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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-26-SC-minLEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, October 26, 2021 Conducted by Remote Participation Meeting Minutes CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME: 6:34 P.M. SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Kathleen Lenihan, Chairperson Eileen Jay, Vice -Chair Scott Bokun Deepika Sawhney Sara Cuthbertson, Clerk STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE Sara Mei SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent The minutes were taken by Julie Kaye, School Committee Meeting Recording Secretary. The School Committee is convening by video conference via the application Zoom as posted on the Town's Website. Members of the public can view and participate in the meeting webinar from their computer or tablet by clicking on the link provided with the meeting agenda. Please note that this meeting is being recorded, and that some attendees are participating by video conference. This evening's meeting is being broadcast live and also taped by LexMedia for future on -demand viewing. All supporting materials that have been provided to members of this body are available on the Town's website unless otherwise noted. SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS AND LIAISON REPORTS: • Mr. Bokun attended the monthly meeting of the Lexington Human Rights Committee last week; they have been working on the "No Hate November" campaign. The No Hate November website will be active November 1, 2021 which will have video messages from community groups (including the School Committee). There will be a Community Discussion about multiple marginalized identities on November 9, 2021 at 5:00 pm via Zoom. On the website there is a "Kindness Calendar" for the month of November, each day you can participate in the Kindness Challenge! Each day you have the opportunity to show empathy and kindness to others, there is a list of things to choose from and you keep track for the whole month. Also Mr. Bokun announced that he got his flu shot. LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK • Ms. Cuthbertson stated that she got her booster and her flu shot at the same time! Her announcement is that on Monday she will attend the first School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) meeting. • Ms. Sawhney stated that after the last budget summit meeting, she emailed Ms. Kosnoff some questions about cash capital. Ms. Sawhney will forward the responses to the School Committee members. • Ms. Jay stated that this month is LQBTQ History Month. If you go to Igbthistorymonth.com you will see an icon for each day of the month. Another announcement is that at the Cary Library Full Board meeting a couple of weeks ago, the Stone Building Feasibility/Reuse Committee presented tentative options for use of the Stone Building, including return to use as a branch library. Koren Stembridge asked the board to vote on use of the Stone Building as a library. The vote was unanimously opposed to use of the Stone Building asa municipally -funded library. • Sara Mei announced that last week in LHS Senate, they invited Mr. Silva, the Food Service Director, and members of the Green Team to talk about composting, food waste, and the Winstons menus. • Ms. Lenihan mentioned that there will be free COVID 19 testing available to Lexington and Belmont residents following Halloween on November 4 & 6. On Thursday, November 4 at 173 Bedford Street, Lexington from 4:00-7:00 PM, there will be drive-through testing, as well as on Saturday, November 6 at Chenery Middle School, 95 Washington St Belmont from 9:00 AM — 2:00 PM. Appointments are required, you can sign up on the Town's Website. Another announcement is that today the Vision for Lexington Subcommittee met, getting ready for the town wide survey that happens every 5 years. This survey provides the town with information used for long range planning, it will be going out in January. Today the FDA advisory panel voted to recommend the Pfizer vaccine to 5-11 year olds. Next, the FDA will consider the recommendation then the acting commissioner will issue the final decision. Then it goes to the CDC and then the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will make their recommendations on Nov. 2-3. COMMUNITY SPEAK Heidi Pasternak, 51 Ward St: She is a parent to a Senior at LHS, she also teaches high school in a neighboring community. Ms. Pasternak stated that adding 3 hours once a month for teachers to collaborate is useful and innovative. She mentioned that students are experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety. She also mentioned that all of the initiatives for equity take time to institute. She is thankful for the 3 hours and for the innovative thinking that is behind this decision. Dawn McKenna, 9 Hancock St: She is a Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member. She has concerns with how Community Speak is done. She would like to comment on the Elementary World Language Program but she needs to hear Dr. Hackett's presentation first. She stated that commenting after the presentation would be "too late" if the Committee votes. She thanked Dr. Hackett for LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK working