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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFINAL SC Minutes August 6 2020.pdf FINAL MINUTES MINUTEMAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT REGULAR SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING AUGUST 6, 2020 6.00 P.M. VIA REMOTE PARTICIPATION Present Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton) Jeff Stulin, 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. 80.27% Others Present Dr Edward Bouquillon, Dr Robert Gerardi, Dr Amy Perreault, Kevin Mahoney, George Clement, Diane Dempsey and Julia Pisegna 1 CALL TO ORDER OPEN SESSION The Chair called the meeting to order at 6.02 p m and thanked all for joining in this meeting 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made by the Governor of Massachusetts on March 12, 2020, such adoption to be effective until said Executive Order is rescinded or the Commonwealth's State of Emergency as referenced in said Executive Order, is terminated, whichever happens first ACTION 2020 #75 Moved(Spalding) and seconded(Ruderman) To approve remote participation VOTE• 7 members in room at time of vote Weighted Vote present. 80.27% Weight needed >40 13% Names of towns opposing or abstaining none Final percentage results of vote 80 27% Final status of the vote• Unanimous 1 Roll Call. Pam Nourse, Chair(Acton) Michael Ruderman (Arlington) Steve LeDoux (Concord) Ford Spalding(Dover) Judith Crocker(Lexington) Jeff Stulin, Vice-Chair(Needham) Alice DeLuca, Secretary (Stow) 3 SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, Dr Edward Bouquillon a. Fall Reonenma of School Discussion Dr Bouquillon introduced the Executive Team in attendance, including Amy Perreault, Assistant Superintendent George Clement, Principal Anthony Chianello, Assistant Principal of Admissions Brian Tildsley, Assistant Principal Dan O'Brien, Communications Director Gene DiPaolo, Assistant Director Career and Technical Education John Cammarata, Data and Accountability Coordinator' Katie Bouchard, Career and Technical Education Director Nancy Houle, Director of MTI Bob Gerardi, Director of Finance Rich Ikonen, Director of Facilities Sara Bolduc, School Nurse Diane Dempsey and Sheila Nagle from the Minuteman Faculty Association Dr Bouquillon showed a PowerPoint presentation for the reopening plan and noted that Commissioner Riley has extended the deadline for submissions of reopening plans to August 14th Dr Bouquillon shared that this presentation is a draft plan and is subject to change before the start of school He showed a video, which will be posted to the website, of physicians in Massachusetts discussing the risk factors involved in the return to school, along with a slide from John Hopkins University illustrating the positivity rates, and noted that Massachusetts continues to trend in the right direction The presentation continued highlighting health and safety, and Dr Bouquillon noted that health and safety is the number one priority. The District is prepared to shift to full remote if necessary or if instructed by Governor Baker We also continue to adhere to all the State guidelines, and that information has been posted to the District website Dr Bouquillon noted the following regulations • All staff members and students in the building will be required to wear masks, 2 • Second health office has been established, • 2-3 full-time nurses for 650 students, • Internal tracking system, • Establishment of a school-specific metric system of 4% for individuals showing symptoms, and • Requirement for all visitors to sign a form indicating they are not exhibiting symptoms and have followed all precautions (Jennifer Leone joined the meeting at 6 10 p m) For facilities and operations, Dr Bouquillon reported on the following procedures • Cleaning of the entire facility at least once per day, with ongoing cleaning of high touch points throughout the day, • Immediate cleaning of any area potentially exposed by an infected person and isolating the area for 12 hours, • Purchase of personal protective equipment,plexiglass and signage, • Reorganization of furniture and classrooms to sustain 3-6 feet of physical distance, • Installation of numerous hand sanitizing stations; and • Marking of hallway flows to direct pedestrian traffic Dr Bouquillon noted that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has required districts to submit three types of reopening plans - full in-person,hybrid model and a full remote learning model, and described in detail the following three models- Full In-Person Learning Model(he does not recommend this model at this time) • Most difficult and expensive to implement, • 650 students enrolled, the building is designed for 628 students, • $1 million in additional costs 7 more buses and numerous classroom retrofits, and • Physical distancing would be difficult Hybrid Learning Model. • 25% of students in the building at one time • Students only in school for CTE instruction, • All academics and electives taught remotely, along with related CTE content; • Greater individualized instruction for high-need students, including Special Education, • Best model to ensure rigorous instruction Full Remote Learning Model. • Students engaging in learning entirely online; 3 • Necessary model to implement if COVID-19 cases increase in our region of school community, and • About 5% of students are opting for full-remote learning regardless of the model selected Dr. Bouquillon reported on the feedback from the parent survey which resulted in 480 responses, with 93% in support of the hybrid model, 5% who will use all-remote model regardless, 78% would send their students back under all in-person model with safety protocols, and 75% of students will use bus transportation. Dr Bouquillon provided an update on transportation as follows. • 25 students per 77-passenger school bus (32% capacity), • One student per seat, unless from the same household; • Masks are required on the bus, • Windows will be open, except during extreme weather, and • Cleaning of the busses after every trip Committee Chair, Pam Nourse, opened the meeting for questions by Committee members, and asked audience members to add their questions to the chat Ms Leone asked what the teacher surveys reported, and Dr Bouquillon shared that there were 81-82 responses with less than 10% of the teachers indicating that they would not feel comfortable returning to school The District will reach out to those teachers who feel uncomfortable and will