[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: the state legislation that would have to be adopted by the city, the school committee, in order to move this into place. And if I could read the state chapter, general law chapter 71, section 55D, small a, upon the issuance of a musical wind instrument to a student who is permitted to use or borrow the instrument while attending any public or commonwealth charter school or pre-kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, The school issuing the instrument shall inform the student's parent or guardian that the musical wind instrument has been sanitized and may also be sterilized at the expense of the parent or guardian requesting sterilization to ensure that all microbial life has been eradicated from the instrument. The parent or guardian may request that the school sterilize the instrument prior to issuance in compliance with regulations promulgated by the Department of Public Health. The parent or guardian who makes the request shall be responsible for the entire cost of the sterilization. Small b, this section shall take effect in any city, town, or regional school district upon acceptance by the school committee, or in the case of a Commonwealth charter school, upon acceptance by the Board of Trustees, respectfully submitted by myself, Mayor Stephanie M. Burke. Thank you. We also have Solicitor Rumley here. I don't know if he wanted to say a few words on this topic.
[Mark Rumley]: Thank you and good evening Mayor Burke, Superintendent Bellson, members of the school committee. This statute is what it says. It's a matter of notification and information to families, families whose students would be borrowing wind instruments. And it's really very simple. What it says is that if a child or a student is borrowing a wind instrument, that they shall receive information that tells them that it's been sanitized, and the parents would also be told that they have the option at their own expense to have it sterilized. And if that's done, then that would have to be done according to the standards of the Department of Public Health. So this is a matter of information so that families can better make informed decisions relative to their children. And as I'll speak for the mayor, I would recommend your approval on this matter.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you very much. There's a motion for approval by Mr. Skerry, seconded by Ms. Wierndekloot. Roll call vote, please. Mr. Benedetto.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thank you. I had a couple questions. Before we incur this cost onto the parents, we need to know what the cost is. Because I know what we want to do is encourage the most amount of participation in our music programs as we can. And we don't want to put an undue hardship on anyone who wants to play. So I'd like to know how long the sanitation lasts for, like if someone borrows it and then they turn it back in, is it then re-sanitized before the next student were to borrow it? How that works? Like I really have a lot of questions before we move this forward.
[Mark Rumley]: Yes, well I'm not a clinician, nor am I a doctor, nor am I a scientist of any nature. But in the information that I have been reviewing in preparation for tonight, I can just tell you that the suggestion is that an instrument be sanitized once per year as it's given to a child who's borrowing it. I mean, excuse me, sterilized. If the family opts to do that, they need not.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So it just, all right. So say I'm a parent and my student wants to play. How many wind instruments do we lend on a year?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: So I spoke to the music department. There are currently 76 wind instruments that have been rented at this time. Most of them at the elementary level, there are about 66, another 10 at the middle school level. Most of the instruments beyond the middle school are either owned by the individuals or, well, they are owned by the individuals. By that time, they've paid for them if they've worked them up all the way up. So we currently have about 76 instruments that are rented in the school system, mostly at the elementary level.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So they're not borrowed, so they wouldn't come under this ordinance. They're rented, yes. No, they're rented from a private company, but that's not, this wording says borrowed. That's very different, because as a parent, I rented a saxophone for years, and you rent it to own it. Actually, my son still has it, and I heard him playing it about a month ago when I pulled up, which I was very happy to hear. He rented to own this. So when he got it, it was always his. It actually was sterilized because in the very beginning, Dr. LaPore provided that to everybody in all the Method students when he was first bringing this program forward. So it had been sterilized.
[Roy Belson]: So Madam Mayor, if I can, the third word is issuance. It's not borrow, loan. It's issued. Issued from the school department, whether it's issued on a lease purchase or issued as a pure rental.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So my understanding from reading this, Mr. Belson, was that the school department's inventory of instruments that we were lending out, and I'm like, I didn't know we lent out wind instruments because that's why we had a private company. Wouldn't the private company be responsible for providing clean instruments?
[Roy Belson]: But they're contracted by the school department to do that. Right. So as a result, the school department is issuing it through the private company. on behalf of the school department.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: At the cost to the parent to have the sterilization.
[Roy Belson]: If I think I'm correct, I spoke to Mr. Casey, who unfortunately can't be here because he's not feeling well at this point, but he told me that for Medford students, they are issuing it at about $100 for a wind instrument. for the year, which is well below market. So they issue to another school district. I think he says he rents to about 127 different school districts. It's $25 a month. In Medford, it's $100 for the year. So it's a very sharp discount for a Medford student, Jack, as a graduate of the high school. And we obviously feel some obligation.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So what is the cost incurred by a parent whose child wants to rent an instrument?
[Roy Belson]: The last cost I saw for a typical wind instrument, trumpet, a clarinet, something of that type, and please correct me if I'm wrong, was approximately $125 for the process. I would say that that's the neighborhood, but it is not necessarily the street. A larger instrument, for example, a typical kid wouldn't buy a tuba. I mean, you know, that's something we would do and then we would have to be responsible for that.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So I understand the importance of this. So in the health, the health piece and why it's important to have this done. Um, so if I had a child who went in the fifth grade and picked a wind instrument, they would pay the a hundred dollars a year to rent to own this instrument until they paid it off typically, right? Which, Our saxophone back then was like seven, $800 total through the lifetime at that time. And then another $125 for have it sanitized when they initially get sterilized.
[Mark Rumley]: I'm sorry. Sterilized parents chose for that option.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So what would this mean? Mr. Only we have to inform them that they have the option to or that they have to, there are two elements of the information.
[Mark Rumley]: The first information is on the notice. The first information that they receive is that the instrument has been sanitized. And if the parents so choose, it may be sterilized. And if they do choose that option, then it would be done at their expense.
[Unidentified]: Okay.
[Mark Rumley]: So this is entirely the effect of this from a legal point of view, from a functional point of view or an administrative point of view is for the school department. That is the city to provide notice to family.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: that it's not been sterilized and they have that option. And we're by no means mandating this in any way or encouraging it. It's each individual's choice.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Notification.
[Mark Rumley]: Right. For example, were I a parent of a child in the school system borrowing an instrument, myself and my wife would garner the information that we could about sanitation and sterilization, and then we'd make a choice. And that's really what families should do. make choices that benefit their children. And that's what the government, that's what the school department should be doing, to assist them to fully and functionally make that choice.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Ms. Van der Kloot. I just did have a question about the cost. I thought it was significantly lower when you and I talked, Mr. Superintendent.
[Mark Rumley]: There are people here who would like to address the specifics such as cost. Thank you. That's the number I get.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Stone, would you like to comment now or do you want to wait for an answer?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Well, I think they're going to speak and someone could speak on the cost.
[SPEAKER_18]: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Name and address for the record, please.
[SPEAKER_18]: Victor Garrow, lawyer, Medford. I am a consultant for Dr. Lepore and his company. Um, Mr. Belzer, can I ask you where you got that figure of $125? I got that from Jack Casey. How could he, he doesn't, he doesn't sterilize instruments though.
[Roy Belson]: No, but that's what he told me. I asked him what the cost would be. And he said, that's what it would be.
[SPEAKER_18]: Well, he can't sterilize because there's only, there's only one person that gets sterilized and that's his company.
[Roy Belson]: I didn't say he could sterilize. I asked him what he thought the cost was since he did, you know, I thought he would know.
[SPEAKER_18]: Well, he's way off.
[Roy Belson]: I'm wrong. He's way off.
[SPEAKER_18]: So therefore let me, I will answer your question.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So Mr. Belson, just to remind you, the other day when you and I talked, you may have forgotten this, but you told me it was about $40 per instrument.
[Roy Belson]: I don't remember that, but if it's, if it's less, it's less. It's much less.
