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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-11-29-SC-minLEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, November 29, 2022 Global Ministries Christian Church 670 Washington Street, Dorchester, MA 02124 Meeting Minutes CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME: 6:08 PM SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Sara Cuthbertson, Chairperson Deepika Sawhney, Vice -chair Kathleen Lenihan, Clerk Larry Freeman Eileen Jay Student representative, Aditi Swamy SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent The minutes were taken by Julie Kaye, School Committee Meeting Recording Secretary. CONSENT AGENDA Payroll and Accounts Payable Warrant Approval a. November 18, 2022 - Payroll in the amount of $4,239,031.17 b. November 18, 2022 -AP Warrant in the amount of $3,031,675.70 c. November 18, 2022 - BMO Warrant in the amount of $41,698.47 Ms. Sawhney made a motion to approve the Payroll and Accounts Payable Warrant, Mr. Freeman seconded. Passed 5-0. METCO DIRECTOR'S OPENING REMARKS LPS METCO Director, Barbara Hamilton, welcomed the Lexington School Committee. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Dr. Hackett reviewed her Superintendent's Report with the School Committee. The highlights from her report include: Congratulations and Celebrations • Veteran's Day - Dr. Hackett attended the Town Veteran's Day Celebration alongside students and teachers. • Fiske Joy in Learning - On November 10, 2022, the Fiske Joy in Learning Celebration began with an overview of the amazing English Language Learners JK 11/29/22 - Approved (ELLs), highlighted how adults mentor ELL students and how ELL mentees become mentors, making a difference in the lives of their peers. • At the Helm by Diamond Seventh Grader, Rithvik Iyer! - Seventh grader, Rithvik Iyer launched his new non-fiction book, At The Helm on Saturday, November 12, 2022. • Diversity, Equity, and InclusionDiwali Cultural Event - Dr. Hackett thanked the Indian Americans of Lexington (IAL) for inviting her to this special event. Our talented LPS students stole the show, and the Indian food served at the end of the celebration was outstanding. Citizens Academy Progress on a New or Renovated Lexington High School • On Monday, November 14, 2022, the School Building Committee convened for the second time to discuss the Integrated Design Policy and what targets should be considered. The discussion focused on how to build a new or renovated high school to last for the next 50-75 years. Dr. Hackett also discussed the process that the Master Planning Committee is taking to determine what happens to Central Office as well. There are a few options being discussed that can be viewed in this memo here. d. Sending Love and Support to the LGBTQ Community • On Tuesday, November 22, 2022, Dr. Hackett sent this letter out to Lexington students, staff, and community members. As we confront the news of another senseless, violent attack on people with LGBTQ identities, we send our love and support to LGBTQ students, staff, and families in Lexington and everywhere. LIPS PRESENTATIONS African American History: New Course Update Kerry Dunne, LHS History & Social Studies Department Head, presented an update on the new course, African American History, that launched in the Fall of 2022. During Ms. Dunne's presentation, she incorporated student voices by sharing quotes from students about why they took this course. Please click here for the full presentation. Performing Arts Update Jared Cassedy, K-12 Performing Arts Coordinator, gave an update on the Performing Arts Department as they continue to open up dialogue around diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and social -emotional learning within the curriculum and student experience. The department is currently in the midst of its curriculum review where teachers are focusing on decolonizing and diversifying their resources and selecting repertoire that is more reflective and inclusionary of the Lexington Community, considering their own instructional practices as a means of including and celebrating students of all backgrounds, and investing in deep conversations around what diversity, equity, and inclusion means to them. Mr. Cassedy also took time to talk through the instrumental music program, expressing that any student who would like to play an instrument is able to participate. The department will be administering a K-12 Performing Arts Survey to students and families in January 2023 to get more concrete feedback and data, and Mr. Cassedy JK 11/29/22 - Approved will be meeting with METCO families on Monday, February 6, 2023. Please click here for the full presentation. Elementary World Language Update Caitlin Ahern, Director of Elementary Education, gave an overview of Elementary World Language in the Lexington Public Schools and the progress for bringing back this program. Learning a language in the elementary grades benefits students cognitively, academically, and in social -emotional skills and is in line with our Core Values. Currently, one language will be offered at each elementary school starting in Kindergarten. Elementary World Language would be like any other special we offer, twice a week for 30 minutes in their target language. To learn more, please click here. School Committee Questions/Comments: Ms. Lenihan is excited to hear more about a potential second semester for the new African American History and other course possibilities in the future. She also commented that it is not necessary for students in the Performing Arts program to receive tutoring outside the program to participate at any level. Mr. Freeman: When reading through the new Asian American History course, he noticed that there was an honors course option but he did not see this for the new African American course. Do we not have an honors course for this? Ms. Dunne explained that all our one semester Social Studies electives have the option to be taken at the honors level or the CP1 level, including the African American course. However, that is only for 10 -12th graders. 