don't see anything here. Oh, I mean, are we considering them?
Yeah, I do see coach, but they they're not fully >> It's in C. >> It says or any other adult acting in an official capacity and supervising student activities. >> So, I mean, again, we have those those
those people are mentors of those students potentially for years. Hell, they could have their own child like that. What if the we have parents you have I mean I'm not saying you know madam superintendent you have you're
friends with your your boys friends but you know you grew up with those kids who says that you're not like we have teachers here that have been second parents to some of these students. So what are we saying that's a no no too?
Like that's a that's a crossing a line. Like personal and professionalism is two different things. I know what we're trying to do to protect, but I can make an argument that I've known several teachers here before I
even became a school committee member. I knew se Hell, what happens if one of them's an aunt or an uncle and we're all friends. I mean, I know there's a line here, but that's not calling out family. Who know? How do you know that if I'm a student that Mr. Caret's not a cousin?
Now you're entering my personal life and Mr. Caret's personal life to what? For me to validate that I'm an cousin. So I mean there's not a lot of wiggle room here, guys. We're like calling it out for the worst case scenario. Love
the idea, but we're saying approved and we're getting down to some granular stuff here. So, I just want to be careful because we can get into a who says it doesn't turn into harassment almost this policy.
Who's going to be maintaining it? It's like he said, she said and you get a student that doesn't like another student or doesn't like another teacher and this turns into another topic. So, I just want to be careful here >> at the heart of this. I see what you're
saying and that's why I said earlier like how do you enforce this? It's one thing to say everyone don't be friends with folks certain folks on Facebook but we know for whatever reason >> not just Facebook >> Facebook right class dojo is a little different I think but that said is the
whole purpose of not the whole but a significant piece of this would be to make sure if god forbid something went sideways the district would have access if there were investigation or something needed Right. Um, so that said, does
that help the discussion at all? >> No, because I hate to say it. Go ahead. >> That's kind of where I was going to go. >> Yeah. >> Remember Donovan with this because it says that um contacts with students should be
maybe it should that should should be changed through the district computer or telephone system. So I believe that is we would be able to track anything they did on their computer. Correct. >> I think telephone and computer sounds
outdated. Um maybe it's communication systems. I think we're also maybe getting hung up on contact verse communication. >> So exact. Yeah. And so if if I may, um
this is also to what you referenced with the PR team. Um maybe that's a that's a different because this is instruction. This is section I instruction. When we're talking about contact here, you know, it's specifically related to uh for
example, a teacher emailing a student about homework or a coach emailing their uh captains, right? uh through this new website. And so a lot of other types of contact and communication is more informal, not
instructional, not academic, um you know, things that have been mentioned. And so that perhaps is an opportunity for a policy in which uh our consultant can come in and tell us what we need to to consider. But again,
this section is is about instruction and about what you just mentioned, member Donovan, is being able to have uh the availability to an official capacity to know what's going on in certain cases. >> Can I just clar clear clarify one thing?
>> Isn't a field trip considered instruction? >> I think all the offerings of the district are instructional to some So, so, so that's the thing is like if I take a photo, am I now not supposed to send it? Like, if I I can't like I get
the purpose of this. I'm trying to look at it from the eyes of that person that's definitely going to come to the stage and say, "Hey, there's a picture of Nick and Mary Beth here, and Nick's the student, and Mary Beth's the, you
know, principal. Shouldn't they really be on that photo together, or should they be tagged together?" You know, that's the thing. You know, I just I you know, it's going to happen potentially. It's not if, it's when. And so, I just want to be careful here. I get the point
of it. I just think if you're going to have a consulting come in, which we have not RFPD and made an contract and aligned to, then maybe we don't put that approved piece in because again, until we get a list,
we're foreshadowing something that's going to be in a handbook in September. And we're not going to vote on an approved list beforehand because you, me, and the wall could all agree on an approved list and disagree at the same time on what should be there and what shouldn't be. But I am personally
thinking here of that individual that's going to end up with a professional Facebook group or professional X and then a personal X in a personal Facebook. And at some point, what happens if it crosses over accidentally?
That's what we're kind of leaning this down to. So, I'm I'm >> good with my comment. >> So, my concern about like part of me was like, okay, let's just hold on this policy until the consultant comes in and
have them rework it. My worry is is that we've had over the past year multiple issues with social media, with photos being used of students inappropriately, and we have no policy to fall back on to
say that's not okay. And so while I understand that we're not going to be able to police, the thing is is that when something is clearly inappropriate, we have no policy to fall back on to say you can't do that because we you just
broke our policy. Do you see what I'm saying? And so without anything, we have people posting very inappropriately student photos in inappropriate groups. I'm not going to speak towards that. I
don't know. But I'm going to throw one more thing into this wrench. I'm sorry to do it, but AI has not come up at all in any of this conversation. >> Yeah. >> And that's not even in the policy for instruction. I was going to wait until
we finish this, but AI generation is not even in the social media policy. Like, how are we not talking about the biggest topic on the market today? like >> so member uh so vice chair in terms of
AI um the superintendent this summer has uh reassured us that uh with a working group there's desi uh people from desi visiting the district to lended hand in having a framework for an AI policy that aligns with desi regulations um and
furthermore working with the IT department to create a uh very updated policy framework that doesn't exist, but that we we were advised to wait for Desi coming in this summer to give us that framework. Um, and I will note that
Massachusetts just came out with a free online AI course for all residents of Massachusetts that I highly recommend, but it's a good point, Mr. Vice. It's well taken. I would defer to the superintendent to talk a little bit more about that process this summer, but it it is not something that has been
disregarded. >> Thank you. Uh so we we did contract with the DESIE approved consultant um for AI and how to um promote its use appropriately in schools and also be
aware of all the different facets of it. Our staff was really excited about that. many of whom have attended um conferences where this individual was the presenter and um as our first step in August, he will be coming to meet um
in a little bit of a retreat style workshop with the leadership team um to help us frame um how we want to go forth in in governing its use um aligning with Desi's recommendations and that which he's seen in many other districts. Um so
that will help us with the groundwork and he's also going to be with us through the full year for professional development. So all staff will hear the kickoff um his opening um speech about AI and then we'll have focus groups or smaller workshop groups throughout the
school year uh to learn how AI impacts their discipline grade level role specifically. So we're really excited for that. Um but to create something different now might be um premature considering we haven't learned yet from
the expert all the aspects we should be considering. >> Mr. Vice also this is a discussion on the amendment. So >> well approved is an approved approved sites is also AI sites. So, I mean, you
can take a picture or an image into chat GBT or into Mythos or any of that. Like, again, I keep going down the rabbit hole here, but I'm not wrong. you you're you're talking about topics here about an approved and with that that amendment
and this policy itself. I just think we're going to we're going to have to rewrite it mid year with if we're going to have AI come in ne and and educate us over the next few months. We have to have a policy in the next school year
for AI and that's going to fall right into instruction. >> So, motion to move move the question at this point. >> Is there a second or does anyone else have any Well, that doesn't have to need a second actually. Um,
>> this is just on her >> and just on the amendment >> and for clarification, the amendment is all electronic contacts with students should be through the district's approved platforms, computer, and telephone systems except emergency
situations so that everybody's on the same page. You ready? Can I just ask um through you to the superintendent what was >> say point of clarification just for the >> Oh, point of clarification. >> What was it you thought it should be
instead of um computers and telephones, communication systems? Is that what you said? >> Thank you. Take roll on moving the question. >> Just so you know, moving the question then takes the vote amendment.
>> Daglio, >> no. >> Donovan McGrassi, yes. Bayz, >> yes. >> Keegan, >> yes. >> So, yes. Member Wlette, >> yes. >> And Mayor Bogard, >> yes.
Now, uh, voting has amended your amendment. Okay. >> If you can read that amendment for us, Madam Secretary. >> Oh, I didn't write it down. Uh, let's see. Do we want to
include in this what the superintendent said? >> Would you want to? We just moved the question and I asked if you guys had any conversation and no one wanted to and everyone just approved it. So, we're motioning it as amended as moved the
question. There is no amending it until afterwards. >> All electronic contacts with students should be through the district's approved platforms computer and telephone system except
it should say except for emergency situations. Okay. Do we have roll call? >> Okay. All good. >> Member Daglio. >> No. >> Member Graassi. Yes. Member Bayz. >> No. >> Member Keegan. >> No.
>> Member So, >> no. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> Member Bogard. >> No. >> Okay. So, that's one, two, three. >> Two. Yes. 52. >> So, now is Do you guys want to amend it the right way now? >> Yes.
>> Okay. I'd be h who wants to do that? Um, so I'd like to uh make a motion to amend it. All electronic contracts with contacts with students should be through
the district's communication systems except for emergency situations. >> Second. So we have a motion for member Soy, second for member Bayz. Discussion. Do you want a motion to move the
question? We good to go for roll? >> You have a question? >> I'm sorry. Yes. I thought that it was supposed to be all electronic contacts with students should be through the district's approved platforms communication systems except for comm
emergency. >> A friendly amendment to the amendment. >> Yes. >> Okay. Right. >> You accept it. Yes. About you. You accept it. Yes. All right. So now >> Okay. >> Then amended. Amended. Amendment.
>> You guys are killing me today. >> Yes. >> Accepted. You want to read it back so that we'll if there's any other question we'll have roll. >> Yes. It's all electronic contacts with students should be through the district's approved platforms.
What's the word now? >> Communication systems except for emergency situations. >> Sue is gonna have fun with this meeting. I know she is. Any other conversation on this topic? If not, I'll ask for roll.
>> None. Seeing none. Closed. Secretary take role please before someone else. >> Okay. >> Yes. Don't move the question. >> Donovan Graassy. Yes. Bayz, >> yes. >> Keegan,
>> yes. >> Sus, >> yes. >> Wlette, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Okie dokie. >> All right. We have that amendment on the policy on social media.
Anything else on policy of social media? Member Soy, >> I would like to um motion to add under C. Um the last line,
all groups must include the appropriate administrator as a member. Access to the page will remain with the coach or facil facility advisor. I would like to have a line added that
all accounts and pages must be um reported to the superintendent. The reason why I'm saying that after listening to the discussion is that Dr. Golovsky brought up about the new website administer administrator, excuse
me. And I think that somehow we're going to have to get in touch with him to put those on the website. I think he would not want them on the website. Um, I'm just I'm wondering about
we have sever several students and student groups that run accounts that are not um governed by the coach or faculty advisor. I'm thinking of an Instagram page that celebrates college
acceptances that's totally studentrun. Um, and I do like that part of it. Uh, and I think it says clearly it's not a product of Methan public schools and I don't know that we need to have someone governing that. So, I worry about the
last sentence and see um I I think it's it's more the case that we're streamlining the district's uh methods of communication through social media and then the extras that are created are the extras that are created. That if the district chooses to
repost or reshare one of the postings from a different account, um they they could do so, but it's through that one avenue. That's the district. While we're talking about social media, I'm also thinking about LinkedIn. Um, where there's a lot of
professionals, I'm not one of them that does this, but we'll promote positive things in the district. I see that from many districts around the country with photos and pictures and images. So, it's not just this social channels for the purpose that we're thinking, but also in
those ways, too. >> I could just open a new can of worms for everybody. I didn't want to say, but like DECA, I'm assuming they're creating LinkedIn profiles for DECA and your admin teacher is probably linked up with them.