on this topic. There has now been a generation of students who have missed out on having a language program starting at the elementary level. She is very sorry and disappointed that this is tied to the half days and thinks that there are different ways to support and fund this issue. She would like to connect with Dr. Hackett after this meeting. Ms. McKenna is the Chairman of the Tourism Committee and she is actively engaged with the Antony (France) Working Group. She was told that there is talk about cutting back on the exchange; she stated that the Antony Exchanges have been happening annually since the mid 1980's. She would be very disappointed that this would be allowed and she hopes to also discuss this again. She also added that having the Elementary World Language Program start in January 2023 would be beneficial instead of the fall of 2023. Ms. Lenihan added that there will be a Community Speak after the presentation and before there is a vote. Bronte Abraham, 22 Hudson Rd: She would like to bring attention that it is National Disability Employment Month and recognize that Whitson's food service is a "stellar citizen model of employment of people with disabilities'.' Whitson's has trained and hired several employees through the LABBB program. Ms. Abraham asked if there are any full time job openings that could be appropriate in the district (Town of Lexington or the School District level). She is happy to put the School Committee in touch with agencies. Mona Roy, Bertwell Rd: She stated that giving our kids the opportunity to learn more than one language is a very good idea; she herself is bilingual. She also understands that this is a DEI issue. She is a parent of a child with language learning disabilities who went to Bengali school. She has first hand experience that a child with dyslexia has a difficult time learning other languages. She asked how additional marginalization and segregation of children who have language learning disabilities will be prevented if the World Language Program moves forward. She suggested a World Culture Class or ASL and more community discussions. Ms. Roy brought up that she was there for the Town Meeting when the School Committee voted on the Disability Inclusion Resolution. It states that the needs of disabled persons will be considered in all decisions and planning processes in order to work towards full inclusion. She also mentioned that most of the languages that are being proposed in the World Language Program are European languages, she suggested considering other languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Bengali or Korean. Deb Zucker, 119 Laconia St: She would like to take this opportunity to thank the School Committee and the Administration especially Maureen Kavanaugh, Julie Fenn, Johnny Cole, Dr. Hackett for their work on the YRBS (Youth Risk Behavior Survey) over the past few years. Importance insights are gleaned from this survey and she appreciates all of the efforts in prioritizing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion throughout the pandemic. She was able to preview some of the results and they are "not surprising" and "heartbreaking" This is the only data that we have on the LGBTQ community in Lexington. The report will show that LGBTQ students LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK report the worst outcomes across every category (substance abuse, violence, bullying, harassment, mental health, suicide ideation) compared to their heterosexual sis peers. Ms. Zucker gave the following examples that LGBTQ students in Lexington are two times as likely to absuse alcohol, three to four and a half time times as likely to be bullied on school property, two and a half to four and a half times as likely to have feelings of suicide ideation. These disparities show how important Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work is. Ms. Lenihan mentioned that tonight will just be highlights of the YRBS results, at the SHAC meeting on November 1, 2021 is when the results will be reviewed in detail. Kim: She is a school psychologist at two elementary schools in the district. She would like to express concerns with timing and equity regarding the Elementary World Language Proposal. Cuts and consolidations to other services such as special education will eventually be made. These services are needed, especially now during a pandemic. Students are experiencing anxiety and depression in addition to academic challenges and learning gaps. The pandemic has caused trauma and stress. We need all of the mental health, special education, and academic support coaches and interventionists that we have now, if not more. The loss of half day Fridays at the elementary level would represent a loss of educator collaboration and essential prep. Her other concern is with our high needs students; the World Language Program in the past in Lexington has experienced challenges with equity in this subject. The needs of students with dyslexia, autism, communication, and cognitive needs are so great. These students defer a second language until high school to give more time for them to develop essential language skills. She also suggests ASL as a more functional option. Kim is also concerned that having a fifth full day will be a challenging transition. She is thankful