9th graders have the option to take these courses but not at the honors level. In regard to possibilities for other courses in the future, we could always do more. Ms. Dunne has heard from students that there is an interest in an LGBTQ+ History course, and a Latin American History course, but our limitation is staffing. Mr. Freeman would like to see consistency in the program course, as the words "Black American" and "African American" are both used. Ms. Dunne replied that the literature and material we use, there is use of both. Ms. Dunne would like to pose that question to the students to see what their preference would be. Mr. Freeman is interested in seeing the course focus on the African diaspora because we all originated in Africa. Ms. Dunne explained that this was an enormous piece of feedback that we received in our focus groups. She agrees and believes that this is being addressed and taught within this course. Ms. Sawhney asked if we are following the 2018 Social Studies framework for this course or if it is being updated. Ms. Dunne explained that the 2018 Social Studies framework is the most current and it is not JK 11/29/22 - Approved currently being updated. Students could take this course in addition to their required three years of History and Social Studies as this is currently an elective. We could make this course mandatory but I believe in student choice as well. Ms. Sawhney stated that the College Board is currently piloting a course like this. Ms. Dunne said that this is something we could look at down the road but it is just a pilot for now. We have a few options we can look at and it is something to consider in the future. Mr. Freeman asked Mr. Cassedy if there are any current plans to have Afro-Caribbean dances or musicals in the school system. Mr. Cassedy replied that not at this point but it has been something they have discussed and it really is all about resources and the production we are currently doing. We do have a course called Music Anatomy where students talk about controversies and social justice issues that happen in the music environment. Ms. Cuthbertson found it very helpful to look through the Program of Studies as a parent and learn more about each class. Mr. Cassedy stated that we have a Performing Arts Guidebook on our website as well. Ms. Cuthbertson asked Ms. Dunne, how did the new courses come about with students? Ms. Dunne replied that there was a 2018 student petition asking specifically for an African American History course. The momentum was there and all we needed to do was get this into the Program of Studies and get students to sign up for it. Ms. Jay asked when the next Social Studies curriculum review is coming up. Also, what kind of community input can there be for community members who have an interest in having their history represented in the curriculum? Ms. Dunne replied that this is a timely question. We are in the curriculum review now for Social Studies and are mid -way through now. We have not done any community input or reached out as of yet but we can do that I believe and I will talk with our Elementary and Secondary Directors about that idea. Our department is meeting with the Indian Americans of Lexington (IAL) during professional development time to provide some feedback and additional resources for teaching about India. Ms. Cuthbertson stated that we should always keep in mind that students are the ones who brought this course forward so any changes should have student feedback. COMMUNITY SPEAK Albea Gibson: ensuring we are including people with real experience when delving into any of the multicultural or specific classes. I think it brings a different perspective and something you can't get from a book. Even having speakers come in. I appreciate you for having young people's JK 11/29/22 - Approved voices at the table but also, having the historical background would be great. Katrice Nelson: how much African American study is done at the elementary level? Is this just during Black History Month or during library time and class reading time? Are there books about African Americans or do they have to wait into middle and high school level to dive in? Ms. Cuthbertson replied that this is the first year that LPS is rolling out our PK -12 DEI Curriculum and with having a 5th grader and 9th grader, she has noticed a change at the elementary level particularly in Social Studies for her 5th grader. Mr. Cole and Ms. Ahern followed up with comments that there is work being done incorporating historical perspectives including African American at the elementary level as well as the DEI Curriculum. There is always more work to be done and we are working on it. Eric Charles: I am an alumnus of LPS and it was a cultural shock to me when I learned about African American History because the people who were teaching it to me did not look like me and the ones around me who were in the class did not either. So, when you are teaching this curriculum, how do you make the people that are learning about their history feel comfortable in the classroom? Dr. Hackett replied that these new classes, African American History and Asian American History, were brought to us by students through a petition and they actually met with Dr. Stephens and me. These students stated that they have gone through their entire educational career with none or maybe one teacher of color. We have taken that to heart and approximately % of our new hires were educators of color and we have a long way to go. Our goal is to make sure that we have a lot of different people educating our students and to make sure we are reaching out when we don't. We know the experience students have when they are taught by an educator that hasn't lived the same experiences is quite different. Ms. Hamilton followed up with a comment that this is a very important piece. I always encourage teachers particularly at the middle and high school level that teachers do their prep work before they introduce these types of topics and how this content can impact the students. This is a continued work in progress and this is something that Dr. Hackett and I talk about often. Sheggai Tamerat: I wanted to ask everyone to think about ways to celebrate and encourage joy for our brown and black students. I don't want my child or any child to walk away from these settings uncomfortable and not knowing how special and loved they are and how much love and joy come out of their culture as well. Anything I can do to contribute and plan, I volunteer. NEW BUSINESS Vote to Ratify Memorandum of Agreement foraOne-year Successor Contract with the Association of Lexington Administrators Ms. Lenihan made a motion to Ratify Memorandum of Agreement for a One-year JK 11/29/22 - Approved Successor Contract with the Association of Lexington Administrators and the Lexington School Committee from July 1, 2022 to lune 30, 2023, Ms. Sawhney seconded. Passed 5-0. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Jay made a motion to adjourn at 7.48 PM, Ms. Lenihan seconded. Ms. Cuthbertson took a roll call vote, passed 5-0. SMALL SCHOOL GROUPS The School Committee meeting ended and all attendees broke up into groups by school. JK 11/29/22 - Approved