So, I mean, it's >> Mr. Rice, may I ask you a question? So what are you because I know there are some teachers who have their own Instagram pages and the district may not be aware of it and it's to innocently communicate with kids. So were you
saying in your was your intent to say that staff would have to notify although it says here how um the groups must have an appropriate administrator. I took that right off to think of as like a principal but I don't think you I don't think that was meant. Does that mean a
principal or an account administrator? >> I was just thinking that the superintendent should be aware of any of these groups. So, I'm not sure maybe how to word maybe I'm not wording it correctly. >> Was that your intent though? Was that your question? >> No, that was my intent. >> Okay. And I don't know if the district
I don't know does the district want um teachers to have Instagram accounts to communicate with their kids, their students. Boy, we opened a can of worms. You're right. >> You're leading down an avenue where >> I don't know. It's a legitimate question
because I know there have been some instances where things were posted inappropriately on it. This is maybe a few years back on an Instagram page that the district was not aware of. Uh and it was an innocent the teacher was just communicating with students
about what was going on and it was in a different but do we want that? If we do, I just think what um Mr. Royce is bringing up would be there would have to be some sort of communication. >> Well, I was just looking at at this as Oh, I'm sorry if I share through you.
>> No, you guys are in open discussion. Go. I'm not going to stop you. I'm just looking at something >> where it says team class, student organization pages, accounts, or groups >> and the coach and the um faculty
advisor. I was assuming that was anything to do with the sports, not like a teacher or a coach that's got their own page. I was taking this as anything that's done through those um the coach
as a team, not as just a personal someone going out there and making an an Instagram page. That was the way I was reading that. So >> I I also think and that's a good point. um this whole discussion is is a great discussion that when the madam
superintendent was referring to the new PR consultant um that he come to a subcommittee meeting to enlighten us because I think we're talking about two different things here in terms of this policy where it's teams bands field
trips and then student accounts and groups like a a student uh le mock trial or history club or whatever um I think that's different and should be governed in a different way um with language like not affiliate not affiliated with MDAN
public schools which is what a lot of uh districts use um and I'm hopeful to get that clarification from our PR person but I'm not disagreeing that we don't need it I'm just saying that that might be its own policy within itself is my two cents on that
>> I'll withdraw my motion >> okay >> Mr. Vice Chair, are we still engaging in discussion? >> I'm chime in >> on the policy on social media. Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. If I may. >> Yeah.
>> So, I think to an extent we are over complicating things slightly and trying to build a rocket when we really don't have to do that. Uh so right out of the gate, you know, I think that we're capturing some important factors in the language that the committee has
already put together in terms of the policy language where when we talk about social media, we refer to approved platforms and the like when it comes to communication. I think that that's good. I think that what our consultants going to tell us, it's uh John Gilfoil and his
company, uh the city works with them, the police department works with them, etc. So, we have experience with them and they're very helpful and they'll do a great job for the schools. Uh, but when it comes to the advice that they'll likely give us, they'll say, "Look, you want to have one platform for the
district. You want to make it clear that that is the one official source of information." And then from there, you know, we have uh individual students and their parents that are able to opt out of having information or pictures, things like that shared. The thing that
we need to remember is that when it comes to our schools, our schools are comprised of people. They're comprised of teachers, administrators, staff members, but mainly our students. And so when we talk about wanting to communicate some of the terrific things happening in our schools, they're going
to involve our teachers, they're going to involve our students. So I think that by having you know number one the policy in place that deals with the opt out allowance in terms of uh you know whether parents want their kids uh you
know in the public square to any extent. Having that in place having the fact that this is an official network that will be established on our behalf with Gilfoil uh in place is good. Then beyond that, you know, I think having this common sense notion of, you know, hey,
we have an approved system and this is what we're using. I don't know if we have to go too crazy. I think it's certainly ill advised for any teacher to engage with students outside of the classroom, whether it's through a text message, personally on social media, in any capacity. I think those are uh
individual personnel issues that we have uh procedures for, but in the context of social media, I think it's pretty straightforward. Anything else? All right, moving on to field trips. I J A
>> Thank you, Mr. Vice. Um so we are recommending removal of ours and a adoption of a new JA. Um again you all had extensive time to
to look through these so opening it up for questions right away. Okay. See none. Moving on. Thank you. policy J O community resource persons
slashspeakers. So I actually had one question about JA please. Oh yes that um sorry I seem to have skipped that one. Um again um this is one of those policies that MASC has said that we have that are
is best to be moved um to the handbook um in terms of being in line with the policy above that the field trip and then these are would be the procedures that align with that but go ahead sorry about that. >> So is student trip policy going to be in a separate section of it in the
handbook? I just want to be in I just want to make sure that >> exactly. So the policy would be in our policy manual and then >> so is this going into the handbook this written statement. >> Yeah. The student trip policy
J AAA was recommended to us to be moved to the handbook as it is procedural and would be in line with the practices in the field trip policy. >> Okay. >> I just want to make sure. >> No, no, thank you for reminding me. has seem to have skipped that one in my
endless scrolling. >> And um do we not want to call that out then an oa is to follow the handbook on out of state travel or overnight travel because student trip policy. We want to make sure we're calling that
out in I mean or in the handbook. Do we in our policy should we be calling it out in the handbook is what I'm getting at. This this was recommended for removal by MASC and it was noted as a Mthuan only policy and that other districts don't
typically have it. Um they don't have a policy about how a student should act or >> not in in this place. It would live in the handbook which is another form of policy that would be approved yearly. Um so I think having it there for the sake
of updating as needed and nearly makes sense. Um there also is um the obligation of um the superintendent to bring forth for approval any outofstate or overnight um
trips as well. So you'd be made aware of those prior to um but I I think it makes sense to move it to the handbook. >> Okay, any questions? >> Okay, moving on to um community
resources persons and I J O B straight open up to questions. Mr. Rice, any questions on this? Seeing none. Thank you. File I JC
School volunteers. Any questions? The one question I had on this was um it's a cross reference saying our background checks but are we we didn't mention coreies or anything like this would be required in it. I'm assuming we're Corey
checking. So do we not want to call that out in the policy that we have to Corey and and do checks? I know there's a cross reference piece here, >> but we're not calling it out that that's
required in in most policies that would be called out. >> I believe the um Corey checks are in a different section and they are definitely required. I believe we've already passed those. >> If I'm if I'm not mistaken, that would be section A if I'm not mistaken.
>> Oh, so I wasn't here for any of that. Okay. >> I wasn't either, Mr. Vice. Okay. Do we not want to call it out though? >> So I'm guessing that ADDA is actually the >> background checks is the call cross
reference, right? Okay, >> I'm good then. >> Any other questions on this? If not, file I Kab student progress reports to parents and
guardians. Um, we recommend the subcommittee recommends adoption. >> Any questions on this one? >> Yes, member Dunovan. >> It's just a question to the subcommittee. Uh, the language when a student's performance warrants attention.
Um, I'm just curious how you landed on that phrase because I I think that could be >> Could you point out in which paragraph you're >> Oh, I'm I apologize. Um the third in addition to the periodic reports parents guardians will be notified when a student's performance warrants attention
um that war like what does warrant attention mean that's the first thing that jumped out at me because I think everyone might have you know people might have different perspectives of what that means um and just curious why you landed on that >> so as a subcommittee we have decided to
adopt the language of MASS on this and and their guidance I think that we had a discussion actually on this policy in terms of in terms of what we want to leave open for our educators and what we really want to mandate you know
from a top down level and I believe if I'm not mistaken and please come in our discussion revolved around making sure that our educators have the leeway to make sure that they're serving all of our students in an equitable fashion but I'll also defer to the superintendent So this would be um
any for me um any change in student performance that might be abrupt or gradual over time but trending in one direction or for the same token um remaining consistently high and we're
reaching out to celebrate and to share that with with the parent or um consist consistently below um and reaching out because we're in need of support. I I'm coming from a place of, you know, of concern for that phrase because I feel as though all students performance
>> is deserving of attention. Um >> thank you >> for that. That's that's I think where I was a little stuck. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> I just have a quick question. I know I know what grade is it that we flip the letters. Is it fifth grade, sixth grade? >> Seven.
>> Seventh grade now. So parents can see all the grades of the individual student in Infinite Campus. Correct. If the teacher is up to date with document >> 7 through 12, >> so they have the ability to see that
progress. >> If we wanted to find out and let's say a teacher isn't, but a parent is like well adverse and wants to get involved with their K through six. What type of stuff are they putting into
infinite campus? They're not putting grades in. Are they doing any type of progress report or any type of development update? >> So, that's something we're we're undertaking right now is to streamline with consistency what else what all
families are getting. Um they're largely getting what comes home in the folder in terms of corrected work and feedback. that way. Um, we'll be moving to consistent benchmark assess assessment updates for reading and ELA, but we also
have them for math that can go home as well. Um, and then there's a few other areas where we want to be a little bit more transparent. Moving forward, I would like to see K6 put in those incremental um, assignments to provide feedback to
families. Um, but that's going to take a little bit of work on our end to designate what's deserving of being in the portal and what's um a quick formative assessment that shouldn't be in the portal. Um, so we're we're working on calibrating those practices.
Um but we also with our cascades platform which we've pretty much built um this year with the help from our partners. It's going to provide uh a student summary page which is a composite of all data that we have on
the student and we've started to have discussions about what access could parents have to that periodically or is there a printout we could send home uh for parents periodically as well. um which is one of the reasons why we moved up in the school calendar the uh parent
teacher conferences because we want to build the rapport and relationship with parents earlier. Um and so it doesn't help if we're the keepers of the knowledge and we don't have uh the parents who have the biggest impact on their students in the dark.
I'm just thinking this would be a constant automated progress report and if a parent saw a warning or you know a teacher made a comment that that would be the evaluation piece here. So I'm just thinking it's if we already have the
technology and we already are doing it. >> I'm just curious if there really is a policy around it if we're we're doing it. But >> thank you >> Mr. Vice. Y >> I really like that question of yours and I would like to piggyback and um maybe
speak about the differences in terms of the expert the educational expert in trimesters versus quarters. I know when I was here we did quarters I believe um and the you know perhaps in the educational world which one is better
and um in terms of for for performance and and tracking performance and tracking for example literacy and all that. >> So the grammar schools operate under trimesters although I share quarterly to you reports. Um so in their trimester um
setup we have beginning, middle and end of the year benchmarks. We have those same uh cadence of bank benchmarks at the high school although they operate on quarters. The high school um because they need a shorter span of time to ensure that
students are on track for course completion and credit um attainment throughout the year. Those checkpoints are really important. And also we're working with the national standards for when students would apply for colleges or when they need certain grades on
transcripts. Um so I do like having those those more frequent um touch points on the high school students with that shorter span of time. Um in the grammar schools there is an element in the younger grades of students becoming
acclimated to the classroom learning classroom routines. Um, and it gives us a little bit uh more runway within a trimester to make uh more moves instructionally. Um, I don't I don't know that I feel strongly one way or the
other. I think what's happening within those uh segments of time is what's most important, especially in terms of reporting progress. um we certainly don't want to wait till the close of the trimester to import um or add all the grades when the the idea is to be
adjusting um and informing in in real time. So we're working towards some consistencies in terms of that as well. >> Thank you for the context. >> Any other further questions?
