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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFINAL School Committee Minutes February 9 2021.pdf FINAL MINUTES MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT REGULAR SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 9, 2021 6.30 P.M. VIA REMOTE PARTICIPATION Present Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton) Jeff Stuhn,Vice-Chair(Needham) Alice DeLuca, Secretary(Stow) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) Steve LeDoux(Concord) Ford Spalding(Dover) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster) Judith Crocker(Lexington) Absent. Dave O'Connor(Bolton) Weighted Vote Weighted Vote present at start of meeting 92 85% Others Present Dr Edward Bouquillon,Dr Robert Gerardi,Dr Amy Perreault, George Clement,Anthony Chianello, and Julia Pisegna Second school committee meeting in the second calendar year during the COVID-19 pandemic Many elements of the school committee meetings address educational and logistical issues in the COVID environment 1 CALL TO ORDER OPEN SESSION The Chair called the meeting to order at 6 31 p m 2. ADOPTION OF REMOTE PARTICIPATION VOTE To adopt remote participation by all members of the Minuteman School Committee pursuant to and in accordance with Sections(2)and(3)of the Executive Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law made by the Governor of Massachusetts on March 12,2020, such adoption to be effective until said Executive Order is rescinded or the Commonwealth's State of Emergency as referenced in said Executive Order, is terminated, whichever happens first. ACTION 2021 #150 Moved(Leone)and seconded(Spalding) To approve remote participation VOTE members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 92 85% Weight needed 46 42>% Names of towns opposing or abstaining none 1 Final percentage results of vote 92 85% Final status of the vote Unanimous Roll Call Pam Nourse(Acton)(Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stuhn,Vice-Chair(Needham) (Yes) Alice DeLuca, Secretary(Stow) (Yes) 3 GOOD OF THE ORGANIZATION Ms Nourse asked if any public comments were received prior to the meeting, and Dr Bouquillon confirmed that no public comments had been received Ms Nourse expressed her continued appreciation of the wonderful social media postings about Minuteman 4 SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT a School Building Committee Update—Ford Spalding Mr Spalding updated Committee members on the completion of the building project noting that slow progress continues to be made, and that more work will be completed next week during school vacation b. Athletic Fields Proiect Budget—Ford Spalding Mr Spalding reported that due to the heavy snow and frost, there is no activity on the fields Mr Spalding confirmed that the project remains on time and on budget He also encouraged members to stop by the restaurant and shared it was well worth the trip Dr Bouquillon advised all to get their orders in early Ms Nourse shared that she misses seeing the building and noted that the Culinary Depai("pent has received great reviews in a recent Acton-Boxborough report Ms Crocker added that the work with the Food Link Organization is getting impressive reviews well Dr Bouquillon added that the Culinary Department is very busy preparing several hundred meals a week c Admissions Update: Dr Bouquillon provided an update on the 340 applications received to date, compared to the total number of 390 applications received last year during the admissions period He noted that 255 of the applications received are from member-district students, approximately 230 of those applications are viable and have already been processed, along with 41 eligible out-of-distract, which includes the declarant towns We continue to work towards 200 as the number of applications that we can accept 2 He noted 44 applications are ineligible because they belong to a district that already has Chapter 74 programs, and that clearly not all our member-district students will be accepted into Minuteman next year as we continue to manage our success Mr Stuhn asked for confirmation that even taking in 200 students,there still may be a waiting list for member- towns, and Dr Bouquillon confirmed that is correct. Ms DeLuca commented that Minuteman must be doing something right,because students want to come here, and she continues to be annoyed by the fact that we did not build a bigger school Ms Nourse reiterated Ms DeLuca's comment that Minuteman must be doing something right because everyone wants to come here and asked if there was anything out of the ordinary that the administration was heanng from students who were applying to Minuteman this year Mr Chianello, who meets with all applicants and their families, shared that while he has not heard anything out of the ordinary,students who come to visit during the day and witness other students actually doing things, not Just sitting at a desk staring at a computer screen, find it very appealing They also appreciate the new building and the world-class programs being offered He shared that the pandemic may have helped as kids today want to learn and do,as opposed to Just receive information,and that our students are great ambassadors and spokespersons for Minuteman Ms Nourse thanked Mr Chianello and the administration for convincing new potential students of the value of a Minuteman education. Mr. Ruderman commented on a social media posting from Arlington asking how to get more girls interested in STEM,and while he thought about responding,he