for consideration on these issues. Jeanne Desanto, 1 Upland Rd: She was concerned with reading the letter that went out today; it mentioned the World Language Program and half days at LHS. Her primary worry is about timing and priorities. The students at Lexington High School will end up losing out on a week of school. Ms. Desanto also expressed concern with taking ESSR money to fund the World Language program. She believes that the money should go to the struggling high school. She is a fan of having a World Language program (as long as the children who have specialized language learning disabilities are taken into account), but that it is a long term need and the high school is an acute need, they need time, money and staffing now. She encourages us all to put the money earmarked for COVID-related remediation, catch up learning and social -emotional support to be put towards where the acute need is. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT • Congratulations and Celebrations o MASS Awards Dr. Hackett stated that each year she has the privilege of awarding Lexington High School students the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Award for Academic Excellence. This year she is recognizing three outstanding LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK high school scholars: Anthony The, Powell Zhang, and Sudi Zhao. This annual award is given to "high school students who have distinguished themselves in their pursuit of academic excellence during their high school careers." Dr. Hackett showed what the award looks like and the students receiving the award were joined as panelists. She read Anthony's recommendation letter that was written by his guidance counselor first. The letter states that he is "driven to work hard and spends countless hours on things that he is passionate about" as well as "humble, kind and always incredibly polite." Dr. Hackett went on to list Anthony's other accomplishments and positive traits. Anthony appreciates all of the kind words, Ms. Lenihan congratulates him on behalf of the School Committee. Dr. Hackett then read Powell's counselor statement, it mentions that Powell is one of Lexington High School's highest achievers with a grade point average of 4.22. The letter also includes his academic achievements as well as highlighting his musical ability and extracurricular activities. Powell is very honored and thankful for all of the kind words, his mother also expressed her appreciation for the recognition of all of his achievements and for the work of his teachers. Finally Dr. Hackett read Sudi's letter, she is recognized for her empathy and ability to consider other points of view. Sudi feels incredibly honored and appreciates all of the support from her teachers! She also thanked her family, her mother is thankful as well. Dr. Lenihan is very proud of each of the students and congratulated them and wished them luck next year. Dr. Hackett also recognized Emily Wang. She is in the current issue of the Colonial Times for starting her organization World Wide English, which connects Lexington teens with English Language Learners for one-hour support classes. Emily identified Diamond teacher Lonamae Shand as the individual whose gesture of kindness completely changed her trajectory in school, as she struggled with English language acquisition after moving here from China at age 11. Great teachers make a difference, and Emily's story is representative of the important work so many of our dedicated educators do to lift our students' voices. Dr. Hackett is very proud of Emily! • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion o The DEI Community Input Team (DEI CIT) has been working on the adoption of a district -wide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) curriculum. At their first meeting in June, the group collectively identified some important vision statements for the effort in alignment with the Strategic Plan. This summer, they came to consensus about using the Learning for Justice Social Justice Standards to evaluate our curriculum, particularly to identify where we are reaching these standards and where potential gaps may exist. The next step in the process includes gathering data from all department and building leaders, as well as LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK individual teachers, that will be presented back to the committee in early December. At that point, the DEI CIT will begin the important work of identifying the best components of what is currently happening in our schools and what gaps need to be filled. There are also plans to create opportunities this winter for community members who are not a part of the DEI CIT to provide additional input on the process. o Dr. Hackett also included Religious Calendar Web Page and Google Form. A survey was sent to community members asking them to share the cultural and religious observances that are important to their family. We are working with the community to develop collaborative messaging that honors the important religious and cultural observances and educates those who may not be familiar with their purpose. The web page and the included messages about observances are dynamic, and we welcome ongoing community input. Over 100 responses have been received so far. o Dr. Hackett