Okay, moving on to homework policy IKB. Thank you, Mr. Vice. We are recommending removal of our current policy and adoption of a new policy. Um in the next
page um this is something that the subcommittee had extensive discussion about specifically in terms of consistency in the district. So in in this policy specifically before um Mr. vice through
you. We open it up to discussion. Perhaps the superintendent could give us a little bit more context in terms of what she's working on with the leadership team now in terms of consistency and and practices that are currently going on in the district before we open it up to to discussion if that's okay with you, Madam Superintendent.
>> Sure. um the the older homework policy or the one that's um recommended for um revision spells out by grade the the number of minutes that's recommended for students
to spend on homework per night. I don't think that's consistent with what's happening now, nor is that our recommendation. Um so a across the district it's pretty consistent that homework uh is viewed as an opportunity for practice
reinforcement enrichment um so should students choose. Uh and generally students are not penalized um to a significant degree for not completing homework. um instead we're using that to help us inform what
students understood from the preceding day or preceding lesson and how we can direct our instruction in other ways. Um so that's a movement that's um probably been existence here for over the past decade um and that we're using
it for practice um and certainly to inspire creativity. That that being said, there is a different um understanding of what is a take-home examination, what is a long-term project that requires work at home um or opposed to a short-term pro
project um or is it um quote unquote busy work which we try to refrain um from doing. A lot of the digital platforms that we do um offer for students and our curricular programs have a compon component for practice that adjusts and meet that students
needs. Um so if they did get home and feel like they needed something that was just right for them. Um they can certainly move through those modules to practice that way as well. So it it's taken a different look as time has gone on. Um at the high school,
um homework typically, uh counts for 5% of the students, um term grade, and that there's other means of gathering data to communicate to students and families where that student stands in terms of their progress toward the statewide
frameworks, which is really what we're trying to show. Um so sometimes when to your point earlier uh vice chair when a a parent or student is looking at a letter grade or a certain standard abbreviation we want that to communicate that this is where the student stands in
rel in relation to the grade level standards for that subject area not um how conducive their home was uh to completing homework. Um but also we do find value in homework sometimes because
it simply inspires some conversation between parent and student. Um asking what they're working on, working through a few problems together, but certainly not to the extent where it's causing any um duress or stress in the home um as we
sometimes have heard in the past over math uh as we advance through the grades. So we think that the this new policy the subcommittee um is putting forth in the guiding principles uh communicates that while allowing for the flexibility by grade level or
teacher um for assigning assigning homework and I didn't I didn't address the um observances or the significant culturally significant dates which was important to the committee as well. I didn't know if um any committee members
wish to to chime in on that, but um the subcommittee generally felt that it was um important uh that it be articulated that homework assignments not be assigned on the major religious observances or culturally significant
dates that may reasonably interfere with the students ability to complete schoolwork outside of school hours, which seems um reasonable. Thank you for that context as I'm sure I hope that it'd be a very thoughtful and rich discussion opened it up to to
questions if any >> course on that guy. >> Homework assignment shall not be assigned on major religious observance or culturally significant dates that may reasonably interfere with students ability to complete work outside school hours.
Finals. When was finals this year? >> So, we run finals the last full week of school, the date preceding uh the commencement of the finals week, we do an all blocks meet day. So,
students review in every class and then they proceed with finals. And then at the tail end of that week, we do the makeup days for students who were unable to attend or complete finals the day before. >> So, when was last day of finals? This year? No, because Junth is now a holiday.
>> It was on June 18th was the last day. >> Final day >> because the only thing I I did hear about was some studying was happening over the weekend. It was probably makeup >> makeup. >> So if if finals were happening the following Monday, it was I a parent made
a comment like, "Hey, we're we're trying to leave for the holidays and now they have the final that they have to do on that Monday." like how's that fair for the for the student? So that did come back to me recently, but that's the only reason why I'm asking is if if there is
a project or something that's happening over a Labor Day or Memorial Day, you know, Junth, like how do we avoid that, you know, and and that's still a holiday and and families celebrate Memorial Day
and Veterans Day and and and holidays that we take off. If there's a project or homework that is assigned on that Thursday and it's not due until the following Tuesday. Technically that holiday is falling on that holiday weekend. So I'm
just curious on how we are going to implement that. Are we saying that, hey, if you if you have a class that's going to fall in the following week, you know, you're excused from homework because there's a holiday that's in between the next class. And now, I just I just that's the way I'm seeing this is
I think I think the the important piece there is the uh may reasonably interfere with the students ability to complete the schoolwork outside of school hours. So many things in consideration there. help what is the the size of the project
what's the duration of when it was assigned um as you can imagine at the high school with students you know enrolled in several different classes >> high school that's why I'm not thinking of so much the elementary >> when they're enrolled in several different classes there's so many
different compositions of what that schedule could look like there certainly isn't the opportunity for teachers to collaborate on who's assigning what do when so oftentimes there are a lot long-term projects >> um that the students will need to parse out for when they spend their time to
complete that work. Um I do find the teachers at the high school are very flexible and understanding especially when um reason is presented prior to the due date or at the onset of the assignment if a student um has a
circumstance a religious holiday, cultural holiday that's coming up. Um but certainly there there would be some for instance on the work of on the the long weekend a Labor Day weekend or Memorial Day weekend um
>> Thanksgiving like if I have a book that I'm reading in class >> and I have a test on that following Monday or Tuesday after Thanksgiving and they were assigned Monday before Thanksgiving. Were we saying that I if I didn't read that story, that book because I was traveling for Thanksgiving
or I was observing Thanksgiving like no teacher is going to be able to to set up a test for that Monday or Tuesday on return. That's the only thing is at that point I am studying for that test potentially >> during the Thanksgiving holiday. >> Right?
>> So again, I was trying to use an easier holiday that was more recent, but Thanksgiving is a perfect example. So, are we gonna say that teachers can no longer have tests on the return week of
Thanksgiving? If because if I'm if I'm going away, that will interfere with my Thanksgiving. >> And I would and I think reasonable is where we're getting into trouble because I would think it's reasonable to expect you to read a couple chapters on the plane.
>> I get >> But that's So that's audio book. I get here. Well, are we doing audiobooks now? Are we allowing audiobooks? I'm just saying I'm playing that parent. >> No, I I'm glad you brought it up because there is I think there is some gray area there.
>> You know, I'm just I'm playing that parent and and you know, it will come up and they'll stand there and say, "Hey, my kid was on uh you know, a trip." And we would have our own opinions, but they're not wrong. Um if I may
>> so through you to the madam superintendent um could you clarify the I would say most the majority in terms of the high school that teachers um do they assign not reading or project
that's that has a longterm duration but let's say an exam right following or right after a holiday is practice that a common practice. >> It used to be the case that you weren't permitted to give an assessment the Monday following a long weekend or a
vacation and you could not give a surprise assessment on on those dates either. I remembered those as a student because I felt safe on those days. Um but I do think that the staff as a whole is is um
understanding of breaks but at the same time um it's a balance because we do have a lot of high achieving students who are in you've heard them at the podium seven or eight AP classes depending on the semester and
and what they're taking. Um, so to to not have any opportunity or not assign even some loose study materials over those dates would be almost a penalty to them, but at the same time, we certainly want students to have the break so
they're not over taxing themselves either. So, it's I think it's a fine balance. What I'm finding is trending is that we're not seeing a lot of what you might call busy work or night toight assignments. We're seeing more um medium to long range assignments with with
teachers recommending to students how to manage their time in shorter increments um and allowing that runway. So, I mean, we're talking about holidays, but we have some students here who work a full-time um amount of hours after
school and at night and play sports and participate in clubs and band and care for their siblings. So, their day-to-day lives are really busy, too. And I think everyone's really aware of that which is why we give them the flexibility of deciding when they have those windows to
accomplish or to work on homework. Um, I wanted to mention too, we also have um academic enhancement for those AP students, which is a a supported study block first thing in the morning. And then after school at the high school, Mondays through Thursdays, um, this
media center is staffed with a teacher and every um, major discipline and students can come and seek extra help to kind of chip away at that homework, too. Um, but in short, less night, tonight, shorter assignments and more longer
range assignments that give them some flexibility. >> Thank you. Because I'm I'm thinking about, you know, things like Yonapor, for example, that calls for uh reflection from sun down to sunrise, I believe. I could be wrong. >> Ramadan >> or Yeah. But there's also
>> those. >> Yeah, there's Ramadan, but there's there's also a Jewish holiday in the in the fall. >> Yep. this is your I mean so I mean we don't recognize that >> we don't but that's what would be reasonably interfering with uh completing homework and I was just
asking for that clarification because a longer term project you know a student is able to plan out and and ahead of time let their their teacher know. Uh so I I thank you for that context >> and I just want you know I know school districts that take off those holidays
in in other communities and and we do have a very high Islamic population here in Methuan and we don't take any of the Islamic holidays off. So I mean that also does cover that but are we honoring that through this piece here? Is that what we're saying then? is if a student
comes and says, "I I I reserve Ramadan. I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm not going to be doing homework this week or >> the the practice is now um the administration will send out a reminder
to staff um that we're in the season where students may be um present differently in in class u depending on if they're fasting or not and how to support students. Um the students also do an excellent job of advocating for
themselves. we have a bulletin board that has a display of of information. Um I I hate to rely on the faculty is generally very attuned to that and works with our students um because I know the point of policy is to make sure when
there is that that um oneoff um situation um that we're able to fall back and and guide through it that way. But um that that's become our practice here. We do have um a lot of parents, the Muslim
community come in and make lunch for the faculty and staff and it it's I think everyone's been very understanding of that. Um I you know there are the students who may be less vocal and less apt to advocate especially when they're
not um a member of a community that um is sizable in number in the district too. >> Yeah. >> So >> I mean I don't know how people feel about this. We've been doing it right for 300 years. I don't think we need this paragraph. Personally, I we've been
the the homework assignment shall not be assigned on major religious observance or culturally significant dates. We've been doing it right for 300 years. If we have to make an accommodation for a student for some reason, our teachers have done it. I just think by putting this in here, we're giving an excuse for
a parent and a student to take advantage and they might not even celebrate it. And I don't want us to go down the road to say, "Hey, well, do you really celebrate the holiday? We have to take the honor system." And I I just think we're we're going to put a situation out
there where a parent argues it and the teacher might not accept it or vice versa. I just think if this wasn't here before and we've never had a real problem about it, I don't think it needs to be here personally. And I'm only one person, but I can't motion it. So if if
you guys want to keep it, that's fine. But I just think we're opening up ourselves to a a little headache in the future. So is there an entertain motion there for that? Okay.