recognizes that Minuteman's applications are doing Just fine at this time d Increasing In-Person Learning Adaptations to Our Hybrid Model and Reopening Plan and Move to 50% Capacity Dr Bouquillon presented the amendment to the Reopening Plan which was approved in August This amendment is to add an additional grade to in-person learning and move to 50%capacity Dr Bouquillon shared that the survey sent to parents resulted in a 74% response rate He then presented a PowerPoint which highlighted the results of that survey The survey required the name of the student so that they could be scheduled as requested He shared that students from all towns, grades 9th— 12th, including those l 1 t graders who are planning to go out on Co-Op were well represented in the survey He noted that he felt very comfortable with this data-set for its reliability and validity due to the response rate surrounding this targeted population He reviewed the slide for Question 4—When Minuteman adds academic in-person learning,both academic and CTE week, what will my student do9 He noted the responses included 360 responses that their student would attend in-person learning, 81 responses indicated that they would continue to attend the in-person CTE week, but at this point,they were not committing to the in-person academic week He noted that when the questions were reviewed from this section,he found that parents needed to be reminded of our safety protocols, adequate 3 PPE, and the measures in place He will continue to emphasize these details in the communications which will be sent to parents in the next week Dr Bouquillon reported that 5%, or approximately 21 students—which is approximately the same as we have had all year—will remain fully remote He again shared that there were many comments which demonstrated the need for reassurance on the safety protocols and social distancing He shared that we are in compliance with all CDC requirements He also reported that there will not be a drastic increase in the capacity of the busses because we have enough busses under the current contract, allowing us to maintain the lower capacity on the busses He shared Question No 5 regarding transportation, with 309 responses received, indicating that their student will continue to take the bus Seventy-six respondents will continue to drive their student, and 77 respondents said their student will be transported their own way He noted that the questions in that section indicated there was a concern that the busses will be too full There were also questions on carpooling Dr Bouquillon shared that carpooling was fine, if they adhere to the guidelines as they come to school He also commented that the survey responses included good representation from every program Ms Leone asked whether it was communicated to the parents that reimbursement was available if they transported their own student Dr Bouquillon shared that he discussed this option with the Minuteman Parent Association and mentioned it at a previous School Committee meeting Ms.Leone asked if reimbursement would encourage parents to drive their own student,and Dr.Bouquillon will provide details on that option in a future communication when there is a better sense if we have the need for parents to provide transportation. The option had not been promoted due to accounting ramifications. Mr Stulin asked if Dr Bouquillon had a sense from teachers on their opinion regarding the plan to move to 50% capacity Dr Bouquillon shared that both teachers and students had their own survey He reported that he has been meeting with the senior class officers and will continue to meet with them every Wednesday for the remainder of the school year He shared that it has been helpful to both him and to the students Students received clarifications of misperceptions on the plans being made, and he received feedback from them regarding what they would value in an adjusted schedule He noted that those accommodations are included in the revised schedule which was sent to teachers He shared that the biggest concern for teachers is the safety and health guidelines, and vaccination Dr Bouquillon reported that he has verbally contracted with an urgent care center,whose facilities are in Burlington and Bedford, who have agreed to vaccinate our staff Registrations forms have been received and we will schedule staff members for their vaccinations This service will be provided at no cost to the district and no cost to staff Dr Bouquillon thanked Mr Spalding for introducing him to the company president The union has shared this information with teachers When the vaccination becomes available,we will be able to receive the vaccinations Mr Stulin pointed out for all Committee members that the numbers received from the parents on their choice for learning, and the lack of controversary are remarkable and unusual considering how many districts our students come from He shared that this is due to the measures, communication, and the planning the District has done and thanked Dr Bouquillon and the administration for their impressive work 4 Dr Bouquillon reported that March l' is the start date Before the actual start date, there will be a few trial runs with the format and the bus routes so the everyone has a chance to see what the set-up is like and it will provide an opportunity to make any adjustments needed before the actual start of 50% capacity on Monday, March 1St Ms Leone commented that the responses received from the survey,especially in light of how busy everyone is these days, are very impressive, and that Dr