[SPEAKER_18]: Yeah. Okay. The, uh, you know, what's interesting, Madam Mayor and members of the school committee is that everybody knows Dr. Lepore. Anybody could have called up Dr. Lepore and say, how much does it cost to have an instrument sterilized? Now let me explain a little bit about the term sterilization. You will notice that in the statute itself, the state, now this is not us, this is the state, is stating that if you have a sanitized wind instrument, that does not kill all the germs within the instrument. There is only one way you can kill all microbial life as stated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts statute. And that is by sterilization. So that when a parent makes the decision of, do I want to have it sterilized or not, but they have to have some information, such as, what type of germs are found within some of these instruments? Now, there's been several tests. There have been several reports. And it seems a lot of people haven't read them. And what it stated is this. And I want everybody that's listening on TV to understand what we're saying here. That in these instruments, one of the things that has been found by the doctors who have done these and the research people is, they find mold. I want any doctor to come up here and say that it is perfectly healthy for a child to inhale mold. What happens in the school system, Madam Mayor, Mr. Belzin, when you find mold? You shut down the school, you break down the walls, you get all that mold. Mold is going into their mouth and into their system. This is the gateway to your health or not healthy, is here through your mouth. And so what happens is the microbial germs that are there do not get killed unless you sterilize. And sterilization is done by ethylene oxide, which is used in 50 to 60% of all medical instruments in the United States. Everything that is put into a person's heart, into their body, is sterilized with ethylene oxide. And that is the only way that you can kill all microbial life in an instrument. That's what does it. And it's done pursuant to the EPA and the FDA, always looking at the places that do this to the instruments to make sure that it's safe. There has never been a problem ever with the sterilization of ethylene oxide. There's been a lot of misinformation out here that I'm very privy to. And I will say to you that it's shocking what's happened. That's why I'm up here speaking today, because it's not going to end. There's been something going on behind the scenes that I will get to the bottom of. Because I think there's some hidden agendas involved with this. And I've been a lawyer for a lot of years.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Madam Mayor. Thank you Mr. Garrow. Ms. Van der Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So, you've said a lot of things and I need to tell you that as a school committee member. First of all, because I know many of the people who are involved in this company and have known them over years. because of their professional positions in Medford and as Medford residents. That in fact, in my eyes, the way to look at this statute is to say, what does the statute say? And in fact, if you would, divorce myself from the people involved. The statute says that we should be telling parents that there is a option for sanitation, period. Sterilization. Sorry. Sterilization. Period. That's okay. That's what the statute says. And what I understand us to be voting on tonight is simply, are we going to accept it? And then incumbent on us is to let parents know whose children are renting instruments, um, uh, that they should be, um, that, that there is this option and it is an option. That's what I'm voting on. If I have some blinders on, it's purposeful because I don't want to get involved with personalities or, or whatever. I think it's, for me, it's a clear cut. There's a statute. It says that this would be, that's what the legislature has told us. I don't have any hidden agenda.
[SPEAKER_18]: No, you don't.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: That's exactly correct interpretation.
[SPEAKER_18]: By the way- Ms.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mustone? Ms. Mustone? Oh, I'm sorry.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yes, how are you? So I have gone to the high school three times for my oldest three to try out instruments to see what they would like to do. We send the audit form in, and then the instrument arrives at the Roberts Elementary School in my, well now they're eighth, sixth, and fifth. They pick up their instrument, and I don't have to worry about picking up, dropping off. It's very nicely done. So how does the sterilization work into it? Would the rental company bring them to your company, and then bring them back to the elementary school?
[SPEAKER_18]: What has happened in the past, Dr. Lepore did this for three years here within the city, 2006, 2007, and 2008. And at that time, all instruments, I believe you believe you were for that at that time, Mr. Bellson, that the instruments that all instruments from the city were done free of charge by Dr. Lepore's company, not one penny. What was charged is to Mr. Casey. He was charged $40 per instrument approximately. And he added on $35 for his, his handling and his profit. And that's done over a nine or 10 month period of time. So it would add maybe $6 or $7 on to the leasing agreement on a lease to buy. So if you had a clarinet and you were leasing it for $30, the parent then could be told it'll probably cost you $38 to make sure that there is no microbial life or germs within your instrument. That would be up to the parent to decide.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: but as a parent, I don't have to pick it up, bring it to you. No, no. Okay.
[SPEAKER_18]: Because that would be, that would be, that would be, that'd be done with Mr. Bellson and the school committee. I mean the, the, uh, school department. I mean, yes, the school department and the people that are there at the music part.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you. There's a motion on the floor for approval by Mr. Skerry, seconded by Ms. Van der Kloot, Mr. Benedetto.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thank you. So you're saying it's $40 for this?
[SPEAKER_18]: It would approximately- About $40, and then another $35 for the- It's probably in the vicinity of $70 to $75 for the whole thing.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Okay. And it's an option for parents? That is correct. So for health reasons, how often should parents get the instruments re-sterilized.
[SPEAKER_18]: On the studies that have been done, the standard is that when it goes from one student to the next and before it's given out to the next student, it should be then sterilized. So at the beginning of the school year, it should be sterilized for that student for the year.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So what happens when you rent to own is you keep that same instrument for seven or eight years and then you own it. I'm asking.
[SPEAKER_18]: Every year, you should do. I don't know if the school committee knows of this, but it's been said many times, gee, no one's got sick, why should we be doing this? Well, a person just died from self-contamination of a musical wind instrument. Died from it in England. And what happened was, the man died in 2014. And he had spent seven or eight years in coughing and with problems. He was getting weaker and weaker. The doctors over in England that were treating him in the hospital couldn't figure out what was wrong. So they were giving him all types of medications that were known to them to try to help. It didn't. He was dying. And it's self, it was self-contamination. It didn't go from person to student to student to student. You can self-contaminate your own wind instrument. So therefore, I'm telling everybody that has an instrument, if you have an instrument, you should have it sterilized once a year because you can self-contaminate your own instrument. And by the way, when people say they haven't been getting sick, let me tell you the sicknesses that it causes. It can cause flu. It can cause the virus. It can cause headaches. It can cause coughing. It can cause diarrhea. It can cause headaches. It can cause asthma. It can cause bronchitis. It can cause feeling sick. It can cause ear problems. And all of these things over the years, no one has ever put the dots to say, hey, you know something? This might have come from the musical instrument. Well, now you can start thinking, I was saying, if the state And there's been several hearings on this. The state has said that the only way to ensure that all microbial life has been eradicated within the instrument is through sterilization. That's our Commonwealth of Massachusetts saying that. That's not our company that's saying that. That's the Commonwealth of Mass. So therefore, what happens here is all we're saying here is give notice to the parents and let them make that decision themselves. But just understand. A lot of people have got sick. One has died. Now, the only reason why they were able to find out why he died was the following. In 2014, he died. But there were six or seven doctors over in England at this hospital who were doing work for him. And the medical examiner said he died of a lung condition. They said, no, no, no, no. There's something more wrong with this than that. We have to determine what really happened. It took them two years, Madam Mayor, of research to find out what happened. So what they did is they finally went into the gentleman's home with the consent of the family, and they found this bagpipe wind instrument. And they said, you know something, let's take that for our researchers and let them go and check out what was going on and what was wrong in the instrument. What they found, they couldn't believe. There was all types of mold, fungi, and all other things that cause real serious problems. The poor man died from this. He died from it. So when we're saying this, but if these doctors didn't work for two years, to figure out what was going on, it would have been another undocumented death that wouldn't be related to musical wind instruments. I'm telling you ladies and gentlemen.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Sir, getting back to my question, I just want people to be aware that the recommendation is to have it sterilized every year. And rather the first year, you get your instrument from the rental company. At that point, If you brought it yourself back to the company to have it sterilized, it would be an additional $40 each year.
[SPEAKER_18]: But it would seem to me that this would be done through the school itself.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So then we're putting regulations on our music department that is already working understaffed. to take on this responsibility and I'd like to hear from the superintendent about that. I have no problem with this.
[SPEAKER_18]: What responsibility?
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Of collecting all these 75 instruments, transporting them back to Dr. Lepore's business and having them sterilized.
[SPEAKER_18]: No, we would be picking up, we'd be picking up. This is not, this is not, by the way, I think there was a misstatement by Mr. Belson. There are not 76 instruments being used in the high school by people in the band. We're talking about those that Mr. Casey has because he is leasing instruments. That's not what the statute is saying. Statute is talking about what the school, you don't issue it through Mr. Casey. It's Mr. Casey's business and he has business with the city and you as the city can say, if you are giving any of these least instruments to our people, we want you to sterilize them first. And then you're out of all the problems because he has to handle them or the company has to handle them. He has thousands of instruments. He can put them to all the way and there's no other problems.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: But if we do that, then we're taking out the option of the parents' choice to have that done. No, they make that choice.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: This is informational to the parents. Notification to the parents. That's what this general law is. Providing notification to the parents and then it's up to them to take action. If they so please, they may look up research and disagree with the findings. It's totally at the parents' wishes. Ms. Van der Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: The one concern that I do have is I think that it's incumbent on us that we want to make sure that the flyer which is going out to the parents is acceptable to us. I think it probably should have a website for the parents attached to it for more information. I don't want to scare every parent thinking that their kid now is going to die if they don't do this. I think that we want to let them know that it is an option for them and consistent with the statute. So I just want to make sure. I haven't seen a flyer yet that would go out to the parent, but rather than that flyer going directly to the music company or through whatever, I want to make sure that we have administrative oversight of that flyer.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: So, let's clarify a few things. The statute says that when the school department issues something for a student to use or borrow, to use or borrow, not own, to use or borrow, then we have to notify parents of this option. Now, it's incumbent upon us to give them The pros, maybe some cons if there are, as to why they would or wouldn't do this, the pricing, and to tell them how it works and how to access it. Now, as far as the school department doing it, if we set up a system where people can bring their instruments to us so we can give them to the appropriate company, that's easily done. It's not difficult to do. So I don't have a problem doing that. The issue is really more of setting up a system, providing appropriate flyer, which I'll provide to you. We do have one issue, and maybe an attorney can enlighten us on this one. is to whether or not there's more than one company, because obviously we have bid laws. Is there one more than one company at this time?
[Unidentified]: OK.