Um and just so everyone knows, we're reviewing this. We do I believe, madame superintendent, we have to vote each of these policies in. If I recall, I don't think you do it by a section. I'm pretty sure we've done it by section before.
>> Yeah, >> we or the last school committee >> MASC has guided us through this entire process because we've paid them for three-year policy review for all of our
policies. We um we approve by section, typically in form, although this section we're not doing in form. So the rest of the sections that we've already done have been done in form. And when we finish all of the sections, we will then vote to
pass all of them together. And so it's it's one big vote. So it's a it's a section vote. It's not a policy by policy vote. >> Can we just get that in writing from MASC? because we've been doing a review and that's why we haven't been going vote for vote for vote because we're in
a review status in this and we've been tableabling but and mayor correct me if I'm wrong but that's why it's highlighted here in each of these letters and we're taking them up one by one and their own individual policy. So,
I just want to make sure before our full vote next time that we're doing this right because I know in previous years we would go policy by policy by policy, especially if it was only one policy that was being updated and not the whole section.
>> Point of clarification, have you have you been on a school committee where you've done a full policy review? >> I've been on a school committee where we've done policy reviews. Yes. >> But like like a full policy review of all the policies is what I'm asking. >> No, but we did one policy at a time. We didn't do a section. >> So that's why it might be.
>> So if I did one Yeah. But that's the thing is you're updating policy by policy by policy. If Ken >> she wrote she's MASC is the one that wrote it. Right. >> I'm just asking for the clarification before I take a vote. That's it. We're right now in a review and we're not
voting on each section. We're going one by one just to review it. And that's the only reason why I I haven't said anything until now, but because we're getting to the bottom of this. And Mayor Boergard, do you have a a reasonable question on that or
>> so? So So Vice Chair, uh just to respond to your question. So uh I'd have to go back and look the last time, at least when I was chairing uh a committee meeting that we did something similar. I don't recall off the top of my head, but I would recommend going with whatever
MASC is recommending. Exactly. >> Uh simply because, you know, they're kind of guiding us through the process from soup to nuts. So I I would I would rely on MASC. >> Yeah. I just want to see a statement from MAC on the approval. >> We'll get that for you. >> Thank you. On the on the way to vote for
this. Thank you. All right. Next section is >> Well, sorry. Is was there a motion for the recommended amendment? >> No one motioned it. Okay. >> Moved on. We moved on. So, it's going to stay there. But that's another reason why I don't agree with that that that
policy. So, now I'm going to vote no on this whole thing. like that that doesn't make sense to me. If I have a problem with one of the policies here, that dilutes it. So if you have a problem with one policy and I have a problem with a policy and you
have a policy problem, now that's three nos. You need majority vote here to pass the whole section. That's why I'm not reading the room here correctly. So that's why uh let's get the approval with the NASC on each of that because now I'm a no on this whole section. >> Vice Chair, can I ask you a question?
Yes. Just to clarify something for me. >> So if we in the end vote policy by policy and one of the policies fails, it's eliminated from the section. Is that how >> it would go back to the original policy? It would stay. Whatever that policy was
would stay. >> And if there wasn't an original policy and and it was from it just would >> it would not go in. That's how I would see how that would be done. But because if we have six opinions on six different policies here, it doesn't make sense
that we would be voting on this as one whole section. That that's my only thing here. >> Thank you. >> So, >> we'll get something for you from MASC. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Appreciate it. >> All right. Next section is I'm sorry. Um, promotion and retention of students. Is
that the right? >> Yeah. Uh, file I K E. >> Thank you. >> Yep. Promotion and retention of students. Uh questions. Nothing from Zoom world. Uh
so the next policy would be graduation requirements. >> Yep. >> Uh any questions on this one? And this is coming directly from MASC, I'm assuming, madame superintendent, or
is this US? This is this was the MSA MASC policy that was um updated I think 2023 but as the states coming out with um >> new requirements.
Um >> would that be for this school year or for the next the 27 school? >> It's a few years out. Um so so the first step in that making sure we're aligned with Mass Core which we are. Um, and then we're starting to build uh more proficiency based models for the the
latter years of high school. Um, but this is is consistent in terms of the um the number of credits and the basic courses. Um, but again, this is something that's also in our program
of studies. Um, I believe in the handbooks also. uh where we talk about that in our our competency determination is a part of the grad requirement. This speaks more to the the courses. Member Keegan I think had something to say.
>> Y >> um I just actually noticed a mistake in it. Um the physical education we do not require four years. We actually require four semesters. Um so that actually I would make an amendment to change that.
Um, I'm not sure how we missed that before. >> Is that four semesters or over two like four years or is it two two years? Could I do it all in like like how are we how do you break that up? Isn't it one per year?
>> Um, not always. And it's there's there's some language um in our policy that or our procedure that's at principal discretion. >> So I could have like two in my senior year. >> Yeah. I I think what would make sense um
in light of recent developments with the um the grad requirements is that maybe we take a look at at this one or or add some language that says that we'll continue to track and follow what the state is suggesting and
approving as their requirements as well. Um, we also have some um, health requirements that aren't spelled out in here as well. So, again, goes back to my original
question. This one's in flux because the state's in flux. So, that's why it goes back to my original question. Could we pull this because or because you can't if we're voting on the whole section, we can't approve this. So,
Uh, >> I'm gonna make a motion to hold this policy completely out. >> Can I just give you a recommendation? I would motion to default back to the original one, but that's not correct either. Am I accurate in that statement
either, too? >> But that's not the I didn't hear what you said. If I say default to the original graduation policy that you currently have, is that that's still not accurate either? >> Right.
So we would have to come up with a language that states please I would maybe redline this whole new one and make an amendment that says in align to desi regulations and mass core
please follow that policy or something like that. I mean or or >> I'm trying to think of the easiest way to do that for you. I KFE that f that follows >> spells out our our local graduation
minimum requirements and then our CD but that would even need to be revisited again um moving forward as to what's expected of classes in the future. Well, actually, I just realized your IKF
also says high school graduation requirements, >> right? Because >> So, you have two that have graduation requirements. So, it wouldn't it be like a >> So, I think we could pull IKF completely and just leave IK
FE. >> That sounds right to me. Honestly, I think it's the best. >> Is there a motion to remove IKF alto together? >> Yes. >> Second. Motion by Keegan, second by Sus.
T take role on that. Unless there's any dialogue on that. >> We ready? >> Go ahead. >> Daglio. >> Yes. >> Donovan. Yes. >> Bayz. >> Yes.
>> Keegan. >> Yes. >> Sus. >> Yes. What? Member Wlette and Mayor Bogard. >> Yes. >> Did we lose Ken? Maybe.
>> Okay. Uh, >> may I move on? >> Yes. >> In that light. Um, I k Um I'm not sure if we want to continue the discussion on adding language about continuation of desi regulations
but uh open it up to discussions on that. >> This was a hefty hefty read too. I think it was like four pages five pages >> and I referred to um member Keegan on on this policy as she really spearheaded uh some of the minor changes in this as
well. >> Well thank you for that recognition. Maybe as an asterisk somewhere at the bottom of the page. One, two, three, four, five, six. After diploma requirements, prevalently enrolled students or maybe even at the top of the page. Either at the top of the first
page or at the end of the last page, it says asterisk that says, you know, may not be updated to Desi Desi or Massore standards. Please review with an administrator on language. I I don't know. you you're
saying this is in flex, so I'm I'm trying to think of the easiest way of doing this for you. >> So, this policy is in um we approved it. There's just minor changes to it that we approved last fall. Um this is in the handbook and it gets reviewed every year. So, it's going to be updated as
needed every year because it's part of the handbook. >> Will it be updated in the handbook? >> And then we'll need to make sure it's Yeah, it's updated on the um website and in this section as well. So any language should any language be added to this
then about DESIE or Massend? >> Um no because I think I think if we do it yearly it's it's better because we can't be sure at any point in time >> that we're we're act accurately reflecting exactly. We might be in a planning stage or heading toward it for
the following year. >> Yeah. Um but that's what's being recommended from the state now and likely where we'll be headed are those changes. >> It also says um in the second paragraph Methan High School's minimum course requirements are aligned with Massore a
state recommended program of studies. So it does reference Massore at least. So if Massore changes we're going to change. >> Any other questions, comments from the committee? All right. Moving on to ILD
which is student submission of educational surveys and research. >> Yep. Any questions? The subcommittee recommends adoption of course. >> Was this an optin option or is it an opt out? Just curious.
So this uh policy was extensively viewed by the subcommittee. Um and so originally um and to answer your question, I was just giving you context, but to answer your question, I defer to the superintendent on how it's going to work in implementation, but just to let you
know that um the opt-in versus opt out was a heavy conversation in the subcommittee. and I'll let the superintendent answer your question in terms of implementation. >> Um, so the phrasing that that was worked on um
specifically to that was this start of the second paragraph. No student whose parent or the student themselves if over the age of 18 has opted out shall be required. So, students who have opted out, uh, if they're over 18 or their
parent or guardian, if they have opted out, they will not be required to take part um, in the program that's funded by um, Department of Education to submit surveys with the following.
Um, so that's an opt out. >> Thank you. And the reason why we changed it from um MASC their language said opt in um we changed it to an opt out because that is our current policy or that's our current um
>> way of doing things for everything and so we already have a welloiled machine that works. We didn't want to have to >> upheaval the apple cart. >> Okay, makes sense. Any questions from the committee virtually or here on the
ground? All right, seeing none, moving on to uh IMD, school ceremonies and observance is observances IMB.
IMD no IM is a movie website database, isn't it? Or is that IMD? Um, so teaching about I have teaching about controversial issues, controversial speakers file IMB.
>> I don't have that on my >> You just have the red. >> It's We pulled it. >> You pulled it. >> Yeah. We're not ab We're not re I just moved on. Sorry. Teaching. Yeah. >> Yeah. So because I just because we had that hiccup last time. I just want to say that we're not recommending that
policy from MASC. Sorry, I was looking at this list right here on my right hand side and that's not on it. Yes. Okay. >> Okay. No worries. >> Thank you for calling it out. >> Of course. I just wanted to make sure that if people had Okay, so file IMD uh school ceremonies and observances
questions. I mean that piece at the beginning of the homework policy kind contradicts some of the stuff in here because it says the observance of religious holidays is not the responsibility of the public schools but yet we have the language now about
homework in about religious studies. So I again I again there's a contradiction here and I would argue now back at that policy of homework. Am I am I wrong? Am I like I'm
sorry I'm not trying to nitpick but so it all stems from the fact that the Mthun public schools observes Good Friday and nothing else. And so there you have it. if if we observed
everything or we observed nothing then that would be fine but we don't and so because we give Good Friday off to students and they don't have to make up anything and they don't have to be responsible for work on Good Friday because of their religious observance.