Bouquillon mentioning that he wanted to hear from a specific percentage was a great idea She commented that people want their children in school VOTE. To approve the amendment to the Reopening Plan and move to 50% capacity, as presented ACTION 2021 #151 Moved(Leone)and seconded(Spalding) To approve the amendment to the Reopening Plan and move to 50%capacity, as presented VOTE. 9 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 92 85% Weight needed >46 42% Names of towns opposing or abstaining none Final percentage results of vote 92 85% Final status of the vote Unanimous Roll Call. Pam Nourse(Acton)(Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stulin,Vice-Chair(Needham) (Yes) Alice DeLuca, Secretary(Stow) (Yes) e Student Ovportumty Plan Dr Bouquillon shared that the Student Opportunity Act was passed approximately a year ago and was designed to put more money into the districts that were economically distressed,not those spending up to the foundation or struggling. Under the Student Opportunity Act,Minuteman does qualify for$13,500. He noted that a copy of the District's plan was included in the packet (pages 4-8) and that the money will be used for the target population of women in non-traditional careers and women in STEM programs to support those students This coincides with our World of Work(WOW)Program which is for 6th and 7th graders Ms DeLuca thanked Dr Bouquillon for supporting women in the trades and women in STEM 5 VOTE To approve the Student Opportunity Plan,as presented ACTION 2021 #152 Moved(Leone)and seconded(Crocker) To approve the amendment to the Reopening Plan and move to 50%capacity, as presented VOTE 9 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 92 85% Weight needed >46 42% Names of towns opposing or abstaining none Final percentage results of vote• 92 85% Final status of the vote Unanimous Roll Call Pam Nourse(Acton)(Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stulin,Vice-Chair(Needham) (Yes) Alice DeLuca, Secretary(Stow) (Yes) 5 PRINCIPAL'S REPORT—George Clement a Student Activities Update Mr Clement provided a listing of the student activities that are taking place(included in the packet) Ski11sUSA students are participating in the SAIL Program (Senior Adventures in Leadership) Students have also been participating in the Robotics Club The program is great, and Ms Clark bnngs a lot of enthusiasm to the club Students have been enjoying working on their projects,pictures of which were included in the packet. He noted that in general,even though the activities are virtual,they are taking place Junior peer leaders continue to meet each week with freshman during advisory to help move them along Student ambassadors have been doing a great job during the admissions process speaking with potential students and families Mr Donato, Physical Education Teacher, has been working with students in non-traditional careers and preparing them for the Girls in Trades Conference, as well as the Community Service Club which has actively been raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society The GSA (Gay Straight Alliance Plus) group continues to meet every week with approximately 20-25 students Ms Leone commented on the importance of that group which keeps the diversity and acceptance at Minuteman viable b Athletic Activities Update Dr Bouquillon noted that Minuteman has not participated in any sports, as it was not practical or safe for us to do so MIAA has begun a Fall Season 2 where some communities are planning on having a football season outside and he shared that Minuteman will not be participating in that program 6 Dr Bouquillon mentioned that Ms Plater is looking into the concept of E-Sports,with some programs receiving college scholarships for students excelling in gaming Mr Clement shared that Ms Plater has created a survey to get a sense of what students might find interesting Minuteman will join a league, along with many other schools in Massachusetts He noted that the cost up front would be approximately$65 per student Ms Leone shared that her son is interested in E-Sports She asked how much control there will be over the game that is being played because some of the games are quite brutal Mr Clement shared that the league provides a list of ten games to play He commented that they are trying to appeal to a broad base of students, and he does not believe the games will be graphic or gory He added that Fortnite is not on the list Mr Spalding shared that his community,including his granddaughter,is participating in sports They continue to do it very safely and follow all protocols There have been no cases of COVID,but if there are,they would just cancel the games He shared that he looks at athletics as any extra-curricular activity and part of a student's education and believes in some case, athletics gives the student more confidence to do better in academics While he understands the reasoning behind the decision not to have sports, he noted that sports seem to be managed in many communities and asked how the students feel Dr. Bouquillon shared that the students are heartbroken as it is just another thing on their list that they have lost due to COVID, in addition to in-person CTE time, student activities,and just being all together He hopes that the numbers in the spring will be better and allow for a spnng season off-site Dr Bouquillon noted that communities that have rented space to us in the past will not rent space now because we are from outside of the community This has put Minuteman in a difficult place for spring sports Mr. Spalding commented that while he understands that, he is thinking towards the fall and the new athletic fields He would love to see Minuteman having an athletic season again in the fall for the students because it is so very important for them for health, education, and social reasons Mr Stulin commented that he believes that the fall season will look very good,both for school and for sports, as long as the vaccine works for the different vanants He remains optimistic for the fall c NEASC Progress (Decennial Visit November 1-4 2021) Mr Clement shared that the NEASC accreditation visit has been scheduled for November 1-4t' To date,it has not been determined whether it will be held in-person or virtually He noted that draft reports have been prepared, as well as the on-going process of uploading documentation to support all the standards. 