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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-02-23-SC-min LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, February 23, 2021 Conducted by Remote Participation Meeting Minutes AGENDA: CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME: 6:00 p.m. Chair Kathleen Lenihan welcomed and introduced committee members SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Kathleen Lenihan, Chairperson Eileen Jay, Vice-Chair Deepika Sawhney Scott Bokun Sara Cuthbertson, Clerk STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE Sara Mei SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent Mr. David Coehlo, Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations Dr. Christine Lyons, Assistant Superintendent to Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development The minutes were taken by Kristen Keough, Executive Assistant to the School Committee Ms. Lenihan read Governor Baker's Executive Order from March 12, 2020 which allows public meetings to be conducted remotely due to the state emergency related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Ms. Lenihan covered additional ground rules for an effective and clear conduct of business and to assure accurate meeting minutes. MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS/LIAISON REPORTS: Ms. Cuthbertson: • Attended Community Input Team with Ms. Sawhney • Attended the League of Women Voters and facilitated a break out room • Remind everyone to vote on March 1st • LEF is launching their Innovation Series o First free event is on March 3rd o Further details can be found on the Lexington Education Foundation website LSC 2/23/21 Meeting Minutes-Approved 4/27/21 KK Ms. Sawhney: • EV Bus Group is doing a lot of work o Talking with vendors and staff o Looking at getting buses for Boston students • Thanked all various organizations within Lexington who have been holding Candidate Forums Mr. Bokun: • Virtually watched the Diamond Middle School Play "The Chronicles of Jane, Book 7" • The Human Rights Committee (HRC) will be celebrating the International Mother Language Day virtually at the Cary Library on Saturday, February 27th from 3:00-4:30 • March 13th the Human Rights Committee will co-sponsor the Parent Academy o Workshops to focus on educating parents during this difficult time Ms. Jay: • Attended the Boston Globe Black History month discussion for the documentary Code Switching • Attended the Recreation Committee meeting o Fall 2 sports are underway o Discussion on resolving snow removal issues in time for football season o Concerns about practice times/hours Ms. Lenihan: • Echoed Ms. Sawhney's comments in regards to hosting the candidate forums • Asked if members would be in support of writing a letter to Congresswoman, Katherine Clarke asking to support efforts of having high quality masks available COMMUNITY SPEAK: Lori Giterman, 26 Eldridge Street: Ms. Giterman read a statement on behalf of a group of parents dedicated to getting all students back to in person school full time. Taking into account that some individuals in the community may need the remote option for a longer period. Many members of the community supported the statement read by Ms. Giterman. Dr. Hackett said she too is in support of the statement read on behalf of Ms. Giterman and addressed some of the questions asked. State your position publicly-Is your plan to get all students K-8, unless medically necessary to be remote, back to in person school full time before the end of this school year? Dr. Hackett replied yes, would love to be able to do that. We are still continuing to watch what happens medically. If there is a way to make that happen we will. Dr. Hackett noted that her communication letters have said that K-2 would be the starting point for this transition back. LSC 2/23/21 Meeting Minutes-Approved 4/27/21 KK Grades 9-12 is a whole different animal and it is something that we need to work on a little bit longer. Is it your expectation that all students K-12 will be back to in person school full time in the fall? Dr. Hackett said the budget for FY2022 is built on the assumption that it is a full return K-12. If we do not return to full K-12 in the fall we will have a significant fiscal problem that we will have to deal with. Define precisely and concretely the criteria for return to in person school full time. What exactly needs to happen for K-8 to return to in person learning full time? What about 9-12? Weare looking for transparency as far as all the criteria so that it doesn't feel like moving goalposts for students, teachers, or parents. Only with a shared understanding of the current and anticipated criteria can we partner with you to overcome the barriers to a full in person return. Dr. Hackett replied that the Community Input Team is going to be working on these issues. We are going to look at all of the aspects of what exactly needs to happen for a return to school. Share the specific actions you have taken and will be taking to achieve your stated position regarding the return to in person school full time now and in the fall. Dr. Hackett said we are going to be working through the details of this question through the Community Input Team. CONGRATULATIONS & CELEBRATIONS: Core Value Awards