It is important that other people's religious observances get the same consideration and so that's where it comes from. And yes, it it absolutely is. And and this line here says to me, we shouldn't be
giving off Good Friday because it's not our job to be dealing with religious holidays. So if if you want to get rid of Good Friday from the h from the holiday schedule, from the school schedule, then we can get rid of all of it. >> If not, then
>> my work gives away Good Friday. I don't I don't work on Good Friday. My work does. I think it's a Is it a federal holiday these days? >> It's not. is absolutely not a it is the only religiouson only holiday that we give off. Everything else we give off is a a federal holiday.
>> But but so in your position and again I'm I'm just speaking to the committee here on >> So either we do everything or we do nothing. That's that's where that comes from. >> But your policy here says the observance of a religious holiday is not responsibility of the public schools.
But then you go back to the homework policy and it says homework assignment shall not be assigned on major religious observances. Now that is a public school issue that that's you're saying here it's not the responsibility of the public schools. But yet here we are now
saying we're going we're going to not give you homework on certain holidays. >> We don't give you a school on certain holidays. >> The key word here is the observance of the holiday. So when you're talking about the high school the the homework
policy in specifically to the high school um it's talking about homework not the actual observance of a holiday like Ramadan. It is not the responsibility of the public schools to facilitate the materials needed or or
whatever that's needed to do Ramadan. That's what the observance of in is how I read it versus uh in the homework policy um when a major religious observance interferes in out of school
ability of a student in out of school hours to complete homework um to me is very two different things. >> You're not saying that though you're using the word observance. That's the key word here. you're using it in the
same fashion as school ceremonies and observances. Homework assignment shall not be assigned on major religious observances or culturally significant dates that may reasonably interfere with a student's ability to complete schoolwork outside of school hours.
You're not saying day off. You're not saying the holiday where the school is closed. You're not saying the day a school is open, but here you're saying the observance of a religious holiday is not the responsibility of the public
schools. So I go back to the idea of now it's not your place to say that okay it's not the responsibility of the schools but if I'm assigned homework on this day Ramadan you're saying I don't have to do the homework. I look at this as a major
religious holiday. Okay. And I am going to have a significant reasonable reason why it's going to interfere in my school day. But yet you're saying in the school ceremonies, we're not observing and it's not our responsibility of the
public schools. You're interfering in one policy the word observance versus saying it's not a big deal in the other one. So in terms of completing school work out of school
hours in not in a school environment is different than a teacher going to the entire class and saying we're going to do 15 minutes of reflection for this and this holiday. >> You're looking at it in a whole
different scenario. I'm looking at it as a student that has to go to school on my holiday and then I'm being told my homework assignments might not be on me tonight if I have to go feast or I have I have an event or I have Hanukkah and
I'm going to spend time with my family during the eight nights. That is saying one thing and this is saying we will not recognize that under the supervision of the public schools. That's what that's saying is this is saying
>> responsibility and recognition and recognition is different >> but school work is the responsibility of the student to have in if it's due on that day. The public schools don't exist in a vacuum. The religious holidays happen
during the days that schools are in session. responsibility of observing a holiday versus the recognition that one happens while their school days. You tell that No, you tell that to a parent who then gets a tardy or maybe an
excused absence for not sending their school the next day. >> Are they going to get excused absences if they're out for eight days for >> Hanukkah? Mr. Vice Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman. >> Oh, Ken, you're back. You there? I've been here for a while listening to the
conversation. So, like I just had a quick uh point of clarification. Do we assign during the uh Christmas break going into the new year? Do we assign homework
as a school district as a policy? >> There's not a policy against that or for that. Um, we talked before about there are some long-term projects that might perhaps span it or go over it. Um, but I
don't believe that it's the case that it's assigned at the start and then the completion is the due date. >> Okay. So, for the most part, we can confidently assert that we do not assign homework over the course of the uh Christmas
break going into the new year. That also goes into uh the the Hanukkah celebration. >> Were you the correct assessment? >> Ken, were you there for the homework and guidelines conversation where we're talking about Thanksgiving or Junth or
Memorial Day? Oh, I've been for the conversation since like the last few years with member Keegan and Good Friday and I've kept my tongue because if we have an observance for the Muslim faith in our schools, right, and we honor that
because it originates from the students themselves and we respect that religion so long as we don't establish a state religion which goes back to the Constitution in the United States >> because in this country we don't have the establishment of a state religion.
I'm not understanding the conversation about Good Friday versus we have a a Muslim faith room. Do we have a Christian faith room in our school system or we just want accommodating one religion versus another? Because if it originates from the students and the
parents, that's the constitution of the United States. >> I'm I'm not tra >> you So I, you know, you can interject as the vice chairman and have your personal opinion. You do that at the end of the conversation as the vice chair. >> We've had these conversations about Good
Friday. I'm done having a conversation about Good Friday because I respect all religions operating within our school system. I have absolutely zero objection to the Muslim uh faith room. And we maybe if someone wants to have a
Christian prayer room during or a Hanukkah or Jewish faith uh or originates that we have Halloween, okay, and certain holidays that originates from the parents and the students organically, that's in our policy. If we
establish as part of the school system, an establishment of religion, then that's in violation of the constitution going back to the founding fathers. So, I'm not going to have someone say, "Well, you were you part of these conversations. I was part of all these
conversations and I held my tongue. >> I'm not going to do it anymore." >> So, Ken, thank you for your point. I asked if there was any questions about this and no one answered and then I started speaking. So, I just want to be clear on that. And I've gone around the
room and we we we called for a vote recently and we didn't get a connection with you. So, I just want to be clear. We we we we did a vote recently and and we couldn't get a connection. So, I just want to make sure you were you were there. Now, Martha, you had a no member Dunovan, you had a statement now and
then member Soy. I mean it it's just a thought because that one sentence is triggering triggering a lot of feelings. The observance of religious holidays is not the responsibility of the public
schools. If we took that out, would the spirit of the separation of church and state be intact with the opening two paragraphs? >> I'd be okay with that. Before we motion that, member Sice, >> I was just
um thinking that when we talk about the observance of religious holidays is not the responsibility of the public schools. I'm assuming we're talking about ceremonies or observing them within the school. The homework policy
to me is different because it's saying that we won't homework assignments shall not be assigned on major religious observances or culturally significant dates that may reasonably interfere with the students ability to complete school work outside of school hours. I'm
looking at these at two different things. And I may be wrong, but that's how I'm looking at it. that our we're not going to celebrate the Ramadan holiday with some type of observance in school, but we are going to give our
students with any religion the opportunity to opt out or not assigned homework on those days. That was I'm I'm looking at it two separate things, but I could be wrong. >> Any other vice chairman? >> Yes, m Mr. Go ahead. Okay. So, my
original premise on this and this goes back for many years. We have an obligation as a school system, right, to fulfill a certain amount of days of instruction. Is that correct? Under state law. >> Yeah. So, so long as our student body
fulfills that obligation of instruction either remotely or through projects or through uh instruction directly so long as they fulfill all those rigors. Why aren't we accommodating
uh religion across the board and calling it a day? Because so long as we have separation of church and state, like we're not establishing Christianity as the dominant faith in our school system, that's not in the agenda. And we accommodate the Muslim faith, which I
support 100% with the prayer room. And we have uh organically holidays back into play because of uh prior school committee members like member Maxwell and myself. Right. I think we're almost
home. that so long as you're fulfilling the rigors of state law through instruction and that we have at times allowed for religious observances and excused absences so long as they fulfilled the coursework
at some point. And I go back to my original premise of we don't traditionally have homework assignments or projects during the Christmas break which coincides with Hanukkah. So why not have it for all faiths or the fact
that you don't abide by a faith. You're an atheist or a theist, right? You still would have to be obligated under state law of fulfilling certain obligations. Let's say you create your own religion at some point just as an excuse not to
do homework, right? You still have to do homework and fulfill the instructional rigors under state law. Nothing would preclude that. But again I think in this country we respect religion uh observances and separation of church and
state and it goes back to the US constitution not the state constitution but the US constitution which is derived from the oldest constitution which is the Massachusetts constitution. So that's interplayed here. So I think we we're almost home like member Dunovan I
would say yeah it it just makes sure we can try respect the separation of church and state on the religion but you still has a student has an obligation to fulfill the rigors of state law uh and the mandates of instruction and projects
and homework and course assignments and completion of uh you know course work. It's all interrelated homework, coursework, projects, uh you know, okay, academic performance, testing,
everything. Thank you. The only thing and I just want to respond to members so I would agree with you but we added holidays or observance observances
inside the homework policy which then immediately comes to school ceremonies and observances because we're seeing observance. That's the day off. That's the holiday week. It could be anything. And so we're when I when I look at that
versus what we're saying is allowed, it doesn't add up if we're going to keep keep that. So now if we're going to remove if there's going to be a motion to remove that line, the observance of religious holidays is not the responsibility of public schools, which
is what member Dunovan, it no longer contradicts what we're saying under the homework piece. In my opinion and and when I look at policies all the time, I look at the factor of it has to be a one-way street.
It can't be two-way. It can't be. And I remember Methuan public schools and I think we still have hallways where students do drreidles and Quanza and Christmas trees or wreaths or stuff like that. I know we do that stuff still in the school system. But the day that we
did deck the halls and moved it to the winter wonderland, like we we had spirit running through the halls and it wasn't just because it was Christmas, it was Hanukkah, Quanza, we New Year, you know, we had a lot of fun in these halls and
it's like we've like we're like draining it down here and I get it. There's a lot of and I I'm going to say it. There's a lot of culture here. Why not all represent it during one day or one week a a year for Deck the Halls? It doesn't have to be Deck the Halls. It could be the Winter Wonderland and everyone gets
together and celebrates a corner of their section. Barton did it. Nick did it. Juka did it. I mean, it was a different time. Come on. We still celebrate those holidays. It's just we have more culture here that should be celebrated.
So, all set. Madam superintendent, you want to say anything else to this or is there a motion to remove? >> Um, no. I'll just say briefly um I think there I think cultures are celebrated in different different ways. I do remember Deck the Halls, but there's a lot of
pride and I think um beyond tolerance, acceptance, and enthusiasm for learning about other cultures um which I love. To me, this IMD is more about um the handling of
religious holidays in a secular manner or focusing on the secular aspects of holidays. Um and is just spelling out that um it would be against this policy to ask that it represents
like a music program. We wouldn't ask students to sing religious songs throughout a music program. um that's could be considered um observing or celebrating in a religious fashion a holiday that is not representative of
their family but does also allow that space to learn about each other's cultures um and celebrate that we all bring something different frame of reference to um the district and the school. So, I I do like a lot of it. I
think the observance of the religious holidays, if that's not easily interpreted by um consistently by everyone on the committee, then it would likely not be interpreted the same way by our school community and that that could lead to some disagreement and
misunderstanding. So, I do like the idea of just taking that sentence out. >> Is there a motion? >> So, I'll make a motion to strike the line, the observance of religious holidays is not the responsibility of public schools. >> Is there a second? Second member Royce.