said last Friday she ran into Phoebe, who spoke at the rally in Boston, and she asked Dr. Hackett if she could publicize for her the AAPI History Inclusion Benefit Concert. It is on Veterans Day, they will be recognizing Asian Americans who are Veterans. • LPS COVID-19 Update o A COVID-19 Communication went out today to inform the community about what we know at this point around vaccines. o Dates have been chosen for vaccination clinics that will accommodate students 5-11 years old. o On Saturday, 450 people participated in the flu clinic (booster shots were also available). o Dr. Hackett mentioned that there is sometimes a little lag on the LPS COVID-19 Dashboard. o As of October 25, 2021, 89.1% of LPS students, grades 7 - 12 and 90.9% of LHS students (grades 9-12) were fully vaccinated. o There is a link to the list of all of the vaccination clinics. o The State mask mandate will continue through January 15, 2022. • 98.7% of staff have been vaccinated. Ms. Lenihan added that there is a website that reports the percentage of people vaccinated, you can search by town. She looked up Lexington's numbers and they are not quite right, the most accurate source is the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS). Ms. Lenihan asked if there is an update on the vaccination protocol for extra curricular activities and sports. Dr. Hackett replied that she will have information on this by the next meeting. • Elementary Curriculum Pilots LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK o Last year the elementary teachers were asked to incorporate chronological and phonetic awareness into their Literacy instruction. o Our K-5 math educators are piloting potential new math programs. • LPS YRBS Survey 2020-2021 Highlights o The full presentation of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey will be presented at the Lexington School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) meeting on Monday, November 1, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. o Dr. Kavanaugh explained that at the SHAC meeting, trends and highlights of the YRBS data will be discussed. The conversation will focus on substance use, bullying, harassment, mental health, suicide ideation, self injury, self reported impacts of the pandemic. She pointed out that the long term impacts of the pandemic are still unfolding so this data set won't give a full picture. The full Superintendent's Report can be found here. School Committee Questions/Comments: Ms. Sawhney asked Dr. Hackett if the information about the vaccination clinics could be passed along to the Town so the word spreads. She also mentioned that she would like to pass information that she has gained while taking a course to the School Committee before the SHAC meeting. Dr. Hackett informed Ms. Sawhney that every time she puts out a Superintendent report it goes to Sean Dugan, Public Information Officer, at the Town and he picks and chooses what he puts out to the community. VOTE ON ELEMENTARY WORLD LANGUAGE PROPOSAL Dr. Hackett introduced the video. Jennifer Gaudet (Director of Secondary Education) mentioned that she did a lot of research on the history of Elementary World Language here in Lexington. This proposal will focus on the time schedule, as of right now we are an hour short per week at every level. The proposal discusses eliminating "half-day Fridays" Mr. Martellone explained the complexities of creating a schedule. Ms. Gaudet explained that the World Language Design Task Force and Working Group has looked at different models and has come up with a Content Based Instruction (CBI) program. World Language teachers would be collaborating with grade level teachers to keep similar content and themes. Ms. Gaudet mentioned that she provided a budget for what we anticipate the cost to be for the World Language Program. One working group will be looking at the district calendar and another working group will be looking at teacher preparation time and another working group will be looking at the daily elementary schedule. Next steps include negotiating an impact bargain and curriculum design. School Committee Questions/Comments: LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK Ms. Sawhney spoke about The federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. She reassured the community that if there was a need that wasn't being met, the School Committee would be pushing for that instead. Ms. Sawheny asked for more transparency for the public and to invite parents to be on working groups/task forces. She also pointed out that other districts are using the ARPA funding towards baseline needs, Lexington's baseline needs are already met. Mr. Bokun asked if each Elementary School would focus on one language? Dr. Hackett responded "yes." Mr. Bokun then asked if just three languages would be taught (two elementary schools per language). Dr. Hackett confirmed this as well. Mr. Bokun would like to know what happens when the students enter Middle School: Do they have the option to switch languages? Dr. Hackett replied "absolutely" and offered to bring teachers in to discuss this further and that the focus is to expose students to any language, it doesn't really matter which language is taught. Mr. Bokun asked about the MOA that mentioned changing school start times, this is no