Dr. Hackett congratulated Hasting fifth grade student, Avery Horvath, for winning the "Do Your Part" Core Values Exemplar Award. Avery was nominated by her fourth-grade teacher, Jessica Delande. Dr. Hackett congratulated Clarke Health & PE teacher Nicole Linehan, for winning the "Care for Yourself and Others" Core Values Exemplar Award. Nicole was nominated by her Clarke colleague, Kelly Harrington. Dr. Hackett congratulated LHS student, Kristina Wong, for winning the "Use Your Mind" Core Values Exemplar Award. Kristina was nominated by her friend and fellow Senator, Sara Mei. Further congratulations are noted in the Superintendent report. LSC 2/23/21 Meeting Minutes-Approved 4/27/21 KK SUPERINTENDENT REPORT: The Superintendent reported on the following items: • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion • Fall 2 Athletics • LPS Hiring Process for 2021-2022 • LPS COVID-19 Updates • Community Input Team for Full Return The complete Superintendent's Report can be viewed here. NEW BUSINESS: Policy Reading#1 - IJOA- Field Trio Ms. Jay reviewed the draft revisions for the Field Trip policy IJOA. Dr. Lyons noted that she had reached out to department heads who do a lot of international travel and would like for them to be a part of the implementation planning. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: DESE School Year Calendar for 2021-2022 -Tabled COMMUNITY SPEAK Lori Giterman , 26 Eldridge St.: Ms. Giterman thanked Dr. Hackett for starting to address the questions from the statement and encouraged the Community Input Team to pay attention to the 6ft distancing requirements from the CDC guidelines. Many community members continued to speak in support of the statement read earlier by Ms. Giterman and to look closely at the 3ft. Vs. 6ft. Requirements. Alexia Duke, 6 Plainfield St.: Ms. Duke spoke on mental health issues that kids are struggling with and feels there is no sense of urgency in helping the kids. Jill D. 53 Candle: Ms. Jill thanked the committee members for their hard work they have done over the past year during the pandemic. She expressed concerns over today's meeting with DESE and Commissioner Rlley and concerns over the lack of vaccinations. Nobody has thought about the future or the variants, very concerning as well as the mental health picture. Unless we have vaccinations for the teachers, I don't know how this will happen. We are putting them at the bottom and that is not fair. Jennipher Burgess, staff member: Ms. Burgess expressed concerns over the lack of available vaccinations for educators. Anna Bobo, 66 Oak St.: Ms. Bobo thanked committee members for their tireless work. Ms. Bobo commented on the people questioning the 3-6 ft. distancing requirements. She noted that her child was considered in the close vicinity of a positive case and it came from the saliva pool testing. Anyone who is questioning the 3-6 ft. distancing that she is so grateful that Lexington has gone above and beyond of it's safety requirements for this year and has pushed LSC 2/23/21 Meeting Minutes-Approved 4/27/21 KK hard for the 6ft. It is keeping her family safe. Echo the thoughts for pushing to get teachers vaccinated. Mona Roy, Burtwell Rd.: Concerned about the younger learners missing some of the learning struggle or social emotional struggle that can be addressed in these early grades. Samarrah Clayman, 10 Frost Rd.: Echoed Ms. Roy's comments as well as the collaborative effort that is important going forward with parents, teachers and students. There is a lot of genuine fear from all different aspects and we need to work together to come up with solutions. The mental health issues that we are talking about or all the vaccines are going to have long lasting effects for our entire community. It is our community's responsibility to collaborate and address it. CONSENT AGENDA: Mr. Bokun moved to approve the following consent agenda items: • February 12, 2021 -Payroll in the amount of$4,135,728.75 • February 19, 2021 -Accounts Payable in the amount of$1,017,018.20 • February 19, 2021 -Accounts Payable Bank of Montreal(BOM) Reconciliation in the amount of$227,590.70 Ms. Sawhney moved to approve the gifts/donations items on the consent agenda: • $900.00 donation to each Lexington High School class from the PTO for a total amount of$3,600.00 • Donation to Estabrook Elementary on behalf of the pTO in the amount of$5,659.63 Ms. Cuthbertson moved to approve the School Committee Minutes: • January 5, 2021 - tabled • January 12, 2021 -tabled • January 19, 2021 -tabled Mr. Bokun asked to hold on the approval of the meeting minutes to make additional edits. Ms. Lenihan asked for a motion on section one and two of the consent agenda;so moved by Ms.Bokun;seconded by Ms.Jay. Ms. Lenihan took a roll call vote(Approved 5-0) At 9:00 p.m. in open session, the Vice-Chair moved that the Committee vote to go into Executive session under exemption 3 and to reconvene only to adjourn. Further the Chair declares that an open meeting discussion may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the town. Ms. Lenihan took a roll call vote (Approved 5-0) Ms. Lenihan asked for a motion to adjourn at 9:20 p.m.;seconded by Ms. Cuthbertson. Ms. Lenihan took a roll call vote (Approved 5-0) LSC 2/23/21 Meeting Minutes-Approved 4/27/21 KK