Any discussion on it? Seeing none, roll call, please. >> Okay. >> Member Daglio. >> Yes. >> Donovan. Yes. >> Yes. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes.
>> Member So, >> yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes. >> And member Bogard. Yes, >> unanimous. All right. Any other questions on this policy?
Seeing none, I believe the next one was supposed to be it's not in your packet. >> IMDb, pledge of allegiance. It is not in the packet. Correct. Section I with changes. >> It is a uh a print out that you should have gotten in the last or the first
meeting of this review. It's it's linked also separately on the agenda if you need to reference it. >> Thank you. >> This is one that was homegrown from the subcommittee by the way. Any questions, >> Mr. Chairman?
>> Go ahead, Mr. Willlette. >> Through the chair to member Bayz. So this is uh reflecting uh Supreme Court decisions that a a student is not compelled to observe the pledge of allegiance or lead in the
pledge of allegiance based on uh objections at points. Is that correct? >> Yeah. There's language in there to note the quorum of a student that is not reciting but that is not we're not mandating
students to do so. Okay. And that's been longstanding for decades that Supreme Court precedent. Um so is why is there an urgency to include in in a policy if we already have it well known in the
decades from Supreme Court president? Is it something that was recommended by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees who were just shoring up? Is it uh any type of teachers or staff that would were compelling students? I'm just
curious to make sure that you know I would have to look at the policy once again but I think I understand the concept of we have uh Supreme Court decision that indicates that Stu is not compelled to observe the pledge of
allegiance based on personal immoral objections. >> Uh would that be the case? So we would need to just we're protecting the constitutional rights of students who do not observe. Would that be correct? >> Yes. So the language the specific language in there um that you're
referring to member will wlette is um the district recognizes the individual rights of students choosing to refrain from participating. That's that's the language. Um >> and that's been recommended by the association to us that it's a glaring error or loophole that we need to shore
up to protect those students. >> So this is language that was created by the subcommittee and reviewed together with the subcommittee and MASC. Yes. >> Okay. So, we would never have on the flip side a a teacher that would not
observe the pledge of allegiance based on political objections or their personal uh interpretation, right? organically from the students. We would respect just like we would respect all religions or lack thereof that it
would be the students themselves based on their upbringing and religious objections. It wouldn't be the flip side that a teacher would all of a sudden based on their interpretation of political ideology uh would say okay we not observing the
pledge of allegiance in the classroom which is a which is a state mandate I think a federal mandate too but on the flip side with the students that do we don't want to observe based on religious objections we're honoring that constitutional protection that's been
reinforced by supreme court law I want to make sure we're doing a balance because of this day and age. >> I believe I personally believe that the language is that we're respecting all individual rights guarantees that member will in my personal opinion.
>> Okay. All right. Because I go back to again organically it should be things should be originating from the parents and students and not from uh the staff or the administration. And I think that's that's a tight rope uh with the
holidays, with the homework, with these observances and going into this policy. So I I perceive it as a common sensical policy based on Supreme Court president. But I also am concerned that I don't want to have a teacher go off the reservation for political reasons and
say I decide not to observe the pledge of allegiance because I don't like who's the president of the United States at the current time regardless of party. I just want to make sure that's the case. If it originates in protection of the students organically based on their rights, I don't have a problem with
that. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> We have three flag polls in each of the schools, don't we? If I recall, there's the state, there's the the US flag, the uh prison of war flag, and I want to say
there was the Methuan school flag originally, but now it's the state flag in some polls because that was a requirement made by the city council if I recall. And mayor, you might be there. Remember that all public buildings had to have the three
or four flags flying? I think that was before my time, >> Mr. Chairman. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, I definitely specifically mentioned to the administration and Ian Goslin as one of his final acts did
implement I said the the P flags and Mayor Borod uh also agreed to it that we would have the flags uh the P flags flying at our schools outside at the flag staff. So that's been that was been accomplished. That was not there prior
at all of us. >> Maybe that's what it was then is to make sure yeah PS were in all schools >> and that that's in this policy presented as well. >> Well the third flag isn't which is what I was curious about. Does it matter what it is then? Is the mass state flag?
If if we're updating this shouldn't we discuss what the three flags are? >> Correct. I may not included in the new policy. >> It is. >> I'm sorry. I'm looking at it right now.
>> Yeah, it has the P flag is displayed and the US flag. There's three flag poles in each of our schools. And there and there was a policy that was put in place I thought when we were on the council mayor that required all
city buildings to have three certain flags but it might have been the P flag now that I'm thinking. >> Yes. And this says P flags. So is are there two and as well? >> There's only one P. >> So we have the state flag
>> because it's the United States and the P flags. >> Very good. But we have three polls in all of our buildings. Even in front of Branch Street, we have three polls now. So what's the third flag? >> I would defer to the committee to decide which flag we would want to raise.
>> Well, I think it's a rule. It's either the state flag or it's the school city flag. >> We're all going to drive around now to all the schools later. >> We could just run to the window right now. Uh, >> is it right here?
>> Is there three polls in front of the high school? I don't remember if there's three polls in front of the high school now. >> May I? >> Yeah. >> But when we honor certain groups, one of those flags comes down. Correct. >> I think all three come down. I think you're supposed to all
>> When we had um I keep the the St. Patrick's Day parade. We had the Irish flag up >> at the state at at the city hall. Mayor, you have four flags up. Four polls, >> right? At city hall. >> Gay pride, >> I believe.
>> So, we have three polls, four flags >> underneath. >> Well, currently one one we have one for pride. >> But everywhere I know the other school, >> Mr. Vice Chair. >> Yeah. Yes, >> Mr. Vice Chair, I I would actually recommend that we would have the United
States flag and the P flag which is already in existence and the state flag. I would also like to do is based on our student population have a separate uh flag of the the the nation of uh the origin of some people
for cultural awareness because I think the mayor does that and Lawrence does that. They'll do uh national origin flags points and and link it to cultural. >> Yeah, member will I think that's in front of at least the city hall at the
Veterans Park there in Memorial Park. What we're talking about at the schools themselves because I'm I'm pretty confident that most schools have the three poles. >> I think it's a state flag. >> Is it the state flag? Yeah. >> So, should that be as well
>> as having if we're going to have a >> not if the high school only has one flag pole because then we're going to say we have to put up more flag polls at the high school. >> You have three polls. You only have two flags here. So, it's you could do whatever you want with the third poll.
>> No, there's no >> there's literally only one. >> This pool is different. That's the only thing I would like to address. >> Okay. the Timmy, the Tenny, and the CGS that I know right off the top have the three. I don't spend enough time at the marsh to recall. And I know Branch Street has three
polls. They had to add a third poll if I recall. So I just I want to >> I would just if I may I would I would just say to for the efficiency of time if someone wants to make a motion to add the Massachusetts state flag
>> to where it can be accommodated >> then someone can make that motion. >> I'll make the motion. >> How do you want us to say Ken? So we can make sure we got it right this time. >> I I think again automatically based on federal and state law we need the United States flag. The uh P flag is a is a
congressional federal law and the state flag should be part of state law. I think have the three flags and then I would just recommend separately I'm going to make that motion is that we include our state flag >> where where possible
>> where possible obviously based on you know budgetary constraints I think they already accommodated the American flag and the P flag based on existing federal and state law right >> so that's been accomplished the state flag I think would be in some fashion
accommodated by because of state law And then I would recommend at some point based on cultural exchange having the flag of uh the nations of uh participating students and their families and do a cultural exchange that way. But that would just be my
recommendation separately. >> Yeah. Any other comments? >> I would make a motion to include the state flag where where possible uh in conjunction with the US flag and the P flag. >> I'll second that. >> Yeah. Members Royce, any additional
comments, concerns? If not, >> ro member bay. >> Yeah. So, I'm I'm just for clarifying, are we motioning to for the subcommittee to to add it in the language or like is there I'm just concerned that there's no
specific language on the actual policy on where that would go and be. Is that at the discretion of the subcommittee to add? Can I just make can I make a friendly amendment, >> please? That would have to be to Ken. >> Go ahead. Right. >> What I would do I I'm going to retract
the original amendment and I would do is I would have a recommendation from the the full body to the subcommittee that they uh entertain drafting the language to include the state flag as the third flag. At the moment,
>> Ken, if I can make a friendly amendment, I amendment. Okay, go ahead. I would just say that on the sentence of the United States and the United States, P flag and Massachusetts state flag shall be
displayed outside of each school building on an appropriate flag pole. >> Okay, I'll defer to you on that. So, is that okay? All right. >> I'll withdraw my original motion, Mr. Chairman, and I'll second uh Member Soy's amendment, please.
All right. Any other further discussion? Member Bayz, are you good with that? >> That's perfect. I just want a clarification. >> All right. Roll call, please. >> No. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> Yes. All right. We have um two more things here. Animals and schools and service animals and schools. I think we can get through that pretty quickly. If we need to to to extend this past nine, um we can, but I
I just want to get this going. Um go ahead. Moving on. >> Yeah. Um, so just for just a little bit of context, our previous policy had uh what MASC would recommend to be two different policies, which is animals in schools and service animals in schools.
So we recommend the retraction of our two policies and the adoption of uh the adop the reduction of our one policy and the adoption of our the two new policies. Questions? >> Anyone? And that could be for either the
um IMG animals in school or IMGA service animals in school. So our discussion is is broader to two policies on this one. >> Just out of curiosity, Madam Superintendent, do we have a lot of students with service animals >> in the school system?
>> Not a lot, but on occasion we do. >> Yeah. >> What about Oh, man. That's good. I was going to ask what about staff members? >> Well, either or. Yeah. >> Not to my knowledge currently, but again, >> I remember we had students with service
dogs back when I was in school. Yeah. >> So, so may I ask just a real quick question? I'm sure there's a really easy answer to it. >> Um, well, first out of curiosity, who's if you have a younger student with a service animal, who's responsible for
taking the the animal out to, you know, if it has to be outside? Yes. So, a handler for a service animal must be over the age of 18. So, um there has to be an adult handler um taking care of
that >> thing. So, it's it's very Yeah, there there are specific rules for those. So, you're not going to have a young student with a service dog without a handler. >> And would the handler be considered um a PA or would it be someone who worked
with the student? typically it's going to be the parent honestly. So it's it's so yeah the laws have all changed and so um yeah you're not going to have a a kindergartner being responsible for the dog >> or the teacher miniature horse although
if you read if you read the policy miniature horses can be service animals. >> Well I was going to question what else could be service animals. >> Yeah. Well, I know miniature horses are big now, but um the next the other question I had um um if
where is it? If the reassignment of the person having custody and control of an animal to a different classroom if there's an issue, if someone's having an allergic reaction, but what if the child what what if the person with the service
animal or the student is in a very specific program? What what would we do? would we have to provide outside, you know, outside services or where you couldn't move the student and provide services?