[Roy Belson]: So in other words, saying if we put something out, this might be a sole source. And if it's a sole source, we put that out there. But if another source were to show up, we would have to, over time, explain that to people that they have that option as well. But in the interim, it's not a difficult thing to do. It's just that we want to provide appropriate notification Nothing wrong with providing appropriate notification. And people can make up their own mind. And if they believe that this is in their best interest, then fine. If they don't believe it's in their best interest, then that's a choice they can make. So that's what we're involved with. The statute is not a difficult one to accept. It's really a question of how we have people access it.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I agree, Mr. Bilson.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I was going to suggest we move the question.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Motion to move the question.
[Robert Skerry]: roll call please. Yes. Yes.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes. Six in the affirmative. None of the negative one absent motion passes.
[SPEAKER_18]: Thank you madam mayor. Thank you. Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Motion to revert to the regular order of business. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Approval of the minutes of November 21, 2016. There's a motion for approval by Ms. Disceri, seconded by Ms. DiBenedetto. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Approval of bills, transfer of funds. Motion for approval by Mr. Skerry, seconded by Mr. Benedetto. All those in favor? All those opposed? Motion passes. Approval of payrolls. Motion for approval by Mr. Skerry, seconded by Ms. Van der Kloot. All those in favor? All those opposed? Motion passes. Report of the secretary. Are there any? There is none. Report of committees. None. Community participation.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Madam Mayor, may I ask? Ms. Vander Kloof. Does it make any sense to suspend the rules to pick up the adoption of Medford Conversations Project?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We're actually waiting for one individual to come, and as soon as he arrives, I would love you to make that motion. Oh, he's actually in the back of the room. There's a motion for suspension of the rules to take the resolution under new business. Resolution submitted by Mayor Stephanie M. Burke. The Medford School Committee support the Medford Conversations Project to promote dialogue and collaboration about race and ethnicity in Medford and beyond. And there's actually a full resolution that's in your packet. It was presented to the city council last Tuesday evening, and it passed 7 to 0. And if I could read the resolution. Whereas the strength of our nation is derived from its history of diversity that has enriched our communities with a variety of cultures, faiths, traditions, and viewpoints. And whereas the City of Medford is a community that welcomes and values the varied racial and ethnic makeup of our residents. And whereas the City of Medford stands in support of all immigrant groups and newcomers as they pursue the American dream. And whereas the City of Medford will work to model our city as a safe and welcoming place that equally encourages all to seek personal advancement and to reside in peaceful contentment in Medford. Whereas the city of Medford rejects all words and acts of hate, indifference, and intolerance that undermine our neighborhoods, communities of faith, and our schools, and thwart the promise of equal justice. And whereas our nation was founded on the fundamental principle that all persons are entitled to equal protection of law, equal opportunity, and to the enjoyment of civil and human rights. Now, therefore, the city of Medford proudly supports the Medford Conversations Project to promote dialogue and collaboration about race and ethnicity in Medford and beyond. And I believe we have Mr. D. O'Brien in the audience, and Reverend Wendy, would you like to speak on this resolution? Reverend Wendy, your name and address for the record, please?
[7G1mRGUN6Dk_SPEAKER_09]: Reverend Wendy Miller-Olapade, 105 Brooks Street, Medford. I'm the... Welcome. Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm so delighted to be with you tonight on behalf of the Medford Conversations Project I'm the lead pastor of Sanctuary United Church of Christ and I'm participating in the planning team of the Medford Conversations Project as a member of the Medford Interfaith Clergy Association and a member of Medford Health Matters, which reflects a little bit about the diversity of the bodies that are engaged in planning for that project. So I'm here just to speak to what the project is and answer any questions. We have others here if you have further questions. Medford Conversations' mission is to include and actively engage a wide range, a multiplicity of voices in our community, and through those conversations, hope to encourage people to create and act on visions for a sustainable, just, and thriving Medford. So out of a model based on the everyday democracy way of creating conversations across diverse networks in communities, we hope to bring people together to talk about what they care about, to make Medford a better place to be, And we're actively seeking to bring people from across different cultures, races, religions, economic background, neighborhoods, generations. So we're actively trying to get people into the room for our first conversation, which is in January, designed to discuss who belongs. It'll be a dialogue about race and ethnicity in Medford and beyond. So let me stop there and see if you have any questions. I don't know if you've heard about this yet. I have a little handout for you if you'd like to, it's just the invitation to the actual first event. The intention is that the conversations project would be a model that we would continue to use to address different topics as time goes on.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you very much, Reverend Wendy. Is there anyone else that would like to speak on this resolution before us this evening? Good evening. Your name and address, please.
[Steve Schnapp]: My name is Steve Schnapp. The last name is spelled S-E-H-N-A-P-P. I live at 36 Hillside Ave, right up the street from the library. I got involved in this project. I'm retired, but I got involved in this project because I think it's particularly important that folks across difference, as Reverend Wendy explained, engage with each other. And the only point I would like to add to what's been said already is in addition to your support, we actually need your help in being able to attract folks who may not have what I would call a racial justice frame. Folks who may be leery to participate because they don't want to get beat up or called a racist or in some way feel bad about the particular views they may hold. We really want to engage people across difference and that is political difference and the way they see the world. This conversation is an attempt to get to know people, for people to get to know each other, to build relationships, and therefore to begin to address the very important issues of race and diversity and ethnicity, et cetera, that are dividing us. It's an attempt to get folks to talk to each other. And we need your help to identify and help us bring those folks into these conversations. We're asking that of all sorts of organizations across the city, individuals, political folks, but others as well. So if there are folks that you can think of who may be civic-minded or not, but want to engage in conversations that may be difficult but will be facilitated so that all voices can be heard and respected, we really invite you to share those individuals with us or hand out literature that just tells about what this program is and this project.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you. Ms. Mestone.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yes. Yes.
[7G1mRGUN6Dk_SPEAKER_09]: Absolutely. I can give you electronic versions of it. Yes. There is a desire for registration, but people can just show up as well to the opening thing. I don't know how much time you want me to spend, but the design beyond the philosophy that this is a way to help people to stay engaged in their civic connections. It's a way to really make sure that we're still being a democracy and that people, so one of the things we didn't say specifically is that Steve and Jen Bailey actually are leading the team that is gonna do training, so our facilitators will be trained by Everyday Democracy to be able to engage hot topics, if you will, some of those topics We don't want to talk about it over the Thanksgiving dinner table, right? Hot topics that are hard to talk about when you have a difference of opinion. We'll have trained facilitators who will facilitate those conversations across difference, and it'll happen in small groups. So there's a large opening event that will sort of set the stage and set expectations for what we hope to happen, and then there will be small groups of 10 to 12 persons who will gather together schedule with facilitators who will then dig deeper, listen to each other, and dig deeper on the topics. And so then we come back together for a fifth session on this particular topic. So we're hopeful that those facilitators will allow then for the improved dialogue across difference. high school age is appropriate. We're still negotiating. We're still in conversation. We're learning how to do this as we're going along by the grace of the goodness of good people. We are not confident yet. Originally we thought it would be you know, kids and adults and elders all in one circle. But we've just recently talked about recognizing that a room full of, you know, a couple of youth in a group with a lot of voices might be hard for them to be heard. So we're still trying to figure out whether we might do some small groups just for them. My 16-year-old is here because this is a topic that we talked about at the city council meeting last week. And I recognized that there was nobody in the room when we were talking about it, either of color or of difference or young people. And I asked him to come tonight to, you know, sort of just be in the room with me as we talked about this because, you know, we think that it's all okay. We want to believe that this is the kind of community that we are and this is what we stand for. And yet young people, old people, people of color, people, Muslim people, we all know that we've struggled over the last year or so, and that there's an increase in fear and concern expressed by our community after the results of the election, frankly. So, yeah, I think it is appropriate for teenagers, and we're trying to figure, we're working with Amie Saulnier, she's on the steering committee, and she's working really hard to make sure that the kids at this school are engaged. I'm trying to convince Aaron to be a facilitator actually. So now I'm going public with it. That website, yep, that website is on the home page. If you go to the bottom, there's a whole registration process there. In fact, you can get the flyer from the website too. Medfordconversations.org.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Very good. Thank you very much for being here tonight.
[7G1mRGUN6Dk_SPEAKER_09]: Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There's a motion on the floor for acceptance of the resolution by Ms. Van der Kloot. Is there a second? Seconded by Mr. Skerry. Mr. Benedetto.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: It seems to me that our community has really, in general, in my understanding of it, meets a lot of these items listed as a resolution. Whereas, I think the program is wonderful and I agree that it should be you know, engaged by many of our community members. So that way we can have straightforward, honest discussion about any issue that might be the topic at that time. And I do encourage people to do that. I just don't know why it goes from a method conversations to a resolution. Because I really feel that our community is very open and welcoming already without putting it forward in this manner. So I just didn't, I just didn't.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's to provide a unified voice that we will not accept acts of hatred and inequality. That's not who we are. That's not who we want to be. And that we all speak united on that topic.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Okay. I, I see that, but I feel like our community already does that in so many ways on a daily basis.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: You see that a lot, but there are a lot that don't. And to those out there, we're making a statement that it's important that we acknowledge that. Mr. Superintendent? Mr. Superintendent?