work with them for an appropriate resolution Mr Stulm shared that he is happy to see a public metric, though subject to change, and glad to see CTE instruction will continue, as well as all students having access to Adobe Cloud Mr Stulm asked what the School Committee can do to assist the District Dr Bouquillon asked members to continue to listen and support the administration and noted that a posting went out for a new Special Education position, and there may be the need for additional positions The District continues to access special funds from the State and the Federal government and expect additional funds in the future Dr Bouquillon suggested that members become familiar with the plan in the event that they are asked questions Mr LeDoux shared that he does like the hybrid approach, but inquired about the parent survey responding that 75%of the students will take transportation and asked how that compares to bus transportation on a normal year Mr Tildsley, Assistant Principal, responded that to date, 87 students have declined transportation, versus 56 students last year, and that more responses are expected to come in. Ms DeLuca also noted that she is happy to see students returning to their shops and asked if that includes the teacher and student groups staying together, eating together,not socializing outside of their shop Mr Clement confirmed that the plan is to keep teacher, student groups together, including lunch cohorts with social distancing in the student union Ms DeLuca asked for the number of other student groups that will come in contact with,and Dr.Bouquillon noted it would 4 vary by shop,perhaps 2 to 3,with plumbing having the highest number, it would be less than 20 people. Ms DeLuca inquired how the 4% metric was determined, and Dr Bouquillon explained that it was through conversations with Sara Bolduc, School Nurse and with the school physician and is our best judgment based on science and our past history Dr Bouquillon noted that there is no testing Ms Bolduc reiterated that they reviewed the number of student visits from past years and how symptoms would be tracked. Ms. DeLuca expressed concern that this metric means that if there are 200 staff/students in the building,that no action would be taken until eight individuals showed symptoms, while those people may have been sick for days Dr Bouquillon confirmed that a registered nurse is joining the staff, Ms Bolduc, as well as a part-time nurse, and those individuals exhibiting symptoms will be sent home immediately and will be required to be tested within 72 hours and/or quarantine at home for 14 days, and noted that under this hybrid model, those students will not be returning to school until 20 days later Ms. DeLuca shared that while she likes what the District is doing, she would like to see the metric of 4% revisited to ensure that is the correct number, and also noted it is important to educate the students on their behavior outside of school Ms Nourse asked for clarification on whether the 4% metric is included in the plan that will be submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and Dr Bouquillon confirmed that it is part of plan to be submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Dr Bouquillon also added that Commissioner Riley has discussed testing, and that if more testing becomes available, testing will then be the best metric to use Ms Crocker also expressed a concern relative to the 4%metric,noting that New York has stated a 3%metric, and feels that 4%is a high number Ms Crocker asked if public comment has been received and Dr Bouquillon confirmed that approximately 100 of the parent surveys received included comments, as well as individual emails sent to Dr Bouquillon with specific questions regarding their child Ms Crocker thanked the administration for all their work under these challenging circumstances Ms Nourse asked about the continuing efforts to get feedback from parents moving forward Dr Bouquillon stated that,to date,over 20 communications have been sent out to parents, emails from parents have been sent directly to Dr Bouquillon, the District website continues to be updated daily, and he anticipates that there will be additional surveys, as well as a town hall meeting being scheduled Mr Stulin noted that there will be always be risks, we cannot change people's behavior, and reiterated the importance of these students receiving hands-on education Mr Stulin shared that the 4% is a placeholder and a standard to follow to know when we will need to close, and that as additional information becomes available before the start of school, that number will change, and noted the importance of having a standard in place for the public 5 Mr Spalding asked how the District plans to accommodate students that need extra help in both academics and CTE. Dr. Perreault responded that with this hybrid model, it gives us a better opportunity to identify students who fall into that high-risk category She noted that an extra guidance counselor has been hired, and that the Guidance Department, Special Education Department,mental health professionals and teachers will all work together to assess and identify student needs Ms.Nourse asked if high-risk students will be brought in more often than their grade cohort. Dr. Perreault shared that it would be possible, if that is what the teams decide is best for the student Mr. Spalding inquired about how the District is handling sports, both MIAA sports and non- MIAA sports Mr Tildsley responded that final decision from MIAA on sports is expected on September 14th and noted that most fall sports have been put into the high category by Governor Baker. Mr. Clement shared that physical education will be held virtually with Mr. Donato and Ms Plater, as it is considered part of the academics Mr. Ruderman noted that it should be communicated to parents that Minuteman already splits the time of students between academics and CTE and that is our advantage in crafting a new model He also noted the importance of stating clear and defined information, as he has already been receiving questions from families. Mr. Ruderman inquired about meal plans, and Dr. Bouquillon noted that the District distributed their food supply in the spring to different locations and encouraged families to go to those locations He also asked about the schedule of remote learning and Dr Bouquillon confirmed that it is approximately the same time as a regular in- session day would be and that Commissioner Riley has been