longer in the MOA. Dr. Hackett said that "we don't have a MOA anymore". She wrote a MOA so Elementary teachers could understand that the challenges are being recognized, it was decided not to go with this MOA. Mr. Bokun finds that World Language is for everybody, it gets kids learning about DEI and cultures that they might not have learned until later on in Middle School. He also mentions that we lost the previous World Language program due to an override fail 15 years ago and that we are never going to get it back, "Now is the time!" Ms. Lenihan confirmed that it was in 2006 when the override failed. Ms. Cuthbertson brought up that some districts have decided to use the funds for a tutoring program but they can not hire the appropriate staff; this is a disconnect that most people don't see. Ms. Cuthbertson would like to make sure that the students with disabilities will have additional support with the language program, this program is not to add stress. She also brought up the Understanding Our Differences presentation a few years back, and how a woman with dyslexia came and spoke about her experiences and that she loved learning languages. She believes that implementing the program in 2023 will give more time for adjustment after the pandemic. Ms. Cuthbertson ended with the statement that some people in the community see the World Language program as a luxury, she does not feel that it is because of all of the cognitive benefits it will bring to our students. Ms. Jay is in agreement with the benefits of having a World Language program, especially at the Elementary level. She would like clarification on the half day Fridays, the proposal mentions eliminating all half day Fridays but Ms. Gaudet said that would be one Friday per month. Dr. Hackett responded that the schedule has not been figured out yet so that's why it is written in the proposal that way. At an early glance, it looks like there could be one per month. Dr. Hackett said that the proposal can be updated to better explain this. Ms. Jay mentioned that teachers in the past have been concerned about losing elementary half days to World Language, those half days are used as collaborative time. Dr. Hackett and Ms. Gaudet discussed the scheduling committee; they are looking at longer blocks of time for collaborative time and professional LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK development. Mr. Martellone explained that some principals are building schedules and putting in the "specials" (art, music, PE, library) back to back to give teachers a full hour of planning time. While planning for the World Language program, it has been kept in mind to preserve teachers' planning time and time for teachers to work together as a team. Ms. Jay also asked if Elementary World Language could be implemented during the current school hours. We are already an hour over as is, so most likely the answer is no. Dr. Hackett stated that this was already looked at, she also mentioned that Health lessons are now added. Dr. Hackett spoke about the fact that literacy gained 30 minutes of time from last year to this year (up to 2 hours). Ms. Jay said that going to 5 full days (even if it is just once a month) will have an impact on after school programs and extracurricular activities. She asks that once a more concrete plan is made by the Scheduling Committee, could that be shared with the community to get feedback before any decisions are made? Dr. Hackett spoke about communications she has been having over the years with families which this schedule change will greatly impact. Ms. Jay asked about content -based instruction for World Language that is integrated into the overall curriculum rather than being stand-alone language lessons. The integrated version would be parallel to the other core subjects, she also suggested co -teaching. Dr. Hackett expressed that this program is not supposed to put any extra pressure on staff, and that the content -based instruction that is integrated would cost more money. Ms. Gaudet explained that there will be separate lessons taught by Language teachers but the design of those lessons will be integrated into other curriculum areas. Ms. Jay also asked if 16 minutes a week is enough. Ms. Gaudet replied that research does show that 90-120 minutes per week is best for learning a language but after looking at all of the other things that need to be integrated and to not put any pressure on students. Ms. Gaudet stated that it's really looking at the mindfulness of the whole experience for our children so they are able to engage in fun learning, this is not to be an added burden. Ms. Jay is worried about different languages being taught in different schools and how that will transition into a Middle School. She is also concerned about the budget and the sustainability of the program after the seed money. Sara Mei said that Mandarin was her first language, she did not learn English until she was in the ELL program in Elementary School. She now takes Spanish in High School and it is always a class she looks forward to. She believes that World Language is important for social and emotional learning. Her Spanish class gives her a break from her heavy academic courses. Sara spoke about how fun Spanish class is and that she learns something new every day. She wishes