[Roy Belson]: Madam Mayor, members of the committee, and Reverend, I think it's really important, given the climate that sometimes pervades our world, that we reemphasize not only to ourselves as adults, but to the students that this is important to us. And when the adults make a motion of this type, you're sending a message to the young people who perhaps have not thought it through as much. And it's important for us to be able to say this is something that the adults have taken an active stand on. So that's another reason for doing it in a public body and especially in a school system where we have the care and responsibility of educating our young people about how to get along. And we've talked a lot about social and emotional health. We've talked a lot about some of the issues. And I have to tell you, the academic issues will take care of themselves over the years. The ones that won't are the social and emotional and the personal interactions of young people if we don't step up as role models and if we don't step up as voices to help them find voice as they grow up. So to help them with their transition to adulthood, it's critical that we take visible stance on human issues, human rights, and human fairness.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So my only point was to say that I feel our schools district already does an exceptional job of making all our students feel welcome.
[Roy Belson]: I think we do.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I agree with you. That's why I just wanted to say that I didn't want people to hear this and think that we have to make a resolution for these things to happen. This happens on a daily basis. by the educators, our administrators, by our community, and by everybody here that we really care and we look at children. That's children that we educate all and we support all in any needs that they need them. So that was my concern.
[SPEAKER_07]: I don't want people to say that this is something new, this is something I know. It's our way of making a public statement that that is who we are. Ms. Van der Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: And I understand, Erin, exactly what you're trying to say, that we've been a positive place and we want to keep on staying that way. And that's why we're going to go ahead and say this. I have to tell you, and neither of these incidents happened inside or with anybody involved in Medford. But I have been shocked within the last two months of two very different incidents that were so outrageous to me personally of discrimination and, uh, inappropriate hate. Um, and one was, you know, I went to a craft show and I don't want to go into it here. Although if anybody wants to know, I'll, I'll talk to you personally about what happened and something else which happened with words that were totally inappropriate. And somehow I feel that in the political climate that took place over the past year, it is unleashed a firestorm. And so this is the appropriate time to go public and just to reaffirm our values.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you, Ms. Vandekloot. And also, the superintendent and I are working on a PSA, trying to get the community involved. So we'll probably be reaching out to Steve. I think I sat at your table several months ago, and he did a great job facilitating that meeting. And we'll be working probably with some in your group to try and put a PSA out that addresses some of these issues in a conversational forum of four people, maybe. So we will be in touch with you in the very near future for that.
[7G1mRGUN6Dk_SPEAKER_09]: I think the other thing I want to share, I did this the other night at the council meeting and I won't go through the story again, but I think what's most important to me, particularly as a mother of a child who's not of the dominant culture, is that this model is designed to help us to listen to each other. And I spoke very passionately last Tuesday night at this microphone about the issue. It was a much more heated dialogue then than it is tonight. And I received hate mail at the church two days ago, someone calling me a demon and that I had an inappropriate agenda, that I had exploited my child. And so I share that with you to say that while we generally feel as though we're doing a really great job, and we are doing a great job, and there's still so much work to be done, we have so far to go as a society to really, really love one another in the way that we have in our souls. You know, our guts feel that and yet we are blinded by our experience. And so we have, you know, this conversation, making a public statement is just another way. I sat, you know, at the Arabic club after the Hijab Day situation and watched those children cry because their experience was being denied. So we're doing a great job and we have more work to do. So thank you for your for your time and your attention and your commitment.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you very much. On the motion for approval by Ms. Van der Kloot, seconded by Mr. Skerry. Roll call vote, please. Ms.
[Robert Skerry]: Van der Kloot. Shout out to my friend Aaron over there.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: All right. AJ as he's known. Yes, absolutely. Come forward, please. How are you?
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm good. How are you?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Good. Thanks.
[SPEAKER_00]: Should I say my address? Yes. All right. So I'm Aaron J. Olapade. I live on 105 Brooke Street.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: You can stand tall.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, okay. Stand tall. So I totally understand what you're saying about like how you think that Medford is like a great place and how we are doing what we're supposed to be doing. I think so because I came from a place where I didn't really think that and I thought that we were very undiverse. And so me coming here when I was, I think 13, it was kind of interesting because I was so surprised at how diverse I felt. But it isn't a matter of how much we're doing, it's a matter of how much we can do more. So I think that because we might, let's say we're doing 80%, I think we can do 90%, 100%. I think we can do so much more that it will be like a model for other towns. So I think that, I don't understand exactly what's happening, meaning I don't understand what a resolute is, but I do know I kind of get it, but I do know that it is something that's really important to me. It's important to a lot of kids in my school and it's important to my mom and other adults in the community. So I think that it might not be, you know, it might not be as important as some people will believe, but I think it's important to a lot of other people.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: So thank you very much for coming tonight. I'm sure mom's proud.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you. Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We're passing along a signature sheet. If you could sign it, it will be posted in city hall and we'll send a copy up to the school department as well. Thank you very much. On the motion to revert to the regular order of business, all those in favor? All those opposed? Motion passes. Community participation? I see none. Report of superintendent. Number one, update report on science program initiatives. Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: Madam Mayor and members of the committee, Rocco Sierra is unable to be with us this evening. He's not feeling well, but we have a terrific substitute, our deputy superintendent.
[Beverly Nelson]: Just don't ask me any questions. Again, Rocco's home with the flu, and he prepared this report for you earlier last week. As you can see from the report, under the leadership of Rocco Sieri, Director of Science, he's been very proactive in seeking out opportunities for our students to experience real science in a variety of ways. And as a result of these efforts, we're pleased to report that this year there are a variety of grants and programs that will benefit the students in all grade levels. The report that you got outlines the different grants and programs that are currently in progress and in also planning stages. And again, you can see we have many connections with universities, with organizations that are there to promote science. And as a result, our students and our teachers are benefiting. Without reading every project, you can see that a lot of these focus on real life type science activities. And again, I think that Mr. Ceri's done a tremendous job seeking out opportunities for our students to enjoy these engaging activities and also for the teachers to obtain professional development as a result of the grants. So some of the projects, again, the elementary level, there's a lot going on. There's a grant to support river herring migration, education and outreach. The middle school level, there's more work being done in environmental science. And you will note that Mr. Cieri was asked to serve on the advisory board of this project. And he's entitled to an honorarium, which he's going to donate to support the Medford Science facilities. And at the high school level, there are other activities going on through different groups. Again, there are a lot of opportunities. And we even have what we call vertical team projects. And that means that teachers across grade levels, science teachers, are collaborating. So again, a lot going on in the world of science. He just wanted you to know all of the different activities that it does span the grade levels. It's not just high school. It is K through 12. And students really enjoy this real life science. hope he gets better soon so we can go back and do some more work.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Madam Mayor, thank you Beverly. I called Mr. Cieri today and unfortunately he didn't get back to me and now I know why. Because I wanted to let him know that also in addition to that the Medford Educational Foundation just approved our grants and our grant cycle. One of them is for materials for Medford's youngest learners in the kindergarten, for owl pellets across the kindergartens, across the city of Medford in every school, which if anybody hasn't done an owl pellet, you take the pellet apart and the kids find the things that the owl has eaten and it's all very exciting. And we've also approved one at the high school level, the remotely operated underwater vehicle. So those are two things that will be added to the list and we've actually got one more. that we're going to be talking to Mr. Cieri about. So he better get back here quickly, right? Well, you know, let him recover.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: No time for illness. Mr. Scari.
[Robert Skerry]: Madam Mayor, through you to Mrs. Nelson and Roy, we'll get a kick out of this. It was great to see the report on the herring run. Roy and I, in our younger days, April vacations, we would run over to the Army Navy store and get the triple hooks and bring a basket full of herring home for the family garden every year. But unfortunately, it's no longer possible, as they're an endangered species. But it's great to see that our kids in the middle schools and high schools are interacting each year when they do the fish count at the Mystic River, at the Mystic Lakes. And it's great. And I wish Mr. Cieri and his cohorts and kids best of luck in their counts this spring. And it may be an enjoyable and memorable experience for all of them. And we appreciate all that he has been doing for our science department. And I would hope that you would pass that along.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Ms. Mustone. Thank you for the report. In October, we met about the MCAS results and Mr. Cieri had talked about having a committee to look into new curriculum for this coming September. I was wondering if a committee has been formed or people have been invited about a committee meeting. Do you know if that's in the plans? I was hoping Mr. Cieri would be here tonight because when we met was October. The goal was to have the first committee meeting in January, and then to have a curriculum picked by September. And now it's already December 5th, so I don't know if anyone's been invited.