clear that we still need to maintain learning time of 935 hours, grading, and that attendance will be taken, and that teachers will teach remote learning from Minuteman, unless there is a documented reason for them to teach otherwise Mr Ruderman thanked the administration for the huge amount of work that has gone into this report Ms Nourse asked for those families who opt for 100% remote learning, how will that impact their technical classes Dr Bouquillon stated that the District is researching online resources for CTE education and exploratory curriculum, and noted that it will be less than them being in school with a licensed professional doing hands-on learning for a very small percentage of students Ms DeLuca discussed the philosophical concept of acceptable risk for staff and students and the need to continue to go further to minimize the risks for everyone involved She cannot conceive of any acceptable risk for anyone to get this illness Ms Leone inquired about the busses in the draft policy relative to masks Mr Tildsley shared that the bus drivers will have a supply of masks available to provide to students who arrive at the bus stop without a mask before they board Mr Tildsley also noted that bus routes will be formulated around the hybrid model of the schedule and that the new company has an online routing system which allows for the routes to be modified easily. 6 Dr Bouquillon responded to a question regarding types of masks and shared that acceptable mask would be a cloth mask with multiple layers or a surgical mask, and education will be provided on what an acceptable mask is Mr. Spalding asked about freshman exploratory for CTE. Ms. Bouchard responded that the exploratory process will be expedited which will allow for less movement throughout the building and keep students in their same cohort Mr Stulin shared that some of the risks involved not only include contracting COVID-19, but also the mental health risk for disengaged students Ms Crocker confirmed that the infection rate at New York Public Schools is 3%,which includes the entire school population Ms Leone asked that if parents decide initially to do 100% remote learning, will they allowed back in at any point, and Dr Bouquillon confirmed that they can return at any time Dr Bouquillon responded to questions in the chat relative to missing out on hands-on learning, and noted that the District is having summer school for academic recovery, weekend activities for CTE and academics, as well as plans for additional time in February, and that the District was funded in all three models for additional instruction time Another question centered around the positive test rate, and Dr. Bouquillon noted that Commissioner Riley have been trying to identify a triggering metric, both transmission rate and infection rate, and hopes to have some sort of metric identified before the start of school Ms Nourse asked whether the District is doing anything different relative to utilizing outdoor space Dr Bouquillon noted that the courtyard is available, and that all shops have direct access to outdoor space, but noted that at 25% occupancy rate, there is plenty of room inside the building Ms Nourse asked how the District will support parents with remote learning Dr Bouquillon and Victor Woodroffe, Director of IT, shared that the IT Department has formed a Geek Squad with students manning the support line and available to provide assistance to all families, as well as working with Verizon to fill in any gaps for Internet coverage Dr Bouquillon responded to a question in the chat relative to what happens if we hit 4% He responded that if there is a 3-4% symptom rate, then the school would be closed for that week, then those students would not be back in the building for three more weeks and would have gone through the mandatory quarantine time, and given them an opportunity to be tested and receive results their back. Mr Clement responded to an inquiry regarding electives, stating that the electives schedule would follow the same schedule as if we were returning to school in the fall as normal and elective classes will be conducted remotely from the school Ms. DeLuca asked what the largest number of students in a shop is, and Dr. Bouquillon responded the sophomore class in plumbing and/or electrical with 17 students 7 Ms Leone asked if the teachers would be required to quarantine, and Dr Bouquillon responded they do if they are showing symptoms,they would be sent home. Ms.Bolduc added that in order for the teachers to quarantine, you would have to be considered in close contact, within 6 feet, and symptomatic, so with masking and 6 feet of social distancing, the plan is that would that reduce or eliminate the amount of close contact with someone having symptoms, and that the State would assist in doing contact tracing Ms. Crocker noted the problem is the delay in getting test results. Dr. Bouquillon noted that this is a huge issue He has contacted the Health Trust to possibly work with one of the local hospitals or testing centers for staff accessibility in a timely fashion Ms DeLuca asked if there was student engagement during the development of the process of the reopening plans Dr Bouquillon shared that Anthony Chiariello,Assistant Principal,has spoken to a number of students and families of incoming freshman and shared that they want to be at Minuteman and are committed to coming, and the feedback has been all positive Dr. Bouquillon responded to a question in the chat regarding teacher and medical issues and shared that would be a conversation to have with Human Resources, Dr Bouquillon and the teacher to discuss all options Ms Nourse thanked all in the Minuteman community for their efforts to make this a good year for the students Dr Bouquillon shared that it was a collaborative effort and invited all to send him an email with any further questions or comments that they have Ms Nourse noted that the next School Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11th 5 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the School Committee took the following vote ACTION 2020 #76 Moved(Stulm) and seconded(Leone) To adjourn the meeting at 7 19 p m VOTE. 8 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) Michael Ruderman (Arlington) Steve LeDoux (Concord) Ford Spalding (Dover) Jennifer Leone (Lancaster) 8 Judith Crocker(Lexington) Jeff Stulin, Vice-Chair(Needham) Alice DeLuca(Stow) Respectfully submitted, Julia Pisegna Alice DeLuca District Assistant Secretary 9