>> I don't know if that's addressed in here. >> We would have to cross that when we got to it because one, it's so rare and two, it's like such an edge case that >> I know there's a huge push for service
animals now being hypergetic. So like doodles and labradoodles, they're supposed to have the hair. So like certain dogs are being bred just for service. I mean there are certain cases that there might be a a great dane
maybe or something, but most of most of the progressiveness now of service animals are hair not fur. Any other comments about this? And I am all right. So that I will entertain a motion to table.
>> So moved. >> Uh is there any can there be discussions on a motion to table? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um may I >> sure >> just for closing remarks. Um I'd like to thank the full committee for their
continued patience because again entire policy review is a huge undertaking. Um and I appreciate everyone's one patience but two diligence um and thoughtful conversation throughout. I will say that in terms of process and timeline, the
subcommittee has met in between this meeting and our last meeting to implement the changes made in in our first review. Um, and we will likely be meeting and hopefully depending on when we schedule our next full committee meeting, be meeting before that to
implement the changes made here to provide the full committee with a clean copy of the changes made. Um, a clean copy of of of the changes made and a clean copy of just the language of the policies as well. Um and so hopefully
we'll be able to have the time in between this meeting and our next scheduled meeting depending on state numbers uh from state finance numbers to be able to get that done. But again, thank you to all members. Thank you to the subcommittee, to the acting superintendent, to Alicia from MASC.
This is not our final review. This is not a final vote. Um but again, I just want to thank everybody for for their continued patience and diligence. >> And before I accept the motion in the second, Please um get that feedback from
and Mike too. I think they should come from Mike and Masc on if we should be accepting this as individuals or as one section because again I think that I agree with 90% of this. There's a few
things in here I don't and that will sway my vote. >> So in Mr. in that spirit. Um if in fact it we have to do section by section then we don't even have a first read because our first read is for the whole section.
>> Well no not fully because it says in the minutes here and you wouldn't do it in in section one with changes and section one clean copy. Technically you are in section one and I would make the argument that everything under section one is what it is. like
when you go to the budget, you say it's under this and you vote for that budget line item. I would I would make an argument if you read into that this is all highlighted under section one. So that that's my I would and from a
parliamentary perspective I'm usually by the book. I can make an argument for that. >> We'll just we'll get that we'll get that for you. >> All right, >> Mr. Vice Chairman. >> Yes, Mr. Wlette. So I just I agree with you 100%. That was my main objection
from the prior subcommittee is that based on my experience this should have been divided up uh peacemeal policy by policy and divided uh amongst different uh school committee meetings and I was like overruled on it. So I I agree with
you 100% that we should get that further legal advisory because grouping significant uh complex policies into one omnibus uh package I don't think uh lies in the character of previous uh school
committee deliberations. So I agree with you on that Mr. Vice Chairman. >> Thank you. Noted. Uh we have a motion. >> Mr. Vice Chair, one more point if I could. >> Yes, Mr. Mayor. I just wanted to thank the committee for all their work on this. I apologize for the uh issue we
had at the last meeting. Um I guess it it worked out to the extent that we had uh a bit more time than we would have had that night, but I just wanted to say thank you and apologies for the issues last night. >> Thank you, Mayor. >> Mr. Vice Chairman. >> Yes, sir.
I I also want to just echo the vice chair and the mayor that the the subcommittee has been outstanding despite any personal uh reservations or objections or how I'll ultimately vote has nothing to do with the content of
the subcommittee their deliberations their dedication their work their openness and transparency and never would question the subcommittee the chairman or their work product on this. So, I want that reflected for the record. Thank you. >> Agreed.
>> And outside of popular demand, I made a really big huff when I looked at that agenda item when we were reading it before the last meeting. So, I did not realize it was not on the table. So, so I I apologize for not noticing it on the agenda prior to get it fixed. So, with
that said, there was a motion and a second >> to to table. So, let's move on. We have four minutes to table this. >> Member Keegan. >> Yes. >> Member McCarthy. >> Yes. >> Member Wlette. >> Yes.
>> Vice Chair. >> Donovan. Yes. Mayor Bogard. >> Yes. >> And member Bayas. >> Yes. All right. Anything else for the good and welfare of the community? >> Mr. Vice Chairman, if I could. >> Yes, Mr. Mayor. A very important update
for the committee considering that tomorrow is the deadline to submit items for the July 6 council meeting. >> Yes, sir. >> Uh so I have been in close touch with the superintendent and I'll invite her to chime in here regarding our funding mechanism for special ed reform. Uh we
are moving forward full steam ahead with our efforts in that regard. Uh but I just wanted to mention that since our last meeting, I was contacted by uh the CEO of another organization that provides uh similar services that we
have been discussing about engaging uh with constellations to provide and uh they indicated an interest in submitting potentially a bid uh to participate in these services and so uh I've been in touch along with uh Dr. Golovski and
Miss Bozac uh with the individual from this organization. Uh now just to keep in mind this is something that uh we've determined to be exempt from the 30B process. However, considering that there are now other organizations, at least one that has expressed an interest in
bidding, uh I believe the superintendent uh has reached out to the inspector general's office to confirm the exemption and they have not heard back from the IG's office about that. So, uh the superintendent will share this out of an abundance of caution. Uh the plan
is to go out to bid and the thinking is that uh we have the funding mechanism identified. However, considering the fact that we don't have a precise amount that uh this would entail, my thinking, and I haven't uh shared this with the
council chair yet, my plan is to call her about it tomorrow uh to share that we may need a special meeting at some point uh in August uh perhaps whenever we're able to line up the successful bid so we can get this done. But either way, we're moving forward. Uh we just want to do it right. Uh, we want to protect the
district from any bid challenges from any other organizations and just do it the right way. Thank you. >> Excuse me, Vice Chair. I just like to make a motion to go past 9:00. >> Is there a second? >> Second. Roll call. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Can you there? >> Yes. >> Yes. Mayor. >> Yes. >> Yes. Your your mic's off. That's why they didn't hear you. >> Well, they all voted.
>> All right. Unanimous. Uh member uh madam superintendent, all yours to answer that and I didn't want you to feel rushed. >> Thank you. Um just wanted to add to that our grants and procurement specialist when she did hear back from the IG's office um they
spoke to the fact that if it's direct special education services for students there certainly is an exemption there. Um if it has to deal with more uh on on the lines of staff training or consultation then there is a bid process
there. Um, so again to air on the side of caution since we have a mix of both, but I would say uh it matches more of the latter that it makes sense um to go out for bid. So Miss Bozac um and uh Miss Rosario are working on putting the
the specs together to be submitted um this Thursday in order to go up in the register next Wednesday. Um and then we'll we'll take it from there and and see um what we get the proposals. And and just to chime in from a a process standpoint, as I mentioned previously,
uh thank you for the clarification, Dr. Gabsky. I didn't realize that we had heard back from the IG's office. I think the caution is something that we absolutely must uh you know, really try to adhere to given the fact, especially in a place like Methooan, you know, we've had our share of issues in the
past on the city side overall uh with some concerns about just getting things right. And so I think given the fact that you know this is a big price tag. It is a big reform uh we're committed to getting it done and we will uh I think the added caution in terms of following
all of the relevant uh laws of the commonwealth are critical. Uh and uh also as I referenced uh we'll we'll simply uh accommodate the schedule uh hopefully with the council for a special meeting so we get the funding in place. Uh either way we'll get it done.
Yes. Any questions? >> Mayor, I just have a question. Are you going to ask for the full amount that we originally requested and then go through the bid process and figure it out after that? Like, how is that going to work?
>> So, the bid >> Yeah. Sorry to interrupt. >> That's okay. I just know that you have to ask for that money by a certain time frame. Correct. >> No. >> So, no. So, uh, if it were coming out of free cash, then I would be subject to
restrictions by way of making any ask for or expenditures out of that account before the end of the fiscal year, which is tomorrow. However, the funding source that we're going to utilize is the city's general stabilization fund. Uh, we have available funds in there and we're able to tap into that at any time
of year, so we don't have any time constraints for the use of that fund. >> Thank you. Uh, any other questions? Member Bayas, >> I just have a comment. I just like to thank the mayor for his con his his commitment to this reform. Um, for
finding solutions, for uh being available and accessible for during this process and for thinking about the schools and know he's the CEO of the community as well. I'd also like to uh thank the mayor and his achievement for
the GIC in terms of moving in in in regards to reform u structural reform. We were told that we were going to get structural reform this year and in ways of different means we have been getting them.
Yeah, I think we're in a position, member bay, and thank you for your continued advocacy for these reforms, of course, along with uh all of our colleagues on the committee and the city council, too, uh for their support. Uh you know, at this point, we look at these cost drivers that really kill our
budget year after year. We look at health insurance, we look at special ed, collective bargaining, certainly uh probably right up there in the top three in terms of cost drivers. Uh those are locked in. Uh but when it comes to health insurance and special ed, uh those are areas that we are uh able to
get after by way of reforms and we've checked one off and we'll check the second one off before the end of the summer. >> All right, >> Mr. Vice Chairman. >> Yes, Mr. Wlette. >> So, obviously the GIC is a a huge game
changer, something that I've been advocating for for the last 25 years. I know the mayor has been a strong advocate for the GIC in his time as a counselor and going into the mayor's office. I know the vice chair in your
capacity has been an advocate for the GIC. This is a huge accomplishment. I want to give kudos to the mayor. This is going to pay dividends long term to our fiscal stability. It's going to save jobs. It's going to benefit directly the
workers with their premiums. It's going to eliminate a deficit. It's going to uh ensure that we have premium health care services. So, kudos on that. Uh the only concern I have is uh we have a deadline
of July 4th for the uh tax credits for any solar panel projects. And unless the company is stockpiling and we're not aware of it, we're going to be hitting that deadline of July 4th. So, I don't know through the chair to uh the mayor
if we have any the latest updates about the solar panels if we're landing that plane. I appreciate any feedback. >> Sure. And uh thank you for the prompt, member Wlette. So, uh, there was a time, uh, several months back where I believe the school committee authorized the city
by way of a vote to proceed with, uh, an engagement with Select Energy, um, or at least in a company to provide, uh, these, uh, solar panel, uh, services to us. And so, uh, we're in a position now where we have a finalized contract with Select to install solar panels on
the roofs of the Tenny and the CGS. Uh and that contract uh it will be on the July 6th agenda. The company that we're working with, they are one of the largest providers of these services for municipalities throughout the Commonwealth and they shared with us
that we're able to get this approved on July 6th. Uh we are in good shape to take advantage of uh the available savings for the city uh now and in the long term. And so they've been great to work with and they are ready to hit the ground running. And so that contract will be submitted to Chair Sodto and the
council tomorrow morning. >> Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And that to the city council. Uh the second thing to uh in addition to the GIC and to the solar panels is actually be the third thing. The the cameras on the
school buses, where is that right now? So that is uh in the process of going out to bid uh given the fact that we've been dealing with health insurance and trying to uh really ramp up things with solar and get that done in time. Um the
u school bus stop arm cameras uh haven't exactly been number one on the list. But uh now that we are moving towards addressing the solar issue, but also beyond that uh helping to tackle these other areas, we're able to get that out a bit as well. Uh and so we have a lot
of other excitement trying to talk too fast. We have a lot of other exciting uh things in the works as well. Uh that that will certainly be in the mix as we roll those things out >> and and I think uh and you can uh enlighten me on this as well and confirm it. I think the city of Peabody once
they initiated that uh cameras on the buses the extended arm I think within a a brief period of time they had about 850 violations. the right right into the coffers of the city which would help his schools and I think something similar to
Mthorne would be happening. Um and I know I've been advocating for that for a long period of time uh chairwoman Sodto and yourself. So I appreciate the update. The only thing else I would add is that I have legislation in the Senate working with the senator is to double
the fines in school zones and if we could land that plane as well. So, anybody who wants to send a letter or an email uh to the Senate or to the uh the House delegation on the legislation, it would be in fact uh doubling the fines in school zones. And I think that would
be another add value uh resource to us to add maybe uh back channel to uh improve uh services in our schools. So, I would encourage people to do that. In terms of the school choice, again, just briefly, I I respect the process. We
will have our legal advisories. I respect the superintendent and the mayor and member buyers and the vice chair. I want to reflect that. I I do not want to rush the process. I'm a big advocate for the law and we'll have our legal advisories. Uh but I'll be there anytime
if we need to have special meetings if it comes back to us that we can have a waiver. Uh I will meet anytime and then I'm always the uh the office on the the table. Mr. Mayor, if you feel uh and you get a lot on your plate and I do appreciate everything you've done and
like member Bayas indicated, we we're now starting to crank up structural reforms, which is fantastic. That's what we've been elected to do is to save jobs and to improve services within our school system and conduct reforms. If there's any time that you feel you can
bring forward a proposal, I will meet any time during the summer, even if it's through Zoom, uh, to give you that, uh, mandate. I just want to reflect that for the record. Thank you everyone. >> I have one other update if I could, Vice Chair.