[Beverly Nelson]: I think what is happening first is that we have the new science frameworks. So we really have to establish what, what we do as a district is we look at the frameworks when they come out. And then we look at what we already have in place for curriculum, and then we make adjustments. So I think we're still in the process, and maybe Dr. Riccadeli, who, you know, works with Mr. Seary on curriculum, can, I don't know if she has anything else to add, but I believe they're probably still in that process. You don't want to select materials before you really have your curriculum.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Right? We could write a request as well tonight if you'd like to get a response from Mr. Seary. Oh, that'd be great.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yes, because I'm not looking to pick the curriculum. I'm looking just to see if people were invited to have a committee meeting to look at curriculums that are options out there on the market for our frameworks.
[Beverly Nelson]: But the problem is that these are brand new and that oftentimes when we jump very quickly into something in terms of material, we make mistakes. We need to see what companies will start to come out with more materials. This happened with mathematics. It happens with English language arts. So again, you need to really give the new curriculum frameworks time to be digested by everyone and then these companies are going to come out. You don't want to buy something that's the first thing on the market. that may not be the best, and we don't want to get burned by that.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Right, but I'm looking at, so I got Cullen's Roberts School report card today in his folder for fifth grade. So English, we're pretty decent. We're 5% off from the state average. Math, we're 11% off from the state average. Science, we're 14%. And that's, I thought I was pretty vocal in that October meeting. I know we're not going to jump in and buy a curriculum, but I don't even, I mean the, I just wondering if we are talking to teachers because that right people, I was told that teachers were the ones who go on the committee. That's right. And so they haven't even been asked to be part of this committee. And I thought, and I wish I took better notes that I thought we had decided on a January committee date and now it's December 5th. And I'm just wondering if the ball got rolling.
[Beverly Nelson]: Let me check with him when he gets back. That'd be great. Back to you. Okay.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Thank you. So do I have to make a motion to make that happen?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Motion to get a report from Mr. Seary.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Great. That's the motion.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Second the motion by Mr. Benedetto. All those in favor. All those opposed. The motion is granted. Is there a motion to receive and place on file the science program initiative? Did you want to speak on it?
[Roy Belson]: I guess so. She wants to speak. Oh, just one comment. So just want to remind you that on the 14th, you've all been invited to the science museum. If you haven't got the thing on the, uh, the global scholars program, And that's going to intersect with the Bloomberg gift to the Science Museum on science innovation and innovation around the world, how our middle school students are talking to students from around the world on scientific issues like the digital environment, water, and things of that type. So you're invited to participate and to watch. And that's on the 14th. And we'll reemphasize that to you. But it's another aspect of how science gets integrated into a lot of other activities as well.
[Bernadette Ricciardelli]: Thank you. So I did extend that invitation to you and I know at least one of you, uh, before I left, um, had some questions about parking. And as I hope to have those questions answered for you tomorrow, I do need to get the answers, um, through the museum of science and also our global scholar partner. So again, this program is designed to enhance the grade 7 social studies and science curricula. So we really hope if you're able to attend, you'll be able to participate with us on the 14th, which is next Wednesday.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you very much. On the motion to receive and place this report on file, offered by Ms. Van der Kloot, seconded by Mr. Skerry. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion is granted. Item 2, report on credit recovery.
[Roy Belson]: Madam Mayor, making a second appearance.
[Beverly Nelson]: And credit recovery. I might come back for a third later. Okay, we're kind of excited about this. Credit recovery, as you know, for many years has been needed by our students who want to graduate on time, who want to get promoted to the next grade. It's always been an option. The guidance department's worked very hard with students to find them places to make up lost credit. Now oftentimes, a student can double up on a course. If they have the time in their schedule, they can retake a course that they perhaps have failed. But oftentimes, it's not an option. They just have too full a program. So we have to have something in place so they can do this credit recovery outside of the regular school schedule. So to date, our students have been referred for credit recovery to outside sources. Many of them go over to Somerville. Somerville had a credit recovery program using an online program, online courses from Edgenuity. And others have been going to online, Brigham Young University. And again, this is all pretty much, they're directed by the guidance department. These were the two viable places where they could pick up the credit. There are some problems with that. We know that when they go outside and they take these courses, That we're not sure the content of the courses, are they really a match for what we want our students to learn? And of course, some of these courses are very costly to students. So we've been working for the past few months, the administration, Medford High School, Medford Vocational Technical High School, and Curtis Tufts, along with guidance, to work out a solution to credit recovery that we can have as our own home grown. And again, we feel that having this credit recovery, we'll be able to monitor our students' progress to really take a look and make sure that they are making up what they need to make up for content. We also know that the district, over the past few years, we're promoting online learning. Online learning is the wave of the future, and I think we all feel very strongly that every student should have an online course in high school, because in college, that's what they're doing. You can do whole MBA programs and doctoral programs online today. So it's really important that students are familiar with these particular online offerings. This year at summer school, we piloted online science makeup courses using the product Inventum. Now, we have looked at ingenuity. The curriculum directors look at these products. They look at the courses. They see if they're a match. And they felt that ingenuity wasn't a great match. And so they went and took a look at Edmentum, which is another online offering. And tweaking that a little bit, they thought that was a better product. So this summer, again, Mr. Cieri looked at the science offerings and he tweaked them a little bit. And our students at summer school took all their science makeup courses online. It worked out very well. There were a lot of benefits. So for example, when summer school ends on a certain date, These students, if they weren't quite finished with the course, could continue on until they finish. So there are a lot of positives with using the online learning. So what we have done over the past few months is we've developed a protocol for credit recovery. Because we want our students to stay with us as they make their credits up. And the terms of what we feel will work are on the next page of the report. We want all credit recovery courses taken through the Medford Public Schools. And that no outside district programs will be accepted for credit recovery. We want to keep the cost reasonable. Now we looked at the cost, Somerville charged $125, Brigham Young University I think charged up to 350. So we wanted to keep it at the lower end. So we're going to, we're thinking 125. is fair to everyone, of course, if there's some hardship, we'll consider that. Students requesting recovery, there's a form that's been actually, the guidance has used it for several years that they have to get approval, they just can't go on their own. Online courses must have the endorsement of the director of curriculum and instruction. Dr. Riccadeli, working with the curriculum directors, looks over all these courses. We're not happy with all of them, so we're going to take some of them off the table for the time being. I know that Mrs. Joy feels algebra one and geometry through Edmentum isn't quite what it should be. So we will again offer those as credit recovery in another way for students until we can modify what's online to meet our standards. So we're not just putting this product out and saying this is it. Like Ingenuity in Somerville, they just put it out there and our kids were taking this. Again, it wasn't a great match with the curriculum. The student liaisons, we want the students to be carefully monitored. And by the way, with this product Admentum, it actually, you can see how many times a student goes online and actually engages in the learning. So we have the assistant principals, the guidance people that are monitoring this. We're going to set up some professional development for them in January so that they know what the kids are supposed to be doing. And that will take place. We're currently making those deadlines, those arrangements. And then our Director of Instructional Technology is going to maintain all records related to the use of the online courses. There is a cost to the online courses. Right now we have a contract where we can have 500 courses for about $5,000. But we will recoup some of that through the tuition, both in summer school as well as the credit recovery. So that's our plan. We feel that we've made a lot of progress. We've had a number of meetings on this. We didn't like the fact our kids were going outside and we had no idea how that was going. They'd just come back and they'd say, this is my credit. We feel this is a better way to go. This would be just for juniors and seniors right now, because we really need to work out the algebra one and the geometry, which the underclassmen tend to need. But we will have something up and running for them, probably a hybrid of this online program. So that's where we are, and I'd be happy to take any of your questions.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Is it a pass, fail grade, or?
[Beverly Nelson]: I believe it's a grade, but I believe there's a certain grade they have to attain in order for it to count. I don't know specifically what that is, but I would guess it'd be maybe a C or a C minus.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: But you could get an A in the class.
[Unidentified]: Mm-hm.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Vanderclute? So, Beverly, would these be courses that a student is doing at home or during school time?
[Beverly Nelson]: Could be both. You know, the library, we have a lot of kids that go to the library during the school day if they have a study and they could be working on it there. Certainly, you know, a lot of it could be done on their own. And this is the benefit of it, too, is that they can do it outside the regular school hours. And again, we can keep track because this particular product does allow the person overseeing this to see if that student's really doing this work.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: If I can continue, does this particular product allow for a different usage? Say a student didn't fail the course but they got a D and now they're a senior and they're realizing that that D is really going to hurt them or that they really need the content of that course. Is there a way to use it as a review or possibly to improve their grade?
