HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-29-LHS-min LEXINGTON
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Andrew Baker (781) 861-2320, ext. 69102
Interim Principal abakeralexiniztortma.oriz
Lexington High School Site Council
Monday, January 29th 2024 - 6:00- 7:15 pm
Room 505 D, Lexington High School
1. Present: Andrew Baker, Alison Bryant Matha, KC Zheng, Walter Richardson, Karen Fu,
Karen Griffiths, Alix Fox, Suzanne Lau, Liz Curtin, Catherine Telliez(community member)
2. Approval of 12-18-23 minutes
3. LHS Building Project Updates:
a. There are many meetings happening constantly (most of which are public and online,
for those interested). For example, the SBC is meeting 5x/month. They're the ones
who will vote on many aspects of the schematic designs, working on parsing out
many different issues.
1. Note that MSBA only gives latitude to exceed the scope of their
reimbursement in a few areas (e.g. gym, auditorium-we have to pay 100%
of anything above their scope). For example, they only pay for a maximum of
something like 13,000 sq ft with an upper limit of 1000 seats in an
auditorium. If we want more, we pay 100%of the cost.
ii. For many items, the MSBA won't allow it and treat it as a separate project:
that would require a separate bond, and could put the funding at risk.
1. Boston Globe story about Whittier Tech, put out a bond for 455 mil,
taxpayers said no; there's a reality that in the dreaming and visioning
stage, everyone wants everything, but fiscal reality comes home fast.
b. Lots of questions about the field house. MSBA does not build them, which is why
some think that the plan might keep the current one, gut and renovate it. It does take
up a lot of space, so the tradeoffs of that are part of what needs to be analyzed.
c. They've done one type of boring into the ground to see what the substrata is like, are
going to do another wider, deeper well to see if geothermal is an option
d. There are four focus groups: educational planning and equity; site, safety and
security; exterior and interior design; MEP systems and sustainable design.
e. Enrollment discussion: MSBA enrollment (about 2400) is currently close to our
current enrollment. Currently Dr. Kavanaugh shows our enrollment will be declining,
but that's obviously very uncertain.
f. Next community meeting is Wed March 6 6:30-8:30pm Cary Hall
4. Discussion of developing generative Al policy:
a. Amanda Bickerstaff of Al for Education came in on Jan 19th for both teacher PD and
a parent/caregiver meeting.
Lexington High School 1251 Waltham Street I Lexington,MA 102421
b. Teachers got to play around with tech, ask questions, etc. Parent/caregiver meeting
was more philosophical. More overarching questions ("what does it mean for long
form essays"),but also general questions of how do we use it, how do we
acknowledge it's here and move forward. Can be used to differentiate instruction,
more personal tutoring.
i. She encouraged teachers to remember that the Al is computing, not thinking.
So all of the bias that went into the database is going to come out. You can't
treat it as if it's another thinking entity, more like a very advanced search
engine.
ii. Andrew comments that the teachers learned a lot; at the same time, the LPS
tech dept has been working on resources for staff and students. Recognition
that the handbook needs to have something about it; Andrew thinks that there
should be a statement that unless teachers say you can use it,you can't
without asking about it. Desire for some guidelines for teachers about how to
have conversations with kids about it.
iii. Comments that educating kids about Al is important, helping them
understand how generative Al works. Dan Emilia says it's a fallacy that just
because kids use this they know how to use it, how it works.
iv. Andrew: honesty about using it needs to be the way forward.
5. Principal Search update:
a. Dr. Hackett has posted the principal position for next year and is planning to have
interviews in late Feb/early March. Andrew has put his name in.
6. Update on cell phone use in school policy:
a. the committee who have been looking into this is strongly recommending teachers
trying the practice of putting phones in a shoe holder at the beginning of class, with
the acknowledgement that it is hard to set expectations anew in the middle of the
year. There will obviously be students who don't put their phones in the holder,but at
least they'll still be more cautious about having their phones out in class.
i. potential issues: some students may not have phones, some students might
have permission to have them, so teachers can't make things too public.
ii. LHS has bought opaque holders so students can't see which phones are in
there and compare who has what kind of phone.
iii. Andrew thinks that by next year, it'll be accepted practice.
7. Adjourn 7:20