that there was an Elementary World Language program when she was younger. Sara echoes the concerns about students with different learning abilities, but if those issues get resolved she will be in full support of this proposal. Sara asked if a student's second language is English, would they take another language or would they just take ELL? Dr. Hackett responded that it is our intention to have everyone participate! Ms. Lenihan said that her husband went to school in Lexington back when the original World Language program was around. She spoke about different languages being taught at different schools and how it all worked out. She suggested looking back at that old program. She is glad LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK to see that the program wouldn't be implemented until the fall of 2023. Ms. Lenihan also addressed the question of "why can't we use the ESSR money to solve the problems caused by COVID (tutors)?" She stated that this isn't a problem that can be solved with money. We can't take what we did not learn last year and squeeze it in this year, that's not how learning works. Ms. Sawhney is the only School Committee member that grew up outside of the US. She spoke about how students will use other languages not only in the classroom. She asks to keep the program fluid and inclusive. COMMUNITY SPEAK Teresa Wright, 35 Reed St: She does not have any children that would be going through the World Language program but she is concerned about using one-time funds to support an ongoing program. She is a parent of a dyslexic child, and she mentioned that dyslexic students get embarrassed and feel shame while in a foreign language class. She also mentioned the lack of inclusion and the struggles that it produces. How will we deal with these issues in Elementary School? She also said that she is worried and that we are all still struggling with the pandemic. She feels like we should be trying to lift up those who are struggling instead of adding additional academic pressure. She is not in support of this program. Taylor Singh, 40 Hancock Street: She is grateful for the School Committee's work on this program. She said that emergency relief funds come from the Federal Government to address students' social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs resulting from the pandemic; this isn't a 1.2 million dollar gift. She believes that tonight's vote is premature. She knows that only half of the Elementary parents have had a parent teacher conference. Pre -pandemic goals are worthy, but not imperative now. She asks to please ensure that our teachers and students are okay before greenlighting this new initiative. Patricia Costello, 9 Preston Road: She thinks that World Language is an excellent idea but she does not see it being budgetarily sustainable. She brought up the building of a new High School in a few years, the tax rate going up. She mentioned that there are a lot of people who live in Lexington who are struggling to stay because of taxes. I don't think this is something that needs to be put forward. Jeanne Desanto, 1 Upland Rd: She said that LPS has extra money and that the DESSE guidelines say "use it to help pick up our kids post COVID, focus on their social, emotional, academic and mental health needs" She instead is hearing that you all want to use the money for a World Language program. She mentioned that this is wonderful but it's not COVID related. She has a child that attends the Carroll School, she explained that the Carroll School does not teach foreign languages. She believes that we should be taking the money and using it to help the struggling Middle Schools and High School. Even if it's not put towards tutoring, it should be used for social, emotional and mental health help. She asks to spend the money on the acute need, we need to deal with the suffering of the kids in Middle and High School. LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK Dawn McKenna, 9 Hancock St: Dawn appreciates the presentation but she does not think it's appropriate to have different languages taught at different schools. In the past, only French was offered but then there was a choice of Spanish and it was the parents' choice. It's about creating the same opportunities at every school. She asks that whatever language is chosen, that it is offered at each school. She is concerned about the half days and the effect it will have on other programs offered around town. She asked that the Superintendent look at and use prior World Language models. Lastly, she would suggest that you authorize the Superintendent to implement an Elementary foreign language program no later than the Fall of 2023 and that it be subject to final approval by the School Committee of the program's financing and implementation plan. Ms. Sawhney moved to approve (a) the addition of an Elementary World Language curriculum in grades K-5; and (b) the Elementary World Language proposal for implementation in the fall of 2023; Ms. Cuthbertson seconded. Ms. Lenihan took a roll call vote (Approved 5-0). NEW BUSINESS Proposal o A end the 20202021 Scc�c�l Calen ar Dr. Hackett stated that this is a difficult and strange year, she has tried to listen and change things that are in our control. The educators' weekly meetings went away, and it has been a