[Beverly Nelson]: As we go along with this, I think it has a lot of uses. One of the things we can do in that particular student's case where they may have some of the content of the course, but maybe have missed certain concepts, we can pull out modules from the course of the reinforcement that they need. By the way, this particular product has many, many different courses in it. Some of them are great courses that can be used at middle school, such as study skills. So the actual product itself, To answer your question, yes, you could take a student who didn't pass the credit recovery course, and you could give them those portions of it to redo, to retake, to get them up to the level they need to be. It has the capacity to do that. Once we buy the option, we also could use the courses in different ways as well. Yes. We can mark, just like we did with the science this summer. Actually, we hadn't purchased it at this point. They allowed us to pilot it. And so Mr. Cieri said, okay, this is a good solid course, but the students coming to summer school have missed more of these concepts than others. And so he basically, and of course summer school is abbreviated to a period of time, so he basically pulled out the modules out of the course that he felt were most specific to what these kids needed for remediation. Yes, you can modify, you don't, once you Once you purchase the course, it's not that you can't do what you need. And how much does it cost to? We purchase, we had a contract of 500 courses, which will take us through September 1st for about $5,000, $5,500.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: And the other question I have, the only thing that makes me uncomfortable in the protocol you've put forth is the absolute. No outside of district programs will be accepted for credit recovery. My preference actually would be no outside of district programs will be accepted. for credit recovery unless approved by the assistant superintendent or something. We could do that. The reason for that is because I think that you can't foresee everything. And there might be a reason why it makes sense. And if we're going to adopt this as a policy, my preference is for oversight and for the unexpected. So I would move if it's acceptable. will be accepted for credit recovery unless approved by, and you can decide whether it's the assistant superintendent, the superintendent, the department head, whatever.
[Beverly Nelson]: What we were hoping tonight is just to put the protocol in place and we can add that language to it. And then as we work through it, then we can see if there are any problems and we can ask the committee to vote it in as a policy. But right now, we were just talking about getting it going. systematic protocol so we can add that to it because the benefit to it you know if you have a student who goes away for the summer and yet needs wants to make a course up you know they couldn't do it here they could online and that's another plus with this so oh I think there's lots and lots of pluses I just want we can ask we'll add that in okay so you want it unless approved by the... You pick, you can decide. The guidance, we'll put it on the guidance.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Director of guidance. Director of guidance, that sounds good.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Motion to accept the report as amended, offered by Ms. Van der Kloot. Is there a second on the floor? Second. Seconded by Mr. Benedetto. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Comment, Mr. Benedetto?
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I'm really happy to see this, Beverly. I know that I've talked about this for a long time and having options for children. I also want to look at this for children that might be having some issues that they couldn't feel comfortable attending school and how we can help them. So this, I think, is the first step for helping children that are really having a difficult time walking into the building and how we can possibly build on this so that way all our children have the right to still be able to, whether it's a physical or emotional, any type of issue that they can't get to school that we could use more and more of this to make sure that we're addressing those needs. And I think this is a big step towards that.
[Beverly Nelson]: It's also helpful for the student who is really trying during the school day, just can't get there and needs that extra support to get there. And so again, it has multiple pluses to it. I agree. I'm really happy. Thank you for the work on this.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Item 3, report on Michigan model health education program.
[Diane Caldwell]: Good evening. Medford Public Schools has adopted the nationally recognized Michigan model for health curriculum, which is a comprehensive skills-based health curriculum that is research-based and aligned to national standards. The Michigan Model Health Curriculum is recognized by the Collaborative for Academic and Social and Emotional Learning and the National Registry for Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. This comprehensive curriculum has units of instruction focusing on social-emotional health issues and other areas we have identified as high-needs areas for our students. So the middle and the high school, as you know by now, have already adopted and implemented the Michigan model, and so we're happy now that the elementary schools are now a part of this. They are covering social-emotional units in grades K-5, and these units include understanding your feelings, problem-solving, decision-making, communication skills, conflict resolution, and anger management. Adoption of the Michigan model at the elementary level provides consistency and articulation of the K-12 health curriculum. And in addition, the Michigan model curriculum for metro public schools also presents the DARE program for our fifth grade students. This is something that has been in effect for many years. In September, we had a training for our elementary teachers. led by Pat Degon of Michigan Model. Rachel Perry, our supervisor of health, of physical education, I should say, has been on board since the very beginning with Michigan Model. She has been ordering all of our materials and our supplies and overseeing all the pretests. She's created Google Sheets for our elementary staff so that they can fill in their pretest grades and then at the end of the school year, we can look at the post-test grades. So just recently all of our K-5 teachers, well I shouldn't say K-5, it's grades 2-5 teachers submitted their pre-test grades and I'm going to let Rachel talk to you a little bit about the average of the grades and then how they implemented was in effect for the middle and the high school as well. Rachel?
[Rachel Perry]: Good evening Mayor Burke, Superintendent Belson, members of the school committee. I just want to talk a little bit about the history of our health program in the city. For years, we had been using second step health curriculum throughout the district, and many teachers and administrators have concluded that second step was developmentally appropriate, but it was not reaching the health issues and concerns of today's adolescents. So therefore, we started to pilot the health curriculum, the Michigan model health curriculum in 2013, and we started that at the high school, then we moved to the middle school, and now finally down at the elementary school. At the high school, we're in our fourth year, In the middle school, it's the third year. In elementary, it's our first year after one year of piloting the program. What we've done is we've been assessing at the elementary school. So the pre-test numbers for the grade levels for two to five are listed. For grade two, the average was 78%. Grade three is 79%. Grade four, 74%. Grade five, 76%. with the all grade average of 77%. Our hope is that we improve these scores by the end of the school year. What I've done is I have purchased the curriculum for all of the elementary schools. Those were brought out to the elementary schools over the summer. I've also shared all of the PowerPoints, all of the worksheets on a Google Drive so that our teachers can actually go right onto their computers to get all of these things instead of using a disk or going to the curriculum binder. So they have options to use either or.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Very good. Thank you. Are there any questions? Ms. Mustone.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: I'll put you on the spot and you might not be the right person to answer this. So as a mother of a sixth and eighth grade girl and reading a lot of Catholic mom blogs, sexting is a concern. And out of curiosity, I went on and I couldn't find a policy on sexting. at the high school or the middle schools. So I don't know if it's addressed in the Michigan model, if it's a chapter?
[Rachel Perry]: It is addressed in the high school portion.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Okay, not middle school? Not in middle school, no. Okay. Is that something that you hear about at the middle school? I haven't heard it firsthand yet, but my daughters just might not be telling me. But is that something, a policy that we should be ahead of it? I mean, I read more and more incidents across the country Um, if it's a policy that we should work on or so, let me try and answer it this way.
[Roy Belson]: Um, a couple of weeks ago we gave you a draft of a reasonable use policy with regard to technology. Um, we pulled it off the table because there was some information that came to us from the ACLU and some other people that we wanted to, uh, review to ensure that we didn't miss anything and that we had a properly looked at legally. Um, We can control how devices are used in the school. We can't control what people do on their own privately as long as it doesn't affect or harass other students or result in bullying. But certainly the curriculum can talk about these things and the communication and the hostility. And also the community conversations issue really speaks to this, about people saying things, whether it's about sex or it's about hate or other forms of inappropriate conversation. It will all come to play through the curriculum, but I think at the same token, a reasonable use policy when we reemerge it, possibly as early as next meeting. I just want to make sure that it's right. We've vetted it with enough legal, and maybe the first of the year if we want to take a little bit more time. We'll speak to the issue of use of devices in schools and suggestions as to what young people should not be doing with their devices.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Right. I was thinking more if it happens at the middle school or high school, is there a protocol for teachers, right? If a teacher here, if a student confides in the teacher and the teacher goes to the school psychologist, like, is there a step-by-step plan?
[Roy Belson]: Well, there shouldn't be any use of that device for that purpose during the school day in the school setting. But it does happen. But that in of itself would be a violation of the reasonable use policy. So that should be forbidden for use during the day of anything like that. So if it happens outside, you know, it's kind of hard to police that unless it results in some form of bullying or inappropriate harassment that might exist.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: This doesn't make me feel better.
[Roy Belson]: No, but you have to be real about it. I mean, we don't control what people do on the street outside of us except if we are told that it affects how one student interacts with another. As far as the education side, we can bring that up through the curriculum.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: but it would affect inside the schools if it's happening.
[Roy Belson]: If it were happening. If it were happening. Correct. If it were happening.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Ms. Van der Kloot. I think that I disagree with you that we don't, I mean we don't have any way to control it, but we certainly have a way or should think about how are we introducing to students this issue of sexting and what the long-term and short-term ramifications are. I believe it was in that very article that you gave us last week, that excellent article that you gave us in our last folder, which talked about the uptick. And it isn't high school students. It is the, you know, starting at middle school. So I think it's a very important conversation to have. One of the things that I found on the Internet just this past week is whatever is, you know, someone had 1 times 9 equals 7, 2 times 9 equals 18, 3 times 9 equals 27, and it went on. And then said, and the teacher put it on a blackboard. And right away the kids started going, the teacher, you made a mistake, you made a mistake. And even though all the other ones were right, The only one that they talked about was the wrong one. And when you do something wrong, I mean, it was such an easy how that can follow you. That's the thing that people see. And I thought it was such a concrete example that should be presented to kids about saying, you know, this is the problem. If you make that mistake and all of a sudden you write something out or you send a picture to somebody. it's going to follow you. So, you know, I don't think it's just, I think the policy that you presented to us, which we will need to follow up, is a piece of the puzzle, but it's not the entire puzzle. I think that what Mia is talking about, if I may, Mia, if I think, is sort of saying is how are we making sure that within the scope of our conversations as we seek to educate our kids about social and emotional issues, that sexting becomes part of the topic.