>> Sure. Mayor, there's a line here now. So, >> Sure. >> You're good. So, uh, >> uh, real quick. So, uh, also on the agenda for July 6th will be the city's official surplus of three, uh, city-owned properties. Uh, 33 Railroad
Street, which is a parcel of land over by Dwight's Market and the Gil Avenue Splash Pad, that neck of the woods. Um, and then of course we have the Pave and Courier Schools. We're finally moving on those. Uh my goal is to redevelop all
three properties into housing for uh especially seniors, veterans in the community, uh but also uh just working families in general. But we're kind of keeping it open in ter terms of uh the various groups that we would try to target the housing towards given the fact that they're in three unique
locations. certainly really honing in on seniors and veterans as two populations that we want to expand housing opportunities for at the local level for low and moderate income folks. Uh so uh those will be officially surplused hopefully but with the will of the uh
council and their support uh at the next meeting. Uh and then beyond that, uh as we've already discussed, my intent is to uh direct the funds from the sale of the PV and courier school uh to capital
upgrades for our school buildings. Uh generally speaking, whenever you sell municipal property, the revenue has to be uh utilized for the purpose of uh capital upgrades. So uh of course, we would direct that to the schools. Uh so
we have a couple other uh really exciting things that I I'm not going to share tonight. Uh we'll share at the council meeting, but just wanted to mention that as well since that involves the school committee. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Vice Chairman. Mr. Wlette, there's a few people ahead of you right now.
>> Yeah, I'll do. >> So, member Dunovan, >> thank you. >> First, >> um just I know we understand that tomorrow's Wednesday. No, Wednesday. We might >> Tomorrow's Tuesday. >> Okay. Wednesday, we might have a final
vote on the budget. It might hopefully go quickly to the governor. Uh to the superintendent, um are we ready um to try to let our staff know um about their employment status as soon as we have some confirmation? And
obviously, we're going to have to meet. >> Um yes, there's still some question air as to what that means for us. So, um, we have been notifying staff of changes. Um, we've had a couple resignations and have already made some calls to bring
people back and readjust and switch between schools. So, we're moving as as quickly as we can. Um, and I think certainly by um the start of next week, we'll be in full swing with that, assuming that Wednesday >> is the day
>> is the day in the vote. Thursday. We'll have some time to get our our ducks in a row. We are interviewing for the assistant superintendent of finance um this week as well. Um and then there's the holiday Friday, so start of next week, I think would be reasonable um for
people to start hearing >> because I know there's a lot of I've heard from a lot of staff wondering what's happening and you know, nobody knows yet and we don't know the exact amount, but I just wanted to get that out there. I appreciate the time. I know time is the clock is ticking.
>> We got plenty of time. We got 45 minutes. >> 45 minutes. >> Here we go. Members, >> I I just want to double check what you just said about resignations. Those resignations are coming from teachers that were given pink slips at the end of the year.
>> Those resignations um no are coming from teachers who were otherwise employed. >> Oh, really? >> And have created a spot for somebody else. >> Okay. Thank you. member Wlette. >> Yeah. So, I this is a technical thing because I I haven't been on the city
council for uh quite a few years. Uh we talk about the free cash versus a stabilization fund in in light of the restrictions on free cash, but the stabilization fund and in light of January going into the GIC and starting
to incur savings, is there any possibility at all once we know the final numbers from the state on the conference report about the uh the final layoffs? Uh, is there any possibility of being able to tap into the stabilization
fund understanding that in January the GIC will usher in savings for the district and for the uh community as a whole? Is there any possibility of entertaining that or it's advised against us by Massachusetts Municipal Association? I would just recommend uh
just some feedback from the mayor on that. I'll defer to him obviously. >> Sure. So one of the things that I'm trying to balance when it comes to our reserves is that you know something that we need to keep in mind every couple of months uh you
know we're in touch with S&P global rating standard and four as you might recall member will atlet the bond rating agencies and so one of the things that we want to keep tabs on is you know trying to watch our burn rate when it comes to the use of reserves simply because that could potentially if we
were to go you know a little too far overboard with draw downs in any one year and we've been pretty excessive this year. Uh the one concern is we don't want that to amount to a red flag uh for the bond rating agencies and so you know I'm hesitant to commit to any
further use of stabilization uh beyond the concept of utilizing it for a major structural reform like special ed. I think that ultimately we're going to be hopefully ending uh the calendar year with having tackled health insurance, having tackled special
ed. These are two very big areas and we'll still have uh north of $10 million in reserves that if you were to kind of look at the sum of that equation, you know, I think that that is a very good result when you look at how we're taking
some major structural issues off the table, major risks. We're taking it completely away and we are using those funds to invest in our future, invest in reforms that will allow us to be in a stronger position. And I think if I were
SNP, I would rather see a city tackling the structural issues that they're having from a fiscal standpoint instead of having say all of these huge liabilities looming out in the distance and having $20 million in reserves because that can go away in an instant.
But at the same time, you know, I want to balance that. But with that being said, uh something that we are sorting out on uh the finance side in city hall is the fact that with the switch to the
GIC, we've identified unexpectedly $1.5 million in savings in fiscal year 27 due to the fact that our stop-loss coverage with Blue Cross is now going to be ending in January. We had budgeted the full year for that. So now that
we're only going to have to utilize half a year, that's automatically literally uh at just the stroke of a pen generating 1.5 million in savings for us. We want to identify exactly, you know, what that means in the context of
the broader budget, whether we can uh try to move things around to apply that to um you know, helping with the schools, helping in other areas. So uh certainly not a settled conversation. and we're trying to figure out exactly what that means in the broader context
uh when it comes to the budget, but uh there are immediate savings that we saw when that agreement was reached last week that could potentially be consequential uh but unsettled at this point. >> And and fair enough, Mr. Mayor and and
again I am fiscally conservative and I again we have to emphasize the bond writing is is very important in terms of if we do any projects down the line as a community we need to have a strong uh bond rating and if we have any emergency situations or sudden downturn the
economy we also want to save uh police fire DPW and the vast majority of our teachers we don't want to go into a great recession and then have to really exhaust every option. And so I I appreciate the insight. Again, I hope uh
we can based on the fact that we're doing the GIC, the solar panels, uh likely the school buses, uh constellations or variation of constellations, uh maybe school choice, and again, I'm on board with that in the interest of
structural reforms. If there's any consolidation you want to entertain going into uh the remainder of uh our year going into the next uh fiscal year, I'm on board with that. So, I I appreciate the update. I just hope that
the city council will work with you because again the GIC uh based on the healthc care analysis and the and the millions and millions of dollars uh far exceeding what my estimate would be going forward uh and the savings to the workers, the
elimination of the deficit, the the elimination of the structural deficit working with our uh state partners. I just hope that this there this is greater insight of really trying to save jobs because the last few years we've
had to really just uh peacemeal uh cut dozens of of workers and I don't think it's conducive long term to a school system and we we're talking about literacy and discipline custodians and and teacher ranks and I think we really
have to address the ship uh as much as we can. So, I appreciate everything. Um, and I'm there, Mr. Mayor, for any further structural reforms along with my colleagues. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, do you have anything else on your end? If not, we
have one more statement from member Keegan. >> No, that's it for now. Thank you. >> Thank you, member Keegan. Um, I had mentioned this to our finance subcommittee, but I would like to get a meeting um on the books, especially in light of the GIC, so that we can really
take a look at that chargeback agreement um that's been being worked on by Maggie since January. Um, and if we can get that back and really take a good look at that and see if we can um get those chargebacks under control. Thanks.
>> We've been talking about chargebacks for 15 years in this committee. Uh, last We can we can make a meeting happen. >> I'd like to make a motion >> on one. I have one comment. I waited the whole time. Um I know Ian's last day is
coming up in the next two weeks. Um I know there are a few RFP requests that we put out. One for a consultant to do the redistricting potentially. He said he would look into it. And then there were a few other comments that were
brought up over the last few weeks, but we didn't have the whole committee together. One was member Keegan's discussion about the former administration building and turning it over to the city. I do want to get that back on the agenda to have the
conversation. And then the last thing is I would like um maybe at the beginning of the year, not now, but beginning of the school year, I would like to recognize the retirees. I think that's something we used to do
back in the day. I would like to start doing that again. Having the retirees and even if they don't want to come, it's more of a recognition. They're here for the beginning of the meeting. Congratulate them, wish them best, and and but again, no obligation at that point.
With that, let's uh be mindful of the holiday schedule this week. If anyone wants to schedule a meeting for next week, make sure it gets in by Thursday. If it was
to be a Wednesday meeting or Monday for a Thursday meeting, that's all that I have to ask. And we have the schedule for it. Um but if it has to wait until the following week, Let's let's make sure we have everything so we make one meeting in July instead
of several special meetings. Okay, >> I make a motion to adjourn. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Second to Miss Keegan. Roll call, please. >> Keegan, >> yes. >> McCarthy, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Daglia, >> yes.
>> Donovan, yes. Borard, >> yes. >> And Bayas, >> yes. >> So, it's 9:22. >> This meeting is adjourned. The name of Owen.