challenge for everyone. She is proposing one early release day per month for middle and high school students. Dr. Hackett hopes that this will give some relief to staff and students. PROPOSED DATES: November 12, 2021 March 4, 2022 December 17, 2021 April 1, 2022 January 7, 2022 May 6, 2022 February 4, 2022 june 3 2021 Ms. Sawhney suggested that since we have snow days, does it make sense to look at the proposal for just the dates remaining in 2021? She is wondering if teachers will be able to cover all of the mandated content within a calendar schedule that includes these half days. Sara Mei spoke to the different methods of learning and how some are working and that some are not. She will bring up to Senate the idea of surveying students to see what methods work best for them. Dr. Hackett replied to Ms. Sawhney, that yes, we can vote on just the 2021 dates but this is a need that is not going to go away. It is also something that we are going to have to look at going forward. She would recommend voting as proposed. Our educators look at different learning models in Professional Learning Communities (PLC), this added time will be used for educators to collaborate. Dr. Hackett added that during this time educators can discuss different students LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK and how to best support them so even though the students are not in the physical space, the time is directly invested in children. This is to help be a "pressure release." Ms. Cuthbertson stated that she was surprised by this proposal. So she has checked in with her Middle School child and they have noticed that educators and their peers are stressed. Ms. Cuthbertson also mentioned that teachers have more students that need extra help this year. She acknowledged that this is not going to fix everything but I think that if we can offer this time to the teachers that it will really impact the students. Ms. Jay said that it might not be apparent how difficult this year is. It looks that everything is back in place but it's really not the case, especially for educators. She thinks that this extra time for teachers to collaborate will be beneficial, not only for them but for the students as well. She thinks that this could also be a relief for students that they didn't know was needed. Ms. Jay proposed adopting these half days but suggested eliminating the Jun 3 date as being late in the year and not as necessary. Ms. Jay would just like to know how this is going to affect the 6 -day rotation at the High School. Dr. Hackett replied that she is not sure but she put the proposal out to the Admin Council and made sure that they were aware of this before it was presented tonight, those pieces will be worked out to accommodate this. Mr. Bokun has nothing to add. Sara Mei also has nothing to add. Ms. Lenihan has a Lexington high schooler who is in support of this. She mentioned the amount of work teachers do for preparation. She gave the example that a lawyer doesn't just work in the courtroom, there is a lot of preparation done outside, the same applies to teachers. She also added that last year was like everyone was a first year teacher. This year is better but it is still not the same. This is a gain for students, not a loss. She suggested eliminating the December and June dates. Mr. Bokun added that he would like to keep it to once a month for consistency. Ms. Sawhney is still concerned about some of the parent feedback and all of the stuff the students have to learn. Dr. Hackett expressed that she is not as worried about the time on learning piece. Ms. Jay would be fine with dropping the June date. Ms. Cuthbertson made a motion to modify the 2021-2022 school calendar to include one additional half day early release day per month for middle and high school students, from now until the end of the school year; Mr. Bokun seconded. Ms. Lenihan took a roll call vote, Mr. Bokun- Yes, Ms. Sawhney- No, Ms. Jay- No, Ms. Lenihan-No, the motion failed. The School Committee discussed the dates. Ms. Jay made a motion to modify the 2021-2022 school calendar to include one additional half day early release day per month for middle and high school students, from now until the LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK end of the school year in accordance with the dates listed minus the June 3, 2022 date; Mr. Bokun seconded. Ms. Lenihan took a roll call vote (Approved 5-0). CONSENT AGENDA Mr. Bokun read the following consent agenda items: Payroll and Accounts Payable Warrant Approval a. October 22, 2021 - Accounts Payable in the amount of $982,923.88 b. October 22, 2021- BMO in the amount of $35,936.70 c. October 22, 2021- Payroll in the amount of $4,215,750.39 Ms. Jay read the following consent agenda item: Approval of School Committee Minutes a. October 12, 2021 Ms. Sawhney read the following consent agenda items: Donations a. Approval of $8,300 from the Lexington Education Foundation to Lexington High School for the Charles Yu author visit Ms. Cuthbertson moved that the School Committee vote to accept the whole Consent Agenda; Mr. Bokun seconded. Ms. Lenihan took a roll call vote (Approved 5-0). Ms. Jay made a motion to adjourn at 10:39 P.M.; Ms. Cuthbertson seconded. Ms. Lenihan took a roll call vote (Approved 5-0). LSC 10/26/21 - Approved on 1/04/22 JK