[Rachel Perry]: Right. And I don't think it's specifically covered as sexting, but we do have character development and choosing who I am, which does go through communication skills in dealing with issues and problem solving and things like that.
[Roy Belson]: I think we can, you know, introduce the term sexting, you know, because that would be a common application of communication issues. I don't think it's a problem of doing that. I just think the education side is one side and the technical side is the other side. So, you know, it comes together. It's not like we're ignoring one or the other.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Benedetto.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So from what I'm hearing is that we have a program that addresses an issue at the high school, but we're seeing that issue at our middle school. So let's take the curriculum that we're using at the high school, check it to make sure it's developmentally appropriate for our middle schoolers, since we're hearing that middle schoolers are engaging in this, and bring that down to them.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I think we just need to be clear. I did not hear that this is happening in the Medford Public Schools. We are hearing that there is a concern about it.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I'm hearing that middle school students are discussing this issue, so the fact that they're talking about it means that we should talk about it with them and discuss it in an open, caring manner so that they can talk about their concerns. Even if it never happened to them, if they're talking about that this is going on, we need to have that conversation before it happens. And not wait until high school for this particular piece. So we're being informed by a parent that this topic is in need. at an earlier time, so I would like for, through you, Mr. Belson, to make a decision to bring this topic, if it's provided at the high school, to have our people, Diane or whomever, needs to look at it and make sure it's appropriate to start bringing that content down into our middle schools. Because children are starting these more mature conversations much earlier. And if we're not addressing them until after they've already heard about it, talked about it with other children, we're not helping them learn open communication and how to deal with it and all of the things we need to. We don't want to miss the boat and talk to them about things that they've already dealt with. two, three years now. We want to get them when they need it. Just like D.A.R.E. is at fifth grade level because that's the appropriate time to speak with them. And it might have been seventh grade level at some point and moved down because children are more mature in some topics now.
[Rachel Perry]: I think we can be proactive and take a look at those lessons that are at the high school and maybe adapt them to bring them down to the middle schools.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: maybe at our next policy meeting that we discuss a policy procedure for this. I don't know exactly when we're having any policy reviews.
[Roy Belson]: But Rachel, I think the assumption here is that there was nothing going on at the middle school in health. I think maybe you should talk a little bit what we are doing in the middle school because I think there's somehow that you see an elementary piece and a high school piece, but we haven't talked about the middle school piece.
[Rachel Perry]: Sure. And at the sixth grade level, the units that we're teaching are alcohol, drugs and tobacco, nutrition and physical activity, safety and social emotional learning unit. Seventh grade is tobacco free, healthy eating and physical activity and safety. And at the eighth grade, it's drug free, healthy eating and physical activity and choosing who I am, which is a character development unit.
[Roy Belson]: I think one of the things that we've got to understand is a common thread that runs through everything. How do young people make good decisions about anything, whether it's alcohol, sex, behavior towards others, race, things of that type. The whole constant of all these curricula deals with the issue of good decision making. How you are responsible to yourself and others as you move through, regardless of the content. So I think that's really the common thread. And maybe we just simply have to weave in some additional content is really what you're asking. So that we can give people at least an introduction to that since it seems to be a concern that may be emergent.
[Diane Caldwell]: I think that when Rachel has her own meetings with her staff, she can discuss the issues that have been brought up to talk to her staff about what have you've heard in your classes and maybe it'll come up then as well.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thank you. I wasn't quite, I wasn't quite done. Um, so at this point I'd like to, um, make a motion that we discuss putting a protocol in place for, um, Situations that happen outside of school that teachers hear about what they should do if this information were to come to them, like some school-wide policy. If I was a teacher of a sixth grader and someone said, this student over here's picture has been put over everybody's cell phone, and I learned of that. I would know, because there would be a policy in place, that I need to report it to the guidance office as well as the assistant principal, and the assistant principal would then, you know, follow up or whatever that policy would be that we think is necessary. So I would like the superintendent to put something together. I'm making a motion that he comes up with a policy and procedures for situations like this. I need a second.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: On the motion that the superintendent prepare a draft policy pertaining to things that may happen outside of the school in the classroom that he or she catches wind of and report back to the school committee, seconded by Ms. Mostone. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you very much, Mr. Perry.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Motion to accept the report.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Motion to receive and place on file by Mr. Benedetto, seconded by Ms. Mustone. All those in favor? All those opposed? I'm sorry. Motion accepted. Item number four, a report on professional development schedule.
[Roy Belson]: Deputy superintendent will comment on that if you need additional information.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Do you want the date announced at least?
[Roy Belson]: Why don't we announce the date because I think it's important that parents know so they can plan.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Monday, March 13th, 2017. This is currently not on the school calendar, correct?
[Beverly Nelson]: We will bring it to you first and then we'll, tomorrow actually is our administrative meeting. We'll announce it to the administrators. So they can inform parents in multiple ways. We'll adjust the school calendar on the website as well. So we're just waiting for this evening first.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Thank you. One question. I was surprised that you picked a Monday.
[Beverly Nelson]: Superintendent picked the Monday.
[Roy Belson]: Let me tell you why.
[Beverly Nelson]: Why did you pick it?
[Roy Belson]: I picked a Monday because I want the continuity of the week. I don't want to have it on the Wednesday. You come to school for two days and then you have day off and then you go another two days. I think it breaks up the week. It's incumbent upon the faculty. It's incumbent upon students not to use this as an excuse to extend the weekend. And we need to make that clear to them. But I think it's important that we not lose four days consecutively, and just simply have two days, break it up in the middle of the week, and then it really doesn't help us in terms of keeping momentum going in classes.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: OK. OK. Thank you. Motion to receive and place on file, offered by Mr. Skerry, seconded by Ms. Vandekloot. All those in favor? All those opposed? Motion passes. Report on proposed change to educator evaluation regulations, Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: Madam Mayor, members of the committee, there's a lot going on in the evaluation process at the state level. And it's going back and forth between the Teachers Association, the MASC, the MASS, the Commissioner's Office and the like. And we want to keep you informed because it's a hot topic right now and I want you to understand, you know, where it's going. Uh, there was a proposed change that the commissioner brought to the attention of the destiny board. Uh, this past week, uh, commissioner Chester introduced a change that because of the feedback he was getting from the field, no one was really happy with the way there was, it was set up previously that would there be a student impact rating that was independent of the, um, with a regular rating. So we came up with an approach that would embed it in standard two. Um, so it would be part of the standard two rating. The teacher's association, as you can see from what's been attached, is adamantly opposed to it. The MASS and the MASC believe it's workable. Uh, the board has sent it out for public comment. Over the next couple of months, there'll be public comment, and we'll see what actually takes place. But it's an important element of public policy, because obviously, there's got to be some form of teacher evaluation going on. And the question is, is that is student learning a legitimate element of determining how effective a teacher is in the classroom? Now, it shouldn't be so plastic that The teacher who works with the most challenged of students is expected to have the same results as the teachers working with the gifted and talented student who self-motivates and teaches themselves in some ways. Albeit, good teachers inspire anybody at any level. But having said that, the debate is very sharp right now. And it reflects a great deal of back and forth. And I'm not sure exactly how it's going to end up. I will tell you that it is tying us up in terms of dealing with the Teachers Association, in terms of coming up with new ideas as to how to properly evaluate. It does create a back and forth between the associations in the Commonwealth, and it clearly is a topic that we're going to hear more and more about. So I want to keep you informed, I want you to know what people are saying, what happened at the board, what happened with the memo you have from the Teachers Association, both from the MTA and the AFT, although it's on the MTA stationery, as to what their objections are. And we'll continue to talk about this because the way we evaluate teachers, the way we set goals for performance is very important to us, and how we measure that is also very important and it will affect personnel decisions going forward. So, happy to take any questions you may have, but I think the rest of it is self-explanatory.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you very much. There's a motion for approval by Mr. Benedetto. Is there a second on the floor by Ms. Van der Kloot? All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? The motion passes. Report on school nutrition equipment grant. Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: I'm going to call upon our Director of Finance and Administration, Christine Patterson is doing a great job and stepping in so quickly and Good evening madam mayor members of the committee.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: I'm happy to report under our food service program Jewel Bradley and Rhetta Smith that we have received two large pieces of equipment for the McGlynn middle and the Columbus elementary these units are considered heat and hold electric convection ovens, which will allow those schools to offer the hot meals more quickly, get children through the lines much more expeditiously. So we continue to look at all of our resources and try to maximize what we can and get additional funding for equipment and services. For me personally, food services is very important. I'm a member of the School Nutrition Association, so I'm working very closely with Juul to continue to find additional resources and extend our breakfast programs, free and reduced, wherever we can.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Excellent. Thank you very much. Congratulations.
[Roy Belson]: Thank you.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Ms. Mustone, were those the only two pieces of equipment that they applied for on the grant?