6 DIRECTOR OF FINANCE REPORT,Dr Robert Gerarda a Finance Committee Preliminary FY22 Budget Update—Steve Ledoux Mr Ledoux shared that the Finance Committee met and reviewed the capital fee calculations for the non- resident communities,including Type A,which does not have access to at least five Chapter 74 programs, and the Type B that does have access He reported that we have 134 students in the Type A community and 32 students in Type B community He noted the capital fee calculations that are being submitted for approval to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are $7,467 34 for the Type A municipalities and$5,600 43 for Type B 7 Dr Gerardi explained the special education increment fee is an additional fee charged to non-resident students He noted that the analysis reviewed by the Finance Subcommittee identified the special education costs which are in conformance with our recording requirements to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the end of the year financial report He noted that the analysis in the packet summarizes the FY20 actual costs to calculate both the total costs and per student costs of special education services, and that the current charge is$7,400 per student to non-resident distncts for students receiving services It changes every year based on the end of the year report He shared that based on this data, the vote is to establish the special education increment fee for FY22 to be $6,100 00(see explanation in the discussion below) b Approval of the Special Education Increment Fee—Nonresident Students for FY22 to be $6,100 VOTE To approve the Special Education Increment Fee -Nonresident students for FY22 to be $6,100 ACTION 2021 #153 Moved(Leone)and seconded(Ledoux), To approve the Special Education Increment Fee -Nonresident students for FY22 to be $6,100, as presented, Mr Stuhn asked for clarification on why the fee is less this year He assumes that the overall cost of special education had not gone up and that the number of students receiving services has increased because of the increase in population Dr Gerardi shared that the cost does go up but that our enrollment went up significantly, so when the cost is divided by more students,the actual fee per student goes down Mr. Stulm asked if the number of resources available are sufficient for the number of students and that nothing needs to be added, and Dr Gerardi confirmed that is correct Ms DeLuca shared how wonderful it is to see these calculations being done, as years and years ago it was just a guess VOTE. 9 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 92 85% Weight needed >46 42% Names of towns opposing or abstaining Final percentage results of vote 92 85% Final status of the vote Unanimous Roll Call Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton)(Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stulm(Needham)(Yes) Alice DeLuca(Stow) (Yes) 8 c Approval for the monthly informational List of Donations VOTE to approve the monthly list of donations, as presented Dr Gerardi presented the monthly list of donations for approval and acknowledged the significant amount of donations received to the Lambnnos and Rezendes Scholarship,as well as the SA First Robotics Club donation in the amount of$2,500 Dr Bouquillon shared that Sandy Lambnnos, former secretary at Minuteman, passed away recently Ms Nourse asked Dr Bouquillon to pass on the condolences of the School Committee to the family of Ms Lambnnos ACTION 2021 #154 Moved(LeDoux)and seconded(Leone), To approve the monthly list of donations, as presented, VOTE• 9 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 96 85% Weight needed >46 42% Names of towns opposing or abstaining Final percentage results of vote 92 85% Final status of the vote Unanimous Roll Call Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton)(Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stulm(Needham)(Yes) Alice DeLuca(Stow) (Yes) 7. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS a Strategic Planning Subcommittee—Ford Spalding Mr Spalding shared that Minuteman has contracted with Organizational Agility Advisors (OAA)to work with the members of the Strategic Planning Subcommittee to plan for a School Committee retreat in the March/Apnl timeframe At the retreat we will continue the work done in January 2020 to define Minuteman's strategic goals for the future and define the Minuteman School Committee's leadership attributes needed to meet those goals Jeff Lawrence, Managing Director, and Steve Heirsche, former Superintendent for the Framingham, and Beverly Public Schools, will guide the process He shared that Mr Lawrence is currently engaged with Minuteman and has been working with the Executive Team The School Committee Retreat will be scheduled for a Saturday,in March or April,from 9 00 a m to 2 00 p m via in-person or a Zoom,meeting all COVID requirements,at the District Restaurant Members will be asked to confirm their availability with Ms Pisegna 9 He added that Mr Lawrence and Mr Heirsche would like to speak to each member individually They will provide an agenda to each member in advance, so they are prepared for the topics to be discussed Ms DeLuca shared that the Committee would be polled on dates, as well as their preference for in-person versus remote meeting Mr Spalding noted that unless there is 100% in person attendance, the retreat would have to be held via Zoom Mr Stulin commented that to increase the possibility of an in-person meetmg, it would be best scheduled in late April Ms Crocker shared that her preference would be to have the retreat in-person, as she and Mr Ruderman have not yet met all Committee members Dr Bouquillon noted that some Town Meetings are scheduled to be held on Saturdays, and he reminded members to let him know if he is needed at any Finance Committee or Select Board meetings for their Town Ms. Nourse reminded members that a survey will be coming out regarding the date and preference for in-person or remote meeting and that Mr Lawrence and Mr Heirsche will be in touch with each member via phone b Policy Subcommittee Undate-Alice DeLuca 1 Policies for Review Ms DeLuca brings the following policies forward for second reading i Homeless Students Policy JFABD (this is the old 2011 version,now replaced by a 2021 policy) VOTE. To approve the removal of Homeless Students—Policy JFABD for second reading, as presented ACTION 2021 #155 Moved(Leone)and seconded(Crocker), To approve the removal of Homeless Students—Policy JFABD for second reading, as presented, VOTE. 9 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 92 85% Weight needed >46 42% Names of towns opposing or abstaining Final percentage results of vote 92 85% Final status of the vote Unanimous Roll Call Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton)(Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stulm(Needham)(Yes) Alice DeLuca(Stow) (Yes) 10 ii Public Participation in School Committee Meetings-Policy BEDH VOTE• To approve the Public Participation in School Committee Meetings Policy BEDH for second reading,as presented Ms DeLuca shared that this version incorporates comments by Mr Ledoux Ms. Leone agreed with the addition of those items Mr Ledoux confirmed that the language meets his requirements ACTION 2021 #156 Moved(Leone)and seconded(Crocker), To approve the Public Participation in School Committee Meetings-Policy BEDH for second reading,as presented VOTE• 9 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 92 85% Weight needed >46 42% Names of towns opposing or abstaining Final percentage results of vote 92 85% Final status of the vote Unanimous Roll Call Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton)(Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stulm(Needham)(Yes) Alice DeLuca(Stow) (Yes) 8. SECRETARY'S REPORT,Alice DeLuca a Approval of Draft Minutes of January 12th and January 26th, 2020 Ms DeLuca presented the draft minutes of January 12th for approval She noted that for historical and archival record purposes,she added information in the beginning of the minutes stating that we are currently in a COVID pandemic environment.Paper copies of minutes from historical events are important records,especially as it is unclear how electronic records will be stored These minutes will explain for future readers how the schools adapted during the pandemic VOTE• To approve the draft minutes of January 12,2021, as presented ACTION 2021 #157 Moved(Leone)and seconded(Ruderman), To approve the draft minutes of January 12,2021, as presented VOTE 9 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 92 85% 11 Weight needed >46 42% Names of towns opposing or abstaining Final percentage results of vote. 92.85% Final status of the vote Unanimous Roll Call Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton) (Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stulin(Needham)(Yes) Alice DeLuca(Stow) (Yes) Ms.Nourse and Mr. Stulin commented on the professionalism of the minutes and thanked Ms. DeLuca and Ms Pisegna for their work on the minutes VOTE: To approve the draft minutes of January 26th,2021, as presented ACTION 2021 #158 Moved(Leone)and seconded(Ruderman), To approve the draft minutes of January 26th, 2021, as presented VOTE 9 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 92 85% Weight needed >46 42% Names of towns opposing or abstaining Final percentage results of vote 92 85% Final status of the vote. Unanimous Roll Call Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton)(Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stulin(Needham)(Yes) Alice DeLuca(Stow) (Yes) 9 ADJOURNMENT ACTION 2021 #159 Moved(Leone)and seconded(Ruderman), To adjourn the meeting at 7 28 p m VOTE 9 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present 82 85% 12 Weight needed >46 42% Names of towns opposing or abstaining Final percentage results of vote 92.85% Final status of the vote Unanimous Roll Call Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton)(Yes) Michael Ruderman(Arlington) (Yes) Steve LeDoux(Concord)(Yes) Ford Spalding(Dover) (Yes) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster)(Yes) Judith Crocker(Lexington)(Yes) Jeff Stuhn(Needham)(Yes) Alice DeLuca(Stow) (Yes) Respectfully submitted, Julia Pisegna Alice DeLuca District Assistant Secretary 13