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Yes, based on the criteria that was established, you had to be over 50% free and reduced.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There's a motion to, if we can amend the paper, to make it a motion to accept the grant.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Mr. Benedetto, through you to the superintendent, I know a few years ago we went up on our school lunch prices because we needed to upgrade equipment and make sure that we were adequately, I just really would I would ask you to look at that and to see if we're going to raise prices again. We want to give parents in the community enough information early rather than have a vote of a big lump sum because it is a hardship for some families. And I don't want our children to show up at any level, high school or young, without enough money for school lunches. really communicate well about this and come forthright rather than at the last minute, the end of the school year for the beginning of next year and parents don't hear it.
[Roy Belson]: Of course, one of the things, I'll just say this as a commentary on what's going on, we don't know what the federal policy is going to be going into next year with regard to USDA reimbursements to the state and to us. The supply of commodities and things of that type, it could change at this particular point in time. So there's some uncertainty on that level. We've got to deal also with the fact that, you know, the price of food in local markets, we have, you know, some issues with regard to that. We'll go up farm to school and things like that. We want farm fresh. We want certain kinds of food. So we have to be careful about that. But so far the food service program is doing fine. But, you know, we'll monitor that. And our goal would be not to raise prices unless we absolutely have to. And we try to give you as much advance notice as we can. But I appreciate what you're saying.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So in history, what they do is they make due for a very long time, and then they come to us and they need a big increase. And I think when we spoke to them last time that happened, we told them to come forward ahead of time for maintenance and for new machinery as we go, rather than to wait for a last minute and have a huge price increase to our parents and our students, because some of our students who work and pay for their own lunches. And I know that they're hungry sometimes. A lot of our students can come to school hungry. And some people, that's the only meals they get. So I just want you to be very conscious of it.
[Roy Belson]: Thank you. We will be. But I will point out to you that more and more of our students are becoming eligible for free and reduced. There's two schools that received equipment. They had to have at least 50% of the student body eligible in order to even apply for the grant. And the others aren't too far behind. There's only one school that's really kind of, you know, doesn't have that economic. But most of the others are starting to head towards that 50% threshold. It's simply the nature of the demographic in the community, so we are conscious of that very much.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: And what about our high school? Are we getting those forms back from our high school students so that they qualify?
[Roy Belson]: To the extent that they want to. Some kids will never tell you because they don't want to. Some families won't, but more and more we're paying attention to that because obviously it affects us. Part of the reason that prices had to be raised, just so we can remind ourselves of this, was the fact that the USDA insisted that we charge at least as much as they were reimbursing. They weren't going to reimburse us more money than we were charging ourselves. So that was an important thing to bring it up, so we had to actually bring it up. But the point's well taken, and we'll follow up, and we'll try to do the best we can in giving a word out there.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: A motion to accept the grant? Is there a second?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: to accept the grant by Ms. Van der Kloot.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Christine. I just wanted to follow up from Superintendent Belson to also indicate that the process has changed for the free and reduced. So we're not simply reliant on applications at this point any longer. So we are trying to look at further information informing parents and families of services outside of just school nutrition that if they are able to take advantage of those such as Medicare, SNAP, other services, that they've become eligible by virtue and we are able to capture them through the portal. So it remains anonymous. There's not this stigma that used to be associated with this process. So we are being much more active in trying to capture those, as many as we can at all grade levels.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: And also, excuse me, I hope you don't mind my comment, parents don't sometimes realize that when you qualify for free and reduced lunch, you also get discounted amounts on college applications and SAT exams. So it really is more than just the food program. And I don't think that that's communicated well to most parents in the community. So even if they say, well, my kid's never going to get a school lunch and they're going to bring their lunch, there's no reason for me to fill out that form. There are children that, you know, they get vouchers for SATs, and they get decreased applications for colleges, and they're getting very expensive now. So, I mean, there's a lot of good reasons to get that out, so I hope that our high school is communicating that piece. I know I've spoke to that point before, that maybe Dr. Perella, when he sends out the form, also advises parents that they qualify for those other things, as well as just lunches, and that, Because a lot of people just have no idea. Absolutely. So thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Very good. On the motion, roll call vote, please.
[Robert Skerry]: Yes.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes. Six in the affirmative, zero in the negative, one absent. The motion passes. Negotiations and legal matters, are there any? Nope, there are none. Old business recommendation to send letter to state delegation on enhanced regulation for implementation of new recreational marijuana law. Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: So in our last meeting, you asked me to draft a letter from you to our legislative delegation. I have done so. And you, you know, had a chance to hopefully to look it over so that we can send it in. But I want to bring you up to date on a couple more things that have since emerged. Uh, but that law I did attach. an advisory from the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, legal counsel, which went into a great deal of depth about some of the legal challenges in implementing this law. I also had the opportunity today to meet with the state treasurer as part of the Economic Empowerment Task Force, which I serve, about the implementation, because the implementation comes under her jurisdiction, at least at this point in time. As you may know, there's no money that's been allocated in the current budget for it and the current collections have gone down this month. So it's hard to know where that new money is coming and there's no consensus to borrow from the rainy day fund from either the governor or the speaker of the house or the state treasurer. So it's unlikely that this will be off and running very soon. Um, because they, they need money to set up the apparatus to do the, the kinds of things that are necessary. Still, we should be on record. In addition, we should also note that there are some interesting federal laws that are going to intersect with this right now. There is the Drug-Free Schools Act. There's the Communities Act. There's also, you know, a discussion of states' rights versus federal supremacy clause. Under the federal supremacy clause, federal laws take precedent over state laws, unless they're covered by the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, which reserves rights to the state that are not enumerated for the federal government. But depending on the court, it really depends on what the judges want to rule at any one time, because it's gone both ways. So it's entirely possible that the incoming Attorney General, who has been very strong in his advocacy against marijuana, recreational or medical, in his home state, and in the Senate may actually take a more aggressive stance than the current Attorney General of the United States, Loretta Lynch. So there's a lot going on as to how this stuff is going to play out in the national and the local scene in the upcoming months. Another thing, too, that maybe people don't fully realize is that because it's a federal crime, money's collected for this revenue from marijuana can't be deposited in a federal bank because it's a criminal act.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: They are allowing it now, but with multiple levels of reporting.
[Roy Belson]: Yeah, all kinds of, but you know, there's going to be, it's going to be very interesting to see how they play with that because with a new, if you will, sheriff in town at the White House, it could very well be a very difficult thing that goes forward. So in the interim, it doesn't hurt for us to be on record with the letter that I've drafted for you or any amendments you want to make to it. Uh, but I think that it's going to be a little while before we start to see this, uh, take place and where it goes.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Very good. And, um, actually it's to adopt the letter last week we asked for a draft. So is there a motion to accept this letter and submit it on our behalf? Motion for approval by Mr. Skerry. Seconded by Ms. Van der Kloot. Roll call, please.
[Robert Skerry]: Yes.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes. Six in the affirmative, zero in the negative one absent the motion passes. So if you could send that letter in on our behalf, we appreciate it. Mr. Superintendent, just a couple of items.
[Roy Belson]: The superintendent would like to mention just a couple of quick, quick things, you know, again, tomorrow at 1230 is groundbreaking at the community access channel. It's going to be hosted in part by the mayor, by Lisa Hughes from channel four of Courtney Cox from Nesson. and a number of other people from the media coming to see us in action. And it'll be a good opportunity to see how this thing is progressing. A lot of good work is going on. Christina has been working real hard with city officials to ensure that the construction goes forward and that the necessary modifications are made so that things go forward. But tomorrow's an opportunity to see things from the actual site and to get some reports at that opportunity. I've given you two articles. from Time Magazine, which was referenced by Paulette a short time ago. They're worth reading because I think what's important is that we stay up on what's being said out there so we can have the dialogues necessary to guide the future directions of our resources and our curriculum. It should be noted that the President-Elect has named an incoming U.S. Secretary of Education, Elizabeth Betsy DeVos of Michigan. She's an active supporter of school choice, charters, and vouchers. She also has announced that she's against the Common Core. We'll see where that happens, what that means. Again, back to the Supremacy Clause versus states' rights. All those kinds of things have to be worked out. But it's going to be very interesting to see, especially coming off the most recent initiative petition in the Commonwealth as to what kinds of incentives will be made to the communities, the states, to expand choice. and the like. The Massachusetts Constitution forbids certain types of activities. Again, you know, it's hard to know how it will all intersect, but it bears watching. So those are just a few items to bring to your attention, and hopefully you can participate. And again, on the 14th, if you intend to go, let us know so we can arrange for parking and the other things for you at the Science Museum.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Very good. Is there a motion to adjourn? Motion to adjourn. All those in favor? All those opposed? Thank you.
|
total time: 10.51 minutes total words: 1069  |
total time: 12.32 minutes total words: 1157  |
total time: 20.04 minutes total words: 1600  |
total time: 7.72 minutes total words: 773  |
|
total time: 3.35 minutes total words: 397  |
total time: 1.07 minutes total words: 95  |
||